Retinkering

In case you were wondering, I thought "Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy" was just as good on the second watch. So, you know, go get it on DVD.

My funny valentine

This year for Valentine's day, I got my better half "Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy", because, as I've mentioned before, it's excellent. And she hasn't seen it.


She got me "Drive", which I haven't seen and was gutted I missed it at the cinema.


Who says romance is dead? 

And in second place

So, film of the year continues. To those regular readers who remember my earlier praise, it should be no surprise that at two we have "Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy".


A genuine British gem with an amazing British cast led more-than-ably by Gary Oldman. Solid performances all around, but Colin Firth, Kathy Burke, Tom Hardy are all good. In fact, scratch that, it's almost unfair to start naming people as everyone involved is excellent.


Thoroughly tense, even when there's very little "action" taking place on the screen. Everything takes place in the minute details, the slightest look can mean everything, a small action tells a whole story.


Brilliant, brilliant, brilliant.


My post-film review can be found here.

Red Riding Hood 2

Further to my notes on “Red Riding Hood” yesterday, I’d also like to highlight the crushing disappointment of seeing Gary Oldman (my pick for this year’s BAFTA for Best Actor) stooping to such lows after the highs of “Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy” - in my mind one of the best films of the year. Hey, I guess everyone’s got to pay the mortgage.

Also, I find Amanda Seyfried kinda weird to look at. She has fish eyes.

Just Saying.

From good to bad

Yesterday I was trumpeting “Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy” and saying how much I enjoyed it. Now to the other end of the spectrum.

After putting it off for ages, I finally watched “The Last Airbender”, which has been sitting in my planner for months. Wow, it’s bad.

I generally like M Night Shyamalan (before “The Happening” anyway, that was poor), and “Signs” is, in my opinion, shamefully underrated. This however, is poorly executed, boring and nonsensical. It feels like there was another hours worth of film which has been trimmed down to montages and voiceovers. The result is a number of characters you don’t care about so there’s no emotional resonance when they’re in peril.

The only high note (which is only funny in Britain) comes when one character utters the line “You need to be a bender”. Juvenile, I know.

Epically bad.

Five Stars

“Super 8” finally has competition.

I saw “Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy” the other night and now there’s another five star film that’s been released this year. I won’t give a plot synopsis in case I accidently spoil anything, but it’s a brilliant film, filled with gripping performances and palpable tension.

Gary Oldman is outstanding (and I would expect to definitely be in line for a BAFTA) and is ably supported by a who’s who of British acting talent including John Hurt, Colin Firth, Tom Hardy, Toby Jones, Mark Strong, Benedict Cumberbatch and Kathy Burke.

Like I say, I don’t want to spoil anything, but I can’t recommend it enough – go and see it.

What are you still doing here? Go!

Tinker, Trailer, Soldier, Spy

So this week's big trailer release is for "Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy", which is both an extremely well put together trailer and also looks to be one of the better films due for release this year. I'm on tenterhooks waiting for it.


Speaking of trailers, there's also been another of the MH Trailers that I mentioned a few weeks back. This one shows a woman's hand pulling on a glove and then clenching it into a fist before whipping it off screen. Curiouser and curiouser.


You can see the trailer here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oj3jzc0q070&feature=youtu.be