Friday, April 13, 2007

Movie News

Been a good week for movies, or 'a chance to catch up' as some might call it. Started on Monday with our first ever visit to the longest, continuously-running cinema in the world, the Curzon at Clevedon. It's 95 years old this year. It really is a wonderful place with a good sound system and comfortable seats but lots of trips down flea-pit memory lane at the same time. The organ and the corner kiosk are both a wonder to behold. Hard of hearing usherettes are a nice touch. The £5 entrance price and the non-overpriced confectionary (two waters and some Minstrels = £2) are a delight.

We saw Simon Pegg's Hot Fuzz. It managed to be a comedy thriller which both thrilled and comedied. Added bonus was that it was filmed in Wells so we saw an evil clan meeting on the Bishop's Palace lawn, a handbrake turn in the Market Square and a shoot out in Somerfield. For real.

So impressed were we that we bought Shaun of the Dead on DVD to watch the next night. Realised that some of the Hot Fuzz jokes relied on a knowledge of Shaun. Equally funny. Even Liz laughed and she doesn't go near the horror/slasher genre however tongue in cheek, or wherever the tongue and cheek end up.

On Tuesday I picked up two early Coen Brothers movies in Fopp! for £10 and watched them at once - Barton Fink (genius) and The Hudsucker Prodigy (merely brilliant).

Today I went to the multiplex (risky in half-term week) but it was to see a film that has been out for a few weeks so I figured it would be OK and it was. Sunshine was the sort of spectacular that needs to be seen big-screen. Almost everything Danny Boyle touches turns to gold and this low on budget high on talent movie certainly does. There is a terrible dearth of great endings to good films these days so the final act disappointed a little but there was plenty to enjoy on the way. Even though the cinema wasn't hot the subject matter (send space ship with nuclear bomb to restart a failing Sun) ensured I drank most of my litre of water.

Good week despite doing a couple of days work too. Have prepared delighful end-of-week treat supper for Mrs T who is stuck on the motorway.

7 comments:

IAIN CUNNINGHAM said...

Steve, I have just awarded you a Thinking Blogger Award. Go to my blog to find out what that means. Hope you don't mind.

Rich Burley said...

Glad you've found the joys of the Simon Pegg team. Perhaps we'll lend you the 2 series of Spaced when we come to visit - they're just as good, if not better, even without Hollywood special effects.

Martin said...

Agree with Rich - Spaced is fantastic! - I think I would go as far to say slightly better than Sean. Can't comment on Hot Fuzz as yet - thanks for reminding me it's out in the wild!

Reel Fanatic said...

I laughed through every minute of Shaun of the Dead, so I can't wait to see this one .. It's listed as a "limited" release next week in my little corner of the world, but I'm keeping my fingers crossed that we get it

IAIN CUNNINGHAM said...

I just love the Coen brothers' films. Can't decide whether my favourite is 'O Brother where art thou?' The Big Lebowski or Fargo. But recently picked up an old one very cheap -Blood Simple. I think it may be their first feature film. Typically dark and gory but you can see the Coen themes appearing -how the 'best laid plans' go awry etc. They certainly know how to tell a story.

Steve Tilley said...

I was fortunate enough to see Blood Simple at Warwick Art Centre a few years ago on the big sceen as part of a Coen Brothers week. Loved it.

Have you ever noticed how the Coen Brothers theme a colour in their movies? It's often red as they love the beauty of gore.

Milers Crossing = autumnal browns Fargo = white
O Brother = yellow
Blood Simple = red
Intolerable cruelty = red
The man who wasn't there = grey (OK black and white)

Mike Peatman said...

If you like old cinemas with atmosphere and interesting staff, try the Kinema in the woods at Woodhall Spa in Lincolnshire. It's too long to explain here how I know about it!