Adam Driver – Film Fanatic

The Best of Sky TV – My 2024 Recommendations

Hello Readers,

I have recently started watching television programmes on the Sky channels and I want to talk through my favourites. I only started about mid way through this year so I have focused on programmes I have heard about or been recommended by friends. There is a vast range of channels but most of these programmes are from Sky Max, Comedy or Showcase.

Breeders (2020 – 2023) Age Rating 18

Series available: 4
Show status: Ended
Cast: Martin Freeman, Daisy Haggard, Alun Armstrong, Joanna Bacon

This show tells the story of two parents Paul and Ally and the ups and downs of their parenting life with look-ins from Paul’s parents, Ally’s boss and persnickety mother. Paul has anger issues and Ally is trying to balance her career with being a present mother. The kids are recast for the 3rd series but all the actors are great in the role. Lots of strong language but would class as a comedy drama.

Rating: 4/5

Avenue 5 (2020 – 2022) Age Rating 18

Series available: 2
Show Status: Cancelled
Cast: Hugh Laurie, Josh Gad, Lenora Crichlow, Rebecca Front, Andy Buckley, Zach Woods, Suzy Nakamura, Nikki Amuka-Bird

Set in the near future, luxury space cruise liner Avenue 5 is making its inaugural voyage around the galaxy. Its journey gets thrown off course and eight weeks becomes three years causing a lot of upset for the crew and passengers. We see mission control trying to handle the mission PR on Earth. I really enjoyed this series and it did end with a cliffhanger but was funny and I like all the references to the future. The ensemble cast worked well together.

Rating: 4/5

Mary and George (2024) Age Rating 18

Series available: 1
Show Status: Limited Mini-Series
Cast: Julianne Moore, Nicholas Galitzine, Tony Curran, Mark O’Halloran

A journey back to Jacobean England where we see Mary and George advance through noble ranks to become close advisors to King James I. George Villiers transforms from lovesick puppy into political player through his relationship with the King. In the background, Mary wields her children to put her into the best possible position in society. The costumes, set and acting were all excellent and the story told is one that has been lost through history. I was aware of George Villiers but had no idea of the role his mother played in their ascent in the King’s Court. There is also an interesting documentary discussing different elements of the show with various cast, crew and historical experts available.

Rating: 4.5/5

The Regime (2024) Age Rating: 15

Series Available: 1
Show Status: Limited Mini Series
Cast: Kate Winslet, Matthias Schoenaerts, Guillaume Gallienne, Danny Webb

Satirical comedy drama about a female dictator in Eastern Europe. Elena Vernham has inherited Chancellor from her father and rules with an iron fist but believes herself to be fair and just for her people. Those around her try to keep her on the right path while she starts taking the advice of an ex-army Corporal with a checkered past. I initially did not get into this series after the first episode but I wanted to try and finish it. I thought Kate Winslet gave a good performance but overall the plot was confusing with each episode having time jumps and Elena’s relationship with Corporal Zubak changing every two episodes. I enjoyed some of the general humour and I could see where they were going with it but in my opinion, it was not as effective as in other programmes.

Rating: 3.5/5

The Tattooist of Auschwitz (2024) Age Rating: 15

Series Available: 1
Show Status: Limited Mini-Series
Cast: Jonah Hauer-King, Anna Próchniak, Melanie Lynskey, Harvey Keitel, Jonas Hay, Tallulah Haddon, Mili Eshet

This show based on a bestselling novel depicts the story of Lale and Gita, two Slovak Jews as they met at Auschwitz concentration camp during World War II. In the future, Lale recounts the story of his romance with Gita and who he had to become to stay alive during his time imprisoned. This show was very intense but told a beautiful story of love in a time of pain and the recreation of the camp was very well done. Acting was outstanding.

Rating: 4/5

Rob Beckett’s Smart TV (2024-) Age Rating: 15

Series Available: 1
Show Status: Renewed for Series 2
Presenters: Alison Hammond, Rob Beckett, Josh Widdicombe

Television based panel game show starring some of Britain’s most loved comedians. Rob Beckett hosts with Alison Hammond and Josh Widdicombe as team captains and they are joined by a host of known British celebrities. Rounds include general trivia, guessing the background artist and finish that line. A fun show with questions that anyone who watches British TV will be able to play along with at home. The three presenters all interact well together.

Rating: 4/5

Girls (2012-2017) Age Rating: 18

Series Available: 1, 2, and 6 out of 6 (Others are available to buy)
Show Status: Ended
Cast: Lena Dunham, Allison Williams, Jemima Kirke, Adam Driver, Zosia Mamet, Alex Karpovsky

Female focused comedy starring wannabe journalist Hannah, uptight Marnie, free-spirit Jessa and anxious Shoshanna as four friends living in New York City in their 20s. I only saw the first two series but I liked the programme. It was weirder and yet more relatable than other friend comedies such as Friends or How I Met Your Mother. I like Lena Dunham’s writing and I thought all the characters were interesting and complex. Would like to watch more if it becomes available.

Rating: 4/5

Manifest (2018-2023) Age Rating: 15

Series Available: 1 (3 out of 4, others are available on Netflix)
Show Status: Ended
Cast: Melissa Roxburgh, Josh Dallas, J.R. Ramirez, Luna Blaise, Parveen Kaur

I watched Series 3 of the show on Sky but the other three are available on Netflix. This show is about flight 828’s crew and passengers as they travel five and a half years into the future during a short journey from Jamaica to NYC. In the following years, the universe gives the passengers callings and visions to try and help each other and stop the world from casting them out from society. I really enjoyed the show and while it took me a few episodes to get into it, I was then hooked. There is a lot of religious story arcs but once you bond with the characters, the story is more interesting. It did well for a show with no big names. I also walked past them filming a scene in Times Square so they do actually film in New York.

Rating: 3.5/5

Bloods (2021-2022) Age Rating: 15

Series Available: 2
Show Status: Cancelled
Cast: Jane Horrocks, Samson Kayo, Lucy Punch, Julian Barratt, Adrian Scarborough, Aasiya Shah, Sam Campbell, Kevin Garry

Classic British comedy set in the world of paramedics contrasting gore with giggles. Centered around Maleek and his new ambulance partner, Wendy, we see their day to day lives as they learn to work together along with the other teams on their squad and no-nonsense boss, Jo. I enjoyed this show and thought it had the right balance of laughs and seriousness especially considering the setting. Starred some great comedy legends and newcomers. Ended on a cliffhanger but unfortunately was cancelled.

Rating: 4/5

The Franchise (2024-) Age Rating: 15

Series Available: 1
Show Status: Awaiting Renewal
Cast: Himesh Patel, Aya Cash, Jessica Hynes, Billy Magnussen, Lolly Adefope, Darren Goldstein, Isaac Powell, Richard E. Grant, Daniel Brühl, Justin Edwards, Ruaridh Mollica

Ensemble comedy around a film crew making a big Hollywood superhero movie in the UK. Our main character is 1st AD Dan with his new mentee, Dag then we have the director Eric who is slowly losing his mind and the plot of the film; action star, Adam and reluctant co-star, Peter along with Steph, Eric’s PA, Bryson, representative of big boss, Shane on set; Pat and Anita, the producers and Rufus, the overused extra. I really enjoyed this show and was clearly written by people who have had these experiences on film sets so I am sure anyone in the industry can relate. Funny but not too over the top; classic Armando Iannucci comedy.

Rating: 4.5/5

The Day of the Jackal (2024-) Age Rating: 15

Series Available: 1
Show Status: Renewed for Series 2
Cast: Eddie Redmayne, Lashana Lynch, Eleanor Matsuura, Chukwudi Iwuji, Úrsula Corberó

A cat and mouse game between assassin and MI6, this series leads the characters all across Europe as the Jackal tries to complete the kills he is hired to do without getting caught. His wife and child wait for him in Spain as their family get more and more suspicious. MI6 agent, Bianca leads the chase but putting her job before her own family is weighing on her. This show is pacy and dynamic with good drama and believable plot lines. Just when you think the Jackal will be caught, he manages to escape but he starts making mistakes and letting his guard down. So many different locations were used, highlighting many cities that you would not normally see on a British drama. I am looking forward to Series 2.

Rating: 4.5/5

On My Watchlist:

Never Mind the Buzzcocks (2021-) Age Rating: 15
Panel Show
Series Available: 4
Show Status: Show Awaiting Return
Presenters: Greg Davies, Noel Fielding and Daisy May Cooper

I’ve seen clips of this show online and looks like a panel show I would enjoy. It’s a reboot of a show from the early 2000s with new segments and presenters. I haven’t got around to watching it so on my list for a potential watch.

The Sympathizer (2024) Age Rating: 15
Drama
Series Available: 1
Show Status: Limited Mini Series
Cast: Robert Downey Jr., Hoa Xuande, Fred Nguyen Khan, Vy Le, Phan Gia Nhat Linh, Tom Dang, Toan Le, Tien Pham

I saw the trailer when it was new out and the show looks interesting but it hasn’t peeked my interest enough to watch yet. I am a fan of Robert Downey Jr. but I am not as interested in this topic but would be willing to give it a go as it is on the Sky Showcase channel.

The Righteous Gemstones (2019-) Age Rating: 18
Comedy
Series Available: 3
Show Status: Series 4 to be Released in 2025
Cast: John Goodman, Danny McBride, Adam Devine, Edi Patterson, Cassidy Freeman, Gregory Alan Williams, Tim Baltz, Tony Cavalero

I didn’t want to do a full review on this show as I have only seen a few episodes of the first series but it’s a funny parody comedy about the rich evangelical church owners you can find in the US. Will carry on watching as and when.

Happy Watching,

Robyn

My Letterboxd Four Favourites

Hello Readers,

I am sure many fellow film fanatics will be well aware of the platform Letterboxd but as a recent convert, I want to share what my four favourites are as users list in their profile.

I see many celebrities listing highbrow films by directors such as Fellini, Hitchcock and even more obscure but as someone who enjoys films more from the 21st century, my favourites are not as revered. I have no issues with people appreciating older cinema but even after studying film, I have never quite connected with the classics. I chose films that I would happily watch over and over without getting bored and ones with strong themes or just something that makes me laugh.

Here is a link to my Letterboxd profile if you would like to check out what I have been watching the past couple of months: https://letterboxd.com/robynhirstallen/

The Day After Tomorrow (2004)

Even before Letterboxd, this film has been in my top 3 since I saw it about 15 years ago. One of my favourite sub genres of films are natural disasters and this definitely fits into that category. While far-fetched and exaggerated, it does show the dangers of climate change and what may happen if we don’t take it seriously.

What I think draws me into films like this as well as films that are post-apocalyptic or alternate futures, is that the people left in the world have to work together to survive and you get to see humanity more united that it is or has been for a long time. It also creates a certain jeopardy that is not caused by one person or a group of people but rather by something that cannot be controlled and is unavoidable.

The Day After Tomorrow has three main plot lines: the first is about Sam and his friends who have flown to New York City for a debate competition. Jake Gyllenhaal (Sam) and Emmy Rossum (Laura) and Arjay Smith (Brian) star as the trio of high schoolers. After the floods, they are helped by another debater, J.D. (Austin Nichols) and shelter in the New York Public Library.

The second group are Sam’s father, Jack, played by Dennis Quaid along with his friends Jason and Frank. They were recently in Antarctica studying cold fronts and set off from Washington DC to rescue Sam and his friends while the weather turns into a new Ice Age.

The third group work in a laboratory in Scotland studying the weather and quickly come to realise that they aren’t going to be going anywhere any time soon. We get snippets from events around the world such as tornadoes in Los Angeles, snow in India, floods, hurricanes, tsunamis and many other unbelievable weather events.

While the visual effects may not be as impressive and what we are used to seeing 20 years later, I think that they do hold up and the scenes when the floods invade Manhattan are quite realistic. The director, Roland Emmerich is known for films of this genre and scale such as 2012 and Independence Day so I think he got the tone right by including round the world events but also focusing on the relationships between the main characters.

Sam only joined the debate team to impress his crush, Laura while Brian and Laura are very academic. When J.D. joins their group, there is a bit of friction as Laura takes a shine to him but when she gets sick, everyone puts her health first. Jack and his colleagues have been trying to prove that climate change is real and that another Ice Age could happen but unfortunately the government don’t listen to him. His wife is a healthcare professional and we see her looking after sick children and waiting with them to be evacuated from Washington DC to the Southern States.

Overall, the film has jeopardy, adventure, action and drama along with characters you can relate to. One of the most heartbreaking scenes is when everyone sheltering in the library leaves and then you see them frozen to death outside after a cold front swept through.

Available on Disney+

Mamma Mia! (2008)

A smash hit musical and the subsequent films revived the music of ABBA in recent years. Since their success at Eurovision in 1974, the band’s popularity dwindled after their break up but Catherine Johnson put them back on everyone’s playlists.

I am a big fan of musicals, especially musical films as when watching at the cinema or at home you can always hear every lyric and see every dance routine without someone trying to record it in front of you. Mamma Mia! is the first musical film I remember watching around age 10 and even though the themes and the story were more for adults, I enjoyed the music, comedy and dance routines.

This film has been a family favourite since that first watch and has always been there when you need cheering up or are simply in the mood for sun and singing. The A list cast certainly adds to the fun with Meryl Streep making a star turn as Donna Sheridan along with Julie Walters and Christine Baranski, the trio make excellent Dynamos with their differences bringing them together. The three male leads, all Donna’s past lovers, Colin Firth, Pierce Brosnan and Stellan Skarsgård bring the comedy and while there have been notes about their lack of singing ability, I think that all adds to the fun and lightheartedness of the film.

The main plot centres around Donna’s daughter Sophie, played by Amanda Seyfried wanting to invite her father to her wedding to fiance Sky (Dominic Cooper). She sends out invitations to her three suspects as discovered in her mother’s old diaries. When Donna finds the three having turned up at her hotel on a remote Greek island, she panics and hilarity ensues. It’s clear that Sam (Brosnan) was the true love of her life but circumstances kept him away.

In the original musical, Bill is Australian but he was changed to Swedish to honour the band ABBA and the actor playing him in the film. There were a few other changes with some songs being cut for time but with the same person writing the screenplay for the film, it was a faithful adaption.

My personal favourite songs are Dancing Queen where all the women of the town follow Donna and her sidekicks through the town in a big group number; Mamma Mia, Donna’s solo number and the grande finale Take a Chance on Me where Rosie (Walters) makes her play for Bill that ends in everyone dancing and water bursting through the floor tiles.

For me this film never gets old and is so joyful, I had to include it in my Four Favourites. It has always been hanging around my top 5 films and I included it in a post a while ago about my Desert Island Films. There was a sequel in 2018 which I enjoyed but nothing beats the first film.

If you enjoy musicals and/or the music of ABBA, you will definitely enjoy this film. I have introduced many people to it and no one has ever come away with negative thoughts even if they are not the biggest musical fan. There are elements to enjoy such as the comedy, the summer island paradise and heartwarming story.

Available on Amazon Prime

Little Miss Sunshine (2006)

This film has a lot of themes going on that would make it a great study in a film lecture or something similar and is quite dark but when I watched this for the first time at a similar age to Olive (Abigail Breslin), these were not the things that stayed with me. I wouldn’t say this film has made it to my top 5 until I joined Letterboxd but after a re-watch last year and truly appreciating the film with adult eyes, I couldn’t help but include it.

The film centres around the Hoover family and their various problems. Teenager Dwayne (Paul Dano) has committed to a vow of silence until he achieves his dream of becoming a fighter pilot. Olive’s father, Richard (Greg Kinnear) is trying to switch careers into becoming a life coach and influential speaker and is currently negotiating a contract to jump start his career. His father, Edwin (Alan Arkin) has a drug problem and has come to live with the family. He also starts coaching Olive in beauty pageanting after she entered and won a local contest.

A family road trip ensues for Olive to participate in the Little Miss Sunshine Pageant in Redondo Beach, California. The family go in their iconic yellow Volkswagen camper van that has many problems along the way. Also on the trip are Sheryl (Toni Collette) who is reluctant to let her daughter, Olive compete and Sheryl’s brother, Frank (Steve Carell) who is staying with the family after losing his professor position and attempting suicide due to a affair with a male student ending badly.

While many of the Hoover family’s problems seem quite dark, it is a light-hearted film with emotional moments. For example, the scene where they accidentally leave Olive at the gas station and the van cannot stop so she has to run alongside it and hop in is a memorable one.

The cast and the script really make this film into something outstanding and one that is talked about still almost 15 years later. The family deal with things together and even events or problems that could make them give up, help to bond them closer together.

The final scenes where Olive is performing in the pageant are very funny and the juxtaposition of all the other competitors being over-sexualised compared with the shock at Olive’s inappropriate dance shows how society picks and chooses what to be offended by.

It is hard to find another film that evokes that same emotions but one with more positive situations is The Way Way Back from 2013 which also stars Toni Collette and Steve Carell.

Overall I think this film is a light hearted drama with comedic moments featuring an elite cast and a great script. Would recommend to slightly older viewers to truly understand the themes.

Available on Disney+

This is Where I Leave You (2014)

Another comedy drama but this one has more laugh out loud moments. Another great cast with Jane Fonda as the matriarch of the Altman family. She brings her four grown up children back to their childhood home to sit shiva after their father’s death even though he was an atheist. Shiva is a Jewish tradition of a seven day mourning period where the first degree relatives welcome other mourners and share in their grief.

This situation forces the family back together each bringing their own problems. Our protagonist Judd (Jason Bateman) starts the film by finding his wife, Quinn (Abigail Spencer) in bed with her secret lover (Dax Shepard). He decides to divorce her but does not tell the family. Wendy (Tina Fey) has two young kids with her husband who is not very interested in being present with his family and finds any excuse to call work. She also experiences what could have been by reconnecting with Horry, a neighbour whom she dated in high school until he suffered a brain injury.

Paul (Corey Stoll) and his wife, Annie (Kathryn Hahn) are struggling to conceive and it is also revealed that Annie used to be Judd’s girlfriend when they were younger. Last is the baby of the family, Phillip (Adam Driver) who turns up to the house with his girlfriend who was his therapist and is quite a bit older than him.

Trapped together, the family start to unravel with many secrets coming forward. Judd finds out that his ex-wife Quinn is pregnant with no idea if he is the father. Annie tries seducing Judd after wondering if her husband is the issue with their fertility issues and Phillip’s girlfriend leaves him after he flirts with younger women.

What drew me to this film is the feeling of connection and family. While there are many hilarious moments, there are also lovely moments such as Wendy being comforted by her mother and Judd finding love again with Penny (Rose Byrne). One of the funniest moments is when the brothers sneak out of temple to smoke a joint that was found in their late father’s jacket.

The actors in the film are all known for comedy, an early role for Adam Driver who really keeps up with the other actors and I think again the script really helps. Other actors featured are Timothy Olyphant, Connie Britton and Ben Schwartz.

I have re-watched this film a few times but not for a while but I think the Four Favourites is about films you could come across playing on TV and happily sit there and watch. They are not necessarily films I revisit every year but I would always recommend them to people and they evoke feelings of comfort or humour when re-watching.

Not available for free but available to buy/rent on most streaming platforms

So these are my current Four Favourites on Letterboxd and while I am happy with my choices, they are not set in stone so if I do swap any then an updated version of this post could be on the cards.

Happy Watching,

Robyn

Film Review: Ferrari – why a film about the founder of a successful luxury car brand and racing team was not about the cars

Hello Readers,

With Awards Season in full swing, you may be wondering why I chose to go the cinema and see a little mentioned film but my family have always been interested in racing films and Formula 1 in general so it seemed like the perfect watch. The synopsis on the cinema’s website stated essentially it was about the birth of Ferrari as a Formula 1 team as well as a luxury sports car brand.

This definitely lead me and a few others astray. The cinema screening was mainly filled with Formula 1’s main audience – men. Not to say that women are not interested as there were a fair few there – myself included. I think we were all expecting something about the Formula 1 sport and Ferrari’s role within it.

I will get into this in the main body of the review but I think a few people will have walked out of the film disappointed, depending on what they were expecting to see.

Ferrari (2023)

I was surprised on some fronts that the director of this film was not Italian as it had such a vibe of the Italian films of the 70s/80s that I remember watching at university. The long shots with beautiful countryside and quiet village life. Apart from a little black and white montage at the start of the film detailing Enzo Ferrari’s own history of racing, the first half an hour of the film described Enzo’s daily routine rather than his cars.

We see his trip to the barber, visit to the cemetery, driving around the beautiful 50s town of Modena, getting dressed in the morning and his country house with his apparent wife and young son. I thought that Shailene Woodley was an interesting choice for the wife of a well-known Italian but maybe he had met an American woman somewhere.

When we see him in a scene with Penélope Cruz, it becomes apparent that Lina (Woodley) is in fact his mistress and Italian. His wife, Laura handles the accounts for Ferrari and is clearly fed up with Enzo’s treatment of her, even aiming a gun at him and this is before she finds out about his secret son.

Their marriage has become particularly fraught after the death of their son, Dino the year before the film started from muscular dystrophy . It’s clear this took a toll on Laura as she looks haggard and tired, a great acting turn from Cruz who is regularly referred to as a goddess. She is in fact the only person from the film nominated for any major awards – Screen Actors Guild Awards.

The start of the racing begins after a scene that I am sure was influenced by Italian-American film, The Godfather where Ferrari and his fellow factory workers sit in church with their wives while the rival team at Maserati try and break the Ferrari held record for fastest lap round a race track. The cuts between these two tonally different scenes reminded me of the famous christening scene where Michael Corleone is renouncing Satan and it cuts to a murder.

We get to the heart of the action about midway with Ferrari choosing a new driver for the Mille Miglia, a 1000 mile race through Italy after his star driver suffers an unfortunate accident. A few other notable faces pop up as Ferrari drivers including Patrick Dempsey with his bleach blond hair which made headlines at last years awards, and Jack O’Connell of Skins, SAS: Rogue Heroes and Lady Chatterley’s Lover fame.

The newest driver, De Portago campaigns to be Ferrari’s new driver and causes quite a media stir with his Hollywood girlfriend, Linda Christian. As Ferrari knows, any press is good press and gladly welcomes the attention. At home, the drama escalates as Laura reveals that Ferrari is broke and insists on holding onto the control of her shares which Enzo needs to do a deal with Ford to save the company. His mistress, Lina is also pressuring him to publicly accept their son, Piero as a Ferrari ahead of his confirmation.

I thought that Adam Driver did a great job as Enzo Ferrari. He has previously played another notable Italian, Maurizio Gucci in the House of Gucci opposite Lady Gaga and with this portrayal in mind can definitely pull off playing Ferrari. It was maybe a strange period of Ferrari’s life to portray, showing more of his failures than his successes but any good filmmaker prefers to focus on the drama rather than the good parts of the person’s life.

The film sadly ends with what could have been the end of Ferrari, the famous crash during the Mille Miglia killing driver De Portago and nine onlookers. This scene was definitely where the film earned its 15 rating with minimal sex/injury being shown in the earlier scenes. It was obviously done with CGI but just imagining that happening to someone really showed the dangers of the sport even in a seemingly non-contact race through the countryside.

Overall, I really enjoyed this film, despite it not being what was advertised. After the film, I looked up a synopsis on IMDb and if that had been on the cinema website, I suspect the audience may have been smaller and a bit different. There were some great racing scenes but the focus of the film was definitely on Laura and Enzo’s marriage, the grief of losing his son and the potential collapse of the Ferrari brand.

I give this film 4/5.

Happy Watching,

Robyn

Cannes Film Festival 2018: My Experience

Hello readers,

Today I will talking about my time at the Cannes Film Festival a few weeks ago. It was an honour and a pleasure to go and my friends and I had a marvellous experience.

We all had the Cannes Cinephiles passes which didn’t let us in to many films but I managed to see a dozen or so, some of which I will be reviewing below as well as the festival as a whole.

Cannes Film Festival:

The festival itself was a amazing experience. Luckily we had great weather until the last two days where it rained very hard and I didn’t have an umbrella. The promenade where the festival was held was easy to navigate and there were many souvenir shops and kiosks selling reasonably priced food. The atmosphere was really lively and many people just came to walk around or hang out on the beach, soaking in the sun. Everyone I encountered was really friendly and helpful and I met some really interesting people in the film industry. The bars and food places were very expensive so we tended to eat in our apartment but the places we did go were very good quality.

The buildings and theatres where the films were screened are very spacious and great places to watch films. The Grand Theatre Lumiere was the biggest theatre and where the most prestigious films and premieres were held. I was lucky enough to go to a few films in this theatre and it was breathtaking. The Salle Buñuel was also a lovely 400 seat theatre where I saw other films.

If you ever get a chance as a filmmaker to go to Cannes Film Festival I would highly recommend it. The only downside was the fact that my pass didn’t let me in to as much as I thought it would when I applied to go.

I give the Cannes Film Festival as a whole 4/5.

Le Grand Bain (Sink or Swim):

One of my favourite films, I saw this film in the Grand Theatre Lumiere and it was really touching. It was about a man struggling with depression in his 40s and trying not to disappoint his wife and kids. On a whim he joins a male synchronised swim team and finds a reason to live again. Although there are some tough themes in this film such as mental illness, there are many comedy elements and I left the film feeling uplifted. Essentially, it’s about working as a team and finding joy in unexpected places.

It is in French but I didn’t find it too hard to follow along with the subtitles. The director, Gilles Lellouche, who is also an actor, had a great style and really focused on the back stories of all the characters which made me sympathise with them more.

The main cast are Mathieu Amalric (Barbara, Tournée) who plays the protagonist, Bertrand; Jean-Hugues Anglade (Betty Blue, Nikita); Leïla Bekhti (Paris, je t’aime; A Prophet); Guillaume Canet (The Beach, Rock’n Roll); Virginie Efira (Elle, Victoria); Philippe Katerine (The Truth About Charlie, Opium).

I give Le Grand Bain 5/5.

Leto:

This film that I also saw in the Grand Theatre Lumiere had a very different feel from Le Grand Bain but I really enjoyed it. It was also the first film I saw at the festival. The story depicted 1980s rock bands in Russia, based on the wife of a successful musician. It was shown in black and white which really enhanced the sad points of the film.

Communism at the time didn’t allow people to play rock music so the bands played at a club set up by the main character, Mayk (pronounced ‘Mike’). The audience was small compared to rock bands of the time in Europe and America but they were all enjoying the shows enthusiastically.

The director, Kirill Serebrennikov, used lots of close ups and at some points had a camera crew filming the band and their entourage. The only colour shots were footage of the camera.

The music of the film really helped tell the story, and the titular song written by the real Viktor Tsoy, Leto was my favourite.

The characters listened to American and European rock such as David Bowie, Iggy Pop and Blondie. The songs the bands played on stage were great rock music and showed the emotions of the characters.

This was also one of my favourite films and as a fan of 80s rock music it really appealed to me. Even if you aren’t a fan of this genre of music, the story alone is full of emotion and tells the age old tale of love and loss.

The main stars are Teo Yoo (Equals, Day Night Day Night) as Viktor Tsoy, a young musician being coached by Mayk; Irina Starshenbaum (Attraction, Ice) as Natasha whose memoirs the film was based upon and Roman Bilyk in his first acting role as Mayk.

I give Leto 5/5

The House that Jack Built:

This film is one of the most disturbing films I have ever. seen It is about five incidents committed by a serial killer with OCD. A big draw for the film is Uma Thurman but she only has a minor role. The serial killer Jack, played by Matt Dillon, has an obsession with killing that he doesn’t want to stop. The film shows many horrific and terrifying scenes in close and graphic detail so definitely only watch if you are over 18 and have a strong stomach for horror. Despite the shocking and twisted scenes depicted in the film, at it’s core, it showed an emotionally unavailable man, trying to build a house and who cannot form any relationships whatsoever.

The cinematography was very well done with beautiful countryside shots interspersed with the more disturbing images. The director, Lars Von Trier, who had a seven year ban from Cannes for jokingly declaring himself a Nazi, has an impressive body of work and has won many prizes at Cannes in the past. When I saw the film at its premiere, as soon as he walked in, he had a standing ovation. The film also received a ten minute standing ovation and sparked a mass walkout by at least 100 people.

The acting in the film was outstanding, especially Matt Dillon. I don’t think I will be able to watch him in anything else without seeing him as the serial killer.

The main cast were Matt Dillon (There’s Something About Mary, Crash); Bruno Ganz (Downfall, Wings of Desire); Uma Thurman (Pulp Fiction, Kill Bill: Vol.1 and 2); Riley Keough (Mad Max: Fury Road, American Honey).

I give The House that Jack Built 3/5

Fahrenheit 451:

I saw this film at it’s midnight premiere and I was lucky enough to see the stars as they walked into the theatre, five feet away from me.

I enjoyed this film and stayed awake until two am watching it, when in some day time films I fell asleep. It played like a young adult adaptation and is a remake of a film based on a popular 1950s book by Ray Bradbury.

It portrays the idea that knowledge is dangerous and all books must be burned. Firemen work to destroy all books and punish those harbouring them. One fireman, Montag working his way to General, begins questioning why he’s burning books after he meets an influential woman.

My only issue with the film was the ending and as I don’t want to spoil it, I will not say why. The cast were good and I liked the graphics and story but there was something missing. I have not seen the original film but a friend said it was one of her favourite films.

The cast of Fahrenheit 451 are Michael B. Jordan (Creed, Black Panther) as the hero, Montag; Michael Shannon (The Shape of Water, Midnight Special) as his boss; Sofia Boutella (Star Trek Beyond, Kingsman: The Secret Service) as Clarisse, who shows Montag a new way of living.

I give Fahrenheit 451 a rating of 4/5.

Jane Fonda in Five Acts:

This documentary moved me and it was really entertaining. I like Jane Fonda as an actress and I knew she was an activist in the 1960s and 1970s but I didn’t realise the extent of her life.

The documentary was about two hours long and split into five acts – Henry (her father), Roger (her first husband), Tom (her second husband), Ted (her third husband) and Jane. It told of her beginnings as Henry Fonda’s daughter and her mother’s mental health issues through her three husbands, notable film roles such as Barbarella (1968), Klute (1971), On Golden Pond (1981), her activism and controversy around her. It concludes with her return to acting in 2005 and her unmarried life. Many people from her life, including 2 of her husbands, Paula Weinstein, Robert Redford and Lily Tomlin give their thoughts and opinions about Jane.

It was a very emotional documentary and I cried when it revealed that her mother committed suicide in a mental institution. Now, knowing about Jane Fonda’s whole life, I respect her much more as an actress and human being. I think she is a role model to her own and every generation.

I was also very pleased when Jane Fonda herself made an appearance along with the director Susan Lacy. Jane gave a great speech about being proud of yourself and standing up for others.

I give Jane Fonda in Five Acts 5/5.

Driving Miss Daisy:

Driving Miss Daisy is a timeless classic from 1989 and was played in the Cannes Classics section. I had never seen it before and I really enjoyed. It had a lovely ending and was a really enjoyable film. I didn’t fall asleep in this one either!

The story tells of a friendship between an old Jewish woman and her black driver set in the South of the US. It starts in the 1950s and spans 25 years. It started as an Off-Broadway play but was adapted to an Academy Award Winning film. The film was nominated for ten Oscars and won four of them – Best Picture, Best Actress – Jessica Tandy, Best Makeup and Best Adapted Screenplay.

The film deals with many themes; racism, ageing, Judaism and anti-semitism, class and many others.

The film stars Jessica Tandy (Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistlestop Cafe, *batteries not included) as Miss Daisy, Morgan Freeman (Se7en, Invictus), who starred in the original play in the same role as Hoke, Miss Daisy’s driver and friend; Dan Aykroyd (Blues Brothers, Ghostbusters) as Miss Daisy’s well-meaning son.

I really enjoyed this film and would definitely recommend giving it a watch.

I give Driving Miss Daisy 5/5

Black Panther:

This film was screened on the beach with an introduction by the director, Ryan Coogler. I am a massive Marvel fan so I had already seen the film when it came out this February. It was great to watch it again and amazing to see Ryan Coogler in person.

For anyone who hasn’t seen Black Panther, it tells the origin story of the comic book hero Black Panther. T’Challa is crowned as the King of Wakanda, a fictional African country that has hidden from the world, after the death of his father, King T’Chaka in a previous Marvel film – Captain America: Civil War (2016). He tackles villain Ulysses Klaue and an American soldier, Erik Killmonger, who turns out not to be who we think he is.

The film is told in typical comic book adaptation way with a good vs. evil vibe but it was also thoroughly enjoyable and a big change for Hollywood as it was the first film to have a budget of over $100 million and feature a predominately black cast. It featured humour especially from Shuri, T’Challa’s tech wiz sister; drama, action, plot twists and some great fight and car chase sequences. The CGI was also breathtaking especially when the real Wakanda is revealed.

The film stars many great Hollywood actors and actresses: Chadwick Boseman (Get on Up, Marshall) as T’Challa/Black Panther; Michael B. Jordan (Creed, Fantastic Four) as Killmonger; Lupita Nyong’o (12 Years a Slave, Star Wars: The Force Awakens) as Nakia, T’Challa’s ex-girlfriend and undercover spy; Danai Gurira (The Walking Dead, The Visitor) as T’Challa’s bodyguard and friend, Okoye; Letitia Wright (Black Mirror, The Commuter) as Shuri; Winston Duke (Person of Interest, Avengers: Infinity War) as M’Baku, a rival leader of another tribe in Wakanda.

Martin Freeman (The Hobbit, Sherlock) as Everett Ross, a government agent who joins the fight to help old friend, T’Challa; Daniel Kaluuya (Get Out, Sicario) W’Kabi, T’Challa’s friend and Okoye’s love interest; Angela Bassett (Strange Days, Olympus Has Fallen) as Ramonda, T’Challa’s mother; Sterling K. Brown (This is Us, Army Wives) as N’Jobu, T’Challa’s uncle; Forest Whitaker ( The Last King of Scotland, Rogue One) as Zuri, T’Challa’s adviser and Andy Serkis (Lord of the Rings, Rise of the Planet of the Apes) as Ulysses Klaue.

I think Black Panther is one of the best Marvel films and I give it 5/5.

Bergman: A Year in a Life:

This documentary narrated and directed by Jane Magnusson (Cupcake, The Swimsuit Issue) tells of Ingmar Bergman’s life in the year 1957, the most chaotic of his career. Bergman is a revolutionary Swedish writer-director whose films are masterpieces, telling stories of the human condition. He has been nominated for nine Oscars and won the Irving G. Thalberg Memorial Award in 1971. His many films include: Summer with Monika(1953), Wild Strawberries (1957), The Seventh Seal (1957) (which I saw at Cannes), Persona (1966), Hour of the Wolf (1968), Scenes from a Marriage (1974) and Fanny and Alexander (1982).

The documentary featured archive footage of Bergman on talk shows and photos from 1957. Many people were interviewed for the documentary including Lena Endre, Thorsten Flinck, Elliott Gould, Barbra Streisand, Liv Ullman and Lars Von Trier.

Bergman’s story was very interesting but also tragic. He suffered very painful stomach ulcers his whole life and mental illness which he was often hospitalised for. In recuperation, he wrote many of his films.

I had heard of Bergman before Cannes but this documentary introduced me to his life and I would really like to watch more of his films.

I give Bergman: A Year in a Life 5/5.

Awards:

Grand Prix – BlacKkKlansman

From what I have heard of this film, it deserved to win the Grand Prix. Unfortunately, I didn’t get to see it but I have seen the trailer and it features some excellent actors and actresses.

Palme d’Or – Shoplifters

I didn’t see this film either but my friends did and said it was their favourite film. The director, Hirokazu Koreeda is known for his films: Nobody Knows (2004), Still Walking (2008), Like Father, Like Son (2013) and The Third Murder (2017).

What I wish I had seen:

BlacKkKlansman:

This film directed by Spike Lee (Malcolm X) and produced by Jordan Peele (Get Out) tells the story of an African-American police officer infiltrating the Ku Klux Klan and managed to become the head of the local chapter.

It stars John David Washington (Malcolm X, Monster) as police officer, Ron Stallworth; Adam Driver (Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Logan Lucky) as Flip Zimmerman; Topher Grace (Spider-Man 3, That ’70s Show) as David Duke; Laura Harrier (Spider-Man: Homecoming, The Last Five Years) as Patrice and Alec Baldwin (The Departed, It’s Complicated) as Actor.

As it won the Grand Prix this year, I think I will be seeing it in cinemas.

Pope Francis: A Man of His Word:

This documentary on the Pope sounds really interesting especially as it directed by the legend Wim Wenders (Wings of Desire; Paris, Texas).

I did queue for this film but it filled up before I got a seat.

Ryan Coogler and Christopher Nolan masterclass

I am disappointed that I missed these. My friends went to the Ryan Coogler masterclass and said it was really interesting. They were both very popular.

Solo: A Star Wars Story:

I am not a big Star Wars but I wanted to see this. It tells the Han Solo origin story, however it was screened after we left the festival.

It stars Alden Ehrenreich (Hail, Caesar!, Stoker) as Han Solo; Woody Harrelson (Three Billboards outside Ebbing, Missouri, Now You See Me) as Beckett; Emilia Clarke (Me Before You, Game of Thrones) as Qi’ra; Donald Glover (Atlanta, Community) as Lando Calrissian; Thandie Newton (Westworld, 2012) as Val; Phoebe Waller-Bridge (Fleabag, Crashing) as L3-37 and Paul Bettany (Avengers: Age of Ultron, Journey’s End) as Dryden Vos.

It appears to be very popular and I may see it in the cinema.

Thanks for reading this long and overdue post.

Happy Watching

Robyn 🙂