10s Movie Review - Filth

Director: Jon S. Baird
Genre: Action/ Comedy/ Drama/ Crime
Runtime: 97 minutes
Year: 2013
Starring: James McAvoy, Jamie Bell, Eddie Marsan, Jim Broadbent, Imogen Poots

Description: A corrupt, junkie sop (James McAvoy) with bipolar disorder attempts to manipulate his way though a promotion in order to win back his wife and daughter while also fighting his own inner demons.

I WATCHED THIS FILM FOR MY 2025 MOVIE CHALLENGE
WEEK 18: A FILM WITH JAMES MCAVOY
 
Review: Bruce Robertson possesses every bad trait you can think of: he is manipulative, negative, vulgar and hates everyone. When he hears that he can get a promotion to police inspector, he wants to do everything he can to get this job. He is convinced that this way he can restore his relationship with his wife and daughter. Then he puts everything into defeating his competitors and pits his fellow police officers against each other. In between, he drinks, smokes, fucks and uses drugs on a regular basis. And Bruce is getting worse and worse.

There is a reason why James McAvoy is one of my favorite actors and here is another one. In “Filth” he is fantastic. His character Bruce is irredeemable, he is so unlikeable because of everything he says and does. It becomes increasingly difficult to sympathize with Bruce. But somehow he manages to turn this around right at the end. And McAvoy steals the show and carries the entire film.

Would I recommend “Filth”. Not to everyone. If you’re into sarcasm, dark comedy and a highly unlikeable and disturbed main character, this is for you. If none of this speaks to you, you’d better skip it. This is a typical case of you hate it or you love it.

Rating: 3,5 / 5

Movie Reviews - Rocketman

Director: Dexter Fletcher
Genre: Drama/ Music
Runtime: 121 minutes
Year: 2019
Starring: Taron Edgerton, Jamie Bell, Richard Madden, Bryce Dallas Howard, Gemma Jones, Tate Donovan, Stephen Graham

Description: A musical fantasy about the fantastical human story of Elton John’s (Taron Edgerton) breakthrough years.

Review: In almost every article about this Elton John biopic “Rocketman”, it’s being comaired to “Bohemian Rhapsody”, which came out in 2018. This isn’t strange, since both films focus on a British singer of the same generation that are outstanding musicians, struggle with alcohol, drugs and homosexuality, who take on a stage name and have a flamboyant trademark. Both movies are named after their biggest hit. And Bryan Singer directed “Bohemian Rhapsody”, but initially was meant to be directed by Dexter Fletcher, now director of “Rocketman”.
Both movies are very different when it comes to style. “Bohemian Rhapsody” was a more conventional biopic, but “Rocketman” is a musical. Where Elton John tells his life story through song. It’s a logical choice, but not for a biopic about the titular musician. But it works really well. All songs were re-recorded for this film and everything was sung by leading man Taron Edgerton himself. Especially the first hour of the film is very strong, when eventually the story will follow a more conventional path as well. We see Elton in a toxic relationship with John Reid and he eventually can’t resist the alcohol, drugs and other men. His career isn’t only in danger, but also strong bonds he has with certain people. It’s the cliché part of a musical biopic.
Taron Edgerton is a good choice for Elton John. The young actor proofs that he is a capable singer and he can carry a movie. He doesn’t always sound like Elton John, but that’s not an issue. He did his own singing, which makes it more authentic and his acting is tremendous.
I was surprised by some heavy themes in the story. I didn’t know Elton John’s story at all and I was quite shocked about his past and everything he had to deal with in his life.

Rating: 3,5/ 5

Movie Reviews - Film Stars Don't Die in Liverpool

Director: Paul McGuigan
Genre: Drama
Runtime: 105 minutes
Year: 2017
Starring: Jamie Bell, Annette Bening, Julie Walter, Stephen Graham

Description: A romance sparks between a young actor (Jamie Bell) and a Hollywood leading lady (Annette Bening).

Review: For a second, Gloria Grahame was one of the familiar faces in Hollywood. Especially in film noirs her talented really showed. She starred opposite of Humphrey Bogart in “In a Lonely Place” and she shined in “The Big Heat”. She even won an Acadmey Award for “The Bad and the Beautiful”. And still Grahame was forgotten. I think, many people won’t even remember her by hearing her name. “Film Stars Don’t Die in Liverpool” is about Gloria’s life, years after she turned her back to Hollywood.
This part of her life, we see through the eyes of Peter Turner. He was a young actor, who happened to rent a room in the same building as Gloria, when she took on a role in a theater in England. She is many years older then Peter, but the two hit it off right away. The start a passionate relationship, Peter’s family love her and he even moves in with her in America.
The two break it off, which we see in flashbacks. But it’s Peter she calls, when Gloria is back in Liverpool again. She is sick and Peter and his family take her in.
Annette Being didn’t try to look like Gloria, but she does have some characteristics in common with her. Especially the voice. Jamie Bell was also perfectly cast for his role. And Julie Walters’ role is beautiful.
The film feels like a play. It’s only set in a few locations and the way they show us flashbacks is for example like walking through a door right into the flashback situation. Really clever. I can understand that this might get a bit dull for people. But the film is so interesting because Gloria is such a mystery. If you know the real Gloria Grahame, you would know that she was ‘banished’ from Hollywood because of some scandals in her private life. They hardly bring this up in the movie. I think that was a good choice. This way you can completely focus on Gloria and Peter’s story.
It’s mostly an acting movie with good cinematography. But I really liked “Film Stars Don’t Die in Liverpool”.

Rating: 4 / 5

Movie Favorites: Jane Eyre

Synopsis: After a bleak childhood, Jane Eyre (Mia Wasikowska) goes out into the world to become a governess. As she lives happily in her new position at Thornfield Hall, she meets the dark, cold, and abrupt master of the house, Mr. Rochester (Michael Fassbender). Jane and her employer grow close in friendship and she soon finds herself falling in love with him. Happiness seems to have found Jane at last, but could Mr. Rochester's terrible secret be about to destroy it forever?

 

 

Unique Selling Point: Although the story has been told many times, it does the classic novel justice. It’s filmed beautifully and the actors have plenty of room to show their skills. It’s great to see how efficiently the hundreds of pages of the book are made into a film.

Most Valuable Player: Michael Fassbender as Rochester, the handsome and charismatic man with a dark edge.

Best Moment: Every hopeless romantic would go for the part where Rochester asks for Jane’s hand in marriage.

100 Movie Challenge 2014 - # 142: Snowpiercer

Director: Joon-ho Bong

Genre: Action/ Drama/ Science Fiction

Runtime: 126 minutes

Year: 2013

Starring: Chris Evans, Jamie Bell, Octavia Spencer, Tilda Swinton, John Hurt, Ed Harris, Alison Pill, Luke Pasqualino, Ewen Bremner, Kang-ho Song, Ah-sung Ko, Tómas Lemarquis, Steve Park, Kenny Doughtry, Emma Levie

Description: Set in a future where a failed climate-change experiment kills all life on the planet except for a lucky few who boarded the Snowpiercer, a train that travels around the globe, where a class system emerges.

Review: We are dealing with a change of climate and this problem is what sets of “Snowpiercer”. In an alternative 2014 the climate has changed drastically. The whole world has turned into an ice planet and the only survivors live in train, the Snowpiercer, that goes around the world endlessly.

There is a separation, where the rich people live in the front part of the train with of all the left over luxury. And the rest live a terrible life in the back of the train. History has thought us one thing: living in a society like this, never stays for all eternity. A lot of big-budget science fiction films have disappointed us

, but “Snowpiercer” proofs that the genre is still going strong. The director and his cast work very well together. Not all the characters have the right depth, but serve their roles well. Chris Evans does an amazing job and shows us the many varieties he has as an actor. And Octavia Spencer does a solid job too. Tilda Swinton, who is known for her weird characters, disappoints a bit. I found her character a bit too quirky for this movie.

The set design is excellent. The surrealistic atmosphere is beautifully made. And the storyline also does its job. It’s especially the decisions that were made for this story that are great. There is no romantic storyline and there is a strange intermission in a very brutal action scene. This is where “Snowpiercer” is different and original.

“Snowpiercer” is a great movie, and might become a classic in the sci-fi genre eventually.

Rating: 4/ 5

In the Picture: The Characters from "Jane Eyre"

I saw the new version of “Jane Eyre” just recently and I think it’s fantastic. I love the story and I’m planning on reading it in september. I decided to take a good look at the characters from this movie.

Jane Eyre
Played by: Mia Wasikowska
Jane is an intelligent, honest, plain-featured young girl forced to contend with oppression, inequality, and hardship. She is very assertive, although many people won’t expect it from her. Jane also values intellectual and emotional fulfillment. She catches the eye of Edward Rochester

Edward Rochester
Played by: Michael Fassbender
Sir Rochester is Jane’s employer and the owner of Thornfield. He’s a wealthy and passionate man with a dark secret. Although Jane doesn’t show affection at first, Rochester is charmed by Jane. He’s not used to a woman who speaks her mind.

St. John Rivers
Played by: Jamie Bell
He serves as Jane’s benefactor after she runs away from Thornfield, giving her food and shelter. John is cold and reserveed, but he sees a good wife in Jane. She doesn’t feel the same because she already lost her heart to someone else.

Mrs. Fairfax
Played by: Judi Dench
Mrs. Fairfax is the housekeeper at Thornfield and very loyal to her master Rochester. She is very fond of Jane and Mrs. Fairfax advices her about a lot of things. And she warns her for Rochester.

Favorite Character: Jane Eyre

Movie Tip #34 - Billy Elliot

Director: Stephen Daldry

Starring: Jamie Bell, Julie Walter, Gary Lewis,

Description: Against the background of an increasingly bitter miners' strike that his elder brother and father are involved in, young Billy Elliot (Jamie Bell) finds he prefers joining in the girls' ballet class at the local hall to the boxing he's there for. The ballet mistress soon realises he has real potential, but no-one, least of all his family, is likely to go along with a lad doing dancing.

Review: It's a heartwarming story of a boy who discovers a true talent and passion in a sport his father doesn't allow him to do. You see how the family struggles with the strike, their mothers death and each other. And Billy is a wonderfull boy, full of life and joy, which comes to his true colors when he does ballet. Fantastic performance by Jamie Bell, who later on starred in "King Kong" and "Hallem Foe". Julie Walters, as the balletteacher, and Gary Lewis, who's Billy's dad, play great roles. A movie you won't forget easily. They even made it in to a musical, so I can't wait 'till it hits theatres in The Netherlands.