Menoverviewingit; Square Eyes

My stint over at the Hutch was spent pretty much as planned. Sleeping, reading, viewing, sleeping, eating, rehydrating, sleeping... I would have liked to have achieved more in the writing department, but apart from this blog, nothing is done there. YAM needs to have a jolly good talking to about this as we embark upon another decade.

Thought you might like to know what I watched. (Sorry if you don't, but it fills a space here!)
This was for the period 20th-27th Dec.


Lady And The Tramp - 4.5✨ - the latest live-animal version. I was trepidatious about this but ended up loving it every bit as much as the original. It was sufficiently different to not have to make comparisons.

The Lion King - 5✨ - one might wonder at so many versions of this, but it is like the Jungle Book or LOTR or any other classic. It bears constant revisiting. That said, I have never actually seen this story before. Adored this animatronic version.

Noelle - 2.5✨ - maybe a bit stingy with the sparkles there, but this was all you might imagine a Christmas film from Disney to be. Santa story with political correctness. Pleasant time-pass whilst concentrating on crochet.

The Aeronauts - 3.5✨ - Historically inaccurate to the point of total fiction. However, if one is a lover of all things sky (as am I) it brought a few thrills and spills. A tad slow, though and one couldn't escape the feeling the filmmakers missed a trick in not simply telling the historical facts. It would have been just as exciting. At least, to me.

Alladin - 4✨ - I could have given more sparkles I suppose, but I did feel a bit of a drag in this otherwise rather splendid reinterpretation of the ancient tale.

Abominable - 3.5✨ - given the characters had to have been 'young adults', this was a film more at the level of mid-school years. Quite fun animation and simple, meaningful story, but another from which my attention wandered somewhat.

MIB International - 3.5✨ - I enjoyed the MIB franchise. Not entirely sure this one added anything of real value and can't help thinking this is one of those attempts to keep a good thing going only to hack it to death. Was fun, but lacked the punch of the original cast. And again with the heavy-handed political correctness^^

Two Popes - 5✨ - that's my personal rating and it ties in with majority reviews elsewhere. A large part of this is due to the powerhouse performances from Anthony Hopkins and Johnathan Pryce. The coming together of two strong minds with opposing views and how they debate in such an adult and civil manner is also a marker of the movie. Then there is the backstory of (the now) Pope Francis, wonderfully wrought and woven into the dialogue. You don't have to be a Catholic or even a believer to enjoy this movie about two men who marched to destiny's drum.

The Art of Driving in Rain - 5✨ - it would be surly to give less. Compared to the film noted above, this is no heavyweight - yet it is a tale of Love of the capital 'ell' kind and is for anyone who has known or loved a dog. Bring out the hankies.

The House With a Clock In Its Walls  - 4✨ - at first I thought this was going to be a three sparkle event... but it got better and better and I was carried away with the story and the well-played characters. Jack Black, on form, is always watchable - and Cate Blancett is just all class in everything!

The Current War - 3.5✨ - yet another 'historical' that fails to light up the screen. Electrifying it was not. I lost interest about halfway through, so just let it run in the background as I got on with the handiwork. It was a part of history with which I was unfamiliar, but researching it after was more entertaining.

Togo - 4.5✨ - Fang-tastic!!! I am familiar with the Nome Diptheria Dash which gave birth to the Iditarod race, but like many others, only really knew the name of Balto the dog who completed the relay. Togo and his musher were the absolute heroes of the tale and here it is told wondfurly. Willem Dafoe looks very like his character, which adds to things. ... so who not five sparkles? Well, this is a Disney production and it couldn't resist the need to over-produce the Norton Sound sequences with CGI and (in the first bit) unnecessary dialogue. The real story was adventure enough, no need for this excess. However, that is merely a technical gripe. It is a truly lovely movie.

The Man Who Invented Christmas - 5✨ - this is actually a 2017 film, but it somehow escaped my notice until now. That error has been corrected. A jolly romp through the creative writing process for Charlie Dickens as he wrestles with the reality of poverty at his door and the characters who loom large in his psyche...

This is the place to veer away from film and mention that I watched the three-part BBC reimagining of A Christmas Carol, to which I also give the big five sparkles. If you get the opportunity to view this version (starring Guy Pearce), do not miss it. The story was given a wonderful, current, relevance. I do warn you, though, it is a little on the dark side and occasional strong language.

^^ I would like to point out that I am all for diversity and inclusion. That is not my issue. I do take umbrage at having my nose rubbed in it to the detriment of story-telling. I will say that it was noticeable in The Aeronauts and the BBC programme mentioned, (amongst others seen of late), that there was an excellent diversity of actors used without any heavy plot points. They simply played their characters as an actor ought and were responded to thus by their co-stars. THAT is inclusion. More of it, please!!!