The film industry has been hit with more uncertainty, with studios announcing further high- profile blockbuster delays due to COVID-19.
MGM/Universal’s decision to delay No Time to Die until April 2021 has resulted in Cineworld shutting its doors until further notice. Film studios will find other ways through streaming to make money on future releases, but its worrying and unpredictable times for cinemas.
Outdoor and drive-in cinemas are on the rise within the UK as businesses are starting to adapt to the new surroundings.
One prime example of this is Edinburgh based company Cinetopia teaming up with Double Take Projections and others to launch Cinescapes. They aim to provide five unique film events for communities across Scotland. Through crowdfunding, they have managed to raise over £10,000 in the space of just over a month and have been backed by Creative Scotland and NatWest’s Back Her Business initiative.
I’m a bit late in posting this month with my evenings recently being spent watching the first season of the excellent Goliath on Prime Video. Billy McBride (Billy Bob Thornton), once a hotshot defence lawyer, is asked to take on a wrongful death case against a global weapons manufacturer who are represented by his former law firm. If you are a fan of gritty crime dramas, then this is worth your time.
My recommendations this month are films I have watched on DVD, subscription-based streaming sites, rental streaming for under £5 and my one trip to the cinema.
My top three films for September are:
Paper Moon (1973)
Rating 9/10
The first of four recommendations from the 1970s – my favourite film decade.
We follow the journey of con-man Moses Pray, as he is lumbered with the task of driving young Addie Loggins across the American Midwest to her only living relatives in Missouri following the death of her mother.
This sharp and witty Great Depression-era crime comedy was a joy to watch with real-life father & daughter Ryan and Tatum O’Neal having tremendous chemistry throughout as the leading duo.
Tatum was taken out of school to play the part of Addie and through the guidance of her Father and director Peter Bogdanovich lead her to be the youngest ever Oscar winner at the age of 10.
One film that was inspired by Paper Moon – in terms of character traits – would have to be James Mangold’s Logan.
You can rent Paper Moon on Prime Video, Google Play & YouTube.
Being There (1979)
Rating 8.5/10
The penultimate film of Peter Sellers legendary career.
After the death of his wealthy employer, simple-minded gardener Chance is left to fend for himself on the streets of Washington D.C. With his only knowledge of the outside world being observed from a television set, a series of misunderstandings and circumstance eventually lead him down an interesting path.
Sellers is truly wonderful as Chance in this scarily relevant political satire.
Director Hal Ashby and Sellers made a pact in the early 70s to make the film together after reading Jerzy Kosiński’s satirical novel, of the same name, which would later be adapted into a screenplay.
Sellers stated this was the hardest role he ever played in terms of preparation in order to give the character credibility. Years of experience in radio, he began construction of all his characters by starting with the voice and on this occasion Chance’s voice is vaguely based off Stan Laurel’s accent.
In an interview shortly before his passing in 1980, Sellers spoke of the importance of character development and gaining weight for his role was important for authenticity.
In the same interview, he also spoke of his approval of Robert De Niro’s supervised weight gain for his role in Raging Bull, which leads me on to my next recommendation.
You can rent Being There on Prime Video, Google Play & YouTube.
Raging Bull (1980)
Rating 9/10
September 20th marked the passing of cinematographer Michael Chapman, known for his work on Raging Bull, Taxi Driver, The Fugitive and The Lost Boys.
This brutally honest Scorsese character study of Middleweight boxing champion Jake LaMotta – adapted from his memoirs – was a challenging yet rewarding re-watch as we are treated to Robert De Niro’s career-defining performance.
Trained by LaMotta himself, De Niro took method acting to another level with his physical appearance as he encapsulated the role of the violently insecure and controversial athlete.
The use of black and white photography from Chapman captures the 1940s period perfectly with it also working a treat in the boxing ring. The violent and animalistic fight sequences are without question some of the finest moments to ever grace film.
The film marked the beginning of the iconic on-screen partnership of Robert De Niro and Joe Pesci with the latter also knocking it out the park with his performance as younger brother Joey LaMotta.
You can stream Raging Bull on the MGM Prime Video Channel.
Honourable mentions:
Talk Radio (1988) Rating 8.5/10
Eric Bogosian steals the show as a motor mouth radio personality in Oliver Stone’s engaging character study. Dallas talk show “Night Talk” is on the verge of going out to a national audience and liberal Barry Champlain is at his wits’ end with his prejudice and anti-Semitic listenership. Bogosian wrote the play and then combined with Stone for the screenplay which explains how he brings so much charisma and flair to the Champlain character. Still extremely relevant today despite being released 32 years ago.
You can buy Talk Radio on DVD.
Chinatown (1974) Rating 8.5/10
Often referred to as the defining film of the Neo-noir genre. The untouchable Jack Nicholson plays private detective J.J. Gittes, hired to investigate the personal life of the chief engineer of the Los Angeles water and power department. I loved the 1930s setting and costume which accompanied Jerry Goldsmith’s score. However, the films biggest strength was the slow-burn storytelling.
You can stream Chinatown on NOW TV.
A Better Tomorrow (1986) Rating 8.5/10
The film that put John Woo and Chow Yun-fat on the map. This frantic Hong Kong action thrill ride is one to remember with its fast-moving criminal underworld story, in-depth character relationships and iconic bloody shoot-out sequences. It blows my mind that this film is 34 years old and can see its influence on countless action films since its release.
You can stream A Better Tomorrow on YouTube for free.
The Killer (1989) Rating 8/10
I was impressed by A Better Tomorrow so much I thought it would be rude not to watch the second John Woo and Chow Yun-fat film immediately after. Charismatic hitman Ah Jong (Yun-fat) unintentionally blinds an innocent woman during a shootout which leads him to attempt to cut ties from the criminal underworld. Once again, we are treated to a melodramatic action story with unforgettable bloody shoot-out sequences. Hard Boiled is up next on the watchlist to continue this memorable Woo/Yun-fat collaboration.
You can stream The Killer on YouTube for free.
Runaway Train (1985) Rating 8/10
Jon Voight and Eric Roberts play escaped convicts, trapped on an out of control unmanned train, in Andrey Konchalovskiy’s ice-cold pursuit thriller. Based on a screenplay by the legendary Akira Kurosawa the film delivers with its Alaskan action sequences and stunt work, which are impressive for its time. I also liked the character dynamic between Voight and Roberts.
You can rent Runaway Train on Google Play & YouTube.
The Last Picture Show (1971) Rating 8/10
This was the second Peter Bogdanovich film I watched in September and I now plan to watch more from his filmography. This coming of age film is set over a year in the life of Sonny (Timothy Bottoms), Duane (Jeff Bridges) and Jacy (Cybill Shepherd) who are recent high school graduates in a small Texas town in the 1950s. This is a strong, realistic, and thought-provoking character study of not only the teenagers attempting to leave the struggling town for pastures new but also on the adults who got left behind.
You can stream The Last Picture Show on NOW TV.
A Man Called Ove (2015) Rating 8/10
Rolf Lassgård puts in a great performance as recently widowed Ove, who runs the rule over his neighbourhood with his strict community guidelines. Behind closed doors, he is struggling to deal with his loss and the arrival of new neighbours brings out another side of his personality. Through flashbacks, we observe Ove’s past from childhood to married life. This Oscar-nominated Scandinavian tale has elements of romance and dark comedy intertwined.
You can stream A Man Called Ove on Prime Video and MUBI Prime Video Channel.
20th Century Women (2016) Rating 8/10
Annette Bening takes the plaudits as single mother Dorothea in this heartfelt drama. Bolstering an all-star cast, we follow the lives of the characters who are taken under Dorothea’s wing in her boarding house in late 70s Southern California. The focus of the story is on the relationship between Dorothea and her teenage son Jamie with voice over narratives throughout from both characters. I found each character to be well developed and believable.
You can stream 20th Century Women on Sundance Now Prime Video Channel
Tenet (2020) Rating 7.5/10
My return to the cinema for the first time in 7 months was for Christopher Nolan’s mind-bending spy epic. The action set pieces were tremendous, and the sharply dressed John David Washington is a solid lead. Despite struggling to pick up on some of the dialogue due to the overly loud score I was entertained throughout. A future re-watch is planned with some much-needed subtitles.
Tenet was released in UK cinemas on 26th August
My Cousin Vinny (1992) Rating 7.5/10
Friends Billy and Stan are falsely arrested for murder during a road trip in the Deep South. Billy makes his one phone call to his mother who tells him his cousin Vinny (Joe Pesci), a newly qualified lawyer, is on his way to defend them. Joe Pesci and Marisa Tomei – who won an Oscar in her supporting role – have great chemistry as the bickering New York couple in this fun courtroom comedy.
You can stream My Cousin Vinny on NOW TV.
You can find all my film ratings on my Letterboxd account.
See you next month with my October recommendations!
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