As I don’t feel I can write a full review/comment on films unless I’ve literally just watched them because half the time you gotta feel it in the moment after you’ve just finished watching the film and it’s still washing over you; all the emotions, and the effect it has on you I will make a few brief comments about films I’ve watched recently before deciding to make this blog:

- Full Metal Jacket

A stunning film. First and foremost absolutely horrible and really not the film to watch at the end of Christmas day, but brilliant nonetheless. Stunningly well acted, with particular mention having to go to Vincent D’Onofrio as Private Pyle, the private who snaps as a result of the Marine Corps training, but quality round the board. Kubrick as ever is meticulous and recreates unbelievably well the hell of vietnam considering it was shot entirely in England. Some of the tracking shots are just jaw-droppingly good. Levels of satire I’ll need a couple more viewings to fully comprehend-everything you’d want in a movie. A positive outlook on the human race aside perhaps.


- The Darjeeling Limited

Absolutely brilliant I love Wes Anderson and his films never cease to make me happy. Same trademark visual style, plus with the bonus of Anderson having left his native America for India with completely lovely results. Had a tad more emotional clout I felt, for reasons you’ll understand if you’ve seen the film. Uniformly excelent acting, the usual Anderson regulars (you can’t have a Wes Anderson film without Bill Murray and his 4 minutes or so on screen are as ever a joy) plus a few others (I love Adrien Brody and he was brilliant as usual), notably Owen Wilson, who has never been absent from a film by Anderson (they have been friends since college), who Anderson continues to bring out the best, playing the possibly less obviously psyhologically damaged of the three brothers who make up the films core. If you’ve seen his other work and don’t like his almost picture book visual style (an almost over reliance on tracking shots, one might argue) and haven’t enjoyed them you’re not going to like this one much more. Me, hoever, I’m a complete sucker for it, love it, and will quite happily eat it up by the ladleful (I realise the metaphor doesn’t entirely work but you’ll forgive me). Anderson’s use of music/slow motions sequences is as ever brilliant if you enjoy that sort of thing, I could wax lyrical about this film.Anderson’s work for ages, but I won’t because that would be tedious, and inevitably end in me babbling more than have done already. Also put simply: Adrien Brody-BEST. ENTRY.EVER

(Note should be made of the short film Hotel Chevalier which accompanies the film, which is effectively everything that’s good about Wes Anderson in a nutshell, while at the same time when viewed with ‘part 2’ of The Darjeeling Limited (Hotel Chevalier itself counting as ‘Part 1’, give a much deeper emotional pay off in the main film.)


Apologies for the shoddy writing will improve as I go/have films fresh in my mind