Programme
2009-10 programme
9 September 2009
Gran Torino (15)
Eastwood plays an ageing cranky bigot who stands up for his neighbourhood when the local gangstas get out of hand. This comedy drama is a wise exploration of family and friendship, violence and vengeance, and at times very funny.
Dir: Clint Eastwood, USA 2008. 116mins
Member rating 86% (A-19, B-16, C-1, D-1); Member comments:
Fantastic start to the season, absolutely riveting. What a great film to start the season - Clint Eastwood, true to his reputation. Violent but some great moments. Ever the iconoclast, Eastwood delivers another stunning directorial performance. Outstanding. So good, just so true of gangs etc. just now. Lively and heart-warming. Very powerful. Moving, funny, great film. Well executed, intercultural story - clever ending. Touching, funny, sad, well observed, well acted and well made. A film that I would not have heard of if I had not joined the club - worth the year's sub! It had everything from anger, sadness, remorse, comedy and humour. Very moving and clever humour. Good old Clint Eastwood, he got it right at the end. Great performance by Clint Eastwood, thought provoking film. Excellent portrayal of relationships - plot rather like an old fashioned parable. A traditional Eastwood but none the worse for it - a really worthwhile film, I am glad I saw it. Clint Eastwood is a remarkable actor - the cowboy comes out strongly.
30 September
Conversations with my Gardener (12a)
This finely observed movie depicts the poignant friendship between a respected painter who has returned to his childhood home and and the gardener he decides to employ. Funny and warm, ‘a blissful tale beautifully told'.
Dir: Jean Becker, France 2007. 109 min (subtitles)
Member rating 90% (A-24, B-11, C-2); Member comments:
Funny, sensitive and thoughtful - a wonderful slice of life and what it means. Brilliantly crafted with a wonderful story. Beautifully done, utterly convincing. Very good description of relations; gardener is not an intimate relationship but close, perhaps revealing, and helpful. Lovely, simple story but with a fast pace. I cold sit through it again right now. What a wonderful film - French again, brilliant. I am French, I enjoyed the fim very much, the language was very important. A very interesting film and dialogue produced in a way only the French can produce. It is good to see a film dealing with terminal illness in such a sensitive way - the last taboo unmasked. Lovely picture of how the casual relationship of 'boss' and workman can become a close intimate relationship. What a joyful relationship - how I'd like to go. Beautiful story of friendship and our reason to live. Two brilliant actors - what a combination. Very real conversations made this a very real and touching film. If only all films were as good as this. Delightful, ultra sensitive, unsentimental - I could go on. Everything in the garden was lovely. Enjoyable throughout - a 'feel good' film. A pleasure to watch the story unfold. Beautiful, more of same please.
14 October
Vicky Cristina Barcelona (12a)
Woody Allen's latest is a sunny, escapist Spanish delight. Penelope Cruz and Javier Bardem generate fireworks, and the supporting cast thrive in this highly entertaining Almodovar-style romantic comedy.
Dir: Woody Allen, Spain/USA 2008. 96 min
Member rating 77% (A-10, B-16, C-6, D-1); Member comments:
So lively and enjoyable. Good story and well acted. What a muddle of emotions, I'm still working it out! Amazing how sex can ruin a good holiday. Great music, good acting, tiresome plot. Very Woody Allen dialogue but also very enjoyable. Great narration, felt part of it with the way the characters were played. Absolutely bonkers, loved it. Juan Antonio, great character, he could charm any Chiquita!!! Woody tops again, both immensely complex and heavily involved. Outrageous, immoral, immensely amusing. Quirky but fun, a very different view of Barcelona. The best Woody Allen film so far, it gives a new meaning to action painting. On the face of it entertaining but actually rather sad. Fun but too knowing for its own good. A touching film. Obviously reflects Woody's muddled life style. A wonderful send up, interesting in the way it progressed with good acting all round. Beautiful scenery and direction but was left feeling very sad. They should have stuck with Gaudi. Woody Allen is a genius, great too Barcelona. Disappointing, Woody Allen tries too hard perhaps. Good acting but of little substance. Hmm, Mr Allen still obsessed with sex I see. Light, absurd, gentle on the eye and frivolous, but a work of art nonetheless.
28 October
Blue Eyelids (Párpados azules) (12a)
Directed with maturity and delicacy, this lonely-hearts' charmer outlines the coming together of two awkward Mexico City singles when Marina wins a dream holiday for two and has nobody to go with. Touching and funny.
Dir: Ernesto Contreros, Mexico 2007. 98min (subtitles)
Member rating 46% (B-6, C-13, D-8, E-1); Member comments:
Undecided - social conventions seemed strange; perhaps I'm in the wrong cultural tradition. Missed proper ending. Quiet but slow; let this be a warning to you - when the socks come off you miss out on a free holiday! Slow, so slow - it would have been OK if it had moved along faster! kept waiting for it to happen. Very tedious; they needed winding up. Incredibly dreary and long winded to make a simple point. They didn't connect - neither did I! Plodding and fairly obvious. I can't believe they lived happily ever after - I expect it was dull for them. Very touching and sad. Sad but some amusing moments. Did not care for one of the scenes; different. I think it was appropriate that the film finished with a stalled engine! Very sad lovely film. Very delicately produced. Not very exciting. Atmospheric; a wonderful portrait of loneliness. Riveting and almost painful to watch the interaction between the two characters. So many missed opportunities; may need to see again to get the point. What is the Spanish for "too many longeurs"? Touching, well acted, photography suited the mood, but did Lulita need a good shaking? A bleak tale of desperation and unfulfilment - not a film I would rush to see again. Arty camera work and direction but not a film I could warm to; maybe one I will remember though. Intriguing, slightly uncomfortable. Different - made me want to see what would happen next. Found the sound production amateur and unsubtle.
4 November
Blessed (U)
Starring James Nesbitt and set on the the Isle of Skye. A beautifully shot, bitter-sweet story of love and redemption. A small gem with a big heart - a powerful piece of drama.
Dir: Mark Aldridge, UK 2008. 95min
Member rating 74% (A-9, B-16, C-4, D-3); Member comments:
A very nice story beautifully told. Beautiful film, full of emotion. This film ticked all the boxes, a delight. Moving film - money isn't everything. Cleverly crafted, utterly uplifting. I thought it was going to end horribly - so glad it didn't. No shouting, no bad language, no violence, no sex, absolutely lovely. A lovely story beautifully told and acted with haunting background music. Charming and delightful film, what more can I say? Loved it and I was nearly in tears at one point. Delightful, beautifully crafted - a joy to watch. Wonderfully heart warming. A beautiful fairy story. Extremely touching. Very well done - the relationship of Peter with the girl and acting overall was very good. Felt one was left dangling at the end - a slight anticlimax. Don't know what to think - impressively interesting, but could not take seriously - absorbed, however, much of the time. Touching and entertaining - how did she do the tricks? An incredible but thoroughly likeable story that developed into something more than an average fantasy about half way through. A lovely tale with stunning scenery. Soppy but enjoyable. Deeply moving film which avoided sentimentality - beautifully acted and directed. Over sentimental and predictable - made Blue Eyelids look dramatic. Wonderful scenery, plot was very good, inspired hope. Beautiful - music a bit overpowering. Very annoying and completely unbelievable. Slight - overlong, but not unpleasant. Nice story, good child actor but unrealistic. Was it brilliant or just so much better than the last film. Stunning simplicity around heartbreaking story and a happy ever after was always good enough for fairy tales.
18 November
Cherry Blossoms (Kirschblüten - Hanami) (15)
Partially shot in Japan, a moving drama which pays homage to Ozu's ‘Tokyo Story'. An elderly Bavarian couple set out to visit their three neglectful children. A celebration of beauty, new beginnings and the impermanence of life.
Dir: Doris Dörrie, Germany 2008. 127min (subtitles)
Member rating 63% (A-7, B-16, C-9, D-9); Member comments:
[Note that The Elgiva received a DVD version they could not show at full brightness which is the reason for a number of the comments] Love and callousness entwined. Slightly too long to sustain concentration but beautifully realised. It grew on you and at the end I thought what a beautiful film. Interesting, different but too long. For an unadventurous man Rudi did very well! Beautiful profound film; great Japanese dancing. For a while I found it difficult to enjoy the film because of the relatively poor quality but in the end I really enjoyed it. Pity the film was so dark - it made viewing difficult; a very sad story. Rather slow. A beautiful and wise film. Beautiful touching film. The earlier scenes were not very clear; slow to start but developed as the film progressed. An inky black darkness swept over this film leaving me emotionally drained; a wonderful reflection on life in the end. Quite a depressing start, surprisingly enjoyed it. A moving depiction of grief and loss. A love story in more ways than one, told with great sensitivity. Was it just me - but I found the images rather dark and out of focus; however it was a fantastic film. Poor quality of film. Excellent and so original. Very strange, very fuzzy but fascinating. Could this film be the answer to the last taboo in the West - death? Too odd for me. Too long; dark picture, very poor quality image spoiled the atmosphere; was the aspect ratio wrong? A bit of a marathon and not a particularly feel-good film; glad it had a happy ending. Most unusual but a little bit protracted; poor visibility and focus not very helpful; father's acting and portrayal was excellent; family's attitude to German parent rather distressing. Quite fascinating but a trifle too long. Much too long, unsympathetic family; not a feel-good film at all, but a redeeming end. Was this film a pirate copy? in spite of terrible picture it must have been good. Deeply depressing; unsuitable for fathers over 60. Very slow and weird to begin with but improved greatly in Tokyo scenes; I'm glad I saw the film. Would love to have seen the original film (ie not DVD) but would not have missed it - thanks. A slow start but a very moving film. Was it a Fuji film? - it was an interesting story with some beautiful moments. The dislocation betweeen the generations was frightening, the film ultimately too sad despite cherry blossom. Japanese burial rituals were a real shock to the system.
6 January 2010
Broken Embraces (Los abrazos rotos) (15)
Almadovar's latest is a sensuous film within a film. The story centres on a four-way tale of dangerous love which moves between the present and 1994. Cruz rises to the occasion combining elegance with exuberance.
Dir: Pedro Almodovar, Spain 2009. 127min (subtitles)
Member rating 81% (A-5, B-2, C-1, D-1); Member comments:
[Note that attendance was very low due to snow conditions]
Penelope Cruz as good as always, enjoyable film. Subtle and complex - an excellent piece of film making. Very interesting. Excellently acted. Wonderful story telling, the best writing since Cato! good acting and excellent atmospheric soundtrack. Well worth braving the snow! I wouldn't have missed for worlds, Penelope Cruz was stunning. I place Almadova up there among the great directors.
27 January
Wendy and Lucy (15)
When driving to Alaska seeking work, Wendy (Michelle Williams) breaks down in a small Oregon town. She is stranded with her dog Lucy and no money. This treatment of severe economic difficulties is absolutely riveting.
Dir: Kelly Reichardt, USA 2008. 80min
Member rating 55% (A-5, B-8, C-17, D-5, E-5); Member comments: Heartbreaking stuff. Acutely observed and sad, but never sentimental. Slow as a wet week, but interesting. If only she'd paid for the dog food it could all have been over. A short doggie TV film, not really a cinema film; kept waiting for something to happen; poor. Deceptive story of naivety; excellent storyline and great to see goodness portrayed. Very well acted. Lovely filming in some parts; awful filming in some parts; unseeable. Too slow! A marvellous portrait of the difficulties facing a young homeless person. A beautiful portrayal of a very sad life; Michelle excellent as Wendy. Not a lot to write about it; the dog deserves an Oscar. Maybe its because I am not a dog lover but I failed to engage. "Wendy without Lucy" would have been an appropriate title! very poor plot. The film had the courage not to produce a happy ending but the correct one. Sad story; well portrayed and acted. Wendy's bad decisions bothered me and I lost interest in the film - sorry to score a film so low. Beautifully acted; very sad. Good but slow. Low-key, low budget? atmospheric. Nice film; I felt Wendy's pain every step of the way; slightly stunned at the abrupt ending. Well acted by Michelle Williams. Too too sad. Plaintive. I'm more of a cat person myself. Better as a short novella, not a film. Sad reflections of life when things go wrong. Very well realised; albeit rather downbeat for comfort. A moving film, life can be so cruel. Rarely seen anything so depressing. Perhaps it was too real or perhaps it played the sentimental chord too loudly by the constant threat to the animal.
10 February
In The City Of Sylvia (En la ciudad de Sylvia) (15)
A man returns to Strasbourg to search for Sylvia, a woman he had become acquainted with six years earlier. A lovely film paying homage to painting, love, and women - and watching people passing by.
Dir: José Luis Guerín, Spain 2007. 84min (subtitles)
3 March
Genova (15)
Following the funeral of a young mother tragically killed in a road accident, her husband (Colin Firth) and children move to Italy: a new country, a new city, a fresh start. It's a moving story of love and displacement with a dash of magic realism.
Dir: Michael Winterbottom, UK 2008. 94min
17 March
Lemon Tree (Etz Limon) (PG)
A lemon grove belonging to a Palestinian widow becomes a security risk when the Israeli Minister of Defence moves nearby. Inspired by a real-life incident this captivating movie gives a thought-provoking vision of West Bank troubles.
Dir: Eran Riklis, Israel/France 2008. 106min (subtitles)
14 April
The Grocer's Son (Le fils de l'épicier) (12a)
Antoine, the rudderless son of a rural grocer is forced to return home to run the business, when his father becomes ill, and rediscovers his love of the countryside. "A well rounded film which achieves its goals with aplomb" - Time Out.
28 April
Bright Star (NC)
An exquisite piece of film-making - Campion's best since ‘The Piano' in 1998. Set in the 19th century, Bright Star tells of a doomed romance between poet John Keats and his neighbour Fanny Brawn. A film finely-crafted, well-performed and subtly told.
Dir: Jane Campion, UK 2009. 120min
5 May
Quiet Chaos (Caos calmo) (15)
A serene drama of the moving tale of a widower forced to re-evaluate his whole life following his wife's death, and reinvent his relationship with his daughter. It's a bitter sweet parable, and Moretti's stunning performance carries this film to the end.
Dir: Antonio Luigi Grimaldi, Italy 2008. 105min (subtitles)
26 May
Annual General Meeting at 7pm (all members welcome)
followed at 8pm by:
Once (15)
On Grafton Street Dublin a careworn busker falls for the naïve charm of a sparky Czech immigrant. With simple narrative, easy non-acting, and haunting songs, the film has a rare innocence and fresh approach to film making that makes this a charming love story.
Dir John Carney, Ireland 2006. 97min
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