Films? No thanks.

I love films. Going to see the new Queen film later today, and A Star is Born on Monday. And have watched some great ones on Netflix this week.

Films not made to be "blockbusters" but made because directors have a story to tell rather than driven by "return" are often far better..though have seen dire stuff too! BFI is really worth exploring if you have not done so already. Huge range of excellent films.

foreign!!

We have a cinema in Belfast - Queens Film Theatre that shows films not on general release and lots of foriegn films. Also does live ROH and NT broadcasts. Love it.

although dated and quite 'stagey'. BD is always worth a watch, if you like a bit of melodrama.

I agree. I am another Bette Davis fan. I love old movies and Now Voyager is one of my favourites. OH and I recently discovered Talking Pictures and yes, some of the old films are dire but there are a few gems in there good for the odd afternoon curled up on the sofa.

I enjoy a good film but I am selective. I am not into super-heroes or science fiction really but I like a good thriller, action film or, dare I say it, rom com that isn't corny/cheesy. I fit in time to read lots too. I look forward to watching films I have chosen and like others, find Netflix worthwhile, as it gives me choice and throws up films I'd never heard of but are worth a look.

Other than films, I am not keen on much TV. I prefer documentaries and factual programmes.

Yes I agree re Larkrise. It should hve been harder but if things are made for TV they are made to appeal to a wide audience. Many people won't watch 'realism' ..which often are the style of films I watch.

PECS I didn't read the book until relatively recently because, I dislike the way everyone billed and cooed over its schmaltzy nostalgia and I really do not like that kind of book

When I did come to read it, I discovered that it is actually quite hard edged in describing the poverty of the lives of villagers in Larkrise and the reality of the problems they faced and I just cannot understand how people can read the book and not notice, that far from being a rosy tinted book of nostalgia, it is actually a very cool-eyed description of the realities of rural poverty in a time before the welfare state.

I loved Larkrise..did it in school as was a favourite for my English teacher who was first in her poor family to go to uni. I quite liked the TV adaptation too. It was the Sunday evening schmaltzy spot! I also read Call the Midwife before the TV shows. I did not warm to the author when reading the book who was a very judgemental & narrow minded sounding woman doing 'good works' ..not as kind as the voice of Vanessa Redgrave made her out to be! So I suppose there is always a mismatch between pen and film..sometimes good sometimes not! Worst for me was the English Patient when they minimised the key character in the book, a Sikh, to a bit part!

In which case they should concentrate on getting modern dramatists to write historical dramas to match their preconceptions.

I just watched it without thinking much about it really. Perhaps I'm a bit dim

If you are talking about the poor representation of period and characters that is not a preoccupation with equality that is just about selling the film! Profit driven.

M0nica Well because you said the films " seemed to reflect current preoccupations with equality." As though that was a bad thing to promote!

Why would I be against equality?

I just like the dramatisation of a book written in the past to reflect the book and its period not modern preconceptions with good looking heros, winsome heroines, pretty dresses and well-fed well-dressed paupers, that takes the hard edge and social critique in books like Cranford, North and South and Lark Rise to Candleford and turns it into schmaltzy, nostalgia for a world that never existed either between the book covers or in reality.

When you've seen the real-deal in their heyday, everything else is a watered down version and not to be compared. Like tribute bands, the sound, the look and the way they phrase the lyrics are never spot-on.
I saw Queen in Berlin and at Knebworth. They really were a kind of magic.

M0nica are you against equality then? Would you prefer films that reinforce inequality.

That's what my DH said. I didn't think of all that.

I wouldn’t slate Bohemian Rhapsody but I thought they missed out on what could have been a wonderful film he was such a complex exciting clever man and it didn’t really cover anything much except his rather dubious love life for which he suffered the ultimate, an early death
If you went for the music and the feel good factor it was fine if you went wanting a bit of an in depth look at Freddy and the band it was disappointing
I totally agree with your paper review Nina it didn’t get to the nitty gritty at all If I hadn’t already known this mans story I don’t think I d have liked him very much but he was such a powerful if excentric musician that he deserved more It was light

It does seem that way MOnica. Easier to give it a miss & just play the CD!

Not so much a slating, but general agreement that the music is better than the film.

I'm not sure it deserved slating Nina . A bit harsh.

BlueBelle My DH said the same as you. He said the acting wasn't great and it was a bit cheesy. I really liked it but we're all different aren't we? I thought it was only on for one day but it's on for about a week at our local Odeon.

Double page review in The Mirror slated Bohemian Rhapsody. I was really eager to see it as I think Freddie was a genius but not too sure now. They said it doesn't get to the nitty gritty of Queen

Grandmama
Oh...how I agree.
I have all the Heidi books, (childhood presents from my father) but the tv series was disappointing. Nothing like the images held in my mind, as were Rich Man Poor Man (Jeffrey Archer) Little House On The Prarie, Little Women etc.

Thanks for the reviews KatyK and BlueBelle. I think i’ll swerve this one!

I watched Bohemian Rhapsody tonight enjoyed it very much especsilly for the music, but found the acting pretty wooden and didn’t think they used a particularly good Freddy although he was more believable as the older Freddy than the younger one
I enjoyed it but was not so riveted as KatyK