Lincoln goes straight into my list of all time favourite films, maybe even to the top of the list, it really is something special. It is a brilliant, brilliant movie and right now I can't think of any that have given me so much pleasure on so many levels. I will obviously need to see it again just to be sure I did witness something great, but it needs to be seen twice anyway, it's so good. You just don't get that much pleasure out of cinema that often so it would be a sin not to take full advantage of it.
Daniel Day Lewis' performance is one of the greatest acting performances I have ever had the pleasure of watching. I can't think of any other performance that was quite so powerful, so convincing, so overwhelmingly, astonishingly extraordinary. He just is Lincoln, and you just believe in him. We are seeing two great men on screen, Day Lewis the actor and Lincoln. You just know that Lincoln was exactly as Day Lewis portrays him, you feel you have to believe, and I sure do.
The voice is incredibly well done, his walk, his stooping gait, the way he holds himself, drops his head, and then you see him age right in front of your eyes. Extraordinary. How he does it is a mystery, which is I guess just how it should be. His relationship with his wife, whom one time he calls Mrs Lincoln , when they argue about their son going off to war and are both grieving for their younger son, is beautifully portrayed. As is his relationship with various congressmen, especially Tommy Lee Jones who gives a great performance as the radical socialist politician, Thaddeus Stevens. Their is one scene with the two of them which I found very convincing, and had to take Lincoln's side even though he was asking Stevens to compromise. We don't know until the actual day of the vote on the thirteenth amendment if he does or not, but during the debate he Tommy Lee Jones delivers one of the best put down speeches you will ever see.
That's enough about this movie for now. Go and see Daniel Day Lewis deliver a towering performance, one of the best you will ever see. Thank you to Spielberg for directing his best ever film. I think back to the day many years ago when I took Iain and Anna to see ET, so I'm hoping they will both now see this film and maybe think back to that day, and wonder and be amazed at how far you have come.
And incidentally it's not often I disagree with the Good Doctor, but he gives Lincoln only three stars, or maybe three and a half at most, and he makes Zero Dark Thirty his film of the week. Just so wrong Mark, I hope you and I are not going to fall out over your reviews, which recently have been just not up to scratch.
It's a shame for Tarantino that Lincoln is out at the same time as his film Django Unchained, which I saw a few days before and thoroughly enjoyed. Totally different kind of movie, both dealing with slavery but in very distinct ways. Tarantino is back to his best with this movie, as good as his early stuff, which is a relief all round, as couldn't put up with more of the Kill Bill variety. As one would expect, lots of blood is spilt, but very tastefully done and always seems justified, or almost. Christoph Waltz gives a tremendous performance, and is rapidly becoming one of my favourite actors. If you haven't seen him in Carnage, you should do so. Great performance.
Anyway thats all for now. I've been taking a short break from my blog for past few weeks but will be back to regular posts now. Hope you didn't miss me too much and sorry if you've been looking for non existent posts recently. Back now and with more news later.
Sunday, January 27, 2013
Tuesday, January 01, 2013
Feliz Año Nuevo, Happy New Year, Bliadhna Mhath Ur
Happy New Year to all and thank you all for reading this blog over the past year. I would love to know who you all are though. This past week I've had readers in Russia, South Africa, Malaysia, Germany and Brazil as well as the usual suspects. So hope you all had a good New Year wherever you are.
I did go out last night to watch the Edinburgh fireworks bringing in the New Year. I joined a few hundred others in the Botanic Gardens which provides a good view of the castle with no crowds to push one around. Too old for that. Do any of you remember going to bring in the New Year at the Tron many years ago. More than twenty as yesterday was the twentieth anniversary of the party in Princes Street. The Tron festivities were wild and rowdy and very very drunk. Best forgotten.
The fireworks were shiny and bright, and noisy too, and lasted for about twelve minutes by which time my hands were frozen with holding my camera. Will post a couple of photos for your delight.
That's all for now. Some of you will have been sent two emails over past few hours. This was due to a glitch with my lovely assistant getting confused and deleting stuff by mistake. Sorry for any inconvenience caused.
I did go out last night to watch the Edinburgh fireworks bringing in the New Year. I joined a few hundred others in the Botanic Gardens which provides a good view of the castle with no crowds to push one around. Too old for that. Do any of you remember going to bring in the New Year at the Tron many years ago. More than twenty as yesterday was the twentieth anniversary of the party in Princes Street. The Tron festivities were wild and rowdy and very very drunk. Best forgotten.
The fireworks were shiny and bright, and noisy too, and lasted for about twelve minutes by which time my hands were frozen with holding my camera. Will post a couple of photos for your delight.
That's all for now. Some of you will have been sent two emails over past few hours. This was due to a glitch with my lovely assistant getting confused and deleting stuff by mistake. Sorry for any inconvenience caused.
Last Post 2012
I guess I should be writing something in my blog as folk seem to be checking it out and finding nothing new, which is not good at all. So thought I would remedy the situation with my last post for 2012, which might just be random dribblings, you never know. I'm currently trying to chat to Iain on FB and write this. Think I shall have to cut him off in his prime. I can't do multi tasking I'm afraid, (wonder if that should be hyphenated or maybe even one word).
Two of my favourite books have recently been turned into movies, so it was with some degree of trepidation that I went to see them, in case my memories should be ruined. But needn't have worried.
Life of Pi by Yann Martel was a book I really enjoyed reading a few years ago. A very unusual and original book, which lots of people didn't take to for some reason. Not an easy book to film as one of the two main characters is a Bengal tiger, called Richard Parker, by mistake. I saw the film in 3D and it's easily the best use of 3D I've seen. In fact it's the only time I've seen 3D and thought it was worthwhile and added to the experience. I'm pleased to say that the good doctor, Mark Kermode agrees with me on this one, though he still says he reserves judgement till he's seen it in 2D too. It's a breathtaking movie, full of suspense and adventure, great acting by the young guy playing Pi, Suraj Sharma, (and the two boys who play him at five and ten), and of course by the tiger, who is superb, and terrifying and thoroughly believable. I'm told that for about 25 percent of the tiger scenes its a real tiger performing, even swimming in the sea. At one point when Pi has understood how to calm him down, the tiger lays his head on Pi's lap, and it's as if for real. Obviously that was not a real tiger. Great stuff. If you haven't read the book it's worth reading but the film is a must see.
Midnight's Children is one of the great books of past few decades. I can't remember how many decades it is now, but lots of years seem to have past since I read it first. It's one of those books which is so good that you get that tingling feeling of excitement and wonder as you read, and you wish it would never come to an end. Some books have that effect on me. Does anyone else get the tingles? I saw the film of the book at the weekend. Brilliantly realised version of the book, which just did not seem possible given the magical realism involved. I was so excited seeing this movie that I seemed to know I would end up in tears, and though I manfully resisted I'm afraid in the end I was in tears, much to the astonishment of my pal, who had the good sense not to mention it. If you haven't read the book it's time to do so now, and the film is a must. The scenery is stunning, no need for 3D, the magical bits are, well, just magical.
Dawn French is one of our best comediennes, and one of my favourites. She was on Desert Island Discs last week and chose Etta James singing At Last, because that's what her mother said to her when she lay dying, " at last I will be with your dad" or words to that effect. She cried when she spoke about it. Which only makes me like her more. Her father committed suicide and her mum died of cancer. Speaking of Etta James I've a cd of her doing Dylan covers and a fine cd it is too.
I hope you all supported Amnesty International by buying "Chimes of Freedom" which is a four cd set of Dylan covers by lots of different artists. More than seventy songs, all different, by seventy plus singers, musicians. I guess there isn't another songwriter living who has a big and good enough treasure trove for such a concept to be successful. Am listening to it now and gets better every listen. Thank you once again Bob.
It's 9:45 on Hogmanay, (new years eve for those not familiar with Scots lingo) and question is should I get myself organised, dress up nice and warm and head off out to see Edinburgh's fireworks display at midnight or should I stay home and watch Jools bring in New Year? Mmmm. Will tell you tomorrow what was decided. But think I must go out.
Two of my favourite books have recently been turned into movies, so it was with some degree of trepidation that I went to see them, in case my memories should be ruined. But needn't have worried.
Life of Pi by Yann Martel was a book I really enjoyed reading a few years ago. A very unusual and original book, which lots of people didn't take to for some reason. Not an easy book to film as one of the two main characters is a Bengal tiger, called Richard Parker, by mistake. I saw the film in 3D and it's easily the best use of 3D I've seen. In fact it's the only time I've seen 3D and thought it was worthwhile and added to the experience. I'm pleased to say that the good doctor, Mark Kermode agrees with me on this one, though he still says he reserves judgement till he's seen it in 2D too. It's a breathtaking movie, full of suspense and adventure, great acting by the young guy playing Pi, Suraj Sharma, (and the two boys who play him at five and ten), and of course by the tiger, who is superb, and terrifying and thoroughly believable. I'm told that for about 25 percent of the tiger scenes its a real tiger performing, even swimming in the sea. At one point when Pi has understood how to calm him down, the tiger lays his head on Pi's lap, and it's as if for real. Obviously that was not a real tiger. Great stuff. If you haven't read the book it's worth reading but the film is a must see.
Midnight's Children is one of the great books of past few decades. I can't remember how many decades it is now, but lots of years seem to have past since I read it first. It's one of those books which is so good that you get that tingling feeling of excitement and wonder as you read, and you wish it would never come to an end. Some books have that effect on me. Does anyone else get the tingles? I saw the film of the book at the weekend. Brilliantly realised version of the book, which just did not seem possible given the magical realism involved. I was so excited seeing this movie that I seemed to know I would end up in tears, and though I manfully resisted I'm afraid in the end I was in tears, much to the astonishment of my pal, who had the good sense not to mention it. If you haven't read the book it's time to do so now, and the film is a must. The scenery is stunning, no need for 3D, the magical bits are, well, just magical.
Dawn French is one of our best comediennes, and one of my favourites. She was on Desert Island Discs last week and chose Etta James singing At Last, because that's what her mother said to her when she lay dying, " at last I will be with your dad" or words to that effect. She cried when she spoke about it. Which only makes me like her more. Her father committed suicide and her mum died of cancer. Speaking of Etta James I've a cd of her doing Dylan covers and a fine cd it is too.
I hope you all supported Amnesty International by buying "Chimes of Freedom" which is a four cd set of Dylan covers by lots of different artists. More than seventy songs, all different, by seventy plus singers, musicians. I guess there isn't another songwriter living who has a big and good enough treasure trove for such a concept to be successful. Am listening to it now and gets better every listen. Thank you once again Bob.
It's 9:45 on Hogmanay, (new years eve for those not familiar with Scots lingo) and question is should I get myself organised, dress up nice and warm and head off out to see Edinburgh's fireworks display at midnight or should I stay home and watch Jools bring in New Year? Mmmm. Will tell you tomorrow what was decided. But think I must go out.
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