Eavesdropping At The Movies

DC's search for a cinematic tone continues to lurch between monochrome gravity and Technicolor frivolity, James Wan's Aquaman firmly occupying the latter end of the spectrum. Although Mike has long been amused at how feeble is the concept of a superhero whose power is fish telepathy, the film has a good sense of humour about itself (even if some of the specific jokes are a little clunky) and hugely enjoyable freedom in its design, the giant seahorses a particular charm. We discuss what's to like and dislike about the film's visual design and action, its message that violence is the least good solution to any problem, the welcome wisdom and calmness brought by Willem Dafoe and Dolph Lundgren (yes, really), and its adaptation of Arthurian legend and how it fits into a recent spate of films and television programmes fascinated with monarchy, bloodlines, divine rights and so on. Jose is overall more reserved than Mike but still announces that he enjoyed himself, and the golden rule holds true: the key to happin

Mary Poppins is back after a mere 54 years since the first film. The kids have grown up, life has grown difficult, and a magical undying supernatural flying nanny is precisely what they need. What they don't need are new ideas. Mary Poppins Returns copies the structure and concepts of the first film almost to the point of parody, today's Disney operating in a world in which people apparently want low-effort, straight-up nostalgia (as their spate of CGI-laden remakes of their animated classics can confirm). However, the film has its charms, in time the songs may become memorable - one can rarely tell on first viewing - and children are sure to love it as previous generations loved the last. Recorded on 29th December 2018.

It's colourful, friendly, packed full of visual energy and wit. It's also light and just a little forgettable, like a straight-to-video movie that's made it onto the big screen. But we had a good time and find lots to praise about Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse. Recorded on 21st December 2018.

Rachels Weisz and McAdams soar in this delicate, passionate, complex drama of social pressures and forbidden love. Set in the North London Jewish community, Disobedience tells the story of two women whose love for each other is reignited when one returns home following her father's death. Everything is rendered complex, nothing is simple. Weisz's anger at having been cast out of the community, McAdams' subjugation and repression into a way of life she doesn't desire, and Nivola's denial and ambition are all expressed deeply and combine in intelligent and subtle ways. José is spellbound by the depth of feeling from the very beginning; Mike feels the lack of context early on is disappointing, seeing the film's clichés rather than its originalities. And we share a certain reservation as to the film's visual qualities, Mike suggesting the Jewishness of the story is reflected in its understatement, but again there is complexity present in its aesthetic and we appreciate its coherence. We also like the seriousnes

A documentary in the hard-hitting, extraordinary revelations, true-story-you've-never-heard mode, Three Identical Strangers follows three identical triplets, separated at birth, discovering each others' existences at the age of 19. At first a joyous reunion, the story takes dark twists as the triplets and their families investigate the reasons behind their separation. That's all for your summary - we won't spoil the story for you! Suffice it to say, we have severe reservations about the film, and in many respects. José is particularly unimpressed with the storytelling and weak focus - there are significant obstacles that the film has in understanding what happened to these men, obstacles that are no fault of its own; however, the things the film could investigate, such as their life experiences, it shows little interest in pursuing. Mike, more forcefully, takes significant issue with the film's ethics and failure to build a convincing case for most of what it wants to argue. Some of what the film decries is

A surprising, imaginative comedy full of dark twists and scathing observations, Sorry to Bother You fires us up. There's so much going on in it that we love. It builds a forceful critique of modern capitalism, drawing on black stereotypes, animal imagery, and factory cities to develop a thesis of 21st century capitalism as thinly veiled slave labour. Everything is available for commodification and absorption by the establishment; the system is able to tolerate dissent by co-opting it. But there is a vital resistance movement, embodied exceptionally by the coruscating Tessa Thompson, and though the film depicts a deeply unfair world in which power is entrenched, there is plenty of room for hope and joy, even through something as simple as a sigh when confronted with the latest absurdity. The film is a kaleidoscope of ideas, always on its toes, always unpredictable, absolutely restless, and although we feel it lacks a certain visual finesse and overall coherence, the benefits of its madnesses far outweigh thei

Flatpack's Silent Night series continues with a screening, at Birmingham Cathedral, of The Marvellous Mabel Normand, a programme of four silent comedy shorts from the BFI National Archive. Normand was the leading silent comedienne of her day but neither Mike nor José was familiar with her, and the programme provides a great introduction to her work, as not just a star but also a director. We saw Mabel's Blunder (1914), which she directed, Mabel's Dramatic Career (1913), His Trysting Place (1914) and Should Men Walk Home? (1927). Each stars Normand, and alongside her are such names as Mack Sennett, Oliver Hardy, Eugene Pallette and one Charlie Chaplin. José finds himself in thrall to Normand's magnetism and emotional openness, finding her incandescent with screen presence. The nuances she brings to her physical and facial performances, the way she types or jumps out of the way of an onrushing car, light up the screen and make her memorable. Mike, it must be said, is less impressed, suggesting that she doesn

Intriguing, calm, witty, touching. Hirokazu Kore-eda's Shoplifters, winner of the 2018 Palme d'Or, is a modern-day Oliver Twist with real depth of feeling and naturalistic charm. Deceptively simple, it asks big questions of its audience, questions about family, love, loneliness, and how to live a good life. It's largely free of significant plot points - it begins with a very young girl, abused by her parents, being taken in by a motley crew of a family living on the poverty line, but from there takes an approach to story that is driven by character and situation. Everything is rendered complex - on the one hand, the young girl is taken in by a group of rescuers who care for her; on the other, they are kidnapping her. It would be true to say the aren't easy answers to be found, but don't let that fool you into thinking it's a harsh watch. It isn't. There's an impressive lightness of tone, the film refusing to wallow in victimhood, instead focusing on getting on, day to day. And it has a great sense of humour

We argue about a film that neither of us can possibly claim is good, but in which one of us found things to like. Hot on the heels of watching Errol Flynn's Technicolor classic a few weeks ago, we catch the latest telling of the Robin Hood folk tale, fittingly titled Robin Hood, a desaturated, guns and geezers-inflected version that transports us to a somewhat otherworldly, sci-fi-ish version of the medieval Midlands. Church and state are in cahoots, the poor are exploited - and it doesn't look like they have much left to exploit anyway - and with Sherwood Forest nowhere to be seen, the only green thing around is Robin of Loxley. We can both agree that no matter the intention, the film is poorly directed, though José would decry it more than Mike, who tries to look beneath the incoherent camerawork and dull set pieces to find areas of interest, such as the tangible sense of growing revolution and the charming Black Hawk Down version of the Third Crusade, complete with shoulder-mounted arrow bazookas, why not

We're joined by Birmingham blogger Laura Creaven (www.constantlycurious.co.uk) for a discussion of our fourth Michael Curtiz film, the film noir Mildred Pierce. We're glad of her perspective, as this is a film all about women, their relationships and desires. We discuss the film's flashback structure - though it helped the film get made in the Hays Code era, would the film be even stronger with a simple chronological plot? Class is everywhere too, motivating the mother-daughter conflict that's central to the film, and we consider America's class system and social mobility, and whether you could tell this story in Britain. We look closely at Curtiz's use of shadows and mirrors to imply off-screen space and create meaningful, poetic images. And there's a lot to discuss in the construction of the characters, both male and female - we think about how masculine and feminine characteristics are deployed in both, and how roles are reversed. Mike and Laura talk about how they each had differing attitudes to the fr

José drags a somewhat recalcitrant Mike to the cinema for a second go at Widows, joined by Lee Kemp (@leekemp), a Birmingham-based filmmaker and founder of Vermillion Films. And wow, we cover a lot! Mike and Lee both agree that some of the cinematic technique is distracting on the first viewing, whereas second time round, knowing what to expect, it's easier to appreciate the art of some shots and evaluate them more intimately. José simply luxuriates even more deeply than before in the visual splendour and tone. We agree that it's a heist film that isn't really about the heist, though what we then make of that - how clever we think that is - is up for debate. What isn't up for debate is the film's economy, both visually and in dialogue. It's so, so elegant and deliberate, and that all becomes clear as we compare things that struck us. The film's use of the Church comes into focus - morality and God is almost never in question when it comes up, the film instead framing it in political, corporate and corrupt t

The second Fantastic Beasts film, J. K. Rowling's Harry Potter spin-off series, has numerous pleasures, but makes it hard to appreciate them thanks to a pointlessly convoluted plot and unimaginative character goals. Jude Law stands out, bringing a calm control and gravity to Dumbledore, and Eddie Redmayne, while typically a little irritating, is cast well in the role of a near-autistic, nerdy zoologist who connects far better with animals than people. The question of who the film is aimed at is an interesting one - the animal designs and elements of performance are quite cartoony and broad, and the film as a whole is borne of a world-renowned children's fantasy series, but in this film alone two infants die, and there's almost no levity to be found anywhere. Certainly, as a middle child of a forthcoming five-part series (how!?), it's a bit of a holding pattern, interested primarily in making situations worse so as to provide the foundation for future triumphs. Two of the film's love stories provide food for

We continue our Michael Curtiz kick with Angels with Dirty Faces, a James Cagney gangster film with surprising subtleties. We consider Cagney's stardom and how he remains unique, the film's themes of hero worship and glorification of crime, and the interesting relationship between Cagney's gangster and Pat O'Brien's priest. A film that's very much of its time but remains an interesting and entertaining watch. Recorded on 19th November 2018.

One of the first three-strip Technicolor films, and an action adventure classic, we visit 1938's The Adventures of Robin Hood, featuring Errol Flynn at his dashing, cheeky peak. We get swept up in its excited use of colour, social conscience, pleasantly laddish tone and swashbuckling combat. Mike sees some of the film at an ironic distance, particularly the action, which he finds charmingly amateur. But while some things might have significantly changed over the last eighty years, the connection to the characters and the film's sense of fun is intact. There's a discussion to be had over the film's messaging - José greatly appreciates the democratic tone to everything, the fairness with which Robin treats everybody and the grace with which he is able to accept defeat, while Mike suggests that his magnanimity would be more impactful if we were able to feel he were ever in true peril - but Flynn is simply so charming, so in control, and indeed, such a star, that the film can never sell it. Flynn conveys a certa

The road to banal and disappointingly homophobic biopics of rock legends is, as they say, paved with good intentions. The Queen story/Freddie Mercury biopic has been in the works since 2010, with creative differences amongst the filmmakers made public and Brian May and Roger Taylor apparently exercising tight control over how the story would be told. What they apparently wanted was sanitised, bowdlerised, pasteurised, inoffensive to the delicate sensibilities of an audience that would rather not look too closely at the sexuality of a gay icon. Which sounds absurd, but considering the old man sat near us in the cinema who audibly said, "oh dear", when Freddie was shown kissing a man... Jesus, they might have had a point. José expresses his disappointment at seeing yet another gay story in which being gay leads to isolation and unhappiness. Freddie is lonely, surrounded by cats in a vast empty house, pining for a woman. His gay relationships are chaste and the one openly gay character, comfortable with who he

José falls in love with Widows, a portrait of life and survival in modern America in the skin of a heist film. Mike can see exactly why he should love it, but just doesn't click with it. Based on Lynda La Plante's 1983 ITV series of the same name, Widows sees three women lose their criminal husbands in a heist gone wrong, and their attempt to complete their final job with the promise of a big payoff. The film draws parallels between urban gang violence and entrenched political dynasties, complicates the widows' grief with sex and intimacy, and constructs the potential payoff not as a cause of celebration but as a way out of bad situations. José finds the film a visual marvel, layered and expressive, but to Mike it's more a reminder of what he loved so deeply about You Were Never Really Here than great in its own right. Recorded on 7th November 2018.

One of us has seen it countless times. The other has never seen it. Fortunately for José, Mike instantly falls in love with Casablanca. In a way, the pressure was on for Mike to enjoy it, as it's considered one of the greatest films of all time, and its screenplay in particular held up as a shining example of the craft. And how effortless it is to enjoy it! José notes how rare it is in cinema to see a man suffer for love, as Rick does, and the film's romance is intense and unapologetic. We swoon over the elegance of Michael Curtiz's direction, the sheer beauty of the cinematography - nobody these days is shot like Ingrid Bergman is here - and the rich cast of characters, played by one of the all-time great supporting casts. José considers how the refugee situation and politics depicted - that of a war-torn world relocating regular people to geographic and bureaucratic purgatory - haven't gone away, and Mike picks up on Madeleine Lebeau's Yvonne, a minor character whose story recapitulates Rick's in microcos

Commemorating the centenary of the First World War, Peter Jackson was approached by 14-18 NOW and the Imperial War Museum to make use of their extensive archive of wartime footage. He responded to the call by performing significant alterations to it, including colourisation and conversion to 3D, hoping to present it afresh and help modern audiences feel closer to the war it documents. It's been a controversial project, surrounded by much commentary on its ethics, but after all the hype and chin-stroking, They Shall Not Grow Old - even the title of which has been edited to suit modern syntax - is finally here. Those ethical questions occupy a good deal of our attention, justifiably so, but we find there's a good deal more to consider about the film too. Perhaps unusually for a First World War film, it eschews entirely any discussion of the political background to the war or criticism - even mention - of the top brass, instead focusing entirely on the experience, in quite general terms, of the British soldiers

We pick at flaw after flaw in a film we sincerely enjoyed! Drew Goddard's post-noir, post-Tarantino, post-Hitchcock thriller is an oddball, a delightfully playful collection of stories about secrets and regrets and temptations and damage. A fabulous ensemble cast is split up and paired off in all sorts of ways, histories are exposed, deception is currency, violence is brutal and shocking. And it all happens on one rainy night in a broken old motel in 1969. We have few issues with Goddard's screenplay, which, but for the exception of one or two characters who we reckon could have been given a little more flesh, is creative, clever, witty, and energetic. But as a director, we find him lacking - as José phrases it, he has no instinct for cinema. It's a significant problem in a film that's building upon and pastiching entire genres and movements of cinema. We go back and forth on some of the performances, though they're primarily good, and Jeff Bridges and Lewis Pullman in particular are just perfect. Mike appr

A weird failure, as Mike puts it, we struggle a little bit to get a read on First Man, Damien Chazelle's biopic of Neil Armstrong. Not content to adopt a mainstream tone, not willing to go full art movie, it gets lost in the middle somehow. Mike sees Armstrong as incongruously passive in his own story, his - and, for that matter, everyone else's - drive for the Moon light, not believable, ultimately making the landing scene feel cheated, the film trying to convince you of the incredible achievement of the mission only at the last minute. José finds aspects of the plot interesting, particularly the portrayal of marriage, but sees the use of the daughter as disjointed. Mike finds the film misunderstands Ryan Gosling's style - his minimalism requires rich surroundings off which to reflect, and with so little here, Armstrong comes across blank. We appreciate the physicality of the space sequences, shot almost entirely with close ups on interiors, though the extension of the shaky cam to the rest of the film is i