20 Friday Apr 2018
Posted in Announcements, Awards and Achievements
Today my blog turns six years old. Time has gone so quickly and I’m still letting it sink in that my blog has been going this long. I have to thank each and every follower and supporter of my blog. You are truly the very best and I couldn’t do it without you all. So join me in the celebration of this anniversary, you all deserve praise. I’m forever in your debt because you’ve been so magnificent.
19 Thursday Apr 2018
Posted in Announcements
Tags
I’ve set up a second site and I hope you all enjoy it. Be warned, it’s saucy. https://bunsareallthatyourequirehere.wordpress.com
19 Thursday Apr 2018
Posted in Announcements
Tags
My other naughty site got suspended because of the images used. Since then I’ve been considering getting back into the erotica game, but as it’s been so long, I’ve forgotten how to set up a second site. Can anyone be of help? And what do you think of the idea?
16 Monday Apr 2018
Posted in Movie Reviews
Tags
1950's, Bernard Lee, Carol Reed, Drama, Romance, Sophia Loren, The Key, Trevor Howard, War, William Holden
I was recently asked to take part in a blogathon set up by the trio of Virginie, Michaela and Emily. To honour the star that was William Holden, I decided to review war romance-drama The Key.
Film Title
The Key
Director
Carol Reed
Starring
A wartime drama with romance and something of a gloomy aura, The Key at least holds the attention thanks to the stars and direction. No masterpiece, but compelling enough and filled with good parts.
It’s the Second World War and Canadian tug boat captain David Ross arrives in Plymouth, England. 
He is assigned to salvage missions that entail picking up ships that have been attacked in conflict with the enemy. It’s an extremely dangerous job as the tug boats are ill-equipped to combat any form of onslaught, leaving them open to death every time they venture out. David meets with old friend Chris Ford who is a captain. Later after a number of missions, Chris takes David back to his lodgings, drawing particular attention to the key. It is here that David meets the beautiful Stella; an Italian-Swiss woman who rarely leaves the apartment. We learn that the key to the apartment is seen as an omen as many men have lived there and perished at sea. This has left Stella lonely(especially since the death of her first love), even though she constantly has company. With the life expectancy of these men low, Chris gives David the key to the apartment in case anything should happen to him. When Chris dies, David moves into the flat. At first, he and Stella are distant with each other as he is skeptical about the seemingly cursed nature of the key. But over time, the two fall in love. But the overreaching feeling of darkness from David’s job and Stella’s past experience with men threatens to ruin what is growing between them.
Carol Reed’s direction manages to balance drama and the scenes of war very well. It’s not Oscar-winning direction but it is passable and generates interest in what will happen next. 
A certain ghostly quality hangs over The Key. Something quite haunting and melancholy is in the air, especially when it comes to Stella who occupies a haunting presence throughout the story. The black and white cinematography aids the dark areas of the story and the possible love that may happen. The Key is good but far from high calibre movie making, marred by the long running time and occasional dreariness that undoes many of the fine things the movie does. At least it still retains attention thanks to the evolving relationship between Stella and David. The second section raises the film up as more momentum is introduced into the narrative. We see Stella emerge from her gloom and discover that love could be on the cards for her and David become less resistant to the idea that their union could be cursed. A highly dramatic score, with a certain haunting aura heard in many instances.
William Holden excellently conveys the tired and uncertainty of a man who has experience in battle, but is still secretly terrified of the prospect. 
Blended with movie star charm that is never far from view, Holden is endlessly watchable in his part. Sophia Loren is quietly melancholy and haunted as the woman at the centre of things. There’s real sadness and pathos to her work that comes through in her face, which craves love and companionship but knows of the bleak realities of life that have befallen her. Loren plays this lonely character who just wants some form of togetherness with real clarity and acting opposite the great William Holden is wonderfully convincing. They share a tentative chemistry that matures along with the movie. Trevor Howard makes the most of his role with a scene stealing turn as David’s friend and the one who sets in motion the relationship with Stella. He works well with both Holden and Loren when he appears. Also watch out for Bernard Lee in a supporting part of the head of the salvage unit.
Far from flawless but filled with something unusual and with a great cast, The Key is an entertaining way to spend your time.
12 Thursday Apr 2018
Posted in Movie Reviews
Tags
2010's, A Quiet Place, Emily Blunt, Horror, John Krasinski, Millicent Simmonds, Noah Jupe, Thriller
Film Title
A Quiet Place
Director
John Krasinski
Starring
A horror thriller that taps into many fears and is ruthlessly tense throughout, A Quiet Place is terrifying and at times quite moving in how it examines people surviving in near silence from director/star John Krasinski.
The year is 2020 and blind creatures have overtaken most of the world. Despite having no sight, they hunt via hearing which is exceptionally advanced. Any significant noise can attract these beings to potential prey. 
The Abbott family( mother Evelyn, father Lee and three children, Regan, Marcus and Beau )are surviving the best they can in times of darkness and crippling fear. They communicate using sign language, which they know anyway because Regan is deaf. It appears that they are some of the last remaining humans given how abandoned and desolate everywhere around them is. Though they have survived for a long time, a tragic incident robs them of one of their children. When we pick up with the family again, they are living in a farmhouse and Evelyn is pregnant. As heads of the family, while terrified of day-to-day life, they are determined to protect their family by remaining as quiet as humanly possible. They have forged an existence for themselves, with many areas of the house insulated and cameras to observe outside. Lee is the main provider for them, going out to forage for food and attempting to fix Regan’s hearing aid. Evelyn is preparing for the birth of a child while raising her other two children, plus mourning the loss of one. Anxiety hangs in the air as Evelyn’s due date is approaching and the prospect of a baby terrifies all as it spells potential horror for all if they can’t remain quiet. And ever since the loss of one child, uncertainty has grown within the right family unit. But in this time of panic, can the family survive for much longer without becoming victims of the creatures?
Director and star John Krasinski crafts suspense and an uneasy atmosphere right from the beginning and keeps the nerves frazzled with efficiency. His direction is confident and skilled at scaring us and cranking up the tension as events continue. 
The pacing is just on the mark, building and building to a chilling and relentless last act that will have you gasping for breath with nervousness. I dare anyone to not feel panicked as the family are menaced by the scary creatures and they are separated. Sound and the ability to use it, which we can so often take for granted is crucial to this film as noises are both amplified and subdued. This gives the creepy effect of not being able to express things and the difficulties involved when we are robbed of this essential thing. Jolts of terror and As the family has to live in almost always silence, a lot of the story is told visually. We gain information from facial expressions, symbols and sign language, which gets us involved and has the attention from the start. The life these characters have crafted offers much in the way of intrigue, helping us realise just how precious sound and especially silence are in making sure you don’t become victims to the creatures that terrorise the characters. What surprises in A Quiet Place is that as well as being frightening, it has you emotionally invested too. If anything, the main theme is parental anxiety. It’s amplified here but nonetheless shines in presenting two parents doing whatever they can to shelter their brood from harm.
Especially in the case of the mother being pregnant and the collective worry of what will happen when the child is born into this startling world. The creatures are fleetingly glimpsed at the start, but when revealed are truly alarming and well designed to be etched into the memory. Marco Beltrami is on score duty, ratcheting up the scares and overriding eeriness of the piece. And speaking of sound, the effects and design are sublime in dialing up creepiness and oodles of ambience. Every sound could possibly be the last for these characters so it’s imperative that noise is well used and the often deafening silence matters. Just like the characters, we become scared of sudden sound.
The relatively small cast all convince in this merciless horror film. John Krasinski and Emily Blunt, who are a married couple in real life, excel as the protective and resourceful parents. Using body language and facial expression, they get across the terror and will power of this mother and father who are doing whatever they can to ensure the safety of their children. 
The fact that they are married in real life adds to the closeness of the two and how they complement one another. Krasinski’s survivalist and Blunt’s warm, nurturing matriarch are fully realised and performed admirably. The two children in the film, Noah and Millicent Simmonds exceptionally convey the uncertainty and horror that’s thrust upon their young shoulders. Millicent Simmonds is especially marvellous as the daughter who is dealing with feelings of guilt and loss . The fact that Simmonds is also deaf in real life brings a lot of authenticity to her performance as well as her expressive face.
A nerve jangling exercise in tension, A Quiet Place sustains the interest and induces terror with its story and atmosphere. This is strong stuff from John Krasinski and marks him as a director to watch.
06 Friday Apr 2018
Posted in Movie Reviews
Tags
1940's, Bette Davis, Drama, George Coulouris, Geraldine Fitzgerald, Herman Shumlin, Lucile Watson, Paul Lukas, Watch on the Rhine, World War II
Bette Davis is one of my favourite actresses so to be asked to take part in a blogathon honouring her was a sure bet. Crystal is paying tribute to the great lady with a mighty fine blogathon. My choice is Watch on the Rhine.
Film Title
Watch on the Rhine
Director
Herman Shumlin
Starring
Taken from a Lillian Hellman play, Watch on the Rhine provides much in the way of drama as it focuses on a member of resistance to the impending Nazi threat and what he must do to fight.
In the year after the beginning of World War II, German engineer Kurt Muller, his wife Sara and their three children enter the United States. 
Kurt has been involved with fighting the Nazi’s with underground work for the past seventeen years. The family resides in Sara’s mothers house in Washington, D.C. Her mother, Fanny Farrelly is a society maven who welcomes them back but is unaware about why they are there. The resolute Kurt largely keeps his underground work secret as can be. But there is someone amid all of this who grows suspicious of him. That person is the conniving Teck de Brancovis; a Romanian Count who is also stays and has with Nazi sympathies. He immediately distrusts Kurt on sight and takes it upon himself to weasel what he can out of him. He attempts to blackmail Kurt and expose him, leading to dramatic consequences for everyone involved.
Herman Shumlin allows the story to flow well and doesn’t resort to any visuals tricks, so as to draw more attention to the events on screen. The script is rich with meaningful speeches and impassioned dialogue that allow the actors to shine. Now Watch on the Rhine is not flawless by any means. I’m sure many will see this movie as a propaganda piece and very much of its time. But that ignores the message of fighting for what’s right and standing by your beliefs, which can still be timely even now. Sometimes that message is heavy-handed but it’s mostly depicted handsomely. Occasionally the running time feels stretched and I for one believe some trimming may have benefited Watch on the Rhine. But these flaws aside and the fact that I wanted just a bit more from it, it’s still a great movie with a message that is conveyed throughout. And once the tension rises in the situation, the film gets better and filled with immediacy. A driving score from Max Steiner is a string in the film’s bow too.
Paul Lukas is rightly dignified and quietly strong in a performance that garnered him an Oscar. 
His greatest asset is his passion and dedication, showing Lukas as a fine actor in tune with the part of a crusading man fighting against fascism and Nazism. It’s a very subtle and natural performance that it often feels like he isn’t acting at all, so exact is his work. And complimenting that nuance is a finely tuned portrayal by Bette Davis. She was often known for her full force delivery but toning it down as the supportive wife here reveals a loving and softer side to her. I liked watching these two work together with a lovely chemistry and dramatic power. Lucile Watson is fine playing the part of the oblivious wealthy mother who is more concerned with her rich life than mere politics. Stealing some of the show is George Coulouris, who is excellently devious and fully warranting of villainy. It is he who kicks events into place with his plots to expose Muller. And there’s Geraldine Fitzgerald making an impression as the wife of the opportunistic Teck.
Bolstered by excellent dialogue and performances, the plight of the individual and the fight for freedom are well dramatised in Watch on the Rhine.
23 Friday Mar 2018
Posted in Television Reviews
Tags
2010's, Adam Scott, Alexander Skarsgård, Big Little Lies, James Tupper, Jean-Marc Vallée, Jeffrey Nordling, Laura Dern, Nicole Kidman, Reese Witherspoon, Shailene Woodley, Zoë Kravitz
A suspenseful, occasionally darkly funny and very addictive series, Big Little Lies tackles the myth of perfection in a seemingly ideal place that unravels with a deep-seated mystery. Bolstered by superb work from the cast, primarily the ladies, Big Little lies pulls you in with its story and visuals. This review will contain some spoilers, but I promise not to ruin the big mystery.
In Monterey, California, a murder occurs. 
But we are not privy to who the victim is and why it ended with the taking of life. Flashing back to the start, we build a series of events within the picturesque surroundings that are dark and enigmatic. It all begins with the arrival of Jane Chapman(Shailene Woodley), a single mother who enters the community with her son Ziggy at the beginning of the school year. She is befriended by the fierce Madeline Martha Mackenzie(Reese Witherspoon); a resident queen bee who prides herself on knowing everything and everyone. Jane also meets the elegant Celeste Wright(Nicole Kidman), a former lawyer who gave up her career to raise twin boys. All three are linked by children in the first grade and everything starts to happen on orientation day. Ziggy is accused of assaulting Amabella, the daughter of the highly strung business mum Renata(Laura Dern). This drives a wedge between people and Madeline draws a line in the sand as she’s never liked Renata and lets it be known. From that moment, things start to unravel for the women of the area. 
The lives of these women appear to be ideal, but scratching beneath the surface unearths another story.They all have their secrets that they attempt to keep under wraps, such as something dark in Jane’s past that she’s running away from, Madeline’s feelings that her daughter is slipping away from her( plus a past affair) and Celeste being in a volatile marriage where she is frequently abused by her husband Perry( Alexander Skarsgård )but can’t seem to leave him. With us knowing that someone is going to end up dead, things get darker and more revealing as the facade of perfection slips and the various events culminate in death for someone.
The first thing that gets your attention about Big Little Lies is the script. It’s both bitingly funny when focusing on society’s image of perfection and alternately darker in the next breath. Having the framing device of a gossiping Greek chorus of supporting characters giving their views on events provides much in the way of intrigue and humour. 
We go from zingers, bitching at the schoolyard, secrets hidden behind the closed doors of seeming bliss and female bonds are just some of the areas Big Little Lies goes into with its blend of wit, mystery and entertainment. From a stylistic point of view, this show is intoxicating. With the talented Jean-Marc Vallée on direction duties, it’s not surprising that Big Little Lies is such a hit. The vistas of the sea and the fabulous houses that the characters reside in provide much in the way of eye candy. And the editing and direction of the whole thing is very on point. Often, scenes blur into each other and the past bleeds with the present in unique ways that you get more accustomed to as the story gathers momentum. Montage and scenes cut to specific music abound and entice in how they connect the women and display just what’s really going on inside this bubble of supposed domestic paradise.
One of the biggest draws of Big Little Lies is how the mystery stems from the fact that we aren’t told who the murder victim is. Instead, the series flashes back to what lead to the act, excellently drip feeding us with occasional information about it. Most shows would have established who it is that was deceased, but Big Little Lies has other things on its mind to blow the big enigma straight away. Never mind whodunnit, it’s more like a who did it to who in the best possible way. And one shouldn’t forget that Big Little Lies goes to some disturbing places that put jolts into the action and are frequently shocking. Blending both humour and uncomfortable issues, it’s a show that in a sure-footed manner straddles each aspect with an eye for unearthing what sinister and pressure filled things are lurking beneath society’s obsession with paradise. And the succession of strong and rounded female characters is yet another praise worthy part of Big Little Lies. 
Whether lying, helping each other or trying to deal with life struggles, the vision of women is one that is excellently executed. And the last scenes of female solidarity are some of the best in the show and proudly showcase the excellence at hand here.
Reese Witherspoon heads the cast with energy as the local watcher of all things around her and someone you don’t want to cross. Madeline as a character has a lot of layers and is not just the overprotective and domineering woman of the one-dimensional variety. Witherspoon and her natural perkiness are on show mixed with something more bitchy and flamboyant, yet tempered by hidden fears and insecurity. Nicole Kidman is riveting as the quiet and seemingly calm Celeste, whose life is so much more complicated than it seems to others. 
With Nicole Kidman essaying mystery and a very complex set of turmoil through nuances, you can’t help but be in awe of her talent. Her eyes are always searching for an answer to her future and are subtly but movingly expressive. Kidman’s ability to register so many emotions in a restrained manner is simply marvellous to watch as she covers such a wide array of feelings within the character of Celeste. Shailene Woodley portrays the youngest mother in Jane, who is something of an outsider in the community. She’s our vantage point into this world of mothers, children and image and one that is terrified yet determined to build a new life for herself and her son. Woodley suggests inner suffering and a deep love for her son in many excellent ways that are explored by her skill and ease in the part. Stealing a lot of scenes with intense and fierce action is Laura Dern. She stars as the pushy, overprotective and snotty mother who lauds her businesswoman acumen over everyone yet can’t cope when things don’t go her way. She manages to be both aggressive and funny within minutes of each other. Zoë Kravitz has the right free spirit and bohemian charm for the role of Bonnie; who is married to Madeline’s former husband and not exactly popular with Madeline who sees her as being too perfect.
The rest of the characters are fleshed out by an array of fine actors. Alexander Skarsgård exudes menace as a weak man whose insecurities are exposed when he beats his wife and feels like he has some power. A loathsome character, Skarsgård plays his to a tee. Adam Scott showcases his nice, average guy persona but colours it with areas of resentment that make him interesting to watch. James Tupper is childish and up for an argument playing Madeline’s former husband who can’t resist confrontation with Adam Scott’s character. And then there is the relaxed and chilled out Jeffrey Nordling, who compliments Dern’s manic behaviour with his no cares attitude. The men are great in Big Little Lies, but the show belongs to the women of the cast who turn in exemplary work.
A highly addictive series that is funny, dramatic and mystery, Big Little Lies is hard to resist, especially with a cast like this and direction this good. And if you haven’t seen it yet, here’s the opening titles to entice you.
22 Thursday Mar 2018
Posted in Birthdays and Tributes
Today the delightful Reese Witherspoon turns 42. Over the years, her vivacious personality and talents have been on our screens. And she’s carved out a glorious career of multiple highlights. So Happy Birthday Reese Witherspoon, you are a great performer who continues to deliver.
12 Monday Mar 2018
Posted in Movie Reviews
Tags
1980's, Bob Swaim, Drama, Half Moon Street, Keith Buckley, Michael Caine, Nadim Sawalha, Sigourney Weaver, Thriller
The quite fabulous Gill is celebrating the career of Michael Caine with a blogathon about him. Naturally, I was more than happy to take part in doing this and I have chosen Half Moon Street to review.
Film Title
Half Moon Street
Director
Bob Swaim
Starring
It may be a mixed bag in various aspects, but the dramatic thriller that is Half Moon Street is very watchable and has its moments. It most benefits from the work of Weaver and Caine and what transpires between them more than anything else.
Dr. Lauren Slaughter is an American research fellow residing in London and working at the Arab-Anglo Institute. 
Slaughter has a PhD from Harvard and has spent a number of years doing field work in China. She is smart, driven and completely frustrated with her job at the moment. Partly, this is due to the ingrained attitudes of men being superior within many in the workplace. Though the job is something she is immensely skilled at, it doesn’t pay well enough and she is struggling with her low wages and is living in a bed sit, that leaves a lot to be desired. Lauren doesn’t know how she’s going to feel at all comfortable in both work and personal life. Her annoyance at events continues as something she wrote is plagiarised by a higher up colleague and she isn’t considered for a prestigious study in Kuwait. One day, she receives a video in the post. It details the Jasmine Agency; an escort agency for wealthy clients, many from the Middle East. Lauren decides to moonlight as an escort for money so she can live without worry and have some semblance of power. In the escorting work, she finds more control over men and independence than she does at her job at the Institute. Her attitude towards things is one of cool confidences, but one particular date makes an impact on her. She meets Lord Bulbeck, a diplomat who is involved with Middle Eastern affairs. The two hit it off and soon a genuine relationship that is more than just sex is developing for them. They are compatible in viewpoints and humour, plus both are somewhat outsiders in one way or another. But it was no accident that Lauren was set up with Lord Bulbeck. A hidden group is monitoring events between the couple and is using both as pawns in an effort to stop Bulbeck in his attempts to forge a peace deal between Arabs and Israelis. Both are not aware of what is bubbling underneath their budding romance.
Bob Swaim is a good director and his sense of style is on display in Half Moon Street can be viewed. But he often over complicates things by trying to say too much with the story and needlessly dragging out parts of it. On the negative side, the film itself takes too long to bring the thriller element out into the open. 
There is suspense that it manages when the danger hits, but the attempts at mystery feel flat and tacked on. If the thriller areas had been addressed earlier on and given more footing in Half Moon Street, it may have been a different story for the movie. Onto the positive notices and Half Moon Street does have a good few. The script, while requiring several leaps of faith, does have something to say about the workplace and why someone like Lauren Slaughter would turn to an escort job to keep afloat. The most impressive aspect is the relationship between Slaughter and Bulbeck; they have a great affinity with each other and you do buy into their attraction to the other. I liked watching two fine actors create this relationship with each other on screen and do it justice. The material is lifted thanks to the script but mostly the stars. An exotic flourish in the music score, that gets romantic as the characters become closer is exemplary in doing the job of crafting atmosphere in a movie like Half Moon Street.
Whatever faults Half Moon Street has, the performances by Sigourney Weaver and Michael Caine are just right. Weaver has this cool and detached attitude, partnered with a quick wit and a bemused yet sly smile. She really plays the role of Lauren Slaughter very well, balancing the independence and sexiness of a woman getting some control in her life and scoffing at chauvinistic behaviour. 
Matching her is Michael Caine with a lot of charm and intelligence. There’s a real twinkle in the eyes here and his work as Lord Bulbeck reflects a man of great influence and down to Earth affinity. It helps that both Weaver and Caine share an immediate chemistry with each other as love blooms for the characters. You really believe them together as a couple and that’s really down to the actors and what they accomplish, even if the movie lets them down in many ways. In supporting parts there is Nadim Sawalha and Keith Buckley as possibly shifty men who surround Lauren in their own ways. Both don’t have much to work with however, with the lion’s share of things going to Caine and Weaver.
A movie that can be both tedious and extremely gripping depending on which way it’s going, Half Moon Street elicits fine work from the two main stars and has some atmosphere of which it can be proud of.
10 Saturday Mar 2018
Posted in Announcements
Tags
This is just a quick post to assure everyone that I’m OK. I have just been immensely busy lately and blogging has taken a backseat. But fear not as I’m not disappearing at all. I’m certain to be back very soon.
