Catching up with film (in every sense of the word)

So. It has been a long time since I have blogged. My life has been a crazy whirlwind over the last five years and I have lost my way with watching films. Two children, a Deputy Head job and lots of other things have meant that cinema trips are few and far between and even watching a telly programme is difficult after the children have gone to bed. Luckily, for the last five years I have had delightful film studies classes and have got my film discussion fix out on them. Unfortunately, this year I am pure English teaching and so I am really feeling bereft from my passion.

However, if you don’t do what you love, you start becoming a miserable so-and-so who doesn’t know themselves any more so I have made a plan to get back on the film wagon. Last month I re-subscribed to ‘Sight and Sound’ (still waiting for the physical magazine though), I continue to be a patreon of ‘The Secret History of Hollywood’ podcast and we have seen a few of the big name, interesting films that are up for awards so I don’t feel completely out of the loop. Big thanks to Uncle James for getting me access to some of them!

What I have seen so far:

Triangle of Sadness

17th November: The Phoenix Cinema

Mark had got tickets for this on our special day off from school and despite the children being ill, Grandma still took them and we crept off to see this. I’m so glad we did. I absolutely loved it and can’t wait to show it to my dad (especially the insane slapstick of the middle part) who will cry with laughter. I found the three act structure really soothing and loved the dramatic change from arthouse Scandinavian introspection to crazy knockabout chaos. I know it has got lots to say about the modern world, but didn’t do it in a preachy way and the ending was properly gripping. I still don’t know who I have sympathy for. Excellent fun.

The Banshees of Inisherin

25th December: Uppingham (Sue’s house)

I loved everything about this. Martin McDonagh is clearly a genius and the dialogue was sublime as he has proved in his other films. The pathos in Colin Farrell’s face is ridiculous and I love how he has gone from pretty boy to credible and impressive actor. Particularly beautiful acting also from Barry Keoghan who was completely compelling and film-stealing in his part. The story is so beautifully minimal, but the consequences and development of that butterfly wing of not wanting to be someone’s friend was wonderfully done. It is a film not easily forgotten and definitely made me want to visit the west coast of Ireland (but not in the 1920s)

Everything Everywhere All At Once

7th January, at home

We have decided to watch the current award season films (thanks again Uncle James for facilitating this) on a weekly film night and this was the first one. What a start! It felt like a fever dream from start to finish. I loved lots of it and some of the imagery was fantastic, although I felt like it could have been 20 minutes shorter (as I do with most films). I loved the main protagonist and the idea of a mother/daughter relationship being the focus and Michelle Yeoh was fantastic (as were all the cast). Bits of it were laugh out loud funny and there was also a lot of poignancy and intensity. Not one I would watch again in a hurry, but very interesting.

Rome, Open City (1945)

Mum and Dad were up this weekend and I was keen to show Dad The Phoenix cinema. After a lovely Sunday lunch, we went off to see Rosselini’s ‘Roma Citta Operta’.

I thought it was magnificent. Very few films make me actually cry full tears, but Magnani’s acting and the heart-breaking ending had me blubbing immediately.

I highly recommend this blunt, raw masterpiece that, having been made just after the war on a shoe string, has a mesmerising and brutal quality. I feel very lucky to have seen it on the big screen.

Why I failed. 10 points…

I’ve given up on my screenplay. I hate giving up on anything. During my final screenwriting course session I reflected on why I failed.

1. I can always use the old excuse of life getting in the way. It has been especially busy for the last few weeks at work and participating in the Poetry By Heart competition, but you can always do things if you want to. However, teaching, more than any other job I’ve done, seems to drain you mentally and so I have time, just no brain space.

2. I didn’t love the story I chose. I wasn’t sold on it entirely and couldn’t figure out some of the characters.

3. I have been working on receiving criticism for the last few years. I used to be really bad at it, , but I know it’s a really important thing to get better at. However, I found the way the tutors gave me notes, was contradictory and unhelpful. I have realised that I need a lot of reassurance in my life.

4. I’m really not a writer. At all. I did finish The Hall last year when some friends and I did a writing competition, but it nearly killed me.

However, I have realised a lot of positives from the whole experience:

5. From doing the course, we have found out about a film production course at The Phoenix in May and June, which we may do and I think will be more my thing. I’ve also realised what a great place it is for getting involved, which will be really great when Joey lives here.

6. I have read some really nice books from the reading list. William Goldman and Stephen King have been great inspiration.

7. I’ve found a career I definitely don’t want to do.

8. I have realised that I was teaching screenwriting in a fairly conventional way. Although, maybe with more resources and variety. Two hours in a room with just one voice is tricky…

9. I’ve learnt all about formatting, which is very useful and really enjoyable.

10. It has been really nice doing something creative with Mark and seeing how much he enjoyed the process. I also really like his idea and hope he keeps working on ‘The Gloaming’.

I’ve also realised that I set myself big challenges and maybe I shouldn’t kill myself when I fail. It’s good enough just to try things.

Why my dad is ace (again)

We did a Secret Santa at home and I got dad.

He made me a Steadicam, or more accurately a HarryCAM.

Amazing.

8. ‘A One and A Two’ creative

I used my family for this creative to reflect the multi-generational aspect of the film.  My dad, my sister La and her son Arthur were pleased to model and I wanted a vibrant colour palette.  I have also copied Yang Yang’s style of portraits – from the back!

Dad, Arthur and La

8. Joint 93rd – ‘A One And A Two’ 2000

A One and a Two is a Taiwanese film released in 2000 . It was produced and written by Edward Yang. I have never seen a Taiwanese film before and so this top 100 list is already helping me see a lot of films from amazing places.  It shows one of the most impressive powers of film in that I am able to see different cultures and lives and it inevitably makes me realise that I should travel much more!

I had researched this film a little before I started.  It is the youngest film I have watched so far and when it was released it received plaudits from Cannes and Cahiers du Cinema among many others.  However, when I first started watching it, as I came in from work on Friday, it seemed initially quite cheap, maybe shot on video and the domestic setting made it look like a fairly low-budget TV soap.

However, as you got involved in the nearly three hours of story-telling, it was heart-breakingly moving and had unforgettable performances.  It is told through three characters from the same family: NJ, the father, Ting Ting the thirteen year old daughter and Yang Yang the eight year old son. They are all so engaging and rounded.  Yang Yang’s expressions are so infectious and his interactions and questions with the the adults are adorable.  His little unexplained adventures lend a softer, humourous side to the film that is necessary and I always love a child with a camera, especially as he is taking photos for a very benevolent reason.  Ting Ting’s story of first love is so movingly acted and when NJ is finally able to express his feelings that have clearly been eating at him for thirty years, the quiet heartbreak  made me cry – stoic men always get me.

Throughout there is a brilliant use of parallelisms between all the stories.  These are shown in graphic matches, but also through the brave use of reflections and windows that gave a shiny, but untrustworthy quality to the film.

This is the first film on my list that I have watched since I got my new job.  I am now going to be Head of English at another school, so will no longer be watching these for my teaching self-esteem, but to enjoy them as a hobby, as they always had before.  I think with this new even more demanding job, I am definitely going to need the distraction!  This is also the last 93rd film – I can start watching the 90th films now!

Creative:

Something with reflections and lights – a photo.

Using family – I am going to visit my family at the weekend, so I could easily use them and maybe combine the reflection.  Possibly a film or still image.