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yvonne_howard
Reviews
Blinded by the Light (2019)
be prepared to laugh and cry!
Blinded by the Light is a feelgood film about a 2nd generation young Pakistani boy who has had a passion for writing since the age of 10. His father is portrayed as a typical patriarch and living through the scourge of Thatcher's Britain with unemployment, racism and economic hardship, makes his home life even more stressful. It is a revelation when a friend introduces him to Bruce Springsteen, whose lyrics seem to resonate with his own frustrations and conflicts and his obsession with "The Boss" begins.
This film for me has everything: humour, great music, great acting ,politics, romance, ambition, family conflict and resolution, and even though a tad predictable, I thoroughly recommend it.
I Am...: I Am Kirsty (2019)
Scarily too true to life
Kirsty is a kind, loving single parent who finds herself in dire circumstances through no fault of her own. She doesn't have a support network and we see her struggling to provide for her 2 children as a cleaner, where she criticised for not reaching the required standard . In watching these 3 dramas, it is clear that the title was chosen to illustrate that any woman could find themselves in similar situations and that we also might make unpalatable decisions when desperation strikes. This was hard to watch at times. And although not a happy ending, there was a satisfactory resolution of sorts. Brilliantly acted, entertaining and informative.
I Am...: I Am Hannah (2019)
you can't always get what you want
The drama is about a 30-something woman trying to work out what she wants in life before it's too late. She knows what she doesn't want ie to end up like some of her friends,desperate enough to settle for unsuitable men in order to have a family.She tries to reconcile her wish for security and freedom as we see her try to navigate this path through a succession of inevitably unsuccessful dates.
The theme seems to be that life sometimes has a way of showing you that you really can't have it all .
It is a well acted, absorbing watch and the contrast between men who confidently express what they want and a young woman struggling to understand
and articulate her conflicting desires is masterfully illustrated.
Dark Money (2019)
compelling drama
I don't normally binge watch TV, but I found this drama so hypnotising I was hooked after the first episode.
It centres on Isaac, a new Hollywood child actor, taken advantage of by a paedophile producer. It illustrated the devastation that can be wrought, not just on a victim's young mind, but on marriages and other relationships.
The acting was compelling,and the characters nuanced, aside from perhaps the interfering mother-in-law who I didn't really feel added anything to the script.
We witnessed the intimidating nature of the Hollywood machine and how the temptation of vast amounts of money offered to a couple struggling financially , interfered with their ability to think clearly about the best course of action for their son.
A very important, topical drama in these disturbing times.
Take the Money and Run (1969)
still funny after half a century
Allen's first movie. a gangster spoof, seems like a practice run, giving us a taste of his later superior works,such as Play it again Sam (my favourite ) and Annie Hall. At times it seems like a series of interchangeable sketches he'd pulled out of the drawer, but the movie still has many gems of brilliant humour that should not be missed .Allen's undeniable, and unsurpassed talent of writer /actor/ director shines through.
Shaun of the Dead (2004)
Surprisingly Brilliant!
This is the only 2nd comic horror film I have seen, having been put off by finding Young Frankenstein unfunny (perhaps a letdown after the brilliant Producers), but I surprised myself in finding this film hysterically funny. What prompted me to try it was the wonderful Simon Pegg, who I saw in an episode of Black Books and the star-studded cast of other comic actors eg Dylan Moran, Bill Nighy). We all know these people: the nerdy but nice fellow in a crap job who lacks the social skills to keep their friends, girlfriends and other folk happy simultaneously, but it was wonderful to watch this ostensibly sad character become the hero in the face of a zombie invasion. This film was entertaining, fast moving, and gripping to the very end, and the elements of sadness, romance, and conflict added to its charm It has whetted my appetite to watch more movies of this genre.