Ghostbusters Afterlife
My wide and I thoroughly enjoyed this. Unlike Jar Jar Abrahams Star Wars reboot, which largely copied the original trilogy, this uses many of the same elements but is not a beat for beat copy.
I hope this does well as it could act as a good foundation for a new series of films.
Is it perfect? Of course not, but I would say this is the second best of these films after the original. My wife thought it is the best.
M
Spiderman - No Way Home
Good movie. Like all these films it doesn’t quiet hang together if you think about it too much, but it moves fast enough for you not to be distracted. Further, there are some great emotional beats.
Recommended.
M
Just back from seeing Spielberg’s version of West Side Story on the big screen. Utterly brilliant. A little bit grittier but not too much. Outstanding music conducted by Gustavo Dudamel. Great to see Rita Moreno in at 90 yrs old. 2 amazing performances - Ansel Elgort as Tony and the actor who played Riff. But above all that you have the mighty Steven Spielberg and his regular cinematographer, Janusz Kaminski. Just a masterclass in how to shoot a movie. They really are in the all time greats
Must admit I enjoyed it as well.
I think it deserved a big screen . Bladder bursting waiting for the “Easter Eggs”
Me too.
First time I saw it I didn’t realise there was ANOTHER extra at the VERY end. Second time went with ‘the missus’ and we stayed to the VERY end. After which I made a very rapid exit 
Next trip will be to Death On The Nile, I am expecting the trailer for Evil Under The Sun …
It’s great marketing, you put a trailer at the end of the film and everybody stays , great way of making sure the techies who actually made 80% of the film get a credit
I am not a great fan of Branagh’s Poirot, for me David Suchet is the best by far. I am also somewhat at odds with the colour blind casting which just jars with the historical setting.
I will be seeing Belfast this week.
M
I agree Suchet was by far the best Poirot , but this will be a divertimento for a few hours .
Nah, Peter Ustinov surely?!
I love Peter Ustinov, but he is as much Poirot as Margaret Rutherford was Miss Marple
Joan Hickson and Mr Suchet - superb
Funnily enough I was watching Vice-Versa a couple of days ago. I hadn’t realised that it was written and directed by Mr Ustinov.
Starred the wonderful Roger Livesey and featured the first appearance by Anthony Newley.
So much better than the modern renakes.
Belfast
What a wonderful film. A love letter to Branagh’s childhood and the city that helped nurture him.
As I am of a similar age it echoed my childhood too, which may have given it a particular resonance.
In 1972 my father, who worked for the airlines, was asked to transfer from Warsaw to Belfast to be the office manager. He went over and stayed with the current chap who assured him things were pretty normal. The following morning he found him searching under his car with a mirror to ensure no bomb had been planted. My father decided the man had lost sight of what ‘normal’ was.
This is a warm humour filled film that doesn’t mask the societal pressures that arise when bullies are empowered by awful events.
M
Oh dear. I saw it on Saturday and although I really wanted to like it, I just didn’t get on with it. My wife, whose family are originally from NI, loved it, especially because of the family story. I found it schmaltzy and saccharine plus, with the wake scene, a touch of Richard Curtis thrown it. It came over as a cross between John Boorman’s ‘Hope and Glory’ and Terence Davies’ ‘ Distant Voices, Still Lives’ but nowhere as good as either. However, I know lots of people have really enjoyed it. It’s a good thing we don’t all have the same taste in films!
On the other hand, I can highly recommend ‘Parallel Mothers’ by Pedro Almodavar which I saw last night. I am a huge Almodavar fan and this is almost up there with his best films. Wonderful performance by Penelope Cruz and a very moving ending although not overblown. The usual palate of strong colours throughout the film. V good
As you say, horses for courses.
I’ve recommended it to a couple of friends, I’ll be interested in their takes as well.
M
The Batman. The BoyYeti wanted to see this, and I was curious as well. Overall, it is well done. All of the cast are very good, especially Zoe Kravitz, Paul Dano and an unrecognisable Colin Farrel, also a criminally underused Andy Serkis. R-Patz as R-Bats is suitably gloomy, haunted, and actually rather effective in the main role. Some tremendous set pieces (particularly one nightclub corridor scene) and a rather effective depiction of a city in turmoil and decline.
It is relentlessly bleak though, way too long (editing anyone) and needs to be seen on a good screen as its so dark that any light pollution in the cinema and it’ll be hard to make out what’s on screen. It also owes a massive debt to the far superior Se7en too. The three Bats in the room are of course the Christopher Nolan movies - they define what can be done for this genre and this latest incarnation only moves things forward incrementally. A very good movie, but slightly frustrating as well, as with a little tighter editing it could have been tremendous. Recommended, but for Bat-fans only.
As an aside, the screening we attended, it seemed to be attended by just middle aged dads and their teenage sons!
On my list - just need to wait for two negative LFTs!!
Definitely worth seeing on the big screen if you can - good luck with the lateral flow tests!
I liked the Batman movie - just been to see it. Didn’t feel over long to me (unlike the last James Bond which was interminable). Dark, moody and rainy: it reminded me of Preston 
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