October Flicks

- Punk Attitude - This started out with potential but good lord was it painfully dull. I did manage to jot down a few bands to check out but crikey, I couldn't wait for it to end.

- Me Earl and the Dying Girl

- The Irish Pub - An interesting doc about, you guessed it, fab Irish Pubs. My fave part was the bar owner that said, "Unfortunately, I can't sing because God takes something away from everyone, other wise I would be perfect." Adorable. I made a note of Mulligan's Pub on Poolbeg in Dublin and will try to go in December, if I'm feeling brave. If not, then definitely with Bella in April!

- Equals - I feel like films depicting the future are all far too alike. The premise for  Equals reminded me of Equilibrium but I went in with an open mind. Made it about fifty minutes in and gave up. I was bored senseless. Just not my kinda movie I guess. 

- Hello My Name Is Doris - This was such a feel good movie until about a half hour before it ended. Why is it that every film that centers around a quirky girl has to have a humiliation scene? Why couldn't Doris get the guy? Or realise he wasn't right for her and get him back together with the girl that was right for him? It just ruined the whole damn film. However, I was left completely awestruck by Sally Field. I mean, yeah, she's always good - exceptionally good, but this was a gorgeous character for her to portray and I was absorbed by her performance.

- 84 Charing Cross Road - I originally saw this film, my god, what? like 2008ish? I believe it was back when everyone referred to Streaming as Netflix Instant (a habit I can't seem to break and will soon place me in the role as old fuddy duddy spinster auntie). It was probably recommended to me after I gave Garbo Talks four stars, since Anne Bancroft stars in both. For those not in the know, it's about a woman's love affair with English literature that hooks her up with a shop in London that sells and sends her impossible-to-get-books. The correspondence between Helene and Frank Doel of Marks and Co. begins in 1949 and continues until 1969. I watched it and rewatched it, then watched it again and again until finally I bought the film and Helene Hanff's book 84, Charing Cross Road along with Duchess of Bloomsbury Street, Q's Legacy, Underfoot in Show Business, Apple of My Eye, Letter from New York and tore through each one of them. I have actually finished reading 84 and then gone back to the first page and read it all over again. The film version is sublime and if I had read the book before seeing the film I don't doubt for a second that I would have been so relieved that they stayed true to the story. It is one of my favourite films and one of my favourite books as well.

- Noises Off! - Jenifer introduced this flick to me years ago and I absolutely love, love, love it. Oh my god, the cast is fantastic and it is fast paced, silly, clever, slapstick, and screwball all rolled into one. One time I texted Jen "You know how stupid I am about doors..." and she told me the next day that she HOWLED (as only Jenny Peoples could) laughing in the middle of Target when she read it. Christopher Reeve was the standout for me because he was SO god damn funny, and so was Denholm Elliott. I had only ever seen him in serious, proper films and he was a delight as the lovable drunken scamp.

- The Final Girls - I'm sorry, but that Alexander Ludwig is simply too cute for words. This film was just as fun the second go around. It was my only spooky movie for the month, although when things got super dull at work, I replayed The Exorcist in my mind just to not fall asleep. Oh, it was the extended cut, by the way.

- A Royal Night Out - Clearly I picked this lil' film for Bel Powley. I love her as though she were a newborn kitten. She is at that level of perfection and cuteness. And I don't even like cats. Anyway, I really enjoyed this! The music put me in mind of Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day and both scores were composed by Paul Englishby. Anytime I thought that the hi-jinx of Elizabeth and Margaret would bring them towards danger, the music reminded me, "this film is for fun! No one is going to ever get hurt, so sit back and soak in the feel-goodery!" I did and thoroughly liked the taking of an actual event - VE Day and the Princesses going out to mingle with the crowds and all the excitement of the end of WWII - but putting a spin on it. It was an ideal platform for mayhem, silliness, and a dash of romance. A truly great idea that was a fine end to my month of so few films.