So now I’ve seen Made in Dagenham too! She was again amazing – is she ever not?
The movie itself was a great tonic for these times! If a bit…formulaic? It rushed through some things too. Made me want to see Norma Rae again (brought to mind Brassed Off too), but alas, it’s not on Netflix nor Amazon prime. Gonna try Kanopy tomorrow.
MiD is also on our watch-soon-list along with some others! We’ve been on a super major Mike Leigh kick since the lockdown, which has sated our craving for interesting human plots, great acting, and satisfying – although intentionally not 100% resolved – endings.
We re-watched ML’s “Career Girls” a couple of days ago. I very highly recommend it! Two college roommates, reuniting years later: then newcomer Lynda Steadman; and the excellent Katrin Cartlidge (also in ML’s “Naked” and “Topsy-Turvy”) who we learned (just after watching the film a second time) passed away in 2002 at just 41 years old. (We’re looking up her other films for our list.) “Career Girls” successfully manages to get away with numerous continual flashbacks, which can be tricky. But the fb’s are so essential to the telling of the story, and ML makes it work. A very re-watchable film.
(BTW: Have you seen ML’s TV drama-comedy film “Grown-Ups”? If not – watch it. Its raucous “stairway” scene is priceless.)
We clearly have similar tastes, as I’ve seen most of Mike Leigh’s work. Yes, Career Girls is great. My fave might be Another Year. He’s one of those directors who gets such great performances from actors. But i haven’t seen Grown Ups, so thanks! Now I’ve got some hunting to do…
Looking forward to this:
Mark Cousins’ story of film (another 14 parter) foregrounded much more film from around the world, weaving it entirely into the story rather than solely placing it separately (though there were chapters on phases of American or Asian cinema). I haven’t seen his history of children in film but I really should. Apparently it’s on amazon next month (BFI is geoblocked here unfortunately).
This weekend I intend to watch portrait of a woman on fire and Jonathan Glazer’s new one.
Just in case: It’s on YT.
No theron though. 
I guess the reason makes sense but give her longer hair and with her ability to act the shit out of anything then you’d never question it a minute into the film.
Glenda Jackson is a delight. It is nice to occasionally watch a thriller with no bloodshed.
I just saw that on there and Hurrah for Lilly!
Obviously Twitter is doing the usual partisan meltdown over it. Cos some people like a little trans subtext and others would rather scream into the void.
Motherless Brooklyn (2019). Directed by Ed Norton, he also stars in it as a 1950’s ‘private dick’ blessed with a photographic memory and cursed with undiagnosed Tourette’s Syndrome that manifests in more than one way. Everything about the film is top-notch: Script; direction; casting; performances (especially Norton’s); and sets. Very re-watchable.The plot covers shady NYC politics, social class, and race… and somehow avoids the ‘trails’ that said subjects sometimes predictably run along.
I guess I’m on the right (or is that the left?) track. I’ve seen 5 of the numbered films and a few of the ‘further viewing’ recommendations!
Finally got to watch Rififi (1955), a French film noir classic that has the unique distinction of being the first crime drama to showcase a step-by-step burglary procedural; not only that has been copied by subsequent films ad infinitum, but also the characters and – with not so subtle variations – plot. The burglary itself was a revelation: zero dialogue, which reminded me of the safe-cracking scene in Michael Mann’s Thief (1981). I highly recommend this one for film noir buffs. It’s near perfect!
