Random Film News Based on Random Viewing

Monday is about movies. And sometimes TV. Today, no set topic, a few random views, on a few random viewings…

I have no set topic today. I’m just going to riff on a few things until I get bored. You can read it until you get bored. I can guess who finishes first.

Hey, but while I still have you…

Here is a list of 100 essential horror films. These things do the rounds from time to time. I rather liked this one when I looked at it last week. I think I have seen close to 70 of the 100 - I have a bit of work left to do when it comes to horror films from the 40s, 50s and early 60s. And I’m doing it, when and where I can. And mostly enjoying the results. I could also argue - if I felt I needed to make such an argument - that a list of 100 Inessential or indeed 100 Completely Un-essential horror films might actually be more fun (and I’d probably have seen about 80 or 90 on such a list). But I feel no real need to argue, so I’ll merely mention it in a low-key way instead. I like seeing these sorts of lists and it’s interesting to see where some of the key films sit and how they are rated.

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I Googled “Film News” to see if there was anything super-important happening. I’m not sure I’ve ever Googled “Film News” before by the way. Well, it’s Taylor’s world, we all just live in it - so of course the first several results were all around the fact that the concert film of her Eras Tour has been released, and has grossed over $100m already.

You might be surprised to know this - but I saw the film on Saturday afternoon. And not because someone made me. I am still wondering if I will actually review it - because there’s really no point. What could the headline even be: 47 Year Old Man Who Isn’t A Taylor Swift Fan And Doesn’t Have Daughters Forces Himself To Go To Eras Concert Film? (In the screening I attended there were quite a few dads with daughters - that’s why I’m using that line by the way).

I went out of a weird sort of curiosity. I reckon I know about three Taylor Swift songs in total. I’m terrible with titles. Someone said, “You must know Cruel Summer?” And I really don’t. Because in my mind there’s only one song called Cruel Summer and it’s by Bananarama. And it’s great! And I actually thought that maybe Taylor Swift had done a cover of it, so I was keen to applaud her on her good taste. But no, turns out it’s just one of her many dozens of songs that all have the same nose.

I’ve sat through so many concerts I didn’t want to be at, and I’ve been to heaps of concert films at the cinema - anything I can get to, pretty much, from thrash metal to U2, via Jazz On A Summer’s Day and the recent cinema re-release of Talking Heads’ Stop Making Sense. So there was no concern about whether I’d ‘make it’. I was there to learn.

And I guess I learned what I already mostly knew: Taylor Swift’s music and fans are not my brand of herbal tea. But I’m still pretty much happy for them. I don’t hate what’s going on, I don’t disagree with it any huge way. But I certainly don’t get it. The biggest disappointment to me - and it’s a comment on the way music is received and delivered these days I guess - is that when I go to a show, or watch a filmed version of a gig, I like to see and hear the extra bits a great band offers. I love the band introductions, the banter, the guitar solos that go somewhere different from their recorded counterparts. The breakdowns, the colour that’s added, the new vibes attached if you like. And sadly, there was nothing approaching any of that. Taylor has the main character energy. Her fans don’t require a band. There is one. And they’re obviously very good musicians. But it just doesn’t matter. You could be playing the whole thing through a boombox and so long as Taylor is there to appear as if she’s singing along it is all about the staging, the pouting, the aw-shucks-ing, and the awkward-meets-playful second-hand strike-a-posing of it all.

I am not sure I learned anything. But school was in session for 2 hours and 46 minutes. But I did think how wonderful it must be for the people that missed out on tickets, could never afford to travel or see her, and are enormous fans. What a treat to have something for the memory banks.

And I’m not sure you care at all, but if you did want to know, it turns out 1989 is my favourite era.

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I have been re-watching a lot of Scorsese films lately, in the build up to Killers of the Flower Moon - which I am cautiously excited and optimistic about. And this means I’ve been re-watching a lot of Robert De Niro films. I could be a bit snide and tell you that he might be the Elton John of film acting. Which is to say that he hasn’t really done anything of value in 30 years but that first decade or so of work is always extraordinary to revisit. But that’s a little cruel - on Bob at least. Sir Elton’s never-ending farewell tour was worse than any of the Fockers sequels, and many of the phone-it-in parts De Niro has snoozed across. And the original Meet The Parents is right up there for me, alongside The King of Comedy, in the less often raved about De Niro performances. King of Comedy is one of my favourite De Niro efforts. And such a great, odd film. Total flop at the time. As Marty reminded us just recently on, of all things, his daughter’s TikTok.

Raging Bull and Taxi Driver were fun to rewatch - well, ‘fun’ isn’t the word is it. But they are riveting, mesmeric, and mountainous performances. I just watched Goodfellas too, and though he’s not in it as much as those other films, it’s still some great work from Bobby, as part of the ensemble. He’s third fiddle to Joe Pesci and Ray Liotta - but he’s still great.

It’s not a Scorsese film, but we watched This Boy’s Life on Friday night. We, meaning the family. Katy couldn’t ever remember seeing it, though I’m sure I’d have pushed it towards her before. And it was Oscar’s first time. They loved it. And I was nearly weeping at the end of that film. It’s up there with Stand By Me and The Shawshank Redemption in that sense - and carries some similar vibes/themes, and is of the same era I guess. Another of De Niro’s career-bests for me. And some of the early proof that Leo was going to go on to be amazing. I remember writing a wee bit about it here once before. But Friday night’s screening gave me some new revelations. Specifically: It is a movie about face-acting. De Niro’s wincing and squinting is always a part of what he brings to a role, but he’s in overdrive as Dwight, the dumb bully. Leo does a lot of cool mugging too, including a brilliant impersonation of De Niro’s character. And Ellen Barkin, who I have loved in so many great films (Diner, Tender Mercies, The Big Easy, Siesta, Johnny Handsome, Sea of Love, Switch, Mad Dog Time) is also known for her particular smirk. But her Face-Acting is huge in This Boy’s Life too.

I just love that movie so much. And it was cool to watch it with Oscar - who also really loved it.

So, thirty years on from This Boy’s Life, we’ll soon get to see DiCaprio and De Niro sharing scenes in another Scorsese film…

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Apparently Sir Michael of Caine, aged 90, has finally handed in his acting card. And I’m not trying to be controversial here, or have a hot take, but I’m struggling to think of why he’s revered in the world of film. I mean, I know he was part of Swingin’ London, and I saw Zulu, and liked Get Carter and, yeah, he was in Alfie, and a few other things like that - key films of an era. He was in hundreds of films - and you might point to Mona Lisa or A Bridge Too Far or Cider House Rules as the place where you saw your Michael Caine. But I really only loved him in Dirty Rotten Scoundrels. Which isn’t trying to be sacrilegious at all. And is merely a bonus if it is. I also valued him being part of Hannah And Her Sisters. And though I probably ‘liked’ him in several other films, sure, it was likely more a case of the film being good and having other great turns in it than the work that Caine ever did. Remember, he was also in Jaws: The Revenge - aka Jaws 4. And that stinker wasn’t even his first animal disaster movie. He was in the trashy Jaws wannabe, 1978’s The Swarm. So, like any actor of note, and of many years treading the boards, he was in as many shitty or average films as the real gems. But I’m just struggling to think of a time when Michael Caine really meant something to me in the movies. Only Dirty Rotten Scoundrels sticks out. Help me, please…what’s your pick for a career-best turn by Sir Michael Caine?

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Well, that’ll do for today actually. Random format. So pick your topic to respond to, or leave a comment addressing all/any of what I’ve rambled on about above.

And feel free to leave any picks/suggestions based around what you’ve been watching lately….

Cheers for reading. If you made it this far! :😂