The Night of the Hunter

Posted on April 15, 2015 by jaycluitt

This review was originally written as part of my USA Road Trip series for French Toast Sunday, and was recommended to me by Will Slater from Exploding Helicopter as part of my Nominated Movies quest.

Ben Harper (Peter Graves) has just stolen $10,000 from the bank, and killed two people in the process. He tells his young children John and Pearl (Billy Chapin and Sally Jane Bruce) where the money is hidden, just before their father is arrested. In prison, Ben shares the details of his larceny with his cell mate, Reverend Harry Powell (Robert Mitchum), who has been arrested for stealing a car, but is in actual fact a serial killer. Upon his release, Powell heads to the Harper homestead, with plans of getting his hands on that money, by whatever means necessary.

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My Week in Movies, 2015 Week 15

Posted on April 13, 2015 by jaycluitt

I’ve spent a lot of time this past week watching TV, and movies that have nothing to do with anything I need to review. That’s partially down to podcasting purposes, but let’s not rule out my usual lack of self-motivation and drive. TV-wise this past week has seen me start and get half way through both Game of Thrones Season 4 and True Detective Season 1, both of which are as amazing as I’d hoped – I’ve literally just watched the long shot at the end of episode 4 of True Detective, and there’s a strong chance that after I write this I’ll go back and watch it again, I love that shit. However, this 9 hours of solid TV has detracted away from anything resembling useful movie watching, or reviewing for that matter, so as such I’m getting even further behind on everything apart from one goal. Let’s have a look at what I saw this week: Continue reading →

My Week in Movies, 2015 Week 14

Posted on April 6, 2015 by jaycluitt

I love Easter. No, I’m not religious, not at all, but here in the UK we get a four-day weekend and, unlike Christmas, there’s less pressure to spend a great deal of it with family. So we had a family meal on Friday afternoon, and the rest of the weekend has seen me left to my own devices and just getting stuff done. Huzzah! I’ve tidied the attic, put the finishing touches to the new alcove shelving, recorded an epic Lambcast (and edited half of it so far) and watched a fair few movies to boot. Oh? What movies you say? Well, let me tell you:
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Whisky Galore!

Posted on April 5, 2015 by jaycluitt

The island of Todday, off the coast of Scotland, is 100 miles from anything close to recreation, so it’s small island community gets by on thet pastime of whisky drinking. However, due to rationing, the whisky stores dry up, and the island is suddenly devoid of alcohol. The previously cheerful, easygoing folk become irritable and distant, until one night a cargo ship wrecks out in the bay. The cargo? 50,000 crates of whisky. However, just as the locals are set to launch their boats into the water to pilfer the booze, the clock strikes midnight on the Sabbath, and any such business would be going against their religion.

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O Brother, Where Art Thou?

Posted on April 1, 2015 by jaycluitt

This review was originally written as part of my USA Road Trip series over at French Toast Sunday.

Everett, Pete and Delmar (George Clooney, John Turturro and Tim Blake Nelson) have just escaped from a chain gang in 1930s Mississippi, with the intention of recovering the loot from the burglary that resulted in Everett’s incarceration, before the area within which it is hidden becomes flooded in a few days time. The three men – at least two of whom are amongst the stupidest creations the Coen brothers have ever concocted, which is saying a great deal – have a long way to go and a short time to get there, and their journey isn’t made any easier by the lawmen on their tails and the various obstacles that must be overcome, not least of which is coping with each other’s company. Continue reading →

My Week in Movies, 2015 Week 13

Posted on March 30, 2015 by jaycluitt

I’ve spent a lot of this week wondering what the heck I’m watching. Five movies I’ve seen this past week have had a distinctive “What the fuck is happening?” feel to them, and only two of them in a good way. Also, after a weekend of DIY, I am the proud owner of alcove shelving for part of my DVD collection. Hurrah! Also, I clawed back a green mark on one of my aims! Double hurrah! Here’s what I watched this week (I think):
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My Week in Movies, 2015 Week 12

Posted on March 23, 2015 by jaycluitt

Not a lot to report this week. The weekend was spend doing DIY – soon the majority of my DVD collection will emerge from the attic and take residence in the lounge’s new alcove shelving, as soon as I finish putting it up next weekend – but I have been making some ground in terms of my movie goals. Still no green ticks yet, but I’m not far off on a couple of lists. Also, a quick shout out to French Toast Sunday, which turned five years old a couple of days ago. I’ve only been writing for the site for less than two years (my first post was in August 2013, a review of The World’s End), but I’ve made some great friends through the site, some of whom I’m expecting to meet later this year. We’re doing a bunch of posts to celebrate the birthday over at FTS, so make sure you head over there to check them out. There’s some links lower down for such an activity. Here’s what I’ve watched this week:
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Blue is the Warmest Colour

Posted on March 23, 2015 by jaycluitt

Adèle (Adèle Exarchopoulos) is a teenager in college (high school), dealing with the regular problems a teenage girl faces – crushes from boys, pressure from friends etc. – but with the added issue of not fitting in to her pre-ordained position in society, because Adèle doesn’t feel the same way about the boys who want to date her as they do to her. This comes to a head when Adèle meets Emma (Lea Seydoux), an older girl with vibrant blue hair. The two spend a great deal of time together, with Adèle all but shunning her friends and adopting Emma’s more artistic way of life as they fall in love and begin a relationship. pic-1
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Wall Street

Posted on March 22, 2015 by jaycluitt

It’s New York in the mid-80s. Bud Fox (Charlie Sheen) is a young stockbroker on a permanent high from having the coolest name ever, or at least he would be if he weren’t up to his armpits in debt and trying to make it big whilst stuck cold-calling on a low rung in an average firm. Bud, however, is determined, persistent and ambitious, and he ceaselessly badgers the secretary of Gordon Gekko (Michael Douglas), one of the big names amongst the stockbroker game. Bud’s determination pays off, eventually meeting Gekko and, with the help of some tips provided by his airplane mechanic father (Martin Sheen), Bud impresses, and is brought into the fold. But at what cost? This film was recommended for me to watch by Dylan Fields, creator of Man I Love Films, the LAMB and my predecessor as host of the Lambcast.
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A Hard Day’s Night

Posted on March 19, 2015 by jaycluitt

John, Paul, George and Ringo, otherwise known as The Rutles, spend their lives fleeing from screaming fans, aggravating their tour manager and generally larking about without a care in the world in this weekend-in-the-life snapshot as they prepare for a live show whilst looking after Paul’s grandfather (Wilfrid Brambell) along the way. Continue reading →