Life Vs Film in 2019

Posted on January 2, 2019 by jaycluitt

It’s fair to say 2018 wasn’t a banner year for Life Vs Film, but that’s OK. This time last year I said I was skipping the whole New Year’s Resolutions thing, in the hope of it resulting in a more relaxed year and, to a point, that was true. It also allowed me to do more things with the LAMB site and podcast, which I’m continuing to enjoy and have further plans for this year. So whilst 2018 was more relaxed than the previous year (not having a wedding to plan may have had something to do with it), I’m disappointed with how little happened on this site. In total I only reviewed 11 films, which is exactly how many were added to the 1001 list last year, so I made no ground whatsoever. As such I’m reinstating some resolutions this year, but I’m not going to beat myself up over them.
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2018 Review of the Year

Posted on January 1, 2019 by jaycluitt

Well, that’s another year over, so it’s time for my traditional ranking of all the new releases I saw in the past twelve months. I find that the only way I can ever actually finish these lists is if I just post the list, with pictures, and no explanations why. If there’s a particular placing that’s puzzles you, ask in the comments, and remember, I’m in the UK, so not all these films may be considered 2018 releases for you, but they are for me. As such, Paddington 2 isn’t on here, but it’d be pretty darn close to #1. Here’s my list:
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Meet Me in St. Louis

Posted on December 12, 2018 by jaycluitt

The Smith family all love living in St. Louis, Missouri in 1903, and deal with regular turn-of-the-century troubles such as courting a man over the telephone, crushing on the boy next door and perfecting the latest batch of ketchup. However, their lawyer father has agreed to take a job in New York, starting just after Christmas, and plans to uproot the family from their comfortable and idyllic lives in favour of heading off to the big city.

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The Post

Posted on November 4, 2018 by jaycluitt

In 1971, and following the deaths of her father and husband, Katharine Graham (Meryl Streep) found herself the de facto owner and publisher of The Washington Post, despite how little faith or respect her all-male team of advisers had for her. Meanwhile, the Post’s editor-in-chief, Ben Bradlee (Tom Hanks), fought to make the Post a relevant competitor to the more established national newspapers, and a lead on some illegally copied, highly classified government documents may be the key to making that happen.
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LAMBCAST #450 SCREAM FRANCHISE

Posted on October 31, 2018 by jaycluitt

I scream, you scream, we all scream for the Scream franchise!
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The Fly (1986)

Posted on October 21, 2018 by jaycluitt

Veronica (Geena Davis) is a reporter for a science magazine, scoping out a party for up-and-coming scientists. There she meets Seth Brundle (Jeff Goldblum), an eccentric yet strangely charismatic guy who invites her back to his place to reveal an invention that will change the world as they know it. Upon arriving at his apartment, Veronica learns of Seth’s Telepods, devices that allow the user to instantaneously transport something from one place to another. At first they use an inanimate object, but the plan is to move living things, and then eventually Seth himself. Hilarity ensues.
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The Haunting (1963)

Posted on October 16, 2018 by jaycluitt

Eleanor “Nell” Lance (Julie Harris) is a meek, tormented woman who spent the entirety of the past eleven years caring for her invalid mother until her recent passing. Left with seemingly no real purpose in life, barely anywhere to stay and only half a car to her name, Nell jumps at the chance to partake in a study focusing on people with histories of paranormal occurrences staying at the notoriously haunted Hill House. The only other candidate is the far more free-spirited Theo (Claire Bloom), and the two are joined by the scientist running the experiment, Dr. Markway (Richard Johnson) and the sceptical future heir to the building, Luke (Russ Tamblyn). Upon arriving at the house, however, it becomes clear to Nell that she is meant for more than just an experiment, and the house itself may have other plans for her.

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Predator

Posted on October 11, 2018 by jaycluitt

When a helicopter carrying an important cabinet minister crashes somewhere in Central America, the CIA enlists a team of mercenaries to go in and save him. What they find, however, is far from what they expected, as they become hunted by an unseen and incredibly skilled new foe.
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The Mountain Between Us

Posted on July 30, 2018 by jaycluitt

Alex (Kate Winslet), a photo-journalist for The Guardian, is desperate to catch a flight from Idaho to New York for her wedding the next day. Similarly Ben (Idris Elba) needs to get to Baltimore to perform an urgent surgery. When an incoming storm grounds all the flights the two band together and charter a small independent pilot (Beau Bridges) and his dog to take them part of the way. However, the flight goes awry and Ben and Alex find themselves stranded, injured and lost amidst the Uintas Mountains. With no hope of rescue, they must all work together if there is any hope of survival.
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Phantom Thread

Posted on May 9, 2018 by jaycluitt

The wonderfully named Reynolds Woodcock (Daniel Day-Lewis) is a highly respected and sought after fashion designer in 1950s London. Whilst he is capable of designing exceptional dresses, he requires all other elements of his life to be taken care of and controlled by his ever-present sister Cyril (Lesley Manville). When Reynolds visits the countryside he is served breakfast at a restaurant by Alma (Vicky Krieps), and is instantly smitten with her, and they later go on a date that ends far differently than she probably imagined. He has had muses before, but there’s something about Alma that keeps her around for far longer than his previous flings.

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