f1 at the cinema on the weekend....

Barbie for boys. Brainless fun. I think even Nicolas Jackson could have guess the "plot".

Loved F1

Thought it was a real throwback, anyone who enjoyed Top Gun Maverick go see F1 as you won't be dissapointed.

A classic film on BBC4 at 9pm tonight. The Shining. A great film based on a great book. Will watch if after the football..

Just now, Boyne said:

A classic film on BBC4 at 9pm tonight. The Shining. A great film based on a great book. Will watch if after the football..

Ahhh I remember... I was practically hiding under my seat.

2 minutes ago, Valerie said:

Ahhh I remember... I was practically hiding under my seat.

I read a quote by Stephen King a few years back that he thought the film was too dark. A strange comment given how dark some of his early stories were. I think he has mellowed over the years. Possibly due to giving up alcohol and following the very bad road accident he was involved in.

43 minutes ago, Boyne said:

I read a quote by Stephen King a few years back that he thought the film was too dark. A strange comment given how dark some of his early stories were. I think he has mellowed over the years. Possibly due to giving up alcohol and following the very bad road accident he was involved in.

What does "too dark" even mean?

20 minutes ago, Valerie said:

What does "too dark" even mean?

Good point. I guess some people find a lot too dark and others aren't scared by much. I don't watch a lot of horror films but can read lots of horror books. A bit odd I guess and I don't understand why.

On 17/07/2025 at 19:30, Boyne said:

A classic film on BBC4 at 9pm tonight. The Shining. A great film based on a great book. Will watch if after the football..

Mmmm. I'm one of those who greatly prefer the book. Kubrick gutted it, taking the easy option of letting Jack N. chew the scenery.

I recently watched A Man Called Otto on cable with Tom Hanks as Otto.

He plays an old chap who is 'Mr.Grumpy' loses his job and starts wondering about whether it is worth going on yet new neighbours keep bugging him for help.

Gradually you learn his story as crisis's develop and things start to make sense.

Clever film.

M3gan 2.0. Do not waste your time. 1/10.

Miller's Crossing on DVD for possibly the thousandth time. One of the Coens' finest. Ironically they ran into writers' block during writing, put it aside and wrote Barton Fink in about a month.

Watched Zulu Dawn earlier. It's a while since I've watched it but despite - like most films of historical events - some inaccuracies gives an insight into why British forces invaded Zululand. The British Government were more concerned with events elsewhere but Bartle Frere and Chelmsford were spoiling for a fight. What happened with the invasion of Zululand and the Battle of Isandlwana helps understand give a background into the Defence of Rorke's Drift which is covered by the film Zulu.

Many reasons for the defeat of the British forces at Isandlwana but Chelmsford splitting forces before knowing where Zulu forces were didn't help. Pulleine and Durnford have been criticised for their actions but most of the blame should be attributed to Chelmsford.

Eventually the Zulu armies would be defeated but two years later Britain and the Boer provinces of the Orange Free State and Transvaal would be combatants in the1st Anglo-Boer War with the Battle of Majuba Hill being once of the key events.

Watching Tora Tora Tora. A film I've watched several times. One of the better and more accurate films and certainly a lot better than Pearl Harbor. God, that film s awful.

Tora Tora Tora not only covers the attack on Pearl Harbor but also covers the politics, diplomacy and tactics up until the attack. As is known the American aircraft carriers were not at Pearl Harbor and as was proved air power would be key in the Pacific. The Japanese had taken note of what the Royal Navy and the Fleet Air Arm at Taranto on 11 November 1940. Like the harbour in Taranto the one at Pearl Harbor was of similar depth and torpedoes could be launched to cause extensive damage.

As is known, Pearl Harbor was attacked on 7 December. However, a British Post in Malaya was attacked a few hours before on 8 December. Yes, the 7th is before the 8th but there is the international date line.

Very much enjoyed both 28 years later films.

If you’ve got sky the ballard of wallis island is on Sky cinema 👍

Will go and watch this when it's in U.K. cinemas from 19 April. There is an article about Big Mama Thornton in today's Guardian. A great singer who was badly treated by promoters etc. In my opinion her version of Hound Dog is far superior to that by Elvis Presley yet his rendition is better known. Thornton had a brilliant voice and similar to that of Bessie Smith. I knew that Thornton played harmonica but until I read the article in The Guardian didn't know that also played drums. Didn't make a lot of money from performing and record sales. Went to Europe in the sixties and was warmly received. A lot of blues musicians - and jazz performers - went to Europe and the U.K. and received more support and praise than they did in the States.

On Talking Pictures TV tomorrow, 15 July at 15.40 (U.K. time) is Carve Her Name With Pride. A film about Violette Szabo who served with the Special Operations Executive (SOE). She was assigned to F Section of the SOE. F was short for France. Virginia McKenna portrays Szabo. Those who served with the SOE were incredibly brave and if captured often suffered solitary confinement and torture. Szabo was captured and eventually was imprisoned in Ravensbruck where on the 5 February she was executed alongside Denise Bloch and Lilian Rolfe. Szabo was one of three women who served with the SOE to be awarded the George Cross. The George Crosses given to Szabo and Noor Inayat Khan were awarded posthumously. The other recipient of the George Cross was Odette Sansom.

Maurice Buckmaster who was in charge of F Section of SOE appears in the film. It's a while since I've watched the film but I don't think the legendary Vera Atkins who was effectively Buckmaster's deputy in the SOE is portrayed.

A very good film and definitely worth watching. Arguably Virginia McKenna's finest film role. The ending of the film is very poignant.

The film is also on Youtube.