Now Screening - What Are You Watching Right Now?

[Alex_UK]

Looks like my kind of film, Martin, and one I had not heard of, I will try and seek it out.

I used to love the TV Series Tour of Duty which was set in Vietnam. Theme song was Paint it Black by the Stones, but lots of other epic rock tracks from the era. I seem to recall looking into buying the box set on DVD and then discovering that all the decent music had been removed, probably licensing issues, so I don't think I bought it in the end. Might have to see if it can be streamed anywhere.

[Macca]

Looks like my kind of film, Martin, and one I had not heard of, I will try and seek it out.

I used to love the TV Series Tour of Duty which was set in Vietnam. Theme song was Paint it Black by the Stones, but lots of other epic rock tracks from the era. I seem to recall looking into buying the box set on DVD and then discovering that all the decent music had been removed, probably licensing issues, so I don't think I bought it in the end. Might have to see if it can be streamed anywhere.

I remember watching that when I was at University. Only one of us had a telly so we'd all bundle round to his room once a week. That and 'Married With Children' I think were the only two TV shows I watched while I was there.

They repeated it on some cable channel, maybe ten or fifteen years ago. I watched a couple of episodes of it again but it wasn't as good as I recalled. Some things are just 'of a time' and you can't go back.

[Alex_UK]

Very true, nostalgia isn't what it used to be.

[Barry]

The Fantastic Four



The Fantastic Four were one of my favourite titles of the Marvel Comics. This film establishes the characters, including their nemisis: Dr Doom.

Physicist Dr. Reed Richards is convinced that evolution was triggered millions of years ago on Earth by clouds of cosmic radioactive energy in space, and has calculated that one of these clouds is soon going to pass near Earth. Together with his friend, astronaut Ben Grimm, Richards convinces Dr. Victor von Doom, his former classmate at MIT and now CEO of Von Doom Industries, to allow him access to his privately-owned space station to test the effects of a biological sample with exposure to the cloud. Doom agrees in exchange for control over the experiment and a majority of the profits from whatever benefits that it brings. Richards brings aboard his ex-girlfriend and Von Doom's chief genetics researcher, Susan Storm, and her hot-headed ex-astronaut brother, Johnny.


The quintet travels to outer space to observe the cosmic energy clouds, but Richards miscalculates and the clouds materialize ahead of schedule. Richards and the Storms leave the shielded station to rescue Grimm, who had gone on a spacewalk to place the samples. Grimm receives full exposure in outer space, while the others receive a more limited dose within the station. Back home they soon develop superpowers: Richards can stretch his body like rubber, Susan Storm can become invisible and generate impact resistant force shields, Johnny Storm can engulf himself in fire and fly unaided, and Grimm becomes a rocklike creature with superhuman strength and durability. Meanwhile, von Doom faces a backlash from his stockholders because of the publicity from the space mission, and has a scar on his face that came from an exploding control console on the station. The Fantastic Four would then use their powers to stop an unstable Dr. Doom from destroying the city. After the villain is defeated, the Fantastic Four celebrate their victory with many people in the city.

[Barry]

The Time Machine 2002

The Time Machine is a 2002 American post-apocalyptic science fiction action adventure film loosely adapted by John Logan from the 1895 novel of the same name by H. G. Wells and the screenplay of the 1960 film of the same name by David Duncan. Arnold Leibovit served as executive producer, and Simon Wells, the great-grandson of the original author, served as director. The film stars Guy Pearce, Orlando Jones, Samantha Mumba, Mark Addy, and Jeremy Irons, and includes a cameo by Alan Young, who also appeared in the 1960 film adaptation. The film is set in New York City instead of London. It contains new story elements not present in the original novel nor the 1960 film adaptation, including a romantic subplot, a new scenario about how civilization was destroyed, and several new characters, such as an artificially intelligent hologram and a Morlock leader.

I like this version for the quality of photography and of the special effects, but it deviates too much from the original story (and previous films) in having a romantic interest (with Samantha Mumba), so the ending is completely different. I also have my doubts about the introduction of the Morlock leader (Jeremy Irons) who has supernatural and telepathic powers.

[Barry]

The Theory of Everything 2014

University of Cambridge astrophysics student Stephen Hawking begins a relationship with literature student Jane Wilde. Although Stephen is intelligent, his friends and professors are concerned about his lack of a thesis topic. After he and his professor Dennis Sciama attend a lecture on black holes, Stephen speculates that black holes may have been part of the creation of the universe and decides to write his thesis on them.

However, Stephen's muscles begin to fail, causing him to have decreased coordination with his body. He learns he has ALS, which will likely eventually leave him unable to move, swallow, and even breathe. There are no treatments, and he is given approximately two years to live. The doctor assures Stephen that his brain will not be affected, so his thoughts and intelligence will remain intact, but eventually, he will be unable to communicate them.

As Stephen becomes reclusive, focusing on his work, Jane confesses she loves him. She tells his father she intends to stay with Stephen even as his condition worsens. They marry and have their first son, Robert. Stephen presents his thesis to the examination board, arguing that a black hole created the universe in a Big Bang, that it will emit heat, and end in a Big Crunch. He begins using a wheelchair once his walking ability deteriorates.

After the Hawkings have their daughter Lucy, Stephen develops a theory about the visibility of black holes and becomes a world-renowned physicist. Jane, focusing on the children, Stephen's health, and his increasing fame, is unable to work on her thesis and becomes frustrated. Stephen tells her he will understand if she needs help.

Jane joins a church choir, where she meets and becomes close friends with Jonathan, a widower. She employs him as a piano teacher for Robert, and Jonathan befriends the entire family, helping Stephen with his illness, supporting Jane, and playing with the children. When Jane gives birth to another son, Timothy, Stephen's mother asks Jane if the baby is Jonathan's, which outrages her. Jonathan is appalled, but when he and Jane are alone, they admit their feelings for one another. He distances himself from the family, but Stephen tells him Jane needs him.

While attending an opera performance in Bordeaux, Stephen falls ill and is rushed to a hospital. The doctor informs Jane that he has pneumonia and the tracheotomy he needs to survive will leave him mute. She agrees to the surgery.

Stephen learns to use a spelling board and uses it to communicate with Elaine, his new nurse. He receives a computer with a built-in voice synthesizer and uses it to write a book, A Brief History of Time, which becomes an international best-seller. Stephen tells Jane he has been invited to the United States to accept an award and will be taking Elaine with him. Jane faces the fact that the marriage has not been working, telling him she "did her best," and they agree to divorce.

Stephen goes to the lecture with Elaine, the two having fallen in love, and Jane and Jonathan reunite. At the lecture, Stephen sees a student drop a pen; he imagines getting up to return it, almost crying at the reminder of how his disease has affected him. He then gives a speech telling audiences to pursue their ambitions despite the harsh reality of life: "While there's life, there is hope."

Stephen invites Jane to meet Queen Elizabeth II with him when being made a member of the Order of the Companions of Honour; they share a happy day with their children. An extended closing series comprises select moments from the film, shown in reverse, back to the moment Stephen first saw Jane; the reversal is reminiscent of Stephen's research methodology of reversing time to understand the beginning of the universe.

A textual epilogue reveals that Stephen declined a knighthood from the Queen and currently has no plans to retire while Jane earned her Doctor of Philosophy in Medieval Spanish Poetry, married Jonathan, and remains close friends with Stephen, with whom she has three grandchildren.


I'm not a big fan of Eddie Redmayne, but he is absolutely superb in the rôle of Stephen Hawking.

[Barry]

Rear Window 1954

A professional photographer with a broken leg whiles away the time by spying on his neighbours through his window. However, his pastime becomes serious when he witnesses an apparent murder.

Rear Window is considered by many filmgoers, critics, and scholars to be one of Hitchcock's best films, as well as one of the greatest films ever made.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rear_Window




Completely unrelated to the actual film, camera afficianados, (including me) are still puzzled as to the make of the telephoto lens fitted to the Exacta camera.

[Macca]

The Time Machine 2002

The Time Machine is a 2002 American post-apocalyptic science fiction action adventure film loosely adapted by John Logan from the 1895 novel of the same name by H. G. Wells and the screenplay of the 1960 film of the same name by David Duncan. Arnold Leibovit served as executive producer, and Simon Wells, the great-grandson of the original author, served as director. The film stars Guy Pearce, Orlando Jones, Samantha Mumba, Mark Addy, and Jeremy Irons, and includes a cameo by Alan Young, who also appeared in the 1960 film adaptation. The film is set in New York City instead of London. It contains new story elements not present in the original novel nor the 1960 film adaptation, including a romantic subplot, a new scenario about how civilization was destroyed, and several new characters, such as an artificially intelligent hologram and a Morlock leader.

I like this version for the quality of photography and of the special effects, but it deviates too much from the original story (and previous films) in having a romantic interest (with Samantha Mumba), so the ending is completely different. I also have my doubts about the introduction of the Morlock leader (Jeremy Irons) who has supernatural and telepathic powers.

Yes - it's good up until the last act, then it screws it up. Prefer the original but that one's still worth a watch.

[Pigmy Pony]

Yes - it's good up until the last act, then it screws it up. Prefer the original but that one's still worth a watch.

As adaptations go I thought it was pretty good, deviated from the book quite a bit, not least the fact that the machine had somehow moved from Surrey to NYC. And nowhere near as bad as that awful 1953 version of War of the Worlds with Gene Barry - I appreciate that particular one could just as easily be happening in the US (these things didn't just land in Surrey), but what was unforgivable, apart from Mr Barry's acting, is the fighting machines hovering rather than walking on tripods

I'd like to see both of the above films remade and set in Victorian England, and give the Martians their tripods back.

[Macca]

As adaptations go I thought it was pretty good, deviated from the book quite a bit, not least the fact that the machine had somehow moved from Surrey to NYC. And nowhere near as bad as that awful 1953 version of War of the Worlds with Gene Barry - I appreciate that particular one could just as easily be happening in the US (these things didn't just land in Surrey), but what was unforgivable, apart from Mr Barry's acting, is the fighting machines hovering rather than walking on tripods

I'd like to see both of the above films remade and set in Victorian England, and give the Martians their tripods back.

Yes that original 'War Of The Worlds' is terrible, no idea why some think it's a classic. The Tom Cruise one is way better.