Date: Monday 15th April
Another day, another trip to The PCC (are we surprised? I bloody love it there), and this time I am introducing my sister to a double bill of films (again with a Q&A) by a writer/director that I love. A writer/director who is tirelessly working on making new and innovative films, or at least films that don't rely on the same old story telling techniques we see a thousand times over. First up...
Film: Brick (2005)
Director: Rian Johnson
Starring: Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Lukas Haas and Emilie de Ravin
Running time: 01 hour, 50 minutes
Rating: 9/10
I adore this film. I've seen it more times than is healthy. It is a fabulous noir thriller, harping back to classic detective thrillers that we haven't seen since the early days of cinema. It is modernised, taking from the mysteries of old, it tells the story of high school student searching in the shadows to find out what has happened to his ex-girlfriend. he has a couple of clues that make no sense, red herrings throwing him off and
an impenetrable group who know more than they are willing to tell.
I don't want to tell more, the brilliance of this film is all in the mystery. With a fabulous cast and an awesome script, it's hard to believe that this was Rian Johnson's debut. A near perfect film.
After a brief break for supper and a quick Q&A with the man of the hour, in which we learnt a lot more about how Rian Johnson works and what he aims to achieve with his films, it was time to settle down for the second movie of the night and, in comparison to Brick, Rian's big money gamble. A mind-bending time travel film with a decent budget, a big name cast and the chance for Rian to prove that he can do action as well as he can do drama...
Film: Looper (2012)
Director: Rian Johnson
Starring: Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Bruce Willis, Emily Blunt and Jeff Daniels
Running Time : 1 hour 59 minutes
Rating: 9.5/10
I've gushed about this film before, and I have nothing to add. With each viewing I feel like I learn a little more about the ,story, about the characters, about the future.
Yes, the time travel logic is a little flawed but if you are looking that deeply into the timeline of a film, you don't deserve nice things.
Challenge day: 201
Challenge time: 12 days, 20 hours, 30 minutes
Challenge film total: 158
Showing posts with label The PCC. Show all posts
Showing posts with label The PCC. Show all posts
Saturday, 13 July 2013
Tuesday, 26 February 2013
The PCC Pyjama Party - Episode 4 - The John Hughes Edition
Date: Saturday 2 February/Sunday 3 February
It's that time again, another night spent tucked up in my favourite place in the world. This time around, the PJ party is all about John Hughes, a writer and director who has, in my opinion, made some of the greatest films of all time.
No matter how quickly we ran, we didn't manage to snag the special seats but, a little further along the row, PJs on and The CW and I were ready for a night with some of cinema's greatest teenagers.
Film: Weird Science (1985)
Director: John Hughes
Starring: Anthony Michael Hall, Ilan Mitchell-Smith and Kelly LeBrock
Running Time: 01 hour, 34 minutes
Rating: 7/10
First film of the night, and one I haven't seen in a very long time. So long that I had forgotten, and was pleasantly surprised by, the appearance of a youthful Robert Downey Jr. Looking back over my Twitter feed, on the night I described this film as 'hilariously odd', something I'm going to stick with. Mainly because it's about boys that use 80's computers to create their perfect women, whilst wearing bras on their heads, and if that's not odd, then I don't know what is.
Film: Ferris Bueller's Day Off (1986)
Director: John Hughes
Starring: Matthew Broderick, Alan Ruck, Mia Sara and Jeffrey Jones
Running Time: 01 hour, 43 minutes
Rating: 8/10
Ah Ferris. A film that holds a place in my heart. It's one of those films that I have seen countless times and have limited recollection of when I saw it first. It's just ingrained into my brain that I love it. Something that is reaffirmed every time I watch it.
Yes, Ferris is not the nicest of characters - he railroads over the feelings of his friends - but that doesn't stop this being a great film, mainly because the supporting cast are so great.
Although, the adventures around Chicago did make me a little homesick for my second favourite city. Can I go back now, please?
Film: Planes, Trains & Automobiles (1987)
Director: John Hughes
Starring: Steve Martin and John Candy
Running Time: 01 hour, 33 minutes
Rating: 7.5/10
Another film I haven't seen in a long time. Also, a film that I haven't seen that many times. Watching it at PJ Party was a revelation - I barely remembered the film so it all seemed new.
Film: Pretty in Pink (1986)
Director: Howard Deutch
Starring: Molly Ringwald, Jon Cryer and Andrew McCarthy
Running Time: 01 hour, 36 minutes
Rating: 9/10
I adore this film. I fell asleep in the middle, much to my horror. Woke up just in time to see the worst dress in cinema history (it has to be official, right? I've yet to meet a person that isn't horrified by it).
Luckily for me, someone else in the cinema was kind enough to point out my dressing gown matched the dress pattern exactly. Let's all pretend I did that on purpose.
Film: Uncle Buck (1989)
Director: John Hughes
Starring: John Candy, Jean Louisa Kelly, Macaulay Culkin and Amy Madigan
Running Time: 01 hour, 40 minutes
Rating: 6.5/10
Again, a film I haven't seen for the longest time, and I'm not sure I'm completely sold after watching it again. I think this might have to be one of those films that you loved as a child and therefore love for life and if you missed out, then you'll never really get. A bit like when I make people watch The Princess Bride and they don't enjoy it anywhere near as much as me.
Plus, there's a clown in it and clowns are truly horrifying.
Film: The Breakfast Club (1985)
Director: John Hughes
Starring: Molly Ringwald, Anthony Michael Hall, Emilio Estevez, Judd Nelson and Ally Sheedy
Running Time: 01 hour, 37 minutes
Rating: 10/10
There are not enough superlatives to describe just how brilliant this film is. It is essentially 90 minutes with the same faces in one room yet manages to engage the audience with it's exploration of teenage life. I cannot heap enough praise on The Breakfast Club. It is, in my eyes, perfection.
Another morning, another PJ Party finished. Again, it was pure joy. I can't wait for the next one...
Challenge day: 130/131
Challenge time: 08 days, 09 hours, 36 minutes
Challenge film total: 103
It's that time again, another night spent tucked up in my favourite place in the world. This time around, the PJ party is all about John Hughes, a writer and director who has, in my opinion, made some of the greatest films of all time.
No matter how quickly we ran, we didn't manage to snag the special seats but, a little further along the row, PJs on and The CW and I were ready for a night with some of cinema's greatest teenagers.
Film: Weird Science (1985)
Director: John Hughes
Starring: Anthony Michael Hall, Ilan Mitchell-Smith and Kelly LeBrock
Running Time: 01 hour, 34 minutes
Rating: 7/10
First film of the night, and one I haven't seen in a very long time. So long that I had forgotten, and was pleasantly surprised by, the appearance of a youthful Robert Downey Jr. Looking back over my Twitter feed, on the night I described this film as 'hilariously odd', something I'm going to stick with. Mainly because it's about boys that use 80's computers to create their perfect women, whilst wearing bras on their heads, and if that's not odd, then I don't know what is.
Film: Ferris Bueller's Day Off (1986)
Director: John Hughes
Starring: Matthew Broderick, Alan Ruck, Mia Sara and Jeffrey Jones
Running Time: 01 hour, 43 minutes
Rating: 8/10
Ah Ferris. A film that holds a place in my heart. It's one of those films that I have seen countless times and have limited recollection of when I saw it first. It's just ingrained into my brain that I love it. Something that is reaffirmed every time I watch it.
Yes, Ferris is not the nicest of characters - he railroads over the feelings of his friends - but that doesn't stop this being a great film, mainly because the supporting cast are so great.
Although, the adventures around Chicago did make me a little homesick for my second favourite city. Can I go back now, please?
Film: Planes, Trains & Automobiles (1987)
Director: John Hughes
Starring: Steve Martin and John Candy
Running Time: 01 hour, 33 minutes
Rating: 7.5/10
Another film I haven't seen in a long time. Also, a film that I haven't seen that many times. Watching it at PJ Party was a revelation - I barely remembered the film so it all seemed new.
Film: Pretty in Pink (1986)
Director: Howard Deutch
Starring: Molly Ringwald, Jon Cryer and Andrew McCarthy
Running Time: 01 hour, 36 minutes
Rating: 9/10
I adore this film. I fell asleep in the middle, much to my horror. Woke up just in time to see the worst dress in cinema history (it has to be official, right? I've yet to meet a person that isn't horrified by it).
Luckily for me, someone else in the cinema was kind enough to point out my dressing gown matched the dress pattern exactly. Let's all pretend I did that on purpose.
Film: Uncle Buck (1989)
Director: John Hughes
Starring: John Candy, Jean Louisa Kelly, Macaulay Culkin and Amy Madigan
Running Time: 01 hour, 40 minutes
Rating: 6.5/10
Again, a film I haven't seen for the longest time, and I'm not sure I'm completely sold after watching it again. I think this might have to be one of those films that you loved as a child and therefore love for life and if you missed out, then you'll never really get. A bit like when I make people watch The Princess Bride and they don't enjoy it anywhere near as much as me.
Plus, there's a clown in it and clowns are truly horrifying.
Film: The Breakfast Club (1985)
Director: John Hughes
Starring: Molly Ringwald, Anthony Michael Hall, Emilio Estevez, Judd Nelson and Ally Sheedy
Running Time: 01 hour, 37 minutes
Rating: 10/10
There are not enough superlatives to describe just how brilliant this film is. It is essentially 90 minutes with the same faces in one room yet manages to engage the audience with it's exploration of teenage life. I cannot heap enough praise on The Breakfast Club. It is, in my eyes, perfection.
Another morning, another PJ Party finished. Again, it was pure joy. I can't wait for the next one...
Challenge day: 130/131
Challenge time: 08 days, 09 hours, 36 minutes
Challenge film total: 103
Monday, 29 October 2012
Just another tasty treat from the gang at Empire Records.
Date: Saturday 27th October
Film Empire Records (1995)
Director: Allan Moyle
Starring: Rory Cochrane, Liv Tyler and Renee Zellweger
Running Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Rating 10/10
Saturday night and back to The PCC for another of their wonderful all-singing, all-dancing quote along events. This time around? One of my favourite films...
The bar at The PCC was kitted out in its best Rex Manning Day decorations and they remembered all the little touches that help make The PCC a little bit special when it comes to their events and the films we adore...
Film Empire Records (1995)
Director: Allan Moyle
Starring: Rory Cochrane, Liv Tyler and Renee Zellweger
Running Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Rating 10/10
Saturday night and back to The PCC for another of their wonderful all-singing, all-dancing quote along events. This time around? One of my favourite films...
The bar at The PCC was kitted out in its best Rex Manning Day decorations and they remembered all the little touches that help make The PCC a little bit special when it comes to their events and the films we adore...
So, after a short meeting with The PCC's very own silky shirt wearing Rex Manning, we settled in our seats and Rex Manning himself came out to introduce the film and involve us all in a fancy dress competition, and a rousing sing along to two of the great tracks from the film; Say No More (Mon Amour) and Sugar High
Once we were all at optimum excitement levels, the lights were dimmed and we were transported to mid-90s Middle America for a spot of nostalgia. Quoting, shouting and singing (mainly me, sorry Luce!) our way through the film.
This is definitely the best way to watch one of those films that you adore, it brings a whole new perspective to scenes you have seen a hundred times over.
DAMN THE MAN, SAVE THE EMPIRE.
Challenge day: 34
Challenge Time: 1 day 14 hours 25 minutes
Challenge Film Total: 21
Tuesday, 9 October 2012
Do you like scary movies?
No. I really don't. I'm a little pathetic when it comes to scary movies. Slightly shameful confession time; I remember watching I Know What You Did Last Summer as a teenager and being unable to sleep for weeks afterwards (I know, I really was quite pathetic, plus I had a weird thing for Freddie Prinze Jr.)
Naturally, of course, I would be the perfect audience member for a Halloween all nighter.
But, this wasn't any all-nighter. This was the third Pyjama Party in my favourite place in the world, The Prince Charles Cinema (hereafter referred to as The PCC), and after surviving both the Teen Movie and Dance editions, I felt like I could handle the Halloween edition. Plus, I'm 28 now, that's far too old to still be scared of Ghostface, right?
The premise of the PCC PJ Parties is simple - you put on your (hopefully themed) PJs, you sit in the cinema overnight, you watch a bunch of PJ party appropriate flicks, you hide upstairs and watch retro TV shows that fit in with the theme, you whoop, you cheer, you eat too much sugar to stay awake, you hope you aren't sat next to a snorer, and you have a brilliant night.
This one was no different. The line up was a good mix of films I've seen before, films, I've wanted to see and films I've actively avoided (due to my aforementioned scaredy cat nature). After a bit of a kerfuffle to get there (never book a flight that lands an hour before you need to be somewhere), I arrived just in time for the first movie. The wonderful Luce had managed to secure our official PCC seats (I don't care if they aren't assigned, they are the seats we sit in for EVERY PCC event), we had a a good mix of snacks to get started on and we were ready for me to reduce myself to a trembling jumpy wreck.
Up first...
Date: Saturday 6th October
Film: Scream (1996)
Director: Wes Craven
Starring: Neve Campbell, Courteney Cox, David Arquette and Skeet Ulrich
Running Time : 1 hour 51 minutes
Rating: 8/10
My first time seeing Scream and The PCC was the perfect place for this. All the suspense of waiting for a murder is taken away when the audience are shouting and joking along with the movie and for a jumpy wuss like me, this was just what I needed to watch the film without freaking myself out (why is the thought of things being terrible so much worse than things actually happening?). The best bit? 250+ people shouting 'Ayy' when Henry Winkler popped up on screen.
Scream's writer, Kevin Williamson, has written a clever teen slasher flick; the constant references to past horror films (that made sense to someone who hasn't seen all that many), the likeable characters, the little snippets of humour, all combine to make a brilliant film. I might have to watch the sequels now. In the day time. With all the lights on.
Date: Saturday 6th October
Film: The Faculty (1998)
Director: Robert Rodriguez
Starring: Josh Hartnett, Elijah Wood, Shawn Hatosy and Clea DuVall
Running Time : 1 hour 44 minutes
Rating: 6/10
Ah, a film I have seen before, many years ago. I'm not sure if the years have been all that kind, although Josh Hartnett's haircut may always have been terrible.
The premise is simple enough - water based parasites take over the teaching faculty of a US high school and a select group of kids band together to try and stop them taking over the entire school.
The graphics are looking a little dated (the parasites under the skin were a little more comical than scary) and the film sometimes veers into the ridiculous but generally this is a good watch. Elijah Wood is his usual fantastic self, and Jon Stewart's foaming eyeball is always a treat.
Date: Saturday 6th October/Sunday 7th October
Film: The Craft (1996)
Director: Andrew Fleming
Starring: Robin Tunney, Fairuza Balk, Neve Campbell and Skeet Ulrich
Running Time : 1 hour 41 minutes
Rating: 7/10
Ah, the film that made most of the girls in my class want to practise witchcraft. I don't think there is a woman my age who hasn't played 'light as a feather, stiff as a board' at some point in their life.
What's not to love about a group of misfits high school girls practising spells and having to live with the consequences, both good and bad.
Again, some of the film is a little dated, but this still works well as a great misadventure movie.
Don't got poking about in things that you don't know about - you might end up making someone bald.
Date: Sunday 7th October
Film: Carrie (1976)
Director: Brian De Palma
Starring: Sissy Spacek, Piper Laurie and Amy Irving
Running Time : 1 hour 38 minutes
Rating: 8.5/10
Time for another new (to me) film although, like Scream, I knew most of the plot.
I was starting to flag a little by this point, so even though I tried quite hard not to, I did drift off a little at points.
As rare as it is in modern cinema, it was great to see a film that told the story with long scenes and slow cuts, making a change from the fast paced action scenes of the first three films. That is until Carrie finally snapped and the infamous prom scene more than lives up to all the praise that has been heaped on it over the years.
Carrie's mother was suitably mental and a little bit terrifying and those classmates were an unpleasant bunch. I'm not saying they deserved all that comes to them, but I can see why Carrie goes a little bit mad.
I'm interested to see how the remake turns out...
Date: Sunday 7th October
Film: Fright Night (1985)
Director: Tom Holland
Starring: Chris Sarandon and William Ragsdale
Running Time : 1 hour 46 minutes
Rating: 4/10
I watched the first ten minutes, Prince Humperdinck had a friend 5 fingers on each hand. I was severely disappointed. I had a nap. Woke up for the last ten minutes. There was some terrible CGI. Around 4am, it's hard for a film you haven't seen to grab your attention.
Date: Sunday 7th October
Film: The Lost Boys (1987)
Director: Joel Schumacher
Starring: Jason Patric, Corey Haim, Dianne Wiest and Kiefer Sutherland
Running Time : 1 hour 37 minutes
Rating: 9/10
This is pretty much the best vampire film ever, right? Kiefer, The 2 Coreys, Bill (had he butchered Ted?), some brilliant 80s fashion, and a lot of hair. What's not to love?
If you haven't seen it then you need to think about exactly what you've been doing with your life for the last 25 years.
There's another PCC PJ Party coming soon. I'll be there - whooping, cheering, catching films I love and films I haven't been lucky enough to see before. If you get a chance, come along, join the fun - just don't sit in seat H5 or H6.
Challenge day: 13/14
Challenge time : 00 days, 18 hours, 33 minutes.
Challenge film total: 10
Naturally, of course, I would be the perfect audience member for a Halloween all nighter.
But, this wasn't any all-nighter. This was the third Pyjama Party in my favourite place in the world, The Prince Charles Cinema (hereafter referred to as The PCC), and after surviving both the Teen Movie and Dance editions, I felt like I could handle the Halloween edition. Plus, I'm 28 now, that's far too old to still be scared of Ghostface, right?
The premise of the PCC PJ Parties is simple - you put on your (hopefully themed) PJs, you sit in the cinema overnight, you watch a bunch of PJ party appropriate flicks, you hide upstairs and watch retro TV shows that fit in with the theme, you whoop, you cheer, you eat too much sugar to stay awake, you hope you aren't sat next to a snorer, and you have a brilliant night.
This one was no different. The line up was a good mix of films I've seen before, films, I've wanted to see and films I've actively avoided (due to my aforementioned scaredy cat nature). After a bit of a kerfuffle to get there (never book a flight that lands an hour before you need to be somewhere), I arrived just in time for the first movie. The wonderful Luce had managed to secure our official PCC seats (I don't care if they aren't assigned, they are the seats we sit in for EVERY PCC event), we had a a good mix of snacks to get started on and we were ready for me to reduce myself to a trembling jumpy wreck.
Up first...
Date: Saturday 6th October
Film: Scream (1996)
Director: Wes Craven
Starring: Neve Campbell, Courteney Cox, David Arquette and Skeet Ulrich
Running Time : 1 hour 51 minutes
Rating: 8/10
My first time seeing Scream and The PCC was the perfect place for this. All the suspense of waiting for a murder is taken away when the audience are shouting and joking along with the movie and for a jumpy wuss like me, this was just what I needed to watch the film without freaking myself out (why is the thought of things being terrible so much worse than things actually happening?). The best bit? 250+ people shouting 'Ayy' when Henry Winkler popped up on screen.
Scream's writer, Kevin Williamson, has written a clever teen slasher flick; the constant references to past horror films (that made sense to someone who hasn't seen all that many), the likeable characters, the little snippets of humour, all combine to make a brilliant film. I might have to watch the sequels now. In the day time. With all the lights on.
Date: Saturday 6th October
Film: The Faculty (1998)
Director: Robert Rodriguez
Starring: Josh Hartnett, Elijah Wood, Shawn Hatosy and Clea DuVall
Running Time : 1 hour 44 minutes
Rating: 6/10
Ah, a film I have seen before, many years ago. I'm not sure if the years have been all that kind, although Josh Hartnett's haircut may always have been terrible.
The premise is simple enough - water based parasites take over the teaching faculty of a US high school and a select group of kids band together to try and stop them taking over the entire school.
The graphics are looking a little dated (the parasites under the skin were a little more comical than scary) and the film sometimes veers into the ridiculous but generally this is a good watch. Elijah Wood is his usual fantastic self, and Jon Stewart's foaming eyeball is always a treat.
Date: Saturday 6th October/Sunday 7th October
Film: The Craft (1996)
Director: Andrew Fleming
Starring: Robin Tunney, Fairuza Balk, Neve Campbell and Skeet Ulrich
Running Time : 1 hour 41 minutes
Rating: 7/10
Ah, the film that made most of the girls in my class want to practise witchcraft. I don't think there is a woman my age who hasn't played 'light as a feather, stiff as a board' at some point in their life.
What's not to love about a group of misfits high school girls practising spells and having to live with the consequences, both good and bad.
Again, some of the film is a little dated, but this still works well as a great misadventure movie.
Don't got poking about in things that you don't know about - you might end up making someone bald.
Date: Sunday 7th October
Film: Carrie (1976)
Director: Brian De Palma
Starring: Sissy Spacek, Piper Laurie and Amy Irving
Running Time : 1 hour 38 minutes
Rating: 8.5/10
Time for another new (to me) film although, like Scream, I knew most of the plot.
I was starting to flag a little by this point, so even though I tried quite hard not to, I did drift off a little at points.
As rare as it is in modern cinema, it was great to see a film that told the story with long scenes and slow cuts, making a change from the fast paced action scenes of the first three films. That is until Carrie finally snapped and the infamous prom scene more than lives up to all the praise that has been heaped on it over the years.
Carrie's mother was suitably mental and a little bit terrifying and those classmates were an unpleasant bunch. I'm not saying they deserved all that comes to them, but I can see why Carrie goes a little bit mad.
I'm interested to see how the remake turns out...
Date: Sunday 7th October
Film: Fright Night (1985)
Director: Tom Holland
Starring: Chris Sarandon and William Ragsdale
Running Time : 1 hour 46 minutes
Rating: 4/10
I watched the first ten minutes, Prince Humperdinck had a friend 5 fingers on each hand. I was severely disappointed. I had a nap. Woke up for the last ten minutes. There was some terrible CGI. Around 4am, it's hard for a film you haven't seen to grab your attention.
Date: Sunday 7th October
Film: The Lost Boys (1987)
Director: Joel Schumacher
Starring: Jason Patric, Corey Haim, Dianne Wiest and Kiefer Sutherland
Running Time : 1 hour 37 minutes
Rating: 9/10
This is pretty much the best vampire film ever, right? Kiefer, The 2 Coreys, Bill (had he butchered Ted?), some brilliant 80s fashion, and a lot of hair. What's not to love?
If you haven't seen it then you need to think about exactly what you've been doing with your life for the last 25 years.
There's another PCC PJ Party coming soon. I'll be there - whooping, cheering, catching films I love and films I haven't been lucky enough to see before. If you get a chance, come along, join the fun - just don't sit in seat H5 or H6.
Challenge day: 13/14
Challenge time : 00 days, 18 hours, 33 minutes.
Challenge film total: 10
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