I don’t usually blog much about films, because doing so makes me realise how little I know about cinema in general, and I don’t feel I have to lot to say beyond ‘This film was great!’ or ‘This one was rubbish!’. Still, I wanted to mention a couple of films I saw this week, because both were brilliant and I’d highly recommend them.
The first, Argo, has been in the news a lot recently for the number of awards it’s been nominated for (and won). The story follows an attempt to get six American diplomats out of Iran during the hostage crisis of 1979. Historical accuracy aside, it’s a fantastic thriller, where the intensity comes down to timing, luck and those involved having nerves of steel. A work colleague pointed out to me that Ben Affleck (who both stars in and directed the film) is a decent actor, but highly underrated as a director – after seeing, in particular, the tightly-structured second half of Argo, I’d have to agree.
The second film, I Wish, was actually released in 2011 in Japan, but has only now made it into UK cinemas. The story follows two brothers, living apart after their parents separate, and their wish to be reunited – a wish specifically to be made when two bullet trains pass, halfway between the two towns where the boys live. The film is half quest, half family drama, but also finds time to include numerous sub-plots about other family members and their friends. It’s charming, warm without being fluffy, and frequently very funny.
So, too very different but equally engaging films. Has either caught your eye?