Tag: film

Good Luck To You, Leo Grande- A Movie Review

Emma Thompson is one of my favourite actresses and so I was always going to see her recent film, whether it was good or not. From the trailer, ‘Good Luck To You, Leo Grande’ was a bit different from anything else I had seen her in. It was about a middle aged woman meeting a sex worker. Without doubt, I needed to write a movie review about this controversial project. Hopefully, you will make your own mind up about it and maybe you will be tempted to have a watch.

Overview

Good Luck To You, Leo Grande – Rotten Tomatoes 95%

This movie was intriguing as it looked at this particular setting from a very different perspective. Emma’s character, Nancy, had never been fulfilled in her previous relationship with her now deceased husband. This encounter was her way of ticking certain things off.

Leo Grande was a charming, smart guy who had been booked by Nancy for her entertainment in a hotel suite. When Nancy showed her nerves, he confronted her insecurities and engaged in conversations which explained more about his line of work and her low self esteem.

My Thoughts

Without giving too much away, this fascinating film was mainly a series of meetings between the two main characters. In fact, there were very few other people appearing in the movie. Nonetheless this one hour and thirty seven minute film flew by.

A mix of seriousness and humour, the script was thought-provoking and clever. It really drew attention to the fact that some women never get to experience a climax in bed and highlighted some of the less extreme elements of paid companionship. Men can be hired merely to keep someone company. An anecdote about one man paying for Leo to dress up as a cat and sit in the corner for an hour was especially eye-opening.

I totally recommend watching this movie as it is very entertaining and the brilliant script by Katy Brand is witty, intelligent and illuminating. Rotten tomatoes awarded the movie 95% and it is getting plenty of critical acclaim.

When I write a movie review I try to be open minded but I do find it hard to dislike a Thompson film. Please drop your own thoughts on this fascinating movie. For another of my reviews, check out this one of Coda which is also a fantastic film.

Maverick: A Top Gun Review

The fighter jet scenes were really stunning.

When I was younger, the Top Gun VHS video took pride of place in the TV cabinet as my mum was a massive fan. I had seen it several times during the eighties and the song, ‘Take my breath away’ was an enormous hit in the charts. So going to see the new Maverick film, I was excited and apprehensive at the same time. After all, this film was likely to be full of nostalgia and sequels for older movies don’t always work well.

The Danger Zone

I knew there was a lot of hype related to this movie but could it still provide a thrill? Tom Cruise (Maverick Pete) had launched his career with the 1986 blockbuster which also lifted the careers of Meg Ryan, Ed Harris and Val Kilmer. How was this production, 36 years later, going to keep us on the edge of our seats? Somehow, despite the odds being stacked against it, it eclipsed expectations.

Emotional Narrative

Well the first few minutes proved that Tom still has what it takes. Without giving too much away, he had a challenge to fly incredibly fast and the cameras really made us feel part of that ground-breaking flight, holding our collective breath as he swerved and dodged. From that moment on, I knew that I was in for something really good.

The thing that surprised me was just how emotional the storyline was. Goose (Anthony Edwards of ER renown) had famously died in the first outing but this time his son, Brewster (Miles Teller), was drawn into the story, leaving Maverick feeling uncomfortable as he didn’t want life to repeat itself. Being tasked with teaching a new generation of potential Tops Guns, Maverick was given a mission deadline which was seemingly impossible to meet.

Similarly, Val Kilmer returned briefly as a poorly Iceman (with no voice due to a real life cancer operation) and Ed Harris was there as a grumpy admiral. A new edition was the wonderful Jennifer Connelly as an old flame and very likable supporter.

Summary

Without providing spoilers, all I can say is that 2 hours and 10 minutes went quickly due to the packed storyline and rollercoaster ride of thrills and emotions. I would totally recommend popping along to your local cinema and checking out Top Gun: Maverick even if you have never seen the original. It is epic!

For another of my recent movie articles check out this Coda film review as I also totally adored that film. Please drop a comment below about your own experience of Top Gun or Maverick. Also, if you enjoyed my article, perhaps consider following my blog for future similar content.

Back To YouTube

This is just a quick post to say that after having six months off of YouTube I have started again. Last year I spent ages editing and playing around with bits of video to review books and TV shows, but then I lost my nerve. I felt a bit self-conscious and made the drastic decision to delete all of my content.

Despite such supportive comments on my videos and only the occasional bot heckle, I felt as though I was making a fool of myself by sitting at a desk and sharing my thoughts on things. The blog took over and I put all of my energy into that.

Nevertheless, after a while I missed interacting with the Booktube community and began to think about making videos again, but without having to spend hours editing and adding silly graphics. I also came to the opinion that a YouTube site would bolster my blog and the two things may complement each other. So, here we are. I am having another go.

This time I am keeping the videos short and all in one camera shot. My intention is to do mini-reviews and talk about things that matter to me without getting carried away with filters and picture cards.

There you have it. Nothing fancy or complicated. My blog is still my number one priority but, as you know, I love to mix it up a bit and I hope from time to time you will consider looking at one of my video reviews too. If you prefer a written review then here is my recent post discussing West Side Story.