LilyWai's reviews

A 1979 imagining of the events during an actual absence in Agatha Christie's life. The film portrays Agatha as a rather anxious, publicity shy, unsure woman who is struggling with reconciling her husband's extramarital affair and request for a divorce.

She becomes obsessed by the woman that is the new love in Mr Christie's life and dramatic events ensue as a result.

The cast is wonderful with Vanessa Redgrave doing a superb job portraying the wide eyed, clever but vulnerable Agatha. Dustin Hoffman as the dapper and determined American journalist Wally Stanton is a perfect casting as he seeks to track down the elusive Agatha to nab the story ahead of all others.

Although made many years ago this film holds up and is well worth watching for the interesting characters and the creative plot line and climax . While we will never know what happened to Agatha Christie during this famous absence the events explored in this film make for as likely a explanation as many of the other proposed over the years.

For anyone who has seen & enjoyed the original Polanski's Rosemary's Baby Apartment 7A will appear a little lacking the originality & surprise of the first film. Very hard to compete with such a quality original with a director know for films that challenge & engage the viewer...but nevertheless Apt 7A still holds its own as an entertaining film.

Julia Garner does a fine job in the central role of Terry where she portrays the ambition & desperation that sees her character enter blindly into the ominous clutches of the Castevets. With the exception of Diane Wiest - who's Minnie makes for an almost cartoonish representation - the rest of the cast is good but not great.

One aspect I did appreciate was the overall visual tone of the film - all subdued colours & moodiness in keeping with the period - but as a horror fan I just found it lacked the creeping foreboding is needed for a film to excel in this genre.

It wasn't a horrible plot but the racism delivered in the dialogue & the prejudicial attitudes portrayed by the majority of the central characters was so off putting that it turned what could have been a solid 6 into a 4.

It seemed so normalised in both in their actions & language & made me cringe every time it came up - which was a lot due to the storyline. It made me wonder if this is what attitudes are really like in Denmark? I know it is set in a wealthy area but still, it made for ugly unlikeable characters that you didn't really care about.

As for the overall series it could have been a better offering if they had put a bit more intensity in the pace & incorporated a few more pivotal plot twists. As for the acting it was ok - not amazing but not dreadful either, just ok.

While I would class this as more of a thriller than a horror there is no doubt watching the machinations of bitter & twisted old men makes for pretty horrific viewing. As expected Rush & Lithgow as masterful actors bring the perfect opposing intensity in their roles as foes in the care home. Lithgow has nailed the kiwi accent & with his mouthful of yellowing gnarled teeth, requisite slipper shuffle & his grubby hollow eyed doll he makes quite the disturbing antagonist.

While I wouldn't say this movie is action packed but there is enough substance to keep the viewer engaged.

The one thing that I couldn't stop thinking was why the care home didn't have any security cameras? Jenny Pen's misdeeds would have been revealed quick smart...but then where's the fun in that?

This film, about a warring Australian couple heading off to camp in the bush for a long weekend, makes for an uncomfortable watch. It's not just the outdated sexist tone or the constant bickering that made for a troublesome watch but rather the blatant & wanton disregard & destruction of nature along with its inhabitants.

As an integral part of the plot it was a necessary direction but it does date the film in an obvious way. Peter, the male lead, seems determined to constantly prove his masculinity as he struts around like the King of all he surveys. Marcia on the other hand is his long suffering but vocal wife who never wanted to go camping from the outset so the opportunity for conflict is established early on.

Without giving too much away the trip doesn't pan out as they intended & the couple is left with more to gripe about than just each other as their adventure becomes one of human against the might of the wild.

I recently rewatched The Fifth Element after seeing it at the movies during its original release in 1997 & it was just as good the second time around. It's easy to forget these days just what a top tier action movie star Bruce Willis was during his peak & this movie is a brilliant showcase for his talents. He is not alone in his staring role as Korben Dallas though, Milla Jovovich is excellent in her colourful, other worldly Leeloo and Gary Oldman creates a wonderfully camp and devious antagonist with Zorg.

The world and plot Luc Besson has created - which amazingly originally came about from his 16 year old imagination - is fantastic. With the flying cars & grotesque revengeful space creatures it takes the viewer into the futuristic setting that we all imagined and hoped was possible.

If you haven't seen this movie...or even if you have...it is one that is well worth a second viewing.

Margaret Moth was a unique, trail blazing, no BS woman who was ahead of time & who clearly thrived on adrenaline.

This documentary shows just how born for the job she excelled at she was - no compromise, no shying away, no backing down, her role as a war camera person was an integral part of illustrating to the world what was happening in these regions of war & conflict.

The interviews with her various colleagues & partners was a fascinating insight into what attracted her & excited her in life & it certainly wasn't the humdrum facets that so many eventually fall into.

Well worth watching to find out about this one of kind woman who was committed to her job, faced down events that most would run from & who was taken from this world far too soon.

Yes it starts normal enough but as soon as they arrive in the Swedish commune things go from the sublime to the ridiculous to the downright macabre.

Beautiful cinematography & interesting plot but this is not for the squeamish or those seeking an action driven film.

Midsommar is a fish out of water story of a group of University students who follow their friend Pelle to his commune home to experience their celebration. What occurs is a combination of stark clash of cultures mixed with ceremonies, dancing round in circles, secretive whisperings & a degree of involuntary drug taking...mostly involving the visitors. Each of the students has their own bizarre reaction to their experiences & is exposed to a predetermined journey which culminates in increasingly bizarre & disturbing climax.

This definitely doesn't deserve the low 5.7 rating it has on IMDB. No,it's not a big budget, non stop action, guns & gore zombie movie but I for one respect the alternative angle the film has taken on the whole 'done to death' zombie genre (excuse the pun). Rather than tell the same 'ol fight for your life, who is friend or foe plot that most of these movies revolve around Die Alone is more of a character study of two. The protagonist is Ethan - played by the benign looking Douglas Smith - & we follow his battle with amnesia as he continues his desperate search for his girl Emma in a desolate & virus contaminated world. He knows they were supposed to meet at their assigned place...but recalls little else except for a few brief flashes of past events.. We follow his various unsuccessful attempts to find her as he tries to piece back together his increasingly fractured & absent memory. His search leads him to Mae - played superbly by Carrie Ann Moss - a strong, no BS woman who turns out to be a saviour of sorts for the lost & bereft Ethan but their bond is more than just survivors, they need each other...just for very different reasons.

Ignore the harsh ratings & give this movie a watch.

Well worth a watch if you're looking for an entertaining way to fill a couple of hours and for those who may be put off by subtitles, fear not, much of the film is in English with only the odd exchange in German. With most of the movie taking place on an airplane the film makers do a great job at keeping up the pace of the film with little let up of the action. If you're like me and are not a dedicated action genre devotee then do give this a go, the film is not limited solely to big bloke fight scenes and little else - which can get a little tedious if that's all that is on offer. Over the course of this movie you get enough character development, layered storylines and twists in the plot to keep you on the edge of your seat right to the end.

Peri Baumeister does a great job as Nadja, a woman with a secret who is desperate to get herself and her son to New York. The boy who plays her son, Carl Anton Koch, is outstanding too, especially considering his age, the screen time his role requires and the importance of his character in terms of how it drives pretty much all of Nadja's choices are throughout. His desperate crying face - which also happens frequently - is believable too. Good special effects used throughout as well.

Revealing any more aspects of the story would spoil the ending so I'll leave it there...but as a German film for me this rivalled any quality action film Hollywood produces so sit back and enjoy.

Worth the watch, but don't expect big budget action here. This is a small movie about a small town & a man who believes he can control the place & everyone in it. Of course this never ends well, especially when the next generation falls for each other because then plans are made & trouble ensues. While the plot is somewhat prosaic the work of the central actors carries the film & thank goodness or this would have fallen a bit flat. Billy Bob Thornton is always impactful in whatever role he's in & he does do the menacing roles particularly well and Robin Wright has the ability to make her mark with a small role here but it's her son, Hopper Penn who does the heavy lifting here & manages to hold the film together on his own pretty well.

He has the right kind of melancholic face for this role, you know the 'poor boy down on his luck, nothin' going right' kinda face, well that works here. Not sure I could buy him in a tough, ruthless role but he brings enough emotion & tension to his performance to make this an engaging watch. Not memorable but engaging nonetheless.

Often when you watch a movie or series where a kid is the lead character they are either slightly grating with over acting, just cringe worthy or just not quite up to the level of the rest of the cast. Well this is definitely NOT the case here, Felix Cameron as Eli is a rare treasure as an actor, I don't know whether he has innate talent or has had exceptional acting instruction but wow, this kid knocks it out of the park! He hits every beat, has great comedic timing & has the ability to bring it in the highly emotional scenes - his crying/acting is rivetingly, achingly real.

In fact all the actors in this cast are superb & make this a real ensemble production. A treat to see the incomparable Bryan Brown too, in his role as the world weary but wise babysitter & ex-crim Slim & Lee Tiger Halley adds the perfect big brother to Eli - Gus. While he is a chosen mute he communicates everything he needs to through a plaintive look, knowing smile or cheeky eye roll (not an easy task) or his magical air writing which only Eli (& the audience) can read.

If you were part of the 80s or just enjoy visiting it, like irreverent Aussie humour, a banging soundtrack & enjoy stories based on a romp through the criminal world give this a go, you won't be disappointed. I didn't read the book or know anything about this movie so I came into this blind but was hooked from the first episode.

Give it a go, I promise you'll be entertained.