Films where the acting and direction defy expectations
- Thread starter Del monaco
- Start date
sideshowbob
Champagne fascia aficionado
Kes is his best film, yes (although the book is better). Land and Freedom is decent enough - and it is very good on the rotten politics of the Spanish Stalinists vs POUM (largely because the writer, Jim Allen, was an anti-Stalinist leftist) - although its style and form are uninspiring to me. The other Loach films I've seen have been pretty dire. And his politics have got steadily worse over the years.
Rockmeister
pfm Member
It's all in the directing and directors have good and bad films.
Even the greatest actors and actresses can be badly directed and have a lemon, but when it all comes together?
I know it's not a 'great film', byt Dustin Hoffman's directing debut, 'Quartet' is well done.
Even the greatest actors and actresses can be badly directed and have a lemon, but when it all comes together?
I know it's not a 'great film', byt Dustin Hoffman's directing debut, 'Quartet' is well done.
Simon Dawson
Angry, Ill & Ugly
Chuck E's in love
Rockmeister
pfm Member
Isn't she? Amazing that chicken, SOOOOOO many eggs.
miktec
retired
Naked was a formidable film (despite the accusations of flagrant misogyny) - David Thewlis was exceptional in his acrid portrayal of rancid nihilism.
Other than that, most Leigh films bore me to tears.
Loach recycles the same melodramatic ticks time after time after time after time .... but Cathy come Home and Kes remain masterworks IMV.
Wes Anderson is good fun ....
blossomchris
I feel better than James Brown
Paddington Bear here, 1 the better so far imo.
Awaiting 3, trip to the cinema beckons. Love an afternoon film at the cinema, 1/2 price for us.
Awaiting 3, trip to the cinema beckons. Love an afternoon film at the cinema, 1/2 price for us.
miktec
retired
Great director too ....
Jezzer
Unspecified
The Banshees of Inisherin has a wonderful cast. Suberbly directed by Martin Mcdonagh. Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson are great but Barry Keoghan is fantastic!
Stellan Skarsgard and Andy Serkis in Andor are brilliant. As is Fiona Shaw - but she’s good in everything)… Andor is mostly written and directed by Tony and Dan Gilroy (Michael Clayton, the Bourne films amongst others) who do an amazing job of turning Star Wars into a gripping adult drama.
Stellan Skarsgard and Andy Serkis in Andor are brilliant. As is Fiona Shaw - but she’s good in everything)… Andor is mostly written and directed by Tony and Dan Gilroy (Michael Clayton, the Bourne films amongst others) who do an amazing job of turning Star Wars into a gripping adult drama.
miktec
retired
Truly a film that defied expectations when we went to see it ...
We expected much having thoroughly enjoyed In Bruges - but left disappointed, mainly the utterly dark but thoroughly predictable series of events.
Great acting, great direction, beautiful and haunting imagery ... but dull script. Obviously a minority opinion judging by the plaudits and nominations.
Give me Aki Kaurismäki anyday for dark and dismal comedy....
cubastreet
Espresso Fiend
I quite enjoyed banshees, Father Ted without the priests.
Jezzer
Unspecified
I preferred In Bruges but I didn’t find Banshees at all dull. It was great!
I enjoyed ‘Drifting Clouds’ many years ago…
Jezzer
Unspecified
foxwelljsly
Me too, I ate one sour too.
One of my favourite American films of recent years was ‘Can you ever forgive me’. Melissa McCarthy’s utterly convincing alcoholic literary forger with writer’s block and Richard E Grant’s flagrant rechanneling of Withnail as a louche gay derelict made a mesmerising double act and a fabulous film.
Not what you’d expect from McCarthy at all.
Not what you’d expect from McCarthy at all.
Loved those two. Also thought his scene stealing performance in the excellent Richard Ayoade film, 'Submarine', was fantastic. 'Le Donk & Scor-Zay-Zee' is worth a watch, too, though a bit different from other Meadows/Considine films.