Movies You Should See Before You Die- Doubt (2008)

“We have nothing to fear, but fear itself”- The immortal words of Franklin Roosevelt in his first inaugural address, which Sister James teaches in the opening scenes, and is a statement that rings true throughout John Patrick Shanley’s film, Doubt. Based on his Pulitzer Prize-winning play, it stars Meryl Streep (who earns her 15th Academy Award nomination for her performance), Phillip Seymour Hoffman, Amy Adams and Viola Davis. As the title suggests, the picture deals with doubt and gossip, and how it’s consequences can lead to fear and isolation.

Set in the mid-1960’s in St. Nicholas’s Church and it’s attached school in the Bronx, we are introduced to progressive-thinking Father Flynn played by Hoffman, the naïve young nun, Sister James played by Adams, and the terrifying “Dragon” Sister Aloysius portrayed by Meryl Streep. Father Flynn and Sister Aloysius represent two opposing sides to how the church and school should be run. During this period of time, the Vatican had vowed to bring the church into the 20th century, and Father Flynn enters the school with a refreshing look on how the school can change. Sister Aloysius prefers to protect the students from the changing world and its dangers, disallowing ball-point pens and secular songs such as ‘Frosty the Snowman’ at the annual carol service on the grounds that it promotes paganism. As you can expect, these two giant forces are bound to collide, and when Sister Aloysius begins to suspect Father Flynn of behaving inappropriately towards a young male student (who happens to be the first black student in the school), Sister Aloysius vows to do whatever necessary to get Father Flynn out. Throughout the film, you often wonder whether Sister Aloysius just simply doesn’t like Father Flynn and has resorted to scare mongering to discredit him, but cleverly Shanley places small resounding moments that may make you doubt Father Flynn’s good nature. As a viewer, you are left to view everyone with suspicion. Even the scene with the young boy’s mother expertly played by Viola Davis offers no piece of mind. Davis’s performance as a woman obviously trying to make the best of a bad situation left such an impact that she has been awarded a Best Supporting Actress nomination at the Oscars for her single 10-minute scene. Seeing Streep and Hoffman, arguably two of the greatest living actors, lock horns in one of their many confrontation scenes makes an exhilarating watch, and it is clear that the film boasts one of the best ensemble casts for a long time. Meryl Streep, who has already won the SAG Award and the Critic’s Choice Award for her performance shines as the uptight nun and principal who can make you both shudder in fear and laugh at her eccentricities. Phillip Seymour Hoffman is the embodiment of a kind, loving priest who wishes to be a source of comfort and help rather than an object of fear to his congregation, proves he can truly transform himself for any part that comes his way. Father Flynn’s sermons throughout the film are thought provoking and are obviously staged to address those who suspect him, without ever being disingenuous or simply for effect. Amy Adams is heart-warming and endearing as the young nun and teacher who is caught in the scandal, and her scene where she declares to like ‘Frosty the Snowman’ is delivered with such clarity that you can’t help but want to embrace her.

A motif scattered across the film is the blowing winds that terrorize the church and school. A storm rages on, representing the ‘winds of change’, both for the Catholic Church and for St. Nicholas’s. A connection could also be drawn, outlining how this unwanted weather may mirror how some did not welcome Father Flynn’s arrival. Furthermore, it could also symbolise the first black student in St. Nicholas’s that brought intrusion to the closed-off community and showed how America was changing, no matter how much Sister Aloysius resisted.

Movies You Should See Before You Die- Once (2006)

Time to review a more recent film, methinks. The film in question is a quaint little Irish picture, directed by John Carney, which touched the hearts of film-goers and reviewers alike in 2006. So much so that it earned an Oscar for Best Original Song the same year.



Penned as a 'modern-day musical', it tells the story of 'Guy', a busker and vacuum cleaner repair man, and 'Girl', a Czech immigrant, and their eventful week of discovery in Dublin. Through their mutual love of music, these two people come to know each other and think about their past loves in a way that will change their lives forever.

From the opening song, your heart is captured by the wolf-like and husky tones of Guy, played by Glen Hansard (of The Commitments and Irish band, The Frames) who plays on the streets of Dublin everyday. A chance encounter with Girl, played by Marketa Irglova (a professional musician) at night, sets the story in motion. On discovering that Girl is a talented piano player (through duetting the song ‘Falling Slowly’ that earned the film an Oscar) they embark on a journey of musical experimentation, and begin to grow closer to each other and face their own problems.

The songs are often played in their entirety, and in a real-world fashion, which gives us the impression that every song is spontaneous, and is one of the many factors that makes this film so enjoyable. Furthermore, many of the scenes were shot with long lens to make the actors more relaxed, which resulted in some of the dialogue being improvised. The opening scene for example, was shot without passers-by realising that a film was being made. The intimacy of the film makes it feel like you are looking into the private lives of two people who just happened meet on the street, and that sooner or later, someone will catch you spying on them from behind a bush. Of course that never happens, but the precious nature of this film makes you want to treasure it forever. Both actors, fairly new to the acting game (apart from Hansard’s supporting role in the film, The Commitments) are terrific and the subtlety of their acting makes it a delight to watch. Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova provided the music and lyrics to the film, and you can really feel that everyone who contributed to the film put their heart and soul into it.

Not to give too much away, but Callum and I disagreed on the ending to this film. On viewing for yourself however, hopefully you can see for yourself that it ended in the right way, after all the tagline to this film reads: “How often do you find the right person?” The answers in the title.



Evangeline. X

I Want to Believe, but do they?

In the words of Billy Connelly, “It’s heeereee!!” and it finally is. Callum and I have been eagerly waiting for The X-Files: I Want to Believe. Not only is it a ‘major motion picture event’ as the trailer keeps telling us, it finally gives the younger fans of XF the chance to experience some of the hysteria that occurred when the first movie was released. Or so we thought…



I suppose we’ve gotta give FOX some credit, they could have easily dismissed the idea of making another XF movie, the series being put to rest six years before. But they didn’t, and X-Philes everywhere were ecstatic. The day the first promo pictures came out, I couldn’t believe my eyes. Finally seeing Gillian Anderson and David Duchovny together again as Scully and Mulder was amazing. But since then, promotion has been staggered, constantly over-shadowed by other films. OK, so The Dark Knight is pretty important, but a similar TV-to-silverscreen effort Sex and the City: The Movie, received tons of promotion, despite the fact that the concept of the show isn’t as easily transferable to the big screen as The X-Files, or had any pervious successes in that format.

Chris Carter and Co. have constantly discussed that depending on the success of this film, a third or possibly more XF movies will be made. Well surely then, they would want to make sure that XF:IWTB does as well as possible to ensure this? Whatever the outcome, it’s stated as being a film to reward the fans, so whether it does well at the Box Office at all, there will hopefully be a treat in store for all of us who have followed Mulder and Scully on their quest throughout the years. Most definitely, I’ll be seeing it more than once, so I’ll be doing my bit!

Watch the skies…

Evangeline X

Movies You Should See Before You Die - Dr Jekyll And Mr Hyde (1920)

John S Robertson's Dr. Jekyll And Mr. Hyde is one of the first adaptions of the classic Robert Louis Stevenson Novella(with other versions being made in 1912 1910), and one of the best ever IMO.

All though not in the ground breaking terrotory of Dr. Caligari, Its a very entertaining watch, the plot as I'm sure everyone knows is so nowhere near as complicated as caligari (not that caligari is praticulary complicated but in silent film terms its practically momento)the plot concerns Dr. Jekyll who as well as a doctor is also a philanthropist and runs a free clinic to treat the poor. Its this Philanthropic attitude that arouses the suspicions of his fiance's father,Sir George Carew, who seems to believe that he's too good to be true. After dinner one night Sir George taunts Jekyll claiming that he has no life by devoting his to the poor. This is the key turning point in the film. This simple act gets Jekyll thinking, and experimenting, trying to separate his 2 natures, to create a new being. And ultimately The hideously evil Mr. Hyde is born. This starts Jekyll's double life, Dr. Jekyll, the kindhearted doctor engaged to a prominent member of society's daughter. And Mr. Hyde and evil braggart, who frequents opium dens and begins a relationship with a dance hall girl, Gina. Every time Jekyll Changes to Hyde , Hyde is worse each time, more disfigured, More evil.

Things go well and Jekyll's double life is completely unknown, but his continuing absences are causing suspicion, especially with his Fiance' Millicent Carew. Not wanting to see his daughter unhappy, Sir George decides to find Jekyll for himself, how ever encounters Hyde attacking a young child on the street.To make recompense for his actions,Hyde produces a check which he returns to the boy's father. Carew notices that the check has been signed by Jekyll and proceeds to go and confront the Doctor. however he meets Jekyll's servant, Poole, who relays the tale of Jekyll and Hyde; "It is so unfortunate that Dr. Jekyll turns into Edward Hyde"

Meanwhile Jekyll is in his lab, having changed back. Carew enters and asks what business Jekyll has with Hyde Carew proclaims unless Jekyll has a decent explanation, the engagement is off. This enrages him to the point where he becomes Hyde with no potion, and proceeds to beat Carew to death with his walking stick and fleeing the scene narrowly avoiding the police.

Millicent is now grieving and Jekyll is tortured by his evil doings and has run out of potion to change back in to Jekyll. HE locks himself away terrified that he will become the evil Hyde at any moment. Looking for comfort she goes to see him, as he changes he lets her in and grabs her in his arms. Suddenly he begins to shake and convulse uncontrollably. Millicent runs meeting Lanyon, Utterson and Pool at the door, they enter and find Jekyll dead in a chair, free from Hyde.

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I Love this film, its not as good as Dr. Caligari, but its moody and well directed. It contains a classic transformation scene, for which no make up was used the first time, relying simply on the actors ability. Maybe its not on a par with the lon chaney werewolf transformation but its a brilliant moment in the film. the last momnts of this film are its strongest in my opinion, you know the final transformations coming, and the tense atmosphere and the thrill! you know whats coming, your actually on the edge of your seat with excitement, you want to see hyde taht final time and when it happens as she enters, you dont know whats coming, will he kill her?! and bam. he dies. simple. no lame killer rises from teh grvae twist. Jekyll/Hyde dies and the film ends. as it should.

A Classic and a definate must see.

too much horror... at teh moment.. next time a comedy.. harold lloyd, chaplin or keaton.. im not sure which but definately a comedy next time.

Movies You Should See Before You Die - The Cabinet Of Dr.Caligari (1919)

I thought id share my movie addiction by making this as a regular feature. So here we are and id figured is start with the classic silent surrealist horror: The Cabinet Of Dr Caligari.

The basic plot of the film is that the narrator recounts a macabre and twisted tale to another man .

Francis and his friend Alan are attendinga village fair where they see Dr. Caligari and His Somnabulist (sleepwalker) Caesare who we are told has been asleep for decades and can ansewr any question. Alan, rather overzealously,ask's when we he will die. Ceasar tell Alan he will die at dawn tomorrow. Unfortunatly for Alan, Cesare's prophecy turns out to to be all too true.

Francis and His Fiancee decide to investergate Caligari and Cesare, which leads to janes kidnaping because of there snooping. Caligari orders Casare to murder jane but Cesare cannot. He is over come by Janes beauty. He carries Jane out of her hoise and the towns people give a (slightly too long for my liking) lengthy chase.

Meanwhile Francis discovers that Caligari is the head of a local insane asylum and with some help from his collegues, find he is obcessed with a medieval Caligari who murdered people with a Somnabulist
Cesare is killed atr the end of the chaseand the townsfolk discover a dummy used to distratc francis.
Caligari breaks when confronted with Cesares body and is imprisoned in the Asylum he used to run.
Then comes what is possibly the first twist ending, the "flashback" Alan was recounting is actually his delusion
The man he says is Caligari turns out to be his doctor, and after hearing this tale, believes he can cure Alan.

The genius of this movie is in the completly warped visuals make you actually feel like your in the mind of a mental paitent.

At times it becomes tedious but most of the time its incredibly entertaining and at times scary. People watching this in 1919 must of beeen freaked out beyond belief! its incredible. The visuals remind me heavily of tim burton, and it must of been an influence on him.

For a silent movie its incredible, you dont miss the abscense of dialogue, the film is just so complete in itself. My only complaint with it is that often they do this weird phase out of all the frame except a strange oval around a person or object.

Recently a remake was made in 2005 which i honestly dont reccomend.

more movies next time :)

I Guess I Qualify As The Middle???

So Im the other half of this relationship...
Im Callum and i also have never had a blog.. So i better do some explaining. The deepthroat duvet refers to a bootleg x files duvet i bought of ebay which contains this image:

so yeah thats explained... and yeah its become a running dirty joke between me and Evangeline.

Ok ive explained the injoke... god i feel and idiot.. theres people doing a jungian analysis of the x files and im here explaing a dirty joke... anyway... so yes.. erm.. well okay now i have to write other things... Well i Love film, so does evangeline.. but she doesnt like cinnamon, nor does she do the sexual act where deep throats name omes from. her reason being its not a very evangeline thing to do. More in future blogs. She's gonna kill me..

The Beginning, The End and everything inbetween...

Hi, I’m Evangeline…I’ve never done a bloggy before (hence why I’ve been naïve and cheesy and called it a ‘bloggy’), so I apologise in advance if this spirals into an uninteresting guest-spot by me. As you may have already known, we are huge XF fans, amongst other things, but I think it is safe to say that The X-Files is what brought us initially together.

Here lies Tales from the Deep Throat Duvet (deep throat being the informant in the Watergate scandal and XF, not the (yada yada yada!) which we will NOT go into at this early hour!) Ahem…moving swiftly on, this blog is basically an on-going account of our lives and the run-up to and aftermath of XF:IWTB, with also some discussion on other matters of interest that may pop into our heads as we type this. Namely films, music, adolescent life and maybe, if the mood takes us…The X-Files. We wanted a radio show, but realised I sounded nasally on tape. This was the next best thing. Enjoy. Terry Wogan eat your heart out.

X
P.S. If you need us, you could always place an ‘X’ on your window, we will get back to you as soon as we can.