by Oscar O’Sullivan

Monday – The Man With The Golden Gun

Fun fact if you weren’t already aware – not only was Christopher Lee the first choice of author Ian Fleming for the role of Bond, he was also Fleming’s cousin and one of the real-life inspirations for the character. Lee served as an intelligence officer during the Second World War, with his stories and experiences informing Fleming’s creation of the Bond character, who was originally written as a war veteran. The casting of Lee as the titular villain here creates a wonderful subtext that the film capitalises on, positioning Scaramanga as a sort of shadow archetype to Moore’s Bond. Both are professional killers with a taste for the finer things in life, though Scaramanga is purely motivated by money and a love of killing, while Bond maintains that patriotism is his driving principle – and if he happens to enjoy his dirty work, that’s just a perk of the job. Moore’s take on Bond acquires a new dimension in this story. Live and Let Die made him just a little too much of a prim and proper and goodie-two shoes, a well-mannered professional saving the world because that’s his job, almost begrudgingly indulging himself in the line of duty. In this adventure, Moore takes a much-needed page out of Connery’s book and leans into the amorality of the character, only this time it’s actual text instead of a side-effect of outdated cultural values. Now Bond has a nasty temper and a pronounced mean streak, not above beating a woman around the head to get what he wants and doling out nasty deaths for minor offences. He takes a more active pleasure in the perks of his job, though not to the extent that he seems careless, always putting priority on the mission. And he takes it very personally when Scaramanga treats him as a friend and peer – the high-class poshness of Moore’s take now becomes stiff-necked pride, Scaramanga’s accusations striking a nerve. This Bond may be mean and violent, but he’s also a man of discipline. Outside of the stellar villain, this is one of the thinner plots so far, often stalling for time with strange and disconnected action sequences and comedy beats, but Christopher Lee as Scaramanga does so much work to elevate the film beyond the base parts, only becoming better as he becomes more involved and present. Classic Bond and a promising sophomore outing for Moore. 9/10.

Tuesday – Queer

Already reviewed Queer, innit. Go check that out, why don’t ya. You know you want to.

Wednesday – The People’s Picturehouse

I wish I could give you all the link to A Very Jumbo Christmas 2 right now, but unfortunately it’s not up online yet. Watch this space. Otherwise, an incredible night at the Picturehouse with a cracking line-up of new Christmas classics, including new hit shorts from McSweeney Films and FilmNerd Productions. One of the best lineups we’ve ever had and a fun night for all. If you’re not going to the Picturehouse at this stage there is simply no helping you.

Thursday – Eyes Wide Shut

Stanley Kubrick, a notorious perfectionist who would often take years between projects so he could examine every possible aspect and angle of approach, spent his last years working on a film about a man who is driven to distraction by a series of mysteries that he finds himself compelled to follow to their messy, unsatisfying conclusions. I’m always amused to rediscover how little of the film is actually dedicated to the sex cult, which has become the most-discussed and analysed sequence. While Cruise’s unsettling encounter with the masked acolytes looms large over the remainder of the film, it’s only one part of the larger whole, which mainly plays as a dark comedy about a man repeatedly trying and failing to cheat on his beautiful wife. It’s a plot filled with unanswered questions and convenient resolutions, and that’s why you can come back to it again and again without ever feeling that you’ve seen the whole picture. Not my favourite Kubrick, but one of the best final films a director ever made. The idea that he was killed to cover up the secrets this film exposed and then it was just released anyway is laughable, a fitting legacy for the man who faked the moon landing. 10/10.

Friday – Carol

Directed and shot with a gentle but steady hand, Carol feels like a relic of a bygone era – a mature, adult drama that approaches its subject matter with an understated grace. Perhaps it even skews too understated, lacking a certain emotional heft during the long falling action, but it is a delight to sit with, thanks in no small part to the two commanding lead performances. Cate Blanchett is predictably perfect as the title character, bringing all of her presence to bear as a confident, independent divorcee who isn’t afraid to go after what she wants. What she wants is impressionable shop girl Therese (Rooney Mara), a shy wallflower who seems to be perpetually uncomfortable. Mara makes for an interesting presence, awkwardly uncoordinated in a way that perfectly suits the character. Carol inspires Therese to step outside her comfort zone and ask, for the first time, what she really wants out of her life. A certain level of historical common knowledge is assumed of the viewer, a refreshingly adult approach to writing that can make the period setting feel a little sparse, but also saves it from becoming a manufactured toybox world. The brief intrusion of anger and violence into the serenity of the film, though a necessary evil to direct the story towards it’s conclusion, is unwelcome and not entirely successful. Still, when Carol is at its very best, it’s a soothing love story for the ages. 8/10.

Saturday – Paterson

To analyse Paterson feels like it would go against the spirit of the film, a ramble through a week in the life of a very ordinary man that wryly slaps you on the wrist for trying to fit it into narrative boxes. Adam Driver’s naturalistic acting style is perfect for the title character, an easygoing bus driver with a passion for poetry. Nobody in the film grows or is profoundly changed by the events of the story. Built on routine and repetition, the ups and downs of an average week in the life of this fascinating, deeply admirable character and his wonderful free-spirited wife, his strange circle of colourful friends and the strangers he briefly comes in contact with through his job. Kind of perfect for what it is. 10/10.

Sunday – Schindler’s List

I haven’t the time or the energy to go long on this film right now. It’s reputation speaks for itself, and yet it still feels larger in motion than everything you’ve heard about it. Maybe I’ll do a long review sometime. Maybe I’ll never watch this again because it’s so devastatingly heavy. 10/10.