Freddy's Cine It

Plot Summary: Charles (Tim Key), a quirky twice‑lottery‑winning loner, hires his favorite disbanded folk duo: Herb (Tom Basden) and Nell (Carey Mulligan), to play a private concert on his remote island. Old romantic wounds resurface as they reconnect. Director: James Griffiths Screenplay: Tom Basden & Tim Key Producers: Rupert Majendie, Tom Basden, Tim Key, Carey Mulligan Music: Adem Ilhan Cinematography: G. Magni Ágústsson Editor: Quin Williams Starring: Tim Key as Charles Heath Tom Basden as Herb McGwyer Carey Mulligan as Nell Mortimer Sian Clifford as Amanda Akemnji Ndifornyen as Michael   ***SPOILER ALERT*** The Blabbermouth and the Ballad It’s been a week since I watched The Ballad of Wallis Island, and now my 38-year-old brain is being put to the test. Let’s see what survived the fog. First off, I didn’t...

Plot Summary: An improv comedy teacher (Bryce Dallas Howard) and two of her students (Orlando Bloom, Nick Mohammed) are recruited by a corrupt cop (Sean Bean) to go undercover. They infiltrate London's criminal world, using their acting skills to catch a gang, only to find themselves deeper in danger and needing to improvise their way out. Director: Tom Kingsley Screenplay: Colin Trevorrow, Derek Connolly, Ben Ashenden, Alexander Owen Producers: Colin Trevorrow, Walter F. Parkes, Laurie MacDonald Music: Daniel Pemberton Cinematography: Will Hanke Starring: Bryce Dallas Howard as Kat Boyles Orlando Bloom as Marlon Swift Nick Mohammed as Hugh Sean Bean as DS Graham Billings Paddy Considine as Fly Ian McShane as Metcalfe Sonoya Mizuno as Shosh Studio / Distributor: Metronome Film Company, Parkes+MacDonald Image Nation / Amazon Prime Video ...

Plot Summary: Beckett, a spoiled and selfish housecat, takes his nine lives for granted. After recklessly losing his final life, he is granted ten more—but with a catch. Director: Chris Jenkins Producers: Karen Wengrod, Ken Cinnamon, Ash Brannon, Ernesto Matamoros, Leland Cox Screenplay: Chris Jenkins, Karen Wengrod, Ken Cinnamon Starring: Mo Gilligan as Beckett Simone Ashley as Rose Ashley Sophie Okonedo as Grace Zayn Malik as Kirk and Cameron Dylan Llewellyn as Larry Llewellyn Jeremy Swift as Happy Bill Nighy as Professor Richard Craven   ***SPOILER ALERT*** Nine Lives Too Many Saturday afternoon with 10 Lives, directed by Christopher Jenkins. Jenkins has been in animation since at least 1988, starting as an effects animator on Who Framed Roger Rabbit. Now he brings us this 2024 film about Beckett, a selfish cat who loses his las...

Plot Summary: Chaos ensues at a family funeral when secrets, misunderstandings, and unexpected revelations come to light. What starts as a somber gathering quickly turns into a farcical series of events, including the accidental ingestion of hallucinogens, a blackmail attempt involving a shocking secret about the deceased, and escalating comedic disasters. This black comedy perfectly balances absurdity and emotion, offering plenty of laughs and heartfelt moments. Director: Frank Oz Producer: Sidney Kimmel Screenplay: Dean Craig Starring: Matthew Macfadyen as Daniel Rupert Graves as Robert Alan Tudyk as Simon Peter Dinklage as Peter Keeley Hawes as Jane Ewen Bremner as Justin   ***SPOILER ALERT*** A British Black Comedy Gem British Black Comedy—do I even need to say more? You already know it’s going to be good, especially with Frank O...

Brian and Charles is a 2022 comedy drama film directed by Jim Archer, in his feature debut, from a screenplay by David Earl and Chris Hayward, who also star in the film. source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brian_and_Charles After a particularly harsh winter Brian goes into a deep depression; completely isolated and with no one to talk to, Brian does what any sane person would do when faced with such a melancholic situation. He builds a robot. source: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt13270424 ***SPOILER ALERT*** F: Robotic Voice: Warning! Warning! This movie is incredibly boring. We begin this AI-themed week with a tedious and unoriginal "mockumentary" from Wales about a foolish scientist who builds an equally incompetent robot using parts from a washing machine. If you were hoping for an intellectually stimulating and thought-provoking AI fiction film that would stretch your imagination and make you ponder the future, this is not the ri...

Rollerball is a 1975 science fiction sports film directed and produced by Norman Jewison. It stars James Caan, John Houseman, Maud Adams, John Beck, Moses Gunn and Ralph Richardson. The screenplay, written by William Harrison, adapted his own short story, "Roller Ball Murder", which had first appeared in the September 1973 issue of Esquire. Although Rollerball had a largely American cast, a Canadian director, and was released by the American company United Artists, it was produced in London and Munich source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rollerball_(1975_film) In a corporate-controlled future, an ultra-violent sport known as Rollerball represents the world, and one of its powerful athletes is out to defy those who want him out of the game. source: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0073631/ ***SPOILER ALERT*** K: The third movie of our tribute week to James Caan is Rollerball, a 1975 sports drama directed by Norman Jewison. The events of t...

Passing is a 2021 black-and-white romantic drama film written, produced, and directed by Rebecca Hall in her feature directorial debut. It is based on the 1929 novel of the same name by Nella Larsen, and its title refers to African-Americans who had skin color light enough to be perceived as white, referred to as "passing". The film stars Tessa Thompson and Ruth Negga. For her performance, Negga was nominated for the Golden Globe Award, BAFTA and Screen Actors Guild Award in the category of Best Supporting Actress. source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Passing_(film) Mixed-race childhood friends reunite in middle class adulthood and become increasingly involved in each other's lives and insecurities. While Irene identifies as African-American and is married to a Black doctor, Clare "passes" as white and has married a prejudiced, wealthy white man. source: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt8893974/ ***SPOILER ALERT*** F: I...

After Love is a 2020 British drama film directed and written by Aleem Khan in his feature-length debut. It stars Joanna Scanlan. The movie has been nominated for four BAFTAS, including best director for Aleem Khan, and won several British Independent Film Awards. Joanna Scanlan won the BAFTA for Best Actress in a Leading Role. source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/After_Love_(2020_film) Set in the port town of Dover, Mary Hussain suddenly finds herself a widow following the unexpected death of her husband. A day after the burial, she discovers he has a secret just twenty-one miles across the English Channel in Calais. source: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt10692788/ ***SPOILER ALERT*** F: Today we have a movie with common themes from the previous movie we just watched, Ali & Ava . In After Love we also have the Muslim faith integrated in England, and the grief of a lost child. This time we follow Mary AKA Fatima (Joanna Scanlan) as she finds ...

Ali & Ava is a 2021 British drama film, written and directed by Clio Barnard. The film stars Adeel Akhtar and Claire Rushbrook. The movie was nominated for 2 BAFTA awards. source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ali_%26_Ava Ali and Ava, both lonely for different reasons, meet and sparks fly. Over a lunar month a deep connection begins to grow, despite the legacy of Ava's past relationship, and Ali's emotional turmoil at the breakdown of his marriage. source: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt11559472/ ***SPOILER ALERT*** K: We spent yesterday's evening with Ali & Ava on the streets of Bradford, a city in West Yorkshire. Clio Barnard made a very realistic indie movie, about the fact that all ages are submissive to love, and that despite all the hardships that fate brings you, you need to find the strength to move on. Also, there is a serious social connotation here. The topic of racism in modern Yorkshire seems acute. F: Hello gov...