Meridian Unplugged - Powered by MrTechGuy.co.uk Forums Discussion HiFi & HT Chat Recommended Movies

I recently watched "California Dreamin'"

A superb film combining comedic touches with a deep exploration of America's history with Romania from WW2 to the Kosovo crisis, the internal politics of Romania itself, and the aspirations and ambitions of a young Romanian generation.

Great acting, great script, great story, great cinematography and delivering the authentic feel of village life in Romania.

I watched it while at an archaeological centre in Romania, via DVD on a laptop played through the site's lecture projector onto a wall with some badly positioned cheap 'n' nasty little desktop speakers providing audio. All AV considerations disappeared in seconds - this film really is what cinema should be about.

Just a couple of posts ago I was saying that mature animation was worthy of an audience wider than just kids. As a timely reminder, we've seen two this week that are both excellent 'adult' animations. Both are based on Raymond Briggs book (he of The Snowman fame); first was When The Wind Blows (from 1986!), followed by last year's Ethel & Ernest, which is a biographical telling of his own parents' lives.

Both are brilliantly done, both are funny, quaint, moving, bittersweet films that could be enjoyed by anybody.

Kubo & The Two Strings.

Utterly magical from start to finish.

If you liked Kubo, you might get on with The Red Turtle. It's a completely different tempo, but oh so pretty and quite meditative.

Thanks for the tip; I've actually got The Red Turtle on my Amazon wish list but according to them it isn't released until the 25th of this month. Perhaps it's out in other territories?

Blu-ray releases of The Red Turtle

Language isn't an issue with this one. La Tortue Rouge is available on amazon.it.

Brilliant; many thanks.

We just watched this tonight (delay caused by binges of The Sopranos & Deadwood). Achingly beautiful, gorgeous, mediative (as mentioned), bittersweet. Close to the top of my list for 2017.

As is last night's choice; "Your Name", another anime beauty. Gorgeous animation, thought provoking plot-line (i.e. I'm not sure I entirely followed it the whole way!) but life-affirming.

Au Hasard Balthazar (1966) is one of the great cinema achievements.

highest recommendation.

as Andrew Sarris' review concluded, "It stands alone atop one of the loftiest pinnacles of artistically realised emotional experiences."

‘Miss Sloane (2016)’. Explores the seedy world of political lobbying and out manoeuvring your opponents at any cost – Jessica Chastain is superb.

+1 for Miss Sloane, watched it last night in a Jessica Chastain double-bill with The Zookeeper's Wife (good true story poorly directed).

Also watched the 4K Zero Dark Thirty recently, another great performance by JC.

~M~

Wind River