#steve coogan
The Trip to Italy is showing at showing at the Uptown Theatre. Sure it’s got Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon, but look who else is in it!
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Illumination & Universal Are Set To Release ‘Despicable Me 4’ On 3rd Of July 2024 In Theatres.
Films I’ve Watched in 2020 (317/?)
Hot Fuzz (2007)
dir. Edgar Wright
“Have you ever wondered why, why the crime rate in Sandford is so low, yet the accident rate is so high?”
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my old natm art keeps getting notes so here take this (reblogs appreciated)
“Stan & Ollie” a Thoughtful Delight
A treat for any fan of old-time Hollywood, Stan & Ollie is much more than just a biopic about the famous black and white film comedy duo Stan LaurelandOllie Hardy, its also a rich story about friendships, rivalries and the fleeting flame of fame.
Stan Laurel and Ollie Hardy were cinematic legends in the 1930s. They were in dozens…
SUBLIME CINEMA #602 - 24 HOUR PARTY PEOPLE
Michael Winterbottom can’t really be pinned down, he’s directed good and bad movies, but some are really distinctive. I love his collaborations with Steve Coogan, including this great Manchester music film and Tristram Shandy.
Plus Robby Muller shot this movie, so it’s full of smeared neon and beautiful color.
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Starring Judi Dench and Steve Coogan
Directed by Stephen Freers
In 1951, teenager Philomena Lee (Dench) becomes pregnant and is sent to the Sean Ross Abbey in Roscrea, Ireland by her father. She is forced to give up her son Anthony and work for no pay on behalf of the Catholic Church. Ridiculed journalist Martin Sixsmith (Coogan) digs into Philomena’s story fifty years later as a human interest piece. The two travel to the convent, only to find the Church has been carefully covering its tracks. They travel to America to find Anthony, now known as Michael, only to discover he died eight years ago. Philomena is conflicted, but the two decide to pursue the story further.
Freers (dir) casts religion in an interesting light. Martin proclaims early on that he doesn’t believe in God, citing mistreatments like Philomena’s as his reason. Philomena has every reason to feel them same way. The nuns at the Abbey fail to adhere to Christian principles of love and kinship, treating her like a slave. Religion is also a great source of shame for Philomena. The nuns justify their cruelty with her sin. They feel no remorse putting her down for what she’s done. Even fifty years later, she views her relationship with Anthony’s father as a sin, stating, “anything which feels so lovely must be wrong.” However, Philomena never loses her faith. She hangs a figure of St. Christopher on their rental car’s dashboard. She is always praying and trying to connect with religious figures. Even Martin’s cynicism doesn’t get to her. When Philomena asks if they can pull over at a church, he scoffs and adds, “the Catholic Church should go to confession, not you.“ But she never gives in, putting a figurine of Jesus on her son’s grave in the film’s closing shot, showing solidarity with her tested faith.
Philomena explores the concept of being lost or conflicted in a variety of ways. When Martin questions why Philomena never tried to escape the cruel conditions of the Abbey, she replies “where would I go?”. Teenage Philomena was confused and lost, and therefore susceptible to abuse which she could only later appreciate the severity of. She is equally lost and confused when deciding to pursue information on her son after discovering his death. Martin just stepped away from his entire career path and is forced to rethink himself completely. He’s initially embarrassed for taking on a human interest piece, but as he dives into it, he feels his work is even more meaningful. Anthony, or Michael, was also very conflicted when working for a presidential administration that directly undermined his health and safety.
Martin undergoes a personal transformation through Philomena’s guidance. He initially cares little for the personal element to the story. At the Abbey, he interrupts emotional moments to try and pry out information. However, through Philomena’s constant display of genuine kindness, empathy, curiosity, and wonder, he begins to reimagine the world through her eyes. She relays little adages like “just because he’s in first class doesn’t mean he’s a first class person” that impact his prior understanding of things. She challenges his cynical views on religion, allowing Martin to begin to accept God again. When the concierge let’s him into Philomena’s hotel room, Martin tells him that he’s her son in order to be given the key. This indicates the parental role Philomena takes in Martin’s life. In this way, she really does find her son in her journey.
While I usually don’t like biopics, there was something about effortlessness of Philomena that made it more watchable to me. At the same time, like any Judi Dench movie, I imagine I would enjoy it ten times more if I was over the age of 55. Regardless, I think it is a good watch for any age.
17/20
