A-Z #31: Bridget Jones's Diary

You can pick up hundreds of DVD's for a round-pound each - it doesn't matter. Its never about quantity, its about quality. A-Z is my way of going through my collection, from A-Z, and considering why I actually own the films... or you can tell me why I should sell 'em

#31 - Bridget  Jones's Diary

Why did I buy it?

I am completely responsible for this one. It is shocking and ridiculous that I bought this - but, alas, I did. Back in college, I watched it - with a bunch of girls - at the cinema. And maybe I was with the wrong crowd and maybe I was just a little bit too-much-in-touch with my feminine side, but I was under the impression that the film was good when I left the cinema. To make matters worse, I think, because worked at Woolworths, the huge quantity of people buying the DVD simply affected my judgement. I bought it and, as I recall, even upon watching the DVD at home, I was content with the purchase.

Why do I still own it?

 

I re-watched this film many years after the purchase - having stated for years that "its a good rom-com!" and that, I needed something of every genre, and I was content with this being in my collection as a representative for Romantic Comedies. So, again, I rewatched the film and wow. I don't know what I was thinking! This is completely for girls. In every possible sense of the word - I think a guy can get a lot out of Love, Actually (Liam Neeson in mourning, the little kid and his first-crush, Andrew Lincoln and his love for his best-friends wife... that unrequited love... guys relate to that stuff and we appreciate films that explore it) but Bridget Jones's Diary is not just rom-com - it is women-only rom-com. Akin to The Sweetest Thing and Sex and the City: The Movie. I tried to get rid of it but Sarah likes it too much to get rid of it.  
Should I sell it though? I'm not allowed to sell this film... despite my efforts.  

Remember - you can always email The Simon and Jo Film Show directly using this email: simonandjoshow@gmail.com

We are also on Twitter  and Facebook.

A-Z #30: Bridge on the River Kwai

You can pick up hundreds of DVD's for a round-pound each - it doesn't matter. Its never about quantity, its about quality. A-Z is my way of going through my collection, from A-Z, and justifying why I own the films... or you can tell me why I should sell 'em

#30 - Bridge on the River Kwai 

Why did I buy it?

I swear, my Dad has so much to answer for my interest in film. As much as he might despise the film-obsessive attitude I have, he has much to answer for. Akin to Ben-Hur, this 3+ hours epic film was a favourite for those Sunday afternoons. I never knew the importance of the film until many years later - David Lean directing, winning Best Picture at the Oscars for 1957, alongside winning big at the BAFTA's and the Golden Globes.

Why do I still own it?

 

Because the story is fascinating and, dare I say it, incredibly unique. Alec Guinness is captured and, as a Prisoner of War, is ordered to build a bridge and takes so much pride in the bridge that he doesn't realise that he is ultimately helping the enemy. An awesome finale - "my god - what have I done" before, Guinness falls on the lever.

But is it too big and sprawling? Maybe you don't need so much David Lean?

Remember - you can always email The Simon and Jo Film Show directly using this email: simonandjoshow@gmail.com

We are also on Twitter  and Facebook.

A-Z #29: Breathless

You can pick up hundreds of DVD's for a round-pound each - it doesn't matter. Its never about quantity, its about quality. A-Z is my way of going through my collection, from A-Z, and justifying why I own the films... or you can tell me why I should sell 'em

#29 - Breathless (À bout de souffle ) 

Why did I buy it?

In the same way - and reasoning behind Bande a part and Bicycle Thieves. Breathless is a 'classic' staple of cinema, introducing the French New Wave - and the works of Jean Luc Godard and Francois Truffaut. It only just had a re-release to launch the Blu-Ray release so, lately, you must have seen a lot of press for it.

Why do I still own it?

Having just watched a few sections of it again to capture the frame above, it has the similar 'cool'-ness that Bande a part had. Jean-Paul Belmondo and his cigar, Humphrey-Bogart-style, hanging from his mouth with his shades sitting on the arch of his nose alongside Jean Seberg's, playful, coquettish girl shows icons of the time. Even David Nicholl's mentions Jean Sebergs iconic style in his recent book One Day as a person, the character 'Emma' looked up to.

I have only seen the film once so far, but have every intention of revisiting it again.

But is the cool-ness and french-ness just a little too pretentious?  

Remember - you can always email The Simon and Jo Film Show directly using this email: simonandjoshow@gmail.com

We are also on Twitter  and Facebook.

TSAJFS: 06/02/2011 The Fighter/Exit Through The Gift Shop/I Am Love

Starting from the Clapham Picturehouse - with a noisy truck - this week, Jo and Simon have both watched David O. Russells Oscar-Nominated The Fighter starring Christian Bale, Mark Wahlberg, Amy Adams and Melissa Leo. this is followed by the usual news and film discussion.

The final two films discussed are the Oscar-Nominated documentary Exit Through The Giftshop and the critically-successful I Am Love starring Tilda Swinton.

Links

Facebook-er of the week is Dan Gudgeon, Jo's Bruv, who is currently fighting the wars in Korea.

Twitter-er of the week is the Barbican Centre, whereby they discuss the cinema's that are opening in 2012.

Blog of the week is Reviews By Tom, by Tom Clift, a recent fan on facebook and a writer for Row Three. Not to mention his podcasting fun that he has been a part of with Nick Jobe and others.

Music

All music is from The Fighter soundtrack - well, all the songs feature in The Fighter but not all of them are on the soundtrack. The song at the start is, whilst the song at the end is Ben Harper's

Remember - you can always email The Simon and Jo Film Show directly using this email: simonandjoshow@gmail.com

We are also on Twitter  and Facebook.

A-Z #28: Braveheart

You can pick up hundreds of DVD's for a round-pound each - it doesn't matter. Its never about quantity, its about quality. A-Z is my way of going through my collection, from A-Z, and justifying why I own the films... or you can tell me why I should sell 'em

#28 - Braveheart 

Why did I buy it?

Oscar-Winner. Best Picture. All that jargon. Other than that, epic-Scottish war films are not really my thing. I hadn't seen it before hand and - upon watching the 50min documentary on the second disc - it is one of the worst 'double-disc' boxes I have ever bought. I hear the Blu-ray is better.

Why do I still own it?

 

Ever the completist, alongside Apocalypto and Passion of the Christ - with this - I have all of Gibsons films. But I mujst admit I haven't seen it much since the first watch. I watched it a second time with my Mum and - in the same evening -  we watched the aforementioned documentary (Rubbish). Additionally I own a bunch of Best Pictures, so i guess, thats another plus point. Then again, I own Shakespeare in Love in a crappy boxset with Vanity Fair and Marie Antoinette (it was £3! what can I say? I wanted to watch the film and the cheapness meant that I might as well buy it....) and have every intention of selling that at the earliest opportunity. 
Other than the completist factors, there is not much reason to keep it - is it important enough to keep?

Remember - you can always email The Simon and Jo Film Show directly using this email: simonandjoshow@gmail.com

We are also on Twitter  and Facebook.