Roma (2018)

A stand out movie on so many levels, primarily because it’s the first time that a movie distributed by a streaming service, in this case Netflix, has been nominated for the Best Picture at the Academy Awards. With its nine other nominations it’s only the second non-English language film to have ever receive so many.  

Written and directed by Alfonso Cuaron this is said to be a very personnel movie based on his childhood. This Mexican film is based on a middle class family living in Mexico City in the 1970’s. The narrative is told mainly through the eyes of one of their domestic maids Cleo (Yalitza Aparicio). This engrossing story will have you hooked from the beginning and keep you engaged right through to the closing credits, which in all honesty come round far to quickly. It’s certainly a film that puts your faith back in the movie industry.

Mary, Queen of Scots (1971)

Compared with Kings and Queens of yesteryear the current royal usurpers have it very easy. The odd expenses paid trip, interference in the odd referendum, right off an expensive Land Rover. No cold and bleak castle for them, a warm and rather large council house in a popular part of London, and they don’t pay for their extra bedrooms. You always know when they’re at home because there a Glasgow Ranger’s flag flying from the roof. You only have to watch a queenly costume drama to prove my point. Your life constantly at risk from some relative who wants your job, army’s to raise, wars to fight, and the expenses paid trips take a lot longer.  

With the recent release of the 2018 Mary Queen of Scots I thought it would be the ideal time to revisit Charles Jarrott 1971 version. It’s quite an enjoyable royal romp that’s crowning glory is the acting of the two leads, Vanessa Redgrave, who plays Mary and Glenda Jackson, in the role of Queen Elizabeth of England, were both nominated for acting awards. The worst part of the movie was the Scottish accents that were varied and unconvincing.  Following this viewing I await to see how the new, highly award nominated version, stands up.

Hector (2015)

Starring Scotland very own Peter Mullan, Hector is a movie that could easily be directed by Ken Loach but is not. Instead it’s the directing and writing debut of Jake Gavin who makes a grand job of it.

Hector McAdam (Mullan) has been homeless for best part of 15 years. Following a hospital appointment in Glasgow he decides to try and reconnect with his estranged sister in Newcastle while on his trip to his regular Christmas shelter in London, where as well as a bed and warm food for a few days he can catch up with old friends and acquaintances.

We eventually get some idea why this deeply secretive man is on what seems like a personal dead end journey but in the meantime we follow the ups and downs of his life thumbing lifts on the UK's motorways, and sleeping in service stations. Although I would recommend this movie, mainly for the convincing performances from its grand cast, I would suggest that the kindnesses received by our homeless is not quite as positive as those portrayed in this movie.

Bad Day for the Cut (2017)

A tense thriller about a middle-aged mild mannered Irish farmer Donal (Nigel O’Neill) who becomes a violent revenge driven assassin following the death of his mother with whom he shared the farmhouse. First thought to be a home invasion the film gradually unfolds the reasons behind her murder. Set and filmed in Northern Ireland the film also stars the great Susan Lynch as the ruthless Frankie. All though a pretty standard British gangster movie it does warm up in its latter stages but beware there is some rather nasty realistic violence. Can be viewed on Netflix.

The Post (2017)

It took awhile to get going and work out who’s who and who each of the characters works for, but of course it could be me! But once you get past this rather frustrating obstruction Steven Spielberg's movie turns out to be an entertaining political journey. Its story covers the trials and tribulations of how The Washington Post, and various members of its board and staff, got to publish classified documents with regard to the Vietnam War.