Scott Pilgrim vs the World (2011, dir. Edgar Wright) – witty, hyperactive, glorious mess; references superhero comics, martial arts gaming, garage/ grunge music. I too became tough at vegan academy; dropped out though, completed pescaterian technical college.
The Hundred Foot Journey (2014, dir. Lasse Hallstrom; starring Helen Mirren, Om Puri) – rival restaurants; French countryside; pro-diversity message; you’ll see this film’s denouement coming from a hundred miles away; good, heartwarming fun though. Who doesn’t enjoy watching food, TBH?
Still the Enemy Within (2014, dir. Owen Gower) – documentary: how the 1984-5 U.K. miners’ strike was fought and policed; inspiring and moving; also discusses how ‘supportive others’ were mobilised – students, musicians, LGBT activists (seen ‘Pride’?).
The Student and Mr Henri (L’etudiante et M. Henri) (2015, dir. Ivan Calberac) – charming, genuinely funny; the kind of
intelligent, interestingly morally ambiguous, romantic comedy about grown-up
people that you have to be French in order to make (it seems)
The Beatles: Eight Days a Week - The Touring Years (2016; dir. Ron Howard) – film about the Beatles live (Hamburg,
Cavern Club, Shea Stadium), because whatever the hell happened between ‘Love Me
Do’ and ‘Tomorrow Never Knows’ happened on tour; essential.
'Still the Enemy Within' and 'Scott Pilgrim' were the joint winners. 'The Student and Mr Henri' came third. 'House of Mirth' came last. It was several dozen times better than the worst film I've ever seen.
