LOVEFILM: SEPTEMBER '16.

BILL ...

Charming little diversion on the life of William Shakespeare... sort of. Capturing what he was up to during 'the lost years' a creative invention of a small collective of British comics who all play five, six or seven parts during the film, so don't imagine it's a double take or several sets of twins in the film, it is largely, the six of them. If nothing else an example of how to make an historical picture on a very limited budget, it has its moments of high drama, low humour and biting satire albeit a little out of context at times, 21st century references not sitting too well in Elizabethan farce, and they're not Python.  Still... whiled away an afternoon with some laughter. NJT

For those of you familiar with the books and/or tv series think Horrible Histories for a slightly older audience. TT


SUFFRAGETTE ...

The story of the suffragette movement, of the fight for the right to vote. Powerful, poignant, occasionally deeply harrowing yet without being sensationalist, a film I think should be on the school syllabus. TT

The story of one young woman's life of drudgery at the turn of the previous century as she becomes increasingly angry at the lot of young women and girls. As the suffrage movement gains ground or notoriety, depending on how you looked at it, she engages albeit a tad unwillingly at first, but as the persecution plays the games for higher stakes, she throws her lot in with the women's movement and we see the merciless and witless violence of the state getting into full gear to repress and oppress those who are fighting for base rights. Beautifully made; costumes, sets and locations all done to period requirements this film looks good and does you good. Not hyperbole, but clear story-telling, a fiction certainly, though one built on the experience of women who were in that battle, the abuse, rejection, imprisonments and force-feeding that they were subjected to in order to have the right to vote. Good historical fiction based on solid research. NJT

A ROYAL NIGHT OUT ...

Supposedly based on true events of the VE night when Princesses Elizabeth and Margaret escaped the palace to join in the celebrations with us mere commoners. Overlong and not as funny as the trailer had me believe but otherwise a jolly enough romp. TT

Frivolous stuff but that does no harm every now and then. Film based on the rumour that the royal children on VE night managed to throw off the shackles of Buck House and escape their appointed escorts for a night of gay abandon around the city. How much truth there is in this we cannot possibly know although I'm hoping that the Queen may have issued instructions for release of the details at some point. Some class observations and Margaret certainly plays the part as we have received it, the party girl's party girl. Watson and Everet play the ever so slightly worried parents who pull the film together at the end as all's well that ends well. NJT