Sunday, September 21, 2014

Film recommendation: Another Year

Writing about Boyhood (dir. Richard Linklater, 2014), Fresca recommended Another Year (dir. Mike Leigh, 2010). Elaine and I watched it last night and found it deeply thoughtful and moving. The less one knows about this film in advance, I think, the better: read a summary of its plot and you might never go near it. It’s a film for grown-ups, with some comedy and much pathos. It moves through the seasons, ending in winter. That is all ye need to know, and all ye are going to get. One more thing: the Hepples make me think of the Ramsays from Virginia Woolf’s To the Lighthouse. But it’s been a long time since I’ve read To the Lighthouse.

Fresca has also recommended The Way We Get By (dir. Aron Gaudet, 2009), a documentary about three old Mainers on call to go to Bangor International Airport, any time, day or night, to thank American troops as they leave for and return from war. I too can now recommend this film.

[Fresca, what else should we put in our Netflix queue?]

comments: 7

Zhoen said...

If I see this one, I'll have to watch Happy-Go-Lucky again.

Michael Leddy said...

I take it that’s the antidote?

I’ve added that one and Life Is Sweet.

zzi said...

I like some of Mike Leigh's films. So Netflix it is, then I will finish reading your post

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Fresca said...

I'm glad you liked Another Year---it's my favorite Leigh film. In fact, I don't think I like (as in enjoy) any of his others, though I still think they're interesting and worth watching.

His frenetic women, though, drive me mad:
Poppy, the Happy-Go-Lucky girl, is a happy version (happy? well, maybe painfully so) of the miserable Mary in Another Year.

I haven't been ignoring your "what next" question, I've been and am still thinking about it!

Michael Leddy said...

Fresca, just make sure they’re available from Netflix. :)

The Subliminal Mr Dunn said...

I wonder if you would like The Hundred-Foot Journey, Michael.

Michael Leddy said...

I’m not sure. The trailer left me cold, but I know that trailers aren’t always representative.