Film reviews part 2 (in order of viewing)

Look back in anger (1959). 3.2.21. First half very theatrical and affected. Richard Burton and/or his character are boring and obnoxious, constantly spouting melodramatic theatrical guff. Very tiresome. [After writing this review, I saw that the Guardian review of the original play in 1956 said exactly the same thing]. Unrealistic ridiculous chip on his shoulder about being working class. Second half, after he gets together with Helena, generally better, but went downhill again after his wife comes to the station. Very different from "Saturday night Sunday morning" in character despite both being kitchen sink dramas. Similar in respects to "Streetcar named desire". It could have been executed far, far better but it still has an appealing quality to it, especially in the second half, and one or two choice lines amid all the pretentiousness. Helena's decision to leave the relationship at the end didn't ring true in terms of real life, but Osborne clearly wanted to show that at the end of the day she didn't have the resolve and spirit to put her love before her friend's sorry state. 6/10

Jeffrey Bernard is unwell (1999). 8&9.2.21. Film of the play with Peter O'Toole being excellent. Standard theatre fare with a handful of mild laugh out loud moments. Attention just about maintained throughout. 6/10

Pili (2017). 9.2.21. Sparse but pleasing and entertaining. Not at all pretentious or contrived. The actors were in fact the type of characters they portrayed, including the lead who really was a farm hand. 65% of the cast is HIV positive. 8/10

Lady Macbeth (2016). 15.2.21. Taut, sparse thriller, excellently paced, just 1h20. Like a very dark fairy tale. Essentially the whole thing was unoriginal and there were no major twists, but it was all executed perfectly. 8/10

Edie (2017). 16.2.21. Nice, mildly funny, well-paced, gentle but predictable. 7/10

Stronger (2017). 21.2.21. Full of good scenes, well-paced, and excellent performances from the two female actresses. Sum of the parts better than the whole: the storyline was pretty predictable and standard Hollywood. 7/10

American animals (2018). 23.2.21. Original, gripping, ‘tight’ docudrama with interesting themes and a good soundtrack. Astonishing how inept the young thieves were. 8/10

Pride and Prejudice (1940). 5.3.21. Excellent comedy-drama. Outstanding tight screenplay. 9/10

Frantz (2016). 7.3.21. Very tender, touching, stylish, atmospheric drama with wonderful lead performance. 9/10

Peterloo (2018). 16&17.3.21: Valiant effort, felt very authentic, and a period piece is the perfect showcase for Mike Leigh’s fondness of human eccentricity. It didn’t exactly drag but neither was it particularly gripping, and one wonders if the characters of the middle and upper classes were really quite so awful and one-dimensional. The ending was also somewhat lacklustre. 7/10