Ghost Graduation (2012)

Promoción Fantasma is the Spanish film Lauren and I went to see at the Leeds Film Festival last month. It was a wonderful nostalgic bit of silly fluff. Breakfast Club ghosts from the 1980s haunting a modern day Spanish school, in comes the adorable nerdy young teacher (Raúl Arévalo) who can see dead people, he helps them pass their high school diplomas so they can pass on to the other world. I wish it was cheaper on dvd so I could have got it for Christmas.

The Changeling (1980)

"Celia, I want a classic type of horror film that will be creepy while we're watching it but won't actually scare me at all in the long run!" The back of the box said "After the tragic death of his wife and daughter Composer George C. Scott moves into a Victorian haunted house to carry on his work." Perfect!

Man, what a stupid film. Much hilarity.

Shirley Valentine (1989)

The next time someone good does Shirley Valentine on stage I'd really like to see it. I enjoy the film and I think even though it looks SO eighties, the script and the performances are good enough to keep it timeless, at least it hasn't suddenly become dated. But I would love to see it as it was originally, a monologue. Pauline Collins as Shirley is by far, head and shoulders above everyone else, the best thing in it, and so she should be she won enough awards for doing the monologue on Broadway and the West End before they turned it into a film. It must have been fun for her getting to actually go on the fab holiday she'd spent three years talking about on a stage set like a crappy kitchen with chips and egg on the cooker.

Harry and the Hendersons (1987)

Did you know this film won an Oscar? Best Make-up of course, making John Lithgow so damn attractive! No, it was for Harry's make-up, John Lithgow is naturally beautiful.
Lauren came round last night and we watched this classic. The last time I watched it was also with Lauren, on my birthday about five years ago, I don't know if I was drunk or just tired five years ago but I hardly remembered any of it! It was ok but the best part was waiting for scenes which you could chop out and edit into a romance between Lithgow and Harry- there were a lot. And editing in sound-clips of passion from 3rd Rock from the Sun I'm sure it would work beautifully.

Tutti Frutti (1987)

Tutti Frutti is still good but I don't think it's stood the test of time quite so well as other TV series from the 80s, it's not as good as Auf Wiedersehen, Pet (1983) but then not a lot is.

My favourite characters were Richard Wilson and Katy Murphy, they were great together, I liked how full of hate and disdain she was, she's always been great.

I found Robbie Coltrane and Emma Thompson's relationship just a bit too weird... I was willing to accept that she was an art school chick and so probably mad and always fancied him 'cause of his talent despite the fact he was a big fat bastard, but I didn't really get how she could fancy him after getting to know him because he was basically insane- Though in episode 5 when her husband who is an actual rapist and wife-beater shows up I suppose I can see how potential-rapist Robbie Coltrane is practically an angel.

The band were good- my favourite was Jakey Pete.

Bit of a downer really though. Not enough comedy to lighten all the horror that seems to happen in Glasgow.

Footloose (1984)

Alison and I are going to see John Lithgow in October. He's at the National Theatre reading P.G. Wodehouse. I told Nicola this news excitedly last week and went on to list many [possibly bogus] facts about Lithgow that include: "He's retired to Keighley!" I have no idea where I read this rumor, maybe I dreamt it, but I've told enough people now for it to be circulating as an actual rumor. A fact that is definite is that Johnny is most excellent at drawing, also he is pals with Jonathan Pryce- who also dabbles. All the actors I seem to like end up being friends with Jonathan Pryce, who is of course still numero uno with me and has been for coming up 10 years now (horror!)

Anyway, Nicola blocking out all blabbing from Amy made the connection in her chick-flick dominated brain that John Lithgow was mentioned and therefore Footloose was the film we should watch that afternoon when it was too hot to work.

When Andy returned from his week away from the house I said, "Hey Andy, have you seen Footloose? Well I HAVE." I then ranted for a good ten minutes about how I'd cooked my dinner and settled down to watch something while eating, glanced over the DVDs in the living room and realised after scanning them for a good minute or two (dinner is now cold) that there is not a single film there that I would EVER watch! Nicola and Laura's DVD collection is dire!! Dirty Dancting?! Flashdance!? Step Up to the Whatever- basically a million films about dancing...

The girls like 'lite' films, and a couple of days ago it was my choice and so looking at the selection of films I've brought with me to my new home I realised I didn't really have anything that would pass as 'lite' (How would you categorize The Elephant Man? -Romantic comedy?) so I chose Still Crazy (1998) and Nicola said when it ended "There was no romantic resolution!" To which I replied angrily; "It was never going to happen! She was always in love with Brian! And the resolution was that Jimmy Nail got to sing the song he co-wrote and Bill Nighy stopped being such a dick!!"

Anyway, back to Footloose. Kevin Bacon moves to a town where dancing is illegal. John Lithgow plays a preacher who hates dancing so Stan and Froggy and Kevin Bacon take him to see Singing in the Rain and they all dance home together.

Weekend at Bernie's (1989)

Lauren made me watch it. I thought it was good.

Well... crap. But perfect for our holiday- which was good!

I've watched loads in the last few weeks but I've been so busy entertaining and being entertained that I haven't had time to review! Other films introduced to me on Lauren and Amy's Caravan Holiday were: Orgazmo (1997), Basketball (1998), Delicatessen (1991), Mirrormask (2005). Lauren lent me the new Brideshead (2008) (Brideshead Revisited Revisited) but I haven't watched it yet.

Sarah came to visit for the Haworth 1940s Weekend and we watched BBC drama North and South (2004), by golly was Richard Armitage ever gorgeous, I mean, he still is, but now it is wasted in trash such as Robin Hood (saturdays) and hideous afternoon plays... Australia (2008) was also seen and it was super-appalling. Alison stopped over and we watched favourite Anton Walbrook slip in and out of being dubbed in French sex-classic La Ronde (1950). I will review that later tonight.