The Menu

The Menu

A suspense movie. Released in 2022. Directed by Mark Mylod. It stars Anya Taylor-Joy. Ralph Fiennes and Nicholas Hoult appear in it. I watched it at Movix Kameari in December 2022.

The wealthy guests together have the quite unique full-course dinners served by a highly expensive restaurant, whose seats are difficult to reserve, managed by a mysterious first-rate chef in an isolated island. The film depicts how the restaurant gradually treat the guests in abnormal ways.

I remembered the flicks Midsummer and Seven during watching it. Some of the grotesque scenes terrified me a little. It is tragedy rather than comedy.

I am not a gourmet, so I had not planned to view it, however, I got interested in it when I knew that Nicholas Hoult acted in it. I have taken notice of Hoult since I realized that the handsome and excellent actor had played a sassy boy when he was little in my favorite one About a Boy after I watched Rebel in the Rye at a theater in 2019, so I came to want to see him on a big screen for the first time since then. He gave a superb performance as the difficult role in his new film. I want to do him acting again if I have a chance to.

Margot is the only person who is decent and has dignity among the rich guests who all have flaws. Anya Taylor-Joy gave a good performance as Margot. I did not like her so much when I did Last Night In Soho last December and Amsterdam last month, however, she looked really cute in the latest film, though it was maybe because young and attractive women did not appear in it except her. Anyway, I was impressed and charmed by her peculiar beauty, especially her sharp eyes. Moreover, the cheeseburger that she bit into looked delicious more than the sophisticated and seemingly expensive dishes.

Ralph Fiennes passionately played the eccentric chief chef. His performance was wonderful as well as in The King's Man which I viewed last March. He is a brilliant actor.

Honestly, I did not like it so much but I was never bored. Rather, it kind of entertained me. The running time is 106 minutes. It did me partly because the time is not so long. 

ザ・メニュー

『ザ・メニュー』

サスペンス映画。2022年公開作。監督はマーク・マイロッド。アニャ・テイラー＝ジョイ主演。レイフ・ファインズとニコラス・ホルト出演。2022年12月にMovix亀有にて初観賞。

謎めいた一流シェフが仕切っている予約困難な孤島の超高級レストランで、ある特別なコース料理を一緒に味わうことになった裕福な客たちが徐々に異常なもてなしを受けるお話。

『ミッドサマー』や『セブン』が脳裏によぎる、グロい描写有りで少し怖めの、喜劇と言うよりも悲劇。

美食家ではないので観る気は無かったのだが、ニコラス・ホルトが出ているのを知って興味が湧いた。2019年に『ライ麦畑の反逆児』を観覧した後に、その主演を務めた演技の上手い美青年のホルトが、私の好きな映画『アバウト・ア・ボーイ』に出ていた生意気な子役の成長した姿だと知って、それ以降、彼には注目していた。そして、今回、久しぶりに彼をスクリーンで見たくなった。本作では難しい役を見事に演じ切っていた。今後も機会があったら観てみたい俳優さんだ。

金持ちだが人間的に問題がある客たちの中で、唯一まともで毅然としていた若い女性マーゴをアニャ・テイラー＝ジョインが好演。昨年12月に観た『ラストナイト・イン・ソーホー』や先月観た『アムステルダム』ではあまり好きにはなれなかったが、今回は、ほかに魅力的な若い女性がいなかったせいかもだが、すごく綺麗に見えた。特にその鋭い眼差しが印象的でその独特な美しさにほれぼれした。そして、彼女が頬張るチーズバーガーがほかの高価そうな洗練された料理以上に美味しそうに見えた。

レイフ・ファインズがその店の奇妙な料理長を熱演。今年３月に観覧した『キングスマン：ファースト・エージェント』の時と同様、素晴らしい演技だった。本当に素晴らしい俳優さん。

正直、好みではなかったが、退屈でもなかった。むしろ、不思議と楽しい観覧だった。上映時間106分。丁度いい長さだったから、そう感じられたのかもしれない。

Don't Worry Darling

Don't Worry Darling

A thriller. Released in 2022. Olivia Wilde directed it following her first film, Booksmart. She also appears in it. The lead is Florence Pugh. In November 2022, I watched it for the first time at Movix Kameari.

It depicts a married couple living in an artificial and strange town built in a desert.

In the town each wife does all the housework learning ballet in the daytime and makes her husband comfortable with utmost effort after he has come home. I felt that the dated style was funny but I was charmed by the protagonist, Alice, who has gradually started to recognize the strangeness of the town, question its leader and her husband and desperately get away from it so as to win freedom. Florence Pugh played really well as the bewitching, pretty, cute and awesome Alice.

Harry Styles acted the role of Alice's husband. I thought that he speaks in a British accent with a somewhat familiar face, so I checked him after watching it and I knew that he is a member of the vocal group One Direction and made his screen debut with Dunkirk directed by Christopher Nolan in 2017. He has still had a short career as an actor. I could understand why he emitted the aura that is unique and different from the one that other actors have. By the way, seemingly, he has dated with the director since a couple of years ago. Although it is a juicy story, yet I wonder if it was difficult to be coached about acting by his lover and make out with Pugh in front of her.

The artistic and sophisticated film might kind of upset middle-aged and old men who have received the benefits of a man's world and might make women bored by a man's world identify with Alice. Moreover, you can watch the wonderful and eye-pleasing performance of Florence Pugh during all two hours of it.

ドント・ウォーリー・ダーリン

『ドント・ウォーリー・ダーリン』

スリラー映画。2022年公開作。監督はオリヴィア・ワイルド。『ブックスマート』に続いて２作目。出演もしている。主演はフローレンス・ピュー。2022年11月にMovix亀有にて初観賞。

砂漠の中にある人工的で奇妙な街で暮らすある夫婦の物語。

外で働く夫の為に、彼の妻は、昼間は家事に勤しみ、バレエのレッスンをこなし、夫が帰宅してからは、彼を癒すことに全力を注ぐ。そんな家庭が集まった街。時代遅れの世界観に違和感を覚えたが、主人公のアリスが少しずつその街の異様さに気づき始めて、その街のリーダーや夫を問い詰め、自由を求めて爆走する姿に魅せられた。妖艶で綺麗で可愛らしくて凛々しいアリスをフローレンス・ピューが好演。

アリスの夫を演じたのはハリー・スタイルズ。英国訛りだな、とか、どっかで見たことある顔だな、と感じたので観賞後に調べてみたら、ヴォーカル・グループ、ワン・ダイレクションのメンバーだった。映画デビューは、2017年公開のクリストファー・ノーラン監督作『ダンケルク』。役者としてはまだ新人さん。道理でほかの俳優さんとは違う独特の雰囲気を醸し出していた訳だ、と納得。因みに、監督のワイルドと本作公開前から交際しているらしい。下世話な話だが、恋人の彼女に演技指導されたり、彼女の前でフローレンス・ピューといちゃつくのはやりにくかったのではなかろうか。

男社会の恩恵を受けてきたおじさんにはバツの悪い、男社会に辟易している女性には感情移入しやすいであろう、芸術的で洗練された作品。そして、フローレンス・ピューの素敵な演技を終始拝める眼福な２時間でもある。

Bullet Train

Bullet Train

An action and comedy film. Released in 2022. Directed by David Leitch. It stars Brad Pitt. Hiroyuki Sanada acted in it. It is based on the novel Maria Beetle written by a Japanese novelist named Kotaro Isaka. I watched it for the first time at the IMAX theater of TOHO CINEMAS Nagareyaam Ootakanomori.

It follows an assassin named Ladybug who is ordered to get into the bullet train from Tokyo to Kyoto so as to steal a briefcase and struggles to carry out the mission.

Many of the lines seemed to be meaningful but they hardly seemed to affect my life, so I mostly let them pass and I just enjoyed the action scenes on the screen without thinking. Accidents happen at perfect timing until the end. It was fun.

Brad Pitt gave a good performance as the mischievous Ladybug. His action as well as the way he talks was cool like in his other films. Ladybug tries to steal a briefcase that belongs to a couple of gangs. One of the duo Lemon is a big fan of Thomas & Friends and thinks based on the stories, which was funny. Not only that, but I envied him, for I cannot concentrate on and am superficial about anything, unlike Lemon. Another character The Elder left a strong impression on me. Hiroyuki Sanada, a Japanese actor, performed the role and looked awesome especially when he is fighting with a sword cane. The action scene must be a homage to the flick Zatoichi. Masi Oka played as the train conductor. He looks like Kenji Yamauchi, half of the popular comedy duo Kamaitachi in Japan. Oka has been one of the famous Japanese in the United States because he regularly appeared in the famous television series Heroes that was broadcasted from 2006. I felt that the image of Japan was still dated in America when I heard that off the top of his head Oka shouted the word "Yatta," though he should have done "bonsai" which was written in the scenario in the television drama. After that, "Yatta!" finally became his signature phrase. It was also said that Hiroyuki Sanada eagerly advised the American staff about Japanese culture during the shooting of Last Samurai starring Tom Cruise and release in 2003. Unnatural depictions about Japan have gradually decreased in Western films, which must be partly due to Japanese actors like them who has acted overseas. Sandra Bullock showed up toward the ending, though her voice-over was sometimes heard. She co-starred with Brad Pitt in The Lost City which I watched in June 2022. She is always pretty.

Fighting with murderous intent, gun shootings and sword fights occur one after another, so it has a lot of bloody scenes. Nevertheless, it hardly seemed to be sad and was simply entertaining because the story developed really fast. It is a good action movie.

ブレット・トレイン

『ブレット・トレイン』

アクション・コメディ映画。2022年公開。デヴィッド・リーチ監督作。ブラッド・ピット主演。真田広之出演。原作は伊坂幸太郎の小説『マリアビートル』。2022年９月にTOHO流山おおたかの森にてIMAXで初観賞。

東京発京都行きの新幹線に乗り込んでブリーフケースを盗むよう指示された殺し屋レディバグがその任務遂行のために奮闘するお話。

含蓄がありそうなセリフが多々あったが、今後の人生の糧になるような言葉では無いような気がして、大方、聞き流した。何も考えずに目の前で繰り広げられるアクションを楽しむ作品。最後までアクシデントの間が絶妙で面白かった。

レディバグをブラッド・ピットがお茶目に好演。話し方だけでなくアクションも他の作品同様カッコよかった。そして、レディバグが盗むブリーフケースの持ち主だった二人組のギャングのうちの一人、レモンが、『きかんしゃトーマス』の大ファンで常にそのアニメ番組を通して物事を考える様が愉快だった。何か一つの事に熱中できず、何事にも浅い知識しかない私にとっては、羨ましくもあった。そのほかの登場人物で強く印象に残ったのは、やはり、日本人俳優である、真田広之。『座頭市』へのオマージュなのか、仕込み刀での殺陣がカッコよかった。現在、日本で大人気のお笑いコンビかまいたちの一人山内健司に似ているマシ・オカも車掌として出演。2006年から放送されていたTVドラマ『HEROES』にレギュラー出演していた為、米国では有名な日本人の一人らしい。そのドラマシリーズで、もともとは「バンザイ」だった彼の決め台詞をアドリブで「ヤッター」と叫んで、その後、それを定着させた、と聞いた時、米国での日本のイメージってまだまだ古いんだなと感じた。真田広之も、2003年公開のトム・クルーズ主演映画『ラストサムライ』ではアメリカ側のスタッフに日本文化について熱心に進言していたらしい。洋画で少しずつ不自然な日本の描写が減ってきているのも、ある程度は、彼らのような世界で活躍している日本人俳優のおかげなんだろうな。そして、ずっと声だけの出演だったが、最後に少しだけ登場したサンドラ・ブロック。2022年６月に観覧した『ザ・ロストシティ』にもブラピと共演していたが、幾つになってもお綺麗なお方だ。

殺す気満々の格闘、銃撃、剣戟の連続だったので流血シーンも多々あったが、展開がスピーディだったので悲壮感はほとんど無く、ただただ楽しかった。アクション映画の良作。

The Black Phone

The Black Phone

A thriller. Released in 2020. Directed by Scott Derrickson. An adaptation of the holler novel with the same title written by Joe Hill. It stars Mason Thames. Ethan Hawke appears in it. In July 2022, I watched it for the first time at Movix Kameari.

It follows a shy boy named Finney who is confined by a mysterious man but gets tough through fighting the man.

Finney is abused by nasty boys, moreover, ghosts show up, so I thought that it was like a Stephen King film, such as It and Hearts in Atlantis. In fact, the original author, Hill, is a son of King. Blood will tell. I also felt it strange that Finney is bullied in spite of being the good pitcher of a baseball team. The original novel might have more descriptions of his disposition meaning that he hates to fight anyone. Then Mason Thames as Finney looked like the child lead actor in Mid90s which I watched in September 2020 at a theater, so I thought that the two characters were performed by the same actor on my own while watching it, however, after that, I knew that they were not. I had a wry smile thinking that I could not yet tell white actors apart. Furthermore, I lately have not able to distinguish unfamiliar Japanese young actor. That proves that I have become old.

After being imprisoned, Finney becomes tough gradually with the help of his friends and decides to confront the enigmatic man. His mental growth and his little sister's thoughtfulness for her brother made my heart warm and comfortable. Then the last several scenes were so refreshing and entertaining that I could feel catharsis.

Although I had expected that Ethan Hawke is the lead, yet in fact, he is supporting, besides, he is putting a funny mask most of the time. It disappointed me, for that was the first time I saw Hawke on a big screen. I could not even think what he profited from acting the role.

The flick has horror scenes, some of which scared me, but it was not frightening overall. It tells a heartwarming story about a boy's growth. Mason Thames performed the boy well. 

ブラック・フォン

 『ブラック・フォン』

スリラー映画。2022年公開。スコット・デリクソン監督作。ジョー・ヒル著のホラー小説『黒電話』が原作。メイソン・テムズ主演。イーサン・ホーク出演。2022年７月にMovix亀有にて初観賞。

奇妙な男に監禁された内気な少年フィニーが、その男との戦いを通して逞しく成長するお話。

フィニーがいじめられっ子で幽霊も出てくるので、スティーヴン・キング作品の『IT/イット "それ"が見えたら、終わり。』や『アトランティスのこころ』みたいだなと思っていたら、原作者のヒルは彼の息子だった。血は争えないな。ただ、野球チームの好投手にもかかわらずフィニーがいじめっ子たちに虐められている事に若干の違和感を覚えた。原作の小説には、フィニーは喧嘩が嫌い、のようなもう少し分かりやすい状況説明があるのだろうか。そして、フィニーを演じていたメイソン・テムズが、2020年９月に観覧した『mid90s』の主演子役に似ていたので、勝手に同じ子役俳優だと思っていたが、観覧後、そうではないことを知り、苦笑い。未だ外国人は見分けがつかない。おまけに、最近は見慣れない日本の若い俳優も見分けがつかなくなり始めた。それは、私が年を取ったという証拠なんだろうな。

そのフィニーが、監禁後、友人たちに励まされて徐々に逞しくなって、覚悟を決めてその謎の男と対決する。そんな彼と彼を心配する妹の姿が微笑ましかった。そして、カタルシスも感じられた終盤の展開が鮮やかで面白かった。

主演と思っていたイーサン・ホークは助演だった。しかも、ずっと変なお面をかぶっていた。スクリーンで彼を見るのが初めてだったこともあり、その点には失望した。彼があの役を演じる意味があったのだろうかとさえ感じた。

ホラー要素もあったので数回ビビったが、全体的にはさほど怖くはなかった。一人の少年の微笑ましい成長譚。メイソン・テムズがその少年を好演。

Elvis

Elvis

Elvis Presley's biographical drama film. Released in 2022. Directed by Baz Luhrmann. It stars Austin Butler and Tom Hanks. In July 2022, I watched it at Movix Kameari for the first time.

It depicts the life of Elvis Presley, King of Rock and Roll, from the point of his manager, Colonel Parker.

As for old Western music, I have loved The Beatles, The Rolling Stones and other several British rock bands. I had vaguely known about Motown Records that many African American musicians have belonged to, the activities of Elvis Presley before the British bands' debut, moreover, I had thought that I knew about how cruel the racial discrimination was in the United State when Elvis made a debut because I had watched the film Malcolm X, however, American society's reality depicted in it kind of surpassed my knowledge. The conservative white Americans especially surprised me because they frantically insisted that white people must not pander to black people. All the same, Elvis ignored their remarks and continued to play contemporary black music singing and dancing as a white rock 'n' roller. Then many young white women went wild over the sharp action of his legs perhaps because they had been repressed by the society full of racism. That looks like a comic skit from a present point of view. Elvis faced difficult trials. He was made to wear tails and was stopped from dancing when he sang in popular television programs so that serious white people would not frown. Although Elvis got annoyed not by being able to express himself, yet he was encouraged by his old friend B.B. King, an African musician, made the decision to act like himself in a concert, and danced with his original sharp motion, which made the white people furious and young white women go crazy. He was arrested just after that, which also seems to be a comic sketch, and was drafted into military service. By the way, more than ten years later, The Rolling Stones was forced to change the word "the night" to "some time" in the song "Let's Spend the Night Together" when they performed in the television program with high public popularity, The Ed Sullivan Show, because the lyrics are obscene, though it was said that the members, Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, got pleased that it would become a popular topic and would make their albums sell well. The Stones and The Beatles became popular bands thanks to the agony and sacrifice of Elvis, a trailblazer in rock 'n' roll. He deserved the title, King of Rock and Roll.

Elvis' manager, Colonel Parker, played an important role to make the rock 'n' roller a super star not only in the United States but also in the world but Parker manipulated Elvis into continuing to perform on stages and taking drugs in order to fully enjoy gambling that he loved, so he was never a good person. I hate it that the flick depicts Parker as very human. I also wish that it would have told Elvis' story from the viewpoint not of Parker but of Elvis' father or Elvis himself.

Elvis looks to be pathetic toward the ending, so I was depressed a few days after watching it. That proves how wonderful Austin Butler and Tom Hanks' performances were. Butler superbly expressed Elvis' distress. Hanks exquisitely acted the cunning Parker. I have a complaint about how Colonel Parker is depicted but I believe that it is good as Elvis' biographical picture.

エルヴィス

『エルヴィス』

エルヴィス・プレスリーの伝記映画。2022年公開。バズ・ラーマン監督作。オースティン・バトラーとトム・ハンクスのダブル主演。2022年７月にMovix亀有にて初観賞。

ロックの神様、エルヴィス・プレスリーの生い立ちから晩年までが、彼のマネージャー、パーカー大佐の視点で描かれている。

私の好きな洋楽はイギリスのザ・ビートルズやザ・ローリング・ストーンズから。彼らのデビュー前からアメリカに存在していた、黒人ミュージシャンが楽曲を発表していたレコードレーベル、モータウンやエルヴィス・プレスリーの存在は何となく知っていたし、エルヴィスのデビュー当時のアメリカにおける人種差別の酷さも、映画『マルコムＸ』で知っていたつもりになっていた。しかし、本作で描かれていた当時のアメリカ社会の現実は私の認識を少し超えていた。特に、白人は黒人に迎合してはいけないとむきになって主張する保守的な白人たちには驚かされた。そんな彼らを無視して白人として黒人の音楽を踊りながら歌い続けるエルヴィス。そして、そんな偏見に満ちた社会で抑圧されてきたせいか、彼の鋭い足腰の動きに熱狂する若い白人女性たち。現代から見るとまるでコントだ。そんなエルヴィスにも試練が訪れる。人気テレビ番組出演時に、保守的な白人たちからひんしゅくを買わないよう燕尾服を着させられ、踊りを禁じられてしまう。自分らしさを表現できないことに苦悩するエルヴィスだったが、その後、旧友でアフリカ系ミュージシャン、B.B. キングに励まされ、あるコンサートで一大決心をし、保守的な白人のおじ様たちを激怒させる、そして、若い白人女性たちが熱狂する、本来の彼の鋭い踊りを披露。その直後、これもコントみたいだが、エルヴィスは逮捕された挙句に徴兵されてしまう。余談だが、その10数年後にザ・ローリング・ストーンズもアメリカの国民的人気番組エド・サリバンショーで「夜をぶっとばせ」を歌う時にその歌詞の "the night" をわいせつであるという理由で "some time" と歌うように強制されたが、当時のストーンズのミックとキースは、その事が話題になってレコードが売れると喜んでいたとか。ストーンズやビートルズがデビュー後に快進撃を続けられたのは、ロックンロールのパイオニアであるエルヴィスの苦悩や犠牲のおかげとも言えるだろう。まさにエルヴィスは「ロックの神様」の称号にふさわしい人物だ。

エルヴィスを、アメリカ、そして、世界のスーパースターに導いたマネージャー、パーカー大佐の功績は大きい。だが、薬漬けにしてまでエルヴィスを歌わせ続けて、自分は大好きなギャンブルに精を出していた彼は、決して善人ではない。そんな彼が、本作では興味深い人間として描かれている点は嫌いだ。また、大佐の視点ではなく、エルヴィスの父親、もしくは、エルヴィス本人の視点で物語を描いてほしかった。

終盤のエルヴィスの姿が痛々しかったので、観覧後の数日間は気分が重かった。それだけ、エルヴィスの苦悩を見事に演じ切ったオースティン・バトラーとパーカーの狡猾さを絶妙に表出したトム・ハンクスが素晴らしかったという事だろう。パーカー大佐の描かれ方には不満があるが、エルヴィス・プレスリーの伝記映画としては良作だ。

Clouds of Sils Maria

In July 2022, I watched Clouds of Sils Maria for the first time on the television set. The drama film was released in 2014 starring Juliette Binoche. Kristen Stewart and Chloë Grace Moretz acted in it.

It follows Maria, a veteran actor and important figure, who will appear in a stage drama that was played more than twenty years before and is decided to be done again. She had acted the role of a daughter in it but she is going to do the role of her mother. She starts to prepare for and focus on the role with her young manager, Valentine. Then Jo-Ann, an up-and-coming but controversial actor, is going to do the role of the daughter costarring with Maria.

Stewart Valentine gave a sharp, realistic and wonderful performance as Maria's young manager, Kristen, who fearlessly says her remarks to Maria preparing for the role. A generation gap also might cause the difference between their ideas of the one. Their footings realistically change again and again through the arguments, which made me feel that actors keeping on starring in films would sincerely face their roles like that. Moreover, I felt that actors' jobs are really hard, for I thought that ones who just memorize their lines, confirm the director's intention in the rehearsals and seriously play only in the shootings would be eliminated unless they are gifted ones.

I first saw Juliette Binoche, the lead in it, in The Unbearable Lightness of Being. I then was kind of amazed how pretty baby face she has like Maria de Medeiros who performed the girlfriend of the boxer done by Bruce Willis in Pulp Fiction and Valeria Golino who did the partner of the car dealer done by Tom Cruise in Rain Man because most Western women who I had viewed looked to be adult and mature. However, come to think of it, Sally Field, Diane Keaton and Cameron Diaz, in addition, Cary Marigan and Ana de Armas in recent years have beautiful baby faces as well. I had simply thought that baby face beauties are only Japanese until then. That was just my bias. I thought that Binoche was still pretty, was a balanced adult and aged gracefully when I watched her again in Chocolat that Johnny Depp also acted in. She was still lovely and charming as she was younger in the 2014 flick.

Chloë Grace Moretz also gave a good performance as a young impertinent and controversial actor named Jo-Ann who uses violent language and has an affair.

Although the two young actors both attracted me and had presence, yet Juliette Binoche were more fascinating, after all, because of her more various expressions.

アクトレス～女たちの舞台～

2022年７月、『アクトレス～女たちの舞台～』をテレビ画面にて初観賞した。2014年公開のドラマ映画。主演はジュリエット・ビノシュ。クリステン・スチュワートとクロエ・グレース・モレッツ出演。

20数年前に娘役を演じたある舞台劇の再演で、その娘の母親役を演じる事になった大物ベテラン俳優マリアが、彼女の若いマネージャーのバレンティンとともにその役作りに励み、その娘役を演じるお騒がせな新進気鋭の俳優ジョアンと共演するお話。

役作りをしているマリアに対して物おじせずに自分の意見をはっきり言う、若いクリステンを演じたスチュワート・ヴァレンティンの鋭い演技は、リアルでとても素晴らしかった。二人の役柄への考え方の相違はジェネレーション・ギャップとも言えたが、その言い争いを通してそれぞれの立場が二転三転する様もとてもリアルで、主役を任され続ける俳優さんは、皆、ここまで真摯に役柄と向き合っているのだろうなと思えた。ただ単に撮影前にセリフを丸暗記してリハーサルで監督の意図を確認して本番でのみ真剣に演技するだけの役者は、ずば抜けた演技の才能が無い限り、淘汰されるのだろうな、役者の世界って本当に大変だなと思った。

マリアを演じた主演のジュリエット・ビノシュを初めて観た作品は『存在の耐えられない軽さ』。それまで大抵の西洋人の女性は皆大人びて見えていたので、『パルプ・フィクション』でブルース・ウィリスが演じたボクサーの若い恋人役だったマリア・デ・メディロス、そして、『レインマン』でトム・クルーズが演じた自動車ディーラーのパートナー役だったヴァレリア・ゴリノを見た時と同様に、童顔の彼女の可愛らしさに少し驚いた。だが、よく考えてみると、サリー・フィールド、ダイアン・キートン、そして、キャメロン・ディアスも童顔だし、最近だと、キャリー・マリガンやアナデ・アル・マスもそうだ。童顔美女は日本人女性というイメージを単純に持っていたが、それは私の偏見だった。その後、ジョニー・デップも出演している『ショコラ』で観た彼女は、可愛らしさに加えて大人の落ち着きもあって、いい年の取り方をしているなと思った。本作でも相変わらず可愛らしさを保っていらっしゃり、相変わらず魅力的だった。

クロエ・グレース・モレッツもまた、暴言を吐いたり不倫したりする生意気でお騒がせな若手俳優を好演。

若い二人の俳優はそれぞれ魅力的で存在感もあったが、結局、本作で最も魅せられたのは様々な表情を見せてくれたジュリエット・ビノシェだった。

The Poker House

In July 2022, I watched The Poker House for the first time on the television set. The drama was released in 2008 and was done six years later in Japan. It was scripted and directed by Lori Petty. It was also based on Petty's experiences in her middle teens. Jennifer Lawrence stars it. Chloë Grace Moretz also acted in it.

It depicts one day of the life of Agnes who used to live with her violent father, lives in a brothel with her mother and two little sisters, and have harsh experiences with her sisters.

My father always threatened my families with his physical strength and employed brute force against us in a bad mood without hesitation, so I had always thought of myself as unhappy, however, one day I knew that the father of my friend in my high-school days was like my father. Then I gradually realized that a lot of children were more unhappy than me after I left my families, started to live myself and heard various stories from people who I met and the mass media reporting about actual child abuse cases. Moreover, I knew Agness who is the oldest of three sisters in the movie. Considering that she was in the middle of her youth, it was really sad that she was raped but her mother did not even console her just after that, what was worse, she coldly handle her daughter. Nevertheless, Agnes grew without being corrupted afterwards. What a wonderful young woman! 

I believe that announcing a true story like that is a good thing. Parents who cannot love their children surely exist. It is risky to blindly believe that every parent loves their children from the bottom of their heart. Many children cannot say what they want to do in reality due to the belief.

Jennifer Lawrence passionately and wonderfully performed the role of Agnes whose character is based on the experiences in the youth of the director, Lori Petty. As for Sarah, Agnes' mother, considering that a human's true colors show when the worst happens, she was bad because she did not really care for her oldest daughter, though she deserved some sympathy, for she could not help selling herself for money and indulging in alcohol and drugs.

Frankly speaking, I watched it because I wanted to see Chloë Grace Moretz. She was really lovely as Mindy and Hit-Girl in Kick-Ass that was released in 2010 in the United States. Although she was really pretty especially when she was shaking her head to the rock music in the cars in the 2008 flick, yet the charm and presence of Jennifer Lawrence was more overwhelming patly because Chloë then was just a child.

早熟のアイオワ

2022年７月、『早熟のアイオワ』をTV画面にて初観賞した。2008年公開のドラマ映画。日本公開は2014年。監督および脚本はロリ・ペティ。ペティの少女時代の体験を基にした物語。ジェニファー・ローレンス主演。クロエ・グレース・モレッツ出演。

家族に暴力をふるう父親と別れる事は出来たが、その後、売春宿で売春婦の母と一緒に暮らすことになった３姉妹の、特に、長女アグネスの過酷な一日が描かれている。

私の父は、常日頃から家族を腕力で威嚇して機嫌が悪い時は平気で暴力を振るう人だった。だから、私は自分を不幸だとずっと思っていた。だが、高校時代の友人の父親も似たような人間であった事を知ったり、実家を出て一人暮らしを始めてから出会った様々な方から色々な話を聞いたり、マスコミが報道する幼児虐待の実態を見聞きして、自分より不幸な子供たちが大勢いる事を徐々に知った。そして、本作の３姉妹の長女アグネス。彼女が思春期真っただ中の年頃だった事を考えると、あの暴行事件の被害者になっただけでなく、その直後に母親から慰められる事も無く、逆に冷たくあしらわれたのは本当に悲しい話だ。それでも、その後も堕落する事無く成長した彼女は素晴らしい女性だ。

こういう実話が公になるのは良い事だと思う。自分の子供を愛せない親は確実に存在している。全ての親が彼らの子供たちを心から愛していると盲目的に信じる事は危険だ。その間違った認識のせいで言いたい事を言えない子供たちが大勢いるのが現実。

ジェニファー・ローレンスがアグネスを熱演。監督のペティの少女時代の体験に基づいて作られたその役を見事に演じ切っていた。アグネスの母親サラに関しては、体を売るしかない状況で酒や薬にも溺れていた為、娘たちを深く愛することが出来なかった事への多少の同情の余地はあるものの、人間の本質が露出するのはギリギリの状況の時である事を思うと、残念なお方だ。

正直に言うと、クロエ・グレース・モレッツ見たさで観賞した本作。この２年後に公開された『キック・アス』でのミンディおよびヒットガールを演じた彼女は可愛らしくて最高だった。本作でも、特に、車の中でロックミュージックに合わせて頭を前後に振っているシーンはとても可愛らしかった。だが、本作ではまだ子供だったので、ローレンスの魅力や存在感の方が圧倒的だった。

Blue Jasmine

In July 2022, I watched Blu Jasmine for the first time on the television set. The drama film was released in 2013. It was directed by Woody Allen and stars Cate Blanchett.

Jasmine, the protagonist, had led a luxurious life thanks to her rich husband until her husband was arrested. The bimbo with little fortune continues to think of herself as special without the basis of it and annoy people around her.

Jasmine was associated with the awful memories of a woman who had always told me to go to her favorite expensive restaurant saying that she did not want to drink with me in a cheap bar, which made me feel ill. Although she was pretty, yet she was selfish, extravagant, indifferent with the arts and really resembled Jasmine who misunderstands herself and lies.

Cate Blanchett looking cool and intelligent gave a brilliant performance as the bimbo. Then Blanchett won the Oscar for Best Actress in the movie. She was a wonderful actor who can play various roles. I had been not interested in her in The Talented Mr. Ripley and The Gift but I got intrigued with her as the nasty but kind of attractive stepmother in Cinderella. I have finally become a big fan of her since I watched Ocean's Eight in which she was awesome. I was attracted by a devilish face that she shows in Nightmare Alley when it was released. She was wonderful when she acted an elegant lady in Carol costarring with Rooney Mara. I had wanted to see the way she performs under the direction of Wood Allen in Blue Jasmine, however, her performance was so amazing and overwhelming that I almost forgot that it was Allen's film. I have not yet viewed Elizabeth that made her famous. I must do it if I want to say that I am a fan of her.

ブルージャスミン

2022年７月、『ブルージャスミン』をTVにて初観賞。2013年公開のドラマ映画。ウディ・アレン監督作。主演はケイト・ブランシェット。

金持ちの夫のおかげで贅沢な生活をし続けていた、綺麗なだけが取り柄のジャスミンが、夫の逮捕で財産を失った後も何の根拠も無く自分を特別な女と思い込んだまま迷走し続けるお話。

観賞中、あなたとは安っぽい店では飲みたくないの、と言って、毎回、自分好みの比較的高価でおしゃれなお店に行くことを強要してきた女性との嫌な思い出が蘇って気分が悪くなった。綺麗ではあったが、自己中で贅沢好きで話題に乏しかった彼女は、嘘つきな勘違い女ジャスミンにとてもよく似ていた。

クールで知的なイメージを持つケイト・ブランシェットが、そんな中身が空っぽなジャスミンを絶妙に好演。本作でアカデミー賞主演女優賞を受賞している。演技の幅が広い素晴らしい俳優さんだ。『リプリー』や『ギフト』ではそれほど印象に残らなかったブランシェット。その後、『シンデレラ』での意地悪だがどこか魅力的な継母役で興味が湧いて、『オーシャンズ８』でのカッコよさに痺れて好きになった。公開時に観覧した『ナイトメア・アリー』で見せた悪魔の形相にも魅せられた。ルーニー・マーラと共演した『キャロル』での気品が漂う淑女役も素敵だった。そして、アレンの演出で彼女がどんな風に躍動するのか観たかった本作。ウディ・アレンの作品であることを忘れさせる程、彼女の演技は圧倒的で素晴らしかった。出世作『エリザベス』はまだ観ていない。彼女のファンだと公言したかったら、観るべき作品だな。

Carrie

In June 2022, I watched Carrie for the first time on the television set. The horror film was released in 2013. It is a remake of the one with the same title relased in 1976 and is based on the novel with the same name written by Stepen King. It stars Chloë Grace Moretz.

It tells the story of Carrie who is a shy high school girl with supernatural powers, has been coldly treated by her classmates, is bullied harshly one day, and finally explodes in rage.

Although it is a horror movie, yet Chloë Grace Moretz as Carrie was too lovely to terrify me so much. However, I felt frightened by the madness of Carrie's mother who fanatically believes in a religion. Julianne Moore performed her. I also felt catharsis when Carrie gets furious and starts to relentlessly attack her mean classmates who look to be rotten to the core. Moreover, the last duel between the two pretty women was worth watching toward the ending.

I first saw Chloë Grace Moretz in Hugo released in 2011. I then was not impressed with her so much, so I did not memorize her name, though I thought that she was cute. I first recognized her in the thriller movie Greta released in 2018. She gave a wonderful performance as a young woman who is frequently frightened. I prefer Chloë as a scared woman to Chloë as a scary one, though she gave a wonderful performance as Carrie running wild with rage.

Many flicks have been adapted from the novels written by Stephen King. I do not think of them as bad but I do not like most of them, especially It and The Mist that I have watched in recent years. All the same, I like The Shinning, Hearts in Atlantis, Misery and Stand by Me thanks to the charm of the director, Stanley Kubrick, the actors, Anthony Hopkins, Kathy Bates and River Phoenix respectively rather than the stories created by King. As for Carrie, it was just entertaining, though I was drawn by the passionate acts of Chloë Grace Moretz and Julianne Moore. Sissy Spacek starred the movie with the same name released in 1976, which has won a more popularity, so it is intrguing. I saw Spacek for the first time in Missing when I felt that she was not so beautiful but was really lovely and attractive. Then she was still charming for her age in The Old Man & the Gun released in 2018. I would like to watch Carrie performed by Spacek in her twenties.

Ansel Elgort gave a good performance as a guy who is on Carrie's side in the 2013 film. He starred Baby Driver released in 2017. I regarded it as just good when I watched it, so I was surprised by how popular the movie was when I knew about it. It is one of the motion pictures, such as Back to the Future, The Shawshank Redemption and Léon, which have a huge gap between the evaluations of mine and people. Elgort costars with Chloë again in November Criminals released in 2017. The one is not so popular, so I will watch it with little expectations when I have the opportunity to.    

キャリー

2022年６月、『キャリー』をTV画面にて初観賞。2013年公開のホラー映画。1976年公開の同名映画のリメイク作。原作は1974年に発表されたスティーブン・キングの同名小説。主演はクロエ・グレース・モレッツ。

超能力を持っているものの、日頃から同級生に冷たくあしらわれている内気な少女キャリーが、ひどいいじめを受けた後、ため込んでいた怒りを爆発させるお話。

ホラーだが、キャリーを演じたクロエ・グレース・モレッツが可愛すぎたのでそれほど怖くはなかった。それでも、宗教を妄信している、キャリーの母親を演じたジュリアン・ムーアの狂気には恐ろしさを感じたし、ブチ切れたキャリーの、性根が腐っているかのような意地悪な学友たちへの反撃にはカタルシスを覚えた。そして、最後の二人の美女の対決には観応えがあった。

クロエ・グレース・モレッツ出演作で初めて観たのは2011年公開の『ヒューゴの不思議な発明』。だが、その時は、可愛い娘だなとは思ったものの、それほど印象には残らず、無論、名前も憶えられなかった。彼女を初めて認識したのは、怯える若い女性を好演していた、2018年公開のスリラー映画『グレタ GRETA』。怒りに震えて暴走するキャリーの演技も素晴らしかったが、どちらかと言えば、視聴者を怯えさせたり怖がらせるよりも、怯えたり、怖がる彼女の方が好きだ。

スティーブン・キング原作の映画は多数製作されているが、概ね、駄作だとは思わないものの、あまり好きではない。ただ、『シャイニング』、『アトランティスのこころ』、『ミザリー』、『スタンド・バイ・ミー』等、好きな作品はある。でも、それは、スティーブン・キングが創造した物語と言うよりも、スタンリー・キューブリック、アンソニー・ホプキンス、キャシー・ベイツ、そして、リヴァー・フェニックスといった、それぞれの監督や出演俳優に魅せられた感があり、特に、近年観た『IT／イット "それ" が見えたら、終わり』や『ミスト』はあまり好きにはなれなかった。本作に関しては、クロエ・グレース・モレッツとジュリアン・ムーアの熱演には惹きつけられたものの、作品は普通の面白さだった。本作よりも評価の高い1976年公開の同名映画はシシー・スペイセク主演なので興味深い。スペイセクを初めて観た映画は『ミッシング』。あまり綺麗だとは思わなかったが、とても可愛らしくて魅力的だった。そして、2018年公開の『さらば愛しきアウトロー』では、ご高齢にもかかわらず、変わらず魅力的だった。若い彼女が演じたキャリーもぜひ観たい。

キャリーの味方の一人をアンセル・エルゴートが好演。人気作『ベイビー・ドライバー』で主演している。それを観た時はまあまあの面白さだと感じていたので、その後、世間での評価がものすごく高いことを知った時は驚いた。『バック・トゥ・ザ・フューチャー』、『ショーシャンクの空に』、そして、『レオン』と同様、世間の評価と自分のそれにとてもギャップを感じる作品の一つだ。彼はクロエ・グレース・モレッツと2017年に公開された『クリミナル・タウン』で再共演している。低評価の作品なので、観賞する機会があったら、期待値低めで観賞に臨みたい。

Gone Girl

In June 2022, I watched Gone Girl for the first time on the television set. The mystery film was released in 2014. It was based on the novel with the same title published in 2012 and written by Gillian Flynn. David Fincher directed it. Ben Affleck stars it and costars with Rosamund Pike.

The story follows Nick to be at the mercy of his wife, Amy, who is missing.

Nick marries Amy and starts to lead a happy life with her, though he lost his job and becomes negligent a little, moreover, he has affairs with a young woman. The ordinary middle-aged man is kind of a chauvinist but is not vicious, nevertheless, he is charged with killing his wife a few days after her missing and is accused relentlessly by a television program whose host is a popular female news caster who sees herself as a friend of women because Amy is beautiful and famous. Ben Affleck gave a good performance as Nick.

Then, as the story goes on, the mystery of her missing is gradually revealed. The suspense movie entertained me.

Some women might think of Nick as bad, however, as a man I felt that most men are like him and that women are horrible, though I do not think that every woman is. I also thought that I must give careful consideration to a woman when I become friend of her. In addition, I hoped that I can ascertain whether the woman is a psychopath, though I could not ascertain whether once I fall for her, for I also believe that love is blind. I, basically, never would dream that she might be.

Amy was charming and amusing when she swears at Nick's lover and calls her as the girl with the giant cum-on-me tits. That is the same as men who envy other men with bigger pricks than theirs. Except for the scene, she was secretly terrible and never funny. She looked angelic in a good mood but she stopped pretending to be like an angel when her husband started to change his attitude toward her and he became no longer a good provider, which really frightened me. Rosamund Pike gave a mysterious act as Amy. I was amazed in the final phase at the dreadful scenes unique to David Fincher films.

I saw Pike for the first time when I watched I Care a Lot released in 2021. The awfully vicious woman performed by her made me feel ill, though I could have kind of enjoy watching the character if I did the 2014 flick before.

Although the actors' playing was good, yet I felt that the director's job was more brilliant. The superb movie has tensions all the time.

ゴーン・ガール

2022年６月、『ゴーン・ガール』をTV画面にて初観賞した。2014年公開のミステリー映画。原作はギリアン・フリが2012年に発表した同名小説。監督はデヴィッド・フィンチャー。主演ベン・アフレック。ロザムンド・パイク出演。

失踪した妻エイミーに翻弄される夫ニックのお話。

ニックは、エイミーと結婚して幸せな夫婦生活を送るも、数年後の失業で若干怠惰になった挙げ句、若い女と浮気までしてしまう、どこにでもいそうなごく平凡な中年男。若干男尊女卑の考えを持っているものの、悪人ではない彼。エイミー失踪の数日後に警察から妻殺しの殺人容疑をかけられ、さらに、エイミーが美女で有名人だったこともあり、女性の味方を自認する人気女性キャスターのテレビ番組から容赦のない非難を浴びる。そんなニックをベン・アフレックが好演。

そして、物語が進むにつれて、エイミーの疾走の謎が次第に明らかになっていく。面白いサスペンスだ。

ニックが悪いと思う女性もいるかもしれないが、男なんてこんなもんだよな、と男の私は思ってしまった。そして、全ての女性がそうだとは思わないが、女は恐ろしい、親しくなったら常に気持ちを慮っていなければ、と思った。サイコパスを見分ける術が欲しいとも思ったが、好きになってしまえば、愛は盲目とも言うし、見極められないだろうな。そもそも、そうかもとは夢にも思わないだろうし。

ニックの浮気相手を「若い巨乳のヤリマン」と毒づく場面では可愛げがあって可笑しかったエイミー。男がアレの大きい男に嫉妬するのと同じだな。だが、その点以外は、笑えない密かに恐ろしい女。機嫌が良い時は天使だが、ニックが甲斐性なしになり彼女への態度も変わった途端、その可愛らしい仮面を脱ぎ捨てる様が本当に怖かった。そんな彼女をロザムンド・パイクが怪演。デヴィッド・フィンチャー監督作らしい終盤の修羅場には驚かされた。

パイクを初めて見たのは2021年公開の『パーフェクト・ケア』。どうしようもない悪女を演じていて気分が悪くなったが、本作を先に観ていたら、もう少し楽しめる余裕ができていたかもしれないな。

出演している俳優の演技も素晴らしかったが、監督の演出が冴えわたっている、全編に緊張感が漂う良作。

Top Gun: Maverick

In June 2022, I watched Top Gun: Maverick for the first time at Movix Kameari. The action film was released in 2022. It is the sequel of Top Gun in 1986. Tom Cruise stars in both of them.

I had not watched the 1986 film for a long time because I did not like Tom Cruise in his twenties and thirties. In May 2022, I finally did it for the first time so that I could be more entertained by the 2022 one than I did not. It was released thirty-six years ago, so I felt some of the scenes to be kind of dated, however, it was worth watching more than expected, especially the friendship among the young excellent pilots, the death of a best friend, and the lovely Meg Ryan who I saw after a long time.

It follows Maverick performed by Tom Cruise, who used to be an instructor of a Navy school called TOPGUN after graduating it, returns to it to teach and train young brilliant pilots, and fights a rogue nation with the young aviators.

I had not had an emotional attachment to the film, unlike longtime fans who watched the previous one at theaters, so I remembered one of my most favorite ones The Right Stuff when Ed Harris appears and watches Maverick as a test pilot terribly trying to fly at over Much 10. If Sam Shepard had acted the role of Harris, the scene would have been perfect for me, though it could not have been helped because Mr. Shepard passed away in 2017.

Tom Cruise had a physical beauty as before and looked young as well as the young pilots when they play American football together at the beach in swimwear. The evergreen actor runs and run in Mission: Impossible - Fallout that I viewed at a theater just after the release. He would show his wonderful stunts in the next Mission: Impossible movie. I hope that he will do his best and keep from being killed.

The dogfight scenes of the older flick did not satisfy me so much because I had already gotten used to seeing action scenes of the latest ones, however, the ones of the newer one were so realistic and amazing that I regret that I did not see it at an IMAX theater.

Although the music of the last one made me just feel nostalgic despite of the enormous popularity of it, yet I felt comfortable hearing "Let's Dance" performed by David Bowie and "Get It On" by T. Rex in the latest one. Then I was really touched by the sound of a synthesizer in "Won't Get Fooled Again" by The Who when the fighter planes are flying. The three songs were released before Top Gun was. Lady Gaga was newly tapped for the score of Top Gun: Maverick in which such old songs were selected. Lady Gaga also gave a good act in House of Gucci for a professional musician. I feel pleased thinking that her musical taste might resemble mine.

It depicts well the feud between Maverick and Rooster who is a son of Maverick's best friend, Goose, in Top Gun, and the friendship between Rooster and his rival, Hangman with smirks, so the entertaining blockbuster is also a wonderful drama film. 

トップガン マーヴェリック

2022年６月、Movix亀有にて『トップガン マーヴェリック』を初観賞した。2022年公開のアクション映画。1986年に公開された『トップガン』の続編。両作ともにトム・クルーズ主演。

若い頃のトム・クルーズが好きではなかったので長い間観ていなかった前作。本作をより楽しむために、その公開直前の2022年５月にTV画面で観賞。36年前の作品なので所々古臭く感じたが、若い優秀なパイロット同士の友情やら親友の死やら、そして、久しぶりに見たメグ・ライアンの可愛らしさやらで、想像以上に観応えがあった。

優秀なパイロットをさらに訓練する学校、トップガンの卒業生でもあり元教官でもある、トム・クルーズ演じるマーヴェリックが、再び教官として復帰して彼の教え子たちと共にならず者国家と闘うお話。

前作を映画館でご覧になっていたファンの方々ほどの思い入れが無いので、マッハ10以上の記録を出すためにテスト・パイロットのマーヴェリックが無茶をする冒頭の場面では、エド・ハリスが現れた時に大好きな映画『ライトスタッフ』を思い出していた。ハリスではなくサム・シェパードだったら完璧なキャスティングだったが、もう亡くなっていらっしゃるので仕方がないな。

トム・クルーズの肉体美は相変わらずだった。若いパイロットたちに混じって海辺でアメフトに興じるマーヴェリックの水着姿は他の若者たちのそれと引けを取らないほど若々しかった。公開時に劇場観覧した『ミッション：インポッシブル/フォールアウト』では走りまくっていたトム様。『ミッション：インポッシブル』最新作でもまた素晴らしいアクションを披露してくれるだろう。死なない程度に頑張って頂きたい。

最新のアクション映画の映像に見慣れていたので、前作のドッグファイトには物足りなさを感じてしまったが、本作のそれは臨場感がハンパなくてとても素晴らしかった。観賞中、IMAXで観るべきだったと悔やみもした。

前作は音楽も評価されているが、私には懐かしさしか感じられなかった。だが、本作で聞こえてきたデヴィッド・ボウイの「レッツ・ダンス」やＴ・レックスの「ゲット・イット・オン」には鳥肌が立った。そして、極めつけは戦闘機の飛行中に流れたザ・フーの「無法の世界」のシンセサイザー。３曲とも前作公開前の発表曲。そんな古い曲たちが選ばれた本作の音楽担当には新たにレディ・ガガが加わっている。『ハウス・オブ・グッチ』では、歌手を本業としている割にはなかなかの演技を披露していたガガ様。彼女の好みが自分の好みと似ているのかもしれないと思えて嬉しい。

マーヴェリックと、前作で彼の親友だったグースの息子であるルースターとの確執や、ルースターと、彼のライバルでニヤケ顔のハングマンとの友情等、ドラマとしても観応え十分な素晴らしい超娯楽大作。

Knives Out

In May 2022, I watched Knives Out for the first time on the television set. The suspense film was released in 2019. Ana de Armas starred in it with Daniel Craig who acted a master detective.

I started to watch it thinking that the mystery would become clear toward the ending, like the films Murder on the Orient Express and Death on the Nile based on the novels with the same titles written by Agatha Christie, however, it gradually does clear from the middle, moreover, the film is kind of comic overall.

The story is like this. The death of an aged famous novelist causes an ugly conflict among his family over his legacy and involves his nurse in it.

Seeing the bereaved family become heated to succeed his inheritance, I remembered the Japanese flick The Inugami Curse based on the book with the same name written by Seishi Yokomizo and I felt that people universally get ugly once they have a chance to obtain a lot of money, though they cannot help it because they get the money only if they win conflicts with others.  

Ana de Armas gave a good performance as the writer's nurse who gets involved in the dirty fight. I smiled scornfully at her habit of vomiting whenever she lies and I honestly thought that the role is more suitable for the Japanese actor Kasumi Arimura if she is fluent in English, however, Armas with a baby face appearing in most of it looked to be cute and charming. I first saw her in Blade Runner 2049. She acted a holographic AI and attracted me more than the lead, Ryan Gosling. Then she was lovely, bewitching and brilliant as a CIA agent in the latest James Bond movie, No Time To Die.

Daniel Craig acted as a crack detective who watches over the ugly dispute about the succession. His kind of comical performance and unique aura fascinated me, though, frankly, I had a feeling of strangeness a little about him because the image of him as James Bond was still strong.

I might be able to enjoy watching it many times and feel about it differently each time, for many famous actors appear in it. The sequel is planned to make. I hope that I will get used to Daniel Craig not as James Bond when it is released.

ナイブズ・アウト/名探偵と刃の館の秘密

2022年５月、『ナイブズ・アウト/名探偵と刃の館の秘密』をTV画面にて初観賞。2019年公開のサスペンス映画。主演はアル・デ・アルマ。名探偵役にダニエル・クレイグ。

アガサ・クリスティー原作の『オリエント急行殺人事件』や『ナイル殺人事件』のように終盤で事件の謎が明らかになるお話だろうと思って観賞に臨んだが、実際には、中盤から事の真相が徐々に明らかになる、そして、全般的に、若干コメディっぽい作品だった。

ある高齢の人気作家が亡くなり、彼の遺産の相続を巡る彼の家族たちの醜い争いに彼の看護師が巻き込まれるお話。

遺産を相続するために躍起になる人たちを見ながら横溝正史原作の映画『犬神家の一族』を連想して、お金が絡むと人が醜くなってしまうのは万国共通だなと思った。ま、その争いに勝てば莫大な金額を手にすることができるとなると人が変わってしまうのは仕方がないかなとも思うが。

そんな争いに巻き込まれる、その逝去した高名な作家の看護師をアル・デ・アルマスが好演。ただ、嘘をつくと吐いてしまうという癖には苦笑してしまった。また、正直、もし英語が流暢だったら、日本人俳優の有村架純の方が適役ではないかと思ったりもしたが、全編に渡って出ている童顔で可愛いアルマスは魅力的だった。彼女を初めて見たのは『ブレードランナー2049』でのAI役。主演のライアン・ゴズリングよりも目を惹く存在だった。そして、007シリーズ最新作『ノー・タイム・トゥ・ダイ』でのCIAエージェント役は妖艶で愛らしくて最高だった。

その醜い遺産相続争いを見守る名探偵を演じているのがダニエル・クレイグ。若干コミカルな演技と独特な雰囲気には魅せられたが、正直、ジェームズ・ボンドのイメージがまだ強く残っている為、違和感も覚えた。

有名俳優が多数出演しているため、観る度に感じ方が変わりそうな、何度も観賞できそうな良作。続編が製作中らしい。公開される頃には、ジェームズ・ボンドではないダニエル・クレイグへの違和感が無くなっていてほしいな。

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

In May 2022, I watched The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo for the first time on the television set. The suspense film was released in 2011. It is a remake of the Swedish-language film with the same title released in 2009 and it is also based on the Swedish mystery novel with the same name written by Stieg Larsson and published in 2005.

It follows the journalist Mikael with the magazine Millennium who is asked by a big businessperson to investigate his niece missing for 40 years and struggles to solve the difficult case with a computer genius named Lisbeth.

I watched it because Daniel Craig stars in it but I was really amazed at Rooney Mara's performance that she seemed to put everything she then had into as the skinny Lisbeth in black. Before viewing it, I had known only about Rooney as pretty women in Don't Worry, He Won't Get Far on Foot, Carol and other films and I had never dreamed that she had already acted such harsh role in it, so her acting stunned me, moreover, I marveled at the fact that the cute Rooney accepted the role of Lisbeth who is sexually humiliated. I was also impressed by how cool she was with sorrow at the ending. As for Daniel Craig, I had known only about Craig as James Bond, so I was not satisfied so much with him, though men with no superhuman toughness like Mikael are something like that. I would get used to seeing Craig as a physically normal man if I saw several more movies in which he does not play 007.

The supporting actors Christopher Plummer and Stellan Skarsgård showed their presence and fascinated me. Then, after watching it, I realized that Skarsgård had played the tall and slender professor of mathematics in Good Will Hunting. I have also seen him in Borg McEnroe and other films. The Swedish actor seems to have become dignified as he got older.

I got disgusted by the story as truth came out. Then the final phase reminded me of Chinatown starring Jack Nicholson. As well as the Roman Polanski film, it is good and stylish with tension as a whole, though it includes the ugly episodes. After all, the David Fincher pictures are also different.

ドラゴン・タトゥーの女

2022年５月、『ドラゴン・タトゥーの女』をTV画面にて初観賞した。2011年公開のサスペンス映画。2009年に公開されたスウェーデン映画『ミレニアム ドラゴン・タトゥーの女』のリメイクで、原作は2005年に出版されたスティーグ・ラーソンの推理小説『ミレニアム１ ドラゴン・タトゥーの女』。

ある大物実業家から40年前に行方不明になった彼の姪について調査するよう依頼された雑誌『ミレニアム』記者ミカエルが、天才ハッカーのリスベットと共にその失踪事件の解明を目指して奮闘するお話。

ダニエル・クレイグ主演との事で観る気になったが、痩せぎすで黒ずくめのリスベットを演じたルーニー・マーラの体当たり演技に度肝を抜かれた。ルーニーに関しては、『ドント・ウォーリー』や『キャロル』等で可愛い女性を演じていた彼女しか知らずにいて、本作であんな酷い目に遭う役を既に演じていたとは夢にも思っていなかったので、また、可憐なお顔でいらっしゃるのにあんな辱めを受ける役なんてよく引き受けたな、と驚いた。そして、ラストの切なさの滲んだカッコ良さに痺れた。クレイグはと言えば、ジェームズ・ボンド役の彼しか知らなかった為、本作でのミカエル役は少し物足りなかったが、超人的なタフネスさを持ち合わせていない人間なんてあんなものだ。ボンドではない彼が出演している作品をあと何本か観れば、身体能力が普通の男性役の彼にも慣れるだろう。

脇役では、存在感のあるクリストファー・プラマーとステラン・スカルスガルドにそれぞれ魅せられた。そして、今回、スカルスガルドが『グッド・ウィル・ハンティング』であの長身痩躯の数学教授を演じていた事に初めて気づいた。『ボルグ/マッケンロー』にも出ているが、年齢を重ねて貫録が増したようだ。

真実が明らかになるにつれて気分が悪くなる物語。終盤の観賞中、ジャック・ニコルソン主演の『チャイナタウン』を思い出した。あのロマン・ポランスキー監督作同様、下衆な話が盛り込まれているものの、全編に緊張感が漂うスタイリッシュな良作。やはり、デヴィット・フィンチャー監督作も一味違う。

Carol

In May 2022, I watched Carol for the first time on the television set. The drama film was released in 2015 and directed by Todd Haynes. It is based on the novel with the same tittle written by Patricia Highsmith and published in 1952. The novelist also wrote The Talented Mr. Ridley which was adapted for the French and Italian one Plein Soleil released in 1960 and starring Alain Delon and the American one The Talented Mr. Ripley in 1999 and Matt Damon. The protagonists of the two book are homosexual.

The two leads, Rooney Mara and Cate Blanchett, also costarred in Nightmare Alley as a young cute woman who most men long for and idealize and as a lovely lady hiding a devilish face. I watched the suspense film at a theater last month and then I knew the two actors had acted together in the 2015 one, so I recently viewed it.

It tells the story of Therese, a young cute woman working at a department store and dating with a man, falls in love with Carol, a lovely and elegant lady living with her husband and daughter.

I had not known that it depicts a lesbian romance, so I was puzzled a little when the two women start to love each other, however, I was never upset because I had already watched Booksmart, The Prom and Portrait de la jeune fille en feu, which all did a lesbian one. Then I felt anew that lesbian romances are almost essentially the same as heterosexual ones. I could understand that it needed to show how deeply the two woman fall in love with each other but I was surprised by how vividly it depicts that they are making love with each other at night, though the two actors are really beautiful on the bed.

During watching it, I thought that the director must be a woman because of the depictions of the men who tend to push their ideas against the two women. Although it is a man named Todd Haynes, yet Haynes has come out publicly as a gay. Our society has slightly but gradually changed from a male-dominated one to a gender equality one. I like to be a person with fair eyes so that I can catch up with the times.

The film is a wonderful but kind of painful romance filled with the charms of the two stunners, Cate Blanchett and Rooney Mara.

キャロル

2022年５月、『キャロル』をTV画面にて初観賞。2015年公開のドラマ映画。トッド・ヘインズ監督作。パトリシア・ハイスミスが1952年に発表した同名小説が原作。因みに、ハイスミスは、1960年公開のアラン・ドロン主演のフランス・イタリア映画『太陽がいっぱい』や1999年公開のマット・デイモンが主演した『リプリー』の原作小説『太陽がいっぱい』の著者でもある。２冊とも主人公は同性愛者。

先月観覧した『ナイトメア・アリー』にて、綺麗だが悪魔のような表情も見せたケイト・ブランシェットと世の男たちが恋焦がれる理想的な可愛い女性を演じたルーニー・マーラが、本作でダブル主演していると知り、早速観賞した。

彼氏がいる若くて可愛いデパートの店員テレーズが夫と娘を持つ綺麗で気品のある淑女キャロルと出会ってしまうお話。

レズビアンのロマンスが描かれているとは知らなかったので二人の女性がお互いに恋愛感情を持ち始めた時は若干戸惑ったが、それまでにレズビアンの恋愛が描かれた『ブックスマート』、『ザ・プロム』、そして、『燃ゆる女の肖像』を観ていたので動揺することはなかった。そして、二人の関係を見ながら、女同士の恋愛も男女のそれも本質的には変わらないなあと改めて感じた。二人の愛の深さを見せる必然性があったにせよ、二人が枕を交わす夜が濃密に描写されていた事には若干驚かされもしたが、そのベッドシーンを演じたお二人は本当に美しかった。

観賞中、自分の考えを押しつけがちな男たちの描かれ方から、女性監督作っぽいなと感じたが、観賞後に調べてみると監督は男性のトッド・ヘインズ。だが、ゲイであることをカミングアウトしているお方だった。社会が男性優位から僅かだが少しずつ男女平等社会に移行しているこのご時世。時代に置き去りにされぬよう公平な目を持ちたいものだ。

二人の美女、ケイト・ブランシェットとルーニー・マーラの魅力満載の、素敵で切ない恋愛映画。

The Professor

In October 2020, I watched The Professor for the first time at Kinema Junpo Theater. The comedy drama film is released in 2018 starring Johnny Depp. I came to want to watch Depp's superb act and a friendship between two college professors, one of whom Depp played, in it again after I saw a wonderful performance that Depp gave in Minamata at a theater in September 2021 and a friendship tale of a lame teacher played by Mads Mikkelsen and his three colleagues in Another Round at it in October 2021. I love the film which I have done several times since I first did it.

It depicts how the middle-aged professor Richard has lived since he was diagnosed as lung cancer and was told his remaining days.

Richard is told his days by his doctor and on the evening he has dinner and tries to speak about his cancer to his wife and their only daughter when their daughter comes out as a lesbian. Although his wife laughs it off saying to her that it is temporary, yet Richard shows an understanding of it. He should have agreed with his wife, been indifferent to it, or persuaded his daughter to keep it secret considering their reputation like an ordinary father if he had not known about his near future. Afterward, his wife confesses her affairs to him, however, he shows no anger at her and is just amazed by the fact that her lover is the dean of his college because he has despised the snobbish dean. His best friend, a colleague of him, eventually becomes the first person who he talks to about his terminal cancer. Richard starts to teach his students uniquely and soulfully in his classes like a teacher played Robin Williams in Dead Poets Society, though he seemingly looks to be apathetic. Richard is amusing when he unkindly treats a student of feminism. He also reminded me Mads Mikkelsen acting a middle-aged teacher, who absorbs his student with the help of alcohol, when he gets drunk and high on marijuana in his classes. I believe that such classes are far more instructive for young students than boring ones just in order to get good grades on tests

Johnny Depp performed Richard charmingly and sometimes cynically through most of the flick. He looked to be really awesome, though he acted the role of a lame middle-aged man.

The film is also wonderful because you can watch it without pessimism and consider about death that is demanding when you do that myself.

グッバイ、リチャード！

2020年10月、キネマ旬報シアターにて『グッバイ、リチャード！』を初観賞。2018年公開のコメディドラマ。ジョニー・デップ主演。2021年９月に劇場観覧した『MINAMATA』でのデップの好演ぶりや、その翌月に観覧した『アナザーラウンド』でマッツ・ミケルセンが演じた冴えない高校教師とその親友であり同僚でもある３人との友情物語を観て、本作でも好演していたデップと彼が演じた教師とその同僚との友情物語をまた観たくなり、観賞。それ以降も何度か観ているお気に入りの作品。

肺がんと診断され余命宣告を受けた中年教師リチャードのその後の生き様が描かれている。

自分の残された時間を医者から知らされたその日の夜の家族の団らんで一人娘からレズである事をカミングアウトされるリチャード。彼の妻は一時的なものと一笑に付すもリチャードは娘に理解を示す。もし死期が近づいていなかったら、彼は、妻に同調するか、無関心でいるか、世間体を気にして黙っているように娘に諭す父親であっただろう。その後、妻から不倫をしていると告げられるも、特に怒るわけでもなく、その相手が普段から彼が軽蔑している俗物な学長であることを知って呆れるのみ。結局、自分が末期ガンだと初めて伝えたのは同僚の親友だった。学校でのリチャードは、一見投げやりだが、『いまを生きる』のロビン・ウィリアムズを彷彿とさせる魂の授業を始める。フェミニストの生徒を邪険に扱う様が愉快。その授業中に酒を飲んだりマリファナをやる姿は、『アナザーラウンド』でマッツ様が演じた酒の助けを借りながら生徒を熱中させる中年教師を連想させる。そういう授業は、テストの為の退屈なそれよりも断然刺激的で、若い生徒たちの為にもなると思う。

ジョニー・デップがそんなリチャードを全編に渡って、時にコミカルに、そして、魅力たっぷりに演じている。くたびれた中年役なのに本当にカッコいい。

そして、本作は、一人で向き合うにはすごくしんどい、「死」の観念について悲壮感をあまり覚えずに考えることができる素晴らしい映画だ。

Spectre

In October 2021, I watched Spectre for the first time on the television set. I have done the spy action film several times since then and recently did it again. It was released in 2015 and is the fourth movie in the 007 series starring Daniel Craig. Léa Seydoux appeared in it for the first time and the sequel.

It tells the story of James Bond, a MI6 crack agent, who struggles to fight a vicious organization called Spectre falling in love with his former enemy's daughter named Madeleine.

The story starts in Mexico's Day of the Dead which is also depicted in the Disney Pixar film Coco. Bond does his mission behind the cerebration held in Mexico City. He continues to fight the secret crime organization in Rome and Austria according to the information left by the former M in the last one. Then in the process he meets his fate, Madeleine. Daniel Craig acting 007 seemed to be young for his age and really awesome. Léa Seydoux playing Madeleine was pretty and bewitching and she also looked cool when she is using a gun, unlike Judi Dench as M in the former one. They were such a cute couple even if they have age difference. Moreover, the ending made me feel that the installment deserved the last one in the series, though the actual last one changed my remarks about it.

I first viewed Léa Seydoux in Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol. I felt her to be a not really beautiful but mysterious young French woman, she was just a stunner especially in the scenes where she is nude in The French Dispatch that I watched several month ago at a theater. She of course was really attractive in the 007 film.

Ralph Fiennes performed M. He did stunts very well in The King's Man released in 2021. I suspect that he did action in it because he had been inspired by Daniel Craig as 007 running and fighting. Moreover, although he might like to move physically, yet I think that he does not have to do more action than needed anymore because he is enough mature and looks quite good as an English gentleman.

 

 

007 スペクター

2021年10月、TV画面にて『007 スペクター』を初観賞。その後も何度か観ていて最近再観賞した2015年公開のスパイ・アクション映画。ダニエル・クレイグ主演の007シリーズ４作目。本作から続編にも出ているレア・セドゥ出演。

MI6の凄腕エージェント、ジェームズ・ボンドが昔の敵の娘マドレーヌと恋に落ちつつ、悪の組織スペクターと闘うお話。

ピクサー映画『リメンバー・ミー』でも描かれていたメキシコの「死者の日」から物語は始まる。そのメキシコシティにおける祝祭の影で活動するジェームズ・ボンド。その後も、ローマやオーストリアにて前作のMが残した情報を基に秘密組織に挑み続ける。そして、その過程で運命の女性マドレーヌと出会う。ボンドを演じたダニエル・クレイグが実年齢よりも若々しく見えてクールで本当にカッコいい。マドレーヌを演じたレア・セドゥもまた美しくて妖艶で、前作でMを演じたジュディ・デンチとは違って銃を撃つ姿が様になっていて、カッコよかった。年齢差があるお二人だがお似合いのカップルだ。そして、次作を観るまでは、本作で完結しても良かったのではと思えるエンディングだった。

レア・セドゥを初めて観たのは『ミッション:インポッシブル』の３作目。綺麗と言うよりもミステリアスな若いフランス人という感じだったが、数カ月前に観覧した『フレンチ・ディスパッチ ザ・リバティ、カンザス・イヴニング・サン別冊』で披露したヌードはただただ美しかった。もちろん、本作でも本当に魅力的だった。

Mを演じたのはレイフ・ファインズ。本作でクールに暴れ回っているダニエル・クレイグに感化されたのか、６年後、『キングスマン：ファースト・エージェント』で華麗なスタントを披露している。英国紳士が様になる見た目なんだから年齢的にも無理してアクションなんかこなさなくてもいいのにと思ったりするが、動き回るのが好きな性分なんだろうな。

Spider-Man

Around in 2005, I watched Spider-Man for the first time on the television set. The superhero film was released in 2002. Sam Raimi directed it. Japanese film director Kazuyuki Izutsu praised it on television after the release, though I suspected that it was so wonderful. I was also not interested in action films so much those days but I watched it several years later. It was fun and intrigued me the lead, Tobey Maguire. I did The Cider House Rules and Seabiscuit in a row after that. I have loved the ones as well as the Spider-Man ones starring him. In January 2022, I did Spider-Man: No Way Home, which was so wonderful that I came to want to do all of the Spider-Man movies anew. I have done the first one several times even since then.

It tells a story of Peter Parker who is bit by a super-spider as a high-school student, obtains a superhuman physical ability after that and started to get wicked persons in his town as Spider-Man.

I feel odd with the quite lame Peter in the beginning scene every time I watch the film. Then I also feel strange about the reaction of Parker's friends and classmates when they get stunned for a while but unnaturally do not get serious so much with the huge gap between the uncool Parker and the superhuman boy. However, come to think of it, the movie is an entertainment which was adapted from a comic strip, so I must not argue about such trivial things. Tobey Maguire acted Peter who is not so handsome but charming with a clear mind. Kirsten Dunst as Mary Jane in it is lovey but not really beautiful, so I wondered why she was selected at that time as the huge movie's heroin who the protagonist is falling in love with. Dunst as MJ is prettier in the next ones, so a person who cast her as the role would have had vision. Or I had not had much of an eye for women. Or Westerners would tend to be fond of women like Dunst's appearance. I feel comfortable with the fresh romance between Peter and MJ and the friendship among the couple and their friend, Harry.

Although I had not been impressed with the scene in which Peter's uncle, Ben, reasons with his nephew and says, "With great power comes great responsibility" when I first viewed the flick, yet I have gaze the moving moment with tension since I did the latest Spider-Man one, in which the phrase is critical.

The great actor Willem Defoe performed the villain. The entertainment has a plenty of scenes worth watching. 

Spider-Man: No Way Home