Wondrous Oblivion

Forgot just how enoyable the film society was...well done, two great films
Anon

The Motorcycle Diaries

Les Choristes

Tokyo Story

Bad Santa

A really disappointing choice by the Film Society - do you honestly consider this a quality film? Or was it an attempt to open our eyes to diversity? The film had some appeal and some funny moments but its overiding objective was to shock which detracted from the few merits it did have. Nothing was achieved by the constant swearing and sexual activities that bordered on the offensive which seemed to occupy the majority of the film. A shame because there was a story here and the leading actor was very good but it was completely overwhelmed by the shock tactics adopted. I consider myself open minded and wasn't offended by the swearing; I just couldn't work out what it was trying to achieve.
Helen Lamont

After extensive reading of reviews (mixed but generally favourable) and our own pre-viewing, we were intrigued by the notion of Santa as anti-hero - in a world which isn't much better, where security guards are venal, suburban kids are aggressive monsters, mothers are gullible and acquisitive, and where grannies populate des-residences paid for by accountants in jail. CFS has already offered a view on the language - see Nic's notes - but politely takes issue with the idea that the film was chiefly designed to shock. Yes, it did sometimes border on the offensive (in its language and its sex scenes), but in our judgement it was an original and funny seasonal antidote, brilliantly performed by Billy Bob Thornton in the title role and Brett Kelly as the kid. The film had weaknesses, of course, and was probably too soft centred at the close, but in discussion we took it as an intelligent counterblast to much Christmas sentimentality and a subversive ( and for the US market very unusual) satire on festive rituals and assumptions. The ratings seem to show that a significant proportion of last Wednesday's meeting shared our opinion and it was particularly heartening for the committee to hear so much constructive debate over the wine and mince pies after the show.
Tim Edmunds

I would just like to congratulate CFS for a truly diverse film choice. I thought the film was well acted and a breath of fresh air compared to Tokyo Story. I know some people will take a view with regards to the swearing and sex scenes but adequate warnings were provided.
Charlie Fernandez

Before Sunrise

This film was even more boring than Tokyo Story! I don't know which I was most likely to pass out from - the heat in the hall or acute boredom.
Alan Stockwell MBE

Apologies for the heat in the hall - though we obviously turned it off, we are at the mercy of whoever/whatever was using the hall before us.

The committee felt that Before Sunrise was wholly worthy of showing for a number of reasons - it breaks the romantic comedy mould; it has a naturalness that is incredibly rare in film; it has wonderful performances and we felt it was a very good film.

Even the best romantic comedy/dramas tend to be formula driven - surprises being as foreign to this genre as a pacifist hero in a shoot 'em up. Film makers have religiously followed the formula, rarely taking more than an occasional detour. With Before Sunrise the director, Richard Linklater not only travels a completely different route but also heads for a new destination.

One of the things that we really liked was just how 'natural' the film seems. The rapport between the two leads is so lacking in artifice that at times the viewer feels like a voyeur. We are privy to everything, including the sort of "unimportant" dialogue that most films shy away from.
Tim Edmunds

Comme une Image

The best film of the season so far! Both of this season’s French films have been excellent.
Alan Stockwell MBE

The story of the weeping Camel

Not too many films concerning (a) Mongolia or (b) camels about these days. I didn't expect to find it so absorbing and entertaining. Dinner For One: Great supporting feature.
Alec Travers

I really enjoyed this film. The story was touching, but it really gave a window on to a vanishing way of life.
Amanda Helm

My Summer of Love

I'm not Scared

Great choice of film, set in yet another part of the world, amongst the dirt-poor of Italy. An object-lesson on how to hold the attention for 90-plus minutes on a miniscule budget (hiring a couple of helicopters for two sequences seems to have been the greatest outlay). “Canformity” - good inventive supporting feature, congratulations to Ben Satchfield: who would have thought baked bean tins could have been (sorry) so entertaining?
Alec Travers

Best film I've seen for a long time.
Amanda Helm

Summary for all films this season

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