Second Film of Choice at The Plaza Dorchester Tonight – Toy Story 4

Second Film of Choice at The Plaza Dorchester Tonight – Toy Story 4. All the old gang, all the old problems. Toy Story is a great franchise, it entertains children and adults alike and is superbly animated. With every toy character there is a human being in the cinema going audience who can recognise it from their own childhood collection. Every soft cuddly bear, missing an eye, or plastic dinosaur which has been loved to death. This final instalment was just as fresh as the first one. Great story line, good jokes and not without some emotion. I’m 50 and I passed a toy shop on my way home from the cinema…..Buzz, Woody and co were in the window and quite a big part of me wanted to take them home. Go see this film, you’re never too old.

First Film of Choice at The Plaza Dorchester Tonight – Aladdin

24 June 2019

First Film of Choice at The Plaza Dorchester Tonight – Aladdin. I’ve really been looking forward to this film. Lover of Disney I’m enjoying the transition from animation to live action. I read a lot in the press and on social media about the good and bad points of Will Smith playing the Genie. He has in no way spoiled the memory of Robin Williams, instead he has brought his own level of blue to role, giving us the familiar character with the Will Smith twist. Mena Massoud who plays Aladdin could literally be the animated version brought to life, it was so like the original Disney character. The new arrangement of the songs was sympathetic to the originals, Abu and carpet were still a great double act and the opulence of Agraba was grand even in poverty. I loved this film it did not disappoint.

Second Film of Choice at The Plaza Dorchester Tonight – John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum

Second Film of Choice at The Plaza Dorchester Tonight – John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum. Continuing from the final scene of the last episode, Chapter 3 finds John Wick running for his life after killing a member of the International Assassin’s Guild. With a huge bounty on his head everywhere he turns he finds someone trying to kill him. This film is high octane and most definitely not for the squeamish. My only criticism would be that some of the fight scenes were a little too long, but that’s a small niggle in an otherwise good film. Halle Berry along with her two canine bodyguards was a firecracker who stormed through the story as if the devil himself was after her. Non stop from start to finish, this film kept my interest right until the end credits. A good couple of hours well spent.

First Film of Choice at The Plaza Dorchester Tonight – Godzilla: King if the Monsters

30 May 2019

First Film of Choice at The Plaza Dorchester Tonight – Godzilla: King of the Monsters. very much in the genre of Clash of the Titans, we find ourselves watching clash of the monsters. This is very much a film for those who love extreme epic battles fought by the gargantuan. The CGI is something else. Used in most films these days it still has the power to awe. What come from the minds of the writers, directors and producers is brought to life by these keyboard computer magicians. Not the greatest of plots but who needs it when it’s visually stimulating. One thing I did love was the use of the Osprey throughout the film, although some of the landing and take off scenes were pretty unbelievable. If you’re a monster fan, or more to the point if you are a Godzilla fan you will love this film.

Second Film of Choice at The Plaza Dorchester Tonight – Long Shot

Second Film of Choice at The Plaza Dorchester Tonight – Long Shot. An unlikely pairing of Seth Rogan and Charlize Theron in a romantic comedy that somehow works and keeps you entertained. If a film is billed as a comedy it has to be really well written and executed to have me rolling in the aisles and this film certainly didn’t do that, however there were more than a few laugh out loud moments. There was also a good if light hearted plot. Theron plays the lifetime crush of Fred Flarsky (Rogan), having once been his baby sitter she is now the Secretary of State of the United States of America and way out of his league…….or is she??? Hired by Theron as one of her speech writers against the well meaning advice of her closest aides, Rogan turns from an uncouth lout into something more special, yet retains much of his loutishness. This film reminds me very much of Dave starring Kevin Kline and Sigourney Weaver in so much as it marries up two of the most unlikely people, one practically unattainable and one of the so called common people. I seem drawn to comedies that cock a snook at the American political arena, but they make for some entertaining watching and this one certainly fits the bill. A pleasant way to spend a couple of hours.

First Film of Choice at The Plaza Dorchester Tonight – A Dog’s Journey

13 May 2019

First Film of Choice at The Plaza Dorchester Tonight – A Dog’s Journey. So this is a sequel to A dog’s Purpose and if you taken one thing to the cinema with you, make it a box of tissues because unless you have a heart of stone you’re jolly well going to need to crack them open. If you don’t like showing emotion in public wait for the DVD because I cried like a baby (a very quiet baby). It is the continuing story of Bailey/Molly/Big Dog/Max who remains committed to finding his special human through all his/her reincarnations. Although he had different bodies, different names and even a different gender his memories and his heart remained that of Bailey and this was a touching tale of him keeping his promise to his best friend all those years ago. Some great camera work showing close ups of the amazing language a dog projects with his eyebrows. Lovely film.

Second Film of Choice at The Plaza Dorchester Tonight

Second Film of Choice at The Plaza Dorchester Tonight – Avengers: Endgame. For once I am at a loss for words. I have just sat through three hours of an absolute roller coaster of emotions. I laughed, I cried, there was shock, relief, and sorrow and just a little bit of awe. I have an immense amount of praise for the writers being able to draw the threads of the story together to produce such an outcome. For those of us that love the Marvel universe, I say Wow!!!!! I really can’t think of anything else to say without a huge bunch of spoilers so I’m just going to say, if this is your thing……it was awesome……please go any watch it…..then go and watch it again!!!!

First Film of Choice at The Plaza Dorchester Tonight – Dumbo

29 April 2019

First Film of Choice at The Plaza Tonight Dumbo. The live action (and CGI) version of one of Disney’s much loved animations has hit our screens with all the pomp and circumstance of one of the grand old circuses. You all know the original story as told by Disney in 1942 but this new version highlights the greed and indifference that can be shown to animals by some humans, and how they can treat their fellow humans. However Karma is out to get you and without giving anything away, those people that deserve it certainly get their comeuppance. The CGI is amazing and the emotion shown in the elephants eyes is quite superb. I really did find myself believing an elephant can fly. Danny DeVito is in his element in a part like this and it is a joy to see him on the screen again. An exciting film for adults and children alike.

Second Film of Choice at The Plaza Dorchester Tonight – Vice

11 February 2019

Second Film of Choice at The Plaza Dorchester Tonight – Vice. Films about history and especially political history are by very definition part fact, part fiction. Nobody can know what goes on in a person’s head, and very few people reveal what is said behind closed doors. The public is told only the facts they want you to know and yet films of this ilk are regularly produced and we go and sit through them. As a film this offering was ok. It was compelling to watch and the cast, especially Christian Bale took on the persona of their characters extremely well. I took a look at a Dick Cheney interview and think he must have spent a lot of hours studying his mannerisms because to me they seemed spot on. This film is the story of Dick Cheney’s rise to the position of Vice President of the United States of America and how he gathered a team around him to be the kind of man he was. A superb performance from Amy Adams as his wife Lynne, and Steve Carell playing Donald Rumsfeld, but my hat goes off to Sam Rockwell for his portrayal of George W Bush. He nailed it 100%. If you like films about the political history of the USA this is an interesting watch. I thoroughly recommend you give it a go.

First Film of Choice at The Plaza Dorchester Tonight – How To Train Your Dragon – Hidden World

11 February 2019

First Film of Choice at The Plaza Dorchester Tonight – How To Train Your Dragon – The Hidden World. Another outing in the extremely successful franchise finds Toothless and Hiccup trying to save the people and the dragons from a ruthless Grimmel who is out to destroy or control all dragons, throw in a dragon shaped love interest for Toothless and there is a lot to fight for. It is amazing the passion and emotion you can get from an animated character, especially one that cannot speak. The amount of communication derived from the eyes of a dragon alone is outstanding, combine that with noises, music and movement and you have a whole range of character that bring a story to life. The Viking characters we have known and loved from before return and bring with them a whole range of endearing and extremes of themselves, annoying is very annoying, stupid is vastly stupid and large is excessively large but you love them all, and the dragons too. Once again we have an animated film that has such emotional moments that it can make you shed a tear.