Mother Distracted
A Family Lifestyle Blog In Wales

5 Great Movies For His Christmas Stocking

It’s always difficult to know what to buy the men in your life, isn’t it?  But you can go far wrong with some great DVDs and here are 5 suggestions for movies for him that are sure to prove popular.

So grab the mistletoe and get ready to find the perfect gift for that special someone this Christmas. Warner Bros. has the ultimate selection, whether you’re looking for him, for her, or for festive favourites to get the whole family in the Christmas spirit.

For him, they have a great selection of festive thrillseekers, including Batman Vs. Superman, Creed, Black Mass, Point Break and Mad Max Fury Road.

Great movies for him (or her!)

Batman Vs. Superman

Directed by Zack Snyder and starring Ben Affleck as Batman/Bruce Wayne and Henry Cavill as Superman/Clark Kent comes “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice,” in the characters’ first big-screen pairing.

Fearing the actions of a god-like Super Hero left unchecked, Gotham City’s own formidable, forceful vigilante takes on Metropolis’s most revered, modern-day saviour, while the world wrestles with what sort of hero it really needs. And with Batman and Superman at war with one another, a new threat quickly arises, putting mankind in greater danger than it’s ever known before.

Creed

This is a new chapter in the Rocky story from acclaimed director Ryan Coogler.

Michael B. Jordan plays Adonis Johnson, the son of deceased world heavyweight champion Apollo Creed, with boxing in his blood. Looking to win his own title, Adonis heads to Philadelphia and convinces his father’s rival-turned-friend, Rocky Balboa (Sylvester Stallone), to train him – even as Rocky battles his own deadly opponent outside the ring. Now Adonis has a shot, but first, he must develop the heart of a true fighter.

Black Mass

Johnny Depp portrays real-life serial killer James ‘Whitey’ Bulger in this biographical crime drama set in 1975. Winter Hill Gang leader Whitey’s hold over South Boston is threatened by the Angiulo Brothers of the Italian-American Mafia.

In order to bring down his opposition and protect himself and his family, Whitey agrees to turn informant against the Angiulo Brothers at the request of FBI agent John Connolly (Joel Edgerton), a friend of Whitey and his brother Billy (Benedict Cumberbatch), the President of the Massachusetts Senate.

When Whitey uses his connection with the agent as a cover for committing murder and Connolly’s control over his informant is scrutinised by his boss Charles McGuire (Kevin Bacon) and prosecutor Fred Wyshak (Corey Stoll), he is left with no choice but to go on the run.

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Point Break

A young FBI agent infiltrates an extraordinary team of extreme sports athletes he suspects of masterminding a string of unprecedented, sophisticated corporate heists. The film stars Édgar Ramírez, Luke Bracey and Ray Winstone and is a remake of the original Point Break film.

Mad Max Fury Road

Starring Tom Hardy and Charlize Theron, the film finds Mad Max haunted by his turbulent past and convinced that the best way to survive is to wander alone.

Despite this, he becomes swept up with a group fleeing across the Wasteland in a War Rig driven by an elite Imperator, Furiosa. They are escaping a Citadel tyrannized by the Immortan Joe, from whom something irreplaceable has been taken. Enraged, the Warlord marshals all his gangs and pursues the rebels ruthlessly in the high-octane Road War that follows.

So there you have it, 5 great movies for him to enjoy during the festive season.  Which others would you recommend?

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Win A Copy Of “ROOM” – A Powerful And Moving Film About A Mother’s Love For Her Son [closed]

“Room” is an amazing and uplifting film about the bond between mother and child starring Academy Award, BAFTA and Golden Globe winning actress Brie Larson.

I will warn you that the film, directed by Lenny Abrahamson and produced by STUDIOCANAL will warrant a large box of tissues and some waterproof mascara!

Based on the novel by Emma Donoghue, “Room” is the story of Ma and 5 year old Jack, a mother and son held captive in a garden shed.

It becomes clear that Jack and his mother are held captive by a man who has kidnapped her, raped her, impregnated her, and uses her as his sexual slave.

They call the small, locked shed “Room”, but despite the fact that Jack has lived there for all of his life, Ma has managed to keep the truth of their situation from him for five years.

I won’t spoil the film for you but the rest of the story is about their escape and Jack’s discovery of the outside world.

This highly acclaimed and moving film really is a testament to the power of maternal love and about how we can use love to overcome the most terrible of situations.

Brie Larson won “Best Actress’ Academy Award, a BAFTA and a Golden Globe for her role and was also nominated for a further three Academy Awards, two Golden Globes and one BAFTA.

“Room” is available on pay-to-view from 9th May and out on DVD and Blu-Ray on 16th May and I have one copy to give away.

Entry is via the Rafflecopter.  Terms and conditions apply.  UK entrants only.  The giveaway ends at 11:59 pm on Friday 20th May.

Good luck and I hope you have a chance to see this incredible film.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

SuperLucky Blog Giveaway Linky

More free competitions at www.theprizefinder.com

Support A Budding Young Female Film-Maker with Her Historical Drama- “The Highway Woman”

I’ve talked about my lovely young niece Emily’s film work before and she is now working on her graduation film – The Highway Woman.

Emily is responsible for writing, producing, directing and promoting and of course I have offered to help in any way I can.

She needs to raise £800 which she is doing via Crowdfunding and literally every pound contributed will be acknowledged and certainly put to good use.

‘The Highwaywoman’ (working title) is a short 15 minute period film set in the Stuart period.

At a time where women had little rights and thieving was at its peak, the ‘Highwaywoman’ is set around the idea of a young female who seeks adventure and chooses to become a highwayman at night.

The film is being created as a final degree film piece on the Media (film) Production course at Staffordshire University.

Emily’s previous work includes the science fiction film ‘Type Rare’ and the documentary ‘Street Defence’ (Featured in Cinewomen magazine).

As a challenge, Emily wanted to create a period film that would stand out and demonstrate the fascinating stories that can be created from British history.

Heavily influenced by programmes such as ‘The White Queen’ and ‘The Tudors’, Emily is hoping to create a gripping story within an era that isn’t covered so frequently.

Synopsis:

Bored by the everyday life of a woman living in the Stuart period, Anne Lovell seeks excitement and danger. She chooses to don a cloak and mask to cause terror on the roads as a highwayman.

When she meets William Shotbolt an infamous dangerous highwayman her desire is only fuelled.

Despite having a loving sister and a fiancé in her life, Anne wants more and must choose between the simple life and adventure.

My youngest niece, Georgia, has been cast as Anne’s younger sister, Katherine, whilst the villainous William Shadbolt will be played by Ciaron Davies.

Ciaron Davies is an actor and writer, known for The 5th Dimension (2012), The Valley of the Unknown (2012) and Grainne Uaile-The Movie (2016).

Funding

Currently this production is in it’s early preproduction stages. The film is seeking crowdfunding and donations to help it become a reality.

The money raised by Crowdfunding will go towards props, costumes, set building, catering, location and actors fees.

There are a number of rewards depending on the donation amount, including a credit in the film, the official film soundtrack and cast/crew signed posters.

Also 10% of all donations are to be donated to the animal charity, the RSPCA who work tirelessly to save the lives of animals who have been cruelly treated and abused.

The film is going to be submitted to film festivals all over the world once it has reached completion, in the hope that it will win awards and receive recognition.

The film has already sparked the interest of a lot of people and has received over 500 casting applications.

To be a vital part of this project, please visit the link below and donate: http://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/the-highwaywoman 

If you can help in any way, even by donating £1, please click the link.

Thank you.

5 Films I Absolutely Adore

Now that the nights are drawing in (which begins, according to my dad, on the day after Midsummer’s eve), and since the chances of getting a babysitter on the night they’re actually needed is remote, the Husband and I will be snuggled up watching our favourite films on DVD.

It makes a nice change, I have to say, to watch something that does not involve a superhero, a Disney princess or ghoulish school pupils.  This is, of course, the lull before the storm since Frozen 2 is rumored to be in production and Ieuan has been promised “Marvel Avengers: Age of Ultron” for Christmas.

No.  It’s TV on, wine decanted and a bowl of crisps. We’re saving our pennies for a decent TV, such as the Panasonic Viera  which has the new 4K definition.  These TVs have four times the resolution of a standard HD TV with 8 million pixels on screen as opposed to the usual 2 million.

Most of our 2 million pixels are generally secreted between a variety of sticky hand-prints and dust so I imagine that much could be done to improve our viewing experience!

Don’t you find, though, that you end up watching the same films over and over again?  These are my all time top 5 and I heartily recommend you check them out.

Woody Allen: Love & Death (1975)
(Woody Allen, Diane Keaton)

Woody Allen’s Love & Death

Boris: “Isn’t all mankind ultimately executed for a crime it never committed? The difference is that all men go eventually, but I go six o’clock tomorrow morning. I was supposed to go at five o’clock, but I have a smart lawyer. Got leniency.”

In the film, which is set in 19th-century Russia, Boris (Woody Allen) is a simple Russian villager who is in love with his beautiful cousin Sonja (Diane Keaton). Forced against his will into joining the Russian army during the Napoleonic Wars, the cowardly Boris accidentally becomes a military hero. But when his beloved Sonja comes to him with a dangerous patriotic scheme, the resulting action leads Boris to question his desires and beliefs.

This is my all time favourite Allen movie.  It’s considered to be a spoof of the Russian Novel, particularly those by Tolstoy and Dostoevsky.  As usual Allen’s wit never lets up and you watch with either a wry smile or laughing out loud.

Mel Brooks: Young Frankenstein (1974)
(Mel Brooks, Gene Wilder)

Mel Brooks’ Young Frankenstein

Dr. Frederick Frankenstein (Gene Wilder): “You know, I’m a rather brilliant surgeon. Perhaps I can help you with that hump.”

Igor (Marty Feldman): “What hump?”

When respected medical lecturer Dr. Frederick Frankenstein (Gene Wilder) discovers he has inherited his infamous grandfather’s estate in Transylvania, he goes to take possession of the castle. There, he begins to recreate his grandfather’s experiments with the help of servants Igor (Marty Feldman), Inga (Teri Garr) and the terrifying Frau Blücher (Cloris Leachman). Dr. Frankenstein creates his own monster and things get complicated when the monster falls in love with the doctor’s fiancée, Elizabeth (Madeline Kahn).

Much as I love Blazing Saddles, I love Young Frankenstein for its complete lunacy and sense of the ridiculous.  It’s a wonderful mickey-take of the old Hammer Horror films with a Dr Frankenstein who loves himself far too much, an Igor who isn’t the full shilling and a monster whose dance routines leave a lot to be desired.

Agatha Christie’s Death On The Nile (1978)
(Peter Ustinov, David Niven)

Agatha Christie’s Death On The Nile

Jacqueline De Bellefort (Mia Farrow): “…sometimes, I just want to put this gun right against her head, and ever so gently, pull the trigger. When I hear that sound more and more… “

Hercule Poirot (Peter Ustinov): “I know how you feel. We all feel like that at times. However, I must warn you, mademoiselle: Do not allow evil into your heart, it will make a home there.”

This is the story of a wealthy heiress, Linnet Ridgeway (Lois Chiles) who steals her best friend’s fiance (Mia Farrow and Simon MacCorkindale) and marries him after a whirlwind romance.  On a luxurious honeymoon cruise on the Nile River, Linnet is murdered and it is up to Poirot (David Niven) to solve the mystery, along with his trusted companion, Colonel Race (David Niven). But just as Poirot identifies several would-be murderers, the suspects also start to meet their demise.

This is an adaptation of one of the best known Agatha Christie novels and I actually saw this film in the cinema when it first came out. I remember the stellar cast which includes Bette Davis, Maggie Smith, Angela Lansbury and Jane Birkin, among others, and I love the sweeping musical score which adds to the beauty of the Egyptian scenery.

I am a huge fan of David Suchet as Poirot but, for me, this version of “Death On The Nile” is still the best.

Monty Python & The Holy Grail (1975)


Monty Python & The Holy Grail


French Soldier: “I don’t want to talk to you no more, you empty-headed animal food trough wiper! I fart in your general direction! Your mother was a hamster and your father smelt of elderberries!”

This film is a hilarious send-up of the grim Middle Ages told through the story of King Arthur and framed by a modern-day murder investigation. When Arthur goes on a quest to find the Holy Grail, he and his knights face a number of horrors, including the persistent Black Knight, a three-headed giant, some shrubbery-challenged knights, the dangerous Castle Anthrax, a killer rabbit, a house of virgins, and a handful of rude Frenchmen.

This is another film I saw in the cinema on its release – at Chapter Arts Centre in Cardiff in the days when it was a newly renovated school and not the great art space it is today!  I guess you either ‘get’ Monty Python or you don’t and I laughed like a drain from start to finish.  Anybody who can substitute a horse for somebody banging two coconut shells together to make a clip clop sound and get away with it is pretty smart I think.

Again, although “Life of Brian” is equally loved, “Holy Grail” has the extra touch of madcap Python lunacy and feels more raw and experimental than the team’s later films.

Babette’s Feast (1987)


Babette’s Feast

Adapted from the novel by Karen Blixen (whose memoirs formed the basis of the film “Out of Africa”, Babette’s Feast is the story of two sisters who live in a remote 19th Danish century village. Their life centres around their father, the local minister, and their church. When their father dies, they take in a French refugee, Babette, who works for them as their servant.  When Babette wins the lottery she decides to pay the sisters back for their kindness and cooks a French meal for them and their friends to mark the 100th anniversary of their father’s death.  After Babette’s feast, everything and everyone changes in ways they would never have expected.

This film won the Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film in 1988 and was another one I saw in the Chapter Arts Centre when it came out.  It is a really touching tale, despite being subtitled and you are left feeling uplifted and reminded how powerful kindness can be.

So those are my favourite 5.  Are any of them on your list?

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