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Jack Sparrow
KJ's Leading Idiot
Joined: Thu Dec 31, 2009 8:15 pm Posts: 36923
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Belfast
Quote: Belfast is a 2021 coming of age comedy-drama film written and directed by Kenneth Branagh. The film stars Caitríona Balfe, Judi Dench, Jamie Dornan, Ciarán Hinds, Colin Morgan, and newcomer Jude Hill. The film, which Branagh has described as his "most personal film", centres on a young boy's childhood amidst the tumult of Belfast, Northern Ireland, in the 1960s.
Belfast had its world premiere at the 48th Telluride Film Festival on 2 September 2021, and also won the People's Choice Award at the 2021 Toronto International Film Festival. The film was released theatrically in the United States on 12 November 2021, and will be in the United Kingdom and Ireland on 21 January 2022.
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Sat Nov 13, 2021 11:01 pm |
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thompsoncory
Rachel McAdams Fan
Joined: Sat Oct 23, 2004 11:13 am Posts: 14544 Location: LA / NYC
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Re: Belfast
This was decent but also rather slight. Great performances across the board, especially from Jamie Dornan and Judi Dench, gorgeous cinematography and it is certainly never boring - but the proceedings feel slight. It would have benefited from a longer runtime and almost feels like it is checking off the boxes of a late fall crowd-pleaser. I was more moved by the "Everlasting Love" number in the trailer than in the actual film for example. I'm not sure why this is the de-facto Best Picture frontrunner at the moment. B-
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Sun Nov 14, 2021 2:10 am |
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Magic Mike
Wallflower
Joined: Mon Oct 25, 2004 4:53 am Posts: 34876 Location: Minnesota
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Re: Belfast
I wasn't a fan. It absolutely feels slight. When it ended I honestly thought there was like a half hour left yet. Felt incomplete. It's alright but I wasn't remotely emotionally invested in it. This just can't be the Best Picture winner. Would be such an unremarkable winner.
C
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Mon Nov 29, 2021 2:51 am |
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publicenemy#1
Extraordinary
Joined: Tue Oct 12, 2004 12:25 am Posts: 18877 Location: San Diego
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Re: Belfast
Yeah I thought this was fine but forgettable.
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Mon Nov 29, 2021 3:19 pm |
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Algren
now we know
Joined: Tue Oct 19, 2004 9:31 pm Posts: 67041
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Re: Belfast
It must be an American thing, because I very much enjoyed it. It felt like a stage play filmed for the screen, which considering films like Sleuth and Fences, I've always highly enjoyed. The troubles are condensed into and played out on one road in Belfast. Even turning a corner feels hidden and concealed. But this doesn't diminish the film's charms. Seeing the British Isles of yesteryear is always a fascination for me, and here Branagh does a nice job of filling me up with nostalgia; very much using the backdrop of the civil war and riots as a rose-tinted avenue to relive his own past. Though my life does not stretch back to this era, I could still draw nostalgia from certain connections and cultural nods. And the film's technological gestures, such as its use of black-and-white and colour, its cinematography, use of aerial shots, etc., and music by Van Morrison, were very much up my alley.
In terms of acting; Caitríona Balfe, Ciarán Hinds, and Judi Dench are the standouts here, with Jude Hill also putting in an effective performance.
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Fri Dec 17, 2021 9:04 am |
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Jack Sparrow
KJ's Leading Idiot
Joined: Thu Dec 31, 2009 8:15 pm Posts: 36923
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Re: Belfast
Technically I felt this was great but narrative it felt slight. I never got into the civil war tension even though it was on display couple of times. Neither does it display child's innocence during such extreme circumstances. All performances are great but none stood out for me.
C+
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Fri Dec 17, 2021 11:05 am |
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Shack
Devil's Advocate
Joined: Sun Jul 31, 2005 2:30 am Posts: 38000
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Re: Belfast
Pretty cinematography but this feels like homework. Branagh is a theatrical type of guy from his Shakespeare background to directing movies like Thor, Murder on the Orient Express, etc., I don't think trying to make a natural slice of life movie like Roma is really his strong suit and it shows as they don't feel all that real as people, there is a fairly one note "bad guy", singing sequence, etc. I also think this is a better movie if Jamie Dornan was the central character instead of the kid.
_________________Shack’s top 50 tv shows - viewtopic.php?f=8&t=90227
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Sun Dec 26, 2021 10:59 pm |
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zwackerm
Hold the door!
Joined: Sun Jun 01, 2014 10:26 pm Posts: 20346 Location: Where they shot Knock at the Cabin
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Re: Belfast
This is definitely better than some of the BP nominees but I agree the riot scenes should've felt more intense. I don't understand the sentiment some have expressed that this is inaccessible or so boring they turned it off. It's certainly way less boring than Power of the Dog or Nightmare Alley in my opinion.
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Wed Feb 23, 2022 10:06 am |
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