Touching the Void
A documentary set amidst a mountaineering expedition that goes tits-up. I was intrigued by the ethical situation that confronted the climbers, and the strength of their survival instinct.
Almost Famous Boring. Interesting story, on the whole well acted and filmed. I’m surprised that it won an oscar for best original screenplay. Like a cup of weak tea, bland and forgetable.
Seven Samurai Wicked. This is a fantastic action film (I’ve seen it called ‘arthouse action’). It is a riveting story of a poor village that attempt to hire samurai to protect them from bandits. The problem is that they don’t have any money, so need samurai who will do it for nothing. Dramatic and exciting, it has been a major influence on the western genre.