As we all adjust to spending our time in the confines of our homes we wanted to share some of what the Filmbankmedia team have been watching, or are planning to watch. In the next few weeks we'll also be sharing what some of our industry friends are watching, as well as those films we should have watched but never got around to (but possibly lied about having seen anyway!)
What do you think of our choices so far? And what have you been watching? Let us know via any of the socials: Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram - it's a fantastic way to build a great list of recommendations (for us too!)
Stay safe all!
"I am sure like hundreds of other people, one of my go-to films for inspiration and a lesson in fortitude has got to be Chariots of Fire. I absolutely hate the gym but we all need inspiration!!
- Our CEO Majella Griffin takes commitment to cinema to a whole new level as she takes to the rowing machine while watching the 1981 Oscar-winning classic (see below). She's also been keeping those outdoor screenings going, while adhering to those social distancing guidelines - "I could not resist the sunshine so it had to be Mamma Mia on my iPad in the garden!"
Majella, queen of the multi-task
Chariots of Fire
A social distancing outdoor screening
Mamma Mia!
Rob Streeten, Financial Controller
"Top of the watchlist is The Martian - not because it’s about isolation but because it’s about the triumph of the human spirit against the odds, humour against adversity and friendship. It’s hard sci-fi with jokes - what more do you need? I'll also be giving Whiplash a re-watch because it’s utterly gripping and has a climax as tense as any car chase or shoot-out… but with drumming. We'll also be watching Robin Hood (of the Disney animal variety) and The Greatest Showman as all the kids (aged 3, 5 and 7) can agree on the films and love them all.
Some other ways to pass the time -
- Make a film – there’s a 'studio' in your pocket (your phone!)
- There are some great film related books out there (see photo) - Easy Riders, Raging Bulls, Down and Dirty Pictures, My First Movie, Notes on the Making of Apocalypse Now, Which Lie Did I Tell, Adventures in the Screen Trade, Hatchet Job, You’ll Never Eat Lunch in this Town Again…. and one for the finance nerds… Entertainment Industry Economics
- I also fully recommend the Scriptnotes podcast by John August + Craig Mazin"
The Greatest Showman
Rob's cinephile-essentials
The Martian
Priyal Raja, STSL Account Administrator and Bollywood connoisseur
"John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum was at the top of my watch list. I wanted to watch a suave action thriller and the John Wick franchise offers just that. I loved the action scenes with Keanu Reeves as they look and feel incredibly realistic. I also felt that the film had a strong supporting cast with Halle Berry joining the series and the return of Reeves' Matrix co-star, Laurence Fishburne.
I would also recommend some fantastic Bollywood titles, which we tend to watch as a family:
• Bajrangi Bhaijaan - A fantastic film with an engaging storyline and supporting cast, starring Salman Khan who is my favourite Bollywood Actor.
• Manmarziyaan - An unusual take on a romantic comedy set in the Indian suburbs, with a truly brilliant soundtrack.
• Andhadhun - A comedy crime thriller that keeps you hooked throughout."
Priyal and Leo prepare to watch Keanu
John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum
Marie Welch, Marketing Director
"Our film choices have all been made based on family viewing. We watched both Trading Places and Beverly Hills Cop because I found out (and could not believe!) that neither of my two teenagers had heard of Eddie Murphy. Both films had the whole family laughing - a great feel-good message and perfect escapism given the current climate - so we'll be adding more Murphy to our watchlist, starting with 48 Hours.
Other films we've introduced them to are L.A. Confidential and The Shawshank Redemption, now my son's favourite movie. I never thought anything would knock The Dark Knight Rises off the pedestal! I'm also planning to watch Military Wives with my daughter (only), as anything emotional will send my son running to his PS4!"
The Shawshank Redemption
Marie's dog Charlie
L.A. Confidential
Hannah Franklin, Digital Operations Executive
"The film at the top of our family watchlist was the 2019 live action remake of The Lion King. The original animated version is one of my all-time favourites, so much so that I tired the VHS tape out with all of the rewinding! This was the perfect movie for some escapism this weekend. Firstly, it is absolutely beautiful to look at, and what better way to spend a day than to join the animal kingdom and sing Hakuna Matata!
It's so much more than just a children's film and we really enjoyed the themes of family, coming-of-age, good vs. evil, society and class, life and death, and one of us even likes to dress up when channeling his inner lion… (see photographic proof)
Other notable titles we’ve watched include a few heavy hitters from this year’s Oscars - namely Judy and Le Mans '66, We're also planning a re-watch of 1917 when it comes out."
Gibson and his human, Hannah
The Lion King (2019)
Dominik Mytko, International Sales Manager
"When times get tough, put on a happy face Filmbankmedia 🙂. I wanted to re-watch JOKER as it was my favourite film of 2019 and I thought Joaquin Phoenix’s performance was fantastic, fully deserving of his 'Best Actor' sweep at pretty much every major awards ceremony."
Joaquin who...?
The Oscar winning Joker
Sophie McKenna, STSL Account Administrator and Wittertainee
"I was inspired to re-watch Shaun of the Dead after seeing the video from Simon Pegg and Nick Frost, with their hilarious new take on the ‘Winchester Plan’. This might also lead to a re-watch of the whole Three Flavours Cornetto trilogy… ! In my mind, it’s always a good time for a Lord of the Rings movie marathon, but now we all have lots of extra time on our hands… it’s absolutely the perfect time for a re-watch of the full extended edition.
I’ve also been using this time as an opportunity to read in the garden (while the weather holds up!). In lieu of watching new films in the cinema, I’ve decided to catch up on some film buff reading, and who better to start with than Kermode?"
Sophie learning from the best
LOTR: The Return of the King
Stand aside Gene Kelly!
Lea Gossart, Snr Marketing Manager
"It's no secret that I absolutely adore Singin' in the Rain - it's my favourite film. It should therefore come as no surprise that my daughter also loves the film so much that she wanted to show off her dancing skills in this little gif of her discovering the wonders of Gene Kelly and Donald O’Connor! No brain-washing I promise... I merely suggested we watch Singin’ in the Rain instead of Frozen (agaaaain). She is hooked. Now she goes around singing “Moses mimoses moses mimoses” instead of "Moses Supposes". If I have achieved one thing as a mother…(!) Next stop: The Band Wagon… too much? She is too young for West Side Story but that’s on the cards, along with any other technicolor musicals. Musicals remind me of my childhood as we watched them over and over again with my parents so it's wonderful to be able to do the same with my own!"
Erin Kenny, Marketing Coordinator
"My watchlist is pretty extensive but the films I'm going to revisit are: Midsommar, Wild, The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, and Ex Machina. Each of the films has such beautiful cinematography with scenery that can transport me to far away places from the safety of my own home! I love getting to see corners of the world that I may never visit but see it through the eyes of some very, very talented people! Although these films explore such a variety of themes and emotion, they all have an appreciation for the organic, and the discovery that comes from interacting with nature, immersing you into an entirely different world - which is far from the four walls of my bedroom!
Other notable mentions for feelgood films include; Knives Out, Lady Bird, Eighth Grade and Late Night."
Ex Machina
Erin's brother Owen
The Secret Life of Walter Mitty
Bal Rai, STSL Account Executive and Aladdin (2019) number 1 fan
"Whilst being in lockdown I want to feel as though I can escape somewhere, and the best way I can think to do that is via Bollywood films and children’s titles all about fantasy and magic - specifically the Harry Potter series, Coco, Moana and the live action Disney remake of Aladdin. The films bring back childhood memories and take me back to easier and more carefree times. A slight tonal shift - I'm also planning to watch World War Z. Thankfully we're not experiencing a zombie outbreak, but it felt appropriate given the current situation, and it comes highly recommended by my brother.
I would recommend that everyone use this time to watch films that produce positive vibes during these strange days, and I always find Bollywood films give me just that, mainly due to the song and dance involved, not to mention the 100 outfit changes in a single musical number! A few films I would recommend to help build up that Bollywood cinematic knowledge are; Devdas, Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani, Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara, Dil Dhadakne Do and Bajirao Mastani."
The Wizarding World from home
Aladdin (2019)
Anna Wilczek, Senior Marketing Manager
"Although I always make an active effort to stay up to date with all the latest releases (having watched The Invisible Man, Emma, and Military Wives so far) I'll be finding comfort by re-visiting some of my favourite films during this time, starting with my two most beloved Spielbergs - E.T. and Jurassic Park. The films have two of the greatest scores known to cinema from the genius that is John Williams, and Jurassic Park remains to this day (and continues to be) the greatest movie experience of my life (plus Sam Neill's Twitter activity during lockdown has been absolute gold)! Other classics I'll be giving a re-watch are Almost Famous, North by Northwest, The Apartment, and anything starring Charlie Chaplin, my cat (below)' Chaplin's namesake.
Other ways I'll be passing the time...
- Indulging in some film related reading - Peter Biskind, Ian Nathan, Helen O'Hara, Mark Kermode and Nora Ephron are my authors of choice.
- Making sure I track and log everything on Letterboxd so I remember what I've been watching and use it as a reference for friends / family film recommendations.
- Try to remotely record more episodes of my little podcast with friends to give us all a bit of a project to work on (it's a teen film themed pod called Teen Queens)."
"
Chaplin meets E.T.
E.T. The Extra Terrestrial
Rupinder Gataora, Head of Sales
"My watchlist consists of re-watches of classics - Labyrinth and Donnie Darko - and some newer titles I hadn't had the chance to catch at the cinema, namely Booksmart and The Gentlemen. But the new release I'm most looking forward to watching during lockdown is Knives Out. The team wouldn't stop going on about it after the November ICO Screening Days last year and I need to find out what all the fuss is about. I also had the chance to finally watch Hanna over the weekend, a film that's been on my watchlist for a while. I absolutely loved the strong female leads, but then Saoirse Ronan and Cate Blanchett are always brilliant. The tonal mix is perfect, and there are moments of real levity - the kissing scene was hilarious and so was the moment when Hanna was asked how her mother died."
#womeninfilm
Hanna
Jane Lee, Business Development Manager (Southeast Asia)
"This week I will be staying at home (preferably in a pail) and aiming to watch The Shining, and after that, hoping I won’t see cat-in-a-pail x 2 😉
A strange time, I guess, to be wanting to watch a horror film, but this Kubrick masterpiece has been on my to-watch list for ages so now is the best time for me to hunker down and get it done."
Sunny Ray hiding from the horror
The Shining
Liam Lydon, International Account Executive
"During this period, I’ve been revisiting a lot of the old films from the 40s, especially the films of Howard Hawks.
Just pipping HIS GIRL FRIDAY to the top spot has to be THE BIG SLEEP. The film can at times veer into confusion, but that simply doesn’t matter when you have Howard Hawks directing and Bogey and Bacall in front of the cameras with a chemistry which ignites in front of your eyes.
Pour yourself a drink and enjoy a classic."
Rob Darling, PVSL Account Executive
"My lockdown films of choice are The Secret Life of Pets 2, Dunkirk, Smallfoot and Creed II.
With Anzac Day (25th of April) fast approaching Dunkirk has moved to the top of the watchlist. Celebrating our service men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice makes the film an appropriate watch at this time.
Having recently adopted a dog, The Secret Life of Pets 2 has taken on a whole new special meaning. My wife and I loved the first one and we can’t wait to see what the pets get up to in the second edition. Other planned feel-good entertainment is Smallfoot - a fun plot which will make for a great Sunday afternoon viewing for the whole family!
I love my sport and I loved the Rocky movies so I cannot wait to catch up with Creed II. Anything with Sylvester Stallone is a winner in my book."
Strong home decor Rob!
Dunkirk
Claire Thibault, Content Manager
"I'm prioritising films I missed when they got their theatrical release while I have the extra time at home (one of them due to the fact that I wasn’t born yet!) - Marathon Man, Lady Bird, Chinatown, The Farewell and Pain & Glory. I finally had the chance to watch Marathon Man (released before I was born) yesterday, and I just love this era in cinema -the cars, the way people dressed, NYC in the 70s... love it!
I'll also be re-watching one of my favourite films of all time - Singin' in Rain. I really like The Artist and La La Land (which was directly inspired by the Gene Kelly classic), but they are just second class copy compared to that film!"
'Films a deviner'
Marathon Man
Matt Healey, Digital Operations Executive
"My watchlist has started as a bit of a discovery session, with a deep dive into the films of Walter Hill. Having just watched 48 Hours and Streets of Fire I'm now planning to explore the rest of his film catalogue. The Driver and Southern Comfort are next up.
I'm also considering a marathon of any / all of the films in the Final Destination movie franchise because they're so inventive, and a lot of fun."
Matt's movie collection
Streets of Fire
IMAGE COPYRIGHTS - Military Wives © 2019 MILITARY WIVES CHOIR FILM LTD. All Rights Reserved | Chariots of Fire © 1981 Enigma Productions Ltd. All rights reserved | John Wick Chapter 3 - Parabellum ®TM & ©2019 Summit Entertainment, LLC, All Rights Reserved | The Martian © 2015 Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation. All rights reserved. | The Secret Life of Walter Mitty © 2013 Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation. All rights reserved. | Ex Machina © 2014 UNIVERSAL CITY STUDIOS PRODUCTIONS LLLP | The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King © ™ 2003 New Line Home Entertainment, INC. All rights reserved. | L.A. Confidential ©1997 Monarchy Enterprises S.a.r.l.| The Greatest Showman © 2017 Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation. All rights reserved.| Aladdin ©2019 Disney Enterprises, Inc. All Rights Reserved. | The Shawshank Redemption © 1994 Castle Rock Entertainment | The Lion King © 2019 Disney Enterprises, Inc. All Rights Reserved. | Aladdin ©2019 Disney Enterprises, Inc. All Rights Reserved. | Joker ©2019 Warner Bros. Entertainment, Inc DC Comics Inc. | Mamma Mia! © 2009 Universal Studios. All Rights Reserved | HANNA © 2010 Focus Features LLC. All Rights Reserved.| The Shining © 1980 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved. | Singin' in the Rain ©1952 Warner Bros. Entertainment, Inc All Rights Reserved.| E.T. The Extra Terrestrial © 1982 Universal City Studios, Inc. All Rights Reserved.| Dunkirk © 2017 Warner Bros .Ent .All Rights Reserved. | Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone © 2001 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. Harry Potter Characters, names and releated indicia are trademarks of and Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved | Marathon Man © 1976 by Paramount Pictures. All Rights Reserved. | Streets of Fire © 1984 Universal City Studios, Inc. All Rights Reserved.| Marie Welch owns the likeness of Charlie the dog!