About me
If you’ve ended up on this page, you’re probably hoping to read something about me.
Well, all you need to know about me is that I LOVE MOVIES. All type of movies to be honest, though I have to confess (cardinal sin really) I have been a bit lazy in the past when it came to foreign language films (I am changing now). And it was just pure lazyness, because actually some of my favourite films are in a foreign language, whether in Italian (Cinema Paradiso (I also love those very depressing and yet incredibly power films from the neorealism), or French (Amelie for example but also Truffaut) or even Swedish (I love “My life as a dog” jus tot mention one) and recently “let the right one in”) or even polish (more recently the magnificent Corpus Christi) and I could go on mentioning other foreign languages forever, but I won’t, so you have to take my word for it. Believe me, I do watch and like foreign films too.
Looking back at the past I can say that I love Capra’s classics, Billy Wilder ‘s (some like it Hot is still the best comedy ever made) and I think Hitchtcock was an absolute genius (Rear Window is among my ultimate favourites)!
And of course I love documentaries. In fact some of my favourite recent films are documentaries and nowadays with Netflix and all the rest, there’s a lot of them you can catch up with .
However, let’s face it, I am more of a blockbuster geek: I am a boy who grew up in the 80s, when Spielberg seemed to rule the world (ET is a masterpiece, but so is “Raiders of the Lost Ark” (click on the links to read both my reviews of them) and Jaws… Don’t get me started. I Also recognise the impact that Jurassic Park made, loved 95% of “Shindler’s List” (and didn’t quite like the remaining 5% of it but the rest was so powerful the I was able to forgive it) and I now think he should get a new editor and get somebody close to him who could actually tell him “Hey, Steven, cut your films shorter please!).
The 80s was a time when CGI did’t exist and movies were more inventive because of that (not completely true, but you know what I mean…).
It was a time when the “Power of Love” by Huey Lewis was playing on the radio all the time (or my Sony walkman) and when the Duran Duran where so big that having them singing the title song for a james Bond film was the greatest thing one ever think of doing.
It was a time when Star Wars Episode IV, was actually “the first episode” and the line “I am your father” was the biggest twist ever!!
It was a time when 3D meant red and blue (or red and green) cardboard glasses!
It was a time when movies used to stick around in cinemas for weeks and weeks, sometimes months… and if they were really succesful, even a year!
It was a time when VHS tapes where the coolest things ever (I used to have around 2000 of them, now I have over 3600 DVDs and Blu-rays though I am slowly running out of space in my living room so I am actually buying them on iTunes… or whatever it’s called these days).
Then I grew up, and now the future of “back to the future” is actually our past… And yet somehow that child inside me decided to stick around a bit longer…
I’m in my late 40s (well more or less… but who’s counting) and yet I still have the same passion for movies I had when I was 12. Going to the cinema is still the biggest treat for me, whether it’s on 3D or not, whether it’s in Black and White or Colour! And when I can’t go to the cinema, I just put on a film at home, with my family, dim the lights, crank up the sound and let myself go…
And one of the things I love the most about watching a film, is to be able to actually talk about it afterwards.
This blog, gives me the chance to do that.
I don’t claim to be a writer, nor I expect you to agree with me on everything. That’s the beauty of cinema: we all see different things at different times (some of my favourite films are actually ones which I hated the first time around…), but one thing I can promise: I’ll be honest.
Which is why I adopted the pseudo-name Moviegeek (other than the fact that I am one!). I want to be able to feel free to write about anything without feeling the need to be kind or more gentle towards people I may know (I do work on films you see… and have been doing that for over 25 years).
I’m going to try to be as open-minded as possible, watching as many genres as I possibly can, giving priorities to the big release of the week, but also trying to keep some space for the less known film out there and why not, sometimes re-visiting some old classics or simply films that I have missed on their first release.
This is just a blog about movies written by somebody who loves watching them. That’s all you need to know.
I’m open to suggestions, to dialogue and I’ll try to answer you questions whenever possible.
(write to moviegeek2000 (at) gmail.com)
I hope you’ll enjoy reading my “streams of consciousness”… because I’m actually having a ball putting them down here!
Check out my post about being a moviegeek or a tired of cynic…
My letter published on the Evening Standard
Check out my little email that got published on the Evening Standard about the BAFTA Awards
MovieGeekBlog 
This is Josh Neicho from Letters at the Evening Standard. I was interested to read your review of the latest Harry Potter film. David Sexton has written a very critical review for the Standard, suggesting that no adult or person without a detailed interest in the Potter world would be interested – please let me know if you might like to respond with your thoughts on this – am putting together comments tonight and tomorrow morning for Monday’s paper – http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/film/review-23899163-are-we-there-yet-harry-potter.do
I did read Mr Sexton’s review last Friday and I thought to myself: “here we go again, another snobbish review for a very easy target”. Yes, it is easy to dismiss a film like the latest instalment in the Harry Potter franchise, like it usually is for a blockbuster of this calibre.And yet, trashing these sort of films and saying that they’re only good for 13 years old children is like saying that pretty much everyone who goes and watches them is a child (that makes a lot of children out there, since these films are making millions).
Mr Sexton review basically says that no adult person or person without a detailed interest in the Potter world would be interested in watching “Deathly Hallows”
Well, let’s deal with the second point first (no person without a detailed interest…): the film makes no apology for being the 7th of a series: it doesn’t waste any time trying to recapping everything that’s being going on so far. Either you’re with it or you’re not. And I believe that if you go and see this film, unless you’re a frustrated journalist who gets paid to watch it and then review it, you must have seen the previous ones too (even more than once, in most cases, as the whole back catalogue is available on DVDs and Bluray and it has been shown on TV endlessly). On the top of that, most people have read the book too.
For all those people, this film is a real treat as not only manages to capture the story perfectly but also the increasingly dark mood that permeated the series.
I have not met a single person who has read the books who did not like this latest film. As I said in my own review, the film it’s not a masterpiece by all means, but it is a brave attempt to give the series a more mature spin.
The real question is: if you’re not interested in Harry Potter, why would you go and watch this 7th chapter, also knowing that it’s not going to end (after all it’s called part 1 too)?
Now, the first point: it’s only good for 13 years old children.
Well, first of all, thank you on behalf of all those millions of people who went to see this film this week-end and loved, who have just being insulted by Mr Sexton.
Even if that were true (which it is NOT), is it then such a bad thing to tell a story as if we are all children? Does it mean that now that we are all grown up we are not allowed to read Pinocchio anymore, of Winnie the Pooh? What about star wars then (the original trilogy). Are we all children for liking that too? After all it’s pretty much the same thing: a fantasy story about the fight between good and evil.
This latest harry Potter is about that too, but it’s also about growing up, realising who your friends are, finding your place, understanding your emotions…
And then it all happens take place in the magical world. Are we suppose to dismiss it just because of that?
As far as I am concerned I was happy to feel 13 again, even if only for 2 and a half hours.
Just a quick note as I’m working on my review of the latest Harry Potter for Above the Line, but I enjoyed your exchange with Mr. Neicho above and more purposefully congrats on the published letter in The Evening Standard. I have entirely too much to comment on here but can’t agree more with your thoughts about Mr. Sexton’s overly critical and unnecessarily harsh review of the film. As one who has seen all the films to date and has had an opportunity to discuss the films in great detail with my wife (who is an artist, both a big fan and has read the books, not to mention earned who own MFA in Motion Pictures along with me by proxy) and his review is a jumbled mess. More on that and your site – just returning the visit (thanks for dropping by).
cheers->
What do you think about Inception? I’d love to read your review of Inception. =0
I was planning to write something for the new DVD and BluRay release of the film which will be in a few days.
” I now think he should get a new editor and get somebody close to him who could actually tell him “Hey, Steven, cut your films shorter please!”
I have made this same statement so many times (Minority Report was a huge offender) as well as his obsession with white washing backgrounds. I am going to add you to my blog roll. Thanks for reaching out!
~Cal
Thanks Cal.
I think the obsession with white washing background has more to do with Spielberg’s (relatively) new cinematographer Janusz Kaminski. His early films look a bit different… somehow warmer.
Nice site. I really enjoy your writing style when doing reviews.
Thank you so much Adam and sorry if it took me so long to get back to you.
Hopefully I’ll see you back soon
Hi Moviegeek,
your website is beautiful. I’ll add to my blogroll soon. I share most of your “about me” considerations. All the best!
Marco
Thanks for your message. Good to know that somebody else out there thinks like I do… 🙂
Hi Sorry for the late response. I loved your review of The Social Network and Inception. And your right the snow sequence in Inception was abit flat and dude that’s not being picky, the film is awesome but in no way without faults.
We haven’t started yet but I would definitely like to add you to my blogroll. Also thanks for following us on twitter (i think you are lol). We are movie geeks as well. Anne Hathway is Catwoman, what the hell? What are your views? I was a little bit disappointed Tom Hardy isn’t playing someone more interesting then Bane. 😦
Hi Movie Geek! You seem to be the yin to my yang. I love all the same movies as you and in some of your blog posts you took the words right out of my mouth. How did you get your blogs in the paper? As a movie blogger myself I’m very impressed
I agree that James Franco is one of the most interesting actors on the scene did you see that movie he did about James Dean? I think it was just called James Dean but it was brilliant, uncanny! You like all the same foreign movies as me too I LOVE cinema paradisio! and Amelie of course. Anyways just wanted to say congrats on a great blog.
Hi Movie Geek!
Hope you are well 🙂
It’s not a movie, but have you had the chance to watch the show DARK on Netflix? It truly is some of the best directing, writing, casting, and overall atmosphere I have ever seen in movie or television.
Albeit it being in German and myself only understanding 5-10% of what they are saying, it really is a beautiful piece of work.
Cheers,
NW
Hey Nick, yes I watched the first season and rather liked it. I remember it being really moody and intriguing (though I must confess I was at times a bit confused and slightly lost). I dropped off after that, but mainly because of the overwhelming amount of things to watch. Also last year I tried to stick to movies as much as possible. I will definitely pick it up again sooner or later.