Mr Turner

SF: Being a fan of Turner's work I was happily anticipating this film, the fact it was Mike Leigh directing was a bonus. Sadly I can't say I found this film at all enjoyable, it was at best mildly interesting. I found the music jarring, the tone depressing and the overall film a let down. While Timothy Spall gives another great performance and the film is very informative I didn't find it particularly emotive. While I can se the appeal to others this wasn't the type of film I like watching. There are some great scenes and I've no doubt that devote fans of both Turner and Leigh will lavish praise upon this. The best praise I can give is that the cinematography is wonderful. 5/10

50Eggs: n/a

DonkeyB: I loved it, its not going to be popular with the comic book fans, but from the opening  scene the cinematography does a magnificent job of bringing Turner's world to life. Tim Spall gives one of the all time great grunting performances in the history of cinema, and its a longer history than you'd necessarily expect if you think about it. It is poignant and funny and while I have no idea whether it is an accurate portrayal of Turner's life, entirely believable, making him seem both human and yet not taking away the feeling of unknowable otherworldly genius that you get when looking at his paintings next to a Constable (for example). Special bonus points for the prominence given to 'Slave Ship (Slavers throwing Overboard the Dead and Dying, Typhoon Coming On)', which is perhaps his greatest work, though less well known in this country as its one of the paintings that wasn't left to the nation because it was already in private hands when Turner died. 8/10

Overall: 6.5/10