Calendar Girls

8/18/2019

It's not naked it's nude. When Annie Clarke's beloved husband succumbs to leukaemia, her best friend Chris comes up with a unique idea for raising funds for the hospital that cared for the dearly departed John. They, and fellow members of the Knapely Womens Institute, will pose in some strategically nude pictures and sell them as a calendar! Based on a true story, and following on from the roaring success of 1997s The Full Monty, it was a story just begging to be adapted for the big screen. Also boasting a shot in the arm for actresses of a certain age, who sadly are bereft of decent cinematic parts, Calendar Girls may not be a masterpiece of homely cinema values, but it certainly warms the cockles and hits an entertaining spot in spite of the laborious last third. The cast are unifo

10/27/2020

Another one of those movies I watched decades ago and recently revisited. I enjoyed it just as much as I did the first time. It reminds me of Waking Ned Devine in a way. It contains witty and realistic dialogue and a good percentage of the actors are older. There is a bit more drama in Calendar Girls, but it never submerges into melodrama. I am glad I watched it a second time. It has aged well and is a classic feel old movie.

11/1/2020

Another one of those movies I watched back when it came out and recently watched again. Like the women who pose for the calendar, the movie has aged well. My wife and I watch a lot of British tv (for Americans) so we have seen the actresses in many other excellent performances. Calendar a Girls reminds me of another great movie, (Waking) Ned Devine. There is humor, a feel good plot, and a fine ensemble cast. There are a perhaps a couple of more serious subplots in this film, such as Alderton’s character’s illness that gives birth to the calendar fundraiser. The movie is of course based on an actual fundraising calendar undertaken from women aged 45-65. I didn’t research it to see how accurate the plot is as I do in some reality based films, because I just watched it for is entertainm

8/11/2023

My dad worked in the motor trade when I was a kid, and I was forever seeing Pirelli or Michelin calendars with scantily clad women on them; hell even the beer cans had them too! Well, it's in a garage that "Chris" (Helen Mirren) spots one and it gives her inspiration. Why? Her best friend "Annie" (Julie Walters) has recently become a widow following the death from cancer of her beloved husband "John" (John Alderton), and they are trying to organise a fund raiser to buy a new sofa for their local hospice. With another vodka tasting already ruled out by their slightly prudish WI President "Marie" (Geraldine James) they have to think out of the box, or in this case out of the bra! Yep, she decides to recruit another eleven of her friends and then rope in Richard Glenister's "Lawrence" as the