Out this week (26/06/09)

There are an extraordinary number of films being released this week, so the whole going to the cinema decision making thing is going to be really tough. Of the 11 features I'm going to recommend the ultimate art-house picture Shirin, although none are really jumping out so make your own choice.




Blood: The Last Vampire

Live-action remake of the 2000 anime about a government-sponsored vampire who hunts down "deamons" in her high school. Sounds like a very Japanese version of Buffy.

Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●○○○○○○○



The Blue Tower

Bleak british thriller set within the Indian communities, mixing inter-racial tensions with low-life crime and potent symbology.

Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●○○○○○○○○

Dummy

I know very little about this drama from British TV director Matthew Thompson, other than watching the odd little trailer. It appears to be about young brothers coping with their mothers death, the older one goes off the rails and the younger one paints a face on a tailor's dummy.

Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●●○○○○○○

Lake Tahoe

Semi farcical film about a boy who's car breaks down and his increasingly bizarre attempts to get help, against the backdrop of a terrible persoanl tragedy. Includes scenes of him being confused with a burglar and walking dogs - like a Mexican Clockwise.

Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●○○○○○○○


The Last Thakur

Like a Bangladeshi version of the Big Country - Kala arrives in a small town where two major persoanlities are warring for the souls of the inhabitants.

Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●○○○○○○○

My Sister's Keeper

Saccharine looking tosh from the director of The Notebook. Abigail Breslin is tired of giving parts of her body to her cancer ridden sister, Cameron Diaz is desperate for an oscar.

Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●○○○○○○○

New York

Running the risk of being in extremely bad taste this is a Bollywood movie about three students affected by the September 11 terrorist attacks. I'm certainly interested to see what the reactio is like.

Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●○○○○○○○○

Rudo & Cursi


The gorgeous duo of Gael Garcia Bernal and Diego Luna are on screen together for the first time since Y Tu Mama Tambien. Carlos Curaon' footballer's brothers story may be less ambitious than their last collaboration, but it should be well worth the ticket price.

Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●●○○○○○○


Shirin


It is hard to seperate the heritage of this Iranian film with current cultural events, suffice to say the very freedom to make films like this may be at stake. Abbas Kiarostami selects a unique way of presenting the Persian love poem Shirin, first he directs a stage performance of the show, but instead of watching that we watch the reactions of 115 female audience members to the play whilst we only hear the action. Almost exclusively in close up we see every tear and laugh that the audience feel. Incredible concept and very deserving of this weeks top film, regardless of the timing.

Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●●●○○○○○


Sunshine Cleaning

Amy Adams and Emily Blunt are sisters setting up a crime scene cleaning company, watch as they hilariously discover the best way to remove blood stains from silk curtains and learn how to be responsible adults. True fact: I was asked to host a charity preview of this.

Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●●○○○○○○


Tenderness

Low key Aussie crime thriller with high key cast of Russell Crowe, Laura Dern and Jon Foster (who probably butchered his family). From the director of Swimfan, but not as bad as that might imply. I wonder if there's some gratuitous shots of Foster's torso?

Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●●○○○○○○

Year One

I can imagine the pitch meeting for this high concept comedy with Jack Black and Micheal Cera. 2 failed hunter gatherers go out in the wide world after being banished from thier tribe, only to bump into various characters from the old testament. With hilarious consequences (!).

Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●○○○○○○○○