In the Depths of Winter (Out this week - 22/04/11)

It's a good job I'm still in the run of "Baby Jesus Freak" as the cinematic landscape is looking a bit bleak at present, with the final deep breath before the summer season of blockbuster action commences. That's not to say there isn't some interesting output, but it's purely on the independent foreign-language kind and therefore hard to get hold of in the majority of cinemas. Anyhoo - film of the week is How I ended this Summer.



How I ended this Summer

Set in a Russian weather station deep within the arctic circle the film follows the progression and breakdown of two vastly different men over one summer as they receive and attempt to process some bad news from home. The trailer indicates high emotions and a fair degree of tension.

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



Extraordinary Adventures of Adele Blanc Sec

Luc Besson returns to live action adventure with this adaptation of the well-loved French comic book series, with a healthy dollop of feminism. The titular character is a proto-Lara Croft vanquishing mummies and hatched Pterodactyls in 1920's Paris.

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

Arthur

Russel Brand's film career appears to be ending right here, just as he gets his first major lead role. Frankly I dislike the original Arthur so I had very low expectations anyway, and combined with the horrible reviews and box office in America expect Brand to return to scene stealing supporting roles. Helen Mirren and Nick Nolte inexplicably co-star.

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

Dum Maaro Dum

Goa set thriller involving different storylines and characters all being manipulated by a shadowy drug king-pin. Unlikely to end well for the mafia boss, but probably everyone else will sort themselves out.

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


Fast & Furious 5: Rio Heist

Or whatever it's called these days. Paul Walker and Vin Diesel return (along with just about every surviving cast member from the franchise) to drive pumped up automobiles around the back streets of Rio de Janeiro facing off against Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson. I wonder who's muscles will put in the most convincing performance?

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

Pina

Wim Wenders explores the contemporary dance choreography of the late Pina Bausch. Essentially this is a recreation of her stunning work, using her troupe of dancing in a fitting tribute filmed just after her unexpected passing. Probably one for the fans of dance only, but certainly a curiosity that could be very rewarding.

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

Beastly

Following hot of the heels of last weeks Little Red Riding Hood movie is this teen version of Beauty and the Beast in which we see personality free Alex Pettyfer get hideously transformed by a witch before being freed by true loves kiss. I can never remember the moral to this fairy-tale. Is about seeing the inner beauty?

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

Dharti

Bollywood director Navaniat Singh was responsible for high grossing previous films like Mel Karade Rabba so I'm not sure why this Indian Air Force familial drama hasn't managed a page on imdb.

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

Everywhere and Nowhere

Kidulthood spin-off (much like Anuvahood a couple of weeks ago) but this look much more interesting as a Britiah Asian teenager is forced to choose between his traditional family and his blossoming career as a nightclub DJ.

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

Zombie Undead

Low budget British horror jumping on the current craze for zombies. Unlikely to bother anyone other than genre fanatics, and with a trailer that doesn't hint to any deeper parallels with society, it looks as if the everyone involved had fun making it at least.

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

I'm rubbish at keeping up when I'm away, but here a four more films that missed my attention when they first came out:

08 April 2011

Snap

Small scale Irish mockumentary (?) about a mother of a child killer and tabloid hate figure being interviewed by a small documentary crew. Interesting concept, but I'm not sure the style is the best way to present the frustration of the woman. Could be worth catching up on, though.

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

Urumi

I originally thought that was the sense of taste associated with mushrooms, but apparently this is a Bollywood look at the life of the boy who planned to assassinate famed Portuguese explorer Vasco de Gama. I must admit I never knew he was associated with India, but apparently his career was based on successes there - indeed he died (of Malaria) in Goa.

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


15 April 2011

Mallillai

Details on this much-maligned Tamil movie are a little sketchy, but it seems to revolve around a mix-up at an arranged wedding, and a character getting falsely imprisoned. The commenters on imdb are united in their hatred for it though.

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

Sparrow

Minor Johnnie To (Cheun Jik San Sau, Running out of time) movie which played at the Berlinale in 2008, about a group of street kids in Hong Kong getting by through pick pocketing. Came and went in UK cinemas without much fuss.

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