How deep is Beauty? (Out this week - 26/08/11)

How can one week look so interesting and yet so weak at the same time. On one end of the scale we have a couple of utter flops that are fighting for the teen audience, whilst at the other there's a (not totally successful) chick-lit adaptation and a Spanish melohorror which are both appealing to me. Of course it's Almodovar who wins out so the runs like a gay film of the week is The Skin I Live In.



The Skin I Live In

Marking their sixth collaboration together, and the first since 1990's Tie me Up, Tie me Down, we have Pedro Almodovar and Antonio Banderas genre-bending in this mad scientist picture. Reviews from Cannes and since have emphasised the high camp that harkens back to the Universal monster heyday.

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



One Day

It's disgustingly widely read, even I felt the need to turn the pages of David Nicholls' addictive novel, so was always going to face the wrath of the fans on it's release and early reviews have not been kind. That said I didn't like the book so I expect I will like the film!

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

Conan the Barbarian

From what I hear this muscle-bound remake really helps you to appreciate the simplicity and strong plotting of Arnie's original. Jason Momoa gets to wear very little as the titular hero, and amazingly they hired Morgan Freeman to narrate!

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

Kill the Irishman

Ultra limited release for this surprisingly starry biopic of longshoreman and gangster Danny Greene who wanted a cut of the Cleveland crime scene without paying respects to the Mafia. Look out for Vincent D'Onoforio, Val Kilmer and Christopher Walken in supporting roles.

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

R: Hit First, Hit Hardest

Danish prison drama that does what it says on the tin, expect brutal inmate on inmate violence and maybe some messing with the screws. By way of a twist the central story recounts the friendship between two inmates of radically different racial and religious upbringings.

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

As Blood Runs Deep

Another one of those heavy casts of good looking young Americans, a selection of wannabes and nearly were's whose career's hover a step above direct to video. There's been a murder in a close knit community and whilst they appear to be trying to work with the police I smell a conspiracy.

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

Final Destination 5

Yet another instalment for this utterly preposterous horror franchise with DEATH chasing at the heels of a horde of survivors from a special effects heavy bridge collapse. As ever the most fun will be trying to work out what everyday object holds the key to the characters demise.

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

Powder

Oddly this dark comedy about the British indie music scene, with all it's ups, downs and general depravity is an American film, which does make you wonder about the state of the British film industry - probably more than you worry about the music at least.

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