Another really crowded this week, but where there is a fundamental difference between last week huge selection of mid-level players fighting for attention and the box office giant hogging the screen this weekend. Indeed the other 11 new releases combined are in around a third the number of cinemas that this weeks comic geek mastubatory fantasy inhabits (that's an unfair comment as I hear the film is very good but the number are extremely shocking when you sit back and consider them). And as well as being the official start to the blockbuster season (the hors d'ouevres of John Carter, Hunger Games and Battleship not really counting) we also see the official end to 2011 Oscar season with the last mainstream feature nominee (excluding Foreign language and documentaries) getting it's UK release. Naturally the contest for the RLAG film of the week lies between these two extremes - the box office behemoth and the art-house breakout - but in the end a man can't change who he is so I opt for Albert Nobbs as the top choice.
It comes as no surprise that my box office predictions will go the other way, with Avengers Assemble likely to sweep everything else out of it's way at the multiplexes, indeed it's first day take on Thursday was larger than Battleship last week so were pretty much guaranteed a win there. The only questions is how the property will fare in the longer term, in the UK The Hunger Games has just past a gross of $35m which is slightly above the historic ceiling for comic book adaptations so it will be interesting to see if Joss Whedon can steer his superhero troupe ahead of Katniss in the next few weeks. Last weekend the aforementioned board-game adaptation just about stayed afloat at the top of the charts with Salmon Fishing nipping at it's heels. Needless to say I was smug about that prediction for days.
Albert Nobbs
Glenn Close's passion project has been waiting for funding for about 20 years as she reprises her acclaimed stage role of a 19th century cross dresser trying to make a living in hypocritical Dublin society. Justifiably picking up three Academy award nominations (Close, Janet McTeer and makeup) but drawing severe criticism for the pace it'll be interesting to see if it can get an audience.
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Read on for invulnerable tag teams, worthless horses and the return of an American Indie treasure, as well as all of this weeks trailers in just one post!
Hands up if you think the loud American voiceover in this trailer actually makes the film less appealing.
Avengers Assemble
Renamed in the UK so we don't go in looking for Steed and Diana Rigg, this is the much anticipated Marvel hero mash-up bringing together the subplots of every one of their releases over the last few years, with the other films effectively acting as trailers for this one. It'll be very interesting to see whether the combination of the stars and characters makes for a substantially bigger box office return. The all star cast includes Robert Downey Jnr. (Iron Man), Mark Ruffalo (Hulk), Chris Evans (Captain America), Chris Hemsworth (Thor), Samuel L. Jackson, Jeremy Renner and Gwynneth Paltrow. Phew!
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Damsels in Distress
There are many critics who point at Whit Stillman and laud him as one of the most influential American Indie directors of the last 20 years, yet I have never seen any of his movies. I doubt that will change soon judging on the divided critical reception to this college comedy, his first in 13 years.
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Le Moine
Vincent Cassell is the not altogether sane monk at the centre of this Middle Ages set French/Spanish co-production about a renowned and popular man of God confronting temptation. Cassell's always worth the money and I here he brings everything he's got to the role in the third act.
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The Assault
Based on the true story of the 1994 Air France hijack this multi-narrative piece replays the chain of events through the eyes of the kidnapper, the emergency command HQ and the captain of the assault team sent in to rescue the hostages.
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Ee Adutha Kaalathu
The first in our trio of Bollywood releases this week utterly baffles me with is tagline "Reality is a movie... Starring only you...". Does that mean no-one else is in my reality. Someone get me a philosopher my brain is hurting.
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Hans Kloss Stawka wieksza nic smierc
Exciting looking Polish WW2 movie that sees the hero Hans Kloss going behind enemy lines to prevent some Nazi plot (forgive me my Polish is rusty) and cause general mayhem. Lots of action, sex and violence that should do well in it's limited release.
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Mithevedi
Translated as Minefields, this Tamil movie explores the continued presence of Landmines in Sri Lanka which sounds like a worthy and fascinating topic, however the acting style will still alienate many Western cinema goers.
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Outside Bet
There's a whole host of British stars who really should know better including Bob Hoskins, Adam Deacon and Jenny Agutter in this low-rent comedy about a bunch of working class heroes and that horse that makes their fortune. Probably not worth putting a punt on it, though.
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388 Arletta Avenue
Canadian stalker thriller that proves Nick Stahl is still alive even if his career seems to have taken a turn for the worse, completely filmed with 'hidden cameras' I think we can all guess where the plot goes.
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Strippers vs. Werewolves
You know there's something about this campy, poorly produced 'B'-movie trailer that actually works for me, it's as if the team behind it almost knew from the get-go that they wanted to make something crass and cheap for a Friday night beer and movie marathon. But there's nothing that will persuade me to spend £8 on it.
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Tezz
You won't believe the central conceit of this Anglo-Indian co-production, there's a bomb on a London to Glasgow train speeding up the country (Yes, it's speeding which shocked me) whilst a collection of only Hindi speaking police must catch the man responsible before it's too late.
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Last week I, unfortunately missed out
Grave Encounters
yet another found footage horror briefly visiting a tiny number of screens before making it's DVD debut. Not that you can blame me, it manages to look both derivative and dull in two minutes.
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Sunday, 29 April 2012
It's a Man's World (Out this week - 27/04/12)
Thursday, 27 October 2011
Contagion
2011. Dir: Steven Soderbergh. Starring: Laurence Fishburne, Jennifer Ehle, Matt Damon, Kate Winslet and Jude Law. ●●●○○
Contagion does a great job of changing the way you think. For a few hours after leaving the cinema I was afraid to touch door handles, hand driers, bar snacks, nervous of using public transport and definitely avoiding coughing in peoples faces. All of these apparently harmless activities now seem to invite painful inevitable death. One minute you could be throwing dice in Macau, gleefully planning to shag your ex, and the next your cranium will be cut in half by nervous pathologists. Steven Soderbergh's clinical thriller, analysing the likely response to a global pandemic, certainly ratchets up the tension but objective approach and multiple storylines prevents the audience from empathising with the characters and ultimately we left with the impression of a heavy handed Government Information broadcast.
Picking up the story from day 2 and the first anonymous victim stumbling under a lorry in his Hong Kong Soderbergh has deliberately avoided the usual disaster movie conventions, instead he's trying to understand the likely battle against a rogue flu. So we follow Laurence Fishburne's head of the Centre for Disease Control, with his field operative Kate Winslet trying to contain the virus and his top scientist Jennifer Ehle finding a way to beat it. All the while Matt Damon's everyman and Jude Law's harbinger of doom blogger are caught up and carried along by the collapse of society as fear and desperation become even more viral than the initial bug.
Soderbergh is trying to replicate his success with Traffic, weaving a multi-character arc around an issue we will all face from time to time, however the storylines don't provide enough of a variation to create a satisfying whole. In his 2000 masterpiece each of the major plot informed reactions to the others, here they feel tacked on, even when Fishburne and Law debate their point on TV news or when Marion Cotillard surveys Gwynneth Paltrow's last steps these seem ultimately disconnected events. Some sections manage to make an interesting case to have seen more of - ultimately the CDC sections are the most compelling - however others seem unnecessarily sparse (Cotillard is especially hard done by) and Matt Damon's personal travails come across as petty and small - and he loses his wife and stepson in the first 10 minutes of the film!
The messiness also seems to detract from the central thesis, the status quo for mankind isn't panic and disorder but trust and sacrifice. The scientist that tests a drug on herself, the reasercher who gives up a coat, the man in a queue picking up a passport, the importance of a handshake. These are the minor moments that define us as human beings.
We do see some nice performances, Jennifer Ehle's resourcefulness is a highlight, as is Elliott Gould's proud academic (a character I really wanted to see more of), indeed none of the cast are doing a bad job it's just a shame so many of them have very little to do.
Steven's work as a cinematography also throwbacks back to his earlier experiments with colour filters, here a sickly green hue permeates through the action, queasily altering our general perception. There are also some nice touches with out-of-focus shooting, even if we have seen all these before. The script also provides some belters, "Blogging isn't writing, it's graffiti with punctuation." easily winning plaudits as the most quotable line. So naturally I repeat here - spraypainting my thoughts on the wall of the internet.
Overall I would say this is a competent movie and would recommend it (if only to make everyone think twice about going to work when they have a cold) but I couldn't help thinking probably had something better inside of it, maybe a much longer miniseries or jettisoning the other stories and focusing on the work of the CDC could've have kept the film sharper.
Tuesday, 27 September 2011
Gwyneth Paltrow
Happy Birthday to
Gwyneth Paltrow
39 today
If come out straight away as a Gwynnie fan I hope that doesn't irritate too many people. I feel she completely deserved her Oscar for Shakespeare in Love and as an actress she's shown a great level of diversity. Of course that said I can't imagine going to see a film purely because she's in it. I will be seeing Contagion, though even if it doesn't end terribly well for her character (it's not a spoiler if it's in the trailers).
Friday, 19 August 2011
Of the Peace of Ireland (Out this week - 19/08/11)
I have very little option this week with the film of the week, obviously I expect the underperforming US genre mash to take the box office top spot, although the two TV spin-offs hitting cinemas this weekend will want a slice of the action, however the most intriguing movie with several weeks of success in the Irish cinemas and therefore film of the week is The Guard.
The Guard
It's easy to be blasé about John Michael McDonagh's indie mismatched cop story, but it has all the hall-marks of a classic of the genre. With Brendan Gleeson and Don Cheadle perfectly matched to rub each other up the wrong way. The most interesting off screen connection to note is McDonagh's brother Martin directed In Bruges also starring Gleeson.
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Cowboys & Aliens
Oh dear, the fallout from this expensive flop (apparently $200m was spent on the a movie that's only going to make $96m domestically) is quite broad ranging, from the closedown of The Lone Ranger to the panic over the box office draw of it's leading men Harrison Ford and Daniel Craig. That's what happens when you use a randomly generated selection of buzzwords to create a film, I guess.
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In a Better World
Susanne Bier's relationship drama may cover themes she's been to time and time again but who can dissect modern Danish families better, also this controversially won the Best Foreign Language film Oscar earlier this year. However in spite of all that pedigree the trailer looks a little overwrought.
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The Inbetweeners Movie
Aimed squarely at the fans of the BBC2 comedy series, and using the classic characters go on holiday tactic of opening the action to a 90 minutes session, there's certainly a market for this not-quite-cool boys on holiday lark. Not sure it's me though.
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Villain
Fascinating looking Japanese drama about guilt and redemption and the aftermath of a senseless, almost inadvertent murder, the two main suspects and what it means to love and sacrifice for someone. Could well be worth a second look.
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Glee! Live in 3D!
I was in two minds about even including this concert documentary, after all it doesn't appear to conform to my rules for inclusion in the breakdown of releases (no docs, no live shows, no re-releases etc) however after bombing in the States where it didn't even make it to the top ten in it's week of release and with the actors (including Gwynneth Paltrow but not Jane Lynch or Matthew Morrison) appearing as the characters they play in the TV series I felt it wouldn't hurt. No-one's going to see it anyway.
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Spy Kids: All the time in the World in 4D
I'm assuming the 4D element of this totally unnecessary kiddies sequel is time, in that it drags on and on and on. Plot appears to revolve around a magical sapphire that stops time and some drivel about step-mothers being spies. Charmless.
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Saturday, 26 March 2011
Trade descriptions act (Out this week - 25/03/11)
It's not really a week for going to the cinema. Ultimately there's little to entice anyone to the local multiplex, plus the weather taken a turn for Spring and there are Football, Cricket and Grand Prix on all weekend so I doubt attendance will be high. That said I'm already watched Channing Tatum in a thong and summer box office taster Limitless is my film of the week.
Limitless
Bradley Cooper (in a desperate attempt to prove himself as a leading man) takes a pill that utilises the 80% of his brain that he rarely uses. As a result he finds himself indebted to Robert De Niro. It's probably derivative, but it's getting positive reviews for this sort of thing and squeezed into the top of the US box office last week.
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Country Strong
One of the major reasons why Gwynneth Paltrow now thinks she can have a music career is the positive reaction to this country singer redemption movie - apparently she's forgotten the critics just like this kind of movie but they don't buy records. By the way does anyone think she actually looks like an alcoholic in the trailer?
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Turtle's Tale: Sammy's Adventure
Belgian animation with country specific voice work (here in the UK we get John Hurt and Gemma Arterton, in the US you get Melanie Griffiths) that shows the destruction of the natural world over 60 years through the eyes of a well-travelled turtle. Doesn't sound stretching but the animation looks fine.
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Christian Brothers
First Bollywood movie in a few weeks, so it should get some punters in. It's a action comedy about a Christian patriarch who's sons are a continual disappointment.
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The Eagle
Kevin MacDonald's adaptation of the Rosemary Sutcliffe swords and sandals novel makes it to the screens after a 8 month delay (partly due to Neil Marshall's similarly themed Centurion). Channing Tatum and Jamie Bell bond during a trip to Scotland.
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Faster
Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson clearly wants a bit of Fast and Furious action with a 70's vibe in this revenge thriller. Somehow he persuades Billy Bob Thornton and Tom Berenger along for the ride, but ultimately this will probably miss it's marks.
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Rewind
Irish drama about a recovered addict who's past comes back to haunt her in horrific and violent ways. An interesting concept that looks like it panders to genre conventions in the end.
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Toast
Coming of Age, and coming out, story starring Freddie Highmore as a teen growing up in 1960's West Midlands. Oddly this was a TV movie (shown over Christmas) that's now getting a cinematic release, probably because Helena Bonham Carter plays his brassy step mother.
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Wake Wood
The latest horror movie from the revamped Hammer studios takes the winning formulas of The Wicker Man and Don't Look Now, mashes they're central plots and obviously comes up with something that fails to stand up to it's influences.
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Redemption
Brutal Western influenced by Leone, Eastwood and "Deadwood" with plenty of violence but little moral code. Populated by unknown actors doing they're best to justify your ticket price.
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And missed from last weeks rundown:
Between the Canals
Dublin set crime thriller that takes it's ideas from the East End gangster pics popularised by Guy Ritchie and transfers them to the banks of the Liffey (and other local waterways).
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Sunday, 30 January 2011
20 for 2011: 1 - Contagion
Finally we reach my top pick for 2011, the film I'm most looking forward to seeing is...
Steven Soderbergh's Contagion.
Steven Soderbergh, that former darling of the American indie scene, is a cinematic chameleon, his back catalogue encompasses the full gamut of genres from biopics (Che) to star laden comedy (The Ocean's trilogy) to experimental art (Bubble). Even his misfires are generally considered to be worth watching, as they exhibit an understanding of form and content almost unparallelled in modern cinema.
For Contagion he reunites with The Informant writer Scott Z. Burns for what is described on imdb as "An action-thriller centered on the threat posed by a deadly disease and an international team of doctors contracted by the CDC to deal with the outbreak." That's just the tip of the iceberg, as the hyperlink movie will take in a variety of stories including familial sacrifice, panic-stirring bloggers, the collapse of Governments as well as the race to find a cure.
Originally planned to be shot in 3D, the latest I've heard is that has been quietly dropped as Soderbergh wasn't happy with the results, proof that he is serious about this multi-character drama. Indeed it seems to indicate the sort of serious mind he brought to Traffic, his superb take on the war on drugs.
Like that previous picture the cast is huge, and hugely talented, including Marion Cotillard, Matt Damon, Lawrence Fishburne, Elliott Gould, Jude Law, Gwynneth Paltrow, Kate Winslet and John Hawkes (recent Academy Award nominee for Winter's Bone). In case you weren't aware that little lot have 3 acting Oscars and a further 12 nominations between them, it's the sort of cast list you didn't think you'd see anymore and the sort of cast that wouldn't just sign on to anything.
In short this is a fascinating prospect, a director whosework I trust and have a long time affection for, working within a curious and underused genre with a castlist out of this world. How could anyone not be excited by this.
Friday, 30 April 2010
Out this week (30/04/2010)
Summer is here. The temperature has been beginning to lift, the mornings are lighter and the first of the big summer tentpoles is opening this week. Like everyone else out there I am excited about the big box office returns and the 3 month whirl of red carpet premieres and relentless marketing campaigns. Away from the big lights though there are some nice foreign language choices, but the film of the week remains Iron Man 2. 
A Boy Called Dad
As the lurid headlines of our tabloid culture focus more and more on the exceptional cases of underage parents we tend to forget the personal impact of having children. This film aims to reverse that trend taking a good look at the way a 14 year old life is turned upside down, and how he learns to cope.
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The Disappearance of Alice Creed
Gemma Arterton begins her make or break career year with a standard kidnap drama - will her captors renege on their promise to deliver her back safely? Will she seduce them to ensure her rescue? Watch the trailer to find out.
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Gentleman Broncos
Jared Hess's latest may not have the cult appeal of his 2004 hit Napoleon Dynamite but it's concept of blatant plagurism in the sci-fi fantasy subculture and it's class supporting turn from Jermaine Clement should get some fans.
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Housefull
Bollywood superstar Akshay Kumar takes the lead in this comedy about guy with three girls on the go whose life is just about to get really complicated.
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Iron Man 2
2008's surprise comic book hit (did you really think it would take off in the way it did for essentially a minor Marvel creation) gets it's inevitable remake. Robert Downey Jr. and Gwynneth Paltrow are back, Don Cheadle gets a choice replacement role, Mickey Rourke gets villian roles and Samuel L. Jackson may get a slightly bigger cameo. Expect this to be the biggest money spinner this year.
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The Last Song
Another Nicolas Sparks novel gets a big screen adaptation, following Dear John just a couple of weeks ago, with Miley Cyrus trying to break out as a real actress and Greg Kinnear adding a little class as her dad.
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The Milk of Sorrow
Peruvian drama - we don't get many of those - about a girl coming to terms with her childhood and her fears following the death of her mother.
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Revanche
Oscar nominated Austrian film about fate and revenge. I hear it's long two hours, but worth it for those with the persistence.
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Sura
Feel good entertainer, with a poster that looks like a mob drama, and an audi in the background. What can you say.
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24 City
Chinese drama following all sectors of society as a Chengdu factory is closed to make apartments, and the way this effects our characters, their family and the wider impact on society.
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Valhalla Rising
An art film about a viking pyschopath? You'd better believe in the latest feature from Nicolas Winding Refn with the mute one-eyed hero finding the secrets behind his origins and the origin of his almost supernatural strength.
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And missed from last week, as you know there would be some...
The Calling
What starts as a comedy, with a vivacious student abandoning her planned career to join a nunnery meeting a bunch of comedy staples (including Susannah York's overbearing Mother Superior and the militant Brenda Blethyn), slowly develops into a fair reflection of the imporatnce of faith and community. Looks like a very good bet if you get the chance.
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Esrefpasalilar - Eshref Pasha
Turkish comedy drama - naturally. I have no idea what it's about so feel free to tell me if you know.
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Sunday, 27 September 2009
Gwyneth Paltrow
Happy Birthday to
Gwyneth Paltrow
37 today
Beautiful, stunning, clever, funny, yet strangely, even when she only appears in one film a year, over-exposed. That could be due to the whole being married to Coldplay. I really want to be wowed by her talent again, but I'm really not sure how Gwyneth will be able to do that.
