2012. Dir: Christopher Nolan. Starring: Christian Bale, Gary Oldman, Tom Hardy, Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Anne Hathaway. ●●●○○
Last week I admitted to being lazy, this week I'm going to admit to being a coward. I've been holdign back on my The Dark Knight Rises review because my opinion may be unpopular. So here we are, three weeks too late, I didn't much like the closing chapter to Christopher Nolan's Batman trilogy. I felt it to be an ambitious, glorious piece of film-making sadly let down by an overstuffed, incoherent and dull plot. It is both an improvement and a let down compared to Nolan's previous work and I only hope he pares down his narrative fancies for whatever non-chiropteran project he works on next.
Seven years have past since the thrilling climax of The Dark Knight when Bale’s Batman took the fall for Harvey Two-face Dent’s murderous rampage and Gotham has radically changed. The Dent act, which allows draconian charging for organised syndicates has virtually destroyed the Falcone family interests and created a crime free zone, whilst an arrest warrant sits over Batman’s head. Bruce Wayne, with no crime to fight, has sunk into a deep depression, brooding over the death of Rachel Dawes and shut off from all society; an effort to create a cold fusion generator macguffin was thwarted when a Hungarian scientist pointed out how easy it was to turn it into a bomb and the entire R&D budget has been sunk in keeping the device, handily stored under the city, leaving Wayne industries close to insolvency, all in all things are not looking good for Batman.
Yet something under the city is stirring, gangs of youths are disappearing into the sewers, lulled by the promise of jobs still denied to the Gotham underclass. A few switched on cops led by aging Commissioner Gordon (Gary Oldman) and angry young pup (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) are imagining the worst and wondering when the bat signal will once again need to be turned on. Even sophisticated jewellery thief Selina Kyle (Anne Hathaway) knows enough to spout warnings of a war coming, an inexorable tide that will bring the rich and powerful of the city tumbling to the streets. Yet even Kyle isn’t completely prepared for the changes, because it’s no campaigning Victorian with concerns about social harmony, nor is it the financial meltdown the real world has experienced, Gotham has a more substantial foe, international terrorist and towering brute Bane (Tom Hardy in a mask) is about to reveal himself as Gotham’s reckoning.
Two paragraphs of exposition on and I’ve yet to mention other key characters brought forward from previous movies (Michael Caine, Morgan Freeman, Cillian Murphy) and new batch (Marion Cotillard, Matthew Modine, Tom Conti, Ben Mandelsson) all of whom almost have story arcs of their own to get through, even if the arc precludes the possibility of character development. Inevitably many of actors get shafted in the screen play, we've seen plenty of Morgan Freeman's witty and taciturn technogeek, and not just in this trilogy, but Marion Cotillard who really should make an impact in order to justify her ropey romance with Bale and her third act journey, yet Miranda Tate is always a cypher to the audience, seemingly there only to give the fanboys something to shout about at the end.
Instead of the supporting cast Nolan turns the camera back on the Batman, returning to the story of a scared orphan falling down in order to learn how to get up, an angry child emotionally scarred by his parents untimely death and his battle to clean up the streets. It's thematically linked to the first film in that examination of Bruce Wayne's psyche and the surrogate parental relationships formed with butler, Alfred, and Liam Neeson's Ra's al Ghul and the infamous League of Shadows.
Against this most introspective of comic book hero's it takes a really special performance to steal the limelight, and alas Tom Hardy's Bane whilst superficially fulfilling the flipside to Wayne - a man who started with nothing intent on destroying the world order rather than protecting it not to mention the yin and yang of their masks - is given so little to do about from a couple of rousing, only just decipherable speeches and a chance to pummel the Batman. Indeed Bane is able to build an army and mount a revolution yet the audience aren't given a chance to understand what makes his men follow him, not just into battle but also to a sacrificial alter.
When considering the film I find myself constantly returning to Bane, his plan and his motives. Each time I confuse myself more and more, did Bane want to stir up a revolution to overturn corrupt capitalist society, or was the whole thing a ruse to get Batman so riled up he crawls out of a hole? Doesn't Bane and his key accomplices know the bomb will explode? Did Nolan not think it would be interesting to see the results of Bane's tyrannical overthrow, or was a montage of the rich being thrown out of their hotels enough to satisfy? It's not even as if the politics of the film hit the zeitgeist, Bane doesn't represent the 99% as he's pushing not for equality of opportunity and social justice but another kind of inequality. Even the attack on Gotham's own stock exchange isn't to break the bank but to make some high value transactions of his own. It's the filmic equivalent of Robespierre and Idi Amin keeping the masses in place by routinely executing the old order and redistributing wealth with reckless abandon.
Thank God for Anne Hathaway, from the moment she appears on screen her cat-burglar (geddit???) steals every scene, by turns vulnerable, playful and vindictive, she's the proof Nolan could help create significant, rounded female characters (sorely missing from most of his back catalogue).
Technically this film delivers in spades. Wally Pfister knows how to use IMAX cameras like no-one else in the business, there were times I was as giddy as a school-girl watching the camera work. Lindy Hemmings costumes, always a highpoint of the series once again impress, from the stylish duds of Gotham's partying rich to Gary Oldham's cardies and from the utilitarian suggestion of cat to Anne Hathaway's suit to Bane's coat, which I fully expect to see everywhere this winter.
Overall though I have to say it doesn't matter how much I try to big up the successes in The Dark Knight Rises, the bar was simply too high to climb. Flawed and unwieldy this is not the closing episode any of us wanted and I can really only recommend it to fans of the Batman.
Thursday, 9 August 2012
The Dark Knight Rises
Saturday, 14 April 2012
Forgotten Genius (Out this week - 13/04/12)
Choosing a film this week is a tough job, there's a whole range of releases that is bound to include something that appeals to everyone although possibly not appealing enough to persuade anyone to actually go to see them. It's odd in that even as I type this up, reading the reviews and watching the trailers, even as I can appreciate the quality offerings I just can't imagine buying a ticket for any of them - even my film of the week. Incidently I've sidestepped the revisionist Westerns and genre bending horrors to select a little known French movie as the pick of the week, whilst I suspect it won't break out of the art-house circuit (just 2 screens this weekend) it got some minor awards buzz back in December including a trio of Satellite Award Nominations. So the RLAG film of the week is Mozart's Sister.
Has the blockbuster season started yet? I know it hasn't in America as this weekend the biggest opener is a Farrelly brothers re-imagining of a classic comic trio that precisely no-one really wants to see. However here we have the first big box office behemoth opening this weekend in Battleship presumably to avoid Euro 2012 which is known to affect cinematic attendance in the UK. I think we can safely assume it will take the box office crown this week, but I also suspect that - based on the reviews - it will be the second box office disappointment for Taylor Kitsch. Last week I foolishly imagined Mirror Mirror would lead the pack however not only did it fail to pass The Hunger Games but Titanic 3D, which I suspiciously avoided last week, was the clear box office champion. I hang my head in shame.
Mozart's Sister
Classic music fans everywhere will be fascinated by this French movie concentrating on the early life of Wolfgang's older sister, a prodigy whose genius was later overshadow by that if her male sibling mainly because of his gender. Clearly this film is in the shadow of Amadeus but could well be an interesting companion piece that displays a different side to that well known family dynamic.
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Exquisite costuming, but the translations seem to let the trailer down.
Blackthorn
Sam Shepard picks up the mantle of Butch Cassidy from Newman in this 20's set Western focussing on Cassidy's (now called Blackthorn) career as a Bolivian horse trader, only he gets the itch to return back to the States and right a terrible wrong. Cue plenty of contemplative vistas and shoot-outs. Stephen Rea also stars.
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Cabin in the Woods
Twisty Turny horror movie produced by Joss Whedon and directed by one of his prodigies Drew Goddard. It's spent an awful long time on the shelves due to the financial implosion at MGM but that shouldn't be considered indicative of it's quality given the high praise from most critics. Thor himself (Chris Hemsworth) leads the usual selection of disposable teens but it's the presence of Richard Jenkins and Sigourney Weaver in a potentially spoilerish cameo that make this seem like an interesting spin on the deserted cabin horror sub-genre.
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La Delicatesse
Do you remember when Audrey Tatou was set to be a huge star? Well, whilst her international career prospects may have been stalled by The Da Vinci Code she is still a bona fide draw in France and for French exports hence we're seeing this uninspiring looking lump of whimsy in which Tatou falls unexpectedly for another man after her "the one" is tragically killed. Should do reasonably well at cinemas.
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Battleship
Oh, come on, this slice of boring Hollywood crap designed purely to sell toys and appeal to pre-pubescent boys should be throttled at before it gets a chance to throw away millions on hum-drum sub Transformers CGI. What's worse is I hear the plot sees the US Navy firing the first guns so therefore seems to applaud the aggressor. Is this really the type of message we want our children to see at cinemas? Liam Neeson pops up as an Admiral and Taylor Kitsch and Rhianna are among the sailors looking to kick start their acting career with this bilge.
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Oru Kal Oru Kannadi
Something tells me this cheap looking trailer will not be the one that persuades non-Bollywood followers to try something a little different (bearing in mind Houseful 2 made the UK and US top tens last weekend). It's about a guy and a girl and the guy's best friend who gives him all the worst advice in how to woo her, which is at least very familiar to all audiences.
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Edge
Carol Morley's recent semi-doc Dreams of a Life was exceptionally well received in the last quarter of last year and it's probably that good will which has led to her previous feature starring local girl (to where I'm living) Maxine Peake getting it's release. That said the glooming looking chamber piece about six characters in a dour hotel is hardly likely to gain the same traction.
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Gospel of Us
I did want to give more blobs to this cinematic oddity, but finding reviews or in reality an audience for this strange experience seems difficult. It's the filmed elements of Port Talbot's acclaimed Passion Play from last year with Michael Sheen in the role of Jesus. I do wonder why it wasn't opened last weekend but I'm sure the producers have their reasons and I do hope that non-Christian cinema-goers see this which is as much about community as it is about God.
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Saturday, 31 March 2012
Coming of age in Italy (Out this week - 30/03/12)
Busy-ish week with lots of fine looking European movies competing for our collective attentions this weekend. Which, for the uninitiated basically means I will largely ignore the supposed big hitters that will blast their way into the box office charts -even the plasticine based one which looks quite good - and instead focus all my attention on the arthouse circuit this weekend. I suppose one of the real tragedies of our age is that even though there are three very highly praised foreign language pictures this week, any one of which could have made my film of the week, none of them has opened in as few as 5 cinemas let alone the 425 that The Hunger Games is still holding on to. Oh well, eschewing messed up relationships and miniature trees I have chosen Corpo Celeste as the runs like a gay film of the week.
Last week no-one was surprised to see Katniss Everdene smash it on the box office chart both sides of the Atlantic as well as Australia, Brazil, France, Germany, Mexico, New Zealand, Norway, Russia, Singapore, South Korea and Sweden, as well as virtually everywhere else, so I get no kudos for jumping onto that particular bandwagon, even if I haven't personally added to it's gargantuan haul. This week we have dancing teens and wrathful Gods but I suspect Ardman Animation have the necessary edge to be next weeks number one with Pirates! In an Adventure with Scientists
Corpo Celeste
Coming of age dramas might seem like a done to death genre but Alice Rohrwacher Cannes hit seems to take a interesting twist focussing on the confirmation classes of our heroine Martha and her readjustment following a recent upheaval.
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The trailer certainly hints at the complex moral and religious layers confronting young Catholic girls.
Babycall
Noomi Rapace gets the opportunity to shine as a character both far removed from her revelatory turn as Lisbeth Salander as well as sharing some common DNA as a young mother escaping an abusive past who accidently overhears a shocking event somewhere in her apartment block. Superior Scandinavian thriller.
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Bonsai: A Story of Love Books and Plants
Looking slightly more surreal is this South American picture flicking between two timelines - the present where a writer tries to impress his new found love and the past the story the writer is telling of a previous relationship and how it failed. Looks really intriguing, but also only showing in one cinema.
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Pirates! In an Adventure with Scientists
Aardman are back with their first feature length hand crafted animation since The Curse of the Were Rabbit. Hugh Grant plays the less successful than ambitious Pirate Captain intent on winning the Pirate of the year award, with David Tennant as Darwin who gets caught up with his nefarious plans. Imelda Staunton and Selma Hayek are along for the ride.
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Tiny Furniture
Five films in before the first US production and even this with it's vague indie stylings feels miles apart from the bombastic blockbusters that usually clog up screens. Flirting dangerously with an overdose of quirk the trailer at least gives us a glimpse of the multi talented (writer/director/actor) Lena Dunham who will be one to watch out for in the future.
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Les Lyonnais
Probably forgettable French crime drama, based on a true story, that nonetheless looks epic enough in scope to consider itself as an vague relative of the Godfather trilogy and more recently Mesrine. It'll be interesting if this finds an audience.
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Streetdance 2
Back when the first Streetdance came out a couple of years ago I remember being really captivated by the 3D trailer which promised the dancers jumping out of the screen at you, it's interesting the inevitable sequel is underplaying that aspect which perhaps shows the public loss of interest in 3D screenings. Anyhoo this looks like it will still appeal to the same crowd as the rest of the dancing movies with it's mix of beautiful people and displays of rhythm. I think Tom Conti learnt his French accent from watching "Allo Allo".
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Switch
I am assured it has a very limited cinematic release as well as the DVD issue this trailer points to even if I can't find a listing that proves that. Eric Cantona, who has done an awfully good job in changing career from footballer to actor, must run through a lot of streets to prevent bad things happening to fellow runner Karine Vanasse. Or something like that anyway.
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3
Two things struck me whilst watching the trailer for this Tamil language action romance. Primarily I really like the graphic where the heart monitor turns into writing, lovely job, and then I decided I need to go to India to give some lessons in kissing as the leads miss each others mouths twice in quick succession and clearly need help.
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Wrath of the Titans
It seems slightly disingenuous to end with this mythology sequel especially as it seems infinitely better than it's 2010 forebear. That said expect it to fail miserably at the box office and for the studios to continue to doubt the leading man credentials of Sam Worthington. Liam Neeson and Ralph Fiennes are on hand to do some thesping as a couple of the Gods in need of Perseus' aid.
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Saturday, 28 January 2012
Reflecting on what you didn't know (Out this week - 27/01/12)
So it's been Oscar nomination week, and as usual there have been a number of films that I thought were excellent that haven't come close to a nod, likewise quite a few I disliked that the Academy have swooned over. That said the 9 films listed as the best of the year seem like a good bunch even if there were some notable snubs elsewhere in the pack. Here in the UK we are still working through the big contenders as they arrive in cinemas, and one long considered favourite opens this weekend and naturally takes my top spot. Elsewhere we see wolves, monsters and doomed romances. Last week, to my surprise, Haywire was the biggest new release just beating Underworld: Awakening but missing out on the top spot to the second week of release from Spielberg's horse epic. I'm learning from my mistakes and given the imbalance in screens and it's likeable, kid friendly trailer I predict Monster in Paris will be the chart topper, although almost certainly second overall. The Runs like a Gay film of the week remains less commercial, but it should pick up some strong audience numbers, it's The Descendants
Descendants
Gorgeous George has just picked up his fourth acting Oscar nomination, although Shailene Woodley as his daughter noticeably missed out, for this Hawaii set dramedy about a father coming to terms with the death of his unfaithful wife. Alexander Payne directs for the first time in 7 years, getting an Oscar nod for his efforts, and brings his caustic, unemotional gaze to family dynamics. Robert Forster also stars.
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Grey
It's Liam Neeson versus the wolves, as the Ulsterman's later career as a kick-ass action hero continues into even weirder directions. The basic premise of a bunch of oil workers getting picked off by the man eating artic residents sounds fairly watchable, even if the whispered oscar campaign for Neeson next year seems strangely optimistic.
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Intruders
More Spanish horror, although with a geographical twist whereby we spend equal time in London as in Spain, following two families united by a teenage child with a monster in the cupboard. Clive Owen is the doubting father in the British section.
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Like Crazy
Highly buzzed Sundance title from 2011 with Felicity Jones and Anton Yelchin entering into a doomed, mostly improvised romance bound to get caught up with VISA difficulties and enforced seperations. Jennifer Lawrence has a minor role.
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Monster in Paris
Fun looking French (no kidding) animation involving a radioactive flea with a remarkable ability to play guitar and a series of slapstick chases. It's been re-dubbed into L'Anglais and should do well in these kiddy unfriendly months of winter.
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Agneepath
Popular Bollywood adventure, which opened one day early to capitalise on it's pre-release buzz. Saying that the plot, which follows the standard rise to criminal kingpin then return to village story, seems fairly soapy and the trailer did nothing for me.
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Alls well ends Well 2011
Not quite the Bard update it seems like in the title, this Cantonese rom-com has been released to coincide with Chinese New Year. Not quite as barmy as last weeks sex shop romp.
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Berlin Kaplani
Turkish-German film collaboration (Berlin has a huge Turkish community in case you weren't aware) with a surprisingly chubby pugilistic protagonist looking for that miracle fight to propel him into the big time.
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House of Tolerance
Don't take your kids to this French movie by mistake, it's laborious, nostalgic look at the working of a turns of the century Parisien brothel may make for an awkward car ride home. Apparently the leopard steals the show.
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Polish Roulette
It's like a UN meeting at cinemas this week, with this Eastern European gangster comedy, sometimes known as Sztos 2, being the eighth state contributing to cinema this weekend. I've not seen Sztos 1 but the alternative title suggests that may not be completely necessary.
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Spanish Masala
Fish out of water Mayalaman comedy, like a reverse version of Like Crazy with an Indian national stuck, VISA less in Spain unable to return home. Only for a Spanish daughter of an Ambassador to rescue him and set him up as a chef.
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Acts of Godfrey
Odd British drama, with a distinctly unusual delivery style. Yes the entire screenplay has been written in rhyming couplets. As an exercise it appears to work quite well, however countless reviews indicate the story isn't compelling enough to make the film worth watching.
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Tuesday, 7 June 2011
Liam Neeson
Happy Birthday to
Liam Neeson
59 today
An odd thing has happened to the Ulster born Liam Neeson. Up until the middle of the last decade he was a serious actor with a string of high profile award chasing roles. Then he played Henri Ducard in Christopher Nolan's Batman Begins which showed the world he could kick some serious ass and the post Taken Neeson was born. I really hope to see a return to more adult fare at some point in the future, as it is there's nothing on his slate that looks remotely watchable.
Friday, 4 March 2011
Plunged in the Foaming Brine (Out this week - 04/03/11)
With ten releases battling for our £10 this weekend it's inevitable there will be a couple that I'd actually like to see - as well as a few that are probably massive stinkers. I imagine the Johnny Depp lizard film ill own the box office, and I'd probably also be interested in seeing the New Zealand offering, however Shakespeare wins out over all of them. The film of the week is The Tempest.
The Tempest
Helen Mirren takes centre stage as Prospera, gender switched from the original telling, in Julie Taymor's latest re-telling of the Bard. If it's anything like Titus it will be a wonder to behold.
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The Adjustment Bureau
Matt Damon and Emily Blunt may fall in love at first sight but that isn't what fate, in the form of a shadowy bureaucracy run by Terence Stamp and Anthony Mackie, has in store for them in this Philip K. Dick adaptation.
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Insatiable Moon
Highly commended New Zealand movie about a Maori convinced he's the son of God who must woo the woman of his dreams and save his half-way house from being closed. A unique blend of social-realism and unlikely love story.
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Rango
Comic animation in which Johnny Depp, as a holidaying chameleon, must face up to the cut-throats and rustlers threatening the town of Dirt. Expect plenty of Western tropes to get caught in the crossfire.
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Ironclad
Brian Cox is the hell-raising noble who along with Knight Templar James Purefoy defies King John (Paul Giamatti in very odd casting) in this Manga Carta related siege movie partly based on a true story. Not that historical accuracy is that important when you have broadswords and trebuchets.
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Patagonia
Part-travelogue, part-road movie this film divides into two halves about an Elderly Chilean Woman visiting Wales and a Welsh couple in the titular area of South America. Exploiting the unlikely shared heritage of the two regions (Welsh settlers really did travel to Patagonia to escape persecution in the 1840s).
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Unknown
Liam Neeson wakes up from a car crash unable to remember much about his old life, save that he's a doctor and married to January Jones. Unfortunately she denies it in this twisty Euro-thriller also starring Frank Langella.
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Archipelago
Joanna Hogg's follow-up to 2008's Unreleated is another dissection of upper middle class Brits on holiday slowly unravelling their insecurities and petty prejudices. Fascinating, but probably not worth a cinema ticket.
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As if I'm not there
A harsh dose of cinematic realism about the Bosnian War of the 1990s. Juanita Wilson's drama is taken from true stories revealed during the International Criminal Tribunal in The Hague.
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Age of the Dragons
I get the feeling it's going to be a classic year for bad movies. This appalling looking dreck is a rehash of Melville's Moby Dick set in a world populated by dragons. Danny Glover and Vinnie Jones headline, which gives you an idea of the quality.
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And, naturally, there's a Bollywood release from last week that I missed out on.
Tannu weds Mannu
The Clue's in the title of this release from the sub-continent. Newlyweds from an arranged marriage are completely unsuited for each other, so of coursethey'll be head over heels by the final curtain.
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Wednesday, 12 January 2011
The Next Three Days
2010. Dir: Paul Haggis. Starring: Russell Crowe, Elizabeth Banks, Olivia Wilde, Liam Neeson and Ty Simpkins. ●●●○○
When Paul Haggis first announced his intention to remake the superior 2008 French thriller Pour Elle there were the usual round of objections against Americanization of European output and the general lack of originality within Hollywood. Whilst watching The Next Three Days proves the latter assertion however it hasn't completely embarassed itself and might be considered one of the least inappropriate of the current crop of remakes.
After the jump I will be discussing the plot of the film as well as my thoughts on it's quality, it will be impossible to lay out it's flaws without spoilers so please don't look or if a) you haven't yet seen this and b) you want to.
Russell Crowe is a school teacher who turns his personality inside out and breaks his wife out of prison. There you have it; spoilers not yet over but that's the plot in a nutshell. After a ridiculous pre-credits flash forward, really it's pointless and does nothing to help build any tension if anything it makes the whole action scenes seem less dangerous for Russell as we're waiting the flash forward to happen, we enter the happy home life of Russell and Elizabeth Banks, complete with adorable sproglet.
Their idyllic lifestyle (sort of, she's a bit of a downer at the best of times) is shattered when the police arrive en masse to charge Elizabeth for killing her boss with a fire extinguisher. We jump to the failure of the last appeal and Crowe deciding he must break her out of jail. Naturally he goes to see prison break supremo Liam Neeson, who like Sean Connery in The Rock, can't be bothered with a consistent accent. Russell then obsessively plans the break, without giving the audience much of a clue to his real plan (and there are plenty of surprises along the way to keep us enthralled during the actual escape), and becomes a different man to how he used to be in the process, joining shoot-outs in crack dens and leaving his son for good.
I liked Crowe's performance a lot; he could manage both the emotional early scenes with Banks (not that she could) and the action scenes at the end. I suppose the trouble with his performance, or rather the casting, is that he managed the action scenes so very well. At no point in the movie did we not think he was going to be able to get his wife out, even when the plan was falling apart or when he was being shot at we knew he was actiony nough to get out of the situation. Perhaps if someone without an action background was in the ead it may have worked better.
The pace of the movie was pretty good, in spite of the obvious way it would end there were some neat red herrings and action beats that kept me guessing what methodology Crowe would be using.
I do have a problem with the final scenes though, not the family altogether stuff in Venezuela, but the moment whn we find out Banks is innocent. After setting up that she might actually be a cold-blooded killer during the movie and a couple of clever nods to Don Quixote and the triumph of irrationality over rationality it was a great shame to find Crowe's actions were worthwhile.
Overall this is a fine Sunday afternoon movie. Watch it when there's nothing else on, with nibbles and a glass of wine, enjoy the ride then forget about it afterwards.
Wednesday, 22 December 2010
The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader
2010. Dir: Michael Apted. Starring: Geogie Henley, Skandar Keynes, Ben Barnes, Will Poulter and Gary Sweet. ●●●○○
As a child I positively devoured C.S. Lewis' Narnia novels, expectantly turning each page in a desperate need to find out what happens. I was high on the drama and excitement of the stories, and none more so than The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader which as well as having a proper boy's own adventure plot also tapped into my pre-adolescent desire to sail away into the great unknown. Coming back to the story in some way allows me to relive those heady days of youth, however we cannot go back. To use a biblical quote that no doubt Clive Staples would approve of: "When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things." 1 Corinthians 13:11.
That is not to say there isn't plenty to enjoy in The Dawn Treader, but before we go on we must remember this is a children's film, adapted from a children's book, with themes and allegorical content that work for children but seem heavily laboured for a 33 year old with no children.
As with the last two films (The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe and Prince Caspian) the story revolves around the Pevensie children who are magically transported to the land of Narnia (a mythical world that borrows heavily from Greek texts and Judeao-Christian theology) via an everyday object - this time it's a picture frame. With the two elder siblings safely packed away to Wartime America Lucy and Edmund (Henley and Keynes) are joined by their obnoxious cousin Eustace, played with elan by Will Poulter. Luckily they appear directly in front of the Dawn Treader, a ship carrying King Caspian on a quest to find the seven missing Lords loyal to his father; or at least loyal until they all ran away and some became obsessed with gold, it's a long story.
The quest to find the seven lords, soon becomes the quest to find their swords and use the swords to defeat an evil mist, and then hopefully be close enough to Aslan's kingdom to take a quick peek.
Each of the chapters in the story, various islands fights and other assorted perils nip by, each with their own style and level of menace. Apted does well to keep the pace about right for the youger audiences with the sense of danger appearing acute but never really life-threatening. Some of the islands have more psychological dangers and it's nice to see they aren't shied away from, trusting the audience to get the beast within feel, whilst the sea serpent at the end is very credibly realised and is a surprisingly complex beastie in terms of it's anatomy.
Will Poulter gives the stand out performance as an unlikeable but sympathetic character, especially in his scenes with Reepicheep the 12 inch computer generated rat voiced by Simon Pegg (replacing Eddie Izzard). Poulter, who also excelled in 2007's Son of Rambow, continues to prove himself a fine actor and one to watch out for overs the years to come.
There are the usual cameos for The Lion (voiced by Liam Neeson) and the Witch (Tilda Swinton) although the later is, unfortunately, only an apparition within the mist, and both of them mainly draw attention to how much the first book is more satisfying and more nuanced a story.
The final scene, almost an epilogue, is a perfect example of the dichotemy at the heart of the film. One the one hand we get some beautiful art direction and overall design features including a wall of water and a sea of flowers as well as the functional yet interesting costume design (interestingly in a 1950's design throwback way where regardless of the conditions on board the Dawn Treader and the extraordinary battles they face all of the sailors retain well tailored clean uniforms). One the other there is some appalling handled dialogue about what it means to go to Aslan's land and how he is known by "another name" in our world.
I guess if I were 9 again I probably would have enjoyed this film very much and would certainly recommend it to children of that age, as it is I can only appreciate it from a distance.
Saturday, 25 September 2010
Cops and Robbers (Out this week - 24/09/10)
I don't think this weeks top film will surprise anyone, it comes with a high degree of pedigree, a top notch cast and a solidly entertaining trailer. That said there are plenty of other films out there this week that might be worth a look, from the return of Dante to black comedy from Bobcat Goldthwaite so feel free to investigate. Film of the week is Ben Affleck's The Town.
Anjanna Anjaani
The usual plotless Bollywood movie that self describes as a comedy musical romance. Appears to involves a lot of bars from reading the cast list - including a gay bar and a stripper club.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●○○○○○○○○
Confucius
The life story of the world's most famous philosopher lumbers into theatres having cleared up in it's native China. As much as I admire the great man himself, as well as leading actor Yun-Fat Chow, I can't see this filling up the local mulitplex.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●○○○○○○○
Eat Pray Love
I think I'm overscoring Julia Robert's latest vehicle, the big screen adapatation of Elizabeth Gilbert's memoir/self-help guide but let's be honest however simperingly naff this looks there is an inbuilt audience and the travelogue aspect looks pretty. Look out for Viola Davis, Richard Jenkins and Javier Bardem in supporting roles.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●●●●○○○○
Enter the Void
I want to be more interested in Gaspar Noe's latest avant garde release, following the soul of a murdered teen as he watches over his sister, but I think the artiness of the concept might make it a marmite movie.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●○○○○○○○○
Frozen
High-concept thriller (I know, the jokes keep coming don't they) with three faceless twenty somethings marooned on a ski-lift for no real reason other than it makes a nice set up. Watch as they slowly succumb to frostbite and insanity.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●○○○○○○○
The Hole
Joe Dante, the viosionary director behind Gremlins, has returned with this family horror about a bottomless pit (filmed in 3D so it might feel bottomless) underneath the basement of a couple of teenagers. Weird and PG rated scary stuff comes out. Bruce Dern hams it up in the supporting cast.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●●●○○○○○
Peepli Live
It's that vry rare thing - a Bollywood movie that's been screened to the critics. It's story of poor farmers who threaten to commit suicide in defiance of court orders to give up their land and then become the centre of a media storm seems fascinating too. Probably worth seeing.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●○○○○○○○
The Town
It might be pure genre, but Ben Affleck's bank robber follow up to the assured and measured Gone Baby Gone is impressing critics and audiences alike with it's grounded characterisations and edge of the seat action.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●●●●●●○○
True Legend
If you fancy some more action to go with your Chinese history lesson than Confucius is providing than this Qing dynasty revenge drama may just be for you. Man Cheuk Chiu and Michelle Yeoh are among the high kicking cast.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●○○○○○○○
Wildest Dream: Conquest of Everest
Delayed part documentary, part reenactment of George Mallory's illfated expedition up the worlds most famous mountain. Ralph Fiennes and Liam Neeson are among the voices.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●●○○○○○○
World's Greatest Dad
Robin Williams is the failed writer - who fakes a suicidal journal for his son after he's killed in a autoasphyixiation erotic act that goes wrong - and then finds himslef in the centre of an outpouring of unwarranted grief. Possibly the dictionary definition of black comedy.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●●○○○○○○
Given that I've hardly been around the last couple of weeks it's unsurprising that I've missed the odd release but before I go into those I will just point out that last weeks Devil managed a final score of 3 on the excitometer, none of the other provisional scores have changed and there was no effect of Winter's Bone as the top film.
From 17 September 2010
I'm Still Here
I think I can be forgiven for missing this infamous faux-documentary which was only outed as a performance piece in the last couple of weeks. Joaquin Pheonix has spent the last 18 month pretending to go off the rails and trying it out as a rapper. We'll see what this actually does to his career, though, before judging it's success.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●●○○○○○○
10 September 2010
Dabangg
Corruption in the Utter Pradesh police forces is the focus for this Bollywood thriller.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●○○○○○○○
Swansong
Subtitled the Story of Occi Byrne I haven't been able to find much out about this Irish drama, other than it's Irish, it had a limited release in Ireland where there were enough fans to give it an average rating of 8 on imdb. Go Occi Byrne, I say.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●●○○○○○○
Saturday, 7 August 2010
A public display of grief (Out this week 06/08/10)
Tricky week to assess (and not just because I've been away from the computer for five days). I would imagine that Tom Cruise and Cameron Diaz will be able to score the box office lead, but both the dance obsessed teenagers and the talking animal loving tweenies have their own counter-programming. It doesn't matter because film of the week is the limited release of Undertow.
Aisha
Quite nice looking bollywood adaptation of Jane Austen's Emma, with the social structures of medern Delhi backing the matchmaking antics of the titular heroine. As ever the lack of mainstream press support hinders my anticipation for the Bollywood product.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●○○○○○○○○
Cats and Dogs; The revenge of Kitty Galore
Sequel to the 2002 kids film where cats and dogs talk and are at continuous war. Why has it taken so long for the sequel to be made? Because it looks dreadful and no-one should go near it. Nick Nolte, Bette Midler and Michael Clarke Duncan are amongst those who should be ashamed.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●○○○○○○○
Coco Chanel and Igor Stravinsky
I doubt you need me to tell you this but it's a biopic about the relationship between the classic fashion designer and the avant garde composer. Less starry than last years straightfoward Coco Chanel picture but should make a nice counterpoint
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●○○○○○○○
Eccentrities of a Blonde Haired girl
101 year old Portuguese director shows no sign of stopping with his latst highly regarded parable based on the 19th century short story by Eca de Queiros about a love story recounted to a fellow train passenger.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●●○○○○○○
Knight and Day
Tom Cruise's latest bid to resurrect his action credentials has only managed middling reviews and looks eminently missable. That said I'm probably going to watch it tonight.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●●○○○○○○
Step Up 3D
There's dancing. There's an unlikely relationship between a boy and girl from opposite sides of the tracks/different dance crews. It's in 3D. Is there anything else to say other than "Ugh" (see comments).
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●○○○○○○○○
Undertow
A bisexual love triangle drives the plot forward in this latest magical-realist movie from Latin America. Moving look at the nature of love and the idea of letting go as Christian Mercado must come out to his homophobic fishing community in order to allow his deceased lover to rest in peace.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●●○○○○○○
Wildest Dream: The Conquest of Everest
Part documentary on Conrad Anker and Leo Houlding's attempt to solve the riddle of Mallory's disappearance and part biopic on the extraordinary attempt by George Mallory to reach the summit of Everest. Totally stunning cinematography with Lima Neeson and Ralph Fiennes among the voice cast.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●●○○○○○○
Friday, 30 July 2010
Keeping it in the family (Out this week - 30/07/10)
Fighting for the top of the box office, in a re-run of their US face off, are two major 80's properties getting dusted down for a modern reinvisioning. Whilst I'd probably be joining our American cousins and plumping for little Jaden Smith I suspect the A-Team will be victorious this side of the pond. Of course that's all academic as the film of the week is Aussie incest drama Beautiful Kate.
The A-Team
The trend for milking the nostalgia of 30 somethings continues with the return of televisions least likely quartet. The war they're veterans from has been updated but much of the plot will doubtless stay the same, with added editing and Liam Neeson taking George Peppard's shoes.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●●○○○○○○
Beautiful Kate
80's Femme Fatale of choice Rachel Ward (there had to be some connection this week) adapts and directs Newton Thornburg's novel about two non-identical twins who turn to incest in the Australian Outback. Rachel Griffiths and Bryan Brown are the 'names' that make up the rest of the family.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●●●○○○○○
Down Terrace
British Gangster movie - don't go - set in a dingy council house where a literal family of crooks argue about hiding the stash and who's turn it is to wash-up. Apparently a lot better than that last sentence made it seem.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●○○○○○○○
Frontier Blues
Debut feature director Babak Jalali may not be a household name but his groud-breaking Iranian film about the everyday frustrations and simplicity of life in small communities is making a big splash on the art-house circuit. Maybe one to watch out for in the future.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●○○○○○○○
Gainsbourg
Womanising French Crooner (is there another kind of French Crooner) behind Je t'aime, Moi Non Plus and Charlotte Gainsbourgh gets the biopic treatment with a suitably unconventional narrative structure.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●●○○○○○○
The Karate Kid
Or a Kung Fu kid if you want to be pedantic. I have a soft spot for the original film, whilst realising it's only a classic because of the timeliness of it's release and not because of the standard of filmmaking. Therefore I wish the remake, and stars Jackie Chan, Jaden Smith and Taraji P. Henson all the best.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●●○○○○○○
Once Upon a Time in Mumbai
No prizes for guessing where this Bollywood drama, based on the gangsters in one of the world's most populus cities, found inspiration for it's title. That's really quite true - there are no prizes.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●○○○○○○○○
Monday, 7 June 2010
Liam Neeson
Happy Birthday to
Liam Neeson
58 today
You've got to admire Neeson. Not just for his braod talent, but for his seeming inability to say no. Over the last year it seems he's gone for any old script that's landed on his desk, including Box Office behemoths like Clash of the Titans and next weeks The A-Team. Both of which look utterly avoidable. I am looking forward to the following trivumulate though: French re-make The Next Three Days, kids adventure The Voyage of the Dawn Treader and civil rights pic Selma.
Sunday, 4 April 2010
Out These Weeks (19/03/10 - 02/04/10)
Yes, I have been away, which means I have missed out on previewing a good three weeks of films (whther that's three weeks of good films is perhaps more relevant). To tell you the truth I have been deliberately lazy with this. I could have popped into an internet cafe during both of the last couple of weekends, but I just couldn't face it. The overall quality of releases has been so poor I haven't wanted to make the effort to make it to a cinema. Nevertheless I feel I must catch up and tell you my picks for the film of the week, so in reverse order:
Released on 02 April 2010:
Kick-Ass
Released on 26 March 2010:
The Blind Side
Released on 19 March 2010:
I Love You, Philip Morris
Read on for the film synopsis' which I will try to kep within one sentence - now there's a challenge.
02 April 2010
Arjunan Kadhali
Hindi love film.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●○○○○○○○○
City of War
Or the story of John Rabe who ensured the survival of 250,000 Chinese peasants during the Japanese attack on Nanking in 1937-8.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●●○○○○○○
Clash of the Titans
On of Antiquities more exciting tales adapted again for the big screen with Perseus slaying Medusa and the Kraken. Liam Neeson, Ralph Fiennes and Pete Postlethwaite turn up as Shiny Gods playing with us mortals.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●●○○○○○○
Double Take
Rare documentary making it onto my list, as Alfred Hitchcock's obsession with doubles is deconstructions through clips and some fake reconstructions.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●●○○○○○○
How to train your Dragon
Laugh out loud cartoon from Dreamworks with a nerdy viking making friends with an injured dragon which leads to a massive culture clash.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●●○○○○○○
Kakera: A Piece of our Life
Lesbian dabblings at university in this Japanese drama.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●○○○○○○○
Kick-Ass
The superhero genre gets deconstructed in this tale of a adolescent who puts on a cape to fight some bad guys, the 12 year old fould mouthed violent Hit Girl is bringing the publicity, Nicolas Cage has actually picked a decent project this time.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●●●●○○○○
Paiyaa
The usual mix of action and love story in this import. I'm sorry I can't be bothered with anything I'm not already interested in.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●○○○○○○○○
Remember Me
For the Twilight fans R Pattz tries something different. I expect someone major in the plot dies horrifically hence the title. Chris Cooper and Lena Olin have supporting roles.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●●○○○○○○
Sadiyaan
Based on actual events during the partition of India and Pakistan. Still involves singing and dancing.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●○○○○○○○○
Samson and Delilah
Lyrical account of a developing romance between two aboriginal teenagers. Critically lauded.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●○○○○○○○
26 March 2010
Angardi Theru
Moved back again, look through previous posts to see if I had anything interesting to say last time...
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●○○○○○○○○
The Blind Side
Sandra Bullock's Oscar winning performance as a uptight stinking rich white woman who adopts a homeless black teen - based on a true story. Kathy Bates co-stars.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●●●●●○○○
Cok Filim Hereketler Bunlar
Turkish version of Valentine's Day - I think it's a big screen spin-off of a popular TV series in Turkey (not completely sure).
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●○○○○○○○○
Hum, Tum Aur Ghost
Love story played between two people with opposing views on nearly every subject. Ho hum.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●○○○○○○○○
I Hope They Serve Beer in Hell
I think they call this a comedy, about a best man whose antics at the stag do are so notorious he's disinvited to the wedding.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●●●●●○○○
Lad Gaya Pecha
Man falls in love wit a ghost - not your typical love story from the sub-continent.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●○○○○○○○○
Lion's Den
Brizilian Women's prison drama with no cliche left unturned as we are invited to watch children taken from their mother, guard brutality and incidental lesbianism.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●○○○○○○○
Lourdes
Medidation on the ideas of faith and miracles that follows when a paralysed atheist is cured on a pilgrimage.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●●●○○○○○
Nanny McPhee and the Big Bang
All star sequel (Emma Thompson, Ralph Fiennes, Maggie Gyllenhaal and Maggie Smith) to the hit anti-Mary Poppins children's film. The whole cast are clearly having a ball whilst keeping a stiff upper lip in the war years.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●●●○○○○○
Nightwatching
Peter Greenaway direct Martin Freeman's cock in this dramatisation of Rembrandt's life around the time he was painting The Night Watch.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●●○○○○○○
No One Knows about Persian Cats
The Persian Cats are an Iranian pop group trying to maintain their identity and the band where the idea of Western inspired music is considered sacriligious.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●○○○○○○○
Not the Messiah (He's a very Naughty Boy)
Concert film of the oratoria based on Monty Python's Life of Brian as performed in the Royal Albert Hall in 2009. Probably not as good as the orginal film.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●○○○○○○○
Perrier's Bounty
Cillian Murphy is on the run from loan shark gangster Brendan Gleason, accompanied by his coffee guzzling father Jim Broadbent and romantic interest Jodie Whittaker - better than your average gangster pic.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●●○○○○○○
Romantik Komedi
If you couldn't guess from the title it's Turkish, and if I hadn't already described another film above as the Turkish Valentine's Day I'd be using that line here - so now I'm stumped.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●○○○○○○○
Shank
No, not the gay happy slappers film which came out last year, but a completely unrelated movie about teenage gangs in a apocalptic vision of a future Britain.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●○○○○○○○○
Storm
An attempt to dramatise the legalistic procedures and diplomatic pressures when trying a mass murderer through the European Courts.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●○○○○○○○
19 March 2010
Bounty Hunter
Gerard Butler and Jennifer Aniston both demonstrate how unfair the Hollywood system is that let's talentless shmucks like them headline. And they drag Cathy Moriaty down with them.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●○○○○○○○
Ditching
More post-apocalyptic angst, this time set in Northern Ireland.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●○○○○○○○○
Dorothy
Irish suspense movie involving psychiatrists and ghosts and false allegations of child abuse.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●○○○○○○○
Happy Ever Afters
Delayed comedy about mix-ups at two weddings taking place in the same venue.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●○○○○○○○○
House of the Devil
Now that irony is dead teenagers can once again babysit in scary houses and get picked on by malevolent spirits.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●●○○○○○○
I Love You, Philip Morris
Jim Carrey goes gay and falls in love with his cell mate Ewan MacGregor in this ribald comedy from the writing team behind Bad Santa.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●●○○○○○○
My Last Five Girlfriends
We are treated to a parade of the last five girlfriends of our protagonist as he tries to figure what he's doing wrong. The clue's in the title.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●○○○○○○○○
Old Dogs
John Travolta and Robin Williams together at last. Naturally the film is a pile of rotting flesh which no amount of cameos with Ann-Margret and Matt Dillon can save.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●●○○○○○○
Salvage
British suspense actioner as a contained is washed up in a sleepy cul-de-sac making the hitherto quiet neighbours a violent and distustful mob.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●○○○○○○○
Scouting Book for Boys
Thomas Turgoose continues to shine in this film about a teenager falling in love with his best friend as he hides her from here distructive family.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●●○○○○○○
The Spy Next Door
Or Jackie Chan babysitting in this kids comedy. Given the righ audience I expect this will do well.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●○○○○○○○
Staten Island
Ethan Hawke, Vincent D'Onofrio and Seymour Cassell play a septic tank cleaner, a deaf mute and a mob boss in the titular New York suburb. I don't know which is which.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●●○○○○○○
Zonad
A rehab escapee manages to persuade a naive Irish Community that he's a visitor from outer space.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●○○○○○○○
And two films missed from 12 March 2010
The Ape
Norwegian film about a man waking up to find his entire life has been erased.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●○○○○○○○
Ay Lav Yu
Amazingly this is a Turkish film that manages to cast Steve Guttenburg and Mariel Hemingway as a visiting US coupl. I didn't even know Steve was still alive.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●○○○○○○○
Saturday, 6 March 2010
Out this week (05/03/10)
As film fans we face a common dichotomy with regards to the quality of films. On the one hand we hope for many high quality productions to entice us at the cinema, on the other there's only so much money you can spend. Which is why it's an awful shame when more that 1 decent-looking project is released in the same week. However a decision must be made on the film that most looks best, and I have chosen Ondine.
Alice in Wonderland
For a short while I was beginning to wonder if we were going to get a chance to see Tim Burton's Alice remake in the UK. Disney's headlining grabbing tousle with the major cinema chains about the release window almost meant this would have a limited UK release. Eventually the major chains bowed down under commercial pressure, so I should be poppoing out one evening next week.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●●●○○○○○
Angardi Theru
The trailer for this Tamil production looks both cheaply produced and confusing. I suspect it's an unhappy love story about a couple working in an opprsive factory setting. If anyone knows better please let me know.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●○○○○○○○○
Atithe Tum Kab Jaoge
Hindi comedy in the vein of You, Me and Dupree where a distant relative arrives unannounced at the house of surburban couple Ajay Devgan and Konkona Sen, and then never leaves. The trailer has a whole section devoted to fart gags so don't expect this to change comedy forever.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●○○○○○○○○
Case 39
Renee Zellweger is a social worker whose charge turns out to be more dangerous than the family she's "saved" her from. Horror movie that's been delayed more times than I can remember and probably best avoided.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●○○○○○○○
Chloe
Suspecting husband Liam Neeson of a clandestine affair Julianne Moore hires high-class prostitue Chloe (Amanda Seyfried) to meet up with him and see if he goes for her knowing she's available. Sexual boundaries get pushed in Atom Egoyan's latest thriller.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●●○○○○○○
Father of my Children
French film that covers twin subjects of grief and financial failure when a producer sees his latest project, along with his personal accounts crumble away. Loosely based on a true story.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●●○○○○○○
Legion
My first one blob film of 2010. Congratulations. If the thought of Paul Bettany facing off against the hordes of angels send by God to wipe out humanity excites you, then I envy you completely.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●○○○○○○○○○
Motherhood
Love poem to modern motherhood with Uma Thurman in the lead role as a stay-at-home Mum in New York with adorable but quirky kids. I expect this has an audience, and the trailer looks unoffensive. Bonus points for having Jodie Foster in a cameo.
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Ondine
Colin Farrell catches a Polish girl who could be on the run from smugglers, or who could be a mermaid in Neil Jordan's supernaturally tinged drama. It missed an audience at last years Toronto festival, but hopefully it will be worth spending a little time with.
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1234
Low key british film about the forming of an indie band and a tentative romance within the band's membership. It's refusal to glorify the music business (or demonise it) as well as embracing the mundanity of call centre jobs taken to finance dreams has won a lot of praise among critics. Should be qworth catching.
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The Shouting Men
Somehow Gillingham football club are drawn against premiership team Newcastle United in the FA Cup Quarter final. The result may be obvious, but this film is about the journey of a few eccentric fans. And is probably the worse for it.
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And a couple of films I missed on their 12 February release:
Eamon
Irish drama focussing on a boy with behavoural difficulties and his struggling parents during a half-term week to the beach.
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Recap Ivedik 3
Third movie in popular Turkish series. Doesn't look like they're getting any better from looking at the comment pages on imdb.
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Friday, 12 February 2010
Out This Week (12/02/10)
It's an extremely busy week with 12 different titles competing for audiences, including 2 animations, 2 big budget action adventures, an all-star romantic hyperlink picture and this weeks film of the week: A Single Man
Anonyma: A Woman in Berlin
Hailed as a major turning point in World War 2 cinema, Anonyma looks at the occupation of Berlin following it's fall to the Russian Army, and the sacrifices and concessions a group of women had to make.
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Battle for Terra
Looking suspiciously similar in plot to James Cameron's Avatar (humans conquering defenceless peace loving planet) this computer generated animation plays to a much younger audience and probably is less defensive about it's parallels to modern society. Cast includes supporting turns from Brian Cox and James Garner.
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Beyond the Pole
Big screen adaptation of the cult British radio serial about the first organic, carbon-neutral expedition to the North Pole. The trailer looks hilarious, with some high class UK comic actors in the main roles. Worth going beyond the multiplex for.
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My Name is Khan
Bollywood superstar Sharukh Khan has been going all out to publicise his latest project, including interviews with Empire Magazine and on the massively popular Jonathan Ross show. Whether this will translate to a bigger audience will yet to be seen, but the trailer which highlights the personal journey a Muslim man makes to speak with the President following 9/11 looks like it has potential.
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Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The lightning Thief
The first of 2 Greek themed adventure movies for 2010 (Clash of the Titans is coming in April) this one transplants the Greek legends to a 21st century setting with the teenage son of Poseidon rescuing the lightning bolt stolen from Sean Bean's Zeus. All very silly. Catherine Keener (Who should know better) and Uma Thurman take on supporting roles.
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Ponyo
Ponyo on the cliff by the sea (to give it the full title) may not be getting the raves that director Hayao Miyazaki is used to but the animation is still divine and the story will entrance everyone who sees it. The English language cast includes a galaxy of big names such as Cate Blanchett, Matt Damon, Liam Neeson, Lily Tomlin and Cloris Leachman.
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A Single Man
Finally bringing Colin Firth the awards attention he has deserved since his harrowing turn in the BBC film "Tumbledown" back in 1988. Firth excels as the gay university professor who has resolved to commit suicide but calmly lives his last day as normally as possible. Julianne Moore also has a plum role as his boozy neighbour.
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Sukhmani
Finding anything about this Bollywood drama is really difficult. It was filmed in the Sabathu Army camp and concerns a family dealing with everyday issues against a backdrop of army life. The only trailers I've seen are song listing which doesn't sell it to me.
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Takeshis'
It's taken nearly 5 years for Takeshi Kitano's surreal neo-noir to hit UK cinemas, which is odd as he's pretty much a known entity with a serious committed following. The film starts with a meeting between actor Beat Takeshi (himself) and his doppelganger (also Takeshi) and then slowly segues into masses of violence. Business as usual, then.
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Valentine's Day
Big confession here. I know I have A Single Man as my film of the week, and I suspect Ponyo will be a much better second choice, but this is the film that I plan to see over the weekend. It's got an all star cast who all fall in love. What could be more wonderful than that?
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Winter in Wartime
The second World War 2 film of the week - it never ceases to produce new storylines - revolves around a small boy in the Netherlands finding out his family are involved in the resistance and assisting an injured British soldier. Similar to a reverse Whistle Down the Wind.
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The Wolfman
There was a point when there were very high hopes for this Universal monster remake, but with Joe Johnston in the director's chair we should have known better. Still it should be the number one box office hit of this weekend. Anthony Hopkins and Benicio Del Toro play the world's least likely father son pairing and Emily Blunt gets to wear period dresses again.
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