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.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●●●●●○○○
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!
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●●●●○○○○
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.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●●○○○○○○
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.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●●○○○○○○
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.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●○○○○○○○
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.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●○○○○○○○
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.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●○○○○○○○
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.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●○○○○○○○○
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.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●○○○○○○○○
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.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●○○○○○○○○
Sunday, 29 April 2012
It's a Man's World (Out this week - 27/04/12)
Saturday, 21 April 2012
In, two, three, out, two three (Out this week - 20/04/12)
It's a bizarrely complex week this year with a massive 14 new non-fiction narrative releases not to mention the re-release of Vincenti Minelli's excellent inside Hollywood expose The Bad and the Beautiful and the highly praised Bob Marley documentary from Oscar winner Kevin MacDonald which is getting most film of the week recommendations. This platoon of cinematic offerings oddly doesn't have a clear front runner in either terms of critical reception or box office clout, in the former case there's plenty of decent looking pictures that seem utterly watchable but nothing looks like a must see art-house selection. I'm going to see (Yes, for the first time in 5 weeks) an adaptation of a satirical novel that appears to have lost it's edge in translation, but I'm skewing European in the weekly recommendation and am going for Austrian coming of age movie Breathing as the Runs like a Gay film of the week.
Box office wise I have no idea which film to back, so whilst I consider the options lets have a look back at last weekend. I claim no pride in having correctly guessed the rise of Battleship, with a £2m lead against it's nearest rivals. I expect Peter Berg's board-game adaptation will continue to lead the box office charts, but the battle for the top new release will be between Salmon Fishing in the Yemen and Lockout. My £8 is going to the former so I suspect that the romance between Ewan MacGregor and Emily Blunt will just about win out.
Breathing
Just about sticking it's head out in front of the pack is this Austrian picture (side note Austria seems to be having a mini filmic renaissance as this is the second RLAGFOTW from the central European nation this year) directed by Counterfeiters star Karl Markovics and starring Thomas Schubert as a child offender readjusting to life outside, his new job as an undertaker and the guilt and responsibility he still feels.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●●●○○○○○
Read on for frank sexuality, fly casting and a misleading named revenge thriller, as well as the round-up of all of this weeks releases and their trailers.
Elegant slow-paced trailer there that appears to encapsulate the feel of Markovics' debut.
Elles
Juliette Binoche is the magazine journalist working for French 'Elle' assigned to investigate the rise of middle class working girls (Elles) using the oldest profession to fund their University education. The article, and the close relationship founded with one of her subjects, awakens long repressed sapphic desires. Note even the trailer doesn't hold back in the imagery.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●●●○○○○○
Salmon Fishing in the Yemen
Paul Torday's epistolic novel is part political satire - a watered down Iannucci - and part treatise on the power of faith. This big screen adaptation with heavyweight Brit cast list including Ewan MacGregor, Emily Blunt and Kristin Scott Thomas appears to focus on the love story angle, but I'm still drawn by the unique premise.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●●●○○○○○
Skoonheid
The breakout picture at this years London LGBT film festival is this South African expose of Afrikaaner brutality in Apartheid with Roeline Daneel struggling with internalised homophobia and becoming obsessed with the son of a family friend. The title translates into Beauty.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●●○○○○○○
Fury
Called The Samaritan in the States I expect the name change is in part to capitalise on the publicity for Samuel L. Jackson's little know Nick Fury character who you may know appears in a tiny independent fil coming out next weekend. Tom Wilkinson also stars as the mark in this twisty turner grifter flick.
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Hollywoo
I'm not sure if this French trailer looks funny or not, mainly because it isn't subtitled and the release is so limited I can't be bothered to find a better version, but the concept of a dubbing artist trying to meet the "A"-lister she provides a French voice for is quite a cute premise and Jemel Debbouze has been good value in the past.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●○○○○○○○
Lockout
Guy Pearce takes the wisecracking anti-hero role in this thriller inspired by an original idea from Luc Besson or maybe hundreds of B-movies to which it obviously holds a debt, films like Escape from New York, with the key concept of a one man mission to rescue the President's daughter from a high security prison. In space. Some shonky special effects in the trailer though.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●○○○○○○○
Vicky Donor
Somewhat odd looking Bollywood comedy about a serial sperm donor and his later attempts to romance. I expect the hundreds of children he's fathered on behalf of others complicate matters but not so much to spoil the chance of a happy ending.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●○○○○○○○
11-11-11
Darren Lynn Bouseman's (of the Saw films) cheap looking horror stumbled into US multiplexes (just 17 of them) last November and barely managed $30k, here in the UK without the benefit of the appropriate release date and with only a single showing it's not going to do even close to those paltry figures.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●○○○○○○○○
Divide
I've watched the first few seconds of this apocalyptic thriller several times and I have to say I'm a touch confused but apparently you can outrun an nuclear blast. Obviously the survivors will then turn on each other and the living will envy the dead. It's all derivative crap with allegedly Michael Biehn's best ever performance.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●○○○○○○○○
Gone
More psycho killers in this US thriller starring Amanda Seyfried in her attempts to prove she can open a film as an escaped kidnappee convinced her sister has also been abducted in order to be horribly murdered. Lots of screaming, untrusting cops and running around in creepily lit woods at night. P.S. she can't this grossed only $9m in the States in January.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●○○○○○○○○
Irvine Welsh's Ecstasy
I had thought this latest adaptation of Irvine Welsh's Scottish drug scene came out last year to unenthusiastic reviews but no. It's come out this year to equally unimpressed ratings. The problem being that however much work is put into a project like this it's always going to suffer from comparisons to Danny Boyle's Trainspotting. Still it's good to see former Hobbit Billy Boyd is still employable.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●○○○○○○○○
Transit
What a difference 8 years makes. Do you remember when Jim Caviezel defied all expectations and box office prognostications with The Passion of the Christ but now it's all virtaully direct to video thrillers like this nonsense involving a security truck heist, mixed bags and marital tensions coming to the fore. Mind you at least his career is going better than Mel Gibson.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●○○○○○○○○
Elfie Hopkins
And finally the worst looking movie since last months Act of Valor is this British comic horror staring Jaime Winstone as the sleuthing titular teenager who discovers her neighbours are cannibals. Daddy Ray cameos as the local gun toting butcher.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●○○○○○○○○○
Tuesday, 10 January 2012
Mother and Child
2009. Dir: Rodrigo Garcia. Starring: Naomi Watts, Annette Bening, Kerry Washington, Jimmy Smits and Samuel L. Jackson. ●●●○○
As I said last weekend I was steadfast in refusing to see the Meryl does Maggie movie and so chose the less controversial adoption melodrama Mother and Child, and indeed this was a wise choice as Rodrigo Garcia's gentle paced picture was a delightful piece of sentimentality even if it slightly unravelled with it's slew of coincidences towards the end.
The film opens on a flashback/dream with the young Karen, later to become Annette Bening, making the sort of mistake many 14 year olds do and then offering the outcome to the local Nuns for adoption. We then move forward 37 years to the present day, Karen now outwardly a successful physiotherapist remains bitter and emotionally stunted, unable to connect with her co-workers or her maid/mother's carer. Meanwhile Naomi Watts is a high-flying attorney, with a penchant for asserting her authority through sex and struggling with abandonment issues stemming from being adopted. Have you guessed yet? Finally we meet Kerry Washington following the process to adopt, Juno-like from grad student Shareeka Epps.
All three women will find their lives changed by motherhood, and ultimately all three will learn that being mothers is the most rewarding and wonderful experience even if they won't get the opportunity to fully establish that sort of relationship. Perhaps oddly (perhaps not, let's remember the title) the men are defined purely in terms of their relationships to women, either as weak pawns of stronger characters (Washington's husband David Ramsey, controlled by his mother, Marc Blucas or to a lesser extent the snazzily dressed Samuel L. Jackson) or at best quite and supportive - Jimmy Smits as the patient colleague of Bening who eventually settles down with her helping her find a less painful existence.
The film bears all the hallmarks of being produced by Alejandro González Iñárritu with it's structural coincidences, especially in the final act as all the remaining loose ends get tidied up - although there's one neat twist involving Bening walking somewhere which makes for a nice opportunity to see her emotional as well as physical journey.
The performances are what really works in this film, Bening especially gives a wonderful turn as a woman who can not let get of the daughter she never met. The moment when she hears - second hand - of her own mothers regret at making her give the baby up is incredibly moving. The turn makes for an interesting companion piece to Lisa Cholodenko's The Kids are All Right and I imagine most fans of that film will also be drawn to Garcia's picture. S. Epatha Merkerson is also great in potentially a thankless role as Washington's mother.
The design of the film and direction is largely uninvolving, and overall the film could do with some hefty cuts as there are sections where it labours unnecessarily, nonetheless this is a fine melodrama and I look forward to seeing what writer/director Garcia does next. (After Albert Nobbs that is.)
By the way - to my readers this doesn't feel like one of my best reviews. I guess I'm a little rusty after a couple of months off. Next week I'm seeing War Horse which will hopefully put me back on track.
Saturday, 7 January 2012
The Blogger's not for Turning (Out this week - 06/01/11)
And we're back. An all new style of presenting the out this week column, with trailers attached. Note that I watch all the trailers, and I fully encourage taking a look at some if they are films you're not immediately interested in seeing. Luckily I'm also back in time for one of the most controversial releases in some time, dividing the friends and enemies of the former Prime Minister at the centre of the piece in loving and loathing this big screen adaptation of her life, and not always in ways you expect. Film is the week is unsurprisingly The Iron Lady.
Of the new releases there's no doubt that Meryl Streep's uncanny impersonation will lead the field in terms of box office clout, although I suspect Tom Cruise in Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol will remain the box office champion when all is counted up.
The Iron Lady
Hagiography or hatchet job, that might depend on your opinion of Thatcherism, the defining economic policy of the 80's. Personally I approve of some aspects of small Government and de-regulated industry, even if I disagree with the pursuit of low inflation at the cost of employment or most of the bleak social policies of the period and I am generally confused with the persistent hatred of Margaret by modern-day freedom movement protesters who weren't even born during her tenure. By all accounts though the movie soft-pedals the politics of the Tory Government and dovetails key points in her life (with little or no context) with a frail old woman struggling to buy milk. Distasteful and irrelevant I refuse to see this film in cinemas - although it's possible I'll pick it up later in the year and review then.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●●●●●●○○
Mother and Child
What I will be seeing is Rodrigo Garcia's family melodrama starring Annette Bening, Naomi Watts and Kerry Washington as three women affected by adoption trying to make sense of their lives.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●●●●○○○○
Players
The first of our Bollywood releases for the week is this Hindi thriller about an accountant who leads a double life as a master criminal about to commit the biggest Gold heist of all time. It certainly looks like they're not holding back with the action.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●○○○○○○○
Goon
Seann William Scott's career has been on a surprise downward trajectory for some time, following the breakout success in American Pie many people thought he was going places, however the momentum has stuttered to a halt until he finds himself in this sports comedy (always the last refuge of a failing actor) actually the TV spots and reviews paint it as sweeter and funnier than I'm ranking it but this trailer does no good at all.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●○○○○○○○○
Uchithanai Muharnthaal
Tamil movie which confronts the widespread brutalisation of Sri Lankan women during the civil war and the continued mistrust of immigrants into India. Although oddly all I could think of watching the trailer is whether the distracting movement of the frame was deliberate.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●○○○○○○○○
Friday, 29 July 2011
It's a Big World out There (Out this week - 29/07/11)
I won't be going to the cinema this weekend, frankly I'm exhausted it's been a heck of a week what with rehearsing, classes and the 24/7 fringe festival. Not to mention having to do "real work" during the day. However if I were to go the decision might be a tough one, there's a couple of interesting looking foreign language releases and a new Superhero is coming to town, but in the end I'd have to choose, as the RLAG film of the week, Arrietty.
Arrietty
Studio Ghibli take the unusual step of adapting an existing, European story (Mary Norton's "The Borrowers") then still imbue the film with a unique Japanese feel and the traditional acceptance of the absurd. Saoirse Ronan and Mark Strong lead the voice cast as daughter and father in a family of miniature people living behind the skirting board.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●●●●○○○○
Captain America: The First Avenger
I have heard some great things about Joe Johnston's contribution to the pre-Avengers story, with many US critics calling it the best superhero movie of the summer. Chris Evans certainly looks hot in the trailers, and backed with a serious and exciting cast that includes Tommy Lee Jones, Stanley Tucci and Samuel L. Jackson what's not to like.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●●●○○○○○
Light Thief
A rare example of Krggyzstani cinema that examines the stature of ordinary technicians who restore electricity in the turmoil since the break-up of the Soviet Union. It helps that the main character seems a bit of a happy go lucky type.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●●●○○○○○
Poetry
Low-key existential Japanese movie about an old woman contemplating the meaning of life as she comes wearily to the end of hers. Heartbreaking and ultra-real this may still test the patience of most casual cinema-goers.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●●●○○○○○
Better Life
Slightly buzzed about immigration drama following an illegal gardener, Damien Bichir, in East L.A. trying to do right by his son whilst avoiding the criminal gangs and the authorities. Looks promising, but not exceptional.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●●○○○○○○
Zookeeper
Given it's poor pedigree and mediocre box office performance in the US it's hard to see why this Kevin James vehicle deserves 4 blobs. To be frank it probably doesn't however it does boast Nick Nolte as a gorilla as well as Sylvester Stallone and Cher as a pair of Lions. Sounds like prime crap at least.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●●○○○○○○
Horrid Henry: The Movie
There's clearly a market for this big screen translation of the very British kids stories, and no doubt it will clear up during the school holidays, but I don't think it's for me. What persuaded Anjelica Huston to play the stern headmistress I'll never know.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●○○○○○○○
Our Day will Come
Bonkers looking French pic starring Vincent Cassell as a ginger therapist who runs away with one of his patients (mmm ethical issues there) to find freedom in Ireland - the land of the red heads.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●○○○○○○○
Jihne Mera Dil Luteya
Bollywood love triangle with two best friends falling for the same girl at Patiala University. Cue comedy hijinks and much singing and dancing.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●○○○○○○○○
Wednesday, 4 May 2011
Thor
2011. Dir: Kenneth Branagh. Starring: Chris Hemsworth, Natalie Portman, Anthony Hopkins, Tom Hiddleston and Stellan Skarsgaard. ●●●●○
The dominance of Marvel comics over the summer schedules for 2011 has got off to a good start with the fun and gorgeously designed Thor. Hopefully for them they can keep the ball in the air with the rest of the slate which now has a lot to live up to.
The film opens with a piece of Lord of the Rings style backstory with Sir Anthony Hopkins booming out the relationship between the Norse mythology, our Godlike heroes of the film and the villainous Frost Giants. It's a tale of bloody combat with the Frost Giants virtually totally annihilated and Odin's (the king of the Gods and father to Thor) appetite for war spent. So far so medieval monarchy, you could transplant Odin for any European king in the dark ages, any anti-hero from Jacobean theatrical tradition and his motivations would be a perfect fit, suddenly the decision to hire Kenneth Branagh as director makes perfect sense.
Flash forward many centuries (the Gods appear to age slower than men, although this leaves a small plot hole where a very young Thor would not have made an impact enough to be written about by ancient Scandinavian cultures) where Thor, all smirking self-confidence and irritatingly impatient, is about to attend his coronation. A small team of Frost Giants break into the Asgardian vaults so Thor mounts a war party to seek revenge for this infringement. For this thoughtless lack of diplomacy Odin banishes his firstborn to Earth with his mighty hammer and the hope that he'll learn some humility and the concept of self-sacrifice.
The film then breaks into two parallel storylines. In one, a delightful New Mexico set comedy, Thor is getting to grips with life on Earth and falling for Astro-physicist Natalie Portman, whilst in the other Odin's other son, Loki, is plotting and schemeing his way onto the throne of Asgard.
Chris Hemsworth gives a solid central performance, cocky and unlikeable in the first act, he shows great comic timing in his interactions with the mortals and even when he's given awful dialogue (there are some strange phrases that seem neither Asgardian in tone or like someone trying to fit in) he commits so much it works. When he goes into a pet shop it's a great comic scene that sells the character and his relationship with the world around him. Plus he is extraordinarily cut. Portman doesn't have much to do, sure she comes across much better than most Marvel heroines, clearly able to hold her own intellectually with the rest of the characters and doesn't have a scene where she needs to be rescued, however she mainly spouts unlikely scientific statements and builds up a desire for Thor. The other earthbound cast are fine, Stellan Skarsgaard and Kat Dennings as Portman's colleagues are great value, with the former particularly struggling to keep a straight face.
There are so many characters in Asgard few of them get enough of an opportunity to build character, only Tom Hiddleston's Loki with his multiple Machiavellian schemes (it's truly difficult to keep track on what he's actually doing) displays any conflicting emotion and whilst he did the job well here I think there's more and better work coming from the young Brit. Idris Elba, as gatekeeper Heimdall, was wasted in a role that promised much but I suspect was left partly on the cutting room floor. On that note at 114 minutes, including a pointless post credits extra scene with Samuel L. Jackson; just pointing the way to The Avengers heavyhanded given the few chucklesome mentions of other characters which had slipped in the script ("Is that Stark technology?", "I have a colleague working on Gamma Radiation" etc.), the time flew by and I wouldn't be surprised if there's a significant number of deleted scenes once the DVD roles around.
Branagh shows a sure hand with the comic and Asgard formal scenes, clearly using all his experience from adapting Shakespeare, and he is surprisingly adept with the action set-pieces I found I knew exactly what was going on during them, however there is a slight issue with the character, if you know Thor cannot be killed as he is a God then the tension is drained. Only the final battle in Asgard surprised me in it's conclusion, and it's clearly open for a sequel I just hope that possibility isn't just dusted over in The Avengers.
My major complaint about Thor is the totally unnecessary 3D filming. Not only does very little happen that justifies the additional expense, but the murkiness of watching through glasses totally ruins the spectacular design of Asgard. I can honestly say that watching the trailer on my cheap laptop was a superior experience because of the bright and crisp colours that watching the print at the cinema. Alexandra Byrne's costumes and Bo Welch's production design deserve so much more than showing the film in 3D.
Overall I'd say Thor is well worth the trip to the cinema. Sure it's no X2 but it's a fun comic book adaptation with some fine performances that will keep you entertained throughout. That said do your best to watch in 2D.
Tuesday, 21 December 2010
Samuel L. Jackson
Happy Birthday to
Samuel L. Jackson
62 today
He's cooler than cool and has a massive output of movies, there isn't really a lot I can say to introduce Sameul L. I worry that he's happy to ride on his reputation these days and I very much hope that his best work isn't all behind him.
Friday, 17 September 2010
On a Father Hunt (Out this week - 17/09/10)
I'm in an awkward position this week as I'm completing the round-up of releases too early to have confirmed scores for the excitometer on 5 of the 12 films hitting multiplexes. Any one of those films could turn out to be excellent, or at least slightly better than I'm currently predicting. That said they are highly unlikely to reach the critical heights of our film of the week Winter's Bone.
Devil
M. Night Shyamalan, as producer of this high concept horror (strangers trapped in a lift wit Satan himself), is all over the publicity. Given his poor form as a director of late I'm sure that will be considered a big mistake.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●○○○○○○○○ (This is a provisional figure)
Distant Mirage
British film tackling the issues of arranged marriages and spousal abuse in the Indian community. Probably not for the faint hearted.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●○○○○○○○○ (This is a provisional figure)
F
As in exam failed mark. Watch a number of faceless students barricade their teachers into the school, I expect this is a commentary of the zombiefication of teenagers.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●●○○○○○○
Horde
Talking about Zombies, Paris is beset by them in this dirty looking French horror. I doubt it's a good investment.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●○○○○○○○○
Ik Kundi Punjab Di
From Bollywood this week comes a simple story about a girl who wants to be treated like one of the guys, and the struggles against society to make that so. The poster (she's carrying a hoe) appears to be selling a certain attachment to chauvinism.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●○○○○○○○○ (This is a provisional figure)
Just Wright
In such a poor week sows ears like this basketball player/sports agent romantically attachments begin to look a lot like silk purses. With Common and Queen Latifah guiding the action and plenty of hoops to watch too this may be sightly diverting.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●●○○○○○○
The Kid
Nick Moran surprises with his first film, a harrowing tale of a abused child falling into bare-knuckle boxing as a method to channel his inexorable inner rage. Despite a stellar British cast this still looks largely missable.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●○○○○○○○
Night of the Demons
I'd say this was an unnecessary remake, if anyone actually cared about the original enough to be insulted by it. As it is this will probably suffer the same fate as the earlier version.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●○○○○○○○○
The Other Guys
Buddy Cop Comedy - so nothing original here - with Mark Wahlberg and Will Ferrell as the two least competent detectives on the precinct who find themselves deep in a massive case; with hilarious consequences. Samuel L. Jackson and The Rock play slightly more successful versions of our heroes.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●●○○○○○○
Release
Bristolian made gay prison drama involving catholic priests, psychopathic inmates and inappropriate relations with the guards. Gets extra credit for stirring long hidden fantasies in the trailer.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●○○○○○○○ (This is a provisional figure)
Savage
Irish thriller about a journalist involved in a serious crime who slowly finds his sanity creeping away as a result. Compared (and not completely unfavourably) to the early work of Scorsese.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●○○○○○○○ (This is a provisional figure)
Winter's Bone
Jennifer Lawrence, who first came to everyone's attentions in The Burning Plain, is now getting some very serious awards attention for her strong willed teenager trying to find her father's who absconded leaving the family home as bail. Modern Noir at it's most powerful.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●●●●○○○○
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.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●○○○○○○○
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.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●○○○○○○○
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.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●○○○○○○○
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.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●○○○○○○○○
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.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●●●●○○○○
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.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●●○○○○○○
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.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●●○○○○○○
Revanche
Oscar nominated Austrian film about fate and revenge. I hear it's long two hours, but worth it for those with the persistence.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●●○○○○○○
Sura
Feel good entertainer, with a poster that looks like a mob drama, and an audi in the background. What can you say.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●○○○○○○○○
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.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●○○○○○○○
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.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●●○○○○○○
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.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●●●○○○○○
Esrefpasalilar - Eshref Pasha
Turkish comedy drama - naturally. I have no idea what it's about so feel free to tell me if you know.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●○○○○○○○
Friday, 5 February 2010
Out this week (05/02/10)
Just three days after the Oscar nominations it's no surprise that this weeks top film managed to pick up some attention, even if it missed out on the big prize. More complex is the battle for audiences with 2 animated features both opening this week - I suspect Disney to take the box office crown. We also have a bit of a cathch up session as 4 films were quietly released last week without me spotting them - so if you're interested in Turkish cinema then skip to the end. Nevertheless ehe film of the week is still Invictus.
Asal
Effectively looking Bollywood actioner with Ajith Kumar as a one man army fighting to get to Sameera Reddy. Some nice stuntwork in the trailer but it may be one for the fans.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●○○○○○○○○
Astro Boy
Middling animated fabtasy about aelectronic boy with exception firepower created in the image of a scientist's lost son. A tiny bit like Pinnochio then. Personally I'm not sure why you'd give a replacement for your son laser vision and rocket launchers, but there you go. Starry voice cast (including Nic Cage, Charlize Theron and Samuel L. Jackson) is all it has to recommend it.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●●○○○○○○
Holy Water
Irish comedy about a skiffle band who steal a bus load of viagra's. Much hilarity then ensues - not that you'd guess from the trailer which has it's fair share of silly car chases and jokes about middle aged couples refinding their sex drive.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●○○○○○○○○
Invictus
It may have missed out on a best picture nomination this week, to Sandra Bullock vehicle The Blind Side, but Clint Eastwood's recreation of the infamous Sprinbok Rugby World Cup win and it's South African political ramifications still look like a worthy film to view.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●●●●●○○○
The Island
Set within a remote monastic community Pavel Lounguine's sophomore picture shines a light on a dying religion (in this case the Russian Othodox Church) and how this can be shaken as one priest offers a faith-healing. It comes with fine pedigree 6 wins at the 2007 Nika Awards.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●○○○○○○○
Malice in Wonderland
It's our first Danny Dyer movie of 2010 - there will be a few, don't worry. In this twisted version of Lewis Carroll's famous story he plays a Whitey, a taxi driver obsessed with being late. There are some nice touches - Tweedledum and Tweedledee are doormen and Wonderland is a big nightclub, but I'm personally waiting for Burton's take on it.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●○○○○○○○
The Princess and The Frog
Disney return to hand-drawn animation with this 20th century fairytale, set during the Jazz age in Louisiana. It's not as starry as this week Astro Boy - Anika Noni-Rose is the lead with Terrence Howard and Oprah Winfrey the only other names I really recognise - but the songs are great and the trailer mixes a family comic feel with suitably scary villians.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●●●○○○○○
Psych 9
Cliche filled thriller about a girl who (trailer voice) must confront her past to prevent a murder... Set in an abandoned insane Asylum with Cary Elwes as her shrink (so clearly he's also the killer). Avoid.
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Tony
Tony (Frank Boyce) is a lonely mild mannered guy you could easier miss as you walk past him in central London. Unemployed, and largely unemployable he spends his days wanering through the markets and chatting to hookers. Until he flips and becomes a serial killer. Darkly comic this British film may be worth making the effort.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●●○○○○○○
Youth in Revolt
It's box office performance in the States may have been abysmal but I really enjoyed the trailer for this Michael Cera vehicle. He stars as a late teen inventing a new persona in order to sleep with the girl of his dreams. Unfortunatly his imaginery doppelganger is both more irresistible and irresponsible than he is.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●●○○○○○○
And missed off from last week (29 January 2010):
A Bit of Tom Jones
Star-free Welsh comedy which seems to be developing as a cult hit according to imdb.com. The plot, such as it is, revolves around Tom Jones' stolen member and the apparent market for celebrity willies. So bizarre it might be worth a look.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●●○○○○○○
Edjer Kapani
Turkish suspense thriller about a serial killer targeting peadophiles and the police who must stop him. The trailer looks more like a extended episode of CSI: Ankara but with an interesting plot and a couple of car chases.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●○○○○○○○
Kutsal Damacana 2
Did anyone see Kutsal Damacana 1? I didn't think so... It's a comedy along the lines of a parody of Buffy the Vampire slayer with a highly trained group of priests (and nuns) fighting demons.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●○○○○○○○○
Yahsi Bati
And our final Turkish film - was there a festival or something?- is a comic western examining the culture clashes betwen to Turkish embassy officials towards the end of the last century and the wild west communities they encounter as they cross the states.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●○○○○○○○
Oh, and to celebrate another Danny Dyer release here's my traditional semi naked picture of him:
Wednesday, 26 August 2009
Inglorious Basterds
2009. Dir: Quentin Tarantino. Starring: Brad Pitt, Mélanie Laurent, Christoph Waltz, Eli Roth and Michael Fassbender. ●●●○○
I have an extraordinary dilemma in reviewing Tarantino's latest feature, in that over the last few days since I saw the film I have had three distinct reactions to it.
Whilst watching it, and indeed whilst whistling the closing credits on the way home, I was like a small boy. Imagining I could take on the entire Nazi party, wondering what levels of destruction I could do single handedly, gleefully chuckling as my (imaginery) machine gun torn off the face of passers-by who looked at me funny. Later my film theorist intellectual side reminded me of the various nods to classic cinema, nods to Ford, Aldrich and Godard among others. The intellectual revelled in the period detail and tha audacity of the project, praising the way that tension was built up in each scene.
With the Id and Ego satisfied I could have easily written a five blob review of Basterds on Saturday night, however it was then that the Super-Ego kicked in and I began to have very serious doubts about the film.
To understand this I ought to briefly describe the plot, or at least precis it as much as is possible. There are in essence 2 storylines involving revenge and vengeance. The first involves Shosanna Dreyfus (Laurent) surving the massacre of her family at the hands of Col. Hans "The Jew Hunter" Landa (Waltz) and then following a handy set of coincidences having the opportunity to take a few Nazi's out. The second revolves around LT. Aldo Raine's (Pitt) squad of Basterds, an elite group of Jewish scalp hunters who intend to demoralise German troops in France and their final mission involving the British and German undercover spies. Both storylines come to a head in the cinema owned by Shosanna and a bloody climax ensues.
Tarantino breaks this up into 5 chapters, each of which jumps to the opposing storyline and essentially allows the tension to build from scratch to a different shocking or exciting denoument. Each of the chapters specifically invokes ideas of different genres, and I don't deny I will almost certainly pore over a DVD copy when I can to look for the changes in the camera angles and lighting that reflect each chapter's core style. The tension is in a large part due to Tarantino's hyper-real dialogue with it's playful use of language. Conversations that dance and skirt around major plot points occur in every chapter, whether it's Landa interrogating a French peasant or gentle probing of adversaries to look for weakness as in the LaLouisiane scene.
The actors given these scenes manage to excel Waltz and Laurent do an especially good job, but the performances from Fassbender as British film critic turned spy Lt. Archie Hicox and Diane Kruger as German film star Bridget von Hammersmark are very impressive. Pitt, Roth and the rest of the Basterds are so grossly underwritten that their sections could easily have been cut out completely but for the connections with the other plot strands.
In keeping with the references to other cinematic landmarks Tarantino does his best to constant remind you that you're watching a film. There are a couple of bizarre narrative sections from Samuel L. Jackson, character names are scrawled on the screen, history is revised to such an extent that it makes Braveheart seem accurate and there's even a burst of David Bowie in the soundtrack. With all of these elements together the film can safely be excused as a fantasy, a nerdy film geek getting his own back on history and executing his own private revenge on Hitler.
However there is something rotten at the core of Inglorious Basterds. There were three key moments in the movie where Tarantino clearly shows his hand and possible shows his contempt for humanity. SPOILERS follow from here, so please do not read on unless you are prepared.
1. The Basterds have beaten a German squad during an engagement and now have three prisoners. They interrogate the Sergeant in order to identify the location and armaments of the next nearest unit. Unsurpringly he refuses to tell them so "The Bear Jew" (Roth) is called to execute him, using a baseball bat naturally. The German soldier is prepared to die, Roth asks him whether he received his Iron Cross for killing Jews, he replies "for bravery" then wham! Roth beats him to death. It is bloody and deliberate and close to being funny. The implication is that the bravery doesn't matter, that in some way that Sergeant was complicit with the greatest crimes of the Nazi's, purely due to him putting the uniform on. I disagree with this sentiment whilst discrimination and segregation of ethnic groups was commonly practised most Germans were unaware of the genocide being committed by the Nazi party at the time. It is also sad that we are not given an understanding of the extraordinary peril this soldier would have faced to be given his Iron Cross.
2. Bravery by soldiers leads us nicely to another point. The only German creditted with any extraordinary ability is Fredrick Zoller (Daniel Brühl) who as a sniper killed over 200 allied troops from his bell tower vantage point. For most of the film he seems couteous and, whilst not shy about his talents, at least humourous and diffident in front of Shosanna with whom he has become infatuated. During the final cinema scene, watching the Nazi propaganda piece Nation's Pride based on his accomplishements and starring Zoller he visible shuffles in his seat, and eventually excuses himself. For a moment I imagined that he had doubts about what he had done, feelings of guilt or compassion. He goes to Shosanna in the projection room and then turns into an agressive bully - suddenly seeming like he's more likely to rape her than woo her. The possiblity of a noble German or a character identifying the sanctity of human life is again dashed.
3. Finally the film ends with a massacre. Many people are killed. Lots are Nazi generals and politico's, others are simply film makers. The issue of killing civilians, or whether it is right to replace one brutal regime with another is not raised. The victims are shot and then fall down dead, there are no injuries or pain just turning from one state of living to a state of death. The treatment of war is not just cartoonish but frightening.
SPOILERS OVER.
All these elements add up to make me feel that in spite of the brilliance at work, in spite of how enjoyable the film was, I simply cannot endorse a film which treats people which such contempt. Thare's a lot of gloss here, but no humanity.
