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, 14 April 2012
Forgotten Genius (Out this week - 13/04/12)
Saturday, 21 January 2012
Who Watches the Watchman (Out this week - 20/01/12)
Things are hotting up in British cinemas this weekend, as we try to push through all the awards bait pictures before the BAFTA deadline, so this weekend there's FBI agents vs. Roman Generals vs. headline grabbing Royals. In terms of my most anticipated of these I will confess the poor reviews for Clint Eastwood's biopic have not significantly dampened my enthusiasm so film of the week is J. Edgar.
In terms of box office Haywire has the most screens this side of the pond, but I suspect that franchise familiarity may just help Kate Beckinsale and her lycanthropic frenemies will take the top spot.
J. Edgar
A couple of weeks ago the Margaret Thatcher biopic managed to squeak it's way to the top of my highly anticipated pile, even though it appeared to whitewash history, and suddenly here we are again with exactly the same thing only centred around the FBI's most notorious and mendacious head of. Still the performances by Leo DiCaprio and Armie Hammer (as his almost lover Clyde Tolson) sound like they could elevate the movie.
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Coriolanus
Big screen Shakespeare is often a hit and miss affair, especially when bringing his work into modern dress (in spite of the tremendous success of modern design on stage), so there has been a noticeable trepidation from purists about Ralph Fiennes' update of the lesser known piece. That said the Chechnya like setting appears to work exceptionally well with Vanessa Redgrave and Jessica Chastain both receiving high praise in supporting roles.
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Haywire
Steven Soderbergh exercises his action itch allowing MMA fighter Gina Carano her moment in the sun as nearly super-heroic Mallory Kane figuring out who double crossed her whilst fighting Channing Tatum, Michael Fassbender and Michael Douglas.
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Nine Muses
I wasn't sure about including this as it's more documentary than narrative, indeed it started as a exhibit at the BFI. John Akomfrah's experimental film juxtaposes a retelling of Homer's Odyssey - using the UK immigrant experience in the 1960's - with images of an Alaskan winter. Beguiling trailer.
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Red Light Revolution
Billed as China's first and only sex shop comedy (unsurprising given the limited scope of the sub-genre) the trailer links together the kind of jokes you'd expect from any sexual aid romp regardless of it's national origin, including some stunts I'm sure we'd all do if we were locked into Anne Summers overnight!
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W.E.
Did you think, whilst watching last years terrific King's Speech that what the world really needed was a sympathetic look at Wallace and Edward in the months leading towards the UK's only abdication. (I actually thought last year's movie was fairly even-handed about Wallace, highlighting the snobbery from certain corners of the Family). Apparently Madonna wanted more so we get more in the shape of this hagiography of the central relationship and endless shots of gaudy jewels.
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Sitter
If Jonah Hill picks up and Oscar nod next week for his supporting turn in Moneyball it'll be dreck like this unoriginal comedy from David Gordon Green that prevents him from winning the prize. Certainly avoidable.
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Underworld: Awakening
It's not a critically lauded franchise, however the series has always produced decent returns and with Kate Beckinsale returning from her third movie hiatus this should clean up in the multiplexes. Stephen Rea sits on the didelines of the eternal battle between werewolves and vampires.
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X: Night of Vengeance
Oz-sploitation thriller about two hookers caught up in a very unlikely mystery. Just listened to a review online that plainly stated most plot moving conversations co-incidently take place in bra and panties or even less. I'm sure it's fine if you like that sort of thing.
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Sunday, 31 October 2010
Stephen Rea
Happy Birthday to
Stephen Rea
64 today
Irish actor of stage and screen best known for his collaborations with Neil Jordan, especially the "reveal" scene in The Crying Game. Nothing on the horizon that interests me, but he did have a nice role as a supportive, sardonic Priest in this years Ondine if you haven't yet seen it.
Friday, 16 April 2010
Out this week (16/04/2010)
It's not a classic week of releases, but it's safe to say that a number of the films coming out are generally looking good. There's also a "twin" theme which I'm very pleased to see. I'm personally going to be checking out the thinly veiled Blair film (only 3 weeks until the election) and Channing Tatum's abs, but I think the top film of the week, and this is based purely on the very high standard of reviews, will be Cemetery Junction.
Beeswax
Our first twin film, from the mumblecore movement, has identical sisters Jeannie and Lauren face major decisions in the way they go forward in their lives. It's low-key approach and lack of plot direction may turn off some viewers.
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Boogie Woogie
A satire of the London Art circle, that neither appears to be funny nor terribly satirical. Probably best to go back to the Banksy doc from a few weeks ago.
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Cemetery Junction
Slice of life comedrama from Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant, follows three friends in Reading as they face the transition into the patterns that may will set the rest of their life. Christian Cooke is the lead character (getting a job selling insurance) but it's Ralph Fiennes as his boss and Emily Watson that are the draws for me.
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City of Life and Death
The siege of Nanjing is in vogue these days, with John Rabe coming out a couple of weeks ago. This Chinese film is certainly getting the better notices and would certainly be a great choice for anyone interested in that period of the 20th century.
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Crying with Laughter
It's the dark side of Facebook as stand-up Stephen McCole falls in with a sinister ex-classmate in Edinburgh. This is a drama, not a comedy mind, as the plot revolves heavily around sexual abuse.
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Dear John
Amanda Seyfried falls in love with Channing Tatum's abs in this weepie from Nicolas Sparks (The Notebook). Did well in the States, should do well here, but won't be box office champ.
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The Ghost
Pierce Brosnan plays ex-Prime Minister Adam Lang (not Tony Blair) and Ewan MacGregor his unnamed ghost writer in this thriller adapted from the Richard Harris novel and directed by Roman Polanski. Should be right up his street.
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Give me your Hand
Our second film about twins, this time boys, has a very different tone as the 18 year olds hitchhike to their mothers funeral and have romantic and sexual encounters on the way (note gay interest here...)
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The Heavy
Good timing for this British thriller about a Prime Ministerial candidate whose brother has shady links with the underworld. Oddball cast include Vinnie Jones, Stephen Rea and Christopher Lee.
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Paathshala
This weeks obiligatory Bollywood entry. The not-so-promising tagline: "Teaching is a noble profession".
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Repo Men
Forest Whitaker and Jude Law play repossion men in the future, only they're not here to take your TV, they're here to take your kidney. I don't like the future.
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Veda AtatUrk Farewell
Turkish biopic of the soldier and master politician who unified the Ottoman Empire. Probably no a hatchet job.
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Thursday, 15 April 2010
Ondine
2010. Dir: Neil Jordan. Starring: Colin Farrell, Alicja Bachleda, Dervla Kirwan, Stephen Rea and Alison Barry. ●●●●○
For those of you who read all of my reviews you will know that coming out of Leap Year I was considering giving up on cinema altogether. Luckily the next film I went to see was the dreamy and delightful Ondine.
In the film Colin Farrell's recovering Alcoholic fisherman, Syracuse, discovers the titular semi-naked lady (Alicja Bachleda) in his net. Her accent is indistinguishly foreign, she is nervous about meeting new people and she has no memory from before she was in the water. Naturally his daughter, played precociously but pitched perfectly by Alison Barry, starts to believe Ondine is a type of Mermaid.
From this deceptively simple premise builds a complex story where you, as the viewer, must choose whether you believe that Ondine really is a mermaid or whether there is something darker behind her mysterious appearance. As it's a fairy story at heart the various sidelines in the plot, which include Barry's kidney disease, chronic alcohol abuse and strangers in the village all fold into that main question.
Colin Farrell gives a superb performance here, as he always does when in loveable rogue territory, clearly portraying the pressures and conflicts he faces as a result of his latent addiction and the tough decisions that need to be made by a parent. As a result you completely believe everyone of his relationships with his family and community. Whilst Bachleda has less to work with, essentially playing a cypher, she retains the mystery throughout her performance, and her physicality is such that you just don't know the answer to that central enigma.
The rest of the supporting cast is fine, rather than good, although Stephen Rea's priest is a sardonic delight.
Neil Jordan is an assured hand directing this sort of adult fairytale and he fully takes us to a semi-fantastic alternative worldview. There were times I was so caught up with the action that I wanted to shout at the screen - always a good sign - especially when Farrell slips off the wagon.
I would also like to heartily recommend the cinematography, not that Christopher Doyle (Rabbit-Proof Fence, Paranoid Park) needs my praise, but it's truly invaluable to maintaining the mood. As was Kjartan Sveinsson's original music.
Overall this was a beautiful mood piece, only let down by the slightness of the tale and perhaps a inconsistency of tone (it's for young adults, not children).
