Modern Telegrams (Out this week - 17/06/11)

It's tough to predict what will happen to box office figures this week. With this years second green superhero squaring off against a very well publicised Cameron Diaz comedic video there's plenty of choice for the less discerning cinema goer (although of those I'd probably go for Diaz). Of course neither option comes close to my film of the week, which is the absorbing and poignant Messenger.




Messenger

Oren Moverman's superb evocation of the daily process of informing forces families of the death or injury of their loved one is a heartfelt and truly honest movie (I have already seen it) which comes as a great shock to see it's been nearly 2 years since it's US release.

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



Bad Teacher

Cameron Diaz, who memorable burst onto screens in The Mask, has spent much of the last ten years avoiding comedy, but it's a shame as she's a delightful comedic presence. Here she is using a flimsy plot to snare Justin Timberlake. Jason Segal and David Paymer also co-star.

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


Beaver

Controversy overload meets film as therapy with Mel Gibson playing a depressed executive who turns his life around with the aid of a Castoran hand-puppet with the voice of an East-end barrel boy. Jodie Foster directs her old pal, in an attempt to rehabilitate his tarnished image. Jennifer Lawrence also gets a co-starring role.

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


Potiche

Catherine Deneuve and Gerard Depardieu together in one film! From Francois Ozon! About the demise of union bragaining and the rise of feminism in 1970's France. Actually this comedy, literally translated as "Trophy Wife", looks like a gem and should be well worth looking out for.

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


Green Lantern

The proliferation of CGI, all the desperate seeming TV spots and fantastic cast (Ryan Reynolds, Peter Sarsgaard, Blake Lively, Angela Bassett, Tim Robbins, Mark Strong and Michael Clarke Duncan and Geoffrey Rush in voice roles) can't hide the faint whiff of Turkey coming from this Comic Book adaptation.

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


Stake Land

The trailer makes this low-budget horror flick seem like The Road with Zombies, but decent reviews and clever plotting could lead to this breaking out. Although I've heard it suffers from a lack of point to the story.

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


Always Khabi Khabi

The first of the three Bollywood releases seems to be the most obvious to categorise, it's High School Musical in Mumbai (possibly), with the usual collection of teenagers stressing about their love lives and studies whilst breaking into song.

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


Avan Ivan

Confusing Tamil release which describes itself as a comedy but the trailer is full of high-octane action beats. Let's face it I'll never "get" Bollywood.

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


Bheja Fry 2

Sequel to the 2007 comedy hit starring Vinay Pathak as a naive holiday-maker who brings chaos in his wake on a cruise holiday in the sun. I actually giggled at some of the slapstick on display in the trailer.

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


Round Up

European cinema has huge trouble moving away from the Holocaust. Of course it's a horrendous chapter in history but haven't enough interpretations been made? This time Jean Reno is a doctor questionning humanity as the Jews of Paris are arrested.

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


Got to Run

I should be behind this independent British movie which snuck out in limited release earlier in the week as the combination of local independent fare and a central character addicted to jogging. However the thought of watching a girl run around the coast of the UK in a ill-fitting pair of shorts to escape from her abusive relationship just pushes me away.

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


Putty Hill

Not quite mumblecore, but clearly influenced by the hand-held, off-the-cuff aesthetic, this low-key American release looks at the minutia of life in a small-town community recovering from the sudden death of a well-known young man.

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


Swinging with the Finkels

Tired looking British sex comedy about a couple (Martin Freeman - proving The Hobbit couldn't come at a better time - and Mandy Moore) who decide to spice up their dreary personal life by joining the swinging circuit. Probably not as many laughs as it should have.

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

Read More...

Summary only...

One Hairy Biker (Out this week - 03/06/11)

So here we are entering the merry month of June and already we have an utterly lackluster week of releases - excluding the fantastic looking Senna but as we all know I try to avoid chatting about docs here. Of course there's a certain (x) movie that will clear up at the box office however in spite of all the lovely CGI and attractive cast there's something that just doesn't work for me in the merchandising. Here at RLAG I'm going to continue my gallic themed preferences and support our third French film of the week this year with Mammuth.



Mammuth

It's the second film of the week this year for directors Gustave de Kervern and Benoît Delépine after their delightful black comedy Louise-Michel took the prize in April and whilst this Gerard Depardieu pension comedy may not have the bite of their previous film there is a lot of fun to be had in the trailer. Also starring Yolande Moreau and Isabelle Adjani.

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



Last Night

Keira Knightley and Sam Worthington are two corners of a love rectangle as a pair of marrieds who are both visited by temptation on the same night. All the characters are ridiculously attractive and absurdly wealthy so you're unlikely to feel much sympathy for their situation but some interesting points about the meaning of fidelity may lurk under the surface.

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

X-Men: First Class

Or X-Men : Babies as one wag put it. The writing/directing team behind Kick-Ass reboot the flagging X-franchise by reviewing the origins of the split between Charles Xavier (James McAvoy) and Erik Lensherr (Michael Fassbender) against the backdrop of the civil rights movement and the Cuban missile crisis. Look our for Jennifer Lawrence in blue body paint.

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

How to get rid of Cellulite

Polish sex comedy (not that you'd guess from the trailer) about a trio of bff's who will go to any length to maintain the perfect figure. Not a sniff of cellulite in the main cast, mind. Gets an extra point for the great title.

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

Ready

Bollywood action-comedy that seems to be pinning the marketing on the cinematic return of Salman Khan. I'm sure he's a very good actor, but the year and a half since Veer was released does not seem like Terence Malick levels of waiting.

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

Prom

I'm clearly not the target audience for Disney's multicharacter look at the build-up to the high school prom, taking in the many variations on the school experience and the hopes and dreams associated with the event. In fact the direct to camera interviews in the trailer hint at something interesting - but ultimately the whole thing looks just a little flat.

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

Screwed

Nasty looking British prison drama with plenty of violence and implied threat based on the biography of Iraq veteran turned screw Ronnie Thompson. Noel Clarke has been pushing this as his first real adult role, but as much as he does good interview I'm not sure I care to see the movie.

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

Read More...

Summary only...

Gerard Depardieu

Happy Birthday to

Gerard Depardieu

62 today

How does the poem go? Sometimes I think I will never view, a French film without Gerard Depardieu. Whilst silly there is an elemnt of truth in the ditty. Gerard has made 150 films since 1970 - a staggering 3.75 per year (not including television work). Coming up soon will be a role in Ang Lee's version of Life of Pi whcih I am very excited about.

Read More...

Summary only...

Just an average family (Out this week - 12/11/10)

It's certainly not a classic week with some right stinkers coming out of the studios this week. There are plenty of foreign language options this week though with China France and Mexico all presenting hig qulaity work. Film of the week is the Mexican option, a down to earth cannibal family drama We are what we Are.



Aftershock

Chinese film about the events leading to and following the Tangshen earthquake of 1976 which took the lives of 240,000 people. It's an unusual blend of domestic drama and spectace, being the first Chinese film made for IMAX screens.

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



Brilliantlove

Poetic love story set in a quiet corner of the UK. Watch a taxidermist and a photographer, squatting in a derelict garage, planning a future and taking drugs. Watch out for the sniffy Daily Mail review mind, because the leads have a lot of fairly realistic sex.

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

My Afternoons with Margueritte

Gerard Depardieu stars in this sentimental French drama about a shy workman who befriends an octogenerian bookworm (Gisèle Casadesus) who teaches him her love of literature. Looks pleasant but not stretching.

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

Skyline

Surprisingly poorly advertised big budget alien invasion movie, with the population of LA being sucked off the streets. I really can't see this being a success which begs to ask why haven't they tried to sell it more?

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

We are what we Are

When I first heard about this Mexican movie, reading it's premise was based on how a family cope after the sudden death of their father I thought, oh well sounds like it might work. But when the twist - they're cannibals - is revealed it suddenly becomes a lot more interesting. There's even a coming out subplot so what's not to love.

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

You Again

Teen flicks are so hard to judge, a few weeks ago we had Easy A which was smart, sassy and comedic, unfrtunatley this Kristen Bell vehicle about standing up to your bullies looks like it misses. Although it does get some love due to it's female supporting cast including Jamie Lee Curtis, Sigourney Weaver, Betty White and Cloris Leachman.

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

Read More...

Summary only...