I feel I'm probably out of step this week, obviously not for my lack of support for the robot fest that's bound to own the weekend's box office, but for my championing of Robert Redford's latest movie, which has been derided in the press for it's po-faced sincerity. That said there really is little on this week so I'm going for The Conspirator as film of the week.
The Conspirator
Set in the immediate aftermath of Lincoln's assassination Redford's film appears to draw the parallels to the clamour for revenge with post 9/11 sensibilities and the impact of the rule of law. Hopefully he does those weighty themes justice.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●●●●○○○○
Larry Crowne
Does the thought of the worlds most successful film star - Tom Hanks - getting it on with America's Sweetheart Julia Roberts make you want to see this recession era rom-com? Oddly it doesn't for me either. Taraji P. Henson also costars.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●●●○○○○○
Separation
Highly acclaimed Iranian soap about a couple divorcing as the woman seeks independence and a better life in America. Taking in Muslim attitudes to feminism and childcare this could be worth the effort to catch.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●●●○○○○○
Bbuddah… Hoga Tera Baap
Amitabh Bachchan stars as Vijay, a retired hit man returning to India for one last job - to be followed by just about every assassin cliche you can remember. Horribly rated on IMDb.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●○○○○○○○
Delhi Belly
Hindi buddie movie that looks set to emulate the more scatological details of modern American comedies.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●○○○○○○○
Transformers: Dark of the Moon
I had heard the third of Michael Bay's oversized toy commercials may be the best of the trilogy, however that's probably not enough to make me fork out my £10. I do wonder how he persuades quality thesps like Frances McDormand and John Malkovich to star though.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●○○○○○○○
Fast Romance
I could be tempted to make some political statement about the significance of a Scottish movie that's only being released in Scottish cinemas even though the funding almost certainly came from the rest of the UK as well. The film depicts a wild night of speed dating.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●○○○○○○○○
Friday, 1 July 2011
Whispering in the Shadows - (Out this week - 01/07/11)
Saturday, 4 December 2010
Conflict resolution - (Out this week - 03/12/10)
Somewhat complicated week - not least because of the range of quality films hitting cinemas. I am currently typing in a random hotel in Bournemouth, and am beginning to worry if I'm going to make it back to Manchester this weekend, let alone make it to the local multiplex. I love snow, but apparantly the UK road network is less keen on the concept. (And the computer I'm using is so crap I can't copy and paste so the blobs are just numbers!!!) Film of the week - should it be relevant - is Miral.
No picture either I'm afraid - damned if I can work this thing...
Bathory
The first out of the gate of the Elizabeth Bathory movies, this one stars Anna Friel as the alleged bloodthirsty Countess. This version aims to act as a counterbalance to the popular myth and attempts to show the accusations of mass murder were simply a reaction to a womans quest for power in a world of men.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: 3
Be all and End All
British black comedy - I like to warn you up front - about a teenage boy with a fatal heart condition who just wants to lose his virginity before it's too late. I wish I could reach into the screen and tell him it's probably not worth the effort.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: 3
Legend of the Fist: The Return of Chen Zhen
Follow on from the 1995 TV series "Fist of Fury", itself a remake of the Bruce Lee classic film, Donnie Yen plays the returning legend who infiltrates the Mafia in an attempt to fight off the Japanese armies.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: 3
Love Life
Also known as Stricken, this movie looks like a pure slice of European miserablism as Carice van Houten learns of her impending demise whilst having sex in clinical looking apartments.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: 3
Megamind
Will Ferrell plays the titular super villian in this latest blcok busting animation with Brad Pitt as his superhero adversary. Will likely be the biggest money maker of this weeks releases, but I can't help thinking it's chances would have been better if it came out before Despicable Me.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: 4
Miral
Julian Schnabel's look at the political and religious divides in Jerusalem follows four Palestinian women over forty years. Reviews suggest the ball has been dropped and it fails to hit the heights of Schnabel's previous works, but it's a subject rarely delved into and one that I confess an interest in hence it's high score. Vanessa Redgrave and Willem Dafoe cameo in the movie.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: 6
Monsters
This is certainly the runaway favourite with the critics, a monster movie made on a shoestring budget by an up and coming British director Gareth Edwards and blurring the boundaries between romantic road movie and special effect alien invasion pic.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: 5
Of Gods and Men
This years French entry for the Foreign language Oscar looks at the passion that drives people to serve God before their self as six monks in a true life story remain in an Algerian monastry in grave danger to themselves. Highly regarded at Cannes.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: 4
Rare Exports
This is an unusual Finish take on the Santa Claus stories with a not quite human saint who knows who's naughty and nice but tends to concentrate on the punishments for the naughty. Clearly the most bonkers of this weeks releases, and all the more exciting because of it.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: 4
Sectretariat
Horsey drama about the horse that won the triple crown - apparently a major flat racing feat in the US - starring Diane Lane, John Malkovich, James Cromwell and a horse. The clips from the races look fantastic, the rest less so.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: 4
Warrior's Way
Massively delayed New Zealand Western with Dong-gun Jang as a warrior assassin forced to assimilate himself in the badlands with Danny Huston and Geoffrey Rush out to get him.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: 3
Friday, 22 October 2010
Penpals Forever (Out this week - 22/10/10)
Last weeks situation is about as far from this week as you could imagine - previously we had a small number of releases with a very clear film of the week, now we're facing an onslaught of movies with nothing standing out but lots in contention for the coveted title. Part of the reason for that is half-term so with all the little kiddiewinks taking a break from studies it's no wonder the studios are pushing out a variety of animation and teen-friendly products. Anyone's guess who's going to lead the box office, but my choice is Mary and Max.
Africa United
Not exactly timely release for this football World cup inspired road movie, as four Rwandan teens must make their way across the continent in order to use their cup final tickets. Interesting view of the cultural impact of sport in a fascinating and diverse continent.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●○○○○○○○
Alpha and Omega
Our first animated movie for the half term is the least inspired looking with two wolves separated from the pack and on the quest to return to their families. Dannis Hopper gives his last performance in a supporting role.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●○○○○○○○
The Arbor
Award-winning Bradford born playwright Andrea Dunbar had her first play produced at 19 but was dead from alcohol consumption within 10 years having written some of the most provocative plays about Thatcherite Britain. This part-documentary/part-verbatim theatre looks at the experiences of her mixed race daughter.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●●○○○○○○
Carlos
It'sthe shortened version (only 2.5 hours) of Olivier Assayas' mini-series about the infamous Venezuelan terrorist Carlos the Jackal. Whilst I hear incredible things about the quality of the work, I suspect a more fulfilling experience would be to rent the full works and watch the whole 6 hours.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●●○○○○○○
Easy A
Emma Stone shines as a high school teen who allows the rumours of her promiscuity to reign in order to protect a friend - rather then shy away from the accusations she embraces the limelight. Could be this years Mean Girls. Stanley Tucci, Patricia Clarkson and Thomas Haden Church bolster the adult talent.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●●●○○○○○
Legend of the Guradians
Anthropomorthism has been a staple of animation and fantasy storytelling for gnerations. So here is the natural amalgamation with a Lord of the Ring type fable as played out by owls. Classy Anglo-Australian cast led by Hugo Weaving, Helen Mirren and Geoffrey Rush.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●●●○○○○○
Mary and Max
Less bombastic animation can be found in this stop-motion picture tracing the relationship between a shy Aussie teenager and her Asperger's suffering penpal in New York. Absolutely unique visual storytelling. Toni Collette and Philip Seymour Hoffman are the writing leads.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●●●○○○○○
Paranormal Activity 2
The first Paranormal Activity was a smash-hit sleeper, taking an original idea, a small budget and clever clever sound design to create a scary phenomenon. This is the highly unnecessary sequel. Watch it if you dare.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●○○○○○○○○
Ramona and Beezus
Apparantly massively popular as young teen fiction characters with a heavy duty range of books, nevertheless the trailer looks remarkably full of bathos and utterly missable.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●○○○○○○○○
Red
This action comedy looks like great value as retired (and extremely dangerous) CIA agents Bruce Willis, John Malkovich, Helen Mirren and Morgan Freeman must find out who trying to assasinate them. Ernest Borgnine and Richard Dreyfuss are also on hand in one of the oldest cast lists of all time.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●●●○○○○○
Stoning of Soraya M
Shoreh Aghdashloo stars as a woman fighting against gender intolerance in Iran, especially the barbaric punishment met out on a the titular character after having been accused of adultery.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●●●○○○○○
Saturday, 4 September 2010
Just going with it (Out this week - 03/09/10)
I would love to say that we're spoiled for choice this week, that there are 14 films of excellent quality and a wide range of styles and genres. Unfortunately most of them at first glance appear to be absolutely dreadful... I expect Dinner for Schmucks will just about win at the box office, but for film of the week I'm going for Abbas Kiarostami's Certified Copy 
Bonded by Blood
British Gangster movie based on a real life quartet of drug dealers who were brutally murdered in Kent in 1995. Very sweary.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●○○○○○○○
Certified Copy
The run-in between French acting giants Gerard Depardieu and Juliette Binoche may have soured reception for her latest showcase but Kiarostami's first non-Iranian movie, about a gallery owner and a novelist slowly falling in love should stir all the right emotions.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●●●○○○○○
Cherry Tree Lane
I don't know if September sees the official start of the horror season but there's quite a few out the week, one of the most interesting is this Brit effort which sees a suburban couple hijacked by a group of hoodies intent of wrecking revenge for being shopped in for a previous crime.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●●○○○○○○
Chhevan Dariya
Punjabi musical celebration of marriage, oddly enough part US funded. Still not interesting enough though.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●○○○○○○○○
Dinner for Schmucks
The original concept (from the French film this is ripped off from) is a competition to find the most annoying dinner guest and during the meal one of guests manages to ruin his hosts life. This American remake decides that having Steve Carell mug through supper is clearly not enough so opens the film up. Please avoid.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●○○○○○○○○
Jonah Hex
Part Western, part gothic horror, part comic book adaptation of a lesser known property. Watch it for Megan Fox oddly soft focused throughout the movie, or because it flopped so badly in the states. Actually with a cast including Josh Brolin, John Malkovich and Michael Shannon I'm not completely turned off by it.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●●○○○○○○
The Last Exorcism
Horror movie two takes the traditional exorcism route, only adds a modern twist in the form of a fly on the wall documentary crew filming a con artist exorcist who on his last job actually comes across a real demon. It's had some good notices.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●●○○○○○○
Nandalala
For the fourth time I am mentioning this slightly offensive looking Bollywood road trip following a child and a man with learning difficulties try to find their lost parents. It's unlikely to be actually out this week either...
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●○○○○○○○○
Soul Boy
As in Northern Soul, the British derivative of the Soul music scene that flowered in the 1970's and forms the backdrop of this Stoke set coming of age drama.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●●○○○○○○
Splintered
This is the nasty horror movie, also from the UK - making it a bumper week for homegrown releases, that you probably won't be wanting to see at the muliplex. Unless you like sweaty chesty girls screaming for mercy.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●○○○○○○○○
The Switch
Artificial Insemination has become the rather unlikely film trend for 2010 with Jennifer Aniston now following J-Lo in using the turkey baster for a different purpose. Jason Bateman reportedly steals the show as the neurotic best friend and Juliette Lewis also shows up.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●○○○○○○○
22 Bullets
Jean Reno has decided to go straight after a long career in the Marseilles Mafia, naturally they drag him back in by attempting to assassinate him. Then it turns into a revenge fantasy - I don't know if the 22 bullets refer to the times he's shot or the number of people he must kill for revenge.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●○○○○○○○
We are Family
Bollywood film, partly set in Australia (interesting trend there too), where a devoted mother and divorcee meets her ex husband new girlfriend and starts to take on her career orientated outlook - to hilarious results no doubt.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●○○○○○○○○
Why did I get Married Too
Following the moderate success of Tyler Perry produced Precious back in January the writer/director and star of the Madea franchise has decided to release his first personal project here in the secular UK. Given it's a direct sequel and the Christian ethos isn't subtle I can't see it being a massive hit here. Cicely Tyson and Louis Gossett Jr. are among the supporting cast.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●○○○○○○○
