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
Friday, 17 June 2011
Modern Telegrams (Out this week - 17/06/11)
Friday, 10 December 2010
Michael Clarke Duncan
Happy Birthday to
Michael Clarke Duncan
53 today
Whilst he has had a thoroughly sucessful career you have to wonder if the 6 foot five and impossibly built actor would have been better rewarded with more diverse roles if he wasn't that size.
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: ●●●●○○○○○○
