He who must not be named gets the upper hand (Out this week - 19/11/10)

I'm writing this in advance, so some of the excitometer scores are yet to be confirmed, but saying that I'm still taking a punt on the film of the week. I would love to pick out the Cuban romantic animation Chico and Rita, but frankly unless the reviews are dreadful the box office champ and my own personal film of the week is Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1.



Adrift

No, it's not the Open Water sequel, but instead a Brazilian drama about a 14 year girl old on holiday discoveries her fathers (Vincent Cassel) infidelities and developing a burgeoning romance of her own.

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



Broken Sun

Australian drama set during the second World War charting the shifting relationship between a suicidal veteran and an escaped Japanese POW as the former returns him to the camp across the outback as each discover how war impacts the soul of a soldier.

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

Chico and Rita

Adult animation, partly hand drawn, partly CGI, about a Cuban couple (a singer and a pianist) who love each other too much for the relationship to last longer than thier international tour.

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

Dream Home

Satire on the housing crisis and the desire for a better home with Josie Ho running amock on her would be neighbours after a housepurchase falls through. Some inventive deaths look inevitable.

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

Guzaarish

I'm curious to see what the tone of this Bollywood drama starring Aishwarya Rai will be. The plot concerns a magician fighting for euthanasia following a major accident.

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

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1

And so it begins, the (first half of the) final chapter of J K Rowling's wizard franchise. I expect Voldemort (Ralph Fiennes) will appear to gain the upper hand at the end of this installment with Harry (Daniel Radcliffe) and chums looking like their beaten. The massive Brit cast includes (deep breath) Helena Bonham Carter, John Hurt, Miranda Richardson, Imelda Staunton, Julie Walters and Alan Rickman.

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

Life Goes On

British drama, set among the Indian community, about a husband and father, leaning to cope following the sudden passing of the wife he idolised.

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

Silent Army

Drama about child soldiers in South Africa, as told through the eyes of a white reastauranteur who searching for his neighbours kidnapped son. Surprisingly this was the Dutch submission for last years Foreign Language Oscars.

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

Uncle Boonmee who Can Recall his past Lives

The least likely Palm D'Or winner in years directed by Thai auteur Apichatpong Weerasethakul looks at the final hours of the titular character as he remembers his life. Lyrical, spirtiual and in some places quite surreal. A beautiful but enigmatic experience.

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

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We Want Sex (equality) - (Out this week 01/10/10)

Actually I'm in two minds about film of the week, I should go for the high concept thriller with Ryan Reynolds which looks excellent, or maybe the delightful hand drawn animation that surprised everyone. No, like a chump I'm settling for the British union comedy purely due to excessive buzz from across the water. Go see Made in Dagenham.



Bella

Winner of the People's choice awards at the Toronto film festival back in 2006 (proof that the people's choice doesn't necessarily mean anything) this is a slight looking look at the intersecting lives of a group of New Yorkers.

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



Buried

It's Ryan Reynolds in a coffin for 90 minutes. Certainly the concept sounds higher than thou, but it looks like the actual film has a fully rounded feel that overcomes it's gimmicky set up. Stephen Tobolowsky and Tess Harper are among those he calls for help.

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

Endhiran: The Robot

Plot description for this Bollywood entry is as follows: A gifted scientist constructs an equally gifted robot, who sets out into the world for the first time with some unexpected and mind-blowing consequences. Almost makes it seem worth watching.

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

I spit on your Grave

Did the notorious video nasty concerning the rape and revenge of Jennifer Hills really need to be remade for a 2010 audience? Given the poster is playing up it's "unrated" then I expect it does.

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

Little Big Soldier

Jackie Chan is back doing what he does best in this Chinese martial arts comic/drama. Watch his little soldier cature big soldier (and valuable hostage) Leehom Wang than transport him through bandit country. It's like a Chinese Midnight Run.

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

Made in Dagenham

I've heard a lot of good things from the festival circuit about this Calender Girls/Norma Rae hybrid, but the British press have been surprisingly sniffy about the overall quality and the slightness of it's worldview. Slly Hawkins, Bob Hoskins and Miranda Richardson are among the faces you'll recognise.

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

Poice, Adjective

Not your average police procedural drama from Romania. Essentially dealing with low level corruption, or at least bind eye tatics. Involves long sections of reading dictionaries. That said the reviews have been very positive and tell of how gripping the film is.

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

Secret of Kells

October is goin to be a month of unusual animated projects, starting with this delightful had-drawn piece which surprised everyone with a animated oscar nomination last year. The story takes in magical books, monsters, monks and warriors so should be worth a peek.

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

Takers

It's sat on the shelf desperate and alone for so long it's looking like a knock off of just about every film tren of 2010. That said it maaged the number 1 spot in the US so it can't be complete rubbish. Matt Dillon and Marianne Jean-Baptiste are probably the only cast members that might be a draw.

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

Anjanna Anjaani

Bollywood picture delayed from last week - and I'm not putting it at the top two weeks running. Appears to involves a lot of bars from reading the cast list - including a gay bar and a stripper club.

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

And missed off last weeks releases:

Dragon Hunters

European answer to How to Train Your Dragon which follows two dragon hunters (natch) in an alternative Earth populated by people eating monsters. They're not very good at their job and really want to grow mussels (very French). Forest Whitaker heads the English language voice cast.

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

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Miranda Richardson

Happy Birthday to

Miranda Richardson

52 today

Chameleon Richardson is capable of getting under the skin of just about any character she's given. Miranda also staed, somewhat early in her career, that she'd rather do many small projects than one big blockbuster for the money. I'm not sure where that leaves the Harry Potter films where she took the role of Rita Skeeter but I expect there was quite a bit of money in it.

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