Saturday, October 31, 2009
Sunday, October 25, 2009
Away We Go - Sledge's Review
I've been real busy with work, so here's my quick, slight, stream of consciousness review.
Dave Eggers (and his novel writing missus, Vendela Vida) jumps into writing with Away We Go, and a change for director Sam Mendes, whose previous work have been made to run like a tight ship. This film is different as the film is left to breathe and its characters given the room they need.
Burt (John Krasinski) and Verona (Maya Rudolph) are two people in love who are expecting their first kid. When Burt's parents (Catherine O'Hara and Jeff Daniels) decided to move to Antwerp before the birth, Burt and Verona decide on a road trip to visit friends and family, and to find home.
Away We Go looks and feels like your comfortable slippers. It's just that the long road trip felt a little pointless in parts. I bet if they had stayed home they would have learned just as much.
But the people they meet on the trip are fantastic, especially the hippie couple (Maggie Gyllenhaal and Josh Hamilton).
If you're a Sam Mendes fan, I would rent this.
Toy Story 3D - Sledge's (Crap, Quick) Review
I'm sooo busy.I'm sorry
This film came out in 1995. That baffles me, because although it's in amazing 3D it hasn't dated at all.
Pixar's work has moved on, but Toy Story is the best thing they've ever done in my opinion. The voicework. The characters. The simple, simple story. The music. All of it.
Stiff Jobs - Sledge's Review
Wow.
Stiff Jobs is about two hitmen - Wolfram and Windgate. A random "hit" on a gay pedophile turns into murder. They loads of breasts, cocks, gore and the offensive and tastelessness.
It's nonsense fun I suppose, please do not expect any quality whatsoever.
Although I did enjoy the invention when it came to the SFX.
Not sure what else to say.... Er, check the website and get yourself a copy.
Film Review with Robert Mann - Cirque Du Freak: The Vampire's Assistant
Cirque Du Freak: The Vampire’s Assistant **
Following the success of last year’s Twilight, vampires are officially an in thing in Hollywood right now, and now comes Cirque Du Freak: The Vampire’s Assistant, based on the popular book series by Darren Shan (he actually thought so much of himself to use his own name as the titular character), a film which many are calling the boy’s answer to Twilight (interestingly director Paul Weitz is the brother of Chris Weitz who is directing the upcoming Twilight sequel). This is likely an overstatement, though, as not only does Cirque Du Freak lack the sizable (and ravenous) fanbase of the Twilight series but the film also lacks the level of anticipation of last year’s more romantically orientated vampire flick, with trailers that are little more than so-so, failing to make it clear whether the film is meant to be a horror, a comedy or an adventure (or an awkward mix of the three), a cast line up that is considerably less then spectacular and a basic concept that just lacks the allure of that other vampire series. Consequently, Cirque Du Freak: The Vampire’s Assistant is a film that may well be overlooked during this half term holiday, and not without good reason.
Sixteen-year-old Darren Shan (Chris Massoglia) leads a dull suburban life - until the fateful night that he and his best friend Steve (Josh Hutcherson) visit a travelling freak show where Darren falls under the spell of a vampire name Larten Crepsley (John C Reilly). Newly undead, Darren joins the Cirque Du Freak, a touring sideshow filled with monstrous (and not so monstrous) creatures including Evra the Snake Boy (Patrick Fugit), the Wolfman (Tom Woodruff Jr.), Alexander Ribs (Orlando Jones), Rhamus Twobellies (Frankie Faison), monkey girl Rebecca (Jessica Carlson), bearded lady Madame Truska (Salma Hayek), gigantic ringmaster Mr Tall (Ken Watanabe) and many others. As Darren experiments with his new powers in this dark world, he becomes caught between the vampires who are his friends and their much deadlier counterparts including the villainous Mr Tiny (Michael Cerveris) and Murlaugh (Ray Stevenson). Now he must struggle to keep their rising hostilities from devouring what’s left of his humanity.
When it comes to Hollywood adaptations of fantasy books, most films can be classified into two categories - the good ones that everyone loves and will be remembered for years to come, and the mediocre ones that will be forgotten shortly after leaving the cinema. Cirque Du Freak: The Vampire’s Assistant sadly falls into the latter category. The reason for this is that pretty much everything about the film is decidedly mediocre. The (already unspectacular) cast fails to impress, partly due to poorly written characters and partly due to an apparent lack of effort on the part of the actors. Only a few cast members manage to be particularly amusing and then not very often. It is also a shame to see actors such as Willem Dafoe, Salma Hayek and Jane Krakowski only appear in a few scenes, as they seem to be among the better performers of the film. The fault for the film’s mediocrity isn’t entirely at the feet of the cast though but mostly director and co-writer Paul Weitz who delivers an incoherent and uninteresting storyline that mostly just seems to be setting up for sequels that will likely never happen (considering the film’s poor performance at the US box office) and is completely lacking the substance that would make it seem like a movie rather than a cheap television pilot, which is exactly what it seems like. Barring the occasional gag that does hit the mark, the film pretty much fails to provide and laughs, it isn’t scary on any level (even though some of the freaks are bit gross) and the excitement factor is sorely lacking. So, overall Cirque Du Freak: The Vampire’s Assistant is an extremely disappointing forgettable vampire flick that has very little value as a piece of entertainment. Young viewers who want something to do over the half term holiday may get some enjoyment out of it but anyone else who wants to see a vampire flick would be better off saving their money until New Moon hits cinemas.
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Review by Robert Mann BA (Hons)
Following the success of last year’s Twilight, vampires are officially an in thing in Hollywood right now, and now comes Cirque Du Freak: The Vampire’s Assistant, based on the popular book series by Darren Shan (he actually thought so much of himself to use his own name as the titular character), a film which many are calling the boy’s answer to Twilight (interestingly director Paul Weitz is the brother of Chris Weitz who is directing the upcoming Twilight sequel). This is likely an overstatement, though, as not only does Cirque Du Freak lack the sizable (and ravenous) fanbase of the Twilight series but the film also lacks the level of anticipation of last year’s more romantically orientated vampire flick, with trailers that are little more than so-so, failing to make it clear whether the film is meant to be a horror, a comedy or an adventure (or an awkward mix of the three), a cast line up that is considerably less then spectacular and a basic concept that just lacks the allure of that other vampire series. Consequently, Cirque Du Freak: The Vampire’s Assistant is a film that may well be overlooked during this half term holiday, and not without good reason.
Sixteen-year-old Darren Shan (Chris Massoglia) leads a dull suburban life - until the fateful night that he and his best friend Steve (Josh Hutcherson) visit a travelling freak show where Darren falls under the spell of a vampire name Larten Crepsley (John C Reilly). Newly undead, Darren joins the Cirque Du Freak, a touring sideshow filled with monstrous (and not so monstrous) creatures including Evra the Snake Boy (Patrick Fugit), the Wolfman (Tom Woodruff Jr.), Alexander Ribs (Orlando Jones), Rhamus Twobellies (Frankie Faison), monkey girl Rebecca (Jessica Carlson), bearded lady Madame Truska (Salma Hayek), gigantic ringmaster Mr Tall (Ken Watanabe) and many others. As Darren experiments with his new powers in this dark world, he becomes caught between the vampires who are his friends and their much deadlier counterparts including the villainous Mr Tiny (Michael Cerveris) and Murlaugh (Ray Stevenson). Now he must struggle to keep their rising hostilities from devouring what’s left of his humanity.
When it comes to Hollywood adaptations of fantasy books, most films can be classified into two categories - the good ones that everyone loves and will be remembered for years to come, and the mediocre ones that will be forgotten shortly after leaving the cinema. Cirque Du Freak: The Vampire’s Assistant sadly falls into the latter category. The reason for this is that pretty much everything about the film is decidedly mediocre. The (already unspectacular) cast fails to impress, partly due to poorly written characters and partly due to an apparent lack of effort on the part of the actors. Only a few cast members manage to be particularly amusing and then not very often. It is also a shame to see actors such as Willem Dafoe, Salma Hayek and Jane Krakowski only appear in a few scenes, as they seem to be among the better performers of the film. The fault for the film’s mediocrity isn’t entirely at the feet of the cast though but mostly director and co-writer Paul Weitz who delivers an incoherent and uninteresting storyline that mostly just seems to be setting up for sequels that will likely never happen (considering the film’s poor performance at the US box office) and is completely lacking the substance that would make it seem like a movie rather than a cheap television pilot, which is exactly what it seems like. Barring the occasional gag that does hit the mark, the film pretty much fails to provide and laughs, it isn’t scary on any level (even though some of the freaks are bit gross) and the excitement factor is sorely lacking. So, overall Cirque Du Freak: The Vampire’s Assistant is an extremely disappointing forgettable vampire flick that has very little value as a piece of entertainment. Young viewers who want something to do over the half term holiday may get some enjoyment out of it but anyone else who wants to see a vampire flick would be better off saving their money until New Moon hits cinemas.
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Review by Robert Mann BA (Hons)
Film Review with Robert Mann - Fantastic Mr. Fox
Fantastic Mr. Fox ***
It’s the school half term holiday once again, a time when movie studios cram as many family films into cinemas as possible, each trying to get as much money out of families as possible before the kids go back to school. Unusually, though, this year’s selection is a bit on the light side. With Disney/Pixar’s Up having already been released two weeks ago, only two new entries really seem to be targeting the half term audience, the first of which being Fantastic Mr. Fox, a film which could prove to be very interesting indeed. At first glance this is a film that seems like a perfect recipe for success. It’s based on the much beloved book of the same name by Roald Dahl, one of the most beloved children’s writers ever, it utilizes stop motion animation somewhat akin to Wallace & Gromit and it has what it is quite possibly one of the most impressive voice cast ensembles ever brought together for one film. However, despite all this, the film is a distinct wildcard, and the reason for this is in who is directing the film - Wes Anderson. Anderson, the director of films The Darjeeling Limited, The Life Aquatic With Steve Zissou, The Royal Tenenbaums and Rushmore has developed quite a reputation for his distinctive filmmaking style and unique brand of humour, but his films frequently receive mixed receptions from critics and moviegoers alike, with his style seemingly being quite an acquired taste, and one that this critic has certainly not developed a taste for. What’s more, his style of humour is one that doesn’t seem likely to be appreciated by younger viewers, something that may well prove to be this film’s undoing at the box office during this half term holiday. Regardless of box office success, though, what really matters is whether Fantastic Mr. Fox truly is fantastic or whether it is merely average.
Mr and Mrs Fox (voiced by George Clooney and Meryl Streep) live an idyllic home life with their son Ash (voiced by Jason Schwartzman) and visiting young nephew Kristofferson (voiced by Eric Anderson). But after 12 fox years (that’s 2 human years), this bucolic existence proves to be too much for Mr Fox’s wild animal instincts. Soon he slips back into his old ways as a sneaky chicken thief - and in doing so, he endangers not only his beloved family, but the whole animal community. Trapped underground, and with not enough food to go around, the animals, including possum Kylie (voiced by Wallace Wolodarsky), Badger (voiced by Bill Murray), Rat (voiced by Willem Dafoe), Weasel (voiced by Wes Anderson), Squirrel (voiced by Roman Coppola) and Rabbit (voiced by Mario Batali), must now band together to fight the evil farmers Boggis (voiced by Brian Cox), Bunce (voiced by Hugo Guinness) and Bean (voiced by Michael Gambon), as well as the villainous Rat (voiced by Willem Dafoe) - who are determined to catch the audacious, fantastic Mr Fox at any cost.
Not having read the Roald Dahl story upon which the film is based I am unable to comment on how Fantastic Mr. Fox works as an adaptation of that classic work. However, what I can say is that as a film it is pure Wes Anderson. Everything about this film - dialogue, humour, characters, on-screen text, voice actors, soundtrack and even the animation - is distinctly recognisable as his work. Whether this is a good or a bad thing will depend entirely on whether or not you actually like his work. Anderson’s style is undeniably distinctive and unique yet it is somewhat difficult to really identify who the target audience for this film really is. You would expect, given the inspiration, that this would be a family film but by and large it seems to be aimed at a much more mature audience. Most of the humour is probably too dry and quirky for children to appreciate (and likely only a minority of adult viewers will probably appreciate it either) and quite a bit of content is rather questionable for a family flick, such as frequent instances of swearing, albeit replaced with the word “cuss” in every case, as well as scenes of characters both smoking and drinking. Consequently, despite possibly seeming like a good choice for kids over the half term holiday I wouldn’t really recommend the film for younger viewers. And with Anderson’s style generally only appealing to a rather limited audience I suspect that not many older viewers will enjoy it all that much either. It’s a shame really as, from a technical standpoint at least, there are many things about the film that can be praised. For starters, in this day and age where computer animation dominates it is refreshing to see a film that utilizes a more low-tech form of animation and the stop motion animation (a technique that Anderson also used on The Life Aquatic) is top notch, giving the film a bold and distinctive look. Both characters and environments are excellently realised and the characters are brought to vivid life thanks to the impressive voice cast. While some will no doubt consider it almost sacrilegious that most of the characters are voiced by American actors (and this isn’t the only American touch in the film) rather than British ones, they all do such a good job that this can easily be overlooked, with the stars all doing an excellent job of creating mature, believable characters that could easily exist in real life (were they not animals). George Clooney injects pure cunning and charisma into his portrayal of Mr Fox, Meryl Streep is spot on intelligence and sophistication as Mrs Fox, Jason Schwartzman does a good job in the coming of age type role, Willem Dafoe is sly as Rat and trio of Brian Cox, Hugo Guinness and Michael Gambon are suitably mean as the villains. Everyone else is also of a high standard and there are also cameo performances by Wes Anderson regular Owen Wilson and Jarvis Cocker. Regardless of such qualities, however, Fantastic Mr. Fox is a film that is likely only going to have limited appeal. Simply, it is too dry and slow for younger viewers and perhaps too kiddie for more mature moviegoers. Nonetheless, I guarantee that anyone who loved previous Wes Anderson movies will love this film just as much. It’s not bad, after all, just not to everyone’s taste.
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Review by Robert Mann BA (Hons)
It’s the school half term holiday once again, a time when movie studios cram as many family films into cinemas as possible, each trying to get as much money out of families as possible before the kids go back to school. Unusually, though, this year’s selection is a bit on the light side. With Disney/Pixar’s Up having already been released two weeks ago, only two new entries really seem to be targeting the half term audience, the first of which being Fantastic Mr. Fox, a film which could prove to be very interesting indeed. At first glance this is a film that seems like a perfect recipe for success. It’s based on the much beloved book of the same name by Roald Dahl, one of the most beloved children’s writers ever, it utilizes stop motion animation somewhat akin to Wallace & Gromit and it has what it is quite possibly one of the most impressive voice cast ensembles ever brought together for one film. However, despite all this, the film is a distinct wildcard, and the reason for this is in who is directing the film - Wes Anderson. Anderson, the director of films The Darjeeling Limited, The Life Aquatic With Steve Zissou, The Royal Tenenbaums and Rushmore has developed quite a reputation for his distinctive filmmaking style and unique brand of humour, but his films frequently receive mixed receptions from critics and moviegoers alike, with his style seemingly being quite an acquired taste, and one that this critic has certainly not developed a taste for. What’s more, his style of humour is one that doesn’t seem likely to be appreciated by younger viewers, something that may well prove to be this film’s undoing at the box office during this half term holiday. Regardless of box office success, though, what really matters is whether Fantastic Mr. Fox truly is fantastic or whether it is merely average.
Mr and Mrs Fox (voiced by George Clooney and Meryl Streep) live an idyllic home life with their son Ash (voiced by Jason Schwartzman) and visiting young nephew Kristofferson (voiced by Eric Anderson). But after 12 fox years (that’s 2 human years), this bucolic existence proves to be too much for Mr Fox’s wild animal instincts. Soon he slips back into his old ways as a sneaky chicken thief - and in doing so, he endangers not only his beloved family, but the whole animal community. Trapped underground, and with not enough food to go around, the animals, including possum Kylie (voiced by Wallace Wolodarsky), Badger (voiced by Bill Murray), Rat (voiced by Willem Dafoe), Weasel (voiced by Wes Anderson), Squirrel (voiced by Roman Coppola) and Rabbit (voiced by Mario Batali), must now band together to fight the evil farmers Boggis (voiced by Brian Cox), Bunce (voiced by Hugo Guinness) and Bean (voiced by Michael Gambon), as well as the villainous Rat (voiced by Willem Dafoe) - who are determined to catch the audacious, fantastic Mr Fox at any cost.
Not having read the Roald Dahl story upon which the film is based I am unable to comment on how Fantastic Mr. Fox works as an adaptation of that classic work. However, what I can say is that as a film it is pure Wes Anderson. Everything about this film - dialogue, humour, characters, on-screen text, voice actors, soundtrack and even the animation - is distinctly recognisable as his work. Whether this is a good or a bad thing will depend entirely on whether or not you actually like his work. Anderson’s style is undeniably distinctive and unique yet it is somewhat difficult to really identify who the target audience for this film really is. You would expect, given the inspiration, that this would be a family film but by and large it seems to be aimed at a much more mature audience. Most of the humour is probably too dry and quirky for children to appreciate (and likely only a minority of adult viewers will probably appreciate it either) and quite a bit of content is rather questionable for a family flick, such as frequent instances of swearing, albeit replaced with the word “cuss” in every case, as well as scenes of characters both smoking and drinking. Consequently, despite possibly seeming like a good choice for kids over the half term holiday I wouldn’t really recommend the film for younger viewers. And with Anderson’s style generally only appealing to a rather limited audience I suspect that not many older viewers will enjoy it all that much either. It’s a shame really as, from a technical standpoint at least, there are many things about the film that can be praised. For starters, in this day and age where computer animation dominates it is refreshing to see a film that utilizes a more low-tech form of animation and the stop motion animation (a technique that Anderson also used on The Life Aquatic) is top notch, giving the film a bold and distinctive look. Both characters and environments are excellently realised and the characters are brought to vivid life thanks to the impressive voice cast. While some will no doubt consider it almost sacrilegious that most of the characters are voiced by American actors (and this isn’t the only American touch in the film) rather than British ones, they all do such a good job that this can easily be overlooked, with the stars all doing an excellent job of creating mature, believable characters that could easily exist in real life (were they not animals). George Clooney injects pure cunning and charisma into his portrayal of Mr Fox, Meryl Streep is spot on intelligence and sophistication as Mrs Fox, Jason Schwartzman does a good job in the coming of age type role, Willem Dafoe is sly as Rat and trio of Brian Cox, Hugo Guinness and Michael Gambon are suitably mean as the villains. Everyone else is also of a high standard and there are also cameo performances by Wes Anderson regular Owen Wilson and Jarvis Cocker. Regardless of such qualities, however, Fantastic Mr. Fox is a film that is likely only going to have limited appeal. Simply, it is too dry and slow for younger viewers and perhaps too kiddie for more mature moviegoers. Nonetheless, I guarantee that anyone who loved previous Wes Anderson movies will love this film just as much. It’s not bad, after all, just not to everyone’s taste.
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Review by Robert Mann BA (Hons)
Friday, October 23, 2009
Classic Scene : The Godfather (1972)
"Do you know who I am ? I'm Moe Greene ! I made my bones when you were going out with cheerleaders !"
SETTING THE SCENE : Classic scene after classic scene, the one chosen here has casino & hotel owner Moe Green (Alex Rocco) who has Mob ties, being confronted by Michael Corleone (Al Pacino)...
Fredo : Wait a minute, Moe, Moe, I got an idea. Tom, you're the Consiglieri and you can talk to the Don, you can explain...
Francis Ford Coppola's timeless classic from Mario Puzo's novel needs no introduction. Possibly the most famous movie of all time, which is masterfully done and set to Nino Rota's memorable music - a film of epic proportions.
SETTING THE SCENE : Classic scene after classic scene, the one chosen here has casino & hotel owner Moe Green (Alex Rocco) who has Mob ties, being confronted by Michael Corleone (Al Pacino)...INT. HOTEL ROOM. DAY
Michael : My credit good enough to buy you out ?
Moe Greene : Buy me out ?
[Fredo laughs nervously]
Michael : The hotel, the casino. The Corleone Family wants to buy you out.
Moe Greene : The Corleone Family wants to buy me out ? No, I buy you out, you don't buy me out.
Michael : Your casino loses money, maybe we can do better.
Moe Greene : You think I'm skimmin off the top, Mike ?
[Michael shakes his head]
Michael : You're unlucky.
Moe Greene : You goddamn guineas you really make me laugh. I do you a favor and take Freddie in when you're having a bad time, and now you're gonna try and push me out !
Michael : You took Freddie in because the Corleone Family bankrolled your casino, and the Molinari Family on the Coast guaranteed his safety. Now we're talking business, let's talk business.
Moe Greene : Yeah, let's talk business, Mike. First of all, you're all done. The Corleone Family don't even have that kind of muscle anymore. The Godfather's sick, right ? You're getting chased out of New York by Barzini and the other Families. What do you think is going on here ? You think you can come to my hotel and take over ? I talked to Barzini - I can make a deal with him, and still keep my hotel !
Michael : Is that why you slapped my brother around in public ?
Fredo : Aw, now that, that was nothin', Mike. Moe didn't mean nothin' by that. Yeah, sure he flies off the handle every once in a while, but me and him, we're good friends, right Moe ?
Moe Greene : I got a business to run. I gotta kick asses sometimes to make it run right. We had a little argument, Freddy and me, so I had to straighten him out.
Michael : You straightened my brother out ?
Moe Greene : He was banging cocktail waitresses two at a time ! Players couldn't get a drink at the table ! What's the matter with you ?
Michael : I leave for New York tomorrow, think about a price.
Moe Greene : Son of a bitch ! Do you know who I am ? I'm Moe Greene ! I made my bones when you were going out with cheerleaders !
Fredo : Wait a minute, Moe, Moe, I got an idea. Tom, you're the Consiglieri and you can talk to the Don, you can explain...Tom Hagen : Now hold it right there. The Don is semi-retired and Mike is in charge of the Family business now. If you have anything to say, say it to Michael.
[Moe Greene leaves]
Fredo : Mike ! You do not come to Las Vegas and talk to a man like Moe Greene like that !
Michael : Fredo, you're my older brother, and I love you. But don't ever take sides with anyone against the Family again. Ever.
Thursday, October 22, 2009
Mr. Lewis - Short Film Review
This deceptively simple tale is a fine example of making the most of limitations. The titular Mr. Lewis is given a chance by an animal-masked stranger speaking through a voice-changer megaphone to travel back to the moment his girlfriend was murdered and attempt to put things right. There are echoes of The Prisoner, Seven and The Butterfly Effect to be found here.
Writer/director Louisa Fielden uses locations sparingly and keeps the plot moving with an intelligent balance of menace and dark humour, she is aided by the commendable performance of Simon Higgins in the title role. Higgins lends a degree of likability to Mr. Lewis that would otherwise scupper the film; the story itself is particularly predictable and uses a fragmented time structure to make things interesting, but is still firmly rooted in a simple and overt three act structure.
Shot on a Red One camera the film looks excellent, the director of photography Dominik Rippl does a great job with the flashback scenes and makes good use of the voice-changer megaphone's eerie LEDs in the 'underworld' segments. In all, the marriage of elements here is very strong, but there's an overwhelming sense that this is a taste of things to come and you feel that all involved are capable of producing something a little more innovative than this. That is, by no means, a negative remark, this is a strong short film that shows great promise and ear-marks all involved as future talents to watch for and the production company - Change Films - as an intriguing, independent outlet.
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Jo's Back
Sorry about the lack of posts recently, been real busy with work. Hopefully it will settle down from Monday.Here is Jo Mahoney's review of Fantastic Mr. Fox.
Do you have a review you want to text me?
Email me first and I may give you my number...
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Alan McGee Upside Down
Hello!
Here is a clip of Alan McGee talking about the story of Creation Records, from the new film Upside Down.
He highlights how the death of Tony Wilson made him not want to be in the music business anymore, as most other people in the industry "don't like music" (an obvious reference to the focus of making money in today's industry)
You would you like to know more? Click here.
Sunday, October 18, 2009
Film Review with Robert Mann - The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus
The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus **½
Terry Gilliam is a cursed movie director for whom things always seem to go wrong - production on his Don Quixote film collapsed completely with the film failing to get made, he experienced so much stress while filming Brazil that he temporarily lost the use of his legs and creative control of The Brothers Grimm was usurped from him by studio executives who retooled the film so much so that it apparently bore little resemblance to what he had intended. And now this list of catastrophes plaguing Gilliam’s movies has gotten longer still with the tragic death of Heath Ledger during production of Gilliam’s latest film The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus. Ironically, though, Ledger’s death has helped to transform a film that may well have passed by overlooked into a much talked about feature, albeit one that is possibly much talked about for the wrong reasons. After all, prior to his death, Ledger was hardly a much talked about star yet now, particularly after his sensational performance in The Dark Knight, there is much interest in his performance here but not so much for reasons as of its quality, rather simply that it is his final performance. The tragedy apparently hasn’t been a complete catastrophe for the film though as Ledger’s unfinished scenes have been completed by the trio of Johnny Depp, Jude Law and Colin Farrell as a tribute to his memory (a dedication at the end of the film also reads “A film from Heath Ledger & Friends”), something that, thanks to the involvement of a magic mirror in the film’s plot supposedly seems as though it were meant to be the whole time. Whatever the case, however, so much focus has been put on Ledger that Gilliam has almost been excluded from the equation and considering his somewhat lacklustre track record as of late there is a much more important question surrounding the film that the one about whether Heath Ledger has saved his best performance to last - is this a return to form for Gilliam, another disappointment or, like many of his other films, a work whose appreciation will very much depend on who’s watching?
The extraordinary Imaginarium is a travelling show where members of the audience get an irresistible opportunity to experience their imaginations for real, choosing between light and joy or darkness and gloom. Blessed with the extraordinary gift of guiding the imaginations of others, Dr Parnassus (Christopher Plummer) is cursed with a dark secret. Long ago he made a bet with the devil, Mr Nick (Tom Waits), in which he won immortality. Many centuries later, on meeting his one true love, Dr Parnassus made another deal with the devil, trading his immortality for youth, on condition that when his first-born reached its 16th birthday he or she would become the property of Mr Nick. Valentina (Lily Cole) is now rapidly approaching this 'coming of age' milestone and Dr Parnassus is desperate to protect her from her impending fate. Mr Nick arrives to collect but, always keen to make a bet, renegotiates the wager. Now the winner of Valentina will be determined by whoever seduces the first five souls. With the help of his fellow artists Anton (Andrew Garfield) and Percy (Verne Troyer) as well as Tony (Heath Ledger, Johnny Depp, Jude Law and Colin Farrell), a mysterious stranger with a dark past, Dr Parnassus attempts to save his daughter from the cruel grasp of Mr Nick. In a captivating, explosive and wonderfully imaginative race against time, Dr Parnassus must fight to save his daughter in a never-ending landscape of surreal obstacles - and undo the mistakes of his past once and for all...
As much of the hype surrounding The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus revolves around Heath Ledger I will start by talking about his performance here. I really hate to speak ill of the dead but Ledger has undoubtedly NOT saved the best to last and following his truly amazing performance as The Joker in The Dark Knight everything about his performance in this film is a huge let down . His performance as Tony (he’s not playing the eponymous Dr Parnassus despite seemingly being at the centre of the film, at least in the marketing) may have a degree of charisma (as do Johnny Depp, Jude Law and Colin Farrell) but it really doesn’t seem like he actually threw himself into the role. His attempt at a London accent is pitiful, with it not seeming like he even attempted to cover up his native Australian dialect, and he just seem to have put enough passion into the performance. Some of his failings are actually shared by some of the other actors playing the part of Tony in some of the film’s fantastical sequences. Colin Farrell too doesn’t make any apparent effort to hide his native accent, his Irish coming through clearly, despite having shown on many occasions that he is capable of doing other accents competently. In fact, only Johnny Deep really shines being truly electric in his all too brief time on screen. As for the other roles, Christopher Plummer is also somewhat underwhelming as Dr Parnassus, Verne Troyer is amusing in a somewhat undemanding role and Tom Waits amusingly hams it up as The Devil. There is one revelation among the cast, though, in the form of Lily Cole, who shows that she definitely has what it takes to make the transition from model to actress with a genuinely quite impressive performance. It’s just disappointing that the entire cast couldn’t have put the same level of effort in as she clearly has. In other regards the film is also a very mixed bag. The storyline is overly complex, confusing, incoherent and contrived and the film definitely outstays its welcome, with a definite sense that it could easily have been cut down without losing anything particularly important. Its mixture of humour with a seriously dark streak often fails to really gel and there is too much contract between the fantastical sequences, in which the film does impress, and the real world scenes which often drag on past their welcome. In particular a subplot surrounding Tony’s corrupt past seems like a significant distraction, shifting the focus towards the character of Tony when really it should be Dr Parnassus at the centre of the story. While the film may be lacking in the story department, however, visually it dazzles with scenes of spectacular beauty and bizarreness quite unlike anything you will have seen before. The film showcases a seriously freaky fantasy world that probably only Gilliam could conceive and its effectiveness and originality is heightened thanks to a rather low-tech approach (the magic mirror is made out of foil for example) that gives the film a distinct charm. These visuals save what would otherwise be a very poor film and in spite of the many failings of The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus they provide a reason that really makes it worth seeing. Overall, though, this is a film that may just be too strange for its own good.
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Review by Robert Mann BA (Hons)
Terry Gilliam is a cursed movie director for whom things always seem to go wrong - production on his Don Quixote film collapsed completely with the film failing to get made, he experienced so much stress while filming Brazil that he temporarily lost the use of his legs and creative control of The Brothers Grimm was usurped from him by studio executives who retooled the film so much so that it apparently bore little resemblance to what he had intended. And now this list of catastrophes plaguing Gilliam’s movies has gotten longer still with the tragic death of Heath Ledger during production of Gilliam’s latest film The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus. Ironically, though, Ledger’s death has helped to transform a film that may well have passed by overlooked into a much talked about feature, albeit one that is possibly much talked about for the wrong reasons. After all, prior to his death, Ledger was hardly a much talked about star yet now, particularly after his sensational performance in The Dark Knight, there is much interest in his performance here but not so much for reasons as of its quality, rather simply that it is his final performance. The tragedy apparently hasn’t been a complete catastrophe for the film though as Ledger’s unfinished scenes have been completed by the trio of Johnny Depp, Jude Law and Colin Farrell as a tribute to his memory (a dedication at the end of the film also reads “A film from Heath Ledger & Friends”), something that, thanks to the involvement of a magic mirror in the film’s plot supposedly seems as though it were meant to be the whole time. Whatever the case, however, so much focus has been put on Ledger that Gilliam has almost been excluded from the equation and considering his somewhat lacklustre track record as of late there is a much more important question surrounding the film that the one about whether Heath Ledger has saved his best performance to last - is this a return to form for Gilliam, another disappointment or, like many of his other films, a work whose appreciation will very much depend on who’s watching?
The extraordinary Imaginarium is a travelling show where members of the audience get an irresistible opportunity to experience their imaginations for real, choosing between light and joy or darkness and gloom. Blessed with the extraordinary gift of guiding the imaginations of others, Dr Parnassus (Christopher Plummer) is cursed with a dark secret. Long ago he made a bet with the devil, Mr Nick (Tom Waits), in which he won immortality. Many centuries later, on meeting his one true love, Dr Parnassus made another deal with the devil, trading his immortality for youth, on condition that when his first-born reached its 16th birthday he or she would become the property of Mr Nick. Valentina (Lily Cole) is now rapidly approaching this 'coming of age' milestone and Dr Parnassus is desperate to protect her from her impending fate. Mr Nick arrives to collect but, always keen to make a bet, renegotiates the wager. Now the winner of Valentina will be determined by whoever seduces the first five souls. With the help of his fellow artists Anton (Andrew Garfield) and Percy (Verne Troyer) as well as Tony (Heath Ledger, Johnny Depp, Jude Law and Colin Farrell), a mysterious stranger with a dark past, Dr Parnassus attempts to save his daughter from the cruel grasp of Mr Nick. In a captivating, explosive and wonderfully imaginative race against time, Dr Parnassus must fight to save his daughter in a never-ending landscape of surreal obstacles - and undo the mistakes of his past once and for all...
As much of the hype surrounding The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus revolves around Heath Ledger I will start by talking about his performance here. I really hate to speak ill of the dead but Ledger has undoubtedly NOT saved the best to last and following his truly amazing performance as The Joker in The Dark Knight everything about his performance in this film is a huge let down . His performance as Tony (he’s not playing the eponymous Dr Parnassus despite seemingly being at the centre of the film, at least in the marketing) may have a degree of charisma (as do Johnny Depp, Jude Law and Colin Farrell) but it really doesn’t seem like he actually threw himself into the role. His attempt at a London accent is pitiful, with it not seeming like he even attempted to cover up his native Australian dialect, and he just seem to have put enough passion into the performance. Some of his failings are actually shared by some of the other actors playing the part of Tony in some of the film’s fantastical sequences. Colin Farrell too doesn’t make any apparent effort to hide his native accent, his Irish coming through clearly, despite having shown on many occasions that he is capable of doing other accents competently. In fact, only Johnny Deep really shines being truly electric in his all too brief time on screen. As for the other roles, Christopher Plummer is also somewhat underwhelming as Dr Parnassus, Verne Troyer is amusing in a somewhat undemanding role and Tom Waits amusingly hams it up as The Devil. There is one revelation among the cast, though, in the form of Lily Cole, who shows that she definitely has what it takes to make the transition from model to actress with a genuinely quite impressive performance. It’s just disappointing that the entire cast couldn’t have put the same level of effort in as she clearly has. In other regards the film is also a very mixed bag. The storyline is overly complex, confusing, incoherent and contrived and the film definitely outstays its welcome, with a definite sense that it could easily have been cut down without losing anything particularly important. Its mixture of humour with a seriously dark streak often fails to really gel and there is too much contract between the fantastical sequences, in which the film does impress, and the real world scenes which often drag on past their welcome. In particular a subplot surrounding Tony’s corrupt past seems like a significant distraction, shifting the focus towards the character of Tony when really it should be Dr Parnassus at the centre of the story. While the film may be lacking in the story department, however, visually it dazzles with scenes of spectacular beauty and bizarreness quite unlike anything you will have seen before. The film showcases a seriously freaky fantasy world that probably only Gilliam could conceive and its effectiveness and originality is heightened thanks to a rather low-tech approach (the magic mirror is made out of foil for example) that gives the film a distinct charm. These visuals save what would otherwise be a very poor film and in spite of the many failings of The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus they provide a reason that really makes it worth seeing. Overall, though, this is a film that may just be too strange for its own good.
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Review by Robert Mann BA (Hons)
Saturday, October 17, 2009
Film Review with Robert Mann - Couples Retreat
Couples Retreat **
Just five years ago (oh my, hasn’t time flown by) Vince Vaughn was being hailed by both film critics and moviegoers alike as the next big thing in comedy with films like Dodgeball and Wedding Crashers being both critical and commercial successes, and suggesting that Vaughn may actually be one of those comic talents who endures the test of time. Now, however, this no longer seems to be the case. While he continues to have appeal with moviegoers, many of his recent films being box office hits, with mediocre efforts such as The Break-Up and Four Christmases the quality of his films has diminished greatly. When this critic first heard about Vaughn’s latest effort Couples Retreat, however, I thought that this may well be the film to end a dry spell for the star. After all, it reunites him with long time collaborating partner Jon Favreau, boasts an impressive cast and at its core has a concept with great comic potential. Sadly, any hope that this may be a return to form disappeared after seeing the mediocre trailer and with its release in the states last weekend (where it was a commercial success I might note) generating poor reviews and poor word of mouth I was at least prepared for a film that is another let down for its star.
When couple Jason (Jason Bateman) and Cynthia (Kristen Bell) announce that they’re heading to a tropical resort (“Disneyland for adults”) in order to try and save their failing marriage, their friends Dave (Vince Vaughn) and Ronnie (Malin Akerman), Joey (Jon Favreau) and Lucy (Kristin Davis), and Shane (Faizon Love) and Trudy (Kali Hawk) are more than happy to go along for the jet-skiing, spa and frolics in the surf. But when they arrive at Eden Resort, run by the eccentric Marcel (Jean Reno) and manager Sctanley (Peter Serafinowicz), it becomes clear that this is no ordinary island getaway. As part of the group deal they’ve secured, each of the couples is obliged to take part in the resort’s rigorous, and sometimes unorthodox, counselling itinerary, including couple skill building, yoga sessions and uncomfortable bouts on the therapist’s couch. It may not be the holiday they expected, but maybe they will discover the true meaning of their relationships…
Couples Retreat is sadly another addition to a growing list of mediocre comedies starring who Vince Vaughn, but the fault for this does not entirely at his feet. A key reason for the disappointment of this film is that while the film has a cast that indeed seems impressive it doesn’t really amount to all that much in practice. While the couplings do actually seem pretty believable - Dave and Ronnie being a fairly typical couple whose busy work and family lives have come at the expense of romance, Jason and Cynthia being perfectly organised in their lives and being suffocated by a lack of spontaneity, Joey and Lucy’s relationship falling apart due to a lack of passion and divorcee Shane trying to move on with his life by attempting a relationship with a 20 year old who is only interested in partying - when it comes to bringing on the funny the key cast members are little more than competent, each only managing to create a few laughs, despite all being pretty game for the various situations that they are thrust into. (This, of course, is somewhat subjective, though, and the amount of laughs will depend on personal taste in comedy - if you like crude innuendos revolving around sexual situations and nudity then you will no doubt get much more enjoyment out of the film than me. It is also clear that much of the humour is aimed at Americans.) Any such failings though can be attributed as much to the material they are given to work with though as the actors themselves. Many of the gags are rather tired and predictable and the storyline isn’t really of much note, apparently existing for the purposes of creating gags rather than gags being built around a genuinely decent plot. This isn’t to say that there isn’t some sweetness to the film, though, particularly when the typical happy ending comes along, but for the most part much seems to be sacrificed for cheap gags that often aren’t even that funny. Nonetheless, there are a few scenes that do raise some giggles and also a couple of genuinely funny performances in the film, albeit from actors in smaller roles. These are from Jean Reno and Peter Serafinowicz who are both pretty amusing and do provide this film with some genuinely funny scenes. It’s a shame that their roles aren’t bigger as they really steal the show in the scenes in which they do appear. Unfortunately, other than this, the only thing that really stands out in the film is the tropical location used for filming which is a beautiful and exotic setting that ensures that the film’s events at least occur against a truly stunning backdrop. Overall, Couples Retreat is a comedy that fails to deliver enough laughs to really make it worth handing over your hard earned money to see. It does have its moments and some people may find it much funnier than I did but in my opinion this is one retreat that really isn’t that worth your time.
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Review by Robert Mann BA (Hons)
Just five years ago (oh my, hasn’t time flown by) Vince Vaughn was being hailed by both film critics and moviegoers alike as the next big thing in comedy with films like Dodgeball and Wedding Crashers being both critical and commercial successes, and suggesting that Vaughn may actually be one of those comic talents who endures the test of time. Now, however, this no longer seems to be the case. While he continues to have appeal with moviegoers, many of his recent films being box office hits, with mediocre efforts such as The Break-Up and Four Christmases the quality of his films has diminished greatly. When this critic first heard about Vaughn’s latest effort Couples Retreat, however, I thought that this may well be the film to end a dry spell for the star. After all, it reunites him with long time collaborating partner Jon Favreau, boasts an impressive cast and at its core has a concept with great comic potential. Sadly, any hope that this may be a return to form disappeared after seeing the mediocre trailer and with its release in the states last weekend (where it was a commercial success I might note) generating poor reviews and poor word of mouth I was at least prepared for a film that is another let down for its star.
When couple Jason (Jason Bateman) and Cynthia (Kristen Bell) announce that they’re heading to a tropical resort (“Disneyland for adults”) in order to try and save their failing marriage, their friends Dave (Vince Vaughn) and Ronnie (Malin Akerman), Joey (Jon Favreau) and Lucy (Kristin Davis), and Shane (Faizon Love) and Trudy (Kali Hawk) are more than happy to go along for the jet-skiing, spa and frolics in the surf. But when they arrive at Eden Resort, run by the eccentric Marcel (Jean Reno) and manager Sctanley (Peter Serafinowicz), it becomes clear that this is no ordinary island getaway. As part of the group deal they’ve secured, each of the couples is obliged to take part in the resort’s rigorous, and sometimes unorthodox, counselling itinerary, including couple skill building, yoga sessions and uncomfortable bouts on the therapist’s couch. It may not be the holiday they expected, but maybe they will discover the true meaning of their relationships…
Couples Retreat is sadly another addition to a growing list of mediocre comedies starring who Vince Vaughn, but the fault for this does not entirely at his feet. A key reason for the disappointment of this film is that while the film has a cast that indeed seems impressive it doesn’t really amount to all that much in practice. While the couplings do actually seem pretty believable - Dave and Ronnie being a fairly typical couple whose busy work and family lives have come at the expense of romance, Jason and Cynthia being perfectly organised in their lives and being suffocated by a lack of spontaneity, Joey and Lucy’s relationship falling apart due to a lack of passion and divorcee Shane trying to move on with his life by attempting a relationship with a 20 year old who is only interested in partying - when it comes to bringing on the funny the key cast members are little more than competent, each only managing to create a few laughs, despite all being pretty game for the various situations that they are thrust into. (This, of course, is somewhat subjective, though, and the amount of laughs will depend on personal taste in comedy - if you like crude innuendos revolving around sexual situations and nudity then you will no doubt get much more enjoyment out of the film than me. It is also clear that much of the humour is aimed at Americans.) Any such failings though can be attributed as much to the material they are given to work with though as the actors themselves. Many of the gags are rather tired and predictable and the storyline isn’t really of much note, apparently existing for the purposes of creating gags rather than gags being built around a genuinely decent plot. This isn’t to say that there isn’t some sweetness to the film, though, particularly when the typical happy ending comes along, but for the most part much seems to be sacrificed for cheap gags that often aren’t even that funny. Nonetheless, there are a few scenes that do raise some giggles and also a couple of genuinely funny performances in the film, albeit from actors in smaller roles. These are from Jean Reno and Peter Serafinowicz who are both pretty amusing and do provide this film with some genuinely funny scenes. It’s a shame that their roles aren’t bigger as they really steal the show in the scenes in which they do appear. Unfortunately, other than this, the only thing that really stands out in the film is the tropical location used for filming which is a beautiful and exotic setting that ensures that the film’s events at least occur against a truly stunning backdrop. Overall, Couples Retreat is a comedy that fails to deliver enough laughs to really make it worth handing over your hard earned money to see. It does have its moments and some people may find it much funnier than I did but in my opinion this is one retreat that really isn’t that worth your time.
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Review by Robert Mann BA (Hons)
Friday, October 16, 2009
Neglected Classics - Rififi
When Quentin Tarantino was writing his debut feature Reservoir Dogs, the video store clerk sought inspiration by watching some of the classics of the crime genre, including The Taking of Pelham 123, The Killing and Jules Dassin’s 1955 heist thriller Rififi. Just as Tarantino’s film went on to inspire a generation of filmmakers and spawn a host of imitations, Dassin’s Rififi set the standard to which all other heist films aspired.
Set in the criminal underworld of Paris, Rififi tells the story of Tony le Stephanois, a tired world-weary career criminal, recently released after serving a 5 year prison sentence. The film opens with Tony losing his last few francs in a back room card game. Down on his luck and battling ill health, it’s clear from Tony’s drawn expression that here is a man who’s seen better days and is tired of the hand that life has dealt him. As the barman says “five years inside can mark a man", and Tony has been well and truly marked by his experiences.
So when a chance arises for Tony to turn his luck around in the form of a planned heist of a jewellery store, he sees the job as his way out. To guys like Tony, crime is not so much a choice as a way of life, an inevitable means to an end - a chance to escape.
Everything about Rififi is masterfully done. The gritty dialogue, dramatic music, atmospheric cinematography and compelling performances all combine to form a classic film noir, which Francois Truffaut referred to as “the best crime film I have ever seen”. The one element that marks the film out above all other films in that genre is the heist scene itself. The sequence begins with each of the men leaving their homes, and ends some 33 minutes later with Tony meeting the others back at the rendez-vous, with the jewels in tow.
What makes this scene all the more remarkable is the fact that not one single word of dialogue is uttered throughout its duration. The only sounds on the soundtrack are those of the men working, as they race against time through the night to break into the jewellery store. It’s a piece of pure cinematic visual storytelling, so perfectly formed that it could exist alone as a compelling short film. No dialogue or fast editing is needed to ramp up the tension. Dassin employs gestures, shadows and torchlight, sweaty brows and Georges Auric’s effective score, to build up the dramatic tension as the men crack the safe and make their escape.
Anyone who shares the belief that the coming of sound, and subsequent reliance on dialogue diluted cinema as a visual form, can take great pleasure in watching how Dassin builds the sequence visually – we are not told, we are shown – a method many modern filmmakers could learn from.
It’s no surprise then that the heist scene has been imitated many times since, most notably in Jean-Pierre Melville’s excellent movie Le Circle Rouge. What is more surprising is the influence over Tarantino’s Reservoir Dogs, a heist film where we never get to see the heist. Dassin chose to make the scene the centrepiece of his movie, whereas Tarantino played with standard plot conventions by showing us the aftermath, not the action itself. Perhaps having seen Rififi, Tarantino realised he couldn’t improve upon the perfection of Dassin’s scene, and decided to be as equally original by not showing the heist at all.
This film is more than just a robbery scene though. There’s much more here to admire and secure the film’s reputation as a classic. There are some truly shocking moments, such as the scene in which Tony brutally whips his ex-girlfriend with a belt offscreen. The camera focuses on a photo of the couple in happier times, as we hear the beating in the background – with the implied violence left to our own imagination. In contrast there are also lighter touches, such as Jo and Tony playing with Jo’s young son, and Mario and his girlfriend fooling around in the bath. Dassin uses these moments to endear us to his leading characters, so we end up willing them to succeed, despite being on the wrong side of the law. It’s this empathy with Tony and his gang that is the most important element of the film. At its heart Rififi is a tragic human story about desperate men who cannot escape their fate. Like Carlito’s Way and Layer Cake, the last big pay day is an illusion, and any attempt to break free from this criminal life is futile.
Edge Of Darkness... The New Payback?
Found this, got me excited! The new Mel Gibson film reminds me of Payback. One man on a mission except this time he is a detective and he is avenging his daughter. It looks awesome. Find it here.
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
The Box Site Phase 1
Click on the intriguing numbers above to see Phase 1 of The Box website.The Box is the new film helmed by Richard Kelly, and if the trailer doesn't get you, wait until the website is complete...
Monday, October 12, 2009
Ghostbusters 3 Is A Go!
Bloody Disgusting are reporting that they have “confirmed, 100%, without a shadow of a doubt” that Ivan Reitman going to direct Ghostbusters 3.
Sunday, October 11, 2009
Film Review with Robert Mann - Up
Up 3D *****
Up 2D *****
2009 has been another huge year for computer animation, with most of the major animation studios having adopted 3D into the production and exhibition of their movies. But what everyone has really been waiting for is the release of Pixar’s first 3D movie (well not those of you in America who had this film back in May but us unlucky folk here in the UK) and now that wait is over with the long awaited release of Up, Pixar’s tenth feature length movie, which is already being touted by many as their best film yet. And given the outstanding quality of last year’s Wall-E, not to mention their consistent track record of excellence prior to that, this is certainly something to really recommend it. As with many Pixar the concept of Up is not one that seems obvious for a family animation - after all, a septuagenarian is not the typical focus of family flicks - but rather than being a fault this is once again a major strength in the film’s favour as everything points to yet another truly original piece of family fare from the animation studio that just keeps on wowing audiences the world over. Suffice to say that even without seeing the film I already knew exactly what I was going to rate Up so as far as writing this review is concerned seeing the film really was just a formality. Nonetheless, it was one thoroughly enjoyable formality.
Retired, widowed and grouchy, Carl Fredricksen (voiced by Ed Asner) is a 78 year old ex-balloon salesman being forced to vacate the house he shared with his late wife. But rather than go quietly into a rest home, Carl plans to embark on a trip to South America, to a place where he always dreamed of visiting - Paradise Falls. And he plans to do this without even leaving his own front room! After Carl ties thousands of balloons to the roof, his house has lift-off and starts floating towards its destination. He’s not alone however, as over-eager Junior Wilderness Explorer, Russell (voiced by Jordan Nagai), has inadvertently come along for the ride, much to Carl’s annoyance. But before long they’re sharing the adventure of a lifetime as they meet a talking dog (voiced by Bob Peterson), discover a rare flightless bird, called Kevin, and ward off dangerous enemy Charles Muntz (voiced by Christopher Plummer). Now all they have to do is find their way back home.
In the grand tradition of Pixar movies it was a given right from the moment it was first announced that Up would be another animation masterpiece from the masters of computer animation and the film doesn’t disappoint on any level. The animation lives up the high standard of excellence that we have come to expect from Pixar - a standard that is constantly soaring higher and higher - with spectacularly beautiful and life-like landscapes, adorable animals and brilliantly realized human characters - a major achievement considering that people can be notoriously difficult to animate well. And everything is so much better with the addition of the 3D, which is truly incredible, making an already amazing movie even more awe inspiring and showing that Pixar really know how to do 3D as well as 2D animation. The 3D doesn’t come out of the screen at any point, thus avoiding falling into gimmick territory, but it does make the entire experience much more realistic and immersive, so much so that you will really feel as if you are actually at Paradise Falls with Carl and Russell rather than just watching them on a screen. However, while the animation and 3D quality is undisputedly amazing, just like all Pixar movies what really makes the film so special is the storyline and the humour. The film provides laughs a plenty and they always come from genuinely heartfelt situations rather than gags or in-jokes - the kind of humour present in many other recent animated features. As we have come to expect this is a film that will be loved by moviegoers of all ages, from 5 to 105, and the story this time is one of Pixar’s most original and beautiful to date. Starting with a sweet, touching and moving montage which charts Carl from his childhood fantasy to become like childhood hero Charles Muntz through his first encounter with love of his life Ellie and their marriage followed by their life together and culminating in her tragic death (a scene which will bring tears to your eyes), the story is thoroughly engaging throughout, never letting up even for a second and the script, written by directors Pete Docter and Bob Peterson, provides a perfect balance that amuses, thrills (thanks to some excellent action adventure sequences) and moves you in a way that feels totally natural. Put simply, the mixture is one that works and it is hard not to fall in love with the charming tale and the characters who are living it. This is also helped by excellent voice work from the entire cast who, unlike quite a few other animated movies, are not big name stars per se but rather people who really do their characters justice, creating individuals that truly come to life and that we as viewers can really invest our emotions in. So, overall, Up is a film that will make you laugh, make you cry, put a twinkle in your eye and will you send your enjoyment level right up to the sky. And it is undoubtedly one of Pixar’s finest movies to date. Whether it is their best is entirely for you to decide (personally Wall-E is still number one) but regardless this is another true animation masterpiece and it doesn’t matter whether you see it in 3D or just in 2D, it is a masterpiece either way.
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Review by Robert Mann BA (Hons)
Up 2D *****
2009 has been another huge year for computer animation, with most of the major animation studios having adopted 3D into the production and exhibition of their movies. But what everyone has really been waiting for is the release of Pixar’s first 3D movie (well not those of you in America who had this film back in May but us unlucky folk here in the UK) and now that wait is over with the long awaited release of Up, Pixar’s tenth feature length movie, which is already being touted by many as their best film yet. And given the outstanding quality of last year’s Wall-E, not to mention their consistent track record of excellence prior to that, this is certainly something to really recommend it. As with many Pixar the concept of Up is not one that seems obvious for a family animation - after all, a septuagenarian is not the typical focus of family flicks - but rather than being a fault this is once again a major strength in the film’s favour as everything points to yet another truly original piece of family fare from the animation studio that just keeps on wowing audiences the world over. Suffice to say that even without seeing the film I already knew exactly what I was going to rate Up so as far as writing this review is concerned seeing the film really was just a formality. Nonetheless, it was one thoroughly enjoyable formality.
Retired, widowed and grouchy, Carl Fredricksen (voiced by Ed Asner) is a 78 year old ex-balloon salesman being forced to vacate the house he shared with his late wife. But rather than go quietly into a rest home, Carl plans to embark on a trip to South America, to a place where he always dreamed of visiting - Paradise Falls. And he plans to do this without even leaving his own front room! After Carl ties thousands of balloons to the roof, his house has lift-off and starts floating towards its destination. He’s not alone however, as over-eager Junior Wilderness Explorer, Russell (voiced by Jordan Nagai), has inadvertently come along for the ride, much to Carl’s annoyance. But before long they’re sharing the adventure of a lifetime as they meet a talking dog (voiced by Bob Peterson), discover a rare flightless bird, called Kevin, and ward off dangerous enemy Charles Muntz (voiced by Christopher Plummer). Now all they have to do is find their way back home.
In the grand tradition of Pixar movies it was a given right from the moment it was first announced that Up would be another animation masterpiece from the masters of computer animation and the film doesn’t disappoint on any level. The animation lives up the high standard of excellence that we have come to expect from Pixar - a standard that is constantly soaring higher and higher - with spectacularly beautiful and life-like landscapes, adorable animals and brilliantly realized human characters - a major achievement considering that people can be notoriously difficult to animate well. And everything is so much better with the addition of the 3D, which is truly incredible, making an already amazing movie even more awe inspiring and showing that Pixar really know how to do 3D as well as 2D animation. The 3D doesn’t come out of the screen at any point, thus avoiding falling into gimmick territory, but it does make the entire experience much more realistic and immersive, so much so that you will really feel as if you are actually at Paradise Falls with Carl and Russell rather than just watching them on a screen. However, while the animation and 3D quality is undisputedly amazing, just like all Pixar movies what really makes the film so special is the storyline and the humour. The film provides laughs a plenty and they always come from genuinely heartfelt situations rather than gags or in-jokes - the kind of humour present in many other recent animated features. As we have come to expect this is a film that will be loved by moviegoers of all ages, from 5 to 105, and the story this time is one of Pixar’s most original and beautiful to date. Starting with a sweet, touching and moving montage which charts Carl from his childhood fantasy to become like childhood hero Charles Muntz through his first encounter with love of his life Ellie and their marriage followed by their life together and culminating in her tragic death (a scene which will bring tears to your eyes), the story is thoroughly engaging throughout, never letting up even for a second and the script, written by directors Pete Docter and Bob Peterson, provides a perfect balance that amuses, thrills (thanks to some excellent action adventure sequences) and moves you in a way that feels totally natural. Put simply, the mixture is one that works and it is hard not to fall in love with the charming tale and the characters who are living it. This is also helped by excellent voice work from the entire cast who, unlike quite a few other animated movies, are not big name stars per se but rather people who really do their characters justice, creating individuals that truly come to life and that we as viewers can really invest our emotions in. So, overall, Up is a film that will make you laugh, make you cry, put a twinkle in your eye and will you send your enjoyment level right up to the sky. And it is undoubtedly one of Pixar’s finest movies to date. Whether it is their best is entirely for you to decide (personally Wall-E is still number one) but regardless this is another true animation masterpiece and it doesn’t matter whether you see it in 3D or just in 2D, it is a masterpiece either way.
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Review by Robert Mann BA (Hons)
Film Review with Robert Mann - Love Happens
Love Happens **½
Movie trailers can be very deceptive, can’t they? Take Love Happens for example, a film which on the basis of the trailer looked to be a very promising and charming, if somewhat unoriginal, romantic drama that would be certain to leave moviegoers with a smile on their face and a tear in their eye. However, based on lacklustre reviews and box office (the latter being particularly notable considering that star Jennifer Aniston is usually a very reliable box office draw) it seems that this promise is not reflected in the film. Isn’t it amazing what a well cut trailer and a good soundtrack can do for the image of a film. Having read numerous comments from female viewers - the key demographic for the film, not a good sign - that nothing really happens in the film, I began to believe that all the negative comments from critics for the film may well be justified for once. Thus, I went into see the film with considerably lowered expectations. Could this film signal an end to Jennifer Aniston’s seemingly unending appeal with moviegoers? Quite possibly.
When a self-help author arrives in Seattle to teach a sold-out seminar, he unexpectedly meets the one person who might finally be able to help him help himself. Dr. Burke Ryan (Aaron Eckhart) is on the precipice of a major multimedia deal, but the therapist who asks his patients to openly confront their pain is secretly unable to take his own advice. Eloise Chandler (Jennifer Aniston) has sworn off men and decided to focus on her floral business. However, when she meets Burke at the hotel where he’s speaking, there is an instant attraction. But will two people who have met the right person at exactly the wrong time be able to give love another chance? As each struggles with the hurt of love and loss, they realize that in order to move forward, they need to let go of the past. And if they can, they’ll find that, sometimes, love happens when you least expect it.
Love Happens is a very disjointed piece of cinema. A key reason for this is the performances of its leading actors. Aaron Eckhart completely throws himself into his role, delivering a truly believable performance of a tortured soul struggling to move on with his life after the loss of the woman he loved, and in a sensational monologue at the climax of the film he is sure to bring you to tears. Jennifer Aniston, on the other hand, seems to be on cruise control for much of the film, failing to show much that resembles true emotion and thus failing to really engage us as viewers. Consequently, while the on screen relationship between the two isn’t completely devoid of chemistry, sparks are hardly flying between the two, thus making it somewhat difficult to truly care where the relationship between their characters is headed. The rest of the cast also aren’t much to speak of. Judy Greer plays the exact same best friend character she has played in countless other romcoms - although she is very amusing in the role, Dan Fogler merely gets the job done as Burke’s manager - although he at least isn’t irritating like in some of his past comic roles, and Martin Sheen is somewhat underused as the father-in-law of Burke’s deceased wife - even though he is entertaining while on screen. Despite a mixed bag in the acting department, the film isn’t all bad though. In fact, on occasions, it is actually very good. The cinematography is frequently beautiful, the storyline is honest and sincere, the messages of the film are moving and provoking, and there are several scenes that are quite excellent. It’s just a shame that the entire film cannot be of the same quality of these scenes are there is some genuinely good stuff on show here. Overall, Love Happens is a film that has distinct qualities that make it worth seeing, if only on DVD, but it is too slow paced and uneventful in places, and too lacking in the necessary emotional impact (with the exception of the climax anyway) that love just happens rather than enchants.
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Review by Robert Mann BA (Hons)
Movie trailers can be very deceptive, can’t they? Take Love Happens for example, a film which on the basis of the trailer looked to be a very promising and charming, if somewhat unoriginal, romantic drama that would be certain to leave moviegoers with a smile on their face and a tear in their eye. However, based on lacklustre reviews and box office (the latter being particularly notable considering that star Jennifer Aniston is usually a very reliable box office draw) it seems that this promise is not reflected in the film. Isn’t it amazing what a well cut trailer and a good soundtrack can do for the image of a film. Having read numerous comments from female viewers - the key demographic for the film, not a good sign - that nothing really happens in the film, I began to believe that all the negative comments from critics for the film may well be justified for once. Thus, I went into see the film with considerably lowered expectations. Could this film signal an end to Jennifer Aniston’s seemingly unending appeal with moviegoers? Quite possibly.
When a self-help author arrives in Seattle to teach a sold-out seminar, he unexpectedly meets the one person who might finally be able to help him help himself. Dr. Burke Ryan (Aaron Eckhart) is on the precipice of a major multimedia deal, but the therapist who asks his patients to openly confront their pain is secretly unable to take his own advice. Eloise Chandler (Jennifer Aniston) has sworn off men and decided to focus on her floral business. However, when she meets Burke at the hotel where he’s speaking, there is an instant attraction. But will two people who have met the right person at exactly the wrong time be able to give love another chance? As each struggles with the hurt of love and loss, they realize that in order to move forward, they need to let go of the past. And if they can, they’ll find that, sometimes, love happens when you least expect it.
Love Happens is a very disjointed piece of cinema. A key reason for this is the performances of its leading actors. Aaron Eckhart completely throws himself into his role, delivering a truly believable performance of a tortured soul struggling to move on with his life after the loss of the woman he loved, and in a sensational monologue at the climax of the film he is sure to bring you to tears. Jennifer Aniston, on the other hand, seems to be on cruise control for much of the film, failing to show much that resembles true emotion and thus failing to really engage us as viewers. Consequently, while the on screen relationship between the two isn’t completely devoid of chemistry, sparks are hardly flying between the two, thus making it somewhat difficult to truly care where the relationship between their characters is headed. The rest of the cast also aren’t much to speak of. Judy Greer plays the exact same best friend character she has played in countless other romcoms - although she is very amusing in the role, Dan Fogler merely gets the job done as Burke’s manager - although he at least isn’t irritating like in some of his past comic roles, and Martin Sheen is somewhat underused as the father-in-law of Burke’s deceased wife - even though he is entertaining while on screen. Despite a mixed bag in the acting department, the film isn’t all bad though. In fact, on occasions, it is actually very good. The cinematography is frequently beautiful, the storyline is honest and sincere, the messages of the film are moving and provoking, and there are several scenes that are quite excellent. It’s just a shame that the entire film cannot be of the same quality of these scenes are there is some genuinely good stuff on show here. Overall, Love Happens is a film that has distinct qualities that make it worth seeing, if only on DVD, but it is too slow paced and uneventful in places, and too lacking in the necessary emotional impact (with the exception of the climax anyway) that love just happens rather than enchants.
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Review by Robert Mann BA (Hons)
Terry's Top Five...
1. My Neighbour Totoro (1988) Hayao Miyazaki
2. Snow White & The Seven Dwarfs (1937) David Hand
3. The Bugs Bunny/Road Runner Movie 1979) Chuck Jones and Phil Monroe
4. Fantasia (1940)
5. Toy Story (1995) John Lasseter
Above is the top five animated films, according to Terry Gilliam chatting to Time Out. Click to find out the rest of the 50 Terry chose.
2. Snow White & The Seven Dwarfs (1937) David Hand
3. The Bugs Bunny/Road Runner Movie 1979) Chuck Jones and Phil Monroe
4. Fantasia (1940)
5. Toy Story (1995) John Lasseter
Above is the top five animated films, according to Terry Gilliam chatting to Time Out. Click to find out the rest of the 50 Terry chose.
Saturday, October 10, 2009
Toy Story 3 Trailer
Could last only moments depending how quick Pixar and Disney find it, but the official trailer for Toy Story 3 is up. Looks Awesome! Find it here.
EDIT - I have this too....
EDIT - I have this too....
Howard's End Bookshelf For Sale
If you have a couple grand spare, why don't you pop over to Christie's and bag yourself a old bookshelf?
This particular bookshelf is the very one that falls on and kills Leonard Bast by Samuel West in Howard's End.
"It was necessary for the propman to construct a heavy-looking, yet lightweight, bookcase so as not to injure the actor. However, the combined weight of books and bookcase turned out to be too great, so the bookcase was secured by wires operated by special effects men as it tumbled over in slow motion, burying but sparing West."
Toy Story 3 Poster Action
Disney and Pixar have released two spanking new posters for Toy Story 3 featuring Rex and Hamm.Thanks for Jade for the hook up.
June 18th cant come quick enough.
Film Review with Robert Mann - Zombieland
Zombieland ****
Last week, with the release of Pandorum, I noted how sci-fi horror is a very tough genre to crack in Hollywood. This week sees the release of another film that falls into a similarly difficult genre - the horror comedy. For a long time now the horror comedy is a movie subgenre that has had a very difficult time in Hollywood (and the Scary Movie films do not count as they are more in the spoof category) with films such as Snakes On A Plane, Eight Legged Freaks and The Frighteners (not to mention many others) all being universally ignored at the box office but finding huge cult appeal among small niche audiences. Now, there is Zombieland, another horror comedy that looks like it may become something of a cult hit, the only difference this time being that (in the states) it is already a big box office success as well. How did it achieve this you ask? Well, providing a humorous spin on the zombie movie - a genre that has been done to death (pardon the pun) but that people continue to come up with original approaches for - and dubbed as the American answer to Britain’s excellent Shaun Of The Dead, the film has won great acclaim with moviegoers and critics alike who have been lauding its fresh take on the world-overrun-by-zombies concept. And a sharp marketing campaign emphasizing the humorous angle and particularly the rules on how to survive in a world overrun by zombies has certainly helped it out too.
In the wake of a zombie apocalypse, neurotic nerd Columbus (Jesse Eisenberg) clings to his 32 rules for survival in a terrifying new world which he calls Zombieland. Mostly, this involves running away and generally avoiding being heroic. And it works pretty well until he meets fearless shotgun-toting loner Tallahassee (Woody Harrelson) who has a quite different approach to his lumbering enemies - hunt ‘em down and hit ‘em hard. Together, they make a classic odd couple, teaming up with fellow survivors, the beautiful quick witted con artist Wichita (Emma Stone) and her sidekick younger sister Little Rock (Abigail Breslin) in an epic journey from Texas to LA for a spectacular showdown with the undead in an amusement park. Together, they discover the means to more than just survive in a devastated world - they discover the means to live.
With the amount of zombie movies that have been churned out by Hollywood over the years you might expect that there wouldn’t be any originality left in the genre yet filmmakers continue to defy such expectations and Zombieland is a perfect example of this. Many have labelled this film as an American Shaun Of The Dead and while comparisons can indeed be drawn between the two films Zombieland nonetheless manages to forge its own distinct identity. One of the key things that makes this film so unique is the set of rules that have been created for surviving in a world overrun by zombies (either spoken by the central character or coming up in text form on the screen in key sequences). These rules are both inventive and often quite funny, not to mention making quite a lot of sense, and play a major role in the film as a whole. Even though only 6 of the 32 rules really feature it nonetheless allows for an original approach to tackling zombies and paves the way for potential sequels, sequels which would be very welcome. Not getting too far ahead of myself, however, there is much to enjoy in this film. Firstly, any horror fans need not worry about the comedy element of the film detracting from the horror side of things as while the film is very tongue in cheek and shouldn’t be taken too seriously there are indeed some solid scares blended in with the laughs and for the gore hounds there are ample helpings of the red stuff on display and the zombie make up and effects are suitably gruesome. Be warned, this film is not for the squeamish. There is also an excellent sense of devastation with the post apocalyptic world put up on the screen often belying the film’s low budget, being up to the same standard as other more serious zombie flicks. The film also showcases a variety of ingenious ways to dispatch the hordes of zombies the characters encounter. A major strength of the film, however, is the way that director Ruben Fleischer manages to take a somewhat light-hearted approach to everything that happens, and the methods in which zombies are killed are a good example of this, some being very very funny, particularly in the climax which takes place in a theme park, perhaps one of the most original ideas for a zombie movie in some time. The humour isn’t all down to the director of course with writers Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick providing lots of amusing situations to work with as well as plenty of witty dialogue for the characters, who are brought to charismatic life thanks to great performances from every cast member. Jesse Eisenberg follows in the footsteps of Michael Cera, perfectly portraying the neurotic character and very amusingly so, Woody Harrelson is hugely entertaining as the tough guy loner, and the two share a very good mismatched buddy dynamic with their interactions alone being thoroughly amusing. The always excellent Emma Stone is also on top form, with yet another in a fast growing list of hilariously enjoyable comic performances and Abigail Breslin is extremely mature as the younger sister of Stone’s character. Also worth noting is a hilarious cameo appearance by Bill Murray as himself in a scene that alone makes this film worth seeing, even without all the quality to be found elsewhere. So, overall, Zombieland is another excellent entry into the ever growing list of zombie movies, managing to provide yet another fresh take on the genre and sealing its place as a horror comedy that will be remembered for years to come. And here’s hoping that if there ever is a zombie apocalypse in real life that it’s as much fun as this film.
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Review by Robert Mann BA (Hons)
Last week, with the release of Pandorum, I noted how sci-fi horror is a very tough genre to crack in Hollywood. This week sees the release of another film that falls into a similarly difficult genre - the horror comedy. For a long time now the horror comedy is a movie subgenre that has had a very difficult time in Hollywood (and the Scary Movie films do not count as they are more in the spoof category) with films such as Snakes On A Plane, Eight Legged Freaks and The Frighteners (not to mention many others) all being universally ignored at the box office but finding huge cult appeal among small niche audiences. Now, there is Zombieland, another horror comedy that looks like it may become something of a cult hit, the only difference this time being that (in the states) it is already a big box office success as well. How did it achieve this you ask? Well, providing a humorous spin on the zombie movie - a genre that has been done to death (pardon the pun) but that people continue to come up with original approaches for - and dubbed as the American answer to Britain’s excellent Shaun Of The Dead, the film has won great acclaim with moviegoers and critics alike who have been lauding its fresh take on the world-overrun-by-zombies concept. And a sharp marketing campaign emphasizing the humorous angle and particularly the rules on how to survive in a world overrun by zombies has certainly helped it out too.
In the wake of a zombie apocalypse, neurotic nerd Columbus (Jesse Eisenberg) clings to his 32 rules for survival in a terrifying new world which he calls Zombieland. Mostly, this involves running away and generally avoiding being heroic. And it works pretty well until he meets fearless shotgun-toting loner Tallahassee (Woody Harrelson) who has a quite different approach to his lumbering enemies - hunt ‘em down and hit ‘em hard. Together, they make a classic odd couple, teaming up with fellow survivors, the beautiful quick witted con artist Wichita (Emma Stone) and her sidekick younger sister Little Rock (Abigail Breslin) in an epic journey from Texas to LA for a spectacular showdown with the undead in an amusement park. Together, they discover the means to more than just survive in a devastated world - they discover the means to live.
With the amount of zombie movies that have been churned out by Hollywood over the years you might expect that there wouldn’t be any originality left in the genre yet filmmakers continue to defy such expectations and Zombieland is a perfect example of this. Many have labelled this film as an American Shaun Of The Dead and while comparisons can indeed be drawn between the two films Zombieland nonetheless manages to forge its own distinct identity. One of the key things that makes this film so unique is the set of rules that have been created for surviving in a world overrun by zombies (either spoken by the central character or coming up in text form on the screen in key sequences). These rules are both inventive and often quite funny, not to mention making quite a lot of sense, and play a major role in the film as a whole. Even though only 6 of the 32 rules really feature it nonetheless allows for an original approach to tackling zombies and paves the way for potential sequels, sequels which would be very welcome. Not getting too far ahead of myself, however, there is much to enjoy in this film. Firstly, any horror fans need not worry about the comedy element of the film detracting from the horror side of things as while the film is very tongue in cheek and shouldn’t be taken too seriously there are indeed some solid scares blended in with the laughs and for the gore hounds there are ample helpings of the red stuff on display and the zombie make up and effects are suitably gruesome. Be warned, this film is not for the squeamish. There is also an excellent sense of devastation with the post apocalyptic world put up on the screen often belying the film’s low budget, being up to the same standard as other more serious zombie flicks. The film also showcases a variety of ingenious ways to dispatch the hordes of zombies the characters encounter. A major strength of the film, however, is the way that director Ruben Fleischer manages to take a somewhat light-hearted approach to everything that happens, and the methods in which zombies are killed are a good example of this, some being very very funny, particularly in the climax which takes place in a theme park, perhaps one of the most original ideas for a zombie movie in some time. The humour isn’t all down to the director of course with writers Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick providing lots of amusing situations to work with as well as plenty of witty dialogue for the characters, who are brought to charismatic life thanks to great performances from every cast member. Jesse Eisenberg follows in the footsteps of Michael Cera, perfectly portraying the neurotic character and very amusingly so, Woody Harrelson is hugely entertaining as the tough guy loner, and the two share a very good mismatched buddy dynamic with their interactions alone being thoroughly amusing. The always excellent Emma Stone is also on top form, with yet another in a fast growing list of hilariously enjoyable comic performances and Abigail Breslin is extremely mature as the younger sister of Stone’s character. Also worth noting is a hilarious cameo appearance by Bill Murray as himself in a scene that alone makes this film worth seeing, even without all the quality to be found elsewhere. So, overall, Zombieland is another excellent entry into the ever growing list of zombie movies, managing to provide yet another fresh take on the genre and sealing its place as a horror comedy that will be remembered for years to come. And here’s hoping that if there ever is a zombie apocalypse in real life that it’s as much fun as this film.
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Review by Robert Mann BA (Hons)
Friday, October 9, 2009
Snake: The Motion Picture: The Game
What do we have for you this evening....
Described by its makers as "possibly the most terrifying film in cinematic history", Snake is the movie of the game. The mobile game. Yep, that one. Set in an ancient land of magic and mystery, Snake basically involves a large, computer-generated serpent eating a great deal of very scared-looking people. Following in the tradition of Orange Film Studios releases, this campaign features a well known Hollywood character, this time it's the iconic Sigourney Weaver.
To see Sigourney in action, and to play the game of the movie of the game (whew!) go here.
Described by its makers as "possibly the most terrifying film in cinematic history", Snake is the movie of the game. The mobile game. Yep, that one. Set in an ancient land of magic and mystery, Snake basically involves a large, computer-generated serpent eating a great deal of very scared-looking people. Following in the tradition of Orange Film Studios releases, this campaign features a well known Hollywood character, this time it's the iconic Sigourney Weaver.
To see Sigourney in action, and to play the game of the movie of the game (whew!) go here.
Thursday, October 8, 2009
Soundtrack Festival Is Back
The Soundtrack festival is back.
John Cale and the Super Furry Animals are bringing a strong rock & roll flavor to November’s Soundtrack Film and Music Festival following last year’s awesome debut in Cardiff which featured Oscar winners Gabriel Yared, and Danny Boyle with an exclusive screening of Slumdog Mllionnaire.
From the release -
"Supported by the Film Agency for Wales, Soundtrack (November 18-22) is a celebration of the unique relationship between film and music, with live perfromances, screenings, Q&A’s, master classes, seminars, and educational workshops taking place in venues across Cardiff, and this year’s programme just happens to bring together some of Wales’ most acclaimed musicians, including a much-anticipated first by John Cale, co-founder of the iconic Velvet Underground.
In When Past And Future Collide John Cale performs his most celebrated solo album Paris 1919 live in its entirety at Cardiff’s Coal Exchange on November 21, backed by his LA based band and a large compliment of musicians. He will also be taking part in an In Conversation event, discussing his career as a composer and his inspiration and methods of composition for the moving image, before a screening of the cult favourite American Psycho, for which he created the score.
Pauline Burt, Chief Executive of the Film Agency for Wales said: “The Film Agency is delighted to be supporting this flagship event, which has demonstrated from its first outing its commitment to internationally renowned film and music talent, spotlighting Wales to the world.”
Live music is also provided by psych rockers Super Furry Animals as they perform Recreation in celebration of the 25th Anniversary of the iconic Creation Records label, the first in a series that will cross the country. The band will be playing tracks from their Creation catalogue at the newly reopened Cardiff Coal Exchange on the 20th of November, alongside Mark Gardner, frontman of fellow Creation act Ride, plus some other special guests.
Staged earlier at Cardiff Cineworld will be Upside Down: A Creation Records Evening, an exclusive In Conversation event hosted by Director Danny O’Connor and Ride frontman Mark Gardner that will unveil the trailer for the new Creation Records documentary Upside Down, the story of one of the UK’s most significant independent labels with a roster featuring the likes of Oasis and Primal Scream, with exclusive clips from the forthcoming film coming out next February.
There is also a screening of Super Furries’ vocalist Gruff Rhys’ rockumentary Seperado, a psychedelic western road movie, an innovative journey of musical discovery following in the footsteps of Rhys’ ancestors in Patagonia and throughout South America, produced by Catryn Ramasut’s Cardiff-based ie ie productions.
Another highlight under the Soundtrack banner is the December 3rd show Video Games Live, the Cardiff performance of a global phenomenon that showcases video game music with a full orchestra and stunning visual effects.
Soundtrack also hosts the European Audio-Visual Entrepreneurs (EAVE) road-show, attracting over 100 of Europe’s film-making elite for a week of high-profile workshops, networking, screenings and associated events, meeting the cream of Welsh film-making talent to explore co-production and international film-making opportunities."
Of course, BRWC will be there to cover the whole festival.
Information and tickets on www.soundtrackfilmfestival.com and 02920 230 130.
Monday, October 5, 2009
Vaseline
Right, today is your last chance to submit their independent film for the MOFILM Vaseline competition.
For some last-minute inspiration, please visit the official page or tweet at the official twitter account.
For some last-minute inspiration, please visit the official page or tweet at the official twitter account.
Sunday, October 4, 2009
Film Review with Robert Mann - The Invention Of Lying
The Invention Of Lying ****
When it comes to Ricky Gervais it seems that most moviegoers can be classified into one of two camps - the fans who eagerly anticipate his next piece of work with almost religious devotion and the haters who won’t touch go anywhere near anything he is involved in. In other words, you either love him or hate him. As far as this critic is concerned, however, I consider myself to be somewhat more neutral, never having been a huge fan of Gervais’ work on television but much more appreciative of his screen roles, particularly last year’s very amusing Ghost Town (which only starred Gervais). For his latest film Gervais is not only starring but also writing and directing, with a pretty big deal having been made over the increased level of creative control he has been granted for this film after being very much relegated to just a cast member in his last film. Whether this is a good or a bad thing will very much depend on your personal comedy taste, of course and your Ricky Gervais tolerance level.
In a world where everyone only ever tells the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth about everything that is on their mind, Mark Bellison (Ricky Gervais) feels completely out of place. When he asks the beautiful Anna McDoogles (Jennifer Garner) how she is, she truthfully replies that she’s “depressed and pessimistic about our date tonight”. And of course there waiter can’t help but tell Mark that Anna is “way out of your league”. It’s even worse in the office, where colleagues Brad Kessler (Rob Lowe) and Shelley (Tina Fey) blithely inform Mark that they hate him. But one day Mark stumbles upon something no one has experienced before - the world’s first lie. Suddenly, his life is transformed as the exploits the new-found power of un-truth to change his life, and the life of his friends Anna and Greg (Louis C.K.), for the better, becoming rich and hopefully winning the girl in the process.
In the trailer for The Invention Of Lying, Gervais’ character can be heard describing it as “the greatest film ever made” (well, he’s actually talking about a film that exists within this film but it still comes off that way). Suffice to say that this is most definitely not the greatest film ever made. Nonetheless, with a high concept so simple and ingenious that it’s surprising no one has thought of it before now, The Invention Of Lying is still a film that has many things to recommend it. The concept is so simple yet has so much comic potential, something which Gervais has a lot of fun with, showing an extremely humourous representation of what a world in which people can only tell the truth might be like. In the world of this film, the truth can be a very funny thing and it frequently is, with Gervais’ well written screenplay full of characters who express their inner thoughts openly regardless of how inappropriate what they are thinking is. The dialogue is frequently very witty and Gervais also makes fun of the manner in which television commercials deceive consumers in order to sell a product - an advert for Coca Cola included in the film is too honest for its own good and a bus side advert for Pepsi simply reads “When they don’t have Coke”. Little things like this provide plenty of opportunities for viewers of more discerning comic tastes to laugh with the humour provided throughout being mostly based around dry and witty dialogue rather than physical gags like many mainstream comedies. The comedy is certainly pure Ricky Gervais. There is also a lot of fun to be had in the numerous big name cameo appearances with Phillip Seymour Hoffman, Edward Norton, Christopher Guest and Jason Bateman, as well as Gervais’ Extras co-stars Stephen Merchant and Shaun Williamson. The great names aren’t just in cameos either with Gervais having assembled a very impressive cast all round with amusing turns from Tina Fey (who is slightly underused), Rob Lowe and Jeffrey Tambor and a less amusing one from Jonah Hill. As for the leading roles, Ricky Gervais essentially plays himself like he does in everything he stars in, playing the loser type character whose life is transformed for the better well. Whether or not you like his performance depends entirely on whether or not you like Gervais of course. As for Jennifer Garner, she is perfectly sweet and upbeat as Anna, the star’s “goody two shoes” (as said by Gervais in a recent interview) image being a perfect fit for the part. Sure, the relationship that develops between her and Gervais isn’t remotely believable but there again nothing about the film is believable not is it supposed to be. What it is supposed to be is an entertaining feel-good movie with a good honest message at its core, something that (if you are a Ricky Gervais fan at least) the film achieves with rousing success. So, The Invention Of Lying is a film that Gervais fans will love, haters will hater and neutral individuals may well find themselves leaning towards the loving side of the line. So, it truly is “the greatest film ever made”. Whoops, I just told a porky. Lying must be contagious. Seriously, though, it is really worth checking out.
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Review by Robert Mann BA (Hons)
When it comes to Ricky Gervais it seems that most moviegoers can be classified into one of two camps - the fans who eagerly anticipate his next piece of work with almost religious devotion and the haters who won’t touch go anywhere near anything he is involved in. In other words, you either love him or hate him. As far as this critic is concerned, however, I consider myself to be somewhat more neutral, never having been a huge fan of Gervais’ work on television but much more appreciative of his screen roles, particularly last year’s very amusing Ghost Town (which only starred Gervais). For his latest film Gervais is not only starring but also writing and directing, with a pretty big deal having been made over the increased level of creative control he has been granted for this film after being very much relegated to just a cast member in his last film. Whether this is a good or a bad thing will very much depend on your personal comedy taste, of course and your Ricky Gervais tolerance level.
In a world where everyone only ever tells the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth about everything that is on their mind, Mark Bellison (Ricky Gervais) feels completely out of place. When he asks the beautiful Anna McDoogles (Jennifer Garner) how she is, she truthfully replies that she’s “depressed and pessimistic about our date tonight”. And of course there waiter can’t help but tell Mark that Anna is “way out of your league”. It’s even worse in the office, where colleagues Brad Kessler (Rob Lowe) and Shelley (Tina Fey) blithely inform Mark that they hate him. But one day Mark stumbles upon something no one has experienced before - the world’s first lie. Suddenly, his life is transformed as the exploits the new-found power of un-truth to change his life, and the life of his friends Anna and Greg (Louis C.K.), for the better, becoming rich and hopefully winning the girl in the process.
In the trailer for The Invention Of Lying, Gervais’ character can be heard describing it as “the greatest film ever made” (well, he’s actually talking about a film that exists within this film but it still comes off that way). Suffice to say that this is most definitely not the greatest film ever made. Nonetheless, with a high concept so simple and ingenious that it’s surprising no one has thought of it before now, The Invention Of Lying is still a film that has many things to recommend it. The concept is so simple yet has so much comic potential, something which Gervais has a lot of fun with, showing an extremely humourous representation of what a world in which people can only tell the truth might be like. In the world of this film, the truth can be a very funny thing and it frequently is, with Gervais’ well written screenplay full of characters who express their inner thoughts openly regardless of how inappropriate what they are thinking is. The dialogue is frequently very witty and Gervais also makes fun of the manner in which television commercials deceive consumers in order to sell a product - an advert for Coca Cola included in the film is too honest for its own good and a bus side advert for Pepsi simply reads “When they don’t have Coke”. Little things like this provide plenty of opportunities for viewers of more discerning comic tastes to laugh with the humour provided throughout being mostly based around dry and witty dialogue rather than physical gags like many mainstream comedies. The comedy is certainly pure Ricky Gervais. There is also a lot of fun to be had in the numerous big name cameo appearances with Phillip Seymour Hoffman, Edward Norton, Christopher Guest and Jason Bateman, as well as Gervais’ Extras co-stars Stephen Merchant and Shaun Williamson. The great names aren’t just in cameos either with Gervais having assembled a very impressive cast all round with amusing turns from Tina Fey (who is slightly underused), Rob Lowe and Jeffrey Tambor and a less amusing one from Jonah Hill. As for the leading roles, Ricky Gervais essentially plays himself like he does in everything he stars in, playing the loser type character whose life is transformed for the better well. Whether or not you like his performance depends entirely on whether or not you like Gervais of course. As for Jennifer Garner, she is perfectly sweet and upbeat as Anna, the star’s “goody two shoes” (as said by Gervais in a recent interview) image being a perfect fit for the part. Sure, the relationship that develops between her and Gervais isn’t remotely believable but there again nothing about the film is believable not is it supposed to be. What it is supposed to be is an entertaining feel-good movie with a good honest message at its core, something that (if you are a Ricky Gervais fan at least) the film achieves with rousing success. So, The Invention Of Lying is a film that Gervais fans will love, haters will hater and neutral individuals may well find themselves leaning towards the loving side of the line. So, it truly is “the greatest film ever made”. Whoops, I just told a porky. Lying must be contagious. Seriously, though, it is really worth checking out.
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Review by Robert Mann BA (Hons)
Film Review with Robert Mann - Pandorum
Pandorum ****
Science fiction horror has proven to be a tough genre to crack in Hollywood, with numerous forays into the area proving to be extremely unsuccessful at the box office (although less so critically). For every big hit like Alien there are several flops such as Event Horizon or Supernova and now, based on extremely poor results at the US box office, it appears that Pandorum can be classified among the latter. It’s a shame really as it is a film that has looked very promising since trailers first emerged and, despite having the much despised Paul W.S. Anderson as a producer, word of mouth thus far has been very good. But, much like the aforementioned Event Horizon, it appears that Pandorum is a film that is destined to be a box office failure, although there is definitely potential for it to be fondly remembered years down the line.
In deep space, some 500 million miles from Earth, Corporal Bower (Ben Foster) and Lieutenant Payton (Dennis Quaid) wake from suspended animation to find themselves in a darkened ship that is seemingly deserted. Neither man can remember why they’re on board in the first place, and the only sign of life is a mysterious rumble emanating from the bowels of the vessel. Bower sets off to investigate, while Payton remains to guide him via radio transmitter. Nervously exploring the spacecraft, Bower discovers that he and Payton are not alone. When he encounters Nadia (Antje Traue), he learns that she and a small group of fellow humans are locked in a brutal battle with a strange and sinister enemy. But nothing is as it first appears for Bower and Payton as the ship slowly begins to reveal its terrifying secrets.
Pandorum - meaning space insanity for those who want to know - is a film that will be panned by many for not being very original. Such criticisms certainly have some validity, the film clearly borrowing from a number of other sci-fi chillers. However, while the inspiration of films like Alien and Event Horizon is clearly visible in many aspects of the film, it doesn’t mean that Pandorum cannot still be considered a success on its own terms. Director Christian Alvart successfully takes elements that could be considered cliché and makes them feel somewhat fresh again, delivering what is quite possibly one of the year’s most terrifying movies. As with many sci-fi scare flicks it is very dark for much of the duration but Alvart hasn’t made it so dark as to make it impossible to see what is going on and right from the start he establishes a creepy atmosphere with the spaceship itself seeming a foreboding and sinister presence long before the monsters ever appear. And when the creatures do put in an appearance they prove to be extremely terrifying creations, the impact of which isn’t diminished much by the apparent use of CGI in their realisation (something which can often look cheap) over practical effects. In fact, the visual effects in general are of a pretty high standard and, combined with great interior and exterior ship design and good creature design, the film is, if nothing else, visually slick. Nothing else is not the case, however, as there is another side to the film that makes it more than just zombies in space and really ups the tension level. This element is an instance of psychological menace that is woven into the story, with the condition of Pandorum proving to be as much a threat as the monsters themselves. This element of the film isn’t explored in any terrific depth but it does help to heighten the horror of the situation by offering a brief insight into the effects of such horrific circumstances on the human psyche. The psychological angle is handled well but not explored to its fullest potential, although this doesn’t let the film down much as it is clear that the director has set out to make a horror film not start any kind of philosophical debate. As such the horrors of the ship are placed at the centre of the film, as opposed to their effects. This isn’t to say that the characters aren’t provided with some development, however, as, through flashback sequences, we are given a degree of character background and clarification as to certain plot points. This may not be very substantial but it is enough for the purposes of the film. Consequently, the actors are given some good material to work with and do a pretty good job with their parts, but a master class in acting ability this film certainly isn’t. This won’t diminish enjoyment of the film much though and, all in all, while not being one of the most original scare films of the year, Pandorum is easily one of the most terrifying horror films seen in some time, and also one of the most substantial, and it is definitely worth checking out if you are a sci-fi horror fan.
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Review by Robert Mann BA (Hons)
Science fiction horror has proven to be a tough genre to crack in Hollywood, with numerous forays into the area proving to be extremely unsuccessful at the box office (although less so critically). For every big hit like Alien there are several flops such as Event Horizon or Supernova and now, based on extremely poor results at the US box office, it appears that Pandorum can be classified among the latter. It’s a shame really as it is a film that has looked very promising since trailers first emerged and, despite having the much despised Paul W.S. Anderson as a producer, word of mouth thus far has been very good. But, much like the aforementioned Event Horizon, it appears that Pandorum is a film that is destined to be a box office failure, although there is definitely potential for it to be fondly remembered years down the line.
In deep space, some 500 million miles from Earth, Corporal Bower (Ben Foster) and Lieutenant Payton (Dennis Quaid) wake from suspended animation to find themselves in a darkened ship that is seemingly deserted. Neither man can remember why they’re on board in the first place, and the only sign of life is a mysterious rumble emanating from the bowels of the vessel. Bower sets off to investigate, while Payton remains to guide him via radio transmitter. Nervously exploring the spacecraft, Bower discovers that he and Payton are not alone. When he encounters Nadia (Antje Traue), he learns that she and a small group of fellow humans are locked in a brutal battle with a strange and sinister enemy. But nothing is as it first appears for Bower and Payton as the ship slowly begins to reveal its terrifying secrets.
Pandorum - meaning space insanity for those who want to know - is a film that will be panned by many for not being very original. Such criticisms certainly have some validity, the film clearly borrowing from a number of other sci-fi chillers. However, while the inspiration of films like Alien and Event Horizon is clearly visible in many aspects of the film, it doesn’t mean that Pandorum cannot still be considered a success on its own terms. Director Christian Alvart successfully takes elements that could be considered cliché and makes them feel somewhat fresh again, delivering what is quite possibly one of the year’s most terrifying movies. As with many sci-fi scare flicks it is very dark for much of the duration but Alvart hasn’t made it so dark as to make it impossible to see what is going on and right from the start he establishes a creepy atmosphere with the spaceship itself seeming a foreboding and sinister presence long before the monsters ever appear. And when the creatures do put in an appearance they prove to be extremely terrifying creations, the impact of which isn’t diminished much by the apparent use of CGI in their realisation (something which can often look cheap) over practical effects. In fact, the visual effects in general are of a pretty high standard and, combined with great interior and exterior ship design and good creature design, the film is, if nothing else, visually slick. Nothing else is not the case, however, as there is another side to the film that makes it more than just zombies in space and really ups the tension level. This element is an instance of psychological menace that is woven into the story, with the condition of Pandorum proving to be as much a threat as the monsters themselves. This element of the film isn’t explored in any terrific depth but it does help to heighten the horror of the situation by offering a brief insight into the effects of such horrific circumstances on the human psyche. The psychological angle is handled well but not explored to its fullest potential, although this doesn’t let the film down much as it is clear that the director has set out to make a horror film not start any kind of philosophical debate. As such the horrors of the ship are placed at the centre of the film, as opposed to their effects. This isn’t to say that the characters aren’t provided with some development, however, as, through flashback sequences, we are given a degree of character background and clarification as to certain plot points. This may not be very substantial but it is enough for the purposes of the film. Consequently, the actors are given some good material to work with and do a pretty good job with their parts, but a master class in acting ability this film certainly isn’t. This won’t diminish enjoyment of the film much though and, all in all, while not being one of the most original scare films of the year, Pandorum is easily one of the most terrifying horror films seen in some time, and also one of the most substantial, and it is definitely worth checking out if you are a sci-fi horror fan.
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Review by Robert Mann BA (Hons)
Another Post By Mr Moore
Friends,
Thank you, all of you, who packed the theaters across North America last night to see my new film. The movie houses were rockin'! The national movie exit poll company announced this morning that the audiences in America gave "Capitalism: A Love Story" a rare "A" rating! Wow, thank you! In most multiplexes where "Capitalism" played, it was the #1 or #2 top-grossing movie there for the evening. That is nothing short of amazing.
For those of you waiting till next week to see it, I can't say this strongly enough: Do not put off going to see "Capitalism: A Love Story." It is not just a movie. It is a referendum that is being closely watched by the CEOs of America. Let me tell you bluntly, the suits on Wall Street are closely watching to see how this movie does this weekend. So, too, are the members of Congress. If "Capitalism" has a huge opening, it will send shivers down their corporate spines, telling them loud and clear that the American people are mad as hell and are not into taking it any more. It will put all the bosses on notice that the vast Obama-voting majority has awoken from its silence and are out in full force.
But if the attendance is just "ok" or "so-so," then they will be relieved knowing that there is not a popular groundswell of opposition out there -- and then they can go about their business as usual. I'd like to send them a different message.
Treat tonight and tomorrow as if it were election day. Blow their minds on Monday morning when they show up at their executive suites, switch on CNBC or Fox Business News, and learn that America turned out in droves to participate in a raucous denunciation of Wall Street and everything it stands for. I often hear people ask, "What can I do to make my voice heard?" Your answer is at the nearest theater showing this movie. Trust me, packing these movie houses tonight and tomorrow will eff them up in an overwhelming and profound way.
Last night, there were many reports of spontaneous cheering throughout the film in nearly all the theaters. Theater managers reported difficulties in getting people to clear the theater lobby afterwards because groups of total strangers assembled to passionately discuss what they just saw. One manager wrote to me and said, "It's a good thing we carry Gummy Bears and Junior Mints at the concessions stand instead of pitchforks and torches! These crowds were ready to march over to the local Citibank and do something!" Another manager said a crowd in the lobby formed around the little Chase ATM machine next to his popcorn stand and started to "yell at it." Jeez! (Click here to see some of the cell phone photos fans have sent from various theaters around the country last night.)
Here's what I've heard the most about last night: Audiences were stunned and shocked by many of the things I reveal in the movie -- stuff that the networks have refused to show them -- even though they have the footage! They purposely withhold this news from you, the public. And because I dare to show it, some networks now refuse to license any of their footage to me. So I get my hands on it and put it in the movie anyway. I truly don't care. I'm sick and tired of the truth not being told to the American people -- and I am willing to suffer whatever the consequences come my way because I showed it to you. Fortunately we have "fair use" laws in this country that have kept my hide out of court so far. There is something so patently wrong with not being told what Wall Street and Corporate America are up to. If you go see "Capitalism" tonight, you'll see what I mean. You will alternately have your head spinning and then find yourself laughing your ass off!
Much more is riding on the success of this movie than the amount of popcorn that is sold. If we do well this weekend, the studio will expand the film to smaller towns next week. Don't put off seeing it! Click here to find out where it's playing and order your tickets now. Call some friends and make a night of it. My crew and I have put nearly two years of our lives into this and I am honored that it has been so well received. Join in on the fun of giving AIG, GM, Bank of America and all the other thieves the shellacking they deserve. And send me a photo of you and the crowd there tonight! I'll post it and personally send it to the heads of all the financial institutions and the members of Congress. They need to get a clue -- right now -- and I'd like you to help me send them that clue!
Thanks again, and I'll see you tonight at the movies!
Yours,Michael Moore
MMFlint@aol.com
MichaelMoore.com
Saturday, October 3, 2009
Cockhammer - Sledge's Review
Firstly, you cannot take this film too seriously, it's called COCKHAMMER, and it's the most recent of the canon of Hack Movies - please, check out their website.It's not a well made film in any sort of way. But what you will see is a LOT of breasts. Russ Meyer would be making these types of films if he was alive today...
The film is chock full of cheap stoner and college style humour and gags, and it has that homemade, friends together feel to it, especially when it comes to it's special effects. It did make me laugh in a few places, and it will annoy and shock most, which I think is the point of both Cockhammer and Hack Movies.
Dopeheads Terrence and Perander send their nymphomaniac girlfriends out to pick up some drugs and sex toys. Amazingly, the girls get kidnapped by two hitmen who are working for a wizard type who becomes a evil beast. That beast is Cockhammer. I think you can guess the outcome....
The two girlfreinds are charming and have most of the funny business although THEY CANNOT ACT.
This film is a "so bad it's good" thing going for it. That's it really.
Spike Jonze Is A Wild Thing
Thank you to Live For Films for this interview with Spike Jonze, director of Where The Wild Things Are.
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