The Road ****
A few weeks ago, with the release of post apocalyptic action thriller The Book of Eli I complained about how I had not been able to see The Road, the post apocalyptic film that had been released in cinemas just a week earlier, due to the absence of any cinemas anywhere near me actually showing it. Well, its three weeks late, but finally we have it here. I noted before how The Book of Eli is a more generic action thriller type film, tending to put the focus more on action than on characters and story (although the latter did indeed have a significant role as well). In some ways, The Road is the natural opposite to that film. While it is still set in a bleak post apocalyptic world, the film - based on the novel of the same name by Cormac McCarthy, whose novel No Country For Old Men was adapted into an Oscar winning film by the Coen Brothers - is much more focused on characters than it is on action and consequently the film has received a much more positive response from film critics, not to mention getting significant awards buzz, even if the box office performance has been poor at best (this could be attributed to a lack of cinemas actually showing it though). Pre-release hype may not have been huge but it has suggested a film that impresses so, with its focus on emotion rather than action, does The Road deliver as promised, or is little more than an interesting companion piece to The Book of Eli?
The world has become a post apocalyptic wasteland. A father (Viggo Mortensen) and his son (Kodi Smitt-McPhee) are struggling across the barren, dystopian landscape, heading towards the coast in the hope of escaping the increasing cold of the seemingly endless and unrelenting winter. There’s very little life left, less food and the only weapon they have to protect themselves is a pistol with two bullets. At night, the man dreams of his wife (Charlize Theron), who killed herself before their journey began. Each morning, he coughs up blood as a mystery illness begins to take hold. As they continue towards the sea, the father must continue to protect his son against exposure, starvation and terrifying, murderous gangs - sustained only by the blind hope that they’ll find a better life at the end of their journey.
Comparisons between The Road and The Book of Eli are inevitable (there’s even a character called Eli in The Road - the only named character in the film) so I will get them out of the way first. The Book of Eli could easily be described as a case of style over substance. With The Road we have the precise opposite, more a case of substance over style. The film lacks the visual panache and (understandably due to a much lower budget) the epic scale of Eli - although the post apocalyptic word depicted still, on occasion, manages to impress, also seeming more realistic at times - but makes up for this with its richly developed central characters, who are the constant focus throughout. First and foremost this is a character piece, a simple tale of a father and son desperately trying to survive in a dying world, and in this regard the film is a rousing success. Not only is the film moving, but it will bring you to tears at points, and this emotion is the heart of the film, present in the writing, the direction and, perhaps most importantly, the acting. Driven by pure emotion, the performances of Viggo Mortensen and Kodi Smitt-McPhee are absolutely superb and truly heartbreaking. The father-son dynamic completely convinces and their suffering is both believable and draws our sympathies. When they get their few good breaks we genuinely feel happy along with them. They are the heart and soul of the film and focus never moves away from them for a moment. This film is not about the apocalypse - in fact the actual ‘event’ is never shown or explained - nor is it about the post apocalypse - we only see brief glimpses of anything other than forest or shoreline - it is about these two people and their struggle to simply survive. This is where the film gets its edge. The rest of the cast also impress, although Charlize Theron, Robert Duvall (as the aforementioned Eli) and Guy Pearce only get very limited screen time. For all the heart and emotion of the film’s protagonists, however, it should be noted that, while this film may be moving, it is not very uplifting. Hopelessly depressing for the most of the running time, it is so bleak that even Eli seems like a feel good movie by comparison. So, while The Road is indeed a very well made film and a very moving one, be warned that it is not a film to see if you are looking for entertainment or escapism, only if you want some serious food for thought.
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Review by Robert Mann BA (Hons)
Sunday, January 31, 2010
Film Review with Robert Mann - Edge of Darkness
Edge of Darkness **½
Much like last year’s State of Play, Edge of Darkness is a thriller that finds its inspirations in a British made television drama, albeit a much older one. In its day, the original Edge of Darkness was considered to be a groundbreaking piece of television, receiving rave reviews, a great response from viewers several wins and nominations at the BAFTA television awards. Given the impact the film had it is little wonder that the decision was made to adapt it into a Hollywood film, although the fact that it has taken so long to materialise has raised some serious doubts, the film having had several false starts over the years, with Robert De Niro once being cast to play one of the characters before leaving due to creative differences. The role he was to play has now gone to Ray Winstone and the leading role had gone to Mel Gibson, in his first leading role since 2002’s Signs. Gibson has been the source of much controversy in the years he has been absent from the screen, both for his self directed films The Passion of the Christ and Apocalypto and for a number of scandals in his personal life. Here, he hopes to make a big comeback and, on paper at least, it appears that this film may well be just the film to do that, the person behind the camera on Edge of Darkness being none other than Martin Campbell, the man who directed the original TV drama upon which the film is based, as well as the fantastic Casino Royale and Goldeneye. With its director and cast, the film certainly has some quite impressive credentials, but was innovative in 1985 still seem so today and does the film manage to be more than just an average thriller?
Thomas Craven (Mel Gibson) is a veteran homicide detective in the Boston Police Department. As they are walking out the front door of his house, his 24-year old daughter Emma (Bojana Novakovic) is blown away by a shotgun blast. Everyone assumes that Thomas, who was standing next to her, was the killer's intended target. However, Thomas begins to suspect that Emma was the real target. Driven by heartache and blame, Thomas initiates his own private investigation to uncover Emma's secret life and the reason for her murder. His investigation leads him down the path of corporate and government cover-ups, which resulted in his daughter's elimination. Thomas receives some help from a government operative, Jedburgh (Ray Winstone), who has been sent in to clean-up the situation. Thomas Craven's search for the truth brings him closer to his daughter and his own deliverance.
Edge of Darkness has all the elements that could make up a great thriller yet so-so writing means that far from living up to its promise and to the 1985 mini series that inspired it, it just ends up being another average Hollywood thriller with little to distinguish it from the many other similarly themed films that have been put out over the years. Much of the problem can in fact be attributed to the film’s central themes - simply, what was groundbreaking in 1985 is merely generic now. On top of this, the story is one that may have worked well as a TV series but as a film is sorely lacking. Perhaps there was too much story to effectively condense into one film. Whereas the mini series had a running time of six hours, this film is only two, meaning that many aspects of the original storyline have been cut and this is very noticeable in the film. Some scenes seem rather rushed and consequently lack the resonance they should have, particularly the pivotal scene of in which Emma is murdered, which fails to create the necessary dramatic impact. The plot is also too convoluted at times and culminates in a conclusion that fails to be wholly satisfying and ends with a pointless final scene that only seems present to end the film on a happy note. The faults don’t end there either, as certain revelations come far too early in the story, robbing the film of much needed tension later on. In other areas, however, the film does deliver on a higher level. Martin Campbell’s direction is solid and despite the many problems with the script he does manage to get some tension out of it and deliver a thriller that is still pretty watchable. The acting too is pretty good, with Mel Gibson being suitably intense and emotional, Ray Winstone doing his usual tough guy thing and Danny Huston doing the corporate boss part quite well. It’s just a shame that the story isn’t better as there is definite potential her but sadly the film is just too disjointed to really deliver. So, Edge of Darkness is watchable but lacks the edge that would make it great.
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Review by Robert Mann BA (Hons)
Much like last year’s State of Play, Edge of Darkness is a thriller that finds its inspirations in a British made television drama, albeit a much older one. In its day, the original Edge of Darkness was considered to be a groundbreaking piece of television, receiving rave reviews, a great response from viewers several wins and nominations at the BAFTA television awards. Given the impact the film had it is little wonder that the decision was made to adapt it into a Hollywood film, although the fact that it has taken so long to materialise has raised some serious doubts, the film having had several false starts over the years, with Robert De Niro once being cast to play one of the characters before leaving due to creative differences. The role he was to play has now gone to Ray Winstone and the leading role had gone to Mel Gibson, in his first leading role since 2002’s Signs. Gibson has been the source of much controversy in the years he has been absent from the screen, both for his self directed films The Passion of the Christ and Apocalypto and for a number of scandals in his personal life. Here, he hopes to make a big comeback and, on paper at least, it appears that this film may well be just the film to do that, the person behind the camera on Edge of Darkness being none other than Martin Campbell, the man who directed the original TV drama upon which the film is based, as well as the fantastic Casino Royale and Goldeneye. With its director and cast, the film certainly has some quite impressive credentials, but was innovative in 1985 still seem so today and does the film manage to be more than just an average thriller?
Thomas Craven (Mel Gibson) is a veteran homicide detective in the Boston Police Department. As they are walking out the front door of his house, his 24-year old daughter Emma (Bojana Novakovic) is blown away by a shotgun blast. Everyone assumes that Thomas, who was standing next to her, was the killer's intended target. However, Thomas begins to suspect that Emma was the real target. Driven by heartache and blame, Thomas initiates his own private investigation to uncover Emma's secret life and the reason for her murder. His investigation leads him down the path of corporate and government cover-ups, which resulted in his daughter's elimination. Thomas receives some help from a government operative, Jedburgh (Ray Winstone), who has been sent in to clean-up the situation. Thomas Craven's search for the truth brings him closer to his daughter and his own deliverance.
Edge of Darkness has all the elements that could make up a great thriller yet so-so writing means that far from living up to its promise and to the 1985 mini series that inspired it, it just ends up being another average Hollywood thriller with little to distinguish it from the many other similarly themed films that have been put out over the years. Much of the problem can in fact be attributed to the film’s central themes - simply, what was groundbreaking in 1985 is merely generic now. On top of this, the story is one that may have worked well as a TV series but as a film is sorely lacking. Perhaps there was too much story to effectively condense into one film. Whereas the mini series had a running time of six hours, this film is only two, meaning that many aspects of the original storyline have been cut and this is very noticeable in the film. Some scenes seem rather rushed and consequently lack the resonance they should have, particularly the pivotal scene of in which Emma is murdered, which fails to create the necessary dramatic impact. The plot is also too convoluted at times and culminates in a conclusion that fails to be wholly satisfying and ends with a pointless final scene that only seems present to end the film on a happy note. The faults don’t end there either, as certain revelations come far too early in the story, robbing the film of much needed tension later on. In other areas, however, the film does deliver on a higher level. Martin Campbell’s direction is solid and despite the many problems with the script he does manage to get some tension out of it and deliver a thriller that is still pretty watchable. The acting too is pretty good, with Mel Gibson being suitably intense and emotional, Ray Winstone doing his usual tough guy thing and Danny Huston doing the corporate boss part quite well. It’s just a shame that the story isn’t better as there is definite potential her but sadly the film is just too disjointed to really deliver. So, Edge of Darkness is watchable but lacks the edge that would make it great.
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Review by Robert Mann BA (Hons)
Mara Pictures To Give Us Pakistan
The Hollywood Reporter has er, reported that Mara Pictures plans to bring "the most dangerous place on Earth" into British theaters with its first feature documentary release Made In Pakistan.
Saturday, January 30, 2010
Film Review with Robert Mann - ...Around
…Around ****½
When it comes to the big Hollywood filmmakers there often seems to be an attitude that bigger equals better. And bigger is often achieved by using all the latest technology that is available to filmmakers, e.g. high definition cameras, computer generated imagery and motion capture rendering to name a few such developments. However, reliance on such technologies can often come with a pretty big price tag - no, I’m talking about the monetary cost but rather the heart and soul of the film. For example, Robert Zemeckis once made some of the most moving, riveting and entertaining films that Hollywood had to offer but his recent forays into motion capture animation, whilst being quite beautiful, have seemed quite soulless in some ways, failing to even come close to emulating the success of his past movies. In short, bigger isn’t always better and technology doesn’t necessarily make for a better film. It is for this reason that films made by independent filmmakers can often stand out from the crowd. Up and coming filmmakers don’t have big budgets nor do they have access to the kind of technology at the disposal of the big movie directors, they simply make do with what they have, and sometimes this can lead to something quite special, as is the case in …Around.
Doyle Simms (Robert W. Evans) grows up across the Hudson from NYC and flees his toxic family to attend a film program there. After a bumpy first year he returns more determined than ever to become a storyteller and figure out his place. Financial setbacks force Doyle to find creative "rent-controlled living" and begin a dual life living out of Penn Station while going to school. We follow Doyle over his college years as he begins to build relationships with several colorful characters such as Saul (Ron Brice), a homeless book dealer who shows him the ropes and his own brand of street philosophy, and Allyson (Molly Ryman), a beautiful, struggling actress he carefully begins to pursue and fall for. Doyle begins to find a weird balance and begin to build a home, but the pressure of maintaining his worlds begins to crack the façade and he's forced to confront his past family demons and reconcile the person he wants to be with the person he is.
…Around is a labour of love for its writer/director David Spaltro. Drawn from his own personal experiences a few years ago in New York City, he has created a film that puts life onto the big screen in a way that perfectly captures both the joys and the difficulties that people face in the struggle that is day to day life, effectively blending together elements of comedy and drama. In many ways it is quite a classic tale but Spaltro tells his story in a way that feels fresh and original. The reason it works so well is one thing - heart. Unlike certain big budget movies I mentioned, this is a film that is packed full of emotion, charm and soul. He doesn’t just aim to entertain like some filmmakers might, not that the film isn’t entertaining mind you, but he also moves us, showing us a perspective on life that many will be able to relate to and understand. In these difficult economic times the film’s message is particularly poignant. It really is hard not to be moved by the experiences of the protagonist, this success attributable to both the writing of Spaltro - who has created characters, the kind of whom we see in our everyday lives and are completely relatable, entirely believable and extremely well rounded and developed, and provides dialogue that is sound authentic sharp, witty and snappy - and the performance of Robert W. Evans who plays the role with such charisma and emotion that we are both entertained and moved by him in equal measure. His chemistries with his co-stars are also impressive, his character’s relationships reflecting the complicated and imperfect nature of real world social interactions. The co-stars also deliver very strong and rounded performances in their own right too. Spaltro is as much a success in the visuals department, delivering some very good cinematography, consistent editing and utilizing the wide variety of locations that New York has to offer to great effect. This is a New York movie in every respect, with Spaltro even using music from local New York bands for the soundtrack, something which makes for a fantastic accompanying track and makes a great change from all the chart music that often features in big Hollywood films. So, …Around is a film that has style and substance in abundance, is as interesting as it is entertaining, tells a truly inspiring story, is both funny and moving, has great characters, sublime visuals, fantastic music and that is an all round great first film for a filmmaker who is sure to go on to do great things.
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…Around is currently going around the film festivals circuit and can also be downloaded online via Amazon Video On Demand and Netflix. The filmmakers have also been approached by several distributors about a possible small cinema release in the states and internationally.
For more information about …Around check out the film’s website at: http://www.aroundthefilm.com/
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Review by Robert Mann BA (Hons)
EDIT - The film is also available on Blinkbox Live if you are in the UK.
When it comes to the big Hollywood filmmakers there often seems to be an attitude that bigger equals better. And bigger is often achieved by using all the latest technology that is available to filmmakers, e.g. high definition cameras, computer generated imagery and motion capture rendering to name a few such developments. However, reliance on such technologies can often come with a pretty big price tag - no, I’m talking about the monetary cost but rather the heart and soul of the film. For example, Robert Zemeckis once made some of the most moving, riveting and entertaining films that Hollywood had to offer but his recent forays into motion capture animation, whilst being quite beautiful, have seemed quite soulless in some ways, failing to even come close to emulating the success of his past movies. In short, bigger isn’t always better and technology doesn’t necessarily make for a better film. It is for this reason that films made by independent filmmakers can often stand out from the crowd. Up and coming filmmakers don’t have big budgets nor do they have access to the kind of technology at the disposal of the big movie directors, they simply make do with what they have, and sometimes this can lead to something quite special, as is the case in …Around.
Doyle Simms (Robert W. Evans) grows up across the Hudson from NYC and flees his toxic family to attend a film program there. After a bumpy first year he returns more determined than ever to become a storyteller and figure out his place. Financial setbacks force Doyle to find creative "rent-controlled living" and begin a dual life living out of Penn Station while going to school. We follow Doyle over his college years as he begins to build relationships with several colorful characters such as Saul (Ron Brice), a homeless book dealer who shows him the ropes and his own brand of street philosophy, and Allyson (Molly Ryman), a beautiful, struggling actress he carefully begins to pursue and fall for. Doyle begins to find a weird balance and begin to build a home, but the pressure of maintaining his worlds begins to crack the façade and he's forced to confront his past family demons and reconcile the person he wants to be with the person he is.
…Around is a labour of love for its writer/director David Spaltro. Drawn from his own personal experiences a few years ago in New York City, he has created a film that puts life onto the big screen in a way that perfectly captures both the joys and the difficulties that people face in the struggle that is day to day life, effectively blending together elements of comedy and drama. In many ways it is quite a classic tale but Spaltro tells his story in a way that feels fresh and original. The reason it works so well is one thing - heart. Unlike certain big budget movies I mentioned, this is a film that is packed full of emotion, charm and soul. He doesn’t just aim to entertain like some filmmakers might, not that the film isn’t entertaining mind you, but he also moves us, showing us a perspective on life that many will be able to relate to and understand. In these difficult economic times the film’s message is particularly poignant. It really is hard not to be moved by the experiences of the protagonist, this success attributable to both the writing of Spaltro - who has created characters, the kind of whom we see in our everyday lives and are completely relatable, entirely believable and extremely well rounded and developed, and provides dialogue that is sound authentic sharp, witty and snappy - and the performance of Robert W. Evans who plays the role with such charisma and emotion that we are both entertained and moved by him in equal measure. His chemistries with his co-stars are also impressive, his character’s relationships reflecting the complicated and imperfect nature of real world social interactions. The co-stars also deliver very strong and rounded performances in their own right too. Spaltro is as much a success in the visuals department, delivering some very good cinematography, consistent editing and utilizing the wide variety of locations that New York has to offer to great effect. This is a New York movie in every respect, with Spaltro even using music from local New York bands for the soundtrack, something which makes for a fantastic accompanying track and makes a great change from all the chart music that often features in big Hollywood films. So, …Around is a film that has style and substance in abundance, is as interesting as it is entertaining, tells a truly inspiring story, is both funny and moving, has great characters, sublime visuals, fantastic music and that is an all round great first film for a filmmaker who is sure to go on to do great things.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
…Around is currently going around the film festivals circuit and can also be downloaded online via Amazon Video On Demand and Netflix. The filmmakers have also been approached by several distributors about a possible small cinema release in the states and internationally.
For more information about …Around check out the film’s website at: http://www.aroundthefilm.com/
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Review by Robert Mann BA (Hons)
EDIT - The film is also available on Blinkbox Live if you are in the UK.
The Pool
MARA PICTURES RELEASES THE POOL IN THE UNITED KINGDOM JANUARY 2010
Bottom Line: A deceptively simple, deeply moving gem of a film
-Chicago Sun-Times
Mara Pictures, an independent theatrical distribution company, is releasing the Indian-American co-production feature The Pool in cinemas across the United Kingdom on January 31st, 2010.
The Pool is the story of Venkatesh, a room boy working at a hotel in Goa, who sees from his perch in a mango tree a luxuriant garden and shimmering pool hidden behind a wall. In making whatever efforts he can to better himself, Venkatesh offers his services to the wealthy owner of the home. Not content to simply dream about a different life, Venkatesh is inquisitive about the inhabitants of the home-indeed about the world around him-and his curiosity changes the shape of his future.
The film is co-written and directed by Chris Smith, who won the Grand Jury Prize for Documentary at Sundance Film Festival in 1999 for American Movie. “I read the story by Randy Russell titled The Pool and it was one of those things that just stood out and stayed with me as we were researching and looking at different projects,” says Smith. “The story was actually set in Iowa – but the more I thought about it, it seemed like it could be adapted to the world I experienced in Panjim, Goa. I had helped shoot a film in Goa several years ago and the whole endeavour had a big impact on me creatively. I thought it would be a great place to come back and film if it ever made sense setting or story wise.”
The critically acclaimed film stars Indian cinema legend Nana Patekar and Ayesha Mohan as well as two local boys, Venkatesh Chavan and Jhangir Bhadshah, who were selected to play versions of themselves. Lending the story buoyancy is the soundtrack's judicious use of music recorded in Mumbai's only remaining analog studio, under the helm of retired Bollywood arranger Kersi Lord. The Pool received the Special Jury Prize at the Sundance Film Festival and was selected by the Museum of Modern Art in New York as one of the Best Films of the Year alongside The Dark Knight, Slumdog Millionaire, Milk, Iron Man and Wall-E.
“We shot the film for the big screen - shooting on 35mm and choosing to use many wide shots that allow you to take in the rich environment,” elaborates Smith. “I'm thrilled that The Pool is releasing theatrically in the UK. It connects with audiences and I am delighted that they will be able to see it on the big screen. We've had extended runs in the US and Canada theatrically and it has been great working with Mara Pictures to bring it to a new theatrical home.”
‘It's hard to think of a more welcome piece of American filmmaking.’
- Time Out NY
‘Uplifting without a drop of sap, the tale of a boy's obsession with a glittering swimming pool and how it changes four lives offers numerous pleasures and one of the most satisfying and resonant conclusions to be seen in recent cinema.’
-Sheri Linden, Hollywood Reporter
‘Extraordinary! Sneaks up on you and stays with you long after you've left the theater.’
-Liz Braun, Toronto Sun
‘Few have gone as far, or achieved such impressive results, as Chris Smith in The Pool.’
-Michael Hardy, Boston Globe
Screening Venues and Dates:
Cornerhouse, Manchester: January 31st www.cornerhouse.org
Apollo Cinema with Asia House, London with Director Q&A: February 3rd www.asiahouse.org
Watermans, London: February 5th-11th www.watermans.org.uk
Star & Shadow Cinema, Newcastle: March 4th www.starandshadow.org.uk
Rich Mix, London: Summer 2010 www.richmix.org.uk
Additional Screening dates and venues TBA
For further information please contact:
Sanam Hasan, Head of Marketing and Public Relations, Mara Pictures
Roopa Saini, Head of Acquisitions, Mara Pictures
--
Sanam Hasan
Marketing and Public Relations
Mara Pictures
www.marapictures.com
Friday, January 29, 2010
Around...
Got this bad boy in the post. Hoping to organise a review soon...
"My name is David Spaltro and I'm an independent filmmaker and producer in NYC. Last year I completed my first feature film "...Around", starring Rob Evans and Molly Ryman, a labor of love about a young man with a dual life "living" out of Penn and Grand Central Station while going to film school, based on my own personal experiences a few years ago in this city. 21 shooting days, 190 locations all over the city, self-financed and done for $175,000 or 40 credit cards... no, seriously. I may have caused the fiscal crisis.
Sorry. I'm writing because I'd love to possibly have you review the film. I think, as someone who is an avid lover of film, the story will really hit home. We have a soundtrack comprised of several local NYC buzz bands such as My Teenage Stride, Takka Takka, Black Hollies, and The Diggs as well as an impressive score by Vita Tanga and Grammy winning producer Carlos "Storm" Martinez that we are currently in negotiation to put out as a tie-in soundtrack through Universal.
We've also been getting a lot of positive buzz and reviews (over 70 as of date) as we do the rounds on the festival circuit; a premiere at Tribeca Cinemas, NewFilmmakers NY, Big Apple Film Festival and awaiting selection into various festivals this Spring in the US and abroad. We are currently premiering theatrically on the West Coast at the Idyllwild Int'l Festival of Cinema as a special selection in-competition and are currently available on Amazon On-demand and on Netflix via CRM, a division of John Sloss's Cinetic Media-- real coup as one of the first films to get streaming status on Netflix without first having a proper DVD release.
So much word of mouth is spreading that we are being approached by distributors about a small theatrical release both abroad and in the states. I think because of the struggle to make the film, the whole DIY approach with no previous experiences or resources, to fund, make, and distribute a feature film in two years and now to see it out there in these rough economic times, what the story stands for would make for an interesting and inspirational piece. Please check out our website www.aroundthefilm.com for more information and a trailer. I thank you kindly for your time and wish you the best in all your endeavors.
David Spaltro
www.aroundthefilm.com
"My name is David Spaltro and I'm an independent filmmaker and producer in NYC. Last year I completed my first feature film "...Around", starring Rob Evans and Molly Ryman, a labor of love about a young man with a dual life "living" out of Penn and Grand Central Station while going to film school, based on my own personal experiences a few years ago in this city. 21 shooting days, 190 locations all over the city, self-financed and done for $175,000 or 40 credit cards... no, seriously. I may have caused the fiscal crisis.
Sorry. I'm writing because I'd love to possibly have you review the film. I think, as someone who is an avid lover of film, the story will really hit home. We have a soundtrack comprised of several local NYC buzz bands such as My Teenage Stride, Takka Takka, Black Hollies, and The Diggs as well as an impressive score by Vita Tanga and Grammy winning producer Carlos "Storm" Martinez that we are currently in negotiation to put out as a tie-in soundtrack through Universal.
We've also been getting a lot of positive buzz and reviews (over 70 as of date) as we do the rounds on the festival circuit; a premiere at Tribeca Cinemas, NewFilmmakers NY, Big Apple Film Festival and awaiting selection into various festivals this Spring in the US and abroad. We are currently premiering theatrically on the West Coast at the Idyllwild Int'l Festival of Cinema as a special selection in-competition and are currently available on Amazon On-demand and on Netflix via CRM, a division of John Sloss's Cinetic Media-- real coup as one of the first films to get streaming status on Netflix without first having a proper DVD release.
So much word of mouth is spreading that we are being approached by distributors about a small theatrical release both abroad and in the states. I think because of the struggle to make the film, the whole DIY approach with no previous experiences or resources, to fund, make, and distribute a feature film in two years and now to see it out there in these rough economic times, what the story stands for would make for an interesting and inspirational piece. Please check out our website www.aroundthefilm.com for more information and a trailer. I thank you kindly for your time and wish you the best in all your endeavors.
David Spaltro
www.aroundthefilm.com
Damien Sage Guest Piece 2 - Shart of Darkness
Shart Of Darkness: A Maker of Ze Films Journal-Diary
(aka My [Dr. Professor Uwe Boll's] Personal Recollections of ze making of my seminal cinematic masterpiece In ze Name of ze King: A Dungeon Siege Tale)
By Uwe Boll
(as transcribed by Damien Sage)
Introduction:
Hello zer everyone, I am Doctor Professor Uwe Boll, Film Director and OBGYN. You may know me as ze maker of such heralded classics as Far Cry, Postal and BloodRayne III: Warhammer. In honor of my upcoming serious dramatic film about ze horrible genocide in Darfur, titled Darfur, in which I have ze annoying boy from Terminator 2, ze annoying robotic girl from Terminator 3 and Billy Zane star with real refugee and rape victims, re-inacting zer horrible plight... and rapings on ze camera for all to see, I have decided to release my most personal and secret thoughts about ze making of my cinematic film In ze Name of ze King: A Dungeon Siege Tale. Zo, please sit back and enjoy my thoughts on ze making of ze cinema films.
August 15th, 2005:
I woke up early today... Cold grey sunlight and ze smell of death, decay and sorrow all around me. Ze stench filled my nostrils and chilled me to my very soul... Apparently I had fallen asleep ze night before in ze shallow bin zat I keep ze footage from my previous films in... As I took one last look around my film production studio (a 12 foot by 12 foot, 3 walled, no roofed wooden shack on ze outskirts of Hamburg) I decided I should keep zis feeling of dread and despair zat ze day was shoving at me wrapped up in my icy heart. Zis feeling would be my inspiration and motif for ze next project I was to hence forth surmount...
August 18th, 2005:
After tangling myself in ze film reels from Alone in ze Dark and becoming trapped for nearly 3 days, Michael Paré (star of such classics as Eddie and the Cruisers 2 and most of my films), came looking for some money I owed him and freed me from my celluloid bonds... After a brief fist fight and ze promise that I would make a sequel to Streets of Fire for him, I set myself out straight onto ze making of In ze Name of ze King: A Dungeon Siege Tale...
August 20th, 2005:
Today was a most good day. I convinced the government of Germany to give me Sixty Million American Dollars to make my film. It was a tough battle as always, but once I told zem zat I would be shooting a half baked, Lord of the Rings knock-off, loosely based on an obscure computer video game no one had ever heard of, with no script or cast yet in place I won zem over easily.
August 21st, 2005:
I spent Fifty Nine Million Nine Hundred Ninety Nine Thousand Dollars of my budget on Romanian whores, cheap Brandy, pixy-sticks and hiring Burt Reynolds to be in ze film. Needless to say, today has been quite productive. Ze script is still not written.
August 22nd, 2005:
Upon awakening from a diabetic coma I zen proceeded to hire several master thespians to round out ze cast of ze film. First I got ze brilliant, classically trained, Shakespearean Method Actor Matthew Lillard (best known for his turn as Lt. Todd 'Maniac' Marshall in Wing Commander: Ze Theatrical Film for Theaters) for a major role. I zen fought long and hard for ze gorgeous and talented Leelee Sobieski (mostly because I just enjoy saying her name, and she was in a movie about glass houses and such) for a huge role, but not as huge as either ze dungeon or ze King. It was a very good day all and all. We still have no script, but I cannot be bothered with such things at zis time, my soaps are on.
August 24th, 2005:
Last night at a poker game with Guillermo del Toro I won Three Thousand Dollars, a Calculator Watch and Ron Perlman. Instead of making him be my house slave or something as I had intended, I decided to put him in ze film. Apparently he is an actor of much acclaim and would most likely never work in one of my films had I not won him fair and squarzies. I wouldn't know though, I don't watch many movies, in fact I've never seen one. I have only seen Ron in Linda Hamilton's seminal 80's television series "Beauty and ze Beast" (which I own ze full series of on VHS.)
August 27th, 2005:
My associates (Teddy Rumskin and Rainbow Brite) and I have finally nailed down ze remainder of ze cast for ze Dungeon Siege Tale. Zey include: Zat short hairy guy from Ze Living Daylights, Ray Liotta, BloodRayne and a relative unknown named Jason Statham. In a very odd turn, for someone I had never heard of before, Statham demanded that he have practically no lines of dialog and a one word name that will never be spoken in ze film.... Naturally I decided to give him ze lead role... On a side note, I found a crumpled up napkin zat had a coffee stain on it... we vil be using zis as a script until one is written.
August 28th, 2005:
I gathered my cast and crew in ze abandoned parking lot behind Denny's in Dusseldorf to begin shooting ze film.
November 1st, 2005:
We shot for nearly two months straight. Ze footage we ver getting vas gorgeous, breathtaking in scope in fact. Ze film was turning out to be ze ultimate meditation on life, death and ze metaphysical realm in between. It vas painstaking work, I was very meticulous. Much like Richard Donner whilest filming of ze Superman: Ze Movie I reminded everyone zat we were making history here, to respect ze material and above all else to keep verisimilitude in zere hearts. I believe zat everyone did as I told zem as all shooting went smoothly. We only had one rough patch and zat was when Burt Reynolds suddenly realized zat he went from starring in Deliverence to zis and tried to commit hari-kari with a styrofoam prop sword. I prevented zis naturally with my cool wit, quick tongue and all encompassing maniless and we proceeded with shooting as planned.... It wasn't until I had sent everyone home zat I realized zat I left the lens cap on ze camera throughout all of ze shooting.... We still had no script....
Three Hours Later:
I called everyone back and shot ze entire film over in a gas station bathroom by ze highway.
One Hour Later:
Having performed all post production work on ze film myself I zen dug a hole in ze backyard, threw the complete film into it unprotected and covered it with a thin layer of peat moss. Zer I shall let In ze Name of ze King ferment for three years as I do all of my films, before I unleash it to my adoring public.
January 11th, 2008:
Ze film has been released to much acclaim and celebration. Zer is talk zat it may even sweep zis years Oscars Awards. I have already begun plans for a sequel which will bring back all of ze original cast, even those whose characters died and pit zem against the ze salty sea captain from House of ze Dead and ze creatures from Dig-Dug. We don't have a script yet, but I shall move forward anyways.
Epilogue:
I vil never forget my time makings ze film In ze Name of ze King: A Dungeon Siege Tale... It was a harrowing ordeal for me, many lives were lost. I found love and happiness... and also trolled ze greatest depths of sorrow and pain my life had ever known. Ze final film is my ultimate masterpiece and I must find someway of dealing with zat and moving on. To find new and bigger goals for myself. Perhaps I will finally surmount a cinematic adaptation of Edgar Allan Poe's classic story Zombie Massacre... Perhaps I vil finally get to work with Luke Perry and Lauren Holly... Who can say?
In ze Name of ze King was but a sliver of time in the grand scheme of things... a shart if you will... like a small shart of glass, broken in time, forever glimmering in ze moment of it's creation.... But for me... it will always be a shart of darkness....
Sincerely Wit Love,
Uwe
(aka My [Dr. Professor Uwe Boll's] Personal Recollections of ze making of my seminal cinematic masterpiece In ze Name of ze King: A Dungeon Siege Tale)
By Uwe Boll
(as transcribed by Damien Sage)
Introduction:
Hello zer everyone, I am Doctor Professor Uwe Boll, Film Director and OBGYN. You may know me as ze maker of such heralded classics as Far Cry, Postal and BloodRayne III: Warhammer. In honor of my upcoming serious dramatic film about ze horrible genocide in Darfur, titled Darfur, in which I have ze annoying boy from Terminator 2, ze annoying robotic girl from Terminator 3 and Billy Zane star with real refugee and rape victims, re-inacting zer horrible plight... and rapings on ze camera for all to see, I have decided to release my most personal and secret thoughts about ze making of my cinematic film In ze Name of ze King: A Dungeon Siege Tale. Zo, please sit back and enjoy my thoughts on ze making of ze cinema films.
August 15th, 2005:
I woke up early today... Cold grey sunlight and ze smell of death, decay and sorrow all around me. Ze stench filled my nostrils and chilled me to my very soul... Apparently I had fallen asleep ze night before in ze shallow bin zat I keep ze footage from my previous films in... As I took one last look around my film production studio (a 12 foot by 12 foot, 3 walled, no roofed wooden shack on ze outskirts of Hamburg) I decided I should keep zis feeling of dread and despair zat ze day was shoving at me wrapped up in my icy heart. Zis feeling would be my inspiration and motif for ze next project I was to hence forth surmount...
August 18th, 2005:
After tangling myself in ze film reels from Alone in ze Dark and becoming trapped for nearly 3 days, Michael Paré (star of such classics as Eddie and the Cruisers 2 and most of my films), came looking for some money I owed him and freed me from my celluloid bonds... After a brief fist fight and ze promise that I would make a sequel to Streets of Fire for him, I set myself out straight onto ze making of In ze Name of ze King: A Dungeon Siege Tale...
August 20th, 2005:
Today was a most good day. I convinced the government of Germany to give me Sixty Million American Dollars to make my film. It was a tough battle as always, but once I told zem zat I would be shooting a half baked, Lord of the Rings knock-off, loosely based on an obscure computer video game no one had ever heard of, with no script or cast yet in place I won zem over easily.
August 21st, 2005:
I spent Fifty Nine Million Nine Hundred Ninety Nine Thousand Dollars of my budget on Romanian whores, cheap Brandy, pixy-sticks and hiring Burt Reynolds to be in ze film. Needless to say, today has been quite productive. Ze script is still not written.
August 22nd, 2005:
Upon awakening from a diabetic coma I zen proceeded to hire several master thespians to round out ze cast of ze film. First I got ze brilliant, classically trained, Shakespearean Method Actor Matthew Lillard (best known for his turn as Lt. Todd 'Maniac' Marshall in Wing Commander: Ze Theatrical Film for Theaters) for a major role. I zen fought long and hard for ze gorgeous and talented Leelee Sobieski (mostly because I just enjoy saying her name, and she was in a movie about glass houses and such) for a huge role, but not as huge as either ze dungeon or ze King. It was a very good day all and all. We still have no script, but I cannot be bothered with such things at zis time, my soaps are on.
August 24th, 2005:
Last night at a poker game with Guillermo del Toro I won Three Thousand Dollars, a Calculator Watch and Ron Perlman. Instead of making him be my house slave or something as I had intended, I decided to put him in ze film. Apparently he is an actor of much acclaim and would most likely never work in one of my films had I not won him fair and squarzies. I wouldn't know though, I don't watch many movies, in fact I've never seen one. I have only seen Ron in Linda Hamilton's seminal 80's television series "Beauty and ze Beast" (which I own ze full series of on VHS.)
August 27th, 2005:
My associates (Teddy Rumskin and Rainbow Brite) and I have finally nailed down ze remainder of ze cast for ze Dungeon Siege Tale. Zey include: Zat short hairy guy from Ze Living Daylights, Ray Liotta, BloodRayne and a relative unknown named Jason Statham. In a very odd turn, for someone I had never heard of before, Statham demanded that he have practically no lines of dialog and a one word name that will never be spoken in ze film.... Naturally I decided to give him ze lead role... On a side note, I found a crumpled up napkin zat had a coffee stain on it... we vil be using zis as a script until one is written.
August 28th, 2005:
I gathered my cast and crew in ze abandoned parking lot behind Denny's in Dusseldorf to begin shooting ze film.
November 1st, 2005:
We shot for nearly two months straight. Ze footage we ver getting vas gorgeous, breathtaking in scope in fact. Ze film was turning out to be ze ultimate meditation on life, death and ze metaphysical realm in between. It vas painstaking work, I was very meticulous. Much like Richard Donner whilest filming of ze Superman: Ze Movie I reminded everyone zat we were making history here, to respect ze material and above all else to keep verisimilitude in zere hearts. I believe zat everyone did as I told zem as all shooting went smoothly. We only had one rough patch and zat was when Burt Reynolds suddenly realized zat he went from starring in Deliverence to zis and tried to commit hari-kari with a styrofoam prop sword. I prevented zis naturally with my cool wit, quick tongue and all encompassing maniless and we proceeded with shooting as planned.... It wasn't until I had sent everyone home zat I realized zat I left the lens cap on ze camera throughout all of ze shooting.... We still had no script....
Three Hours Later:
I called everyone back and shot ze entire film over in a gas station bathroom by ze highway.
One Hour Later:
Having performed all post production work on ze film myself I zen dug a hole in ze backyard, threw the complete film into it unprotected and covered it with a thin layer of peat moss. Zer I shall let In ze Name of ze King ferment for three years as I do all of my films, before I unleash it to my adoring public.
January 11th, 2008:
Ze film has been released to much acclaim and celebration. Zer is talk zat it may even sweep zis years Oscars Awards. I have already begun plans for a sequel which will bring back all of ze original cast, even those whose characters died and pit zem against the ze salty sea captain from House of ze Dead and ze creatures from Dig-Dug. We don't have a script yet, but I shall move forward anyways.
Epilogue:
I vil never forget my time makings ze film In ze Name of ze King: A Dungeon Siege Tale... It was a harrowing ordeal for me, many lives were lost. I found love and happiness... and also trolled ze greatest depths of sorrow and pain my life had ever known. Ze final film is my ultimate masterpiece and I must find someway of dealing with zat and moving on. To find new and bigger goals for myself. Perhaps I will finally surmount a cinematic adaptation of Edgar Allan Poe's classic story Zombie Massacre... Perhaps I vil finally get to work with Luke Perry and Lauren Holly... Who can say?
In ze Name of ze King was but a sliver of time in the grand scheme of things... a shart if you will... like a small shart of glass, broken in time, forever glimmering in ze moment of it's creation.... But for me... it will always be a shart of darkness....
Sincerely Wit Love,
Uwe
Damien Sage Guest Piece 1 - Megaforce
We have a treat for you here at BRWC. Damien Sage, director of this film has kindly typed this ode to a lesser known classic. More to come from Damien real soon.
Megaforce
A Film by Hal Needham
A Review by Damien Sage
As not only a filmmaker, but a film fan, I love a good movie, a classic movie if you will. But does a movie have to be good for it to be a classic? (We all know the answer to this question, a resounding 'no', but hear me out, if you will.)
Once Upon A Time In The West is my favorite film, it has an epic and organic beauty, unique cinematic language, operatic story, brilliantly crafted characters and an equally grandiose score. Once Upon A Time In The West is pure technicolor, cinematic bliss, that should be studied and loved for ages. It is what you would call a “good, classic film.”
There are of course many other great films that I love. Well made, well written, well acted and just generally great films are awesome to watch. But, the fact of the matter is, there are more bad films than there are good ones. There are more utterly stupid films than there are intelligent ones. For every “Nightmare On Elm Street”, “Seven Samurai”, or “Wrath Of Kahn” there are a dozen films like “Fantastic Four: Rise Of The Silver Surfer”, “Year One” or anything by Michael Bay.
Now here comes the tricky part. Sometimes there is a bad film, or a dumb film, that is SO bad or SO dumb that it becomes good, or even great. Sometimes the wealth of awfulness to be had in this one film is enough to make it become a “classic film” or a “cult classic”, if you prefer. MOST cult classics are knowingly bad. The films tongues are clamped firmly in their cheeks and being played for over the toppness by both the people in front of and behind the camera. Sometimes this isn’t the case, say with “Mommie Dearest.” But for the most part, films that become cult classics revel in their cheesy goodness and are paid back for it in spades (after many years of failure and degradation.)
And that brings me to the subject of this review, the seminal cinematic masterpiece of 1982, Megaforce. The film is directed by famed auteur Hal Needham, of “Smokey And The Bandit” and “Cannibal Run” acclaim. The film stars Barry Bostwick of “The Rocky Horror Picture Show”, Michael “Xanadu” Beck, Persis Khambatta aka “that bald chick from Star Trek The Motion Picture”, Edward Mulhare of Knight Rider fame AND Henry Silva, aka every bad guy from EVERY movie in the 80's.
The plot of the film really isn’t worth mentioning, as I’ve watched the movie about 20 times and can’t say for sure what it is. I will tell you that it involves a group of attractive, manly men, who like to wear skin tight silver jumpsuits and ride armored dirt bikes. They all also have lovely feathered hair and an abundance of brotherly love and respect for one another. OH and they are all members of an elite, world funded, top secret, pseudo-military fighting team, called Megaforce.
The Megaforce is called into situations when other people just can’t get the job done or national politics wont allow action to be taken. And that is what they do in this film. Some small, insignificant, third world republic (the fictional nation of Gamibia) is threatened by a villain and Megaforce is sent in to kick pseudo-commie ass. All with hair flying and rockets blazing of course. There are a few twists thrown at them along the way, such as being forced to have a woman join their team. Despite this woman being a navy seal or something, they do thoroughly humiliate and test her to her limits (which she passes with flying colors) before they then…. don’t let her come on the mission. Oh, and the bad guy used to be the leader of Megaforce’s (Captain Ace Hunter) roommate.
You see? I just can’t spell out in clear terms just what the movie is about, there’s a lot of stuff going on, most of it unimportant. But this movie doesn’t need a plot, it knows what you want and gives it to you by the spandex suit full. It throws cheesy special effects, hammy acting, missile firing dirtbikes, rampant misogyny and cornball dialog out a pace so dizzying even Dario Argento wouldn't be able to keep up!
And Megaforce never lets it's whacked out badness go soft either; from it’s written AND narrated opening screen, to its blooper filled, Ace Frehley scored end titles, Megaforce is packed to the rafters with so much cheddar you’ll need a quadruple bypass once done with it.
Once Upon A Time In The West may be my favorite good film, but Megaforce is my favorite bad film. If you’re a fan of dumb 80’s action films, the original G.I. Joe cartoon show… or if you’re a gay nerd, Megaforce will be like candy to you. But really, all this brings to mind is the Megaforce credo:
“Deeds, not words.”
Megaforce the film certainly throws enough weird and retarded cinematic deeds onto the screen, that my words truly cannot do it justice.
Hunt down a VHS of it NOW. Pop it in, then sit back, send your brain away and let the campy, over the top, surreality of Megaforce wrap you up in shimmering silver spandex.
Megaforce, a film by Hal Needham - 10 out of 10 pastel blue headbands.
A Film by Hal Needham
A Review by Damien Sage
As not only a filmmaker, but a film fan, I love a good movie, a classic movie if you will. But does a movie have to be good for it to be a classic? (We all know the answer to this question, a resounding 'no', but hear me out, if you will.)
Once Upon A Time In The West is my favorite film, it has an epic and organic beauty, unique cinematic language, operatic story, brilliantly crafted characters and an equally grandiose score. Once Upon A Time In The West is pure technicolor, cinematic bliss, that should be studied and loved for ages. It is what you would call a “good, classic film.”
There are of course many other great films that I love. Well made, well written, well acted and just generally great films are awesome to watch. But, the fact of the matter is, there are more bad films than there are good ones. There are more utterly stupid films than there are intelligent ones. For every “Nightmare On Elm Street”, “Seven Samurai”, or “Wrath Of Kahn” there are a dozen films like “Fantastic Four: Rise Of The Silver Surfer”, “Year One” or anything by Michael Bay.
Now here comes the tricky part. Sometimes there is a bad film, or a dumb film, that is SO bad or SO dumb that it becomes good, or even great. Sometimes the wealth of awfulness to be had in this one film is enough to make it become a “classic film” or a “cult classic”, if you prefer. MOST cult classics are knowingly bad. The films tongues are clamped firmly in their cheeks and being played for over the toppness by both the people in front of and behind the camera. Sometimes this isn’t the case, say with “Mommie Dearest.” But for the most part, films that become cult classics revel in their cheesy goodness and are paid back for it in spades (after many years of failure and degradation.)
And that brings me to the subject of this review, the seminal cinematic masterpiece of 1982, Megaforce. The film is directed by famed auteur Hal Needham, of “Smokey And The Bandit” and “Cannibal Run” acclaim. The film stars Barry Bostwick of “The Rocky Horror Picture Show”, Michael “Xanadu” Beck, Persis Khambatta aka “that bald chick from Star Trek The Motion Picture”, Edward Mulhare of Knight Rider fame AND Henry Silva, aka every bad guy from EVERY movie in the 80's.
The plot of the film really isn’t worth mentioning, as I’ve watched the movie about 20 times and can’t say for sure what it is. I will tell you that it involves a group of attractive, manly men, who like to wear skin tight silver jumpsuits and ride armored dirt bikes. They all also have lovely feathered hair and an abundance of brotherly love and respect for one another. OH and they are all members of an elite, world funded, top secret, pseudo-military fighting team, called Megaforce.
The Megaforce is called into situations when other people just can’t get the job done or national politics wont allow action to be taken. And that is what they do in this film. Some small, insignificant, third world republic (the fictional nation of Gamibia) is threatened by a villain and Megaforce is sent in to kick pseudo-commie ass. All with hair flying and rockets blazing of course. There are a few twists thrown at them along the way, such as being forced to have a woman join their team. Despite this woman being a navy seal or something, they do thoroughly humiliate and test her to her limits (which she passes with flying colors) before they then…. don’t let her come on the mission. Oh, and the bad guy used to be the leader of Megaforce’s (Captain Ace Hunter) roommate.
You see? I just can’t spell out in clear terms just what the movie is about, there’s a lot of stuff going on, most of it unimportant. But this movie doesn’t need a plot, it knows what you want and gives it to you by the spandex suit full. It throws cheesy special effects, hammy acting, missile firing dirtbikes, rampant misogyny and cornball dialog out a pace so dizzying even Dario Argento wouldn't be able to keep up!
And Megaforce never lets it's whacked out badness go soft either; from it’s written AND narrated opening screen, to its blooper filled, Ace Frehley scored end titles, Megaforce is packed to the rafters with so much cheddar you’ll need a quadruple bypass once done with it.
Once Upon A Time In The West may be my favorite good film, but Megaforce is my favorite bad film. If you’re a fan of dumb 80’s action films, the original G.I. Joe cartoon show… or if you’re a gay nerd, Megaforce will be like candy to you. But really, all this brings to mind is the Megaforce credo:
“Deeds, not words.”
Megaforce the film certainly throws enough weird and retarded cinematic deeds onto the screen, that my words truly cannot do it justice.
Hunt down a VHS of it NOW. Pop it in, then sit back, send your brain away and let the campy, over the top, surreality of Megaforce wrap you up in shimmering silver spandex.
Megaforce, a film by Hal Needham - 10 out of 10 pastel blue headbands.
Tesco Films
From the BBC this,
Tesco has formed a joint venture to make films of books by best-selling authors, starting with Jackie Collins.
Tesco has formed a joint venture to make films of books by best-selling authors, starting with Jackie Collins.
The supermarket group has joined forces with US media firm Amber Entertainment to produce straight-to-DVD movies that it will initially sell exclusively.
The first film under the partnership, an adaptation of Ms Collins' Paris Connections, is currently being shot.
Tesco said it would focus solely on marketing and sales, with no involvement in the creative process.
"This ground-breaking relationship with Amber Entertainment is a significant development for Tesco and the first of its kind for the industry," said Tesco entertainment director Rob Salter.
"Through this partnership we will be able to offer our customers an exclusive window to own a first-run film from a range of well-known authors."
Other best-selling authors currently in talks over Tesco releases include Philip Pullman, Judy Blume, Dick and Felix Francis, Karin Slaughter, Jacqueline Wilson and Anne Perry.
Ms Collins said she loved "the concept of creating quality DVDs that I know my readers will enjoy".
"It's an innovative idea to partner with Tesco, and gives the consumer something exclusive," she added.
Thursday, January 28, 2010
ZMD: Zombies Of Mass Destruction
The Los Angeles Premiere of ZMD: Zombies Of Mass Destruction is happening this Saturday, January 30, 2010 at 10pm. This is the directorial debut for Kevin Hamedani, who also co-wrote the film. ZMD takes place in an idyllic island town that goes under attack by the most invasive of pests: zombies! Port Gamble, Washington is being overrun with brain eaters, and the people seem powerless to stave them off. A rag tag band of rebels led by Frida (Janette Armand), an Iranian college student suspected of being an Iraqi terrorist, and Tom (Doug Fahl), a gay business man who has returned to town with his partner to come out to his mother, tries to turn the tide and push the invading hoards of undead back.
We hope to have a review soon, so watch this space.
EDIT - Read this instead.
We hope to have a review soon, so watch this space.
EDIT - Read this instead.
RED CARPET & PREMIERE EVENT:
FEATURES BRIAN PULIDO’S THE GRAVES & KEVIN HAMEDANI’S ZMD: ZOMBIES OF MASS DESTRUCTION
Event open to the public! Get your tickets now!
Hollywood, CA January 26th 2010 –After Darks 4th Installment of 8 Films to Die For opens in theatres throughout the country Friday January 29th 2010. THE GRAVES, written & directed by Brian Pulido and Kevin Hamedani’s Horror Comedy ZMD: Zombies of Mass Destruction’s Red Carpet Premiere takes place on Saturday January 30th at the Beverly Center Cinemas in Hollywood, CA. The event is open to the public.
THE GRAVES is about two sisters whose visit to Skull City Mine turns into a mind bending fight for survival against menaces both human, and supernatural, starring Clare Grant (MTV’s $5 Cover), Jillian Murray (Wild Things), Bill Moseley (The Devil's Rejects), Tony Todd (Candyman) and D. Randall Blythe (Scream, Lamb of God).
In attendance: Clare Grant (Masters of Horror), Jillian Murray (Wild Things), Bill Moseley (Texas Chainsaw Massacre II), Tony Todd (24), Shane Stevens, Brian Pulido (Writer / Director), Brian and Dean Ronalds (Producers/Co-Stars), Francisca Pulido (Production Designer/Producer), Jim Casella (Composer), Barbara Glover (Mama).
ZMD: ZOMBIES OF MASS DESTRUCTION takes place in an idyllic island town that goes under attack by the most invasive of pests: zombies starring Janette Armand, Doug Fahl, Cooper Hopkins, Ali Hamedani, Victoria Drake, Director of Photographer John Guleserian and Director Kevin Hamedani.
In attendance: Janette Armand, Doug Fahl, Cooper Hopkins, Ali Hamedani, Victoria Drake, Director of Photographer John Guleserian and Director Kevin Hamedani.
Special Guests: Matthew Lillard (Scream), Chris Wylde and Abraham Benrubi (ER), Director Mike Milion (Tenure) and Director Nicholas Jasenovec (Paper Heart).
WHEN: Saturday, Jan. 30, 2010
Press Arrivals: 6:00 p.m.
Celebrity Arrivals: 6:30 p.m.
Film Screening: 7:30 p.m. THE GRAVESFilm Screening: 10pm ZMD: Zombies of Mass DestructionWHERE: Beverly Center 13
8500 Beverly Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90048-6201
(310) 854-0070
BUY TICKETS HERE:
http://www.movietickets.com/house_detail.asp?house_id=16501&rdate=1%2F30%2F2010
The Graves & ZMD: Zombies of Mass Destruction are part of After Dark Horrorfest 4. After Dark Films is a leader in independent film finance, production and acquisition of genre films for theatrical release.
NOTE: Both films are rated R by the MPAA for strong bloody violence and gore.
THE GRAVES Trailer: http://www.horrorfestonline.com/?p=534
ZMD Trailer: http://www.horrorfestonline.com/?p=767
Check out www.thegravesmovie.com and www.zmdthemovie.com for more info.
For more information about After Dark Films visit www.horrorfestonline.com
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Psychotropica Answer & Winners
Remember this?
The answer was Damien Sage.
The winners are -
Carol Sander, Derby, UK
B Watts, Nevada, USA
Simon Leep, Little Rock, USA
Well done guys!
The answer was Damien Sage.
The winners are -
Carol Sander, Derby, UK
B Watts, Nevada, USA
Simon Leep, Little Rock, USA
Well done guys!
Monday, January 25, 2010
Film Review with Robert Mann - Ninja Assassin
Ninja Assassin **½
There was a time when the words “From the creators of The Matrix Trilogy” might actually have counted for something when linked with a film. After all, The Wachowski Brothers were once a considered an extremely hot property in Hollywood, The Matrix helping to usher in a new age for cinema. However, negative backlash to sequels The Matrix Reloaded and The Matrix Revolutions started them on a downward slope in their directing career, with their 2008 release Speed Racer being a huge box office flop that won points with fans but failed to attract a mainstream audience. The words were also linked with the film V For Vendetta, which was not directed by the Wachowskis, but just produced, the director being newcomer James McTeigue. The film was excellent and proved a semi-success, and showed that McTeigue might be a director to look out for. Now, with the Wachowskis once again one producing duties, McTeigue is back behind the camera once again for Ninja Assassin. Again not very successful on its US release, the film has nonetheless gained a fair amount of buzz, if only for its title. Again, not really a film that is likely to appeal to a mainstream audience but will the fans at least be satisfied? Perhaps.
Taken from the streets as a child, Raizo (Rain) was made into a trained killer by the Ozunu Clan, a secret society whose very existence is considered a myth. Haunted by the Clan’s merciless execution of his friend, Raizo breaks free and goes into hiding to prepare his revenge. In Berlin, Europol agent Mika Coretti (Naomie Harris) stumbles upon a money trail linking several political murders to an underground network of assassins from the Far East. Defying the orders of her superior, Ryan Maslow (Ben Miles), Mika digs into top secret files to learn the truth. Her investigation makes her a target, and the Ozunu Clan sends a team led by the lethal Takeshi (Rick Yune) to silence her. Raizo saves Mika from her attackers, but he knows that the Clan will not rest until they are both eliminated.
For a film with the title Ninja Assassin you get pretty much exactly what you would expect - lots of ninja action and little else - what else would you expect from a film about a ninja who is an assassin? Essentially a B movie actioner with nothing going on beneath the surface, the focus here is on action at the expense of everything else. A definite case of style over substance, the film is really just a series of fight sequences with nothing of artistic merit in between. The story and dialogue are weak, the former being paper thin and only existing to provide a link between the fight sequences, and the latter being completely inconsequential as the ninjas aren’t really much for conversation. Character development, presented in the form of flashbacks to a younger Raizo during his ninja training days, is minimal, merely the obligatory explanation for his motivations and actions. There is also little to speak of in the acting department with very little actually required of the cast. When it comes to the action, though, the film does mostly deliver. The choreography of the fight sequences is very good and the martial arts moves are superb with all the performers showing off impressive fighting skills, in particular Rain. The action is heavily stylized, being a cut above much of what you might find in other similar films, and should deliver the thrills action fans are looking for. The action is not completely perfect, however, as at some points things move so fast as to make it hard to keep track of what is going on, in one sequence the fact that both ninjas are wearing masks makes it hard to determine who is how, and the action is excessively violent and gory, certainly not for the squeamish and fully deserving of the film’s 18 certificate. Despite these flaws, though, the action does entertain. However, as a whole, the lack of substance and a rather soulless feel means that while Ninja Assassin manages to be quite entertaining it is completely unmemorable, being too heavily based around mindless action. So, something of a disappointment for McTeigue and the Wachowskis then.
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Review by Robert Mann BA (Hons)
There was a time when the words “From the creators of The Matrix Trilogy” might actually have counted for something when linked with a film. After all, The Wachowski Brothers were once a considered an extremely hot property in Hollywood, The Matrix helping to usher in a new age for cinema. However, negative backlash to sequels The Matrix Reloaded and The Matrix Revolutions started them on a downward slope in their directing career, with their 2008 release Speed Racer being a huge box office flop that won points with fans but failed to attract a mainstream audience. The words were also linked with the film V For Vendetta, which was not directed by the Wachowskis, but just produced, the director being newcomer James McTeigue. The film was excellent and proved a semi-success, and showed that McTeigue might be a director to look out for. Now, with the Wachowskis once again one producing duties, McTeigue is back behind the camera once again for Ninja Assassin. Again not very successful on its US release, the film has nonetheless gained a fair amount of buzz, if only for its title. Again, not really a film that is likely to appeal to a mainstream audience but will the fans at least be satisfied? Perhaps.
Taken from the streets as a child, Raizo (Rain) was made into a trained killer by the Ozunu Clan, a secret society whose very existence is considered a myth. Haunted by the Clan’s merciless execution of his friend, Raizo breaks free and goes into hiding to prepare his revenge. In Berlin, Europol agent Mika Coretti (Naomie Harris) stumbles upon a money trail linking several political murders to an underground network of assassins from the Far East. Defying the orders of her superior, Ryan Maslow (Ben Miles), Mika digs into top secret files to learn the truth. Her investigation makes her a target, and the Ozunu Clan sends a team led by the lethal Takeshi (Rick Yune) to silence her. Raizo saves Mika from her attackers, but he knows that the Clan will not rest until they are both eliminated.
For a film with the title Ninja Assassin you get pretty much exactly what you would expect - lots of ninja action and little else - what else would you expect from a film about a ninja who is an assassin? Essentially a B movie actioner with nothing going on beneath the surface, the focus here is on action at the expense of everything else. A definite case of style over substance, the film is really just a series of fight sequences with nothing of artistic merit in between. The story and dialogue are weak, the former being paper thin and only existing to provide a link between the fight sequences, and the latter being completely inconsequential as the ninjas aren’t really much for conversation. Character development, presented in the form of flashbacks to a younger Raizo during his ninja training days, is minimal, merely the obligatory explanation for his motivations and actions. There is also little to speak of in the acting department with very little actually required of the cast. When it comes to the action, though, the film does mostly deliver. The choreography of the fight sequences is very good and the martial arts moves are superb with all the performers showing off impressive fighting skills, in particular Rain. The action is heavily stylized, being a cut above much of what you might find in other similar films, and should deliver the thrills action fans are looking for. The action is not completely perfect, however, as at some points things move so fast as to make it hard to keep track of what is going on, in one sequence the fact that both ninjas are wearing masks makes it hard to determine who is how, and the action is excessively violent and gory, certainly not for the squeamish and fully deserving of the film’s 18 certificate. Despite these flaws, though, the action does entertain. However, as a whole, the lack of substance and a rather soulless feel means that while Ninja Assassin manages to be quite entertaining it is completely unmemorable, being too heavily based around mindless action. So, something of a disappointment for McTeigue and the Wachowskis then.
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Review by Robert Mann BA (Hons)
Saturday, January 23, 2010
Film Review with Robert Mann - Toy Story 2 3D
Toy Story 2 3D (Re-release) *****
Following the re-release of the first Toy Story film in three dimensions late last year, Disney are now delivering Pixar’s only sequel to date in the 3D format as well. Of course, as with its predecessor, this 3D version of Toy Story 2 is really little more than marketing for the upcoming release of the long awaited Toy Story 3 in cinemas this summer, providing the opportunity for those unfamiliar with the Toy Story films to become acquainted with the series prior to the third film’s release. So, the question remains as to whether it really is worth spending your hard earned money to see it, particularly with the additional surcharge for the extra dimension. After all, many will have already seen the film many times or perhaps even own it so, while the film’s quality is certainly not in doubt - it is as much an animation masterpiece now as it was in 1999 - there might not be that much to make paying so much to see this film actually worthwhile. Still, regardless, it was a masterpiece of animation then and it is still a masterpiece of animation now.
Many people reading will likely know the plot of Toy Story 2 already but for anyone who doesn’t here is a recap: When young Andy (voiced by John Morris) heads off to Cowboy Camp, Buzz Lightyear (voiced by Tim Allen), Woody (voiced by Tom Hanks) and the rest of Andy’s faithful toys - Mr. Potato Head (voiced by Don Rickles), Slinky Dog (voiced by Jim Varney), Rex (voiced by Wallace Shawn), Hamm (voiced by John Ratzenberger), Bo Beep (voiced by Annie Potts) and Sergeant (voiced by R. Lee Ermey) - are left to their own devices. Their happy routine is shattered when an obsessive toy collector named Al McWhiggin (voiced by Wayne Knight), owner of Al’s Toy Barn, kidnaps Woody. At Al’s apartment, Woody discovers that he is a highly valued collectible from a 1950s TV show called ‘Woody’s Roundup’, and he meets the other prized toys from that show - Jessie the cowgirl (voiced by Joan Cusack), Bullseye the horse and Stinky Pete the Prospector (voiced by Kelsey Grammer). Andy’s toys must mount a daring rescue mission and, as Buzz Lightyear finally meets his match, Woody has to decide where his heart truly belongs.
As with the re-release of the first Toy Story film in the 3D format last year, this 3D re-release of Toy Story 2 heightens the aesthetics of the animation but doesn’t bring anything new to the fold. The animation has held up extremely well, still looking amazing ten years on and gaining from the crisp, clear digital presentation it gets here but due to the fact that the film was never made to be shown in 3D, the extra dimension doesn’t add as much as in many other recent 3D films. This isn’t to say that the 3D isn’t good, as the effects are much better than they were in the film’s predecessor, but it does highlight the limitations presented in converting a 2D film into 3D. 3D aside, however, the film has lost none of its impact. The story and humour are still superb, with memorable and humorous characters who we can really care about - an impressive feat considering that they are toys - a truly fleshed out plot and a combination of hilarious gags for the younger viewers and witty in-jokes for the more observant. Be sure to stay through the credits, as well, for some truly hilarious ‘outtakes’ featuring the characters - it’s really saying something that the credits are the funniest part of the film because the film as a whole is hilarious. The voice cast too is no less excellent, with everyone doing a great job of humanizing their toy characters. However, though, these are aspects which are just as present on the DVD and BluRay of the film so, while the film looks amazing in 3D, if you already own Toy Story 2 at home it may not be worth forking out the inflated ticket price to see it in 3D.
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Review by Robert Mann BA (Hons)
Following the re-release of the first Toy Story film in three dimensions late last year, Disney are now delivering Pixar’s only sequel to date in the 3D format as well. Of course, as with its predecessor, this 3D version of Toy Story 2 is really little more than marketing for the upcoming release of the long awaited Toy Story 3 in cinemas this summer, providing the opportunity for those unfamiliar with the Toy Story films to become acquainted with the series prior to the third film’s release. So, the question remains as to whether it really is worth spending your hard earned money to see it, particularly with the additional surcharge for the extra dimension. After all, many will have already seen the film many times or perhaps even own it so, while the film’s quality is certainly not in doubt - it is as much an animation masterpiece now as it was in 1999 - there might not be that much to make paying so much to see this film actually worthwhile. Still, regardless, it was a masterpiece of animation then and it is still a masterpiece of animation now.
Many people reading will likely know the plot of Toy Story 2 already but for anyone who doesn’t here is a recap: When young Andy (voiced by John Morris) heads off to Cowboy Camp, Buzz Lightyear (voiced by Tim Allen), Woody (voiced by Tom Hanks) and the rest of Andy’s faithful toys - Mr. Potato Head (voiced by Don Rickles), Slinky Dog (voiced by Jim Varney), Rex (voiced by Wallace Shawn), Hamm (voiced by John Ratzenberger), Bo Beep (voiced by Annie Potts) and Sergeant (voiced by R. Lee Ermey) - are left to their own devices. Their happy routine is shattered when an obsessive toy collector named Al McWhiggin (voiced by Wayne Knight), owner of Al’s Toy Barn, kidnaps Woody. At Al’s apartment, Woody discovers that he is a highly valued collectible from a 1950s TV show called ‘Woody’s Roundup’, and he meets the other prized toys from that show - Jessie the cowgirl (voiced by Joan Cusack), Bullseye the horse and Stinky Pete the Prospector (voiced by Kelsey Grammer). Andy’s toys must mount a daring rescue mission and, as Buzz Lightyear finally meets his match, Woody has to decide where his heart truly belongs.
As with the re-release of the first Toy Story film in the 3D format last year, this 3D re-release of Toy Story 2 heightens the aesthetics of the animation but doesn’t bring anything new to the fold. The animation has held up extremely well, still looking amazing ten years on and gaining from the crisp, clear digital presentation it gets here but due to the fact that the film was never made to be shown in 3D, the extra dimension doesn’t add as much as in many other recent 3D films. This isn’t to say that the 3D isn’t good, as the effects are much better than they were in the film’s predecessor, but it does highlight the limitations presented in converting a 2D film into 3D. 3D aside, however, the film has lost none of its impact. The story and humour are still superb, with memorable and humorous characters who we can really care about - an impressive feat considering that they are toys - a truly fleshed out plot and a combination of hilarious gags for the younger viewers and witty in-jokes for the more observant. Be sure to stay through the credits, as well, for some truly hilarious ‘outtakes’ featuring the characters - it’s really saying something that the credits are the funniest part of the film because the film as a whole is hilarious. The voice cast too is no less excellent, with everyone doing a great job of humanizing their toy characters. However, though, these are aspects which are just as present on the DVD and BluRay of the film so, while the film looks amazing in 3D, if you already own Toy Story 2 at home it may not be worth forking out the inflated ticket price to see it in 3D.
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Review by Robert Mann BA (Hons)
Please Give
Nicole Holofcenter is going to be a star. Watch out for her.
For more information on the Sundance Film Festival, click here.
Friday, January 22, 2010
Banksy - The Movie?
Being shown at Sundance this week is this -
"
In the late 1990s, a hybrid form of graffiti began appearing in cities around the world. Enlisting stickers, stencils, posters, and sculpture and spread by the burgeoning Internet, it would be labeled “street art” and establish itself as the most significant counterculture movement of a generation. Los Angeles–based filmmaker Terry Guetta set out to record this secretive world in all its thrilling detail. For more than eight years, he traveled with the pack, roaming the streets of America and Europe, the stealthy witness of the world’s most infamous vandals. But after meeting the British stencil artist known only as “Banksy,” things took a bizarre turn.
Sundance has shown films by unknown artists but never an anonymous one. Banksy turns the tables on the only man who has ever filmed him, creating a remarkable documentary that is part personal journey and part an exposé of the art world with its mind-altering mix of hot air and hype. In the end, Exit Through the Gift Shop is an amazing ride, a cautionary modern fairy tale . . . with bolt cutters."
Thursday, January 21, 2010
BAFTA Noms & My Picks
Here is the full list of nominations for the 2010 Bafta Film Awards, to be presented in London on 21 February.
My picks are in.... BLUE
Best Film
Avatar
An Education
The Hurt Locker
Precious
Up in the Air
Outstanding British Film
An Education
Fish Tank
In the Loop
Moon
Nowhere Boy
Director
Kathryn Bigelow, The Hurt Locker
Neill Blomkamp, District 9
James Cameron, Avatar
Lone Scherfig, An Education
Quentin Tarantino, Inglourious Basterds
Actor
Jeff Bridges, Crazy Heart
George Clooney, Up in the Air
Colin Firth, A Single Man
Jeremy Renner, The Hurt Locker
Andy Serkis, Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll
Actress
Carey Mulligan, An Education
Saoirse Ronan, The Lovely Bones
Gabourey Sidibe, Precious
Meryl Streep, Julie & Julia
Audrey Tautou, Coco Before Chanel
Supporting Actor
Alec Baldwin, It's Complicated
Christian McKay, Me and Orson Welles
Alfred Molina, An Education
Stanley Tucci, The Lovely Bones
Christoph Waltz, Inglourious Basterds
Supporting Actress
Anne-Marie Duff, Nowhere Boy
Vera Farmiga, Up in the Air
Anna Kendrick, Up in the Air
Mo'Nique, Precious
Kristin Scott Thomas, Nowhere Boy
Original Screenplay
The Hangover
The Hurt Locker
Inglourious Basterds
A Serious Man
Up
Adapted Screenplay
District 9
An Education
In the Loop
Precious
Up in the Air
Film not in the English Language
Broken Embraces
Coco Before Chanel
Let the Right One In
A Prophet
The White Ribbon
Animated Film
Coraline
Fantastic Mr Fox
Up
Cinematography
Avatar
District 9
The Hurt Locker
Inglourious Basterds
The Road
Costume Design
Bright Star
Coco Before Chanel
An Education
A Single Man
The Young Victoria
Editing
Avatar
District 9
The Hurt Locker
Inglourious Basterds
Up in the Air
Make-Up & Hair
Coco Before Chanel
An Education
The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus
Nine
The Young Victoria
Music
Avatar
Crazy Heart
Fantastic Mr Fox
Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll
Up
Production Design
Avatar
District 9
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus
Inglourious Basterds
Sound
Avatar
District 9
The Hurt Locker
Star Trek
Up
Visual Effects
Avatar
District 9
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
The Hurt Locker
Star Trek
Short Animation
The Gruffalo
The Happy Duckling
Mother of Many
Short Film
14
I Do Air
Jade
Mixtape
Off Season
Outstanding Debut by a British Writer, Director or Producer
Lucy Bailey, Andrew Thompson, Elizabeth Morgan Hemlock, David Pearson (directors/producers, Mugabe and the White African)
Eran Creevy (writer-director, Shifty)
Stuart Hazeldine (writer-director, Exam)
Duncan Jones (director, Moon)
Sam Taylor-Wood (director, Nowhere Boy)
Orange Rising Star Award
Jesse Eisenberg
Nicholas Hoult
Carey Mulligan
Tahar Rahim
Kristen Stewart
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
Lucas Has Lost The Plot...
...but you knew that already.
George Lucas wants to get started on a 3D Star Wars rehash. He loved what Avatar and James Cameron's tech had to offer, he really loved it.
The chance to see R2D2 on the big screen is tasty, but there is no need to do this. I also think the 3D treatment on the original triple wouldn't work. Your comments please.
EDIT - I love Lucas now. And Adidas.
Monday, January 18, 2010
A Cack Load Of Posters
A collection of new posters for you. Click on them, they will increase in size and awesomeness.
2010 Golden Globes Film Winners
To be honest I could not be assed to stay up and witness this year's Golden Globes and its' hit and miss host. So below are the film related winners and losers.
My choice of winner is in red.
Best film (drama)
Avatar
Also nominated:
The Hurt Locker
Precious
Up In The Air
Inglourious Basterds
Best film (musical or comedy)
The Hangover
Also nominated:
(500) Days of Summer
It's Complicated
Julie & Julia
Nine
Best director
James Cameron (Avatar)
Also nominated:
Kathryn Bigelow (The Hurt Locker)
Clint Eastwood (Invictus)
Jason Reitman (Up In The Air)
Quentin Tarantino (Inglorious Basterds)
Best actor (drama)
Jeff Bridges (Crazy Heart)
Also nominated:
George Clooney (Up In The Air)
Colin Firth (A Single Man)
Morgan Freeman (Invictus)
Tobey Maguire (Brothers)
Best actress (drama)
Sandra Bullock (The Blind Side)
Also nominated:
Emily Blunt (The Young Victoria)
Helen Mirren (The Last Station)
Carey Mulligan (An Education)
Gabourey Sidibe (Precious)
Best actor (musical or comedy)
Robert Downey Jr (Sherlock Holmes)
Also nominated:
Matt Damon (The Informant!)
Daniel Day-Lewis (Nine)
Joseph Gordon-Levitt (500 Days of Summer)
Michael Stuhlbarg (A Serious Man)
Best actress (musical or comedy)
Meryl Streep (Julie & Julia)
Also nominated:
Sandra Bullock (The Proposal)
Marion Cotillard (Nine)
Julia Roberts (Duplicity)
Meryl Streep (It's Complicated)
Best supporting actor
Christoph Waltz (Inglourious Basterds)
Also nominated:
Matt Damon (Invictus)
Woody Harrelson (The Messenger)
Stanley Tucci (The Lovely Bones)
Christopher Plummer (The Last Station)
Best supporting actress
Mo'Nique (Precious)
Also nominated:
Penelope Cruz (Nine)
Vera Farmiga (Up in the Air)
Anna Kendrick (Up in the Air)
Julianne Moore (A Single Man)
Best foreign language film
The White Ribbon (Germany)
Also nominated:
Baaria (Italy)
Broken Embraces (Spain)
The Maid (Chile)
A Prophet (France)
Best animated feature film
Up
Also nominated:
Cloudy With A Chance of Meatballs
Coraline
Fantastic Mr Fox
The Princess and the Frog
Best screenplay
Jason Reitman, Sheldon Turner (Up In The Air)
Also nominated:
Neill Blomkamp, Terri Tatchell (District 9)
Mark Boal (The Hurt Locker)
Nancy Meyers (It's Complicated)
Quentin Tarantino (Inglourious Basterds)
Best original song
The Weary Kind (Crazy Heart)
Also nominated:
Cinema Italiano (Nine)
I Want To Come Home (Everybody's Fine)
I Will See You (Avatar)
Winter (Brothers)
Best original score
Michael Giacchino (Up)
Also nominated:
Marvin Hamlisch (The Informant!)
James Horner (Avatar)
Abel Korzeniowski (A Single Man)
Karen O, Carter Burwell (Where The Wild Things Are)
Sunday, January 17, 2010
Blur: No Distance Left To Run. On DVD
A documentary film about Blur, accompanied by a live recording of their performance at Hyde Park is due for release on DVD, through Parlophone Records on February 15, 2010.
"No Distance Left to Run" opens in cinemas worldwide on January 19. The film finds Graham Coxon, Damon Albarn, Alex James and Dave Rowntree set to perform together for the first time in nine years. Intimate new interviews recount the highs and lows of Blur: from Colchester to Goldsmiths, throughout the heady Britpop years and the band's headline return at Glastonbury and Hyde Park.
The live DVD concert film was filmed over two nights at Hyde Park in July 2009. The multi-camera edit was filmed in HD by Giorgio Testi for Pulse Films and features stereo and surround sound options.
TRACKLISTING
Disc 1;
No Distance Left To Run
A documentary film
Directors - Will Lovelace and Dylan Southern
Running Time - 98 mins
Disc 2;
Blur Live at Hyde Park
She's So High. Girls & Boys. Tracy Jacks. There's No Otherway. Jubilee. Bad Head. Beetlebum. Out of Time. Trimm Trab. Coffee and TV. Tender. Country House. Oily Water. Chemical World. Sunday Sunday. Parklife. End of the Century. To the End. This is a Low. Pop Scene. Advert. Song 2. Death of a Party. For Tomorrow. The Universal.
Director - Giorgio Testi
Running Time - 125 mins
"No Distance Left to Run" opens in cinemas worldwide on January 19. The film finds Graham Coxon, Damon Albarn, Alex James and Dave Rowntree set to perform together for the first time in nine years. Intimate new interviews recount the highs and lows of Blur: from Colchester to Goldsmiths, throughout the heady Britpop years and the band's headline return at Glastonbury and Hyde Park.
The live DVD concert film was filmed over two nights at Hyde Park in July 2009. The multi-camera edit was filmed in HD by Giorgio Testi for Pulse Films and features stereo and surround sound options.
TRACKLISTING
Disc 1;
No Distance Left To Run
A documentary film
Directors - Will Lovelace and Dylan Southern
Running Time - 98 mins
Disc 2;
Blur Live at Hyde Park
She's So High. Girls & Boys. Tracy Jacks. There's No Otherway. Jubilee. Bad Head. Beetlebum. Out of Time. Trimm Trab. Coffee and TV. Tender. Country House. Oily Water. Chemical World. Sunday Sunday. Parklife. End of the Century. To the End. This is a Low. Pop Scene. Advert. Song 2. Death of a Party. For Tomorrow. The Universal.
Director - Giorgio Testi
Running Time - 125 mins
Psychotropica
What a headfuck.I really do not know what this film is about, other than a doctor who is in the middle of testing an experimental titular drug called on a patient which results in painful nightmares, dreams and memories.
Considering the film has no budget whatsoever, the dream sequences do look really good. Taking a vibe from A Scanner Darkly, the scenes are sort of rotoscoped/animated.
The Nine Inch Nailsesque soundtrack by Rip/Torn is actually very good and fits the film perfectly. Rip/Torn performs the songs written and produced by Aeryn Suin, and it adds to the crazy visuals.
Psychotropica is a stylish homage to Brian De Palma and low budget filmmaking.
I have three copies of the film to give away. Email me your answer to this question.
Who is the director of the film?
This time next week, I will reveal the lucky winners.
Good luck.
Film Review with Robert Mann - All About Steve
All About Steve *½
Coming just a couple of weeks after a mediocre romantic comedy from the director of Two Weeks Notice and Miss Congeniality - Did You Hear About the Morgans? in case you don’t know what film I am talking about - we now have a mediocre romantic comedy from the producer of Two Weeks Notice and Miss Congeniality. All About Steve sees Sandra Bullock once again in romcom mode after last year’s hugely successful The Proposal and being joined by Bradley Cooper, once again in comedy mode after last year’s hugely successful The Hangover, although this film, having already been released in the states, did not perform nearly as well as either, finishing with about what Bullock’s last film took on its opening weekend at the box office, and less than the opening weekend for Cooper’s previous release. And, if reviews from across the pond are anything to go by, it is not hard to understand why, as All About Steve has been reported to be truly abysmal. Something which I can now confirm is an accurate assessment.
Invariably wearing her bright red go-go boots, Mary Horowitz (Sandra Bullock) is a crossword puzzle constructor whose mega-sized brain unfortunately ensures that she’s also a hopeless singleton. However, after a short-but-sweet blind date, Mary falls head over heels for handsome cable news cameraman Steve (Bradley Cooper). She’s convinces that Steve is ‘the one’, while Steve just thinks Mary is crazy. Determined to be with the man she thinks is her soulmate, Mary pursues Steve relentlessly as the travels the country covering news stories. Mary’s infatuation with Steve is encouraged by self-serving news reporter Hartman Hughes (Thomas Haden Church). But when Mary gets caught up in the news story of the year, both Steve and Hartman begin to see her differently…
All About Steve is a very bad film but the blame for this cannot be put onto its performers. Sandra Bullock is actually quite decent as Mary, bringing the character to life with a distinct kooky charm. Sure, her character is extremely irritating and we can really empathies with the people she frustrates along the way but, just like many of the characters in the film, we do kind of warm up to her as the film progresses. Bullock has a good love-hate (Mary loves Steve but Steve is terrified of Mary) kind of chemistry with co-star Bradley Cooper, whose reactions as Steve to Mary’s advances both seem very authentic and quite amusing. The chemistry between them continues to work pretty well as the dynamic changes to a more like-like kind of relationship, although in a slight change to the norm for this kind of film, romance is not in the air. Even Thomas Haden Church and Keith David (as Steve’s boss) are pretty amusing but despite the efforts of everyone, the material is just too weak to give them anything to really work with and their talents are ultimately wasted. Elsewhere, the film offers little of value. Lacking any wit, imagination or anything remotely smart, the film relies heavily on a lowbrow, although not crude, style of humour and the hit rate of the gags is extremely low. Apparent attempts at satire fail miserably and the use of the Jaws theme music to portray Steve’s horror whenever Mary appears is a misjudged and unimaginative attempt to create laughs, one that didn’t raise even a tiny giggle for me. There are a few gags that do hit the mark but when only two or three out of an entire film are laugh out loud moments and the funniest involves Mary falling into a hole in the ground and the event being watched over and over by Steve’s boss, you just know that the film is a dud. Frankly, much of the humour is just too cringe-worthy to work. So, overall, All About Steve is a comedy that does have its moments and shows the potential for what could have been something much better, but abysmal writing and direction means that the film is just not worth the price of a cinema ticket. Will you want to get your Steve on? I highly doubt it.
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Review by Robert Mann BA (Hons)
Coming just a couple of weeks after a mediocre romantic comedy from the director of Two Weeks Notice and Miss Congeniality - Did You Hear About the Morgans? in case you don’t know what film I am talking about - we now have a mediocre romantic comedy from the producer of Two Weeks Notice and Miss Congeniality. All About Steve sees Sandra Bullock once again in romcom mode after last year’s hugely successful The Proposal and being joined by Bradley Cooper, once again in comedy mode after last year’s hugely successful The Hangover, although this film, having already been released in the states, did not perform nearly as well as either, finishing with about what Bullock’s last film took on its opening weekend at the box office, and less than the opening weekend for Cooper’s previous release. And, if reviews from across the pond are anything to go by, it is not hard to understand why, as All About Steve has been reported to be truly abysmal. Something which I can now confirm is an accurate assessment.
Invariably wearing her bright red go-go boots, Mary Horowitz (Sandra Bullock) is a crossword puzzle constructor whose mega-sized brain unfortunately ensures that she’s also a hopeless singleton. However, after a short-but-sweet blind date, Mary falls head over heels for handsome cable news cameraman Steve (Bradley Cooper). She’s convinces that Steve is ‘the one’, while Steve just thinks Mary is crazy. Determined to be with the man she thinks is her soulmate, Mary pursues Steve relentlessly as the travels the country covering news stories. Mary’s infatuation with Steve is encouraged by self-serving news reporter Hartman Hughes (Thomas Haden Church). But when Mary gets caught up in the news story of the year, both Steve and Hartman begin to see her differently…
All About Steve is a very bad film but the blame for this cannot be put onto its performers. Sandra Bullock is actually quite decent as Mary, bringing the character to life with a distinct kooky charm. Sure, her character is extremely irritating and we can really empathies with the people she frustrates along the way but, just like many of the characters in the film, we do kind of warm up to her as the film progresses. Bullock has a good love-hate (Mary loves Steve but Steve is terrified of Mary) kind of chemistry with co-star Bradley Cooper, whose reactions as Steve to Mary’s advances both seem very authentic and quite amusing. The chemistry between them continues to work pretty well as the dynamic changes to a more like-like kind of relationship, although in a slight change to the norm for this kind of film, romance is not in the air. Even Thomas Haden Church and Keith David (as Steve’s boss) are pretty amusing but despite the efforts of everyone, the material is just too weak to give them anything to really work with and their talents are ultimately wasted. Elsewhere, the film offers little of value. Lacking any wit, imagination or anything remotely smart, the film relies heavily on a lowbrow, although not crude, style of humour and the hit rate of the gags is extremely low. Apparent attempts at satire fail miserably and the use of the Jaws theme music to portray Steve’s horror whenever Mary appears is a misjudged and unimaginative attempt to create laughs, one that didn’t raise even a tiny giggle for me. There are a few gags that do hit the mark but when only two or three out of an entire film are laugh out loud moments and the funniest involves Mary falling into a hole in the ground and the event being watched over and over by Steve’s boss, you just know that the film is a dud. Frankly, much of the humour is just too cringe-worthy to work. So, overall, All About Steve is a comedy that does have its moments and shows the potential for what could have been something much better, but abysmal writing and direction means that the film is just not worth the price of a cinema ticket. Will you want to get your Steve on? I highly doubt it.
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Review by Robert Mann BA (Hons)
Film Review with Robert Mann - The Book of Eli
The Book of Eli ****
Coming just one week after the reputedly brilliant post apocalyptic film The Road (which I didn’t get to see because no cinema anywhere near me was showing it), we have yet another post apocalyptic film hitting cinema screens. Yet, this one comes with rather different credentials. While The Road is among this year’s Oscar contenders, being a drama first and foremost, and one that has been winning rave reviews, The Book of Eli is being sold a more generic action thriller kind of film that does have some potentially Oscar worthy credentials in the form of leads Denzel Washington and Gary Oldman but is unlikely to draw much awards buzz due to the presence of directors The Hughes Brothers, whose last film From Hell received a rather poor reception, at the helm and trailers that make it look like littler more than a mindless, forgettable actioner. So, awards are definitely out of the question here, but does the film manage to deliver as a popcorn movie?
It’s the near future, and America has become a desolate wasteland. Armed with a shotgun, a samurai sword and his wits, Eli (Denzel Washington) arrives in a ramshackle Californian outpost, where the tyrannical Carnegie (Gary Oldman) rules with an iron fist. Eli befriends the beautiful Solara (Mila Kunis), Carnegie’s stepdaughter, and learns of Carnegie’s brutal plans to take control of the region. Eli has a book in his possession that Carnegie is determined to get his hands on, a book that could serve as either the ultimate tool in Carnegie’s quest for power or could be the salvation of mankind. Eli manages to escape the town and Carnegie’s clutches, and Solara follows him. However, Carnegie is still hot on their trail, and Eli must fight his way across the dangerous wastelands, travelling to the shattered ruins of San Francisco and to a climactic showdown. Here Eli must face his destiny - and its consequences for the future of humanity.
The Book of Eli is actually something of a revelation in that there is so much more to it than you would expect given the trailer’s focus on action over anything else. This isn’t to say that the film is a masterpiece because it most certainly isn’t or that it will attract any awards attention because it definitely won’t, style being very much predominant over substance, but there are certainly enough stylistic touches and surprises to make it not only a cut above the average post apocalyptic action thriller but also a very pleasant surprise in its own right. In terms of its visuals, the film looks very stylish, employing a drained colour palette - almost black and white but not quite - with a stark contract between black and white and colour as well as some quite beautiful symbolic imagery and excellent cinematography. The film’s realization of a post apocalyptic American desolated by nuclear warfare may not be wholly original, clearly borrowing from other post apocalyptic movies, but it is still very well done, putting across a huge sense of scale, creating a genuine feeling of despair and perfectly capturing the essence of what a world without hope would be like. From time to time certain stylistic touches do miss the mark, such as the unimaginative use of slow motion in the opening scene, but generally the film is quite impressive when it comes to visuals and it is clear that the Hughes Brothers do have a talent for creating impressive imagery. They also provide some very well shot and executed action sequences which provide some very good thrills but are perhaps the source of one of the things that lets the film down a little. The talent shown in the visuals is not quite reflected in the script, which throughout hints at the potential for something much deeper, the film seemingly aspiring to be much more than it is but not quite managing to do so. Despite strong religious undertones - Eli’s book is the Bible (don’t worry about me spoiling anything, it’s obvious from the start) - and plenty of opportunity for extended character development, none of the film’s themes are explored in any great detail and a number of the characters are not really that fleshed out, just being present and not much more. Nonetheless, though, the script does still have some strengths. Despite the depressing nature of the story, there are some quite humourous moments blended in, providing some light relief without seeming out of place and a late plot twist that completely changes everything we know about the protagonist, turning much of the film’s events on their heads, comes as a genuine, unexpected surprise and is almost worth a star in its own right, giving the film an edge that makes it more than the generic action thriller it could have been. The film is also well acted, even if the cast is a bit uneven. Denzel Washington is fantastic, combining grit, charisma and heartfelt emotion to create a tragic character who is sympathetic and generally well rounded. Gary Oldman hams it up as the villain for the first time since The Fifth Element and while he certainly won’t get any awards for his performance he still makes for a pretty good bad guy. As for the other players, Mila Kunis and Jennifer Beals (as Solara’s mother) are decent if unremarkable, Michael Gambon and Frances de la Tour are cast very against type as an old couple who have a rather distasteful means of survival, Ray Stevenson and Tom Waits are pretty good in limited roles and there is also a brief appearance by Malcolm McDowell. Overall, The Book of Eli is a film that won’t change your life or your perceptions about religion but it is a cut above many above post apocalyptic thrillers and one that you may take something from after leaving the cinema.
Coming just one week after the reputedly brilliant post apocalyptic film The Road (which I didn’t get to see because no cinema anywhere near me was showing it), we have yet another post apocalyptic film hitting cinema screens. Yet, this one comes with rather different credentials. While The Road is among this year’s Oscar contenders, being a drama first and foremost, and one that has been winning rave reviews, The Book of Eli is being sold a more generic action thriller kind of film that does have some potentially Oscar worthy credentials in the form of leads Denzel Washington and Gary Oldman but is unlikely to draw much awards buzz due to the presence of directors The Hughes Brothers, whose last film From Hell received a rather poor reception, at the helm and trailers that make it look like littler more than a mindless, forgettable actioner. So, awards are definitely out of the question here, but does the film manage to deliver as a popcorn movie?
It’s the near future, and America has become a desolate wasteland. Armed with a shotgun, a samurai sword and his wits, Eli (Denzel Washington) arrives in a ramshackle Californian outpost, where the tyrannical Carnegie (Gary Oldman) rules with an iron fist. Eli befriends the beautiful Solara (Mila Kunis), Carnegie’s stepdaughter, and learns of Carnegie’s brutal plans to take control of the region. Eli has a book in his possession that Carnegie is determined to get his hands on, a book that could serve as either the ultimate tool in Carnegie’s quest for power or could be the salvation of mankind. Eli manages to escape the town and Carnegie’s clutches, and Solara follows him. However, Carnegie is still hot on their trail, and Eli must fight his way across the dangerous wastelands, travelling to the shattered ruins of San Francisco and to a climactic showdown. Here Eli must face his destiny - and its consequences for the future of humanity.
The Book of Eli is actually something of a revelation in that there is so much more to it than you would expect given the trailer’s focus on action over anything else. This isn’t to say that the film is a masterpiece because it most certainly isn’t or that it will attract any awards attention because it definitely won’t, style being very much predominant over substance, but there are certainly enough stylistic touches and surprises to make it not only a cut above the average post apocalyptic action thriller but also a very pleasant surprise in its own right. In terms of its visuals, the film looks very stylish, employing a drained colour palette - almost black and white but not quite - with a stark contract between black and white and colour as well as some quite beautiful symbolic imagery and excellent cinematography. The film’s realization of a post apocalyptic American desolated by nuclear warfare may not be wholly original, clearly borrowing from other post apocalyptic movies, but it is still very well done, putting across a huge sense of scale, creating a genuine feeling of despair and perfectly capturing the essence of what a world without hope would be like. From time to time certain stylistic touches do miss the mark, such as the unimaginative use of slow motion in the opening scene, but generally the film is quite impressive when it comes to visuals and it is clear that the Hughes Brothers do have a talent for creating impressive imagery. They also provide some very well shot and executed action sequences which provide some very good thrills but are perhaps the source of one of the things that lets the film down a little. The talent shown in the visuals is not quite reflected in the script, which throughout hints at the potential for something much deeper, the film seemingly aspiring to be much more than it is but not quite managing to do so. Despite strong religious undertones - Eli’s book is the Bible (don’t worry about me spoiling anything, it’s obvious from the start) - and plenty of opportunity for extended character development, none of the film’s themes are explored in any great detail and a number of the characters are not really that fleshed out, just being present and not much more. Nonetheless, though, the script does still have some strengths. Despite the depressing nature of the story, there are some quite humourous moments blended in, providing some light relief without seeming out of place and a late plot twist that completely changes everything we know about the protagonist, turning much of the film’s events on their heads, comes as a genuine, unexpected surprise and is almost worth a star in its own right, giving the film an edge that makes it more than the generic action thriller it could have been. The film is also well acted, even if the cast is a bit uneven. Denzel Washington is fantastic, combining grit, charisma and heartfelt emotion to create a tragic character who is sympathetic and generally well rounded. Gary Oldman hams it up as the villain for the first time since The Fifth Element and while he certainly won’t get any awards for his performance he still makes for a pretty good bad guy. As for the other players, Mila Kunis and Jennifer Beals (as Solara’s mother) are decent if unremarkable, Michael Gambon and Frances de la Tour are cast very against type as an old couple who have a rather distasteful means of survival, Ray Stevenson and Tom Waits are pretty good in limited roles and there is also a brief appearance by Malcolm McDowell. Overall, The Book of Eli is a film that won’t change your life or your perceptions about religion but it is a cut above many above post apocalyptic thrillers and one that you may take something from after leaving the cinema.
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Review by Robert Mann BA (Hons)
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