Categories
Behind The Scenes Interesting

Visual Effects in 2012

2012 was the cheesy, expensive disaster movie that came out last year (and has since been a huge international hit) but if you ever wondered how the visual effects wizards created the end of the world so convincingly, then check out these videos.

Categories
Awards Season News

DGA Nominations

The nominees for this year’s DGA Awards have been announced and they are:

It is seems highly likely that this will be the final five for the Oscars next month.

> Director’s Guild of America
> Find out more about the DGA at Wikipedia

Categories
Awards Season News

BAFTA Long List

The official long list of the BAFTAs was announced today, with An Education leading the field with 17 mentions.

Other films with quite a few nominations include Inglourious Basterds (15 mentions), The Hurt Locker (12 mentions), Avatar (11 mentions and The Lovely Bones (11 mentions).

Perhaps the suprising underdog of the pack – given the lack of US awards heat – is Moon which received 10 mentions, including the big categories of Best film, director and actor.

The process involves around 6000 members of BAFTA who vote in three rounds to decide the winners at the Orange British Academy Film Awards on February 21st.

The long list is the result of Round One voting, which whittles down eligible films down to fifteen in each category.

Round Two voting will then reduce these fifteen contenders down to the final five nominees which will be announced on Thursday 21st January at BAFTA HQ in London.

The asterisks below show the top 5 (or in certain cases 6) voted by each chapter of the Academy in this first round. (Have a listen to my interview with BAFTA’s Amanda Berry from 2008 for further details on how the voting system works).

As ever with BAFTA watch out for delayed releases (Gran Torino is a 2008 film which Warner Bros couldn’t be bothered to screen in time for last year’s deadlines) and the British bias (Carey Mulligan and Colin Firth seem like slam-dunks to win in their respective categories – not that they aren’t deserving, but there is something a little parochial when BAFTA voters go for the ‘home vote’).

Here is the long list in full:

BEST FILM
Avatar
District 9
An Education
Gran Torino
The Hurt Locker
Inglourious Basterds
Invictus
Moon
Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire
The Road
A Serious Man
A Single Man
Star Trek
Up
Up in the Air

DIRECTOR
Avatar *
Bright Star
District 9 *
An Education *
Fish Tank
Gran Torino
The Hurt Locker *
Inglourious Basterds
Invictus
Moon
Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire
A Prophet *
A Serious Man
Up
Up in the Air

LEADING ACTOR
Aaron Johnson (John Lennon) – Nowhere Boy
Andy Serkis (Ian Dury) – Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll *
Ben Whishaw (John Keats) – Bright Star
Brad Pitt (Lt. Aldo Raine) – Inglourious Basterds
Clint Eastwood (Walt Kowalski) – Gran Torino
Colin Firth (George) – A Single Man *
George Clooney (Ryan Bingham) – Up in the Air *
Jeff Bridges (Bad Blake) – Crazy Heart
Jeremy Renner (SSgt. William James) – The Hurt Locker *
Michael Sheen (Brian Clough) – The Damned United
Morgan Freeman (Nelson Mandela) – Invictus *
Peter Capaldi (Malcolm Tucker) – In the Loop
Peter Sarsgaard (David) – An Education
Sam Rockwell (Sam Bell) – Moon
Viggo Mortensen (Man) – The Road

LEADING ACTRESS
Abbie Cornish (Fanny Brawne) – Bright Star *
Amy Adams (Julie Powell) – Julie & Julia
Audrey Tautou (Gabrielle ‘Coco’ Chanel) – Coco Before Chanel
Carey Mulligan (Jenny) – An Education *
Emily Blunt (Queen Victoria) – The Young Victoria
Gabourey Sidibe (Precious) – Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire *
Helen Mirren (Sofya Tolstoy) – The Last Station
Katie Jarvis (Mia) – Fish Tank
Maggie Gyllenhaal (Jean Craddock) – Crazy Heart
Marion Cotillard (Luisa Contini) – Nine
Melanie Laurent (Shosanna Dreyfus) – Inglourious Basterds
Meryl Streep (Jane) – It’s Complicated
Meryl Streep (Julia Child) – Julie & Julia *
Penelope Cruz (Lena) – Broken Embraces
Saoirse Ronan (Susie Salmon) – The Lovely Bones *

SUPPORTING ACTOR
Aaron Wolff (Danny Gopnik) – A Serious Man
Alan Rickman (Professor Severus Snape) – Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
Alec Baldwin (Jake) – It’s Complicated
Alfred Molina (Jack) – An Education *
Anthony Mackie (Sgt. JT Sanborn) – The Hurt Locker
Brian Geraghty (Specialist Owen Eldridge) – The Hurt Locker
Christian McKay (Orson Welles) – Me and Orson Welles *
Christoph Waltz (Col. Landa) – Inglourious Basterds *
Christopher Plummer (Leo Tolstoy) – The Last Station *
Dominic Cooper (Danny) – An Education
Matt Damon (Francois Pienaar) – Invictus
Stanley Tucci (Mr Harvey) – The Lovely Bones *
Stanley Tucci (Paul Child) – Julie & Julia
Timothy Spall (Peter Taylor) – The Damned United
Zachary Quinto (Spock) – Star Trek

SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Anna Kendrick (Natalie Keener) – Up in the Air
Anne-Marie Duff (Julia) – Nowhere Boy *
Claire Danes (Sonja Jones) – Me and Orson Welles
Diane Kruger (Bridget von Hammersmark) – Inglourious Basterds
Emma Thompson (Headmistress) – An Education
Julianne Moore (Charley) – A Single Man *
Kristin Scott Thomas (Mimi) – Nowhere Boy *
Mariah Carey (Mrs Weiss) – Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire
Mo’Nique (Mary) – Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire *
Olivia Williams (Miss Stubbs) – An Education
Penelope Cruz (Carla) – Nine
Rachel Weisz (Abigail Salmon) – The Lovely Bones
Rosamund Pike (Helen) – An Education *
Susan Sarandon (Grandma Lynn) – The Lovely Bones
Vera Farmiga (Alex Goran) – Up in the Air

ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
Crazy Heart
The Damned United
District 9 *
An Education *
Fantastic Mr Fox
In the Loop *
Invictus
Let the Right One In *
The Lovely Bones
Me and Orson Welles
Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire *
The Road
A Single Man
Star Trek
Up in the Air *

ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
Avatar
Bright Star
Broken Embraces
Fish Tank
Gran Torino
The Hangover
The Hurt Locker *
Inglourious Basterds *
It’s Complicated
Moon *
Nowhere Boy
A Prophet
A Serious Man *
Up *
The Young Victoria

MAKE UP & HAIR
Avatar
Bright Star *
Coco Before Chanel *
District 9
An Education *
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus *
Inglourious Basterds
Julie & Julia
Me and Orson Welles
Nine
Nowhere Boy
The Road
Star Trek
The Young Victoria *

SPECIAL VISUAL EFFECTS
2012 *
Avatar *
District 9 *
Fantastic Mr Fox
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince *
The Hurt Locker
The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus
Inglourious Basterds
The Lovely Bones
Moon
The Road
Star Trek *
Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen
Watchmen
Where the Wild Things Are

SOUND
Avatar *
District 9 *
An Education
Fantastic Mr Fox
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
The Hurt Locker *
Inglourious Basterds
The Lovely Bones
Moon
Nine
Nowhere Boy
The Road
Star Trek *
Up *
Where the Wild Things Are

EDITING
Avatar *
Bright Star
District 9 *
An Education
The Hurt Locker *
Inglourious Basterds *
The Lovely Bones
Moon
Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire
The Road
A Serious Man
A Single Man
Star Trek
Up
Up in the Air *

COSTUME DESIGN
Avatar
Bright Star *
Coco Before Chanel *
District 9
An Education *
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus
Inglourious Basterds
Me and Orson Welles
Nine
Nowhere Boy
Sherlock Holmes
A Single Man *
Star Trek
The Young Victoria *

PRODUCTION DESIGN
Avatar
Bright Star *
Coco Before Chanel
District 9 *
An Education
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince *
The Hurt Locker
The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus *
Inglourious Basterds
The Lovely Bones
Moon
The Road
Sherlock Holmes *
A Single Man
Star Trek

CINEMATOGRAPHY
Avatar *
Bright Star *
Coco Before Chanel
District 9
An Education
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
The Hurt Locker *
Inglourious Basterds *
The Lovely Bones
Moon
The Road
A Serious Man *
A Single Man
Star Trek
Up in the Air

ANIMATED FILM
Coraline *
Disney’s A Christmas Carol
Fantastic Mr Fox *
Ice Age 3: Dawn of the Dinosaurs
Up *

MUSIC
Avatar *
Bright Star
Coraline *
Crazy Heart *
An Education
Fantastic Mr Fox *
The Hurt Locker
Inglourious Basterds
The Lovely Bones
Moon *
Nine
Nowhere Boy
Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll
Up *
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

Official BAFTA site
> Interview with BAFTA chief executive Amanda Berry from 2008

Categories
Cinema Interviews Podcast

Interview: Joe Penhall on The Road

Joe Penhall is the screenwriter of The Road, the new film adaptation of the best selling novel by Cormac McCarthy.

Set in a post-apocalyptic world, it depicts the journey of a father (Viggo Mortensen) and son (Kodi Smit-McPhee) as they struggle to stay alive in an America which has descended into savagery after an unspecified environmental and social collapse.

Directed by John Hillcoat, who made the gritty Australian western The Proposition (2005), it premiered at the Venice film festival last September and is eagerly awaited by many as the book won the Pulitzer prize for fiction, was endorsed by Oprah Winfrey and went on to become an unlikely bestseller.

Joe came to prominence as a playwright with Blue/Orange and later penned the screenplay for Enduring Love (2004) before being given the onerous task of translating the horrors and emotions of the novel into a film.

I spoke with him in London recently about the film and you can listen to the interview here:

[audio:http://filmdetail.receptionmedia.com/Joe_Penhall_on_The_Road.mp3]

You can download this interview as a podcast via iTunes by clicking here

The Road is out at UK cinemas on Friday

Download the interview as an MP3 file
Official UK site for The Road
Joe Penhall at the IMDb
> Read my review of the film
Find out more about Cormac McCarthy and the novel at Wikipedia

 

Categories
Amusing

James Cameron’s Pocahontas

Someone has done a quick rewrite of Disney’s version of the Pocahontas story with some Avatar influenced notes.

(Click the image for a larger version)

Categories
Festivals Interesting

Jeffrey Blitz talks about his new documentary Lucky

Jeffrey Blitz is the director of Spellbound (2002), Rocket Science (2007) and the upcoming documentary Lucky, which screens at the Sundance film festival later this month.

Categories
Posters

Alternative Pulp Fiction Poster

If the Criterion Collection ever do a release of Pulp Fiction then they could do a lot worse than use this poster by Ibraheem Youssef on the cover.

Categories
Amusing Random

The Shatner Khan Meme

I have to confess that the whole internet meme based around William Shatner screaming the name of the villain in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan kind of passed me by until now.

But Shatner’s overacting and the ‘pleasured’ look on the face of Ricardo Montalban are hilarious.

> Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan at Wikipedia
> YTMND Khan page

Categories
Images

Twilight stars Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart pose with UK fan

Twilight stars Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart recently posed with a UK fan outside a supermarket.

What’s nice about these photos is not only the time the two stars took out to pose with a fan, but the fact that a young girl with a camera phone managed to get pictures that a photo agency would envy.

The fact that it is also outside a Somerfield supermarket (not the most glamorous of retail establishments) makes it all the more charming.

UPDATE: Apparently, it was in Ventnor on the Isle of Wight (possibly this branch).

[Photos via Robsessed and Robstenlove and Simon Thompson (@ShowbizSimon) on Twitter]

> Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart at the IMDb
> Find out more about the Twilight films at Wikipedia

Categories
Cinema

UK Cinema Releases: Friday 1st January 2010

NATIONAL RELEASES

Did You Hear About The Morgans? (Sony): A romantic comedy about an estranged couple (Hugh Grant and Sarah Jessica Parker) who witness a murder in New York and get relocated to small-town Wyoming as part of a witness-protection program.

Directed by Marc Lawrence, this looks to be in the mould of his previous collaborations with Grant (Two Weeks Notice, Music and Lyrics), which basically means it’s aimed at less-than-discerning female audiences. The negative reviews and poor US box office suggest that it will not be regarded as one of the defining films of the new decade. [Nationwide / Cert 12A]

Post Grad (20th Century Fox): A comedy about a college graduate (Alexis Bledel) who has to move back in with her family, while she attempts to find a job and the right guy.

Directed by Vicky Jenson, it co-stars Carol BurnettZach GilfordMichael KeatonJane Lynch, and Rodrigo Santoro. It bombed in the US and received fairly negative reviews which is why Fox is probably releasing it now whilst people are watching films like Avatar, Sherlock Holmes and Alvin and the Chipmunks 2. [Nationwide / Cert 12A]

Spread (Optimum Releasing): A sex comedy starring Aston Kutcher as a serial womaniser who screws around a lot in LA. Directed byDavid Mackenzie, it co-stars Anne Heche and Margarita Levieva.

It died a box office death in the US last August (grossing just over $250,000) which suggests that Kutcher’s four million-plus followers on Twitter didn’t make the trip to see it. [Odeon Covent Gdn., Vue West End & Nationwide / Cert 15]

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ALSO OUT

I’m Gonna Explode (Artificial Eye): A Mexican film about teenage angst which sees a young man (Juan Pablo de Santiago) go on a road trip with an equally rebellious girl (Maria Deschamps). Directed by Gerardo Naranjo, it could do respectable arthouse business if word of mouth gets around. [Renoir & Key Cities / Cert 15]

Get local cinema showtimes for your area via Google Movies
UK DVD & Blu-ray picks for this week including District 9 and The Hurt Locker

Categories
Cinema

UK Cinema Releases: January 2010

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FRIDAY 1st JANUARY

Did You Hear About The Morgans? (PG) / Sony Pictures
Post Grad (12A) / 20th Century Fox
Spread (15) / Optimum
I’m Gonna Explode (15) / Artificial Eye
Tokyo Story (U) (R/I) / BFI

TUESDAY 5th JANUARY

It Might Get Loud (PG) / Blue Dolphin

FRIDAY 8th JANUARY

Daybreakers (15) / Lionsgate UK
Exam (15) / Hazeldine Films/Miracle
It’s Complicated (15) / Universal
Mugabe and the White African / Dogwoof
Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll (15) / Entertainment
The Road (15) / Icon

FRIDAY 15th JANUARY

44 Inch Chest (18) / Momentum Pictures
All About Steve (12A) / 20th Century Fox
Crude / Dogwoof
The Book of Eli (15) / Entertainment
Up In The Air (15) / Paramount
Still Walking (U) / New Wave Films

FRIDAY 22nd JANUARY

A Prophet (18) / Optimum
Armored (12A) / Sony
Brothers (15) / Lionsgate UK
The Boys Are Back (12A) / Walt Disney
Toy Story 2 3D (U) / Walt Disney
Blur: No Distance Left To Run / Arts Alliance
Burlesque Undressed (15) / More2Screen
Ninja Assassin (18) / Warner Bros.
Veer / Eros

FRIDAY 29th JANUARY

Adoration (15) / New Wave Films
Edge of Darkness / Icon
Precious: A Novel by Sapphire (15) / Icon
The Princess And The Frog (U) / Walt Disney
Breathless / Terracotta Distribution
Late Autumn (PG) / bfi Distribution

Keep a look out every Friday for a breakdown of the weekly releases with more detail on each film.

If you have any questions about this month’s cinema releases or any upcoming titles then just email me or leave a comment below.

Get local showtimes via Google Movies (just enter your local postcode)
Find out about films showing near you at MyFilms

Categories
Random

Merry New Year!

Categories
Cinema Lists

The Best Films of the 2000s

Here are the films of the last decade that really struck me as the best of the best.

I’m sure there are a few here and there that I might have missed but if some come back to me I’ll update it.

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

What about you? Leave your favourites from the decade in the comments below.

Find out more about the films of 2009 at Wikipedia
Check out more end of decade lists at Metacritic
> Have a look at the Movie City News end of year critics chart
Check out our best DVD and Blu-ray releases of 2009

Categories
Cinema Lists

The Best Films of 2009

As usual my best films of the year are presented in alphabetical order and in the interests of brevity I’ve decided to make the descriptions shorter so I can post each one on Twitter.

THE BEST FILMS OF 2009

A Prophet (Dir. Jacques Audiard): A stunning French prison drama with grit, style, humour and killer performances from Tahar Rahim and Niels Arestrup.

A Serious Man (Dir. The Coen Brothers): This sly re-working of the Book of Job was arguably the finest film of the Coen Brothers distinguished career.

Adventureland (Dir. Greg Mottola): A coming-of-age drama which defiantly proved that movies featuring teenagers can be funny, moving and smart.

Avatar (Dir. James Cameron): The dialogue creaked but Cameron returned with a dazzling sci-fi experience and took cinema visuals into a new world.

In the Loop (Dir. Armando Ianucci): The joyous foul-mouthed wit of this political satire was only matched by the intelligence of its observations on modern politics.

Inglourious Basterds (Dir. Quentin Tarantino): A cinematic mash up of WW2 movies and spaghetti westerns saw Tarantino return to form with a bang.

Sin Nombre (Dir. Cary Fukunaga): This beautifully shot immigration drama featured some fine performances and heralded a new talent in director Cary Joji Fukunaga.

The Hurt Locker (Dir. Kathryn Bigelow): A pulsating and provocative examination of a US bomb squad in Iraq that may come to be a defining film of the conflict.

The Road (Dir. John Hillcoat): Cormac McCarthy’s parable of a book came to the screen with admirable levels of emotion, horror and realism.

The White Ribbon (Dir. Michael Haneke): A stunning examination of a German village beset by mysterious cruelties which became a telling meditation on the roots of Nazism.

Up (Dir. Pete Doctor): Pixar triumph again with this lovingly rendered tale of the young and the old learning from one another on a unique balloon trip.

Up in the Air (Dir. Jason Reitman): A skillful comedy-drama that was both funny and thoughtful, featured a terrific performance from George Clooney.

HONOURABLE MENTIONS

A Single Man (Dir. Tom Ford)
An Education (Dir. Lone Scherfig)
Broken Embraces (Dir. Pedro Almodóvar)
Coraline (Dir. Henry Selick)
35 Shots of Rum (Dir. Claire Denis)
District 9 (Dir. Neill Blomkamp)
Moon (Dir. Duncan Jones)
Star Trek (Dir. JJ Abrams)
The Cove (Dir. Louie Psihoyos)
Fish Tank (Dir. Andrea Arnold)
Where The Wild Things Are (Dir. Spike Jonze)

FROM 2008

Encounters at the End of the World (Dir. Werner Herzog)
Two Lovers (Dir. James Gray)
Il Divo (Dir: Paolo Sorrentino)
Mid-August Lunch (Dir. Gianni di Gregorio)

What about you? Leave your favourites from this year in the comments below.

> Find out more about the films of 2009 at Wikipedia
> Check out more end of year lists at Metacritic
> Have a look at the Movie City News end of year critics chart
> Check out our best DVD and Blu-ray releases of 2009

Categories
blu-ray DVD & Blu-ray

UK DVD & Blu-ray: District 9

District 9 is a sci-fi drama about aliens stranded in South Africa which became one of the surprise hits of the year with its clever mix of action, politics and dazzling SFX.

After being recruited to do the aborted Halo movie by Peter Jackson, director Neill Blomkamp revived a short film of his which was a science-fiction thriller where stranded alien refugees are exiled to a slum in Johannesburg.

The story explores what happens to a South African bureaucrat (Sharlto Copley) assigned to relocate the creatures, derogatorily referred to as “prawns”, after he is infected with a strange liquid.

A combination of many alien films and TV shows from Alien Nation, V and even Independence Day, it mixes political allegory with a more conventional thriller narrative.

Copley gives a strong performance in the central role and the visual realisation of the aliens is stunning with the designs coming from WETA Workshop and effects by Image Engine.

Funded by QED, it was picked up by Sony who did a shrewd marketing campaign and achieved one of the summers genuine breakthrough hits, without any recognisable stars, a first time director and working from little known source material.

In a year of overblown and tedious sci-fi/action fare such as Transformers 2 and GI: Joe, this was a breath of fresh air.

The extras on the DVD and Blu-ray are as follows:

DVD

  • 1.85:1 Anamorphic Widescreen
  • English DD5.1 Surround
  • English Audio Description Track
  • English HOH and Hindi subtitles
  • Director’s Commentary
  • The Alien Agenda: A Filmmaker’s Log Three-Part Documentary
  • Deleted Scenes

Blu-ray Disc

Coded for all regions (A, B and C), extras are presented in HD. The transfer on the Blu-ray looks fantastic and is one of the best presented discs I have seen all year in terms of picture quality. Features include:

  • 1080P 1.85:1 Widescreen
  • English and French 5.1 DTS-HD MA
  • English Audio Description Track
  • English*, English HOH, French and Hindi subtitles (*also on extras)
  • Director’s Commentary
  • The Alien Agenda: A Filmmaker’s Log Three-Part Documentary
  • Deleted Scenes
  • BD Exclusives:
  • BD-Live: movieIQ & cinechat
  • Featurette: “Metamorphosis: The Transformation of Wikus”
  • Featurette: “Innovation: The Acting and Improvisation of District 9”
  • Featurette: “Conception and Design: Creating the World of District 9”
  • Featurette: “Alien Generation: The Visual Effects of District 9”
  • Joburg from Above: Satellite and Schematics of the World of District 9” – Interactive Map

> Buy District 9 on DVD or Blu-ray from Amazon UK
> District 9 at the IMDb
> Official site

Categories
blu-ray DVD & Blu-ray

UK DVD & Blu-ray: The Hurt Locker

The Hurt Locker succeeds brilliantly where many films about the Iraq War have failed by examining the tense details of life in a bomb disposal unit.

Directed by Kathryn Bigelow from a script by journalist Mark Boal (based on his experiences as a reporter embedded with troops), it portrays a group of soldiers who have to disarm IEDs (improvised explosive devices) in the heat of combat.

The story begins with a new sergeant (Jeremy Renner) taking over a highly trained disposal team and the tension that arises with his two subordinates, Sanborn (Anthony Mackie) and Eldridge (Brian Geraghty) as they fear his fearless attitude is endangering their lives.

Unlike the half-hearted hand-wringing that has characterised some of the films dealing with the war on terror, this plunges us deep into the anxiety and chaos of warfare.

But the clever twist of The Hurt Locker is that it steers clear of war movie clichés: the enemy is often hidden and faceless; sequences are agonisingly teased out; death is lurking everywhere; combat is a powerful drug that affects soldiers in different ways.

Bigelow wisely recruited cinematographer Barry Ackroyd to give the film a captivating, hand-held look which is reminiscent of his work on Paul Greengrass’ United 93.

As a director it is a welcome return to form and combines the energy and thrills of her best work with an attention to detail that pays of handsomely in several memorable sequences.

Since premièring at the Venice film festival back in 2008 it has deservedly reaped rave reviews and will be a leading contender at the upcoming Oscars.

The DVD and Blu-ray Disc come with the following extras:

  • Behind the Scenes (12mins)
  • Interviews with cast and crew (12mins)
  • BD Exclusive: Photo Gallery
  • BD Exclusive: Backstage (13mins)

> Buy The Hurt Locker on DVD or Blu-ray from Amazon
> Listen to my interview with Kathryn Bigelow and Mark Boal about the film

Categories
blu-ray DVD & Blu-ray

UK DVD & Blu-ray Releases: Tuesday 28th December 2009

DVD & BLU-RAY PICKS

District 9 (Sony): A sci-fi drama about aliens landing in South Africa  featuring no stars and an unknown  director became one of the surprise hits of the year with a clever mix of action, politics and dazzling SFX. [Click here for the full review]

The Hurt Locker (Lionsgate/Optimum): One of the most acclaimed films of the decade was this tense drama about a bomb disposal unit in Iraq, directed by Kathryn Bigelow from a script by journalist Mark Boal. [Click here for the full review]

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ALSO OUT

1941 (Universal) [Buy on DVD]
A Dangerous Man (Optimum) [Buy on DVD]
Darker Than Black Vols 5 & 6 (Manga) [Buy on DVD]
Family Guy: Something, Something, Something, Darkside (Fox) [Buy on Import DVD]
Kitaro and the Millennium Curse (Manga) [Buy on DVD]
Kitaro Movie (Manga) [Buy on DVD]
Law & Order: Criminal Intent Season 4 (Universal Playback)
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Season 10 (Universal Playback)
Life Season 2 (Universal Playback) [Buy on DVD]
Misfits Series 1 (4DVD) [Buy on DVD]
The Final Destination (EIV) [Buy on DVD / Buy on Blu-ray]
The Gold Diggers (BFI) [Buy on DVD]

> The Best DVD and Blu-ray releases of 2009
> UK cinema releases for 2009

Categories
Amusing Interesting

Peter Sellars does English accents

Whilst filming Dr Strangelove Peter Sellars did this press interview on the phone with a US outlet and demonstrated his incredible mastery of British accents.

Categories
Cinema Thoughts

Sherlock Holmes

The latest big screen adaptation of the famous London detective is a mixed bag that tries to reinterpret the character as a Victorian-era James Bond.

When the news broke that Guy Ritchie was directing a new big budget film based on Arthur Conan Doyle‘s character, alarm bells began to ring. He broke through in the late 90s as a director of passable cockney gangster films such as Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels (1998) and Snatch (2000).

But he then he went on to direct two of the most embarrassing disasters of the decade: Swept Away (2002) was a laughable remake of an Italian film with his famous wife in the lead role, whilst Revolver (2005) was an impenetrable gangster drama which involved Jason Statham arguing with himself in a lift and Ray Liotta shouting in his underpants.

After teaming up with producer Joel Silver for the average but not disastrous RockNRolla (2008), he was entrusted with bringing Holmes to the big screen after some eagle-eyed person had spotted the copyright on the famous character was due to expire.

The imaginatively titled Sherlock Holmes is the final result and opts for a different take on the popular perception of Holmes. Gone is the suave, elegant figure that featured in Sidney Paget’s original illustrations or Basil Rathbone’s performances on film.

Instead Ritchie has opted for a less clean cut figure, who even indulges in bare knuckle boxing although they have preserved his penetrating intelligence and wit.

The story sees Holmes (Robert Downey Jnr) and Watson (Jude Law) trying to solve a conspiracy by a secret society (based on the Freemasons) which involves a villainous Lord (Mark Strong) and an old girlfriend (Rachel McAdams).

It plays a little like Holmes rewritten by Dan Brown (The Da Vinci Holmes anyone?) but the screenplay by Michael Robert Johnson, Anthony Peckham and Simon Kinberg doesn’t deviate as much from the stories as fans might have feared.

On the plus side, Downey and Law are actually well cast in the leading roles and have a nice chemistry together, even if a little too much innuendo is implied with regards to their relationship.

The film largely rests on Downey who manages to convince and engage as an intelligent action man with a passable British accent, even though his pronunciation at times is a little curious.

Strong makes for a reasonable, if one dimensional villain, although McAdams is badly miscast and Kelly Reilly (as Watson’s love interest) is also given a wafer-thin role that does little justice to her talent as an actress.

Victorian London is recreated with a clever mix of set design and CGI, although there are sequences (especially the climax on Tower Bridge) where it doesn’t fully work and comes across like an overblown computer game.

Another downside is that Ritchie can’t help himself when it comes to his trademark ‘slowing-down and then speeded up’ editing style. This is employed whenever key plot or character points are explained and soon becomes irritating.

The script also has the feel of being re-written several times in order to spell out key plot points.

This doesn’t hide some glaring inconsistencies (including one death sequence that is ludicrous in retrospect) but given that Holmes’ favoured method (imitated by many fictional detectives since such as Poirot and Columbo) is to explain how he solved problems, it probably won’t jar audiences too much.

To be fair, Ritchie’s Sherlock Holmes isn’t quite as bad as one might have feared, which isn’t exactly a ringing endorsement but indicates that there is a possible franchise ahead for Downey as the pipe smoking detective.

Categories
Cinema

UK Cinema Releases: Saturday 26th December 2009

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NATIONAL RELEASES

Sherlock Holmes (Warner Bros.): After the copyright expired on the famous detective, Hollywood studios scrambled to make a big screen adaptation and this version sees Holmes (Robert Downey Jr.) and his stalwart partner Watson (Jude Law) engage in a battle of wits and brawn with a nemesis (Mark Strong) whose has a fiendish plot.

Although the words ‘directed by Guy Ritchie’ can strike fear into the heart of any self-respecting film lover, box office prospects for this look pretty good, despite competition from Avatar and mixed reviews. [Nationwide / 12A]

Nowhere Boy (Icon): The feature film debut of artist Sam Taylor Wood explores the teenage years of John Lennon (Aaron Johnson) and how they laid the groundwork for his future career as one of The Beatles.

Although by no means flawless, the film does a good job of laying out the drama in Lennon’s early life and Johnson does a decent job filling the daunting shoes of Lennon. Supporting performances (especially Kristin Scott-Thomas and Anne Marie-Duff) are very good and the period detail is nicely evoked. [Nationwide / 15]

Alvin & The Chipmunks: The Squeakuel (20th Century Fox): The sequel to the 2007 live-action/CGI comedy and featurs the voices of Zachary LeviDavid CrossWendie Malick, and Jason Lee. This film features Alvin and the Chipmunks and their female counterparts, The Chipettes.

Directed by Betty Thomas, it should take a healthy bite out of the Christmas box office as it was released a few days ago and is one of the most family friendly films on release. [Nationwide / PG]

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ALSO OUT

My Father My Lord (Artificial Eye): A belated UK release for this 2007 Israeli film about a rabbi, his wife and their child. Directed by David Volach, it stars Nitsam Bar, Assi Dayan and IIan Griff. [Renoir & selected Key Cities / PG]

The Queen Of Spades (Optimum Releasing/ICO): A digital reissue for this classic supernatural drama directed by Thorold Dickinson (best known for directing Gaslight). Not seen in British cinemas since its original release in 1949, it is a theatrical taster for its release on DVD in the new year. [Curzon Mayfair, Phoenix East Finchley & Key Cities / PG]

Dogging: A Love Story (Vertigo Films): A British drama about Geordies having anonymous sex in car parks. Directed by Simon Ellis, it stars Luke Treadaway and Kate Heppell.  [Key Cities / 18]

3 Idiots (Reliance MediaWorks): An Indian Bollywood film directed by Rajkumar Hirani, starring Aamir KhanR. MadhavanSharman JoshiKareena Kapoor, and Boman Irani. Intriguingly it will also get released on YouTube three months after its theatrical release. [Cineworlds Feltham, Shaftesbury Ave, Vue G / 12A]

Get local cinema showtimes for your area via Google Movies
UK cinema releases for December 2009
UK DVD & Blu-ray picks for 2009

Categories
Posters

The Dark Knight vs Inception

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The newly released poster for Christopher Nolan’s Inception is a little similar to one of the Joker one sheets for The Dark Knight.

Is it a deliberate ploy by Warner Bros marketing to remind people that the films share the same director? Or has someone run out of ideas?

More to the point, why not reference that cool spinning top thing on the official website?

Categories
TV

Films on TV over Christmas

Christmas TV Film Guide

* UPDATE: For a list of films on TV over Christmas 2010 click here *

There are a lot of films on TV over Christmas, so if you are in the UK and plan to eat, drink and watch a few over the festive period, here are my picks.

SATURDAY 19th DECEMBER

SUNDAY 20th DECEMBER

MONDAY 21st DECEMBER

TUESDAY 22nd DECEMBER

WEDNESDAY 23rd DECEMBER

THURSDAY 24th DECEMBER

  • Gilda (1946) 02.10am, BBC2

FRIDAY 25th DECEMBER

THURSDAY 26th DECEMBER

SUNDAY 27th DECEMBER

MONDAY 28th DECEMBER

TUESDAY 29th DECEMBER

THURSDAY 31st DECEMBER

FRIDAY 1st JANUARY

*Don’t forget to check out details about the Orson Welles season *

Categories
Cinema

UK Cinema Releases: Friday 18th December 2009

UK Cinema Releases 18-12-09

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NATIONAL RELEASES

Avatar (20th Century Fox): Director James Cameron’s sci-fi epic is finally here. Set in 2154, the story is about a paraplegic war veteran (Sam Worthington) who travels to the distant planet in order to understand and become part of the native humanoid race, which is at odds with human settlers who want to mine the planet for precious minerals. Co-starring Sigourney Weaver, Zoe Saldana and Stephen Lang, it breaks new ground with some extraordinary visual effects, innovative use of 3D and a surprisingly subversive story line.

Given the enormous cost of the production (reportedly around the $300 million mark) Fox will be anxious but given the positive buzz and critical praise since it premièred in London last week, they can be hopeful for a huge gross over the Christmas period as the must-see factor really kicks in. [Nationwide / 12A]

* Read my longer thoughts on Avatar here *

Nine (Entertainment): A famous film director (Daniel Day Lewis) struggles to find harmony in his professional and personal lives, as he engages in dramatic relationships with his wife (Marion Cotillard), his mistress (Penélope Cruz), his muse (Nicole Kidman), his costume designer (Judi Dench), a journalist (Kate Hudson), a prostitute (Fergie) and his mother (Sophia Loren).

Directed by Rob Marshall, The Weinstein Company were hoping that this musical with an all-star cast would deliver awards season glory, the mixed reviews may hinder the box office appeal. Entertainment are the UK distributor and they are going for a platform release, showing it exclusively at the Odeon West End in London for a week and then rolling it out nationwide from Boxing Day and January 1st. [Nationwide from December 26th and 1st Jan / Cert 12A]

St Trinian’s: The Legend of Fritton’s Gold (Entertainment): The girls of St. Trinians are on the hunt for buried treasure after discovering headmistress Miss Fritton is related to a famous pirate. Given that the first St Trinian’s hasn’t even come out in America yet, prospects for this sequel in a busy Christmas period don’t look too good. [Empire Leicester Square & Nationwide / PG]

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ALSO OUT

Humpday (Vertigo Films): One of the more notable US indie releases this year is the tale of two guys (Mark Duplass and Joshua Leonard) who take their bromance to another level when they participate in an art film project.

Directed by Lynn Shelton, it could do good arthouse business given the blitz of high profile releases at the multiplexes. [Curzon Soho & Key Cities / 15]

> Get local cinema showtimes for your area via Google Movies
> UK cinema releases for December 2009
> UK DVD & Blu-ray picks for 2009

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Categories
Amusing Viral Video

Up meets Gran Torino

A very amusing mashup of Pixar’s Up and Gran Torino.

[Via Hollywood Elsewhere]

Categories
Awards Season Directors

Hollywood Reporter Directors Roundtable

THR Roundtable 1

The Hollywood Reporter recently hosted a round table discussion for directors up for awards this season.

It included: Kathryn Bigelow (The Hurt Locker), Quentin Tarantino (Inglourious Basterds), Peter Jackson (The Lovely Bones), James Cameron (Avatar), Jason Reitman (Up in the Air) and Lee Daniels (Precious).

In three parts:

Categories
Awards Season News

Golden Globe nominations

Golden Globe Nominations

This year’s Golden Globe nominations have been announced and here the the film categories.

BEST MOTION PICTURE – DRAMA

  • Avatar (Lightstorm Entertainment; Twentieth Century Fox)
  • The Hurt Locker (Voltage Pictures C/O 42West; Summit Entertainment)
  • Inglourious Basterds (The Weinstein Company)
  • Precious: Based On The Novel Push By Sapphire (A Lee Daniels Entertainment / Smokewood Entertainment; Lionsgate)
  • Up In The Air (Paramount Pictures)

BEST ACTRESS – DRAMA

  • Emily Blunt – The Young Victoria
  • Sandra Bullock – The Blind Side
  • Helen Mirren – The Last Station
  • Carey Mulligan – An Education
  • Gabourey Sidibe – Precious: Based On The Novel Push By Sapphire

BEST ACTOR – DRAMA

  • Jeff Bridges – Crazy Heart
  • George Clooney – Up In The Air
  • Colin Firth – A Single Man
  • Morgan Freeman – Invictus
  • Tobey Maguire – Brothers

BEST PICTURE – COMEDY OR MUSICAL

  • (500) Days Of Summer (Watermark Pictures; Fox Searchlight Pictures)
  • The Hangover (Warner Bros. Pictures)
  • It’s Complicated (Relativity Media, Scott Rudin Productions; Universal Pictures)
  • Julie & Julia (Columbia Pictures; Sony Pictures Releasing)
  • Nine (The Weinstein Company)

BEST ACTRESS – COMEDY OR MUSICAL

  • Sandra Bullock – The Proposal
  • Marion Cotillard – Nine
  • Julia Roberts – Duplicity
  • Meryl Streep – It’s Complicated
  • Meryl Streep – Julie & Julia

BEST ACTOR – COMEDY OR MUSICAL

  • Matt Damon – The Informant!
  • Daniel Day-Lewis – Nine
  • Robert Downey Jr. – Sherlock Holmes
  • Joseph Gordon-Levitt – (500) Days Of Summer
  • Michael Stuhlbarg – A Serious Man

BEST ANIMATED FILM

  • Cloudy With A Chance Of Meatballs (Columbia Pictures And Sony Pictures Animation; Sony Pictures Releasing)
  • Coraline (Laika, Inc.; Focus Features)
  • Fantastic Mr. Fox (American Empirical Picture; Twentieth Century Fox)
  • The Princess And The Frog (Walt Disney Pictures/Walt Disney Animation Studios)
  • Up (Walt Disney Pictures/Pixar Animation Studios)

BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM

  • Baaria (Italy)
  • Broken Embraces (Spain)
  • The Maid (Chile)
  • A Prophet (France)
  • The White Ribbon (Germany)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS

  • Penélope Cruz – Nine
  • Vera Farmiga – Up In The Air
  • Anna Kendrick – Up In The Air
  • Mo’Nique – Precious: Based On The Novel Push By Sapphire
  • Julianne Moore – A Single Man

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR

  • Matt Damon – Invictus
  • Woody Harrelson – The Messenger
  • Christopher Plummer – The Last Station
  • Stanley Tucci – The Lovely Bones
  • Christoph Waltz – Inglourious Basterds

BEST DIRECTOR

  • Kathryn Bigelow – The Hurt Locker
  • James Cameron – Avatar
  • Clint Eastwood – Invictus
  • Jason Reitman – Up In The Air
  • Quentin Tarantino – Inglourious Basterds

BEST SCREENPLAY

  • Neill Blomkamp & Terri Tatchell – District 9
  • Mark Boal – The Hurt Locker
  • Nancy Meyers – It’s Complicated
  • Jason Reitman & Sheldon Turner –  Up In The Air
  • Quentin Tarantino – Inglourious Basterds

BEST ORIGINAL SCORE

  • Michael Giacchino – Up
  • Marvin Hamlisch – The Informant!
  • James Horner – Avatar
  • Abel Korzeniowski & Karen O – A Single Man
  • Carter Burwell – Where The Wild Things Are

BEST ORIGINAL SONG

  • “Cinema Italiano” – Nine (Music & Lyrics By: Maury Yeston)
  • “I Want To Come Home” – Everybody’s Fine (Music & Lyrics By: Paul McCartney)
  • “I Will See You” Avatar (Music By: James Horner, Simon Franglen, Lyrics By: James Horner, Simon Franglen, Kuk Harrell)
  • “The Weary Kind (Theme From Crazy Heart)” — Crazy Heart (Music & Lyrics By: Ryan Bingham, T Bone Burnett)
  • “Winter” Brothers (Music by: U2, Lyrics by: Bono)

The winners will be announced at the official ceremony on January 17th, 2010.

> Official Golden Globes site
> Find out more about the HFPA at Wikipedia

Categories
Amusing Random

The Real Life Russell from Up

The real life Russell from Up

Apparently this is the real life inspiration for the character of Russell – the young kid in Pixar’s Up.

(Another picture can be found here)

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[Link via Buzzfeed]

Categories
blu-ray DVD & Blu-ray Lists

The Best DVD & Blu-ray Releases of 2009

Best of DVD and Blu-ray 2009

DVD and Blu-ray releases have effectively gone on holiday until the last week of the month so here is my list of the best UK releases of 2009.

*N.B. Some of these titles were already available on DVD but got a Blu-ray release this year *

JANUARY

DVD and Blu-ray Picks January 2009

Standard Operating Procedure (Sony) [Buy on DVD or Blu-ray]
Recount (HBO) [Buy on DVD]
Ashes of Time Redux (Artificial Eye) [Buy on DVD or Blu-ray]
The Fall (Momentum) [Buy on DVD or Blu-ray]
The Wong Kar-wai Collection (Artificial Eye) [Buy on DVD]

FEBRUARY

DVD and Blu-ray February 2009

Gomorrah (Optimum) [Buy on DVD or Blu-ray]
I’ve Loved You So Long (Lionsgate) [Buy on DVD or Blu-ray]
7-49UP (Network) [Buy on DVD]
Amadeus – Director’s Cut (Warner) [Buy on DVD or Blu-ray]
One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest (Warner) [Buy on DVD or Blu-ray]
Being There (Warner) [Buy on DVD or Blu-ray]
Hunger (Pathe) [Buy on DVD or Blu-ray Import]
The Visitor
(Unanimous Pictures) [Buy on DVD]

MARCH

DVD and Blu-ray March 2009

A History of Violence (EIV) [Buy on DVD or Blu-ray]
L.A. Confidential – Special Edition (Warner) [Buy on DVD or Blu-ray]
Not Quite Hollywood (Optimum) [Buy on DVD]
Waltz with Bashir (Artificial Eye) [Buy on DVD or Blu-ray]

APRIL

DVD Blu-ray April 2009

The Bela Tarr Collection (Artificial Eye) [Buy on DVD]
The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada (Optimum) [Buy on DVD or Blu-ray]
The Red Riding Trilogy (Optimum) [Buy on DVD]
Dean Spanley (Icon) [Buy on DVD]

MAY

DVD and Blu-ray May 2009

Fargo (MGM) [Buy on DVD or Blu-ray]
Silence of the Lambs (MGM) [Buy on DVD or Blu-ray]
Mad Men Season 1 (Lionsgate) [Buy on DVD or Blu-ray]
Frost/Nixon (Universal) [Buy on DVD or Blu-ray]

JUNE

DVD and Blu-ray June 2009

Slumdog Millionaire (Pathe) [Buy on DVD or Blu-ray]
A Christmas Tale (New Wave Films) [Buy on DVD or Blu-ray Import]
Milk (Momentum) [Buy on DVD or Blu-ray]
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (Warner) [Buy on DVD or Blu-ray]
Anvil! The Story of Anvil (Universal) [Buy on DVD or Blu-ray]
Blackadder Remastered – Ultimate Edition (2 Entertain) [Buy on DVD]
Bolt (Disney) [Buy on DVD or Blu-ray]
The Class (Artificial Eye) [Buy on DVD or Blu-ray Import]
Woodstock 3 Days of Peace & Music (Warner Bros) [Buy on DVD or Blu-ray]
Che (Optimum) [Buy on DVD or Blu-ray]
Gran Torino (Warner) [Buy on DVD or Blu-ray]

JULY

DVD and Blu-ray July 2009

Mad Men Season 2 (Lionsgate) [Buy on DVD or Blu-ray]
Religulous (Momentum) [Buy on DVD]
Brick (Optimum) [Buy on DVD or Blu-ray]
Elephant (Optimum) [Buy on DVD or Blu-ray]
The Pianist (Optimum) [Buy on DVD or Blu-ray]
Il Divo (Artificial Eye) [Buy on DVD or Blu-ray Import]

AUGUST

DVD and Blu-ray August 2009

Children of Men (Universal) [Buy on DVD or Blu-ray]
Winstanley (BFI) [Buy on DVD or Blu-ray]
Two Lovers (Lionsgate) [Buy on DVD or Blu-ray]
La Haine (Optimum) [Buy on DVD or Blu-ray]
In The Loop (Optimum) [Buy on DVD or Blu-ray]
Encounters at the End of the World (Revolver) [Buy on DVD or Blu-ray]
The Battle of Algiers – Special Edition (Argent Films) [Buy on DVD]

SEPTEMBER

DVD and Blu-ray September 2009

This Is Spinal Tap – Up To 11 Edition (Optimum) [Buy on DVD or Blu-ray]
Beyond the Clouds (Second Sight) [Buy on DVD]
In This World (ICA) [Buy on DVD]
An American Werewolf in London (Universal) [Buy on DVD or Blu-ray]
Belle De Jour (Optimum) [Buy on DVD or Blu-ray]
Ran (Optimum) [Buy on DVD or Blu-ray]
Sunrise (Eureka!) [Buy on DVD or Blu-ray]
The Deer Hunter (Optimum) [Buy on DVD or Blu-ray]
The Elephant Man (Optimum) [Buy on DVD or Blu-ray]
The New World – Extended Cut (EIV) [Buy on DVD or Blu-ray]
The Prisoner: The Complete Series (Network) [Buy on DVD or Blu-ray]

OCTOBER

DVD and Blu-ray October 2009

Synecdoche, New York (Revolver) [Buy on DVD or Blu-ray]
Dawn of the Dead (Arrow) [Buy on DVD or Blu-ray]
Frozen River (Axiom Films) [Buy on DVD or Blu-ray Import]
The Complete Friz Lang Mabuse Boxset (Eureka!) [Buy on DVD]
The Essential Michael Haneke (Artificial Eye) [Buy on DVD]
Wallace & Gromit: The Complete Collection (2 Entertain) [Buy on DVD or Blu-ray]

NOVEMBER

DVD and Blu-ray November 2009

Gone with the Wind – 70th Anniversary Edition (Warner) [Buy on DVD or Blu-ray]
Heat (Warner) [Buy on DVD or Blu-ray]
Fanny and Alexander (Palisades Tartan) [Buy on DVD]
For All Mankind (Eureka/Masters of Cinema) [Buy on DVD or Blu-ray]
Moon (Sony) [Buy on DVD or Blu-ray]
North by Northwest – 50th Anniversary Edition (Warner) [Buy on Blu-ray]
The Terence Davies Collection (BFI) [Buy on DVD]
Fight Club – 10th Anniversary Edition (Fox) [Buy on Blu-ray]
The Wizard of Oz – 70th Anniversary Edition (Warner) [Buy on DVD or Blu-ray]
The Jacques Tati Collection (BFI) [Buy on DVD]

DECEMBER

DVD and Blu-ray December 2009

Inglourious Basterds (Universal) [Buy on DVD or Blu-ray]
Mid-August Lunch (Artificial Eye) [Buy on DVD]
The Hangover (Warner) [Buy on DVD or Blu-ray]
1941 (Universal) [Buy on DVD]
District 9 (Sony) [Buy on DVD or Blu-ray]
The Hurt Locker (Optimum) [Buy on DVD or Blu-ray]

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N.B. As I’m based in the UK, all of these DVDs are UK titles but if you live in a different region of the world check out Play.com or your local Amazon site and they should have an equivalent version of the film.

> Browse more DVD Releases at Amazon UK and Play
> The Bestselling DVDs of 2009 at Amazon UK
> Check the latest DVD prices at DVD Price Check
> Browse all the Cinema releases of 2009

Categories
Interesting TV

Orson Welles season on BBC Four

Orson Welles on BBC Four

This Christmas BBC Four are showing a season of programmes and films dedicated to Orson Welles.

The UK channel will be showing five of his films, a BBC series from the 1950s, the famous 1982 Arena documentary and a new programme about his later career in Europe presented by his biographer Simon Callow.

Given that BBC Four is probably my favourite TV channel and Welles is one of my favourite filmmakers, this is a time to get the DVR ready.

The schedule breaks down like this:

The Orson Welles Sketchbook: This was a series of programmes by Welles originally broadcast on the BBC in 1955. Produced by Huw Wheldon, they involve Welles telling anecdotes about his life and career such as the infamous radio version of The War of the Worlds and his ground breaking theatre productions. [BBC Four / Friday 18th December at 19.30-19.45pm, Wednesday 23rd December 00:10-00:25, Thursday 24th December at 19.00-19:15, Saturday 26th December at 19.00 & Monday 28th Dec at 01.30am]

Citizen Kane (Dir. Orson Welles, 1941): Although burdened by the tag of ‘The Greatest Film Ever Made’, Welles’ debut is still an astonishingly vibrant piece of cinema that examines the life of a newspaper magnate in a series of flashbacks.

Loosely based on the life of William Randolph Hearst, it set new standards by synthesising a raft of techniques with its use of deep focus, low angles and dazzling screenplay. Repeated viewings only confirm its ridiculous brilliance. [BBC Four / Friday 25th December at 7pm]

Arena: The Orson Welles Story: This classic two-part profile of Welles which was originally shown on the BBC in 1982. Examining his life and career in some depth, the contributors include John Huston, Robert Wise, Peter Bogdanovich, Charlton Heston, Jeanne Moreau and lengthy contributions from Welles himself. [BBC Four / Part 1 screens on Friday 25th December at 21.00 and Part 2 is on Sunday 27th at 23.00]

Journey Into Fear (Dir. Norman Foster, 1943): Adapted from the Eric Ambler novel, this tale of espionage in Istanbul during World War II this doesn’t have the same status as Kane or Ambersons.

However, Welles co-wrote the script with co-star Joseph Cotten and oversaw the production with fellow Mercury Theatre colleague Norman Foster, who was credited as director. [BBC Four / Friday 25th December, 22:50-00:00]

The Third Man (Dir. Carol Reed, 1949): One of the indisutable classics of cinema is this adaptation of Graham Greene’s story set in post-WW2 Vienna where American writer Holly Martins (Joseph Cotten) is invited by his old friend Harry Lime (Welles) only to discover he has died. Or has he?

Co-starring Allida Valli, Trevor Howard and Bernard Lee, it features a marvellous score by Anton Karras. [Saturday 26th December at 19.15-21:00]

The Magnificent Ambersons (Dir. Orson Welles, 1943): The follow up to Kane was a period drama based on the novel by Booth Tarkington, which told the story of the Ambersons, an upper-class Indianapolis family.

Brilliant in many respects, it became infamous for the studio re-editing the film whilst Welles was absent, which makes a possible re-release tantalising if the original footage can be found. [BBC Four / Sunday 27th December, 20.00-21:30]

Orson Welles Over Europe: Actor and Welles biographer Simon Callow explores Welles’ self-imposed exile in Europe in this new documentary. After alienating Hollywood, he became involved in all manner of film, theatre and television projects. [BBC Four / Sunday, Dec. 27, 21.30-22:30 (repeated at 1.45am)

The Stranger (Dir. Orson Welles, 1946): A thriller about a federal agent who has to track down an escaped Nazi war criminal, this stars Welles alongside Edward G. Robinson and Loretta Young.

Although a chunk of it is missing (perhaps destroyed) and Welles wasn’t happy with the end result, it is still an intriguing film. [BBC Four / Sunday 27th December at 23.55-1:30am]

> Find out more about Orson Welles at Wikipedia
> BBC Four
> Listen to the infamous Welles frozen peas advert

Categories
News

Reel Geezers back on indieWIRE

The Reel Geezers (screenwriter Lorenzo Semple Jnr and producer Marcia Nasatir) are back reviewing films on indieWIRE with this examination of Precious.

Categories
TV

Mark Kermode on Christmas films

Mark Kermode recommends some film related viewing for UK viewers over Christmas.

Highlights include: an Orson Welles season on BBC Four (including that famous 1982 Arena interview on Christmas Day at 9pm) and Blade Runner – The Final Cut (Sat 19th Dec on BBC2).

Categories
Cinema Thoughts

Avatar

Neyteri (Zoe Saldana) and Jake Sully (Sam Worthington) in a scene from 'Avatar' / Photo credit: WETA & 20th Century Fox

The long awaited blockbuster from director James Cameron is a remarkable visual achievement and a thrilling sci-fi drama.

Anticipation over what Avatar would be has reached fever pitch in recent months as speculation mounted: Would the 3D change the way audiences see cinema? Why did it cost so much? What’s with all the blue aliens? And why is it called Avatar?

The less than ecstatic reaction in various quarters to the trailers and preview footage in the summer, combined with some sluggish tracking numbers, were probably enough to make folks at 20th Century Fox a little nervous.

But the simple fact is that Avatar really delivers. For the 163 minute running time it takes you on an adventure and into a different world with all manner of thrilling sights and sounds.

Set in the year 2154, the story and centres on a wheelchair bound US marine named Jake Sully (Sam Worthington), sent on a mission to the planet of Pandora, replacing his recently deceased twin brother.

It has been partly colonised by humans who are trying to mine it for rare minerals because Earth is on the bring of ecological collapse.

Sully’s mission is to mix with Pandora’s native aliens the Na’vi by becoming an Avatar, a hybrid alien which he ‘becomes’ under lab conditions, as if in a dream.

Aided by the chief scientist (Sigourney Weaver) in charge of the project, he finds a way of blending in with the natives after the hawkish military commander (Stephen Lang) recruits him to be a spy.

But he soon comes to fall in love with the planet and its people after being rescued by Na’vi warrior Neytiri (Zoe Saldana) and finding himself at home on amongst their culture.

This causes inevitable tensions with the human colony’s desire to exploit their land.

Avatar poster

The most immediate thing about experiencing the film is how quickly you settle into the world of Pandora.

Forget all the Gawker-led hipster jibes about the Na’vi looking like smurfs – once you are  inside the cinema they look and feel like real characters, which is a major tribute to the CGI artists and actors who brought them to life.

But it is the stunning vistas and trippy details of Pandora that will really wow audiences.

Cameron waited a long time for technology to catch up with his expansive, psychedelic visions and the result is another landmark in cinema visuals, up there with the water in The Abyss, the T-1000 in T2, the dinosaurs in Jurassic Park and various landmark steps over this decade such as Davy Jones in Pirates of the Caribbean 2 and Benjamin Button.

In utilising new advances in technology, Avatar goes in further in pushing the envelope: alien landscapes, major characters and various creatures are rendered with astounding detail and richness.

If you stay and watch the end credits you’ll see an unbelievable amount of visual effects artists and several different houses, although the primary credit goes to the WETA Digital team led by Joe Letteri.

At times it is so good that that you begin to take it for granted, which in a strange way almost makes it a victim of its own brilliance.

Another important aspect of Avatar is that it was filmed with the proprietary Fusion digital 3-D camera system (developed by Cameron and Vince Pace) which are stereoscopic cameras that ‘simulate’ human sight.

I saw it in 3D and was struck at how seamless it was. There was no obvious pointy images, but a visual design that draws you subconsciously into the screen. It will also work in 2D but I think 3D will prove the richer experience.

There’s been a lot of talk about this film being a game changer for 3D in mainstream cinema. I’m not sure every film at a multiplex should (or needs to) be shown like that, but for tentpole movies Avatar is a big leap forward.

Certainly it could influence writers, directors and producers to be more imaginative in how they approach the visual design of a blockbuster.

But what of the themes and subtext? For such a high profile film from a major Hollywood studio, it is a fairly stinging critique of US militarism and imperialism, firmly on the side of the indigenous insurgency with a pro-environmental message to boot – at one point a tree is literally hugged and spoke to!

Avatar ticketThe sight of futuristic US helicopters landing on jungles and firing incendiary bombs on the native Na’vi echoes Vietnam and the arc of the story carries more than a whiff of Dances With Wolves or even The New World.

There is also a certain irony that it was mostly funded by Rupert Murdoch‘s News Corp and makes you wonder if the Aussie media mogul got the memo about hundreds of millions of his dollars being spent on a film with such a liberal message.

It could certainly be interpreted as a big, middle-fingered salute to the Bush-Cheney era – a critique of US imperialism that embraces empathy with other races and respect for the environment.

The irony of course is that this is likely to wash right over the heads of Fox News junkies and Sarah Palin fans.

It isn’t exactly subtle, but props must go to Cameron for being so on the nose with the issues.

Just weeks after more US troops were sent to Afghanistan and the week global leaders meet in Copenhagen to discuss the environment, it could hardly be more topical – impressive for a sci-film set in the middle of the next century.

There are some minus points: the script contains some clunky dialogue; some sequences appear trimmed to keep the running time down; the originality of the visuals isn’t matched by the story; Leona Lewis singing over the end credits and at times the villains and their motives are a little one-dimensional.

I’d be wary of talking about Avatar as another Titanic. For various reasons it will be hard to ever crack the runaway box office success of that film and I don’t feel it will sweep the Oscar race this year (although the technical and visual effects awards are in the bag).

But if word of mouth catches fire, there could certainly be a slow-burn must-see effect – like with Titanic – that turns it into the kind of film people have to see in order to talk about it.

From The Terminator through to Titanic, James Cameron has always been a great technical director, even if his films have had their downsides.

By pushing relentlessly at how films look on screen he has helped raised standards of how we view movies and for that he deserves great credit.

Avatar demonstrates again that he understands one of the basic truths about cinema, which is its ability to lift audiences out of themselves for a couple of hours and make them feel giddy in the process.

Categories
Cinema

UK Cinema Releases: Friday 11th December 2009

UK Cinema Releases 11-12-09

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NATIONAL RELEASES

Where The Wild Things Are (Warner Bros.): Maurice Sendak’s 1963 children’s book has found its way to the screen and the result is an adaptation of rare depth and feeling. Director Spike Jonze has crafted an interesting take on the material which sees a young boy (Max Records) venture to a magical land where he is anointed king by a group of strange creatures (voiced by James Gandolfini, Lauren Ambrose, Chris Cooper and Paul Dano).

Given the love for the book Warner Bros will be expecting some decent box office action before Avatar hits cinemas a week from now. Read my full thoughts on the film here. [Nationwide / PG]

Carriers (Paramount): Horror about four friends fleeing a viral pandemic who discover they are more dangerous than the virus.

Despite starring Chris Pine (recently seen as Kirk in the Star Trek reboot) the fumes emanating from this aren’t good given that its been on the shelf for two years. [Nationwide / 15]

The Stepfather (Sony Pictures): A remake of the 1987 film about a man (Penn Badgley) who returns home from military school to find his mother Susan (Sela Ward), happily in love with a man known as David Harris (Dylan Walsh) who isn’t what he seems.

Given the brutal reviews and lack of buzz the omens don’t look good for this one. [Nationwide  / 15]

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LIMITED RELEASE

The Red Shoes (Park Circus): A re-release for the classic Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger film about a young ballerina (Moira Shearer) who joins an established ballet company and becomes the lead dancer in a new ballet called The Red Shoes, itself based on the fairy tale, “The Red Shoes” by Hans Christian Andersen. The music by Brian Easdale and cinematography by Jack Cardiff are both sublime. [Selected Key Cities]

Unmade Beds (Soda Pictures): Director Alexis Dos Santos’ second feature is a lyrical tale of two solitary expats (Fernando Tielve and Deborah Francois) crossing paths in the cosmopolitan art-rock milieu of a sprawling East London squat. [Selected Cinemas / [15]

> Get local cinema show times for your area via Google Movies
> UK cinema releases for December 2009
> UK DVD & Blu-ray picks for this week including Inglourious Basterds, Mid-August Lunch and The Hangover (W/C Monday 7th December 2009)

Categories
News

Avatar premieres in London

James Cameron’s Avatar premièred in London last night.

There have been some press screenings around the globe (London, LA, New York) with an embargo on reviews – that is, journalists sign a form saying they won’t publish a review until a certain date.

Given that a lot of journalists respect this process, it was therefore suprising to hear a critic on a UK national radio station review it yesterday afternoon, see The Guardian website run a half-hearted non-review and The Hollywood Reporter publish a full review.

Some might argue that if embargoes are broken like this, why have them in the first place?

Categories
Amusing Viral Video

Scar Wars: Scarface meets Star Wars

Someone has done a mash up of Harrison Ford’s most famous roles (Han Solo and Indiana Jones) with some Scarface audio.

Categories
Cinema Thoughts

Where The Wild Things Are

Where The Wild Things Are - Photo courtesy of Warner Bros Pictures

Maurice Sendak’s 1963 children’s book has found its way to the screen and the result is an adaptation of rare depth and feeling.

For those unfamiliar with the source material, it is the story of a wild young boy named Max who is sent to his bedroom without his supper. His room grows into a forest and he sails off to a magical land where (as the title suggests) ‘the wild things are’.

Part of the charm and beauty of the book is how short and sweet it is, which inevitably presented any filmmaker a big challenge. How would you expand it to feature length and preserve its qualities?

After four decades of development hell (including some test footage shot years ago by John Lasseter) director Spike Jonze was given the onerous task of making the film.

There was plenty of speculation during the filming as to how Jonze was going to portray the creatures and rumours abounded that the director was at creative loggerheads with the studio brass.

The fact that the bulk of the shoot occurred in 2006, followed by extensive visual effects work last year in London, suggests that this was not the smoothest of productions.

Where The Wild Things Are poster

But sitting down to watch the film, none of that mattered and Jonze and his team have come up with a bold and expansive treatment of the book, which not only captures Sendak’s emotional tone but even takes it to another place.

The opening scene sets things up perfectly with a hand-held camera capturing a burst of Max (played by newcomer Max Records) being wild inside his home before the real action begins.

This extended prologue might give fans of the book pause for thought – we actually see his mother (Catherine Keener) and family – but in the context of the expanded narrative it doesn’t jar.

But it is with the wild things that the film really comes alive. It would have been an option to completely render them with CGI but the decision to use actors inside suits with visual effects replacing their faces was inspired.

Casting is also key to why the movie works: Records is not a typical child actor, with a raw quality that fits just right whilst the voice cast is every bit as good.

The casting of James Gandolfini as Carol (the wild thing Max becomes closest to) brilliantly plays off his Sopranos persona, highlighting his joy, vulnerability and anger.

Chris Cooper, Lauren Ambrose and Paul Dano also chip in with excellent vocal performances, making their characters as varied and complex as they should be.

The Australian locations, beautifully captured by cinematographer Lance Acord, also add a visual richness to the film which wouldn’t have been the same if done on green screen soundstages.

Some adults may complain that Jonze has made a children’s film that slants towards to older audiences, but this is exactly what makes the film special.

Instead of sugar coating the story and patronising the viewer, he has (along with co-screenwriter Dave Eggers) treated the source material and cinema audience with the respect they deserve.

There is something other worldly and anarchic about this film project and in some ways I’m staggered it actually got made like this.

However, its mix of humour, heart and imagination could make it as beloved as the book, for audiences today and many years to come.

Categories
Amusing TV

Tarantino Softbank Ad

This Japanese advert for Soft Bank mobile starring Quentin Tarantino is a little bizarre (read CNET’s full explanation).

Categories
Amusing Random

Worst British Accent in Movie History

Back in 2001 Josh Hartnett was in a film called Blow Dry, which was a comedy about Yorkshire hairdressers (I’m not making this up).

The above video demonstrates that he has the worst British accent. Ever.

Categories
blu-ray DVD & Blu-ray

DVD & Blu-ray: The Hangover

The Hangover DVDOne if the surprise hits of the summer was The Hangover (Warner Bros.), a comedy from director Todd Phillips about a bachelor party gone wrong in Las Vegas.

When three groomsmen (Bradley CooperEd Helms and Zach Galifianakis) lose their about-to-be-wed buddy (Justin Bartha) after a riotous night of partying, they have to retrace their steps in order to find him.

Along the way, they encounter a tiger belonging to Mike Tyson, a stripper (Heather Graham), a naked man in the trunk of their car and numerous other troubles.

Although on the surface this looks like another goofy mainstream Hollywood comedy, it rises well above the norm due to a clever central concept (the bachelor party itself is cleverly hidden from the audience) and some killer lines and scenes.

Made for a relatively small production budget of $35 million, it proved insanely profitable after grossing over $459 million worldwide.

The DVD version includes the theatrical version of the film with the following features:

  • 2.40:1 Anamorphic Widescreen
  • English and Italian DD5.1
  • English Audio Description
  • English HOH, Arabic, Greek, Hebrew, Icelandic, Italian and Italian HOH subtitles
  • “Map of Destruction” – Retrace each step the guys took during their fate-filled evening and see the real locations, learn about Las Vegas lore and see the filming that took place there
  • “Three Best Friends Song” – Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms and Zach Galifianakis “freestyle” their own song
  • Gag Reel

Click here to buy The Hangover on Blu-rayThe Blu-ray Disc includes the theatrical and extended cuts of the film with the following features (extras are all in HD):

  • 1080P 2.40:1 Widescreen
  • English 5.1 Dolby TrueHD
  • French and German DD5.1 (Theatrical Version only)
  • English Audio Description (Theatrical Version only)
  • Subtitles (Film): English HOH, French, German, German HOH, Dutch, Danish, Finnish, Norwegian, Icelandic and Swedish subtitles
  • Subtitles (Extras except PIP): English, French, German, Dutch
  • Picture in Picture Commentary (Theatrical Version only, no subtitles) featuring Bradley Cooper, Zach Galifianakis, Ed Helms and Todd Phillips
  • “Map of Destruction” (16:27mins) – Retrace each step the guys took during their fate-filled evening and see the real locations, learn about Las Vegas lore and see the filming that took place there
  • “The Madness of Ken Jeong” (7:56mins)– Ken Jeong’s nonstop hilarious improve
  • “Action Mash-Up” (35secs)– Compilation of the physical comedy from the film
  • “Three Best Friends Song” (1:23mins) – Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms and Zach Galifianakis “freestyle” their own song
  • “The Dan Band!” (1:08mins) – The Dan Band performs “Fame”
  • Gag Reel (8:16mins)
  • More Pictures from the Missing Camera – More photos exposing the events from the night of mayhem
  • BD-Live

> Buy The Hangover on DVD or Blu-ray from Amazon UK
> The Hangover at the IMDb

Categories
blu-ray DVD & Blu-ray

DVD: Mid-August Lunch

Mid August Lunch DVDMid August Lunch (Artificial Eye) is a beautifully observed mix of comedy and drama from Italian writer-director Gianni di Gregorio.

Although the 60-year-old is best known to UK audiences as the screenwriter of Gomorrah (Matteo Garrone’s superb 2008 drama about organised crime), he has opted for a very different kind of film for his directorial debut.

Based on personal experiences, Di Gregorio essentially plays Gianni, a bachelor in his late 50s who is the full-time carer of his 90-year-old mother (Valeria De Franciscis).

Shot entirely on location (some of it in Di Gregorio’s old flat) with a non-professional cast, it focuses on the relationships between family members and strangers in the flat, but also explores the experience of ageing with a grat deal of charm and insight.

Gianni and his mother live in the Roman district of Trastevere and the film is set around the eve of Ferragosto, the annual celebration on August 15th of the ascension of the Virgin Mary into Heaven which empties the city.

Because he owes favours to his landlord and doctor, Giovanni is persuaded to look after their mothers as a favour, along with an aunt for good measure.

The film then is a gentle depiction of their time together as he drinks, smokes and cooks for the older women.

There is plenty of humour too, as tensions simmer over television, food, medication and night time escapades, but it is one grounded in real life experience, never feeling forced or contrived.

The observations and details are superbly evoked, but the central appeal of the film is the humanity beating at the heart of it.

All of the characters are treated with a respect and dignity that is all too rare in modern society, let alone films featuring old people.

Instead of being hectoring caricatures, they have a depth and interior life which is charmingly presented and free from cheap sentimentality.

Made in a minimalist style using natural light for a very low budget of around £430,000, with Matteo Garrone producing, it fully deserved the acclaim heaped on it at various festivals around the world.

The DVD has the following extras:

  • Interview with Gianni Di Gregorio: An interesting extra in which the actor, writer and director discusses the film but also visits the older women who star in it. He deliberately selected non-professional actors and it was a wise choice – off screen they appear just as interesting.
  • Theatrical Trailer (which you can see above)

> Buy Mid-August Lunch on DVD from Amazon UK
> Mid-August Lunch at the IMDb