This is UK trailer for the new Lars Von Trier film Antichrist, which made waves at Cannes earlier this year.
>Â Antichrist at the IMDb
>Â Lars Von Trier at Wikipedia
>Â Official site for Antichrist
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Author: Ambrose Heron
Editor of FILMdetail
DVD PICKS
Religulous (Momentum): A smart and frequently hilarious documentary directed by Larry Charles in which US comedian Bill Maher explores the subject of religion.
Travelling to numerous religious places, such as Jerusalem, the Vatican and Salt Lake City, where they interview believers from a variety of backgrounds and groups including a former member of Jews for Jesus, Christians, Muslims, former Mormons and Hasidic Jews.
For some strange reason there are no DVD extras on the UK DVD, even though there are a few on the Region 1 DVD release.
* Listen to my interview with director Larry Charles about the film *
Mad Men Season 2 (Lionsgate): The second season of the best show currently on television continues to explore the fictional Sterling Cooper advertising agency on New York City’s Madison Avenue during the early 1960s.
The story lines still centre around creative director Don Draper (Jon Hamm) and the people in his work and personal life.
With the action now moving to 1962, notable plot lines in the second season include more revelations about Don’s personal life and big changes at Sterling Cooper.
After the first season proved a huge critical hit, it won numerous awards including three Golden Globes, a BAFTA and six Emmys and became only the second cable series ever to win the Emmy Award for Outstanding Drama Series.
US cable network AMC deserve a credit deal of credit for green lighting the show and when an HBO exec like Richard Plepler says: “Mad Men is a magnificent show, and the only problem with it is itâs not on HBO”, you know that the quality must be high.
The level of writing, direction, acting and production design is as good as anything you can currently see on TV or at the cinema.
The true genius of the show, created by Matthew Wiener, is that it manages to put a modern slant on the past by going beyond the period detail into something genuinely absorbing and profound.
The regular DVD has episodes are spread across three-discs presented in anamorphic widescreen with English DD5.1 Surround audio.
Extras include:
- Those Who Think Young: Audio Commentary by Matthew Weiner
- The Gold Violin: Audio Commentary by Matthew Weiner and Elisabeth Moss
- Six Month Leave: Audio Commentary by Jon Hamm, John Slattery and Joel Murray
- The Inheritance: Audio Commentary by Jon Hamm, January Jones and Vincent Kartheiser
- âBirth of an Independent Woman, Part 1 and Part 2â â from housewives to working women, this featurette examines the rise of female independence in the Mad Men era
- âAn Era of Styleâ – featurette explores the fashion of the 1960âs and its lasting influence on designers today
On the Blu-ray Disc there are a few more extras, with a lot more audio commentaries:
- For Those Who Think Young: Audio Commentary by Matthew Weiner
- For Those Who Think Young: Audio Commentary by Jon Hamm and January Jones
- Flight 1: Audio Commentary by Matthew Weiner and Jon Hamm
- Flight 1: Audio Commentary by Lisa Albert and Vincent Kartheiser
- The Benefactor: Audio Commentary by Matthew Weiner and Elisabeth Moss
- The Benefactor: Audio Commentary by Lesli Linka Glatter, Melinda McGraw and Rich Sommer
- Three Sundays: Audio Commentary by Matthew Weiner and Marie and Andre Jacques
- Three Sundays: Audio Commentary by Elisabeth Moss and Colin Hanks
- The New Girl: Audio Commentary by Jennifer Getzinger and Robin Veith
- The New Girl: Audio Commentary by Jon Hamm, Elisabeth Moss and Melinda McGraw
- Maidenform: Audio Commentary by Matthew Weiner and Robin Veith
- Maidenform: Audio Commentary by Phil Abraham and Mark Moses
- The Gold Violin: Audio Commentary by Matthew Weiner and Elisabeth Moss
- The Gold Violin: Audio Commentary by Bob Levinson, Josh Weltman and Bryan Batt
- A Night To Remember: Audio Commentary by Matthew Weiner and Robin Veith
- A Night To Remember: Audio Commentary by Lesli Linka Glatter and January Jones
- Six Month Leave: Audio Commentary by Matthew Weiner and Mike Uppendahl
- Six Month Leave: Audio Commentary by Jon Hamm, John Slattery and Joel Murray
- The Inheritance: Audio Commentary by Matthew Weiner and Lisa Albert
- The Inheritance: Audio Commentary by Jon Hamm, January Jones and Vincent Kartheiser
- The Jet Set: Audio Commentary by Matthew Weiner, Phil Abraham and David Carbonara
- The Jet Set: Audio Commentary by Scott Hornbacher, Dan Bishop and Amy Wells
- The Mountain King: Audio Commentary by Matthew Weiner and Blake McCormick
- The Mountain King: Audio Commentary by Robin Veith, Christina Hendricks and Robert Morse
- Meditations in an Emergency: Audio Commentary by Matthew Weiner and January Jones
- Meditations in an Emergency: Audio Commentary by Kater Gordon, Elisabeth Moss and Vincent Kartheiser
- âBirth of an Independent Woman, Part 1 and Part 2â â from housewives to working women, this featurette examines the rise of female independence in the Mad Men era
- âAn Era of Styleâ – featurette explores the fashion of the 1960âs and its lasting influence on designers today
- âTime Capsuleâ – interactive featurettes paying homage to historical events of the 1960’s and the daring generation that lived through them
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The Young Victoria (Momentum):  A period piece about the early years of Queen Victoria stars Emily Blunt in the title role and Rupert Friend as Prince Albert.
There are also supporting performances from Paul Bettany (as Prime Minister Lord Melbourne) and Miranda Richardson as Victoria’s mother, the Duchess of Kent.
Although it might look like a conventional costume drama, the level of acting is very strong and the unlikely combination of Graham King, Martin Scorsese and Sarah, Duchess of York as producers (an unlikely trio, to say the least), screenwriter Julian Fellowes (a shrewd observer of England’s social layers) and director Jean-Marc VallĂ©e is a winning one.
All of them have combined to make a much more substantial film than may have been expected which explores part of Victoria’s reign not really seen on screen before, namely the problems of her accession to the throne and her early relationship with Albert.
Extras include:
- Deleted Scenes
- Making of The Young Victoria
- The Coronation & The Wedding: Behind the scenes look at the production
- Lavish History: Look at the costumes and locations
* Listen to my interview with Emily Blunt and Rupert Friend about The Young Victoria *
Genova (Metrodome): Directed by the prolific Michael Winterbottom, this drama is the story of two American girls and their British father (Colin Firth) who move to Italy after their mother dies.
Co-starring Catherine Keener and Hope Davis, it was filmed in the titular city of Genoa (Genova in Italian) during the summer of 2007.
DVD extras include:
- Bringing Genova to Life: the journey from story to screen
- Shooting Genova: on location with the cast and crew
- Original Score: Melissa Parmenterâs acclaimed complete score
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ALSO OUT
Anti-Clock (BFI)
Driven to Kill (Optimum)
Duplicity (Universal)
Fight Night (E1 Entertainment)
Hotel Babylon Series 3 (2Entertain)
How Not To Live Your Life (2Entertain)
In Sickness and In Health Series 4 (2Entertain)
Living With Monkeys – Tales From The Treetops (2Entertain)
Separation (BFI)
Table for Three (Anchor Bay)
The Burrowers (Lionsgate)
The Last Patrol (Anchor Bay)
The Other Side of the Underneath (BFI)
Three Kingdoms: Resurrection Of The Dragon (Icon)
Torchwood: Children of Earth (2Entertain)
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> Browse more DVD Releases at Amazon UK and Play
> Check the latest DVD prices at DVD Price Check
> Take a look at the current UK cinema releases (W/C Friday 10th July)
Categories
Richard Pryor 1980 interview
This 1980 interview with Richard Pryor from the set of Stir Crazy is probably one of those that never made it to air.
> Richard Pryor at Wikipedia
> Stir Crazy at IMDb
This interesting video shows Steve Jobs unveiling the first ever iPod in 2001.
Notice the giggles when he says the word iPod for the first time đ
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Categories
UK Cinema Releases: Friday 10th July 2009
NATIONAL RELEASES
BrĂŒno (Universal): The latest of Sacha Baron Cohen’s comic creations to make it to the big screen is his flamboyant Austrian fashion journalist, BrĂŒno. The film version sees him disgraced after causing chaos at a Milan fashion show and chronicles his attempts to make it big in the US with his assistant Lutz (Gustaf Hammarsten).
Once there he tries to get a pilot together with the help of an agent and interviews all manner of people including Paula Abdul, Harrison Ford and Ron Paul. For good measure he also goes to the Middle East where he upsets orthodox Jews and Palestinian terrorists; adopts an African baby; tries to ‘become straight’ with the help of religion, martial arts and the US military; and almost causes a riot at a cage wrestling match in Arkansas.
Directed by Larry Charles, it utilizes the same techniques used in Borat and Religulous in which various people were contacted and slyly duped into signing release forms before being interviewed. This all leads to another daring and frequently hilarious comedy with Baron Cohen demonstrating his gifts for physical and improvised comedy as well as considerable nerve in some unlikely situations.
Given that the subject matter is frequently more extreme than Borat, it has earned an 18 certificate which is almost certainly going to take the edge of its earnings. That said, Universal’s marketing campaign for this film has been nothing short of brilliant with acres of coverage including that stunt with Eminem at the MTV awards, various premieres in character around the globe and some clever social media marketing (including specially branded pages on MeinSpace, Tvitter and Facebuch).
The word of mouth is likely to be very strong and box office could be stellar although it will be interesting to see how it fares with mainstream audiences. [Vue West End & Nationwide / Cert 18]
Fired Up (Sony Pictures): A US comedy about two high school football players (Nicholas D’Agosto and Eric Christian Olsen) who decide to become cheerleaders. Directed by Will Gluck, it earned poor reviews when it opened in the US back in February and is unlikely to do serious business over here.  [London & Nationwide / Cert 12A]
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IN LIMITED RELEASE
The Private Lives Of Pippa Lee (Icon): A drama about a 50-year-old woman (Robin Wright Penn) who begins to re-examine her life when her older husband (Alan Arkin) moves into a retirement home. Directed by Rebecca Miller, it features an impressive cast for a US indie drama with supporting turns from Keanu Reeves, Alan Arkin, Monica Bellucci, Julianne Moore, Maria Bello and Winona Ryder. [London & Key Cities / Cert 15]
Soul Power (Eureka Entertainment): A documentary about the famous R&B concert in Kinshasa, Zaire that took place ahead of the famous Rumble in the Jungle fight between Muhammad Ali and George Foreman in 1974. Organised by Hugh Masekela and Stewart Levine, it featured  a host of musical luminaries such as James Brown, BB King, Bill Withers, Celia Cruz and Miriam Makeba. Directed by Jeffrey Levy-Hinte, it is a veritĂ© film, entirely composed of footage shot at the legendary music festival dubbed Zaire â74. [Odeons G’Wich, Panton St., Surrey Quays & N’wide (P’views Glastonbury 2009) / Cert 12A]
35 Shots Of Rum (New Wave Films): A French family drama directed by Claire Denis about the relationship between a father and daughter which gets complicated by the arrival of a handsome young man. [Apollo Picc Circus, Cine Lumiere, Curzon Soho, Renoir & Key Cities / Cert 12A]
Cloud 9 (Soda Pictures): German drama about a happily-married woman in her mid-sixties who’s world is turned upside down when she meets an older man she finds herself drawn to. Directed by Andreas Dresen and starring Ursula Werner, Horst Rehberg and Horst Westphal. [BFI Southbank, Renoir & Key Cities / Cert 15]
Echoes Of Home (ICA Films): Documentary about the Swiss tradition of yodelling relayed by old traditionalists and young innovators, directed by Stefan Schwietert. [ICA Cinema from today & Key Cities from 24 July]
Ichi (Manga Entertainment): A female take on the Zatoichi tales about a blind singer named Ichi who possesses lethal fighting skills. Directed by Fumihiko Sori. [ICA Cinema & Key Cities / Cert 15]
Mishima: A Life In Four Chapters (ICA Cinema/Screenwriters Festival): Director Paul Schrader‘s own cut of his 1985 film about Japanese novelist and playwright Yukio Mishima whose literary career ended in ritual suicide. [ICA Cinema & selected Key Cities / Cert 15]
> UK cinema releases for July 2009
> DVD Picks for this week including Doubt, The Red Shoes and Three Monkeys (W/C Monday 5th July)
We have 3 DVD copies of The Young Victoria give away courtesy of Momentum Pictures.
Directed by Jean-Marc Vallée from a script by Julian Fellowes, it chronicles the early years of Queen Victoria (Emily Blunt) and her romance and marriage to Prince Albert (Rupert Friend).
There are also supporting performances from Paul Bettany (as Prime Minister Lord Melbourne) and Miranda Richardson as Victoria’s mother, the Duchess of Kent.
It was produced by Graham King, Martin Scorsese and Sarah, Duchess of York.
Extras include:
- Deleted Scenes
- Making of The Young Victoria
- The Coronation & The Wedding: Behind the scenes look at the production
- Lavish History: Look at the costumes and locations
To stand a chance of winning a copy just answer this question:
Which current film at cinemas stars Emily Blunt alongside Amy Adams?
Just email your answers and postal address to [email protected]
Closing Date: Monday 20th July 2009
The Young Victoria is out on Monday 13th July on DVD from Momentum
> The Young Victoria at the IMDb
> Listen to our interview with Emily Blunt and Rupert Friend about the film
>Â Find out more about the real Queen Victoria at Wikipedia
Sacha Baron Cohen stepped out of character to appear on Letterman last night to discuss BrĂŒno.
Here he talks about the scene where he interviewed a terrorist and compared Osama Bin Laden to a ‘homeless Santa Claus’.
N.B. There actually is a Craigslist in Beirut, although it may prove tricky to find terrorists on it.
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UPDATE: He also did the Top Ten list as Bruno.
Categories
And we’re back
If you have been visiting this site over the last couple of weeks you may have noticed that Google has flagged it as being ‘unsafe’ and being ‘harmful to your computer!’
To cut a long story short, someone (possibly) hacked part of my part of my site and infected it with malware which caused Google to flag it as being unsafe.
If you use IE you might have got this warning:
If you were browing in Firefox you would have seen this hysterical warning:
It appeared to be a couple of archive pages from this year that were causing problems although you could be forgiven for thinking from the above warning that I was planning to blow up the entire Internet with help from Russian spammers and Al-Qaeda’s IT department.
The basic deal is that sites like mine can be compromised without owners knowing about it until you get flagged.
It’s a bit of Catch 22 – you don’t know there is a problem until it is pointed out to you and then it takes a while to a) figure out what is wrong, b) fix the problem and c) get Google to see if it is fixed.
For more information just visit www.stopbadware.org (especially this bit) which explains all of this in more detail.
In the meantime I’ve made a few technical changes to the backend of the site and tightened up the security which should mean that in a few days Google will unflag it.
[Photo via Flickr user Stefan]
Categories
Site Maintenance
My site will be undergoing some maintenance tonight (July 7th) whilst I get a few things fixed.
I’ll try and get things back to normal as soon as possible.
Categories
Bronson on DVD
Bronson is a British film about the life of notorious prisoner Charles Bronson (Tom Hardy).
Directed by Nicolas Winding Refn it is a striking look at how a man from a respectable family became one of the most notorious prisoners in Britain, persistently causing havoc in the system by staging riots, protests and taking hostages.
Born Michael Peterson and later re-named by his fight promoter in the 1970s – he has spent 34 years of his life in prison, and 28 of those in solitary confinement.
Although on the surface it might seem like another British gangster film, it is actually a very interesting and often darkly funny look at an extraordinary character.
Much of the strength of the film comes from the fact that it eschews the usual biopic route by having Bronson as narrator.
Can we trust him? Probably not, but that is what makes the film interesting as he refuses to blame his background and admits to being a strange kind of fame seeking performer.
Tom Hardy (who actually met with the real life Bronson in prison) gives a remarkable performance in the title role and Refn directs proceedings with considerable style and pace.
Extras on the DVD include:
- Director’s Commentary
- Making-of
- Cast and Crew interviews
- Audio Introduction from Charles Bronson
Bronson is out now on DVD
> Official site
> Bronson at the IMDb
> Buy the DVD at Amazon UK
N.B. This should have been included in my DVD picks this week but slipped through the net. Apologies.
BrĂŒno is a welcome satirical counterblast to the shallow celebrity culture currently engulfing the western world but also another triumph for Sacha Baron Cohen and director Larry Charles.
The first and most important thing about the latest film featuring a character from Da Ali G Show is that it is really funny.
Much of it contains sequences that are not only hilarious but also peppered with an anarchic intelligence that will prompt many to think ‘am I really watching this?’ whilst they laugh out loud.
Forget the shallow hipsters who complained with the mantra that ‘yeah, Borat was OK, but it wasn’t the funniest film ever‘ (which it wasn’t despite being a groundbreaking studio comedy) because Bruno takes the Borat baton and runs further and faster.
If you are unfamiliar with the central character (played by Sacha Baron Cohen), he is a flamboyant gay Austrian fashion journalist, who first appeared in segments on Da Ali G Show.
He often interviews unsuspecting guests about fashion, entertainment, celebrities often making them uncomfortable with his oblivious references to gay sex or the Holocaust.
The arc of this film sees Bruno blacklisted from his usual haunts after causing a major scene at Milan fashion week and then following him as he tries to make it big in the US.
With the help of his sidekick Lutz (Gustaf Hammarsten) he tries to get a pilot together with the help of an agent and interviews all manner of people including Paula Abdul, Harrison Ford and Ron Paul.
There are also some stand out sequences involving Bruno going to the Middle East where he upsets orthodox Jews and Palestinian terrorists; an uncomfortable appearance on a TV chat show where he unveils an adopted African child; an extended attempt to ‘become straight’ with the help of religion, martial arts and the US military and a truly riotous climax involving a cage wrestling match in Arkansas.
It utilizes the techniques used in Borat and Religulous in which various people were contacted and slyly duped into signing release forms before being interviewed.
I suspect that some will think that a lot of the scenes were faked or setup given their outrageous and uncomfortable nature.
Although I wouldn’t doubt that some clever editing has been employed I actually suspect much of it actually happened.
When I spoke with Larry Charles last October he told me how on Borat and Religulous he learned that the irony is that people are dying to speak on camera if you give them a vague outline of what the film is about.
He also stressed the key in a lot of scenes was to keep the cameras running until they were literally shut down.
Bruno seems like the most extreme example yet of this kind of comedy guerrilla film making and there were long stretches where I was in awe of Baron Cohen’s ability to keep his character going in the craziest of situations, where arrest or physical harm seemed likely.
It is the underlying and often uncomfortable sense of comic dread
in the various situations that gives the film its raw power and ability to surprise even if it bears many structural and stylistic similarities to Borat.
What makes it a sharper and more audacious film than its predecessor though is its ability to scratch a little deeper.
It gleefully exposes the prejudices of various cultures towards homosexuality but also manages to turn the tables on the vapid cultures of modern-day celebrity and the fashion world.
Previous satires such as Pret-a-Porter (1994) never worked because – aside from being poorly made – the fashion world is arguably beyond parody anyway.
But somehow Charles, Baron Cohen and his team of writers have managed to have their cake and eat it – Bruno is a repellent narcissist who actually mirrors and lampoons the inanities of fashionistas and the wider celebrity culture.
One sequence in which he asks for help in finding which charity is ‘hot’ at the moment seems like a throwaway scene but is more pointed than it may seem on first viewing.
Somehow the character of Bruno feels like the perfect double agent in the age of Paris Hilton, reality TV and celebrity magazines which take themselves more seriously than even they know.
This has been one of the features of an extraordinary marketing campaign which has seen Baron Cohen promote the film in character (a clever move repeated from Borat).
So far it has seen him get a load of publicity by staging a stunt with Eminem at the MTV awards, dress up at various premieres around the globe and engage with fans via some clever social media marketing (including specially branded pages on MeinSpace, Tvitter and Facebuch).
The irony of all this is that the film is likely to be a big mainstream hit, perhaps proof that Bruno is the ultimate comedic double agent: a fake celebrity highlighting the very fakeness of celebrity itself.
> Official site
> Bruno at the IMDb
>Â Read other reviews of the film at Metacritic
Woody Allen and Russell Crowe were just two of the famous spectators at yesterday’s Wimbledon final which saw Roger Federer beat Andy Roddick in a five set epic.
DVD PICKS
Doubt (Disney): In 2005, John Patrick Shanley wrote the hit play Doubt: A Parable, which won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama and Tony Award for Best Play. Now Shanley has directed a film version called Doubt which stars Meryl Streep as Sister Aloysius, the stern principal of a Catholic school in the Bronx during the 1960s, who comes into conflict with a reforming priest named Father Flynn (Philip Seymour Hoffman).
A strong supporting cast includes Amy Adams and Viola Davis and although at times it is a little too stagey, the strength of the original play shines through and gives the impressive cast a chance to flex their considerable acting muscles. Although some audiences will be left frustrated by the climax, it is worth remembering that it contains the very crux of the play and is also what gives it a rich and lasting power.
The extras on the DVD and Blu-ray are as follows:
- From Stage to Screen: A discussion with John Patrick Shanley about the history of Doubt, including his inspirations for the story, the acclaim the playâs Broadway run received, the Pulitzer Prize and the process of adapting it for the screen. Joining the conversation are Meryl Streep and Sister Margaret McEntee (a consultant on the film and Shanleyâs former teacher).
- Scoring Doubt: Renowned composer Howard Shore discusses his inspiration for the music in the film and his collaboration with both John Patrick Shanley and producer Scott Rudin.
- The Sisters of Charity: Meryl Streep and John Patrick Shanley discuss the interviews that Shanley did before shooting with real nuns to discuss their lives and make sure they would be accurately portrayed in the film.
- Feature Commentary with John Patrick Shanley
- The Cast of Doubt: A conversation with actors Meryl Streep, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Amy Adams and Viola Davis.
The Red Shoes (ITV DVD): Moira Shearer stars as talented young dancer Victoria Page who finds herself torn between Julian Craster (Marius Goring) and Boris Lermontov (Anton Walbrook).
Directed by Powell and Pressburger, featuring cinematography by the late Jack Cardiff, this is the new digital film restoration that was premiered at this yearâs Cannes Classics Film Festival.
It was restored in partnership with UCLA Film & Television Archive in association with The BFI, The Film Foundation, Janus Films and ITV Global Entertainment Ltd. Restoration funding was provided by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, The Film Foundation, and the Louis B. Mayer Foundation.
Features on both editions include:
- Re-mastered film feature
- A Profile of The Red Shoes
- The Ballet of The Red Shoes
- Cannes 09: Martin Scorsese introduction
- Cannes 09: Thelma Schoonmaker
- Behind the scenes gallery
- Theatrical Trailer
- Biographies and photo gallery of cast and crew
Three Monkeys (New Wave Films): Directed by Nuri Bilge Ceylan (who made Uzak (Distant) in 2002 and Climates in 2006) this dark family drama is about a politician (Ercan Kesal) who accidentally kills someone whilst out driving and manages to convince his lowly driver (Yavuz Bingol) to take the wrap.
The plot then thickens whilst the driver is in jail, with his wife (Hatice Aslan) and son (Ahmet Rifat Sungar) getting drawn into the web of deceit.
It screened in competition at Cannes in 2008 to considerable acclaim and Ceylan won Best Director although the limited run at UK cinemas meant DVD will be the place discerning filmgoers will catch it.
Extras include the trailer and an interview with Nuri Bilge Ceylan.
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ALSO OUT
Bleach the Movie: Memories of Nobody (Manga)
Blind Loves (ICA Films)
Doctor Who: The War Games (2 Entertain)
Glass: A Portrait of Philip in Twelve Parts (Drakes Avenue Pictures)
Horse People With Alexandra Tolstoy (2Entertain)
If War Should Come: The GPO Film Unit Collection Volume Three (BFI)
Lola Montes (Second Sight)
Marley & Me (Fox)
Meatball Machine (4Digital Asia)
Panda! Go Panda! (Manga)
Prison Break Season 4 (Fox)
S. Darko (Lionsgate)
Stargate Atlantis Season 5 Volume 5 (Fox)
The Genius of Photography (2Entertain)
The Grocer’s Son (ICA Films)
The Innocent Sleep (Bluebell Films)
The International (Sony)
The Scarlet Tunic (Bluebell Films)
The Sky at Night â Apollo 11 â A Night to Remember (Acorn Media)
Viva (Nouveaux Pictures)
Watching the Detectives (Momentum Pictures)
> Browse more DVD Releases at Amazon UK and Play
> Check the latest DVD prices at DVD Price Check
>Â Take a look at the current UK cinema releases (W/C Friday 3rd July)
In honour of Independence Day (July 4th) here are a few relevant clips from film and TV.
The drafting of the declaration of independence in the HBO series John Adams, which sees Thomas Jefferson (Stephen Dillane), Benjamin Franklin (Tom Wilkinson) and Adams (Paul Giamatti) read through the original draft.
From the same series this is the scene where Congress approve of the separation from Great Britain.
The trailer for Oliver Stone’s Born on the 4th of July:
The famous Superbowl teaser trailer for Independence Day in 1996:
This short film of the 4th of July fireworks in New York was shot by Mike Kobal on a Canon camera.
Can you think of any others?
Categories
Brad Pitt Softbank Ad
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UK Cinema Releases: Friday 3rd July 2009
NATIONAL RELEASES
Public Enemies (Universal): Michael Mann’s adaptation of Bryan Burroughâs non-fiction book âPublic Enemies: Americaâs Greatest Crime Wave and the Birth of the FBI, 1933â34′, explores the FBIâs attempts to capture gangster John Dillinger during the Great Depression. It features a heavy weight cast with Johnny Depp as Dillinger, Christian Bale as his FBI nemesis Melvin Purvis and Marion Cottilard as his girlfriend Billie Frechette.
For various reasons it never catches fire: Dillinger remains a remote protagonist, the hi-def visuals don’t look right and the narrative lurches from one shootout to the next without conveying the importance of the story. Universal will be expecting a solid opening weekend given the star power of Johnny Depp but negative word of mouth is likely to affect its long term box office in a busy summer season. [Empire Leicester Square & Nationwide / Cert 15] (Opened on Weds 1st July)
Ice Age 3 (20th Century Fox): The biggest animated franchise for Fox returns for a third installment and this one sees more prehistoric animals voiced by the likes of Quuen Latifah, Ray Romano, Denis Leary, John Leguizamo and Simon Pegg. Like the first two films it is likely to to stellar business amongst the target family audience. [Cineworld Shaftesbury Ave., Vue West End & Nationwide/ Cert U) (Opened on Weds 1st July)
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IN LIMITED RELEASE
Strawberry And Chocolate (Contemporary Films): A re-issue for this 1994 film about a gay artist (Jorge PerugorrĂa) who falls in love with a straight communist (Vladimir Cruz) full of prejudices and doctrinary ideas. Directed by TomĂĄs GutiĂ©rrez and Alea Juan Carlos TabĂo. [Barbican and selected Key Cities / Cert 18]
Am I Black Enough For You (Verve Pictures): A documentary about 1970s Philly soul music artist Billy Paul, the city of Philadelphia and the lifelong companionship between Billy and his wife Blanche. [Apollo Piccadilly Circus, Ritzy & Key Cities / Cert 12A)
Kambakkht Ishq (Eros): A romantic comedy about an Indian stuntman who takes Hollywood by storm but cannot find true love. [C’Worlds Feltham, Ilford, S’Bury Ave, Vue Harrow & N’wide] (Previews 2 July)
Red Mist (Revolver Entertainment): A horror film about a group of medical students who accidentally put the hospitalâs creepy caretaker into a deep coma and then have to deal with the inevitable revenge. Directed by Paddy Breathnach (Shrooms) and starring Arielle Kebbel, Sarah Carter, Andrew Lee Potts and Martin Compston. [London & Key Cities / Cert 18]
Embodiment Of Evil (Anchor Bay UK): A 2008 Brazilian horror film by director José Mojica Marins that is the third installment of his Coffin Joe trilogy. [ICA Cinema & Key Cities / Cert 18]
> UK cinema releases for July 2009
> DVD Picks for this week including Che (Part One and Two) and Gran Torino (W/C Monday 29th June)
Categories
Jeff Goldblum responds to his own death
Jeff Goldblum was recently on The Colbert Report responding to reports of his own ‘death’.
| The Colbert Report | Mon – Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c | |||
| Jeff Goldblum Will Be Missed | ||||
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Public Enemies left me with that particular kind of disappointment you feel when you see a great director fall short of his own high standards.
Based on Bryan Burrough’s non-fiction book ‘Public Enemies: America’s Greatest Crime Wave and the Birth of the FBI, 1933â34‘, it explores the FBI’s attempts to capture the gangsters who are robbing banks all across the Midwest during the Great Depression.
The focus is on John Dillinger (Johnny Depp), his girlfriend Billie Frechette (Marion Cotillard) and Melvin Purvis (Christian Bale), the federal agent entrusted with catching him.
For director Michael Mann, this is familiar territory featuring many of his favourite themes: crime, extreme conflict, good and evil, obsession and the male psyche.
Given that this film saw him re-teaming with cinematographer Dante Spinotti (who he has collaborated with several times on films such as Manhunter, Heat and The Insider) you could also be forgiven for thinking that a visual feast would be in store.
But sadly Public Enemies never really catches fire and curiously it is largely down to the visuals and the acting – things which Mann is famous for getting right.
Like his last two films, Collateral and Miami Vice, Mann has opted to shoot with high end digital cameras (principally the Sony F23 and some smaller cameras).
Although this creates some interesting sequences (especially those set at night), it also leads to others which just look odd, especially when you see occasional bright flaring and sudden movements which the camera doesn’t quite catch.
Some directors like smaller and lighter digital cameras because they can shoot in smaller spaces, often with greater speed.
In Public Enemies this has the effect of putting you ‘in the scene’ in the action sequences and it has clearly been Mann’s intention to create a new visual aesthetic.
But the main problem here, as in his two previous films, is that the images here lack the richness and vibrancy of Mann’s earlier work on 35mm film.
In some ways this film also marks the end of a decade in which Mann has increasingly retreated into his own head. All of his films since 2000 have lacked the weight and stunning craftsmanship of his best work on Manhunter, Heat and The Insider.
Another aspect of the film that is puzzling is the casting of Johnny Depp as Dillinger. Although he can be a brilliant technical actor and a charming screen presence, he gives a Dillinger an aloof coolness here which I find hard to square with the real life criminal.
Christian Bale on paper sounded a fantastic choice to play his lawman nemesis too, but he also seems restrained and lacking in the intensity you might expect given the pressure he was under.
Marion Cottilard brings some emotional substance in the often neglected ‘gangster’s moll’ role, even if her accent sometimes fluctuates here and there.
There are some fine performances, although frustratingly the best stuff comes from the supporting cast with the likes of Billy Crudup, Giovanni Ribisi, Stephen Graham and Stephen Lang offering tantalising glimpses of the film this could have been.
As you might expect for a Mann film the production design is excellent, with great use of a variety of locations in Wisconsin, Illinois and Indiana.
But despite these qualities Public Enemies never hits the high notes you would expect given the potential of the material and the talent involved in bringing it to the screen.
Universal deserve a lot of credit for being the Hollywood studio most likely to take risks on more adult material and filmmakers like Mann, but opening this film in the height of summer is going to be a real test for them.
They have sold it on Johnny Depp’s star power (greatly increased since the Pirates of the Caribbean trilogy) but I find it hard to see it making serious money and it may even struggle to recoup its $100 million budget back.
In fact, if this film does badly it may give a lot of studio executives an excuse to no longer green-light similar projects, especially as some of them are probably doubting how much stars are now worth in terms of box office dollars.
I actually hope it does do well because in a time of turgid studio fare such as Transformers 2 and Terminator Salvation, Hollywood needs directors like Michael Mann and mainstream films that cater to more than just the popcorn munchers.
But on the other hand Mann needs to return to the form that made him such an important filmmaker.
Given that the economic model for Hollywood is slowly breaking, maybe a return to lower budgets (along the lines of Stephen Soderbergh) would give him the creative rejuvenation he needs.
> Official site
> Read other reviews at Metacritic
> Find out more about John Dillinger at Wikipedia
Categories
UK Cinema Releases: July 2009
- Ice Age 3 (U) / 20th Century Fox
- Public Enemies (15) / Universal / Empire Leicester Square & Nationwide
- Am I Black Enough For You (12A) / Verve Pictures
- Kambakkht Ishq / Eros
- Red Mist (18) / Revolver Entertainment
- Strawberry And Chocolate (18) / Contemporary Films
- Embodiment Of Evil (18) / Anchor Bay UK
- 35 Shots Of Rum (12A) / New Wave Films
- Bruno (18) / Universal
- Cloud 9 (15) / Soda Pictures
- Echoes Of Home / ICA Films
- Fired Up (12A) / Sony Pictures
- Ichi (15) / Manga Entertainment
- Mishima: A Life In Four Chapters (15) / ICA Cinema/Screenwriters Festival)
- The Private Lives Of Pippa Lee (15) / Icon
- Soul Power (12A) / Eureka Entertainment (Previews Glastonbury 2009)
- Harry Potter And The Half-Blood Prince (12A) / Warner Bros.
- Burma VJ (12A) / Dogwoof
- Frozen River (15) / Axiom Films
- The Informers (TBC) / Entertainment
- Kisses (15) / Optimum Releasing
- Moon (15) / Sony Pictures
- The Proposal (12A) / Walt Disney
- Antichrist (18) / Artificial Eye
- The Blues Brothers (R/I) (15) / Universal
- Charles Dickens’ England / Guerilla Films (BFI Southbank fm 21 July)
- Just Another Love Story / Revolver Entertainment
- Once Upon A Time In The West (R/I) / bfi Distribution
- Skin / ICA Films
- Coco Before Chanel (12A) / Optimum Releasing
- Crossing Over (TBC) / Entertainment
- G Force (3D) / Walt Disney
- The Heavy / Kaleidoscope Entertainment
- Land Of The Lost (TBC) / Universal
- Love Aaj Kal / Eros (Previews 30 July)
- Mad, Sad & Bad / Soda Pictures
- The Taking Of Pelham 1 2 3 (15) / Sony Pictures
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 monthâs cinema releases or any upcoming titles then just email me or leave a comment below.
>Â Get local showtimes via Google Movies (just enter your local postcode)
>Â Find out about films showing near you at MyFilms
Categories
Orson Welles on The Merv Griffin Show
This interview with Orson Welles on The Merv Griffin Show from October 10th 1985 was the last he ever gave.
He died two hours after the taping, which makes the discussion about old age quite poignant.
> Find out more about Orson Welles at Wikipedia
> The classic Orson Welles frozen peas advert
Categories
Web Site Story
West Side Story has been transformed by College Humor into this spoof which drops in all manner of references to Twitter, Facebook and a bunch of other websites.
> More on the original musical at Wikipedia
> We Didn’t Start the Flame War
We have 3 DVD copies of Flame and Citron to give away courtesy of Metrodome.
Set in Copenhagen 1944 as World War II approaches its dying days, it is the story of two hit men for the Danish freedom fighters codenamed âFlameâ (Thure Lindhardt) and âCitronâ (Mads Mikkelsen) secretly put their lives on the line to fight the Nazis.
The fearless and uncompromising Flame is a confirmed anti-fascist and dreams of the day when the group will assemble and openly launch an armed counterattack at the occupying power.
The more sensitive family man, Citron, used to work primarily as a driver for Flame, but now finds himself becoming more deeply involved in the groupâs work.
It is based on actual events and eyewitness accounts from some of the people who experienced Bent Faurschou-Hviid (‘Flame’) and JĂžrgen Haagen Schmith (‘Citron’) at very close range.
Extras include:
- Al Jazeera âThat Fabulous Picture Showâ Q&A with Mads Mikkelsen
- Filmed interviews with director Ole Christian Madsen and actor Thure Lindhardt
- Theatrical trailer
To stand a chance of winning a copy just answer this question:
Which Bond film did Mads Mikklesen play the villain?
Just email your answers and postal address to [email protected]
Closing Date: Monday 13th July 2009
Flame and Citron is out now on DVD from Metrodome
> Flame and Citron at the IMDb
> Buy the DVD at Amazon
Categories
Greatest Movies Subway Map
David Honnorat has created a cinematic subway map in which all the stations are replaced by films from the IMDb top 250 list.
Download the map as a normal JPG, a hi-res jpg or a PDF.
[Link via Buzzfeed]
DVD PICKS
Che Part One and Part Two (Optimum): This long gestating biopic of Che Guevara from director Steven Soderbergh got a mixed reaction after it premiered at Cannes in May 2008.
Some were put off by the four hour running time and the whole question of whether or not it was actually two films. It would probably be most accurate to describe it as two films merged together as one: The Argentine deals with the Cuban revolution in 1959 whilst Guerrilla explores his final years in Bolivia.
In the UK it got released as Che: Part One and Che: Part Two, with some special double-bill screenings at certain cinemas. Now with the DVD release, it is worth saying again what an audacious and thrilling piece of cinema this project turned out to be.
In the first part we see the Cuban Revolution inter-cut with Guevara’s 1964 trip to the United Nation and refreshingly Soderbergh eschews the narrative cliches of many historical biopics. Instead of ponderous meditations on his motives or background we are plunged into the raw action of the revolutionary’s life.
Some viewers may find this off putting but as the film progresses the production design, costume, acting and cinematography get ever more hypnotic, drawing us into this world.
Soderbergh has always been a gifted technical filmmaker interested in pushing the boundaries of mainstream cinema and here he crafted one of his most interesting and accomplished films with the help of a revolutionary digital camera (appropriately called the RED One) that allowed him to make an epic using guerrilla film-making techniques.
The spiritual core of the film is an outstanding performance from Benicio del Toro, who captures the physical and vocal mannerisms of Che so well that he manages to make you forget about the face that spawned so many t-shirts and posters.
Che will be available on DVD and Blu-ray in two parts or as a box-set.
The extras for Che Part One are:
- Behind the Scenes Featurette
- Exclusive Interview with Steven Soderbergh
- Theatrical teaser trailer
The extras for Che Part Two are:
- Exclusive interview with Benicio Del Toro
- Interview with Alberto Iglesias (composer)
- Interview with Jon Lee Anderson (Author of Che Guevara: A Revolutionary Life)
- Theatrical trailer
On DVD the films are presented in anamorphic widescreen with Spanish DD2.0 Stereo, Spanish DD5.1 Surround audio and English subtitles.
On Blu-ray (Region B) the films are presented in 1080P Widescreen with Spanish 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio and English subtitles.
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Gran Torino (Warner Bros): Just after directing Changeling, Clint Eastwood returned with another film, which he directs and stars in (reportedly his acting swan song). He plays a disgruntled Korean War vet who sets out to reform his neighbour, a young Hmong teenager (Bee Vang), who tried to steal his vintage 1972 Gran Torino car.
Although this project came together quickly, it is a lean and satisfying tale told with Eastwood’s customary efficiency and class. It would be safe to categorise it as a drama, but there are some very funny sequences, mostly involving the culture clash between Eastwood’s gruff character and his immigrant neighbours.
There are times when the film skates on thin ice when dealing with the issue of race, but Eastwood and screenwriter Nick Schenk deserve credit for venturing in territory that most Hollywood execs wouldn’t touch with a bargepole.
A pleasingly old fashioned drama of simple pleasures and a fitting swansong for the iconic tough guy persona Eastwood has owned for a generation.
Extras on the regular DVD include:
- Manning the Wheel as Reflected in American Car Culture
- Gran Torino: More than a Car. Visit Detroit and the Woodland Dream Cruise, an Annual vintage car event where buffs describe the unique bond between man and vehicles
- The Eastwood Way: Exploring the Actor/Directorâs filmmaking process up close (Blu-ray exclusive)
The following extras will be made available over BD-Live (Blu-ray only):
- Jamie Cullumâs music video performance of the original theme song from the motion picture Gran Torino.
- Gran Torino: Next Door is a 15 minute Hmong documentary. For Hmong Americans, Gran Torino marks a cinematic debut – the first time they have participated as characters, cast and crew in a major motion picture. The documentary takes a very personal look at the Hmong experience and their stories, both on and off the set.
- Additional Theatrical Trailers
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ALSO OUT
A Rage in Harlem (Optimum)
All The Rivers Run (Fremantle)
American Teen (Optimum)
Bloody Mama (Optimum)
Bust – The Complete Series (Fabulous Films/Fremantle)
Confessions of a Shopaholic (Disney)
Doctor Who: Planet of the Dead (2 Entertain)
Flame & Citron (Metrodome)
I Know How Many Runs You Scored Last Summer (Anchor Bay)
Insatiable: Diary of a Sex Addict (Momentum)
Lift / Travellers / Calais: The Last Border â Three films by Marc Isaacs (Second Run DVD)
Lipstick Jungle – Season 2 (Universal Playback)
Naruto Unleashed: Complete Series 5 (Manga)
Naruto Unleashed: Series 6 Part 2 (Manga)
New in Town (EIV)
Push (Icon)
Rachel Getting Married (Sony)
Revolutionary Road (Paramount)
Robin Hood Series 3 (2 Entertain)
Secret Smile (ITV DVD)
Surveillance (E1 Entertainment)
The Cell 2 (EIV)
The House by the Cemetery (Arrow)
> Browse more DVD Releases at Amazon UK and Play
> Check the latest DVD prices at DVD Price Check
> Take a look at the current UK cinema releases (W/C Friday 26th June)
Categories
CPDRC inmates do the Jai Ho dance
You might have already seen the inmates of Cebu Provincial Detention and Rehabilitation Center (CPDRC) – a maximum security prison in the Philippines – do that famous dance to Michael Jackson’s ‘Thriller’.
They are also the latest group to do the Jai Ho dance from the end of Slumdog Millionaire.
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They have also recently done a tribute dance to Jackson.
Oliver Stone was recently on Bill Maher’s Real Time, in which he talked about Buddhism, Vietnam, the Obama administration and Wall Street 2.
By the way, the book by Jeremy Scahill that they mention is Blackwater and I would highly recommend it.
(Also, don’t be surprised if these clips get taken down soon from YouTube)
Carlos CuarĂłn is a screenwriter and director who’s previous credits include SĂłlo con tu pareja (1991) – which was directed by his brother Alfonso – and Y tu mamĂĄ tambiĂ©n (2001).
His first film as a director is Rudo y Cursi, which stars Diego Luna and Gael GarcĂa Bernal as two brothers in Mexico who end up fueding as they try to carve out a career in professional football.
I spoke with Carlos recently about the film and you can listen to the interview here:
[audio:http://filmdetail.receptionmedia.com/Carlos_Cuaron_on_Rudo_and_Cursi.mp3]You can also download this interview as a podcast via iTunes by clicking here.
> Download this interview as an MP3 file
> Carlos Cuaron at the IMDb
> Reviews of Rudo y Cursi at Metacritic
IFC recently posted a listed of The 50 Greatest Trailers of All Time.
As so often with these kinds of list, there are some WTF inclusions (Red Eye?!) but there are also many worth a look.
However, it is the Number 1 entry of Alien that you should really check out if you haven’t ever seen it.
The lack of dialogue, haunting sounds and first rate editing all reflect the creepy atmosphere of the film as well not revealing too much (sadly a lost art in recent years).
(N.B. It is also worth looking out for a shot which I don’t think I’ve ever seen before at 1.09-1.10)
> Alien at the IMDb
> More on movie trailers at Wikipedia
Categories
UK Cinema Releases: Friday 26th June 2009
NATIONAL RELEASES
Year One (Sony Pictures): The latest comedy from the Judd Apatow stable is set in pre-historic times and sees Jack Black and Michael Cera play two lazy hunter-gatherers who set off on an epic journey through the ancient world. Directed by Harold Ramis, it has so far attracted awful reviews in the US and is likely to disappear soon after bad buzz sets in and people go to see The Hangover instead. [Nationwide / Cert 12A]
Sunshine Cleaning (Delanic/Anchor Bay): A US indie that has been sitting on the shelf for a while after premiering at Sundance back in 2008, it pairs Amy Adams and Emily Blunt as sisters who start their own crime scene clean-up service. Despite containing many superficial similarities to Little Miss Sunshine (the setting of Albuquerque, Alan Arkin in a supporting role, producer Marc Turtletaub and a quirky sensibility), director Christine Jeffs deserves credit for crafting an engaging tale, which has a more mainstream appeal than audiences might think. [C’World Haymarket, Curzon Soho, Odeon Cov Gdn, Vue West End & N’wide / Cert 15]
My Sister’s Keeper (Entertainment): Based on the 2004 novel by Jodi Picoult, Cameron Diaz plays a former attorney who returns to the courtroom after a young teen (Abigail Breslin) learns the truth behind her conception, and seeks to be emancipated from her parents. Directed by Nick Cassavetes, it could very well appeal to female audiences and those wanting to avoid Transformers and Year One, despite having one of the worst posters in recent memory. [Odeon West End & Nationwide / Cert 12A]
Blood: The Last Vampire (Warner Bros/Pathe): A live action adaptation of the 2000 anime about a vampire named Saya, who is part of covert government agency that hunts and destroys demons in a post-WWII Japan. Directed by Chris Nahon, it stars Gianna Jun, Masiela Lusha, Allison Miller and Liam Cunningham. [Nationwide / Cert 18]
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IN LIMITED RELEASE
Blue Tower, The (D) ICA Cinema ICA Cinema (Previews 23 June)
Dummy (D) Shoreline Entertainment ICA Cinema (Previews 24 June)
Lake Tahoe (D) Yume Pictures Renoir
Last Thakur, The (15) (D) Artificial Eye Cine Lumiere, Genesis Mile End & Key Cities (Previews 21 June – Renoir)
My Sister’s Keeper (12A) Entertainment Odeon West End & Nationwide
Rudo & Cursi (15) Optimum Releasing C’Words Fulham & Haymarket, Curzon Soho & Nationwide
Shirin (PG) (D) bfi Distribution Barbican, BFI Southbank & Key Cities
Sunshine Cleaning (15) Delanic/Anchor Bay C’World Haymarket, Curzon Soho, Odeon Cov Gdn, Vue West End & N’wide
Tenderness (15) Lionsgate UK Apollo Piccadilly Circus
Year One (12A) (D) Sony Pictures Nationwide
Rudo & Cursi (Optimum Releasing): Gael GarcĂa Bernal and Diego Luna play two brothers  in Mexico who end up fueding as they try to carve out a career in professional football. Directed by Carlos Cuaron (who co-wrote 2001’s Y Tu Mama Tambien, which was directed by his brother Alfonso) it was produced by Cha Cha Cha Producciones, the company created by Alfonso CuarĂłn, Guillermo del Toro and Alejandro GonzĂĄlez Iñårritu). [C’Words Fulham & Haymarket, Curzon Soho & Nationwide / Cert 15]
Shirin (bfi Distribution): An experimental film in which Iranian director Abbas Kiarostami films the faces of 114 Iranian women in a cinema audience as they watch an unseen adaptation of a Persian folk tale. [Barbican, BFI Southbank & Key Cities / Cert PG]
Tenderness (Lionsgate UK): A thriller in which a policeman (Russell Crowe) works to figure out whether a violent teen (Jon Foster) murdered his family. Directed by by John Polson, it co-stars Michael Ahl, Vincent Bagnall and Tayna Clarke. Despite the presence of a major star, it will get a limited release by Lionsgate. [Apollo Piccadilly Circus / Cert 15]
Lake Tahoe (Yume Pictures): A Mexican film directed by Fernando Eimbcke about a teenager and the strange events that take place in his small town. [Renoir]
The Blue Tower (ICA Cinema): A micro-budget contemporary B-movie about an illicit romance which leads to betrayal and crime. Directed by Smita Bhide, it stars Paul Chowdhry and Sonnell Dadral. [ICA Cinema]
The Last Thakur (Artificial Eye): Sadik Ahmed directs this intense contemporary Western, which takes place in a remote town in the marshlands of Bangladesh. [Cine Lumiere, Genesis Mile End & Key Cities / Cert 15]
Dummy (Shoreline Entertainment): A coming-of-age drama about an 18-year-old and his younger brother who are given permission to look after themselves by their social worker after their mother’s sudden death. Directed by Matthew Thompson, it stars Emma Catherwood, Thomas Grant and Aaron Johnson. [ICA Cinema]
> UK cinema releases for June 2009
> DVD Picks for this week including Vicky Cristina Barcelona, Hardware and Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist (W/C Monday 22nd June)
Categories
Boxee now available on Windows
The open source media centre program Boxee was made available to Windows users this week.
If you haven’t heard of it before then check out this video.
In a nutshell it is an application that allows you to stream content from the web and also convert the existing media on your computer so you can watch it on a monitor or TV.
Previously only available for Mac and Linux users, it will be interesting to see how many people sign up for it.
The latest version streamlines the left-hand interface, so that you can choose between web-based sources (‘Applications’) and the files on your hard drive (‘Local Files’).
It is all very slick and I don’t think it is too much to suggest that programs like this are the future of home entertainment.
As it stands the current distribution models are split between optical discs (DVD and Blu-ray), pay TV (satellite or cable) and online (iTunes & Amazon etc).
I’ve long felt that the killer app would be the piece of software that allows you to easily find and download what you want to watch on either your TV or computer.
There have already been well-documented problems with media companies like Hulu, who are concerned about rights and platforms.
Despite these issues, Boxee still looks like the most promising step towards what watching films and TV at home will be like in the not-too-distant future.
Categories
Buffy Summers meets Edward Cullen
This mashup of perky vampire slayer Buffy Summers (Sarah Michelle Gellar) and brooding vampire Edward Cullen (Robert Pattinson) is rather well done.
The visual pallete doesn’t match (for obvious reasons) but the editing is top notch.
> Find out more about Buffy Summers and Edward Cullen at Wikipedia
> Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Twilight at the IMDb
DVD PICKS
Vicky Cristina Barcelona (Optimum): A return to form for Woody Allen, after two major misfires (Scoop and Cassandra’s Dream).
The story involves two American women, Vicky (Rebecca Hall) and Cristina (Scarlett Johansson) who spend a summer in Barcelona, where they meet an artist (Javier Bardem) who is attracted to both of them while still enamored of his ex-wife (Penelope Cruz).
Although Hall and Johansson are fine in the two lead roles, it is Bardem and Cruz who give the film an extra flavour with both showing a wonderful light touch for comedy.
Cruz deservedly scooped an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress earlier this year and the film got some of the best reviews Allen has had in some time. The extras are a little thin on the ground (the trailer) but the film is a breezy delight.
Look out for a cameo by the Spanish actor Joan Pera, who often voices Allen in Spanish dubs of his movies.
Hardware (Optimum): This 1990 cult sci-fi has often been hard to track down on DVD due to various rights problems and now Optimum have finally re-issued a special edition on DVD and Blu-ray.
Directed by Richard Stanley, the story involves the head of a killing cyborg found in the desert, which ends up repairing itself and wreaking havoc in the apartment of a sculptress.
It stars Dylan McDermott, Stacey Travis, John Lynch and William Hootkins.
The extras include:
- Audio commentary with Richard Stanley & Paul Trijbits
- Deleted, Extended & Behind the Scenes
- Sea of Perdition
- The Early Days Richard Stanley Super 8 Movies
- The Voice of The Moon
- Original Hardware Promo
* Listen to my interview with Richard Stanley here *
Nick & Norah’s Infinite Playlist (Sony): A charming romantic-comedy, minus the usual cliches of the genre, with Michael Cera and Kat Dennings two teenagers who fall in love during one sleepless night in New York while searching for their favourite band’s unannounced show.
The extras on the DVD are:
- 1.85:1 Anamorphic Widescreen
- English, Catalan and Spanish DD5.1 Surround
- English Audio Description Track
- Subtitles: English, English HOH, Danish, Finnish, Hindi, Norwegian, Portuguese, Spanish, Swedish
- Director and Cast Commentary
- Director and Writers Commentary
- Deleted & Alternate Scenes
- Outtakes
- A Nick & Norah Puppet Show by Kat Dennings
- Ari Graynor’s Video Diary: A Look Behind-the-Scenes
- Storyboard Animations with optional commentary
- Storyboard Animation Piece
- Faux Interview with Kat Dennings and Eddie Kaye Thomas
- Peter Sollett’s Photo Album
- Music Video: “Middle Management” by Bishop Allen
The extras on the Blu-ray Disc (coded for all regions A, B and C) include:
- 1080P 1.85:1 Widescreen
- English and Italian 5.1 Dolby TrueHD
- English Audio Description Track 5.1
- Subtitles: English, English HOH, Danish, Dutch, Finnish, Hindi, Italian, Norwegian, Swedish
- Cinechat
- Trivia Track
- Telestrator Commentary with Director and Cast
- Nick & Norahâs interactive playlist â create and share a playlist of your favourite Nick & Norah songs
- Director and Writers Commentary
- Deleted & Alternate Scenes
- Outtakes
- A Nick & Norah Puppet Show by Kat Dennings
- Ari Graynor’s Video Diary: A Look Behind-the-Scenes
- Storyboard Animations with optional commentary
- Storyboard Animation Piece
- Faux Interview with Kat Dennings and Eddie Kaye Thomas
- Peter Sollett’s Photo Album
- Music Video: “Middle Management” by Bishop Allen
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ALSO OUT
A Hill in Korea (Optimum)
A Waste of Shame (Demand DVD)
Anchoress (BFI)
Before Stonewall (Peccadillo Pictures)
Belle Toujours (ICA)
Bulldog Drummond At Bay (Optimum)
Doctor Who: Delta and the Bannermen (2 Entertain)
Electra Glide in Blue (Optimum)
Franklyn (E1 Entertainment)
Keep Your Seats Please (Optimum)
Nine Men (Optimum)
Notorious (Fox)
Occupation (2 Entertain)
Painted Boats (Optimum)
Punisher: War Zone (Sony)
Queer as Folk Season 4 (Warner)
Return of Bulldog Drummond (Optimum)
Robin Hood Series 3 (2 Entertain)
Stargate Atlantis Season 5 Volume 4 (Fox)
The Pink Panther 2 (Fox)
The Unborn (Universal)
This Filthy Earth (BFI)
Tokyo Sonata (Eureka/Masters of Cinema)
> Browse more DVD Releases at Amazon UK and Play
> Check the latest DVD prices at DVD Price Check
> Take a look at the current UK cinema releases (W/C Friday 19th June)
Hardware is a 1990 sci-fi film set in a post-apocalyptic future.
The story involves the head of a killing cyborg found in the desert, which ends up repairing itself and wreaking havoc in the apartment of a sculptress.
Written and directed by Richard Stanley, it stars Dylan McDermott, Stacey Travis, John Lynch and William Hootkins.
A cult sci-fi horror, it hasn’t ever had a proper DVD release due to various rights difficulties until now.
I spoke with Richard Stanley in London recently and we discussed various aspects of the film including: where it was shot, how it got funded, the various influences and the long delay in securing a proper DVD release.
You can listen to the interview here:
[audio:http://filmdetail.receptionmedia.com/Richard_Stanley_on_Hardware.mp3]You can also download this interview as a podcast via iTunes by clicking here.
The extras on the DVD include:
Extra DVD Features:
âą Audio Commentary with Richard Stanley and Paul Trijbits
âą Deleted, Extended and Behind the Scenes
âą Sea of Perdition
âą The Early Days Richard Stanley Super 8 Movies
âą The Voice of the Moon
âą Original Hardware Promo
- Audio Commentary with director Richard Stanley and producer Paul Trijbits
- Deleted, Extended and Behind the Scenes
- Sea of Perdition
- The Early Days Richard Stanley Super 8 Movies
- The Voice of the Moon
- Original Hardware Promo
Hardware is out on DVD and Blu-ray in the UK on Monday 22nd June from Optimum Releasing
> Download this interview as an MP3 file
> Buy Hardware on DVD and Blu-ray from Amazon UK
> Hardware and Richard Stanley at the IMDb
> Everything Is Under Control – A Hardware fansite
Paula Abdul talks to David Letterman about getting pranked by Sacha Baron Cohen during the filming of BrĂŒno.
> BrĂŒno at the IMDb
>Â Find out more about the character at Wikipedia
Categories
Pixar let dying girl see ‘Up’ at home
Pixar recently arranged a home screening of their latest film Up for a 10 year old girl dying of a terminal illness.
Back in 2005, Colby Curtin was diagnosed with vascular cancer and her condition had worsened in recent months to the point that she only had days to live.
After seeing a preview at a cinema back in April, she was keen to see Up, which is about an old man who flies to South America in a floating house suspended from helium balloons.
However, by early June her condition had deteriorated to such an extent that she couldn’t leave the house.
Her mother Lisa feared that she would never get to see the film and it was at this point that a family friend named Terrell Orum started cold calling Pixar and Disney to see if anyone could help them.
After eventually getting through to Pixar, the company agreed to send an employee to Colbyâs house the next day with a special DVD of ‘Up’.
When he arrived, the group gathered around for a special screening, although because of Colby’s condition her mother had to describe the events on the screen.
The employee left after the film had finished, taking the DVD with him.
Colby passed away later that evening at 9:20 p.m, just seven hours after seeing the film.
The Orange County Register reported on how thankful Colby’s mother was about the special screening:
With her daughterâs vigil planned for Friday, Lisa Curtin reflected about how grateful she is that Pixar â and “Up” â were a part of her only childâs last day.
âWhen I watched it, I had really no idea about the content of the theme of the movie,â said Curtin, 46. âI just know that word âUpâ and all of the balloons and I swear to you, for me it meant that (Colby) was going to go up. Up to heaven.â
Pixar officials declined to comment on the story or name the employees involved
With her daughterâs vigil planned for Friday, Lisa Curtin reflected about how grateful she is that Pixar â and “Up” â were a part of her only childâs last day.
âWhen I watched it, I had really no idea about the content of the theme of the movie,â said Curtin, 46. âI just know that word âUpâ and all of the balloons and I swear to you, for me it meant that (Colby) was going to go up. Up to heaven.â
Pixar officials declined to comment on the story or name the employees involved.
A remarkable story, which shows what a class act Pixar are, on a personal and professional level.
> Read the full story at the Orange County Register
> Find out more about Pixar and Up at Wikipedia
Categories
UK Cinema Releases: Friday 19th June 2009
NATIONAL RELEASE
Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (Paramount): When it comes to new national UK releases this week, there is only one game in town and it involves alien robots. Unusually, we are getting it a full week ahead of our US counterparts and if the predictions are correct it is likely to have a massive opening. A sequel to the 2007 blockbuster, it sees Shia LaBeouf reprise his role as a human caught in the war between Autobots and Decepticons.
Director Michael Bay has also returned and has constructed this film as a more frenetic exercise than the original. Given that the first film was marked by Bay’s usual penchant for whiplash editing, massive explosions and fetish for military helicopters, you can probably expect who this film is going to appeal to.
Despite the hatred many film purists have for Bay and the fact that a major Hollywood film is based on toys from the 1980s, the first film was quite enjoyable. LeBeouf was an engaging lead and in a summer riddled with sequels (or threequels to be precise) it made a change to see something different, even if it descended into a big fight in which you couldn’t really tell who was who.
The problem second time around is that the worldwide success of the original appears to have gone to the filmmakers’ heads. All the negative qualities (mindless action, tacky concessions to teenage fanboys and incoherent sound editing) have risen to the surface while the positive attributes (human interaction, a sense of wonder at the robots) have been drowned out.
The opening hour of the film manages to entertain in the same way, but after that comes a series of impossibly drawn out sequences involving Transformers hitting each other, LeBeouf and his friends going a bit crazy and shouting a lot, widespread destruction and yet more Transformers hitting each other.
The long, drawn out climax is exhausting in all the wrong ways. Not only is it difficult to make out what the evil Decepticons are actually saying, but the widespread carnage has little real tension despite the presence of key characters, the military and the Pyramids.
However, in light of the film’s many flaws it is worth singling out ILM for their outstanding CGI work on the robots. It has got so good that you actually accept the sight of giant alien robots transforming into vehicles without blinking. Quite how they lost out on an Oscar last time around to The Golden Compass is a mystery and the work here is a slam dunk for awards recognition come awards season.
But this is basically a summer tentpole film, designed to get young moviegoers into cinemas and it will certainly do that. It is almost a dead cert to make DreamWorks and Paramount an obscene amount of money. Tracking and awareness is reportedly through the roof and at this point the studios’ only concern might be that expectations are a little too high. If the projected opening weekend gross narrowly fails to meet the dizzy numbers some expect then there will be a (minor) sense of gloom that it didn’t break opening records.
However, a third film is almost certainly in the works as we speak – let’s just hope that next time they do something interesting with the story and characters, instead of more alien robots beating each other up …again and again and again. [Cert 12A / Odeon Leicester Square & Nationwide]
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IN LIMITED RELEASE
Telstar (Aspiration/Miracle): A new British film about the 60’s record producer Joe Meek (Con O’Neill) who wrote and produced such hits as Just Like Eddie and Telstar before enduring numerous personal and financial problems that saw him meet an untimely end in 1967. Directed by Nick Moran from the 2005 play, it co-stars Kevin Spacey, James Corden, Ralf Little and Carl Barat. Although it feels a little stagey due to much of the action being confined to one location, it is an undeniably interesting story even if the final stages might be a bit too bleak for some. [Cert 15 / West End, Ritzy, Vues Islington, Shepherds Bush & Key Cities]
Gigantic (The Works): A US indie film starring Paul Dano and Zooey Deschanel about a mattress salesman who decides to adopt a baby from China but is distracted by a quirky woman he meets at his store. Directed by Matt Aselton, it struggled in limited release at the US box office and looks like it will have similar problems here. [Key Cities / Cert 15]
Katyn (Artificial Eye): A drama about the Soviet slaughter of thousands of Polish officers and citizens in the Katyn forest in 1940, directed by Andrzej Wajda. [Barbican, Cine Lumiere, Curzon Mayfair, Renoir & Key Cities / Cert 15]
North By Northwest (bfi Distribution): A re-issue of Alfred Hitchcock’s classic 1959 tale of mistaken identity starring Cary Grant, Eva Marie Saint and James Mason. [BFI Southbank, Curzon Mayfair & Key Cities / Cert PG]
The Disappeared (ICA Cinema): A limited release for this low budget London-set horror with Harry Treadaway as a teenager haunted by the disappearance of his young brother. [ICA Cinema]
> UK cinema releases for June 2009
> DVD Picks for this week including The Class, Bolt and Anvil (W/C Monday 15th June)
The Disappeared (ICA Cinema) ICA Cinema
Gigantic (15) The Works Key Cities
Katyn (15) (D) Artificial Eye Barbican, Cine Lumiere, Curzon Mayfair, Renoir & Key Cities
North By Northwest (R/I) bfi Distribution BFI Southbank, Curzon Mayfair & Key Cities
Categories
Transformers: Revenge of the Leaden
After ‘teaming up’ with ILM, Michael Bay and the Transformers website, I thought this video succinctly expresses how I feel about the new film.
Last night I was walking through Leicester Square and saw that Bruno was having it’s UK premiere at the Empire.
I’m seeing it early next week, so I’ll report back with thoughts on the film then.
Sometimes live TV talkshows can move from the realms of jokey banter into the land of the downright uncomfortable.
Such a thing happened recently on a new show on HBO called Joe Buck Live, a sports talkshow hosted by the aforementioned Joe Buck.
It is the successor to Costas Live and the format features three guests talking about sports.
On Monday they were: Paul Rudd (actor in films like I Love You Man and Role Models), Jason Sudekis (of Saturday Night Live) and Artie Lange (sidekick on the Howard Stern Show).
HBO has pulled all the clips floating around on YouTube, but check out this final bit of the show (filmed as a web only segment right after the regular broadcast) to get a flavour of how things went.
> Joe Buck Live at HBO
> More on Artie Lange at Wikipedia
This performance of the Theme from Shaft by the Ukelele Orchestra of Great Britain is really rather good.
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The original Oscar winning theme from the 1971 film was by Isaac Hayes.