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BIGSCREEN >> MAGAZINE
5nivtehrsary
An
issue
October > November 09 www.cornwallbigscreen.co.uk
WOULD YOU STILL BE OVER THE LIMIT ? After a night out drinking you could still be over the legal alcohol limit and unfit to drive the following morning. A drink driving conviction leads to an automatic disqualification of your licence for a minimum of 12 months. For more information contact Cornwall Council Road Safety T: 0300 1234 222 E: roadsafety@cornwall.gov.uk W: www.cornwall.gov.uk/roadsafety
>> THe FILM MAGA zINe FEATuRES > REVIEWS > PREVIEWS > ThE BEST IN LOCAL CINEMA >
CONTENTS
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BIGSCREENMAGAZINE Roll cRedits and the awards go to editor Rebecca Matthews Deputy editor
WTW Cinemas bringing the world of
hannah May Ad sales Brendan Sleeman Design More White Space 07775255132
big screen enter tainment to Cornwall
Contributors Charity Wilson, Kingsley Marshall, Cheyenne hill, Joe Cole, Kit
Causewayhead, Penzance,
Goodliffe, Megan Westley, Beth Dearden, Emma Farley, Chris upton, James Wright,
Plaza Tr uro 01872 272894
Cornwall, TR18 2TA
Sam Walker-Smart, Ben Gavan, Justin Vingoe, Eve Backhouse, Chris Wasey,
Royal Wadebridge 01208 812791
Tel 01736 368899
Matthew Brigden, Paul Weedon, Ian Skey, David Scarborough Publisher Verve
Cinedrome Padstow 01841 532344
Email mail@cornwallmoviemagic.co.uk
Publishing Printed by Deltor Print Sponsors Thanks to all our advertisers
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8 We’re celebrating this issue. Yes, Big Screen Magazine has reached the ripe old age of five years old. Launched back in 2004 by a couple of young film fans (that’s me and sales honcho Brendan), the magazine has been delivering the lowdown on Cornish cinema ever since. And it’s been fantastic to see so many local film enthusiasts get involved. We hope Big Screen Magazine has become an essential part of your cinema experience - and we look forward to accompanying you on some dramatic, chilling, amusing and mesmerising journeys to your local flicks long into the future. This issue, we have a feast of films to devour. Be still those beating hearts, for the next
Cullen-tastic episode of the Twilight Saga: New Moon is coming - and you boys can rest assured that the vampire action comes with a more male-friendly angle this time with werewolves and gritty combat sequences aplenty. I, for one, am very excited about Daniel Day-Lewis’s next outing, Nine, a seductive and extravagant musical starring more Oscar winners than you can shake a golden statuette at. Throw in a bit of inspired childhood nostalgia in the form of Fantastic Mr Fox and Where The Wild Things Are and quite a cinematic programme is shaping up. Cast off those winter blues and enjoy. Rebecca Matthews
www.cornwallbigscreen.co.uk
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21
THe IMAGINARIUM OF DOCTOR PARNASSUS
INDEX
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Champion’s Yard,
Locally ........................................... 04 What’s the Buzz? ........................... 09 Fantastic Mr Fox ............................ 10 Where The Wild Things Are ............ 11 Nine ..................................................12 Profile: Daniel Day-Lewis ...............13 The Imaginarium Of Dr Parnassus . 14 Bright Star ......................................... 15 An Education..................................... 15 The Box ............................................. 16 Couples Retreat ................................ 16 Amelia / 2012 .................................... 17 Twilight Saga: New Moon ................ 18 The Informant / 9 .............................. 20 Zombieland ....................................... 21 Michael Jackson’s This Is It ............ 21 A Serious Man .................................. 22 Jennifer’s Body ................................. 22 Taking Woodstock ............................ 23 A Christmas Carol ............................ 23 DVD Reviews ................................. 24 Film Shor ts .................................... 26 More Film Shor ts ........................... 28
zOMBIeLAND
© Verve Publishing. All rights reserved. Nothing in this magazine may be published without written permission. While reasonable steps are taken to check the accuracy of the content within this publication, Verve Publishing cannot take responsibility for any mistakes or omissions or the views of our contributors or advertisers. All views expressed in Big Screen are not necessarily those of Verve Publishing.
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lOCAlly
locally Events, promotions and news from across Cornwall
aYnSleY liSteR
KRiS gaYle
Chapel Street Brasserie penZance 01736 350222 www.chapelstbrasserie.com
8 20 September Danu fox, 27 September Knight & gayle, 4 October marc hadley trio, 11 October Danu fox, 18 October tolcarne trio, 25 October Knight & gayle, 1 november marc hadley trio, 8 november Danu fox, 15 november Johanna graham trio, 22 november Knight & gayle, 29 november les Deux messieurs 8 ever tire of the tV on a Sunday evening? infuse some upbeats with live entertainment at Penzance’s Chapel Street Brasserie and Wine Bar. Packing a full schedule of sultry sounds, Sunday nights needn’t be a bore with a brassy and eclectic mix to stir your soul. a host of top local artists will fire your musical appetite with gypsy guitar, smooth sax and cool double bass. hit the early Diner’s Club between 6 - 7pm for a twocourse meal for £12.50 or enjoy the dinner menu with two courses from £15 to £20 from 6pm. the new winter menu will commence on 2nd november. Sink into the relaxed surrounds with friends, family and loved ones with a good bottle of wine to whimsically while away your evening.
Princess Pavilion
locally Events, promotions and news from across Cornwall
falmouth 01326 211222 www.princesspavilion.co.uK
8 9 October Wishbone ash and the hamsters, 10 October Dub Pistols, 12 October noah and the Whale, 15 October Skindred, 16 October easy Star all-Stars, 17 October Whole lotta led, 23 October falmouth Beer festival, 25 October Brett Dennen, 30 October Celtish, 1 november flashpoint, 4 november Cancer Bats, 5 november Dreadzone, 6 november Scott matthews, 8 november Seth lakeman, 11 november Steve hackett Band, 13 november Yellowman, 14 november UK guns ‘n’ Roses, 21 november legend, 28 november livewire aC/DC & limehouse lizzy, 3 December 3 Daft monkeys, 5 December aynsley lister, 7 December the Saw Doctors, 9 December gallows, 13 December the Salvation army, 16 December hawkwind with arthur Brown
Aynsley Lister and Larry Miller saturday 5 december 8pm £12 advance
8 if you like your music truly mesmerising, make a date in your diary with extraordinary blues and rock guitarist aynsley lister. having toured across europe and opened shows for the likes of Bryan adams, John mayall and fun lovin Criminals, lister’s latest album equilibrium proves why he is ranked alongside the likes of the White Stripes and John mayer as one of the best contemporary blues rock artists in the world. lister will be joined by bona fide showman and rockin’ blues guitarist, songwriter and vocalist larry miller. Prepare for a simply stunning evening’s entertainment.
cornwall FF advert 90x273mm v3:Layout 1 23/09/2009 13:52 Page 1
at e l k r spa t hi s
ed e n
er t n i w b 21 oct
24 - f
e
once pay e in & com
free a for * year
Our magica l ice rink will be back again this winter bringing some magic and sparkle to brighte n those dull winter days. You’ll find the ou tdoor landscape twink thousands of fairy lights and if you’d ling with than skate we ha rather spectate ve plenty of seat s around the rink where you can ge ta a hot chocolate or good view of the action and enjoy mulled wine.
13-15 November 2009
We have lots of th ing run up to Christm s to get you in the festive sprit in th as, from a fantastic e range of Christmas gifts in our shop to delicious festive me restaurants and ca nus in our cafes an rols sung by Corn d ish choirs. And…if you fancy wa from the romantic rming up why not take a stroll winter chill of the rink Rainforest, the wh ole site will be open to the steamy for you to explore.
Phoenix Cinema Falmouth www.leapmedia.co.uk
www. cornwall filmfestival .com
*Please note the off er varies during thi s period. Choirs onl days, please check y available on certain for details.
Fo r mo re info vis
it our we bsite
www.eden or call us on 01726 811911. project co Registered charity . m no. 10 93070
>> 06
lOCAlly
october > november
locally
Eden Project
Events, promotions and news from across Cornwall
.edenproJect.com st austell 01726 811911 www al garden harvest, 2 October 8 11 September - 23 October glob ber marathon, half marathon & arts Café with Jelly Jazz, 11 Octo r festival, 24 October - 1 novembe est fun Run, 17 October Big harv arts r mbe monsters Ball, 6 nove halloween, 30 & 31 October little Café with Jelly Jazz arts r mbe Dece 4 , Jazz Jelly Café with r seasonally themed events. thei 8 eden is replete with a series of , ities activ of kicks off a variety autumnal global garden harvest climbing, a marathon and rock kend wee re featu which also est festival. Visit eden’s white half marathon and the Big harv onal ice skating and seas little wonderland, indulge in a monsters Ball - a night of little their with n celebrate hallowee includes a disco, spooky sell-out family entertainment that treats. the haunted biomes activities and a festive feast of tever the age! wha , will set all hearts pounding
Hall for Cornwall truro 01872 262466 www.hallforcornwall.co.uK
Atlantic Inn
locally Events, promotions and news from across Cornwall
porthleven, helston 01326 562439 www.theatlanticinn.co.uK
8 10 October an Dew, 24 October mcCarthey, 14 november Bob Seymour, 28 november Jim Knight, 12 December the Roosters
Kidz R uS st ives theatre 01736 797007 www.KidZrus.net
8 12 October truro School, 13 - 14 October Jethro, 15 October Classic legends of Rock, 16 October fascinating aida, 17 October ladysmith Black mambazo, 20 - 21 Oct insane in the Brain, 22 October Bloc Party, 23 - 25 October Scooby Doo and the Pirate ghost, 26 October newton faulkner, 28 October Charlie landsborough, 29 October John lill, 30 October Dave Spikey, 31 October the Orchestra, 2 november nightmares and Dreams, 3 november foster & allen, 4 november Kevin Bloody Wilson, 5 november Des O’Connor, 6 november Rocket man, 7 november Bill Wyman’s Rhythm Kings, 9 - 14 november Dancing in the Streets, 17 - 21 november the grapes of Wrath, 23 november Steve Steinman’s, Vampires Rock, 24 november Dragonforce, 25 november that’ll Be the Day, 26-28 november St Petersburg Ballet theatre, 29 november Seafarers UK, 30 november an evening with michael Depledge, 1 December merry Xmas everybody, 2 December Jasmin Vardimon, 3 December an evening with Pam ayres, 4 December Show of hands, 5 December la Serenissima - Viva Vivaldi, 6 December taODS presents Carolare, 11 December - 3 January Jack and the Beanstalk
Steve Steinman’s Vampires Rock monday 23 november 7.30pm
Shiver me timbers – it’s a pirate panto! 8 Prepare for some piratical Christmas fun with Kidz R Us’ traditional family panto, Robinson Crusoe and the Pirates. Join young Robinson as he goes to sea in search of adventure and true love. Dastardly pirates, shipwrecks, buried treasure and a cannibal island lie in wait, as well as a few songs, a lot of jokes, and a magical evening of colour and spectacle. make a date in your diary for some rollicking good fun on the high seas! the production runs from 19 - 22 and 28 - 29 December at 7.30pm, matinees take place on 19, 20, 28 and 29 December at 2.30pm. for more information phone the box office on 01736 797007.
8 it’s fast sweeping the nation as one of the liveliest must-see shows. With toyah Willcox appearing as the Devil Queen alongside a stellar cast and crew who will hot foot it across the stage to a pile of pyrotechnics, the ground will shake with rock classics such as Bat Out of hell, We Will Rock You, Sweet Child of mine and i love Rock and Roll. legends such as Brian may, eddie Ojeda and Paul Crook have made outspoken testimonials that confirm the sheer thrill ride factor of this simply rocking extravaganza. With sales of over a million and a huge fan base, you simply must seize this opportunity for some anthemic action.
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Check timetable for Fun Session times
Water geysers
• Open 7 days a week • Free parking • Single session group & family discounts
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Ships & Castles Leisure Centre, Castle Drive, Falmouth
WHIRLWIND SPORTS All the big name brands for the summer
Penzance 01736 363855 www.spin-a-yarn.co.uk
New stock now in store
Camborne 01209 612454
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LIVE MUSIC
Mon 9 - Sat 14 November
Sunday 25 October
DANCING IN THE STREETS
BRETT DENNEN
US Songwriter + Ben Howard Friday 30 October
The West End musical recreates the energy, the excitement, the emotion and the electricity of Motown. Featuring the hits I Heard It Through The Grapevine, Baby Love, My Girl, Dancing In The Street and many more.
CELTISH
Acoustic folk fusion Wednesday 4 November
CANcER BatS
US rocket-fuelled punk Thursday 5 November
Tues 17 – Sat 21 November
ENGLISH TOURING THEATRE & CHICHESTER FESTIVAL THEATRE PRESENT
DREADZONE
Dynamic reggae & dub Friday 6 November
THE GRAPES OF WRATH
New album ‘Elsewhere’ Wednesday 11 November
“Superb” DAILY EXPRESS
Adapted by Frank Galati, Based on the novel by John Steinbeck
SCOTT MATTHEWS
Cast includes:Christopher Timothy, Sorcha Cusack and Oliver Cotton.
STEVE HACKETT BAND Genesis to solo days to now Saturday 28 November
Wed 2 December
JASMIN VARDIMON DANCE COMPANY
LiVEwIRE + LiMEHouSE LiZzY
YESTERDAY
Top AC/DC + Thin Lizzy tribute Thursday 3 December
“Packed tight with striking images... An edgy, extremely clever refashioning
3 DAFT MONKEYS
Of much of the work she has done to date” THE TIMES
High octane funked-up folk Monday 7 December
The SaW DOCtorS
Ireland’s finest folk rock Wednesday 9 December
GaLLoWS
Ferociously real punksters Weds 23 - Weds 30 December
The ReVENgE of RUMpelsTiLTskIn
Miracle Theatre’s Christmas show
PLUS: + BEER FESTIVAL + FLASHPOINT + SETH LAKEMAN + YELLOWMAN + UK GUNS N ROSES + LEGEND + AYNSLEY LISTER & LARRY MILLER + HAWKWIND & ARTHUR BROWN
PRINCESS PAVILION MELVILL ROAD, FALMOUTH TR11 4AR
Tickets & Full Details - See Website
www.princesspavilion.co.uk tickets from
Box Office 01326 211222 (9am-1pm) + The Poly, Falmouth 0 132 6 2 123 00 + Hall For Cornwall + seetickets.com
OCTOBER
NOVEMBER
Thurs 15 CLASSIC LEGENDS OF ROCK The Strawbs, Focus & Martin Turner’s Wishbone Ash Fri 16 FASCINATING AIDA Britain’s top female comedy trio Sat 17 LADYSMITH BLACK MAMBAZO With special guest Netsayi Tues 20 & Wed 21 INSANE IN THE BRAIN Bounce Wed 28 CHARLIE LANDSBOROUGH Legendary country entertainer Thurs 29 JOHN HILL Leading British Pianist Fri 30 DAVE SPIKEY Star of the Phoenix Nights Sat 31 THE ORCHESTRA Former members of ELO
Mon 2 NIGHTMARES AND DREAMS Featuring Flava (LP) Tues 3 FOSTER AND ALLEN Well loved Irish Duo Wed 4 KEVIN BLOODY WILSON Dilligaf café World Tour Thurs 5 DES O’CONNOR World Class Entertainer Fri 6 ROCKET MAN All the hits of Elton John Sat 7 BILL WYMAN Legendary Rolling Stones bassist Mon 23 VAMPIRES ROCK With Steve Steinman and Toyah Willcox Tues 24 DRAGON FORCE Hearts’n Minds tour
www.hallforcornwall.co.uk ................................... BOX . . . . . . .OFFICE . . . . . . . . . .01872 . . . . . . . . .262466 .........
BACK QUAY | TRURO | CORNWALL | TR1 2LL The Hall for Cornwall Trust is a charity promoting the arts & education.
>> october > november
WHAT’S THE buzz?
liam neeSOn
Rebecca Matthews serves up a feast of film news. HeRe coMe tHe FilMs 8 Yes folks, cornwall film festival 2009 is nigh. and this year’s programme is chock a block with fantastic features and south west premieres. films include us military drama the men who stare at Goats starring George clooney, ewan mcGregor and Jeff bridges, andrea arnold’s brilliant new drama fish tank and the screen neY geORge ClOO adaptation of J.m. coetzee’s novel disgrace starring John malkovich. the series of lectures, workshops and panel discussions promise to inspire: don’t miss Jon ronson, author of the men who stare at Goats, on journalism and filmmaking and workshops on costume design for film and stunt fighting on film. further must-sees include a screening of climate change blockbuster the age of stupid, the vote for the another country international short film award and the screening of last year’s winner of the Govyn Kernewek cornish language filmmaking award. the feast of film takes place from friday 13th–sunday 15th november at the phoenix cinema in falmouth, while board shorts, the uK’s only surf filmmaking festival will take place at
the stannary, ucf tremough on saturday 7th november. tickets go on sale on 21st october from the phoenix cinema box office. for more information check out www.cornwallfilmfestival.com
tHe teAM tAKes sHAPe 8 some months back, we brought you the rather exciting news of the forthcoming a-team movie. now we can disclose those all-important cast details. none other than liam neeson will star as cigar-chomping hannibal, the hangover star bradley cooper takes a turn as faceman, district 9’s sharlto copley will be donning murdock’s baseball cap while Quinton ‘rampage’ Jackson takes on the legendary role of b.a. ‘bling’ baracus. meanwhile, Jessica biel provides the oestrogen factor, playing an army general and ex-girlfriend of faceman. with ridley scott producing and Joe carnahan (smokin’ aces) directing, it might just be a stonker. the a-team will be storming onto uK cinema screens in July 2010.
little FocKeRs 8 if you’ve been waiting for another fix of focker action, prepare to be excited. very excited indeed. for the third instalment in the smash hit comedy saga, which gave us the pure comedy gold that is meet the parents and meet the fockers, is rapidly taking shape. robert de niro, ben stiller, owen wilson, teri polo and blythe danner will all be returning for more family-themed humour in little fockers. following Gaylord ‘Greg’ focker’s marriage to
JeSSiCa alBa
pamela byrnes, the plot will revolve around the couple’s teRi POlO new baby and Greg’s continuing struggle with his difficult father-in-law, Jack. Jessica alba is rumoured to have joined the cast but no word yet as to whether barbra streisand and dustin hoffman will be back. here’s hoping. expect to meet the little fockers in summer 2010.
A JoYoUs occAsioN another date for your diaries, film fans. on saturday 7th november, Joy collective will be wowing audiences at the acorn arts centre in penzance. made in exeter, Joy collective is a live concert, a visual arts exhibition, a cinema screening, a digital media experiment and a contemporary dance showcase all in one. devised by artist duo Kris Jager and mila oshin (a.k.a. drunk with Joy), the spectacular live showcase comprises seven visual artists, five choreographers and three digital media artists from all over the south west. the innovative concept promises a phenomenal live multimedia experience not to be missed. contact the acorn arts centre box office on 01736 365 520. for more information on Joy collective visit www.joycollective.com
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WHAT’S ON
the latest films coming to your local cinema use the icons as your guide to film content fantaSY CRime mind-bending you’re adventure nicked
mUSiC singing and notes
familY keep the kids happy
SCaRY reach for the cushion
diG the life fantastic
FANTASTIC MR. FOX
release date
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8for most people of a certain age and disposition, roald dahl will always hold a special place in their heart. it’s a strange space filled with cautionary tales, dark twists and jet black humour, but it’s a necessary place for kids who long for something more interesting than the happily-ever-after ending. while fantastic mr. fox was one of dahl’s more light-hearted works, it still has a few of those darkly humorous elements a brand of comedy which quirky director wes anderson is more than familiar with. fantastic mr. fox sees the narcissistic yet charismatic protagonist living with his friends and family in a burrow under a huge tree. although mr. fox might be worshipped by those around him, there are three people who are not so fond of his roguish ways, namely the evil farmers boggis, bunce and bean. fox has been stealing from them steadily for the past few years and now they want the orange nuisance gone. thus begins a battle of wits as the farmers set up camp outside the hole and the animals are forced to come up with ingenious ways of surviving. a departure from normal anderson protagonists, mr. fox is a definite leader, so who better to play him than George clooney? clooney’s charismatic persona has been honed over the years and seems almost purpose built for the furry red hero. the rest of the cast is a cavalcade of anderson regulars such as bill murray, Jason schwartzman, owen wilson and anjelica huston. they won’t appear on screen of course as, once again, dahl’s work has been adapted using classic stop-motion techniques. in steering clear of the pixel perfect animation of recent years, we can look forward to something possibly less slick but almost certainly more magical. it remains to be seen whether anderson will take the darker route of the book or lighten it up for a screen outing - either way, it’s shaping up to be a comical and exciting winter escapade. Chris Upton
23rd october
09
FIlM info
FIlM credits
Director: wes anderson Starring: George clooney, cate blanchett, bill murray, Jason schwartzman, meryl streep CONTENT icons
SCi-fi space and robots
ViOlent blood and guts galore
COmeDY a laugh a minute
ROmantiC slushy love and kissing
aCtiOn more thrills than rambo
DRama emotion and excitement
>> october > november
WHAT’S ON
WHERE THE WIlD THINGS ARE
release date
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8it takes a truly maverick director to convince a film studio that a 48-page picture book could be turned into a successful feature film but, then again, spike Jonze isn’t exactly known for his conventional output. after all, this is the man behind being John malkovich, a surreal masterpiece that in the hands of any lesser director could have been a disaster, but under Jonze’s unique direction has deservedly attained cult classic status. Jonze has come a long way since cutting his teeth as a director of music videos in the 1990s and where the wild things are has clearly been something of a labour of love, marking his first directorial offering since 2002’s adaptation. after several battles with the studio, numerous delays and even rumours of an entire re-shoot, Jonze’s vision of maurice sendak’s much loved children’s book is finally with us and looks set to make for the perfect family film this december. max (newcomer max records) is angry when his mother invites her boyfriend over one evening. after causing mischief one time too many, max is sent to his room without supper. feeling angry and unloved, he creates his own world of raging seas and huge forests, and sails away to an imaginary island inhabited by the wild things, who crown max as their ruler. whilst maintaining the unique aesthetic of sendak’s source material, Jonze has created a beautiful world of endearing and believable characters, and it’s his eye for the surreal that brings the film to life. seamlessly blending live-action, computer animation and live puppeteering, it’s an experience quite unlike anything else. add to that a sterling voice cast including the likes of James Gandolfini, paul dano and chris cooper, where the wild things are looks set to replicate the success of sendak’s book, becoming a treasured childhood classic for years to come. Paul Weedon
11th december
09
FIlM info
FIlM credits
Director spike Jonze Starring catherine Keener, max records, mark ruffalo, lauren ambrose, chris cooper, James Gandolfini, catherine o’hara, forest whitaker
there’s one in all of us
CONTENT icons
11
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WHAT’S ON
october > november
a Glam-tastic fix of music, dance and drama
release date
>> >
25th November
09
FIlM info
FIlM credits
Director rob marshall Starring daniel daylewis, marion cotillard, penelope cruz, nicole Kidman, Judi dench, Kate hudson, stacy ferguson, sophia loren CONTENT icons
NINE 8 another movie musical is on its way courtesy of oscar-winning chicago director rob marshall, and this time it’s not only a big screen adaptation of a tony-winning broadway musical. nine is based on a stage musical derived from an italian play by mario fratti, which, in turn, is inspired by federico fellini’s film 8 ½. Got all that? even if you don’t, it’s suffice to say that if you enjoyed chicago and find it fascinating to watch big screen blockbuster stars embrace the old hollywood tradition of song and dance (and no doubt, assess whether they can actually carry a tune), nine will be a spectacular reason to head to the cinema.
with an international ensemble cast including marion cotillard, nicole Kidman, penélope cruz, Judi dench, sophia loren, Kate hudson, stacy ferguson (a.k.a fergie of black eyed peas) and starring daniel day-lewis, nine may also draw fans of moulin rouge! with its ornate costumes and visually stirring story of love. world-renowned italian film director Guido contini (day-lewis) finds himself in the midst of a midlife crisis surrounded by the tangled web of women that have complicated and underpinned his entire life. stuck in a creative slump while trying to write the script for his latest film, contini’s wife luisa (cotillard) accuses him of neglect
and threatens to leave. in an attempt to iron things out, the couple head for a spa retreat but complications arise in the form of the hounding press, and the interior world of contini’s snowballing memories of the women he has loved. as he begins to unravel and fall prey to his surging retrospection, both in his mind and in the real world, he interacts with his late mother (loren), his mistress (cruz), a prostitute from his youth (ferguson), his film star muse (Kidman), a journalist (hudson) and his confidante and costume designer (dench). looking for some cinematic glamour and razzle-dazzle? nine will be a safe bet. Cheyenne hill
8 if he wasn’t lauded as one of the world’s greatest actors, he might be dismissed as an eccentric recluse. in fact, between highly selective movie roles, the man allegedly spends his time perfecting his cobbling and woodwork skills on a remote country estate in ireland - so much so that one of his young sons, until recently, believed his father worked on a building site. he delineates his work as “a lifelong study of evasion”, conceding that, “if i weren’t allowed this outlet, there wouldn’t be a place for me in society.” perfecting an extremely disciplined process of method acting that many affirm as madness, the reluctant star is something of a paradoxical enigma. please acknowledge a rare outing for performance prodigy, mr daniel day-lewis. the son of poet laureate, cecil day-lewis, and grandson of ealing studios founder, sir michael balcon, the young daniel was born with a potent medley of literature, cinema and theatre in the blood. of his privileged inner london upbringing, he remarks, “having grown up in a middle-class literary english household, but having gone to school in the front lines in southeast london…i became half-street-urchin and halfgood-boy at home. i knew that dichotomy was possible.” and it has continued in his film career. day-lewis elicited huge critical acclaim when two contrasting films – my beautiful launderette and a room with a view (gay punk vs edwardian prude) both opened in new York on the same day in 1985, showcasing his diversity and raw talent. prior to this inception of notoriety, day-lewis had already scored a succession of impressive appearances. his theatrical beginnings at the bristol old vic school and the rsc secured a bit role in sunday bloody sunday (1971). Gandhi (1982) was followed by the unbearable lightness of being (1988) and my left foot
(1989) - for which he won both british and american academy awards for best actor. he returned to the theatre for hamlet in 1989 but abandoned the stage because of a feeling that he was talking to his dead father - and hasn’t returned since. allusions to madness are a common facet of his character. a year after his father’s death, he allegedly overdosed and received psychiatric treatment, and was reported to have suffered a nervous breakdown at the death of his agent, Julian befrage. but his filmic antics have incurred the most controversy. he trained as a butcher and sharpened knives at lunch on the set of Gangs of new York (2002). whilst filming there will be blood (2007), he lived in isolation in a tent in a texan oilfield, and for the last of the mohicans (1992) he learned to hunt and skin animals. living his characters in ‘real time’, he submerges himself in every role, cryptically commenting that, “most of the movies that i do are leading me toward a life that is utterly mysterious to me.” however cosmic the methodology, day-lewis has continued to impress with in the name of the father (1993), the age of innocence (1993), the crucible (1996 - where he met and later married playwright arthur miller’s daughter, rebecca miller) and the boxer (1997). his next highly anticipated appearance will be in rob marshall’s musical nine, where he may well continue to dance upon the blurry line between insanity and genius. as the epitome of going against the grain, daylewis undoubtedly cuts an acting figure of an altogether remarkable design.
Daniel Day-lewis PROfile
theRe Will Be geniUS as nine taKes to the biG screen in a seductive rush of music, Glamour and scantilY clad women, hannah maY charts the rise of its eniGmatic star, daniel daY-lewis
>> 14
WHAT’S ON
october > november
a spellbindinG ride beGins here…
THE IMAGINARIUM OF DOCTOR PARNASSUS
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8the long-awaited final work of heath ledger is at hand. curiosity and anticipation have built up a magical aura around terry Gilliam’s the imaginarium of doctor parnassus, in part due to its fantastical sounding title and premise, but largely due to the all-too-early loss of ledger, whose final completed role of the Joker in the dark Knight won him a posthumous oscar. Gilliam is well known for his off-the-wall, larger-than-life imagination, and ledger’s untimely death has bestowed a greater sense of mystique surrounding the film than the director has ever been accustomed to, even with vividly inventive works under his belt like brazil, 12 monkeys, time bandits and his first ledger collaboration, the brothers Grimm. after ledger’s passing, his work in Gilliam’s film unfinished, the task to fill the role in a creative way was handed to not one but a trio of actors: Johnny depp, Jude law and colin farrell. the story of doctor parnassus (plummer) invites us into the world of a present-day travelling theatre troupe in london that enables its audience to choose the outcome of the show: light or dark, uplifting or gloomy. parnassus wields immortality and the ability to affect the imagination by steering the minds of others, thanks to a deal with the devil, known as mr. nick (waits). however, when mr. nick comes to collect his end of the bargain, the doctor’s daughter valentina (cole), a double-or-nothing deal is made between them for her soul. with the aid of cryptic outsider tony (ledger), parnassus and his troupe are taken on a journey through mind-bending parallel dimensions to save valentina. with each new dimension comes a new physical transformation for tony (depp, law and farrell). prepare to be spellbound and inspired by Gilliam’s latest visionary endeavour, and expect both a fable and a tribute to ledger wrapped up in one. Cheyenne hill
16th october
09
FIlM info
FIlM credits
Director terry Gilliam Starring heath ledger, christopher plummer, tom waits, lily cole, andrew Garfield, verne troyer, Johnny depp, colin farrell, Jude law CONTENT icons
>> october > november
WHAT’S ON
BRIGHT STAR
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8 since she began as a filmmaker, Jane campion has been noted for her remarkable and inimitable style. among countless worldwide awards are a palme d’or at cannes (she was the first woman ever to win it) and an oscar for the piano in 1993. after a four-year break, it is with great anticipation that the world awaits bright star, a film charting the short-lived romance between poet John Keats (whishaw) and his neighbour fanny brawne (cornish). the pair meet in 1818, each instantly underwhelmed by the other. brawne thinks Keats an unimpressive poet; he considers her a “stylish minx”. however, drawn together by the illness of Keats’ brother, they become closer and fall passionately in love. alarmed by the sweeping tide of emotions are those closest to the couple: fanny’s mother (fox) and Keats’ friend charles armitage brown (schneider), who strongly oppose the unsuitable match. ultimately though, it is Keats’ own declining health that intervenes. when a director who shuns romance as “the path of the foolhardy” takes on such a famously romantic story, you can be sure the result will be truly exceptional this much i promise. megan Westley
6th November
09
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FIlM credits
Director Jane campion Starring ben whishaw, abbie cornish, paul schneider, Kerry fox CONTENT icons
AN EDUCATION
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8 Great films by talented female directors are like buses - you wait ages for one and then they all come along at once. mira nair, Kathryn bigelow, Jane campion and anne fletcher have all released films this year and now it’s the turn of lone scherfig. and it’s about time. based on the novel by nick hornby (fever pitch, about a boy), an education is a coming-of-age story about a 16-year-old girl growing up in the swinging ‘60s. all her life she has focused on her studies with the hope of getting into oxford. however, she soon abandons her dreams and opts for an exciting and extravagant lifestyle following a chance encounter with a playboy twice her age. relative newcomer carey mulligan (pride and prejudice, bleak house, dr who) has already taken the festival circuit by storm, impressing audiences and critics with her mesmerising performance as the freespirited Jenny. with indie favourite peter sarsgaard and an impressive supporting cast of top british talent including emma thompson, sally hawkins and olivia williams, an education is sure to sweep uK audiences off their feet. emma farley
30th october
09
FIlM info
FIlM credits
Director lone scherfig Starring carey mulligan, peter sarsgaard, alfred molina, dominic cooper, rosamund pike CONTENT icons
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october > november
WHAT’S ON
THE BOX
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4th december
09
FIlM info
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Director richard Kelly Starring cameron diaz, James marsden, frank langella, michael Zegen, James rebhorn CONTENT icons
8 at just 25 years old, richard Kelly directed one of the most iconic indie movies of all time, donnie darko. unfortunately, over hype and over ambition saw him lambasted for the follow up, southland tales. now, ten years on from his first success, the box offers a chance at redemption. adapted from the short story button, button by richard matheson (i am legend, stir of echoes), it sees an enigmatic stranger offer suburban couple, norma and arthur lewis, the chance at one million dollars; all they need do is press the button on the box. but the catch is a big one: do it, and someone, somewhere in the world will die. supporting two young children, the couple faces a crippling dilemma: do they secure their family’s future, even if it means killing a person they have never met? although full of trademark darko philosophical sci-fi, this is Kelly’s first mainstream offering: a psychological suspense thriller with an a-list lead. if he can direct diaz into giving even half the performance of Gyllenhaal, the box should confirm that our faith in this almost auteur was not misplaced. Chris Wasey
COUPlES RETREAT
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8 in couples retreat, the ever-affable vince vaughn joins a host of familiar faces on a trip to the tropics for some jet skiing, sunbathing and spa time. shame, then, that the resort’s couples therapy is compulsory! this hit comedy, from an idea by vaughn and co-written and starring his swingers’ colleague Jon favreau, has four couples embarking on a therapy themed holiday to save their marriages. while there, they take a close look at their marital problems against the backdrop of an island paradise. combining the problems of the real world with a comedic premise and eye-catching scenery, this looks set to mix all the risqué humour of wedding crashers with the dazzling vistas of forgetting sarah marshall. a host of famous faces from recent comedy smashes join vaughn and favreau, including Jason bateman (hancock), Kristin davis (sex and the city) and Kristen bell (forgetting sarah marshall). as the chill of winter beckons, i suggest you lap up this amusing dose of tropical escapism. David Scarborough
14th october
09
FIlM info
FIlM credits
Director peter billingsley Starring vince vaughn, Jason bateman, Jon favreau, malin akerman, Kristin davis CONTENT icons
>> october > november
WHAT’S ON
AMElIA
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8 amelia earhart was a feminist icon who gained celebrity status for her record-breaking flights. she was the first woman to fly solo across the atlantic, and her boundless courage saw her embark on a mission to be the first woman to fly solo around the world in the summer of 1937. following her mysterious disappearance over the south pacific, generation after generation has wondered what happened to this inspiring woman. this film, written by ronald bass (my best friend’s wedding, rain man) and oscar-nominated anna hamilton phelan (Girl, interrupted) chronicles earhart’s (swank) rise to fame, her relationship with husband George putnam (Gere), her affair with fellow pilot Gene vidal (mcGregor) and each of her groundbreaking adventures. biopics tend to be prime oscar-bait (the aviator, braveheart, the pianist) so a film based on the life of this legendary aviation pioneer was always bound to stir whispers of potential awards success. when you factor in a cast including two-time oscar winner hilary swank (boys don’t cry, million dollar baby), Golden Globe winner richard Gere and Golden Globe nominee ewan mcGregor, that success is pretty much guaranteed. emma farley
13th November
09
FIlM info
FIlM credits
Director mira nair Starring hilary swank, richard Gere, ewan mcGregor, christopher eccleston CONTENT icons
2012
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8 a disaster-epic to destroy them all, 2012 might put an end to other directors plans to ever make a disaster film again. this might be down to the $200 million budget, the thousands of fx-shots and director roland emmerich’s total dedication to blowing everything up in spectacular ways. in his own words, “if this is my last disaster movie, then i want it to be the mother of them all”. the mayans predicted that our world will end on 23rd december 2012, according to their (very confusing) mesoamerican long count calendar, and there are many theories explaining how we’ll meet our maker on that fateful day. the film 2012 is going with charles hapgood’s theory, which states that the earth’s crust will be displaced, causing seas to rise, volcanoes to explode, fire to fall from the sky etc etc. 2012 promises action on a scale you’ve never experienced - a fitting final film for the independence day director, who now hangs up his coat and bows out of the hollywood game. welcome to the day after the day after tomorrow. matt Brigden
13th November
09
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Director roland emmerich Starring John cusack, chiwetel ejiofor, amanda peet, oliver platt, thandie newton CONTENT icons
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FEATuRE
october > november
by the
Love
! g u B Prepare for a film feeding frenzy. The movie franchise that put the bite back into the vampire romance genre is about to sizzle its way back onto our screens, in the much-anticipated sequel. Get ready to swoon… it’s New Moon. bY charitY wilson
T
here is a virus going around. it has infected almost every female exposed. there are two strains, both incurable: the first to present itself is ‘cullen fever’. symptoms include restlessness, feelings of dissatisfaction with a relationship, daydreaming, purchasing and downloading all relevant reading material from the stephenie meyer website, and talking endlessly to other sufferers about how unfair it is that men like edward just don’t exist. later, the condition may morph into an equally virulent strain, known as the ‘black bug’, which leads sufferers to vocalise, at every opportunity, about how flawed edward is as a potential suitor and how they had always preferred Jacob anyway. at this point, ‘team Jacob’ clothing may be worn to pre-empt and settle any such disputes. if you are currently in the grip of one or other of these maladies, sadly, you will find no comfort in these pages. the best thing would be for you to try to put edward (the ethereal robert pattinson) and Jacob (the buff-enough taylor lautner) out of your head and skip the movie. but that’s just not going to happen, is it? in all likelihood, you have already trawled through hours of fanmade videos on Youtube, just to get a teasing glimpse of either of the swoonsome twosome as they effortlessly bring to life two of the most appealing romantic characters in recent fiction. since abstinence is obviously not an option (unless you have edward’s willpower), feverish fans must prepare for soaring temperatures as bella (Kristen
stewart) is deserted by her vampire man and turns to new friend Jacob for solace. depression, delusion and desperation plague the lovelorn heroine, who remains almost blind to her new companion’s deepening feelings for her. a love triangle of epic proportions ensues and bella must decide whether to open her badly-beaten heart to the constancy and trustworthiness of Jacob or hang on to the hope of edward - a prospect that comforts and tortures her. much like the cullen venom, this film - with its agonising, gripping storyline is likely to be ‘kill or cure’ for the already obsessed. having given the twilight series a strikingly cool debut, director catherine hardwicke (lords of dogtown) has handed over her handheld reigns to chris weitz - a change that has been supported by series author meyer, but has some fans more than a little worried. weitz has certainly proven his worth in making characterbased drama in the universally acclaimed about a boy (2002), but his recent treatment of the Golden compass (2007) – in which, some argue, he abandoned character development in favour of special effects – does not instil confidence in the die-hard meyer fans. of course, the movie will still be one of the highest grossing this year and, no doubt, score big on dvd. other than the director, precious few changes have been made. lautner appears to have retained the role of Jacob black through massive fan support and sheer determination in the gym: he is now officially a ‘beefcake’. some new faces appear in the form of Jacob’s pack brothers,
>> october > november
and as tensions between the vampires and werewolves intensify, expect lots of barechested, bare-toothed tussling. all very necessary and delicious. also joining the cast, an angelfaced demon of the volturi (an ancient, ruling, vampire family) will be played by dakota fanning. her role, though relatively minor, is the culmination of the darker side of the story, in which bella learns exactly how exceptional the cullen family are in comparison to the rest of their kind. fanning’s outward sweetness lends itself well to one of the most sinister roles in her career to date. returning to his role, billy burke (as bella’s dad, charlie) brings understated humour and a coy sensitivity that makes the swan family dynamic so utterly appealing and familiar. alongside the stewart-pattinson romance, burke brought a realism to the first film that fans will be keen to see upheld in the sequel, particularly as the characters delve further into the supernatural. ashley Greene also reprises her role as edward’s ‘sister’ alice. using her strange gift of foresight to guide her, alice unwittingly unleashes torment on those closest to her, for which a heavy price must be paid… if you have been bitten by this most potent of love bugs, prepare to undergo another bout of ‘cullen fever’ or the ‘black bug’. if you are new to the series, sceptical perhaps of its effect, then enjoy the film but be aware of the side effects: they are at first exciting and intoxicating, but ultimately all-consuming. the twilight saga: New Moon is released on 20th November
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WHAT’S ON
october > november
THE INFORMANT!
20th November
09
FIlM info
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Director steven soderbergh Starring matt damon, scott bakula, Joel mchale, melanie lynskey CONTENT icons
9
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8 in 2005, shane acker wrote and directed the short film 9, an eleven-minute animated film about a rag doll called 9 who struggles to survive in a post-apocalyptic future. acker has since returned to the world of his short and adapted it into a feature length film produced by tim burton and timur bekmambetov. like the short, the film is set in a post-apocalyptic future - the result of a war between man and machine. surviving the destruction are a group of rag dolls, named stitchpunks by acker, that were given life by a scientist shortly before the machines obliterated humanity. unfortunately for the stitchpunks, the machines are still around and hell-bent on the destruction of the dolls. the titular 9 (wood) rises to lead his fellow stitchpunks in retaliation against the machines and together they strike back. 9 features a diverse array of characters, from the domineering and irritable 1 (plummer) to the heroic 9 himself. demonstrating some incredible design concepts that are all stunningly animated, if you’re looking for something different this autumn, 9 could be the film you’ve been waiting for. Kit goodliffe
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8 steven soderbergh teams up once again with oceans’ alumni, matt damon, in the informant! damon plays mark whitacre, an employee in the agri-industry whose star is on the rise before the fbi asks him to blow the whistle on his company’s illegal price fixing activities. the fumbling informant is beset with delusions of grandeur and gradually adopts the idea that he’s a true secret agent, perceiving himself as a thinking man’s James bond. the incessant lies eventually cause his world to collapse around him. matt damon possesses the rare quality of being both a talented character actor and a movie star. if he’s not looking cool in the fun-but-dumb oceans trilogy, he’s delivering critically lauded performances in movies like syriana. based on true events, the informant! is an alternative - and, at times, comical - glimpse into the world of corporate dealings. there is a strong supporting cast including scott bakula who - i’m sure Quantum leap fans out there will agree - we just don’t see enough of on the big screen! gavin embley
28th october
09
FIlM info
FIlM credits
Director: shane acker Starring: elijah wood, Jennifer connelly, christopher plummer, crispin Glover, John c. reilly CONTENT icons
>> october > november
WHAT’S ON
ZOMBIElAND
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8 populated by over six billion people, planet earth is threatened by epidemics, climate change and dwindling resources - but these troubles pale in comparison to the problems in Zombieland. directed by ruben fleischer, Zombieland tells the story of two men who have to fight for survival in a world overrun by zombies. columbus (eisenberg) aka “the most frightened person on earth,” relies on the 47 rules of surviving Zombieland, which somehow manage to keep him alive. tallahassee (harrelson) is a gun toting badass, who’s on a mission to obtain the last twinkie on earth as well as zombie kill of the week. the two join forces with wichita (stone) and little rock (breslin) as they battle against the hordes of the undead against the backdrop of a derelict amusement park. dubbed the ‘american shaun of the dead’, you can expect a bloodbath of zombie gore with a generous dose of slapstick comedy - and, as if that wasn’t enough - a cameo appearance from bill murray as a zombie. ian Skey
9th october
09
FIlM info
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Director ruben fleischer Starring woody harrelson, Jesse eisenberg, emma stone, abigail breslin CONTENT icons
MICHAEl JACKSON’S THIS IS IT
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28th october
09
FIlM info
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Director Kenny ortega Starring michael Jackson CONTENT icons
8 named after the late King of pop’s finale tour that never was, this is it is the official film release endorsed by the Jackson estate following the death of the legendary performer. it has been hard to ignore constant speculative news reports and the countless re-runs of interviews charting the star’s troubled past, but forget the controversy for a moment and remember the music. directed by Kenny ortega, whose back catalogue includes the popular high school musical franchise, expect the film to be a slick, well-choreographed eulogy to Jackson, in the style of his own celebrated dance moves. this film will no doubt appeal to a huge existing fan base, but also to music historians who cannot deny the influential power of his music over the past four decades. this is it is an important addition to the catalogue of documents charting Jackson’s fame, and the fact it comes so soon after his death proves that in terms of his celebrity, luminary power, michael Jackson will always be in a league of his own. Beth Dearden
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WHAT’S ON
october > november
A SERIOUS MAN
20th November
09
FIlM info
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Director Joel coen, ethan coen Starring michael stuhlbarg, fred melamed, richard Kind, aaron wolf, sari lennick, Jessica mcmanus, aaron wolff CONTENT icons
JENNIFER’S BODY
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8 hollywood starlet megan fox, of transformers fame, gives the term ‘death bed’ an entirely new meaning in this horror comedy. she plays Jennifer check, a gorgeous high school cheerleader who, as a result of a satanic rock band’s failed sacrifice, is possessed by a man-eating demon. her childhood best friend, unpopular needy (seyfried of mamma mia! fame), is the only thing standing between the wicked seductress and all the boys in high school. will friendship rule the day, or will it go down with the town? the outlandish plot undoubtedly treads a thin line between being clever and plain silly, but with Girlfight director Karyn Kusama at the helm and the screenplay by Juno writer diablo cody, you can rest assured that Jennifer’s body will be the genresubverting, comical blood fest it promises to be. whether or not fox has the ability to hold her own in a role of such duplicity remains to be seen. the proof, as they say, is in the eating. Joe Cole
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8 the coen brothers are back with another groundbreaking comedy drama to add to their impressive cv. set in 1967, the story follows larry Gopnick (stuhlbarg), a physics professor and father of a Jewish family who slowly watches his life fall apart before his eyes. his wife Judith (lennick) threatens to leave him for his colleague sy ableman (melamed) and larry has no one to turn to. his brother arthur (Kind) spends most of his time sleeping on his couch, his son danny (wolff) persists with his discipline problem and his daughter sarah (mcmanus) constantly takes money from his wallet. as if these problems weren’t enough, a student at the university threatens larry with defamation unless he gives him a better grade and someone with a grudge attempts to sabotage larry’s career by sending poison pen letters. even the attractive woman who sunbathes in the nude next door serves to torment him. larry finally seeks advice from three rabbis to aid him in his quest to become a righteous person. a serious man promises to be a beautifully orchestrated, thought-provoking dose of black comedy. Justin Vingoe
4th November
09
FIlM info
FIlM credits
Director Karyn Kusama Starring megan fox, amanda seyfried, adam brody, Johnny simmons, adam brody CONTENT icons
>> october > november
WHAT’S ON
TAKING WOODSTOCK
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8 if you think of the 1960s, then woodstock will never be far from your mind. directed by ang lee, taking woodstock is a generation defining, coming-of-age comedy based on the memoirs of elliot tiber, the man instrumental in giving the festival its home in bethel, new York. tiber (martin) is struggling to keep his parent’s motel afloat when he sees the opportunity to secure more business, allowing the event to take place on the surrounding land. he is genuinely unsuspecting of the profound effect the woodstock experience will have on the nation - and even the world. although loosely based on tiber’s novel, lee’s film takes a light-hearted tone, whilst tackling more serious issues such as the drug and gay scenes defining the era. alongside his previous films, brokeback mountain and the wedding banquet, ang lee has secured a place amongst the likes of Gus van sant and todd haynes in the higher ranks of new Queer cinema directors. bravely independent of documentary or found footage, taking woodstock successfully portrays a life-changing moment in music and cultural history from a fresh and quirky angle. Beth Dearden
13th November
09
FIlM info
FIlM credits
Director ang lee Starring demetri ] martin, emile hirsch, imelda staunton, henry Goodman, Jonathan Groff CONTENT icons
A CHRISTMAS CAROl
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8 so you probably know the story. charles dickens’ novel, a christmas carol, is a classic in every sense of the word, which has been adapted countless times for stage and screen. this star studded extravaganza from disney, however, takes a fresh and truly mesmerising spin on the story of ebeneezer scrooge. Jim carrey plays the cold hearted scrooge, who receives a reality check from the ghosts of past, present and future on a chilling christmas eve. forced to take a long hard look at his callous behaviour, scrooge witesses the kind of man he has become and the horrors awaiting him beyond the grave if he doesn’t change his ways. set in a victorian world of top hats and horse drawn carriages, the time travel classic is given a rib tickling edge by Jim carrey, who plays all three ghosts as well as scrooge. also adding some yuletide magic is Gary oldman as tiny tim, colin firth as fred and robin wright penn as belle. directed by robert Zemeckis of forrest Gump and back to the future fame, and presented in groundbreaking 3d, prepare to see scrooge as you’ve never seen him before. Ben gavan
6th November
09
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Director robert Zemeckis Starring: Jim carrey, Gary oldman, colin firth, bob hoskins, robin wright penn CONTENT icons
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DVD REVIEWS
MR t’s RAtiNG
october > november
DVD reVieWs MooN
AWAYdAYs Release date 28th September Director Pat holden Starring nicky Bell, Stephen graham, liam Boyle the movie adaptation of Kevin sampson’s novel brings the grit of birkenhead to the cinema screen with some style. unlike its forebears, the violence of the period’s football casuals plays second fiddle to something much richer. the pack, a group of likely lads who prowl for battles at the away games of tranmere rovers,
2 Quit your jibber jabber............................................................. 3 i’m teachin’ fools some basic rules........................................ 4 it takes a smart guy to play dumb.......................................... 5 i believe in the golden rule - the man with the gold rules....
exists in stark contrast to the grey streets of 1970s’ britain. though the subplot of emergent sexuality is overstated, both this and the ritualised aggression of the matches is arguably much less important than the sense of belonging provided by the group - fashion offering a much-needed counter to the day to day drudgery of their work and locale. comparisons have been made to sean meadows’ paean to punk this is england, but holden’s film operates more in the spirit of anton corbijn’s control where this generation, far from the metropolitan boltholes of punk, have found their own means of expression amongst the bleakness of the period. these themes are reflected in a superb soundtrack, populated by the bleak electronica of cabaret voltaire, uitravox and the ubiquitous Joy division. Kingsley marshall
RUssell BRANd: scANdAloUs Release date 9th november Starring Russell Brand brand’s stand up comedy has long revolved around the forensic analysis of his many misadventures, with 2008 having provided ample material for this latest tour, which was filmed at the 02 arena in the spring. the presenter’s dalliance into the minefield of presidential politics caused controversy at mtv’s annual video music awards, causing him to flee the us with the intention of lying low. this soon backfired when a misjudged song and dance with Jonathan ross inadvertently ignited the bbc’s biggest controversy since the death of david Kelly. a whooping crowd lap up brand’s post mortem of both these events, embellished with a slew of stories mined from the minutiae of a wide-eyed (and often crotch led) engagement with
celebrity culture. the laughs come both in his mannerisms - an english gent exasperated at the rest of the world - and his honesty, where a detailed account of an unfortunate encounter with acting royalty helen mirren typically tumbles into a whirlpool of misfortune. Kingsley marshall
iP MAN Release date 26th October Director Wilson Yip Starring Donnie Yen, Simon Yam, Siu-Wong fan, Ka tung lam bruce lee is one of the most important men in martial arts cinema - ask anyone with even a passing interest. without the tutelage of master ip, however, lee’s brand of martial arts cinema would never have been seen. this biopic isn’t as violent as the kungfu flicks that he inspired; instead it successfully manages to draw focus on the emotional strain the chinese citizens suffered under Japanese internment during the sinoJapanese war. but when there is fighting, the choreography - which won awards at the hong Kong film awards - is sensational and creates breathtaking bone breaking to rival a tony Jaa film. it is by no means perfect, but for fans who want to gain an insight into martial arts history, it’s essential. Chris Upton
looKiNG FoR eRic Release date 12th October Director Ken loach Starring Steve evets, eric Cantona, Stephanie Bishop, gerard Kearns football fanatic postman steve evet is at the brink of insanity, his life slowly descending into chaos. his first wife, who he walked out on many years ago, still haunts him; his
second wife has walked out, leaving behind two stepsons who are out of control, and, for no good reason, there’s a cement mixer in his front garden. despite the support of his friends, evet continues to sink into depression and, at his weakest moment, he considers committing suicide. however, before the deed is done, evet starts to hallucinate and before his very eyes appears his hero: the suave, philosophical and footballing genius that is eric cantona. with the help of cantona, evet grows in confidence and begins to conquer his problems through inspirational advice such as “he who is afraid to throw the dice, will never throw a six.” priceless. James Wright
DVD releases october aNd NoveMber 09
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Release date 16th november Director Duncan Jones Starring Sam Rockwell, Kevin Spacey, Dominique mcelligott although James cameron’s avatar may well serve to buck the trend on its release, much of recent science fiction movie making has seen computer-generated imagery taking precedence over storytelling. thankfully, first time director duncan Jones is driven here by the limitations of a low budget rather than the studio pressures of the blockbuster, and resorts to ingenuity over pixel power. model makers take the place of number crunchers in this production, a decision which lends solidity to the effects shots and draws an aesthetic parallel with such giants of the genre as 2001: a space odyssey, star wars and bladerunner. this retrofitted innovation also extends to the narrative, which is informed by classical themes of identity and loss rather than guns and gadgets. sam rockwell carries the film through a stand out performance, while Jones successfully avoids the pastiche which sank boyle’s sunshine, keeping his many references less overt and placing the story front and centre. Kingsley marshall
1 i ain’t gettin’ on no plane fool!................................................
october 12th coraline 19th x-men origins: wolverine last house on the left the age of stupid the uninvited blood: the last vampire 26th monsters vs aliens drag me to hell obsessed November 2nd public enemies last chance harvey 9th brüno night at the museum: battle of the smithsonian 16th star trek xi 23rd terminator: salvation ice age 3: dawn of the dinosaurs coco before chanel my sister’s Keeper 30th transformers: revenge of the fallen the proposal
Truro and Penwith College The Big Picture Peter Delaunay has been tracking the fate of Harvey and Bob Weinstein’s latest release Harvey and his younger brother Bob started out running a 1970’s rock and roll theatre in upstate New York before realising that their music-savvy audience also loved odd-ball movies that the Hollywood major distributors neglected. In 1979 they moved to New York City to set up a film distribution company named after their mother, Miriam, and father, Max - Miramax. Through the 1980’s and 90’s Miramax introduced American audiences to small films from around the world (Britain’s The Crying Game and The Krays, Australia’s Strictly Ballroom and The Piano; Mexico’s Like Water For Chocolate; Poland’s The Double Life of Véronique) as well as films from the emerging American independent cinema (Wayne Wang’s Smoke, Kevin Smith’s Clerks). These were mainly minor art house hits but Miramax kept their coffers filled with Scream (1, 2 and 3) and the martial arts movie Crow. Harvey and Bob also developed an outstanding skill at winning Oscars. Helen Mirren (The Queen), Judi Dench (Shakespeare in Love) and Kate Winslett (The Reader) are among many Brits who owe their Oscar successes to the Weinstein’s marketing expertise. In 1997 The English Patient won Miramax nine Oscars including its first Best Picture award and Best Director for Anthony Minghella. In 1993 Miramax had joined forces with Disney in search of increased funding for bigger budget films; but a tempestuous relationship finally saw the brothers leave their Miramax company with Disney and start over with The Weinstein Company. Life has not been easy in recent years. Seeking to emulate Miramax’s success the Hollywood majors created their own “indie” labels: Fox’s Searchlight, Paramount’s Vantage, and Warner Bros’ New Line – and this summer there were Wall Street rumours that The Weinstein Company was on the verge of bankruptcy. But this summer a band of soldiers came riding over the hill
to rescue Harvey and Bob, commanded by the director most associated with them - Quentin Tarantino. Since Reservoir Dogs (1992) Tarantino and the Weinsteins have stuck it out through the ups (Pulp Fiction, Kill Bill) and the downs (Grindhouse). Would Inglorious Basterds save the mini-studio ? At the time of writing this World War 2 wish-fulfilment fantasy has exceeded the box office openings of any previous Tarantino movie (despite general critical indifference) and the Weinsteins have cause for hope. The night I saw it at The Plaza in Truro was a near full house, and “The best film I’ve seen this year!” was just one of the comments I heard afterwards. Personally, I had a great time. I learnt nothing about World War 2, a little about the human condition but a great deal about the history of cinema. Cinematic references abound: from John Ford’s The Searchers through Spaghetti Westerns to 1930’s & 40’s German cinema and the British films of Powell & Pressburger. But the film I was most reminded of was the 1970’s Second World War caper movie Kelly’s Heroes which was made before Hollywood was ready to tackle the Vietnam war head on. Shot in Yugoslavia (doubling for Germany) Kelly’s Heroes is suffused with a South East Asian mix of blazing sunshine and teaming rain, and very Vietnam-era military morale: “We’re all nuts – or we wouldn’t be here!”. Tarantino’s usual eclectic soundtrack is sourced from films as various as the John Wayne western, The Alamo (1960), an AIP biker movie, Devil’s Angel (1967), a 1982 horror film The Entity, Pontecorvo’s very political war film Battle of Algiers (1966), David Bowie’s theme from Cat People (1982), and even a Lalo Schiffrin theme, ‘Tiger Tank’ from Kelly’s Heroes. The finale is fantastic (literally), outrageous and one of the finest fifteen minutes of movie nonsense since Roy Scheider did for the shark in Jaws. I wonder how US troops in Afghanistan will like it? I suspect it may be a smash hit even (or especially?) out there.
Truro College... Your story in the making For information on courses call 01872 267000 or visit www.trurocollege.ac.uk
>> 26
FIlM SHORTS
october > november
FilM sHoRts a round up of the movies due to hit the biG screen
tRiangle
deAd MAN RUNNiNG
glORiOUS 39
GloRioUs 39
NAtiVitY
PlANet 51
Release date 20th november Director Stephen Poliakoff Starring Romola garai, Bill nighy, Julie Christie, David tennant, Christopher lee having made his name helming big budget television dramas, stephen poliakoff’s big screen return brings with it a plethora of thespian talent. hopping back and forth between present day london and an idyllic countryside setting in 1939, the story sees high society girl, anne, discover mysterious recordings pertaining to britain’s relationship with nazi Germany. betrayed and pursued, her secret could change the course of world history. meanwhile, our country stands on the brink of war as hitler’s march continues. with an awe-inspiring cast, a veteran director and glossy production, this unsettling dissection of pre-war society represents uK cinema at its best. Chris Wasey
Release date 4th December Director Debbie isitt Starring ashley Jensen, martin freeman, marc Wootton, alan Carr underachieving primary school teacher paul maddens has been charged with the biggest challenge of his life: overseeing the school nativity play. competing against local private school rivals in a bid to be named the best production in town, the stakes are raised when maddens idly boasts to his archrival that his ex-girlfriend Jennifer, a hollywood producer, is coming to see his show with a view to turning it into a film. what he omits to mention is that he has not spoken to her in years and, with his eccentric assistant fuelling his white lie, maddens finds himself amidst a whirlwind of quarreling parents and over-excited children hungry for fame. James Wright
Release date: 4th December Director Jorge Blanco Starring Dwayne Johnson, Jessica Biel, Justin long, gary Oldman, John Cleese take a dash of american suburban innocence, a sprinkle of 1950s paranoia, and another solar system as a setting - and there you have the concept behind planet 51. captain charles ‘chuck’ baker is the astronaut who lands on planet 51 and claims it in the name of earth, only to be met with an already civilised world not entirely dissimilar to our own. chuck must navigate his way through the strange landscape to escape capture by the anti-alien army and find his way back home. boasting an all-star voice cast, expect lots of pop-culture references in the name of comedy. gavin embley
Release date 30th October Director alex De Rakoff Starring monet mazur, 50 Cent, Danny Dyer, Brenda Blethyn when the recession starts hitting the criminal underworld, new York gangster and loan shark mr. thigo decides to make an example out of ex-con nick Kane by giving him 24 hours to raise the £100,000 he owes or become a dead man running. in order to raise the money, Kane embroils best friend bing and girlfriend frankie in his mission, which takes them from the dog tracks of east london to the underground drug scene of rural manchester. with his wheelchair-bound mother being held at gunpoint by thigo, Kane tries every scam in the book to save their skin. edge of the seat stuff. James Wright
tRiANGle Release date 16th October Director Christopher Smith Starring melissa george, holly marie Combs, Rachael Carpani, emma lung ok, so triangle isn’t the catchiest title ever. but with christopher smith - who directed creep (2004) and severance (2006) - taking the writing and directing credits and ex-home and away star melissa George in the lead role, this creepy thriller has potential written all over it. when Jess and a group of friends set off on a yachting trip, a freak storm leaves them stranded out at sea - that is, until a mysterious ship appears out of nowhere. with no sign of life on board and an uncanny feeling that she has been on the ship before, Jess soon comes face to face with the ship’s sole occupant. Justin Vingoe
2009
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>> 28
FIlM SHORTS
october > november
FilM sHoRts a round up of the movies due to hit the biG screen
the DeSCent 2
cold soUls
tHe WHite RiBBoN
tHe desceNt 2
cRAcKs
Release date 13th november Director Sophie Barthes Starring Paul giamatti, David Strathairn, emily Watson, Dina Korzun conceptualised from a personal dream, sophie barthes’ cold souls is a highly unconventional comedy starring sideways star, paul Giamatti. the surreal concept sees Giamatti portraying a fictionalised version of himself: an anxious actor who enlists the services of a company to deepfreeze his soul. chaos ensues when he falls victim to a soultrafficking scheme, kick-starting a desperate and hilarious mission to russia in search of his soul. taking an almighty dig at american consumerism, this offbeat tragicomedy was hailed as “a wildly imaginative piece of science fiction” by us critic neil miller at sundance. eve Backhouse
Release date 13th november Director michael haneke Starring Susanne lothar, Ulrich tukur, theo trebs, michael Schenk described by one times writer as, “one of the most impressive films in cannes” and winner of the 2009 palme d’or, the white ribbon is set in protestant northern Germany prior to wwi. shot entirely in black and white, the narrative focuses on a local community and its values as a series of violent events take place, including arson, abduction and suicide. it soon...’ becomes clear that the village is being punished; less certain is the identity of its aggressor. Just the thing if you’re feeling in an intellectual mood, this serious creation is designed to provoke the mind rather than rest it.
Release date 4th December Director Jon harris Starring Shauna macdonald, natalie mendoza, gavin O’herlihy picking up from where neil marshall’s first installment left us, sarah carter emerges alone and half wild from the cave systems where she and her friends encountered the horrific ‘crawlers’. doubting sarah’s story, local sheriff vaines instructs a rescue team to take her back into the caves in a bid to determine what really happened to the rest of her group. trapped by falling rocks, the team delves deeper into the darkness where they confront the creatures that left sarah in her petrified state. with marshall acting as executive producer, the descent 2 is sure to deliver the same gripping and claustrophobic sense of terror as its predecessor.
Release date 4th December Director Jordan Scott Starring eva green, Juno temple, maria Valverde, imogen Poots Given her pedigree (as daughter of ridley and niece of tony), Jordan scott promises to deliver a film of the highest calibre with cracks, an exquisite 1930s period drama set in an all girls boarding school. a select group of students participate enthusiastically in its swim team, due largely to their fascination with beautiful instructor miss G (bond girl Green), who encourages their adulation. to their chagrin, miss G only has eyes for the new girl, spanish beauty fiamma, though the feeling is anything but mutual. when fiamma mysteriously disappears, the girls immediately become prime suspects. eve Backhouse
megan Westley
Sam Walker-Smart
BUNNY ANd tHe BUll
COlD SOUlS
Release date 27th november Director Paul King Starring edward hogg, Simon farnaby, Verónica echegui, noel fielding bunny and the bull is a comic and somewhat surreal road movie set in a flat. written and directed by paul King - well known for his directorial work on television series the mighty boosh - the film tells the story of stephen, who hasn’t left his flat for a year. when his daily routine is disrupted by a mice infestation, stephen finds his mind wandering back to his ill-fated trip around europe with his friend bunny. offering a unique twist on the road movie experience, bunny and the bull is an offbeat and inventive brit flick to watch out for. Kit goodliffe
Oct 24 – Nov 1
No tricks, just treats! The Ice Returns! 24th Oct – 21st Feb
NEED CASH? GOT A CHEQUE?
Winter is in its way and the nights are drawing in but we’ll be adding some sparkle to brighten up those grey winter days. Our magical ice rink returns on 24th October with a spooky theme just in time for half term. Skate on our rink surrounded by pumpkin lanterns, listen to some spooky stories and take part in some Halloweden themed activities. For details visit our website.
Little Monsters’ Ball Fri 30th & Sat 31st Oct
Our Little Monsters’ Ball was so popular last year we’ve added an extra date this year! Tickets for the Ball are £7, book online or call us on 01726 811972.
WAGES BENEFITS INSURANCE COMPETITIVE RATES ALL CHEQUES CONSIDERED Fast, Confidential Service
Call Now 01726 879171 Camborne Cheque Exchange 98 Trelowarren Street, Camborne Penzance Cheque Exchange 5, Albert Street, Penzance St Austell Cheque Exchange 16 South Street, St Austell Plymouth Cheque Exchange Hatton House, 144 Union Street, Plymouth
BCCA Member
It’s a service everyone’s cashing in on!
www.edenproject.com The Eden Project, Bodelva, St Austell, Cornwall PL24 2SG Tel. 01726 811911. Registered charity no. 1093070
Bringing Digital 3D Cinema to Cornwall The Plaza Cinema Truro Features REAL D Digital 3D
White River Cinema St Austell Features XPAND Digital 3D
Future releases in 3d: Jim Carrey as Scrooge in... A CHRISTMAS CAROL November 2009
For Further details visit
James Cameron’s... AVATAR December 2009
Johnny Depp.... ALICE IN WONDERLAND March 2010
www.wtwcinemas.co.uk
Oct 24 – Nov 1
No tricks, just treats! The Ice Returns! 24th Oct – 21st Feb Winter is in its way and the nights are drawing in but we’ll be adding some sparkle to brighten up those grey winter days. Our magical ice rink returns on 24th October with a spooky theme just in time for half term. Skate on our rink surrounded by pumpkin lanterns, listen to some spooky stories and take part in some Halloweden themed activities. For details visit our website.
Little Monsters’ Ball Fri 30th & Sat 31st Oct
Our Little Monsters’ Ball was so popular last year we’ve added an extra date this year! Tickets for the Ball are £7, book online or call us on 01726 811972.
www.edenproject.com The Eden Project, Bodelva, St Austell, Cornwall PL24 2SG Tel. 01726 811911. Registered charity no. 1093070
www.wedmagazine.co.uk
Truro and Penwith College University Level Courses
Over 40 Foundation Degrees to choose from in a wide range of subjects including: Action Photography FdA Digital Visualisation FdA Media Moving Image HND Performance FdA Photography and Digital Imaging FdA Sound Engineering and Multimedia Integration HND
For more information please contact Higher Education Admissions on 01872 267122 or email: heinfo@truro-penwith.ac.uk
www.trurocollege.ac.uk