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CONTENTS Page
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Editorial Brooklyn
An Irish immigrant lands in 1950s Brooklyn where she quickly falls into a new romance. When her past catches up with her, however, she must choose between two countries and the lives that exist within.
9-12
UK Film Festival
Celebrating filmmaking from around the world. MbM highlights the feature: Esio Trot, and shorts: Sok, Boogaloo and Graham, Over, Void and Love is Blind, as well as the music video The Spectre: Old Man.
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Bridge of Spies
During the Cold War, an American lawyer is recruited to defend an arrested Soviet spy in court and then help the CIA facilitate an exchange of the spy for the Soviet captured American U2 Spy plane pilot Francis Gary Powers.
17-20
Remembering Philip French
A tribute to one of the greatest film critics of all-time.
21 -24
Microbe & Gasoline
Two young friends embark on a road trip across France in a vehicle they built themselves.
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Coming Soon
Some of the films you can expect to see over the next three months.
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Moet British Independent Film Awards Nominations
A list of nominations for awards which will be given tonight Sunday 6th December at 7.pm.
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Poster—Bridge of Spies Poster—Brooklyn
PHOTO CREDITS: Lionsgate 1,5,7,8,32 BBC 10 Eagle Eye Media 12 20th Century Fox 13,15,16,31 Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer 20 Elfilm.com 20 Metrodome 28 Studio Canal 2,21,23,24
Acknowledgements
We would like to thank the following for their invaluable help. Piers McCarthy, Hamilton Arroyo, Natalie Ralph at Studio Canal. Bola Akande, Sami Westwood at Think Jam. Clare Leach, Natasha Unalkat at Premier Comms.com Gill Litter, Abby Watson at Feref. Helena Mrozek and Clare Leach and all the team at the UK Film Festival. And special thanks to Ludovic Lloyd for the Music Video: The Spectre – Old Man. And to Sophie Allen the star of the Short Film – Love is Blind.
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EDITORIAL The nights are drawing in, and Christmas is only nineteen days away, and Hey-Ho MbM is publishing its last issue of the year, so snuggle up close and open up this goody bag of film reviews, UK Film Festival coverage, winter previews plus a look at the nominations for the Moet British Independent Film Awards which is held this evening in London at 7.pm. Let us take a closer look and unwrap what we have for you. Our Cover is Saoirse Ronan star of our main feature review Brooklyn. The film had its gala premiere at this year’s London Film Festival and is one of the best films of the year; MbM’s Favourite Films of 2015 will be listed in the January issue of the magazine. In Brooklyn, Saoirse captivates us as a young woman with a zest for life and torn between two men in two countries. It is the second time that Saoirse has graced our cover, the first being the October 2013 issue as the star of our film of the month – How I Live Now. She said then at the Q&A after the film that she always respects the characters she plays, and playing the girl-next-door never interests her. Well, Eilis, the young woman she plays in Brooklyn, is vulnerably attractive to a new life that beckons and is gutsy enough to grab the opportunity. Other reviews are Microbe & Gasoline, Bridge of Spies, plus reviews for MbM’s coverage of the UK Film Festival: Roald Dahl’s Esio Trot, Sok, Over, Boogaloo & Graham, Love is Blind, The Spectre – Old Man. This issue is also dedicated to the memory of the former film critic of The Observer Philip French with the feature article Remembering Philip French.
And we would like to thank our dedicated readers and for those who have taken the trouble for their lovely comments. May you continue to enjoy reading Movies by Mills.
WISHING YOU ALL A MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A VERY HAPPY NEW YEAR! Enjoy the read Brian Mills Magazine Editor
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Paul Ridler Magazine Designer
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BROOKLYN * Spoiler Alert *
Directed by John Crowley. Starring: Saoirse Ronan. Emory Cohen. Domhnall Gleeson. Julie Walters. I think ultimately this story is about choice, is about a choice that life at a certain stage will allow you to make and Eilis needs to go through this incredibly beautiful happy heart -breaking journey in order to make this one choice which is where does she want to be and where does she want to be happy. - Saoirse Ronan How refreshing to see a film that hearkens back to the forties style of storytelling that wrings your heart dry with emotion and empathy for a strong female protagonist with a single-minded head but a shared heart. Such films were categorized as ‘women pictures’ and always had a powerful actress as the star: Bette Davis, Joan Crawford or Barbara Stanwyck. Brooklyn has Saoirse Ronan. She plays Eilis, an Irish immigrant who sails to Brooklyn in the hope of finding work and a new life. She battles homesickness for her homeland and missing her mother and sister. But then she meets and falls in love with Tony (Emory Cohen) an Italian American and a skilled plumber. Then family tragedy back home in Ireland causes her to leave Brooklyn and her new husband. Tony tells her that he is afraid that she will not return. Back home in Enniscorthy, County Wexford, Eilis finds things have changed: there is more work and eligible men, though at first she does not succumb to the latter, when she meets Jim Farrell (Domhnall Gleeson) her will-power begins to wain and she rationalises her reasons to stay longer than she intended and letters from Tony are stuffed in a drawer unopened. John Crowley directs a story that will resonate with those who are immigrants but also anyone who has longed for meeting up again with distant friends or relatives. It is an old fashioned movie that makes one yearn for those escapist romances. For it to work, you need an excellent cast. Here everyone is
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cherry-picked. Saoirse Ronan as Eilis is perfect and reminds us how great a young actress she is. Her vocal infections and telling glances are impeccably used and has a presence that is mesmerising; her brilliance raises the level of all the players. Emory Cohen as Tony is an exceptional find and matches Saoirse because they are totally comfortable with each other. Their scenes together are reminiscent of Hollywood’s classic screen couples as they play off each other so well. Cinematographer Yves Belanger captures the mood of the film and Eilis’s journey by a careful use of colour. The first part, when Eilis is in Ireland, shows green hues and close-ups, particularly the latter when Eilis serves a communal Christmas dinner to the downtrodden men who originally built the tunnels and bridges. Suddenly a man stands up and sings a Gaelic song while we see a montage of faces lost in nostalgia. The second part of the journey is when Eilis reaches New York and heralds in the heightened mood of expectancy and romance. It is shot in bright colours, rich and inviting and the department store where she finds herself working is comfortably attractive. The contrast between the world she has left behind and the New World which she is now inhabiting is cleverly stated. While the romantic sequences with Tony are empathetically embracing. In these early courtship scenes, Emory Cohen’s Tony reveals his obvious liking for this Irish girl he has met at a dance, but does not quite know how to approach her. His hesitancy is shown in half-smiles and apprehensive glances. It is within this middle section of the film’s narrative that it scores its most rewarding sequence when Tony invites Eilis to Coney Island. Again the colours are gloriously uplifting and even playful, epitomising the young woman’s new-found love and freedom. It caters to her attractive naivetés when she realizes that she does not have a swimming costume or sun glasses or know that it is customary to wear the costume beneath her dress when she undresses on the beach, rather than have her boyfriend shield her with a towel. When Eilis disrobes to reveal a one-piece green bathing suit, Tony is pleasantly impressed at how lovely she looks. The third and climatic part of the film returns to Ireland where Eilis meets Jim and here we see the wide landscapes of the country that is wooing her to stay. After all it is her home. The dénouement comes when Eilis is confronted with the gossip and small mindedness that she had forgotten existed in Enniscorthy and her mind is made up to return post haste to Brooklyn.
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Emory Cohen & Saoirse Ronan in Brooklyn.
Saoirse Ronan & Emory Cohen in Brooklyn.
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Jim Broadbent in Brooklyn.
Domhnall Gleeson & Saoirse Ronan in Brooklyn. 8
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UK FILM FESTIVAL 2015 THE FOLLOWING FILMS WERE PART OF THIS YEAR’S FESTIVAL AND RECOMMENDED BY MbM. IT INCLUDES ONE FEATURE FILM “ESIO TROT”, FIVE SHORT FILMS “SHOK”, “BOOGALOO AND GRAHAM”,”OVER”, “VOID”, AND “LOVE IS BLIND”, AS WELL AS ONE MUSIC VIDEO “THE SPECTRE – OLD MAN”.
ROALD DAHL’S *ESIO TROT
Directed by Dearbhia Walsh Starring: Dustin Hoffman. Judi Dench. James Corden. Didn’t you want to be taller when you were growing up? - Mrs Silver I guess I did. Yes, when I was a kid I use to wear thick socks to bed. - Mr Hoppy What to make yourself grow taller? - Mrs Silver Right. I actually read the warmer your feet, the deeper you sleep, the more you grow. Sadly, all I got was stinky feet. - Mr Hoppy A made for TV film that will have its theatrical release in January, Esio Trot is the warm hearted and whimsical screen adaptation of Roald Dahl’s 1990 novel and it was chosen to open this year’s UK Film Festival. Lonely, aging bachelor Mr Hoppy (Dustin Hoffman) lives in a London flat and has two loves in his life – his balcony garden and Mrs Silver (Judi Dench) the widow in the flat below. Sadly, Mrs Silver is too fond of her tortoise Alfie to respond. Noting that Mrs Silver is perturbed that Alfie never seems to grow, Mr Hoppy hatches a plan to show her how much he cares. It involves him buying dozens of tortoises of increasing sizes to gradually substitute for Alfie, leading Mrs Silver to believe that A Bedouin chant – Esio Trot – is making her pet grow. However, he is rumbled when one of the tortoises escapes. And with another, brash and obnoxious resident Mr Pringle (Richard Cordery) vying for Mrs Silver’s attentions, Mr Hoppy has to act fast to win her love. It is reminiscent of the two lonely people in Dustin Hoffman’s Last Chance Harvey, in which he tries to woo Emma Thompson. The film’s philosophical tagline could have been easily attached to this film – when it comes to love, it is never too late to take a chance. *tortoise spelt backwards.
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Dustin Hoffman and Judi Dench in ESIO TROT
Dustin Hoffman in ESIO TROT 10
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SHOK 21 mins, Kosovo, UK. Directed by Jamie Donoughue Starring: Eshref Durmishi. Andi Bajgora. Lum Veselli. Written and directed by Jamie Donoughue and inspired by his time spent in Kosovo in 2010, he had to remain in Kosovo due to a volcanic eruption in Iceland and he began to learn about what happened in the war fifteen years ago in Europe. As a filmmaker he felt he could give it a voice and researched for four years. Shok is told by a young man as he returns to his childhood home and replays the memories that surface, the terrifying conflict between Albanian and Serbian forces. The strength of the narrative is in depicting the tale of two best friends who want to be able to live their lives as young boys to save up money so they can ride bikes through the streets of their town, exploring together and staying at each other’s houses. Their strong bonding is tested when these desires are put up against their interactions with the world where soldiers raid homes and buses, confiscate books and forcibly remove whole towns in broad daylight. It is the boys’ friendship and desire to remain friends amidst the violence that moves the film and ultimately delivers the most powerful scenes. Once again we see the horrors and futility of war but made more horrifying when seen through the eyes of children. I asked Jamie Donoughue how he was able to find such amazing young actors to play the lead characters. I used Facebook. It is very popular in Kosovo. Andi Bojgora who plays Oki is already an actor, but for the other boy Lum Veseli it was the first time he had acted. So I held auditions for the part of Petri and the moment Lum walked in I knew he was the one. Shok has already won awards at international film festivals: ASPEN SHORTFEST – Audience, Jury- Best Drama Award. Youth Jury Prize. BERLIN INTERFILM FESTIVAL – Best Film Online Award. HOLLYSHORTS FILM FESTIVAL – Best Short Film. MANHATTAN SHORT FILM FESTIVAL – Silver Medal for Best Film. SAN JOSE INTERNATIONAL SHORT FILM FESTIVAL – Jury Award – Best Drama. WASHINGTON DC SHORTS FILM FESTIVAL – Audience and Best Short Film.
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OVER 14 mins. UK Directed by John Threlfall Starring: Malcolm Davies. A wonderful and intriguing film that will keep you guessing as to what really happened in a Cul de Sac in a quiet neighbourhood and whatever you guess you will be wrong. The story is told in reverse order and shows a series of happenings starting late at night and all seems well in the Cul de Sac. Then we go back a few hours and watch a couple get out of a car, lay down some flowers, and go indoors. What do we make of that? Do the flowers mark the spot of a loved who has been killed in a traffic accident? We are shown a series of shots of clothing, running shorts, gloves, torch, balaclava, photos of a family from the African continent…was it a robbery that went wrong or a jogger that got hit by a car….and then we see the police cordoning off the area? Amazing how assumptions can lead us totally astray….
VOID
17 mins. Denmark. Finland. Directed by Mildad Alami & Aygul Bakanova. Starring: Lars Mikkelsen. Dar Salim. On a night trip on the ferry from Copenhagen to Bornholm, Daniel (Lars Mikkelsen) starts a conversation with Amir (Dar Salim) a handsome guy. But Daniel is not just after small talk. He is looking for something very personal from Amir – he wants to introduce him to his wife. Brilliantly acted by Mikkelsen, famous for the thriller Headhunter.
BOOGALOO AND GRAHAM
14 mins. UK. Directed by Michael Lennox. Starring: Martin McCann. Charlene McKenna. Jamesy and Malachy are over the moon when their soft-hearted Dad presents them with two baby chicks to care for, but the two boys are in for a shock when their parents announce that big changes are coming to the family.
LOVE IS BLIND
7 mins. UK. Starring: Sophie Allen. Will Best. Ace Mahbaz. A very chirpy comedy about cheating lovers trying to avoid discovery. Alice (Sophie Allen) is in bed with her young lover when her partner unexpectedly comes home. Embarrassing problems increase to a no-way out situation but the extreme with hints of Steve Martin as Inspector Clouseau. Great fun.
THE SPECTRE – OLD MAN 4 mins. UK A charming music video about a man dancing his way out of sadness. Watch here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ih9ySLe6kek
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BRIDGE OF SPIES Bridge worth crossing. * Spoiler Alert *
Directed by Steven Spielberg. Starring: Tom Hanks. Mark Rylance. Austin Stowell. Alan Alda. Amy Ryan. Scott Shepherd. Sebastian Koch. Standing there like that you remind me of a man when I was young. Our house was overrun by border guards, and this man, my father’s friend, he was beaten. Every time they hit him, he stood back up. Again they hit him harder and still he got back to his feet. I think because of this, they let him live. – Rudolf Abel And I remind you of him?
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James Donovan
Standing man.
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Rudolf Abel
The title refers to Glienicke Bridge, which crosses what was once the borderline between the Federal Republic of Germany and the GDR in the time from the building of the Berlin Wall to its destruction in 1989, there were three prisoners between East and West. The first most famous spy swap occurred on February 10, 1962, when Soviet Agent Rudolph Abel (Mark Rylance) was traded for American pilot Frances Gary Powers (Austin Stowell)captured by the Soviets when his U-2 reconnaissance plane was shot down over Sverdiovsk, Russia. The exchange was negotiated by Abel’s lawyer, Jim Donovan (Tom Hanks), who also arranged for the simultaneous release of American student Frederic Pryor (Will Rogers) at Checkpoint Charlie. The opening sequence is remarkably staged with minimal sound, concentrating on Rudolf Abel and his paintings. We see him looking in a mirror as he paints a nearly-complete selfportrait. We are seeing two reflections, one in glass and one in watercolours: three triangular points of interest – reflection, man, and painting.
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Few directors would choose to begin a spy movie in a slow inarticulate, practically silent way; there is no score in fact for 27 minutes into the film, but then few directors are as masterful as Steven Spielberg. Few actors would be able to hold your attention as well as the exceptionally brilliant Mark Rylance. Recognised as the greatest stage actor of his generation, winner of two Olivier Awards and 3 Tony Awards, as well as a BAFTA for his role in the TV film The Government Inspector. It is time for him to be honoured in the film world and his outstanding role in Bridge of Spies is likely to do just that. The theme of Bridge of Spies is a well-trodden path of Spielberg’s: Munich, Saving Private Ryan and Lincoln, all of which concern themselves with distilling world events by relating human stories that one can feel empathy for; despite Rudolph Abel being a Russian spy, you still like the man. Spielberg’s protagonists are invariably under pressure in attempting to rise to the occasion to an assignment that they may feel they are not necessarily competent enough to complete. Tom Hanks plays Jim Donovan, an insurance lawyer called to duty by his government when Abel is captured for the crime of espionage against the United States on behalf of the USSR. The Cold War is a constant concern among families. Donovan is asked to serve as Abel’s defence attorney by his boss Thomas Walters (Alan Alda) who wants him to sit next to the traitor to make sure the judicial process is carried out. Donovan makes his defence case that the seizure of evidence was unconstitutional and that the death penalty would be a politically bad move, even if the public wants to see Abel hanged. Donovan argues that Abel not only represents valuable political currency, which would come in handy if the US ever needs to negotiate with the Russians, but that also Abel should be treated as we would want any American POW to be treated in turn. The film gets more complicated when a pilot named Frances Gary Powers is captured by the Russians. Despite having no real experience in espionage, which is good because he can’t be seen as a spy, or even a representative of the US Government, Donovan is sent in to mediate the exchange of prisoners. During all of this time, Abel remains calm which prompts Donovan to repeatedly ask him: Do you never worry? To which Abel always replies: Would it help?
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Mark Rylance & Tom Hanks in Bridge of Spies.
Tom Hanks in Bridge of Spies.
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Tom Hanks in Bridge of Spies.
Tom Hanks in Bridge of Spies. 16
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REMEMBERING PHILIP FRENCH 28 August 1933 – 27 October 2015 (The ultimate Film Critic and Cinephile) In issue 6, October 2013 of this magazine, I reported on the event when Philip French received the BFI Fellowship. He was fifty years a film critic. In 1978 he became the cinema critic for the Observer newspaper and remained until 2013 when he received the O.B.E.
To me, Philip French had been an inspiration, he passionately loved films and he expressed that passion in his reviews and the books which he wrote on films. I never met him face to face but felt like I knew him. We shared the same birth sign and even the twenty-eighth day of August. The first film he reviewed in his film column for The Observer was The Small World of Sammy Lee, which starred Anthony Newley. Of the thousands of films he reviewed, David Hare, writer and director for theatre and film, commented that Philip French ‘often made reading about films more enjoyable than seeing them’. Fellow journalists paid tribute to the writer:
A great cinephile and a lovely man. – Peter Bradshaw – The Guardian A wonderful, erudite film critic. Kate Muir - The Times
Philip’s noble, erudite writing elevated film criticism to the level of art. His judgement was acute but always generous, his prose beautiful, his knowledge breath-taking. He was an inspiration to an entire generation of film critics, and was always wonderfully supportive of his colleagues: encouraging, wise and kind. He is irreplaceable. - Mark Kermode – The Observer The news of the death of Philip French reached the ears of film critic, broadcaster and author Jason Solomons at the end of a press screening of Taxi Tehran at the Soho Screening Rooms, formerly known as Mr Young’s. It was in those darkened rooms that Philip had spent thousands of hours watching his beloved films over the years. I spent 15 years in his company there and elsewhere. I say company, but we’re alone in the dark and I think Philip preferred it. He’d sit in that front row seat, right on the aisle so nothing could impede his view. He’d practically disappear into the picture. Of all the film critics, Philip French was the man. His 35-year career at the Observer gave him an unprecedented platform from which he could impart his passion and equanimity on a weekly basis. Other reviews would come out first, but it was Philip’s Sunday opinion we all waited for, critics and filmmakers alike. His was, quite literally, le dernier mot. – Jason Solomons – BBC
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The Observer allowed Philip French to lead his reviews with a foreign-language or obscure films over that of the latest Hollywood blockbuster and as such exerted a major influence on the success of such films. One such film was Following, redicting that its director Christopher Nolan would be a name to remember. The film was shot in black and white and its protagonist was a young writer who follows strangers for material, meets a thief who takes him under his wing. Although we never met, his generous championing of my early work was vital in helping my films get noticed at a time when I didn’t have a access to marketing budgets and wide distribution. His passing is a great loss for everyone who cares about film, but particularly for today’s emerging film-makers, who might have benefited from his thoughtful, considered writing as I did. - Christopher Nolan
Philip’s favourites were Westerns, particularly those of Clint Eastwood. Woody Allen and Groucho Marx and the Ealing comedies. Among his admired directors: Satyajit Ray, Jean Renoir, Ken Loach, Louis Malle, Ismail Merchant & James Ivory, Bertrand Tavernier, Ingmar Bergman and Akira Kurosawa. His favourite films? He always admitted that it changed from time to time, but the ones that always seemed to remain in his top ten were the following and his comments.
THE LADY VANISHES
1938
Directed by Alfred Hitchcock Starring: Margaret Lockwood. Michael Redgrave. On top of a mesmerising ploy, perfect casting and the greatest comic duo in British cinema, this comedy thriller drives a special urgency from the troubled times in which it was made.
STAGECOACH
1939
Directed by John Ford Starring: John Wayne. Clare Trevor. The movie suited the mood of the 1930s and now it suits our times, not just because a dishonest banker is disgraced, but also because the initial “gate” syllable of the villain’s name, the prefix, as it were, has become, since Watergate, the ultimate suffix for acts of public malfeasance and treachery.
THE RULES OF THE GAME
1939
Directed by Jean Renoir Starring: Marcel Dalio. Nora Gregor. Jean Renoir. The savage portrait of the French upper-middle class on the point of collapse.
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SINGIN’ IN THE RAIN
1952
Directed by Stanley Donen & Gene Kelly Starring: Gene Kelly. Donald O’Connor. Debbie Reynolds. One of the greatest Hollywood musicals memorable songs including “All I Do Is Laugh”, “You Were Meant for Me”. “Good Lucky Star”, and of course “Singin’ in
PATHER PANCHALI
of all-time first-rate and Dream of You”, “Make‘Em Mornin’”, “You Are My the Rain”.
1955
Directed by Satyajit Ray. Starring: Subir Bannergee. Kanu Bannergee. The first of a trilogy made by Satyajit Ray and one of two films of his that Philip French chose to be in his ‘desert island films’. The film, about an impoverished family in a Bengali village, was Ray’s film debut and was critically acclaimed, creating a sensation when it was screened at Cannes. Here was a film that put India on the map as a serious film country and as un-Bollywood as you could get.
WILD STRAWBERRIES
1957
Directed by Ingmar Bergman Starring: Victor Sjostrom. Bibi Anderson. Ingrid Thulin. Winner of the Grand Prix Award for the Best Film at the 1958 Berlin Film Festival, Ingmar Bergman’s classic concerns an elderly academic, introverted and emotionally arid, who makes a journey to collect a university award and en route relives his past through nightmares, dreams and memories as space and time are broken apart to reveal the narious levels of his inner life. The surrealistic sequence of the professor’s nightmare is virtually silent except for the insistent sound of a heartbeat – a reminder that his life will soon end. The spiritual odyssey travelled by the professor is a masterpiece and is considered to be Bergman’s warmest film.
SOME LIKE IT HOT
1959
Directed by Billy Wilder Starring: Jack Lemmon. Tony Curtis. Marilyn Monroe. A hilarious comedy about a couple of musicians in the 1920s who witness the St Valentine’s Day Massacre in Chicago, then join an all-female band to evade the killers. The film’s ending has one of the best closing lines of all-time.
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NORTH BY NORTHWEST
1959
Directed by Alfred Hitchcock Starring: Cary Grant. Eva Marie Saint. James Mason. Cary Grant’s character Roger Thornhill is mistaken for a spy and the suspected murder of a UN diplomat and flees across the country pursued by villains. The film contains the famous crop-spraying sequence.
SALVATORE GIULLANO
1962
Directed by Francesco Rosi Starring: Frank Woolf. Salvo Randone. Frederico Zardi. The account of the life and death of the famous Sicilian outlaw.
DOUBLE INDEMNITY
1944
Directed by Billy Wilder Starring: Fred MacMurray. Barbara Stanwyck. Edward G Robinson. Based on the classic thriller by James M. Cain, this great film noir is about a naïve insurance salesman who falls for the seductive charms of his beautiful client. Together they plot to get rid of her dull husband and collect on the “double indemnity” life policy.
THE CHESS PLAYERS
1977
Directed by Satyajit Ray Starring: Sanjeev Kumar. Saeed Jaffrey. Richard Attenborough.
In 1978 Ray was in Britain for the London Film Festival premiere of The Chess Players. His film ironically interweaves the story of two chess-obsessed nabobs with the final moves of General Outram’s power game Oudh that swept the Indian board for the British Raj in 1856, an event that immediately preceded the Mutiny and its suppression. Visiting him to record a radio interview at his hotel, I found he was greatly amused that the festival was putting him up at the Imperial. 20
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MICROBE AND GASOLINE Directed by Michel Gondry Starring: ThĂŠophile Baquet. Ange Dargent. Diane Besnier. Audrey Tautou. The amazingly inventive world of Michel Gondry is upon us again in a film that looks at childhood and friendship. In a film world that is so often overrun by franchises and dog-eared screenplays, the name Gondry refreshes our appetite for something different and imaginative. His films are just that, some so off-the-wall that they have you scratching your head and asking what was that all about? But when he is on form it is magical and uplifting. His background is music which launched him in his collaboration with Bjork and a series of videos for her: Human Behavior, Army of Me, Isobel, Hyperballad, Joga, Bachelorette. It is interesting to see his creative ideas realized by just examining the narrative of his major works. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. Joel is stunned to discover that his girlfriend, Clementine, has had their tumultuous relationship erased from her mind. Out of desperation, he contacts the inventor of the process, Dr Howard Mierzwiak to get the same treatment. But as his memories of Clementine begin to fade, Joel suddenly realizes how much he still loves her. The Science of Sleep. A shy young finds a job But then he winning her
man goes to Paris to be closer to his widowed mother. He working at a calendar making firm which he finds dull. meets and falls in love with Stephanie, a neighbour. But is not easy, so to cope, he escapes into a dream world.
*Mood Indigo. Set in a fantasy version of Paris, the film is the surreal tale of Colin and Chloe whose idyllic love story is turned upside down when Chloe falls sick. Dedicated to his beloved bride, Colin must go out to work in a series of increasingly absurd jobs to pay for the fresh flowers that Chloe needs to be surrounded with in order to get well.
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*This is a beautiful romantic fantasy and outstanding film which can be seen over and again without tiring the viewer of its magic! Gondy’s best film.
And so to his latest…. Microbe & Gasoline. Two young friends embark on a road trip across France in a vehicle they built themselves. The film once again shows Gondry’s preoccupation with kids and low-tech gadgetry.
Microbe (Ange Dargent) is the butt of jokes among his schoolmates because of his small stature and nerdish persona. He attaches himself to a new student, Gasoline (Théophile Baquet) nicknamed for the smell of the motorized contraptions he ingeniously builds and rides. Both are fed up with their classes, their suburban hometown and their humdrum families. Microbe copes with a sad sick mom and a smothering home environment, while Gasoline hides the distress caused by a pair of grim hoarder parents. It is not long before the two plan an escape, with the visionary Gasoline building a rickety motorized cottage and Microbe playing along as his loyal friend. On their adventures into the French countryside, they encounter lackadaisical cops and a crazed dentist and they even amble into an Asian whorehouse. The attachment between the two boys deepens convincingly as Microbe gains confidence and courage in Gasoline’s company. There is the magical and funny act when they are in danger of being stopped by cops and they stop at a roadside and pretend that the vehicle is just another house. Microbe’s mother is played by the wonderful Audrey Tautou. She is almost unrecognizable in her dowdy appearance and depressing demeanour. As a spiritual seeker longing to reach out to her son and guide him, Tautou’s performance is gracefully poignant and proves once again why she is such a fine actress.
What makes Microbe & Gasoline an easily recognizable ‘Gondry’ film is the vehicle, another touch of the director’s wild imagination and a mind that never seems to lose his inventiveness. To this regard Gondry is a cinematic treasure. Gondry’s films appreciate his that Microbe & at this year’s shame.
are an acquired taste and not everyone will artistry and genius, which may account for the fact Gasoline has only been shown once in the UK which was French Film Festival at the Cine Lumiere. Such a
How does it compare to Gondry’s past films? It is not in the same class as Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind or Mood Indigo, but it is very entertaining and aficionados of the director will not be disappointed.
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Ange Dargent & Théophile Baquet in Microbe & Gasoline.
Ange Dargent & Théophile Baquet in Microbe & Gasoline.
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Théophile Baquet & Ange Dargent in Microbe & Gasoline.
Théophile Baquet & Ange Dargent in Microbe & Gasoline. 24
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COMING DECEMBER –
SOON FEBRUARY
HERE IS THE RUNDOWN OF THE FILMS THAT YOU CAN EXPECT TO GET EXCITED ABOUT OVER THE NEXT THREE MONTHS
SUNSET SONG
Directed by Terence Davies. Stars: Agyness Deyn. Peter Mullen. A daughter of a Scottish farmer comes of age in the 1900s. UK RELEASE DEC 4
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STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS
Directed by JJ Abrams. Stars: Harrison Ford. Mark Hamill. Carrie Fisher. Story set after Star Wars – Return of the Jedi. UK RELEASE DEC 17
IN THE HEART OF THE SEA
Directed by Ron Howard. Stars: Chris Hemsworth. Cillian Murphy. Charlotte Riley. A whaling ship is preyed upon by a sperm whale, stranding its crew at sea for 90 days. UK RELEASE DEC 26
JOY
Directed by David O Russell. Stars: Jennifer Lawrence. Robert De Niro. Edgar Ramirez. Diane Ladd. Virginia Madsen. Isabella Rosselini. Bradley Cooper. Joy is the story of a family across four generations and the woman who rises to become founder and matriarch of a powerful family business dynasty. UK RELEASE Jan 1
KNIGHT OF CUPS
Directed by Terrence Malick. Stars: Christian Bale. Cate Blanchett. Natalie Portman. A screenwriter living in Los Angeles tries to make sense of the strange events occurring around him. UK RELEASE JAN 1
THE HATEFUL EIGHT
Directed by Quentin Tarentino Stars: Samuel Jackson. Kurt Russell. Walter Goggins. Jennifer Jason Leigh. Tim Roth. In Post-Civil war Wyoming, bounty hunters try to find shelter during a blizzard but get involved in a plot of betrayal and deception. UK RELEASE JAN 8 26
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CREED
Directed by Ryan Coogler. Stars: Sylvester Stallone. Michael Jordan. The former World Heavyweight Champion Rocky Balboa serves as a trainer and mentor to Adonis Johnson, the son of his late friend and former rival Apollo Creed. UK RELEASE JAN 15
THE REVENANT
Directed by Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu. Stars: Leonardo Di Caprio. Tom Hardy. Domhnall Gleeson. In the 1820s, a frontiersman, Hugh Glass, sets out on a path of vengeance against those who left him for dead after a bear mauling. UK RELEASE JAN 15
ROOM
Directed by Lenny Abrahamson. Stars: Brie Larson. Jacob Tremblay. Joan Allen. After five year-old Jack and his mother escape from the enclosed surroundings that Jack has known his entire life, the boy makes a thrilling discovery: the outside world. MbM’s FILM OF THE YEAR UK RELEASE JAN 15
THE BIG SHORT
Directed by Adam McKay. Stars: Christian Bale. Steve Carell. Ryan Gosling. Brad Pitt. Melissa Leo. Four outsiders in the world of high-finance who predict the credit and housing bubble collapse of the mid-2000s decide to take on the big banks for their lack of foresight and greed. UK RELEASE JAN 15
THE LAST DIAMOND
Directed by Eric Barbier. Stars: Berenice Bejo. Yvan Attal. Simon has just been released from prison and is on parole. His friend, Albert, lures him back to his old ways for one more hit – to steal a priceless diamond. UK RELEASE JAN 15
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OUR BRAND IS CRISIS
Directed by David Gordon Green. Stars: Sandra Bullock. Billy Bob Thornton. Zoe Kazan. Hardened American political consultant is sent to help re-elect a controversial president in Bolivia. UK RELEASE JAN 15
SPOTLIGHT
Directed by Tom McCarthy. Stars: Michael Keaton. Rachel McAdams. Mark Ruffalo. The true story of how The Boston Globe uncovered the massive scandal of child molestation and cover-up within the local Catholic Archdiocese. UK RELEASE JAN 29
YOUTH
Directed by Paolo Sorrentino. Stars: Michael Caine. Harvey Keitel. Rachel Weisz. Paul Dano. A retired orchestra conductor takes a holiday in a Spa in the Swiss Alps with his friend who is working on his final film. The conductor is requested to conduct one last time for a very special occasion. UK RELEASE JAN 29
TRUMBO
Directed by Jay Roach. Stars: Bryan Cranston. Diane Lane. Helen Mirren. 1947, Dalton Trumbo was Hollywood’s top screenwriter until he was jailed for his political beliefs and blacklisted. UK RELEASE FEB 5
THE BENEFACTOR
Directed by Andrew Renzi. Stars: Richard Gere. Dakota Fanning. Theo James. A philanthropist meddles in the lives of newly married couples in an attempt to relive his past. UK RELEASE FEB 5
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MOET BRITISH INDEPENDENT FILM AWARDS NOMINATIONS BEST BRITISH INDEPENDENT FILM 45 YEARS AMY EX MACHINA THE LOBSTER MACBETH
BEST DIRECTOR 45 YEARS – ANDREW HAIGH AMY – ASIF KAPADIA EX MACHINA – ALEX GARLAND THE LOBSTER – YORGOS LANTHIMOS MACBETH – JUSTIN KURZEL
BEST ACTRESS THE DANISH GIRL – ALICE VIKANDER SUFFRAGETTE – CAREY MULLIGAN 45 YEARS – CHARLOTTE RAMPLING MACBETH – MARION COTTILLARD BROOKLYN – SAOIRSE RONAN
BEST ACTOR COLIN FARRELL – THE LOBSTER MICHAEL FASSBENDER – MACBETH TOM COURTENAY – 45 YEARS TOM HARDY – LEGEND TOM HIDDLESTON – HIGH-RISE
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS HELENA BONHAM-CARTER – SUFFRAGETTE OLIVIA COLMAN – THE LOBSTER ANNE-MARIE DUFF – SUFFRAGETTE SIENNA MILLER – HIGH-RISE JULIE WALTER – BROOKLYN
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR LUKE EVANS – HIGH-RISE BRENDAN GLEESON – SUFFRAGETTE DOMHNALL GLEESON – BROOKLYN SEAN HARRIS – MACBETH BEN WHISHAW – THE LOBSTER
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BEST INTERNATIONAL INDEPENDENT FILM CAROL FORCE MAJEURE GIRLHOOD ROOM SON OF SAUL
BEST DOCUMENTARY AMY DARK HORSE: THE INCREDIBLE STORY OF DREAM ALLIANCE HOW TO CHANGE THE WORLD PALIO A SYRIAN LOVE STORY
THE DOUGLAS HICKOX AWARD (Debut Director) THE HALLOW – CORIN HARDY KAJAKI: THE TRUE STORY – PAUL KATIS NINA FOREVER – CHRIS & BEN BLAINE SLOW WEST – JOHN MACLEAN THE SURVIVALIST – STEPHEN FINGLETON
BEST SCREENPLAY 45 YEARS – ANDREW HAIGH BROOKLYN – NICK HORNBY EX MACHINA – ALEX GARLAND HIGH-RISE - AMY JUMP THE LOBSTER – YORGOS LANTHIMOS & EFTHYMIS FILIPPOU
MOST PROMISING NEWCOMER ABIGAIL HARDINGHAM – NINA FOREVER AGYNESS DEYN – SUNSET SONG BEL POWLEY – A ROYAL NIGHT OUT MIA GOTH – THE SURVIVALIST MILO PARKER – MR HOLMES
PRODUCER OF THE YEAR 45 YEARS AMY KAJAKI: THE TRUE STORY THE LOBSTER THE VIOLATORS These and other awards will be given on Sunday 6th December at 20:00 at Old Billingsgate.
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