The Thirteenth PictureShow

&

Cinema Branding

Confessions Of A Bond Novice Things To See In November London Film Festival Monthly Reviews

Contents

November 2012

November Features

Reviews Section

Page 4: Brand Loyalty

Page 16: End Of Watch Page 17: Madagascar 3

Page 8: Confessions Of A Bond Page 18: Ginger & Rosa Novice Page 19: On The Road Page 10: Diary Of The London Page 20: Argo Film Festival Page 21: Sightseers Page 22: Frankenweenie

Regulars Page 3: Editor’s Note and Contributors Page 29: Things To See in November

Page 23: Laurence Anyways Page 24: My Brother The Devil Page 25: Celeste And Jesse Forever Page 26: Beasts Of The Southern Wild Page 27: Ruby Sparks Page 28: Skyfall

Contributors Editor’s Note Editors

Joshua Hammond: Editor-in-Chief joshua@pictureshow-magazine.com

Dale Pearson: Editor

dale@ pictureshow-magazine.com

Words

Joshua Hammond Dale Pearson Ben Ostell Cal Hudson Owen Seth Lawrence Pumfrey Rachael McCaffrey

Welcome Back to PictureShow Magazine The latest issue of PictureShow is the shape of things to come, more writers, more reviews and better articles!

Starting with Dale J Pearson’s look at the excessive use of brands to launch films in the modern film industry. We have Ben Ostell’s account of seeing James Bond for the first time and what he really thinks of the franchise and my Diary of the London Film Festival documenting my expedition across London in search or filmy goodness.

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We have an abundance of reviews for you to peruse at your leisure this month, including advance reviews of End Of Watch, Sightseers and Laurence, Anyways.

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Joshua Hammond Editor-in-Chief

Brand Loyalty DALE JOSEPHINE PEARSON

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arlier this year, PictureShow reported on the catastrophic commercial failings of John Carter.

The big budget action-fantasy lost upwards of $250 million and if you remember, PictureShow was very sad about this. We were sad about this because it is very rare that big production companies will take big risks on fresh material. We were sad because the failings of John Carter only served to bolster the opinion that taking risks on fresh material was financially unviable. But to a certain extent, John Carter was always going to fail because contemporary modern cinema is about one thing, and one thing only – branding.

Astute observers of the cinematic landscape will notice that since the recession hit, the big money has been poured into projects that people will generally recognise. We’re not talking about original stories vs. remakes and adaptations at this stage - after all, John Carter was an adaptation of work

by Edgar Rice Burroughs. No, we’re talking about the fact that in order for a $100 million-plus film to be green lit, the film has to be in someway recognisable to audiences before the trailers are even released. Spiderman is a recognisable brand. The Prince of Persia is a recognisable brand. Star Wars

is a recognisable brand. And it appears that in order to get that 9-figure investment, branding is the key.

Some will say that this is nothing new, ‘recessions spawn sequels’ - they’re easier to market in a competitive climate. Whilst this is also probably true, we have to acknowledge that there is something more to this. There has been a rise in sequels of course, but the interesting difference is actually in the nature of today’s original titles. Filmmakers are plumbing the depths of recognisable brands in order to secure funding, Disney’s recent acquisition of Lucasfilm means that it can mine the depths of the Star Wars franchise for years to come (Star Wars Episode VII is already slated for a 2015 release).

It explains why G.I. Joe films are being made, it explains the recent spike in fairy-tale movies, and it explains why franchises previously thought to have been dead and gone have made a sudden, unexpected resurrection (Indiana Jones, Tron, Dredd, The A-Team). We even witnessed studios so desperate to attach their film to a recognisable brand that they made Battleship - they literally made a film out of a board game. These are not simple recession tactics, this is something much more. Furthermore, it’s also fair to say that this trend started long before the eve of the recession - development for the first Transformers film began in 2003.

So what precisely has happened? In 2000, out of the top 10 grossing films of the year, only 3 can said to have been based on branded ideas - The Grinch, X-Men and Mission Impossible 2. The others were purely original titles based on nothing more than their own creations - Cast Away, Gladiator, What Women Want...etc. By 2005, this ratio was reversed - the only non-branded films in the top 10 were Wedding Crashers, Mr and Mrs Smith and Madagascar (providing you don’t already count DreamWorks as recognisable brand in itself). By 2011, there were no films in the top ten not based on recognisable brands. This is also mirrored in film-funding. Out of the 50 films with the biggest budgets this century, only three titles (not including DreamWorks or Pixar) can be said to not be based on an already branded idea - Avatar, Inception, and Sahara. Sahara bombed, and in the case of the former two, well apparently, James Cameron and Christopher Nolan can pretty much do what they want.

ample of this is The Bourne Legacy which gave us a telling insight into the minds of studio executives; it showed that for them, the ‘Bourne’ brand is far more valuable to them than Bourne himself (Matt Damon). We also saw the same principle applied in The Amazing Spiderman. The Expendables then, with its 1980s super-cast, almost acts as a metaphor for dwindling power of the movie star, each one of those stars could have packed a cinema on their own 30 years ago. And while star-led films such as The Tourist linger, it’s very much apparent that branding has only become so potent, because stars have become so impotent.

There are potentially two reasons for this. The first theory is that stars leap from genre to genre more often now. There was a time when you could gauge a film’s type by its leading man. James Cagney, Tom Hanks and Arnold Schwarzenegger all evoke clear and distinct movie types, and now his political interlude is over Arnold’s picking up where he left off. It’s therefore easy to write and market an origiUltimately, there is one simple difference between nal script providing that you assign the appropriate the big films of the 20th Century and the big films of actor to sell it for you. These days, a ‘Johnny Depp the 21st - movie stars. Big budget filmmaking was film’ might mean Chocolat or it might mean Charlie crammed full of original titles in the 20th Century, and The Chocolate Factory. It turns out that Hollybut only on the condition that very famous actors wood just doesn’t think of itself any more as having would be used to sell them. Since the turn of the action stars, or romance stars, etc. and as result millennium, this dynamic has changed. A fitting ex- they cannot brand original films with known actors.

A second theory is based on the fact that CGI is much more essential to modern filmmaking. And where the budget priority used to be in securing the stars, studios see CGI spending as a higher priority. That is not to say movie stars are not still earning millions, but it is telling that Will Smith’s $20 million wage for Men in Black 3 has not altered, nor even rose with inflation since he was paid the same amount for Men in Black 2 exactly 10 years earlier.

Brad Pitt recently stated that $10million movie deals for actors are over. And therefore, if filmmakers are sacrificing the branding associated with actors for better CGI, marketing hooks have to be drawn from elsewhere. And as most CGI specialists tend not to be on the front of Entertainment Weekly, Studios have found that the branding must therefore come from the source material.

The question we must ask ourselves then is ‘are we better off now?’ And the answer is ‘probably not.’

The problem with making films out of recognisable brands is that not all of the source material was ever conceived to eventually be a film. And the jump from action-figure, TV show or board game to film doesn’t always work. PictureShow has been addressing this for over a year in terms of comic book brands being adapted or foreign language hits. Building a film around an actor is less problematic because they, by nature, are supposed to be there. They can’t derail the visuals, they can’t stifle the script development and they can’t inhibit fresh filmic ideas; they just act. And unlike board games, actors always were conceived to be in the film that they are making.

The other unfortunate thing to remember is that So this is the landscape of contemporary big budget this new dynamic is completely the fault of audicinema. Instead of going to see The Angels’ Share ences. One can blame cynical studio filmmaking because of its wonderful reviews and local talent, but at the end of the day (specifically Bank Holiwe’re going to see Prometheus because it’s loosely days) these branded films are released and we turn based on an old film series we once loved. Instead up in our droves. It’s a problem and it’s going to of going to see The Raid, because it’s a barnstorm- get worse before it gets better. So next time you’re ing action movie, we’re watching The Hunger in the cinema and you notice an advert for a cinGames because a friend said the book was pretty ematic adaption of Ludo, a Crash Bandicoot movie good. There are good original movies out there, or even Stretch Armstrong: The Trilogy (featuring but they are neglected by cinemas to make room Taylor Lautner!) then be the bigger person, and just for another screen showing Breaking Dawn part 2. watch something else - something new.

Confessions Of A Bond Novice BEN OSTELL

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can tell you a lot about James Bond. I know all the actors who have played him; I know there have been unofficial films and even a spoof, as well as a TV movie where “Jimmy Bond” was actually American. I know all about the Aston Martin, Pussy Galore and the man’s drinks preferences. I can tell you about the fan-theories suggesting “James Bond” is as much a code name as “007” is, which can give canonical sense to him being played by six different people. I get the references, know the names and know the number. I have known all this for years, but until a couple of months ago I had never seen a single James Bond film.

“You’ve what?”

My house mate was incredulous. “You will have done.”

Nope.

“Not even at Christmas? You must have watched on at Christmas, there’s no way you can avoid them!”

But avoiding them is no big secret. James Bond was never something I’ve ever been really desperate to watch. I did start to watch Live and Let Die once, but it was so horrendously edited for daytime TV that I had to switch over. I’ve seen bits and pieces but it has just never seemed my cup of tea. Bond is so ingrained on British culture that not once have I felt like I’ve missed out. The franchise is so big that it actually eclipses the movies that make it. From an outsider point of view, it seems like people don’t remember the movies individually anyway, merely the occasional iconic scene or quote that pops up every couple of films. Hell, I was making James Bond references before I even knew they were James Bond references. The first week of primary school in fact, I was telling Dad about all my new friends, one of whom was called James. “Bond?”

My Dad said. “James Bond?” I had absolutely no idea what he was talking about (I was four years old) but it sounded cool as balls and I went to repeat it the next day at school.

Over the years the references made sense, but this is more to do with Bond satire or Bond parody or Bond homage than Bond itself. I know of Ursula Andress and her iconic emerging-out-the-water-ina-bikini scene partly because it’s been referenced in the later films (such as Die Another Day which again I’ve never seen, but such a big deal was

made out of Halle Berry emerging from the water when it was released that I didn’t really have to) but also from films like Austin Powers.

It came to a point in 2005 where it was announced Pierce Brosnan would be leaving the role. I was intrigued, as I knew the role of James Bond was iconic, as would be what would become of the actor who played him. I had my money on Clive Owen and was surprised as everyone when Daniel Craig was announced. I followed the controversy this caused (there was even a website set up: www. danielcraigisnotbond.com), but happily when the film was released the critics approved of his performance. Did it make me want to go see the film? No. About a week after I dropped the bombshell to my house mates (I was going to make a pun on “Bondshell” but thought it would be stupid. I’m glad I didn’t) I was sat in front of the TV and made to watch Casino Royale. The verdict? It was OK, but it didn’t really have the sense of fun I’d been expecting from a Bond film, and when I was on the lookout for a Richard Branson cameo, it was clear my attention was waning.

“Well, you should have watched Goldeneye instead, that’s classic Bond. This one is more like Bourne anyway.”

Sigh. I’d finally seen a Bond film and apparently it wasn’t even a Bond film. Well it was good enough for me. I’d seen one and my opinion of the franchise hadn’t changed in the slightest.

But something strange happened this year. I found myself getting very excited for Skyfall. Maybe I was finally growing up. Or maybe it was the cast. Or maybe it looked as if it was a decent story this time round. It looked like a good film, rather than a good Bond film. And it is. Skyfall is excellent, probably the most fun I’ve had at the cinema since The Dark Knight Rises. Does it make me want to watch other Bond films? Actually, a little bit. I finally have my in.

Skyfall has made me Bond-curious. That’s almost a pun! A bit of a weird one perhaps, but I’m getting good at these!

EDIT: OK, a day after writing this and two days after watching Skyfall I bought Goldeneye. Classic Bond right? Wrong. Absolute wank. Bloody Skyfall.

PictureShow’s Diary of The JOSHUA HAMMOND

The full report on our adventures in the capital!

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friends and neighbours, the film takes place over a number of years and simply meanders from episode to episode creating apathy and boredom in the audience. Australian cricket comedy Save Your Legs is exactly as good as it sounds, the Abbotsford Anglers cricket team go on a tour of India only to discover a whole new world – it is as predictable, cringe worthy and boring as it sounds. Doomsday Book was the saving grace of the day, combining three stories about the end of the world, it always focuses on the little people rather than the big spectacle. There are grand ideas at work in Doomesday Book as well as small stories and they all blend together beautifully.

or most people the London Film Festival lasts for just under two weeks at the end of October, for a film critic it lasts for almost four weeks. From the 24th of September to the 21st of October, London based film critics have to pencil everything in around the all important press screenings while simultaneously trying to balance a relatively normal life. Attending a film festival of this size can prove to be a steep learning curve for any amateur critic who may be unaware of how to negotiate the waters between press and publicist, who’s safe to talk to and who isn’t, how to act on a red carpet and Saw Dredd today as well, mindlessly violent and how to schmooze free tickets for shows after work. spectacularly shot, good fun.

This is a comprehensive Diary of PictureShow’s Adventures at London Film Festival.

Day 4

Day 1

My first day included screenings for Celeste And Jesse Forever, My Brother The Devil and Room 237. For a first day of screenings, you could do a lot worse. Celeste And Jesse Forever is a funny and affecting romantic comedy that has a few surprises up its sleeve, even if it is hugely predictable. My Brother The Devil is an engaging look at criminal culture in the East End of London and Room 237 is an intense and postmodern documentary about the wide speculation regarding the real meaning of The Shining and what its director Stanley Kubrick was trying to convey.

Day 2

If day 1 was an easy introduction to the films schedule of the festival than day 2 really demonstrated the strengths of the festival. Laurence Anyways is a thought provoking and beautiful film from Xavier Dolan the director of Heartbeats. Shell is a mysterious drama about a young woman’s relationship with her father in an isolated petrol station in Scotland and The Hunt is a terrifying drama about the power of gossip in closed societies. The Hunt follows Mads Mikkelson’s kindergarten teacher after he is accused of molesting a child in his class.

Tall As The Baobab Tree is PictureShow interviewee, Jeremy Teicher’s first feature length movie, it tells the story of a family in Africa who have to make grave sacrifices when one of them becomes injured and unable to work. Good Vibrations tells the story of Terry Hooley, a DJ and record store owner in 1980’s Belfast. Hooley was one of the pioneers behind the punk rock revolution and his independent label launched The Undertones into the stratosphere. Ending the day with The Loves Of The Pharoah was certainly interesting, the 90 year old silent movie has been subject to a recent restoration and was showing under the “Treasures” gala. It was evident from the opening scenes that the production of the film was massive.

Day 5

Documentary West Of Memphis is an incredible and very scary indictment of the US justice system.

Following the “West Memphis 3” and on the back of the hugely influential Paradise Lost documentaries, West Of Memphis compiles the entire story of those wrongly incarcerated for the murder of young boys in Memphis. French drama Sister, follows the increasingly fractured relationship between a young boy who steals tourists ski equipment for a living and his Sister who spends her time procrastinating and drinking. Glorious cinematography of the Alps Day 3 and convincing performances from the central pairFrom one of the most interesting days at the cin- ing make it engaging viewing. The less said about ema, I’ve ever experienced to one of the strangest. the schmaltzy and politically questionable Zaytoun Here And There is the tale of a Mexican musician the better, set in Beitut in 1982, the film follows Stewho returns to his family after working in the US phen Dorff’s crashed pilot who befriends a young and he tries to resurrect his music career with his boy in order to get him to safety. Saccharine sweet.

Day 6

As the weekend arrived, so did extra cinema trips.

I saw Looper in the West End. The review can be found in the previous issue.

Day 8

Modern detective story I, Anna, aims for a strange mix of mystery and hardboiled fiction. Directed

by Barnaby Southcombe and starring his mother Charlotte Rampling and Gabriel Byrne, the films strange editing and scattershot plot render the build up of tension useless.

fashion, Brandon Cronenberg’s debut certainly casts him as a director from a similar mould to his father, David, but it is muscular filmmaking at its best. Caleb Landry Jones’ performance is magnetic and his presence on screen is wonderful.

Day 16:

David Ayer’s police drama End Of Watch is gripping from the first moments, but questionable editing and writing let the film down as a whole. Jake Gyllenhaal’s performance is noteworthy for a tenderness and humour we haven’t seen in a while.

Full review on page 16.

Day 9

Day 17 PictureShow’s first Skype interview! We interviewed Jeremy Teicher and that can be read in the previous Opening Day of the Festival! Fans of Tim Burton were already queuing to see their idols on the red issue. carpet as early as 9am this morning. Frankenweenie is a great return to form for Burton and the full Day 11 Nick Murphy’s cop thriller Blood and Brandon review can be found on page 22.

Cronenberg’s Antiviral made an interesting double bill. While Blood is incredibly well shot, the writing, acting and editing let the film down immensely. The cast is absolutely astonishing and with that much talent in the room it should be harder to cock up, but the questionable morality of the tale and outrageously hammy acting drag the film down. Antiviral, on the other hand, operates in a cool detached

Normal School is an Argentinian documentary about a schools race for school council. Bad sound editing and subtitling mar the film for English audiences as it’s often unclear who’s speaking and the subtitles often didn’t make sense. Shot largely with a handheld camera Normal School was too rough around the edges to be truly impressive.

Day 18

because of other things I’ve got. I’ve got deadlines Interviewed the very suave Nick Murphy about his to work to and I’m going away for a month to shoot film Blood. The full interview will be published in a an American TV thing and I can’t go away from my family for a month and say ‘Look dear, I’m off to later issue but commenting on the festival he said the cinema.’ As much as I want to, I won’t because

“To be at your own festival, in your home family comes first. town, for a second year is just an absolute honour Day 18 cont’d: and it’s interesting to be here for the switch over Robot And Frank was a great surprise. After wanof directorship. I can say, at this stage I haven’t gling a free ticket to the event, this strange science noticed a huge difference, I’ve noticed the categori- fiction comedy is a very funny little movie. Featurzation is new and that’s bloody clever. That’s really ing the talents of Frank Langella as Frank and Peter smart, it allows an audience to really look at. All Sarsgaard as the voice of the robot, it tells the tale of them are identifiable, and popular and populist of a jewel thief who uses a robot to help him comnone of them say go away as genres. But they al- mit crimes. low you to say ‘OK where am I? What am I looking at here? Without that guide you can just be putting Day 19 a pin in a map. And demanded to know about the Saw Ginger & Rosa, hugely disappointing feature composition of the entire film. It allows you to be that squanders its potential. Full review on page 18. able to look at the spectrum of films and that’s tremendously clever. Mark my words, if they haven’t Day 22 done it already, a load of festivals will follow suit. Interviewed the son of David Cronenberg, Brandon Is there anything you want to see while you’re in town?

Amour, I believe that’s extraordinary. Rust And Bone, because look at the CV for Chrissake, I’d turn up to an envelope opening directed by him.

But other than that, I’m not going to be able to,

about his film Antiviral. The full interview will be available at a later date.

Day 23

Saw Ben Affleck’s third directorial effort Argo was very impressed initially but huge doubts creeped into my mind the further I got form the cinema. Full review on page 20.

Day 24

Rolling Stones documentary Crossfire Hurricanes documents the formation of the band as it currently stands and their rise through the decades. Director ^^^^ opts to avoid the use of talking heads and simply has voices cast over footage of the band in their prime, contrasting the memories and recollections of ageing rock stars with the footage of events.

The emotion in all of their voices carries particularly well, especially when they discuss their late band mate Brian Jones.

I’m not allowed to review Seven Psychopaths, not even a little bit for fear that my editor might strangle me in the nighttime. So I saw it … that is all.

Day 27

Saw the fantastic Ben Wheatley movie Sightseers while hopped up on Pro Plus and straight out of a night of killing zombies in their millions. Great fun and the review can be found on page That same day and functioning on just an hours sleep, I attempted an All Night John Carpenter Marathon at the Prince Charles Cinema, unfortunately I couldn’t last through the incredibly dull The Fog and had a quick nap which my friends all saw and mocked me for.

Day 28

Straight out of the all night John Carpenter Marathon I ventured into the press screening of Mike Newell’s Great Expectations which was a massive Day 25 The concept behind Caesar Must Die is one of such disappointment. With a wealth of British acting talgenius that it’s surprising nobody thought of it be- ent the production came off feeling like a bad BBC fore. An adaptation of Julius Caesar set in a prison Christmas Special – with added David Walliams. where the actors are all hardened criminals, put in Ugh. jail for crimes as severe as murder. Moments where the drama collapses in on itself and the actors go In my four weeks at the London Film Festival I spent off script are electric as the tensions of the prison a grand total of 76 hours in a cinema screen – over three full days! Had I not been working at the same boil over into the production. time, I dread to think how much time I would have spent in a cinema and how square my eyes would Day 26 Played Resident Evil 6 through the night – not strict- be. I need to thank Joshua Ball and John Zhu, Elly film knowledge but certainly added to the experi- lie Geldard, Auntie Vik, Katie Roberts and Alice Sutherland-Hawes for letting me crash on their soence of seeing Sightseers the following morning. fas over the month and Premier PR for giving me a Press Pass and helping me organise my interviews with directors.

over, there is very little reasoning behind their motivation. The handheld camera gets lost in between regular staged shots and around the halfway mark director David Ayer, opts to get as much Gyllenhaal in the picture as possible and leaves it to the side.

End Of Watch

The criminals at play here are catastrophically underwritten, with names like “Demon” and “Big Evil” the script really hammers home who are meant to be good guys and who are bad. That the majority of the criminals are Mexican and the majority of the good guys are white leaves a distinctly bad taste in the mouth. The love interest at play is also weak, we’re fans of Anna Kendrick over here at PictureShow, hell she was the only reason to watch the first Twilight movie, but even she struggles with the minimal amount of attention her character is given and fades well into the background of the movie.

The final beats of the movie aim for a level of heartThis police thriller set in LA, gives the found footage breaking tenderness and regardless of all the work angle usually reserved for horror films and gives it put in to make the central relationship affecting, a new spin. Our protagonist Brian Taylor (Jake Gyl- the action falls into a parody of itself, it’s the kind lenhaal) is an amateur documentarian, filming his of stuff that Edgar Wright has been poking fun at day to day patrols with his partner and friend Mike since his days working on Spaced. Massively over Zavala (Michael Pena). After they accidentally un- the top and worryingly corny for a film that aims to cover a massive drugs ring they find themselves in be so gritty. the sights of powerful drug cartels and gangsters.

End Of Watch is a modern movie with old fashEnd Of Watch is a regular buddy cop movie, but ioned sensibilities, it incorporates modern filming closer in style to those of the 1980’s than more re- elements with the handheld angles while also harkcent efforts that involve more explosions than mo- ening back to an older mode of cop movie, where ments of dialogue. It immediately sets up its prem- there was no real questioning behind the motives ise and establishes which characters we root for, of the police and we all know what’s coming. End there is no room or time for a moment to catch your Of Watch becomes very confusing in this respect, breath. The handheld element certainly adds some- the action is fantastic and its no frills aesthetic is adthing extra to the action scenes, often looking like mirable but modern audiences need more to chew footage from straight out of COPS it is startlingly on. JH realistic. The central relationship between Taylor and Zavala, is strangely endearing considering that they’re largely just gross dudes, but the friendship is given enough time on screen to be genuinely convincing.

The strengths of End Of Watch unfortunately turn out to be it’s greatest weaknesses, by throwing the audience headfirst into the action, it leaves little time for any character development. While the central pairing of Gyllenhaal and Pena get a load of screen time, there’s very little really said about why they work in the fashion they do. Aside from the Judge Dredd-esque “I am the law” opening voice

Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted The threequel being the first to adapt to the new and still novel 3D phenomenon, DreamWorks boasted the movie as being ‘the best yet.’ A somewhat exaggerated label to what was of course, another fantastic addition to the former movies, but that lacked a certain something that is not only hard to pinpoint - that the others effortlessly accommodated.

The latest instalment is by far the most visually stunning with its bright symphony of colours, which come together in several animated and brilliantly choreographed scenes. The energy within the film certainly tripled in comparison to its predecessors, bringing Alex, Marty, Gloria and Melman into a film that was full of something the others did not possess: magic. The addition took unrealistic happenings to a new extreme this time and saw the group joining the circus, in yet another farfetched attempt to return to their beloved New York. The devoted group stop at nothing to return to their precious zoo despite the hardships thrown in their path, embodied almost solely in the merciless and relentless crazed animal control officer, Captain Chantel DuBois.

Could all this however, be irrelevant? Perhaps over-harshly, it could be said that the vast majority of the film was a collection of colourful, kinetic scenes combined together designed to add to the 3D element, yet that unfortunately resulted in sidestepping from the plot and making no discernible sense. When watching the film, it is quite difficult to restrain in asking yourself, have DreamWorks In what could almost be set as a Disney Law, morals fallen into another 3D snare? Despite the nagging are thrown at the audience left, right and centre, urge to focus purely on the negative features, Madyet are less clear-cut and leave the audience won- agascar 3 did to some extent, overcome the badgdering what made the directors feel that trust, hon- ering at the back of your mind and alleviate it into esty and friendship would go hand-in-hand with a feeling of pure gratification, leaving you to enjoy the remainder of what could only be described as a gambling and knife throwing. favourable attempt at entertainment. RM The relationship between Melman and Gloria holds strong in which they support each other wholly and King Julian falls for a circus performer, a bike-riding grizzly. He delightedly remarks about her hairy back and tells her he ‘like that in a woman.’ There is also a slow-motion, cheesy sequence where Julian is taken by the bears beauty, with the scene presented in such a way as to poke fun at supermodels.

Like the former Madagascar films the third is replete with up-to-date pop which finds its way into every aspect of the film, from Katy Perry’s Fireworks to We No Speak Americano. The directors even managed to throw in a cultural classic, Edith Piaf’s Non je ne regrette rien. Also included were visual references to iconic blockbuster hits such as The Matrix and Mission Impossible.

write the dialogue from behind your popcorn. The ridiculous pretensions of the characters are seen to be acceptable, valid and meaningless words are forced down your neck. There is an attempt to spark a debate about religion and science which feels lacklustre at best, just tacked onto a film that already has its attention divided by a million different subplots. The film descends into a parody of itself in the final act, characters are quite literally struck dumb by revelations and hysteria flourishes without a hint of irony at play.

The cast does little to alleviate this fury. The use of American actors in two crucial roles is questionable, there is little doubt that Elle Fanning and Christina Hendricks are fine actresses but their English accents don’t flow well and are often strangely monotone. Hendricks, in particular is guilty of the same crimes committed by Anne Hathaway in One Day (“Lundun’s swollowed meyup” yuck) and those Ginger & Rosa wounds are still particularly fresh. Oliver Platt and The coming of age tale is a Hollywood staple, since Annette Bening are woefully under used contributthe dawn of cinema, the troublesome teenager has ing dialogue like catchphrases. been part of the landscape. As such it can be hard to add something to this already packed sub genre. What does help to distract from the poor acting Sally Potter’s Ginger And Rosa, looks at two best and dreadful writing, is the cinematography. The friends in the 1960s and how they deal with the film looks absolutely astonishing, the slight saturaworld and themselves changing at such an incred- tion of colours in the movie makes the most munible rate. As one commits herself to political causes, dane things stand out. Flecked paint and wisps of the other discovers her sexuality and the attentions hair are shown in the most wonderful light. Robbie Ryan’s work is always impressive, his work with of men.

Andrea Arnold is magnificent and with Ginger & Ginger & Rosa’s approach to the portrayal of teen- Rosa he really flexes his artistic muscles. age angst and rebellion is a strange one. With a director like Potter, who undertook Virginia Woolf’s Ginger & Rosa is a massively wasted opportunity unfilmable Orlando as her second feature, attached by a talented bunch of people. Squandering the to the project, there is an expectation that the film acting abilities of such a fantastic cast is frankly unwill be in some way subversive or tricksy. However, forgivable. While the film is very pretty, it is never Ginger & Rosa takes the same route as many films as satisfying as it should be. The film is superficial that have come before it and does little to add to the fluff and that’s a major disappointment. JH experience other than infuriate the audience.

The tired and jaded rhetoric being spewed by the cast points to a more satirical and satisfying feature. One that exposes daft teenagers for being just that and shows over reactive parents that there’s nothing wrong with their kids. But nothing ever comes of it, empty and frequent use of ‘the bomb’ as a motivation rings hollow and the idea that any man would cheat on Christina Hendricks is quite ridiculous!

The film is so predictable that you could almost

On The Road Adapting the magnus opus of the much beatified ‘Beat Generation’ was always going to a difficult task- circled closely by the vultures and carrion of critics and fans alike.

A story of changing perception through friendship, this tale takes the audience across America in a meandering and whimsical journey with no tangible end. This is an thoughtful and sometimes absorbing exploration of humanity through the ideals of freedom, unorthodoxy and occasionally rebellion.

The first thing you will notice when watching this film- and this will be constantly reaffirmed throughout- is the magnificent development of the setting.

Or rather plethora of settings. Whether viewing vast cornfields melted gold by the setting sun, or just another dingy drug den with a dearth of most of the visible spectrum, the authenticity effectively captures the audiences, and frames the action and acting beautifully. Eric Gautier’s cinematography creates a classic American landscape, one that is constantly changing and always engaging.

The acting itself is excellent throughout, with engaging performances from the entire cast (yes, even Miss Swan). Although a particularly enjoyable turn from Viggo Mortenson as the eccentric Ol’ Bull Lee is probably the icing on a well performed thespian cake; Garrett Hedlund’s portrayal of Dean Moriarty is very impressive, and Sam Riley performs his duties as the narrator and lead admirably. Watch out for some of the delightful cameos from Amy Adams and Steve Buscemi among others.

enveloping authenticity of the piece, and manages to be exciting and fresh throughout. But even this can not mask the pervading lack of direction. Gustavo Santaolalla’s beautiful compositions compliment the setting and wonderful cinematography.

Though not working with his regular director Alejandro González Iñárritu Santaolalla’s music remains one of the highlights of the film.

For those among you who want to enjoy a ‘Beat Generation’ film (whatever the hell that may be?)

- or even just a well executed period drama (with marijuana and benzedrine rather than Marie Antoinette and … punk music?)- this is a well crafted piece of cinema. For those who were on tenterhooks waiting for that perfect realisation of Kerouac’s tainted world: you’ll have to keep waiting.

Please don’t misunderstand: there is much about The films flaws, however, are difficult to ignore. this film which is brilliant; its just that the film itself Whilst the character development is both touching could be brilliant, but has to settle for being merely and believable, creating a real feel of intimacy, ‘good’. CH it struggles to be the driving force behind what is at times a slow and sluggish affair. Repetition is a familiar feature (there are only so many ways you can film a car driving across America), and the film never explodes into the fast-paced drug fuelled liberation you wish it would become. This is possibly a fault with the source material, after all it was typing, not writing and this sense of endless meaningless repetition had a point in the novel, on the screen it simply meanders.

A special mention has to go out to the soundtrack. This is another element which adds to the

of camera angles is impressive, frequently shooting people from behind adds to the paranoia that the Americans may be under surveillance.

While the film does have impressive credentials, there always feels to be something out of place.

For a film with a tag line that claims “The Movie was fake. The Mission was real” it is rife with historical inaccuracies, reducing the work of embassy workers from Britain, Canada and New Zealand in favour of emphasising the ‘American’ victory. Affleck himself is a strange casting choice, especially considering he’s playing a man born in Nevada with a very different appearance to Affleck’s own.

The portrayal of Iranian civilians is often very negative, showing them to be outrageously aggressive and unreasonable.

Argo

But these foibles are easily forgotten when the action picks up speed again, taking cues from The Town, Affleck shoots the final act in a fashion very similar to a bank heist with moments of high octane action and car chases juxtaposed against achingly quiet interrogations and fiddly bureaucracy. Argo can just as quickly take you with the action and the tension as it can throw you out of it with a bad piece of dialogue or an all too fortunate lapse in judgement on the side of the Iranians.

Ben Affleck’s career resurrection is one of the marvels of the 21st Century, in just ten years he has gone from the pretty poster boy for massive commercial failures to a respected director with two critical hits behind him and popular momentum throwing him forward. Now comes Argo, a tense thriller set in the midst of the 1979 Iran Hostage crisis, where in order to get US nationals out of the country an elaborate hoax involving a fake movie While Ben Affleck’s career as an actor has had real highs and lows, his directing career has had production to get them safely onto a flight. few blips. A number of actor/directors such as Affleck is making the type of film that you rarely see Clint Eastwood and Robert Redford can work both these days, this kind of mid budget production fo- behind and in front of camera, Affleck seems to cussing on amped up tension was more commonly struggle in front, you can almost feel his attention seen during the 1970s and now on TV. But Affleck being too divided, and his performance comes off is certainly making the case for a revival on the worse. Though the film is a success in many ways, bigger screen. Featuring a host of fantastic actors it is more a masterclass in building tension through including John Goodman, Alan Arkin, Bryan Cran- editing and directing than an acting powerhouse. ston and Tate Donovan and not content with just The film has its moments but it is certainly flawed sitting in the director’s chair, Ben Affleck is also our as well, which makes it hard to fully conclude … protagonist, Tony Mendez, a specialist in exfiltra- “Argo fuck yourself” JH tion.

After an overlong set up of the history behind the conflict in Iran the film gets right down to business in the opening scene showing a terrifying raid on the US Embassy in Tehran from both within the building and outside and how six embassy workers made their escape. Though the film is based on a true story and the events are widely known to the public, the film somehow makes walking in an empty street appear terrifying. Affleck’s choice

Sightseers After creating Down Terrace and Kill List on micro budgets and with barely days for production, one would think Ben Wheatley would slow down a bit, but no. By the time this film is in your local cinema, Wheatley will not only have finished his fourth film but be working on a fifth, most probably while you’re actually in the cinema, enjoying that Sprite. With this insane work rate, it’s no surprise that he handed over writing duties for this feature.

The comedy in Sightseers is dark, but if you prefer something closer to the pitch black humour and horror that Kill List, then Sightseers is a considerable change in tone, definitely opting for laughs over shocks.

The plot is centred around Tina (Alice Lowe) who disappears off to Yorkshire for a kinky caravan weekend with her boyfriend Chris (Steve Oram), despite her mother’s request for her not to go.

While on their holiday, Alice slowly realises that Chris has a taste for murder.

a man possessed, there is lot to admire in Sightseers. The use of music is incredibly atmospheric and the cinematography is often beautiful, showing off the Yorkshire countryside in its harsh glory. While Tina and Steve’s victims are vague stereotypes, it works to ensure that humour never fully gives in to terror. Wheatley does know how to amp up the tension though, a disturbing scene set in the kind of Italian only ever found in Yorkshire is hard to forget.

While the humour at play in Sightseers is definitely of a broader and more overt nature than Wheatley’s previous films, there certainly isn’t a lack of tension. As the relationship between Tina and Chris fractures, the potential for catastrophe quickly hangs in the air and often the tension is amped up Sightseers is a departure for Wheatley, who will to unbearable levels. probably go back into the bleaker scarier territory The central couple are engaging leads, it’s Alice with his next feature A Field In England. Sightseers Lowe that really shines as Tina experiences a real is still a fantastic feature from a very promising and transition in her character. From the timid woman committed young director and fans of his shouldn’t who knits a lot and lives with her mother to the fig- be deterred from checking out the movie. Sightseers ure she begins to cut in the final stages of the film, negotiates the fine line between horror and comedy (and the two are closer than you’d think) ensuring the change in Tina is terrifying... and hilarious. that there is plenty of each for the audience to lap The use of locations is also fantastic, for anyone up. JH that’s ever been on a caravanning holiday around Yorkshire and has experienced the variety of oddballs, creeps and pretentious fools you can find on a caravan site there is much fun to be had. There is a curious familiarity to all caravanning sites that Wheatley uses to great effect, the repetition of finding those strange plugs and discovering the shower block makes Tina and Steve’s holiday very realistic.

Scarily realistic. So realistic that you can see yourself taking the same courses of action as the couple.

(This reviewer is NOT a psychopath, I swear – Ed.) While the director is moving onto new projects like

ton’s first film without Johnny Depp for nine years and without Helena Bonham Carter for 16! The voice talent helps to create a more intimate feeling that Burton’s mega cast productions like Charlie And The Chocolate Factory and Alice In Wonderland. That’s not to say there aren’t Burton regulars in the mix, Winona Ryder and Martin Landau turn up as well as Martin Short and Catherine O’Hara who utilise their considerable voice capabilities for a number of different characters.

Frankenweenie Tim Burton’s recent output has been middling of late, and has drawn criticism from all corners of the film industry. His detractors criticise him for doing too much that’s the same, always using the same actors and never really varying the source material, his fans criticise him for changing too much and not coming close to his fantastic late eightiesearly nineties one-two-three combo of Beetlejuice, Batman and Edward Scissorhands.

Frankenweenie certainly won’t satisfy those who say he’s always doing the same thing, but it is a wonderful experience for fans of his older output, even those who are au fait with his written works such as The Melancholy Death Of Oyster Boy or those he’s become so well associated with it’s hard to distinguish them from his directorial works such as The Nightmare Before Christmas. The appearance of the characters is very familiar, giant heads and wide eyes, which are part and parcel with the look Burton’s going for.

The animation work at play here is something to marvel at, while the 3D may feel a little redundant, it certainly emphasises quite how much work goes into the modelling and craftsmanship of the art of stop motion animation. By avoiding the computer generated animation he favoured for 2005’s Corpse Bride, Burton adds to the homage he creates to an older generation of filmmakers and the craft involved in the 1950’s creature features.

The voice work is again well realised, this is Bur-

As mentioned earlier, if your filmic palette can’t really stand Burton’s almost trademark quirkiness and visual style then there isn’t a great deal to admire here, but there are moments that even Burton’s detractors can enjoy. For cinema fans of all types there is a great deal to admire. References range from the obvious to the delightfully obscure, the poodle with an Elsa Lanchester haircut and a turtle named Shelley (geddit?) are particularly fun. The background of the sets are peppered with Easter eggs for Burton fans to gobble up.

Frankenweenie is Tim Burton’s finest work since Big Fish and while that film thrived for being far removed from Burton’s usual temptations, in Frankenweenie the master is clearly at work and relishing using all of the toys at his disposal. This is Tim Burton referencing himself as a young filmmaker, one full of ambition and ideas that were too daring for Disney to really endorse and it’s exhilarating viewing. Burton has said that ALL of his films are passion projects, but too often are they indulgent in a messy, frantic and inaccessible way but Frankenweenie’s vibrancy is a joy to behold. JH

Laurence, Anyways Revolving around a middle aged transsexual, Laurence Anyways is an exceedingly camp and thought provoking feature from Xavier Dolan. After his 35th birthday, Laurence Alia (Melvil Poupaud) decides to begin the transition into becoming a woman. His long term partner, Fred (Suzanne Clement) is hesitant to the idea that they continue as a couple at first but begins to realise that the person she loves is only changing physically. Over the next decade, Laurence Anyways shows us the physical and emotional transformations the two protagonists go through.

Taking place between 1989 and 1999, the narrative allows for a noticeable transition in both Laurence and those that surround him. Occasionally these changes seem considerable, but more often they are very subtle, simple changes in the use of makeup by both characters or their pronunciation of certain words makes a huge difference. The changes in attitude over the decade are also noticeable in supporting characters who the film returns to every now and again. The smaller roles are almost as important as the bigger ones in a film like this, these small roles are crucial to the understanding of the society within the film and the supporting cast don’t miss a beat. Nathalie Baye is particularly affecting as Laurence’s mother.

It is surprising that given the massive 150 minute running time, the film doesn’t sag at any moment, often catching up with Laurence and Fred at key junctions in their lives. Each shift forwards in time feels significant and expertly chosen. Xavier Dolan is swiftly establishing himself as a prodigious directing talent. The tone and aesthetic of the film could lead you to believe that it’s the work of a much older director, Dolan’s only 23 and already has three features behind him. Dolan’s writing talent is evident, Laurence Anyways can just as easily whisk you away into a different era as it can make you stop and think about how to live your life.

The music and fashion of the era is on marvellous display here often taking centre stage rather than the characters. The soundtrack in particular is fantastic, juxtaposing the classical and contemporary at the same time. Grand, beautiful set pieces are set to the most fantastic tunes and are some the most visually astonishing scenes in modern cinema. Dolan’s cinematographer Yves Belanger is as

much of an asset to the piece as the young director.

The costume department is also integral to the film’s successes. Recreating the fashion of the time with such accuracy, while simultaneously complimenting the masculine frame of Poupaud is no easy feat and the style is infallible.

The longer time frame ensures that the actors get some really meaty work to do exploring the transformations within the two of them. There is considerable dramatic action at work throughout the entire film and it’s draped in the most fantastic way.

With the mega running time and the penchant for shiny things and big loud dance music, Laurence Anyways, may be one of the most indulgent films of the year but every now and then it’s good to spoil yourself. JH

Said Taghmaoui gives a fantastic performance as photographer Sayyid, echoing his role as a younger man in the blistering La Haine.

With the erratic plot strands the majority of the character work goes into the Rashid and Mo, the remaining characters are a series of stereotyped criminals and bad pennies. The lacklustre supporting performances become irritating and distracting, too many characters come and go and reappear with little or no consequence other than to remind us that they’re there and they’re ‘menacing’. The sneering British gangster has become farcical recently and My Brother The Devil does little to correct that.

Director Sally El Hosaini looks to be a bright British talent and her direction and writing are inspired at times, but focussing in on these moments and ensuring that they don’t get too bogged down by My Brother The Devil superficial extra plots, there is ambition on display My Brother The Devil suffers from over ambition for everyone to see but the film slows down far too for a debut feature, while the script is deftly acted often. The temptation to emphasise the murky enviand the direction is certainly competent, there is ronments and make a much ‘grittier’ film must have too much going on in the film for any of the many, been great and avoiding this unfortunate rut, that many issue to receive the benefit of a fully realised most new British directors are getting stuck in. Cinematographer David Raedeker does a fantastic job focus. of photographing the picture.

My Brother The Devil gives the impression being a standard tale of mid level gangsters embroiled in The talent behind My Brother The Devil is the main a turf war in London’s East End over drugs, money draw, from the established to the newly emerging. and guns. As the plot unravels it splinters off into a While a slimmed down script could have helped to number of different plot strands, including protago- focus the picture no end, the ambition in the picnist Rashid’s newly explored homosexuality and ture is impressive and with engaging performances his brother Mo’s blossoming criminal career, sub- from emerging acting talent and a new British ditexts and weak political messages concerning the rector make this a film worth seeking out. JH Arab Spring and the true meaning of Islam pepper the narrative distracting from the performances, character development and plot.

The central performances in My Brother The Devil are engaging to say the least. The film is split in terms of screen time almost exactly halved for Rashid and Mo, the two brothers at the centre of the drama who spend the majority of their time apart.

Relative newcomer James Floyd gives an incredibly compelling central performance as Rashid. The intensity and fever with which Floyd plays Rashid is incredibly involving on screen. The myriad of emotions and thoughts can be read on his face without the need for dialogue. His on screen brother Fady Elsayed gives an impressive debut as Mo and his scenes alongside his peers are uniquely affecting.

Celeste And Jesse Forever Celeste And Jesse Forever is one of the most affecting romantic comedies in recent years wonderfully balancing base and slapstick humour with dramatic tension and realistic arguments. At the centre of the film are Rashida Jones and Andy Samberg playing the titular Celeste and Jesse, both of whom are guilty of letting their relationship deteriorate. Written by Jones and Will McCormack, who also has a role on screen, the drama on screen stems from their own relationship break up and the difficulties they had in remaining friends. Director Lee Toland Krieger has a fantastic habit of getting wonderful performances from comedic talents. His previous outing, The Vicious Kind, had Adam Scott in its very compelling lead role.

Thankfully, the cast and crew resist the temptation to make a solely dour and moody relationship drama and instead give focus to the hilarious aspects of their post-marital relationship. Watching Celeste constantly batting away the affections of Jesse’s friends or trying to light a 5 foot bong by herself are particular highlights. Of the two central figures, Jones is the one that really demonstrates her comedic and acting capabilities frequently showing up anybody else who turns up on screen. It is fantastic to see her emerge as a lead actress after her repeated supporting roles on both television shows and on film.

ing rather than the centre pieces that they should be. Director Lee Toland Krieger does avoid the time shifting elements that more recent comedies such as (500) Days of Summer and Blue Valentine have used and overused. The music choices are typically light, with modern acts such as Lily Allen providing the necessary “meaningful yet hollow” lyrics that would suit a film with less calibre than Celeste And Jesse Forever.

Celeste And Jesse Forever is a great little movie, and probably one many people can relate to. The honesty in both the humour and the drama ensures There is a courage in the writing behind Celeste the film remains incredibly poignant. With Rashida and Jesse Forever, the film very rarely goes where Jones and Andy Samburg finally moving into lead you might expect it to. The personal nature of the actor territory, it will be interesting to see how they script makes the film feel altogether more natural, move onto bigger, better things and Celeste And there are no big set pieces, no running to the air- Jesse Forever makes the case that they certainly port or lovesick serenades, instead the film main- could do. JH tains its set-up and documents the grieving period for the central relationship without the grand plans.

As such the film feels altogether stronger and more interesting. However, keeping the tone relatively light means that the humour does always shine through and the story doesn’t get too bogged down in its own seriousness.

While there is a great deal that is positive to say about Celeste And Jesse Forever, it does slip into some similar beats as other indie comedies. Often the cinematography looks as though it might have come straight out of a phone advert, there is an overuse of blue filters and shorter depth of field making certain wonderfully acted scenes distract

mals to her ear, listening for their heartbeats. Shot from low angles, in a series of intimate, unfussy close-ups, we see Hushpuppy’s world as she sees it, as a vibrant and interactive cornucopia of living things. It is an image of connexion that sets the tone for the rest of the film: a paean to the elementary joy of the natural world, an appreciation of its fine balance and reciprocal inter-relationships.

As Hushpuppy wisely intones, ‘the whole universe depends on everything fitting together just right, if one piece busts, the whole universe will get busted’.

But as the flood encroaches, the residents of The Bathtub have to decide whether to weather the storm in a struggle to preserve their ‘universe’, or to finally yield to the modern world. The narrative is anchored by the two superb central performances.

Quvenzhané Wallis turns in one of the finest child performances in recent memory. There is no hint of a five year old playing a part; she devours the Beasts Of The Southern Wild role, is irrefutably believable. It is a defiant and Leaving the cinema after a viewing of Benh Zeit- courageous, even iconic portrayal. Also in his delin’s feature length debut, Beasts of The Southern but, Dwight Henry is a powerful presence as HushWild, is an otherworldly experience. After an hour puppy’s father. Similarly devoid of actorly artifice, and a half spent in the company of Beasts’ six-year it is an elemental turn, volatile and unpredictable, old heroine, Hushpuppy (Quvenzhané Wallis), and proud and tender. her bayou community, the cinema’s neon looks unreal and unsettlingly ultra-modern. The people Beasts is a messy affair, feeling at times haphazprimly lining the neighbouring bars look like foolish ardly episodic, and perhaps a little gauche in its cardboard cut-outs, the subject of a surreal dream. blending of reality and childhood fantasy. HowevBeasts is such an assured, forceful piece of film- er, to see these tendencies as flaws is to rather miss making, is so seamlessly crafted and delivered, that the point; Beasts is raw, impulsive filmmaking at for a few moments the order of things is reversed; its most visceral, its shambling structure and unanthe film feels like reality, and the outside world an swered questions feel honest, true to life. It is rousing, primal cinema, timely in its eco-consciousness, untenable fantasy. and a wonderful antidote to the prevailing neatness Set in a fictional waterlogged commune called The of cinematic convention, and dare we say it, conBathtub, Beasts of The Southern Wild tells the story vention at large. Just remember to steel yourself as of Hushpuppy, whose unfettered existence – as she you walk out of the cinema in a post-Beasts daze. tells us, ‘the bathtub has more holidays than the Things feel a little limp, a tad pale in comparison. whole world’ – is threatened by a devastating storm LP and her father’s increasing frailty. It is a simple story, vividly told; the handheld camerawork and reliance on grainy 16mm film lend a naturalistic intensity, whilst the cast, comprised almost exclusively of locals from a real-life Louisianan bayou, bring an authenticity that bigger budget productions spend millions trying to approximate.

It is immediately clear we are in the hands of a fresh cinematic voice; in the opening scene, we watch, mesmerized, as the film’s tiny heroine clambers around her shanty-esque home pressing ani-

Ruby Sparks If you could create the perfect girl from scratch, would you do it? Calvin Weir-Fields would! And that’s exactly what he does in this slick indie fantasy rom-com.

Ruby Sparks follows the life of a famous and reclusive writer, Calvin Weir-Fields (Paul Dano) as he struggles to produce the ever-daunting second novel whilst battling the psychologically crippling effects of loneliness. One day, after he is set a writing assignment by his psychiatrist (Elliott Gould) he magically begins to type using visions of the perfect girl that he experiences in his dreams. The next morning he wakes to find that his writing has manifested Ruby Sparks (Zoe Kazan), the girl of his dreams and the answer to his loneliness. As Calvin comes to terms with Ruby’s existence and his love for her grows he is faced with the rigours and problems of a very ‘real’ relationship, only he can control what the outcome of theirs will be.

relationship which translates beautifully onto film as their on-screen chemistry is certainly undeniable.

The acting from the supporting cast is strong with Chris Messina as Calvin’s successful, macho brother and with Annette Bening and Antonio Banderas This film, a seemingly low-budget indie flick di- as Calvin’s new-age mother and her free-spirited rected by Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris, the lover. Steve Coogan also stars as Calvin’s rival, a husband and wife directing team responsible for narcissistic and troubled author whose character is 2006’s indie masterpiece, Little Miss Sunshine, is a far cry from his regular acting credits and doesn’t one of this year’s hidden treasures. The premise of fully utilise his legendary wit. the film is interesting yet also haunting and asks many questions of modern day relationships; the A quirky, indie film that serves up large doses of male mind might ponder on what it would be like comedy, it is this year’s Little Miss Sunshine and to create the perfect girl from scratch where as the 500 Days of Summer all rolled into one. OS female mind might ponder on what it would be like be the man’s idea of the perfect woman.

Ruby Sparks succeeds mainly because of the depth of the writing; Zoe Kazan penned the screenplay, clearly paying tribute to the influences of Woody Allen and Charlie Kaufman. It is a great first effort form Kazan who has managed to create a screenplay that explores the dark side of loneliness and the unpredictability of the human psyche and also successfully incorporates a large offering of abovepar comedy; the scene where Ruby begins speaking fluent French without realising she is doing it is hilarious! The relationship between Calvin and his brother also provides some comic value as their differing personalities clash.

Paul Dano exhibits some very fine acting skills, but it is Zoe Kazan who really steals the show with her glorious portrayal of one man’s ideal woman.

Away from the camera Dano and Kazan are in a

Skyfall The lion roars. We’re shown a corridor. A man walks into the far end of it. DA-DUM. The two chords are used quickly, almost comically, but as soon as you hear them you know exactly where you are and what you’re dealing with. Gone are the overly serious Quantum Royales with Cheese and Daniel Craig is now comfortable as 007, an almost unrecognisable Bond from his scowly 2006 debut. He even cracks a couple of smiles. Bond is back, Bond is fun, and this is the reinvention of the franchise fans have been waiting for.

The opening sequence is a blast, a good ten minutes of straight up action mixed with a bit of comedy and a dash of blatant product placement thrown in for good measure. We see Bond in a car, on a motor bike, on a CAT tractor wearing a Rolex and then finally engaging in the old fisticuffs on top of a train. Naomi Harris plays Eve, a fellow field agent who could almost match Bond in her driving and quips. Yet it is because of her that the mission goes awry and Bond is left floating down a river, listening to Adele. The opening credits are visually stunning, a large improvement on Jack White and Alicia Keys’ failed rock tune from the last outing.

referenced, with Craig’s Bond actually collapsing after a work-out. His nay-sayers say he shouldn’t be a spy anymore, but he proves them wrong and then some.

With action set-pieces galore, humour, charm, the most menacing bond villain in decades and most importantly heart, Bond’s 23rd outing ranks as not just one of the franchise’s greatest films, but a great What is refreshing about the latest mission is that the film full stop. Entertainment doesn’t get much better producers are now trying to de-franchise the fran- than this. Happy 50th birthday. BO chise. The over arching story that connected Casinos of Solace are thrown out of the way to make an independent story which adds so much more to the Bond canon, giving us more hints about Bond’s secretive childhood. During a well-earned pause for breath, we see Bond’s childhood Scotland house and even meet his gamekeeper, played with charm

by Albert Finney. But before we get here a lot of fun is to be had with Bond, M, a new young Q, and the villain of the piece, Javier Bardem’s Raoul Silva.

Bardem is mesmerising. It helps that the character’s evil is somewhat justified. He isn’t looking for world domination. He’s funny, he’s menacing, and he even fancies Bond a little bit. He is looking for vengeance from an event that has scarred him in every sense of the word, an event that may have involved Judi Dench’s M. In this film we see M in a larger light, showing us the bureaucratic world she operates in and is threatened with expulsion from.

M is getting old, yet despite this she becomes a focus of this film, as much a part of the action as any Bond girl. The age of the franchise is nicely

Things To See In November The nights are drawing in and all the good TV is being stored by the BBC until Christmas. (Seriously HBO had The Girl months ago!)

So it must be time to visit your favourite independent cinema and watch a classic movie or two as the environment gets increasingly harsh. Plus, if you’re at the cinema, you don’t have to think about Christmas presents for a few hours!

Wales Cardiff Chapter Enter The Dragon 12 November

24 November George Melies’ Le Voyage Dans La Lune is one of cinema’s earliest examples of Science Fiction. Released in 1902. The animation and special effects are still marvellous and this short silent film should be treasured and seen on a big screen.

Edinburgh Filmhouse Eyes Without A Face 13 November This 1960 French horror film split critical opinion at the time of release with reactions ranging from praise to disgust at what this experimental film achieved. Adapted from Jean Redon’s novel, the film tells the story of Christiane, the daughter of a surgeon who has an unsuccessful face transplant and wears a mask to cover her disfigurement.

Glasgow Glasgow Film Theatre Planes, Trains and Automobiles 16 November This classic John Hughes comedy starring Steve Martin and John Candy is as funny as it was 25 years ago. The plot follows Neal Page, played by Steve Martin as he tries to make it home in time for Thanksgiving aided by the eternally optimistic Del, played by John Candy.

Nairn Bruce Lee’s most well known film gets a fantastic Cinema Nairn outing on the big screen. The film inspired a genThe Great White Silence eration of film makers to go and create their own 23 November martial arts flicks.

Scotland Dundee Dundee Contemporary Arts Le Voyage Dans La Lune

This 1924 documentary follows the Terra Nova expedition to the Antarctic. The film has been remastered and rereleased with a soundtrack by Simon Fisher Turner. Herbert Ponting’s cinematography is as beautiful on screen as it was in 1924.

Central Derby QUAD Dark Star 23 November

The Cabinet Of Dr Caligari 19 November Werner Krauss’ silent masterpiece gets beautifully remastered and shown on the big screen at Stamford Arts Centre with live accompaniment by Jonathan Raisin

John Carpenter’s science fiction comedy was sub titled “The Spaced Out Odyssey” which is a fantastic North West way of describing the experience of watching the Hebden Bridge movie.

Hebden Bridge Picture House Leicester Rocky Horror Picture Show 30 November Phoenix Square Casablanca & The African Queen Hebden Bridge Picture House is a little slice of mov24 November ie heaven, the glorious screens are reason enough A double bill of possibly, Humphrey Bogart’s two to visit. But to infest the old grandeur of the hall with greatest performances on screen. Casablanca is the filth that comes with a Rocky Horror night is an every inch the masterpiece you’ve heard that it is. opportunity not to be passed up.

From the dialogue to the cinematography, it’s an astonishing film. The African Queen holds up in- Lancaster credibly well under a modern audiences gaze and The Dukes was the source for one of the more popular Bogart The Princess Bride myths, that he never got ill in the jungle because he 17 November only drank scotch and not water.

The Princess Bride is rite of passage that every film fan has to move through as part of their filmic eduSouth cation. The fantastic script will be burned onto your Exeter memory for years to come. Such is its brilliance.

Phoenix You’re going to see this! “As you wish.”

Liverpool FACT Frenzy 18 November Possibly one of Alfred Hitchcock’s more overlooked films, Frenzy is the story surrounding a series of murders around London’s Covent Garden. While the murderer is revealed early on in the film, the tension doesn’t drop in Hitchcock’s penultimate film.

Manchester Cornerhouse Letter From An Unknown Woman 13 November Set in Vienna in the early 20th Century, Letter From An Unknown Woman is the tale of a relationship between a pianist and a teenage girl who grow apart even as destiny keeps bringing them back to one another. The film diverts from the original novella but benefits from doing so.

North East Leeds Hyde Park Picture House The Hunger 24 November

David Bowie’s cinematic outings have been mixed at best, but The Hunger alongside The Man Who Fell To Earth are the highpoints of his acting career.

Directed by the late Tony Scott, the film follows a vampire Miriam played by Catharine Deneuve and her travels feeding to maintain her youth.

Newcastle Star And Shadow Invasion Of The Body Snatchers (1978) 25 November This remake of the classic 1956 sci fi spectacular is considered by many to be the superior film. With an impressive cast including Jeff Goldblum, Donald Sutherland and Leonard Nimoy, it’s easy to see why. Terrifying and thrilling in equal measure.

Sheffield Showroom The Lady From Shanghai 18 November This 1947 Orson Welles feature is a fantastic example of film noir at its gritty best. Welles plays Michael O’Hara who meets Elsa, played by his estranged wife Rita Hayworth, while on a coach ride in Central Park and becomes embroiled in a messy murder case. Fantastic work from both Welles and Hayworth who looks astonishingly different with short blonde hair!

PictureShow Magazine will return in December 2012