Runs like a gay

Haywire

2012-01-26T15:43:00.001Z

2011. Dir: Steven Soderbergh. Starring: Gina Carano, Ewan MacGregor, Michael Fassbender, Channing Tatum and Michael Douglas. ●●●○○

Imagine you're an international famous movie director, let's take Steven Soderbergh for example, and you're bored one afternoon, channel hoping distractedly waiting for Matt Damon to come over with some beer and you come across a female Mixed Martial Arts contest live on channel 179 and there on the screen is Gina Carano, a fighter perhaps best known for her stint on American Gladiators (she was crush). What would you then think? Well Steve thought that girl punching the hell out of the other girls has real skills, why not put her in a film and so Haywire was conceived.

To be fair this is not the first case of verite casting Soderbergh has indulged in, previously he launched the mainstream career of porn star Sasha Grey in the naturalistic and fascinating Girlfriend Experience, although I can't remember the casting story being quite as random. An Awareness of Carano's skills meant that Soderbergh could commission a script from The Limey scribe Lem Dobbs that simply propelled the character from fight to chase to fight showing off her considerable talents.

And be advised that is exactly what Haywire does.

Carano beats up Channing Tatum in a diner, courtesy of a little help from Michael Angarano (who has barely changed since "Will & Grace"), whom she then tells - thankfully using flashbacks - of the plot so far. You see it started in Barcelona where shady Government guy Michael Douglas and even shadier Spaniard Antonio Banderas hired Ewan McGregor and his freelance military taskforce (including Carano and Tatum) to rescue a kidnapped Chinese journalist which led to a massive chase through the streets for Carano just to knock out an unnamed goon. Then she's sent to Dublin to pretend to be the wife of MI6 agent Michael Fassbender who introduces her to more bearded Euro baddies then promptly tries to kill her then she runs and climbs through Dublin, outfoxing the Garda before ending up at the diner and getting into a snowbound car chase with Angarano and some local cops. Then there's the best bit of deer acting you'll see in 2011.

And breathe.

More people then get shot, there's a fight at Bill Paxton's house, a meeting in an abandoned aerodrome, another fight and Antonio Banderas gets a shave. Then the final credits roll.

Feel free to breathe again.

There is some connective plot involving everyone double crossing each other, and not everything in Barcelona or Dublin was quite what it seemed, but ultimately that doesn't matter ("It's always about money." as McGregor states in the trailer). Nor does it matter that Carano gives a performance that's dead behind the eyes, after all acting isn't really why she was hired and most of the heavy work is given to her co-stars, including a very impressive supporting turn by Paxton as her father, his thoughts projected plainly as he watches his daughter at work with a mix of fatherly pride and understandable shock.

How then does it work as a vehicle to showcase Carano fighting skills? The answer is surprisingly well. The melee in the diner, most of which is in the trailer, is perhaps forgettable but the chase in Barcelona, with Carano gaining on her quarry over 3-4 minutes shows her determination, commitment and fitness. You actually believe in these scenes that she could do this and take the guy out - I expect that's because she could. There's no wire work no stunts, the fights seem exceptionally real and Carano can clearly take care of herself, putting the usual action heroines (Anjelina, Milla) to shame.

The action scenes are also surprisingly interesting, the hotel set face off with Michael Fassbender (no spoiler it's in the trailer) is frantic and brutal, with the usual cliche's of broken glass shelves and smashing through doors incorporated well into the choreography. The final fight at a beach (I won't divulge who it's with) is also exceptionally well shot and edited together with each punch or kick bringing in a new shot at a more fascinating angle, providing the viewer with a 360 degree idea of the surroundings of the tense battle. We even get a chance to see her vulnerability, whilst climbing buildings through Dublin, Carano falls about 5 foot and it clearly hurts, winding her character and forcing her to rethink her strategy, being small rather than fast.

It's a great section of action scenes that really remind us of how punch-ups should work in cinema, there's always a understanding of the effort and geography of the battle, something which many of the more seasoned action director need to sit back and remind themselves of.

That said the utter lack of sensible plot or characterisation makes it very difficult to fully recommend this movie. Probably not worth the trip to the cinema, but if you ever tune in on a Friday night you will be drawn into the action and have to watch it until the end.

J. Edgar

2012-01-23T15:39:00.002Z

2011. Dir: Clint Eastwood. Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Armie Hammer, Naomi Watts, Judi Dench and Josh Lucas. ●●○○○

Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? I have asked before and I will shout it from the rooftops if absolutely necessary. Biopics (much like any other film genre) must exist for a reason, you must decide whether you want to draw parallels with the human condition, or prescient societal factors, or you must seek to restore or destroy a reputation, alternative aim to explain your protagonists public actions through their private history. J. Edgar does none of these. Instead it throws events and personal relations onto the screen, with three distinct elements of the film all failing to relate with each other and therefore failing to relate with the greater context.

The first element of the film, and perhaps the most compelling, establishes, through the unreliable narrative of Hoover himself played sympathetically by Leonardo DiCaprio, the origin mythology of the FBI from it's beginnings in the anti trade union movement through the war against organised crime in the 1930's and the development of modern police procedural to catch and prosecute Bruno Hauptmann, the kipnapper of Charles Lindbergh jr. (notably dubbed the "crime of the century" at the time). This section celebrates J. Edgar as a nerdy modernist standardising the process for catching criminals against a backward looking establishment. This alone may have been an interesting picture, in spite of it's glorification of his early achievements and the missed opportunities to discuss his political talents or his much publicised fear of Bolshevism not to mention the constraints of using the scientific method for raising convictions.

The first element is narrated by an older Hoover (during the Presidential tenure of JFK and later) a deeply paranoid man, clinging on to power through blackmail and illegal wire tapping. The film barely plays homage to the unspeakable acts of criminality and suppression that Hoover exercised through his COINTELPRO programme, a bitter taste in the mouth of anyone with a degree of knowledge of the civil rights movement, he may have associated equality with Communism but as we have no basis for the genesis of those beliefs there's no explanation for his acts (save a clunky scene with his dominant mother - Judi Dench - regurgitating anti-Black rhetoric).

What makes this worse is the disfiguring make-up plastered over the younger cast members by this time. Leo's jowls are surprisingly solid but he compensates with a determined physical presence and some possible expression, Naomi Watts as his long-term secretary Helen Gandy largely gets away with her transformation, but poor Armie Hammer playing Associate Director Clyde Tolson peers helplessly through an impenetrable mask of latex unable to contort any facial muscles even before his debilitating stroke. Given the excellent make-up work in The Iron Lady and the modern advances in CGI aging techniques (not something the one take Eastwood would be interested in I expect) this seems utterly baffling.

Finally crowbarred into the narrative is a attempt to clarify Hoover personal relationship with his mother and with Tolson, alluding to the rumoured relationship between the two but without firmly decided whether the rumours are true or not. The film seems to side with an asexual love affair, with Hoover admitting he loves/needs Tolson only to himself and the relationship remaining unconsummated. There are a couple of scenes of hand-holding and one fist-fight inexorably heading towards a kiss but nothing towards romanticism or even hidden passion. Even Tolson's occasional calls for restraint are ignored by Hoover indicating there's little shared intellectual or emotional connection.

I am confused about where the blame lies in this muddled production. I considered laying it Eastwood's door, after all if I believe in auteur theory than the strengths of the director as author are also their failures, however whilst this clearly fits within his back-catalogue it's also his most hack-for-hire directorial work since 2002's Blood Work. The workmanlike approach and unfussy editing is all there, but there's no great resolve for story-telling, even his trademark themes of guilt, retribution and repentance are absent.

I can't even lay it at the hands of cinematographer Tom Stern (although it was terribly dark) or Eastwood's over-present score.

No, the finger of blame lies with Dustin Lance Black, Oscar winning screenwriter for Milk he hews too close to the successful formula he used previously. In Milk Sean Penn, as the titular Supervisor records a statement to be read after his death on a dictaphone detailing his career and personal life. With Harvey the political was the personal, his campaigns relate directly to the discrimination he experienced and the private and public life were visibly entangled. Hoover is writing a (massively embellished) history of the early years of the FBI to a string of untrusted lower level agents, people he sacks merely for not identifying Lindbergh as the most famous American of the 20th Century, so therefore he is unlikely to slip details of his weekend pursuits with Tolson, let alone the kiss, in which case where did those memories come from and how have the audiences heard/experienced them?

It's almost as if Black is using alleged homosexuality as an excuse for his criminality. If he's one of us then he's alright. Compounded by the crass repression by his mother in the absurd daffodil speech, and don't get me started on the cross-dressing grief bit seemingly lifted from a Dummies guide to Freud. No, Dustin, the relationships Hoover had with Tolson, his mother and Gandy are irrelevant and unconnected to his career, or at least if you think they are why didn't you make the point clear in the screenplay.

Ultimately it's what I said in the opening paragraph, decide why you're writing this biography, what is the aim, and simply skirting around the possibility of gay men in power is simply not enough. Audiences deserve better.

Who Watches the Watchman (Out this week - 20/01/12)

2012-01-21T14:10:00.001Z

Things are hotting up in British cinemas this weekend, as we try to push through all the awards bait pictures before the BAFTA deadline, so this weekend there's FBI agents vs. Roman Generals vs. headline grabbing Royals. In terms of my most anticipated of these I will confess the poor reviews for Clint Eastwood's biopic have not significantly dampened my enthusiasm so film of the week is J. Edgar.

In terms of box office Haywire has the most screens this side of the pond, but I suspect that franchise familiarity may just help Kate Beckinsale and her lycanthropic frenemies will take the top spot.

J. Edgar

A couple of weeks ago the Margaret Thatcher biopic managed to squeak it's way to the top of my highly anticipated pile, even though it appeared to whitewash history, and suddenly here we are again with exactly the same thing only centred around the FBI's most notorious and mendacious head of. Still the performances by Leo DiCaprio and Armie Hammer (as his almost lover Clyde Tolson) sound like they could elevate the movie.

Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●●●●●●○○

Coriolanus

Big screen Shakespeare is often a hit and miss affair, especially when bringing his work into modern dress (in spite of the tremendous success of modern design on stage), so there has been a noticeable trepidation from purists about Ralph Fiennes' update of the lesser known piece. That said the Chechnya like setting appears to work exceptionally well with Vanessa Redgrave and Jessica Chastain both receiving high praise in supporting roles.

Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●●●●●○○○

Haywire

Steven Soderbergh exercises his action itch allowing MMA fighter Gina Carano her moment in the sun as nearly super-heroic Mallory Kane figuring out who double crossed her whilst fighting Channing Tatum, Michael Fassbender and Michael Douglas.

Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●●●●○○○○

Nine Muses

I wasn't sure about including this as it's more documentary than narrative, indeed it started as a exhibit at the BFI. John Akomfrah's experimental film juxtaposes a retelling of Homer's Odyssey - using the UK immigrant experience in the 1960's - with images of an Alaskan winter. Beguiling trailer.

Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●●●○○○○○

Red Light Revolution

Billed as China's first and only sex shop comedy (unsurprising given the limited scope of the sub-genre) the trailer links together the kind of jokes you'd expect from any sexual aid romp regardless of it's national origin, including some stunts I'm sure we'd all do if we were locked into Anne Summers overnight!

Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●●○○○○○○

W.E.

Did you think, whilst watching last years terrific King's Speech that what the world really needed was a sympathetic look at Wallace and Edward in the months leading towards the UK's only abdication. (I actually thought last year's movie was fairly even-handed about Wallace, highlighting the snobbery from certain corners of the Family). Apparently Madonna wanted more so we get more in the shape of this hagiography of the central relationship and endless shots of gaudy jewels.

Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●●○○○○○○

Sitter

If Jonah Hill picks up and Oscar nod next week for his supporting turn in Moneyball it'll be dreck like this unoriginal comedy from David Gordon Green that prevents him from winning the prize. Certainly avoidable.

Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●○○○○○○○

Underworld: Awakening

It's not a critically lauded franchise, however the series has always produced decent returns and with Kate Beckinsale returning from her third movie hiatus this should clean up in the multiplexes. Stephen Rea sits on the didelines of the eternal battle between werewolves and vampires.

Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●○○○○○○○

X: Night of Vengeance

Oz-sploitation thriller about two hookers caught up in a very unlikely mystery. Just listened to a review online that plainly stated most plot moving conversations co-incidently take place in bra and panties or even less. I'm sure it's fine if you like that sort of thing.

Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●○○○○○○○○

War Horse

2012-01-17T15:49:00.006Z

2011. Dir: Steven Spielberg. Starring: Jeremy Irvine, Emily Watson, Peter Mullan, David Thewlis and Niels Arestrup. ●●●○○

Each film, each work of art in fact, has a story outside of it's plot of narrative. It's simply impossible in our era of electronic communications to avoid building expectations of a project based on it's genesis, the creative team involved or the relentless marketing drive including the reactions from press and critics. In the case of Steven Spielberg's War Horse, adapted directly from Michael Morpurgo's critically acclaimed children's novel - although clearly influenced by the award winning National Theatre production famed for it's innovative puppetry - the narrative revolves around the stories capacity to reduce otherwise robust individuals to uncontrollable crying machines, quivering with spasms of weeping. At every stage of the production process the audience have been reminded of the emotional resonance, the trailer brought a lump to my throat and even at the Royal Premiere here in the UK last week the papers obsessed with the Duchess of Cambridge's tears. And yet, and yet...

I watched the film and did not cry.

Don't get me wrong I am neither cold hearted (I cry when I hear the Marseillaise) nor am I resistant to sentimentalism, indeed last year I placed Warrior on my top ten best film list purely on it's impact on my lacrimal system. But War Horse failed to get a response.

Why did it fail? And what does that mean it terms of the quality of the movie?

If you haven't yet seen the movie (play/read the book) it follows a typical boy and his pet plotline, with the two apparent soulmates drawn together through a series of unlikely co-incidences followed by an even more horrific passage of separation which inevitable leads to reconciliation prior to a satisfying (or deeply shocking, depending on the writer) denouement. Here the Devon farming idyll (surprisingly comfortable looking cottage for a hand to mouth tenant, with a plough half buried in the middle of a rock infested field and Emily Watson threatening moustache twirling landowner David Thewlis with knitting needles) is shattered by the First World War whereupon Peter Mullan's cash strapped alcoholic sells the eponymous equine, Joey, to Tom Hiddleston's cavalry captain. The war than conspires to keep Joey and his trainer Albert Narracott (played winsomely by newcomer Jeremy Irvine) apart for the majority of the movie.

The film allows Albert's side of the story to slip into the background and bravely concentrates on the neutral animal innocently assisting it's latest owner, whether David Kross' teenage deserter, jam-making Frenchman Niels Arestrup or an underdeveloped German artillery sergeant, culminating in Joey's panicked gallop through no man's land temporarily paused by entanglements of barbed wire.

This episodic structure is largely responsible for my own lack of empathy, the many brief human handlers whisk by without developing the characters sufficiently, reducing their sacrifices to punchlines, mere obstacles for Joey to clamber across before that final inevitable reunion. Even the war is hell motif that we identify with the Great War is somehow softened, and I'm not just talking about the soft approach to carnage, an understandable concession in what amounts to a children's movie but the sanitised trenches and the lack of pause for the human (even horse) cost of the conflict. Supporting characters die, lush farmland is ravaged, the camera pans over fields of animal and human corpses, but all this is dressing to the horse and his boy plot. That said two metaphors did work for me: the gradual increase in violent imagery with the first character death pointedly offscreen and the final push over the trenches as visceral as you could expect (bearing in mind it's no Private Ryan) and rise of technology evidenced with the tank signifying the equine cost has been to no purpose. Although what that tank thought it was doing is anyone's guess.

The design and look of the picture is excellent, in interviews Spielberg has rightly talked up Dartmoor as being a character in it's own right, grounding the movies home front sections. Janusz Kaminski shoots the moor like a Fordian homage, complete with painterly sunsets and rugged landscapes. Later his lensing of the Western Front, whether in the nightmarish chase by Joey or the eerie coming together of two lowly corporals freeing the animal and evoking the Christmas Day truces, adds a mysticism sorely needed.

Ultimately War Horse doesn't rise to the occasion, and whilst I can grudgingly recommend it, I think it's safe to say the play may be a better option.

Horror of the trenches (Out this week - 13/01/12)

2012-01-14T12:02:00.005Z

Last week the Cruisemeister held on to the number one spot and Meryl Thatcher was the highest new entry at number 3 on the box office chart, so I'm feeling a little smug - what with my first box office predictions from last weekend being right. This weekend I'm seeing the film that I've chosen as top film and I suspect Steven Spielberg's World War One epic will deservedly take it's place at the top of the charts. If you're looking for something less mainstream there's Michael Fassbender shagging everything in sight and the collapse of the financial services system, both of which look excellent. Please note that we are also starting the year with our first complete dud, earning just one blob, but you'll have to find out what it is. First though, the film of the week is War Horse.

War Horse

Steven Spielberg proves he's a master tear jerker once again, and I mean that as a good thing, with his deliberately Fordian adaptation of Michael Morpurgo's classic children's story. I cry watching the trailer (thanks to John Williams and Benedict Cumberbatch) so goodness knows if I'll make it through the screening later today. Emily Watson also stars.

Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●●●●●○○○

Margin Call

Writer-director J. C. Chandor has won plenty of plaudits for his cinematic debut, with the first significant narrative based on the economic collapse in 2008. Kevin Spacey, Zachary Quinto, Stanley Tucci, Jeremy Irons, Mary McDonnell and a dozen other recognisable stars form part of the chain of command trying to identify and ultimately offload toxic debt in this David Mamet like view of investment banking.

Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●●●●●○○○

Shame

The final of the three big hitters from this week. Turner prize-winner Steve McQueen's long hard look at sex addiction with Michael Fassbender as a seemingly high-flying executive who's life unravels as his addiction slips completely out of control. Carey Mulligan is his needy sister.

Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●●●●●○○○

Tatsumi

Animated biopic, which seems unlikely, until you discovers it's about Manga pioneer Yoshihiro Tatsumi, whose short stories, also included in the narrative in part created the medium of Japanese graphic artistry.

Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●●●○○○○○

Useful Life

Interesting addition to the current theme of movies about/informed by movies (The Artist, Drive etc.) this Uruguayan picture follows a recently unemployed art-house projectionist filling his days unable to go to the cinema. I expect it's a narrative we could all relate to.

Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●●●○○○○○

Kartalus Son Darak

Turkish comedy, with a sextet of women trying to cheer up the psychologist who's just moved into their apartment block. It's a limited audience, but should do well in it's small market.

Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●○○○○○○○

Nanban

Tamil comedy of which, as is traditional in these things, I know nothing about the plot or characters, other than the poster's very bright and the trailer's quite fast. Nanban is literally translated as friend.

Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●○○○○○○○

Vettai

Police soap opera from India with two brothers, one of whom is a detective the other fighting crime outside of the establishment. Could be an interesting look at vigilantilism, but probably just descends into familial homilies.

Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●○○○○○○○

Darkest Hour

Yes, it's Chris Gorak's Moscow set alien invasion movie which garners the first all-important one blob excitometer rating. Saving the budget by having invisible aliens isn't so much the issue as saving the budget by having a weak script and uninvolving characters. Almost so bad it's unmissable.

Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●○○○○○○○○○

Mother and Child

2012-01-10T15:11:00.003Z

2009. Dir: Rodrigo Garcia. Starring: Naomi Watts, Annette Bening, Kerry Washington, Jimmy Smits and Samuel L. Jackson. ●●●○○

As I said last weekend I was steadfast in refusing to see the Meryl does Maggie movie and so chose the less controversial adoption melodrama Mother and Child, and indeed this was a wise choice as Rodrigo Garcia's gentle paced picture was a delightful piece of sentimentality even if it slightly unravelled with it's slew of coincidences towards the end.

The film opens on a flashback/dream with the young Karen, later to become Annette Bening, making the sort of mistake many 14 year olds do and then offering the outcome to the local Nuns for adoption. We then move forward 37 years to the present day, Karen now outwardly a successful physiotherapist remains bitter and emotionally stunted, unable to connect with her co-workers or her maid/mother's carer. Meanwhile Naomi Watts is a high-flying attorney, with a penchant for asserting her authority through sex and struggling with abandonment issues stemming from being adopted. Have you guessed yet? Finally we meet Kerry Washington following the process to adopt, Juno-like from grad student Shareeka Epps.

All three women will find their lives changed by motherhood, and ultimately all three will learn that being mothers is the most rewarding and wonderful experience even if they won't get the opportunity to fully establish that sort of relationship. Perhaps oddly (perhaps not, let's remember the title) the men are defined purely in terms of their relationships to women, either as weak pawns of stronger characters (Washington's husband David Ramsey, controlled by his mother, Marc Blucas or to a lesser extent the snazzily dressed Samuel L. Jackson) or at best quite and supportive - Jimmy Smits as the patient colleague of Bening who eventually settles down with her helping her find a less painful existence.

The film bears all the hallmarks of being produced by Alejandro González Iñárritu with it's structural coincidences, especially in the final act as all the remaining loose ends get tidied up - although there's one neat twist involving Bening walking somewhere which makes for a nice opportunity to see her emotional as well as physical journey.

The performances are what really works in this film, Bening especially gives a wonderful turn as a woman who can not let get of the daughter she never met. The moment when she hears - second hand - of her own mothers regret at making her give the baby up is incredibly moving. The turn makes for an interesting companion piece to Lisa Cholodenko's The Kids are All Right and I imagine most fans of that film will also be drawn to Garcia's picture. S. Epatha Merkerson is also great in potentially a thankless role as Washington's mother.

The design of the film and direction is largely uninvolving, and overall the film could do with some hefty cuts as there are sections where it labours unnecessarily, nonetheless this is a fine melodrama and I look forward to seeing what writer/director Garcia does next. (After Albert Nobbs that is.)

By the way - to my readers this doesn't feel like one of my best reviews. I guess I'm a little rusty after a couple of months off. Next week I'm seeing War Horse which will hopefully put me back on track.

The Blogger's not for Turning (Out this week - 06/01/11)

2012-01-07T10:05:00.000Z

And we're back. An all new style of presenting the out this week column, with trailers attached. Note that I watch all the trailers, and I fully encourage taking a look at some if they are films you're not immediately interested in seeing. Luckily I'm also back in time for one of the most controversial releases in some time, dividing the friends and enemies of the former Prime Minister at the centre of the piece in loving and loathing this big screen adaptation of her life, and not always in ways you expect. Film is the week is unsurprisingly The Iron Lady.

Of the new releases there's no doubt that Meryl Streep's uncanny impersonation will lead the field in terms of box office clout, although I suspect Tom Cruise in Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol will remain the box office champion when all is counted up.

The Iron Lady

Hagiography or hatchet job, that might depend on your opinion of Thatcherism, the defining economic policy of the 80's. Personally I approve of some aspects of small Government and de-regulated industry, even if I disagree with the pursuit of low inflation at the cost of employment or most of the bleak social policies of the period and I am generally confused with the persistent hatred of Margaret by modern-day freedom movement protesters who weren't even born during her tenure. By all accounts though the movie soft-pedals the politics of the Tory Government and dovetails key points in her life (with little or no context) with a frail old woman struggling to buy milk. Distasteful and irrelevant I refuse to see this film in cinemas - although it's possible I'll pick it up later in the year and review then.

Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●●●●●●○○

Mother and Child

What I will be seeing is Rodrigo Garcia's family melodrama starring Annette Bening, Naomi Watts and Kerry Washington as three women affected by adoption trying to make sense of their lives.

Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●●●●○○○○

Players

The first of our Bollywood releases for the week is this Hindi thriller about an accountant who leads a double life as a master criminal about to commit the biggest Gold heist of all time. It certainly looks like they're not holding back with the action.

Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●○○○○○○○

Goon

Seann William Scott's career has been on a surprise downward trajectory for some time, following the breakout success in American Pie many people thought he was going places, however the momentum has stuttered to a halt until he finds himself in this sports comedy (always the last refuge of a failing actor) actually the TV spots and reviews paint it as sweeter and funnier than I'm ranking it but this trailer does no good at all.

Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●○○○○○○○○

Uchithanai Muharnthaal

Tamil movie which confronts the widespread brutalisation of Sri Lankan women during the civil war and the continued mistrust of immigrants into India. Although oddly all I could think of watching the trailer is whether the distracting movement of the frame was deliberate.

Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●○○○○○○○○

Happy New Year (Top 10 2011 and 20 films I'm most looking forward to in 2012)

2012-01-01T09:47:00.006Z

Happy New Year!

Well, I'm back. My break has been good for the soul, although I must confess I've missed this only occasionally. So going forward the number of posts will be severely limited - I'm sticking to the weekly round-up of releases and my film reviews (I may also be tempted to write about running and auditions, but that's by the by). Saying that I feel it would be inappropriate to start 2012 without my top ten for 2011 and my most anticipated films for 2012.

Top Ten Films in 2011

Over the year I saw 60 movies, out of 495 releases (12.1%), which on one hand is pathetic but on the other shows now busy UK cinemas are. The majority of films released are American (45%) but there are also good showings from UK, India, France and Germany, personally I also saw films part funded from Canada, Spain, Denmark, Australia, Mexico, UAE, Sweden and New Zealand. A surprising number of the films I saw were really quite good, so making a top ten has been very tough. I really wanted to include The Ides of March, Margaret, The Skin I Live In, Hugo and Midnight in Paris, all of which are very well made movies but they ultimately failed to make enough of an impression on me.

1. Black Swan

Everything in Darren Aronofsky's balletic drama is cranked up to 11, but it's commitment to the themes of artistic sacrifice ensure there's substance under the style. See my review here.

2. The Messenger

I saw it in 2010, but it only got released in the UK this year. That's an incredible shame as Oren Moverman has crafted the definitive Iraq war movie, without actually visiting the front line. See my review here.

3. Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy

I was late in the game getting interested in Tomas Alfredson's English language debut, but I was very glad to have succumbed. Leisurely paced and intensively intelligent TTSS was the perfect antidote to the over-stuffed holiday pictures. See my review here.

4. Hanna

It was a great year for female protagonists, with Bridesmaids and The Help both making extraordinary box office takings, but it's Joe Wright's fairy tale actioner led by Saoirse Ronan's super-hero teenager and Cate Blanchett's wicked witch of the deep south which showed what can be done in feminist cinema. See my Review here.

5. Animal Kingdom

On one level David Michod's Aussie crime drama is an extended episode of "Neighbours", complete with Guy Pearce in dodgy moustache, but the creeping menace and almost Shakespearean levels of inter-family violence make this unforgettable, and has reminded the world of the quality filmmaking from down under. See my Review here.

6. Melancholia

No-one destroys the world quite like Lars von Trier, with a unique two act structure delving into the effects of depression and anxiety, a majestic opening and superb performances from Kirsten Dunst and Charlotte Gainsbourg you won't stare into the sky in the same way again. See my review here.

7. Rango

As a rule I don't watch comedies or animations, but this year I set myself a challenge of trying new things and I was very glad given that it gave me the opportunity to see this wonderfully funny pastiche, lampooning everything from Sergio leone to Chinatown and with outrageously creative design work. See my review here.

8. True Grit

I confess the Coen brother's glorious Western remake almost didn't make my list, but I rewatched it over the last week and remembered how detailed and evocative of a dying culture the movie was, indeed of this years top ten it is probably the one that I will return to more than any other. See my review here.

9. Moneyball

The only film that made the cut that has a good shot of getting an Oscar nomination for Best Picture this year, mind you I haven't seen many of the favourites. It's a sports movie that virtually excludes the actual sport and underlines the importance of commitment to an ideal over spectacular display. No review as it came out during my sabbatical.

10. Warrior

There had to be one bad movie in the mix, and even I have to confess Gavin O'Conner Mixed Martial Arts family drama is a bad movie, but it worked so well for me that it fully deserves its place here in the top ten. I may have predicted every beat of the plot but I also winced in the fights scenes and wept like a baby at the conclusion. See my review here.

For those of you interested the top performances of the year are as follows:

Lead Actor: Ben Foster - The Messenger (runner up Hunter McCraken - The Tree of Life).

Lead Actress: Natalie Portman - Black Swan (runner up Saoirse Ronan - Hanna).

Supporting Actor: Nick Nolte - Warrior (runner up Gregoire Leprince-Ringuet - Princesse de Montpensier).

Supporting Actress: Evan Rachel Wood - Ides of March (runner up Jacki Weaver - Animal Kingdom).

Read on for the 20 films I'm most looking forward to seeing in 2012.

20 for 2012

Over the past couple of years I've had a countdown of the 20 films I'm most looking forward to in the year, but this year in keeping with the soft foot on the brakes I'm going to list them all in one go, without much commentary, and not even in order. Feel free to comment over what you're most looking forward to.

Anna Karenina - Joe Wright tackles Tolstoy and reunites with his muse Keira Knightley, might have us swooning over the tragedy of it all or just rushing to the nearest train station in agony.

Argo - Is Ben Affleck trying satire? With the same producing team as The Men who Stare at Goats and it's theme of CIA agents faking movie making it could certainly be a departure for the Bostonian.

Best Exotic Marigold Hotel - Holdover from last year, Judi Dench and Maggie Smith are looking lovely in the constant TV advertising on this side of the pond, expect a moderate hit.

Bourne Legacy - spies are all the rage this year, and Bourne without Bourne is only one of the two franchises I'll be queuing up for in the next 12 months.

Cogan's Trade - Andrew Dominik has proven himself a singular talent with just a couple of films, so reteaming with his Jesse James Brad Pitt is definitely a cause for celebration.

Company You Keep - There are a couple of franchise actors trying their hands at drama this year that I'd like to keep an eye on, first up is Shia LaBeouf who fits into an all-star oldie cast for Redford's stolen identity thriller.

Cosmopolis - meanwhile R.Pattz will be proving there's life after Twilight as he loses his fortune over one long torturous limo ride.

Dark Knight Rises - My only concession to comic book movies this year (the re-invented Spidey and superhero mash-up Avengers will need excellent reviews for me to change my mind) but Chris Nolan guarantees spectacle and social commentary. Worth the wait.

Dark Shadows / Frankenweenie A Tim Burton double bill, the later looks more fun, but both appear to be Burton doing what he likes rather than what the studios want him to do so should be worth catching up with.

Darling Companion - I'm a sucker for do movies, and the early pictures released of Diana Keaton and her perfectly groomed Border Collie look like this is one to still my heart - expect tears by the closing credits.

Flight - Denzel Washington hasn't enticed me into cinemas for several years, but hopefully his performance as a drug-addled pilot trying not to claim credit for crash landing his plane may be worth catching.

Gambit - Crime caper remake with Colin Firth and Cameron Diaz working on a Coen brothers script, I'm confident even though the last time Joel and Ethan used British comedy as a template we had The Ladykillers.

Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey - When the trailer first appeared on the web a couple of weeks ago Peter Jackson managed to instantly bring us back to Middle Earth and boost up the anticipation for this simpler tale of a mythical quest.

Lincoln - It's going to be very late in the year so not to influence the US elections, however we will finally get a chance to see Spielberg's take on the iconic 16th President of the United States.

Nero Fiddled - Like a loyal puppy I keep returning to Woody Allen even when he lets me down, luckily Midnight in Paris was so delightful I actually look forward to his Rome project.

Prometheus - it's a year that looks to re-establish standalone sci-fi epics, and whilst Ridley Scott's sort of Alien prequel may not fit that template exactly there's little doubt it'll be one of the biggest hits of the summer.

Savages - stoners take on their shady underworld dealers in this kidnap revenge drama, could be worth a view.

Silver Linings Playbook / Nailed - OK, I don't believe for one minute that David O Russell's political satire will get released, but I am still looking forward to his relationship drama with Bradley Cooper coming out of prison and trying to reconnect with his family.

Skyfall - Bond is back in his starriest movie yet with Ralph Fiennes and Javier Bardem out to stop him expect Sam Mendes to bring a more refined look at the MI5 agent than we're used to seeing.

Summer of Monte Wildhorn - An unlikely trend for 2012 is writer's block with a number of films due to come out this year looking at the effects of such a slump, expect Rob Reiner's pairing with Morgan Freeman to be the most saccharine choice however it could well give him a chance to have fun with a irascible Western scribe role.

So those are the films I'd like to see. What about you? What movies are you most interested in catching, what would you pick for the best films of last year? Over to the comments.

No News is good news

2011-11-19T12:08:00.005Z

Hi there,

I wanted to write a brief note to my few regular readers just to say how much I've enjoyed writing this blog over the past three and a bit years, however to be honest it has come to the point that I no longer enjoy writing.

This morning when I woke up my thoughts turned to preparing another week of birthday posts, and Tuesday trailers and a recap of the weeks news and a review of Cage/Kidman vehicle Trespass, and it just felt like a chore, neither a cathartic nor an excited prospect. These days I write just because I feel I have to keep going with the blog, rather than because of any desire to share my views.

It is for that reason that I'm going to take a sabbatical, initially until the end of the year however that may extend.

I will still stay on here though and visit your blogs, even occasionally posting responses. I would especially like to thank the trio of bloggers who have stuck with me since the blog began: Tom at Reinvention, Alex in Movieland and Andrew's Encore. These three are incisive and witty writers whose work I will continue to follow, indeed I hope to be able to continue discussion of movies with them through comments, something which I know I have been less than diligent with in the past.

Thank you once again for all your support here.

Ben

x x x

Jodie Foster

2011-11-19T06:40:00.001Z

Happy Birthday to

Jodie Foster

49 today

Choosing to work only when she wants to is a superb strategy for this two time Oscar winner, by carefully monitoring the output the resultant scarcity increases demand. Although her next film, Roman Polanski's Carnage, may well divide audiences on how they feel about the content of Yasmina Reza's bitter play on which it's based. Personally I couldn't be more stoked.

Always the quiet ones (Out this week - 18/11/11)

2011-11-18T15:20:00.002Z

It's all about Vampires vs. Werewolves this weekend. Actually that might be more interesting than the first half of the final chapter in the Twiglet franchise, you know the one where they get married, get preggers and mope around before the final battles commence. Not that the combined efforts of Bella, Edward and Jacob can manage to win my favour, instead film of the week goes to Aussie serial killer pic Snowtown.

Snowtown

Based on Australia's most famous serial killer case, the bodies in the barrels guy John Bunting, the film investigates the case through the eyes of his prospective step-son. This marks the second film in a growing crime renaissance in Australian cinema following Animal Kingdom earlier this year.

Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●●●○○○○○

Special Forces

French movie tackling the Afghani conflict and a journo (Diane Kruger) who gets herself kidnapped, and the elite military squad led by Djimon Houson snatching her back from the Taliban. Holding up quite well on IMDb.

Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●●○○○○○○

Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn, Part 1

I don't need to explain the latest instalment of the teenage franchise, frankly it's advertising is everywhere and it's likely to take the box office crown globally this weekend. It's one of those cultural shifts that's so impossible to ignore that I may even be persuaded to see it myself.

Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●●○○○○○○

Hero Hitler in Love

It sounds like the most distasteful Bollywood movie of all time, however I understand that's just controversy designed to build up some headlines. Oddly it's actually a love story across the Indian-Pakistani border, which may prove even more controversial in some quarters.

Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●○○○○○○○

Justice

Nicolas Cage again, proving he's never says no to these half-arsed thrillers, getting into some double dealings with shady Guy Pearce, allowing them to bump off his wife's attacker only for his debt to be called in. Makes last weeks Trespass look like cinematic gold.

Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●○○○○○○○

Welcome to the Rileys

Cashing in on the Twilight love out there, this American indie might actually be the more interesting of the two with James Gandolfini and Melissa Leo dealing with the death of their child in vastly different ways, the former hanging out with hooker Kristen Stewart and the latter hiding away.

Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●○○○○○○○

How to Stop Being a Loser

Minor British comedy with a cast full of TV personalities and semi-famous faces, with our hero making a Faustian pact in order to woo the ladies. I think it's a comedy.

Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●○○○○○○○○

Brenda Vaccaro

2011-11-18T06:30:00.000Z

Happy Birthday to

Brenda Vaccaro

72 today

Are you trying to imagine where you've seen Brenda? Maybe as a TV staple, including a voice in Cartoon Network's "Johnny Bravo", or maybe as Bab's BFF in The Mirror has Two Faces or maybe you're casting your mind back still further to playing scrabble with a naked Jon Voight in Midnight Cowboy. A-ha you've got her now, superb performances but alas still an I know you actress rather than an a-lister. Seems to be semi-retired these days.

Straw Dogs

2011-11-16T15:52:00.001Z

2011. Dir: Rod Lurie. Starring: James Marsden, Kate Bosworth, Alexander Skarsgård, James Woods and Dominic Purcell. ●●●○○

Note there is no way of reviewing Rod Lurie's Straw Dogs without spoilers, largely because of the history of the original ground-breaking 1971 exploitation film, directed by Sam Peckinpah. In fact I doubt it's possible to review the film without explicit comparison to it's forebear because of that unique legacy, we will have to address - in detail - the iconic scenes that even people who haven't seen the film know and the social and cultural landscape in which the films were made. Therefore if you haven't seen the movie and you still wish to do so I would not advise reading on...

Thank you for joining me.

Back in the early 70’s Pekinpah was exploring the cinema-going audiences capacity to take violence, and whilst his Rio Bravo inspired siege movie didn’t have the genre defining revisionism he would later bring to The Wild Bunch it’s fair to say he still turned a few heads. His thesis was that man was at heart an vicious beast, prepared act on ultra-violent urges if his property or family were threatened. Dustin Hoffman’s mild mannered mathematician cuts a desperate, lonely figure, haunted by the rape of his wife and the invasion of his Cornish farmhouse by inhospitable locals, his anguish and loss of self control as he fights back is palpable. Peckinpah was taunting us with the barely disguised brutal reality of the human animal underneath this veneer of respectability in modern society.

At the time the movie caused a stir for it’s graphic depiction of violence, and especially for the murky issue of consensual rape which earned the film it’s video nasty tag when it was refused release in the 1980’s on this side on the pond. Yet here we are 40 years later, with torture porn and stalker pics regularly leading the box office charts and gradually upping the gore quotient to the extent that the content of the original now seems tame and unthreatening, even if the sexual assault sequence still retains part of it’s power. Would the remake try to outdo it’s predecessor? Where would it fit on the scale of violent semi-horrors? Does the rape still provoke controversy?

Well. No, not very high and yes and no.

The remake opens with James Marsden’s geeky but (let’s face it) buff screenwriter with gorgeous actress wife Kate Bosworth returning to her small Louisiana hometown, it’s a society ruled by hunting and church. Where the former stars of the football team are idolised well beyond their prime, slowly developing into the straw dogs of the title, abandoned Gods seeking ways to reassert their alpha male status, eager to torture the weaker or more passive members of the community.

Of course it doesn’t take long for the unlucky couple to walk into Bosworth’s ex, a hulking roofer (Skarsgaard) with a natty line in vests and the barest of flames still for his former squeeze, and Marsden being the naive townie that he is takes no hesitation in hiring his competitor to fix the barn. Needless to say the relationships between the central trio, and Skarsgaard’s cohorts of handymen soon breaks down with false acts of friendship and escalating war of words between the two men masking the battle for Bosworth’s body.

There are three stages of the violent acts, against the pets, the wife and finally the house, and each of these needs to be tackled separately.

Something terrible happens to Bosworth’s pussy (no, we’re not on that bit yet) whilst the couple are at a town picnic, and the first reveal of this is both shocking and extremely well handled. Marsden opens a wardrobe and we and he see the deceased moggy, but we see it over his shoulder, partly obscured, enough to recognise what happened but not so we are taken out of the moment. This tension is then ruined when the cupboard is opening again and we see a cuddly toy suspended by a belt. Oh, when will filmmakers learn that less is more? This is also the point realism gets thrown out of the window because I for one would certainly report that to the Sheriff.

The final set piece involves the storming of the farm as the brooding roofers, egged on by the drunk James Woods (involving but not stretching) attempt to force their way into the couples isolated farmhouse, ostensibly to deal out some justice to the mentally ill local seeking refuse after accidently killing a local girl (more on that in a bit), but also to finally conquer the outsiders, to punish their arrogance and discrete fortitude. It’s this point where all the easter eggs of destruction the overworked set designer has laid around the property come into play. Including, you’ll be delighted to hear, the antique bear trap (and not in the way you expect). There is plenty of claret flowing during the ambush but when a lackey was beaten to death by a golf club it was off-screen, making it less gory than the stylish art-flick Drive.

Which only leaves the rape. As with the original the treatment of women is complex and troubling. There are two significant female roles, the sexually precocious teenager who lures idiot savant Dominic Purcell into the locker room before being smothered by him, and Bosworth’s actress who refuses to wear a sports bra whilst jogging (and given how much she sweated I can only imagine how sore her nipples were) and who strips off in sight of the workmen in order to assert her feminist empowerment. When Marsden states she’s asking for it (a long-time prior to the assault it must be noted) you can’t help but agree. Both characters overt sexuality leads directly to their fate, even if there is no is she/isn’t she enjoying the rape moment the filmmaker still condemns her actions.

This change subtly alters the point of the movie. In the 1970’s there was the question of whether a woman could enjoy a rape fantasy, now we are more obsessed with whether the victims are in some way culpable. In the case of Willa Holland's cheerleader she clearly is responsible for her own demise, orchestrating the scenario in which the petrified Purcell must defend himself, whereas Bosworth raises the spectre of the slut walks and whether the clothing or attitude of a girl gives the man implicit permission to push the boundaries. Does the difference lie between the perpetrators understanding of their actions?

The film raises more questions than it dares to try and answer, but in doing so it deserves some applause and I would certainly enjoy the discourse this film would provide with staunch feminists. Now there's a challenge to my readers.

Overall then I would have to just about recommend this interesting example of exploitative cinema.

Maggie Gyllenhaal

2011-11-16T06:25:00.000Z

Happy Birthday to

Maggie Gyllenhaal

34 today

It has to be said that Maggie does great red carpet, always stunning and always exceptionally well put together. With a career that spans high concept block busters, edgy dramas and cult favourites I expect to see Ms Gyllenhaal's career continue to grow from strength to strength. Nothing on the immediate horizon though.

Tuesday Trailers - Frantic Friday

2011-11-15T15:44:00.002Z

Runs like a Gay needs you!

Sometimes I have to make tough decisions, a couple of weeks ago I watched Ides of March and Tintin but at the time of writing I still haven't caught up The Help, hopefully I will - given the impact the film will probably make on the awards season - but maybe the choices about what I saw that weekend are now cast in stone. We can't go back.

But in 17 days time I have an even tougher decision. There are four films released which I have been following since the idea was first put together, or since before this blog was invented in one case, and I probably won't have the opportunity to see them all. So which ones do I prioritise, how do I make Ben's choice?

This is why I need you, dear reader, the trailers are presented in alphabetical order here, but in the comments I'd like you to rank the possibilities in order that I should see them. I'll go by the consensus opinion.

The Big Year

I suspect the least votes will go to this fairly inoffensive comedy starring Steve Martin, Jack Black and Owen Wilson especially given it's atrocious opening over in the States (yet to pass $7m domestic), but I did list it in my top 20 for 2011 so maybe I owe it something.

Happy Feet Two

The trailers don't seem to be selling this animated sequel terribly well, but then expectations for the original were pretty low and it went on to win the Best Animated Oscar. I simply don't see enough animated films, which explains why I'm considering this.

Hugo

On paper Martin Scorsese's latest movie is easily the top choice, with it's elaborate production and central love story to early cinema and 1920's Paris it could be unmissable. That said it's a children's film and early word has been complimentary but hardly gushing.

Margaret

Finally we have Kenneth Lonergan's very long awaited follow-up to You Can Count on Me which has sat in post production since Matt Damon and Anna Paquin looked very young. This will almost certainly be the hardest to watch on this list with a suspected limited release pattern.

I'm fairly open minded so write in nominations for other films opening in the UK on 02 December 2011 may also be considered but they will need a lot of support.

Whoopi Goldberg

2011-11-13T06:06:00.000Z

Happy Birthday to

Whoopi Goldberg

56 today

The Commedienne/Actress Goldberg doesn't exactly stretch herself these days. Recently she played God in a Kate Hudson vehicle no-one watched and next up is a cameo in the Muppets, surely her co-hosting work on The view isn't that taxing, is it?

Rehearsing is for Frogs - (Film News - 12/11/11)

2011-11-12T15:19:00.001Z

All eyes are on the Academy this week, from the moment Brett Ratner faux pas'd at a Tower Heist Q&A last Friday night the knives were out for the Oscar Producer. And probably for the best, whilst we can all appreciate the context of the comment and the vocabulary Ratner uses in interviews generally that his intention wasn't to denigrate gay men as a demographic, however the insensitivity of such an off-the-cuff remake is not in keeping of the man steering the gayest night of the Entertainment industry. As Ratner fell, so did his front man Eddie Murphy, in a career move that may be yet another turning point for the once reliable star. AMPAS then swung into damage limitation mode, quickly appointing Brian Grazer and Billy Crystal (ignoring the online campaign for the Muppets to host, hence the title) a reliable if safe choice. I suppose I should care for all this hoohar, but to be honest I don't watch the show. Of course I won't deny the Academy impacts my viewing habits, occasionally bringing a movie to my attention that I hadn't considered, but the night itself doesn't appeal. Time will tell what this will do to Ratner and Murphy's career however I suspect it will all blow over very quickly.

Moving on to the real news though.

Rule #1

At first, before reading the synopsis, I was really keen on the potential pairing of Frozen River director Courtney Hunt with Oscar winner Reese Witherspoon in a comedy, after all there aren't enough high profile films from women (of course part of that is my own inherent prejudice) and Reese is one of the best comedic performers of her generation.

Then the plot: According to THR, Witherspoon will play “34 -year old woman trying to cope with OCD, who takes in a young woman with ADD and her newborn baby in an effort to face her anxieties and ultimately get her estranged husband back. The resulting effort takes the woman’s already chaotic world spinning into the next level.”

So this is a comedy when OCD meets ADD. Whilst that does have slight thematic similarities to The Odd Couple however once the characters are labelled with mental health diagnoses it seems to be making the illness the butt of the joke rather than the interplay, of course that may change when Hunt revises the script and it ends up on screen, but I do have concerns.

Witherspoon gave one of the most hilarious and convincing comedic performances in the noughties for Legally Blonde and it would be great to see her back in the genre.

Read on for equal rights legislation, dating thrillers, a strip of pebbles and a non-comic comic book.

Airtight/Untitled Prop. 8 Movie

You should learn something new everyday, and this week its the turn of avuncular New Yorker Rob Reiner to reveal a facet of his character that surprised and taught me. You see Reiner is one of Hollywood's leading advocates of gay rights, founder of the American Foundation of Equal Rights he is a major supporter of the campaign against Proposition 8, so much so when the legal challenges eventually end in their logical conclusion (and as a gay man I pretty much have to say the plebiscite will be overturned, even if its by the Supreme Court) he plans to dramatize the fight. It's will no doubt be a worthy court-room drama in the vein of his 96 race crime elegy Ghosts of Mississippi and whilst I am in favour of bringing this story to the multiplexes I can't help but think there's a more interesting personal story to be told about how the vote illegitimised relationships and what effect that has on them and their close families.

By the way Airtight is a heist film he's also knocking around as a possible next project - purely because he has never done one before. No details yet, but we'll have to keep an eye on it.

The Double Hour

More remakes of European thriller, this time an Italian original (maybe the rights are being sold to save the economy) which started like a rom-com with a speed-dating leading to a one-night stand leading to a kidnapping and terrible secrets held by the cop and cleaner protagonists coming out to haunt them. Joshua Marston has been tapped to direct, which will make an odd English language change of pace for him.

On Chesil Beach

I know there are fans of Ian McEwans sparse internal novel, even though I personally wasn't engaged and think it's intensely un-cinematic, however I thought I'd pass on the news that the big-screen version hasn't died when proposed director Sam Mendes left for Bond, instead the baton has been passed to Mike Newell. Unfortunately whilst Newell's a nice guy with talent I think it's fair to say he's anonymous behind a camera and I suspect that McEwan's work needs someone flashier to bring out the tension.

Wilson

Just a reiteration of Alexander Payne's desire to adapt Daniel (Ghost World) Clowes' graphic novel. I confess to not being a reader of these books, having a barely concealed prejudice against the format, but Clowes is considered as one of the greats, able to create a fully rounded story within a three panel format, so I'll certainly follow this to see how it works on screen.

Casting News

The latest bizarre casting rumour to hit the web attaches Colin Firth to Spike Lee's OldBoy remake, as the chief antagonist to Josh Brolins wrongfully imprisoned revenge seeker. Not that I doubt Firth's ability in the role, but it is pretty left field a suggestion you have to admit.

There's a small campaign (which will no doubt be crushed before the end of the year) for Colin in the Supporting Actor field for Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy which conveniently brings us back to Oscar and the opening paragraph.

Ryan Gosling

2011-11-12T06:00:00.000Z

Happy Birthday to

Ryan Gosling

31 today

Riding high, with two well-received dramatic turns in the last few months, Gosling's come a long way since his Mickey Mouse Club days, or since his energetic turn in Murder by Numbers - I'll never forget how he licked Sandra Bullock. Coming up next, and where this picture comes from, we'll see him reunite with Derek Cianfrance on stunt motorcyclist epic Place Beyond the Pines.

Next stop, Gonzo (Out this week - 11/11/11)

2011-11-11T15:10:00.000Z

Weirdly, in spite of the fairly OK mix of movies out this weekend all I want to do since I wrote the title of this post is stare at the palindromic date. I hope I don't glance at the clock just after ten past eleven for fear of my head exploding. Of course this weirdness may be due to the stonking amount of alcohol I've had to drink in readiness for our film of the week:

The Rum Diary

Johnny Depp isn't quite Hunter S. Thompson in this adaptation of his earliest, yet latest to be published novel about a journalist heading to Puerto Rico and finding nothing but booze and money laundering. Co-starring Richard Jenkins (wearing the best syrup in 2012) and written and directed by Withnail & I helmer Bruce Robinson, this has to be better than it's paltry US box office implies.

Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●●●●○○○○

Arthur Christmas

I really don't like the over-commodification of Christmas, and I say that as an Atheist, however I believe the celebration should be reflective of it's religious roots and not just an excuse to flog toys for two months. Yes, this is an Aardman animation so it's probably OK but you won't catch me near it. James McAvoy stars with Jim Broadbent, Imelda Staunton and Hugh Laurie.

Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●●●○○○○○

Trespass

Joel Schumacher directed the worst movie I have ever seen in a cinema, no not Batman & Robin which was at least campy and bright but the utterly charmless action flick Bad Company yet I still return time and time again to see if he can top that. Nic's Cage and Kidman look like their having cheesy fun in this hostage in your own home flick so it might just be watchable.

Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●●●○○○○○

Immortals

Tarsem Singh directs this latest foray into Greek Mythology, with the help of the producers of 300. Plenty of flesh in the trailer and an extraordinary visual aesthetic make this one to watch even if we expect the narrative to fall down in the same way Tarsem's previous outings have down. All eyes will be on future Superman Henry Cavill, but the brilliant supporting cast includes famous faces like Mickey Rourke and John Hurt.

Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●●○○○○○○

Awakening

Nothing to do with Sleeping sickness this homegrown horror flick seems to have been trailering for months, and inspite of it's ubiquity I can safely say I have no intention of watching this derivative nonsense - with Rebecca Hall and Imelda Staunton - in a cinema.

Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●○○○○○○○

Rockstar

This Bollywood rom-dram hasn't done much to conceal it's major plot in the title. Unless it turns out to be about India's most famous diamond cutter? I haven't seen the trailer yet so I'm on the edge of my seat about this...

Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●○○○○○○○

Wuthering Heights

Andrea Arnold has taken an awful lots of risks in her unique adaptation of the classic Emily Bronte gothic romance, with the casting of a black actor as Heathcliffe, anachronistic dialogue and a foreboding sense of doom creeping across the moors throughout this won't selling to the bonnet and bodice crowd, but it will make for a fascinating look at the novels themes.

Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●○○○○○○○

Black Pond

British comedy that's getting a very limited release, possibly due to the dark nature of the concept - upper middle class family have to deal with an unexpected corpse - the surrealist trailer - or the not quite interesting enough cast list of Simon Amstell and Chris Langham.

Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●○○○○○○○○

Kill Keith

But hey that's pure genius compared to this utter dross of a sort of Tarantino parody (although really only in the title) which mixes pointless celebrity cameos and on the cheap special effects with jokes that feel old and tired in the trailer let alone in real life.

Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●○○○○○○○○

Susan Kohner

2011-11-11T06:48:00.001Z

Happy Birthday to

Susan Kohner

75 today

Susan has not acted since 1964. By choice she retired, aged just 28, to raise a family. I'm sure her two children, with non Hollywood type John Weitz, count themselves lucky, not just because their parents obviously wanted the very best for them but because their mother chose to turn her back on an exceptionally promising career. Oscar nominated for her role of the light-skinned black girl dealing with prejudice in Douglas Sirk's Imitation of Life she proved she could take an unappealling character and reveal the hidden layers of vulnerability.

Machine Gun Preacher

2011-11-09T15:04:00.003Z

2011. Dir: Marc Forster. Starring: Gerard Butler, Michelle Monaghan, Michael Shannon, Madeline Carroll and Souleymane Sy Savane. ●●○○○

I don't know where to start. There is so much wrong with Hollywood's latest over-simplification of African politics and neo-colonialism, Machine Gun Preacher, that any beginning will reduce the film to a mass of critical detritus. We could castigate the incoherent acting, the dumbed down screenplay or the thud, thud, thud pacing, and yet I feel it justifies a second blob, one for existing (no film ever deserves nothing) and one for trying to raise interesting areas for discussion, even if ultimately it fails to deliver on that promise.

On one level this is a simple sinner to saint story about a Heroin addicted Hell's angel finding God and going to Northern Uganda to build an orphanage to save the children in war-torn Somalia. Indeed I suspect the life story of Sam Childer's, the man who is literally dubbed the machine gun Preacher in West Africa is a fascinating study of redemption and ambition, but here the format is squeezed into a greatest hots montage of his life. We see him get released from jail, get angry because his wife gave up stripping, shoot up, stab a hitchhiker, go to church, get baptised, see a video about Africa, get caught up in a war, and so on. Each little vignette fails to connect with each other, his Christian zeal must come from something but we never understand what drives him to seek forgiveness, it's as if just by telling the story the audience should know how the man progresses to the next chapter of his life.

It's hard to know where the blame for this lies. I'd be tempted to say it's Gerard Butler, who switches to his usual shouty mode very early on in the movie and rarely changes gear - even when crying it's an obscenely angry form of depression. However he's not the only lost in this movie, the usually reliable Monaghan comes across as a mere cypher, failing to illuminated the long-sufffering wife and even Michael Shannon as fellow addict Donnie looks lost for most of the movie.

No I blame the script, which pushes forward into each scene without developing the characters in any meaningful way. I cannot say enough how much I wanted to understand the motivations of Childer's, especially as the presumed guilt and anger at the situation in Somalia begins to tip him towards the kind of violent fundamentalism he initially tries to reject. Not to mention several really horrid lines that completely took me out of the picture - when Childer's talks about keeping guns clean, the boy confessing his history out of the blue, when Paige (Butler's daughter) looking every inch a 15 year old asks Michael Shannon for a goodnight kiss (an incredibly creepy sequence that probably shouldn't have come across like that).

As I said there should have been so much more to this movie. At times the spectre of the Christian right's zealousness is noted, and the White America's colonialist tendencies is hinted at but these themes are never developed, essentially blunting any impact the movie actually may have.

Overall I would have to say this is a dull, missable film. I suggest picking up a copy of a fairly intelligent broadsheet, turning to the international news section and starting the conversation that way.

Personal News (09/11/11)

2011-11-09T06:47:00.003Z

I have been so awfully remiss lately, failing to keep you all up to scratch about the real world of Ben Rigby, although this is mainly because I've been so busy with things I've hardly had a chance to write.

Anyway the point is last night saw the press opening of Lloyd Eyre-Morgan's latest piece, Celluloid.

"Dawn is perceived by the world around her as a role model single mother, an academic medical professional supporting two children. Behind close doors it's a different story, Dawn is breaking down , her life and mental stability crumbles slowly around her as her family unit breaks down. Her therapist Dave is on hand to help, however is something more sinister at work, is he the cause of her mental breakdown?
Dawn's 15 year old son Joshua for years has escaped his family dysfunction by watching the world from behind a camera lens, creating fiction through filming the world around him. Whilst daughter Nicola finds darker alternate methods to escape her mother.
However, through moments from the past captured on celluloid, secrets will be revealed, and remember the camera never lies."

Tickets are available on the door, but they are extremely limited so if you would like to go to see this emotional roller-coaster of a production I suggest you arrive at the Three Minute Theatre, Affleck's, Oldham St., Manchester very early any night this week.

I look forward to seeing you there.

Tuesday Trailers - Moneyball

2011-11-08T15:30:00.000Z

I'll just go right ahead and say the last few weeks of trailers have been a little disappointing, it's strange how November is generally looking like quite a poor month for movie goers, with very films with the potential for hitting it out of the park which leads us nicely onto the last trailer for the month's releases (see what I did there?), a Baseball film that isn't really about Baseball, and possibly the first genuine Best Picture Oscar winner contender for 2011, bring it on.

Moneyball is released on 25 November 2011.

I'm getting to old for this s**t (Film News - 05/11/11)

2011-11-06T15:34:00.009Z

I know, I know, I'm a day late. I would love to heap on the excuses and try to wriggle my way out of responsibility but it can't be done. I simply didn't turn my computer on yesterday (although to be fair I spent most of the day 200 miles away from it) so couldn't post up this weeks moribund news section. Not that we've missed much, the lead story has a title I don't understand and a premise that firmly sets out it's stall for potential audiences (not me it seems), there's the least surprising press call this year and even the monthly IMDb trawl barely uncovered anything. Oh well at least we've got our health, eh?

BZRK

Michael Grant's young adult high concept sci-fi may not be hitting the shelves until 2012 but Sony pictures are so sure of it's success in the lucrative market that optioning the big screen adaptation seems like a no-brainer. Although if you asked me they should wait to see if the novels pick up in the way of Twilight or Hunger Games before dishing out the cash. ALthough on the other hand whilst the books flopping might save them some money the resulting bidding war if the kids love it may be cripplingly expensive.

The plot features too competing factions using nanotechnology to try to control mankind, the first a unfeeling conglomerate headed by co-joined twins Charles and Benjamin (this'll do wonders for societies acceptance of co-joined twins) and their quest to turn mankind into subservient consumers and create a capitalist utopian society. On the other side is the BZRK's, a teenage guerilla army, no doubt representing the 99%, who will stop at anything to prevent this nascent corporate takeover. Including using nanobots that are linked to the lifeforce of the donor/controller in their group.

Of course it's very early days so I wouldn't go raising your hopes for this particular production, although Grant's literary pedigree is succesful enough (the "Gone" series) to suggest he knows his market so maybe this will turn out to be the next Harry Potter?

Read on for wolf pack refugees and why all eyes were on London this week, as well as the latest in casting and production news and the chance to say goodbye to a Hollywood hero.

Untitled Gus van Sant picture

At first this week I thought the world was about to end, that everything I had held dear to was about to be destroyed in a burning apocalypse. Taylor Lautner, him of the rock hard abs and even harder acting style from the Twilight franchise (on the right, you know who I mean), wants a real film acting career - actually with the recent box office disaster that was Abduction any career might be a bonus - and has "hired" Gus van Sant and Dustin Lance Black to mould a vehicle around him based on an as yet unknown New Yorker article. Now I could be putting two and two together and making five but given van Sant and Black are high profile gay film-makers and their last collaboration was homosexual politician biopic Milk so is Lautner about to go gay for pay? Does he really think the critics are so shallow that merely kissing a bloke will get him the plaudits he's so far missed?

Skyfall

So the next Bond movie is called Skyfall, surprise surprise. There was a big press call on Thursday where all the rumours that have circulated about the forthcoming production were confirmed - except for the less action more introspection story which was roundly turned upon. That's it really, a lot of bruhaha about nothing. I still really want to see it though.

Casting News

I am sure I've mentioned this before, but I'm damned if I can find my post on the film, but on the off chance I haven't it's great to see Nicole Kidman sign up to play elephant conservationist Dame Daphne Shledrake in My Wild Life which sound a bit like a pachyderm version of Gorillas in the Mist only with a happier ending. Everyone wants to work with Leonardo DiCaprio so it's no surprise to see him and Sean Penn on Alejandro Gonzalez Inarrittu's revenge western The Revenant, with DiCaprio recovering from a bear mauling and crossing America to demand an apology to Penn for leaving him to die.

The last time Nicole Kidman got involved with an Elephant it was a delightful cocktail, I doubt this will feature the same amount of singing and absinthe.

Production News

Scanning IMDb has been it's usual process of rediscovering titles I thought had disappeared, surprising myself with previous posts that are coming to fruition and the odd new project came to my attention (and make no mistake the only new film is very odd). Resurrected this month is the Swedish crime thriller The Hypnotist, biblical drama Mary, Mother of Christ and Kenneth Grahame biopic Banking on Mr. Toad. On the new movie side we have Alexander Payne's Nebraska (although to be fair that's been drifting along threatening to enter pre-production for years), submarine actioner Hunter Killer - joining Antoine Fuqua's ever expanding to-do list, the Coen Brothers' folk music expose Inside Llewyn Davis (now with added Justin Timberlake), true life murder/siege drama Foxcatcher, sci-fi romance Timeless and Robert De Niro on acerbic comic form in The Comedian.

Monster Butler

Extended from a 2010 short film, Malcolm McDowell will be reprising his role as serial killing servant Roy Fontaine, who murdered 7 employers, acquaintances and relatives in the late 1970's before serving out the rest of his days in prison. Peter (Highlander) Bellwood's script, partly based on Fontaine's own memoires, will probably take in the complex addictions and weaknesses of it's anti-hero as he graduated from petty thievery to more serious crime and found that he couldn't stop once he started. Or it could be exploitative nonsense, we'll see.

McDowell has a spotty filmography but you know he fully commits to eveyr role so he at least should be worth seeing.

Gilbert Cates

Finally this week we were saddened by the passing of Gilbert Cates, veteran director and producer who's early relationship dramas and TV staples will no doubt be passed over for the incredible contribution and consistency he brought to producing the Oscars telecast between 1990 and 2006. Like it or loathe it it's fair to say much of what we recognise in the annual celebration from tinseltown directly stems from Cates' ideas and production values over the last two deacades. He will be missed.

Here's a snippet of I never Sang for My father the 1971 play adaptation that first brought him to the attention of the mainstream.

Sally Field

2011-11-06T06:14:00.000Z

Happy Birthday to

Sally Field

65 today

About 30 years ago Ms Field was one of the biggest stars in Hollywood winning two Oscars within 6 years and drawing crowds to her movies. Then it all went silent for a while, with most of the naughties spent on TV, however now she's back in the mainstream with the next Spiderman movie, as Aunt May no less, and Steven Spielberg's Lincoln both on their way next year. Look out for another nomination at least.