Film Review - Set Fire To The Stars (2014)

Hayao Miyazaki's The Wind Rises Gets A UK Cinema Release Date

 After months of speculation on when Hayao Miyazaki's The Wind Rises will finally arrive in the UK.Today via their Twitter account StudioCanal put British anime fans minds at rest , the anime maestro's Swansong will arrive in UK cinemas on 9th May.

Here's the  the tweet which also gives you a chance to win a steelbook edition of one of the many classic Studio Ghibli blurays they have on offer...

Hayao Miyazaki’s new masterpiece THE WIND RISES to hit UK cinemas on May 9! RT to #win one of these in preparation.. pic.twitter.com/AfL8cgIi5K

— STUDIOCANAL UK (@StudioCanalUK) February 7, 2014

It's been a long frustrating year for fans even critics here in UK since it's release in Japan Summer 2013 it's made it's  way slowly around the world's film festival circuit surprisingly not London Film Festival. Now the date has been set for the arrival of the film  we can finally look forward to some vintage Studio Ghibli most of all

The Wind Rises is inspired by Miyazaki's own personal dreams, the film centres around Jiro a young man inspired to become a aeronautical engineer. The Wind Rises is  the epic tale of love, perseverance, and the challenges of living and making choices in a turbulent world.The film is set in the first half of the 20th Century and will chronicle major events of his life from falling in love right upto Japan entering World War 2 a pivotal event in Jiro's career.

If you missed the  trailer here's another chance to watch it...

Post by The Wind Rises.

The Wind Rises will more likely be released in UK dubbed with Joseph Gordon-Levitt lending his voice to play adult Jiro along with Emily Blunt, Elijah Wood, Many Patinkin, Stanley Tucci, Martin Short, William H Macy even Werner Herzog all lend their voices to the film. Anime fans mark 9th May in your diaries however if you can't wait that long, This Sunday 9th February you can catch the UK premier at Glasgow Youth Film Festival (click on link to book/more info).
source: Yahoo UK

Is Frodo Stalking Girls Again? Watch the Trailer For Nacho Vigalondo's Open Windows

Elijah Wood's not had the best times with the female population ever since he destroyed the one ring to rule them all. If you go by his last film he loved scalps of pretty females in Maniac but in Nacho Vigalondo's Open Windows is he the enemy or simply a superfan dragged into something sinister? Watch trailer and find out!

Open Windows stars Wood as superfan Nick obsessed with actress Jill (Sasha Grey) the most exciting actress of the moment and the webmaster of a website dedicated to her. After winning a chance to meet his idol in person Nick is contacted by Chord (Neil Maskell)who says he's captured Jill and Nick can watch her every move on his webcam. Nick now finds himself intertwined in a situation if he doesn't comply Jill will die.

The gimmick of Open Windows is a tricky one especially as a lot of the film is played out on computer screens as well as real time which makes the film a little generic. This is Vigalondo's first English language and he is a talented director so we have faith he can pull this one off in a entertainment way. What will drive the curiousity is the fact after the directors two previous films Time Crimes (time travelling) and Extraterrestrial (rom-sci-fi, Open Windows feet are firmly grounded in reality.



No date has been confirmed for release UK or USA, expect possibly 2014.

source: The Filmstage

Frodo Wants You To Watch The Precious, New UK Maniac Trailer

In 2001 Elijah Wood started on the long road to destroy the precious 12 years on Frodo does seem have eyes on the precious but its not the one ring to rule them all but woman's scalps, behold the UK trailer for Maniac.

Franck Khalfoun directs remake  of the 1981 William Lustig cult horror classic which sees Wood give up his big hairy hobbit feet for a knife to play Frank a disturbed Mannequin shop owner whose life was controlled and destroyed by his abusive mother. Thanks to that upbringing he finds himself killing women for their scalps!

If your a fan of  co-writer Alexander Aja's films you will certainly enjoy the style and gore of Maniac. The film seems to be a homage to the slasher films of the era with camera shots, lighting even the synth style score given the film an extra dimension of dread and authenticity. The previous trailers have fallen into the 'let's reveal all the film in the trailer' category thankfully UK trailer doesn't spoil the broth but focuses on Frank's psychotic side.

Elijah Wood has proven with Sin City he can play the disturbed unnerving parts  but can say Maniac will be his darkest most unsettling role to date. Maniac has been released in some non-English speaking parts of the world receiving mixed reviews thankfully the film is creeping into English speaking areas delivering more positive reviews and Maniac looking like a solid noir-esque remake.Whatever you do ladies don't fall for those big innocent eyes of Frodo Baggins as it'll be the last eyes you see!

Maniac will be released in UK on 15th March, no USA date confirmed but expect it later this year. The film also co-stars America Olivo and Nora Arnezeder

Synopsis:

Just when the downtown Los Angeles streets seemed safe, a serial killer with a fetish for scalps is back on the hunt. Frank is the withdrawn owner of a mannequin store, but his life changes when young artist Anna appears asking for his help with her new photo exhibition. As their friendship develops and Frank’s obsession escalates, it becomes clear she has unleashed a long-repressed compulsion to stalk and kill.

source:Thepeoplesmovies

Itchy Scalp? Frodo Will Help You! In New Red Band Maniac Trailer!

Frightfest 2012:Maniac Review

After helming remakes of The Hills Have Eyes and Piranha, the gang behind the “trapped in a parking lot with a psycho” film P2 reunite for yet another remake of a 70s horror movie, this time the notorious video nasty starring Joe Spinell and directed by William Lustig - Maniac. Only this time it’s Frodo’s turn to go on a homicidal trip! Yes, everyone’s favourite hobbit Elijah Wood steps into the shoes of Joe Spinell as the deranged Frank, owner of a quasi-abandoned mannequin store and all-round creepy dude who, to the outside world, seems like a typical loner. However Frank has issues, lots of them – migraines, hallucinations, strange OCD-like compulsions – this is a man who is for all intents and purposes completely deranged. Stepping into Franks world is Anna (Arnezeder) a French photographer who wants to use Frank’s restored mannequins as part of her fine arts exhibit… As sleazy as the film that inspired it, this iteration of Maniac takes the story and key set pieces from the original (minus the stunning shotgun death) and re-locates the action to Los Angeles, with the cities seedy back alleys and unkept streets as a backdrop for Frank’s exploits. And whilst the core idea of Frank scalping his victims remains the same and is just as graphic as William Lustig film, director Franck Khalfoun adds a first person perspective to the action which is not only a bold choice and a superb technical achievement, but it’s also one that makes this version of Maniac much much troubling than the original. Whereas 1980′s Maniac had a chubby, pot-marked, sleazeball as a lead, this version has Elijah Wood who makes for a much more convincing “love interest” for Anna. However the real star of the film is the audience. By shooting the film from Frank’s POV and only showing the character in reflections, Khalfoun makes the audience identify with Frank and make them complicit in his crimes. Which is bound to disturb some, and (wrongly) excite others; and unlike many modern horrors, the film lingers on the violence a la Fulci’s The New York Ripper – hence the rumoured four minutes of cuts to the film for the official UK release. However despite the technical innovation and the stylish Drive-like soundtrack, Maniac still feels very much like it’s treading the same water as the original, offering nothing new beyond the POV format and in the end left me feeling nothing but ambivalence towards it… This was a review by Phil From Blogomatic 3000 Rating:18 Release Date: 26th August 2012 (Frightfest) Directed by:Franck Khalfoun Cast:Elijah Wood, Nora Arnezeder, Liane Balaban, America Olivo