Possession Blu-Ray Review

Rating: 18
BD Release Date:
29th July 2013 (UK)
Director:
Andrzej Zulawski
Cast:
Isabelle Adjani, Sam Neill, Margit Carstensen
Buy: [Blu-ray]


Possession is a film directed by noted Polish director Andrzej Żuławski. He worked as a assistant to Andrzej Wajda before he started directing his own film in the early 70s. He eventually moved to France after his 2nd film The Devil was banned in his native Poland. Possession came at the start of the 80s when Foreign films were finding an audience in the UK and US but was shot in English.

Possession is very possibly the oddest film I’ve ever seen and that’s saying something. The film recently has been compared to Lars Von Trier’s Antichrist by some critics most notably Mark Kermode. Both films deal with a total disintergation of a marriage and in both films take a suddenly surreal turn but even more so in Possession.

Mark (Sam Neill) is a spy and returns from a mission and his wife Anna (Isabelle Adjani) demands a divorce. She insists it is not because she is cheating on him but won’t explain her reasons to her huspand. Mark rather stay but agrees to turn the apartment and custody of kid over. He starts going mad in the process. He comes and visits the apartment and discovers she is neglecting the care of their son Bob. He decides to stay and care for the son.

He finds out she has a lover called Heinrich. He soons meets his son’s teacher who looks exactly like his wife (also played by Adjani) and is a nice and calm unlike his crazy wife. She eventually disappears off his radar so he wants to find her wherabouts and hires a PI. The film from this point takes a even more bizarre turn involving tentacled sex, gay lovers, milk bottles, body parts, murder and finally a possible apocalypse.

The performances from the 2 leads are extremely raw and times insanely over the top (Sam Neill especially). Isabelle Adjani won best actress for her role in the film (along with her role in Quartet) and she gives the kind of performance Shelley Duvall should have given in The Shining. The film boosts the most bizarre sex scene in the history of cinema involving Isabelle and a tentacled humanoid, that really needs to be see to be believed. The film has this truly unrelenting feel of disintergating, madness and fear that is very full on.

It’s a truly unique work that I will not forget anytime soon. I’m not sure it’s something I’m gonna pull out anytime but I’m happy I’ve experienced it. It’s being re-released on blu-ray by Second Sight (it was previously out on dvd). It also funnily it comes out right after their release of The Brood which also deals with divorce in a “horror setting” but not remotely as successful. It also includes as usual with Second Sight numerous special features such as an hour documentary on the making of, interviews, comparision of the UK and US reception, commentaries etc.

★★★★☆

Ian Schultz

Who Would You Seduce For Chocolate? Watch First Clip From Lars Von Trier Nymphomaniac

How many can you seduce? It’s the situation 2 young pretty girls find themselves in, but what will convince you to find out? Some chocolate candy sweets! Don’t despair if your a chocoholic as there’s easier ways to get your fix just watch the first clip from Lars Von Trier‘s Nymphomaniac.

Exclusively released by The Guardian newspaper the first clip from Von Trier’s sex odyssey sees this sees young Joe (Stacy Martin) and her friend B (Sophie Kennedy Clark) daring each other see which boys the can have sex with. The clip shows clearly Joe is the more eager to get the prize been she is whom the film is based around and this been a film from Von Trier it makes you wonder if the ‘Chocolate sweets’ do have another meaning? The clip fulfills the visual palette with trademark Von Trier weirdness, it’s also a little tame though there’s no glimpses of computerized schlongs or body doubles here more the sexual curiosity of young girls.

Split into 2 films spread over 8 chapters Nymphomaniac tells the tale of Joe a self diagnosed sex addict Joe (Charlotte Gainsbourg) who retells her life story after been saved by an charming older man (Stellan Skarsgard). Will it be sexually explicit as Shia LeBeouf raved about or simply a film insanely hyped?



Nymphomaniac doesn’t have a official UK release date just yet but expect late 2013 if not early 2014. The film also stars Jamie Bell, Connie Nielsen, Christian Slater, Uma Thurman, Willem Dafoe, Jean-Marc Barr, and Udo Kier.

source:Guardian via The Peoples's Movies

EIFF 2013 - Frances Ha Review

Rating:
15
Release:
21-22 June (EIFF) 26th July 2013 (UK Cinema)
Director:
Noah Baumbach
Stars:
Greta Gerwig,
Mickey Sumner,
Adam Driver

Chances are the most charming film you will see at this year's Edinburgh International Film Festival is Noah Baumbach's Frances Ha. The feature sees him team up with Greta Gerwig in what serves as a love letter to New York and an amusing glimpse at the crossroads in life that many twentysomethings will undoubtedly find themselves at.

Frances is an amusingly awkward young woman (who her friend dubs 'undateable') drifting between her student-like lifestyle and ever approaching adult responsibilities.

Baumbatch's feature has a real sense of authenticity and addresses issues that many young people will undoubtedly feel after moving on from years of studying. We see Frances' best friend move into a serious relationship, her struggle to make her career as a dancer work out, and her failure to connect with adults. These are showcased through Gerwig and Baumbatch's smart screenplay and Gerwig's immediately likeable and rich performance. Whilst it does have a tendency to drift Frances Ha ultimately works because Frances is a character that simply finds herself drifting through life.

There's a great self-awareness to Frances Ha - it is clear that she is incredibly awkward (hilariously showcased on one scene where she attempts to play fights with someone who does not get her) - yet this is what makes her such a fascinating and undeniably watchable protagonist. There is something admirable about such a lost and aimless character in today's nine-to-five society, but she is also one driven by fun and expression. Gerwig packs her performance with a slight sensitivity and manages to craft a sense of sympathy in a role that may have lacked it in an another actor's hands.

The setting of New York and black and white style immediately echoes the charm of Woody Allen's earlier features, whilst Baumbach appears inspired from the likes of the French New Wave to Lena Dunham's Girls. Baumbach's soft, intimate direction crafts a delicate sense of breezy light-heartedness which makes Frances Ha a very absorbing watch.

Frances Ha's charming aesthetic and amusing yet sympathetic narrative and characters results in a stellar concoction, perfectly channelled through Gerwig's pitch perfect leading performance. Frances Ha is a film viewers will be unlikely to forget.

★★★★☆

Andrew McArthur

Much Ado About Nothing Review

Firefly creator Joss Whedon takes on Shakespeare in his latest cinematic release; adapting the Bard’s comedy Much Ado About Nothing – which follows two couples in the time leading up to their marriages, while others scheme to thwart their happiness.

As with Baz Luhrmann’s Romeo and Juliet, Whedon’s film makes use of Shakespeare’s original dialect. However unlike that previous work, Much Ado About Nothing  is not so much set in a strictly modern period; instead exuding a timeless that is not representative of one particular era. This is in part due to the film having been shot in black and white – a factor that Whedon notes was due to a limited budget in addition to its aesthetic value.

The cast are assembled mainly from actors whom the director has worked with on previous projects, including Amy Acker, Alexis Denisof and Nathan Fillion. All are excellent in their roles, and manage the source material very capably; particularly Clark Gregg (The Avenger’s Agent Coulson), performing his comedic turn effortlessly.

Much Ado About Nothing translates to the big screen in such capable hands, with Shakespeare’s humour and Whedon’s wit an appropriate pairing. While this will not appeal to the majority of film audiences, it will undoubtedly please fans of both writers, past and present, and it is good to see that Whedon’s creativity has not floundered following his recent successes. A worthy homage.

★★★★☆

Sophie Stephenson

Rating: 12A
Release Date: 14th June 2013 (UK)
Director: Joss Whedon
Cast: Amy Acker, Alexis Denisof, Fran Kranz, Nathan Fillion, Clark Gregg

Summer In February Review

Rating: 15
Release Date: 14th June 2013 (UK)
Director: Christopher Menaul
Cast: Dominic Cooper, Emily Browning, Dan Stevens

Set against the idyllic backdrop of the Cornish coast, Summer in February is a haunting true tale of love and betrayal amongst a group of bohemian artists during the beginning of the 20th Century. Dominic Cooper stars as Alfred Munnings, the artist famed for his outspoken stance against modernism, and Emily Browning is Florence Carter-Woods, an aspiring artist whose introduction to the group sparks an interest from more than one viable suitor. Alongside the land owner responsible for the estate - Gilbert Evans, who is played by Dan Stevens - the trio form a tumultuous love triangle and friendships are tested to the limit as their passion for art soon becomes second to their desire for romance.

From the outset it is never too clear which direction the story will follow; as a biography focusing on Alfred Munnings the picture is considerably lacking in back story, and the audience are not provided with a full picture of what appears to be an intriguing character, with is a shame as Cooper's charismatic performance is a highlight of the film. The character of Florence is also not fleshed out enough for the audience to empathise with her, despite Browning's best attempts at bringing depth to the role which unfortunately lacks any real emotional impact.

Director Christopher Menaul does make great use of the beautiful Cornish scenery, with a number of scenes taking place amongst the luscious green woods and the inviting waters of the coastline, as Alfred paints portraits of a number of ladies who make his acquaintance, much to the frustration of Florence. It would seem that the reliable and trustworthy Gilbert would make the perfect partner for her but she eventually succumbs to the advances of Alfred, with his cheeky rogue persona weighing in his favour. The inevitable heartbreak hits the lovelorn Gilbert more than once and the story told throughout Summer in February is at times touching in its raw portrayal of romance and devotion, but could have had a greater impact if more time was invested in portraying the character's motives.

A number of characters are honoured with a small epilogue even though their appearances throughout Summer in February have little impact on the story. It is always interesting for factually based films to extend the story prior to the credits but only when this adds to characters that the audience develop an affection for, and most within Chirstopher Menaul's period piece do not have the required screentime for an emotional connection to take hold.

As a period romance, Summer in February will inevitably please fans of the genre, although those hoping for a more detailed character study of the Edwardian artists residing at the Cornish colony may be slightly disappointed. A fine diversion, but ultimately a forgettable one, Summer in February would be more suited for a primetime Saturday television slot than a trip to the cinema.

★★★☆☆

Tom Bielby

Film's Best Priests (To The Wonder Feature)

To celebrate the release of TO THE WONDER DVD &Blu-ray release on 17 June, we take a look at cinema’s best portrayals of priests in film, starting with Javier Bardem as Father Quintana in Terrence Malick’s poetic meditation on love, doubt and conflict.

Javier Bardem in To the Wonder
In To the Wonder, Father Quintana (Javier Bardem) is battling a crisis of faith and provides solace to Marina (Olga Kurylenko), whose relationship with Neil (Ben Affleck) has become strained. Quintana’s self doubt and internal conflict also provides a parallel to Neil’s turmoil. Bardem provides a touching performance that creates a deeply reflective mood.


Anthony Perkins in Catch-22
With a fantastic cast (Martin Sheen, Jon Voight, Alan Arkin, and Anthony Perkins as Chaplain Captain A.T. Tappman) and funny plot, this War-time comedy, Catch 22, follows the story of a set of men entangled in the Vietnam war. It fast becomes more about the hilarious shenanigans, such as a captain trying to escape the war by feigning insanity, while others have actually descended into madness, and the troops’ supplies are sold for profit! Chaplain Tappman attempts to make sense of things amongst all the absurdity.


Pat O’Brien in Angels with Dirty Faces
Angels with Dirty Faces presents the tale of two childhood friends growing up in a tough neighbourhood – one becomes a gangster, Rocky (James Cagney), the other, Jerry (Pat O’Brien), becomes a priest. Father Jerry helps guide kids who must endure a hard life in a crime-ridden neighbourhood and choose between crime and living straight – much like the decision he and Rocky had to make.


Max von Sydow in The Exorcist
In William Friedkin's classic chilling horror, The Exorcist (1973), Father Merrin (Max von Sydow) performs the ultimate act by evicting Satan from little Regan’s (Linda Blair) soul with courage and conviction. Despite the terrifying prospect of battling Satan, Father Merrin, remains resolute in his battle with the devil and dies in his attempt to purify her soul, while his fellow priest Karras sacrifices his life to rid the demon. The purging scene is perhaps one of film’s most memorable and famous scenes of all time.


Robert de Niro in Sleepers
The legendary Robert de Niro takes on the role of priest in Sleepers, and delivers a superb performance as a protective, truly fatherly character to several local boys who look upon him for emotional support and guidance. Amongst a phenomenal cast, from Dustin Hoffman, Kevin Bacon, to Brad Pitt, De Niro leads the pack in this crime thriller providing a strong role throughout.

Tinto Brass' All Ladies Do It / The Key Blu-Ray Review

Watching the films of Tinto Brass is an ultimately disappointing experience. All Ladies Do It (1992) starring Claudia Koll and Paolo Lanza and The Key (1983) with Frank Finlay and Stefania Sandrelli, both recently released by Arrow Films on special dual format Blu-ray and dvd, showcase perfectly what was wrong with his work. Clearly a gifted filmmaker (his artistic inclinations come from the influence of his grandfather, renowned Gorizian painter Italico Brass), his talent was wasted on pornography - though he likes to class his films as erotic which he sees as different, but which really amount to one and the same.

In All Ladies Do It, loosely based on Mozart's opera Così fan tutti (of which the film's title is a direct translation), Diana (Koll) is happily married to Paolo (Lanza). Unfortunately Diana's sexual appetites are stronger than those of Paolo and unable to get satisfaction from him, she sets out on a voyage of self discovery and fulfilment much to her husband's anger and humiliation.

The Key, Brass's first film since his notorious masterpiece Caligula (1979), follows Nino (Finlay) as a man who fears loosing the love of his wife, the beautiful Teresa (Sandrelli), because of his inability to satisfy her sexually. To 'spice' things up he takes erotic photographs of Teresa then arranges for her to have an affair with the young man Laszlo (Franco Branciaroli) who develops the images. In the meantime Nino follows the progress of Teresa and Laszlo's blossoming relationship by reading her diary, fully aware that she in turn is reading his ......

Pornography is a strange subject. What turns on one person sexually may leave another positively frigid, and vice versa. There is a fine line between what can be seen as artistic (i.e. erotic) and simple, straightforward pornography, which is more or less sex for the sake of it. A naked woman in a top shelf 'lad's mag' is seen as degrading and pornographic. Take the same naked woman, a celebrity photographer and a decadent setting, publish the resulting photograph in a high-end fashion magazine and hey-presto you have art.

Which is in actual fact a good summation of Brass's work, where stunning Venetian locations, dreamy artisan interiors and melodic scores by composers like Ennio Morricone, strive to lend his films an air of bohemian acceptability. All Ladies Do It in particular has scenes which look like they were lifted straight from the pages of a late 1980's issue of British Vogue, with the character of Diana running through the rain lashed alleyways of Venice in sharply cut suits and jauntily angled, picture hats.

However any in-depth study of the deeper content and meaning of these films is, on the whole, unnecessary as, when stripped bare, their story-lines clearly exist purely to link various scenes centring around the often sordid sexual proclivities of the individuals involved. Instead, if you really feel the need to watch the films of Brass (purely as an academic exercise in order to broaden your experience of the overall, cinematic oeuvre), then they should be taken purely on their visual merits and quickly crossed off the your 'to experience' list. The interiors for the films evocatively capture the eras in which they are both set - a heavy 1940's wartime mustiness for The Key, highlighted by the complete opposite in the austere, almost clinical late 1980's / early 90's air of All Ladies Do It. These, along with the otherworldliness of the Venice exteriors, form a perfect backdrop against which to show the sexual shenanigans of a group of characters with whom the audience feel little connection, neither sympathetic or otherwise - one can't escape the sense that the cast are there simply to perform a sexual function with, despite their best efforts, little emotion involved.

Ultimately, if you feel the need to watch Brass's films, they should be approached in the same way as most pornographic material - briefly 'stimulating' when they last, but providing little in the way of a deep or meaningful experience.

★★☆☆☆

Cleaver Patterson

All Ladies Do it
Rating: 18
DVD/BD Release Date: 20th May 2013 (UK)
Director:Tinto Brass
Cast: Claudia Koll,Paolo Lanza, Franco Branciaroli, Ornella Marcucci

Buy: All Ladies Do It [Blu-ray]



The Key
Rating: 18
DVD/BD Release Date: 20th May 2013 (UK)
Director:Tinto Brass
Cast: Stefania Sandrelli, Frank Finlay,Franco Branciaroli, Barbara Cupisti
Buy:The Key [Blu-ray]

Power Is The Best Alibi Arbitrage Getting UK July Home Release

In a role which earned him a Golden Globe nomination, Richard Gere plays a man beyond redemption in Nicholas Jarecki’s blistering thriller Arbitrage, available on Blu-ray and DVD on 15^th July, 2013 courtesy of Koch Media.

When we first meet New York hedge-fund magnate Robert Miller (Richard Gere – An Officer And A Gentleman, Pretty Woman) he appears the very portrait of success in American business and family life. However, behind the gilded walls of his mansion Miller is in over his head, desperately trying to conceal an affair with French artist Julie Cote (Laetitia Casta - Gainsbourg) whilst racing to complete the sale of his trading empire to a major bank before his fraudulent dealings are revealed. When a tragic accident complicates things further, attracting the unwanted attention of NYPD detective Michael Bryer (Tim Roth – TV’s Lie To Me, Pulp Fiction), and the net tightens around him Miller realises that the suspicions of not just the police but also his loyal wife (Susan Sarandon – Robot & Frank, Dead Man Walking) and heir-apparent (Brit Marling – Sound Of My Voice, Another Earth) have been aroused. With time running out, Miller finds himself battling not just for his reputation but also his life.

Slick, smart and genuinely gripping, Arbitrage is a suspense-packed game of cat and mouse. With a classy cast comprising some of Hollywood’s most glittering stars in a timely and gripping thriller, Arbitrage is one of this summer’s most essential Blu-ray and DVD releases.


Special Features (BD)

• ·         Feature Commentary
• ·         Deleted Scenes (with commentary)
• ·         Featurettes:

-       Who is Robert Miller?
-       A Glimpse Into Arbitrage

Special Features (DVD)

• ·         Feature commentary

Pre-order/buy Arbitrage on DVD or Blu-ray :DVD / Blu-ray

Andrzej Zulawski's Possession To Debut On Blu-Ray In UK This July

A horror film like no other, Possession, directed by Andrzej Zulawski, is an intense shocking experience that was originally banned in the UK on the notorious 'Video Nasties' list. Now this hugely controversial film makes its long-awaited Blu-ray debut courtesy of Second Sight Films.

Possession was nominated for a BAFTA and the Palme d'Or and stars Isabelle Adjani (Subway, La Reine Margot), who's astonishing performance earned her Best Actress awards at the Cannes Film Festival and the French Cesars alongside Sam Neill (Jurassic Park, Omen III - The Final Conflict). The film features stunning special effects by Carlo Rambaldi (Alien, E.T) and comes to Blu-ray with an amazing array of bonus features on 29 July 2013.

With their marriage in tatters Anna (Adjani) and Mark's (Neill) tense relationship has become a psychotic descent into screaming matches, violence and self-mutilation. Believing his wife's only lover is the sinister Heinrich, Mark is unaware of the diabolical, tentacled creature that Anna has embarked on an affair with. The unhinged woman visits her monstrous lover in a deserted Berlin apartment and will stop at nothing to protect him.

''An unsung masterpiece...the film that prefigures everything that's in Antichrist'- Mark Kermode

Special features:

• THE OTHER SIDE OF THE WALL - THE MAKING OF POSSESSION
• AUDIO COMMENTARY WITH DIRECTOR ANDRZEJ ZULAWSKI
• AUDIO COMMENTARY WITH CO-WRITER FREDERIC TUTEN
• ANDRZEJ ZULAWSKI INTERVIEW
• REPOSSESSED - The film's UK and US reception, the 'video nasties- furore and the US recut
• A DIVIDED CITY - Interview with the composer Andrzej Korzynski
• OUR FRIEND IN THE WEST - Interview with legendary producer Christian Ferry
• BASHA - featurette on the artist who created the famed film poster
• THEATRICAL TRAILER

Theorem (Teorema) Blu-Ray Review

Theorem is very important film in Pier Paolo Pasolini’s career in many different ways. It was the first time he had worked with primarily with professional actors (and international actors), first film he did with dealt explicitly with homosexuality and the influence of Luis Buñuel was evident.

Theorem is about a mysterious visitor (played by Terrence Stamp) who appears in the lives of an Italian bourgeois family. He has sexual affairs with all of family… the religious maid, the son, the sexually repressed mother, the daughter and lastly the father. The first half of the film is basically that but about half way thought the film he disappears as mysteriously as he appears. The rest of film is about what happens to the family and how the live their lives after the visitor have touched them in some way.

The film is quite clearly about divine intervention and Terrence Stamp is clearly playing a angel of some kind. Curiously the film was given a special award by the International Catholic Film Office at the Venice Film Festival but was quickly withdrawn when the Vatican protested for obviously reasons. The film has long been talked about because of the ambiguousness of the film. It has been interpreted as statement as a disgust at bourgeois society and the emergence of consumerism in Italian Society. Other interpretations are it’s both a critique of bourgeois society and the working class maid and Pasolini’s other struggle with his homosexuality.

It’s a fascinating film from one of Cinema’s great enigma’s Pasolini who was of course brutally murdered soon after the release of his still shocking Salo. He worked in neo-realism, films based on mythology, surrealism, and social satire and often in the same film. He was full of many contractions but his body of work is one of the most fascinating in post-war European cinema.

★★★★☆

Ian Schultz

Rating: 15
DVD/BD Release Date: 27th May 2013 (UK)
Director: Pier Paolo Pasolini
Cast: Terence Stamp, Massimo Girotti, Anne Wiazemsky, Silvana Mangano

Buy: Theorem (DVD + Blu-ray)

Chronicle Of A Summer Blu-Ray Review

Made during the summer of 1960 by anthropologist filmmaker Jean Rouch and sociologist Edgar Morin, Chronicle of a Summer set out to record the everyday lives of a diverse array of Parisians through an highly influential approach to documentary filmmaking that made use of an original mixture of intimate interviews, debates, and observation.

The idea for the film arose when Rouch and Morin served as members of the jury for the first International Festival of Ethnographic Film in Florence, 1959. Rouch remembers Morin approaching him with the following question: “You have made all your films abroad; do you know anything about contemporary France?” Morin then proposed that Rouch should move away from his devotion to African rituals and customs and instead turn his gaze onto the Parisians “and do anthropological research about my own tribe.”

The film hinged on a simple theme: ‘How do you live?’ For Morin, this was a question that “should encompass not only the way of life (housing, work) but also ‘How do you manage in life?’ and
'What do you do with your life?’” These questions were tackled through the film’s redefined approach to the documentary form which was, as the opening voice-over announces, “made without actors but lived by men and women who devoted some of their time to a novel experiment of film-truth’,” or, as it is more commonly known, cinéma vérité.

The film’s interviews, debates, and observations reveal many fascinating insights into Parisian society at the onset of the 1960s. We witness factory workers and mechanics who talk about the oppressive nature of daily work and life; with one interviewee evoking the words of Albert Camus as read in his The Myth of Sisyphus. Then there are the debates surrounding the independence wars in Algeria and Congo which situate the film within discussions of racism and decolonisation.

More recently, Chronicle of a Summer has been read by Richard Brody as “one of the greatest, and perhaps the primordial, Holocaust film.” This interpretation of Rouch and Morin’s documentary as a ‘Holocaust film’ can be seen in the story of Marceline. We are first introduced to Marceline at the beginning of the film; first as an interviewee for the filmmakers’ as they make a first attempt at their experimental documentary technique, and then as an interviewer asking random passers-by: “Are you happy?” It isn’t until much later in the film that the numbered tattoo on her arm is revealed.

Immediately after the revelation that Marceline was a Holocaust survivor, the film presents us with its most intense, haunting, beautiful, and powerful scene. Marceline walks along an almost deserted Place de la Concorde, reminiscing about her experience of the Occupation. Far from making this film one about the Holocaust, what this scene demonstrates is a direct link between the legacy of the Second World War and France’s position as a colonial power clinging onto its territories during a time of decolonisation.

As this review as shown, it is often the filmmakers themselves who can provide the best analysis of their film. So I will end this piece on the excellent Chronicle of a Summer with two quotes by Morin. The first quote relates to the films questioning of how much reality and truth is presented in documentary filmmaking: “I thought we would start from a basis of truth and that an even greater truth would develop. Now I realise that if we achieved anything, it was to present the problem of truth.”

The final quote is taken from the films end in which Rouch and Morin pace up and down the Musée de l’Homme before Morin states: “We wanted to make a film about love, but it turns out to be about indifference.”

★★★★½

Shane James

Rating: 12
DVD/BD Release Date: 27th May 2013 (UK)
Director: Edgar Morin, Jean Rouch
Cast: Marceline Loridan Ivens, Landry, Régis Debray

Buy: Chronicle of a Summer (DVD + Blu-ray)

John Cassavetes' Opening Night Blu-Ray Review

Opening Night is the latest John Cassavetes film BFI being re-released on a dual format blu-ray/dvd combo. They started they’re reissues back in April 2012 with the landmark films Shadows and Faces (which I just picked up the other day). One of the very first reviews I did for the people’s movies / cinehouse was Shadows which to this day remains my favourite Cassavetes directorial effort.

Opening Night is a later Cassavetes film in that golden period of American cinema known as the New Hollywood of the 1970s. Cassavetes was one of the first truly independent American directors of feature films (sometime mistaken as the first but Sam Fuller was a decade before). John would act or sometimes direct Hollywood films so he could fund (and distribute) his more personal improvisational melodramas. John Sayles would later do a similar thing but in that case screenwriting.

Opening Night is very much A Woman Under the Influence (one of Cassavetes’ best films and most well known) goes Broadway. Like A Woman Under the Influence it’s stars John Cassavetes’ real life wife Gena Rowlands who plays the central character Myrtle Gordon, a actress who is rehearsing for her latest play. The play is about a woman unable to admit she is aging and it has many parallels to her own mid-life crisis. Myrtle witnesses a young woman who gets killed after trying to meet her after a preview of the play and this deeply troubles her and she feels responsible for her death. Her feelings of guilt start to interfere with her professional work but she also has a serious drinking problem as well. The film deals with her very complicated relationships with the stage director (played by frequent Cassavetes collaborator Ben Gazzara) producer, fellow actors (including one played by John Cassavetes) etc. She also starts having hallucinations of the dead girl near the end of the film, which reminds you of Black Swan, a similar themed film about the parallels of a stage life and personal life and the eventual merging of the 2.

Like many of Cassavetes films he could certain use with some reigning in during the editing process (many of his films have went though many cuts and released and then withdrawn and re-released) and the film suffers from many way too long. It’s round the 2 hour and 30 minute mark with many scenes of the play wasting the running time and being pretty obvious with it’s parallels with Myrtle’s life. Cassavetes was first and foremost an actor and all his films are very much actor’s pieces and he is great and bringing out great performances but they can become too actory and stagey (most evident in this film for obvious reasons). Cassavetes has always struggled with pacing in his films and this is no exception but it has a great performance by Gena Rowlands. I would recommend seeing A Woman Under the Influence before you see this, which is the superior film and performance.

★★★½☆

Ian Schultz

DVD/BD Release Date:27th May 2013 (UK)
Director: John Cassavetes
Cast:John Cassavetes, Gena Rowlands, Ben Gazzara, Joan Blondell

Buy: Opening Night (DVD & Blu-ray)

Download The Summer Edition of The Big Picture Magazine

The Big Picture is one of the best independent film magazines and its fantastic they are making new issues after a short spell out. The Big Picture is a fantastic visually dynamic film magazine provides an original take on the cinematic experience delivering great articles and features through it's visual power rather than wall to wall text.

The Summer 2013 issue is now available the theme of the new issue is 'Escape' with a varied selection of movies that all feature escapes – physical, emotional and spiritual - as their driving narrative force.

Along with the roundup of regular sections, features include an interview with Belgian illustrator and film-poster creator Laurent Durieux, a look at Charlie's Golden Ticket in Willy Wonka &The Chocolate Factory as an evocative cinematic object, a location focus on Marseilles and 1000 words on the lasting legacy of James Williamson's seminal 1901 film Fire!.

Print copies of the magazine will be circulated around arthouse and independent cinemas in the UK, USA and China in the next couple of weeks. Click on the link below for a direct download of the new issue.

Download The Big Picture Magazine Issue 20 Here

Cannes 2013: Lars Von Trier's Nymphomaniac To Use Body Doubles, Film Gets December Release

Terrence Malick's To The Wonder Wondering Onto DVD And Blu-Ray This June

Studiocanal have announced an June release of Terrence Malick's To The Wonder on DVD, BluRay on 17th June 2013.

TO THE WONDER is the beautiful and acclaimed latest offering from Terrence Malick, the legendary director of The Tree of Life, Badlands and Days of Heaven.

The film is centred on Neil (Ben Affleck, Argo), a man who is torn between two loves: Marina (Olga Kurylenko, Quantum of Solace), the European woman who comes to United States to be with him, and Jane (Rachel McAdams, Midnight in Paris), the old flame he reconnects with from his hometown. Neil’s doubts about his life and loves are reflected in the crisis of faith experienced by Father Quintana (Javier Bardem, Skyfall), who only sees pain and the loss of hope in the world.

Academy Award nominated Director, Terrence Malick is renowned for making brilliant and unique films using unconventional methods, and TO THE WONDER is no different. Here Malick explores how love and its many phases and seasons – passion, sympathy, obligation, sorrow, indecision – can transform, destroy and reinvent lives.

TO THE WONDER is the third collaboration between Terrence Malick and director of photography Emmanuel Lubezki, after The New World and The Tree of Life.



DVD & Blu-ray Extras: Making of, UK exclusive Interview with Olga Kurylenko

Pre-order/Buy To The Wonder: DVD / Blu-ray

Watch First Trailer To Richard Linklater's Before Midnight

Greece is the word, no not another Grease film but the location of a big reunion as Richard Linklater reunites with Ethan Hawke, Julie Delpy for Before Midnight now watch the trailer!

After the success of Before Sunrise, Before Sunset Jesse and Celine return which sees the now married couple head to Greece on holiday 20 years after the first time they met on a train inbound to Vienna. The pair now with children, in their middle age attempting to handle the challenges life throws in front of them whilst struggling to keep the romantic spark between them alive.

I've never seen the first 2 films however you could say jokingly this is could be 'This Is 40' but don't take that as a guide in what this film is all about as this is arthouse not comedy.Before Midnight has plenty of charm, a film that will please fans of Woody Allen, plenty of dialogue, humour, romance.If your worried  about the quality of the film, you just have to look back to this years Sundance Film Festival put your mind at rest as the reviews where nothing but superb, so check out the trailer now!

Synopsis
In Before Midnight, we meet Celine and Jesse 9 years on. Almost 2 decades have passed since that first meeting on a train bound for Vienna, and we now find them in their early 40′s in Greece. Before the clock strikes midnight, we will again become part of their story.

Before Midnight is out in UK&Ireland 20th June (USA 24th May)

Source: Yahoo

BBC To Premiere Ralph Fiennes Coriolanus This April

BBC 2 will premiere Ralph Fiennes’ BAFTA nominated contemporary version of William Shakespeare’s political thriller, CORIOLANUS, on Saturday 6th April at 21:45, which will also be simulcast on BBC HD.

Produced by BBC Films withRalph Fiennes directing and stars alongside Vanessa Redgrave, Gerard Butler, Jessica Chastain, Brian Cox and James Nesbitt. CORIOLANUS is a tense and timeless thriller of power broking, political manipulation and the arguments and prejudices of opposing social extremes, set against a backdrop of a republic caught up in a long and bitter war.

Caius Martius ‘Coriolanus’ (Ralph Fiennes), a revered and feared Roman General is at odds with the city of Rome and his fellow citizens. Pushed by his controlling and ambitious mother Volumnia (Vanessa Redgrave) to seek the exalted and powerful position of Consul, he is loath to ingratiate himself with the masses whose votes he needs in order to secure the office. When the public refuse to support him, Coriolanus’s anger prompts a riot which culminates in his expulsion from Rome. The banished hero then allies himself with his sworn enemy Tullus Aufidius (Gerard Butler) to take his revenge on the city.

Read our review of the film here after you check out the trailer below

Boxing Day DVD Review

Throughout the years the average working man and woman has been lived, ruled, struggled by the capitalist dream (like now) but as always we fight back. Leo Tolstoy has provided literature world with many fine examples of the dream however there not the easiest to be adapted for film however British director Bernard Rose (Mr Nice) has tried many times with mixed results. For his latest venture he returns to his favourite source Tolstoy with Boxing Day an contemporary adaptation of 'Master And Man' with Danny Huston at his side once more.

Boxing Day tells the story of Basil (Huston) a businessman living out the lower tier end of the capitalist American dream, maxed out credit cards living the lifestyle on a risk. When it comes to business deals he thinks nothing of the date, time in order to seal the deal and decides to leave his family at Christmas time on a day he should be relaxing with his loved ones. Basil heads to a  wintry Denver to snap up repossessed homes on the cheap from the bank refurbish them on the cheap sell for a quick larger profit. Basil hire's Nick (Matthew Jacobs) as a chauffeur to drive him around the snow covered mountain areas but as night sets in  things take a drastic twist for the worst when the pair find themselves trapped leaving them  facng a  uncertain fate.

Huston and Jacobs do deliver strong central performances which help carry the film probably also thanks to the pair been friends off screen too. This gives a natural feel to the film so the dialogue comes across organic, not fake making the improvisation better.

Before the pair meet on screen we do meet the pair on their own a chance for us to try connect with them. Basil is the face of capitalism, he only care about personal wealth and profit. He's a greedy individual who is actually riding on the edge of bankruptcy we get a glimpse on how low he would go to get money he deceives a church to give him a loan, money they would never really see again.As for Nick  he is Basil's complete opposite though both are fathers Nick is more family orientated but when he visits his estranged wife we get a possible glimpse into his past one that looks was violent maybe of alcohol (maybe both). Times are hard for him living out of a case in a cheap motel waiting for his phone to ring for the next job.

As the film progresses your left with no sympathy both guilty of their fate one self centred the other hapless. Its in the car its when the confines start to get close in, Basil attempts to force some line of authority demanding Nick refer to him as sir, graceless Nick attempts to counteract getting knowhere. Eventually the pair eventually find some mutual respect but a very thin line tensions rear and the bickering  starts which actually makes the pair open their eyes and re-evaluate life. It's when the pair bicker actually brings some much needed humour to lighting the tone though it's not mainstream belly laughs more obsidian in nature.

It's the final part of the film is when things go downhill as it looks like the consistent script seems to have been thrown out the window when order is replaced by chaos. Hysteria prevails as the ending we watch feels like its been stolen from another film when the pair are trapped Basil decides to leave the car and do his best Julie Andrews impression ala Sound Of Music as the film abruptly ends the hills are left certainly alive but as for Basil and Nick you'll just have to watch the film.

★★★☆☆

Paul Devine

Rating:15
DVD Release Date: 25th March 2013 (UK)
Director: Bernard Rose
Cast: Danny Huston, Matthew Jacobs
Buy:Boxing Day On DVD
Win: Boxing Day on DVD (The Peoples Movies)

Watch The UK Trailer For A Late Quartet Starring Christopher Walken, Philip Seymour Hoffman

Our friends at Artificial Eye Films have sent us over the UK trailer and Poster for A Late Quartet starring Christopher Walken, Philip Seymour Hoffman and Catherine Keener.

Directed by Yaron Zilberman, A Late Quartet tells the tale of an renowned New York based Quartet on the eve of their 25th Anniversary cellist Peter Mitchell (Christopher Walken) announces he wants the upcoming season to be their last. Peter is diagnosed in early stages of Parkinson's disease leaving the the remain members egos to conflict and derail their friendship.

The film has been on the festival circuit since last years Toronto Film Festival  debut and to me the toughest challenge to any actor is playing in a film that's simple in structure but powerful in dramatics. A Late Quartet certainly has the drama and we look like we're in for a masterclass on how to act with the classic music brings a sense of tranquillity to the film too. Most of all after years of seeing him play a villain, tough guy, Christopher Walken does possess acting chops to be more dramatic, its ecstasy to the eyes!

A Late Quartet is due to be released in UK&Ireland on 5th April and co-stars Mark Ivanir and  Imogen Poots .

Synopsis

On the eve of a world renowned string quartet’s 25th anniversary season, their beloved cellist, Peter Mitchell (Christopher Walken), is diagnosed with the early symptoms of Parkinson’s Disease. When Peter announces he wishes to make the upcoming season his last, his three colleagues find themselves at a crossroad. Competing egos and uncontrollable passions threaten to derail years of friendship and collaboration.

Thou Art Watch U.S Trailer For Joss Whedon's Much Ado About Nothing

It's amazing what you can do in under 12 days with a bunch of your friends, after Avengers Assemble Joss Whedon decided to make Much Ado About Nothing, check out American trailer.

Shakespeare's classic comedy is given a contemporary spin in Joss Whedon's Much Ado About Nothing . Shot in just 12 days (and using the original text), the story of sparring lovers Beatrice and Benedick offers a dark, sexy and occasionally absurd view of the intricate game that we call love. A Special Presentation at Toronto International Film Festival 2012 and the Jameson Dublin International Film Festival 2013, Much Ado About Nothing was also selected as the Closing Night film for the Glasgow Film Festival 2013.

Begs the question is Shakespeare for all the masses? Answer should be yes but as seen in in last years Coriolanus, even Anonymous box office they could be considered as failures as they weren't seen as films aimed at the general cinephile (with exception of Anonymous) but the sophisticated arthouse cinephile. With Whedon's background in delivering some of 1990's iconic fantasy/horror tv shows Much Ado About Nothing may just be the film that introduces Shakespeare to an whole new generation.

So who are Joss Whedon's friends who decided to help out their old mucha? Amy Acker, Emma Bates, Spencer Treat Clark, Alexis Denisof, Reed Diamond, Nathan Fillion, and Clark Gregg. They always say Shakespeare is an literature education and your eduction will start in UK&Ireland on 14 June

source:Yahoo