ENDLESS POETRY. (2016) REVIEW BY SANDRA HARRIS.

DVD Review - The Club (2016)

Film Review - The Dance Of Reality (2014)

Alejandro Jodorowsky Launches Crowdfunding Campaign To Finish Endless Poetry

GFF 2014 Review: The Dance of Reality (La danza de la realidad)

Genre:
World Cinema, Biography, Drama
Distributor:
Pathe International
Rating: 15
Release Date:
23rd February 2014 (UK,Glasgow Film Festival)
Director:
Alejandro Jodorowsky
Stars:
Brontis Jodorowsky, Pamela Florence, Jeremías Herskovits,Alejandro Jodorowky
Reviewing a film like Alejandro Jodorowsky’s The Dance of Reality (La Danza de la Realidad) is a tricky thing. Rarely do films achieve such a level of mind-boggling skill, flaunting an incredible fusion of art and entertainment like nothing you’ve ever seen. The legendary director’s first film in 23 years is an account of his childhood in 1930’s Chile, focusing on his troubled relationship with his father. At the Glasgow Film Festival Q & A with Brontis Jodorowsky (Alejandro’s son and lead actor in The Dance of Reality) the film’s reconciliatory purposes were made clear.

Here Jodorowsky considers his entire youth, reimagining various important events and circumstance. The meticulously executed fantastical elements can at times seem intense, distancing the viewer from the actual story of the film. However, Jodorowsky’s unrelenting surrealism ultimately proves so literal it just seems impenetrable and that makes it all the more appreciable. Jodorowsky’s mother’s unfulfilled desire to be an opera singer is here addressed by having her sing all her lines. The half-finished quality to dreams and memories is here represented by all inconsequential characters’ wearing expressionless masks. Unresolved relations with his father are perhaps the most extensively addressed as it is Jaime (Brontis Jodorowsky) who is sent on a journey of self-exploration. This series of bizarre happenstance, set against a backdrop of political disorder and communist uprising, is an honest open letter to Jodorowsky’s estranged father.

The village of Tocopilla is exotic and farcical with a host of colourful characters, each new character appearing to paint another detail onto the intricate portrait of Jodorowsky’s youth. Most obvious in all this is that even in a break of almost a quarter century, Alejandro Jodorowsky’s wit and visual capability have not been dulled. These images and tales- in the end- only add up to one perspective, but with such accomplished cohesiveness The Dance of Reality feels like a hundred gorgeous vignettes of a fascinating world.  It would be a mistake for me to take characters or events and attempt to explore their relevance to the narrative of the film and, more importantly, Jodorowsky’s life. Instead I’ll urge you to see and experience it for yourself.

The journey to Jodorowsky’s past unveils a bizarre and utterly entrancing tale of philosophical coming-of-age. The vibrant atmosphere of “Python”-esque tom-foolery mixed with beautiful visuals and often blunt social critique makes Jodorowsky’s latest a welcome return.

★★★★★

Scott Clark

Win No To Pinochet The Pablo Larrain Collection on DVD

In 2013, acclaimed Chilean director Pablo Larraín’s ‘Pinochet trilogy’ reached its pinnacle when NO was nominated for an Academy Award. Larraín has vowed never to make another film on Chile’s darkest days but now, for the first time, all three acclaimed films will be released as part of one set. Released this week (16th September) in UK on DVD we have joined forces with our friends at Network Releasing we have 2
copies of the box set to give away tcoinciding with the 40th anniversary of the coup that brought him to power.

This definitive set includes films charting life in Chile at various stages of the Pinochet regime. TONY MANERO is the tale of a Saturday Night Fever obsessed psychopath living under the regime at the height of its power. POST MORTEM is set amidst the backdrop of the 1973 coup, NO stars Gael García Bernal. In the arthouse hit of 2013 about the true story of the election campaign that brought democracy to Chile.

To win this fantastic box set please answer the following question...

Q.Who played the character Tony Manero in the cult 1977 Hollywood hit film?

You must be 18 years or older to enter.
Deadline for this competition is Sunday 13th October 2013 (23:59pm)(anyone who includes telephone number entry will be deleted automatically for security reasons)

If you haven’t done already Like us and stay with us at our Facebook page (if you are already liking us just share this post)

Terms&Conditions: You Must be a UK or Irish resident aged 18 or older to enter. If your successful and win the competition then you will be asked for Postal address to arrange deliver of the prize.The competition is not opened to employees, family, friends of The Peoples Movies, Cinehouse,Network Releasing  who have the right to alter, change or offer alternative prize without any notice. The Peoples Movies, Cinehouse takes no responsibility for delayed, lost, stolen prizes.Prizes may take from days to a few months for delivery which is out of our control so please do not complain, we will tell you when prizes are sent to us, mostly all cops prizes come directly from the PR company representing the film distributor. Deadline Sunday 13th October 2013(23:59pm)..

UK Competitions and Prize Draws at UKwins
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Aftershock DVD Review

Stars: Eli Roth, Ariel Levy,Andrea Osvart, Natasha Yarovenko
Director: Nicolas Lopez
DVD/BR Release: 19th August 2013
Certificate: 18 (UK)
Buy:[DVD] or [Blu-ray]
After his spine-tingling nasty debut Cabin Fever, Eli Roth has fast become one of the most prominent figures in modern horror. However, 2013 has certainly not been a vintage year after producing the incredibly disappointing The Last Exorcism Part II. His second feature this year, Aftershock, a collaboration with Chilean filmmaker Nicolas Lopez does have certain redeeming features but is a far cry from his previous projects.

Aftershock follows an American backpacker (Roth) in Chile, who alongside a group of friends is caught in a gruesome earthquake whilst clubbing. This results in a collapse in the local prison leaving ruthless criminals to terrorise the broken streets.

Aftershock sticks to a similar format to many 'backpackers in peril' horror flicks, opening capturing the idyllic and charming Chilean setting - which is ultimately seen in a darker light post-earthquake. Here you can expect the traditional culture-clash elements between Eli Roth's Gringo and his South American pals - and whilst sticking to a rigid format there is a convincing rapport between the performers.

The earthquake sequence is the strongest element of Aftershock . Lopez directs the scene with a frantic energy as club-goers run from crumbling architecture, falling lights and smashing bottles - all set against a pulsating neon glow. What follows are a series of gore-soaked sequences and injuries which may impress the Hostel-crowd but are unlikely to have much of an impact on the average viewer or even the hardened horror fan.

After this well-shot and somewhat original setting and sequence it's sad to see that Aftershock goes down the route of generic survival horror. The narrative ultimately follows the surviving tourists attempting to avoid the recently-escaped prisoners who seem intent on causing as much carnage as possible. This leads to a variety of attempts to shock the viewer from rape sequences to people being set aflame - none of which have any effect but to make the viewer feel a bit nasty.

This narrative also contains a plot twist that viewers are likely to see coming from a mile-off which is unveiled in the film's church set conclusion. Whilst Aftershock may feel formulaic and predictable for the most part, Lopez's film ends on an amusingly dark shot which is likely to impress regular viewers of horror films.

Aftershock sticks to a rather rigid and predictable formula despite getting off to a strong start with its Chilean setting, standout Earthquake scene and spirited cast. The film's expected attempts to shock and predictable carnage are unlikely to move audiences and largely fall flat.

★★½☆☆

Andrew McArthur

Thursday Till Sunday (De jueves a domingo) Review

Adding her young yet considerable talent to the burgeoning world of Chilean cinema is Dominga Sotomayor. Her incredibly assured debut feature Thursday Till Sunday (De Jueves a Domingo) takes the template of a road movie to explore themes of innocence amid the breakdown of a family. Confining the tale of a family’s trip to the beaches of northern Chile largely to within a car, hers is a stylish and original take on a well worn genre.

Aware of the fractious nature these car-locked journeys can take on, TTS poses the question – what if the arguments had already occurred and fallout decided. This is the position we are in, mother Ana (Paola Giannini) and father Papa (Francisco Perez-Bannen) have already agreed to separate following this, their final family trip where Papa can check out some inherited land on their way to the coast. Never stated outright, the split is the frission of tension underlining every exchange in the front seats, not that we get to hear. We are in the back with the kids, young Manuel and pre-teen daughter Lucia – our eyes for the journey and occasional witness to her parents’ possible arguments.

Separating the car into two vastly different worlds is something of a masterstroke by Sotomayor. She succeeds effortlessly in plunging us into childhood, regressing us to a time when adult concerns are of little interest and their serious conversations rarely more than glimpsed.

Time passes slowly in the back where games are played, songs are sung and requests come in the form of shouted demands, “I want to go to the beach” shouts Manuel. We become enveloped by memories of those family holidays, endlessly driving for the promise of a beach.

Occasional stops offer a chance to stretch the legs for the family and some time out of the car for the audience. Used by the children as a chance to explore and play at ferocious pace, we are treated to hints at previous quarrels – young hitch-hikers and friends from the past are met with delight and quiet disdain by either adult. The focus here, however, lies away from the action. Lucia’s ever increasing awareness of the situation is based on sightings and moods rather than anything explicit and is excellently handled by Sotomayer.

The impressive camera work and collaboration with cinematographer Barbara Alvarez breathes life into what could otherwise be a claustrophobic affair. The vast Chilean landscape out the window belies the trapped nature of the journey and quickly becomes a character of it’s own - the lunar-like planes bringing a sense of isolation as well as familiarity.

The limited dialogue and near lack of narrative are considered and bold moves for a first time director but there’s a looseness here that ensures it seldom feels restrictive. It is away from the technical aspects that Thursday Till Sunday shines brightest however. This 26 year-old director succeeds in bringing a tone and atmosphere recognisable to all who see it. The childhood traits on show, from inventing secret languages and carefully measuring out drinks to the restless frustration of those long journeys, all ring true and are incredibly well observed. So too are the actions of the parents as tears are slyly wiped away and ‘brave faces’ put on in believable performances from Perez-Bannen and Giannini.

Those fond of a faster paced journey may wish to look elsewhere but Sotomayer has announced herself with an accomplished and elegiac debut.

Matthew Walsh

★★★★☆

Rating: 12A
Release Date: 5th April 2013 (UK)
Director: Dominga Sotomayor Castillo
Cast: Santi Ahumada, Emiliano Freifeld, Paola Giannini

The Top 5 Advertising Campaigns ('No' Feature)

Tomorrow Friday  8th February sees the UK&Irish release of Oscar Nominated NO starring Gael Garcia Bernal.

.Bernal is cynical advertising executive, Rene Saavedra, who is asked to spearhead the ‘NO’ campaign to bring democracy to Chile. How does he manage to create a campaign despite scant resources, scrutiny from colleagues sympathetic to the regime including ad agency colleagues and the secret police?

No is the true story of how the ad men toppled tyrant dictor General Augusto Pinochet in 1988 and to celebrate tomorrow's release we have a look a five of the best advertising campaigns that toppled the 'opposition'

1 Volkswagen's "Think Small" Campaign

Volkswagen completely destroyed the status quo for automobile ads with the “Think Small” campaign as the 50s and 60s were a time when cars were a fashion statements and an example of social status.  This was also a foreign car,a post-WWII German car no-less!
At the time the campaign was created, Americans didn’t buy small German cars and preferred instead big, conspicuous vehicles! So what did this Volkswagen ad do? It played right into the audience’s expectations: “You think I’m small? Yeah, I am and that’s what makes me special!”
Print advertisements for the campaign were filled mostly with white space, with a small image of the Beetle shown, which was meant to emphasize its simplicity and minimalism.

2 Clairol: Does She or Doesn’t She?

Clairol did the opposite of what most typical advertising campaign would do. They didn’t want every woman on the street running around saying they were using their product! They wanted women to understand that their product was so good, people wouldn’t be able to tell if they were using it or not.
The campaign became very effective and within six years, 70% of all adult women were colouring their hair, and Clairol’s sales increased by 413%!! The campaign was so successful and the products use so widespread that some US states  stopped asking women to list their hair colour on their driver's licenses.

3 Nike's "Just Do It"

One of the most recognised advertising slogans in history, Nike’s "Just Do It" was short, sweet and to the point. It reflected a human truth everyone could relate to: that drive to push yourself further as well as Nike’s can-do attitude. The campaign inspired a sense of grit, determination and passion and branded Nike as inescapable ‘cool’.

After the introduction of this advertising campaign Nike's market share jumped from 18% to 43%, and their sales exploded from $800 million a year in 1988 to upwards of $9.2 billion in 1998.

4 Got Milk?

The California Milk Processor Board needed to reverse plunging industry sales of milk and its "Got Milk?" marketing campaign not only helped turn around milk sales in the US but also changed the face of consumer marketing forever. This ingenious advertising campaign inspired people the world over to drink cow’s milk and was supported by children, animals, style icons, and celebrities, each sporting the iconic milk moustache. The campaign has been running since 1993 and is one of the longest lasting campaigns ever.

5 MARLBORO MAN

Now one of the more controversial campaigns, the Marlboro Man ads inspired a generation of smokers branding it as cool and the only course of action for ‘real men’. Creating an entire lifestyle around the smoking of a Marlboro cigarette, the ads captured an ideal lifestyle that many aspired to.
The campaign transformed a once feminine product, associated with the slogan "Mild as May", into one that was masculine. Although there were many Marlboro Men, the cowboy proved to be the most popular which led to the "Marlboro Cowboy" and "Marlboro Country" campaigns.
Three men who appeared in Marlboro advertisements died of lung cancer, thus earning Marlboro cigarettes, the nickname "Cowboy killers"


NO is released in UK&Irish cinemas from tomorro Friday 8th February.

Ask Gael Garcia Bernal A Question, In live Q&A For NO

Gael Garcia Bernal is starring in 'No', the Oscar-nominated film looking at the referendum and ad campaign that helped force General Pinochet out of office.

Gael is no stranger to Amnesty, or to political films - he worked with us to create The Invisibles, four films which charted the dangerous journey across Mexico for migrants who are kidnapped, raped and sometimes murdered as they aim for America. He also played Ernesto Guevara (Che) in The Motorcycle Diaries.

Send us your questions for Gael - about his new film 'No', his previous work, or anything else - and we'll ask him a selection during a live Youtube broadcast on Thursday. Leave them as a comment, or ask them on Twitter using #AskGael

You can also send in your questions for Eugenio Garcia, one of the two advertising executives who created Chile's 'No' campaign, who Gael's character in 'No' is partly based.

The event is happening  in association with Amnesty International on Thursday 31st January at 1545 until 1630 (GMT)

Network Releasing Partner Amnesty International For Oscar Nominated NO

UK film distributor Network Releasing have announced an  unique partnership with the human rights organisation Amnesty International centred around the Oscar-nominated drama NO, starring Gael Garcia Bernal, which opens in UK cinemas on 8 February 2013. The partnership will see former Chilean prisoners of conscience or human rights experts presenting the film at screenings at Picturehouse Cinemas across the UK on 12 February 2013.

The arrangement will last for the duration of the cinema and DVD releases of the award-winning film about the true story of bringing democracy to Chile in 1988 after Pinochet’s dictatorial rule, which stars critically-acclaimed Mexican actor Gael Garcia Bernal.

The resulting 'No' campaign succeeded in ending over 16 years of military dictatorship, and is a powerful representation of the change that can be achieved when people come together to stand against oppression. As well as joint editorial activity to spread the message of the film via traditional and digital media, an Amnesty expert or a former Chilean prisoner of conscience will be present at every screening of the film at Picturehouse Cinemas on 12 February 2013. Most of the cinemas have also arranged a post-film discussion to answer questions and discuss the situation in Chile both now and at the time of Pinochet’s rule.

Participating cinemas are listed below:


· The Gate, Notting Hill
· Ritzy Brixton
· Hackney Picturehouse
· Clapham Picturehouse
· Greenwich Picturehouse
· Stratford East
· Belmont Aberdeen
· Duke of York’s Brighton
· Abbeygate, Bury St Edmunds
· Arts Picturehouse, Cambridge
· Cameo Edinburgh
· Exeter Picturehouse
· Regal, Henley
· FACT, Liverpool
· Norwich Picturehouse
· Bath, Little Theatre
· Phoenix, Oxford
· York
· Harbour Lights, Southampton
· Stratford-Upon Avon

Synopsis: Garcia Bernal plays cynical young advertising executive, Rene Saavedra, who is asked to spearhead the “No” campaign for those opposing the Pinochet regime to bring democracy to Chile. With scant resources, constant scrutiny from individuals sympathetic to Pinochet’s totalitarian regime including ad agency colleagues and the secret police, this bold, enthralling film looks at how a team of Chile’s “Mad Men” and opponents of the dictatorial regime instigated change. Seamlessly blending scripted scenes with archive footage, NO is a compelling period piece making it the first essential film to see in 2013.

Tim Beddows, Network Releasing Managing Director commented, “We are delighted to be working with Amnesty International on the release of NO and fully support the values they stand for. They are the perfect cause-related partner for the film.”



NO opens at UK cinemas on 8 February 2013 courtesy of Network Releasing

Frightfest 2012 - Hidden In The Woods Review

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French Trailer For Pablo Larrain's POST MORTEM

SourceTWITCH
We all love our movies dont we? Off course we do I wouldnt have created this blog and you guys wouldnt be here reading this post so we love when filmmakers create a fantastic movie. So after they create that great movie  we antcipate there next movie and hope that they suceed or at equal that sucess and this is the case for Chilean director Pablo Larain. A few years back he brought us the highly sucessful Tony Manero, the serial killer who was inspired by John Travolta's Saturday Night Fever character, so the pressure has been on him but after been selected for this years Venice Film Festival with POST MORTEM.
The movie is set in the backdrop of the 1973 Chilean political uprisings and revolves around Victor a middle aged man who helps out at the local Mortary documenting the bodies that come through there doors. As this is the 1970's Chile it was one certain Facist dictator General Pinochet who overthrew the government in power, sadly his biggest ally was another facist dictator Margaret Thatcher!
We can say Larrain has suceeded himself with this movie, check out the French trailer after the break...

Never Trust a Hippy, Trailer For Chilean Slaher BABY SHOWER

sourceTwitch
When I read the opening lines from the source of this post "Never trust a hippy" I havent got a clue what Pablo Illanes' was all about especially with his new movie BABY SHOWER and frankly still dont!
The movie has been labelled Chile's first Slasher/Gore movie and the evidence on hand it does look the case and its also Illanes cinematic debut as well as all his career has been in television. I wonder with the ladies in this movie , yes there at a babyshower but does the movie's title have a another meaning? Checkout the trailer and synopsis after the break....

Cult Chilean Director Nicholas Lopez tells us ...F*CK MY LIFE, new trailer

source Twitch
Cult Chilean Film director Nicholas Lopez is feeling very nostalgic, romantic  and basically drunk with his new flick QUE PENA TU VIDA (Fuck My Life).
This romantic comedy is the one for the 'Facebook Generation', the generationof young people where everything that happens in your life has to be told online via Facebook or txt, they control your life, I can relate to this with previous job I had to work with younger people (early 20's) and everything they did was facebook this, facebook that. In this movie the guy of the movie  life seems to rotate getting laid even though he's unemployed and getting what he wants its good old Facebook! But his previous girlfriends/lovers are all over his page! He even had one lover thought she would be pregent as she stood on a used condom!
After the break you can watch the english subtitled trailer and as for the target audience Lopez want's well this movie will be a preview shown before the new upcoming Twilight movie in Chile! enough said!!!

its "Pussy Galore" for Chile's 007 aka MANDRILL