KLOWN is the outrageous and hilarious Danish comedy that pushes the boundaries of comedy and acceptable childcare with its bold mixture of dry wit, fearless shock humour and heartfelt sentimentality.
Curb Your Enthusiasm, The Inbetweeners and The Hangover combine as Frank (Danish comedy sensation Frank Hvam) decides to prove himself suitable father material by kidnapping his pregnant girlfriend’s young nephew for a truly outrageous weekend that combines sexual promiscuity, nudity, drug-taking and tiny bottles of Underberg.
Directed by Mikkel Nørgaard, KLOWN was the year’s highest-grossing home-grown film when released in Denmark. It was critically acclaimed on its US release and has been picked up for a Hollywood remake by Warner Bros. The film stars Frank Hvam and Casper Christensen, two of the most popular and experienced stand-up comedians in Denmark.
KLOWN’s UK premiere will take place on Friday 25th January at the LOCO London Comedy Film Festival at the BFI Southbank. The film is released in the UK by Arrow Films in Spring 2013 (exact date tbc).
SYNOPSIS: Frank accidentally learns that his girlfriend Mia is pregnant and that she has omitted to tell him as she does not regard him as ‘father material’. Furthermore, they have to take care of Mia’s nephew while Frank’s attention is taken planning a debauched canoeing trip with his friend Casper (Casper Christensen).
When Frank causes a minor accident with Bo, Mia must acknowledge that Frank is simply not capable of taking care of anyone other than himself, let alone a child. In desperation, Frank kidnaps Bo for the canoe trip, to the dismay of Casper. Frank is intent on showing Mia that he can be a good father. Of course, the trip turns out to be a disaster but in the midst of the chaos, bonds are made between Bo and Frank who both learn that size isn’t everything.
KLOWN’s UK premiere will take place on Friday 25th January at the LOCO London Comedy Film Festival at the BFI Southbank.
Quartet (2012) is a film which requires little effort, either on the part of the cast or the viewer. That’s not intended disparagingly, indeed quite the opposite, as everything about Hollywood icon Dustin Hoffman’s directorial debut, starring Maggie Smith, Billy Connolly, Tom Courtenay and Pauline Collins, is sheer bliss - you just sit back, relax and let it wash over you.
Fading opera stars, Wilf (Connolly), Reginald (Courtenay) and Cissy (Collins), live in the rural splendor of a country retirement home, where they wile away the days reminiscing about their past triumphs. Each year they celebrate the birthday of the composer Verdi with a concert, and in the process raise funds for the upkeep of the home. This year however things don’t quite go to plan after the arrival of new resident. The presence of Jean (Smith), an opera diva with thoughts above her station, not only resurrects painful memories for the trio, but doesn’t exactly prove conducive to harmony amongst the other residents either.
What a relief that Hoffman, unlike so many actors who try their hand at directing, was not tempted into a cameo appearance in Quartet. Instead he remains, like all good directors should, out-of-sight, though not out of mind, as his touch is crystal clear on screen. Everything, from the ensemble cast to the pastoral settings, meld seamlessly under the expert guidance of a man who is so much a part of modern cinema in front of the camera, that looking at the action from the other side will probably have felt like second nature.
The wider cast hit all the right notes as the group of aging operatic and musical stars, unwilling to accept that, for the most, their moment in the limelight is long past. Indeed the only aspect of the film which appears slightly off-key is watching Connolly and Smith vie for prime spot. When they appear these two old troupers banish everyone else to the wings, no mean feat when you consider the calibre of the those they’re working with. However they’re such a delight to watch that you feel more than happy to indulge their quirks and idiosyncrasies.
This is really is the only quibble though in an otherwise perfect blend of dry wit and acid sharp timing which makes for a delightful cocktail of lasting friendships and the acceptance of the passing of time.
Quartet provides a marvelously feel good way with which to see in the new year. Let’s just hope we don’t have to wait too long for Hoffman to flex his directorial muscle again. Oh, and wait until the end as there is a marvelous treat during the final credits which is guaranteed to bring a tear to the eye.
Ever get the impression that you were watching a different film from everyone else? I'm not sure what I was missing with Sightseers (2012), the new film from director Ben Wheatley and written by and starring Steve Oram and Elizabeth Sladen lookalike Alice Lowe, all three of whom were involved with the recent cult hit Kill List (2011), but half way in I was praying for the end to come mostly as a result of boredom and disgust. Marketed as a comedy, the film attempts to leaven this with a liberal dose of horror, failing dismally to achieve either satisfactorily.
In order to escape from her overpowering mother, Tina (Lowe) agrees to go on a caravan trip with her new boyfriend Chris (Oram). However what starts off as a sightseeing trip of North Yorkshire soon becomes the road trip from hell after Chris's true psychotic tendencies come to the fore, following a misunderstanding at a local tourist attraction, with murderous results for all involved.
Like the caravan holiday that forms the basis around which its story is built Sightseers swiftly looses its appeal. Its real problem, as with much of what currently passes itself off as humorous particularly in Britain, is that it tries too hard. As with most 'laddish' fun, the laughs here are more as a result of embarrassment than anything genuinely amusing.
Neither does it work particularly well from a horror point-of-view either. Comedians often see the field of horror as an ideal entry into the world of films. However they frequently make the mistake which many people do, of not taking the genre seriously. By it's very nature horror often lays itself wide open for parody, providing prime material for people to send up. However study them closely and you will discover that those horror films which are successful approach it with a degree of reverence, even when it's being poked fun at.
Those who understand the secret of real horror grasp the concept that less is more. The audience's imagination is always much stronger than anything filmmakers can depict on the screen, with most good horror films cutting away before you see anything at all - The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974) had a degree of black humour, but the secret of its longevity was that everyone believed they saw more than they actually did. The current crop of films from mainland Europe such as the upcoming Spanish chiller Sleep Tight (2011) succeed by taking this subtle approach, whilst the American hit Scream (1996), which marketed itself as neither a comedy or a horror film (though it was quite clearly both) worked by doing the whole thing quasi seriously. Much modern British horror on the other hand, like Sightseers and the recent crass monstrosity Inbred (2011), doesn't know when to stop, showing vivid violence and gore in nauseating close-up.
In its defence the film looks beautiful - the English backdrop against which the shenanigans play out is breathtaking. Unfortunately this does little to compensate for an otherwise lurid and inept attempt at offbeat wit. I know my opinion is likely to meet with universal disagreement, in which case please do fill me in on what I was missing.
Caravaning will never be the same when Ben Wheatley's dark comedy horror Sightseers is released in UK&Ireland next Friday 30th November. If you ever had the idea holidays in our fine lands was dull, boring thanks to our anti heros Chris and Tina (Chris Oram & Alice Lowe) you may now think twice in jumping a plane over to Benidorm or Torremolinos. Tonight our friends over at Studiocanal have sent us over a brand new clip entitled 'Dingly Dell' which sees our protagonists roam the countryside for an ideal pitch for the caravan, Alice writes a postcard for her mother telling her about Chris and the availability of her pasta sauce packets in Yorkshire! But as Chris finds an ideal spot to park he might have someone else determined to get that elusive caravan spot! Just below the new we have another new clip called 'National Trust' plus a quick tv spot that slipped under the radar last week.
Here at The People's Movies & Cinehouse The Kill List unfortunately didn't go down too well, more frustration than total resentment for the film.A couple weeks ago we had 2 reviewers (1 for each site, reviews online next week) and though both reviewers had different opinions on the film but the outcome is Sightseers looks the better film. What we do love is Chris' (Oram) 'their not human, their Daily Mail readers' which went down well, I'm really looking forward to seeing Sightseers as the cinema I volunteer at there is a few 'non-humans' there!
Sightseers will be released in UK&Ireland 30th November, 2013 USA.
Chris (Steve Oram) wants to show Tina (Alice Lowe) his world and he wants to do it his way – on a journey through the British Isles in his beloved Abbey Oxford Caravan. Tina’s led a sheltered life and there are things that Chris needs her to see – the Crich Tramway Museum, the Ribblehead Viaduct, the Keswick Pencil Museum and the rolling countryside that accompanies these wonders in his life.But it doesn’t take long for the dream to fade. Litterbugs, noisy teenagers and pre-booked caravan sites, not to mention Tina’s meddling mother, soon conspire to shatter Chris’s dreams and send him, and anyone who rubs him up the wrong way, over a very jagged edge…
Thank the heavens for Ben Wheatley, finally someone who knows Daily Mail readers aren't human! Ah don't hire the firing squad just yet and check out the new 60 second UK trailer for Ben Wheatley's Sightseers which after a great first trailer exploits the film's dark humour, the quirky feel and why Sightseers might be the surprise hit film of the year!
To be honest Ben Wheatley's last film The Kill List divided opinions at The People's Movies and Cinehouse HQ when it came out last year, we all came to an agreement it was confusing as well as overrated. So when Sightseers promotion started we selfishly greeted the new film with a lot of scepticism even with the fantastic reviews from Cannes but like all good things it grows on you.
Chris (Steve Oram) wants to show Tina (Alice Lowe) his world and he wants to do it his way - on a journey through the British Isles in his beloved Abbey Oxford Caravan. Tina's led a sheltered life and there are things that Chris needs her to see - the Crich Tramway Museum, the Ribblehead Viaduct, the Keswick Pencil Museum and the rolling countryside that accompanies these wonders in his life.But it doesn't take long for the dream to fade. Litterbugs, noisy teenagers and pre-booked caravan sites, not to mention Tina's meddling mother, soon conspire to shatter Chris's dreams and send him, and anyone who rubs him up the wrong way, over a very jagged edge...
If your like me a generation who grew up with some childhood summer holidays in caravans or caravan Parks around the UK some of the things will strike a chord, though some of the UK humour might be lost in translation if your not familiar. We're alot more optimistic Sightseers will be far superior film than The Kill List, with 7 nominations for British Independent Film Awards before it's even been released speaks volumes for the film.
We're watching this film next week so stay tuned for our review, Sightseers will be released in UK&Ireland 30th November, there's no confirmed American release but expect sometime 2013.
Any one who says love isn't complicated must be reading too many Mills 'n' Boon novels need to get a grip of reality. Life is complicated but is also beautiful in it's simplest form just like relationships, so introduce Lynn Shelton the director of Humpaday to the mix. Take those simple conventions of life make them complex going on farcical but most of all situations become truly believable resulting in the charming Your Sister's Sister.
Lost in emotional slump for the past year due to his brothers death Jack (Mark Duplass) takes the advice of his best friend Iris (Emily Blunt) to spend a week at her family's remote island retreat for a week of solitude and reflection. Upon arrival at the house Jack discovers some one is already there, Hannah (Rose Marie De Witt) Iris Sister who is also there for reflection with the end result the pair spending an awkward night together. The following morning the pair get an unexpected guest when Iris arrives at their front door setting off boundless revelations, complicated secrets and emotionally twisted tale of siblings and best friends, loyalty and love.
When you have a film that has improvisation or even improvisation in any form it can be a risky move. In Your Sister's Sister what we get is something that's brutally honest most of all very sincere.Everything is kept believable thanks to the characters who are likeable as well as creating a nice chemistry between the three leads which never feels forced. To highlight how natural and flowing things where Shelton captures the moment with scenes were shot in one shot which is a rarity these days.
Your Sister's Sister isn't a laugh out loud a minute film nor a romantic comedy in the same description as the Romcoms we get these days a dime a dozen. I would go as far as calling this more a sitcom as it's all in the dialogue and the rapport of the characters, also we don't get bombarded with long winding info on each character just enough to know she was with him, he is a slacker, she was with her then with him and Bob is your uncle.
Everything seems to work thanks to the performances of the cast. Mark Duplass despite the one been lumbered at times with the films 'awkward moments' handles Jack's part masterfully balancing his character's mischievous buffoonery with endless insecurities. His handling of the character probably thanks to him been one of the founders of Mumblecore sub-genre, so if Duplass is Ying Rose Marie De Witt must be Yang. As Hannah she is cheekily manipulative , homewrecker of sorts but also a fragile troubled soul too.Emily Blunt as Iris delivers a safe performance and been the bigger name of the three cast members credit goes to her as she proves she has the ability to improvise an area many other bigger names have either tried and failed miserably or don't even go near. You may also ask how come Iris and Hannah are sisters whilst one is American the other British? Don't have to Sherlock Holmes to figure it out but I won't spoil the moment as it's a funny scene but it gives the film an extra dimension. With De Witt been a late replacement for Rachel Weisz you wonder if this film would have worked with 2 British female leads?
In words of a former Colleague Your Sisters Sister is also a film that will be enjoyed 'by dudes' just as much as women.There's no fantasy fairytale scenarios just 3 normal fragile souls in need of some 'me time' but now finding themselves in a rather crowded retreat,a crowed house that leads to some farcical results. For all it's charms Your Sisters Sister does at times fell a little stretched , even flat at times but thanks to the simplicity of the plot and great performances from the cast it keeps the film interesting but most of all entertaining. The end scene may frustrate some of you but as improvisation is the name of the game here Lynn Shelton leaves this point of the film for you to improvise.
Rarely do we get a chance to see shameless grind-house features hell bent on fast paced schlock and rip-roaring fun, and it’s on those
grounds that Australian independent flick Monstro!
delivers. Written and directed by Stuart Simpson and put together Guerrilla-style
by a small crew of obviously dedicated individuals this is probably the
underdog Indy cult event of the year.
Three
deranged killers, Beretta, Blondie, and Snowball, hole up in a small beachside
community after their murderous actions attract the wrong kind of attention.
But not all is as it seems in this small town. A few of the locals try
desperately to warn them of the dangers of going into the water but the crazy vixens
listen to no one. However, their seaside frolic awakens a horrifying beast from
the depths of the ocean and it isn’t long before the girls are hip-deep in
trouble, facing the fight of their lives against the terrifying Kraken.
The
story is put together with a loving knowledge of all things exploitation, think Faster Pussycat! Kill! Kill! with Evil Dead gore and a monster reminiscent
of Ray Harryhausen. It ventures back in time to explore what’s so wonderful
about the female exploitation genre; proving we don’t need good girls, Hell we
don’t even need bad girls, as long as they’re able to fight a sea monster they
can make gripping viewing. The three vixens that parade the screen-time are endearing
to watch, beautiful yet no-nonsense, OTT and bound together by a hatred of conventional
life, rebels and patriots to their own dastardly cause. Simpson has done a
great job of replicating a 60s and 70s-esque trio of terrible sirens, and the
girls have done a great job at embodying them.
For a
film of its ilk, Monstro! is
surprisingly well put together, the camera work and editing jump miles ahead of
many other films with a significantly bigger budget, but that’s the brilliant
thing about cult films, you can get away with some really outlandish finishing touches.
Some scenes prove over-stylised, detracting from the flow of the narrative, but
a sometimes brilliant (often cheesy) self-referential angle indulges the cult
quality to the point of decadence. And there’s nothing more enjoyable than pure
decadence, even if it sometimes strays the mark. The soundtrack too is perfect
and strides hand-in-hand with the style of the film, a sexy sassy Tarantino
sound that brings the film a classy aspect it does its utmost to dodge through
visuals.
Sure,
the film’s not perfect. This grindhouse feature loses itself at points through
taking its foot off the peddle to expand a narrative that doesn’t really need
too much depth. And sure there’s some hefty bits of overacting but that can be
ignored when considered as part of a film whose sole purpose is to show off the
reckless and outrageous charm of B-movies. Movies like this have to be gauged in terms of their niche
A film
for cult fans made by cult fans; dripping with love, elbow-grease, sex-appeal,
and gore. Exploitation at its filthy best and an impressive second feature-length
film, Monstro! is a must in this year’s
top B-movies for sheer balls and total immersion, extra credit is most definitely
awarded for fantastic monster-effects. Besides it’s probably the best “Outlaw Babes
vs. Sea Monster” flick you’ll see this year. Probably.
Smudged with the finger prints of the Coen brothers comes Canadian slacker-kidnapping caper Mon Ami, a darkly comic feature from writer/director Rob Grant. His first film Yesterday garnered widely favourable reviews, something he can expect to continue with this follow-up. Cal and Teddy are best friends unenthusiastically working at a Hardware superstore, undermined by customers and going nowhere fast. When these two long serving employees are overlooked for a promotion they concoct a plan and, like all good plans it involves kidnapping their boss’ daughter.
Apparently unaware that ‘the best laid plans of mice and men oft do go astray’ this soon becomes plainly evident for our protagonists as, despite a meticulously prepared set-up theirs becomes a lesson in how not to conduct a kidnapping. From the offset the path is far from smooth as the practicalities of capturing the bait prove trickier than expected, quickly establishing our leads as truly inept hostage-takers. That (unlucky in more ways than one) hostage; Crystal, soon proves to be equally less reliable in her role as obliging victim than they had envisaged and when an attempted breakout goes unnoticed the stakes are invariably raised. Out of their depth and forced to alter their plan the two aren’t aided by the constant interruptions of Teddy’s wife Liz whose interspersed phone calls serve as effective tension breakers as well as to annoy the increasingly irritated Cal. The tension within the three is a running theme of the film and asks questions about male friendship and where they go if one’s life-plan differs to the other. Here, the perception is that they turn to crime to re-connect their bromance and there’s a felling that Cal is largely doing this simply to spend some time with his best friend away from his ‘nagging wife’ – that is very much the image of Liz in a role that won’t endear itself to many a female.
The graphically bloodstained moments of the film are reminiscent of Tarintino or American Psycho and well balanced with the comic elements of the film with the overall effect coming across as something far more akin to Fargo. It’s to Grant’s credit that the comparisons don’t feel far overstretched, taking care to establish these believable characters in unbelievable situations as well as crafting neat stylistic touches.
Yesterday was unfairly but inevitably compared to Shaun of the Dead but alongside his sophomore effort he can rightly claim to be carving out a niche very much of his own. By establishing his own set of rules, language and narrative his is a tone destined for cult following.
Ken Loach’s affable crime movie brings together a group of low-rent, ex-offenders through a community service course in Glasgow. Chief among them is Robbie (Paul Brannigan), a young father who, after barely avoiding a long custodial sentence, finds himself presented with a final chance to turn his faltering life around. Under the guidance of supervisor, Harry (John Henshaw), and with the help of new friends Mo (Jasmin Riggins), Albert (Gary Maitland) and Rhino (William Ruane), Robbie develops a passion for whisky, and with it a chance to escape his troubled past.
Loach has, for the most part, done a decent job of melding the contrasting elements of the down-at-heel kitchen sink drama, with the daft whimsy of a Highlands whisky heist. Brannigan, in particular, is successful in his ability to instil genuine empathy for a character who’s no angel himself. He’s also more than adequately aided by an amusing and largely comprehensible supporting cast, with Maitland standing out as the profoundly dim-witted Albert.
Loach’s ability to temper the comedy with the uglier elements of Robbie’s life, or vice versa, is evident for only two thirds of the story though. As the drink begins settle in the hearts and minds of the audience, Robbie’s past misconducts are conveniently washed-away in a tide of priceless Scotch. It reflects well on Loach and his cast then, that this shift from reality to fancy doesn’t entirely ruin the experience.
There’s more than enough spirit to be found at the bottom of the bottle, to redress the balance of a slightly lopsided story.
Extras on the DVD include a short making-of documentary, featuring interviews with Loach and the cast, who remark on his collaborative approach to filmmaking, as well as Brannigan’s real-life troubles, and his connection to his character.
Hysteria is a Carry On film with ambitions of feminism. As you might imagine, this is problematic, and it’s a problem the film never really solves. This lack of resolution, plus a few other niggles here and there, keeps me from declaring the film a success. But it’s not bad either. Clumsy and didactic the film may be, but its heart is definitely in the right place. What’s more, the spectacle of Victorian high society men confronting the female orgasm, is about as funny as you might expect.
Honestly, I wish I liked it more. The whole issue of hysteria (in essence ‘female emotional behaviour that men don’t understand’ repackaged as a medical condition, that could be cured by orgasm) is one of those pieces of historical silliness that I adore. It seems to me that narrative fiction always has this sombre, respectful, serious approach to history, as if it’s some grand old man whose every pronouncement must be treated with reverence. Whereas, if you actually study history at all, what you quickly find is that the old man is senile. History is composed of the actions of humans, and there is no constant like the silliness of humans. It’s nice to see this aspect of history getting some attention.
But there’s no escaping the fact that the story has problems.
On a basic level, matters work fairly well. Mortimer Granville (Hugh Dancy) is a young doctor of a forward-thinking persuasion, which makes him a pariah in the eyes of the medical establishment. Luckily for him, one Dr. Robert Dalrymple (Jonathan Pryce) requires an assistant. His clinic for the treatment of hysteria is very busy, and he (not to mention his patients) is in need of a helping hand. There Granville meets the Dalrymple daughters: Emily (Felicity Jones) who is the perfect example of Victorian womanhood, and Charlotte (Maggie Gyllenhaal), who is outspoken, passionate and, worst of all, associates with the poor. Granville, being a proper Victorian man, immediately falls for the former and disdains the latter.
So, Hysteria has the standard romance plot. But for all its lack of inspiration, it’s executed rather well. Dancy and Gyllenhaal have some nice adversarial chemistry, the plot is well paced and the characters mostly solidly constructed. A couple of comic reliefs, the (somewhat)ex-prostitute Molly (Sheridan Smith) and the noble sexual deviant Edmund St.John-Smythe (Rupert Everett) aren’t so much characters as walking jokes, as indeed are most of the hysteria patients. But that’s only to be expected. This is after all a funny film. The occasional thin character is a usual symptom of comedy.
But where this becomes problematic is with the film’s message. See, this is very much a historical film told through modern eyes, and as such, the heroes of the story are also those with a more ‘modern’ sensibility. This would be fine, if they didn’t keep aggressively flaunting it. Granville and Charlotte all but run around screaming ‘I support woman’s rights, free education, socialism, germ theory, the telephone, electricity- OH GOD I’M SO PROGRESSIVE”, like holding these beliefs is a big thing. But to modern ears, it sounds like a bunch of people crowing about how amazing it is that they think the sky is blue.
Of course, during the 1880s, believing such things was a Big Deal. But that’s because these beliefs were reactions against deeply entrenched social norms. Take woman’s rights for example. The concept that women were inferior to men was, in the 1880s, not some quaint, mockable custom. It was a societal norm that had existed for thousands of years. Challenging it is one of the most remarkable shifts human society has ever undergone. Considering the strength of the opposition, even the vague success of that challenge is incredible.
That is what any treatment of the growth of woman’s rights, or any of the other progressive movements of the 19th century, has to bring across: the image of a slingless David facing down a Goliath with a submachine gun. But Hysteria doesn’t. The film does give some sense of the opposition, don’t get me wrong. It has its fair share of establishment-minded characters. But in playing so many of these establishment viewpoints for laughs, mocking the Victorian men for getting so flustered about sex, laughing at their ‘scientific’ approach to the female orgasm, Hysteria undermines the seriousness of the establishment view. This would be fine, were the film a full comedy, but it also wants to make a serious point. It wants to state the importance of being progressive. Unfortunately it never manages to capture why being progressive so brave and necessary.
That’s not the only difficulty the film has. There’s a few hamfisted moments, where the characters make the classic ‘wild yet accurate’ speculations about what the future will be like, a joke that was already ancient in the 1880s. What’s more, Hysteria contains the worst jump cut I have ever seen. But on the whole, the film’s problem lies in its politics. The humour is grand: filthy, childish, charming stuff. The romance is engaging. But the film’s attempts to be serious are unsuccessful. All of which adds up to: entertaining, but not exactly good.
Dutch zombie horror Kill Zombie (original title Zombibi)tackles the horror genre with a ballsy understanding of its fan base and a quick sense of humour. Unfortunately its up against stiff opposition; Shaun of the Dead (2004) and Juan of the Dead (2011) are two stellar zombie features that handle the apocalypse in a similar bro-mantic black comedy style, still the film does well at holding its own.
Cutting straight to the action, Kill Zombie proves it’s for genre fans, no real exploration of the apocalypse and not too much focus on the concept of Armageddon as a social issue, Kill Zombie rolls up its sleeves and dives headfirst into the gory glory with a good sense of where its going and who its playing to. The film follows two brothers who after spending a night in jail, awake to find their city ravaged by zombie invasion. Joining forces with a police officer and two crazy criminals the group set off on a reluctant rescue mission through the deadly gore-splashed streets of Amsterdam.
Kill Zombie has some fantastic set pieces showing off a creative flair that lacks in many run-of-the-mill zombie features: a mini-gun sequence that’s grotesquely satisfying and a play park defence to name a couple. The more striking action sequences seem connected by typical zombie stock, but it’s incredibly tricky for a zombie film to maintain originality when so much has gone before. Even Romero seems to have lost some innovation. A key strength of the film is its comic timing and the skill with which its cast carry off the genuinely funny scenes. Kill
Zombie is a prime example of what a good cast can do for a smaller production.
Though it looks good and has plenty of fun, Kill Zombie still lacks the heart of Juan or Shuan, heart that helped push those movies up past your bog-standard zombie massacre. And even though there’s a welcome and sometime innovative aspect to the design of the film, some things just don’t gel. The use of Tekken style fighting sequences is a marmite decision that threatens the integrity of the film, seeming just a little too unrealised and amateur.
Kill Zombie is for genre fans specifically, its lack of plot around the main characters stops it hitting the emotional impact of other mainstream cult black comedies but it does a good job of entertaining and showing off some really cool zombie action sequences. Its also one of few horror comedies that actually gets its comedy fairly spot-on.
STUDIOCANAL are ‘eaven and ‘ell chuffed to announce that ‘orror comedy ‘Cockneys vs Zombies’ will be available on DVD & Blu-Ray from 29th October.
Cockneys vs Zombies follows a group of plucky cousins as they try to rob a bank to save their grandparents care home from developers. Little do they know, whilst they’re cleaning out the vault, zombies as cleaning up the east end and shuffling towards Bow Bells’ care home with an appetite for OAPs.
Starring a host of Britain’s finest acting talent including; Honor Blackman (Goldfinger, ‘The Avengers’, Bridget Jones’s Diary), Rasmus Hardiker (Starter for 10, I Want Candy, ‘Saxondale’), Harry Treadaway (Fish Tank, Control), Michelle Ryan (4.3.2.1, ‘Bionic Woman’), Ashley ‘Bashy’ Thomas (4.3.2.1, Shank), Jack Doolan (Cemetery Junction, ‘The Green Green Grass’) and Alan Ford (Snatch, Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels). Cockneys vs. Zombies is written by James Moran ('Torchwood', Severance) and directed by Partizan's Matthias Hoene.
Cockneys vs. Zombies is a new breed of zombie adventure filled with equal edge-of-your-seat-tension and rocking-in-your-seat-with-laughter moments. If you ever wanted to see how a zimmer frame could turn into a lethal weapon, pick up Cockneys vs. Zombies on DVD or Blu-Ray on 29th October 2012, released by STUDIOCANAL.
When you’re robbing a bank, a zombie invasion makes things a lot harder. As contractors at an East London building site unlock a 350 year old vault of seriously hungry zombies, our hapless team of wanna-be bank robbers are in the wrong place at the right time. Katy (Michelle Ryan), Andy (Harry Treadaway), Terry (Rasmus Hardiker) and bank robbing “experts” Mental Mickey (Ashley 'Bashy' Thomas) and Davey Tuppence (Jack Doolan) find themselves the unlikely heroes of a zombie attack. Equipped with all the guns and ammo they can carry, it’s up to the gang to save not only their grandparents but the East End from Zombie-Armageddon. When it’s the living vs. the undead... it’s Cockneys vs. Zombies.
Cockneys Vs. Zombies stars Harry Treadaway, Michelle Ryan, Rasmus Hardiker, Ashley Thomas, Georgia King, Jack Doolan, Honor Blackman,Alan Ford, Richard Briers
and Dudley Sutton
Available Extras – DVD &Blu-Ray
Behind the Scenes:
- The Maguire Brothers – 4’ 35’’
- The Bank Robbery – 3’ 25’’
- The Care Home – 3’
- At The Docks – 2’ 50’’
- Special Effects – 3’ 40’
- The Filmmakers – 5’
- Andy TV – 1’ 30’’
Zombie School - 4’ 09’’
Trailer - 2’ 20’’
Cockneys Vs Zombies Will be released by Studiocanal in UK&Ireland, October 29th, read our review here
The first thing to say about Monster Brawl, is that it definitely won’t be for everyone. This B-movie extravaganza mixes wrestling and monsters to create a sub-genre hybrid that plays out like a cult passion project. Abominations like Wolfman and "Swamp Gut" meet in the ring to battle it out and prove once and for all who the meanest monster is. The concept is the perfect fan boy fantasy, a dream now made reality in the increasing validity of the fan's wants: films like Aliens vs Predator and Freddy vs. Jason have all proved that there's an audience waiting to see films that pitch classic characters, who have no good reason to be in the same place at the same time, together at last.
But is the film actually any good? Well if you can look past the cheesy acting of the amateur wrestlers playing the monsters, and have no problem with a fairly wobbly script, then it’s actually a kind of fun. Besides, in a film where Witch Bitch and Cyclops fight in a wrestling ring, the term “wobbly” loses much of its meaning. Much credibility is actually set in place through the cast; Jimmy Hart appears as himself, Kevin Nash steps in as a disgruntled colonel out to win the Monster Brawl, Lance Henriksen lends his growling tones as the narrator (credited as God), but its Dave Foley and Art Hindle who make some of the best scenes in the piece as the commentators.
The film isn’t supposed to be taken too seriously, that much is clear, its schlocky fun for like-minded fans who want to watch something silly, but even then the film is pretty thin. Intentional bombastic tongue-in-cheek can’t save an undeveloped concept. The fight scenes lack real punch and eventually start to bore, the formulaic approach to the subject is where the film trips up, introducing characters, giving them a five to ten minute background, and then pitting them against each other is nice at first but eventually tedious. It’s a shame when the best parts of a fight film are the character intros.
Surprisingly, the film isn’t too badly shot and the whole thing looks pretty good. Costume and production design definitely have a hammer/50’s feel, the sets are solid, and gore and creature effects are as good as any you’ll see in a studio production.
So, for all its B-movie charm Monster Brawl is still underdeveloped and too minimalist at too many points to stand its ground as a feature film. But there’s some fun to be had here for hard-core cult monster fans.
Special features are short but sweet: a twenty minute Behind the Scenes look at the incredibly passionate and humble forces who put the piece together, a collection of outtakes featuring Jimmy Hart, and the trailer for the film. In particular, the Behind the Scenes gives a little more appreciation for the film.
Witness the ultimate “smackdown” event of all time as eight of the
world’s most feared and famous monsters enter the ring to go
head-to-head in a grotesque and hilarious fight to the death (or, in
several cases, the “un-death”). It can only be the Monster Brawl
(Momentum Pictures)…blasting onto DVD 20th August 2012.
On offer to some insanely lucky winners is a pair of tickets (per
winner) to the premiere, yes PREMIERE, of Monster Brawl at the Prince
Charles Cinema in Leicester Square on Wednesday 15th August introduced
by the legendary horror writer Kim Newman. Fancy dress encouraged…but
not mandatory! Doors open at 6pm with the film starting at 7pm.
We have 2 pairs of tickets for this event up for grabs and to win those tickets is to email us your name, address and in the email subject mater type "Monster Brawl". The email to send your entry is cinehouseuk@gmail.com Deadline for this comp is August 8th, 2012 (12noon).
Terms and Conditions
This prize is non-transferable.
No cash alternatives apply.
UK entries only, who can travel to and from London easily.
No accommodation or transport are included, tickets only
The Peoples Movies, Cinehouse and Momentum Pictures have the right to
alter, delay or cancel this competition without any notice
The competition is not opened to employees, family, friends of The Peoples Movies, Cinehouse,Momentum Pictures employees
This competition is promoted on behalf of Momentum Pictures
The Prize is to win tickets for London Monster Brawl premiere, 2 pairs
To enter this competition you must send in your answer, name, address only, Deadline August 8th, 2012 (1200hrs)
Will only accept entries sent to the correct email cinehouseuk@gmail.com, any other entry via any other email will be void.
automated entries are not allowed and will be disqualified, which could result you been banned.
The Peoples Movies, Cinehouse takes no responsibility for delayed, lost, stolen prizes
The competition is opened to Aged 18 and over
Unless Stated Please Do Not Include Telephone Numbers, we don’t need them
The winning entries will be picked at random and contacted by email
By sending your entry for this competition you are confirming you have read and agreed to these Terms & Conditions.
Quality romantic comedies (French or otherwise), are an elusive beast. The phrase ‘chick flick’ is now synonymous with poor quality filmmaking. Often trite, sickly and poorly written the romantic comedy is a genre that has suffered from some of the laziest efforts of recent years. The majority of the energy is put into casting big names in an ‘if you build it they will come’ method of attracting audiences.
Adapted from his own award winning novel, David Foenkino and his brother Stephane direct.
Nathalie (Audrey Tatou - Amelie, The Da Vinci Code) finds her idyllic life shattered when her husband is killed in a traffic accident. Following the loss of her soul mate she cuts herself off emotionally and channels all of her energy into her career. She spends a good deal of time fending off the advances of her boss while forming an attraction to Swedish colleague Markus (Francois Damien – Heartbreaker). He’s certainly not the typical love interest; gap toothed, ungainly, shy and socially awkward. Those closest to Nathalie make it clear that she could do much better.
Tatou has made a career out of romantic comedies, with extremely varied results. Delicacy keeps you off balance by switching between genuinely funny and touching moments to those of loss and despondency. Though very well acted by both Tatou and Damien, the lack of genuine chemistry between the two characters is evident. There is no real sense that Nathalie needs Markus to fulfill her and complete her recovery from losing her husband.
Delicacy is charming love story that benefits from the lack of Hollywood-style gloss and two engaging lead performances.
When it comes to Irish films they seem to be a little stereotypical, lots of booze and comedy but would you include Creature features? No but now you can as the full trailer for Jon Wright's GRABBERS.
The film made it's U.K debut back in June at this years Edinburgh Film Festival (world premier Sundance) and left with some really positive reviews but now the film has 2 important dates coming up next month, it's Irish cinema release and a second U.K appearance this time at the mighty Film4 Frightfest (the 13th). Starring Richard Coyle, Russell Tovey and Ruth Bradley, the film is been described as 'Father Ted meets Aliens' even 'The Guard meets Tremors' with those quotes you can see why people are buzzing about this comedy horror. You could say this is Ireland's homage to HP Lovecraft with a big doze of Irish hospitality and laughs with Tremors invited along.
We caught the film at Edinburgh Film Festival , read our review and check out the films new poster below. No UK or USA release dates, August 10th will be the official Irish release date and on August 23rd the film will appear at Film4 Frightfest.
Grabbers Official Trailer #1 (2012) HD Movie Published via LongTail.tv
Something sinister has come to the shores of Erin Island, unbeknownst to
the quaint population of this sleepy fishing village resting somewhere
off Ireland’s coast. First, some fishermen go missing. Then there is the
rash of whale carcasses suddenly washing up on the beach. When the
murders start, it’s up to two mismatched cops–an irresponsible alcoholic
and his new partner, a by-the-book woman from the mainland–to protect
the townsfolk from the giant, bloodsucking, tentacled aliens that prey
upon them. Their only weapon, they discover, is booze. If they want to
survive the creatures’ onslaught, everyone will have to get very, very
drunk!
Is there any better fantasy than using a baby as a clay pigeon? The shrill screaming silenced by the sound of a pump-action shotgun unloading into the small fleshy blob, erupting in a truly outrageous amount of blood is enough to make one squirm with joy a coax out a child-like giggle from the viewer. This may be a bit morbid for some but that’s exactly why director and writer Bobcat Goldthwait makes this the first scene of his new feature God Bless America. The audience can decide immediately whether they’re in for the ride or need to run back to the ticket office to demand a refund.
Syracuse, NY. Frank (Joel Murray) is having a bit of a rough time. Frank lives alone tormented my persistent, sharp headaches and neighbours that do little more than regurgitate the mindless garbage that flow into their home through the television. At work he must hear more of this dribble from his co-workers. His attempt at some happiness is refused when his daughter decides he is no fun and isn’t worth spending time with unless she get’s something out of it. His ex-wife does little more than cater to the girls every whim, which in turn is shaping this little monster’s future outlook on life. As if all this wasn’t enough his apathetic doctor has just informed him of an inoperable tumour growing inside Frank’s brain while negotiating the specifics of his new automobile on a mobile phone.
Given up on the world, Frank finds his old service weapon and prepares for his suicide. As his tongue tastes the coolness of the barrel, reality television spews from the set and Frank has an epiphany. There are many people who deserve to die so if he’s going to die anyway he should at least take a few others out before his time has come. After killing one of the brats from MTV’s My Super Sweet Sixteen, Roxy (Tara Lynne Barr) a fellow schoolmate and loather of douchebags teams up with Frank to murder anyone and everyone who deserves to die.
The concept of this film is brilliant in its simplicity. Who hasn’t thought to themselves about someone deserving some sort of physical violence inflicted on them because of their personality or behaviour? Maybe not murder but this is a movie after all and waiting for karma to step in and do its thing doesn’t make for entertaining films. A particularly engrossing scene plays out in a cinema with a group of noisy teens that is sure to please all cinephiles.
The main point of the film is we could all find ourselves at the end of Frank’s pistol, including the likes of Frank and Roxy. If you’re someone who cannot fathom this notion then this film isn’t for you. At times Frank’s message of decency and working for real connections with people rather than virtual ones does feel like it’s being forced on you, it’s not necessarily wrong. Today it does seem as though people don’t take the time to form their own opinions on what’s going on in the new and around the world and simply regurgitate whatever they hear on TV or social media outlets.
It may be a little bit of the old man shouting, “Get of my lawn you damn kids,” but the story coaxes you into caring about these characters and supporting their not-unreasonable cause. The spoiled girl is allowed to die because Frank and Roxy take the time to kill the God-Hates-Fags group. If the hated by all groups at least get what’s coming to them, it’s easier to get away with killing a young girl who is truly horrible in her own right. Frank and Roxy bond over a game of Russian Roulette using an inflated balloon as their bullet, submitting themselves — at least figuratively — to the same rampage their inflicting on their victims.
With all the murdering and smiling faces, it should be easy to remember this is a sort of fantasy film. Of course these characters are insane for wanting to kill everyone who is involved in or watches reality television but isn’t this why we have the movies? Don’t we want to escape from what’s going on around us and live in a universe where we can put a bullet in heads of bigots and selfish people? Shouldn’t we be asking ourselves why the Kardashian’s are famous? It is a one-joke premise sort of film but the joke is always changing its shape. The dry humour blends well with the narrative’s message altering God Bless America from a statement to a question. Who knows, maybe the world could use a new Mickey and Mallory Knox for the social networking generation.
Over the years there's been a number of films that have combined live action with animation like Mary Poppins, Who framed Roger RabbitQuietearth have spotted this awesome live action-animation SAVING SALLY. Been described as a love story involving boy, girl and lots of monsters and in this there's lots of monsters. The romantic comedy (yes romcom but there's no Katherine Heigl in this!) has been in the works for years working on a blue screen using real actors combining it with 2d animations and yes it may not look in a style or some would argue same quality as those but here at Cinehouse we love what we see from this film. 3 trailer below so do enjoy!
This is not a post about Bulgaria or that fictional country from Chitty Chitty Bang Bang but the trailer for Hong Kong film maker Pang Ho-Cheung's latest adventure VULGARIA. Cheung is no stranger to Cinehouse as we last read about him with Love In A Puff, Dream Home (wai dor lei ah yut ho) and fresh from Hong Kong Film Festival Vulgaria proving he's one of Hong Kong's most intriguing film makers. When it comes to raunchy, sexual references in Asian cinema it tends to come from Japan but occasionally elsewhere like Hong Kong and this film has sexy nurses, maids and a mule with plenty of wash your mouth with soap dialogue and sexy jokes prove this might be funny film. So don't judge a book by its cover or in this case film title, yes its naughty but potentially one of the funniest sex comedies from Asia in a while.
"The Maltese Falcon meets The IT Crowd" - Allan Hunter, Screen Daily.
"Really f**king funny" - Screened
"Quirky little comedy gem." - Media Muppet
"An intelligent and well choreographed storyline" - Cinehouse
Electric Man, the micro-budget comedy shot in Edinburgh, has been selected for the prestigious San Diego Comic Con International Film Festival on July 13th – and is the only UK feature film to play at the world famous comic convention this year. Shot on a micro budget, the film has already gained BAFTA New Talent Awards nominations for its script and score as well as being shortlisted for Best Feature at the Celtic Media Festival. Selection for San Diego Comic Con places the film with the industry big hitters. Director David Barras explains:
“This is a game changer for us. We had already planned for digital distribution later in the year but we were going to limit that to the UK. Comic Con is enormous and we're now looking to give the film a global launchpad.”
The movie was selected as only one of three feature films to play this year's festival from over 200 initial entries.
"As a small independent movie we have to pick and choose where we go. But San Diego was the holy grail for us. Yes, it has blown a massive hole in the budget but we would be mad not to go. Who wouldn't want to be at the same convention as Iron Man 3 and the new Superman movie?"
Cinema goers in London will have the opportunity to see for themselves what all the fuss is about on Sunday 8th July, when the film plays at The Prince Charles Cinema in Leicester Place. The film has already played to a sold out audience at the cinema in May but the team are bring it back to coincide with the London Film and Comic Con and give the capital's movie goers a sneak peak before they fly to California for the film's big night at Comic Con. Director David Barras will be joined by members of the cast, the writer and the composer to introduce the film and take part in a Q & A. And there'll be a few giveaways on the night.
Electric Man is already a UK success story but the movie is far from your typical British fare. In an industry that is used to producing Scottish films that are usually about shooting up or shooting grouse, Electric Man is a distinct change of pace. Billed as ‘The Maltese Falcon meets Clerks’ the film makers have produced something set in the UK but with a definite American flavour.
The film is still seeking distribution and is looking for sponsors to support a planned UK tour of independent cinemas in the autumn.
About Electric Man
The movie was shot in Edinburgh in late 2010 and made ready for release during 2011. It premiered at the Glasgow Film Festival in February 2012 and had a successful tour of Scotland thereafter.
The film tells the story of Jazz and Wolf, two cash-strapped comic shop owners who need £5,000 in a hurry if they are to save their comic shop in Edinburgh. As luck would have it they chance across a copy of Electric Man issue 1 which just happens to be worth £100,000. But there are other people after the comic and it is soon lost, stolen, switched and switched again as Jazz and Wolf try to save both their business and their love lives.
UK fans will get the chance to see the film this Sunday at the Prince Charles Cinema in London, and I wondered whether you might be able to flag up the screening and the SDCC selection news with a piece on The People's Movies, and mention it to your followers on twitter and Facebook? You can find out more information here , or why not head over to the films facebook page or twitter and grab yourself a pair of free tickets in the competitions they run there - @electricmanfilm facebook.com/pages/Electric-Man
You may have also noticed one of the films taglines at the star of the post looked very familiar,yes it's a quote from cinehouse we caught the film at the Glasgow Film Festival and you can read David's review here.
If you are going to Comic Con (12-15 July 2012) in San Diego, California you can find out more info on the film and convention here
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