Showing posts with label soda pictures. Show all posts
Showing posts with label soda pictures. Show all posts
8 September 2014
24 March 2014
22 March 2014
1 March 2014
DVD Review - For Those In Peril (2013)
Genre:
Drama
Distributor:
Soda Pictures
Rating: 18
DVD Release Date:
3rd March 2014 (UK)
Director:
Paul Wright
Cast:
George McKay, Nichola Burley, Katie Dickie, Michael Smiley
Buy: For Those In Peril [DVD]
British cinema has long since been known for its realist aesthetic with directors such as Ken Loach (Kes, Raining Stones, and Ladybird, Ladybird) and Mike Leigh (Life Is Sweet, Naked, and Secrets & Lies) working at the forefront of our national cinema within a social realist idiom. In more recent years, with Lynne Ramsay’s Ratcatcher and Andrea Arnold’s more recent Fish Tank springing to mind, the traditional realist mode as changed context and become more poetic in its form. And now we have Paul Wright, whose debut feature For Those in Peril uses local folklore to transcend the boundaries of realist cinema and imbue his story with a sense of magic.
The film concerns itself with the guilt and need for redemption that take their toll on Aaron (George Mackay), the lone survivor of a fishing accident that claimed the lives of several young men including his own brother. With the local townsfolk of the remote Scottish fishing community in which he resides either blaming him or resenting him for being the only one to return, and with his only solace coming from his mother (played by the excellent Kate Dickie) and his dead brother’s girlfriend Jane (Nichola Burley), Aaron retreats into his own world. With the conviction that his brother is still alive and after taking literally the fable his mother used to tell him as a child, he sets out to rescue his brother from the belly of the monster at the bottom of the sea.
My initial reaction when I watched the film was that the use of folklore to lift the film into the realms of magical realism was, as other critics have been eager to point out, a major misjudgement that diverts our attention away from the films compassionate and intense psychological core. But upon reflection the real problem isn’t anything to do with the films magical elements but more to do with the 18 certificate given to the film, because this film does work as a children’s fable, albeit a dark one, that should be made available for a younger audience. For while the film still has its problems, namely the credibility of the townsfolk’s resentment of Aaron, the film is an ambitious debut that deserves to sit alongside Lynne Ramsay’s Ratcatcher, Andrea Arnold’s Fish Tank, Clio Barnard’s The Selfish Giant, and Ken Loach’s Sweet Sixteen as a children’s film that has fallen foul of the BBFC’s rating system.
Shane James
13 February 2014
31 January 2013
Bullhead Review
When you hear the opening monologue of the movie you already sense you’re in for something rather special. Beneath the surface it already hints at the deeper themes of the movie in a profound but delicate way.
You might’ve heard about Schoenaerts who gained 25 kilos of muscle for the role. And while this may sound impressive one might argue that the role of an actor is not (only) one of physical transformation. But transformation is more than physical the movement, the look, the tics but predominantly the eyes. The praise Schoenaerts presentation received is no hyperbole, it is a full and complete character. And quite a meaty one at that.
The movie has excellent pace there is never a dull moment as the story slowly unfolds and brings you deeper and deeper in its ever escalating tragedy. The finale especially is a powerful piece of cinematography, it almost feels hallucinatory, with powerful acting and beautiful camerawork. Speaking of which, the camerawork throughout the whole movie is splendid it doesn’t take the forefront by quick montages and flashes of imagery but just produces powerful images with panning slowly and making great use of depth of field which creates ghostlike visions that suite the overall tone and story rather nicely. The music has the same use keeping a low profile; but still contributing in acquiring that overall powerful emotional feel.
Well after all this praise I have to admit the movie is not without its faults. The gags with the two Walloon mechanics are in the vain of a typical French comedy (be it of a lesser comedic quality) which is indeed an acquired taste. And some might say they feel a bit out of place.
You might’ve noticed I didn’t provide a synopsis of the story as is customary in reviews. I did this for two reasons.What I particularly like about the movie is its deeper underlying story. At first it might seem like a regular cops an gangster movie with some side story, but it is quite a bit more than that. It is a movie which touches on a few difficult themes and an intricate way. It is a story about the border between feeling human and the bestial. What it is like, to not feel normal and the obsessions it creates. And it tells this using a strong, hypnotic narrative, supported by equally strong visuals. A movie with balls, powerful but fragile at the same time.
Lieven Glovers
Rating:15
Release Date: 1st February 2013 (UK)
Director:Michaël R. Roskam
Cast: Matthias Schoenaerts, Jeroen Perceval, Jeanne Dandoy
*This is a reprint of review posted 4th February 2012
T
2 July 2012
EIFF 2012: 7 Days In Havana Review
Spanish language anthology, 7 Days In Havana, as the title suggests, follows a week in Havana with a different short film representing each day. Featuring directorial turns from names such as Benicio Del Toro, Gaspar Noé and Julio Médem proves to be a extremely varied two hours. The anthology gets off to an excellent start, opening with three solid and entertaining shorts, however as is customary with this type of film, the quality varies rapidly with each of the later segments.
The opening segment, Benicio Del Toro's El Yuma stars Josh Hutcherson as a young American actor arriving in Havana, then proceeding to explore the city's bars. The short excels through Del Toro's vivid representation of Havana's bustling nightlife, capturing a sense of the music, heat and ambience of the city. This is supported by an incredibly charismatic appearance from Josh Henderson and enjoyable supporting turns from the Cuban cast.
Pablo Trapero's Jam Session follows, telling us of a heavy-drinking Serbian film director, Emir Kusturica collecting an award in Havana. The filmmaker cannot bare the monotony of the post-award dinner so his driver takes him to a musical jam session. Like Del Toro's segment, Trapero portrays Havana in a rich and diverse light, capturing a fusion of the vibrancy of the city. Jam Session places a large influence on the music of the city, with it being the basis on which Kusturica and his driver bond.
Julio Médem's La tentadión de Cecilia is heartfelt romantic short, placing more emphasis on the characters than the actual city of Havana. Melvis Santa Estevez stars as night club singer torn between her professional baseball player boyfriend or whether to leave her homeland and move to Spain with a handsome hotel owner (Daniel Brühl). Despite the short lacking much originality, Médem's vibrant direction and stellar performances ensure that La tentadión de Cecilia is engaging throughout.
Unfortunately it is Elia Suleiman's Diary of a Beginner where the previously high quality of 7 Days In Havana rapidly dips. Thursday's segment sees a foreign diplomat prepare for a meeting with Fidel Castro. There is little to Diary of a Beginner apart from the lead character (played by Suleiman) simply observing prostitutes and tourists in a Havana bar. The humour is tedious, never particularly working and relying the same gag of the diplomat walking the wrong way to his hotel room several times.
Gaspar Noe's Ritual follows taking up the Friday segment. We see two lesbians dancing on a brooding Havana night, the pair end up sleeping together. One of the girls' parents soon walks in to see their daughter lying with another women, she is then put her through a 'cleansing ritual'. This is perhaps the most visually stirring segment of the film, but is not enough to maintain interest for an extended period of time.
Juan Carlos Tabío's short entitled Dulce amargo (Bittersweet) is a vast improvement to the prior two, capturing a hectic day in the life of a Cuban mother (Mirta Ibara), balancing both a life as a psychologist and part time baker. A sensational performance from Mirta Ibara and an amusing, heart-warming story, that tells us to make time for ourselves helps Dulce amargo to stand out as one of the film's strongest shorts.
The final segment, Laurent Cantet's La fuente (The Fountain) follows the residents of a shabby apartment block building a fountain for the Virgin Mary. Cantent's portrait of a typical community feels truly authentic, capturing a convincing sense of camaraderie between the residents. This is a charming and pleasant look at Havana.
7 Days In Havana's segments succeed on representing various sides to an incredibly diverse city - from the music filled, rum soaked nightlife to the lives of its' everyday residents. Although the segments vary in quality - El Yuma, Jam Session, La tentadión de Cecilia, Dulce amargo and Le fuente are all thoroughly worth your time.
Andrew McArthur
Release: 22nd June, 2012 (EIFF) 6th July 2012(UK)
Directors: Benicio Del Toro, Pablo Trapero, Julio Medem, Elia Suleiman, Gaspar Noé, Juan Carlos Tabío ,Laurent Cantet
Stars: Josh Hutcherson,Emir Kusturica, Daniel Brühl , Mirta Ibarra
7 DAYS IN HAVANA - Official UK Trailer - In Cinemas 6th July Published via LongTail.tv
2 July 2011
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