Sundance London Festival 2013 - Our Top 5 Picks

We are just over a week away from the second Sundance festival in London, taking place at the O2 in Greenwich. Robert Redford’s celebration of all things independent leaves it’s home of Utah to bring a selection of films to the cinema fans of England. Last year’s big winner, Beasts of the Southern Wild, used Sundance as the base upon which to launch it’s year of acclaim and awards culminating in a handful of Oscar nods. Is there similar success to be had from this year’s batch? Here’s a pick of just 5 to keep an eye out for.

The Kings of Summer

Harking back to those teenage threats to run away, The Kings of Summer brings us the story of Joe Toy, an adolescent fed-up with his life being dictated to him by his single father. Along with best friend Patrick and fellow outsider Biaggio he flees to the woods where the three go about building their own house where they can live freely, away from the trials of chores and homework. Billed as Superbad meets Stand By Me, this coming-of-age comedy was a big hit at the festival’s US incarnation.

Blackfish

Sundance is renowned for it’s support of documentary’s with last years Queen of Versailles and Chasing Ice both premiering at the festival and this year is no exception. Blackfish looks into the case of Tilikum, a killer whale at SeaWorld responsible for the death of three people. This hard-hitting film suggests the finger of blame should be pointed at the water park itself and the methods it uses to catch and train these wild creatures.

Touchy Feely

The Mumblecore movement may well be closer associated with the SXSW festival but its fingerprints are all over the current wave of American independent cinema. One of the movement’s breakout directors, Lynn Shelton (Humpday, Your Sister’s Sister) brings her latest film to Sundance telling the tale of a massage therapist who becomes stricken with a sudden and somewhat problematic aversion to touch.

Upstream Colour

Writer-director Shane Carruth’s debut film Primer took home the Grand Jury Prize in 2004 baffling the audience with a physics heavy time-travel conundrum. His follow-up Upstream Colour is similarly, if not more, abstract. A man and a woman are drawn together in their awareness of life’s bigger picture, the world connected in one organism. Visually striking and wildly original, this is likely to be a big festival talking point.

Sleepwalk with me

Adapted from his own one-man show, Sleepwalk with me sees former stand-up comedian and playwright Mike Birbiglia wrestle with a struggling career, a failing relationship and the continuous bouts of sleepwalking of the title. Already victorious in the NEXT category of the American Sundance, this debut feature is being praised for both its humour and heart.



Matthew Walsh will be attending The Sundance London Film Festival which opens 25th April until 28th April, so stay tuned for some rather nice reviews!

Clouzot's The Murderer Lives At Number 21 (L'assassin habite... au 21) To Get Masters Of Cinema Treatment

Eureka Entertainment have announced that they will be releasing the long-awaited release of Henri-Georges Clouzot's (Les diaboliques, The Wages of Fear) debut film THE MURDERER LIVES AT 21 [L'ASSASSIN HABITE AU 21]. The film is a brilliant hybrid of crime thriller and comedy, and will be released in a breathtaking high-definition restoration by Gaumont in a Blu-ray & DVD edition on 20 May 2013.

One of the most revered names in world cinema, Henri-Georges Clouzot, made a remarkably self-assured debut in 1942 with the deliciously droll thriller The Murderer Lives at 21 [L'Assassin habite au 21].

A thief and killer stalks the streets of Paris, leaving a calling card from "Monsieur Durand" at the scene of each crime. But after a cache of these macabre identifications is discovered by a burglar in the boarding house at 21 Avenue Junot, Inspector Wenceslas Vorobechik (Pierre Fresnay) takes lodging at the infamous address in an undercover bid to solve the crime, with help from his struggling-actress girlfriend Mila (Suzy Delair).

Featuring audacious directorial touches, brilliant performances, and a daring tone that runs the gamut from light comedy to sinister noir, as well as a subtle portrait of tensions under Nazi occupation, this overlooked gem from the golden age of French cinema is presented in a beautiful new high-definition restoration.

“good fun for whodunit fans” – The New York Times

“clever cocktail of humour and drama” - Le Miroir de l'Ecran

SPECIAL BLU-RAY AND DVD EDITIONS:

• Gorgeous new Gaumont restoration of the film in its original aspect ratio, presented in 1080p HD on the Blu-ray
• New and improved English subtitles
• A fully-illustrated booklet, including the words of Henri-Georges Clouzot and rare imagery

Pre-Order/Buy The Murder Lives At Number 21 (L'assassin habite... au 21): DVD / Blu-ray

Love Crime (Crime d’amour) DVD Review

The final film of late French filmmaker, Alain Corneau receives a posthumous British cinematic release this month. Love Crime (Crime D'amour) remains a testament to the high quality of Corneau's work.

Christine, a controlling business executive (Kristin Scott Thomas), leads a young associate, Isabelle, (Ludvine Sagnier) into a controlling game of manipulation and domination. After embarrassing her at a staff function, Isabelle vows deadly revenge on Christine.

Love Crime boasts a near Hitchcockian narrative, proving to be a completely unpredictable ride. Corneau's film opens with a meeting between Christine and Isabelle,  which verges on seduction - we see the young associate drawn to magnetic persona of Christine.  As this character dynamic builds we gradually see this idolisation turn into a passionate contempt between both women, as Christine continually toys with Isabelle's emotions - this cat and mouse relationship makes Love Crime a truly absorbing watch. We see the tension build between the pair until Isabelle  reaches breaking point in a twist that completely overturns the narrative of the whole film. This twist creates dozens of questions and mysteries throughout the remainder of the film, which gradually get unravelled in Corneau and Nathalie Carter's sharp script. The pair pay a strong attention to detail, with meticulous answers to any plot-hole or inconsistency, a viewer may attempt to pick. However, one small flaw lies in Love Crime's ending which feels too outlandish and contrived to be wholly satisfying, yet is unlikely to spoil your enjoyment of Cournea's film.

Corneau is a master of crafting intrigue and suspense, allowing us to empathise with Isabelle but keeping us distanced from her motivations, gradually unravelling them by the conclusion of Love Crime.  This allows for a magnificent performance from Sagnier as we see the character turn from vulnerable underdog to a more-than-fitting opponent of Christine.  The actress is equally convincing as both victim and challenger, boasting her finest performance since Francois Ozon's Swimming Pool.  Kristin Scott-Thomas brings a cold, self-satisfying presence to the role of Christine, truly commanding the screen.

Love Crime may not cover any new ground to a traditional euro-thriller, but proves engaging, sharp and fast paced enough to  prove completely enjoyable, particularly thanks to performances from Sagnier and Scott Thomas.

★★★★☆

Andrew McArthur

Stars: Ludvine Sagnier, Kristin Scott Thomas,;Patrick Mille
Director: Alain Corneau
Release: 22nd April  2013 (UK)
Certificate: 15 (UK)
Buy: Love Crime On DVD

[repost of the cinema review]

Horror Channel Does The Devi's Business With Three UK Premieres For May

Horror fans can sink their teeth into all things dark and dangerous as the menacing month of May ushers in three exciting UK TV premieres - Sean Hogan’s haunting THE DEVIL’S BUSINESS Colin Theys’ apocalyptic zombie thriller REMAINS and Keith Wright’s touching horror comedy HAROLD’S GOING STIFF.

Details of the line-up:

22:55. Sat May 4 – HAROLD’S GOING STIFF (2011)
Keith Wright's very funny and surprisingly touching tale investigates a mystery illness turning men in the north of England into something resembling bloodthirsty ghouls. One such victim is Harold (Stan Rowe), an old man whose transformation into something sub-human might just be arrested by the love of Penny (Sarah Spencer), a dedicated home care nurse. But a group of vigilantes have other ideas.



22:55, Sat May 11 – THE DEVIL’S BUSINESS (2011)
Two hit men, Pinner (Billy Clarke), a cynical veteran and the inexperienced Cully (Jack Gordon), are sent to murder an old associate of their underworld boss. But things are not all what they seem in their quarry’s house and the duo descends into the shadowy darkness of their own tortured souls. Exuding a palpable atmosphere of claustrophobic dread, this is an eerily effective gem from director Sean Hogan. [read our review]



22:55, Sat May 18 – REMAINS (2011)
A vacant casino in Nevada becomes a hellish battleground as a group of human survivors fight a hard-core Zombie apocalypse, in which the infected grow smarter and stronger every day. Based on a graphic novel by Steven Nile, Award-winning Director Colin Theys’ graphic feature stars Miko Hughes, who fans may recognise as the little boy from the original ‘Pet Sematary’.



Other highlights to watch out for:

THE NEW ADVENTURES OF WONDER WOMAN. (Series 1, 1975) Weekdays at 18:00 and 09:00 from Mon May 20. Series 1

One of the most popular cult TV shows from the 70s makes its debut on the Horror Channel. Fans will relish another chance to watch the unforgettable Linda Carter kick ass and ‘bust’ the bad guys.



REEL FEAR SEASON. Fridays at 22:55 from May 3
Fans of found-footage movies will love this line-up, which includes the premiere of GRAVE ENCOUNTERS from The Vicious Brothers , WELCOME TO THE JUNGLE, THE BLAIR WITCH PROJECT, SKEW and Julian Richard’s award-winning THE LAST HORROR MOVIE.


DIRECTOR’S NIGHT WITH ELI ROTH. Thurs May 30 from 21:00
Roth, famed director of CABIN FEVER and HOTEL, took time out at FrightFest Glasgow 2013, during the screening of his new film AFTERSHOCK, to wax lyrical on his love of Italian zombie movies as he explains why THE CITY OF THE LIVING DEAD and DEMONS are great movie inspirations for him.


TV: Sky 319 / Virgin 149 / Freesat 138
www.horrorchannel.co.uk | twitter.com/horror_channel

BFI Adding Pasolini's Theorem (Teorema) To Home Release This May

Following its theatrical release this month, the BFI will bring Pier Paolo Pasolini’s Theorem (1968) to Blu-ray for the first time in the UK when it is released complete and uncut in a Dual Format Edition (includes a DVD disc) on 27 May 2013. The new high definition digital transfer has restored picture and sound. Special features include a filmed interview with Terence Stamp, a feature commentary and an optional English language soundtrack.

A handsome, enigmatic stranger (Terence Stamp) arrives at a bourgeois household in Milan and successively seduces each family member, not forgetting the maid. Then, as abruptly and mysteriously as he arrived, he departs, leaving the distraught members of the household to make what sense they can of their lives in the void of his absence.

In this cool, richly complex and provocative political allegory, Pasolini uses his schematic plot to explore family dynamics, the intersection of class and sex, and the nature of different sexualities. After winning a prize at the Venice Film Festival, Theorem was subsequently banned on an obscenity charge, but Pasolini later won an acquittal on the grounds of the film’s ‘high artistic value’.

Theorem is visually ravishing, with superb performances from its international cast and a brilliantly eclectic soundtrack featuring music by composers ranging from Mozart to Morricone.

Special Features
• Presented in both High Definition and Standard Definition;
• Optional alternative English language soundtrack;
• Audio commentary by Italian film expert Robert Gordon;
• An Interview with Terence Stamp (2007, 34 mins, DVD only);
• 2013 theatrical release trailer;
• Illustrated booklet with an essay by Geoffrey Nowell-Smith, a review by Philip Strick and biographies of Pasolini and Stamp.

Pe-order/buy:Theorem (DVD + Blu-ray)

Roberto Benigni To Star in Aki Kaurismaki's Next Project Set In Italy?

The last time we read about Aki Kaurismäki was last year when his fantastic Le Havre was released. For his next project he's heading to Italy and he wants Oscar winning Roberto Benigni to star in it.

What the film will be about and the intentions of having Benigini are unclear at this moment but what we can gather the film will be inspired by 'the tasty wines of Salento'. This is a rather vague description however  Salento is part of the Apulia region of Southern Italy which happened to be where the 14th European film festival was hosted which the Finnish Auteur was a guest at. It seems the region has inspired the director which I totally appreciate (I lived nearly 2 years in Campania the neighboring region) but his grasp of the Italian language is only 'tourist' level so for this project to succeed he needs to learn the language better.

Originally Kaurismaki wanted Italian veteran Nanni Morretti (We Have A Pope) who unfortunately did not respond and now all eyes are on Benigni  who he described  who describes as a career like 'John Wayne  with a little Cary Grant'. If this project kicks off which we hope it does it's hard to see what direction the film will go, a film on wines may sound bland however with Life is Beautiful star Benigni onboard you can expect the film will be a mix of drama and crazy comedy.

source: THR

Evil Dead II Special Edition Blu-Ray Review

Studiocanal has FINALLY re-released Evil Dead 2 : Dead By Dawn on blu-ray with the release it deserves. It has previously been released barebones during their shitty period of barebones releases of 80s cult films like Escape From New York and the 2 sequels to Evil Dead. This re-released is obviously timed for remake (or shall we say re-imaging) of the original Evil Dead which comes out later this week and if early reviews are to be believed… shock… Quite good. Anyhow onto the best film in the whole series.

Ash, (Bruce Campbell) the sole survivor of the Evil Dead Takes his girlfriend Linda (Desise Bixler) to a secluded cabin in the wood where he plays back a professor’s tape recorded recitation of passages of the book of the Dead. The spell calls up an evil force from the woods than turn Linda into a monstrous Deadite, and threatens to do the same to Ash. He is forced to single-handedly battle the legions of the damned as the most lethal – and groovy – hero in horror movie history. (Taken from the pr)

The first film certainly had some comic laughs but in Evil Dead 2 brings the humour much more to the forefront. The film soon becomes an absurdist acid trip of “horror film” which literally has blood running down the walls of the cabin. Sam Raimi was as influenced by The Three Stooges as he was by let’s say The Night of the Living Dead and it shows. The film is chock a block full of slapstick humour even during it’s more “horrific” moments like the eyeball scene. Bruce Campbell is very much like the horror version of Buster Keaton and like Buster he did many of his own stunts in the film due to budgetary constraints probably.

The film’s initial release had little to no fanfare despite some positive reviews from mainstream film critics like the recently deceased Roger Ebert it fared poorly initially at the box office. It opened in only 300 theatres in the USA but due to word of the mouth it made a small profit within a month. It has since gained a enormous cult following due to it’s manic blend of slapstick and gore and rightfully so. It’s cult following is partly due to the rise of home video in the 80s and 90s and eventually dvd where it has been milked to hell with various different editions.

The new re-release (which is actually a port of the US Blu-ray that has been out for a while) has a new documentary which is actually longer than the entire film and some other supplementary features + previously released stuff like another doc and the hilarious commentary from Raimi, Campbell and co from earlier releases. If you’ve never seen Evil Dead 2 you’re in for treat and if you have Blu-ray capabilities it’s a worthy upgrade. Groovy…

Ian Schultz

★★★★★

Rating: 15
BD Release: 15th April 2013 (UK)
Director:Sam Raimi
Cast:Bruce Campbell, Sarah Berry, Dan Hicks
Buy:Evil Dead 2 On Blu-ray

Robert Redford; A Career In Pictures

Robert Redford is an American actor, director, producer, environmental activist, philanthropist, and businessman. His expansive career boasts a range of roles in over 50 films, an Academy Award for Best Director, and founder of the Sundance Film Festival. His performances in theatre, television, and film have rightfully given him mega-star status, and it is his continued involvement in the movie industry as both an actor and director that continues to bring prestige and distinction to the annual festival commemorating independent filmmakers across the United States.

In honour of this year’s upcoming Sundance London Film Festival, taking place April 25-28 at the O2, here is a brief – and certainly not exhaustive – look back at some stand-out moments from Redford’s long, and continuing, film career.

BUTCH CASSIDY AND THE SUNDANCE KID (1969) – The Sundance Kid

Starring alongside Paul Newman – and effectively sparking a life-long friendship – this film cemented Redford as a bankable movie star in the breakthrough role of the titular Sundance Kid. The role would end up having a major influence in his later life, founding the Sundance Institute and the Sundance Film Festival in Utah and naming it after his character.


THE STING (1973) – Johnny Hooker

This blockbuster crime caper again teamed up the dynamic duo of Redford and Newman, this time playing a pair of con artists in 1930’s Chicago. Redford received an Oscar nomination for Best Actor in a Leading Role, and the film remains one of the top 20 highest grossing movies of all time when adjusted for inflation.


THE WAY WE WERE (1973) – Hubbell

Proving his versatility as an actor, Redford co-starred alongside Barbra Streisand in this hugely popular period drama about two lovers who try to sustain a complicated relationship throughout the years. The role further cemented Redford’s leading man reputation and added good old-fashioned romance to his lengthening list of genres.


ALL THE PRESIDENT’S MEN (1976) – Bob Woodward

Scripted by Butch Cassidy writer William Goldman, this landmark film paired up Redford with Dustin Hoffman as famed reporters Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein attempting to uncover the truth about Watergate. With Redford as co-star and executive producer, the film attempted to create a realistic portrayal of journalism and reflected his off-screen concern for political causes.


ORDINARY PEOPLE (1980) – Director

Taking a seat behind the camera instead of in front of it, Redford’s directorial debut was a critical success winning a number of Oscars including Best Director. The film follows the disintegration of an upper class American family and stars Donald Sutherland and Mary Tyler Moore.


INDECENT PROPOSAL (1993) – John Gage

Forever remembered as the movie where Robert Redford offered Woody Harrelson a million dollars for one night with Demi Moore, this film gave Redford one of his most popular and recognized roles. Playing the corrupt millionaire who uses bribery to test people’s morals, Redford’s performance made the movie one of the year’s biggest hits.


THE COMPANY YOU KEEP (2012) – Jim Grant / Nick Sloan

Most recently, Redford directed and co-starred in this political thriller centered on a former activist who goes on the run after a young journalist, played by Shia LeBeouf, discovers his identity. Marking the first film with Redford as both director and actor, it has so far won two awards from the Venice Film Festival.


SUNDANCE FILM FESTIVAL – Founder

No list of accomplishments would be complete without Redford’s founding contribution to the Sundance Institute in 1981, and consequently the Sundance Film Festival, Sundance Cinemas, Sundance Catalogue, and the Sundance Channel, all in or around Park City, Utah. The Sundance Film Festival is now one of the most prestigious events in the movie industry, giving independent filmmakers from around the world a chance to showcase their works. Redford’s continued involvement and support brings respect and admiration to any Sundance project – even all the way across the pond at Sundance London.

Sundance London is taking from 25th-28th April 2013 at The O2, London.

Drew Bolduc's Science Team Needs Your Help! Watch First Teaser

From the director who brought you exploding cocks in the crazy Troma-esque The Taint, Drew Bolduc needs your help with his next project. The Science Team which looks a little more sophomore however this is a Bolduc film so expect the unexpected! The director has been in touch asking for our help but most of all cinehouse and The Peoples Movies Readers so he can get his new project up and running a Sci-fi/comedy which describes as “eliminate evil extraterrestrial threats.” a little vague, but plenty of bizarre moments.


Science Team Promo from Drew Bolduc on Vimeo.

Synopsis

Chip returns home to find that his mother has been brutally murdered. A sessile space alien is now living in her house. Science Team must eliminate the extraterrestrial threat. Drama ensues. People die. Inner and extraterrestrial demons are engaged. Men in pink suits use cool-looking technology. Events culminate in a destructive orgy of violence of such an epic intensity that people’s minds are literally blown out of their heads

So if you loved The Taint, you'll certainly enjoy Science Team and why not support them in their fundraising? Find out here for more information

Terracotta Film Festival To Expand With New venues, Events and Dates This Years Festival

The Terracotta Festival, for its 5th year anniversary, will expand from the usual four-days to 10 days from Thursday 6 June to Saturday 15 June 2013. The festival will increase the number of films and venues, and still remain in the heart of the capital.

To commemorate this special occasion, Terracotta Festival organisers are delighted to announce that more strands have been added to the line-up. The four strands of the festival are: CURRENT ASIAN CINEMA, IN MEMORY OF: Leslie Cheung & Anita Mui, SPOTLIGHT ON: Indonesia and the Terror Cotta Horror All-Nighter.

Terracotta Festival will continue to screen its usual selection of best contemporary films from any genre, any Far East country, at the Prince Charles Cinema from 6-9 June 2013. Like previous editions, guest actors and directors will attend the festival to introduce their film, host Q&A sessions, run Masterclasses and interact with festival goers. This will be the CURRENT ASIAN CINEMA section of the festival.

Two prolific and well respected Hong Kong actors, Leslie Cheung and Anita Mui, passed away unexpectedly, and in tragic circumstances, in 2003. Ten years later, their impression on film lovers around the world is still very strong. Terracotta Festival would like to take this opportunity to present some highlights of their screen legacy.

An additional five days from 11-15 June 2013 have been added for a new section entirely dedicated to an emerging territory. This section will be called “SPOTLIGHT ON:…” and this year the festival will shine the spotlight on contemporary Indonesian cinema.

Taking place at the Institute of Contemporary Arts (ICA), this section will showcase the exciting breadth of genres, directors and subject matters from this country.

Whilst the Prince Charles Cinema is a perfect location (leading cult cinema in the centre of Chinatown), the new structure and the ICA will give a wider audience more opportunities to take part in the Festival.

Last but not least, the Terror Cotta Horror All-Nighter returns following the success of last year’s event. Showcasing the diversity and ingenuity of horror from the Far East, expect a mix of ghosts, monsters, zombies, demons and cold-blooded killers from various East Asian territories.

What is Bobo are the official design sponsors of the Terracotta Far East Film Festival for the 3rd consecutive year, creating the festivals branding, on screen identity and all of it’s promotional material.

Festival Director Joey Leung comments: “It is very encouraging for us to see the growth in audience numbers each year, and the appetite of audiences to explore deeper into this area of International Cinema. This year’s enlarged festival will bring a depth to our programme, a wider range of entertaining stories and an exciting line-up of guests”