Sundance London: The Kings Of Summer Review

Oh for a teenage summer. Those long months that roll on forever, answering to no teacher, endlessly outside and bargaining new bedtimes. Remember those? Director Jordan Vogt-Roberts certainly does, and hopes you do too, recalling them with the misty-eyed nostalgia inflected in his coming-of-age comedy The Kings of Summer.

Set in the midst of a hazy summer holiday, his debut feature focuses on Joe Toy (Nick Robinson) – a high-school student dogged by parental rules and longing for the freedom adulthood brings. He’s not alone, best friend Patrick (The Big C’s Gabriel Baso) is similarly plagued by the incessant nagging and banal conversation a life under the parental home can bring. Breaking point is reached when Joe’s bitingly snarky dad, Frank (Nick Offerman) humiliates and grounds him (those two cardinal sins of teenage-hood) for the final time. With little persuading he enlists the help of Patrick, he too convinced an escape from the nonsensical questions from clueless parents is needed. A plan is hatched, an old-fashioned breakout. Not just any breakout though, theirs holds loftier ambitions.

Utilising their suspect DT skills, the pair set about building a house of their own, tucked away in the woods where, crucially, “nobody will find them”. A rule-free summer is on the cards with nothing to answer to other than their own whims.

Joining them is stock kook Biaggio – a bug-eyed curiosity the two are unable to shake off. Heavily indebted to Zach Galifianakis’ role in the Hangover films, his off-the-wall, zany oddball is plastered on a bit too thick and heightens the somewhat uneasy tone of the film. Is Vogt-Roberts going for laughs, or something a little deeper? There is of course nothing wrong with aiming for both but here there’s a distinct mismatch. Dreamy, Mallick inspired shots of nature sit uncomfortably side-by-side with strained, random one-liners thrown in at will and jarring with any established lightness of touch.

The coming-of-age film isn’t complete without a fight and we get one here, emerging over quarrels of the heart, with shared affection for female interest Kelly (Erin Moriarty). The ensuing tension gets twisted with the odd pacing of the film, characters changing drastically and far quicker than anything attributed to teenage hormones, with Joe suddenly resembling a Colonel Kurtz-esque wild man of the land.

True to adolescence, parents are an after-thought but the majority of sharp lines are saved for Offerman as the Parks and Recreation actor steals much of the limelight from the younger co-stars and box-ticking characters around him.

The criticism to be found lies with the pacing and tone, switching from one to another too quickly, leaving an at times somewhat confused effect, begging the question of what Vogt-Roberts was reaching for. Whatever it is, and despite moments of genuine promise, Kings of Summer falls just short.

★★½☆☆

Matthew Walsh

Rating: 15
Festival date: 25th April 2013
Director: Jordan Vogt-Roberts
Cast: Nick Offerman, Moises Arias, Nick Robinson, Alison Brie

Sundance London: Peaches Does Herself Review

An 80 year-old woman stands onstage, topless, clutching a dildo, and singing a song called ‘I love dick’. Welcome to the world of Peaches, and what an eye-opening world it is, full of breasts, genitalia, transsexuals, and orgies. The German singer and survivor of flash-in-the-pan, early noughties electroclash genre brings this collection of all things racy to the big screen in her debut film Peaches Does Herself, celebrating 10 years in the music industry.

Confined to an extravagant stage show, Peaches brings us a sexually charged piece of musical theatre loosely explaining how she came to be, from bedroom artist to the empowered stage-savvy queen of all things fetish. The mentioned nude geriatric is Sandy Kane, a former hooker, friend of Peaches and self-proclaimed oldest sex entertainer in the business who re-appears to perform an act that involves attaching matchsticks to her nipples and lighting them in a grotesque showing of her hardcore credentials. This comes as she battles our singing star for the affection of transsexual Danni Daniels – another member of Peaches ragtag gang able to perform both parts of her Shake Your Dicks, Shake Your Tits song. It’s that kind of show.

It’s not he first time a musical artist has gone down this road, Madonna, Prince and, most recently Vanessa Hudgeons have all flirted with sexual imagery for varying reasons. With Peaches however, you sense it’s far more genuine and there’s certainly nothing as coy as flirting going on here. Throughout her career, Peaches has embraced the seedier side of life and done so with a touch of humour and no lack of good songs, indeed she describes this project as a gift to herself to commemorate her decade of dirty pop. But perhaps that’s the problem with it as a film. There seems to be no filter process in this anything (and everything) goes production, tailored to Peaches’ own distinctive taste. The mooted narrative is slight at best and it’s in danger of resembling little more than a well soundtracked vanity project.

Dancers come and go without offering anything distinctive in the way of choreography, the sets aim to add an organic, home-made feel but come across as slightly cheap looking and nothing to worry Michel Gondry, while performances resemble over-the-top amateur dramatics.

Fans curious to see what she’s concocted will appreciate the musical breaks, the booming electronics and feverish guitars certainly benefit from the lush cinematic sound quality and the performances are the most exciting part of this project. At 70 minutes however, they may be better off just revisiting those albums and spare themselves some of the sights on show here.

★☆☆☆☆

Matthew Walsh

Rating: 18
Festival Release Date: 26th April 2013
Director: Peaches
Cast: Dannii Daniels, Sandy Kane, Peaches
Buy Tickets: Peaches Does Herself

Enjoy The UK Trailer For Joss Whedon's Much Ado About Nothing

When your filmography is steeped in comic book movies and vampire hunting college girls, cabins in woods it's intriguing to see how they would cope with adapting William Shakespeare play to big the screen. Joss Whedon achieved this when in 12 days when he created Much Ado About Nothing and ahead of it's UK release a UK Trailer has been released.

Using the original sources text Much Ado About Nothing tells a chaotic tale of lovers and their journey to find that love together, a journey of wit and deception. When it came to High school English the Great bard was always on the agenda bringing boredom but also enjoyment to those who could appreciate his work with great effect. But put aside the academic feel to the movie and Much Ado About Nothing is actually a delightfully funny film. With the contemporary setting the film has a nice tone it and using a group of his friends some who have experience in similar production others first time look like they have delivered something refreshingly entertaining.

Much Ado About Nothing will arrive in UK&Ireland on 14th June (USA 7th) and stars Amy Acker, Emma Bates, Spencer Treat Clark, Alexis Denisof, Reed Diamond, Nathan Fillion, and Clark Gregg.

The Look Of Love Review

Whether recounting the autobiographical tale of a renowned public figure in 24 Hour Party People (Tony Wilson) or adapting the supposedly unfilmable novel which charts the life of a fictional character in A Cock and Bull Story, director Michael Winterbottom and actor Steve Coogan are a formidable partnership when it comes to regaling an audience with what can easily be considered quintessentially British films. Winterbottom's latest offering, The Look of Love, marks their fourth collaboration and documents the life of Paul Raymond, a controversial entrepreneur who shot to fame in 60's Soho with his chain of strip clubs and adult publications, and his impressive rise throughout the 70's to the position of Britain's richest man.

Instead of focusing solely on the exploits that made Raymond infamous, The look of Love is an in depth character study that doesn't shy away from his roles as a father and husband, which appear far more demanding to Raymond than working in a profession associated with scantily clad ladies and readily available drugs. There are moments of bleakness throughout the screenplay (such as a stand out scene where Raymond meets his estranged son) but for the most part the decadence of the era, which is shown through the glamour and excess of Raymond and his associates, lightens the mood enough for Winterbottom's film to be an enjoyable diversion whether audiences are familiar with the story or not.

Alan Partridge aside, Coogan has never seemed more at home in a character than in his portrayal of Paul Raymond. Sleazy yet charismatic, Coogan is perfectly cast in the leading role and it is impressive to see him handle the more tender and heartfelt moments of this drama with an emotional depth rarely seen in his acting career. Throughout his life Raymond's obsession with women is ever prevalent;  his wife (Anna Friel) and his lover, Amber (Tamsin Egerton), both have a huge impact on him but none more so than the daughter he dotes on. Debbie (Imogen Poots) appears to be the only girl he cannot bear to be without and Poots displays a wonderful naivety when Debbie is plunged into her father's world of adult entertainment at a young age. Despite this it is Egerton's alluring performance that stands out, and as Amber seduces Raymond, the audience will inevitably follow suit.

As is often the case with Winterbottom's films, appearances by British comedy stalwarts such as Stephen Fry, David Walliams and Dara O'Briain provide welcome comic relief even if their screen time is limited, and in some cases it is disappointing that their characters are not utilised more.

Whilst The Look of Love is not quite as accomplished as Winterbottom's previous autobiographical efforts, it is still nonetheless a captivating study of the man fondly remembered by many as the King of Soho. Not all of the emotional notes will strike a chord with the audience but those that do will linger, and the relationship between Paul Raymond and his carefree daughter Debbie is a joy to behold. The Look of Love may struggle to find an audience but those who seek it out will be rewarded with a surprisingly moving autobiography that showcases Steve Coogan at his best.

★★★½☆

Tom Bielby

Rating: 15
UK Release Date: 26th April 2013
Director: Michael Winterbottom
Cast: Steve Coogan, Anna Friel, Imogen Poots, Stephen Fry, Tamsin Egerton

Joy Of Six To Host Live Google Hangout

New British Cinema Quarterly (NBCQ) in association with Shooting People, are pleased to announce that they will be hosting a live Google Hangout with a selection of the very talented directors of The Joy of Six.
The Joy of Six is a carefully curated package of six short films directed by emerging British talent and featuring an array of established stars, such as Dame Judi Dench, Peter Mullan and Tim Healy, as well as marking the directorial debut of Romola Garai..

The Google Hangout will be taking place on Monday 29th April with the following directors taking part; Douglas Hart (Long Distance Information) Dan Sully (The Ellington Kid), Chris Foggin (Friend Request Pending) and Romola Garai (Scrubber). In the week running up to the event, users will be able to submit their questions to the directors on Facebook.com/NewBritishCinema and on Twitter @NBCQ using the hashtag #JoyOfSix.

This is a unique opportunity for first time directors, University graduates and film fans to get a true insight to the world of short film making, providing the very rare opportunity to consult, ask for advice and be inspired by the attending directors.

Marking the countdown to the Hangout, five of the six films will be released for an exclusive 24 hour period on their Facebook page.

The Joy Of Six full programme: Long Distance Information (Douglas Hart), Man in Fear (Will Jewell), A Gun for George (Matthew Holness), Scrubber (Romola Garai), The Ellington Kid (Dan Sully) and Friend Request Pending (Chris Foggin).

THE JOY OF SIX now available on iTunes and DVD and here is the film's trailer....

BFI To Release Carlos Saura's Hauntingly brilliant Cría cuervos This May

One of cinema’s most hauntingly vivid depictions of a child’s fantasy-imbued reality, Cría cuervos is a darkly unsettling and deeply touching film which stands as a landmark of Spanish cinema. Released for the first time in the UK, on 27 May 2013, this BFI Dual Format Edition (DVD and Blu-ray discs) also contains an hour-long portrait of Carlos Saura (Carmen, Blood Wedding) and an on-stage interview with the director.

Shot in the summer of 1975 as General Franco lay dying, Saura's masterpiece takes its title from a sinister Spanish proverb: Raise ravens and they'll pluck out your eyes.

Eight-year-old Ana (the spellbinding Ana Torrent from The Spirit of the Beehive) lives in a mysterious mansion in central Madrid, cut off from the roaring traffic and urban bustle by a high-walled garden. Recently orphaned, she believes herself to have poisoned her cold, authoritarian father (Héctor Alterio), a high-ranking military man whom she blames for the death of her much adored, musically gifted mother (Geraldine Chaplin in a performance of exquisite tenderness). Now cared for, along with her two sisters, by her uptight, scolding Aunt Paulina (Mónica Randall), Ana has ample opportunity to observe the frustrations – emotional, sexual, and professional – of her adult female relatives. This is a world of secrets and lies in which only the family maid Rosa (Florinda Chico) will respond frankly to questions about sex or the Spanish Civil War.

Cría cuervos was nominated for a Golden Globe and won the Grand Prize at Cannes in 1977. It enjoyed a highly successful BFI theatrical release in June 2011 when it received 5 star reviews.

Special Features

• Presented in both High Definition and Standard Definition;
• Portrait of Carlos Saura (José Luis López-Linares, 2004, 63 mins, DVD only)
• On-stage interview with Carlos Saura (2012, 23 mins, DVD only)
• Optional alternative English language soundtrack;
• Original theatrical trailers;
• Illustrated booklet featuring new essays and notes from Maria Delgado, Mar Diestro-Dópido and Michael Brooke.


Pre-Order/Buy Cria Cuervos:Dual Format Edition [DVD + Blu-ray] [1976]

Emma Watson Goes Full Bad Girl In Trailer For Sofia Coppola's The Bling Ring

You want the fame, lifestyle of the rich and famous but cant afford it? Envy in what they've got? You just need to steal it like Emma Watson does in The Bling Ring, watch the new trailer!

Based on the 'true story' The Bling Ring follows a group of Los Angeles based teens who robbed from the rich and famous between 2008 until 2009. They track their "victims" via social media before stealing their loot from Paris Hilton to Orlando Bloom.

The Bling Ring really enhances the extreme levels of obsession some people especially teenagers go to these days. Its an culture that's controlling a lot of people's lives, ruining them too giving nobodies 15 minutes of fame before they disappear off the face of the earth. Sofia Coppola captures the anxiety, but if your thinking Spring Breakers with style The Bling Ring looks a lot more sophisticated,satirical,than anything L'Enfant terrible could ever do in a heartbeat.

Your mind sort of wonders if Sofia Coppola will glamorize crime with The Bling Ring however if your a fan of the filmmaker's work you'll know this film will be more than celebrity obsession and teenage angst. The Bling Ring co-stars Leslie Mann, Taissa Farmiga, Claire Julien, Israel Broussard, Katie Chang, Georgia Rock, and Gavin Rossdale. The film will arrive in UK& Ireland 5th July (USA 14th June).



source: Yahoo!

The Lords of Salem DVD Review

I’m going to say something really controversial, and I don’t want to shock you so yeh… you’ve been warned. What I have to say is thus: Rob Zombie is the Tarantino of horror.

Zombie’s brand of heavy metal horror first came to light in the brutal, if faulted, House of a Thousand Corpses, where he introduced his highly dysfunctional Firefly family, a group of sadistic killers so twisted it put Zombie on the map as a shock maestro. After that he cleaned up his act, sharpened his script, and unleashed the epic sequel The Devil’s Rejects which affirmed him as a horror talent with more to offer than just blood and guts. His Halloween reimagining was a fun thrill ride that lacked the creative flare of Rejects, but for his Halloween 2 he broke out the big guns and showed us he had the capacity to merge startling art-house imagery with ruthless violence. Take this along with his witty dialogue, retro tastes in music and special effects and you can start to see what I’m talking about. Zombie’s latest film The Lords of Salem has been splitting audiences whilst garnering some truly marmite reviews.

In the town of Salem, Massachusetts, former junkie, Heidi (Sheri Moon Zombie) works as a late night rock DJ at a local radio station. One night after broadcast she receives a wooden box containing a vinyl record, assuming it’s from an ambitious band she takes it home and listens to it. Immediately weird flashbacks and visions plague her and when she plays the record live on air, the visions grow even more bizarre and intense.

The new film is probably a step too far into the art-house arena, Zombie masterfully orchestrates the look and feel of the film but at points it seems to dance on its own grave with just a little too much enthusiasm. There’s not enough whollop in the script to ensure a steady and attention grabbing pace, instead Zombie relies a little too heavily on the performance of Sheri Moon and the impact of the visuals. Unfortunately the trailer compacts most of the intriguing imagery into an espresso you’ll probably wish you hadn’t taken. Some of the most grand and striking scenes seem flat once their initial pow is nicked through over exposure. Also on the down side is Sheri Moon’s performance, as support she’s great, just look at Devils Rejects, but in the lead it’s a bit of a slog, there’s just not enough depth to her, or her character, to allow any real dynamic between Hiedi and the audience.

On the other hand there are some truly fantastic turns from Judy Geeson, Patricia Quinn, and Dee Wallace who channel charming old biddy/serial nutter with absolute glee. Geeson in particular is a dab hand at flipping the old ‘everything’s fine/ fuck that, I’m going to kill you’ thing. Meg Foster utterly transforms herself for a descent into madness, leading Zombie’s pack of ravenous Mansonesque bitch-witches like some manky emaciated ring master. Ken Foree and Jeff Daniel Phillips pop up as Hiedi’s fellow DJs whilst Bruce Davison shines as Heidi’s only help. Apart from Foree and Phillips (and some tiny scenes with Sid Haig and Michael Berryman) there’s a disappointing lack of Zombie regulars.

The Lords of Salem is a really beautiful horror film that can easily be likened to The Shining thanks to that Grande Gothic use of space and colour. Brownie points go to Zombie for being this ambitious and maintaining his general aesthetic. Even if some of the film feels like he’s throwing a big ‘fuck you’ to anyone who might have doubted he could go down the high-art route, rather than actually ensuring it all fits together. With repeated viewing you’ll grow to understand and enjoy it more, but it does have an element of hard work to its viewing.

A mind-fucking psyche-terror descent into madness, helmed by a man with a distinct sense of visual style, The Lords of Salem is horrifyingly beautiful, well-performed for the most part, and the most innovative and intriguing witch film for a long time. It will challenge some viewer’s patience and probably alienate some old-school Zombie fans, but it’s all worth it for the second act reveals.

★★★★☆

Scott Clark

Rating:18
DVD Release Date: 22nd April 2013 (UK)
Director: Rob Zombie
Cast:  Sheri Moon Zombie, Bruce Davison, Jeff Daniel Phillips, Meg Foster, Dee Wallace

Win The Lords Of Salem: The Peoples Movies / cinehouse

Buy:The Lords of Salem On DVD

Knightriders BluRay Review

Considering who wrote and directed it, Knightriders (1981) is not the film you might expect. In fact this action / drama by George A. Romero, better know for his notorious zombie gut-munchers, is rather prosaic nay, dare I say, boring.

The 'Knightriders' are a group of travellers led by Billy (Ed Harris), the self-styled 'King William', who put on medieval tournaments, complete with craft fairs and jousting for the entertainment of local townspeople. However, despite the best efforts of Billy and his friends to live by the rules of a simpler age, the influences of the 20th century world inevitably puts them under increasing strain, blurring the line between fantasy and reality.

Of the nineteen films Romero has directed during his career to date at least fourteen of them could be considered straight horror films. Which is where the problem lies. Film folk - be they actors or directors - often find it difficult to go against the grain when their career seems to have been largely built on a certain style or genre. Since appearing on the international scene with the classic chiller Night of the Living Dead (1968), Romero had established something of a reputation as one of the leading purveyors of visceral, in-your-face horror. Some would say that he should stick to what he does best, which he on the whole has. However when he has taken the odd diversion it's often been been less successful, as with such dubious outings as the comedy / drama There's Always Vanilla (1971). Unfortunately Knightriders also falls into this latter category.

Not that there's intrinsically anything wrong with the film. It's just in retrospect it's somewhat weird and tedious. After a promising opening featuring Harris in a dreamlike forest sequence, the film takes on a more dramatic mantle focusing on the relationships of the travelling group led by Harris, and the difficulties they face as they endeavour to lead their lives in keeping with the ideals of the court of King Arthur. And this is really where the film comes unhinged. It may, like the medieval jousting tournaments which Billy and the boys reenact for the inhabitants of the towns they visit, be mildly diverting for sixty minutes or so, but it rather outstays its welcome at nearly two and a half hours.

Admittedly the film looks good, and is interesting as it stars Harris in his first lead part along with a major role for the wonderfully broody Tom (effects wizard) Savini and cameo appearance by the master of horror, Stephen King. That it also features jousting tournaments on motorbikes is a plus if only for the novelty factor.

Like the idealistic lifestyle which Billy and his troupe strive for, Knightriders is full of good intentions. Unfortunately, as is also often the case, it ultimately fails to reach the exacting standards it sets itself.

Released by Arrow Video on both High Definition Blu-ray and Standard Definition DVD, Knightriders comes with a host of extras including cast interviews, theatrical trailer and a reversible cover sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Nat Marsh.

★★½☆☆

Cleaver Patterson

Rating: 15
BD Release Date: 22nd April 2013 (UK)
Director: George A. Romero
Cast: Ed Harris, Gary Lahti, Tom Savini 
Buy: Knightriders On Blu-ray

Sundance Winning Smashed Getting UK DVD Release This June

Smashed , the powerful and gripping drama starring Mary Elizabeth Winstead  and two-time Emmy Award®-winner Aaron Paul  arrives on DVD 3rd June in UK&Ireland from Sony Pictures Classics and Sony Pictures Home Entertainment.

Winner of the Special Jury Prize at the 2012 Sundance Film Festival, SMASHED is an intensely moving story about love, fidelity and what it means to love someone and be committed to them, while recognizing the need to change your life…and the heartbreaking discovery that your partner won't be changing with you.

Special features on the DVD include commentary with director James Ponsoldt and Mary Elizabeth Winstead and two featurettes: “Making Smashed” gives viewers a true behind-the-scenes look at creating the film with the cast and crew, and Mary Elizabeth Winstead and Octavia Spencer walk the red carpet and answer fan questions in the “Toronto Film Festival Red Carpet and Q&A.”

The star-studded supporting cast includes Nick Offerman , Emmy winner Megan Mullally , Emmy winner Mary Kay Place and Academy Award®-winner Octavia Spencer (The Help). Smashed will arrive in UK on DVD 3rd June 2013

SYNOPSIS

Kate and Charlie are a young married couple whose bond is built on a mutual love of music, laughter and alcohol...especially the latter. When Kateʼs drinking leads her to dangerous places and her job as a school teacher is put in jeopardy, she decides to join AA and get sober. With the help of her friend and sponsor Jenny, and the vice principal at her school, the awkward, but well-intentioned Mr. Davies, Kate takes steps toward improving her health and life. Sobriety isn’t as easy as Kate had anticipated. Her new lifestyle forces her to confront a troubling relationship with her mother, as well as the necessity of facing the lies she’s told her employer. She also must question whether or not her relationship with Charlie is built on love or is just a boozy diversion from adulthood.

DVD Special Features include:
· Commentary with Director James Ponsoldt & Actress Mary Elizabeth Winstead
· Two Featurettes:
Making Smashed
Toronto Film Festival Red Carpet and Q&A

Pre-order/Buy:Smashed On DVD