The Big Screen

Review - Snowtown

2011-12-07T11:08:00.004Z

Warp Films do not make the most digestible of movies. The past few months has seen their name attached to the brutal horror of Kill List as well as Paddy Considine’s absorbing debut Tyrannosaur. It is no surprise therefore to learn that Snowtown, a film based on the ‘bodies in the barrels’ murders of Australia’s most notorious serial killer John Bunting, is part of Warp’s increasingly noteworthy stable.

Following an encounter between a local paedophile and three of her sons, single mother Elizabeth (Louise Harris) is relieved to have John Bunting (Daniel Henshall), self-confessed vigilante of the “diseased”, step in to mete out his own brand of justice. And in Bunting, Elizabeth’s impressionable son Jamie (Lucas Pittaway) finds a father figure. Yet instead of being his salvation from the violent trauma that has scarred his youth, John leads his new found disciple closer to the abyss.

In his feature length debut and with a cast largely made up of first time performers, director Justin Kurzel has made an astounding piece of work. The 120 minute runtime is not so much watched but endured. The relentless bleakness of a drab housing estate on the outskirts of northern Adelaide provides the perfect canvass for Kurzel. The cold grey tints of the photography paired with intermittent murmurs of an understated but darkly portentous soundtrack combine for an exhausting experience. It pushes the viewer to the precipice of oblivion from the very beginning as even scenes at the family breakfast table threaten to explode into unimaginable brutality. However, the greatest success of Snowtown is the effortless blending of the mundane domesticity of suburban life with the horrific nature of the crimes. Kangaroos are regularly butchered in the garden; cricket commentary resonates in the background during a violent rape, whilst locals unknowingly lend a hand to digging foundations for an extension that doubles as a mass grave.

John Bunting, capably brought to the screen by the only professional actor in the cast – Daniel Henshall, is a character that naturally has a sort of magnetic horror due to the true nature of the story. As repulsive as his atrocities are, his capability to carry them out and the rationality he places behind them make for a compelling watch. Whilst most of these horrors take place off screen, occasionally revealed through the recorded voice messages Bunting forces his victims to make, there is one prolonged scene of torture that is truly distressing. Yet even here, where other directors may lose their way, Kurzel follows through with the film’s convictions as it is at this point that Bunting is revealed for the monster he is.

Make no mistake about it; Snowtown is an incredibly difficult watch but a remarkable film nevertheless.

Published via ImpactNottingham.com on 2/12/2011.

Review - Anyone Can Play Guitar

2011-12-07T11:04:00.004Z

The Oxford music scene has punched well above its weight for the past 30 years. Whilst Manchester, Liverpool, Bristol and Sheffield are often hailed as the epicentres of modern British music history, Oxford has every right to be held in the same esteemed company. The city gave birth to one of the defining bands of the last 20 years in the form of Radiohead whilst the legacies of Ride and Supergrass continue to leave their imprint on the British music scene today. But for every Radiohead, there are hundreds more like Dustball and The Nubiles that fail to make it. Narrated by Stewart Lee, an aficionado of the scene as a student in the 1980s, Anyone Can Play Guitar is a well executed documentary by director Jon Spira. It realises that the heart of the Oxford story, and thus the film, is with the almost-made-its as well as the cult local heroes that continue to champion local bands.

Told in chronological order, Spira couples effective use of interviews, live footage and music videos with an unsurprisingly excellent soundtrack as he coherently traces the musical lineage of Oxford from Here Comes Everybody to Foals. The journey through this time is as funny as it is tragic. There are stories of the local record label, Shifty Disco, dismissing signing Coldplay as there is no need “for another Radiohead”. Whilst Andy Yorke, younger brother of Radiohead’s Thom, is forced with his band Unbelievable Truth into the shadow of his sibling’s success. However, none can count themselves more unlucky than The Candyskins. Continually on the verge of fame for the best part of 10 years, their crowd-pleasing single ‘Car Crash’, which seemed destined to launch them to new heights, was pulled from release following the death of Princess Diana.

The focus is intermittently moved by Spira to those outside the limelight who devote their entire lives to the benefit of the Oxford scene. Local linchpins, such as the journalist Ronan Munro and Shifty Disco’s Dave Newton, are interviewed. These conversations, coupled with anecdotes of local promoter Mac, highlight the people and energy that are continually needed to keep Oxford as a leading light in British music. Whilst the history of The Zodiac (now a Carling Academy), whose main stage was once the greatest aspiration a local band aimed for, is used to stress the need for modern identikit commercial venues to allow access for local bands to play on their stages.

The scene is clearly one close to the heart of Jon Spira. The film was funded by online donations and sponsorship from Fender and at times the tiny budget is evident in the finished product. The sound quality in interviews, particularly with Radiohead’s Ed O’Brien and Foals’ Yannis Philippakis, is rarely consistent. Yet it seems harsh to criticise a film for failures that result from a restrictive budget when it is clearly made with the most honourable of intentions and a vast amount of love. Anyone Can Play Guitar more than fulfils its objective of providing an entertaining account of the history behind a city now intrinsic to British music.

Anyone Can Play Guitar is currently on a UK-wide tour of cinemas. It is also available now on DVD.

Review published via ImpactNottingham.com on 19/11/2011.

Actors Against Gravity: Intolerable Posters

2011-07-12T18:50:00.005+01:00

After nearly six months and multiple cases of equilibrium deficiency, Actors Against Gravity has only just dipped a toe into Hollywood's endless Cocytus of poorly designed marketing efforts. The list of actors to publicly suffer continues to grow whilst some of their co-stars have begun to actively embrace living life at a slant.

Catherine Zeta-Jones continues her battle after announcing her disagreement with the Earth's answer to Pritt Stick in the poster for No Reservations. Whilst George Clooney finds use for himself as a book-end to prop his colleague up in 2003's Intolerable Cruelty. The film was praised by the Long Island Press for being "a conventional Hollywood comedy boasting a bolder indie heart, the film essentially combines the worst of both worlds."

Clooney it must be said is only at a marginal lean which may be a result of trying to keep Zeta-Jones on her feet or by external forces such as a sturdy breeze. However, he will be placed under observation for the meantime.

Actors Against Gravity can still be found on twitter @gravityvictims

If you see actors suffering then get in touch: actorsagainstgravity@gmail.com

Together we can defeat gravity.

Cheryl Cole Cast In Street Fighter: The Musical

2011-07-09T17:38:00.005+01:00

The Big Screen can exclusively reveal that Cheryl Cole has been cast in a musical reworking of 1994's Street Fighter.

Despite the fact that a director is still to be named and the script not yet written, Cheryl Cole has signed on to play the role of megalomaniac, General M. Bison.

Following a stuttering few months in her media career and her failure to crack the American market, Cole has been looking for a new direction and is eager to press on. Although the musical is seemingly lodged in the mire of pre-production limbo, the Girls Aloud star has already begun rehearsals and has had a costume designed specifically for the role.

The lack of music and lyrics have not deterred her in her preparations. The face of L'Oreal has been writing a number of songs herself in the hope they may be used. Whilst no recordings of the songs are yet to exist, working titles released by a spokesman for the singer include Finish Him (Killing Him Swiftly), Perfect (K.O!) and a reworking of It Ain't Easy Being Green (A Ballad for Blanka).

The Big Screen is excited to release this photo of the "M. Bison" costume during a rehearsal. The similarity to Julia's 1994 costume is sure to please fanboys.

Things I'd Like To Do With The Actor James Gandolfini: #1 Go For A Pint and A Pub Quiz

2011-07-07T21:04:00.005+01:00

It's been a busy few weeks and stacks of DVDs have replaced trips to the cinema for the meantime. Frustrating but the thought of Transformers 3 is keeping me far away from the big screens for at least another week.

Time has been an issue for the lack of content and writer's block. Words usually flow for me when it comes to writing about film but many hours were spent re-writing and then scrapping a rant about Jesse Eisenberg. In short, he gets on my tits. Some day I might have the eloquence to explain why.

Anyway, this all leads to a new article for the blog and one that will hopefully become semi-regular (expect more updates for Actors Against Gravity soon). And so The Big Screen Presents: Things I'd Like To Do With The Actor James Gandolfini.

About a month ago, having fallen asleep during The Last Castle, my dreams were infiltrated by an imposing figure in the form of James Gandolfini. As he has a role in the film it seems completely normal to have gone on to dream about him. However before falling asleep during the film, there had been a news report on the benefits of breastfeeding. These two elements combined in a lethal fashion in my head like a lorry full of mentos crashing into a Coke factory. It was out of control. My subconcious decided on the most disturbing scenario it could imagine. Me, my adult self, was being breastfed by Tony Soprano and discussing certain scenes of In The Loop.

It was only after I had woken up that I realised just how horrific my slumber had been. More worrying was how ambivalent I was during the entire act. I spent the rest of the morning considering how having shared such an intimate moment with the man that we could relocate our relationship to a purely platonic plain.

Things I'd Like To Do With The Actor James Gandolfini: #1 Go For A Pint and A Pub Quiz.

We would meet at my local. It would seem quaint and very English to Jim (I can call him that...it's cool) and he would feel inclined to fit the ambiance by buying a pint of Black Sheep Ale for £1.85. A mere sip of the lukewarm ale would lead to a conversation about how all ale tastes like piss and lukewarm coffee. We would both laugh. I tell him I'll get the next round. I'd buy a pint of Strongbow and grab him a pint of Coors Light. Frosty cold glasses makes for an infinitely more enjoyable set of drinks. For the next round we would swap beverages. He wouldn't get over the crisp tang of Strongbow and can't quite get used to it. 'Nevermind, it goes down like water' he duly notes. An above average score follows on the quiz and we narrowly miss out on a third place finish. It doesn't matter though as we've had a great time. A shake of the hand and nod that says 'Same time next week'. See you then Jim.

Actors Against Gravity - Oscar Nominees Diagnosed

2011-05-23T22:14:00.009+01:00

A disturbing discovery was made this week as literally tens of movie posters were put under the glare of the anti-gravity spotlight. At first the promotional posters for the 1994 romantic comedy Only You may seem like they have managed to escape the usual pitfall of the two leads leaning upon one another. The movie, which went under the radar for many despite critics lauding it as "easily forgettable", sees Marisa Tomei and Robert Downey Jr playing around with ouija boards and carnival fortune tellers in the search for a disgustingly happy ending.

However, further research into the promotional material of the film has shown a VHS cover (although no one is believed to have bought the film on video) displaying one of the most horrendous cases of excess gravity yet.

The corner of the poster highlighting the 45 degree angle whilst the muted smile that straddles Downey Jr's smug visage hides his pain at his inability to balance.

It is a worrying indication of the widespread issue that faces actors today. Both Tomei and Downey Jr have been Oscar nominees in the past which suggests a great inner strength to overcome their difficulties with equilibrium in their profession. Nevertheless these are only minor victories and they are two more high profile names to join the list alongside Carell, Bullock, Affleck, Zeta Jones, Roberts, Hudson, Grant, Russo, Kevin Costner, Richard Gere and Matthew McConaughey (who is now believed to be living at a permanent 30 degree angle). What kind of life awaits these stars of today?

Who will help these veritable treasures of modern culture who struggle so severely to find gravity in their performances? You can! And we all can by spreading awareness of their plight.

Join us on twitter @gravityvictims to keep up with breaking news in this on going struggle.

Together we can overcome gravity!

Actors Against Gravity: Costner and Russo Laugh To Hide The Tears

2011-05-07T11:46:00.004+01:00

Golf Pro. Love Amateur. Gravity Sufferer.

Another high profile Hollywood name to fall victim to the Earth's most powerful force became apparent this week. The poster for 1996's Tin Cup, praised by the Los Angeles Times as "dispiritingly conventional and obvious", shows the two leads sharing a moment of light-hearted warmth. Perhaps Rene Russo told her co-star that joke that she knows. However, no amount of smiling can gloss over the worrying position of Kevin Costner. He has found himself at a quite unfeasible angle as he tries to enjoy life at a permanent 45 degree slant.

Russo seems to serves two purposes in this poster. The first is to act as a guide of as near to an upright angle as is possible in a romcom poster. This highlights the ludicrous nature of Costner's stance. The second seems to be physically pulling Costner away from an even more absurd angle. It is unclear how strong Rene Russo actually is but she appears to be pulling her co-star up to a workable angle by only using a three finger grip on his right forearm.

Sources close to Costner indicate that his move away from the limelight in recent years may be down to his struggle with gravity. One source goes further and claims that the Dances With Wolves star spends up to 8 hours a night lying at an entirely horizontal angle.

A disheartening development as the fight to find a cure continues!

Together we can defeat gravity!

Confessions

2011-05-06T22:17:00.004+01:00

Confessions (告白 Kokuhaku) is another example to the world that the Far East has taken revenge cinema to a whole new level over the past decade. Following in the elaborate vengeful footsteps of Park Chan-Wook’s Vengeance Trilogy, Confessions sees a teacher exact her punishment on the two pupils responsible for the death of her daughter. A syringe filled with AIDS infected blood is the unusual weapon of choice used to taint the milk of the guilty. With everyone having received their daily dose of calcium she calmly breaks the news to the unknowing class. However, the sweeping of four awards at the 34^th Japanese Academy Awards (including Best Picture and Best Director) as well as making the nine film shortlist for the ever competitive Best Foreign Film category at this year’s Oscars suggests there is more than purely dodgy dairy products and classroom disharmony on display.

Writer and director Tetsuya Nakashima has had little success with previous films Kamikaze Girls and Memories of Matsuko in his attempts to breach the Western market. Both only managed a handful of screenings in festivals and independent cinemas across Europe and North America before promptly making their way via DVD release to the dimly lit World Cinema aisle. Confessions though, having been released on DVD at the end of April, has received a limited release in cinemas nationwide thanks to leading distributors of East Asian cinema, Third Window Films.

The reason for the wider release than his previous films seems to lie in the greater appeal to a Western audience which is most clearly evident in the film’s soundtrack. Nakashima, who also takes on the role of Music Supervisor, rejects a purely instrumental score and instead opts for a mixture of tracks specifically composed for the film and others that were not. The result is an intoxicating cocktail of one part bizarre odes about milk, a few hefty measures of heavy ambient rock, a tinge of Radiohead’s recent back catalogue with ‘Last Flowers’ then finished with a decorative umbrella composed of KC and the Sunshine Band’s ‘That’s the Way (I Like It)’. Whilst the mix may seem overly eclectic and at times downright peculiar on paper, it works perfectly when blended with Nakashima’s creative vision. The final sequence in particular highlights the brilliance of Nakashima’s choice and execution in using previously released material to complement his story. ‘Farewell’, a track released in 2005 by Japanese experimental rock band Boris, with its ominous wave of distorted guitars crashing into Nakashima’s imagery on screen leaves a brutally cathartic aftertaste as the credits begin to roll.

Confessions was released on DVD on April 25^th. Visit www.thirdwindowfilms.com for news and details of cinema screenings nationwide.

Film Poster of the Week: The Thing With Two Heads

2011-04-27T17:35:00.004+01:00

In some rooms men meet together to change in the world. In others, they meet to produce some of the most gloriously awful B-Movies ideas of all time. With a concept to rival that of Surf Nazis Must Die! comes The Thing With Two Heads.

The film is a relatively simple idea that is easily summarised by the tagline:

They transplanted a white bigot’s head onto a soul brother’s body!

It stars Rosey Grier, a former American football star, as a death row inmate who takes up an offer to participate in a secret medical experiment to avoid the electric chair. It has everything that can be expected from a B-Movie horror with a blaxploitation twist. There is no end to the jive, choppers, guns and puns!

“More power to you, brother!” says a black prison guard, as he is about to flick the switch on the electric chair, being one of the finer moments. Though whilst other moments of racial banters may seem ill judged, particularly when the bigoted head cries “What are you gonna have for dessert? Watermelon?!”. It is hard not to say that this film is incredibly entertaining (and disturbingly surreal for a Wednesday morning). It is worth a watch alone for the seamless switches between the prosthetic heads and the actors squeezing alongside each other in their costume.

Actors Against Gravity: Condition of Sandra Bullock Improves

2011-04-21T12:34:00.001+01:00

Sandra Bullock – one of the biggest names to suffer at the hands of Newton’s discovery – has seen a marked improvement in her condition.

Having previously been seen at a near 45 degree angle in the poster for Forces of Nature, Bullock is now close to an upright angle. Something that still remains elusive for many of her colleagues.

However, the news is tainted with sorrow. Hugh Grant, a man who had seemingly avoided the disease intrinsic to romantic comedies despite making a career out of them, has finally succumbed to gravity. Possibly in an attempt to add some artistic value to Two Weeks Notice, praised by critics as “something of a disaster”, Grant and Bullock try too hard to add weight to their performances.

The resulting imbalance in acting gravity has caused them to resemble the top of a house of cards.

Scientists at NASA have been asked to look into the problem after concerns were raised that unnecessary leaning and excess gravity could spread to the general public.

Have you seen actors struggling with their deadliest foe? Spread awareness by emailing actorsagainstgravity@gmail.com so we can highlight their plight.

Together we can overcome gravity.

Actors Against Gravity: No Reservations

2011-04-18T13:03:00.008+01:00

Full marks to Catherine Zeta Jones for overcoming the stigma that surrounds mental illness and announcing that she had been receiving treatment for bi-polar disorder.

Sadly her one time co-star Aaron Eckhart chooses to suffer in silence.

The list of actors suffering from the Earth's gravity continues to grow. The condition first diagnosed in Matthew McConaughey is becoming endemic to weak Hollywood romantic comedies. Steve Carell, Ben Affleck, Sandra Bullock, Richard Gere have now all joined McConaughey in his semi-horizontal life.

Eckhart's problem may go unnoticed at first in the poster for 2007's No Reservations - a film lauded by The Independent as "fantastically smug and boring". However, if you crack out a ruler, draw a completely vertical line through the centre of his legs to the top of his head and then use a protractor to measure the disturbing angle at which he was standing.

By my own calculation, he is about 8 degrees from standing vertically.

An insignificant amount that many will sneer at but that kind of ignorance will mean that actors in romcom posters are eternally destined to struggle at the hands of gravity.

Have you seen an actor suffering from gravity? Perhaps they have too much or too little - either way it is a serious problem. If you do then email us at actorsagainstgravity@gmail.com

Together we can overcome gravity.

The 30 Words or Less Review of a Modern Classic: Heat

2011-04-18T12:38:00.005+01:00

De Niro and Pacino share coffee in Mann's tense crime classic. De Niro teeters on ice cold professionalism while Pacino provides warmth.

Direction and soundtrack provides near perfect backdrop.

Review - Source Code

2011-04-15T21:03:00.006+01:00

It has become all too popular in the last year to describe any action film with an ounce of intelligence as "Inception meets [insert ridiculous comparison here]". The quote is then plastered all over the poster of said film and the studio reaps the financial benefits of a misled audience. Luckily, the Source Code poster has managed to avoid this particular pitfall. Despite being labelled "Inception meets Groundhog Day meets Final Destination", the marketing fellas decided against whacking that on but there is always hope for the DVD cover. That is not to say however it has not attempted to disguise itself as something it is not.

On many of the posters is the statement, "From the director of Moon". For the cineliterate then this would no doubt immediately tick a box. Duncan Jones' piece was one of the finest directorial debuts in years in terms of creativity, vision and producing miracles on a budget. But for the cinecynic, the phrase "From the director of...." is an immediate red flag. An attempt to cash in on former glories perhaps? To move the film away from popcorn action film and towards the philosophical?

Having watched the film, it has hard to say what Jones' input is. The film works perfectly well for the run time. It is not overly long and never seems tedious despite the script requiring that it replay the same moment again and again and again. The performance by Jake Gyllenhaal does the job and as usual he is a likable screen presence. Though it seems as though it is a directing by numbers exercise and what creative input Jones has seems to be limited in this well rounded bit of Hollywood action fluff.

The problematic issue that lies at the heart of the film is that in many ways it is just a Tony Scott film without the blurry slo-mo action shots. A well-built and personable hero? Check. Numerous large set piece disasters? Check. Explosions? Check. Denzel Washington? No. Wacky government science programme a la Deja Vu? You better believe it. The audience are convinced not to question the sheer lunacy of the script because it's all "metaphysics/metamechanics/metanonsense...basically you would not understand". Pseudo-science so beyond belief is used to sellotape together a ludicrous story. Though it does allow for some intriguing questions to be asked about life and death, as soon as the bright lights of the box-office hit then you will be wondering how you did not end up chuckling at the daftness unravelling on screen.

Jones will no doubt be unharmed though. The film has picked up a range of four star with a rather impressive 71/100 on Metacritic. Whether that may be down to the attachment of the appealing pairing of Jones/Gyllenhaal, the fact that there is little to complain about in terms of visual realisation or maybe it just caught the critics on a good day. As with a Tony Scott film - turn your mind off and you will probably have a good time.

The Small Time Past of Oscar Winners: Tom Hooper

2011-03-16T00:11:00.005Z

Having won the Best Director gong at this year's Oscars, it may come as surprise to see where Tom Hooper got one of his earliest breaks in the director's chair.

In 1997, Hooper directed an episode of the classic CBBC show Byker Grove. A bi-weekly drama that revolved around the goings on in a Newcastle youth club.

He has come along way then. However, what remains a mystery is why Hooper picked Colin Firth over Geoff Keegan for the lead in The King's Speech.

Howay the Toon!

Animated Lookalikes Of The Week: Stuart Broad and Willow Smith

2011-03-07T12:56:00.006Z

A few months after the release of Toy Story 3, England cricketer Stuart Broad was asked via Twitter whether he saw the resemblance between himself and Andy. To be honest it was not even a question that needed asking - the answer is clearly that Pixar had based Andy's appearance on the blonde bombshell.

Just have a look for yourself:

So the real question is just how many more of these animated lookalikes are there?

Well to my mind, there is at least one other blatantly obvious one. Whereas Andy seemed to grow into his real life counterpart, the opposite seems to have happened to Willow Smith. As she gets older each day, her resemblance to her father's character in the Dreamworks animation Shark Tale is uncanny. See here:

This leads to a worrying conclusion. If animation is going to start capturing the appearance of real people so successfully - how are we going to tell the difference?

I, for one, already feel the urge to smack Fresh Prince Jr over the head with a wooden oar (though I'm unsure whether that has anything to do with the lookalike thing).

Limerick Review - The Disappearance of Alice Creed

2011-03-04T22:55:00.004Z

There once was a girl named Alice,
Tied up all day she could not piss,
Twists and turns occur,
And sadly for her,
The film is a bit hit and miss.

Poster Of The Week - From Paris With Love

2011-02-28T16:38:00.005Z

From Paris With Love doesn't look like it would be very good going by the poster. It contains a few flaws when inspecting it more closely. Rhys Meyers is looking as if he's going at the leisurely pace of a turtle on death row on his side of the car. Travolta on the other hand seems to be flying along with what appears to be a giant torch. Aside from that, there is a sun roof in the car so choosing the more dangerous route of sticking his body out of the side window is just plain excessive.

The question of who is driving is answered by the limp hand on the steering wheel but who is watching the road?

So they have established that it is going to be a completely daft film from the poster alone but what makes this film certain to be a future Channel 5 post-watershed regular is the tagline:

Two agents. One City. No Merci.

Not only is this clearly a case of coming up with the pun before the tagline but also the tagline before the film.

French Animators, Kanye West and Knee-jerk Reactions: Why 'All Of The Lights' Is Not A Case Of Plagiarism

2011-02-23T21:50:00.015Z

When the video for Kanye West's All Of The Lights hit the internet last week it was almost guaranteed to cause controversy. The man never fails to achieve at least some outcry in everything he does. Within moments of it's release, bloggers were at their keyboards claiming foul play on the part of the video's director Hype Williams. The charge laid at his feet was one of plagiarism. The term seems to be in vogue as it was only recently that Rihanna's 'S&M' found itself (and rightly so) at the centre of similar furor.

'All Of The Lights' features words in various styles flashing along with the lyrics of the song and clearly recall the opening credits of Gasper Noé's 2010 film Enter The Void. On the surface it seems a cut-and-dry case of creative laziness leading to the work of another being stolen but this is far from the case here.

Plagiarism is defined as expressing an idea as if it were an original thought. However, at no point in the video is it ever suggested that this is the case. It is obvious from the close attention to detail in the selection of graphic styles that it was not merely an afterthought to hark back to Noé's original sequence but a careful decision made with each frame. There is no attempt to move away from the original style whatsoever nor cover their tracks. The video is blatant in it's desire to replicate Noé and does not hide away from it. In comparison, Rihanna's 'S&M' video clearly borrows stylistic features from the work of David LaChapelle but never explicitly refers to him. This would suggest there was something to hide aside from the fact that LaChapelle has raised his own concerns over the video.

You could probably write a very long list of things you can fault with Kanye West. But despite his numerous moments of sheer stupidity, he is clearly an intelligent man. A man with great visual and cultural awareness. Even in his stupidity this is evident as no one could argue that 'You Belong With Me' was a better video than 'Single Ladies'. The same awareness can be attributed to the video's director, Hype Williams. So it seems completely illogical that they think they could dupe millions into thinking the work was an original piece and especially with the power of the internet to uncover a fraud. There is a clear difference between trying to pass something off as the work of oneself and paying an ocular homage to a director's particular trademarks. The video itself is a loving nod to the work of Noé in general and not just the opening credits of Enter The Void. West straddling the roof a police car in a red brick alleyway is a knowing wink to Noe's previous work. The opening scene of 2002's Irreversible is set in an equally claustrophobic alley and similarly illuminated by the red and blue flashes of police lights.

Those that are quick to jump on the 'plagiarism-outrage' bandwagon should at least try and equip themselves with the facts. The use of words appearing in different fonts and flashing along to the rhythm of music is hardly an original idea in itself. It would be wrong to credit the idea of that to Noé. It is derivative of fellow French music video director and graphic animator Bertrand Lagros de Langeron aka So Me. In partnership with Machine Molle, Lagros oversaw the creation of the Justice music video for 'DVNO' in 2008 which saw the lyrics of the song appear in various animated guises. Furthermore So Me have done numerous other pieces in a similar style for other artists. Not least for Kanye West's 'Good Life' in 2007 which dates it to three years before the release of Noé's Enter The Void. The single cover of which can be seen below:

It appears therefore that if West and Williams have a case to answer for plagiarism then by the same logic Noé should be appearing in front of the same court. Though it is obvious that none of them should have to face these ridiculous accusations from the knee-jerk reactions of the visually unaware. One of the aims of art is both to push the boundaries forward whilst also paying tribute to those who had originally set them. Words flashing about on a screen might not exactly been groundbreaking but the progression is clear to see. 'All Of The Lights' is an exercise in homage and interpretation for the artistically able and most definitely not an issue for men in suits nor sensationalist journos.

Sandra Bullock, Online Chess and Serial Killers - Hollywood and the Internet.

2011-02-21T23:01:00.011Z

The internet has been something of a double-edged sword for the film industry. It has opened a new realm of marketing to the studios as well as allowing film fanatics around the world to communicate with one another. Word of mouth has turned into word of keyboards as the reputation of a film can be made or broken by the general consensus of the online masses. If it were not for the genius of one internet fan boy, Samuel L Jackson may never have muttered the immortal words "I have had it with these motherfuckin' snakes on this motherfuckin' plane". Though whether this can be considered good or bad for the legacy of celluloid is yet to be decided.

On the other hand the web has brought with it the dangers of piracy which has forced the industry to desperate lengths as can be seen with the return of 3D. Former chief of the Motion Picture Association of America, Dan Glickman, believed that piracy had cost the film industry around $6 billion dollars a year from 2003 until 2007 as connection speeds and download limits increased. It is therefore interesting to witness the different ways with which Hollywood has chosen to present the World Wide Web since its arrival.

In the beginning it was used as purely a tool to impress girls by the world's first hacker - Matthew Broderick. WarGames from 1983 shows the rather helpful uses of computers interlinked via a network. Broderick happily changes his failing school grades and does the same for his hot classmate Ally Sheedy with only the slightest twinge of moral conscience. Again in Ferris Bueller's Day Off he mixes boyish charm effortlessly with an extensive knowledge of computers that would suggest he had no social capabilities. This time he alters his number of sick days at school all from the safety of his own room. Thus the internet was a harmless tool. A hobby for mischievous boys with no malice intended. Broderick's motives in WarGames for his hacking are simply light-hearted. His actions carried out in the hope that Ally Sheedy will toss him off in the locker rooms in return for a B+ in Chemistry.

The capabilities and potential of the internet only began to be realised in the Nineties. People saw the ability it had to convey vast swathes of information to an audience other mediums such as television could only dream of. Free from restriction and censorship it became an object of fear to conservatives who were worried by the power at the fingertips of the everyday man and just what they could do with that power. It is no surprise therefore to see this terror reflected in cinema. The middle of the Nineties saw the release of two separate films with the menacing threat of the internet at their hearts. Copycat saw Sigourney Weaver play a reclusive criminal psychologist who is hunted by a serial killer. The killer communicating with her via games of online chess suggesting the web was a tool solely used by academics and psychopathic oddballs. In the same year came The Net with Sandra Bullock where her life is slowly moved into the recycle bin one file at a time by cyber terrorists.

Even when hackers are made the protagonists, as seen in the 1995 film Hackers with Jonny Lee Miller and Angelina Jolie, the internet is still at the root of their problems. It keeps some of the jovial hack-flirting that had worked so successfully for Matthew Broderick just a decade before but throughout is underlined the supposed power of the internet to destroy lives at the click of the button.

So where next for Hollywood and the internet? The straight-to-video sequel to The Net went largely unnoticed - an oddity when the original had made over a $100m worldwide. This could indicate that audiences who have experienced the internet for themselves over a period of years recognise the plot to be nonsensical and scaremongering. Though more than likely it is because a sequel to The Net that has no resemblance to the original and made up of a cast of unknowns is probably going to be poor by definition. The release of The Social Network marked Hollywood taking the internet zeitgeist seriously. Far from studios using the internet, the internet used film to tell its own story. Hollywood has realised it is not powerful enough to control our perception of the internet and that the tables have very much turned.

The Man With The Recurring Face - Matthew Leitch

2011-02-18T21:50:00.011Z

Have you seen this man? Chances are you probably have even if you haven't been looking for him. That would be because over the past 10 years he has worked alongside Christian Bale, Heath Ledger, Ron Livingston and Wesley Snipes. His screen credits include The Dark Knight and Band of Brothers but would you recognise him in the street? Probably not.

Matthew Leitch is in many ways the true face of acting as a career choice. Having left drama school, he stumbled onto the set of Nickelodeon's lighthearted football series Renford Rejects as the crippled protégé Stewart Jackson. Leitch in his own words described the show as "awful" and suggested that all remaining copies of the show had been "used as landfill" when the M25 was widened. And what became of his fellow Rejects? For the most part recurring bit part roles in Casualty, Holby City, Doctors and The Bill seem to have kept a trio of them in work sporadically. It is appears that these four shows make up at least 95% percent of all available acting work in Britain today. Leitch though has ignored this route so far and is yet to ply his trade as a man with severe injuries having walked too close to a lawn mower wearing an ominously long scarf. So where next after a poorly received kids TV show with a large cult following of pale white males in their early twenties (myself included)?

Leitch found himself as Staff Sergeant Floyd Talbert in the highly acclaimed Band of Brothers and appeared in more than half of the episodes in the series. His career seemed to be taking off as it has for many of his co-stars over the past decade. The drama was the first appearance of Tom Hardy as well as boosting the profiles of Ron Livingston and Damien Lewis. Unfortunately, Leitch's star did not rise in the same manner but that did not prevent him from popping up again in more unexpected places.

You may recognise him as "the man reading the paper" for an advert of The Game supplement of The Times. Or as the man who has to defend himself from charges of "polygameat" in a Burger King advert.

His appearance in The Dark Knight may have been a case of blink and you'll miss it as he appeared briefly as "Prisoner on the boat" but is an example of just how much this man has got around over the years. From the luminous orange walls of Eddie's cafe in Renford Rejects to the luminous orange jumpsuit in a billion dollar grossing film.

It is hard to say how Leitch regards his career to date or what his career goals are. To describe him merely as the cliché ridden term of "a struggling actor" would do a great disservice to a man who essentially has an acting C.V that many would kill for. He is the other side of the showbiz void beyond the glamour of a household name and red carpets. An everyday bloke in an extraordinary world (as well as making a great bit of movie/Renford Rejects trivia down the pub).

Actors Against Gravity - A-List of Victims

2011-02-17T17:17:00.002Z

A month on and the campaign to rid actors of their greatest nemesis continues.

The campaign itself is strong, invisible to the naked eye but still at the forefront of our everyday existence. It is in many ways like the force of gravity which claimed two more victims in the form of that girl from Speed and Matt Damon's less talented friend.

Forces of Nature, praised by TIME Magazine who hailed it a "reprehensible fiasco", sees Bullock and Affleck end up in each others arms in the most logical possible way via the untimely death of a seagull in a plane engine and Cupid in the guise of a hurricane.

The poster features them falling victim to another of Earth's natural powers as both find themselves at angles previously never witnessed in run of the mill romcom posters. Affleck's pose in particular seems deeply unnatural as if he were a shatterproof ruler pushed to the very limits.

Also note the fact that the imaginary wind in the poster is pushing him back from left to right which is also suggested by the direction of the milky rain. However, Bullock's hair is blown back as if it is blowing right to left. Not only are they both the victims of Hollywood's desire for extreme gravity, the poster itself cannot decide where the bloody forces of nature are coming from.

With your help actors can overcome gravity (and poster inaccuracies)!

Review - Dogtooth

2011-02-16T22:35:00.008Z

Dogtooth is a modern nightmare basked in glorious Greek sunshine. It stealthily slid its way out of the independent cinemas last year and onto DVD. It also found itself nominated for the Best Foreign Language Film at this year's Oscars.

The story is relatively uncomplicated. A pair of controlling parents isolates their children from the outside world and control every aspect of their lives including their vocabulary. "Zombies" are little yellow flowers and "the sea" is an armchair. The neighbourhood cat becomes an object of terror for the imprisoned offspring whilst the mother is pregnant with two children and a dog. However, with the children now adults and hormones running riot, the psychological stranglehold of the patriarch begins to weaken.

It is parenting to the extreme and reflects on the idea that all parents to some degree filter the world in order to make it easier to digest for their children. It details the faith put in parents to know what is right for their brood. As well as the dangers of parental paranoia and the damaging effect that it can have on those they thrust it upon. All of these issues are considered but that does not prevent it from creating some absurdly amusing moments and a rather brilliant Flashdance routine.

A perverse gem of a film that moves seamlessly between the darkly hilarious and horrific whilst always remaining fantastically surreal. It has been described as Luis Buñuel surrealism meeting the accurate violence of Michael Haneke which probably isn't too far away. Dogtooth is almost definitely too weird for the members of the Academy but brilliant all the same.

Review - Never Let Me Go

2011-02-16T16:07:00.007Z

It has been 18 years since the last adaptation of a Kazuo Ishiguro novel which seems an inordinate period of time considering The Remains Of The Day was incredibly well received and garnered eight Oscar nominations including Best Picture. Perhaps the reason may be that Ishiguro's other work does not lend itself so kindly to the big screen.

Set in an alternative past following a major scientific breakthrough, Never Let Me Go follows the lives of Ruth (Carey Mulligan), Kathy (Kiera Knightley) and Tommy (Andrew Garfield). Forever linked by their childhood together in a seemingly idyllic British boarding school, the three come to terms with their reason for existence and their relationships with each other as their lives continue to interweave with one another years later.

Usually wanting more after 103 minutes of cinema means that the trip was a thoroughly satisfying experience, however, in the case of Never Let Me Go it was a desire built with bricks of frustration mortared together with a thick concoction of cinematic skill. To look for a fault aesthetically would be a fruitless task. It is crafted with a beautiful visual subtlety as it forges through time from the suffocating dusty dull green warmth of a 1970s boarding school to the oppressive sterile quadratic shapes of a mid 90s council flat. Likewise, the screenplay is equally professional and demonstrates an understanding of the understated splendour with which Ishiguro composes.

Mulligan is the stand out of the three leads. Given the advantage of the narrative being told from her character's point of view, she ably instils the depth required and provides a melancholic performance tinged with small joy and sorrow that is perfectly suited. Against this backdrop Garfield and Knightley are left to fill out characters that are at times difficult to understand (though that is part of their nature). The latter has her acting mouth on for the majority of the time, lips pouted and lungs ready to eject a dramatic sigh, if you were in any doubt that she was not planning on a dramatic performance.

So why the frustration when so many boxes seemed to be ticked? The very nature of Ishiguro's story brings with it so many questions and issues that in the written medium can be explored and explained free of the restraints of run times and production costs. Thus the film finds itself in a no man's land somewhere between The Island and The Notebook. Leaving the audience somewhere between compassion and confusion.

Just as it appears that we are about to delve into a tragic love story, we are whisked through time and given a run down of the ins and outs of this particular dystopian nightmare. The constant picking up of foundations and rushing forward puts an emotional void between the story and the audience. It is as if you are focussing on a distant object and just as soon as you can begin to comprehend what it is then someone kicks it further away. It leads to a final act that would be emotionally inert if it were not for a haunting monologue delivered by Mulligan.

Instead of confounding the notion of real love, it makes us question whether it is even a love story at all or just a look at the misinterpretation of emotions by those who have never felt them. That is the real tragedy.

Landmark in Modern Cinema - Just Go With It

2011-02-11T14:08:00.003Z

It can rarely be said of Adam Sandler or Jennifer Aniston films that they are a landmark in cinematic history. Few would dare mention Grown Ups or Little Nicky in the same breath as The Godfather or 2001: A Space Odyssey but Just Go With It can be mentioned alongside these groundbreaking films.

It may not be a cinematic masterpiece but it does mark a first for celluloid. Never before has a film been named after the only reason for it's conception.

Aniston and Sandler are pioneers of our time.

Misguided Attempt At Cultural Parody Poster Of The Week - Good Luck Chuck

2011-02-01T18:23:00.007Z

Yoko Ono and John Lennon - Rolling Stone front cover (1980). Photographed by Annie Leibovitz

26 October 1993 - Sam Taylor-Wood and Henry Bond.

Good Luck Chuck - 2007

Wonder what went through the minds of the people that threw this together?

Obviously the joke here wouldn't be lost on the vast majority of the target demographic. After all the movie was described by The Washington Post as "sparing no effort to reach out to the crudest, youngest audiences it can."

Perhaps it was intended as a hidden message to those who had found themselves dragged along to see this by a younger sibling or that cousin who has an awful sense of humour:

"Don't fret. We are still able to produce comedy that pokes fun at high culture. The film is balls but stick with us and we'll give you something to reward you a few years down the line."

Rumours of a Duck Soup remake with Dane Cook in the lead will have to suffice for now.

Poster of the Week -The Day Of The Dolphin

2011-02-01T18:04:00.005Z

Rarely does a film poster do the job as effectively as the one for Mike Nichols' 1973 thriller The Day Of The Dolphin. It tells you everything you need to know about the film without revealing too much. There's gonna be explosions, there's gonna be an old guy in a wetsuit and there's gonna be an assassin dolphin. Get the fuck in.

Watch this film as a double feature with the 2009 documentary The Cove. Preferably with the marine Lee Harvey Oswalds second as that will not only leave you slightly less depressed but feeling better about our friendly sea dwelling neighbours ability to defend themselves. Imagine The Day Of The Dolphin as a sequel to the documentary and it can only make for an entertaining night in.

Man of Many Roles - Jon Voight

2011-01-30T15:11:00.012Z

It's hard not to like Jon Voight. Runaway Train ranks alongside Passenger 57 as the best film ever to be shown past 11pm on terrestial TV.

However since his train driving days appear to be over, he's made a career out of playing "high-level-government-agency-director-type-who-seems-good-but-look-at-his-face!He-must-be-corrupt-but-nah-he's-probably-alright" in recent years.

Let's have a look.

1997 - Most Wanted

Teaming up with the greatest actor of his (family's) generation, Keenen Ivory Wayans, old man Voight plays a military man in charge of a secret special operations team or is he?!

1998 - Enemy Of The State

Angelina Jolie Snr takes on the Fresh Prince. This time in the guise of a National Security Agent. Surely he must be trustworthy this time? No. Do not trust Jon Voight with anything.

2004 - The Manchurian Candidate

Moving away from the civil service and directly into government, Voight becomes a senator in the 2004 Jonathan Demme remake. His transformation is effortless and suggests that he has clearly been practising in front of a mirror for some time.

2007 - Transformers

After rising from the ranks of a lowly Lieutenant Colonel just 10 years previous, Voight climbs the greasy pole like a Nepalese sherpa with experience in climbing the greasiest poles around. Unsatisfied by merely occupying a seat in government, he gives himself the position of Secretary of Defence as he defends the Earth from rock-em sock-em robots. Notice how he hasn't changed out of his suit for the duration of this period in his career.

So what is Hollywood trying to say? Well, clearly that Mr Voight deserves some sort of senior government position. But at the same time, don't be surprised if he turns out not to be very good at handling his power. His forays into actual politics haven't been successful as can be seen with his support of John McCain's presidential campaign. The question many ask would be "Is there a lesson to be learnt here?"...well yes - Hollywood stop forcing the Voight political agenda. His time will come.

Trailer Trash - Gulliver's Travels

2011-01-27T18:55:00.004Z

Trailers seem to be getting longer and longer. Far from teasing the audience and igniting curiousity, they show a concentrated version of the movie and reveal practically everything.

The trailer for Gulliver's Travels goes on for bloody ages and pissed off countless people over the Christmas period waiting....waiting....waiting for the main feature to begin. It is a shining example of the new breed of preview. The film itself only runs for 85 minutes (probably 8 of those minutes are credits) - meaning the trailer is 1/34th of the film or essentially 3% of it. However, it seems to contain every moment of note. It's unclear whether there is anything worthwhile in the other 82 minutes but judging from reviews probably not.

Parlez Vous Foreign?

2011-01-26T12:21:00.008Z

It struck me immediately after seeing a trailer for The Next Three Days that it was remarkably similar to a movie released in cinemas almost 18 months earlier. A bit of quick research after arriving home confirmed suspicions that this film is one of an increasing number of “English language remakes”.

But why remake films in the English (American) language? Last year’s Let Me In suggested that they may simply be an elaborate and rather expensive lesson in directing by numbers. With some scenes replicated shot for shot, there seemed to be little reason for it other than the fact the actors were speaking English. The film itself produced only a moderate box-office return which would suggest the argument that it appeals to a broader audience seems to be a limited one. After all surely the kind of person who would be interested in watching a film like Let Me In would not be averse to reading subtitles?

Many of these films seem to garner greater critical praise in their original format and perhaps this is down to how we perceive foreign language films. The mere fact they are not in our mother tongue seem to give them some sort of intrinsic artistic credibility and give us an air of pomposity when praising them. On occasion we are guilty of finding ourselves blind to the flaws due to a desire to appear cine-literate. However there must be more than egos and hipster sensibilities that create the divide between original and lacklustre copy.

It seems easier to digest certain aspects of story when they are removed from our own culture. We are less inclined to question the motivation of the protagonist or the actions of other characters in response. This is evident with Pour Elle (English title: Anything For Her) the film upon which Paul Haggis’ The Next Three Days is based. In the original the lead is played by Vincent Lindon, a well known face in French celebrity realms, but relatively unknown to the rest of the world. It is entirely plausible therefore to see him as an everyday man struggling to come to terms with the incarceration of his wife. His journey into the underworld is made convincing and more thrilling by us believing entirely that he is far from an action hero. Now who did Hollywood decide would fit into this role of the average fella? Russell Crowe. Maximus Decimus Miridius himself – commander of the Armies of the North. It is hard to imagine him struggling with the simple task of breaking someone out of prison after he made such easy work of all those gladiators. It is difficult to replicate the authenticity of the original with a lead who just months before was seen tearing up Nottingham with arrows and horses.

Unlike original productions that require developing an idea worthy of the screen, films that are “remade for the English language” are a get-rich-quick scheme for studios. They do not require countless man hours to come up with an original or workable concept. The blueprint is already there, the drawings still blue-tacked to the storyboard and the script half written. It is simply a case of inserting a credible director, cast and crew then wait for the money to roll in. Vanilla Sky made a return of over $200m from a budget of just under $70m whilst The Departed made over $290m from a budget of $90m. With the yard stick of success usually being to double the budget then it is fair to say both films performed exceedingly well financially. But the stunted returns made by Let Me In (scraping a $2m profit) and The Next Three Days ($11m profit) suggests the scam might have been rumbled by a cinema going public increasingly happy to broaden their cinematic horizons in the search for celluloid joy.

This year sees David Fincher’s release of the first in his version of the Millenium trilogy and after the success of the Swedish versions; the world waits with bated breath to see if this regurgitation is worthwhile.

Review - 127 Hours

2011-01-24T17:48:00.005Z

The unexpected success of Slumdog Millionaire brought with it many benefits for Danny Boyle. After the mountain of awards, kudos, job offers and financial success, he found that he had been awarded a prize that many directors can only dream of - creative freedom. With this luxury, he joined forces again with Simon Beaufoy and pushed ahead with his vision to bring the story of Aron Ralston to the screen.

The story being that of a young climber who had cut his own arm off with a blunt multitool after it became trapped. It featured on almost every news channel across the world back in 2003. Beyond the incredible tale of human survival and will, it begged the question in pubs up and down the nation "Would you cut your own arm off to survive?". Somewhere amidst the beer soaked carpets and sticky tables there was Mr Boyle, with a packet of scampi fries and a pint of Black Sheep ale, thinking "Could I film this?". It turns out yes...yes you can but there are a few issues.

The very nature of the problem is the same that beset Ralston in the first place. He's stuck and he's stuck in between rocks (not impressive rocks but fairly standard rocks) in a dimly lit bit of canyon. Lesser directors may have panicked and written in extensive subplots involving family members or work colleagues but Boyle knows this is not what this story is about. The solution to gain a brief respite from the lithic environment is through imagination, hallucination and premonition. With these tools the audience come to understand Ralston, his failings, his fears and ultimately share in his triumph. Each vision letting us in on the selfish, care-free attitude that led him to his prison and the redemption that it offers to him. Driving along relentlessly, it is directed to the very limits and it is hard to see just how much further it could be taken. But Boyle extracts great value from every shot, every scream and every movement.

However, these flights of fantasy would be just another narrative device if it wasn't for James Franco in the lead. He plays Ralston exceptionally well - combining just the right level of charm, compassion, outdoorsy oddball with just a touch of selfish douchebag for good measure. It is a testament to his ability that he is able to turn the traits of an unlikeable fella into a enthralling screen presence. The handheld camera acting as his confession box, a line of communication with the world he escaped but more importantly an outlet for Franco's ability. If he ever decides to leave acting behind (or writing, academia, painting etc) then he can rest assured that he will make a rather excellent radio talk show host.

That scene about which so much horror has been expressed is down to him. Regular viewers of Holby City, 999 or anyone with an internet connection will have seen worse before in the fake blood and guts department. Franco brings it to life though with contorted grimaces, breathless personal reassurances and chilling screams of agony. Hands instinctively squeezing the top of forearms as eyes look on. It puts the extras on Casualty to shame. It would be a great shame though if the gore albatross were hung round it's neck as well as doing a disservice to the work of those who put the film together.

Both Boyle and Franco milk every frame for all that it is worth. You can't hold it against them though. It lasts 94 minutes and it is difficult to see what else could possibly be included but near impossible to suggest something that the film could do without. It will be interesting to see what Boyle is mulling his pint over next.

Review - Blue Valentine

2011-01-21T20:49:00.000Z

It is often hard to put into words sufficient and eloquent enough to describe the joy of art when, even if just for a few moments, it captures true emotion. The shared experience of the cinema means that when this rare feat is achieved it is obvious to all in attendance. It is remarkable therefore that director Derek Cianfrance takes crushingly beautiful performances from his two leads Ryan Gosling and Michelle Williams and delivers them to the screen untainted. The credits roll and yet no-one moves - taking the extended time in the darkness to gather thoughts and composure for entering the brightly lit box office.

Blue Valentine tells the story of love found and lost as it flicks between the past and present. Dean (Gosling) is a warm, gentle man and old fashion romantic strolling through life with ukulele in hand and finding himself in Brooklyn. While Cindy (Williams), bruised by her upbringing in a loveless home, desperately grabs affection but has yet to feel love. The present shows Cindy, now a mother to 6 year old Frankie, burnt out from the routine of family life and a hectic work schedule. Whilst beneath a receding hairline, glasses and a cigarette, the ever-loving playful Dean is a fragile shell of his former self following daily doses of emotional and physical rejection from his spouse.

On the surface it seems irrational that a woman could reject such a loving husband and devoted father. Yet at the same time in his growing need for her affection and a frustrating lack of ambition, we are able to understand why Cindy could fall out of love with that man that won her heart. It examines the key to happiness and what we all seek in our own relationships. What we hope for and what we get, our ambitions and emotional bonds are all put under the glare of the spotlight. A themed motel acts as the blue lit background to the breaking point. It is here that a drunken night in "The Future Room" leads the pair to the bathroom floor where on either side of the divide is crushing rejection whilst the other skin crawling disgust. It is achingly painful to witness but brilliantly realised by both Gosling and Williams.

At times it is hard to see past a series of sombre and particular raw scenes but Gosling adds a lighthearted edge that make the darker moments bearable. "We're inside a robot's vagina" quickly establishing itself as a front runner for line of the year. Where he demonstrates unerring warmth, Williams shows great vulnerability throughout and the chemistry between the pair is as beautiful as it is melancholic. Both fully deserve Oscar nominations which are no doubt assured.

A soundtrack by Grizzly Bear works perfectly - providing both a harmonius warmth to the past whilst a shadowy glumness hangs over the present. Interspersed with the odd ukulele solo, it melds seemlessly with the downfall of the relationship.

It may not be an easy watch at times and leaving as emotionally drained as the characters would not be surprising. However, it is a revelation in terms of capturing the joy and pain of love.

Actors Against Gravity - How You Can Help!

2011-01-19T15:54:00.000Z

If you've ever seen a romcom poster and thought "I love the look of those two actors just leaning against each other!". Stop. These poses are not the result of months of discussion between a photographer, studio executives and group of image consultants wondering how to make their weak rehashed lighthearted love story look fresh, laidback, original or even cool.

These stances are the result of a problem endemic to Hollywood thespians. Gravity. Some have too much gravity whilst others have none at all.

As can be seen from the evidence above, Richard Gere is just one of Hollywood's big names struggling to manage equilibrium in his profession.

If you spot an actor struggling with their balance then email us at:

actorsagainstgravity@gmail.com

Together we can overcome gravity.

Review - Catfish

2011-01-18T17:07:00.000Z

With the tagline "Don't let anyone tell you what it is", Catfish has made itself the bane of many reviewers existence. Revealing what it isn't would in turn give too much away and so the middle ground seems to be letting the curious potential audience in on the bare essentials.

Those essentials being that filmmakers Ariel Schulman and Henry Joost decide to document the blossoming relationship between Ariel's photographer brother Nev and the family of an 8 year old art protégé called Abby with contact being almost exclusively through Facebook.

With The Social Network seemingly taking all the plaudits for capturing the zeitgeist of the latter half of the decade, Catfish must be seen as the unnerving little brother. The sibling that has been ushered into the shadows and away from mainstream sensibilities and concerns. However, where Fincher and co failed was making any of their characters remotely likeable. Who cares for the trodden on friends when they all become millionaires anyway? Acting as an ambivalent document of the events that led to the most powerful social tool of our time but only looking at the repercussions for human relationships on a superficial level. The moment when Mark Zuckerberg (Jesse Eisenberg) realises the missing piece of his puzzle is the "relationship status" information is treated comically - as if he were Archimedes stepping into a bath of baked beans.

Catfish in contrast shows the faces behind the profile pictures. The trio of filmmakers on their voyage of discovery make for an engaging watch as they become more involved with the young artist. Nev, in particular, makes for a charismatic and often amusing lead in the improvised movie of his life. His developing relationship with Abby's older sister purely via modern means of communication is an accepted and increasingly common sign of the times. The film expertly details the dichotomy of the internet's effect on our social lives. It documents the void of loneliness that technology has created in our wi-fi connected world. The growing distance between everyday human contact and anonymous online interactions with photos, likes, dislikes and status updates. However, Catfish demonstrates the ability of technology to connect not only with other people but emotions, imagination and fantasy. It is this confusion of masked interaction and intense emotional involvement that means that the internet has not just become a powerful social device but an equally powerful method of escapism.

In the age of the faux documentary, it is not unreasonable to have suspicions over the truthfulness of the story. It seems to fall neatly into place though that is what editing studios are for. Similarly accusations of a sleazy and condescending feel to the final cut of the film have been made. These words though overlook the fact that the filmmakers always act with grace, good humour and compassion throughout. A poignant human story for our emotionally detached social network.

Actors Against Gravity - Another Helpless Victim

2011-01-17T18:47:00.000Z

And so gravity has another victim. This time in the shape of Steve Carell.

Before the promotional material for the 2007 film Dan In Real Life was released, Carell apparently begged that the poster for this film be sent out in landscape format in order to disguise his trouble with Newton's most famous discovery.

Sadly marketing executives decided that the sympathy dollar was too hard to resist and ran with the original much to the annoyance of Carell.

If you see an actor struggling with gravity, support them to an adequate angle and then call the national Actors Against Gravity helpline to make a donation.

Just £2 a month is enough to provide a gravity stricken actor with a supporting cast strong enough to carry them through their next film.

Review - eXistenZ

2011-01-16T22:15:00.000Z

eXistenZ - capital x, capital z.

A virtual world made reality through the use of living Playstations known as biopods connected to their user via an umbilical cord. A reality in which both desire and fear act as the creative force in the imaginary world. Leading those inside it to the darkest realms of their imagination and to question where their real lives end and the game begins.

Allegra Geller (Jennifer Jason Leigh) is a world famous games designer, a hero to those jaded by the limits of the everyday and a target for extremists who fear the significance of the waking world is being devalued by her creations. Following an attempt on her life at a promotional event for her latest construction of fantasy, her safety is entrusted to a trainee marketing man moonlighting as a security guard in the form of Ted Pikul (Jude Law). Initially reluctant, Geller persuades game virgin Pikul to join her in eXistenZ to see whether her biopod has survived the stress of the assassination attempt. And thus begins a journey through different levels of reality as the pair descend deeper into the game.

Law for all of the tabloid attention that he attracts is often overlooked in terms of his acting ability. His performance as Pikul shows great subtlety as he moves between video game avatar and the anxious reluctant hero - ushering the audience away from the solid groundings of reality until finding themselves as lost in the void as he appears to be. For all the flak he seems to take, there is no doubting his ability in front of the camera.

The film, written and directed by David Cronenberg, is full of his usual relish for blood and throbbing guts. The alternative reality providing the perfect foundation for creative and extravagant use of his favoured splatter. As ever though, he displays vision beyond the gore that makes for a darkly involving and entertaining experience. A puzzle that requires attention for the duration but highly rewarding. For a film that is now over a decade old, the themes seem as relevant now as ever and ahead of the time in terms of concept. Looking at the nature of our reality whilst also questioning human fervour for escapism via virtual worlds - simply illustrated by the umbilical cords used by game users. With the release of Inception last year, it is difficult not to see this film as precursor with the levels of reality similarly broken down into clear stages before slowly blurring into one. Cronenberg brings his concept to life with the craft and execution one would expect from the Canadian director. Worth seeing on the ideas alone, the style with which it is depicted comes as a real bonus.

Actors Against Gravity - Matthew McConaughey Update

2011-01-16T17:09:00.000Z

After a whipround amongst Hollywood's A-list, enough funds have been cobbled together to devise this ingenius and practical acting aide modelled by the elegantly equine Sarah Jessica Parker.

A special thank you must go to Emilio Estevez, Cuba Gooding Jnr, Jamie Foxx and Kate Hudson who between them contributed £7.42. It is because of them that one of Hollywood's brightest stars is given the chance to shine once more.

Actors Against Gravity will be holding future benefits. The next is to be held in Woodseats Working Mens Club, Sheffield. It's likely to be £4 in - cheese and pineapple hedgehog, sausage rolls and sandwiches included. With at least 8% of all profits going towards other actors in their struggle with their greatest foe.

Date to be finalised.

Acrostic Review - Mission To Mars

2011-01-12T22:25:00.000Z

Martians form the basis of this daft sci-fi romp;
in the depths of outer space
stars of Hollywood collide,
seemingly doomed to fail
in both mission and box-office alike;
only De Palma's career goes beyond the point of
no return.

Tim Robbins et al
onwards go to act another day.

Many launched scathing attacks
at the time of release but
rainy Sunday afternoons suit this film,
Sinise - well he got another ride.

Haiku Review - Love and Other Drugs

2011-01-11T23:36:00.000Z

He sells Viagra
Hathaway has Parkinson's
Film tolerable.

The Many Stances of Matthew McConaughey

2011-01-11T22:50:00.000Z

Matthew McConaughey is clearly too proud a man to ask for help and his ability to overcome his disability is admirable. At one point in his career he was edging towards living permanently at 45 degrees. Jennifer Garner has brought that closer to 10 degrees with stealthy use of a scarf but the demands of her schedule mean that she can't be there for him round the clock. Will someone please buy this man a crutch to save his co-stars the effort of carrying him through yet another below average rom-com?

Bad Casting or Bad Writing? Unbelievable Careers in Movies

2011-01-11T22:05:00.001Z

The local cinema - a place of escape.

For the visionaries of the world to transport their audience to fantastical lands of wonderment far from the humdrum of waiting for buses, office fax machines and overdue water bills. The brain convinced that reason, logic and science are all meaningless as the trailers begin.

Stop.

Wait.

Is that Meg Ryan as a helicopter pilot?

The illusion of the impossible broken as the cold draught of reality seeps into the dark warmth of the screening room. All is lost.

Here are just a few examples where the casting department undermine credibility:

Kate Hudson playing a high-powered city lawyer in Bride Wars. It is difficult to argue that anything in this film was remotely enjoyable. Aside from being utterly hateful to seemingly everything. Oddly the level of misogny is tantamount to misandry in this film. The overwhelming memory is the confused gasp that rose to the ceiling of the theatre as Hudson revealed her implausible vocation.
Ben Affleck as a man who writes the blurb on the back of hardback book sleeves in Forces of Nature.
Sandra Bullock as a crossword puzzle compiler for a local newspaper in All About Steve.
Woody Harrelson plays a successful yoghurt mogul in Management. Somewhere in a dimly lit room, a man possibly with a university education and a respectable family background thought that this would be a perfectly plausible plot line.
Meg Ryan as a helicopter pilot in the film Courage Under Fire. This does not require any explaining at all. The fact that these words are aligned next to each other in that order should seem daft enough - who was responsible for that decision?
Sarah Jessica Parker as an emergency room doctor in Smart People. "Scalpel, towel, suction, forceps...GUCCI SHOES!"

CASTING DIRECTORS! KNOW YOUR ROLES!

Review - Splice

2011-01-09T23:48:00.000Z

Always able and at times outstanding when impressing in films off the beaten track such as The Brothers Bloom and Hollywoodland but often entirely forgettable in big budget affairs such as King Kong. Adrien Brody, the youngest winner of the Academy Award for Best Actor, has found himself in somewhat of a rut in recent times and seemingly unable to cement his place as one of Hollywood's big hitters. The past few years then must have truly frustrated him. A court case preventing the use of his image and name from Dario Argento's Giallo due to unpaid work being the most publicity the film received. Whilst his participation in the revival of the Predator series was received with such a lacklustre meh that even the "meh" seemed like too much effort when describing the response.

The chance to work with Vincenzo Natali of Cube cult status in a horror/thriller film about a pair of moral-boundary pushing biochemists messing around with odd homemade creatures that closely resemble infected bell-ends then can only have seemed an entirely reasonable idea. To quote the mantra of the film "What's the worst that could happen?".

Scientist couple Clive (Brody) and Elsa (Sarah Polley) sick of playing with french-kissing blobs decide to spice things up by whacking a bit of human DNA into the equation. The result is Dren who is part-human, part-supermodel and part-kangaroo. Family drama ensues as Elsa takes to Dren as one of her own but as she grows rapidly the film turns from scientific horror satire to the downright hilarious.

"You never told me you own a farm?!" cries Clive to his girlfriend of 7 years as the Frankensteins decide where to hide their little monster. In an attempt to keep their offspring entertained during the lonely days the couple give her a few crayons and like most children she seems pretty happy drawing pictures of Adrien Brody all day. It is unclear how Freud would describe the issues contained in this film though it would be fair to say Oedipus and Electra have nothing on Dren. Desperately trying to bring back the scares, Natali includes moonlit forest pursuits and a touch more gore but the audience had been lost in the laughter long before.

Both Brody and Polley put in a decent enough shift where they are able to but are let down by the freefall in rationality their characters partake in. The film does have a select few moments that make it worth a watch and at least some sort of vision is there beneath the poorly devised script.

Hopefully for Brody it won't be a case of looking back on his career and thinking "What's the worse that could have happened?...Oh right, Splice"

Why Kick-Ass Sucked Ass...

2011-01-07T20:41:00.000Z

Reading over plenty of top 10/20/25 best film lists of 2010 it's been hard to disagree with some of the selections that have commonly made those lists. Some gain a thumbs up, the majority gain a nod of approval or even a wink of agreement whilst others get a shrug of acceptance. However the only film that that raises my left eyebrow in a similar fashion to that of a quietly frustrated Carlo Ancelotti before lowering my right eyebrow to pour scorn in a manner akin to Werner Herzog witnessing a Care Bear picnic is Matthew Vaughn's Kick-Ass.

The comedian Stewart Lee once stressed that the key to successful comedy was to maintain a consistent point of view. It is precisely this that undermines the adaptation of Mark Millar and John Romita Jnr's graphic novel. The pseudo-reality of the Kick-Ass world which works so successfully in the graphic novel genre fails to translate onto the screen. With the first act spent convincing the audience that superhero fantasies are strangled by the reality of consequences and physics - aptly demonstrated by a colourfully suited wannabe falling to his death. It seems odd that the denouement of the film contains a rocket launcher, jet pack with machine gun and a kill count to rival Total Recall. It was hard not to think of the henchman death scene of Austin Powers whenever an extra took a bullet or lost an arm as the reality of the fictional world began to ignore the foundations on which it was built.

The script aims for edgy and tries too hard. The geekish/laddish mates who churp in with "bantah!" at opportune moments particularly making me want to dip my balls in blamanche and have gerbils nibble it off. The Daily Mail hysteria surrounding Hit-Girl and her use of the C word probably did more for this film than any positive review. It gave it credibility and a buzz amongst the target audience that can only come with a Mail "stay away" campaign. Sadly what film critics of a certain generation and particularly right wing papers failed to understand that a young girl saying the C word isn't remotely shocking to our generation but a misjudged attempt at being so.

When the posters were plastered onto buses and the media hype was beginning to build - it seemed obvious that the film was going to receive generous praise. Why? The film was independently financed with the wealthy and influential players of the British media no doubt with a finger in the pie. Add into that the popularity of Matthew Vaughn (a British boy dun gud) and Mrs Jonathan Ross co-writing the script it seems understandable that it got a better press on this side of the Atlantic.

Underneath the hype and tween girls with filthy mouths it was a less than ordinary film that frustrated when overstepping the self proclaimed boundaries and convictions.

What's Coming Up in 2011?

2011-01-07T11:36:00.000Z

Last year ended with an underwhelming blockbuster extravaganza. Harry on Camping and Tron putting bums on seats before eventually numbing them. Luckily with award season on the way it usually means the year begins with a few films with eyes on Oscar nominations.

The hype from over the tectonic divide seems to be that the Coen Brothers are making a strong case with their remake of the classic True Grit which has already garnered a vast amount of critical praise. The brothers already having Oscar pedigree with No Country for Old Men in 2007 as well as Fargo in 1996. The remake sees Jeff Bridges playing the infamous role of Rooster Cogburn tracking down the murderer of a young girl's father. Bridges fresh from his triumph at last year's Academy Awards looks set to possibly earn himself another nomination here.

With similar award winning form is Danny Boyle who follows up the acclaimed Slumdog Millionaire with the eagerly awaited 127 Hours. The true story of Aron Ralston already comes with a sack full of nominations and awards so don't be surprised to see James Franco and Boyle both getting Oscar nods.

The film I'm most looking forward to is Darren Aronofsky's Black Swan. Described by Mark Kermode as "like Argento on crack" it has already whet my appetite. It's hard to not be extremely excited by the grouping of Aronofsky, Portman and Cassel. Furthermore another soundtrack by Clint Mansell who most certainly deserves some credit for his brilliant scores over the past decade. Having been a massive fan of Aronofsky's entire body of work, including The Fountain which I wholeheartedly believe to be a work of unmatched vision, beauty and ambition, this is the one that I'm busting a gut to see.

Judging from the critical buzz alone it seems as those these three films will be putting their hands out for the awards rationing to begin. It wouldn't surprise me at all to see them split fairly equally between these films as well as Toy Story 3 and The Social Network. With internal politics probably deciding the outcome in the case of the Oscars and going the way of The Social Network.

Best and Worst Films of 2010

2011-01-07T02:04:00.000Z

Slightly late but had to let the year end before seeing if there were any final stinkers or classics to be added in. Sadly I never got round to seeing Fred: The Movie.

Best Films of 2010:

Toy Story 3
Un prophète (technically 2009 but released in the UK in 2010)
Dog Tooth
Four Lions

Worst Films of 2010:

Kick-Ass
Valentine's Day
Alice In Wonderland
MacGruber

Some are self-explanatory but others will have people up in arms.

Review - Tron: Legacy

2011-01-06T22:15:00.001Z

After a gap of 28 years, Disney decided to take us back to the world of Tron and his blue comrades. But why? The original whilst achieving moderate box office success and critical praise when released in 1982 had confounded itself to life as a cult classic mentioned only in circles geeky enough not to fear ridicule. However, following test footage fashioned into a teaser trailer shown at a comic book convention the green light for a sequel was given. It seemed as much a financial exercise as a technical one.

The film sees Sam Flynn (Garrett Hedlund) haunted by the mysterious disappearance of his video-game developing father some 20 years earlier. A message from out of the blue leads him back to the his father's old video arcade where he stumbles upon more than just outdated Pong machines.

The world of Tron seems to act as a visual metaphor for the attitude of the big studios towards the modern blockbuster. The cold logic of "The Grid" and the many programmes that inhabit it produce a visually groundbreaking but dramatically turgid 2 hours. That is not to say the film is entirely without merit. The first third of the film is well constructed. It teases fans with knowing nods to the original and builds well to the arrival of Flynn Jnr in the virtual world. The Light Cycle sequence, the basis of the original teaser footage, is geniunely enthralling. The director, Joseph Kosinski, previously best known for his work on adverts for Halo 3 and Gears of War is clearly at home creating stunning but succint pieces of ocular candy. However, the film as a whole suffers from slow sequences in which flashing lights and CGI Jeff Bridges paper over the cracks of a lacklustre and hastily stitched together narrative.

Bridges does a decent job as the elder zen-like Flynn. Though it's hard not to imagine that it isn't The Dude having somehow found himself stuck in a hard drive. To be honest little attention is paid to the nuances of acting when $200m of graphic imagination is flying about the screen.

Fittingly for the subject material Tron: Legacy is much like finally buying a video game having read about it for months. Reading the back of the box on the bus home, flicking through the manual and eagerly awaiting the adventure it holds. Sadly after the initial excitement of the first couple of levels you've found that the game is really dragging and you are essentially smacking the same two buttons for the majority of the time as it plays out in a similar fashion to the games before it.