www.|ist.co.uk/film
LPN/1A CHILDREN OF GLORY (15) 120mm 000
Made to l,«’;rri'rit;l'i',ratt- tr it,- ‘,7.‘t'
anniversary oi the doorimt Hum/tartar. uprising agazriu‘. Sir/mt rule 1" "i736, l‘Nlll(,ll cost saline '3th lives .r (Alllllhi that of the executed pririi»: 'llrl‘l‘;i‘:l lrrire Nagy“ director Kris/trim (Jr/lat. Chi/dren of Glory otters an old tashaoned, iiielodrarnatir, ar:r,otir‘t of those tragir; events.
Based on a story l)‘/['3(1.‘jltf /nstinr;t writer Joe E s/terhas. and produced t)‘, fellow Hungarian ex pat Andrew Vaina (Ht'irnho. Uli,’ Hard With a ‘/r21i<;e.irit,i:i. Children of (i/or', unsurprisingi ,i
priVileges action and spectacle <)\/(,‘l analysis and moral Elllll)lgllll,u Its hero is the strapping, handsoine Karcsi (Ivan i9enyoi. the nation's star water polo player, who it; ticked ott b, the secret police after hit; involvement in a postinatch brawl Wllll his cheating Russian opponents. Smitty falling Ill love with a beautiful student leader VIN (Kata Dobol. he finds hiinselt sis/ept up
DRAMA l Alvlll r EAN l»‘\8 r’
in the protests in Budapest against THE SPIDERWICK CHRON|CLES Run), David Elf Berenbaum and polished up by (,‘oiiiiiiunist oppression. thus risking (PG) 95min .... writer/director John Sayles, The Spiderwick Chronicles his dreams; of a gold medal at that is the kind of adaptation of a much loved children's year‘s Melbaxirne Olympics When newly divorced mother of three Helen Grace book that really works.
l-’lll()(l watl~ schematic supporting (Mary-Louise Parker) moves her kids to the secluded All those involved here seem to understand the major characters. the solidly acted Children rundown Spiderwick estate, once owned by their great tenets of a good children’s adventure that run from the of Lilo/v is at his best in its Visual great uncle Spiderwick, the children are less than fiction of E Nesbit to that of Philip Pullman - namely recreation ol the attempted revolution: impressed. Twin brothers Jared and Simon (both played that real innovation can only be achieved by combining the scenes depicting thousands by Freddie Highmore) and sister Mallory (Sarah Bolger) realistic and contemporary portrayals of children with taking to the city streets and the later sulk and fight around the house, but then things begin magical objects, creatures and creations. By doing this, counter ottensive spearheaded by to disappear. And what are those odd noises behind the complex ideas like the trauma of divorce,
Russian tanks have a poweitul wall? abandonment, the breakdown of the familial unit and, dramatic sweep. And Goda ieiiiinds Simon starts to investigate and soon discovers his in the exciting final sequences, abuse and home
us how because ol the simultaneous great great uncle’s notebook and with it a whole world invasion can be analysed in an interesting way. Director Suez crisis. Western t;<)tihtr"es of evil goblins, faeries and creatures of the forest. Waters uses all the CGI effects he can muster to good shamelth turned a lilind eye to These creatures want something from this effect and the performances from all involved, including Hungarian suffering. (Torn Dawsoni dysfunctional family and will stop at nothing to get it. cameos by David Strathairn and Joan Plowright are
I Cineworld Henlreii Street. Glasgoi'. Directed by the able Mark Waters (Mean Girls, Freaky pitch perfect. (Paul Dale)
and selected release from Fri 8 7 Ala: Friday) and scripted by Karey Kirkpatrick (Chicken I General release from Fri 27 Mar
DOCUMENTARY 0
WE ARE TOGETHER (PG) 86min 0..
Whether the tragedy is personal or universal. filmmaker paui Taylor riianages to extract an upbeat film out of harrowing and difficult mes an th;:; h‘o'.'hg documentth Concentrating on the Agape Orphanage in South Africa. tanner zeroes in particularly on one family. the Mates. -.'.ihase so". is 10;: rapid, dang of Aids. Unable to afford the drugs that would help keep hit: alwe. the :‘an‘iJ. are literally in the hands ot the gods. At the same tirrie the :;h:ldien at the oroharutge who have termed a choir. hope to make a CD and ‘. .sit London to raise "tone, for the institution. Howexer. they can't gather enough farms tor the trip London. and the orphanage burns down due to an electrical tatilt Taylor s. 'lt“.'i£‘:‘.‘C‘l. not around for this eventi.
Whether the tilm llllalh owes more to tictienal pegs t‘réserxationa: :lictates is a moot pOInt. and it isn't Surprismg that the tiln‘ was inf. together fointl, t), fiction and dOCLHHetttam editOrs. as thOugh Taglcr wanted it: get the {TétlailTiér right between the dramatic and the factual. Yet. it s the endemic. ‘acttai that shows the film at its ickiest: the kids get to pertorm on stage f" 3a.. S‘r‘xir‘ an: A cia Keys in a moment that maybe plays too readiit into the 9' star calm: power. It's when we know an orphanage can SLl".l‘.€ ~.-.:zr‘ the .t .2 3‘ the :eieort, magic wand that we might ask for less Charity and more pa tgs. SIN. Tapers ‘ is an impresswely achieved. heartfelt work. Flori; Mormon
I OFT- G/GSQOW 33? 75-Mon ’7 Mar; Fi/nihouse. Edna/5;" :r 3' '.'ar
13-27 Mar 2008 THE LIST 49