www.list.co.uk/lilm
Name Hannah Herzsprung Born 7 September 1981. Hamburg. Germany Background The daughter of actor Bernd Herzsprung, Hannah grew up in Munich and abandoned her university degree in communications to pursue an acting career. She won the lead role of the sell-destructive prisoner and piano prodigy Jenny in Chris Kraus' melodrama Four Minutes. a part for which 1200 young actresses auditioned. She was invited to this year’s Berlin Film Festival. as one of nine European “Shooting Stars'. What’s she up to now” Herzsprung has completed shooting on Stephen Daldry's adaptation of the acclaimed Bernard Schlink novel The Reader. which stars Kate Winslet and Ralph Fiennes. She has also appeared in Uli The Little Vampire Edel's The Baader Meinhof Comp/ex. alongside Alexandra Maria Lara and Moritz Bleibtreu.
What she says about playing Jenny in Four Minutes ‘She is such a tough, aggressive. unfriendly and violent character. The interesting part for me was thinking about what had happened to her as a young girl to make her like this.’
What she says about playing the plane ‘l don't play any musical instruments and I had to learn to play the piano specifically for Four Minutes. As I couldn’t sight-read any notes. I had to learn to play these long pieces by heart and I practised for four hours a day for several months.‘
What she says about playing a prisoner ‘I watched loads of documentaries about prison befOre the shoot. and I also arranged for the production company to let me visit a prison and talk to some prisoners for a couple of hours. I was a bit frightened in advance. but everyone I met there seemed totaliy normal.‘
Interesting tact Herzsprung has been a keen ballet dancer for 17 years.
I Four Minutes. GFII Glasgow, Fn' 18-Mon 21 Apr. Ft/mhouse, Edinburgh, Fri 25 Apr- Thu 1 May. See review, page 44.
50 THE LIST 10-24 Apr 2008
Happy-Go-Luclry l 15) 00”
(Mike Leigh. l'K. 2008) Sally Hawkins. Alexis legerman. Andrea Riseborough. l 18min. See feature. page l8 and review. page 43. Selected relr'ttve. Henry V (l') O.” (Laurence ()liv ier. I'K. I944) Laurence Olivier. l37min. Majestic propagatida effort filmed in Ireland with ()Iivier bravely galloping around with a lot of Irish farmers doubling as the cream of the French and linglish nobility. The films holds a special place iti screen mythology. This is a digitally restored version of ()livier's adaptation. released to commetiimorate his celebration of his centenary. Introduced by theatre critic Mark Brown. (ilavgoiv' I’ilm Theatre. Horton Hears a Who! (t') 00. (Jimmy Hayward. Steve Martino. IS. 2008) Voices of Jim (‘arrey. Steve (‘arelL 86min. Animators Blue Sky take a break from their ongoing Ice Age franchise to colourfully realise the universe of Dr Seuss' text. Both ('arrey' atid (‘arrell are allowed ftill rein for their brand of vocal mugging as co-directors Hayward and Martino skilfully guide Horton towards a comforting moral about si/e not being all that important. (ieneral release. The Hottie and the Nottie t IZA) O (Tom Putnam. LS. 2008) Paris Hilton. Joel Moore. (‘hristine Lakin. 90min. Hilton stars as a hot babe who performs a makeover oti her plain friend June (Lakin) so she can get some dates iii this excruciatingly unfunny romantic comedy. (‘llll‘ll‘lil'ltl Rt'lt/l‘t'it‘ Street. (ilttvgoit'. How She Move t IBA) 00 (Ian Iqbal Rashid. Canada. 2007) Rutina Wesley. Dwain Murphy. Ulmin. Ripping off the premise from last year's Stomp The Yard. Htm‘ She More focuses oii aspiring doctor Raya (Wesley). who seeks to express herself iii the world of dance. While choreographer Hi Hat's dance sequences are dynamically shot and edited. this MTV production is hampered by sanctimonious lectures. stereotypical characters and hackneyed plotting. insulting the very culture it seeks to celebrate. Selected release. l-lud (I2) 0... (Martin Ritt. US. WM) Paul Newman. Melvyn Douglas. Patricia Neal. l l2min. Breaking ground in its dc- glamorisation of the heroic West. Ritt's film features Newman at the lead. an immoral. insensitive and brash Texan. A fated saga of stormy familial relationships atid simmering sexual tensions. Part of the Print the Legend season. I'lllliholise. Iz'dinlnajgh. I Am ( I2A) (Dorota Kedlier/awska. Poland. 2005) Piotr Jagielski. Agnies/ka Nagor/ycka. lidyta JungoWska. 93min. A tale of becoming for young Kunch (Jagielski). who runs away from his bleak life iii a poor area of Silesia to start again on his own terms. on a riverboat. When he meets a girl from a wealthy family. Kundel's world is filled with hope and joy. a transformation that is endorsed by Michael Nyman‘s score atid Artur Reinhart‘s fairytale cinematography. Part of New Europe festival. I’ilmhotrve. Edinburgh. in Bruges ( I8) 0000 (Martin McDonagh. UK/Belgium. 2008) Ralph Fiennes. Colin Farrell. Brendan Gleeson. l07min. See preview. page 42 and review. page 43. General release from Fri I 8 Apr. in the Valley of Elah (15).. (Paul Haggis. 2007) Tomtny Lee Jones. C harlize Theron. SUsan Sarandon. l2 l min. After retuniing from service in Iraq Mike Deerfteld goes missing. When the local police authorities and military police clash over the case. it becomes clear that foul play is involved. Dreary ‘war at home' drama front the writer/director of Academy Award—winner Crash. Selected release. Juno (l2) oeoo (Jason Reitman. US. 2007) Ellen Page. Michael Cera. Jennifer Garner. 95min. Teenage Juno (Page) finds herself pregnant and consted. Adoption seems the only option: a newspaper advert puts her in contact with childless couple Mark and Vanessa. but Juno's predicament complicates as their relationship begins to fray. Reitman never stoops to gross-out or slapstick resulting in a comedy that makes you laugh out loud. but that you can still respect in the morning. We Edinburgh Ocean. Edinburgh.
Kihaohlro Kawarnoto Shorts ( l5) (Kihachiro Kavvaiiioto. Japan. Various) 90min. A selection of Kawaiiioto's painstakingly crafted stop-motion animation shorts. featuring foreign fairytales in To Shoot Without Shooting and a haunting ghost story in The Demon. Part of Puppet and Animation season. I’ilnthottve. Izdinhttreh.
Krazzy 4 t l2A) (Jaidecp Sen. India. 2008) Jtihi (‘havv la. Arshad \Varsi. Irrfan Khan. l25min. Remake of popular 80s Hindi comedy .llukilla Rajyathu about psychiatrist Dr Sonali ((‘hawlai and his colourful group of patients. ()tli’l’ll .-\t The Qltttv. (ilttvutm'.
La Scala Opera: Aida (l') (Liliana ('avani. Italy. 2008) Atigela (iheorghiti. Ramon Vargas. Roberto Froiitali. Htlitiiii. Verdi's Aida is brought from the La Scala stage to the cinema screen iii this recording of the operatic staple. I’ilnihottvt'. Iz'dtn/mrgh.
Lars and the Real Girl ( I3.-\) 0... ((‘raig (iillespie. US. 2007) Ryan (ioslitig. Iimily Mortimer. Paul Schneider. I0ttmiii. Lars Lindstrom (Gosling) is a quiet atid sullen young man. His brother (itis (Schneider) and (ius' pregnant wife Karin (Mortimer) try to integrate him itito the community with no success until Lars gets an unusual iiew girlfriend. By turns tender. thoughtful and open hearted. lxtrs and the Real (iirl manages to be both ridiculous and joyous. (‘lllt'll‘lil'lll Rt'It/l'eiv' Street. (ilrtsgoit':
( 'ameo. Iidinlmrgh.
Leatherheads (PG) 00 (George ('looney'. US. 2008) George ('Iooncy. John Krasinski. Renee Zellvv eger. l l3miii. See Also Released. page 46. (ieneral release. The Lion ( l5) (Santiago ()theguy. Argentina/France. 2006) Jorge Roman, Daniel Valen/tiela. Jose blllfitil. 85min. Iil Turtl (Valen/ticla) is the fiery captain of a boat that links the remote communities of traditional reed cutters in the Parana Delta of Northern Argentina. He bullies one of the workers. Alvaro (Roman) as much for his love of books as for his homosexuality. A fine portrait of botli the watery landscape and the sequestered lives of its inhabitants. Part of Viva! Spanish and Latin American Film Festival. (Has-gon- I’ilm Theatre.
Long is the Road ( IzA) (Herbert Fredersdorf/Marck (loldsteiii. Germany/US. I948) Israel Becker. Bettina Moissi. Berta Litwana. 77min. Based on a Becker script. this film traces a Polish family from its beginnings iii a thriving prc-war Jewish community. through AUschwitl. to a desolate Displaced Persons cattip. It was the first feature film to depict the HolocaUst from a Jewish standpoint and significantly climaxes with the emergence of a hope for rebirth atid renewal in Israel. Part of Yiddish ('inema season. I'llIIl/tlltta’t’. Edinburgh.
The Losers ( l8) (Radek Beran. ('Iech Republic. 2007) ()3min. Vulgar characters from (‘zech theatre group (‘akes and Puppets lord over this salacious tale of two revengeful brothers. Drawing inspiration frotn both David Lynch and Jan Svankmajer. Berati has created a universe iii which gastric irrigation and happenings iii a dark insane asylum are commonplace. Part of Puppet and Animation season. Filmhottse. Edinburgh.
Love in the Time ot Cholera ( l5) .0 (Mike Newell. US. 2007) Benjamin Bratt. Gina Bernard Forbes. Giovanna Mezzorno. l38min. LoUsy adaptation of Gabriel Garcia Marquez‘s literary masterpiece about one man's unquenchable passion for one woman spanning 50 years in (‘olumbia in the late l8()()s and early I900s. Dominion. Edinburgh.
Marriage Italian Style ( l5) 0” (Vittorio De Sica. Italy/France. I964) Sophia Loren. Marcello Mastroianni. Aldo Puglisi. |00min. This vivacious comedy- melodrama features Mastroianni as a wealthy Neopolitan merchant and Loren as his big-hearted prostitute. After taking her on as his kept woman. with no intention of marriage. the couple's fate falls out of the gentleman‘s hands and into the lady's. Part
of Marcello Mastroianni season. l‘llllt/ltltiu'. [idol/nirin
Matilda (PG) O” (Danny Dc \‘ito. l'S. I‘Nb) Mara Wilson. Danny Dc \'tto. liiiibcth Dav tdt/ 08min. ('apturiiig the delicious wickedness of Roald Dahl's
w riting. director Dc \‘tto fully exploits exaggeration and playful camera work to tell the tale of a gifted clitld who tiscs her super brain to otitw it her neglectftil parents. ()fl‘settmg the luv eablc Matilda against .i series of horribly inflated bad characters. the film's empow crtng message for children w ill appeal to the iiiischev tous kid in everyone. (ililyl‘t‘lltlll (ilaveou. Meet the Spartans ( l2.-\) 0.
(Jason Friedberg/Aaron Sell/er. LS. 2008) Kevin Sorbo. Travis Van Winkle. Sean Maguire. 83min. A spoof iii the vein ot Date .lloi li'. Meet the Spartans pokes ftiii at posing-pouch epic .v‘tltl. The liliii quickly runs short of material at the hour mark. falling back on mirthless references to reality lelev istoti. l’S cotiiiiiercials and predictable hate targets. The real shame is that there aren't more genuine laughs to be had. General release.
Mr Magorium’s Wonder Emporium (l') O. (Zach Helm. IS. 2007) Natalie Portman. Zach Mills. Dastiii llofftiiaii. ‘Nmin. Molly Malioney tl’ortiiian) is the awkward atid insecure manager of Mr Magoritiiii‘s Wonder litiiporiuiii. the strangest and most fantastic toy store iii the world. Btit when Mr Magorium bequeaths the store to her. a dark and ominous change comes over the liiiiporiutii. Besides the irresistible hiin of seeing Portman finding her witchcraft. nothing has much resonance here. It's all bright surfaces with nothing behind them. and the result is flat and iiiconsequeiitial. lint/lire ('lydehank. ('Ivdehank.
My Brother is an Only Child ( IS) .0. (Daniele Luchetti. Italy. 2007) lilio (iertiiaiio. Riccardo Scatiiarcio. Diane Fleri. l03min. Based on Antonio Pentiacchi's epic book. two young brothers. Accio ((icrtiiano) atid Maurico (Scatiiarcio). iii a small Italian town in the late (ills/early l‘)7t)s are beitig radicalised in very different way s. fascist and communist respectively. with v ioletit conclusions. Nostalgia for political activism atid coming-of-age story generics are balanced by an easy vitality. great soundtrack and excellent lead performances. (ilavgoit' I'i/m Theatre; ('ameo. Ifdt'tihtujgh.
Never Back Down I IS) 0. Wadlow. US. 2008) Djimon llotiiisoti. Scan Faris. Amber Heard. (‘am (iigandct.
l I3inin. Jake Tyler lFaris) is a troubled tough kid with a talent for martial arts. When his fatnin moves to a new city he becomes ati angry loner until a liutiiiliating light gives liitii a goal. to beat tip bully Ryan McDonald ((iigandet) with the help
(Jeff
of mentor Jean Roqua (llounsou). Sub
Karate Kid nonsense. (it'ltt'rttl rt'lt‘ttve. No Country tor Old Men ( l5) (Jocl/lithan ('oeti. US. 2007) Javier Bardctii. Josh Broliti. Kelly Macdonald. l22min. 'I'he ('oen Brothers return to form with this adaptation of ('ormac McCarthy's novel. When Llewelyn Moss (Broliii) takes a bagful of cash from a drug deal that goes wrong he sets off a chain of events that lead psycho- kiIIer ('higurh (pronounced sugar) to vow to do anything to get the money back.
Though based on McCarthy's least
interesting novel. the ('oens imbue this simple tale with their trademark quirkiness and wry humour. Branton 'I'heatre. Iidinlmrgh.
One Missed Call ( l5) .0 (Erie Valette. Japan/US/Germany. 2008) Edward Burns. Shannyn Sossatnon. Azura Skye. 86min. In this remake of Miike Takcshi's 2003 J-Horror. campus queen Beth Raymond (Sossamon) watches as her friends mysterioust drop dead from a lethal mobile phone message. ()nce she's received a missed call of her own. Beth has a predictable race against time with the help of tough-guy detective Jack AndrCWs (Burns). Unfortunately this yarn about haunted mobile phones is one long wrong number. General release.