vw. -..ltst.co.uk film
Films screening this fortnight are listed below with certificate, star rating, credits, brief review and venue details. Film index compiled by Paul Dale
# Indicates Listpicks entry
A Bout de Souffle (Breathless) (PG) ..... (Jean-Luc (ioddard. France. 1959) Jean-Paul Beltnondo. Jean Seberg. Daniel Boulanger. 90min. A chic Parisian petty criminal (Belmondo) and his American girlfriend (Seberg) drift through a world of stolen cars and aimless romance towards an inexorable downbeat finale. (iodard's debut feature provoked quite a stir in its day for its carefree arrogance with the conventions of filmic grammar. but today it stands as a casual love letter to the American B-movie crime picture. Seotsmart .S't'reening Room. Edinburgh.
Alien Adventure 3D ([7) oooo
(Ben Strassen. Japan. 2001 ) Voice of John Boyle. Bouli Lanners. 37min. An alien race looking for a planet to colonise find earth and unfortunately enter a theme park where they cause much amusing mayhem. IMAX Theatre. Glasgow.
Alvin and the Chipmunks (l')
... (Tim Hill. LS. 2007) Jason Lee. David (‘ross. (‘ameron Richardson. 9 l mitt. Likeable pre-school comedy featuring a bunch of pint sized chipmunk pop stars and their long-suffering human guardian (Lee). Empire ('lydebank. ('lydebank.
Annie Leibovitz: Life Through a Lens ( IS) ... (Barbara Leibovitl. LS. 2006) 90min. Documentary tracing the life and work of legendary photographer Annie Leibovitz. Renaissance Princess of the photography world. LL‘lhOVill has produced Rolling Stone and Vanity Fair covers as well as turning her lens to the war honors in Rwanda and Sarajevo. This is an intimate portrait of the artist with footage from the 60s and contributions frotn Hillary (‘linton. Mick Jagger and George ('looncy. Eilmhouse. Edinburgh.
Arctic Tale (PU) ooo (Sarah Robertson. LS. 2007) Preston Bailey. chsi Boakye. Queen Latifah. 96min. Hard hitting but child friendly documentary underlining the real statistics behind global wartning through the travails of polar bear cub Nanu. The impressive footage. manipulative editing and considered soundtrack tnake this enlightening viewing. Glasgow Film Theatre. (ilas‘goit'.
August Rush (PG) 0 (Kirsten Sheridan. l'S. 2007) Keri Russell. Freddie Highmore. Robin Williams. I l3min. Dreadful 'heartwarming' drama about a musically gifted orphan called August Rtish (Highmore) who finds out his parents are still alive and sets out to find them in New York (‘ity. at which point things descend swiftly into sentimental slop. Vite Edinburgh ()('(’(lll. Edinburgh.
Awake ( l5) ... (Joby Harold. LS. 2007) Hayden ('hristenscn. Jessica Alba. Terence Howard. 84min. (‘lay ((‘hristensenl experiences ‘anacsthetic awareness' (meaning he is fully conscious btit paralysed during surgery). which has far- reaching consequences for him and his fiancee Sam (Alba). ln lesser hands. Awake would have been a tawdry melodrama. but the film works well on several levels. This is. however. not for the squeamish. Seleeted release.
Beaufort ( 15) ... (Joseph Cedar. Israel. 2007) ()shri (‘ohen. ltay Tiran. lili liltonyo. l25min. See review. page ~17. Film/rouse. Edinburgh.
Bee Movie (U) see (Steve Hickner/Simon J Smith. I'S. 2007) Jerry Seinfeld. Renee Zellweger. Matthew Broderick. 00min. Barry B Benson graduates frotn college to find that he still only has one possible career: making honey. Disillusioned. he moves to Manhattan where he discovers that humans steal and eat honey and resolves to tile a lawsuit against the honey giant. Big Honey. An oddly conceived vehicle for a reluctant star. Bee Movie deserves a B- minus for effort. ( 'ineworld I’arkhead. (ilasgoit‘; ( 'inett-or'ld Edinburgh. Edirtburgh.
Before the Devil Knows You’re Dead (15) O... (Sidney Lumet. LS. 2007) Philip Seymour Hoffman. lithan Hawke. Albert Finney. l l6min. Lumet's new film returns him to his favourite territory the heist gone wrong. (iripping. compelling and full of very fine performances this is the director‘s best film in years. ()deon.‘ Brae/read. Ken/rent
ll Bell’Antonio ( l5) ooo (Mauro Bolognini. Italy/France. l‘)6()) Marcello Mastroianni. (‘laudia (‘ardinale. Pierre Brasseur. l05min. Mastroianni is cast as the devastatingly attractive yet impotent lothario Antonio. Tales and gossip of his sextial exploits in Rome reach his hometown of (‘atania. where his parents plan for him to be married to the notary's beautiful daughter. Angst falls upon the young man and fears that his secret will be revealed heighten in this tragicomic inspection of ltalian machismo. Part of Mastroianni season. Eilrnhouse. Edirtburgh.
Bird’s Eye View: Scottish Talent Showcase and Panel Discussion (F.) 90min. Following its successful launch at the (ilasgow Film Festival. Birds liye View return to continue the celebration of women filmmakers with this showcase event of films from their London opening night programme. The Magic Lantern will also present a specially curated mini-history of Scottish Women filmmakers. followed by a panel discussion with women working in the Scottish film industry and a chance for aspiring filmmakers to network. (i/asgon- Eiltn Theatre. (ilasgou‘.
Blind Husbands (PG) oooo von Stroheim. l'S. l‘)l‘)) lirich von Stroheitn. Francelia Billington. 9‘)min. When a lustful Austrian army officer (Von Stroheint) attempts to seduce the wife of a surgeon (Billington). a lengthy confrontation ensues in this morally ambiguous tale of sexual obsession. The Austrian Film Museum has found an extra eight minutes of footage and added a new score to re-established this film as an authentic classic of silent cinema. Glasgow l'i/rn Theatre. (i/asgott:
Botched (15) oo (Kit Ryan. (iermany/lreland/l'K/l7S. 2007) David Heap. Alan Stnyth. Stephen Dorff. Sean Pertwee. 94min. Joining the roll call of British splat-core comedy horror. this low budget effort stars Dorff as Ritchie. a bungling jewel thief in the debt of Russian gangster Mr (iro/nyi (Pcrtwee). who accidentally awakens the vengeful spirit of Ivan the Terrible. More The ('ottage than Shaun of the Dead: Dorff deserves credit for keeping a straight face. Short-ease ('inerna. Paisley. I ’aislev.
Bring Me the Head of Alfredo Garcia ( IX) ..... (Sam Peckinpah. LS. 1974) Warren ()ates. lsela Vega. (iig Young. ll2min. Brilliant. nihilistic. unforgettable drama about an itinerant American piano player (()ates) in Mexico who becomes involved in a family feud and bounty for one unfortunate man's head. A true masterpiece from one of the greatest periods of LS cinema. ('arneo. Edinburgh. Brokeback Mountain ( l5) oooo (Ang Lee. LS. 2005) Heath Ledger. Jake (iyllenhaal. Michelle Williams. Anne Hathaway. l3-lmin. Lee's intimate epic poignantly charts a furtive relationship between two ranch hands over the cottrse of several decades. in a strong cast Ledger is truly outstanding. intbuing his inarticulate character with an aching humanity. Less a gay Western than a universally resonant love story. Filth/louse. Edinburgh.
Career Girls ( IS) ooo (Mike Leigh. l'K. l‘)‘)7) Katrin (‘artlidge. Lynda Steadinan. Joe Tucker. 86min. ('ar'eer' (iirls doesn't work within a narrative. but is best viewed as a series of character encounters. playing otit in two time-frames. Annie and Hannah meet tip for a reunion weekend years after they shared a flat together as students. in the present and the past. they cross paths with credibility stretched to breaking point with a past boyfriend. another flatmate. and a schizophrenic fellow student. The emotions and social backdrop ring true where the characters themselves crucially do not. Matinees only. ('arneo. Edinburgh.
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Chain Camera (ii) oooo (Kirby Dick. L'S. 2001) lithan Adagio. Silva Arzunyan. Stephanie De La (iarza. 90min. Filmmaker Dick handed out ten camcorders to pupils at a multi-racial high school in liast LA. Fresh and candid. this film easily traverses issues of race. sex. youth and eating disorders. A(‘E. Edinburgh. Children of Glory ( IS) 000
(Kris/.tina (ioda. Hungary. 2006) Kata Dobo. Ivan Fenyo. Sandor (‘sanyi. l20min. Old-fashioned. meltxlramatic account of the 50th anniversary of the doomed Hungarian uprising against Soviet rule in l956. which privileges action and spectacle over analysis and moral ambiguity and is at its best in its visual recreation of the attempted revolution. ('ameo. Edinburgh.
Dance on Screen (ti) (Various) 90min. A programme of historical films examining the relationship between dance. movement and the camera. Please check the website for programme details. ( '( ‘A. (ilasgoit'. Dead by Dawn (18) (Various) Scotland‘s number one horror film festival returns with four days of the very best international horror. 'lliose who dare to know tnore should visit www.dcadbydawn.co.uk Eilrnhouse. Edinburgh.
Deception (2008) so (Marcel Langenegger. l'S. l5) iiwan Mc(iregor. Hugh Jackman. Michelle Williams. I l7min. See Also Released. page 4‘). (ieneral release.
Deep Sea 30 (P(i) (Howard Hall. (‘anada/l'S. 2006) Voices of Johnny Depp. Kate Winslet. 4lmin. A 3-D digital exploration of the ocean's depths and its creatures. [MAX 'l‘heatre. (ilasgott'. Drillbit Taylor ( 12A) .. (Steven Brill. LS. 2008) Nate Hartley. Troy (ientile. ()wctt Wilson. lfllmin. Three school kids who are being bullied hire a bodyguard to protect them in this anaemic comedy. starring a miscast Wilson as the titular protector and directed by Brill. the actor- turned-director who gave its the less than singular joys of Without a Paddle and Little A'lt‘ky. Seleeied release.
81/2 ( l5) ..... (Federico Fellini. Italy. 1963) Marcello Mastroianni. (‘laudia (‘ardinale. Anouk Aimee. l38min. Showing in a pristine new 35mm print. Many regard this moody magnum opus as the ltalian maestro's fittest hour. Following a scenario not unlike the one that faced Fellini himself when he was under presstirc to come tip with a sequel to the massive international success of La Dolee l’ita. Mastroianni plays a filmmaker plagued by intellectual insecurity and (‘atholic guilt as a weird selection of actresses. financiers. writers and hucksters dog his every move. As ever with Fellini. it's all about spectacle rather than ideas. btit the show is a sparkling one. Part of Mastroianni season. l‘lltttllrrtt.\'(’. Edinburgh.
Enchanted (P(i) .. (Kevin Lima. LS. 2007) Amy Adams. Patrick Dempsey. James Marsden. l07min. 'l‘wo fairytale characters struggle to find each other and make it in the ‘real’ world in this mix of live and animated action (a la ll’ho Er'arned Roger Rabbit). Enehanted is one of the nastiest. tnost insidious children’s films adults will have the displeasure of seeing this year. ('hock full of pseudo (‘hristian ideas. Waspish imperialism. product placement and celebrations of consumer culture this is about as evil as Disney gets. Leave your critical faculties. reason anti humanity at the door. ( ‘inetrorltl Edinburgh. Edirtburglr.
The Eye ( l5) oo (David Moreau/Xavier Palud. LS. 2008) Jessica Alba. Alessandro Nivola. Parker Posey. ()6min. See review. page 4‘). (ierter‘al release.
Films of Segundo de Chomon (PG) (Segundo dc (‘homon. Spain. 1902) 67min. A selection of silent shorts by this much overlooked pioneer of cinema will be screened with live musical accompaniment from composer. pianist and accordionist Josep Maria Baldoma. The selection features Bareelona Park at 'lii-ilight. The Magie Album. The King ofl)ollars. Exeursion to the Moon and The Eleetrie Hotel. (ilasgoti' I‘ilrn 'I'heatre. Glasgow; I'ilrnhnus’e. Edinburgh.
Name Park Chan-wook
Born 23 August. 1963. Jecheon. South Korea
Background While studying philosophy at Sogang University in Seoul Park started a 'cine-club' showing films to the students. Then, one day he played Vertigo and it all fell into place. “There is a sequence following the female that is very lengthy and it looks like something unrealistic. like you are dreaming and I fell in love with the sequence.’ He subsequently made his debut feature in 1992 with The Moon is . . . the Sun ’3 Dream. While he was still best known as a film critic in South Korea until 2000's Joint Security Area. it was his powerful portal of vengeance in O/dboy, which features some seriously hardcore claw hammer action and went on to win the Grand Prix at the 2004 Cannes Film festival, that really brought him to the world's attention.
What’s he up to now? While 2007's bizarre sci-fl love story I’m a Cyborg, But That's OK is just receiving its UK release. Park is currently working on his new vampire project Thirst.
What he says about I’m a Cyborg, But That’s OK ‘I thought it would be a small island in—between the Vengeance series [which also includes Sympathy of Mr Vengeance and Lady Vengeance]. that took five years in the making. and my next film. Thirst. that l have been working on for a long time. To Beethoven perhaps it would be like his Symphony No 8. to Sam Peckinpah. it would be the soft ballad Junior Bonner between his most violent films Straw Dogs and The Getaway. But don't get me wrong; I‘m not comparing myself to such heights. ln Beethoven’s words it is a film I made with my “buttons undone". Fun for me to make. fun for you to watch. I wanted to make a film that my daughter could watch and take my friends to see and laugh out loud. And I ended up with a peculiar film that even I could not believe I've made.‘
Interesting fact For a while he was attached to a remake of Evil Dead but eventually turned it down. (Henry Northmore)
I I’m a Cyborg, But That's OK, Fi/mhouse, Edinburgh, Mon 28 Apr-Thu 7 May. See review, page 46.
24 Apr—8 May 2008 THE LIST 51