www.fist.co.uk/film
Name Ira Sachs
Born Memphis. Tennessee 1965 Background Sachs has been a resident of New York since 1988. His first feature The Delta. was a tale of an upper-middle-class white Mississippi Delta teenager's tentative gay coming out and his brief involvement with a stranger from a vastly different background and circumstances. Sachs had a long professional pause until 2005's 40 Shades of Blue, a mum-layered drama ab0ut an unlikely love triangle between a legendary Memphis producer (played by Rip Torn), his younger Russian girlfriend (Dina Korzun) and his estranged son (Darren E Burrows).
What’s he up to now? He's publicising his newest film, the highly stylised period piece Married Life which relocates British crime novelist John Bingham's Five Roundabouts to Heaven to the Pacific Nonhwest in the late 1940s. Harry (Chris Cooper) is dissatisfied with his marriage to Pat (Patricia Clarkson) and has found love with Kay (Rachel McAdams). She has attracted the attention of Harry’s womanising friend (an ultra smooth Pierce Brosnan).
What he says about directing a quintet of famous actors ‘It was no different. Every actor has something in particular they bring to any project. For a lot of people in Hollywood this is the kind of film they got into the business to make. I built the cast around Chris Cooper who was the first to sign on. It’s a tough role because he's a sympathetic person doing unsympathetic things. What l didn't know is what a kind of a fluid actOr Pierce is. He's old school — he would have been a great character actor in the 1940s and 1950s.“ What he says about John Bingham He was a member of Ml5. a mentor to John Le Carre and was the model for le Carre's most famous character Smiley. I was interested in using the suspense elements to get at something more resolutely truthful. Interesting fact Next. Sachs is working on an adaptation of two books by the late critic. screenwriter and Hollywood insider Gavin Lambert which touches on everyone from Joan Crawford to Charles Manson. (Richard Mowe) I Married Life, GFF, Glasgow and selected release from Fri 8 Aug. See review, page 22.
26 THE LIST 7—14 Aug 2008
Make it Happen (PG) .0 (Darren (irant. LS. 2008) Mary Elizabeth Winstead. Riley Smith. Tessa 'I'hompson. 90min. See also released. page 23. (iener'al release. Mamma Mia! (PG) 0 (Phyllida Lloyd. l‘K/l'S. 2003) Meryl Streep. Pierce Brosnan. ('olin I‘irth. lflb’min. A bride-to-be tries to find out the identity of her real father in the lead tip to her wedding on a (ireek island. Depressineg faithful film adaptation of abominable Broadway and West Iind ABBA song musical mega hit. The popularity of films like this certainly make one wonder about the rampancy of mental illness in our culture. (ienerul IT/(YLH'.
Man on Wire ( 12A) 0000
(James Marsh. I'K. 2008) ‘l-lfllifl. ()n the () August l‘)74. I‘rench artist. performer and hire w ire walker. Phillipe Petit cotmnitted the biggest \ ictimless art crime of the century. The story of that daring caper. the practice events that led up to it (.\‘otre Dame (’athedral and Sydney Harbour Bridge) and the genesis of. this the maddest of liv ing performance artists is told in this engrossing and thrilling film. Seleeted release. Married Life (P(i) 0.. (Ira Sachs. LS. 2007) Pierce Brosnan. (‘hris ('ooper. Patricia ('larkson. ‘)0min. See review. page 22 and profile. page 25. (ilavgrnt’ I'll/II Theatre. (ilasgim‘. Meet Dave (PC) 00 (Brian Robbins. LS. 2008) Iiddie Murphy. lili/abeth Banks. Scott ('aan. 90min. liddie Murphy plays Dave Ming ('hang. a spaceship made in the image of its miniature-si/ed captain (also Murphy ) who has landed on liarth on a mission to save his planet. .\'ow. one of the least eagerly anticipated reunions in cinema history - between Murphy and director Brian Robbins (A‘urbil) - inv itcs us to Meet Dave. You really shouldn't bother. Selected release. The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor ( I2A) O (Rob ('ohen. LS. 2008) Brendan liraser. Jet Li. Maria Bello. I l2min. See also released. page 23. (ieneral release. Nanny McPhee (1') oo (Kirk Jones. LR. 2005) limma 'I'hompson. ('olin Iiirth. Kelly Macdonald. (‘elia Imrie. Angela Lansbury. 07min. The recently bereaved (‘edric Brown ((‘olin l’irth) has way too many kids and no wife. After his hired help resigns. he finds Nanny McPhee (Thompson). a w art-ridden. single-toothed harridan who has a remarkably calming affect on his wild children. but his troubles are inst beginning because now he has to find a new wife before snobby Aunt Adelaide (Lansbury ) cuts off his financial lifeline. Ilodge—podge tale of privileged rev elry. cliche and antiquated morality that plays like a wretched pro-childbirth psychedelic farce fable. (ir‘mi'erurr: (ilaygrrn‘. Oliver TWist (PC) .000 (David Lean. l'ls'. I‘MS) Alec (iuinness. Robert Newton. I‘rancis l. Sullivan. 1 Itunin. A classic screen version of the Dickens‘ novel. w ith (iuinness a sly f‘agin and Newton a menacing Bill Sykes. Instead of making it a light children‘s story (as in the inusical version). Lean taps into the darker side and captures it all in crisp black-and-white images which still look superb. Part of Day id Lean season. (ilavgmi' I'ihrr 'I'healr'e. (ilasgmi; Paris ( l5) O. ((‘edric Klapisch. lirance. 2008) Romain Duris. Juliette Binochc. l"abrice I.uchini. I30min. Duris plays Pierre. a young dancer whose future is suddenly left hanging in the balance by a medical diagnosis: Binochc is his unfulfilled sister. taking a career break to care for him. A warm human drama from the director of Pot Luck and Russian l)ul/v. (ilaxgrrw' l‘ilm 'I’lteatr'e. (ilay grru'; I'ilhlltrruse. Edinburgh.
Check out the
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Paul Merton’s Silent Clowns (PG) (. Various) 75min. The TV comedy favourite presents Blister Keaton's Sherlock Junior. alongside a selection of works by (‘harlie (‘haplin. Laurel and Ilardy and Ilarold Lloyd. With live music from .\'eil Brand. l'ilrriluruse. Edinburgh.
Persepolis ( 13A) 0000 (Vincent Paronnaud/Nlarjanc Satrapi. France/LS. 2007) (‘hiara Mastroianni. ('atherine Deneuve. Danielle Darrieux. 96min. This adaptation of Satrapi’s autobiographical eoming-of—age graphic novel is an exceptionally moving piece of animated filmmaking. ('hronicling the liberal outlook of young Iranian Marji. Satrapi refreshingly manages to portray a love of Iran without being revisionist or disguising any harsh truths about the regime. (ilasgrrit' [Vi/In 'I'heutr'e. (ilusgrrw: ('arnerr. Edinburgh. Phase IV (PG) 0... (Saul Bass. IS. 1073) Nigel Davenport. Michael Murphy. Ly nne Frederick. Alan (iifford. l03min. Intelligent desert ants wage war on the local inhabitants. Two scientists (Murphy and Davenport) and mysterious stray girl Kendra (I‘rederick) is all that stands between them and victory. Title sequence designer legend Bass' feature debut. 'l‘hrilling. slow burning. overlooked 70s sci- fi horror. Bass relies on his visual skill to elevate this sci-fi above the rest. Pan of Outer Limits? season. (inner). Edinburgh. Piccadilly (PG) 0.. (li A l)upont. (K. 1929) Anna May Wong. (iilda (iray. Jameson Thomas. I 10min. This silent film traces dishwasher Shoslto‘s (May Wong) unlikely rise to fame and fortune at the Piccadilly ('lub. This screening will be accompanied by live music froin pianist Neil Brand. I'ilrn/uruse. Edinburgh.
San Francisco Opera: Madama Butterfly (Ii) (. 2007) ISSmin. A chance to enjoy this production of Puccini's tragic love story that was performed by San l‘rancisco ()pera during their 2007 season with Patricia Racette in the lead role. (amen. Edinburgh.
Sarah Silverman: Jesus is Magic (l5) 0.. (Liam Lynch. IS. 2005) Sarah Silverman. Brian Posehn. Laura Silverman. 72min. lissentially a TV special reduxed for the cinema. Silverman‘s film sees her systematically wrestle with pretty much every taboo she can find: AIDS. 9/1 1. death. paedophilia. incest. rape. sexism. homophobia. ageism and potentially offends Jew s. ('atholies. Mexicans. African Americans. the Japanese. (iermans. Puerto Ricans and the (‘hinese in the process. The overall effect is partially hilai'ious. but ultitnately a bit etnpty. (inner). Edinburgh. Second Skin ( IS) 0.. (Juan ('arlos Pineiro-Iiscoria/a. l‘S. 2008) 05min. Documents three sets of computer gamers whose lives have been deeply effected by the emerging genre of Massiver
Multiplay er ()nline games. Part of the lidinburgh Interactive Festival. I'ilrthrru.\e. Edinburgh.
Sex and the City: The Movie ( (5) 0.. (Michael Patrick King. LS. 2008) Sarah Jessica Parker. Kim (’attrall. Cynthia Nixon. l-lSmin. A few years on from packing away the series. the characters are back and fieshed out. the individual angst of each woman realised enough to engage even the hardened cynics. Like life however. the film isn‘t perfect. the beginning recap is clumsy. the ending is rushed. and the version of feminist power and fetnale solidarity the film peddles is slightly simplistic. Dominion. Edinburgh: ()rnni l'ue. Edinburgh.
Sicko ( I2A) 0.. (Michael Moore. IS. 2007) I I3min. Moore's latest explosive documentary targets the LS healthcare system. comparing it unfavourably with those of just about every w here else on earth. Moore has a perverse and honed eye for comedy and Sicko is often liilariotis. but his journalistic myopia (leading him to praise our own much-bemoaned .\'IIS to the skies) undermines his attack and may leave British audiences wondering what else he has failed (or chosen not to) see. At‘E. Edinburgh.
Singh is Kinng ( 12A) (Anees Ba/mec. India. 2008) Akshay Kumar. Katrina Kaif. ()m Puri. l25min. MischevioUs Punjabi
Sikh Singh (Kumar) gets sent to Australia to bring back someone to his local village. lTnfortunately the former Indian village dweller has becomes at Don of the Australian underworld and Singh has to extricate him from there. Bollywood tnusical . Seleeted release.
Some Like it Hot (PG) .0000 (Billy Wilder. 1959) Tony Curtis. Jack Lemmon. Marilyn Monroe. l20min. Two impecunious male musicians inadvertently witness the St Valentine's Day Massacre and take refuge in Florida with Sweet Sue and her Society Syncopators. an all-female band. Brilliant. brittle. crackerjack farce with all concerned at a peak in their careers. Glasgow I'ilrrt Theatre. (ilas‘grrn'.
Space Chimps (t') 0. (Kirk De Micco. l'S. 2008) Voices of Andy Samber. (‘heryl Hines. Jeff Daniels. 80min. ()n the whim of a sinister senator (Tucci). Ham lIl (Samberg) - the circus performer grandson of one of the first chimpanzees in space is sent into orbit to retrieve a missing satellite. With endless monkey and banana puns and bog-standard animation. Space (hint/rs is strictly for easily pleased little monkeys. (ierteral release.
Speed Racer (PC) 000 (Andy Wachowski/l.arry Wachow'ski. US. 2008) Iimile Hirsch. Nicholas Iilia. Susan Sarandon. l3-lmin. A live action though ('(i-heavy adaptation of a I960s Japanese television anime about a futuristic family of racecar designer-drivers who are pitted against a corporate fat cat. The film's message is: business had. family good. winning best of all. .\'ot that this matters in a film with migraine-inducing race sequences and stomach-churning thrill- rides. (Mean A! The Quay. Glasgow; ()denn Hester Hui/es. Edinburgh.
The Spiderwick Chronicles (PC) I... (Mark Waters. l'S. 2008) Sarah Bolger. Freddie llighmore. Nick .\'olte. 95min. l'pon moving into the dilapidated Spiderwiek listate. siblings Jared (Ilighmore). Simon (Ifighmore) and Mallory (Bulger) find a guide to a fantastical world of faeries and creatures in this adaptation of Holly Black and Tony DiTerIi/zi‘s series. They must battle against .‘yfulgarath. however. the evil shape-shifting ogre who is also after the key to the fantasyland of faeries. ( 'inewurld Park/read. Glasgow; ('ineimrld Edinburgh. Edinburgh.
Standard Operating Procedure ( 15) O... (Iirrol Morris. KS. 2007) I 16min. Legendary American documentarian Morris. an Academy Award winner in 2003 for his candid portrait of Vietnam-era ITS Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara. The bag of lfiir. presents his follow-up. It's an unflinching. disturbing account of the abuses of Iraqi prisoners at the notorious Abu (ihraib prison in Baghdad. Glasgow- I'ilrrt Theatre. Glasgow:
Stardust (PU) O. (Matthew Vaughn. l'K. 2007) (‘harlie (‘ox. (‘laire Danes. Robert De .\'iro. Sir Ian MeKellen. I30min. In a countryside town bordering a tnagieal land. a young man makes a promise to his beloved that he'll retrieve a fallen star by venturing into the magical realm in this star-studded fantasy epic adapted from the novel by Neil (iaiman. (‘ox lacks pizza/l as the adventurer Tristan. which Vaughn only emphasises by pitching him against one big-name star after another and while Stardust has sortie entertaining moments. it looks fated to join Erugrrn and The Dark is Rising on the box office scrapyard of fantasy pilot efforts. Vue Edinburgh ()eean. Edinburgh.
Statysci (Extras) ( 12A) 0000
(Michal Kwieeinski. Poland. 2006) Kinga Preis. Bartos/ ()pania. Stanislaw Brundy. Kr/ys/tof Kiersxnowski. I 13min. Award winning Polish comedy set in a restaurant with a tnultiracial staff and client base. This filtn swept the boards at the 2007 Polish Film Awards. A contemporary Polish cinema screening. I-ilrnhmise. Edinburgh. Step Up 2 the Streets (PG) 00
(Jon M (‘hu. IS 2008) Robert Hoffman. Briana Iivigan. Will Kemp. 97min. Stupid sequel to 2006‘s dance romancer Step Up. ()deun A! The Quay. Glasgow; ()deun.‘ Brae/read. Kerr/rent