Name Toby Jones
Born 7 September 1967. Oxford. England
Background In 2001, the diminutive British actor premiered his self-penned monologue — Missing Ree/s at the Edinburgh Fringe. The show was an entertaining aCCOunt of how his role as a stalker in the Julia Roberts/Hugh Grant rom-com Notting Hill ended up on the cutting room floor. Back then. the recollections of a struggling actor dismayed at the excision of his part in what was then his most significant film to date were funny and poignant. Now. bearing in mind Jones has since become a ubiquitous and widely celebrated performer, Missing Ree/s seems preposterous. Having made his film debut as a valet in Orlando. and subsequently spent the next ten years playing a series of unnamed waiters. civil servants and page boys. in 2002 Jones voiced Dobby the HOuse Elf in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets and then knocked out everyone with his terrific turn as Truman Capote in infamous. Significant and scene- stealing roles in quality Hollywood productions as varied as The Painted Veil and The Mist followed. At London Film Festival last month he appeared in two of the most highly anticipated films. Frost/Nixon and W (m which he plays a pitch and picture perfect Karl Rove).
What’s he up to now? Currently filming the Charles Darwin's biopic Creation with Paul Bettany and Jennifer Connolly. after which he'll rejoin W direct0r Oliver Stone for his My Lai massacre movie. PIN/(Ville.
What he says about Karl Rove ‘Rove is definitely an enigmatic and elusive character. The challenge of playing him is that he manages to be both there and not there at the same time. Oliver and I discussed his humour too — no matter how much people hammer away at him in an interview. there's a confidence in him. Nobody can touch him and he seems to be slightly amused by this.‘
Interesting fact Jones played alongside his father. the great thespian Freddie Jones. in Ladies in Lavender. (Miles Fielder)
I W is on general release from Fri 7 Nov. See review page 44.
46 THE LIST :io ()(il fit Nrr. firm
Films screening this fortnight are listed below with certificate, star rating, credits, brief review and venue details. Film index compiled by Paul Dale
Indicates Hitlist entry
African Animation for Children it‘i i\'ariousi "5min. liducational and entertaining collection of short African animations for children. Dram trig on ltl_\llls and fahlcs. the filmmakers reflect upon the identities Ul' African children and the emiromnent in “lilcll the) lixe. Part of Africa in .\lotion. Ii/rn/iuuse. lit/inlmrgli. African Animations for Adults i lSi t\'ariousl 39min. A selection of humorous and pla} ful short African animations for adults. dealing u ith a \ariet} of tahoos and ltolitical issues. Part of Africa in Motion. l'il/ii/ioiiu'. Int/rIi/tiirg/r. AiM After Hours Double Bill l lxi (Various. 2002i I‘llmin. 'l‘eco Benson's llfL’llHtH' In the (inn-e. a lots -fi \ ideo-filln of a sinner addicted to the charms of hig—legged “omen. u ill he screened alongside Richard Stanle} ‘s The ll'lirle Darkness. a documentar} ahout \oodoo practices in Haiti. Part of Africa in .\lotion. l‘l/IlI/IUIIH'. Icilrn/mre/i. All Night Horror t lts’i .\lake )our \ta} into llalloueen \\ ith this all night feast of horror \\ ith lflr' Iz'tori‘r'xl.‘ 'l'lie Beer/fine. Ja- ()n.‘ Hie (iriu/ee. .\I\ [ill/e lite. 'I’lre I'rre/rleireri and the ne\\ ['8 \crsion of I'lie (irur/ee. (Ii/eon .le The (Jam. (i/irxgmi. All Quiet on The Western Front il’(ii O... ll.e\\is .\ltlestttlte. [-5. I‘ll”) l.uttts \Vohlheim. l,e\\ Aires. .lohii \Vra). lfifs’min. An ()scai'-\\ mmng adaptation of Remarque's pacifist noxel dartttgl} takes a (ierman point of \ ieu. follou ing a sensitne _\oung man aitd his friends \tho ai'e sent to the front lines of WWI. Realistic in Its emotional impact. fl is surel} one of the greatest anti -\\;tl' mo\ ies e\er made. Part of lo lind All Wars season.(i/ii\gm-. I'll/n lflt’rlll't'. (ill/semi. Barakat! l lSi iDiamila Sahraom. Algeria/l'rance. Iflfloi Racltida Brakni. l‘attouma ()usliha Bouamari. /.ahir Boti/erar. 05min. An e\ammation of social and political issues affecting women m the aftermath of the Algerian (‘i\ ll War of the l‘Nfls. lunged on the kidnapping of a iournalist h) Algerian e\trenusts. Part of Africa in .\lotion. I'I/ni/niuxe. l'fr/rn/nu'e/i. The Battleship Potemkin it’( if 0.... t Sergei l'ilsellstelll. l‘SSR. “)25) :\ Antono\. Vladimir Barski. (irigori :\le\andro\. "5mm. Made for the Iflth anni\ersar) of the HHS re\olution. lilsellslelll‘s all-tune elttsslc littlltl“ s the mutm} h_\ the creu of the Prince l’otemkm and the support gi\ en h} the local ci\ ilian population. \\lltl are mottn doun h} the ('/ai”s troops in the famous ()dessa Steps sequence. li\pressi\e camera technique and a grasp of editing that \\ role the [e\thooks are first some of the inno\ations that first ptit liisenstem and Russian film firml} on the cinematic map. Part of Introduction to liuropean (inertia. I'l/Hl/lrtllu'. lit/iir/irire/i. Bigga Than Ben: A Russian’s Guide to Ripping Off London f til O. 18 A llaleuood. l'ls'. ZflflTi Ben Barnes. Andrei ('hadm. ()\ iditi Matesan. 85min. Allegedl} hased on the dtar) of a )oung .\losco\ itc \tho came to l.ondott III the late l‘Nfls. Ifiegii 'I'liun lien is. for the maiorit} of its running time. a distracting hlack coined). (‘ohakka tBarnesi and Spiker i(‘liado\ l are a couple of Russian \\ ide ho} s u ho. on arrnal in Britain. quickl} learn the heaut} of cashhack. shoplifting and smoking crack. hut as their friendship hreaks do“ ii. an} emotion felt touards these self proclaimed racist scumhags quickl} disso|\es. l-ilni/iurne. [Li/Ill/HII'Q/l.
i Black Jesus I Isl COO. mitt-no
/.uilini. ltal_\. l‘)(iHi Wood} Strode. Jean
Scnais. l'l'atlco (‘ittr 03mm. ln /,ur|mi's radical interpretation of the Passion of (‘lirist. Strode plats l.aluhi. a messianic freedom fighter imprisoned during the en ll “at m the Belgian (‘ongo A fine and direct engagement \sith the hrutalit} of colonialism, Part of /.ur|ini season. lle screening “Ill he follou ed h} /.urllni's short Serena/tr (It! rm Stilt/n. l‘l/Ill/IUHH’. lat/inliure/i.
The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas tlZAl 0 (Mark Herman. l'S/l'ls. Zflllts’i Vera l‘armiga. Dax id 'l‘heu lis. Rupert l'riend. 93min. Bruno tButterfieldl is the nine-war old son of a Nari (’ommandant t'l'lte“ list. When his lather is seconded It) manage a concentration camp. the lonel} Bruno makes a lie“ friend. Schmuel tScanloni. he)ond the high \\ ire. Badl} acted and clumsil} directed. this liheral- guilt-monger-sueeping-cod-historical- nonsense is simpl) unitecessar). Seleererl I'('/(’(l\t'.
Burn After Reading f Hi .00
tlithan (.tiell/Jtlel (‘oen. [IS/l 'K/l‘rance. 20(le (ieorge ('loone}. John .\lalko\'icli. Brad Pitt. 05min. l‘oul-mouthed ('lA attal_\st ()shourne l.\lalko\ ieltl quits his ioh alter heing demoted. Across lt)\\ll at ()shourne's gyn. slim -\\ itted emplo) ees ('had (Pitt) and linda t.\chormandi happen upon one of his discs. A shagg}. punctured t}re hlackmail thriller entails \sith the requisite outhreaks of shock tactic \ iolence and ahsurdist plotting. (ienem/ releme.
Chocolat t lit 0... t(’|aire Denis. l‘rance. 1088) Mireille I’errier. lsaach dc Bankole. (iiulia Boschi. l-‘rancois ('Iu/et. lllSmin. Returning to the remote part of (‘ameroon \\ here she spent her childhood. the daughter of a colonial civil serxant recalls scenes from those earl) _\ears. including the attraction hettsecn her mother and their nati\e manscr\ant. 'l‘his accomplished delttll feature is a lltislalglc and gentle mosaic of colonial life. \slticlt offers a perceptix e look at the liuropeans‘ \ar) ing attitudes ltmat'ds the .-\fricans. Part of the \Votnen‘s llistor} Scotland conference. I'i/In/mnse. lat/inlmrgli.
The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian tl’( il .0 (Andrea Adamson. l'K/I‘S. 20(le Liam .\'eeson. ’lilda Sumton. Ben Barnes. 143mm. In the second instalment of the Narnia films. the PM ensie children are sttltlltttttled hack lU Narnia for a slick. fast-paced romp through dark \Hltltls. underground ca\erns and fierce hattles. With a simplistic plot. and ('aspian (Barnes) reduced [0 a prett} face. l)islle_\ ma} ha\e finall} hrought Narnia to the hig screen. but for a real journe} 0f tlte imagination. stick to the hooks. fire Ifi/iii/mrg/i ()r‘r'rlll. lat/rn/tru'eli.
City of Emberrl’Ur OD. t(iil Kenan. 18. 2008) Bill .\lurra'\. 'l‘im Rohhins. Saoirse Ronan. l(l(lmin. Students from the anta/ing underground cit} of limher go through a series of ad\entures in order to sustain their special secret \Hirld for another It)” _\ears. llo-hum hut Visuall} impressi\e children‘s ad\enture sci-fi. .Sir'lr'r'lr’r/ I'¢'/erl\r'.
Clouds Over Conakry f tit .00. i(‘heick l‘antamad} (‘amara. (iuinea. 2(ltl7l Alesandre ()gou. Balla .\loussa Keita. 07min. l’olitical cartoonist BB t()goul is madl} in lo\ e \sith his hosses’ talented daughter. Sadl). his strict .\ltts|im lather has other designs for his life. A romantic take on the recurrent African cinema dialogue of tradition \ersus modernit). 'l‘his screening \\ ill he preceded h} screenings of the
u inner of the short film competition as \tell as the \\ inner of the short film audience auard. (‘Iosing film. Africa in Motion. I'iInr/muse. Izilr'n/tiu'e/r.
Caracao Mais Forte it-ii iRichai-tl l’akleppa. .\'amihia/.-\ngola. 20th (ixiniii. Reporter .\laria lleitda seeks to understand the prejudice. fear and emharrassment that surrounds Aids in the Angolan provinces of Benguela. ('unene arid l.uanda. 'l'his screening \\ tll he preceded it} ()l'latldti .\lesqttita\ short life Hull. uhich e\plores the different \sa} s in \\ hich a condom can he pill to rise. Part of the l.usophone African l'iltn l'esti\al. (ii/mure/ir/l (i/J. (i/rrsgnn. Couscous f Lil 0000 iAhtlel Kechiche. l'rance. 30”?) llttltill litttllaf'es. llafsia ller/i. l‘arida Benkhetache. IS-lmin. (if )ear-old \seat'} \laghrehi emigre Silmane lBoufaresi is in need of a miracle after hemg made redundant. (‘hoosing to “Pen a North African restaurant rather than retire. the action re\ol\es around Sunda} dinner for his e\tended famil}. “here the depiction of Arah fanul) life rixals that of l.u Hui/re and “in \ of (i/nrr. I'r/rn/muse. Iii/rn/nu'g/r.
Cyberworld 3D fl’(il (Various. 1.5. Zflflfll Jenna lilfinan. .\latt l‘reu'er. \Vood)‘ Allen. J-lmin. Jenna lilfman is the c_\'her- host who introduces tls to Various unrelated segments of cyher animation. The .S'inipmnx and .rfnrr. make 3D appearances in a spectacular displa) of toda} 's most impressive graphic technolog}. /.ll:f.\' ‘I’lieulre. (i/userm.
Dance for Peace ilii iSimon Bright. Mo/aitthique/Zimhahue. 19%) 52min. 'l‘o celehrate the ceasefire arid end of 30 )ears of “air. the National Dance (‘ompain of .\fo/amhique choreographed ()(11' (i l’u:. a performance “hich aimed to educate Morainhicans ahout their first e\ er election. Bright documents their tour of the nation. Part of l.usophone African l‘ilm l-‘estixal. (ii/mm‘e/irH (i/J. (i/merm‘.
The Dark Knight ( l3:\l .000 (Christopher Nolan. l'S. 20(le (‘hristian Bale. lleatlt Ledger. Maggie (i_\'llenhaal. 152mm. Nolan's re\amp of the superhero franchise reaches its apotheosis with this sequel to Barnum Begins. a supremel} \s'ell- imagined. perfectl} executed film that comhines hlockhuster spectacle \\ ith indie cinema cool and smarts. l’s} chotic. chaos- lo\ ing cltm n The Joker‘ (Ledger) is introduced as the dark knight's ultimate nemesis and a thrilling hattle sl(i\\ l) terrorises the populace of (iotham. [MAX ‘I‘lreulre. (ilusguu;
Darrat tl’(il t.\lahamat-Saleh llaroun. ('had/l"rance/Belgium/AUstria. 2000) Ali Barkai. Youssouf Djaoro. Djihril lhrahim. 05min. ('had Bonn and the goxernment has granted amnest} to all war criminals. Young Atim lBarkail is given a gun and charged \\ ith a\enging the death of his father. l'pon finding the man in a small fartiin haker). \\lllle disgusted. Atim slouI) grous strangel} attached to his father's murderer. Fascinating slit“ hurn re\enge tale. Part of Africa in Motion. I’r/m/ruuse. Iz‘rlrIr/tru'g/i. Deep Sea 30 tl’(ii lllouard llall. (‘anada/I'S. Zoom Voices of Johnn} l)epp. Kate \Vitislet. 41min. A 3-D digital e\ploration of the ocean's depths and its creatures. IJIAX 'I'lterllre. (i/rlsgrm‘. Dinosaurs Alive 3D it‘i tDax id ('lark/Ba}le) Silleck. l‘S. 2t)()7l-1()min. l‘ollou palaeontologists as the)’ scour the glohe for some fantastic dinosaur finds. then \satch the creatures hurst into 3D life. IJIAX 'I‘lierrlre. (i/usemi;
Dracula l IZAl O... t'lcrence l‘isher. l'ls'. 1058) Peter (‘tishing. ('hristopher Lee. Michael (iouglt. 83min. The film that set the Hammer standard and res italised the \ampire count. Lee's Dracula is \er} tnuch the seducti\e aristocrat. \shose influence
in ershadou s the entire film. l.urid colour. sexual s}llthtillslll and all in a print that hasn‘t heen squashed into a tele\ ision frame. (irmeo. I'fi/rrtlmrelf.
Dracula flit 0.. l(}eorge Melford. [8. 1031 l ('arlos Villarias. l.upita Total: Barr} Norton. ltlJmin. Rare screening of rare Spanish/llungarian adaptation of Bram Stoker's gothic horror set in (’ount Dracula's castle deep in the ('arpathian Mountains. filmed on the same locations as the 'lod Bromting Version made in the same _\ear. A real curio. lfrlr'nlmre/i I‘ll/n (int/(l. lat/inlnu'g/r.
The Duchess f 13M 0.. (Saul Dihh, l'S. 2008i Keira Knightle}; Ralph l‘iennes. Dominic ('ooper. l lflmin. Period drama retelling the true life slttl'} of call} l‘)th centur} socialite (ieorgiana ('a\endish tls'nightle} l. \\ ho finds herself in a mismatched and temperamental marriage. complete \\ ith a meddling other \soman. She falls for the future prime minister (‘harles (ire) l(‘ooperl hut onl} inequalit) and (raged) cart come of such assignations. l'ainiliar and tedious stuf'f'jl'lre Due/zen is essentiall} a heautifull} shot period TV drama. Dominion. Iz'i/rrilnrre/i.
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