Film Index TIE-IN BOOKS
For every new film there’s usually a half decent tie-in product. The best of these are usually books, particularly great books that receive a re-release on the back of a film adaptation. Here’s five of the best. Revolutionary Road (Vintage Classics) Richard Yates brilliant 1961 portrait of suburban angst, emotional meltdown, alcoholism and relationship hell gets a long overdue re-issue in lieu of the release of Sam Mendes’ forthcoming adaptation starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslett (pictured). It is the first time they have appeared together since Titanic. Blindness (Vintage) Nobel prize winning Portuguese writer Jose Saramago’s superb tale of a community in the grip of a blindness epidemic. Blindness is not for the fainthearted – it is as compelling as it is horrific. Saramago is one of the greatest living European writers. Ferrnando Meirelles recently turned this novel into an interesting film starring Julianne Moore. Choke (Vintage) Chuck Palahniuk’s filthy 2002 novel about sex addiction, madness and anal beads rears its head again to prove that great cult novels never die they just get new covers. Re-issued to coincide with Clark Gregg’s flawed but energetic recent adaptation starring Sam Rockwell. The Baader-Meinhof Complex (The Bodley Head) First published in 1987 as The Baader-Meinhof Group: The Inside Story of a Phenomenon, German journalist, editor and writer Stephan Aust’s fascinating chronicle of the story of the Red Army Faction, the left-wing anarchist group who terrorised Germany in the 1970s, gets a new title and an update to coincide with the release of Uli Edel’s excellent film. To Reach The Clouds (Faber) Philippe Petit’s euphoric 2002 account of his high wire walk between New York’s Twin Towers in 1974 got a new cover for the release of James Marsh’s excellent recent documentary Man on Wire. 58 THE LIST 11 Dec 2008–8 Jan 2009
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 Alexandra (PG) ●●●●● (Alexander Sokurov, Russia/France, 2007) Galina Vishnevskaya, Vasily Shevtsov, Raisa Gichaeva. 95min. See Also Released, page 56. Glasgow Film Theatre, Glasgow; Filmhouse, Edinburgh. Ano Una (15) ●●●●● (Jonás Cuarón, Mexico, 2007) Eireann Harper, Diego Cataño, Emilia Garcia. 78min. Inspired by Chris Marker’s 1962 short La Jetée, the young Mexican writer/director Cuarón has constructed a feature film that consists entirely of still images. Over the course of a year he photographed his friends and members of his family, before writing a fictional narrative about a platonic love story between a 14-year-old Mexican schoolboy Diego (Catano) and a 20-something American student Molly (Harper). Glasgow Film Theatre, Glasgow. The Apartment (PG) ●●●●● (Billy Wilder, US, 1960) Jack Lemmon, Shirley MacLaine, Fred MacMurray. 125min. This new print of Wilder’s corrosive 1960 lampoon of corporate America tells the story of spineless insurance statistician CC Baxter (Lemmon). Having fallen into the practice of leasing his apartment to his superiors for illicit liaisons, Baxter is rewarded with high- speed promotion. All of which suits him fine until he realises that one of the ladies being taken back is the girl of his dreams. Filmhouse, Edinburgh. Asterix and the Vikings (U) ●●●●● (Stefan Fjeldmark,Jesper Moller, France/Denmark , 2006) Voices of Sean Astin, John Di Maggio, Brad Garrett. 78min. A collaboration between animators Fjeldmark (Terkel in Trouble) and Moller (Help! I’m a Fish) that, despite some dodgy updating (a carrier pigeon named SMS), is a fairly solid if uninspired attempt to catch the charm of the original. Filmhouse, Edinburgh. Australia (12A) ●●●●● (Baz Luhrmann, Australia/US, 2008) Nicole Kidman, Hugh Jackman, Brandon Walters. 165min. See review, page 56. General release. Azur and Asmar: The Princes’ Quest (U) ●●●●● (Michel Ocelot, Spain/Italy/Belgium/France, 2006) Cyril Mourali, Karim M’Riba, Hiam Abbass. 99min. Childhood buddies Azur and Asmar become rivals and enemies in a medieval Maghreb. With the action taking place in North African Islamic architecture and over- populated bazaars, the colourful palatte of the animation and Arabian Nights-style storyline is a welcome throwback to the days before Pixar tore up the rulebook. A compassionate and mature film based on classic legends rather than popular culture. Filmhouse, Edinburgh. The Baader Meinhof Complex (18) ●●●●● (Uli Edel, Germany/France/Czech Republic, 2008) Moritz Bleibtreu, Martina Gedek, Johanna Wokalek. 149min. Based on the Stefan Aust’s Der Spiegel, this is a compelling and engrossing attempt to explain the trajectory and the political position of arguably the most incoherent post-war European terrorist group – The Red Army Faction. Intelligently adapted, the film chronicles the personal and political progressions of gang members Andreas Baader ( Bleibtreu), Ulrike Meinhof (Gedeck) and crucially Gudrun Ensslin (Wokalek). A strong, thought-provoking political thriller. Filmhouse, Edinburgh. Batman Begins (12A) ●●●●● (Christopher Nolan, US, 2005) Christian Bale, Michael Caine, Liam Neeson, Morgan Freeman, Gary Oldman, Katie Holmes. 139min. Deeply flawed but satisfyingly dark and realistic adaptation of both Bob Kane’s original strips and Frank Miller’s Batman: Year One. David Blade Goyer’s script is pretty awful but this is also a fairly substandard piece of work from Nolan as well. Batman Begins does, however, need to be applauded for partly revitalising an ailing franchise. Cameo, Edinburgh.
Bedtime Stories (PG) ●●●●● (Adam Shankman, US, 2008) Adam Sandler, Keri Russell, Courteney Cox. 90min. See Also Released, page 56. General release. The Beetle (PG) (Yishai Orian, Israel, 2008) 70min. His beloved Beetle on its last legs, filmmaker Orion takes a humourous and moving last road trip in a bid to find the people who previously owned, loved and even gave birth to his cherished car. This screening will be followed by the short Plane Days. Part of Illuminations documentary festival. Filmhouse, Edinburgh.
✽✽ Bicycle Thieves (PG) ●●●●● (Vittorio De Sica, Italy, 1948)
Lamberto Maggiorani, Enzo Staiola, Lianella Carell. 88min. See Also Released, page 56. Glasgow Film Theatre, Glasgow; Filmhouse, Edinburgh. The Bishop’s Wife (U) ●●●●● (Henry Koster, US, 1947) Cary Grant, Loretta Young, David Niven. 105min. An almost classic holiday film about a bishop (Niven) who neglects his wife and parishioners to save his cathedral, until an angel (Grant) intervenes. Glasgow Film Theatre, Glasgow; Edinburgh Film Guild, Edinburgh. Body of Lies (15) ●●●●● (Ridley Scott, US, 2008) Leonardo DiCaprio, Russell Crowe, Alon Abutbul. 128min. CIA operative Roger Ferris (DiCaprio) is trying to track down terrorist mastermind Al Salim (Abutbul). His investigations take him from Iraq to Jordan with stop offs at any other Islamic country possibly capable of harbouring terrorist cells. Overlong, unnecessarily convoluted thriller adapted from a novel by David Ignatius. General release. La Boheme (PG) ●●●●● (Robert Dornheim, Austria/Germany, 2008) Anna Netrebko, Rolando Villazon, George Von Bergen. 114min. See Also Released, page 56. Selected release. The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas (12A) ●●●●● (Mark Herman, US/UK, 2008) Vera Farmiga, David Thewlis, Rupert Friend. 93min. Bruno (Butterfield) is the nine-year old son of a Nazi Commandant (Thewlis). When his father is seconded to manage a concentration camp, the lonely Bruno makes a new friend, Schmuel (Scanlon), beyond the high wire. Badly acted and clumsily directed, this liberal- guilt-monger-sweeping-cod-historical- nonsense is simply unnecessary. Vue Edinburgh Ocean, Edinburgh.
✽✽ Bring Me the Head of Alfredo Garcia (18) ●●●●● (Sam
Peckinpah, Mexico/US, 1974) Warren Oates, Isela Vega, Robert Webber. 112min. See review, page 55. Filmhouse, Edinburgh. Burn After Reading (15) ●●●●● (Ethan Coen/Joel Coen, US/UK/France, 2008) George Clooney, John Malkovich, Brad Pitt. 95min. Foul-mouthed CIA analyst Osbourne (Malkovich) quits his job after being demoted. Across town at Osbourne’s gym, slow-witted employees Chad (Pitt) and Linda (McDormand) happen upon one of his discs. A shaggy, punctured tyre blackmail thriller entails with the requisite outbreaks of shock tactic violence and absurdist plotting. Cineworld Renfrew Street, Glasgow. Changeling (15) ●●●●● (Clint Eastwood, US, 2008) Angelina Jolie, Gattlin Griffith, John Malkovich. 141min. When Christine Collins’ (Jolie) son Walter (Griffith) goes missing, she is initially relived when the LAPD say they can return the boy to her, but on seeing him she does not recognise the child. Her subsequent accusations of conspiracy prompt the authorities to take shocking and radical action. The stolen child theme may be a melodramatic staple, but Eastwood’s old- fashioned and deeply classy woman’s picture is a timeless affair. General release.
✽✽ Che: Part One (15) ●●●●● (Steven Soderbergh, Spain/France/US,
2008) Benicio Del Toro, Rodrigo Santoro, Demián Bichir. 126min. See review, page 55. Glasgow Film Theatre, Glasgow. The Children (15) ●●●●● (Tom Shankland, UK, 2008) Eva Birthistle, Raffiella Brooks, Stephen Campbell Moore. 84min. The current fad for evil kiddie chillers continues with another British horror flick in which children do diabolical
things to disbelieving adults. Here, the children-heavy families of two sisters (Birthistle and Shelley) get together for Christmas celebrations at a beautiful secluded country house. The children run riot, withdraw for a while, and then end up going completely psychotic. Selected release. Choke (18) ●●●●● (Clark Gregg, US, 2008) Sam Rockwell, Anjelica Huston, Kelly MacDonald. 92min. Unrepentant sex addict Victor (Rockwell) cons money in restaurants by pretending to choke on his food. His only act of charity is to visit his dementia-besieged mother (Huston) at a private clinic. One day Dr Marshall (MacDonald) suggests a radical new treatment for his mother, one that will force Victor to face up to his past. A respectfully offensive adaptation of Chuck Palahniuk’s hilarious and sordid 2001 novel. Cineworld Renfrew Street, Glasgow. The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (PG) ●●●●● (Andrew Adamson, US, 2005) Georgie Henley, William Moseley, Skandar Keynes, James McAvoy, Ray Winstone, Dawn French, Tilda Swinton. 125min. This, the first of seven proposed children fantasy blockbusters based on CS Lewis’ much loved allegorical novels, is an absolute stinker, and one made all the more unpalatable by the fact that the very unchristian greed of its producers is so utterly palpable over its seemingly endless running time. Proof that great books can make truly appalling films. Cineworld Parkhead, Glasgow. Dark Blue World (12) ●●●●● (Jan Sverák, Czech Republic/UK/Germany, 2002) Ondrej Vetchy, Charles Dance, Tara Fitzgerald. 112min. This WWII period drama recounts what happened when Czech pilots left their occupied home country to fight alongside the RAF. Centred around two best friends who fall out over a lonely and, presumed, widowed woman, Dark Blue World sadly avoids discussing the Czech government’s imprisonment of returning pilots and instead focuses on an unmemorable romance. Part of the Winter Festival of Central and East European Film. Filmhouse, Edinburgh. The Dark Knight (12A) ●●●●● (Christopher Nolan, US, 2008) Christian Bale, Heath Ledger, Maggie Gyllenhaal. 152min. Nolan’s revamp of the superhero franchise reaches its apotheosis with this sequel to Batman Begins, a supremely well- imagined, perfectly executed film that combines blockbuster spectacle with indie cinema cool and smarts. Psychotic, chaos- loving clown The Joker (Ledger) is introduced as the dark knight’s ultimate nemesis and a thrilling battle slowly terrorises the populace of Gotham. Cameo, Edinburgh. The Day The Earth Stood Still (12A) ●●●●● (Scott Derrickson, US, 2008) Keanu Reeves, Jennifer Connelly, Jon Hamm. 105min. See review, page 55. General release. Dean Spanley (U) ●●●●● (Toa Fraser, New Zealand/UK, 2008) Peter O’Toole, Bryan Brown, Sam Neill. 100min. See Also Released, page 56. Cameo, Edinburgh. Dirty Dancing (15) ●●●●● (Emile Ardolino, US, 1987) Jennifer Grey, Patrick Swayze, Jerry Orbach. 100min. The plot – in the summer of 1963 bad boy Johnny (Swayze) meets good girl Baby (Grey) and teaches her hip grinding, eventually winning the respect of her parents. Sure it’s full of stereotyping, bad dialogue and a pre-teen sugar coated prurience, but 20 years on Dirty Dancing still has the ability to send a generation of women all gooey. Part of Dance-o-Rama. Filmhouse, Edinburgh. Dokkoi! A Song of the Bottom (12A) ●●●●● (Shinsuke Ogawa, Japan, 1974) 121min. Socialist documentary filmmaker Ogawa moved his team to one of the poorest urban slums in Japan where they lived for one year and documented its people. The resulting film is almost unwatchably unflinching, as locals come to rely on the filmmakers, and the film’s subjects die one by one. Part of Illuminations documentary festival. Filmhouse, Edinburgh.