Film Index Pigs and Battleships (18) ●●●●● (Shohei Imamura, Japan, 1961) 77min. Comic movie set in Yokosuka, a coastal city dominated by a US military base, where gangs brutally feud over the right to control the black market. Part of Imamura season. Glasgow Film Theatre. Pontypool (15) ●●●●● (Bruce McDonald, Canada, 2008) Stephen McHattie, Lisa Houle, Georgina Reilly. 92min. When a deadly virus breaks out in a small Ontario town, it falls to local radio DJ Grant Mazzy (McHattie) to determine the cause and find the cure. Loosely based on Tony Burgess’ novel Pontypool Changes Everything, this ingenious twist on the classic zombie theme delivers the requisite genre shocks and horrors while maintaining a wicked sense of humour throughout. Cameo, Edinburgh. The Proposal (12A) ●●●●● (Anne Fletcher, US, 2009) Sandra Bullock, Ryan Reynolds, Mary Steenburgen. 107min. Odd- couple comedy follow-up to 27 Dresses with a plot that blatantly reworks Peter Weir’s considerably superior Green Card. Bullock plays a bullish publisher who faces deportation to Canada. Her only route to remaining in her swanky job involves bullying her put-upon assistant Andrew (Reynolds) into a fake marriage. Soulless, manipulative fare. Odeon at the Quay, Glasgow; Odeon, Edinburgh. The Reckoning (15) (Pamela Yates, US, 2009) 95min. Documentary about the International Criminal Court in The Hague, which lays emphasis on the importance of justice and accountability as a crucial aspect of reaching reconciliation within communities ravaged by conflict. Filmhouse, Edinburgh. Religulous (15) ●●●●● (Larry Charles, US, 2008) Bill Maher. 96min. The Borat director aims his cannon at faith with stand-up and agnostic Maher on a mission to assuage his religious doubt that takes in an international congregation of the perverse and profane. The result is a fast, funny, furious and thought-provoking journey, even if it does seem to run out of steam. Glasgow Film Theatre. Rien que les heures (PG) ●●●●● (Alberto Cavalcanti, France, 1926) 40min. Brazilian filmmaker Cavalcanti’s Paris-set documentary was the first of the highly influential ‘City Symphony’ films made in Europe during the 1920s. This screening will be followed by Germaine Dulac’s short film The Seashell and the Clergyman. Both films will have live accompaniment by Forrester Pyke. Filmhouse, Edinburgh. The Rocky Horror Picture Show (15) ●●●●● (Jim Sharman, UK, 1975) Tim Curry, Susan Sarandon, Barry Bostwick, Meat Loaf. 100min. The cult film to end all others, this rock spoof on old horror movies has created a breed of Rocky Horror crazies, and packs them in at late shows everywhere. The film has its moments, and Curry is splendidly camp as the bisexual Frank N Furter. Grosvenor, Glasgow. SMHAFF Film Awards 2009 (E) (, Various, 2009) 90min. Award ceremony and screening of the winning films from the 2009 film competition, that continues to serve as a platform for those who choose to interpret
Dorian Gray (15) Wed 4th Oct 11am, 2pm, 7:30pm
56 THE LIST 22 Oct–5 Nov 2009
✽✽ Tales from the Golden Age (Amintiri Din Epoca de Aur) (12)
●●●●● (Ioana Uricaru, Hanno Höfer, Razvan Marculescu, Constantin Popescu, Cristian Mungiu, Romania, France, 2009) Tania Popa, Liliana Mocanu, Teodor Corban. 131min. See review, page 49. Glasgow Film Theatre.
✽✽ Thirst (18) ●●●●● (Park Chan-wook, South Korea, 2009) Kang ho Song, Ok Vin Kim, Hae Sook Kim. 133min. Another vampire film, this time from Oldboy master Wook. Admittedly overlong and occasionally disjointed, the film nevertheless offers a bold new take on the genre that’s wickedly amusing and strangely moving. Glasgow Film Theatre; Filmhouse, Edinburgh. Triangle (15) ●●●●● (Christopher Smith, Australia, 2009) Melissa George, Liam Hemsworth, Rachel Carpani. 98min. Single mother Jess (George) joins Greg (Michael Dorman) for a day aboard a yacht, but following a sudden storm she’s forced to board an ocean liner she feels she has visited before, with violent consequences. General release. Tricks (Sztuczki) (12A) ●●●●● (Andrzej Jakimowski, Poland, 2007) Damian Ul, Iwona Fornalczyk, Ewelina Walendziak. 95min. See Also Released, page 51. Filmhouse, Edinburgh. Under the Sea 3D (U) (Howard Hall, UK, 2009) Jim Carrey. 65min. Carrey narrates an underwater 3D look at the impact of global warming upon the diverse coastal regions of Southern Australia, New Guinea and the Indo-Pacific areas. IMAX Theatre, Glasgow. Unesco World Day for Audiovisual Heritage (E) (, UK, Various) 90min. Eclectic mix of films selected by Scottish Screen Archive curators. Glasgow Film Theatre.
✽✽ Up 2D (U) ●●●●● (Pete Docter/Bob Peterson, US, 2009) Voices of
Christopher Plummer, Edward Asner, Paul Eiding. 96min. Seventy-eight–year-old curmudgeon Carl Fredericksen and eight- year-old Junior Wilderness Explorer Russell embark on the adventure of a lifetime in South America. General release.
✽✽ Up 3D (U) ●●●●● (Pete Docter/Bob Peterson, US, 2009) Voices of
Christopher Plummer, Edward Asner, Paul Eiding. 96min. See above. Selected release. The Vanishing of the Bees (U) (George Langworthy/Maryam Henein, UK, 2009) 97min. Documentary narrated by Emilia Fox on the worrying decline in honey bee numbers and the possible implications for our lives. Glasgow Film Theatre. The Welts (15) (Magdalena Piekorz, Poland, 2004) Michal Zebrowski, Jan Frycz, Agnieszka Grochowska. 91min. Following the death of his mother, 12-year-old Wojciech (Zebrowski) suffers at the hands of his abusive father. Loosely adapted for the screen by Wojciech Kuckoz, from his quasi- autobiographical novel Muck, Piekorz’ work proffers a powerful exploration of the effects of child abuse. Filmhouse, Edinburgh. White Lightnin’ (18) ●●●●● (Dominic Murphy, UK/Croatia, 2008) Edward Hogg, Carrie Fisher, Muse Watson. 90min. This wild, semi-fantasised biography of the Appalachian mountain dancer Jesco White (Hogg) starts as a biopic and then mutates into an utterly demented chiller. Glasgow Film Theatre. The Yellow House (15) (Amor Hakkar, France/Nigeria, 2008) Aya Hamdi, Amor Hakkar, Tounes Ait-Ali. 74min. Part of Africa in Motion. Filmhouse, Edinburgh. You’re a Voigin Who Can’t Droive (15) (Oliver Braid, UK, 2009) 90min. Artist Oliver Braid presents two films, Jamie Radcliffe: The Documentary and The Craft 2009 Outtakes DVD Extra, alongside a short introductory film by Erica Eyres, Happy Birthday Oliver, From Your Friends and Family at Home. CCA, Glasgow.
✽✽ Zombieland (15) ●●●●● (Ruben Fleischer, US, 2009) Jesse Eisenberg,
Woody Harrelson, Emma Stone. 80min. Pitched somewhere between From Dusk Till Dawn and Anchor Man, with a nod of the stetson to George A Romero’s zombie flicks, this big, dumb and fun flick features four disparate characters hell-bent on surviving a world overrun by zombies. General release.
Beyond Biba These screenings of Louis Price’s new film about the glamorous and troubled times of swinging
London’s most famous clothing boutique, and its creator Barbara Hulanicki, will be followed by a Q&A with the great lady herself. ■ GFT, Glasgow, Tue 27 Oct; Cameo, Edinburgh, Wed 28 Oct.
mental health in its broadest sense. Part of the Scottish Mental Health Arts and Film Festival 2009. Filmhouse, Edinburgh. Saw VI (18) (Kevin Greutert, US, 2009) Tobin Bell, Costas Mandylor, Shawnee Smith. 90min. The Saw series continues in suitably grisly fashion. General release. Scarface (18) ●●●●● (Brian De Palma, US, 1983) Al Pacino, Steven Bauer, Michelle Pfeiffer. 169min. Tony Montana is back and loving it in a new digital print of the gangster classic. Filmhouse, Edinburgh. Sea Point Days (15) (Francois Verster, South Africa, 2008) 94min. The Sea Point Promenade in Cape Town was once a bastion of apartheid exclusivity. Director Vester explores the contemporary crowd who now choose to amble along this coastal stretch. This screening will be followed by short film Notice to Quit, one of the first anti-apartheid films made in South Africa by South Africans. Part of Africa in Motion. Filmhouse, Edinburgh. The September Issue (12A) ●●●●● (R J Cutler, US, 2009) 89min. In 2007, political documentary filmmaker Cutler received an invitation from Anna Wintour to chronicle the creation of Vogue’s September issue. The result is brilliant and, of course, highly political. A film about a multi-billion dollar business, created and driven by two highly individual women, it’s also about the mad discrepancy between fantasy and reality, and the industry that manufactures and maintains this airbrushed illusion. Filmhouse, Edinburgh. Silent Country (12) (Andreas Dresen, Germany, 1992) 98min. While a young theatre director is stirring interest in a provincial northern East German town with a production of Waiting For Godot, political change is sweeping the country. News is difficult to come by, so the actors decide to drive to Berlin. Glasgow Film Theatre; Filmhouse, Edinburgh. Sleepwalking Land (15) (Teresa Prata, Mozambique/Portugal, 2007) Nick Lauro Teresa, Aladino Jasse, Ernesto Lemos Macuacua. 96min. Prata’s tale of the friendship between a young boy searching for a mother and a tough old storyteller is set against the backdrop of civil war devastation in Mozambique. This screening will be followed by short film Wamkekekile (Welcome Back), a production from the South African film school. Part of Africa in Motion. Filmhouse, Edinburgh. Slingshot Hip Hop (15) (Jackie Salloum, USA, 2008) Ibrahim Abu Rahala, Nahwa Abed Al’Al, Mohammed Al Farra. 80min. Telling the tale of young people living in the divided, war-torn and poverty-stricken lands of Gaza, the West Bank and Israel. The youngsters, though politically and physically separated, have in common both their love of hip hop and the universal trials of adolescence. Glasgow Film Theatre. The Soloist (12) ●●●●● (Joe Wright, UK/US/France, 2009) Robert Downey Jr, Nathaniel Ayers, Catherine Keener. 117min. Wright makes a splashy stateside debut with this true-life drama about an unexpected friendship between world-weary LA journalist Steve Lopez (Downey Jr) and homeless musician Nathaniel Ayers (Foxx). This isn’t a bad effort, but it falls well short of the greatness it clearly aspires to. Dominion, Edinburgh. Star Trek 2D (12A) ●●●●● (JJ Abrams, US/Germany, 2009) Chris Pine, Jennifer Morrison, Simon Pegg. 126min. A quirk in the space-time continuum allows both a sequel and prequel to the already vast Star Trek oeuvre, in which Lost creator Abrams surpasses his previous film efforts to reinvent the whole dynamic of the USS Enterprise. IMAX Theatre, Glasgow. Starsuckers (E) ●●●●● (Chris Atkins, UK, 2009) 100min. Atkins returns with another documentary (following 2007’s Taking Liberties) that takes a swipe at contemporary culture. This time, the object of his scathing wit and shocking revelations is the cult of celebrity and the media’s collusion in perpetuating it. Glasgow Film Theatre. Still Black: A Portrait of Black Transmen (12) (Kortney Ryan Ziegler, US, 2008) 78min. Groundbreaking documentary exploring the lives of six black transgender men living in the US. Glasgow Film Theatre. Sunshine Cleaning (15) ●●●●● (Christine Jeffs, US, 2008) Amy Adams, Emily Blunt, Alan Arkin. 91min. Two sisters (Adams and Blunt) set up a business to disinfect crime scenes in this small town tragicomedy. Odeon at the Quay, Glasgow.