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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 The A-Team (12A) ●●●●● (Joe Carnahan, US, 2010) Liam Neeson, Bradley Cooper, Jessica Biel. 118min. Just like the 80s TV show that spawned it, The A-Team is over the top, macho fun. General release. Akenfield (PG) ●●●●● (Peter Hall, UK, 1974) Stanley Baxter, Ronald Blythe, Ethel Branton. 97min. The results of an extraordinary film project that took place in 1974, where the people of the village of Akenfield, together with director Peter Hall and a handful of professional actors, acted out the lives of three generations in their Suffolk farming village. CCA, Glasgow. Astro Boy (PG) ●●●●● (David Bowers, US, 2009) Voices of Nicolas Cage, Kristen Bell, Freddie Highmore. 93min. A popular manga in Japan since 1952, and a cult TV show in the US since the early 1980s, Astro Boy makes a bid for worldwide domination. Odeon at the Quay, Glasgow. Avatar 3D (12A) ●●●●● (James Cameron, US, 2009) Sam Worthington, Sigourney Weaver, Michelle Rodriguez. 166min. Set in 2154, Cameron’s much-hyped Avatar focuses on a paraplegic marine named Jake Sully (Worthington), who arrives on the distant moon of Pandora with a mission to help displace its indigenous population. But, after winning their trust, Jake finds his allegiances gradually shifting. High on technical flair but short on storytelling ambition, this visually stunning sci-fi epic sadly remains deeply flawed. Empire, Clydebank; IMAX Theatre, Glasgow. The Big Lebowski (18) ●●●●● (Joel Coen, US, 1997) Jeff Bridges, John Goodman, Steve Buscemi. 113min. The Coen brothers give their unique twist to a Chandler-esque LA noir, as 70s hippy throwback Jeff ‘The Dude’ Lebowski (Bridges) is drawn into the sordid affairs of his millionaire namesake. Suddenly he has to sleuth his way through disorganised crime. Trademark oddball characters, surreal imagery and excellent performances grace this virtuoso comedy. Glasgow Film Theatre. Black Dynamite (15) ●●●●● (Scott Sanders, US, 2009) Michael Jai White, Obba Babatundé, Kevin Chapman. 84min. See Also Released, page 86. Cineworld Renfrew Street, Glasgow; Filmhouse, Edinburgh. A Bout de Souffle (Breathless) (PG) ●●●●● (Jean-Luc Godard, France, 1959) Jean-Paul Belmondo, 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. Filmhouse, Edinburgh. Boys on Film (Various) 94min. A touring programme of shorts, courtesy of the BFI London Lesbian and Gay Film Festival. Features: Candy Boy, Protect Me From What I Want, Dish :), Lucky Blue and My Name is Love. Part of London Lesbian & Gay Film Festival on Tour. Filmhouse, Edinburgh. Breakfast at Tiffany’s (15) ●●●●● (Blake Edwards, US, 1961) Audrey Hepburn, George Peppard, Patricia Neal, Buddy Ebsen, Mickey Rooney. 115min. The iconic Hepburn has never made neurosis look so good, and while the film may have numerous redeeming features (not least the exquisite cinematography by Franz F Plane and the swinging soundtrack by Henry Mancini), it is she who remains responsible for making it such a well-loved classic. Cameo, Edinburgh. Bullitt (15) ●●●●● (Peter Yates, US, 1968) Steve McQueen, Jacqueline Bisset, Robert Vaughn. 114min. McQueen’s maverick cop is Dirty Harry’s predecessor attempting to unravel corruption in high places after a witness in his protection programme is assassinated. McQueen’s utter cool aside, this still has the best car chase ever, up and down the streets of San Francisco. Part of McQueen season. Filmhouse, Edinburgh. Burning: Mogwai (12A) (Vincent Moon, Nathanael Le Scouarnec, UK, 2009) 118min. Black and white concert film from Mogwai.
Part of Great Scots. Filmhouse, Edinburgh. Cats & Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore 2D (U) ●●●●● (Brad Peyton, USA/Australia, 2010) Voices of James Marsden, Nick Nolte, Christina Applegate. 82min. Hairless sphinx cat Kitty decides to enslave humans. Likeable but instantly forgettable sequel to 2001’s live action adventure Cats & Dogs. General release. Cats & Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore 3D (U) ●●●●● (Brad Peyton, USA/Australia, 2010) Voices of James Marsden, Nick Nolte, Christina Applegate. 82min. See above. Selected release.
✽✽ Certified Copy (12A) ●●●●● (Abbas Kiarostami, France/Italy/Iran,
2010) Juliette Binoche, William Shimell, Jean-Claude Carrière. 106min. See review, page 85 and profile. Glasgow Film Theatre. Chak Jawana (12A) (Simerjit Singh, India, 2010) Karanjit Anmol, Jonita Doda, Gurdas Mann. 131min. Bollywood film about a Punjab village where the youth are not taking their responsibilities seriously. Cineworld Renfrew Street, Glasgow. Cherry Tree Lane (18) ●●●●● (Paul Andrew Williams, UK, 2010) Rachael Blake,Tom Butcher, Jumayn Hunter. 77min. See feature, page 84 and Also Released, page 86. Selected release from Fri 3 Sep. Coco Before Chanel (12A) ●●●●● (Anne Fontaine, France, 2009) Audrey Tautou, Benoît Poelvoorde, Alessandro Nivola. 110min. Sumptuously dressed biopic of the early years of Gabrielle ‘Coco’ Chanel. There’s nothing experimental or innovative here, but it provides undeniably classy entertainment. Cameo, Edinburgh. Coco Chanel and Igor Stravinsky (15) ●●●●● (Jan Kounen, France, 2009) Anna Mouglalis, Mads Mikkelsen, Yelena Morozova. 118min. Nuanced and exquisitely detailed but passionless drama about the romance between the queen of couture and the father of modern classical music. Glasgow Film Theatre; Cameo, Edinburgh. Cryptic Nights: Anna Meredith and Oliver Coates (E) (UK, Various) 90min. The monthly night that aims to bring emergent artists, filmmakers and performers into the public eye. This month features composer Anna Meredith and cellist Oliver Coates, performing live against a backdrop of visuals from artist and filmmaker Eleanor Meredith. CCA, Glasgow. Diary of a Wimpy Kid (PG) ●●●●● (Thor Freudenthal, US, 2010) Zachary Gordon, Steve Zahn, Rachael Harris. 92min. The inevitable adaptation of Jeff Kinney’s illustrated novel about wise-cracking schoolchild Greg (Gordon) may not be able to transfer all the charm of the literary bestseller but it is likeable, bright and funny. General release. Dinner for Schmucks (12A) ●●●●● (Jay Roach, US, 2010) Steve Carell, Jermaine Clement, Paul Rudd. 114min. See review, page 85. General release. Dog Pound (18) ●●●●● (Kim Chapiron, France/Canada/UK, 2010) Adam Butcher, Shane Kippel, Mateo Morales. 90min. See review, page 85. Cineworld Renfrew Street, Glasgow. The Edge of Dreaming (Amy Hardie, UK, 2010) 73min. See picture caption, page 90. Glasgow Film Theatre. Edinburgh Interactive Film Screenings (E) (Various, 2010) 240min. Free public screenings as part of Edinburgh Interactive gaming festival, offering a chance to view gameplay on exciting new titles that are yet to be released. Filmhouse, Edinburgh. Exit Through the Gift Shop (15) ●●●●● (Banksy, UK, 2010) 85min. In his first foray into filmmaking, mysterious artist Banksy places the issue of identity at the centre of his pseudo-documentary on street art. It’s to his immense credit that he gives a potted history of the art form in an interesting and funny way, and most impressively, the questions about identity, society and life that the filmmaker posits over the course of this anarchically intelligent documentary feature mirror those found in his artwork. Glasgow Film Theatre. The Expendables (15) ●●●●● (Sylvester Stallone, US, 2010) Sylvester Stallone, Jason Statham, Dolph Lundgren. 103min. A flawed throwback to the testosterone-driven action vehicles of the mid
1980s and early 1990s, starring pretty much every action star you’ve ever heard of (including cameos from Arnold Schwarzenegger and Bruce Willis). A bunch of ageing mercenaries go up against a South American dictator to free a female resistance fighter - macho posturing and explosions galore ensue. General release. The Fall of the House of Usher and Ghosts Before Breakfast (tbc) (Jean Epstein, USA/France, 1928) Jean Debucourt, Marguerite Gance, Charles Lamy. 63min. The Southwell Collective supply a live score for Jean Epstein’s 1928 classic of silent surrealist horror, as well as a short from the same year that is way beyond its years in its use of montage. Part of Screening Surrealism season. Filmhouse, Edinburgh. The Father of my Children (15) ●●●●● (Mia Hansen-Love, France/Germany, 2009) Chiara Caselli, Louis-Do de Lencquesaing, Alice de Lencquesaing. 110min. Inspired by the fate of French producer Humbert Balsan, this impressively mature second feature from writer-director Hansen-Love is both a convincing portrait of the punishing realities of funding arthouse cinema and an affecting study of a family coping with an unexpected bereavement. Special suicide prevention screening with Q&A. Filmhouse, Edinburgh. Find / Home (tbc) (Mark Huskisson, UK, 2008/2010) Danny MacAskill, Steve Peat, Rob Lee. 120min. Find is the follow-up to 2008’s Home, which introduced the world to the mad skills of downhill mountain biking champion Ruaraidh Cunningham and urban stunt rider Danny MacAskill. Find goes further afield, showing scenes of amazing riding in some of the world’s most beautiful and challenging locations. The two are being screened together with an introduction from Huskisson and members of the cast, before an after party at Lucky 7 Canteen. Glasgow Film Theatre. Fir-tàilisg Leòdhais – Lewis Chessmen (E) (David Halliday, UK) 90min. A screening of the full version of the BBC Alba film, The Lewis Chessmen: Unmasked, introducted by director David Halliday. Followed by a Q&A session with Halliday and the exhibition’s curator, Dr David Caldwell. Booking required. National Museum of Scotland, Edinburgh. Five Easy Pieces (15) ●●●●● (Bob Rafelson, US, 1970) Jack Nicholson, Karen Black, Billy Green Bush. 98min. Rafelson’s slow, honest, funny and painful study of familial alienation and ennui at a time of war (Vietnam) has been lovingly restored and is well worth revisiting or discovering anew. Glasgow Film Theatre. Follow the Master (12A) ●●●●● (Matt Hulse, UK, 2009) 75min. Edinburgh- based filmmaker Hulse walks the 100-mile South Downs Way in homage to his grandfather Eric (the titular Master), who died last year. A wild road trip with ukuleles, air drumming and an adorable dog. Stills, Edinburgh. Forward Motion: Artists’ Choice (E) (Various) 80min. Three dance makers and choreographers (Akram Khan, Rosemary Butcher and Shobana Jeyasingh) introduce films that have influenced them in their practice. Part of Dance:Film10 Fringe. Filmhouse, Edinburgh. Forward Motion: Intros (E) (Various, UK) 65min. Examples of dance on screen, introduced by Liz Aggiss, including Touched by Wendy Houstoun and David Hinton, Tra La La by Magali Charrier Basini by Liz Aggiss and Billy Cowie and Sardinas by Lea Anderson. Part of Dance:Film10 Fringe. Filmhouse, Edinburgh. Gainsbourg (15) ●●●●● (Joann Sfar, France/USA, 2010) Eric Elmosnino, Lucy Gordon, Laetitia Casta. 135min. This depiction of Serge Gainsbourg’s life is a humorous, sad and bizarre identity crisis, more enjoyable in its abstract moments than when loitering in traditional biopic territory. While Sfar excels at eccentricity, the movie occasionally falters, particularly in its portrayal of Gainsbourg’s less hedonistic times. Nonetheless, a great introduction to the French singer. Cameo, Edinburgh.
✽✽ The Girl who Played with Fire (15) ●●●●● (Daniel Alfredson,
Index Film PROFILE
ABBAS KIAROSTAMI Born Teheran, Iran, 1940.
Background Kiarostami worked as a graphic designer before joining the Centre for Intellectual Development Of Children And Young Adults where he started a film section. His first film The Bread And Alley (1970) tells of the confrontation between a young boy and an angry dog. His early work is characterised by a documentary-like evocation of everyday life and his particular affinity with children and rural communities. In the West, he was hailed as a standard bearer for the neo-realist traditions of post-War Italian cinema. He won the Cannes Palme D’Or for A Taste Of Cherry (1997) and has subsequently gravitated towards a more minimalist aesthetic. His work as a photographer and video artist has influenced his move towards long takes, static framing and experimental pieces.
What’s he up to now? His new film Certified Copy is the first full-length feature he has made outside of Iran and the first time he has worked extensively with an established international star like Juliette Binoche. It is a typically playful, subversive romantic comedy examining familiar themes of the relationship between life and art, reality and representation. On Certified Copy ‘It is actually based on something that happened to me ten, 15, maybe even 20 years ago – I’ve no real sense of time. And I wonder whether the woman in question, if she sees the film, will recognise herself. Is it just a memory I myself kept from what happened? After all, we spent just one day together.’
Interesting facts Kiarostami once supported himself by working as a traffic policeman. He has also received considerable acclaim for Walking With The Wind, a collection of spare poems in the haiku tradition. (Allan Hunter) ■ Certified Copy, selected release, Fri 3 Sep. See review, page 85.
Sweden, 2009) Noomi Rapace, Michael 26 Aug–9 Sep 2010 THE LIST 89