Film Index The Devil’s Trap (15) ●●●●● (Frantisek Vlácil, Czechoslovakia, 1962) Karla Chadimová, Vlastimil Hasek, Bedrich Karen. 85min. Historical drama about a conflict between a miller and the local Regent. Part of Frantisek Vlácil season. Filmhouse, Edinburgh. 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. With a stellar line-up of comedians, this remake of Veber’s French comedy should go down easily. However, while the plot – executive seeks loser to humiliate at his boss’ dinner for oddballs – suffices, unbalanced portions of eccentricity and sentimentality leave the viewer unsatisfied with the final serving. General release. The Edge of Dreaming (tbc) (Amy Hardie, UK, 2010) 73min. Amy Hardie dreamed of a death, and it happened. When another dream then prophesied her own imminent demise, she was understandably concerned: did her subconscious know something she didn’t? A poetic, personal project, some nine years in the making, this film explores humanity’s relationship with dreams, death and destiny, via Hardie’s own scientific and emotional quest for answers. Glasgow Film Theatre. 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,
li A Heartbreaker (15) Wed 15 Sep 19:30
SoulBoy (15) Fri 17 Sep 19:30 + Northern Soul club night with Rialto Rhythm & Soul 21:30 til late Cameraman: The Life and Work of Jack Cardiff (PG) Wed 22 Sep 19:30
58 THE LIST 9–23 Sep 2010
society and life that the filmmaker posits over the course of this anarchically intelligent documentary feature mirror those found in his artwork. Screening followed by Q&A with producer Jaime D’Cruz and editor Chris King. 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. F (18) ●●●●● (Johannes Roberts, UK, 2010) David Schofield, Eliza Bennett, Juliet Aubrey. 78min. See Also Released, page 56. Selected release. Fantastic Mr Fox (PG) ●●●●● (Wes Anderson, USA, 2009) Voices of George Clooney, Meryl Streep, Adrien Brody. 88min. Anderson’s inspired choice of stop- motion animation pays off in this beautiful and idiosyncratic adaptation of the well- loved children’s tale. While kids may enjoy it, Anderson’s typically arch humour is aimed more at their parents, who will also be impressed by the star-studded voice cast – Bill Murray as a badger lawyer anyone? Grosvenor, Glasgow. Fight Club (18) ●●●●● (David Fincher, US, 1999) Brad Pitt, Ed Norton, Helena Bonham Carter. 135min. Masculinity is in a mess and consumerism is to blame. Men have become docile spectators of life according to Fight Club, Fincher’s controversial adaptation of Chuck Palahniuk’s novel. In reckless response to this late 20th century malaise, Norton’s compliant spectator teams up with Pitt’s mischievous Tyler Durden to form an arena for men to beat each other to a pulp and thus reconnect with the world. It’s hit and miss, but enough of the punches connect to startle even the most meek of viewers. Grosvenor, Glasgow. The Films of Man Ray (E) ●●●●● (Man Ray, France, Various) 68min. A selection of surrealist moving image works by the famous photographer, dating from between 1923 and 1929. Includes Return to Reason, Emak Bakia, L’Etoile de Mer and The Mysteries of the Castle of D. Part of Screening Surrealism season. Filmhouse, 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. Cameo, Edinburgh. Fly Me to the Moon (U) ●●●●● (Ben Stassen, US, 2008) Buzz Aldrin, Adrienne Barbeau, Ed Begley Jr. 84min. A 3D film describing mankind’s first trip to the moon is a lively sounding prospect, and moments in Stassen’s animation provide a genuine wow- factor, but such moments of poetry are fleeting and the majority of this film insanely focuses on the uninteresting plight of three houseflies who stowaway onboard. IMAX Theatre, Glasgow. Freedom Writers (12A) ●●●●● (Richard Lagravenese, Germany/US, 2006) Hilary Swank, Patrick Dempsey, Imelda Staunton. 122min. Set in the aftermath of the 1992 LA riots, a class of High School students is inspired by a naïve teacher Erin Gruwell (Swank) to better themselves through education. A touching performance by Swank stops this becoming another tripe genre movie about a teacher coming into classroom to save savages à la Dangerous Minds. Brunton Theatre, Edinburgh. Frontier Blues (12A) ●●●●● (Babak Jalali, Iran/UK/Italy, 2009) Abolfazl Karimi, Mahmoud Kalteh, Khajeh Araz Dordi. 97min. See review, page 56. Filmhouse, Edinburgh. Furry Vengeance (PG) ●●●●● (Roger Kumble, US/United Arab Emirates, 2010) Brendan Fraser, Brooke Shields, Ken Jeong. 91min. A band of angry animals teaches an ambitious real estate developer (Fraser) a lesson when his housing development encroaches on their wilderness habitat in this likeably silly, family comedy with a welcome ecological message. Cineworld Parkhead, Glasgow; Cineworld Fountainpark, 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. Dominion, Edinburgh. The Garden (12) ●●●●● (Scott Hamilton Kennedy, US, 2008) 80min. Documentary about a community garden in South Central LA which is cared for and run by immigrants from Latin America and is proving an important focal point, until bulldozers threaten to destroy the idyll. This Scottish premiere screening is introduced with live music from the Lani Singers of West Papua. Part of Take One Action season. Filmhouse, Edinburgh. Germaine Dulac Double (15) ●●●●● (Germaine Dulac, France) 82min. Two of Dulac’s silent films, The Smiling Madame Beudet (1923) and The Seashell and the Clergyman (1928) are screened with live piano accompaniment from Forrester Pyke. Part of Screening Surrealism season. Filmhouse, Edinburgh. The Ghost (15) ●●●●● (Roman Polanski, UK, 2010) Ewan McGregor, Pierce Brosnan, Kim Cattrall. 127min. This adaptation by Polanski and Harris of the latter’s ‘what if?’ novel is a wintry Hitchcockian thriller in which McGregor’s everyman figure – an unnamed ghostwriter offered $250 million for four weeks work – becomes embroiled in a conspiracy where nothing is quite what it seems. If this doesn’t register as a major Polanski work, it still demonstrates his ability to create through mise-en-scène a mood of disquieting claustrophobia. Brunton Theatre, Edinburgh. The Girl who Played with Fire (15) ●●●●● (Daniel Alfredson, Sweden, 2009) Noomi Rapace, Michael Nyqvist, Sofia Ledarp. 129min. With Lisbeth Salander (Rapace) accused of murder, Blomkvist (Nyqvist) works to find out who is really guilty. Kept apart for most of the film, the duo’s chemistry isn’t given a chance to shine; yet the film is nonetheless engrossing, even if its major revelation is no real surprise. General release. Gladiator (15) ●●●●● (Ridley Scott, US, 2000) Russell Crowe, Richard Harris, Joaquin Phoenix. 150min. Just before dying, Caesar Aurelius (Harris) charges General Maximus (Crowe) with cleaning up his beloved, but politically corrupt Rome. Aurelius’ son, Commodus (Phoenix), doesn’t take kindly to this and has his rival executed. But Maximus survives and, as a gladiator, works his way back to Rome intent on revenge. Parallels must be drawn with Sparticus and Ben Hur; we’ve not seen a Roman epic in a long time. Scott’s is a handsome spectacle and exciting enough, but that’s all it is. Odeon, Edinburgh. Going the Distance (15) ●●●●● (Nanette Burstein, US, 2010) Drew Barrymore, Justin Long, Charlie Day. 102min. See Also Released, page 56. General release. Greenberg (15) ●●●●● (Noah Baumbach, US, 2010) Ben Stiller, Rhys Ifans. 107min. Turning again to the withering, unacceptable and downright unpleasant face of educated America, Baumbach profiles Greenberg – an obnoxious and self-absorbed 40-year-old who has returned to Los Angeles after years away. Post Woody Allen’s comic acting heyday this is the most (squirming) fun you will ever have with a neurotic. Cameo, Edinburgh. Grown Ups (12A) ●●●●● (Dennis Dugan, USA, 2010) Adam Sandler, Chris Rock, Salma Hayek. 102min. Five school friends reunite 30 years after graduating on the fourth of July weekend and much high
jinks ensue. Regrettably predictable buddy comedy featuring almost the entire Saturday Night Live early 1990s cast. General release. Hannah Takes the Stairs (15) (Joe Swanberg, US, 2007) Greta Gerwig, Kent Osborne, Andrew Bujalski. 83min. Quirky US-indie feature about complex office relationships and romance. Cameo, Edinburgh. The Hole (12A) ●●●●● (Joe Dante, US, 2009) Teri Polo, Haley Bennett, Ali Cobrin. 91min. Three children find a mildly terrifying trapdoor in their basement and decide to investigate, which seems silly in hindsight. A quasi return to form from director Dante with a horror film aimed at thrill-seeking children, but packed with cinematic in-jokes which may go over their heads. General release from Wed 22 Sep. How to Train Your Dragon 2D (PG) ●●●●● (Dean DeBlois/Chris Sanders, US, 2010) Jay Baruchel, Gerard Butler, America Ferrera. 97min. Commendable new DreamWorks animation set in the mythical world of Vikings and dragons, and based on the book by Cressida Cowell. Hiccup, a Viking teenager, befriends a dragon. Selected release. How to Train Your Dragon 3D (PG) ●●●●● (Dean DeBlois/Chris Sanders, US, 2010) Jay Baruchel, Gerard Butler, America Ferrera. 97min. See above. Empire, Clydebank. Hubble 3D (U) (Toni Meyers, Canada, 2010) 44min. Leonardo Di Caprio narrates the latest 3D IMAX space adventure. IMAX Theatre, Glasgow.
✽✽ The Illusionist (12A) ●●●●● (Sylvain Chomet, UK/France, 2010)
Jean-Claude Donda, Eilidh Rankin. 83min. The product of five years’ work in an animation studio that Chomet (Belleville Rendezvous) set up in Edinburgh when he fell in love with the capital after attending its International Film Festival, this is an uncannily accurate portrayal of Edinburgh and Scotland. The story is an unfilmed script from Jacques Tati and the main character, an ageing magician whose beloved act no longer interests the rock’n’rolling 1950s youth, is based somewhat on Tati himself and is carefully and emotively rendered by Chomet and his team. Selected release. I’m Still Here (tbc) (Casey Affleck, US, 2010) Joaquin Phoenix. 108min. See Also Released, page 56. Selected release. Inception (12A) ●●●●● (Christopher Nolan, US, 2010) Leonardo DiCaprio, Ken Watanabe, Ellen Page. 147min. DiCaprio stars as Don Cobb, a thief who is the master of the art of extraction, stealing secrets from the minds of the unconscious. The business is risky and has resulted the loss of everything he once held dear. Now he is being offered a chance of redemption, but at a cost, and up against a dangerous enemy that only Cobb could have seen coming. Selected release.
✽✽ Ivul (15) ●●●●● (Andrew Kotting, Switzerland/France, 2009) Capucine
Aubriot, Manon Aubriot, Jacob Auzanneau. 100min. See review, page 55. Glasgow Film Theatre. Jarman Award Film Screenings (E) (Various, various) Screening of the four films shortlisted for the 2010 Jarman Award, set up two years ago in recognition of the work of avant-garde film maker Derek Jarman. The four films are The Walk to Dover by Spartacus Chetwynd, I Know Where I’m Going by Ben Rivers, Middle Sea by Zineb Sedira and The Diamond (Descartes’ Daughter) by Emily Wardill. CCA, Glasgow. Jonah Hex (15) ●●●●● (Jimmy Hayward, US, 2010) Josh Brolin, John Malkovich, Megan Fox. 81min. Although this adaptation of the DC Comics character is packed with decent stars, the film’s implausibility renders it practically unwatchable. Grizzled cowboy Hex is out to wreak revenge on his family’s killers, but is distracted by badly lit scenes and a too- short running time. Selected release. Just Wright (PG) ●●●●● (Sanaa Hamri, US, 2010) Queen Latifah, Paula Patton, Common. 100min. See Also Released, page 56. General release from Fri 17 Sep. The Karate Kid (PG) ●●●●● (Harald Zwart, USA/China, 2010) Jackie Chan,