Film INDEX
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. Now based in Iraq, the old team reunites to retrieve stolen printing plates used for counterfeiting money. But for all its exuberance, this is an overly flashy endeavour and ends up feeling calculated, uncomfortable and empty. Vue Ocean, Edinburgh. Africa in Motion Fifth anniversary year for the festival celebrating the very best in African filmmaking from across the continent. Filmhouse, Edinburgh. Akira (12) ●●●●● (Otomo Katsuhiro, Japan, 1988) Animated by Nakamura Takashi, with the voices of Iwata Mitsue, Sasaki Nozomu, Koyama Mami, Ishida Taro. 124min. Based on the multi-volume graphic novel by Otomo, Akira is a mythical, futuristic tale of post-holocaust Tokyo, where pill-popping biker kids begin to unearth a government project designed to exploit the psychic and telekinetic powers of a group of laboratory-bound children. Superbly animated, with a fantastic visual and narrative imagination, but you’d be well advised to know something of the plot before you see it. Part of Scotland Loves Anime season. Filmhouse, Edinburgh. Alibi (15) ●●●●● (Brian Desmond Hurst, UK, 1942) Margaret Lockwood, Hugh Sinclair, James Mason. 82min. Surprisingly
W I N S T U F F
WIN TICKETS TO SEE DONKEYS
Donkeys is the Glasgow-set follow
up to Red Road (see feature, page 50 and review, page 52). The List has three pairs of tickets to see the film at the Glasgow Film Theatre to give away. You can choose any screening
you wish between Saturday 9- Thursday 14 Oct. For details how to win these, see www.list.co.uk/offers
WIN DOCUMENT 8 FESTIVAL PASSES Document is the Glasgow- based International Human Rights Documentary Film Festival featuring the very best new documentaries on a humanitarian theme. Now in its eighth year, this year’s festival contains more films than ever across various venues in Glasgow. The List has two festival passes to give away. Visit www.docfilmfest.org.uk for more details. Win these passes at www.list.co.uk/offers
54 THE LIST 7–21 Oct 2010
racy remake of the French original that stars Margaret Lockwood as a nightclub girl who is duped by a mind reader into providing him with an alibi for a murder. Part of Projecting the Archive. Filmhouse, Edinburgh. Assume Nothing (tbc) (Kirsty MacDonald, New Zealand, 2009) 82min. A joyous celebration and exploration of the lives of five gender variant New Zealanders. CCA, Glasgow. Autoconstrucción (E) (Abraham Cruzvillegas, UK/Mexico, 2009) 63min. A film developed by Mexican artist Abraham Cruzvillegas during a residency at the CCA, exploring ideas of autoconstrucción (‘self- construction’) in relation to the district of Ajusco in Mexico City where he grew up. CCA, Glasgow. Back to The Future 25th Anniversary Re-Issue (PG) ●●●●● (Robert Zemeckis, US, 1985) Michael J Fox, Lea Thompson, Crispin Glover. 116min. Deservedly popular time-travelling fantasy adventure starring a street-smart 80s teenager whisked back in time for a little chicanery with his future parents. General release. Bhutto (E) ●●●●● (Duane Baughman, US, 2010) 115min. A documentary about Benazir Bhutto, the first woman to lead a Muslim nation, following her life and that of her family – often referred to as ‘the Kennedys of Pakistan’. After her father’s assassination, Benazir struggles with the traditional roles she is expected to follow, while also fighting for women’s rights in Pakistan and leaves a legacy which is equally courageous and controversial. Filmhouse, Edinburgh. Bill Douglas Trilogy (12) ●●●●● (Bill Douglas, UK, 1972) Stephen Archibald, Hughie Restorick, Jean Taylor-Smith. 48/55/78min. This trio of films about a boy growing up in a harsh mining community represents perhaps the peak of Scottish filmmaking. Bare narrative, stark images, painful memories – the distillation of feeling on screen is as close to poetry as cinema gets. Part of the Scottish Mental Health Arts and Film Festival. Filmhouse, Edinburgh. Black Dynamite (15) ●●●●● (Scott Sanders, US, 2009) Michael Jai White, Obba Babatundé, Kevin Chapman. 84min. Gutsy and enjoyably silly spoof of 1970s blaxploitation films like Shaft and Superfly. Cameo, Edinburgh.
✽✽ Buried (15) ●●●●● (Rodrigo Cortés, Spain, 2010) Ryan Reynolds,
Robert Paterson, Stephen Tobolowsky. 94min. Not one for claustrophobes, Cortés’s debut feature stars Reynolds as a contractor trapped in a coffin and buried alive by Iraqis, who must raise a $5 million in a ransom before the battery on his mobile dies, or be left to perish. Those pesky Iraqis. Clever and creatively-shot single location filmmaking criticising the privatisation of war. See profile, page 51. General release. The Cabinet of Doctor Caligari (PG) ●●●●● (Robert Wiene, Germany, 1919) Werner Krauss, Conrad Veidt, Lil Dagover. 90min. A landmark of expressionist cinema, feasting the eyes with bizarre, angular visuals despite its technical crudity. The acting and directing are superb, and the story of a fairground hypnotist who uses a sleepwalker to carry out murders still retains a unique sense of horror. Part of An Introduction to European Cinema course. Filmhouse, Edinburgh. Cats & Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore 2D (U) ●●●●● (Brad Peyton, US/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. Empire, Clydebank; Glasgow Film Theatre. Chopin: Desire for Love (E) (Jerzy Antczak, Poland, 2002) 134min. Jerzy Antczak’s film about Chopin and his romantic life. Free screening, but registration is required – email edinburgh@msz.gov.pl. Roxy Art House, Edinburgh. Cowboy Be-Bop (12A) ●●●●● (Shinichiro Watanabe, Japan, 2003) Voices of Kôichi Yamadera, Beau Billingslea, Unshô Ishizuka, Megumi Hayashibara,
Wendee Lee, Melissa Charles. 116min. Based on a classic Japanese comic that was later made into a popular TV series, this Japanese anime arrives over here with hearty recommendations from genre fans. When a tanker truck is blown up in the middle of a busy street, and a deadly viral infection is released, Spike Spiegel and his Bebop crew are the only people who can find the culprit. Manga madness. Part of Scotland Loves Anime season. Glasgow Film Theatre. Cropsey (18) (Barbara Brancaccio, US, 2009) 84min. Genuinely disturbing (and true) documentary examining the mystery of the special needs children that vanished in the woods over several decades on New York’s Staten Island, and the man who has been locked up for decades as a result of an urban myth gone out of control. Dead By Dawn: Un-Hallowe'en. Filmhouse, Edinburgh. Cyrus (15) ●●●●● (Jay Duplass/Mark Duplass, US, 2010) John C Reilly, Jonah Hill, Marisa Tomei. 102min. A romcom which, under normal circumstances, would render its own plot unfathomable, is saved by its mumblecore genre: unconventional, low-budget and mostly improvised. Man meets woman with unhealthy mother/son relationship, but the characters are believable and result in an awkward, but breathtakingly truthful story. Cineworld Renfrew Street, Glasgow. Dead by Dawn Shorts 1 (18) (Various, 2007-10) 91min. A smorgasbord of new scaries. On today’s billing are Danse Macabre, Life After Beth, The Basket Case, Sunshower, Tufty, The Pool, Void and Tropezones. Dead By Dawn: Un-Hallowe'en. Filmhouse, Edinburgh. Dead by Dawn Shorts 2 (18) (Various, 2008-09) 90min. An array of terrifying shorts to get you in the mood for Hallowe’en, featuring Knife Point, Hatch, Chloe & Attie, Sinkhole, Jardin Dead End and Excision. Dead By Dawn: Un- Hallowe'en. Filmhouse, Edinburgh. The Death and Life of Charlie St Cloud (12A) ●●●●● (Burr Steers, US, 2010) Zac Efron, Charlie Tahan, Kim Basinger. 99min. See Also Released, page 53. General release. Despicable Me (U) (Pierre Coffin/Chris Renaud, US, 2010) Voices of Steve Carell, Jason Segel, Russell Brand. 94min. See review, page 52. Selected release. Devil (15) ●●●●● (Drew Dowdle/John Erick Dowdle, US, 2010) Geoffrey Arend, Bojana Novakovic, Logan Marshall-Green. 80min. Effective minimalist horror in which a group of people stuck in a lift realise the devil is amongst them. General release. 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. Cineworld Renfrew Street, Glasgow. The Director’s Cut (18) (Paul Komadina, Australia, 2009) 87min. Comic farce relating the exploits of a shallow director, a very blonde lead actress and a half-baked movie crew attempting to make a film in the outback while struggling to foil the attempts of a dangerous secret saboteur. Dead By Dawn: Un-Hallowe'en. Filmhouse, Edinburgh. The Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya (PG) (Tatsuya Ishihara/Yasuhiro Takemoto, Japan, 2010) 163min. A girl organises a Christmas party, then suddenly is nowhere to be seen. Part of Scotland Loves Anime season. Filmhouse, Edinburgh.
✽✽ Donkeys (15) ●●●●● (Morag McKinnon, UK, 2010) James Cosmo, Martin Compston, Kate Dickie. 78min. See
feature, page 50 and review, page 52. Glasgow Film Theatre. Dreams That Money Can Buy (15) ●●●●● (Hans Richter & Man Ray, US, 1947) Louis Applebaum, Ethel Beseda, Jack Bittner, Samuel Cohen, Max Ernst. 99min. Surrealist painter and Dada film-theorist Richter wrote, produced and directed this experimental exercise which is still seen as one of the most significant contributions to the avant garde movement. Part of Screening Surrealism. Filmhouse, Edinburgh. Eat Pray Love (PG) ●●●●● (Ryan Murphy, US, 2010) Julia Roberts, Billy Crudup, James Franco. 139min. Self- indulgent schmaltzfest starring Julia Roberts as a New York writer who embarks on a journey of self-discovery across some of the world’s most photogenic locations, featuring an adequate turn from Javier Bardem as the Brazilian divorcee who captures her heart. A superficial yet bloated travelogue destined for popularity amongst tour operators. General release. Edie & Thea: A Very Long Engagement (tbc) (Susan Muska/Gréta Olafsdóttir, US, 2009) 61min. As part of Glasgay, the screening of a film charting the inspirational love story of Edie and Thea, together for 42 years and finally getting married. Glasgow Women’s Library, Glasgow. Elling (15) ●●●●● (Petter Noess, Norway, 2003) Per Christian Ellefsen, Sven Nordin. 90min. Elling follows two middle- aged psychiatric patients, who are offered the opportunity to live by themselves in an Oslo apartment. Cameo, Edinburgh. Endhiran (The Robot) (12A) (S Shankar, India, 2010) Rajnikanth, Aishwarya Rai, Danny Denzongpa. 125min. Indian film about a scientist who creates an extraordinarily intelligent robot. Cineworld Renfrew Street, Glasgow; Cineworld Fountainpark, Edinburgh. Enter the Void (18) ●●●●● (Gaspar Noe, France/Germany/Italy, 2009) Nathaniel Brown, Paz de la Huerta, Ed Spear. 142min. Gaspar Noé’s latest offering is a metaphysical exploration of pre- and post- mortem life from the perspective of teenage drug dealer Oscar who, after being killed by the Japanese police, flashbacks through his traumatic childhood whilst keeping an eye on his stripper sister Linda. An odd combination of astonishing cinematography and crass imagery make this a missable experience. Glasgow Film Theatre; Filmhouse, Edinburgh. Etre Et Avoir (To Be and to Have) (U) ●●●●● (Nicolas Philibert, France, 2002) George Lopez. 104min. Philibert’s documentaries are well recognised for managing to equal the emotional depth normally produced through great fiction, and this film is considered his most successful to date, having premiered at EIFF. To Be and to Have documents one year at George Lopez’s one-room school house in the remote dairy farming region of Auvergne. Part of Scottish Mental Health Arts & Film Festival. Filmhouse, Edinburgh. Evangelion 2.0 (12A) (Masayuki & Kazuya Tsurumaki, Japan, 2009) 108min. Second in an anime trilogy about a world where humans seek to control giant robots as a defence against the attacks of deadly angels that are seeking to destroy the human race. Part of Scotland Loves Anime season. Filmhouse, Edinburgh. 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. Selected release. Fantastic Mr Fox (PG) ●●●●● (Wes Anderson, US, 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-