Movienoodle

Black Swan - Take a Dive off a Pi Bridge

2011-07-11T13:57:00.037+01:00

I will never get over my first experience of Aronofsky. I'd been invited over to my boyfriend's for a meal and a movie with his folks, and stupidly they believed me when I said Pi was supposed to be good. The following hour and a bit was excrutiating, as together we endured the black and white nightmare of a man who's quite good at maths staring into the sun and getting terrible headaches. And then there was that soundtrack. Squealing, raucous, cacaphony... and other words that describe loud noises. My God! Honestly, I know there's meant to be a lot more to Pi, but when I said it was a bit arty the level of expectation in the room was Sixth Sense, not Eraserhead. The only way that evening could have been worse was if I'd forced us all to politely sit through Oldboy.

So I was laden with trepidation about Black Swan, but having liked The Wrestler, and been easily swayed by rave reviews during the awards season, I was willing to give it a try.

The following is for you, then, if like me you're:

A huge film fan
Regularly attend your local art-house cinema
Take pleasure in watching films with subtitles
ARE NORMAL

You, yes, you! You have a life with people in it who can't name a single Bergman film and couldn't give a flying fuck who Werner Herzog is. You watch French New Wave films when they're on late at night, but you've also seen every film Arnie's ever made. Because you are normal. You hang out with people who like blockbusters. You go to the cinema with them to see Paul and The Hangover (not Bride Wars though, gotta draw the line!) And the arty stuff??? Well that's special. It's precious and it's important and we don't want everyone to know about it. (We love it like we used to love indie bands that no-one had ever heard of.) So, YOU! What you need to know about the huge thundering behemoth that is Black Swan - with all it's big stars and awards - is whether you can watch this with your in-laws, without squirming in your seat? And the answer is no you can't. Even though it's about ballet.

Aronofsky, I was right not to trust you. I remember when this film first came out and, high on the wave of critical acclaim, every two-bit local news team in the country was eagerly sending out real ballet dancers to review it. "Is that what the world of ballet is really like?" they'd pant. "Oh yeah, we all fantasize about hot lesbo romps with our leading lady, throw up if we eat a finger of cake frosting and live at home with stage mothers until we're well into our 30s", I don't remember anyone replying. Poor things. Watching Black Swan with a bunch of people you work with every day must have been quite a similar experience to the one I had watching Pi.

So yeah, sound the Aronofsky warning siren please. Black Swan is definitely very reminiscent of Pi. As a portrait of a woman going mad, it's OK, but does it deserve all the praise? I don't think so. It sure ain't Shutter Island. It doesn't matter how many times I read that this film is supposed to be a dark, psychological thriller. I just don't get it. I mean I get it, I understand it, I just don't get why it's a psychological thriller. It all seems so very old hat to me. Every moment is signposted and presented on a plate, like that woman in the Sheeba catfood ad presenting her kitty with rancid old pet food dressed up to look like a gourmet meal. A flourish of music tells you exactly how to feel at any given moment, and actually gives the game away completely at the few scary bits. Seriously, there are more surprises in Tea With Mussolini than there are in Black Swan (plus that's a film I'd gladly watch again).

True, the performances are wonderful, that I will concede. Portman is magnificent, Cassel as strange and enigmatic as always, Mila Kunis, Barbara Hershey and Winona Ryder all great in support, but the story is awful. Totally dreary and completely unlovable. I've had it up to here *indicates top of head* with so called difficult directors. Just get over yourselves and make something we can watch!

It's a commonly held opinion that a good script can be ruined by a bad director, but a bad script hasn't got a cat in hell's chance even with the best. But that's not the whole story is it? More often a so/so script is heralded as the second coming just because big names are attached. There's far too much of the emperor's new clothes mentality in the film industry. And therein lies the problem I have with Black Swan. It wouldn't work at all without the outstandingly brilliant performances. I tried to imagine it sans visual tricks with a cast of nobodies, and concluded it would be.... rubbish. Even more so.

One of the things that came across most strongly whenever 'real ballet stars' did a review of the film was that the dancing in Black Swan wasn't up to their exacting standards. (I couldn't tell myself, I thought Portman was amazing. Her training for this film surely puts her in the De Niro/Raging Bull school!) Often they wondered why a real ballerina hadn't been cast. Well, that's obvious. The film needed an actress of Portman's calibre to carry the whole nonsensical melee. And don't forget she needed a film worthy of serious physical and mental exertion to help us all forget her tedious walk-throughs as Queen Amidala! With Aronofsky's post-Wrestler populist appeal combined with a still intact arty reputation and big money backers, the timing for Black Swan was perfect. No wonder it took so many people in. It's only now the dust has settled (all over those shiny awards), now the film is reaching the masses on dvd, that it's clear to see 'we was had'.

Incidentally, I am aware this is less of an actual review and more of a general rant (check my new byline!) but that's why it's a blog post. If you want to know the actual story of Black Swan (such that it is) check IMDb. Seriously though, I wouldn't bother. It's just a re-hash of Swan Lake itself. And I've told you what you need to know. Save your pennies and knock it off your lovefilm waiting list now.

That said, there is actually one thing I'm grateful to Black Swan for... If people think it represents art-house cinema fare then I'm happy to propogate the myth, and steer them on a path well away from me! If Black Swan is for everyone, then everyone's welcome to it. Me, I'm still an indie kid at heart, and I want to keep the really good stuff secret. Just for us!

Black Swan Poster, Fox Searchlight Pictures

Monsters Review

2011-06-05T19:09:00.005+01:00

Monsters is an odd mix of sci-fi/horror come road movie, with a side portion of romance thrown in for good measure. In tone, and indeed subject matter, it can't help but invite comparisons with District 9. Only it's better! At least in my own Frank Capra swayed opinion it is. Though I doubt other reviewers will be clamouring to call 'Monsters' Capra-esque, I think it is. See it. Decide for yourself.

Shot by director Gareth Edwards, guerilla style, on a micro budget, the film follows the fortunes of two people (strangers at the outset) trying to make it across the border from Mexico to America. They are hindered somewhat by the increasingly difficult circumstances imposed by some scary, large, extra-terrestrial beings.

The film is ambitious in scale, if not budget, and wisely opts for realism over shock and awe tactics. The big CG effects are few and far between, and mostly take place at night which adds a certain level of grainy camouflage. But as the fright factor is always ramped up by a bit of darkness, I'm not complaining. Most of the scares are in the mind, anyway, but when they do come, the effects are actually very convincing. They elevate Monsters far above the B-movie creature feature it could have been.

Scoot McNairy and Whitney Able

The acting is also far superior to the quality garnered by many directors shooting on the hoof, thanks to the talented couple at the centre of the film Scoot McNairy and Whitney Able. Their on screen relationship is imbued with a pre-existing chemistry. Definitely a good idea to cast a real-life couple! That must have saved loads of time and money. They work brilliantly together too, more's the point. Real-life couples don't always click on screen, but they do.

As press photographer Andrew Kaulder, McNairy starts the film as a morally repugnant individual out to make money in any way he can. So why would anyone like him? Well, it soon becomes clear he's not rotten to the core, and he's got a touch of Steve McQueen bad boy attractiveness about him too. Able, on the other hand, plays Sam Wynden the stranded daughter of Kaulder's boss. Daddy demands Kaulder escort her back from Mexico to America, through dangerous alien infected zones. The 'It Happened One Night' set-up couldn't be more familiar, and it grounds the movie in realism. But if a better known actress, say Cameron Diaz, were cast as Sam it's easy to imagine her being played as a spoilt little rich brat. Able does quite the reverse. She gives us a sensitive portrayal of a tough, capable girl with many hidden depths. And the contrast between Sam and wideboy Kaulder is all the more enjoyable for it.

Genius Editing

Monsters all comes together in the editing. The improvised dialogue is pretty sparse (through necessity, as the bonus features on the dvd make clear) yet it's effective, and the story progresses as much through mood as it does through narrative. With hundreds of hours footage shot, it was inevitable that long speeches, difficult to match in the edit suite, would be dropped. But with no rigorous script to work with, editor Colin Goudie had to find a different approach. He took the genius decision to cut the film like a documentary, a style that adds even more to the realism of Monsters.

The Budget

Director Gareth Edwards has seriously achieved wonders with this film. Reputedly it cost just $15,000....Though I've always wondered how they work out these budgets. Does that include the hotel rooms and flights and actors salaries? Luckily, someone at Comic Con last year also wanted to know the answer to this and Edwards is able to fill in the details:

And that's how you make a film for $15,000. Just don't count the wages!

Regardless of the exact money spent on this film, it is clearly still a pittance compared to the millions thrown at Hollywood blockbusters. Yet it can easily stand shoulder to shoulder with the big boys without any fear of embarassment. Cloverfield can go eat your heart out too, 'cause Monsters blows you out the water.

So if you like the idea of an art-house, sci-fi, low budget, creature feature (am I selling it to you yet?) then do definitely watch Monsters. And try to get it on dvd too, because the extra features are very cool.

Withnail Director Back in the Fray

2011-05-27T21:54:00.001+01:00

Isn't it weird how life throws up little coincidences? I'm just back from a mid-week party event (happy birthday Bluigi!) where we stayed in a rented cottage out in non-network covered, rural, cow-farm country. Bliss! But what with the very strange artwork on the walls, the pelting rain and the faff of having to cook/heat using an aga, we were all cracking jokes about it being a tad Withnail and I.

Then, since getting back, for some reason I keep seeing references to Withnail EVERYWHERE. All over Twitter, on the telly... Well, those two places anyway. This wicked you tube clip is doing the rounds too:

All of which caused me to re-read a piece I'd written about Withnail a couple of years ago (read it here) in which I raved about director Bruce Robinson's proposed new film The Rum Diary. I was excited 'cause it meant Johnny Depp would probably reprise his Hunter S Thompson role - and Fear and Loathing is the dog's! But it was supposed to come out in 2009, so I'd pretty much forgotten all about it. That is until this week when the strange Withnail coincidences kept piling up. Now I've done a little digging and yes, the film is completed, yes Johnny's in it and yes, it is coming out later this year. Yes! Yes! Yes!

According to IMDb, The Rum Diary is due for release on the 28th October, and in addition to the Deppster it stars Amber Heard and Aaron Eckhart. Can't wait. Now bring me the finest wines known to man and spark up that Camberwell carrot.

Inception

2010-07-26T00:12:00.000+01:00

Note to self: I really must stop heading posts with stupid titles like 'Film of the Day'. Unless I'm actually going to blog everyday (hah!), they age rather too quickly. But anyway, I digress. This post is meant to be about the rather marvellous Inception, which I went to see last week.

I enjoyed it immensely, but I'm not going to tell you how good or bad it was, because that would spoil it for you! Well, Ok, I've already said it's good, but I'm not going to elaborate any further. I had to write a review, of course, but I decided before I even left the cinema that it was going to inform people of as little as possible. So, if you'd like a little soupcon of excitement, but you don't want any spoilers, please go ahead and read my Non-Review of Inception here. Non-reviewing is the future! I'm absolutely sick of knowing what a film's all about before I even get to see it. Yes, from now on I shall mostly be doing non-reviews.

Films to See Tonight (on British TV)

2010-07-18T17:40:00.000+01:00

Blimey, spoilt for choice tonight with at least three quality films on offer:

I'm not gonna go on too much about them (you can click the links above for my related articles and reviews), 'cause we've probably all seen them already, and I'm pushed for time today (just like always!). But I had to mention all three because they're all the sort of collar-grabbing films that suck you in no matter how many times you've seen them.

So, in case you haven't checked the TV guide, at least now you know there's a good choice of films tonight.

Out of Sight is on ITV1 at 10.15pm
The Damned United is on BBC2 at 9pm
The Hitcher (and yes it's the original one with Rutger Hauer) is on ITV4 at 12.10am

Inception (and Films You Wouldn't Pay to See)

2010-07-13T21:22:00.001+01:00

Whoa, Inception looks so good. I wanna see it! How do I get the trailer on here???? Hmmm. Gonna have to ask you to just click on the words... Inception Trailer. Has that worked? Good. Cool.....

Gotta love that Christopher Nolan. The man's a genius. But then, wasn't that fella M. Night Shyamalan widely hailed as such too. Doesn't seem that long ago... and yet one false move and it's straight down the slippery snake and back to square one. Shyamalan's biggest stinker, Lady in the Water, is on tonight. I'm picking it as tonight's one to watch, even though it quite justly joins the ranks of films you wouldn't pay to see.

Lady in the Water garnered such terrible reviews, it's managed to achieve a morbid curiosity factor. Can it really be that bad? Seriously, for man who made The Sixth Sense to have dropped out of favour so spectacularly, it's got to be a howler. (A howler I personally can't wait to see, as long as I don't have to part with any money!)

Inception is released nationwide on 16th July
Lady in the Water is on BBC1 at 11.25 pm tonight

TV Film Pick of the Day, Week, Month...erm, OK...Year!

2010-07-10T17:07:00.001+01:00

Today's pick is an easy one - tonight on BBC4 they're showing ace French flick 36. Now, as you know, I do have a bit of a soft spot for arty French films. But hey, wait, before you run for the hills, this one's different. This one's got real bite.

36 is a police procedural, with as much corruption within the ranks as outside. It stars two giants of French cinema, Gerard Depardieu and Daniel Auteuil as bitter rivals. They've been here before, of course, as enemies in Jean de Florette. If you've seen that film, you'll know Depardieu was the nice guy and Auteuil the greedy, devious one. In 36, those roles are almost reversed. I say 'almost' because it's not that simple. 36 is intricate and layered and...... and I won't say anymore, because I don't want to spoil it.

If you like the sound of 36 then read my review, 36 Quai des Orfevres, for more info - don't worry it doesn't have spoilers!

Oh, and one more thing. This film's supposed to be being re-made by Martin Campbell (director of Casino Royale) with Robert de Niro and George Clooney as the cops. Now I know I'm not supposed to get excited about re-makes (bloody Hollywood, ripping off the best of the foreign film industry etc.etc.) but I can see that working really well. Watch 36 and tell me I'm wrong.

36 (BBC4, 10pm)

Half Watched Film Reviews

2010-07-05T23:07:00.005+01:00

Children of Men

(The review of thursday's recommendation)

Well, I watched Children of Men, as I said I would, but I don't get it? It was OK, but hardly the masterpiece we'd been led to believe. I'm putting all those good reviews down to director Alfonso Cuaron effectively straddling the gaping chasm between art-house and popular film. Maybe he's the darling of the critics 'cause he got them free passes to watch him making Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. Yeah, that makes sense. They owed him good reviews! I'd have probably felt more inclined to kindness myself if I'd been invited onto the set of a Potter movie.

Michael Caine was fab in it (I have such a soft spot for him), but it was barely more than a cameo. As for the narrative, I thought it was barmy. Kinda like 28 Days Later but with infertility instead of Rage. Did I miss something important? My digibox recorder failed, so I did miss the very beginning of the film. It automatically rescheduled for a repeat, but after watching to the end, and knowing how it all turned out, I just cancelled it. I don't think I can sit through it again anyway!

Tell No One

Now, on the other hand, Saturday night I stumbled across a totally brilliant film on BBC4 - Tell No One. Again, I'd missed the start, but being as no-one in it seemed to know what was going on anyway it really didn't seem to matter. I do love a film you can barge into halfway through and remain, gripped, to the end. This one I think I will go back and watch again on the iplayer. Just so I can work out how it all started. Then I might do a proper review. I think, in this case, it might be worth the effort.

So, a nice surprise there after thursday's disappointment.

Tonight's Movienoodle Pick of the Day

2010-07-01T09:01:00.000+01:00

Tonight's movie choice is a simple one: Children of Men

Set in a dystopian future, where the human race has been hit by a severe fertility crisis, the film's about a bloke played by Clive Owen (yeah, that fella off the telly) trying to protect the last ever pregnant woman. Or something like that. Doesn't sound that promising does it? But it's got rave reviews and I've been wanting to see it for a while.

So, I'll definitely be giving it go, 'cause it's supposed to be good. Oh, and Michael Caine's in it too, so that's another good reason to watch.

Today's Film Choices

2010-06-30T15:21:00.004+01:00

Well, being as they're such a rip off and way to expensive for me to subscribe to, I was going to avoid recommending films that are showing on Sky. Besides, they're repeated ad infinitum, so 'films of the day' becomes 'films of any day you like'. But today Sky's offering three great film choices that were difficult to ignore.

One Flew Over the Cukoo's Nest is on Sky Movie Greats at 10.15pm
Spartacus is on Sky Movie Classics at 3.25pm
Everlasting Moments is on Sky Movies Indie at 2.25pm

On normal telly, there's:

Batman Begins on ITV2 at 9.00pm
Goodfellas on ITV4 at 10pm.

So, quite a good day for films, although let's face it we've probably seen them all before, except for Everlasting Moments. But I'm keeping that one on the list, even if it has to be a rental recommendation for all of us without SMI. I guess they're all rental recs really, just that they're based on my perusal of what films are showing on TV here and now, in the UK.

I'm in the middle of compiling an extensive list of great films to buy or rent which I'll post here on the site very soon. And we'll also be looking at the most exciting films in production, coming to a cinema near you soon, so stay tuned, there's plenty more to come.

Films of the Day

2010-06-29T21:27:00.003+01:00

Ok, so Anvil (last night's recommendation) wasn't quite as expected. Felt very sorry for those aging rocker fellas, but couldn't get Steve Coogan's Saxondale out of my mind long enough to concentrate. That, and the strange but true fact that Anvil's director Sacha Gervasi is the father of one Bluebell Madonna, Geri Halliwell's child. I mean, that's neither here nor there, but the way these little asides kept drifting into my consciousness rather distracted from the film.

Tonight's film pick is Love the Beast. The documentary Eric Bana made about his beloved Ford Falcon car. I'm not so sure about Eric Bana. I've always thought of him as the thinking woman's Jim Cavieziel. Which isn't much of a compliment, especially considering the abysmal Prisoner remake. But I digress, when Eric was on Top Gear I rather warmed to him. And as Jezza puts in a guest appearance in Love the Beast too, it might be quite entertaining.

Love the Beast is on More4 at 10pm

Hello pips! Long time no see!!!

2010-06-28T18:06:00.005+01:00

Howdy doody guys. Yep, Movienoodle is back from the (almost) dead. Revived by the power of semi-decent films combined with some ace telly - for which read marathon sessions of 24 and repeats of Wonders of the Solar System. Plus the world cup of course, but less said about that the better.

Ahh, Brian. You god of physics and floppy fringes. I even bought Sunshine, just because you were the science advisor bloke on it. Well...... that and 'cause Cillian Murphy's got such nice eyes. But being as he was only really playing you, it kind of serves as a double whammy for all us geeky sci-fi/movie/physics nerds. Quickly moving on....

The old health-o-meter is finally ticking over quite nicely again, and being as I've no intention of starting a new blog about illnesses and icky stuff, no more will be said 'bout it here. Movienoodle's just here for the beer, oops, I mean films.

New stuff for Movienoodle

As I've had some time to think, I'm going to be attempting to implement a few changes now. (Though, really, this is just a note to self as I don't suppose too many of you have stuck around this wasteland of a blog for long). I did originally start movienoodle with a view to importing old articles I'd written for sites such as Suite101 and Helium across here. But I've since found out that splitting and scattering readers like that is not a good thing to do. So, instead, I'm just gonna link to those articles whenever it's appropriate.

Otherwise, this blog will mostly just be for mouthing off about stuff. Oh yeah, and for recommending films too. I thought it was about time I started pushing the good stuff. Picking films of the week, exciting movies to look out for, and all that sort of malarkey. Should be good for twittering too. Is that the modern parlance? Get me! I'm so down with the kids. So, as the Chemical Brothers say, here we go...

Films of the Day

We'll start with terrestrial TV film choices for today - Monday 28th June, 2010. There's Anvil! The Story of Anvil at 10pm. Internal Affairs (the one with Richard Gere) is on Film4 at 1.20 am (Tho' I'm confused about that one. It might be actually Infernal Affairs that I want to recommend. Can't remember which one is the good one!) And finally, French New Wave aficionados might be interested in guffawing behind their cravats at the abysmal remake of A bout de souffle. The 1983 version of Breathless (with that man Gere again, must be his night) is on at 9.00pm on TCM. Should be good for a laugh.

Flight of the Conchords & Eagle vs Shark

2009-05-13T17:16:00.006+01:00

Flight of the Conchords is back. Yay! Jemaine, Bret and Murray are just as funny, sad and deluded as ever. And last night's episode proved they can certainly lay claim to being New Zealand's fourth best guitar-based digi-bongo acapella-rap funk-folk group for sure. Maybe even third... Oh yeah. And some..... I'm starting to think they're even better than the Mighty Boosh. But then again, it's much easier to say that when the Boosh boys are having a break from our screens. Live, last year, the Boosh were phenomenal! But I digress. As Movienoodle is predominantly super-twisty entwined with the marvellous world of movies, I thought we'd take a peak at Jemaine Clement's 2007 foray into film a la the weird and wonderful Eagle vs Shark. So here goes....

Eagle vs Shark

Eagle vs Shark is a quirky, offbeat indie film from New Zealand. It's directed by Taika Waititi, a multi-talented film-maker who comes from a stand up comedy/acting background. Taika's realm also encompasses writing and directing, and he has been involved in this capacity on several episodes of the off the wall comedy series Flight of the Conchords.

Conchord Takes Flight – Can Jemaine Clement Shine Without Bret McKenzie?

Flight of the Conchords' star Jemaine Clement plays the atypical love interest in Eagle vs Shark - a video game shop assistant called Jarrod. He throws a rather feeble fancy dress party where everyone goes dressed as their favourite animal and competes in a knockout tournament of the computer game Fightman (hence the title, Eagle vs Shark). Mild mannered Lily crashes this party in an effort to get to know the object of her affection a little better, and manages to impress him with her fighting skills.

Shark Seeking Eagle

Eagle vs Shark is an unconventional love story about two nerdy freaks who are just perfect for each other. Despite this obviously being the case, they can't quite manage to get together without a string of problems. Mostly, this is down to the self deluded idiot that is Jarrod (Jemaine Clement), whose visions of grandeur serve to sabotage his own chance of happiness. Over the course of the film Jarrod comes out with some absolutely corking (and ultra quotable) reasons for his spoilt brat-like behaviour, such as “I'm so complex”. His infinitely patient and understanding girlfriend Lily is so smitten, she accepts his nonsense without question. Lily is played by the wonderful newcomer Loren Horsley, who brings a gentle sweetness to the role of the awkward, geeky hamburger waitress. Horsley also wrote the original story on which Eagle vs Shark was based.

Napoleon Dynamite

Eagle vs Shark draws frequent comparisons with that other comedy hero of ineptitude, Napoleon Dynamite. The films do come from the same comedy stable - they both take the lives of losers as their subject matter - but whereas Napoleon's quirks are played for laughs, Eagle vs Shark engenders a more emotional response. Lily's generosity and forgiving nature gives the film a heart and soul to identify with and root for, whereas Jarrod's misplaced anger provides the memorable (and quotable) lines. The film fits more appropriately within a tradition of idiosyncratic, character driven, modern antipodean cinema. The backdrop of a rundown suburban New Zealand might be a world away from the beautiful landscapes portrayed in Lord Of The Rings, but it does possess echoes of recent antipodean hits such as Strictly Ballroom, An Angel at my Table, Muriel's Wedding and even Chopper.

Comedy, Arthouse, Romance

Another interesting facet of Eagle vs Shark is the way that the film is interrupted at various points by funny little animations. These help to illuminate the main crux of the story in a subtle but entertainingly art-house manner. Interestingly, director Waititi describes his film as “the first ever New Zealand Arthouse romantic comedy”, on his myspace website.

Waititi developed Eagle vs Shark with the help of the Sundance Director's Lab, and it was well received at its inaugural Sundance screening, during 2007's festival. With a little bit of luck, the international exposure Flight of the Conchords has garnered on TV will help to ignite the interest of a new audience in Eagle vs Shark. The film has been available on dvd in the UK since 2008, so if you haven't seen it it's well worth seeking out. Especially if you're into arthouse romantic comedy.

Ealing Films

2009-04-29T12:29:00.009+01:00

I was listening to the lovely Anne-Marie Duff on the radio this morning, talking about how the new (Michael Caine starring) film she's in - Is Anybody There - reminded her of an Ealing comedy. That reminded me I'd already got this article written about Ealing films. It first appeared on my other website, Suite101, where I write extensively about foreign films, but I've tweaked it and uploaded it for your reading pleasure here on Movienoodle. Enjoy.

Classic British Comedy from Ealing
What is an Ealing Film? A Short History of the British Film Studio

The borough of Ealing in London is home to one of the oldest studios in the world. Ealing Studios have produced some of Britain's best loved comedy films.

The Golden Years

The golden years for Ealing are generally considered to be the 1940s and 50s, a peak time for British film-making, during which Ealing produced such gems as Passport to Pimlico, Kind Hearts and Coronets, School For Scoundrels, The Ladykillers and The Lavender Hill Mob.

The Whimsical Comedy of Ealing Films

Ealing films demonstrated a comedy of gentle whimsy, squeezing all they could out of British stereotypes. Inept policemen, London buses, cockney spivs, stiff upper lips and lots of drinking tea featured heavily. These films were so very British in their essence, often they were hard to understand elsewhere (for which read America). Firmly rooted in a time and place, in retrospect they can be viewed not only as classic comedies but as social and political histories of Britain.

Passport to Pimlico

Passport to Pimlico was made in 1948 by director Henry Cornelius. Set just after the end of the second world war, Passport to Pimlico demonstrated a clear understanding of the social climate of the time. To put it in context, after a victorious war the conservative British prime minister Winston Churchill was defeated in the general election by a landslide majority for Labour. Why was he rejected by the British public? They were ready for change; a revolution for British society; they wanted to shrug off the class system and see equal opportunities for all. This need for change is palpable in Passport to Pimlico, which essentially concerns the story of the residents of Pimlico discovering a document that reveals they are, legally speaking, living in the land of Burgundy. They immediately decide to seal themselves off from the rest of England and set up their own 'country', complete with new rules and regulations. Problems, and comedy, ensue when Pimlico is over-run by crooks eager to evade British law, and ultimately the residents realize that good old Blighty is the place they want to be after all.

Kind Hearts and Coronets

Kind Hearts and Coronets (1950) is a masterpiece of film-making and, unlike Passport to Pimlico, doesn't require quite as much awareness of British history in order to grasp what's going on. Directed by Robert Hamer, Kind Hearts and Coronets concerns the snobbish, wealthy D'Ascoyne family. When young Louis Mazzini D'Ascoyne (Dennis Price) discovers that he is ninth in line to inherit the family fortune, he devises a despicable plot to bump off the other eight family members. This is a wicked and wonderful comedy, which has great fun following the murderous Mazzini about his dastardly deeds, and revels in finding more and more outrageous ways of offing the hapless D'Ascoynes. One of the major reasons this film is such superb comedy value is that the entire D'Ascoyne family (bar Mazzini) is played by Alec Guinness, including Lady Agatha D'Ascoyne. This means Guinness gets to camp it up in the most glorious fashion. The performances of Guiness, Price and leading lady Joan Greenwood in Kind Hearts and Coronets are simply unsurpassable.

The Future for Ealing

Ealing inevitably passed into decline, but recently their fortunes have turned around. Re-developed as a state of the art studio, they have helped to create some very successful British TV productions, such as The Royle Family and special scenes for the new series of Doctor Who. Fairly recent film releases The Importance of Being Earnest, Alien Autopsy and Valiant all came from Ealing, as did the new St. Trinians film, starring a pre-Bond Gemma Arterton. It's gratifying to see this famous old studio celebrating its history and attracting high quality comedy productions back to its sound stages. Roll on Ealing!

Star Wars - A Musical Journey

2009-04-14T11:03:00.010+01:00

I have just got back from London, where I enjoyed a most entertaining evening in the company of the London Philharmonic Orchestra and lots of funny people dressed up as Star Wars characters. Described as a "unique concert event", the basic set up of Star Wars - A Musical Journey, was a live performance of John Williams' iconic music, played underneath a huge screen which synchronized specially edited segments from all the Star Wars films to the orchestral scores.

Along with meeting a cheeky and very American (are they all American?) storm trooper (see above), I was also stupidly thrilled to spot the real Boba Fett (Jeremy Bulloch) in the audience, and entranced by the talents of the show's narrator Anthony Daniels, who is of course better known as the golden one, C3P0. So, it is with a tremendous amount of geeky Star Wars pleasure and a certain amount of pride that now, for one post only, I am going to place Movienoodle in the capable hands of said esteemed actor, Mr Anthony Daniels:

"Greetings film fans, 'tis I Anthony Daniels. I was humbled by your applause on the opening night of Star Wars - A Musical Journey. How kind you are to remember me with such fondness. C3P0, as you are no doubt aware, was a daunting role. Little did I know, thirty years ago when the jokers among the cast and crew 'forgot' to free me from my golden costume during breaks in filming, that it would be me who had the last laugh. Yes, Star Wars is but a footnote in the history of my life. I have since emerged truly victorious as a serious actor of note. My Hamlet is the stuff of legend, as I was saying to my successor Brian, at the Melton Mowbray Players theatre group just last year. As the natural choice to front this fabulous new money spinning, or rather re-imagining, of the Star Wars franchise, I relish the chance to tread the boards once more. The theatre is my spiritual home. How lucky I am that Star Wars - A Musical Journey is punctuated with so many opportunities to really act. I may only be credited as the narrator, but anyone lucky enough to witness my quiet lament to the forest moon of Endor, will testify to my acting prowess. As I reach out a tentative hand, towards a planet that exists only in my mind, the audience is swept along on a magical journey with me. Some were even moved to tears. That connection comes from the power of acting. That is why live performance is such a joy, and why Star Wars will forever hold a very special place in my heart."

(Please note, the above words, attributed to Mr Daniels, are all made up.)

When it Comes to Vampires, Let The Right One In

2009-04-08T11:55:00.013+01:00

Vampires... Are they a little bit passe? Hollywood has given the tweens Twilight, and good old Blighty has delivered Lesbian Vampire Killers, especially for the discerning spotty teenage boy market, but as for quality? Well, all we've had recently is Coppola's creaky old Bram Stoker's Dracula (too stagy) and Neil Jordan's Interview With The Vampire (too pretentious).

The untouchable classic is, and always will be, Nosferatu of course, but has modern cinema provided anything even remotely gripping within the vampire genre? I know there's The Lost Boys, but the pleasure of that film remains a guilty secret for most people. I'm thinking more of the films you can actually admit to liking. You know, the ones you'd stand up for in a fight, safe in the knowledge that their innate quality and ultra coolness will back you all the way.

Well, it looks like the Swedes have gone and done it. Every magazine I pick up seems to be raving about Let The Right One In. And the most encouraging thing is, although the story is dark and scary, nobody seems to be focused on the horror. That's just a by product. No, it would seem Let The Right One In is blessed by a decidedly fragile, humanistic element. That's why it's receiving all the kudos. And that's why despite vampires being passe, Let The Right One In might just be worth shelling out for. Click the link above for my exciting preview of the film.

Pictures: Lena Leandersson in Let The Right One In, EFTI. Nosferatu still. Lost Boys promo poster, Warner Bros.

The Wire (or is it Robin Hood?) Comes to BBC2

2009-03-30T13:36:00.009+01:00

The Wire has finally made it to terrestrial TV here in the UK. It debuts tonight at 11.20pm on BBC 2, and continues to run nightly throughout the week. If you don't already own The Wire on DVD, make sure you series link it, if you can. Undoubtedly, The Wire is best watched as a marathon, not a sprint, so 3 or 4 episodes in one go is the ideal. BBC 2 have to be commended for at least attempting to achieve a successful small screen outing for the series. Although it's on quite late, at least the episodes aren't stranded in once-a-week time slots.

The Wire has been described as the best TV show ever made. It is groundbreaking in its slow-burning portrayal of a city from the inside out, and a million miles away from the standard police procedural dramas, that now look so empty and fake. In fact, every time me and t'other half sit down to watch anything new on the telly, it's now become de rigeur for one of us to suddenly announce in a huffy voice "It's not The Wire, is it?". In many ways, The Wire has ruined telly for us. Nothing else even comes close to its utter brilliance. But enough has already been written about how good The Wire is. If you haven't seen it, watch it, if you have, you might be interested in my new theory....contextual analysis, if you will. (I'm sorry, gibberish terminology is what abides, alongside the dude, when you've been through 4 yrs of theoretical film studies.)

The Wire is the modern day Robin Hood! Oh yes. Robin Hood is Omar Little, (not just President Obama's favourite character, but my favourite character too. Many peoples, I suspect) who steals from the moneyed up bad guys, and gives to the poor (c'mon, when he was hiding out in that idyllic beach house at the start of series 5, he was giving food away to all the little urchins). Omar's Maid Marian was, of course, his murdered sweetheart Brandon.
Marlo is the evil Sheriff of Nottingham, who will stop at nothing to rid his town of Omar/Robin Hood, and who is also usurping King Richard's throne, in his absence - King Richard being Avon Barksdale.
The supporting cast in this analysis are:
Guy of Gisborn, who has transmogrified into Marlo's henchmen Chris and Snoop and Friar Tuck, who is Proposition Joe.
Now, I was pretty drunk when I came up with this theory, but I'm certain there were other players on my list, and a far more nuanced realisation of the similarities than I've currently got going on here. At least, there was in my head anyway. It would appear I've only categorised the bad guy contingent of The Wire into the theory, but I'm pretty sure it works for the cops too (sorry, polis). Bunk comes to mind as Little John, for instance, and maybe informant Bubbles as Will Scarlett? Unfortunately, my theory does stumble as soon as you try to force McNulty into a Robin Hood character. That guy is true original, and yet the most familiar character in The Wire. Everyone knows a McNulty. And even though he's a fan favourite, and quite brilliant, he certainly ain't no Robin Hood.

Picture: Bunk (Wendell Pierce) and Omar (Michael K. Williams) in The Wire, Blown Deadline Productions/HBO

Michael Sheen Profile

2009-03-27T13:50:00.006Z

In addition to the last post I wrote, about Michael Sheen's favourite movies (read it here, if it's not below), I've knocked out a brand spanking new profile piece on the acting chameleon du jour. I know it's asking a lot, but you will have to navigate away from Movienoodle - the site that some people are describing as "an utter waste of time" and others call "Movie what?" - to read the exciting, trivia filled article. But it's worth it.

The profile piece has already been published on Suite101 (some might call it my 'real' writing job, but the main difference is just a change of tense, really). Anyway, check out the incredible Michael Sheen Actor Profile article. So groundbreaking in its freshness, you might be tempted to think some of the facts are made up, but I assure you, my friends, my anonymous source was quite adamant that it's all true!

Michael Sheen's Desert Island Movies

2009-03-25T09:24:00.007Z

Last night I stumbled across a brilliant show on Radio 2 featuring the fabulous and debonair actor Mr Michael Sheen. 'My Life In Movies' takes the central conceit of 'Desert Island Discs' and transfers it to an hour long discussion about a star guest's 6 favourite films. I'd forgotten how wonderful it could be just to listen in to people chatting about films. Granted, Sheen's input and opinions are of far more interest then most, and I probably wouldn't have stayed listening very long if it had been Jordan's 6 fave chick flicks, but as it was the programme was extremely illuminating. Sheen always comes across as a interesting man, and his choices managed to somehow make him even more endearing. He chose 6 well known films, which he spoke about eloquently and with an informative regard to his own life. The films were as follows:

1) The Wizard of Oz
2) A Matter of Life and Death
3) Apocalypse Now
4) Close Encounters of the Third Kind
5) 12 Monkeys
6) Raging Bull

Sheen mentioned how difficult it had been to make his final selection of 6 from a shortlist of about 40 films. He said it had crossed his mind to pick films which made him look like an intellectual, but in the end had decided on the ones that he just loved to watch. They reflected so well on him anyway, he obviously made the right choice. His whole conversation throughout the programme was sprinkled with self deprecating anecdotes and good humour, which made him come across as totally adorable. For a short while, the show is available to listen to again here: Michael Sheen on Chrissy Iley's My Life in Movies, BBC Radio 2.

The only slightly annoying thing to put up with (and this is not Mr Sheen's fault) is presenter Chrissy Iley's infantilising plot synopses of the films he's chosen. Other than that, she's really very good as well, asking the right questions and then giving Sheen plenty of space to discuss and elaborate. I just can't help thinking that anyone listening to a Radio 2 show called 'My Life in Movies', at 11pm on a Tuesday night, is probably already familiar with the plot of 12 Monkeys or A Matter of Life or Death. And even if they're not, I think they're probably going to be just about capable of piecing together any gaps in their knowledge by simply listening to the discussion. Other than that, it's a top show.

Picture: Michael Sheen as Brian Clough in The Damned United, BBC Films

Watchmen - Wasn't That My Idea?

2009-03-17T12:21:00.005Z

Hmmm, should I bother going to see Watchmen? Reactions are mixed, eh? I kind of like the whole idea of it, the who watches the watchers premise, but then again I haven't read the comic because a)I'm not a boy and b) I am an adult. A grown woman cannot walk alone into Forbidden Planet and buy a comic book. Well, not without massive embarrassment. It's just too silly!

I still want to see the film, mostly because it's been so hyped (thank you Empire) but also because I thought the whole thing was my idea. It sounds very similar to a movie idea I once scribbled down in my notebook. I guess I'm just not a very original thinker. Or maybe it's just one of those universal themes. Heroes the TV show (God, isn't that getting boring now - but I digress) doesn't seem a million miles away does it?

I think I probably know I'm not gonna catch Watchmen. At least not at the cinema, it's just too expensive. Until someone starts paying me to watch films - no sign of that particular dream benefactor - I'm stuck waiting for the dvd. Or the TV premiere. Most of the time I just read about films and imagine I've watched them. Sometimes it's better than the real thing!

Watchmen Poster: Warner Bros.

Steve Buscemi Rocks and Quentin Tarantino has a Death Wish

2009-03-11T10:01:00.009Z

Isn't Steve Buscemi just the best actor? He's brilliant in everything. If In Bruges had been made in America, Steve would have had to play Ray. His humour is just so dry, and black as a collapsed supernova. The last thing I saw him in (well, heard him in) was the kids film Igor, where he voices the permanently suicidal rabbit Scamper. Igor is a great film, which hasn't received nearly enough praise as far as I'm concerned, but without the sarcastic Scamper, it would have felt very flat. And without the instantly recognisable voice of Buscemi to bring him to life, Scamper would not have been nearly as much fun either. After watching Igor, I couldn't stop thinking about how Steve Buscemi has turned in simply brilliant performances in so many great films. He's like a built in mark of excellence, adding class to:
Con Air, The Big Lebowski, Twenty Bucks, Monster House, Mystery Train, Reservoir Dogs, Barton Fink, In The Soup, Desperado, Armageddon, Monsters Inc, Monster House and Fargo.
Many more too, I'm sure. Those are just the ones I've seen that instantly came to mind. Was he in Pulp Fiction too? I think so. Either way, he was definitely responsible for helping to launch Tarantino. Have you seen him in the rehearsals for Reservoir Dogs? I think they're on the dvd extras, but as I only have a crappy pirate vid, I'm not sure. I have seen them though. I know he was there. From the beginning, man!
Picture: Beth Herzhaft, via Wikimedia Commons.

Which brings me to my previously trailed story about the time I nearly killed Mr Tarantino. It was a long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away. Well, OK then, Nottingham. I had tickets for the surprise film , which was ending the Nottingham 'Shots in the Dark' film festival, 1994. As I said, it was meant to be a surprise film, so we didn't know it was going to be Pulp Fiction right up until the moment Harriet the Chariot (my beloved old banger) nearly smacked straight in to Quentin Tarantino as he was crossing over the road. He hurriedly stumbled away, and my friend looked at me and said "Do you know who that was, you just nearly killed?". There followed much whooping and celebrating, because we instantly realised the film we were attending later on that evening was gonna be the UK premiere of Pulp Fiction. After the premiere, we had a drink with Mr Tarantino (along with dozens of other people too, I should point out. He was very accommodating to the Nottingham audience). I have to admit, I chose not to reveal my identity as the maniac driver of the morris minor that nearly ended his career, and probably just thanked him for coming to the festival, or something very boring like that. But I do like to think, in some small way, I may have helped to inspire Death Proof. And also helped him to learn a valuable lesson about road safety in the UK. Look right, look left, look right again!

David Lynch Exhibition and the Twitter Phenomenon

2009-03-05T10:19:00.006Z

Having just discovered Twitter - I know, I know, nobody will shut up about it will they? - I am wondering how I ever managed before I started getting daily updates on the weather in LA courtesy of my favourite ever surrealist David Lynch.

March is all set to be a month of revelling in Lynchian visual dystopia for me. He is taking part in a photography exhibition here in England, in Derby. I can't wait to go and see it. I don't think he's gonna be there in person, just his pictures, which is even better, because I won't miss out on my LA weather reports and he can't shatter any illusions by turning out to be grumpy and rude. I'm sure he's not, but you know what they say about meeting your heroes. Don't do it, unless you want to be bitterly disappointed.

Actually, that's probably not strictly true. I have met some fairly cool people, but I've met some numpties too. Stay tuned for the true story about the time I accidentally nearly killed Quentin Tarantino (who was actually quite nice), and coming soon, a blog update about the experience of viewing Lynchian photography stills up close and in big frames. Now, I'll be damned if that hasn't whetted a few appetites!

Plus - Here's an added little extra for those of you who don't Tweet yet (you should try it, it's loads better than facebook, and you can follow movienoodle on there too!) Yes, it's one of David Lynch's Thoughts for the Day: "Life is a festival of disruptions."

Picture: David Lynch in Washington DC, 2007. By Urbankayaker, via Wikimedia Commons, published as part of the Wikipedia project: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:David_lynch.jpg

In Bruges

2009-03-02T13:39:00.014Z

I have just watched In Bruges. What a film! I'm writing a review for another site, which I'll link in to (Here it is - In Bruges Review) as soon as it's gone live, but for the time being I had to just share a couple of general observations. The first is about the magnificent acting beast that is Mr Colin Farrell. Now I know that many, many people find Farrell an attractive man, although I've never been too keen myself. But honestly, that fella has truly got something. Charisma....screen presence.... call it what you will, Farrell has it in buckets.
This is nothing new, of course, he had it in Tigerland too, and that cameo he did on the TV show Scrubs. Not so much in the anachronistic nightmare Phone Booth, but there you go. Not every film suits his laconic charms. Anyway, the other thing I noticed about In Bruges, which I just can't shake from my mind, came from watching the dvd deleted scenes. There was a flashback to the young nutter Harry, which explained why Ken felt so indebted to him. It was a pretty gruesome scene, wisely cut from the final edit. Not for being too gruesome, understand, but because it was un-necessary to have the characters past history spelled out for us. But in that deleted scene, who should be playing the young Harry. Only bloody Matt Smith. The new Doctor Who! He was pretty good in it as well. Perhaps he won't be the worst Doctor Who ever. Perhaps I need no longer lie awake at night cursing David Tennant for leaving the best programme on the telly in the hands of a young whippersnapper. Perhaps, perhaps, perhaps it will all work out OK.

Picture: Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleason in In Bruges, Blueprint Pictures

Peter O'Toole in Venus

2009-02-24T11:23:00.014Z

I've had Venus sitting on my dvd hard drive for a while now, before finally getting round to watching it. Strangely enough, it turned out to be pretty much exactly what I expected. It confirmed my initial instincts which were a) to want to see the film, but b) to not go out of my way to catch it.

Starting with the positive, the triumvirate of Peter O'Toole, Leslie Phillips and Richard Griffiths is not to be sniffed at. I'll watch O'Toole in anything, he is just magnificent. It was also nice to see Leslie Phillips playing a sweet old man for a change, rather than a lecherous cad. That role, of course, went to O'Toole in this film. Griffiths is always good, but especially as a character reminiscent of Uncle Monty in Withnail and I. The problem was that they were just not on screen enough. The scenes at the coffee shop, with the three of them together, were the best moments of the whole film. The rest of it, well, it was mostly quite vile.

O'Toole's Maurice inexplicably falls under the spell of his friend's brash young niece Jessie. Goodness knows why, she's horrible. I always hate it when you have to believe something just because it's in the script, but there's no other explanation as to why Maurice falls for Jessie. He has to. It's in the script. Straight away, we've been booted out of the realms of believability and into a world where everything that happens on screen happens because somebody wrote it. That means the person to blame for Venus is Hanif Kureishi, celebrated author of My Beautiful Laundrette and London Kills Me.

Kureishi's ideas always interest me, but his characters never fail to disappoint. It's not that I always need to see good, decent people on screen. Far from it. I love a bit of ambiguity. But I want the characters to ring true. Maurice needs more of a reason to fall for Jessie than just her youthful beauty. Honestly, she's so unsympathetic, even when we reach the point in the film where she reveals she had an abortion, it's impossible to feel anything but hostility towards her.
The problem for Jodie Whittaker, the young actress playing Jessie, was she was up against a stellar cast. And whereas O'Toole can make Maurice (a plain and simple dirty old man on paper) into a real, human being, vulnerable and full of yearning, with just a blink of his world-weary eyes, Whittaker simply cannot do the same with Jessie. She offers us no subtle insight into Jessie's character, and sadly neither does the script.

The only other positive aspect of Venus is the wonderful performance of Vanessa Redgrave as Maurice's ex-wife. It seems extremely sad that actors as talented and respected as Redgrave and O'Toole are reduced to working in films as tawdry as Venus. The screen time they share is absolutely electric, and if only the whole film had been about their relationship instead it would have been a winner. Unfortunately, their chemistry only serves to further emphasize what's lacking in the relationship between Maurice and Jessie.

So, Venus, distinctly less than the sum of its parts, but worth watching, if it's on the telly, for Peter O'Toole, Leslie Phillips and Vanessa Redgrave. How nice it would be to see them in something of real quality.

Picture: Peter O'Toole in Venus, Free Range films.

Christian Bale Rant

2009-02-23T13:57:00.009Z

I know it's all over the web, but I only just got round to listening to Christian Bale's abusive Terminator Salvation on-set rant. Several versions are on You Tube - this is an unexpurgated one (so do not listen around small children or sensitive types). I have to admit, for me it brought back a flood of memories that had been squished way down into the back of my unconscious. Memories which serve to remind me why I write about films now rather than make them.

Back in the day, I worked on quite a few low budget films. I don't really have any big name horror stories to share, and even if I did I wouldn't name names for fear of reprisals. A fear that was instantly recognisable in the whispered responses of the well and truly castigated DP in the above incident. Even in my limited experience, I've seen directors balling out their assisstants in front of everybody on set, actors refusing to speak or even look at any crew member lower in the hierachy than director, and people fired for the most inconsequential reasons imaginable. This kind of work culture takes its toll, and whilst no-one ever criticised or bullied me directly, witnessing such abuse to others left a distinctly nasty taste. One that Bale's vitriolic rant has brought right back to the surface.

I notice McG did little to calm the situation, which again rang true. That kind of peace-keeping is left to others much further down the payscale. One director I worked with went so far as to actually tell me my presence was always a welcome sight just because I liased so well between people who hated each other. You might think that was a compliment, and indeed I took it as one, but that was for a film on which I received nothing more than travel expenses - and although I looked calm, the ranting shattered my nerves!

It's no wonder certain actors, film-makers and crews stick together time and again. If the set is a happy one, it must be such a rare joy. I wonder if Terry Gilliam or Martin Scorsese ever ball out their DPs? Or if Johnny Depp refuses to eat with the crew? I do hope not, but as they always say - never get to close to your heroes.

Picture Source: Charlie, via Wikimedia Commons. First published on Flickr - http://www.flickr.com/photos/26828635@N08/2669288881/

For Sale: House from Withnail and I

2009-02-16T14:34:00.007Z

Sleddale Hall, the derelict Cumbrian cottage where Marlow and Withnail went on holiday "by accident" has been put up for sale by current owners United Utilities. It's going under the hammer with Savills today.

The film is a cultish quirk of the British movie scene, circa late '80s. It's crammed with quotable lines and, for me at least, stands accountable for some extremely irresponsible drinking games fun.

On the very slim off chance that one of my mates is rich enough to buy Monty's den, and yet has concealed said monetary solvency from me thus far, I'd be forced to declare "that represents a level of hypocrisy in you that I'd previously suspected, but not noticed due to your highly evasive skills."

Bring back any memories? Reminisce some more by watching the Withnail trailer on You Tube here.

Review of a Classic British Film: Saturday Night and Sunday Morning

2009-02-13T11:54:00.008Z

Let's take a look back at the original kitchen sink drama, from the drab, grey, anything but swinging Britain of 1960.

Director Karel Reisz's Saturday Night and Sunday Morning, the classic story of an angry young man, heralded a new kind of cinema for British audiences. A classic social realist drama from the British New Wave, Saturday Night and Sunday Morning was groundbreaking in both its portrayal of the industrial nightmare of working class factory life, and its unrepentant, cocky anti-hero Arthur Seaton.

The 1960 film was Karel Reisz's first feature, made in the light of a number of outstanding documentaries from the Free Cinema movement. Interestingly, this film emerged at the same time as Jean-Luc Godard's debut feature A Bout De Souffle (Breathless). Reisz and Godard, the enfant terrible of the French New Wave, shared certain traits. Both were critics turned film-makers whose debut films were the first commercial hits of their respective new waves, and both films were anti-establishment pieces from directors with political agendas.

Saturday Night and Sunday Morning was a film to which many people could relate. Alan Sillitoe, who adapted his book for the screen, was the creator of one of the original angry young men of cinema history, Arthur Seaton. Arthur is a working class anti-hero whose boredom of factory life is assuaged only by his reckless attitude to life. Trapped in a dead end job, Arthur represents the individual against the system. He makes the most of his leisure time in an attempt to escape the mediocrity of his life. Arthur is blunt and cocky, out for a good time with women, booze and a well cut suit. But he is angry about the restrictions placed on him by his working class life. The cause of this aggression - factory life - united a public who recognized his anger. Cinema attendances reflected the fact that this was one of the first times audiences felt their own lives were represented on screen.

The character of Arthur is the epitome of the term fatally flawed. At the beginning of the film he is having an affair with Brenda, a married woman, who he gets pregnant. He tries to help her when she says she wants an abortion, although ultimately this is unsuccessful. It is a testament to the film-makers that this storyline does not alienate audiences. In fact, for all his gruff, rabble rousing, Arthur still remains a likable character. He is seen to get a sort of comeuppance when Brenda's brother in law beats him up at the Nottingham Goose Fair, but audience sympathy is still with Arthur. This is also due in no small part to Albert Finney's amazing portrayal of Arthur as a working class lad coming to bitter terms with the responsibilities of manhood.

Setting the film in Nottingham adds a further dimension of imprisonment, through iconography which has since been integrated into British cinema. The imposing chimney stacks and factories serve to increase the feelings of claustrophobia and provincial entrapment. Karel Reisz had already shown in his documentaries Everyday Except Christmas and We Are The Lambeth Boys that ordinary people could provide stories and entertainment, but his directors vision also demonstrates a poeticism of social problems. The views Reisz portrays through his lens have become embedded in British films, and typify a landscape still seen today in any British film within the social realist cannon.

The Best Valentine Films (that aren't too slushy)

2009-02-12T10:43:00.012Z

Oh the horror! It's that awful time of year again. But romantic movies don't have to be slushy heaps of cack. My top films for celebrating the sort of never-ending, undying love that transcends all barriers (how's that for a bit of romance, eh?) are:

12 Monkeys - Because how much do you want Madeleine Stowe and Bruce Willis to get it together? Very much indeed! And yet 12 Monkeys is so definitely not slush. Plus it's got Brad Pitt's best performance ever in it. Either this or The Fisher King would keep me happy on Valentine's day. You can't go wrong with a bit of Gilliam.
Chocolat - Okay, this one might be a tiny weeny bit girly, what with Johnny Depp looking his absolute sexiest as a dishevelled, bohemian, guitar man. But the boys have got Juliet Binoche to keep them happy, and of course there's the eminently watchable Dame Judi of Dench in the mix too, so everyone can still pretend they're watching a proper grown up film.
Amelie - For being such a wonderful story, for being so much fun, for being full of gorgeous colours and scenes, and for having the object of Amelie's affections work on the ghost train, thus providing the most strange but romantic interlude ever when she rides the train for a glimpse of him.
The Princess Bride - Because it's guaranteed that anyone unfamiliar with this film will be initially put off by the super-girly title, but will be totally and utterly won over by the brilliantly funny story as soon as they sit down to watch it.
Il Postino - Yes it's got poetry and love letters and enforced exile, but it's all in Italian and Spanish which somehow makes it much more upmarket and acceptable.
Out of Sight - Because never mind about Valentine's day, this film would make my top 10 any day of the year. It sneaks in here by virtue of being so damn sexy it hurts, but rest assured Out of Sight is no slush-fest. It's just as enjoyable for the less loved up as it is for the romantcally entwined. Always a winner in my book.

Well, there's a few just off the top of my head. I could go on, but I'm sure you've probably got your own ideas too, so I'm gonna throw this over and ask for your own fave romantic films that aren't too slushy. What movie will you be settling down to on Saturday?

Image: Jennifer Lopez from Out of Sight, courtesy of MCA/Universal pictures.

Noel Clarke and the 2009 BAFTAs

2009-02-11T10:15:00.012Z

This must be the first time in a decade at least that I actually backed a winner. Noel Clarke has won the Rising Star award at the Baftas and I voted for him. Last time I even came close to winning was on an accumulator at Chepstow, and that doesn't really count because my final horse didn't place.
Anyway, although I thought Michael Fassbender would win, I still voted for Noel. The more I think about it now, the more I think the choice was actually a foregone conclusion. I guess Noel is the most recognisable face in the category, thanks to his Doctor Who stint. Maybe I should have shown my support to Fassbender after all? Maybe he needed it more? Still, I'm so pleased Noel won. The Kidulthood and Adulthood films show there's much more to Noel than just fighting cybermen and losing his girlfriend to a timelord. Perhaps this will be his year.

The 2009 Baftas was, I have to say, far more exciting than usual. I didn't fall asleep on the settee, as I thought I would, I was glued to the box. Mickey Rourke was hugely entertaining, and apart from the shambolic montage that introduced him, it was brilliant to see Terry Gilliam get the fellowship. Of course, Slumdog Millionaire with 7 Baftas is now the film to beat at the Oscars, but it was nice to see a spread of awards going to other deserving recipients; Heath Ledger, Man on Wire, I've Loved You So Long, Steve McQueen. I'm only sad they didn't create some kind of special award, just for being totally brilliant, and give it to Michael Sheen. Next year Michael. Best Actor - The Damned United. It's coming to you!

Everybody seemed super excited to see Brad and Angelina at the awards too - the cameras could hardly bare to be pulled away from them - but I bet I'm not alone in being a teensy bit pleased they didn't win. It's not like they need any more publicity, is it? And doesn't Brad look like a cock with that awful 'tache. Sort it out man.

Image Sourced from: Wikimedia Commons, first published by dalekhelen on Flickr: http://flickr.com/photos/14344650@N03/2257630740.