Keswick Film Club Reviews

Sparkle

2008-04-07T11:48:00.001Z

Sparkle
Review By John Stakes

Last Sunday’s film ‘Sparkle’, the last of the current season, was made on a shoestring by the British writer/director team of Neil Hunter and Tim Hunsinger, the makers of ‘Lawless Heart’ which was generally rated as the best British film of 2001. Did their latest 2007 offering sparkle?

Yes – in a way. Superficially it has been labelled as a low budget Brit flick or rom- com, but laced with some nicely dry and witty dialogue ( particularly from Anthony Head as the gay uncle of young romantic female lead Kate ( Amanda Ryan ), and some occasional beefed up meaty scenes, it almost managed to throw off its Richard Curtis ‘ Love Actually ‘ mantel, and was all the more engaging for it.

Bob Hoskins played against type as an ageing loner who falls in love in the opening frame with the male lead’s mother, a pub crooner with a heart of gold and pretensions to stardom. Hoskins skilfully managed against the odds to avoid mawkishness and brought genuine warmth to his character.

Shaun Evans as the Liverpudlian male lead was pitched somewhere between a young Paul Nicholas and Hugh the insistently youthful Grant, as he charmed his way into a rather sanitised version of London life ( Douglas Isle of Man actually ) and into the beds of both PR firm head Sheila ( Stockyard Channing ) and, unwittingly, her daughter Kate at almost the same time.

The complications of the plot enabled the film to be played at a constantly unflagging pace, which hid many of the budget limitations ( was it the same crowd at all the PR events ? ) and its TV spin off feel in the early scenes. The one hundred plus audience clearly enjoyed its feelgood effect and any disbelief was suitably suspended over the Richard Curtis-style climactic scene where love conquered all.

The Diving Bell And The Butterfly

2008-03-31T19:43:00.001Z

The Diving Bell And The Butterfly
Review By John Stakes

What an unusual title: what an extraordinary and compelling film, receiving its first showing in Keswick to a very large and appreciative audience last Sunday, and having already garnered four Oscar nominations, two Golden Globes and one Bafta on its journey here.

The story is both traumatic and true. It is almost impossible to imagine the plight of anyone waking up from a three weeks’ coma after a massive stroke to find they are in a state of head to toe physical paralysis and unable to speak, and yet with their sight and hearing unimpaired and mentally fully alert. This rare locked-in syndrome condition was described by its victim Jean Bauby, the 43 years’ old editor of the French magazine Elle, and separated father of three, as akin to being in a diving bell at the bottom of the ocean. His first thoughts were to be allowed to die.

Award winning director Julian Schnabel realised Bauby’s self-imprisonment by showing it from Bauby’s perspective for large parts of the film through clever camera work to reveal the utterly frustrating claustrophobia of what remained of Bauby’s life. This was particularly illustrated in the scene where Bauby’s right eye is stitched up to prevent infection and we were able to watch from inside his eye as blackness replaced the light. There was a palpable sense of relief as the audience at least was periodically released from his nightmare each time the camera changed this perspective.

Bauby never recovered. However, through the ingenuity of his physiotherapist and especially his speech therapist, he was able to communicate by blinking his left eye, and, eventually and painstakingly completed what was to become a best selling memoir of his tragic experience, before suddenly contracting pneumonia from which he died ten days after its publication. Before then he had taken us on a butterfly-like tour of his life through the use of his one freedom – his imagination and memory, and he was able to reconstruct the events leading up to his stroke as he was driving his son through the leafy lanes near Calais.

Bauby was brilliantly played by French actor Mathieu Amalric ( soon to be seen as the next James Bond villain ), the part being initially scheduled for Johnny Depp by Universal Studios. The rest of the cast comprising doctors, family and business acquaintances were all excellent revealing varying degrees of sincerity ( or lack of it) as they presented themselves before the glare of Bauby’s remaining searching eye.

Once again we were privileged to witness through cinema an extreme aspect of the human condition presented with a restrained compassion and honesty. This enabled the full enormity of Bauby’s predicament and its effect on those around him to emerge without a trace of false heroics and audience manipulation which would no doubt have bedevilled what was originally intended to be a Hollywood production.

4 Months 3 Weeks 2 Days

2008-03-26T07:45:00.001Z

4 Months 3 Weeks 2 Days
Review By John Stakes

Abortion, legal or otherwise is not, understandably perhaps, an oft frequented subject matter for film makers or audiences ( with the notable exception of ‘ Vera Drake’ ) and many would find it difficult, if not impossible, to be persuaded that they might ‘ enjoy’ watching what here was at times a graphic depiction of the process. But read on. Last Sunday’s film by Romanian writer/director Cristian Mungiu was an utterly compelling and gripping account of the trauma associated with this intimately personal process.

So how could such a theme possibly engage an Easter Sunday audience for two hours on a crisp sunny afternoon?

The answer lies in the fusion of several ingredients. First, the period – Romania 1987. Ceausesco’s dictatorship is about to fall and life generally is difficult, insecure and uncertain - creating a dramatic backdrop of tension. This was a country where the black market flourished and was essential to enable everyday living to be endured. If caught the protagonists would be sent to prison. Secondly, the venue – a bedroom in a hotel where the mere act of passing in and out was fraught with difficulty reflecting the petty bureaucracy which bedevilled the regime and, in dramatic terms, cranked up the tension.

Next was the acting – painfully real and naturalistic. In the hands of the back street abortionist Mr Bebe ( Vlad Ivanor ) it was truly frightening as he manipulated an all- too-familiar situation to him to his gratifying advantage. The simple and effectively direct camera work brilliantly caught the fear and trepidation as it played, often in close-up, on the faces of the two lead girls so there was no escape or respite from the underlying strain and apprehension.

But perhaps the most distinguishing feature of the drama was the total switch in character focus. Initially our attention and sympathy were naturally drawn to the pregnant Gabita ( Laura Vasiliu ), but as the film developed our allegiances transferred completely to her friend Otilia who had decided to help her. That decision was to cost Otilia her dignity self respect and the collapse of her relationship with her boyfriend. Anamaria Marinca as Otilia deserved an oscar for her performance. The long static take on her face as she sat motionless and silent through her boyfriend’s family party was memorable, as was her shock at the depth of Gabita’s selfishness and indifference in the final restaurant table scene.

The film richly deserved its Palme D’Or at the 2007 Cannes film festival and was a thoroughly thought-provoking experience for the many who ventured indoors last Sunday.

Rescue Dawn

2008-03-12T13:12:00.000Z

Rescue Dawn
Review By John Stakes

By far the most stomach churning sequence in this survival in the jungle Vietnam war drama shown last Sunday, was the propaganda style flag waving finale in which first time mission airman Dieter Dengler ( Christian Bale doing a passable imitation of Jim Carrey ) is carried aloft by his crew on a wave of mutual congratulation at his rescue.

Dengler’s amazed and slightly crazed look was understandable. It is 1965 and some six months earlier his commanders had sent him on a foolhardy mission over enemy territory into Laos towards the Ho Chi Min Trail; left him and fellow longer standing POWs to fester in a camp a few yards away from where he came down it seemed; and tried to shoot him down when he torched an abandoned village to attract their attention !

After all these indignities Dengler’s jungle experiences were somewhat tamer. He and a couple of other eccentrics had managed to escape during their guards’ lunchbreak up to which point their gaolers had seemed only marginally more interested in them than their own commanders. Dengler’s desire to escape had intensified when he learned that food supplies to the camp were running out and the guards were keen to return to their families.

Having escaped Dengler found the jungle fodder slightly more palatable ( snake ) than lunch in the camp ( maggots ) and gave him the strength to build ( how ? ) a substantial raft when a river was reached whilst caring for for a fellow POW Duane ( Steve Zahn ) who was mentally and physically on his last legs. Undeterred by an attack of leeches Dengler manages to avoid capture when Duane is killed and eventually completes his escape and is rescued by waving a couple of palm leaves when standing in a clearing and attracting the correct attention of a passing US helicopter when all his previous village fire raising efforts had failed.

Director/writer Werner Herzog’s love of landscape is a feature of his film making and here it was by far the most impressive aspect of the film, presenting protection and danger in equal measure. Not perhaps amongst the elite of POW movies, but its quirky feel and idiosyncrasies held attention, and the film was an enjoyable addition to the wide range of genres on offer this season.

Familia Rodante

2008-03-03T20:24:00.002Z

Familia Rodante
Review By John Stakes

In an eleventh-hour change to last Sunday’s programme (due to circumstances beyond the club’s control) another large audience was treated to an earlier work of director Pablo Trapero, his 2004 film ‘Familia Rodante’ rather than his latest “ Born and Bred “. It was indeed a ‘treat’, as not only was the film a skilfully crafted and sympathetic depiction of a major event in the life of four generations of one Argentinian family, admission was free !

The ‘event’ was a thousand kilometre drive from the family’s home town to the foothills close to the Brazil border. Eighty four years old greatgrandmother Emilia was to be maid of honour at a cousin’s wedding and decided to take three generations of offspring and their husbands with her bringing the total party to an assorted dozen, all crammed into a twenty years’ old Chrysler camper van complete with DIY extras and a stray dog.

En route cousins became kissers, one son-in-law made an ill-judged play for his sister-in- law, the other blew his own and the van’s head gasket ( which is replaced by adapting a metal flower pot holder ) and the van runs out of petrol. What was so refreshing and honest about the portrayal of this slice of one family’s life was the completely natural playing of the ensemble cast ( led by Amelia who was not a professional actress ) and the fly on the camper wall technique. And, unlike in many ‘road’ movies, there seemed to be a complete absence of contrivance, the unforced comedy springing effortlessly from the differing reactions of the party as they fell victim to quite commonplace events thrown up during what was to them a once in a lifetime journey.

Although this mini pilgrimage exposed weaknesses and tensions within the party and events conspired to frustrate progress there was never any doubt that the trek would be completed and the only question was whether they would arrive in time for the ceremony.

By embracing four generations of one family Pablo Trapero succinctly encapsulated and illuminated ‘la ronde’ of life culminating in Emilia’s decision to stay behind ( for how long ? ) with her sister, having met an old flame at the wedding. This was a warm and affectionate film of universal appeal, and for those new to this director’s work, the decision to screen his ‘Born and Bred’ at a later date will be especially welcome.

2 Days In Paris

2008-02-23T19:10:00.002Z

2 Days In Paris
Review By John Stakes

Last Sunday’s film was, for a welcome change, a comedy. If ever there was a film which depended on one person for its success or failure this was it. French actress Julie Delpy wrote, directed, edited, and starred in this comedy of misunderstandings, and if that was not enough, she composed all the original music, and cast her actor parents as her film parents no doubt to cast a watchful eye over her endeavours..

The central theme of this amusing and at times quirkily hilarious film was the lack of understanding between French and American people as personified by the two leads Marion ( Delpy ) and her partner Jack ( a thoroughly bemused looking Adam Ginsberg ) as they paused in their return journey from Venice to New York to spend two days in Paris visiting Marion’s oddball parents. This was Jack’s first encounter with them and their Bohemian Parisian lifestyle during the two years he and Marion had been, well, sort of together, but he was totally unprepared for this or for any of the following events as Marion met up with several of her previous boyfriends.

Jack’s failure to understand Marion’s behaviour and to misinterpret the unfolding events, ignited a paranoia which lead him to conclude that he scarcely knew Marion and that she was about to dump him. Marion begins to think Jack is about to do the same to her. Jack’s brief arrest in the street by being in the wrong place at the wrong time served to underline his growing perplexity and sense of isolation.

The set piece scenes were carried off with true French sophistication, charm and visual wit, and if these had been bolstered by the verbal wit of say Woody Allen to whom the film pays homage, this could happily have sat alongside some of his best works. Despite this shortcoming the film was continuously enjoyable with several laugh out loud moments, and deserved its inclusion in the Club’s Spring season to counterbalance the more serious and socially gritty offerings on show. And, by the way, the film ended on an optimistic note to the effect that what they believed they did not understand about each other was manageable at their thirty-something age !

The Counterfeiters

2008-02-02T18:45:00.000Z

The Counterfeiters

Review By John Stakes

The centrepiece of last Sunday’s feature film was a Nazi scam which was to prove to be the largest counterfeiting operation in history, involving over £130 million forged in the “ golden cage “ of a German concentration camp. Had it been successful it would have crippled both the UK and USA economies.

Austrian director Stefan Ruzowitzky has brought these true-life events powerfully to the screen in a compelling and gripping thriller which has already earned a 2008 Oscar nomination for “ Best Film in a foreign language “ and is destined to garner many more awards.

To execute their plan the Nazis dragooned an assorted bunch of Jewish inmates including a professional forger, printers and various other craftsmen all of whom would otherwise have perished alongside their families, friends and compatriots had they refused to fall into line.

It is difficult to imagine a more frightening situation in which to have to make the agonising choice between taking the opportunity for personal survival by co-operating with the German war effort in this way, or deciding not to because of one’s beliefs and concern for one’s countrymen and thereby confirming your own death warrant. This dilemma was to haunt the team throughout their incarceration.

This could have been yet another unbearably grim drama of concentration camp life, but Ruzowitzky’s methodology was to concentrate on the obvious daily fine line between survival and death by using his mastery of the thriller genre in many key scenes. The cleverly constructed scene climaxing with the news that the Bank of England had authenticated ace forger “ Sally “ Sorowitsch’s pound notes was alone worth the cost of admission. The tension as survival hung by a thread was maintained by the combination of some very adroit hand held camera work and tight editing all of which illuminated the plight of the inmates, their boiler house conditions, and the stranglehold of their captors. At the same time we were alerted to the horrors being perpetrated only just out of sight to the less fortunate ones by various subtle touches deliberately pitched to feed the imagination The surviving team members’ release into the rest of the corpse-strewn camp when liberation finally came was memorable.

The ensemble cast led by Karl Markovics ( “ Sally “ ) and supported by August Diehl ( Adolf Burger ) were excellent. Both men underplayed their roles to perfection so we were in no doubt as to their inner turmoil just below their outward expressions.

Ruzowitsky deserves every success with this brilliant film watched by another large audience which was obviously gripped throughout.

True North

2008-02-02T18:39:00.001Z

True North Review

by John Stakes

What a catch of a film! Imagine the predicament. The captain and three man crew of a storm tossed trawler are heading back to Peterhead from Ostend. Their cargo – a hold filled with dying illegal Chinese immigrants who outnumber the fish caught so far.

The hook - enough money to stave off bankruptcy.
The line - they need more time to catch enough fish so as not to arouse suspicion from the authorities when they eventually land.
The sinker - one of the human cargos is found caught up in the next catch.

Director Steve Hudson and his cast of "Ken Loach faithfuls" cranked up the tension and claustrophobia in equal measure as the drama intensified into tragedy relieved only by the sight of the one survivor – a young stowaway girl as she boarded a bus to whatever fate awaited her on the Scottish mainland.

This was taut reality British film making at its powerful best which netted and gripped a very large audience of 150 public and club members alike in what is proving to be a hugely popular season which approaches its climax with the 2008 Film Festival starting on the 8ththFebruary.

Bombs At Teatime

2008-01-24T22:14:00.000Z

The following review was written by former KFC committee member Paul Buttle for The Oldie magazine. You can find out more about The Oldie at www.theoldie.co.uk.

Despite the name of this film there are no bombs in it - but there’s plenty of tea. It’s not a film in the conventional sense, but a compilation, of short information films about England in the forties made against a background of war.

I’m only just a child of the forties - the late forties - yet these shorts had a dim familiarity to me. Apart from one, though, I doubt I’d ever seen them before - but the style in which they were produced seemed vaguely familiar. They were all produced by government agencies, principally the Ministry of Information, for instructional purposes and I must have seen hundreds of their type in the early fifties when my mother took me with her to the cinema each week - before our home acquired a television.

One short called “Tea Making Tips” is pretty scary stuff. A wild eyed chap in a white coat appears on the screen and fearsomely dictates the “six golden rules” of making a good cup of tea - and was obviously going to show no mercy to anyone who forgot them. No wonder watching films like that when I was a toddler made me think the world was a complex and daunting place.

The other shorts are: “Five Inch Bather” - a lesson on how to economise on water. “Two Cooks and a Cabbage” - in which two young girls do the cooking and their brothers naturally do the eating: “Christmas Under Fire” - the Christmas being 1940 which finishes with a very poignant shot of people sleeping in the Underground: and “The Countrywomen” a peaen of praise to a branch of the Women’s Institute somewhere in deepest East Anglia working tirelessly for the war effort, making - well, er jam.

Doing something for the “war effort” is the unstated aim of most of these shorts. Making the best of the little that was available - cutting down on waste. At the same time the films are very revealing of the period - when even working class men wore ties even when they were watching a football match; small boys wore shorts and their grannies wore pinnies. Several times I had the same reaction Scrooge had when he saw old Fezziwig - one of wistful delight.

I watched the film with a young French friend who said to me afterwards: “Now I know who the English are!”
“Well, it’s what we once were.” I said

Even though the film is a DVD we watched it on a cinema screen as it was one of the films our local film club had chosen to present this winter. I had no idea that we weren’t watching a celluloid film until there was a hitch and we were told the DVD had to be changed. It pulled in quite a large audience as lots of oldies came to see it. “A tribute to that endearing human trait of nostalgia” our club secretary said afterwards. It even drew that rare response from a cinema audience - a round of applause at the end.

Michael Clayton

2008-01-10T12:03:00.000Z

Review By John Stakes

My wife and I really enjoyed " Michael Clayton " on Sunday. I know it is a mainstream film and may therefore lend itself less to critical analysis than the arthouse variety, but set against others in the genre it was just about as good as it gets we thought. The opening montage brilliantly encapsulated the main themes and introduced us to the principal players in a telling but economic way. The Gilroy family combined expertly over plot construction and development so some difficult material was presented with clarity. In my view there was not a wasted frame and the overall direction showed a mastery of the subject matter and a real flair for allowing the story to unfurl ( how often are good scenes ruined by editorial scalpel wielders who assume we all have nominal attention spans? !! ). The gradual build-up paid dividends in the closing scenes ( e.g. it was edge of the seat stuff wondering how far the nasties would be behind Clooney when his car exploded ) and the denouement was priceless.

Perhaps I am biased - I used to be a lawyer ( not a corporate but a litigator nevertheless ) - but I've had to deal with the Tilda Swinton types over the years and their need to assert their ability and hard-won status at all costs was regularly evident - in short they were a pain in the neck and elsewhere. I did sympathise with her to the extent of forever having her client at her side hanging on her every word which is truly burdensome but her come-uppance was beautifully scripted and acted out. The acting throughout was uniformly high quality with Clooney applying an ensemble- inclusive approach and making no attempt to dominate the screen, so that all his lengthy time in front of the camera was spent in immersing himself in the lead role and the whiff of charisma never surfaced!

In short - great stuff.

The Woodsman (DH)

2005-10-10T21:50:00.000Z

The Woodsman

Directed by Nicole Kassell.
Screenplay, Kassell, Steven Fechter, based on Fechter's play.
Walter - Kevin Bacon
Vickie - Kyra Sedgwick
Mary-Kay - Eve
Sgt. Lucas - Mos Def
Bob - David Alan Grier
Carlos - Benjamin Bratt
Rosen - Michael Shannon
Robin - Hannah Pilkes
Pedro - Carlos Leon

“What is the worst thing you have ever done?” reads the tag line to this insightful, thought provoking and in many ways ground breaking film that portrays the efforts of a convicted paedophile to become “normal” again after a twelve year prison sentence.
There is that word “Paedophile”.
Still reading? Paedophilia is an emotive subject, if not the most emotive that will have vigilantes reaching for their base ball bats, parents pulling their children close to them and the media stirring up a witch hunt. It is no wonder that audiences may approach this harrowing film with trepidation, if at all.
Those that do make the decision to watch this film, to have an open mind and avoid knee jerk reactions will be in for a rewarding and enlightening experience that does not preach or defend, but explores. This is an exploration of one of the darkest aspects of society, something that has always been there but remains a taboo in conversation and often in art.

Adapted from a play by first time feature director Nicole Kassell The Woodsman is surprisingly well crafted, with poignancy and confidence that is rare from one so inexperienced, especially considering the subject matter.

Walter (Bacon) wisely keeps to himself, all too aware that the fragile equilibrium that he has built for himself could all too easily be shattered if his past comes out. He gains employment at a lumber yard in Philadelphia, and in a cruel twist of fate can only get an apartment opposite a school. This is his world, living in fear that his co-workers might discover his criminal past, and living with temptation every day as he stares from his window at the young girls coming and going from school.

As an audience we watch transfixed, wanting to despise Walter, and yet not being able to find anything to truly hate about him except for the crime he committed over a decade ago. A tight knot builds in our stomachs, a fear and tension, as Walter goes through each day, at times passing by young girls, sometimes following them and then conversing with them. We feel a deep fear that he may strike again and yet cling to a hope that he will fight his urges.

Bacons performance is being hailed by many as the best of his career, and it is easy to see why. He brings depth to this character with a subtle performance that shows the inner turmoil of a man that carries a world of guilt on his shoulders along with a self loathing and fear of re-offending. Bacon manages all these traits with ease, suggesting a complexity and three-dimensionality to a character that we will never love; but learn to admire.

Bacons real life wife plays Vickie (Sedgwick), a co worker that begins a relationship with Walter. Their on screen chemistry helps in making Walter a human being, rather than a monster. In one scene Vickie initiates the standard relationship conversation of “what is your darkest secret?” A fun game between many lovers, but this time the answer she gets shines the harsh light of reality onto their budding romance. Her reaction is understandable in many ways, and handled perfectly by Sedgwick whose characters actions become a very real source of hope that Walter will be rehabilitated. Walters exploration of how to love, and make love, to an adult woman (a feisty one at that) is intriguing and touching, especially when he appears to re-enact his crime with her, trying to direct his lust and fantasies onto a consenting adult.

Walter is portrayed as a semi-mythic deity, a creature “other” than the norm, a deviant that walks among us seeing the world through different eyes. He sees all men as potential paedophiles, in a hope that he isn’t a monster, but an average man that was unable to control the urges that every man feels. He is an archetypal fairy tale character, not to be confused under any circumstances with a pantomime villain. He represents a primal fear, and wears the mask of the child catcher from those dark tales of old, moral tales in which there was rarely a happy ending. The film links itself to this fairytale world via its title and Walters job; a woodsman.
As Detective Lucas (Mos Def) explains the woodsman was the hero of Little Red Riding Hood who cut open the big bad wolf and freed her. He laments that there are no Woodsman, no heroes, in the real world. Even though the Detective is an officer of the law his obsessive surveillance of Walter means he fails to notice another Paedophile on the prowl, one that Walter is all too aware of. A reflection on our society in which the media focuses our attention on rehabilitated Paedophiles that may live among us, when in truth it is the family members and friends that are statistically more likely to be the threat.

The character ark of Walter is perfectly executed and believable, and we are gripped as he continually struggles to throw off the mask of child catcher and attempts to fulfil the unattainable role of the woodsman, a protector of children rather than a hunter. The scenes that aid this evolution of character are crafted, paced and played with such intricacy that afterwards the audience will realise they have been holding a collective breath, the film has entranced you so much.

It is made clear throughout the film that paedophilia is a disgusting act, and the Detective recounts specific accounts that are sure to horrify. It does not try to get the audience to sympathise with or condone Walters’s actions, but does ask questions about the society in which we live, where the sexualisation of the young is increasingly frequent. It is now common for adolescent girls to act in an extremely arousing and sexual way in society and in the media, causing many paedophiles to search for younger and younger girls to find innocence. It is now not unusual for society to accept sexually active fourteen years old girls becoming parents. If fourteen year olds can be a parent this year, in a few years will it be eleven and twelve year olds? How far are we away from a society in which pre teens are mothers and fathers? Who is to blame? What’s the worst thing you have done? How would your friends and family react if they knew? These are just a few of the questions that the film poses.

The Woodsman re-affirms the power of cinema as a force to intelligently provoke discussion and illuminate those areas of society that are too often misunderstood or hidden; and as such this film is deserving of applause.

Maria Full of Grace (DH)

2005-09-29T11:51:00.000Z

Maria Full of Grace

(I know I stand alone with my dislike of this film, but it really did nothing for me.)

The evocative posters depicting an attractive girl tilting her head upwards to receive a pellet, akin to a fledgling bird, built up a fervent interest in this allegedly stirring and provocative tale of a drug “mule”. Written and directed by Joshua Marston Maria Full of Grace uses a restrictive narrative to introduce the audience to a feisty seventeen year old Colombian girl, Maria (Catalina Sandino Moreno) who dreams of more than her factory job, ambivalent boyfriend and family can offer her. One way out of her mundane existence is to become a drug trafficker, to swallow sixty to seventy pellets containing heroin; each weighing 10 grams and measuring 4.2 cm long and 1.4 cm wide. With this deposited precariously in her stomach, she approaches US customs.

Their have been a great deal of films that have dealt with drug trafficking, admittedly from the point of view of Americans. Broke Down Palace is a highlight due to its emotional impact and portrayal of friendship which stands as a stark warning for those venturing to Asia. The Bridget Jones sequel also set Bridget up and put her, momentarily, in a Thai jail surrounded by sympathetic cell mates. These characters are traditionally victims of circumstance, in comparison Maria Full of Grace is from the point of view of a Colombian that chooses to smuggle drugs.
Unfortunately there is still the overriding feeling that this is nothing new, OF COURSE it is the poverty stricken who turn to drug smuggling in countries in which one trip can earn the funds to buy a house. OF COURSE many of these people are not evil, and OF COURSE it is the last option for many.
Sadly this film does not fully explore the intricacies of the situation and remains focused on one character, Maria, who is deeply unsympathetic. Maria is not overtly poor; she works, seems some what educated, is attractive and has a family that help look after her. Maria is un-likeable, whining about her lot in life, disrespecting her parents and generally acting like a two dimensional stereotype of a teenager, just dying to scream “IT’s NOT FAIR” reminiscent of Harry Enfield’s all too familiar creation Kevin.

Train spotting showed the disgusting levels Heroin addicts will go to in order to get a fix and Maria Full of Grace attempts to do the same with smuggling. Regrettably the pellet swallowing is well documented. There are regular stories in the media regarding those with drugs in their stomach, placed in orifices, or even sewed into their body. Although the prevailing feeling is who cares? Who cares what repulsive acts smugglers must stoop to in order to get their product on to the streets of America?

This is a film that manages to bore, due to its functional direction and clunky dialogue (or perhaps that is the translation?) There is no attempt to get the audience to emote with Maria, a character that knows what she is doing is wrong, but puts her needs, or more specifically her wants, ahead of all the people whose lives will be destroyed by her decision. The plot is incoherent in parts, with a pregnancy being used as a poor tool to get Maria to leave her boyfriend, and an excuse not to get X Rayed by customs. There are the occasional signs of a deeper level of craftsmanship; perhaps there is some form of irony that Maria works in a factory de-thorning roses, making a luxury item for overseas buyers no doubt. However this again is disjointed, as is any attempt to intelligently comment on either the theme of the corruption of innocence or the journey from adolescence to adulthood.

Ultimately this is un-engaging, un-interesting and, despite its origins, fails miserably to be enlightening or revealing. The tag lines reads “based on a 1000 true stories”, we can only wonder why the film makers chose the dullest, most illogical and least lucid tale they came across.

Vera Drake (DH)

2005-07-24T10:18:00.000Z

Vera Drake (2004)

Directed by Mike Leigh
Starring Imelda Staunton
Score 2/5

The critically acclaimed Mike Leigh film Vera Drake shuffled onto cinema screens months ago and I am still sceptical as to why it has gained so much praise.
Imelda Staunton takes on the title role as a selfless matriarch that believes every problem can be solved with a cup of tea and a jaunty, if not annoying, hum.
Vera copes with post war Britain with ease, holding together her interdependent family as she moves around the community, cleaning upper class houses and looking after those in need; always with a smile and a kind word on her lips.

But Vera has a secret. In 1950’s Britain abortion was illegal, certainly without the consent of highly paid medical professionals and psychiatrists. Vera’s response to this is to perform “backstreet” terminations, helping girls “in trouble” by a non draconian method involving a syringe, soapy water and a detergent.
This is not supposed to be a tirade supporting or condemning the pro life debate, just the story of one woman who truly believes what she is doing is right.

Vera Drake was nominated for a plethora of awards, winning many of them, unsurprisingly as it ticks all the right boxes to gain the attention of the awarding bodies. The brilliant performances, the heavy and controversial subject matter and the attention to detail are all established steps along the road to awards-ville.

Unfortunately this period of Britain and the characters portrayed have been parodied over recent years by some of the best comedic talents that Britain has to offer. Instead of being immersed within the narrative (as many people were) I was constantly reminded of the similarities between Vera Drake and Julie Waters’s Mrs Overall from Acorn Antiques.

This journey into my own little world was strengthened when Jim Broadbent turned up in a minor role as a judge. This is a walk on part! There is no character for him to develop or get his teeth into and he is too recognisable to believe he is anyone other than Jim Broadbent. I felt like the audience should erupt into the polite applause of cricket spectators as someone calls out “Jim Broadbent ladies and gentlemen, round of applause for Mr Jim Broadbent” His links to Victoria Woods and Julie Waters did nothing to stop my Acorn Antiques delusion, although at least I was able to entertain myself.

I found the film repetitive, with the abortion sequences being repeated several times with diverse clients. It did not need this many different portrayals for the audience to understand what it is Vera Drake does, one or two would have sufficed. The everyday mundane nature of these operations is already emphasised due to Vera Drake handling them in the everyday manor of someone cleaning a toilet bowl.

It is this flogging of the proletarian working class groundhog day-esque life that drains the most, and at over two hours this film is a trial to sit through.
This post war working class world is superbly represented down to the last detail; but at the cost of the narrative. A prime example of this is when Vera unpacks her shopping bag one item at a time so that the audience can marvel at the recreation of 1950’s tins of food.
I personally did not enjoy this film, would not watch it again and have put off even writing this review for as long as I could. Many people have tried to open my eyes and show me the beauty of this film, but I remain in the dark. Vera Drake was just not my Cup of Tea.

Darren Horne

Before Sunrise / Before Sunset (DH)

2005-04-06T22:36:00.000Z

Before Sunrise (1995) and Before Sunset (2004)

Directed by Richard Linklater
Starring Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy
Score 5/5

Before Sunrise is one of those films you stumble across by accident, and it this unexpected confrontation with excellence that causes the audience to experience that shakabookoo moment; that Swift Spiritual Kick to the Head That Alters Your Reality Forever. Before Sunset is life, it is experience. Anyone that has ever met someone they “kind of like” and wanted to find out more about them will know what this film is about. This is missed opportunity, this is chance, this is the roll of the dice and the one that got away. In this film a guy meets a girl on a train, they talk about nonsense as is the norm, but instead of saying goodbye and obsessing about what might have been the guy takes the leap of faith and convinces the girl to spend the next 14 hours exploring Vienna with him.

Already we see perfection; already this movie is a masterpiece. Is it Ethan Hawke’s scruffy American backpacker Jesse that reels us in, or the sexy Celine played by Julie Delpy? I say “played by” but there is no “play” in this film, there is no performance or representation. In this film the actors achieve such a level that this is nothing other than the “real”, the dialogue is of a couple exploring one another, the action is the terrified adolescent that hides in every adult, terrified of saying the wrong thing that may cause a loved one to disappear out of their life forever.

The beauty of this enchanting film is how the actors communicate what is often unsaid, suggesting that they are about to say something, or make a joke, but think better of it. Vulnerable glances are exchanged; tentative gestures of affection are made. This is the truest representation of a couple meeting, and through conversation realising that they have met their soul mate, ever committed to film.

It is heartbreaking to watch the impetuousness of youth dictate that the exchanging of phone numbers is a waste of time, for in youth we wrongly feel that their will be many that we connect with on such a spiritual level. The final moments of the film leave the audience perplexed, with an overwhelming desire to KNOW what happens next.

It is a stroke of luck to come across this film after the sequel has been released, for to wait the nine years for Before Sunset to be released would be an exquisite form of torture.
In the sequel we see the couple bump onto each other once more, and quite rightly we soon see that both carry scars from their original encounter. The memories of that one perfect night have been encased in crystal and romanticised, so that no future encounter would ever live up to that experience. There is but one option for these playthings of Cupid, they have to explore a complete relationship with one another.

As each scene unfolds we look to our watch, counting down the time in which these obvious soul mates have to discover they are made for one another. Early on we feel safe, they are re-acquainting themselves with what once was, playing poker for lovers, in which cards are held close to their chest. But this cannot be maintained, and it is in Jesses company limo that we are truly dragged back into the narrative, fully committed to their relationship when Celine breaks down, screaming about the repercussions that evening had for her; when you have experienced that true connection with another person, everything else is dull in comparison.

Again we check our watch, what will happen? Can we endure another departure as in Before Sunrise? The characters are now more mature and world weary; life is taking its toll. Now in their thirties they have an appreciation for each other that was lost in Venice. They have seen more of the world and realised no comparison can be made to that one night they shared together. Priorities are quickly re-arranged. What is life for? What is important? The sequel is snatched moments, fighting against a clock that continuously haunts them. Sometimes we scream for them to be truly honest with each other, to throw off their responsibilities and engulf themselves in their love, other times we fear that their lives will pull them apart, locked into an existence of wondering what could have been.

The ending of Before Sunset is perfection, and should be held up as a pinnacle of film making. A scene that is so unexpected and yet so correct, that if your reaction is a cheer, a tear or a jeer, you will know in your heart that it was right, and sit looking at the screen analysing and exploring all of the “what ifs?” that the characters will now face.
The true charm of the film is not what the characters are experiencing, but the level to which every viewer will project their own life onto the screen, contemplating whether they are with the right partner, or whether at some point in the past they should have spoke up, or allowed time for that special someone.
The universal response on viewing this film will be a deep down, soul aching desire to watch yet another sequel in another nine years time. Any film that can haunt its audience in this way is deserving of its title of Masterpiece.

Super Size Me (DH)

2005-04-06T22:31:00.000Z

Super Size Me

Directed, Written and Presented/Starring Morgan Spurlock

Score 4/5

Food and sensible eating seems to be the topic of the day, with Jamie Oliver kicking at the door of number 10 to force the PM to notice that many of the current school dinners are literally destroying pupil’s health. It’s about time, we cheer, as the one thing that can unite the generations is a memory of school dinners that was far from appetising.
Combine this with our quirky American cousins turning their litigious eyes to the fast food firms who they blame for making them fat, and you have a media feeding frenzy.

Super Size Me is the journey of an American citizen, but this one isn’t like the stereotypes, he has a girlfriend that is a vegan chef which, and as anyone guy that has ever dated a vegetarian will know this has a huge impact on your own diet. Spurlock is fit, healthy, attractive, and charismatic and appears intelligent, though his participation in this film may challenge that.
With all the serious and intellectual media coverage the issue of healthy eating gets, Spurlock’s approach is some what refreshing, if not ill-advised. To silence the McDonalds PR machine who claim their food will not make people fat, he decides to eat from their gourmet menu three times a day for one month, and reduce his exercise to the level of the average American.

What begins as a fun and light hearted look at a guy gorging himself on Big Macs becomes a horrifying freak show of a man quickly and systematically destroying his body, causing weight gain of 20 pounds, mood swings, damage to his liver, and an increase in cholesterol. He feels fatigued and complains of chest pains, and perhaps most distressing of all is that his girlfriend starts to complain about his declining sexual ability!

Spurlock’s personal charm and amiability enhance the films appeal and carry us through the experiment, causing us to care for this brave, but inherently stupid yank. We feel for him as he undergoes the assault of burgers and fries, and when his girlfriend and doctors strongly advise he call off the whole thing, we yearn for him to pay heed. The one saving grace we have is the belief that his girlfriend will whip him back into shape, a feat that takes her a whole year to accomplish.

It is easy to distance ourselves from these silly Americans, after all, at times they seem as though they are another species entirely. But the resounding message that permeates this movie isn’t a rant of the evil of the golden arches, but a reminder that the choice is ours, and we should choose to exercise and try no to eat more that one fast food meal a week. It is clear that Spurlock loves his food, and even after his near death experience it is likely he munches on the occasional quarter pounder.

There is a fairly broad range of views present in this film, dieticians, nutritionists, lawyers and fast food fanatics. One overweight 14 yr old girl comments that a conference speaker at a Subway convention advised that eating two Subway meals a day instead of McDonald’s will help her to lose weight. The girl’s response is one of confusion as she can’t afford two Subways a day, so how will she ever lose weight?

On the other side of the argument there is the American that has eaten over 9, 000 Big Macs and remains very slim; though perhaps this is only an external illusion of health. However the real villains of this piece are the GIGANTIC sodas and evil fries, which should be avoided at all costs. What does all that soda do to their teeth? The acid must be having a party, no wonder the teeth whitening craze began in the USA!

What does this film leave us with? Well, for what it is worth McDonalds stopped the super size option, but of course they claim, like our Labour government, that it had nothing to do with media pressure. Other than that we have a few laughs along with Spurlock, a highlight being the self aware comedic comparison of ham with heroin. We share his shock at McDonalds aggressive child orientated marketing campaign, the contents of a chicken McNugget, and the revelation that the definition of what a calorie is eludes us.
As a gonzo documentary about fast food it is superb viewing, but like most films of this type it is only worth watching once.

Memories of Murder (DH)

2005-04-02T12:19:00.000Z

Memories of Murder
(Salinui Chuek)
(2003)

Starring…. Kang-ho Song, Sang-Kyung Kim, Roe-ha Kim, Jae-ho Song, Hie-bong Byeon, Seo-hie Ko, No-shik Park.
Director…. Bong Joon-ho
Score…. 2/5

(some Spoilers)

This highly acclaimed film by debut director Bong Joon-ho won best new director award at the San Sebastian Film Festival and was a box office smash in Korea.

It follows the story of rural detective, Park’s, (Kang-ho Song) unprofessional response to the true story of Korea’s first serial killings which took place in 1986.
These murders were complicated and pre-meditated, taking place on rainy nights after a particular song had played on the radio, and involving the fetishistic binding and gagging of the female, red clothed, victims.
The local police response is to plant evidence, beat suspects for a confession, and consult a Shaman.

Luckily an educated detective, Seo, (Sang-Kyung Kim) is sent in from Seoul, who believes in scientific methods and logically analysing evidence. This sets up much of the films tension due to the friction between the two leading detectives individual approaches, which come down to the battle between instinct and science.

The film is certainly well constructed with strong performances from the entire cast, but it is ultimately unfulfilling. It is aimed firmly at the Korean audience, which may mean that the cultural differences form a barrier between the characters and some Western viewers. Whatever the reason the film remains un-engaging due to the difficulties in emoting with the protagonists.

The film also covers old ground, with themes that have been covered a thousand times before in more original ways. Instead of looking like a film set in 1986, it gives the impression that it was made in that year.
In typical buddy movie fashion the two detectives begin to learn from each other, and about the nature of their profession. The philosopher Nietzsche states that those who do battle with monsters must take care that they do not thereby become a monster, which is relevant here as Seo begins to throw off his logical methods in favour of beating the suspect he feels is guilty. Meanwhile Park relies less on instinct and leans more towards the logical and analytical approaches.

This coupling of opposites had the opportunity to be interesting viewing. However, perhaps the films biggest downfall is also the one aspect that gives it any originality. This is based on a true story, a story in which the killer was not found. This means that the story can only be told from the point of view of the police, leaving the audience in the same frustrating position as the detectives. In thrillers of this type it is customary to have a non restrictive narrative, so that the audience can see what the killer is plotting even if the identity is never revealed. It then becomes a series of moves and counter moves, a puzzle to be solved, rather than a frustrating journey of banging your head against a wall, in which no questions are answered.

There are touches of humour that lighten the heavy mood, but it is perhaps the scenes that are not supposed to be funny, such as some of the violent assaults by the detectives, that become the most comedic due to their slapstick tendencies.
Another well trodden theme is that it is the ordinary person that commits the most extraordinary acts of violence. Park is sure that the killer must be a pubic hair shaving psychopath rather than, as the audience will have already guessed, an average person.

Parks realisation of this is handled competently in the films haunting closing scene. Twenty years after the murders Park has changed careers and is now a salesman that happens to pass by the first crime scene of the murders. Whilst he is there a young school girl comments that another man had been their recently and spoke of how he had done something at that location long ago and wanted to remember it.
When Park presses for a description she replies “ordinary”, which is the moment of enlightenment for this character, who then stares, not at the camera lens, but into the audience, where the killer may well be sitting.

Ae Fond Kiss (DH)

2005-04-02T12:12:00.000Z

Ae Fond Kiss
(2004)

Starring…. Atta Yaqub, Eva Birthistle

Director…. Ken Loach

Score….5/5

(minor spoilers)

Ken Loach has always been a bit of an odd fish. Some people speak of him with a sense of awe, which is something I could never understand. Those few films of his that I have glimpsed always seemed to be dreary, dull and, for want of a better word – real; but real in a bad way, like soap operas try to be real. When those lights of the cinema dim and a hush cascades over the audience I want to be entertained, taken to a magical world. I don’t want to be reminded of Pat Butcher chain smoking in a nicotine yellow café.
Thankfully this film side steps that entire proletarian, only happy when it rains, content in our misery melancholy and is a far lighter affair.

I was wary at first, after all the plight of a second generation Pakistani Muslim that falls for an Irish Catholic lass and has to fight cultural prejudice really has no similarity with my own life. In fact the whole notion of extended families, arranged marriages and family responsibility is quite foreign to me. I needn’t have been so wary, as this film is a reminder that the language of love is universal.

Where it succeeds is in its superb casting. From the opening scene the feisty Tahara (Shabana Bakhsh) will have you hooked, with a performance that highlights the effects of race related bullying, and reminds us that it is still very much alive in this country.

Of course this film is not primarily about Tahara, it is about her older brother Casim (Atta Yaquab), and Roisin (Eva Birthistle). Once I heard Roisins Irish accent there was no escape for me. With any film based around a romance it is always important to in some way fall in love with one of the leads; something Eva pulls off with ease. Her performance here is unbelievably strong, reminiscent of an Irish Scarlett Johanson. Where has this actress been hiding?
It is Eva’s portrayal of vulnerability, heartbreak and compassion that lend the proceedings a sense of realism. Roisin is a real character, her emotions are real; to the point that it feels invasive, if not voyeuristic, that we are watching her.

At times you will want to reach into the screen and give her a hug, letting her know it’s all going to be okay and that Casim is not good enough for her. One such time is when her parish priest, superbly played by Gerard Kelly, launches into a tirade of condemnation at her behaviour. He makes you want to run along to church immediately to confess your sins, not matter what your religion is; and I thought that Casim’s family were being tyrannical!

Not only is this film entertaining, but educational too. The sympathetic and understanding portrayal of the Pakistani Muslim culture that incorporates a very strong case for arranged marriages, can do nothing but enlighten those of us that live in predominantly white areas The only problem arranged marriages have is that the fun of being in love IS the risk; the sheer panic that the next word you say may cause the object of your desire to rush out of your life never to be seen again.
This is what makes Casim’s and Roisin’s rollercoaster of a relationship such great viewing; where as a marriage based on common sense is a contradiction in terms.
The sex scenes are worth a mention, not because they are explicit, but because they are so immediate and genuine. It truly feels like this is the first time this couple have been intimate with one another, with the same awkwardness and use of humour. We do not see a great deal of their bodies, but the emotion and the eroticism is powerful enough to fluster any viewer. But again this is because we feel like a voyeur, peeping in through a window at a couple connecting physically and emotionally for the first time.

Not to be too over dramatic, but this film could be the greatest Romeo and Juliet story since Shakespeare. The development of the relationship between Casim and Roisin is delicate and touching; never overly sentimental or romantic, with an ending that fittingly retains an ambiguity; after all, in love nothing is certain.

Red Lights (DH)

2005-03-21T19:48:00.000Z

Red Lights
(Feux rouges)
(2003)

Starring…. Jean Pierre Darroussin, (Antoine) Carole Bouquet (Helene) Vincent Deniard (Cristophe) Jean-Pierre Gos (Levet)
Director…. Cedric Kahn
Score….2/5

The French are renowned for intellectualising cinema and identifying it as an area of artistic merit, with films such as À Bout de Souffle, Belle de Jour, and more recently the enchanting Amélie, providing examples of the pinnacle of film making.
Expectations can be high, as they were with Feux Rouges, and it can be easy to be disappointed.

The narrative follows a married couple’s journey to pick up their two children from summer camp. Helene (Carole Bouquet) is beautiful and intelligent and is a hit at the law firm where she works, but her husband Antoine (Jean Pierre Darroussin) is less successful and attractive, leaving him with feelings of impotency which he deals with by drinking.

This offering from our Gallic neighbours has left me with a desire to sign the petition to fill in the Channel Tunnel immediately. I have been violently offended by this film. I consider myself a modern man, unthreatened by powerful women, I have a willingness to talk about my emotions, I even shed a tear at the end of Titanic. But when confronted with a drink-driving caveman that harbours a desire to beat his chest and reinstate some prehistoric superiority over his wife, I can only be insulted

The insult is not the fault of the cast; Darroussin’s enchanting performance is particularly impressive, perfectly portraying the levels of inebriation, at times humorous, always pitiful. It is not his drinking that annoys, as Dudley Moore’s Arthur and Richard E Grant’s Withinail show, drunks can be hilarious. It is the response of those around the drunk that are both bewildering and frustrating. Bars next to the motorway continue to serve the drunken Antoine, and he coasts through a police roadblock with ease.

The night time cinematography is surreal and beautiful, perfectly expressing the hypnotic quality of road markings and headlights that can easily enthral the unwary driver. This is heightened by a fairy-tale quality that is given to some of the nocturnal motorway encounters.
The director does manage to build up tension, and the first half of the film is gripping as we search for the answers for Antoine’s drinking and sympathise with his plight as he is continuously kept waiting by his wife. Their relationship is interesting at this stage, primarily because we are intrigued why Helene has settled for the unhappy and unpleasant Antoine.
Unfortunately the film deteriorates quickly from then on, never knowing quite what it wants to say. The only message that does come through clearly is a rather unpleasant one regarding equality between the sexes in a contemporary world.
Antoine’s journey is one of discovery as he searches for his identity as a man. This is emphasised by his disregard for authority by speeding and drink driving, causing his wife to get the train. His attempts to bond with other men and his rants about brotherhood seem laughable, but also dangerous, as shown in the tense scene in which he picks up a hitchhiker. The film continues to irritate when Antoine realises that the hitchhiker is a wanted killer, but looks up to him because he is a “real man” and does not bow down to anyone. By allowing Antoine to kill this murderer in self-defence the audience is told that it is in combat that men become real men, in this case Antoine regains his masculine power. He becomes the warrior.

Helene is still strong though, and in order to put her “back in her place” and to restore Antoine’s masculinity fully, Helene has to be stripped of her power by the last weapon of degradation that man has against woman. The rape revelation allows Antoine to return to his shattered and broken spouse and be a pillar of strength, taking his “rightful” place as master of the household and removing any guilt he would feel at taking another man’s life, as he can view it as revenge for the violation of his wife.

Is this a comment on the modern man? Are we still in an age in which men are so threatened by equality that we want to revert to some archaic time where the phallus rules over all?

The cinematography is impressive in parts, the characters are believable and there are moments of genuine humour, but it is uneven, with plot holes and distracting suggestions about infidelity and conspiracy theories.
As a literary adaptation it suffers from the lack of a strong captain at the helm, who also appears to have been intimidated by the source material. It lacks clarity of storytelling, and bumbles between a cinematic experience and the representation of a literary one. Feux rouges remains an immensely irritating film that portrays a man who has no place in today’s society.