Revolutionary Road
By Douglas McFarlane
Have you been in a relationship ? It's fantastic, and it's not at times. Arguments, fall-outs, good times, bad times. Shared visions and then a total breakdown in communications. Fitting in with the mould that the community and society around us shape. Earning a living in the capitalist world and all the frustrations and joys that may bring. It's not a depressing film, as much as it's a truthful film, and this truth doesn't always make us feel too good.
Revolutionary Road, is a strong and powerful film, which also addresses a subject constantly debated in American society. It's best to look away from reviews unless you want to know what the plot is. I'll not let it slip, don't worry. It's the magic of most films that they take their audience on a journey which they can identify with and then WHAM, out comes the twist, the conflict, the unexpected shift in the story. You kind of see it coming, but nothing prepares you for the experience.
Based in the 1950s, a normal American couple (Kate Winslet and Leonardo Di Caprio), have ideas to go to Paris. He is doing well in his job, but loves the excitement generated by his wife whenever she discusses getting on a ship for Europe. Their children are slowly co-erced into thinking that it will be a great idea and they build up the energy levels around their new future. Their neighbours don't like the idea, and think they have lost the plot, but they are determined.
Richard Yate's novel is brought out nicely on film by Sam Mendes, and is both beautifully shot and nicely complimented by subtle music by Thomas Newman. Mendes and Newman worked together on American Beauty, and it has a similar feel from that perspective. It guides you along and supports the journey with soft piano playing and haunting melodies. I love the shots where every single person on the street and going to the office, wore a hat. A great observation which Mendes plays out to the full. He's not out for a Hollywood ending though, so don't expect to feel good at the end I'm afraid. Great movie, just hate that awful feeling which surfaces an hour or two after watching it. It's likely to win awards as there are some incredible performances and great moviemaking.
Revolutionary Road is out in U.S. cinemas on December 26th.
http://www.revolutionaryroadmovie.com
Mugabe and The White African
By Tremayne MillerTHE TIMES BFI 53RD LONDON FILM FESTIVAL 14-29 October 2009
Published by: Tremayne (Potter)
Thursday 22 October
Mugabe and The White African
Dir.: Lucy Bailey, Andrew Thompson/ UK 2009/ 88 min
“The white man is not indigenous to Africa. Africa is for Africans. Zimbabwe is for Zimbabweans.’ – Robert Mugabe
‘This film is an intimate account of one family’s astonishing bravery in the face of brutality, in a fight to protect their property, their livelihood and their country.’
Michael Campbell is one of the remaining white farmers in Zimbabwe since Mugabe took up presidency and started his fierce land ownership program.
In 2008, Michael, a 75-year old grandfather, made the exceptional choice of taking Mugabe and his government to The SADC (South African Development Community) International Court, on the charges of racial discrimination and discrimination of Human Rights.
‘This is the only film to have come out of Zimbabwe in recent years, where a total press ban still exists. Much of the footage was shot covertly. To have been caught filming would have lead to imprisonment.’
And should you strip away every other aspect of this film, it is ultimately about the strength of people’s beliefs and how far they are willing to go to protect them!
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
By Davor MamuzicThe Curious Case of Benjamin Button
By: Davor Mamuzic
People everywhere could debate for hours if films they’ve seen are better than the actual books, and in most cases the literature would stand victorious in this battle. Your mind is a highway to infinite imagination when a great book is in your hand taking you across worlds and fantasies, even adding different emotional stages to the reader.
Since most of the films in today’s cinemas worldwide are, sad to say, remakes or comic book superheroes. It seems that the only original storylines or even concepts are witnessed in today’s computer animated films distributed by Pixar, DreamWorks or Blue Sky Studios (to name a few). But, every once in awhile we come across something new, something original, something that keeps you quiet, or smiling as you are exiting the cinema.
Eric Roth, who already won an Academy Award for his screenplay of Forrest Gump, brings us a coming of age story, literally, adapting it from the 1920s short story by F. Scott Fitzgerarld. The story is retold by Daisy (Cate Blanchett), hospitalized on her deathbed, with her daughter Caroline (Julia Osmond) by her side. The diary in Caroline’s hands focuses on the life story of Benjamin Button (Brad Pitt), who was born at the end of the World War One in the heart of New Orleans. His disadvantage: he was born as an eighty-year old man, and as he ages, his body gets younger.
Benjamin was raised by Queenie (Taraji Henson) whose kind heart takes him in after she finds him on the doorsteps of the old age home where she lives and helps out. Benjamin as a young kid, but really an old man on the outside, blends in with all the residents off the old age home. This is the place where Benjamin also meets Daisy.
Directed by David Fincher, who already had a chance to explore Brad’s acting abilities and transformations in Se7en and Fight Club, now has a chance to add better makeup and special effects to Brad’s looks. At one point, as Benjamin and Daisy both enter their 60s, Brad, thanks to the digital re-touches, looks seventeen years old, somewhat close to how he looked in Thelma and Louise.
The
Curious Case of Benjamin Button will stay with you for years
to come. The film itself flows as if a great book just landed
into your palms, packing great dialogue, as well as comedic,
dramatic and suspenseful moments.
5/5
Trailer -
http://www.apple.com/trailers/paramount/thecuriouscaseofbenjaminbutton/
IMDB - http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0421715/
Released in North American
theatres December 25th, 2008
The Unborn
By Davor Mamuzic
The Unborn
By: Davor Mamuzic
World wide cinemas like to build the terror of the unknown by
focusing more on the story and less on the visuals, while North
American audiences anticipate extreme gore shots, fast close-ups
and in-your-face "quick frights". The Unborn, set in
Chicago, stays true to its North American roots and delivers just
as expected.
The story jumps all over the place (from evil entity of the unborn child, to Holocaust, Nazi experiments, and a bit of recycling The Exorcist ideas), while "quick frights" quickly erase your short term memory of the bad dialogue which sounds as though it was written by a group of high school students.
The story focuses on Casey, played by Odette Yustman , as she is confronted by an evil spirit and it slowly tries to break her down and take possession of her. The spirit itself gets stronger as the story gets weaker. The spirit's growth in strength is the only growth in the character as it is the only character that actually has a purpose in the storyline, and we are more focused on cheering for the actual evil spirit rather than the protagonist itself.
Other than the creepy next door neighbour's kid (Atticus Shaffer), Odette and Gary Oldman are the only ones that keep the acting real. Even though it is hard to connect Gary as a Rabbi, he still did a great job doing it.
If you are looking for gore, anticipated closes up and bad dialogue, then this might be up your alley.
2/5
Trailer
IMDB
Released Jan 9th in the North American theatres.
Inside The BAFTA's
By Douglas McFarlane- Happy Valentine's
- At the BAFTA's
- Working with BAFTA
- Stephen Fry Follows Me
- Acting at Royal Opera House
Links We Love
http://www.nevisradio.co.uk - click on Tune-In at 12pm-2pm today
http://www.lovetheatre.com/uktheatrenet - Buy West End Tickets
http://www.raindance.co.uk/site/film-training-london-UK - Contact me for discounts
- Happy Valentine's
Happy Valentines Day to you. I hope you got lots of love coming your way, if not, I'm sending some out to you right now. Big UK Theatre hugs from me to you.
- At the BAFTA's
My heart was alight last week at the BAFTA Film Awards. It was a fantastic night, and I watched the full ceremony this time as a guest, instead of the excitement of last year where I was filming on the red carpet for my first feature documentary, Making It In Hollywood. This time the pace was pleasant as I walked down the red carpet with my daughter. We casually chatted about how I was on the other side last year and looked confidently over at the array of cameras pointing in our direction. We noticed the lovely Fearne Cotton, who was waiting expectantly for some of the A-listers to arrive.
The Royal Opera House is a grand place and Jonathan Ross hosted events nicely and kept the flow going. It was strange seeing Kate Winslet sitting watching events, as you would've seen on TV, with three cameramen and sound technicians rushing around in front of her for the entire 2 hours.
Grosvenor House is where the after awards event is held and it was alive with the energy of those who won their awards as well as those, like me, who were pleased to be part of such an elite company. Mickey Rourke was being filmed at the entrance as we entered, Christian Slater walked passed me at the gents, Kate Winslet was still "gushy" when she walked downstairs to her dinner table, Meryl Streep casually allowed some guests to take her photograph and then it happened.
As I was getting ready to go and get our car home, I almost walked into an entourage of people coming towards me from the right. I glanced around and became almost fixed to the spot as Penelope Cruz was staring at me. It was a fiery, moody stare, I was clearly in her path. I quickly stepped forward and received a warm smile which made my brain all putty-like. My head turned 360 degrees to follow her and I noticed how slim she was, from the open back of her dress, as she glided in mid-air towards the Lancome stand to get a bit of facial pampering. My head stayed in that state for the next 48 hours. Sigh !
- Working with BAFTA
I also got great news on Tuesday. Following a meeting last year with the Chairman of BAFTA, David Parfitt, and a subsequent follow up chats with a few board members, I will be working with them to help delivering their strategy for 2009. To start with, I'll be producing a report over the next 4 weeks on all things online, social networking, new media, and events. Not just for filmmakers, but audiences as well, around the UK and the world. You can help too, and I will let you know next week where I would appreciate your support and input. I'm excited to be able to help make a difference.
- Stephen Fry Follows Me
It's true, I joined the twittering twits who titter as they twitter all twinkling day. http://twitter.com/ukfilm - one of the good things is that any of our reviewers magazine article on UK Theatre or UK Film, gets automatically uploaded. Spreading the reach even further. It must've prompted that well known twitterer Stephen Fry to click "follow" on my profile.
- Acting at Royal Opera House
Right, back to reality and there's a great article from Grainne Gillis who shares what it's like to be performing on the very stage where the BAFTA's were held. There's also some new reviewers who have published to the magazine this week.
Have a great week where you are.
Douglas McFarlane
http://www.ukfilm.tv/magazine.html
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Being an actor – in opera
By Gráinne Gillis
It actually came about by chance that I auditioned for the Royal Opera House. One Friday afternoon, I got a call from the assistant chorus manager, Ruth Mulholland, asking me if I would be interested in attending an audition for an obscure (to me) opera called Die tote Stadt
Read on.....
http://www.uktheatre.tv/magazine/read/being-an-actor-�-in-opera_29.html
Valkyrie
By Davor Mamuzic
Valkyrie
By: Davor
Mamuzic
Films made on the war themes usually carry their own
propaganda agenda, glorifying one side over the other, but
Valkyrie offered the inside look at the
German SS army, and how not one, but thousands officers, staff,
or even soldiers didn't agree with Germany's politics, and wanted
a change for better.
Valkyrie, directed by Bryan Singer (X-men, Usual Suspects) is a classic story of good versus evil, and choices made by individuals who believed in the light at the end of the tunnel. Colonel Claus von Stauffenberg, played by Tom Cruise (War of the Worlds, Mission Impossible), who saw that light, and took it into his own hands as he was followed by a small team of high-ranking officers plotting to assassinate Adolf HItler, and hopefully end the war of all wars. Hitler, played by David Bamber (The Bourne Identity, Gangs of New York) gave a perfect performance as he painted Hitler's potrait of being extremely misterious, but yet, very intimidating character. His presence on the screen is almost as chilling as the opening sequence as Nazi soldiers are giving their oath to the great "Führer".
Fortunately, this film did not feature any fake German accents, and having the over-the-top performance by extremely great talents, such as Bill Neighy (Pirates of the Carribean), Tom Wilkinson (RocknRolla), and Cruise helped this dialogue-driven film to be extremely intense and suspensful.
Trailer
IMDB
This film opens in the North American
theatres December 25th.
Rating: 4/5
Yes Man
By Sophie-Louise Lilley
Imagine if you decided that your new year’s
resolution was to say "yes" to everything. Think you could do it?
I know I certainly couldn't!
But Jim Carrey can - and has done it his new film "Yes
Man".
The plot consists of a Mr. Carl Allen (Carrey) going nowhere in
his life. Continually saying "no" to everything, not only does he
become a predictable average Joe, but he also gets nothing
exciting from life. That is, until he signs up for a self-help
program with a simple covenant: say ‘yes’ to everything. It soon
changes his life, but his enthusiasm starts to work against him.
In this particular new addition to Jim Carrey's CV, he has toned
down the physical characteristics that once made him famous in
such films as Bruce almighty and in the process of doing so, has
indeed made it an impossible challenge for him to pull off this
particular comedy adaptation of Danny Wallace’s bestselling book.
Don't get me wrong, the idea that you say yes to everything is a
great plot device, but in this bland and somewhat predictable
comedy, the clever notion of the original book just gets
buried.
I will admit at this point however, that there are some relatively good parts in the movie, but the film’s original promise disappears soon after Allen’s life changes, as he begins dating the stanchly, eccentric and ridiculously pretty Allison (a cute nosed, red-lipped Zooey Deschanel) and starts to connect with his boss, Norm - played by Flight Of The Conchords’ singer Rhys Darby (who pulls off a rather charismatic, even if inexperienced performance). Allen lives life to the full, taking everything in her stride and even courageously saving a suicide case at one point - but after one particularly appalling, clunking plot twist (which we must assume took three writers to conjure up) his life - and the movie for that matter - begins to unravel like an old jumper.
My conclusion? A alright comedy, with some witty jokes and funny moments, but overall, don’t be afraid to give the “Yes” movie a “No”.
Coincidental connections
By Douglas McFarlane
I was first aware of it when I started making the documentary MAKING IT IN HOLLYWOOD, and it has started again today at the first day of the SUNDANCE FILM FESTIVAL. Coincidences. Now, I appreciate that it's a small business and when you go to events like the Oscars etc, you are bound to meet people you know. However, to be coincidentally in the same place when Clint Eastwood unexpectedly walks into an event, or Kate Winslet sweeps past you on her way to the red carpet, then for me, there's something different going on. I called it the magic of filmmaking.
This time, it was a couple, who sat near me on the train to Gatwick. Their faces never really registered with me, but something about them was familiar. They got on the same flight via Cincinnatti and I noticed them a few times and heard that the woman was Scottish. I never thought anything of it until Salt Lake City. Meanwhile, at Cincinatti, my stop over point, I was just about to board the plane when I noticed Jess Search, who I co-founded Shooting People with in 1999. I hadn't seen her for about five years and we meet in a busy airport. If it wasn't for her flight being delayed for 5 hours, our paths wouldn't have crossed. As you may know, Jess is head of Channel 4's BRITDOC, and has two films in the competition. She invited me to both premieres and also to a private party with the rest of her C4 colleagues. Result.
When I arrived in Salt Lake City, I noticed the couple again and thought I'd go over and ask whether they were here to promote a film, as being Scottish, I guess I should make my self aware of it. After I said hello, my brain started feeding me with answers. "You're a producer of a film ?", my brain ticked over. I closed my eyes and concentrated. It then came to mind about Lisa in an article in TIMEOUT about a week ago. I asked her if that was her ? She said yes. Then I recalled it was MUM & DAD and in 2007, the writer of the film and Lisa came to the BBC/Film London Microwave school to give the budding newcomers an update, as they had won with Mum And Dad, in 2006. I had been following their success story at each Film London event I went to, but I hadn't seen the film. We exchanged numbers and I've got another invite.
Then finally, I shared a taxi with an actress, Trina Willard, in one of the films that could do well this year called Humpday. She told me all about her part and how it came about. A third invite was offered and I hadn't even arrived at my hotel.
It's going to be a busy week.
BAFTA Nominations
By Douglas McFarlaneNOMINATIONS ANNOUNCED
Slumdog Millionaire and The Curious Case of Benjamin Button have each received 11 nominations for the Orange British Academy Film Awards in 2009.
The Dark Knight has 9 nominations and Changeling has 8 nominations.
Frost/Nixon has 6 nominations, The Reader has 5 and In Bruges, Milk and Revolutionary Road all have 4 nominations each.
Slumdog Millionaire has been nominated in the categories Best Film, Adapted Screenplay, Cinematography, Editing, Music, Production Design, Sound and Outstanding British Film. Danny Boyle is nominated for Director, Dev Patel is nominated for Leading Actor and Freida Pinto receives a nomination as Supporting Actress.
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button has been nominated for Best Film, Director for David Fincher, Adapted Screenplay, Cinematography, Costume Design, Editing, Make Up & Hair, Music, Production Design and Special Visual Effects. Brad Pitt is a double nominee: he features in Leading Actor for his role as Benjamin Button and Supporting Actor for Burn After Reading. Tilda Swinton is nominated in the Supporting Actress category for Burn After Reading, and the film also receives an Original Screenplay nomination.
The late Heath Ledger is nominated for Supporting Actor for The Dark Knight. The film’s other nominations are: Cinematography, Production Design, Costume Design, Editing, Make Up & Hair, Music, Sound and Special Visual Effects.
Angelina Jolie has been nominated for her Leading Actress performance in Changeling. The film has also been nominated for Original Screenplay, Cinematography, Costume Design, Editing, Production Design and Sound, with Clint Eastwood receiving a Director nomination.
Ron Howard is nominated for Director for Frost/Nixon. The film is nominated for Best Film, Adapted Screenplay, Editing, Make Up & Hair and the film’s Nixon, Frank Langella, receives a nomination for Leading Actor.
The Reader has been nominated for Best Film, Director for Stephen Daldry, Adapted Screenplay and Cinematography. Its star, Kate Winslet, is nominated for Leading Actress. Kate is nominated a second time for Leading Actress for her performance in Revolutionary Road, which is also nominated for Adapted Screenplay, Costume Design and Production Design.
Sean Penn’s performance as Harvey Milk has received a Leading Actor nomination. Milk has also been nominated for Best Film, Original Screenplay and Make Up & Hair.
In Bruges has been nominated for Original Screenplay, Editing, Supporting Actor for Brendan Gleeson and Outstanding British Film.
Also nominated for Outstanding British Film alongside Slumdog Millionaire and In Bruges are Man on Wire and Hunger and Mamma Mia!, which has also been nominated for Music. Judy Craymer, the producer of Mamma Mia!, Simon Chinn the producer of Man on Wire, Steve McQueen, director/writer of Hunger, Solon Papadopoulos and Roy Boulter who produced Of Time and the City and Garth Jennings, writer of Son of Rambow have all been nominated for The Carl Foreman Award for Special Achievement by a British Director, Writer or Producer for their First Feature Film.
Doubt received three performance nominations: Leading Actress for Meryl Streep, Supporting Actor for Philip Seymour Hoffman and Supporting Actress for Amy Adams. Mickey Rourke and Marisa Tomei were nominated for Leading Actor and Supporting Actress for The Wrestler. Robert Downey Jr. is nominated for Supporting Actor for Tropic Thunder and Penélope Cruz is nominated for Supporting Actress for Vicky Cristina Barcelona.
Wall•E has been nominated for Music, Sound and Animated Film. The other Animated Film nominees, Persepolis and Waltz with Bashir are both nominated for Film Not in the English Language alongside The Baader Meinhof Complex, Gomorrah and I’ve Loved You So Long.
I’ve Loved You So Long also receives nominations for Original Screenplay and for Kristin Scott Thomas for Leading Actress.
The Duchess received nominations for Costume Design and Make Up & Hair.
Nominated for Special Visual Effects alongside The Curious Case of Benjamin Button and The Dark Knight are: Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, Iron Man and Quantum of Solace, which also received a Sound nomination.
The nominees for the Orange Rising Star Award, announced earlier this month, are Michael Cera, Noel Clarke, Michael Fassbender, Rebecca Hall and Toby Kebbell. This audience award is voted for by the British public and presented to an actor or actress who has demonstrated exceptional talent and promise.
The Orange British Academy Film Awards take place on Sunday 8 February at The Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, London.
Orange has sponsored the Film Awards since 1998.
