I have only just caught the trailer for Essential Killing by Polish director Jerzy Skolimowski, starring maverick artist/director/self publicist/actor Vincent Gallo, that I meant to watch, and missed, at the London Film Festival last year. And good news, it is finally being released in the U.K. on 1st of April. (no US release date as yet) And Curzon Renoir in London is holding a preview screening followed by a q&a with the director on 24th March (as part of the Kinoteka Polish Film Festival)
Synopsis: Underlying tensions within a family simmer during a break in the Isles of Scilly. The son is about to embark on a gap year doing humanitarian work in Africa. The daughter cannot repress her controlling and angry strain. And the absence of their father casts a shadow that threaten to bring them all to boiling point.
Review: Much has been said in the press about the fact that this film is about a social class that is completely under represented in the British cinema, the upper middle class. (It is true that you could be forgiven to think that British cinema of late is all about gritty social realism or period dramas involving the Royal family). As a result, I actually hesitated seeing this, as I expected some sort of self-conscious smugfest.
I saw the trailer for Pina for the first time today, the documentary by Wim Wenders about the late German choreographer/dancer Pina Bausch, and it looks absolutely fantastic. Pina sadly passed away just as pre-production had begun on the film, but the director decided to carry on with the project, which now serves as a tribute to her.
The trailer was in 2D, and I have to admit I am not very familiar with her work, apart from what I saw in the Pedro Almodovar movie, Talk to her. Still, it looks absolutely fantastic and, to me, it seems like an ingenious use of 3D, that shows that it is not all a gimmick that has things flying at you. I can just imagine how much more of an intense viewing experience
From the director of 80's shlocker tribute Slither, James Gunn, comes a story of an everyday guy who transforms himself into a superhero, hellbent on fighting crime, high on enthusiasm but low on actual skills...
Sounds familiar? Well it should because it is basically the premise of Kick Ass, except that this is also the premise of Super and with the first trailer released, this hardly looks promising. The first mistake is having woefully unfunny "comic" Rainn Wilson starring in it. You may (or may not) have seen him in the US version of The office, Juno and My super ex girl friend, and he is like a black hole that sucks out all that's funny in the world of comedy.
And then having the "hero" be some 40 something is another mistake.
I have already mentioned the lo-fi and widely anticipated British horror/comedy Attack the block (by former radio presenter by Joe Cornish) in an earlier post about Austin SWSX midnight fests.
Now a first trailer has finally been released, some lucky few critics have already seen it, prior to its UK May release, and early reports suggest that we might have a cult classic in our hands, we're talking Shaun of the dead level cult classic here.
The trailer looks brilliant, it seems that the film has found the right blend of horror and laughs.
The sort of news that makes you giggle until you realise that they are real: Channing Tatum is working on a new version of Peter Pan?! Now I am not going to jump on the bandwagon, I actually believe Channing Tatum to be a fine actor, even if he missed the mark a little in G.I. Joe, and his mixture of masculinity and softness worked really well on the Street dance films. But as Peter Pan?
This is part of a growing trend of fairy tales adaptation, following the stratospheric success of Alice in wonderland last year. In the works, 2 adaptations of Snow White (including one with Julia Roberts playing the evil queen), Sleeping beauty with Angelina Jolie as Maleficent, a Wizard of Oz prequel with James Franco and Mila Kunis, and Jack the giant killer by Bryan Singer, among others. I suppose with the final chapter of Harry Potter, there is a void of family film franchises that needs to be filled.
But still, I just cannot imagine Channing Tatum as Peter Pan? Will he be a grown up version? (But then isn't Peter Pan supposed to be young forever?) Will he wear green tights? Will he break into a street dance routine, in 3D? There is one thing we can be certain. No matter what... he cannot be worse than Robin Williams in Hook, whose performance of cosmically bad proportion managed to create a singularity in the space/time continuum.
The BFI has just released their program for this year's London Lesbian & Gay film festival which will take place from the 31st of March till 6th of Aril. Just like every other art institutions in the U.K., the BFI has had to suffer significant budget cuts. As a result, the LLGFF has been reduced to just a week. But it might not be such a night thing, and may even benefit from a shorter selection.
I felt that the programmers have had to include some real duds over the years to, as there is just not enough quality gay films made every year to fill all of it slots within a fortnight. And 90% of them were usually autobiographic stories about coming out, touching, but done to death! Or microbudget, amateur rubbish that would never have been included in any festival were they not include two men kissing.
If anything, I find that many of the best gay films have been made by straight directors, possibly they might have been a little more objective about their subject. I'm thinking Prick up your ears by Stephen Frears, Maurice by James Ivory, Brokeback mountain by Ang Lee...
I have picked a handful which I recommend out of this year's line up:
Kaboom by Gregg Araki, with Thomas Dekker, Juno Temple, Roxanne Mesquida
I've already seen it at the London Film Fest last year and I absolutely loved it. While the subject matter, a crazy day in the fucked up life of a horned up student, made it sound like it was retreating to Nowhere territory, he still managed to make it seem entirely new and fresh. With a keen eye for visuals and eye candy, and his sharp script with killer one liners, this is a hedonistic and humorous celebration of sex and youth, that never takes itself seriously. It felt like Skins, but written by somebody with actual talent, and filmed by Roy Lichtenstein like some kind of cinematic pop object.
Gigola by Laure Charpentier, with Lou Doillon, Marisa Paredes, Marisa Berenson...
Intriguing, first of all I have learned a new word today, gigola! This story of a slightly masculine toy girl and her sugar mummies in 60's Paris oozes style, sophistication and sex. Even more intriguing is the presence in the casting of 70's arthouse favourite Marisa Berenson, and especially Pedro Almodovar mid 90's muses, the too rare Rossy de Palma and especially Marisa Paredes!
L.A. Zombie by Bruce LaBruce, with Francois Sagat
Fairy godmother of the queer punk cinema movement, Bruce LaBruce had perfected his art of blending gay porn and politics in his masterpiece The raspberry reich. The story of a revolutionary terrorist queer group led by formidable lesbian Gudrun, this film ranks among my favourite films of all times. However he took a sharp turn with his next film, Otto or up with dead people, about a twenty something gay zombie stumbling on porn shoots, which I did not see. I am all for sex and politics, I'm not sure gore and sex mix all that well. Well he is following that path further with L.A. Zombie, the experimental and silent tale of a gay zombie (Francois Sagat) who comes out of the ocean to fuck male cadavers back to life. I love the Dawn of the dead inspired poster, the trailer is shit, but I'll give it a chance.
L'homme au bain by Christophe Honore
Francois Sagat again, playing an object of desire in this meditative tale of lust and melancholy. Christophe Honore was responsible for the fantastic Jules et Jim polysexual update Les Chansons d'amour with French arthouse poster boy Louis Garrel, so I won't be missing this.
Les Amours imaginaires (Heartbeat) by Xavier Dolan
Proving that he is no one hit wonder, precocious Canadian director Xavier Dolan offers a well worn tale of a love triangle, and add his impeccable esthetic tastes and class to the mix. I saw this at the London Film Fest last year and I adored it. I still cannot believe how incredibly talented Xavier Dolan is at a mere 21, with a visual style that is like Wong Kar Wai meets Pedro Almodovar. A must see.
Unhappy Birthday by Mark Harriott & Mike Matthews
The great joy of film festivals is to see films before everybody else, and before they have been swallowed by a media frenzy. Little is know about this low budget British effort, except that the story of a couple stuck on a island with sinister traditions, makes me think of The wicker man with a queer twist.
Movie nut, born in France, living in London, holding the enviable title of the only person ever to have been suspended from school for skipping class to attend the Cannes Film Festival...
