Screen
Monday 11 May 2009
In the Loop
In the Loop is f’ing hilarious! I was sceptical of the television to big screen transfer of the sitcom The Thick of It, but it works incredibly well and I was laughing all the way through.
— Andy
Tags: comedy, in cinemas, recommended, uk
Monday 26 January 2009
Slumdog Millionaire
Slumdog Millionaire is superb! The narrative has lots of depth and colour and the cast of children are really good. The hype over this film is actually well placed for once. Definitely go and see this if you haven’t already.
— Andy
Tags: in cinemas, india, recommended, uk
Tuesday 13 January 2009
Corpse Bride
An enjoyable stop-motion movie from Tim Burton with a very wicked dark humour throughout.
— Andy
Tags: animation, fantasy, musical, tim burton, uk
Saturday 20 December 2008
Dirty Pretty Things
Stephen Frears’ film about a couple of illegal immigrants living in London with two good performances from Chiwetel Ejiofor and Audrey Tautou. A very seedy side of London is exhibited, although as the plot develops I was left believing less-and-less in it as it became ever more fantastical; however, this makes Dirty Pretty Things an enjoyable film to watch.
— Andy
Tags: audrey tautou, chiwetel ejiofor, indie, london, stephen frears, thriller, uk
Thursday 04 December 2008
The History Boys
Still funny; the ‘French’ class scene is hilarious!
— Andy
Sunday 23 November 2008
Einstein and Eddington
Einstein and Eddington is the story of Albert Einstein’s theory of relativity and his relationship with British scientist Sir Arthur Eddington, a new BBC drama. I was impressed by this, it struck me as being a very accessible film that attempts to explain Einstein’s theory whilst exploring the lives of the two scientists and their extraordinary relationship. I liked the way it showed that science can overcome the absurdity of war and bring down borders by bringing people together. Einstein and Eddington could be a little twee, but it was insightful in terms of their personal lives and relationship and I’d recommend it.
— Andy
The Life and Death of Peter Sellers
The Life and Death of Peter Sellers is a rather disappointing biopic about the British comedy actor Peter Sellers made famous for the part of Inspector Clouseau in The Pink Panther movies. My main issue with the film was the bizarre scenes in which Peter Sellers (Geoffrey Rush) would assume the character of relatives and friends and break the fourth wall putting his spin on how people perceive him; it felt so out of place. I would rather have watched the real Sellers as Clouseau in one of the fantastic classic Panther films which guarantee a lot of laughs! The Life and Death didn’t amuse me.
— Andy
Sunday 16 November 2008
Children of Men
This film is amazing! It’s depiction of a grim and horrific future look and feel terrifyingly realistic. Throughout the film I found myself thinking that this could happen to society. The appearance of the film and the superb cinematography ensure that it looks real. I really appreciated the way that the future didn’t look ‘fantastic’, but rather like it had advanced by a few years but then begun to fall apart; it made it easy to connect to and as a result empathise with the characters. The single-take shots also made a powerful impression of realism.
The themes of Children of Men are incredibly depressing, but the film’s overall message is surely of one of hope. Much like Alfonso Cuarón’s previous movie Y tu mamá también, Children of Men is about the journey rather than the outcome.
— Andy
Tags: 2006, alfonso cuarón, clive owen, recommended, sci-fi, uk
Saturday 15 November 2008
Mischief Night
Mischief Night is a decent and enjoyable film set in Leeds following the events of an ensemble of characters in the lead up to Mischief night. The film is produced by the people behind the television series Shameless and it shows. The different plot lines of the characters twist and turn in unexpected directions leading up to the big night which changes the lives of each of them. Mischief Night tackles some grim subjects such as racial divisions, Jihad, criminal gangs, and child abductions, yet it comes out with an upbeat mood and a charm that makes you warm to the characters. One thing that did puzzle me throughout though was that the days seemed very long and bright for the time of year it is supposedly set in. It must have been filmed earlier in the year.
— Andy
Sunday 06 July 2008
TV: Criminal Justice
This has kept me hooked all week! Criminal Justice has been a surprisingly intelligent and engaging mini-series for the BBC. Its depiction of the criminal justice system seemed real and the characters were well drawn. It was easy to connect to the accused and feel compassion for his predicament (despite Ben Whishaw’s slight over-acting — was I alone in noticing that?), although the little twist towards the end made me start to doubt everything I’d understood up to then. Unfortunately the final episode seemed to go a little out of control and felt out of place with the preceding episodes, but I can forgive them for that. It’s good to see some quality drama being broadcast on BBC One for a change.
— Andy
Monday 28 April 2008
Happy-Go-Lucky
Mike Leigh’s latest film is a feel good movie that takes the daring move to put a somewhat dislikeable character at first as the lead. There are plenty of laugh-loud-moments, particularly the first driving lesson and the Flamenco dance class. Happy-Go-Lucky lacks a clear plot, but makes up for it in the comic moments and well drawn characters.
— Andy
Tags: comedy, drama, in cinemas, recommended, uk