Tuesday, March 31, 2009

Mar 29th
Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within**
US/Japan 2001. Columbia/Square USA. 106m. ws

In 2065 New York, the remaining humans on Earth fight for survival against an asteroid crater of alien "phantoms".
Billed at the time as the first 100% all-animated "photo realistic" feature film (with millions apparently spent on the heroine's hair - which conveniently never slips in front of her face), this visually stunning mixture of Alien and The War of the Worlds sticks to a few familiar cliches - Dystopian society, humans versus aliens, redneck generals, etc. - with a slightly baffling ending. It certainly earns marks for trying something new, but unluckily (or happily perhaps) it did not start a general trend. CGI films still need actors.

Written by: Al Reinert, Jeff Vintor, Jack Fletcher, Ramin Mebdy, from a story by Hironobu Sakaguchi, based on the computer game.
Producers: Chris Lee, Akio Sakai, Jun Aida.
Directors: Hironobu Sakaguchi, Moto Sakakibura.
Voices of: Ming-Na, Alec Baldwin, Donald Sutherland, James Woods, Ving Rhames, Steve Buscemi, Peri Gilpin, Jean Simmons.
Photography: Moto Sakakibura.
Music: Elliot Goldenthal.
Production Design: Mauro Borrelli.

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Sunday, March 29, 2009

Mar 28th
Pardon Us** (U)
Manifest Theatre, Manningtree

US 1931. MGM/Hal Roach. 55m. bw

Two incompetent beer salesmen are sent to prison for bootlegging, escape for a time, but come good by foiling a jailbreak.
This comic duo's first (unofficial) excursion into feature films, which perhaps can explain why the film is so roughly made - expanding a standard two/three-reeler into something rather longer, with two attempted jailbreaks. But some of the set pieces are amusing, and the film is as good an example of the boys at play as any, and works as a star vehicle well enough.

Written by: H.M. Walker.
Producer: Hal Roach.
Director: James Parrott.
Starring: Stan Laurel, Oliver Hardy, Wilfred Lucas, James Finlayson, Walter Long, Tiny Sandford, Robert Kortman, Leo Willis, June Marlow.
Photography: Jack Stevens.

Preceded by:
The Second Hundred Years**

(US 1927. 20m. bw. silent; Two stir crazy convicts escape unwittingly back into the same prison as VIP guests.; w: H.M. Walker; d: Fred I. Guiol; s: Stan Laurel, Oliver Hardy, James Finlayson, Dorothy Coburn.)

The Hoose Gow**
(US 1929. 20m. bw; More imprisoned antics, this time when Stan & Ollie get themselves caught into prison, and start a rice pudding riot!; w: Leo McCarey, H.M.Walker; d: James Parrott; s: Stan Laurel, Oliver Hardy, Tiny Sandford, James Finlayson, Leo Willis.)

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Saturday, March 28, 2009

Mar 28th
Son of Man*
(12)
Cardinal Bourne Institute, Colchester

Technically I shouldn't include this one as I came in a few minutes late (during the Nativity), but I'll overrule this time out of interest, in this modern re-telling of the New Testament set in South Africa, with some interesting 21st century transposition (the symbolism of crucifixion is given a clever modern twist of celebration rather than sacrifice), although the supernatural elements of the New Testament are slightly fudged over - necessarily - for a realistic-style rendering as this is intended to be.

p: Mark Dornford-May, Camilla Driver, Brigid Olen
d: Mark Dornford-May
m: Charles Hazlewood, Pauline Malefane, Sibule Mjali

Tuesday, March 17, 2009

Mar 17th
The Young Victoria** (PG)
Hollywood Film Theatre, Ipswich

The feisty 18-year old Princess Victoria defies her mother and stepfather to become Queen, and juggles for the affections of Lord Melbourne and Prince Albert.
Lavish Royal soap opera done as a Jane Austen-style bodice ripper, quite skilfully integrating the political machinations of the time, intending to dispel any traditional notion of Victoria as a crusty widow, and well acted, although not quite in the Dame Anna Neagle class. This year's Other Boleyn Girl.

d: Jean-Marc Vallee
s: Emily Blunt, Rupert Friend, Paul Bettany, Miranda Richardson, Jim Broadbent, Mark Strong, Michael Maloney, Harriet Walter, Thomas Kretschmann, Jesper Christensen, Julian Glover

Preceded by:
Alienated*
(GB 2008. University of Hertfordshire. 2m.; An unemployed alien tries to fit in.; d: Mohammed Aqeel Ahmed, Krissy Josephides.)
+ Virgin Media Shorts

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Sunday, March 15, 2009

Mar 14th
Watchmen
(18)
Odeon Wimbledon

US 2009. Paramount/Warner Bros/Legendary Pictures/DC. 160m. (IMAX DMR version)

In a near-apocalyptic alternative 1985, the supremacy of President Nixon's prime deterrent "Dr. Manhattan" is undermined by a secret adversary out to murder the Watchmen.
Gloomy and violent adaptation of a gloomy and downbeat superhero comic book with attitude, set in 1985 but looking very little like it (some of the other period flashbacks look pretty ropey too), with a Nixon that sports a ridiculous prosthetic nose that is as simplistic as the story's politics. The complexities of the story could have been told in half the length.

Written by: David Hayter, Alex Tse, from the graphic novel by Alan Moore, Dave Gibbons.
Producers: Lawrence Gordon, Lloyd Levin, Deborah Snyder.
Director: Zak Snyder.
Starring (in no particular order): Billy Crudup ("Dr. Manhattan"), Matthew Goode (Adrian Veidt/"Ozymandias"), Patrick Wilson (Dan Dreibery/"Nite Owl"), Malin Akerman (Laurie Jupiter/"Silk Spectre"), Jackie Earle Haley ("Rohrschach"), Jeffrey Dean Morgan (Edward Blake/"The Comedian"), Carla Gugino, Matt Frewer, Stephen McHattie, Laura Mennell.
Photography: Larry Fong.
Music: Tyler Bates.
Production Design: Alex McDowell.




WATCHMEN. One for admirers of the comic book only, of which there are many.

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Wednesday, March 11, 2009

Mar 9th
The Miracle of Bern**
Ger 2003. Little Shark/Senator Film/Seven Pictures. 118m.

A young boy helps his father sort his life out again after returning from Russia, as well as his idol Helmut Rahn to score the winning goal in the 1954 World Cup Final against Hungary.
Sentimental and colourful German feelgood sports drama, the brightness and 1950s optimism of Switzerland well contrasted with the grey austerity of post-war Germany, with some of the famous figures and events from the tournament lovingly recaptured, and some witty comedy sidelines between a honeymooning journalist and his wife.

Written by: Sonke Wortmann, Rochus Hahn.
Producers: Tom Spiess, Sonke Wortmann, Hanna Huth.
Director: Sonke Wortmann.
Starring: Louis Klamroth, Peter Lohmeyer, Johanna Gastdorf, Lucas Gregarowicz, Katharina Wackernagel, Peter Franke, Sacha Gopel, Mirko Lang, Birthe Wolther, Knut Hartwig.
Photography: Tom Fahrmann.
Music: Marcel Barsotti.
Production Design: Uli Hanisch.

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Wednesday, March 04, 2009

Mar 3rd
The House in Nightmare Park*
GB 1973. Associated London Films/Extovation. 100m.

A bungling theatrical performer is invited to a sinister house where he is the sole inheritor.
Moderate Cat and the Canary pastiche, very creaky but suiting this comedian quite well, dispensing with some of his comedic flourishes for the sake of the horror.

Written/Produced by: Clive Exton, Terry Nation.
Director: Peter Sykes.
Starring: Frankie Howerd, Ray Milland, Rosalie Crutchley, Kenneth Griffith, Hugh Burden, Elizabeth MacLennan, John Bennett.
Photography: Ian Wilson.
Music: Harry Robinson.

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