The Selfish Giant | Jackass Presents: Bad Grandpa | Cloudy With A Chance Of Meatballs | Ender's Game | Wolf Children | One Chance | Closed Circuit | Le Skylab | Muscle Shoals
The Selfish Giant (15)
(Clio Barnard, 2013, UK) Conner Chapman, Shaun Thomas, Sean Gilder. 91 mins
In the tradition of Kes, or Fish Tank, this offers a child's-eye view of poverty that's too strong for real-life kids of the same age. Despite the fairytale origins, miracles are in short supply in this Bradford suburb, where two drop-out mates scavenge for opportunities. But the balance between harsh realism and mythical lyricism is beautifully struck, and the two leads really are miraculous.
Jackass Presents: Bad Grandpa (15)
(Jeff Tremaine, 2013, Us) Johnny Knoxville, Jackson Nicoll. 92 mins
Old-suited Knoxville and his "grandson" take to the road for Borat-style pranks.
Cloudy With A Chance Of Meatballs 2 (U)
(Cody Cameron, Kris Pearn, 2013, Us) Bill Hader, Anna Faris, Will Forte. 95 mins
Food/fauna surrealism part...
The Selfish Giant (15)
(Clio Barnard, 2013, UK) Conner Chapman, Shaun Thomas, Sean Gilder. 91 mins
In the tradition of Kes, or Fish Tank, this offers a child's-eye view of poverty that's too strong for real-life kids of the same age. Despite the fairytale origins, miracles are in short supply in this Bradford suburb, where two drop-out mates scavenge for opportunities. But the balance between harsh realism and mythical lyricism is beautifully struck, and the two leads really are miraculous.
Jackass Presents: Bad Grandpa (15)
(Jeff Tremaine, 2013, Us) Johnny Knoxville, Jackson Nicoll. 92 mins
Old-suited Knoxville and his "grandson" take to the road for Borat-style pranks.
Cloudy With A Chance Of Meatballs 2 (U)
(Cody Cameron, Kris Pearn, 2013, Us) Bill Hader, Anna Faris, Will Forte. 95 mins
Food/fauna surrealism part...
- 10/26/2013
- by Steve Rose
- The Guardian - Film News
Metro Manila | Diana | The Call | Ripd | Kelly + Victor | Hawking | Cold Comes The Night | A Belfast Story | Harrigan | InRealLife | 9.79* | Mademoiselle C | Phata Poster Nikla Hero
Metro Manila (15)
(Sean Ellis, 2013, UK/Phi) Jake Macapagal, Althea Vega, John Arcilla. 115 mins
Street-level social drama slyly develops into gripping crime thriller in this resourceful Anglo-Asian movie, a distinctive spin on the familiar theme of innocent country folk in the corrupting city. The squalor of modern-day Manila is vividly evoked, as our goodly, hard-up couple struggle to gain a foothold, but the opportunities they get only lead them into the moral shadows.
Diana (12A)
(Oliver Hirschbiegel, 2013, UK/Fra/Bel/Swe/Moz) Naomi Watts, Naveen Andrews. 113 mins
History repeats itself as farce in this unintentionally laughable rendition of Diana's final years and her "secret" affair. It's no deeper or better informed than your average celebrity mag.
The Call (15)
(Brad Anderson, 2013, Us) Halle Berry, Abigail Breslin, Michael Eklund.
Metro Manila (15)
(Sean Ellis, 2013, UK/Phi) Jake Macapagal, Althea Vega, John Arcilla. 115 mins
Street-level social drama slyly develops into gripping crime thriller in this resourceful Anglo-Asian movie, a distinctive spin on the familiar theme of innocent country folk in the corrupting city. The squalor of modern-day Manila is vividly evoked, as our goodly, hard-up couple struggle to gain a foothold, but the opportunities they get only lead them into the moral shadows.
Diana (12A)
(Oliver Hirschbiegel, 2013, UK/Fra/Bel/Swe/Moz) Naomi Watts, Naveen Andrews. 113 mins
History repeats itself as farce in this unintentionally laughable rendition of Diana's final years and her "secret" affair. It's no deeper or better informed than your average celebrity mag.
The Call (15)
(Brad Anderson, 2013, Us) Halle Berry, Abigail Breslin, Michael Eklund.
- 9/21/2013
- by Steve Rose
- The Guardian - Film News
Colm Meaney barely holds this debut feature together, playing a detective investigating the murders of ex-ira paramilitaries
First-time director Nathan Todd did himself no favours by promoting this post-Troubles whodunit with a tasteless press kit including a balaclava and nails for a bomb. The judgment on screen is barely any better. Meaney, a long way from his Alan Partridge movie, is a detective (weary, of course) investigating murders of ex-ira paramilitaries. The florid execution techniques include a poisoned bag of chips. Clearly, someone's sending a message and trying to bring back the bad old days, and Meaney's use of deduction and recollection of local history to crack the case are initially promising. But the plot scatters too many pieces about, putting the film's star off screen for long stretches. In his absence, the acting quality plummets drastically, and the momentum peters out, exposing this as a well-intentioned but amateurish effort.
First-time director Nathan Todd did himself no favours by promoting this post-Troubles whodunit with a tasteless press kit including a balaclava and nails for a bomb. The judgment on screen is barely any better. Meaney, a long way from his Alan Partridge movie, is a detective (weary, of course) investigating murders of ex-ira paramilitaries. The florid execution techniques include a poisoned bag of chips. Clearly, someone's sending a message and trying to bring back the bad old days, and Meaney's use of deduction and recollection of local history to crack the case are initially promising. But the plot scatters too many pieces about, putting the film's star off screen for long stretches. In his absence, the acting quality plummets drastically, and the momentum peters out, exposing this as a well-intentioned but amateurish effort.
- 9/19/2013
- by Steve Rose
- The Guardian - Film News
Seeing as The Troubles in Northern Ireland are just recent history, and many of those who were involved in the conflict are still alive today, it’s important to explore this subject matter in cinema while still so relevant, which is exactly what debut director Nathan Todd’s has done in A Belfast Story. Regrettably, however, a mediocre screenplay and a lack of character development prevents this title from having nearly the same amount of emotional punch as recent productions such as Shadow Dancer had managed, despite exploring similar themes.
Colm Meaney plays our lead, a maverick detective set with the task of tracking down the brutal killers, who are murdering off former Ira members one by one. While the paramilitaries are being targeted, many suspect the worse as they fear a return to the dark days. Partnered with young cop Damien (Damien Hasson), the assured detective is facing a moral battle of his own,...
Colm Meaney plays our lead, a maverick detective set with the task of tracking down the brutal killers, who are murdering off former Ira members one by one. While the paramilitaries are being targeted, many suspect the worse as they fear a return to the dark days. Partnered with young cop Damien (Damien Hasson), the assured detective is facing a moral battle of his own,...
- 9/18/2013
- by Stefan Pape
- HeyUGuys.co.uk
Balaclava, nails and duct tape in promotional mail-out were to 'raise awareness', says maker of A Belfast Story
The director who sent a balaclava, nails and a roll of duct tape to critics as part of a press pack for his Northern Ireland Troubles-themed film A Belfast Story has apologised for any offence he may have caused.
Nathan Todd told BBC Radio Ulster's Good Morning Ulster that he and his colleagues had not intended to frighten or offend recipients of the press kit for the drama, which stars Colm Meaney. The writer-director said: "The idea was to interest people in a movie we were making, which is the story of the two choices which face Belfast, do we engage in retribution or reconciliation? The [promotional material] box, when you open it, gives you this choice. It's got artefacts of violence on one side and artefacts of living happily to an old age on the other.
The director who sent a balaclava, nails and a roll of duct tape to critics as part of a press pack for his Northern Ireland Troubles-themed film A Belfast Story has apologised for any offence he may have caused.
Nathan Todd told BBC Radio Ulster's Good Morning Ulster that he and his colleagues had not intended to frighten or offend recipients of the press kit for the drama, which stars Colm Meaney. The writer-director said: "The idea was to interest people in a movie we were making, which is the story of the two choices which face Belfast, do we engage in retribution or reconciliation? The [promotional material] box, when you open it, gives you this choice. It's got artefacts of violence on one side and artefacts of living happily to an old age on the other.
- 8/23/2013
- by Ben Child
- The Guardian - Film News
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