In between this summer’s blockbusters there seems to be a continuous flow of fantastic French film in the cinema as well. (Go see Not Here To Be Loved and Tell No One if you haven’t done so already). La Vie En Rose is probably the best of them until now.
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Sand art in Zandvoort (The Netherlands)
I apologize.
For not being able to grow up.
Or on second thought –
I don’t.
The first in a long row of blockbusters hitting a cinema near you this year is Spiderman 3. I loved Spiderman 1, was less enthusiastic about 2, and number 3, well …
(there might be some spoilers ahead)
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I saw Attempts on her life in the National Theatre last Thursday. After about 10 seconds in the play I realized I had seen this play before and I didn’t like it that time. I saw it in Aarhus performed by freshly graduated theatre actors. It wasn’t their fault I just have problems with modern theatre, it’s not my cup of Yorkshire tea.
Science of Sleep or La Science des rêves as it is beautifully called in french is the new film written and directed by Michael Gondry, who also directed (and co-wrote) the original Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind.
Hot Fuzz (IMDB) is probably one of the most anticipated British films this year, and if you liked Shaun of the Dead (the one and only Rom-com-zom), you can just buy your ticket for this one. Satisfaction guaranteed.
The makers of this film have very cleverly used the internet to promote this film. They have been posting videologs while they were filming it last year, and build a community site for all the Fuzz fans waiting for the film to come out. Shaun of the Dead somehow turned into a cult film, and they have a lot to live up to with this one.
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No I don’t know the answers, but I live by the idea that some things get arranged by someone with a little bit more power, and hopefully sense, than me. I don’t mean this in a church-like religious kind of way, just in life-is-sometimes-really-a-simple-twist-of-fate kind of way. Or something.
One common problem – Love …
I felt slightly out of place and several people in the queue looked weird at me.
And some asked me if I was sure I was in the right queue, was I really going to watch this film?
And I said yes.
by far the most terrifying film you will ever see
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My completely unimportant opinion of who/what I would like to win on the list of official Oscar Nominations.
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Venus
Peter O’Toole, the man is 75, and for me this is the man deserving the Oscar for best Actor this year. It’s really delightful that “older” (what is “older” anyway) actors are doing so well at the moment. Judi Dench, Meryl Streep, Hellen Mirren, Bill Nighy, Hugh Laurie all are in the picture, and now there is Peter O’Toole in Venus.
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Babel (official site) Highly anticipated, surrounded with much Oscar buzz, just collected a Golden Globe for best Film and very much hyped. Most of the times that ends in disappointed when you finally get to see it in the cinema. But not this time.
This is film making from the heart, and if this film doesn’t touch you it’s time to have your heart checked.
Yes Brat Pitt is in it, and so is Cate Blanchett. She seems to be in everything at the moment and seems to get away with kissing both Bill Nighy (Notes on a Scandal), Brat Pitt (Babel) and George Clooney (The Good German) in the same year. Lucky girl. She was asked who the best kisser was in an interview, and the answer was, oh, lets not go there …
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The Last King of Scotland (IMDB), is based on the novel by Giles Foden. It tells the story about young Scottish doctor Nicolas Garrigan (James McAvoy), who through a bizarre twist of fate becomes the personal doctor of dictator Idi Amin (a very scary Forest Whitaker) in Uganda.
The film follows Garrigans work as Amin’s doctor, and as enchanting as Amin seems to be in the beginning, Garrigan soon learns the truth about him. The film is gripping from the very first moment Garrigan lands in Africa. It is shocking, scary as hell, and there are some scenes where I simply had to look away. Both Forest Whitaker and James McAvoy deliver Oscar worthy performances, it is fantastic film. I couldn’t stand up from my chair until the very last credits were rolled off the screen. And it is probably the best film I have seen, that I will certainly never want to see again.
Miss Potter on the other hand was slow, boring, and Renee Zellweger’s British accent was annoying the hell out of me. (5/10) The only highlight here was Ewan McGregor, but he couldn’t save the film from drowning in one of those beautiful lakes in the Lake District. Do not waste your time on it.
Perfume: The Story of a Murderer 8 out 10
Directed by Tom Tywker, whose Run, Lola, Run is still high on my favourite movies of all times list. It must have been a challenge to bring a film about scent to the screen, much can be done in film, but generating smell in a cinema is not yet one of them. But he did succeed in that very well if you ask me. The story is original, the idea of having a man who has never experienced love in his life creating a perfume that makes people want to make love nearly instantly is interesting. But, the ending was too much for me, and I don’t mean the massive scene with lots of action going on, but generally the end of the story. It made it just a tad too unbelievable. Fine performances from Ben Wishaw and Alan Rickman.
The Painted Veil (2006) 5 out 10
OK, I was in New York, it was my last day, it was raining, I didn’t have an umbrella, I had already checked out of my hotel and I had to wait hours and hours for my plane, so cinema it was. I first saw Notes on a Scandal for the second time. And I admit it, it wasn’t nice, but I sneaked into the next film after that without paying another ticket. And of course It wasn’t great. It has Edward Norton in it, but boy was this a depressing and long drawn film, that fitted my mood on that day perfectly.
The Pursuit of Happyness (2006) 6 out of 10
Lot of Oscar buzz going on about this one, but I wasn’t impressed. The major problem for me was that I didn’t really like Will Smith’s character in this one. A supposed to be feelgood film that didn’t make me feel good so to speak. The little boy in this film is played by his son by the way.
The Good Shepherd (2006) 6 out of 10
With Matt Damon, directed by Robert the Niro, a story about the early days of the CIA and how people sacrificed their live and love for it. It didn’t make my heart beat any faster though. Long, and boring.
Notes on a Scandal (2006) 9 out of 10
What a cast, and what performances. Lovely to see Bill Nighy in a more dramatic and serious role, and Judi Dench is seriously in the race for an Oscar for this one if you ask me. Deliciously controversial and dark.
Blood Diamond (2006) 9 out of 10
Not too sure if Leonardo should have an Oscar for this, as there are probably better performances to choose from. But despite a lot of violence and blood, this is one hell of a film, I have no problems recommending.
The Holiday (2006) 7 out of 10
Casting Jack Black in a romantic comedy deserves some credit, and he does well. This is not on level with Notting Hill or Love Actually, but probably the closest you get to a christmas rom-com this year. Where is Richard Curtis when you need him?
If there is one film I can’t wait to see it’s Venus with Peter O’Toole. Directed by Roger Michell who directed Notting Hill (a classic), The Mother (interesting with Daniel Craig) and Enduring Love (also with Daniel Craig, and Bill Nighy). It’s scheduled for the end of January.
I know it’s pathetic to write “not sure I will be writing before the end of the year bla bla bla” just to show up the next day again. I found a cheap internetcafe at last and I mostly had to check if I hadn’t written anything completely ridiculous yesterday, as I was quite a bit out of my mind, and flying very, very high. I still am, but I like to think that my head is a little bit more clearly now. Every 5 minutes I need to check if I haven’t dreamt it all though. Not pathetic at all, I know.
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And then the Americans : Stranger than Fiction (imdb)
An otherwise average film year certainly is shaping up here in the last 2 months. It seems like they stuffed all the good films in the end of the year.
There is no way you get me into a cinema to watch a film like Talladega Nights. That kind of humour just isn’t me, and I thought Will Ferrell wasn’t really me either. But I admit to be absolutely positively surprised by Will Ferrell’s performance in Stranger than Fiction. What a great actor he is, when not playing a goofy character. He nearly reminded me, dare I say this, of Bill Nighy. His underplaying of the character, his laid back way of acting, his lanky body, he was fantastic.
The story is very original and interesting, it is funny, it is romantic, and it is entertaining until the end. It also has a well playing (as always) Emma Thompson and Dustin Hofman in it.
This might be the Christmas Rom Com you were waiting for, as I can’t see any other ones coming even close to this one this year.
Highly recommended.
First the Brits.
London To Brighton (imdb) has been called one of the best British films of this year, and that’s not completely undeserved. It’s a thriller and it will keep you on the edge of your seat from the first until the very last minute. This film really does show the darkest sites of London, and the dark sites of life. It is incredible well acted and it blew me away. Don’t expect any pink coloured happy endings here, you will be disappointed. Though there might be a little bit of light at the end of the tunnel, but only a little bit.
Very recommended, but not for the faint hearted.
[rating:4.5/5]
