Seem to be going through a bit of a purple patch with the movie as of late.Went to Dublin on Sat. last to the LIGHTHOUSE cinema in Smithfield to see THE ILLUSIONIST by French director SYLVAIN CHOMET who made BELLVILLE RENDEZ-VOUS.It looks like I've got another one to add to my films of the year list!An animated feature directed more to an adult audience,not for the content,more for the style and pace.It tells the story of an ageing French magician who ends up in Edinburgh at the start of the 60's,who is struggling to get theatre bookings what with the onset of rock & roll and television.I would highly recommend this film.
As I said I saw THE ILLUSIONIST in the new LIGHTHOUSE cinema and what a fantastic cinema it is.This was my first visit to the LIGHTHOUSE in its current incarnation,been to the old one many many times and saw some great stuff there.It's hard to get to Dublin as much as we used to in the old (pre-kids) days.Back in the 90's we once saw 5 films in one day during the DUBLIN FILM FESTIVAL.We'd be hard pressed to do 1 a month nowadays hopefully that'll change soon.What with ATHYFILMCLUB responsibilities and all I'll have to keep up with current cinematic events.Who knows Cannes or Sundance or even Toronto might beckon.
Anyway the LIGHTHOUSE was designed by D.T.A. Architects who have an Athy connection (DEREK TYNAN),his son DAVE TYNAN is a filmmaker who has a huge hit on YOUTUBE.It's great to see an Independent cinema of such a scale in the capital.Who knows if I won the Lotto(a substantial one) I would probably build a 5 screen cinema in Athy showing mainstream movies and having 1 or 2 screens for all the QUIRKY,WEIRD,OFFBEAT,SUBTITLED,FOREIGN,ART HOUSE,INDEPENDENT,ALT-HOLLYWOOD,LOW-BUDGET,SPECIALIST,REVISIONIST WESTERN,VISIONARY EASTERN,NON-LINEAR NARRATIVE,DOCUMENTARY,ROCUMENTARY,MOCUMENTARY,REALIST,ABSURDIST,SURREAL and NON-POPULIST film that I like.Special discount for ATHYFILMCLUB members of course.Well I can dream............
Just watched the last episode of the 2nd series of BREAKING BAD....best t.v. show ever.I said that about DEADWOOD last year and THE WIRE the year before and THE SOPRANOS too at some stage in the past.I'm a bit promiscuous in my t.v. tastes.I've been kindly loaned the 1st and 2nd season box-set of MAD MEN by an esteemed film club member(thank you).I've seen bits of it and wondered whats all the fuss?,so now I'm going to go at it for real, obviously because of my new-found blogging status (status?) I have to be aware of these things.The 2nd series of TRUE BLOOD started on TG4 last week, it made TWIN PEAKS seem like THE RIORDANS it was that over the top.
Don't forget E.T. for Culture Night in association with ATHYFILMCLUB.We are endeavouring to cinematically educate the youth with this one.It's a free family friendly screening so don't expect the usual respectful hush as the film starts that you normally get at ATHYFILMCLUB screenings.
Last week I saw A SINGLE MAN starring COLIN FIRTH and directed by fashion designer TOM FORD.Needless to say the movie looked fabulous.All the clothes,houses,cars,everything looked sumptuous and all the period details (1960's) were spot on.It also starred NICOLAS HOULT,he was the kid in ABOUT A BOY,he's grown up and now looks like an all American poster boy.JULIANNE MOORE also stars and does a great British accent. Recommended.
I'm in a kind of good humour and I haven't got much to rant about so I'll stay with the positive stuff.Out at the end of the month is Sundance Grand Jury prize winner WINTERS BONE which I talked about before?The story of a 17 year old girl looking for her crank cooking criminal dad. Its set in the Ozarks in Southern Missouri.By all accounts its got a great soundtrack.Lots of banjo music!The film brushes aside all the DELIVERANCE cliches that we've been listening to for God knows how long.I'm going to try to get director DEBRA GRANIKS first feature DOWN TO THE BONE (starring VERA FARMIGA from UP IN THE AIR)on Amazon or somewhere.Cant wait ,love having a film to be excited about.WINTERS BONE put it in your diary.I'm predicting it will be one of my films of the year. |
| H.A.V.O.C. and celeb chef discuss ATHYFILMCLUB business |
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| clash of the ash |
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| THE GREAT MICK LALLY AND MARY MC EVOY |
Us rascals at ATHYFILMCLUB are pretty chuffed with ourselves at the great reception and turnout we got for HIS & HERS recently.KEN WARDROP could'nt have been more accomadating,plus it was great to get an insight into film-making straight from the source.We would love to do something similar in the future. |
| KEN WARDROP ADDRESSES ATHYFILMCLUB |
H.A.C.O.C.#1.I suppose you could say if I were to review a film it would'nt be a critique more of a fanalysis.Thats a new word I made up.I read reviews all the time.I reckon most of my cinematic knowledge comes from reviews.I have a good memory for the things that interest me, we are all the same in that respect.Anyway some critics bug the sh..oops...hell outta me.You get to know their style after a while who they like as directors and so on.Some well respected Irish newspaper film critics can't seem to find the time to review all the new releases.Some excuse about the distributor not making the film available for a press screening.Why dont they go the the next week and pay the admission fee, we dont mind if the review is a week late do we? In fairness most of these films are crap and the distributors dont want crap reviews.
But what if one of these films is actually good? This happened earlier this year,with the biographical feature of singer IAN DURY'S life called SEX&DRUGS&ROCK'N'ROLL.This film got great reviews in the British press but nothing at all about it here (I'm sure someone can correct me on this).What if it was one of the "Films of the Year" do we just forget about it over here?Come on you guys do your jobs.
This remind me of other instances of artistic snobbery.On certain arts reVIEW programmes on RTE you will have guest reviewers actually giving away the plot! It's like us mere mortals watching the programme do not count,the plot doesnt matter the dramatic tension and all that doesnt matter all that matters is that some minor celeb gets to waffle on in a psuedo-intellectual manner.The fact that I have photos of THE IRISH TIMES and THE VIEW on my blog page is purely coincidental!!!!!!!!!!!!
This is something I've touched on before so bear with me........
Right so back to business,film business that is.Well not strictly film business how about T.V.for a change? Like film there has always been good and bad T.V. so in the tradition that H.A.V.O.C. tries to maintain lets concentrate on the good.
But the whole idea of the box-sets and owning them never really appealed to me. I enjoyed watching programmes when the great programming god in the sky meant us to watch them! I liked the idea of having to keep a certain hour free to watch your favourite programme, of not missing a vital episode. So having the box-set took away some of that urgency or whatever.
You see, now when the T.V. was crap we would just stick on an episode,one at a time now mind,you have to savour quality T.V.
If you like what I've written about so far in film you will probably like this,a list,with little descriptions, of my recommendations for GOOD T.V. box-sets.
SIX FEET UNDER: Nearest in tone to TWIN PEAKS as you'll get from something produced in the 2000's.Really well written darkly humorous and again great music.
ENTOURAGE & CALIFORNICATION: These two series only came in short half-hour episodes.Very funny irreverent humour. ENTOURAGE ,abut a film star and his group of buddies.CALIFORNICATION is about a writer (DAVID DUCHOVNY from THE X-FILES) with writers block.Both are strictly over 18's so beware.
A few others worth a mention are TRUE BLOOD (vampire romance) HOMICIDE (90's precursor to THE WIRE) and little seen STREET TIME (about a drug dealer and his parole officer).
I'm going on holiday soon so this one could be short. Then again I might get into rant mode and go on and on ............. Anyway in H.A.V.O.C.#7 I mentioned the Coen Brothers, I also mentioned that they would probably get their own H.A.V.O.C. Well this is it! These guys along with a handful of other filmmakers changed my outlook on film in general some time ago. Their first film BLOOD SIMPLE hit the cinemas in 1984. A modern film noir I saw it at the time in Dublin in The Screen at College Street now simply called The Screen. This cinema used to and still does show mainly art house films. The reviews were good at the time. Here was a film made by a couple of young guys,that cost nothing and was bucking the trend. Anyhow it blew my socks off. It had it all,good music ,a great storyline and some truly original cinematography (really different camera angles etc.etc.). It won awards for direction at both the Sundance and American Spirit Film Festivals.
I was equally impressed by their follow up RAISING ARIZONA (1987). An offbeat comedy about a childless couple who kidnap one of five newly born quintuplets from a furniture tycoon. This film had one of the first and best uses of Steadicam in cinema to date.
At this stage I thought these fellas could do no wrong. BARTON FINK (1991) was up next and all the talk was it was a magnificent film. It had just won the Palme D'Or at Cannes Film Festival. When I saw it I just couldn't figure out what all the fuss was about,I was very disappointed. This was critically acclaimed all over the place.
Then there was the crime thriller FARGO (1996). Our relationship was back on track with this one. A great film funny , dark ,clever ,poignant ,everything!! It also won 2 Oscars.
O BROTHER WHERE ART THOU? came out in 2000. I absolutely loved this film. Based loosely on Homer's Odyssey, it had a great cast and great music.The soundtrack was compiled by T-BONE BURNETT who won an Oscar this year,I think, for the music in CRAZY HEART starring JEFF BRIDGES who won best actor award for the same film. This was the brothers first film to feature GEORGE CLOONEY and it proved to me at least that GEORGE was much more than just a pretty face was in that rubbish E.R. again my opinion.
This was 3 in a row that I didn't rate ,far from it ,I was getting worried had the boys lost their mojo? But I'd come this far with these fellas I'd have to persevere.
And so fear not , up next is a remake of TRUE GRIT based on the source novel by Charles Portis. I read this book earlier this year and yep I'm really looking forward to it. Looking at that list I cant imagine the last 25 years without these two geniuses.
What constitutes a modern day western? If a film is 60 years old can we still call it modern day? Okay if we were to say if a film had automobiles in it then its modern day? No we cant really say that because they HAD automobiles as far back as the late 1800's. Right we will say any film made after WW2 and set in the American west ,with cowboys constitutes a modern day western. Now we have that settled, it means I can include BAD DAY AT BLACK ROCK. It was set in the aftermath of WW2 .Directed by JOHN STURGES in 1955 it starred SPENCER TRACY, ROBERT RYAN and a relatively young LEE MARVIN (the writer bows his head with solemn respect). A fine film that dealt with racism , prejudice and dark secrets it won huge critical acclaim in its day.
These films (modern day westerns) always intrigued me. As with all westerns you see wide open country and guys in cowboy hats and boots but more than likely they will be driving a pick up instead of riding a horse. Like CLINT EASTWOOD in COOGAN'S BLUFF directed by DON SIEGEL which was about an Arizona sheriff in the big city ,New York, on the trail of a bad guy played by DON STROUD ,who always played bad guys.
In the last 10 to 15 years though we have been treated to some really good modern day westerns. Because it won a bunch of Oscars we have to start with NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN. A brilliant book and film. Although the ending ,which was the same in both, was a bit mysterious. This is no surprise considering the book was written by CORMAC McCARTHY , there are no less than 7 adaptations of his work ( 1 play 6 books) either produced or in pre-production. The film was directed by THE COEN BROTHERS whom I wont say anymore about now because they will get a whole H.A.V.O.C. to themselves sometime soon.
THE 3 BURIALS OF MELQUIADES ESTRADA written by GUILLERMO ARRIAGA and directed by TOMMY LEE JONES was a brilliant M.D.W.( you know you know). It had country singer DWIGHT YOAKAM in a supporting role and in a terrific cameo role the singer and drummer with THE BAND (who MARTIN SCORCESE made THE LAST WALTZ about) was LEVON HELM. Its worth seeing , even buying.
A HISTORY OF VIOLENCE , which also won an Oscar , and starred VIGGO MORTENSON was my favourite film of 2005. This film was basically a modern reworking of HIGH NOON ,a film where a man with a past has to do what hes gotta do to save his family. Careful though its not for the faint hearted, the clue is in the title.
Another of my favourites of recent times is THE WAY OF THE GUN starring RYAN PHILLIPE (former pretty boy) and BENICIO DEL TORO (never pretty boy) as two kidnappers.This was written and directed by CHRIS McQUARRIE who also wrote the script for THE USUAL SUSPECTS. This film even goes so far as to name its principal characters Parker and Longbaugh which were the actual surnames of BUTCH CASSIDY AND THE SUNDANCE KID. 
RIDE THE HIGH COUNTRY
Is there such a thing as a good film about soccer? Looking up google for a top ten of football films the first thing that came up was a list of American football films! Realising my error I quickly changed the word soccer for football and had another try. The results didn't exactly fill me with excitement/inspiration (well what did I expect?). One thing I did notice talking to people about soccer films is if you ask them to name one they will most likely say ESCAPE TO VICTORY. And that was talking to people younger than myself! 
#3 GOAL!
One of the better soccer films I have seen lately is RUDO Y CURSI a Mexican film made by CARLOS SAURAN it stars GAEL GARCIA BERNAL and DIEGO LUNA as half brothers from rural Mexico who make it big in the Mexican soccer leagues. Its quite funny and well done also there are no football celebs making embarrassing cameo appearances ,like in the film GOAL! directed by DANNY CANNON , this rubbish has already spawned two sequels. The two lead actors in RUDO Y CURSI were about nine years ago together in Y TU MAMA TAMBIEN which was also written by CARLOS SAURAN.
Only quality HBO.COM or SHO.COM (SHOWTIME) stuff. Well maybe next time. I'll go and study "The Really Important Guide to Writing a Blog Almanac"......Seriously it does exist.
I was watching t.v. lately and I saw an ad for a film called A PROPHET . The ad or trailer was really good, one of those that show you just enough to whet your appetite. I cant wait to see this film. It should have won best foreign language film at this years Oscar's but lost out to an Argentinian film called THE SECRET IN THEIR EYES. The film A PROPHET looks like a thrilling prison drama with some great acting.The director/writer JACQUES AUDIARD made a film a few years ago called THE BEAT THAT MY HEART SKIPPED .I saw this lately on d.v.d., an unusual film about a petty criminal who's late mother was a famous concert pianist ,the son decides to resume what was once a promising career as a pianist with surprising results.
Out this week in selected (of course) cinemas is THE KILLER INSIDE ME directed by MICHAEL WINTERBOTTOM from the source material by JIM THOMPSON. I've read a few of his books and this one was particularly violent. The screen adaptation is very close to the source material.
Back when RESERVOIR DOGS (my film of the 90's) was first released there was a huge outcry about the level of violence in it. The ear slicing scene in particular came in for some heavy criticism, but looking closely at that scene you realise that you don't actually see anything only a suggestion! The camera pulls away and focuses on the wall. When I saw INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS last year I realised it was a lot more violent ,visibly at least. Germans getting their heads busted open (by horror film director ELI ROTH no less) but no outcry this time ,how times have changed.It's a tough one the old screen violence debate.We like it in films like DIE HARD and that but when it is realistic its a different story.
One of my favourite films and soundtracks is DEAD MANS SHOES starring PADDY CONSIDINE and directed by SHANE MEADOWS .Set in rural England its a revenge film (do I see a pattern forming here?) not a million miles away from ,certainly influenced by, TAXI DRIVER. Its got an awesome soundtrack with incidental music by CALEXICO and three uninterrupted songs by BONNY PRINCE BILLY,SMOG and M.WARD. On my second viewing of this film my photographer friend Matt http://www.mattpetosa.com/ pointed out that the director didn't cut the songs but let them play through which he believed maintained the integrity of the piece (ahem).It took me a while but I finally got what he meant.
An example of how this should not be done was in the film GARDEN STATE starring and directed by ZACH BRAFF in the scene where NATALIE PORTMAN hands him her headphones to listen to a track by THE SHINS (great song) all we get is about thirty seconds of it, maybe the director thought we did'nt have the attention span for the whole song, pity
