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You are here -> Lifestyle / Film & TV Friday, 16 May, 2008
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Ghosts of Cite Soleil
Ghosts of Cite Soleil
19/05/2007
Did you know that Wyclef Jean has just been appointed a roving ambassador for Haiti to try and lure back investors and tourists to the country after years of violence and civil unrest? It was in the papers, you know. You should probably read more. In any case, the musician has now provided the score to 'Ghosts Of Cite Soleil,' a documentary following brothers and renowned gang leaders 2Pac and Billy through one of the most turbulent periods in Haitian history. Used as political pawns between the existing government and advancing rebels, they find themselves locked in an unwinnable battle that can only end in tragedy. Aside from violence, the brothers’ most fluent method of expression is music - railing against a world that offers them no hope. This is real gangster rap, addressing real problems and involving real danger. Its commercialised American equivalent looks like a particularly jolly Gilbert and Sullivan operetta in comparison. The film is so slickly edited and goes along at such a pace that you continually have to remind yourself that it is not a work of fiction - a dark and sobering thought. This is powerful, important filmmaking which deserves to be seen; though I doubt it will do much for the Haitian tourist industry... GHOSTS OF CITÉ SOLEIL REVOLVER ENTERTAINMENT Out Now REVIEW BY ED COLEMAN
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Fast Food Nation
Fast Food Nation
18/05/2007
Going into the film of Eric Schlosser’s best selling book, you expect something like a Michael Moore polemic, or 'Supersize Me.' These are not good documentaries, but they succeed in making a point, however facile it may be. This film would kill for facile. For some inexplicable, unfathomable, impenetrable reason, Schlosser and director Richard Linklater have decided to transform one of the most successful non-fiction books of recent years into a fictional narrative. The result is patronising and self-defeating. The script is unbearably heavy-handed, including lines such as 'This burger is really disgusting,' and long, long monologues about the Patriot Act in the middle of apparently naturalistic scenes. Alongside these lectures are 'comic' episodes, such as one in which the marketing team at Mickey's try to come up with a new slogan for their flagship meal, The Big One. Their favourite is 'I've got a Big One.' This feels more like the broad satire of 'Thank You For Smoking' than a serious critique of consumer culture. The tone is, to say the least, confused. And to say slightly more, ludicrously inconsistent. The only reason I can think of why Schlosser might choose to undermine his book in such a way is a desire to spread its message to a wider audience. Bruce Willis and Avril Lavigne make cameos here. That’s right, Avril Lavigne. She’s a better singer than she is an actor. And I don't say that lightly. There is something devilishly ironic in a movie that claims to be so resolutely against commodification selling its soul in such slick and slimy packaging. 'Fast Food Nation' reminded me of the new genre of movies ('The Constant Gardener,' 'Blood Diamond') that sacrifice their art to their politics. Except in this case, such a sacrifice was completely unnecessary - this didn't need to be a fictional film. As it is, not only does it sacrifice its art to its politics by turning a narrative into an ashen invective, it also sacrifices its politics to its art, by turning fact into fiction in the first place. It is a film without either art or politics. It is not a film. It is a waste of two perfectly good hours. FAST FOOD NATION RECORDED PICTURE COMPANY Out Now REVIEW BY SIMON BIRD
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Coming Soon...
Coming Soon...
28/03/2007
The first ever motion picture to feature sound, The Jazz Singer, was released in Hollywood California in 1927. 80 years later it seems we’ve pretty much run out of things to make films out of. Literally every major Hollywood blockbuster coming out in 2007 is either a sequel, a prequel or a remake of something that’s already been done. This is a bit worrying really as there’s probably only so much longer them Hollywood big shots can carry on doing this until they really start scraping the barrel. In 2008 expect to see the release of Coronation Street the Movie as well as Spiderman 4 through 30 and Ocean’s a million. In the meantime, this is Notion’s guide to what’s coming your way in 2007... Spiderman 3 [MAY 4] Some kind of alien hybrid technology thing makes Spiderman go all evil for a bit. Scary! 28 Weeks Later [MAY 12] My friend Ed’s in this. Apparently Robert Carlyle eats his face. Pirates of the Caribbean 3: At World’s End [MAY 25] Why are pirates called pirates? I don’t know, they just Aarrrrggh. Ocean’s 13 [JUNE 8] Ocean’s 12 was, let’s face it, a bit shit. This was mainly down to the bit when Julia Roberts’ character pretended to be Julia Roberts and the whole film disappeared down some nightmarish postmodern vortex. Hopefully they won’t do that in this one. Live Free or Die Hard [JULY 6] Not many people know this, but Bruce Willis is actually 130 years old. But he’s still the hardest muthafucker in show business. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix [14 JULY] How many more of these have we got to have? Surely everyone’s got the idea by now. The Simpsons Movie [JULY 27] Wicked! This is going to be amazing I reckon. Check out the previews on youtube. Transformers [JULY 27] Live action version of 80s cartoon. This is probably going to be really silly. Still it shits on He-Man. The Bourne Ultimatum [AUGUST 10] I’m not being funny, but I reckon I could take Matt Damon in a fight and I’m basically a physical coward. You can tell him I said that. Text: Matt Harvey
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Hannibal Rising
Hannibal Rising
28/03/2007
What drives a person to become a sadistic murdering cannibal? For me it was when I was six and my cousins stole my favourite Thundercat toy (Panthro) and made me watch as they microwaved him into a bubbling grey puddle. This latest instalment in the Hannibal Lecter series tells the story of how a similarly traumatic episode led to the development of the brain eating madman we've come to love. During the Second World War, Hannibal is captured by a gang of starving Nazi collaborators who stay alive by eating his younger sister. So, every so often I like to wind my friend Charlie up by telling him I think his sister is 'quite fit.' (It’s amazing - he goes fucking mental!) But even I would have to admit that it would be crossing a line if I actually went as far as killing and eating her in front of him. Evidently young Hannibal feels the same way and after the war he goes in search of revenge. Like the previous efforts, it’s not as good as Silence of the Lambs. But what it lacks in drama and character development, it more than makes up with, you know, people getting their faces eaten, so is probably worth a look. If that’s your kind of thing. MATT HARVEY CINEMA MOMENTUM PICTURES Release Date: 9th February
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Rocky: The Definitive Edition
Rocky: The Definitive Edition
28/03/2007
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Ghost
Ghost
28/03/2007
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The Wonder Years DVD Box Set
The Wonder Years DVD Box Set
01/01/2007
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Peep Show Series 3
Peep Show Series 3
01/01/2007
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You, Me and Dupree
You, Me and Dupree
01/01/2007
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Dynamo's Concrete Playground
Dynamo's Concrete Playground
01/01/2007
Dynamo's Concrete Playground is firmly embedded in street culture. This ultra-talented 23-year-old shows off his innovative mix of magic, beats and the streets throughout; he integrates amazing card manipulations with popping and locking, and bounces playing cards off his feet just like he's doing kick-ups in the park. He uses trainer tricks and faster-than-a-speeding-bullet clothes changes to shock JD Sports staff, performing tricks that have the power to silence even the gobbiest of youths. Yet alongside the tricks, this documentary shows him having jokes with his mates on their road trip, taking full advantage of that handy humourinducing tool, the loudspeaker. Much city-centre banter ensues ("Please remove your hood or we will remove you"), which only emphasises Dynamo's down-to-earth persona, as if an inflated ego could never become this man’s reality. Ever true to his roots, Dynamo takes us on a magical tour through the overlooked underbelly of British culture. From the infamous Delph Hill estate in Bradford where he grew up, to famous jerk chicken shop Island Hut in Birmingham, and on to some of the glamorous highlights of London, Dynamo wishes to show the "different sides of the UK, using magic and music to break down barriers." And no matter what ground he treads, people react with the same degree of gasp-inducing delight, showing magic’s universal appeal. Dynamo knows how easy it is to lose your way in Britain's much-criticised youth culture, and acts as a walking example to the kids he encounters. He shows that using your talent really can lead to great things. Dynamo is only 23-years-old, and magic has already made his wildest dreams come true. In his travels, he has entertained the likes of Jay-Z, Pharrell Williams, Dizzee Rascal, Chris Martin, Paris Hilton, Goldie, as well as his own personal icons De La Soul. Alongside this, as if you needed to add insult to injury, Snoop Dogg and Ian Brown have written tracks about him, he has performed with the Gorillaz and has been in a music video with Kanye West. His DVD incorporates an urban soundtrack of both new and well-known talent, ranging from Sway to Terri Walker, from Terra Firma to The Blood Brothers Crew. OUT ON DVD NOW
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DEJA VU
DEJA VU
01/01/2007
DIRECTED BY: TONY SCOTT STARRING: DENZEL WASHINGTON, JIM CAVIEZEL, VAL KILMER. Released at Cinemas: December 22nd An all-star directorial and production team bring us the latest in a line of unsettling yet captivating futuristic thrillers. 'Déjà Vu' explores the phenomenon that is commonly held as a trick of the mind, but here technology makes it a reality. For federal agent Doug Carlin (Washington), feelings about the past become warnings about the future and the dangers it may bring. When Carlin is called upon to investigate a horrific bomb exploded on board a New Orleans ferry, he quickly discovers that what he thought was all in the mind is actually a disturbing and ground-shattering race against time. Carlins' déjà vu holds the key to stopping a large-scale disaster, and he must travel back in time to stop the untimely murder of the woman he may or may not be in love with in the process. Even as both the love story and the course of history play out in reverse, the film’s far-fetched premise somehow manages to remain viable. In fact, the agents' Time Lab was constructed to resemble a surveillance system put in place in New Orleans prior to Hurricane Katrina, when it was destroyed, and producer Bruckheimer is aware that such surveillance could soon become law. Always the innovator, Scott takes CGI to the next level with his choreographed car chases that are occurring in both the past and present. 'Déjà Vu' is impeccably shot, and remains slick and suspenseful throughout.
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BLACK BOOK
BLACK BOOK
01/01/2007
DIRECTED BY: GABRIELE MUCCINO STARRING: CARICE VAN HOUTEN, SEBASTIAN KOCH, HALINA REIJN. Released at Cinemas: January 19th Paul Verhoeven spent 20 years honing his art in Hollywood, directing action thrillers like 'Robocop', 'Starship Troopers' and the lascivious 'Basic Instinct'. Now he’s returned to his native Holland to bring us this complex wartime tale of collaboration, betrayal and retribution. 'Black Book' covers the final months of WW2 as we follow the fate of Rachel Steinn, a strikingly beautiful Jewish woman (van Houten) forced into hiding who then witnesses the murder of her whole family. To unmask the traitors, Rachel assumes a blonde bombshell persona, joins the Resistance and works at Nazi HQ. Verhoeven brings all his Hollywood experience to bear, negotiating the complex twists and turns of a cracking script. We identify wholeheartedly with Rachel’s quest for the truth, which leads her to make unlikely allegiances and take thrilling risks. Verhoeven's recreation of wartime Holland always rings true, this movie is after all based on actual events, and Verhoeven only introduces explicit sexual scenes and quickfire humour when they enhance the plot.
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