January 2012
18 posts
campfire-headphase asked: Hi there, on your review of girl with the dragon tattoo, I have to agree with you on all but one thing. The end of the movie is meant to happen like that- that's what happens in the book. And you have to realise that it is a big thing for Lisbeth to want to open her heart to someone, which is what makes it so heartbreaking. It isn't 'Hollywood' at all, it's how the book...
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My Thoughts On...The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo...
**WARNING - May contain a spoiler or two**
It’s not that Niels Arden Oplev isn’t a capable filmmaker, it’s just that David Fincher is better. This film is better than the Swedish original. Fincher can, and has, collaborated with better people and the result is a film that is far more interesting than the very good crime thriller that Oplev oversaw.
In the hands of Fincher,...
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Help A (Filmstock) Brother Out
Filmmaker Scott Tanner Jones came to Filmstock with his partner in crime Armando Ballesteros promoting his wonderful short Plainview.
He left an enigmatic figure but by the time he returned with Carbone’s Birthday he had cemented his place in the upper echelons of Filmstock folklore.
He’s now a very good friend of mine, and is seeking help to complete his debut feature Take Care.
...
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My Thoughts On...Role Models
It’s very sweary and pushes the boundaries of acceptability, but it’s funny. Really funny.
I think it’s down to the four central performances, of all which are pitch perfect in their comic timing and their emotional cores. It’s a motley rabble, but they lift average material to something repeatedly watchable by revelling in the material, their chemistry and the moment.
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My Thoughts On...The Awakening
Utterly confused at the end. Are my critical faculties on the wane? Or maybe the final reveal didn’t quite live up to the promise of the rest of the film. Not knowing the equilibrium doesn’t detract from what is a well performed and thoroughly enjoyable old-fashioned ghost story.
The cast are superb, and the script has a nice frisson to it in the relationships that keep you guessing...
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My Thoughts On...Haywire
Soderbergh lets loose with a great cast in exotic locations with a slim, pulpy espionage action movie. It’s essentially a series of action sequences with a female fighter he has taken and (sort of) created an actress out of. At parts it doesn’t all hang together around her, despite the strong attempts of established actors around her.
Good trash, a proper dumb eighties action movie,...
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My Thoughts On...Steamboat Bill Jr.
Like Keaton I feel out of step sometimes with the world around me. Not quite fitting in to the way the world is. Never more so than when watching a silent film, live scored, introduced by Jim Broadbent and being overcome with joy and escapism that I rarely get from modern cinema. Maybe I have to reclaim my mode of viewing, create opportunities and environments for sheer immersion. Maybe I...
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My Thoughts On...Animal Kingdom
All hail the modern Australian crime saga. First Snowtown, now Animal Kingdom. Similar aesthetics, similar tone. Similar attention to detail.
A profound mix of the tragic and the social. Strong senses of family and volcanic tensions.
Animal Kingdom is beautifully written, superbly directed and exquisitely performed.
The comparisons with Goodfellas in the marketing are wayward in my opinion....
It's Natural To Be Afraid (38)
May only be a couple more of these posts before I close the book on this chapter. But yesterday we shared a wonderful day at the UK premiere of the film that has been such a remarkable surprise for us.
Yesterday was another reminder of how blessed I am, and how lucky we are. 16 months after we shot the film and we took over 21 people to our first public screening on these shores. And you can say...
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My Thoughts On...Gone In 60 Seconds (2000)
I blame Nicolas Cage.
You can see it as age increasing cynicism, or observation. I’ll take observation. Watching a film I enjoyed when I first saw it 12 years ago (Yeesh, that makes me feel old) I now see how morally dubious it really is. I blame Nicolas Cage.
The awe I used to have for the man has been eroded by just too many bad movies and kerazzee performances and now looking back, I...
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My Thoughts On...War Horse
I didn’t like it. But it’s genius. It’s genius because I cared nothing for any of the human characters who were all so crudely realised and two dimensional, but I cared deeply for the horse. That’s bad scriptwriting for me. But the film is called War Horse, so it doesn’t matter and will get away with it.
It didn’t feel like a Spielberg film for the first hour,...
I Can Still Come Home To This
I am compelled to write.
I know you are reading.
I watched the trailer for the LCD Soundsystem documentary about 20 times today. Every time I got a lump in my throat and goosebumps shot up and down my arms. People know what that band, and particularly that song means to me.
All My Friends.
It’s my life. It’s my autobiography. Like all good biographies it is the truth of me...
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My Thoughts On...The Iron Lady
What the hell is this? I was terrified of empathising with Thatcher, but shouldn’t have worried because despite Meryl Streep’s magnificent performance, and she is incredible, the film is such a resolutely dull, cliche ridden non film that it is rendered impotent by a complete lack of original voice.
It covers all the regular biopic bases and veers away from any of her controversial...
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My Thoughts On...Rise Of The Planet Of The Apes
Bloody rollicking mainstream blockbuster. Essentially silly, until you go with it, and then this social warning is unveiled that has parallels with Silent Running, in that it’s about man’s desire to control nature, and our naive arrogance of what we think is ‘right’ or ‘enough’ only for it to evolve beyond our control.
Some nice touches of nodding toward the...
It's Natural To Be Afraid (37)
*UK PREMIERE TICKET LINK*
Folks and friends coming to see the UK premiere of the short as part of London Short Film Fest on the 14th Jan, here is the link for tix -
http://www.curzoncinemas.com/events/details/978/london-short-film-festival-love—happiness/
Can’t wait to share it with UK peeps in person.
Field Recording: Mogwai vs. Car Wash
December 2011
39 posts
2011
My short film It’s Natural To Be Afraid played nearly 30 festivals, winning 6 awards including one given by William H. Macy. I was lucky enough to be present to receive one in Kerry, Ireland. I finished my second feature script, an original pulp feature titled A Sweet Little Bullet From A Pretty Blue Gun I took The Great Brain Robbery to the Edinburgh Fringe and got good reviews and crowds,...
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Albums of 2011: Number 1
Mirror Traffic by...
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My Thoughts On...Easy A
Yes! At last, another smart and funny teen movie that is about something other than boys. Of course boys is part of it but it’s also a great film about the complexities of school and young life. Emma Stone is superb heading up a script that is excellently crafted and structured and she is supported by a cast of new young actors and a raft of older heads.
It’s really, really funny and...
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My Thoughts On...Silent Running
If it stayed with me before, the first time I caught it years and years ago it terrified me now, living in the world we do, which frankly is en route to an irreversible slide into a pit of shit if we don’t quickly take power back and save both the planet and the fundamental idea of humanity.
This film is a beautiful poem to the preservation of the natural world but also the inherent...
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My Thoughts On...Don't Be Afraid Of The Dark...
A schlocky tale stylishly told and thankfully a departure from the normal ghosts/girls with wet hair horror of recent times. The Del Toro factor adds a nice fantasy monster element to proceedings.
Lightweight sure, and the adult leads have little to do, but the child lead holds it together and it does eerie well. Plus, pleasant (narratively speaking only) surprise at the end.
Good hokum.
“you have a built in ear for the ring of truth”
– billy connolly
A Quick Click
Looking for last good deed of 2011? How about a click to vote for homeless charity I volunteer for, called NOAH to receive support http://bit.ly/uN2YIW
If they win, they will be Luton Airport’s charity of the year for 2 years and it will be a massive boost. They are an awesome organisation.
Votes close midday Jan 3
Thanks, Neil
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My Thoughts On...The Artist
Wonderful, wonderful, wonderful. An amazing film about man’s inability to talk and communicate, and the disastrous effect this can have. It’s a great story set in a wonderful world that is nostalgic without ever being derivative.
Full of so much imagination, heart and style. A silent film about silent films that proves how many movies don’t understand cinema and think...
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Albums of 2011: 10 - 2
As with songs, here’s my favourite albums this year, counted down to 2. Fave one up tomorrow.
10. Suuns - Zeroes QC
Thanks GJ for this head’s up.
9. Cut Copy - Zonoscope
One of the best albums to write to I’ve found. Perfect for getting into a creative flow.
8. Explosions In The Sky - Take Care, Take Care, Take Care
It’s been a good year for me and this band. Saw...
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My Thoughts On...Meet Me In St. Louis
My favourite musical, one of my favourite directors, watching the remastered version at the BFI with my favourite person, who was watching it for the first time. Perfecto.
It’s a glorious, ravishing spectacle full of wonderful design and camerawork, great performances, wonderful songs, passion and of course, that Minnelli colour palette.
Judy Garland is mercurial, you can tell Minnelli was...
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The Dirty Dozen 2011
Here they are, my 12 favourite films of the year. The 12 are published in The Luton News, with the first 10 (as per our dear leader’s instructions) making their online bow over at Directors Notes. Link here - http://www.directorsnotes.com/2011/12/28/neil-fox-2011-top-ten/
Been a weird year for me film watching wise. I’ve still seen a lot but my doctorate and my new 4 day a week job...
“art is the highest form of hope”
– gerhard richter
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Songs of 2011: 10 - 2
The songs that have meant the most to me this year. Counting down 10 - 2 today, then posting my top song of 2011 tomorrow.
10. Tom Waits - Get Lost
9. Michael Kiwanuka - I Need Your Company
8. Hanni El Khatib - Build. Destroy. Rebuild.
7. Wilco - The Art Of Almost
6. White Denim - Bess St.
5. Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds - AKA…What A Life!
4. Fionn Regan - For A...
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My Thoughts On...Invincible Force
The films of Dan Schneidkraut are exhilarating, uncomfortable and intoxicating. His latest feature is a claustrophobic piece of high concept lo-fi that I still can’t shake, 3 or so days after watching it.
There is so much going on in this documentary-esque saga as we watch a man, actually physically transform his body and subsequently his life on a 90 day Invincible Force programme. Like...
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My Thoughts On..Captain America: The First Avenger
Thought I was gonna hate this, really wasn’t looking forward to it, but it surprised me, by having a decent story, good performances and passionate direction from king of modern studio schlock Joe Johnston.
Don’t get me wrong, it’s no Dark Knight or Iron Man but it’s fun and entertaining and a much better pre supermovie warm up than Thor was. Nice looking, Hugo Weaving...
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My Thoughts On...Bridesmaids
Wasn’t expecting that. The marketing would have you believe it’s an all girls rendering of The Hangover. It’s not. It’s more than that. I love The Hangover, but this has more to it. A really witty script, and great performances, turning expectations on their head and dealing with familiar situations with delicacy and freshness.
Some real laugh out loud moments in this...
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My Thoughts On...Hugo
Brilliant! Brilliant! Brilliant!
Not sure it’s a movie for kids. At least modern kids. Or am I being too harsh? Did your kids or kids you know love it like I did?
It’s a beautiful film about cinema, stories, the past, what’s important. It’s a beautiful screenplay that manages to make epic adventure out of a small, delicate tale and simple moments. It’s an adventure...
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My Thoughts On...Four Christmases
Well, it’s Christmas, and I’m no humbug. But it’s not very good is it?
Vince brings some smiles, course he does. But it wastes a good cast. But it’s harmless Christmas tosh, and I broke up today til Jan 3rd and it was just what I needed. Sorry, no vitriol here.
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My Thoughts On...George Harrison: Living In The...
A while back I posted a quote by a film writer about this film:
‘You never know any subject as well as you think you do, even one as familiar as the beatles. not even close’
michael c. (www.seriousfilm.blogpost.com)
After 15 minutes of this incredible documentary it rings loud and true. Epic, fascinating telling of a great life and a great artist told by a great and formidable...
My Thoughts On...Kill List
Too many dogs killed or threatened in movies this year for my liking. As a dog owner it’s a pain I never knew before.
That aside, this is a refreshingly sophisticated British genre film. It’s rare to have a British film deliver convincingly in one genre, let alone several and Kill List is an engaging and tense crime film with swathes of horror and echoes of post conflict war drama...
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My Thoughts On...Le Quattro Volte
A hymn to simplicity, to old ways, to the forgotten. A paean to the cycle of life in all nature. Slow cinema. Silent cinema. Quietly observant and commemorative cinema. Pure cinema.
There is a long scene featuring a passion play and a dog pulling a brake block from under the wheel of a truck that is spellbinding, magnificent and perfect. And I can’t even talk about when the young goat gets...
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My Thoughts On...Tremors
A rollicking, entertaining, fun, funny Monster B-Movie with some great stylistic flourishes. A gung ho piece of exemplary exploitation.
What else can you say? It has Fred Ward and bad hair. What more do you need from your entertainment?
It’s aged surprisingly well. I think because it’s so in thrall to B Movies that it’s managed to retain that timeless kitsch edge needed to be...
“if you do something quickly, all you get is quickness”
– aleksandr sokurov
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My Thoughts On...A Separation
An absolutely devastating family and social drama that had me gripped from the get go and never let up.
An absolutely incredible screenplay about manipulation, faith and trust and wonderful direction that draws some of the most, real and honest performances I’ve seen for a long time. An impeccable drama. Still speechless. The power of cinema. The power of story. The complexity of context.
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My Thoughts On...Tucker & Dale Vs. Evil
Sometimes a film comes along that really surprises and charms you, and is genuinely entertaining but not derivative or laboured.
This is such a film. It has an idea and makes the most of it. Funny, with good set pieces, great performances and some nice touches in the lead characters that just make it a fun 90minutes of gore and self-reflexive references.
It's Natural To Be Afraid (36)
*UK PREMIERE*
It’s only taken nearly a year but finally, we will be screening the film in the UK, at the London Short Film Festival no less.
It plays at midday on Saturday 14th January. Details here
http://shortfilms.org.uk/events/2012-01-14-new-shorts-22-love-happiness
Screening is at the Curzon Soho. The cinema where we had the our first ever festival screening with our first short...
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My Thoughts On...It's A Wonderful Life
Has there ever been anyone better than James Stewart? In the history of movies? I struggle to name a better star than he. He is us on the screen. Us with grace, and humility. Humanity.
This is a good movie, a good story, but with him in the role of George Bailey it has rightly been elevated to exalted status. He is impeccable, perfect, magnificent.
There were tears, as always. First time...
“people ask me how do i get to be friends with musicians. how do you get to be...”
– bob gruen
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My Thoughts On...The Black Power Mixtape 1967-1975
Never stop learning.
Never stop reading.
Never stop watching.
Never stop being curious. Never stop fighting.
Never stop listening.
To music.
To those who went before.
To those who go there now.
Never ignore.
Never assume.
Never take the ‘official version’ of events as Gospel.
There is always another side. As with Rashomon yesterday so with this film today.
Incredible...
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My Thoughts On...Rashomon
One of the greatest stories about stories. Beautifully told, it’s the telling of one story from various viewpoints and is a complex dissection of truth and how sometimes we prefer stories instead of the truth. A morality play that still packs a punch today when we are still selfish, greedy, lying and so uncommunicative with and trusting of our fellow man. Akira Kurosawa frames it so that...
“i’ll tambourine away my worries”
– it was kevin by bob