14th May2016

Cannes Film Festival (Film)

by timbaros

740f4da215cd9647789997805f7c8867Where will the film business movers and shakers be from May 11th – May 22nd? In Cannes at the annual 69th Cannes Film Festival. Anybody who is anybody in the film business will be spending at least one night in five star hotels, in limosines, and on the red carpets to the many premieres promoting their latest film. And this year, like all other years, the star wattage is turned on extra high. Offerings from Steven Spielberg, Woody Allen and George Clooney prove that this year’s festival is no Sundance – it’s better and bigger, warmer, and more expensive, with lots more sun and skin!

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The opening night film of the festival is Woody Allen’s 47th – ‘Café Society.’ It’s a romantic comedy-drama (of course) about a young man who arrives in 1930’s Hollywood and gets swept into the whole scene. Jesse Eisenberg, Kristen Stewart and Blake Lively star.

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‘BGF’ is Steven Spielberg’s first live-action 3D film. Starring Mark Rylance, who Spielberg directed to an Oscar for last year’s ‘Bridge of Spies,’ it’s about a Big Friendly Giant from a magical land. Expect lots of buzz for this fantasy movie.

Jodie Foster is back at Cannes, this time as director of ‘Money Monster.’ She directs an all-star cast about a broadcaster and producer who are held hostage in their own studio. Clooney, Julia Roberts and hot young star Jack O’Connell (’71’) star. The red carpet will be chock-a-block for this premiere.

Films in Competition include:

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‘Julieta’ – Pedro Almodovar is back with another film about a woman’s trials and tribulations.

Cannes darling, and wonderkid Xavier Dolan, is back to Cannes with his new film ‘It’s Only the End of the World.’ The 27-year old wrote and directed this movie about a terminally ill writer (Gaspard Ulliel) who returns home after a long absence to tell his family that he is dying. Dolan has won an amazing 6 Cannes film prizes for his last four films, expect more accolades for this one as well.

Sean Penn directs Charlize Theron and Javier Bardem in ‘The Last Face,’ about a director of an international aid agency in Africa who meets a doctor amidst the turmoil of war around them.

There are 19 films competing in the festival’s Un Certain Regard competition, including:

‘Captain Fantastic’ (USA) – Director Michael O’shea’s story of reclusive single father of six kids who have to leave for the outside world, forcing them to rethink their existence. Viggo Mortensen stars.

‘The Red Turtle – a dialogue-less animated film from The Netherlands follows the major life stages of a castaway on a deserted tropical island.

Another film that is showing out of competition is Shane Black’s ‘The Nice Guys.’ Out in the U.S. on May 20th, Ryan Gosling, Matt Boner, Russell Crowe and Kim Basinger star in this film about a private detective who investigates the apparent suicide of a fading porn star in 1970’s Los Angeles.

Director George Miller will be presiding over the jury this year, a jury that includes Kirsten Dunst, Donald Sutherland, and Vanessa Paradis (yes, Johnny Depp’s ex).

British Film Director Andrea Arnold is represented by the film ‘American Honey.’ Starring controversial actor Shia LaBeouf, it’s a road movie about a group of traveling magazine salespeople.

‘The Neon Demon,’ from Nicolas Rinding Refn (Drive), is a horror thriller about an aspiring model whose youth and beauty are devoured by a group of beauty-obsessed women who will use any means to get what she has.

The Full line up of the festival is below:

Competition
“Toni Erdman,” directed by Maren Ade
“Julieta,” directed by Pedro Almodovar
“Personal Shopper,” directed by Olivier Assayas
“American Honey,” directed by Andrea Arnold
“The Unknown Girl,” directed by Jean-Pierre Dardenne and Luc Dardenne
“It’s Only the End of the World,” directed by Xavier Dolan
“Slack Bay,” directed by Bruno Dumont
“Paterson,” directed by Jim Jarmusch
“Rester Vertical,” directed by Alain Guiraudie
“Aquarius,” directed by Kleber Mendonca Filho
“From the Land of the Moon,” directed by Nicole Garcia
“I, Daniel Blake,” directed by Ken Loach
“Ma’Rosa,” directed by Brillante Mendoza
“Bacalaureat,” directed by Cristian Mungiu
“Loving,” directed by Jeff Nichols
“The Handmaiden,” directed by Park Chan-Wook
“The Last Face,” directed by Sean Penn
“Sieranevada,” directed by Cristi Puiu
“Elle,” directed by Paul Verhoeven
“The Neon Demon,” directed by Nicolas Winding Refn

Un Certain Regard
“Varoonegi,” directed by Behnam Behzadi
“Apprentice,” directed by Boo Junfeng
“Voir du Pays,” directed by Delphine Coulin and Muriel Coulin
“La Danseuse,” directed by Stephanie di Giusto
“Clash,” directed by Mohamed Diab
“La Tortue Rouge,” directed by Michael Dubok de Wit
“Fuchi Bi Tatsu,” directed by Fukada Koji
“Omar Shakhsiya,” directed by Maha Haj
“Me’Ever Laharim Vehagvaot,” directed by Eran Kolirin
“After The Storm,” directed by Kore-Eda Hirokazu
“Hymyileva Mies,” directed by Juho Kuosmanen
“La Large Noche de Francisco Sanctis,” directed by Francisco Marquez and Andrea Testa
“Caini,” directed by Bogdan Mirica
“Pericle Il Nero,” directed by Stefano Mordini
“Captain Fantastic,” directed by Matt Ross
“The Transfiguration,” directed by Michael O’Shea
“Uchenik,” directed by Kirill Serebrennikov

Out of Competition
“The BFG,” directed by Steven Spielberg
“Goksung,” directed by Na Hong-Jin
“Money Monster,” directed by Jodie Foster
“The Nice Guys,” directed by Shane Black

Special Screenings
‘L’ultima Spiaggia,” directed by Thanos Anastopoulous and Davide del Degan
“A Chad Tragedy,” directed by Mahamat-Saleh Haroun
“The Death of Louis XIV,” directed by Albert Serra
“Le Cancre,” directed by Paul Vecchiali

Midnight Screenings
“Gimme Danger,” directed by Jim Jarmusch
“The Train to Busan,” directed by Yeon Sang-Ho

Cannes will wrap up it’s last night with a highly exclusive awards ceremony, and then the next day the rich and famous will flock to Monte Carlo for the Grand Prix, leaving other people to clean up their messes in Cannes.

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08th May2016

Alice Through the Looking Glass Press Conference (Film)

by timbaros

Johnny DeppJohnny Depp 1 IMG_6627
Johnny Depp trying to balance a plate of cupcakes on his head at today’s ‘Alice Through the Looking Glass’ press conference at the Corinthia Hotel in Central London

Left to right:
Sacha Baron Cohen
Johnny Depp
Mia Wasikowska

Highlights from the press conference:

-An elaborate stage which looked like something out of the film, with real cupcakes, tea, porcelain bunnies and flowers.

-Cohen and Depp joking with each other very playfully

-Cohen said ‘I wanted to wear tights (in the film) because I have ladies legs’

-Depp said that ‘it was great to come back and explore this story of Alice and the Madhatter It’s a very different side of the Madhatter.

-Sacha ate, then disliked, the cupcake he chose to eat.

-Depp said that ‘music was my first love since the age of 12, still my first love. Movies became my day job.’

-Mia said on the fact the film shows a strong-willed girl: ‘We’ve come a long way but there’s still a long way to do.’

-On his accent on the film, Sacha says: ‘I have a real passing German accent.’

-Burton chimed in that he said the main character was based on Jean-Claude Van Damme

-When asked by an Italian member of press how the Madhatter got mad, Depp responded that ‘Harvey Weinstein went mad once. Disney made him made once. Hatter was mad because he couldn’t get Apple TV.’

-Depp said that it’s a less male version of the Madhatter. When told by a member of press that time has been on his side he repled ‘Time has been on my side? Because I’m still alive?’

-On how the Madhatter is so mad, Depp said: ‘`If you were crazy, if you aren’t aware, great. If aware, it will eat you alive!’

-On fame, Depp added ‘If anyone gives you any shit, beat the fuck out of them.’

Depp was low key throughout most of the press conference.

And finally, Depp made a jab at the recent trouble he had illegally bringing his dogs into Australia by saying: ‘I would like to apologize for not smuggling my dogs into London because it would’ve been a bad thing to do.’

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07th May2016

Evolution (Film)

by timbaros

ChxbjFYVAAAMydj.jpg-largeYoung boys and their mothers are the only inhabitants in a seaside town in the highly unusual film ‘Evolution.’

It’s a world without men, a world where each woman has one son, where they all live in similar white-washed yet minimalistic homes, right off the coastal rocks of an unnamed country. It’s here where Nicholas (Max Brebant) lives with his mom (Julie-Marie Parmentier). She feeds him a greenish-like goulash soup at every meal, and also makes sure he takes his medication. She takes Nicholas to play along the rocks of the ocean with the other boys in town, each with their mothers close at hand. But at the heart of soul of this community is a hospital, staffed entirely by women, where all the boys are eventually hospitalized. It’s here at this hospital where the boys are subject to strange medical treatments that perhaps undermine the role of evolution. They are given shots in their stomach, administered to them while they lie strapped to a bed, females nurses surrounding them, with no emotion, all white, and wearing white. What does it all mean? What are the boys being given? And why does Nicholas’ mother, along with the other mothers, venture late at night next to the ocean and writh naked with each other in the rocks?

French with English subtitles, ‘Evolution’ messes with our head with the idea that evolution (the beginning of life) is created by women, and that perhaps God is woman. It’s imagery, tone and darkness reveals too much yet not enough. It’s a film that leaves the viewer attempting to intrepret what they’ve just seen, what they’ve just witnessed. ‘Evolution’, directed by Lucille Hadzihalilovic, is a film that she says is steeped in elements from her childhood. The barren landscapes, a faceless hospital, and the rough seas gives us a dreamlike haze into a world of innocence, beauty and cruelty. It’s film that’s not easy to watch – there’s big gaps of silence, and the ending may be a bit confusing, but upon watching it you’ll get the idea of what message the film is attempting to deliver. It’s beautiful yet strange.

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06th May2016

Golden Years (Film)

by timbaros

WZ4A4415Old age. Retirement. Pensions. Medication. Disease. Death. This is what the pensioners in the new film ‘Golden Years’ are dealing with. But they also try to get even at the system that they feel is robbing them.

‘Golden Years’ is a cute and funny film about older people trying to get back what’s theirs. They feel the system is corrupt, so they take matters into their own hands. Retired couple Arthur Goode (Bernard Hill) and his wife Martha (Virginia McKenna), who’s ill with Crohn’s disease, eke out a living on their pension while spending time at the local club with friends Royston (Simon Callow), Brian (Philip Davis), and Shirley (Una Stubbs). But one day Arthur finds out that the company he spent a lifetime working for has gone bankrupt, and so has his pension. He doesn’t know what to do…….how is going to be able to take care of Martha? An opportunity presents itself when, while in front of a bank when money is being delivered, one of the guards trips, falls and gets knocked out on the ground, and the guard inside the truck inadvertently passes a container of money to Arthur, who gladly takes it and runs. It sets off an idea where he enlists Martha, and eventually his friends, to take back what is rightfully theirs. Who would expect pensioners as bank robbers, with guns (actually cucumbers), and with pellet guns to black out CCTV cameras, of stealing money?

‘Golden Years’ is a delightful film with a cast of great actors all relishing their role as bank robbers. It gets even funnier when the local police keep thinking that the bank robbers are a malicious and very dangerous gang. I would’ve liked to have seen more of Ellen Thomas, the loquacious and horny local diva, she’s got some of the best lines in the film. Some of the robberies the gang pulls off, however, are a bit unbelievable and far-fetched, especially when they’re trying to get away but walking as slow as pensioners do. But nonetheless it’s a charming film that will make you think what retirement holds in store for you – perhaps robbing banks to get even with the system.

‘Golden Years’ is now playing in UK cinemas.

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02nd May2016

Demolition (Film)

by timbaros
Jake Gyllenhaal as "Davis" in DEMOLITION. Photo by Anne Marie Fox. © 2016 Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation All Rights Reserved

Jake Gyllenhaal as “Davis” in DEMOLITION. Photo by Anne Marie Fox. © 2016 Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation All Rights Reserved

A man loses his wife in a terrible car accident and has a hard time coping in the new film ‘Demolition.’

Jake Gyllenhaal gives another excellent performance as Davis, an investment banker who works for his father-in-law’s firm. He and his wife Julia (Heather Lind) have a very comfortable life, a beautiful house and perhaps everything they have always wanted. However, all this is shattered when while driving in Manhattan, their car is hit side-on, it’s an accident that leaves Julia dead and Davis shaken and broken up. As the days go by after the accident, David can’t seem to cope and can’t even open up to those around him, including his father-in-law Phil (Chris Cooper) and mother-in-law Margot (Polly Draper). His parents come to stay with him but they can’t seem to help him cope either. But Davis has his own way of coping; he sends a complaint letter to the vending machine company in the hospital where his wife died because the M&M’s he bought didn’t fall down. Davis doesn’t stop at just one, he sends a successive chain of letters, all very confessional about his life and about his late wife. He confesses in these letters questioning if he really did love Julia, and he questions the decisions and choices he has made in his life. These confessional letters catch the attention of the vending machine company’s customer service manager Karen Moreno (Naomi Watts). She calls him to discuss these letters and eventually they meet and they both form an unlikely connection, with the help of Karen’s androgynous son Chris (Judah Lewis.) But Davis is still not coping, his behavour becomes very erratic and aggressive, both at work and elsewhere where he starts dismantling objects around him, including the toilet doors and computer at work and items at home. He also volunteers to be a part of a crew tearing down a house, and enlists Chris to help him demolish his house as well. But David eventually realizes that something was missing in his marriage, something to do with him, but it’s too late, Julia is gone forever.

‘Demolition’ is another triumph for Gyllenhaal, who has yet turn in a bad performance. As Davis, Gyllenhaal is on the verge of a massive breakdown, starts demolishing everything in sight, and yet can’t realize he’s lost the most precious thing to him in life. Director Jean-Marc Vallée, who directed Matthew McConaughey to an Oscar in ‘Dallas Buyers Club’, and Reese Witherspoon to an Oscar nomination for ‘Wild,’ knows a thing a two about showcasing his performer’s talents. The rest of the cast are stellar, especially Cooper as the aggrieved father and Watts as the single mother trying to cope. A flop in the U.S., don’t expect ‘Demolition’ to be winning an awards, but it’s worth seeing for Gyllenhaal’s performance alone.

‘Demolition’ is in UK cinemas on Friday.

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23rd Apr2016

Friend Request (Film)

by timbaros

unspecified-3Be careful when you accept a Facebook friend request, because the person requesting might be a lunatic.

That’s the premise behind the new movie ‘Friend Request.’ In it, popular girl Laura (Alcia Debnam-Carey) briefly speaks to loner Ma Rina (Liesl Ahlers), who is a bit out of place at school with her unusual appearance and head always covered by a hoodie. In Ma’s mind they are now friends. So Ma sends a Facebook friend request to Laura, but Laura notices that Ma has zero Facebook friends. Laura reluctantly accepts the friend request much to the dismay of her boyfriend Tyler (William Moseley) and best friend Olivia (Brit Morgan). Ma then starts commenting on practically every post that Laura has ever written. Ma becomes more psychotic and weird when Laura has a birthday dinner but doesn’t invite Ma. When Ma sees photos of the party on Facebook, she becomes angry at Laura and goes from friend status to psycho bitch stalker status. Then it’s announced at school that Ma has committed suicide, yet someone is posting dark eerie video on her pages and on Laura’s page, and Laura is unable to unfriend her. And Laura’s friends are unable to deactivate their accounts as well, and one by one they are being killed off due to their association with Laura. While Laura’s 800-plus Facebook friends start unfriending her, who is behind the deaths and the constant Facebook postings? Will Laura be the next victim to Ma’s revenge from the grave?

‘Friend Request’ is a film for the Facebook generation. It’s all about collecting friends, whether you really know them or not, and living your life, through Facebook. As the intensity of ‘Friend Request’ builds, it gets a bit sillier and sillier, especially with lines like when Olivia tells Laura to ‘unfriend the dead bitch.’ Then a policeman says – with a straight face – ’someone had a rough day,’ after the brutal death of one of Laura’s friends. ‘Friend Request’ echoes films like ‘Carrie’ and ‘Final Destination’ where friends are killed off one by one, so the body count is there but the suspense really isn’t. And some of the death scenes are a bit ridiculous and over the top. But should you accept this friend request? I say yes!

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21st Apr2016

The Divide (Film)

by timbaros

14601180655707a231dd9d7Seven people tell their story of their struggle to survive in a world where the rich get richer and the poor get poorer in the new documentary ‘The Divide.’

The 78-minute documentary weaves these people’s dilemnas into a film that’s tries to tell too many stories while providing too much information in a short period of time. One of the people interviewed is Leah Taylor who works at her local Kentucky Fried Chicken fast food restaurant. She lives from paycheck to paycheck, while another woman is in danger of losing her home because she’s got no money to pay the bills. Then there’s Alden Cass, a Wall Street psychologist who is living the dream. He’s got a well-paying job and a beautiful apartment with tremendous views, yet he wants more. Rochelle Monte, a UK careworker, complains that she doesn’t feel respected in her job of choice, and that she deserves more money (who doesn’t)? And Jennifer Cooper complains that no one speaks to her in her upscale gated community, not even in it’s park. Hey, at least her community has it’s own golf course!

‘The Divide’ also touches on the economic booms during the Margaret Thatcher and Bill Clinton years, to Wall Street’s buying, selling and repackaging of debt, which was one of the factors that led to the 2008 economic crisis. And more than ten commentators give their opinion on the divide between the wealthy and the poor, a divide that keeps on getting bigger and bigger. We’re also treated to footage of Lehman Brothers former chairman Richard Fuld having a hard time explaining his $480MM pay check to U.S. Congress. But it’s all too much to take in in a documentary that’s weaving too many personal stories with too many news video clips. It attempts to provide a psychological and tragi-comic picture of the haves and have nots but it would’ve been more effective if it just stuck to one topic, and not several topics.

THE DIVIDE is in UK cinemas from 22 April 2016

www.thedividedocumentary.com

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09th Apr2016

Boulevard (Film)

by timbaros

A 65-year old man in great conflict makes a life changing decision in the new film ‘Boulevard.’

The late Robin Williams is bank branch manager Nolan Mack. He’s literally just going through life’s motions – working at a bank, with a longtime wife (Kathy Baker) and a very sick father in the hospital. Then one late evening after visiting his father, he drives through a derelict part of town and almost runs over a young man, Leo (Roberto Aguire), who turns out to be a male prostitute. Nolan checks to make sure Leo is fine, then out of the blue, invites him to go to a motel. This chance meeting opens up something inside Nolan who perhaps realized but didn’t accept that he has feelings for other men. While his relationship with Leo becomes more involved and more complicated, Nolan starts giving Leo money and starts acting like a surrogate father. Their relationship is not sexual but it’s intimate. Nolan tries and tries to his hide his encounters with Leo from his wife and his best friend Winston (Bob Odenkirk), but as Nolan becomes more and more involved and emotionally tied to Leo, his wife suspects that something is going on. But eventually Nolan comes to the realization that Leo does not feel the same way about him, but at this point it appears that Leo’s life will never be the same again.

Williams gives a delicate performance as the lonely and subdued Nolan. He’s a man whose conflicted, despondent and depressed until Leo comes into his life. Shot in 2013 in Nashville, Tennessee, Williams would eventually hang himself a year later. This story of a lonely and depressed man is eerily parallel to William’s life. Baker, known mostly for her parts on television, is very good as Nolan’s wife, who knows her 40-year marriage is slipping away and there’s nothing she can do to about it. Aguirre more than holds his own against seasoned veteran Williams, their scenes together are both calm and gentle. Director Dito Montiel (2013’s Empire State) does a great job in getting great performances from his cast, with a good script by Douglas Soesbe. But it’s Williams performance that will stay with you for a long time as it’s one of his last, ever.

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20th Mar2016

Marguerite (Film)

by timbaros

Marg_D23_24-3596An aristocrat who thinks she can sing but really can’t is the new French film ‘Marguerite.’

Marguerite is played by delicious French actress Catherine Frot. She’s a very wealthy woman in France in the 1920’s who lives in a huge mansion with her husband and several members of her staff. She loves music and the opera, and loves to give small concerts and parties in her home. She’s a woman who has it all, except for a great singing voice.

She has always yearned to be a singer, and she takes it upon herself to sing at one of her parties, right after the performance of young woman who has the voice of an angel. Once she opens her mouth and sings, the crowd winces, holds their collective breaths, and pretends to enjoy it, then breaking out in furious applause when she’s done (at the insistence of her attentive black servant Madelbos (Denis Mpunga). Of course no one would tell her to her face that she can’t sing. A young journalist (Sylvain Dieuaide) decides to write a rave review about her (only because he’s looking for a rich benefactor), and Marguerite starts to believe that she really can sing, and so she wants to follow her dream – to perform in front of a crowd. Her husband Georges (Andre Macon) wishes that she won’t go through with it,though he won’t tell her to her face but he does tell his mistress. Marguerite is so determined to put on a concert that she hires opera performer and singing teacher Atos Pezzini (a very good Michel Fau), along with his staff of five, to get her voice ready for the show. But it’s them and the rest of the house staff who have to suffer, for every time Marguerite opens her mouth to sing, they cringe and put in ear plugs to drown out her awful voice. Will Marguerite ever realize that she can’t hold a tune? Will anyone in her circle tell her the truth? It all comes down to a hilarious unexpected ending.

‘Marguerite’ is an uproarious comedy about a woman’s desire to follow her passion at any cost. The film combines pretty visuals, set design and costumes, a funny script, and an electric and funny performance by Frot. Director Xavier Giannoli has crafted a film that, while a bit too long and with a couple storylines that go nowhere, is sumptuous and funny. ‘Marguerite’ is loosely inspired by the life of amateur operatic soprano singer Florence Foster Jenkins, soon to be a movie directed by Stephen Frears and starring Meryl Streep to be released later in the year. ‘Marguerite,’ featuring music from Mozart, Bach and Vivaldi, is a true French film – dramatic, gorgeous and funny.

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16th Mar2016

BFI FLARE: LONDON LGBT FILM FESTIVAL 2016 (Film)

by timbaros

pass-02Flare turns 30 this year. And what is Flare you might ask? It is London’s LGBT Film Festival. It starts on Wednesday March 16 and continues up until Sunday March 27. That’s ten jam-packed days of films, seminars, parties, and just plain lots of fun!

Flare is one of the world’s longest running and largest LGBT Film Festival. There will be over 50 features and more than 100 shorts (by filmmakers from all over the world such as Israel to Spain to Australia), and a wide range of special events, guest appearances, discussions, workshops and club nights. It’s divided into three themed sections: Hears, Minds and Bodies.

The opening night gala is the world premiere of ‘The Pass.’ A debut by director Ben A Williams, ‘The Pass’ stars Russell Tovey as a closeted football player who’s secretly in love with a fellow player. It’s sure to continue the conversation going about if there are any gay football players in the sport nowadays.

The closing night gala is ‘Summertime,’ an acclaimed French romantic drama between two feminists in Paris in 1971.

Other movie highlights include:
‘Bare’ – A small town girl meets a rough and charming female pimp who challenges her to take charge of her own destiny. It stars Dianna Agron (Glee).
‘Coming Out’ – A young man’s video diary of his process of coming out to his friends and family.
‘Mapplethorpe: Look at the Pictures’ – documents the legendary photographers graphic work.
‘Naz & Maalik’ – a heartwarming story of about the love and romance between two gay teen muslim teens in Brooklyn.
‘Closet Monster’ – A coming-of-age drama about a young boy struggling to come to terms with his sexuality. It features the voice of Isabella Rossellini as a talking hamster!
‘Carmen Tropical’ – a trans woman is drawn back to her past after the murder of her friend in this Mexican thriller.
‘Inside the Chinese Closet’ – a documentary that explores how being gay in China’s homophobic society.
‘From Afar’ – A story between a middle-aged man and a 17-year old rent boy.
‘The Chambermaid Lynn’ – A former psychiatric patients becomes obsessed with guests at a hotel where she works.
‘Holding the Man’ – A 15-year old students falls in love with an older rugby player and face challenges that might tear them apart. Major stars Guy Pearce, Anthonly LaPaglia, and Geoffrey Rush feature in the movie.
‘Rebel Dykes’ – A 2016 documentary the pieces together the history of lesbian London in the 1980’s.
‘Nasty Baby’ – A young woman enlists her gay best friend to have a baby with. Starring Kristen Wiig.
There are also 12 programs of short films including ‘What Others Think’ which explores how others perceive the LGBT community.

Film festival-goes will also have a chance to watch previously released LGBT films including Xavier Dolan’s first film ‘I Killed My Mother,’ ‘Grandma’ with Lily Tomlin, the recent award-winning ‘Carol,’ and the highly-acclaimed film about two Los Angeles transgender prostitutes in ‘Tangerine.’

The festival will also shine a spotlight on transgender issues with ‘Transform,’ a series of events on trans acting on screen. Attending will be Silas Howard, a trans director on the award-winning hit show ‘Transparent.’ There will also be a live event called ‘XO LGBTQ Pitch’ where LGBT creative media professionals live pitch ideas for new interactive and games projects with LGBTQ content to commissioners. In addition, industry delegates will have access to a range of special talks and events. The BFI Flare LGBT Filmmakers’ Mentorship Programme, delivered by BAFTA with funding from Creative Skillset helps talented LGBT identified filmmakers build professional skills and networks. LGBT film gets an International spotlight with the return of fiveFilm4freedom. This ground-breaking project developed in association with the British Council sees five LGBT short films from BFI Flare available online for free throughout the Festival. And on the festival’s last day, Easter Sunday, all film are just £8.

To buy tickets, and learn more about the festival, please click here:
http://www.bfi.org.uk/flare

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14th Mar2016

The Propaganda Game / Lapse of Honour (Film/DVD)

by timbaros

image001Two new films explore North Korean and Manchester societies

THE PROPAGANDA GAME

Spanish filmmaker Álvaro Longoria was granted access to film in North Korea and he has turned this footage into a documentary called ‘The Propaganda Game.’

Is what he is filming propaganda? Are the people in the streets real or is it all staged? Longoria was granted controlled access by the government of the DPRK (Democratic People’s Republic of Korea) to film in 2014. Him and his team were taken around the country by national officials, and not left alone at any time.
They meet up with Alejandro Cao de Benós, a native of Spain who because of his belief and love of communism ended up living in North Korea and is now one of the mouthpieces for the DPRK and Supreme Leader Kim Jong-un. Benós takes Longoria around the country, where Longoria is ‘allowed’ to speak to the locals who work at the museums. He’s also taken to the gym where Jong-un worked out (just once), and gets to speak to tour guides on the street. He’s even allowed into a Roman Catholic Church (where all the attendees happen to be very good singers).

We are shown North Korean life via Longoria’s camera: woman dancing in a pagoda, a wedding party taking photos of the bride and groom, children skateboarding and laughing – are these people really happy? North Korea is a country of 24 million people, yet has the fourth largest standing army in the world. They are armed with 20 nuclear warheads and have an increasing sophisticated missile defense system. And the country spends 16% of it’s GDP on the military. Yet the regime seeks to dominate every aspect of it’s citizens lives, and also terrorizes them from within. While they are given free housing, free education and free medical care, it is known that there is a severe food crisis, that some of it’s citizens are held in concentration camp-like prisons, and there is absolutely no freedom of expression or speech. It’s a Totalitarianism regime.

But the locals who speak to Longoria all have a mistrust and hatred for the United States. One official says ‘The U.S. tries to stifle and threaten our country.’
The documentary mentions the recent turmoil surrounding the film ‘The Interview’ where Seth Rogen and James Franco are sent on a mission to assassinate a Jong-un-like dictator – it almost led to a war. Longoria is also one of the very people to be taken to the Demilitarized Zone (which in theory it is not) – the line that separates North and South Korea. It’s fascinating to be able to see it and to see the intercut footage of Barack Obama on the South Side and Jong-Un on the North side during one of their separate visits in years past.

We are shown shiny new apartment buildings, new and expensive museums that are shrines to Jong Un and his late father Kim Jong-il (one that was empty on a Sunday), and huge statues and photos of both men in various parts of Pyongyang. Yet where does all the money come from to build this? How does North Korea’s economy work? ’The Propaganda Game’ raises more questions than what it answers. But it’s not at the fault of Longoria, it’s the mystery and secretiveness of a country where the children are practically brainwashed. It’s a fascinating documentary.
‘The Propaganda Game’ is now in UK cinemas and is now available to buy on DVD (See way below)

LAPSE OF HONOUR:

A young couple are in love in a rough Manchester neighborhood where drugs, crime and murder are rife, in the new VOD release ‘Lapse of Honour.’

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Director and writer Rayna Campell has crafted a very British love story between two teenagers who have lots of obstacles thrown at them in the course of their relationship. It’s a story between Eve (Lady Leshurr) and Tom (Tom Collins). Eve finds herself pregnant and Tom promises to get a job to take care of her and the baby. But Eve has bigger ambitions; she’s determined to become a grime artist, but also wants to attend university. She lives with her miserable mother who doesn’t support Eve in anything she does. Meanwhile, Tom’s life isn’t much different. He lives with his alcoholic father who’s mixed up with a few local dodgy characters. When Tom takes the opportunity to make big money from one of these dodgy characters it’s a decision that has consequences not only for him, but also for Eve and his unborn baby.

‘Lapse of Honour’ is a well-made gritty urban drama by Campbell, who is also an actress known for her work in ‘Casualty’ and ‘Waterloo Road.’ The rest of the cast are no stranger to fame. Collins began his career in ‘Waterloo Road’ while Lady Leshurr is a MOBO-nominated music artist. It’s talent like them that makes this British film a very believable and hard-hitting film. It’s an auspicious debut for Campbell, who also produced the movie. Expect good things from her, both from in front of, and behind, the camera.

‘Lapse of Honour’ is now available on VOD

 


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06th Mar2016

GALECA announces film award Winners (Film)

by timbaros

CAROL_shop counterGay and Lesbian Entertainment Critics Association (GALECA) Announces Dorian Film and Television Winners

The Oscars and BAFTA’s have announced their winners, and now the final (and some would say most important) awards show has taken places. The Gay and Lesbian Entertainment Critics Association, comprised of over 130 professional critics and entertainment journalists worldwide, have announced its choices for the best in movies and television of 2015. It’s an award they call the Dorian Awards.

This year, the 1950s-set lesbian romance Carol surprised with a rare GALECA sweep, with wins for Film of the Year, Director of the Year (Todd Haynes), Screenplay of the year (Phyllis Nagy) and LGBTQ Film of the Year. In addition, Cate Blanchett, star of the ‘50s-set lesbian romance, earned Film Performance of the Year — Actress for her titular turn. Haynes also was also hailed as Wilde Artist of the Year (named for the group’s patron saint Oscar Wilde). As for Film Performance of the Year — Actor, Leonardo DiCaprio for The Revenant prevailed. Blanchett previously won a Dorian Award forBlue Jasmine.

Director Sean Baker’s Tangerine, the drama of a clique of transgender women navigating the mean streets of Hollywood, took Unsung Film of the Year, while George Miller’s Mad Max: Fury Road was deemed Visually Striking Film of the Year. Amy, the unvarnished account of the rise and fall of soulful singer Amy Winehouse, won Documentary of the Year.

In television categories, Fargo and Orange is the Black tied for TV Drama of the Year. Transparent won again for TV Comedy of the Year, with star Jeffrey Tambor winning his second Dorian as well for TV Performance of the Year — Actor. Empire’s Taraji P. Henson was victorious in the Actress category (her series landed as Campy TV Show of the Year).

Taking a stand in less traditional categories, GALECA members chose edgy comic and society button-pusher Amy Schumer (Trainwreck, Comedy Central’s Inside Amy Schumer) as Wilde Wit of the Year. Last Week Tonight with John Oliver won TV Current Affairs Show of the Year. Campy Flick victor: Magic Mike XXL.

GALECA’s annual, Hasty Pudding-esque Winners Toast is set for Sunday, March 6, in Los Angeles. Past GALECA toasts have drawn Orange is the New Black star Lea DeLaria, Transparent’s Melora Hardin, famed marriage rights activists Jeff Carrillo and Paul Katami, The Comeback’s Robert Michael Morris and trailblazing actor Wilson Cruz.

The week previous, GALECA added actress Jane Fonda — veteran star of the film classics Klute, Coming Home and 9 to 5 as well as the past year’s Youth and ongoing Netflix comedy Grace and Frankie — to their Timeless Star list. Previous winners of this career achievement kudos are Sir Ian McKellen, George Takei, Betty White, Chloris Leachman and Fonda’s Grace costar Lily Tomlin.

Full list of winners (with nominees) here:

GALECA 2015/16 DORIAN AWARDS (WINNERS HAVE • )

FILM OF THE YEAR

The Big Short / Paramount, Regency
Brooklyn / Fox Searchlight
• Carol / The Weinstein Company
Mad Max: Fury Road / Warner Bros., Village Roadshow
Spotlight / Open Road, Participant, First Look

DIRECTOR OF THE YEAR

(Film or Television)
Sean Baker, Tangerine / Magnolia Pictures
• Todd Haynes, Carol / The Weinstein Company
Alejandro Gonzalez Iñárritu, The Revenant / Fox
Tom McCarthy, Spotlight / Open Road, Participant, First Look
George Miller, Mad Max: Fury Road / Warner Bros., Village Roadshow

PERFORMANCE OF THE YEAR — ACTRESS

• Cate Blanchett, Carol / The Weinstein Company
Brie Larson, Room / A24
Rooney Mara, Carol / The Weinstein Company
Charlotte Rampling, 45 Years / Sundance Selects
Saoirse Ronan, Brooklyn / Fox Searchlight

PERFORMANCE OF THE YEAR — ACTOR

Matt Damon, The Martian / Fox
• Leonardo DiCaprio, The Revenant / Fox
Michael Fassbender, Steve Jobs / Universal
Tom Hardy, Legend / Universal, Cross Creek
Eddie Redmayne, The Danish Girl / Focus, Working Title

LGBTQ FILM OF THE YEAR

• Carol / The Weinstein Company
The Danish Girl / Focus, Working Title
Freeheld / Summit
Grandma / Sony Pictures Classics
Tangerine / Magnolia Pictures

FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM OF THE YEAR

The Assassin / Central Motion Pictures, Well Go USA
Mustang / Cohen Media Group
Phoenix / Sundance Selects
• Son of Saul / Sony Pictures Classics
Viva / Magnolia Pictures

SCREENPLAY OF THE YEAR

Emma Donoghue, Room / A24
• Phyllis Nagy, Carol / The Weinstein Company
Charles Randolph and Adam McKay, The Big Short / Paramount, Regency
Josh Singer & Tom McCarthy, Spotlight / Open Road, Participant, First Look
Aaron Sorkin, Steve Jobs / Universal

DOCUMENTARY OF THE YEAR
(theatrical release, TV airing or DVD release)

• Amy / A24
Best of Enemies / Magnolia Pictures, Magnet
Going Clear: Scientology and the Prison of Belief / HBO
Making a Murderer / Netflix
What Happened, Miss Simone? / Netflix

VISUALLY STRIKING FILM OF THE YEAR
(honoring a production of stunning beauty, from art direction to cinematography)

Carol / The Weinstein Company
The Danish Girl / Focus, Working Title
• Mad Max: Fury Road / Warner Bros., Village Roadshow
The Martian / Fox
The Revenant / Fox

UNSUNG FILM OF THE YEAR

The Diary of a Teenage Girl / Sony Pictures Classics
Ex Machina / A24
Grandma / Sony Pictures Classics
Me and Earl and the Dying Girl / Fox Searchlight
• Tangerine / Magnolia

CAMPY FLICK OF THE YEAR

The Boy Next Door
Fifty Shades of Grey
• Magic Mike XXL
Jupiter Ascending
Stonewall

TV DRAMA OF THE YEAR (TIE)

• Fargo / FX
The Leftovers / HBO
Mad Men / AMC
Mr. Robot / USA
• Orange is the New Black / Netflix

TV COMEDY OF THE YEAR

Grace and Frankie / Netflix
Master of None / Netflix
• Transparent / Amazon
Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt / Netflix
Veep / HBO

TV PERFORMANCE OF THE YEAR — ACTOR

Tituss Burgess, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt / Netflix
Jon Hamm, Mad Men / AMC
Rami Malek, Mr. Robot / USA
• Jeffrey Tambor, Transparent / Amazon
Justin Theroux, The Leftovers / HBO

TV PERFORMANCE OF THE YEAR — ACTRESS

Viola Davis, How to Get Away with Murder / ABC
Jane Fonda, Grace and Frankie / Netflix
• Taraji P. Henson, Empire / Fox
Krysten Ritter, Jessica Jones / Netflix
Lily Tomlin, Grace and Frankie / Netflix

TV CURRENT AFFAIRS SHOW OF THE YEAR

Anderson Cooper 360 / CNN
The Daily Show / Comedy Central
• Last Week Tonight with John Oliver / HBO
The Rachel Maddow Show / MSNBC
Real Time with Bill Maher / HBO

LGBTQ TV SHOW OF THE YEAR

Grace and Frankie / Netflix
Looking / HBO
Orange is the New Black / Netflix
Sense8 / Netflix
• Transparent / Amazon

UNSUNG TV SHOW OF THE YEAR

Broad City / Comedy Central
Crazy Ex-Girlfriend / CW
Getting On / HBO
• Looking / HBO
UnReal / Lifetime

TV MUSICAL MOMENT OF THE YEAR

– Adele: “Hello / ” Adele Live in New York City / NBC
• Aretha Franklin: “(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman,” 38th Annual Kennedy Center Honors / CBS
– Lady Gaga: The Sound of Music 50th anniversary tribute, 87th Annual Academy Awards / ABC
– Sydney Lucas and the Cast of Fun Home: “Ring of Keys” 69th Annual Tony Awards / CBS
– John Legend and Common: “Glory” (Original song nominee, Selma): 87th Annual Academy Awards / ABC

CAMPY TV SHOW OF THE YEAR

American Horror Story: Hotel
• Empire
How to Get Away with Murder
Scream Queens
Sense8

“WE’RE WILDE ABOUT YOU!” RISING STAR AWARD

Rami Malek
Kitana Kiki Rodriguez
Mya Taylor
Jacob Tremblay
• Alicia Vikander

WILDE WIT OF THE YEAR

(honoring a performer, writer or commentator whose observations both challenge and amuse)
Billy Eichner
Rachel Maddow
Tig Notaro
John Oliver
• Amy Schumer

WILDE ARTIST OF THE YEAR
(honoring a truly groundbreaking force in the fields of film, theater and/or television)

Andrew Haigh
• Todd Haynes
Lin-Manuel Miranda
Tig Notaro
Amy Schumer

TIMELESS STAR
(to an actor or performer whose exemplary career is marked by character, wisdom and wit)

Jane Fonda (previously announced)

GALECA’S MISSION

GALECA, an established 501 C-6 nonprofit, aims to generate camaraderie in an unsettling media environment, champion constructive film and TV criticism and elevate entertainment journalism as a whole. Via panels, screenings, events and its occasional “Ten Best” lists, GALECA also strives to remind the world that the LGBTQ-munity has a significant history of helping improve pop culture at large. After all, how would the world fare without knowing what’s campy?

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01st Mar2016

Exposed (Film)

by timbaros

Keanu Reeves stars as a New York City detective out to investigate the death of his partner in the new film ‘Exposed.’

Reeves is Detective Scotty Galban who discovers that his former (and dead) police partner Detective Joel Cullen (Danny Hoch) was not the clean cop he was supposed to be. Cullen was a sodomist, a rapist, and in cahoots with several criminals in town. And Galban’s boss, Lieutenant Elway (Christopher McDonald) prefers not to have Cullen’s death investigated. You see, he was found in a subway station, with a stab wound in his back, and left for dead. Elway wants to close the murder investigation for the sake of Cullen’s wife Janine (Mira Sorvino) and his children for they stand to lose his pension if Galban continues the investigation and uncovers Cullen’s dirty doings. But Galban, of course, has demons of his own. His wife has died and his young son lives in Florida, for reasons not explained in the film. Meanwhile, Latina Isabel de la Cruz (Ana de Armas) might have been witness to the killing. She’s a young woman on her own mysterious journey. Her husband is in Iraq, and while she lives with his family, she’s seeing white ghosts appear out of nowhere. They are paranormal visions they might unlock some sort of secret in her life. Meanwhile her fiance’s younger brother Rocky (Gabe Vargas) is hanging around with the wrong crowd, led by Big Daddy Kane who is simply known around the hood as Black. And while Galban continues to investigate his partner’s murder against the wishes of the lieutenant, Isabel is on her own journey, while at the same time helping out a local girl who’s being abused, it’s a journey that takes her into a world that is strange and confusing, just like this movie.

‘Exposed’ has nothing to expose. It’s a title that doesn’t have anything to do with the movie. The film’s original title was going to be ‘Daughter of God,’ but it was recut after it’s distributor Lionsgate bought it to make it more of a cop thriller than a dark sadistic film. It’s original producer and director, Gee Malik Linton, had his name removed from the film’s credits (but is credited as a writer), so the the non-existant Declan Dale is credited as director. Lionsgate looks like they have tried to salvage something from their original purchase by chopping up Linton’s original unfinished film, but it’s a right confusing mess. What we have are two stories trying to merge into one movie, with Isabel’s storyline more compelling than Galban’s. It’s got some good ideas going, with some great acting by some of the cast (but not Reeves), but at its best it’s a gripping thriller but a bit convoluted and confusing.

Signature Entertainment Presents ‘Exposed’ at Cinemas and On Demand 26th February 2016

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29th Feb2016

Oscar Winners (Film)

by timbaros

31ACDCA000000578-3453525-image-m-185_1456722619717Spotlight won Best Picture last night at the 88th Annual Academy Awards, handed out at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood. Mad Max: Fury Road came into the night with the second-most nominations — 10 — and won six trophies, twice as many Oscars as its closest rival. The Revenant, which had a leading 12 noms, and Spotlight were the only other films to win multiple awards, with three and two respectively.

 

 

 

It was quite an upset for Best Picture as it was expected The Revenant would win, especially after it’s director and star won in their respective categories: Alejandro G. Iñárritu and Leonardo DiCaprio. Mark Rylance went on to win Best Supporting Actor for Bridge of Spies, beating the sentimental favorite Sylvester Stallone for Creed. Alicia Vikander swept up Best Supporting Actress for The Danish Girl in a category that looked Kate Winslet had is sown up for her role in Steve Jobs.

Here’s a complete list of the winners:

Best Picture

Spotlight
Michael Sugar, Steve Golin, Nicole Rocklin and Blye Pagon Faust, Producers

Best Actor

Leonardo DiCaprio, The Revenant

Best Actress

Brie Larson, Room

HOLLYWOOD, CA - FEBRUARY 28: Actress Brie Larson accepts the Best Actress award for 'Room' during the 88th Annual Academy Awards at the Dolby Theatre on February 28, 2016 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images)

Best Directing

Alejandro G. Iñárritu, The Revenant,

Best Original Song

“Writing’s On The Wall” from Spectre
Music and Lyric by Jimmy Napes and Sam Smith

Best Original Score

The Hateful Eight
Ennio Morricone

Best Foreign Language Film

Son of Saul (Hungary)

Best Live Action Short Film
Stutterer
Benjamin Cleary and Serena Armtiage

Best Documentary Feature
Amy
Asif Kapadia and James Gay-Rees

Best Documentary Short Subject

A Girl in the River: The Price of Forgiveness
Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy

Best Supporting Actor

Mark Rylance, Bridge of Spies

oscars-ceremony-ry_3585120b

Best Animated Feature Film

Inside Out
Pete Docter and Jonas Rivera

Best Animated Short Film

Bear Story
Gabriel Osorio and Pato Escala

Best Visual Effects

Ex Machina
Andrew Whitehurst, Paul Norris, Mark Ardington and Sara Bennett

Best Sound Mixing

Mad Max: Fury Road
Chris Jenkins, Gregg Rudloff and Ben Osmo

Best Sound Editing

Mad Max: Fury Road
Mark Mangini and David White

Best Film Editing

Mad Max: Fury Road
Margaret Sixel

Best Cinematography

The Revenant
Emmanuel Lubezki

Best Makeup and Hairstyling

Mad Max: Fury Road
Lesley Vanderwalt, Elka Wardega and Damian Martin

Best Production Design

Mad Max: Fury Road
Production Design: Colin Gibson; Set Decoration: Lisa Thompson

Best Costume Design

Mad Max: Fury Road
Jenny Beavan

Best Supporting Actress

Alicia Vikander, The Danish Girl

GettyImages-512928228.0

Adapted Screenplay

The Big Short
Screenplay by Charles Randolph and Adam McKay

Best Original Screenplay

Spotlight
Written by Josh Singer & Tom McCarthy

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