Violence

I've started to notice recently that I have a real problem with violence, not surprising you might say, but I'm not talking about domestic abuse or mindless thuggery; I'm talking about pretend violence in films or tv programmes.

It used to not bother me, I knew it wasn't real, it was just make believe and the people would be fine, just acting. I loved Tarantino films; blood and guts never bothered me.

But recently I've not been able watch torture at all. A friend recommended a programme; Utopia, and on the face of it you'd think it was my thing. The story centred around a graphic novel, i love graphic novels.

I could cope with the shootings, throwing people off buildings and stabbings, but when the torturing started I turned off. The same has happened with Dexter, which I was sure I'd like.

Is that what programmes and films need now to shock? Well, I won't be watching, torture isn't enjoyable or entertaining.

Having said all this, last night I went to see Django Unchained by Tarantino - it was AMAZING!!  As usual VERY bloody, in fact I'm sure there must have been a shortage of fake blood in Hollywood after it was made.

But the story was great; set in the deep south of America during the slave era, a professional relationship develops between a freed slave and a bounty hunter  - and you can only imagine the carnage that follows.

For me the relationships and portrayal of the characters is fantastic, with Leonardo DiCaprio playing a VERY convincing slaver (a really nasty piece of work), and Jamie Foxx brilliant as Django Freeman - but the revelation for me was Christoph Waltz, who I wasn't aware of before, brilliant.

Truly the BEST film I've seen for a very long time, in fact I came out of the cinema and would have been happy to go straight back in and watch it again - and it's 2 hours 45 minutes long!

So, torture is not for me (although it was implied in Django Unchained there was little actually shown), but LOTS of shootings and splattered bloody is fine!!  And I have to say that Jamie Foxx looked 'mighty fine' in some of this film!

Cinema twice in one week

I couldn't get into the book, not that the story isn't gripping, more that I wasn't keen on the writing style, so I did what I often do in these situations, I listened to an unabridged audio version - and I'm very glad I did.

The Life of Pi is an amazing modern fairy tale, and was asking to be filmed, and now it's been done by the direct Ang Lee. Erica had free tickets to a preview showing at the Odeon and I got one.

When we arrived we discovered it was 3D, not something I'm usually very fussed about, but free tickets.....

WOW! I can honestly say it is one of the most beautiful films I've ever seen. If you've read the book you'll be pleased to hear that they've really done it justice, if you haven't read it you'll just enjoy the incredible storytelling.

The 3D isn't over done, and I can honestly say its the best 3D film I've seen, the director didn't seem to feel the need to make scenes just to justify the 3D, and therefore I ended up forgetting the effect and just enjoying the film.  One of my favourite scenes was where the reproduced the image from the front cover of the book!

Last night, was my second visit to the Odeon, this time to see the long awaited Hobbit. I'm a big fan of the book and so having very much enjoyed Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings film I was looking forward to this.

My first disappointment was to discover that greed seems to have set in as they've split the story into three films (perhaps having something as 'precious' as the LOTR franchise had begun to affect common sense?).

If you've read The Hobbit (and if you haven't you really should), you'll know it's not a long book, a children's book even. It became obviously that a lot of padding was going to be needed to drag the story out - even for one feature length, but THREE?

Many of the scenes could have been cut by at least half, the fight between the dwarves and the trolls was long enough to wander away and have a wee and get an ice cream and you'd still not have missed anything!!

I was left feeling cheated in some way. Yes the scenery was amazing, and the characters are fantastic, but the whole thing was bloated and over done - what a shame. The only thing I came away thinking was that I must read the book again.

Break out

Tonight I watched my all time favourite film, The Shawshank Redemption. I've seen it many times and it never fails to delight (and bring tears).

But it got me thinking about the fact that my favourite film and my favourite book are about the same subjects, imprisonment, suffering, patience, hope and redemption/revenge.

My favourite book of all time is one of those classics that everyone thinks they will one day get round to, but few rarely do; The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas (which, incidentally appears in The Shawshank Redemption), which has a very similar, if more drawn out, story.

I wonder what this says about me?

Weird Saturday night in

Today has been very productive - despite spending most of the morning in bed (looking up articles for uni).  I started the afternoon with this (a very large pile of ironing) -

And by way of a bit of a Coen Brothers film festival, including 'Burn after reading', 'A serious man' and 'The Big Lebowski'; I ended with this - 

Nothing like a whole afternoon of weird farce to get you through the ironing pile.....if there had been enough ironing I was planning to move onto Fargo!  Now of course I have to find space in my wardrobe and drawers!

I know Bob and Jen think I'm crazy having clothes that require ironing, but it was great to catch up on some film viewing.

Now to round off the day by finishing reading my latest book - The Third Policeman by Flann O'Brien. 

Magic Lantern

The Magic Lantern Film club is free to join, and every month or so they show a film somewhere across the city, they have a blog and a Facebook page (which isn't really updated often!), and they do online quizzes.

On Sunday John appeared unexpectedly at my house, and we ended up going to a screening of The Third Man at Sharrow Community Centre.  But first there was a quiz, and the questions were really hard!  A picture round which was photos taken by one of the organisers that were supposed to represent films.....I think we got one!

There was a film music round, quotes, 20 word synopsis, in total about 40 questions - we got 12 correct!  But we still won! Two tickets to the Showroom - perfect prize!

But the embarrassing thing was that John had won the online guess the film competition the month before!  We've agreed that instead of us sweeping the board at quizzes, we will set the next one and perhaps hold it at the Rutland Arms.

So, on to the film.  Supposedly one of Orson Welles greatest - despite the fact that he actually only appears in the last third!  I can honestly say I was underwhelmed!  The lighting and filming was stunning, and there is certainly no doubting Welles' on screen presence, but the storyline was crap and confusing and I just didn't give a monkey's uncle about the characters!

Oh well, it was a nice evening out, especially since we finished it off with a gorgeous Thai meal at Ban Thai at the end of London Road - what a deceptive place!  It was a bank many years ago and from the outside is a right mess, but inside its amazing, and the food is out of this world - i'll definitely be wanting to go back there.   

Highest form of flattery

It is said that imitation is the highest form of flattery, but I still can't understand the need for American tv and film producers to remake foreign language programmes and films?

There can be only a couple of explanations; either the population of the US is, on average, so stupid that they either can't read subtitles, or they can't contemplate a world outside the USA or, producers 'think' the population are stupid and couldn't cope with subtitles or something outside their own country - either way it's a sad state of affairs.

I recently saw, and very much enjoyed the highly successful Swedish film, 'Let the right one in', already an excellent film, but now remade as 'Let me in' (which I haven't seen but understand to be good - but was it necessary to move the story to New Mexico?).

Then of course there are the amazing film adaptations of the Stieg Larsson books, 'The girl with the dragon tattoo', 'The girl who played with fire', and 'the girl who kicked the hornets nest' - all to be remade in the US starring Daniel Craig! Why do they feel the need to do this?

The latest is a Danish 20 part thriller series that John and I have been watching on BBC4 iplayer, The Killing. Fantastic plotting and storyline, with brilliant acting by the Danish cast (poster above) - but will never be seen in the US as it's already been remade for the American speaking world (poster below).

It's no wonder that many Americans have little understanding of the rest of the world - they aren't given the chance to see it!

Postscript: if anyone fancies knitting me a jumper like the one in the top photo I'd really appreciate it! - although I suspect they will be the next 'must have' winter clothing item!

Metropolis

A few weeks ago John and I became members of the Showroom cinema. I've been a member on and off since I came to Sheffield, it truly is one of the best cinemas ever.

I knew they've changed things recently, but one of the perks of membership used to be that you'd get two free tickets.  But we'd dithered over what to use the ticket for - it had to be something worthy of their use!

This week the perfect opportunity presented itself, the issuing of an extended version of Fritz Lang's Metropolis. 

The film was originally made in 1927 but has had 25 minutes of previously lost footage added - although you can tell which bits have been added due to their very poor quality.

I can't believe that this film is so old yet is so watchable and entertaining.  It's the first silent film I've seen at the cinema, and to be honest I think I've probably spoilt myself!

Believed to be one of Hitler's favourite films, Metropolis is set in a futurist urban dystopia (think 1984 but worse in some ways), and looks at the social crisis between workers and owners in capitalism - many would do well to see this film!

A very worthwhile use of our free tickets.

Storm

fairy in a snow storm
Originally uploaded by munks2804.

Storm is a 9 minute beat poem by Tim Minchin. But that short description doesn't do it justice.


It's a hilarious tirade of words that Minchin delivers, with music, to explain his feelings towards all the things he finds so unpalatable about those who believe in herbal medicine, complimentary therapies and esoteric teachings.


Storm is set at a dinner party, where Minchin and his wife are introduced to a mutual friend called 'Storm' - she was a tattooed fairy! They obviously have differing ideas about medicine and science.


Anyway, I've known about the poem for sometime, and was interested to hear that it was going to be turned into an animated film.


So last night we went along to Skeptics in the Pub to hear the film maker speak. And unlike a number of other Skeptics meetings the speaker was good and the talk, punctuated by slides and snippets of animation, was very engaging.


Unfortunately the film isn't finished, but when it is (November), I'll be sharing a link here.

I've always been a big fan of Monty Python, especially the films - and particularly The Life of Brian.

One of the things I love about living in a vibrant city is availablity of events - growing up in a small Cotswold town without a cinema or theatre meant entertainment was limited to television or the video shop!

Filmed at the Royal Albert Hall last year, and only shown in cinemas for one night only I knew I couldn't miss this show. John and I had a lovely evening at the Showroom watching most of the remaining Monty Python cast (no John Cleese), an orchestra, a choir and three sheep sing silly songs about the life of Brian!

Wonderful!

Out of the Forest by Tobias Gundorff Boesen

Out Of A Forest from Tobias Gundorff Boesen on Vimeo.

Age of Stupid

Age of Stupid
Originally uploaded by MollsMusings

I've wanted to see this film for some time, but I missed it at the Showroom, so had to wait until the DVD release.

As many of you will know, I care passionately about the environment, particularly about the fact that we could all be doing more to stop the stupidity of over consumption and careless use of resources.

This film is a documentary about these things, well worth looking out for, I believe that the BBC will be showing it on television sometime this month.

The most unfortunate thing about films like this (and books, articles etc) is that those who really need to see them (those who don't care, or have no interest) are unlikely to see them. It is more likely that those of us who already know and care will make the effort to see these things - shame.

If any of my friends or family would like to borrow the DVD let me know; better still, go and buy a copy yourself.

WOW!

Found this on Glamgirl's blog - it's fantastic!

Films in a pub

Bloody YouTube, I've written this entry once already, but YouTube decided to lose it somewhere between there and here!

Anyway, what I wanted to say was that on Saturday evening John, Peter and I went along to a fantastic little independent film festival in the middle of nowhere in South Yorkshire! In a pub!!

The Langsett Independent Film Festival (Liff) has been running for a number of years, and anyone can enter a film of any quality (although they must be short and they get so many there is a selection).

We watched over 20 short films (under 10 minutes each) from all over the world, UK, Solvenia, Peru, Canada and Yorkshire! Some of them were made especially for Liff, some were from people who are studying film, and others were historical - such as the story of the two women who returned to Holmfirth from Africa (could have been India) with a baby tiger which proceeded to live as a pet with them!

The above film was one of my favourites, the person who made it was only 16 at the time, and if you click through to his YouTube account there are some other wonderful (dark) films.

Below was the winner of the evening -

But I had to also share another of my favourites, this time from the Yorkshire archives....but I can't get it to upload to my blog, so you'll have to go and visit it at YouTube yourself - it's worth it believe me!

The next festival is in 2011, so John and I have two years to make a film - we've got some ideas (which might include gloves!)

I'm booking my seat

I've never been ashamed to admit it, hell I'll tell anyone who wants to know - I've been to a convention in the Albert Hall (no, I didn't dress up!).

I'm a fan of Star Trek - always have been, from my first crush on Captain Kirk to my absolute lust after Jean-Luc Picard!!

I've always loved the original series and Next Generation; was never really sure about Deep Space Nine or the later ones (I have to admit that I couldn't cope with Kate Janeway's hair-do!).

So, I'm very much looking forward to the next film - Star Trek (it's number 11 - hell, has it really been that many?!?).

I don't hold much store by trailers, but this one looks fun none-the-less, and it's out next May so guess what I'll want to do for my birthday!