Films screening this fortnight are listed below with certificate, star rating, credits, brief review and venue details. Film index compiled by Paul Dale
II: Indicates Hitlist entry
Accident ll’(il (Joseph Losey. l'K. I967) Dirk Bogarde. Stanley Baker. Delphine Seyrig. 105mm. Losey's continuing collaboration with Harold Pinter produced this wry examination of an Oxford professor's liaison with one of his students. notable for fine performances and perceptively witty dialogue. Part of Joseph Losey season. I’ilinhause. Edinburgh.
The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert ( 15) secs (Stephan Elliott. .Australia. 1994) Terence Stamp. Hugo Weaving. (iuy Pearce. l0-lmin. Two transvestites and a transsexual team up for a trip across the Atistralian outback for a drag show in Alice Springs. Serious issues pop up from time to time. but the emphasis is on the camp humour of the in-bus bitchiness and otitrageotis musical set-pieces. (‘iuenm-ld Renfrew Street. Glasgow: (‘inew'm'ld Edinburgh. Edinburgh.
Angels & Demons ( 12A) so Howard. CS. 2009) Tom Hanks. liw an McGregor. Stellan Skarsgard. l38inin. Ron Howard's sequel to The Da linei ('ade. Although a great improvement on its wretched 2006 precursor. with more action and a clearer plot. it's still ftill of cack portentoUs theological babble. alarmist politics and terrible acting. Selected release. Anything for Her ( IS) 00 (Fred Cavaye. France. 2008) Vincent Lindon. Diane Kruger. Lancelot Roch. 95min. 'l‘eacher Julian (Lindon) and his wife Lisa (Kruger) seem to have the perfect life. Then she gets arrested for a crime she may not have committed with no hope of parole. Desperate to have the women he loves back. Julian hatches an escape plan that is as preposterous as it is daring. Flashy. badly plotted and begging of the kind of incredulity that is rarely seen outside the LS mainstream. (ilasgmv' Ell/n Theatre. (i/avgim'.
Bedtime Stories (PG) .0 (Adam Shankman. LS. 2008) Adam Sandler. Keri RUssell. Cotirtcncy Cox. 90min. Family fantasy about a man who can make bedtime stories come to life. ('tnew'nrld I’arkhead. Glasgow; Cinewarld Edinburgh. Edinburgh. Billy Liar ( l2) C... (John Schlesinger. CK. 1963) Tom Courtenay. Julie Christie. Rodney Bewes. 98min. Vintage northern kitchen sink drama based on Keith WaterhoUse‘s popular book. An undertaker‘s clerk slips in and out of a Walter Mitty ~st le fantasy world to escape the drudgery of life in a northern town. The spirit of the swinging (ills is captured in Christie. while Courtenay brings a warmth and sensitivity to the tale. Part of the British .\'ew Wave season. Film/muse. Edinburgh.
(Ron
Black Orpheus (18) secs (Marcel Camus. France/Portugal. 1959) Breno Mcllo. Marpessa Dawn. Lea (iarcia. 98min. .An Oscar winner as the best Foreign Film of its year. this is an imaginative. poetic updating of the legend of ()rpheus and liurydice in which a streetcar conductor and a country girl fall in love dttring the Rio de Janeiro carnival. Part of La Nouvelle Vague season. (ilasgmr l-‘ilm Theatre. (i/asguw.
Blood: The Last Vampire ( 18)
O. (Chris Nation. Hong Kong/Argentina/France/Japan. 2009) (iianna Jun. Allison Miller. Liam Cunningham. 91min. Vampire hunter Saya (Jun) is unrivalled. btit that's because she is half bloodsucker herself on her mother's side. Will she go to the dark side or will she carry on fighting for the niortals‘.’ Popular aniine gets its second screen adaptation. Selected release.
Bolt (Ni) O... (Byron Howard/ Chris Williams. LS. 2009) Voices of Miley Cyrus. John 'I‘ravolta. Stisic lissman. I03min. Heart- tugging Disney animation about child actress Penny (voiced by Cyrus) and dog Bolt ('l‘ravolta) who star in a hit TV series. The dog believes it's all real. so when he escapes froin his trailer and ends tip the other side of the country he is in for a few rude surprises. Selerted release.
A Bout de Souffle (Breathless) (PG) 0.... (Jean-Luc (iodard. France. 1959) Jean-Paul Belmondo. Jean Seberg. Daniel Boulanger. 90min. A chic Parisian petty criminal (Belmondo) and his American girlfriend (Sebcrg) drift through a world of stolen cars and aimless romance towards an inexorable downbeat finale. (iodard's debut feature provoked quite a stir in its day for its carefree arrogance with the conventions of filmic grammar. but today it stands as a casual love letter to the .-\nierican B-tnovie crime picture. Part of La .\‘ouve|le Vague season. (i/avgaw I’ll/n Theatre. (ilaigmi;
=l< Bruno t l8) oooo (Larry Charles. LS. 2009) Sacha Baron Cohen. (iustaf llammarsten. 82min. See review. page 47. General release.
=l= Burma VJ t 12m 0000 (Anders ()stergaat'd. Denmark. 2008) 84min. See Also Released. page 47. Cameo. Edinburgh. Cadillac Records l IS) 000
(Darnell .Martin. CK. 2008) Beyonce Knowles. Mos Def. Adrien Brody. lll8ntin.
Racy dratna chronicling the turbulent lives of
Chess Records‘ biggest recording artists. A well-paced and solidly written tale of violence. race'n'rock and roll in Chicago of the 1950s and (ills. the Edinburgh ()eean. Edinburgh.
Chronicle of a Summer (l') (Jean Rouch. France. 196] ) 85min. Sociologist lidgar Morin and anthropologist and filmmaker Jean Rouch ask a cast of real life individuals to discuss topics on the theme of French society and happiness in the working Class. Structurally innovative. Paris and
Get amped to the max as you take this rare chance to catch all the big waves on the big screen. Joel
Conroy’s documentary charts surfing’s roots in Ireland with all the appropriate crashing breakers and tube riding you could want.
I GFT, Glasgow, Fr/ 70—Sun 72 Jul.
50 THE LIST 9—23 dell 2009
Saint-'l‘ropel-set documentary. Part of La Nouvelle Vague season. (ilasgmv' Eilni Theatre. Glasgow:
City of Ember (PG) coo (Gil Kenan. CS. 2008) Bill Murray. Tim Robbins. Saoirse Ronan. l00min. Students from the underground city of timber go through a series of adventures to help its citizens escape its increasing deterioration. Ho-hum but visually impressive children's adventure sci-fi. ()dean At The Quay. (ilasgaw'; ()dean: Brae/read. Ken/revs:
A Clockwork Orange ( I8) 0000 (Stanley Kubrick. lTK. l97l ) Malcolm McDowell. Patrick Magee. Warren Clarke. 137mm. The night of ‘ultra-violence' committed by Alex (McDow ell) and his gang of 'droogs'. gave this film its notoriety. Btit his subsequent victimisation by the state still provides much food for thought. This table of law and disorder. crime and punishment might easily be recast in 21st century Britain. So. it's about time the British public got to see the late master's most infamous film. Part of Kubrick season. (ilavgmi' I‘i/m Theatre. (ilaigmt:
Coraline 3D (PU) oooo (Henry Selick. CS. 2009) Voices of Dakota Fanning. Teri Hatcher. John llodgman. l00min. After her family moves to Pink Mansions. Coraline (voiced by Fanning) quickly becomes bored with the large dusty house. and in particular with her hardworking parents (Hatcher and llodgman). The fantasy kicks into top gear when she discovers a secret door that leads her into an alternate version of her home. A lush. visually imaginative and freshly entertaining stop-motion adaptation of .\'eil (iaiman's children's novel. ('inewnrld Renfreii Street. (i/avgnw:
Crossing Over ( 15) see. (Wayne Kramer. LS. 2009) Harrison Ford. Ray l.toll;t. Ashley Judd. 1 13min. See review. page 47. (ieneral release from Fri 17 .lul. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button ( l2.-\) 0.. (David l-‘incher. CS. 2009) Brad Pitt. Cate Blanchett. Julia ()rmond. loSmin. Born as an old man only to die as an infant. the Benjamin Button character created by F Scott Fit/gerald in his I922 short-story gets the full ‘prestige picttire' treatment in David Fincher’s lavish romantic fantasy. A salutary tale of a man who would turn back time for lov c. and fails. reflecting l-"it/gcrald‘s own view s of the inipermanence of love. Empire Clyde/rank. ('Ivdebank.
The Damned (PG) coo (Joseph Losey. l'K. l9(il ) Macdonald Carey. Shirley Anne Field. Alexander Knox. 87min. Fxtremcly strange Losey outing which begins as a youthful love story set amongst early (i0s biker gangs. but moves to a
my stei'ious cliff-face cave w here a dedicated scientist keeps a group of radioactive children sealed off from the outside world‘s corruption. Pompous and coiiftised sci-fi drama. which manages to salvage a few genuinely perverse moments from a weird inisli-mash. Part of Joseph Losey season. Film/muse. Edinburgh.
Delta ( l8) 0.. (Kornel Mundruc/o. Hungary. 2008) Felix Lajko. ()rsolya Toth. Lili .‘vlonori. 95min. Delta's taciturn protagonist is an unnamed and mysteriously wealthy young man (Lajko) who returns after a long absence to his native village in the Danube delta. where he and his half- sistcr (()rsi Toth) decide to build a hottse. The transgressive relationship of the siblings provokes a vengeful reaction amongst the locals. A film of considerable visual beauty which seeks to contrast the richness and resilience of nature with the bigotry and transience of humanity. ('amea. Edinburgh. Dolls (Pusinsky) t l5) (Karin Babinskzi. Czech Republic. 2007) Marie Dole/alova. Sandra Nov'akova. Petra .\'esv'acilova. 99min. Czech rom-com about a group of three female school-leav ers (plus a tag-a-long little brother) who decide to take a summer trip to Holland. Sexual tensions between the girls mount amid secret crushes. threatening to ruin the trip. Part of the London Lesbian and (lay Film Festival on Tour. I'ilinlmuve. Edinburgh.
Doubt ( l5) 0... (John Patrick Shanley'. CS. 2009) Meryl Streep. Philip Seymour Hoffman. Amy Adams. l0-lmin. Screen adaptation of writer/director
Shanley‘s prescient and troubling catholic school-set play in which headmistress Sister Aloysius (Streep) begins to suspect liberal forward thinking Father Flynn (Hoffman) of having inappropriate relationships with some of the pupils. As evidence begins to mount. Sister Aloysius shows her mettle and dogged resolve to try and elicit a confession. Although stagy. this is as robust and enthralling as any character driven drama. ()dean At The Quay. (ilas’gaw'; ()deon. Edinburgh.
Drag Me to Hell (15).... (Sam Raimi. CS. 2009) Alison Lohman. Justin Long. Fernanda Romero. 100mm. Life is good for ambitious LA loan officer Christine (Lohman). l'ntil that is. she double refuses an ()AP an extension on her home loan. leaving the old lady shamed and homeless. In return a curse is ptit on Christine and her life becomes a living nightmare. A must for horror fans. Seleeted release.
Dream Boy ( l5) (James Bolton. CS. 2008) Stephan Bender. Maximillian Roeg. Diana Scarwid. 90min. Based on the novel by Jim (irinisley. two young boys. one introspective. the other confident embark upon a tentative love affair in rural Louisiana that takes some dark turns. Part of the London Lesbian and (iay Film Festival on Tour. Film/muse. Edinburgh.
Fired Up! ( l2A) OOO (Will Ciluck. CS. 2009) Nicholas D'Agosto. F.ric Christian ()lsen. Sara Roemer. 89min. See review. page 48. Shaw-ease Cinema. Paisley. French Film ( 15) (Jackie ()udney. CK. 2008) Adrian Annis. Hugh Bonneville. Anne- Marie Duff. 87min. ()udney's debut feature film is a bitter romantic comedy about cultural differences between the French and the British in affairs of the heart. liric ('antona features as a pretentious French cineaste and self-appointed expert on love. (ilavgnw‘ I‘illn Theatre. (ilas‘gaw‘.
* Frozen Rivera-L) 0.. (Courtney Hunt. LS. 2008) Melissa Leo. Misty l’pham. Charlie McDerniott. 97min. See review. page 4‘). (ilasgmv‘ l‘i/In 'Iheatre. (ilavgmi‘: Film/muse. Edinburgh.
Fugitive Pieces t 15) (Jeremy Podeswa. Canada/Greece. 2007) Stephen Dillane. Rade Scrbed/iia. Rosamund Pike. 106mm. This haunting drama opens in wartime Poland with the escape of a young Jewish boy from a Nazi raid. Fugitive I’ieees then chronicles the boy‘s grow n-up struggles as a writer living in Canada. wrestling with the ghosts of his past and their constant intrusions into his present relationships. (ilasgnw l-ilm Theatre. (i/asguw:
Ghosted ( l5) (Monika Trcut. (ierniany/l‘aiw an. 2009) Inga Btisch. Huan- Ru Ke. Ting-Ting Hu. 89min. A mysterious love story that traverses east and west. flitting from Hamburg and Taipei. as artist Sophie (Busch) travels to Taiwan to make a video installation as a way of dealing with her lover Ai-Ling's (Huan-Ru Ke) murder. where she unexpectedly falls for investigative journalist Mei-Li (Ting-Ting llti ). Part of the London Lesbian and Cray Film Festival on Tour. l'i/In/muxe. Edinburgh. The Girl Cut in No ( IS) 0..
(Claude (‘habrol. France/(iermany. 2007) Francois Berleand. Ludivine Sagniei'. Benoit Maginiel. 1 15min. Based on a real-life case in 1900s America. transposed to contemporary Lyon. A sly playful satire of the hattte bourgeoisie world of publishing with elegant direction and fine performances. Cainea. Edinlmrgh.
Greek Pete ( 18) (Andrew llaigh. CK. 2009) 79min. Filmmaker Andrew llaigh worked with a group of London rent boys over a period of six months. to create a semi- improvised drama based on their lives. Part of the London Lesbian and (iay Film Festival on Tour. I-‘ilmhaus‘e. Edinbtujgh. The Hangover ( 15) secs ('I‘odd Phillips. LS. 2009) Bradley Cooper. Fd Helms. Heather (irahani. 99min. Two days before his wedding. Doug (Bartha) heads to Vegas with his two best friends and future brother-in-law for a final bachelor blow out. Waking up the next morning. however. the trio has no recollection of what happened the night before or. more iinimrtantly. where they might have left Doug. This buddy movie really delivers with its riotous cocktail of memorable characters. outrageous