Film LISTINGS
Johnny English Reborn (PG) (Oliver Parker, US/France/UK, 2011) Rowan Atkinson, Dominic West, Rosamund Pike. 101min. Atkinson reassumes the role of the inept anti-Bond. Glasgow Film Theatre. Joyful Noise (PG) (Todd Graff, US, 2012) Queen Latifah, Dolly Parton, Keke Palmer. 117min. Queen Latifah and Dolly Parton play rival choir directors in this comedy musical set in small-town Georgia. General release from Fri 29 Jun. Katy Perry: Part of Me (tbc) (Dan Cutforth, Jane Lipsitz, US, 2012) Pop starlet Katy Perry reveals what goes on behind the scenes of her latest tour in this documentary or, if you will, popumentary. General release from Thu 5 Jul. Killer Joe (18) ●●●●● (William Friedkin, US, 2011) Matthew McConaughey, Emile Hirsch, Juno Temple. 103min. See review, page 73.Dundee Contemporary Arts, Dundee. Kings (15) (Tom Collins, Ireland/UK, 2007) Colm Meaney, Donal O’Kelly, Brendan Conroy. 89min. Mid-1970s. A group of young men leave their homes in the West of Ireland and sail to England in the hope of making their fortunes and then returning West. Part of Féile na Gaeilge Glaschú. CCA, Glasgow. L’age d’Or (18) ●●●●● (Luis Buñuel, Spain, 1930) Gaston Modot, Lya Lys, Caridad de Laberdesque. 63min. Buñuel’s surrealist essay on Eros and civilisation in which two lovers are torn apart by the church and state. Double bill with Un Chien Andalou. Glasgow Film Theatre. The Last Projectionist (12A) (Thomas Lawes, UK, 2011) 82min. It once took five years to train a projectionist, now it takes less than an hour. This documentary explores the history of the UK’s independent cinemas and their staff. Glasgow Film Theatre. Lay the Favourite (15) (Stephen Frears, US/UK, 2012) Rebecca Hall, Bruce Willis, Vince Vaughn, Catherine Zeta-Jones. 94min. Gambling comedy about a glam young woman’s adventures with a group of savvy older gambling blokes. General release from Fri 22 Jun. The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp (U) ●●●●● (Michael Powell, Emeric Pressburger, UK, 1943) Roger Livesey, Deborah Kerr, Anton Walbrook. 163min. In Powell & Pressburger’s poignant masterpiece, Clive Candy (Livesey, superb) starts out as a hotheaded Boer War hero and ages 40 years into a portly Home Guard general who keeps falling for the same kind of girl (Kerr, luminous). Presented here in a crisp digital restoration. Glasgow Film Theatre. Live from the Met: Das Rheingold (E) (US, 2010) 180min. A performance of the first part of Wagner’s The Ring of the Nibelung, filmed live at New York’s Met Opera. Selected screenings on Sat 30 Jun. Live from the Met: Die Walkure (E) (US, 2011) Bryn Terfel, Deborah Voigt. The second in the quartet making up Wagner’s Ring cycle. Conducted by James Levine. Selected screenings on Sun 1 Jul. Live from the Met: Götterdämmerung (E) (US, 2012) Wendy Bryn Harmer, Iain Paterson, Deborah Voigt/Katarina Dalayman, Gary Lehman/Stephen Gould. 360min. The New York Met Opera’s production of the Ring cycle comes to its catastrophic and fateful climax. Selected screenings on Sun 8 Jul. Live from the Met: Siegfried (E) (US, 2011) In part three of the Ring cycle, Wagner’s cosmic vision focuses on his hero’s early conquests, while Robert Lepage’s revolutionary stage machine transforms itself from bewitched forest to mountaintop love nest. Selected screenings on Sat 7 Jul. Lovecraftian All Dayer (18) (Various, Various) The Edinburgh Zombie Club present a full day of HP Lovecraft inspired movies. The line-up of creeping horror and malevolent old gods includes: Matango, In The Mouth Of Madness, Uzumaki, Call Of Cthulu and From Beyond. The Banshee Labyrinth, Edinburgh, Sun 1 Jul only. Lovely Molly (15) (Eduardo Sanchez, US, 2011) Alexandra Holden, Jonny Lewis, Ken Arnold. 99min. Horror flick revolving 80 THE LIST 21 Jun–19 Jul 2012
around psychosis and possession from Blair Witch director Sanchez. General release Fri 29 Jun. Magic Mike (15) (Steven Soderbergh, US, 2012) Channing Tatum, Alex Pettyfer, Olivia Munn. 110min. A comedy in which a young stripper is shown the ropes by a more experienced colleague, based on Tatum’s early life. General release from Wed 11 Jul. The Man with the Jazz Guitar (U) (Marc Mason, UK, 2012) 119min. Documentary about largely forgotten Django-inspired guitarist Ken Sykora, who abandoned fame in the 1970s in order to run a hotel in a remote part of Scotland. Glasgow Film Theatre.
✽ Marina Abramovic: The Artist is Present (tbc) ●●●●● (Matthew Akers, US, 2012) Marina Abramovic, Ulay, Klaus Biesenbach. 106min. See review, page 72. Filmhouse, Edinburgh; Dundee Contemporary Arts, Dundee. Mars Attacks! (12) ●●●●● (Tim Burton, US, 1996) Jack Nicholson, Pierce Brosnan, Sarah Jessica Parker. 106min. Burton’s all-star sci-fi B-movie has good gags, great design and eye-popping computer animation, but doesn’t really connect as a complete film. Dundee Contemporary Arts, Dundee. Men in Black III (PG) ●●●●● (Barry Sonnenfeld, US, 2012) Will Smith, Tommy Lee Jones, Josh Brolin. 105min. In a Back to the Future-style escapade, Agent J (Smith) must go back in time and stop the young Agent K (Josh Brolin) being killed by an alien criminal and altering the shape of the Agency. General release. Metropolis (PG) ●●●●● (Fritz Lang adapted by Giorgio Moroder, Germany/ US, 1927) Gustav Frolich, Brigitte Helm. 118min. Fritz Lang’s still stunning German science fiction classic still speaks volumes today. Dundee Contemporary Arts, Dundee.
✽ Mission to Lars (tbc) (James Moore/William Spicer, UK/US,
2011) Kate Spicer, Tom Spicer, William Spicer. 74min. Tom Spicer has Fragile X Syndrome, the most common inherited learning disability. Since he’s a massive fan of Lars Ulrich from Metallica, his brother and sister promise to fulfil Tom’s dream of meeting his idol in this documentary road trip. Cameo, Edinburgh. Monsieur Lazhar (12A) ●●●●● (Philippe Falardeau, Canada, 2011) Mohamed Fellag, Sophie Nelisse, Emilien Neron. 94min. When a popular teacher in a Montreal school commits suicide, Algerian immigrant Bachir Lazhar (Fellag) replaces her, but the grieving pupils don’t suspect his own struggles with family tragedy and imminent deportation. The Hippodrome, Bo’ness. Monsters, Inc (U) ●●●●● (Pete Docter, US, 2001) John Goodman, Billy Crystal, Steve Buscemi. 92min. CGI animation from Pixar in which monsters use kiddies’ screams as an energy source. It’s a neat idea, but what really lifts the film is the sense of fun that pervades the whole movie. The Hippodrome, Bo’ness. Moonrise Kingdom (12A) ●●●●● (Wes Anderson, US, 2012) Edward Norton, Bruce Willis, Bill Murray, Tilda Swinton, Frances McDormand, Harvey Keitel, Jason Schwartzman. 94min. When 12-year-old orphan Sam convinces Suzy to run away with him, her parents (Murray, McDormand), the local scoutmaster (Norton), sheriff (Willis) and Social Services (Swinton) are soon in pursuit. Anderson’s new movie will delight his fans; others may consider it overlong, whimsical and emotionally lightweight. The Hippodrome, Bo’ness. Mr Popper’s Penguins (PG) ●●●●● (Mark Waters, US, 2011) Jim Carrey, Carla Gugino. 94min. Family comedy starring Carrey as Mr Popper, a humourless businessman who inherits six penguins and converts his Manhattan apartment into a winter wonderland to accommodate them. The Hippodrome, Bo’ness. NT Live: Frankenstein (15) (Danny Boyle, UK, 2011) Benedict Cumberbatch, Jonny Lee Miller. Mary Shelley’s classic gothic tale, written by Nick Dear and realised by Danny Boyle in his return
to theatre. The roles of Dr Frankenstein and the Creature are alternated between Benedict Cumberbatch and Johnny Lee Miller. Selected release. Oliver Sherman (15) (Ryan Redford, Canada, 2010) Garret Dillahunt, Donal Logue, Molly Parker. 82min. A lonely veteran travels to a rural town to reconnect with the soldier who saved his life during the war. The Hippodrome, Bo’ness. Olympic Shorts (tbc) (Mike Leigh, Asif Kapadia, Lynne Ramsay, Max and Dania, UK, 2012) 140min. Four short sports/ Olympic themed films from four respected British directors. Selected release from Mon 25 Jun. One Day in September (15) (Kevin Macdonald, Switzerland/Germany/UK, 1999) 94min. The extraordinary story of the kidnapping of Israeli athletes by Palestinian terrorist organisation Black September during the 1972 Munich Olympics. Part of the Let the Games Begin season. Filmhouse, Edinburgh. Opera Australia: Don Giovanni (E) (Gran Jrvefelt, Australia, 2012) Teddy Tahu Rhodes, Daniel Sumegil, Conal Coad, Rachelle Durkin, Henry Choo. 180min. Broadcast to big screens around the country as Opera Australia performs Mozart’s opera about the charismatic ladies’ man and adventurer. Selected screenings on Thu 28 Jun. The Pact (15) ●●●●● (Nicholas McCarthy, US, 2012) Caity Lotz, Casper Van Dien, Agnes Bruckner. 88min. Nicole (Bruckner) moves into the house vacated by her newly dead mother, only to go missing. Her sister (Lotz) arrives to investigate, but the house appears to contain a malevolent supernatural force. General release. Personal Best (18) (Robert Towne, US, 1982) Mariel Hemingway, Scott Glenn, Patrice Donnelly. 124min. Towne’s tale of two sportswomen competing to join the pentathlon squad for the 1980 US Olympic team explores their mutual attraction and how it develops into a passionate relationship. Part of the Let the Games Begin season. Filmhouse, Edinburgh. The Players (Les Infidèles) (18) (Emmanuelle Bercot, Fred Cavayé, Alexandre Courtès, Jean Dujardin, Michel Hazanavicius, Eric Lartigau, Gilles Lellouche, France, 2012) Jean Dujardin, Gilles Lellouche, Lionel Abelanski. 109min. A set of short films about infidelity, starring The Artist’s Dujardin. Selected release from Fri 6 Jul. Playing the Moldovans at Tennis (PG) (Tony Hawks, Mikolaj Jaroszewicz, UK, 2012) Tony Hawks, Stephen Frost, Anatol Durbala. 99min. Comedian Tony Hawks is set the challenge of beating at tennis all 11 members of the Moldovan international football team, who lost 4-0 to England at Wembley. Cameo, Edinburgh. Polisse (15) ●●●●● (Maiwenn, France, 2011) Karin Viard, Joey Starr, Marina Fois. 127min. Sprawling ensemble drama about the daily routines of a Child Protection Unit of the Paris police. Filmhouse, Edinburgh; Dundee Contemporary Arts, Dundee; Glasgow Film Theatre. Primrose Path (PG) (Gregory La Cava, US, 1940) Ginger Rogers, Joel McCrea, Marjorie Rambeau. 93 min. A teenager from a bad background escapes into marriage with a handsome cafe owner. When he finally meets her family, the troubles begin. Part of the Gregory La Cava retrospective. Filmhouse, Edinburgh Prometheus (15) ●●●●● (Ridley Scott, US, 2012) Noomi Rapace, Michael Fassbender, Guy Pearce, Idris Elba, Logan Marshall-Green, Charlize Theron. 123min. In the definitely-not-a-prequel-to-Alien, a spaceship’s crew investigates what appears to be an alien vessel. Despite a largely effective cast and stratospheric technical values the plot is murky and the tone inconsistent. General release. Quatermass and the Pit (15) (Roy Ward Baker, UK, 1967) James Donald, Andrew Keir, Barbara Shelley. 97min. Classic British sci-fi/horror from Hammer. Cameo, Edinburgh; Dundee Contemporary Arts, Dundee. Queen Margaret University (15) (Various, UK) 120min. Selection of short
films and documentaries by graduate students from Queen Margaret University. Filmhouse, Edinburgh. Red Dog (PG) ●●●●● (Kriv Stenders, Australia, 2011) Rachael Taylor, Josh Lucas, Noah Taylor. 92min. Josh Lucas excels as a drifter who inherits a rebellious stray mutt upon his arrival in a mining town. Glasgow Film Theatre. Red Lights (15) (Rodrigo Cortes, Spain/ US, 2012) Robert De Niro, Toby Jones, Elizabeth Olsen, Sigourney Weaver. 119min. In this thriller a world-renowned psychic comes under scrutiny from psychologist Margaret Matheson (Weaver) and her sister. General release. Rock of Ages (12A) ●●●●● (Adam Shankman, US, 2012) Julianne Hough, Diego Boneta, Tom Cruise. 123min. A maniacal jukebox musical based on a Broadway/West End hit, it’s at best irresistibly idiotic and at worst brilliantly bad. General release. Roman Holiday (U) ●●●●● (William Wyler, US, 1953) Audrey Hepburn, Gregory Peck, Eddie Albert. 118min. Overrated but easy to watch romance about a fleeing princess (Hepburn) and her relationship with a journalist in 50s Italy. Scotsman Screening Room, Edinburgh. A Royal Affair (15) ●●●●● (Nikolaj Arcel, Denmark/Sweden/Czech Republic/ Germany, 2012) Mads Mikkelsen, Mikkel Boe Folsgaard, Alicia Vikander. 137min. In 18th century Denmark, Johann Struensee (Mikkelsen) becomes personal physician to King Christian VII (Folsgaard); but then the unhappily married Queen Caroline (Vikander) starts cavorting with the doctor. Selected release. Scanners (18) ●●●●● (David Cronenberg, Canada, 1980) Jennifer O’Neill, Stephen Lack, Patrick McGoohan. 103min. In Cronenberg’s dark vision of the future, big business plays with human conception in a bid to produce powerful telapathic warriors. Cameo, Edinburgh. Seeking a Friend for the End of the World (15) ●●●●● (Lorene Scafaria, US, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, 2012) Steve Carell, Keira Knightley, Melinda Dillon. 101min See review, page 73. General release from Fri 13 Jul.
✽ 7 Days in Havana (7 días en La Habana) (tbc) ●●●●● (Benicio
Del Toro, Pablo Trapero, Julio Medem, Elia Suleiman, Gaspar Noé, Juan Carlos Tabío, Laurent Cantet, France/Spain, 2012) Josh Hutcherson, Daniel Brühl, Emir Kusturica, Elia Suleiman, Vladimir Cruz, Mirta Ibarra, Jorge Perugorria. 126min See review, page 72. Selected release from Fri 6 Jul. She Monkeys (12A) ●●●●● (Lisa Aschan, Sweden, 2011) Mathilda Paradeiser, Linda Molin, Isabella Lindquist. 83min. Courageous, thought-provoking debut feature about female teenage athletes, with remarkable performances and a frank approach to adolescent sexuality. Dundee Contemporary Arts, Dundee. Short Film Showcase (18) (Various, Various) Screening of short films under the headings of artistic, erotic, sexy and/or romantic, promising to ‘tease without the sleaze.’ Part of the Festival of Erotic Arts. The Banshee Labyrinth, Edinburgh.
✽ Silent Souls (Ovsyanki) (15) ●●●●● (Aleksei Fedorchenko,
Russia, 2010) Yuliya Aug, Larisa Damaskina, Olga Dobrina. 77min. See review, page 71. Selected release from Fri 22 Jun. Sing Your Song (12A) ●●●●● (Susanne Rostock, USA, 2011) 104min. Documentary about singer, actor and activist Harry Belafonte. Despite occasional strays into hagiography, great use of archive footage emphasises Belafonte’s allure as well as the seriousness of his political engagement. Cameo, Edinburgh; Glasgow Film Theatre. Sleeper (15) ●●●●● (Woody Allen, US, 1973) Woody Allen, Diane Keaton, John Beck, Mary Gregory. 88min. Vintage early Allen, as our hero finds himself 200 years in the future, challenging the evil machinations of a totalitarian regime. Part of the Woody’s Goodies season. Filmhouse, Edinburgh.