40 shades of cinematic green
With St. Patrick’s Day frothing across the world (read: Ireland, bits of America and at every shamrock-bedecked Irish pub around the globe), green is the colour of the day, for better or worse.
Soundtracking Perfection: Lover’s Spit, Half Nelson
If there’s a criticism I could have made of Half Nelson, it’s that the whole thing is sometimes a little too cool and goodlooking – the soundtracking choices and cinematography sometimes showcase Gosling (admittedly a man very fit for showcasing) like he’s floating through an exceedingly credible music video. That said, given how in keeping that style…
Exberliner: This is the End
Seth Rogen and James Franco’s gang of celebrity buddies meet in the latter’s Hollywood pad to party like there’s no tomorrow – and wouldn’t you know it, the apocalypse strikes. The stage is set for a hefty dose of self-indulgent bro comedy. Their boy-man style does have its moments of puerile glory, especially in the…
Home for Christmas (2010)
The average non-Scandinavian might harbour certain preconceived notions about Christmas in Norway. Does Bent Hamar’s film feature hymns sung in no-nonsense wooden churches? Do gruff, stoic blondes in woolly jumpers make do amid the grim winter? Yes indeed. However, there’s no corresponding chill to this film. The story, adapted from a book of short stories by…
Soundtracking Perfection: Voodoo Child (Slight Return), Withnail and I
“I’m making time. “ After a misguided sojourn in Penrith, long-suffering actor “I” (Paul McGann) has been driving himself and his reprobate sot of a companion, the titular Withnail (Richard E.Grant), back to London in a battered blue Mark II Jaguar. Having stopped off for a kip during torrential rain the previous night, he stirs…
Love in the time of chaos: lovely scenes from twisted films
For the day that’s in it. As dependable as yer average rom-com might be, sometimes the most touching moments of romance spring from the most unlikely sources – here are four diamonds in rather rough films. Disco Pigs – King and Queen Calm. Enda Walsh’s play-turned-film is a savage Cork-flavoured beast starring Cillian Murphy…
Soundtracking Perfection: He Needs Me, Punch Drunk Love
Maybe it’s because he’s so alone Maybe it’s because he’s never had a home Paul Thomas Anderson’s Punch Drunk Love is a strange little gem, wrapped in vibrant colour, lens flare and a pervading sense of discomfort and imbalance, searingly personified in Adam Sandler’s best performance (also featuring his best threat.) The woozy, weird atmosphere…
Cloud Atlas (The Wachowskis, 2012)
In the interests of full disclosure: I wanted to like this film. The notion of a production that would play so fast and loose with everything from narrative to the very ethnicity of its extremely famous cast was pretty intriguing – and when it comes to Tom Hanks, I find myself pretty firmly in the…
