All articles by Allan Hunter – Page 56
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Reviews
The Banishment (Izgnanie)
Dir: Andrey Zvyagintsev. 2007. Russ. 150minsThe Banishment struggles to carry the burden of expectations surrounding the second feature from writer-director Andrey Zvyagintsev. Like his Venice Golden Lion winner The Return, it offers a tale of pride and patriarchy illuminating the dark soul of the Russian male. It confirms Zvyagintsev as ...
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News
Soda strikes UK deal for Gaelic-language Seachd
Seachd -The Inaccessible Pinnacle has become the first Gaelic-language Scottish feature to secure UK theatrical distribution. Produced by Christopher Young and directed by Simon Miller, it has been acquired by Soda Pictures for an autumn 2007 release in the UK.The film has its first Cannes market screening on Monday and ...
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Reviews
My Blueberry Nights
Dir: Wong Kar Wai. 2007. US. 111mins Life is as plaintive and banal as a country western ballad in My Blueberry Nights. Wong Kar Wai's English-language debut may have all the trappings of an American road movie but at the core it is a characteristically dreamy exploration of love, loss ...
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News
Cannes Film Festival: 60th may be a dignified affair
Emir Kusturica returns but Francis Ford Coppola's comeback is nowhere to be seen. The British have not received an invitation to the party but Stephen Frears will still sit at the top table. The French presence does not display an unseemly bias towards the home team but the Italians are ...
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Reviews
Spider-Man 3
Dir: Sam Raimi. 2007.US. 140mins.The financial reasons for making Spider-Man 3 require no explanation; the artistic reasons are a little harder to discern. Taking some inspiration from Superman 3, director Sam Raimi has chosen to explore the dark side of his superhero. Burdening Peter Parker/Spider-Man with endless personal issues and ...
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News
Scottish Screen pushes diversity in exhibition strategy
After a lengthy process of consultation Scottish Screen has announced a new Cinema Exhibition Strategy designed to extend the reach and diversity of films available to Scottish audiences. The core of the strategy is the development of 'cultural cinema hubs' strategically placed around the country. Each one will serve as ...
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Reviews
Mr Bean's Holiday
Dir: Steve Bendelack. UK-US. 2007. 85mins If Rocky Balboa and John McClane can hit the comeback trail after a lengthy absence then who would deny a similar opportunity to Rowan Atkinson's one man disaster area' Ten years have passed since Bean but the public's affection for the gurning, bug-eyed loon ...
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Reviews
Becoming Jane
Dir: Julian Jarrold. UK-US. 2007. 120mins Fact proves just as charming as fiction in Becoming Jane, a beautifully crafted biography of Jane Austen that will hold an irresistible appeal to global audiences who swooned over big screen adaptations of Pride & Prejudice (2005) and Sense & Sensibility (1995). Charting the ...
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News
Change of direction for UK French Film Festival
The 2007 edition of the UK's annual French Film Festival is to focus exclusively on titles that have not secured a British distribution deal. The move is seen as a response to the revitalised Rendez-vous with French Cinema (29 March -April 1) in London which boasts a succession of star-studded ...
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Reviews
Half Nelson
Ryan Fleck. US. 2006. 107 minsThe tired cliches of the inspirational teacher/pupil relationship are successfully turned on their head in Half Nelson. This is not the kind of formula crowd-pleaser that invites you to applaud the triumph of the underdog, instead it offers a haunting snapshot of the unlikely friendship ...
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Features
The BAFTAs 2007 - Awards countdown - King and Queen crowned at BAFTAs
The signs may have pointed towards an outburst of flag-waving patriotic fervour at the Orange British Academy Film Awards last Sunday (February 11), but the Baftas failed to conform. Nine ground-breaking nominations for James Bond blockbuster Casino Royale resulted in just one win in the sound category and the compensation ...
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Features
The BAFTAs 2007 - Campaign watch
Both The Queen and The Last King Of Scotland ran expensive, committed campaigns and both reveal the importance of the autumn festival circuit in building towards Bafta success, also a factor for previous winners such as Brokeback Mountain (2005) and Vera Drake (2004).Helen Mirren's best actress prize at Venice in ...
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Reviews
Music and Lyrics
Dir: Marc Lawrence US. 2007. 102mins. After dipping his toe in the murky world of satire with last year's American Dreamz, Hugh Grant retreats to conventional romantic comedy with Music And Lyrics, a bland, undemanding reunion with his Two Weeks Notice (2002) director Marc Lawrence. Grant's blithe spirit and eternal ...
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Features
Bafta Nominations - Home is where the heat is
Oscar-winning Chariots Of Fire screenwriter Colin Welland famously declared: "The British are coming!" At the time, 25 years ago, it sounded more like hollow bravado than an accurate forecast. If the nominations for this year's Orange British Academy Film Awards (Baftas) are any indication, then the cry carries renewed credibility. ...
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News
Homegrown, not Hollywood, talents impress BAFTA voters
The rally cry 'The British are coming' has held true for this year's BAFTA nominees. BAFTA voters have backed British talent to an unprecedented degree this year, ignoring heavyweight American contenders like Bobby, Flags Of Our Fathers and Blood Diamond in favour of homegrown films. Helen Mirren had long been ...
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News
BAFTA builds buzz
The concept of business as usual seems entirely alien to the organisers of the annual BAFTA Awards.
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News
Red Road makes clean sweep of Scottish BAFTAs
Andrea Arnold’s film takes the major honours in Scotland to add to Cannes win.
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News
Red Road makes clean sweep of Scottish BAFTAs
Andrea Arnold’s Red Road has added Best Film at the Lloyds TSB BAFTA Scotland awards to its previous honours, including the Cannes Jury Prize and five BIFA nominations.
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Reviews
Casino Royale
Dir: Martin Campbell. UK. 2006. 147minsBond Is Back. The old promise takes on a freshemphasis in Casino Royale, amuscular, wildly successful attempt to strip the lucrative James Bond franchiseback to basics. Returning to the origins of the series in the first Ian Flemingnovel, Casino Royaledepicts Bond as a rough, reckless ...