In light of Bridesmaids’ worldwide success, director and former Sabrina The Teenage Witch actor Paul Feig continues in his efforts to shift emphasis onto female comedic talent with mismatched buddy comedy The Heat. By embracing and paying homage to its roots, and combining the talents of those in front of and behind the camera, what transpires is mostly solidly entertaining, but not nearly as commanding or edgy as it assumes it is. Continue reading “Review: The Heat (2013)”
Nine years after the release of Shaun Of The Dead, and five years after Hot Fuzz, The Three Flavours Cornetto trilogy draws to a sufficient, if unexceptional, close with The World’s End. Reuniting director Edgar Wright with stars Nick Frost and Simon Pegg, The World’s End is an amusing, heartwarming and nostalgia-filled comedy adventure that works well at the time, but leaves little to chew on once the end credits have rolled. Continue reading “Review: The World’s End (2013)”
The sixth instalment in the X-Men franchise, and the second to focus squarely on the eponymous clawed mutant hero, The Wolverine sees director James Mangold assume the reigns and deliver a decidedly more muted and classically-styled film. It’s a brave move that results in a more relatable story, yet one that’s ultimately let down by the unconvincing amalgamation of styles, questionable performances and an all-too stretched run time. Continue reading “Review: The Wolverine (2013)”
Acclaimed director Sofia Coppola, known for depicting the lifestyles of the rich and famous through films such as Lost In Translation and Somewhere, uses her new feature The Bling Ring to tap into the obsession modern day teens have with celebrity culture. Potent in its candid and uncomfortable subject-matter (the script is based on real life events as recorded in Nancy Jo Sales’s 2010 Vanity Fair article The Suspects Wore Louboutins), the film finds itself being necessary despite its issues. Continue reading “Review: The Bling Ring (2013)”
Writer-director Chad Hartigan follows up his softly received directorial debut Luke And Brie Are On A First Date with This Is Martin Bonner, a thoughtful, well-acted and subtle character drama that scooped the Best of NEXT Audience Award at this year’s Sundance Film Festival. It’s minimalist and quiet, sure, but that’s what enables this film about two elderly men experiencing dramatic changes in their lives to be such a welcome surprise and linger in the mind long after the end credits roll. Continue reading “EIFF 2013 Review: This Is Martin Bonner (2013)”
Disney•Pixar continue their long-standing tradition of unveiling their new films at the Edinburgh International Film Festival with Monsters University. The prequel to Monsters, Inc., Monsters University bears the unfortunate task of being a sequel to one of the studios most adored, original and hugely successful efforts. And, while it sadly never reaches the heights of its predecessor in terms of intelligence and ingenuity, it’ll win audiences over nonetheless with its abundant charm and wit. Continue reading “EIFF 2013 Review: Monsters University (2013)”
Actress-turned-director Sarah Polley turns her attention away from death and adultery as surveyed through her previous two narrative features Away From Her and Take This Waltz and onto her family history with unconventional documentary Stories We Tell. Using her talent as both a filmmaker and as a storyteller to tell her family’s story may seem self-indulgent and unnecessary to be aired in public, yet the warmth in which Polley infuses into the film ensures it carries with it a more deeper, universal value. Continue reading “EIFF 2013 Review: Stories We Tell (2012)”
The Edinburgh International Film Festival has forever prided itself as a festival of discovery, a platform for new filmmaking talent to present their works to audiences, critics and fellow filmmakers alike in the hope of receiving recognition. If there’s one person who deserves credit this year, then it’s Paul Wright, whose feature debut For Those In Peril is a bold and innovative poetic fable that, through a rich textual narrative, astounds in its emotional resonance. Continue reading “EIFF 2013 Review: For Those In Peril (2013)”
The 67th Edinburgh International Film Festival opened softly last night with relationship drama Breathe In. Reuniting blossoming British actress Felicity Jones with writer and director Drake Doremus, whose last feature Like Crazy deservedly scooped the Grand Jury Prize at the 2011 Sundance Film Festival, Breathe In may feel and look like a more adult effort, yet is ultimately depreciated by clichéd character stereotypes and a lack of believability. Continue reading “EIFF 2013 Review: Breathe In (2013)”
Noah Baumbach and rising indie star Greta Gerwig combine their talented forces once more after the well-received Greenberg for Frances Ha, a thoughtful, witty and nostalgic portrait of twenty-something discontent. Filmed in black and white at the directors discretion and blending the old with the new, Frances Ha emerges as a true winner and Baumbach’s best in years. Continue reading “EIFF 2013 Review: Frances Ha (2012)”
Empty Screens 