Tag: Film

Blast From The Past #3 – Once (2006)

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Produced on a shoestring budget of £100,000, Once is the definition of an intimate and naturalistic film. Tracking the burgeoning relationship between an Irish busker, Glen Hansard, and a Czech immigrant, Markéta Irglová, filmmaker John Carney’s musical romance is a sweet tale of how the beauty of music has the ability to draw these two unnamed people from dissimilar backgrounds together.

Finding truth in the authentic chemistry shared between Hansard, Irglová and the real-world presence of modern-day Dublin, Carney’s tale is a simple one, but Continue reading “Blast From The Past #3 – Once (2006)” →

Help Me Make Another Short Film

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In school, I made a four minute short called Goodbye To Youth (embedded below). While it was far from a masterpiece (although I did receive an A for my efforts), it did allow me to put the knowledge I’d acquired from studying A Level Film Studies to the test.

Since then, I haven’t done any filming or editing work, which is a real shame as I enjoyed every minute of that experience and was as proud as punch when it was shown alongside my classmates at my school’s mini Academy Award event Continue reading “Help Me Make Another Short Film” →

Review: Natural Selection (2011)

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Loyal Christian housewife Linda (Rachael Harris) enters into panic mode when her husband, Peter (Jon Gries), suffers a stroke. Discovering that he’s been donating sperm in secret, she sets off to find his eldest “son”, Raymond (Matt O’Leary), a foul-mouthed ex-con. Realising she’s worlds apart from Raymond in terms of beliefs and values, Linda has a mammoth task ahead of her to ensure Raymond is able to reunite with his biological father before it’s too late.

A road film of sorts, Natural Selection bathes in the encumbrances of the clashing of Linda and Raymond’s personalities, pointed out early on when Raymond Continue reading “Review: Natural Selection (2011)” →

Review: Your Sister’s Sister (2011)

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Unable to recover from the untimely death of his brother, Jack (Mark Duplass) is sent to a picturesque cabin on a tiny island by best friend Iris (Emily Blunt). Arriving at the cabin, Jack runs into Hannah (Rosemarie DeWitt), Iris’ half-sister, who’s taken shelter there after running out on a seven-year-long relationship.

Nursing their respective troubles over a bottle of tequila, Jack and Hannah find themselves sharing a night of passion, only to be rudely awoken by the unexpected arrival of Iris, who’s come to keep Jack company.

Utilising a part-scripted, part-improvised approach, Your Sister’s Sister boasts a Continue reading “Review: Your Sister’s Sister (2011)” →

Review: The Raid (2011)

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Hollywood action films are increasingly becoming paint-by-numbers fare with uninteresting characters and unbelievable scenarios. The Raid, Welsh born writer and director Gareth Evans’ third feature film, hits hard due to its no-holds-barred coercion, unfaltering intensity and desire to do what most action films don’t: surprise its audience from the opening moments to the final fade to black.

Tasked with taking out Tama (Ray Sahetapy), landlord and kingpin to the scum of Jakarta, a SWAT team enter the building complex in which they believe he and Continue reading “Review: The Raid (2011)” →

A Quick Message

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You may have noticed that since The Woman In Black I haven’t written any new reviews for Centrefolds & Empty Screens. This isn’t because I’m bored of the website or have run out of ideas, but because I’m currently covering the Glasgow Film Festival for HeyUGuys.

The festival runs up until Sunday, February 26, so until then I won’t be posting as much on here, but instead focusing my efforts on ensuring the Glasgow Film Festival coverage is to the highest standard possible. Continue reading “A Quick Message” →

Review: We Were Here (2011)

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AIDS is an issue that will be, certainly for not too distant future, surrounded by an aura of mystery. Most people understand the seriousness of AIDS and most of the risks that are associated with the disease, but few understand where AIDS came from and how deadly it was when it was in its most erratic form.

In this documentary, aptly titled We Were Here, co-directors David Weissman and Bill Weber examine the San Francisco AIDS crisis of the late 1970’s and early 80’s. Like other films of its nature, the directors opt for a talking head style, Continue reading “Review: We Were Here (2011)” →

Review: The Muppets (2011)

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Over a decade since their last cinematic outing (the uneven Muppets From Space), The Muppets return to familiar territory with the aid of self-proclaimed enthusiast Jason Segel and director James Bobin. Using their absence as the central premise, what develops is a sweet story about reconciliation, friendship and love, with a hefty dose of the laughter and self-referential awareness that entirely encapsulates what makes The Muppets so special.

Walter (voiced by Peter Linz) is the world’s biggest Muppets fan. After being invited on a trip to Los Angeles with best friend Gary (Segel) and Gary’s doting Continue reading “Review: The Muppets (2011)” →

Super Bowl XLVI Trailer Round-Up

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From 20th Century Fox to Universal Pictures, Disney to Warner Bros., Hollywood went all out with their Super Bowl placement trailers last night, with most of them dazzling (The Lorax looks super sweet, but not a patch on last year’s Despicable Me), and only a few missing the mark (Battleship, anyone?).

The night’s biggest winner, though, was The Avengers. Joss Whedon proved that he was the ideal man to assemble all the Marvel figureheads (bar Spider-Man) together in one film and have them fit oh, so perfectly together. Oh, and the back- Continue reading “Super Bowl XLVI Trailer Round-Up” →

Review: Man On A Ledge (2012)

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Man On A Ledge is, well, apart from being one of the worst titled films of the past few years, a relatively by-the-numbers, cluttered fare that director Asger Leth imparts in a passable, yet ultimately bland, attempt to breathe new life into the tepid thriller genre.

Nick Cassidy (Sam Worthington), an ex-cop and criminal at large, books himself into a fancy suite at the Roosevelt Hotel, New York. Rather than basking in his luxurious surroundings, he instead chooses to climb out onto the window ledge Continue reading “Review: Man On A Ledge (2012)” →