February | 2011 | the m0vie blog

February 2011 (JDIFF and For the Love of Film Noir) In Review…

Posted on February 28, 2011 by Darren

Hey, I’ve been shortlisted for two Irish Blog Awards, Best Pop Culture Blog and Best Arts and Culture Blog. I’m honoured and delighted to make the shortlist which is, as ever, populated with some of the best Irish talent around. Anyway, February was a busy month, what with the Jameson Dublin International Film Festival and the For The Love of Film Noir Blogathon going on. And I had my 1,000th post.

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Filed under: Months in Review | Tagged: Adjustment Bureau, arts, february, february in review, film, Film festival, For the Love of Film Noir, For the Love of Film Noir blogathon, For the Love of Film Noir: The Film Preservation Blogathon, irish blog awards, jameson dublin international film festival, liam neeson, Movie | 2 Comments »

The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse at the National Concert Hall

Posted on February 28, 2011 by Darren

This film was seen as part of the Jameson Dublin International Film Festival.

I was lucky enough to be in attendance for a gala performance of Rex Ingram’s 1921 classic The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse at the National Concert Hall, complete with live accompaniment by the RTE Concert Orchestra – featuring a new soundtrack composed by Carl Davies. While the film is one of those classics I respect more than I enjoy, I have to give credit to the National Concert Hall for hosting the gala event.

An artist at work...

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Filed under: Movies | Tagged: arts, Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, jameson dublin international film festival, looney tunes, Movie, Movies, National Concert Hall, orchestra, Raidió Teilifís Éireann, Rex Ingram, Wizard of Oz | Leave a comment »

Non-Review Review: Incendies

Posted on February 28, 2011 by Darren

This film was seen as part of the Jameson Dublin International Film Festival.

Incendies looks absolutely beautiful. The cinematography on show is absolutely stunning. It’s a powerful exploration of the religious divide in Lebanon, and it packs quite a lot of punch. However, as a film, it never really works. It’s structure seems almost illogical, with information often being repeated or rendered redundant, and it works on a series of awkwardly-contrived coincidences which strain the viewer’s credibility (which is especially glaring when the film plays off real-life atrocities). It seems far too assured of its own merits, and could have done with some serious revision before release.

Scorched earth...

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Filed under: Movies | Tagged: Academy Award, Denis Villeneuve, Dennis Velleneuve, film, hollywood, Incendies, lebanon, Lubna Azabal, Lubna Azabel, Maxim Gaudette, Mélissa Désormeaux-Poulin, non-review review, review, Wajdi Mouawad | 5 Comments »

Non-Review Review: You Will Meet a Tall, Dark Stranger

Posted on February 28, 2011 by Darren

This film was seen as part of the Jameson Dublin International Film Festival.

You Will Meet a Tall, Dark Stranger is – we’re told at the start by the (now seemingly customary) narrator – “a tale told by an idiot, filled with sound and fury, signifying nothing.” It doesn’t use the exact quote from Macbeth, but it references it pretty explicitly. However, this seems less like the genuine intention of Woody Allen and more like an excuse scribbled on the introduction to a term paper he couldn’t be bothered finishing, as if to declare to the world, “It’s okay if nothing is ever really resolved or developed and random stuff seems to occur for no reason – that’s the stylistic approach I’m adopting!” I don’t doubt that the movie’s inconclusive nature is undoubtedly intentional, but it’s inconsistency is still infuriating – perhaps more for the sections of the movie that do engage rather than those that meander. It’s not necessary a bad film – Allen is still a great storyteller, even when he doesn’t seem especially bothered – but it’s just not up there with Vicki Cristina Barcelona or even Match Point.

Growing old disgracefully...

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Filed under: Non-Review Reviews | Tagged: anna friel, anthony hopkins, comedy, film, fortune teller, Gemma Jones, josh brolin, Movie, Naomi Watts, non-review review, philip glenister, prophecy, review, Woody Allen, You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger | Leave a comment »

Non-Review Review: The Adjustment Bureau

Posted on February 26, 2011 by Darren

This film was seen as part of the Jameson Dublin International Film Festival.

One of the joys of a film festival like the Jameson Dublin International Film Festival is that you get to see films that take you by surprise. Sometimes they are small foreign dramas which will never get a major release here, and thus haven’t been discussed to death on-line or in-print, but occasionally it’s a movie premiere of a big upcoming release which will impress. The Adjustment Bureau is hitting screens around the world next Friday, but film fanatics in Dublin were treated to a sneak peek (the movie’s second public screening and the first in Europe). As a movie that I honestly wasn’t expecting too much of, based on the trailers in front of every major release since last August that seemingly couldn’t decide on the genre of the film, what did I make of it?

A bathroom break...

I loved it.

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Filed under: Non-Review Reviews | Tagged: Adjustment Bureau, blade runner, David Norris, dublin, Emily Blunt, films, George Nolfi, jameson dublin international film festival, matt damon, Movies, non-review review, Philip K. Dick, premieres, review, Terence Stamp, total recall | 17 Comments »

Non-Review Review: Burke & Hare

Posted on February 25, 2011 by Darren

I quite like black comedy. There’s definitely a place for the more bitter strain of humour on the big screen, and there’s no denying that the British do black comedy wonderfully – it’s like a national trait of some kind. However, there’s something even deeper and more unpleasant than the black comedy at the heart of Burke & Hare. As I watched it, I couldn’t quite get the fact that it was based on two very real serial killers who (to this very day) have made a lasting impact on Scotland’s political and social history. There’s something very trite about turning their story into a black romantic comedy with a soundtrack from The Proclaimers.

They haven't a leg to stand on...

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Filed under: Non-Review Reviews | Tagged: andy serkis, black comedy, burke & hare, burke and hare, Burke and Hare murders, crime, film, john landis, Movie, murder, non-review review, review, serial killer, Simon Pegg, The Doctor and the Devils, timothy dalton | 9 Comments »

Taking the Mickey: Vote Mickey Rourke No.1

Posted on February 24, 2011 by Darren

They’re describing tomorrow’s election as one for the history books. The eyes of the world are on Ireland at the moment. However, my eyes are squarely on a dark horse candidate: Mickey Rourke. Bavaria Beer, the favoured beverage of many a young student, are running an Irish campaign based around the big screen icon – urging voters to put their faith in the Oscar-nominated lovable lug. I have to say, I actually think the campaign’s kinda cool. If only because I’ve always heard of advertising campaigns carried out by actors overseas, but it’s kinda cool to see one first hand in my own country. I realise that Rourke himself is probably unaware of the campaign, but it’s nice to know that the Irish election has garnered enough attention to attract this sort of wonderful parody.

All you Americans take note: you might have a surprise candidate in 2012. You can’t argue with the policies. Because Mickey might wrestle you if you do.

Note: I don’t actually drink myself, so don’t consider this an endorsement in any way shape or form. It’s just a reflection on an interesting advertising campaign.

Filed under: Movies | Tagged: bavaria beer, ge 11, ge 2011, general election 11, Ireland, Mickey Rourke | 2 Comments »

Oh Heck(le): When Is It Appropriate to Heckle?

Posted on February 24, 2011 by Darren

I attended the Irish premiere of Unknown last night as part of the Jameson Dublin International Film Festival. It was a fairly bland film, but what really stuck out to me of the night was a heckler during Grainne Humphreys’ introduction to the film. The guy was a bit of a dick, and it got me thinking – when is it appropriate to heckle?

What a muppet...

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Filed under: Movies | Tagged: audience participation, Berlin, Canada, Film festival, grainne humphreys, heckle, Heckler, jameson dublin international film festival, liam neeson, matt damon, Red carpet, Unknown, unknown (film) | 7 Comments »

Non-Review Review: Unknown

Posted on February 24, 2011 by Darren

This film was seen as part of the Jameson Dublin International Film Festival.

Unknown is not, despite what it may want you to believe, anything to do with Taken. I have a sense that audiences catching the film without that pre-existing expectation might enjoy it more than others, but I can’t help but feel the movie suffers by comparison to the earlier film in the “Liam Neeson as badass action hero” subgenre.

Taken for a ride?

Note: By its very nature, this review will involve the very slightest of spoilers. I will literally be discussing the first twenty or so minutes of the film, and I doubt it’s any more than you could discern from the trailers, but I figure it’s worth flagging with the spoiler-conscious out there.

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Filed under: Non-Review Reviews | Tagged: action, Berlin, Diane Kruger, facebook, films, identity theft, james woods, jameson dublin international film festival, Jaume Collet-Serra, liam neeson, liamneeson, Movies, non-review review, paris, review, Seine, taken, taken (film), thriller, Unknown, unknown (film) | Leave a comment »

Non-Review Review: Wake Wood

Posted on February 23, 2011 by Darren

This film was seen as part of the Jameson Dublin International Film Festival.

Even though I never lived through their “golden age” of schlock horror films, I still feel a sympathetic affinity for Hammer’s House of Horror. Watching movies late into the night with my gran and grandfather was one of those treats my younger self enjoyed on returning from abroad for Summer or Christmas holidays. As such, it’s nice to see Hammer producing movies again. Let Me In was a fairly major success for the company, remarking the already-classic vampire film Let the Right One In, but it didn’t feel as deeply rooted in Hammer’s horror traditions as the Irish horror the Wake Wood does. For better or worse, the Wake Wood is pure Hammer Horror.