Next Week

UK DVD [10/5]

Mutants
There’s really nothing very interesting this week, so I’m picking out this debut from David Morley, largely because France has been producing some of the best horror of recent years and this sounds like something of a French take on 28 Days Later. It certainly could be nice gory fun.


UK TV

Prime Cut [12/5]
I know very little about this film, but for years I have been wanting to see it, solely because the brilliant Sissy Spacek has her first substantial film role here. It’s never been released on DVD here and I’ve never seen a copy on VHS, so here’s my chance to catch it, and yours.


UK THEATRICAL RELEASE [14/5]

American: The Bill Hicks Story
This documentary about the so called outlaw comic, who died 16 years ago, aged just 32, of pancreatic cancer, but whose political material still resonates today, interviews his friends and family and will likely include plenty of clips (some previously unseen) of Hicks’ stand up. What’s most interesting is the way that the film has been made, taking thousands of photos of Hicks and rotoscoping them into rather unique looking animation. This ought to be an interesting and idiosyncratic portrait of an interesting and idiosyncratic man.


US THEATRICAL RELEASE [14/5]

Best Worst Movie
Troll 2 has passed into legend as one of the worst films ever made, and thanks to that reputation it has developed. Now Michael Stephenson (who, as a 12 year old, appeared in Troll 2) has made a documentary that explores the cult following around the film and talks to the cast and filmmakers about the oddly enduring presence of the film in their lives. Everyone who has seen Best Worst Movie says that it’s a warm, funny and highly entertaining film. I can’t wait to see it.


ONLINE MOVIE OF THE WEEK

The Dreamlife of Angels
Erick Zonca’s first feature is a brilliant, if sometimes very tough, slice of life. It follows two young women; Marie and Isa (played by Natacha Regnier and Elodie Bouchez, who shared the Cannes Best Actress award) through their tough lives as they try to eke out an existence in low paying jobs, the real turning point comes when Marie gets a boyfriend; a rich club owner played by Gregorie Colin. It’s not high on incident, but it is a sensitively acted and beautifully written and directed film. Click the title to watch it.


LINK OF THE WEEK
The Movie Club Podcast
The Movie Club Podcast is a clever idea; a revolving cast of commentators (most of them drawn from Film Junk) discuss a double feature of thematically or otherwise linked movies. They’ve made some very interesting selections over just 17 episodes. Most recently they have covered The Thin Blue Line and Stroszek while other episodes include The Alien ‘Quadrilogy’; My Own Private Idaho and 10 Things I Hate About You; Fucking Amal and Heavenly Creatures and the fascinating pairing of Cannibal Holocaust and Freddy Got Fingered. The arguments are intelligent, provocative, and will make you want to go straight out and watch the films in question. Even Freddy Got Fingered.

Next Week

UK DVD [3/5]


The Railway Children: 40th Anniversary Edition
I mention this one not so much because I like it (though I do, somewhat), but because it is my Stepfather’s favourite film. It’s also, in the minds of many, an enduring British classic and it certainly deserves this brand new special edition.

The Thin Man Collection
This is not a new release, the boxset has been available for several years, but this re-release (which includes all six films in the comedy mystery series and a disc of documentaries) comes (at least from Play) at the frankly astounding price of £10.99!


US DVD [4/5]


Never Sleep Again: The Elm Street Legacy
This documentary about the Nightmare on Elm Street film series has gone to a lot of trouble to track down as many participants as possible from every one of the films. It ought to be hugely entertaining (Wes Craven is always a good interview subject) and reveal a lot of things, especially in reference to the sequels, that we haven’t heard before. One for fans, to be sure, but it should be a real treat for that audience.

Matinee
FINALLY. Joe Dante’s wonderful, wonderful ode to both cinema and childhood gets a proper DVD release. I don’t know whether this release has extras, and it doesn’t much matter because finally, for the first time since the laserdisc release, you’ll be able to see Matinee in its proper anamorphic widescreen version.

9to5 Days in Porn
There are plenty of documentaries on the porn industry, but this is one of the better efforts. It’s a little overambitious, perhaps better suited to a TV series, but it tells a lot of engaging stories and shows us some fascinating people, notably then rising young star Sasha Grey.


UK THEATRICAL RELEASE [7/5]

Four Lions
Serial provocateur Chris Morris (best known for The Day Today, which told us that Facts x Importance = News and the controversial satirical series Brasseye) makes his feature writing and directorial debut with this comedy about an inept group of Islamic militants, aspiring to become suicide bombers. It’s a subject sure to have the right wqing press in an uproar, but the trailer looks absolutely hilarious and Morris has previously mined big laughs from very uncomfortable subjects.


US THEATRICAL RELEASE [7/5]

The Complete Metropolis
Fritz Lang basically set the template for the next eighty years of sci-fi cinema with this incredibly influential film. Much of the film has long been thought lost, but a complete print was recently discovered and (with the exception of a couple of scenes that had deteriorated too far) it has now been fully restored and will come to cinemas, DVD and Blu Ray this year, in this version unseen for 82 years. It will be an enormous treat to see this hugely important film at a cinema.


LINK OF THE WEEK

Dr Marco's High Quality Movie Scans
If you've any interest at all in classic Hollywood films and stars then you could easily lose yourself for a day in this wonderful site. Dr Marco's selection of pictures covers a huge array of stars, both male and female. Most stars have two galleries, one featuring Dr Marco's own scans and an Annexe, featuring other, equally high quality work. The scans are fantastic (see Louise Brooks above, as well as the Thin Man still at the top of the page), the pictures beautiful and the site endlessly fun to browse through.

Next Week

UK DVD [26/4]

The Girlfriend Experience
Steven Soderbergh’s improvised drama isn’t especially brilliant as a whole, but it’s well worth a rental just to see the revelatory performance by 21-year-old porn star Sasha Grey, whose work suggests that there may be a bright future for her outside of titles like Butt Sex Bonanza.

Oh, and something called Avatar, which can [still] go fuck itself


US DVD [27/4]

The Imaginarium of Dr. Parnassus
Terry Gilliam’s latest film is often beautiful, sometimes captivating, and always a mess. That mess is sometimes glorious and sometimes frustrating, but when it all comes together there are flashes of the great filmmaker that Gilliam undoubtedly is. The recasting of Heath Ledger’s role works very well, and among the rest of the cast young model Lily Cole stands out.


UK THEATRICAL RELEASE [30/4]

The Disappearance of Alice Creed
A trio of fine performances from British actors Eddie Marsan, Martin Compston and Gemma Arterton mark out this stripped down, extremely intense, debut from director J. Blakeson. It’s tough going, especially in the brilliant, near silent, opening half hour and even though it starts to fall apart when the story opens up beyond a single location this is an interesting calling card for Blakeson and a notable tour de force for Arterton.


US THEATRICAL RELEASE [30/4]

A Nightmare on Elm Street [2010]
I would love this to be great, I suspect it will be terrible, but let’s face it, all us horror fans are going to want to see what Jackie Earle Haley can bring to Freddy Kruger.

Please Give
Nicole Holofcener is far from my favourite director, but she’s always got a fantastic cast for her films, and it should be a pleasure to watch the likes of Oliver Platt, Catherine Keener and Rebecca Hall play off one another.


LINK OF THE WEEK
The Editing Room
The problem with Rod Hilton’s excellent site, which skewers movies by ‘abridging’ their screenplays, and generally being honest, if scathing, about their clichés and shortcomings, is simply that it doesn’t update often enough. Generally there’s just one slice of fried comic gold every month these days, but fortunately there’s also an extensive archive to laugh your way through.


NEXT WEEK @ 24FPS

Among other things I'll have reviews (and, with a bit of luck, Q and A reports) from Sci-Fi London on Vincenzo Natali's Splice (starring the brilliant Sarah Polley) and sci-fi rom-com TiMER (starring Emma Caulfield of Buffy). Other screenings set or probable for next week include The Joneses and Iron Man 2.

Next Week

UK DVD [19/4]

Crazy Love
I don’t really want to tell you anything about this film, which relates the story of how Burt and Linda Pugach, who have known each other for fifty years, ended up getting married. It is a story so completely outlandish that nobody would dare make it up. This is a compelling documentary about two frankly unique people.


US DVD [20/4]

The Lovely Bones
Really recommended purely for Saoirse Ronan’s performance, which really keeps Peter Jackson’s otherwise pretty awful movie afloat. It’s a bad week for US DVD releases.

Oh, and something called Avatar, which can go fuck itself.


UK THEATRICAL RELEASE [23/4]

Dogtooth
I’ve discussed this on a couple of occasions already. Hopefully I’ll be bringing you a review from another perspective (that of my friend Guy, who I’m dragging to it this coming Friday) in the future. The bottom line is this; Dogtooth is a truly original, strange and haunting piece of work, and marks director Yorgos Lanthimos as a real talent. You MUST see it if you get the chance.

Life During Wartime
Todd Solondz’ spiritual sequel to Happiness (which sees an all new cast playing the same characters), hasn’t had the warmest of critical welcomes, but I saw it at last year’s LFF, and thought it was extremely interesting and exceptionally well acted throughout. It is, incidentally, almost worth going just to see Ally Sheedy’s priceless cameo appearance.

La Danse: The Paris Opera Ballet
Frederick Wiseman is one of the legends of documentary cinema, and I’ve heard great things about this long, but apparently engrossing, study of the Paris Opera ballet from several people whose opinions I hold in very high regard. I’ll be seeing it anyway, because my love for The Red Shoes has really made me interested in ballet (watching it, that is).


LINK OF THE WEEK
Melonfarmers
No, it's not porn. Melonfarmers (named for a dubbed alternative for motherfucker, used in a TV screening of Alex Cox' Repo Man) is a brilliant anti-censorship site which, as well as covering the BBFC and MPAA casts a net over any free expression stories and concerns the world over. It's a great repositry of information and a campaigning site that manages not to be self-righteous.

Next Week

UK DVD [12/4]


Raging Phoenix
I loved Chocolate; the first film starring martial arts actress Jeeja Yanin, and I’ve been enthusiastically aniticpating the arrival of Raging Phoenix for some time. On the evidence of Chocolate Yanin has all the power and flexibility of Tony Jaa, but also much more on screen magnetism and even a smattering of acting talent. This ought to be lots of fun.

Henri Georges Clouzot’s Inferno
Clouzot’s Inferno, about the jealousy that drives a husband out of his mind when he suspects his beautiful wife is having an affair, was never finished. A version of the film (an excellent version, which I imagine would make a great double bill with this film) was eventually made by Claude Chabrol, but this documentary tells the story of the original shoot (abandoned three weeks in) and features fragments of the footage Clouzot shot. It should be a fascinating unmaking of.


US DVD [13/4]


The Daisy Chain
It’s a shame that this excellent British horror film, which I saw at its world premiere at the Raindance film Festival more than two years ago, is only now seeing a release, and that it is direct to DVD and, at least for the time being, only in the US. It’s a creepy little film, boasting strong performances from Steven Mackintosh, Samantha Morton and especially young Mhairi Anderson. It’s perhaps closest in tone to The Wicker Man (the original version, that is). Also, the cover art (shown above) has less than nothing to do with the movie.


UK THEATRICAL RELEASE [16/4]


The City of Life and Death
Lu Chuan’s film about the Nanjing massacre has attracted some of the most admiring reviews of the year so far. It is, apparently, an extremely challenging film to watch (though not because, as with say Philososphy of a Knife and Men Behind the Sun, it revels in the violence of its times), but that’s to be expected of any film taking on these events. I’ve not seen any of director Lu Chuan’s previous work, but if what I hear about this film turns out to be true I think I may be seeking it out soon.


US THEATRICAL RELEASE [16/4]


Kick Ass
As previously discussed, it’s better than the hype. No, really, I’ve seen it twice now, and I’ll see it again before it leaves cinemas. It’s just brilliant, make sure you see it so that in two years I can write about how amazing Kick Ass 2: Balls to the Wall is.


LINK OF THE WEEK
Movie-Censorship.com
This is a German site, so sometimes you’ll have to excuse their English (though, lets be fair, it’s better than my German, and probably yours too), but the content here is fantastic, and updated almost daily. The focus is side by side comparisons (including screencaps and running time info) of the different versions that many movies exist in, from official director’s cuts to never released workprints to (as the name implies) censored versions. There’s a huge amount of useful information here it you are a film fanatic.


24FPS NEXT WEEK
Back to normal service, with all your favourite features returning. The big news though is that on Thursday last week I recorded a guest spot with the lovely and movie crazy Super Marcey (of Supermarcey.com) for her Superpodcast. Our subject, which she graciously allowed me to pick, as the guest, was “Why haven’t you seen these movies?” and we discussed ten great movies that you (probably) haven’t seen. There should be a youtube trailer out soon and the full, roughly hour long, show ought to be out on Friday morning. Look out for it, either here or at Marcey’s site.

Next Week

UK DVD

Eloise: Not a great film by any means, but it’s lovely to look at and, despite a weak script, features strong performances from both Diana Gomez and Ariadna Cabrol. Full review here.


UK THEATRICAL RELEASE

I Am Love: Anything with Tilda Swinton in the lead role is likely to be worth seeing, and this well received, Italian language, collaboration with director Luca Guadagino has been a passion project for her for ten years. The trailer makes it look beautiful.

Whip It! Drew Barrymore’s directorial debut, starring a collection of some of Hollywood’s coolest female talents, led by Ellen Page, looks likely to be exactly the sort of light hearted fun you’d expect from Barrymore.


LINK OF THE WEEK
The Agony Booth: There are quite a few sites online which, taking inspiration from the legendary TV show Mystery Science Theatre 3000 recap, in hilariously mocking detail, some of the world’s worst movies. Agony Booth is one of the older sites of this type, and definitely the best. Founder Albert Walker has put together a strong writing staff, whose choices of movies and TV Shows (in The Agonizer) to recap are varied and offbeat. For me, highlights include full length recaps of Santa and the Ice Cream Bunny, Night of Horror and Joel Schumacher’s Batman Forever and Batman and Robin and Agonizer features on Degrassi Junior High and the frankly unbelievable TV show Pink Lady… and Jeff.

If you, like me, have a soft spot for REALLY bad movies, then this site is for you.

Next Week

There’s a lot going on in the world of movies, and sometimes sifting through the mass for what to go out and see and what to buy on DVD can be a challenge so here, for the UK and US, are some recommended releases and, when applicable, reissues and festival news. I’ve also included a movie link of the week and a quick summary of what to expect next week at 24FPS.

UK DVD

Cracks: A strong debut from Jordan (daughter of Ridley) Scott. It’s beautifully shot, pitched halfway between Sofia Coppola’s work and Lucile Hadzihalilovic’s hypnotic Innocence, and boasts fine performances from Eva Green and rising stars Juno Temple and Maria Valverde.

Unmade Beds: I haven’t seen this yet, but anything with the luminous Deborah Francois in it has my attention, and probably ought to have yours too.


US DVD

An Education: Carey Mulligan’s star making performance is a good reason to see this film, but personally I’m hoping that, on DVD, Rosamund Pike’s wonderful, hilarious, supporting performance will get the notice it deserved.

Sherlock Holmes: Holy shit! It’s a good Guy Ritchie film!


UK THEATRICAL RELEASE

Kick Ass: As previously discussed, this brilliantly anarchic superhero movie is, improbably, even better than you’ve heard. And Hit Girl is the single most entertaining thing you’ll see in a cinema this year. SEE IT NOW.

Psycho: A Classic in Context [Week 1]
The start of a month long season at BFI Southbank, pairing a remastered digital print of Psycho with films that anticipated it, influenced it and have drawn on its legacy. This week the season includes Les Diaboliques, M, Peeping Tom, and Repulsion, among others.


LINK OF THE WEEK
Indie Movies Online
Clicking the link will take you to an 8 page list of free movies that you can watch, completely legally, online. The streams are excellent, with no buffering time required and a ‘low quality’ version which offers near DVD quality visuals. What really makes the site though is the selection of films, here are just a few titles (of the very few that I’ve already seen) I’d recommend.


The Cement Garden: Based on an Ian McEwan novel, and with a brilliant performance by a young Charlotte Gainsbourg

The Stepfather: A still rather underseen and underrated classic of 80’s horror.

Frostbite: A highly entertaining Swedish vampire movie, well worth discovering now that Sweden, since Let the Right One In and The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, is being noticed again as a centre of filmmaking.

The Last Great Wilderness: A very odd debut from Scottish director David MacKenzie. Listed here as a comedy, it put me more in mind of The Wicker Man.


NEXT WEEK @ 24FPS

Reviews of, among others, The Scouting Book For Boys and XXY director Lucia Puenzo’s new film The Fish Child. The BBFC Report, along with more reviews From the Archives and new instalments of Five… and Spotlight.