When Assayas Comes To Town
Festival season is almost upon is once again, with two of the larger regional film festivals kicking in to action in April and May. And thats without even mentioning the Cambridge Silent Film Festival, on which there will be more later. For the time being we’re beginning to get excited about the Derby ID Fest and … Read more
The 25th Leeds International Film Festival
Mike McKenny takes a mammoth look at the Golden Owl Competition selection from this year’s Leeds International Film Festival. Last month I spent a significant amount of time at the 25th Leeds International Film Festival (LIFF). I split my screenings into two of LIFF’s multiple strands; the genre-focused Fanomenon and the more subtle and nuanced … Read more
LFF Review Capsule #15 – A Dangerous Method
A Dangerous Method, 2011. David Cronenberg, Germany/Canada. David Cronenberg’s latest effort, an adaptation of the Christopher Hampton play The Talking Cure has been deemed by many to be something of a diversion for the particular Canadian filmmaker. Gone is the body horror shocks of his earlier work, the echo of which spread far and … Read more
LFF Review Capsule #14 – The Ides Of March
The Ides Of March, 2011. George Clooney, US. One could be forgiven for suggesting that George Clooney’s once promising directorial career had ground to something of a halt upon the release of 2008′s Leatherheads, a clunky, overlong failed homage to the screwball comedies of the 1930′s. Alas, The Ides Of March marks a return to … Read more
LFF Review Capsule #13 – Hors Satan
Hors Satan (Outside Satan), 2011. Bruno Dumont, France. We led our coverage of the 55th London Film Festival with a stark image from Hors Satan, so expectations for Bruno Dumont’s follow-up to the still unreleased (in the UK) Hadewijch were obviously rather high over here at Hope Lies at 24 Frames Per Second. We … Read more
LFF Review Capsule #11 – Shame
Shame, 2011. Steve McQueen, UK/US. We’re on to the final stretch of our coverage of this years London Film Festival. By sheer coincidence these last three reviews cover the three films that impressed and affected us the most at the festival. The first of these films, and the one that was perhaps the most visceral … Read more
LFF Review Capsule #12 – We Need To Talk About Kevin
If Hope Lies at 24 Frames Per Second gave out an award for “The Most Disappointing Film Of The Year” then We Need To Talk About Kevin would be the proud owner of 2011′s statue. Lynne Ramsay is one of the UK’s great cinema talents, with Ratcatcher and Morvern Callar two of the key works upon which … Read more
LFF Review Capsule #9 – Miss Bala
Miss Bala, 2011. Gerardo Naranjo, Mexico. Miss Bala, Mexican filmmaker Gerardo Naranjo’s follow-up to I’m Gonna Explode, 2008′s smart homage to the nouvelle vague, is a film that certainly packs the proverbial bang. And a literal one too. This time around Naranjo channels a Hollywood influence in an alarming yet massively entertaining work. Miss Bala … Read more
LFF Review Capsule #10 – Corpo Celeste
Corpo Celeste, 2011. Alice Rohrwacher, Italy/France/Switzerland. Corpo Celeste marks director Alice Rohrwacher’s debut in the realm of narrative. Something of a formidable documentarian, the Italian filmmaker carries many of the traits of the vérité over with her to the staged movie. An inward journey of personal discovery unfolds against a backdrop of sibling rivalry … Read more
LFF Review Capsule #7 – Dreams Of A Life
Dreams Of A Life, 2011. Carol Morley, UK. Carol Morley’s documentary, which received its world premiere at this years London Film Festival, attempts to piece together the life of Joyce Vincent, a woman whose dead body was found decaying in a North London flat in 2006, an estimated three years after her death. … Read more
