Frances Ha (2012, Dir. Noah Baumbach, USA) (Cert: 15/R) ***

Starring: Greta Gerwig, Mickey Sumner, Michael Zegen

Best friends Frances (Gerwig) and Sophie (Sumner) share an apartment together in New York where Frances works as a dancer and Sophie has a job at a publishing house. When Sophie discovers a vacancy in a perfect apartment, she decides to move out, putting a strain on their friendship and causing Frances to move in with two men, Lev (Adam Driver) and Benji (Zegen). Frances and Sophie slowly drift apart and begin to lead separate lives, but Frances clearly has much less fun without her old buddy around.

Frances Ha is one of those films where frankly, not a whole seems to happen. Shot in black and white and deeply personal and intimate in its insight, the film has a very stripped down feeling despite the fact that their are some major shifts in terms of story (for one thing, although she lives in New York, Frances also spends parts of the film in Sacramento and Paris). The humour is also rather restrained for the most part, but almost too restrained, falling into the background of the many scenes of talking on and on. The film's best moments are when the focus is kept firmly on the friendship between Frances and Sophie, which feels warm and genuine. The film does have a strong sense of hipster-ish pretension but despite that, its heart is in the right place. It's definitely flawed, but not terrible, either.

Blancanieves (2012, Dir. Pablo Berger, Spain/France/Belgium) (Cert: 12a/PG-13) ****

Starring: Maribel Verdú, Ángela Molina, Sofía Oria

Antonio Villalta (Daniel Giménez Caco) is a popular bullfighter in Seville. One day during a performance, he throws his montera to his pregnant wife, Carmen (Macarena García), taking an eye off of the bull that gores him. The injury leaves him crippled but the stress causes Carmen to go into labour and die in childbirth. The surviving child (Oria, Verdú) moves into the home of her now-reclusive father and cruel grandmother (Molina) during her childhood, only to break free as an adult and meet a troupe of bullfighting dwarves.

The success of the French/Belgian silent film The Artist in 2011 has lead to a renewed interest in silent cinema, so it's unrealistic to not expect some films to come out and catch the trend. It's highly unlikely that without The Artist, Blancanieves would've ever been made and the film is most definitely riding The Artist's coattails (not only as an homage to silent cinema, but the lightly comic touch and that Ángela Molina looks for all the world like an older version of The Artist's Bérénice Bejo). However, the world should be glad that Blancanieves was made. A modern Hispanic silent movie that adapts Snow White And The Seven Dwarves (as well as sprinkling other fairy tales) and transplanting it into 1920s bullfighting? It is exactly as mad and wonderful as it sounds. A fairy tale it may be, but be warned that this is not a film for lovers of cuddly animals and bullfighting is a controversial path to take. The film also sometimes fails to keep up its silent cinema charade although there are some nice subtle touches, like the occasional crack around the frame, making it look like an aged and damaged negative. The score is also an absolute joy with some beautiful Spanish guitar-inflected pieces. A fairy tale with a twist, Blancanieves really deserves to be seen by a larger audience than it will probably get.

The Frozen Ground (2013, Dir. Scott Walker, USA) (Cert: 15/R) ***

Starring: Nicolas Cage, Vanessa Hudgens, John Cusack

Police are called to free a prostitute (Hudgens) who has been handcuffed and claims to have been assaulted and raped. Although some officers dispute her claim, officer Jack Halcombe (Cage) investigates and comes to believe that the perpetrator is Robert Hansen (Cusack) a supposedly respectable suburban husband and father, suspected of several cases of abduction, rape and later, murder.

Based on the real life case of serial killer Robert Hansen, The Frozen Ground is a competent effort but given its rather nasty subject matter, fails to really deliver the dread or terror that such a film as this would have you expecting. Leading the film are Nicolas Cage and John Cusack and whilst Cage may be known for his rather manic and wild performing style, Cage is relatively down-playing the role. Somewhat necessary given the sensitive subject but wiser casting was probably needed given that Cage is pretty much always at his best when completely out of control. Cusack meanwhile has shown an interesting capability to play deranged killers as of late, such as with his turn in The Paperboy (2011). Given that the film is virtually all exposition with little time for establishing or developing character beyond a means to propel the story, the film loses on atmosphere that could've been easily achieved and extremely affective, but the story is at least engaging and with interesting characters. Fairly satisfying, but by no means memorable.

Wadjda (2012, Dir. Haifaa Al-Mansour, Saudi Arabia/Germany) (Cert: PG/PG) ****

Starring: Waad Mohammed, Reem Abdullah, Ahd

10-year-old Wadjda (Mohammed) is a free spirit, living amongst a conservative community in Saudi Arabia. Whilst her upbringing has been to teach her to live the life expected of a traditional Muslim wife and mother, Wadjda wants to learn how to ride a bike, something that seems far out of step of how a girl should act. Saving up all the money she can, Wadjda enters a school contest on reading and reciting the Koran to buy a bike with the prize money.

It's an interesting idea to take the often contentious subject matter of the culture of Islam and its varied ideologies and mine something entertaining and amusing out of it, but Wadjda does that and succeeds. However, this is of a very different breed to the dark satire on extremism, Four Lions (2010) and instead is a cuddly and charming look at a conservative but more moderate part of the diverse faith. Much of  what we learn of The character of Wadjda comes from the way she's dressed. When she's introduced in the first scene of the film, the first thing we see amidst a crowd of polished and traditional shoes are Wadjda's trainers with lilac laces. Waad Mohammed plays Wadjda with a precocious sense if playfulness that makes her a joy to watch, whilst the supporting cast give assured performances in their own right. Given that this is of a culture largely overlooked in Western media, some parts can be lost in translation, but pretty much the entire film is likeable and sweet.

Snabba Cash (Easy Money) (2010, Dir. Daniél Espinosa, Sweden) (Cert: 15/R) ***

Starring: Joel Kinnaman, Matias Varela, Dragomir Mrsic

Having escaped from prison, Hispanic gangster Jorge (Varela) is also on the run from a Serbian gang. Meanwhile, economics student JW (Kinnaman) also performs mob activities through his work as a taxi driver. When JW saves Jorge from an attack by Serbian gangsters, their paths converge with Mrsdo (Mrsic) a Serbian hitman, hoping to lead a good life for his daughter (Lea Stojanov).

Having been released in its native Sweden in 2010 (where the film has sparked a couple of sequels),  Easy Money has been brought to English- language audiences courtesy of the legendary Martin Scorsese. Easy Money owes more than a little to 90s action thrillers. The subplot revolving around a ruthless hitman taking on the role of a nurturer recalls Léon (The Professional) (1994) and there are elements that seem reminiscent of Reservoir Dogs (1992). The film deals with three separate perspectives, but this does cause long periods (especially at the start) of one character or another being pushed out of the loop. The film really excels at capturing scenes of violence. With the help of a really loud mix of sound in these sequences, these scenes are shockingly abrupt and intense and provide some of the more impressive set-pieces in the film. Ultimately, Easy Money does make for an intriguing film. Combining a lot of the elements that are often associated with American cinema with a distinctly Scandinavian flavour and showing a multicultural and dark side of a country so often associated with pale blondes and a seemingly harmonious utopia, Easy Money may not be a film to watch time and time again, but it's perfectly fine for one viewing.

Die Wand (The Wall) (2012, Dir. Julian Pösler, Austria/Germany) (Cert: 12a/Not Rated) ***

Starring: Martina Gedeck, Karlheinz Hackl, Ulrike Beimpold

 

Living in the remote Austrian wilderness, a woman (Gedeck) is left alone at a house with a dog whilst the owners (Hackl, Beimpold) go on a trip to the nearby village. By the next day, the two homeowners still haven’t returned and whilst the woman goes out for a walk, she encounters an invisible and impenetrable wall, sealing her off from any other human contact.

 

Given its rather odd story, The Wall is a very difficult film to categorise. It’s distinctly surrealistic story pushes towards an ‘art film’, the nature of the wall itself could almost push it towards science fiction (this story wouldn’t have been out of place on the classic TV series, The Twilight Zone) and the dark nature of the story also pushes towards horror (in particular the sense of strange, isolated desperation that’s tonally reminiscent of David Lynch’s debut, Eraserhead (1977)). There’s really not much to the film beyond someone trying to survive in a wilderness and kept there by an unknown force and as a result, it isn’t very long and despite the fact that the film takes place over a wide rustic area, there’s little scope which does cause the film’s novelty to wear a little thin towards the conclusion. However, an acquired taste as it might be, The Wall is worth recommending if you like your films a bit…weird.

 

The World’s End (2013, Dir. Edgar Wright, UK) (Cert: 15/R) ***

Starring: Simon Pegg, Nick Frost, Paddy Considine

 

On their final day of school, Gary (Thomas Law, Pegg), Andrew (Zachary Bailess, Frost), Steven (Considine, Jasper Levine), Oliver (Luke Bromley, Martin Freeman) and Peter (Eddie Marsan, James Tarpey) go on the Golden Mile, a route of twelve pubs culminating in the watering hole, The World's End. They never made it. Now middle-aged, Gary gathers the gang back together and back to their hometown of Newton Haven for another crack at the Golden Mile, only for the gang to discover that the town might have undergone some significant, and truly other-worldly, changes.

 

The third instalment in Edgar Wright’s Cornetto trilogy with comedy duo Simon Pegg and Nick Frost, following on from Shaun Of The Dead (2005) and Hot Fuzz (2007), The World’s End sees the group now as some of the hottest commodities in modern cinema and with heightened production values, The World’s End is a glossier production than what came before. Whilst the larger scale that this allows give the film a glossier sheen and pays off in certain circumstances, it also causes the film to lose some of the cuddly charm of the initial two instalments. Still, The World’s End is fairly faithful to what has come before, utilising various elements from the first two films. The pub showdowns recall Shaun Of The Dead and much like Hot Fuzz there’s a former James Bond providing a supporting role. It’s Simon Pegg who overall stands tall in this film; the character of Gary leaps and bounds through Newton Haven in a state of arrested adolescence making him both intentionally annoying and endearing but his cast of merry men also deliver, even if they have a tendency to fade towards the background. Nick Frost in particular achieves a rare serious performance that pays dividends. As concluding parts in trilogies go, The World’s End isn’t ideal, but it belongs in the realms of Return Of The Jedi (1983) and The Godfather: Part III (1990). It’s definitely the weakest of three instalments, but it’s still pretty good on its own merits.

Djúpið (The Deep) (2012, Dir. Balthazar Kormákur, Iceland) (Cert: 12a/Not Rated) ***

Starring: Ólafur Darri Ólalaffson, Þorbjörg Helga Þorgilsdóttir, Jóhann G. Jóhannson

 

In 1984, a fishing vessel set off from Iceland’s isolated Westman Islands in the North Atlantic. Whilst in the ocean, the fishing net got snagged, causing the vessel to capsize with the crew dying of injuries, drowning or succumbing to the cold temperatures in the ocean. One lone survivor, ship’s cook, Gulli (Ólaffson) was able to make it to shore after swimming for hours. The act leaves the Icelandic nation shocked. How was a man like Gulli (overweight and far from a natural sailor) able to survive what would’ve almost certainly killed anyone else?

 

Based on a true story, The Deep is a beautiful looking film, but despite its name there isn’t actually much depth. The shipwreck, which essentially starts the main story, doesn’t occur until a significant amount of the film has passed by. This would be a great time to build character development but beyond a few basic establishing lines and actions, we never truly get a sense of identity and so the shipwreck feels less harrowing than intended. However, following this rather flawed preamble we do get a story that delves into an important and interesting question. What is it like to survive something that almost certainly should’ve killed you and how do you cope with the aftermath? The sense of melancholy carries through the film, which may make some people disappointed that this isn’t as life-affirming as such films tend to be, though it’s hardly ‘downer’ material, either. As mentioned, the film looks great and even skips interestingly between the glossy cinematography (such as absolutely staggering view of the Northern Lights) to a much more grainy aesthetic in flashbacks, seemingly mixed in with some genuine footage of the aftermath of a volcanic eruption (it’s an equally astounding sight to see entire streets and houses, almost completely consumed with volcanic ash). Often times, The Deep impresses, but there’s not much there to sustain interest and more could’ve been to done to expand the characters.    

We Steal Secrets: The Story Of WikiLeaks (2013, Dir. Alex Gibney, USA) (Cert: 15/R) ***

 

Starring: Julian Assange, Adrian Lamo, Bradley Manning

 

In the midst of the Iraq War, a young US Intelligence Operative by the name of Bradley Manning uncovered raw footage of an American helicopter raining down bullets on a group of suspected terrorists who turned out to be Reuters journalists. Seeking an outlet for this and other confidential US military material, Manning turned to a website, WikiLeaks, led by Australian computer hacker and political activist, Julian Assange. The resulting media fallout caused Manning to be detained by the military and Assange to be risen to one of the most famous people on the planet attracting both admiration and condemnation in equal measure.

 

A slick and sleek documentary covering the recent news story of the WikiLeaks website, We Steal Secrets is an objective, yet often very volatile and biting documentary. The film engages because of both its large sweep and implications as well as the rather distinctive people that were involved. Assange, an eccentric, peroxide blonde computer hacker, often compared to being a rock star-like figure. Manning, a shy army recruit with gender identity issues. Adrian Lamo, introduced as a figure who influenced Manning to blow the whistle on the military, often throwing allusions to Star Trek throughout his interview. It’s through these elements that the film has a naturally cinematic quality; one day, it may even make a great feature film. However, the documentary seems so intrigued by the story that it follows every lead and avenue. Going down tangential pathways that really make the film sag towards the end.  This is a film which takes no prisoners in who it reports on. Whether it be WikiLeaks, their supporters, the US military or the US Government, no-one is safe from a firm tongue lashing in the film, which just manages to save it from being a searing character assassination on one person or another. We Steal Secrets is insightful and interesting, but really would benefit from being just the story of Assange (who seems the most intriguing character anyway, especially with his little-covered backstory) rather than just meandering through every little nook and cranny.

Trap For Cinderella (2013, Dir. Iain Softley, UK) (Cert: 15/TBC) ***

Starring: Alexandra Roache, Tuppence Middleton, Kerry Fox

Following a large gas explosion, a young woman (Roache) regains consciousness disfigured and with amnesia. Settling into a new life with a Fox) a guardian (Fox), the young woman happens upon some information hat makes her question her true self and how she ended up with amnesia.

A brain-twisting thriller, for every area that Trap For Cinderella succeeds, it also fails. Iain Softley has a competent eye for visuals and a sense for atmospherics, especially claustrophobia. The story also has some interesting elements and ideas (especially the notion of building a backstory through the reading of a diary). However, when the film introduces a sapphic angle the film falls towards some hackneyed convolution and complication. The film definitely seems to have a fixation with Tuppence Middleton's breasts as the film tries to be sexy and never really succeeds. The film also further complicates itself by introducing a new character late in the story who seems to serve as nothing more than a convenient role just for the final revelation. The film has its share of intrigue but seems to fail at realising that strong thrillers don't necessarily rely on complicated plots.

Citadel (2012, Dir. Ciaran Foy, Ireland/UK) (Cert: 15/R) ***

Starring:  Aneurin Barnard, James Cosmo, Wunmi Mosaku

On the day he moves out of his flat in a dilapidated tower block, Johnny (Barnard) witnesses his pregnant girlfriend (Amy Shiels) being assaulted and injected by a gang of what look like small children. Nine months later and Johnny is suffering from severe agoraphobia; caring for his infant daughter (Arlowe and Harry Saunders) whilst their mother lies comatose in a hospice with little hope of recovery. Late one night some small hooded figures ransack Johnny's house, letting him know that their nasty plans aren't finished with yet.

A dramatic low-budget horror film, Citadel tips it's hat to many other genre classics. The hooded thugs call to mind both Don't Look Now (1973) and The Brood (1979), whilst certain sequences also call to mind the likes of Demons 2 (1986) and The Bird With The Crystal Plumage (1970). The film's main thematic focus is on fear and whilst this creates the needed oppressive atmosphere, it also has its problems in turning the protagonist into a bundle of nerves before the real horror even sets in. Unable to pitch the fear any higher, instead there are sequences where he confronts the hooded figures with only slight fear, whereas earlier he almost faints because of a power cut (although some of this could be explained as part of his character arc). The film thunders along and the moments of violence really do feel tough, a testament to Ciaran Foy's direction although some moments do fall afoul of that common trap of turning horror towards unintentional dark comedy, such is its odd story and plot turns. There isn't much of a plot here and the rather short film doesn't out-stay its welcome as it does its job as a horror film, but is nothing truly remarkable.

Pacific Rim (3D) (2013, Dir. Guillermo del Toro, USA) (Cert: 12a/PG-13) ***

Starring: Charlie Hunnam, Rinko Kikuchi, Idris Elba

In 2013, the first attack by a race of underwater monsters known as Kaiju was witnessed. After a series of more attacks on Oacific Ocean coastlines,  international governments put forward an initiative of creating giant machines to destroy those beasts. Raleigh Beckett (Hunnam) loses his brother and co-pilot (Diego Klattenhoff) trying to stop a Kaiju attack. After retiring to work in construction, Raleigh is called back to help stop a massive series of Kaiju attacks that could destroy all human life on the planet.

From the director of the critically-acclaimed films The Devil's Backbone (2001) and Pan's Labyrinth (2006), Guillermo del Toro's Pacific Rim is a love letter to Japanese Kaiju (giant monster) and Mecha (giant robot) genres and as such is almost like del Toro's extrapolated an anime into a live-action film with bright colours, flamboyant characters and wall-to-wall action. This isn't the first time the anime aesthetic has been pushed into live-action. The Wachowskis did it with Speed Racer (2008), but here it's executed to a greater effect. Every inch of the film is soaked with CGI (and some impressive 3D imagery, which is rare) and there's little room for character development or depth. It is pretty much one big action set piece followed by another and is extremely dumb. But, to the film's credit, I believe that was the intention. As much as the aural and visual battering does become too much after a while, this is essentially Mike Hodges' 1980 film adaptation of Flash Gordon for the Michael Bay generation. About as subtle as a shotgun blast to the face, it's enjoyable if you just switch your brain off or join in with del Toro's obvious sense of affectionate goofiness

Monsters University (2013, Dir. Dan Scanlon, USA) (Cert: U/G) ***

Monsters University (2013, Dir. Dan Scanlon, USA) (Cert: U/G) ***

Starring: Billy Crystal, John Goodman, Helen Mirren

Having dreamed his whole life to be a "scarer", Mike Wasowski (Crystal, Noah Johnston) arrives for his studies at Monsters University to learn how to scare, so he can use the screams of children to generate power. However, small and humble Mike finds he has a rival in James Sullivan (Goodman) a much more proficient scarer. Worse still with the duo have to team with each other, along with other assorted misfits, in the University's annual tournament.

A prequel to Pixar's popular Monsters Inc. (2003), Monsters University has, by the miracle of voice-over animation made perhaps some of the widest leaps of age between character and actor in history with John Goodman and Billy Crystal playing (presumably) teenage versions of their characters from Monsters Inc. (ditto Steve Buscemi, who turns up every now and then). Still, it isn't long before your disbelief is suspended and you're involved with the charm of Pixar. Monsters University is by no means the studio's strongest effort, but it's also by no means a failure. The humour is consistently strong and the characters are largely likeable even if their designs have mostly become a little worn (there's only so many times you can see different colours pulled into different shapes). The size of the plot really only warrants a supplemental straight-to-DVD release but to be fair, Pixar don't do things by halves and although the ending gets a little ropey, this is a perfectly entertaining and enjoyable watch, even if it bares a resemblance conceptually with Nickelodeon's  Aaahh Real Monsters!.

Stories We Tell (2012, Dir. Sarah Polley, Canada) (Cert: 12a/PG-13)

Starring: Sarah Polley, Michael Polley, Diane Polley

Actress and film-maker Sarah Polley was raised by two parents in the acting profession, Diane and Michael. With their relationship being occasionally strained, Diane eventually took an acting job for a short period in Montreal, where Michael eventually came to visit. Some time later, Sarah was born but the question of her true parentage was long rumoured within the family. This documentary covers her search to find the truth as well as a look at her late free-spirited mother.

There’s no doubt that Sarah Polley’s life is of a particularly expressive and intellectual bent. Perhaps best known as an actress, she’s also a budding film-maker, political activist and as this film shows, a documentarian. Within the documentary itself, Polley states that she’s making the film with the possibility that she’ll never release it publicly and is making the film simply for her own satisfaction, something that seems often very clear. Jumping around from relative to relative we get to meet some interesting personalities and facets which tie them all together and the differing perspectives make for some interesting interviews and about a woman (Sarah’s mother) who seems extremely interesting in her own right. However, the film has a tendency to self-indulge. Interviews wander away and drag on for a long time, making this film longer than it needed to be and it comes off as slightly ponderous. It’s an interesting insight, and probably serves Sarah well as her own pet project to watch and reflect on personally, but for all its intrigue it could’ve benefitted from a stream-lining on general release.

Pokazatelnyy Protsess: Istoriya Pussy Riot (Pussy Riot: A Punk Prayer) (2013, Dirs. Mike Lerner, Maxim Pozdorovkin, Russia/UK) (Cert: 18/TBC) ***

 

Starring: Nadezhda Tolokonnikova, Mariya Alyokhina, Ekaterina Samutsevich

 

In February 2012, shortly after the controversial return to power for Russian leader Vladimir Putin, a feminist and secular punk rock outfit and political activist group known as Pussy Riot performed a song satirising religion and the government in Moscow’s Cathedral Of Christ The Saviour. The performance was quickly stopped and three of the band members (Mariya Alyokhina, Ekaterina Samutsevich and Nadezhda Tolokonnikova) were eventually arrested and put on trial for disturbing the peace. This documentary tells the story of the band, their performances and the trial that grabbed international headlines.

 

In a period of less than eighteen months, the protests of Pussy Riot went from being front page news to the subject of this documentary and whilst that means that it provides a fresh snapshot of  an event in the contemporary world, Pussy Riot: A Punk Prayer lacks some of the depth and detail that can come from a historical perspective. The film does involve itself in some background to set up the case. We do get the backstories of the three women on trial and we also see the historical context as to why so many Russians are fiercely pro-religion, given the state-enforced atheism that ruthlessly pursued und the Bolsheviks. However, the film’s lack of length belies that it may have been put out in the interest of freshness speed rather than to provide any major insight. This film raises a contentious issue that separates old and young, religious and secular, political left and political right and whilst it does seem to veer a little towards favouring Pussy Riot (it certainly comes across as anti-Putin) the film does at times almost portray its supposed heroines as smug and facetious, slightly levelling the playing field. It’s an interesting look into modern Russian society and the role of civil liberties, but still feels somewhat half-finished as a documentary.

The Act Of Killing (2012, Dir. Joshua Oppenheimer, Denmark/UK/Sweden/Norway/Finland) (Cert: 15/TBC) *****

 

 

Starring: Anwar Congo, Herman Kotto, Joshua Oppenheimer

 

In 1965, Indonesia experienced a change in governance when the right-wing military took control. Wrapped up in a mission to rid the country from Communist influence, the new military arrested, tortured and killed scores of communists, intellectuals, citizens of Chinese extraction and many others over the course of many years. Documentarian Joshua Oppenheimer travels to Indonesia to meet some of the men responsible for the tortures and executions and asks them to recreate their actions in a fictional film.

 

The actions taken by the military government in Indonesia are amongst some of the most brutal in modern history, but have largely escaped wide-spread knowledge in the west; an issue that The Act Of Killing attempts to address. The film was produced by acclaimed German film-maker and documentarian Werner Herzog (alongside Herzog's American associate Errol Morris) and similarly combines the inherent realism of the documentary form with a weird aura of surreality. There are many moments in The Act Of Killing that you probably won't believe and many more you simply don't want to believe. Throughout the interview subjects talk in a horrifyingly nonchalant manner about various atrocities (one man killing several Chinese-Indonesians in a rampage, including his girlfriend's father, a military officer reminiscing on when he used to raid villages and rape fourteen-year-old girls, a TV talk show with a live audience entirely composed of camouflage-clad right-wing militants).

 

Amidst this, there's a pitch-black sense of humour surrounding the absolutely overwhelming sense of violence (one government minister states that he wants to wipe out any Communist sympathisers in his country...but in a humane way) but the most significant scenes of the enclosing sense of the terrifying reality that these men realise when the come to terms with their actions, in some shattering revelations. The Act Of Killing is a very challenging film for almost anyone and truly demonstrates just what monstrous things human being are capable of, but those who can stomach such things (keeping in mind that all cases of the violence are only described and they're already sickening) will find this very illuminating.

Bula Quo! (2013, Dir. Stuart St. Paul, UK/Fiji) (Cert: PG/TBC) **

 

Starring: Rick Parfitt, Francis Rossi, Laura Aikman

 

British rockers Status Quo (Andrew Bown, Leon Cave, John 'Rhino' Edwards, Parfitt, Rossi) do a set of dates in Fiji, which go down well with the Fijians, even when guitarist Rick Parfitt is falsely reported dead at some point. On a walk after their last show in Fiji, Parfitt and band ate Francis Rossi come across a game of Russian Roulette and witness a murder. Can Quo bring a gangster (Jon Lovitz) to justice?

 

Although Bula Quo has received a theatrical release, it was originally intended as a straight to DVD feature and this pretty obvious. The entire film is lightweight and throwaway in the extreme. A rather silly comedy, Bula Quo achieves a strange feat of taking a rather heavy and adult concept (rock band on tour, murder, gangsters, Russian Roulette and even organ harvesting) and makes something soft out of it. Granted, Status Quo are rather cuddly as rock bands go and the film plays this to the hilt, but potential violence and grit is the only thing that's hacked off. The usage of Fiji is nice, but it seems petty clear that it's just there for set dressing (although Quo's popularity in Fiji may be genuine) however, the use of locals in the film (which borders on the outright offensive at times) does sour things. Obviously Parfitt and Rossi don't make their bread as actors, bu generally the performances are pretty flawed, even the  usually brilliant Jon Lovitz cruises this. Bula Quo will never be seen as a masterpiece, in fact it's more of an embarrassment. However, it has charm (if only within irony) and it's clear that good or bad that at the core of this are a group of musicians in their autumn years having the time of their lives.

The Bling Ring (2013, Dir. Sofia Coppola, USA/UK/France/Germany/Japan) (Cert: 15/R) ****

 

Starring: Israel Broussard, Katie Chang, Emma Watson

 

Tearaway teen Marc (Broussard) is a new student at a school for similarly troubled students where he becomes friends with Rebecca (Chang) who pushes him further into a life of partying and robbery. Sharing an obsession with celebrity, status and possessions, Marc, Katie and few other teens start breaking into the Hollywood homes of celebrities and stealing valuable property. Acts of criminality that soon give them the fame that they crave.

 

The Bling Ring is a product of a modern culture that it both feeds on and satirises mercilessly. The film makes use of trendy celeb cameos, gossip news groups such as TMZ get referenced and even director Sofia Coppola whilst also claiming serious cinematic and artistic credibility such as being daughter of the legendary Francis Ford Coppola, one of the film’s producers, she is also the partial inheritor of her father’s experimental independent film company American Zoetrope (a company which also kick-started the careers of the likes of John Milius and George Lucas) whilst also having a foot in the world of fashion and a distinctly ‘trendy’ and punkish approach to directing, for example Marie Antoinette (2006). In amongst this indulgence of the modern celeb culture is a razor sharp sense of satire. Our main characters aren’t presented as being the sharpest knives in drawer and only succeed by having their victims being even less aware of the world than the thieves. The film is best served as an acerbic comedy than when it tries to go for drama and whilst there’s never anything which breaks the grounds of believability, it’s still remarkable that it’s a true story based on the news article, They Suspect Wore Louboutins (which is a much better title). Snarky and smart, The Bling Ring is, for the most part, a strong insight into modern pop-culture.  

Like Someone In Love (2012, Dir. Abbas Kiarostami, France/Japan) (Cert: 12a/Unrated) ****

 

 

 

Starring: Rin Takanishi, Tadashi Okuno, Ryo Kase

 

Akiko (Takanashi) is a call-girl in Tokyo who receives a job from her employer (Denden) to visit a client who lives an hour’s taxi ride away. When Akiko finally arrives, she discovers the client is an old man (Okuno) who seems less interested in sleeping with Akiko and is more interested in just having some company.

 

A French co-production by an Iranian director and set and shot in Japan, Like Someone In Love is a conceptually simple film stretched over two hours. Rather than throwing sheer exposition at the audience, Kiarostami’s screenplay lets the exposition gently flow leaving the audience to fill in the blanks. The relationship between Rin Takanishi and Tadashi Okuno is a sweet and engaging one despite the many decades in age difference and the film does manage to deftly handle drama with the occasional comedic element. The pacing of the film is probably too sedentary for a lot of people and there is perhaps more to be explored, but it’s a good demonstration of how a film can do a great deal without actually showing very much.