tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-87457469827421829062024-03-13T01:42:27.812+00:00filmboreExposing the unique, weird and wacky of indie & world cinemafilmborehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04231468342182243163noreply@blogger.comBlogger184125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8745746982742182906.post-6469150889475036522018-10-03T19:22:00.002+01:002019-05-17T13:16:49.440+01:00So long...for now...<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Well, there we have it. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">This filmbore will (for the time being, anyway) be putting his pencil and pad in his desk draw, removing the batteries from his DVD remote and locking his film collection in his vault. For it's time to say goodbye.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">For the beady-eyed, you may have noticed the recent lack of content. There have been some incredible changes in my life over the last couple of years. I married Mrs filmbore. I've said goodbye to loved ones. And I'm soon to meet my own mini-me...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I've made a little filmbore!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">And now, I need to ensure that I focus my efforts on some of the next phases of my life. My unprecedented geeky-ness and over-analytical methods will be re-purposed to great effect. This does mean, sadly, that i cannot apply the bore to films in the way I have since my first film review in <a href="https://filmbore.blogspot.com/2012/06/filmbores-pick-of-week-cell-211.html" target="_blank">June 2012</a>.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I'm not giving up the pen completely. I may venture into writing my own stories in the near future. Plus, the site will stay open. The reviews, top tens and other special features will be available for anyone to peruse. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Also, I'm not going to leave you empty handed. I've put <a href="https://filmbore.blogspot.com/2018/10/top-20-most-emotional-goodbyes.html" target="_blank">together one last hurrah of a Top Ten</a>...of the most emotional goodbyes in cinema history. I hope you enjoy it.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I'm so grateful to all of you who has shared, commented and appreciated my articles over the last six years. It's been a wonderful journey, only truly enjoyable because of you. You're the real reason I do this. If there was nobody on the other side of the screen, I'd have no reason to bore you. So thanks for your patience, interest and, most of all, your support. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">It's been amazing!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Thank you</span><br />
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</span>filmborehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04231468342182243163noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8745746982742182906.post-60644404984284559452018-10-03T19:22:00.001+01:002019-05-17T13:17:09.209+01:00Top 20 Most Emotional Goodbyes<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">This is my last post, my loyal filmborians. And it's a sad one, I'm afraid.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I've had to say goodbye to a dear loved one myself these last few months. And with a pending mini-filmbore on the way, I'm in a bit of a whirlwind of emotion. </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">So, let's take one last foray into the world of cinema geekery, stick on Andrea Bocelli's 'Time to Say Goodbye' and reminisce on the following moving moments</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">This was a very hard article to write. With re-watching some of these moments, while knowing this is my last piece, it's been quite overwhelming. So, I'm not going to put too many big explanations here (well...I've put a few!). The scenes speak for themselves. I'll mainly be just adding a line from the scene, or a comment about it. Otherwise, I'll get too emotional myself.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">The criteria</b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">…simple. My favourite goodbyes in film.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">This is a very personal top ten. Full of moments that have meant a lot to me over the years. You may not fully agree with this list, and that's fine. That's part of the fun!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">But why make my last one a list of ten films. Let's make it a Top 20! Go out with a bang, eh.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">So, for the last time...<b>WARNING!</b> Major spoilers and the odd tear lie ahead!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">20. Gone with the Wind (1939)</span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">19. Withnail & I (1987)</span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">18. Forrest Gump (1994)</span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>"Life is a box of chocolates, Forrest..."</i></span></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3VXZQmBnins/W7PEBPEElpI/AAAAAAAACj8/VNxEwYgwG7QHx-r52l5X7NbLAEbRTZsRgCLcBGAs/s1600/18%2BForrest%2BGump.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="392" data-original-width="620" height="202" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3VXZQmBnins/W7PEBPEElpI/AAAAAAAACj8/VNxEwYgwG7QHx-r52l5X7NbLAEbRTZsRgCLcBGAs/s320/18%2BForrest%2BGump.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">There are many goodbyes in Forrest Gump ("I wanna go home" still gets me) and plenty of emotional moments (Speaking to Jenny's grave being the most potent) but it's Forrest's goodbye to his mother that carries the most heft. </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">It's this moment where his mother utters the legendary phrase that has stuck with is all. </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">She was the backbone to his incredible life, and it's this moment that has led Forrest to regale to a number of strangers his beautiful story.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">17. One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975)</span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>"Now we can make it, Mac"</i></span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">16. Cast Away (2000)</span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>"I'm sorry, Wilson"</i></span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i><b>Mrs.filmbore's choice</b></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">15. Monsters, Inc. (2001)</span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>"Kitty has to go"</i></span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">14. </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Good Will Hunting (1997)</span></h3>
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<i style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;">"Do you know when the best part of my day is?"</i></div>
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-0s9vkgzt7dw/W7PFQoRMIlI/AAAAAAAACkc/kjYEwYBZLt8IKgMTaADN4evoCCzZ0Wa8gCLcBGAs/s1600/14%2BGood%2BWill%2BHunting.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="556" data-original-width="1024" height="173" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-0s9vkgzt7dw/W7PFQoRMIlI/AAAAAAAACkc/kjYEwYBZLt8IKgMTaADN4evoCCzZ0Wa8gCLcBGAs/s320/14%2BGood%2BWill%2BHunting.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">What I love about this goodbye is that it's a reserved one. Not just in its tone, but Affleck's Chuckie has banked a goodbye before it ever even has to happen. Or never, in this case! It's a sweet and generous offering to a lifetime friend. It's powerful, understated and an example of great writing. This is rare to see in cinema and it's still gently moving to this day.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">13. Dead Poets Society (1989)</span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>"Oh Captain, my Captain!"</i></span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">12. </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The Iron Giant (1999)</span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>(You are who you choose to be...) </i></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>"Superman"</i></span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">11. Casablanca (1942)</span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Undoubtedly one of the most quoted conversations in cinematic history. This farewell speech is so iconic. parts of it are often quoted separately, sometimes without any awareness that they are connected. I forget how famous these lines are myself sometimes.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Here's the full monologue in all it's glory…</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">RICK</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">Last night, we said a great many things. You said I was to do the thinking for both of us. Well, I've done a lot of it since then and it all adds up to one thing. You're getting on that plane with Victor where you belong.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">ILSA</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">But Richard, no, I've...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">RICK</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">Now, you've got to listen to me. Do you have any idea what you've have to look forward to if you stayed here? Nine chances out of ten, we'd both wind up in a concentration camp. Isn't that true, Louis?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">RENAULT</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">I'm afraid Major Strasser would insist.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">ILSA</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">You're saying this only to make me go.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">RICK</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">I'm saying it because it's true. Inside of us, we both know you belong with Victor. You're part of his work, the thing that keeps him going. If that plane leaves the ground and you're not with him, you'll regret it. Maybe not today, and maybe not tomorrow, but soon, and for the rest of your life.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">ILSA</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">What about us?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">RICK</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">We'll always have Paris. We didn't have - we'd - we'd lost it until you came to Casablanca. We got it back last night.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">ILSA</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">When I said I would never leave you...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">RICK</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">And you never will. I've got a job to do too. Where I'm going, you can't follow. What I've got to do, you can't be any part of. Ilsa, I'm no good at being noble, but it doesn't take much to see that the problems of three little people don't amount to a hill of beans in this crazy world. Someday you'll understand that. Now, now. Here's looking at you, </span><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">kid.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">10. The Champ (1979)</span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>"The Champ...always comes through"</i></span></blockquote>
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<h3 style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">9. The Remains of the Day (1993)</span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>"It was so nice to see you again"</i></span></blockquote>
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<h3 style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">8. Toy Story 3 (2010)</span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>"So long partner"</i></span></blockquote>
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<h3 style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">7. Schindler's List (1993)</span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>"This pin..."</i></span></blockquote>
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<h3 style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">6. Terms of Endearment (1983)</span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>"And you're gonna realise that you love me. And maybe you're gonna feel badly, because you never told me. But don't. I know that you love me. So don't ever do that to yourself, all right?"</i></span></blockquote>
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<h3 style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">5. Rain Man (1988)</span></h3>
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-B370NPVpZ1w/W7PbzD4Jp4I/AAAAAAAAClw/gCIxJBuEmToGOaZMmHIqJw0UJ586eDqVwCEwYBhgL/s1600/5%2BRain%2BMan.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="533" data-original-width="1000" height="170" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-B370NPVpZ1w/W7PbzD4Jp4I/AAAAAAAAClw/gCIxJBuEmToGOaZMmHIqJw0UJ586eDqVwCEwYBhgL/s320/5%2BRain%2BMan.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>"I like having you for my big brother"</i></span></blockquote>
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<h3 style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">4. Sophie's Choice (1982)</span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>"Don't make me choose! I can't!"</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">This may be the most heartbreaking goodbye. 'The Choice' is kept from us until near the very end of the film. When it happens it's shocking and heartbreaking. It's as if she has responded on instinct. But the goodbye is filled with terror and regret. I am, like many of you, still haunted by this to this day. Nothing can prepare you for what could be the hardest choice any parent would ever have to make.</span></div>
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<h3>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">3. Blade Runner (1982)</span></h3>
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<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>"All those moments will be lost in time…like tears...in rain"</i></span></blockquote>
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<h3 style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">2. Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (1982)</span></h3>
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xMT6a4IVntk/W7PeEwUfbII/AAAAAAAACmI/Z5H_oQs-rg8oZymo4XSb_znnZaL8A066QCLcBGAs/s1600/2%2BStar%2BTrek%2BII.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="667" data-original-width="1600" height="133" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xMT6a4IVntk/W7PeEwUfbII/AAAAAAAACmI/Z5H_oQs-rg8oZymo4XSb_znnZaL8A066QCLcBGAs/s320/2%2BStar%2BTrek%2BII.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>"I have been, and always shall be, your friend"</i></span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">...and before the top choice is revealed, take a breather to wipe your eyes and look over those honorable misses...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><i>Just missed out:</i></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><i><br /></i></b></span>
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<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>"I know."</i> - The Empire Strikes Back (1980)</span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i style="font-style: italic;">"If you'd die, you'd forget me. I want to be remembered."</i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i> - </i>Brief Encounter (1945)</span></span></blockquote>
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<i style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;">"I know know why you cry."</i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> - Terminator 2: Judgement Day (1991)</span></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i style="font-style: italic;">"Good afternoon, good evening and goodnight"</i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i> - </i>The Truman Show (1998)</span></span></blockquote>
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<i style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;">"I love you forever. And I'm coming back"</i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> - Interstellar (2014)</span></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: center;">
<i style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;">"I'm a leaf on the wind..."</i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> - Serenity (2005)</span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><i>And the winner is...</i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">1. E.T. the Extra Terrestrial (1982)</span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">It's poignant that the last film I mention on my site is the first film that I ever saw in the cinema.</span><br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Aa_eaubZ2LI/W7Penz8F8nI/AAAAAAAACmY/g8XX0HTvM98q6o5M2PH7MIQV5HHXfJigQCLcBGAs/s1600/1%2BET%2B2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="620" height="165" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Aa_eaubZ2LI/W7Penz8F8nI/AAAAAAAACmY/g8XX0HTvM98q6o5M2PH7MIQV5HHXfJigQCLcBGAs/s320/1%2BET%2B2.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">This is the most emotional and beautiful moment ever captured on film. Especially g</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">iven that it mainly stars children and a puppet. </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">It's so delicately balanced in this final moment that it works for children and adults alike. </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">It reminds us what film can do to us. How it forms us. How it widens our imagination. And how it helps us to understand the beauty in sadness and loss. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I'll leave you with the immortal line...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">"I'll be right here"</span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Goodbye</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"></span>filmborehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04231468342182243163noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8745746982742182906.post-20300257595312158022017-08-21T21:44:00.001+01:002017-08-21T21:44:23.252+01:00filmbore picks Wild Tales<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Wild Tales</span><br />
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-N7FLT4ls7v0/WZs1uxqKIcI/AAAAAAAACg0/lwsMeg-Ct60ZtAFQKSlk5-KbNMlscuiZACLcBGAs/s1600/wild2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="730" data-original-width="1296" height="180" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-N7FLT4ls7v0/WZs1uxqKIcI/AAAAAAAACg0/lwsMeg-Ct60ZtAFQKSlk5-KbNMlscuiZACLcBGAs/s320/wild2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Director: Damián Szifron</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small;">Screenplay: Damián Szifron</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small;">Starring: Erica Rivas, Ricardo Darin, Leonardo Sbaraglia</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small;">Year: 2014</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small;">Language: Spanish</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small;">UK rental release: June 2015</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3011894/?ref_=nv_sr_1" target="_blank">IMDb</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/wild_tales" target="_blank">Rotten Tomatoes</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;">The hiatus is over!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;">It's time for filmbore to reemerge from hibernation and return to the fold. It's been a crazy year and a half, with many events and goings-on, the finale of which was marrying the most beautiful, intelligent and hilarious person in the world...Mrs.filmbore!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Therefore, it's relevant that I talk about a wedding movie, such as the Oscar nominated </span><i style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;">Wild Tales</i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">. And who knows...maybe I'll experience a few things I missed in my own adventure into wedlock...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Welcomed by a low shot of a rushing airline passenger, we're invited to join them on an exciting journey. Famous model, </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Isabel (Maria Marull, </span><i style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;">Before Opening Night</i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">, </span><i style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;">Primavera</i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">), is unaware of the flirting charm about to be bestowed on her by her neighbouring passenger, classic music critic Salgado (Dario Grandinetti, </span><i style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;">Talk To Her</i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">, </span><i style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;">The Dark Side Of The Heart</i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">After some coquettish chat, something peculiar happens; </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">another passenger overhears the mention of a mutual acquaintance. When the three of them discuss this, another traveller realises that they have the same connection. This continues, starting a chain reaction through the whole plane. How can they all be connected by just one man? Is the</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> flight a ruse, with a deeper meaning at hand?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">But this is just the first story in this compendium of revenge, as further tales of tension await us. </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Like the waitress, startled by appearance of a demon from her past. The pain he has caused her family beyond humane, he now sits in her restaurant, unaware of her vengeful presence.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Or Diego (Leonardo Sbaraglia, </span><i style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;"><a href="http://filmbore.blogspot.co.uk/search?q=intacto" target="_blank">Intacto</a></i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">, </span><i style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;">Burnt Money</i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">), cursing </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">a reckless driver intentionally setting out to annoy him. He </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">speeds ahead to leave the scoundrel in his wake, only to suffer the bad luck of a flat tire shortly after, fearful for the reappearance of his antagonist. Inevitably turning up shortly after, this tarmac tyrant proceeds to attack Diego's vehicle. Will he attack him next? Does Diego escape or does he retaliate?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Then we have Simón (Ricardo Darin, <i><a href="http://filmbore.blogspot.co.uk/2013/01/filmbore-pick-of-week-secret-in-their.html" target="_blank">The Secret In Their Eyes</a></i>, Nine Queens), an explosion specialist on his way to pick up his daughter's birthday cake. Alarmed at the price of the cake, he's even more startled that to find his car has towed away. Now running late for his kid's party, met with obstacle upon obstacle, he becomes convinced that the 'system' is against him as events </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">escalate</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">; his own inner explosions to a self generating conspiracy.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Or even our unforgettable finale, which o</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">pens with jubilation at the entrance of our bride and groom. Romina (Erica Rivas, </span><i style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;">Incident Light</i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">, </span><i style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;">Lock Charmer</i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">) sees her new husband chatting to a mystery lady. They seem a little too close. She begins to suspect unfair play. How should she deal with this on her special day?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">As our six protagonists are left to deal with their circumstances, we lay waiting to see how wild they should truly go.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Before watching a film, I try to avoid any plot lines, like the ones you see on the back of DVD covers. They can implant preconceptions that can affect viewing. After reading the above synopsis you may have realised that this is not solely about a wedding. Only one of the stories is. It dawned on me </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">at about 20 minutes that the wedding shown on the front cover of the DVD was just a small part of this entire story. So much for my plan on avoiding the plot here then!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The marriage-factor may be the reason I chose this feature but, even though this isn't the focus, I'm not disappointed at all. The entire picture is a constant stream of canapés, subtly satisfying your appetite through it's well balanced journey. </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">It's no wonder it </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">picked up the gongs that it did (including BAFTA's and Goya's). It was optioned for the Palme d'Or at</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> Cannes too, where it debuted, helping the feature garner some well deserved attention.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The beginning of this adventure, 'Pasternak', demonstrates a different kind of attention. </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">After a young gentleman ogles over our model, Isobel, much to her discomfort, </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">it is in fact the older gentleman she meets next who flirts with more success. </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">By showing here that it's not age that's attractive but charm and sophistication, </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">this creative picture immediately grounds itself in reality. It's a smart move that few films manage to do so delicately and simply.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Such wit and allure can only be carried by a cast that has the talent to bear </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">it, and it's in these performances that <i>Wild Tales</i> really shines. </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">All players involved are truly superb. In fact, </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">it's quite difficult to pinpoint specific performances with so many involved. They are all truly outstanding. You're likely draw out your own favourites, dependant on your taste. If I had to select my standouts: Oscar Martinez (</span><i style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;">Empty Nest</i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">, </span><i style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;">The Distinguished Citizen</i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">) in 'The Deal' really moved me, as did </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Julieta Zylberberg (</span><i style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;">The Tenth Man</i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">, </span><i style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;">The Invisible Eye</i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">) in 'The Rats'. The most exciting performers, however, have to be both </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Ricardo Darin in 'Bombita', </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">and the unforgettable Erica Rivas in 'Til Death Do Us Part'.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">This latter chapter is welcomed and much needed after some of the gloom, deftly delivered in the previous acts. There are small nuggets of humour and lightness strewn throughout the whole picture, even if these morsels struggle to hold ground amongst all of the drama</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">. This is a movie that knows when to take itself seriously and it doesn't falter in getting your attention while doing so</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">. Yet, this wedding based finale re-balances the gravitas of the previous vignettes while still retaining the level of darkness required to justify it's existence in this compendium.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">To be honest though, this is not a true portmanteau movie. </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Each vignette could stand alone as a short, and</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> maybe this was purposeful. Nevertheless, while fantastic, all the tales don't operate as a whole. They </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">seem a little disconnected. Disjointed, even. You </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">may be wondering what the link between the segments is. You may start out, as I did, thinking there's a connection about travelling, until you realise that it's not.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">It's just as difficult to pin down it's thematic approach. </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">There's a chance that I just missed it. </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I played with a number of ideas, including unpredictability, antagonism fuelling revenge (too obvious!), even the detrimental outcomes of making the darker choice. None really fit though. </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">If the core themes were more recognisable, I feel they </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">would help solve the issue of the picture's connectivity </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">and making it a proper portmanteau flick instead of a fortunate compilation.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">A benefit of taking this approach does allows for a plethora of different filming styles though. We're presented with a noir, a thriller, a car chase and many more. It brings a wonderment of variety and floods of creative filming and editing techniques; you'll forget that this was made by one director. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Cinematographer, Javier Julia, takes advantage of this, dressing the picture with all manner of angles, while allowing hints of the unconventional. Take the opening cowboy shot of Isabel running through the airport, or the claustrophobic shots in the car chase of the third tale, 'Road To Hell' to marry up with your usual collection of POV's and low angle shots. With experimental shooting and some delicious framing, it's a visually brave film.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">All of these methods deliver some delicious imagery; a hand clasped across a lady's face, gripped for abuse, slowly withers as her attacker perishes, embracing the victim in his own blood. The camera pans up to an aerial shot of our two victims, lying in the wake of their battle, fixed in posture like silhouetted dancers. It's a strangely pretty film, finding beauty even within its more darker edges.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">It doesn't hold its punches either. </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Take the in-car fight scene in 'The Road To Hell': </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">it may not have the level of choreography but it's got enough gusto to challenge the now infamous car scene most will have seen last year in <i>Deadpool </i>(2016). It's nowhere near as clipped as it's Marvel counterpart, but it's just as funny, end even more claustrophobic and brutal! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Not afraid to show some 'claret' and ferocity when necessary, <i>Wild Tales</i></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> is </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">full of surprises, and heavy ones too. It </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">drags you through its rough-and-ready journey but not reluctantly. It teases your intrigue, enticing you to join the ride. Just be prepared...this road's a little bumpy!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">So, did I find anything new that could have improved my wedding? Did it garner any life lessons to take on my own adventure of marriage? Absolutely not. The wedding in this is an absolute shambles!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Thankfully though, the film isn't. Yes, the tales do feel a little disparate to each other but they certainly live up to the garb of 'Wild'. Each story is eloquently crafted, deserving award and praise in their own right. We're just fortunate enough to get to see all of these wonderful pieces in one gloriously delivered whole.</span></div>
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<i style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Don't forget to leave comments below, tweet me @filmbore or post on my Facebook </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">page </span><a href="http://www.facebook.com/thefilmbore" style="font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', serif;" target="_blank">here</a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">.</span></i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; text-align: justify;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;"><i>Alternatively, you could contact me directly about this film or my other reviews on picks@filmbore.co.uk</i></span></span></div>
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filmborehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04231468342182243163noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8745746982742182906.post-22344978827783555222017-06-12T21:09:00.001+01:002019-05-17T13:17:30.682+01:00filmbore reflects - the filmbore manifesto<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">It's been a long hiatus. A lot has happened. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Now the blogging recommences. Filmbore returns!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">For any of you that have followed my 'filmbore reflects' posts on Facebook over the last few months, you'll be aware of the little journey I've been on. </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">When I originally set out to do these reflections, they were meant as warm ups to a new wave of articles. </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I've neglected my previous pieces, so I felt a re-visit to them may reignite my 'inner-critic'. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">What's been surprising is that they've been quintessential into exploring my way of writing, </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">where I have come out of the other side with some lessons learnt...the biggest lesson of which is how much I've missed doing this!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">For example, on my last 'filmbore reflects', where I talked about my <a href="http://filmbore.blogspot.co.uk/2013/09/filmbore-pick-of-week-paprika.html" target="_blank">review of Paprika</a>, I was reminded of how much I enjoyed writing these. It really shone through in the text. Revisiting my <a href="http://filmbore.blogspot.co.uk/2013/04/top-10-scary-rabbits.html" target="_blank">Top Ten Scary Rabbits</a> post, </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I could see how I had fun being more playful with the article and </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">it reads so much better because of it. </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">These are important factors that will keep me invested in filmbore</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I used to spend a lot more time on the articles too. My earlier postings were shorter, so easier to manage but, as the reviews got bigger, my time got squeezed. In future, it would be prudent to show patience, making sure I spend enough time fine tuning each piece.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Overall, I'm just aware of overlooking the site entirely. There are many justifiable reasons for this: </span><br />
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<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">a</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">n over-saturation of independent and foreign cinema, leading me to watch a lot more commercial films</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">catching up with lots of anime series</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">playing too many computer games</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">experiencing major changes in my work life</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">experiencing even bigger ones in my love life</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">plenty of much needed chilling</span></li>
</ul>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">...but the biggest impact was my social life! </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Meeting and getting to know my incredible wife (that's right...there's a Mrs.filmbore now!) and spending a lot of time with my friends, I've spent the last year and half catching up with my world. Being</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> sociable is a massive part of my life and</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> that's not going to change, but certain elements can...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Hence the following manuscript. With a recent peak in interest in British politics, I felt the best way of presenting my new-found approach to filmbore would be through a manifesto of my own. </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The following items are a list of policies, in tune with the above lessons, that I will adhere to meet in order to allow filmbore to flourish once again:</span></div>
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<ol><span style="text-align: justify;">
<li><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">Reinvigorate my passion for independent and world cinema,
including involvement in local projects and artists.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">Don't let this become a chore or job. I do this because I
love it. Too regimented dampens the enjoyment.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">Actively
allocate writing time for both filmbore posts and to sate my cravings for
writing my own stories.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">Less
social media interaction. Great for promoting my work and getting in touch with
all you lovely, dedicated followers.
However, constant checking of Facebook , for example, holds little
value.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">Ensure
my focus on filmbore doesn’t impact on my social life. There's room in my life
for both. Keep momentum in my social life while embedding filmbore into it.
Writing-Life balance is vital!</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">Less
time on games, random TV shows and anime. I love them all but I've had my fill.
Less of these and more filmbore-centric stuff needed (some anime films count
though!)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">Spend
more time on editing my work. Take my time. Exercise patience. Post when
perfect.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">Have
a little more fun with some articles. No need to be so formal with some of
these. Be creative and silly.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">Ensure
I discuss thematics of films. Not all critics do and this is something I like
to explore. May not always be relevant but where it is...delve deeper!</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">Write
shorter reviews sometimes. They are punchier and easier to digest. Not every
article needs to be an essay.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">Keep
writing. Keep posting. Keep challenging. This is supposed to be enjoyable but
there's a purpose here.</span></li>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">filmbore started with:</span></blockquote>
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<span style="text-align: justify;"><i style="font-family: "helvetica neue", arial, helvetica, sans-serif; text-align: center;">"I take pride in recommending lesser known films to my friends and colleagues. I'd like to use this knowledge to help promote indie and foreign films as much as possible. These will always be decent movies from the past and present, so please re-post this wherever you can and tell your friends on all your networks.</i></span></blockquote>
</blockquote>
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<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>Let's give these films a better platform!" </i></span></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">And I will continue to help give lesser known films a better platform.</span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">There we have it. The filmbore manifesto. I will endeavour to adhere to this manuscript in this new phase of the site. And, along with other new phases in my life, with marriage, new homes and (hopefully) some filmbore-juniors in the mix, I can't think of a better time for a new beginning.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Filmbore comes back in full effect, stronger than ever, more passionate than ever, more focused than ever. Bring it!</span><br />
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<i style="text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Don't</span></i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i> forget to leave comments below, tweet me @filmbore or post on my Facebook page <a href="http://www.facebook.com/thefilmbore" target="_blank">here</a>.</i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i><br /></i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>Or, if you disagree with my policies, you can email me directly at manifesto@filmbore.co.uk</i></span></span><i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-align: start;">.</i></div>
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filmborehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04231468342182243163noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8745746982742182906.post-2700816741364972015-11-05T19:49:00.000+00:002015-11-05T19:49:54.049+00:00filmbore picks Two Days, One Night<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Two Days, One Night</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small;">Director: Jean-Pierre Dardenne, Luc Dardenne</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small;">Screenplay: </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small;">Jean-Pierre Dardenne, Luc Dardenne</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small;">Starring: Marion Cotillard, Fabrizio Rongione, Catherine Salée, Christelle Cornil</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small;">Year: 2014</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small;">Language: French, Arabic</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small;">UK rental release: October 2014</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2737050/?ref_=nv_sr_1" target="_blank">IMDb</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/two_days_one_night/" target="_blank">Rotten Tomatoes</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;">This time around, we're paying a visit to the Dardenne brothers once again. </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small; text-align: justify;">For years, they've continued to deliver stunning, intimate dramas (</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;">for their beautiful pastiche of childhood rebellion, </span><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://filmbore.blogspot.co.uk/2012/10/filmbore-pick-of-week-kid-with-bike.html" style="text-align: justify;" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">check out my review of</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> </span></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="http://filmbore.blogspot.co.uk/2012/10/filmbore-pick-of-week-kid-with-bike.html" style="font-style: italic;" target="_blank">The Kid With A Bike</a>). Yet, with <i>Two Days, One Night</i>, they're taking a slightly different approach...</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;">While resting, Sandra (Marion Cotillard, </span><span style="font-size: small;"><i style="font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', serif;">La Vie En Rose</i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">, </span><i style="font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', serif;">Rust And Bone</i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">) is awoken by an alarming phone call. </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">She finds out that her job is on the line due to a secret ballot taken up by each of her colleagues at her place of work: either they all take</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> a bonus of €1000 with Sandra being laid off, or they choose to keep Sandra on but loose that tempting cash prize in doing so.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;">Sandra has been off sick for a while with depression and anxiety. Her absence has put her in the firing line and allowed the ballot to occur. Immediately, she is </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;">worried that she'll begin to suffer again as a product of this surprising election.</span></span></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-f-oN5BeNB8A/VjqFbTNJx1I/AAAAAAAACXo/m9XwopyzMCc/s1600/twodays1b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="193" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-f-oN5BeNB8A/VjqFbTNJx1I/AAAAAAAACXo/m9XwopyzMCc/s320/twodays1b.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">She tries to stay strong with help from </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">her partner, Manu (Fabrizio Rongione, </span><i style="font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', serif;">Rosetta</i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">, </span><i style="font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', serif;">L'enfant</i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">), who strives to support her, reminding her that she has a right to fight for her position. </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">She goes to see her boss, M. Dumont with one of her colleagues, Juliette (Catherine Salée, <i>Keeper</i>, <i>Blue Is The Warmest Colour</i>). As one of her only workmates who voted for her to stay, Juliette wants to do everything she can to help.</span></span></span></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-wTrwt_5rCaM/VjqFudjycwI/AAAAAAAACXw/7v__cHbcCrU/s1600/twodays2c.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="198" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-wTrwt_5rCaM/VjqFudjycwI/AAAAAAAACXw/7v__cHbcCrU/s320/twodays2c.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">From speaking to M. Dumont, they learn that their foreman, Jean-Marc, has been leveraging the votes. Scaring </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">staff members into electing for bonuses, he's been </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">telling them that they could lose their job soon anyway so may as well take their bonuses. His effort makes the election sway 14 out of 16, in favour of Sandra losing her job.</span> In light of this, and the knowledge that </span></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;">Sandra wasn't present at the ballot, </span></span> M. Dumont agrees to a re-election. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;">Having only till Monday to succeed, Sandra must use her weekend</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;"> to convince her work colleagues that her worth is more vital than their wallets.</span></span></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-vGZiwvdgEFo/VjqBeW4tLSI/AAAAAAAACWg/stPlcU2JDBE/s1600/twodays4a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="181" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-vGZiwvdgEFo/VjqBeW4tLSI/AAAAAAAACWg/stPlcU2JDBE/s400/twodays4a.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Naturally lit through most of it, with lovely handheld lens work, <i>Two Days, One Night</i> is pleasant on the eye. </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Unusually for the Dardennes, there's very little on scenery and more focus on close-ups, making the picture feel a little claustrophobic. However, if you can see past this, appreciating the intimacy of the people as opposed to the environment that surrounds them, you'll sense how this emphasises the core plot and drive of the film. </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;">For example, during a brief reprieve from their many visits our two leads sit in a park, enjoying an ice cream, discussing whether to continue on this saga. Hearing a bird's song, Sandra says "I wish that was me". In previous Dardenne movies, the camera would have mainly shot the bird, with Cotillard's dialogue off camera, sun shining through the tree, illuminating the leaves, illustrating an artistic eye. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;">Instead, the lens stays fixed on the pair, as Sandra longingly glares off camera at the easier life. Simplistic. Direct. Gently impactful. It's a template for the entire piece and the effect is gentle yet stunning.</span></span><br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-S8BFKQZTmVc/VjqG0OLAfII/AAAAAAAACX8/IFmt4aA6sfo/s1600/twodays3d.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="218" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-S8BFKQZTmVc/VjqG0OLAfII/AAAAAAAACX8/IFmt4aA6sfo/s320/twodays3d.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Her reaction during this scene is a product of Sandra's evolution through the story so far, learning more and more each time she's faced with confronting a fellow employee, as she both strengthens and crumbles through the experience. This is beautifully encompassed by Marion </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Cotillard, as she proves yet again that she is one of the finest actresses of our generation (</span><a href="http://filmbore.blogspot.co.uk/2013/03/filmbore-pick-of-week-rust-and-bone.html" style="font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', serif;" target="_blank">read about her stunning performance in Rust And Bone here</a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">).</span></span></span><br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bHNbk3O5OLU/VjqC6P7zVAI/AAAAAAAACXQ/r_YG7V-4-PQ/s1600/twodays9.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="224" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bHNbk3O5OLU/VjqC6P7zVAI/AAAAAAAACXQ/r_YG7V-4-PQ/s320/twodays9.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Little</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">-or-no make-up, vest tops, tied back hair - still with such a simple costume, Cotillard proves her talent by delivering a performance with colour, turmoil, panache and vibrancy. </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Once more, she elevates a film with her subtle and dexterous approach to a role of a troubled, interesting soul. Such a character would have been saturated with cliché by many others, heavily handled with little regard for realism, where Cotillard handles Sandra with careful finger tips from a thoughtful veranda.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">And, with confident execution from the array of actors to bolster her delicate portrayal, it allows us to peer into the world that suffocates Sandra. What this piece manages brilliantly is bring new insight into how somebody under sever pressure, with familial responsibilities, has to manage the feud between their pride and their integrity.</span></span></span><br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-hbhbYcP1GBI/VjqI7Kw3iQI/AAAAAAAACYI/-S4fHesGv1g/s1600/twodays5e.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="206" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-hbhbYcP1GBI/VjqI7Kw3iQI/AAAAAAAACYI/-S4fHesGv1g/s320/twodays5e.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">At first, Sandra is both loathed and embarrassed to beg a colleague for their vote. Yet, how she handles this plight, struggling through the experience, is a tenderly presented view into the emotional strengthening someone goes through while battling the remnants of mental illness. Her anxiety and depression is represented tastefully, respectfully; so pleasing considering such subject matter is generally misunderstood in most cinematic sittings.</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">It has the desired effect, raising questions as to whether she is fit enough to return to work. It also makes you question what it is that Jean-Marc is up to. </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The mystery of her</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> foreman's</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> "</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">treachery" (although not entirely revealed) is a nice MacGuffin, yet it's not that which drives the film...</span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">How do you ask somebody to give up their gift of €1000? It's an intriguing prospect for a movie and, as you see Sandra's journey unfold through each moment, the</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> alternate reactions from each of her colleagues will take you in all different emotional directions.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">For example, if someone desperately needs their bonus through their own despair, they're left to feel uncomfortable when learning that others are siding with Sandra. Their sympathy is empty as, if the vote goes in her favour, they lose the cash that they so rightfully need, in some cases. Out of respect they feel that they cannot show their disdain. Some even </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">happily give the address for the next person on her list, even though this gives her the opportunity to canvass more voters.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Even if they raise the chance of swaying the votes back, how can they not help someone else who has needs like themselves. Such confliction between what's right to survive and what's humane is what illuminates the picture. </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Watching each meeting is so gripping, purely in the underlying complexity of the conversation. </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">It's</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> a fantastically simple mechanism for each actor to play with on screen. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Wondering whether she'll plant enough seeds to keep her job fuels your</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> desire to see each outcome, enhancing the calm pace of the film to</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> one of intrigue and allure. </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">It proves the genius of the overall concept and of the Dardennes. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The brothers strike again!</span></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1KMoFjqN9rY/Vjp_9Tktz-I/AAAAAAAACWE/A_iI6Qh8veY/s1600/twodays2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="188" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1KMoFjqN9rY/Vjp_9Tktz-I/AAAAAAAACWE/A_iI6Qh8veY/s400/twodays2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">A wonderful portrayal of family and friends clubbing together to support one of their tribe, <i>Two Days, One Night</i> does wonders at handling the struggle of overcoming anxiety and depression. It's </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">such an incredibly tense and moving tale set over a relatively short period of time. Yet, it's the </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">originality of the concept that thrives in this touching and reinforcing tale.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;"><i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Don't forget to leave comments below, tweet me @filmbore or post on my Facebook </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">page </span><a href="http://www.facebook.com/thefilmbore" style="font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', serif;" target="_blank">here</a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">.</span></i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;"><i>Alternatively, you could contact me directly about this film or my other reviews on picks@filmbore.co.uk</i></span></span></div>
filmborehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04231468342182243163noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8745746982742182906.post-63633044500779703452015-08-19T20:41:00.000+01:002015-08-19T20:41:49.728+01:00filmbore picks Leviathan<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Leviathan</span><br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Kd0b5Tp1QxQ/VdOwxa42vxI/AAAAAAAACU4/kREe0T8xPco/s1600/leviathan1a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="195" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Kd0b5Tp1QxQ/VdOwxa42vxI/AAAAAAAACU4/kREe0T8xPco/s320/leviathan1a.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;">Director: Andrey Zvyagintsev</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Screenplay: Oleg Negin, </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Andrey Zvyagintsev</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;">Starring: Aleksey Serebryakov, Elena Lyadova, Vladimir Vdovichenkov, Roman Madyanov, Anna Ukolova, Aleksey Rozin, Sergey Pokhodaev</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;">Year: 2014</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;">Language: Russian</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;">UK rental release: March 2015</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2802154/?ref_=nv_sr_1" target="_blank">IMDb</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/leviafan/" target="_blank">Rotten Tomatoes</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Nominated for Best Foreign Film at the 87th Academy Awards, <i>Leviathan</i> just lost out to Pawel Pawlikowski's <i>Ida</i>. Before this, however, this didn't stop the movie picking up gongs at</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> the London Film Festival Awards, the</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> Golden Globes and getting</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> Best Screenplay at Cannes Film Festival. It turned up at the Oscars as some pretty tough competition. Let's find out why...</span></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Ry496dqHHtQ/VdOurK9cyxI/AAAAAAAACUg/JQJzEWF2mxQ/s1600/leviathan11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Ry496dqHHtQ/VdOurK9cyxI/AAAAAAAACUg/JQJzEWF2mxQ/s320/leviathan11.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Nikolay (Aleksey Serebryakov, <i>Cargo 200</i>, <i>PiraMMMida</i>) is a self made man, living off the land and running his own car repair shop. </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">A tumultuous, if hard-working father, he's currently in the middle of a huge turning point in his life<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">. </span>At the tail end of some of this turmoil is Nikolay's temperamental son, Romka (</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Sergey Pokhodaev, </span><i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Six Degrees of Celebration</i><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">). </span><br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-TqEtYlRqCK4/VdOog-DJG_I/AAAAAAAACTU/u6_qwhBpxU8/s1600/leviathan3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-TqEtYlRqCK4/VdOog-DJG_I/AAAAAAAACTU/u6_qwhBpxU8/s320/leviathan3.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Nikolay</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> and Romka are clearly close, which maybe how some of the father's angst has rubbed off on the son, yet something else is affecting the boy.<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> </span>Nikolay's patient, strong wife Lilya </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">(Elena Lyadova, </span><i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The Geographer Drank His Globe Away</i><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">, </span><i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Elena</i><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">) is not </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Romka's natural mother, a fact that the young man wears openly. Their relationship is very strained<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">. </span>All of this is having huge impact on Lilya, clearly making her feel remote. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">There is small respite through her mild friendship with fellow workmate Anzhela (Anna Ukolova, </span><i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The Edge</i><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">) yet this isn't enough to sate the remoteness she is starting to feel.</span><br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Gf9Lf0oFTg4/VdOpGZPFbSI/AAAAAAAACTk/mYkZwnw_EaA/s1600/leviathan5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="197" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Gf9Lf0oFTg4/VdOpGZPFbSI/AAAAAAAACTk/mYkZwnw_EaA/s320/leviathan5.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Nikolay picks up his brother, Dmitriy (Vladimir Vdovichenkov, </span><i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Paragraph 78</i><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">,</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> </span><i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Reketir</i><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">) from the train station. </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">A lawyer, Dmitriy is visiting to help Nikolay with his recent plight. Nikolay</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> has a court hearing following his involvement with the </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">local council. They want to seize some of his land for mysterious reasons. Appeals made, following loss of business income and more, fall by the wayside and are declined. His hearing does not go well.</span><br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-XKBQKFfff5w/VdOoyPOUx5I/AAAAAAAACTc/Tonx0AhOmRA/s1600/leviathan4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-XKBQKFfff5w/VdOoyPOUx5I/AAAAAAAACTc/Tonx0AhOmRA/s320/leviathan4.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The town mayor, Vadim (Roman Madyanov, <i>Hopelessly Lost</i>, <i>Wild Field</i>), is the man pushing for the seizure of the land. There's definitely something underhand going on, with visits by the city's priest a regular occurrence. </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">On the evening after the hearing, Vadim has the bright idea, through his drunken state, to pay Nikolay a visit and remind him of his claim. </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Vadim's tense visit could be his undoing, as it gives Dmitriy extra ammunition to use in his fight through the courts.<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> Our lawyer </span>has more than just a statement on Vadim's tempestuous, intrusive manner, however... he has a book full of nasty deeds on the manipulative mayor! Will it be enough to get Nikolay and his family what they deserve?</span><br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-XMHRANZjaZg/VdOpplj4gWI/AAAAAAAACTs/sqQSNGa6QwQ/s1600/leviathan6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-XMHRANZjaZg/VdOpplj4gWI/AAAAAAAACTs/sqQSNGa6QwQ/s400/leviathan6.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Even before it's release, <i>Leviathan</i> was already causing some upset. Not only has it caused controversy from a religious perspective, both in its jaunted view of the Russian Orthodox Church and similarities to the story of Job, but it has caused even further upset through the suggestion that it is purposefully attempting to undermine the country's leader, Vladimir Putin. Being at a delicate time in Russia's current climate, this has led to much online berating and articles extensively digging through the intention of the story to incite political uproar, judging the tale's moral connotations and stereotypes of drunk Russians. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">In response to these outcries, director Andrey Zvyaginstev stated...</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #282828; line-height: 20.7199993133545px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">“The story is completely universal, not just in a special geographical context but in the sense of time. It’s not about a concrete era...</span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #282828; line-height: 20.7199993133545px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">It just so happens that the era in which we filmed it bears a little bit too much resemblance to [current events].”</span></span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">...and there it is. So, with that in mind, I'm not going to entertain any furore over the supposed negative impact that a fictional tale has during its unfortunately timed release. Instead, I'm going to try and focus on the film, its story, characters, performances and quality, with maybe a little bit of metaphoric thematic analysis thrown in along the way.</span></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-h69RRBmG4Vs/VdOxLusboyI/AAAAAAAACVA/tDUOPd32L1I/s1600/leviathan2b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="190" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-h69RRBmG4Vs/VdOxLusboyI/AAAAAAAACVA/tDUOPd32L1I/s320/leviathan2b.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">A dulled beauty is apparent as soon as the piece emerges, with opening shots of the stark coastal landscape setting the tone; a voice we are reminded of when the opening </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">orchestral </span>score stops abruptly during images of shipwrecks. </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">It really doesn't take long to notice that this is a moody looking picture, with </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">plenty of shots of barren, yet beautiful, landscapes, strewn with derelict buildings doused with damp and frescoes. </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Shot at all times of day, it's the scenes filmed at dawn and dusk that carry the most weight, accenting the beautifully bleak look that the film delivers. Even though such lens work doesn't get to take much advantage of the high definition shooting, which further highlights the tone and sense the story is trying to portray, this doesn't deter from the feel of the picture overall.</span></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dUOQRE_jUeY/VdO0qCcV2tI/AAAAAAAACVk/8CHjBeQDrHw/s1600/leviathan4e.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="198" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dUOQRE_jUeY/VdO0qCcV2tI/AAAAAAAACVk/8CHjBeQDrHw/s320/leviathan4e.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Shots are held for plenty of time for each actor to elicit responses to their counterparts; lingering long enough to catch a facial twitch, or a gentle double-take. It's a confident angle to take in such a delicately paced drama, yet it works so well. This approach helps to emphasise the strain and earthiness that brews within the </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">performances, each character subtly playing off each other for required absolution and refutes.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The biggest victim of these manipulations is the man amidst the hurricane, Nikolay. His journey is quite tough to absorb, as he is pulled in all directions by those that need him, those that repel him and his own inner-self's need for nostalgic legacy and justified stubbornness. </span><br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BexOioxBXbQ/VdOzPA6-cbI/AAAAAAAACVY/BhJ99opr65U/s1600/leviathan3d.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="196" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BexOioxBXbQ/VdOzPA6-cbI/AAAAAAAACVY/BhJ99opr65U/s320/leviathan3d.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">It's heart-wrenching seeing a man being pushed to his limits, even if necessary to ensure that the story pertains to what it beholds. Be prepared f<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">or some heavy <span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">themes and start<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">ling outcomes<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">. </span></span></span></span>It's quite ominous in parts, but it has to be; a w<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">eight </span>that feels fundamental in this piece's invite through the</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> window of a small, if powerful, town, burgeoning with hunger from its </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">turbulent mentality</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> and<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> </span>egocentric inhabitants.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Besides the depth in the plot, it's the performances of these driven characters that hold the entire piece together. </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The late night confrontation between Nikolay, Dmitriy and Vadim is a showcase for some of the best drunken-acting I've ever seen. It's not too over-the-top or cliche, but subtle enough to seem genuine, while volatile enough to garner tension slowly, all the while seeing how their behaviour is wholly inappropriate; their reaction unnecessarily accentuated. </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Unusually, there are also minor touch-points of humour. Clearly intentional, if substantially light, they are mere flashes amongst the stirring drama, yet as just as important an ingredient in forming the personality of the piece.</span></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Sho_nw96MT8/VdOuSI_xQPI/AAAAAAAACUY/SAI9xcUu0Wo/s1600/leviathan12.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Sho_nw96MT8/VdOuSI_xQPI/AAAAAAAACUY/SAI9xcUu0Wo/s320/leviathan12.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">All our actors handle this unconventional blend comfortably, each running away with each scene with little care of the viewer, gracing the piece with a natural tone. One performer who manages this well is Anna Ukolova. She's not starred in many films but she has a great acting presence. I feel she deserves more exposure in the film industry, as she has natural talent in front of the lens. She could be real rising star out of this film.</span><span style="font-size: small;"> </span><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Q8OeB0iZ6SY/VdOqOWI5vQI/AAAAAAAACT8/TdjmdF6lRP4/s1600/leviathan8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Q8OeB0iZ6SY/VdOqOWI5vQI/AAAAAAAACT8/TdjmdF6lRP4/s320/leviathan8.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Of all the actors though, the one who towers above them all is Madyanov as the poisonous mayor, Vadim. One part classic villain, on part modern pawn, all wrapped up in the saturated skin of a drunken control freak, he's the outlaw that needs ousting by the hot-shot lawyer. Madyanov embodies this charismatic power-monger with sincerity and aplomb.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Drunk from power and vodka, the mayor cuts a demanding presence</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> and it's truly a</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> shame that there wasn't more screen time for him. I could quite happily watch a film purely on<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> </span>Vadim.<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> </span> </span><br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-bgZFi8bAE6M/VdOvXfoG4NI/AAAAAAAACUw/v7hUGcntlRg/s1600/leviathan13.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-bgZFi8bAE6M/VdOvXfoG4NI/AAAAAAAACUw/v7hUGcntlRg/s320/leviathan13.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">It's the strength in these characters, along with their complex chemistry, which tear me away from the obvious 'Book of Job' comparisons (impending house demolition equals Job's hurricane; peering up to circular images equals questioning God for the perpetual despair, etc.), instead propelling me to liken it to a different type of movie altogether...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Picture the scene<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">: </span>Dmitriy is the loner in an old, familiar town. He's been invited to save the town by Nikolay, the drunk saloon owner, who is struggling to overcome the megalomaniac sheriff, Vadim. Wanting to own the the last piece of the pie, this regularly inebriated abuser of the law will stop at anything to overthrow Nikolay and take the bar as his own. Can the wandering hero Dmitriy stop this crazed marshall before it's too late?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Leviathan has wrongly been accused as a portrayal of stereotypes in the need for political-grooming. Yet, it</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> is clearly more a literal 'Western' than trying to just cater for western palates, which is a far more international genre anyway, especially with its heritage in Japan's 'Chanbara' movies. </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">That's a far romantic comparison, don't you think?</span><br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-HvK23QyDAY4/VdOp_OVA2rI/AAAAAAAACT0/SbxzuBOaf0w/s1600/leviathan7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="202" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-HvK23QyDAY4/VdOp_OVA2rI/AAAAAAAACT0/SbxzuBOaf0w/s400/leviathan7.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Admittedly, there is a bit of a dip in pace throughout the third quarter of the film, which says a lot when considering that it is actually fairly slow-paced. Stick with it though, as it is still a brilliantly rewarding piece. It may been seen as brave in its subject material, especially in the face of all of the controversy, however nothing can prepare for startling climax. A great example of ignoring the negative and listening to the real!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><i>Don't forget to leave comments below, tweet me @filmbore or post on my Facebook page <a href="http://www.facebook.com/thefilmbore" target="_blank">here</a>.</i> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><i>Alternatively, you could contact me directly about this film or my other reviews on picks@filmbore.co.uk</i></span></div>
filmborehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04231468342182243163noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8745746982742182906.post-45794695796651817002015-07-09T19:26:00.000+01:002019-05-17T13:17:48.314+01:00filmbore chats with Liam Rodgers<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">An interview with Liam Rodgers</span></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Author of 'Dogknife'</span></span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Like many cities, Nottingham is full of creatives. What's wonderful about this bustling town though is it's underbelly of interest in independent artists of all walks of life, whatever the inventive output. It's a great platform for up-and-coming writers, creators and performers, one of which is my good friend, Liam Rodgers. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">On 31st May 2014, Liam independently released his self-penned novel, 'Dogknife', joyfully accompanied with great support and positive responses. It's a local story with strong characters and real-life experiences. Reading it was an intimate experience and thought-provoking. Pick up a copy now at Amazon in <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Dogknife-Liam-Rodgers-ebook/dp/B00KQ7EXZU" target="_blank">Kindle</a> form or <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Dogknife-Liam-Rodgers/dp/1494421615/ref=sr_1_1_twi_2_pap?ie=UTF8&qid=1436376417&sr=8-1&keywords=dogknife" target="_blank">Paperback</a> and find out more at www.facebook.com/dogknife.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia";"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Currently residing in Sheffield, we conducted it as </span>an email interview. Read further to find out how it went...</span></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-EXqFlz9_zuM/VZ1YGMv75OI/AAAAAAAACSA/ivydCDxZGus/s1600/dknife3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="202" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-EXqFlz9_zuM/VZ1YGMv75OI/AAAAAAAACSA/ivydCDxZGus/s320/dknife3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<i><b><span style="font-family: "georgia";"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Liam, for those not
aware of your book’s plot, can you</span> summarise the premise of </span></b></i><b><span style="font-family: "georgia";">Dogknife</span></b><i><b><span style="font-family: "georgia";"> in a few
sentences for us?</span></b></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia";">Essentially, it's a tale of
three girls growing up in Radford and when one of them is raped by a bloke
cruising for sex, the other two find him and stab him, which leads to the main
character getting banged up in a young offenders institute. The story is then
told from her point-of-view, how she ended up in jail.</span></div>
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<i><b><span style="font-family: "georgia";">Being from around Nottingham yourself, I understand that the story was
influenced by your own experiences growing up. How much of the book is based on
true facts? Were some of the experiences your own? How much of the story is
influenced by your experiences?</span></b></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia";">Loads of the prison stuff
is based on reality of my own time in a young offenders centre and all of the
prison slang, some of the violence and other scenes are based on real
events, that happened around me or involved me. The rape-revenge stuff is for
the plot and is based loosely on stories I heard in jail and also when I was
filming a documentary about prostitution in Nottingham
in 2005. The book is very real in that way, even though it is a fiction novel.</span></div>
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<i><b><span style="font-family: "georgia";">Your lead character has
an awesome nickname: ‘Gizmo’. Tell us a little bit about her and why you chose
this name for her.</span></b></i></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-BUMp9UjW3GQ/VZ1YjgFF-kI/AAAAAAAACSQ/7CDIywxp80g/s1600/dknife.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-BUMp9UjW3GQ/VZ1YjgFF-kI/AAAAAAAACSQ/7CDIywxp80g/s320/dknife.jpg" width="208" /></a><span style="font-family: "georgia";">Well apart from it being,
of course, the name of the main furry fella in the film <i>Gremlins</i>, it was also
the nickname of a girl who hung about with some of the older lads in an area I
grew up in and I always thought it was a cool nickname, although I don't know
who that girl was or where she is now or anything. I wonder if she will ever
know there is a character in a novel named after her? In the book, Gizmo is
given the name because of her fluffy hair, which is a direct nod to the film
which, when I was a lad, was a funny film to watch, highly entertaining, along
with other classics like <i>Back To The Future</i> and <i>The Breakfast Club</i>. When I watch
them now, I can't help cringe at certain points, but for our generation they are
classics and invoke childhood memories and gooey feelings in our stomachs for
everything to be nice and cosy, like it was when we were kids - or something. Haha.
I watch <i>Back To The Future</i> once a year at Xmas, without fail, simply to marvel
at how timeless it is.</span></div>
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<i><b><span style="font-family: "georgia";">Funnily enough, I watch 'Gremlins' every Christmas. Without fail. Best Xmas film ever! Staying with Gizmo, you mentioned about the story being from her perspective. </span></b><b><span style="font-family: "georgia";">Was it always your intention to write the
story in the first person? And why did you choose this method?</span></b></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia";">I chose to write from a
girl's point-of-view because I could not get some of the stories I heard, while
making the doc, out of my head; girls being punched out cold on the streets for
simply being a working girl or being dragged into cars and raped. It's all
fucking bad stuff to be doing to women, to anyone, and so I thought I owed it
to those people, to girls everywhere, to try and represent their story. I have
had my own issues on life, from crazy relationships, to now I have a daughter
who is 11, and so women's rights and the glass ceiling and feminism and all
that, is close to my heart. It had to be from a girl's point-of-view, I think, as
well because it was about what happens to a rapist...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia";">In terms of method, I was
on the run in 2006/2007 for my involvement in a silly fight that got out of
hand and decided to write a book so that when I was eventually captured (which
is inevitable, really, for any modern n'er do well), I would have something
positive to show the court on top of all the amazing youth work and charity
work I had been doing. To prepare myself for the book I read dozens and dozens
(and I mean dozens and dozens) of autobiographies and other biographies, mostly
of former convicts and gangsters and also a few other celebs and that really
gave me the feel of that type of voice. I immersed myself in those books, often
laying low in the library for hours at<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>time, sometimes all day, and then wandering back to my sofa or spare bed
or wherever I was, to get my head down and think about <i>Dogknife</i> as a story.
Gizmo's speech and mannerisms and her ideas came out of that intensely lonely
time of being on the run, when I hardly ever went out socially except to
trusted friends houses, etc. And so, I was not really working, or spending time
doing one job. I had lots of time to kill. <i>Dogknife </i>came out of that. But, I
have to say, I wasn't like Jesse James on the run. I was not a hero. I was a
dick who made mistakes and I did still do some cash in hand work, and once MC'd
a night in front of the lord mayor of Nottingham, which I found ironic...</span></div>
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<i><b><span style="font-family: "georgia";">Now, I'm just picturing you, on the mic, spitting some lines at the Mayor...brilliant! Speaking of our city, this tale is full </span></b><b><span style="font-family: "georgia";">to the
brim with Nottingham dialect. It must be hard
to keep this up? Did you ever slip out of the local colloquial?</span></b></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia";">Because I'm a Notts lad
through and through, and not quite gone full hipster just yet, I can never get
rid of that council estate, ruffian side of me that got me in so much trouble as
I grew up, but who saved me when I was writing the book! Haha, you can take me
out of the street, but you cant take the street out of me, I guess! I love the
Notts dialect and had to make the book as real as possible so that other Notts
people, either born and bred or migrants, such as your good Welsh self who have
lived here for years and know the vibe, would understand it is authentic. </span></div>
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<i><b><span style="font-family: "georgia";">Only part-Welsh. I'm still a Herefordian (I'll never shift that will I?! Haha)</span></b><b><span style="font-family: "georgia";">. </span></b><b><span style="font-family: "georgia";">As a honorary 'Nottinghamite', I really enjoyed its authenticity. </span></b><b><span style="font-family: "georgia";">Personally, from reading
the book I picked up on two other key strengths: strong characters and it being very
plot driven. This is just my view as the reader, and others may disagree. Would
you say these are two factors of story writing that are important to you? What
are elements are at the forefront of your writing process?</span></b></i></div>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-f733Il0MXV8/VZ1X59IG_TI/AAAAAAAACR4/ZJEkMz_sBe4/s1600/photo%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-f733Il0MXV8/VZ1X59IG_TI/AAAAAAAACR4/ZJEkMz_sBe4/s320/photo%25282%2529.JPG" style="cursor: move;" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Liam Rodgers (right) gives filmbore <i>his Dogknife</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia";">I think they are important
as fuck because I love scenes, and scenes help to drive plot: I love watching
scenes in films and TV and also imagining them in my mind when I read. So
writers, I think, have to give their readers scenes, so that they can really
immerse themselves in it and get those scenes imprinted on their minds. For
example, in <i>Farewell to Arms</i> by Hemmingway, the scene of (<i><b>spoiler alert</b></i>) the
bomb hitting the ambulance station and blowing him up is etched on my mind, but
I can't at all recall how he describes the mountains and rivers and stuff. The
scenes drive it for me. I literally have people messaging me, or chatting to me,
and going "That scene where they 'x/y/z" and they pull a face, and I know that
scene is etched in their minds. I have to write like that, because it's what I
like to watch and read. You'll see there is not too much description in
<i>Dogknife</i>, and it's because with writing, I think, it is not necessary to fill
two pages with tree-lined streets and clouds and birds singing, and then have
your scene at the end, the action. I think going "It was sunny, there were kids
playing kerby by the road and a man shouting at his missis nearby, and then the
cops pulled up to me..." is easier to set a scene and you can add description
as the scene unfolds, if you like.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia";">With characters, they have
to be based on real people or amalgamations of real people, even if it's three
or four people coming through one character. For example, Gizmo's name is based
on the girl from my area when I was a kid, her looks are based on another girl
I had a little fling with when I was 16 and her mannerisms and speech is based
on me, and a few others I grew up with. So that's one character made up of
multiple personalities. For me, it's normal to make my characters this way.
However,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Crawley is based on one
character though, a guy called Corley, from Lincolnshire who was shot and killed a few
years back. I based Crawley on him out of
respect for the friendship we made in jail. His shooting effected me, as I knew
he was a good guy and the low down pieces of shit that killed him got away with
it as well, so that also hurts. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia";">So characters can be a mix
of others or one strong person. I think by doing that you create characters readers
really relate to.</span></div>
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<i><b><span style="font-family: "georgia";">That's a great method for building characters... blending them, like our minds do with dreams. Methods of creativity is one thing but,</span></b><b><span style="font-family: "georgia";"> f</span></b><b><span style="font-family: "georgia";">or all the budding
writers out there, what advise can you give to keep the writing spirit going?</span></b></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia";">Read a shit load of books
to get a feel and then don't read anything the entire time while you write, as
it will fuck with your voice. For example, if I listen to Nirvana all day
(which I often have done) and then sit down to write what I think will be an
original song, it will be a Grunge song by default. Or, if I listen to Wu-Tang Clan (which I often have done) and then sit down and write, what I think is
gonna be original Hip-Hop, it wont be...it will sound like the 'Wu'. So, I'd say
read the genre you want to write in, to learn the craft and how those stories
are told, then chuck them all away and get them out of your mind as stories, and
wait a while, like a month or two. Then, get your pad out and start writing your
original story. I didn't read fiction for 5 years during and after I wrote
<i>Dogknife </i>so that my voice would not get screwed up by other work. I finally
broke that by reading <i>The Bell Jar </i>by Sylvia Plath in 2011 when I stayed at a
mates house. I love that book, and I am glad I didn't read it while I was
writing as it would have leaked into the voice, I reckon.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia";">And another thing...don't
write for the publishers and the agents, because they don't know dick! They are
out to make money, not write stories. So write and get it out there yourself,
self-publish and if you do a good enough job, they will come- a-knocking.</span></div>
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<i><b><span style="font-family: "georgia";">Sometimes, only the indie-way will do. </span></b><b><span style="font-family: "georgia";">One approach which seems
to keep the fire stoking for all "creatives" these days is the
“kick-starter” method. With a multitude of sites available these days, what’s
your view on this new avenue?</span></b></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia";">Go for it. Gofundme. Indiegogo. Kickstarter. All of those sites are amazing and should be used
absolutely 100% if you wanna raise cash to make a film, or publish a book, or do
whatever. Go for it, but just make sure you have<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>a decent video [<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VVW2blGJ_dw" target="_blank">see Liam's awesome campaign video here</a>] explaining in a cool way what
it is you're doing and people will figure out the rest. I gave £1 to the
cause to re-master and edit Orson Welles's unfinished film because the video
for the cause was cool and, well, it's fucking Orson Welles, but still, that £1
counts all the same. I rate Indiegogo personally as <a href="https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/dogknife#/story" target="_blank">that's how I funded Dogknife's</a> first print run, but there are others.</span></div>
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<i><b><span style="font-family: "georgia";">It's true, these sites provide an opportunity for so many. Promotion for lesser known is why I started filmbore. The more exposure the better, especially if it's raising funds. </span></b><b><span style="font-family: "georgia";">Let’s talk about the
future for Liam Rodgers. You’ve mentioned to me previously that you’d like
</span></b><b><span style="font-family: "georgia";">Dogknife </span></b><b><span style="font-family: "georgia";">to be considered for a film adaptation...</span></b></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia";">I would love to raise the
money to make it into a film. A proper, gritty, UK film, punching above its weight,
touring film festivals and film markets, slugging it out with all the other
films trying to get distribution deals, etc, and I will one day for sure. I
will probably do a massive crowd-funding campaign, as previously mentioned, but
not until I have cleared a couple of thousand copies of the book off my own back.
I am at about 600 copies so far, so a little bit more to go, but I'll get there.
When I do, it will be a proper grass-roots film, filmed in Notts, on location,
using local actors and amateurs and local crew and stuff. It will be a blinder,
I'm sure. I sent it to Shane Meadows and his assistant politely emailed saying
he is not reading anything new for a while as he is tied up for a couple of
years. But I will get in front of Shane one day, I hope! But seriously, I can
do the whole low-budget thing if it comes to it, I reckon for a about 50k I
could get it done and edited. When you think <i>Once</i>, the Irish film, was made for
100k Euros and did 7 million in gross....It's doable.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia";">Actually adapting it is
another thing completely, a whole new marathon of writing and editing, lets not
go there for now...hahaha. :)</span></div>
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<i><b><span style="font-family: "georgia";">Sounds like a lot of work. And hey</span></b><b><span style="font-family: "georgia";">, maybe Mr Meadows will cast his eyes across this interview and take notice.</span></b><b><span style="font-family: "georgia";"> Have you had any
involvement in film before?</span></b></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia";">As I mentioned, I filmed
the documentary on prostitution in Nottingham
in 2005, and have made a few little things here and there. I have recently
submitted a short film to a competition in Leeds. It's about old people playing
snooker in Sheffield; a mini-doc about 4
minutes long. I shot that on a Canon 600D with a H4N Zoom audio recorder and a
Rode shotgun mic on a boom pole. It's all about indie stuff for me, I love
doing it that way. I had to ask someone else to edit it though, but in my
current job I am using Premiere Pro so I am learning about that now which will
stand me in good stead for my own films. I love films: making them, thinking
about them, watching them, day-dreaming about making them, reading about others
making them. I fucking love film! Probably more than most things actually...</span></div>
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<i><b><span style="font-family: "georgia";">You're in good company here then, Liam!</span></b><b><span style="font-family: "georgia";"> And finally, what can we
see next from you? What new projects are you working on?</span></b></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia";">I am running a small
publishing project working with vulnerable adults and young people getting
their work into published books, and 'Dogknife Book Two' is
currently at page 30-something. I am also working on a script for a mate who is
producing a Notts-based film which is being [shot] in August. I just had a
script dropped by an indie theatre company after a month or so of development
and I think it's because it was too realistic and not theatre-y enough...like I
said, you can take me out of the streets, but you can't...etc. haha. :) </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia";">Or...maybe
I just cant write plays??</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia";"><br /></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "georgia";">'Dogknife' is available on Amazon on Paperbook or as Kindle. Grab a copy now!</span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "georgia";">http://www.amazon.co.uk/Dogknife-Liam-Rodgers-ebook/dp/B00KQ7EXZU</span></i></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Rf0DSUVc_tw/VZ1aFBv0AOI/AAAAAAAACSk/ike79PsiE24/s1600/dknife5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="291" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Rf0DSUVc_tw/VZ1aFBv0AOI/AAAAAAAACSk/ike79PsiE24/s400/dknife5.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">If what Li<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">am has <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">said has moved you and you have any comments, </span></span>please do so<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> </span>below, or tw<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">eet</span> me @filmbore</span></i></div>
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filmborehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04231468342182243163noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8745746982742182906.post-19625385069331618832015-05-28T21:36:00.001+01:002019-05-17T13:18:04.940+01:00filmbore attends the Poison Tree launch do<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">A step forward for Turrell Films!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Poison Tree launch do - An evening of films, music and cake</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i><a href="https://www.facebook.com/thelofthousenottingham" target="_blank">The Lofthouse</a>, Nottingham, 13th May 2015</i></span><br />
<i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-align: justify;"><br /></i>
<i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-align: justify;">www.turrellbrothers.co.uk</i><br />
<i style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">www.crybabystudio.co.uk</span></i><br />
<i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-align: justify;">www.twitter.com/turrellbros</i><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Locating </span><a href="https://www.facebook.com/thelofthousenottingham" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;" target="_blank">The Lofthouse</a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">, on Warser Gate in Nottingham, I clamber up the stairs slowly feeling the anticipation swelling. Finding the floor for tonight's event, I'm welcomed with a touch of nostalgia laid before me in the form of portable TVs, draped with VHS cassettes, and displaying home videos. </span><br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-zULCztc5BvA/VWd71eJn-vI/AAAAAAAACRg/k_oCW6WVrsw/s1600/crt1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="143" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-zULCztc5BvA/VWd71eJn-vI/AAAAAAAACRg/k_oCW6WVrsw/s200/crt1.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Not just of any old videos, mind you, but of the entertaining products of the early days of John and Tom Turrell a.k.a. <a href="http://www.turrellbrothers.co.uk/" target="_blank">The Turrell Brothers</a>. Flaunting</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> some of their earlier shorts, from as far back as 11 years ago, this filmic installation of retro CRTs acts as a joyous porthole into their past, casually revealing their training as padawan film makers and exposing the creative spirit they have always endured. It's a jovial step readying us for their next big step forward.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">And, a perfect introduction to this new venue too - a nice, hidden corner of Nottingham's "cool" </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">in the heart of the city's hot, cultural quarter. I love the stripped down feel, direct and unabashed, and as </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">one of Nottingham's coolest live nightspots it's a </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">burgeoning embodiment of film and live music</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">.</span></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1vpCee8Nj2M/VWd7kv9XZqI/AAAAAAAACRY/GYtYZGoLz-E/s1600/cowell1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1vpCee8Nj2M/VWd7kv9XZqI/AAAAAAAACRY/GYtYZGoLz-E/s320/cowell1.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Stepping into the main room, with Tom Turrell kindly passing me some fermented tea, one of the first things I couldn't ignore was a man patiently sketching by the bar. An evolving scene of two young ladies holding hands,</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> perhaps looking to the future ahead...a possible reflection on the nearing success that I hope the Turrell brothers can attain soon. This was the brother's colleague and </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">concept artist Michael Cowell, </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">crafting a piece on site.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">In fact, The Turrell's and their other colleagues (producers </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Anna Griffin and Rachel Dargavel, of <a href="http://www.crybabystudio.co.uk/" target="_blank">Cry Baby Studios</a>),</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> have put so much effort into making an intriguing, friendly event to illustrate their talent and passion. And the reason for this needed awareness is due to Creative England...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Linked with BFI, this is the second year for Creative England's 'iShorts', a huge event where around 350 film makers have put across their cases to become the next big name in UK direction and production. It's wonderful platform for new film makers to make a mark, the programme acting as a great opportunity to garner more support for independent creatives. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Out of the 300 plus entrants, only 19 contestants remain - one of these groups consisting of John, Tom, Anna and Rachel. Their aim...to </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">promote awareness for their entry to iShorts, Poison Tree. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="http://creativeengland.co.uk/story/ishorts-2015-project---poison-tree" target="_blank">Click on this link</a> and watch the pitch video to learn more, hearing of a tale of a young woman going through a bereavement, and pitting for revenge. <a href="http://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/poisontree" target="_blank">Please donate to the Crowdfunder</a> as well. Not only are there some great gifts on offer, including t-shirts, badges, jewellery and artwork (from on-site sketcher, Michael Cowell no less!). But also, you'll be helping these great film makers onto a springboard to the next level in their career.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Getting back to the event, and after a good amount of welcoming and chatting amongst the guests, the gathering bustle to their seats, drinks in hand, preparing for the onslaught of homegrown cinema kindly prepared for us. </span><br />
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Introduced by the team themselves, we were to be treated to some snippets from previous projects. Ranging from 2010 to 2015, the collection of self-produced delights comprised of a full short in its entirety followed by cuts from their other pieces, including a sneak preview of up-and-coming piece, <i>Eliphasito</i>.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Commencing with the aptly named <i>Found Tape</i> (2010), we experience the japes of two lads with a stolen camera, up to no good, filming their capers. Finishing with their attempt </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">at ransacking an abandoned house, this</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">found-footage gem feels genuine throughout, with</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> good tension build. There's some </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">lovely, natural handheld work, paired with snappy editing for that "real home video" style. And, from startling friends in alleyways, to pigs heads in bushes, it feels so raw and confident in its sense of horror. The flagship shot near the end of the piece, a</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> locked shot on a fellow locked door as events unfold, is sensational!</span><br />
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As were the ingredients of the movie cocktail that followed it. Were it through the combination of the perfectly handled angles of 2010's <i>Toyah</i>, or the crispness of the art-house micro-vignettes in the <i>Malick</i>esque <i>Shank's Pony</i> (2014), the shots on screen were a great intro into the Turrell's back catalogue, highlighting their approach, effort and nature as film makers. It's a great example of what they are aiming to achieve.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I'm really looking forward to </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>Eliphasito </i>too. With fantastic dialogue, natural humour and strong characters, it looks a blast. They'll be filming the remainder of it this summer, so to find out more, look for the third article on <a href="http://www.turrellbrothers.co.uk/gazette" target="_blank">their news page here</a>.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">With such wonderful variety, it was a great showcase. A great set up and vibe, </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">swimming in a lovely balance of warmth and ardour, </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">with music playing into the night. It was </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">a wonderful social film party for</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> friends, family and enthusiasts. I hope their next party will be for celebrating their success!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Please go to the </span><a href="http://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/poisontree" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;" target="_blank">Crowdfunder site</a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> and pledge if you can. The deadline is the 8th June 2015 so please invest asap. Also, share this post with your social network. You can find out more </span><a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Poison-Tree/1447777202186953" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;" target="_blank">Poison Tree Facebook</a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> group here.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">And, as always, please feel free to comment below, or contact me @filmbore</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">http://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/poisontree</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">http://creativeengland.co.uk/story/ishorts-2015-project---poison-tree</span></div>
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filmborehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04231468342182243163noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8745746982742182906.post-49773946073860684152015-05-20T20:15:00.000+01:002015-05-28T20:08:41.723+01:00filmbore picks The Past<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">The Past</span><br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-avQOBbmdml4/VVudopUC6ZI/AAAAAAAACNw/cZ_HNGD5feU/s1600/thepast1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="177" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-avQOBbmdml4/VVudopUC6ZI/AAAAAAAACNw/cZ_HNGD5feU/s320/thepast1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;">Director: Asghar Farhadi</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;">Screenplay: Asghar Farhadi</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;">Starring: Bérénice Bejo, Ali Mosaffa, Tahar Rahim, Pauline Burlet</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;">Year: 2013</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;">Languages: French/Persian </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;">UK rental release: June 2014</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/le_passe/" target="_blank">Rotten Tomatoes</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">In the UK, there have been two forces dominating the news of late: Family, through the royal baby, and Politics, via the General Election. Merging both, let's delve into the gentle turmoil of 'family politics' with Asghar Farhadi's, </span><i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The Past</i><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">. </span></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-oRPuFdB1m2A/VVueHUaN5vI/AAAAAAAACN4/UkQ_OHvHilo/s1600/thepast2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="168" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-oRPuFdB1m2A/VVueHUaN5vI/AAAAAAAACN4/UkQ_OHvHilo/s320/thepast2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Marie, </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">(Bérénice Bejo, </span><i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The Artist</i><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">, </span><i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Populaire</i><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">) waits patiently at the airport terminal for her expected visitor. Her ex-partner, </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Ahmad (Ali Mosaffa, </span><i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Leila</i><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">, </span><i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The Last Step</i><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">) </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">arrives, having flown in from Iran, bringing with him some luggage issues. </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Clearly, these two have known each other for a long time. The instant rapport allows Ahmad to forget about his missing suitcase for a moment. </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">He can't help being cheeky. She can't help being amused by it. The old connections are still there, if only skin deep. Yet</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">, something not yet spoken haunts their ease and natural chemistry. </span></span></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lSSQ4h8Q41o/VVueisKblaI/AAAAAAAACOA/cs0DJoYBdog/s1600/thepast3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="174" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lSSQ4h8Q41o/VVueisKblaI/AAAAAAAACOA/cs0DJoYBdog/s320/thepast3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Even though married for some years, they are about to finalise their divorce. Since the separation, Ahmad has begun to feel estranged from Marie's two daughters, Lucie and Léa (newcomer Jeanne Justin). While not being their biological dad, Ahmad has played an important part in their lives, with his living abroad obviously playing a part in the segregation now felt.</span> </div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">While parked near the girl's school, Marie inside looking for Lucie, </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">a traffic warden forces Ahmad to move the car. Circling the block, he chances upon the </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">identification papers of </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">a man named Samir, and starts putting things together.</span></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-xPt29tx2gMA/VVufYxNrs2I/AAAAAAAACOg/o7V_Xgo3ypQ/s1600/thepast7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="177" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-xPt29tx2gMA/VVufYxNrs2I/AAAAAAAACOg/o7V_Xgo3ypQ/s320/thepast7.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Samir </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">(Tahar Rahim, </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><a href="http://filmbore.blogspot.co.uk/2013/10/filmbore-pick-of-week-prophet.html" target="_blank"><i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">A Prophet</i></a>, </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Grand Central</i>) </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">is Marie's new partner, living at her home with son, Fouad (also newcomer Elyes Aguis)<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">. <span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">A</span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> fiery boy, Fouad is displeased with having to move into Marie's, worsened now there's a "strange man" around. <span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">And, the</span> longer Ahmad stays, the more he learns about the<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> </span>situation, discovering that </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Samir's ex-wife has been in a coma for<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> months</span>. </span><br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2DKn4lkYYfk/VVukDie4C0I/AAAAAAAACPo/F8UB9dyAm2o/s1600/thepast3a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="185" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2DKn4lkYYfk/VVukDie4C0I/AAAAAAAACPo/F8UB9dyAm2o/s320/thepast3a.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">He's still unsure of the full cause of her condition though, but not for long.</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> Eldest daughter, Lucie </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">(Pauline Burlet, </span><i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">La Vie En Rose</i><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">, </span><i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Dead Man Talking</i><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">) has hit rebellious teens, causing stri<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">fe </span>and rarely sleeping at home<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">, yet </span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">something else appears to trouble her.<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> </span>Ahmad has always had a good connection with Lucie, so Marie trusts him to speak to her in the hope that he might understand her behaviour.<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> </span> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">As he digs further, uncovering the source of </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Lucie's upset, he'll unravel the mystery surrounding </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Samir's ex-wife's coma.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">A Memento Films production, <i>Le Passé</i> is an expertly produced drama. This is no surprise with Farhadi at the helm (<a href="http://filmbore.blogspot.co.uk/2014/02/filmbore-pick-of-week-separation.html" target="_blank">click here</a> to see my review of his touching masterpiece, the multi-award winning <i>A Separation</i>) as he delicately positions each element with deft care and relaxed precision. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">It flows at a serene pace, enhanced with some playful scenes to help reveal the overall piece's "real" feel. Keeping the amount of locations to a minimum, Farhadi enriches the film's native claustrophobia, birthed from the story's concept, and enhances that personal feel. This tight but strangely comfortable essence is a welcome extra ingredient of tension infused into the piece. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Some of this is evident from the off, with the first encounter parading ease and edginess all at once. The director's arena has been justly built to house and reveal genuine performances from the cast; a task managed adeptly by the leads in particular. Calm, patient, with a subtle intensity, the most gentlest of gestures provided further purpose and weight for each character.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">This approach is sorely needed for this piece. Even with the mystery underpinning the film, <i>The Past</i> isn't flaunting a complicated story. Until some of the later reveals, there isn't anything majorly complex at play, which is fine when considering the approach of the entire picture. This is about dialogue, normality and character. The open palette allows our performers to take grip of the brush themselves and take part in gracing the canvas with their own strokes of brilliance, creating a tangible body to clasp onto.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">As equally palpable is the tense air between the two men, Tahar Rahim's casting adding an extra air of ounce of cool and brilliant. With gentle measure, the friction is lightly acrid, enough to be felt, but not over saturated as to spoil your palate. </span><br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Fp124MRubMU/VVukXGfA__I/AAAAAAAACPw/d_nqo_YFimg/s1600/thepast4a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="185" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Fp124MRubMU/VVukXGfA__I/AAAAAAAACPw/d_nqo_YFimg/s320/thepast4a.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Airs of competitiveness start to appear, softly surfaced by our male leads. There's a particular scene in Marie's kitchen, where both sit in absolute silence; both too stubborn to break the air, while loosely awkward enough to be too scared to. Through mild mannerisms, the odd brief glance, hesitant reactions and nice pacing, it's raw and smooth all at once, both allowing the rivalry to brew while not fully embodying it. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">This is a smart approach, generating a genuine sense of inner disdain and naturally delivered etiquette, neither wanting to push the other too far in case they upset Bejo's character of Marie. Other actors may have easily embellished the conflict, which seems too obvious, yet, thankfully, these two opted for subtlety. And this film is all the better for it. </span><br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-D0GVe2Oo6ig/VVuevrs2DFI/AAAAAAAACOI/IGmgYx36jvs/s1600/thepast4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="174" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-D0GVe2Oo6ig/VVuevrs2DFI/AAAAAAAACOI/IGmgYx36jvs/s320/thepast4.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">The young cast hold their own against the adults too, especially Elyes Aguis as Fouad. He is just brilliantly cast. Being so expressive and sincere at his age, he has heaps of natural talent. In fact, all the actors, both young and old, permit a heartfelt requisite whatever the scene. It makes the film centre so attainable you'll slip into it with little effort.</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> </span><br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-7nE3gaPxsNs/VVuk9RuogkI/AAAAAAAACQA/aPw9KdE5zxQ/s1600/thepast5b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="192" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-7nE3gaPxsNs/VVuk9RuogkI/AAAAAAAACQA/aPw9KdE5zxQ/s320/thepast5b.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">At it's core, however, sits one key performer. Bérénice Bejo is so self-assured and indomitable as Marie that she's the glue to the entire piece. Her delivery is delicious, switching from </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">cool to combustible in a flash. Her whole performance is a masterclass on control, with her efforts just making enough room to add extra flavour to the relationship between her and her ex-husband, Ahmad.<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">There's an air of true friendship between the pair. And it's the on-screen chemistry they exude that binds all of the other beautiful elements of this sweet and wonderful film together. Even through divorce, they find heart and softness in the most unlikeliest of places.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">As gently paced as it is, you may need some patience of your own with <i>The Past</i>. It's so confident and calm it may appear underwhelming to some. However, if you hold out, you'll be rewarded with simple, moving tale of a complex, fervent family.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><i>Don't forget to leave comments below, tweet me @filmbore or post on my Facebook page <a href="http://www.facebook.com/thefilmbore" target="_blank">here</a>.</i> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><i>Alternatively, you could contact me directly about this film or my other reviews on picks@filmbore.co.uk</i></span></div>
filmborehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04231468342182243163noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8745746982742182906.post-80674518168308376902015-04-22T19:22:00.000+01:002019-05-17T13:18:26.694+01:00filmbore attends Short Stack, Nottingham <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">An Evening Of Many, Enjoyable, Short Films</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Short Stack - An Evening Of Short Films</span><br />
<i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Rough Trade, Nottingham, </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">29th March 2015</span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Compiled and presented by Steve Best</span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">"Birthed" by David Lilley</span></i><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">A chancing glance of a poster in Nottingham's Rough Trade drew my attention. A graphically pleasing promo of an up-and-coming event seared its way into my memory, while earning its place in my phone's photo gallery as a self-captured invitation to a night of local creativity.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">A few weeks later, my girlfriend and I arrived at the venue just inthe nick of time<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> </span>(following an enjoyable viewing of </span><i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Still Alice</i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> at Nottingham's famous indie, Broadway Cinema), the room already brimming with bodies and anticipation. It's not often that you get the kind of bustling atmosphere of a gig night in a homegrown-style cafe on a Sunday evening!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Left with little choice on perches, I was squashed into a corner, right at the front, next to the sound desk. Sounds like a minor criticism, I know, and, normally this would be a frustration. Yet, gifted with a great view on the screen, while infused with the intense vibe the room was still generating, </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">my maverick seating was strangely a blessing</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">. Plus, knowing that a spot is difficult to find says a lot for the popularity of independent film culture in Nottingham.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">And, with sixteen</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> short films from local films makers based around the Midlands, </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">the stack felt far from short! </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Compiled and presented with pride and charisma by Steve Best, covering</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">a medley of genres, it was </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">clear that a lot of thought was put into the sequence of pieces, bringing a good pace and a nice mix of emotive responses. </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">This was probably helped by the night's interactive feel, each filmmaker introducing their piece within a welcome platform for playful heckling. This gave each creator a chance to lift their film in their own way, while helping to further push David Lilley's (</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Short Stack's </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">founder) mantra of "Low budget with high production values". </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Never a truer word spoken. If I had to pinpoint Short Stack's best character trait, that would be of its material's indelible quality. From</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> Jordan Hays brief, sharp and surprising 'Prayer', through </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Frank Harriman's intense and moving 'Go With God', </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">to </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Keith Allott's reflective and poetic 'Flawless', I was enamoured by how great each vignette looked. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">There was still room for some bravery too. Through Harry Ward's light erotica-becomes-still-life in </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">music video</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> 'Eulalia', or </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Gavin Mawditt's and Steve Askey's hilarious beat-em-up parody Street Fatter ("Gavin vs. Darren" </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">garnering some of the biggest laughs on the night), edges were left bare, dare we risk abrading through our enjoyment. We were even treated to a parodic rom-com trailer with Anna Lei's 'Spell Of Cupid', which was brilliantly refreshing. The most adventurous and wonky however was probably </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Lord Anumblue's '</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">La Folie De La Maison De Carisbrooke', which poked a stark and confident (if comically whimsical) finger at the early days of cinema. A real "Le Voyage Dans Le </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Looney"!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">To be honest, I could talk about every submission but, in the nature of harnessing more "edible" journalism, I'll delve a little deeper into just two pieces that, I felt, had the most impact at the event...the kind of impact where I get my "indie" hat on,</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> as this is filmbore, after all.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I'll start with Nick Archer's 'Dysnomia'. This thriller, about a celebrity assassin under duress, was pleasingly unique, with it's cyclical </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">story highlighting the depreciatory value of personal needs. Superbly shot, utilising great natural lighting, it also benefited from some great acting and a genuinely tense feel. Shot around the local areas of Nottingham, there was a mild "meta" moment as one of the opening shots was of our main character walking down Broad Street, right passed where Rough Trade Nottingham was located. It really brought home the idea of...home, I guess, reminding us all that we were witnessing and experiencing the product of local talent.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Most importantly though, is the fact that this particular film set the standard for the evening's "low budget, high quality" motto. Shot in just 5 hours, followed by a mere </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">7 hours of post-production, it is an absolute </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">masterclass of planning and swift production. It is so professionally put together, it's just beautiful. It should stand as the flagship of Short Stack, but must share it with the other hero of the evening...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">If you live in Nottingham and haven't heard about James Bushe's 'Cannibals and Carpet Fitters' yet, the start paying attention! I had no idea this would be shown on the night but, having been aware of it through word-of-mouth, the odd blog and the waves it was starting to generate on the underground Notts film scene, I was ecstatic when it was announced. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">This cheeky, horror-comedy romp is brimming with creepy giggles, while casually retaining a dark undertone. Blessed with some cracking</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> production and great make-up effects (including some impressive eye gore!) it's insanely enjoyable. </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Mrs Hanning was brilliantly casted, with Jenny Stokes clearly delighting in the part as the</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> key antagonist, while Darren Sean Enright and Richard Lee O'Donnell play </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">two strong hero characters with such comedic aplomb I can definitely see them having a bigger story to tell... </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">A story, of which, will come to pass. Not only has 'Cannibals...' been accepted into the Cannes Film Festival's Short Film Corner, it's also being made into a feature length feature. This is proof that, with enough hard work and a innovative bent, you can step into a higher echelon in the industry. It demonstrates the affect </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">festivals and general support can do for low budget treats, while highlighting the level of quality achievable with the right creative spirit. Who knows...maybe one of the evening's other filmmakers may get a similar spring board from the existence of Short Stack. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Being only the second Short Stack event at Nottingham's Rough Trade, and with many more planned, I urge you to take a trip out on a Sunday evening next time around. Go and take in the air of the locally brave and wicked, guiding you through their adventures in celluloid. Not only will you have a great evening but feel a part of a</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> grass-roots, stripped-down, honest film festival. </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Friendly and very, very local. Perfect!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The list of films in full...</span><br />
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<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Standby </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">- Trey Drysdale </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">First Stub </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">- Gavin Mawditt and Claire Harris </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Prayer - Jordan Hays</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Eulalia - </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Harry Ward</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Council Housed And Violent - </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Harry Wilding</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Go With God - </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Frank Harriman</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The Loved & The Lost </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">- Will Hollis </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Flawless </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">- Keith Allott</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">La Folie De La Maison De Carisbrooke </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">- Lord Anumblue </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Street Fatter </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">- Gavin Mawditt and Steve Askey</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Salt And Pepper </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">- Shawn R Briggs </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Dysnomia </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">- Nick Archer</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Echo </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">- Anthony M Winson</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Cannibals and Carpet Fitters </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">- James Bushe </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Spell Of Cupid </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">- Anna Lei</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Mr Creek </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">- Liam Banks</span></li>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">You can find out more at the Short Stack <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/841340665914084/members/" target="_blank">Facebook group here</a> and keep an eye out for more events at Nottingham's <a href="https://www.facebook.com/roughtradenottm?fref=ts" target="_blank">Rough Trade</a>.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">And, as always, please feel free to comment below, or contact me @filmbore</span></div>
filmborehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04231468342182243163noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8745746982742182906.post-29699942920160681902015-02-12T19:42:00.003+00:002019-05-17T13:18:36.989+01:00Top 10 Original Romantic Gestures<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Step up and make an effort!</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; text-align: justify;"> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; text-align: justify;">In wake of my </span><a href="http://filmbore.blogspot.co.uk/2014/12/top-10-alternative-love-stories.html" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-align: justify;" target="_blank">last top ten</a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; text-align: justify;">, plus my last two reviews of </span><a href="http://filmbore.blogspot.co.uk/2014/10/filmbore-picks-angel-a.html" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-align: justify;" target="_blank">Angel-A</a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; text-align: justify;"> and </span><a href="http://filmbore.blogspot.co.uk/2015/01/filmbore-picks-blue-is-warmest-colour.html" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-align: justify;" target="_blank">Blue Is the Warmest Colour</a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; text-align: justify;">, I'm staying one final time on the theme of love. Which is fitting, considering that Valentine's Day is just around the corner (along with that florist that you should get down to immediately!)</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">However, if you're still struggling with discovering a present with that unique appeal, maybe I can help inspire your gift choices with a list celebrating the more daring of chancers in the </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">game-of-amour</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">, with the Top 10 most original romantic gestures in movies.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The criteria:</span></div>
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<li style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The ranking within this list will be determined on both the effort and, most of all, the originality of the event.</span></li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The genre of the film has no impact. Love story or not, it's the gesture contained in the movie that counts.</span></li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">There will be no "murdering for love". Yes, there is effort in this act but it is so unoriginal and far too common.</span></li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">There has to be some "lack of shame" at play. Some purposeful detriment to yourself is beneficial but not paramount, however the opposite angle of a detriment to many will be vetoed. For example, like when Clark gives up his power for Lois in Superman II with little regard for the impact this has on mankind. Or even Neo, choosing to save Trinity over the remainder of the human race in The Matrix Reloaded. Shame on you, you over-romantic demi-gods you!</span></li>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Right, with that settled, let's see who's top of the sops...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">WARNING! Major spoilers and incredibly romantic acts lie ahead!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">10. Jello house - Cloudy With A Chance Of Meatballs (2009)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Flint Lockwood impresses Sam with a mansion-sized mould of jelly to lark about in, leading to a mutual connection through science between them. As they gaze at the sunset, Flint takes it a step further, expressing how beautiful Sam is when she's her true self, donning her specs and ponytail.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>Smooth-o-meter: 3/10</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">You had me at...Jello</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">9. Getting the photo - Forgetting Sarah Marshall (2008) </span></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-llZM0DhoWA0/VNz2sYe9bqI/AAAAAAAACKo/x1JWPSXkbKQ/s1600/forgetting.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="132" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-llZM0DhoWA0/VNz2sYe9bqI/AAAAAAAACKo/x1JWPSXkbKQ/s1600/forgetting.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Rachel hates the topless photo of herself in the toilets of a nearby bar. Peter, in an act of chivalry and recompense, obtains the evidence of her raucous flash, even with the knowledge that he'll take a downright beating from the barman. Her delivers the trophy, battered and bruised, in a true triumph of the underdog!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>Smooth-o-meter: 4/10</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Heart broken...face broken more like!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">8. A joke-a-day - Rocky (1976)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">At heart, this is a love story. A romantic at heart, Rocky Balboa is so infatuated by local pet-shop worker, Adrian, that he makes up a new joke to tell her every single day. Even though his</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> jokes are sometimes a little weak, he persists, showing both effort</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> and uniqueness on a daily basis.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>Smooth-o-meter: 5/10</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Fighting south guffaw</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">7. Buying the piano - Once (2006)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">When a fellow appreciation of the arts clouds feelings between two people, sometimes a personal gift will do the trick. Leaving Dublin for London, and knowing their relationship will always purely be through music, Glen's "guy" farewell gift to Markéta's "girl" is one thing she can't afford but desires the most...a piano to play on forever. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>Smooth-o-meter: 5/10</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Tickled ivories</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">6. Have a library! - Beauty And The Beast (1991)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">And when the gap between the pair is even greater, thanks to a difference in species, you have to give a present of absolute grandeur. And nothing says "I love you" more than...a library! The beast gifts Belle his prize possession, a lifetime of literature, to the woman who stole his heart.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>Smooth-o-meter: 6/10</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Dewi you love me?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">5. A field of daffodils - Big Fish (2003)</span></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Qu0CiwJX188/VNz-eV85uOI/AAAAAAAACLQ/6iAtGHVIVQw/s1600/bigfish.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="132" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Qu0CiwJX188/VNz-eV85uOI/AAAAAAAACLQ/6iAtGHVIVQw/s1600/bigfish.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Young Ed Bloom extends his love to Sandra with flowers...thousands of them! Enough for five states apparently. This takes some serious planning to handle such a large volume of bloom for Bloom and is visually impressive too. No half measures there Ed!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>Smooth-o-meter: 7/10</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Blooming romantic</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">4. His favourite treat - Juno (2007)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">One of the cutest gestures on the list, I'm always moved when Juno takes it a step further once the baby is born. The "lawn living room" was one thing, but filling Bleeker's mailbox with the only other thing he adores, Orange Tic-Tacs is truly original and highly bespoke! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>Smooth-o-meter: 8/10</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Sweet love letters</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">3. Come and find me - Amélie (2001)</span></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-A6vDes6hKjg/VNz-p-BMMGI/AAAAAAAACLg/XuZOBcWNdr0/s1600/amelie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="131" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-A6vDes6hKjg/VNz-p-BMMGI/AAAAAAAACLg/XuZOBcWNdr0/s1600/amelie.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">With a story that's all about generosity through actions, how could Amélie top her efforts so far so she can win the heart of Nino? Cleverly</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">, through trying to unite him to his lost photo album, she incorporates this act into a treasure-hunt style, wild goose chase across Paris, eventually leading to her and her adoration for him.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>Smooth-o-meter: 8/10</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">A literal route to her heart</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">2. "I've bought you flours" - Stranger Than Fiction (2006)</span></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PHcrLBQfZsw/VNz-uj0ALeI/AAAAAAAACLo/H8RzH-7ucsA/s1600/flours2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="131" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PHcrLBQfZsw/VNz-uj0ALeI/AAAAAAAACLo/H8RzH-7ucsA/s1600/flours2.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Nearly taking the top spot, this could be the most unique gesture of them all. When Harold Crick realises he has feelings for baker-businesswoman, Ana, he surprises her, not with a bunch of flowers, but the gift of "flours". It's funny, personal and as naturally romantic as anyone can ever get. A hard one to top. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>Smooth-o-meter: 9/10</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Say it with flours</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><i>And the winner is...</i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">1. The whole film - Cypher (2002)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">An obscure choice, I know. And if it didn't exist, Stranger Than Fiction would clearly get the top slot. This is a major spoiler so, if you want to brave it, let me run this down for you.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Vincenzo Natali's Cypher is, like his other films, another unique tale with twists and thrills within it's exclusive shell. Morgan Sullivan (Jeremy Northam) is bedazzled by the intriguing life of being a corporate spy. Agreeing to the espionage, he gets pulled into a corporate data war between two huge conglomerates, becoming a double agent, or maybe even a triple one.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">During his heady experience between the companies, he's also wowed by Rita Foster (Lucy Liu) who, working for a mysterious man called Sebastian Rooks, is guiding him to what appears to be some form of emancipation and righteousness. She reappears at crucial moments through his secretive actions, luring him to behave against the task beset him.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Everyone, including Morgan, fears Sebastian Rooks; a shadow, who appears to be manipulating every major player to his own will. Its only at the finale that the enigma himself is revealed...Morgan is Sebastian Rooks. Duh-duh-daaah!! A memory transplant, meticulous planning, along with key instructions to Rita, have led him down this monstrously, labyrinthine path to the heart of these corporations. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Yet, his motive is unclear. In a key moment earlier on, at Sunway System's vault, is where we find a MacGuffin of true romance. Rooks is a ghost to the world. No ID, no trace. Completely under the radar. His employee, Rita, is more than just his colleague. She is also his lover. This elaborately over-the-top plan was to retrieve all information on Rita from Sunway Systems' vault leaving little evidence in his wake. He obtains her entire identity and history and, when sunning on a yacht, they throw it into the deep blue. His risky, lethal and near disastrous methods, while completely oblivious to the plan, were just to ensure that Rita can enjoy tranquillity through anonymity. A lifestyle that he wants to share with her forever.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Totally unique and a ridiculously amount of effort. Aww, isn't he sweet! Nice one Sebastian! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>Smooth-o-meter: 10/10</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">You really know me...well, someone has to!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>Just missed out:</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Becoming a different species (Avatar, 2009)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Arwen chooses mortality (The Lord Of The Rings: The Return Of The King, 2003)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Penny goes back for Dodge (Seeking a Friend for the End of the World, 2012)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Climbing the ferris wheel (The Notebook, 2004)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Forfeiting the throne (Coming To America, 1988)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Giving up being Iron Man (Iron Man 3, 2013)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>If you disagree, and have other suggestions, please post comments at the bottom of the post. Or, email me directly on topten@filmbore.co.uk.</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /><i>And don't forget, you can tweet me @filmbore or post on my Facebook page <a href="http://www.facebook.com/thefilmbore" target="_blank">here</a>.</i></span></div>
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filmborehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04231468342182243163noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8745746982742182906.post-50210695103743995042015-01-14T19:01:00.000+00:002015-01-14T19:01:58.060+00:00filmbore picks Blue Is the Warmest Colour<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Blue Is the Warmest Colour (La vie d'Adèle)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;">Director: Abdel Kechiche</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;">Screenplay: Abdel Kechiche, Ghalia Lacroix</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;">Starring: Adèle Exarchopoulos, Léa Seydoux</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;">Year: 2013</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;">Language: French</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;">UK rental release: March 2014</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2278871/?ref_=nv_sr_1" target="_blank">IMDb</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/blue_is_the_warmest_color/?search=blue%20is" target="_blank">Rotten Tomatoes</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">With the romantic spirit of New Years Eve still in our hair, some of us are still bathing in the wake of sentimentality. So, with my last list of</span><span style="font-size: small;"> <a href="http://filmbore.blogspot.co.uk/2014/12/top-10-alternative-love-stories.html" target="_blank">Top 10 Alternative Love Stories</a> tuning into the wonkier side of the passionate coin, it seems fitting that we continue to traverse Cupid's flight path with the impressive and memorable <i>Blue Is the Warmest Colour</i>.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Adèle</span><span style="font-size: small;"> (</span><span style="font-size: small;">Adèle Exarchopoulos, <i>Pieces Of Me</i>) is a 15 year old student, ready to embark on an exploration of life and of herself. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-cwzzhkZXLoU/VLWIVN4PqCI/AAAAAAAACIY/3h2BzwFb4Ms/s1600/blue4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-cwzzhkZXLoU/VLWIVN4PqCI/AAAAAAAACIY/3h2BzwFb4Ms/s1600/blue4.jpg" height="180" width="320" /></a>One morning, her friends espy a boy at school who keeps ogling her, nudging her to consider him for boyfriend material. She isn't so keen though, not succumbing to peer pressure. She meets the young man, Thomas (newcomer Jérémie Laheurte), once again on the bus to school. He's a budding musician, a fact he shares with her during the journey while a brief air of attraction peeks its head.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Adèle first notices Emma (Léa Seydoux, </span><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Grand Central</i>, <i>Saint Laurent</i>), the girl with the striking blue hair, on her way to her first date with Thomas. The encounter leaves a mark, as she struggles to understand how it makes her feel. Her true feelings begin to emerge when she's half asleep. She begins to touch herself yet it is not Thomas that's possessing her thoughts... instead, she can only see Emma. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-w8m8-vuoi0Y/VLWL3t_-DrI/AAAAAAAACJc/iV1QFyP7JN0/s1600/blue11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-w8m8-vuoi0Y/VLWL3t_-DrI/AAAAAAAACJc/iV1QFyP7JN0/s1600/blue11.jpg" height="175" width="320" /></a></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">And as her imagination lets her new muse caress her, a new door in her life opens. She is still so confused at this early phase in her awakening; still trying grasp her</span><span style="font-size: small;"> feelings for Thomas, which are clearly misdirected, distracted even when they make love. It isn't until a surprising and provoking kiss from a school friend that her inner-self rouses. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Her affections re-guided, cementing themselves in her heart and mind, it's from here that her adventure really begins...</span></span></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8HKQRosA9zk/VLWHguc3i1I/AAAAAAAACIA/D3O_vZ0VyoE/s1600/blue1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8HKQRosA9zk/VLWHguc3i1I/AAAAAAAACIA/D3O_vZ0VyoE/s1600/blue1.jpg" height="196" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small; text-align: justify;">Unanimously winning the Palme d'Or at the 2013 Cannes Film Festival, </span><span style="font-size: small; text-align: justify;">director Abdel Kechiche won the gong thirteen years after his debut </span><span style="font-size: small;"><i style="text-align: justify;">La Faute à Voltaire</i><span style="text-align: justify;">. This is so deserved for <i>Blue Is the Warmest Colour</i>, even if just down to the techniques on display.</span></span></span></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-E7kwrimu3Ug/VLWNUWlacKI/AAAAAAAACJ0/JrFLSgqaud0/s1600/blue1c.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-E7kwrimu3Ug/VLWNUWlacKI/AAAAAAAACJ0/JrFLSgqaud0/s1600/blue1c.jpg" height="175" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">It carries </span><span style="font-size: small;">a rich palette, infused with all manner of natural shades, unabated when seldom punctuated by strikingly sharp colours. </span><span style="font-size: small;">Blue, as in the title, is a hugely significant hue, presenting itself at key junctures of gentle epiphany and power. A key sighting of Emma occurs in a nightclub saturated with blue lighting, clearly paving a way for an important encounter.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">There's some great use of hand-held pans throughout too. In fact, it's mostly hand-held, with confident extreme close-ups to capture the subtlety in each character's expression. Such intimacy is vital for this picture to work, especially when trying to experience </span><span style="font-size: small;">Adèle escapades as fully as possible. </span><span style="font-size: small;">The whole picture is pinned to her. This is essential, as her emotional adventure of discovery is the film's core; a centre that you need to relent to, joining her for this tumultuous odyssey.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-align: start;">Emma's persona is well drafted too. </span>She's as much Adèle's muse as Adèle to Emma. And, with such a powerfully effective performance from Exarchopoulos, it's difficult to shine in her light, yet Léa Seydoux has depth and charm of her own. Her personality is aloof and cool, properties most attractive and beguiling to an impressionable Adèle.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">When the relationship hits a low, Adèle becomes a lesser version of herself, not teaching at her best capacity. It's through some of these activities in the final segment of the film that we see the breadth of talent in our star. Adèle Exarchopoulos is endearing and untreated, displaying a full spectrum of emotions and aspects in soft, supple delivery so silky you won't even notice the transition. I would be highly surprised if we don't see her career blossom over the next few years, as she's destined for future in acting.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">As
a final note of the two actresses' brilliance, it needs to be mentioned
that they both shared the Palme d'Or with Abdel Kechiche, a rare event,
also making Exarchopoulos the youngest woman ever to receive the
accolade. It's a shame that this news isn't at the forefront when
discussing this picture...</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">It's
at this point that I have to forewarn you of the film's ever present
elephant-in-the-room: be prepared for some lengthy, very real sex
scenes. They may be too graphic for most, where some of you be
uncomfortable just with the fact that there is young nudity on screen
(Exarchopoulos was 19 when this was filmed), yet these scenes
are not in place to sate your carnal desires. </span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">These moments are
respectful, tender and beautiful, highlighting the innocence and
intrigue this phase of young adult life carries with it. This is a
difficult angle to achieve with such delicate and destructive weight
such scenes could deliver, yet Abdel Kechiche has impressively presented
these moments with grace and realism.</span></span> It's the grittiness </span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">of these scenes is also one of the film's strengths. More
often than not, the film industry delivers love scenes with a flat,
almost false temperament, while always viewed through rose-tinted
glasses. Here, they are raw and normal, which is so rare.</span></span><br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6IrMh-LHGho/VLWLkk7NjOI/AAAAAAAACJU/1SoRl40EmUs/s1600/blue10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6IrMh-LHGho/VLWLkk7NjOI/AAAAAAAACJU/1SoRl40EmUs/s1600/blue10.jpg" height="180" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Even
though these events, which are magnificently shot, have caused some
controversy for the flick, they represent a crucial palisade placed
halfway through this story; a fence of which Adèle finally jumps down
from, choosing which garden she belongs to without any regard for how
rocky the terrain will be! The severity and natural being of these key
scenes need impact for the whole piece to behave as expected.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">And
paired with the apparent paranoia and jealousy, perfectly captured
through the lens, we're party to the struggle of her slow awakening. It
tenderly portrays, through fragile understanding, the steps taken
through your late teens when trying to find yourself. In Adèle's case,
she fears the treacherous journey into exploring her sexuality, which is
delivered on screen in phases and carried with poise, restraint and
respectability. All of this manner carries us through the story via the
deftness and dexterity of the film's production. Buy into Adèle's
plight, and the journey isn't as treacherous...it's joyous! </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Those less initiated with films of this ilk, or those who prefer their movies with more immediacy, may find the pace a little lacklustre. And with a three hour running time, that's difficult to argue with this. However, its own patience invites you to apply yours, where you'll be awarded with a genuine and intense drama that's both sensitively rich and calmly entrancing. But, above, it's a story that speaks to us all.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><i>Don't forget to leave comments below, tweet me @filmbore or post on my Facebook page <a href="http://www.facebook.com/thefilmbore" target="_blank">here</a>.</i> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><i>Alternatively, you could contact me directly about this film or my other reviews on picks@filmbore.co.uk</i></span></div>
filmborehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04231468342182243163noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8745746982742182906.post-6282498114983695472014-12-06T18:49:00.003+00:002019-05-17T13:18:57.204+01:00Top 10 Alternative Love Stories<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Awwww.....sweeeeeet!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">So many love stories available in film. Over the decades, tales of amour have invested in nearly every genre, forever ruling as the queen of story backbones. You must agree though that it is quite difficult , within such an overwhelming presence, to find romantic tales that sit alone; unique in this suffocating genre that crosses over to nearly every theme available.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Well, that's what I'm here for! However, the work was done for me already last year with Spike Jonze's surprisingly warming <i>Her</i>. Through one of the most unusual romances set to film, we were reminded of the core fundamentals for initially falling for someone, of how frequently others may never understand and of the pending sword of Damocles that threatens the sanctuary you've built for one another.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">It received some mixed responses; unfairly so when considering the brave approach it was taking. So</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> this got me thinking...what other alternative love stories deserve more recognition? Which tales of brewing romance need their gallantry and spirit upholding? Time for another Top Ten, this time on alternative love stories...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The criteria:</span></div>
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<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">For a true alternative love story within a film, then the movie's core genre cannot be a "Romance". </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Better if love is not even the main thread of the story (a couple of exceptions have been made here, yet the films' core genre is so extreme it's forgiveable). This is why I haven't allowed Jonze's <i>Her</i> onto this list.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The ranking within this top ten is based on the growing strength of the romance, not necessarily the quality of the film. The lengths that the lovers go to within the tale is what drives them up and down this chart.</span></li>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">So, let see who are the king and queens of the courtship...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">WARNING! Spoilers and heartbreak await!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">10. <a href="http://filmbore.blogspot.co.uk/2014/03/filmbore-pick-of-week-upstream-colour.html" target="_blank">Upstream Colour</a> (2013)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Shane Carruth's second outing ripped up the rule book once more on most genres, yet most interestingly regarding love. The pair's symbiotic links to their pigs opened a sweet if twisted approach to unrequited love, both compelled to forgo their normal lives just to be together.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>Score de l'amour: 4/10</i> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Like pigs in muck!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">9. <a href="http://filmbore.blogspot.co.uk/2012/07/filmbore-pick-of-week-im-cyborg-but.html" target="_blank">I'm A Cyborg, But That's OK</a> (2006)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">If scoring on quality, this would have rated higher. Fearing Cha Young-Goon will die of starvation, Park Il-Sun believes his 'special ability' could prevent her untimely death, falling for her in the process. Using your own psychosis to fix that of another? Now that's love!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>Score de l'amour: 5/10</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Crazy about each other</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">8. Bonnie and Clyde (1967)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">There's nothing like spills and thrills in a relationship. This canny pair take their relationship to the next level by starting a mutual hobby in bank robberies, sparking parodies and homages for decades, most notably Natural Born Killers.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>Score de l'amour: <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">6</span>/10</i> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Take that love to the bank!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">7. Heathers (1988)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Dark humour and romance are a perfect match, just like Veronica and J.D. who take to covering their murders of fellow school students as cult suicide pacts. Yet, love is blind and tragedy will follow, as Veronica's last stab allows J.D. to go out in a blaze of glory.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>Score de l'amour: 7/10</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">6. Scott Pilgrim vs. the World (2010)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Competing with the ex is one thing...but seven?! And evil ones, at that! Luckily, Scott just happens to be totally badass at the game, taking on each opponent in a true war of romance, even dying and coming back to life to win the heart of Ramona Flowers.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Ex-ceptional!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">5. True Romance (1993)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Christian Slater appears for a second time on our list as Clarence, who will do anything for his instant sweetheart Alabama. At the advise of the king of rock n roll himself, he'll take out anyone to protect his darling through their mission of love, in one cinema's greatest black romantic-comedies.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Little less conversation...plenty of action</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">4. <a href="http://filmbore.blogspot.co.uk/2014/10/filmbore-picks-angel-a.html" target="_blank">Angel-A</a> (2005)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">There are two love stories here. One beautiful message is to love yourself. Yet, beyond that, once André can except this, Angela makes a huge sacrifice - her angel wings burn to a cinder to allow her to stay with him, if preventing her return to Heaven. That's a mighty big gesture!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">A heavenly romance</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">3. Fight Club (1999)</span></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-uSLHJ62NFYY/VH8Vs4GjWZI/AAAAAAAACG8/7reA3al2Xzc/s1600/fightclub.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="132" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-uSLHJ62NFYY/VH8Vs4GjWZI/AAAAAAAACG8/7reA3al2Xzc/s1600/fightclub.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">No sleep, fights every weekend, credit hits zero, nearly kill yourself, explosions everywhere and build the biggest anarchistic empire ever. Just like a real relationship (well...except maybe the last part!). Unbeknownst</span> until the end, our beloved narrator, in a roundabout way, does all of this for and because of the intriguing Marla Singer.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>Score de l'amour: 9/10</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Sleepless nights</span>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">2. </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Wall-E (2008)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">After years of lonely garbage work, Wall-E</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> meets and is transfixed by Eve. W</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">hile in stasis, </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">little "Trash-timus Prime" looks after her through thick-and-thin, even following her into space. Listening to his tin-man heart he reunites with her and returning the entirety of the rest of humankind to Earth in the process. Now that's a romantic gesture!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>Score de l'amour: 9/10</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">To infatuation and beyond!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><i>And the winner is...</i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">1. Braindead (1992)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Okay, maybe Lionel didn't bring <i>The Man</i> to his knees through an underground network of political soldiers, or rescue the remnants of humanity from a psychotic space robot but the difference with this guy is his effort was totally intentional.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">A real "mummy's boy", Lionel was a treated as butler, gardener, cook and cleaner by his mother, Vera, who's blind to his good heart and kind nature. This all gets shaken up when he meets pretty shop worker, Paquita, who's fortune is read, shrouded in mystery. She commits her intentions to Lionel, believing her prediction to mean that they will be romantically entangled, leading her to woo him.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">It is kind of unfortunate that a zombie apocalypse awaits them. A date for the pair to the zoo leads to an accident, where the recently caught "rat monkey bites Lionel's mother in the ankle and the mysterious Sangaya virus spreads. As Vera becomes progressively ill, Lionel's efforts lean back towards caring for his mum, creating a rift between him and Paquita, which is understandable after Vera ate her dog! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Lionel can't keep the virus at bay. Slowly, the townsfolk become zombified, leading to an almighty war with the walkers at his home. Such scenes have grounded Braindead as the goriest film of all time, yet it is within the last moments that this movie wins the top slot in this list. </span><br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-aTqYiQ33cg0/VINOtIh41fI/AAAAAAAACHs/Ac7cDXNVwRI/s1600/braindead3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-aTqYiQ33cg0/VINOtIh41fI/AAAAAAAACHs/Ac7cDXNVwRI/s1600/braindead3.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Following the brewing romance already at play, Lionel attempts to take out as many zombies as he can to rescue his true love with the only he knows how...with his impressive skills with a lawnmower. I can only assume Peter Jackson (yes...pre-middle earth, this film maker made some insane movies!) had always dreamed of taking out the undead with a Fly-mo.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">However, the last moment is the sweetest and most breathtakingly romantic gesture of them all. Lionel gives up on caring for his vindictive mother and, after she ingests him through her stomach (she has seriously mutated at this point, I might add) destroys her internally, wiping her from his life and securing his place at Paquita's side. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">No matter how evil you mum is Lionel, that's some pretty serious efforts to win over the lady. The top slot is yours you sadistic mowing nut job, you!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /><i>Score de l'amour: 10/10</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>Un</i>dead into each other!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>Just missed out:</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Delicatessen</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Submarine</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Shaun Of The Dead</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Stranger Than Fiction</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Monsters</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Blue Velvet</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>If you disagree, and have other suggestions, please post comments at the bottom of the post. Or, email me directly on topten@filmbore.co.uk.</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /><i>And don't forget, you can tweet me @filmbore or post on my Facebook page <a href="http://www.facebook.com/thefilmbore" target="_blank">here</a>.</i></span></div>
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filmborehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04231468342182243163noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8745746982742182906.post-65083709638553861172014-10-27T20:22:00.000+00:002015-01-05T20:20:25.329+00:00filmbore picks Angel-A<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Angel-A</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;">Director: Luc Besson</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;">Screenplay: Luc Besson</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;">Starring: Jamel Debbouze, Rie Rasmussen, Gilbert Melki</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;">Year: 2005</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;">Language: French</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;">UK rental release: January 2007</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0473753/" target="_blank">IMDb</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><a href="http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/angela-2007/" target="_blank">Rotten Tomatoes</a> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Luc Besson has returned to his roots recently, with the intense, gritty action-thriller, Lucy, centred around a strong female lead. In honour of his faith in nostalgia and mainstay, I want to talk about one of his more touching, personal films: the alternative love story that is Angel-A.</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">André Moussah (Jamel Debbouze, <i><a href="http://filmbore.blogspot.co.uk/2013/10/filmbore-pick-of-week-days-of-glory.html" target="_blank">Days Of Glory</a></i>, <i>Amelie</i>) is an American citizen and a scam artist. Hard on his luck, he</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> has until the end of the night to get hold of €40,000 or face the wrath of some of his debtors. This is but one dilemma for André, however, as he</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> is in trouble all over the place!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Someone else who's after his wallet is Monsieur Franck (Gilbert Melki, </span><i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Monsieur Ibrahim</i><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">, </span><i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Three</i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">) who puts the pressure on him to deliver the goods but dangling him from the top of the Eiffel Tower!<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> </span>Feeling desperate, André turns to the American Embassy for help, claiming that his papers and cards have been stolen. Yet, with a colourful past, there's little the Embassy can do for him. Even struggling to get locked up in a prison cell for the night, </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">with no other route out of his terrible strife, he toys with the idea of jumping from a bridge. Maybe ending it all is the easiest option?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">He's stopped from taking the plunge when confronted with Angela (Rie Rasmussen, </span><i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Human Zoo</i><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">, </span><i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Femme Fatale</i><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">), who has been having the same idea. She feels no hesitation, and as she leaps, he feels compelled to follow her down to save her.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">As he carries her to the side of the river and throws her ashore, it's not until she stands up that he realises how breathtakingly tall she is (which may be down to a convenient curb and a mean set of high heels!). </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">For saving her from imminent death, she vows a life-debt to him, devoting her eternal kindness and promising<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> to </span></span>do anything that he wishes.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">This gives André an idea. With her help, there could be a way to bypass his debts. </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Angela has her own intentions through helping him though, and when André hears of her mission, he struggles to come to terms with the gravity of it!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Entirely shot in black and white, </span><i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Angel-A</i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> reflects a romantic side of Paris that you haven't previously seen, exposing the beauty in the gruffness, complementing the conventional attractiveness of an already over-familiar city. It captures Paris uniquely. I use this phrase confidently, as this is a city that has been shot by so many film makers over the years, with a relative line of similarity uniting most of them. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Besson and his regular collaborator, Director of Photography Thierry Arbogast, take a braver approach, with contemporary filming combined with classic capture. Both methods are glued together with numerous techniques (extreme long shots, over-the-shoulder shots with canted angles, and more!), all while using natural light to infuse its grey-scaled visage. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">This technical mixture blends smoothly, with the colour tone marrying each approach used, gifting us a palatable treat for the eyes. It's delicious on the lips too, allowing you to a raise a smile even in some of its more melancholic moments. In fact, there are some good</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> comical undertones at play, and not in an obvious way either. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The whole picture is cheeky, knowing exactly what perspective to play at: jovial while retaining its thoughtful edge.<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> </span>Such emphasis on balancing this flavours is partly achieved thanks to the performances from our two leads. There's great natural chemistry between them, with both</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> actors bouncing off each other effortlessly with fun dialogue and unusual japes to garnish the portrayal of two intriguing characters.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Rie Rasmussen is stunning as the ethereal Angela. With minimal effort, she exudes charisma through her demure, aloof, while still a little other-worldly, demeanour. Her execution of the part is the keystone to the entire piece, elevating the picture to a more poetic stance, while providing the special ingredient that makes this odd couple so entertaining. Besson knows how to pick a leading lady!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">With such a striking female lead character, Besson needed someone to play the everyman. André is a mere ruffle in the overpowering tapestry of Angela yet needs to hold his own in her presence. For this, Besson chose </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">the only man with the right balance in Jamel Debbouze<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> <span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">(</span></span>who stood out in his wonderful performance of Saïd Otmari in </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Days Of Glory</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">, </span>reviewed </span><a href="http://filmbore.blogspot.co.uk/2013/10/filmbore-pick-of-week-days-of-glory.html" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;" target="_blank">here</a><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">).</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Debbouze is enigmatic as André, taking us on a ride through a seedier side of the French capital in his attempts to negotiate around everyone he confronts.<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> </span>A rich role to be given, not wasted on this talented performer, as he relishes in every line that he gets to play with; savouring each phrase and delivering them with panache.<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> </span> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">With such diverse differences between their characters, including the difference in their backgrounds, they are destined never to be together (a little Montague-Capulet, if you will), making their growing connection that much more tragic.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">This makes the film a little cute, while retaining an attentive approach on a number of life's intricacies: lack of self confidence, losing faith and hope, little perspective on the bigger picture. Thematically, how these are handled could have come across a little limp and stereotypical. Instead, its scruples are portrayed gently, all evolving in their importance through the reflection of André through Angela.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">This is realised at its best during the mirror scene, which is my favourite part of the whole film. It is both revealing and familiar. As André is introduced to the sweeter, truer side of himself, you are drawn directly into the picture's emotional heart, grounding you at its pinnacle just before the final act.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I forbid you to not connect with this scene somehow. It is a brilliant unique moment in cinema, one that should promote Angel-A in its ratings one some more familiar sites. It's a prime example of when Jamel Debbouze delivers some effortless acting, illustrating why he is perfect to play such human characters. It's a perfectly poised moment in a perfectly paced film.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Scandalously looked over in Besson's canon, Angel-A is both sweet and sour, gently carrying its delicate mix of flavours with a hint of audacity. Break down these soft complexities and you'll reveal something a little more touching - at its heart it's a love story that's also about natural friendship.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><i>Don't forget to leave comments below, tweet me @filmbore or post on my Facebook page <a href="http://www.facebook.com/thefilmbore" target="_blank">here</a>.</i> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><i>Alternatively, you could contact me directly about this film or my other reviews on picks@filmbore.co.uk</i></span></div>
filmborehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04231468342182243163noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8745746982742182906.post-43543852425119002072014-10-20T19:34:00.000+01:002019-05-17T13:19:11.792+01:00Top 10 Ice Cream Vans in movies<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Oh no! Summer is over...Booooo!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Yet fear not, as the medium of film can breathe the feeling of sun, sand and sea into your evening by whisking you away from the icy clutches of winter, taking you back to your warmer memories. And what better way to hark back to sunnier times than by a trademark of British summer...the ice cream van!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Or ice cream truck, depending on what part of the world you are from. Whatever the title, nothing unearths summers of our youth better than the ever-nearing jungle of a rainbow coloured vehicle; a chariot of creamy treats and fruity flavours that turns every playing kid into a Tazmanian devil! Yes, there's nothing more craze-inducing for a child then the moment the ice cream man turns up!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">So, as we slowly lose grip on the brighter period of 2014, let's embark on a trip through cinema with a list of the top ice cream vans in movies...filmbore style!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The criteria:</span></div>
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<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The ice cream van needs to be involved in at least a decent scene in the movie. It doesn't necessarily need to be the basis of the entire movie yet should be integral to a particular moment at the very least.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Preferably, I expect to see an alternative approach to running an ice cream van, may it be in method, manner or reason for owning one.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The ranking within this top ten is based on the strength of the owner's business model, not necessarily the quality of the film. If they can impress me with their ingenuity of enterprise, I'll move them up the chart</span></li>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Everybody.....ICE CREAM MAN IS COMIIIIINNGGG!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">WARNING! Spoilers and brain freeze up ahead!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">10. Despicable Me 2 (2013)</span></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ujFOAuPIfeE/VELBh1KTA5I/AAAAAAAACDc/8FgPhqkyrLo/s1600/despic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="110" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ujFOAuPIfeE/VELBh1KTA5I/AAAAAAAACDc/8FgPhqkyrLo/s1600/despic.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Kudos goes to an unusual way to capture the minions, as they're suckered into the ice cream trucks lure even more so than the kids in Gru's neighbourhood's. Lack of enterprise keeps it low though I'm afraid.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Busin-ice Model: 3/10</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Scoop a minion...stop him waffling!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">9. After Hours (1985)</span></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3SJfGlZ2riA/VELAZEjdp5I/AAAAAAAACDM/FuHddWsKlLQ/s1600/Picture1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="110" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3SJfGlZ2riA/VELAZEjdp5I/AAAAAAAACDM/FuHddWsKlLQ/s1600/Picture1.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">This early black comedy by Martin Scorsese is a building farce of dilemmas for one unlucky word processing clerk. Things get worse, however, as he's hunted down by a crowd, led by a Mister Softee ice cream van.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Busin-ice model: 4/10</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Thriller in vanilla</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">8. Assault On Precinct 13 (1976)</span></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-B2eztbTTtvo/VELBIs_TWwI/AAAAAAAACDU/HtzwSpOR6UA/s1600/assonprec13.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="110" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-B2eztbTTtvo/VELBIs_TWwI/AAAAAAAACDU/HtzwSpOR6UA/s1600/assonprec13.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Kids should think twice for rushing to an ice cream truck in this neighbourhood. As the owner of the van looks out vigilantly, an innocent young girl begs for an ice cream, only to shot by the local Street Thunder gang.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Busin-ice model: 5/10</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Heavy on the raspberry sauce</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">7. Trees Lounge (1996)</span></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-s-FUq5O8pNQ/VELCJ0PgcTI/AAAAAAAACDo/re-wGEAUSz0/s1600/treeslounge.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="110" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-s-FUq5O8pNQ/VELCJ0PgcTI/AAAAAAAACDo/re-wGEAUSz0/s1600/treeslounge.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Steve Buscemi's Tommy Basillo inherits an ice cream business from his uncle, with his alcoholic ways preventing a thriving enterprise. His efforts are wasted, as his actions lead to the truck being smashed by a begrudged associate.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Busin-ice model: 6/10</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Desserted by friends and family</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">6. Phantasm (1979)</span></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-vviJngtCF-w/VELCsw02BCI/AAAAAAAACDw/9v-pvD4XCAQ/s1600/phantasm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="110" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-vviJngtCF-w/VELCsw02BCI/AAAAAAAACDw/9v-pvD4XCAQ/s1600/phantasm.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Reggie's ice cream business can do more than provide creamy treats. It exposes the weakness of the film's antagonist the Tall Man, who is affected by the cold. Not bad for an local ice cream vendor!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Busin-ice model: 7/10</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Ice Screeaaammm! (Sorry...I couldn't help it!)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">5. Ghost Dog: The Way Of The Samurai (1999)</span></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Bl22NZclFCc/VELDSaKCMFI/AAAAAAAACD4/iOodnRFk5nQ/s1600/ghostdog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="110" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Bl22NZclFCc/VELDSaKCMFI/AAAAAAAACD4/iOodnRFk5nQ/s1600/ghostdog.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Ghost Dog's best-friend can only speak French but he runs a mean ice cream stand. Somehow, he still has a business after giving away free ice cream to little girls and allowing people to be killed right in front of his parlour. Impressive!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Busin-ice model: 8/10</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Tasty Chopolate (these puns are getting worse!)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">4. Nice Dreams (1981)</span></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-cGGNv_RbjWs/VELDt4ocWlI/AAAAAAAACEA/maSK_ql8tzo/s1600/nicedreams.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="109" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-cGGNv_RbjWs/VELDt4ocWlI/AAAAAAAACEA/maSK_ql8tzo/s1600/nicedreams.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Cheech and Chong's "Happy Herb Nice Dreams" is an ice cream truck as a front for pedalling their marijuana (surprise, surprise!). If they weren't high off their own supply, they may have had a more fruitful business.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Busin-ice mode: 8/10</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Cheech and Chong go all Ben and Jerry</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">3. Do The Right Thing (1989)</span></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-XJ-MseYrml4/VELIL7o1xDI/AAAAAAAACEM/APkyetUyDaY/s1600/icee.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="109" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-XJ-MseYrml4/VELIL7o1xDI/AAAAAAAACEM/APkyetUyDaY/s1600/icee.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The Icee Man is here! Forget the boy nearly<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> run over chasing the ice cream truck<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> - check<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"></span></span> the man preceding <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">it<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">!</span> </span></span></span>Strutting about Brooklyn, scraping ice off a block<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">, </span>adding fruity flavours, he's both lo-fi and enterprising. Cooler than the ice itself!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Busin-ice model: 9/10</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Old sCool!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">2. Friday (1995)</span></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ExhD_eYE7lw/VELJpXK-taI/AAAAAAAACEY/AVXsCLyvW3c/s1600/friday.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="110" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ExhD_eYE7lw/VELJpXK-taI/AAAAAAAACEY/AVXsCLyvW3c/s1600/friday.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Big Perm..I mean...Big Worm plays this just right. Like Cheech and Chong, his ice cream truck is a front for his drugs business. Yet, he still actually sells ice cream. Convincing and profitable...and you know this maaan!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Busin-ice model: 9/10</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Friday betters the sundae<b><i> </i></b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><i>And the winner is...</i></b> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">1. Comfort And Joy (1984)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The ultimate ice cream van movie. Okay...a lot of you may not have heard of this small, Scottish film. Made by Bill Forsyth (<i>Local Hero</i>, <i>Gregory's Girl</i>) it's a prime example of grounded British cinema of the eighties.</span></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-IZ2EBBZi6O8/VELMIKsWm4I/AAAAAAAACE8/sQTlUqLW5DI/s1600/candj5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="172" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-IZ2EBBZi6O8/VELMIKsWm4I/AAAAAAAACE8/sQTlUqLW5DI/s1600/candj5.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Bill Paterson plays Allan Bird aka "Dicky", a Glaswegian celebrity due to his status as a radio disc jockey. </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Out on his travels one day, he catches the eye of a girl (Clare Grogan) in the back of an ice-cream van. Enamoured by the lady, he pursues the vehicle, leading him to witness an unexpected attack on the van by</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> two masked men with baseball bats.</span><br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-rBK-ZEUCf6U/VELLiTjUDGI/AAAAAAAACEs/rJmBdSYQBvk/s1600/candj1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="157" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-rBK-ZEUCf6U/VELLiTjUDGI/AAAAAAAACEs/rJmBdSYQBvk/s1600/candj1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The owner and the girl scare the men away by covering them with raspberry sauce and scoops of ice cream. Dicky goes over to check on them; his first step to involving himself in a turf war between two competing ice cream business. But can he help bring the battle to an end?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">This is a typical British comedy of this era, making it an easy and enjoyable watch. But this isn't top of the list due to its movie stature. As mentioned in the criteria, the ranking is based on the business strength, where here we have two ice cream vendors taking their vocation so seriously they begin warring with each other.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">No film delves further into the seedy world of ice cream van trucks than <i>Comfort And Joy</i>. A dry comedy drama that takes the softy out of the Mr Soft and injects it with its Italian roots...a Gelato of the Gangster realm, as it were.</span><br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zBJ7CJW0OsQ/VELLvCPdOlI/AAAAAAAACE0/2k1txua9MSE/s1600/candj4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="181" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zBJ7CJW0OsQ/VELLvCPdOlI/AAAAAAAACE0/2k1txua9MSE/s1600/candj4.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Busin-ice model: 10/10</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>Walls</i> fair in love and war!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>Just missed out:</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Once Bitten</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Maximum Overdrive</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Ice Cream Man </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">When The Bough Breaks</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Killer Klowns From Outer Space</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>If you disagree, and have other suggestions, please post comments at the bottom of the post. Or, email me directly on topten@filmbore.co.uk.</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /><i>And don't forget, you can tweet me @filmbore or post on my Facebook page <a href="http://www.facebook.com/thefilmbore" target="_blank">here</a>.</i></span></div>
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filmborehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04231468342182243163noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8745746982742182906.post-82297272365654562032014-10-14T22:05:00.001+01:002019-05-17T13:19:22.559+01:00filmbore's coming back!<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The UK's biggest film geek returns! </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">filmbore is stepping up and speaking out!</span></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-duHdB6yoBp8/VD2PMttB6GI/AAAAAAAACBE/eWw3htFWtoA/s1600/peter-finch-network.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-duHdB6yoBp8/VD2PMttB6GI/AAAAAAAACBE/eWw3htFWtoA/s1600/peter-finch-network.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">It's been a mighty long hiatus but filmbore has emerged from the smoke and is ready to take on the world of cinematic critique once more!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">And there's plenty of content on its way to you, plus some new material to feed your filmic famine.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">As usual, I'll be reviewing the best of unique movies, covering independents, small British and World Cinema. Some of you who have followed me for some time will remember these reviews arriving on a weekly basis. Well, times have to change. Re-branded <a href="http://filmbore.blogspot.co.uk/search/label/picks" target="_blank"><b><i>filmbore picks</i></b></a>, these articles will appear more sporadically. This is good, however, as I can focus on bringing more quality content for the other elements of the site.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">So, more <i><b><a href="http://filmbore.blogspot.co.uk/search/label/news" target="_blank">News</a> </b></i>articles and more topics for the <i><b><a href="http://filmbore.blogspot.co.uk/search/label/whinge" target="_blank">Whingebox!</a> </b></i>These areas have been neglected in the past. I'll be remedying this with juicy gossip and themes for debate more regularly in future.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">And fear not...I haven't forgotten my followers' favourite, <a href="http://filmbore.blogspot.co.uk/search/label/top10" target="_blank"><i><b>Top 10s with a difference</b></i></a>. I'll still be compiled the most bizarre and weird lists seen on the net (<a href="http://filmbore.blogspot.co.uk/2013/04/top-10-scary-rabbits.html" target="_blank">Top 10 Scary Rabbits </a>still seems to be a hit...top of Google search today!). In fact, some are on their way very soon, so feast your eyes on the looming results and keep posting your comments on the choices made.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Most excitingly though, keep your peepers on one of the new tabs, <a href="http://filmbore.blogspot.co.uk/search/label/special" target="_blank"><i><b>Special Features</b></i></a>. Soon, this will receive a fresh collection of articles for filmbore, including poems, interviews, tributes and mini-review festivals. Two key pieces to come soon will be an interview with a Nottingham-based writer and a festival-in-parts on classic World Cinema.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Anyway, enough from me. Less talking, more typing! Well...less typing here and more typing elsewhere. New content coming soon peeps.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">And thank you to all of you who have stuck with me so far. You keep me fuelled in this journalism game and your support means so much to me. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Okay. Back to the site. New content coming soon filmborians...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>filmborehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04231468342182243163noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8745746982742182906.post-12050984978282734992014-07-09T22:01:00.003+01:002014-07-09T22:01:53.521+01:00filmbore picks Short Term 12<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">Short Term 12</span><br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9z85GThlsDY/U72kP-n0qNI/AAAAAAAAB9M/Vg_yDCAg1yM/s1600/short1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9z85GThlsDY/U72kP-n0qNI/AAAAAAAAB9M/Vg_yDCAg1yM/s1600/short1.jpg" height="198" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;">Director: Destin Daniel Cretton</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;">Screenplay: Destin Daniel Cretton</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;">Starring: Brie Larson, John Gallagher Jr., Keith Stanfield, Kaitlyn Dever, Rami Malek</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;">Year: 2013</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;">Language: English</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;">UK rental release: March 2014</span><br />
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<a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2370248/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">IMDb</span></a><br />
<a href="http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/short_term_12_2013/" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Rotten Tomatoes</span></a><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Let's take a trip to the United States this time around. Recently released, </span><i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Short Term 12</i><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> is a fantastic indie film, with a relatively well known star, who deserves higher accolade for her performance in this low budget drama from Destin Daniel Cretton.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Grace (Brie Larson, <i>Don Jon</i>, <i>Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World</i>) works at Short Term 12, a care home </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">for troubled teenagers. As the main support for the young residents and </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">the backbone to the whole operation</span>, she has to remain strong and resolute at all times. Not just for the kids, mind you, but for the rest of the staff as well.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Fellow worker Mason (John Gallagher Jr., </span><i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Whatever Works</i><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">, </span><i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Margaret</i><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">) is the light hearted spirit of the home. Always first to share a funny tale, he's very popular within the centre. No matter how secretive he tries to be though, all the teens have picked up that he is Grace's secret boyfriend.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Nate (Rami Malek, <i>The Master</i>) has just started at Short Term 12 and gets a sharp kick of reality as one of the teens, Sammy (Alex Calloway) makes a break for the exit, during the middle of one of Mason's stories. On medication, Sammy sits within his own world, but keeps himself amused with his jolts to freedom. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Once the three of them catch the young man, while Nate struggles to comprehend what's just occurred, Mason nonchalantly finishes his comical tale...welcome to Short Term 12!</span></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-sAEHbV_6foU/U72lx0UTpkI/AAAAAAAAB9o/ju4TQP_feE8/s1600/short4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-sAEHbV_6foU/U72lx0UTpkI/AAAAAAAAB9o/ju4TQP_feE8/s1600/short4.jpg" height="225" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Marcus (newcomer Keith Stanfield) is the oldest of the teenagers. A rapper</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">, with hard but deep lyrics bursting to get out, he </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">is turning 18 soon which means he has to leave the centre. A farewell party is planned for him, but he seems very underwhelmed. There's clearly more on his mind. To mix things up further, a new girl is turning up at Short Term 12. Jayden (Kaitlyn Dever, <i>J. Edgar</i>), has been hopping from home to home for some time now, thanks to her violent outbursts. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">She's stubborn, </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">convinced that she'll be back with her Dad in no time at all. Her initial petulance makes it very difficult for Grace to connect with her, as she </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">tries her best to find common ground between them both. Slowly, Grace manages to reach her with gentle kindness and through their mutual enjoyment of sketching.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Yet, as she delves deeper into Jayden's inner pain, paired with the news that she's</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> pregnant, Grace has a journey of her own to follow, as she falls deeper into her own insecurities and hidden past.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Based on the Cretton's short film of the same name (which also starred Keith Stanfield), <i>Short Term 12</i> was shot in just twenty days on a budget of </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">less than a million. This doesn't deter from the film's obvious quality, however.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">As it opens, we're treated to a beautiful over the shoulder tracking shot, leading up to the centre, </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">the crisp high definition perfectly ensnaring the natural lighting of the external shots. There are </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">some stunningly chosen angles in some of the montages too, breaking out between staff members, the teenagers and the surroundings of this magical, if tumultuous, lair. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">With the handheld shots covering the main meat of the shooting, it may sound like a heady mix of techniques at play. Yet, pleasantly, they are handled with subtlety, as not to overpower the other elements and wares that this film possesses.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Even though chaptered by a few locked-off shots of the exterior of the centre, Cretton has pipped for the predictably obvious, slightly-shaky handheld filming approach for his picture, which is so commonly used in hard hitting dramas of this ilk. Nonetheless, I can see no other way of capturing this heart warming, yet heart wrenching tale so eloquently. It's the right choice to pair up with the screenplay.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">In fact, </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">both Larson and Gallagher Jr. auditioned by Skype after receiving this fine script...but more on them later!</span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The screenplay is cooked up from a cracking recipe of dialogue, with mixed notes of both sharp writing and ad-libbed moments. One chapter that really stands out is Jayden's</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> octopus story. Written with such suffocated passion, it's a beautifully painful story; an insight into Jayden's anguish. Kaitlyn Dever handles these words with a really touching performance. In fact, all the young cast members are superb, especially Keith Stanfield as Marcus. </span></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1VpPeBn7dOg/U72q29kMfZI/AAAAAAAAB-0/cpi34MeQBgE/s1600/short12.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1VpPeBn7dOg/U72q29kMfZI/AAAAAAAAB-0/cpi34MeQBgE/s1600/short12.jpg" height="168" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Initially, he paints a stereotypical portrait of a young troubled teen, brimming with attitude and a disregard for his peers. However, this veneer slowly washes away throughout the film, as he continually surprises you with glimpses of depth and melancholy, enriching the complex tapestry of his character with patient and evolving brush strokes. </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I thoroughly enjoyed the relationship between his character and John Gallagher Jr.'s Mason. </span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">In his moments, he elevates himself above the whole cast, including Larson. </span></span>I hope that he has a bright future with such a bright talent. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">At first glance, Gallagher Jr. clearly has ingrained charisma, possibly nurtured through his years as a live musician. Yet, dig through this background and you'll reveal the brewing talent of a potentially great actor, with his execution of Mason really tying into the delicate intricacies of Grace's journey, which is also thanks to the wonderful chemistry both performers have with each other on set.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Amongst these fresh, grounded performances shines our star, Brie Larson. Her natural poise and genuine persona illuminate the character of Grace to such subliminal effect that she both manages to blend amongst the rest of the cast while still soaring as the lead character. </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Through her most slight of changes in expression, you're frequently reminded of just how great she is. </span></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-opcsyzK95yA/U72tPE53GDI/AAAAAAAAB_Q/1zoheh1PMkM/s1600/short14a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-opcsyzK95yA/U72tPE53GDI/AAAAAAAAB_Q/1zoheh1PMkM/s1600/short14a.jpg" height="201" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">For example, her </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">subtle eye movements are comparable to only a few actors that I've seen in my film watching life so far (most of my actual life, of course!), such as Al Pacino and Christian Bale; a passivity that has true depth in the tiniest of iterations. Demure, broken, vital and delicate, it's a gently stunning performance that doesn't steal opportunities from the other actors, while allowing us all to her talent for what it is... absolute honest brilliance!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">And, with </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Larson pinning it all together, along with all the other incredible performers surrounding her, this picture is a true actors film. And thanks to its organic nature and compact running time (just </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">95 minutes) it's tight, neat and presented in a perfect little bubble. Indie Gold!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">A just winner of three </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Independent Spirit Awards, <i>Short Term 12</i> is a story</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">of young adults from traumatic lives, looked after by those with their own. </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">And if you don't cry once, not even the slightest tear...well...I don't even think that's possible!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><i>Don't forget to leave comments below, tweet me @filmbore or post on my Facebook page <a href="http://www.facebook.com/thefilmbore" target="_blank">here</a>.</i> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><i>Alternatively, you could contact me directly about this film or my other reviews on picks@filmbore.co.uk</i></span></div>
<br />filmborehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04231468342182243163noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8745746982742182906.post-7589790672023832372014-05-22T20:51:00.004+01:002014-05-22T20:51:47.660+01:00filmbore picks The Night Of The Sunflowers<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">The Night Of The Sunflowers</span><br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-2Ggiblr57a0/U30cTe4RhZI/AAAAAAAAB60/evv4bLWkoXY/s1600/sunflower2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-2Ggiblr57a0/U30cTe4RhZI/AAAAAAAAB60/evv4bLWkoXY/s1600/sunflower2.jpg" height="188" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;">Director: Jorge Sánchez-Cabezudo</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;">Screenplay: Jorge Sánchez-Cabezudo</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;">Starring: Carmelo Gómez, Judith Diakhate, Vicente Romero, Celso Bugallo, Manuel Morón, Fernando Sánchez-Cabezudo</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;">Year: 2006</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;">Language: Spanish</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;">UK rental release: May 2007</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0456111/?ref_=nv_sr_2" target="_blank">IMDb</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/la-noche-de-los-girasoles-the-night-of-the-sunflowers/" target="_blank">Rotten Tomatoes</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-align: justify;">Well, patience clearly must be a virtue. Not only have you waited over a month to receive a new filmbore review (now re-branded as "filmbore picks") but you're blessed with my aspect on a truly excellent picture. As if I wouldn't pick a decent flick though! Anyway, just a brief note before I start, I want to thank you all for waiting and continuing to support filmbore. Let's get back to it!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">So, my return back to critiquing unique films comes in the guise of a beautifully carved piece from Spain, which seems apt as the first ever review on this site was for the raucous prison drama from my Spanish neighbours, </span><a href="http://filmbore.blogspot.co.uk/2012/06/filmbores-pick-of-week-cell-211.html" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;" target="_blank">Cell 211</a><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">, nearly two years ago (my reviews were more...compact back then. Click the link and see!). My pick this time around is for the moving mystery drama, </span><i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The Night Of The Sunflowers</i><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">We open on a sea of sunflowers at dusk. As the camera holds frame, we glimpse a </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">man escaping to his car. Moments later, we pan</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> down into the flowers...and we fade to black. The next day, the reports come out over the radio. A body</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> has been found, raped and murdered, in a field in the Cerrado region; Elena Martos, 22 years old, was left hidden in the ocean of sunflowers.</span></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-get3cyOa_cE/U30crNNTEqI/AAAAAAAAB68/gZfnnK4t8Ag/s1600/sunflower3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-get3cyOa_cE/U30crNNTEqI/AAAAAAAAB68/gZfnnK4t8Ag/s1600/sunflower3.jpg" height="170" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">On this same day, the salesman (Manuel Morón, </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="http://filmbore.blogspot.co.uk/2012/06/filmbores-pick-of-week-cell-211.html" target="_blank"><i>Cell 211</i></a>, <i>El Bola</i>), specialising in the vending of industrial vacuum cleaners, is </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">driving through the sunny Spanish countryside, where he spots a young lady walking along the road. </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Stopping to ask directions, a truck suddenly pulls up in front of him, with the driver angrily calling the girl to get in his car, clearly after a lover's tiff. She gets in, eventually, if reluctantly.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">He sees the same gentleman from the truck once more in a nearby taverna, who recommends a site where he should sell his cleaners. He's unsure of the stranger's intentions but decides to give it a view, only to find himself lost. </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Through his venture, he espies a young woman sketching against a hilly bank. As he watches her from afar, he's compelled to get closer, as a darkness begins to surface from within him. </span></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Ufnszfw5kdU/U30bPurNjYI/AAAAAAAAB6o/TpKPx9DP16k/s1600/sunflower1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Ufnszfw5kdU/U30bPurNjYI/AAAAAAAAB6o/TpKPx9DP16k/s1600/sunflower1.jpg" height="116" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Geology expert Esteban (Carmelo Gómez, <i>Tierra</i>, <i>Días Contados</i>) has been called into the nearby village at the special request of a recent discovery. As soon as he arrives, he is introduced to the village mayor, and taken to meet the local townsfolk who are clearly excited.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Said discovery was thanks to the town's makeshift maintenance man, Beni (newcomer </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Fernando Sánchez-Cabezudo) who, while out on a hike to avoid much needed village repairs, fell across an opening in the rocks upon the hills. An opening to a cave! </span></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-wj7VClUk8MI/U30hepKGe3I/AAAAAAAAB78/PMk5bDLgNYE/s1600/sunflower9.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-wj7VClUk8MI/U30hepKGe3I/AAAAAAAAB78/PMk5bDLgNYE/s1600/sunflower9.jpg" height="170" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Esteban's girlfriend Gabi (Judith Diakhate, <i>Scorpion In Love</i>) arrives, to his surprise. With little time together, she wants to come along on his spelunking trip if only to spend some moments in his company. Yet, her presence on this visit will trigger a number of events that will bring them all to some difficult decisions. Choices that will embroil local young policeman Tomás (Vicente Romero, <i>The Hours Of The Day</i>, <i>Winning Streak</i>) into to a web of lies. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">But can he pull the wool over the eyes of his chief, Amadeo (Celso Bugallo, <i>The Sea Inside</i>, <i>Mondays In The Sun</i>). As pensive as he appears, his calm, wily demeanour begins to draw out the truth behind the sinister goings-on in his beloved local town.</span><br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-agSye5HFJzo/U30kJE9ByDI/AAAAAAAAB8U/XdKDpZheXNc/s1600/sunflower2b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-agSye5HFJzo/U30kJE9ByDI/AAAAAAAAB8U/XdKDpZheXNc/s1600/sunflower2b.jpg" height="190" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Nominated for 3 Goya Awards, this standout drama from </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Canal+ España film was also delivered in conjunction with independent</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> distributor and financier, Backup Films, who've been involved in such films as Le Passé and</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> </span><a href="http://filmbore.blogspot.co.uk/2013/04/filmbore-pick-of-week-amour.html" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;" target="_blank">Amour</a><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">It's a great combination, as the production on this picture feels organic and honest. What will strike you very early on is the approachability factor. With some clearly ominous plot threads underlying the story, it's a startling achievement how the overall feel of this picture is so welcoming. </span></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-AehP-zNj92c/U30k0CmG-2I/AAAAAAAAB8k/Etf5ORc0cHA/s1600/sunflower3d.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-AehP-zNj92c/U30k0CmG-2I/AAAAAAAAB8k/Etf5ORc0cHA/s1600/sunflower3d.jpg" height="166" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">It is its generally serene persona that makes it incredibly accessible, partly assisted by its own visible splendour. </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The locations are just superb. From the quaint village, of which most of our characters reside or visit, to the gorgeous vistas of the local countryside, there's a ravishing blend of visuals for you to enjoy from the sites and surroundings alone.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">It's filmed excellently too, with confident slow pans dressing the piece in multiple locations, which broadens the tale and paints a world in mere minutes. </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">This piece seems to have a personality of its own, addressing you in its harmonious greeting and wrapping you up on cosy celluloid.</span></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Zy_5rXJQtKY/U30gRDhpMYI/AAAAAAAAB7k/t8qawpu0HmU/s1600/sunflower7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Zy_5rXJQtKY/U30gRDhpMYI/AAAAAAAAB7k/t8qawpu0HmU/s1600/sunflower7.jpg" height="152" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">This is a clever ploy however, as it has plenty of surprises in store. At points, it flips its genteel gaze to launch into a realm of shock and fear. The violence is raw; real. It's brutal in its acts of onslaught and rape. It may offend the more sensitive of viewers, if only at a few brief moments. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The gravitas of these junctures would have no grounding though if it wasn't for the cast. Without employing some of Spain's more prominent acting force (don't let this put you off, as there is some incredible talent here, I can assure you) there are no preconceptions to any of the character's intentions or predilections. Performances are natural and exposed, perfectly portrayed to pave the way for the startling, more shocking moments. </span><br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ptw0HtWmIKE/U30lkA8AKWI/AAAAAAAAB8s/Uj801TM62PM/s1600/sunflower4a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ptw0HtWmIKE/U30lkA8AKWI/AAAAAAAAB8s/Uj801TM62PM/s1600/sunflower4a.jpg" height="194" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">It's difficult for me to highlight any key actors here, as they all stand tall within this sprawling tale, yet it's hard not to adore Celso Bugallo's Amadeo. He's only truly exhibited in the last chapter of the film, yet is an intriguing detective. Through his twilight days in the law, he seems like he doesn't want to be there, yet his subtle charisma reveals a level of affection for his protege, Tomás, while glimmers of passion swell when this new mystery starts to develop.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">At this point, you already know the plot. This is imperative for two reasons. Firstly, it allows director and writer, </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Jorge Sánchez-Cabezudo, to play with the key theme of the picture: </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">cause and effect. With your slowly granted awareness, you are treated to beautifully, if sometimes disturbingly realised events, and the effects such actions have. The trail of moments in the entire picture reveal so much, allowing you to reflect on points of your own life at times, where decisions and controlled outcomes may have determined where your existence has taken you. It's something many filmmakers play with, rarely to great effect.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">And secondly, tying neatly into the first point, is the chapterising of the picture. In the final moments, all the pieces have been neatly laid out, but only after a heady journey through our character's experiences thanks to the smart editing at hand. It's segmented into </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">six chapters, it presents</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">number of scenarios, all interlinked, feeding off the aftermath of the previous night's horrific event in a field of sunflowers. This approach allows</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> the many plot threads to hold their own space, while still leaving room to intertwine with beautiful effect.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The threading of each tale is beautifully executed, as you are gradually and gently greeted by the connections that each individual character has with each other; their relationships and events stunningly interwoven, catching you in its filmic web, ensnaring you in this graceful, moody mystery.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">There are many multi-layered films such as this, like </span><a href="http://filmbore.blogspot.co.uk/2013/09/filmbore-pick-of-week-gomorrah.html" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;" target="_blank">Gomorrah</a><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> and Amores Perros to name a couple of great ones, and </span><i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The Night Of The Sunflowers</i><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> deserves to sit amongst them. It's probably a film you've seen perched amongst some greats in world cinema sections of DVD stores. You may have overlooked it, with it sitting next to more commonly known fare. Next time you visit your favourite film store, I dare you to hold thought on it for a moment, and ask yourself if you fancy something a little different, a little left field, maybe even a little dark.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><i>Don't forget to leave comments below, tweet me @filmbore or post on my Facebook page <a href="http://www.facebook.com/thefilmbore" target="_blank">here</a>.</i> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><i>Alternatively, you could contact me directly about this film or my other reviews on picks@filmbore.co.uk</i></span></div>
filmborehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04231468342182243163noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8745746982742182906.post-20113165186752000812014-05-15T17:48:00.002+01:002019-05-17T13:19:36.372+01:00Welcome to all new filmbore<div style="text-align: justify;">
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<![endif]--><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">As a film buff,
a fan of true British movies and a total world cinema geek, I continually
"bore" my friends (and any new strangers that I meet) about all
things "filmy". Like...all the time! In order to free the going
public from my verbal cinematic prison, I've channelled a lot of this passion
into filmbore, as a haven for reviews on interesting pictures, obscure Top Tens
and any other items worth discussing on the more left field side to the
cinematic universe. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">In the tabs
above, you'll be able to transport yourself to various articles...</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>filmbore's
picks</b> is the backbone to the site,
with regular reviews of unusual movies according to a specific criteria: they
have to from world cinema, or be independent movies or be lesser known British
films. But most importantly...they have to be great. This isn't an area to
overly criticise poor pictures, but a platform to help promote the kind of
films you may be less likely to venture into.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">From time to
time, you'll see items pop up in the <b>News </b>tab, where I'll be highlighting
any recent announcements worthy of awareness, from new film techniques, awards
successes, plus local promotion for any film makers, festivals or other
artistic creators that need your attention.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Top 10s with
a difference</b> is my most popular
page. We all love a good list, and here I try and take some alternative
approaches to Top Tens. Plus, suggest any list ideas to me and I could post one
for you!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The <b>Whingebox!</b>
is an area for me to vent. Simple. Anything that's bothering me in the
cinematic world will appear here. Comments are most definitely welcome!</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">And two new
tabs: </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><a href="http://filmbore.blogspot.co.uk/2014/05/coming-soon-special-features.html" target="_blank">SpecialFeatures</a> </b>will be a tab for any
unique articles to keep an eye out for. Interviews, podcasts, YouTube links and
any new review festivals that I post will all appear here.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">And <a href="http://filmbore.blogspot.co.uk/2014/05/coming-soon-chatbore.html" target="_blank"><b>chatbore</b></a> is an open forum for you all to come and post items to. Feel free to chat
about anything "filmic", post your own reviews if you wish, or start
debates. This is where you can get your filmbore on!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">So...what are
you waiting for? Have a gander!</span></span></div>
filmborehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04231468342182243163noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8745746982742182906.post-72212605226343448692014-05-15T17:47:00.001+01:002019-05-17T13:19:50.277+01:00Coming soon - chatbore<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">It's your turn filmborians!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">In the near future, this tab will be turned into an open forum for all you film geeks to come and have a moan, discussion or debate out the cinematic world.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">From time to time, I may post suggested topics for chat but this shouldn't stop you from creating a discussion point of your own.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I want arguments. Verbal fist fights. Bring your movie gumption to the filmbore arena and let your lingual jabs fly!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">No filter. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">No barrier. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Come and do your worst!</span></div>
filmborehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04231468342182243163noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8745746982742182906.post-59378320189263888442014-05-15T17:21:00.001+01:002019-05-17T13:20:03.325+01:00Coming soon - Special Features!<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The new spot for exciting new pieces!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The first of the new filmbore pages, <b>Special Features</b> will become the home for a new wave of articles on the site.</span></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-x7Nd2HsXOK4/U3TpNbER5eI/AAAAAAAAB50/8T74pCi2di4/s1600/ludovico.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="206" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-x7Nd2HsXOK4/U3TpNbER5eI/AAAAAAAAB50/8T74pCi2di4/s1600/ludovico.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">This tab will evolve over time and will contain interviews, podcasts, videos and will be the new centre for my film review festivals (for those that remember my horror themed one last year).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">As usual, any new items will be promoted through Facebook and Twitter, so keep your eyes peeled.</span></div>
filmborehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04231468342182243163noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8745746982742182906.post-6406965251826719102014-03-23T21:28:00.001+00:002014-05-15T16:50:09.312+01:00filmbore pick of the week - Upstream Colour<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Upstream Colour</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;">Director: Shane Carruth</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;">Screenplay: Shane Carruth</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;">Starring: Amy Seimetz, Shane Carruth, Andrew Sensenig, Thiago Martins</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;">Year: 2013</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;">Language: English</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;">UK rental release: December 2013</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2084989/?ref_=nv_sr_1" target="_blank">IMDb</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/upstream_color/" target="_blank">Rotten Tomatoes</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I've been waiting for this film for a long time! For those that saw Shane Carruth's first endeavour into feature length film making, </span><i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Primer</i><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> (</span><a href="http://filmbore.blogspot.co.uk/2012/07/filmbore-pick-of-week-primer.html" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;" target="_blank">see my review here</a><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">) will be aware of his innate ability to twist that melon in your head up, down, left, right and even throw it down a wormhole in time. With a level of anticipation, let's take a peek at film number two shall we?</span></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QMeDOX3ESdc/Uy9MDQImhWI/AAAAAAAAB0g/YGLfkcNOx4Y/s1600/upstream5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QMeDOX3ESdc/Uy9MDQImhWI/AAAAAAAAB0g/YGLfkcNOx4Y/s1600/upstream5.jpg" height="134" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">A thief (newcomer Thiago Martins) harvests his crop. He's busy cleaning his blue orchid plants, drawing the soil out to get to the plethora of maggots burrowing around the roots, of which he then painstakingly separates into living and dead ones...but why?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The man's son knows a little about this. By infusing them into fluid he creates a drug-fuelled beverage that can unite souls. Drinking the juice with friends allows him to influence their movement through dance and Kung-Fu, as if they've been practicing their moves for years.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The thief knows the potential such a creature can bring and wants to experiment with someone. For this isn't just a drug but a parasite, able to induce powerful hypnotic states. </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Instead of using his discovery for scientific purposes, he takes advantage of this power to take advantage of those unaware; from those he wishes to steal from.</span></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-M0g3dHk0LUU/Uy9N7bt4eZI/AAAAAAAAB1Y/SQnz9KIoAwg/s1600/upstream12.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-M0g3dHk0LUU/Uy9N7bt4eZI/AAAAAAAAB1Y/SQnz9KIoAwg/s1600/upstream12.jpg" height="179" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Kris (Amy Seimetz, <i>You're Next</i>, <i>The Killing - TV Series</i>) is a graphic designer, stressed in her work. After a hard day's graft she falls victim to the thief's plot. </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">He knocks her out with a Taser, forcing one of his specially procured maggots down her gullet while she's passed out.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">While induced and at the mercy of the parasite she is very</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> susceptible to suggestion. </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">He proposes scenarios and feelings to her to illicit certain responses in order to the get the results he wants. Once she is in a state of absolute delirium, he begins to</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> endorse money out of her, including the equity of her own home.</span></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-UGTt6q7LPEU/Uy9LdEh5ysI/AAAAAAAAB0Q/2NGo1ZGw68I/s1600/upstream3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-UGTt6q7LPEU/Uy9LdEh5ysI/AAAAAAAAB0Q/2NGo1ZGw68I/s1600/upstream3.jpg" height="200" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The Sampler (Andrew Sensenig, <i>Pearl</i>, <i>Paradise Rediscovered</i>), a calm, humble pig farmer, extracts the parasite from Kris following her own, bloody attempt at excising the creature. He doesn't just exorcise the invader though, as he has an agenda of his own. Strangely, he connects the creature to one of his pigs. Once the process is complete, a connection between human and pig is birthed.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Kris awakens, completely lost and incomplete. She has no recollection of the events while under the influence of her biological guest. </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The subliminal link to her farmed companion begins to consumer her. Her life changes at an encounter with </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Jeff (Shane Carruth, </span><i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Primer</i><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">), who sees Kris regularly on a train and feels a deep connection with her. They seem to</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> sense each other's before they make eye contact; </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">they're weirdly compelled to each other. Maybe this is because they have much more in common than they think...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Upstream Colour</i> is an exercise in the understanding of both influence and control; more poignantly what is like to be at the recipient's end of these forces. It makes</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> us question what truly drives us. Are we at the will of a deeper power controlling us? Or are we just that easy to manipulate?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Some of these themes are addressed more directly in the physical realisation of the invader of the story, through delivering the life cycle of this parasite and all those who depend on it, whether infected or not. This is just one entry into the emblematic world of this picture. </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">There are numerous references and quirks of symbolism throughout the whole piece, whether it be The Sampler's connectivity into all the victim's lives, representing the consistent and unpredictable hand of the puppet master that we feel from time-to-time, or the sporadic but mirrored shots of our characters carrying away boxes, as containers of their lives in transition. These allegories are scattered throughout the whole film, yet even if some of them may not be too obvious they won't spoil your enjoyment of the film thanks to Shane Carruth's incredible attention to detail and his poetic approach to way he spins a yarn.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">It's also wonderful to see what Carruth is capable of on a bigger budget, </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">if still modest budget of (reputedly) under $100,000 (</span><i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Primer</i><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> cost only $7000!). </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Unfortunately, <i>Upstream Colour</i> took a measly $400,000 at the box office. Yes, it's a profit, but not fitting when considering the sheer amount of creativity involved and the quality of production too.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">With quick, direct editing, each shot is deftly produced, compiled together to build a tapestry of gorgeous, artistic visions, while confidently nurtured for an unusually enjoyable tale. </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">There's a whole banquet of lighting techniques used too, including some interesting lens flaring and with a confident handling of the natural light on offer. </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">It's a good film for those who are fans of hi-def. On Blu-ray, it's so bright and vibrant, at points highlighting the most minute of details.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I also particularly like </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Carruth's regular use of the colour blue, especially when signifying the link between our leads, illustrating their symbiosis. Even through these film making choices you will notice even more allegorical references, adding extra layers. </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Some of these more metaphoric scenes, like when The Sampler plays god by sensing through his pigs the connections to their human counterparts, sit within the entire piece as solitary vignettes. They have relevance to the entire picture, of course, but could comfortably sit alone as shorts, purely down to their powerful presence and not just their artistic approach.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Speaking of The Sampler, his character is very provocative. It's absorbing when seeing, in a key scene in the movie, how he collects sounds to draw works and parasites, while creating oddly attractive musical pieces, through the methods of foley. There are delicious moments in this scene too, where the recordings that he takes pair up with the surrounding noises that our two lead characters can hear through their daily working lives. These scenes help to illuminate the stunning sound design at play here, thanks to a team of great audio engineers, and the musical talents of, surprise surprise, Shane Carruth. Is there anything he can't do in the film business? Please, someone give him a big budget to mess around with!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Our leads are great too. The multi-faceted Shane Caruth is an alluring presence as Jeff, equally lost as Kris but with a stronger tent-peg into the lawn of life. While Amy Seimitz as our central character is delectably aloof while still carrying an air of confusion and panic with her at all times. Such a calmly fragile performance is tricky to pull off, yet she handles it so exquisitely.</span><br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-SGU7rkDjdeI/Uy9MrsuXlYI/AAAAAAAAB0w/9ha0JAXc53E/s1600/upstream7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-SGU7rkDjdeI/Uy9MrsuXlYI/AAAAAAAAB0w/9ha0JAXc53E/s1600/upstream7.jpg" height="136" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Her plight is so alien. Coming back to her biological intruder, it's not just the conception of the idea which is unfathomable but the way it's existence is portrayed is frighteningly alluring. The shots</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> of the parasite moving within Kris are creepy, if beautifully realised. It's otherworldly, adding a brief hint of the unexplainable to an already mysterious and unique drama.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">When at the pure will of the creature inside her, with no instruction from her captor, in her slumber she manoeuvres in conjunction to the parasite's movement. The camera rolls in unison to her hand, mirroring the affiliated actions demonstrated by the young boys at the start of the film. It's a subtle effect, with soft impact delivering a gently absorbing experience.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">You'll be consumed from start to finish. The opening shots highlight the incongruous nature of a being that, ironically, specialises in harmonising living hosts. Then, the final shots of <i>Upstream Colour</i> book end the picture by revealing the power of self awareness. Yet, through all its majestic referencing and journeys through symbiotic beauty, if you strip all of this complexity away you're left with a sweet love story of two lost souls, unable to repel their instincts towards needing one another.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">It truly </span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">is such an original concept. Even though it's still in the realms of the psychological, it's worlds apart from <i>Primer</i>. Where <i>Primer</i> explore the lengths we would go in order to make the right choices in the name of science, <i>Upstream Colour</i> shows what the science of nature can do if these choices are taken away.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><i>Don't forget to leave comments below, tweet me @filmbore or post on my Facebook page <a href="http://www.facebook.com/thefilmbore" target="_blank">here</a>.</i> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><i>Alternatively, you could contact me directly about this film or my other reviews on pickoftheweek@filmbore.co.uk</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">A busy week and numerous other tasks are putting a bit of a delay on this week's pick from filmbore. Normal service will resume shortly. Please be patient and filmbore will endeavour to return you to a world of enthusiastic reviews on unusual films. Please stand by...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">And for those of you with no patience at all, you will have to do with this cute picture of a puppy driving car. Seriously...he actually driving a car! Sayeth whaaaat!?!</span></div>
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filmborehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04231468342182243163noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8745746982742182906.post-69883492986337276682014-03-18T19:43:00.000+00:002019-05-17T13:20:39.617+01:00The Eyelids Of Dawn Issue 2 - BUY NOW!<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Round Two of Sheffield's coolest zine, inc. a little bit of filmbore too.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Issue 2 is here! Dave Stockton from Sheffield has pulled out all the stops this time to craft a beautiful looking zine, really excelling himself from the previous publication (which was still awesome in itself!).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">With stories, reviews, artwork, poems and more, once again I invite you to take a trip down the wonky rabbit hole of creativity, soak in the soil of originality and bathe in the roots of uniqueness. I urge you to pick this up, and fuel your mind with something a little left field, a little dark and a little exclusive!</span></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-LfjK6OJQANM/Uyidgor-ouI/AAAAAAAAByw/UuOGX814I7E/s1600/1964250_10151891390257121_1468319484_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="235" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-LfjK6OJQANM/Uyidgor-ouI/AAAAAAAAByw/UuOGX814I7E/s1600/1964250_10151891390257121_1468319484_n.jpg" width="400" /> </a> </div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-wndJDZvVmzA/UyifyLD1BjI/AAAAAAAABzI/LAGkYiKFfGc/s1600/geekfacesmall.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="139" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-wndJDZvVmzA/UyifyLD1BjI/AAAAAAAABzI/LAGkYiKFfGc/s1600/geekfacesmall.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">This time around, my contribution comes in the shape of ten reviews of an array documentary features released over the last couple of years, ranging from award winners to unknowns. There are some absolute belters in there (and a couple of rotten ones, if I'm honest) but I've tried to be as fair as I can with my critique of these pictures. Plus, just like last time, they all come tail-ended with filmbore's very own special geek rating, as illustrated here.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">So, come and get your limited edition copy right now! It's just £4, which is an absolute steal when you see the quality of the content inside. For those that know me, I have a few copies available myself, so contact me by phone or facebook if you want to book one (I only have a few so act fast!). Otherwise, </span></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">you can contact Dave directly by email on freq13@gmail.com to order a copy.</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> There are prices for postage confirmed in the flyer above but I'd advise contacting him soon before
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Thanks everyone, and continue to spread the word!</span></span></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">filmbore </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"></span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"></span>filmborehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04231468342182243163noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8745746982742182906.post-24886452252528626092014-03-12T22:02:00.002+00:002014-05-15T16:52:00.096+01:00filmbore pick of the week - The Skin I Live In<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">The Skin I Live In (La Piel Que Habito)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;">Director: Pedro Almodóvar</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;">Screenplay: Pedor Almodóvar</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;">Starring: Antonio Banderas, Elena Anaya, Marisa Paredes, Jan Cornet, Blanca Suárez, Roberta Álamo</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;">Year: 2011</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;">Language: Spanish</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;">UK rental release: January 2012</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">I know. I've already finished my awards themed season. It just so happens that this week's pick, <i>The Skin I Live In</i>, could have easily fitted within the string of incredibly gong-themed films I've pointed your way recently. It was nominated for the Palme d'Or in 2012, while taking the BAFTA for Best Film Not In The English Language in the same year. Let's sift through one of the calmest horror films ever made.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Toledo, 2012. Vera (Elena Anaya, <i>Room In Rome</i>, <i>Talk To Her</i>) is cooped up in her room in a doctor's mansion, spending her time with patch work models and perfecting her yoga. She has a tendency to hurt herself, even attempting suicide at times, which is one reason why she spends her time in a contoured skin suit.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">She is the result of experimentation: the mansion's doctor's attempt to make the perfect woman; perhaps in the guise of his wife who died burning in a car crash some years ago. Robert (Antonio Banderas, <i>Desperado</i>, <i>Frida</i>) is a expert in the field of plastic surgery, including the progression and success of face transplants. Yet, this isn't where he's pouring his talents in fully.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Robert is growing synthetic skin, a venture he knows can change the face of medicine forever. The project, named "Gal", involves the use of pig cells to mutant human ones, generating an artificial skin that's hard to burn and impervious to all insect bites. It's a revelation of modern science but controversial in its methods.</span></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-uDnhd-_RReA/UyDU-clLudI/AAAAAAAABxI/Mgv-s4g61K0/s1600/skin6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-uDnhd-_RReA/UyDU-clLudI/AAAAAAAABxI/Mgv-s4g61K0/s1600/skin6.jpg" height="170" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">In on the secret experiment, on both the skin and Vera, is Robert's house maid Marilla (Marisa Paredes, <i><a href="http://filmbore.blogspot.co.uk/2012/09/filmbore-pick-of-week-devils-backbone.html" target="_blank">The Devil's Backbone</a></i>, <i>All About My Mother</i>). She isn't completely on board with the situation</span><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"> however</span>, no matter how loyal she is, suggesting that Robert gets rid of Vera before it goes too far.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">One day, Marilla's son Zeca (Roberto Álamo, <i>Family United</i>, <i>Football Days</i>), a jewel thief on the run, decides to pay a visit to his mother for hopeful sanctuary. Yet, not only is he on the run from the authorities but wants Robert to use some of his abilities to work on his face. Marilla wants her son to leave, but on espying Vera on the security cameras he has other plans...</span></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-WsKhsJfndL0/UyDUqkZ2G9I/AAAAAAAABxA/ksQq1Yzyjzk/s1600/skin5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-WsKhsJfndL0/UyDUqkZ2G9I/AAAAAAAABxA/ksQq1Yzyjzk/s1600/skin5.jpg" height="212" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Six years earlier, and Robert is attending the wedding of one of his clients with his daughter, Norma (Blanca Suárez, <i>I'm So Excited!</i>, <i>Shiver</i>). Here, she meets Vicente (Jan Cornet, <i>Looking For Eimish</i>, <i>Tasting Menu</i>), a young man who works at a vintage clothes shop in the nearby town. Across the hall, they catch each other's wandering glance, making a brief romantic connection.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Norma is undergoing treatment for social phobia. Yet, even though she seemed ready to attend the event, something happens to her that takes her over the edge, starting Robert down a dark path that he can't ever return from. No scalpel can ever fix what he has already damaged.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Many will watch this film and consume it as a uniquely built piece. For those more in the know, especially those of you who are fans of classic cinema, you will easily draw similarities to Georges Franju's <i>Eyes Without A Face</i>, yet this feels like an altogether different film. Yes, besides the obvious captive patient, the plastic surgery element being so closely matched, paired with the sense of claustrophoia and paranoia such a tale would share and carry, this picture does stand alone. The source material adapted for this piece in particular is Thierry Jonquet's <i>Mygale</i>, lending different perspectives and making these resemblances feel more coincidental, even if Almodóvar has admitted being inspired by the Franju's 60's horror-noir.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Some of you know how I feel about remakes (<a href="http://filmbore.blogspot.co.uk/2012/08/like-for-like-remakeswhy.html" target="_blank">here's a reminder</a> in case you forgot), so I don't say all of this lightly. This is an altogether invigorating and enticing story, comprised of impeccable design and fused with a wonderfully dramatic score by Alberto Iglesias.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Really driving all of this craft is its overall look. As expected from an Almodóvar movie, each shot is painstakingly crafted, also thanks to the breathtaking cinematography of legendary DP José Luis Alcaine, a long time collaborator with the director. Sensationally lit with perfect framing for each scene, whether locked-off, panning or a combination of the two, the visual splendour on show is a masterclass of lens work. There's a kinetic feel to each shot, and with such sharp imagery there's an inherent beauty throughout.</span></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-VQq07kVpENM/UyDWyXm8LII/AAAAAAAABx8/UFwGDx_gMFM/s1600/skin12.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-VQq07kVpENM/UyDWyXm8LII/AAAAAAAABx8/UFwGDx_gMFM/s1600/skin12.jpg" height="212" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">You cannot mention beauty without considering our female lead. There's no doubt that Banderas, as consummate as ever, doesn't own his moments, but there's something intrinsically magical about Elena Anaya here. Vera is a great role for Anaya to play, which she executes so well she clearly deserves the Goya Award she won for her performance. Child like but strangely wise, she also has an endearing quality to match her allure.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">It's important to feel such attraction to her character in this, as it mirrors the desire that Robert feels towards her as the story unravels. There's a subtlety in some of the voyeurism, where your unsure of his intentions, considering his profession as well as his yearning for her. The fact that he has sculpted her in the same vein as his wife opens deeper inclinations of his needs which, when some of the twists raise their head, is more apparent than you may realise.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">A clever ploy by Almodóvar is the awareness of our leading lady. Vera seems to know when someone is watching her on camera, exposing the unequivocal magnetism in voyeurism, drawing in the longing that a man needs for a mutual stare. It's bewitching to witness, also accentuating the light horror tones dressed over the piece.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">This exciting taboo in lust and deep-seeded wishes is also represented by the film's key prop: the iconic synthetic skin suit. It's presence is attuned to the clinical properties of the room that Vera is currently jailed in. She may be locked within this domesticated cell, suppressed from even expressing herself fully, but it's her "skin" that is her true prison.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">The skin doesn't always stay on, however. There's a lot of nudity in this piece, and when Vera is naked you will see two extremes. At points she is, strangely, more reclusive even though freed from her skintight cell, yet when her situation alters this liberty is expressed more fully in her confidence to bare her real skin, even though this is manufactured also.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">It's quite blasé about sex actually. If an openness of bedroom antics isn't your bag, I'd avert your eyes at a number of occasions. Yet, its brutally honest approach to sex is where the film's personality is truly revealed. It's its calling card, allowing intercourse to become as normal an experience as eating your dinner. It's confidently perverted in a classy way, so don't expect a string of depraved acts here. It's just nicely kinky.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Some may, wrongly, see <i>The Skin I Live In</i> as an excuse for fetishistic desire. It's also quite a dark story, that may disturb some of you. Keep an open mind though and, instead, you'll be greeted by is a tale of an honest descent into the ownership of the soul through forced redemption. Marvel at the delicate design, savour the delicious score, absorb the performances and sensational lens work and you'll get to enjoy a maverick of film: a story of revenge and restoration.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><i>Don't forget to leave comments below, tweet me @filmbore or post on my Facebook page <a href="http://www.facebook.com/thefilmbore" target="_blank">here</a>.</i> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><i>Alternatively, you could contact me directly about this film or my other reviews on pickoftheweek@filmbore.co.uk</i></span></div>
filmborehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04231468342182243163noreply@blogger.com0