filmbore pick of the week - Grabbers

Grabbers

Director: Jon Wright

Screenplay: Kevin Lehane

Starring: Richard Coyle, Ruth Bradley, Russell Tovey, Lalor Roddy

Year: 2012

Language: English

UK rental release: January 2013

 
IMDb
LoveFilm
Rotten Tomatoes

Last week I kicked off a brand new season in filmbore, looking at interesting independent and foreign horror movies, in response to the trite we've been fed over the last decade with poor CGI driven equivalents and terrible remakes.

This week, I'm crossing the shores to our neighbour to the west to talk about the Irish horror comedy, Grabbers.

Opening on an astronomical view of a familiar planetary body, you can just make out the trail of a meteorite heading towards terra firma. The maverick satellite lands in the ocean off the coast of an Irish island, witnessed by a nearby trawler. The fishermen on board the ship respond to this in order to investigate this strange occurrence. But a few screams and removed bodies later, it's clear that this a mysterious creature has arrived in the emerald isle.

Lisa (Ruth Bradley, of Plus One and Primeval TV series fame), a work-proud officer from Dublin Central, arrives at this small isle to cover the absence of the local constable who is taking a holiday. Used to the hectic busy streets of the Irish capital, in her eyes spell in this idyllic setting should be a breeze in comparison. Yet, she still believes that the really crazy events occur in out in the sticks.

Her first encounter with one of the inhabitants is her new allocated partner, Ciaran (Richard Coyle, A Good Year and Coupling TV series fame) , a Garda who's so consistently bored he's consistently drunk, or at least recovering from that state. He's not used to such an upstart attitude from another officer, and doesn't take to her straight away.

Their first call out is to meet with Dr. Adam Smith (Russell Tovey, The History Boys and Being Human TV series fame), a marine ecologist brought in to investigate the unusual arrival of some other animals... of some pilot whales that have beached themselves in the local bay. There are several of them, lying dead on the sand but strangely, they are covered in some gory, unidentifiable wounds.

Even more disturbing though is the disappearance of some of the town's locals, who have been served as supper to the town's interstellar visitors. However, answers start to arrive when Paddy (Lalor Roddy, Hunger), another of the bay's trawler man, discovers one of these creatures trapped in one of his lobster cages. Unable to identify it, he decides to take it home to see what he can make of it.

After a brief spell in his bath, his new pet takes to the walls of his home, proceeding to attempt a feed on his own blood. Miraculously, Paddy manages to survive this encounter and takes the remains of the creature, which he names a "Grabber" directly to Dr. Adam to find out more. When they're joined by Ciaran and Lisa, they start to uncover the truth about their new tentacled friends. But can a verbally sparring alcoholic and workaholic keep their wits about them to fend off the oncoming onslaught ahead?

Coming from a relatively unknown director and writer, both have teamed up here to create an enjoyable film to shake up the current trend in horror movie making. It feels both extremely familiar but still holds an identity of it's own, partly thanks to the stunning shots of the Irish coastlines, really taking advantage of the local beauty.

Despite some of the obvious reasons, of which I'll discuss later, one key reason for this affiliation comes from the preference in using a cast probably better known for their TV comedic roles than their attempts on the silver screen. This helps to bring the picture back down to earth, strengthening it's homely feel while giving the performers another platform to step into the realm of movies.

The characters they play are easily recognisable and quick to connect to: the drunk, repressed hero; the uptight, rule-following officer; the weedy, sarcastic scientist; the drunk, abusive seafarer; the disgruntle landlord and his even more disgruntled wife. It's an approachable ensemble of colourful individuals, verging ever so slightly towards caricature while still being centred enough roles for our actors to show their wares.

But what of their adversaries? Fully computer generated, albeit a lifeless one on a table, they're an unusual bunch. All tentacles and maws, they benefit from some great creature design and some fine quality to the visual effects when considering it's modest budget, (approximated at about £3.5 million). It's nice to see a brand new monster design, which is seriously missing from the modern horrors of today.

It still doesn't relinquish itself from it's roots however, honourably throwing the odd nod to horror movies of old, even sneaking in a quick cheeky clip of Night Of The Living Dead to help emphasise this. After decades of all manner of films from this genre it is difficult to fully stand out, so instead it chooses to tastefully reference the odd classic or two along the way. This also meant that it, thankfully, follows the good horror staples you can rely on: reluctant victims foolishly stepping into the brink when they clearly shouldn't, the sleepy town overrun by monsters, shaky camera angles once the action starts, brief reveals of the intruders in the early minutes of the film and some novelty kills - all fillings to an original monster-concept sandwich.

One confident choice against all of this though is that, even though (as stated) we only catch glimpses of the creature during the first act, we actually get to see one of the Grabbers upfront and personal only 25 minutes into the picture - a refreshing decision, unleashing the best itself and bypassing any more salubrious views of these aliens. It's a cocky way of dealing with the elephant in the room, leaving room to fill some of the movie's air with more comedy.

The humour grows throughout too, calmly and confidently, ramping up a little further when our heroes discover how to defend themselves against their unwanted visitors, leading to some funny scenarios. This isn't a constant laugh-out-loud affair mind you, instead keeping its comedy smooth and frequent, creating a smile through all of the terror. Still, I can't help but point out what I consider to be the funniest laugh in the whole film, which is a salute to my favourite film, Aliens (you'll know it when you see and hear it!), so we still get some belly laugh moments at points.

In fact, with all it's humour, frights, monsters and characters, this picture does exactly what it says on the tin...it's a funny romp, great for a Saturday night movie, and just goes to show you that you don't need a Hollywood cast, relentless promotion and a gut-busting budget to achieve this.

 Grabbers knows exactly what it is. Harking back to comedic, carefree horrors like Tremors and Critters, it doesn't take itself too seriously. And, with its unique monster and premise, it's all about the fun. Or as they say in Ireland, it's all about the great craic!

Don't forget to leave comments below, tweet me @filmbore or post on my Facebook page here. 

Alternatively, you could contact me directly about this film or my other reviews on pickoftheweek@filmbore.co.uk

filmbore pick of the week - Berberian Sound Studio

Berberian Sound Studio

Director: Peter Strickland

Screenplay: Peter Strickland

Starring: Toby Jones, Cosimo Fusco, Fatma Mohamed, Antonio Mancino

Year: 2012

Languages: English, Italian

UK rental release: December 2012

IMDb
LoveFilm
Rotten Tomatoes

My awards season proved popular so I thought I'd begin another. With the recent confirmation of the speculated prequel to The Shining (what!?) and the pending remakes of Carrie and The Evil Dead (new version dropping the "The" from the title) it seemed fitting to start my next blog festival on the genre of horror.

In true filmbore style, however, I won't be partaking in any of these remakes (see my article on the subject here and you'll see why). Instead I'll be looking at some independent and non-English speaking pictures of recent release and previous. There is a severe lack of decent horror out at present, and has been the case for some time, so I hope to remedy that by reviewing some alternative horror pieces that may intrigue you...starting with Peter Strickland's reality busting Berberian Sound Studio.

Gilderoy (Toby Jones, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, Infamous), a timid, reserved sound specialist, starts his first day at the Berberian Studios. He awaits at the door of Berberian Studio 4, the "Silence" light pulsing to the sound of a heartbeat, unifying anticipation and audio. He's been brought in by an Italian film company for his expertise in mixing sound. Yet, he's presented with a different type of film to what he was expecting - not an equestrian film, as promised, but a Giallo horror.

He is not a sociable man, a vibe picked by his new boss, producer Francesco (Cosimo Fusco, Angels & Demons and Italian TV star). An abrupt man, Francesco is feared by some of the crew. During the start of his employment, Gilderoy has to argue constantly with the producer just to get his flight expenses reimbursed. He also struggles initially to get a meeting with the movie's director, Santini (Antonio Mancino), who is far more charismatic. He's proud of what's he's created thus far, which we assume is horror about a witch's curse. Santini believes it is not a horror though, but instead a movie that reveals the brutal truth behind some historical events.

There is strange relationship between both Santini and Francesco. In fact there's a feeling of the untoward between the entire crew; something is underlying, tangible but untouchable. This is felt most with the animosity for Gilderoy felt by the studio staff. By distancing himself however, he starts to notice the unease between them all, as he watches them patiently to the sounds he's recorded, accentuating a possible terror amidst them. Is he paranoid? Or does the soundscape assist in revealing the truth behind his new habitat?

Within all of this he finds a mild companionship with one of the artists, Silvia (Fatma Mohamed), who also feels the air of mistrust within the crew. She starts confiding in Gilderoy, but is she playing a game with him? Or does she bear some truth in what's happening around them?

Something is definitely amiss here. Why hire a man who doesn't engineer audio for horror? As Gilderoy questions his right for involvement on such a project, the haunting sounds start to plague him, causing detriment to his mind and he begins to break down as reality bends on a film he can't bear to work on.

British director Peter Strickland has delivered a near unclassifiable picture. It does belong to the horror genre, but does stand individually amongst it's brethren. Some of this applaudable segregation is due to some alternative filming techniques, almost alien sounds and interesting storytelling methods.

The film does present itself in a number of acts: timetables segment each chapter of sound that Gilderoy works on as we see his mental being unfold through his medium.  Stockpiles of used food from Foley recording build up as the tale moves forward, rotting away in their heaped state, as they are segued into mirrored shots of the studio equipment, which on occasion start withering itself. There are startling but welcomed interludes with the ADR  (Additional Dialogue Recording) scenes, where we view the artists from outside the vocal booth in soundproofed space. There is total silence, with just the expressions and oral contortions as the performers lay down their tracks.

The technique that brings the most impact amongst all of this is in that the Giallo movie's scenes are described instead of visualised. We never see what's on screen, which is a brave but, luckily, genius approach, allowing us to concentrate on the characters and the audible universe we are presented with. 

And what sound there is to appreciate! As we enter the world of Foley (recording the manipulation of household objects and degradable substances for sound effects - a dream job for many, including myself!) there are highlights of some captivating recording techniques. For example, we see how a blender and some Pasata can be used to great effect to generate the sound of a chainsaw cutting through flesh. Yet, beyond all of this the sound department on this film had to be of a standard worthy of the source material. I'm pleased to say that, in this area, Berberian Sound Studio is a triumph. There is some incredible sound design here, sometimes marrying with the recordings that our characters are manipulating, while at the same time drawing us away from normality with some absorbing and provocative audio. 

Strickland pairs the aural with the visual perfectly. From the off, we open on wonderful close-up shots on recording equipment - a motif that he perpetuates throughout the picture. It's shot very atmospherically, with slow pans and uncomfortable close-ups to breed anxiety in the audience. There's also some good use of side lighting to add to the claustrophobia.

This apprehension is thrived upon by the actors. The relatively unknown cast (Cosimo Fusco is probably more recognised as Rachel's Italian squeeze, Paolo in the US TV comedy behemoth, Friends) do a great job at crafting a bewildering sensation of discomfort through their disconnecting personas. They're a rich collection of characters that gently meld to create the necessary environment to throw curve balls at Gilderoy. 

Standing above all of this is the victimised lead. English born Toby Jones is a great casting choice for our troubled sound engineer. He's had some strong roles over the years, only really receiving big opportunities more recently. Here, his subtle performance holds together a film that could appear confusing, as he allows you to buy into this surreal world.

A Lynchian world, if you will. There is no disputing the dream-like sense of awareness in the film that is so intrinsically bound in David Lynch's pictures. Yet, this movie has a personality of it's own thanks to it's simmering, nervous dread. Tension slowly builds throughout, and you're never sure if something's going to happen (and I won't say either way in case I spoil it for you). These hidden expectations; the anguish of the unknown - feelings that hark back to some of the best classic horror around, such as The Wicker Man and Rosemary's Baby. This sense of urgency and unease is generated from the tormenting journey the picture takes you on, experiencing the events through the alienated mind of Gilderoy. It's a unique take on horror - a distant connection to the genre while still completely enveloped by it.

A thoughtful homage to the sound techniques used by 70s British studios, while still nodding to the revered Italian genre of Giallo, there's no ignoring the fact that Berberian Sound Studio has seriously split audiences - this may not be for everyone. But if you're bored of the same, standard horror fare and want to step into the unknown, treat yourself to this and behold one of those rare things...an art-house horror. 

Don't forget to leave comments below, tweet me @filmbore or post on my Facebook page here.

Alternatively, you could contact me directly about this film or my other reviews on pickoftheweek@filmbore.co.uk

In memory of the famed film critic Roger Ebert

And so we must now say farewell to yet another icon of the film industry, as only a week ago we lost the irrepressible film journalist Roger Ebert. I would have written this article closer to his passing, but I've been absent some of this week. However, a delayed tribute cannot deter us from remembering a brilliant man, who was so honest and relentless in his reviewing technique.

In the late 60s, Roger starting critiquing movies for the Chicago Sun-Times, quickly earning a reputation as an artist of the form. Around this time, even the legendary Pauline Kael stated that Roger's columns were "the best film criticism being done in American newspapers today".

Leading into the 70's he also dabbled in books, screenplays and even guest lectured on film, until his first major step as the critic we now know him as today began when he start co-hosting a weekly review show, Sneak Previews. A few years later he would meet his "partner-in-whine" Gene Siskel, and they worked together in the decades that followed on a number of self named shows until up Siskel's death in February 1999. It was in these years that the pair coined their famous "thumbs up/thumbs down" scoring system, which sometimes followed some hefty and comical debates between the two thanks to their natural chemistry and charm (they even trademarked their phrase "Two thumbs up"!).

His forward views have generated some incredibly humorous articles, with memorable phrases, so below I have included some quotes from his work over the years for your amusement. Yet, Ebert's reputation was also held together by so much more than his wit. He has established himself in film critic history with his truism approach to journalism: always being direct with his comments, displaying his own personality through his text, while still writing his articles from the perspective of the audience demographic that a film is targeted to. He has been an influence to many a critic, and as a fledgling reviewer myself I have always been inspired by his method and technique. Roger, I salute you...with two thumbs up!

Quotes from some of Roger Ebert's most memorably scathing reviews...

"Young men: If you attend this crap with friends who admire it, tactfully inform them they are idiots. Young women: If your date likes this movie, tell him you’ve been thinking it over, and you think you should consider spending some time apart"

Battle: Los Angeles (2011)

“Going to see Godzilla at the Palais of the Cannes Film Festival is like attending a satanic ritual in St. Peter’s Basilica…It was the festival’s closing film, coming at the end like the horses in a parade, perhaps for the same reason.”

 Godzilla (1998)

“Here it is at last, the first 150-minute trailer. Armageddon is cut together like its own highlights. Take almost any 30 seconds at random, and you’d have a TV ad. The movie is an assault on the eyes, the ears, the brain, common sense, and the human desire to be entertained. No matter what they’re charging to get in, it’s worth more to get out.”

Armageddon (1998)

“During a rehearsal scene, their director tells them, with such truth that we may be hearing a secret message from the screenwriter, ‘That was absolutely perfect — without being actually any good.’ Spice World is obviously intended as a ripoff of A Hard Day’s Night which gave The Beatles to the movies…the huge difference, of course, is that the Beatles were talented — while, let’s face it, the Spice Girls could be duplicated by any five women under the age of 30 standing in line at Dunkin’ Donuts.”

Spice World (1997)

“Some of the acting is better than the film deserves. Make that all of the acting. Actually, the film stock itself is better than the film deserves. You know when sometimes a film catches fire inside a projector? If it happened with this one, I suspect the audience might cheer.”

Revolver (2005)

“If you want to save yourself the ticket price, go into the kitchen, cue up a male choir singing the music of hell, and get a kid to start banging pots and pans together. Then close your eyes and use your imagination… The movie has been signed by Michael Bay. This is the same man who directed The Rock in 1996. Now he has made Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen. Faust made a better deal.”

Transformers: Revenge Of The Fallen (2010)

“’This sucks on so many levels.’ Dialogue from Jason X; rare for a movie to so frankly describe itself. Jason X sucks on the levels of storytelling, character development, suspense, special effects, originality, punctuation, neatness and aptness of thought.”

Jason X (2001)

 “This movie doesn’t scrape the bottom of the barrel. This movie isn’t the bottom of the barrel. This movie isn’t below the bottom of the barrel. This movie doesn’t deserve to be mentioned in the same sentence with barrels.”

Freddie Got Fingered (2001)

"To call it an anticlimax would be an insult not only to climaxes but to prefixes. It's a crummy secret, about one step up the ladder of narrative originality from It Was All a Dream. It's so witless, in fact, that when we do discover the secret, we want to rewind the film so we don't know the secret anymore.

 "And then keep on rewinding, and rewinding, until we're back at the beginning, and can get up from our seats and walk backward out of the theater and go down the up escalator and watch the money spring from the cash register into our pockets."

The Village (2004)

Simply brilliant! We'll really miss you Roger!

"So on this day of reflection I say again, thank you for going on this journey with me. I'll see you at the movies."

Roger Ebert, final blog post Tuesday 2nd April 2013

 

Roger Ebert (1942 - 2013) R.I.P.

 

 

Please feel free to share your views on Roger Ebert and his vibrant career by posting in the comments section below.

 

filmbore pick of the week - Amour

Amour

Director: Michael Haneke

Screenplay: Michael Haneke

Starring: Jean-Louis Trintignant, Emmanuelle Riva, Isabelle Huppert

Year: 2012

Language: French

UK rental release: March 2013

IMDb

LoveFilm

Rotten Tomatoes

My awards awareness season has been fun so far, and it's been great trying to raise visibility on some great pictures that are usually ignored, even though awarding bodies are trying to recognise them in some shape or form. To tail off my themed pick of the weeks over the last month or so, it seemed only fitting to review the biggest success for world cinema throughout the last collection of awards festivals - Michael Haneke's Amour.

He came close to winning an Oscar when he received an Academy nomination 3 years previously for The White Ribbon (Palme d'Or winner in 2009), only to lose out to The Secret In Their Eyes (see my review of it here). He turned heads four years previous to that with the astonishingly good Hidden (Caché), of which I chose for one of my picks-of-the-week back in November last year. This time around, Haneke took his turn in the limelight with the emotional Amour winning all manner of gongs, including successes at the Academy Awards (Best Foreign Language Film), the César Awards (numerous, including Best Film), the Golden Globes (Best Foreign Language Film), the BAFTAs (numerous including Best Film not in the English language) and the coveted Palme d'Or at Cannes, to name but a few! So, what's the fuss all about...

We open on some fireman breaking into an apartment. Once in, they open some of the windows to release the smell they're confronted with. But not all were opened by them...in one untouched room, with a breeze entering of it's own accord lies the deceased body of an elderly lady, immaculately dressed and holding a bouquet of flowers.

We're taken straight to a theatre, facing the audience who are still trying to find their seats. Our leading couple are seated near the centre, chatting away happily. They're a couple who've become so comfortable with each other over time and still hopelessly in love with each other. Anne (Emmanuelle Riva, Three Colours: Blue, Hiroshima, mon amour) sits patiently nattering to her husband, awaiting a performance for her old piano pupil, Alexandre (real life pianist Alexandre Tharaud).

The next day, while at breakfast, Georges (Jean-Louis Trintignant, Three Colours: Red, The Conformist) takes his turn to chatter away. They still share mild banter and new stories together after many years in each other's company. Georges continues talking until he notices that something is wrong. Anne suddenly suffers from a mild stroke, as she stares blankly back at an aghast Georges. Minutes later, she snaps out of it, unawares - she doesn't want to believe that it has happened.

Against her own views, she agrees to seek help. She undergoes an operation that isn't fully successful, so further strokes are likely. Now, they are always at the fear of further episodes occurring while Anne defies any more hospital visits. Hearing this disheartens her daughter, Eva (Isabelle Huppert, The Piano Teacher, Violette Nozière), who already feels distant from the situation, even with continuous calls to Georges to find out what's going on. Her presence troubles Anne, as she doesn't want her daughter to see her in the state she's in. 

But Eva needs to help and she questions George's methods, even though they are at the behest of Anne's wishes to stay at home.

The key focus and direction of Amour's tale is of how this couple of many years of marriage deal with the aftermath of Anne's stroke. Behind this plot, however, are layers of emotions and perceptions delivered with such subtlety. A lot of this strength comes from Haneke's screenplay. With such great writing, the film is full of sweet and intelligent dialogue, delicately handled by our leading stars.

This includes the calm and intense portrayal of Eva by Isabelle Huppert. In the few scenes she is in, Huppert is very moving as the couple's daughter. Feeling segregated and hopeless to help, she speaks from the mind of many children craving to aid their parents when in need; wanting to advise from their perspective without insulting the mothers and fathers they will always look up to. It's a difficult manner to put across, and Huppert does so effortlessly, thanks to her controlled delivery and the interesting chemistry between the characters of Eva and Georges.

Turning to the father, there needs to be more discussion of Jean-Louis Trintignant as Georges. Emmanuelle Riva is sensational, deserving all her awards success, (including winning gongs at the BAFTAs & the Césars and a nomination at the Academy Awards) but so is Trintignant. He should have been recognised in the Academy Awards as well as others too in my opinion, but at least he picked up a César Award like Riva. He commands the whole picture from beginning to end, as Riva dances around his pillar of a performance with her emotive and beautiful execution of Anne. It's a wonderful partnership they have in the film as actors: lending extra gravitas and depth to the characters; breathing reality into the relationship in their portrayal of the elderly couple.

Riva's performance is outstanding though. I'm a fan of Jennifer Lawrence, don't get me wrong, and she was bound to pick up at least one Oscar in her career, but Riva's portrayal of Anne was so worthy of the gong that it's a travesty that she didn't take it. With such a hard role to handle, it takes a lot of gumption to be able to play a woman going through Anne's strife. She is so affecting in the lead, and it's not a performance you'll forget in a hurry. At least Riva can be proud to say that she is now the oldest nominee in history up for Best Actress In A Leading Role at the age of 85.

Thankfully, as mentioned at the start of the article, Michael Haneke has finally received the plaudits he so deserves. As expected, he's as patient with his lens as he always is. For example, take the main leading shot in the theatre...Anne and Georges are only just noticeable in their seats as everyone else muffles around for their seats, then he stays on the audience to the receive their initial delight of the pianist's performance...it's true Haneke! 

In fact, besides this scene and another brief sequence, the entire film is staged in the couple's apartment. It's a great set, acting as a supporting character to the leading pair. And with such a small environment to work in, it's surprising how much Haneke draws from it. He always calculates beautiful, drawn-out static shots for effect while at the same time allowing the actor's to exhale such natural performances, and he does so effortlessly here in  a limited amount of shooting space, which is beyond admirable. You never feel claustrophobic either, and there are new angles to take in all the way up until the very end of the picture.

And how do you feel by the end? It's a interesting journey, sure, and it has to be said that it contains some harrowing spells that some of you may find difficult to watch. Yet, the despair is united with some extremely moving moments, while still confidently hanging on to the looming melancholy that cannot be sidelined. Like the earnest scene where Georges tries to help Anne with her speech. It's sad but touching.

What Haneke has so eloquently managed is to build around this small world an affiliating tale that's both heart-warming and tragic, bringing up emotions from the deepest instincts of human nature, quality of life and the strength of true love. This is realised most purely in a brief moment when Anna is calling out in distress - the slightest of Georges' contact in gently stroking her hand eases her swiftly. It passes in a heartbeat, but still manages to highlight the picture's premise and is so naturally felt. I feel that these few seconds sum up Amour in it's entirety - no matter what the complication that may beset you, or the conflicts of views between you, it's the understanding that you are there for each other, through thick and thin, that carries more power and courage than any individual can burden alone.

The small awareness for Riva is one accomplishment in an awards culture usually geared towards the blockbuster realm, but it's Michael Haneke's steps to glory over the previous months that finally puts an extra flag for world cinema in the map of cinematic history. Showing all of his talent in Amour, it's just the right picture to attain such eminence and, in my view, the leader of the pack of my awards awareness season.

Don't forget to leave comments below, tweet me @filmbore or post on my Facebook page here.

Alternatively, you could contact me directly about this film or my other reviews on pickoftheweek@filmbore.co.uk

March Overview

Awards awareness, Top 10 debates and a sad farewell

So, as Easter passes and we all feel guilty for the amount of chocolate we've eaten, gym membership applications have gone through the roof! ;) Yet, in the UK we've only just come out of the other side of this horrendous late Winter and the sun has started beating down on our isle, encouraging us out of our warrens for Spring...and it's about time too!

Activity thrived on filmbore throughout March, as the timing of the calendar meant we had an extra pick of the week than usual, two Top 10s got the social communities chatting and debating and we waved our last goodbye to a British legend. Let's remind ourselves of the snowy month of March...

Pick of the week - Recap

 
Starting the month on St.David's Day meant only one thing...I had to pick a welsh film! Clearly, one of the greatest and most misunderstood of these is the hilariously brilliant Twin Town. Julian and Jeremy (Llyr & Rhys Ifans) begin a retaliation against rugby club owner Bryn Cartwright (William Thomas) after he fails to pay compensation for their injured father, with disastrous consequences.

Commencing my "Awards Awareness" season was Jacques Audiard's beautifully shot Rust And Bone, which stood well at the Cannes Film Festival, the BAFTAs and the César Awards. Marion Cotillard plays Stéphanie, a recently disabled whale trainer trying to re-establish herself in the world. Ali (Matthias Schoenaerts), a reborn street fighter, could hold the life she needs.

Beasts Of The Southern Wild was one of the bigger independent successes this time around, especially with it's visibility in this year's Academy Awards. Even though it didn't pick up any Oscars, you cannot dispute the originality of the piece. It still picked up awards in other events, and Quvenzhané Wallis became the youngest Best Actress nominee in history at just aged 9 for her astounding performance as Hushpuppy.

A break from the awards based films, Tales Of The Night was brutally missed out at the major ceremonies. With such individual animation techniques and plenty of intriguing, warm stories within, Michel Ocelot's portmanteau of fables deserves more recognition for it's vibrancy, visuals and veracity.

Shortly after the 2013 Empire Movie Awards there was only one film that I could pick from their successes...Ben Wheatley's Sightseers. Taking Best British Film at the event, it harks back to Wheatley's debut, Down Terrace, for it's humour but brings it's own level of black comedy. Tina (Alice Lowe) and Chris (Steve Oram) take the caravan experience to a whole new level with murder, kidnapping dogs and a pencil museum.

New Top 10s

I promised you more Top 10s, so I gave you more Top 10s...
 

With the "cinematic pop sensation" of Les Miserables dominating the scene, I had to do something musical based. Three attempts at this (comedy musicals, coolest musicals, darkest musicals) were good but I always felt something missed out. Mixing them altogether, I compiled the Top 10 Musicals With A Difference. Including the three original lists, as mentioned, this topic generated lots of debate and chat amongst you all, on both this blog and in Facebook. In fact, such activity was generated that I even altered the "Just Missed Out" section and one of the sub lists to include Ken Russell's Tommy following the suggestions you all made, proving the power of the people's opinion. All of this discussion spread the word amongst social communities, making this post one of the most viewed that I've ever had, so I want to thank all of you who got involved and got the debate going.

This success meant I had to give you another list straight off the bat. The Walking Dead Season 3 has finished/ is finishing (depending on which country you're in) and we're still riding the wave of successful comic book adaptions since the success of The Avengers and The Dark Knight Rises last year. To take the usual left field, filmbore route, however, I opted to look at the adaptations that didn't include superheroes or caped crusaders in my Top 10 "Non-Spandex" Comic Book Conversions. Again, this has generated some rapid activity, proving that no matter who you are, or what you're into, we all love a good top ten list!

But were this lists wacky enough? Have any better ideas yourself? Post in the comments section below or post onto the timeline of filmbore's facebook page with your suggestions.

In memory of Richard Griffiths OBE

At the end of March we were told of the sad news that Richard Griffiths had passed away due to a complication after heart surgery. At 65, Griffiths had garnered such a rich, wonderful roster of performances both on stage and on screen that he'll be stamped on our memory forever.

In honour of the great man, I have chosen a selection of his exuberant characters, discussing his approach and reminding us of his incredible ability as a character actor, along with quotes, pictures and a couple of videos for you all to enjoy.

Please pop by and take in the brilliance of the man, and leave your own comments and feelings at the bottom of the article.

Richard Griffiths OBE (1947 - 2013) R.I.P.

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