At The Flix with @Timmy666
Welcome to this week’s At The Flix with your humble cinephile @timmy666.
After a brief absence last week (erm, I was away), I’m pleased to be back to provide a glance over this week’s cinematic offerings. Not a great number of films out this week, yet there are a few films to relish.
Gravity (12A)
This is the film that James Cameron has reportedly said is the greatest sci-fi ever made. High praise indeed. I too profess to being rightly excited about this, as it has garnered much initial critical acclaim and the trailers have similarly impressed. Alfonso Cuaron, director of fantastic films ranging from Y Tu Mama Tambien, Children of Men and Prisoner of Azkaban (the best Potter film), is a master of tension, suspense and horror conventions. The high-end cast featuring Messrs Clooney and Bullock look ideal to reflect a tale of being adrift in space.
Philomena (12A)
Whilst out in a few cinemas across the land already, this film directed by Stephen Frears and starring Judi Dench and Steve Coogan has also definitely caught my eye. A lot of people have mentioned how interesting it is that Coogan, who co-wrote the film, has chosen to play a journalist, given his recent real life action to highlight the various wrongdoings that the press have been up to. In the story of real-life journalist Martin Sixsmith’s story of a woman’s search for her son, who was taken away from her decades ago after she became pregnant and was forced to live in a convent, this is perhaps Coogan’s exemplar of demonstrating an actual story, which shows how a journalist can do something for the public good. The trailer hints that the film will display the right level of humour and sentiment and it looks like Judi Dench’s genius is all over this film too.
Kelly + Victor (18)
Screening at the mac for a few days from Friday*, this is Kieran Evans film set in Liverpool telling the story of two young people who meet at a nightclub and start a sexual relationship, which removes them from the stark and illegal realities of their ordinary lives – she is escaping a brutish former lover, while he is being dragged into a world of drugs. It’s when they make love that their darker instincts take over. It’s again great to see the mac supporting young filmmakers whose films wouldn’t ordinarily get any attention, and worth people to support what is a undoubtedly challenging film, what one critic has described as “a classic tale of boy meets girl, boy invites girl back to his place, girl strangles boy whilst having sex.”
*Note the film features as a Departure Lounge with a special Q&A on Friday and regular screenings Sunday through Monday.
So, some real variety this week. Just a few offerings but let us know what you see and be sure to send a tweet if you go to Kelly + Victor in particular!
