I love you. I also love KFC. But this isn’t about my easy gratitude to readers of this site for giving me affirmation on my life or the amazing Colonel and his wonderful chicken, grease, salt combination, this is about the UK Film Council and it’s sad, premature demise.
Some of you may not know what the UKFC does. Some of you may know but not care. Some will be glad to see the back of, what some considered, an overly bureaucratic way of making movies. Some will already know and care deeply enough to have joined the Save The UKFC site) and filled in the petition.
For those that do not know, I’ll try to explain. For those that don’t care, I’ll try and persuade you that you should. For those glad it’s gone, maybe I can flip your opinion. For those signed up, well I’m preaching to the choir. But I do like to preach.
In a few months Facebook: The Movie hits cinemas. Now this sounds about as wank an idea as Robbie Williams replacing Noel in Oasis, but bear with us. Firstly it’s not called Facebook: The Movie but the much better sounding The Social Network based on the book by Ben Mezrich. Secondly it’s not about Facebook but rather the creation of Facebook and the surprisingly interesting tale of friends suing each other over who owns the rights and ultimately hating each others guts. Most noteworthy of all, it’s the new movie from David ‘Se7en, Fight Club, Zodiac‘ Fincher.
It’s also being scored by Nine Inch Nail‘s Trent Reznor and the trailer (which you can click on and watch above) features a Scala reworking of ‘Creep’ by Radiohead. Instead of tiredly listing rubbish wordplay based on Facebook vernacular, i.e. Owen ‘likes’ new Fincher movie, updating status to ‘chuffing excited’ or I’d like to ‘poke’ Justin Timberlake in the eye with something sharp, instead let’s use this as an excuse to look back on Radiohead’s back catalogue, as featured on the silver screen.
Over the years, Hollywood has ransacked the television archives for inspiration, with varying degrees of success. From the awful (I Spy, Wild Wild West, Dukes of Hazzard etc) to the distinctly average (Get Smart, Land of the Lost, Miami Vice etc). Very few have managed to really pull off a reimagining that pleases cinemagoers without alientating the die hard fans. Then last year, a TV mogul came and raised the bar. J.J Abram’s Star Trek reboot was, as you’d expect, hotly anticipated and as such most expected it to fail.
I was stunned by what proved to be a sleak, contemporary thrill ride. Sadly A-team does not continue this asscendancy.
When your last on-screen effort proves to be the biggest selling Blu Ray to date there are inevitably going to be high levels of expectation for your follow up. Seems then, like a strange time to venture out into the woods alone. Not if you’re Christopher Nolan it isn’t. Despite his new found visionary status, naysayers claim that Nolan’s perceived ‘genius’ tag is misappropriated. Both Memento and The Prestige are adaptations, Insomnia is a remake and Batman, well, it’s Batman. With this in mind it’s reasonable to suggest that Inception is not just a big deal for the baying public. It’s a big deal for Nolan as well. Understandable then that Nolan has been so clandestine about the film’s plot ever since the mouth watering teaser trailer hit the net in August of last year.
Of course Nolan’s involvement goes back much further. It’s widely reported that he first pitched the idea to studio execs when it was just that, an idea. As the narrative suggests, idea’s are simple, realising them is where it gets complicated. Warner Bros approved but Nolan decided to work on the screenplay in his down time. Eight years later and Inception is finally in cinemas.
The trend, as it stands, seems to be that once great action movies are gradually watered down through a series of sequels and reboots until the essence of greatness is only the faintest of memories. Die Hard 4.0 was only a few yards short of actual spoof and I hear the next Terminator movie may be an animated picture featuring the voice talents of Miley Cyrus and Neil Morrisey (possible speculation on my part). When it was announced that the Robert Rodriguez produced Predators would be released with a 15 certificate I was more than a little relieved.
People often wonder how I pick the artists to interview about movies for ThisFilmIsON. Well, I mean, they might do. People wonder all kinds of stuff. Who are you to say they don’t? Now that that’s sorted I’m going to tell you. I go through my iTunes and whoever I’m enjoying listening to at the present moment, I send off an e-mail to their management and wait with baited breath. How happy, happy joyous I was to discover then that one half of Peggy Sue (one third if you count the drummer but who counts the drummer eh?!) by the name of Katy Young (see pic left) gone did got herself a degree in American Film.
It’s pure speculation on my part but I’m guessing that she might have a more insightful take on cinema than Bobby George did a couple of weeks back. Still, I wonder how her dart playing is? Incomparable I’d imagine. Whether Katy can throw an arrow or two, one thing is for certain, she’s an excellent musician, singer and judging by these film answers an awesome person to boot.
If I’m honest, finding myself outside the world’s largest I-max the week before the release of Christopher Nolan’s Inception was initially at least, a little infuriating. Unwilling as I was to pass up the opportunity to check out the gargantuan screen I was forced to choose an alternative movie. Thankfully, amidst the abundant I-max underwater/outerspace/junior-documentary content was Pixar’s latest Toy Story 3. Whilst I am a die hard fan of the prolific animation studio I had failed to engage with Toy Story 2 to the same degree as its ground breaking predecessor but the eleven year gap between instalments offered me a degree of assurance that this was more than just the milking of a cash cow.
This Friday sees the release of the real would-be-sequel of Predator. We thought we’d have a look to see where the original stars have ended up. It would appear they’re all in one place. From the Predator Jungle to the Political one. Here’s a rundown of how the original Predator was a breeding ground for politics.
Arnold Schwarzenegger – (Republican)
The most famous star in both film and politics, The Governator first ran for election for the Governorship of California in 2003 in a (total) recall election. Winning the remainder of then Governor Gray Davis’s term (inator) Arnie was re-elected in 2006 for a full-term.
This year could see the Austrian Oak run for the United States Senate. The Presidency, however, is one step too far. Having not been born in the US of A, he is inelligable to run…unless he makes them change the constitution. If anyone could.
Hands up if you’re loving the summer so far. Those with their pinkies in the air will no doubt be those enjoying non-stop festival joy. Those that have their arms stapled to their sides will probably be English football fans.
Alternatively you could keep your arms down if you have even a fleeting love of anything remotely cinematic – because 2010, for cine-philes, has been a total stinker.
Fear not, though, celluloid-fanciers, for the summer is about to get saved. For Inception is almost here.
Almost ten years ago now, a green ogre called Shrek first appeared on our screens, turning traditional fairy tales on their head with their modern, tongue in cheek reinvention of the genre that allowed both kids and adults to enjoy them. The result was a funny and inventive smash. Shrek 2, the follow up, was arguably even better, but then the franchise ground to a shuddering halt in the mind achingly awful disaster that was Shrek the Third. So where now for the 4th (and presumably final) instalment?
The answer is to return the start, Back to the Future style. Or It’s A Wonderful Life, if you were born before 1981 or watch films at Christmas. And the result is pretty good – if not exactly a return to form, it’s a damn sight better than Shrek The Third and is genuinely enjoyable to watch.
