CINEMA: Closing The Ring

Now entering his twilight years, Sir Dickie Attenborough is one of the true heavyweights of British cinema, both as an actor and a director. However, his newest venture behind the camera is a curiously lightweight affair, over sentimental and shown through rose-tinted spectacles.

With a time line stretching from 1941 to 1991 it may be epic in scale, but certainly isn’t so in execution. It’s the story of three young American friends, Teddy, Jack and Chuck, who join the airforce together on the eve of the Second World War. They are all in their own ways in love with the beautiful Ethel (Mischa Barton), but she has eyes only for Teddy. However, their tragic romance ends when his bomber crashes in Ireland. Fast-forward fifty years and it is time for an elderly Ethel (Shirley MacLaine) and Jack (Christopher Plummer) to come to terms with events in the past and to finally ‘close the ring’.

The film has a confusing, chopped up structure that moves back and forth along the time line, which makes the narrative hard to follow and really adds nothing to the overall experience. There are one or two stand out performances (Neve Campbell as Ethel’s thoroughly pissed off daughter is a revelation) but nearly everything gets drowned in the overall mishmash and mush.

What the film really needs is a more British emotional approach. Instead it allows itself to wallow in Americanised gloop which makes it appear clunky and rather crass. Attenborough is more than capable of handling big budget movies with flair and sophistication (Gandhi), but unfortunately Closing The Ring isn’t one of his triumphs. Dee Pilgrim

CINEMA: Paranoid Park

It seems director Gus Van Sant is determined to pursue his own particular and very singular vision of film no matter what. After the lyrical and dream-like (if somewhat overblown) Elephant and Last Days comes another elegiac exploration of death and guilt with scenes containing minimal dialogue intercut with beautiful and almost (but not quite) surreal images.Paranoid Park is a skateboard park inhabited by the lost, lonely, and dispossessed. No wonder teen skateboarder Alex (Gabe Nevins) is keen to visit, but also a little apprehensive. Unfortunately, when he finally summons up the courage to go the trip ends in tragedy.

The story is nicely acted and well told but it is arty in the extreme with long, slow interludes of skateboarders in slow motion. These abstract intermissions may look lovely but they certainly don’t add anything to the narrative and ultimately make Paranoid Park a movie to appreciate visually but one that can’t be connected with emotionally or intellectually.     Dee Pilgrim

CINEMA: The Kite Runner

Based on the celebrated book by Khaled Hosseini, The Kite Runner has a special, extra-added ingredient that marks it out from similar stories of friendship, betrayal and redemption. That special something is its setting; pre-Taliban Afghanistan.

This exotic, hot, dusty and spicy world is the whole universe to two young boys, privileged Amir (Zekira Ebrahimi) and Hassan (Ahmad Khan Mahmoodzada), the son of a household servant. The pair are thick as thieves, especially when it comes to flying kites, but their friendship is broken forever by one single and shocking act. It is only when the adult Amir (Khalid Abdalla) – who now lives in America – is summoned back to the once sophisticated and cultured Kabul, which has been decimated by years of oppression under the Taliban, that he can put right the mistakes of his past and pay the huge emotional debt he owes to his boyhood friend.

Director Marc Foster handles the more controversial and disturbing scenes in the film with great sensitivity and he is helped enormously by two wonderfully natural performances from Ebrahimi and Mahmoodzada. In fact, it is the young characters that shine and the front section of the film, which concentrates on their days together, proves to be more engrossing than adult Amir’s perilous return to Kabul. This is neither easy nor light viewing (a stoning is shown in all its brutality), but it has a resonance and at times an alien beauty that is beguiling.     Dee Pilgrim

CINEMA: I’m Not There

Director Todd Haynes (Far From Heaven, Velvet Goldmine) certainly has a unique vision and most definitely doesn’t pander to the mainstream, but this, his latest musing on the workings and intricacies of the creative mind, comes over as a piece of abstract, arthouse installation, rather than as a cohesive feature.

Based very loosely on the life and music of Bob Dylan, the film follows the career of a succession of musicians who are individually based on one aspect/character trend/interest of the great man himself. For instance, Woody (Marcus Carl Franklin) represents Dylan’s fascination with folk musician Woody Guthrie; Jack Rollins (Christian Bale) his interest in protest songs, and Jude (Cate Blanchett) his foray into and experimentation with electronic instrumentation. Like many other films employing such an episodic format, some sequences (and some actors) work better than others and as a whole the film is strange, wilful, and often beguiling. However, some of it is also cringingly pretentious and those not familiar with Dylan’s life or work may find themselves totally baffled by what they are seeing. It’s also far too long as a string of famous faces keep appearing (also starring are Richard Gere, Heath Ledger, Ben Wishaw, Julianne Moore and Michelle Williams) without proper introduction and you basically have to guess which part of Dylan’s career they are representing.

Todd Haynes should be applauded for turning his back on commercial concerns and making a film that has such a singular vision. But while Dylan fans will think the ticket price is worth it for the soundtrack alone, others may see this as an interesting if flawed contemplation of what it takes to be a creative genius.     Dee Pilgrim

CINEMA: St Trinian’s

Way back in 1954, when Ronald Searle’s classic cartoons of the wayward pupils of St Trinian’s, their cash-strapped headmistress and her money-making plans, and a spiv going by the fabulous name of Flash Harry first hit the big screen you can imagine that such anarchy, energy and jolly good old hockey-sticks fun was a breath of fresh air to a Britain emerging from the austere post-war years. So the remake and its stars have a lot to live up to, not least Rupert Everett in the dual, cross-dressing part of headmistress Camilla Fritton and her dodgy art dealer brother Carnaby.

Things start off promisingly enough as Carnaby drops his unsuspecting daughter Annabelle (Talulah Riley) off at the run-down St Trinian’s fresh from a stint at exclusive boarding academy, Cheltenham Ladies College. However, Annabelle soon gets a taste of the mayhem that is St T’s as she’s introduced to Head Girl Kelly (Gemma Arterton), the motley crew that is the rest of the student body and the eccentrics and maniacs that comprise the teaching staff. Once again, the school is in a precarious financial state and it is up to Camilla, Flash Harry (an extremely spivved up Russell Brand) and the beloved girls to save the day, although their plans are constantly under threat from the hardline Minister of Education, Geoffrey Thwaites (Colin Firth).

The plot involves a trip to the National Gallery in Trafalgar Square and participation in a TV quiz show School Challenge, but this shift of emphasis in location away from the school and its grounds into pastures new actually lessens the claustrophobic quality of the comedy of the original. Also watered down is the internecine warfare between the pig-tailed Juniors and the all-smoking, stocking-wearing Seniors of the 1954 film. Instead, in a nod to the cultural diversity of the noughties, the girls now fall into strictly separated gangs such as the Trustafarians, Goths (AKA Emos), Geeks and Posh Totty. Another new innovation is the amount of technological gizmos on show with webcams, computer hacking, mobile phones, bugging devices and lasers all liberally used to push the plot along – a far cry from the buckets of paint, cricket bats, smoke bombs and a couple of sticks of dynamite available to the girls in the original.

This may be progress as we know it in the 21^st Century, but it waters down the organic sense of total chaos and sheer schoolgirl hysteria (and also a great deal of the anarchic fun) that used to be St Trinian’s and its girls – now they’re far too sophisticated for their own good. That said, tweenies will enjoy the fact that the students definitely get one over on the grown ups (and then some).

The performances are adequate but Rupert Everett isn’t a patch on the divine Alistair Sim (and his false teeth as Camilla make it difficult to understand what he’s saying). Mind you, his Camilla in pink velour tracksuit (or should that be leisure suit?) and headscarf is a sight never to be forgotten (no matter how hard you may wish to).     Dee Pilgrim

CINEMA: I Am Legend

I Am Legend has been on the cards since 1995, when Ridley Scott was set to direct Arnold Schwarzenegger in an adaptation of Richard Matheson’s cult novel of the same name. Twelve years of waiting and the film is finally upon us albeit with different names attached: Francis Lawrence directs while Will Smith stars as Robert Neville, the last man on Earth. This is the fourth incarnation of the story which has seen screen icons Vincent Price and Charlton Heston in the role of Neville, and Mark Dacascos in the role of crappy straight-to-video superstar in I Am Omega.

So has I Am Legend been worth the twelve year wait? Well yes and no. Fans of Matheson’s novel will be disappointed that the film isn’t actually that true to the source material. Rather the film is effectively a remake of The Omega Man which is something of a missed opportunity. What was a meditation on isolation and the internal struggle of the last man on Earth has become a glossy Hollywood production full of external conflict and pop culture references. Underlying human issues, such as the futility of existence, survival, hostility and madness are underplayed in favour of the usual present-day global concerns. However, the biggest mistake the film makes is with the ending. Where the downbeat conclusion of the novel puts the whole story into perspective, the film wraps things up with a tacked-on Hollywood ending which paves the way for an inevitable sequel.

But unlike the storyline, not all is doom and gloom.

Will Smith once again shows that there is more to him than a winning smile and a fast mouth. Here he plays Robert Neville in a way that puts Chuck Heston to shame. Initial reservations on his ability to carry the film are soon put to rest. This is in fact the perfect role for him with his combination of charisma and vulnerability. The intense emotion that he brings to the screen perfectly captures Neville’s torment, and for this alone the film is worth seeing.

I Am Legend also makes excellent use of sound; there is very little orchestral score throughout the film which works wonderfully as when the music does come in it really emphasises what is happening on screen. The majority is quiet and simple, echoing the emptiness of the city. This contrasts well as intense scenes are punctuated by an onslaught of sound, particularly during flashbacks and encounters with the Dark Seekers.

Having previously directed the apocalyptic horror thriller Constantine, Frances Lawrence does a good job of realising a vision of a derelict New York City. The shots of the city are skilfully created and give a real sense of isolation. A lot of the most gut-wrenching moments are actually shot through close-ups on Will Smith. The effect this has is that our focus is drawn to his reaction to events rather than the events themselves.

How much you enjoy the film will depend on your expectations. Taken as an adaptation of the book, I Am Legend doesn’t compare favourably, but taken on its own merits as a big budget Hollywood production the film stakes its claim as the most intriguing blockbuster of the year. Experienced on the biggest screen with the loudest sound, this is an epic film and one that will leave you with something to get your teeth into.     Russell Gomm

CINEMA: Chromophobia

Set in a London of privilege, money and the kind of amazing houses only ever seen on Grand Designs, there’s an air of smugness and ennui about Chromophobia that means you really don’t give a damn about what happens to any of its characters.

Up in that big house are wealthy financial advisor Marcus (Damian Lewis), his bored and paranoid wife Iona (Kristin Scott Thomas) and their rather disturbed son Orlando. Randomly scattered across town are Orlando’s godfather Stephen (Ralph Fiennes), Marcus’s mum and dad (Ian Holm and Harriet Walters), Marcus’s schoolmate Trent (Ben Chaplin), and a social worker (Rhys Ifans) and his client, a single mother forced to prostitute herself in order to survive (Penelope Cruz).

What connects all these people together are secrets, lies and greed, but as the film plods excruciatingly slowly through its two hours and twenty minutes running time, you find the separate story strands really don’t add up – even though they are all neatly tied in a bow by the end. For a start, the social worker story seems superfluous to requirements, Iona is so self-obsessed as to be infuriating, and central character Marcus is so wet his eventual crisis of conscience will singularly fail to engage your sympathy. You simply just won’t care.

If this is a moral fable for the noughties its one very few are going to bother to take notice of.     Dee Pilgrim

CINEMA: Mr Magorium’s Wonder Emporium

The titular Mr Magorium (Dustin Hoffman) is a 243-year-old toy storeowner looking for someone to mind the shop for him once he pops his clogs. He’d like his assistant Molly (Natalie Portman) to be his heir but she’s afraid she doesn’t have Mr M’s magic touch and her doubts seem to be confirmed when accountant Henry (Jason Bateman) arrives to take a look at the books.

While the toyshop’s most avid fan, nine-year-old Eric (Zach Mills) calmly accepts the fact everything in the store has a life of its own, Henry just can’t see it and his scepticism rubs off on the store which begins to lose its magic. Which is all well and good, but unfortunately, the film doesn’t appear to have any magic in the first place.

Although Zach Mills as Eric is utterly delightful, he’s totally wasted in a film that never has the courage of its own convictions. Unlike the magical kingdoms conjured up in The Wizard of Oz or Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, the Wonder Emporium, with its spontaneously bouncing balls and reluctant slinkies, isn’t wild or wonderful enough to stun audiences, it’s more magic-lite than that. So, if you’re looking for a movie to take the kids to this week, Bee Movie beats this hands down.     Dee Pilgrim

CINEMA: Bee Movie

Jerry Seinfeld’s brand of humour is not known for being particularly ‘gentle’, which makes this movie all the more surprising and charming as it really is gentle and sweet and rather innocent. Aimed firmly at younger kiddies this is an animated caper involving a rebellious bee. His name is Barry (voiced by Seinfeld himself) and he’s not content to be a busy worker bee in the hive, he wants to get out there and see the world with all the jock bees who collect the pollen and nectar to make honey and beeswax. After convincing the other jocks he’s up to it, Barry’s first adventure outside his home almost ends in catastrophe and one squidged bee, but after a miraculous escape Barry commits the ultimate bee sin – he talks to New York florist Vanessa (Renee Zellweger).

Having let the secret that bees can talk out of the bag, hapless Barry then gets the bee nation into a terrible jam by launching a legal suit demanding all honey be returned to its rightful owners, the bees. This sets in motion a series of events with dire consequences for the planet itself.

As you’d expect from Seinfeld the gags come thick and fast (when Barry confesses to his best mate Adam that he’s met a girl, Adam asks ‘not a WASP! Your parents will kill you!’) and visually the film is wildly inventive with lots of colour and motion. There is a great cameo from Chris Rock as a very funny mosquito and some great jokes at the expense of Ray Liotta and Sting. However, it’s not exactly sophisticated and although enjoyable, older viewers may find it too sickly sweet for their more mature palettes. Dee Pilgrim

CINEMA: We Own The Night

Although We Own The Night has a similar feel to it to director James Gray’s previous movie The Yards, overall it is not as successful, mainly because there’s something just not right about the story.

In New York in the money-grabbing 1980s, Bobby Green (Joaquin Phoenix) feels he is really going places as the manager of famous club El Caribe. He and his girlfriend Amada (Eva Mendes) are well known wherever they go and get VIP’d past the queues at the most elite nightspots and restaurants. However, Bobby’s family are not impressed by his friends or his lifestyle – with his cop dad (Robert Duvall) virtually disowning him, while his brother Joseph (Mark Wahlberg), who also happens to be a cop, is investigating the Russian family that owns El Caribe for involvement in organised crime, including drug running. When Joseph gets too close to the truth Bobby is forced to go undercover in order to protect himself, Amada and his family from the vengeance of the Russian boss, but does Bobby have the guts and stamina to see the case through to the end?

The movie certainly captures the feel and spirit of the 1980’s and has an amazing soundtrack, but the structure of the story proves to be its downfall.  At first it intrigues with its exploration of what it really means to be ‘family’. However, as it progresses it becomes more and more unbelievable and loses its edge of gritty reality.  There are some standout scenes here including a frenetic car chase and a shoot-out, and the main leads are all excellent, but with the story failing to convince the viewer, the film itself falls slightly flat.     Dee Pilgrim