Well it's Friday, the weekend starts here. And as for those of you who still go to the cinema instead of going to the pub (Although I intend to do a little of both to be honest) could well be deciding on what film to see. If you haven't decided I give you a quick run-down of all the films worth seeing, when close €15 - €20 is on the line you want to get your money’s worth.
Centurion:
Marshall has once again produced a film to entertain the masses due to his excellent casting. In the big picture, Centurion is a gritty, brutal chase movie that’s more about swords than sandals something Marshall might want to re-address when he makes his next film but for now we’ll make do.
Cemetery Junction:
Gervais has pulled off something that’s more than just watchable using an overused and predictable story; he manages to make it his own. A winning combination of new actors graced with more experienced ones, manages to engage the audience effectively even if the laughs are rare it will still have you leaving the cinema with a smile on your face guaranteed
Iron-Man 2:
If I could give you one reason to go see Iron Man 2, despite all its flaws, its Robert Downey Jr. Whatever is going on on screen you can't take your eyes off him; he's funny, likeable, cocky and, crucially, you buy him as an action star. He now owns this role, and I myself am genuinely looking forward to Iron Man 3 but I am a comic book super hero fan so caution is advised.
How To Train Your Dragon:
While certainly not on the same level as Pixar in terms of character, this is nonetheless a genuinely fun and enjoyable adventure film, with subtext galore for more receptive kids (and parents). The 3D glasses may cost a few quid more if you're taking the whole family, but it’s certainly worth it for a more engaging experience.
Whip It:
Some might write it off as a chick flick, but those that do will be missing out on a seriously good time. You will want to hang out with these characters after the film has ended - which is a place some TV shows spends years trying to get to. Barrymore is now firmly a directorial talent to watch, and Whip It is a damn fine first film.
Critic’s Choice: If I was picking I would go to Iron-Man 2 everytime but in all honesty, if I had to pick the best film here it would have to be either Whip It or Cemetery Junction. Although both action films here are enjoyable for the male viewer (And the rare female viewer too) they simply can’t carry a story across to the audience with enough conviction unlike Whip It and Cemetery Junction which are will guarantee you’ll leave the Cinema with a smile on your face.
Alfred Hitchcock I want to stop and take a few minutes to say a few words of thanks for your contribution to film. I don’t know how you feel today but if you are in that nostalgic mood I can’t shake off then come with me and I will tell you about a legend that is responsible for this such films as Birds, Psycho and the master piece that is Rebecca.
Hitchcock was born on 13 August 1899 in Leytonstone, London, and the second son and youngest of three children of William Hitchcock (1862–1914) His family was mostly Roman Catholic, with his mother and paternal grandmother being of Irish extraction (Another one we could claim with considerable ease). He often described his childhood as being very lonely and sheltered, a situation compounded by his obesity.
Hitchcock said he was sent by his father on numerous occasions to the local police station with a note asking the officer to lock him away for ten minutes as punishment for behaving badly. This idea of being harshly treated or wrongfully accused is frequently reflected in Hitchcock's films.
Hitchcock became intrigued by photography and started working in film production in London, working as a title-card designer for the London branch of what would become Paramount Pictures. In 1920, he received a full-time position at Islington Studios with its American owner, Famous Players-Lasky and their British successor, Gainsborough Pictures, designing the titles for silent movies. His rise from title designer to film director took five years.
On 2 December 1926, Hitchcock married his assistant director, Alma Reville at the Brompton Oratory. Their only child, a daughter Patricia, was born on 7 July 1928. Alma was to become Hitchcock's closest collaborator. She wrote some of his screenplays and (though often unaccredited) worked with him on every one of his films.
In 1933, Hitchcock was once again working for Michael Balcon at Gaumont-British Picture Corporation. His first film for the company, The Man Who Knew Too Much (1934), was a success and his second, The 39 Steps (1935), is often considered one of the best films from his early period. This film was also one of the first to introduce the concept of the "MacGuffin", a plot device around which a whole story seems to revolve, but ultimately has nothing to do with the true meaning or ending of the story. Hitchcock's next major success was in 1938 with his film The Lady Vanishes, a clever and fast-paced film about the search for a kindly old Englishwoman Miss Froy (Dame May Whitty), who disappears while on board a train in the fictional country of Vandrika. By 1938, Hitchcock had become known for his observation, Hitchcock said "Actors should be treated like cattle'." At the end of the 1930s, David O. Selznick signed Hitchcock to a seven-year contract beginning in March 1939, when the Hitchcocks moved to the United States.
With the prestigious Selznick picture Rebecca in 1940, Hitchcock made his first American movie, set in England and based on a novel by English author Daphne du Maurier. The film starred Laurence Olivier and Joan Fontaine. This Gothic melodrama explores the fears of a naive young bride who enters a great English country home and must adapt to the extreme formality and coldness she finds there. The film won the Academy Award for Best Picture of 1940.The statuette was given to Selznick, as the film's producer. The film did not win the Best Director award for Hitchcock.
There were additional problems between Selznick and Hitchcock. Selznick was known to impose very restrictive rules upon Hitchcock,who was forced to shoot the film as Selznick wanted. At the same time, Selznick complained about Hitchcock's "goddamn jigsaw cutting", which meant that the producer did not have nearly the leeway to create his own film as he liked, but had to follow Hitchcock's vision of the finished product. The film Rebecca was the fourth longest of Hitchcock's films, at 130 minutes, exceeded only by The Paradine Case (132 minutes), North by Northwest (136 minutes), and Topaz (142 minutes).
Hitchcock's second American film, the European-set thriller Foreign Correspondent (1940), based on Vincent Sheean's Personal History and produced by Walter Wanger, was nominated for Best Picture that year. The movie was filmed in the first year of World War II and was apparently inspired by the rapidly-changing events in Europe, as fictionally covered by an American newspaper reporter portrayed by Joel McCrea.
In September 1940, the Hitchcocks purchased the 200-acre (0.81 km2) Cornwall Ranch, located near Scotts Valley in the Santa Cruz Mountains. The Ranch became the primary residence of the Hitchcocks for the rest of their lives, although they kept their Bel Air home. Suspicion (1941) marked Hitchcock's first film as a producer as well as director. Hitchcock used the north coast of Santa Cruz, California for the English coastline sequence. Saboteur (1942) was the first of two films that Hitchcock made for Universal, a studio where he would continue his career during his later years. Hitchcock was forced to use Universal contract players Robert Cummings and Priscilla Lane, both known for their work in comedies and light dramas. Breaking with Hollywood conventions of the time, Hitchcock did extensive location filming, especially in New York City, and depicted a confrontation between a suspected saboteur (Cummings) and a real saboteur (Norman Lloyd) atop the Statue of Liberty.
Notorious (1946) followed Spellbound. According to Hitchcock, in his book-length interview with François Truffaut, Selznick sold the director, the two stars (Grant and Bergman) and the screenplay (by Ben Hecht) to RKO Radio Pictures as a "package" for $500,000 due to cost overruns on Selznick's Duel in the Sun (1946). Notorious starred Hitchcock regulars Ingrid Bergman and Cary Grant, and features a plot about Nazis, uranium, and South America. It was a huge box office success and has remained one of Hitchcock's most acclaimed films. His use of uranium as a plot device led to Hitchcock's being briefly under FBI surveillance. McGilligan writes that Hitchcock consulted Dr. Robert Millikan of Caltech about the development of an atomic bomb. Selznick complained that the notion was "science fiction" only to be confronted by the news stories of the detonation of two atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in Japan in August 1945.
In 1950, Hitchcock filmed Stage Fright on location in the UK. For the first time, Hitchcock matched one of Warner Brothers biggest stars, Jane Wyman, with the sultry German actress Marlene Dietrich. Hitchcock used a number of prominent British actors, including Michael Wilding, Richard Todd, and Alastair Sim. This was Hitchcock's first production for Warner Brothers, which had distributed Rope and Under Capricorn, because Transatlantic Pictures was experiencing financial difficulties.
With the film Strangers on a Train (1951), based on the novel by Patricia Highsmith, Hitchcock combined many elements from his preceding films. Hitchcock approached Dashiell Hammett to write the dialogue but Raymond Chandler took over, and then left over disagreements with the director. Strangers continued the director's interest in the narrative possibilities of blackmail and murder. Robert Walker, previously known for "boy-next-door" roles, plays the villain.
Three very popular films starring Grace Kelly followed. Dial M for Murder(1954) was adapted from the popular stage play by Frederick Knott. Ray Milland plays the "suave and scheming" villain, an ex-tennis pro, who tries to murder his innocent wife Grace Kelly for her money. When the murder goes awry and the assassin is killed by her in self-defense, he manipulates the evidence to pin the murder of the assassin on his wife. Her lover Mark Halliday (Robert Cummings) and police inspector Hubbard (John Williams) work urgently to save her from execution. Hitchcock experimented with 3D cinematography, although the film was not released in this format at first. However, it was shown in 3D in the early 1980s. The film marked a return to Technicolor productions for Hitchcock.
Hitchcock moved to Paramount Pictures and filmed Rear Window(1954), starring James Stewart and Kelly again, as well as Thelma Ritter and Raymond Burr. Here, the wheelchair-using Stewart, a photographer based on Robert Capa, seems obsessed with observing his neighbours across the courtyard, and becomes convinced one of them (Raymond Burr) has murdered his wife. Like Lifeboat and Rope, the movie was photographed almost entirely within the confines of a small space: Stewart's tiny studio apartment overlooking the massive courtyard set. Hitchcock uses close-ups of Stewart's face to show his character's reactions to all he sees, “from the comic voyeurism directed at his neighbours to his helpless terror watching Kelly and Burr in the villain's apartment".
Vertigo(1958) again starred Stewart, this time with Kim Novak and Barbara Bel Geddes. Stewart plays "Scottie", a former police investigator suffering from acrophobia, which develops an obsession with a woman he is shadowing (Kim Novak). Scottie's obsession leads to tragedy, and this time Hitchcock does not opt for a happy ending. Though the film is widely considered a classic today, Vertigo met with negative reviews and poor box office receipts upon its release. By this time, Hitchcock had filmed in many areas of the United States. He followed Vertigo with three more successful films. All are also recognized as among his very best films: North by Northwest (1959), Psycho (1960) and The Birds (1963).
In North by Northwest, Cary Grant is Roger Thornhill, a Madison Avenue ad executive who is mistaken for a government agent. He is hotly pursued by enemy agents across America who tries to kill him, one of whom is foreign agent Eve Kendall (Eva Marie Saint), who is really an American agent. She seduces Thornhill, sets him up, but then falls in love with him and aids his escape.
Psycho is considered by some to be Hitchcock's most famous film. Produced on a highly constrained budget of $800,000, it was shot in black-and-white on a spare set. The unprecedented violence of the shower scene, the early demise of the heroine, the innocent lives extinguished by a disturbed murderer were all hallmarks of Hitchcock, copied in many subsequent horror films. After completing Psycho, Hitchcock moved to Universal, where he made the remainder of his films.
The Birds, inspired by a Daphne Du Maurier short story and by an actual news story about a mysterious infestation of birds in California, was Hitchcock's 49th film. He signed up Tippi Hedren as his latest blonde heroine opposite Rod Taylor. The scenes of the birds attacking included hundreds of shots mixing actual and animated sequences. The cause of the birds' attack is left unanswered.
The latter two films were particularly notable for their unconventional soundtracks, both orchestrated by Bernard Herrmann: the screeching strings played in the murder scene in Psychoexceeded the limits of the time, and The Birds dispensed completely with conventional instruments, instead using an electronically-produced soundtrack and an unaccompanied song by school children (just prior to the infamous attack at the historic Bodega Bay School). Also notable was that Santa Cruz was mentioned again as the place where the bird-phenomenon was said to have first occurred. These films are considered his last great films, after which it is said his career started to lose pace.
Near the end of his life, Hitchcock had worked on the script for a projected spy thriller, The Short Night, collaborating with screenwriters James Costigan and Ernest Lehman. Despite some preliminary work, the story was never filmed. This was due, primarily, to Hitchcock's own failing health and his concerns over the health of his wife, Alma, who had suffered a stroke. The script was eventually published posthumously, in a book on Hitchcock's last years. Hitchcock died from kidney failure in his Bel Air, Los Angeles, California home at the age of 80. His wife Alma Reville, and their daughter, Patricia Hitchcock O'Connell, both survived him. His funeral service was held at Good Shepherd Catholic Church in Beverly Hills. Hitchcock's body was cremated and his ashes were scattered over the Pacific Ocean.
Hitchcock once commented, "The writer and I plan out the entire script down to the smallest detail, and when we're finished all that's left to do is to shoot the film. Actually, it's only when one enters the studio that one enters the area of compromise. Really, the novelist has the best casting since he doesn't have to cope with the actors and all the rest." In an interview with Roger Ebert in 1969, Hitchcock elaborated further:
Rebecca, which Hitchcock directed, won the 1940 Best Picture Oscar for its producer David O. Selznick. In addition to Rebecca and Suspicion, two other films Hitchcock directed, Foreign Correspondent and Spellbound were nominated for Best Picture. Hitchcock is considered the Best Film Director of all time by The Screen Directory website. Sixteen films directed by Hitchcock earned Oscar nominations, though only six of those films earned Hitchcock himself a nomination. Six of Hitchcock's films are in the National Film Registry: Vertigo, Rear Window, North by Northwest, Shadow of a Doubt, Notorious, and Psycho; all but Shadow of a Doubt and Notorious were also in 1998's AFI's 100 best American films and the AFI's 2007 update. In 2008, four of Hitchcock's films were named among the ten best mystery films of all time in the AFI's 10 Top 10. Those films are Vertigo (at No. 1); Rear Window (No. 3); North by Northwest (No. 7); and Dial M for Murder (No. 9).
Hitchcock was made a Knight by Queen Elizabeth II in the 1980 New Year's Honours. Although he had adopted American citizenship in 1956, he was entitled to use the title "Sir" because he had remained a British subject. Hitchcock died just four months later, on 29 April, before he could be formally invested.
Rebecca was the only Hitchcock film to win the Academy Award for Best Picture (though the award did not go to Hitchcock); four other films were nominated. In 1967 he was awarded the Irving G. Thalberg Memorial Awardfor lifetime achievement.
‘Sir’ Alfred Hitchcock, a Director who is looked up to by hundreds of young budding directors and is revered as one of the greatest directors of all time, never won an Academy Award for direction of a film. He wasn’t portrayed as a pleasant man or one of common courtesy when it came to filming, he would order his actors and actress’ around like ‘’cattle’’ and would demand professionalism from all who worked with him and fired those who didn’t. But despite his personality on a film set, the man made over fifty films most of which are classics to this day and those I have had the pleasure of watching like the 39 steps, Psycho, Rebecca, Rear Window and Strangers On A Train have all inspired me, widening my mind to the vast effects films can have on each and every one of us. And for that Mr. Hitchcock, I thank you.
''There is no terror in the bang, only in the anticipation of it.''
Today, I’ve got a new weekly topic for Wednesday. It’s ‘The Amateur Filmmakers Guide’ where I a long time amateur filmmaker who has made all the silly mistakes one has to do to get any good, ‘’learn from your mistakes’’ and that old saying. But what if you didn’t have to? What if someone could mark all those pitfalls with a big X, wouldn’t that be pretty handy, no?
If you answered yes to the following then listen up and listen well because if your serious about starting into filmmaking you got to nail the basics otherwise it’s like trying to learn French but not bothering to know the verbs and tenses.
We’re going to start this week with a general overview of the mentality and commitment filmmaking requires which will inevitably be needed for filmmaking.
Get It Right or Don’t Bother
-Watch lots of Films
I know obvious right? It's still surprising to me how many times I have discussed films with young filmmakers and they have little knowledge or drive for films and have told me that they just don't have time to watch movies. I'm also often surprised at how behind they are on what is currently out there. If you want to be a writer, you read books. If you want to be a filmmaker, you watch movies logical, ya? And I mean all kinds of movies. Independent films to the latest blockbuster, watch movies you don't like as well as those you do Rom-coms (I know sick or what?) to the chilling thriller. And interpret yourself what makes a ‘’bad’’ film it allows you to gain an opinion to talk about with other filmmaking enthusiast.
-Be kind and rewind
When the movie is over, do you hit eject before the credits are even rolling? Stop! What you haven’t realised is that there is more to be learned on the second special features disc than right here on this Blog. Most DVD's contain special features on a second disc or a menu tab on the first disc including "making of" documentaries which describe in detail the work and methods involved with the film. Watch them. I am well aware you do not have the same resources they describe and they are professionals but adapt what you learn, information is a commodity and when it’s sitting there to be absorbed what’s your excuse?
-Embrace your limits
The limitations of the young filmmaker are discouraging at best. ‘’How are you supposed to make a good film with an old home movie camera and your friends? ‘’ I hear you ask, well as Robert Bresson said once, ‘’Someone who can work with the minimum can work with the most. One who can with the most cannot, inevitably, with the minimum.’’ Basically, quit complaining and get on with it. Borrow props (But make sure not to break or damage them) Be creative in your locations and use your friends for actors. They may not be the next Paul Newman or Meryl Streep but you’re no James Cameroon yourself……yet!
Rejecting is a cruel mistress
-I have an inside scoop for everyone on the film festival thing because I have entered with friends and independantly for three years now (And failed to get to win anything other than an audience award three years in a row). The thing is, realistically speaking, on average 80% of the movies submitted to a film festivals don’t win anything. This is put down to how poorly made they are or lack of creativity. They mostly come from filmmakers who did not put in the effort that’s needed or simply failed to create an original idea. It's like the contestants on American Idol that are just deluded, but they thought they were better than they were because their dad and sister told them they were. So if 80% of the movies submitted have 0% chance of getting in, then the other 20% are the ones that you actually have to stack up against. So If you're one of the 20% that put the effort in and the attention to detail in your movie, your odds of getting into a festival are closer to 100% depending on how much programming they need. If you are getting turned down again and again by festival after festival, consider that maybe your movie isn't as well made or imaginative as you thought and maybe it's time to go back and try again. However every festival you enter is a learning curve you must endure if you’re to improve and learn as a filmmaker, believe me I know.
-Remember, you suck! Well, at least at the start you do.
Let’s be honest, your first feature is at best, terrible. I know you’re now thinking ‘’If it’s going to be bad why bother?’’ I was lucky enough to make my first short film with two friends who had previous experiences in filmmaking and if it wasn’t for this I would probably be searching the internet for tips like this. Unlike, let’s say, the leaving Cert you get more than one chance at it to impress, in fact if your dedicated enough you’ll get a hundred chances to fail but that’s the point of your failures they’re not meant to discourage you they are meant to open your eyes to why you failed and what can you do to do it better next time. Like any art form, it takes practice and skill to do it well. Really successful filmmakers likely have some inherent talent as well. So now you have to ask yourself if you're ready to take it to the next level. Are you ready to really work as hard as you have to try to get better or do you just think of filmmaking as a hobby that you're not really interested in being commercially successful in? If completing a movie of your own is success enough for you, then congratulations. You're an accomplished filmmaker. But if you dream of seeing your movies on the big screen in front of a large audience, you're going to have to work really hard to do it. But stick with it, work hard and you can tell us all how hard it was when you give your Oscar winning speech.
Conclusion
This is what you’re up against as young filmmakers and unfortunately it doesn’t get any easier when you enter the serious business side of the film industry either. But we can at least get the best start possible for are selves by starting young. Join me next week for ‘’Filmmaking: So, what do I need?’’ as I go through the bare essentials for filming your first short feature.
You could be the Cinemagic Young Film Critic of the Year. To enter the competition all you have to do is send a film review (not more than 500 words) on one of the films screened during Cinemagic 2010. There are a number of wonderful prizes to be won.
As part of Cinemagic Dublin we will be programming a short film competition that will see a young jury reviewing and critiquing new films from all over the world.
Alright everyone, let’s quit the chit chat and get down to business. Under the microscope this week; the new film release, Centurion, a gritty, brutal chase movie. Three DVDs I think would be best when curling up and chilling out on a Friday or Saturday night and if that’s a little too expensive you can find out what film I deem the best of what happens to be on TV that night as well. Up first though it’s:
The Film Review
Centurion
Britain, 117 AD. Neil Marshall’s latest outing has us placed in the north of Britain, i.e. Scotland, 117 AD. The Romans, who are tired by the Picts in Caledonia and there continuous rebellions, the Romans send in their toughest legion, the Ninth. But of course like all good plans it goes wrong, the few survivors, led by Quintus Dias (Fassbender), have to struggle back to the border from the deep behind enemy lines before fierce, vengeful warrior Etain (Olga Kurylenko) wipes them all out. Neil Marshall’s latest involves a small group of people facing overwhelming odds in a hostile environment. Blood is spilled and there is gore galore as they fight their way to safety. Sound familiar? Well he hasn’t strayed far from his usual style (i.e. bloodbaths and brutal action). From soldiers beset by werewolves in a forest in Scotland, to hapless women mauled by flesh-eating creatures of the earth, to a sci-fi military unit dealing with unnatural circumstances and imaginative cannibals in post-apocalyptic Scotland. Now it’s a one team bravado group of Roman soldiers pursued by Picts deep behind enemy lines in first-century Caledonia. So basically he likes making films as long as he can film it in Scotland.
Like many, Marshall can’t help but follow formula again and again but I don’t feel it’s his way of selling out it’s just easier to express himself when he doesn’t have to worry about the structure and complexity of it all. But while Centurion manages to hold your attention with ease with the many scenes of bloodshed and action with some dialogue thrown in for good measure, I can’t help but think, ‘’It’s good; don’t get me wrong but how about a satirical Comedy or something with more drama. You can still film it in Scotland?’’. Marshall’s obsession with the Scottish weathered landscape has never been seen before and especially with such breathe-taking results. Quintus (Michael Fassbender) and his men are seen to fumble through what can only be described a gauntlet of hail, mist and shadow in a land as threatening as it is beautiful. The Scottish highlands strike a chord that can’t help but send a cold chill down your spine as the camera catches every breathe of condensation in the air.
The visuals and there influences can be easily spotted such as Gladiator’s opening battle scene which exerts a weighty influence or Braveheart’s more barbaric look combined with high paced fighting sequences. There seems to be great though in the casting process as a solid mix of British and Irish talent, including Fassbender, Liam Cunningham, David Morrissey, J. J. Feild, Noel Clarke and Riz Ahmed, Dominic West all combine to give the film an atmosphere that draws you in during the battle scene when the Bad-ass Ninth Legion is hacked down to a pathetic group of survivors and so the chase begins.
But as nice and all it to see a good battle now and again, Centurion soon became a frantic dash to the finish line. It’s frantic chase dynamic left little time for a story. The survivors we haven’t already met are presented to us with a superficial campfire introduction scene, and as soon as you begin to enjoy the woolly banter of war you are immersed back into the elaborate chase scenes with copious amounts of shouting, cursing and shots of macho men running away from a crazed axe wielding woman (She doesn’t even look scary, just squints and scowls a lot). Quintus’ pursuers aren’t given much camera time; which makes Olga Kurylenko’s wolfish warrior Etain no more than a collage of scowls — with her character’s grievance against the Romans a pointless sub plot that most people would probably miss. The editors of Centurion must have turned cold and heartless with such brutal cuts to the film save for another formulaic plot addition as Quintus falls in love for no reason as far as I can see and details are missed out which I can’t help feel are continuity errors such as how, in an early scene, Quintus escapes his captors.
Marshall has once again produced a film to entertain the masses due to his excellent casting. Dominic west as Virilius has a ball channelling all the irreverent bravado cursing and shouting his way through. Fassbender, meanwhile, brings Quintus essential composure and pitiless purpose. Centurion should prove to those who have yet to acknowledge Fassbender as a serious actor to contend with that he has what it takes to lead a major motion picture. In the big picture, Centurion is a gritty, brutal chase movie that’s more about swords than sandals something Marshall might want to re-address when he makes his next film. Maybe in Scotland?
The DVD Choices of the Week
-The Imaginarium Of Doctor Parnassus (12A)
Doctor Parnassus leads a travelling theatre troupe with a difference: they transport audiences into a realm of strange wonders. But he risks losing the soul of his daughter in a bet with the devil that newcomer Tony (Heath Ledger) might help or hinder.
There are glimpses of Gilliam clambering to the top once again. Even though it fails to form into a coherent piece of film with all the ideas escaping every which way they can it will still manage to captivate your attention and ignite your enthusiasm with ease.
-Harry Brown (18)
With his wife having recently passed away and his best friend bullied daily by the drug-peddling gangs on his estate, aged ex-Royal Marine Harry Brown (Caine) decides to come out of retirement to clean up the neighbourhood.
Essential stuff, gritty and raw but brush up Hollywood style and easy to say a solid watch even the big man himself wouldn’t argue (Caine).
-Avatar (12A)
When his twin brother is killed, disabled ex-Marine Jake Sully is recruited to aid a mining expedition on the distant jungle moon of Pandora as only his DNA will bond with the alien hybrid body, known as an Avatar, that allows humans to breathe the toxic air. With orders to infiltrate the Na’vi, Jake finds himself falling in love with native girl, Neytiri, and complications soon ensue.
It’s been hailed as one of the best films of the year but when it’s transcended to a 2Dimensional plane it loses out to the more cared for films where a good script is key. However it’s entertaining and is still eye-opening to watch in HD.
The TV Film choices For Friday/Saturday
Friday 30th April
-Along Came a Spider – More4, 21:00
A police forensic psychologist searches for the daughter of a senator, who has been kidnapped from her expensive private school by a media-obsessed teacher, sparking a desperate race to hunt down her psychotic and devilishly intelligent captor before it is too late. Thriller prequel to Kiss the Girls, starring Morgan Freeman, Monica Potter, Michael Wincott, Dylan Baker and Penelope Ann Miller
-The Curious Case of Benjamin Button - Sky Movies Drama & Romance, 20:00
(2008, General Movie/Drama) A baby is born with the physique of a geriatric and over the course of his lengthy and eventful life, grows steadily younger. A girl he meets in his early years becomes the love of his life, but as they age in different directions, both realise they have only a limited time to be together. David Fincher's romantic fantasy drama, starring Brad Pitt, Cate Blanchett, Taraji P Henson and Tilda Swinton.
-Highlander – ITV4, 22:00
(1986, Fantasy) A 16th-century Scottish clansman discovers he is one of a race of immortal warriors, destined to fight to the death until only one survives. Centuries later in modern-day New York, he prepares to face a final showdown with his deadliest enemy. Fantasy action adventure, starring Christopher Lambert, Sean Connery, Clancy Brown and Roxanne Hart. Featuring a soundtrack by Queen.
Saturday 31th April
-Sleepy Hollow – Channel 4, 22:50
A sceptical 18th-century detective is sent to a small hamlet supposedly terrorised by a demonic headless horseman who decapitates his victims. The investigator refuses to believe in the supernatural, convinced a human killer is behind the murders - but the legend proves to be all but too true. Tim Burton's gothic horror, starring Johnny Depp, Christina Ricci, Miranda Richardson and Christopher Walken.
-Forrest Gump – Sky Movies Modern Greats, 22:50
(1994, Comedy/Drama) A simple soul bumbles his way through a series of bizarre adventures, becoming an American football star, Vietnam veteran, Ping-Pong champion and millionaire businessman - but the love of his life continues to elude him. Robert Zemeckis's Oscar-winning comedy drama, starring Tom Hanks, Sally Field, Robin Wright Penn and Gary Sinise.
-Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World – RTE 2, 22:30
(2003, Action/Drama) The captain of a British warship engages in a tense battle of wits and an escalating test of nerves with his French counterpart during the Napoleonic wars. His pursuit of the enemy takes his crew on a dangerous journey around South America. Seafaring drama, adapted from Patrick O'Brian's novel, starring Russell Crowe, Paul Bettany and Billy Boyd.
It’s Monday and the quiz just gets that little bit harder every time. This week’s quiz is ‘The Anagraminator’ and as its name suggests its anagrams of famous actors and films. It will test your film knowledge (And of course being good at solving anagrams) as you try to solve these anagrams. This time unfortunately there is no easy start hard end you simply have to be good. Listen very carefully to the rules below as this quiz isn’t as straight forward as before.
The Rules & Scoring System:
1.There is no use of Google, visual aids or referring to books etc. All answers must come from your own general Knowledge.
2.There is 60 points on offer; 10 films and 10 actors. The actor is worth 3 points and the film is worth 2 points. The Actors are labelled 1-10 and the films are labelled A-J
3.I know, you say that’s only 50 points, well there is an additional 1 point per every actor and film you match together, i.e. 8) matches with D) because Bruce Willis starred in Sin City (Not actually one of the answers)
4.Scoring goes as so: 0-15 Poor, 15-25 Pretty bad, 25-35 Alright/Room for improvement, 35-45 Decent, 45-55 Know your stuff, 55-60 Film Buff
5.The answers are at the bottom and only to be looked at when you have completed the quiz to verify your answers.
Here they are:
1) MANUEL ASS JOCK
A) OPTIC FLU PIN
2) BACTERIAL SHIN
B) SHE IS NUN
3) ANNA WE PLUM
C) BAD NIGHT THAT ARK MEN
4) INLAY RICH PLUM
D) ABDUCT SASH CINDY AND THICKEN DEUS
5) WILBUR SLICE
E) A CANAL SCAB
6) ECOLE GONE ORGY
F) TRY OTHER RAP
7) PREY BROUGHT HAM
G) ESSEX THEN THIS
8) LATERAN HERB ONCE HAM
H) BITCH GULF
9) A GERMAN MEN FOR
I) SCAN FOR FAX MITT
10) BAD GREEN NELSON
j) HADES MARSH KNEW NO PIT
Although the anagrams makes little or no sense, they all have real words in them and are spelled correctly with the right amount of letters. Hope you enjoy!
1-A) Samuel Jackson, Pulp Fiction2- C) Christian Bale, Batman: The Dark Night 3-D) Paul Newman, Butch Cassidy and The Sundance Kid 4-B) Cillian Murphy, Sunshine 5-G) Bruce Willis, The Sixth Sense 6-I) George Clooney, Fantastic Mr. Fox 7-E) Humphrey Bogart, Casablanca 8-H) Helena Bonham Carter, Fight Club 9-J) Morgan Freeman, Shawshank Redemption 10-F) Brendan Gleeson, Harry Potter
