News Blog @ Wellington City Libraries

A wide range of new books on film and theatre this month includes ‘A to Z Hollywood Style’ for fashion fans and a beautifully designed book on the very popular Les Misérables. Also, check out ‘theatre in Southeast Asia’ which is a rare and unique study.

A to Z of Hollywood style / compiled by Sinty Stemp.
“A to Z of Hollywood Style brings together style advice from the good, the bad and the beautiful to explore the allure of some of the world’s best-loved film stars: Alfred Hitchcock on elegance, Sophia Loren on sex appeal and Edith Head on how to make a woman more beautiful. This book includes the opinions of critics, designers and film directors, as well as the actors themselves. Including Joan Crawford’s five fashion rules and Marlene Dietrich’s tips for dressing on a budget, A to Z of Hollywood Style is packed full of stylish tips for would-be starlets, or simply those who long for a more glamorous age.”(Syndetics summary)

Les misérables : from stage to screen / Benedict Nightingale & Martyn Palmer.
“Over the last 27 years, Les Misérables has played to audiences totalling more than 60 million in 43 countries and is now a dazzling, multi-award nominated film set to bring the story to millions more. Beautifully illustrated with images from behind the scenes of both the theatre and film productions, Les Misérables: From Stage to Screen tells the story of the phenomenon that grew from a modest Paris production into an award-winning show, from the challenges of adapting Victor Hugo¹s novel, to character studies and details of those who have played them, its international incarnations and the 25th Anniversary Concert. From Stage to Screen is a unique vision of the world¹s longest running musical and the stunning new film, and a must-have for every fan.” (adapted from amazon.co.uk summary)

Alfred Hitchcock : a life in darkness and light / Patrick McGilligan.
“In a career that spanned six decades and more than sixty films, Alfred Hitchcock was the dominant figure in the first century of cinema. His films — from The 39 Steps to The Birds, from Rear Window to Vertigo, from Notorious to Psycho — set new standards for cinematic invention and storytelling Tlan. He was both visionary artist and consummate entertainer … and became the most widely recognized director who ever lived. In the decades since his death, the public image of Hitchcock has crystallized into a series of iconic images: the macabre Englishman, the sexual obsessive, the Master of Suspense. But this remarkable new biography — the first in a quarter-century — draws on prodigious new research to restore Hitchcock the man, in all his three-dimensional glory. Like the best Hitchcock films, Patrick McGilligan’s life of Hitchcock is a drama full of fresh revelation, graced by a central love story, dark humor, and cliff-hanging suspense: a definitive portrait of the most creative, and least understood, figure in film history.” (Syndetics summary)

James Bond FAQ: all that’s left to know about everyone’s favorite superspy
“A favorite of film followers for 50 years, James Bond is the hero loved by everyone: Men want to be just like him, women just want to be with him. Moviegoers around the world have spent more than $5 billion to watch his adventures across the last five decades. What’s not to enjoy about such a glorious multitude of gadgets, gals, grand locations, and grandiose schemes hatched by master villains and megalomaniacs? Now, James Bond FAQ is a book that takes on the iconic cinema franchise that’s lasted for so many years. It’s a book for the casual, as well as hardcore, James Bond fan. James Bond FAQ is filled with biographies, synopses, production stories, and images and illustrations seldom seen in print, leaving little else to be said about the world’s favorite secret agent.” (adapted from amazon.com summary)

Theatre in Southeast Asia / James R. Brandon.
“An astonishing variety of theatrical performances may be seen today in the eight countries of Southeast Asia–Burma, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam. James Brandon spent more than three years observing and interviewing troup members in these countries. He describes twenty-five of the most important theatrical forms, grouping them according to their origins as folk, court, popular, or Western theatre. He considers the theatre from four perspectives: its origins, its art, its role as a social institution, and its function as a medium of communication and propaganda. Brandon’s wide-ranging and lively discussion points out interesting similarities and differences among the countries, and many of his superb photographs are included here.” (Syndetics summary)

Mark’s Picks:

Safety not guaranteed.
Overworked Seattle magazine intern Darius (Aubrey Plaza, Parks & Recreation) tags along with journalist Jeff & fellow intern Arnau to investigate a bizarre classified add seeking a companion to ‘travel back in time with’, expecting to find the kind of wacky story that would make a good piece for the magazine. Tracking down who placed the add, they find local supermarket clerk Kenneth (Mark Duplas). When Kenneth rebuffs Jeff’s attempt to become his time-travel companion, Jeff recruits Darius to step in. Expecting to find nothing but a crank weirdo Darius slowly finds herself drawn to the paranoid Kenneth & his oddball charm. As Kenneth initiates more serious ‘training’ & mission preparations, the journalists become more drawn into his story when they discover that the ‘Government Agents’ that Kenneth claims are following him…are in fact real. Just who is Kenneth, & can he really travel back in time? Completely charming indie film sees great performances from Duplass & Plaza. Worth 100 cookie-cutter Hollywood rom-com’s.

Moonrise kingdom.
Set on an island off the coast of New England in the summer of 1965, 12 year old Sam resigns his commission as a ‘Khaki Scout’ and disappears – to run away & live in the wild with his secret pen-pal Suzy. Their disappearance throws the close-knit island community into chaos & the local police Chief (Bruce Willis) joins forces with the Khaki Scout Troup Leader (Edward Norton) to track the duo down – while a violent storm brews off shore, adding more danger to the situation. Wes Anderson is back in top form on ‘Moonrise Kingdom’, with his patented style of subtle humour, quirky characters & deadpan dialogue. The two young leads are great & more than hold their own against a top notch supporting cast that also includes Bill Murray, Frances McDormand, & Jason Schwartzman. With its focus on adolescent coming-of-age it may lack the broader appeal of something like The Royal Tenenbaums, so while some may delight in its quirky style, others may scratch their heads & think it all a bit silly & not really funny at all. Maybe not for all tastes but greatly enjoyable if you like that sort of thing.

Shinji’s Picks:

Le Havre.
Finnish auteur Aki Kaurismaki is known for his peculiar, offbeat style, and his latest film ‘Le Havre’ offers everything expected from him. Set in a small port town in French Normandy, it deals with an illegal immigration. This sounds unusual for one of his films; but from the beginning to the end, from one end to the other of the screen in every scene, it’s distinctively Kaurismaki. A local old shoe-shiner somehow befriends a young African refugee and hides him to help his escape. Police are after him and his beloved wife becomes ill. Although the film touches serious issues, it’s droll and funny with deadpan characters. It’s narrated with his trademarked retro manners, and best of all, has a double happy ending. Quirky yet heart-warming.

Le quattro volte.
This is a mysterious, yet charming little gem. It’s about reincarnation, life and the universe, but the Italian director Michelangelo Frammartino has no intention of making any assertions. This wordless, fiction/documentary may defy your preconceived notions about movies. Avoiding a people-oriented view, life in the mountainous village in South Italy is portrayed by only footage and sounds of nature. Although it has warm humour, nothing much is happening but it interestingly stimulates your imagination. Apparently Frammartino used to create installation works a lot, and this could be his new interactive work of art. Be open minded. It’s a delightful watch.

Mysteries of Lisbon.
It is said that Chilean filmmaker Raul Ruiz (1941-2011), who was exiled to France after the 1973 coup, made more than 100 films in his career. A lot of them are low-budget B-movies and unseen. However, he is a true genius, and this film (which was originally a TV drama in 6 one-hour episodes; the DVD is a 4 and half hour-long movie version) ‘Mysteries of Lisbon’ offers the finest example of this utterly unique filmmaker’s work. Primarily it’s a story about an orphan boy Joao, but also about his curator Father Dinis, and a lot of characters – who are nestled in others’ memories – come and go over several countries and generations. Many elegantly twisted, melodramatic events unfold throughout, and they are all related in some way and come together like a Mobius strip. This enigmatic, multifaceted drama is not the easiest to get your head around, but it gives you a mesmerising cinematic euphoria.

This is not a film.
Mohsen Makhmalbaf, Abbas Kiarostami, Bahman Ghobadi to name but a few – Iranian film makers have surprised and inspired the world with their unique perspective and innovative way of making films, but most of them have now left their country to avoid the pressure from the current regime. Jafar Panahi, who is perhaps the most political, stays but has been held under house arrest. ‘This is not a Film’ was secretly filmed to document a day in his life in his Tehran apartment. Despite the limited conditions, the film is engaging and has plenty of originality and ingenuity, and a lot of humour as well. This was shot on the day of the Persian New Year and the noise from the city and the fireworks is ominous, making us wonder if they imply what will happen to him in the future. This film was smuggled from Iran to France on a USB drive inside a cake, and premiered at Cannes in 2011. This is a strong statement from this extraordinary filmmaker.

Kate’s Pick:

Brave [3D].
Brave took home the award for Best Animated Film at the Golden Globes and also won Best Animated Film in this year’s Academy Awards. Pixar Animation Studios, the creator of Toy Story 3, whisks you away on an astonishing adventure in the Scottish Highlands full of mystery, magic and tradition. Determined to make her own path in life, Princess Merida, a skilled archer and headstrong daughter of King Fergus and Queen Elinor defies an age-old custom; where she competes against (and defeats) each of her suitors in an archery contest during the Highland Games, by which she states she is “shooting for her own hand”, much to the outrage of the lords of the land and causes a rift between mother and daughter. Merida then acquires a magic spell from a witch. The witch agrees to give Merida a spell to “change” her mother (into a bear) in the form of a cake. When chaos is unleashed in the kingdom as a result of Merida’s actions, she must harness all of her skills and resources to break the beastly curse before its too late, mend bonds “torn by pride”, and discover the meaning of true bravery. From the kilt-wearing lords, to the bagpipe music, traditional Highland games, Merida’s triplet brothers’ pranks (7 ingenious attempts to steal sweets), this is a very entertaining mother/daughter movie and a celebration of Scottish culture.

Sue’s Pick:

Salmon fishing in The Yemen.
Want to see beautiful shots of the land of the lochs and the glens? Want to enjoy wide panoramic vistas if the sands of Morocco? Want to see some beautiful people and enjoy sparkling and witty dialogue – then see this film!! I love this movie and hold myself personally responsible for any box office success it enjoyed in Wellington. I had not realised what a lot of cognisance was given to critics’ caustic comments. Many people persuaded to see it are now very glad that they did. What can be said against it? That: It’s a bit cheesy? – true, but it’s so charming you will forgive the fact. That: It’s not true to the book? – true too, but a very good thing. The book, while very well written and perhaps more true to life, is very serious and doesn’t have a happy ending. Now that autumn’s approaching take this movie home and let some sunshine in to your soul.

Monty’s Picks:

Bobby Fischer against the world.
Turns out Bobby Fischer was neglected somewhat as a child (his father left and his mother was always absent fighting for some cause or other) and that he immersed himself in chess partly because it was his nature to be intense and obsessive but also because it was his way of compensating. Your tolerance for Fischer and his unhappy beginnings may begin to wane though as this excellent documentary progresses. Fisher leaves the United States (for any country that will have him), holds court on anti-Semitic conspiracies and insults every and anyone that could be of value to him. The famous chess matches with Spassky are covered in highly dramatic and intensely edited footage, with expert commentary that often compares chess with art, or even life. Fischer lived out his final years in Iceland, scene of the Spassky triumph, unknown or known and tolerated. The movie continually revisits footage of Fischer on a park bench just before the 72 championship answering questions on life he has no answer to, or little insight of. The question – was Fisher’s life one that never really begun?

The cabin in the woods.
Unsettling and entertaining combination of horror, comedy, brutal black slapstick and end of the world silliness that never takes itself or any of the genres it satirises seriously for even a second. My quickest, most enjoyable 95 minutes of cinema for 2012.

American horror story. The complete first season.
Once you have got past spotting all your favourite scenes lifted from horror films of years past (think The Shining, Rosemary’s baby, An American Werewolf in London, any haunted house flick…) there is much fun to be had in this tale of broken families, horrific murders and ghostly possession. Jessica Lange, playing the malevolent southern matriarch to end all southern matriarchs steals every manic, beautifully written scene she’s in. Twists come thick and fast – some surprising, some predictable – and the real question might be; how can season two possibly proceed from here? Look forward to more shocks, sensations, revelations, dark humour and especially, the outrageously fantastic Jessica Lange, in season two!

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A diverse selection of new books on films and TV programmes this month include ‘Top 100 fantasy movies’ and the full scripts of the very popular ‘Downton Abbey’. Enjoy!

Top 100 fantasy movies / written, edited and designed by Gary Gerani ; [introduction by Frank Darabont].
“Fanciful worlds of hobbits and pixies, magical glimpses into the future, doting guardian angels, and dangerous, seductive devils on our shoulder… this is the world of fantasy cinema, from the earliest silent days to the mega-budget extravaganzas of Peter Jackson, Tim Burton, and other world-class moviemakers who are obsessed with worlds beyond reality. Screenwriter/historian Gary Gerani follows up his exploration of the best horror and sci-fi offerings with Top 100 Fantasy Movies, a super-colorful trade paperback containing more than 600 rare visuals and an introduction by a famed Hollywood director associated with the genre.” (adapted from amazon.co.uk summary)

Paris by Hollywood / edited by Antoine de Baecque ; [translated from the French by Alexandra Keens].
“For over a century of film history, Hollywood has celebrated Paris just as Paris has celebrated Hollywood. Now Paris pays homage to the American film captial with this special exhibition and catalog that offers a delightful new glimpse of the films of masters such as Ernst Lubitsch, Woody Allen, and Blake Edwards. … a fabulous journey through the sets, costumes, and stunning photos, perfectly illustrating the long love affair that unites these two legendary places” (Syndetics summary)

New vampire cinema / Ken Gelder.
“New Vampire Cinema lifts the coffin lid on forty contemporary vampire films, from 1992 to the present day, charting the evolution of a genre that is, rather like its subject, at once exhausted and vibrant, inauthentic and ‘original’, insubstantial and self-sustaining. Ken Gelder’s fascinating study begins by looking at Francis Ford Coppola’s Bram Stoker’s Dracula and Fran Rubel Kuzui’s Buffy the Vampire Slayer – films that seemed for a moment to take vampire cinema in completely opposite directions. New Vampire Cinema then examines what happened afterwards, across a remarkable range of reiterations of the vampire that take it far beyond its original Transylvanian setting: the suburbs of Sweden (Let the Right One In), the forests of North America (the Twilight films), New York City (Nadja, The Addiction), Mexico (Cronos, From Dusk Till Dawn), Japan (Blood: The Last Vampire, Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust), New Zealand (Perfect Creature), and elsewhere”. (adapted from amazon.co.uk summary)

John Wayne : the legend and the man : an exclusive look inside Duke’s archive / essay by Patricia Bosworth ; foreword by Martin Scorsese ; remembrance by Maureen O’Hara ; interview with Ron Howard ; remembrance by Ronald Reagan.
“The book celebrates the Duke’s life and legacy through film stills, backstage photos, and snapshots, ranging from his cinematic masterpieces to a surprising variety of early career, leading-man films. Also included are a wide selection of fan mail art; family albums, photos from friends and loved ones, and the many treasures gathered over the years in his immense archive”.(Syndetics summary)

Downton Abbey : the complete scripts, Season one / Julian Fellowes.
“The full scripts of series one, including previously unseen dialogue and drama. They give readers the opportunity to read the work in more detail and study the characters, pace and themes in depth. With an introduction and commentary from Julian Fellowes, this is an insight into how he researched and crafted the world of Downton Abbey”.(Syndetics summary)

There are a lot of keen film-watchers at Wellington City Libraries and there are also a lot of great films, docos and TV series lining our shelves. At the beginning of every year, we round up our favourite film and television released on DVD over the past year in one blog post. This year we had a LOT of staff favourites, so we’ve split them into two parts. Our first part features librarian and film enthusiast John’s picks – enjoy!

John’s Picks:

Boardwalk empire. The complete second season.
HBO maintain their high standards of quality TV, and this series is a good example as Steve Buscemi continues to lead the cast onwards in an engrossing and increasingly complex story set in the days of prohibition in 1920’s America.

Treme. The complete second season.
Music, food, drama and political intrigue set in post Hurricane Katrina New Orleans makes a recipe for an exceptional series.

The spice trail.
Kate Humble traces the history of six spices in this fascinating three part BBC series that traces the original spice routes and reveals the dark underbelly of colonialisation on the way.

Michael Wood’s story of England.
Those whose ancestry includes the British Isles will find this series especially interesting as the history of England, with its waves of conquerors, is revealed through the historical records of one British village.

Mad men. Season five.
‘Madmen’ may or may not be ‘the best TV show ever’, but it certainly remains the most stylish and Series 5 continues to deliver on every level.

Project Nim.
This story of a 60’s animal psychology experiment that goes horribly wrong is intriguing on several levels as we see both the dark and light side of human nature and witness the mystery of the chimpanzee world.

El bulli: cooking in progress.
This doco about the world famous restaurant in Spain that is booked out for each year’s season before it opens its doors explores the very odd world of master chef, Ferran Adrià, who is widely considered the best, most innovative and craziest chef in the world and for whom art and food inhabit the same domain.

This is not a film.
What do you do if you are a film maker under house arrest and banned from film making? If you are Iranian director Jafar Panahi you make a film in your flat and have it smuggled it out of the country on a memory stick to be premiered to international acclaim at the Cannes Film Festival.

Autoluminescent: Rowland S. Howard.
Australia has not produced a lot of legendary artists, but recently deceased Howard S. Rowland, Nick Cave’s guitarist for years, whose idiosyncratic style influenced both My Bloody Valentine and Sonic Youth, must come close, as illustrated in this lovingly crafted doco.

Looper.
Sci-fi movies that deal with the paradox of time travel often fall flat; however Looper is clever, doesn’t demand too great a suspension of disbelief and credibly manages to pull off a story that involves someone battling wits with their future self.

The ides of March.
George Clooney has become an accomplished director and he also stars in this very well crafted and nicely understated film that nevertheless makes a strong statement about political intrigue in the current USA.

Moneyball.
Brad Pitt seems to choose interesting roles and he doesn’t disappoint in this intriguing true story, set in the world of baseball, which is, believe it or not, actually about the power of data analysis.

The trip.
Steve Coogan and Rob Bryden are nothing short of totally hilarious in this comedy about rival TV personalities on a food tour of Britain.

We need to talk about Kevin.
Lynne Ramsay’s adaptation of the best selling novel stars Tilda Swinton in a film that is not light viewing but nevertheless rewards in its telling of a provocative story of very deep family dysfunction.

A dangerous method.
David Cronenberg’s first historical drama is set in 1900’s Europe and tells the true story of Sabina Spielrein (played by Kiera Knightly), a patient of both Carl Jung and Sigmund Freud, whose ideas influenced the start of the pioneer psycho-analytic movement.

Route Irish.
British social realist director Ken Loach made his first film in 1964 and shows no sign of letting up. Route Irish is as hard hitting and chilling as anything he has done as he uses the Iraq war to explore the overlap of the military and big business in a tale of revenge.

Margin call.
Kevin Spacey and Jeremy Irons shine as soul-less corporate executives in this story that, quite plausibly, depicts what may have gone on behind the scenes in corporate boardrooms on the eve of the 2008 financial melt down.

The way.
Road movies are a dime a dozen but Martin Sheen’s performance as a bereaved father who takes a pilgrimage along Spain’s famous ‘El camino de Santiago’ helps to make this genuinely warm film something quite special.

There are a lot of keen film-watchers at Wellington City Libraries and there are also a lot of great films, docos and TV series lining our shelves. So here’s a selection of the best, recent and not-so-recent DVDs taken home and watched by librarians, compiled for your viewing pleasure.

Arbitrage.
Slick thriller sees Richard Gere play Robert Miller, an unscrupulous hedge fund manager, juggling his wife (Susan Sarandon), his temperamental artist mistress (Laetitia Casta), his CFO daughter (Brit Marling), the upcoming sale of his Investment Company, a federal audit, and the fact that he’s covering up a $400 million dollar hole in his corporate assets. When he’s involved in a late-night car accident with his mistress, his carefully built house on cards begins to crumble… Gere is commanding as the main character, easily one of his best performances in years, with solid support from newcomer Marling, and Tim Roth as the tenacious Detective who begins to unravel Miller’s complicity. Recommended if you enjoyed Margin Call, Michael Clayton, or The Ides of March. (Mark)

Parks and recreation. Season three.
I am in danger of becoming a squeaky wheel when it comes to this series, from consistently telling everyone around me who appreciates intelligent, ironic, deadpan satirical humour to watch it. People generally believe (mostly correctly) that Americans can’t do satire, but this series, produced by the same crew behind “The Office’, is arguably the funniest thing on TV at the moment and just gets better and better. By Series 2 the cast had settled into their characters and Series 3 and Series 4, which both joined the library collection in short succession due to some odd time lag, feature the larger than life but oddly believable characters delivering tight, heart-warming and incredibly funny scripts with utter confidence. (John)

Le samouraï.
Iconic French Noir classic from director Jean-Pierre Melville sees Alain Delon in perhaps his best role. Jeff Costello is a zen-like hitman, an aloof, meticulous, professional who always completes a job. When he is seen by an alluring jazz pianist as he escapes a night club after killing its owner, he is brought in for a line up by a determined Police inspector. For reasons of her own the pianist refuses to positively identify him, but despite this (and his pre-arranged alibi) the Inspector is certain of his guilt, and proceeds to have his every move monitored. Meanwhile his criminal employers become suspicious of how he secured his freedom & decide that it might be better off if he’s taken care of…Melville’s homage to 50’s crime novels & the Alan Ladd vehicle ‘This Gun For Hire’ is a master-class of style & minimalism, full of washed out colours, long silences, & Delon’s masterfully moody & subtle performance. Each shot a perfectly realized blend of cinematography, direction, and implication. An obvious influence on American directors such as Walter Hill (The Driver), Michael Mann (Thief, Heat), & more explicitly Asian cinema (John Woo’s The Killer). Lovely, sharp looking criterion edition includes an extensive booklet, including an interview with Melville & a tribute to Melville from John Woo. (Mark)

German wanderlust with Julia Bradbury.
Julia Bradbury is the girl to get you off the couch. With a stride than covers half a county and a smile almost as wide this doyen of the walking world is a celebrity in Britain and fast making a name for herself around the world. She has made several television series, most set in Britain (Canal walks, Railway walks, Wainwright walks). This series illustrates the close relationship between German romanticism and the country’s walking traditions. From the Bavarian Alps to the Baltic coast, the mighty Rhine to the River Elbe this DVD will open your eyes to beauties of an often overlooked European country. It will also open your eyes to the joy of walking. You may never use the car again. (Sue)

Night moves.
Downbeat flick from director Arthur Penn (Bonnie & Clyde) is one of the best crime movies of the 1970’s. Gene Hackman is an ex-Football player turned Private Eye (who has just discovered his wife is cheating on him), hired by a faded actress to find her wild & wayward daughter (a young Melanie Griffith). Hackman tracks her down easily enough in the Florida Keyes, where she is staying with her stepfather. Spending time there, Hackman begins an affair with the sultry girlfriend of the girl’s stepfather while the girl, swimming one night, comes across the wreck of a crashed plane. Finally Hackman convinces the girl to return to Hollywood with him, and resumes his life – only to later learn she has been killed in a stunt accident on a Hollywood film set. But was it really an accident?…. ‘Night Moves’ exudes a bleak post-Watergate vibe of greed, personal betrayals, & disillusionment as events spiral to the violent & poignant ending. Recommended to anyone who liked Chinatown, The Drowning Pool, The Long Goodbye, or L.A Confidential. (Mark)

The hour. Series 2.
Set in 1957, this well researched historical drama successfully recreates the sombre mood of post WW2 cold war London. The story revolves around the production crew of a fledgling BBC current affairs programme ‘The Hour’, which is a precursor of TV shows such as ‘Campbell Live’, and it is remarkable to observe just how far broadcast media has evolved over 50 years. Series 1 was critically acclaimed, receiving several Bafta nominations, and Series 2 maintains the high standard of production design. Sadly, plans for a third series were scrapped, however over 20,000 people have signed an online petition demanding that the tale continue to unfold – for fans; this is the URL of the petition. (John)

Bug.
Disturbing psychological horror, based on a play by Tracey Letts, & directed by William Friedkin (The Exorcist, The French Connection). Ashley Judd is Agnes, a lonely waitress hiding out in a dive hotel fearing the return of her abusive ex-husband (a creepy Harry Connick Jr). When charismatic drifter Peter (Michael Shannon) appears she begins to believe she has made a connection, & she reveals to him the tragic history of her missing child. However Peter is not really who he seems & slowly reveals his history as a Middle-East war vet who was experimented on by the Government, and who believes himself infected by ‘bugs’. Gradually he begins to pull Agnes into his delusion, and what follows is a weird descent into, paranoia, insanity & obsession, along the lines of Requiem For A Dream. Definitely (can’t stress that enough) not for everyone, ‘Bug’ is one of those movies that polarizes opinion. Most of the action takes place in Judd’s hotel room, and transferred from a play it has at times a stagey, overdone feel. Still both Shannon & Judd are excellent, especially Judd, and after the shocking end it’s her character that lingers longest. (Mark)

Once upon a time in Anatolia.
I’m still a bit doubtful if the last 30 minutes of this film is really necessary, but I had the most extraordinary cinematic experiences when I saw it at Embassy theatre. Since the success of Uzak (2002), Turkish auteur Nuri Bilge Ceylan’s films have always featured at Cannes, and this film was a deserved winner of Grand Prix (the second-most prestigious prize) in 2011. This slow-burning drama appears to be a kind of crime story, but Ceylan’s eyes are on the men who are involved in the search and their life, not on solving the mystery. Masterfully taking a beauty of Turkish scenery (Anatolian steppes), the story gradually evolves into a subtly intricate human drama. You can see great inheritances of Tarkovsky, Antonioni, and Ozu in Ceylan’s creative vision. It’s anti-dramatic but a glorious watch. (Shinji)

Easy money.
Lowly Business student JW is living a double life, mingling in night clubs with Stockholm’s young & wealthy elite, while driving a cab during the day. He crosses paths with Jorge, a drug dealer who has escaped from prison who needs someone with JW’s business skills to legitimise his money. Mrado is a Serbian Mafia enforcer who has been allocated the task of taking Jorge out before he encroaches on the Serbian drug trade, however he unexpectedly finds himself having to care for the young daughter he hardly knows. Meanwhile Jorges attempt to broker a massive cocaine deal that will set everyone up for life…Slick Swedish thriller based on the best selling novel by Jens Lapidus. Definitely worth a look if you’re a fan of Euro thrillers & Scandinavian crime. (Mark)

Shut up and play the hits: the very loud ending of LCD Soundsystem.
The best music Doco’s are those that can be enjoyed whether you are familiar with the artist or not – and this film, based around the last ever performance of New York band LCD Sound System, is just that. The performance itself is excellent – tight, inspired and funky as hell; however, intercutting sequences from main-man, James Murphy’s domestic life raises the bar considerably and changes the film from being a mere recording of a concert to something else entirely. A few years ago the Pixies film Loud, Quiet, Loud took a similar approach and consequently was featured in film festival programmes worldwide, and that is what happened to this film. Cutting from Murphy singing his heart out in front of 10,000 fans to him patiently waiting for his pet dog to take a poop outside his NY apartment is nothing short of inspired. (John)

Jackpot.
When Oscar wakes up in a seedy strip club he finds he is holding a shotgun and is surrounded by 8 dead bodies & several live policemen…who promptly arrest him. However Oscar then proceeds to tell a lurid tale of a Christmas Tree factory run by ex-criminals, a lottery jackpot, a headless corpse, a gambling debt, and a great deal of bloodshed. Farcical black comedy very much along the lines of Fargo & Tarantino. Scripted by Scandinavian crime writer Jo Nesbo & while not as good as Headhunters, based on his novel, it’s still an entertaining watch if you like your humour on the dark side. (Mark)

What about me?.
Just watched ‘I Giant Leap: What About Me?’. It was amazing! It’s not a new doco but totally absorbing. What a fantastic idea: two musos travel around the world seamlessly blending unbelievably beautiful music and singing with dialogue from philosophers, teachers, religious and spiritual ‘gurus’, political commentators etc regarding the BIG questions ‘Who Am I?’, ‘What Am I doing Here?’ and importantly ‘Why Aren’t I Happy?!’. Beautifully illustrates how real, heartfelt music and spirituality are very much conjoined. Riveting stuff! (Ellie)

Borgen. Season one.
Viewers drawn into ‘Borgen’ from other Danish shows such as The Killing or The Protectors may find ‘Borgen’ a different kettle of fish. While Season 1 of ‘The Killing’ delved into the shifting face of Danish small party politics, it was always backed by the tension of an ongoing murder enquiry, whereas ‘Borgen’ is a purely political drama. A series of co-incidences, along with an impassioned Party debate speech, suddenly thrusts Moderate Party leader Birgitte Nyborg into prominence, with the result that her Party wins a record number of seats. Charged with forming a Coalition government various political maneavourings occur, resulting in her becoming Denmark’s first female Prime Minister. The following drama plays out around various political crisis points, examining the erosion of idealism faced with the practicalities of compromise politics & the growing strain on her personal life & family. A show that requires patience to absorb. Best recommended if you’re a fan of The West Wing, Geena Davis’ Commander In Chief, or UK Political drama’s. (Mark)

Shut up little man!: an audio misadventure.
An intriguing film about a pre-internet viral media phenomenon. When two students decided to record the very loud arguments coming from their alcoholic next door neighbour’s apartment they could not foresee just how wide an audience those recordings would eventually find. While the recordings went on to spawn a play, a graphic novel and bootleg cassettes and CDs galore, the two hapless drunks had no idea that they had become an underground phenomena. This Doco traces the trajectory of the rise of a viral phenomena but also questions issues such as the right to privacy and who owns life as art. (John)

Your sister’s sister.
Entertaining offbeat, indie romance/drama sees Mark Duplass (Safety Not Guaranteed) as Jack, a directionless slacker still troubled by the death of his brother a year ago. When his best friend Iris (Emily Blunt), also his late brothers girlfriend, suggests he spend some time alone at her family’s cabin on Puget Sound he takes her up on her offer. Only when he arrives he finds that someone is already there – Iris’ sister Hannah, who has just ended a long-term lesbian relationship. When Iris decides to surprise Jack at the cabin, she soon discovers that Jack & Hannah have swapped more than just stories…Directed by Lynn Shelton, ‘Your Sisters Sister’ features a great trio of natural performances that tease out the complicated lines of romance & friendship. Has a talky, improvised feel that may not be to everyone’s taste, but definitely worth a watch as alternative to the usual Hollywood fare in this genre. (Mark)

Declaration of war.
They are Romeo and Juliet. They became parents after a one-night stand, but are optimistic and happy to raise a child. However, their baby doesn’t seem to be well; in fact, has a brain tumour. It plunges them into darkness, but they declare war against all the challenges they may face. Based on the actual experience of the director/main character Valerie Donzelli and co-writer/co-star Jeremie Elkaim, who were once together and have a child with cancer, the film depicts their journey through the treatment. This sounds rather depressing and it could have been a weepy melodrama. However, the film has a bouncing pace which gives you a feeling that they sprint throughout, and is somehow uplifting. It has even a comical touch, although there are gloomy moments, of course. This film is not about the child, but about the young parents who grow mature through their nightmare experiences. There may be some flaws in this film but it’s encouraging and heart-warming. This fast-paced film ends with beautiful slow motion. Lovely. (Shinji)

Bernie.
Completely bizarre tale, based on a real life story, of Bernie Tiede (Jack Black), an undertaker in the small Texas town of Carthage. Bernie’s zest for life & empathetic personality make him the town’s most beloved person, captivating everyone with his selfless acts. Bernie even wins over the town’s richest & meanest widow Marjorie Nugent (Shirley MacLaine), eventually becoming her travelling companion & business manager. But the tyrannical Marjorie’s possessive, sour demeanour & demands on his time begin to wear down the affable Bernie until one day he just can’t take it any more… Black gives a career best, perfectly pitched, performance as Bernie and the supporting cast of MacLaine & Matthew McConaughey, as Prosecutor ‘Danny-Buck’, are also spot on. However what makes the movie so unique, is that Director Richard Linklater uses a mixture of interviews with the real residents of Carthage who knew Bernie & Marjorie to structure the story & narrative, giving the film a documentary like feel. Recommended if you like something a bit different. (Mark)

Searching for Sugar Man.
If, like me, you had put this film on your ‘will watch one day as I am curious as to why everyone seems to like it but I am not expecting a lot’ list then time for a rethink. Admirably living up to the hype, this film documents an intriguing story that would be deemed far fetched if it had been made up but is even more amazing as it is absolutely true. The existence of archival footage helps enormously and the scenes of Rodriguez eventual triumphant return to South Africa are pure movie magic. For those who don’t know, Rodriquez was a failed Latino American rock star who worked for twenty years as a builder’ labourer, completely unaware that he had attained cult status in South Africa, being bigger than Elvis Presley. This is the story of a journalists’ quest and the unexpected results. (John)

End of watch.
Gritty street cops story from writer/director David Ayer (Training Day, Dark Blue, Street Kings). Ayer uses found footage from video recorders, surveillance cameras, internal car cams etc, to portray the policing & friendship of two officers, Brian (Jake Gyllenhall) & Mike (Michael Pena), as they work the streets of South Central Los Angeles. The film’s key lies in its loose narrative structure, recalling the work of police officer turned writer Joseph Wambaugh, with its focus on the day to day life of officers patrolling together, the diverse, occasionally dangerous, situations they encounter, & the camaraderie, loyalty & comedy that is central to the officer’s relationship. When the two officers cross paths with a Mexican drug cartel during a routine traffic stop, events are set in motion that soon spiral out of control…Recommended if you enjoyed Ayer’s previous work. (Mark)

Ruby Sparks.
Author Calvin has writer’s block and then suddenly a young woman called Ruby seems to appear out of nowhere – no family, no friends, no background. Has she come to help or hinder his writing – is she real or fiction? This is very clever writing and well worth seeing. (Liz)
Meta rom-com from the directors of Little Miss Sunshine sees Paul Dano as Calvin, a wonderkid novelist whose first novel caused a literary sensation while he was in his teens and who, ten years later, is still struggling to write a follow-up. He starts to dream of a girl called Ruby (Zoe Kazan), & with prompting from his therapist begins to write about her…only to wake up one morning to find she is living in his house as his girlfriend. Convinced he’s found the perfect woman who loves him unconditionally, he puts away his writing…until Ruby’s attentions start to wander & he realises he can control via his writing. Scripted by actress Kazan, the film focuses on the romantic fantasy of the perfect relationship, but manages to make some strong points on the way people control each other, and while it ultimately doesn’t take the idea as far as it could possibly have it’s a lot more enjoyable than the average Hollywood rom-com. (Mark)

Sleepwalkers.
Short lived 90’s Sci-Fi series helmed by the underrated Bruce Greenwood, playing a scientist who runs The Morpheus Institute, a research facility where he & fellow scientists (Naomi Watts, Jeffrey D. Sams, Abraham Benrubi) use technology to enter the dreams of troubled patients in order to diagnose their problems. Influenced somewhat by the Dennis Quaid 1984 movie ‘Dreamscape’, it suffers from an obviously low budget, so at times comes off like an X-Files clone or bad episodes of the Twilight Zone, but when it works wells it shows an unrealised promise & ideas that would take someone like Christopher Nolan to bring to fruition with Inception. Worth a look if you have a soft spot for 90s Sci-Fi. (Mark)

A variety of new books on film & TV include a new Leonard Maltin’s movie guide and the Hobbit’s guide book. Also, there is great background reading for the much-loved BBC drama ‘Call the Midwife’. Enjoy!

Leonard Maltin’s movie guide : 2013 edition : the modern era / edited by Leonard Maltin ; managing editor, Darwyn Carson ; associate editor, Luke Sader ; contributing editors, Mike Clark…[et al.] ; video editor, Casey St. Charnez ; contributors, Jerry Beck, Jessie Maltin.
“Walking into a video store or browsing on Netflix can be an overwhelming experience. How do you choose what to watch? Respected film historian Leonard Maltin is here to help, recommending the best movies for a first date, a cozy night in with your spouse, or just a rainy day. Whether it’s a Scorsese drama or a Judd Apatow comedy, all of your favorite movies are here.” (adapted from amazon.co.uk summary)

An A-Z of JRR Tolkien’s the hobbit :A-Z / an unendorsed colourful and critical guide celebrating the movies : Sarah Oliver.
“A is for auditions. Find out which pop star auditioned to play an elf and who impressed Peter Jackson the most. B is for Bilbo. Martin Freeman had reservations about playing Bilbo at first–discover why and find out who he loved working with, and who he didn’t, and uncover why the movie Bilbo is different from Bilbo in the book. C is for cast. Filming “The Hobbit” threw up all kinds of challenges for the cast. Find out who injured themselves on set and who the biggest prankster was. All this and more, including all the behind-the-scenes set secrets, why Elijah Wood had to be involved, and what to expect from the second “Hobbit” movie.The must-have book for any fan of “The Hobbit”" (adapted from amazon.co.uk summary)

Theory of film : the redemption of physical reality / Siegfried Kracauer ; with an introduction by Miriam Bratu Hansen.
“Siegfried Kracauer’s classic study, originally published in 1960, explores the distinctive qualities of the cinematic medium. The book takes its place alongside works in classical film theory by such figures as Beacute” (Syndetics summary)

The life and times of Call the midwife : the official companion to series one and two / Heidi Thomas ; [foreword by Jenny Agutter].
“The stories and secrets behind BBC television’s most-loved show. The official companion to series 1 and 2, as well as the forthcoming Christmas special. The Life and Times of Call the Midwife takes you behind the scenes of the small-screen sensation that has brought to life Jennifer Worth’s experiences as a midwife among the slums and buzzing dockyards of London’s East End in the Fifties. Find out how Fifties fashions, make-up and homes were flawlessly recreated. Discover the hidden secrets of the nurses and nuns of Nonnatus House and what flavour cake ruled in the kitchen when war-time rationing finally came to an end. Immerse yourself in a world that’s been fondly revived to celebrate a glimpse of history that, like today, has childbirth at its heart.(adapted from amazon.co.uk summary)

I’m sorry I haven’t a clue : the best of forty years / Graeme Garden … [et al.] ; edited and compiled by Jon Naismith ; designed by Them Apples ; with special thanks to Bethan Bide.
“I’m sorry I haven’t a clue is the most listened to comedy programme on British radio. It regularly attracts an audience of 2.5 million listeners on Radio 4, a figure that would put it comfortably into the top ten programmes on BBC2 or Channel 4. The format of the game is very simple: four players – Graeme Garden, Tim Brooke Taylor, Barry Cryer and a guest are given silly things to do by the Chairman Jack Dee, with Colin Sell setting some of them to music. Clue continues to enjoy a long and successful run on BBC Radio 4, and in 2007 the show took on a new life with the first of many national tours, playing to 2500 seat theatres across the country. With the 40th anniversary this autumn, the world of Clue continues to expand and evolve, constantly creating new games and welcoming a new generation of Clue players, attracting new fans along the way.” (adapted from Syndetics summary)

There are a lot of keen film-watchers at Wellington City Libraries and there are also a lot of great films, docos and TV series lining our shelves. So here’s a selection of the best, recent and not-so-recent DVDs taken home and watched by librarians, compiled for your viewing pleasure.

JSA: Joint Security Area.
‘JSA’ one of Korea’s most successful films, tells the story of a Security incident in the DMZ separating North and South Korea. Two North Korean soldiers have been killed & one wounded, with the North Korean soldier believed responsible captured. It’s a political powder keg, so a neutral Swiss/Swedish team of investigators are brought in to uncover the truth. However, beyond their initial statements -which lay the blame for the incident on each other – both the North Korean killer & the surviving soldier refuse to speak, and a disparity with the number of bullets found & the magazine capacity of the assassins gun soon reveal that some kind of cover-up is at play. The film plays out in a series of flashbacks, as the truth is slowly revealed. Both a peon to a shared humanity that triumphs over political ideology & a tragic indictment of the institutionalised hatreds that divide culture, ‘JSA’ is a powerful movie, well worth watching. (Mark)

Limbo.
Another rich character study from John Sayles (Eight Men Out, Lonestar). Set in a small town in Alaska, faced with the closure of its mill & change & uncertainty in its future, Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio plays Donna, a travelling Nightclub jazz singer, whose teen-age daughter is tired of her mother’s revolving-door of loser boyfriends. When she begins a tentative relationship with Joe (David Strathairn), a local handyman with a troubled past, things start to look up. However when Joe’s brother arrives in town asking for his help crewing his boat to a ‘business’ meeting, Joe brings along Donna & her daughter, and things take an unexpected turn… ‘Limbo’ is one of those movies that’s almost impossible to define. A drama with elements of romance, a psychological survival thriller, a Northern Exposure-esque character study of the kinds of people that end up in the Alaskan frontier…its all that & more. The ambiguous ending may not suit everyone’s taste, but it’s definitely an engaging film with some great acting (& singing by Mastrantonio, who does her own vocals) & recommended if you like something a bit different than the usual style of film-making. (Mark)

Project Nim.
Nim was a chimpanzee who was unlucky enough to be chosen as the subject of an experiment by an American linguist in the swinging sixties. This bizarre experiment involved Nim being raised as a human child (including being breast fed) and taught sign language from an early age in order to investigate how far cross species communication could be taken. When funding was abruptly stopped for the project, Nim’s future became perilous. To tell more would be to give the story away of this moving and intriguing Doco about animal rights, the folly of science and the strange foibles of human nature. (John)

Sleepless night.
The French love their thrillers & ‘Sleepless Nights’ is another solid entry in the genre. Vincent is a seemingly solid cop, but he & his partner are also robbing drug dealers at gunpoint. When a job goes wrong he is recognized, and in retaliation the local mob boss kidnaps his estranged teenage son and demands he return the bag of cocaine to his Nightclub. Vincent heads to the nightclub & prepares to make the trade, but he is on the radar of the Internal Affairs police who complicate the exchange, leaving Vincent with nothing to trade…and only the rest of the night to make good on the exchange, or his son dies. The majority of the film plays out in the confines of the various levels of the Nightclub as Vincent tries to retrieve the bag of drugs, while avoiding Internal Affairs, rival drug factions & crooked cops…It’s all somewhat contrived but the French excel at immersing you in the lives of desperate characters, & it has plenty of frenetic paced thrills & action. Recommended if you enjoyed Tell No One, Point Blank or Anything For Her. (Mark)

Rabbit-proof fence.
British colonialism at its worse. Aboriginal children were taken away from their families to give them a “better” life. Three children set out to get back home by navigating the 1,500 miles rabbit proof fence. Will they make it? (Liz)

The informers.
Fairly faithful adaptation of Bret Easton Ellis’ loosely linked 80’s short story collection, featuring an array of L.A highlifes & lowlifes, from movie executives & trophy wives, to rock stars, con men, & rich disillusioned teenagers. Has a great cast & some great performances (Billy Bob Thornton, Kim Basinger, Winona Ryder, Mickey Rourke etc) but failed miserably at the box office, & with a lot of critics – probably because it’s extremely seedy, has no real beginning or end, and is full of genuinely morally bankrupt & completely loathsome characters. But being Bret Easton Ellis that, of course, is the point of it all. Ellis is a satirist and moralist & the movie works his continuing themes of desperation, moral & social decay. Definitely not for everyone, but worth checking out if you’re a fan of the authors work. (Mark)

Nero Wolfe. The complete classic whodunit series.
Nero Wolfe is a period murder mystery series focussing on a brilliant but eccentric detective, Nero Wolfe, who never leaves his chair if he can help it, and his dapper leg-man Archie Goodwin, who uses charm, wits or his fistS to get Wolfe the necessary information. But the more interesting thing about this series is that it decides not to shy away from the fact that it is a TV series, not real life. Rex Stout, author of the books that the series is based on, never aged his main characters, writing them as the same people from 1934 until his death in 1975. Following his cue, the series never specifies the date — one story revolves around a sound recording on a wax cylinder, another has egg chairs and miniskirts. Rather than going with naturalistic dialogue, they use the snappy and somewhat stylized patter of the gangster film and screwball comedies; and instead of replacing the majority of actors for each story, they have the same actors in different roles, in the way that a repertory theatre would use the same actors for different plays. Both light-hearted and sincere, this is as enjoyable a set of murders as you could ask for. (Celeste)

The Moderns .
From writer/director Alan Rudolph, a protégée of Robert Altman & creator of some cult-ish films such as Mrs Parker & the Vicious Circle, Choose Me, Trouble In Mind & ‘Love At large’, comes this movie, set amongst the ‘Lost Generation’ of 1920’s Paris cafe society. It’s 1926 on the Left Banke & talented painter Nick (Keith Carradine) can’t get a break, earning a living sketching caricatures for his friend’s newspaper column and buying drinks for Ernest Hemingway, when things get more complicated with the re-appearance of old an flame (Linda Fiorentino), now married to a dangerous & jealous businessman (John Lone). Rudolph’s off-beat sense of humour & stylism may not be to everyone’s taste, but he creates an atmospheric take on the romantic complications & life of the bohemian art & literary set of the time. Worth watching for anyone who enjoyed Woody Allen’s recent Midnight In Paris. (Mark)

Downfall.
Not a new film but this 2004 Academy Award winner for Best Foreign Language Film has stood up over time very well. Each generation continues to struggle to understand the social and political phenomenon that was the Third Reich and this engrossing film, set in the Berlin bunker where the remains of the Nazi high command took refuge during the final days of WWII, attempts to shed some light on the underlying psychology of Hitler’s followers. Told through the eyes of a 19 year old secretary (played by Alexandra Maria Lara of Control fame), and beginning with excerpts from a real life interview, this is a brave and powerful film. (John)

Stander.
‘Stander’ is definitely a case of the truth being stranger than fiction, in this movie based on real events in Apartheid ruled South Africa in the late 1970. Thomas Jane plays Andre Stander a Police Captain forced to participate in lethal ‘Riot Policing’ of the black population, & who allegedly begins to rob banks as a bizarre form of revenge for his increasing moral disillusionment. Eventually captured & sent to jail, he finds two willing partners while inside. After a clever escape they begin a further spree of robberies, gaining notoriety as the ‘Stander Gang’; and as their escapades become more daring the pressure mounts on the South African authorities to close in on them. Definitely something a bit different, offering up an atmospheric sense of time & place, and the conditions for Africans under Apartheid. While the film never quite penetrates the enigma of Stander’s character, Thomas Jane’s extremely charismatic, accent-perfect performance is definitely worth seeing. (Mark)

This month’s selection of books on movies highlights two of the most talked about movies this summer, The Hobbit and James Bond (this one is a photographic history of the Bond movies, not a book about Skyfall!). Also — and perhaps for those who wish to appear in the next Hobbit movie — we’ve featured a few titles with tips on acting and auditions. Have a browse!

The hobbit : an unexpected journey : official movie guide / Brian Sibley.
“Packed with exclusive behind-the-scenes photographs, this official illustrated guide tells the detailed story of the making of the highly anticipated new film The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, directed by Peter Jackson.” (Syndetics Summary)

All about Bond / photographs by Terry O’Neill ; edited by Deborah Moore and Robin Morgan.
“All about Bond brings together a unique collection of largely never-seen-before photographs by the legendary Terry O’Neill who has been capturing our on-screen hero on the set and off camera since the early 60’s.” (Syndetics Summary)

True acting tips : a path to aliveness, freedom, passion, and vitality / Larry Silverberg.
“Over 200 tips, as well as quotations, exercises, and illustrations to guide actors on a journey toward more fulfilling acting experiences. Based on the author’s web column.” (Syndetics Summary)

The golden rules of acting that nobody ever tells you / Andy Nyman ; [illustrations, Jemima Williams].
“This honest, truthful, and witty collection covers everything an actor should know about how to succeed—and stay sane—in show business. Derived from Andy Nyman’s vast experience in film, television, and theater, The Golden Rules of Acting is an accessible, invaluable treasure trove of advice that no performer should be without.” (adapted from amazon.com summary)

Mastering the audition : how to perform under pressure / by Donna Soto-Morettini.
“Drawing on research into how the brain copes and responds in high-stress situations, ‘Mastering the Audition’ dissects the audition process and offers original solutions to help master its art.” (Syndetics Summary)

Beyond the screenplay : a dialectical approach to dramaturgy / Zachariah Rush.
“This work analyzes dramatic structures, from Sophocles to Orson Welles and the 21st century cinema, all from the viewpoint of Hegelian dialectic. Utilizing this dialectical process the author demonstrates its particular application to the writing of a screenplay, which should not be considered a simple schematic or formulaic blueprint but legitimate dramatic literature” (Publisher description)

There are a lot of keen film-watchers at Wellington City Libraries and there are also a lot of great films, docos and TV series lining our shelves. So here’s a selection of the best, recent and not-so-recent DVDs taken home and watched by librarians, compiled for your viewing pleasure.

Tin man.
‘D.G’ (Zooey Deschanel) is a feisty motor-bike riding waitress who has been having dreams of a strange distant place. When a dangerous storm overtakes her home and a group of men in long coats attack her & her parents, they are forced to jump into the path of the storm…and D.G wakes up in a completely new world. She soon discovers she has crossed over into The O.Z (The ‘Outer Zone’) which has been taken over by an evil sorceress called Azkadellia; and so begins an epic journey to find her parents, discover her true heritage, and defeat the evil sorceress. Luckily for DG she is joined along the way by some new friends: the scarecrow-like Glitch – who is in search of his stolen brain (a great performance from Alan Cumming); a ‘Tin-Man’ (ex-cop) called Wyatt Cain, in search of his lost wife & son; a cowardly lion called ‘Raw’; and a ‘Mystic-Man’ wizard (Richard Dreyfus) fallen on hard times. From the same writer/director/producers who have also updated other classics in a revisionist manner (’Alice in Wonderland’ as Alice; ‘Peter Pan’ as Neverland) this fantastically entertaining mini-series, from the US Sci-Fi Channel, re-imagines elements of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz into something that is both fresh & original and also a fitting tribute to L. Frank Baum’s timeless classic. A great watch for the whole family, though it may is definitely a bit too dark for the little ones. (Mark)

Route Irish.
British film maker Ken Loach is not famous for making feel-good movies. His films generally deal with themes such as state-sanctioned crime, the brutality of war, the exploitation of the underclass and harsh treatment of native populations. This film is no exception, the subject being privately paid British ‘security guards’, i.e. mercenaries, employed in Iraq. This is a compelling, no holds barred, anti-Hollywood thriller that illustrates how deeply human values have been eroded and examines the intrusion of the war machine into civil society in our current corporate era. (John)

The bridge. The complete series one.
More Scandinavian crime fare sees the Danes & Swedes combining for the gritty ‘The Bridge’. When a body is found staged in the middle of the Øresund Bridge exactly halfway between Denmark & Sweden, Detectives from both countries are forced into working together. When it is quickly discovered that the body is in fact the upper & lower halves of 2 separate victims, it becomes apparent that this is more than just an ordinary crime. The killer soon makes himself known, a so-called ‘Truth Terrorist’, his aim is to draw society’s attention to 5 problems that currently plague it (the plight of the homeless, inequality in the eyes of the law, treatment of the mentally ill etc). What follows is a complex thriller, full of twists & turns as the two main characters try to apprehend him before he can claim more victims with his cleverly orchestrated killings. The two leads, Danish Detective Martin, a scruffy, empathetic, laid back family man trying to re-connect with his teenage son; and the Swedish Police Officer Saga, an aspergers-like Detective with meticulous work habits but a complete lack of tact & social skills, play off each other nicely as they form a working bond that grows stronger as the crimes twist in a different direction than they initially thought…More great Scandi-Noir, with a second series on the way, as well as an American remake. (Mark)

Margaret.
After the success of the fantastic debut feature ‘You Can Count on Me’ (2000), Kenneth Lonergan embarked on an ambitious project ‘Margaret’. The film was shot in 2005, set in post 9/11 New York City, but Lonergan was unable to find a final cut he wanted and the lawsuit followed. By the time the film was finally released in 2011, two of three producers had passed away. This sounds rather messy, and in fact, the film is chaotic with a mess-of-contradictions main character. However, it’s powerful, great chaos. An intelligent but self-absorbed teen Lisa (played by Anna Paquin, who was 23 when the film was shot) becomes obsessive after a fatal bus crash, that she may have caused, and seeks some sort of closure. Along with this simple synopsis, numerous dramas, including the relationship between Lisa and her mother, are developed throughout three hours (this director suite is 30 minutes longer than the theatre version). At times it’s absurd but has fascinatingly brilliant moments, and there is an air only exceptional movies have. This may be a love-or-hate movie but no one would argue about the brilliance of Anna Paquin’s ferocious performance. (Shinji)

The cabin in the woods.
A stereotypical group of college kids head off for a booze fuelled weekend of debauchery at a creepy cabin in the woods. Clichés abound…but the beginning is intercut with scenes from a complex of some kind as two white collar workers exchange barbed asides as they head off to another routine ‘day at the office’. The movie wastes no time in setting up its premise: that whatever is happening to the kids is being watched, even controlled, by the technicians in the office complex…but that is just the beginning of an extremely meta horror movie co-written by Joss Whedon (Buffy, Angel, Firefly/Serenity) & directed by Drew Goddard, skewering every horror movie convention, & then turning them inside out – literally. Whedon fans will recognise familiar faces & in-jokes, but this one is recommended even for those un-initiated in the Whedon-cult. Very clever & entertaining. (Mark)

The woman in black.
Harry Potter has grown up. Daniel Radcliffe plays a broody solicitor with about 90% of the dialogue. Initially a book, then a play and now the DVD, there have been changes – some good – some not so good. Quite scary in places – don’t watch it with the light off! (Liz)

Cargo.
This Swiss Sci-Fi film (which plays in dubbed English, but is better watched in the original German with English subtitles) is set in 2270 when the Earth has been devastated by an Ecological disaster & everyone lives in orbit in Space Stations. Laura is a Doctor who takes a job on a cargo ship to earn the money to move to Rhea – a blissful colonized planet, light years from Earth. The cargo ship is supposedly on an eight year journey to refit an outlying space station, but during her stint out of cyro-sleep Laura believes she sees someone in the cargo hold. Awakening the Ship’s Security Officer & Captain the trio negotiate the massive cargo hold, only for the Captain to fall & die. But was his death really accidental & what exactly is the cargo they are carrying?…Extremely ambitious Sci-Fi filmed apparently with a very small budget (in comparison with mainstream US Sci-Fi films) yet still manages to host an array of stunning visuals & scenes. Plot wise the film blends elements of everything from The Matrix to Sunshine, Solaris, & Alien, into a story that develops slowly but has its own power & sense of originality. Impressive, intelligent, Sci-Fi, manages that difficult blend of story & spectacle, recommended to anyone who found themselves underwhelmed by Prometheus. (Mark)

Miranda. Series 2.
Miranda, Series one and two – hilarious and I would recommend these to just about anyone (Fleur)

The shop around the corner.
If ‘The Shop Around the Corner’ is not the very first ‘rom-com’, it is certainly the preeminent one against which all the others are compared. Set in Budapest, Jimmy Stewart is the head salesman at ‘Matuschek & Company’, a leather goods gift shop. When a new girl (Margaret Sullivan) wrangles herself a job they clash immediately, with her sassy attitude & sharp tongued banter against his barbed & snappy asides. However what neither realises is that they are already in love with each other as anonymous pen-pals… Directed by Ernst Lubitsch, the movie is perfectly paced & the supporting characters fully realised, especially the shop owner Mr Matuschek & his poignant marriage woes. A charming classic, remade a couple of times as a film & stage musical, and most recently as the 1988 Tom Hanks/Meg Ryan vehicle You’ve got Mail. (Mark)

A separation.
This is the first Iranian film to receive a Golden Globe award, winning Best Foreign Language Film in 2012. What begins as a fairly simple story of a family in crisis gradually draws the viewer into a series of increasingly complex situations. Extremely well-crafted, the twists of the plot present new moral dilemmas for all the protagonists, which are presented objectively and explored without judgment. As in life (not the Hollywood version), it is all grey areas. This is a fascinating human drama that explores themes of family loyalty, love, duty, the folly of religion and pride – and it is refreshing to watch a film that does not tell the viewer what to think. (John)

The perfect host.
John (Clayne Crawford) is a career criminal who has just robbed a bank. Injured, he finds himself trapped in a residential neighbourhood with the police closing in. Using a postcard he steals from a letterbox he manages to convince mild-mannered home owner Warwick (David Hyde Pierce) that he is a friend of a friend who has just arrived in town, lost his luggage & been mugged. Warwick is in the middle of preparing a lavish dinner party for some guests about to arrive, but being the consummate host invites John in, insisting he stay for dinner. However, John slowly begins to realise that there is much more to Warwick than meets the eye…To say anything more about this dark gem would give the story away, but if you think you know where things are going the movie continually surprises you with one surreal, deranged turn after another, and David Hyde Pierce’s performance is simply mesmerizing. Recommended if you enjoy whacked-out thrillers such as Jennifer Lynch’s Surveillance or Kevin Costner’s Mr. Brooks. (Mark)

This is not a film.
Another Iranian film, this is the documentary made by banned Iranian film maker, Jafar Panahi, which was smuggled out of Iran on a memory stick to premier at Cannes. Panahi is under house arrest and faces a seven year jail term and a 20 year ban on film making for his, allegedly, anti establishment films. He invited a friend over and they made this film in his flat, ostensibly about his day to day life, however, what develops is a very subtle but strong sub-text about the act of film making itself. This is exemplified in the surreal sequence when we witness footage of two cameras filming each other – a very clever and surprisingly engrossing film. (John)

Ted.
Eight year old John is an ostracized lonely kid. Bonding with a teddy bear he receives for Christmas he wishes it would come to life so they could be friends forever…which it then does. John grows up to be Mark Wahlberg & Ted grows up to be a second rate celebrity has-been, & together they like to hang out, drink beer, smoke lots of dope & watch Flash Gordon - much to the chagrin of John’s steady girlfriend (Mila Kunis), who wants John to grow up & get his life together. Directed, produced, co-written & voiced by Family Guy creator Seth MacFarlane ‘Ted’ – as you would probably expect – is rude, crude, lowbrow & generally offensive on pretty much every level imaginable. However it’s also really, really funny, and in many ways more of a genuinely poignant ‘buddy’ movie than anything Judd Aptow has churned out. The great juxtaposition of the cheesy Disney-like set-up (complete with voice over & perky Disney-like soundtrack) & the ‘reality’ of Ted, who likes to party with hookers & do bong hits drives the story, and both Wahlberg & Kunis are good enough to make the whole three-way dynamic seem believable, with Wahlberg demonstrating some great comedy chops. Just good dumb fun. (Mark)

The way.
Martin Sheen plays ‘Tom’ in this road movie with a difference. A family tragedy takes Tom to France where he finds himself walking the 1000 year old, 500 mile pilgrimage trail across Northern Spain – El Camino de Santiago. Along the way, of course, he meets a collection of eccentric fellow travellers, but, thankfully, they don’t all have an adventure that “changes their lives forever”. The tone is low key and understated and what emerges is a curiously sincere and affecting tale of unlikely camaraderie and affirmation – great cinematography as well. (John)

The grey.
Liam Neeson’s late-career re-invention as an action-lead was one of the best things to happen in movies for a long time, but the Taken sequel was such a dud, that not even his acting could make it a semi-decent film. However all is forgiven with ‘The Grey’, an exciting survivalist thriller set in the Alaskan wilderness. Neeson is a weary sniper, seemingly at the end of his rope, employed by an oil company to keep the workers safe from marauding wolves. When the plane he is on with a crew of oil roughnecks crashes, the survivors are stranded and struggle against the brutal elements to create shelter & warmth. However, soon a new element is thrown into the mix…a group of hyper-aggressive territorial wolves begin to surround their camp. With no choice the men have to strike off over the brutal terrain to find safety…but the wolves begin to stalk their every move. There is some fairly ropey dialogue, and unbelievable elements & situations that the men find themselves in, with of the metaphorical philosophizing is a bit over the top; but at the end of the day that doesn’t really seem to lessen its impact. Tense, dark & gripping right to the end. (Mark)

From HBO’s Game of Thrones to the legendary film stars. Enjoy a wide range of sellection.

Inside HBO’s Game of thrones / Bryan Cogman ; preface by George R. R. Martin ; foreword by David Benioff & D. B. Weiss.“HBO’s Game of Thrones reigns as cable’s highest-rated series. This official companion book gives fans new ways to enter this fictional world and discover more about the beloved (and reviled) characters and the electrifying plotlines. Hundreds of set photos, production and costume designs, storyboards, and insider stories reveal how the show’s creators translated George R. R. Martin’s best-selling fantasy series into the world of Westeros. Featuring interviews with key actors and crew members that capture the best scripted and unscripted moments from the first two seasons, as well as a preface by George R. R. Martin, this special volume, bound in a lavishly debossed padded cover, offers exclusive access to this unprecedented television series.”(Syndetics Summary)

The Doctor’s monsters : meanings of the monstrous in Doctor Who / Graham Sleight.
“Doctor Who has been on global television screens for nearly fifty years, and many of its most memorable protagonists have been its monsters, The Daleks, Cybermen, Slitheen, the Sonterans, Ood, Wiirrn, and others. Entertainingly and provocatively written, and introduced by Who scriptwriter Paul Cornell, The Doctor’s Monsters takes a new look at these and many other creatures, and asks what inspired them and what lies behind them.”(Syndetics Summary)

The science fiction universe– and beyond : Syfy Channel book of sci-fi / introduction by Thomas P Vitale ; text by Michael Mallory.“Travel where no man has gone before with this comprehensive journey through the universe of science fiction film and television! From the wildly imaginative European masterpieces of the silent era to compelling, character-based weekly television series like Twilight Zone, X-Files, and Battlestar Galactica, to the CGI-realized world of Avatar, science fiction film and television has pushed the boundaries of the visually and dramatically fantastic for more than a century. The Science Fiction Universe… and Beyond offers a breadth of knowledge, insight, and passion to the spellbinding and entertaining realm of close encounters, black holes, time travel, distant planets, impossible quests, alternate realities, futuristic technology, spaceships, extraordinary monsters, and incredibly imagined worlds” (adapted from Book Cover)

The Top gear years / Jeremy Clarkson.
“We now know all about — the world according to Clarkson. In a series of bestselling books, Jeremy has revealed it to be a puzzling, frustrating place where all too often the lunatics seem to be running the asylum. But in The Top Gear Years, we get something rather different.” (Syndetics Summary)

The rough guide to 21st century cinema / by Adam Smith.
“Celebrate the centurys’ finest movies in The Rough Guide to 21st Century Cinema, a lavishly illustrated homage to the world’s best movies of this new era of cinema. The best 101 films: a run down of the finest films of the millenium from Hollywood blockbusters to indie gems. The hottest stars: features on the up and coming actors and actresses who have made a mark. The winning genres: best-in-class features on drama, comedy, horror, sci-fi, animation, documentary, superhero movies and all the genre-mash ups in between. The unsung heroes: the finest talent behind the camera, including directors, cinematographers, set designers and special effects specialists. The Rough Guide to 21st Century Cinema is the essential companion to movies of the moment.” (Syndetics Summary)

British crime film : subverting the social order / Barry Forshaw.“British Crime Film is a celebratory and comprehensive social history of this idiosyncratic genre. Barry Forshaw focuses on the strategies used to address more radical notions than those presented in mainstream product, exploring such themes as the treatment of sex and violence, corporate crime and the maverick criminal. Covering every major – and most minor – British crime films up to and including the twenty-first century, Forshaw contextualises the films within the crime fiction that inspired them. He explores new developments including British urban crime movies and the wave of new crime/horror hybrids such as Kill List, and predicts what the future holds for the genre.”(adapted from amazon.co.uk summary)

Audrey : the 60s / David Wills and Stephen Schmidt.“Audrey Hepburn charmed cinema audiences in the 1950s as a new type of screen presence – gamine, doe-eyed and refreshingly casual. By the 1960s she had metamorphosed to become a trendsetting sophisticate, achieving unrivalled status as an actress, model, movie star and champion for underprivileged children worldwide. Curator and archivist David Wills has amassed one of the world’s largest private collections of original Audrey Hepburn photography. Now, in Audrey: The 60s, he has gathered a spectacular selection of work from her key photographers – much of it digitally restored from original negatives and transparencies – to create a truly breath-taking portfolio of images which pays homage to the most beloved and enduring style icon of the decade that changed everything.” (adapted from amazon.co.uk summary)

Elizabeth Taylor / Susan Smith.
“Elizabeth Taylor was one of the major film stars of the twentieth century, embodying all the glamour and allure of Hollywood stardom. Yet her achievements as an actress have often been overshadowed by her beauty
and tumultuous life off-screen. To redress this imbalance, Susan Smith offers an illuminating study of Elizabeth Taylor’s work in film, exploring her fascinating trajectory from child to adult star. Smith reveals the influence that Taylor’s early work exerted over her later career and the ways in which her on-screen identity is profoundly rooted in her association with animals and nature.” (adapted from amazon.co.uk summary)