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2010 Film Review

best
23/12/2010 By In Movies, Reviews

End of year lists are so much fun so why not a 2010 Panic Dots end of year film review extravaganza? Oh hell yes!

It’s been a strange year for film – there have been a few sparkly diamonds in the rough and more than a few disappointments.

We also love hearing what our readers think and if we’ve missed anything from the list or you agree / disagree – please leave us some feedback!

The Winners

Shutter Island

Shutter Island is a brilliantly directed psychological thriller starring Hollywood heartthrob turned proper “actor” type Leonardo DiCaprio. Set in and around Ashecliffe Hospital for the criminally insane, Edward “Teddy” Daniels and his newly assigned partner Chuck Aule (Mark Ruffalo) are investigating the disappearance of Rachel Solando.

Martin Scorsese‘s direction is superb. As Edward’s mind starts to unravel, his environment and the people around do so as well and this is excellently executed by Scorsese. The film noir-esque direction and brilliant cast add to the film’s intensity and you’re left on the edge of your seat until the very end.

Cyrus

A surprise top entry for the best of 2010. Cyrus is a refreshing comedy drama about a Mother’s close and complicated relationship with her son and what happens when someone comes between them.

Jonah Hill is brilliant as Cyrus. He’s odd, awkward and selfish but he plays this is this most subtle of ways with a slight bipolar, unhinged edge. When his Mother, Molly (Marisa Tomei), meets John (John C. Reilly), it’s a chance for her to be truly happy finding true love. However, the close relationship developed between Molly and Cyrus, as she raised him by herself, provides complications as both have been so emotionally dependent on one another.

The film raises some brilliant points about the strange and weirdly close bond sometimes formed between a Mother and son.

Catfish

Another film about social networking you say? Well, yes, but Catfish doesn’t use slick direction and an MTV-esque cast to make it’s point. It’s hard to believe this is a documentary as the events in the film seem almost too good to be true from a documentary film maker’s point of view.

The story follows Yaniv “Nev” Schulman, a hip NYC photographer who befriends a young girl called Abby Pierce on Facebook after she starts sending him paintings of his photography. Their platonic relationship develops further as Nev starts communicating online with Abby’s Mother, Angela, their entire family and eventually her attractive half-sister Megan.

The story takes a strange and surreal twist as Nev attempts to develop their relationship further and the boys – directors Henry Joost, Ariel Schulman and Nev – try and meet-up with the mysterious Megan.

Catfish is a brilliant film that explores the nature of online relationships in the modern age and what happens when all is not what it seems.

Other honourable mentions…

Predators

A group of tough guy weirdos, back in the jungle, packing heat with seemingly no way out – the Predators franchise is back on form!

Scott Pilgrim vs. The World

Cute, quirky, slick and super fun.

REC 2

Sequel the the brilliant Spanish horror REC. This crazed zombie story takes a strange turn as the events of the first film are explained. Imagine 28 Days Later trapped in an apartment block.

Greenberg

Ben Stiller trying his hand at a serious drama. Sam Greenberg (Stiller) is taking some time out trying to figure out what his life is all about whilst his friends have all grown-up and moved on. A story about life, love and the path not followed.

The Losers

The Twilight Saga: Eclipse

Look, any author who suggests that vampires glow in the sunlight shouldn’t really be allowed to write stories in the first place. Simple. Yes, this isn’t a vampire story, it’s more of a love story for teenagers and lonely housewives but with a paper thin plot and characters flatter than a steam rolled crepe, this is a film for kids who’ve never left the safety of their poster-filled bedroom walls and those with an IQ of a walnut.

Bella (Kristen Stewart) is in trouble… again. As pale, tortured vampire type, Edward (Robert Pattinson), and smooth, buff wolfy type Jacob (Taylor Lautner), battle for her affections, Bella must make a choice. Oh yes, and there’s a lot of nostril flaring, a bit of a SGI battle at the end and the fact Jacob doesn’t seem to actually own a shirt.

As the film draws to a close you’ll be left with one of two conclusions: either author Stephanie Meyer is one clever lady and she’s sitting in her mansion made of gold laughing her head off, or she actually assumes that all womankind (or people in general) function purely in the vain hope that one day a glowing, nostril-flaring vampire is going to come and take them away from their dull meaningless lives. Whatever your conclusion is – avoid this and save your sanity.

Sex And The City 2

Well, where to start? From the ridiculous big gay wedding at the start, to the swarthy man riding along the sandy desert by jeep (like a modern day night in shining armor), to the women throwing down their burkas to reveal that, they too, are stylish ladies just like their NYC counterparts.

This film is not only an insult to all women with half a brain but to anyone one with any sense about them. The TV series developed each character perfectly and although they weren’t always a shining light to womankind, they were way more likable than what we’ve been left with in this film – monstrous, designer clad vacuous beasts that are unashamedly the worst, most deplorable parts of female kind – slutty, moany, spoilty and arsey.

The A-Team

Sitting through this film is kind of like being forced to drop some acid then stare at Bradley Cooper‘s shiny big face for an hour and a half. You can imagine that doesn’t end well. This basically felt like a vehicle for Cooper (who places Lt. “Faceman” Peck) to show off his “action side” and his ripped body – nothing more, nothing less.

The others are unmemorable, most notably Jessica Biel. After seeing her in various incarnations (Blade: Trinity, The Illusionsist, I Now Pronounce You Chuck And Larry), it’s clear that a poorly trained flea has more screen presence as she plays yet another “hot, slightly tough chick who eventually falls for the smarmy male lead”.

This is a film for those with donuts for brains and 12-year-old boys. The story is convoluted and extremely flimsy and the most you’ll remember from this messy, hour and a half monstrosity is a few explosions and a tank falling from the sky.

More stinkers…

Skyline

Another action packed flick where aliens descend upon us intent on destroying us all. If you want to know what a lobotomy feels like, watch this.

Frozen

Three people stuck in a ski lift. Bad stuff happens, some people die. I’m sure I’ve had farts that were more entertaining than this.

Splice

“Oh look we’ve created a freak child in a lab. We weren’t supposed to but let’s raise it as our child. Oh no, it’s growing at an existential rate and has turned out to be a dangerous but strangely beautiful humanoid animal that doesn’t understand who or what it is.” Cue bad stuff happening. End.

Clash of the Titans

You’d think that with Sam Worthington taking on the role of Perseus – one of mythologies greatest heroes – that he’d at least attempt an accent that didn’t resemble “Aussie meat head down the pub”. Worthington’s finest moment was in Terminator Salvation as a robot. I guess that says it all.

For a full rundown of my “best and worst of 2010 list”, check out my blog.

Also, keep your ears peeled for our Panic Shots podcast on Best & Worst from our champion podcast team!

Belfast Film Festival Programme Launch

BFF
09/03/2010 By In Movies, Trailers

Andrew Moore reports from the Belfast Film Festival press launch as the critically acclaimed festival returns to the city…

As the home grown stars and press descend upon Belfast’s Black Box to witness the launch of the city’s 10th Film Festival, running from 15th – 30th April, as a genuine lover of all things cinema, you can’t help but be elated how the event has transformed over the past decade.

Starting originally as a small element within the west of the city the has now become a main cultural fixture in the Northern Ireland calendar. Belfast might be an ever changing city, but what has not changed is its everlasting love affair with the cinema.

Lord Mayor of Belfast, Naomi Long, commented: “The Belfast Film Festival has grown to become a flagship annual event in the city’s calendar. It promotes our city and its people on both an international and national stage, and its reputation for innovation and creativity is widely regarded. The city of Belfast is extremely proud of these achievements and we look forward to the 20th, 30th and 40th birthday celebrations and beyond.”

The BFF once again continues to showcase the filmmaking talent coming out of Northern Ireland, with world premieres of locally made productions such as Empire – a film set in Belfast, shot over three years on a zero budget and loosely based on the Greek myth of Orpheus.

Other premieres include Five Day Shelter, starring BAFTA nominated John Lynch, a highly visual drama interweaving the lives of several characters in a contemporary urban setting over five days.

While indie cinema fans, of the weird and wonderful, are bound to be excited by Colin McIvor’s directorial debut, Cupcake, which tells the tale of a man who inherits his parent’s bakery which promises to be a visual feast for all the senses.

Serving as a reminder to the past is the imaginative Mickey B, a feature film adaptation of Shakespeare’s Macbeth, made with serving prisoners as cast, in Northern Ireland’s infamous maximum security prison HMP Maghaberry.

An eccentric range of innovative filmic events once again dominate the programme, including a screening of Stephen Sommers’ modern B-Movie hit, Deep Rising, while the audience sail down the River Lagan. The John Hughes 80s masterpiece, Pretty in Pink, shown in Belfast nightclub Slide. A workshop presented by BBC presenter, William Crawley, dissecting the ‘anatomy’ of the legendary 1957 courtroom epic, 12 Angry Men directed by Sidney Lumet, as well as, screening an episode from the cult 60s TV show, The Prisoner, inside the First Church of Christ which will be followed by a discussion on the importance of architectural heritage in Belfast.

Opening the BFF will be the UK/Irish premiere of Triage, starring Colin Farrell as war photographer Mark Walsh while closing this year’s festivities is the UK premiere of Tetro, the latest film from the institutional Francis Ford Coppola – also his first original screenplay since The Conversation.

In partnership with the Shruti Foundation and Lady Rana, the BFF will also have in attendance, Shyam Benegal – one of India’s most highly regarded filmmakers – who will give a public lecture at the Great Hall in Queen’s University on 22nd April. Two of his films Zubeidaa and The Making of the Mahatma are set to be screened.

Greenberg starring Ben Stiller will also be shown at the festival…

One of the most appealing prospects of the festival, for most of the public, is the vast range of high profile productions set to screen over the 16 day programme including Noah Baumbach’s – screenwriter of The Life Aquatic, Fantastic Mr Fox and The Squid and the Whale - Greenberg, starring Ben Stiller, the Russian made Tsar – a film about the 16th Century Ivan the Terrible – as well a showing of Paul Schrader’s – screenwriter of Taxi Driver – Adam Resurrected, the quirky black comedy Dogtooth, the powerful Vincere – based on the life of Bentio Mussolini’s first wife, Ida Dalsar – the visually spectacular Japanese feature Symbol amongst many others.

The BFF also hopes to break the boundaries of offering audiences some visual treats mixing the sights of modern and classic cinema with contemporary sounds of performers such as Denmark’s Efterklang and the USA’s Wooden Shjips.

As a way to support the increasing numbers of aspiring filmmakers, writers and producers in Northern Ireland and their thirst to know more about ‘the business’. Organisers have set up a two day seminar called Northern Exposure = Deal Closure. The event will bring in key London sales agents, distributors, producers and literary talent agents for a series of four industry-focused panel sessions and discussion groups. Confirmed panellists include BAFTA nominee Tony Grisoni (Red Riding Trilogy), Robin Gutch (producer Warp X), Hilary Davis (Banksdale Films), Stephen Murphy (Optimum Releasing) and Nick Marston (Curtis Brown Agency) plus more.

Full information on tickets and the programme in its entirety is now available on the official Belfast Film Festival website at http://www.belfastfilmfestival.org.