NEDS

Tags

1972, 70's, award-winning director and writer, Conor McCarron, filmed on location, Glasgow's deprived neighbourhoods, Glaswegian, in Glasgow, John McGill, main theme, NEDS, non-educated delinquents, personal not autobiographical, Peter Mullan, Robbie Collin, society, This is England, violent Glasgow

NEDS, or non-educated delinquents, is a hard-hitting story about life in Glasgow’s deprived neighbourhoods in 1972.

Filmed entirely on location in Glasgow, it follows the life of John McGill, played by new talent Conor McCarron. It follows his downward spiral from promising schoolboy to knife carrying teenager. With a violent alcoholic father and criminal older brother, McGill is on a seemingly self-destructive path to nowhere.

Award-winning director and writer, Peter Mullan, captures perfectly the gritty atmosphere in areas where gang culture is king. Journalist, Robbie Collin, described the film as “bold, brutal and utterly brilliant.”

There was not a lot of dialogue or plot in the film, but was shown was excellent. All of the main actors were Glaswegian and the stereotypical slang and dark humour came across when they spoke. There was also frequent swearing and struggles for dominance which added to the oppressive atmosphere of the film.

The plot followed the linear sequence of John McGill growing up, but kept the viewer guessing what would happen to him, right to the end. An ending which was unusual to say the least.

Although the plot is simple, the characterisation was very human and easy to relate to real life. This made the viewer care about John McGill and feel as if they must see this film to the end. Scottish born Peter Mullan describes the film as “personal not autobiographical” but said it does relate to the violent Glasgow of his childhood.

He said: “I remember being quite stable in academia, and all around me, the rest of the world was quite nuts. But then I was actively discriminated against.” A parallel to John McGill in NEDS, Mullan was put in a lower class because his older brother was troublesome.

“For a year, I don’t think I glanced at a newspaper unless it involved a riot. It becomes about you, your haircut, your jeans and who you’re off with.”

The pale washed colour used throughout the film is reminiscent of the 70’s but also added to the idea that the characters had no hope. The costume continued the 70’s theme with flares and Doc Martin’s continually popping up in scenes.

This film is as brutal yet clever and captivating as the reviews claim. It is a gritty coming-of-age movie highlighting the harsh reality of deprived areas in 1970’s Scotland. NEDS is Scotland’s version of “This is England”.

Although title and reviews may be off-putting, it is a film which I think most people would take something away from. Despite its brutality, the main theme remains a very human look at the struggles a naive child faces as he grows up to be a man. It is a window into the humanity and life story which lies behind the thugs who are often overlooked in society.

The Hunger Games

Tags

blockbuster, box office, director Gary Ross, futuristic America, game show, Katniss Evergreen. Peeta Mellark, Panem, Pleasantville, Seabiscuit, Suzanne Collins' trilogy, The Hunger Games

An insight into a possible future and human nature, The Hunger Games has smashed into the box office making almost £10million.

Early in the film the audience is made aware of the world of Panem. It is a futuristic America where people live in poverty and are ruled by a superior force.

Each year, two young people from each of the 12 districts are picked to fight to the death on a cruel game show, “The Hunger Games.” But this year Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark from District 12, will force their superiors to change the rules of the game.

This blockbuster comes from critically acclaimed director Gary Ross, whose previous films include “Pleasantville” (1998), and “Seabiscuit” (2003). Upcoming actress, Jennifer Lawrence, plays lead lady Katniss Everdeen and Josh Hutcherson is Peeta Mellark.

I found that although the film is based on the Suzanne Collins’ trilogy, it was easy to follow without having read the books. The plot was, for the first ten minutes, unclear to the viewer but it soon became apparent.

But when the idea of the game show is revealed the storyline followed an almost linear sequence. Apart from the odd twist and turn which made the audience hold their breath, the outcome of the movie was almost exactly as expected.

The dialogue was sparse but the camera shots and imagery were very powerful in its place. A range of shots allowed the audience to see and feel what the actors did, and helped draw them into the plot. There were many strong images such as when crowds held three fingers in the air. This was an adaptation of the peace symbol which meant respect, and was present throughout the movie.

The colour, costume and make-up used was very vivid. It made the difference between rich and poor easily identifiable to the viewer from the offset. The brightly coloured make-up and costume used for the superiors also added to the appearance of their wealth and the futuristic nature of the plot.

I felt the film was elegant, consistent, and well produced. The plot was put across well with no reading of the books needed to follow it. But, after a while it did become predictable and seemed to drag on for longer than necessary. All the other production elements of “The Hunger Games” I felt were superb and made the fantasy story look and feel realistic.

“The Hunger Games” is a film as intelligent and stylish as it is terrifying. It is certainly worthwhile watching if you have read the books, or if you enjoy futuristic thrillers. Although if you are looking for an action packed fast-paced film this may not be the one for you.

Sloans Vintage Venue

Tags

American gangster classic, bar, ceilidh, Cineworld, classic films, David Sloan, Dirty Dancing, EatFilm, established, films for free, Glasgow Film Theatre, Goodfellas, grand ballroom, ideal for students, Jaws, Martin Scorsese, oldest bar and restaurant in Glasgow, range of services, Sloans, stylish, vintage venue, wedding venue

As quirky as it is elegant, vintage venue Sloans is the ideal setting to watch your favourite classic films for free.

Sloans is the oldest bar and restaurant in Glasgow. Established in 1797 it was transformed from a coffee house, to the stylish venue it is today by David Sloan. Located on Buchanan Street, it offers a range of services from a wedding venue and bar to a weekly ceilidh.

EatFilm is a free film showing at 7pm on Tuesdays in the grand ballroom. It comes with the option of a meal for two for £9.95. The film I went to see was the American gangster classic – Goodfellas.

The old fashioned grand ballroom with its mahogany panelling and chandelier style lights was the perfect place to watch a stylish Martin Scorsese film. The seats were a mixture of red velvet chairs and old leather sofas and the venue held only around 50 people.

But, the screen is much smaller than Cineworld, or the Glasgow Film Theatre, and there is some light during the showing from windows dotted around the ballroom. Also, the unwelcome sound of a hoover was present for around ten minutes in the middle of the showing.

The bar within the ballroom was a good addition. If you wanted a drink during the screening it was only a few metres away and you did not miss much of the film. Although the drinks were expensive, especially the alcohol. It was a pricey £3.50 for a vodka and orange juice, and £4.60 for a Kopparberg. If you are going to Eatfilm I would recommend you ask for a glass of water with your meal which is free.

Overall, Sloans is a venue which I would highly recommend. It has a quirky edge to it which you cannot find in large venues such as Cineworld. It is elegant and comfortable, and you can see films for free which is ideal especially for students. Films being shown this month include Dirty Dancing and Jaws.

Gangster Film Goodfellas – Sloans Eatfilm

Tags

1950's, 1990, American, awards, BAFTA Best Film, Brooklyn America, cast, classic, criminal, dark humour, famous names, first released, gangster, glamour, Golden Age, Goodfellas, Henry Hill, Joe Pesci, Lucchese family, Martin Scorsese, mob hierarchy, non-fiction book, Ray Liotta, Robert DeNiro, Sloans, UK, vintage venue, violence, Wiseguys

A gangster American classic was the latest free film showing at vintage venue Sloans this week.

Goodfellas is a Martin Scorsese remake of the non-fiction book “Wiseguy,” and filled with a dark humour, violence and glamour typical of his movies.

First released in the UK in 1990 its’ cast includes famous names such as Robert DeNiro, Joe Pesci and Ray Liotta. It is now considered one of the most famous gangster movies in the world.

The film features main character Henry Hill, a “normal kid” brought up in Brooklyn, America during the 1950’s “Golden Age”, a time of prosperity. He said, “As far back as I can remember, I always wanted to be a gangster.” This was referring to his admiration for the Lucchese criminal family who lived in his neighbourhood. The plot follows both the successes and less glamorous issues that arise from him working his way up through the mob hierarchy.

The film as a whole was excellent, a bit more violent than what I would normally watch but with great characterisation and style. It gave a real insight into the lives of the infamous 50’s gangsters and how they viewed the world around them.

The dark humour used throughout caused many laughs in the audience. It also added to the crazed, power hungry attitudes of the gangsters, and showed how unimportant other people’s lives were to them. The dialogue between the actors highlighted the non-fiction element of the plot. It also made the actors seem more like the real people they were portraying.

The acting was convincing and dramatic. Both the dark colour palette and the shots used added to the drama.

Winner of over 30 awards including BAFTA Best Film, Goodfellas will remain a timeless classic. It is the ideal film if you enjoy anything gangster, stylish and humorous.

Serial Killer Thriller – The Raven

Tags

19th century, Baltimore, Edgar Allan Poe, gritty, Hannah Shakespeare, horrors, James McTeigue, John Cusack, Luke Evans, menacing, murder, serial killer, Sherlock Holmes, Tarantino, The Matrix, The Pit and the Pendulum, The Raven, thrillers, V for Vendetta

The Raven is a gruesome thriller set in the 19th century, about the last days of famous poet Edgar Allan Poe.

In this film Poe, (John Cusack) is approached by Baltimore police to help catch a serial killer who takes inspiration from his macabre stories.

The plot follows the twists and turns in the case with Poe’s beloved Emily, (Alice Eve) being captured by the killer. He joins forces with Detective Emmett Fields (Luke Evans) to try and rescue her. This film received mostly negative reviews from critics who seemed to blame in particular the director, James McTeigue, whose previous work includes V for Vendetta and The Matrix. But, I found this film quite enjoyable.

I felt it was a film which relied largely on the atmosphere created through costume, setting and colour. McTeigue created a convincingly gritty and menacing 19^th century Baltimore which seemed the perfect place for a murder to be committed.

The dark costumes and drab setting seemed to portray what the city would have been like at that time. It was mostly dark colours used throughout and the only light ones were very pale adding to the threatening atmosphere. Sitting in the audience, the atmosphere felt very oppressive and powerful to the extent I realised I had been holding my breath a little throughout the film.

The acting  in “The Raven” was noticeably well done. There were a lot of semi-famous faces throughout the film but the two main actors, Cusack and Evans, were very convincing. Overall, the acting was the best part of this film in my opinion.

The only aspect of this film which I felt let it down was its gore. In particular the scene from Poe’s story, “The Pit and the Pendulum”, in which a man is chopped in half by a swinging axe. This scene was drawn out with the audience watching an inhuman amount of blood splattering across the room as he was dissected.

I found myself looking away at these parts in the film. My friend who watched them all said she felt “physically sick” when a man’s throat was slit and the blood pulsed out of his neck.

These parts seemed more Tarantino dark humour than serious murder movie as they were so over-the-top and exaggerated. I felt that they only reminded the viewer that an otherwise convincing film that rely drew them in, was indeed a work of fiction.

The Raven is a movie which sheds a lot of light on the type of man Edgar Allan Poe was but none on the circumstances of his death. But what scriptwriter, Hannah Shakespeare, has come up with is an intriguing plot full of twists and turns which keep the audience guessing right to the end. It is like a Sherlock Holmes but with a more enjoyable plot. Although it does have much more gore and is definitely not one for the squeamish.

I would recommend this film for anyone who enjoys thrillers and horrors. In most

British cinemas it seems to only be showing at the weekend as it was released in

the UK on March 9. Catch it while you still can!

Cineworld Renfrew Street Glasgow Review

Tags

3D experience, 3D screenings, audio description headsets, cheap offers, Cineworld Glasgow, extras in ticket price, facilities, film, food and drinks, Orange, Renfrew Street, The Raven, ticket prices, trailers, venue hire option, VIP area, Vue Cinema, Wednesday

It is the tallest cinema in the world and busiest in the UK, Cineworld Glasgow has a lot to offer film fanatics.

At nine levels tall, the cinema on Renfrew Street is right in the centre of the bustling city. It has a multitude of facilities from 3D screenings and audio description headsets to a venue hire option and VIP area.

I visited Cineworld to see “The Raven,” not my first choice of film due to a mistake on the Cineworld website but still an enjoyable experience.

We waited in the long snaking queue, which was almost out the door, for 20 minutes. Myself and two friends went on a Wednesday so with Orange and our student cards, the tickets were only £4 each, much cheaper than the Vue cinema of my home town. Although, ticket prices are usually more expensive at just under £9 for an adult, and £6 for a child, student and senior.

A long journey up the winding escalators to floor four and we were at our screen. It was easy for the customer to purchase food and drinks as they were sold on every floor just outside the screens. But it was far from cheap.

A costly £2.55 for a bottle of water and £3.95 for a regular popcorn, so with some time to spare we opted to go outside to the 24hour store opposite the cinema. We picked up our own snacks for less than half the price. This is something I would recommend to everyone.

Another journey up the escalator which seemed to take even longer than the first and we sat down in our screening to watch the film. The seats were very comfortable and the showing was busy despite the film having been released weeks before.

The trailers kept the audience occupied and were genre related to the film we were there to see. But there was a wait of around 45 minutes. Filled with adverts and trailers which I felt was much too long.

The 3D experience in Cineworld Glasgow is also well worth a try. There are a lot of 3D screenings showing regularly at the cinema with many new releases now in 3D as well as 2D. If you are going to see 3D there are extras in ticket price, and if you do not own a pair of 3D glasses you have to buy them too.

Overall, Cineworld Glasgow is a good venue with comfortable seats and cheap offers. Despite the long queues and advert showings; it is a comfortable and stylish place to see the latest blockbuster releases.

Review of the Glasgow Film Theatre During the Glasgow Film Festival

Tags

1930's, All Divided Selves, art deco style, artistic, Barney McCue, best cinema venues in Glasgow, cinema, Cineworld, Cosmo cafe, famous, films, Frightfest, Glasgow Film Festival, Glasgow Film Theatre, Glasgow's culture and heritage, Italian Film Festival, Luke Fowler, Odeon, Quentin Tarantino, Richard Attenborough, Sauchiehall Street, screens, ticket prices, unique, world première

Perfect for people with a taste in unique or artistic films, the Glasgow Film Theatre has been showing specialised movies for 36 years.

From Quentin Tarantino to Richard Attenborough the GFT has seen its fair share of famous faces. Located in the bustling centre of Glasgow just off Sauchiehall St., this towering 1930’s building has a film for everyone.

The GFT has become part of Glasgow’s culture and heritage showing everything from world cinema classics to contemporary art house films. It is also well renowned for its festivals with everything from the famous Glasgow and Italian Film Festivals to its annual Frightfest.

Barney McCue, chief projectionist at GFT, said: “It’s doing really well. We’ve been doing festivals for years and they’ve been building up. Now we’ve got Italian, French and of course the Glasgow Film Festival and that’s getting bigger and bigger.”

The first time I visited the venue was to see the world premiere of “All Divided Selves,” a film by Glasgow based director Luke Fowler. From the outside the GFT does not look particularly grand or exciting. But the theatre inside, has a lot of surprises.

Complete with Cosmo café, bar and two screens it can seat over 500 people. It is luxurious with its art deco style, curved walls and comfortable red and blue velvet seats.

I found that although the venues seemed quite large on the inside, especially Screen 1, the Glasgow Film Theatre provided a completely unique viewing experience. It was very personal and the grand surroundings made me feel like I was out for a special occasion, not just to see a movie. This is something you cannot get in a large cinema like Cineworld.

It is also a bit cheaper than Cineworld or the Odeon with ticket prices at £7 for an adult and £5.50 for concessions. Also, look out for special deals on some films at the GFT, if they have a tick next to them it means all tickets are £4. This tends to be for films that are reaching the end of their showing times.

The GFT is one of Glasgow’s much loved cinema venues which refuses to be overtaken by bigger business. It gives the viewer a completely unique experience in a cosy and comfortable setting, yet with the quality of a larger more expensive cinema. I rate the GFT as one of the best cinema venues in Glasgow, which will appeal especially to lovers of classic and artistic films.

Salmon Fishing in the Yemen – Red Carpet Release April 2012

Tags

blockbuster, Bridget Jones's Diary, Chocolat, director Lasse Hallström, Emily Blunt, Ewan McGregor, Friends with Benefits, Glasgow Film Festival, Glasgow Film Theatre, Salmon Fishing in the Yemen, The Cider House Rules, UK première

Salmon Fishing in the Yemen, starring home-grown talent Ewan McGregor and star Emily Blunt, was shown in February at the Glasgow Film Festival.

One of this years most eagerly anticipated new releases, this film saw its UK première in Glasgow’s Film Theatre and sold out the largest venue.

To be released in April 2012 this blockbuster hit comes from director Lasse Hallström whose work includes; Chocolat and The Cider House Rules. The heart-warming tale is of Dr Alfred Jones, (Ewan McGregor), a typical dour Scotsman who leaves a dying marriage to find love with Harriet Chetwode-Talbot, (Emily Blunt). The movie follows the problems of their joint project to introduce salmon to the river Yemen and their developing relationship along the way.

When I arrived at the Film Theatre I was surprised to see a queue of people spilling out of the doors waiting patiently in the rain just for this screening. An elderly couple who had visited many films at the festival told me it was “highly unusual” to see the main screen sold out. After an unpleasant wait in the rain we all trudged in to see the eagerly anticipated film.

The plot was a typical rom-com with the unlikely couple brought together and finding love, but with some modern day twists. The film stayed true to the meaning of comedy and had all the audience in laughter at many points throughout. The acting was convincing, with McGregor in particular, playing his first middle-aged role well.

In terms of location and setting the changes kept the audience on their toes and added to the drama of the plot. A must-see for anyone from Scotland as it captures the essence of the country beautifully.

But, the plot itself is fundamentally flawed as it is impossible to introduce salmon to the Yemen. It has no permanent rivers. So if it is a film which is true to fact you want to watch, this light-hearted flick is not for you.

Also, in terms of technical accuracy the movie suffered as the graphics used for the salmon seemed to be worse every time. This stopped the audience from feeling truly part of the plot and as emotionally connecting with the characters.

Overall, I would say this is a good film to see in 2012 if you enjoy rom-coms like Bridget Jones’s Diary, or Friends with Benefits. Although it was let down by the graphics it had an original plot and excellent characters. It is due to be released in the UK on 20 April this year.

All Divided Selves – Glasgow-Based Director Luke Fowler

Tags

All Divided Selves, art and cinema, Britain, director Luke Fowler, Glasgow, Glasgow in the past and present, Govanhill, history, Neo-Liberalism movement, psychologist, R.D. Laing, schizophrenia, Scottish

World premièring in Glasgow, All Divided Selves, by Luke Fowler is a complex journey through the work of psychologist R.D. Laing.

All Divided Selves is a powerful film which merges art and cinema to show Laing’s work, but also the world through the eyes of someone with schizophrenia. Luke Fowler, director, said: “It’s not what you see, it’s how you see it.”

This was the key message conveyed throughout the film.

Laing was born in Govanhill, Glasgow in 1927 and is now world renowned for his work with schizophrenic patients in particular.

I found that a dark humour which is seen to be typical of the Scottish, was present throughout the film. It seemed to resonate Laing’s sense of humour and his way of dealing with what was a very emotionally difficult job. This was a very enjoyable aspect of the film and gave the audience relief from what was often a very dark subject.                                                                                                                

But the film also showed the beauty of life itself, with the words “beautiful” and “moving” used constantly by the audience in the Q & A after the film.

Fowler said: “I employ a powerful use of sound and still imaging to show the complexity of the human mind yet the simplicity with which we perceive it to be.” 

The use of sound and still images in this film was remarkable and very emotionally moving. The camera shots were often used as metaphors which gave the audience the feeling of being trapped or shut out from society. This highlights the everyday problems faced by those with mental illness. Something as simple as a still shot of a fence with the sound of wind whistling through it gave the audience the impression of reality and fantasy intertwined in a confusing and inseparable way.

This film would appeal to history lovers as Fowler used archive footage to show the contrast between Glasgow in the past and present, or Laing’s time and his.The footage also highlighted the Neo-Liberalism movement of Britain which was hugely important to Laing’s work.

Fowler commented: “The neo-liberalism of the new right was a business revolution. The country was run by businessmen and bankers. There were psychological flaws as a result.”

Laing believed that this movement highlighted the way in which psychology did not deal with external issues, only internal ones. The people of the this time were suffering as a result of living in this bankers world. He felt that they were not cared about or understood.

“All Divided Selves” is a powerful film telling us of the fine line between reality and fantasy. It is as much art as it is film and although complex, and at times, difficult to follow, it captures the essence of cinema in a unique way. Overall, I would say it is one of the best films I have ever seen and director Luke Fowler is hugely talented. I would highly recommend this film to anyone.

The Glasgow Film Festival 2012 – Audience Of Over 35,000

Tags

All Divided Selves, cinema, Crossing the Line, Gala, Glasgow Film Festival, Night is Day, Salmon Fishing in the Yemen, sci-fi, visual art

Over 35,000 film fanatics visited 18 venues across Glasgow to see this year’s film festival.

From a swimming pool to Glasgow’s famous Tall Ship, the 2012 GFF screened a mix of premières and old films from the 16 – 26 February. I went along to see two of this year’s 239 showings.

The GFF began in 2005 with only 6,000 attendees but now it has expanded to compete even with more established film festivals.

This year a new and exciting category called Crossing the Line was introduced to display movies which were a crossover between visual art and cinema. Also, self-funded Night is Day vs The World, a sci-fi set in Glasgow, was the first movie I witnessed selling out.

Although I was unimpressed that a mistake made with my tickets meant I only went to see two movies, I found the venue contemporary and the films exciting.

My forthcoming blogs will be about the movies: All Divided Selves, Crossing the Line, and Salmon Fishing in the Yemen, Gala.