MUSIC
SPOTLIGHT
FILM
TV
GAMES
REVIEWS RAGE Dir. Sally Potter
S
ally Potter’s latest film, Rage is the first to ever premiere as a mobile phone download and this might be the most interesting thing that can be said about it. Set behind the scenes at a New York fashion show, Rage is comprised of a series of fourteen interweaved monologues shot in front of brightly coloured blue-screens and delivered by people working at the show who are being interviewed by a local student named Michealangelo.. As the film progresses a number of deaths occur offscreen and the interviewees begin to let their guard down as things descend into chaos. Potter has been blessed with an incredible cast (including Judi Dench, Eddie Izzard and the magnificent Dianne Wiest) but for the most part she wastes them on paper thin characters that contribute nothing to the film. Take for example Jude Law’s gender bending portrayal of runway model, Minx: what could have been an interesting take on female body issues and the inherent sexism of the fashion industry is instead reduced to an embarrassing stereotype complete with Borat-style East
UP I
Dir. Pete Docter and Bob Peterson
t’s unlikely anyone will ever understand Hollywood’s twisted and sadistic release calendar. At the time of writing, Up is still not available to watch in the UK, despite having been entertaining magnum-Coke-swigging Americans since May. For sure, Disney has absolutely nothing to be ashamed of - this is no Cars, no A Bug’s Life. Of course, neither of these were in any way terrible movies, but when your stable is as distinguished as Pixar’s you expect some fine horses. Up more than lives up to this pedigree. Awkward metaphor aside, Pixar’s M.O. has always been to smother an age-old fable in novelty icing, and in this respect Up faithfully toes the party line. This time the story revolves around 78 year-old widower Carl Fredricksen (Edward Asner), who after losing his wife decides to fulfil their shared dream of travelling to Paradise Falls in South America. To that end he ties a couple of thousand helium balloons to his house, accidentally kidnapping Russell (Jordan Nagai), an endearingly eager 8 year-old Wilderness Explorer, in the process...
BOOKS
CULTURE
AWAY WE GO Dir Sam Mendes
European accent. Frustratingly, the few characters that are of any interest (such as Judi Dench’s cynical critic) are inexplicably marginalised in favour of their soporific peers. Rage is a film that wants desperately to be experimental despite the fact that it has nothing new to say; its message that the fashion industry is self indulgent and shallow is not only redundant but downright hypocritical. Film critic Gene Siskel was once quoted as saying that ‘a film should be more interesting than a documentary of the same actors having lunch’ and this was a test that Rage was always going to struggle to pass given the calibre of its cast. Unfortunately, it has failed so spectacularly that a documentary featuring anyone doing anything other than acting in this film would be infinitely preferable to the turgid, uninspiring, and pretentious piece of cinematic excrement that we’ve been left with. All in all, there’s definitely room for improvement.
Charles Rivington
I was a little worried that this was going to be some clichéd indie-riffic self-aware blunder like Juno. But surprisingly – and I’m talking about the best type of surprise when it comes to films where a film exceeds expectations more or less completely. Perhaps not that surprising really considering Sam Mendes has a track record for making films that are excellent at what they do (American Beauty, Jarhead, Road to Perdition) and that’s no different here. The film is centred around a couple trying to find a suitable location to settle to begin their family having received news of pregnancy. They travel through a variety of cities visiting friends to help them decide if their own particular city is something for them, but initially the peripheral characters appear to just be tools for a tone of condescension as they tend to be incredibly and ludicrously flawed. Yet as the film draws on and everything just pieces together, you’re left altogether distraught and swayed by the superb and sincere chemistry between John Krasinski and Maya Rudolph in their relationship and in their honesty. What the film does so well in the end, is ascertain the significance of humanity. That’s what’s most impressive because it is done with minimal banality in dialogue, despite some typically contemplative landscapes flickered throughout their journey. It’s difficult to perfectly convey how well this film works because it’s a sum of many exquisite parts, the aforementioned flawed characters all hold their weight. Also Mendes’ direction and choice in soundscapes to accompany the photography has been apt and well reined as well as of course, the genuinely remarkable performances and charm from the pair at the centre of this film.
Rage is released in selected cinemas. It is also available to buy on dvd and can be watched at http://ragethemovie.com/
Because negativity at the end of a review for a film so magnificent would be both cruel and misleading, here are Up’s deficiencies. It’s not groundbreaking, and it’s not long enough. And beyond saying that, at least in the context of the movie, neither of these are really criticisms in that sense of the word, no more will be said on the matter. Onwards and, more importantly, upwards. The trap many animated films have run into recently is to become bogged down in self-conscious quirkiness and relentless pop culture references. Pete Docter has trimmed all the fat from this beautifully crafted tale. Up is idiosyncratic yet never cloying, clever yet never knowing. While films such as Shrek are essentially built out of such sly nudges, Up settles for, say, a quick Star Wars nod, and then moves quickly back to the matter at hand. Jokes, which in lesser hands might become laboured, are let lie. The majority of the movie’s charm lies not in belly laughs in any case, but in the characters’ wonderfully subtle personalities. Despite Carl’s questing, he is a grumpy and reclusive man whose sense of adventure passed away with his wife - Russell’s endless enthusiasm is completely alien to him. Carl’s devotion to his old comfortable life and house is reflected, bizarrely, in his stocky, angular body shape, while Russell, portly and round, resembles the balloons that Carl
LISTINGS
JEROME JOSY
is so reliant upon. Even when a virtual menagerie of colourful animals joins the pair on their way, the movie remains very much focused on, and what’s more devoted to, them. The visuals, needless to say, are gorgeous, and in keeping with the rest of the production not as flashy as perhaps kids have become used to. They provide the perfect backdrop to this warm-hearted tale and are never busy or cluttered. What Up will be remembered for, however, is not how it maintained Pixar’s visual premiership, but for its commitment to story and character. Even though the credits roll too soon, you won't leave the cinema feeling short-changed. Up is on general UK release from October 16th, in 3D in selected cinemas
David Elliott