Go and See...

...7 films in 11 days.

Rachel getting married
I like the structure and concept of the film, the way it's filmed and the way it lets the actors carry the audience through this authentically told family story. Anne Hathaway does her job well, but for some reason she just always remains Anne Hathaway for me, never a character.


Frost/Nixon
Well acted, well told. Very enjoyable tension.


The Silence of Lorna
Newest film from my favourite film makers Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne, who made films like The Child, The Son, Rosetta, La Promesse. Not their best work but still a great film. As always no score, all the work comes from the actors. An astounding, yet, as always, understated performance by the lead character, this time Arta Dobroshi. Hard to find a cinema where this film is shown, I went to the Barbican, but I am not sure it is still on.


Waltz with Bashir
We went to see this at the Prince Charles Cinema. It's that place in central London where you used to be able to see films at an unbelievably cheap cost. The cinema which once fought for affordable cinema tickets. Hah, no more. Credit crunch century. It has now given in to the silly idea that two cinemas are better than one and getting back the cost of renovation through horrendously priced cinema tickets is absolutely fine (oh and no student discount, because us students 'have all that money for booze, too'). However, Waltz with Bashir was great. I was so astounded by the animation, I hardly followed the story. This is a good and a bad thing. Basically, I think the film is a great success, but really not because of a great story, but because of an animation technique that blows you away. The soundtrack is also very, very nice.


Milk
Mr. Sean Penn, according to Mickey Rourke the most homophobic man in Hollywood, or something, pulls it off so so well. Truly captivating and very moving. I still think it could have been done braver, it seemed very TV not cinema, according to Mark Kermode, with whom I agree. I love Gus van Sant very much, but I think the qualities of films such as Elephant or Paranoid Park have been slightly lost here.


The Wrestler
Stomach turning. Some people better wait for this to be out on DVD and get ready to watch with the thumb securely resting on the remote control's fast forward button. Needless to say a great performance. From everybody, Mickey Rourke, Marisa Tomei and Evan Rachel Wood. I know people don't like the father-daughter bit, but I think it is ok.


Better Things
Ahh. Not a film to watch if you want to believe in the bright futures of adolescents in the English country side. Very bleak. But very good. No happy ending, and that's why I like it. Beautifully photographed, really stunning, and also very well cast. I went to the Q&A with the director Duane Hopkins and it was very interesting to hear how he approached working with these young adults. A great piece of contemporary British cinema.