Film Review

Film Review Shame

Leeds International Film Festival 2011 Closing Gala, Leeds Town Hall, 18th November. Dir. Steve McQueen, UK, 2011

After three wonderful weeks of miscellaneous cinema from around the globe, the 25th Leeds International Film Festival drew to a close this weekend, with Steve McQueen’s Shame taking its place as the Official Selection Closing Gala. Being back in the packed, makeshift auditorium of the Town Hall’s big screen, it seemed like only moments ago that the festival was kicking off with Andrea Arnold’s Wuthering Heights.

It’s clear that the festival organisers wanted to bookend the Official Selection with two memorable, impactful pictures. And Shame, like Arnold’s brutal production of Brontë’s classic novel, certainly fits the bill. Brandon (Michael Fassbender)…

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Film Review Wuthering Heights

Leeds International Film Festival Opening Gala, Leeds Town Hall. UK 2011, Dir. Andrea Arnold

Taking on the daunting task of presenting yet another adaptation of Emily Brontë’s Wuthering Heights (there have been more than 15) is bound to be met with scepticism, or even derision, from both literary and cinematic sticklers. Andrea Arnold’s sublimely moody take on this classic novel, though, is nothing short of exceptional. And a wonderful way to open the 25^th annual Leeds International Film Festival.

It’s a story we all think we know – the passionate union and tragic separation of the feisty Cathy and the swarthy Heathcliff – but Arnold peels back the romanticised layers of previous renderings, revealing…

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Film Review Barney’s Version

USA 2010. Cert: 15. 132 mins. Dir: Richard J Lewis. Cast: Paul Giamatti, Dustin Hoffman, Rosamund Pike, Minnie Driver

Barney Panofsky (Giamatti) is a 65 year-old, hard-drinking, hard-playing television producer who, as the saying goes, has managed to love well, if not particularly wisely. He genuinely loves women, but the problem is all about that pesky thing called ‘timing‘… people, events and opportunities never seem to fit together in an ideal fashion and – impulsive as he is – he has the habit of being his own worst enemy. He is the dictionary definition of a ‘mensch’.

Told in flashback we see Barney making some of the key decisions of his life, including marrying his second wife (unnamed, but…

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Film Review Black Swan

USA 2010. Cert: 15. 108 min. Dir: Darren Aronofsky. Cast: Natalie Portman, Mila Kunis, Vincent Cassel, Barbara Hershey, Winona Ryder

Director Darren Aronofsky first discussed Black Swan with Natalie Portman back in 2000. A long time coming – 10 years down the line and it’s finally here – but was it worth the wait?

Reuniting with Mark Heyman, the writer Aronofsky worked with on The Wrestler, Black Swan returns to the subject matter of his earliest directional features such as Requiem For A Dream. Through Swan Lake‘s duality, Aronofsky delves into the mind, exploring the idea of the “double” and the threat an understudy poses.

After dancing with a prestigious New York ballet company for four years, Nina  finally lands…

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Film Review Salt

US 2010. Cert 12A. 100 mins. Dir: Phillip Noyce. Cast: Angelina Jolie, Liev Schreiber, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Daniel Olbrychski

After a TV break, Phillip Noyce, the director responsible for The Bone Collector, The Saint, Clear and Present Danger and Patriot Games, returns with more all-out action. Reunited with Jolie, Noyce brings us Salt, a female take on Jason Bourne and this summer’s spy action blockbuster.

Accused by a Russian defector of being a Soviet sleeper agent and plotting to kill the Russian president in order to trigger World War III, CIA agent Evelyn Salt goes on the run and hopes to save her arachnologist husband, Mike. Her actions increasingly seem to question her allegiance – particularly after Vice President…

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Film Review The Sorcerer's Apprentice

US 2010. Cert: PG. 111 mins. Dir: Jon Turteltaub. Cast: Nicolas Cage, Alfred Molina, Jay Baruchel, Teresa Palmer, Toby Kebbell

Reunited with the director of National Treasure and recently back into roles that do him justice, Nicolas Cage takes a comical turn in this summer’s children’s blockbuster, The Sorcerer’s Apprentice.

Back in 740 AD Merlin left three apprentices in charge of keeping his sworn enemy, Morgana le Fey, trapped in The Grimhold. He also charged them with finding the Prime Merlinian, a gifted child who would one day be his replacement. When two of the apprentices fall in love, the other is left jealous and heartbroken, turning on his friends. Balthazar has searched for centuries to find the Prime Merlinian,…

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