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Film
Man on Wire
Review by LiveWire Critics, Rizwan, Herman, King (Aug '08) .............................................................................................................. The Edge of Love
Review by LiveWire Critics, Jack Armitage, Jonathan Keen, Alice McAlpine, Liam O'Rourke, Jayne Rudd, Colette Talbot (Jul '08) .............................................................................................................. Honeydripper
Review by LiveWire Critics, Alice Toomer-McAlpine, Liam O'Rouke, Jack Armitage (May '08) .............................................................................................................. Where in the World is Osama Bin Laden?
Review by LiveWire Critics, Georgina Amica-Carpenter, Jack Armitage, Michael Bryan, Rebecca Charlton, Liam O'Rourke (May '08) .............................................................................................................. Persepolis
Review by LiveWire Critics, Owen Ramsay, Georgina Amica-Carpenter, Jack Armitage, Becca Murray, Jody Murphy, Lois Macmillan (Apr '08) .............................................................................................................. Water Lilies
Review by LiveWire Critics, Georgina Amica-Carpenter, Jack Armitage, Colette Talbot, Liam O'Rouke (Apr '08) .............................................................................................................. Año uñaAño uña (The Year of the Nail) is the feature directorial debut from Jonás Cuarón, following the coming-of-age of a 14-year-old boy, Diego (Diego Cataño) along with the story of an American university student, Molly (Eireann Harper) who travels to Mexico and lodges in Diego’s family home. The director spent a year collecting personal photographs of his family, specifically his little brother and girlfriend to craft the narrative for Año uña. The film cost only £4000 to make and began with a collection of over 8000 photographs before becoming the 2000 images that make up the beautifully, intriguing film. Whilst it may at first seem a chore to sit through 2000 holiday photos, Año uña is an original experience in its tone, and of course in its format, the only other film I can think of that is made purely of still photographs is La Jetée (‘The Pier’, France, 1962, dir. Chris Marker). Where the film differs greatly from La Jetée is in its style. It seems much more personal, possibly because of the relationship that the director already has to his subjects, but much more likely down to the narration. The story that Cuarón builds around the photographs is about unrequited love and longing, which is even more powerful because of its subtlety. The two characters are never seen obviously staring into each other’s eyes; the emphasis is based much more on the audience interpreting the relationship themselves through the link between the narration and the images. Año uña is an incredible achievement in that it can easily hold the attention of an audience for its 80-minute duration purely through an absorbing narrative, which is held together by a beautiful series of photographs. I guess it does not differ from a traditional film in the sense that it is a relationship between sound and images, but it removes the excess, almost unneeded footage to leave a beautiful portrait of young love, leaving the time for an audience to reflect on each conversation, movement, look, landscape and event. Review by LiveWire Critic, Jamie Allan (Mar '08) .............................................................................................................. Juno
Review by LiveWire Critics, Georgina Amica-Carpenter and Colette Talbot (Mar '08) .............................................................................................................. My Blueberry Nights
Review by LiveWire Critics, Georgina Amica-Carpenter, Rebecca Charlton, Jack Armitage, Liam O'Rourke, Lois McMillan, Emma Jenkins, Jeanette Path (Feb '08) .............................................................................................................. District B13
Review by LiveWire Critics, Georgina Amica-Carpenter and Colette Talbot (Feb '08) .............................................................................................................. Primo Levi's Journey
Review by LiveWire Critics, Max Igbon, Rahmat Moradi, Abdul Najafi, Ahmed Ali, Rebecca Chorlton (Feb '08) .............................................................................................................. Paranoid Park
Review by LiveWire Critics, Georgina Amica-Carpenter and Jamie Allan (Jan '08) .............................................................................................................. Pan's Labyrinth
Review by LiveWire Critics, Georgina Amica-Carpenter, David Scott, Josie Howl, Cara Ghoshal, Kenzie Millar (Jan '08) .............................................................................................................. The Darjeeling Limited
Review by LiveWire Critics, Georgina Amica-Carpenter, Cara Ghoshal, Amy Healey, Eleanor Harding, Jon Ratcliffe (Nov '07) .............................................................................................................. SickoDespite the less than uplifting opening scenes of this film and the overbearing sense of “it has to get worse to get better”, SICKO was funny and unlike anything out at the moment. At times it seemed like everything was broken down into small digestible chunks, meant for an audience much younger than the suggested 12 certificate but this just added to the humour. It kept me entertained almost to the end, when my attention started to slip but even so I would definitely consider watching Michael Moore’s other films such as FAHRENHEIT 9/11. Review by LiveWire Critic, Pascal Knight (Nov '07) .............................................................................................................. Young Liverpool Film Night 2007The Young Liverpool Film Night happens each year and is similar to Cornerhouse's underexposed. All films screened were made by young people in the area and the night was organised and hosted by young people who are involved in FACT's young people's programme. The LiveWire Critics went over to Liverpool for the event. Listen to what they thought below. LW Critics at Y Liv Film Night Review by LiveWire Critics, Georgina Amica-Carpenter, Jamie Allan and Max Igbon (Oct '07) .............................................................................................................. The Lives of OthersHey George what have you just been to see? Can you briefly tell us the story? Why do you think the secret service agent changes the way he thinks about the artists? How would you rate the acting? Was it convincing? Was it a difficult film to watch? Did you realise the extent to which people were watched during this time? You mentioned something about the exhibition that's on at Cornerhouse at the moment called Do Not Refreeze? So having seen the film do you have a better understanding of the photos in the exhibition? Does the film compare to any other films you've seen? Did you get the impression that a lot of time had been spent on developing the characters? Was there anything that you didn't really like about the film? Any parts of the story etc? So are you a fan? And what about that last shot? Any final words? Review by LiveWire Critic, Georgina Amica-Carpenter (Jun '07) .............................................................................................................. The Filth and the FuryHey Jon what have you just been to see? What was it about? Did you enjoy it? And how was the story told? So it was a documentary? What was your favourite bit? And what was the director’s relationship with the band? Did this add to the film? Do you think it would have been the same if a stranger had tried to make a film about the band with archive footage? What was the most shocking thing you saw? How about the behaviour? Do you think that the IMDB reviews are fair in saying that the film is the "the best music-related documentary I've ever seen"? Not really a comparable film though? Okay so would you recommend and why? Without swearing in three words how would you sum up the film? Review by LiveWire Critic, Jon Ratcliffe (Jun '07) .............................................................................................................. JindabyneSo John what have you just watched? What was it all about? Ok so how does the film go on to deal with the murder? Is it your average hunt for the killer style movie? So the film doesn't focus on the killer? So was it a refreshing change to your usual murder movie? So it didn’t live up to your initial expectations? And it's quite a long movie isn't it? Did it feel that long? Really? I thought it was quite well paced. Why did it feel so long to you? Did you think the film had suspense? Or did it not really go anywhere? Did it scare you? What was the style of the filming like? So tell me who starred in the film? And how was their acting? So how would you sum up your thoughts about the film? As a filmmaker, were there any aspects of it that inspired you? Would you recommend it or would you advise to steer clear? Review by LiveWire Critic, Jonathan Keen (May ’07) .............................................................................................................. My Best Friend
Video Review by LiveWire Critics, Georgina Amica-Carpenter, Mackenzie Millar and Colette Talbot (May '07) .............................................................................................................. Half Nelson
Video podcast by LiveWire Critic, Georgina Amica-Carpenter (May '07) Half Nelson stars Ryan Gosling as drug-addicted history teacher Dan Dunne. The film focuses on the relationship Dunn and student Drey develop after she finds him in the locker room smoking crack. Gosling does an excellent job of portraying a twenty-something teacher trying to make a difference to his inner city students. Unlike other films of this nature HALF NELSON steers away from sentimentality with Gosling’s speeches falling mainly on deaf ears. A great hypocrisy runs through Dan Dunne throughout. As he tries to change Drey and keep her away from trouble he never once seems to question himself and his drug addiction. HALF NELSON deserves top marks for acting and the delicate friendship between Drey and Dan is handled with care, but ultimately it is only the acting that holds your attention in the film. Director Ryan Fleck appears to have bought himself a ‘how-to’ on indie filmmaking, with almost every scene shot in close-up with a shaky handheld camera. Many scenes are filled with out-of-focus grainy shots when it is completely unnecessary to what is going on. Overall HALF NELSON is a film filled with great performances but it tries too hard to fit into the hip-indie category. Text review by LiveWire Critic, Greg Jones (May '07) .............................................................................................................. Habana Blues
Video Review by LiveWire Critics, Max Igbon, Junior Nyanga, Colette Talbot (Mar '07) Two friends, one dream. Growing up against the backdrop of the corrupted communist Cuba, Ruy (Alberto Joel Garcia Osorio) and deadlocked buddy Tito (Roberto Sanmartin) have been breathing, living, and most importantly believing in their music. They want to bring the suppressed, forgotten music of Havana out of the past, and into the twenty-first century. Two big-time music producers from the states come to town bringing news that their signing up bands from Havana, and taking them to Spain. It’s their only ticket out of the lives, and by proving that they are truly talented, and reveal the passion behind the soulful tunes, their worlds are about to change. Yet, as they know so well, life is never this simple. With a broken marriage, broken country, and broken-dreams, life for Ruy gets even harder. Questions circle the brothers throughout the film, leaving you aching to find out, will they leave their suffering behind, can Ruy forget his Cuban routes, and will the music make or break them? Success virtually drips form this cultural movie, with themes of the past, loss, love, moving forward, and never letting go, Havana Blues is truly an inspirational movie about two brother’s who are wiling to lose everything they have, to gain the one dream they’ve been clinging onto. They need the fame. They need to lose themselves in the music, in order to forget the past. However, if I’m forced to criticise this film. I’ll have to make aware my disappointment that not enough of Cuba was brought to life. Throughout the film I kept hoping for just a small peak into the back alleys of the vibrant city. I anticipated the heavy debates for democracy, and at least a glimpse of a Cuban’s way of life. Yet just one look into the dilapidated, magnificent theatre the band plans to perform in is good enough for me, exposing just a fragment of the cultural city of the past. Director Benito Zambrano , has only two films to his name, but with this inspiring, painful and real film to add to his list, I’m sure he’ll be praised by movie-lovers all over the world in upcoming years. With the Turia award for best Spanish film 2006 under his belt, I’m looking forward to seeing a lot more of his work in our cinema. With its beautiful mix of hope and torment, love and loss, perfection and corruption and overall, escaping and being left behind, HABANA BLUES will change your outlook on today’s musical world. With our rising stars from hip-hop, pop and indie-rock, Zambrano forces us to remember the essence of music, that it’s a way of life, and for many, a way of letting go. Written Review by LiveWire Critic, Geogina Brown (Mar '07) .............................................................................................................. The Science of SleepTHE SCIENCE OF SLEEP is the latest film from Michel Gondry (ETERNAL SUNSHINE OF THE SPOTLESS MIND). There's animation and strange set pieces that contribute to the ecstatically bonkers dream-like world of the film. Anyone who has seen Gondry's music videos (The White Sripes, Foo Fighters, Bjork, Massive Attack, The Chemical Brothers, Beck, Daft Punk) will know that this guy likes to do things a bit differently. Watch the LiveWire Critics video review below.
Video Review by LiveWire Critics Georgina Hewitt, Greg Jones and Han Mosely (Feb '07) Written Review 1THE SCIENCE OF SLEEP is an imaginative, creative and inspiring film about a man controlled by his dreams, and finds it difficult to face up to reality. Stephane (Gael Garcia) is an inventor, and has not made the transaction into the ‘adult world’. He still has the imagination of a child, and therefore, when he falls head over heals for his next door neighbour, Stephanie, (Charlotte Gournsbourg), he finds it difficult to cope with the overwhelming emotions. He lives within his dreams, and let’s them seep into reality. Stephane is naïve to what’s real, and what isn’t. To him, his dreams are his life. He makes these great things for Stephanie, who also is creative, but he’s so enthralled by his own world that when he tries to be with her, he fails. Although she adores the fact that he’s still living the life of a child, she’s aware of reality, and you can see their difference when he says he’s made ‘glasses that allow you to see life in 3D’ and she replies, ‘but life is already in 3D’. She’s acute to her surroundings unlike Stephane, who is trapped inside his mind. The director, Michel Gondry is an experimental and imaginative film director, who’s impressive works include, ETERNAL SUNSHINE OF THE SPOTLESS MIND (2004), I’VE BEEN TWELVE FOREVER (2003) and the list goes on. His diverse ideology has led him to receive many well-deserved awards, such as The FCC Prize for LA LETTRE (1998), and an Oscar for best writing for ETERNAL SUNSHINE...(2004). The main actor, Gael Garcia, is also well known for playing quirky, or controversial roles, such as Caestro in MOTORCYCLE DIARIES (2005), which caused him to be named ‘the male star of tomorrow’ by critics. He seems to have taken on Johnny Depp’s attitude, ‘to ‘not give in to the stereotype of Hollywood’. Garcia in 2004, was awarded the Silver Ariel Award, which is Mexico’s equivalent of an Oscar. The director always looks to entertain the audience with his latest idea or dream, and he has not failed in his attempt yet. The film’s ideas were strongly based on the Director’s own experiences, and he claims, ‘Stephane is obviously a certain perspective of myself’. Most of the scenes he admits, were actually shot in his old apartment in Paris, where he lived when he was working for a calendar company (seems familiar to the plot). Critics argue this film is in aspects a biography of Gondry’s life and for this reason alone it is worthwhile seeing this movie. With it’s blend of quirky character’s, extraordinary ideas, and out-of-touch-with-reality- concept, this film is a must see. For anyone who aches to live inside their dreams or wants to break away from reality for a couple of hours, go into Stephane’s mind in THE SCIENCE OF SLEEP and trust me, you won’t be disappointed. Review by LiveWire Critic, Georgina Brown (Feb '07) Written Review 2I'm already quite a fan of Michael Gondry, so I entered the cinema to see THE SCIENCE OF SLEEP already convinced it was going to be quite good. I was not disappointed. THE SCIENCE OF SLEEP is based on a merge of reality and fantasy- no one (least of all the characters) quite knows what has really happened and what has been created in the mind of lead character, Stephane. Review by LiveWire Critics, Rebecca Allen (Feb '07) .............................................................................................................. Exposures video reviewOn Sat 25 Nov a group of LiveWire Critics got together to watch all the films being shown at exposures UK Student Film Festival 2006. You may notice that a bit of fun was had along the way... Watch and read the reviews below.
Best of the North West (Mon 4 Dec, 6pm/8pm, 15 cert.)THE REPLACEMENT follows all the horror movie conventions that we all know and love, including urgent one-liners and screaming blondes. Can our bickering heroes escape the thing that lurks in the forest, before it’s too late? Although a little predictable, THE REPLACEMENT is entertaining and well produced. Drama (Wed 6 Dec, 12/2pm, 15 cert.)SEVEN INGREDIENTS FOR MAKING A FJORD tells the story of one man’s mission to explain how important Fjords are, and his passion to one day create his own. Although the film has a slow start, it develops into a humorous mocumentary and at times the plot becomes extremely hilarious. For example, his seemingly pointless wildlife documentary halfway into the film involves no animals whatsoever and instead, includes plenty of bad and wacky random footage, mainly of trees. Despite the strange non-sensical humour, the narrator of the documentary tries his best to make his point of how important Fjords are. OUT OF MILK is an endearing and humorous drama exploring children’s perceptions of the adult world. An engaging and powerful storyline forms the hub of this short. Documentary (Wed 6 Dec, 4pm/6pm 15 cert.)CHASING BEV was a strong film from the documentary section, which gives an insight into the world of an autograph fiend. To find out more about an interesting new pet craze, see URBAN CHICKENS, which was also enjoyable. Experimental (Thur 7 Dec, 1pm, 12A cert.)STILL LIFE WITH FLOWERS is a really good film from the experimental section. It uses music well, which helps to create a very effective atmosphere, specially the bit with the psycho flowers. It’s really cool and you should definitely see it. Animation (Thur 7 Dec, 3pm, 18 cert.)The quality of the animation this year is very impressive. DIVERSION follows common every day road signs who decide it’s time to have a holiday. However, many trials and tribulations await our intrepid signs as they journey across the country trying to reach the airport. Another animation we particularly enjoyed was COMPANION. This is a heart-warming tale of a small animated character who finds the joy of friendship. It is well animated and a pleasure to watch. Reviews by LiveWire Critics, B. Addlestone, A. Bruce, M. Sagar, C. Talbot, J. Whittaker (Nov '06) .............................................................................................................. Young Liverpool Film Night 2006The Young Liverpool Film Night 2006 was an opportunity to see a selection of films and animations created by young people living in and around Liverpool. The 14 shorts chosen covered most aspects of style and genre, giving a comprehensive view of the culture and creative madness devised by young people. Amongst these was the particularly chilling Z.T.N, the happy-go-lucky comedy value of Scouse News, and the frankly strange and yet dynamic genius of Mr Stick, whose razor-sharp animation and manic storyline won its creator the evening's award. The films ranged from intricate plots and special effects (for example in The Construct) to more documentary-style filming such as Yaa Maa, a series of meticulously planned shots depicting skate culture and nifty boarding tricks, which, when put together with music, presented 4 minutes and 48 seconds of curiously absorbing grace and movement. Acting skills were also put in the spotlight, and one actor most deserving of a mention was the one playing the part of the small boy in Lost in the Supermarket, a film telling the story of a toddler who gets, effectively, lost in a supermarket, with endless aisles, sky-high shelves, and garden gnomes to contend with. Review by LiveWire Critic, Colette Talbot (Oct 06) .............................................................................................................. Clerks 2Review 1Blunt humour surrounding un-pc subjects sets the tone for CLERKS 2, with teeth-grinding moments aplenty. Coupled with rather misguided stabs at mainstream Hollywood drama and sentimentality, this film is assuredly not suitable for those of nervous dispositions; however Jay and Silent Bob do provide some light relief. The all-out American brashness, complete with chronic expletives, can be received according to taste, but there are some genuine laugh-out loud moments, cue the One Ring versus STAR WARS confrontation! Review by LiveWire Critic, Colette Talbot (Sep '06) Review 2Kevin Smith returns to familiar territory after the lacklustre success of JERSEY GIRL, with CLERKS 2. We meet Dante and Randal after Quick-Stop has burnt down but that isn’t going to stop Dante from slaking. By centring the film around a fast food restaurant, it would seem that Kevin Smith is not going to explore new ground but this is not strictly true. Dante is definitely the protagonist of this movie, going away to get married to Emma (played by Mrs Smith) but the screen is still filled with the lovable characters of Jay and Silent Bob and newcomer, transformer obsessed Elias. The film juxtaposes itself between mid-life crises and all out toilet-humour, and it is here that Smith falters. Too many scenes linger on interaction between Dante and his one-night stand Rosario Dawson, that ultimately build character but lack in any kind of feeling. Jay and Silent Bob’s screen time is also lacking. Overall CLERKS 2 is a welcome return to Smith’s old characters but the film never quite hits the heart with its imbalance of comedy and drama, but you will be laughing so much it probably won’t matter. Review by LiveWire Critic, Greg Jones (Sep '06)
Review 3After watching CLERKS 2 I was absolutely delighted. I am personally a big Kevin Smith fan. I have all of his films on DVD (except JERSEY GIRL) and I was glad to see the return of Jay & Silent Bob, and the main characters of the original CLERKS, Dante and Randall. Dante is the serious character and the story is based around him. Randall is the character with the most comic relief and he provides the most laughs. I would have liked to have seen more of the two funniest characters, Jay and Silent Bob but this wasn’t to be. The film includes debates over such things as STAR WARS versus LORD OF THE RINGS, TRANSFORMERS and other indecent things which I will not discuss, and there was a dance scene which I did not expect. It was funny but it didn’t quite work for me. Overall I really enjoyed the film. It was what I expected and more. Review by LiveWire Criric, Ryan Done (Sep '06) .............................................................................................................. Little Miss SunshineLITTLE MISS SUNSHINE is a black comedy about the dysfunctional Hoover family, a suicidal Uncle, a bankrupt father and a heroin taking grandfather to name a few. The film follows their journey to get the young child of the family, Olive, to a beauty pageant in California. Getting into the Little Miss Sunshine is a big dream of hers, so the family travels from New Mexico to California. The format of the film is similar to many classic ‘road’ movies (Easy Rider, Thelma and Louise etc.). The trip is quite eventful, with the family confronting issues and finding out things about each other along the way. I think that a journey is a very good way of telling the plot, and needs to be resurrected as a common thing. The sound is generally excellent, with a fitting soundtrack. Overall this is indeed a must see film. 4/5 Review by Matthew Fraser (Sep '06) .............................................................................................................. VolverVOLVER is film by acclaimed Spanish director Pedro Almodovar. It is Penelope Cruz’s first time starring in a film in Spanish. It follows the lives of the women of a family and the deaths in the family and how they deal with them. I didn’t enjoy this film that much. It seems to be aimed mostly at women, and there doesn’t seem to be any driving force behind the plot at all. The sound and shooting seemed just to be average. There was some humorous dialogue in there, but not consistently. See this if you can really be bothered, it wasn’t that bad. 2/5 Review by Matthew Fraser (Sep '06) .............................................................................................................. The Cave of the Yellow DogDir Byambasuren Davaa Review 1This documentary is based around a Mongolian family. It is a contrast to the usual Hollywood blockbusters and is composed of the hours of documentary footage shot by Byambasuren Davaa, who lived alongside the family during the shoot. It captures the every day life of a Mongolian family and reflects a girl’s found friendship with a surprising character, a dog. This movie is about loyalty, family and tradition as well as the changes going on in traditional Mongolian families today. Good points of this film include the beautiful cinematography, which was complemented by the well thought out editing. The culture of the Mongolian family is also well presented through the meaning relationships expressed on film. However, it is unclear how much of the film was fact and fiction. Some of the events seem to be staged or at least motivated by the presence of the camera. Generally we thought the film was a success though and we would recommend it to others. Review by LiveWire Critics, Christopher Brennan, Adam Brennan, Georgina Brown and Hannah Sutton (Jul '06) Review 2The oriental themed documentary, THE CAVE OF THE YELLOW DAG was directed by Byambasuren Davaa. Through the film, she reflects the change in culture in Mongolia, where she was born, and reveals the conflict between tradition and modern powers. Raveled in the unanswerable question, can simplicity co-exist with the dominant ways of modern life? This film is based around love, loss, and family ties. Yet, the most evident theme shown is friendship, and how it can ripen between the most surprising of characters, and is hidden wherever you wish to find it. The film follows the life of one family, who find it increasingly difficult to stay immune from the changes going on around their lives. What is good about this film? Well, on one hand, the landscape alone is outstanding. It reflects the idea that somewhere so beautiful can be untouchable to interference from man-kind. Yet, on the other hand, the fact that the film is based purely on the lives of real people, and a real situation, proves that not only does this director have the courage to expose a world to us that exists only in our Western past, but is daring enough to peel away our modern day beliefs, and try to change them by showing us what life is really about. Review by LiveWire Critic, Georgina Brown (Jul '06) .............................................................................................................. FatelessFATELESS was a moving film that told the story of the Holocaust through a 14 year old boy's eyes. It was about a Hungarian Jewish boy that lived at home with his family. One day he over hears his sister saying she doesn’t want to be a Jew. His sister thinks it is a huge disadvantage being a Jew as she feels inferior to other religions/races; but he cannot see why. He is on the train one day when he is ordered by one of the railway workers to get off as he is wearing a badge symbolising he is a Jew. The boy gets off the train alongside many other Jewish boys that were travelling on the train. The boy doesn’t realise the railway worker is German and he is yet to know the horrific experience that lies before him. He quickly makes friends with all the other Jewish boys and enjoys smoking cigarettes with them and playing games. Soon after though, the boys are taken to a concentration camp where they are made to work under very harsh conditions. I'm sure you’ve seen a concentration camp on TV before and this was just an example of what children (and adults) were made to do. The boy had to work all day carrying heavy bags of building equipment on his back and he was brutally attacked by German soldiers if he spoke. The boy soon realises why he |
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