The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel

A group of British retirees (played by Maggie Smith, Judy Dench, Penelope Wilton, Cilia Imrie, Bill Nighy, Tom Wilkinson and Ronald Pickup) who for various reasons are looking for new meaning in their lives, decide to cast caution to the wind and head to India. There they have read of an oasis of eastern promise called ‘The Marigold Hotel’, that they all hope will work it’s magic on their humdrum lives. Upon arrival however, they discover that the hotel may not be as exotic as they have been led to believe, and despite the enthusiasm of its young owner Sonny (Dave Patel) it’s going to take a miracle to give both it, and them, a new lease of life.

A monument should be erected to the cast of The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel as they are without doubt, each and every one, a national treasure. Though the two resident Dames, Smith and Dench, stand out as they do in everything in which they appear, the ensemble of British stalwarts works perfectly as a whole, with no feeling of anyone vying for the limelight over their fellow cast members (something you can bet wouldn’t have happened if it had been peopled by American stars). Each of the household names, Nighy, Wilkinson, Pickup, Wilton, Imrie, Smith and Dench bring a poignancy to their individual character’s plights, though it’s Wilton’s portrayal of the emotionally stunted Jean and her eventual realisation of her situation which is one of the most moving. Without giving too much away it is safe to say that by the end of the film each character, both British and Indian, finds a degree of acceptance that works for them individually and for the group as a whole. Special mention should also go to a younger cast member who though appearing only briefly at the start, shines as she always does in her increasingly frequent film appearances. Ten year old Ramona Marquez who plays the granddaughter of Imrie’s Madge is delectable, and proves in less than thirty seconds why she is fast becoming a big screen regular.

Though there is nothing exactly original in the film – we have seen story-lines concerning people coming to terms with old age and it’s effects on them and their relationships before – just as we have seen the setting of India equally as often. However seldom have they appeared as vibrantly as they do here, either in the case of the various ‘sexa’ and ‘septua’ generians and their acceptance of the march of time, or the myriad of hothouse colours which makes the film’s eastern locale spring from the screen in the way a grey British one never could.

The route the residents of The Marigold Hotel finally take in relation to how they will see out their twilight years may appear to many as somewhat unconventional. However if their last ditch attempts at happiness does nothing else, it at least proves it’s never too late to give life a go. Some may dismiss the film as overtly sentimental, however its central subject, namely that of growing old, is something which none of us can avoid, and this warm comedy proves that approaching it disgracefully can lessen some of its sting.

Rating: 4/5

Reviewer: Cleaver Patterson
Stars: Judi Dench, Bill Nighy , Maggie Smith, Tom Wilkinson
Director: John Madden
Release: 24th February (UK)

The basic story is this: The Scorpion King, Mathayus (Victor Webster) has lost his kingdom and his wife and becomes a mercenary once more, disregarding his own personal safety and plumping for apparent suicide missions. Egypt is split into three kingdoms, with King Horus (Ron Perlman), his brother Talus (Billy Zane) and Ramusan all owning a third. Horus hires Mathayus to stop Talus from seizing control of his kingdom and stop him from acquiring The Book of the Dead from Ramusan. I’d say I’m fairly open minded, but I must admit, my hopes weren’t high for this film. At best, I figured it could be a cheap, dumb-but-fun romp starring several brick shithouses unconvincingly twisting their leaden, lumpy faces into emotions to befit the story. I was sort of hoping for a Conan the Barbarian style guilty pleasure.

Unfortunately, this wasn’t the case. Everything in this film is terrible. From the opening ten minutes you can tell that your plans for the evening have just taken a turn for the worse. The acting is woeful for one, with lead Victor Webster delivering every line in a painful monotone. I’m not sure why Ron Perlman and Billy Zane are here, but they’re certainly slumming it, especially Perlman, who recently gave a fantastic performance in Drive and is great in the underrated Hellboy films. Billy Zane hams it up for his performance as Talus, but it’s neither “good” or “so bad it’s good.” The dialogue is basically an unholy patchwork of unfunny one-liners stitched together with boring, functional, plot-advancing gurglings. The film is an absolute chore to watch.

The only vague glimmer of quality is the action, which is mediocre at best. Big guys hit other big guys with swords. Occasionally someone will get set on fire. This is meathead action for the very lowest of attention spans. The sprinkling of UFC and wrestling stars through the cast also give us a very clear, depressing view of the target demographic.

I think the one thing that offends me most of all about Battle for Redemption is that it’s clear no-one involved set out to make a good film. This was always going to be a bargain bin, cheapo title cashing in on a flick that whilst at one time may have topped the box office and launched the career of Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, has long since faded into cultural irrelevance. Even the recent remake of Conan the Barbarian was better than this and that wasn’t good by any stretch of the imagination. At least in that film Ron Perlman has a comedy beard

Rating: 1/5

Reviewer: Ben Browne
Stars: Dave Bautista, Bostin Christopher , Tanapol Chuksrida, Ron Perlman
Director:
DVD/ BD Release: 27th February (UK)

There isn’t really any footage here part from one snip of James Bond himself creeping around the blue neon area we saw him in that recent official picture from the film. These video’s will be updates on how things are going on the production, if there going to be as detailed as The Hobbit ones we don’t know yet, be patient as we’re creeping closer to when footage will arrive.

‘Skyfall‘ sees Daniel Craig joined by Judi Dench , Javier Badrem, Ralph Feinnes ,Berenice Marlohe,  Albert Finney , Ben Whishaw and Naomie Harris.

The young adult population worldwide will be getting really excited to finally see Katniss Everdean (Jennifer Lawrence) finally on the big screen, I’ve never read the books but what I’m hearing from fans of the book this story is made to be enjoyed on the big screen. This has a fan base as big as Twilight if not bigger and on first impressions the characters are a lot more colourful maybe a little more outlandish but most of all not as depressing as one dimensional as that vampire franchise we all loathe. I’ve never read the books for The Hunger Games yet but when it comes to book adaptations I’m a believer of watching the film then read the book as you wont be as judgemental if certain things are different. In these new tv spots we do see some new footage mostly of the early parts of the games and smartly not giving too much away, most of all the new footage raises our anticipation levels to see more of this film, not long to go now!

The Hunger Games stars Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Woody Harrelson, Stanley Tucci, Donald Sutherland  and Elizabeth Banks, and will be released on March 23rd 2012.

source Coming Soon

On June 1st we will see him appear in Scott’s Prometheus which Fassbender plays the android but according to the report The Counsellor will start shooting this May. Ridley Scott has oblivious picked on the actor’s visceral style of acting whilst filming Prometheus that he wants him to be in his follow up project which is apparently attracting a high number of high profile actors wanting to appear in it. Possibly the other reason is the fact the film marks the first penned script from Irish author Cormac McCarthy which seems also to be a big inspiration on The Counsellor too, a story about a lawyer who naively gets himself involved in a drugs tirade. We don’t know the rest of the cast news but if the film is to start in May more cast news including the two important female roles who play an important part in the film we will bring it to you as soon as we can.

Like all big actors Michael Fassbender‘s schedule is filling up really fast as he’s expected to team up once again with Steve McQueen in Twelve Years a Slave but if this film will shoot before or after The Counsellor we don’t know. The actor has also recently been connected to star in a film about Cuchulainn a Irish Celtic warrior a film he’s now likely to do after the above mentioned films. What we are excited to see is Ridley Scott actually directing a straight drama rather than a big blockbuster style type film where the focus is on the cast rather than the size of the film.

Incoming search terms:

• fassbender the councellor
• shooting starts for the counsellor riddley scott

I’m sure Peter Berg will be getting a little pissed with the amount critics calling this a Transformer clone but you have to admit there’s too many similarities. When it comes to the summer I honestly don’t care if it’s big, loud, action packed, questionable acting  all round fun film  it has the credentials of a summer blockbuster! If your a big kid as in adult will you be getting drunk as this looks a good one to watch intoxicated (just remember behave and remember were you are, let other people enjoy it too!)

Come to think of it this is more a easter block buster  as it will be with us April 11th in UK&Ireland with USA getting it May 18th. BATTLESHIP stars Taylor Kitsch, Liam Neeson, Brooklyn Deker, Alexander Skarsgård, Josh Pence, Rihanna, Jesse Plemons, Peter MacNicol, Tadanobu Asano.

Peter Berg (Hancock) produces and directs Battleship, an epic action-adventure that unfolds across the seas, in the skies and over land as our planet fights for survival against a superior force. Based on Hasbro’s classic naval combat game, Battleship stars Taylor Kitsch as Lt. Alex Hopper, a Naval officer assigned to the USS John Paul Jones; Brooklyn Decker as Sam Shane, a physical therapist and Hopper’s fiancée; Alexander Skarsgard as Hopper’s older brother, Stone, Commanding Officer of the USS Sampson; Rihanna as Petty Officer Raikes, Hopper’s crewmate and a weapons specialist on the USS John Paul Jones; and international superstar Liam Neeson as Hopper and Stone’s superior (and Sam’s father), Admiral Shane.

Internationally, Hammer is the most famous of Britain’s film studios, and in the UK it has an impressive heritage. Most recently with The Woman In Black – which has since its release taken over £10m in the UK and over $60m worldwide – Hammer is bringing its brand of horror films to a whole new generation.

The CATH Research Centre is proud to be associated with the revival of this classic British brand, and to be entrusted with elements of its historic archive at a time when the company is restoring its classic films for Blu-ray and DVD release. Our agreement with Hammer will involve the cataloguing and curation of the materials, but the intention is also to make them available to scholars in digital form. We expect to launch this project at a conference and film festival in Leicester in the first half of July this year.

De Montfort was selected over competing universities because of the particular expertise in British genre cinema at the CATH Research Centre. The Centre’s Director, Steve Chibnall, is the only Professor of British Cinema and has co-edited a collection on British Horror Cinema. Dr. Ian Hunter has published widely on Hammer and other horror and science-fiction films, and taught a pioneering module on the company as part of one of DMU’s degree courses. The CATH Research Centre also has among its Associate Research Fellows David Pirie, who published the first serious work on British Gothic cinema, A Heritage of Horror (1973), and Jonathan Rigby, whose book English Gothic (2000) has become the standard work on this nationally-distinctive film genre. They have now been joined by Marcus Hearn, Hammer’s official historian and most recently author of The Hammer Vault, a beautifully-produced tour through the company’s archives. Marcus was inducted into the CATH Research Centre’s community of associate research fellows last week at an annual symposium.

Steve Chibnall: “When I was growing up, Hammer and horror were virtually synonymous, and seeing one of their films was a rite of passage into adulthood. Of course, they liked to sail as close to the wind as possible as far as the censor was concerned, but their products were memorable and influential internationally, and have now been recognised as Britain’s most important contribution to fantasy cinema. Although they became incredibly successful after the release of classic shockers like The Curse Of Frankenstein (1957) and Dracula (1958) and won a Queen’s Award for Industry in the 1960s, Hammer remained something of a maverick independent with a transgressive edge that kept audiences interested and expectant. We welcome the arrival of this collection at its new home in dedicated archival space at De Montfort University and look forward both to making its treasures available in electronic form to the wider community of scholars, and to a long and fruitful collaboration between the CATH Research Centre and Hammer.”

In excess of 240 items from the Hammer script archive have been deposited with the CATH Research Centre, opening Hammer’s collection up to public research and study for the first time.

Hammer’s archivist Robert Simpson oversaw the collection and transfer of the material, formally handing over the first of the script boxes to Professor Chibnall at the CATH Associate Research Fellows’ Day at De Montfort University on Wednesday 8th February 2012.

Robert Simpson explains: “During a reorganisation and inventory of the company’s extensive archive we decided that our script collection deserved to be made accessible. De Montfort has been nurturing some truly excellent work on British film history and the CATH facility seemed the perfect place to host our archive; respecting the historical and physical value of the material and allowing protected access to those studying the company and its films.”

Robert Simpson continues: “While this is by no means the entire contents of our archive – we have hundreds of thousands of pages of corporate paperwork, ephemera and of course the film elements, much of which is still in active use – it is an unparalleled collection, including classic Hammer screenplays from the likes of Jimmy Sangster, Michael Carreras, Val Guest, Nigel Kneale and John Elder. It covers most of our film and television production from 1947 through to 1990, embracing not only the horror output of Hammer, but also documentaries, comedies, war films, shorts, and swashbucklers. This is the first time in several decades that Hammer has opened its archives to such outside scrutiny, and will be a wonderful opportunity for film students.”

Marcus Hearn, Hammer’s official historian and a research fellow at CATH: “I’m glad that the scripts from so many of Hammer’s classic productions will be going to a good home at Leicester’s De Montfort University. Professor Steve Chibnall is one of the country’s leading authorities on British cinema, and I look forward to working with him again on this exciting project. We will also be adding scripts and paperwork from the private collections of director Roy Ward Baker and writer Jimmy Sangster, both of whom enjoyed long associations with Hammer. Both Roy and Jimmy would have been pleased to know that their work was being made available to students and researchers in this way.”

Henry Cavill, Bruce Willis and Sigourney Weaver star action thriller which Cavill plays a young family man who heads to Spain for a well earned break with his family with them to end up abducted. But when the old man is played by Bruce Willis you have to expect lots of enemies and attempts on your life should be regular occurrence, however when you pick up a gun use it as natural like Cavill did it makes you wonder how did he learn to shoot like that? As the saying goes ‘father like son’ but as any parent should know your family should never be dragged into your skeletons in your closet so enter stage left give Brucie a gun and give Yipee Ki Yah M-Fo!!!

This heart pounding thriller follows a young American (Henry Cavill), whose family is kidnapped whilst on vacation in Spain. A cat and mouse chase ensues, but time is running out.

THE COLD LIGHT OF DAY will be out in UK, Ireland and USA on April 6th also stars Caroline Goodall, Roschdy Zem and Verónica Echegui. with JCVD director Mabrouk El Mechri directing.

Incoming search terms:

• cold light of day trailer
• sigourney weaver the cold light of day

Under the unforgiving desert sky, two warring leaders come face to face. The bodies of their warriors litter the battlefield. The victorious Nesib, Emir of Hobeika (ANTONIO BANDERAS), lays down his peace terms to his rival Amar, Sultan of Salmaah (MARK STRONG). The two men agree that neither may lay claim to the area of no man’s land between them called The Yellow Belt. In return and according to the tribal customs of the time, Nesib will “adopt”- or take hostage- Amar’s two boys Saleeh (AKIN GAZI) and Auda (TAHAR RAHIM); a guarantee that neither man can invade the other. Years later, Saleeh and Auda have grown into young men. Saleeh, the warrior, itches to escape his gilded cage and return to his father’s land. Auda cares only for books and the pursuit of knowledge. One day, their adopted father Nesib is visited by an American oil man from Texas (COREY JOHNSON). He tells the Emir that his land is blessed with oil and promises him riches beyond his imagination.

The People’s Movies Andrew caught the film over the weekend at the Glasgow Film Festival and you can read his review here. Black Gold is out in UK&Ireland Friday 24th.

Incoming search terms:

• tahar rahim

Morgan Spurlock’s documentary “The Greatest Movie Ever Sold” examines and dismantles the increasing phenomena of product placement and branding in the world of cinema, and the effect these blatant marketing tools have on the consumer public. His salient observations and consequent revelations expose the extent to which consumers are considered shallow and naïve, and make its audience astutely aware of their daily emersion in advertising. This film, about Spurlock’s making of a film financed entirely by through corporate sponsorship, allows a very real insight into the hidden workings and minds of brand marketers and advertising executives.

The Greatest Movie Ever Sold, Spurlock’s most satirical work to date, has opened up our eyes to these advertising techniques, and it is therefore only just to retrospectively ponder over some of the most blatant product placements in film and TV history:

1. YOU’VE GOT MAIL – AOL
The reason for why this is some of the most blatant and overpowering product placement in movie history is because the entire film centres around the email connection between the two central characters via AOL. The AOL triangle (as well as the dial up tone that we have all rejoiced in leaving behind) is one of the key memories a viewer retains from the film due to its prominent placement in the love story development.

2. HAPPY GILMORE – SUBWAY
A golfer’s product endorsement provides a legitimate reason for Subway to parade their brand in Happy Gilmore. Even when parts of the logo are blurred out for supposed censorship, the same effect is created as it still draws attention to the very well known logo.

3. SEX AND THE CITY – APPLE
Carrie Bradshaw’s column provide the backbone to each and every episode of this very famous series, and from the very beginning to the bitter end, Carrie is typing on none other than and Apple Mac laptop. Its Apple symbol has run alongside her writings for six seasons of the infamous show, and without question will have influenced the electronic device choices of its viewers when connected with such an icon.

4. ET – REESE’S PIECES
The film that started the movement. One of the most famous films in existence, and made in 1982, has one of the most barefaced product placements ever seen. Even despite E.T.’s croaky alien voice, his acknowledgement of the American candy ‘Reese’s Pieces’ secured Hershey’s a huge level of exposure with one of the most watched films of the time.

5. THE MATRIX – SAMSUNG
The Matrix as a whole is littered with different, and very unsubtle, examples of product placement, however the most obvious (swiftly followed by car brands) are the Samsung mobile phones. In a film where technology, and telephone technology in particular, is heavily relied upon, Samsung has an inordinate amount of brand publicity and association with popular film icons of the time.

The Greatest Movie Ever sold is out to buy on DVD on February 27th
 

Read Cleaver’s REVIEW
For more information please check out the official Facebook page:
http://www.facebook.com/Greatestmovieuk?sk=info