E-Book Review: Benchwarmer

A poignant tale about where imaginary best friends go after we are done with them. This story focuses on, Mr Paloobi; a suited bear like figure that is conjured up from the imagination of a lonely, overlooked young boy.  They play chess and eat dinner together, but never share chocolate, and build up a very sweet and innocent relationship.  When the young boy discovers girls and finally starts growing up Mr Paloobi gets sent to “warm the bench” where he spends his time dwelling on the friendship that developed, was nurtured and then lost.  After 70yrs on the bench, he is finally called back into play. As the ageing process starts to deteriorate his long, lost friend’s mind, you are left contemplating the worries faced when getting older. The author has put a positive spin on these problems by providing a comforting idea that it may not be all that lonely when your memories start to fade.  An accessible story that touches on the uncertainties of ageing in a sensitive and thoughtful way. 

Bench Warmer is available to buy here and is published by Fortykey.

Catfish

I watched this film at the London Film Festival, and have been dying to post a review about it ever since. Now its general release date is looming in the UK, I thought it was time I gave my opinion on this fine documentary about social networking via the internet.

I have been recommending this film to nearly every person I come into contact with, for two simple reasons, it is highly entertaining and an extremely relevant, thought provoking documentary. It follows Nev Schulman's life in New York and online as he builds up a relationship with a young girl and her family via Facebook. I didn't read anything about this film before I went to see it and I am pretty grateful for that. The element of surprise and intrigue drew me into the film and kept me glued to my seat with anticipation. A light-hearted beginning that introduced you to the upbeat world of Nev and his friends and family soon took a dark turn that weaved into a story I wasn't expecting. With a whole plethora of emotions in tow, happiness, delight, fear and sadness it kept my attention throughout.

Sure, there are questions about how linear the filming process was, and I did start to question this about a week after seeing the film. But I was still thinking about the film for a long time after I actually viewed it, which speaks for itself. A good documentary should certainly get you thinking and questioning and I spent the entire train journey home talking about how I would deal with certain situations and dilemmas brought up in the film that (in my opinion) were dealt with in a graceful and sensitive nature by the filmmakers.

Facebook has quite simply changed the way my generation interact with each other and Catfish steers you to tread the path of cautiousness when starting an online relationship. I don’t want to give away anything more about this film as it may spoil your viewing pleasure. All I will say is if you use any internet social networking tools you will probably have an opinion on how and why this documentary is having such an impact on its audience.

The reason I left it a while to post my review is that this film has made it into my top ten films of 2010. A feature that will be posted in the next couple of weeks.
Catfish is on general release in the UK on 17th December 2010, let me know what you think of it...



Those LKFF reviews and Cinetalk

The festival was a great experience and the ICA hosted the event with class as always. If you fancy a break from the norm I would certainly recommend this festival, the programme was certainly diverse in its choices and I think everyone could find at least a few films here they would enjoy. You can read my reviews from the London Korean Film Festival here. The lovely people at Cinetalk have been posting them on their excellent website, so follow the link and have a gander!

The American

The American certainly is a film that transports you to another location, the Italian countryside that is. With the scenic aerial views of the landscape and intricate filming of the backstreets of an Italian village I was carried out of the cinema into the tense and muted world of an assassin undertaking his final assignment. With a beautiful snow filled and shocking opening scene I was drawn in from the start.

A captivating performance from George Clooney, with only snippets of dialogue throughout, the acting is of paramount importance as he leads you through a very lonely narrative. I am glad to say Clooney delivers. He plays a cool character with a vulnerable edge that makes him endearing and I was rooting for him to get the girl and save the day. With his brooding stare and intense gazing he leads the audience through a symphony of emotions.

This is Anton Corbijn’s second foray into feature film, the first being Control, and they are two totally different films; although the crafting of the music is tantamount in both. He builds the tension so well I was literally questioning every single person’s intentions. Considering the fact we are basically given no knowledge of Jack’s (Clooney) background, this film relies on the strength of the acting and we are given a well-crafted character piece with a European art-house ambiance.

This understated flick reminded me of the drawn out, seventies thrillers that have long since gone. A film that certainly has its place in modern cinema,  although perhaps not as fast paced an action film as you may be expecting from some of the trailers. Corbijn does deliver violence and pace, but in short bursts that pierce the otherwise uneasy silence of the bulk of the film. A handsome, suspenseful drama that had me biting my nails with suspicion.

The American is in cinemas from the 26th November.

Unstoppable

Unstoppable is a fast paced film loosely based on the true story of a train carrying toxic chemicals that travelled for miles unmanned. The film follows Frank Barnes (Denzel Washington) and Will Colson (Chris Pine) on their attempts to bring the runaway train to a halt.

Another Tony Scott/Denzel Washington collaboration is on offer here, and from the poster alone it is pretty obvious this is a straight up action film. Previous offerings were Deja-vu, which thoroughly entertained me and the magnificent Man on Fire. Unstoppable is on the same level as The Taking of Pelham 123 with the obvious comparisons of a tense, against the clock vehicle action movie.

For me, a great action film should look amazing, have some great one liners and not take itself too seriously. Unstoppable fulfils two out of three of those, falling down on the one liners front. The shots of the high-speed trains and the explosions are faultless, authentic and build up the tension extremely well. With a constant invasion of sound from the locomotive every time it is on screen you are immersed in the situation unfolding around you.

With Denzel Washington running across train carriages travelling at over 60mph like the T-1000 and fist in the air celebrations from the train control room at every high point, Scott plays the humour card at exactly the right times. The modern day constant media frenzy is brought to us by the mocking of Fox news and their ridiculous step by step accounts of the situation and irrelevant eye witness accounts. Interspersed throughout the film and used to show the developing circumstances Scott uses a vantage point that is frequently being shoved in our face via the news broadcasters.

I thought Chris Pine was excellent in Star Trek, so was looking forward to his performance in this film. Pine is believable in his role as a rookie conductor but with the out of control train getting the most screen time, there isn’t really much acting to judge. Washington and Pine have a good chemistry and the backstory to their characters is one that adds to the developing relationship between them.

Overall, a solid action film that delivers; slightly predictable but entertaining.

Out in the UK on 24th November. You can watch the trailer here

London Korean Film Festival

The fifth London Korean Festival starts today with The Man from Nowhere, a massive Korean hit from Director Kim Jee-won. The festival also features a retrospective of work from Jang Jin who directed Guns and Talks and Murder, Take One amongst others. The festival also features the best of contemporary Korean film. With 21 screenings at 3 different venues across London (Odeon Westend, Apollo Cinema, ICA) I have found a plethora of films that piqued my interest. Time restrains me from seeing them all but I will be going to see Harmony, Murder, Take One, The Servant, Secret Reunion, Bestseller and the magnificent looking The Housemaid.

The festival runs from 5th - 23rd November and you can view the schedule and book tickets here.
Reviews to follow soon.

Everything in Between: The Story of Ellipse

Imogen Heap made this film for her fans to be able to be a part of her mad method of album production. She explains how the DVD came about - "It all started with a fan sending in a request, asking if I could make a video diary when on my writing trip around the pacific. So, I took it with me as my only companion and spoke daily into the camera.” Her intelligence, creativity and eccentricity make this a joy to watch and I was so impressed with not only all the above qualities but her technical ability to do it all on her own.


This film begins with Imogen (Immi to her fans) head in her hands at a mixing desk struggling to reach her deadline for mastering. She wants nothing but perfection. We are then taken back two years and three months to her journey across the pacific where she wrote the bulk of her album, Ellipse, and then to her old family home where she builds her own studio and starts recording. Her music, played along to the movie, is masterful and beautiful and a fine accompaniment to this quirky documentary.

We are shown clips of her travels, her family, friends and manager's view on her creativity and music career that gives the viewer an interesting peak into her background and life growing up. With the studio being in her old family house we are taken back into her childhood memories, she explains how she spent most of her time in the playroom creating music and playing the piano which she so lovingly etched her name into to claim as her own.

By far the most interesting parts of this documentary are when we are given a view into the actual artistic process. Watching Imogen’s progression throughout the documentary you are transported into her world and life which is all about art and creation. Her inventive techniques are fascinating to watch, she uses the sounds of the house she lives and works in, makes her friends jump up and down and clap in time and a toy piano to add to the album concept. Her drive and determination never falters once she begins making her new album.

It is testament to her complete dedication to the arts that she screened this film at the Regent Street Cinema, coined as the birth place of UK cinema when in 1896 the Lumiere brothers put on the first public show of moving pictures. An original cinema organ was conveniently used by Imogen when there were technical issues with the film to entertain and add to the ambience of the evening. The cinema is currently being refurbished by private funding and aiming to be a place where both student and established filmmakers can showcase their work.

Click here to find out more about the refurbishment of the Regent Street Cinema.

By interacting with her fans over the last three years with fortnightly video blogs and twitter updates that included snippets of the album, Imogen has created more than a documentary; it is a modern and immersive way of making film that draws the audience into the process. It may be rough around the edges, but it is real and her fans will love it.

Afraid of the Dark (Bruises)

I decided to step out of my comfort zone and watch this Italian debut feature from Massimo Coppola about a young Romanian woman who elects to travel to Italy to try and find her mother. Told through the eyes of a Romanian immigrant I thought this would be a worthwhile and new approach to the subject matter; instead I was presented with a grim and dialogue light version of pure pretension.


I understand that sometimes the reality of life is mundane and most people are just trying to make an honest living however hard that may be and that the director was trying to portray this by creating a sad and lonely narrative. But there was nothing here that was informative or thought provoking, which should surely be the point of this film, to start a discussion on immigration policy. Perhaps I missed the point of the film or maybe it didn’t translate very well and Italian and Romanian audiences will get more out it than I did.

It had good intentions and the few scenes where there was some dialogue and acting were strong and affecting. The redeeming feature of the film lies with the acting of Alexandra Pirici who plays the main character, Eva, with passion. Otherwise I was faced with ninety minutes of depressing landscape scene shots shown one after another with a message that could have been easily conveyed as a short.

If you like miserable films, with no real point and Joy Division played extremely loudly at random intervals you will probably love it.

I honestly feel quite bad about giving this movie a poor review, as Alexandra Pirici, who gave a Q&A after the screening explained the difficulties in getting work as an actor in Romania and life in general. One person asked what it was like filming in such an ugly location and she replied with utter honesty “I live in Romania! It didn’t seem that grim to me, and the people were all very friendly.” I will keep an eye out for her future work but I didn’t rate the director and will probably not see another of his films in the near future.

You can read more about this film, that was shown at LFF here.

The Parking Lot Movie

This film follows past and present parking lot attendants, from the Corner Parking Lot, along the daily rigmarole faced when dealing with privileged people and their sense of entitlement. It shows how basic human decency literally goes out the window in certain circumstances; a social commentary on the class division in America and a delve into the minds of some particularly clever and philosophical men.

We are introduced to this motley crew of anthropologists, philosophers, musicians and artists who sit in their tiny hut covered in cardboard and artwork that strictly relates to their chosen occupation, with clips of their take on life and the American dream. There is a Moby-esque quietly spoken professor who openly admits that he knew it was time to move on from the parking lot when he started slamming a man’s head into his steering wheel, a young, cool musician in the mould of James Dean in Rebel Without a Cause whose sardonic wit literally had me gasping for breath, and so many more characters that are a documentary makers dream.

They hang out together at the lot in their spare time, filling their days with games like cone flipping and spray-painting the barrier with a different phrase each day as a small act of rebellion, and in fact a form of modern art. It is a real life Clerks for the next generation, and as much as I didn’t want to make that analogy it is difficult to get away from. Fans of the Kevin Smith dialogue will love it, some people really just will not get it and I can guarantee it will be an underground, word of mouth hit. I cannot recommend this film more; it is funny, heart-warming and captures the current mood of my generation in all its cynical and contemptuous beauty.

I am so glad that Meghan Eckman decided to make this documentary. Underachievers everywhere will feel an affinity with the guys who work at the corner parking lot in Charlottesville, Virginia. As soon as I left the film I was straight onto the internet wanting to learn more about the director and the intelligent and wry parking lot attendants. Writing this now, I actually want to go back and watch it again so I can take notes on their study of humanity.

Watch the trailer here on the official website.

Manila Skies

Raymond Red (Director of Palme d’or winning short film, Shadows) creates a claustrophobic and intense feature film about an out of work labourer in the Philippines. Following Raul (Arellano) on his quest to better his life the right way and find a respectable job abroad we are taken on an unpredictable journey into the psyche of a frustrated man on the edge. Raul shows no empathy for other people in his situation as he watches real life footage of the destitution and poverty in Manila he simply shouts “bullshit”, from the start he is a disagreeable character.


The backdrop of the Philippines is shot in sepia tones with hints of red thrown in to portray the workers plight. It gives the city a stiflingly grim feel. With close up shots of dirty streets, rats scurrying about and the standstill traffic Red wholly conveys the problems of overpopulation. His cinematography is simply amazing, as he splices the ugly oppressive nature of life in the city with the starkly beautiful skyline of the buildings that make it up.

Raul is driven to desperation by a system that is failing him. When his attempts at getting a job don’t work out and he has no money to visit his sick father he turns to criminal activity. He hooks up with a gang of men who are planning a heist that is doomed to go wrong from the start. They have been conned out of money by an overseas work placement company and are looking for revenge. In the true spirit of this gloomy feature things go wrong in a particularly severe way including a graphic genitalia mutilation scene that makes for intentionally uneasy viewing. Raul manages to escape the demise that his friends face and embarks on a reckless attempt to get back to his home land of Romblon by hijacking a plane.

Raymond Red executes this feature with style and has obviously achieved what he set out to do. With the current state of the economy he has produced an extremely relevant narrative about not only the redundant workers in Manila but the frustration and crushing hopelessness that is being felt by many people across the world. Similar in style to Gus Van Sant’s Elephant as from the moment you start watching he builds the tension and ever-growing frustration in the character of Raul so well you know there could be no happy outcome. A relevant film that can be nothing other than deeply depressing.

BFI London Film Festival

I have spent most of this week at the London Film Festival and will be spending some more of my time there next week as well. It has been an enjoyable experience and so far I have managed to watch Africa United, Manila Skies, It's Kind of a Funny Story and The Parking Lot Movie. Next week I will be watching Afraid of the Dark (Bruises) and Spork and attempting to blag my way into others. Reviews to follow soon.

I really enjoy the vibe at a film festival, overhearing snippets of conversation and reviews from the fellow audience members and nodding my head in agreement. I love sharing my personal experience of a film with another person and being challenged, given a different perspective on a film and if there is something I may have missed I like for it to be explained to me. My opinion on a film is just that and by using Twitter, Facebook and other Internet tools I find it gives me a way to start a conversation.  I have been talking to people at the LFF whilst I sip on a latte in between films but not to the extent that I do when I am at TIFF. I think the British reservation sometimes creates a barrier between people but then again maybe North Americans are more open to listening to a mad woman talk in their face about film. They are both totally different film festival experiences and I would recommend both. Try and catch a film at LFF if you can, the festival runs until 28th October.

Africa United

Three Rwandan children set off to Rwanda’s capital city to audition for the opening ceremony of the 2010 world cup. In their attempts to travel for free they end up on the wrong bus and in the Congo. With a missed audition and hope in their hearts they decide to make their way to South Africa for the World Cup.

With no big names in the main cast and with many first time actors you wouldn’t expect such a stellar performance but the acting is extremely good. The child actors are dealt a difficult hand of producing both upbeat and dramatic performances and they deliver. It was a real stroke of genius casting Emmanuel Jal, former child soldier, as a rebel. His performance is so real and the strength of his acting creates a terrifying villain in this tale. A debut feature film this may be but Director, Debs Gardner-Paterson, knows Africa and has obviously done her research. The sheer amount of ground covered and the location shooting in Rwanda and Burundi really adds to the authenticity of this film.

Eriya Ndayambaje (Dudu), the leader of the group, the manager of their team and the artful dodger of the African terrain is a fantastic actor who shines from the moment he appears on screen. With his beaming smile and cheeky face when he delivers lines like “the world is your ostrich” and “after a long day of being chased by rebels, relax with nuts” you can’t help but laugh.

While the football is the binding element to this film it is certainly not the focal point. We follow this oddball troupe across Africa and it is their developing relationship and strong characters that make it such an interesting journey. Along the way they face the wrath of a couple of rebels, a panther and the results of a HIV test. With a former rebel called Foreman George and a child prostitute making up the group this is not your average children’s adventure film.

Dudu is given the task of telling a story within the film, and this is portrayed through a fabric and paper animation created by Blink ink. They create an imaginative and vibrant vista to accompany his story. Whilst some of the themes may seem too mature for children in the UK they are a reality faced by African children every day. A child’s innocent perspective is conveyed extremely well through the use of the animation. The weighty issues tackled in the film are well balanced with optimism and some extremely uplifting moments.

A road trip film for kids that deals with some relevant issues without being condescending. A very British film set in Africa with a good amount of realism and humour and an amazing soundtrack.

The Switch

The Switch was in fact my third assignment, but it all depends on release dates as to when my reviews are posted. I was looking forward to seeing Arrested Development's Jason Bateman take on an artificial insemination comedy based on a short story by Jeffrey Eugenides who wrote one of my favourite books The Virgin Suicides. I was slightly disappointed... Click here for my review.

Marmaduke

I have recently started writing film reviews for a website and this was my second assignment for obsessed with film. I must admit, I wasn't looking forward to going, but my editor suggested taking my little cousins with me as they really wanted some childrens' opinions on the film. So, on a Sunday morning I took them up to Leicester Square for some talking animal action. In fact, the whole day was set up with children in mind, with face painting, cupcakes, and lots of activities before the film so it was actually a pretty fun day!

Here is the review:

The Great Dane from comic strip fame Marmaduke and his family make the move from Kansas to The O.C. when Phil Winslow (Lee Pace) gets a job offer he can't refuse.


Live-action animals who can talk is one of my pet hates (pun intended) when it comes to film, but Marmaduke was actually quite watchable and the majority of people who will go and see it, young children and dog lovers, will probably enjoy it. The observational humour from the comic strip is not apparent in the film, so fans may be sorely disappointed.

Owen Wilson is the driving force in this film, playing the title character, he is actually quite endearing and his charm did win me over. With a supporting cast of big names such as Keiffer Sutherland, Fergie from the Black Eyed Peas and Emma Stone from Zombieland, you may expect a stronger film. What is delivered instead is a throwaway comedy that has nothing really original in it. I was bemused by the casting of William H Macy, as Phil Winslow's new demanding boss, as the role is played so straight and is so fleeting virtually anyone could have done it. Sutherland, on the other hand, is cast well as the head of a pedigree pack of dogs, with a beachside lair in which the dogs party all night and lead a life unknown to their owners. He does evil extremely well.

The CGI is uninventive and at times highly reminiscent of the Scooby Doo films of the early noughties. It doesn't offer much for adults who may take their children to see this film, as it is extremely juvenile humour - a couple of fart jokes, some typical slapstick and a few references to a certain teen programme set in their new location.

Obviously, a lot of thought went into the wide choice of dogs used in the film with a Blue Merle Australian Shepherd, a Beauceron, an English Mastiff and some miniature Pinschers, so there is so much for dog lovers to enjoy here, although the CGI mouth motion is at times crass and off putting.

A simple romantic comedy, including a (dog) love triangle, a few life lessons and a whole lot of family values. It is watchable, inoffensive and I am sure most young children will very much enjoy it.

And as much as the day was aimed at children, I just couldn't help myself...

My editor very kindly allowed me to publish this review on my blog, but from now on they will appear on http://www.obsessedwithfilm.com/

Coming up soon: Reviews of the The Switch and Going the Distance and a Q&A with Justin Long, Drew Barrymore and Oliver Jackson-Cohen.

When We Were Orphans by Kazuo Ishiguro

Set between 1930s London and Shanghai and recollections of pre-war Shanghai as a child, Christopher Banks, a renowned detective tries to solve his first and greatest mystery - the disappearance of his parents.


I am really taken with the work of Ishiguro from reading Remains of the Day and Never Let Me Go. This book carries similar qualities from his previous work but didn't give me the same level of satisfaction. The characters were not as accessible and as much as I loved the understated romance and the slow burning relationship between Christopher and Sarah I found that it was almost too muted.

As ever, the scene is set extremely well. The vista of war torn Shanghai with its abandoned, destructed buildings and winding never ending tiny streets certainly conveys a sense of claustrophobia that is felt in the second half of the novel when Christopher is taken on a destructive journey and a complete fall from reality. This works well in comparison to the rigid, contained world of the English gentry.The novel leads you from a happy existence as a child in Shanghai, to 1930s London full of evening balls and dinner parties to a state of complete confusion and nonsense led to by obsession. Ishiguro's description never fails throughout the novel, but at times, the narrative does let it down.

At its heart this is a story of childhood innocence, the struggle to come to terms with past trauma and the need to let go and live life. The delusional and detached nature of the narrator certainly adds to the strength of the voice but also means the writing is not as accessible to the reader, especially towards the end of the novel.

Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro

An excellent read, a haunting novel that kept my attention throughout. The dialogue was very straightforward in stark contrast to the intricate weavings of the story. Ishiguro captures the innocence of childhood, the querying nature of adolescence and the hopeless struggle of resigned adulthood extremely well. A book that leaves you thinking.


Reminiscent in tone (but not subject matter) to Oryx and Crake by Margaret Atwood.

Mister Pip by Lloyd Jones

A charming book narrated by the young, naive and hopeful Matilda who grows into an intelligent and wise woman. A story of family, friendship and Great Expectations, set against the backdrop of the civil war on Bougainville Island, that has been left to fend for itself after the white man has stolen all the assets of the land.
Matilda's path to adulthood is paved with unspeakable and horrific acts that were unexpected to me. The tone of the book created by the naive narrator charms you into believing that nothing too terrible will happen, but this is just testament to how good the writing is, that it draws you in to such an unexpected outcome.

This novel ends on a hopeful note and it really is a book that takes you on a rollercoaster of emotions. Great writing, eccentric characters and an interesting delve in to the world of Dickens.