"Guilty Pleasures" - A Film For Men & Women

(Original review on N E W website:

http://www.MiniMiniMovie.com)

Film: Guilty Pleasures

Year: 2010

Director: Julie Moggan

Bonus: Q & A with Julie Moggan

Venue: Curzon, Soho

Other Info: http://www.curzoncinemas.com

http://www.Twitter.com/CurzonCinemas

I arrived at the (Soho) Curzon, awaited my friend's arrival and also waited for reality to set in.

What had I let myself come and see? This was not a man's film - not that there should really be "a man's film" and "a woman's film" these days but hey, slightly nervously anticipate it I did.

Rather than purchase a Harlequin book (think Mills & Boon) I bought a kind of girlie drink instead. So, with my lime & soda in hand I looked forward.

Looking forward I did...and some film or TV people talked opposite me in the bar area. Speaking of adapting a book, I believe. Ironic? Not really...Guilty Pleasures is 'about' a certain range of books and not an adaptation of one but well, interesting nonetheless (you may or may not say!)

My friend arrived. Coffee was purchased...and bums were seated.

(Can you read that? Actually, I had captured this wording from a previous visit...Spooky...)

The screen quoted "Curzon - DocDays"... Yes DocDays being short for Documentary Days (indeed I am well educated...well, err...)

A brief intro and then into Guilty Pleasures. Myself and friend were taken in from the very start...and my fears of this film being one for women 'only' disappeared immediately.

We firstly meet a male - I won't give away his age - who, sat at a typewriter, taps away whilst we hear his voice narrating such words you would read, should you have ever picked up a Mills & Boon book. This writer's narration mixed with his actions ends this brief scene comically. We were indeed hooked.

Other characters we are then introduced to are a Japanese lady (and later her husband), an Indian woman, an English couple and a male model - for the latter, think a Mills & Boon book cover.

Each of these characters has their own charm and endearment. We warm to them, no matter how different and removed they may be from the audience's lives. Definitely unrelatable to mine - I tried but I just couldn't connect. That doesn't mean I disliked the characters or not engage. No. We are all very different beings...is all I'm trying to say.

The funniest characters but also perhaps the warmest are English Phil & wife, Shirley. Phil being a "man's man" [his words, not mine] but at the same time coming across as a romantic man. Romantic in his eyes, you understand. He thinks that repeating the same actions & type of gifts year after year was romantic a gesture as one could give. I was shouting to myself "Where's your originality? Where's your variety?!" [but Shirley seems to accept it and even like it]

A classic moment, to me was where Phil was saying that he doesn't understand men who have to read a handbook just to hammer a nail in a wall to hang up a picture...going on, reiterating the fact that he does everything himself and wants to learn how everything works, hence calling himself a man's man. Whilst saying this Phil is dressing for Valentines Day by clipping on - not tying! - a tie for the dinner. Classic. He's obviously not learned how to do 'everything' now, has he..? Come on, Phil!

I must also add that Phil's dress sense needed much improvement. He is seen wearing, for Valentine's Day a black tie and White shirt - I seriously thought he was dressing for a funeral.

And...perhaps I have watched too much Alan Partridge but there is indeed a scene and shot or two where Phil's mannerisms are Perfectly-Partridge-Esque.

We also have the male model, Stephen. Buff he may be, but Muff he would seem not interested in. Excuse the crudity of that pun but he was very camp and throughout the film, up until near the end, myself and my friend were almost convinced that he was homosexual.

Shumita, the Indian woman? She longs to get back with her husband and finally when we meet him we are soon realising that we no longer feel sorry for 'them' but only for her.

The Japanese lady (Hiroko) is almost re-enacting an actual Mills & Boon story, with her almost lust for her dancing tutor. Perhaps not ultimate lust but the longing to be lead the way, both in dancing & seduction and maybe in life itself.

That's my mini-breakdown of highlights and much more, I'd say than I normally like to give away in a film review. But hey, this is a documentary.

The Q & A:

Director Julie Moggan mentioned, when talking about the lengthy [2 years!] it took to make, that it was featured in 2010's London Film Festival. She discussed the main arc and the one most like a Mills & Boon book...this arc being the Japanese woman's story. She talked about the 'stars' and their feelings on how they were portrayed. There was minimal manipulation in this doc, she also confirmed.

On the whole, and in summary I have to say that it could be anyone's fantasies told in these stories - even mine - because... not everyone's love life is an open book.

And now...To put my feet up...

Note: Guilty Pleasures was later [12th April 2011] shown on More4 and perhaps it will again.

Nice Character Arc - hipelago . . .

(Original review on N E W website:

http://www.MiniMiniMovie.com)

(I was going to make word-play from "Artificial Eye - Let's..." and "Archipelago / Is-lets" but I couldn't quite achieve it. Well, I am no Stephen Fry)

Film: Archipelago

Year: 2010

Director: Joanna Hogg

Venue: Tricycle Theatre/Cinema, London

http://www.tricycle.co.uk/

Distributer: Artificial Eye

Cast:

Tom Hiddleston

Kate Fahy

Lydia Leonard

Amy Lloyd as Rose

Christopher Baker

If I told you this film begins with a helicopter landing you'd probably picture some Bruckheimer Blockbuster.

How wrong you would be.

Hmm where to begin...Well...

For a change, let's begin with a bit about the director - and indeed it is just 'a bit' as I've to admit I knew little about her and know little more now. But her style, and especially the lighting made me want to read up on her following this showing at the Tricycle Theatre's cinema.

Joanna Hogg's filming uses extended takes and minimal camera movement...as well as minimal lighting, if Archipelago is something to go by. She also uses a combination of real actors and non-professional actors. See if you can spot who are and those whom are not - you might be surprised...I was.

On being introduced to this movie's characters and setting, it was - as I mentioned before - the lighting which first grabbed me and perhaps you also. Interior shots where you can only just make out the characters - essentially a select few members of one family - in the scene, are prominent and given this naturalistic feel. Even an off-camera moment is provided on a couple of occasions.

Just when your eyes are a tad pained by any lowlight interior shot they are reopened by a brightly coloured exterior scene or shot. As bright as the latter may be it still looks natural and not like the general 3-point technique has been used.

The slow unfolding of this picture goes hand in hand with the (intentionally) dull and realistic tones of colour. It really slowly unfolds and so do the characters & their interactions with one another. Adding to the realism or bleakness of the surroundings is the tranquil landscape of Tresco (Isles of Scilly).

Almost at the same time as being introduced to the family we are shown the maid. She is there to help, prepare food mostly & well, to be a maid!

The slow-movingness of this picture leaves you sitting there wondering where these family members will end up, or indeed go if anywhere...as well as whether the maid and or another non-family member will assist on wherever the journey is going.

Now, I will say how this family and other factors affected me, or how reminiscent this "family away from home" situation is and touched me. Perhaps you'll have similar connections.

I'll begin with the type of people we are talking about here as this has been mentioned in write-ups on this film, and in fact Joanna Hogg's characters in general.

These are obviously middle-classers and perhaps I'm one. I firmly believe that even in one particular class you also get sub-classes. Point in question: This family do in some ways remind me of my childhood but by no means were we rich..but still took similar holidays, albeit not rich destinations.

The maid, Rose (Amy Lloyd) reminded me also of my own family - there is mention of her father having been a racing driver...an accident is quoted...and my father & grandfather also raced, bikes as opposed to cars. And the latter of my ancestors was involved in an accident whilst racing.

Vegetarianism is subjected here in a brief moment...but as much as family members of mine are indeed non-meat eaters, I won't of course liken us to the characters. Meat was very much a part of our generation's young life - except that my mother did go through a vegetarian phase...although perhaps that was because of my father...who knows?!

It is clear in this picture that one of the family are vegetarian. Not only vegetarian but also caring in a worldly way. The beliefs of this individual [the son] are clear and sensical.

We can see that any family tension - along with the oh so many 'world' problems on this being's mind all the time - is affecting the son, Edward (Tom Hiddleston) greatly. Albeit, subtle tension is also ever growing throughout the time we spend with the three family members. The fourth member is the father - but we're never sure if he is going to turn up or not...so, we wait.

Many things and representations can be read from characters or shots in this picture. Here's just a few of mine and namely about the main male of the movie, Edward.

Edward's intent on helping the world, beginning (?) with Africa and his empathy with this giant globe is demonstrated as such:

1. His family have a maid for this mini-break. That must cry out 'selfishness' or non-awareness of the world's bigger issues.

2. In the same vain, the family's meal in a non-cheap restaurant would surely give you angst for those countries who can only dream of such luxuries. Could this add to his reasons for walking out midway through this culinary excursion (family issues aside)?

[Its worth stating here that this restaurant scene is one of the more comical ones on show in this arty masterpiece]

3. Rose, the maid who physically murders animals prior to cooking for the family - or 'would', given half a chance perhaps - is also the opposite of his vegetarian beliefs. This said, there is a nice and almost heartwarming bonding in the kitchen, whilst the pair of them discuss various aspects of cooking and non-cooking. I half-expected a 'Woody Allen & the lobsters' moment at one point.

4. Edward mounts his bike but no peddling is required...he just coasts down a path. I like to think that this represents him having to follow (his family in the adventures) wherever he is being taken...whether he likes it all not.

I covered earlier the fact that that Joanna uses a combination of real actors & non-professional actors and I'm unsure if these were but there are two examples of how to 'cook' by two different individuals, regarding two different animals. I tell you this as it's amazing how in-depth these cooking lessons get, for both a lobster and a pheasant. It's almost an education in murder, of the animal kind.

It wouldn't be a good enough review if I didn't mention the character of Christopher, a landscape painter, who is on hand as a kind of spiritual guide. Apart from him perhaps playing an essential part in one or more of this family member's life and save for me trying to not think of The Fast Show whenever he was at his easel, I renamed him in my mind as 'Saint' Christopher.

Lastly, and it was a while before I noticed, there is zero music in the movie (or at least I didn't notice any) - its stripped bare of all such musical-ness. I guess it's lyrical-enough without music.

This film may not be for all those of this fragile world, but it is certainly for ones whom feel like they’re one of just many floating islands - or as the film poster word-description analyzes, “a group of scattered islands in a large body of water”.

The / A Road To Sampo

(Original review on N E W website:

http://www.MiniMiniMovie.com)

A Road To Sampo - 1975

(Sampoganeun Gil)

A road movie with more than it's share of comedy, drama & romance...and less a vehicle!

This was my third movie at the Korean Cultural Centre, London and the first one I'd seen there which was over 10 years old...well over in fact.

As always, I wasn't sure what to expect and deliberately didn't try to catch any trailers, clips or indeed reviews. I was more than pleasantly surprised.

It starts...Bleak. Partly because it is snowing and also quiet. I was thinking at this point "Is this going to be a little arty, almost Hong Sangsoo-esque?" and then my attitude changed & what with the snow plus slow beginning I began to think of it as a Korean "Doctor Zhivago" - but with humour, as indeed it wasn't long before I knew that this was not a film to be taken too seriously.

A couple of travelling men, bickering and journeying together. This was pleasant enough and the snow continued atmospherically throughout this period.

Enter a girl. Or did you see that coming..? And oh my, how her red coat juxtaposed against the snowy background. She is definitely the light in this couple's journey. She is a feisty girl - with a bit of a past, or indeed is it still her present having an effect? We are kept guessing as to whether she indeed is a tough-as-nails-character (she was once, or maybe still, a prostitute) or in search of the man of her dreams.

What follows is a love/hate relationship...but more so between the girl and younger of the two travellers. Turning bittersweet, for a better word.

The film uses music & atmosphere to create some unusual scenes whilst on this journey with this muddled threesome. Two scenes spring to mind, which incidentally one follows immediately after the other. To explain (without plot-spoiling)...

Scene A)

They require food and enter a funeral gathering (perhaps a wake, but not the sort we may experience here in the UK) and get involved surreally with dancing and singing - this scene is a out of place, but it works all the better for it. It is a kind of 'trippy' scene or at least couple be given the right substances. It could have been something from The Wicker Man...but without naked dancing. Incidentally, the younger of the men starts to act obviously out of character - Out of character for a funeral, you understand, but not necessarily for him! - followed by the rest of this thrifty threesome. This ultimately means they 'have to leave'...Which leads us to...

Scene B)

The girl, the older man and the younger are shown in slow motion in 'getaway-runaway' mode out in a snowy landscape, but they are displaying far from desperate faces. Quite the contrary. If this were not enough of a great shot, wait until I tell you this: It is told in almost silence & tranquility. Picture it if you will...although I hope you don't as I don't want to spoil the surprise or impact of such a scene.

The story continues and of course peoples' histories are half-uncovered as well as the obligatory mishap on the way.

One of the last scenes involves a train station as they each wait & obtain tickets for their intended journeys. This scene brings a little more humour but also much emotion - or at least it did for me.

All in all, what started out as a bleak and uncertain trip - both for these people and the film in itself - is finally evolved as A Road To Somewhere...

www.kccuk.org.uk

http://koreanfilm.co.uk

www.Twitter.com/KCCUK

www.Twitter.com/KoreanFilmFest

“Cold Fish (Tsumetai Nettaigyo)” - in Hot weather, at a Cool venue with a Warm reception

(Original review on N E W website:

http://www.MiniMiniMovie.com)

Film: Cold Fish (Tsumetai Nettaigyo)

Year: 2011

Director: Sion Sono

Venue: ICA, London

Further Info: http://www.ica.org.uk/

Cast:

Asuka Kurosawa

Denden

Makoto Ashikawa

Hikari Kajiwara

Megumi Kagurazaka

Mitsuru Fukikoshi

Tetsu Watanabe

Jyonmyon Pe

15:30 on a baking hot Saturday, ICA - London.

My second Japanese movie in 2011, I believe. The other? Confessions. So, if I ever purchase both that and Cold Fish on DVD I can file them in alphabetical order and they'll still be remembered together!

I deliberately didn’t read reviews, see trailers or even examine poster closely. I thought it was a comedy... I joke, of course.

OK, it IS a comedy of the blackest sort. It's a drama filled with horrific scenes which creep up on you. I would not say it's a horror and indeed I haven't really got into Japanese horrors - as yet - but essentially due to me not being a massive fan of the horror genre.

Not reading anything about this film proved - as always - a winner. That made my journey into the story and throughout it a more unexpected one. I can honestly say that I never thought it would go in the direction it did go in. Although, I must admit that even after the first 15 minutes I knew I would like this whatever type of story or genre it turned out to be - yes, even a horror should it so wish to become one.

I also knew little of Sion Sono, the director. He is best known for his four-hour epic “Love Exposure” - although I’m unsure if he’s best known for that movie due to it’s quality or it’s length!

[Mid-note: ...But "BASED ON TRUE EVENTS" - wow, are you kidding me?!]

It was being a little Pulp Fiction (character & setting-wise) in places but in a traditionally linear format ...save for one or two dream/flashback sequences...and these are brief.

Once it had got going, and as much as it confounded me still in these early stages, I then found hints of the movie Bound - it feels like it touches on almost mafia territory, in my eyes at least.

We are introduced to a little family unit (the male being Shamoto) and - without giving away the story - they're a family just like many others but whom run a shop, with fish for sale inside. But it's the way the scenes are shot, the music and the forthcoming tenseness & realism of the characters that grips you. It even, at first causes you to warm to them...all.

An intentionally extremely jolly older chap, Murata is introduced to Shamoto & family. He's so jolly that you have to suspect him of having an ulterior motive.

This man welcomes into his aquarium...well, ok its a shop which sells fish. A fish shop, you ask? Well, yes, ok. As he shows us and the family around his shop he comes across a little like Mr Willy Wonka - he's proud of his outlet and everything looks so colourful and grand. Thankfully no songs though unlike Mr Wonka himself.

Black comedy moments as well as dark or creepy character moments are served well by the music. Music is very minimal but put to great use when heard.

Now, it wouldn't be a Japanese film (or many Asian ones, in general) without it's fair share of, and splashes of sex-tinged scenes. Kinkiness abounds on occasion and so does, I would say an almost David Lynch-esque 'bed' scene.

The women are, needless to say entrancing or beautiful, or both. Even the daughter is as pretty and easy on the eyes as the others.

Also, a certain abusive scene or two are deliberately sensual or sexual. Sion Sono teasing with our conscience perhaps.

Talking of abusive, I've purposely avoided mentioning the actions in this film, but for those who like gore there is plenty of blood abound. I want to elaborate but you should be astounded and surprised in the same way that I was.

And... with blood comes death - but the way that someone may meet their death & their resting place is NOT what you'd be thinking, unless of course you've read elsewhere and in more detail about this movie.

I can say though, that it includes the worst use of Bic-type pen I've seen ever before in movies, or real life for that matter! [*laughs* then *sighs* but I'm sure I've seen something similar in a movie before, but just not as drastic as this].

All in all, go see it. Be shocked, mesmerised and entranced. It's a 'gut-wrenching' film...need I say more...