CineDaily – 25 Feb: Girlhood, Land Ho!, today's reviews and more
Surprise...
It’s Wednesday of the second week of Glasgow Film Festival, so that can mean only one thing: it’s Surprise Movie time!
This is my favourite night of the fest, when I take my seat completely in the dark as to what I’m going to watch for the next 100 minutes or so until GFF co-director Allison Gardner, like a Caledonian Cilla Black, reveals the surprise. In the age of internet hype and teaser trailers 12 months before films are released, it’s such a pleasure going into a movie in complete ignorance.
Of course, people love to play the guessing game. If you've been hanging around GFT’s cafe or the Saramago terrace bar at CCA, you’re sure to have heard some theories, from Terrence Malick's Knight of Cups to the upcoming Spongebob Squarepants 3D movie. My advice: sink into your seat, relax and be surprised at the pictures for once.
Two of my favourite Surprise Film experiences:
Surprise Film 2011 (13 Assassins): There was an audible groan when the opening credits for 2011's Surprise Film started to roll: they were in Japanese, and obviously a fair proportion of the crowd were not up for a night of art house cinema 'in foreign'. A burly lad behind me actually said the words, “Aww, I hate reading.” You could hear people debating with their dates whether to stay or go; some headed for the exit within seconds of the movie starting up. But something magical happened after about five minutes – swords started to swing and limbs started to fly. It began to dawn on those in the room who thought they were allergic to subtitled cinema that they were no longer in for an austere Far East snorefest – this was a Takashi Miike film and there would be blood. Lots of it!
Surprise Film 2013 (Spring Breakers): On this occasion I’d actually seen the film already, but that didn’t diminish the fun in the slightest. The joy of this screening was watching the crowd. Particularly fun was gauging the reaction of a sweet older couple in the front row. I thought the film’s T&A opening montage, where well-endowed young women gyrate in slow motion as lager is poured over their naked breasts, would shock them – they didn’t bat an eyelid. Maybe the intentionally banal opening act might get their goat, where four trite teenage girls gripe about their first world problems (they can’t afford to head to Miami for spring break) – they were not bothered a jot. What about the scene where James Franco's ridiculous gangsta rapper character fellates two handguns? Didn’t faze them in the slightest. And by the time Franco was sitting by a swimming pool playing a grand piano and crooning a Britney Spears ballad, they were roaring with laughter along with the rest of the audience.
Win Tickets to Eden and Closing Gala Force Majure
Cast your vote for your favourite film at this year's Glasgow Film Festival, and you could win tickets to the closing film Force Majeure, or Mia Hansen-Løve's latest film Eden.
To find out more, click here.
TODAY'S HIGHLIGHTS
Murder on the Orient Express
Trades Hall, 7pm
After six straight days of watching movies you’ll want to exercise those little grey cells of yours. What better way than a murder mystery night set to Sidney Lumet’s star-stuffed Agatha Christie adaptation? Dress to impress and watch your back, the murderer(s) could be anyone!
GFF Surprise Film
GFT, 8.45pm
The GFF brochure assures us that this year’s surprise film will definitely not be Star War Episode VII. But doth the lady protest too much? Only one way to find out…
Ólafur Arnalds plays Broadchurch
O2 ABC, 7pm
Give your peepers a rest as composer Ólafur Arnalds performs his score to ITV’s much-loved crime drama.
X+Y
GFT, 6pm
(The kid from Hugo [Asa Butterfield] + Timothy Spall’s progeny [Rafe]) x math genius plot = Beautifully acted and uplifting coming-of-age drama.
FILM OF THE DAY: Land Ho! [3.40pm]
Aaron Katz swaps the aimless 20-somethings of his earlier films (Cold Weather, Quiet City) for a pair of 60-somethings, who turn out to be similarly directionless, in his joyous comedy Land Ho!
Read our interview with Land Ho! co-director Katz, whose film won the John Cassavetes prize at the recent Independent Spirit Awards: “I’m interested in people at crossroads. Whether you’re 25 or 65, I think that we always think that in five years from now we’re going to be settled, an adult, but in the film they’re realising, ‘Oh, we’re in our 60s and things can still change.’”
#GFF15 VIDEOS AND INTERVIEWS
Girl Power: Céline Sciamma on Girlhood
Despite their similar titles, Girlhood is not a female version of Richard Linklater's recent coming-of-ager. Director Céline Sciamma's take on adolescence is far less cosy, but just as emotionally resonant: “There have always been violent women, we just don’t talk about it. We don’t want women to know about their history of violence because it would be a story of their struggle.” (Read full interview...)
William McIlvanney talks about his life as a writer
William McIlvanney provided a classic Glasgow Film Festival Q&A following the premiere of Maurice O’Brien’s Living with Words, which profiles the author, who has become known as the godfather of tartan noir. The dapper McIlvanney proves a charasmatic raconteur, with great stories about how he got started in the writing business and the difference in the reaction he gets between fans in Glasgow and in Edinburgh. Watch it right to the end to hear a stirring poem dedicated to his mother.
Alan Rickman brings A Little Chaos to Glasgow Film Festival
Legendary thespian Alan Rickman (Die Hard, Galaxy Quest) returns to movie directing after a 17-year hiatus (evidently Harry Potter has been keeping him very busy) with period romp A Little Chaos. Rickman himself takes the role of King Louis, and injects the film with lashings of knowing wit. At the film's Scottish premiere, Rickman sat down with Glasgow Film Festival co-director Allan Hunter to discuss why it's taken him so long to get behind the camera again, his unconventional casting choices and the difficulty of directing one’s self.
OUR REVIEWS OF TODAY'S FILMS
Girlhood: "The film’s biggest strength lies in Sciamma’s magic touch with young actresses: the cast of first-timers give uniformly excellent performances, with Karidja Touré and Assa Sylla in particular showing a real star quality." (Read full review...) | GFT, 12.45pm
Life in a Fishbowl: "It’s a film of dark material with flickers of soulful hope amid its doom and gloom, and it’s these moments that help it transcend its more routine elements." (Read full review...) | GFT, 11am
Dearest: "Dearest’s premise promises despair, and it certainly delivers this in spades. Earlier on this is channeled through conventional, frills-free filmmaking, but roughly halfway through comes one riveting and horrifying sequence that suddenly upends the entire structure." (Read full review...) | GFT, 8.15pm
Twitter Chat
Craig (@FoxToTheFuture)
'Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior' on IMAX was phenomenal! Awesome experience. They should play more classics in IMAX. #GFF15 @glasgowfilmfest
Alistair Harkness (@aliharkness)
Listening to Brian May's MAD MAX score & getting super-psyched for tonight's @glasgowfilmfest screening of THE ROAD WARRIOR. #MadIMAX #GFF15
Martin Bell (@martinjbell)
White God and Catch Me Daddy have been the highlight of my #GFF15 so far @glasgowfilmfest
Matthew Turner (@FilmFan1971)
Might have something in eye after Boychoir at @glasgowfilmfest. #MANLYTEARS #GFF15