The Week in Film 14 – 20 November
With Bond still leading the pack at the box office his competitors are avoiding the multiplex for the moment. Probably the biggest release of the week (besides Max Payne) is the new Kevin Smith film Zack and Miri Make a Porno. Starring Seth Rogen and Elizabeth Banks, two friends decide to solve cash-low problems my making an adult movie together.
Based on the Noel Coward play and first adapted by Alfred Hitchcock, Easy Virtue is still running at the GFT this week. Starring Colin Firth and Jessica Biel, this comedy of manners centres upon the relationship between a young American girl and her English husband as his family meet her and try to end the relationship before it gets even more serious.
Hailing the top ten list of many a film critic, this week also sees a re-release of Italian classic, The Bicycle Thieves (1948) which tells the story of a poor man searching the streets of Rome for his stolen bicycle, which he needs to be able to work.
A retrospective of acclaimed Italian director Valerio Zurlini takes place this month with Black Jesus screening on Sunday. The film tells the story of three prisoners thrown together in jail who must endure torture in the Congo, one of whom could become a martyr if he dies.
At the Filmhouse there’s one of the more intriguing films out this month, The Baader Meinhof Complex. The film is from the same team behind Germany’s chilling 2004 flick on the last days of Hitler - Downfall - who this time look at the country’s terrorist group The Red Army Faction (RAF).
The Winter Festival of Central and East European Film continues throughout the week.
The Cameo will be showing acclaimed biopic Hunger from artist-turned-director Steve McQueen, based on the last six weeks in the life of Irish republican hunger striker Bobby Sands.
Probably the biggest film at the Cameo this week is Oliver Stone’s George W Bush biopic titled simply W. (and pronounced Dubya). There have been mixed reviews surrounding this one but there couldn’t be a better time to see how the outgoing president got where he is as Obama prepares to fill his shoes.
Of particular note at the DCA are two screenings of the Sergio Leone directed Clint Eastwood classic For a Few Dollars More on Monday and Tuesday, though both are afternoon screenings at 3.15pm and 6.00pm respectively.
Belmont Picturehouse, Aberdeen
The stunning, near poetic, Of Time and the City is on at the Belmont, alongside Quantum of Solace and more screenings of Mamma Mia! Clint Eastwood’s Oscar winner Unforgiven also screens on Wednesday, making it a busy week for Clint in Scottish cinemas.