The International (US-Germany-UK, 2009)

In the 1930s the Warners gangster cycle was sold as movies made off newspaper headlines. The International is, the end credits suggest, made off today’s headlines. I think that’s true except the newspapers don’t explain what’s behind the events; this film does. Based on the premise that international finance is corrupt (who’s going to argue [...]

The Band’s Visit (Bikur Ha-Tizmoret, Israel-France-US, 2007)

This is a beautifully observed ‘culture clash’ comedy, and when those cultures are Arabic and Israeli the resonances are large. Politics is largely absent but the Middle East conflict is so profound that it remains a loud subtext throughout. The film never becomes sentimental as the Egyptian band, marooned in Nowheresville, Israel, are befriended – [...]

Revolutionary Road (US-UK, 2008)

Great novel + terrific cast = mediocre movie; what went wrong? The direction.
In choosing widescreen Mendes is inviting comparison with the great ’50s melodramas of Ray and Minnelli and delivers a mise en scene virtually devoid of meaning other than ’setting’. Maybe choosing to shoot on location drastically limited what could be done but there [...]

Tropic Thunder (US-Germany, 2008)

Why is this film rubbish? Is it:

the representation of Laotians as simple, violent people?
Robert Downey’s mumbling so you can’t understand what he’s saying?
the non -development of the implications of Downey’s character blacking up?
the offensive representation of the agent’s son?
the cack-handed way the promising premise is developed?

All of these I think.

Cruel Intentions (US, 1999)

Director: Roger Kumble
Screenplay: Roger Kumble suggested by the novel Les Liaisons dangereuses
Editors: Jeff Freeman
Music: Edward Shearmur
Producers: Neal H Moritz
Cast: Sarah Michelle Gellar, Ryan Phillippe, Reese Witherspoon, Selma Blair.
At first glance Cruel Intentions is typical of High Concept films as it has a simple narrative idea, is an adaptation and uses well-known stars. However, as the [...]

Charlie’s Angels (US-Germany, 2000)

Director: McG
Screenplay: Ryan Rowe, Ed Solomon & John August
Editors: Wayne Wahrman & Peter Teschner
Music: Edward Shearmur
Producers: Leonard Goldberg, Drew Barrymore & Nancy Juvonen
Cast: Cameron Diaz, Drew Barrymore, Lucy Liu, Bill Murray, Sam Rockwell.
The essence of the High Concept, or potential blockbuster, movies is that it should be easy to sell to audiences (and, initially, the [...]

My Son the Fanatic (UK, 1997)

Director: Udayan Prasad
Screenplay: Hanif Kureishi
Editors: David Gamble
Music: Stephen Warbeck
Producers: Chris Curling
Cinematographer: Alan Almond
Cast: Om Puri, Rachel Griffiths and Stellan Skarsgard
Although Hanif Kureishi is a writer, his work has been regularly adapted for the screen. His work, starting with My Beautiful Laundrette (1985), has often attempted to offer a view on the ‘state of the nation’, [...]

Show Me Love (Fucking Amal, Denmark-Sweden, 1998)

Director: Lukas Moodysson
Screenplay: Lukas Moodysson
Editors: Michal Leszczylowski & Bernhard Winkler
Music Mixer: Morten Holm
Producers: Lars Jonsson
Cinematographer: Ulf Brantas
Cast: Alexandra Dahlstrom, Rebecca Lijeberg, Erica Carlson & Mathias Rust
Naturalism began in the theatre as a form that tried to erase the obvious contrivance of the medium by constructing the ‘fourth wall’ and so rendering the audience invisible to [...]

Sex and Lucia (Sexo y Lucia (Spain-France, 2001)

Director – Julio Medem
Producer – Fernand Bovaira, Enrique Lopez Lavigne
Script – Julio Medem
Art Direction – Montse Sanz
Cinematography – Kiko de la Rica
Music – Alberto Iglesias
Cast – Paz Vega, Tristan Ulloa, Najwa Nimri, Daniel Freire
Running time 128 mins.
Narrative, and shifting identities, are themes that run through Medem’s films which, along with his striking visual style, have [...]

Touch of Evil (US, 1958)

As director of Sight & Sound’s perennial ‘greatest movie of all time’, Citizen Kane, Welles is guaranteed a place in the pantheon of great directors. That film was to prove a millstone around his neck and he may never have fulfilled his promise. However, despite this, he is undoubtedly one of the greatest directors. Kane [...]