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Greek Adventures: Photos from Crete

Saturday, October 11, 2014
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Film Premiere and Review - What We Did On Our Holiday

What We Did On Our Holiday was billed as British comedy at its best, and I watched this creation from the Outnumbered creators with high expectations. What We Did... definitely did not disappoint. Why? Well, let's dig in.

I attended the world premiere in Leicester Square, and sharing the cinema screen with screen legends like Billy Connolly and Clive Anderson was a bit daunting to begin with. My inner fangirl will tell you that me and David Tennant shared many a moment of lingering eye contact (he was my childhood crush after all), but in reality it was more awkward eye contact with the now-very-tall Daniel Roche, aka Ben from Outnumbered, and accidentally obstructing Ben Miller on the red carpet. Inside the cinema, it was great having a full cinema of laughter (the unashamed laughter of screen greats and screen enthusiasts like myself!)

as it is a very, very, very funny film.

Laughter is not all you can expect, however. I am very cautious not to give away too much about What We Did..., for reasons you will surely find out upon watching the film yourself. It follows the story of Doug and Abi McLeod and their three children travelling to the beautiful Scottish Highlands. The story of a dysfunctional family is explored within the first five minutes of screen time and as time goes on, you discover more and more secrets and lies and troubles and rivalries that many families may be able to identify with. Yes, there are clever quips and hilarious scenes which will make you cry (yes, cry) with laughter, but there's also a lot of serious issues. The underlying theme, I found, is the questioning of the idea that 'grown-ups' are the sensible ones and the kids are the silly ones. What if the roles were reversed? What if it all changes with a holiday?

David Tennant and Rosamund Pike do a great job as the parents - the woman of the moment is definitely Pike, who is making headlines with her upcoming performance in Gone Girl. Billy Connolly is also hilarious as the kooky grandfather with his inner child and the cheeky spark in his eye. Ben Miller and Celia Imrie play their characters well; look out for a particular YouTube viral moment courtesy of Imrie... However, many critics will agree that the stars of the show are the kids, who reminded me so strongly of young Karen from Outnumbered. (Speaking of whom, a very grown-up looking Ramona Marquez was in my row sporting a funky black and blonde hair-do. I digress...) Although they are slightly, dare I say it, annoying at times, they are truly great performers with a raw honesty you simply cannot find with all child actors.

What We Did... is not only clever in script, but also in the way it deals with everything it deals with. Sure, it is definitely not perfect and I still struggle to sum up the "gist" of the film, and there are many elements that would make strong TV and therefore feels somewhat experimental in a 90-odd minute film...but it could not possibly take away from the fact that it was a very enjoyable film. It's crazy and insane and a brainturner (if that is a word), and predictable at times. Yet it still manages to deal with real family issues in a different way which will make you simultaneously chuckle whilst internally yelling "what on earth!?". Things are frank and surprisingly dark, but then again, life is frank. Families are not perfect - even if David Tennant is your father. I mentioned at the start that it has been billed as a comedy, but it also has many elements of a drama. It'll make you think, rethink, laugh, cry, cry of laughter and every bizarre emotion inbetween. Which makes it kinda great, if you think about it.

A few snaps from the premiere...

Friday, October 03, 2014
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Film Review - Pride

film review. mark ashton

Monday, September 15, 2014
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Let's hear it for new music!

ariana grande

Tuesday, August 12, 2014
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Film Premiere and Review - Supermensch: The Legend of Shep Gordon

alice cooper

I've never actually watched a documentary film at the cinema, but when I heard about Mike Myer's directorial debut in the form of Supermensch: The Legend of Shep Gordon, I was intrigued. 1) Who on earth is Shep Gordon? and 2) What sort of storytelling takes 90 minutes? I attended the premiere at the BFI, and went along to the fancy champagne reception beforehand with the "legend" Mr Gordon himself. He seems like a friendly chap, and he is very tanned.

But back to 1) Who on earth is Shep Gordon? Well, Wikipedia will tell you that he is an American talent manager. Quite frankly, his page does not do him justice in the slightest. After the first 5 minutes, I realised why 2) requires 90 minutes. To put it simply, Supermensch is Shep Gordon telling stories. "Storytelling!?" I hear you cry. And yes, stories telling how Shep invented the whole "celebrity chef" thing. And how he was behind the weird antics of Alice Cooper. And how the only reason he became a manager is because of a chance encounter with Jimi Hendrix and Janis Joplin. Over the course of his impressive (and incredibly accidental) career, he managed Luther Vandross and even Pink Floyd. Oh, and he is buddies with The Dalai Lama. Basically, it soon becomes apparent that Shep can fit more than enough Hollywood anecdotes before the closing credits.

Aided by interviews with stars like Michael Douglas, Sylvester Stallone and Anne Murray, the life and times of Shep Gordon are illustrated by compelling archive footage. Myers cleverly kinda-matches the footage with vaguely-corresponding narration. Of course, not all the right footage exists, but you become so entranced by the story itself that you overlook the re-enactments. The whole film is a weird combination, but it works.

Shep's story is a personal one too, speaking honestly about his desire to have a family. You soon realise that the glamorous world of Hollywood is a lonely one, and even though this is a guy whose main job is to make headlines through the wackiest experimental methods, acknowledges that he does not actually like fame. Ooer. His laidback approach has a friendliness about it, in a world that can be notoriously cutthroat.

I'll admit that I'm not used to watching films like this one...there is no action stand-off or character breakdown or massive plot twist to keep me on the edge of my seat. So yep, my attention dithered at times but that may just be me and my uh, lack of attention. And I was admittedly a bit out of my depth during the 70s music biz stuff. Moving on...

The film is well made, and will attract the die-hard fans of Hollywood legends and music buffs alike. It's not my usual film choice, but I'm glad I had the pleasure of sharing in the story. Questions 1) and 2) were quickly answered too.

Oh, and also, the film is very, very funny.

Shep Gordon at the premiere's Q&A. Amazingly still managed to share hilarious anecdotes that weren't featured in the film.

Thursday, July 24, 2014
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Film Premiere and Review - Pudsey the Dog: The Movie

amanda holden

Woof woof, there's a new star in tinseltown and it's a dancing dog! The adorable Pudsey shot to fame in series 6 of Britain's Got Talent in 2012, and straight into the nation's dog-loving hearts. I mean, who could resist a dog that cute!? Not forgetting his (human) owner/trainer Ashleigh too, who is Pudsey's other half but is slightly less cute... Anyway, Pudsey is now back in the spotlight with his very own movie. Produced by Simon Cowell (who else?), it sees Pudsey causing mischief and mayhem in the countryside as he helps save the village and save the day. A tried and tested formula for a classic family movie - and it can't hurt by adding a cute dog to the mix. The movie Wikipedia page is looking a bit bare at the moment, so I'll do my best to fill you in...

I had the pleasure of attending the premiere, which was executed to the theme extremely well. Kudos to the PR people for that. A "be the star of the poster" photoshoot, kids getting their caricature done, free bone-shaped biscuits and much more. For the first time in a while, I felt like a kid again. Hell, I ran straight for the biscuits! Anyway, Leicester Square had a healthy buzz of fans waving Pudsey flags (kudos again), and saw the return of other BGT faces like this year's winners Collabro. Funny story, whilst picking up my tickets in the hotel lobby, I was actually standing around with said winners without realising. Unfortunately, they're more difficult to recognise when they're not all standing together side by side and singing Les Mis songs. I digress; back to the review...

I won't paint you a picture of perfection. Pudsey: The Movie, when you strip it down, is a basic film - but then again, what did you expect? The formerly stray dog are taken in by a family who have packed up and moved to the fictional rural Chuffington. There's the mum (Jessica Hynes), teenage daughter Molly (Izzy Meikle-Small) and sons George and Tommy. And of course, the latest troublemaking family member Pudsey, voiced by a very enthusiastic David Walliams. You have to applaud the cast for creating a vaguely believable family, and bringing a voiceless dog to life. Logically, Pudsey vocalises his thoughts only - I don't think the world is quite ready for a dancing and talking animal just yet. Having said that, I found his voice very distracting at times. It's quintessentially Walliams. It's funny, but not necessarily in the way the producers intended... You have to appreciate the whole BGTness, if anything. Although I have to strongly add that even though Amanda Holden is strongly billed across all the trailers and bus posters, she is the voice of a dog for about... 3 lines?

The film is filled with sweet moments, even if they don't always actually make sense. The importance of family love, friendship and loyalty. But I don't think a film like Pudsey is looking to go that deep. There are breakdancing dogs, dogs running wild around London, massively exaggerated villains (so exaggerated, they may as well have added the mandatory prosthetic nose with the warts), communicating animals including a pig who thinks he's a hen... The kids in the cinema giggled uncontrollably at the childish jokes, so I think the crude quips and poo jokes went down well with the target audience. The adults can quietly chuckle whilst counting the number of dog-related puns the producers managed to fit in, and the ode to Babe and other animal in-jokes. And one very questionable innuendo. Moving on...

Many critics seem to have been very quick to universally pan this Hollywoof film. I can't completely agree, because I did enjoy myself and I did enjoy the film. It made me laugh and it made me smile, and I didn't go into the cinema expecting 90%+ on Rotten Tomatoes or anything. It's a feel-good family film and I think it ticks enough boxes to do just that. As soon as you accept that this is a silly harmless film aimed at kids, you realise it's not necessarily a film you should tear apart with your paws and claws and all. Sure, the storyline is predictable, but I can appreciate the Pudsey camera tricks, and a fun 90- minute adventure which manages to utilise the dog's dance abilities. Also, credit to Ashleigh who is out of the spotlight but is equally as important. (And truthfully I did leave the cinema slightly biased thanks to the free fruit bowls.) I'm not sure if you're still feeling the "OMG IT'S A DANCING DOG" hype, but if you have kids, take them along and they'll have a blast. If not, I hear Dawn of the Planet of the Apes is out now!?

Friday, July 18, 2014
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Film review: The Fault in our Stars

ansel elgort

I write this review fresh from the cinema, tear-stained face, red eyes and all. The thing is, The Fault in our Stars is one of those films where you walk into the light of the real world beyond the screen, still filled with emotion and breathlessness. This is something I'm excited to write about, with the film still very raw in my recent memory. I mean, for ages we've all heard critics raving about how wonderful the book is, but seeing how that is translated onto the big screen is a whole other story. (I've tried to keep this as spoiler-free as possible, but if you're reading this and debating whether or not to see the film, go see that first then come back soon!)

The Fault in our Stars is a film adaptation of John Green's bestselling novel, all about living and dying, and the love story of 16 year old Hazel Grace Lancaster and Augustus Waters. She's a thyroid cancer patient who recognises that her time is limited, and he's now cancer-free following a leg amputation. I read TFIOS only several weeks ago, and this was after months and months of repeatedly being recommended it but still putting it off. I guess you could say I am part of the target audience of this book/film, and you'd be absolutely right. I felt all the emotions the author John Green (subtly) poured into the soul of the book and their protagonists Hazel and Augustus. The characters, despite their tragic experiences with cancer, offer a refreshing view to such an often-taboo subject. He's a leather jacket sporting guy, whose refusal to light a cigarette is poignant. Written as a confident, good-looking and optimistic teenager, he lifts the main character, Hazel Grace Lancaster, into a place filled with metaphors and wisdom beyond their years.

Ansel Elgort was not how I initially imagined Augustus after reading the book, but I was completely won over by his performance in the film. It's so easy to believe that he is crazy in love with Hazel; an Ansel smile and those puppy dog eyes are all it takes (am I being a little biased here?). The film revolves around the two individuals, as well as their relationship, and Augustus is so much more than a pretty-faced love interest. Ansel captures the likeable essence of Gus, from the intelligent humour and take on life, to the vulnerabilities. And of course there's the incredible performance from Shailene Woodley in yet another remarkable role. Again, writing from a fan-of-the-book perspective, I couldn't have thought up a better translation from script to screen. From a critical point of view too, she's spot on. From the quips, the stand-off with "douche-pants" Peter van Houten, the "little infinities" speech (which had me in hysterics) to the tears which never give away fabrication of any sort. The chemistry between the two is more than believable. In a world where films about teenage romance are literally everywhere, this is an example of where teenage romance is so genuine, and you're rooting for them not just because the director wants you to. Both actors arguably have their stars on the rise. They're like a rollercoaster that keeps going up....

Hazel's narratives in the film work well to include Hazel's musings in the book. They're littered here and there but not powerful enough to detract from what's going on, plus there's something awfully honest in Woodley's voice alone. For example, "I fell in love the way you fall asleep: slowly, and then all at once." What a bloomin' good metaphor. Readers of TFIOS will recognise passages word-for-word, and then realise that the film is actually (unlike many others) very faithful to the original material. It works; it's complete, like putting a face to a name. There are minor changes I observed (namely the ex-girlfriend, a few minor characters, and a slight technicality with the ending), but nothing too extreme or controversial. The supporting characters, particularly Isaac and Hazel's parents, are also well cast with the flawed mother-daughter relationship being surprisingly human and real.

I can't complete this review without a brief comment on the soundtrack. This includes a nice accreditation for Vivaldi, and other more-popularised tracks such as Charli XCX's Boom Clap, Kodaline's All I Want (which has me on the edge of tears when I hear it on a happy day), and obviously the credits song All of the Stars by Ed Sheeran. They all offer an emotion, whether joy or heartbreak, in perfect harmony with the film.

I won't go on about the emotional side to it. It's a film about cancer, it's a well-known tearjerker, and most people go in with an inkling (or full knowledge) of what's going to happen. Yet there's still something about the combination of everything (the simplicity of the filmmaking, the music, the acting) which delivers the punch harder than you're expecting it.

Of course I can't comment on the perspective of those watching without having read the book, which I expect would have been many. Since I like the novel, and made references to it in order to fill in any gaps, I was able to let things slide - like the way Gus is so into her before they've even met, with the whole eye contract across the room thing, and so idealistically upfront about it. Is that realistic, or is that just my hopeless romantic side wishing wistfully? Ok, making out in the Anne Frank House is not a clever idea (but the readings of the diary in the background make it make sense), and the Peter van Houten/An Imperial Affliction part is probably not explained well enough to those who have no idea who Anna is.

TFIOS is by no means a perfect film, but I do think the essence of the book was captured well, the acting brought the characters to life, and I was more than satisfied as a reader watching a film adaptation of a good book. Ok, so the "girl meets boy and they fall in love story but there's a twist" is a little predictable and I understand if viewers find it all a bit cheesy. But if you can see past that, you can witness a beautifully-told celebration of defying the things that threaten you, the fragility of living and more importantly, the magic and honesty of falling in love for the first time, and living in the face of dying.

Tuesday, July 01, 2014
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Pages

Greek Adventures: Photos from Crete

Film Premiere and Review - What We Did On Our Holiday

Film Review - Pride

Let's hear it for new music!

Film Premiere and Review - Supermensch: The Legend of Shep Gordon

Film Premiere and Review - Pudsey the Dog: The Movie

Film review: The Fault in our Stars

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