I’ve not posted in a while, and to anyone who is actually
reading, I apologise. But now I’m back I fancied sharing my recent trip to
Edinburgh International Film Festival with you all, I travelled down for 4 days
on a college trip and spent 2 full days in the marvellous and inspiring city.
Which, as you can probably tell, I enjoyed. I also managed to fit in six films
in three nights; when booking my tickets I tried to be experimental with the
nationalities and genres of film that I chose to watch, and although I probably
could have done a better job at diversifying, I feel that I made some pretty
good choices. I’m just going to give a bit of a low down on some of the ones I
watched, trying to give them a quick review. I saw quite a few films, so it
will probably be a bit of a long post.
The first that I watched was Magic Magic, this was one of my
favourite choices from the offset admittedly due to it’s star credential of
Juno Temple; who I think may be one to look out for within more mainstream
films in future years if given the right role and opportunity. It also stared
Michael Cera, and like most of his films he was type casted as a more socially
awkward and sex driven teenage boy. However, this film had its thriller vibes
running through and even ended up giving me the creeps towards the end with a
voodoo ceremony. The film contained both the English language as well as
Spanish and in places was difficult to follow, due to the nature of the story.
Which, I honestly would not be able to describe to you, without a long explanation
of pretty much every scene. So lets just say, that Juno Temples character
Alicia, is travelling in Chile with her friend and her native friends but
begins to experience very odd and physiological events. That again, I would
find difficult to explain. It was a weird film, one that you finish watching,
turn to those around you and just say “What?!” and the ending did not help
matters either. A lovely cliff-hanger for us to enjoy. As a whole, if you fancy
having a lot to think about after a film, then this might be the one for you.
But it was also, very slow paced so even though it didn’t even make it to the
100 minute mark, you’d be surprised what that time actually felt like! But
Temple and Cera were brilliant, although their characters may have been a
little off putting, they were played the correct and believable way you could
only ask for.
The next film I went to see on the first night was Pluto, a
South Korean film, focused around an elite private school and a murder which
took place there. But it is not your typical “whodunit” movie, it is told from
the point of view of Kim June in flashback form, Kim June is the believed
killer by the police yet the story is told with him holding certain students
from the school hostage to let out his side of the story. The deceased Yujin
Taylor, was the top student in the school, and the film focuses on both his
struggle to stay on top whilst others, including Kin June tried to take his
place in order to find a better life for themselves at University. I think that
the basis for the story was a good one, an interesting view on school “cliques”
as well as a very severe and advanced one. Cliques which are so high and
mighty, that they will do anything to stay at the top including murder. It was
a film which I did thoroughly enjoy, and would most defiantly watch again. Even
to people who are put off by foreign language film, GO AND SEE IT! You might
enjoy it.
PEAKY BLINDERS! What can I say? I’m super excited about this
one. They were screening the first two episodes of an upcoming BBC tv show due
to be airing in the autumn. You heard about it here first guys, a must watch!
Based in Birmingham just after the war, Peaky Blinders is in fact a local gang who
are both dominant but reluctant in their ability to control everything. From
the first two episodes, it can be grasped that the life for the lads of this
gang is not going to be easy with both the law and rival gangs after them. What
I can say for this one, is that as soon as it begins to air, I shall be getting
the popcorn ready and setting it to series link so that I do not miss an
episode. It also stars Cillian Murphy, If that entices anyone anymore. Before
this screening, the director shared a few words with those in the cinema, I
remember vividly him saying that he was excited for it to be shown at Edinburgh
first in a cinema screening, as this is how he wanted his vision to be seen;
rather than on a home television set. I was lucky enough to experience this,
and I can fully agree that it was cinematically very good and as a TV show may
not be done justice by the way it will now be seen. Just remember this if you
do in fact decide to watch it later on in the year. Which you should!
The final film that I will share with you, was I think, my
favourite of the ones I watched at the festival. “UWANTME2KILLHIM?” Although I
am not a massive fan of the title, and the excessive use of text abbreviation
(which I’ll get over, because when it was set, it was a big thing) I still
enjoyed this film. Based on a true story of two teenage boys, Mark, (who we’ll
call “Mr Gullible”) seems to be obsessed with internet chartrooms, and with the
story set in 2003 with this new technology all the rage, who can blame him. I
don’t want to say too much about this film, as if I remember correctly there
was a plot twist which I do not want to give away. So in terms of story, I
shall quote its description from the EIFF app “A suspenseful tale of adolescent
obsessions and shifting identities” which I think is pretty much spot on. This
is also what I will call a must watch, maybe not 5 star, but it’s a film which
will begin to make you contemplate your use of the internet as well as question
other peoples, one that you won’t want to miss.
I’ve not posted in a while, and to anyone who is actually
reading, I apologise. But now I’m back I fancied sharing my recent trip to
Edinburgh International Film Festival with you all, I travelled down for 4 days
on a college trip and spent 2 full days in the marvellous and inspiring city.
Which, as you can probably tell, I enjoyed. I also managed to fit in six films
in three nights; when booking my tickets I tried to be experimental with the
nationalities and genres of film that I chose to watch, and although I probably
could have done a better job at diversifying, I feel that I made some pretty
good choices. I’m just going to give a bit of a low down on some of the ones I
watched, trying to give them a quick review. I saw quite a few films, so it
will probably be a bit of a long post.
The first that I watched was Magic Magic, this was one of my
favourite choices from the offset admittedly due to it’s star credential of
Juno Temple; who I think may be one to look out for within more mainstream
films in future years if given the right role and opportunity. It also stared
Michael Cera, and like most of his films he was type casted as a more socially
awkward and sex driven teenage boy. However, this film had its thriller vibes
running through and even ended up giving me the creeps towards the end with a
voodoo ceremony. The film contained both the English language as well as
Spanish and in places was difficult to follow, due to the nature of the story.
Which, I honestly would not be able to describe to you, without a long explanation
of pretty much every scene. So lets just say, that Juno Temples character
Alicia, is travelling in Chile with her friend and her native friends but
begins to experience very odd and physiological events. That again, I would
find difficult to explain. It was a weird film, one that you finish watching,
turn to those around you and just say “What?!” and the ending did not help
matters either. A lovely cliff-hanger for us to enjoy. As a whole, if you fancy
having a lot to think about after a film, then this might be the one for you.
But it was also, very slow paced so even though it didn’t even make it to the
100 minute mark, you’d be surprised what that time actually felt like! But
Temple and Cera were brilliant, although their characters may have been a
little off putting, they were played the correct and believable way you could
only ask for.
PEAKY BLINDERS! What can I say? I’m super excited about this
one. They were screening the first two episodes of an upcoming BBC tv show due
to be airing in the autumn. You heard about it here first guys, a must watch!
Based in Birmingham just after the war, Peaky Blinders is in fact a local gang who
are both dominant but reluctant in their ability to control everything. From
the first two episodes, it can be grasped that the life for the lads of this
gang is not going to be easy with both the law and rival gangs after them. What
I can say for this one, is that as soon as it begins to air, I shall be getting
the popcorn ready and setting it to series link so that I do not miss an
episode. It also stars Cillian Murphy, If that entices anyone anymore. Before
this screening, the director shared a few words with those in the cinema, I
remember vividly him saying that he was excited for it to be shown at Edinburgh
first in a cinema screening, as this is how he wanted his vision to be seen;
rather than on a home television set. I was lucky enough to experience this,
and I can fully agree that it was cinematically very good and as a TV show may
not be done justice by the way it will now be seen. Just remember this if you
do in fact decide to watch it later on in the year. Which you should!
The final film that I will share with you, was I think, my
favourite of the ones I watched at the festival. “UWANTME2KILLHIM?” Although I
am not a massive fan of the title, and the excessive use of text abbreviation
(which I’ll get over, because when it was set, it was a big thing) I still
enjoyed this film. Based on a true story of two teenage boys, Mark, (who we’ll
call “Mr Gullible”) seems to be obsessed with internet chartrooms, and with the
story set in 2003 with this new technology all the rage, who can blame him. I
don’t want to say too much about this film, as if I remember correctly there
was a plot twist which I do not want to give away. So in terms of story, I
shall quote its description from the EIFF app “A suspenseful tale of adolescent
obsessions and shifting identities” which I think is pretty much spot on. This
is also what I will call a must watch, maybe not 5 star, but it’s a film which
will begin to make you contemplate your use of the internet as well as question
other peoples, one that you won’t want to miss.