The Beasts Of the Southern Wild

This is a quick review, as I do believe the film really speaks for itself, and you should see it. Beasts of the Southern Wild, what a wonderful, thought provoking beautiful film. The acting is superb, and the soundtrack is fantastic (so much so I bought it) don’t read anything about it, just see it. I predict it winning awards, and if it doesn’t I will be outraged J

The whole universe depends on everything fitting together just right. If one piece busts, even the smallest piece... the whole universe will get busted.

Your dog is alive!!

Aww Frankenweenie, where have you been all my life? And I have almost been waiting all my life for this, as it is almost 30 years ago since Burton made the original short film. This is the film that Tim Burton has been waiting to make for a long time. When he worked for Disney as an illustrator he made a short live action version of the story, and well, they were not amused (They fired him).  So he has now revisited the story and made it into a stop motion animation, filmed in black and white and played out in 3D. And it really works perfectly. The black and white nods back to the old horror films (as does the story) and the 3D works so well with the puppets (are they referred to as puppets? More like little works of art). It’s beautiful, scary and you can really feel the passion and emotion that Burton has put into this, it really is his pet project. There were several moments when I had to hold back the tears too (I get emotional when people’s pets die, and that’s not a spoiler!)

Winona Ryder has lent her voice to an awkward gothic young girl, dressed in the customary black Burtonesque outfit. Ryder seems to be forever trapped as the girl in Beetlejuice - representing every person who was a little bit odd as a child- and this is how she should remain forever.

The film is a wonderful homage to 1930s horror movies, and you even get a glimpse of Christopher Lee. For me this was one of the best, if not the best, Tim Burton films, as it captures his style and passion perfectly.  I read one review saying that all his films were too ‘samey’ and he needed to do something different. Of course he has a style, like many other artists and film makers, and Burton should keep doing what he’s doing, he does it well J

56th London Film Festival

Yes it’s that time of year, one of the highlights of it in fact, and I’m so so excited. From frantically logging on in Verona to find out the film programme (Always completely pointless as I haven’t even heard of most of them) to lying awake sleepless the night before the tickets go on sale, it’s been a rollercoaster ride already!

Firstly the ticket process this year, BFI, you have excelled yourselves. Never has a booking system been so easy. I spent hours going through the film programme, listing the films I wanted to see, then numbering them by priority, so that when I logged on I knew which ticket to try and book first. Well this wasn’t necessary, as I managed to get tickets to everything I wanted! A good thing for me, not so much for the bank balance, and I was left £200 shorter. (Is it acceptable to spend that much on cinema tickets?)

So what is it about the film festival that I love? Well firstly, it’s getting to see films that haven’t been hyped yet. I get to pick the films I want to see, and I’m not swayed by adverts and publicity. I try not to see the film trailers before I book the tickets, preferably before I see the film, I just read up on the films and make my decision. I try and go for a broad range, a foreign film, a silent film, a classic, and a few that look like they may be blockbusters, usually chosen because of the actors or directors involved. This way I get a broad view of the films.

Last year I only got 4 tickets as it was still the ballot system. I also managed to miss one film (forgetting to go to a gala premiere of 50/50, not my best night ever) I felt really detached from the festival, so this year I made sure that I really went for it, and had films from start to finish (helps to get  the opening night and the closing night)

Most films I come across by chance and I’ve been really lucky. Last year, complete with hangover on a Sunday afternoon I staggered to Leicester Square to see a black and white silent movie that no one had heard of. It turned out to be The Artist. The year before mum phoned me to tell me that Colin Firth had a new film out that was meant to be quite good, so I got us both tickets. This turned out to be the King’s Speech.

I love getting to see the films before everyone else, but it can also be very frustrating, trying to tell people about amazing films that they’ve never heard of – six months later they will love them

So sit back, relax, have a glass of wine but no food please, and enjoy the movies.......