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Brixton Ritzy - upcoming films, reviews and opinions

Salvo

This was on at Ritzy over the last week.

Its had mixed reviews. I saw it on the off chance.

I really liked it. What puts this above the average mafia film is the cinematography. Which is inventive and outstanding. Some shots reminded me of art cinema. It is good to see a film that uses cinematography well. Its been criticized for being more style than substance. I disagree. Cinema is a visual medium and this film makes full use of that.

It also is like a spaghetti western. Its a dark brooding film. More about Salvos existential crisis. Everyone in the film is trapped in some way. As the Mafia Don, who employs Salvo as a bodyguard, implies are they the walking dead? Correctly some reviews have said there is an influence of Melville. The great French director. So its not a social realist film its psychological to the point of being slightly surreal.

Its more slow paced than the trailer. Which is a point in its favour.

How is it Italian men always look effortlessly stylish? Talked to someone I know who lived in Italy for a while. She says that’s how there are.
 
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"The Raid2"


I saw the first film "The Raid" when it came out and was impressed. This did so well that the director made another. This second film does not work as well. It has its moments. Which are the fighting scenes. The first film was full on mayhem. Simple premise well done.

I think the mistake this time was to try and put more plot in. What it did was borrow from other directors. Tarantino and Nicolas Winding Refn.

From Refn was some of the cinematography from Only God Forgives. Which worked. Some quite surreal indoor scenes I liked. From Tarantino women fighting. Always a turn on watching women being violent.

So there is "Hammer Girl" and "Baseball Bat Man" ( as listed in credits.) There is great scene of Hammer Girl taking on an underground train full of mafia. Using two claw ( that came in useful) hammers that are easily obtainable from ones local hardware shop :thumbs:. Baseball Bat man was an inspired idea that livened up the violence. Both characters were simple and over the top cartoon like. This worked well. Also added a bit of humour.

Trouble was the characterization was thin. The idea of undercover cop was better done in Hong Kong film "Infernal Affairs" ( remade as inferior film "The Departed"). I could not really feel that much interest in the characters.

Kept on waiting for the action. This sometimes took a long time to come along. The film could have been shorter. The action, when it happened, was incredibly well done. Apart from Hammer Girl two scenes stand out. The pitched battle in a muddy prison yard and a car case near the end.

In hindsight what made the first Raid film work was that it grabbed you by scruff of neck and plunged you into non stop mayhem. Because this film did not it felt a bit stop start and jerky.
 
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"Locke"



Deserves the praise its been getting.

Its one man ( Tom Hardy) in a car driving to London. It takes place in real time. Will not spoil the plot. His carefully constructed life is under threat of falling apart on his drive to London.

There are no other actors on screen. Just him, the car and the (handsfree) phone he is constantly on as he tries to keep his life together.

Quite a feat to pull off. Hardy does a great job. Its also great to look at.

The film has had a lot of good reviews. Heard one on Radio which was critical. Not of the acting but the plot. She thought the way the female characters ( not seen but on the phone) were portrayed were traditional stereotypes. That the gender relations were out of date in a film set in the modern era. That it was a boys movie.

I thought a fair criticism. Does not detract from the film. It made me wonder if the writer of film meant it to be about masculinity. He is super organised, driven ( hence the car I think had a meaning for the film) and thinks he can sort everything out.

Whilst on the surface he appears, to everyone else, totally together. Its a front. Which is what masculinity often is. One night it all starts to crumble.

.
 
Jimmys Hall by Ken Loach and Paul Laverty



Not my first choice to see this weekend. I saw Polanski "Venus in Fur" about S&M relationship as first choice. Film is a good medium to explore the politically incorrect sides of human nature. Jimmys Hall takes a more optimistic view of human nature. An interesting contrast.

Then heard Loach interviewed on radio about Jimmys Hall. Turned out that the interviewer Grandfather had fought for the IRA. In civil war had opposed the treaty. The interviewer said that the film resonated with what she had heard about that time.

This is very good film. I do hope that its not Loach last film. As he said he might retire after this one.

What I liked about it is that its a popular film that manages to say a lot without slipping into Hollywood melodrama. What I mean is that its format with love interest etc is fairly standard one but its message is not. Im not always keen on Loach as he sometimes verges on social realism. One of his best recent (underrated) films is Looking for Eric. A really odd film that works and tells a message without being didactic.

I say its film by Loach and Laverty as Laverty is long time collaborator with Loach as a scriptwriter. This is a joint film. Directors traditionally get the main credit. But imo the best of Loach is when he works with Laverty.

Its set in 1930s republic. Jimmy comes back to Ireland from USA and restarts up a hall ( basically a community centre in modern language). This is seen by the church as a rival for influence.

Its not just an historical film it also is about the importance of a popular culture as a radical force. How ordinary people can build a culture for themselves. In that way the film has an optimistic view of the human spirit. Shows how left politics can tap into peoples emotional needs for community and joy- "If I cant dance its not my revolution". An important point to make when UKIP are managing to present themselves as a populist party. Its does not have to be like this. Reminded me of "Red" Kens GLC of the 80s.

It also does not paint a black and white picture of the opposing view. The priest is an interesting character. The arguments for and against are both put.

Its also wonderfully shot. Loach is often regarded as a political film maker first. Its not acknowledged enough that he really knows the craft of cinema.
 
X Men: Days of Future Past

I have been finding action movies featuring comic book heroes becoming tedious recently. Special effects start to all look the same. The story lines are conventional.

Once I started watching this film I found I was actually interested in what was going onscreen. Did not feel I could watch it with half my attention.

Some reviewers have said its for X Men experts only. I did not think so. I have seen one of the X Men films. The thing about this film is that its a complicated plot. You have to pay attention.

I also like the sci fi changing history theme.

Its an action film with good use of special effects. It does need to be seen in 3D for that scene which critics have been raving about. Will not tell you what it is. But its worth 3D viewing for that scene which is astounding piece of cinema. Best use of 3D I’ve seen for a while.

It manages to put together good use of special effects with character driven story. Rather than just depending on being a spectacle.

There is one scene where a tv shows an excerpt from Star Trek. This film reminds me of the best of Star Trek.


 


Back at the Ritzy today. Went to see the Dardenne brothers latest film "Two Days, One Night"

Its about a women who wants to come back to work after being ill to find that her job has just been voted out by her fellow workers. They were given a "choice" of voting her out or keeping her on and losing a bonus.

The two days and one night take place over a weekend as she visits her co workers to persuade them to change their minds.

It sounds like a grim piece of worthy social realism. Its much better than that. Its has a great performance from Marion Cotillard as Sandra. It also has dramatic tension. I did wonder what reaction she will get every time she rang a doorbell. Nor does it go into rousing speeches about the horrors of capitalism and the unity of the workers. Its a film that shows rather than tells. Its more damning for that of the alienation of the contemporary workplace. How people struggle to just get by.

I also found it a humane moving film. The emotional side of the film is gradually built up. One important aspect of the film is her repeated assertion in the film is that she does not want pity. What she wants is more than a job. Its meaningful connection with others. The film shows how the individual workers have to put themselves and their families first before their solidarity with others. In her they see what it has done to them.

The film is deceptively simple in the way its shot. Their is no soundtrack. Except for everyday noise. The camera concentrates on Sandra face a lot. Everything seems very bright and overwhelming. At one point she says she wishes she could be a like a bird see hears singing nearby. Carefree and happy. The clean tidy town looks prosperous on the surface. But in fact the people in it are not carefree. They are anxious about their future.

Definitely a film to watch.

Without giving away the ending this is a film that has a message. Its is heartwarming.

My only gripe is that the Ritzy now charges full price on weekend afternoons. This limits how often I can go.
 
Winot said:
I guess they've got to pay for those wage increases somehow.
Click to expand...

This started soon after Cineworld took over Picturehouse. Nothing to do with wage increase.

Do you mean to say that as I supported Ritzy LLW its my fault that cinemas are becoming to expansive for some people?
 
Gramsci said:
This started soon after Cineworld took over Picturehouse. Nothing to do with wage increase.

Do you mean to say that as I supported Ritzy LLW its my fault that cinemas are becoming to expansive for some people?
Click to expand...

No criticism of you Gramsci!
 
Winot said:
No criticism of you Gramsci!
Click to expand...

Thinking about it makes business sense to do cheap tickets at non peak times.

The Curzon does cheap tickets for first showing every day including weekends. They call it "Early Bird" ticket price. I sometime cycle up to west end to do that. Noticed that its well attended at that time. So its worth while for Curzon to do it.

Ritzy used to be better attended in weekend afternoons when it was cheaper. I do not think changing it to full price was a good move by them.

The Prince Charles does cheaper tickets than most. Their argument is that they get more people to come to see films so can make a profit.
 
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Boyhood.

I loved this film. Everything about it: the vision of making a film with the same actors over 12 years, extraordinary performances, level of detail and humanity not sacrificed to 'pace' or excitment or anything sudden. Beautiful performances, editing, filming.

The film has a curious perspective that gives a refreshingly moralising-free alternative to the usual schmaltzy American family dramas / coming of age films, in which the Ethan Hawkws character is not judged - and his strength as a father and his contribution is shown as a rich seam throughout the kids lives.

It's a long film, you have to absorb yourself in it.
 
Haven't been to the cinema in ages

Just got back form seeing Pride - based on a true story of a gay and lesbian group supporting welsh miners during the strike - yes it's cheesy and somewhat stereotyped, but a great story, very funny in parts and quite inspirational. PLUS some great 80's music which took me back to my youth!
 
Saw Pride today.

Other posters have already mentioned that it moved the audience. At Ritzy (London) it got applause at end of film. It did move people. Including me. I did find myself swept along with it. Partly as I am sympathetic to its politics I think. A plus point of film is that it is made so that one is almost compelled to be swept along with it imo. As such I think its a great political film in the good sense of propaganda. There is good use of soundtrack.

As a film its not perfect. This is not a criticism of the films politics. This is a film not a protest or demo.

Some great performances made a lot of difference. The director managed to tread the line between feelgood movie and making some serious points.

I think that the beginning of film was excellent. Felt it sagged a bit in middle at times. Yes I got the message about gays / welsh small village culture clash. It did not have to be repeated so often. But was saved by some great set pieces. The disco dance in the miners hall for example. The last third tried to cram so much in that it was rushed.

The last third was interesting as it went more deeply into the politics. This tied in with some of ideas from the beginning and middle of film.

The gay movement was not one thing. The film is about those who saw gay rights and wider Labour struggles as linked. Others in gay movement wanted to get equality but did not want to link the movement for gay equality tied to a wider socialist movement.

I found it very interesting to see the 80s "Rainbow" alliance politics on screen. In long run those in gay movement who saw struggle for gay rights as part of a wider socialist politics lost out to those who went for equality before the law only ( ie right to be in army, be a openly gay business owner etc.)

In the films favour it puts forward a plausible argument the a socialist sexual politics is credible and not to be dismissed as out of date 80s.

The films message for this present day is that solidarity is all important. Not in the sense that one should show solidarity but its something that people need. A message that it puts across well. It is through others that we find our individuality and sense of self.

Its what has been lost since Thatcher.
 
Ritzy is cheap all day Mondays. Only time I can really go now. I was talking to a couple of Italians who have just come to London. They also thought cinemas here are expensive compared to Italy. There its the equivalent of £3 to see a film in evening.
 
sparkybird said:
Haven't been to the cinema in ages

Just got back form seeing Pride - based on a true story of a gay and lesbian group supporting welsh miners during the strike - yes it's cheesy and somewhat stereotyped, but a great story, very funny in parts and quite inspirational. PLUS some great 80's music which took me back to my youth!
Click to expand...

I liked the way the director used music. Integral part of the film rather than an add on. The music brought people together. As in Ken Loach recent film Jimmys Hall.

Both make the point that left politics is about joy or should be. "If I cant dance its not my revolution".

And the film did make me feel better. The wonders of cinema.
 
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