I had no idea what to expect from May I Kill U? I thought it was a horror but googled it to learn that it was also a comedy and had noted British comedian Kevin Bishop in it. In fact this black comedy is sharp, dark and incredibly funny.
The film is also a modern take on society. It has a young police officer (Kevin Bishop) who becomes a social media literate vigilante serial killer. Quite a mouthful. He announces his kills on Twitter and asks his ‘fans’ advice on killing methods and who he should kill. It is a witty and smart take on modern society and crime.
The killer is very polite. Asking his victims if he can kill them and only doing so if they give him their permission. He announces certain areas crime free zones and warns there is a death penalty if this is broken. He bumps off drug dealers, people traffickers, wife abusers and thieves.
Director Stuart Urban previously directed a brilliant feature-length documentary, I Am Not Dead, about his father, a Polish Jewish doctor, who escaped the Nazis and the Soviet Union.
Frances Barber is excellent as the bitter mother who Bishop still lives with and Hayley-Marie Axe puts in a great performance as Bishop’s partner in the police force. The script is very well written, making the film a funny and modern comedy. Go see.
Runtime: 90 mins Directors: Stuart Urban Cast: Ali Craig, Frances Barber, Hayley-Marie Axe, Jack Doolan, Kasia Koleczek, Kevin Bishop, Rosemary Leach
Not happy with a film festival and film courses, Raindance are now making their own film, Love.Honour.Obey., a bondage-themed psychological thriller, Premiering September 2013
The Raindance Film Festival’s production arm, Raindance Raw Talent, has teamed up with multi-award winning Dutch production company Mulholland Pictures to produce an independent thriller titled Love.Honour.Obey., which will premiere at the Raindance Film Festival in London in September 2013.
Having curated one of the world’s leading film festivals and taught filmmaking classes for over two decades, Raindance has a mission to discover, foster and promote independent filmmaking around the world, always from an active, creative and energetic angle. Raindance Raw Talent aims to produce truly independent films that are entertaining, thought-provoking and commercially viable.
Mulholland Pictures won 4 awards at the Berlin Film Festival with their film Left Luggage. Other credits include Enigma starring Kate Winslet, directed by Michael Apted, Fogbound with Luke Perry and The Discovery of Heaven with Stephen Fry.
Love.Honour.Obey. is the story of Alison, who with her husband Tom is late one night assaulted and bound by an intruder in their home. A dark kidnapping story takes an intriguing twist, as it transpires that the intruder has a mysterious vision for the married couple. A gritty psychological thriller with a haunting moral, Love.Honour.Obey. also features the use of ‘Kinbaku’ – a form of Japanese bondage which literally translates as ‘the beauty of tight binding’.
To raise the money for this feature without having to rely on studios, professional film financiers or the government, Raindance Raw Talent has decided to use an alternative form of film financing which incorporates traditional elements such as pre-sales with the new model of crowdfunding. Using the Indiegogo website, in just over 2 weeks the campaign has raised an incredible 102% its goal and is still going strong, ranking among the top 5 film campaigns on the site!
To learn more about the Indiegogo campaign, donate or share, click here
The unique and exciting perks on the Indiegogo campaign are designed to give an insight into the process of making the film, from script to shoot, edit to premiere. They feature fly-on-the-wall viewpoints such as the full script notes between writer, director and producer, as well as the opportunity to spend a day with the cast and crew on set – and there will be even more one-of-a-kind perks added to the campaign soon!
Cult director Ate de Jong has made films in English, German and Dutch. He lived and worked in Hollywood for 8 years, and his credits include Drop Dead Fred and Highway to Hell. Ate has also directed the Miami Vice episode Missing Hours, which guest-starred James Brown and was a hallmark discovery moment for a young unknown comedian – Chris Rock. He currently resides in Amsterdam where he is a household name, equally controversial and successful.
Screenwriter Mark Rogers was discouraged from his craft by his university experience, where he was told he should not go into filmmaking due to his Cerebral Palsy. He got in contact with Raindance seeking some inspiration and a different opinion, and after reading one of his scripts Raindance founder and film producer Elliot Grove decided the opportunity was too good to miss. Funnily enough, Mark’s all-time favourite film is Drop Dead Fred. He is currently busy re-drafting Love.Honour.Obey. with Ate.
Director of Photography Zoran Veljkovic was classically trained in Yugoslavia, and has since shot 10 award-winning features, including Peter Howitt’s Dangerous Parking. Zoran has also lensed many more shorts, promos and commercials, and has been picked up awards in America, Italy, Spain, Japan, Holland and Yugoslavia.
Love.Honour.Obey. will premiere at the 21st Raindance Film Festival in September 2013.
With the Easter break coming up, you might be looking for something fun to do over the long bank holiday weekend. A trip to the cinema is a great idea if the weather isn’t so good, and there is plenty to see at the moment.
If you’re after a funny film, I Give It a Year is a fantastic and funny British romantic comedy which looks at the pitfalls of rushing into marriage too fast. It has lots of moments that couples all over the country will recognise and cringe at! From getting annoyed with your partner for constantly singing the wrong lyrics to songs, to wishing your other half would get off their backside and take the bin out without you having to pester them. It’s a real and funny look at the ups and downs of everyday relationships and well worth a watch.
Another top film to check out this Easter weekend is Oz the Great and Powerful, a visually stunning prequel to timeless classic The Wizard of Oz which is suitable for all ages and well worth watching in 3D. James Franco, of 127 Hours and the Spider Man franchise fame, stars alongside Rachel Weisz, Mila Kunis and Michelle Williams in this fun and entertaining film that will keep the whole family entertained.
Franco plays magician Oz, master of sleight of hand and misdirection but not someone you’d want to go and see for a genuine psychic clairvoyant reading as the good witch Glinda knows all too well. To put it another way, Oz is about as adept at reading tarot or doing real magic as a monkey is at tying his shoelaces: he’s a bit of a fraud. However, the Land of Oz is expecting a saviour and they believe Oz is with them to fulfil the prophecy. Will he come through for the munchkins and their fellow Oz inhabitants? Watch the film and find out!
NOKIA MUSIC, SUNDANCE LONDON, AND TALENTHOUSE LAUNCH WORLDWIDE FILM COMPETITION
ACCLAIMED FILM SERIES “NEW AMERICAN NOISE” TO SCREEN AT THE SUNDANCE LONDON FILM AND MUSIC FESTIVAL AT THE O2 ON FRIDAY, APRIL 26, 2013
Nokia Music announced it would team up with Sundance London and Talenthouse on the launch of a worldwide competition for aspiring filmmakers and directors challenging them to investigate the music scenes in cities around the globe.
“Inspired by our series of short films, New American Noise, we wanted to launch a competition where we could all get a glimpse into the world’s various music scenes,” said Jyrki Rosenberg, VP of Entertainment at Nokia. “Mobile phone cameras and video cameras are so popular so for the contest we decided to have the finalists shoot their films using our Nokia Lumia 920. We know there are a lot of creative people out there, and we can’t wait to see their finished films.”
To take part, filmmakers must upload a short video trailer (15 sec – 60 sec) including a 150 word supporting written description visualizing the ‘underground music scene’ in their chosen city. Rosenberg added: “We are looking for creative ideas that push the boundaries of the camera and the possibilities of mobile filmmaking.”
Two finalists will each receive a $5,000 production budget and two #Lumia920’s on which they must create their final short film. What’s more, both of them will receive an-all-expenses paid trip to Sundance London (2013) in April where their final films are guaranteed a special screening at the festival, along with a mentoring session with one of the‘judges’. One lucky grand prizewinner will walk away with $5,000 and a Nokia Lumia 920. Complete details can be found HERE.
Additionally Nokia Music announced the European premiere of its heralded documentary film series New American Noise at the Sundance London Film and Music Festival at The O2 on Friday, April 26, 2013. Leading independent directors, including Abteen Bagheri, Emily Kai Bock, Bob Harlow and Tyrone Lebon, created the six films that comprise New American Noise. The series is produced by Nokia Music and SomeSuch & Co, and shines a light on the underground music scene in six American cities by detailing the incredible diversity of musical subcultures and giving an unprecedented insight into the lives and passions of today’s music and its fans. The films premiered in the United States during the week of the Sundance Film Festival in Park City Utah, and the press hailed the series as “a must see” (USA Today) and “compelling” (SPIN). For further information, updated clips and lists of artists included in the New American Noise film series please visit: www.newamericanoise.com.
For more information visit www.nokia.com/music or follow #Lumia920 #NokiaxSundanceLDN
There would appear to be a growing force behind cinema from Chile in recent years. Pablo Larraín’s No recently became the first Chilean film to be nominated for foreign language film at the Oscars whereas his previous films Tony Manero and Post-Mortem have joined the likes of Patricio Guzman’s political documentaries (the most recent being the astonishing Nostalgia For The Light) to boost the country’s cinematic reputation of late. Whether or not this is down to a cultural ‘renaissance’ or the ever expanding availability of global cinema is debatable but whatever the reason we should be thankful that such choice is being made available especially in the case of Thursday Till Sunday, an achingly sad yet tender drama from newcomer Domingo Sotomayor that has premiered at various international festivals and picked up the Tiger Award at the Rotterdam Film Festival.
Ana and Fernando (Paola Giannini and Francisco Pérez-Bannen) are taking their two young children Lucia and Manuel (Santi Ahumada and Emiliano Freifeld) on a journey across the country to visit an old lot left by Fernando’s father to him. The long weekend is passed by way of colourful landscapes, locals and naive childrens games and inquisitive questioning of their parents. As the journey goes on, the pre-teen Lucia (and in turn the audience) begin to realise that something is desperately wrong with her parent’s marriage.
With a unique, singular directorial style and observations that seem deeply personal yet also universally recognisable, Thursday Till Sunday comes at you like a distant yet powerfully evoked memory. Filmed for the vast majority from inside the moving car and in long static takes, Sotomayor forces us to look longer at everyday events longer than perhaps we are accustomed to (or comfortable with) whether it be a repetitive expression of a child’s boredom or the quiet, awkward and telling silences between mother and father. Rather than alienate however its muted tone makes it easier to focus on the smaller yet dramatic moments that linger in the memory. It’s a relaxing and all too rare experience to be watching a film that requires you to simply calm down in order to appreciate its pleasures. Keeping the camera firmly within the car for long stretches of the drama certainly creates a feeling of claustrophobia but more so it keeps the action fresh and vibrant, quite a feat given the deliberately slow pace of the proceedings. Whilst focusing on a kids toy being handed back and forth or the constantly shifting landscapes that pass us by, Sotomayor will draw the eye with key actions and conversations taking place in the background, isolated far in the frame or even suggest them offscreen altogether. The film is told directly from the viewpoint of Lucia and the film brilliantly conveys her confusion and anxiety by keeping the family turmoil at a distance. We are never told directly what has contributed to the disintegration of the marriage though we are given hints along the way most notably a detour at a campsite with an old friend of Ana’s of whom Fernando seems suspicious of. Many other filmmakers could have used the pause in the journey as a chance to shed light on the inner turmoil on the marriage but again all the drama is hushed down. An extended shot of Lucia staring out into the night whilst we hear (but don’t see) a potentially crucial plot point says more than most dialogue driven scenes could ever say.
Such a long drawn out journey requires engaging company and thankfully the cast rise to the challenge wonderfully. It’s an advantage to the naturalistic tone of the film that the cast is comprised of unknown faces (both adult leads have extensive CV’s in Chilean television whilst the children are complete newcomers) but these are excellent performances in their own right. Giannini and Pérez-Bannen are given only a minimal setup for the roles of the distanced parents and yet they effortlessly convey the feel of two people who have shared a life together and discovered its shortcomings. You sense the weight of indecision and disappointment on their shoulders and there is thankfully no forced or contrived lapse into melodramatics. The two children are an absolute revelation especially Santi Ahumada as Lucia. Sotomayor kept the exact nature of the story a secret from the two child actors which only serves to make her performance more remarkable. Bright, inquisitive and clearly aware that things are wrong between her mother and father she’s an engaging and delightful conduit into the drama through light and dark moments. A brief scene at the tail end of their journey where Lucia and her father share a quiet moment after all has become clear is so simple in execution yet the naturalness of the performances makes it simply heartbreaking. It is a truly terrific ensemble.
It’s not all doom and gloom in Thursday Till Sunday. There are some brilliantly droll observations as Fernando makes little effort to hide his disdain for Ana’s slightly too friendly colleague and the sight of the two children riding atop a vehicle strapped down alongside luggage does raise a smile. But this is a journey toward an inevitable conclusion and as the tone becomes more melancholic and the landscape more sparse and unforgiving the film emerges as a bittersweet account of the end of childhood innocence and the cruel disappointments of adulthood. It’s summed up in one of the more cheerful scenes where Fernando allows Lucia to get briefly behind the wheel giving her a first, almost overwhelming taste of adult responsibility. The evocation of long journeys together and the dawning of awareness that your parents are just people with their own faults is palpable throughout and there’s an honesty to the portrayals that makes the film seem so genuine and naturalistic. Thursday Till Sunday may not be an easy watch for some. It’s aesthetic demands your attention and some may find the subject matter unbearably sad. But to jump to conclusions is unfair; your patience is rewarded with an emotional resonance that lasts long after it ends. It’s certainly one of the best films about childhood I’ve seen in some time and I can’t wait to see what Sotomayor does next.
The track record for foreign language filmmakers making their break in English language film is something of a mixed affair. For every Bernardo Bertolucci, Wim Wenders or Ang Lee there are a dozen who get seemingly lost in translation. Even the great Michael Haneke has fallen into this trap with a bizarrely pointless shot for shot remake of his own Funny Games. Now Park Chan-wook, the South Korean director behind The Vengeance Trilogy (Sympathy For Mr Vengeance, Oldboy and Lady Vengeance) heads to the US with Stoker, a contemporary gothic fairytale that despite a change of geography grapples with recurrent themes of his previous work such as crumbling family values, the havoc wreaked by long held secrets and the slow but inevitable lapse into extreme violence.
India Stoker (Mia Wasikowska) has her life turned upside down when her father is killed in a car accident on her eighteenth birthday. Living alone with her distant and brittle mother (Nicole Kidman), India’s sense of confusion and adolescent detachment is increased by the sudden arrival of her uncle Charlie (Matthew Goode) whom she never knew existed. Not long after he nestles himself into this shattered family unit, India realises that Charlie has an ulterior and chilling motive for his visit. Rather than horrify her however, it brings to light a side of herself she never knew she had…
With all the recent talk of Alfred Hitchcock, both in press and on our screens, Stoker may appear at first to be some sort of astonishingly well timed homage. The basic storyline has been compared to that of Shadow Of A Doubt, in which a mysterious uncle’s arrival (also named Charlie ) also brings dark reckoning to a distant family. One of Hitchcock’s most memorable bits of advice on filmmaking was to ‘film your murders like love scenes and your love scenes like murders’. It’s advice that Chan-wook has taken very much to heart in all of his work and here is no exception. Whatever you think of Stoker’s macabre and graphic tone there is no denying that it is beautifully crafted to within an inch of its life. Chan-wook’s camera glides effortlessly through through the sparse, lavish yet ominous surroundings of the Stokers’ rural estate where he and regular cinematographer Chung Chung -hoon conjure up colours and shadows that enthrall as well as frighten. There are several stunning edits littered throughout the film most notably between a set of children’s shoes that reduce in size to show the passing of time and strands of combed hair morphing into weeds. When it comes to the bloodletting that has occurred throughout his films, Chan-wook knows exactly when to hold back and when to confront. It is not so much the graphic depiction of violence that unsettles (most of the death actually takes place off screen) but rather the mere suggestion of it and the effect it has on the characters. Perhaps the most lurid (and controversial) scene cuts back and forth between the moment of a murder and a moment of sexual awakening. Rather than seem like cheap titillation it marks a arresting point of no return for the central character. It is one of the more bold and confrontational moments that the script throws out to us. If there is a central flaw to accuse Stoker of it is that the script by Wentworth Miller (originally writing under a pseudonym to distract from his Prison Break fame) does not throw up as many curveballs in the narrative that we expect from previous films by Chan-wook or the many paths we seem to be being led down at the films opening. The more ambiguous tones strike as unsettling but many are revealed to be nothing but elaborate window dressing and the climactic big reveal feels forced and something of a let down after everything that has preceded it. It doesn’t help that it can’t hold a candle to Oldboy’s jaw dropping denouement. Some may attack Stoker for being a triumph of style over substance. Though certainly not a claim without argument, we should be happy that the style is as assured as it is.
Whilst the narrative may have its flaws, it is thankfully the characters and performances that truly stick in the memory. Mia Wasikowska does a fantastic job of not only credibly passing for a teenager (often a major flaw of adults portraying younger characters) but making India’s slow but sinister transformation believable. With jet black hair and a seemingly permanent set frown borrowed from Wednesday Adams, India could have easily lapsed in a comical caricature of adolescent torment but Wasikowska has the talent and conviction to turn it round into something both affecting and frightening. Nicole Kidman is a beautiful yet haunting presence as India’s mother, seemingly on a permanent knife edge between fragile grief in the wake of her husbands death or cautious glee at his brother’s youthful, charming energy. A single take monologue filmed in extreme close up late on in the drama where she rallies against her wasted opportunities and her disappointment in raising a child throbs with a tragic rage. Matthew Goode is a revelation as Uncle Charlie playing it straight like a more assured, sexually confident take on Norman Bates. The moment he appears on screen he immediately strikes you with handsome looks and expressive eyes whilst still managing to make the blood chill. His Charlie stands as a potential saviour to India’s lost little girl but never ceases to ooze malice with every single gaze. It takes a lot of talent to be frightening whilst doing very little and Goode simply excels at it.
Whether or not Chan-wook will continue to make films in America remains to be seen. It is refreshing to see a director move outside of their comfort zone and have some (if not complete) success. Had Stoker been helmed by a more mainstream and unadventurous filmmaker then it’s flaws may very well have increased tenfold. Though the violent flourishes (and live octopus eating) have been toned down, Chan-wook has taken a well worn genre piece and enlivened it with an energetic and pleasingly edgy vibe. Many may find the films full on macabre inflictions overbearing, others will find them intoxicating. Whichever side you come down on, it’s certainly never boring.
Frost magazine have three copies of The Sapphires to give away on DVD.
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The competition is open to UK residents only and ends on the 22nd of March.
Out On DVD 4th March 2013
“A feelgood, charm-packed treat. Chris O’Dowd is sheer perfection. ««««”
Heat Magazine
“The perfect Friday night, feel-good film. Chris O’Dowd is brilliant.” Stylist Magazine
Your mum will sing with joy this Mother’s Day thanks to this perfect DVD gift…
Chris O’Dowd (Bridesmaids, TV’s Girls) stars in THE SAPPHIRES. Based on a true story this fun and feel-good comedy follows the dreams of four soul-sisters struggling to make it big. THE SAPPHIRES will be available to rent and own on DVD from the 4th March.
Talented sisters Gail, Cynthia and Julie, and their wayward cousin Kay, have killer voices and attitudes to match. Performing in a talent show contest they catch the attention of Dave Lovelace (O’Dowd), a down-on-his-luck Irish musician with a penchant for whisky and a passion for soul music.
It may not sound like a match made in heaven but Dave notices a sparkling talent in the girls and realises with a few changes they could be something special….they just need the right man to help them. Billing the band as the successors to ‘The Supremes’ Dave secures the girls their first real gig and flies them to Vietnam to sing for the troops.
As they embark on a hilarious journey of highs and lows, courage and commitment, friendship and family, they discover that all you need to succeed is a little heart….and a lot of soul.
DVD SPECIAL FEATURES:
Making Of
Character Profiles: Dave (Chris O’Dowd), Gail (Deborah Mailman), Julie (Jessica Mauboy), Cynthia & Kay (Miranda Tapsell and Shari Sebbens)
Frost Magazine is doing a long-running series on innovative movies which are raising funds or about to be released. We love film at Frost Magazine. In fact quite a few of us work in the film industry as actors, producers and writers. (Myself included. I have been an actor for years, and have also written scripts and started a film production company with Steve McAleavy. Our first full-length film, Prose & Cons is currently being edited) We want to support other filmmakers out there. Making films is hard and getting them seen is just as hard. We hope you like some of the films we showcase enough to invest in them and/or watch them. Thank you.
Alpha
A is much more than a feature film, it is inspired by the ancient myth of Antigone and has a totally different approach to filmmaking as a whole.
SYNOPSIS
A woman -Alpha- is forced to sit and watch her hanged brother rot in the middle of a burned forest, until the authorities decide that she has been punished enough. She will find the strength not only to rebel against this unjust order but also to confront her brother when they meet in the afterlife.
Alpha is a movie inspired by the ancient myth of Antigone and talks about what we are all witnessing and experiencing as consequences of the so-called “crisis”.
We are using an old story, not to reiterate the past, but to explain the present and take a glimpse of the future.
With this film, we want to make our voice heard not only as artists but as active citizens, and share how we are experiencing the “crisis”.
And not only do we want to, but we have to, because this is our duty as active participants in the society we are leaving in.
HOW WE FUND THIS MOVIE
The way we cover our budget (196,000€) is as follows:
The main artistic team (Screenwriter, Director, Photographer, Production Designer, Composer, Actors) and the communication team, capitalise our work.
Our co-producers, Imagina Pictures, provide all the necessary editing and post-production equipment and facilities, for both image and sound.
Imagina Pictures also provides the camera and related shooting equipment.
All of the above constitute 40% of the budget (69,000€). To help fund Alpha go here.
What is left for us to cover :
The crew fees
The catering
Special equipment (steadicam, crane, hexacopter)
3D animation & visual effects
The above constitute another 40% of the budget (70,000€).
We cover this part with private sponsorships.
The remaining 20% (57,000€) is the Production Design cost.
This is an essential part of the movie because the aesthetics of the image need to be treated with great care.
This is the part we want to cover with crowd-funding.
This is the part in which you are actually contributing to the final look of the picture.
This is the part in which we are asking for your help.
We hope you will become our fellow traveler during this difficult but exciting journey.
WHAT IS THE MYTH ABOUT?
Antigone is the daughter of King Oedipus.
King Creon, who is now the ruler of Thebes, demands that the body of her dead brother Polynices be left unburied and eaten by predators. Whoever does not comply with his orders, will face immediate execution. Antigone will defy this unjust order and bury her dead brother, thus losing her life, but coming to terms with her feelings and her inner sense of justice, regardless what the Authority says.
There is no need to point out the relevance of the myth of Antigone with the current political and socio-economic status quo. In this new world order governed by numbers and economic indicators, an invisible King Creon has not only invaded our lives, but is gaining power day by day. Few dream of taking an active stand against him, while most of us conform to his irrational and inhuman demands.
I had no idea what to expect from May I Kill U? I thought it was a horror but googled it to learn that it was also a comedy and had noted British comedian Kevin Bishop in it. In fact this black comedy is sharp, dark and incredibly funny.
