Centurion (DVD Review)

Courtesy of eOne Films

Writer/Dir: Neil Marshall (Dog Soldiers, The Descent, Doomsday)
Cast: Michael Fassbender, Olga Kyrylenko, Dominic West, Liam Cunningham, Noel Clarke, Ulrich Thomsen, Imogen Poots
UK, 2010 (DVD Release)

Reason to see: Epic. Sword & Sandal-y. Awesome cast including Michael Fassbender. That's all good in my book!

Centurion made my Most Anticipated Films of the Year list for 2010, and I put it on that list even though it didn't have a Toronto theatrical release. But it did play at the Toronto After Dark Film Festival and now makes it's way on to DVD for all to enjoy in it's glory and its interesting spin on an epic tale.

It's an epic sword and ... as there aren't sandals we can go with sword & snow tale, it stars Michael Fassbender (Hunger) as Quintus Dias, a Roman soldier whom is amongst the ranks fighting against a long and deadlocked struggle against the Picts. Olga Kyrylenko (The Quantum of Solace) stars as Etain, a fierce tracker and hunter that's a real force to be reckoned with and I have to say she was extremely impressive, skillful and strong.

The film takes a step outside the comfort zone of the epic formula by choosing to focus on a fairly contained time period and surrounding incidents, giving an epic style slice of life of a centurion where you really don't know what is going to happen. I have to give it kudos for going with something different, but, I did that left me wondering why tell *this* story? That question along with not being entirely sure who I wanted to cheer for, left me a little off kilter. In this set up I'd usually be cheering for the Picts, who are led by Ulrich Thomsen (Fear Me Not / Den du frygter) but they are so brutal that I couldn't cheer for them. I was also a little leery with the intermittent voice overs, which I cringe at in epics as they tend to be used to help the audience make sure we know where we are but I found here it was clear enough by the story they were showing us and therefore a little too much.

But, the films is gorgeous to watch from a visual perspective, with many a sweeping overhead shots along with bloody and brutal battles along the way. The acting is strong overall and the casting was great. I although I found the Picts to be brutal, I did love the looks & feel of their ferociousness as well as the fact that they had several women warriors amongst them.

DVD Extras:

• Feature Commentary with director Neil Marshal, production designer Simon Bowles, special make-up effects designer Paul Hyett and director of photography Sam McCurdy - quite an enjoyable commentary that has a jovial and entertaining tone including lots of stories on the challenges of the film, changes to the story and structure of the film during the film making process including the reasons behind why some things were changed and the fight to keep others things in along with quite a bit on the production side of things in terms of locations, make-up and effects. Sidenote: Sam McCurdy comes into the commentary at 52 minutes into the film.
• Blood Fire & Fury: Behind the Scenes of Centurion (4 Behind the Scenes, 26 minutes) Flip clips, behind the scenes footage and interviews with writer/director Neil Marshall, actors Michael Fassbender, Dominic West, JJ Feild, David Morrissey, Olga Kyrylenko, Dave Legno and Axelle Carolyn, producer Robert Jones, cinematographer Sam McCurdy, production desinger Simon Bowles, special effects designer Paul Hyett, prosthetics technician Demetris Robinson, stunt coordinator Paul Herbert on a variety of subjects including the legend of the Ninth Legion, the Picts warfare style and dialect choices, getting around on locations, the down & dirty visual style, creation or sets on location and creation of the special effects, gore, fighting, stunts and battle sequences.
• Centurion Featurette (3 minutes) film clips behind the scenes, interview with writer/director Neil Marshall, producer Robert Jones and actors Dominic West, Michael Fassbender, Olga Kyrylenko, Noel Clarke & Axelle Carolyn, on the story of the Ninth Legion, the Picts, the inspiration behind the film, the focus of the film and the characters of Quintus, Titus and Etain.
• Deleted Scenes with Commentary by director Neil Marshall (8 minutes) 6 deleted scenes with optional audio commentary discussing reasons behind why scenes deleted, what the scenes brought, if wanted to keep it in or take it out.
• Interviews with Cast and Crew (24 minutes) Interviews with writer/director Neil Marshall (5 minutes) producer Robert Jones (5 minutes), actors Michael Fassbender (4 minutes), Dominic West (4 minutes), Olga Kyrylenko (3 minutes) and Noel Clarke (3 minutes) including the inspiration behind the film, story the Ninth Legion, draw to the film, the characters, what the actors brought to the film, working together, the overall visual style of the film and what will attract people to the film. The Dominic West interview is particularly entertaining.
• Selected Clips (11 minutes) 10 clips from the film.
• Production Design Photo Gallery (4 minutes) slide show of photos from the models to locations to creation of sets on location to cast on set all shown to music.
• Outtakes (6 minutes) several outtakes ranging from mistakes to goofs to gags.
• B-Roll Footage (11 minutes) B-roll footage of preparation and filming of several of the battle sequences and locations.

Centurion is available on DVD as of November 2, 2010. Check it out over at Amazon.ca & Amazon.com

Shannon's Overall View:
I enjoyed it
I'll watch it again, repeatedly
I recommend it for fans of epics

Return to Film Reviews or see more DVD Reviews

© Shannon Ridler, 2010
Originally reviewed during the Toronto After Dark Film Festival - August 19, 2010


Courtesy of eOne Films


Courtesy of eOne Films - Michael Fassbender


Courtesy of eOne Films - Olga Kurylenko

Wild Grass / Les herbes folles (DVD Review)

Courtesy of eOne Films

Dir: Alain Resnais (Hiroshima mon amour, Last Year at Marienbad, On connaît la chanson)
Cast: Sabine Azéma, André Dussollier, Anne Consigny, Emmanuelle Devos, Mathieu Amalric
France/Italy, 2010

Reason to see: Quirky trailer and general acclaim

Wild Grass / Les herbes folles uses the idea of a stolen purse as the impetus of a chance encounter, and hearing this idea I was fascinated by the possibilities that could surround the encounter, the people it involved, where it could lead their lives and their futures. The players here are Sabine Azéma as dentist and lost purse lady Marguerite Muir and André Dussollier as Georges Palet, the wallet finder. I found it hard to get a sense of who either Marguerite and André were, their characters felt very complicated yet elusive. Marguerite was quite the mystery as she was rather stoic in gesture the majority of the time but every once in a while had such a joie de vivre it threw me completely off kilter. André is so completely methodical and guarded that I kept making up elaborate back stories up for his behaviour and thought processes, but none of them ended up hitting (albeit some were very far fetched).

But let's roll it back a bit to a chance circumstance idea, because it's an interesting place to be to think about all the possibilities an encounter could manifest into. That's what Wild Grass / Les herbes folles felt like to me. The continual 'What if..." situation. And several things could fill in the ..., like "What if I...", "What if she...", "What if we....", that permeated the imagination of both parties involved. But before you get thinking it's all whimsical, reign it it. There is whimsy but it's of a darker tone than is usually associated with the word.

The strangest thing about the film though, is this elusiveness of the ideas and the distancing of the characters did kept me quite engaged, but over time the wondering kept me occupied for way too much of the film. At first, I was charmed by the whimsical and aloof tone and went with the flow thinking things would become clearer over time. But it didn't feel like clarity was the goal here, or it if was I missed it. I'll admit that it's rare for me to have this experience watching a film, but I really feel like I missed it. I kept thinking there would be a reveal, or explanation, or magical realism, or ... something. But if there was, I missed it. Or, it wasn't there - which would be an interesting choice. Either way, it left me feeling like I wanted to put my hands up in the air and ask for clarification.

Warnings: Medical/dental content.

Wild Grass is available on DVD as of November 2, 2010. Check it out over at Amazon.ca & Amazon.com

Shannon's Overall View:
I didn't love it
I'll likely watch it another time to see if something clicks
I'd recommend it as a quirky elusive drama

Return to Film Reviews or see more DVD Reviews

© Shannon Ridler, 2010

Toon Talk: Toy Stories & Tall Tales

Soon after premiering this past summer to rave reviews and blockbuster box office, it was clear that Toy Story 3 was something special. Rare indeed is a motion picture trilogy that proved to be so emotionally rich and with such consistent quality throughout each of its chapters. It was also quickly apparent that Toy Story 3 was a grade-A tear-jerker, much more so for adults than its supposed “target audience” of children. In fact, one could easily say that the 3 in the title is the minimum amount of times one will cry while watching it.

And now you can let the tears flow unashamedly in the comfort of your own home with the release this week of Toy Story 3 on Disney DVD and Blu-ray. And, as with most Pixar releases, they were sure to fill this toy box to the brim all sorts of entertaining and informative extras ...

Also available this week on Disney DVD and Blu-ray is Cars Toon: Mater’s Tall Tales, a collection of hilarious animated shorts starring everyone’s favorite rusty ol’ tow truck. The set includes nine cartoons (including two new ones) that find Mater spinning a yarn about his past (not entirely factual) exploits to his befuddled BFF Lightning McQueen ...

Click here to continue reading my Toon Talk reviews of the new Toy Story 3 and Cars Toon: Mater's Tall Tales DVDs at LaughingPlace.com.

13th British Independent Film Awards Nominations

The nominations for the 2010 British Independent Film Awards were just announced on November 1, 2010 and calibre of the films is high again this year. Top number of nominations went to The King's Speech (TIFF 2010 Audience Choice Winner) with 8 nominations, then tying at 6 nominations each is the phenomenal book to film adaptation Never Let Me Go and Monsters. Familiar titles continue with the just released here in Toronto Tamara Drewe, geek fave Kick-Ass and art documentary Exit Through the Gift Shop.

Although not all titles have yet to hit Toronto screens we will see some of them soon, including Monsters (November 12, 2010), Made in Dagenham (November 26, 2010) and The King's Speech (December 10, 2010), however now word yet on Four Lions, Another Year, The Arbor and Brighton Rock. Fingers crossed we will see them soon!

BIFA 2010 will take place on Sunday December 5, 2010 at Old Billingsgate in London, England.

2010 BIFA Nominations

Best British Independent Film
Four Lions
Kick-Ass
Monsters
Never Let Me Go
The King's Speech

Best Director of a British Independent Film
Mike Leigh for Another Year
Matthew Vaughn for Kick-Ass
Gareth Edwards for Monsters
Mark Romanek for Never Let Me Go
Tom Hooper for The King's Speech

The Douglas Hickox Award (Best Debut Director)
Debs Gardner-Paterson for Africa United
Rowan Joffe for Brighton Rock
Chris Morris for Four Lions
Gareth Edwards for Monsters
Clio Barnard for The Arbor

Best Screenplay
Jesse Armstrong, Sam Bain, Simon Blackwell and Chris Morris for Four Lions
Jane Goldman and Matthew Vaughn for Kick-Ass
William Ivory for Made in Dagenham
Alex Garland for Never Let Me Go
David Seidler for The King's Speech

Best Performance by an Actress in a British Independent Film
Ruth Sheen for Another Year
Andrea Riseborough for Brighton Rock
Sally Hawkins for Made in Dagenham
Carey Mulligan for Never Let Me Go
Manjinder Virk for The Arbor

Best Performance by an Actor in a British Independent Film
Jim Broadbent for Another Year
Riz Ahmed for Four Lions
Scoot McNairy for Monsters
Colin Firth for The King's Speech
Aidan Gillen for Treacle Junior

Best Supporting Actress
Lesley Manville for Another Year
Rosamund Pike for Made in Dagenham
Keira Knightley for Never Let Me Go
Tamsin Greig for Tamara Drewe
Helena Bonham Carter for The King's Speech

Best Supporting Actor
Kayvan Novak for Four Lions
Bob Hoskins for Made in Dagenham
Andrew Garfield for Never Let Me Go
Geoffrey Rush for The King's Speech
Guy Pearce for The King's Speech

Most Promising Newcomer
Andrea Riseborough for Brighton Rock
Tom Hughes for Cemetery Junction
Joanne Froggatt for In Our Name
Conor McCarron for Neds
Manjinder Virk for The Arbor

Best Achievement In Production
In Our Name
Monsters
Skeletons
Streetdance 3D
The Arbor

The Raindance Award
for "honours exceptional achievement for filmmakers working against the odds, often with little or no industry support."
Brilliantlove
Jackboots on Whitehall
Legacy
Son of Babylon
Treacle Junior

Best Technical Achievement
John Mathieson for Brighton Rock
Gareth Edwards for Monsters
Tim Barker for The Arbor
Sylvain Chomet for The Illusionist
Eve Stewart for The King's Speech

Best British Documentary
Enemies of the People
Exit Through the Gift Shop
Fire In Babylon
The Arbor
Waste Land

Best British Short Film
Baby
Photograph of Jesus
Sign Language
Sis
The Road Home

Best Foreign Independent Film
A Prophet
Dogtooth
I Am Love
The Secret In Their Eyes
Winter's Bone

The BIFAs were created in 1998 to "set out to celebrate merit and achievement in independently funded British filmmaking, to honour new talent, and to promote British films and filmmaking to a wider public."

Eligibility Criteria 2010:

"It is intended for theatrical release, AND has had a public screening to a paying audience either on general release in the UK OR has screened at a British-based film festival between 1 December 2009 and 30 November 2010.

Where there is any major studio substantially funding a film, the total budget must not exceed $20M .

It has been produced or majority co-produced by a British company OR is in receipt of at least 51% of its budget from a British source or sources OR it qualifies as a British film under the DCMS guidelines AND includes sufficient creative elements from the UK.

BIFA also consider foreign independent films for the Best Foreign Independent Film category. Foreign films must have a British theatrical release during the eligibility period stated above.

Best British Short Film Award submissions: Any British short films that have won an award between 16 October 2009 and 15 October 2010 are eligible for consideration. A short film must be no longer than 40 minutes (including credits).

Films that have been entered previously are not eligible. Re-issues of previously released films are not eligible.

All films submitted for consideration are viewed by the Advisory Committee with the help of a nominated screening panel, who then decide the nominations by ballot.

All nominated films will be viewed by an independent jury. The winners will be decided by a secret ballot.

Full Eligibility Criteria may be viewed at: http://www.bifa.org.uk/rules"

Reel Thoughts Interview: Viva Chita!

Dolores Conchita Figueroa del Rivero probably wouldn’t fit on a Broadway marquee, but the name Chita Rivera has appeared in lights on the Great White Way so many times, it’s a wonder there isn’t a theater named after her by now. Even the slightest glance at the seventy-seven year-old’s résumé reveals that she has originated several of the most enduring musical characters of all time. The legendary dancer/singer is coming to Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts for one night only this Saturday to headline La Gran Fiesta, their celebration of Hispanic and Latin culture.

Born in Washington DC to a Puerto Rican father and a Scottish and Italian mother, Rivera didn’t start out to be the world-class dancer that she became. She was a self-admitted tomboy whose mother put her into the respected Jones-Hayward School of Ballet at age eleven to tone down her rough and tumble ways. At fifteen, she was invited to New York to audition for George Balanchine’s School of American Ballet, leading to a career that has spanned over half a century.

Rivera is responsible for creating the roles of Anita in West Side Story, Rosie in Bye Bye Birdie, Velma Kelly in Chicago, Aurora in Kiss of the Spider Woman and Claire in The Visit, one of Kander and Ebb’s final shows. She is a strong supporter of gay rights, and appeared in 1994’s Stonewall 25: Voices of Pride and Protest.

I spoke to Rivera right after she returned home to New York after performing in Puerto Rico. She was gracious and excited to return to the Valley, where she has friends who she enjoys visiting.

NC: How would you describe your new show, My Broadway?
CR: I’ve really been so lucky all these years, so I’ve put together conversation and music and movement to communicate with the audience, to bring my experience, my Broadway, to Arizona.

NC: You’ve been part of so many iconic Broadway shows, including West Side Story. Any memories?
CR: When I went in to audition vocally for West Side Story, Anita Ellis (a famous New York singer who dubbed Rita Hayworth in Gilda and who was also the sister of Larry Kert, West Side Story’s original Tony) went in right before me, and I went. “Uh-oh, there it goes! I guess I won’t get it”, because she was a fabulous singer.

NC: You got the role, though, and ended up finding love in the cast as well (with fellow dancer Tony Mordente).
CR: (Laughing) That’s pretty funny, because in rehearsals, we were told we were not to even speak to “the Jets”; I mean, you wouldn’t get caught smiling at one of them, so we never had any sort of relationships at all with them, and what did I do? I went and married one of them! I didn’t just talk to him, I married him and had his baby, so (my daughter) Lisa says, “I’m half Jet and half Shark.”

NC: When you see how Chicago is running forever, inspired by your original production, how does that make you feel?
CR: It’s just wild. It just goes to show that you can never figure anything out. Tony Walton’s sets in our production were to die for, the costumes were full-blown imaginative, the guys wore stockings and high heels... it was really theater. And you just have to laugh because you can’t control the way life goes. Now this production that’s been running forever and probably will run forever — which is great, the music is brilliant — is like a postage stamp compared to our production.

NC: How has your attitude about a dancer’s life changed over your career?
CR: I say in my show, “Just keep moving.” Don’t count, whatever you do, just let your spirit do the living. Most people think when you get to a certain age, you’re old. Well, it doesn’t have to be that way; it depends on you.

NC: So many people admire you and the career you’ve achieved.
CR: That really is the best part of it all. To have some kid come up and say, “I’ve always wanted to dance,” because that’s how I felt about (mentor and famous ballerina) Maria Tallchief. It’s a wonderful feeling to know that you’re doing something right. I’ve always said, “Keep good company” and my company has been Fred Ebb and John Kander, Gower Champion and Liza Minnelli, all the greats.

NC: I was interested to read the advice that your teacher Doris Jones gave you, being an African-American business owner in the forties, “Stay in your lane,” and “Don't worry about the long bodies and blond ponytails lining up next to you for the auditions; be who you are!”
CR: Miss Jones was wonderful to me, because I hadn’t been out in the world, and didn’t know what was out there. She told me to “follow your own spirit, your own self.” So I tell the kids that.

NC: I wondered what your advice is for young people who are struggling with being different, especially given the news of bullying deaths in the news.
CR: The Arts, thank God... that’s why we really have to keep the Arts (in schools). The Arts allow us to experiment with our thoughts and our own person and to get to know ourselves and use our imagination. I think that being different is divine.

One of my favorite shows was Kiss of the Spider Woman, because it’s a show about two men who are completely different and they’re forced to be in this tiny cage only big enough for one in jail, and they get to know one another and get to appreciate their differences. Finally, eventually, they, in the truest form of the words, get to understand each other and fall in love. And it never would have happened if they hadn’t been forced together. So I tell the kids, “You are the only thing you’ve got, and you have got to get to know ‘you’ and be proud of ‘you’. And don’t let anyone ever tell you anything else.”

But you have to find out who your best friends are, who to hang out with; I was lucky because I had the business. I’m so upset about this bullying, because we’ve been living the whole thing with boy dancers and gay men (with whom I’ve worked)... that’s our life, so we’re very familiar with that kind of ignorance and stupidity. So we just have to support each other, and please God, let these kids get to understand themselves and like themselves. It’s hard when you’re young; you don’t think you’re going to accomplish anything or be an example for anyone. There are far more people out there who will love you than will reject you. Have faith that they’re out there.

NC: That’s great. That’s why you’ve been such a bright light on Broadway all these years.
CR: You know, I think that’s what we all have to be, because we all have our light... you used the right word for me. I love the light and I always go toward the light. If you live looking for the light, using your own light and not being ashamed of anything, it’s a much brighter feeling than living in the dark.

Chita Rivera: My Broadway will be performed this Saturday, November 6, at the Scottsdale Center for the Arts. Click here for more information and tickets.

Interview by Neil Cohen, resident film critic of Movie Dearest and Phoenix's Echo Magazine.

DVD Releases for November 2, 2010

Tuesday time - which means time to take a look at what's hitting this shelf this week Tuesday November 2, 2010 on DVD release. The biggie of the week is a clear choice as we have Toy Story 3, which I didn't get out to see in theatres but am hoping to catch up with at some point.

My pick of the week would be the sword & sandal-eque, and you have to -esque it because there is *no sand*, Centurion a interesting spin and different structure of an epic tale starring Michael Fassbender. We also have the latest for director Alain Resnais with the comedy/drama Wild Grass. I'm curious to see if Gaillo will meet it's scheduled release for today as the word is that Adrien Brody is suing to try to stop the release of the film due to non-payment. Wow. That's a first in terms of DVD releases!

Keeping it real we have some documentaries out this week including Colossal Squid, Inside Hana's Suitcase and fan favourite Winnebago Man which is listed on IMDb as a documentary/comedy.

Love and Distrust is the wild card of the week with a cast of Robert Downey Jr., James Franco, Sam Worthington, Amy Adams, Rachel Miner and Robert Pattinson my first thought was "How did this not get a regular release?" Then I watched the trailer for which all the footage with Robert Pattinson I recognize from the short film The Summer House, the Sam Worthington footage looks circa Somersault and the RDJ shots I don't recognize but it ain't recent. It's noted as a romance/drama but I'm thinking it must be some kind of re-purposed footage experiment or exercise. With no official website or Wikipedia page, I can't confirm more at this time but looks more than a little odd to me.

TV on DVD this week includes the miniseries The Pacific and redux of aliens visitors series V: The Complete First Season.

Titles on Amazon.ca(Canada):


Titles on Amazon.com (US):


Inside Hana's Suitcase not currently available on Amazon.com

Monthly Wallpaper - November 2010: Evil Women

With names like de Vil and Ratched, you know you're in the presence of some Evil Women. That's right, these (in)famous femme fatales and more are gracing the Movie Dearest Calendar Wallpaper for the month of November.

Don't worry though, if you can make it to Thanksgiving, you can borrow a carving knife for the turkey from Annie Wilkes or Alex Forrest.

All you have to do is click on the picture above to enlarge it, then simply right click your mouse and select "Set as Background". (You can also save it to your computer and set it up from there if you prefer.) The size is 1024 x 768, but you can modify it if needed in your own photo-editing program.