February 2009 Archives

I'VE spent today in Watchmen mode - watching the movie (all 2hrs and 40mins of it!) and meeting all of the stars in London.

And, I can tell you, it was all very interesting.

The source material and film are so complex and weighty, I've spent the whole day trying to become a Watchmen expert from the minute I got up at 5.50am.

As a momentous day draws to a close, it's interesting to relect on what director Zach Snyder (300) told me.

"The timing of its release is now very interesting," he said. "Whether it marks the beginning of an era, or the end of one, it does mark something."

You bet!

But, is the film any good?

Well, I'm afraid my lips have to be sealed for now..., but we'll be reviewing the movie in the Birmingham Mail when it's released on 06 03 09 and detailing who's who etc and what they all think about their characters.

TODAY'S Oscar results threw a big spanner in my works!

I thought there would be a surprise or two, but was rather hoping it would be on the female side of things for the second year running.

Instead, Kate Winslet and Penelope Cruz cemented their status as favourites in the best actress and best supporting actress categories and it was Mickey Rourke who went home empty handed after Sean Penn won best actor for Milk.

Ah, well, you can't win 'em all - and of the big four the only one where my wish came true was for Heath Ledger's best supporting actor turn with The Dark Knight.

But I console myself with the thought that I'd rather watch The Wrestler and Doubt again before either The Reader or Vicky Cristina Barcelona.

I'll report back tonight with my full list of how I did.

But well done to everyone involved with Slumdog... and I'm pleased that my best costume tip for The Duchess worked out, too.

Cinémoi, the first and only channel dedicated to French film, is set to launch in the UK next week.
From February 23, Cinémoi will be available on Sky channel 839 to bring a touch of glamour and style to Britain's TV screens.
Cinémoi will celebrate more than a century of French cinema by screening classic and contemporary films and documentaries with subtitles.
Fans of French film will even be able to try a taster for free every night until April 6.
Exclusive interviews with some of the industry's most influential names including Catherine Deneuve (Belle de Jour)and Isabelle Huppert (The Piano Teacher) will be screened alongside celebrated films such as Bridget Bardot's Le Mepris, Vincent Cassel's La Haine and Francois Truffaut's 400 Blows.
Vincent Cassel, one of France's most prominent actors (Oceans 12, La Haine, Eastern Promise) will launch the channel.
Mint Group (owners of KOKO) and 3DD Group (producers of The Album Chart Show) have teamed up with Ed Pressman, one of Hollywood's leading independent film producers (Wall Street, American Psycho) to create Cinémoi.
Julien Plante, from London's No. 1 French cinema Cine Lumière, has programmed more than 1,000 films and documentaries for festivals, cinemas and events.
He will now curate the channel. 
"We are really excited about launching Cinémoi in the UK," says Julien.
"The growth of French cinema and the increasing numbers of people with a real passion for it means that this feels like the perfect time to launch the channel.
"With more than 30 new films every month, Cinémoi will be a celebration of all things French, packaged to communicate glamour, style, quality and entertainment."
Remember, you can experience the best French movies on Cinémoi, the first and only channel dedicated to French film in the UK, for free from February 23-April 6. Sign-up information and further details are available at www.cinemoi.tv or 0845 880 8008.

SOMETHING has got to give at the 81st Academy Awards on Sunday night.
Kate Winslet is up for her sixth Oscar nomination, this time for The Reader.
It's her fourth best actress nod (after Titanic, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind and Little Children) to add to her two best supporting actress nominations (Sense and Sensibility / Iris).
But Meryl Streep is up for her 15th nomination thanks to Doubt, the film with more Oscar nods (four) than any other 2009 contender.
Although she has two Oscar wins, if she loses this time, that will be 11 ducks in a row.
And, in a year in which Meryl has given us the single most entertaining film - Mamma Mia! - she doesn't deserve to go home empty handed again.

JUST THREE days to go before this year's Oscars are revealed.

Check out tomorrow's Birmingham Mail for my tips as to who I think (and hope) will win.

One man unlucky not to be represented this time is Clint Eastwood, who gives one of the finest performances of his career in his new, self-directed movie Gran Torino.

Perhaps the Academy thought he'd just had too many nonimations in the past few years, but the American Film Institute rated it one of its top ten films for 2008.

Gran Torino is being released in Brum next Wednesday.

I've seen it twice already and can't wait to review it in next Friday's paper.

It's out in London from tomorrow, but, when distributors keep trying new gimmicks by inventing strange release dates in a bid to create some sort of box office statistic, it's a difficult choice about when we should review something if we've already seen it.

Confessions of a Shopaholic, for example, was brought forward to this Wednesday and I'll be reviewing that in tomorrow's paper.

I could have reviewed this fun comedy last week having seen it back in January, but I don't really see the point of reviewing things too soon.

Another hassle is that distributors don't always want us to see stuff in advance.

Or they make it as difficult as possible in the hope that in the absence of any adverse criticism, a mixture of advertising / viral marketing / free puffs will bring punters in.

Now that's when I'd happily settle for a Wednesday advance screening for the public so that we could still run a review in the week of release and continue to provide an unrivalled service for our readers.

In my view, distributors should simply embrace the notion that well-informed reviews, whether good or bad, simply help to stimulate a wider interest in film at all levels.

I don't know a single film reviewer who doesn't love movies.

I'VE just completed my list of Oscar tips for 2009.

Given that you could have odds of nearly 40-1 on my winning selections last year, they might well be a worth a look this time.

Space permitting, they should be in Friday's What's On section of the Birmingham Mail.

Given that this year's nominations echo the Golden Globes and BAFTAs too much, I'm looking for one or two surprises with my best value tips...

TODAY'S weather was absolutely fantastic - far removed from the frost and snow of the past two weeks.

But, if you are really missing the white stuff, how can you reclaim it?

Easy! Just dig out a movie where the snow is one of the main characters.

Take your pick from The Coen Bros' Fargo, Sam Raimi's A Simple Plan or perhaps either The Pledge or Into the Wild.

The latter two were both directed by Sean Penn, so he either loves snow or the challenge of working in it.

Then there's always the mountains of Insomnia to give you a real northern hemisphere drama, whether you choose original or remake.

I'd love to watch all of these back to back right now, but other new movies beckon. Such is life.

Meanwhile, if you fancy cheese with snow - or should that be snow with cheese? - why not try Vertical Limit...

Whichever film you choose, spare a thought for the filmmakers.

It's in movies like this that they really push their dedication and craft to the limit - just so that we can put our feet up next to a warm fire. Hats off to all of 'em.

HOW amazing to see Clint Eastwood and Tony Bennett chatting together so informally on tonight's BBC2 Arena tribute to the jazz star which Clint also produced.

Both of these fellas are not only the greatest in their own territories, but they have each given up more than two hours of their lives just for me and the Birmingham Mail in the past.

Thanks guys - it's been a real privilege to see at first hand just how generous of spirit you both are.

And what is the X Factor they share?

Well, their combined age is 160, yet the lesson for all of us is that they're still both trying to learn as much as they can ready to distill even more of their whole life's experience into that all-important next piece of work.

And that folks, is not only the secret of success, but a good example of why retirement is such a stupid concept. Why should anyone stop doing what they are good at just because of a date on a birth certificate?

Don't miss my review of Clint Eastwood's next great movie Gran Torino - only in next Friday's Birmingham Mail.

WE CAN all moan about the credit crunch etc, but it still costs nothing to show good manners.

Earlier today I was on Bristol Street when a concerned woman of Eastern origin approached me ready to ask a question in a very polite manner.

Admitting she was hopelessly lost, she had overshot the Thistle hotel and had no idea how to get back to it.

After wondering how I could possibly explain the directions, I thought better of it - and said she could follow me if I got back in my car nearby.

It turns out that this lady was a slow driver, but, despite other cars coming between us, she managed to stay close enough behind to follow me.

I guided her all the way round the Belgrave Middleway roundabout, back along Bristol Street, through the Queensway tunnel, round the Lancaster Circus island and then back again towards the city to the front door of the Thistle / NCP car park.

It's amazing how much better it makes you feel if you know you've gone out of your way to help somebody, especially as I had two of my children with me to let them learn this key lesson of life at first hand.

Being in a position to be able to do such a good turn made my day... but not half as much as I made this visitor's.

Since she's originally from Mongolia but now lives in the rainswept outpost of Manchester, you can imagine a) this lady's sheer delight that her politeness meant that she'd found an express way of reaching her destination and b) how she'll always have a good word to say about Birmingham once she returns north.

She said her first activity next week would be to invest in satnav, but I told her not to bother since it's always much more fun if you can find somebody to ask.

Trouble is, as I was about to be quickly reminded, how many of us can rely on the kindness of strangers these days?

Minutes later I was in the Bullring where I made sure a young couple could get into my lift before the doors closed, even though the woman's oik had a hideous hair cut and tattoos that might have been 'X marks the spot' directions for the Boston Strangler.

I got no word of thanks and not even a look of gratitude from either of them.

Seconds later, I allowed a mother and daughter to get out first while staying behind to let this couple go next.

Still there was no word of thanks, nor the slightest hint of an acknowledgement at the end of what could only be described as Two Tales From One City.

I know who I'd rather be stuck in a lift with, and it's not the pair of Brummie Dummies.

As the great Jack Nicholson once said to me: 'Rude is for amateurs'.

He might also have added that it doesn't suit Brummies.

I'VE just seen Confessions of a Shopaholic and thought it was terrific.

In my humble view - as a mere man - it's going to be 'the first film of 2009 that girls everywhere will be dying to spend their money on'.

Can't say fairer than that!

Star Isla Fisher is going to see her value rocket after this.

Confessions of a Shopaholic is out from next Wednesday so order your tickets now... the lesson from the film is that women can get a bit, er, restless, when something they've got their eye on disappears into someone else's hands.

Don't miss my full review, only in next Friday's Birmingham Mail.