Saturday 31 December 2011

Friday 30 December 2011

Tuesday 27 December 2011

THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO ****½

USA/Sweden/UK/Germany: David Fincher, 2011


David Fincher's THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO provides a fascinating re-adaptation of the original source novel which both retains and changes the plot to make the material its own. Crucially, Fincher's version (like the Niels Arden Oplev Swedish film adaptation before it) stands on its own terms as a gripping and compelling crime thriller that makes over zealous anxiety around which version (novel, Swedish or Anglicised film adaptation) is the definitive one, largely academic.

The biggest problem Fincher's film has is the inherent one of being an English language film set adrift in the Swedish backdrop of Stieg Larsson's bestselling book. This is particularly noticeable in Daniel Craig's performance as Mikael Blomkvist. Fine actor he may be but hearing Craig deliver his lines in an unaffected English accent atop of a smorgasbord of faux Scandinavian dialects is unquestionably jarring and a flaw that I'm not convinced the film ever fully recovers from. Although it should be noted cast members such as Christopher Plummer (Henrik Vanger), Robin Wright (Erica Berger) and most emphatically Rooney Mara (Lisbeth Salander) are note perfect no matter the language.

However, despite being a huge fan of Larsson's novel and the original Swedish film adaptation I went into this film with an open mind and fortunately there is plenty to be impressed by. The opening credit sequence - despite being a separate entity from the aesthetic of the film - is an awesome display of Fincher's audio/visual sensibilities and acts as a mission statement that distinguishes this version of THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO from any other. Yes this film has a noticeably bigger budget, it has a more distinct style, more technical depth than its Swedish counter-part but the greatest success of Fincher's film is its combination of a confident script by Steven Zaillian anchored around Rooney Mara's fresh portrayal of Lisbeth Salander.

The titular 'girl with the dragon tattoo' is undeniably the most interesting and well realised aspect of Larsson's fiction but that makes for no guarantee of an equally mesmerising vision on screen. Just as Noomi Rapace's inimitable 'Lisbeth' performance elevated the Swedish film and its two sequels, if Mara had faltered it would have sunk Fincher's film. Thankfully, unequivocally, she delivered with a different but no less iconic representation of Lisbeth Salander faithful in spirit to the character on the page. Moreover, Fincher's tender, nay more romantic handling of the Blomkvist and Salander relationship on screen is far closer to how I imagined it as written in the novel. The disappearance of Harriet Vanger and this unlikely duo's investigation into the circumstances surrounding it were always the framing plot device of THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO (in all its variations). The true core of this story plays out in the slow, conflictory and ultimately doomed friendship that Lisbeth forms with Mikael. That Fincher recognises this and allows it to gradually but surely come to the fore is this film's enduring strength.

The Count's Verdict: Have no fear - this 'Hollywood' retelling of a now familiar literary phenomenon can co-exist with both book and Swedish film without prejudice. Indeed, it adds to the entertaining and enthralling story that is THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO.

Monday 26 December 2011

Sunday 25 December 2011

CHRISTMAS 2011 SWAG!

Much to my surprise and joy Daddy got spoilt just as much as baby H this Xmas. So far my haul has included Stephen Thrower's mighty tome 'Nightmare USA', Jamie Russell's 'The Book of the Dead, 'Frost/Nixon' and the biography of 'Scream Queen' Jamie Lee Curtis. I've also been fortunate enough to receive a stack of BDs: TOY STORY, TOY STORY 2, MONSTERS INC., TANGLED, RIO, HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON, SUPER 8, X-MEN: FIRST CLASS, BRIDESMAIDS, KILL LIST and the glorious BBC Natural History documentary FROZEN PLANET.

I'll try and post a photo later...

Saturday 24 December 2011

HUMONGOUS **½

Canada: Paul Lynch, 1982

IMDB reference

Even watching this on a fuzzy VHS copy the opening scene was pretty damn grim. Luckily the dumb teens soon arrive featuring a cast/plot which smacks of a fun 'Scooby-Doo' vibe & the film has some suitably cheesy 80s paraphernalia & fashions.

However, ultimately it's all a bit meh. The incredibly dark & rough VHS image transfer can't of helped matters. The audio in particular is very poor on the version I watched. Even so despite the shortcomings of the audio/visual presentation there's no denying the fun to be had with the wooden acting!

The Count's Verdict: In desperate need of a DVD release to aid shoddy audio-visual presentation but no matter how good it looked or sounded this is a pretty silly and forgettable slasher.

MOVIE MATTERS PODCAST - EP13 'CHRISTMAS 2011 SPECIAL - TELL NO ONE & IN BRUGES'

The Movie Matters podcast returns for its final episode of 2011. In this special Christmas instalment, co-hosts Lee Howard and Michael Mackenzie exchange gifts, casting an eye on French actor turned filmmaker Guillaume Canet's adaptation of American crime author Harlan Coben's TELL NO ONE (NE LE DIS À PERSONNE) and Martin McDonagh's celebrated black comedy IN BRUGES, starring Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson. Upcoming DVD and Blu-ray releases of note are also covered, and another Blu-ray Disc enters the Movie Matters Hall of Fame.

The music sampled in this episode is from IL DULCI JUBILO, NATIONAL LAMPOON'S CHRISTMAS VACATION, TELL NO-ONE, SCROOGED, HOME ALONE 2: LOST IN NEW YORK and THE NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS.

Created by Lee Howard & Michael Mackenzie
Edited by Michael Mackenzie

http://moviematterspodcast.blogspot.com

Thursday 22 December 2011

Wednesday 21 December 2011

(*) TELL NO ONE ****

Original Title: Ne le dis a personne
France: Guillaume Canet, 2006

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(*) IN BRUGES ****½

UK/USA: Martin McDonagh, 2008

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Tuesday 20 December 2011

HUGO 3D ***½

USA: Martin Scorsese, 2011

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I was slightly underwhelmed by HUGO. Not enough film history to satisfy an adult enthusiast nor exciting enough to entertain a child. The much lauded 3D aided the visual spectacle of the film but was by no means essential. Don't get me wrong, there was plenty to enjoy, especially technically, in HUGO but I felt it lagged in pacing and the narrative felt uneven with rather forced vignettes of humour.

So, much to my surprise, a Scorsese pic won't make my Top 10 of 2011. In fact, as divisive a film as last year's SHUTTER ISLAND was I undoubtedly prefer it to HUGO.

The Count's Verdict: Go see it, enjoy it - just beware the hype as no matter what they say HUGO doesn't demonstrably vindicate the need for 3D or hold a candle to Scorsese's best work.

Monday 19 December 2011

DEXTER - SEASON 6 (8/10)

USA: Various Directors, 2011 (Developed by James Manos Jr. and created by Jeff Lindsay)

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As watchable as ever, hence the generous 8/10 rating, but in actuality this has proved to be the weakest season of DEXTER so far. This season's theme of religion used to underpin the murder plot was ultimately empty and long out stayed its welcome. Plus the later 'romantic' developments with Deb were nothing short of insulting. The season 6 Finale proved a mixed bag too with the dark potential of the final confrontation between Dexter and Travis being very anticlimatic. However, the season ended with a much needed final reveal which promises much for season 7.

Thankfully, Michael C. Hall's portrayal of the titular character is as strong as ever and the resonate subplot exploring a father and son relationship (Harry & Dexter/ Dexter & Harrison) continues to emerge as the show's true heart.

WHATEVER WORKS ***

USA/France: Woody Allen, 2009

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Thursday 15 December 2011

Wednesday 14 December 2011

SENNA ****

UK: Asif Kapadia, 2010

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Watched this documentary alongside my F1 fan wife and must say we found it equally captivating. The masterful use of archival footage on display, woven together through superb editing, pieces together an intimate portrait of a man and a narrative full of triumphs, intrigues, rivalries and inevitably tragedy.

The Count's Verdict: A must for fans of the sport but an equally compelling story for any fan of film.

Tuesday 13 December 2011

NIGHT SCHOOL ***

aka Terror Eyes
USA: Ken Hughes, 1981

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Rather slow and relatively tame slasher film which bafflingly was identified as a 'video nasty' by the DPP during the 80s in Britain. The plot does boast a playfully bizarre 'head hunter' killer, dressed in bikers' black leather and helmet, brandishing a machete who decapitates victims to stage grisly tableaux featuring water akin to an ancient African ritual. NIGHT SCHOOL also has some memorable kills with the stalk and slash sequence set in an aquarium a particular stand out. Finally, the film is notable for the debut appearance of actress Rachel Ward who gives an unintentionally hilarious wooden performance as the lead.

The Count's Verdict: Worth a watch for 80s slasher enthusiasts otherwise it may prove a little too languid in pace for a more mainstream audience.

BOARDWALK EMPIRE - SEASON 2 (8/10)

USA: Various Directors, 2011 (Created by Terence Winter)

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Sunday 11 December 2011

(*) CHRISTMAS VACATION ***½

aka National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation
USA: Jeremiah S. Chechik, 1989

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Saturday 10 December 2011

THE HANGOVER: PART II ***

USA: Todd Phillips, 2011

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I caught up with 2009's THE HANGOVER back in early 2010 after it had grown to become an impressive Box Office sleeper hit. A rarity for a Hollywood comedy these days and despite it being nothing more than a crass mindless 'lads' film, I did chuckle more than once during its (slightly overlong) running time.

Thus I thought I'd give the inevitable sequel (a third film is also due for release in 2013) a spin. My expectations going in were simply 'I'll be satisfied with more of the same crass mindless humour.' THE HANGOVER 2 does deliver in that regard with most of the laughs coming in the first half of the movie. After that the characters and the non-existent plot seem to out stay their welcome with the chortles soon running out. I'm not a big fan of Bradley Cooper but I'm more than willing to suspend disbelief in order to shout "you're a complete twat" at the TV whenever his smug over-exposed face ever appears on screen. Actually, seeing an actor I find irritating being very irritating its strangely cathartic and I count my irrational dislike of 'The Coop' one of the guilty pleasures afforded by these films. Not sure I'll be returning for Part 3 though.

The Count's Verdict: If you liked the first there is enough of the same here to entertain you. If you didn't like THE HANGOVER then avoid this sequel and move on.

Friday 9 December 2011

Thursday 8 December 2011

Tuesday 6 December 2011

THE TREE OF LIFE ***½

USA: Terence Malick, 2011

IMDB reference


If I were creating a list of the most ambitious, 'important' or profound films of 2011, Terence Malick's THE TREE OF LIFE (winner of the coveted Palme d'Or, and ranked the year's best film by Sight & Sound magazine) would undoubtedly be at the top of the pile. The artistic and thematic endeavor Malick brings to recreating and charting the inception of life on our planet (from the Big Bang, the reign of the Dinosaurs to the intimate drama of a man recalling his childhood) is nothing short of immense. In its best moments THE TREE OF LIFE recalls the aesthetic and religious transcendence of Stanley Kubrick's masterpiece 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY. However, I found these moments to be all too fleeting and rather aptly ethereal.

Despite Malick's trademark style for lush 'snapshots of nature' visuals accompanied by poetic voice-over dialogue the film often meanders in pace, pushing its contrived fragmented narrative structure to the fore which actually blights the fragile human drama (effectively portrayed by the cast of Jessica Chastain, Brad Pitt, Sean Penn and the young Hunter McCracken) within. Ultimately, THE TREE OF LIFE is a film like no other I've seen in 2011 but I can't deny my own personal reaction to the film is both positive and negative. Thus, it'll only make an honourable mention for me.

The Count's Verdict: Essential for Malick fans. For all others it is destined to enthral and euthanise in equal measure.

Monday 5 December 2011

THE THING **½

USA/Canada: Matthijs van Heijningen Jr., 2011

IMDB reference

Fairly pointless retread of John Carpenter's own remake of the Howard Hawks original. Carpenter's film brought cutting edge special effects, Cundey's glorious cinematography and an atmosphere of acute paranoia. This latest instalment can't decide whether is a prequel or a straight remake and only manages to mildly entertain before predictably relying on CGI effects to tell its derivative story.

The Count's Verdict: Take it or leave it.

Saturday 3 December 2011

Wednesday 30 November 2011

Saturday 26 November 2011

Thursday 24 November 2011

LIMITLESS ***

USA: Neil Burger, 2011

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MOVIE MATTERS PODCAST - REQUEST FOR COMMENTS

This is perhaps slightly premature notice coming just a day after the release of the last Movie Matters episode, but for our upcoming thirteen episode we'll be looking at Pixar's two most maligned features, CARS and its sequel CARS 2. Unlike the last three instalments, all of which were specials covering three films apiece, this will be a "normal" episode covering only two films and therefore marking the return of our regular features: (a) the "upcoming releases" sections and (b) the "listeners' questions" section.

With that in mind, here's the topic for discussion:

What's your favourite and least favourite Pixar film and why?

You can either add your answers as replies to this post, tweet them to us at @MovieMattersTM, or drop us an email at moviematterspodcast[at]gmail[dot]com.

We look forward to hearing from you!

Wednesday 23 November 2011

MOVIE MATTERS PODCAST - EP12 'BRIAN DE PALMA SPECIAL - SISTERS, BLOW OUT & BODY DOUBLE'

In this episode of the Movie Matters podcast, regular co-hosts Lee Howard and Michael Mackenzie are joined by special guest Daniel Sardella to discuss the films of Brian De Palma. The three hosts cast an eye over three of the equally celebrated and derided filmmaker's most infamous thrillers - SISTERS, BLOW OUT and BODY DOUBLE - and induct another Blu-ray transfer into the Movie Matters Hall of Fame.

The music sampled in this episode is all from THE UNTOUCHABLES by Ennio Morricone, FEMME FATALE by Ryuichi Sakamoto, SISTERS and OBSESSION by Bernard Herrmann, and RAISING CAIN, BLOW OUT and BODY DOUBLE by Pino Donaggio.

http://moviematterspodcast.blogspot.com

CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE FIRST AVENGER ***½

USA: Joe Johnson, 2011

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Wednesday 16 November 2011

Saturday 12 November 2011

Friday 11 November 2011

ISLAND OF BLOOD *½

aka Whodunit?/ Scared Alive
USA: William T. Naud, 1982

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BURIED ***

Spain/USA/France: Rodrigo Cortes, 2010

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Thursday 10 November 2011

MOVIE MATTERS PODCAST - EP11 'HALLOWEEN 2011 SPECIAL - SCREAM 4, THE DESCENT & POLTERGEIST'

The Movie Matters podcast returns after an impromptu extended hiatus with a Halloween special and promises of a more frequent recording schedule going forward. In this spine-tingling episode, co-hosts Lee Howard and Michael Mackenzie cast their eyes over horror movies old and new, discussing Wes Craven's SCREAM 4, Neil Marshall's THE DESCENT and Tobe Hooper and Steven Spielberg's POLTERGEIST.


The music sampled in this episode is all from HALLOWEEN by John Carpenter, THE DESCENT by David Julyan, and THE EXORCIST by Mike Oldfield.

As mentioned in the podcast, here are some comparisons between the two different colour grades of THE DESCENT: http://www.landofwhimsy.com/archives/2011/11/movie-matters-11---halloween-special-ii/

Please note that some minor audio interference may be audible in the earliest parts of the episode. This was due to failing equipment that has since been replaced and should not be a problem in future episodes.

http://moviematterspodcast.blogspot.com

Sunday 30 October 2011

(*) BODYCOUNT ***

Original Title: Camping del terrore
Italy/USA: Ruggero Deodato, 1987

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Saturday 29 October 2011

BODYCOUNT - UNCUT **½

Original Title: Camping del terrore
Italy/USA: Ruggero Deodato, 1987

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EYEBALL ***

Original Title: Gatti rossi in un labirinto di vetro
Italy/spain: Umberto Lenzi, 1975

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Wednesday 26 October 2011

Monday 24 October 2011

Saturday 22 October 2011

Friday 21 October 2011

Wednesday 19 October 2011

Tuesday 18 October 2011

(*) STAGE FRIGHT ****½

Original Title: Deliria
aka StageFright: Aquarius
Italy: Michele Soavi, 1987

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Monday 17 October 2011

Sunday 16 October 2011

Saturday 15 October 2011

(*) SERENITY ****½

USA: Joss Whedon, 2005

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HOWL'S MOVING CASTLE ***½

Original Title: Hauru no ugoku shiro
Japan: Hayao Miyazaki, 2004

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Thursday 13 October 2011

(*) FIREFLY - SEASON 1 (10/10)

USA: Various Directors, 2002-2003 (Created by Joss Whedon)

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Saturday 8 October 2011

Wednesday 5 October 2011

Sunday 2 October 2011

SPIRITED AWAY ****

Original Title: Sen to Chihiro no kamikakushi
Japan: Hayao Miyazaki, 2001

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Saturday 1 October 2011

Thursday 29 September 2011

BREAKING BAD - SEASON 1 (8/10)

USA: Various Directors, 2008 (Created by Vince Gilligan)

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Tuesday 27 September 2011

PRINCESS MONONOKE ****½

Original Title: Mononoke-hime
Japan: Hayao Miyazaki, 1997

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Monday 26 September 2011

Sunday 25 September 2011

Saturday 24 September 2011

PORCO ROSSO ****

Original Title: Kurenai no buta
Japan: Hayao Miyazaki, 1992

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PONYO ***

Original Title: Gake no ue no Ponyo
Japan: Hayao Miyazaki, 2008

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Sunday 18 September 2011

IT'S MY BIRTHDAY!

Whisper it... but today the Count turned 32 years young. Pic of my bountiful b'day swag above. I'm a lucky man!

Saturday 17 September 2011

PAUL ***

USA/UK: Greg Mottola, 2011

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GHIBLI: THE MIYAZAKI TEMPLE (TV) ***

Original Title: Ghibli et le mystere Miyazaki
France: Yves Montmayeur, 2005

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Friday 16 September 2011

THE HOST ***

Original Title: Gwoemul
South Korea: Joon-ho Bong, 2006

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Thursday 15 September 2011

Wednesday 14 September 2011

KIKI'S DELIVERY SERVICE ****

Original Title: Majo no takkyubin
Japan: Hayao Miyazaki, 1989

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Tuesday 13 September 2011

TRUE BLOOD - SEASON 4 (7/10)

USA: Various Directors, 2011 (Created by Alan Ball)

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Sunday 11 September 2011

Saturday 10 September 2011

COLD FISH ***½

Original Title: Tsumetai nettaigyo
Japan: Shion Sono, 2010

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THE FOUNTAIN **

USA: Darren Aronofsky, 2006

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Friday 9 September 2011

21 **½

USA: Robert Luketic, 2008

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Tuesday 6 September 2011

Thursday 1 September 2011

(*) SISTERS ****

aka Blood Sisters
USA: Brian De Palma, 1973

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13 ASSASSINS ****½

Original Title: Jusan-nin no shikaku
Japan/UK: Takashi Miike, 2010

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Wednesday 31 August 2011

Thursday 25 August 2011

Wednesday 24 August 2011

Tuesday 23 August 2011

UNKNOWN ***

UK/Germany/France/Canada/Japan/USA: Juame Collet-Serra, 2011

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ARRIETTY ***½

Japan: Hiromasa Yonebayashi, 2010

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Monday 22 August 2011

Sunday 21 August 2011

Saturday 20 August 2011

HANNA ****½

USA/UK/Germany: Joe Wright, 2011

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JUST GO WITH IT **

USA: Dennis Dugan, 2011

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Friday 19 August 2011

Thursday 18 August 2011

ANIMAL KINGDOM ***½

Australia: David Michod, 2010

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WIN WIN ***

USA: Thomas McCarthy, 2011

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YOUR HIGHNESS *½

USA: David Gordon Green, 2011

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Tuesday 16 August 2011

BLUE VALENTINE ****

USA: Derek Cianfrance, 2010

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TANGLED ****

USA: Nathan Greno and Byron Howard, 2010

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Monday 15 August 2011

Tuesday 9 August 2011

Sunday 7 August 2011

Tuesday 2 August 2011

MOVIE MATTERS PODCAST - EP10 'THE LORD OF THE RINGS SPECIAL - THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE RING, THE TWO TOWERS & THE RETURN OF THE KING'

In the latest episode of the Movie Matters podcast, co-hosts Lee Howard and Michael Mackenzie embark on an adventure as they set off on the long journey of discussing and reflecting upon the strengths, weaknesses and enduring cinematic achievement of New Line Cinema's THE LORD OF THE RINGS trilogy: THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE RING, THE TWO TOWERS and THE RETURN OF THE KING. In addition to reviewing the films themselves, the hosts also share how they first became acquainted with the world of Middle-Earth, cast their eyes over the recent Extended Edition Blu-ray Disc release of the trilogy, and read out listener comments on all things LORD OF THE RINGS.

The music sampled in this episode is all from THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE RING, THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE TWO TOWERS and THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE RETURN OF THE KING by Howard Shore. Special thanks to David Mackenzie for audio support.

Please note that this episode suffers from some unavoidable audio interference during its first half as a result of a technical gaffe (a.k.a. not plugging the microphone in properly). We hope that these imperfections don't impair your enjoyment of the episode.

As mentioned in the podcast, here is the summary of the screenplay for the aborted John Boorman adaptation of the books.

HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON ***½

USA: Chris Sanders and Dean DeBlois, 2010

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Thursday 28 July 2011

MOVIE MATTERS PODCAST - EP9 'THE DEVIL RIDES OUT & TO THE DEVIL A DAUGHTER'

In the latest episode of the Movie Matters podcast, co-hosts Lee Howard and Michael Mackenzie take the Left Hand Path as they delve into the world of the supernatural, examining two adaptations by the renowned Hammer studio of the black magic novels of the prolific Dennis Wheatley, 1968's THE DEVIL RIDES OUT and 1976's TO THE DEVIL A DAUGHTER. The hosts also discussed significant movies that have so far alluded them in a "Never Seen But Should Have" feature, cast their eyes over recent Blu-ray and DVD releases, and induct another Blu-ray transfer into the Movie Matters Hall of Fame.


The music sampled in this episode is from THE DEVIL RIDES OUT (James Bernard), THE CURSE OF FRANKENSTEIN (James Bernard), HORROR OF DRACULA (James Bernard) and THE MUMMY (Franz Reizenstein). Special thanks to David Mackenzie for audio support.

Monday 25 July 2011

Saturday 23 July 2011

Sunday 17 July 2011

Sunday 3 July 2011

COMMUNITY - SEASON 2 (9/10)

USA: Various Directors, 2010-2011 (Created by Dan Harmon)

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Friday 24 June 2011

Monday 20 June 2011

GAME OF THRONES - SEASON 1 (8/10)

USA: Various Directors, 2011 (Created by David Benioff and D. B. Weiss)

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Saturday 18 June 2011

PLOT OF FEAR ***½

Original Title: ...e tanta paura
Italy: Paolo Cavara, 1976

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(*) DEATH WALKS ON HIGH HEELS ****

Original Title: La morte cammina con i tacchi alti
Italy/Spain: Luciano Ercoli, 1971

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Thursday 16 June 2011

ONE ON TOP OF THE OTHER ****

aka Perversion Story
Italy/France/Spain: Lucio Fulci, 1969

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Sunday 12 June 2011

(*) THE PSYCHIC ****½

Original Title: Sette bote in nero
aka Murder to the Tune of the Seven Black Notes, Seven Notes in Black
Italy: Lucio Fulci, 1977

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(*) A LIZARD IN A WOMAN'S SKIN ****½

Original Title: Una lucertola con la pelle di donna
Italy/Spain/France: Lucio Fulci, 1971

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Saturday 11 June 2011

Tuesday 7 June 2011

MOVIE MATTERS PODCAST - EP8 'GIALLO SPECIAL - BLOOD AND BLACK LACE, DON'T TORTURE A DUCKLING AND DEEP RED'

In this special giallo-themed episode of the Movie Matters podcast, regular hosts Lee Howard and Michael Mackenzie welcome special guest and giallo enthusiast Sandy "The Gialli Fan" Richardson of the Dark Dreams web site to discuss that unique brand of Italian murder-mystery thrillers from the 70s. In addition to delving into three films by the "big three" giallo directors - Mario Bava's BLOOD AND BLACK LACE, Lucio Fulci's DON'T TORTURE A DUCKLING and Dario Argento's DEEP RED - Lee, Michael and Sandy also count down the top 10 giallo films as submitted by the listeners, reveal their own personal favourites and suggest some must-have giallo DVD and Blu-ray Disc releases.

Please note that this podcast contains spoilers for the films featured.

The music sampled in this episode is from DEEP RED (Giorgio Gaslini and Goblin), OPERA (Claudio Simonetti), BLOOD AND BLACK LACE (Carlo Rustichelli), THE STRANGE VICE OF MRS. WARDH (Nora Orlandi), DON'T TORTURE A DUCKLING (Riz Ortolani), WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO SOLANGE? (Ennio Morricone), STRIP NUDE FOR YOUR KILLER (Berto Pisano), THE CASE OF THE BLOODY IRIS (Bruno Nicolai) and THE BIRD WITH THE CRYSTAL PLUMAGE (Ennio Morricone). Special thanks to David Mackenzie for audio support.

http://moviematterspodcast.blogspot.com

Sunday 5 June 2011

(*) WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO SOLANGE? ****½

Original Title: Cosa avete fatto a Solange?
Italy/West Germany: Massimo Dallamano, 1972

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THE HOUSE WITH LAUGHING WINDOWS ***

Original Title: La casa dalle finestre che ridono
Italy: Pupi Avati, 1976

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Wednesday 1 June 2011

(*) DEEP RED *****

Original Title: Profondo Rosso
Italy: Dario Argento, 1975

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Tuesday 31 May 2011

Monday 30 May 2011

(*) BLOOD AND BLACK LACE ****

Original Title: Sei donne per l'assassino
Italy: Mario Bava, 1964

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Sunday 29 May 2011

COMMUNITY - SEASON 1 (8/10)

USA: Various Directors, 2009-2010 (Created by Dan Harmon)

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Saturday 28 May 2011

(*) DEATH WALKS AT MIDNIGHT & THE GIALLO GENRE (DVD) ***½

This documentary was included as a featurette on the DVD release of THE KILLER MUST KILL AGAIN. Adrian Smith, author of the book 'Blood and Black Lace The Definitive Guide to Italian Sex and Horror Movies' is interviewed to camera and offers introduction and comment on many giallo films.

Monday 23 May 2011

MOVIE MATTERS PODCAST - WE WANT TO KNOW YOUR BEST GIALLI!

Michael and I are planning on recording the next episode of the MOVIE MATTERS podcast in the first week of June, along with our good friend Sandy, a.k.a. The Gialli Fan at Dark Dreams. As befits Sandy's nickname, this will be a giallo special, beginning with a discussion of the genre, followed by reviews/discussions of three films.

We would like listeners to submit their three favourite gialli in order of preference, so if you'd like to participate, please add a reply to this topic. The plan would be to read out as many of these lists on air as possible.

Friday 20 May 2011

ROCK & CHIPS - SEASON 1 (8/10)

UK: Dewi Humphreys, 2010-2011 (Created by John Sullivan)

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Sunday 8 May 2011

30 ROCK - SEASON 5 (8/10)

USA: Various Directors, 2010-2011 (Created by Tina Fey)

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Saturday 7 May 2011

THIS MORNING I BECAME A DADDY!

Wanted to share the wonderful news with my Internet friends. My son, baby Harrison, was born at 6:15am this morning weighing 7.4. Mum is fine. Really looking forward to being a Dad, starting from NOW!

See you again... someday?! :D

Friday 6 May 2011

Wednesday 4 May 2011

MAD MEN - SEASON 4 (8/10)

USA: Various Directors, 2010 (Created by Matthew Weiner)

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Friday 29 April 2011

Wednesday 27 April 2011

Sunday 24 April 2011

(*) THE SECRET IN THEIR EYES ****½

Original Title: El secreto de sus ojos
Argentina/Spain: Juan José Campanella

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Thursday 21 April 2011

MAD MEN - SEASON 3 (8/10)

USA: Various Directors, 2009 (Created by Matthew Weiner)

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Wednesday 20 April 2011

(*) THE ILLUSIONIST ****

Czech Republic/USA: Neil Burger, 2006

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Sunday 17 April 2011

MOVIE MATTERS PODCAST - EP7 '127 HOURS & SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE'

The long-overdue seventh instalment of the Movie Matters podcast arrives in the form of a Danny Boyle special, looking at the two latest instalments in the gifted director's diverse filmography: SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE and 127 HOURS. Co-hosts Lee Howard and Michael Mackenzie also discuss this year's Oscar results, take a look at this month's new DVD and Blu-ray releases, and induct another nominee into the Blu-ray Hall of Fame.



The music sampled in this episode is from 127 HOURS ("The Funeral" by Band of Horses and "Never Hear Surf Music Again" by Free Blood) and SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE (by A.R. Rahman), as well as the latest addition to the Blu-ray hall of fame. Special thanks to David Mackenzie for audio support.