Richard Watts
After teaching Film Studies, Media Studies and Philosophy for several years, Rich decided to train as a journalist and head out into the wilderness. His tastes range from Alfred Hitchcock to David Fincher; and from Apocalypse Now to Pixar’s Up. A true cinephile, he loves film for what it teaches us about being human; and its ability to make us laugh and cry, sometimes simultaneously.
Bond’s 23rd adventure begins in the crowded markets of Istanbul’s Grand Bazaar with the kind of spectacle we have come to expect from the franchise; car-chases, extreme motorbike stunts, unorthodox train-travel and a barrage of gunfire will mark the re-appearance of our favourite spy, but it all feels a little repetitive. Is there anywhere new for Bond to go?
Skyfall’s producers clearly think so. We can expect a bum-testing run-time of 145 minutes for the autumn release; plus Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer have confirmed that Daniel Craig will appear in two more Bond-films; but maybe they need him more than we do.
A new behind-the-scenes film offers a sneak-peek of some of the action we can expect as we’re polishing-off our (first) bag of Minstrels during Skyfall’s opening sequence.
Few films strut so confidently across the high-plains of mainstream cinema carrying such high-concept baggage; it may have taken several ‘cuts’ for Blade Runner to finally plant its feet, but its swagger is undeniable.
Set in post-war Britain, 1921, The Awakening sets out to tackle a sensitive issue through a genre not usually accused of subtlety. Following the First World War, and influenza pandemic of 1918, more than a million people had lost their lives. Society had changed forever and British families were left wrestling their grief in silence. Florence Cathcart (Rebecca Hall) lost her fiancé to the war, and is haunted by the thought that his ghost might be trapped in after-life. Aching with guilt, she sets out to discredit anyone who claims they can contact the dead, hoping she can employ scientific method to prove no one can survive death, and her lover is really gone.
Love on a Pillow celebrates its 50th anniversary with a rerelease later this month, but it's not clear why. This release has not been restored onto Blu-Ray, nor is it repackaged with a generous bundle of fascinating extras. It's not at all clear what it is we are supposed to be celebrating.
Netflix is still in its infancy in the UK and, in these early months, it feels a bit like digging through bargain bins searching for a rare classic. While there might be a lot of junk to dig through, there are some real gems to find.
Every week, Lost in the Multiplex will pick through the detritus in search of Netflix's buried treasures.
This week - Gasland.
