The teaser trailer for Morgan Spurlock's 1D3D documentary has arrived, bringing with it hysterical teenagers, generic pop songs and more than a little incredulity.
Maybe you think you know about the output of Ealing Studios. Alec Guinness as a grey-faced, violin-playing bank robber. A steam train chuffing through verdant English countryside. The population of a smart enclave of west London declare independence. Vilanous men, silly old women, henpecked husbands, slapstick to a soundtrack of a parping trombone.
Susan Boyle took the world by surprise and ended up winning its collective heart, with her rendition of Les Miserables' I Dreamed A Dream on Britain's Got Talent in 2009. Her story was widely reported, both the highs and lows, and for a time you just couldn't escape her.
Now that her star shines a touch less brightly, it seems Fox Searchlight are eager to apply a bit of polish with the announcement that they are developing a biopic about Boyle's life.
Fifteen to twenty years ago there was a music news show on the BBC called the Ozone. One episode featured an interview with Bjork where she confessed to having a huge crush on David Attenborough from listening to his voice on nature documentaries. Awww, that's sweet isn't it?
NO! It's not. Fast forward to 2012 and that innocent crush has developed into a worrying obsession.
After the success of his feature directorial debut with the dramatic thriller Martha Marcy May Marlene earlier this year, director Sean Durkin has been tapped to helm a biopic of the famed rock icon Janis Joplin, Deadline have reported this week.
She only gained public attention four years ago with the smash hit "I Kissed A Girl”, but, aided by her glitzy persona, Katy Perry has come to dominate the pop world with two highly successful albums and has made history with five number one singles from the same studio album - a first for a female artist. Now she has a film on her hands and a touching one at that.
Prometheus has one hell of an identity crisis. Is it a prequel to Alien? A brand new science fiction epic with vague echoes of Ridley Scott's classic? Another story set in the same universe with a slight bit of connective tissue? It doesn't help that Sir Ridley himself has refused to confirm anything, just kind of vaguely stating that it started it out as a quasi-Alien prequel before branching out to becoming something bigger and less finite. However, Marc Streitenfeld's music score to the film has just been released digitally and it contains a few clues to what Prometheus really is and also perhaps if it'll be any good.
Ladies and Gentleman, welcome to the first of our regular double features. What better way is there to spend a lazy evening in than by reclining on the sofa with a couple of well-chosen movies? Obviously you can just go for any old pairing if you so desire but if you ask me, it’s always better to have a little theme running through your viewing. Maybe go for the finer works of a certain actor, the choice cuts of a particular director or perhaps even a less obvious link: genre, theme or locale.
For my first suggestion I’m going for two fine Rock and Roll pictures which perfectly showcase the sights, sounds and, ah yes, the smells of Heavy Metal. One is a touching and inspiring documentary which chronicles a pair of lifelong friends and their determination to make it big no matter how long it takes; the other is simply the finest rockumentary ever made and perhaps even the greatest comedy ever made to boot.
While Kings of Leon may be one of the biggest bands in the world today, a minority of fans and critics have felt alienated by the more tepid, watered down records they’ve released in recent years.
Awkwardly then, the film's introduction acts as nothing better than a glorious example of how the band has changed from a bearded folk act to nothing more than a walking Topman advert as the boys ride Segways to the sounds of the their record. Thankfully, the film isn’t filled with wave after wave of I’m richer than yow scenes and for the most part it is a decent watch.
