Blog Feed: "You can observe a lot just by watching"

One of the most unique and enjoyable movies I watched last year was Pina by Wim Wenders. It’s a movie about expressionist dance, and basically features lots of very talented dancers using their body to convey a plethora of emotions. … Continue reading → > read more

What I’ve Been Watching: The Hunger Games

Published on 2012-05-19 07:25:54

Teenagers are far from stupid, and contrary to popular opinion large numbers of them love to read. With so many other things on television, cinema screens, and the internet grappling for their attention it’s quite gratifying to see that all … Continue reading → > read more

What I’ve Been Watching: Marvel Avengers Assemble

Published on 2012-05-19 06:19:55

It is probably fair to say there’s never been a movie like Avengers Assemble before. A ‘sequel’ or continuation of four different series of films (Iron Man, Thor, Captain America, and The Hulk). It’s a film whose marketing machine started … Continue reading → > read more

What I’ve Been Watching: The Cabin in the Woods

Published on 2012-04-14 08:31:03

The horror genre has been through something of a rough patch over the past twenty years. The genre which launched the careers of Steven Spielberg (Jaws), Sam Raimi (The Evil Dead), Peter Jackson (Bad Taste, Braindead), David Cronenberg (Shivers). It’s … Continue reading → > read more

Why we should stop complaining about Hollywood Blockbusters….

Published on 2012-03-25 14:13:23

I finished Mark Kermode’s book The Good, The Bad, and The Multiplex: What’s Wrong with Modern Movies? recently. It is a very well written, entertaining book on the state of modern cinema. However, it left me with a feeling of … Continue reading → > read more

What I’ve Been Watching: Chronicle

Published on 2012-03-10 06:22:22

Chronicle must be the worst title for a movie I’ve seen in a long time. It’s bland, and forgettable, in fact the dictionary defines it as: A work of fiction or nonfiction that describes a particular series of events. Which … Continue reading → > read more

What I’ve Been Watching: The Muppets

Published on 2012-02-25 09:55:00

It’s time get things (re-)started In an era of relaunches and rebirths like Batman, James Bond, and Spiderman perhaps it should come as no surprise that the fondly loved and remembered Muppets should make a return. Televised in the late … Continue reading → > read more

What I’ve Been Watching: Hugo

Published on 2011-12-29 10:28:47

“What makes a great children’s film?” This is the question I have discussed with many people who have seen and loved Hugo, arising from the almost universal comment: “It’s great, but it’s not a kids’ film.” Perhaps it comes from … Continue reading → > read more

What I’ve Been Watching: My Week With Marilyn

Published on 2011-12-20 16:26:32

My Week With Marilyn opens with Marliyn Monroe (Michelle Williams) performing the seductive and flirtatious Heat Wave as we cut to the main character, Colin Clark (Eddie Redmayne), his eyes glued to the screen Monroe is projected onto. Williams conveys … Continue reading → > read more

What I’ve Been Watching: 50/50

Published on 2011-12-03 11:01:11

If you were a casino game, you’d have the best odds! Cancer. Not the easiest of topics to bring to the screen, and perhaps one the last topics you’d expect Seth Rogen to be involved with. Yet here he is, … Continue reading → > read more

What I’ve Been Watching: The Awakening

Published on 2011-11-28 15:06:49

Ghost stories are not exactly new to cinema, or in fact new to stories in general. The idea of telling stories about deceased ancestors seems to go hand in hand with the very tradition of story-telling. Perhaps I should not … Continue reading → > read more

Rom-Rom-Coms, Trolls and Animals Called Brian – My Round-Up of Berwick Film and Media Arts Festival 2011

Published on 2011-10-07 10:09:52

The 23rd to the 25th September saw a weekend of events for the Berwick Film and Media Arts Festival . This year’s festival, entitled Once Upon a Time, combined films, installations and locations around Berwick to explore the depiction of … Continue reading → > read more

Berwick Film Festival: Preview

Published on 2011-09-21 17:42:39

This weekend (Friday 23rd to Sunday 25th September) sees the Berwick Film and Arts Festival descend upon Berwick-Upon-Tweed in the North of England. Thanks to the nice people organising the event, and East Coast trainline*, I’ll be covering the festival … Continue reading → > read more

What I’ve Been Watching: The Skin I Live In

Published on 2011-09-15 18:05:53

The Skin I Live In or La piel que habito to give it its original Spanish title comes courtesy of Pedro Almodóvar (Broken Embraces, Volver), and stars Antonio Banderas as a ground-breaking surgeon, and Elena Anaya as his ground-breaking patient. … Continue reading → > read more

What I’ve Been Watching: Super 8

Published on 2011-08-23 17:06:14

I grew up watching movies about me. Well, not literally obviously (although when we first got a VHS Player, we had a limited selection of films, and I was semi-obsessed as a five year old of watching a home video … Continue reading → > read more

What I’ve Been Watching: Tree of Life

Published on 2011-07-12 08:06:36

Terrence Malick is a director who knows how to take his time. Including his directorial debut, Badlands (1973), he has made a total of five feature films, including his latest, Tree of Life. Tree of Life is a film which … Continue reading → > read more

Podcast: Edinburgh International Film Festival Round-Up

Published on 2011-06-27 17:53:48

Mark Davidson, Laura Croft, Steve O’Hara and Dave Wark review all the best films from this year’s Edinburgh International Film Festival (15th – 26th June 2011) As well as giving their opinion on how this year’s cash-strapped f > read more

Edinburgh International Film Festival: Albatross

Published on 2011-06-24 12:20:33

This review comes courtesy of fellow podcast presenter, Laura Croft, who has been covering the Edinburgh International Film Festival for this site. I first encountered Albatross a while back through some gentle murmurs and whispers online. However li > read more

Edinburgh International Film Festival: The Guard

Published on 2011-06-17 11:28:38

Wednesday Night (17th June) saw the launch of the Edinburgh International Film Festival with the screening of The Guard at The Festival Theatre. So, just how good a choice was this dark Irish comedy for the Festival’s opening night? Brendan > read more

What I’ve Been Watching: Senna

Published on 2011-06-12 08:02:38

There’s some things you just don’t forget. I remember my Dad telling me at the age of four to watch the television because something really important was happening. That event was the falling of the Berlin Wall. Ironically I don’t & > read more

What I’ve Been Watching: X-Men First Class

Published on 2011-06-07 17:56:56

It was 2004. Bryan Singer had successfully brought the superhero movie in the 21st Century with the excellent X-Men, and the even better X2. In moving away from the universally derided cheese of Batman and Robin, he created a darker, … Continue > read more

Podcast: Edinburgh International Film Festival 2011 Preview

Published on 2011-06-02 13:46:34

Mark Davidson, Laura Croft, Steve O’Hara and Dave Wark preview the fast approaching Edinburgh Film Festival, which this year will be running from 15 to 26 June 2011. The four hosts recommend eight films with enough diversity to give every ̷ > read more

Edinburgh International Film Festival Launches Programme

Published on 2011-05-21 12:42:54

Tuesday finally saw the launch of this year’s EIFF programme. It’s been a long, and somewhat rocky road to reach this point: one festival director leaving; a replacement not being found for four months; artistic advisors whose roles we we > read more

What I’ve Been Watching: Hanna

Published on 2011-05-18 14:12:20

Hanna is brought to us by Joe Wright, best known for bringing two literary classics, Atonement and Pride and Prejudice, to the big screen. However, Hanna is a welcome departure from the airs and graces of his previous work; depicting, … Continu > read more

What I’ve Been Watching: Attack the Block

Published on 2011-05-13 10:45:12

Attack the Block comes from first-time director* Joe Cornish (off of Adam and Joe). Similar in form to Edgar Wright’s Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz, it follows the pattern of taking an American premise, and seeing how it … Continue readi > read more

What I’ve Been Watching: DVD – Chico and Rita

Published on 2011-05-10 12:45:54

Article first published as DVD Review: Chico and Rita on Blogcritics. Chico and Rita is an animated film which tells the love story of two musicians from Cuba. Chico is a very talented pianist in search of a singer who … Continue reading → > read more

What I’ve Been Watching: DVD – Dahmer Vs Gacy

Published on 2011-05-09 12:47:33

Article first published as DVD Review: Dahmer vs Gacy on Blogcritics. There’s something to be said for the pastiche or spoof movie. At its best it produces gems like Shaun of the Dead, Planet Terror, and Airplane!. At its worst … Continue > read more

Edinburgh Film Festival: Here We Come

Published on 2011-05-03 13:46:22

Yes, it may be six weeks away, and yes, we still do not know an awful lot about what All That Heaven Allows will actually allow; however, we here at you can observe a lot just by watching are very … Continue reading → > read more

What I’ve Been Watching: Thor

Published on 2011-04-29 11:51:13

Those of you who have been regularly reading the blog over the last few months may have noticed a lack of big box-office hits being reviewed here. In fact the last five films I reviewed were Pina, Meek’s Cutoff, Norwegian … Continue readi > read more

What I’ve Been Watching: Pina

Published on 2011-04-25 10:28:07

“So it’s like an artsy Step Up To The Streets?” one of my friends inquired when I showed him the trailer for Pina: Essentially, that is the case. A dance movie for people who do not normally watch dance movies. … Continue read > read more

What I’ve Been Watching: Meek’s Cutoff

Published on 2011-04-18 16:59:40

Article first published as Movie Review: Meek’s Cutoff on Blogcritics. The Western genre has provided plenty of material for filmmakers over the years. The principle of an isolated community try to form its own identity and laws amidst the stru > read more

Podcast: My New Best Van Dyke

Published on 2011-04-13 17:55:47

Mark Davidson, Laura Croft, Steve O’Hara and Dave Wark return for the April edition of the podcast. We discuss the recent exits of Mark Cousins, Lynda Myles, and Tilda Swinton from the Edinburgh Film Festival, review Source Code, and talk ̷ > read more

What I’ve Been Watching: The Walking Dead – Episode 1

Published on 2011-04-12 05:47:09

Article first published as TV Review: The Walking Dead – “Days Gone By” on Blogcritics. Sunday night saw the premiere of The Walking Dead on Channel Five. Written and directed by Frank Darabont (The Shawshank Redemption, The Green M > read more

EIFF Director Separates Fact From Fiction

Published on 2011-04-10 07:00:41

On Friday James Mullighan, the director of the Edinburgh International Film Festival, released a statement designed to set the record straight on what is and is not happening at this year’s festival. It came after the surprise announcement this > read more

Edinburgh International Film Festival Loses Its Creativity

Published on 2011-04-05 14:43:16

Today’s announcement that Mark Cousins, Tilda Swinton and Lynda Myles will all be ending their involvement as creative directors of Edinburgh Film Festival will come as a shock to many. However, to fully understand today’s departures perh > read more

What I’ve Been Watching: Norwegian Wood

Published on 2011-03-29 17:31:31

To the uneducated Norwegian Wood may sound like a movie about a forest in Norway. It’s not. It may also sound like it’s a movie about the Beatles, since they had a track called Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown). … Continue readin > read more

Local Edinburgh Event – Film and Fireworks to Save Odeon Cinema

Published on 2011-03-27 16:43:43

This Saturday (2nd April 2011) the Southside Community Council are organising a free Film ‘n’ Fireworks event to gain support for their Save Our Cinema campaign. The outdoor event is taking place at St. Patrick’s Square in Newington > read more

What I’ve Been Watching: Route Irish

Published on 2011-03-24 17:30:23

Ken Loach’s Route Irish, contrary to what the uninformed may be led to believe, is not a sequel to Palme d’Or winning The Wind The Shakes The Barley. Instead Route Irish refers to the highly volatile iraqi road between Baghdad … Con > read more

My Favourite Directors: Mike Leigh

Published on 2011-03-18 11:41:02

One of my main Christmas presents this year was a Mike Leigh boxset. It contained all his theatrical films up until Vera Drake. Over the past few months I’ve watched seven of his films for the first time. If you’ve … Continue readin > read more

What I’ve Been Watching: Fair Game

Published on 2011-03-15 16:52:16

Over the past few years there have been a lot of films about The Iraq War. Lions for Lambs, The Hurt Locker, In the Valley of Elah and Green Zone among the most high profile. All of them attempted to … Continue reading → > read more

The Myth of Redemptive Violence

Published on 2011-03-11 12:17:48

The revenge thriller is a story almost as old as cinema itself. It concerns a character being wronged, normally in the first act of the movie, and their attempts to put things right by getting revenge on those who have … Continue reading → > read more

What I’ve Been Watching: Never Let Me Go

Published on 2011-03-10 14:28:59

Science fiction is a genre that seems to divide people. Some love the concepts, worlds and ideas it explores. Others find its aesthetic and removal from the real world too much to take. However, there are films which have managed … Continue rea > read more

Podcast: Quite Franco My Dear I Don’t Give A Hamm

Published on 2011-03-06 13:53:41

Mark Davidson, Laura Croft, Steve O’Hara and Dave Wark are joined by special guest Dr. Andy Stothers. He joins them to give his opinion on The Wire, having been challenged by Mark to see if it lives up to the … Continue reading → > read more

Glasgow FIlm Festival 2011: Round-Up

Published on 2011-02-28 04:00:35

I’ve already reviewed four of my favourite films of the festival so far, Submarine, Cave of Forgotten Dreams, Island, and Oranges and Sunshine. Here’s a round-up of the five other films I managed to catch over the course of this … C > read more

Glasgow Film Festival 2011: Oranges and Sunshine

Published on 2011-02-27 08:24:44

Ken Loach has become synonymous with the genre of social realism. Essentially these are films with uncompromising depictions of the everyday struggles of everyday people (Sweet Sixteen, My Name is Joe, etc.). His son, Jim Loach, is following in his & > read more

Glasgow Film Festival 2011: Island

Published on 2011-02-24 12:22:17

In 2005, Michael Bay released a film called The Island. It was about clones. And it was pretty rubbish. So please don’t confuse that with this year’s Island, a film based on a remote Scottish island whose environment is just … Conti > read more

Glasgow Film Festival 2011: Cave of Forgotten Dreams 3D

Published on 2011-02-22 16:44:32

A documentary about some drawings in some caves may not sound like the most entertaining or cinematic of experiences. However, when the drawings in question are the oldest discovered in the world, and when the director is Werner Herzog, you … C > read more

Glasgow Film Festival 2011: Submarine

Published on 2011-02-21 13:03:44

Submarine The opening sequence of Submarine see its main character, Oliver (Craig Roberts), imagine his own funeral. In it, characters talk of what a great guy he was: boys wanted to be him, girls wanted to be with him. Vigils … Continue readin > read more

What I’ve Been Watching: True Grit

Published on 2011-02-17 08:19:02

The Coen Brothers remain two of the most influential directors of the past twenty years or so. Their mixture of dark comedy, memorable characters, and smart dialogue influencing a lot of the types of films that premiere at Sundance every … Cont > read more

Edinburgh International FIlm Festival: Change for the Better?

Published on 2011-02-15 09:51:51

If you’ve been following Edinburgh Film Festival via twitter, subscribe to their blog, or have been reading the arts sections of any of Scotland’s broadsheets, you’ll know major changes are happening with this year’s Edinburgh > read more

X Men: First Class Trailer

Published on 2011-02-11 04:00:21

One of my Top Five Anticipated Movies of 2011 was X-Men: First Class. Directed by Matthew Vaughn (Stardust, Kick Ass) it tells the story of Professor X and Magneto when they were still friends, and running Xavier’s School For Gifted … Con > read more

What I’ve Been Watching: Biutiful

Published on 2011-02-10 11:19:32

When reflecting upon a film’s story, it’s interesting to note what plots we consider convoluted. While it’s easy to see the massive coincidences, misunderstands and contrivances at the heart of a typical romcom, other more serious d > read more

Glasgow Film Festival: What To See (Part 2)

Published on 2011-02-03 15:16:09

With less than two weeks to go until the opening night of The Glasgow Film Festival, time’s running out to make sure you get tickets for the fortnight’s highlights. I’ve already recommended four films for you to go and see … C > read more

What I’ve Been Watching: The Fighter

Published on 2011-02-02 04:00:09

What is it about boxing that makes for such compelling cinema. Whether it’s Rocky or Raging Bull, there is something undeniably captivating about the sport when put on the big screen; the combination of a very personal struggle with the … > read more

What I’ve Been Watching: NEDS

Published on 2011-01-30 15:52:09

Peter Mullan’s third directorial feature sees him revisit his youth. As a teenager he was involved in one of the gangs that existed in South Glasgow in the 70s. NEDS is a fictional story based around those experiences. NED, for … Continue > read more

What I’ve Been Watching: The King’s Speech

Published on 2011-01-29 06:10:50

If Helen Mirren’s performance in The Queen or Cate Blanchett’s in Elizabeth have taught us anything, it’s that the way to guarantee as oscar nomination is to play an English monarch. This week saw Colin Firth gain his second oscanat > read more

Podcast: Oscanations

Published on 2011-01-28 11:18:45

Mark Davidson, Laura Croft, Steve O’Hara and Dave Wark return, and its all about the oscars. They give their opinions on this year’s nominations; then review two of the Best Picture nominations: 127 Hours and Black Swan; and finish up > read more

Glasgow Film Festival 2011: What To See (Part One)

Published on 2011-01-28 04:00:47

Glasgow Film Festival is running this year from Thursday 17th to Sunday 27th of February. Like all film festivals, it’s a great chance to see films months before they get their nationwide release, as well as seeing some pictures that … Co > read more

What I’ve Been Watching: Get Low

Published on 2011-01-23 11:11:11

Big Fish is a film I fell in love with when I first saw it. Not so much because of the adventures Ewan McGregor went on, whimsical as they were, but more because of the theme of memories and stories … Continue reading → > read more

What I’ve Been Watching: Blue Valentine

Published on 2011-01-22 06:35:05

Films about the dissolution of relationships are often hard to do. In trying to understand why the couple in question would want to leave each other, we also need to understand why they have stayed together for so long in … Continue reading > read more

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Blog Feed: "You can observe a lot just by watching"

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