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East End Film Festival: Pleasure Island - Review

6/30/2015

by Cookie N Screen

Here’s a narrative never seen before in British Independent movies. A man returns from serving abroad or he is ex-military. He returns to find his home town has changed. Somebody he loves gets hurt. He springs into action. Kills everyone. The end.

Oh wait - this is a movie we have seen repeatedly in every British town that is assumedly close by to the director or producers. What aches most is that, despite the ideas that circulate the British Film Industry, people feel the need to repeat the same old garbage as is continuously washes up on the sea.

Magician: The Astonishing Life and Work of Orson Welles - I'm With Geek Review

6/30/2015

by Cookie N Screen

It's easy now to look back upon the vast body of someone's cinematic work and proclaim genius. To fervently salivate over each film, whether well-known or unfinished in attempts to devour each of their artistry. That's simple to do because as our tastes turn, we can retrospectively say, "they were ahead of their time. Bravo."

From where we sit now, thirty years after his death and a hundred years after his birth, it would seem at odds with his acclaim to say Orson Welles work was similar to that of the likes of Van Gough. This is the man who created renowned film Citizen Kane, his official directorial debut! But just seconds into documentary Magician: The Astonishing Life and Work of Orson Welles, you know that his later life and career were far from acclaimed.

East End Film Festival: Above & Below - Review

6/30/2015

by Gloria Daniels-Moss

Did you know that there is a whole community of people living in the tunnels of Las Vegas? Or that people can be a part of project that emulates what life may be like of Mars? Neither did I. Documentary filmmaker Steiner presents us with an immersive, yet painstakingly obvious exploration of mankind; Above & Below.

East End Film Festival: Malady - Review

6/29/2015

by Cookie N Screen

There comes a point where you have to walk away from cinema and take a breather. Not because the film was particularly bad or offensive, but the film is so meaty that digesting it is making you sore. I can give you an example. I caught The Act of Killing on a special Sky screening which was lucky because I don’t think I would’ve been able to watch it all without the ability to pause it, compose myself, and continue watching.

Malady is one of those films that is so dark and complex that it will continue to twist in your brain long after viewing. Though the context of that churning has yet to be debated – am I feeling distress over the character’s journey, or is the finale so manipulative in its extremity that the thoughts are clouding my judgement? I don’t think I’ll ever know.

East End Film Festival: Where I Belong - Review

6/29/2015

by Sean Narborough

Back at school, I loved learning about the Second World War, everything from the gory details of the war itself to the aftermath and the effect it had on the people.

This is one of reasons I was intrigued to see Fritz Urschitz’ Where I Belong, as it is focused on Rosemarie (Natalie Press), a German woman’s struggles to deal with life post war in rural England. Or that’s what I thought was going to happen.

Instead, I got an hour and an half of melodramatic monkey crap.

Maika Monroe - Rising Star

6/29/2015

by Cookie N Screen

Horror movies have always showcased promising lady talent when choosing their Scream Queens. From the wailing Jamie Lee Curtis to the despairing Neve Campbell, women in the helm of horror movies often beat with a strong personality. Ok. Ok. So that may not be entirely true as some tick off every cliché box, especially with their better than thou virginal ways. But there is no denying that these acclaimed actresses came with praise and many have continued their career with heaps of talent.

In recent years, the role of Scream Queen hasn’t been entirely fleshed out. With blonde empty vessels screaming in the wrong direction, it’s easy to lump all heroines in the same trope bin. Then along comes Maika Monroe, at the young age of 22, and everyone immediately sat up and paid attention.

5 Ridiculous Moments from Jupiter Ascending

6/29/2015

by Cookie N Screen

To say I was excited for Jupiter Ascending would be an understatement. Seemingly the only one frothing at the mouth to get her hands on The Wachoski Sibling’s latest space romp, it appeared that my titillation for the film was a lonely place to be. But sitting in a screening, the IMAX prepped to meet that level of enthusiasm, I was sure enough in for a ride – perhaps not the one I was expecting. Within minutes of the movie, the audience was overcome with clichés, stifled acting and a tragedy so cheesy that a man behind me groaned loudly. From that moment on, I knew that the film was going to be awful and strained.

And I was going to love every minute of it.

To celebrate the release of Jupiter Ascending, the story of a toiler cleaner who discovers that she is the reincarnation of a Queen and actually rules Earth, here’s the most bat-shit insane moments from the film. I promise you, you won’t be disappointed.

Honourable Mention: One of the extras has an inexplicable floppy elephant face for no reason whatsoever.

DVD & Blu-Ray Releases - 6/29/15

6/29/2015

East End Film Festival: Soft Lad - Review

6/28/2015

by Hayley Charlesworth

Screening at the East End Film Festival, Soft Lad is the debut feature from writer/director Leon Lopez. A tale of love, betrayal and deception, Soft Lad compensates for a fairly standard story with strong performances and a director who fully understands his genre, even if he is unwilling to take risks.

The Soft Lad of the title is David, a seventeen-year-old dancer in the midst of a torrid affair with his sister Jane’s husband, Jules. When a once-in-a-lifetime dance opportunity and a new boyfriend, Sam, enter his life, David is ready to leave the affair behind, but Jules’ dark secrets look set to leave everybody’s lives in tatters.

East End Film Festival: The Anniversary

6/28/2015

by Hayley Charlesworth

Screening at the East End Film Festival, The Anniversary, a Canadian production written and directed by Valerie Duhagiar is a film with a definite indie sensibility. It is also a film with a strong emotional centre, built on with superb acting, and a fundamental understanding of human relationships. Traversing both joy and heartbreak in the space of a single night, The Anniversary is an investing, but claustrophobic piece.

<<Previous

East End Film Festival: Pleasure Island - Review

Magician: The Astonishing Life and Work of Orson Welles - I'm With Geek Review

East End Film Festival: Above & Below - Review

East End Film Festival: Malady - Review

East End Film Festival: Where I Belong - Review

Maika Monroe - Rising Star

5 Ridiculous Moments from Jupiter Ascending

DVD & Blu-Ray Releases - 6/29/15

East End Film Festival: Soft Lad - Review

East End Film Festival: The Anniversary

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