Monday Links (06/06)

Since last week's post I have watched one film. One. That was X-Men: First Class the other night. Granted, I have been working lots (every day this week) and engaging in a number of social gatherings.

So, my week has been pretty boring, on with the links to some awesome work from my fellow bloggers:

Univarn @ A Life in Equinox commiserates 'The Death of Slapstick'

Kevyn Knox gives 10 Reasons why 'Dazed and Confused' is the Coolest Movie Ever at Anomalous Material. Still at the same site, Castor reveals 10 Criminally Overlooked Movies and Paolo reviews The Beginners.

Bonjour Tristesse reviews Attenberg, a Greek film in the Official Competition at next week's SFF.

CS @ Big Thoughts from A Small Mind discusses why Hollywood is Losing the Battle to Piracy.

Thomas Caldwell @ Cinema Autopsy has written a great article about the Stanley Kubrick classic, 2001: A Space Odyssey.

Nicholas Prigge @ Cinematic Romantico reveals through an incredible 37 reasons why Elizabethtown is Currently His Favourite Movie Ever. I have never seen it.

James @ Cinema Sights is currently working through the 30 Day Movie Challenge. He also made time to review Pier Paolo Pasolini's masterpiece, The Gospel According to St Matthew.

Stevee @ Cinematic Paradox reviews a PTA classic (which could mean any of his films). It's Boogie Nights.

Anders Wotzke of Cut Print Review continues to entertain me with his Video Reviews. This week it's X-Men: First Class.

Sam @ Duke and the Movies reviews Chinatown and Old Boy this week. He really liked one of them.

Alex @ Film Forager reviews Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall his Past Lives, a film I rather liked.

Nathaniel @ The Film Experience lists his Top 10 Ewan McGregor Performances. 

Jack @ Jack L. Film Reviews shares his thoughts on The Current State of Action Films. 

Tom Clift reveals the upcoming line-up at the AWESOME Astor Theatre in St Kilda.

Anna @ 5plit Reel gives us a 'close-up' of the work of David Fincher. Word.

Finally, The Film Locker, the Podcast collaboration between Mad Hatter of Dark of the Matinee and Simon Columb of Screen Insight aired its first episode last night. It was awesome. The pair are going to be focusing on a different director every episode. This week it was Marty Scorsese, and Goodfellas. 

SFF Preview: OFFICIAL COMPETITION

The key deciding factors are subject matter, formal approach, use of new technology or unexpected choices in performance, screenwriting, visual style, editing or design. The resulting film should inspire debate, capture the imagination and challenge preconceived ideas. This is what our official competition honours - Clare Stewart, Festival Director

The Official Competition was established in 2008. 12 Films are selected for consideration. Past winners of the Sydney Film Prize were Hunger (Steve McQueen), Bronson (Nicholas Winding Refn) and Heartbeats (Xavier Dolan). The 12 honoured films this year are listed after the jump:

Amy Adams cast in Paul Thomas Anderson's 'The Master'

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Courtesy of The Playlist, it has been confirmed that Amy Adams has joined Phillip Seymour Hoffman and Joaquin Phoenix in the new Paul Thomas Anderson film, The Master. Production is rumoured to begin sometime this month, with Adams working on Zach Snyder's Man of Steel later in the year, making her a very busy woman. There has been wide discussion about P.T Anderson's new project, but most of the key details have remained very much in the dark. Anderson is one of the most talented directors working today and with a near-flawless resume, he certainly has plenty to live up to. The film centres on Lancaster Dodd (Hoffman), a man who returns from WWII and starts a religion not unlike Scientology, taking Freddy Sutton (Phoenix), a former alcoholic, under his wing. Amy Adams will play Dodd's wife in the film. I am a big Amy Adams fan, and this sounds like a perfect casting choice. I'm looking forward to hearing more in the future about The Master. 

New Release Review: X-Men: First Class (Matthew Vaughn, 2011)

I'll start this review by stating that I am not a big X-Men fan. I seem to have a natural aversion to the X-Men films, which is an emotion I cannot really explain, but I originally had little interest invested in this prequel. But with such a great cast, a flood of positive early reviews, and an eye-catching trailer, I may have overestimated my expectations. I admit, Bryan Singer's X-Men and X2 were quite good, but I was seriously hoping that this film would be good enough to extricate the pungent stench of Last Stand and X-Men Origins: Wolverine. If we are to count Thor as the first of this year's blockbuster season, then this is the best one so far. Is it a masterpiece, or even a remotely memorable film? No.

The idea of First Class is to explain the origins of as many X-Men characters as possible. This excludes Wolverine, because his 'riveting' story has already been told. Though primarily focusing on Professor X and Magneto, it does introduce a lot of recognisable X-Men who are given very little to do. Despite its shortcomings, which I will look at later, First Class is an entertaining action film that effortlessly surpasses the previous two films. Whether it is better than the early instalments, I really cannot say. With excellent performances from James McAvoy and Michael Fassbender, this fresh twist on the ailing franchise blends a frightening period of historical conflict with a relatively engaging Marvel story.

Review: The New World (Terrence Malick, 2005)

Terrence Malick's The New World is a historical adventure epic depicting the founding of the Jamestown settlement in Virginia and inspired by the figures of Captain John Smith and Pocahantas. As one of the most picturesque films I have ever witnessed, cinematographer Emmanuel Lubezki was awarded an Academy Award in 2005 for his stellar work. Every single shot is stunning. Particularly in his earlier films, Days of Heaven and The Thin Red Line (also two of the most beautifully captured films you will ever see), Terrence Malick has made it evident that he has an interest in situating his characters amidst the natural environment. Often they are at odds, but often they interact in peace. There is usually some sort of cataclysmic event that results in the destruction of the land, however.

In The New World, the beautiful and fragile landscape, kept preserved by the Natives, is rich in beauty and tranquility. When the British arrive with schemes of starting a new colony, conflicts ensue due to their lack of respect for the land, their failure to understand the Natives and their inability to function as a collective settlement. The blossoming forbidden romance between Pocahantas and Smith is caught in the middle of the turmoil.

Releases 02/06

The three Australian cinema releases for Thursday June 2nd are X-Men: First Class, Meek's Cutoff and Los ojos de Julia [Julia's Eyes].


X-Men: First Class - I never thought I'd be saying this, but I'm actually looking forward to First Class. Featuring an awesome cast, headlined by James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, January Jones and Rose Byrne, and under the direction of Matthew Vaughn (Kick Ass), there is enough talent here to transform this into the best blockbuster of the season. Judging by the trailer there are some pretty impressive visuals and a compelling plot too. First Class unveils the epic beginning of the X-Men saga - and a secret history of the Cold War and our world at the brink of nuclear Armageddon. As the first class discovers, harnesses and comes to terms with their formidable powers, alliances are formed that will shape the eternal war between the heroes and villains of the X-Men universe. Judging by its current Rotten Tomatoes score (97%), First Class might actually be good enough to wash away the pungent stench of X-Men Origins: Wolverine.

Sydney Film Festival 2011 Showreel

Here are a selection of films screening as part of the 2011 Sydney Film Festival, with sessions commencing at a number of sites around Sydney City one week from today.

Off Topic: 2010/11 NBA Finals

So, the NBA Finals series between the Miami Heat and the Dallas Mavericks kicks off today. For basketball fans, you will know that this is a repeat of the 2006 NBA Finals, where the Heat (led by Dwayne Wade and Shaq) beat the Mavericks in six games. Unfortunately, I have to work and won't be able to catch any of Game 1, but it is sure to be a great series. Will Lebron, Wade and Bosh prove to be too strong for a gutsy Mavericks side that has Dirk Nowitzki playing out of this world?