Final Cut

STUDIO Issue 3 out now!

2011-10-12T10:30:00.000+01:00

Rather proud of my piece on British actresses making the move to Hollywood in this month's issue of STUDIO. Go and download it :D

Thank God for LOVEFiLM

2011-10-10T20:20:00.000+01:00

I have to watch a lot of films for my PGCE as I'm teaching three different media subjects. In the last fortnight I've had to watch Shifty, The Queen and the entire Scream series - and there's gonna be plenty more where that came from. Luckily for me, I can watch a lot online with LOVEFiLM. I've had a subscription for a couple of years now but rather than wait for films to be sent out, it's quicker and easier to watch films online - instant access! What could be better than that? There are thousands of titles and they vary from being able to watch for free, as part of your package or pay for view. It only cost me a couple of quid to 'rent' Shifty for 48 hours the other day. Sorted, especially when I'm working on a tight budget until my loan is finalised.

Media Mayhem: New Blog

2011-10-01T17:16:00.001+01:00

If anyone is that way inclined, I have decided to create a separate blog for my PGCE course. Just as a reference point for myself and other students. Take a look if you fancy and pass it on:

MEDIA MAYHEM

Final Cut will continue to exist - promise! Once I've learned to better organise myself, I'll publish film posts more regularly...

Most Anticipated Film: The Swell Season

2011-09-25T11:00:00.000+01:00

If you've been reading this blog for a while, you'll know how much I love the film Once. Now there is a documentary charting the film and the band's success, as well as exploring the relationship between the two leads. I for one can't wait. It's released in cinemas in October but doesn't stand a chance of getting a screening in Cornwall. So, yet again, I've got to wait for the DVD release. In the meantime, I'm going to campaign to get it in the next season of the Penwith Film Society, which won't start until the new year but should at least beat the DVD release. Fingers crossed...

Links Catch Up - The Prequel

2011-09-04T13:00:00.000+01:00

Another draft I found from a couple of months ago. Thought I'd still give them a shout out :)

Features

The comic book takes over the big screen [Big Thoughts From a Small Mind]

What is the point of a remake? [A Life in Equinox]

Piracy: Why Hollywood is losing the battle [Big Thoughts From a Small Mind]

Reviews

The Tree of Life [The Flick Chick]

Bridesmaids [Colleenie's Couch]

Tree of Life [You Talking to Me?]

Midnight in Paris [The Flick Chick]

13 Assassins [Andy Buckle's Film Emporium]

Super 8 [Film Forager]

Julia's Eyes [Film Music Art]

Green Lantern [The Dark of the Matinee]

Showing the love for

Emma Stone [October Sky]

Leonardo DiCaprio [Cinematic Paradox]

Meryl Streep [Film Experience]

Rebecca Hall [Cinematic Paradox]

Chris O'Dowd [Colleenie's Couch]

Elizabethtown [Cinema Romantico]

Amy Adams [Cinematic Paradox]

Films To See: TIFF 2011

2011-09-03T13:00:00.001+01:00

Note: I just discovered this draft which I started 4th August and never got round to posting. Here it is anyways...

I've been checking out the lineup for the Toronto International Film Festival and I've decided to document the films I want to check out when they finally work their way round to my area. I always read about interesting indies but forget all about them within a matter of weeks. Recent films that caught my eye include the likes of Drones and The Exploding Girl but they are such buggers to get hold of. So here's a post for me to come back to in about a year in the hope that at least a few will be available on DVD. If any of you get a chance to see them, let me know what you think.

The Ides of March
George Clooney, USA
The Ides of March takes place during the frantic last days before a heavily contested Ohio presidential primary, when an up-and- coming campaign press secretary (Ryan Gosling) finds himself involved in a political scandal that threatens to upend his candidate’s shot at the presidency. Also starring George Clooney, Paul Giamatti and Philip Seymour Hoffman.

Take this Waltz
Sarah Polley, Canada World Premiere
Swelteringly hot, bright and colourful like a bowl of fruit, Take this Waltz leads us laughing through the familiar, but uncharted question of what long-term relationships do to love, sex, and our images of ourselves. Starring Michelle Williams, Seth Rogen and Luke Kirby.

Comic-Con: Episode IV - A Fans Hope
Morgan Spurlock, USA World Premiere
Have you ever imagined a place where Vulcans and vampires get along? Where wizards and wookies can be themselves? Welcome to Comic-Con San Diego. What started as a fringe comic book convention for 500 fans has grown into the pop culture event of the year that influences every form of entertainment, now attended by over 140,000. Comic-Con Episode Four: A Fan’s Hope explores this cultural phenomenon by following the lives of seven attendees as they descend upon the ultimate geek mecca. Includes interviews with Stan Lee, Joss Whedon, Frank Miller and Matt Groening.

The Story of Film: An Odyssey
Mark Cousins, United Kingdom World Premiere
Filmed on four continents over six years, this epic 15-hour documentary tells the story of innovation in the movies based on the acclaimed book of the same title by Mark Cousins. Featuring exclusive interviews with legendary filmmakers like Stanley Donen and Abbas Kiarostami, The Story of Film: An Odyssey is a passionate, cinematic journey across 11 decades of cinema, and a thousand films.

50/50
Jonathan Levine, USA World Premiere
Inspired by personal experiences, 50/50 is a funny, touching and original story of friendship, love, and survival starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Seth Rogen, Anna Kendrick, Bryce Dallas Howard and Anjelica Huston.

360
Fernando Meirelles UK/Austria/France/Brazil World Premiere
Inspired by Arthur Schnitzler’s classic La Ronde, in 360, director Fernando Meirelles and screenwriter Peter Morgan combine a modern and dynamic roundelay of original stories into one, linking characters: from different cities and countries in a vivid, suspenseful and deeply moving tale of love in the 21st century. Starting in Vienna, the film beautifully weaves through Paris, London, Bratislava, Rio, Denver and Phoenix into a single, mesmerizing narrative. Stars Jude Law, Anthony Hopkins, Rachel Weisz and Ben Foster.

Burning Man
Jonathan Teplitzky, Australia World Premiere
Why is Tom behaving so badly? Six women and an eight-year-old boy are fighting, in very different ways, to help. But for Tom, it seems, there are no rules. Burning Man is the reckless, provocative and moving story of a father and son‟s journey back to happiness. Stars Matthew Goode and Rachel Griffiths.

Drive
Nicolas Winding Refn, USA Canadian Premiere
Ryan Gosling stars as a Los Angeles wheelman for hire, stunt driving for movie productions by day and steering getaway vehicles for armed heists by night. Though a loner by nature, Driver can‟t help falling in love with his beautiful neighbour Irene (Carey Mulligan), a vulnerable young mother dragged into a dangerous underworld by the return of her ex-convict husband Standard (Oscar Isaac). After a heist intended to pay off Standard’s protection money spins unpredictably out of control, Driver finds himself driving defence for the girl he loves, tailgated by a syndicate of deadly serious criminals (Albert Brooks and Ron Perlman).

Elles
Malgorzata Szumowska, France/Poland/Germany World Premiere
Anne (Juliette Binoche), a well-off Paris-based mother of two and investigative journalist for ELLE, is writing an article about university student prostitution. Her meetings with two fiercely independent young women, Alicja (Joanna Kulig) and Charlotte (Anais Demoustier), are profound and unsettling, moving her to question her most intimate convictions about money, family and sex.

Friends With Kids
Jennifer Westfeldt, USA World Premiere
Friends With Kids is a poignant ensemble comedy about a close-knit circle of friends at that moment in life when children arrive and everything changes. There are big laughs and unexpected emotional truths as the last two singles in the group, out of step with their married pals, resolve to have a kid together… and date other people. Stars Kristen Wiig, Megan Fox, Jon Hamm, Maya Rudolph and Edward Burns.

Jeff, Who Lives at Home
Jay Duplass, Mark Duplass, USA World Premiere
Jeff, Who Lives at Home stars Jason Segel, Ed Helms, Judy Greer and Susan Sarandon. Penned by the writer/director team of brothers Jay and Mark Duplass (Cyrus), this is the story of one man searching for the meaning of life while running to the store to buy wood glue. Using the universe as his guide, Jeff looks for signs to help determine his path. However, a series of comedic and unexpected events leads him to cross paths with his family in the strangest of locations and circumstances. Jeff just may find the meaning of his life… and if he’s lucky, pick up the wood glue as well.

Like Crazy
Drake Doremus, USA International Premiere
Like Crazy is a film from and about the heart. Jacob, an American, and Anna, who is British, meet at college in Los Angeles and fall madly in love. It’s the purest kind of romance – they’re each other’s first significant attachment. When Anna returns to London, the couple is forced into a long-distance relationship. Their perfect love is tested, and youth, trust, and geography become their biggest enemies. Anton Yelchin and Felicity Jones star as the young couple. An original, contemplative look at first love, Like Crazy strikes a universal chord as it explores the bittersweet beauty and impermanence of relationships.

Melancholia
Lars von Trier, Denmark/Sweden/France/Germany North American Premiere
In this beautiful movie about the end of the world, Justine (Kirsten Dunst) and Michael (Alexander Skarsgård) are celebrating their marriage at a sumptuous party in the home of her sister Claire (Charlotte Gainsbourg), and brother-in-law John (Kiefer Sutherland). Despite Claire‟s best efforts the wedding is a fiasco, with family tensions mounting and relationships fraying. Meanwhile, a planet called Melancholia is heading directly towards Earth… Melancholia is a psychological disaster film from director Lars von Trier.

Rampart
Oren Moverman, USA World Premiere
A genre-bending, 1990s Los Angeles police family drama, Rampart explores the dark soul and romantic misadventures of a never-changing LAPD cop (Woody Harrelson) whose past is finally catching up with him in the wake of a department-wide corruption scandal. Along the way, he is forced to confront his disgruntled daughters (Brie Larson, Sammy Boyarsky), his two ex-wives (Anne Heche, Cynthia Nixon), a tenacious Deputy DA (Sigourney Weaver), an investigator on his trail (Ice Cube), a homeless witness to his crimes (Ben Foster), his aging mentor (Ned Beatty) and a mysterious new lover who may or may not be on his side (Robin Wright), as he fights for his own sanity and survival.

Salmon Fishing in the Yemen
Lasse Hallstrom, United Kingdom World Premiere
Stuffy government fisheries scientist Fred is asked by a fishing-obsessed Arab Sheik to do the seemingly impossible – introduce British salmon to the wadis of the Yemen. Despite considerable trepidation, Fred is finally won over by the charismatic Sheik, who reveals that fishing brings him closer to God, and he hopes it will have the same effect on his countrymen. Fred also begins to fall for the Sheik’s beautiful legal representative Harriet; and so he rises to the Sheik’s eccentric challenge, casting off his English reserve on a transformative journey of self discovery and late blooming love. Stars Ewan McGregor and Emily Blunt.

The Skin I Live In
Pedro Almodóvar, Spain North American Premiere
Ever since his wife was burned in a car crash, Dr. Robert Ledgard, an eminent plastic surgeon, has been interested in creating a new skin with which he could have saved her. After twelve years,he manages to cultivate a skin that is a real shield against every assault. Stars Antonio Banderas..

Tyrannosaur
Paddy Considine, United Kingdom Canadian Premiere
Joseph is a man plagued by violence and rage that is driving him to self-destruction. As Joseph’s life spirals into turmoil, a chance of redemption appears in the form of Hannah, a Christian charity shop worker. Their relationship develops to reveal that Hannah is hiding a secret of her own which has devastating results on both of their lives. Starring Peter Mullan and Olivia Colman.

We Need to Talk About Kevin
Lynne Ramsay, United Kingdom Canadian Premiere
A suspenseful and psychologically gripping exploration into a parent dealing with her child doing the unthinkable, We Need to Talk About Kevin is the highly-anticipated third feature from director Lynne Ramsay and features a tour-de-force performance by Tilda Swinton.

Woman in the Fifth
Pawel Pawlikowski, France/Poland/United Kingdom World Premiere
American writer Tom Ricks comes to Paris desperate to put his life together again and win back the love of his estranged wife and daughter. When things don’t go according to plan, he ends up in a shady hotel in the suburbs, having to work as a night guard to make ends meet. Then Margit, a beautiful, mysterious stranger walks into his life and things start looking up. Their passionate and intense relationship triggers a string of inexplicable events… as if an obscure power is taking control of his life. Stars Ethan Hawke and Kristin Scott Thomas.

Links Catch Up: The Sequel

2011-09-02T13:00:00.000+01:00

Showing the love for...

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind [The Flick Chick]

Thelma and Louise [LA Times]

Ryan Gosling [Mr Porter]

Interviews

Pedro Almodovar [Little White Lies]

Thoughts on...

Are Film Festivals Still Relevant? [Mastering Film]

Films to look forward to: Andrea Arnold's Wuthering Heights. You can watch four short clips from the film here.

And with that, I think we can get back to our regularly scheduled programming :) Catch you on the flip side...

Win DVDs: New Empress Survey

2011-09-01T13:00:00.000+01:00

We all love sharing our thoughts on the film industry. Why not try and win a DVD at the same time? New Empress has posted a survey to find out what you think of the cinema experience. It'll just take a minute of your time...

Showing the love for... Mark Kermode

2011-08-31T13:00:00.000+01:00

So, Mark Kermode has a new book out. His last one, It's Only A Movie, was more of an autobiography, charting his career and packed full of witty anecdotes. It's a great read as I love finding out about how critics built their careers, why they love the films they do and what influenced them most. His latest release, The Good, The Bad and the Multiplex: What's wrong with modern movies?, is more an examination of the state of the film industry today. The Observer was kind enough to feature an extract from the book at the weekend (which you can read here). Unfortunately my funds would only stretch to a copy of the paper. As soon as my student loan comes through I'm ordering a copy :)

The Guardian also featured a live web chat with The Good Doctor on Friday, allowing fans to question one of the UK's most loved film critics. You can catch the conversation here

Major links catch-up

2011-08-25T13:00:00.000+01:00

I tweet a lot and post a lot of links on my Facebook page but I still intend to keep the Sunday Links going (when I have time to blog). I spent yesterday afternoon catching up on your blog posts and other articles I've missed online lately. Here are some of my highlights:

Note: you know what? There's so much I'm actually gonna do this in two parts...

Articles

The Depreciating Value of Film Criticism [movieScope]

Good Movies, Bad Movies: Is It All Subjective? [Big Thoughts From A Small Mind]

Are We Done With 3-D Yet? [Flavorwire]

Expecting Good Criticism [You Talking To Me]

Interviews

Special K: How Kirsten Dunst was born to be different [Telegraph]

Jess and Ryan talk Fast Times at Ridgemont High [The Matinee]

Cameron Crowe [The Uncool]

Showing the love for...

(500) Days of Summer [Cinematic Paradox]

Kirsten Dunst [Split Reel]

Away From Her [The Flick Chick]

Reviews

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind [OvercastFilm]

Saving Private Ryan [The Matinee]

Beginners [Andy Buckle's Film Emporium]

Made in Dagenham [Insight Into Entertainment]

Submarine [Flick Feast]

Lists

Kai's 100 Things I Love About The Movies [Man, I Love Films]

50 of the Best Music Moments in Film History [Flavorwire]

My 12 Favourite Comedies [Split Reel]

The 10 Worst Hollywood Trends [Can't Stop The Movies]

Bigging myself up

STUDIO Magazine launched a couple of weeks ago and I highly recommend checking it out - not just because my comic book movie article is in it! Download it here

I'm also writing for New Empress and am currently working on features for the next two issues. You can subscribe here

I know I normally include a trailer or two in my links posts but I'm going to do a separate 'anticipated' post in a couple of days. I hope...

Guess Who's Back. Back Again...

2011-08-24T15:00:00.000+01:00

...Filmgeek's back. Tell a friend. Guess who's back, guess who's back...

Oh dear God. I'm quoting Eminem. This is what weeks of no blogging does to you!

I've been waitressing full-time for the summer to save up so I don't have to work while I'm doing my PGCE and I've not actually saved any money thus far. Oops. The couple of hundred I had has gone on my bus pass and my last few weeks' wages will go on 'teaching clothes'. Fun times.

Anyhoo, over the last few weeks I've caught a few films courtesy of LOVEFiLM and the fact that I now live up the road from my local cinema (wooooo!). Here's a brief run down for your reading pleasure:

You Will Meet A Tall, Dark Stranger

Scenes seemed dragged out yet the plot seemed rushed.

Couldn't find any character remotely likeable...

Animal Kingdom

Tense Aussie thriller. Recommended

Defendor

Interesting Average Joe superhero flick in the vein of Kick Ass and Super yet better.

Love Woody Harrelson and Kat Dennings. Recommended

In the Loop

Above average British comedy

Cyrus

Not what I was expecting but perfectly watchable although not particularly enjoyable...

Love John C. Reilly and Marisa Tomei but can't seem to like Jonah Hill (in anything)

The Green Hornet

Not usually a fan of Seth Rogen but loved this film!

Christoph Waltz also continues to impress. Recommended

Super

Another film that wasn't quite what I expected.

Requires another viewing before final verdict, methinks...

Submarine

Mesmerising coming of age drama. Recommended

I Love You, Philip Morris

Hilarious dramedy from Jim Carrey and Ewan McGregor.

Not what I would expect from these two actors at all. Recommended

Splice

I can never fault Sarah Polley - love her and can't wait for Take This Waltz. Not particularly keen on Adrien Brody (in anything) and that sex scene was just... um... yeah...

X-Men: First Class

Average

Bridesmaids

Love Kristen Wiig and Chris O'Dowd but the big comedy scenes didn't really do much for me. Just seemed a bit slapstick. Preferred the more dramatic character stuff - Annie's personal problems, the romance with O'Dowd and the big number at the end with her bestie. Seemed more realistic and relatable to me. Still worth watching though

The Green Lantern

Love Ryan Reynolds but this film did nothing for me. Too predictable. The stuff with

Peter Sarsgaard was laughable (which sucked as he is one of my favourite actors)

Transformers 3D

Did not appreciate being dragged out to see this one, especially in 3D. Hated it.

Second worst film on the year

Captain America

Didn't like the digitally reduced Chris Evans but enjoyed this one. Loved Hayley Atwell too

and can't wait to see more from her. And Stanley Tucci! What a legend :)

So keen for The Avengers

Super 8

My favourite Hollywood film of the year. Full of typical Hollywood nostalgia yet still seemed fresh and exciting. Child actors on a par with Stand By Me. Highly recommended

Cowboys and Aliens

Not impressed with this either but was a payback for Blue Valentine on the boyfriend's part. Hated it immensely.

I'm going to catch up on your blog posts now (finally!) but it'll take me a while to get round to podcasts... I'll post a links catch-up thing tomorrow highlighting my favourites.

Ciao for now :)

PFS Committee Meeting

2011-06-29T18:00:00.000+01:00

I'm heading to a meeting with the rest of the committee for the Penwith Film Society this evening to discuss the new season of films we're going to be putting on. I thought I'd share with you the films I'm going to be pushing for. Let me know if you've seen them...

The Tree of Life

Super

Holy Rollers

Beginners

Gilda

The Skin I Live In

The Greatest Movie Ever Sold

Wuthering Heights

Page One: A Year Inside the New York Times

Melancholia

Tyrannosaur

Jack Goes Boating

The Future

Kaboom

We Need to Talk About Kevin

Heeeeeeeeeere's Filmgeek!

2011-06-29T13:30:00.000+01:00

It's been a while, I know. I moved a little over a month ago and the internet was FINALLY fixed on Monday. Before I spend the rest of the afternoon catching up on what you guys have been up to, here are a few brief highlights of the last month Casa de Filmgeek.

I left my job in retail to waitress full-time over the summer in order to save for...
... my PGCE! I only went and got on the course I wanted! In September I'll be heading to college two days a week to learn how to teach and spending a minimum of six hours a week teaching at the college I used to go to, which is conveniently just up the road from my new place.
And guess what I'll be teaching - Media! I applied to do Film, Media and English but my placement for now is in Media. Luckily a lot of the Film and Media overlaps so I'll get to do a lot of what I love, yay.
I went to London for the day last week to go to the Audrey Hepburn exhibition at the Proud Gallery. I love looking at pretty pictures of Audrey :)
I'm interning at New Empress as the Assistant Features Editor for Issue 2 - major fun times
I'm also writing for the soon-to-be-launched Studio Magazine - the first UK film magazine for women

I think that's it... Rather hectic but sooo exciting! I can't wait to be a teacher and am loving the freelance work I'm able to do at the moment. Hopefully I can continue to balance it all in September.

tumblr

2011-05-19T21:07:00.001+01:00

I'm now on tumblr. Don't worry, the blog shall still continue, I just wanted to somewhere specific as a portfolio-type-thing. So all published work will appear there as well as random quotes, trailers and other film shiz. Take a look if you like - http://emma-farley.tumblr.com.

Are any of you guys on there?

My Movie Life

2011-05-09T13:00:00.000+01:00

I know I'm a bit late to the game but I hate to feel like I'm missing out on something. So it gives me great pleasure to present to you My Movie Life... (part of the Fandango Groovers Blogathon)

1987

Winner: Moonstruck

Runner-up: Raising Arizona

1988

Winner: Rain Man

1989

Winner: When Harry Met Sally

Runner-up(s): Dead Poets Society, Say Anything, Heathers

1990

Winner: Home Alone

Runner-up: Pretty Woman

1991

Winner: The Silence of the Lambs

1992

Winner: Singles

1993

Winner: Cool Runnings

Runner-up(s): Mrs Doubtfire, Groundhog Day

1994

Winner: Clerks

Runner-up: Leon

1995

Winner: Before Sunrise

Runner-up(s): La Haine, Se7en

1996

Winner: Fargo

1997

Winner: Good Will Hunting

1998

Winner: The Big Lebowski

Runner-up: Rushmore

1999

Winner: The Talented Mr Ripley

Runner-up(s): All About My Mother, Boys Don't Cry, Fight Club, The Matrix

2000

Winner: Memento

Runner-up(s): You Can Count On Me, Almost Famous

2001

Winner: Amelie

2002

Winner: Real Women Have Curves

Runner-up: City of God

2003

Winner: The Station Agent

Runner-up(s): My Life Without Me, Lost in Translation, All the Real Girls

2004

Winner: Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind

Runner-up(s): Before Sunset, Shaun of the Dead, Garden State, Somersault, The Sea Inside

2005

Winner: Kiss Kiss Bang Bang

Runner-up(s): Brokeback Mountain, Hidden, The Constant Gardener, The Descent, Sin City, Walk the Line, Serenity

2006

Winner: Volver

Runner-up(s): Away From Her, Tell No One, Priceless, The Devil Wears Prada

2007

Winner: Lars and the Real Girl

Runner-up(s): Eagle vs Shark, Once

2008

Winner: In Bruges

Runner-up(s): Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist, The Visitor, In Search of a Midnight Kiss

2009

Winner: The Young Victoria

Runner-up(s): Zombieland, Fish Tank, Inglourious Basterds, (500) Days of Summer, Bright Star, Whip It!

2010

Winner: Shutter Island

Runner-up(s): The Social Network, Restrepo, Scott Pilgrim vs the World

2011

Winner: Blue Valentine

Sunday Links (major catch-up)

2011-05-08T19:30:00.000+01:00

Showing the love for

Cinema [Guardian Film]

The cast of Zodiac [Film Experience]

Romantic Comedies [Insight into Entertainment]

Taxi Driver [Guardian Film]

Features

Why I Hate Film [New Empress Magazine]

The Evolution of Reese Witherspoon [Total Film]

On 3-D [Wired]

Michelle Williams interview [Interview Magazine]

Lists

Alternative Summer Movie Highlights [The Playlist]

20 Lamest Rom-Coms [Total Film]

Staff Miscellany: Siege Films [Eat Sleep Live Film]

Reviews

Bridesmaids [Eat Sleep Live Film]

Superheroes [The Dark of the Matinee]

Attack the Block [Eat Sleep Live Film]

Also: the Life in Movies Blogathon. I had this on my list of things to do for aaaages and will get round to sharing my movie life soon...

Women and Comics/Comic Book Movies

2011-05-07T15:50:00.000+01:00

I'm working on a pitch for a magazine feature on female audiences for comics and comic book movies. At the moment I'm compiling a list of people to speak to so if any women reading this would like to volunteer to be interviewed if/when the pitch is accepted, email me for more info (e.farley27@gmail.com). Thanks :)

I'll be back...

2011-05-07T14:10:00.000+01:00

I'm still here, honest!

Life has been getting in the way of blogging again lately so posts will be severely lacking for at least a couple of weeks. I plan on catching up on all your blogs when I'm back but in the meantime you can keep following me on Facebook, Twitter and Eat Sleep Live Film.

See you soon :)

Sunday Links

2011-04-17T13:00:00.001+01:00

Lists

20 Common Box Office Misconceptions [Cinema Blend]

69 Most Immature Movies [Total Film]

25 Heart-Breaking Scenes That Get Me Every Time [Film Girl, Interrupted]

10 Common Movie Blog Reader Misconceptions [Cinema Blend]

Features

Scream (15 Years Burning Down the Road) [Cinema Romantico]

Support For Female Directors in the UK [Eat Sleep Live Film]

The Ladies are Hitting Cannes [Wellywood Woman]

Opinion

Does the communal aspect of moviegoing really matter? [Misfortune Cookie Blog]

When You Wish Upon A Star [Blog Cabins]

The Dreaded Rom-Com [Eat Sleep Live Film]

Reviews

Your Highness [The Deleted Scene]

Source Code [A Life in Equinox]

SCRE4M [The Kid in the Front Row]

Showing the love for

Mark Ruffalo [October Sky]

Michelle Williams [Total Film]

What's On: Scream 4, Red Riding Hood, Meek's Cutoff

2011-04-14T13:00:00.007+01:00

A modern re-telling of a classic fairy tale, another sequel in a popular horror franchise, a re-release of a classic drama and an unconventional western inspired by actual events. It’s another interesting week for cinema.

Catherine Hardwicke, she of Twilight fame (people seem to forget her much better, earlier work – Thirteen and Lords of Dogtown), is back behind the camera for Red Riding Hood. The latest Amanda Seyfried vehicle is a supposedly darker, sexier version of the traditional red riding hood story, co-starring the faultless Gary Oldman.

Fancy a more typical horror? Wes Craven, Kevin Williamson, Neve Campbell and the Arquettes have joined forces a decade after Scream 3 for the latest installment of the horror series. There’s still loads of pretty young faces for newcomers to gawk at as the likes of Hayden Panettiere, Emma Roberts, Anna Paquin and Kristen Bell are all lined up as potential victims. I’m still not sure if I’m quite nostalgic enough to want to go and see it…

As ever, I’m showing my support for the indies and when I get the chance, I’ll be heading out to see Meek’s Cutoff. The film re-teams Wendy and Lucy director Kelly Reichardt, actress Michelle Williams and screenwriter Jonathan Raymond in an unconventional western about a real life trek through the Oregon desert. Co-starring indie favourites Paul Dano (There Will Be Blood) and Zoe Kazan (The Exploding Girl), Reichardt’s film was set and filmed entirely on location, outside and using natural light, heightening the sense of realism.

Other new releases this weekend include Winnie the Pooh and Little White Lies, an under-the-radar French drama starring the fabulous Marion Cotillard. Prefer a golden oldie? Peter Bogdanovich’s The Last Picture Show is being re-released. Any excuse to see Jeff Bridges on the big screen, right? I swear he’s the coolest guy on the planet.

In other news, the upcoming new season for the Penwith Film Society has just been confirmed and will include the likes of Blue Valentine, Biutiful, Archipelago and Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives. Keep checking your local cinema for new brochures and posters coming soon.

100 Things I Love About The Movies

2011-04-12T14:30:00.001+01:00

I'm jumping on the band wagon, which I thought would be difficult after my 10 Things I Love About Movies post. But here's my ultimate 100:

1. "Kiss me as if it was the last time"
2. The 'Penis' scene in (500) Days of Summer
3. Jo-Go
4. Kate Winslet

5. Audrey Hepburn

6. Cameron Crowe

7. Michel Gondry

8. New British Cinema Quarterly
9. Film magazines

10. Pedro Almodovar

11. "You know how to whistle, don't you, Steve?"

12. The car scene in Before Sunset

13. The pencil trick in The Dark Knight

14. "You're tearing me apart!"

15. This shot

16. This poem

17. This song

18. This dance

19. This song

20. "Nobody ever wins a giant-ass stuffed panda"

21. "I just sharted"

22. The subtitled scene in Annie Hall

23. This scene

24. "Shut up and deal"

25. The 'Swedes' in Be Kind Rewind

26. "But I wipe my own ass!"

27. The Dude

28. Morgan Freeman's voice

29. The Coen Brothers

30. Penwith Film Society

31. The final shootout in Bonnie and Clyde

32. The letter in The Breakfast Club

33. This scene (which can't be embedded - sad face)

34. These knickers

35. Heath Ledger

36. This scene

37. Patricia Field

38. Tessa Ross

39. Cornwall Film Festival

40. When someone says "you have to see this film!"

41. David Fincher

42. Chris Nolan

43. Simon Pegg, Nick Frost and Edgar Wright

44. Emily Blunt in The Devil Wears Prada

45. Championing undiscovered talent (Virgin Media Shorts)

46. Supporting independent cinema

47. "Nobody puts Baby in a corner"

48. The Gyllenhaals

49. John Hughes

50. This set

51. The tattoo scene in Dude Where's My Car (what can I say, I like daft comedies)

52. Quirky couples (Eagle vs Shark)

53. Cheesy musicals

54. John Williams

55. Posters

56. These eyebrows

57. This dress

58. Jack Black in The Holiday

59. When people surprise you - Ben Affleck directing Gone Baby Gone, Jennifer Aniston in The Good Girl...

60. Awesome DVD packages, like my Blu-ray copy of Inception

61. The Elephant Love Song Medley in Moulin Rouge

62. "What's in the box?"

63. Claudette Colbert in It Happened One Night

64. This scene

65. "Show me the money!"

66. The final scene in Kiss Kiss Bang Bang

67. Paul Dano in Little Miss Sunshine

68. Sofia Coppola

69. This shot

70. "I know kung fu"

71. The ending of Memento

72. Natalie Portman in Leon

73. Crying over animated films

74. The dance scene in Napoleon Dynamite

75. "I caught you a delicious bass"

76. Non-Hollywood beauties (Marion Cotillard, Penelope Cruz, Carey Mulligan)

77. Man of Constant Sorrow

78. Falling Slowly

79. This cast

80. When Duckie lip-synchs to Try A Little Tenderness in Pretty in Pink

81. You've Lost That Loving Feeling ~ Top Gun

82. These cocktail umbrellas

83. The dance scene in Pulp Fiction

84. Kirsten Wiig in Whip It!

85. The cemetery scene in Sweet Home Alabama

86. This battle

87. Michelle Williams

88. Amy Adams

89. Dance movies (shut up, they're awesome!)

90. Matt Damon (especially his early stuff - The Talented Mr Ripley, Good Will Hunting...)

91. Thelma and Louise

92. This hair do

93. Cinema: It's the experience that counts

94. The Time Square scene in Vanilla Sky

95. The ending of When Harry Met Sally

96. These two fabulous actors

97. Emily Blunt and Rupert Friend in The Young Victoria

98. The boombox scene in Say Anything

99. "I gave her my heart and she gave me a pen"

100. The tap dancing scene in Garden State

For other great lists, check out The Dark of the Matinee, Anomalous Material, Andy Buckle's Film Emporium, Defiant Success, Cinematic Paradox and The Droid Your Looking For (Part One and Two).

Sunday Links

2011-04-10T13:00:00.000+01:00

Lists

10 Greatest Director and Muse Relationships [Obsessed With Film]

10 Memorable Dramatic Performances From Hilarious Actors [Reel Talk]

Opinion

The 3D Boom Has Only Just Begun [The Telegraph]

The Weird Charm of Napoleon Dynamite [D&C Film]

100 Things I Love About The Movies [The Dark of the Matinee]

Features

In Focus: Film Magazine History: A Snapshot [New Empress]

Future Shorts: Paving a Future For Short Film [Running in Heels]

Total Re-Kael [A Tremendous Amount of Wheat]

Showing the love for

Leon [Film Girl Interrupted]

Jerry Maguire [Inspired Ground]

Roger Dodger [M. Carter at the Movies]

Reviews

Your Highness [Eat Sleep Live Film]

Showing the love for... Anita Sarkeesian

2011-04-06T13:00:00.001+01:00

It started with this clip...

Then this article on the Manic Pixie Dream Girl...

Then I started looking up more of her work and realised this woman is pretty damn awesome! When I grow up, I wanna be like Anita Sarkeesian

Check out some more fabulous linkage below:

Interview on Feministing

Interview on Test Appeal

My Cinematic Alphabet

2011-04-05T13:00:00.027+01:00

I came across this post by Rupert Pupkin and have decided to compile my own cinematic alphabet (favourite films for each letter)

New Empress Magazine

2011-04-04T13:00:00.000+01:00

I've just discovered that an awesome new indie film magazine is launching in the UK this month. Unlike most others it contains proper in-depth features about film and cinema itself, not just the latest releases. I've just ordered my subscription and can't wait for the first issue to drop through my letterbox. Visit the website for more info

Sunday Links

2011-04-03T13:00:00.001+01:00

Opinion

A Conundrum for Cultural Critics [Andy Buckle's Film Emporium]

Are Movie Theatres an Endangered Species? [The Huffington Post]

Showing the love for

Dead Poets Society [Inspired Ground]

Mysterious Skin [Literally Geeking]

Edgar Wright [Devon & Cornwall Film]

Ginger Snaps [Eat Sleep Live Film]

Jake Gyllenhaal [Split Reel]

La Haine [Next Projection]

Reviews

Never Let Me Go [The Digital Fix - shameless plug!]

Source Code [Guardian Film]

Win Win [This Guy Over Here]

Lists

40 Greatest Movie Posters [Total Film]

15 Amazing Adverts From 15 Amazing Directors [Empire]

The 40 Greatest Movie Deaths [Movie Mobsters]

Top 5 Movies Where Women Fight Back [The Flick Chick]

Plus

The Empire Award Winners [Empire]

Thoughts on... The Power of Film

2011-04-01T13:00:00.000+01:00

The UK Film Council's recent report on minority audiences in British cinema got me thinking about the power of film and the representation of 'real life' in film. So much so that I decided to dedicate this week's Eat Sleep Live Film article to The Power of Film. Check it out if you're so inclined :)

What's On: Sucker Punch, Source Code, Killing Bono

2011-03-31T13:00:00.000+01:00

Ass-kicking girls, the deliciously buff Jake Gyllenhaal back on the big screen as a soldier (remember Jarhead?) and the cocky but charismatic charms of Misfits’ Robert Sheehan; there’s plenty to love about this weekend’s new cinematic releases.

From the crazy mind behind the film adaptations of 300 and Watchmen comes Sucker Punch, an original story about a girl imprisoned by her evil stepfather who loses herself in an alternate reality in order to escape. After recruiting four other girls from the institution, the group struggle to fight for freedom as the boundaries between reality and fantasy become blurred.

Films like this normally don’t do anything for me as they seem to just be made to give guys a bit of eye candy. Luckily, Sucker Punch seems a lot more substantial and features one of my favourite actresses (Abbie Cornish – check her out in Somersault, Stop-Loss and Bright Star if you haven’t already).

Speaking of eye candy, Jake Gyllenhaal stars in Duncan Jones’ follow-up to Moon, Source Code. After such an impressively original feature debut, I was a bit disappointed to hear that Jones’ next film would be a Hollywood release but, like its predecessor, it’s a sci-fi thriller, a genre I’ve come to love lately since The Adjustment Bureau, Vanilla Sky and Sunshine.

Gyllenhaal plays a soldier who wakes up in the body of an unknown man, given the task of repeatedly going back in time in order to find the bomber of a Chicago commuter train. This task is made a tad more difficult when he falls for fellow passenger Michelle Monaghan – think 50 First Dates meets The Butterfly Effect.

I also love me a good British comedy and it’s refreshing to see that there’s one doing the rounds this week that has nothing to do with Richard Curtis, Simon Pegg or Ricky Gervais (though Pegg is a total legend). Killing Bono stars Ben Barnes and Robert Sheehan as two brothers who dream of making it big in the music ‘biz but find themselves watching their old school friends, U2, take over the musical world.

I fell in love with Robert Sheehan a little bit as Nathan in Misfits and if the trailer is anything to go by, his character in Killing Bono has a lot of the same hapless loser/lovable rogue qualities. Plus he wears eyeliner and rocks a mic! What’s not to love?

If you fancy something a bit more chilled out, head out and see this week’s Penwith Film Society screening, Howl. Everyone’s least favourite Oscar host, the usually fantastically talented James Franco, stars as Allen Ginsberg in what critics have called his ‘career-defining performance’. Forget 127 Hours, this is the Franco film to see.

Review: Never Let Me Go

2011-03-30T13:15:00.000+01:00

My review is now up at The Digital Fix

Stylish Blogger Award

2011-03-28T13:00:00.000+01:00

It has been a while since I've been tagged and it's a pleasure to be considered 'stylish' :p The fabulous Andrew Buckle is the culprit this time. The idea is to reveal seven interesting facts about yourself, and then tag seven other bloggers to participate.

So, here we go:

1. My favourite DVD I own is my special edition of The Wizard of Oz. It only cost me a fiver and comes in a super sexy sleeve that when you press a button the emerald city lights up and the theme song plays. Tis so magical

2. One day I would love to live in an old converted cinema

3. Just the mere mention of someone threatening to disorganise my DVD collection sends shivers up my spine

4. I HATE the sound of someone cracking their fingers - unfortunately my boyfriend can click EVERYTHING - even his nose!

5. I REALLY wanna learn to surf this summer but I'm scared of going out of my depth - rubbish!

6. I'm Cornish but hate proper Cornish pasties. I don't like steak so go for cheese and bacon or pork and apple

7. I'm struggling to think of seven 'interesting' things... I'm a Gleek

So, there you go. Seven tagged bloggers:

The Mad Hatter @ The Dark of the Matinee

James G. Wall @ A Tiny Adventure

Blake @ Bitchin Film Reviews

Nicholas Prigge @ Cinema Romantico

Colleenie @ Colleenie's Couch

Alex @ Film Forager

Latisha @ Life An' That

Sunday Links

2011-03-27T13:00:00.002+01:00

Reviews

Win Win [Leonard Maltin]

Super [Film Threat]

Heartbeats [The Flick Chick]

Opinions

Hollywood is trying to kill us [Raindance]

Where are the women directors [Guardian]

Is Everyone A Critic? [A Life in Equinox]

Movie Scenes That Left You Spellbound [Anomalous Material]

Showing the love for

John Krasinski [October Sky]

Saving Private Ryan [The Dark of the Matinee]

Lists

10 Greatest Woody Allen Characters [Obsessed With Film]

Top Five Directors to Emerge from the 2000s [The List]

50 Reasons Why Jack Nicholson Could Be The Greatest Living Actor [Obsessed With Film]

50 All Time Top Debut Features [Raindance]

18 Reasons Why We Still Love You, Woody Allen [Empire]

Careers

What Film School Didn't Teach Me: Making it in the Industry [Mastering Film]

How Filmmakers Make a Living While Trying to Make It [Raindance]

11 Tips for Finding a Job in the Film Industry [Mastering Film]

Women in Film

How are British female writers really doing? [Bird's Eye View]

Birds Eye View Award Winners

France's Female New Wave [Guardian Film]

Showing the love for... the people who keep me writing

2011-03-26T13:00:00.001Z

James G. Wall (check out his short below while you're at it!)

"Your creativity, your art, your mad mind, they're what makes life worth living. You've always known this, so don't ever shy away from it. Don't ever pretend it's not what life is about." The Kid in the Front Row

The ever fabulous Mad Hatter

Inspiring Interns featured me in their 20-second interview this week and have asked me to guest blog for them. They're a great group, check them out

Name dropping much? :p

10 Things I Love About Film

2011-03-24T13:00:00.001Z

After yesterday's 10 Things I Hate About Movies post, I thought it was only fair to celebrate the things that I love too:

1. Indiewood and the Weinsteins

Since sex, lies and videotape, independent cinema has undergone a bit of a revival. Film Festivals such as Sundance, TIFF and SXSW have become the place to be and under-the-radar films are becoming a box office success

2. Joseph Gordon-Levitt

Do I really need to explain?

3. Soundtracks

Without recent indies like Garden State, Once, Almost Famous and (500) Days of Summer, I would never have come across half the music on my iTunes

4. Film societies

See my recent Eat Sleep Live Film post for more info

5. Zhang Yimou

Gorgeous films

6. The art of manipulation

I'm always amazed at the power a film has to manipulate my emotions

7. Escapism

No matter how shit your day is you can always go home, pop a DVD on and completely lose yourself in another world

8. Cinema-going

Despite my cinema pet peeves, you can't beat seeing a film on the big screen. I love the feeling I get when I come out of a great film

9. Fashion

Film is so influential and I love how it can spark different trends

10. Eternal life

Even when we tragically lose our favourite actors and filmmakers, their work allows them to live on. Even though we'll never see Heath Ledger or Patrick Swayze in a new film, we'll always have 10 Things I Hate About You and Dirty Dancing.

10 Things I Hate About Movies

2011-03-23T13:00:00.000Z

There's plenty to love about film - the beautiful faces, the escapism, hell, the pure magic of it all. But there is also plenty to hate about it, as is evident by articles swarming the internet about the death of film criticism, the pet peeves of cinema-going and the problem with 3D taking over our screens. So I decided to compile a list of the 10 things I hate the most about film:

1. Th
e fact that we need to distinguish between 'films' and 'movies'.

In the dawn of cinema, film was an art. It was a spectacle. It was something to be amazed at. Today there seems to be a distinct difference between film as art and movies as entertainment.

2. Michael Bay

I was going to say Megan Fox but Jennifer's Body was quite entertaining. Michael Bay is one of those directors who I truly hate. His movies don't remotely entertain me and when I read about how much they cost to make it actually angers me as the money could have gone towards a dozen independent films.

3. 3D

OK, I get the benefits (kinda...) and it has done a lot to boost the film economy and cinema attendance etc. I just hate the way it is used as a marketing technique - can't they think of anything original?

4. Unnecessary remakes, prequels and sequels

Speaking of original... There are so few films released each year that aren't based on a book, a sequel/prequel, a remake, etc. The last Pirates film was a whole load of suckage and I have no desire to see the next one (even though part of it was shot near me and stars Penelope Cruz). I'm also not up for the new Scream trilogy. I'm making an exception for David Fincher's The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo however as it's not technically a remake, it's more of another adaptation. Plus Fincher is Da Man!

5. Unfaithful/terrible adaptations

Most people loved The Lord of the Rings and all the comic book adaptations but more often than not a much-loved novel is adapted for the big screen and it all goes tits up. Recent notable disappointments include The Lovely Bones, The Time Traveler's Wife and My Sister's Keeper.

6. Cuts to film funding

The demise of the UK Film Council has reminded me just how little support there is for independent filmmakers, especially in the UK

7. Assholes who go to the cinema at the same time as me

Those who can't sit still, get up to pee halfway through, eat loudly, provide a running commentary, use their phones, kick my seat... Basically just stay away!

8. Tween stars

Mainly cos they're too young to have so much money. Jealous? Me?

9. The Oscars curse

Under-rated actresses get a life-changing role, win an Oscar and then their career and/or personal life gets the shit kicked out of it (see Charlize Theron, Reese Witherspoon, Halle Berry and Sandra Bullock). Look out Natalie Portman :(

10. The lack of opportunities for women in film

I've been harping on about this for months but it's not just for women directors. How many successful female producers and scriptwriters can you name? Or film critics for that matter?

Showing the love for... local film societies

2011-03-22T16:52:00.000Z

Following the latest meeting to select the next season of screenings, I felt inspired to write in support of local societies. They provide such an amazing opportunity for people to watch non-mainstream films which is especially important in rural areas such as my home town which tends to only screen the big Hollywood releases.

You can find the full article here

You know why else film societies are cool? Chris Nolan was a member at UCL!

Sunday Links

2011-03-20T13:00:00.000Z

I cheated and scheduled this on Thursday night as I was busy all weekend so I'll catch up on all the awesomeness from the last coupla days in next week's linkage

SXSW

A Guide To All The Films [indieWIRE]

Richard Ayoade interview [Ideas Tap]

A Personal Tour Through the World's Most Fun Film Fest [Cinematical]

Winners revealed [Film Threat]

Lists

The 100 Greatest Female Characters [Total Film]

Matt Damon's 10 Greatest Performances [Andy Buckle's Film Emporium]

Top 10 Jeff Bridges Films [Top 10 Films]

10 Films I Instantly Knew Were Special [Cinenthusiast]

20 Coolest Directorial Debuts [Total Film] - see my old similar post for my faves

Opinions

Is The Adjustment Bureau film poster the stupidest ever? [Guardian Film]

Andrew Sarris on Film Criticism [The Browser]

Can you believe that I haven't seen The Godfather? [Colleenie's Couch]

Broken English (Or: Is the Manic Pixie Dream Girl Real?) [Cinema Romantico]

Reviews

The Adjustment Bureau [The Dark of the Matinee]

Attack the Block [Ultra Culture]

Bridesmaids [Cinematical]

Submarine [The Digital Fix]

Careers

10 Things A Filmmaker Needs Every Day [Raindance]

How to Become a Freelance Writer [Guardian]

How to Fake Being an Indie Auteur [Raindance]

Making a Living as a Filmmaker [Filmmaker Magazine]

Best news ever: Sundance is coming to London!

PLUG: Wimbledon Short Film Festival

2011-03-17T19:05:00.001Z

Got something to plug? Email me: e.farley27@gmail.com

What's On: Submarine

2011-03-17T13:00:00.000Z

Every so often a film comes along that you genuinely can’t miss. Submarine is one of those films. It isn’t released in cinemas until tomorrow yet it’s the film that everyone is talking about.

Richard Ayoade’s directorial debut was incredibly well received when it played at last year’s TIFF and London Film Festival, as well as this year’s Sundance; hardly surprising given that Ayoade is one of this generation’s most popular British comedians. Over the last decade he has done stints on The Mighty Boosh, Garth Marenghi’s Dark Place and The IT Crowd as well as appearing on the credits of the TV movie AD/BC: The Rock Musical as writer, director and actor.

Submarine stars newcomer Craig Roberts as Oliver, a 15-year-old on a mission to lose his virginity before his next birthday and prevent his mother from leaving his father and running off with her dance teacher. With a strong supporting cast of British thespians including Paddy Considine (Dead Man’s Shoes, In America), Sally Hawkins (Happy-Go-Lucky, Made in Dagenham) and Noah Taylor (Almost Famous, Vanilla Sky), Submarine could be the indie mainstream hit of the year.

I’ve not come across a bad review for it yet. Total Film’s Ellen Jones’ review is the most intriguing, with the critic describing it as ‘smart and sly, funny and fourth-wall-breaking... but above all, an excruciatingly accurate coming-of-ager.’ I’m a sucker for a teen movie but 50 years of the genre has created some absolute stinkers. I love it when they have a bit of an edge – Heathers, Donnie Darko, Brick – and Ayoade’s Submarine looks like it will fit the bill perfectly.

Other new releases this weekend include The Lincoln Lawyer (a drama with a fantasticly eclectic cast including Matthew McConaughey, Marisa Tomei, Ryan Phillippe, William H. Macy, Josh Lucas, Michael Peña and John Leguizamo), Woody Allen’s rom-com You Will Meet A Tall, Dark Stranger and Route Irish, the latest from Ken Loach.

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Thoughts on... the British film industry

2011-03-16T13:00:00.001Z

I recently wrote an article for Eat Sleep Live Film entitled 'On the Future of British Filmmaking'. Since the announcement of the abolishment of the UK Film Council I've wondered what the future holds for the British Film Industry. Despite the many criticisms of the government quango, there's no denying its successes, most notably last year's big release The King's Speech.

I started off researching/writing the article on a bit of a downer, but after looking into the companies that currently produce and distribute films in the UK, I'm feeling a lot more hopeful. Below are links to articles that I used to form the basis of my research and which will provide further info on the UKFC's filmography and the future plans of the BFI:

Ed Vaizey restarts the film funding merry-go-round

How is the BFI suddenly able to take over from the UK Film Council

British film emerges largely unscathed - but is that fair?

The end of South West Screen and the start of Creative South

Rewind to the golden age: only quotas can make British cinema great again

Baftas 2011: Amanda Berry on the 'best of British'

In praise of publicly funded British film

An open letter to the UK government about the UK film industry

Goodbye and good riddance to the UK Film Council

Why the UK movie industry is bollocksed

The King's Speech - the UK Film Council deserves direct praise

Transfer of responsibility from the UK Film Council to the British Film Institute - FAQ

Did UK film peak with King's Speech win?

Pinewood to invest in small-budget films

Illegal movie downloads 'threaten the future of the British film market'

Q&A: UK Film Council

Industry reacts to abolition of UK Film Council

UK Film Council: About Us

Mike Leigh attacks UK Film Council axe decision

PLUG: FD4W Roadshow!

2011-03-15T13:18:00.000Z

The fd4w Roadshow!

After many requests to run courses in different parts of the UK, we are finally hitting the road next month with the first leg of what will be a UK wide tour.

The course is a one day seminar entitled "5 Steps to directing" which as usual will cover a lot of ground. We love to give you incredible value for money and this will be no exception.

£50 (instead of the usual £85) Click on the links below for full details.

1st Leg:
Brighton March 24th
Southampton March 26th
Cardiff March 30th (venue details tbc)
London April 2nd

Then in April and May we will cover: Bristol, Oxford, Birmingham, Coventry, Stoke , Manchester, Liverpool, Guildford, Reading, Plymouth, Exeter, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Leeds, York, Newcastle, Sheffield, Nottingham, Ipswich, Leicester, Dublin, Belfast... (venues and dates coming shortly)

You may remember that fd4w is the fabulous organisation that I spent my internship with last year. Their first film festival was a huge success and their courses in filmmaking are hitting the road and will be appearing at a venue near you very soon. I can't wait for it to come to Plymouth.

Got something you want plugged? Email me: e.farley27@gmail.com

Penwith Film Society: Spring Programme Selection

2011-03-15T13:00:00.001Z

As I've mentioned before, I'm on the committee of my local film society which means I have a say in what independent and foreign films are shown at my local cinema. We're due to meet in the next week or two to discuss which films will make up our spring programme. The decision starts with all of us submitting our titles of interest to the 'Gene Pool' and then we rate them. Then in the meeting we fight it out to get our favourites included. In my first season I managed to get Whip It! in there and last season I really fought for Somewhere and Blue Valentine. This season, again, I'm doing it for the American indies. After trawling through Launching Films to find out what films will be getting a UK release for the rest of the year, I've compiled the following list (there's nothing wrong with planning ahead for Autumn/Winter).

We Need To Talk About Kevin

Wuthering Heights

The Future

If you have any suggestions, feel free to share them in the comments section.

Showing the love for... Kate Winslet

2011-03-14T13:00:00.005Z

I caved and added another magazine to my ever-growing pile. I rarely buy Vogue, choosing to pick up a copy when there is an actress on the cover that I love. After all, it's not like I can afford anything in it! Anything with Kate Winslet on the cover will get me to buy and I was especially intrigued by her new look.

I've always been fascinated by Kate Winslet - her career, her personal life, her image. My years of Media Studies have taught me that a celebrity's public image is built largely on the agenda of the celeb and what the media want you to think of them but in all the interviews I've read and seen, Kate Winslet seems to be one of the few genuinely down-to-earth actresses. I've always loved the story of her getting married in her local pub and having bangers and mash for her wedding dinner. And the fact that she still takes her kids to school and works around their school holidays. I love the supposed 'normality' of her 'celebrity' lifestyle.

Looking forward to Mildred Peirce on Sky Atlantic

Sunday Links

2011-03-13T13:00:00.002Z

Lists

Ten Women Who Have Made Cinematic History [Cinematical]

20 Awesome Movies at SXSW [Total Film]

30 Books That Should Be Movies [Total Film]

11 Films That Need A Sequel [Eat Sleep Live Film]

Showing the love for

Matt Damon [Handbag]

E.T. The Extra Terrestrial [Cinematical]

Bird's Eye View Film Festival [Guardian Film]

Once [Anomalous Material]

Opinions

Film Criticism vs Social Criticism [A Life in Equinox]

Catering to the 1% [Kid in the Front Row]

Movies: Dead, Dying or Still Kicking? [Cinema Romantico]

Falling for the First Time [The Dark of the Matinee]

Feminism in Movies: Why you should care [Anomalous Material]

Thoughts on... (film)geekdom

2011-03-10T15:03:00.000Z

I'm a dork. That much is obvious by now. Rather than piss all my money away on cocktails (ok, I piss some of it away on cocktails), waste it on drugs, go away a lot, etc, most of my money goes on DVDs, magazines and books. I know, I'm far too cool for words. The thing is, I don't have enough time to watch/read them all! When I get a whole day off I attempt to tackle the mounds of stuff that has piled up in my room. I thought I'd humour myself earlier and see just how bad it has gotten. Prepare yourselves:

33 unread magazines (including seven of Sight & Sound)

a dozen unread film bios and collections of essays/film criticism, etc

60 unseen DVDs PLUS two LOVEFiLM DVDs, a few films on Sky+ and my Hitchcock, Almodovar, Bourne and NBCQ boxsets

I really do have every intention of getting through them eventually, it just becomes an issue when I spend £100 in HMV in one day (I might have maxed out my credit card last week...) and keep adding to the ever-expanding pile...

So (film)geekdom is awesome - it gives me a quirky edge, I like to think - but it is wreaking havoc on my bank balance and social life.

What's On: Hall Pass

2011-03-10T13:00:00.001Z

It feels like forever since the Farrelly brothers last released a film but a quick look on IMDB reveals that it has only been three years. Maybe it seems longer because I didn’t particularly care for The Heartbreak Kid. The Perfect Catch was alright though but I have a lot of time for Drew Barrymore. She is one of the few actresses who have done a lot of rom-coms but manages to play someone different each time (see also Reese Witherspoon and Cameron Diaz).

The duo behind Dumb & Dumber and There’s Something About Mary are back with Hall Pass, an adult comedy about two friends whose wives relieve them of their marital ties for a week. Owen Wilson stars alongside TV comedy greats Jason Sudeikis (Saturday Night Live), Christina Applegate (Samantha Who) and Jenna Fischer (the American version of The Office) in a crude and rude sex flick that appears to be rather Apatow-esque.

Also released this week is The Company Men, starring Ben Affleck, who I have really come to love over the last decade, and Fair Game which sees Naomi Watts and Sean Penn appear in their third film together (following 21 Grams and The Assassination of Richard Nixon). A film that I’ll be avoiding at all costs is the Hilary Swank ‘thriller’ The Resident which co-stars Jeffrey Dean Morgan as her obsessive landlord.

Thoughts on... blogging

2011-03-08T13:00:00.001Z

Everyday I come across links for new sites and blogs that have launched and which my friends and peers have recommended I check out. The thing is, I already read dozens a day and it takes something really special to come along and make me click 'follow' or add it to my bookmarks these days. I don't just want reviews, I want comment and analysis. I don't just want opinions, I want personality. With my own blog (and guest posts on other sites), I try to not just review films. There is so much more to talk about than just what I thought about a particular film. I'm fascinated by film history, star studies, film journalism, evolving genres... I love reading about your personal cinema-going experiences and discovering what films changed your life and shaped your film preferences.

My grandparents came over for dinner last night and, being in her 70s, my gran doesn't read most of my work as a lot of it is published online. She does, however, read my weekly column in the local paper. She commented on it earlier, saying that before she even reads the bylines she can tell which pieces are mine because I always include my own opinions. Of course, when I read reviews I want to know if the film is technically well made, I want to know the basic synopsis and some of the details regarding actors, directors, screenwriters, etc. But most importantly I want to know how the film affected the critic as a viewer and as a person. As a regular follower of certain writers, I grow to understand their particular preferences and have certain expectations of a film based on their critiques. That's the kind of following that I hope to have. I know that most of you reading don't always agree with what I write, and that's the beauty of blogging about film: we all have different tastes yet we are bound by a collective love of and fascination with cinema. We love the debate a review of a new release creates and the sense of pride we feel when someone watches and loves a film based on our recommendations.

With that in mind, I want to give a brief shout out to some of my favourite bloggers and point you in the direction of some of the sites I check out on a daily basis (in no particular order)...

The bloggers whose opinions I hold above all others

The King Bulletin

Bitchin' Film Reviews

A Life in Equinox

The Dark of the Matinee

You Talking to Me?

Girls after my own heart

Film Forager

The Flick Chick

The World According to Ness

Deadline Hollywood

Just Chick Flicks

M. Carter at the Movies

The fan favourites

Anomalous Material

Kid in the Front Row

My favourite film magazines

Does 2011 Oscars Prove Bigelow's Win Was An Anomaly?

2011-03-07T13:00:00.000Z

After the success of The Hurt Locker at last year’s Academy Awards, the film industry was in awe of Kathryn Bigelow’s award success. Following this year’s ceremony, Emma Farley can’t help but wonder if The Bigelow Effect was merely a fluke.

The full article is now available to view on Eat Sleep Live Film.

Sunday Links

2011-03-06T13:00:00.000Z

Features

The Evolution of Matt Damon [Total Film]

Harvey Weinstein: Oscars' comeback kid [Guardian Film]

In Defence of the Chick Flick [The Atlantic]

Molly Ringwald and the Modern Teen Heroine [Cinematical]

Understanding Scorsese [Flickering Myth]

Just How Indie Are The Indie Oscar Contenders [Raindance]

Opinions

Why David Fincher is the best design thinker in Hollywood [fastcodesign]

What an idiot he is [The Dark of the Matinee]

Know Thyself [A Life in Equinox]

Just Chick Flicks meets The Action Flick Chick [Just Chick Flicks]

Lists

50 Reasons Why Stanley Kubrick is The Greatest Director of All Time [Obsessed With Film]

52 most iconic uses of pop songs in movies [Anomalous Material]

Reviews

Paul [The Digital Fix]

The Adjustment Bureau [Leonard Maltin]

happythankyoumoreplease [The Playlist]

Careers

Graduate View: Who are you calling a 'lost generation'? [Guardian]

What's On: The Adjustment Bureau

2011-03-03T13:00:00.000Z

Confession time. I have a bit of a girl crush on Emily Blunt. I think she is the greatest British actress since Kate Winslet and I genuinely believe she was robbed of the Best Leading Actress Awards for her performance in The Young Victoria.

This week she stars in The Adjustment Bureau opposite one of this generation’s most under-appreciated actors: Matt Damon. When you think about it, you realize just how many of his films you’ve seen (True Grit, Dogma, The Bourne Identity) and how many are in your list of all-time favourite films (Good Will Hunting, The Departed, Ocean’s Eleven, The Talented Mr Ripley). And now The Powers That Be up in the Hollywood Hills have brought the pair together for what is set to be a box office smash.

The Adjustment Bureau stars Damon as David Norris, a politician who decides to go against Fate’s plans when he falls in love with beautiful ballet dancer Elise Sellas (Blunt). So far so smushy, right? Wrong. Despite the romantic undertones, George Nolfi’s directorial debut is a tense thriller based on the Philip K. Dick short story “Adjustment Team”.

Damon and Blunt haven’t always made the best career moves (Stuck on You, The Wolfman) but they have that rare talent: the ability to make any film ten times cooler simply by attaching their name to the project. So whether you’re a sci-fi geek, thriller enthusiast or hopeless romantic, you’re bound to find something to love about The Adjustment Bureau.

Oscars Linkage

2011-03-01T20:44:00.001Z

Everyone's talking about the Oscars: how The Social Network was robbed, James Franco must have been high, Anne Hathaway had too many costume changes and how unbelievably cool the dude who won Best Live Action Short was. Here are my highlights of the blog posts and articles:

The 2010 Antagonists [Antagony & Ecstasy]

Was 2011 the lamest Academy Awards ceremony in history? [5plitreel]

Are the Oscars even important? [The Reelists]

Oscars - one long bore despite witty king's speech [top10films]

The Natural Evolution of the Oscars [Pop Matters]

Did James Franco ruin the Oscars? [The Atlantic]

My Oscar Marathon [The Atlantic]

Want an Oscar? Wait your turn! [The Reelists]

10 ways to improve the ceremony [Guardian Film]