RELEASES! Tyrannosaur (2011), Red Lights (2012) | BASIC CLASSICS! A star is born (1954)

A little later than normal (I was waiting for March programmes), I post the recommendation of the weekend. We have two special movies: a British release called Tyrannosaur and the Spanish filmmaker’s comeback Rodrigo Cortés, a Spanish film but is like a Hollywood product because is talked in English starring Robert De Niro and Sigourney Weaver. I do not know if a film like this could be classified like Spanish. We can practice our English and this is the importante of the film.

BRITISH RELEASE! Tyrannosaur (2011)

A typical British movie like Ken Loach’s films about outsiders and marginal people, starring two great actors, Peter Mullan (Tranispotting, My name is Joe, Braveheart…) and Olivia Colman (Peep Show (tv), The iron lady…). This movie is released in Spain with an important foreign success like the Best Director and Best Film’s prizes in Sundance or The Best Debut Prize in BAFTAs.

Tyrannosaur [Tyrannosaur (Redención)]-2011  Directed by Paddy Considine

Screenplay: Paddy Considine

Cast: Peter Mullan, Olivia Colman, Eddie Marsan, Ned Dennehy, Sally Carman

Genre: Drama

Lenght: 91 min.

Synopsis: Joseph, a man plagued by violence and a rage that is driving him to self-destruction, earns a chance of redemption that appears in the form of Hannah, a Christian charity shop worker.IMDb.

Trailer (VOSE):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A2LAybheXIs

Variety has written:

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/review/sundance-review-peter-mullan-packs-94189

 

RELEASE! Red Lights (2012)

Rodrigo Cortés had a great success in 2010 with the film Buried, the story of a man buried alive. Now he returns with a film produced between Spain and USA, with two great claims: Robert de Niro (Taxi Driver, The Godfather, Novecento…) and Sigourney Weaver (Alien, Working girl, Gorillas in the Mist…).

Red Lights [Luces rojas]-2012  Directed by Rodrigo Cortés

Screenplay: Rodrigo Cortés

Cast:Robert De Niro, Cillian Murphy, Elizabeth Olsen, Sigourney Weaver, Leonardo Sbaraglia, Jan Cornet

Genre: Thriller | Supernatural

Lenght: 119 min.

Synopsis: Psychologist Margaret Matheson and her assistant study paranormal activity, which leads them to investigate a world-renowned psychic.IMDb.

Trailer (VOSE):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KSBIdo0QtfM

The Guardian has written:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/film/2012/jan/23/sundance-2012-red-lights-review

 

BASIC CLASSICS! A star is born (1954)

As for our weekly appointment with the classics we turn back to the CBA selection with the best American musicals. In this case with a remake of a beautiful film called like the original: A star born (from 1937). One of the most interesting studies about the Success in show business, directed by a perfect actress director as Geroge Cuckor starring lovely Gudy Garland and the great James Mason. This film would be remade in 1976 with Barbra Streisand and Kris Kristofferson in a forgettable version.

Rumours! It is announced a new remake directed by Clint Eastwood starring Beyoncé that would be released this year. This smells very bad.

A star is born [Ha nacido una estrella]-1954  Directed by George Cuckor

Screenplay: Moss Hart, Dorothy Parker, Alan Campbell, Robert Carson (Plot: William A. Wellman & Robert Carson)

Cast: Judy Garland, James Mason, Jack Carson, Charles Bickford, Tommy Noonan, Lucy Marlow, Amanda Blake, Irving Bacon, Hazel Shermet

Genre: Musical | Drama | Remake

Lenght: 175 min.

Synopsis: A movie star helps a young singer/actress find fame, even as age and alcoholism send his own career into a downward spiral.IMDb.

The New Yorker has written:

http://www.newyorker.com/arts/events/revivals/2010/07/05/100705gomo_GOAT_movies_brody

Trailer (VO) Made by a fan:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RggbbGg6iEs

RELEASES! Hugo (2011), My week with Marylin (2011) | BASIC CLASSICS! Singin’ in the rain (1952)

The Martin Scorsese’s comeback with a special film that he considered a honest tribute to Cinema. Something is happen to Hollywood because it is very nostalgic with the ancient times. The Artist is a good example. I thought it was a totally French film but the producers are the famous Westein Brothers (they produced the Tarantino’s films, Shakespeare in love, etc…). Hugo is the first familiar film by Scorsese but it seems very recomendable. The other release is British and with another nostalgic touch. Remembering one of the most known cinema icons, My  week with Marilyn is a film about Marilyn Monroe starring Michelle Williams, Kenneth Branagh and Judi Dench. At last, the real classic of the week, an absolute pleasure for the senses: Singin’ in the rain, the perfect musical where all is suberb: songs, music, photography, perfomances, the script, direction… If you do not still seen it you must go to the Círculo de Bellas Artes cinema this weekend. It is pleasant to see so  absolut masterpiece. This film is included in a retrospective about American musicals like Gigi, West Side Story or A star is born.

 

RELEASES! Hugo (2011) by Martin Scorsese

 

Hugo [La invención de Hugo]-2011 Directed by Martin Scorsese

Screenplay: John Logan (Novel: Brian Selznick)

Cast: Ben Kingsley, Sacha Baron Cohen, Jude Law, Asa Butterfield, Christopher Lee, Helen MacRory, Frances de la Tour…

Genre: Familiar | Adventures | Fantastic

Length: 127 min.

Synopsis: Set in 1930s Paris, an orphan who lives in the walls of a train station is wrapped up in a mystery involving his late father and an automaton.

Variety has written:

http://www.variety.com/review/VE1117946615?refcatid=31

Trailer (VOSE):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gTwOZUTHVfc

BRITISH RELEASES! My week with Marilyn (2011)

My week with Marilyn [Mi semana con Marilyn]-2011 Directed by Simon Curtis {Debut}
Screenplay: Adrian Hodges (Novel: Colin Clark)

Cast: Michelle Williams, Eddie Redmayne, Kenneth Branagh, Judi Dench, Dominic Cooper, Emma Watson, Julia Ormond…

Genre: Biographic | Drama | Cinema

Length: 98 min.

Synopsis: In 1956, Marilyn Monroe arrives in England to star with Sir Laurence Olivier in The Prince And The Showgirl. Well-connected 23-year-old Colin Clark gets a job as a production assistant, witnesses the clash of titanic egos and forms a brief intimacy with the emotionally fragile screen goddess.

The New York Post has written:

http://www.nypost.com/p/entertainment/movies/sweet_fated_marilyn_j5UYTncQoKVu6zwiGKNeFM?CMP=OTC-rss&FEEDNAME=

Trailer (VOSE):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WmdzdMAURoY&feature=fvst

 

BASIC CLASSICS! Singin’ in the rain

Cine Círculo de Bellas Artes
Alcalá, 42 Metro Station: Banco de España / Sevilla
VOSE. Price: 5 €. (Normal), 3.40 €. (Reduced)

Friday: 24.02.12 • 22:00h.
Saturday: 25.02.12 • 17:00h.

 

Singin’ in the rain [Cantando bajo la lluvia]-1952  Directed by Stanley Donen

Screenplay: Betty Comden, Adolph Green

Cast: Gene Kelly, Donald O’Connor, Debbie Reynolds, Jean Hagen, Millard Mitche, Cyd Charisse, Rita Moreno, Douglas Fowley, Madge Blake…

Genre: Musical | Comedy | Cinema

Length: 102 min.

Synopsis: A silent film production company and cast make a difficult transition to sound.IMDb.

The famous rainy scene:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D1ZYhVpdXbQ

The New York Times has written:

http://movies.nytimes.com/movie/review?res=9A01E1D8163AE23BBC4051DFB5668389649EDE

RELEASES!! The woman in Black (2012), Shame (2011) | BASIC CLASSICS! NICHOLAS RAY: Bigger than life (1956)

At last,  we can enjoy two British releases this weekend. One hand, there is a horror film about enchanted houses, with spirits and ghosts, a victorian touch and (this is important) no blood. On the the other hand, the controversial movie “Shame” arrives Spanish cinemas with a big marketing campaign.

RELEASES! THE WOMAN IN BLACK: Daniel Radcliff (yes! Harry Potter) is the main character in this film produced by Hammer Films, the most important British horror producer, the creators of the great gothic horror films on seventies or the extraordinary Christopher Lee’s success performing Dracula. Hammer was a lot of years disappear but they have returned since two years ago.

The woman in black [La mujer de negro]-2012 Directed by James Watkins

Screenplay: Jane Goldman (Novel by Susan Hill)

Cast: Daniel Radcliffe, Ciaran Hinds, Janet meter, Shaun Dooley and Liz

Genre: Horror | Drama

Length: 95 min.

Synopsis: A young lawyer travels to a remote village where he discovers the vengeful ghost of a scorned woman is terrorizing the locals.

Trailer (VOSE):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PYrvZDKo2es

Official site:

http://www.womaninblack.com

 

RELEASES! SHAME: It is story about a sex addict, starring Michael Fassbender, that I could see last year in Festival de San Sebastian, and I did not like too much. It is not a bad filming but its screenplay is a little bit stupid, with a musical overdose and a Fassbender saturation. I recommend it because is British and also because everybody is going to talk about it. A controversial film (because is about sex). We are not going to change ever.

 

Shame [Shame]-2011 Directed by Steve McQueen

Screenplay: Steve McQueen & Abi Morgan

Cast: Michael Fassbender, Carey Mulligan , James Badge Dale, Nicole Beharie

Genre: Drama | Erotic

Length: 99 min.

Synopsis: In New York City, Brandon’s carefully cultivated private life — which allows him to indulge his sexual addiction — is disrupted when his sister Sissy arrives unannounced for an indefinite stay.

Trailer (VOSE):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P0NY0ZFldvo&feature=player_embedded

Variety has wrotten:

http://www.variety.com/review/VE1117945959/

 

BASIC CLASSICS! Nicholas Ray’s BIGGER THAN LIFE. Ray’s tribute is still on Filmoteca’s screen. This weekend we can see an American way of life attack with a story about drugs  called “Bigger than life”. Starring James Mason and Walter Matthau, it is very bizarre because the drug that produces James Mason’s hallucinations is ¡cortisone! A very common medicine nowadays but not so usual in 50s.

Cine Doré (Filmoteca Española), Santa Isabel 3 [Metro: Antón Martín]
On Saturday, 18th.  19:30 h. Sala 1. VOSE. Price: 2’5 €. (2 € reduced)

Bigger than life [Más poderoso que la vida]-1956 Directed by Nicholas Ray

Screenplay: Cyril Hume & Richard Maibaum

Cast: A seriously ill schoolteacher becomes dependent on a “miracle” drug that begins to affect his sanity.

Genre: Drama

Length: 95 min.

Synopsis: A seriously ill schoolteacher becomes dependent on a “miracle” drug that begins to affect his sanity.

Original Trailer (VOSE) with an introduction by James Mason:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5NvuvQ6pQIQ

The Newyorker has written:

http://www.newyorker.com/arts/events/revivals/2010/03/22/100322gomo_GOAT_movies_brody

100 BEST BRITISH FILMS – Time Out London

100 BRITISH FILMS

A few days ago, I found this list compiled by Time Out. There are a lot of lists in Internet –British love it!-, but I liked it so much because there are an interesting mix between classics and cult movies. I thought that you could been interesting in it and I share in our blog.

Watching movies is a good way to practice our English. Evidently, we must watch them with subtitles.

PS. The list has a good structure like a mosaic.

http://www.timeout.com/london/bestbritishfilms/

RELEASES! War Horse (2011) | BASIC CLASSICS! NICHOLAS RAY: Johnny Guitar (1954), Rebel without a cause (1955)

We do not have British releases but we can enjoy an excellent Nicholas Ray’s tribute on the Filmoteca’s screen, with two masterpieces, and Spielberg’s comeback.

RELEASES! War Horse is directed by Steven Spielberg, who is a great director but, honestly, I do not expect too much of this film because a friend of mine has seen it and told me it is a film for children. However, this story could be recommended to those of you with children or to whoever is fond of animals.

War Horse [War Horse (Caballo de batalla)]-2011 Directed by Steven Spielberg

Screenplay: Lee Hall, Richard Curtis (Novel: Michael Morpurgo)

Cast:Benedict Cumberbatch, David Kross, David Thewlis, Emily Watson, Jeremy Irvine, Niels Arestrup, Peter Mullan, Toby Kebbell, Tom Hiddleston

Genre: Drama | War | Animals

Length: 146 min.

Synopsis: Young Albert enlists to service in I World War after his beloved horse, Joey, is sold to the cavalry. Albert’s hopeful journey takes him out of England and across Europe as the war rages on.

Official site:

http://www.warhorsemovie.com/

TIME has written:

http://www.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,2101344_2101362_2101355,00.html

BASIC CLASSICS! Tribute to Nicholas RAY: Johnny Guitar (1954) | Rebel without a cause (1955)

Nicholas Ray’s birth centenary is commemorated this year. He is a good representative of Hollywood’s Golden Age. A brilliant director who worked on the film studios and could print his personal mark on them. In order to check it we could see two of his most famous works, two absolute masterpieces that have become Seventh Art icon. On the one hand, James Dean becomes a youth icon in Rebel without a cause, a generational film with an extraordinary success. On the other hand, Joan Crawford performs one of the best characters of her notorious career in the unusual western Johnny Guitar. She plays Vienna, a strong woman who runs a saloon and is attacked by the people of the neighbour town because they hate her life style. Before seeing Johnny Guitar, I recommend to go through classic western films because Ray perverts some of its codes.

Cine Doré (Filmoteca Española), Santa Isabel 3 [Metro: Antón Martín]
Sala 1. VOSE. Price: 2’5 €. (2 € reduced)

Johnny Guitar: 12th on Sunday 21:40h. | Rebel without a cause: 10th on Friday 19:30h.

BASIC CLASSICS!: Johnny Guitar [Johnny Guitar]-1954 Directed by Nicholas Ray

Screenplay: Philip Yordan  (Novel: Roy Chanslor)

Cast: Joan Crawford, Sterling Hayden, Scott Brady, Mercedes McCambridge, Ward Bond, Ernest Borgnine, John Carradine, Royal Dano, Ben Cooper

Genre: Western | Romance

Length: 110 min.

Synopsis: Vienna has built a saloon outside of town, and she hopes to build her own town once the railroad is put through, but the townsfolk want her gone. When four men hold up a stagecoach and kill a man the town officials, led by Emma Small, come to the saloon to grab four of Vienna’s friends, the Dancin’ Kid and his men. Vienna stands strong against them, and is aided by the presence of an old acquaintance of hers, Johnny Guitar, who is not what he seems.IMDb.

The beautiful famous scene (VOSEnglish):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xk88i4UplVQ

Johnny: How many men have you forgotten?

Vienna: As many women as you’ve remembered.

Johnny: Don’t go away.

Vienna: I haven’t moved.

Johnny: Tell me something nice.

Vienna: Sure. What do you want to hear?

Johnny: Lie to me. Tell me all these years you’ve waited…

Vienna: All these years I’ve waited.

Johnny: Tell me you’d have died if I hadn’t come back.

Vienna: I would have died if you hadn’t come back.

Johnny: Tell me you still love me like I love you.

Vienna: I still love you like you love me.

Johnny: Thanks. Thanks a lot.

Rebel without a cause [Rebelde sin causa]-1955 Directed by Nicholas Ray

Screenplay: Stewart Stern

Cast: James Dean, Natalie Wood, Sal Mineo, Jim Backus, Ann Doran, Corey Allen, William Hopper, Edward Platt, Nick Adams, Dennis Hopper

Genre: Drama | Adolescence | Generational film

Length: 111 min.

Synopsis: A rebellious young man with a troubled past comes to a new town, finding friends and enemies.IMDb.

Classic Trailer (VO):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cAlzg0S51GY

BBC has wrotten:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/films/2005/04/29/rebel_without_a_cause_2005_review.shtml

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PD. The next week we could see on Academia de Cine (Zurbano nº 3, with the PP headquarters) the foreign nominated films for Goyas 2012. All of them are in English language and FREE entrance!! 20:00 h.

JANE EYRE (by Cary Fugunaga) -14 feb Tuesday

MELANCHOLIA (by Lars Von Trier) -15 feb Wednesday

THE ARTIST  (by Michel Hazanavicius) -16 feb Thursday

CARNAGE [A UN DIOS SALVAJE] (by Roman Polanski) -17 feb Friday

http://www.academiadecine.com/agenda/index.php?id_s=4&id_ciclo=77