Archive for June 16, 2010
RAW: Get Him To The Greek – Film
Jun 16th
When plump Aaron Green (Jonah Hill), working in a struggling record company, comes up with the idea for his boss, Sergio, (Sean ‘P. Diddy’ Combs) of a ten year reunion concert for Aldous Snow (Russell Brand), a kind of Jim Morrison / Michael Hutchence tribute, things come together except for the fact that Aaron must get Aldous from London to New York and then Los Angeles (home of The Greek auditorium) in 72 hours.
When he arrives, he (and we all) finds Aldous has the maturity of an eight year old and the self discipline of a tearaway undergrad. From there the main threads holding this mess together are jokes centred around the mid-drift, front and back and for both genders. Sex, drugs, rock’n’roll and no shortage of vomit keep us enthralled for the next 90 minutes.
Frat boys may see this as the new Animal House. Oldies may reflect on Spinal Tap, while others still will see nothing much more than another road movie with a Vegas romps in the middle and all the production values of The Room.
But to draw comparisons with classic films like these would be odious. Undergrad males may revel in the coarseness and lack of subtlety (the language used often would make even Andrew Johns blush). Brand holds his part together well and to be sure there were some humorous things said, though most of these for me seemed to sail way over the heads of those around me at the screening who were delighting in the film generally.
This film offers little new and even less left for the imagination.
Kryztoff Rating 3.5K for Frat Boys; 1K for the rest of us
RAW: Bunny and the Bull – Film
Jun 16th
Reviewer – Tom Bowden
First things first, this film is written and directed by Paul King, the director of the Mighty Boosh. But don’t be put off by the Boosh link, this is not in any way a Boosh film.
The general storyline is very simple. Stephen (Edward Hogg) has agoraphobia and hasn’t left his house in years. His life is carefully structured, with every aspect of his existence being catalogued in boxes that line every wall of his tiny flat. One day, Stephen and his friend Bunny (Simon Farnaby) take an imaginary holiday inside his apartment, based on mementos and memories of an earlier vacation.
The visuals in this film, as you would expect from King, are incredible. In a world dominated by CG and special effects, it’s refreshing to see things done the old fashioned way. Sure, there’s a lot of CG in there but used differently to how it’s abused in most movies today.
The storyline is brilliant – funny, sad, ridiculous and tragic. There is so much to this film; it’s not simply just another comedy. The acting is great and the relationships between characters are explored and explained well. All of the elements that go into making a great film are here, and they’re all in the right place.
In a market flooded with so much rubbish, it’s exciting when every now and then something amazing comes along. Make sure you catch it! It will be the next big thing.
Kryztoff Rating – 4.5K
RAW: Exit Through The Gift Shop (A Banksy Film)
Jun 16th
Reviewed By Lucy Campbell
Exit.. traces Thierry Guetta, an eccentric French self made filmmaker, stumbling upon the clandestine world of street art. His fascination with the danger and grey legality of the artist’s world turns into a recorded journey as Guetta slowly becomes invaluable to them; his willingness, enthusiasm and daredevil attitude are reciprocated with permission for him to film them. Guetta records stacks of unwatched tapes as street art gradually receives recognition in the art community, spearheaded by the enigma of British artist Banksy.
The film really begins when Guetta forms a friendship with Banksy, which leads to a series of misadventures and Guetta’s own fame and fortune as he becomes “Mr Brainwash” and hoodwinks the art world in a flurry of LA hype to become one of the biggest street artists to never really exist. Banksy has gone about cutting down thousands of hours of Guetta’s meandering, loose home video work into a succinct, hilarious and fascinating documentary of the accidental hero.
Guetta is the real star of the film; his eagerness and complete faith, eccentricities and innocent desire to be one of the gang is charming in an odd, compelling way. Exit.. is one for everybody with a sense of humour and a desire to know how stencils get to the tops of buildings.
Kryztoff Rating 4K
Lucy Campbell