Archive for October, 2008
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Out on DVD and Blu-ray from 27th October
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Yet another Marvel comic big-screen addition, but one that has oodles of appeal for non-comic fans and packs a meaty punch in terms of plot, effects and casting. Robert Downey Jr., the mostly unlikely of all actors to be cast as a superhero, is quite refreshingly brilliant as wealthy industrialist Tony Stark, aka ‘Iron Man’, in that he brings sardonic and flawed, but charismatic personality straits to an otherwise two-dimensional comic-book character. In so doing, Downey Jr. actually fleshes out the character and brings him, rather convincingly, to life.
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Released 31st October 2008
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Known more recently for his controversial Iraq postage stamp designs in 2007, Turner-Prize-winning artist/film-maker Steve McQueen adopts his preferred minimalist film-making approach in this completely unforgiving, totally shocking and quite bilious drama about the death of Irish Republican Army (IRA) member Bobby Sands in the Maze prison in 1981, who died 66 days into a hunger strike. As controversial as the film’s subject matter is, it strikes undeniable parallels with the present-day incarceration of those deemed a ‘serious threat’ to governments around the world, including those in Guantanamo Bay. As McQueen commented, Hunger serves not only as a stark adaptation of a real-life event, but also as a powerful reminder to those too young to remember, but old enough to not forgot today’s often questionable incarceration tactics in the name of war and national security.
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Released 22nd October 2008
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In a world, at present, with nothing but global economic doom and tragic tales of youth crime to report, it seems only fitting that Disney waves its magic wand and gives us a fairy-tale world to escape to. Let’s face it: it was only a matter of time before the High School Musical phenomenon took to the big screen and spread its sickly-sweet and wholesome message of hope to the reality-overloaded teens out there. And just what’s wrong with fleeing into the world of film when it’s as charming, fun and innocent as the latest episode is — even if you feel like you’ve been dipped in honey and licked clean by an overly-loving, eager puppy dog…
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Released 24th October 2008
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We live in an age of homeland terrorism, or should that be we ‘still’ live in that age, expect it’s Islamic fundamentalists that now get all the press, instead of the IRA. Writer/Director Sharon Maguire’s take on Chris Cleave’s novel aims to address that ever-present threat that was brought, once again, to the forefront of Londoners’ minds with the unimaginable 7/7 atrocities. But what Incendiary commendably captures in heart-felt moments of grief is blow apart by some of its more farcical and unbelievable elements. There is an obvious sense that there was just too much story and character depth to comfortably, realistically and faithfully do Chris Cleave’s novel any real justice — budget restrictions aside.
