All posts filed under: Film

Moon River and Buffalo 66 – what is it about Vincent Gallo?

Published by

One of our all time favourite films is Buffalo 66, one of our favourite songs is Moon River. So when last trawling the web, researching said Buffalo 66, it was an absolute pleasure to find this gem: For those of you who haven’t seen Buffalo 66, here’s a summary: having just served five years in prison for a crime he did not commit, Billy Brown (Vincent Gallo) kidnaps a young tap dancer named Layla (Christina Ricci) and forces her to pretend to be his wife. Layla allows herself to be kidnapped and it is clear she is romantically attracted to Billy from the start, but Billy all the while is compelled to deal with his own demons, his loneliness and his depression. The subplot of Billy seeking revenge on the man indirectly responsible for his imprisonment, Scott Wood, is a reference to a former Buffalo Bills kicker, Scott Norwood, who missed the game-winning field goal in Super Bowl XXV against the New York Giants in 1991. The balance struck between a haunting  vulnerability and dry …

I Dream Of Wires; A modular synth Documentary

Published by

“I Dream of Wires” (IDOW) is an upcoming, independent documentary film about the phenomenal resurgence of the modular synthesizer — exploring the passions, obsessions and dreams of people who have dedicated part of their lives to this esoteric electronic music machine. IDOW is written and directed by Robert Fantinatto with Jason Amm (Ghostly International recording artist Solvent) serving as producer and co-writer. Inventors, musicians and enthusiasts are interviewed about their relationship with the modular synthesizer — for many, it’s an all-consuming passion. Established musicians such as Trent Reznor (Nine Inch Nails), Carl Craig and John Foxx show off their systems and explain why they opt to use this volatile but ultimately rewarding technology. Meanwhile, a new generation of dance and electronica artists including Clark, James Holden and Factory Floor explain why they’ve stepped away from laptops to embrace the sound and physicality of modular synthesizers. Innovative companies like Modcan and Doepfer, driven by a desire to revive modular synthesizers, discuss how they planted the seeds that have now grown into a major cottage industry. What started out as a “vintage-revival scene” in the ’90s has grown into an underground phenomena with a growing market …

‘Kill your Darlings’ captivates freedom

Published by

Kill Your Darlings is a 2013 American biographical-drama-film directed by John Krokidas in his feature film directorial debut. The movie stars Daniel Radcliffe who was the most famous child actor in history, he was just a child: an only child, a poor sleeper, a nonstop talker, a picky eater… He was also disarmingly sweet.  He took the screen test at the age of ten, for the first Harry Potter film. It looked like Daniel would never lose the tag of Harry Potter. However, thirteen years later, he is starring as one of Americas leaders of the counter culture and key figures of the beat generation… Mr Allen Ginsberg.  He does a good job too, proving has come a long way. Kill your Darlings is focused on the Beat Generation of the 1950’s. But not the time that many people talk of… the time before Ginsberg wrote Howl, before William Burroughs penned Naked Lunch and before Jack Karouac went on the road.  The story is about Ginsberg’s relationship with Lucien Carr (Dane DeHaan) when they were students at Columbia: Carr was the …

spike jonze’s ‘HER’ is a beautiful picture – with a limited palette

Published by

Spike Jonze is someone that needs very little introduction… but just incase, here is a brief one, courtesy of  FNND. Jonze’s breakthrough video for The Beastie Boys song “Sabotage” earned him four MTV Video Music Awards. Throughout the 1990s, he directed music videos and commercials. In 1999, he acted in and directed Three Kings. Jonze’s first full-length directorial effort, Being John Malkovich, earned him an Academy Award nomination. He went on to  direct many of the most interesting and critically lauded movies of the past decade, from Adaptation to Where the Wild Things Are. So what happens when a director known for his artful execution of big ideas decides to make a film about some guys computer operating system? HER is an American Science fiction romantic comedy drama film written, directed, and produced by Spike Jonze. It marks Jonze’s solo screenwriting debut . The film stars Joaquin Phoenix, Amy Adams, Rooney Mara, Olivia Wilde, and Scarlett Johansson as the voice of Samantha. The film centers on a man who develops a relationship with an intelligent computer operating system with a female voice and personality. HER is set in the future – but …

The Intouchables provides some Joie de Vivre

Published by

The Intouchables is a French comedy-drama film directed by Olivier Nakache and Éric Toledano. It stars François Cluzet and Omar Sy. The plot of the film is inspired by the true story of Philippe Pozzo di Borgo and his caregiver Abdel Sellou, discovered by the directors in A la vie, à la mort, a documentary film. The Intouchables maybe cheesey and corny in places, but this film leaves a smile on your face and a rejuvenated confidence in the morality of human beings. Give a man responsibility to fellow man and he will behave responsibly. It is based on a true story but the facts are slightly adapted for the screen, although that doesn’t stop this film from being wholly predictable. The paragliding shots are funny and there is great chemistry between Sy and Cluzet throughout the film Which elegantly displays that they’re the only two in the room to understand their jokes…. It’s funny and at times, provides a humorous take on disability. This movie has flaws for sure but it’s charm is inimitable and it does exactly what it sets out to …