THIS MAY BANK HOLIDAY WEEKEND THE LIGHT HOUSE CINEMA CELEBRATES THE WORK OF TIM BURTON
In advance of the release of DARK SHADOWS, the Light House Cinema will be taking a nostalgic look at the early work of Tim Burton with two Double Bills – PEE WEE’S BIG ADVENTURE/BEETLEJUICE and a Johnny Depp Double Bill – EDWARD SCISSORHANDS/ED WOOD.
The world of Tim Burton is as colourful as it is dark and as eccentric as it is accessible. We hope you’ll join us over the bank holiday weekend for some escapism at its most aesthetically pleasing.
PEE WEE’S BIG ADVENTURE – Sunday, 6th May – 6.30pm
Burton’s first feature length film and certainly his most under-seen, although PEE WEE’S BIG ADVENTURE is a children’s film, it is as strange and unsettling as any of Burton’s later work. Oddly likeable man-child Pee Wee Herman’s cross-country adventure is hugely imaginative, wonderful to look at and full of the quirk and stylistic nuances that would become Tim Burton’s trademark.
BEETLEJUICE – Sunday 6th May – 8.30pm
Burton’s first bona fide Hollywood hit, starring Michael Keaton as the most vile, uncontrollable “bio-exorcist” you could ever have the misfortunate of being haunted by. With a career-best turn from Michael Keaton, ably supported by Winona Ryder, Alec Baldwin and Geena Davis. Beetlejuice deals with tragedy and despair in that ghoulish but light-hearted way that only Tim Burton can pull off.
*Audiences member are permitted to “shake shake shake senora” where appropriate.
EDWARD SCISSORHANDS – Monday 7th May – 6.30pm
The first film in one of the great actor/director partnerships of all time, here Burton convinces teen idol Johnny Depp to cover up his face, mess up his hair and dress up in S&M gear to bring us a story about a gentle man, made by a lonely inventor, who died before he could give him real hands. EDWARD SCISSORHANDS is one the most beloved of Tim Burton’s films and balances his two loves, 1960’s pastiche and gothic aesthetic quite comfortably.
ED WOOD – Monday May 7th – 8.30pm
After years of taking inspiration from 1950’s B-movies, Tim Burton decided to pay direct homage to one of the most notorious figures from the annals of cult film, Ed Wood, bad director extraordinaire whose Plan 9 From Outer Space is commonly referred to as “the worst film ever made”. Far from making Ed Wood the butt of a joke, Tim Burton and his star Johnny Depp lovingly create a character whose ambition, passion and vision knows no bounds, except unfortunately his own lack of talent.
IFI presents German Film Week from 10th-16th May featuring new films from German masters Volker Schlöndorff and Andreas Dresen
This small selection of recent German films, presented in association with the Goethe-Institut Irland, opens and closes with new works by two of contemporary cinema’s finest directors, Volker Schlöndorff and Andreas Dresen, as well as featuring a host of emerging talents.
Schlöndorff was one of the leading lights of the so-called New German Cinema of the 1960s and ‘70s, and won an Oscar for his 1979 adaptation of Günter Grass’ The Tin Drum. It was while living in France and serving an apprenticeship to such French cinema giants as Louis Malle, Jean-Pierre Melville and Alain Resnais, that he learned about the dark episode from WW2 Occupied France that inspired his new film Calm at Sea. Set in a French internment camp this film about reprisal executions is scrupulously even-handed and unsentimental, but packs quite an emotional punch. The screening will be followed by a reception at the IFI provided by the Goethe-Institut Irland for all opening night ticketholders. Read more…
Dublin to Host International Celebration of John Ford
Filmmakers and film experts prepare to gather in Dublin to honour and celebrate the legacy of John Ford, one of the world’s most respected and influential filmmakers.
The inaugural John Ford Ireland Film Symposium takes place 7 – 10 June with a four day focus on film and filmmaking, inspired and informed by the timeless work of legendary Irish-American director John Ford.
Ford directed 137 films, worked on circa 80 other projects, documentaries & short films, and still holds the record for winning the most Oscars for his work as Director. Ford, whose parents were born in the west of Ireland, was the first recipient of the American Film Institute’s Lifetime Achievement Award, and received the American Presidential Medal of Freedom for his important war documentaries during his World War II American Navy service.
His work continues to be much loved by audiences around the world, with favourites including the big screen classics such as The Searchers, The Grapes of Wrath, Fort Apache, Rio Grande, She Wore A Yellow Ribbon, Stagecoach, The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance and How Green Was My Valley.
Ford kept strong connections with Ireland, where he made a number of films, the most important of which was The Quiet Man, consideredhis most personal film. Read more…
BEING ELMO
Directed by Constance Marks. Starring Elmo, Kevin Clash, Whoopi Goldberg, Frank Oz, Rosie O’Donnell, Cheryl Henson. 76 mins.
Rating: Three and a half/Five
In cinemas now
SWEET, UPLIFIFTING DOC ABOUT THE CREATOR OF ELMO IS A WARM LABOUR OF LOVE
As you know, Elmo loves you. But you might not know that Kevin Clash loves you too. The creator of Elmo, Clash is soft-spoken, mild-mannered, extremely kind and deeply talented – and is the probably most famous person you’ve never heard of. Despite Elmo being an international phenomenon (do doo de do do), Clash remained an unrecognizable face, happy just to be the brain and heart behind (and hand inside of) this fluffy, high-pitched, international symbol for love and hugs.
AVENGERS ASSEMBLE
Directed by Joss Whedon. Starring Robert Downey Jr., Mark Ruffalo, Tom Hiddleston, Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson, Chris Evans, Jeremy Renner, Clark Gregg, Cobie Smulders, Samule L. Jackson. 142 mins.
Rating: Five/Five
In cinemas now
AFTER YEARS OF SUPERHERO FILM FOREPLAY, THE AVENGERS ASSEMBLE FOR A BRILLIANT CLIMAX
The Avengers, comic books, Glee – what do they all have in common? Misfits, geeks, villains, one-liners – and Joss Whedon. The Cult King of the Cool Uncool, the writer and director of Avengers Assemble combines his talent for oddball characters, razor-sharp wit and fantastical action to a superhero film that is more fun than it has any right to be.
Basically, believe the hype.
Brilliantly collecting all the loose threads from the foreplay films of the past five years, Avengers Assemble sees the Avengers join up with military law enforcement agency S.H.I.E.L.D to stop Thor’s (Chris Hemsworth) brother Loki from destroying the planet.
As superhero films go, it’s got everything. Each character is given their chance to shine, and though Robert Downey Jr. shoots out his usual stream of great one-liners, Thor’s bombastic, faux-Elizabethan delusions of grandeur and Hulk’s Neanderthal mentality are also uproariously funny, and often left me literally applauding with glee.
THE CABIN IN THE WOODS
Directed by Joss Whedon. Starring Kristen Connolly, Chris Hemsworth, Anna Hutchison, Franz Kenz, Jesse Williams, Richard Jenkins, Bradley Whitford. 95 mins.
Rating: Four/Five
In cinemas now
HILARIOUS, SMART AND ORIGINAL FRIGH FLICK BRILLAINTLY UNDOES ALL TRADITIONAL HORROR TROPES
There are many reasons to think The Cabin in the Woods is a transformative horror film. It’s funny as hell, smart as sin and if the devil’s in the details, this film is overrun with brilliantly burning demons. But perhaps the most impressive feat achieved by Cabin is the almost never-experienced sense of community that’s being shared by both critics and audiences alike. There’s a deliciously reverent silence surrounding the film’s wonderfully meta plot-twists; an innate understanding that everyone deserves to experience this film in pure, unsullied, and blissful ignorance.
Basically, the first rule about Cabin in the Woods is you don’t talk about Cabin in the Woods.
BREATHING
Directed by Karl Markovics. Starring Thomas Schubert, Karin Lischka, Gerhard Liebmann, Georg Friedrich, Stefan Matousch. 90 mins.
Rating: Four/Five
In cinemas April 20
STILL AND SLOW-MOVING PORTRAIT OF A YOUNG PAROLEE STRUGGLING WITH LIFE IN FRONT OF BARS
A slow-burning, still and affecting portrait of a young man struggling to find purpose in a life defined by one action, Karl Markovics’ directorial debut is often devastatingly emotive. Thomas Schubert plays Roman, a sullen inmate at a juvenile facility who is ostracized by his peers due to a combination of fear and disgust. When he’s encouraged to take a job in a morgue to impress his parole board, Roman is forced out of his deadened institutionalized mindset, and through working with the dead, is also forced to re-learn how to cope with the living.
Roman’s plight is meticulously, stunningly observed, as simple tasks and interactions take on huge significance. Though initially rejected and mocked by his older colleagues at the morgue, the nature of their work brings them to a silent respect. Painstaking and oddly beautiful sequences showing Roman and a co-worker gently bathing and dressing the body of an elderly woman while her daughter-in-law frets outside is incredibly touching, but there are also harsher depictions of their work. The dieners’ arrival on the scene of an accident is met with vicious aggression from a relative of the not-yet-declared victim, and the men retreat – only to be told by paramedics to stay close by.
OCKOUT
Directed by James Mather and Stephen St.Leger. Starring Guy Pearce, Maggice Grace, Joe Gilgun, Peter Stormare. 95 mins.
Rating: One and a half/Five
In cinemas April 20
ABSURDLY STUPID AND DERIVATIVE SCI-FI ACTION FLICK IS A CINEMATIC BLACK HOLE
Silly season seems to inspire a cinematic Stockholm Syndrome in critics. The deluge of films apparently released purely to assault our senses, insult our intelligence and push our patience to the limit can eventually induce a deluded, desperate desire to find anything positive to cling onto, in order to retain some sense of sanity and faith in the world. And so awful films are declared adequate, and stupid movies defended unpretentious good fun.
Not even that leniency can save Lockout.
The McNugget of films, Lockout’s marketing professes that this futuristic prison break flick is pure action entertainment, when really it’s nothing like the real thing. Instead it’s an unrecognizable mulch of the gristle and fat of every sci-fi of the last two decades, injected with testosterone, watered down with a horribly over-written script, and covered in a soggy batter of dodgy CGI. Disappointingly, given that Luc Besson (The Fifth Element) produces, there are no additional flavours to be found.
ALBERT NOBBS
Directed by Rodrigo Garcia. Starring Glenn Close, Janet McTeer, Mia Wasikowska, Aaron Johnson, Brendan Gleeson, Maria Doyle Kennedy. 113 mins.
Rating: Two/Five
In cinemas April 27
JANET MCTEER BREATHES LIFE INTO AN OTHERWISE LIFELESS FILM FAÇADE
A film that’s been thirty years in the making, Glenn Close originally starred in the stage adaptation of George Moore’s short story in 1982. But despite three decades of passion driving the project, Albert Nobbs – like its titular character – remains an undiscovered cipher, corseted by its fear to explore its real potential.
Instead it clumsily tramples over the award-baiting bases of period costumes, cross-dressing and a scene of beach-inspired self-discovery worthy of only the classiest of tampon-ads, all before heading for a tragedy-stricken homerun. But in its haste, it forgets to fill up the field with a dramatic arc, clear theme or empathetic central character.
Close plays Albert, a prim and introverted manservant in a nineteenth century Dublin hotel, who –as the marketing has revealed – is in fact a woman in disguise. After decades of deceiving everyone around him, he is discovered by gruff painter Hubert (Janet McTeer) – who, as the actress’ name would indicate, is also concealing a Twelfth Night-style secret.
DAMSELS IN DISTRESS
Directed by Whit Stillman. Starring Greta Gerwig, Analeigh Tipton, Carrie MacLemore, Aubrey Plaza, Adam Brody. 99 mins.
Rating: Two and a half/Five
In cinemas April 27
GRETA GERWIG’S INNOCENCE SHINES IN QUIRKY BUT INSUBSTANTIAL CAMPUS COMEDY
Crouching yuppie, hidden WASP, director Whit Stillman is an odd creature. During his twenty-two year career, he has only come out of hibernation for four films, the last three providing sharply written observations about the urban haute bourgeoisies as they experience stylized Jane Austen-like comedies of manners. And, as a Harvard graduate and godson to the sociologist who coined the term ‘WASP’, he has a wealth of material to draw from.
However, while Stillman’s flair for sharp dialogue and wonderful whimsy has survived his thirteen year long hiatus, the target of his satire seems to have become lost in a sea of endlessly repeated jokes, impenetrably affected characters and jazzy dance numbers. Damsels in Distress is prettily quirky and distracting, but Stillman has sacrificed his trademark dark humour for a more pastel palette.
Though for pretty pastel protagonists, petals don’t come more precious than Greta Gerwig. Playing Violet, the queen-bee of a ditsy and didactic collegiate bouquet made up of wary newcomer Lily (Crazy, Stupid, Love’s Analeigh Tipton), ‘British’ Rose and naïve Heather, Gerwig is a wonderfully wide-eyed combination of affectations and eccentricities. Heading up the group’s naïve, doughnut and tap-dancing-based treatment at the college’s ‘Suicide Centre’ and their charitable ‘adopt a stupid frat-boy’ scheme; Violet’s smug, Stepford solipsism conceals a deep vulnerability.
As the young ladies navigate playboy “operators” (Adam Brody), suicidal tendencies and ambitions to create an international dance craze, Stillman piles on deadpan sarcasm and some superb one-liners, bringing into focus the girls’ youthful narcissism and delusion.
But for every zinging one-liner there are endless infuriatingly undeveloped plot points and unrealized hints at satire. The twenty-something’s insecure susceptibility to groupthink is constantly touched on, whether it be outward affectations, depression, idiotic fraternities, cultish religions or potentially demeaning sex fads, but none is explored in detail. Neither are the characters, who – apart from Violet – remain emotionless shells at best, and farcical, colour-confused idiots at worst. Even the date of the film’s setting remains vague, further adding to the confusion: who is Stillman talking to, and who about? (Or should that be about whom?)
For a film called Damsels in Distress, this light and insubstantial comedy plays it far too safe.
