New British movie, NEDS has it’s DVD / Blu-ray release on the 23rd May and we’re rather looking forward to it. If you didn’t catch Ian’s review from it’s theatrical release, you can check it out here. With the release imminent, we started wondering what the nations favourite British movie might possibly be then decided that the only way to know for sure was to run a poll asking that very question!

We’ve compiled a list below of what we believe to be the definitive best of British and what we need you to do is to participate in sending this poll to everyone you know to get them involved in voting for their favourite British movie of all time.

Obviously if we’ve missed anything obvious, please let us know in the comments section below and we can get it added.

You can vote for up to three of your favourites below.

4.3.2.1 is the latest film from Noel Clarke, whose career has been a runaway success these past few years. Last year Clarke was the winner of the Orange Rising Star award following a host of acting roles and also his work on Kidulthood (which he wrote) and Adulthood (which he wrote and directed) and 4.3.2.1 sees Clarke co-directing, writing and starring.

The tagline line to 4.3.2.1 is “4 Girls, 3 Days, 2 Cities, 1 Chance” and the four ‘girls’ in question are Jo (Emma Roberts), Cassandra (Tasmin Egerton), Kerrys (Shanika Warren-Markland) and Shannon (Ophelia Lovibond). Using a muddled structure Clarke focuses on these four girls individually over three days, essentially restarting the film three times in order to tell each one of their stories. There are obviously many overlaps and the overarching plot surrounds a bag of diamonds, the result of a high profile heist, that end up in the girl’s possession.

Along the way there are sub-plots involving internet boyfriends, broken families, house parties and even a plot line surrounding an abortion that is painfully mishandled by Clarke. Despite all these elements being thrown together the film is completely emotionally vacuous and Clarke comes across like a child, constantly showing off and trying to impress. There is even a line where a character comments, for no apparent reason, that Tee (Noel Clarke’s character) probably has a big penis. The line’s not at all funny, totally incongruous and weird when one thinks that Noel Clarke wrote that line for a female character to say about a character he was playing.

There also minor roles for Ben Miller, Michelle Ryan and Kevin Smith (yes, that Kevin Smith) who all do adequate jobs but clearly have little to work with. Probably most surprising is Smith who is actually quite good in the film and there is an almost funny scene which takes place on an aeroplane, the comedy aided by knowledge of his recent issues with Southwest Airlines.

The four female protagonists though are poorly drawn one dimensional characters and whenever Clarke attempts to add anything as complicated as emotional depth or complexity to them he fails abysmally and sequences where this is attempted come off as clumsy, often awkward and hard to watch. The way the characters are treated is unbelievably obnoxious, insulting and frequently misogynistic and judging by the laughter during these scenes emanating from the back row of cast and crew in the screening I attended I can only assume that it was supposed to be funny. It was not. When the characters actually suffer real emotional trauma it is no way believable though and feels shoe-horned into the plot to somehow legitamise them as real characters.

Perhaps the most excruiating character to watch is Kerrys who is described on the film’s official site as “a one woman crusade fighting for female liberation”. You can spot which one she is on the poster, she’s wearing a bikini and has ‘slut’ tattooed on her stomach. She is sadly not a strong female character “fighting for female liberation”, she is obnoxious, unlikeable, wooden and cartoonishly drawn.

Aside from the problems that Clarke has with creating believable characters and characters that we would want to spend more than three minutes with without blowing out our brains, the film is also a complete and utter mess. Loud bursts of music and frenetic editing make the film an incredibly tiresome watch and I’m sure the array of out of focus shots were a deliberate choice but I have no idea why.

Sadly I suspect that my words will have little effect on fans of Clarke but this film is a horrible, obnoxious and idiotic waste of two hours. It puts me in mind of the worst fast food –  it’s cheap, unsatisfying, the packaging is flashy and garish and everyone knows that there’s no real substance or quality but people will continue to swallow the rubbish down and pay for the privilege. This is not about snobbishness or elitism but simply taste and quality. Why watch this poor excuse for a film when you can sample the wonderful delights that cinema has to offer.

4.3.2.1 is released in the UK on the 2nd of June. Please take my advice and go and watch something else.

Harry Brown is an unassuming name for what may become an iconic character in Michael Caine’s career.

That Caine is able to embody a man of frustration and sadness whose inaction turns to violent action with fluidity and pathos is a testament to the talent of the man and the capability of the film’s director Dabiel Barber.

Make no mistake, Harry Brown is a long and hard look into the dark heart of British society, and no one can stare into it for too long without closing up into self-defeating denial or taking a stand. Complex and unafraid, this is so much more than a British Gran Torino.

Barry reviewed the film on release and you can read his take on Harry Brown here and I’m going to give my verdict here on the DVD experience.

Daniel Barber’s first feature is brutal, and sets out its play with a truly nasty opening scene utilising the device of a video shot on a mobile phone camera and instantly we are thrown into a world which, despite the Daily Mail hysterics, actually exists and one that is not often shown on screen.

I believed in the passion Barber and the assembled cast and crew had for this story, as there is an urgency and willingness to show life on the estates of London as bleak and slow and Barber’s camera begins as voyeuristic as Harry himself, standing by while the gang of kids harass, deal drugs and kill unconcerned while the police do nothing.

We follow Harry’s journey from fear, to nervous action to determined revenge and all the while our morals are kept in check the unrelenting cast of nasties who patrol the run down estate, and when the violence is handed out by Brown there is nothing we as an audience can do except watch its awful cycle play out.

And it is mesmerising, and it is uncomfortable and some people will not want to see this play out, but a stunning turn from Caine and great support from Liam Cunningham, Ben Drew and Emily Mortimer make this a raw and relevant film, with some standout scenes (the drug den is a great example, and include a line every bit as iconic as any in Caine’s career) and an inventive use of camera and location that elevates this one. It is highly recommended.

The DVD and Blu-ray extras are comprised of:

Interviews with cast and crew
Deleted Scenes
Music Video
Feature audio commentary with Sir Michael Caine, director Daniel Barber and producer Kris Thykier

And it is the commentary which provides the most enjoyment, though having the three men laugh and joke their way through such a bleak film is an unusual contrast but Caine especially is a great voice and his anecdotes about this film and others in his long career make for a very entertaining watch.

It’s been a great year for the British film industry. It kicked off with the British invasion of the Oscars, with notable wins for Kate Winslet, and Danny Boyle’s Slumdog Millionaire. The huge amount of British Actors plying their trade successfully in Hollywood continued to grow, with Scot Gerard Butler particularly in demand with parts in Gamer, The Ugly Truth and Law Abiding Citizen.
 
British filmmakers have been responsible for some of the more interesting films this year. Duncan Jone’s Moon was a brilliant yet under appreciated sci-fi drama. Fish Tank and Harry Brown lead the way for low budget drama. Terry Gilliam’s The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus finally found a distributor. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince became the highest grossing British movie of all time.
 
British film festivals Raindance and the BFI London Film Festival saw record attendances, and showcased some great films from home, like An Education, and abroad, like The Road. Attendances were also up for cinematic audiences in general across the country. Buoyed by the slew of Hollywood blockbusters released this year, the box office thrived despite the global economic crisis (or maybe because of it).
 
In fact, movies were a big source of revenue across the globe, with the US also reporting a bumper year at the box office. Big budget studio pictures made a lot of money, despite the majority being panned by critics. 2009 was possibly the culmination of the recent trend of franchises drawing more revenue than big name stars. It used to be that the presence of one of the big A-List stars, like Gibson, Hanks or Willis, guaranteed a big opening weekend. However, this year saw franchises with almost B-list casts, like Star Trek, G.I.Joe and The Twilight Saga: New Moon out grossing star vehicles like Bruce Willis’ Surrogates. Even the highest grossing movie of the year Transformers 2, despite what Shia Lebouf and Megan Fox might like to think, was sold on the big-ass robots and not the cast. One of the last remaining bankable stars, Will Smith, was notably absent from theatres this year.
 
It’s hardly been a vintage year for great films, ironic considering the Academy Award for best picture has been opened up to allow ten nominations. The Hurt Locker has been the most successful so far in the end of the year awards stakes. Other critically acclaimed films this year have included Tarantino’s glorious return to form with Inglourious Basterds, surprise hit of the summer District 9, the prolific Coen Brother’s A Serious Man. Two of the big Oscar contenders have yet to be released in the UK. Precious based on the novel Push by Sapphire. And Jason Reitman’s Up In The Air, starring George Clooney, who also featured in outside award contenders Fantastic Mr Fox and The Men Who Stare At Goats.

Pixar’s poignant and touching Up continued the growing trend of animated movies addressing adult issues, along with Waltz With Bashir. Shane Acker’s 9 presented a unique and visually stunning animation style, but sadly fell down on story.
 
Thanks to the afore mentioned trend of casting relative unknowns in big movies, this year has produced a bumper crop of ‘next big things’. Sam Worthington stole the plaudits from Christian Bale in Terminator: Salvation, and should now come to public attention following his lead role in this year’s biggest movie. Chris Pine took on the monumental task of replacing William Shatner as Jim Kirk, and may now be the next Jack Ryan. Zoe Saldana has appeared alongside both, and is everywhere next year, including the comic adaptation of The Losers. Carey Mulligan impressed with her performance in An Education, and appears in next year’s Wall Street 2.
 
A couple of known actors also did enough to show they could make it big next year. Sam Rockwell’s one man show in Moon once again showed his great acting talent, and a part in next year’s Iron Man 2 may help to cement his A-list status. Following his great performance in Rian Johnson’s Brick in 2006, Joseph Gordon-Levitt  impressed in relationship de-construction 500 Days of Summer, and he gave a truly entertaining performance in G.I. Joe. His turn in Christopher Nolan’s Inception next year may be the part that brings him to mainstream recognition.
 
It’s been a mixed year for directors. Richard Kelly made it big in 2001 with Donnie Darko, but followed the woeful Southland Tales this year with box office flop The Box. Zach Snyder’s Watchmen was panned and failed to recoup it’s budget. McG talked a good game, but his Terminator: Salvation was uninspired. The usually consistent Sam Mendes got mixed reviews for Away We Go, as did Peter Jackson’s The Lovely Bones. Newcomers Neill Blomkamp and Ruben Fleischer scored big with debuts District 9 and Zombieland respectively. Comedy director Judd Apatow made his most mature film to date, Funny People, and Oren Peli’s feature Paranormal Activity broke the record for biggest profit to budget ratio.
 
The year’s biggest story, however, was saved until last. After nearly 15 years and $500m, James Cameron’s technological masterpiece reached the big screen. Avatar revolutionised 3D technology, polarised the industry in (almost) unanimous praise, and looks set to be in the list of ten when Oscar season comes around. So will the example set by Avatar, big box office from an original concept, set the trend for 2010?
 
That looks unlikely. With sequels like Iron Man 2 and the next Twilight, remakes/reboots like Clash of the Titans and Robin Hood, and adaptations like Kick Ass and The Losers on the way, franchises will again rule the roost. There’s even talk of sequels to come for Avatar itself in the future. Hopefully original concepts like Christopher Nolan’s Inception and Sylvester Stallone’s The Expendables will also meet with great success.
 
I’d like to thank everyone that has visited the site. It’s our continuously growing readership that allows us to do what we do. I’d also like to thank the press officers and studio representatives that have helped us to our achieve success. And i’d like to thank the great Heyuguys team, led by Dave. It’s been an incredible year for the site, and next year looks to be even better. All that remains is to wish everyone a very merry Christmas, and the happiest of new years.
 
 
Bazmann – You can follow me on Twitter at www.heyuguys.co.uk

Harry Brown is old. He lives in a tiny flat, on a run down estate. He eats jam on toast. He has a wife in the hospital, and he spends his days playing chess with his only friend in his local pub.

Harry Brown is scared. The estate where he lives is run by the out of control kids who live there. They deal drugs, are armed, and are prone to committing random acts of violence. Harry is so intimidated, when his wife takes a turn for the worse, he still takes the long way around the main road, because he doesn’t want to go down into the subway. His friend Len is also frightened, and is sick of it. He’s armed himself with an old bayonet, and is threatening to use it. Harry gets the news the next day. He has now lost everything, and despairs for the world around him.

Harry Brown is angry. The kids are getting away with murder, and the police are seemingly powerless to stop them. A chance encounter on the tow path pushes Harry to the edge. Is this what his life has come to? Harry decides to buy a gun. Is it for self defence? Or revenge? With nothing left to lose, what’s to stop ex-marine Harry from dispensing a bit of justice himself?

The early word on Harry Brown was that ‘it’s a bit like Gran Torino’. Be under no mis-conceptions, this isn’t your Hollywood fairy tale, a story of a man who learns to overcome his prejudice and love thy neighbour. This is drama. Dark, bleak, uncompromising. Filmed on a low budget, partly financed by the lottery comission, and directed by British first time director Daniel Barber, Harry Brown is a gritty exploration of the youth in revolt you might find in any working class estate, in any town in Britain.

Drugs, violence, sexual abuse, this film is at times difficult to watch. Difficult because of the nature of the violence yes, but more so because it’s all so… real.

We’d like to hide our heads in the sand, and pretend this is an extreme view of the world, and isn’t really happening. But it is. It’s happening every day, somewhere in your town. The no mans land of the subway may sound a little cliche, but that’s because it’s true. We all know that underpass, or that alley, or that park that we walk around, for we dare not enter. Daniel Barber has shot Harry Brown very well. An opening shaky-cam sequence foreshadows the chaos to come. The violence is filmed in several different ways, all very effectively. A gang attack seen from a high window, vicious with eerily muted sounds. A happy-slap style mobile phone video. Scenes are darkly lit with stark yellow streetlights, but the violence is clear as day, and menacingly real.

Director Daniel Barber also takes a real poke at the ineptitude of the police force too. Caught up with ideas of crime fighting initiatives with names like Project Lion, their ineffectiveness at grass roots level is hopelessly exposed. Never more so than in the run up to the climax, when the police attempt a handful of arrests, but arriving short-handed trigger a terrifying riot in the estate.

Michael Caine doesn’t need to work anymore. He’s worked in the business for six decades, performed in every genre, won awards, semi-retired, then done it all again. This means that when you see his name in the cast list, you expect something special. And it is a great performance from Caine. Known for being a vibrant and humorous character, it makes his convincing portrayal of a timid old man in failing health all the more remarkable.

However, as a movie, Harry Brown is deeply flawed. There is a real pacing issue, particularly in the middle part. Harry’s descent has to be a slow burn to be believable, but as he is present in every scene, it slows the movie down to a crawl. One scene in particular, as Harry sits in a squat trying to buy a gun, starts off tense, but as the sequence drags on, and you wait for the switch to flip, you’re left waiting too long, and the tension ebbs away.

The other major problem is that whilst Harry is a well rounded character, his youthful nemeses are unforgivably two dimensional. There are a couple of scenes explaining away their motivations as being a product of the abuse sustained from their paternal figures, but we see very little of their interactions with each other, no development of their personal relationships. One line in the film gives it away. Harry tells DI Frampton that at least in Northern Ireland he was fighting for something, and that these kids are just doing it for entertainment. That’s the view being expressed here, that the antagonists are just animals.

Ironically, these two major issues could have been rectified at the same time. If the story of these kids had been explored more deeply, those scenes could have been intercut with Harry’s journey, providing a more balanced account and solving the pacing problems.

Caine won’t have been paid much, and it’s obvious he took this role on because of his belief in the message the film maker is trying to put across. Before the screening, Sir Michael explained that it was a film about violence, but not a violent film. He went on to say that it was not meant to glamorize violence.

Harry Brown nearly lives up to this, until the final scene. I don’t want to give too much away, just to say that when someone is shown to have made their own life better by violence that they have perpetrated, for me that is a true glamorization of violence. Barber has tried to make both a film with an important message, and an entertaining movie. Unfortunately, he has not succeeded on either count. He has shown enough here however to suggest he can become a very good director. The problems with this film are down to inexperience and a bad script, both of which can be overcome. Harry Brown is worth watching, if only to remind you how lucky you are.

Harry Brown opens in cinemas in the UK this Wednesday 11th November. No word on a US release yet. Hey, we got Harry Brown, you got Boondock Saints 2.

Bazmann - You can now follow me on Twitter at http://twitter.com/baz_mann