In the court of King Uther Pendragon, Merlin serves as a lowly servant to Prince Arthur, the heir of Camelot. Merlin is fated to be the mightiest wizard/sorcerer/warlock ever, but must keep his powers secret for the time being, for there is a great deal of suspicion regarding magic. His mentor Gaius (Richard Wilson) must try to train and guide him and above all, Merlin must ensure that Arthur is safe and eventually ascends to the throne.

*****

Perhaps like many, I have dipped into Merlin before, but never been gripped by it. As we move now into season 4, its popularity is clearly enough to keep it as part of the BBC’s primetime market, though it remains a flawed and, at times, unsuccessful programme.

Coming across as a kind of twenty-something Smallville, the show mixes supernatural mystery of the week with the over-arching building of the mythology of Arthur, Merlin, Excalibur, Camelot and there is a certain amount of fun to be had in seeing Merlin trying to keep Arthur safe, while keeping his powers secret. No-one takes him seriously, which makes it rather hard for him to make himself heard at times of impending crisis, though by the end of the two-part finale to this season, he does seem to have generated a bit of currency with Arthur and his beloved knights. In that respect there are echoes of Ben Affleck’s Jack Ryan in The Sum of All Fears. Which is not a bad thing.

Given that there are plenty of praise-worthy elements in place here, it is difficult to pin down precisely why the show does not work as a whole. The script is serviceable and occasionally witty, the cast are all up to scratch, the production design is impressive enough, but it remains a show that struggles to grab our attention. Although season 4 moves things along by offing a few key cast members and developing the conspiracy between Morgana and Arthur’s treacherous Uncle Agravaine, there is too little progression for Merlin himself. He casts the occasional secretive spell and solves mysteries here and there, but we do not see him growing, becoming the force he is prophesied to be. Tonal problems abound too. Some episodes (including the commendably creepy “A Herald of the New Age”) convey a suitable sense of danger and menace, but too often episodes are played for jaunty laughs when they would benefit from a little more gravitas. The chief culprit in this regard is “A Servant of Two Masters”, where a bewitched Merlin tries to kill Arthur, but it is all played too broadly.

Of course there is nothing wrong with moments (or even episodes) of levity and the usual mantra for this sort of thing of “make it darker, grittier” is misguided, but there needs to be a consistency of tone to avoid pulling us out of the drama. In the end it is hard to care very much about what happens, with too little of the characterisation really drawing us in. Morgana in particular is poorly played by Katie McGrath, coming across as surly and stroppy rather than dangerous and so the “big bad” is a bit of a damp squib, draining the show of any over-arching sense of peril and menace.

A show with enjoyable elements, no doubt, but over all not as much of a success as it needs to be. Although they are of course very different creatures, Game of Thrones and Lord of the Rings have shown us how to do this sort of thing a lot better. Season 4 of Merlin is out now on DVD or Blu-ray and you can grab it here.

**½~~ (2.5/5)

Extras: The 13 episodes are spread over four discs, with a fifth disc given to a making of (25-odd minutes of on set footage), out takes and the like. Episode-specific commentaries abound, with contributions from cast and directors and writers. They are mostly far too lightweight with far too little interesting content.

**~~~ (2/5)

With rumours of another film from the series in the air and a well-deserved Oscar nod for Gary Oldman now is a good time to revisit Tomas Alfredson’s adaptation of John LeCarre’s Tinker Tailor Solider Spy.

The story is no stranger to the small screen with the Alec Guinness fronted BBC series being, until now, the definitive version. Alfredson’s film is a meticulously crafted and intriguing thriller, taut in execution and bold in its refusal to sex up its dossier.

This is a superficially complex story of deceit and betrayal, told with confidence and benefitting from an exceptional cast and in revisiting the film there is a real sense of the depth of emotion in this collection of lonely men who are fighting what seems like an endless war against an oncoming network of internal and external enemies. If you want a more in-depth look at the film you can check out my review from last year.

Oldman’s Smiley is a masterclass of the understated leading man and watching the film for the second time you become aware of the delicacy of his movements and the deep well of emotions which briefly break the surface (two clear examples are the Christmas party and the arrogance of a high ranking MP) and it is a powerful performance which rewards further viewings.

A key indicator of the well told nature of le Carre’s story is the enjoyment to be had even though you know from the beginning who the mole is. Partially this is because everyone, even Smiley, knows in their hearts who the man at the centre of the betrayal but also because the mystery is so well revealed that you hang on every slight development.

Maria Djurkovic’s evocative production design, itself something of an awards magnet, is a treat on the Blu-ray, with its plethora of detail every bit as important in immersing us in this world as Jacqueline Durran’s costume work or Hoyte Van Hoytema’s cinematography. The world is so dutifully created, with great skill, that it fades into the background as the story takes hold though without the explicit attention to period detail the film wouldn’t work nearly as well.

It’s rare that a cast is as uniformly this good, particularly with such a sizeable ensemble, with Benedict Cumberbatch and Tom Hardy impressing in particular, and each subsequent viewing is a rewarding experience. In taking us back in time once again Alfredson’s maturation as a director is evident in his ability to inspire his actors to surrender any sense of ego to the story. Despite the complex nature of the plot there’s a wealth of character here and it is their revelation, as much as that of the spy within, that is the film’s triumph.

****~ (4/5)

Extras:

It’s a well stocked affair with the usual back-slapping interviews giving a genuine sense of affection for the film and the people involved. There are a number of small featurettes focusing on a character or the institutions but the real meat is to be found in the sections devoted to le Carre and the interviews with the main cast. Each redoubles the enjoyment of the film and what comes across is partly where the film is at its best – that there is a great deal of unseen and necessary depth to the film.

***~~ (3/5)

To mark the release of Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy on DVD and Blu-ray this Monday, 30th January, Studio Canal have given us five copies to give away on Blu-ray Double-Play.

Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy finds George Smiley (Gary Oldman), a recently retired MI6 agent, doing his best to adjust to a life outside the secret service. However, when a disgraced agent reappears with information concerning a mole at the heart of the service, Smiley is drawn back into the murky field of espionage. Tasked with investigating which of his trusted former colleagues has chosen to betray him and their country, Smiley narrows his search to four suspects – all experienced, skilled and successful agents – but past histories, rivalries and friendships make it far from easy to pinpoint the man who is eating away at the heart of the British establishment.

An acting masterclass from the crème de la crème of British film (Colin Firth (The King’s Speech), Tom Hardy (Inception), Mark Strong (Kick Ass), Benedict Cumberbatch (Sherlock) and inspired direction from Let the Right One In’s Tomas Alfredson make this gripping and tense adaptation of John le Carré’s classic spy novel essential viewing.

DVD Extras: Commentary with Gary Oldman & director Tomas Alfredson / John Le Carré interview / deleted scenes

Blu-Ray extras: Commentary with Gary Oldman & director Tomas Alfredson / John Le Carré interview / deleted scenes / Smiley featurette / ‘Inside The Circus’ featurette / Shadow World featurette / Interview with Gary Oldman / Interview with Colin Firth / Interview with Tom Hardy / Interview with Director Tomas Alfredson & screenwriter Peter Straughan / UK premiere featurette / Sky Movies featurette / Photo gallery / Trailers

To be in with a chance of winning the prize, simply head to the next page to answer the question using the form.

BAFTA have just sent over a press release alerting us to the fact that the legendary veteran actor, John Hurt is to be he recipient of the 2012 BAFTA Award for Outstanding British Contribution to Cinema. Hurt has been acting since 1962 when he appeared in TV series Z Cars. More recently he has appeared in the likes of Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy and the Harry Potter franchise where he appeared as Ollivander, the wand expert.

I’ve placed the press release below but this award is so deserved and massive congrats John Hurt!

OHN HURT TO RECEIVE BAFTA AWARD FOR OUTSTANDING BRITISH CONTRIBUTION TO CINEMA

London, 27 January 2012:  The British Academy of Film and Television Arts is delighted to announce that John Hurt will receive the Outstanding British Contribution to Cinema Award at the Orange British Academy Film Awards ceremony at London’s Royal Opera House on Sunday 12 February. Universally acclaimed for his acting talent, Hurt’s vast range of distinguished performances has shaped an impressive career spanning six decades.

The Outstanding British Contribution to Cinema Award, introduced in 1978, is presented annually in honour of Michael Balcon. Previous recipients include Mike Leigh, Kenneth Branagh, Derek Jarman, Mary Selway, Ridley and Tony Scott, Working Title Films and Lewis Gilbert. Last year’s recipient was the Harry Potter series of films.

Hurt has starred in a variety of remarkable film roles working alongside some of the most important figures in the industry including Orson Welles, Laurence Olivier, Richard Burton and Steven Spielberg. The legendary characters he has portrayed include Winston Smith in Nineteen Eighty-Four, Rich in A Man For All Seasons – a film which won seven BAFTA Awards and six Academy Awards – and Max in Midnight Express, for which he won the BAFTA and Golden Globe awards for Best Supporting Actor.

Hurt also won the British Academy Television Award for Best Actor in 1976 for The Naked Civil Servant, which was followed by a British Academy Film Award for Best Actor for his outstanding performance in The Elephant Man in 1981. Throughout an impressive career he has received a further four BAFTA nominations (one for Best Supporting Actor for his role in Alien) and two Academy Award nominations. His most recent film roles have seen him starring as Ollivander in the Harry Potter series and Control in Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy – both films are BAFTA-nominated this year.

Tim Corrie, Chairman of BAFTA, said: “John Hurt is an actor it is both exciting and fascinating to watch. He has extraordinary screen presence and brings utter conviction to every role he undertakes. He is one of a kind, an iconic figure, and BAFTA is delighted to take this opportunity to honour his outstanding contribution to cinema.”

John Hurt added: “I know that film means a great deal to me but I had no idea that I meant so much to film. I feel very honoured.”

The Orange British Academy Film Awards take place on Sunday 12 February, hosted by Stephen Fry and broadcast on BBC One. They will be preceded by a special BAFTA ‘red carpet’ programme hosted by Edith Bowman on BBC Three.

To mark the release of Melancholia on DVD and Blu-ray 23rd January, Artificial Eye have given us three copies of the movie to give away on Blu-ray. Melancholia is directed by Lars Von Trier and stars Kirsten Dunst, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Alexander Skarsgård, Brady Corbet, Cameron Spurr, Charlotte Rampling, Jesper Christensen, John Hurt, Stellan Skarsgård , Udo Kier, Kiefer Sutherland.

Immerse yourself in a cinematic masterpiece as the award-winning MELANCHOLIA comes to DVD and Blu-ray on 23 January 2012, from Artificial Eye.

Nominated for the Palme D’or at the 2011 Cannes Film Festival and named ‘best movie of the year’ at the European Film Awards, MELANCHOLIA is an extravagant and beautiful story about the end of the world. Directed by Lars von Trier (Dogville, Dancer in the Dark), it stars a remarkable cast including Kirsten Dunst (Spiderman, Wimbledon) – whose performance won her ‘best actress’ at the Cannes Film Festival 2011 – Charlotte Gainsbourg (The Tree, Antichrist), Kiefer Sutherland (24, The Lost Boys) Alexander Skarsgård (True Blood, Straw Dogs), Charlotte Rampling (Never Let Me Go, The Duchess) and John Hurt (Harry Potter, Tinker, Taylor, Solider, Spy).

At a lavish ceremony hosted by her sister (Gainsbourg), the wedding of Justine (Dunst) and her fiancé (Skarsgård) is marred by fractious familial exchanges and Justine’s battle with her own inner demons. Meanwhile, the mysterious planet Melancholia emerges from behind the sun and appears to be headed on an apocalyptic collision course with the Earth…

EXTRA FEATURES

• Audio Commentary with Director Lars Vin Trier
• The Making of Melancholia featurette
• About Melancholia
• Melancholia Visual Effects
• The Universe
• The Visual Style

• Interviews with Lars Von Trier, Kirsten Dunst & Charlotte Gainsbourg

BLU-RAY ONLY EXTRA FEATURES:

• Exclusive documentary: ’Filmbyen - the new Mecca of Cinema’

To enter the competition, simply click next to be taken to the question and entry form…

When Billy Hayes is caught by Turkish customs officers trying to smuggle hash out of the country he suddenly finds himself caught up in a draconian, harsh judicial and prison system. Initially hopeful of a more lenient sentence, he is eventually convicted of drug trafficking rather than possession and in the face of several decades rather than just several years at the hands of corrupt, violent and abusive prison guards, he begins to crack.

*****

Although the film begins with “based on true events”, the cast and crew are candid enough throughout the impressive and educational extras to admit to the sequence of re-writes that caused the final screenplay to depart a little from its factual roots. Nonetheless, what remains is a powerful and savage indictment of corruption and brutality and it comes as no surprise to hear how displeased Turkey were with the prospect of a film being based on Billy Hayes’ book and how hard they worked to prevent the film being made pretty much anywhere in the Middle East and Eastern Europe.

As Billy Hayes, the (at the time) unknown Brad Davis excels in a part that requires rage, dead-eyed catatonia, desperation, child-like neediness and eventually determined endeavour. He is entirely absent from the thorough and thoroughly enjoyable extras, having died of an AIDS-related illness in the late 1991, still only at the tender age of 41. Considering that Richard Gere came close to being cast as Hayes, it is more than a little troubling to consider what might have been, but thankfully the casting for Hayes and the rest of the principals is spot on. John Hurt looks older and more haggard in the film than he does being interviewed in 2008, testament to his commitment to professionalism. Randy Quaid is almost unrecognisable from the, shall we say, larger screen presence he became in later years, but is superb in his role as fellow prison inmate Jimmy.

Hayes’ progression from frustrated, but still alive, to brow-beaten and almost vegetative is convincingly portrayed by Davis, who undoubtedly does the heavy lifting in terms of character arcs. The sense of time and place is expertly handled by director Alan Parker (Bugsy Malone, Mississippi Burning, The Commitments) and even if the script from Oliver Stone at times becomes a little over-blown and hysterical, it manages for the most part to remain grounded and believable.

There were criticisms at the time that the film failed to show any Turks in a positive light, though it is understandable, indeed inevitable that following Hayes’ experiences he would tend to be disinclined to write kindly of those who for the most part had treated him so savagely. The senior prison guard is a monster of almost unequalled viciousness and one of the inmates who persistently takes it upon himself to grass Billy and the other westerners to the authorities is a slimy, conniving manipulator who would cause most of us to lose our cool, as Billy does in one especially electrifying and affecting scene.

A notorious film, due to the harshness and brutality on display, but a more than worthwhile one, given the important message it carries about the indomitability of the human spirit and the disparity between different countries’ approach to justice, something that this year’s Arab Spring brough into sharp relief once again. You can rent it or buy it here.

****~ (4/5)

Extras: As alluded to above, a mightily impressive selection. The making of “featurettes” are nothing of the sort, forming instead a three part, near 75-minutes long documentary that talks to everyone involved about getting the film greenlit, cast, shot and released, with self-effacing contributions from Alan Parker, David Puttnam, Oliver Stone and the rest of the production team. Insights abound, as does an invaluable explanation of just how hard it is to get back up to speed with filming once you start to fall behind. Alan Parker’s director commentary is unfortunately a bit repetitive given the detail contained in the featurettes, but still contains a lot of useful behind the scenes information. A contemporary making-of rounds out the selection, which feels inevitably dated but still has a lot to say.

****~ (4/5)

Piracy has long been the bane of the Entertainment industries and while the fight against it now includes a wise move towards promoting the legal alternatives there’s nothing quite like showing the possibilities if the fight is lost.

Today we’re very pleased to debut the latest project from the Film Distributors’ Association and the National Film and Television School who have worked together to produce a promo enitled The Last Cinema. The film was written and directed by Jae-ha Myung, made by graduates of the NFTS and features the sonourous tones of John Hurt.

We’re a long way from the days of ‘You wouldn’t steal a handbag…’ and the fallout from that notorious piece is this new, positive focus that there’s nothing quite as powerful in the fight against piracy than reminding people of why they fell in love with cinema in the first place, after all – you wouldn’t want to steal that from anyone would you?

Here’s the short,

The Virgin Media Shorts Awards Ceremony which took place at the British Film Institute on London’s Southbank, truly was the star studded event it set out to be. From start to finish the evening was an array of stylish suits, cocktail dresses, alcoholic beverages, great films and music, laughter and more importantly, Celebration with a capital C.

A host of stars were also in attendance including Singer/DJ Paloma Faith, actress of Wuthing Heights/ Skins Kaya Scodelario, Vanessa Kirby (The Hour), Douglas Booth (Great Expectations), Submarine actor Craig Roberts, Attack the Block star Jodie Whittaker and Downton Abbey actresses Laura Carmichael and Joanne Froggatt.

After enjoying a lovely Champagne reception with live music from Alice Russell we were ushered into a cinema area for the main purpose of the evening- the presentation of awards. With a glass of champagne in hand and a tub of popcorn with complimentary cinema tickets attached, author, presenter and the host of the evening Danny Wallace took to the stage to open the ceremony. His witty personality and continuous jokes created a light hearted and relaxed atmosphere. After a welcoming speech from Director of Digital Entertainment at Virgin Media, Cindy Rose, each of the finalists were introduced along with a presentation of their films.

The 12 Shortlisted entries included:

1. Bistro: Sean Gray, London- “A hoggish diner is horrified by the tiny portions served to him in a top notch restaurant. Enraged, he decides to take matters into his own hands…”
2. By Hook: Laura Evers Johns, London- “In a dark fairytale world, a lonely fishmonger discovers a mermaid and risks the wrath of his nemesis to steal her away. Then he must decide where the mermaid truly belongs- with him, or the sea.
3. Coasting: Federico Forcolini, London- “Two old friends set off on a countryside adventure, searching for the best that the great outdoors has to offer. Will they be in time to catch a glimpse of the rare specimens they’re looking for?”
4. Don Justino De Neve: Daisy Jacobs, Gosport- “Don Justino is a fascinating swine-beautiful but rotten inside. Dozens of women fall victim to his charms and he leaves their shattered hearts in his wake”
5. The Dreamers: Matt Maude, Halifax- “A woman rises from her bed in the middle of the night. Asleep, she wanders through the city streets, followed by her concerned husband. As she walks, we see other sleepwalkers gathering silently in one place and time.”
6. First Press: Mat Laroche & Jonathan Brooks, London- “To become a member of an exclusive organisation, one man must punish himself to the very limit. He will find himself in uncharted territory, but will his best be good enough.”
7. The Friend Catcher: Lucy Campbell, Manchester- “A boy arrives at a new school at lunch time. Under scrutiny from the other children, he’s reluctant to open his lunch box when he sees what they’ve got stashed away…”
8. The Good Samaritan: Ryan Vernava, Wolverhampton- “A young man finds himself in trouble on the day of his wedding, trapped in a prank from his stage do. He looks to a passing stranger for compassion.”
9. Inanimate: Michael O’Donghue, Soulla Josephides and Ying Hui Tan, London- “An affectionate alien travels across the galaxy to earth in search of his true love. A prickly problem threatens to destroy his happiness, until he finally finds his perfect match.”
10. MES: Ian Gamester, Liverpool- Cath Gamester is given anti-depressants by her GP, little does she know just how big an impact it’ll have on her life. This touching documentary looks at a very rare condition and how Cath smiles through it.”
11. Saloon: Tom Pietrasik, London- “Filmed over a weekend in suburban New Dhelhi, Saloon is an affectionate glimpse inside the private world of the Indian barbershop, where customers can expect more than just a haircut.”
12. 20:20: Jason Wingard, Manchester- “Dave is handed a pair of broken old glasses by a mysterious woman on the street. He has just two minutes and twenty seconds to figure out what they mean.”

Each of these are currently being viewed by millions country wide on TV (through both Virgin Media’s Movies and an app for Virgin Media’s TiVo® Service), cinemas nationwide, online and via mobile.

THE AWARDS

TiVo® Award: A newly introduced award voted for by Virgin Media Customers, went to Coasting by Federico Forcolini- presented by James King (film critic and presenter of ITV2’s The Movie Show).

This year’s People’s Choice Award, presented by Matt Whitecross (director of Sex&Drugs&Rock&Roll, The Road to Guantanamo, Ashes), went to directors Michael O’Donghue, Soulla Josephides and Ying Hui Tan for Inanimate. They were also awarded with £2000 worth of film equipment.

The Grand Prize: After being awarded the People’s Choice Award for his film Bus Baby at the 2010 awards, this year’s winner, presented by legendary John Hurt, went to Jason Wingard for his film 20:20. With that title also came a prize of £30,000 funding to put towards a future film project as well as support from the Film Fund experts- BFI in the making of the film. A Huge Congratulations!

Jason said: “I am so happy to be named the winner of Virgin Media Shorts 2011 – second time lucky! Winning the People’s Choice Award last year was fantastic but it whetted my appetite for more so to win the Grand Prize is phenomenal. I’ve seen how this competition can open doors for film makers, and am delighted that my work has been given the seal of approval by the likes of John Hurt – it is a true honour.”

Cindy Rose stated “Virgin Media Shorts is all about offering a platform to film makers trying to break into what is notoriously a difficult industry, so as judges we all take a significant amount of time to assess each entrant. Jason Wingard demonstrated real vision and expertise in 2:20 – a truly deserving winner.”

John Hurt said: “I’ve always been a huge advocate of independent film.  The breadth of talent displayed in this year’s entrants was extraordinary which made it a very difficult but nonetheless enjoyable task judging the entrants.  For me, 2:20 is a really neat idea, beautifully realised.  I’m looking forward to seeing what Jason does next.”

To view the winning films and for further information about virgin media shorts see www.virginmediashorts.co.uk.

With the winners announced it was time to celebrate with a little boogey on the dance floor to music provided by DJ’s Paloma Faith and Rob da Bank. I haven’t one bad word to say about the planning of the event as it truly was well thought out, from the fantastic venue, to the beautiful cocktails at the bar (with flowers), the canapés circulating the room, to the photo booth which immediately presented you with print outs of your snapshots as a memorabilia. I’m sure all those in attendance would agree- it was an absolutely fantastic evening!

Having spent his childhood training at the instruction of Zeus (Luke Evans – in the guise of John Hurt so that he doesn’t break his own law forbidding divine interference), Theseus (Henry Cavill) finds himself thrust into battle when the King Hyperion (Mickey Rourke) destroys his village and kills his mother in search of the legendary Epirus Bow. Joining forces with the virgin oracle (Freida Pinto) and a repentant thief (Stephen Dorff), Theseus must find the bow first and overcome the King’s army if he is to stop the Titans from being released and war spreading to the heavens.

Much has been made of the fact that Immortals is the new 300, the new Clash of the Titans and as such a joyless update of any old sword and sandal epic worth its green-screen. It’s true, just like its spiritual forebears, Immortals is almost uniformly devoid of recognisable pulse, expending disproportionately more effort on style and perfectly glistening sinew than it does on such elements as character and story. Essentially a mash-up of the most recognisable Greek myths (will someone please retire the poor Minotaur), Immortals may even boast the most derivative plot to date.

What most critics are downplaying, however, is just how striking  Tarsem Singh’s film actually is. While a particularly impressive example of set design or gorgeously composed set piece might be little substitute for an involving story, some of Immortals’ imagery goes beyond petty window dressing. Without wishing to sound conceited, there were moments during Immortals that verged on visual poetry: taken out of context, the images of writhing titans and herculean struggle verge on artistry – accidentally (very clearly accidentally) drawing comparison to such formalist works as Sergei Paradjanov’s The Colour of Pomegranates – unceremoniously spoiled by the Hollywood necessity for stock characters, truncated subtext and a creaky, uninspiring plot.

Immortals is intended as a tent-pole movie, however, and it is in this vein that director Tarsem Singh fails unequivocally; while it may boast a commendably unabashed portrait of the gods, and a cinematography that goes beyond 300′s chroma key technique, it lacks the personality of the infinitely more enjoyable Thor. Henry Cavill is more muscle than man; Freida Pinto a love interest before she is an individual and Micky Rourke, well, Micky Rourke is Iron Man 2′s Ivan Vanko transposed to ancient Greece. For all the slow motion, stereoscopy and needless grew, this couldn’t be any less engaging if it tried. There are no stakes, nobody to invest in and nothing to distract you from the encroaching tedium.

This really is encapsulated in the final conflict, in which King Hyperion’s needlessly colossal army lines up outside the Hellenic stronghold, the bow in their grasp. As Freida Pinto heroically sits the ensuing battle out, leaving Theseus to give one of the least convincing speeches ever written by a professional writer, we are left to watch as an endless reel of extras massacre one another to absolutely no effect. Even when our heroes – Theseus and the suddenly active Olympians – do battle with Hyperion and the Titans respectively, the fight scenes are so lacking in stakes that you really don’t care that Heaven is apparently short of a few gods. It’s not exactly what myths are made of.

While Immortals is unfortunately guilty of just about every criticism you are likely to throw at it – the glacial pacing, the hand-carved performances and the general inconsequence of its ending – there is one thing which ultimately marks it out as more than simply 300-lite and Clash of the Titans reheated: a genuine degree of artistic merit. A Greecian statue writ large, Immortals is as beautiful as is it is lifelessly rendered in stone.

**~~~ (2/5)

We’ve seen some fantastic short films over the last year, with Terry Gilliam’s The Wholly Family being a particularly delightful way to spend twenty minutes, and I found watching Elfar Adalsteins’ Sailcloth a completely captivating experience.

Not to wander too far into spoiler territory but the dialogue free short tells the story of a day in the life of a hospital bound widower making an important decision to break free from his surrounds. Adalsteins has enormous good fortune in his leading man as John Hurt delivers a powerful and soulful performance.

I was able to speak with John Hurt this week about the film, his support for the short film format and the difficulties of films being tied to the source material.

We inevitably touch on spoilers for the film, which is being considered for an Oscar and will hopefully be available to watch online at some point. Follow the film’s Facebook page for those kinds of details, but do see it if you can.

HeyUGuys: Sailcloth is a wonderful story, and it’s all carried by your performance. How was it working with such a young director to achieve that?

It’s a very personal film to Elfar [Adalsteins] but he’s wonderfully matter of fact about it when you’re working with him. He doesn’t put in on you, and doesn’t say ‘This is really personal to me, you know…’. Therefore it’s very nice working with him.

It’s dedicated to the memory of his grandfather – what discussions did you have with Elfar about the character?

It’s all in the script, the script is, as always is, my springboard for the imagination. He never said ‘I think you should be feeling this, or thinking this.’ That’s not what he wanted to do, and I think it was inspired by his grandfather and I think he wanted to make it as some sort of indication for him.

So much conveyed by the details of your performance, the care you take with your movements, and there’s a distinct wit to the character; the cigar in the toilet, causally walking through the halls as the sprinklers are going off…

Yes! It’s kind of Buster Keaton that isn’t it?

Was the absence of dialogue freeing?

Well, it meant I didn’t have to learn it! I love working vocally, I love working with image and sound and working with image alone. It was very well conceived and it was very clear when you read the script the exact direction he wanted to go and it was a joy to do. We shot it all in St Mawes, and you can’t be in a nicer place, although we had a couple of rough days on the boat where there was a lot of stuff to get. He knew what he wanted, he is definitely a proper filmmaker.

And the festival success is an indication of how well the film is being received, and you’re also a judge for the Virgin Shorts I believe.

Yeah, but those are really short, we’re talking two minutes and ten seconds, that sort of thing. But that’s enough time to be able to tell if a director understands what an image on screen giving the information means. There’s a distinct difference between what is literature and what is cinema. A short film is great thing if the story isn’t too complicated and the best short films are about one idea.

And Sailcloth does have a single idea.

It does, but it’s a complicated idea. An image on screen tells you enough to drive the story, you don’t need any literature at all. It’s difficult in most filmmaking because most filmmaking insists that we get the stories from books, which is probably the worst source for making films you can think off. As I say the two languages are not only different but there’s at opposite ends of the pole. So you finish up with what Hollywood has provided us with which is basically literate stories with pictures and that’s not cinema.

I spoke with Tomas Alfredson about adapting Tinker Tailor Solider Spy and how you couldn’t just do John LeCarre’s book on screen, he had to find new ways to tell the story.

Well, that’s the marvellous thing about Tomas – he’s a real maker of cinema. What is so gratifying about Tinker Tailor is that it is the image on screen that is the driving force of the piece. That is what takes you forward. That is the information, and he’s quite right because to take a very involved book and you give yourself just so many problems. Why do we not trust writers who write for film?

In Sailcloth I don’t know how detailed the script was, but it seems it was written very much as a piece of cinema and so much had to come from you and it is a true performance…

And that’s also what Tomas was pushing for as well and he’s a terrific find and a fantastic filmmaker.

There is so much from performance here too, with the direct focus on your character’s journey, so much so that you’re never in any doubt as to what you are feeling. Though it’s a sad fate, it feels like more of a celebration.

Yes, I think so. I honestly didn’t treat it as sad, I treated it as celebratory. It seemed to me to be a celebration of [his and his wife's] lives together. I assumed that he’s thinking, ‘Ok, I’ll join her now.’ But even if he’s not thinking that he is, in a celebratory way, saying, ‘I don’t want any more of this, without her.’ I never felt that he was a depressed man.

There was a lovely moment when you waved to the boy on the beach, which could have been a wave goodbye, but it seemed to me as if your character was saying ‘Enjoy every moment.’

Absolutely, as he was enjoying himself, using his bed sheets as a sail rather than dying in some horrible hospital. It’s likely he had a terminal disease and thought, well, ‘Bugger this, I’m not going out that way…I’ll do it myself and I’ll enjoy it.’ You can look at it in several different ways, but whichever way you look at it it’s always as a celebration rather than a depression. And it’s generally because people say that because it is suicide it has to be sad. It’s doesn’t.

It’s a choice.

It is a choice, absolutely. Certainly better than being swept out with the hospital litter!

“Heaven and Earth will collide”

To celebrate the release of visionary director Tarsem Singh’s Immortals (coming to cinemas nationwide from 11^th November) we have exclusive Immortals Hoodie and Bag sets to giveaway to three lucky readers.

Producers Gianni Nunnari (300), Mark Canton (300), and Ryan Kavanaugh (The Fighter) unleash an epic tale of treachery, vengeance and destiny in Immortals, a stylish and spectacular 3-D action adventure. As a power-mad king razes ancient Greece and threatens to destroy mankind, a heroic young villager rises up against him in a thrilling quest as timeless as it is powerful.

The brutal and bloodthirsty King Hyperion (Mickey Rourke) and his murderous army are rampaging across Greece, demolishing everything in their wake with ruthless efficiency. Village after village falls to Hyperion’s legions and each victory takes him one step closer to his goal: unleashing the power of the sleeping Titans to vanquish both the Gods of Olympus and all of humankind.

It seems nothing will stop the evil king’s mission to become the undisputed master of the world, until a stonemason named Theseus (Henry Cavill) vows to avenge the death of his mother in one of Hyperion’s raids. When Theseus meets the Sibylline Oracle, Phaedra (Freida Pinto), her disturbing visions of the young man’s future convince her that he is the key to stopping the destruction. With her help, Theseus assembles a small band of followers and embraces his destiny in a final desperate battle for the future of humanity.

Immortals stars Academy Award^® nominee and Golden Globe^® winner Mickey Rourke (The Wrestler, Iron Man II), Academy Award nominee John Hurt (The Elephant Man, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows), Kellan Lutz (the Twilight saga), Henry Cavill (“The Tudors”), Freida Pinto (Slumdog Millionaire), Luke Evans (Clash of the Titans), Isabel Lucas (Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen) and Stephen Dorff (Somewhere).

For more exclusive material visit the Immortals Facebook page

Immortals is released in cinemas nationwide on 11.11.11

To stand a chance of winning a hoodie and bag prize pack, just answer the following question using the form below:

Who plays Theseus in Immortals?

1. Luke Evans
2. Henry Cavill
3. Harry Lloyd

COMPETITION NOW CLOSED

The small print:

• Open to UK residents only
• Only one entry per household will be counted
• The competition will close 14th November at 23.59 GMT
• The winner will be picked at random from entries received
• No cash alternative is available

The usual T&Cs can be found here. Good Luck!

We’ve been sent this rather nice little featurette for Immortals which hits UK cinemas a week today on 11th November. The featurette focuses around the production design for the movie which, although is CGI heavy, was still reliant on real sets to compliment the CG and to make it look as good as it possibly can. In the featurette, we get to hear from Executive Producer Tommy Turtle, Director Tarsem Singh and Supervising Art Director Michael Manson. Scroll down to have a little watch and click here to see all our Immortals coverage so far.

Immortals stars Mickey Rourke​, Kellan Lutz​, Henry Cavill​, John Hurt​, Isabel Lucas​, Luke Evans and Stephen Dorff​.

Visionary director Tarsem Singh (The Cell​, The Fall) transports us in this epic tale of treachery, vengeance and destiny in Immortals, a stylish and visually spectacular 3D action adventure. As a power-hungry king razes ancient Greece in search of a legendary weapon, a heroic young villager rises up against him in a thrilling quest as timeless as it is powerful.
The brutal and bloodthirsty King Hyperion (Mickey Rourke) and his murderous Heraklion army rampage across Greece in search of the long lost Bow of Epirus. With the invincible Bow, the king will be able to overthrow the Gods of Olympus and become the undisputed master of his world. With ruthless efficiency, Hyperion and his legions destroy everything in their wake, and it seems nothing will stop the evil king’s mission.

As village after village is obliterated, a stonemason named Theseus (Henry Cavill) vows to avenge his mother, who was killed in one of Hyperion’s brutal raids. When Theseus meets the Sybelline Oracle, Phaedra (Freida Pinto​), her disturbing visions of the young man’s future convince her that he is the key to stopping the destruction. With her help, Theseus assembles a small band of followers and embraces his destiny in a final, desperate battle for the future of humanity. Immortals is produced by Gianni Nunnari (300), Mark Canton​ (300) and Ryan Kavanaugh (The Fighter​).

The final film in the epic Harry Potter saga,  Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 swept across the world this summer and brought to an end the story of the Boy who Lived and his snake nosed nemesis.

Of course the story isn’t quite over with the home entertainment release of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows due in just under a month and we’ve got our hands on a clip from one of the extras that will be available on the Blu-ray to share with you today.

The battle of Hogwarts was a striking finale and the effects team, who have done some excellent work in the previous films, had a mammoth task in bringing this final fight to the screen. The clip which follows breaks down some of the shots for us along with a commentary from director David Yates.

Here’s your clip and once you’ve watched it, click here to check out our interviews with some of the cast that we conducted earlier at the brand new Warner Bros. Harry Potter Studio Tour London. You’re going to love it!

To see the clip in HD click here.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2 releases on Blu-ray, DVD and Triple Play December 2nd and we can’t wait. Click here to pre-order your copy and here to rent it from LOVEFiLM.

Director Tarsem Singh’s upcoming film, Immortals, is getting closer and closer to its anticipated 11^th November (11/11/11) release date, and it’s definitely a film I’m really looking forward to.

For one thing, I’m interested to see what Henry Cavill is like as a leading man ahead of his turn as Superman for Zack Snyder in the upcoming, and even more highly anticipated, Man of Steel.

But Immortals itself does look pretty fantastic, and all the things we’ve seen so far for it, from immense trailers to posters and everything in between, have been very encouraging.

We’ve now got ten great new images from the film to share with you, two courtesy of Collider and the other eight courtesy of the film’s own Facebook page via ComingSoon.net.

Alongside Cavill will star Luke Evans (The Three Musketeers), Freida Pinto (Slumdog Millionaire), John Hurt (Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy), Isabel Lucas (Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen), and Mickey Rourke (Iron Man 2).

“In the film, the brutal and bloodthirsty King Hyperion (Rourke) and his murderous Heraklion army are rampaging acrossGreecein search of the long lost Bow of Epirus. With the invincible Bow, the king will be able to overthrow the Gods of Olympus and become the undisputed master of his world. With ruthless efficiency, Hyperion and his legions destroy everything in their wake, and it seems nothing will stop the evil king’s mission.

As village after village is obliterated, a stonemason named Theseus (Cavill) vows to avenge the death of his mother in one of Hyperion’s raids. When Theseus meets the Sybelline Oracle, Phaedra (Pinto), her disturbing visions of the young man’s future convince her that he is the key to stopping the destruction. With her help, Theseus assembles a small band of followers and embraces his destiny in a final desperate battle for the future of humanity.”

It’s just a few more weeks now until we’ll be able to see Immortals on the big screen, in 2D and/or 3D, and it’s definitely looking like something worth checking out. At the very least, it looks visually very impressive. For now, enjoy these ten new pictures, and as usual, click to enlarge.

Much like Terrence Malick’s The Tree of Life earlier this year, Lars von Trier’s Melancholia is a bit of a divisive film. There’ll be plenty of people (myself included) who absolutely love it, but I’ve no doubt that many people won’t really take to it.

I highly recommend that you go and search it out for yourselves if it’s playing in a cinema near you, because even those who don’t love it will likely agree that it’s incredibly well shot, well written, and immensely well acted.

We here in the UK have had the joy of Melancholia in our cinemas since 30th September (and sadly it seems, at least in cinemas near me, to already be disappearing from being shown on the big screen), but the States don’t get it in their cinemas for just over a month, and so we’ve still got the last of their advertising campaign to enjoy over here.

Courtesy of IMP Awards comes a beautiful new poster for the film, showing its lead, Kirsten Dunst, feeling the end of the world as it draws near. And Yahoo Movies have debuted another great new poster for the film in motion form, with Dunst and her co-star Alexander Skarsgård on the cusp of sharing a melancholic kiss.

Though it may be a minor detail, the way Dunst keeps her eyes open in the motion poster whilst Skarsgård looks to have his closed is perfect. And the tranquility of the first poster, in spite of the pending doom, is just utterly beautiful.

I saw this film last week and fell in love with it from the moment it began to the moment it finished, and I am already looking forward to my next viewing. Along with Dunst and Skarsgård, the film also stars Charlotte Gainsbourg, Kierfer Sutherland, John Hurt, Charlotte Rampling, and Stellan Skarsgård, from a script written by von Trier.

Melancholia very much deservedly won Dunst the Best Actress award at Cannes earlier in the year, and I’m interested to see whether it will do the same at the Academy Awards early next year. Without further ado, here are the great new posters to enjoy. As usual with the former, click to enlarge.

If you’re familiar with Tarsem Singh’s next film, Immortals, you’ll know that it’s something to look forward to this year. We got the first trailer for the film back in April, and it was pretty awesome. Most recently, we’ve had another fantastic new trailer, and plenty of excellent stuff in between.

Those nice folks over at MTV Movies have started a new weekly piece in the run-up to the film’s 11th November release this year, called “Immortals Mondays,” which is as it says on the tin, and this week, they’ve given us a great still of Henry Cavill in the lead role of Theseus to share with you.

If you’ve seen any of the trailers and TV spots for the film, you’ll probably have already had a good look at this still in them already. And if not, you should be excited by the awesomeness of the image. His bow and arrow looks brilliantly fantastical, and I can’t wait to see it properly in action next month.

Immortals has a great cast that Cavill is heading up, alongside Luke Evans (Clash of the Titans, the upcoming The Three Musketeers), Freida Pinto (Slumdog Millionaire), John Hurt (Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy), and Mickey Rourke (Iron Man 2). With just over a month to go until its release, we’ve not got long to see Cavill in action with this epically-named and legendary Bow of Epirus.

Believe it or not, but there are still some people out there who haven’t seen Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2! I know this for a fact because my wife is desperate to see it and was thwarted in our attempt to go along to our local multiplex three weeks after our first son was born! She is however excited for this weekend, Potter mayhem strikes back as many cinemas across the UK are still showing it.

As a special treat, those of you who go and watch Potter 7.2 this weekend (Friday 30th September – Sunday 2nd October) will be entitled to come home with your very own limited edition animated poster. I’ve been sent one and I have to say it is rather awesome with the hologram flitting between Voldemort and Harry Potter.

I’ve placed a gif (remember those!) of the poster below and below that is a list of participating cinemas. You’ll be entitled to the poster while stocks last so make sure you get in there early.

As far as our Potter coverage goes, you can keep track of it all here and we have some very very exciting news which we’ll hopefully be able to share with you next week so keep your eyes peeled!

You can pre-order your DVD / Blu-ray box set here.

The following is a list of cinemas are participating (scroll down for more):

To coincide nicely with Jamie’s great review of Lars von Trier’s new movie, Melancholia, we have the UK premiere footage and interviews which took place on Wednesday evening at the Curzon in London. Two of the stars of the film were present in the form of John Hurt and Kirsten Dunst who both spoke very highly of working with the infamous Director, Lars von Trier.

Melancholia also stars Charlotte Gainsbourg, Alexander Skarsgård, Brady Corbet, Cameron Spurr, Charlotte Rampling, Jesper Christensen, Stellan Skarsgård , Udo Kier, Kiefer Sutherland and is in UK cinemas tomorrow, 30th September.

Our friends from Upbeat were at the premiere ready to catch the interviews and have given us their footage to share with the world.

Lars von Trier is the type of director who’s not scared of polarising audiences. Not content with making straightforward films, he’s instead built up a career by following the more controversial route, exploring topics that are puzzling, difficult, or both – not concerning himself with the dozens of cinemagoers he may be excluding in the process. Melancholia, the Danish auteur’s latest oeuvre epitomises his beliefs and cinematic style in a completely dazzling, meditative fashion: one certain to split audiences right down the middle.

Opening with a visually beguiling yet skin-crawlingly ominous prelude that depicts the moment just before the planet Melancholia swallows up our very own Earth, the gloomy tone is distinctively set through eerie slow-motion and frightfully austere imagery. From here, we are taken back in time as the events preceding the end of the world play out over two halves.

The first, simply titled “Justine”, is presented as a documentary-like psychological drama and details the nuptials between Justine (Kirsten Dunst) and Michael (Alexander Skarsgård) in a lavish, luxury estate owned by Justine’s sister Claire (Charlotte Gainsbourg) and her husband John (Kiefer Sutherland). The second, titled “Claire”, is a personalised apocalyptic drama, depicting each character’s differing fear and – in Justine’s case – acceptance of the approaching planet.

While the first section is laden with smiles and amusement as Justine and Michael’s wedding plays out in an almost comedic fashion – with particularly noteworthy dry wit from the sisters’ parents (brilliantly played by Charlotte Rampling and John Hurt) - the second half is more meditative and emotionally devastating. Trier draws from his own personal experiences with depression to carve a wholly realistic view of how people would deal with the impending apocalypse in their own ways.

Some may be put off by the philosophical approach adopted by Trier, but this is a film that pays dividends to those who bear with it. Melancholia should certainly be respected for its refreshing honesty. It may paint a truly devastating picture of what depression, paranoia and hopelessness can do to people, but because there’s a undeniable message hidden beneath the exterior, it makes the portrait all the more authentic. Yes, the proceedings are set against the impending apocalypse, but Trier’s desire to tell a story about the end of a life prevails in his ability to centre its focus on four characters rather than looking at the bigger picture which, in turn, helps to distinguish this from other apocalyptic dramas of its nature.

Manuel Alberto Claro’s cinematography is simply peerless. By combining real-life images with CGI, he’s created a film with a distinct classical, artistic sheen. The score, featuring Richard Wagner at its heart, mimics the proceedings seamlessly, slowly building up and up to hit the necessary earth-shattering crescendo come the final moments, all in a beautifully rhythmical and emotionally devastating fashion as we watch on as Justine, Claire and Leo (Cameron Spurr), Claire and John’s son, are engulfed by Melancholia.

While Dunst was rewarded for her contribution at the 64^thCannes Film Festival in May, Gainsbourg is far more deserving of this accolade. Her performance as Claire is pitch-perfect as she desperately clings onto the hope her husband has instilled into her that Melancholia will simply pass by Earth, despite her sisters disbelief. Dunst plays Justine as well as she can, but unfortunately she doesn’t have the range to illustrate the character’s increasing depression in a believable fashion. As mentioned above, Hurt and Rampling stand out in their respective roles as Justine and Claire’s parents, while Sutherland and Skarsgård are disappointedly restrained by Trier’s obvious preference towards women, in spite of the fact their involvement incites many of the emotions experienced by Justine and Claire in the film’s latter half.

At 133 minutes, Melancholia may suffer from being overlong and thematically suffocating, but its inherent visual beauty, frank disposition and strikingly veritable personification of melancholy certifies its effectiveness, relevance and demand for unfaltering emotional investment.

****~ (4/5)

A few hours separate us here in the UK from the end of the world according to Lars Von Trier so let’s greet the cataclysm with some rather lovely looking character banners and a new clip from the film, shall we?

The main players in this doomsday scenario are all present and correct, each facing the looming planet Melancholia in their own way. John Hurt is my favourite, welcoming the end of days with a weary smile and a drink in his hand. If you’re not seen anything of the film, which has been very well received on the festival circuit, then check out this recent trailer which gives a flavour of Von Trier’s film while promising a whole lot more.

Von Trier has gathered an impressive cast for the film including Kirsten Dunst​, Charlotte Gainsbourg​, Kiefer Sutherland​, Alexander Skarsgård, Charlotte Rampling​ and the aforementioned Mr. Hurt​, and it’s good that the man gave himself a character banner which has the playful stamp in the top left corner declaring his status as an ‘Official Cannes 2011 Persona Non Grata”.

Lady Empire had the banners and Dame Digital Spy gave up the clip. Loud applause for both if you please.