After the both critically and commercially successful District 9 in 2009 the expectations to see how Neill Blomkamp would follow up his feature debut have been gigantic. With Elysium, the South African director remains in sci-fi territory with a continued social message beneath the surface. Starring Matt Damon and Jodie Foster, this is as expected both bigger and bolder in budget, scope and ambition. Blomkamp handles the action well and there are some truly memorable set pieces involving anything you can imagine of futuristic vehicles. One could argue that the film runs dangerously close to the familiar trappings of style over substance, but it still walks a fine line that manages to keep the audience challenged and on their toes, as well as splendidly entertained throughout. It will be very interesting to see what Blomkamp does next.
The biggest treat at this month’s Norwegian Film Festival in Haugesund was without a doubt Berberian Sound Studio. The second feature film from British outsider Peter Strickland is a marvelous piece of stylish entertainment, with a close to career best performance from Toby Jones. He excels as the shy and quiet English sound engineer who travels to Italy to provide the sounds to a horrific and violent film that ends up haunting him to awful effects. It’s tempting to compare this to Lynch or even some early work of Coppola, but Strickland has created a unique and powerful style of his own that is both admirable and wonderfully creative. It gets dark, but there is a delicious sense of even darker humor all the way and the supporting characters create one of the most memorable ensembles seen on film for years. Berberian Sound Studio will never reach a wide audience, but here’s hoping that true lovers of original film get a chance to see this absolutely terrific piece of work.
After his feature breakthrough The Squid and the Whale in 2005, director Noah Baumbach didn’t quite manage to excite neither critics nor audiences with his subsequent two films Margot at the Wedding (2007) and Greenberg (2010). The latter would bring its future blessings though, both professionally and personally as it united Baumbach with Greta Gerwig. After a series of supporting roles on both the small and big screen, Gerwig finally gets to center stage in Frances Ha both as the leading lady and co-writer of the screenplay. Shot in glorious black & white and set in New York City it draws obvious comparisons to the early work of Woody Allen and his partnership with Diane Keaton, with its quirky humor and common themes of friendship, love and relationships in the big city. The script is not breaking ground to anything you haven’t seen before, but its superior strength lies in capturing the self-conscious and lazy approach to life from today’s generation of the 20-something American adolescents and, fronted by an intelligent script and superb central performance from Gerwig.
ESSENTIAL LISTENING THIS AUGUST:
Compilation albums rarely achieve the same status among fans as a wholehearted studio record. But since it has been a long three years since the last release from Scottish indie darlings Belle & Sebastian I am sure that many will appreciate The Third Eye Centre. Filled with B-sides and rarities, nineteen in total, it is certainly a treasure chest for any fan. But there is also plenty to enjoy for anyone not too familiar with the band. In fact, it comes across as a perfect introduction to anyone discovering the band nearly twenty years after their debut, the still unsurpassed Tigermilk (1996). There are some obvious misfires amongst the group that could only be exposed on this type of album, but overall it is a sublime collection of music, that both bubbles with energy and seduces with emotion.
After two smash hit records, including a semi-classic self-titled debut in 2004, Franz Ferdinand hit a bit of an unexpected speed bump with their third album Tonight: Franz Ferdinand in 2009. It’s been four years and the Glasgow band has clearly spent the time returning to their original successful recipe. Right Thoughts, Right Words, Right Action has obvious parallels to their earlier work and the after experiencing a little too much for their fans’ taste in 2009 they seem very conscious that the fun factor is back in the driving seat this time around. The ten tracks present on the album released this month are all great company for a terrific night out and should come with a mandatory demand to be played very loud. And it is great fun. Franz Ferdinand are back to doing what they do best, and if their original supporters are willing to reinvestigate them this year, they should be headed on the safe and steady road back to the top of both charts and festival bills.
When Tired Pony released their debut album The Place We Ran From in 2010, people who took the album to heart were worried that it would serve as a onetime offering. With band members already busy with the likes of Snow Patrol, R.E.M. and Belle & Sebastian to name some there was suspicion that this was only a side project that would only serve to allow the crew to blow off some creative steam. So for fans, this writer included, it is great to see that they in fact have returned this month with their follow-up album The Ghost of the Mountain. The sequel continues in its predecessor’s style, steadily footed in soft rock and genuinely well written pop tunes. There seems to be an even lighter hand to this production, perhaps provided by the ease that follows a successful debut, and it serves the band well, making them accessible and easy to like, but the strong and experienced line-up on stage should demolish any suggestions that these are simple solutions. There is depth and skill in both orchestrations and lyrics, making this a very pleasant return for the very talented musicians who unfortunately can’t help to be labeled a supergroup.
Enjoy the lovely All Things All At Once and it’s equally lovely video.
