Miscellaneous Film Events

[prettyxcool]

Even Clive Anderson asked a rhetorical question whether we agreed that it be shown more widely at cinemas in the UK. Perhaps, the family will get the distributors to do that now. Pity it has not been released in the home country of such a humble humanitarian, who did not think it was worth telling anyone anything, as it was only 3 weeks in his life just before the war started, that the children was transported to the UK and placed with families, and 7 months before of writing letters and planning, after the Stock Exchange closed, so he had plenty of time to do so! That was one of the interesting things we learnt during the Q&A. We also learnt that none of the children ever saw their parents or families again, they all died in the Holocaust, but one of the survivors talked about how someone found and kept a letter written by his parents to him, just days before they were killed. It was so poignant, when it was finally given to him.

Forgot to mention also that there was a reception beforehand, with salmon sandwiches and wine, and then a lovely song "Inscription of Hope" sung by a children's choir to put us all in the mood, before the film started. A fab evening!

[Ms Thrifty]

For those who would like to know more, Diane Samuels' 1993 play on this subject, Kindertransport, is currently being revived and touring the UK. For instance, Londoners could catch it in Richmond (at Richmond Theatre) next week. Shame that the producers of the film and the play didn't get together to publicise both at once - or if they did, it has escaped me as I'd also never heard of the film, but am grateful to pxc for her post, which has made me keen to see it.

[prettyxcool]

Finally saw The Full Monty, thanks to elski, who won tickets for this special screening at the Ciné Lumière last night with Q&A.

There was a wine reception beforehand, with lovely French wine, I managed to drink two glasses (thanks again to elski!).

Really enjoyed this. What a gem. Humorous, sweet and heartwarming, and also sad, especially the father and son storyline. The Q&A was very interesting. Hugo Speer (Guy in the film, and soon to be seen in the new film Nymphomanic), the writer, producer, director and costume designer was there, facilitated by Time Out. I learnt that the film came out 17 years ago at the same time as Princess Diane's death. The last scene was filmed in one go in front of 300 screaming women (just women they leafleted in Wimbledon at the time asking if they wanted to appear on film, watching striptease for free!). The costume designer then told us that as the film was made on a small budget, they only had one of everything, i.e. one tie, one shirt, one hat, one g-string, so that when they threw it in the audience before the final scene, one of the crew, had to go amongst the audience and retrieve it back. Also apparently, they were up against The Titanic at the Oscars, and obviously, The Titanic won, because with their big budget it would look bad if a small budget film won. 8/10

Afterwards, we managed to grab Hugo Speer for a photo, he is the one that at the audition in the film, said he could not sing or dance, but when he dropped his pants, his mates' jaws dropped too!

The theatre show is going to be at the Noel Coward from tomorrow, 20 February.

[prettyxcool]

My belated review!

Went to the 2014 Birds Eye View Film Festival launch a few weeks ago at the BFI to celebrate International Women’s Day (8 March). The Film Festival actually starts next month, 6 April.

Had a brief intro from BEV, and then were shown two short films, one was an interesting dance film called Her Mother’s Daughters: 6.25mins- http://filmbase.ie/short-film-her-mothe ... xutk_TV9Vg

The other an animation, called RPG OKC, short for Role Playing Game OK Cupid, with two computer games characters from differing games, having an online romance, quirky, sweet and funny! Loved it. 9 mins - http://www.shortoftheweek.com/2013/08/26/rpg-okc/

Wonder Women! The Untold Story of American Superheroines was a very interesting and empowering documentary following the start of the Wonder Woman character, from the1940s comic books right through to Charlie's Angels, the Bionic Woman, Zena, Ellen in Aliens, Sarah in Terminator 2, Buffy the Vampire Slayer to Spice Girls, examining female role models for girls. Also really good was interviews and personal stories throughout from people, including a very young Wonder Woman fan. Although the super heroines were packaged as sexy feminism, it was not much different from the super heros, all muscles and masculine! So good too see that while the male dominated super heros were written mostly by males, that there are now female counterparts, a group of young women working on their own fictional female, kick ass, characters! 8/10

Everyone who filled in a short feedback form were given a bar of delicious organic raw handmade chocolate! Again, very possessive, when I asked for a bar, after handing back my form to another person, why can't they have the same person giving out the bar when you had back the form! These PR companies have no idea how to be organised!

[prettyxcool]

I went along to see Lilting tonight, the last screening at the Cannes Opener event (in anticipation of the Cannes Film Festival 2014 starting on 14 May) at the Hospital Club which has been running for the last couple of days.

The Hospital Club is a lovely place for a screening. The screening room is very much like the ones you would find in the hotels' screening rooms, comfy seating and good incline so you can see the screen wherever you sit. It was lovely to see ejwrank there. Thanks for the company.

Shame, the film was totally underwhelming. It looked promising at the start, with Peter Bowles and Cheng Pei Pei but then the pace instead of lilting it became quite listless at times and so drawn out, and after struggling to stay awake, which I managed, until eventually I drifted off at the very last five minutes! So almost made it. But I did not really care how it ended. 7/10

[prettyxcool]

Thanks elski for posting:
http://www.fmuk.org.uk/forum/viewtopic. ... 00#p338903

I went along this afternoon to the Phones 4u Silent Smartphone Cinema at the Soho Hotel, London (fingers crossed to win the Xperia Z2, I really, really need a new smartphone!).

We were greeted with a drink from the bar which we could take into the screening room where we could also grab some popcorn, sweets, chocolate bars, nuts and almonds.

The quality of watching films on the Xperia Z2 was actually very, very good, a good experience. The films available to watch were:

The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug
The Secret Life of Walter Mitty
The Hunger Games: Catching Fire
This is the End
Michael Jackson's This Is It
Saving Mr Banks
Marvel Avengers
Django Unchained
Frozen
Elysium
Gravity
21 Jump Street
Captain Philli[s
All is Lost
Despicable Me 2
Carrie

[asamaic]

Ohhh, I completely forgot about that, thanks for the reminder, pxc. Might pop along tomorrow instead.

How busy was the event?

[prettyxcool]

Ohhh, I completely forgot about that, thanks for the reminder, pxc. Might pop along tomorrow instead.

How busy was the event?

People were coming and going, there were always seats available.

p.s. remember to grab a goody bag on the way in, as on the way out, there were none left! Do not know if there will be supplies tomorrow. jeanelle took one, so she can let us know whether it was worth it!

[prettyxcool]

I decided to see All is Lost, since I seen the others and feel it can lend itself to a small screen. The sound quality was very good with the noise-cancelling headphones too. Basically, one man and his boat and no dialogue, except one exception showing the sailor's frustration, and I totally sympathise. But what an incredible performance by Robert Redford, at almost 80 years old, as the film requires him to be quite strenuous and physical, he seems really fit. An extremely tense film, battling the elements for survival. Will he/won't he make it through the storms and drifting through the vast ocean. Compelling. 8/10

[Sunny Saver]

Husband wants to see this too.