Film Review: The Double (15) (Glasgow Film Festival) (U.K. 2013) (Director: Richard Ayoade) Saturday 22.02.2014, 20:40, Glasgow Film Theatre Screen One, Glasgow & Friday 04.04.2014 , 21:00, The Cameo Cinema, Screen One, Edinburgh & 17.06.2014, 18:15 The Filmhouse Cinema, Screen One

I understand that it is expected that this film will be on General Release sometime in April. 

Some will know that I usually have a fairly disparaging view of film festivals and tend to avoid them on the whole. The reason for this is that you tend to have to pay more for a film, that is exactly the same when it comes to be on general release. I made an exception here with this film, as of all the films I was aware of to be released this year, this is the one I was most excited by. 

This is the second film by Richard Ayoade, the first being the very charming and funny 'Submarine' (2010). The Double is based upon a novella by Fyodor Dostoevsky; this I found to be an intriguing proposition. The setting is kind-of-a 'soviet futuristic 50's style' of perpetual night. The film's central character, Simon James, performed by Jessie Eisenberg, is mild, meek and invisible to others in his work and social worlds. Simon is attracted to his beautiful coworker Hannah, performed by Mia Wasikowska, who he obsesses over, yet she does not realise how important she is to him. One day at work a new coworker arrives called James Simon (also performed by Jessie Eisenberg), Simon's more charming and confident doppelganger and from here on there are duplicitous actions and Simon becomes increasingly marginalised until he is informed he does not exist and never has done. There is more that develops, though I don't wish to spoil too much...

Let's not beat about the proverbial bush, this film is a masterpiece that is perfect on every count. I was first aware of feeling this to be a masterpiece about 15 minutes into the film. The casting is sublime, including small roles for all of the central 'Submarine' cast. The lighting, sound, costumes, shot selections, editing, pacing and attention to details are all faultless. There are moments that are hilariously funny, there is gut-wrenching sadness, ominous threat and tragedy. There are moments of touchingly exquisite beauty both in gesture and image. This is an intelligent film of great depth which has a lovely ambiguous ending allowing you to decide for yourself how it pans out. 

If '12 Years a Slave' had not already been released this year, I would have been saying that I find it hard to see how this can be bettered in 2014. The crucial difference is that although 12 Years... I consider to be a historically important film, I have no desire to see it again, whereas I know I would happily watch this numerous times. Maybe it is just me, though I feel that anyone should be able to appreciate elements about this film. 

In terms of rating I did consider to say that it was too good for rating, though then to consider that the only film to get that so far is 12 Years... and I fundamentally don't think this is as important, so an unquestionable...

Rating: 10/10. 

The Director, Richard Ayoade was present for a Q&A after the film. I was not surprised to find him to be an intelligent, considered, polite and humble man. Here's hoping he keeps up the good work.

+ I have no regrets at my extravagance of nipping through to Glasgow to go and see a film which I could have waited a couple of months to see in Edinburgh. 

Film Review: Dallas Buyers Club (15) (U.S.A. 2013) (Director: Jean-Marc Vallee),  The Cameo Cinema Screen One, Edinburgh, Sunday 16.02.2014, 15:30

This is the film where Matthew McConaughey plays a real-life homophobic-redneck hustler & rodeo rider called Ron Woodroof, who contracts H.I.V. due to his hedonistic lifestyle. He lands up running a 'club' for people needing treatment, resulting in his traveling overseas to get more tolerable medications than what were being used in the U.S.A. at the time. This is a way of him getting medication for himself, making some money. This also results in his spending time with people he would have actively avoided before then and forces him to reconsider some of his previous held beliefs and outlook.

This is a well performed film, particularly by the two leads, Matthew McConaughey and Jared Leto. Sadly I have to report I feel it was poorly edited, which made elements of what was happening in regard to the medication purchasing hard to follow at times. 

As with 'Her', again I feel that this was an interesting film, though it did not leave me pondering elements of it afterwards. Worth a watch, though I don't feel this to be a great film. 

Rating: 07/10.  

Film Review: Her (15) (U.S.A. 2013) (Director: Spike Jonze),  The Filmhouse Cinema Screen One, Edinburgh, Saturday 15.02.2014, 18:00

This is a film about a man falling in love with the female operating voice of an advanced computer operating system. There is a lot of context to this such as that the character, Theodore, is vulnerable having come out of a long-term relationship recently and so can be seen as potentially more susceptible to this perverse form of relationship. 

The film explores the nature of intimate relationships. Feelings are real regardless as to how generated So does that mean a relationship felt to be experienced with say an inanimate object or a sound, where intense feelings are attached is any less real or valid? I am to a degree playing devils advocate as I find intense relational feelings being experienced in regard to anything other than another person to be quite odd, and not in a good way. 

Clearly this form of artificial relationship could be seen as a support, to build confidence, until the person feels able to return to a world of real relationships. Sadly in the film, when Theodore is confronted with the artificial nature of the relationship, this is not used as a signal to start to break away from this support. The film appears to end with Theodore deciding to remain in the artificial realms. This gave the film an overriding sense of tragedy and melancholia. 

By way of comparison, 'Lars and the Real Girl' (2007), revolves around another form of artificial relationship, though it is used as a tool to work towards reengaging with real world relationships, and is therefore a far more vibrant and life-affirming affair.

I have a sense of the film being interesting, though not really leaving with anything to cogitate.

Rating: 07/10.       

Film Review: Only Lovers Left Alive (15) (U.K/Germany/France/Cyprus/U.S.A. 2013) (Director: Jim Jarmusch),  The Cameo Cinema Screen One, Edinburgh, Friday 14.02.2014, 23:30 (PREVIEW SCREENING - NOT ON GENERAL RELEASE UNTIL 21.02.2014)

This is a very un-vampiric vampire film. There is only a single scene regarding bloodsucking, and it deals with the aftermath. Tilda Swinton and Tom Hiddleston play Eve & Adam respectively. Adam is by far the younger being merely hundreds of years old, whereas Eve has existed for millenia. They are a couple who spend most of their time apart, Eve in Tangier and Adam in Detroit. 

There is not really any plot to speak of. Though there are archly amusing moments and the entire tone in terms of costume, lighting, music & dialogue, I found to be very queasy though also highly enticing and attractive. The film could be accused of that most dreadful of things, being a 'mood piece'.   

The vampiric element does not really matter in terms of what I feel the film is about. The central characters are bohemian and proponents against mediocrity. The films speaks of the importance of art as opposed to mainstream entertainment. It also portrays how in long lasting relationships it becomes important to allow each other space and to remember the small things that matter to the other.

In reflection on the time since seeing the film, I have found myself reflecting back upon it quite a lot, though it is more the tone of the film as opposed to anything else that I am recalling. 

This is a film I feel almost haunted by, though in a good way. I would find it difficult to recommend to others as don't feel entirely clear as to why I feel so taken by it, though if you are endeared by the bohemian and the arch....

Rating: 09/10.           

Live Performance Review: Scottish Chamber Orchestra,  The Usher Hall, Edinburgh, Thursday 06.02.2014, 19:30

This was the Scottish Chamber Orchestra (S.C.O.)'s 40th birthday performance. There was a commissioned piece to kick things off, which was not particularly pleasing. This was followed by Chopin's Second Piano Concerto, which was a darn site better. After the interval, it was the reason why I had got a ticket, Beethoven's Firth Symphony. This was very enjoyable, and get's me in a bit more anticipation for the performance in May, at the Usher Hall by the S.C.O. of Beethoven's Ninth (Choral) Symphony.

Rating: 08/10.

Film Review: The Armstrong Lie (15) (U.S.A. 2013) (Director: Alex Gibney),  The Filmhouse Cinema Screen Three, Edinburgh, Sunday 02.02.2014, 18:10

This is a documentary about that naughty boy called Lance.

It was intended initially as a 'puff' piece, though then the scandal erupted while the film was being made, which caused the focus of the film to be entirely different. I was intrigued by this element and the fact that the director is the person who made the 2007 film, 'Taxi to the Dark Side' about the mistreatment of local peoples in the Middle-East by military forces from the United States of America. Lance's bullshit had been peddled in such a way that a director of a very astute documentary film was able to be fooled by him.

The film itself is not perfect though it is very interesting. I felt there was slightly too much footage of the 2009 Tour de France, Lances comeback from retirement. Though also to consider that that race can be considered as his folly, may be it needed to be as prominent as it was. It was his folly, as he did most of the stages in that race 'clean', and it was these stages that were so far behind what he had been doing in his winning years, and therefore showed in retrospect the victory years to be the product of cheating. This was the catalyst for all of the worms to come out of the can.

What the film I feel does best is show how Lance speaks. He talks in a similar way to someone who is a known criminal, in that he always where he can keeps the detail as vague as possible. He still tries to charm and gloss over elements in his commending charismatic way. He still tries to be as innocent as he can possibly be. There was a point where he states 'that no one knows the full story' (I may be paraphrasing). I found this funny, as the very simple response is 'no, you do'. He is the only person (the (past)victor), who had to be involved at least to a degree in all elements of what went on. I would also say that the footage of Lance speaking also shows him clearly to be highly narcissistic and I suspect he would be easy to classify as a psychopath.

I was slightly surprised that there was not more footage of Lance having an outburst at someone. Possibly he is very controlled in what he shows depending upon who is around. It would fit, eh?

Overall the film is not essential, though if you are intrigued by those who are obsessed with power and will do anything and all it takes to have and hold onto power for as long as possible, to a point that they will delude themselves and spend years scrambling around to try to retrieve/retain some semblance of that power, then this is quite a rewarding watch.

Rating: 08/10.      

Live Performance Review: Bill Callahan, O2 ABC, Glasgow, Saturday 01.02.2014, 18:30

This is an artist who used to go by the name of 'Smog'. It was as Smog that I first heard him on the soundtrack to the film 'Dead Man's Shoes' (2004).

The music to this film I was particularly impressed by. It was via this that I also first heard 'M. Ward', who I have now twice seen perform, and the 'Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir', who gave one of the very best performances last year. The song by Smog on was my other favorite music piece on the film and was called 'Vessel in Vain' from the album 'Supper' (2003).

The music began at 19:15 with two supports. Firstly 'The Deep Dark Woods' from Canada, who I found to be a tad strained, and by this a bit overly contrived. There was also very little diversity in the music they were playing. Not to be recommended.

The second support, Cath & Phil Tyler (Local), was so bad that it literally felt torturous. It was so woefully bad, that the organisers allowing them to play, felt like a grand  'care in the community' type gesture. Her face was so distorted while trying to do the singing, that it looked as though she was also in pain. I only mention their name as a form of public service, please never put yourself though the experience of having to listen to these chancers; I went through it so you don't have to. Don't think for one moment I am joking, I have in the past, seen a support so bad though funny that my side was still sore two days later. This is far removed from that delight, of sorts.  

So to the Man himself. He performed with three musicians. All of the music while Bill performed, was certainly of a far higher standard. The performance was for approx 90 min. The sound in the hall was a bit odd. Bill's vocals sounded distorted in the first song, and the bass was sadly too high in the levels for most of the performance. The performance was also pretty-much of the same tempo throughout, except in the section where he played songs from the 'Apocalypse' (2011) album.

In the Apocalypse section, the music was of a more up-beat tempo and the bass appeared to far better placed in the mix. The songs from this section I feel were the best part and it is a shame there was not more of the performance of this ilk.

Despite most of the performance being down tempo, I still greatly enjoyed Bill's performance. A friend who was also present and who had seen him before, said there was certainly more variety in the set when he previously saw him.

I feel as though I came away from the night, abused by the supports and then mellowed by Bill. I would be up for seeing Bill again, though I would prefer it to be without the banner of Celtic Connections next time as then I would be assured of not having such (Local) support acts again.

Rating: 08/10.