Film Review: The Stone Roses: Made Of Stone (15), (U.K. 2013) (Director: Shane Meadows), Thursday 30.05.2013 19:30, The Cameo Cinema, Screen One & Friday 14.06.2013 13:10 The Cameo Screen Three, Edinburgh

This is a film I enjoyed from start to end, though then I have to declare my bias. The film gives a decent potted history of the band, and great present day footage since their reformation. The film ends on footage of them playing 'Fools Gold' in its entirety from the Saturday 30th of June performance at Heaton Park, Manchester last year (the night I was there). This track was the highlight of a fantastic concert, and it did manage to bring back some of the euphoric feeling from that night.

The film also shows very well the indescribable power music can have & passion that people can hold towards these sounds. The footage from Warrington Parr Hall (free, first concert since reformation) of the people who did not manage to get in, was very moving, including a man who was saying that he was offering someone to give them his car in exchange for their pass to get in. How the ending came was slightly odd, going from the concerns after the disruptions of the Amsterdam show straight to Heaton Park, though this aside I cannot complain. Shane Meadows had been upfront from the off saying he was not a documentary maker, though being a fan (they are his all time favorite group), I feel helped in capturing the fevered passion which die hard fans carry for these northern scamps.

In differing ways, I found this to just as rewarding a watch as 'Searching For Sugarman' last year. I feel I have to state is very much a personal reflection, If you are not a Roses fan, I can't expect you would get the same enjoyment.

Rating: 10/10. 

Film Review: Something In The Air (15) (France 2012) (Director: Oliver Assayas) (French, English & Italian with English Subtitles) Saturday 25.05.2013 18:00 The Filmhouse Cinema Screen Two, Edinburgh 

I went to see this film as one of the leads was performed by Lola Creton, who had performed as the lead character in 'Goodbye, First Love', which was No. 3 in my Top 10 of films released last year.

The film is set in 1971, three years after the student riots in France. Central to the film is a group of 'young adults' that would have been just too young to take part in the '68 protests. As many of this age, they feel angry at conditions they see around them, and with the example they have had set for them from the events of '68 they decide to take direct action. Then ensues the repercussions i.e. periods in exile and splintering of the central group etc.

The only thing the film appears to say is that the causes people tend to unify behind when young, tend to also be what also lands up driving those same people apart. These causes by their very nature do not allow for the expression of the self and tend to require a high degree of compromise of individual values and beliefs. People on the whole tend to get to a point when they are no longer willing to put up with such a degree of making their own needs and expression subservient.

Regrettably the film is too episodic. When returning to some characters it can be hard to remember what exactly was happening for them when they were last on screen. The film is also never clear as to exactly what is fueling the characters ire in the first place and gives no background to them. The characters portrayed spend the majority of the film smoking and fairly listless. They are essentially naive overly privileged bohemian bourgeoisie, and ultimately annoying, as many young adults are. As a result of this it is very difficult to care in any way for these characters. As a result of this issue and the fact that there appears to be very little development of character, I found myself getting bored by about half way through. I was very disappointed and would not recommend this nonsense to anyone.

Rating: 2/10.

Film Review: A Hijacking (15), (Denmark 2012) (Director: Tobias Lindholm) (English, Danish & Swedish  With English Subtitles), Saturday 11.05.2013 15:45, The Cameo Cinema, Screen Two, Edinburgh

This is a film based around actual happenings and is from the writer of Danish T.V.'s 'Borgen' & 'the Danish film 'The Hunt' released here in the U.K. late last year. The plot is not particularly revolatory. A sea vessel belonging to a Danish company is boarded by Somalian Pirates in the waters of India and demands for money are made.

What marks this out from lesser quality fare is the fine balance of focus continually shifting back and forth between the situation aboard the vessel and the Danish company attempting to manage the negotiations along with the affect upon family members anxiously waiting upon the outcome.

The pacing and plot development keeps the progression suitably taught without over-spilling into gung-ho behaviour. The desperation of the hostages situation is finely portrayed by Pilou Asbaek (Kasper Jull the spin-doctor in Borgen) as the vessels cook. There is a twist close to the end, which speaks of the need to tread carefully even when it appears as if a resolution has been reached. I found the film tensely compelling, while also leaving room for thought at the end as all was not wrapped up neatly.

Rating: 08/10.

Film Review: Fuck For Forest (18), (Poland/Germany 2012) (Director: Michal Marczak) (English, German, Spanish & Norwegian with English Subtitles) Wednesday 08.05.2013 20:55 The Filmhouse Cinema, Screen Three, Edinburgh 

The title of the film is the title of a charity based in Berlin of the same name. The charity is based upon the idea of raising funds for ecological causes by producing and selling homemade pornography. Knowing this I was very intrigued as sounded as though it could contain some very interestingly bizarre people.

The first half of the film focuses upon the group/charity and their activities in Europe. The second half follows the group to an area within the Amazon, to meet with tribes who they have said they would give funds to, to support their living on that land. The first half has to be the funniest stuff I have ever seen in a cinema. The second half is a very interesting portrayal of two alien cultures not being able to penetrate each other.

Those involved in the charity are very well meaning though naive hippies and appear to exist in this bubble cushioning them from the rest of the world. If you thought Britain was a good source of eccentrics...

Some of what occurs in the first half is absurd beyond belief to the extent that I was left wondering how some of these people have managed to live as long as they have. I laughed so hard that I was physically sore afterwards for the rest of the evening. For example there are wonderful scenes where these weird freaks (in the nicest possible way) approach people in the street asking if they would consider being involved in making mucky stuff that could be used to raise funds - apparently one in ten agree!

The second half is quite touching, as the hippies appear a lot less chaotic when in the Amazon area, and appear genuine in not seeing their offer of support as an investment they will come to want a kick-back from. Though the locals don't trust them and suspect ulterior motives, while they listen with trust to a man showing them the latest chainsaw.

I did like though that the tribes people were quite open in belittling the charities 'cause' of liberated public non-sexual nudity. They impressed on the hippies that the tribes people struggle for life from day-to-day and don't have the time to treat seriously such a trivial and decadent fight.

I wen't to see this due to curiosity, though came away thinking it is a fascinatingly enjoyable film. Considering the title of the piece, there is surprisingly little mucky stuff, which leads to me feeling I would happily recommend this to anyone who enjoys finding out about the more bizarre elements of life. This is a truly wondrous and beautiful film.

Rating: 10/10. 

Live Performance Review: Pink Martini feat. The Scottish Chamber Orchestra, Tuesday 07.05.2013, 19:30, The Usher Hall, Edinburgh

Pink Martini are a very classy and able ensemble, though impossible to pigeon-hole. All on stage appeared to be very talented, though there is no escaping the fact that the focus apart from falling on the extremely talented Thomas Lauderdale (Bandleader/Pianist) was consumed by the sublime China Forbes (Singer). Her singing of 'Sympathique' had me in floods of tears by not long after she started; It was so beautiful that I rushed past controlled leakage. There were numerous songs they performed that caused goosebumps, though this was usually in direct response to particular vocal performances from China. I have no qualm with any element of the performance, and would happily pay again to see such mastery.

Rating: 10/10.  

Live Performance Review: Derren Brown: Infamous, Monday 06.05.2013, 20:00, The Playhouse, Edinburgh

This was the third time I have been to see Derren perform. I went to performances of his last two tours 'Enigma' & 'Svengali', both of which I greatly enjoyed, though they were not as good as this one.

This is a very difficult review to write, as Derren requests (+ I would only feel it to be fair anyway) that the contents of the show is not revealed, so as not to spoil it for any one else going to see it.

Derren is a master of understanding the minutiae of communication, enabling being able to grasp what someone is thinking without their speaking, as well as using this to manipulate and communicate to get people to respond in a way that he wishes. The abilities he has developed and his quest to do so, I feel serves as an example as to the what it is possible to do with the mind.

For most of the second half I was sat gawping. There were feats he was demonstrating/performing that were just beyond comprehension, one after another, building to a crushendo at the end where he had multiple challenges he was to manage in a count-down from eight minutes. I feel there is something admirable about such open unabashed displays of such extreme idiosyncratic geekeshness.

I feel it is difficult to explain the attraction to others who have not seen him perform. Derren is a case where I feel that to be able to grasp the wonder of what he does, you have to have seen him. A fascinating performer and man who I would happily watch for hours on end.

Rating: 10/10. 

Film Review: Gangs of Wasseypur Part I (15) & Gangs of Wasseypur Part II (18), (India 2012) (Director: Anurag Kashyap) (Hindi with English Subtitles) Sunday 05.05.2013 16:30 & 20:00 The Filmhouse Cinema, Screen Three, Edinburgh 

This is epic length piece, the two films together come to 5 Hours & 20 Minutes, or 2 Hours 40 Minutes each. It focuses upon a rivalry between two families spreading across a seventy year period. This allows a broader focus upon this particular area of India across this span. The film is quite fascinating and exotic. Reading Hindi for five plus hours is a chore though the film never drags, which is quite feat at the length it is. The film allows a nice amount of focus upon characters which enhances a sense of depth to the piece. The film is very complex in the amount of relationships it covers and the film overall demands concentration. The film is a very satisfying watch and I would happily recommend to those who can handle that amount of subtitles.

Rating: 09/10.