Movie Natters: September 15, 2006 Archive

Putting on a "Half Nelson"

Posted at 6:09 AM on September 15, 2006 by Euan Kerr

There's a scene in Ryan Fleck's drama "Half Nelson" where Dan, one of the two central characters, has dinner with his parents at their house. We have already seen how he is a great teacher in an inner city school, and also how he has a wretched drug habit which is slowly destroying him.

It's the scene at his parents though which show that this is really a film about how a family can make or break you. Dan (played by a pitch perfect low-key Ryan Gosling)mirrors both his parents liberal idealism, but also their vulnerability to addication, in their case to booze.

In his larger life Dan is worried that Drey, one of the players on his girls basketball team, may fall under the control of her drug-dealing uncle, Frank. Drey, (Shakeera Epps) recognizes the danger herself, but also sees no other way forward as she enters adulthood.

The resulting tale reachs a resolution of sorts, and while there is little redemption in the end, there is a little hope. Both Gosling and Epps put in magnificent performances with an honest mixture of humor and dispair which reflects a reality all too many of us face.

Scottish Sojourn: Back to the Filmhouse

Posted at 9:50 AM on September 15, 2006 by Euan Kerr

I managed to duck into the Edinburgh Filmhouse for an afternoon screening of Almondovar's new film "Volver" yesterday. It was bucketing with rain, a typical Edinburgh autumnal occurrence, and just perfect for a matinee.

I had been across town having lunch with Robin Hodge, the publisher of "The List" (which is invaluable as a guide to what's on in Scotland at any given time.) Edinburgh is so snarled with traffic that I decided to leg the mile or so to the Filmhouse. Of course I lost track of time and only had ten minutes to do it in. I had resigned myself to missing the opening of the film, but had forgotten the tradition of playing LOTS of ads before a show. I got in with a good 10 minutes to spare.

There is something almost sensual about coming in from a rain shower into a darkened cinema, particularly during the afternoon. There was quite a crowd there, which was a surprise until I realized half the people there were on a field trip from a local school. I am assuming it was a Spanish class, but given the weird obsessions of Almondovar I suppose it could have been some twisted schoolteacher's idea of a health or social studies project.

The film displays Almodovar's usual breezy approach to the darker sides of sex and death. It's a lot of fun. After I strained to hear what the youngsters thought, but they displayed their Celtic reserve as they filed out.

As I stepped back into the later afternoon rain, I realized just how much I am enjoying my holiday.

Friday gleanings

Posted at 10:20 AM on September 15, 2006 by Euan Kerr

Picking up bits and pieces along the way:

The BBC news reported the other night there's growing concern among school authorities about a new YouTube phenomenon. Apparently British school students are using the video cameras in their cellphones to shoot playground punch-ups and then posting them on the web. Being smart and websavvy they file them under the heading "School fights." The school people say YouTube is in effect encouraging playground violence. However the police have been able to make a couple of arrests as a result of videos posted on the site.

The Beeb said the girls involved in the punch-up in question didn't know who posted the material. So what was the motive of the anonymous poster? Love? Hate? Revenge? Surely there's a film in that somewhere....

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Having had a hell of a time spelling "Quinceanera" when I did a feature on the Wash Westmoreland and Richard Glatzer film a few weeks back, I was amused to see the film is being called "Echo Park, L.A." for its release here.

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There's a fair bit of interest in the release of the new Helen Mirren film "The Queen" in Britain. Directed by enfante terrible Stephen Frears, it tells the story of the crisis caused by Princess Diana's death. What is causing ripples here is this is the first time there has been a straight portrayal of a living monarch in a drama. For all the raunchiness of British film, this is truely one of the last taboos being broken.