The past Black and White: Dice

Title: Dice
By Matthew MacLeod, Caitlin Robinson and Matthew Milne

This shit is wild, so wild that i've been watching it non-stop whilst playing craps in a Dark alleyway behind African Dread in Obz. Why's it called Craps?
Seriously, why?
Watch this and you'll probably never want to play Craps behind African Dread or SA Champs.

So Young.

The Past Black and White: Pass The Salt

Title: Pass the Salt
By: Kristin Duff, Nicole Velleman, Chelsea Blakemore and Sarah Jackson

I know we've already posted this before, but some things in life are just too awesome not to see twice. Reccomended viewing for anyone who sees the need for Extra Steroids or Soap. And Salt

So Young.

The past Black and White: The Impossible Binary of Mr. White and Mr. Black

Title: The impossible Binary of Mr. Back and Mr. White
By: Tarryn Joffe, Sydelle Willow-Smith, Sarah Smith and Monique Levine
Starring: Micah Friedland, Anton Van Dierman, Gavin Joffe and Nina Gencic

One word to describe this: FUCKIN EPIC.
I know it's two words but this film is tooo amazing -God I'm cheesy-
Gruyere? If Jack Black and Barry White had to duel it to the death, it wouldn't be this insane.
It'd probably be more insane, actually it wouldn't it'd be just fuckin insane as Barry White is dead.
So it would just be strange....

The past Black and White: Shades of Grey

It's that time of year again, when UCT Film Society brings you the much anticipated, student created... SHOTTIES!!!!

The greatest thing to happen since Wrestlemania XXVI -You go Brett Hart!

Sharpshooter lives. It's fantastic it's exciting nerve-racking and all out extra steroid madness! Can't wait for this year's Finale which promises to be -mind the pun- pretty wild.

This Fine Short Film was created by: Andrea, Sharon, Kaelo and Craig.
It stars the mercurial Geoff Kukard and the amazing Alannah Booth

Trailor for "Shutter Island"

FUCK! FUCK! FUCK! FUCK! GREATEST FILM EVER!

Unbeleivable. Water is a mixture of oxygen and Hydrogen: FACT. Shutter Island is the greatest film ever: FACT. I’m not even going to get into the story, because well it’s Fuck confusing and beautiful and scary and just down-right unbelievable. Martin Scorsese’s amazing, no like seriously and this isn’t some kind of sycophantic banter, If Scorcese gave cooking lessons I’d spend my life-savings on those lessons, Scorcese should give Cunnilingus lessons because lord knows I need help. It’s unbelievably beautiful and tragic yet somehow enlightening and uplifting. DiCaprio and Ruffalo venture off to the weird dark rainy Shutter Island to investigate the escape of a missing patient from a mental institution. Shutter Island’s dark and Gothic and big and stony, and generally the kind of place you’d expect the good people at the United States government to imprison 'paedophiles are us'. But then Scorcese takes a sharp left turn into the mind of DiCaprio and like that he reminds us of why he is undoubtly the greatest Director working today. By enlisting the services of the mercurial Robert Richardson and Thelma Schoonmaker he achieves the unbelievable and starts sprouting champagne from his nipples, dark bloody priceless champagne. It’s art big fuckin art, yet not so arty that it would leave you dazed and confused but art like a beautiful Gothic nude or your 3 year old’s self-portrait, incredibly self indulgent but shockingly honest.
I’m not gonna say anymore because now I feel like I’m ruining the entire thing, all I will say is that YOU NEED TO GO SEE “SHUTTER ISLAND” LIKE NOW. Fuck Tuts, Test’s, work fuck it all this is the cinematic experience of our generation and so much so that I’m going to give it …

10 HOERS

In love and Spinach

Roy “I’m still crying and Hard“ Mathieu Borole

The lovely Bones

Dir: Peter Jackson
Writer: Phillipa Boyens; Fran Walsh
Cast: Mark Whalberg, Susan Sarandon, Stanley Tucci and Saoirse Ronan

The Lovely Bones is Peter Jackson’s adaptation of Alice Sebold’s novel by the same name about the brutal murder of 14 year old “Suzie Salmon” in a small American town in the 1960’s. From the “in-between”, Suzie watches as her family members attempt to cope with her death in their different ways and she sees her sister grow up and experience the wonders of girlhood that she was denied. Although the story deals with the irreparable loss of a child, the end of an age of innocence and the destruction of a family, the film comes across as a sugary sweet rather than a gripping human drama. The film’s use of CGI has two effects on the film. It successfully captures the realm between heaven and earth where Susie’s soul lingers as a captivating wonderland which surpasses even the most elaborate and beautiful ideas of an afterlife. The spiritual world and reality are skilfully intertwined allowing souls to witness earthly events from their ethereal position and creating spectacular images on screen. The disturbing, sinister character of Suzie’s character is perfected by Stanley Tucci and is complimented by some spine-chillingly dark and frightening CGI scenes.

However, the CGI elements sometimes overshadow the actors and takes away from the sincerity with which the talented cast portray their characters. Often the severity of the issues at hand are undermined by the exaggeration of characters - Susie’s father is depicted as a comical madman in his desperate search for Susie’s killer and while Susan Sarandon’s portrayal of an eccentric grandmother is flawless, the character seems out of place in the context of film. In this regard, viewers who have read the novel may feel disappointed that the complex emotional journey that these characters undergo is not successfully conveyed cinematically, most likely due to extensive editing of scenes replaced by computer generated effects. After all, The Lovely Bones tells a story of a very sensitive nature and this should be emphasised rather than diluted. However, the film is a visual masterpiece and a must-see nonetheless, and is to be commended on its excellent cast and almost poetic CGI visuals.

I give it 6 Hoers!

by Chantel Clark and Amy Paterson

WHO LIKES TO ROCK THE PARTY!!!

5Bright Star

It is for good reason that Sterkinekor has separated its main junction from its cinema nouveau. Your average film goer is expecting his R50 to buy him battles involving giant elephants taking on the armies of the dead, gun fights during which people in trench coats dodge bullets and Samuel L. Jackson shouting, “I have had it with these motherfucking snakes on this motherfucking plane!” It is the ability of the cinema to create these events in all their splendour that give it such drawing power ($2,462,821,000 of drawing power, as a group of large, blue people have just proven). However, this has absolutely nothing to do with Bright Star and I suggest you have nothing to do with it either if you see you attend movies purely for the above mentioned reasons.

That being said Bright Star, which follows the relationship of poet John Keats (Ben Wishaw) and Fanny Brawn (Abbie Cornish), is a brilliant movie and has already picked up 14 nominations, including an Oscar. Written and directed by Jane Campion, its strength comes from the strong performances of the cast, most notably the two lead roles and that of Mr. Brown, played by Paul Schneider. This is complemented by some breathtaking cinematography and costume design that pull the viewer into the 18th century. The script is a partial disappointment as the action starts very slowly and the viewer only becomes truly involved during the final act. Fortunately this does not negate the fact that it was very well written and the themes of love and death that Campion has focused on will give you cause for thought well after the final frame has passed through the projector.

Quentin Tarantino remarked through his main character in True Romance, “you know, most of these movies that win a lot of Oscars, I can't stand them. They're all safe, geriatric coffee-table dogshit.” He would undoubtedly consider Bright Star in the same category. However, if you enjoy watching movies that celebrate what it means to be human and add value to your life Bright Star is more than worth watching.

Alice in Tripping Balls on LSD Land

Title: Alice in Wonderland (2010)

Director: Tim Burton

Writer: Linda Woolverton (screenplay); Lewis Carrol (books)

Cast: Johnny Depp (Mad Hatter); Mia Wasikowska (Alice); Helena Bonham Carter (Red Queen); Anne Hathaway (White Queen); additional voices provided by Stephan fry, Alan Rickman and Michael Sheen

The Tim Burton adaptation of Alice in Wonderland was announced by Walt Disney Pictures way back in 2008, and has been one of the most anticipated films of 2010. Everyone should be familiar with Tim Burton and his characteristically wild imagination that has had viewers on the edge of their seats since Beetlejuice hit the screens in 1988.

The film is set twelve years after the Lewis Carroll story ends. Alice is nearing twenty and is about to be proposed to by a young Lord. At her engagement party, Alice gets distracted by a white rabbit in a waistcoat and after following it, stumbles down a hole and falls into Tim Burton’s braingasm.

Upon her landing we arrive at the famous ‘eat me’, ‘drink me’ scene from the original Disney film. (suggestive? . . I kinda like a woman in a dress eight sizes too big) Here, Alice has to figure out how to get a key off a table and get through a tiny door so that she can continue on her journey. (Higher grade? I think not. Although this does take her a while). Once Alice enters Tim Burton’s fantastic world the viewer finds it so much more than the confusing drug induced stupor we imagined Lewis Carrol’s Wonderland to be. Underland, as it is formally known (and wrongly mispronounced by nine year old Alice during her first visit), is a world divided by the followers of the White Queen (the good guys), and the Red Queen (the Baddies). We become aware that the Red Queen laid waste to the land, stole the crown, and rules with an iron rod (or huge head). The Jabberwocky is the Red Queens trump card which she uses to demonstrate her authority and instil fear in the people. The story foretells of a prophecy that Alice is destined to fulfil. The prophecy tells that Alice is destined to slay the Jabberwocky, and free all the creatures in Underworld form the evil reign of the Red Queen and her large bulbous head (in an epic Naria-esque type battle).

The journey that Alice takes seems to mark her coming of age. Once she comes to terms with the reality of the situation she finds herself in, she overcomes the challenges presented to her, and emerges more mature and self-assured. The obvious moral of her personal journey for the viewer is stay true to oneself.

Johnny Depp’s character, the Mad Hatter, has become the face of the marketing campaign for the film. I was disappointed with the character. I don’t believe Johnny fully grasped the personality of the character. The Hatter is a mixture of Willy Wonka and Jack Sparrow (he changes accents several times). He is a ginger, with too much makeup; I think Johnny could have done a better job. There are several moments throughout the movie where he looks as though he wants to take his relationship with Alice to the next level. I don’t know if that was part of his character development, or just Johnny being a weirdo.

Highlights of the film: The March Hare was by far the best character. A member of the Mad Tea Party, he’s like a withdrawing meth addict with a major speech impediment, i.e. really funny; The Tweedles (played by Matt Lucas of Little Britain) are two short round kids who share a look of vague confusion on their faces, and who take completely opposite views to one another (the Red Queen employs them for entertainment. I would too). The animation is outstanding and the world truly reflects the mad genius of Carroll’s abandonment issues. During a fight scene, a mouse pokes out the eye of a huge monster dog and then carries it around as a talisman for the rest of the film. 3D kicks ass! Every time.

Lowlights of the film: Anne Hathaway just bums you out whenever she walks on to the set; Johnny Depp as a Ginger; Johnny Depp’s victory dance at the end which distracts you form the nature of the scene is a huge anti-climax; The Disney theme song which plays during the credits reminds you that people like Hanna Montana and the Jonas Brothers are always there in the music industry, draining the very life out of it.

Because it’s Tim Burton having a field day with Walt Disney money I give it eight hoers.

THE PRENDE NEVER STOPS!

Film society represents everything good about being good and doing good and feeling good.

Sorry about the delay but our fantastic new vests only arrived last week and we needed to get them to the people and soon, and we decided to hand out Free Pussy Natural Energy and Boerewors Rolls…

What? It’s not me it’s all the extra steroids!

THE PRENDE NEVER STOPS!

BAGGAGE! BAGGAGE! BAGGAGE!

Title: Brothers
Director: Jim Sheridan
Writer: David Beinhoff
Cast: Tobey Maguire, Jake Gyllenhaal and Natalie Portman

“It was like waiting for your bags at the airport for an hour and a half”
-Andrew Ehmke

Brothers is a film about a love triangle (Baggage) involving an American war hero, his wife and his semi-erect brother. When Sam (Tobey Maguire) gets the call to return to Iraq for his fourth term of duty he is forced to leave his wife, Grace (Natalie Portman) and two young daughters behind. Then he dies, well not actually, he’s presumed dead after his helicopter is shot down (even more baggage) which breaks the family apart, but also releases his fuckin sneaky brother Tommy (Jake Gyllenhaal) from living in his sibling’s shadow. Tommy pulls himself together and takes on his brother’s role in the family; playing affectionately with his nieces, helping out around the house and inevitably falling in love with his sister-in-law –Fuckin Scumbag. This makes for a messy situation and even more baggage when his brother ‘returns from the dead’ - with Mike Jackson’s ‘Thriller’ jolling - playing in the background scarred, tortured and shell-shocked from his wartime experiences.

The film boasts some quality performances from Maguire’s as the American war hero model husband and father which starts off slowly and rather unconvincingly, but boils towards a fantastic and furious conclusion. The last thirty minutes of the film are dominated by Maguire’s skillfully portrayed mix of confusion, tension and anger that is well worth its accolade. But it is Gyllenhaal who, I believe, is the film’s unsung hero ala Brokeback when he was the bottom His effortless and solid depiction of the ‘troubled man pulling it together’ is easy to look past and forget. It is his performance that holds the film together, especially with Portman delivering a woefully unconvincing exposé of the widowed mother of two.

On the whole, however, the film is far too neat and polished –and filled with baggage- to convey the turmoil and confusion that families experience during wartime. The audience is forced to wade through over an hour of slow moving drama before the conflict occurs and the momentum quickens. One feels the film is meant to be about how war tears families apart, but there is so much going on that this idea gets hidden amongst the myriad of undercurrents, subthemes and baggage. When it comes down to it, it is a film of moments more than anything and baggage.
So when the silky U2 soundtrack fades and the emotional high of Brothers subsides the audience will be left asking themselves what on earth they are meant to take from the last 104 minutes of their lives and wishing to never visit another airport baggage terminal again.

I give it 6 hoers!
Andrew ‘the lost son of Terry’ Gilliam