On Order

It's a mad, mad, Mad Detective:



Available now on region 3 DVD and from November 2008 on region 2

UPDATE: REGION 3 DVD DELAYED!

Somers Town 7/10

Yesterday afternoon we watched Shane Meadows' latest film Somers Town. Not too bad at all, although to be honest it's pretty slight (not to say short, at just 71 minutes long). I doubt whether you'll remember much of it in the long term, but it was nicely shot (on DV in B&W) and even the Eurostar plugged coda is watchable, although the change to colour for the final reel is a bit OTT and sticks in my craw if I'm honest. 7/10

The Kermode's verdict:

I also watched a couple of DVDs:

Wim Wenders: Wrong Move (Ugh...totally pretenious crap! avoid it at all costs). It's hard to believe that a director as good as Wenders could come up with something as empty and pointless as this. 2/10 (the 2 is for the photography only!).

Version watched: region 4

Rainer Werner Fassbinders': Mother Kusters goes to Heaven. Not too bad, an interesting film that shows how a tragic event can be exploited for personal gain 6/10

Version watched: region 2

The Marriage of Maria Braun 7.5

I saw Rainer Werner Fassbinder's classic film 'The Marriage of Maria Braun' last night. A bit stagey, but that's Fassbinder for you, you might as well complain that a wheel is round (nice print though, and the cinemaphotography was brilliant). Anyway it's good to see the actress Hanna Schygulla again, it's an over used term perhaps but she is luminous in this film, the camera simply loves her (another over used term!) but her performance is remarkable. Recommended



I also saw Wim Wender's 'Kings of the Road' the other week (on region 4 DVD, as part of the Directors Suite/ Road Movie boxset). Only Wim would get away with a shot of an actor actually having a shit and still keep the audience on board (strong stomachs are needed). It's interesting to see how the basic concept of the road movie taken to it's logical conclusion as a metaphor for how people, even when physically close to each other (by distance) can also be a million miles away emotionally, and the road is a metaphor for that huge gap. Great soundtrack as well.

7.5/10 recommended but for adults only (and patient ones at that as it's a L-O-N-G film). The film also contains one scene of masturbation, so it ain't fer yer grannie.