Chester Film Society

Chester Film Society Message

Sun, 16 Oct 2011 10:28:00 GMT

<table border="0" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" class="border_2">  <tr bgcolor="#FFFFFF"> <td colspan="4" align="left" valign="top"><img name="header" src="http://www.chesterfilmfans.co.uk/Images/header.gif" width="560" height="121" border="0" alt=""></td> </tr> <tr bgcolor="#FFFFFF"> <td colspan="4" align="left" valign="top"><h4>Our next film of the season takes place on: Tuesday October 18th - White Material Little Theatre 7.45pm </h4></td> </tr> <tr bgcolor="#FFFFFF"> <td colspan="4" align="left" valign="top"><div align="left"><img src="http://www.chesterfilmfans.co.uk/Images12/frontimage_whitematerial.jpg" width="560" height="350"></div></td> </tr> <tr bgcolor="#6699FF"> <td colspan="4" align="left" valign="top"><h4>Review</h4></td> </tr> <tr bgcolor="#d4d3e3"> <td colspan="4" align="left" valign="top" class="style4">Set in an unnamed African country embroiled in a brutal civil war after transitioning from French colonialism to independence, the insanity of war has never received a more graphic portrayal than in Claire Denis' White Material. Named to reflect the contempt in which blacks hold the white colonialists, it is a film gripped by tension, violence, and eventual madness, but with a strong sense of place and a remarkable feeling of authenticity. Though White Material is less elliptical than many of her films which entice viewers to fill in the gaps with their own imagination, its lack of background information and non-linear chronology can make it, at least initially, a somewhat disorienting experience. Running a coffee plantation in the midst of the chaos, Maria Vial (Isabelle Huppert) lives with her ex-husband André (Christopher Lambert), her father-in-law Henri (Michel Subor) who owns the plantation, and her layabout teenage son, Manuel (Nicholas Duvauchelle). She insists on business as usual despite the fact that her workers have abandoned their jobs out of fear of the child soldiers who make up the bulk of the rebel army. Pursued by the government militia, a wounded rebel leader (Isaach De Bankole), known only as �the Boxer�, takes refuge at the plantation, increasing the possibility of retaliation. Maria is warned by French soldiers from a helicopter that she should leave the country for her safety and that of her family, but she is proudly, if not blindly, determined to maintain the role that has always brought her security, though it is obvious from the first scene showing her alone on a road, that she has already been stripped of her colonial privileges. As author Andrew Sullivan once said, �When there's a challenge to our established world-view, whether from the absurd, the unexpected, the unpalatable, the confusing or the unknown, we experience a psychological force pushing back, trying to re-assert the things we feel are safe, comfortable and familiar.� Refusing to face the inevitable, Maria goes into the village to recruit other workers, insisting that her coffee crop must be harvested, though it is unclear who she expects to sell it to. Without her knowledge, André begins to make arrangements to leave on his own and tries to make a deal with the mayor (William Nadylam) to sell the property. Even her son does not escape the madness. After being brutally attacked and stripped by young rebels, Manuel shaves off all of his hair, grabs a loaded rifle, and joins the rebel soldiers. In one of the most telling scenes, after several pharmacists are murdered, the rebel soldiers, who include both young boys and girls, sit on the grass ingesting the stolen drugs as if they were on a picnic. Despite the violence in White Material, there are some lovely moments evoked by cinematographer Yves Capes: wild dogs on a dirt road illuminated by the headlights of a car, the sounds of reggae music broadcasted by a disc jockey who promotes rebel causes, and the sight of Maria hanging onto the ladder of a bus filled with black refugees. Considering the depth and breadth of Denis' filmography, White Material may be a minor film, yet it is a graceful work of art, filled with a dreamlike quality that makes a strong statement about the dehumanizing effects of war, regardless of the rightness of the cause. Talking Pictures </td> </tr> <tr bgcolor="#FFFF00"> <td colspan="4" align="left" valign="top"><h4>Membership News</h4></td> </tr> <tr bgcolor="#FFFF99"> <td colspan="4" align="left" valign="top" class="style4"> Please note that memberships are now closed as we are at full capacity. Thanks for joining! Advance guest tickets are still available. So let's just clarify ticket allocation. We don't automatically guarantee a seat for you, as we have slightly more members than seats on the basis that not everyone will turn up, in order to give you the best possible value. Usually, you never see any of this, it only becomes apparent when we approach full capacity or if we have many guest bookings. In situations like this, around 15 minutes before the film starts, we will divert tickets to guests on a priority basis. Members, can you please arrive by 7.30pm to help with ticket allocation. Thanks for your understanding, if you want to chat further please contact a member of the committee. </td> </tr> <tr bgcolor="#0099FF"> <td colspan="4" align="left" valign="top"><h4>The Odeon - Fanatical About Theatre</h4></td> </tr> <tr bgcolor="#CCCCCC"> <td colspan="4" align="left" valign="top" class="style4"> THE curtain has fallen on the last act of a two-year drama to launch Chester's long-awaited cultural revival, writes Allison Dickinson, Chester Chronicle A 74-strong �cast' last night voted overwhelmingly in favour of the former Odeon Cinema as the site of Chester's new theatre. For more than two years, council members and public have engaged in animated debate about the proposed location of the new theatre, with the iconic former Odeon and Little Roodee battling it out to the end. Executive member for culture and recreation Stuart Parker recommended that the listed Art Deco building in Northgate Street should house the £43m cultural flagship, describing it as �a theatre for residents across the borough'. He said: �As a producing theatre it will have links with every section of our communities, particularly as an educational asset for our young people.� Cllr Parker said there would be �no compromise' on standards, adding: �We want the very best. Evidence from the Grosvenor Park Open Air Theatre shows that people are willing to travel for the right quality of event. �In fact, 80% of our visitors in 2010 came from within a 60-minute drive time, demonstrating that a Chester-based theatre is accessible to all within the borough and for a considerable distance beyond.� For Chester, the new theatre would be vital in creating the vision of two specific cultural quarters � one for the spoken word and performance, centred on the town hall, and the other for visual arts and heritage, based on the Castle and Little Roodee. Chester City councillor Samantha Dixon said: �Our ambition should be for this theatre to have a reputation far wider than the city.� But Cllr Dixon warned that the council now needs to move swiftly to move the project forward. She explained: �While the time taken has allowed for the purchase of the building and ensured a rigour that makes the decision to back the Odeon unassailable, speed is now of the essence.� </td> </tr> <tr bgcolor="#99CCFF"> <td colspan="4" align="left" valign="top">Please visit <a href="http://www.chesterfilmfans.co.uk/mailing_list/news_111016.htm" target="_blank">here</a> for an online version of this issue. </td> </tr> <tr bgcolor="#99CCFF"> <td colspan="4" align="left" valign="top">This newsletter is produced by Mike Graham for Chester Film Society. Please visit <a href="http://www.chesterfilmfans.co.uk" target="_blank">www.chesterfilmfans.co.uk</a> regularly for programme information. </td> </tr> <tr> <td></td> <td height="2"></td> <td></td> <td></td> </tr> </table> <table border="0" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" class="border_2">  <tr> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> </tr> </table>

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Chester Film Society Message

Sun, 02 Oct 2011 09:25:00 GMT

<table border="0" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" class="border_2">  <tr bgcolor="#FFFFFF"> <td colspan="4" align="left" valign="top"><img name="header" src="http://www.chesterfilmfans.co.uk/Images/header.gif" width="560" height="121" border="0" alt=""></td> </tr> <tr bgcolor="#FFFFFF"> <td colspan="4" align="left" valign="top"><h4>Our next film of the season takes place on: Tuesday October 4th - Morning Glory Little Theatre 7.45pm </h4></td> </tr> <tr bgcolor="#FFFFFF"> <td colspan="4" align="left" valign="top"><div align="left"><img src="http://www.chesterfilmfans.co.uk/Images12/frontimage_morningglory.jpg" width="560" height="350"></div></td> </tr> <tr bgcolor="#6699FF"> <td colspan="4" align="left" valign="top"><h4>Review</h4></td> </tr> <tr bgcolor="#d4d3e3"> <td colspan="4" align="left" valign="top" class="style4">Like the occasionally dark Broadcast News and the considerably bleaker Network, Morning Glory takes a peek behind the curtain of television newscasts and reveals that all is not as clean and ordered as it appears over-the-air. The film is at its best when it is at its most goofy, at times coming close to the laugh-aloud outrageousness of Will Ferrell's Anchorman. The central character, a cartoonishly cheerful, career-minded woman by the name of Becky Fuller (Rachel McAdams) is endearing enough to make viewers forgive the half-hearted, clichéd ventures into her sit-com inspired life. Morning Glory succeeds when it captures the antics, rivalries, and petty acts of rebellion unseen by the cameras. Becky is on a fast track to the top as a producer for a New Jersey morning TV show. Called into her boss' office with the expectation of a promotion, she instead learns she's being fired. His calling her "the best producer I've had to fire" is scant comfort. She sends out resumes everywhere without a bite until Jerry Barnes (Jeff Goldblum), an executive for a fictitious "fourth network" (not ABC, NBC, or CBS), comes calling. His morning show, Daybreak, is on life support and he's looking for an unconventional executive producer to shake things up. Despite her youth and inexperience - or perhaps because of it - Becky is his choice. She gets off to an unpromising start, failing to hit it off with Daybreak's popular female anchor, Colleen Peck (Diane Keaton), and generating a palpable sense of animosity when she pegs out-to-pasture serious newsman Mike Pomeroy (Harrison Ford) to provide the testosterone balance to Colleen's estrogen. Ratings take a no sedive and Becky learns she has six weeks to perform a miracle or face cancellation. So she pulls out the stops and that's when Morning Glory starts to become fun. Becky isn't hard to like, but that's almost entirely as a result of the effervescence evident in Rachel McAdams' performance, not because the character's back story, which is a minefield of familiar sit-com situations, has any resonance. In fact, Morning Glory is at its worst when it follows Becky away from the studio. Her romance with evening news producer Adam Bennett (Patrick Wilson) is dull and lifeless. Poor Patrick Wilson serves no higher purpose than providing a good-looking love interest; the term "underused" doesn't do justice for this sort of role. Jeff Goldblum makes a lot more out of an even less meaty appearance. Then again, Goldblum can arrest attention by merely standing around in the background. Meanwhile, Harrison Ford recycles his performance from the Sabrina remake, right down to the predictable arc in which the icy sheath encasing his heart melts. Ford, it must be admitted, does pomposity exceedingly well. Diane Keaton is so good at her p art that one can see her sliding effortlessly into an anchor's chair on a real morning show. (That would be a clever way to promote the movie.) Nevertheless, despite the conventional manner in which the story is resolved, Morning Glory generates enough entertainment, good will, and genuine laughs to make it hard to dislike. Becky's enthusiasm is at times infectious and it's fun to watch the things she does to give some life to her dying show. Would that any actual morning program would be this spontaneous and lively... Despite maintaining its jovial tone, Morning Glory makes a serious point, although it does so with a lightness of touch that makes one wonder whether it's present as an afterthought. Like the aforementioned Network, this production wonders aloud about where television news is going and whether there's any place for hard news in a medium where reality shows and live-action tabloids rule. Ultimately, Morning Glory sidesteps the issue. Morning Glory fits into a shrinking category: the old-fashioned, not-too-raunchy, character-based comedy. It's gentle, unforced and, despite its flaws, likeable. I t doesn't blaze new trails or astound with its wit but, more likely than not, you'll leave the theatre with a smile, and that's certainly worth a recommendation. Reel Views </td> </tr> <tr bgcolor="#FF6633"> <td colspan="4" align="left" valign="top"><h4 class="style61">Trivia</h4></td> </tr> <tr bgcolor="#FFFFFF"> <td colspan="4" align="left" valign="top"> The IBS news studio is an actual television studio used for news and entertainment programs. Shipped to theaters under the code name "Pepper 10". Many of the news broadcasts shown in the movie are actual stories aired during the Iowa Floods of 2008. Cedar Rapids is the city mentioned on one of the shows in the background where 400 city blocks were under water. </td> </tr> <tr bgcolor="#FFFF99"> <td colspan="4" align="left" valign="top"><h4>App News</h4></td> </tr> <tr bgcolor="#FFFFFF"> <td colspan="4" align="left" valign="top" class="style4">I was intrigued to read of a smartphone app called Runpee. RunPee tells you the best times to run and pee during a movie without missing anything! A built in timer helps you keep track of all the peetimes and see at a glance how long you must wait for the next one. It also lets you know if there is anything extra after the end credits along with a synopsis of the first 5 minutes of the movie in case you're running late. So with that in mind I tried Tuesday's film Morning Glory to find that there are 3 runpees mentioned, at 34 mins, 47 mins and 1 hour. The 34 min advises as follows: 34 minutes into the movie you can runpee for 4 min cue: the other producer says to Becky, �I came to offer my condolences on the third worst person in the world.� What you'll miss: synopsis: The producer asks Becky to join him for a few drinks. Next scene: Morning staff meeting. Mike acts like a jerk and refuses to do any story that is not hard news. Apparently the idea came to programmer Dan Florio after watching the movie King Kong, which was 3ish hours long. He was thinking how nice it would be to have a website that listed movie times you could easily miss and run to the bathroom to empty your poor bladders, and not miss any crucial scenes. Runpee is a free App on iphone and android, and there is also a mobile version available. Visit <a href="http://runpee.com/" target="_blank">runpee.com</a> for more info. </td> </tr> <tr bgcolor="#99CCFF"> <td colspan="4" align="left" valign="top">Please visit <a href="http://www.chesterfilmfans.co.uk/mailing_list/news_111002.htm" target="_blank">here</a> for an online version of this issue. </td> </tr> <tr bgcolor="#99CCFF"> <td colspan="4" align="left" valign="top">This newsletter is produced by Mike Graham for Chester Film Society. Please visit <a href="http://www.chesterfilmfans.co.uk" target="_blank">www.chesterfilmfans.co.uk</a> regularly for programme information. </td> </tr> <tr> <td></td> <td height="2"></td> <td></td> <td></td> </tr> </table> <table border="0" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" class="border_2">  <tr> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> </tr> </table>

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Chester Film Society Message

Sun, 25 Sep 2011 14:06:00 GMT

<table border="0" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" class="border_2">  <tr bgcolor="#FFFFFF"> <td colspan="4" align="left" valign="top"><img name="header" src="http://www.chesterfilmfans.co.uk/Images/header.gif" width="560" height="121" border="0" alt=""></td> </tr> <tr bgcolor="#FFFFFF"> <td colspan="4" align="left" valign="top"><h4>Our next film of the season takes place on: Tuesday September 27th - Bicycle Thieves Little Theatre 7.45pm </h4></td> </tr> <tr bgcolor="#FFFFFF"> <td colspan="4" align="left" valign="top"><div align="left"><img src="http://www.chesterfilmfans.co.uk/Images12/frontimage_bicyclethieves.jpg" width="560" height="350"></div></td> </tr> <tr bgcolor="#6699FF"> <td colspan="4" align="left" valign="top"><h4>Review</h4></td> </tr> <tr bgcolor="#d4d3e3"> <td colspan="4" align="left" valign="top" class="style4">Preceded by a short. This was one of the key works of the Italian post-war neo-realist movement - a school which in the late 1940s and early 1950s provided a platform for the young Michelangelo Antonioni and Luchino Visconti as well as Vittorio de Sica, in a form of filmmaking that applied poetry as well as politics to the lives of ordinary working people. Bicycle Thieves is a beautifully crafted, moving tale which follows Antonio (Maggiorani), an impoverished young father desperate to earn a crust. Landing a job in Rome as a bill-poster, he is distraught when the bicycle he needs to do his work is stolen. He and his son (Staiola) then embark on a long, dark and dispiriting journey to get it back. The allegorical nature of the story - a crushed society struggling to regain purpose and dignity while faced with powerful and incomprehensibly malign forces - is secondary to the profoundly humane nature of De Sica's film. It is a work of quiet simplicity: the film consists almost entirely of father and son, engaged in their increasingly hopeless quest. Maggiorani's limitations as a performer are hardly a problem. After his fleeting moment of pride at landing his job, he is barely required to project anything other than degrees of sadness and despair. Only occasionally does the story's pathos leak into sentimentality, as in the restaurant sequence, and although it sometimes lacks emotional complexity, this is tremendously affective filmmaking. Verdict Yes, it's a titan in the annals on cinema history, but more importantly this is a profoundly moving allegory that balances the grimness of its characters' plight against some of the period's most elegant visual poetry. Channel 4 </td> </tr> <tr bgcolor="#FF6633"> <td colspan="4" align="left" valign="top"><h4 class="style61">Trivia</h4></td> </tr> <tr bgcolor="#FFFFFF"> <td colspan="4" align="left" valign="top"> The actors in the film were all amateurs. Vittorio De Sica decided not to use professionals. Vittorio De Sica claimed he selected the actors for the characters of both Bruno and Antonio because of their walks. There's a scene later in the movie where Bruno is nearly run over twice while crossing the street. This was absolutely unrehearsed - it was filmed on location and the two cars happened to pass by at that time. Lead actor Lamberto Maggiorani really did struggle for work after this film was completed. Prospective producer David O. Selznick originally proposed casting Cary Grant as the lead. Vittorio De Sica countered with a request for Henry Fonda before deciding to cast all amateur actors. For his cast, Vittorio De Sica chose a factory fitter who had brought his son along for an audition as his male lead. His lead actress was a journalist who had approached him for an interview, while the young boy was filled by a child spotted in the crowd watching the filming. </td> </tr> <tr bgcolor="#FFFF99"> <td colspan="4" align="left" valign="top"><h4>Reception Night</h4></td> </tr> <tr bgcolor="#FFFFFF"> <td colspan="4" align="left" valign="top">On Tuesday we are delighted to host our pre-film reception to welcome all members and guests. Doors open 7.15pm, free drinks! Look forward to seeing you there.</td> </tr> <tr bgcolor="#00CCFF"> <td colspan="4" align="left" valign="top"><h4>Round Ireland with a Fridge - free film!</h4></td> </tr> <tr bgcolor="#FFFFFF"> <td colspan="4" align="left" valign="top"><img src="http://www.chesterfilmfans.co.uk/Images12/RIWAF.JPG" width="549" height="305"> I had an email from comedian Tony Hawkes last week. The makers of the award winning independent film Round Ireland With A Fridge (based on the bestselling book) invite you to stream their film for free at <a href="http://www.roundirelandwithafridge.com" target="_blank">www.roundirelandwithafridge.com </a> If you enjoy it, perhaps you'd consider a small donation. The book 'Round Ireland with a Fridge' is a great read and its author, Tony Hawks, comes across as someone you'd happily stop to offer a lift to or spend a pleasant few hours exchanging amusing anecdotes down your local pub with. The film attempts to recreate the same light-hearted tone as the book. Expect gently amusing rather than laugh out loud but with a fair degree of charm, a fine soundtrack and the likable Hawks as a genial travelling companion this is worth a watch, especially for fans of the book. </td> </tr> <tr bgcolor="#CCCCFF"> <td colspan="4" align="left" valign="top"><h4>Finally</h4></td> </tr> <tr bgcolor="#FFFFFF"> <td colspan="4" align="left" valign="top"> A busy week for me. I have also had contact from a TV production company in London called Fever Media. They are making a new programme for Discovery Channel called Dealers. This is a peak-time series which is being broadcast in the UK and several other territories around the world. They are currently looking for people with fascinating items (particularly those with film memorabilia) to come and sell them on the programme to a panel of international dealers. If you are interested please call 0207 428 5756 or email dealers@fevermedia.co.uk </td> </tr> <tr bgcolor="#99CCFF"> <td colspan="4" align="left" valign="top">Please visit <a href="http://www.chesterfilmfans.co.uk/mailing_list/news_110925.htm" target="_blank">here</a> for an online version of this issue. </td> </tr> <tr bgcolor="#99CCFF"> <td colspan="4" align="left" valign="top">This newsletter is produced by Mike Graham for Chester Film Society. Please visit <a href="http://www.chesterfilmfans.co.uk" target="_blank">www.chesterfilmfans.co.uk</a> regularly for programme information. </td> </tr> <tr> <td></td> <td height="2"></td> <td></td> <td></td> </tr> </table> <table border="0" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" class="border_2">  <tr> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> </tr> </table>

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Chester Film Society Message

Sat, 10 Sep 2011 15:18:00 GMT

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Chester Film Society Message

Sun, 04 Sep 2011 12:16:00 GMT

<table border="0" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" class="border_2">  <tr bgcolor="#FFFFFF"> <td colspan="3" align="left" valign="top"><img name="header" src="http://www.chesterfilmfans.co.uk/Images/header.gif" width="560" height="121" border="0" alt=""></td> </tr> <tr bgcolor="#FFFFFF"> <td colspan="3" align="left" valign="top">Our first film of the season takes place on: Tuesday September 6th Little Theatre 7.45pm </td> </tr> <tr bgcolor="#FFFFFF"> <td colspan="3" align="left" valign="top"><div align="left"><img src="http://www.chesterfilmfans.co.uk/Images12/frontimage_american.jpg" width="560" height="350"></div></td> </tr> <tr bgcolor="#6699FF"> <td colspan="3" align="left" valign="top">Review</td> </tr> <tr bgcolor="#d4d3e3"> <td colspan="3" align="left" valign="top" class="style4">A surprise hit in US theatres, The American is in fact a double-stunner � a retro-ish Euro-espionage thriller that's written, acted and directed as if it were still 1974. The film's formidable resolve, low-boiling story, emphasis on reverie-not-action and huge patches of stillness and quiet suggest an agenda, to make an anti-blockbuster, to hark back to the New Wave era, when texture ruled and narratives often �happened' inside the protagonists' heads. There's even a philosophical priest on hand, and a saturation bath in Italian village ambience. Nobody but George Clooney would've got it made � his career choices have routinely harboured the forgotten DNA of the Johnson-Nixon years: the neo-Sinatra heist films, the menopausal dramas (so popular in the American New Wave), the love of old-time broadcasting, the history-drenched political voyages, even rash experiments like Soderbergh's The Good German (2006) and Clooney's own Leatherheads (2008), both of them misdirected attempts at literally reincarnating Golden Age genres. Even the Coen films Clooney's starred in are closer in spirit to the Peter Sellers pictures of the 1960s than contemporary comedies; even the way Clooney is marketed and framed, whether or not the films are inherently nostalgic, still recalls the day and age when he was a boy hanging out with his dad in midwestern TV station newsrooms. The American is thus perhaps more admirable for its defiance and acidity than it is enthralling. Deliberately, we never learn the context of Clooney's insulated assassin hero as he warily tries to find anonymity in the mountain villages � who he works for, what he's done, who's trying to kill him, why precisely the higher-ups want him dead �and though the upshot certainly rhymes with the character's disconnect and his own sense of not needing to know, it leaves the film feeling ascetic, filled with vacancies and question marks, and tends to keep the story crawling. I don't think I've ever seen a Hollywood movie as enraptured with silence. Director Anton Corbin, vet only of Control and years of music videos, is completely with the Clooney programme, and in a day and age when American films are routinely packed like jack-in-the-boxes with digital cuts and overstated soundtrack madness, he's made a movie that may be only as pensive and withholding as Clooney et al remember the New Wave movies being. In other words, The American could make even The Ipcress File and The Spy Who Came in from the Cold look positively melodramatic by comparison. Still, it may be nitpicking to suggest that this is the film's downside. The American takes some getting used to but it's mature, fastidiously logical (and therefore skimpy) with exposition, and patient, and arguably this is what audiences have responded to � perhaps Clooney has succeeded, finally, in carving out a hit for the under-served over-35 demographic. It's not a film that would interest attention-deficit teens, and for that it's to be celebrated. Clooney himself is closer here to his grim Solaris mode than the gregarious charmer persona that's made him a star, and his Jack is an utterly convincing nowhere man, lean, decisive, remorseless, yet slowly realising with his ageing that his days are numbered and that he's missed out on anything human in the process of his career. Conviction grows wobbly with the light-stealing introduction of the often-nude Violante Placido as arguably the most delicious Italian hooker not yet petrified by her day job. But that's w here The American finds its pulp-movie footing again, in the beatific hope of romantic salvation. Placido is so absurdly lovely that on one hand Clooney's life-changing impulses make perfect sense � I'd kill for her, so would you � and on the other she turns an icy, brooding piece of existential angst � spy-assassin as the modern man without a country or conscience � into pure matinee pop. Michael Atkinson, Sight and Sound </td> </tr> <tr bgcolor="#FF6633"> <td colspan="3" align="left" valign="top">Trivia</td> </tr> <tr bgcolor="#FFCC99"> <td colspan="3" align="left" valign="top"> <div align="justify"> As Jack sits in the café drinking coffee alone, we hear a song played over the radio. This song is "Tu vuò fà l'americano" ("You pretend to be American"), an Italian song about an Italian man who adopts American affectations. The tattoo on Jack's right shoulder reads "Ex Gladio Equitas", which translates as "Justice From The Sword"; an apt motto for an assassin. Mathilde's suitcase code is 014 - literally double 07. With the influx of cast and crew, the existing population of Castel del Monte - 129 people - was more than doubled. When a crew member needed emergency dental work, he had to go to a nearby town as the answering machine of Castel del Monte's dentist declared that he was "unavailable, due to his appearance in a Hollywood film." </div> </td> </tr> <tr bgcolor="#009FFF"> <td colspan="3" align="left" valign="top">News</td> </tr> <tr bgcolor="#99FFFF"> <td colspan="3" align="left" valign="top">Welcome to the first newsletter of the 2011-12 season, and a big welcome to all new and rejoinging members. Memberships are selling well, we fully expect to sell out quickly. Please make sure you don't miss out. Our first night is pretty busy, please make sure you arrive in good time for the show. We are also pleased to tell you we are now on Facebook as well as Twitter. Please 'like' us! </td> </tr> <tr bgcolor="#99CCFF"> <td colspan="3" align="left" valign="top">Please visit <a href="http://www.chesterfilmfans.co.uk/mailing_list/news_110904.htm" target="_blank">http://www.chesterfilmfans.co.uk/mailing_list/news_110904</a><a href="http://www.chesterfilmfans.co.uk/mailing_list/news_100328.htm" target="_blank">.htm</a> for an online version of this issue. </td> </tr> <tr bgcolor="#99CCFF"> <td colspan="3" align="left" valign="top">This newsletter is produced by Mike Graham for Chester Film Society. Please visit <a href="http://www.chesterfilmfans.co.uk" target="_blank">www.chesterfilmfans.co.uk</a> regularly for programme information. </td> </tr> <tr> <td height="2"></td> <td></td> <td></td> </tr> </table> <table border="0" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" class="border_2">  <tr> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> </tr> </table>

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Chester Film Society Message

Thu, 25 Aug 2011 10:49:00 GMT

<table width="696" border="0" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" class="border_2">  <tr bgcolor="#FF0000"> <td colspan="3" valign="top"><div align="left"> CHESTER FILM SOCIETY NEWSLETTER August 2011 </div></td> </tr> <tr> <td width="190"></td> <td width="85"></td> <td width="391"></td> </tr> </table> <table width="696" border="0" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" class="border_2">  <tr bgcolor="#d4d3e3"> <td height="313" colspan="3" align="left" valign="top"> <img src="http://www.chesterfilmfans.co.uk/Postcards12/postcard12-nl.jpg" width="503" height="390"> New Season Open! Dear Film Fan, Welcome to the Chester Film Society 2011-12 Season. We open at The Little Theatre on Tuesday 6th September with George Clooney as The American. We offer a diverse selection of the best of worldwide films including many Award winners and Award nominees, together with a carefully selected selection of short films. This season some of the selections are being screened for the first time in this region include on 15th November, Vincere (To Win) and on 31st January Police, Adjective by the Director of 12:08 Bucharest which was one of the hits of our 2008-9 season. We also have a welcome return for stars such as Isabelle Huppert in White Material on 18th October, Gerard Depardieu in My Afternoons with Margueritte on 13th December and for Director Woody Allen's Whatever Works on 7th February 2012. The usual social events are planned including the welcome drinks reception on 27th September prior to the screening of our Classic Film The Bicycle Thieves and the pre-Christmas Reception on 13th December together with our Social event on Saturday evening 4 th February � venue to be confirmed. On the subject of venues you will note that we are touring Chester this season with 4 different venues including the much requested St Mary's Centre, which will also be the venue for the Chester International Film Festival from 7th � 17th March 2012. Chester Film Society is a membership society and therefore membership is limited. More information is available on our website <a href="http://www.chesterfilmfans.co.uk/">www.chesterfilmfans.co.uk </a> which contains such items as programme details, film times, and your ratings and comments. If you have not joined our free mailing list yet on the website please do so as this gives reminders and additional information about each film during the season. Please visit <a href="http://www.chesterfilmfans.co.uk/CFSapplication.htm">http://www.chesterfilmfans.co.uk/CFSapplication.htm </a> for your application form, if you have not received a printed programme. We have held prices this year at £38 for the full season. We fully expect memberships to be full very quickly this year based on last season, don't delay. We are publishing the full website on 1st September to give you time to join, so please don't miss out and send your completed membership application form and cheques to Rachel as soon as possible. It will be a great help if you could also include a stamped addressed envelope. Thank you for your interest and support so far - we look forward to seeing you throughout the coming season- our 41st ! Enjoy the movies! Tony Slater Secretary, on behalf of the superb six: Kenn, Linda, Mike, Rachel, Rich & Sheila. Full 2011-12 season programme: The American 2010 Italy/USA 104 mins Director: Anton Corbin Starring: George Clooney, Violante Placido George Clooney (Jack) plays a rugged hitman in this stylishly shot existentialist thriller. After a job goes wrong and experiencing a midlife crisis he moves from the winter landscape of southern Sweden to a mysterious and remote Italian village. Falling in love with a beautiful local prostitute and coming into contact with the wise local priest he is shown the possibility of a more contemplative way of life but his past is catching up with him. �A visual treat.� The Film Pligrim The Bicycle Thieves (Ladri di Biciclette) 1948 Italy 87 mins Director: Vittorio de Sica Starring: Lamberto Maggiorani, Enzo Staiola An Italian workmen Antonio (Lamberto Maggiorani) long unemployed manages to obtain a job as a poster man providing he has a bicycle. Selling nearly all the impoverished family possessions he manages to buy a second hand one. On his first day of the bicycle is stolen and Antonio, his small son Bruno (Enzo Staiola) and their friends search post World War II Rome for it. Vittorio de Sica's film explores the touching relationship between father and son and the shame and guilt that easily creep into desperate lives. Recognised as the duel in the crown of the postwar Italian movement the achievement is even more remarkable due to the performances of the non-professional lead actors. �Unquestionably a masterpiece.� Halliwell's Morning Glory 2010 USA 107 mins Director: Roger Mitchell Starring: Rachel McAdams, Diane Keaton, Harrison Ford Becky (Rachel McAdams) has just been made redundant as a TV show producer. Desperate to find another position she finally obtains one as a producer for �Daybreak' with the remit to save the struggling show from plummeting ratings. However the job is made more difficult than even she thought involving the sacking of the co-host and trying to convince the egotistical news reporter Mike (Harrison Ford) to take the new job as anchorman. This scenario is further complicated when Becky falls for the handsome Adam (Patrick Wilson). Will Becky be able to hold onto her dream job and her sanity? White Material 2009 France 102 mins Director: Claire Denis Starring: Isabelle Huppert, Christopher Lambert Set in a nameless, lawless African state, Maria (Isabel Huppert) runs a coffee plantation and is living in increasingly threatening and dangerous environment. Ignoring all warnings to leave, Maria, her family and her business becomes the focus of local hatred. One of the most critically acclaimed films of 2009. Claire Denis' riveting and powerful thriller examines the highly charged and controversial legacy of colonialism. �Nominated Award Best Director Golden Lion Venice 2009 [REC] 2007 Spain 78 mins Director: Jaume Balaguero, Paco Plaza Starring: Manuela Velasco The crew of a late night reality TV show make a visit to a fire station. Then comes a call about an old woman trapped in her apartment the [REC] Record button is on, the safety rails off and the edge-of-the-seat tension is sustained to the very last second. [REC] is that rare cinematic treat - a horror film that's actually scary! Winner Silver Scream Award Amsterdam Fantastic Film Festival 2008 [REC] is accompanied by La Cabina. A man becomes trapped in a telephone box, while passersby seem unable to help him. This simple story starts off as a comedy and sprials into a surreal nightmare. It's one of those films you will never forget. Vincere (To Win) 2009 Italy 119 mins Director: Marco Bellnochio Starring: Filippo Timi, Giovanna Mezzogiorno, Fausto Russo Alesi The extraordinary story of fascist director Benito Mussolini's (Filippo Timi) secret mistress Ida Daiser (Giovanna Mezzogiorno) and her struggle for recognition. Having been loved by the ruthless and ambitious Mussolini and having borne him a son Ida has to fight to overcome the denial and her erasure from Il Duce's official biography. Nominated Best Director Palme d'Or 2009 Winter's Bone 2010 USA 100 mins Director: Debra Granik Starring: Jennifer Lawrence, Jon Hawkes A journey into the poor backwoods white community of America, following the fortunes of young Ree Dolly (Jennifer Lawrence) as she tries to hold her family together. The film moves from being a study of a tight-knit community to low key thriller as Ree embarks upon an increasingly dangerous search for her missing father. �American independent cinema does not get much better� The Scotsman My Afternoons with Margueritte (La Tete en Friche) 2010 France 82 mins Director: Jean Becker Starring: Gerard Depardieu, Gisele Casadesus The chance meeting between Germain (Gerard Depardieu) and Margueritte (Gisele Casadesus) is the basis for this charming story of a growing friendship based on words and books. A feel good film for the festive season! The Bothersome Man (Den Brysomme Mannen) 2008 Norway 95 mins Director: Jens-Lien Starring: Trond-Fausa Aurvaag, Petronella Barker 40 year old Andreas (Trond-Fausa Aurvaag) steps off a bus into a strange city with no memory of how he got there. It all seems familiar but the citizens do not seem to connect or even enjoy themselves. It isn't long before Andreas meets and marries an attractive interior designer Anna Brith (Petronella Barker) and the pair settle into a comfortable if emotionally vacant routine. Very soon Andreas starts to question why everyone and everything seems so superficial and decides to do some investigations with surprising results. Given it's deadpan tone the most obvious influence is Franz Kafka. Of Gods and Men (Des Hommes et Des Dieux) 2008 France 122 mins Director: Xavier Beauvois Starring: Lambert Wilson, Michael Lonsdale, Olivier Rabourdin Christian (Lambert Wilson) and Luc (Michael Lonsdale) are monks living in a Catholic monastery during the 1990's Algerian civil war. Their sense of fraternity with the locals both Catholic and Islamic is challenged by the violent incursion of guerilla fighers into the area and up to the gates of the monastery. Threatened by the guerilla fighters and distrusted by the government who consider that they are aiding the rebels they are forced to question themselves and their mission. As the situation deteriorates the Order is forced to choose to stay or to go. BAFTA nomination best foreign film 2009. Samson and Delilah 2009 Australia 101 mins Director: Warwick Thornton Starring: Marissa Thornton, Mitjilli Gibson, Rowan McNamara They are called Samson and Delilah and though there are scenes where they cut their air but otherwise there seems no great significance or irony in their names. Samson and Delilah's world is a small and isolated community in the central Australian desert. When tragedy strikes they turn their backs on home and take off together in a stolen car embarking on a journey of survival. Lost, unwanted and alone in the big city they discover that life isn't always fair however love never judges. A rapt and heartfelt piece� Daily Telegraph �Quietly devastating drama with an almost mythic quality� The Times Police, Adjective 2009 Romania 115 mins Director: Corneliu Porumboiu Starring: Dragos Bucur, Vlad Ivanov From the Director of the acclaimed �12:08 East of Bucharest'. A blackly humorous police drama in which a policeman Cristi (Dragos Bucur) suffers from a crisis of conscience when he is assigned to gather evidence against a college student dabbling with soft drugs. Arguing for leniency to be shown towards what he regards a youthful irresponsibility, he finds his superiors have a very different interpretation of morality and the law. However Cristi is determined to go the whole way to make his point. Whatever Works 2009 USA 92 mins Director: Woody Allen Starring: Larry David, Rachel Wood, Patricia Clarkson Boris Yellnikoff (Larry David) attempts to impress his idealogies on anyone who will listen. He surprisingly befriends a young naive Mississippi runaway Melodie (Rachel Wood) to come and join him temporarily in his flat. As Boris begins to mould the impressionable young girl's worldly views to match his own he begins to mellow which leads to a loving relationship. Despite their differences in age they marry and start to live a routine life that is until out of the blue Melodie's mother Marietta (Patricia Clarkson) arrives challenging all of Boris's views. Yella 2007 Germany 107 mins Director: Christian Petzold Starring: Nina Hoss, Devid Striesow Yella (Nina Hoss) leaves her home town in East Germany for a promising job and a new lifestyle in Hanover but once there she is haunted by the truths of her past. She becomes an assistant to Philipp (Devid Striesow) an executive in a private equity company and quickly gets involved in the world of big business and personal relationships. Hoping her dream of happiness can be achieved she tries to discount the voices she starts to hear from her past which menace her hoped for new and better life. Skeletons 2009 UK 94 mins Director: Nick Whitfield Starring: Will Adamsdale, Andrew Buckley Two shadowy figures are the representatives of a company that specialises in exhuming difficult and painful memories, inaccessible to every other kind of therapy. An original and dark comedy that is outright weird most of the time. Winner of the Michael Powell Award for best feature film at the Edinburgh Film Festival 2010. �A real breath of fresh air - both odd and very funny� The Guardian Nominated Outstanding Debut Writer/Director BAFTAs 2011 Fish Story (Fisshu Sutori) 2009 Japan 112 mins Director: Yoshihiro Nakamura Starring: Gaku Hamada, Atsushi Ito, Vincent Giry Based on the novel by Kotaro Isaka Fish Story weaves together several seemingly seperate storylines taking place at different points in time over a 37 year period to explain how a little known punk rock song can save the world. The story moves from 1975 when ill-fated punk band Gerikin wrote their final song Fen Si to 1980 where rumours of hidden messages in the song surface, to 2009 when a boat is taken over by terrorists and finally to the future in 2012 where a huge comet threatens to destroy the Earth. Here, at the end, can a punk rock song offer mankind their only hope? �A cool surreal film and not a little fishy� Empire London River 2009 France/UK 83 mins Director: Rachid Bouchareb Starring: Brenda Blethyn, Sotigui Kouyate Two unconnected individuals Elizabeth (Brenda Blethyn) and Ouamane (Sotigui Kouyate) come to London to search for their children who are missing in the aftermath of the 7/7 bombings. As their search progresses a friendship develops between the two seemingly unconnected people. Beautifully detailed, this film convincingly creates a portrait of a multi-ethnic city struggling to come to terms with the terrorist attack. Academy Award Winner 2010 Brenda Blethyn �Humane, stunningly acted, Blethyn is magnificent.� Evening Standard Alamar 2009 Mexico/Spain 89 mins Director: Pedro Gonalez-Rubio Starring: Jorge Machado, Natan Machado Palombini, Nestor Marin Jorge (Jorge Machado) a Mexican fisherman is spending quality time with his son Natan (Natan Machado Palombini) before his returns to Italy with his mother. Father and son bond as they work and play together in the beautifully photographed idyllic location of Mexico's coral reef, painting boats and even making friends with a perky white egret, Blanquilla. �Do not miss this film. I loved every minute of it.� Time Out Agora 2009 Spain 127 mins Director: Alejandro Amenabar Starring: Rachel Weisz, Max Minghella Set in Alexandria in the 4th century AD, the centre of this drama is Hypatia, a pagan intellectual woman much admired by her pupils and respected by men of influence, yet who becomes a subject of persecution. �Agora' throws a revealing light on a turbulent period that pre-dates by a couple of centuries the coming of Islam, and the conflicts of our own multi-ethnic times. Winner Best Cinematography and Screeplay Goya Awards 2010 Nominated Audience Award Best European Film Awards 2010 </td> </tr> <tr align="center" valign="middle" bgcolor="#FFFFFF" class="brder"> <td colspan="3" class="brder">  </td> </tr> <tr align="center" valign="middle" bgcolor="#4ca2d4"> <td colspan="3" valign="top">This newsletter is produced by Mike Graham for Chester Film Society. Please visit <a href="http://www.chesterfilmfans.co.uk" target="_blank">www.chesterfilmfans.co.uk</a> regularly for programme information. </td> </tr> <tr> <td width="280"></td> <td width="47"></td> <td width="339"></td> </tr> </table>

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Chester Film Society Message

Fri, 22 Apr 2011 14:38:00 GMT

<table border="0" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" class="border_2">  <tr bgcolor="#FF9966"> <td colspan="3" align="left" valign="top"><img src="http://www.chesterfilmfans.co.uk/Images10/newsheader.png" width="560" height="100"></td> </tr> <tr bgcolor="#FFFFFF"> <td colspan="3" align="left" valign="top"><div align="left"><img src="http://www.chesterfilmfans.co.uk/Images07/thatsall.jpg" alt="Tony Slater" width="228" height="298" align="bottom"></div></td> </tr> <tr bgcolor="#d4d3e3"> <td colspan="3" align="left" valign="top" class="style4">A final mailshot this season to thank you for your support of Chester Film Society during the 2010-11 season. So how did our 40th season rate? Top Film: Cinema Paradiso - 9.40 making it your highest rated film, beating the previous winner Casablanca. Bottom film: Half Moon - 4.77. Half Moon and Disgrace were the only 2 films to get no rating of 10. Full details can be found by visiting <a href="http://www.chesterfilmfans.co.uk">www.chesterfilmfans.co.uk</a>. Many thanks for your feedback and comments on the films during the season. We'll soon begin the process of selecting films for the new season. Please contact us with any films you've seen which you think we'd like, and thanks for your suggestions so far. We'll do our best to get them for you. Sometimes we can't book a film due to copyright or distribution rights. Even though a film may be on sale that does not mean it has rights for viewing to a non-theatrical audience. We hope you enjoyed our 40th season and the classics that we showed. Regardless of how many times you have seen them, seeing a film as intended to an audience is still a magical experience for me. Summer Activities In the meantime, I've been given notice of a couple of activities which might be of interest to members. First off, a company offering the opportunity to take part in a film holiday from the 4th of June to the 18th of June 2011, in Provence, France. The Holiday Movie Company offers film making experience holidays for novice film makers and complete beginners (but all are welcome), coached by experienced film makers (ex BBC, etc). As a guest on our holiday you will use professional equipment and work with a professional actor, and a supporting amateur cast. All guests get a chance to direct a set number of scenes from the screenplay and can choose any role in the film crew (camera, sound, etc). Check out the website for full details: <a href="http://www.theholidaymoviecompany.com" target="_blank">www.theholidaymoviecompany.com </a> Secondly, Stanley Cavell: Philosophical Criticism and Classic Hollywood Cinema - a course at the Oxford University Summer School for Adults. 16th-23rd July. This course will introduce students to ways of viewing and appreciating movies from arguably the most important and influential period in filmmaking history. Exploring films such as Howard Hawks's Bringing Up Baby, Frank Capra's It's A Wonderful Life, Buster Keaton's Neighbours and Charlie Chaplin's The Adventurer, the course will examine suggestive concepts in Stanley Cavell's writing, opening up crucial questions. With their emphasis on exteriors, how do Hollywood films reveal interiority? How are they both literal and metaphorical? By exploring these questions through the work of Cavell we can better understand the significance of these classic films, and enhance our enjoyment of them. Full details here: <a href="http://www.conted.ox.ac.uk/courses/details.php?id=P303-11&pos=135&wk=2" target="_blank">http://www.conted.ox.ac.uk/courses/details.php?id=P303-11&pos=135&wk=2</a> So all's that left is to wish you a great summer - we'll contact you again with details of the 2011-12 season in due course. Thanks again, Mike, on behalf of the committee. </td></tr> <tr bgcolor="#99CCFF"> <td colspan="3" align="left" valign="top">Please visit <a href="http://www.chesterfilmfans.co.uk/mailing_list/news_110422.htm" target="_blank">http://www.chesterfilmfans.co.uk/mailing_list/news_110422</a><a href="http://www.chesterfilmfans.co.uk/mailing_list/news_100328.htm" target="_blank">.htm</a> for an online version of this issue. </td> </tr> <tr bgcolor="#99CCFF"> <td colspan="3" align="left" valign="top">This newsletter is produced by Mike Graham for Chester Film Society. Please visit <a href="http://www.chesterfilmfans.co.uk" target="_blank">www.chesterfilmfans.co.uk</a> regularly for programme information. </td> </tr> <tr> <td height="2"></td> <td></td> <td></td> </tr> </table> <table border="0" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" class="border_2">  <tr> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> </tr> </table>

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Sun, 17 Apr 2011 09:25:00 GMT

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Sun, 17 Apr 2011 08:58:00 GMT

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Sun, 03 Apr 2011 10:02:00 GMT

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Sun, 20 Mar 2011 10:47:00 GMT

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