Scarlett Johansson creeping around Glasgow

This is a film that takes over the senses from the very first frame. In fact Jonathan Glazer's film 'Under the Skin' does just that so you need to pay attention.
I've more analysis on this one, especially the soundtrack, which seemed to drive one or two of the audience to abandon their seats for the sunshine. From the outset we find a naked Ms Johansson stripping a dead girl and then dressing herself in the clothing before visiting a shopping centre to buy makeup and other clothing. She's helped aong the way by a guy on a high-powered motorcycle whose job appears to be cleaning up after Ms S whose sexual desires vary from faces to handss to bodies.
The fact that there was Scottish money in this production meant a hefty dose of Glaswegian accents - if they weren't then I apologise, but I understood more by translating the Italian subtitles than listening to the soundtrack. What is clear is that Ms S is up to no good and her inability to eat or drink without vomiting clearly says 'alien' in my book. It's only at the end that we see her true form.
The countryside is wild, wet and simply stunning. Coupled with the soundtrack that screeches and gnaws away at your very soul.
I'd be interested to hear how others interpret this film, unless they've read the book by Michael Faber, because two or three conversations I overheard made me think I'd been watching a different movie.

No 'Parkland', no 'Gravity', but did I miss much?

Sadly I didn't get chance to see Peter Landesman's 'Parkland' - a retelling of the assissination of JFK based on the book 'Four Days in November' . According to Variety's Peter Debruge I appear to have been spared a 'tacky' 92 minutes.

On a more positive note, the festival's opening movie 'Gravity', with George Clooney as a space shuttle pilot and Sandra Bullock as a biochemical engineer, seems to have hit the right note. The story covers the destruction of the shuttle leaving Clooney and Bullock floating around in the void with dwindling oxygen supplies, no contact with Earth and, therefore, no hope of rescue.

While being marooned with Clooney anywhere is the dream of countless women, I'll face deep space with Sandra Bullock anytime!

Despite the lateness of this piece, I'm just off to see Terry Gilliam's new fantasy adventure 'The Zero Theorem'.

'Miss Violence' really hits home

Greek director Alexandros Avranas treats this harrowing story to stunning effect, in my view. I'll publish a longer blog later, when I can rely on my internet connection lasting longer than 4 minutes, but for the time being lets give due credit to Avranas.
Thankfully devoid of the endlessly moving steadicam shots we seem to find everywhere these days, he resorts to almost no camera movement letting the actressess (in this case) move in and out of shot. I found this both refreshing and essential to the focus of the story. The young girls give an excellent performance remaining almost expressionless, even more so in close-up.
It doesn't take a psychologist to work out what's going on behind the doors of this oddly emotionless family - even when the daughter, who is celebrating (in a very muted way) her 11th birthday, calmly and quietly throws herself off the balcony to her death.
Back with more on this movie shortly.

Back at the Mostra

It's good to be back at the Mostra again but before I begin: lesson one.
Never try to use Blogger, it's a complete nightmare to get into. We have to see if this first blog ever reaches the screen let alone the internet.
So any changes since my last visit way back in 2010?
Well, the building programme hasn't finished. Some problems I didn't delve into but it's looking promising. The press office team, those at the sharp end dealing with people like me are, as usual excellent, though I did begin with a few moans that have never been resolved since I started coming to the Mostra. Getting into press conferences was my first gripe. The answer was to write more this year and then apply for a better pass next time. Strange as there's never been an issue with either quality or quantity in the past. The real problem is too many hangers-on in the industry are simply autograph hunters and should never be allowed into the press conference.
But, I'm here enjoying it and trying to get into see several offerings.
More to follow.