A wide spectrum is covered on the film reviews on The Arts Desk this week from a celebration of a madcap Miss World competition to a re-imagined novel to the life of a cult writer through the eyes of a cult director.
'The British Guide to Showing Off' is a documentary that charts the story of the Alternative Miss World competition and was one of the more offbeat movie releases this week. The story was fashioned into a glowing scrapbook-style piece by director Jes Benstock using early archive fragments and more recent TV and personal footage.
'Sun Flower and the Secret Fan' is essentially a chick flick attempting to be something more. Two parallel stories are told - one in the modern day and one in the 19th century - of laotang, the special best friendship between two women, pre-arranged from birth. Though beautifully filmed, the movie cannot reach beyond its tired formula and proved to be particularly disappointing.
In Andrea Arnold's take on Emily Bronte's classic novel 'Wuthering Heights', traditional period drama is eschewed. The novel is tackled by the director with a degree of authenticity, but it is not entirely successful. The only soundtrack used are the savage winds and hand-held cameras add to the authenticity. The dialogue is largely dispensed by Arnold, which is one of the main disappointments of the film, given the power of the language of the novel.
Johnny Depp plays the lead role in 'The Rum Diary' but his performances are becoming mere caricatures. The film is an affectionate homage to the Hunter S Thompson, in his pre-LSD days in the early 1960s when he was a talented, eager young journalist. Overall, the film seems to be unsure of itself and the tone is quite slapstick rather than elegiac as in the novel.
Wim Wenders' 1982 neo noir 'Hammett' was checked out by Graham Fuller in the latest DVD releases. With a distinctive Wenders feel, humorous yet melancholy, with a dark and claustrophobic atmosphere, the film is an absolute gem.
'The British Guide to Showing Off' is a documentary that charts the story of the Alternative Miss World competition and was one of the more offbeat movie releases this week. The story was fashioned into a glowing scrapbook-style piece by director Jes Benstock using early archive fragments and more recent TV and personal footage.
'Sun Flower and the Secret Fan' is essentially a chick flick attempting to be something more. Two parallel stories are told - one in the modern day and one in the 19th century - of laotang, the special best friendship between two women, pre-arranged from birth. Though beautifully filmed, the movie cannot reach beyond its tired formula and proved to be particularly disappointing.
In Andrea Arnold's take on Emily Bronte's classic novel 'Wuthering Heights', traditional period drama is eschewed. The novel is tackled by the director with a degree of authenticity, but it is not entirely successful. The only soundtrack used are the savage winds and hand-held cameras add to the authenticity. The dialogue is largely dispensed by Arnold, which is one of the main disappointments of the film, given the power of the language of the novel.
Johnny Depp plays the lead role in 'The Rum Diary' but his performances are becoming mere caricatures. The film is an affectionate homage to the Hunter S Thompson, in his pre-LSD days in the early 1960s when he was a talented, eager young journalist. Overall, the film seems to be unsure of itself and the tone is quite slapstick rather than elegiac as in the novel.
Wim Wenders' 1982 neo noir 'Hammett' was checked out by Graham Fuller in the latest DVD releases. With a distinctive Wenders feel, humorous yet melancholy, with a dark and claustrophobic atmosphere, the film is an absolute gem.
About the Author:
Steve Alexander is a writer who enjoys reading the latest film reviews in the UK. For more information and film reviews, visit theartsdesk.com.
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