When you think of Ryan Reynolds, mainstream movies such as The Proposal or The Green Lantern come to mind, and yet this Canadian actor has an impressive list of indie films to his name as well. The Nines, Paper Man and Buried are just a few, as well as 2014’s The Voices, directed by Marjane Satrapi. Both Buried and The Voices are Black List films, meaning before they were produced, their scripts made it on to a list that recognises the year's most-liked unproduced screenplays as voted on by film executives and industry insiders. According to the blcklst.com website, “The Black List is where filmmakers find great material to make films and great material finds filmmakers to make them.” It’s also home to Scott Myers' screenwriting blog Go Into The Story, which is very much worth a read if you’ve got the time.
When you think of Ryan Reynolds, mainstream movies such as The Proposal or The Green Lantern come to mind, and yet this Canadian actor has an impressive list of indie films to his name as well. The Nines, Paper Man and Buried are just a few, as well as 2014’s The Voices, directed by Marjane Satrapi. Both Buried and The Voices are Black List films, meaning before they were produced, their scripts made it on to a list that recognises the year's most-liked unproduced screenplays as voted on by film executives and industry insiders. According to the blcklst.com website, “The Black List is where filmmakers find great material to make films and great material finds filmmakers to make them.” It’s also home to Scott Myers' screenwriting blog Go Into The Story, which is very much worth a read if you’ve got the time.
Here are my highlights for the week.
The Voices … Saturday 18th June, 8.30pm
This colourful and macabre black comedy features an interesting international cast including Iranian-born French filmmaker Marjane Satrapi and actors Anna Kendrick, Gemma Arterton, Jacki Weaver and Ryan Reynolds.
The Voices is Marjane Satrapi’s first English language film and marks a departure from her Oscar nominated film Persepolis, and follow up Chicken with Plums, largely because she’s not telling one of her own stories.
The film is set in the American Midwest but was shot in Berlin, and the offbeat script is the work of television and film writer Michael R. Perry (American Gothic, Paranormal Activity 2). It tells the story of a seeming pleasant, naïve guy called Gerry (Reynolds) who works in a small town factory where he fancy’s Fiona (Arterton), the attractive girl in accounts. It soon becomes clear though that Gerry is a schizophrenic, and encouraged by his talking cat Mr. Whiskers, he stops taking his meds and becomes a serial killer. Gerry’s dog Boscoe, with whom he also has conversations, tries to keep Gerry on the straight and narrow, but Gerry just can’t stop cutting off his girlfriend’s heads and putting them in the fridge.
It sounds horrific I know, but for all its brutality Satrapi never shows us the really gory moments, and presents this highly stylised film in a colourful, kitsch and humourous manner. Reynolds joins in on the fun by not just playing Gerry but also voicing Boscoe and Mr. Whiskers – his real life Scottish agent being the inspiration for his interpretation of Mr. Whiskers. There’s even a song and dance number at the end, just to make sure you finish the film with a smile on your face.
My Summer in Provence … Monday 13th June, 8.30pm
This pleasant, light family drama tells the story of three Parisian teenage siblings Lea (Chloe Jouannet) and Adrien (Hugo Dessioux), and their deaf younger brother, Theo (Lukas Pelissier) who are shipped off to their grandparents farm in the picturesque Camargue region for the summer while their parents go through a divorce.
Typical teenagers, the kids complain about a lack of air conditioning, vegan food and reliable Internet connection, but they get little sympathy from their grumpy grandfather Paul (Jean Reno) who they’ve just met for the first time. An argument between Paul and his daughter has meant he has never met his grandchildren before now, and it turns out they have little patience for each other.
The film is filled with clichés and overacting, mostly on behalf of the older kids, and yet there are lovely, sunshine filled moments that capture life in the South of France. You may as well start Googling flights now…
The Last Gladiators… Wednesday 15th June, 8.30pm
Those not familiar with the sport of ice hockey will find The Last Gladiators, a documentary by Oscar winning filmmaker Alex Gibney, a revelation. This upfront, brutal and honest film looks at the dark side of ice hockey through the rise and fall of famed hockey enforcer Chris ‘Knuckles’ Nilan, and his struggle to adjust to life after hockey.
Some people think rugby is a tough, physical game and to be honest, there are times I’m amazed anyone can still run let alone walk after 80 minutes, but compared to ice hockey, it’s a gentlemanly sport. Part of The Last Gladiators is looking at the role of the ‘goon’ in ice hockey, the guys who go out onto the ice to protect the more skillful members responsible for scoring goals.
Through Chris Nilan and his teammates, we learn about the expectations put on the goon or enforcer from management and the crowd to go out on to the ice and bash each other. It’s not a game unless an enforcer has smashed a member of the opposition in the face. It becomes apparent pretty quickly in this documentary that ice hockey is a game for a certain kind of guy.
Another aspect of this documentary is how professional athlete’s transition to life after sport. Chris Nilan’s case is an extreme example of how life can spiral out of control, but it’s a reminder that if we expect people to put their bodies on the line for their sport, there maybe lifelong consequences. And regardless of how talented you are at your given sport – everyone needs a back up plan.