It’s all part of the Spike is 60 film festival which kicks off with Mo Better Blues (a day before Spike’s actual birthday on the 20th) then runs across the year before wrapping up with a screening of Chiraq in November. Find out more about Sunday’s event and the festival here.

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It documents the history of hip-hop fashion and features Kanye, Diddy and Pharrell  – so all roads lead to the Rio Cinema on 24th October!  Full deets here.

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With a modest duration of 102 minutes the film wastes no time in putting in place all the pieces that make an engrossing depression-era drama: there’s two fierce but flawed central characters who have their own demons to face, supporting characters who are there to make the protagonist’s lives difficult (a sheriff and a henchman gamely played by Toby Jones and Rhys Ifans respectively) and a tragedy that concludes a bigger-than-life romance. So nothing in this film is particularly original but acclaimed Danish director Susanne Bier treats the story with her characteristic sensibility,  getting under the skin of the characters. A special mention must be given to the beautiful landscapes and the high production values that transport you back to the 19th century.
For lovers of old-school melodrama then, Serena will be a good-night out. The cynics amongst the audience though may well think that all this drama unfolding in the screen could be avoided if Mr’s Pemberton pick-up line was something different from a marriage proposal. (Words: Apostolos Kostoulas)
Serena had its world premiere at the 58th BFI London Film Festival and it will be released nationwide on 24 October.

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It all kicks off from Valentine’s Day onwards so  for more info, visit: www.troxy.co.uk/event/future-cinema-presents-who-framed-roger-rabbit-3

Have you been to a Future Cinema event? Let us know in the comments…

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The cast is strong and well played by Newton and Ejiofor. Mama is played excellently by Onwenu giving a convincing portrayal of an African local woman. From her facial expressions, quiet mutterings to herself and clever lines like “I am too old to die young”, Onwenu brings a unique charm to the film.

Also, it’s  refreshing to see things through the directorial eyes of an African (Biyi Bandele) rather than a Westerner looking in , and as a result, the viewer is invited to understand some of the specific cultural themes of Nigeria at this time: an older African woman from a village struggling to connect with her son’s educated girlfriend from the capital; the mother then finally asking Olanna if her family will accept the “bride price” (another way of saying she approves and is happy for them to marry); and the extreme loyalty of Ugwu, Olanna and Odenigbo’s “house boy” (servant).

Unlike other films of the same genre, it does not demonise or elevate political characters. It allows actual footage of the Nigerian-Biafran war to bring the political tone, and instead focuses on the personal impact of this terrible time on these four young professionals.

It’s a  debut film  for  Bandele, and while there are a few shortcomings in the flow of the narrative (it’s a weighty book that probably needs a TV series rather than a 111 minutes of screen time), he does a decent job of bringing Adichie’s famous novel to the screen. (Words: Sharon Gaisie)

Half of a Yellow Sun is released in cinemas March 2014 

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Wild Style was a seminal piece of cinema and the first to record South Bronx living. It featured the relatively unknown disciplines of b-boying, graffiti artists, MC-ing and turntablism – so synonymous with Hip Hop now. Many of the cast were straight from the scene, representing the culture they were developing (from within around five boroughs in New York) including Flash Five Freddy, Grandmaster Flash and The Rock Steady Crew. The film has famously been sampled on albums by everyone from Nas, the Beastie Boys and Jurassic 5. Naturally the soundtrack is one of the essential Hip Hop albums to date and some of its music disciplines play testament at this event. The night features a screening of the film followed by a late night event with guest DJs including Ghostpoet, Tim Westwood, Alexander Nut and Patchwork Pirates: all masters of their art and truly influenced by this old skool style. The low fi effects of Wild Style may be a far cry from the big budget bling we see today but there can’t be much more authentic than the atmosphere of this film. And the night promises to revive some of those vibes too. (Words: Laura Thornley) For more info visit: www.ovalspace.co.uk

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The plot revolves around a trip from Montana to Nebraska that David Grant makes with his father Woody, a forgetful old boozer who believes that he has won a million dollars in a lottery and wants to collect the money in person from the company’s office. The first part of the film may feel a little bit slow as David repeatedly tries to persuade his father that the whole thing is a hoax before finally succumbing to his wish and thinking that a trip with his old man will be a good way to spend some time together. However, from the moment they decide to make a pit- stop at the town that Woody grew up in, the film reveals its rich emotional core. As we meet Woody’s estranged family and his old friends and foes we, along with David, get an illuminating look at his father’s past and start to realise how he became the man that he is now. In the meantime, aided by a beautifully written script by Bob Nelson and the wonderful black-and-white cinematography of Payne regular Phedon Papamichael, Payne once again shows his knack for making us care for regular folks and laugh with them not at them, painting a portrait of the small-town Midwest that brings in mind the warmth of Frank Capra and the wit of Preston Sturges.

 
It would be fair to say though that the emotional power of the film mainly comes from the terrific performances of the two main leads. Veteran actor Bruce Dern shines in a role that deservedly gave him the Best Actor Award in Cannes and will hopefully earn him an Oscar too. Meanwhile,  Will Forte, who is more famous for roles in madcap comedies like 30 Rock feels totally at ease in a more dramatic role. In fact their chemistry is so good that by the end of the film you will feel that rare knot in your heart. If you are looking for a film to watch with your old man (regardless if he may have a drinking problem or not) Nebraska is the perfect choice. (Words: Apostolos Kostoulas)

 
Nebraska was screened at the 57th BFI London Film Festival and will be released nationwide on December 6th.

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The film’s major strength is the realism with which it depicts those turbulent teenage years. The screenwriting duo of Scott Neustadter and Michael H Webber ( 500 Days of Summer) has written a script that opts for sincerity rather than quirkiness and easy laughs, giving us characters that talk refreshingly  like normal teenagers. The two young actors are both excellent in the roles, deservingly receiving a Special Jury Prize for acting at Sundance. This should be the breakthrough role for Miles Teller who makes us care about an immature hard-partying high-school senior who seems to have no plans for his future and earns our wholehearted sympathy when he finds out the difficult way that he cannot always live for the moment. As for Shailene Woodley, who first caught our eyes as the rebellious daughter of George Clooney in The Descendants, she excels in a very different role, oozing sweetness and vulnerability.
In fact Woodley is so good that you wish that the film could spend a little more time with her character’s journey towards self-confidence instead of focusing primarily on the male character’s hopes and fears (500 Days of Summer can also be criticised for paying more attention to the male than the female character). This is however a minor quibble for a film that reminds us that despite what hollow stylistic exercises like Spring Breakers and The Bling Ring shout about, teenagers are complicated people who are starting to realise how messy life can be and try their best to cope with it. (Words: Apostolos Kostoulas)
The Spectacular Now will have its UK premiere at the 57th BFI London Film Festival tonight.  It shows at selected UK cinemas later this month. 

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It wouldn’t be a true cinema experience without snacks and food will be available from local London foodies such as Suda’s Bangkok street food cart, Italian Dalla Terra and Bill’s as well as free gourmet popcorn for all.
If you’re looking to impress or truly make it an experience you can also book a table at one of the courtyard’s restaurants to catch the screening with most of the restaurants offering special menus to accompany the shows.
Visit http://www.stmartinscourtyard.co.uk/fashionfilmfestival to enter the prize draw to win tickets, though some tickets will be available on the day on a first come basis.

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We Are The Freaks

Not everything taking place in the festival is pure film watching though. There are industry classes to help upcoming filmmakers with important skills such as making the leap from short to full length feature. Alternative filmmaking events such as Emerge, an afternoon full of talks, interactive installations and screenings will explore the future of filmmaking with the use of new and developing technology and will also be taking place during the festival. The diversity of genres, topics and techniques on display at this festival is just incredible. Whether you’re interested in making films, or just watching them, they’ll be no shortage of talent for you to admire here. (Words: Nori Bell-Bhuiyan) On from 25th June – 10th July. For more information visit: www.eastendfilmfestival.com

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