On Friday night I had the pleasure of attending the Glasgow premiere of the cult classic shitfest that is The Room, Tommy Wiseau’s masterwork and the oft-proclaimed Citizen Kane of bad movies.

I was aware of the madness that surrounds the film, and managed to get a hold of a copy beforehand, but decided to hold back from watching it. I wanted my cinema experience to be pure and undiluted because, as wikipedia puts it:

“Fans interact with the film in a similar fashion to The Rocky Horror Picture Show. Audience members dress up as their favorite characters, throw plastic spoons at the movie screen (a reference to unexplained framed photos of cutlery often seen in the background), toss footballs to each other from short distances, and yell insulting comments and criticisms about the quality of the film.”

This being Glasgow however, I was not sure how this would play out. I did however check out the myraid clips on youtube, and familiarised myself with the most epic lines so I could shout along at will if the moment took me. And boy, I’m glad I did. The screening resembled a frat party rather than a film. Upon arriving at the GFT (the best cinema in Glasgow, as I’m sure you already know) I was shocked to see the line was right out the front door. The excitement was palpable, with beers being passed back and forth and favourite lines being yelled at one another. We were given Audience Participation Guides to aid our enjoyment:

We took our seats and the madness began.

I feel as if I cannot claim to review this film, as the combination of much alcohol and the giddy feeling of shouting at a screen and throwing spoons rendered any objectivity moot. I had an absolute blast. At certain points, the film was abandoned altogether and an American football was launched around the crowd, and punters took it upon themselves to begin random spoon fights and shout nonsensical gibberish. All I will say about the film is that it lends itself well to this kind of screening. I can’t remember the last time I had so much fun in a picture house.

If you get the chance to see this film anywhere, please do it. But come prepared: bring a sense of humour, beer and of course spoons. You won’t be sorry. And If you are not convinced you would fork out your hard-earned to see a film of such magnificent arse, then take a look at this. Make sure to pay particular attention to the quotes from no particular source: “It’s the best movie of the year…”:

Try and tell me that doesn’t look incredible.

I really wanted to love I Love You Philip Morris. Everything the movie had displayed in the trailers pointed towards a moving yet blackly funny story of love and heists gone wrong, and had the promise of two of Hollywood’s most game actors, Jim Carrey and Ewan MacGregor. But alas, I could not bring myself to fall in love with it.

First time writer-directors Glenn Ficarra and John Requa have written a tight and funny script, but its in the execution of this that the film slips away from them slightly. Tonally, the film jumps from dark drama to belly laughs and back again so quickly its unnerving. The dramatic moments are played just as well as the gags, but to me it seems as if the film cannot decide which way it wants to lean, and in the end comes off a little confused.

Don’t get me wrong, there are plenty of things to like about the film, most notably the performances from the two leads. This is no bandwagon-jumping gay film, Carrey’s Steven Russel and MacGregor’s titular Philip Morris truly fall in love and the scenes they share are as tender and sweet as any rom-com out there and both actors throw themselves into the roles; Carrey as the manically determined liar and Ewan as a overly sweet and caring submissive. And it’s properly funny, especially in its excellent opening fifteen minutes.

But all in all, Philip Morris is a funny yet flawed story that should be applauded for the brave and confident efforts of two directors finding their feet as helmers. I can’t wait to see what they make next.

Advocates of Chris Morris’ comedy know that he loves controversy. It’s practically where he lives. But not even his most ardent fans believed he would tackle the thorny issue of terrorism and play it for laughs. But since his resume reads like a what’s-what of hot-button issues (paedophilia, politics, incest, drugs etc) it’s not completely out of the blue.

One of Britain’s most cult comedians, Morris broke out from radio with his hilarious TV shows On The Hour, The Day Today and Brass Eye. The latter in particular carved a niche for him in terms of cutting edge satire and many expected him to launch into the comedy stratosphere like his contemporaries Steve Coogan and Armando Iannucci. But instead he created his most challenging work, Jam, and then mostly shied away from the public eye, only appearing in one off’s like The IT Crowd and his first film, the short My Wrongs 8245–8249 & 117.

Four Lions is Morris’ first foray into feature film directing and it’s a manifesto of sorts. Rather than an attack on fundamentalism or looking at reasons why young people find suicide bombing so alluring, it focuses its energy on pissing people off by making them laugh. It revolves around four young Muslims who become radicalised and make the decision to be suicide bombers.

The reported three years that Morris spent researching this project were clearly put to good use, as this is a convincing portrayal of young Muslim men, ordinary and confused, stumbling into something that they are not equipped for. Somehow, Morris manages to make these characters sympathetic as he shows what he calls, “the Dad’s Army side to terrorism”.

Make no mistake; Four Lions is a funny film. No matter the tricky subject matter, it’s the human characters that provide the humour for the film, as they attempt to bumble and blunder their way to Allah. The only drawback would be that in terms of satire, Four Lions is not as probing and well-delivered as some of his previous work, in particular the sublime Brass Eye. But this is looking for a great film when Lions is merely a very good film.

Go in with an open mind and you never know, you might be blown away…..

……sorry.

Tilda Swinton is an enigmatic screen presence and one of Scotland’s most artistic exports. Born in England but educated and dramatically reared in Scotland, she can count herself as one of arthouse cinema’s most beguiling actresses; one who possesses the ability to jump effortlessly between big Hollywood blockbusters (The Chronicles Of Narnia, The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button) and more obscure arty work (Julia, Strange Culture).

I Am Love definitely falls into the latter category. Taking its cues from classic italian neorealism classics, and is a melodramatic, often beautiful kind of film that audiences don’t really see much of anymore. The film’s themes of repression and breaking free are set against the backdrop of twisty-turny relationships and art deco villas.

The film is shot with clarity and a sense of colour, but for me it was hampered by a soulessness at its core. It was a case of the classic all style, no substance as the film concerns itself with the inner workings of a spoiled, wealthy family. Rest assured, this is no Wes Anderson style dysfunctional group of loveable misfits, but a collection of unlikeable and unsympathetic characters.

If you can brush aside this relativley minor complaint, then the film should be enjoyable enough. The opening scene in a snowy Milan villa where birthday celebrations are being made is a highlight, showcasing the attractive set design and cinematography.

Overall, this is a good-looking film with a very talented cast, with a plot that will keep you hooked, if you can get over the slighly empty feeling the film conveys. Check out the trailer and see for yourself:

Scotland’s Black Camel Pictures held the world premiere of their second film, Legacy, at the Glasgow Film Festival on the 28^th Feburary and closed this years festival on a high note. Starring The Wire’s Idris Elba, the film somehow used Dumfries and Galloway as a decoy for New York (surely a first) to portray a Black Ops soldier locked in his room, suffering a mental breakdown and reliving his painful past through gratuitous flashbacks.

It got a great reception, and not just for Elba’s acting, which was a big draw for a lot of fans, but for the feature directorial debut of young Nigerian-English filmmaker Thomas Akimi. It was the strength of Legacy’s script that originally drew Elba to the project.

While the film may seem wide in scope, in reality the budget was miniscule and the main reason for its high profile (it recently closed the Glasgow Film Festival) is Elba. The breakout star of HBO’s peerless drama, he was the one that secured the headlines as well as passing the script onto former Baltimore resident Clarke Peters, who played the inimitable Lester Freamon.

The film proved to be worthy of Elba’s dedication. At once a thrilling suspense film and a psychological study, it is the performance of the hulking lead that gives the film its emotional weight. And thank god he rises to the occasion, as 90% of the film takes place in his small apartment as his mind begins to deteriorate.

The apartment is shot with a tight claustrophobic eye with gloomy lighting adding to the sense of foreboding and uncertainty. The only error in the mood is the presence of a narrator, whose job is clearly to blur the lines between reality and fiction but only succeeds in confusing the audience.

But this is a small quibble when compared with the rest of the film. Ikimi proves to be a confident director who was savvy enough to rest the film on the shoulders of one of the great new acting talents to emerge from the UK in years.

Check out the trailer below and catch it wherever you can:

Viewed has a reputation as a keen observer of cutting-edge film and TV. Well, we would if anyone actually knew about us. 

One of the shows we have been gorging ourselves on is Endemic Comedy, an independent online comedy show based in and around Scotland. I managed to get a chat with creator Bob Weir to discuss comedy, Scotland and tons of other rubbish. Enjoy.

How long have you been working on Endemic Comedy?

We started work on Endemic in August last year. We spent a couple of months developing the concept for Endemic which is a comedy sketch show which is “Endemic” to one location each series. In other words each series will take place in one location or surrounding. For example, the first series is based in the country and the second is to be based in an office.

Where are you based in Scotland?

We are based in Glasgow just now but originally Louis is from Edinburgh and Bob is from the Isle of Arran.

Do you feel being Scottish is a help or hindrance?

Scottish people are renowned for having a good sense of humour. However, we don’t really see our comedy as particularly Scottish but on the whole we would like to think it is a help.

What do you think about the state of Scottish film and TV?

Scottish film and TV is looking OK at the moment. Last year things where looking pretty bleak as a lot of Scottish-made shows were axed, two new shows made in Scotland were massive flops – PA’s and Hope Springs and although it is set to return with a massive overhaul Taggart came to a stop. Scottish comedy wasn’t looking good either – F&G’s two offerings Dear Green Place and Happy Holiday were also unsuccessful. However, this year things are looking up – Garrow’s Law is returning for its second series, Lip Service has just finished filming and is due on BBC3 at the start of April.

Comedy is also in a good shape as Gary Tank Commander, Limmy’s Show, Rab C Nesbitt and The Frankie Boyle Show have brought the Comedy Unit back from the horror which was Legit.

How have you managed to obtain funding/equipment for your projects?

By  begging and borrowing. It cost us about £150 to make the first series. We set the first series in the country so that we could shoot in Pollok Park and near Bob’s house on Arran for free. The camera was borrowed from Foghorn Films which is a small production company in Glasgow. The sound equipment was borrowed from a local sound recorder. We fed our cast and crew sandwiches and tomato soup, we spent about £20 on petrol to get to Arran and back and about £30 on the ferry. My folks fed us for free when we were on Arran. Luckily Louis’ girlfriend Kate is a clothing designer and got us all our costumes for free from various contacts and resources. We had to spend some money on making our Rasta-fish.

 What do you make of the opportunities available for young filmmakers in Scotland?

Opportunities are there for young film makers in Scotland, you just have to find them. GMAC offer courses, classes, equipment and groups which are available for filmmakers. There are groups on Facebook which is bringing young film makers together to exchange knowledge and let each other know about the opportunities which come up. (Scottish Film Makers and Actors,  Scottish Experimental Filmmaking)

 Where were you educated and how has it contributed to your filmmaking?

Bob went to Cardonald College and then to the RSAMD where he met Louis on the Digital Film and Television BA. The Cardonald College – Creative Industries: Television was a great course for learning the basics of making television and in particular documentaries. The RSAMD – Digital Film and Television is a brilliant course for learning about how to make films and longer form Television, going into a lot more depth about the forms and formulas of television.

Where do you see the future of Scots film and TV heading?

I think that the future is looking good for Scottish film and TV. There is a fantastic group of brilliant young film makers moving through together using their combined abilities, skills and knowledge to make clever and forward-thinking media. I think comedy in particular is in a strong position. There is a fantastic wealth of comedy coming through from some very, very funny people.

Go here to watch the first series of Endemic in all it’s wondrous splendour. To wet your laughbuds, here is the first episode:

The two main films spearheading (pun completely intended) this Roman invasion are based on the legend of the Roman Ninth Legion, who marched into Scotland from Hadrian’s Wall with over 4,000 men and disappeared. Historians dispute the fate of the legion; some believe they were disbanded, while others believe they were massacred in Germania years later. 

Eagle Of The Ninth is the bigger of the two, starring Donald Sutherland and Channing Tatum and is directed by Scot Kevin MacDonald, helmer of The Last King Of Scotland and State Of Play. Ninth is a Gladiator-esque tale of a young Roman officer’s search to discover the truth about the disappearance of his father’s legion in the north of Britain. 

Eagle Of The Ninth

The other is The Descent director Neil Marshall’s Centurion, which was shot in Loch Lomond and concerns (again) the Legion’s attempts to wipe out the Picts. 

Michael Fassbender in Centurion

Both films promise a boost for the Scottish film scene as both were filmed in different areas around Scotland and both feature Scottish crews. Both films star known Hollywood stars and are aiming to make money at the box office. 

Eagle Of The Ninth director Kevin MacDonald had just came off the huge State Of Play, starring Russel Crowe and Ben Affleck when he moved on to Eagle. It marked a definite change for the young Scot, who made his trade in documentaries before heading into the murky waters of feature films. 

“It was very different from anything I’ve done before,” Macdonald mused, “but then it’s nice to try to do a different subject and a different kind of film every time you do something. It’s a book I actually read as a kid and it captured my imagination.” 

On the other hand is Marshall, best known for his awesome one-two punch of British horror classics with Dog Soldiers and The Descent. After the underwhelming apocalyptic thriller Doomsday, which became his first film to not receive overwhelming praise from critics, Marshall will be keen to get back on track with Centurion. 

Here is the trailer: 

This summer looks to be an exciting one, and I’m looking forward to seeing how these films measure up against each other. One one hand, Kevin MacDonald is one of the best directors in Hollywood at the moment and he has the star wattage in his $15m epic. But Marshall has perhaps an even better and decidedly underrated bunch of actors, including The Wire’s Dominic West and one of the most exciting actors of his generation, the mercurial Micheal Fassbender. 

Let battle commence!

Very rarely does one person attempt both jobs in one lifetime, but Mark Cousins is one of those people. A film enthusiast who is most famous for the now defunct BBC show Scene By Scene or his one-volume film history book The Story Of Film.

Cousins pictured with Tilda Swinton

More recently he joined up with Scots national treasure Tilda Swinton to host the Nairn Film Festival, a travelling cinematic roadshow that strolled across the highlands attempting to connect with people on a grassroots level.

Now his latest adventure in cinema is throwing his hat into the ring proper – by directing his first film. It is an ambitious undertaking as it documents his visit to Goptapa in the Kurdish region of northern Iraq. It is a heady mix of documentary, diary and essay, and has proven to be a hit at festivals.

The First Movie

Essentially, the film revolves around Cousins showing young Iraqis a selection of films (which include, amazingly, Spielberg’s ET: The Extra Terrestrial) and then giving them cameras to make their own films. It’s an incredible moment when you see kids enraptured in these amazing stories when you realise they had never seen a film before that.

The filmmaker and critic – also honorary Doctor of Letters at Edinburgh University, a former director of the Edinburgh International Film Festival, spent three weeks living among the 700 people in the remote village, sleeping with killer scorpions crawling around his mattress and beneath a scorching 40C heat.

I will keep film spoilers to a minimum, but there are some powerful testimonies in these kids’ films. Cousins smartly draws comparisons to his own formative years growing up in his own war zone in Northern Ireland in the 80’s. Just as he was spirited away while watching his favourite films as a youngster, he wanted to give the children of Iraq that opportunity too. This is a moving and lliterate piece of work that stands up to any other film that done the festival rounds in ’10. Seek it out.