Since the weekend weather was not quite spring-like, Skunkeye was able to catch up on some movies. I’m feeling a bit guilty - that I worry about these things is pretty geeky - for not showing up for the ongoing Ozu retrospective, but when the work week is done, the last place I want to spend my downtime is downtown, especially with all the touristas mulling about. Besides, I’ve seen most of his films already. They are well worth checking out.
I’m surprised Intermission isn’t getting more buzz. It does feature Colin Farrell, after all. The film is quite an enjoyable ensemble production with a colorful cast, including the lovely (and underused) Kelly Macdonald, the brilliant (ableit, again, underused) Shirley Henderson (bravely sporting substantial upper-lip growth), “It Boy” Cillian Murphy, and, well, basically every working Irish film star. Intermission manages to be gritty and endearing at the same time, comedic moments punctuated by acts of violence, with a clever and sharp screenplay. There’s a tough police detective (Colm Meaney) who fancies Clannad and dreams of being on his own cop reality show. His foil (Farrell) is a live-wire, loose-cannon psychopath who just dreams of home appliances and settling down (geeky Skunkeye can relate to that). He enlists a team of geeks, including a disgruntled fired bus driver, a plain boy just looking for love, and his pare, Murphy's character - definately a geek, who cannot muster a way to express his feelings to his girl (MacDonald), who has taken up with a married (and totally geeky) bank manger - to orchestrate a heist. Intermission is all topsy-turvey but ultimately comes together seamlessly. And Skunkeye was craving some of dat brown sauce!
Cillian Murphy is getting muy big after 28 Days Later and his appearance in Pearl Earring – I highly recommend checking out his explosive debut in Disco Pigs, which had an all too brief and limited run here. Memorable, edgey performance - fantastic, poignant film (imagine an off-kilter urban Heathcliff & Cathy in contemporary Ireland) which desrves cult status. Intermission should appeal to Tarantino fans as well as filmgoers grown weary of the usual Irish fare.
Skunkeye is such a geek. Also lined up outside the Uptown with all the fanboys to see Hellboy. Never read the comic book but I really enjoy the films of Mexican director Guillermo del Toro. The Devil’s Backbone was sublime! Apparently del Toro turned down directing a Harry Potter film so he could make Hellboy. A very wise gamble indeed – if del Toro stays at the helm, Hellboy is going to turn out to be an awesome franchise. Really one of the most original, effective, satisfying, and enjoyable “comic book” movies I’ve seen. Fantastic art direction. A great ride. Ron Perlman – remember him as Vincent on TV’s Beauty and the Beast opposite pre-Terminator Linda Hamilton years back? – turns in a charismatic, soulful and engaging performance as the title character. Check him out in Jean-Pierre Jeunet (Amelie) and Marc Caro’s The City of Lost Children.
Before you think Guillermo del Toro will let success spoil him, I read that he will going back to Spain to film a “bookend” to Devil’s Backbone called Pan’s Labyrinth. Interviewed in AICN – talk about being geeky! – he said, “to me, DEVIL’S BACKBONE was about the Civil War in Spain. It’s a little story about fascism at its very roots taking over the entire country. PAN’S LABYRINTH, to me, is fascism has won, and basically make it a reflection of that period in Spain. It’s a story about a girl who falls in love with a fawn that lives in the center of a labyrinth, and starts asking for things.” Looks very promising.
Skunkeye also wants to see Dawn of the Dead. And Starksy and Hutch.
And the shameless geekiness continues… I was reading The Guardian and came across this article on Carla Bruni. You know Skunkeye is a total geek for models/ingenues who date rock stars – especially if their first names are Mick or Keith or Serge - and then become rock stars themselves (Nico, Marianne Faithful, Miranda Lee Richards, Jane Birkin, Vanessa Paradis, oh, the list goes on). I guess Skunkeye was too busy moving house to write about Carla Bruni’s album, Quelqu'Un M'a Dit. I had planned to rave about Carla Bruni despite possibley being ridiculed. Honestly, its one fine debut album – she wrote and played guitar all the songs herself (!!!) and thecomposiions and the earthy production values are really tight and smart and good and it isn’t pretentious or fey and her voice is sexy as all hell. Imagine Jackie deShannon crossed with Jean Moreau - mostly acoustic guitar - solid, engaging, and frankly, lovely, songwriting without going into preciousness. Well worth paying import prices for.
Okay, I'm about to go to the gym. Reclaim whatever non-geekiness Skunkeye has.
Comments