Author Archives: JamieR

The Artist

Posted on January 11, 2012 by JamieR

Everything about Michael Haznavicius’ The Artist, a silent film about silent film, is undeniably lovely. Just like its star, the fictional actor George Valentin (Jean Dujardin), it glows off the screen in crisp black and white, winking and smiling, charming … Continue reading →

Posted in Films | 2 Comments

My ten favourite films of 2011

Posted on December 30, 2011 by JamieR

So here they are. In all but two cases, I also had some thoughts at the time – click on the titles for those. Happy new year. 1. Archipelago – Joanna Hogg’s exquisitely observed study of a family on holiday in the … Continue reading →

Posted in Bits | 4 Comments

Hugo

Posted on December 21, 2011 by JamieR

At its best, Hugo is a wonderfully heartfelt tribute to what Martin Scorsese loves about going to the movies – truly a cinephile’s treat. There are nods to history all over the place, from ‘silent’/mimed romantic vignettes, viewed from a distance … Continue reading →

Posted in Films | 5 Comments

Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy

Posted on September 27, 2011 by JamieR

With this adaptation of John le Carré’s novel, Tomas Alfredson has set himself the unenviable task of squeezing a notoriously labyrinthine plot (later reworked into a seven-part television series) into two short hours of cinema time. For a Tinker Tailor … Continue reading →

Posted in Films | 3 Comments

Pause

Posted on September 12, 2011 by JamieR

In about three hours I’ll be starting a PGCE – which, by all accounts, is not going to leave me with hoards of spare time in the months to come. So, whilst I hope to keep things going on this here blog … Continue reading →

Posted in Bits | 7 Comments

Kill List

Posted on September 8, 2011 by JamieR

Kill List opens emphatically in media res: a woman, her face in close up, screaming abuse at her husband whilst their fearful young son listens in his bedroom. The couple are Jay and Shel, both former soldiers, now living in … Continue reading →

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Time

Posted on September 2, 2011 by JamieR

I recently discovered that in 1986, Andrei Tarkovsky wrote this:   I think that what a person normally goes to the cinema for is time: for time lost or spent or not yet had. He goes there for living experience; … Continue reading →

Posted in Thoughts | 4 Comments

Project Nim

Posted on August 19, 2011 by JamieR

James Marsh, the documentarian who rose to prominence with the Oscar-winning Man On Wire in 2008, is a master at weaving a satisfying narrative out of complex reality; a storyteller at heart, rather than a scrupulous detailer of history. This … Continue reading →

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The Referees

Posted on August 16, 2011 by JamieR

Start to think about football referees and the question quickly presents itself: who on earth would be one? Famous but not celebrated, physically fit but not skilled. Earning a fraction of the wages of those in the same sphere. Good jobs … Continue reading →

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The Devil’s Double

Posted on August 11, 2011 by JamieR

More of me elsewhere: I reviewed the slightly odd The Devil’s Double, a film chock-full of Dominic Cooper and which comes out tomorrow, over at HUH Magazine. It involved going to a swanky press screening and everything. You can read the result here: … Continue reading →

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Poetry

Posted on August 6, 2011 by JamieR

Every Korean film that arrives on these shores seems to involve rape or death – or both – and Poetry is no exception. It shares its narrative trigger with Park Chan-Wook’s trend-setting Oldboy: the suicide of a teenage girl, throwing … Continue reading →

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Haneke love

Posted on July 26, 2011 by JamieR

I need to get more into lists, I think. One man who’s got them down to a tee is David Harris, esteemed author of Chop’s Top Fives and (more importantly) Fulham fan. When he asked me to contribute, I took the opportunity … Continue reading →

Posted in Bits | 1 Comment

HP7B

Posted on July 22, 2011 by JamieR

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 is officially a cinema sensation, bringing a record-breaking £23.75m worth of people into the cinema during its first three days of UK release. By contrast, The Tree of Life, which some big noises … Continue reading →

Posted in Films | 8 Comments

The Tree of Life

Posted on July 16, 2011 by JamieR

Terrence Malick’s The Tree of Life is a high-minded, high-concept, sincere and solemn film. It begins with what appears to be a ray of light and some choral music, then a fifteen-minute surge of words and images – boys playing, … Continue reading →

Posted in Films | 3 Comments

Trailers

Posted on July 11, 2011 by JamieR

Last week a trailer appreared on the internet for a new adaptation of John Le Carré’s novel, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy. It’s out in September and apparently features every single British actor you can think of. After you watch it, … Continue reading →

Posted in Thoughts | 4 Comments