Best of 2008 - Top Two!

The final part of the countdown then, and you may be wondering why I left the last two films to a separate post.

It's because I'm going to declare it a tie. I couldn't pick between the two so for the first time I'm declaring the film of the year to actually be two films.

They couldn't be further apart either.

On the one hand we have a two-and-a-half-hour, big budget, box-office smashing Hollywood blockbuster comic adaptation, which dominated the box office in 2008. In the other corner it's a low-budget, 80-minute, emotional drama based on a stage play which has yet to even find a cinema release in the UK.

In case you've not already guessed, the best two films of 2008 according to my humble viewing are Christopher Nolan's THE DARK KNIGHT and Declan Recks' EDEN.

So there.

Best of 2008 (5-3)

Almost at the top - here's the next few films in my countdown of the best fifty films of last year...

5 JESUS CHRIST SAVIOUR
Documentary made up of archive footage of Klaus Kinski, arguably the maddest actor ever to chew up the screen, on an evangelical tour of Germany. It's just him on stage for most of it, but it's testament to his crazy appeal that it's still brilliant.

4 ATLANTIC
A short film by Conor Ferguson which I saw twice at last year's Cork festival and described previously as "three minutes of cinematic perfection".

3 JANEY MARY
From one heartbreaking Irish short to another. You probably remember I raved about this one at length.


And the Freakpit's choice of best two films of 2008? Find out tomorrow...

Best of 2008 (10-6)

Ooooh, we're in the top ten now. Are you getting excited yet?

10 WALL-E
See, every so often I do like a nice little family film, even if it is one set in a barren post-apocalyptic wasteland.

9 HUNGER
Breathtakingly arty take on the Irish hunger strikes, centred around Michael Fassbender's towering performance as Bobby Sands.

8 THE KING OF KONG
David versus Goliath tale of a quiet, unassuming family man on a quixotic quest to overthrow the villainous leader who rules over all. Despite the fact that it's a documentary about people playing arcade games.

7 TIME CRIMES
Mind-bending Spanish sci-fi horror in which a man witnesses a crime being committed... by himself. Then it gets really weird.

6 MAN ON WIRE
James Marsh's critically acclaimed documentary/heist movie about the artistic crime of the century (a high wire walk between the twin towers of the WTC) is simply stunning. It should win the Oscar this year too.

Best of 2008 (15-11)

15 THERE WILL BE BLOOD
Daniel Day Lewis deserved his Oscar for a terrific performance, although it perhaps overshadowed what was an overall triumph of filmmaking.

14 CLOVERFIELD
Or, GODZILLA with a handycam. There are certain lapses of logic but most only become obvious when you stop to think about it - which, during this rollercoaster ride, you're not likely to do too often.

13 NOT QUITE HOLLYWOOD
Brilliant documentary about the world of Australian cult cinema.

12 A BLOODY CANVAS
Fascinating documentary about an incredible boxing match that took place on St Patrick's Day in Dublin during the Irish civil war.

11 PASSAGE
The accepted history of the discovery of the North West Passage gets a good kicking in this inventive and sadly under-seen documentary which I saw at Hot Docs but which also got aired on BBC Scotland.

Best of 2008 (20-16)

20 WAITING FOR THE LIGHT
Ciarin Scott gives George Morrison the biography treatment - it's about time someone did. Talking of which, MISE EIRE is getting an anniversary screening at the Dublin Film Festival next month - buy a ticket now!

19 THE JOHN AKII BUA STORY: AN AFRICAN TRAGEDY
This documentary is a sad tale of what might have been, detailing the rise and fall of the legendary Ugandan athlete who conquered the world but fell foul of Idi Amin's regime.

18 A MATTER OF LOAF AND DEATH
This year's Wallace and Gromit special from the BBC's Christmas schedule was as impressive and funny as we've come to expect.

17 THE GIRL BY THE LAKE
Laid-back but suspenseful Italian murder mystery with beautiful location work.

16 THE ORPHANAGE
One of the best horror films in recent years, a Spanish take on THE INNOCENTS with great performances, plenty of chills and an ending that satisfies while leaving you wondering.

Best of 2008 (25-21)

25 VIRTUAL JFK: VIETNAM IF KENNEDY HAD LIVED
Fascinating "what if?" documentary that draws interesting parallels between then and now, and offers an insight into exactly what the title suggests.

24 DREAMS WITH SHARP TEETH
Science fiction's angry man Harlan Ellison gets the biography treatment in this insightful and amusing documentary.

23 OF TIME AND THE CITY
Terrence Davies offers a love song and eulogy to the city of Liverpool to coincide with its year as City of Culture, mixing music, archive footage and his own portentous voiceover about growing up there.

22 SHETLAND LONE STAR
Part of BBC's "Scotland's History" strand, this one-off documentary was a wonderfully entertaining look at the life and career of Thomas Fraser, a man who sung country songs in his spare time in a remote village in Shetland, only to become a country music star thirty years after his death.

21 THE WAVE
German film based on a true life experiment from the sixties in which a bunch of kids are taught a practical lesson about the power of fascism, only for the teacher to lose control as the experiment goes too far.

Best of 2008 (30-26)

30 IN BRUGES
Glad to see this one has been nominated at various awards as it's a terrific black comedy, in which hitmen Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson hide out in Belgium after a hit goes wrong. Marketed very badly, this should surely find a wider audience on DVD.

29 PRESTO
It's the short film that preceded WALL-E in cinemas. I loved it. Now Oscar-nominated.

28 STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURE
One of the better Iraq documentaries, although you'd expect as much from the veteran Errol Morris.

27 TRULY, MADLY, CHEAPLY: BRITISH B MOVIES
Excellent BBC4 documentary in which Matthew Sweet explores the cheap and largely unknown British exploitation cinema. If you've not read his book SHEPPERTON BABYLON, you should buy it right now.

26 RED
Low-budget Jack Ketchum adaptation boasting a powerhouse performance by Scotland's greatest actor, Brian Cox.

Best of 2008 (35-31)

35 ENCOUNTERS AT THE END OF THE WORLD
Werner Herzog's latest documentary is as odd as ever but also charming and beautiful. Got him his first Oscar nomination too. Won't win, due to another film which I'll be getting to in due course, but deserved all the same.

34 STRANDED: I'VE COME FROM A PLANE THAT CRASHED IN THE MOUNTAINS
I suspect this will be the longest title on this list. Great documentary examination of the rugby team who crashed in the Andes and had to endure all manner of horrific ordeals to survive.

33 AT THE DEATH HOUSE DOOR
You can't fail to be moved by this story of a death row pastor who has his beliefs turned upside down by the fate of a prisoner he believes is innocent.


32 THE INHERITANCE
This low budget Scottish movie did well on the festival circuit and was a hit with me too. It's not without its flaws, although it's a rare example of a film that may actually benefit from TV over cinema. Watching the DVD on a modest-sized TV the limitations of the equipment were not so obvious as they were on the big screen and the film actually looks a lot better as a result.

31 KISSES
Two kids go on the run in Dublin and take the film's colour scheme with them. Visually inventive little gem of a film.

Best of 2008 (40-36)

40 32A
Charming coming-of-age tale set in 1970s Dublin. Clearly a film for young girls, but what the hell, I liked it. Nominated for an IFTA Best Film award too, though I don't see it winning.

39 JUST ANOTHER LOVE STORY
Certainly not "just" another anything. I don't suppose that modern Danish film noir is a gigantic genre, but I bet this is still one of the best entries all the same. Terrific thriller.

38 CHANGELING
For all my complaints about Jolie's overacting, Eastwood's study of the dark side of LA's modern history is still a great film.

37 WALTZ WITH BASHIR
Bold, daring and timely animated movie from Israel that should get an Oscar nomination, even though Pixar own the actual awards. It has made the foreign language shortlist though, so watch out there. [UPDATE: I wrote this a few days ago, and the nominations have since come out - no animated nomination, which is a shock, but it is nominated for in the foreign language category]

36 DIARY OF THE DEAD
Like the previous entry, some people thought George Romero's latest zombie movie was an anticlimax and hated it. I thought it had its flaws but was still immensely enjoyable and felt that the back-to-basics approach really paid off.

Best of 2008 (45-41)

45 GONE BABY GONE
This terrific thriller should have been in the 2007 list but its UK release was delayed until the new year because of certain events in the news.

44 NOTE BY NOTE: THE MAKING OF STEINWAY L1037
I missed this when it played at Stranger Than Fiction, but at least caught it when it appeared at the inaugural Illuminations documentary film festival at Filmhouse. Come to think of it, I saw half a dozen films at that festival and forgot to write about any of them. Oh well, it's not the last one from that festival to appear in my top fifty. The film's about how Steinway make a piano, by the way.

43 THE MORSE COLLECTORS
Haunting Northern Irish short film which I saw at a couple of festivals in 2008.

42 THE THIRD PINT
South America, a man with a dodgy beard, some holiday footage on 8mm and some weirdly hypnotic synth music. This oddball entry might never be seen anywhere again and even if you do see it you might very well hate it. I was entranced.

41 LARS AND THE REAL GIRL
Ryan Gosling gives another terrific performance as the emotionally unhinged loner who falls in love with an inflatable doll... who promptly wins over the local community.

Best of 2008 (50-46)

So here's the start of the Freakpit's film favourites of 2008. If you've only just discovered this post, you should probably read yesterday's introductory post so that you won't feel quite so angry when you disagree with my choices later.

Links to my blog writings are included where I bothered to write anything at the time.

50 THE BAADER MEINHOF COMPLEX
Flawed but entertaining German drama taking on the history of the infamous terrorist group.

49 THE GOOD, THE BAD, THE WEIRD
Totally insane Korean film which I saw at Cork. Imagine a mash-up of Leone spaghetti western with the style and energy of KUNG-FU HUSTLE.

48 4 MONTHS, 3 WEEKS AND 2 DAYS
Eastern European drama about illegal abortion? Sounds like a laugh. Critically acclaimed and then single-handedly resulted in one of the biggest criticisms of the foreign language Oscar ever when it failed to be nominated.

47 GOMORRA
Stylish and in-your-face drama examining various strands of Napoli's lower classes and the effects of the local organised crime syndicate on their lives.

46 ROMAN POLANSKI: WANTED AND DESIRED
Balanced and thoughtful documentary which does not excuse Polanski's actions prior to his fleeing America, but does make an interesting point about the fairness of the trial.

The best films of 2008 - it begins!

Okay, it's time for my usual end-of-year Best Films list. Well, I say "usual" but last year it was almost the end of 2008 before I covered 2007, so I guess I've improved. And just to show how much effort I've put in...

When I did this first time, it was a top 30 of 2006. When I covered 2007 last year, it was a top 40. There's only one way to go now - that's right, I'm compiling a top 50!

A top fifty. None of your wimpy little top ten nonsense for me. But before you read what I think were the fifty best films of 2008, I need to go over the rules for what gets included:

1) Any film which was released elsewhere before 2008 but didn't get released in the UK until 2008 counts towards this list.

2) Any film which hasn't had a release but which I saw at a festival in 2008 counts.

3) While predominantly feature-based, short films are eligible too if I happened to see them at 2008 festivals.

4) Anything premiered on TV in 2008 counts. This could be a film that never made it to cinemas, or it could just be something made for TV - a good film is a good film regardless of where it ends up playing. The quality of TV might be going down the toilet, but that's more reason than anything to recognise when it's good. Obviously I don't count series though.

5) I'm biased. Not deliberately, you understand, but given that I watch more of certain kinds of films than others, there will always be an inevitable leaning towards certain kinds of films. In other words, there will probably be more documentaries and Irish films in this list than any others. Come on though, if you just want a generic best-of list, you wouldn't be reading this blog, would you? What do you want me to do, just make stuff up?

After compiling the top 50 from a list of my favourite films of 2008 - helped a lot by the IMDb, just in case you thought I actually spent loads of time sitting here thinking of them all - I was left with a few that didn't quite make the cut. So here's a brief summary of the films that didn't quite make it into the top fifty but which are still excellent and should be seen whenever you get the chance.

On the documentary front, there's WAITING FOR HOCKNEY, in which an artist spends eight years of his life on one painting; WAR CHILD, about a former child soldier who is now an accomplished rapper; CHOSEN, a depressing look at abuse in a boys' school; HOW OHIO PULLED IT OFF, telling of how the Bush v Gore race wasn't the only one that Bush may not actually have won; HOW TO BE A GOOD PRESIDENT, a one-off BBC documentary in which various figures pick their favourite president and why - incredibly LBJ was one of the choices; and BODY OF WAR, yet another recent war-themed doc but one of the better efforts.

Also very good but not quite making it are NORTH FACE, reviewed here recently; MARTYRS, a nasty horror film which kind of grew on me; SURVEILLANCE, a mystery tale from Jennifer Lynch; SOMERS TOWN, the latest from Shane Meadows; THE VISITOR, which should be enough to get Richard Jenkins an Oscar nomination but probably won't; HAPPY-GO-LUCKY, Mike Leigh's critically acclaimed hit; MY BROTHER IS AN ONLY CHILD, a reasonably intelligent and entertaining art-house drama from Italy; EMPTIES, a rather funny Eastern European effort that hasn't had much of release yet; and JUNO, which you'll have heard all about at last year's Oscars.

Join me next time when I'll start mentioning the ones which actually did make it onto the list... Ooh, I'm such a tease.

Current release: THE WRESTLER

Mickey Rourke has been gathering plaudits left, right and centre for his performance in Darren Aronofsky's latest. It's true that it's a wonderful performance though one can't help but wonder exactly how much of it, given Rourke's past, is actually acting and how much is therapy.

Rourke is Randy "The Ram" Robinson, a washed up wrestler who was once the greatest in the ring and now, twenty years later, fights for small change in town hall arenas. When a heart attack almost kills him he is forced to reassess his life - his failing health, his rocky relationship with his estranged daughter (Evan Rachel Wood), his clumsy attempts to court a local stripper (Marisa Tomei). But despite the threat of imminent death, it seems the ring may not be ready to let him go.

The notion of the faded star trying to recapture former glories is nothing new and to be honest there is very little new about Aronofky's film at all. What lends it added gravitas is the fact that Rourke can so clearly be identified with the character.

While Rourke is the centre of attention, it seems only fair to credit Tomei as well. Her supporting role is another tried and tested archetype (poor single mum doing questionable things for the good of her kids, but she's nice really). However not only does she look stunning (a victory for whoever chose to cast her ahead of whatever beautiful 20-something Hollywood nobody the studio probably would have preferred) she invests what little screen time she has with enough warmth and emotion to carry the film. I like Evan Rachel Wood too (sooner or later she's got to get a part that isn't the troubled teenager) but confess that here her part was a bit too small for the performance she gave, with her limited scenes nearly always having to have some kind of Big Emotional Moment.

It's a new direction for Aronofky. I kind of enjoyed the barmy PI, though not to the extent many others did; I thought REQUIEM FOR A DREAM was brilliant; and I think THE FOUNTAIN is one of the best films that nobody saw. Here however Aronofsky jettisons that flair and style for a more intimate, documentary style look. There are no flashy visual tricks, just lots of prowling over-the-shoulder camera movements; gone are the driving scores that so characterised REQUIEM FOR A DREAM and THE FOUNTAIN, in comes a subtle, barely noticeable guitar.

Unfortunately, I really liked Aronofsky's earlier style. I know it wouldn't have worked on this material, but it's what I wanted to see. Many will praise it for being his least show-offy film but for once I'm going to have to admit disappointment that it wasn't. It's not really what I wanted to see and that, coupled with the familiar ground covered by the story made it feel like a let down.

It's a good enough film with a powerful, emotional ending and is worth two hours of your time - but in the long term I can't help feeling that it'll be remembered for Rourke's performance and little else.

Scottish film update (18 Jan)

Zero-budget critically-acclaimed Scottish film THE INHERITANCE is now available on DVD. I realise that this just looks like I've stolen this piece of news from the recent announcement on the Scottish Screen website, but for once I discovered it first. I just forgot to mention it. I've got my copy already, go here to buy yours.

There's a Gaelic-language film festival entitled "Film's Craic" at the CCA in Glasgow from Thursday 22nd to Saturday 24th January. It looks very interesting - the good news is that all events are free, the bad news is that you can't book any tickets, so I don't think I'll be making the trip.

Talking of Glasgow, there's another screening of THE NEW TEN COMMANDMENTS at the GFT on Sunday 25th January, with guests.

Irish film update (17 Jan)

Another brief round-up on the Irish movie front.

Are you familiar with the film THE LAST CONFESSION OF ALEXANDER PEARCE?

Nope, nor am I, since currently it's only popped up on RTE in Ireland. The film tells the true story of the Irishman who was transported to one of the most infamous prisons and ended up in the wilds of Australia indulging in cannibalism. The film is to be shown on BBC in the UK (no idea when - let me know if you find out) but in the meantime a documentary is being shown on the subject, on the History channel (UK). It's on Sunday 25th January at 9pm. And while you're on the History channel, watch out for a repeat of the two-part documentary FLEEING THE FAMINE, which has just been shown. Terrific, if somewhat depressing.

IFTN reports that Decklan Recks' EDEN has finally found a UK-based distributor. No word yet on when or if it will appear in UK cinemas, but wherever it appears, you should see it. It'll be appearing very high up my "Best of 2008" list, whenever I get round to writing it.

Talking of distribution, I also see from IFTN that someone has picked up the controversial and brilliant documentary FAIRYTALE OF KATHMANDU for US distribution. Quite right too.

IFTN also reports the nominations for the IFTA short film award. Particularly pleasing is that they're all films I've seen - can't say that ever happens at the Oscars. The films are AN RANGER (PJ Dillon), THE DOOR (Juanita Wilson), MARTIN (Sean Branigan) and OF BEST INTENTIONS (Brian Durnin). If I had to pick one, it'd probably prefer AN RANGER to win but to be honest they're all very good and I'm happy for all of them, whoever wins. I think THE DOOR will probably scoop it.

On the subject of short films, WALK ON BY (Tim Hannan) which I saw and very much enjoyed at Galway last year is now available on YouTube.

Well done also to Connor Clements who, I've just read in the press, has had his short film JAMES (another one I've mentioned here in the past) selected to screen at Sundance. Apparently it'll be available on iTunes during the festival as well, so watch out for that.

And finally, well done to Colin Farrell for winning an acting award at the Golden Globes for the terrific IN BRUGES. Normally I wouldn't even mention this, but he's the only thing that meant I made a profit when gambling on the awards (didn't think SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE would win quite as many as it did). Result.

Current release: SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE

So I finally get to see SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE, the forerunner for the big Oscars, having already scooped some major awards, not least the Golden Globes for best film, director and screenplay.

I like Danny Boyle. I can't say I like everything he's done - THE BEACH was a stinker - but in TRAINSPOTTING he created one of the most famous (and critically acclaimed) Scottish films; in 28 DAYS LATER he totally revitalised the zombie genre (yeah, they weren't technically zombies... whatever); SUNSHINE was a sci-fi flick whose lack of originality was all but forgotten about under the sheer thrill of it all; and MILLIONS is one of the best feel-good family flicks in many a year.

And those films sum up another reason why I like him - the guy just likes to try his hand at everything.

This time it's the story of a young lad from the Mumbai slums who somehow manages to get all the way to the end of the Indian version of WHO WANTS TO BE A MILLIONAIRE?, only to be accused of cheating and getting a nasty run in with the law. Flashbacks reveal his life story and how he really knows all the answers...

I'm not the first person to say this and I won't be the last, but leave all thoughts of reality at the door. The film hinges on such ludicrous coincidences that unless you buy into it completely you'll spend the rest of the film waiting for it to end.

The good news is that suspension of disbelief is easily done once the film gets going. An intriguing premise, a great young cast and pacing that moves the film along at a fair old clip does the job.

On top of that, the photography is stunning. You can almost feel the searing heat radiate throughout the cinema, whether it's in the filth of the Mumbai slums or the towering majesty of the Taj Mahal.

Unfortunately it's a victim of its own hype, or at least was for me. With the other Boyle films mentioned above, I knew little of them going in, so the surprise was all the more pleasant. SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE on the other hand comes into cinemas on a wave of awards season hype which, in my humble opinion, it never quite lives up to.

It is a joy, it is an excellent film and it probably deserves to win awards too. By all means stick this on your must-see list... but I still prefer MILLIONS.

Current release: THE READER

THE READER, as you're probably aware, has just bagged Kate Winslet a Golden Globe award and seems certain not to be her last award for the role (I'm even tagging this post with the Oscars label, just in case). It's deserved as well, for she is terrific in the film.

The film itself is far from being a masterpiece however.

The story revolves around a German lawyer (Ralph Fiennes) and flashbacks to his youth (played by David Kross) when he had a brief and passionate affair with an older woman (Winslet). As if the affair ending abruptly wasn't heartbreaking enough for him, the film takes a nasty turn halfway through which puts a whole new spin on Winslet's character.

When I criticised CHANGELING recently it was because an otherwise terrific film was being overshadowed by the lead actress putting on a performance that seemed engineered for awards season. THE READER has the opposite problem, with Winslet putting in a fantastic performance (every bit as emotional as Jolie's in CHANGELING, but far more measured and restrained) only to see her work (and that of a very good Fiennes) being overshadowed by a film that feels crafted for awards season.

In their rush to tick all the right "worthy" boxes (flashbacks, doomed romance, the holocaust) the filmmakers have unfortunately lost sight of some of the more important factors, such as when to actually finish their story.

We end up with another of those films where it just keeps ending...but not really. RETURN OF THE KING was another example which received the same criticisms, while I'd level the same accusation at the awful THE KILLING OF JOHN LENNON. Here, THE READER just seems to reach a natural conclusion... and then keep going. And then reaches another natural conclusion... and then keeps going. And so on.

So here's my handy guide to how to best enjoy the reader:

• If you want the full, earnest, awards-baiting experience, watch until the end.
• If you want a Hollywood-style feel-good movie, leaving half an hour before the end will do the job.
• If you just want to see an astonishing amount of Winslet and Kross being naked, the first hour will probably be more than enough.

Current release: GONZO

GONZO: THE LIFE AND WORK OF DR HUNTER S. THOMPSON is exactly what it says. Being completely unfamiliar with the work of the legendary journalist, who invented the concept of "gonzo" journalism, I found this to be an informative look at the man, what he was and how he came to be.

I seem to have come out with a different impression of the man to the majority of the people speaking about him here though. Granted, there are a few exceptions, but for the most part the participants all seem to be friends or admirers of the man and consequently a lot more time is spent telling us about how great he is than is spent dwelling over his flaws.

That is not to say that the film does not address them. I just feel however, and perhaps it's because I'm a bit "square" or something, that a man who takes huge amounts of drugs and seems to have an obsession with guns (for a start) should perhaps not be idolised in quite such a fashion as this documentary does.

When I started by saying that I was completely unfamiliar with him, it wasn't true. I did see Terry Gilliam's film based on his work, FEAR AND LOATHING IN LAS VEGAS. I didn't really like it. No such problems with this film however, which may be a recommendation in itself. I wouldn't call it balanced but it's engaging, informative and well presented. I just think you need to be a real admirer of the man to perhaps get the maximum level of enjoyment out of it.

Current release: CHE PART 1

CHE PART 1 is an odd beast to review. I'm sure you know the story of the film by now - over four hours in total, mixed reception at Cannes despite Benicio Del Toro picking up the acting gong for his efforts as the titular revolutionary hero / commie troublemaker (delete depending on your political views).

Split down into two parts for cinema release, it is undoubtedly more palatable (at least I assume that, having only seen the first part) and more likely to draw the crowds than a bum-numbing four hours.

Unfortunately it also leaves you with the feeling that you're only seeing half a film. The consequence of this is that director Steven Soderberg, while presumably wanting to leave you hungry for more, ends up creating a finale that is rather an anticlimax.

Sure, the final battle scene's spectacular and delivers value for money - but then you're left hanging for what comes next.

On the more technical side of things, Del Toro certainly does deliver a terrific performance but for me just as much of a star is the gorgeous photography.

I'm not talking about the grainy, black and white hand held footage which covers Che's visit to the USA - undoubtedly conjuring up a documentary style as intended, the excessive shaky-cam just got on my nerves after a while - but rather the action on Cuba itself.

Whether it's the bright white houses or the dense green foliage, the colour just seems to burn right off the screen. Helped no end by the fact that in most cinemas that are suitably equipped the film is being digitally projected, it looks absolutely terrific.

At the moment I still think this is a terrific film and urge you to see it... but I reserve the right to alter my opinion when the second chapter is released next month and I can see the whole picture.

If nothing else, it'll still be interesting to contrast it with Richard Fleisher's CHE!

Current release: NORTH FACE

The German film NORTH FACE is based on the true story of two ambitious climbers who decided to climb the formidable north face of the Eiger, and the attempts by the Third Reich to turn it into some kind of glorious political conquest.

No complaints with the story, acting or any of that usual stuff, it's all competent enough. What really steals the show are the visuals. This is a film that you should see on the big screen or don't see it at all. The opening scenes are breathtaking in terms of both the lush location photography and the dizzying mountaineering feats.

It's a shame then that in the second half of the movie, during a horrific snowstorm, the visual effects begin to come apart and computer graphics and composite shots become all too apparently that.

From then the film never really captures the initial magic and what might have been a breakout art-house hit becomes just another film that's very good but unlikely to be well remembered years from now.

Scottish & Irish film update (9 Jan)

I've seen a bunch of new releases that I've yet to write about; it's surely time for a "best of 2008" series of posts; the awards season is upon us, which means me losing lots of money making foolishly optimistic bets; but no, I've not yet got round to writing about any of that, so here's another of my semi-regular updates on developments in Scottish and Irish film.

In Ireland, the IFTAs are almost upon us - as I've mentioned though, I've not done anything about my stupid annual betting frenzy yet so that can wait. Here's hoping there are enough awards to go round HUNGER and IN BRUGES, but it would be nice to see a "smaller" film like KISSES or 32A take something.

Ciarin Scott's biopic of George Morrison, WAITING FOR THE LIGHT, which you've seen reviewed here at two different festivals, is now listed on the IMDB. Hurrah! Unlike MISE EIRE and SAOIRSE?, it didn't take my efforts to do so.

THE FORMORIAN, a splendid little short film which I saw way back at Cork 2007 is now available for viewing on the BBC's Film Network site, which I've mentioned here before. You can find a bunch of films from Scotland and Northern Ireland there.

Because I'm too lazy to have done my "Best of 2008" at the moment (I'll try to do it a bit sooner than October, unlike the best of 2007) I may as well point you in the direction of another blog with an Irish focus, the Cork-based The Stub, to which I'm a regular visitor. Like my own lists, you might agree or disagree but will at least get a list of top films that is probably more interesting than the mainstream ones you'll be seeing in all your popular movie magazines and websites.

As for Scotland...

Well, I mentioned above that you can see a bunch of Scottish short films on the BBC Film Network site.

There's a double bill of films by American-born-but-really-he's-a-Scot Alexander Mackendrick this Sunday afternoon at the Cameo cinema in Edinburgh. On show will be the Scots-focused WHISKY GALORE (based on Compton MacKenzie's novel, which was in turn based on real events that happened on the island of Eriskay), paired with the entirely different but absolutely excellent SWEET SMELL OF SUCCESS, in which Tony Curtis and Burt Lancaster play a pair of sleazy gossip columnists. You really need to see this film if you haven't already done so.

THE ST KILDA TAPES will be returning to the GFT on Monday 19th January and will also be popping up at Filmhouse the day before that.

If you've not been watching anything in BBC's season Scotland's History, you should. I am assuming this has been timed to coincide with Scotland's first ever Homecoming Year. Aside from the flagship series (the breath-taking A HISTORY OF SCOTLAND), they've been putting out some brilliant documentaries so far - THATCHER & THE SCOTS, SHETLAND LONE STAR, THE WORLD ACCORDING TO ROBERT BURNS and THE ADVENTURES OF DON ROBERTO.
The brilliant Gaellic feature SEACHD: THE INACCESSIBLE PINNACLE has been showing several times on BBC Alba. If you've missed all the screenings so far, fret not - there's another one on the 11th January at 17:00. Set your recorders now.

In fact, keep an eye on BBC Alba's schedules as it's turning into THE place to find some really fascinating Scottish documentaries.

Talking of Gaellic stuff, there's a three day festival called FILM's CRAIC at the CCA in Glasgow later this month which will be showing lots of it, mainly the sort of stuff on BBC Alba and STV's Gaellic programming, with some special events thrown in. It might be worth a look.

That's all for now.

A PORTRAIT OF THE ARTIST AS A YOUNG MAN (1977)

Director Joseph Strick had already received some acclaim/notoriety with a cinema adaptation of ULYSSES when he turned his hand to another of Joyce's works, A PORTRAIT OF THE ARTIST AS A YOUNG MAN. I have the former in my collection but am saving it until after I've read the book (whenever that may be) so for now I decided to sample the latter.

Essentially a tale of a boy becoming a man, the scenes of the young boy's childhood are stale and lifeless. Even as he grows up the film only occasionally displays the odd burst of energy, despite the best efforts of Bosco Hogan as Dedalus, the title character and Joyce's alter ego.

The blame for this can perhaps be attributed to a few factors. For one thing, the UK DVD release isn't the most flattering - leaving aside the fact that it claims to be widescreen but isn't, the print is in less than stellar shape, with both picture and sound in need of a good clean-up.

Allowing for technical issues, the photography and set design still seems a little claustrophobic and drab - the film just rarely seems to come to life.

There are moments of joy - John Gielgud hams it up delightfully in the wonderful speech about the nature of hell - but ultimately the main problem is perhaps one of misplaced artistic integrity. It's a faithful adaptation for sure but one thing that struck me when I read the book recently and then approached the film is that the book is not even remotely cinematic.

In the end, the desire to remain truly faithful to a text - something few films ever come close to achieving - is admirable and definitely achieved. That unfortunately on this occasion may also be the film's undoing.

TARANTULA (1955)

There's always a risk when watching classic monster movies and B-pictures that they won't be as good as you remember when you first saw them as a kid; or that somehow their reputation has grown from other people's memories of it and watching it for the first time will only be a disappointment. Frequently you just discover how dull these movies actually are.

Not so with TARANTULA, which delivers everything its title promises. This one had managed to pass me by until recently - despite a childhood spent watching such films on TV, I was usually limited to the four terrestrial channels rather than the TV overload we have now - and I did go in expecting another film made up of 90% scientists talking and 10% badly dated spider effects.

The film throws us into the action straight away with the delightful sight of a mutated man dying in the desert, before the opening titles have even rolled. Yes!

I don't need to rehash the story since the title and the fact that it was made in the fifties tells you all you need to know. Scientific experiments, giant spider, etc. The mutated humans are a bonus and Bud Westmore's make-up is okay, but the real star is the tarantula itself. Even today the effects are surprisingly good - THE INCREDIBLE SHRINKING MAN is perhaps the only other film of the era which has effects that are still this good.

Of course there are still some dated elements, such as the prediction that by the year 2000 the world's population could be as much as 3 billion. If only. Still, there are times when the of-another-time feel generates a good laugh. Wonderful dialogue includes the line "Give women the vote and what do you get? Lady scientists!" Try keeping as straight a face as he does when he says it.

Of course the ending is the usual wholesale destruction although this time with the novelty of the armed forces actually doing something effective rather than failing miserably before the heroic scientist figures it all out. It does raise the question however of why explosives and missiles fail to take out the creature when napalm ends up doing just fine.

That's just me being too cynical though. This movie is splendid fun and one of the best of the fifties monster movies if you're planning to revisit the era of abnormally large wildlife.

THRILLA IN MANILLA (2008)

Part of Channel4/More4's terrific "True Stories" documentary thread, there are elements of this film that betray its television origins - some rather pedestrian staging, a dull voiceover - but ultimately it transcends such trivialities to deliver a thrilling account of the titular fight (in which Muhammad Ali took on Joe Frazier in the Philippines) as well as a blow-by-blow account of the build-up in which the pair's friendship was forever soured. It never quite reaches the dizzy heights of the tale of the "Rumble in the Jungle" as detailed in WHEN WE WERE KINGS but it's at least a worthy companion piece.

The film unfolds primarily from Frazier's point of view. Current interviews with him (living above his gym in a rundown neighbourhood, a stark contrast with the marketing giant of Ali) and with witnesses and experts are blended with heaps of archive footage to give the complete story of one of boxing's greatest ever bouts. Granted, I hate boxing, so I'm taking it on the word of others - but even with my limited interest I could see that this fight was something extraordinary.

As I mentioned above however, the lead-up to the fight was just as interesting. Ali, previously a friend and supporter of Frazier, suddenly decided to start badmouthing him in incredible ways (comparing him to a gorilla, to Uncle Tom and making out that he was some kind of white man's patsy). Frazier of course rose to the bait.

Of course it can be seen that Ali was always a bit over the top in trying to promote fights and always liked to "talk the talk" as it were. He took it too far however, but Frazier does not come off any better in giving in and lashing out (there's an incredible scene where the two men actually start fighting on a quiz show).

In concentrating so much screentime on the build up and events surrounding the fight, the film doesn't lessen the impact of the fight itself. What it does do however is to remind us that, for all we might be in awe of these two giants clashing in the insane Filipino heat, almost literally fighting to a standstill, they are just men. Not monsters, not giants, but men, and with all the same flaws as the rest of us.

In doing so, it results not in an extended bout of hero worship but in a portrait of two men who took things too far and in the end both paid the price for that fight, in one way or another. Ali comes across as a man who took his verbal sparring too far over the line into backstabbing and spite and, for decades at least, was too stubborn to apologise; Frazier comes over as a man who was not only naive enough to give in to Ali's taunting but now comes over as bitter and more than a little spiteful himself, taking a degree of pleasure in playing his part in Ali's current condition.

Ultimately it's about a fight that neither man truly won and in that respect the documentary is a fair reflection - neither man emerges from the film having covered themselves in glory and in the end the only winner is anyone who discovers this pulsating film.