EIFF: Snowpiercer

Sun 22 June

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As I have mentioned before (even back in January), my anticipation levels for this film by Bong Joon-ho have been sky high. So to start off, all I can say is it did not disappoint. In fact it took my expectations and blew them out the water! Easliy heading towards the top of my list of favourite films of the year so far.

Snowpiercer, based on the French graphic novel 'Le Transperceneige', is a dystopian sci-fi set within the confines of a train. After a catastrophic ice age hits the planet (brought on by human intervention), this train carries the last of humanity on a never-ending journey around the world. Class wars still carry on, with those at the front of the train sipping champagne and dancing the night away, while those at the tail end of the train struggle for survival and dignity.

EIFF: The Skeleton Twins

Sat 21 June

This showing was heralded as the European premiere and director Craig Johnson was in attendance to introduce the film and answer questions in a Q&A at the end. Unfortunately booked travel meant I couldn’t stick around for that.

The story revolves around estranged twins, Maggie (Kristen Wiig) and Milo (Bill Hader) who are brought back together after trying to commit suicide, coincidentally on the same day. Dark secrets lead to a troubled reunion though and it isn’t long before those secrets start to break down the strong façades of homemaker Maggie and underachieving Milo, dragging those around them into a dark cycle of hurt and distrust including Maggie’s husband, her scuba instructor and an old school teacher.

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EIFF: Greyhawk

Sat 21 June

Taking place on the troublesome Greyhawk Estate, blinded war veteran, Mal, loses his best friend and guide dog, Quince, after a run in with the local teen tearaways. Assuming the worst, Mal must find his beloved dog before leaving the estate permanently in a few days time. A struggle for someone with no sight and made no easier by the mostly disillusioned residents of the estate. An encounter with pitying, single mother Paula, provides the elusive lead Mal needs.

Director Guy Pitt and writer Matt Pitt, along with stars Alec Newman and Zoe Telford were on hand to answer questions after the film, giving an in-depth background to the origin of the story and character. As well as the ‘training’ Newman received in order to provide a believably blind character.

Edinburgh International Film Festival 2014

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After such a good experience at my first film festival (Glasgow Film Festival 2014) finding some unique and little heard of gems, I decided that the EIFF was the next logical step. The original plan had been to take in a couple of films this year, however once the programme was released I soon found I was having to cut down the list considerably to a total of ten films!

To my delight, the line up held one of my most anticipated films of the year - Snowpiercer. A film which has been having troubles distribution wise, finally getting its UK premiere through the festival. A few others which I had been watching in the works were there as well, filling out three days worth of showings. I will also be catching up with Elijah Wood at Empire and EIFF's Hero Hangout.

Here is the list of events on the agenda. Links will be added as they become available.

Greyhawk
The Skeleton Twins

Palo Alto
The Green Inferno
We Gotta Get Out Of This Place
Snowpiercer

EIFF & Empire Present Hero Hangout: Elijah Wood

The House of Magic 3D
A Dangerous Game
Joe
Miss Zombie

May Reviews

After an unprecedented six week hiatus from the big screens (didn't see one film during April!), I finally got back to the cinema and started a catch up, even if it is a slow one. Six films seems like a poor show. It did include two of my most anticipated films of the year though – the latest entry into the X-Men franchise and the story of one of Disney's most dastardly villains, Maleficent.

Brick Mansions
Transcendence
X-Men: Days of Future Past 3D
The Other Woman
Godzilla 3D
Maleficent 3D

So to get on with it, here's what I thought about these few.

There is No Spoon

My top films of all time do not cover a huge range - mostly sci-fi, adventure, animation and back round to sci-fi again and again. I thank my parents for that, TV and movie entertainment included mostly Star Trek, Star Wars, Terminator, Farscape, Stargate, Andromeda, and you can see where this list is going... So I guess it was only natural I follow in those futuristic, space venturing footsteps!

So it should be no surprise that the first film to add to my Top Picks is one that has featured on many lists of greatest sci-fi films of all time and in 2012 was added to the National Film Registry of the Library of Congress for preservation - of which only 25 films per year are picked for their 'culturally, historically or aesthetically significant' content.