By Fergus Henderson. In Lydia Rui’s short film ‘This Perfect Day’, a young person enters a music shop for unclear reasons while their girlfriend waits in a car outside. The atmosphere in the car is fraught and nervous, and their girlfriend cryptically reminds them that they’ve come to the shop for a reason. Rui’s camera is tight and intimate, and for a while we have no idea what is going to happen, only feeling the tension of the situation.
Rui, as it turns out, was Beyoncé’s videographer during her 2013/14 international tour, and has only recently begun to branch out into narrative film work. Watching this short reveals Rui’s instinctive feel for her character’s inner world, and the power of selectively-chosen close ups. You have to imagine that the whirlwind of bodies and passions and scheduling that constitutes the machinery of a superstar’s tour was a lifetime’s worth of education in this regard.
Rui toys with the viewer for the bulk of the short, teasing us with the possibility that the protagonist (Jules, played by Michelle Keating) might be there to rob the shop. The claustrophobia of these moments is communicated through glances between Jules and the shop owner John (Lee Mason).
The camera flits between them, pushing in tighter, ramping up an intimacy that remains elusive. Is this merely the closeness between a thief and their target? Does John suspect them? Recognise them? They tell John they can’t afford a guitar, and just when we think Rui is taking us in one direction, Jules asks to play one, and the tone begins once more to shift. The camera starts to close the distance between Jules and John.
I won’t give away what happens next, but suffice to say that Rui’s bracingly tactile and sensitive camera work succeeds in surprising ways in bringing us deep into the psychology of the situation she has created. It is not at all removed or embellished, operating within an emotional reality often only signalled to (or altogether lacking) in films.
That she does this so swiftly is genuinely impressive. Kudos also to Keating and Mason, who play it guarded and furtive, both understanding that small gestures say more than large ones.
On her website Rui describes her transnational background (Chinese Australian) as allowing her an “empathetic eye”, and ‘This Perfect Day’ reflects a much needed sense of understanding and care for people in difficult situations. This short has secured her a spot at the prestigious Tribeca film festival. Her career is on the up. I look forward to whatever narrative she will explore next.
By Naseem Ally. Eighth Grade from the studio powerhouse that is A24, is a coming of age comedy-drama that is centered around an eighth grader, hence the title, played by Elsie Fisher as Kayla Day. It follows Kayla’s difficulties of managing life as an eighth grader, during the last week of classes she has before going on to graduate to high school.
This film explores common issues that face young people during this period, such as anxiety, social media and self-discovery. Kayla’s saving grace through all of this, is her producing vlogs on YouTube giving life advice to her fellow eighth graders.
A24 are really a roll with the quality of their films as of late. This film follows another coming of age movie from the studio, recently released in the UK, Jonah Hill’s directorial debut Mid 90’s that has received its fair share of plaudits. I’m looking forward to Eighth Grade, as it looks like it has all the ingredients to be something truly special.
The critical acclaim it received at its premiere of the 2018 Sundance Film Festival is also a plus. Bo Burnham, the stand-up comedian who got his start on YouTube, began fleshing out the screenplay for this in 2014, as he was inspired by his own struggles with anxiety and wanted to bring his vision to the big screen.
For his directorial debut, I have to admit looking at the trailer alone, the work does look very ambitious and refreshing. Let’s just hope it lives up to the hype. Having a quick YouTube search of the promo interviews for the film, it is clear to see that Bo and Elsie seem to have really great chemistry. Could this be another legendary director and actor duo?
With all that being said, Eighth Grade looks promising and can potentially put itself among the classic ‘coming of age’ movies.
Come 26th April, audiences should be in for a treat!
Most people will scoff at the title, and they’re right to do so: game adaptations have notoriously made for poor cinematic experiences. From the very beginning, it looked as though Hollywood lacked the talent to capture the essence of the game, its characters and its story, while also delivering an enjoyable movie. While there have been a few good game adaptations at the cinema over the years, the ocean of bad films greatly outweighed the puddle of good films.
Now, however, things appear to be changing. With a better understanding of what both fans of the games and the casual movie-watcher want, as well as bigger budgets and better technology, far superior game adaptation movies have been seen over the last half a decade.
As mentioned, the game adaptation genre didn’t get off on a good foot with The Wizard (1989) and Super Mario Bros (1993), and it didn’t get much better with Mortal Kombat (1997) and Mortal Kombat: Annihilation (1997), which couldn’t even convince most of its original cast to perform in the sequel. Jumanji (1995) proved that a good movie based on a game could be done, but little value came afterwards.
//www.youtube.com/watch?v=uEbqd2QMkuw
More poor or underwhelming followed in the ‘00s and ‘10s, but then, salvation came from the most unlikely of places: The Rock. Having already starred in Doom (2005), many assumed that Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson had found himself in yet another poor game adaptation movie. But as it turns out, Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle (2017) was rather good. Be it due to the film’s quality or the distinct lack of quality of Star Wars: The Last Jedi (2017), Jumanji managed to defeat the latest colossus in the main Star Wars film line. After the new Jumanji, Johnson went on to star in Rampage (2018), and while it wasn’t an overly great film, it certainly entertained and brought in a huge sum of cash at the box office.
Also in 2018 was the new Tomb Raider, starring Alicia Vikander. It was a great casting choice, and while the advertising campaign through Lucozade in the UK made it appear to be a tat and mindless film, it was a decent movie. There were some peculiar plot choices, but Vikander was great in the lead role, Walton Goggins made for an excellent villain, and the ending’s twist was just the right amount of divergence from the source material to appease game and film fans.
It appears as though the genre is in an upwards swing, which will hopefully continue to bring more good movie adaptations than bad. So, we’ve come up with some games that are at the top of our list to get a movie makeover next.
Game adaptation movies appear to be more viable, with bigger budgets being dedicated to some of the more recent ones, so hopefully writers and executives will begin to look at some of these incredibly popular games.
Uncharted
Fans have been pleading for an Uncharted movie for years, with the story of the games and the thrills of the settings looking to be ready-made for the movies. Nathan Drake is a grand protagonist in himself, but later games like Uncharted: Lost Legacy bring in even more great characters like Chloe and Nadine.
The strongest push for a film comes from the fan-made version by none other than Nathan Fillion himself. He stars in the live-action fan film, with his rendition of the famous explorer Nathan Drake hailed by fans, leading to many demanding that he stars in a full version. There is said to be a full movie in the works, but development was initially confirmed in 2010, so it’s unclear if anything will come to fruition.
Rich Wilde
Of all of the games across all of the various gaming platforms, the games surrounding Rich Wilde continue to be wildly popular. In the first game, Rich Wilde went to uncover Aztec Idols, and then he went in search of the Pearls of India. But it’s his latest adventure which has proven to be the most popular game of all at online casinos: Rich Wilde and the Book of Dead.
Set in ancient Egypt the player accompanies Rich Wilde through the pyramids in search of the sacred text. The game is so popular that players all over go in search of new casinos to play the game at, snapping up the casino bonuses for some free bonus money to use on the game at websites like Energy Casino and Casumo. The source material is so open that it could make for a stunning modern Indiana Jones-type movie – one without a crystal skull.
God of War
The 2018 release God of War may go down as one of the best single-player games of all time. The franchise pivoted from a using the protagonist Kratos as a hate-filled Greek god in a slasher game to bring him into Norse mythology to follow a story-driven, yet open-world game. Simply put, the game is fantastic in every aspect, from the use of Norse lore to the developments between Kratos, his son, and the many mythological characters that they meet along the way.
If a studio could find a hefty budget, follow the story of God of War closely across a few films, as well as find the perfect star to play Kratos – perhaps Jeffrey Dean Morgan or Jon Bernthal – it could be a cinematic masterpiece. All of the material is there to create an exciting and touching series of movies.
Horizon: Zero Dawn
In the vast futuristic world, robots roam the lands while the protagonist, Aloy, seeks to discover the meaning of how the world came to be and her past. It would require a big budget to do it correctly, and not lean too heavily into the progressive hype that has surrounded the game since its release, but if a movie were to be made based on its story and reflect the game’s tone, a Horizon: Zero Dawn movie could be epic.
The next confirmed game adaptations
There are other great gaming franchises that deserve the movie treatment, such as Gears of War and Metro, and soon we’ll be able to judge if the game adaptation craze truly has footing. In 2019, we get Detective Pikachu, and Sonic the Hedgehog, with Monster Hunter said to be in the works for a 2020 release. If two of these three succeed, more great games may be getting worthy movie adaptations in the near future.
By Naseem Ally. ‘Capernaum’ translated in Arabic as chaos, is the perfect word to title this film. However, don’t get this misconstrued as a film that is all over the place and has no sense of direction with the plot. Frankly, it’s quite the opposite.
This film is beautiful in showing it’s ‘chaos’ and it has the credentials to back it up. Capernaum won the Cannes Jury Prize award for the best film at the 2018 Cannes Film Festival. Directed by the Lebanese actress Nadine Labaki, she has shone a light on the chaos, that poverty stricken street children face on a day to day basis.
Everything from child abuse, illegal immigration and simply looking for the next meal to it. I mean, this film puts everything into perspective and makes our first world problems seem so trivial. Capernaum follows a 12 year old boy named Zain played by the incredible Zain Al Rafeea.
Mind you, he is not a trained actor whatsoever. He was formerly a Syrian refugee. Nadine went for a neorealism approach and used real people living in the streets of Beirut, Lebanon. Zain, a tough and streetwise kid, who after running away from his parents decides to take them to court. Pay particular attention to this, as it’s also linked to a key incident involving his sister that will unravel later in the film.
What’s his reason for wanting to take his parents to court you ask? Being born.
The sheer disdain Zain develops for them in the film, will take you aback as an audience member and you will be able to see why he feels this way, being born in a world of poverty, abuse and essentially chaos. Starting with his struggle of being in a large family, living in a confined space in the shanty-towns of Beirut, having to resort to selling beetroot juice on the streets to help feed his family.
As far as his parents are concerned, school isn’t even in the question. We see glimpses of Zain looking for escapism living in this chaotic world, trying to actually live out a childhood instead of almost essentially being the man of the house at the tender age of 12. From the opening shots, we are introduced to Zain and his friends playing in abandoned buildings, puffing smoke rings and running a muck with makeshift toy guns made from slabs of wood and plastic bottles.
It’s as if they’re living vicariously through the action movie stars they’ve seen on the TV, having the time of their lives making millions. Instead, it’s far from it for Zain. During his escape from his family, he attempts to play house with a new mother figure he encounters over his various solo trips in Beirut, where he meets Tigest. An Ethiopian single mother who is living in Beirut illegally and is depending on a dodgy bloke named Aspro, to forge identification for her. A cleaner by night, we see her having to balance between working to make enough money to raise her son and his new found brother, in the form of Zain, whilst also having to avoid being caught by the authorities.
At this point Zain really comes into his element and matures even further than he already has, and starts to take on the mantle of an older brother for a baby he hardly knows. There’s a funny moment when Zain is asked why him and his ‘brother’ look so different from each other. It involves his mother’s pregnancy and her fondness for coffee. I mean this kid is something else! – he’s wise beyond his years and is literally fighting tooth and nail to look after himself and this baby. From fighting off advances from shady figures looking to have their way, walking for miles towards refugee camps attempting to get to Europe, to making a killing selling Tramadol shots in water bottles. I was thinking to myself this kid could give Al Pacino’s ‘Tony Montana’ a run for his money, with the amount of cash he was bringing in.
Speaking of Al Pacino, if Zain Al-Rafeea further pursues his brand new acting career, his future looks very bright and this performance puts him in good company. Al Pacino, Robert De Niro and the like better make way for this kid. At this point, I wouldn’t put it past him to have the potential to follow in the similar footsteps of a young Leonardo DiCaprio. His earliest performances in ‘What’s Eating Gilbert’ and ‘The Basketball Diaries’ come to mind. Zain’s whole journey over the duration of the film is superb, and he’s really carried it on his shoulders. He’s only twelve years old. Twelve!
However the surrogate mother to Zain, Tigest, played by Yordanos Shiferaw also did a magnificent job, and really played off him extremely well during their interactions. To think the majority of the cast aren’t trained actors. WOW. Please pay special attention to the baby in this film, Yonas, played by Boluwatife Treasure Bankole. If there ever was an Oscar award for best baby in a motion picture, he would be the first to win no doubt!
The way he bounces off Zain in the film, is almost too good to be true. You have to see it to believe it. I don’t know how Nadine was able to able to direct and pull this performance out of them.
Especially a baby, can you imagine…
‘Okay, I know your a baby, but I’m going to really need you to get into the scene and make your crying believable…AND…ACTION!’
Fantastic casting. At times Capernaum was difficult to watch, due to what felt like excessive scenes of abuse and quote unquote ‘poverty porn’. However, I think Nadine has intentionally tried to hammer home the abuse, neglect and poverty that faces many children around the world, as part of their daily lives. It’s an uncomfortable reality to accept due to the high standard quality of life we are used to, but I think generally she has captured this really well.
There are all sorts of reasons to watch movies that go far beyond the plot or actors involved. Movies like Spanglish and Big Night can be enjoyed for their focus on delicious meals and cooking; Gidget and Into the Blue have the ocean as their centerpiece, attracting beach lovers; and The Devil Wears Prada and the Sex and the City movies can be watched for the fashion inspiration alone. The same goes for interior design, with movies like The Godfather and Scarface giving viewers serious FOMO in terms of homes and interior design.
The Great Gatsby’s Art Deco Set
Art deco was the dominant style in the 1920s and ‘30s, characterized by bold, geometric shapes and bright metallics (along with other rich colors). For home design inspiration, you can either look to films from that time period or turn to our favorite modern movie set in the early ‘20s: The Great Gatsby. Here are a few ways to take your home back to the early part of the 20th century — stylized and modernized, of course:
Browse antique shops for unique chandeliers adorned with expensive-looking crystals.
Mix light neutrals with dark woods and jewel tones. For example, an off-white couch can sit atop a ruby area rug.
If you like a lighter theme fit for spring, go with pastel colors, similar to what Daisy Buchanan has in her sitting room or the rustic-chic style of Nick Carraway’s cottage. If you like to change the colors with the seasons, focus on the pieces you can swap out, like rugs, pillows, and throw blankets.
If your favorite part of art deco is the bold patterns, go all out. Gatsby’s bedroom has geometric design in everything from the walls and floor to the bedding.
For a formal room, look for oval pieces (tables and rugs) and decorate with rich grays and light-colored feathers.
What seems like a display of riches now (fur, gems, and gold) was purposely aspirational back then; viewers went to the movies for escapism, as the real world was steeped in the Great Depression. If you want your home to shine in a way that can bring similar positivity into your life, try modeling it after this film.
Whimsical Decor, Wes Anderson Style
Few films are more stylized and whimsical than Wes Anderson’s, and even those who don’t love the scripts or stories come for the visuals. His cinematography is specific and precise, often focusing on balance and uniformity. Here’s how to create an Anderson-inspired home:
In Rushmore, there are unexpected design pieces everywhere. Use an enormous map to create a statement wall or place humorous nods to the education system throughout your home. For example, you can put up a chalkboard, use lockers as a dresser, or create an at-home library complete with green desktop lamps.
The Royal Tenenbaums has a number of decor items that are easy to replicate at home: children’s artwork as focus pieces, vintage masks, and animal print wallpaper.
The Grand Budapest Hotel is a visual achievement, with an enormous pink hotel at its heart. Inside, the pops of color continue due to stunning color coordination, with bright red carpets, pink walls, and green palm trees.
Anderson’s movies and sets have a seriousness to them, which is interesting because they’re also zany and unrealistic in so many ways. Adopting this style can bring a bit of spontaneity to your life and impress visitors with a surprising but refined aesthetic.
Swoon-Worthy Kitchens From Nancy Meyers
While Nancy Meyers is a writer, director, and producer, some know her best for the gorgeous kitchens she puts at the heart of some of her films:
The kitchen in The Intern, which is set in Brooklyn, may be bigger than many city dwellers’ apartments, but you can copy the style for yourself with various shades of blues and grays.
Something’s Gotta Give came out in 2003, but its style is still super popular, with white and granite creating an open, airy, and inviting space. The key here is tons of counter space, especially if you’re able to put in a huge island. When the island can replace a regular kitchen table, you’re also able to practice a big component of feng shui: keeping furniture away from walls.
It’s Complicated features a gorgeous house, which comes into play with one of the plot points in the movie — Meryl Streep’s character is working with an architect, played by Steve Martin, to expand it. The kitchen is stunning, with tons of natural and artificial light illuminating the already-gorgeous place. At your own home, you can replicate this feeling by cleaning the windows, replacing thick curtains with sheer ones, and installing brighter bulbs in your overhead lights.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0wDv_M0XwUo
For many people, the kitchen is the most important room in the house. If you have enough in your budget to overhaul just one room, you may want to focus on the kitchen — it’s where you start and end every day.
Audiences may not be able to buy a multi-million-dollar home like the ones they lust after in the movies, but interior design is one of the more attainable goals renters and homeowners can achieve. Get your dream interior by bargain shopping at thrift stores or taking on a DIY project for half the cost of buying the real thing. You can also opt to invest in one signature piece that’s inspired by your favorite movie, then opt for less expensive decor to surround it. Sourcing your home renovation ideas from the big screen can lead to some exciting and noteworthy upgrades.
