Warning: this Inside No. 9 review contains plot spoilers.
Nine characters! And we knew them all in what, under three minutes? That has to be some kind of screenwriting record. You can watch hours and hours of other shows and come away barely on nodding terms with the lead roles. Here, inside a few lines of dialogue, it was easy to imagine the “Boo to a Goose” ensemble – Gerry, Edith, Elena, Wilma, Cleo, Harold, Raymond, Finn and Mossy – walking off the screen and into their lives.
Well, until that final reveal it was easy to imagine. After that, things turned excitingly unfamiliar.
What began as a morality play about prejudice and compassion twisted into a dystopian sci-fi based on that most Inside No. 9 of Inside No. 9 things – a pun. What if, asks the episode, the “replacement service” sent to the trapped passengers on a Liverpool underground train wasn’t replacing the train,...
Nine characters! And we knew them all in what, under three minutes? That has to be some kind of screenwriting record. You can watch hours and hours of other shows and come away barely on nodding terms with the lead roles. Here, inside a few lines of dialogue, it was easy to imagine the “Boo to a Goose” ensemble – Gerry, Edith, Elena, Wilma, Cleo, Harold, Raymond, Finn and Mossy – walking off the screen and into their lives.
Well, until that final reveal it was easy to imagine. After that, things turned excitingly unfamiliar.
What began as a morality play about prejudice and compassion twisted into a dystopian sci-fi based on that most Inside No. 9 of Inside No. 9 things – a pun. What if, asks the episode, the “replacement service” sent to the trapped passengers on a Liverpool underground train wasn’t replacing the train,...
- 5/8/2024
- by Louisa Mellor
- Den of Geek
Taylor Mac premiered A 24-Decade History of Popular Music four years ago in October 2016, just ahead of the last U.S. election, when many people in the country were feeling optimistic about the potential of electing the country’s first female president after eight years of the Obama administration’s progressive policies. The magnum opus — which comprises 246 songs that were popular in America from 1776 to 2016, in a 24-hour marathon performance — includes everything from World War I ditties and The Mikado to a mash-up of the Bee Gees’ “Stayin’ Alive” and...
- 10/8/2020
- by Jerry Portwood
- Rollingstone.com
Picture the ending of the standard-issue based-on-a-true-story film. Once the picture fades on a family’s final teary goodbye or the camera pans up from our hero(ine) in a moment of triumph, there’s a postscript. And then, the inevitable grainy home video or candid photo of the “real” main character, proof that someone in the casting office (or the hair/make-up department) did their job and brought you the closest facsimile of the real thing.
This may be the most common approach, but it doesn’t produce the best biopics. Good biographies recreate a moment; great ones evoke a sprit that reverberates through the current time.
Read More: Director Debuts: The 20 Best First Films of the Last 20 Years
The standout biographical films from the past two decades reflect the different ways that we commemorate figures of fame or infamy. Sometimes we devote three hours of our lives to...
This may be the most common approach, but it doesn’t produce the best biopics. Good biographies recreate a moment; great ones evoke a sprit that reverberates through the current time.
Read More: Director Debuts: The 20 Best First Films of the Last 20 Years
The standout biographical films from the past two decades reflect the different ways that we commemorate figures of fame or infamy. Sometimes we devote three hours of our lives to...
- 6/23/2016
- by Liz Shannon Miller, Kyle Kizu, Chris O'Falt, Steve Greene, Zack Sharf, David Ehrlich, Kate Halliwell, Russell Goldman, Anne Thompson and Kate Erbland
- Indiewire
Chicago – Leave it to The Criterion Collection to not just perfectly remaster one of the most acclaimed films of the ’90s but to take its ancestor, the film version of the play in which the modern classic centers around, and give it a similarly remarkable treatment. Fans of Mike Leigh’s “Topsy-Turvy” will adore the new Criterion edition, available now on DVD and Blu-ray, but they should also pick up “The Mikado” to see the inspirational musical in its entirety.
Blu-Ray Rating: 4.5/5.0
Mike Leigh is an international treasure; undeniably one of the best living directors. If you have yet to see films like “Secrets & Lies,” “Naked,” “Vera Drake,” and “Happy-Go-Lucky,” get thee to a Netflix queue and dive into the filmography of this fascinating filmmaker, one who works without a net. Most Leigh films are improvised affairs in which he knows the loose foundation of the story but works collaboratively...
Blu-Ray Rating: 4.5/5.0
Mike Leigh is an international treasure; undeniably one of the best living directors. If you have yet to see films like “Secrets & Lies,” “Naked,” “Vera Drake,” and “Happy-Go-Lucky,” get thee to a Netflix queue and dive into the filmography of this fascinating filmmaker, one who works without a net. Most Leigh films are improvised affairs in which he knows the loose foundation of the story but works collaboratively...
- 4/8/2011
- by adam@hollywoodchicago.com (Adam Fendelman)
- HollywoodChicago.com
DVD Playhouse—April 2011
By
Allen Gardner
Hereafter (Warner Bros.) Clint Eastwood’s spiritual thriller follows a trio of characters whose seemingly disparate paths converge: Matt Damon as a blue collar Joe who tries to fight against his psychic powers that see “the other side,” Cecile de France as a journalist who somehow survives the tsunami that crushed Indonesia, and a London schoolboy (Frankie and George McLaren) who seeks answers after losing his twin brother. Like all of Eastwood’s films, the narrative construction is tight as a drum, with solid work by all involved. That said, “solid” would have to be the operative word to describe the proceedings here, as well as “unremarkable” and “uninvolving” on an emotional level. Perhaps we expect too much when we see Clint’s name on a film these days, but that’s the flip side of being one of the best. Blu-ray/DVD combo pack.
By
Allen Gardner
Hereafter (Warner Bros.) Clint Eastwood’s spiritual thriller follows a trio of characters whose seemingly disparate paths converge: Matt Damon as a blue collar Joe who tries to fight against his psychic powers that see “the other side,” Cecile de France as a journalist who somehow survives the tsunami that crushed Indonesia, and a London schoolboy (Frankie and George McLaren) who seeks answers after losing his twin brother. Like all of Eastwood’s films, the narrative construction is tight as a drum, with solid work by all involved. That said, “solid” would have to be the operative word to describe the proceedings here, as well as “unremarkable” and “uninvolving” on an emotional level. Perhaps we expect too much when we see Clint’s name on a film these days, but that’s the flip side of being one of the best. Blu-ray/DVD combo pack.
- 4/6/2011
- by The Hollywood Interview.com
- The Hollywood Interview
DVD Playhouse—April 2011
By
Allen Gardner
Hereafter (Warner Bros.) Clint Eastwood’s spiritual thriller follows a trio of characters whose seemingly disparate paths converge: Matt Damon as a blue collar Joe who tries to fight against his psychic powers that see “the other side,” Cecile de France as a journalist who somehow survives the tsunami that crushed Indonesia, and a London schoolboy (Frankie and George McLaren) who seeks answers after losing his twin brother. Like all of Eastwood’s films, the narrative construction is tight as a drum, with solid work by all involved. That said, “solid” would have to be the operative word to describe the proceedings here, as well as “unremarkable” and “uninvolving” on an emotional level. Perhaps we expect too much when we see Clint’s name on a film these days, but that’s the flip side of being one of the best. Blu-ray/DVD combo pack.
By
Allen Gardner
Hereafter (Warner Bros.) Clint Eastwood’s spiritual thriller follows a trio of characters whose seemingly disparate paths converge: Matt Damon as a blue collar Joe who tries to fight against his psychic powers that see “the other side,” Cecile de France as a journalist who somehow survives the tsunami that crushed Indonesia, and a London schoolboy (Frankie and George McLaren) who seeks answers after losing his twin brother. Like all of Eastwood’s films, the narrative construction is tight as a drum, with solid work by all involved. That said, “solid” would have to be the operative word to describe the proceedings here, as well as “unremarkable” and “uninvolving” on an emotional level. Perhaps we expect too much when we see Clint’s name on a film these days, but that’s the flip side of being one of the best. Blu-ray/DVD combo pack.
- 4/6/2011
- by The Hollywood Interview.com
- The Hollywood Interview
The weekend’s here. You’ve just been paid, and it’s burning a hole in your pocket. What’s a pop culture geek to do? In hopes of steering you in the right direction to blow some of that hard-earned cash, it’s time for the Fred Weekend Shopping Guide - your spotlight on the things you didn’t even know you wanted…
(Please support Fred by using the links below to make any impulse purchases - it helps to keep us going…)
Hank & Dean fans rejoice! Not only has the second half of Venture Bros.: Season 4 (Adult Swim, Not Rated, DVD-$19.98 Srp) hit standard DVD, but the entirety of Venture Bros.: Season 4 (Adult Swim, Not Rated, Blu-Ray-$39.99 Srp) is now available in lovely high definition. Both releases sport audio commentaries and deleted scenes courtesy of Astrobase Go. In other words, buy them both. Now.
I know...
(Please support Fred by using the links below to make any impulse purchases - it helps to keep us going…)
Hank & Dean fans rejoice! Not only has the second half of Venture Bros.: Season 4 (Adult Swim, Not Rated, DVD-$19.98 Srp) hit standard DVD, but the entirety of Venture Bros.: Season 4 (Adult Swim, Not Rated, Blu-Ray-$39.99 Srp) is now available in lovely high definition. Both releases sport audio commentaries and deleted scenes courtesy of Astrobase Go. In other words, buy them both. Now.
I know...
- 4/1/2011
- by UncaScroogeMcD
Hitting movie theaters this weekend:
Hop – Russell Brand, James Marsden, Elizabeth Perkins
Insidious – Patrick Wilson, Rose Byrne, Ty Simpkins
Source Code – Jake Gyllenhaal, Michelle Monaghan, Vera Farmiga
Movie of the Week
Source Code
The Stars: Jake Gyllenhaal, Michelle Monaghan, Vera Farmiga
The Plot: A soldier (Gyllenhaal) wakes up in the body of an unknown commuter and is forced to live and relive a harrowing train bombing until he can determine who is responsible for it.
The Buzz: Source Code looks to be a Quantum Leap meets Groundhog Day sci-fi action romp. 35 seconds into the film’s trailer, I half expected Jake Gyllenhaal to utter, “oh boy.” He instead exclaims, “no, no, no, no,” as if to echo my thoughts exactly — I don’t want to see Gyllenhaal act the same “stop the terrorist on the train” scene, over and over and over again.
I have a strong feeling that this...
Hop – Russell Brand, James Marsden, Elizabeth Perkins
Insidious – Patrick Wilson, Rose Byrne, Ty Simpkins
Source Code – Jake Gyllenhaal, Michelle Monaghan, Vera Farmiga
Movie of the Week
Source Code
The Stars: Jake Gyllenhaal, Michelle Monaghan, Vera Farmiga
The Plot: A soldier (Gyllenhaal) wakes up in the body of an unknown commuter and is forced to live and relive a harrowing train bombing until he can determine who is responsible for it.
The Buzz: Source Code looks to be a Quantum Leap meets Groundhog Day sci-fi action romp. 35 seconds into the film’s trailer, I half expected Jake Gyllenhaal to utter, “oh boy.” He instead exclaims, “no, no, no, no,” as if to echo my thoughts exactly — I don’t want to see Gyllenhaal act the same “stop the terrorist on the train” scene, over and over and over again.
I have a strong feeling that this...
- 3/30/2011
- by Aaron Ruffcorn
- The Scorecard Review
Reviewer: Glenn Heath Jr.
Rating (out of 5): ****½
Mike Leigh's rapturous Topsy-Turvy, now on a lovely new DVD from Criterion (supervised by cinematographer Dick Pope), isn't so much an argument against auteurism, but a concurrence for the beauty of collaboration. Over the course of the sweeping multi-character narrative, Leigh mixes performance, practice, and discourse with effortless precision, showing the "symptoms of fatigue" concerning the artistic process, but also the power of sudden inspiration.
W.S. Gilbert (Jim Broadbent), Sir Arthur Sullivan (Allan Corduner), the troupe of actors led by Richard Temple (Timothy Spall), the costume designers, set decorators, choreographers, producers, and couriers all make a substantial impact on the gloriously textural production of "The Mikado", yet no one artist can claim sole ownership. Leigh's methodical pre-production methodologies (often made up of months of rehearsals) literally appear in front of the camera, and avenues of disappointment and possibility seem organically woven into the mise-en-scene.
Rating (out of 5): ****½
Mike Leigh's rapturous Topsy-Turvy, now on a lovely new DVD from Criterion (supervised by cinematographer Dick Pope), isn't so much an argument against auteurism, but a concurrence for the beauty of collaboration. Over the course of the sweeping multi-character narrative, Leigh mixes performance, practice, and discourse with effortless precision, showing the "symptoms of fatigue" concerning the artistic process, but also the power of sudden inspiration.
W.S. Gilbert (Jim Broadbent), Sir Arthur Sullivan (Allan Corduner), the troupe of actors led by Richard Temple (Timothy Spall), the costume designers, set decorators, choreographers, producers, and couriers all make a substantial impact on the gloriously textural production of "The Mikado", yet no one artist can claim sole ownership. Leigh's methodical pre-production methodologies (often made up of months of rehearsals) literally appear in front of the camera, and avenues of disappointment and possibility seem organically woven into the mise-en-scene.
- 3/29/2011
- by underdog
- GreenCine
DVD Links: DVD News | Release Dates | New Dvds | Reviews | RSS Feed
Topsy-Turvy (Criterion Collection) I have not yet had the time to dive into Criterion's Blu-ray release for Mike Leigh's Topsy-Turvy, a film I only saw for the first time last December when I mentioned it in my What I Watched column. I am leading off with it, however, just to make sure I put it on your radar before I write up my review. This is a great film and one that deviates from what you may expect from a Leigh film in terms of story, but when you see how it all comes together it's most certainly recognizable as definitive Leigh. Tangled I just posted my review of this one, and it's a short one because there isn't much to talk about. While I love this movie and after watching it again don't regret including it in...
Topsy-Turvy (Criterion Collection) I have not yet had the time to dive into Criterion's Blu-ray release for Mike Leigh's Topsy-Turvy, a film I only saw for the first time last December when I mentioned it in my What I Watched column. I am leading off with it, however, just to make sure I put it on your radar before I write up my review. This is a great film and one that deviates from what you may expect from a Leigh film in terms of story, but when you see how it all comes together it's most certainly recognizable as definitive Leigh. Tangled I just posted my review of this one, and it's a short one because there isn't much to talk about. While I love this movie and after watching it again don't regret including it in...
- 3/29/2011
- by Brad Brevet
- Rope of Silicon
"The Resident" (2011)
Directed by Antti Jokinen
Released by Image Entertainment
This actually isn't the first time Hilary Swank has seen one of her films go direct to DVD after the films "Red Dust" and "Birds of America" suffered the same fate, but surely there was more riding on this horror film from the resurgent Hammer Films about a recently separated doctor who learns her Brooklyn loft isn't quite as wonderful as she thought it would be. "Secretary" screenwriter Erin Cressida Wilson co-wrote this film, which co-stars Christopher Lee, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, and Lee Pace.
"The Mikado" (1939)
Directed by Victor Schertzinger
Released by Criterion Collection
"Topsy-Turvy" (1999)
Directed by Mike Leigh
Released by Criterion Collection
Sold separately, Criterion is making no secret of trying to appeal to Gilbert and Sullivan fanatics with special editions of "The Mikado," a straight-up adaptation of the musical duo's most famous opera, and Mike Leigh's "Topsy-Turvy,...
Directed by Antti Jokinen
Released by Image Entertainment
This actually isn't the first time Hilary Swank has seen one of her films go direct to DVD after the films "Red Dust" and "Birds of America" suffered the same fate, but surely there was more riding on this horror film from the resurgent Hammer Films about a recently separated doctor who learns her Brooklyn loft isn't quite as wonderful as she thought it would be. "Secretary" screenwriter Erin Cressida Wilson co-wrote this film, which co-stars Christopher Lee, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, and Lee Pace.
"The Mikado" (1939)
Directed by Victor Schertzinger
Released by Criterion Collection
"Topsy-Turvy" (1999)
Directed by Mike Leigh
Released by Criterion Collection
Sold separately, Criterion is making no secret of trying to appeal to Gilbert and Sullivan fanatics with special editions of "The Mikado," a straight-up adaptation of the musical duo's most famous opera, and Mike Leigh's "Topsy-Turvy,...
- 3/28/2011
- by Stephen Saito
- ifc.com
My favorite distributors The Criterion Collection have announced three new titles for Blu-ray/DVD release this coming March! On March 22, the Oscar-winning documentary The Times of Harvey Milk (Robert Epstein, 1984) will come out. Then on March 29, Criterion will release Topsy-Turvy (Mike Leigh, 1999) and The Mikado (Victor Schertzinger, 1939).
The Times of Harvey Milk
Extras include:
Audio commentary featuring director Robert Epstein, coeditor Deborah Hoffmann, and photographer Daniel NicolettaNew interview with documentary filmmaker and Uc Berkeley professor Jon ElseNew program about The Times of Harvey Milk and Gus Van Sant's Milk, featuring Epstein, Van Sant, actor James Franco, and friends Cleve Jones, Anne Kronenberg, and NicolettaPostscript containing interview clips not used in the filmRare collection of audio and video recordings of Harvey MilkInterview excerpts from Epstein's research tapesFootage from the film's Castro Theatre premiere and the 1984 Academy Awards ceremonyPanel discussion on Supervisor Dan White's controversial trialExcerpts from the twenty-fifth anniversary...
The Times of Harvey Milk
Extras include:
Audio commentary featuring director Robert Epstein, coeditor Deborah Hoffmann, and photographer Daniel NicolettaNew interview with documentary filmmaker and Uc Berkeley professor Jon ElseNew program about The Times of Harvey Milk and Gus Van Sant's Milk, featuring Epstein, Van Sant, actor James Franco, and friends Cleve Jones, Anne Kronenberg, and NicolettaPostscript containing interview clips not used in the filmRare collection of audio and video recordings of Harvey MilkInterview excerpts from Epstein's research tapesFootage from the film's Castro Theatre premiere and the 1984 Academy Awards ceremonyPanel discussion on Supervisor Dan White's controversial trialExcerpts from the twenty-fifth anniversary...
- 12/17/2010
- by josh@reelartsy.com (Joshua dos Santos)
- Reelartsy
The first photo of Glenn Close dressed as a man on the set of Albert Noobs, two new photos of Justin Bieber in his concert movie Never Say Never.
"A purported copy of Christopher Nolan's "The Dark Knight Rises" script landed on-line claiming to reveal the villains of the piece - Dr. Hugo Strange (the main villain), Talia al Ghul (female lead/secondary villain), Black Mask (the mob boss), and Killer Croc (mob's muscle). Warner Bros. Pictures have since denied such a leak while the source is purported to be a poster on the Superhero Hype forums..." (full details)
"Summit has now locked in a March 23rd release date for the Mel Gibson-led dark comedy "The Beaver". A limited run will begin on the date before expanding two weeks later on April 8th, that expansion's size will likely be determined by the reaction and box-office opening weekend results.
"A purported copy of Christopher Nolan's "The Dark Knight Rises" script landed on-line claiming to reveal the villains of the piece - Dr. Hugo Strange (the main villain), Talia al Ghul (female lead/secondary villain), Black Mask (the mob boss), and Killer Croc (mob's muscle). Warner Bros. Pictures have since denied such a leak while the source is purported to be a poster on the Superhero Hype forums..." (full details)
"Summit has now locked in a March 23rd release date for the Mel Gibson-led dark comedy "The Beaver". A limited run will begin on the date before expanding two weeks later on April 8th, that expansion's size will likely be determined by the reaction and box-office opening weekend results.
- 12/16/2010
- by Garth Franklin
- Dark Horizons
The first photo of Glenn Close dressed as a man on the set of Albert Noobs, two new photos of Justin Bieber in his concert movie Never Say Never.
"A purported copy of Christopher Nolan's "The Dark Knight Rises" script landed on-line claiming to reveal the villains of the piece - Dr. Hugo Strange (the main villain), Talia al Ghul (female lead/secondary villain), Black Mask (the mob boss), and Killer Croc (mob's muscle). Warner Bros. Pictures have since denied such a leak while the source is purported to be a poster on the Superhero Hype forums..." (full details)
"Summit has now locked in a March 23rd release date for the Mel Gibson-led dark comedy "The Beaver". A limited run will begin on the date before expanding two weeks later on April 8th, that expansion's size will likely be determined by the reaction and box-office opening weekend results.
"A purported copy of Christopher Nolan's "The Dark Knight Rises" script landed on-line claiming to reveal the villains of the piece - Dr. Hugo Strange (the main villain), Talia al Ghul (female lead/secondary villain), Black Mask (the mob boss), and Killer Croc (mob's muscle). Warner Bros. Pictures have since denied such a leak while the source is purported to be a poster on the Superhero Hype forums..." (full details)
"Summit has now locked in a March 23rd release date for the Mel Gibson-led dark comedy "The Beaver". A limited run will begin on the date before expanding two weeks later on April 8th, that expansion's size will likely be determined by the reaction and box-office opening weekend results.
- 12/16/2010
- by Garth Franklin
- Dark Horizons
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