Tag: Philip Seymour Hoffman
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The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1.
One of the most annoying and insincere trends in contemporary Blockbuster movie-making is the greedy decision to divide one piece of source material into two separate films. This irritating move makes complete financial sense – allowing the studios to make 100% of the original profit all over again the following year. These two-parters are often…
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The Ides of March.
George Clooney’s intense political drama explores the sinister underbelly of a campaign between two presidential candidates. The Ides of March takes place in Ohio, a crucial destination to the campaign that could determine which side takes the lead and ultimately wins. With this knowledge in the minds of all those involved in the battle, tensions couldn’t…
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God’s Pocket.
Deep underneath its greasy, dishevelled characters, God’s Pocket has community at its heart. Outside of the plot, this is a film about the claustrophobia of a certain type of neighbourhood and the unlucky individuals who can’t get out of them. Despite the film’s negative portrayal of such a world, where education is lacking and violence…
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A Most Wanted Man.
Four months after the unexpected death of Philip Seymour Hoffman, one of his final performances is being screened at Edinburgh International Film Festival. An Unwanted Man presents Hoffman as the leader of a secret team, living in Hamburg and fighting the war against terror in dangerous and highly sensitive ways. The film follows a simple plan to…
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Mary & Max.
In 2003, Harvie Krumpet won an Academy Award for best animated short film. A 22 minute Australian clay animation, Harvie Krumpet tells the heart-breaking story of one man and his battle with a lot of misfortune whilst remaining ever the optimist. Illness, war, old age, disability and loss swamp Harvie’s existence but he never allows any of this to…
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Happiness.
One hardly knows where to begin with reviewing such a film. Todd Solondz’s Happiness is many things but let’s start with the acknowledgement that it is a challenging film. It is a disgusting masterpiece that taunts its audience who tend not to know how to react to it. The sensational Roger Ebert summarised the spectator’s battle with Happiness in…
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The Master-piece.
It is a rare treat when you get to spend an evening in a picture house listening to the stunning compositions of Jonny Greenwood whilst witnessing a film with not one, not two but three flawless lead performances. I indulged in such a treat recently, whilst watchingThe Master at the Hyde Park Picture House. The…
Hannah McHaffie 