A Boy Called Dad (2009)

Cautiously Recommended

UK

Feature Film

Director: Brian Percival

Writer: Julie Rutterford

Cinematographer: David Katznelson

Composers: Srdjan Kurpjel, Marios Takoushis

Cast: Kyle Ward, Ian Hart, Charlene McKenna, Louise Delamere

Despite its clichéd, contrived, and occasionally even downright silly screenplay, this tale of a 14-year-old New Brightonian lad, who has recently become a father, reuniting with his own long absent father, is decidedly watchable and even quite moving, mainly thanks to Ian Hart’s excellent performance and some fine work from director Percival and photographer Katznelson. Iain.Stott

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Roxy (2010)

Highly Recommended

USA

Short Film

Writer/Director/Cinematographer: Shirley Petchprapa

Cast: Damien Puckler, Roxy Puckler

There are echoes of J.D. Salinger’s A Perfect Day for Bananafish (1948) in Shirley Petchprapa’s intensely sensual and ethereally beautiful self-financed short film, which wallows in the poetry of the every day, finding the beauty in acts as simple as a man watching television, running a bath, and even just cleaning his teeth, whilst his dog, Roxy – the film’s real star – lolls around with effortless elegance. Iain.Stott

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The Black Sheep of Whitehall (1942)

Not Recommended

UK

Feature Film

Directors: Basil Dearden, Will Hay

Writers: John Dighton, Angus MacPhail

Cinematographers: Eric Cross, Günther Krampf

Cast: Will Hay, John Mills, Basil Sydney, Henry Hewitt, Felix Aylmer, Owen Reynolds, Frank Cellier

Click for review.

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Mammoth (2009)

Recommended

Sweden/Denmark/Germany

Feature Film

Original Title: Mammut

Writer/Director: Lukas Moodysson

Cinematographer: Marcel Zyskind

Composers: Linus Gierta, Erik Holmquist, Jesper Kurlandsky

Cast: Gael García Bernal, Michelle Williams, Marife Necesito, Sophie Nyweide, Tom McCarthy, Run Srinikornchot, Jan David G. Nicdao, Martin Delos Santos, Maria Esmeralda del Carmen, Perry Dizon

A games designer travels to Thailand to sign a lucrative contract, and reluctantly becomes involved with a beautiful young prostitute, whilst his sensitive, surgeon wife struggles to come to terms with the circumstances that led to the hospitalisation of one of her patients, and their nanny, who looks after their lively, inquisitive daughter, strives to earn enough money to give her young sons, who still live with their father in the Philippines, a good start in life, in Moodysson’s affectingly acted, multi-stranded critique of globalisation and commodification. Iain.Stott

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Vinyan (2008)

Highly Recommended

France/Belgium/UK

Feature Film

Director: Fabrice Du Welz

Writers: Fabrice Du Welz, David Greig, Oliver Blackburn

Cinematographer: Benoît Debie

Composer: François-Eudes Chanfrault

Cast: Emmanuelle Béart, Rufus Sewell, Petch Osathanugrah, Julie Dreyfus, Amporn Pankratok

Six months after losing their son in the 2004 tsunami in Thailand, a couple of aid-workers set off into a Burmese jungle, accompanied by a pair of Triads, in the vain hope of finding him, believing that they may have seen him in an aid video, in Du Welz’s formally adventurous (but not flashy), bravely acted, and decidedly disquieting examination of fear, guilt, and grief – imagine a hybrid of Don't Look Now (1973) and Apocalypse Now (1979). Iain.Stott

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Back-Room Boy (1942)

Recommended

UK

Feature Film

Director: Herbert Mason

Writers: Marriott Edgar, Val Guest, J.O.C. Orton

Cinematographer: Jack Cox

Composer: Hans May

Cast: Arthur Askey, Moore Marriott, Graham Moffatt, Googie Withers, Vera Frances

Like Ask a Policeman (1939), another Gainsborough rip-off of Arthur Ridley's 1923 play The Ghost Train, this Arthur Askey comedy is quite delightful for its first 40 minutes or so, whilst it concentrates on the comedic dexterity of its diminutive Liverpudlian star and his verbal bouts with the film-stealing 12-year-old Vera Frances, but when the plot finally kicks in, and Marriott, Moffatt, and Withers finally make an appearance (all giving performances far from their best), it all descends into slightly tiresome farce – never the less, it’s still well worth watching, though. Iain.Stott

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Return to Oz (1985)

Recommended

USA/UK

Feature Film

Director: Walter Murch

Writers: Gill Dennis, Walter Murch, L. Frank Baum

Cinematographer: David Watkin

Composer: David Shire

Cast: Fairuza Balk, Nicol Williamson, Jean Marsh, Piper Laurie, Matt Clark, Sean Barrett, Denise Bryer, Brian Henson, Lyle Conway, Emma Ridley

Based on Baum’s novels The Land of Oz (1904) and Ozma of Oz (1907), which follow on from The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (1900), which was loosely adapted as The Wizard of Oz (1939), this well-crafted, creepy, and downbeat film follows Dorothy’s unhappy return to Oz, which in her absense has been taken over by Princess Mombi and The Nome King, with all of her old friends now turned to stone. Iain.Stott

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