The Illusionist

Sylvain Chomet, the acclaimed director of the Oscar nominated The Triplets of Belleville is back with his second feature The Illusionist. In keeping with his previous effort this is another gloriously animated piece that harks back to the golden age of such Disney films as 101 Dalmations and The Aristocats.

Black Swawn Trailer

Normally new trailers just end up in our trailer page, however so high is our excitement about Darren Aronofskys latest film we thought it should take it's place here.

Following The Wrestler with a film about rival ballett dancers was always going to be seen as an odd next step, however rumour has it that this is no chick flick, and infact more of a pschological thriller. With Vincent Cassell staring alongside Natalie Portman Black Swan looks set to shine as this year Venice film festival opener

Scott Pilgrim Vs The World

Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World is undoubtedly one of the most original and unique films you are likely to see this year. Far from the first comic book adaptation, Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World is one of the first films to capture that artistic style in a truly memorable way.

10 Greatest South Park Episodes by Matthew Kleebauer

Let’s face it, The Simpsons is shit now and has been for the best part of a decade, while South Park continues to get better and better. It’s officially the funniest show on TV, and with the 14th season just kicking off with the Tiger Woods themed premiere “Sexual Healing” is there ever going to be a better time to review the 10 greatest episodes? The answer to that is yes, obviously, when the show eventually finishes, but I’m at work and I’m bored so there you go. 

The Expendables

The Expendables, is described by many as the action movie to end all action movies. Marketing itself like some kind of Milk tray selection box aimed directly at men. With a cast including some real heavyweights both cinematically and literally joining an aging Stallone as his merry band of mercenaries we’re presented with an all or nothing mission to save a stereotypical South American Island from a formulaic dictator.

Inception

One of possibly many more Inception reviews and articles. This one is from guest contributor Richard WIlliams

1 minute movie reviews: July

As well as the usual reviews we post from the various screenings we’re lucky enough to go to, from time to time we still like to part with our hard earned wages and enjoy the movies we weren’t fortunate to see for free. Here are some brief reviews of some of the delights July had to offer. Including White Material, L’affaire Farewell, Tetro, Heartbreaker and Toy Story 3.

Breaking Bad

From the premiere of The Sopranos in 1999 up until the climax of The Wire in 2008, HBO ruled the American airwaves with a seemingly never-ending stream of hit shows. However since these, the two most critically-acclaimed shows in TV history, have ceased to exist, a young upstart named AMC has stolen some of its thunder, and the attention of the mainstream press to boot.

New Trailers

We now have brand new teasers up on our trailer page for some of our most anticipated future releases. Included is the Guillermo Del Toro produced horror Don't Be Afraid of the Dark, which if The Orphanage was anything to go by should have us all hiding behind the seat in front. 

Also up are new features from controversial director Gasper Noe (Irreversible) and South Koreas answer to Steven Spielberg, Joon-ho Bong, Mother and Enter the Void.

Still available are future releases from Studio Ghibli (The Borrowers), Sofia Coppola (Somewhere) and Disneys exciting looking, Daft Punk scored sequel to Tron, as well as The Town, The Illusionist and many more. 

Diary of a Country Priest

‘Diary of a Country Priest’ is the first Bresson film to employ the strict formal and aesthetic considerations which would come to dominate his film making for the remainder of his life. Consequently ‘Diary of a Country Priest’ represents an ideal starting point for a Bresson novice as it is here that we are able to see Bresson at his most expansive, it is here that we as an audience are most able to follow the subsequent process of his film making by witnessing it’s first manifestation. Bresson’s films are almost impossible to talk about without discussing this process because the link between the formal aesthetic of his films and their meaning is utterly insoluble.

There are very few directors whose aesthetic style, underpinned by sincere belief in the power of cinema, has the force to alter the manner in which you see the world.

Pandora and the Flying Dutchman

It is one of the greater tragedies of British cinema history that the name Jack Cardiff is not better known. Cardiff was recognised throughout the industry as one of the world’s greatest cinematographers before he passed away in April last year, and will soon be the subject of a retrospective at the BFI which will include a newly restored version of the stunning Pandora and the Flying Dutchman. Martin Scorsese, who was heavily involved in producing this new 35mm print, sums it up best when he says “watching this film is like entering a strange and wonderful dream”. Hitchcock’s Vertigo excluded, this is possibly the most perfect blend of classical filmmaking and surrealism ever produced.

MacGruber

Though it may barely register on these shores, Saturday Night Live is an American institution that has spawned some of the most popular comedians in the world. SNL alumni include Dan Aykroyd, John Belushi, Billy Crystal, Mike Myers, Will Ferrell, Bill Murray and many more. Skits on the show have been expanded into hit movies like Wayne’s World and The Blues Brothers, and so while the word MacGruber may not mean much to us, the release of this latest spin-off will be a big hit on the other side of the Atlantic, and deserves to be one here too.

No One Knows About Persian Cats

The term ‘indie rock’ has, as with all these tags associated with modern music genres, lost its meaning somewhat in today’s profit driven music industry. With large music companies desperately snapping up every remotely talented, young rebellious musicians, to whom they can market at today’s culturally enriched youth it’s sometimes hard to see which groups are truly ‘independent’ and which have been manufactured to appear that way.

In The Pit

The construction of the upper-deck of a highway may not sound like the most thrilling subject matter for a documentary, but Juan Carlos Rulfo's fascinating In the Pit takes this addition to the enormous Periferico highway as its subject matter, and is all the better for doing so. Made over a three-year period it follows the lives of a small group of workers engaged in this most precarious of professions, and fully explores the multitude of ironies and injustices that allow men to risk their lives every day but not to earn enough money to drive a car and subsequently never be able to drive across the bridge they helped build.

The Blind Side

“The ideal left tackle is big... He is wide in the butt and massive in the thighs. He has long arms, giant hands, and feet as quick as a hiccup. This is a rare and expensive combination.”

Leigh Anne Tuohy

Top 50 European Directors Currently Working: The Top Ten!

So after much careful deliberation, we here at LastSite have compiled a list of the greatest European directors currently working within the field. Each has been rated and the results are a comprehensive top 50. Directors are scored by their average IMDB score (all their film scores divided by total films), the amount of awards they have won and been nominated for and finally three categories judged by LastSite (Style, Originality, and Filmography, that being the strengh of their entire body of work) Obviously they'll be some disagreement so feel free to comment. Hopefully similar lists will be compiled for the rest of the world.

Top 50 European Directors Currently Working: 20-11

So after much careful deliberation, we here at LastSite have compiled a list of the greatest European directors currently working within the field. Each has been rated and the results are a comprehensive top 50. Directors are scored by their average IMDB score (all their film scores divided by total films), the amount of awards they have won and been nominated for and finally three categories judged by LastSite (Style, Originality, and Filmography, that being the strengh of their entire body of work) Obviously they'll be some disagreement so feel free to comment. Hopefully similar lists will be compiled for the rest of the world.

Top 50 European Directors Currently Working: 30-21

So after much careful deliberation, we here at LastSite have compiled a list of the greatest European directors currently working within the field. Each has been rated and the results are a comprehensive top 50. Directors are scored by their average IMDB score (all their film scores divided by total films), the amount of awards they have won and been nominated for and finally three categories judged by LastSite (Style, Originality, and Filmography, that being the strengh of their entire body of work) Obviously they'll be some disagreement so feel free to comment. Hopefully similar lists will be compiled for the rest of the world.

Top 50 European Directors Currently Working: 40-31

So after much careful deliberation, we here at LastSite have compiled a list of the greatest European directors currently working within the field. Each has been rated and the results are a comprehensive top 50. Directors are scored by their average IMDB score (all their film scores divided by total films), the amount of awards they have won and been nominated for and finally three categories judged by LastSite (Style, Originality, and Filmography, that being the strengh of their entire body of work) Obviously they'll be some disagreement so feel free to comment. Hopefully similar lists will be compiled for the rest of the world.

Top 50 European Directors Currently Working 50-41

So after much careful deliberation, we here at LastSite have compiled a list of the greatest European directors currently working within the field. Each has been rated and the results are a comprehensive top 50. Directors are scored by their average IMDB score (all their film scores divided by total films), the amount of awards they have won and been nominated for and finally three categories judged by LastSite (Style, Originality, and Filmography, that being the strengh of their entire body of work) Obviously they'll be some disagreement so feel free to comment. Hopefully similar lists will be compiled for the rest of the world.

Day Of The Dead: George Romero

"Show me a man or a woman alone and I'll show you a saint. Give me two and they'll fall in love. Give me three and they'll invent the charming thing we call 'society'. Give me four and they'll build a pyramid. Give me five and they'll make one an outcast. Give me six and they'll reinvent prejudice. Give me seven and in seven years they'll reinvent warfare. Man may have been made in the image of God, but human society was made in the image of His opposite number, and is always trying to get back home." - Stephen King, The Stand

Lourdes

Situated at the foothills of the Pyrenees Lourdes is a small market town made famous for the reported apparition of the Virgin Mary to a young peasant girl, Bernadette Soubirous that supposedly occurred in 1858. The apparition is reported to have appeared a total of eighteen times to Bernadette and since then the site has become the most frequented pilgrimage sight for Roman Catholics due to the alleged 'miraculous healings' that has occurred at the sight. Even to this day the small population of Lourdes still sees up to 5 million pilgrims a year come from miles in hope of witnessing something extraordinary, but can the same be said of this low budget, French film?

Oscar Poll

Please direct your eyes to the new Oscar polls on the left. We'd love it if you could take the time to give us your views so we can compile lastsite readers winners with those of the academy. These polls are to represent who you think should win, not your predictions. Regards Patrick LastSite

Life During Wartime - Todd Solondz

Release date is 23rd April, so its way ahead of time, but here is Life During Wartime review. Good wholesome fun for all the family.

Everybody's Fine

The idea that movies are often sold to audiences as one thing, quite separate from the actual tone or plot of a film, is hardly new but the practice really hits a low with Everybody’s Fine. A study of a widowed father, Frank Goode (Robert De Niro) trying to re-connect with his adult children, it is an average film at best, but Miramax clearly had the least faith in it of all, marketing it as a wacky road-movie comedy. The poster for the film, which is an abomination, suggests a light-hearted, Meet-the-Parents style romp.

I Am Trying To Break Your Heart – My Top 5 Romantic Movies

“Well yeah, I'm sad, but at the same time I'm really happy that something could make me feel that sad. It's like, it makes me feel alive, you know? It makes me feel human. And the only way I could feel this sad now is if I felt something really good before. So I have to take the bad with the good, so I guess what I'm feeling is like a, beautiful sadness. I guess that sounds stupid”

Leopold “Butters” Stotch – South Park

The Wolfman

The roots of The Wolfman are all American. Directed by little-used Texan Joe Johnston (with previous credits including Hidalgo and Jurassic Park III), scripted by Andrew Kevin Walker (the imagination behind the more twisted, realistic horrors of Seven) and starring and co-produced by celebrated actor Benicio Del Toro, it is therefore refreshing to find that the film taps into a particularly English vein of horror film and is closest in spirit to films like Witchfinder General or the Hammer Horror series.

LastSite TV - David Lynch Adverts

Click the link below to be sent straight over to Last Site's TV station where you can find a collection of David Lynch adverts, all of which contain the same style you'll be used to from the master of the bizarre.

LSOTL: As featured on the LAMB (The Large Association of Movie Blogs)

Click below to see our article on the L.A.M.B, Thanks again to Dylan for including us on this great site.

LINK

Invictus

It seems strange that in his twilight years, Clint Eastwood has made some of the most challenging and even shocking films of his career. Whether it's taking on the uncomfortable subject matter of Mystic River and ringing star performances out of Sean Penn, Tim Robbins and Kevin Bacon or playing light with his own screen image to portray the gnarled racist Walt Kowalski in Gran Torino, Eastwood has shown no inclination to slip out the back door gracefully. It's even more surprising then that given the canvass of a new-born South Africa and all its attendant racial and social tensions, he has made his gentlest and safest film in years, and yet the most disappointing.

Swansea Love Story

VBS.TV, the broadcast arm of Vice Magazine, will  release Swansea Love Story (part of the Rule Britannia series) in 6 episodes from the 12th February.

LastSiteTV

LastSite TV Page has now been launched. It's in the early stages at the moment (layout needs spicing up and content is low) but keep checking for the latest videos. LASTSITE-TV, or click the link on the left. First up is the new Not Squares Video, the brand new pringle advert/short film, starring TIlda Swinton, Studio Ghibli documentary and the Michael Mann short fil/advert 'Lucky Star'

LastSite TV - Not Squares - Asylum

As part of our continuing atempt to bring more media to LastSite here is the video for the debut single by Belfasts fast rising disco-punks Not Squares. Shot at Ad Hoc Studios Belfast and produced by Bright Stern productions. Directed by Andrew wood

Avatar

Matthew Kleebauer, a man who grew up suckling on the film teets of James Cameron gives his review of the countless award winning and box office record breaker Avatar.

Edge Of Darkness

 Released this weekend, can Mel Gibson carry a film after seven years out of the acting game to concentrate on being on the otherside of the lens?

Michael Mann: Public Enemies

God I love Michael Mann. I just added Public Enemies to my Amazon shopping basket, and I’m so excited about seeing it on Blu Ray that I felt the need to pay my respects to London Film Schools’ finest alumnus. 

LastSiteTV - Noam Chomsky (VBS TV)

Thanks to Vice for giving us this little treat to share with you. This, our first full length video to be screened on LastSite is a rather interesting interview with Noam Chomsky.  Often considered as one of the most notable figures in contemporary philosophy, Chomsky is most revered for his work as a political activist.  In this interview by Kate Albright-Hanna he discusses everything from his team up with the band Bad Religion to the potential dangers of ‘Obama’s Army’.

Watch it here.....

How Avatar Won The Golden Globe For Best Picture

That's right, another angry Avatar post...............

Vice: Nike/Vice True City Iphone App

Yes, yes I know, we're advertising, call us sell outs or what ever you like but before you judge us too harshly have a look at this interesting FREE I phone app made by Nike in conjunction with our friends Vice Magazine that could turn all though boring weekday nights/days around. Also a brief mention of other film based applications you may find useful

You Know How I Love Money – My Five Favourite Christopher Walken Performances

Christopher Walken is a God. It is impossible to love films and not love him, since the early 70s he has cast a huge shadow over the landscape of American film, working with some of the finest actors and directors in the world in helping to create some of the most iconic moments in movie history. In spite of the almost universal acclaim and affection towards him, he never seems to be mentioned in the same breath as De Niro, Pacino, Brando, Newman and the other great screen actors of the last century. His idiosyncratic nature and bizarre appearance means he rarely gets the choicest roles, a fact I lamented when reviewing King Of New York, and is often relegated to a mere supporting character beneath far inferior actors. In spite of this fact though, he has still been responsible for some of my favourite performances of all time, and so, because I’ve nothing better to do, here is my Christopher Walken top 5.

Sneak Peak; More to look forward to in 2010

With Spring still looking like being miles away, here are a few more future films to stoke up the excitement levels and keep you going through the last few weeks of winter.

Sunrise (1927)

A look back at one of the most highly rated pieces from the silent movie era to celebrate its reissue on DVD and BluRay.

Kids go free! : Alvin and the Chipmunks. Reviewd for the kids by the kids

Someone once said never work with children or animals. But they never said anything about getting kids to review films based on animals.

Ponyo

Studio Ghiblis back! And after the disapointment of Tales from the Earthsea can Miyazaki bring the Ghibli boat back on course?

Pardon My Zinger - The 10 Greatest Simpsons Episodes Ever

With Amerca's longest running show reaching its 20th anniversary our specialist in all things simpsons, Matthew Kleebauer has compiled his top ten list

Apparently we review comic books now!: The Dark Knight Returns

Now that it looks abundantly clear that Avatar is destined to become the most successful film of all time (I’m still trying to control my rage enough to articulate how disappointed I was with it, but will post something soon enough), my thoughts turn to another film that came close to usurping Titanic as the all-time box office champion, Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight.

The Vice Guide To Liberia

From the 19th of January Vice will be releasing its hour long documentary (Eight parts over eight days) on life in Liberia following the 14 years of civil war that have left the country in ruins.

All Tomorrows Parties: The Film

Remember sitting at home, making mix tapes for a friend or girl who took your fancy? Remeber sitting there wondering how amazing it be to see all these bands play at one festival, but then realising to your dismay that most festivals boil down to watching the current 'NME' hit parade whilst being surrounded by lager advertisments and mud covered teenagers desperate to make it look like the legal high they payed over the odds for actually works.

Limits Of Control

To say Jim Jarmusch is a filmmaker who defies cinematic traditions would be something of an understatement. After winning the Camera D’Or (Best First Film) at the 1984 Cannes Film Festival with his self-defined “hipster comedy” Stranger Than Paradise, he has gone on to create a body of work as unique as anyone working in American independent cinema.