Elegy
Ben Kingsley and Penelope Cruz star in this film, based on the Pulitzer winning novel The Dying Animal. Kingsley plays the flawed literary celebrity David Kepesh who begins a relationship with his student, 30 years younger played by Cruz. Perhaps predictable from the outset, the film progresses to display Kepesh's obsessions and insecurities, and what devestating power love can be. Consistant, simple editing, teamed with Kingsley's perfect narration the film's techinical qualities couldn't be faulted. Thoughtful and incredibly potent in places, Elegy was a film that'd completely passed me by (it was released in August this year), I'm glad I managed to catch it on the Sunday Matinees.
Of Time and the City
Terence Davies' film for Liverpool has been hailed as a masterpiece by some, and I really couldn't see why. Yes it could be a generational thing, or the fact I've never been to Liverpool but for a film given the presitigous 5 stars from Time Out, the Guardian and Empire would it be foolish to believe there was something in it for everyone?
Using lovely archival footage and a musical score I can't fault, the film is a comment on the changes of Liverpool, and Britian as a whole. He charts his religious upbringing, his experiences of the great wars and when the "Betty and Phil Show" began. Unfortunately many of the jokes were lost on me, and as a resultI found this film really dissapointing.
