Exclusive: The moment that La La Land mistakenly won the best picture Oscar is one of a number of stories that will be featured in the latest podcast from Malcolm Gladwell’s Pushkin Industries.
Cautionary Tales, hosted by Tim Harford, will feature re-enactments of true stories of things going wrong from Instinct’s Alan Cumming, Quantico and Years and Years star Russell Tovey and The Good Wife’s Archie Panjabi. It will also feature the acting debut of Gladwell.
Pushkin Industries, which also produces Gladwell’s music podcast Broken Record and Michael Lewis’ Against The Rules, has launched a trailer for the show here, which debuts on November 15.
Harford, known as the Undercover Economist, is a Financial Times columnist, BBC broadcaster and author as well as Ted speaker. He will host the show, which examines what can be learned from these mistakes.
Other episodes feature a heist in Berlin in...
Cautionary Tales, hosted by Tim Harford, will feature re-enactments of true stories of things going wrong from Instinct’s Alan Cumming, Quantico and Years and Years star Russell Tovey and The Good Wife’s Archie Panjabi. It will also feature the acting debut of Gladwell.
Pushkin Industries, which also produces Gladwell’s music podcast Broken Record and Michael Lewis’ Against The Rules, has launched a trailer for the show here, which debuts on November 15.
Harford, known as the Undercover Economist, is a Financial Times columnist, BBC broadcaster and author as well as Ted speaker. He will host the show, which examines what can be learned from these mistakes.
Other episodes feature a heist in Berlin in...
- 11/4/2019
- by Peter White
- Deadline Film + TV
Danger Mouse is back! This slick, self-aware, modern revival boasts plenty of action and jokes...
It’s been over a year since the BBC announced it was remaking Danger Mouse, a show which has a special place in the hearts of a generation of children. Understandably, there’ve been nerves; can Danger Mouse thrive without David Jason and Terry Scott? Will the new team stick with what made the show great in the first place? Is there a place for Danger Mouse on television today? Will this ruin childhoods?
Based on the first episode of the revived series, the answer to all of those questions is tentatively ‘yes’. Except that last one; as we’ve said before on this site, even the worst remake can’t have any genuine impact on your childhood. And, happily, Danger Mouse is far from being the worst remake.
Fans of the old show will...
It’s been over a year since the BBC announced it was remaking Danger Mouse, a show which has a special place in the hearts of a generation of children. Understandably, there’ve been nerves; can Danger Mouse thrive without David Jason and Terry Scott? Will the new team stick with what made the show great in the first place? Is there a place for Danger Mouse on television today? Will this ruin childhoods?
Based on the first episode of the revived series, the answer to all of those questions is tentatively ‘yes’. Except that last one; as we’ve said before on this site, even the worst remake can’t have any genuine impact on your childhood. And, happily, Danger Mouse is far from being the worst remake.
Fans of the old show will...
- 9/28/2015
- by louisamellor
- Den of Geek
Get a sneak peek at the new Danger Mouse revival with this video of the new voice actors.
The clip shows stars Alexander Armstrong (Danger Mouse) and Kevin Eldon (Ernest Penfold) bringing their characters to life in the booth and on screen.
We also get a look at Stephen Fry as Colonel K, Shauna Macdonald as Professor Squawkencluck and Come Dine with Me's Dave Lamb as the Narrator.
Game of Thrones' Lena Headey stars as Jeopardy Mouse and Armstrong's Pointless co-star Richard Osman voices Professor Jelly.
The show will also star Ed Gaughan as the villainous Baron Greenback, Facejacker's Kayvan Novak and The It Crowd's Richard Ayoade.
A James Bond-themed trailer for the show premiered earlier this month.
The new series of Danger Mouse will start on September 28, the 34th anniversary of the premiere of the original series. Watch a promo below:...
The clip shows stars Alexander Armstrong (Danger Mouse) and Kevin Eldon (Ernest Penfold) bringing their characters to life in the booth and on screen.
We also get a look at Stephen Fry as Colonel K, Shauna Macdonald as Professor Squawkencluck and Come Dine with Me's Dave Lamb as the Narrator.
Game of Thrones' Lena Headey stars as Jeopardy Mouse and Armstrong's Pointless co-star Richard Osman voices Professor Jelly.
The show will also star Ed Gaughan as the villainous Baron Greenback, Facejacker's Kayvan Novak and The It Crowd's Richard Ayoade.
A James Bond-themed trailer for the show premiered earlier this month.
The new series of Danger Mouse will start on September 28, the 34th anniversary of the premiere of the original series. Watch a promo below:...
- 9/24/2015
- Digital Spy
Danger Mouse gives James Bond a run for his money in a brand new trailer for Cbbc's reboot of the classic show.
Danger Mouse (Alexander Armstrong) and his loyal sidekick Penfold (Kevin Eldon) are out to save the world in the clip, which looks forward to the return of the show later this month.
Joining Armstrong and Eldon on the show will be Stephen Fry and Richard Osman, who play chinchilla Colonel K and mastermind Professor Strontium Jellyfishowitz respectively.
Game of Thrones star Lena Headey and comedian John Oliver also joined the project back in July.
Appearing as well are Ed Gaughan, who will play the villainous Baron Greenback, FaceJacker's Kayvan Novak, Come Dine with Me's Dave Lamb, Shauna MacDonald and Morwenna Banks.
The new series of Danger Mouse will premiere on September 28, which represents the 34th anniversary of the original Danger Mouse premiere.
Danger Mouse (Alexander Armstrong) and his loyal sidekick Penfold (Kevin Eldon) are out to save the world in the clip, which looks forward to the return of the show later this month.
Joining Armstrong and Eldon on the show will be Stephen Fry and Richard Osman, who play chinchilla Colonel K and mastermind Professor Strontium Jellyfishowitz respectively.
Game of Thrones star Lena Headey and comedian John Oliver also joined the project back in July.
Appearing as well are Ed Gaughan, who will play the villainous Baron Greenback, FaceJacker's Kayvan Novak, Come Dine with Me's Dave Lamb, Shauna MacDonald and Morwenna Banks.
The new series of Danger Mouse will premiere on September 28, which represents the 34th anniversary of the original Danger Mouse premiere.
- 9/4/2015
- Digital Spy
Stephen Fry and Richard Osman have joined the cast of Cbbc's forthcoming version of Danger Mouse.
Osman will team up with his Pointless co-host Alexander Armstrong on the show.
Fry will provide the voice of chinchilla Colonel K, while Osman will play mastermind Professor Strontium Jellyfishowitz.
It was announced in September that Armstrong would voice the lead character on the revamp of the classic animation.
Also joining the cast are Ed Gaughan and FaceJacker's Kayvan Novak.
Osman said: "As a lifelong fan of the show and a slightly more recent fan of Alexander Armstrong I could not be more delighted to be playing my own small part in this incredible new version of Danger Mouse."
Already confirmed cast members include comedian and actor Kevin Eldon, Come Dine With Me's Dave Lamb, Shauna MacDonald and Morwenna Banks.
Osman will team up with his Pointless co-host Alexander Armstrong on the show.
Fry will provide the voice of chinchilla Colonel K, while Osman will play mastermind Professor Strontium Jellyfishowitz.
It was announced in September that Armstrong would voice the lead character on the revamp of the classic animation.
Also joining the cast are Ed Gaughan and FaceJacker's Kayvan Novak.
Osman said: "As a lifelong fan of the show and a slightly more recent fan of Alexander Armstrong I could not be more delighted to be playing my own small part in this incredible new version of Danger Mouse."
Already confirmed cast members include comedian and actor Kevin Eldon, Come Dine With Me's Dave Lamb, Shauna MacDonald and Morwenna Banks.
- 12/1/2014
- Digital Spy
Catch up with the last seven days in the world of film
The big story
"Shaken not stirred;" "I expect you to die;" "Keeping the British end up"... James Bond has been part of the movie furniture for so long it hardly seems there could have been a time when 007 wasn't around. But it was in 1962 that the first Bond movie hit cinemas – exactly 50 years ago – and to celebrate we put on our thinking caps and considered what was our favourite Bond film.
Incredibly, we didn't all agree. Peter Bradshaw got all amorous for
From Russia With Love, Philip French said yes to Dr No, Tom Lamont aimed his peepers at Goldeneye, and Xan Brooks treasured Diamonds Are Forever.
There's more where that came from next week, as other Guardian critics have their say. You can have yours here, on the open thread.
In the news
Jim Carrey on board...
The big story
"Shaken not stirred;" "I expect you to die;" "Keeping the British end up"... James Bond has been part of the movie furniture for so long it hardly seems there could have been a time when 007 wasn't around. But it was in 1962 that the first Bond movie hit cinemas – exactly 50 years ago – and to celebrate we put on our thinking caps and considered what was our favourite Bond film.
Incredibly, we didn't all agree. Peter Bradshaw got all amorous for
From Russia With Love, Philip French said yes to Dr No, Tom Lamont aimed his peepers at Goldeneye, and Xan Brooks treasured Diamonds Are Forever.
There's more where that came from next week, as other Guardian critics have their say. You can have yours here, on the open thread.
In the news
Jim Carrey on board...
- 9/27/2012
- The Guardian - Film News
Catch up with the last seven days in the world of film
The big story
A violent reality check emerged this week: the moving image still has power to shock and disturb on a global scale. The crude anti-Islamic film Innocence of Muslims – allegedly a 13-minute trailer for a longer piece, which seems not to exist – showed that film, for better or worse, does retain the power to influence world events.
The first most people became aware of the film was on (ironically
enough) the 11th anniversary of 9/11 when protestors in Egypt beseiged the Us embassy; already the story was a news event, rather than a film one. Events soon spiralled, with the death of the Us ambassador in Libya and the identification of the film-maker Nakoula Basseley Nakoula.
As our critic Peter Bradshaw pointed out, the instant dissemination afforded by the digital age has only amplified the effect of...
The big story
A violent reality check emerged this week: the moving image still has power to shock and disturb on a global scale. The crude anti-Islamic film Innocence of Muslims – allegedly a 13-minute trailer for a longer piece, which seems not to exist – showed that film, for better or worse, does retain the power to influence world events.
The first most people became aware of the film was on (ironically
enough) the 11th anniversary of 9/11 when protestors in Egypt beseiged the Us embassy; already the story was a news event, rather than a film one. Events soon spiralled, with the death of the Us ambassador in Libya and the identification of the film-maker Nakoula Basseley Nakoula.
As our critic Peter Bradshaw pointed out, the instant dissemination afforded by the digital age has only amplified the effect of...
- 9/20/2012
- The Guardian - Film News
Skeletons, the brilliant British comedy from Nick Whitfield, is available to watch here on demand from 14 September
Reading this on mobile? Click here to view video
Welcome to Skeletons, the latest in the Guardian's series of films to watch on demand. "Intensely and pungently English, eccentric, strangely heartfelt, and very funny," our film critic Peter Bradshaw wrote, back in 2010, in his review of this award-winning indie comedy. Written and directed by Nick Whitfield, and starring standup comics Ed Gaughan and Andrew Buckley alongside Jason Isaacs, Skeletons is a bona fide British original, and looks even more miraculous and brilliant now than even when it first surfaced.
Reading this on mobile? Click here to view video
Arriving seemingly from nowhere to bag a major award at the Edinburgh film festival, Skeletons is the story of a pair of psychic detectives: their job is to exhume the metaphoric skeletons from their clients'...
Reading this on mobile? Click here to view video
Welcome to Skeletons, the latest in the Guardian's series of films to watch on demand. "Intensely and pungently English, eccentric, strangely heartfelt, and very funny," our film critic Peter Bradshaw wrote, back in 2010, in his review of this award-winning indie comedy. Written and directed by Nick Whitfield, and starring standup comics Ed Gaughan and Andrew Buckley alongside Jason Isaacs, Skeletons is a bona fide British original, and looks even more miraculous and brilliant now than even when it first surfaced.
Reading this on mobile? Click here to view video
Arriving seemingly from nowhere to bag a major award at the Edinburgh film festival, Skeletons is the story of a pair of psychic detectives: their job is to exhume the metaphoric skeletons from their clients'...
- 9/14/2012
- by Andrew Pulver
- The Guardian - Film News
Catch up with the last seven days in the world of film
The big story
As the Venice film festival staggered to a close – awarding its Golden Lion, rather controversially, to the Korean film Pieta rather than the runaway favourite, Paul Thomas Anderson's The Master – Toronto 2012 reared its head. We're forced to admit the Canadian festival gets better every year, attracting the pick of the international film circuit, and definitely putting its Old Europe rival in the shade.
Catherine Shoard and Henry Barnes are out there for us, and they've sent back a giant pile of copy and video. New films reviewed include (deep breath): the Jake Gyllenhall cop drama End of Watch; Emma Watson's breakout performance in The Perks of Being a Wallflower; the Salman Rushdie scripted adaptation of Midnight's Children; sex-addict yarn Thanks for Sharing with Mark Ruffalo and Gwyneth Paltrow; the loopy adapation of...
The big story
As the Venice film festival staggered to a close – awarding its Golden Lion, rather controversially, to the Korean film Pieta rather than the runaway favourite, Paul Thomas Anderson's The Master – Toronto 2012 reared its head. We're forced to admit the Canadian festival gets better every year, attracting the pick of the international film circuit, and definitely putting its Old Europe rival in the shade.
Catherine Shoard and Henry Barnes are out there for us, and they've sent back a giant pile of copy and video. New films reviewed include (deep breath): the Jake Gyllenhall cop drama End of Watch; Emma Watson's breakout performance in The Perks of Being a Wallflower; the Salman Rushdie scripted adaptation of Midnight's Children; sex-addict yarn Thanks for Sharing with Mark Ruffalo and Gwyneth Paltrow; the loopy adapation of...
- 9/13/2012
- The Guardian - Film News
Greta Gerwig on her Fawlty Towers obsession, and a Will Self short story is set for the big screen
Greta's towering ambition
Actress Greta Gerwig as an offbeat charm. Once the queen of the "mumblecore" indie scene, she has now moved into the mainstream with appearances in the Natalie Portman/Ashton Kutcher rom-com No Strings Attached and, now, taking over the Liza Minnelli role as Arthur's love interest in the Russell Brand remake of Arthur.
Although neither of these films could claim comic greatness, Gerwig attributes her taste for comedy to growing up with the complete set of Fawlty Towers on VHS. "I didn't watch much American TV," she told me. "My dad had these Fawlty Towers tapes and I watched them over and over. When all my friends were quoting off American comedies, I couldn't really join in. I'd just say things like, 'He put Basil in the...
Greta's towering ambition
Actress Greta Gerwig as an offbeat charm. Once the queen of the "mumblecore" indie scene, she has now moved into the mainstream with appearances in the Natalie Portman/Ashton Kutcher rom-com No Strings Attached and, now, taking over the Liza Minnelli role as Arthur's love interest in the Russell Brand remake of Arthur.
Although neither of these films could claim comic greatness, Gerwig attributes her taste for comedy to growing up with the complete set of Fawlty Towers on VHS. "I didn't watch much American TV," she told me. "My dad had these Fawlty Towers tapes and I watched them over and over. When all my friends were quoting off American comedies, I couldn't really join in. I'd just say things like, 'He put Basil in the...
- 4/23/2011
- by Jason Solomons
- The Guardian - Film News
By Christopher Stipp
The Archives, Right Here
Check out my other column, This Week In Trailers, at SlashFilm.com and follow me on Twitter under the name: Stipp
Little Fockers - Screening
Live in Phoenix or the nearby environs? Interested in seeing Little Fockers on December 16? Then, pal, I have just the ticket for you. In fact, I have a lot of tickets so by all means shoot me a line at Christopher_Stipp@yahoo.com and I’ll see about hooking you up with passes to see it.
Need to know more? Here’s some information:
This holiday season come Little Fockers the third installment in this blockbuster series (Meet The Parents and Meet the Fockers.) The test of wills between Jack Byrnes (Robert De Niro) and Greg Focker (Ben Stiller) escalates to new heights as Jack Byrnes (Robert De Niro) and Greg Focker (Ben Stiller) and the family...
The Archives, Right Here
Check out my other column, This Week In Trailers, at SlashFilm.com and follow me on Twitter under the name: Stipp
Little Fockers - Screening
Live in Phoenix or the nearby environs? Interested in seeing Little Fockers on December 16? Then, pal, I have just the ticket for you. In fact, I have a lot of tickets so by all means shoot me a line at Christopher_Stipp@yahoo.com and I’ll see about hooking you up with passes to see it.
Need to know more? Here’s some information:
This holiday season come Little Fockers the third installment in this blockbuster series (Meet The Parents and Meet the Fockers.) The test of wills between Jack Byrnes (Robert De Niro) and Greg Focker (Ben Stiller) escalates to new heights as Jack Byrnes (Robert De Niro) and Greg Focker (Ben Stiller) and the family...
- 12/10/2010
- by Christopher Stipp
Ten years ago they were labouring in standup obscurity, but now Andrew Buckley and Ed Gaughan have a comedy hit on their hands. Here they tell how it happened
Hello. You are probably wondering who we are and why you are reading this. We are a writing-and-performing comedy double act who have been working together for the past 10 years. This year we found ourselves in the unexpected position of playing the lead roles in a film called Skeletons, which won the Michael Powell award for best British feature, the top prize at this year's Edinburgh International film festival. How did we end up in this position? As you can see from our photo, we are hardly movie-star material. In fact, this very paper described us as "a pair of not particularly photogenic standup comics". Thanks for that, you bunch of smug, passive-aggressive, Oxbridge-educated, middle-class wankers. (Only kidding: we love the Guardian really.
Hello. You are probably wondering who we are and why you are reading this. We are a writing-and-performing comedy double act who have been working together for the past 10 years. This year we found ourselves in the unexpected position of playing the lead roles in a film called Skeletons, which won the Michael Powell award for best British feature, the top prize at this year's Edinburgh International film festival. How did we end up in this position? As you can see from our photo, we are hardly movie-star material. In fact, this very paper described us as "a pair of not particularly photogenic standup comics". Thanks for that, you bunch of smug, passive-aggressive, Oxbridge-educated, middle-class wankers. (Only kidding: we love the Guardian really.
- 10/21/2010
- The Guardian - Film News
The Disappearance of Alice Creed; Skeletons; 4.3.2.1.; Greenberg; The Human Centipede; Letters to Juliet
With movie-makers still coming to terms with the loss of the UK Film Council (which backed both gems and clunkers in its time), two low-budget home-grown releases remind us just how inventive and exciting our indigenous film industry can be. The Disappearance of Alice Creed (2009, Icon, 18) is a stripped-down, three-handed thriller shot almost entirely on a single-location set; a fortified room in which the eponymous heroine is held. The opening scene, in which Alice is bound and gagged, is horrible (Eddie Marsan, who stars, describes the filming as "really uncomfortable") and seems to suggest some leering torture-porn endurance test ahead. Yet a smart script soon confounds expectations, as Gemma Arterton's resourceful "victim" and Martin Compston's duplicitous kidnapper reveal unexpected sides to their respective situations and the tension increases as the twists continue.
Despite the obvious...
With movie-makers still coming to terms with the loss of the UK Film Council (which backed both gems and clunkers in its time), two low-budget home-grown releases remind us just how inventive and exciting our indigenous film industry can be. The Disappearance of Alice Creed (2009, Icon, 18) is a stripped-down, three-handed thriller shot almost entirely on a single-location set; a fortified room in which the eponymous heroine is held. The opening scene, in which Alice is bound and gagged, is horrible (Eddie Marsan, who stars, describes the filming as "really uncomfortable") and seems to suggest some leering torture-porn endurance test ahead. Yet a smart script soon confounds expectations, as Gemma Arterton's resourceful "victim" and Martin Compston's duplicitous kidnapper reveal unexpected sides to their respective situations and the tension increases as the twists continue.
Despite the obvious...
- 10/2/2010
- by Mark Kermode
- The Guardian - Film News
This is the review of Skeletons, starring Ed Gaughan, Andrew Buckley, Jason Isaacs, Paprika Steen, Tuppence Middleton and Josef Whitfield, directed by Nick Whitfield. Bennet (Andrew Buckley) and Simon (Ed Gaughan) are employed by people to clear out their closets. Using magic runes and electronic devices they are able to walk through a closet and find all the hidden skeletons inside and deal with them; everything from visiting prostitutes to secret salsa lessons. When they are employed to find the missing husband of a rather odd woman they come up against challenges which will ultimately make them question what is important in their lives and whether they should be spending so much time in the past.
- 10/2/2010
- by Neil Rolland
- Pure Movies
Skeletons
DVD, Soda Pictures
You wait ages for a film about mysterious agents with a device of unspecified origin that can place them into someone's brain and then two arrive at once. This low-budget British sci-fi/supernatural comedy (of sorts) beats Inception by having more originality, wit and ingenuity; characters (instead of walking, talking plot devices); no pointless CGI – and all for a fraction of the price. Actor-turned-writer-director Nick Whitfield's film is a complete joy from beginning to end. Comedy duo Ed Gaughan and Andrew Buckley play Mr Davis and Mr Bennett, two bickering operatives for a psychic cleansing company wandering the Peak District. They travel to the houses of customers with dark(ish) secrets that need to be unearthed – the skeletons of the title – and enter their memories via a closet in their homes with the help of two mysterious stones and various meters. Their job is fraught with danger,...
DVD, Soda Pictures
You wait ages for a film about mysterious agents with a device of unspecified origin that can place them into someone's brain and then two arrive at once. This low-budget British sci-fi/supernatural comedy (of sorts) beats Inception by having more originality, wit and ingenuity; characters (instead of walking, talking plot devices); no pointless CGI – and all for a fraction of the price. Actor-turned-writer-director Nick Whitfield's film is a complete joy from beginning to end. Comedy duo Ed Gaughan and Andrew Buckley play Mr Davis and Mr Bennett, two bickering operatives for a psychic cleansing company wandering the Peak District. They travel to the houses of customers with dark(ish) secrets that need to be unearthed – the skeletons of the title – and enter their memories via a closet in their homes with the help of two mysterious stones and various meters. Their job is fraught with danger,...
- 10/1/2010
- by Phelim O'Neill
- The Guardian - Film News
Mark checks out the supernatural indie flick Skeletons, and finds a film that could be a British answer to Inception…
Earlier in the year, I reported back on Toy Story 3 from the UK premiere at the Edinburgh International Film Festival. I was too skint to fork out for more than one night's accommodation and so missed out on some of the other great films showing at the festival.
This leaves me scrambling through the rest of 2010 to catch up with The Illusionist, The People Vs George Lucas and Jackboots On Whitehall. Another film I missed, Skeletons, went on to win the Michael Powell Award for Best New British Film, so I definitely had to seek it out once its limited release in cinemas nationwide finally arrived.
I knew a little about it before going in, but found my attention diverted by two things I hadn't anticipated. Firstly, that one of its players,...
Earlier in the year, I reported back on Toy Story 3 from the UK premiere at the Edinburgh International Film Festival. I was too skint to fork out for more than one night's accommodation and so missed out on some of the other great films showing at the festival.
This leaves me scrambling through the rest of 2010 to catch up with The Illusionist, The People Vs George Lucas and Jackboots On Whitehall. Another film I missed, Skeletons, went on to win the Michael Powell Award for Best New British Film, so I definitely had to seek it out once its limited release in cinemas nationwide finally arrived.
I knew a little about it before going in, but found my attention diverted by two things I hadn't anticipated. Firstly, that one of its players,...
- 9/5/2010
- Den of Geek
A very British supernatural comedy that deserves to be a box-office hit
Here's a smart, strange British film that carried off the Michael Powell award at Edinburgh last weekend. Its release is a small one, through the admirable New British Cinema Quarterly initiative pioneered by Soda Pictures to generate a following for smaller British movies. It involves touring the picture around the country for single screenings at selected cinemas, following each show with a Q & A with the actors or director. If it pops up near you (check at nbcq.co.uk) it would be well worth an evening out.
Davis and Bennett (played by odd couple Ed Gaughan and Andrew Buckley) are psychic cleaners. They work for a company which visits homes in need of a purge – if marriage guidance, regression therapy or theta healing haven't worked, you need these spiritual ghost-busters to rattle through the skeletons in your bedroom cupboard.
Here's a smart, strange British film that carried off the Michael Powell award at Edinburgh last weekend. Its release is a small one, through the admirable New British Cinema Quarterly initiative pioneered by Soda Pictures to generate a following for smaller British movies. It involves touring the picture around the country for single screenings at selected cinemas, following each show with a Q & A with the actors or director. If it pops up near you (check at nbcq.co.uk) it would be well worth an evening out.
Davis and Bennett (played by odd couple Ed Gaughan and Andrew Buckley) are psychic cleaners. They work for a company which visits homes in need of a purge – if marriage guidance, regression therapy or theta healing haven't worked, you need these spiritual ghost-busters to rattle through the skeletons in your bedroom cupboard.
- 7/3/2010
- by Jason Solomons
- The Guardian - Film News
This award-winning British film is a real breath of fresh air – both odd and very funny, writes Peter Bradshaw
We might just have found our own Charlie Kaufman in Nick Whitfield, a former actor and stage dramatist whose feature-film debut, Skeletons, won the Michael Powell award at the Edinburgh film festival this year. It's intensely and pungently English, eccentric, strangely heartfelt, and very funny: a film I watched to the incessant accompaniment of my own giggling. Newcomers Ed Gaughan and Andrew Buckley play Davis and Bennett, two hassled functionaries in ill-fitting black suits. They are the representatives of a shadowy company that specialises in exhuming difficult and painful memories, inaccessible to every other kind of therapy, lancing existential boils and dragging out metaphorical skeletons, by pointing their strange bleeping equipment at bedroom closets – this being, predictably, the place where occult energies are at their strongest.
But Davis has a secret of his own.
We might just have found our own Charlie Kaufman in Nick Whitfield, a former actor and stage dramatist whose feature-film debut, Skeletons, won the Michael Powell award at the Edinburgh film festival this year. It's intensely and pungently English, eccentric, strangely heartfelt, and very funny: a film I watched to the incessant accompaniment of my own giggling. Newcomers Ed Gaughan and Andrew Buckley play Davis and Bennett, two hassled functionaries in ill-fitting black suits. They are the representatives of a shadowy company that specialises in exhuming difficult and painful memories, inaccessible to every other kind of therapy, lancing existential boils and dragging out metaphorical skeletons, by pointing their strange bleeping equipment at bedroom closets – this being, predictably, the place where occult energies are at their strongest.
But Davis has a secret of his own.
- 7/2/2010
- by Peter Bradshaw
- The Guardian - Film News
Somewhere between Charlie Kaufman and Monty Python, Skeletons is a very odd, very British little film, made on a shoestring. Is this the way forward for domestic filmmaking?
On paper, it isn't exactly a recipe for success: a former stage actor directing his first feature, two not-particularly-photogenic stand-up comics as the leading men, very little budget to speak of, and a far-fetched plot involving divining people's innermost secrets via their wardrobes. But Skeletons could well be this year's Moon: a film few had heard of a couple of weeks ago, but has suddenly been catapulted into the spotlight by winning the Michael Powell prize for best new British feature film at the Edinburgh film festival.
"Frankly I'm slightly embarrassed that it means people will have to put my name and Michael Powell's name in the same sentence," says Nick Whitfield, the film's 42-year-old writer-director. The phones in Whitfield's Derbyshire...
On paper, it isn't exactly a recipe for success: a former stage actor directing his first feature, two not-particularly-photogenic stand-up comics as the leading men, very little budget to speak of, and a far-fetched plot involving divining people's innermost secrets via their wardrobes. But Skeletons could well be this year's Moon: a film few had heard of a couple of weeks ago, but has suddenly been catapulted into the spotlight by winning the Michael Powell prize for best new British feature film at the Edinburgh film festival.
"Frankly I'm slightly embarrassed that it means people will have to put my name and Michael Powell's name in the same sentence," says Nick Whitfield, the film's 42-year-old writer-director. The phones in Whitfield's Derbyshire...
- 7/2/2010
- by Steve Rose
- The Guardian - Film News
By Hanako M. Ricks
hollywoodnews.com: This week’s Edinburgh International Film Festival brought honors for two beloved actors from the Harry Potter films. Jason Isaacs, who was both loved and hated as malicious Lucius Malfoy, will appear in the dark comedy Skeletons, which was named Best New British Feature at the festival.
Skeletons is the story of two on-call exorcists (played by Ed Gaughan and Andrew Buckley) who travel the country to clear the skeletons of former misdeeds from the closets of their clients. Jason Isaacs plays the Colonel in charge of the two exorcists.
Best Performance in a British Feature Film honors went to David Thewlis, for his portrayal of an Ira gun-runner in the film Mr. Nice. This film is based on the autobiography of Howard Marks, who was one of the most notorious drug dealers/smugglers in Britain in the 1980s. Thewlis plays the part of Jim McCann,...
hollywoodnews.com: This week’s Edinburgh International Film Festival brought honors for two beloved actors from the Harry Potter films. Jason Isaacs, who was both loved and hated as malicious Lucius Malfoy, will appear in the dark comedy Skeletons, which was named Best New British Feature at the festival.
Skeletons is the story of two on-call exorcists (played by Ed Gaughan and Andrew Buckley) who travel the country to clear the skeletons of former misdeeds from the closets of their clients. Jason Isaacs plays the Colonel in charge of the two exorcists.
Best Performance in a British Feature Film honors went to David Thewlis, for his portrayal of an Ira gun-runner in the film Mr. Nice. This film is based on the autobiography of Howard Marks, who was one of the most notorious drug dealers/smugglers in Britain in the 1980s. Thewlis plays the part of Jim McCann,...
- 6/27/2010
- by Hanako M. Ricks
- Hollywoodnews.com
Lovely bones...
The 64th Edinburgh international film festival closed last night, giving its highest prize to Skeletons. Directed by Nick Whitfield, the dark comedy stars Jason Isaacs and two new talents, Ed Gaughan and Andrew Buckley, as a pair of "emotional exorcists". Skeletons goes on general release next weekend, boosted by the Michael Powell Award for the festival's best new British feature. Other winners included the brilliant David Thewlis for Mr Nice (although Rhys Ifans plays the film's lead, as drug runner Howard Marks), and the Moët New Directors Award went to Gareth Edwards for his inventive sci-fi road movie, Monsters. The festival closed with Hattie Dalton's debut feature, a tender male bonding drama called Third Star. It looks beautiful, and Dalton brings a sensual understanding of male ego to the proceedings.
Lynch mob
David Lynch has appealed to his fans for cash in order to finance an autobiographical documentary.
The 64th Edinburgh international film festival closed last night, giving its highest prize to Skeletons. Directed by Nick Whitfield, the dark comedy stars Jason Isaacs and two new talents, Ed Gaughan and Andrew Buckley, as a pair of "emotional exorcists". Skeletons goes on general release next weekend, boosted by the Michael Powell Award for the festival's best new British feature. Other winners included the brilliant David Thewlis for Mr Nice (although Rhys Ifans plays the film's lead, as drug runner Howard Marks), and the Moët New Directors Award went to Gareth Edwards for his inventive sci-fi road movie, Monsters. The festival closed with Hattie Dalton's debut feature, a tender male bonding drama called Third Star. It looks beautiful, and Dalton brings a sensual understanding of male ego to the proceedings.
Lynch mob
David Lynch has appealed to his fans for cash in order to finance an autobiographical documentary.
- 6/26/2010
- by Jason Solomons
- The Guardian - Film News
Director: Nick Whitfield Writer: Nick Whitfield Starring: Andrew Buckley, Ed Gaughan, Paprika Steen, Tuppence Middleton, Jason Isaacs, Josef Whitfield Bennett (Andrew Buckley) and Davis (Ed Gaughan) are two British guys in suits who are trained to exorcize the proverbial skeletons from people’s closets. (For example: engaged couples utilize Bennett and Davis’ services to get their scandalous affairs and other dirty bits of laundry out in the open.) The duo walk the lush rolling green hills of the British countryside until they find a home that matches a hand-sketched picture. Once they find their destination, they interview their clients and acquire the required signatures and waivers. Then, it’s on to business. They use a device sort of like a Geiger counter to detect the closet or wardrobe where the skeletons are hiding; then with goggles strapped on and magic rocks and fire extinguisher in hands, they dive into the...
- 4/28/2010
- by Don Simpson
- SmellsLikeScreenSpirit
The days are surely blowing by fast. Day six of SXSW Film has already come and gone. Next thing I know the festival will be over and I will be back at my day job! But I guess as the saying goes: time flies when you're having fun. And I am having fun. Despite all the frustrations this year - primarily not getting into the films that I want to see - I think 2010 has been one of the strongest SXSW Film festivals that I have attended to date (this being my 13th year in attendance). This is also by far the most badges that I have ever seen at SXSW Film. I suspect this has something to do with the ever-growing amount of Gold Badges (which offers combined access to SXSW Film and Interactive). So either Interactive is becoming more popular and they are crossing over into the Film...
- 3/18/2010
- by Don Simpson
- SmellsLikeScreenSpirit
Less than a week worth of recovering from the Sundance Film Festival, and we are already looking forward to our next, big film fest coverage. That would be the South by Southwest Film Festival held annually in Austin, Texas. Last year, Scott and I brought you all kinds of coverage from the Lone Star State, and this year doesn’t look to be much different.
With that, the announcement came last night of the feature films that will be playing at the SXSW Film Festival. Previous announcement were already made about films like Cold Weather, Electra Luxx, Hubble 3D, Lemmy, Saturday Night, and The White Stripes: Under Great White Northern Lights making their debut. Kick-ass was recently announced as the opening night film, as well.
Among the other films being presented this year are some Sundance darlings, a few, highly anticipated premieres, and MacGruber.
Check out the full list...
With that, the announcement came last night of the feature films that will be playing at the SXSW Film Festival. Previous announcement were already made about films like Cold Weather, Electra Luxx, Hubble 3D, Lemmy, Saturday Night, and The White Stripes: Under Great White Northern Lights making their debut. Kick-ass was recently announced as the opening night film, as well.
Among the other films being presented this year are some Sundance darlings, a few, highly anticipated premieres, and MacGruber.
Check out the full list...
- 2/4/2010
- by Kirk
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
I was so excited at seeing the SXSW line up last night that I completely forgot to post it and started searching the interwebs for cool content to go with it. Oops. Yes, I wish I was there but alas, it wasn’t mean to be (though don’t despair. We’ll be bringing you wicked awesome coverage).
But enough rambling, you want to know what’s all playing. Well, for a start there’s the much anticipated McGruber (trailer), the Duplass’ semi-mainstream comedy Cyrus, Jean-Pierre Jeunet’s Micmacs (trailer, review), Daniel Stamm’s horror flick Cotton and that’s on top of the previously announced titles which include Electra Luxx (Carla Gugino as a pregnant porn star? Bring. It. On.) and Kick-Ass (trailer). That’s already a great line-up but dear me, some of the other titles are pretty awesome too.
There’s Clay Liford scifi drama Earthling (trailer...
But enough rambling, you want to know what’s all playing. Well, for a start there’s the much anticipated McGruber (trailer), the Duplass’ semi-mainstream comedy Cyrus, Jean-Pierre Jeunet’s Micmacs (trailer, review), Daniel Stamm’s horror flick Cotton and that’s on top of the previously announced titles which include Electra Luxx (Carla Gugino as a pregnant porn star? Bring. It. On.) and Kick-Ass (trailer). That’s already a great line-up but dear me, some of the other titles are pretty awesome too.
There’s Clay Liford scifi drama Earthling (trailer...
- 2/4/2010
- QuietEarth.us
Late yesterday the SXSW Fim Festival, which runs from March 12-20 in Austin, TX, announced the full lineup of films that will be screening at this year’s event. And baby, it’s quite a list. Mixing big name films with intimate indie gems, the sheer number of films and the vast array of talented filmmakers is sure to be a hit with attendees and critics alike.
This lineup includes premieres of studio films such as Universal’s MacGruber, Lionsgate’s teen superhero actioneer Kick-Ass and smaller films like Tim Blake Nelson’s Leaves of Grass, Jean-Pierre Jeunet’s Micmacs, Michel Gondry’s The Thorn in the Heart and Steven Soderbergh’s And Everything Is Going Fine. With so many films to watch, it will be very difficult to find time to seem them all during the events nine days. But hell, we’re going to try.
For more on...
This lineup includes premieres of studio films such as Universal’s MacGruber, Lionsgate’s teen superhero actioneer Kick-Ass and smaller films like Tim Blake Nelson’s Leaves of Grass, Jean-Pierre Jeunet’s Micmacs, Michel Gondry’s The Thorn in the Heart and Steven Soderbergh’s And Everything Is Going Fine. With so many films to watch, it will be very difficult to find time to seem them all during the events nine days. But hell, we’re going to try.
For more on...
- 2/4/2010
- by Chris Ullrich
- The Flickcast
The 2010 SXSW Film Festival and Conference has announced its initial slate of titles. The list is rife with hot world premieres (Kick-Ass), films fresh from Sundance (The Runaways, Cyrus), hot titles from the 2009 editions of Tiff and Cannes that haven't had much U.S. play (Enter the Void, Dogtooth, Trash Humpers), interesting documentaries (Lemmy, The People v. George Lucas) and much, much more. Simon Rumley's Red, White & Blue, which has received much praise on Twitch based on its Iffr screenings, will have its North American premiere.
Midnight programming courtesy of Fantastic Fest is also back with titles like Higanjima, Monsters, Serbian Film, Outcast, and a yet to be announced special film. Keep eye out for SXSW coverage at Twitch, but for now, pursue the massive list below (descriptions courtesy of SXSW).
Headliners
Big names, big talent: Headliners bring star power to SXSW, featuring red carpet premieres and gala film...
Midnight programming courtesy of Fantastic Fest is also back with titles like Higanjima, Monsters, Serbian Film, Outcast, and a yet to be announced special film. Keep eye out for SXSW coverage at Twitch, but for now, pursue the massive list below (descriptions courtesy of SXSW).
Headliners
Big names, big talent: Headliners bring star power to SXSW, featuring red carpet premieres and gala film...
- 2/4/2010
- Screen Anarchy
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