Glasgow’s Centre for Contemporary Arts (CCA) features some of the most eclectic and interactive film programming in the West of Scotland. The centre currently celebrates iconic films by British filmmakers in a brand new film strand, Distant Voices.

The project provides a selection of iconic and classic British films to be viewed in a cinema environment. Whether you’re a first-time viewer or classics-fanatic, for only a few pounds you can take advantage of the rare opportunity to discover or re-watch classic films from iconic filmmakers like Powell and Pressburger and Sally Potter on the big screen.

Why should you attend these screenings? CCA’s Programming Assistant and Distant Voices co-curator says that, “All of the films are classics for a reason, well written and well directed they are quoted as influential because they connect with the audience either visually or narratively. It is also a rare opportunity to see these films on the big screen and well worth the £3/2 price.”

So what's on?

On 8th June, The Third Man (1949), a British film noir directed by Carol Reed (Oliver!) and starring Orson Welles. Filmed in Vienna during its recovery from WWII bombings, it's the thriller that contains Welles' infamous cuckoo clock speech.

Two days later, Terence Davies' two films come together to make, Distant Voices, Still Lives (1988). Described as, "Britain's forgotten cinematic masterpiece" by The Guardian, it evokes working-class community life in 1940s-50s Liverpool, characterised by the influence of events within its local pub and the supremacy of the popular music and Hollywood cinema of its time.

On 19th August, British New Wave's iconic co-directors Michael Powell and Emerich Pressburger's 'I Know Where I'm Going!' (1945). Kirsten's personal recommendation, "it’s beautifully set against the Scottish Hebrides and is an atmospheric story of a disenchanted young woman’s exploration into her ideals."

Finally, Whiskey Galore! (1949) screens on 9th September. Based on true events, it tells the story of a ship containing 24,000 cases of whisky that ran aground during WWII in the dry town of Eriskay in Scotland's Outer Hebrides. Its ceilidh scenes and anti-English sentiment - not to mention the unambiguous title - make it a true Scots classic.

The Distant Voices screenings are part of the CCA’s ongoing dedication to synergistic programming that encompasses art, music, and film. Kirsten, alongside CCA Director Francis McKee, “chose films that echoed the exhibitions in the gallery space at the time of the screening.... We wanted to select films that have been referenced by artists and musicians as influential and bring them together as a collection and screened monthly alongside our exhibitions programme.”

If classics aren’t your bag, Kirsten is currently programming the next six-monthly strand with a Film Noir theme.

Distant Voices also has two parallel strands: Beta Movement, which provides the opportunity to engage with artist films, radical documentary and landmark narrative cinema, and Reflections on Black, which screens contemporary artists’ short films on a loop from Sunday-Thursday during the last week of each month. When you pay for three Distant Voices or Beta Movement screenings, CCA invites you to take advantage of a fourth screening free.

Upcoming Distant Voices screenings:

    •    The Third Man - 8th June
    •    Distant Voices, Still Lives
 - 10th June
    •    I Know Where I’m Going
 - 12th August
    •    Whisky Galore!
 - 9th September
All screenings in CCA 4 (Cinema) at 
7:00pm

Call Box Office on to book your tickets.

[Image from CCA website.]

From the makers of Kidulthood and Adulthood comes 4.3.2.1, a British drama co-written and directed by Londoner Noel Clark. The title stands for 4 girls, 3 days, 2 cities, and 1 chance.

Significantly less dramatic than its trailer, the film centres around 4 college-aged girls and their individual experiences of a frantic and emotional weekend. The girls meet on Friday morning before going their separate ways. In the style of Run Lola Run, each story unfolds, then rewinds, and switches to another key player. We soon come to understand the motivations behind each girl's behaviour, culminating with the tense climactic scene with which the film began.

It is a clever marketing campaign, one which promotes the strength of young women and puts them at the centre of a heist film with a difference. Realistically, it is all overblown and, despite being a good attempt at bringing strong female roles, ultimately betrays a misunderstanding of women. As a character study, the film is interesting, and develops its 4 protagonists well. However, their construction is all very paint-by-numbers. We have Shannon: the tortured, abandoned teen; Cassandra, the rich and refined but naïve beauty; Kerrys, the feminist bad-girl; and Joanne, the pushover. Each girl is furnished with a family issue and a relationship issue, all of which have different consequences but the same goal: to humanise the girls and evoke empathy.

The focus on these four characters causes some other functions to fall by the wayside. The dialogue, for example, rings false from the beginning. When Shannon has her purse stolen, Kerrys bounds to the rescue, giving the perpetrator a taste of her kick-ass girl power. The tacky monologue that follows, though, negates her actions with the overuse of "bitch" and a not a few too many cocky head-jerks. The same can be said of Cassandra's vengeance later in the film, in which she has a similar outburst that makes her sound feeble rather than empowered.

The diamond-theft subplot and partial setting in New York are fairly incidental to the plot, making one of the film's huge draws insubstantial. Many scenes end with convenient to-the-rescue moments which stall the pace of the film and unbalance points of tension.

Despite its faults, I did try to watch the film in context. Silly at points, it was difficult to tell how seriously it wanted to be taken. As a fun film with some friskiness, it is entertaining, though over-long... but 3.3.2.1 doesn't have quite the same ring to it.

4.3.2.1 opens in UK cinemas on Wednesday 2nd June.

Glasgow Film Theatre, in association with BFI, introduces Agnès Varda Season this month. At 82 years old, Varda is a pioneer of the French New Wave movement of the 1960s alongside iconic Cahiers du Cinéma contemporaries such as François Truffaut and Jean-Luc Godard. The series of four films celebrates the filmmaker’s stunning 55 year career.

The series begins with her second feature, Cleo Form 5 to 7 (1963). The film follows Cléo (Corrinne Marchand), a pop singer who wanders around Paris as she awaits the results of a biopsy. Featuring cameos from Jean-Luc Godard and Anna Karina, it explores existentialism, despair, and a strong feminine perspective. Cléo screens from Friday 28th to Monday 31st May.

One of Varda’s best known films,Vagabond (1985), screens on Tuesday 1st June. Mona (Sandrine Bonnaire), a nihilistic vagrant, traverses the frosty French wine country where her identity is revealed through her interactions with the locals.

On Sunday 6th June, her documentary The Gleaners and I (2000) explores the practice of ‘gleaning’ - scavenging for leftover food from farms or waste bins. Combining reportage and hand-held camerawork with art and photography, Varda’s investigative film parleys her identity as a filmmaker and as a gleaner.

Agnès Varda season draws to a close with three rarely-screened short films entitled Cinévardaphoto: Salut Le Cubains on Tuesday 8th June. Based on two photographs: one she took of a young Spaniard in 1954 and a portrait of artist Ydessa Hendeles, the film combines music and images in celebration of Cuba.

For full details of screening times and prices, visit the GFT website.

[Image from Wikipedia.]

The Classic: Some Like it Hot (1959)
Director: Billy Wilder
Starring: Marilyn Monroe, Jack Lemmon, Tony Curtis

The Excuse:
I have definitely seen the first half before - I can't remember where or why I didn't see the whole thing. It has taken me quite some time to get back around to it. Consider this the first in a Marilyn Monroeathon.

The Review:
Oh, Billy Wilder, you don't half know what you're doing. Having started out as a screenwriter in Germany, he is one of many iconic filmmakers who fled to America before WWII. He began to direct in the mid-1940s, during the film noir era. Set during 1930s prohibition, Some Like it Hot is a throwback to the classic Hollywood B-movie.

It's the tale of two penniless Chicago musicians, Joe and Jerry. Desperate for a gig and making a swift departure after witnessing an altercation, the gents dress up as ladies to become part of an all-female orchestra on its way to Florida. Along the way, they meet Sugar Kane Kowalczky, a vivacious girl who always gets the furry end of the lollipop and longs to meet a gentle millionaire who will have her for his wife. As you can imagine, antics ensue.

In some ways it is amazing how much this tantalizing film gets away with. From the suggestive jazz overtones to Monroe's skin-tight, low-cut ensembles, it's explicit and fun in a way that is rarely seen post-1950s.

The Verdict:
I love a 1930s classic. Infused that Hollywood magic with Wilder's sharp wit and brilliant performances, gin cocktails, and that inimitable wahhhing of jazz trumpets, and you've got me hooked. I also have a sneaking suspicion that Tony Curtis' sardonic Boston brogue was reappropriated by Tom Hanks for Catch Me if You Can. Most excellent.

Favourite Quote:
"Story of my life. I always get the fuzzy end of the lollipop."

Further Viewing for Experts:

Nobody said being a girl was easy...

After staring blankly at an 80-strong Instant Watch queue for an interminable length of time, it's easy to cite indecision and re-watch every available episode of 30 Rock.

Believe me, I've been there.

If you're anything like me, your queue probably consists of 20 Should-Have-Seen-By-Nows, 30 Classics, a handful of Heavies, and a whole lot of flights of fancy. It's easy to wonder why all those great films you really want to watch are only available on DVD, and consider unsubscribing in protest.

That's where comes in. Its subtitle, "Fun Crap on the Netflix Stream Thingy" is idiosyncratically trustworthy. Though only started a few days ago, the short-and-sweet recommendations paired with blurbs are the perfect way to shake off your inhibitions, drop your conscience and its repentances of "but I ought to finally watch The Third Man!", and see how you fare. You can also submit your own recommendations.

In their own words:

Netflix streaming has become one of the greatest collections of outsider/independent movies since that VHS video store that closed down in your neighbourhood 10 years ago.

It's hard to find the good gems over there. This site may help you with that.

What are your Netflix recommendations?

[Image from ceoworld.]

Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time opens nationwide this Friday 21 May. Though directed by Mike Newell, it bears the stamp of summer blockbuster aficionado Jerry Bruckheimer.

Jake Gyllenhaal stars as Dastan, a Persian orphan boy who impresses King Sharaman and is adopted to become youngest of three princely brothers. When they invade a neutral city which they believe to have advanced weaponry, we meet Princess Tamsin (Gemma Arteton), who wields the only truly powerful weapon they own: a dagger which, when sand is released from its hilt, turns back time. Dastan quickly finds himself in possession of the dagger and the unwilling princess in a tale of deception and persuasion.

Persia boasts an abundance of high-action sequences with clever choreography, swordfights, unusual weaponry, and excellent chase scenes. Eschewing the recent trend for shaky camerawork and hyper-editing, Prince of Persia returns to classic sword-wielding fantasies and adds a modern action-movie spin.

Based on the series of videogames by Jordan Mechner, those side-scrolling journeys are re-created in much the same way as Brian Singer’s cinematography captures comic book framed moments. Gyllenhaal jumps, runs and somersaults in a constant stream of movement, often across the screen and over shots, backflipping off bell-towers and racing across disjointed pillars.

Gyllenhaal’s performance is refined and feels authentic thanks to his training in parkour (a.k.a. freeruning) and performance of most of his own stunts. Additionally, the lack of over-wrought special effects makes these scenes enjoyable without relying on expensive distractions.

The action does not detract from the story. However, Dastan’s speeches are often tortuous, filled with repetitive exposition. While the story unravels steadily, the constant addition of convoluted myths becomes tiresome, slowing the pace of the film.

The supporting characters are a joy to watch. There is not a moment where you don’t beam at Ben Kingsley as Nazim, the King’s brother. Alfred Molina damn near steals the film as shady peddler (and genius businessman) Sheik Amar with his cockney spark and dastardly yet peppy demeanour.

Forgiven its indulgences, Prince of Persia is a fun summer blockbuster in the mode of Pirates of the Caribbean. With a stellar cast and an original take on the videogame genre, it’s well worth a watch.

[Image from Geeks.co.uk]

Undecided about what to watch this week? Here is a selection of what's currently on nationwide release.

• Robin Hood
  Another feature from director Ridley Scott and self-proclaimed "greatest actor in the world," Russell Crowe, Robin Hood premiered on day one at Cannes Film Festival. Hours later, the film opened in cinemas nationwide to mixed reviews, the best of which I've read can be found here. Is it worth your money? Ultimately, that's up to you.

• Hot-Tub Time Machine
  A silly and crass comedy with little to offer in the way of wit and originality, the film is an odd pastiche of Back to the Future meets old-guy American Pie. Rob Corddry (of Daily Show fame) is the best part about the film, holding it together as Craig Robinson practices his usual shtick and John Cusak once again proves himself the least funny man to be consistently cast in comedies. Clark Duke makes a good appearance despite having little to work with, and is one to watch. Overall, though, this one is lean on the laughs.

• Iron Man 2
  The latest instalment of what is indubitably my favourite superhero series, Iron Man 2 has an excellent cast of Robert Downey Jr., Gwenyth Paltrow, Don Cheadle, Sam Rockwell, Mickey Rourke, and Scarlett Johansson, with appearances from Jon Favreau (director) and Samuel L. Jackson. The performances are excellent, as one might expect from such a line-up, but the general consensus is that it isn't as good as Iron Man (a tough act to follow) and that the story progression is a tad sloppy. Like the first, though, it features plenty of good action scenes and tonnes of cool gadgets. Imperfect, but definitely worth a watch.

• Four Lions
  Chris Morris has been crowned King of British Satire, a title that Empire's latest interview suggests he finds less than favourable. As a directorial debut, however, it's sharp, funny, and features an excellent cast.

• Date Night
  Tina Fey and Steve Carrell have great chemistry and bring a lot to a script that provided very little. Perfect to send your mum and dad to watch on Orange Wednesday. My full review can be found . Good for a few laughs, but not spectacular.

If you're looking for something a little less mainstream, there are also some films on limited release, including:

• American: The Bill Hicks Story
  Co-directors Paul Thomas and Matt Harlock toured every possible festival, including the Glasgow Film Festival, to find a distributor for this excellent biographical documentary of the late comedian's comedian. My review can be found .

• Lebanon
  Winner of the Golden Lion at last year's Venice Film Festival, Lebanon is currently screening at the Glasgow Film Theatre. It plays at Edinburgh Picture House from 12-16th June.
  

Coming this Friday, 21st May:
Bad Lieutenant, Cop Out, Prince of Persia: Sands of Time, and Vincere. Reviews to follow!

What are you going to watch this week?

The Classic: Limelight (1952)
Director: Charlie Chaplin
Starring: Charlie Chaplin, Claire Bloom 

The Excuse:
All I had ever heard about Limelight was that it is the only film that stars both Charlie Chaplin and Buster Keaton. Although that (obviously) peaked my interest, the main issue that confronted me was availability. The DVD is expensive, and it toiled away at the top of my LoveFilm list, despite the "Short Wait" stamp, for over 3 months. Quelle dommage!

The Review:
Limelight stars Chaplin as Calvero, a comedian whose variety theatre performances fell from glory some years ago. Having now reached the point where he clears seats rather than filling them, alcoholism begins to take over his life. Upon returning home one day, he smells gas coming from downstairs, and saves his neighbour, a young girl named Terry (Claire Bloom), from her suicidal fate. The landlady is less than impressed, evicting the young girl before she has arisen from her toxic stupour. Calvero allows her to convalesce in his home, and takes it upon himself to nurse her from her depression. She sets to work to her dreams of becoming a famous ballet dancer, and helps Calvero return to stage, though drink often gets the better of him.

Since I had never paid attention to the date, unexpectedly seeing Chaplin speak for the first time was a bit like hearing a cat bark. Limelight speaks volumes about the place in life where Chaplin found himself at the time. His timeless wisdom and mature wit juxtaposed with alcohol troubles expresses an air of complexity only hinted at in his previous features. Getting on in years, his thoughts on life and mortality are not surprising, and by bringing Terry back to life, Calvero seeks to earn one last victory before his time runs out.

The relationship between Terry and Calvero is touching and congenial without straying into preconceived roles. We identify with Terry's naiveté and understand the motivation behind Calvero's actions. Their connection is universal.

Calvero's passion for music also hints at Chaplin's own transition from film (this was his penultimate feature) to music. Indeed, he won an Oscar for Best Score for Limelight, and went on to score many of his previous features. While some of the stage pieces are entertaining, particularly the final stage scene with Chaplin and Keaton, many are indulgent and over-long to the point that you're no longer sure if you're watching what is actually happening or is taking place outside of the storyworld.

The Verdict:
Longevity of form aside, Limelight is absorbing and theatrical without succumbing to the 50s tendency towards melodrama. With charming characters and plenty of funny moments, it's a great story. It was lovely to see Chaplin in high quality. I also loved seeing Buster Keaton as a crotchety old man, "If one more person says it's just like old times...!" Predictably enough, I really, really enjoyed it.

Favourite Quote:
"There's something about working the streets I like. It's the tramp in me, I suppose."

Further Viewing for Experts:


Charlie and Buster, together at last. The leg gag had me in stitches.

It has come out over the past couple of days that a chap named Tom Perkins from the YouTube channel has been plagiarising the reviews of a number of established film critics.

The critic who has suffered most from the debacle is of View London, who has found that forty-two of his reviews were read by Tom, virtually verbatim, and passed off as his own. Several other critics have been ripped-off, not least Chris Bumbray of JobLo.com, and even Empire (the gumption!). A very thorough Google investigation was undertaken by Tyler Foster at The Following Preview, who has posted a comprehensive list of the crimes, and a timeline on how this all happened here.

The extent of the plagiarism is baffling. Given the medium, it is perhaps not surprising that he was able to get away with this for so long. Matthew's reviews lend themselves well to verbal presentation, and his work was deservedly lauded but undeservedly uncredited. Since accusations arose yesterday, he has attempted to back-pedal, at first claiming that he doesn't read anyone else's reviews. As the evidence mounted, however, he removed the videos in question from public view, and began to send apology emails to those involved. He claims to have been . Conveniently, he seems to have been making money through an online store and attending premieres off the back of his dubious success.

Now, as a newcomer to the film journalism business myself, I will admit that it can be difficult to separate your own ideas and opinions from those that you have read by more experienced reviewers. Being aware of that, I generally refrain from reading reviews of films that I plan to write about in the near future. It is my responsibility to keep from inadvertently quoting or using similar wording to those more accomplished writers.

What Tom has done, though, is unconscionable. It goes far beyond accidental quotation and displays a distinct lack of originality and integrity. Before the videos were made private, I watched Tom's Boys Are Back review, and read Matthew's article alongside it. The number of passages read verbatim (or with the odd synonym or riff thrown in) demonstrated an incredible brass neck; one that he continues to shine by refusing to make a public apology or admit to having poached the work of hard-working writers.

None of what I have to say should come as a surprise, of course, and I normally shy away from giving obvious opinions on well-covered topics such as this one. As a new film journalist, however, it is something upon which I felt I had to comment. I hope that none of those involved have their confidence knocked due to one stubborn kid who wanted to become well-known for producing great reviews without doing any of the legwork. The whole situation reminded me of a quote from David Bordwell's recent blog:

Last year I moderated an Ebertfest panel consisting of a dozen or so critics. A student from the audience said he wanted to be a critic too. Instead of advising him to get into a more financially rewarding form of endeavor, like selling consumer electronics off the back of a truck, the panelists encouraged him. This form of altruism, in which you help people to become your competitor, is alarmingly common in the arts.

I have found this to be true. The film journalists who I have met in my short time are an incredibly altruistic bunch from whom, Matthew included, I have received kindness, advice, and encouragement. To see that trust violated is most disappointing. I sincerely hope that Tom's story is seen as a cautionary tale, and that the plagiarised journalists received the apologies that they deserve.

Winner of the Prix Un Certain Regard at Cannes 2009, Dogtooth is the second feature film from Greek filmmaker and theatre director Yorgos Lanthimos.

The film takes place in a rural utopia -- that is, a home with a garden inhabited by a family of five: Mother, Eldest Daughter, Youngest Daughter, and Son, presided over by the film's patriarch. In an ongoing attempt to preserve his children's innocence, Father propagates a dangerous outside world in which kittens are rabid killers, "zombie" is the name for small yellow flowers, and no-one may leave the property (as it is only safe to do so by car) until they have lost their "dogtooth".

Walking into this film without context is a beguiling experience. With a layers as deep and twisted as the roots of a robust and ancient oak, to understand this film one must do more than cut it open and count the rings. The complexity of the family's relationships are fascinating, and systematically become warped, testing the audiences' resolve as we seek to understand their roles.

The only outside influence comes from Christina, a woman hired by Father to methodically fulfil Son's sexual impulses. Her own brand of meddling begins with a bribe for Eldest Daughter, and when Eldest begins to recite disturbing lines from popular films, Father finds the tapes given to her by Christina. For their behaviour, each receive a taste of his comeuppance. It seems, however, that the damage has already been done.

Dogtooth has the power to compel and bewilder in spades. Though the characters - particularly Younger Daughter - prove sympathetic, they live in a world so far removed from our own knowledge and perceptions that it feels possible to reach out but never to touch.

With only six characters, the performances in Dogtooth are excellent and key to its success. Mary Tsoni (Youngest) encapsulates the innocence that Father wishes to achieve, though the dark depths of Aggeliki Papoulia's performance as Eldest has a trickle-down effect that shakes the foundations of the family. It's a chilling and intriguing film that is well-structured and will stay with you for some time.

Dogtooth (Kynodontas) is currently on limited UK release. It screens at Glasgow Film Theatre 7th - 13th May and at Edinburgh Filmhouse from 9th May - 5th June.

[Image from Wikipedia.]