Paul MacDonald-Taylor, Eden Court’s Head of Film, takes us to Arrakis and beyond...
Spring is almost upon us - well the April showers are definitely here early - but don’t go down to the beach as it is Sand Worm season! The long awaited Dune: Part Twokicks off our March programme with a sandy bang. The first part was one of the greatest big screen experiences of recent years and the follow up is just as exciting – a film that is definitely one to see on the big screen first!
From the sand Dunes of Arrakis to the damp forests of the Highlands (well, Gairloch to be precise) in the Scottish survival thriller Out of Darkness, set in the year 43,000 B.C. Not for the faint of heart, the Highlands are the perfect setting for this nerve-shredding thriller which had several nominations at the British Independent Film Awards.
The Coen Brothers may no longer be making films together, but I think we’ve found out that Ethan Coen was the funnier with the release of his laugh out loud road trip comedy Drive-Away Dolls. The story of two women who pick up the wrong hire car that leads to them being pursued by criminals for their mysterious cargo. Elements of Raising Arizona and Burn After Reading, two of the Coens’ funniest films, along with some terrific performances blend together in this winning comedy all in 84 glorious minutes (some films are slightly too long these days, but this is the perfect length for a comedy – delightful stuff).
We have four Japanese films this month. First, two films from The Japan Foundation 2024 Tour; The Snow Flurry (1959, directed by Keisuke Kinoshita and screening from 35mm) and 2022’s Mondays! See You ‘This’ Weekwhich is a hilarious cross between Groundhog Day and Office Space (it’s another 80 min comedy, you love to see it!). The other two are from a couple of the greatest directors working today; Wim Wenders’ Oscar nominated Perfect Days – already in my top three of the year so far – and, returning after screening at last year’s Inverness Film Festival, Hirokazu Kore-eda’s Monster. If I had a Mount Rushmore of director’s, with my four favourites of all time carved into rock, Hirokazu Kore-eda would be on it.
Now to go and figure out the other three, I may be some time…
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