It's Only Words...

I have been asked to review Steve McQueen's new film Shame for an online publication.

Initially I was excited, since I relish in sharing things I’ve loved & feel it is my nerdly duty to steer people away from the potentially disappointing loss of those hours which could have been spent contemplating the universe, eating or looking at funny Youtube videos. Or spending their time watching something that did not suck.

So reviewing is great. But... I've been asked to provide a biography & a picture, which leads to unnecessary over-thinking and “oh my god why do I have no pictures taken sober” anxiety.

And true horror...writing about myself in the third person.

Outside my head, I am on draft number 5. I have scoured the online profiles of other people on the site, to get the tone just right. I convince myself that I can edit all my relevant interests and a justification for strangers to spend their time reading my words, into a succinct paragraph. I cut anything that sounds like I am angling for Claudia Winkleman's job on Film 2011.

Inside my head, I am hamsterwheeleing through “can Esther avoid use of the third person” “does it sound like an online dating profile” “is it too dry” “will anyone get my joke” “will they even get that it’s a joke” “do I sound like a humungous tool” “how much does it cost to hire someone to do this for me”

Seriously. I’m agonizing over approximately 80 (Too long? Too short?) words of gubbins. It’s turned me into Woody Allen.

Here goes - less of a bio, more of a manifesto:

Hi I’m Esther.

You are probably reading this because you know me.
You may not agree with my opinions, but I hope you do, or don't think I'm crazy to hold them.
I do this because I watch a lot of stuff.

I am often trying to be as funny as I am informative.
I sometimes get irritated by irrational things. (Someone is trying to remake Oldboy...REALLY)
I sometimes love irrational things. (Twilight - ok love is the wrong term, but I've invested more time in them than I should)
Sometimes I hold contradictary thoughts about the same subject (I am obsessed with Twilight but totally see where this guy is coming from. He may despise Twilight, but he's funny doing it.)
I prefer to spread love not hate. However, I have no issue with spreading strong evidence based dislike (Brett Ratner -please do not contaminate the world with tastless racist, tacky, dumb derogatory verbal diarrhea. It's comments 6&8 that really make me want to punch him. You don't have an impressive enough body of work for people to ignore you being repulsive. But don't get me started on Roman Polanksi.)
Sometimes I rant.
Sometimes I digress.
Sometimes I feel like throwing my hands up in the air.

Please read what I write, deliberate, cogitate, ruminate (I'm not that deep it won't take long), and hopefully enjoy. If you like it, I am grateful if you recommend it.

Damn that's 238 words...Draft 7 here I come.

*****

And the photo. I am self conscious about my face. I don't think I'm hideous but I don't think I'm photogenic and tend to overcompensate by overposing. I am pathologically incapable of keeping a straight face. The comedy picture is not likely to be an option. That said, they don't know me so maybe I can pretend to be Claudia Black.

My Top 10 Directors The Rationale: Welcome Aboard

Oh my love hate/relationship with Best Of Lists. I love making lists. I hate making final decisions.

But since I love love love the Battleship Pretension podcast, so when they called for a list of my top 10 directors, I agonised, deliberated, cogitated, hesitated, deviated and obsessed and eventually narrowed it down. Then put them in alphabetical order because ranking would take another 3 weeks.

Predictably I will lean more indie than mainstream (Peter Jackson probably being my most painful omission) and of course I HAVE to list at least one woman, one minority and one foreign language film maker - but you who know me, know I still like to mix it up and I am nothing if not egalitarian in my film going tastes so here's the list that in a few weeks, I will lament and rethink and obsess over.

Criteria
a) I find their films unmissable

b) their body of work is woven into the fabric of my life

c) they have made a standout film which I can't imagine never having watched

d) consistently excellent casting choices

e) demonstrating imagination beyond words

f) they keep employing Michael Fassbender which is a gift to cinema which just keeps on giving.

1. Jacques Audiard
Read My Lips - original, passionate, creepy, The Beat That My Heart Skipped - intense and beautiful, A Prophet - haunting. He turns traditionally unsympathetic people into complex and likeable and compelling characters.
It was between him and Almodovar for my favourite foreign filmmaker I can watch again and again and in a head to head between my favourite films of those directors The Beat That My Heart Skipped beat All About My Mother. Then I started thinking about Michael Haneke and decided to quit whilst I was ahead.

2. Susanne Bier
Along with The Lives Of Others, After The Wedding is a film I try to get everyone I know to watch. A wonderfully played out situation, of being caught between a rock and a hard place. One of europes most critically lauded directors, and the director of the current Best Foreign Language
Film Oscar, she consistently makes high quality, dramas.

3. Kathryn Bigelow
I did a Women and Film course a few years back, and you can't fail to acknowledge that initally people will be surprised that Point Break, that great action movie, was directed by a woman. When you think of action directors you mainly think if men, so it is a testament to KB's skill that she's not hired for a "feminine touch" but rather a great eye. I was mesmerised by the opening sequence of The Hurt Locker and she obviously gets bonus points for that whole "only lady with a best director oscar" thing.

4. Danny Boyle
I loved Christopher Eccleston before Shallow Grave and worshipped him after. Actually this is probably the first contemporary director I followed becuase of him, rather than or in addition to the films "stars". Also I've had the opportunity to meet him and he's a proper gent. The first place in the UK you could see all his films up to Sunshine was the independent cinema in his home town of Manchester and he’s patron of the cinema and actively supports it in person. And he never sticks to one genre. He’s basically so awesome I can forgive him The Beach.

5. Tim Burton
From an aesthetic point of view - hands down my favourite director.
Beetlejuice is probably memorable for my parents for reducing both me and my sister to unaccustomed companionableness and near silence. And his awesome Depp and Bonham Carter casting never hurt. Also he regulary works with Mackinnon & Saunders, stop motion puppeteers (and so much more) based in Stockport who are part of a fantastic and talented team.


6. George Cukor
My Fair Lady and the Philadelphia Story in your repertoire. Nice work. He literally made my heart soar with song and introduced CK Dexter haven into my world. The ladies weren't just fair, they were feisty too!

7. John Hughes
I am a girl who grew up in the 80s and wasn’t rich. I’m also a bit of a nerd. And i discovered an american filmmaker, who understood my teen angst. I still own my video of Pretty in Pink even though I no longer have a video player. I wish to be buried to Don’t You Forget About Me.

8. Richard Linklater
He was partially responsible for my first job in independent cinema which led me to being able to see films for free for 3 years and go to press screenings and film festivals. For that alone, I love him. A perfect lazy Sunday for me would involve a pancake breakfast and a movie double bill : Before Sunrise & Before Sunset is usually that choice.

9. Steve McQueen – f + c = a
Is Spike Lee the best black filmmaker in the world? Possibly.
Is Steve McQueen gunning for that crown? I hope so.
Cool name, I'm a sucker for a man who rocks a bow tie, his accomplished debut made critics stand up and take notice. And his follow up collaboration with Michael Fassbender - Shame - is one of the films I am most excited about in the pre oscar season.

10. Christopher Nolan
Memento and The Prestige took me on thoroughly compelling and fun ride. With the Batman films & Inception- he has attracted and used the talents of some of my favourite actors out there Joseph Gordon Levitt, Gary Oldman, Tom Hardy, Heath Ledger, Cillian Murphy and Jim Broadbent to name but a few. All he is missing is the Mighty Fassbander. And the eventual Christopher Nolan/Michael Fassbender project will be AWESOME (also my dream supporting cast includes Tom Hardy, Cillian Murphy and Joseph Gordon Levitt ...my brain digressed on what Inception would have been like with Fassbender instead of Leo DiCaprio. Hmmmm). I simply love watching his films, anticipating his films and occasionally ranting about how his films may have lacked substance and had a completely unnecessary snow expedition segment, but made up for it with JGL and folding up Paris.

And so to the cheating section:

11. Rob Reiner. He could be no other number.
The Sure Thing, When Harry Met Sally, Misery, This Is Spinal Tap, The Princess Bride...my funny bone thanks you!

Please forgive me Peter Jackson, Duncan Jones, Michael Winterbottom, Martin Scorsese, Andrea Arnold, Joseph L Manciweiz, Howard Hawks, Baz Luhrman, Terry Gilliam, James Cameron, Wong Kar Wai, Coen Bros, Lucia Puenzo, Michael Haneke, Amy Heckerling, Jane Campion, Matthew Vaughan, Ridley Scott, Miranda July, Alfonso Cuaron, animators, documentary makers.... Don't worry next week I'll change my mind.

Event Of The Month - Leeanne Stoddart Book Launch

You may notice that it's organised in collaboration with PlanetEsther!  Leeanne is a work colleague and very talented writer & performer. She's self publishing her first book and she'll be launcing it with readings and music on 23 Oct 2011 at The Edge, Digbeth.

I've also put together a short which will be screened on the night.

For details of the event and performers go to the Facebook Event page and you can bring your own drinks too.  If you can't make it but you want a copy of the book, it's available via Blurb.com

Links - They Won't Let You Down

My TV schedule has gotten pretty good lately, with the return of Fringe and next week Southland will make my mid week even more special, and the usual work carziness means  I've negelected my little Planet, sorry folks!  That said, what with the forthcoming book launch, and my contribution to the Battleship Pretention directors poll, I shall be triple posting this week.

On the film front, I have had a delightful few weeks. I caught Jane Eyre and of course Mr Rochester.  I wasn't a huge fan of the timeline, it jarred a little in places, and Jane was more whimsical than I expected but the real draw is Michael Fassbender who is a perfet blend of passion and intensity.  It's also nice to see that Sally Hawkins is making a side career of playing the mum of Craig Roberts.

I followed this up with a trip to Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, and early contender for the only British film the Academy will bother watching (because Colin Firth is in it).  I enjoyed it, but I am looking forward to Tyrannosaur coming out and perhaps derailing the stiff upper lip, period pieces,  which is the prevailing stereotyp Brit films which get recognised accross the pond.

This week had 2 wildly different films The Inbetweeners Movie, which was everything you expect - hilarious and gross in equal measure, and Drive which was *Esther slips into Ryan Gosling loving coma* great!  I will not spoil anything of the film, because it has to be seen unspoiled to be loved, but it is just well cast, good writing, well performed and yet very assured.

Films I've avoided include - I just don't give a crap how she does it and random half naked teenagers get killed on spring break.

I am waiting for Crazy Stupid Love and The Debt on dvd and looking forward to Warrior hopefully, Melancholia, Red State & guilty pleasure The Three Musketeers. Having read TTM in both French and English for a 6th form French exam I feel entirely justified in enjoying every crazy, overblown version hollywood can throw at me.

Coming soon I will also be ranting about anticipated remakes in particular The Secret In Their Eyes and Oldboy - which I somehow don't think will measure up to remakes like The Beat That My Heart Skipped or The Departed - the latter being a film I was ambivalent about but came to like, but not love, because at the very least it didn't taint my memory of the original.  I doubt we will end up saying the same of Oldboy 2.0.

As I mentioned, one of my favourite film podcasts Battleship Pretention, recently called for listeners to contribute a list of their favourite 10 directors.  Which I did, and have shared on the right.  I have rationalised my decision and will post later this week.

Events to come:

Gratuitious work plug: Theatre coming to The Drum next week - Other & Unsent Letters, directed by Lorna Laidlaw and a reverse cast Othello starring Libby off Eastenders

You'll have to catch Other on Wednesday because The Gin Parlour is showing the masterfull Tell Noone

 

Continuing my tradition of loving guys, geeking about popular culture, I will leave you with a link to Teaching Robot featuring Tom Summers, Euan Summers and  Joel nicholson aka @Buctherthebar

Special guest star Joel Nicholsen of Butcher the Bar will be joining us on Teaching Robot. He's goin by Thumb Summers on Mixc

loud

24 Hour Arty People

Arty stuff I’ve seen and done: Manchester Edition
As you know, I have been absent my friends, working on That Day We Sang as part of the Manchester International Festival. TDWS was a bittersweet comedy with songs about 2 middle aged people who have repressed all the joy they once felt as members of a children’s choir 40 years before. It was written and directed by the gloriously talented Victoria Wood and featured some fabulous people (cast and crew) including 90 odd amazingly vibrant* children and rising talents including Ruth Carr, Dale Gerrard, Raif Clarke and Isabelle Poots. I look forward to seeing what they do next, and being proud to say I knew them, way back when. I left every night singing the songs and arrived every day with a spring in my step. Roll on MIF 2013, hopefully it will be as fantastic an experience. Click on the pavillion pic for a link to the MIF site.

*at times so vibrant I wanted to kill them!

I also got the odd bit of spare time, and made trips to other MIF shows, the Bjork Biophilia gig and the 11 Rooms exhibition thrown in for good measure, as well as hanging around the festival Pavillion. Bjork was mesmerising, accompanied by a superb sparkly choir – similar to a Greek chorus resplendent in gold and glitter- and a deep voiceover adding to the surreal and crazy nature of the show, but then if it was a straightforward gig – it wouldn’t be Bjork.

11 Rooms is a mix of live art pieces, a mishmash of some confrontational rooms combined with ones which actively make you feel uncomfortable, by their absence of activity or passive content. My favourite room was the one which contained Anna Lee – a youthful animé character brought to life – asking questions about whether it is better to be too busy or not busy enough and talking to us the visitors – the first people she’s ever communicated with, about our perceptions. The human Revolving Door was fun too and I suspect Swap depended on the day you were there and Marina Abramovich’s room left me cold, and all the more disappointed since I was desperate to catch her Life and Death of Marina Abramovich show starring Willem Defoe.

I also was privileged to take part in the delightfully irreverent Cornerhouse podcast. Irreverence being the only reaction we could muster to the film of the week “The Tree Of Life”. My co-reviewer, Dave Petty, gave his take here, which is pretty much exactly how I felt, with a wonderful counter argument from Marshall Trower ringing in the entirely valid “Malick is a visionary” argument. Podcast link & Review link

This Week & Coming Soon

Make It A Date at The Drum adds to the list of random hard to categorise things my work place does, so life continues to be not dull here in Birmingham.

32 things to do before I’m 32 – next month I will be 32, and trying to see how many new experiences I can fit into the remaining days. I want to make a start with Learning the Sierra Leone National Anthem and creating a new film. Given the time frame, think uber short!

I have mentioned my love of Giantess - well they have another gig on 12 August, so if you fancy a "riotously rickety, ranty, impatient pop pyramid with pointy bits"then I hope to see you there.

Also please follow them on Twitter.

Films I want to see
The Big Picture starring my fave french actor, Romain Duris (Moliere, The Beat That My Heart Skipped...)
Beginners - although apprently Ewan Mcgregor is not naked in it (no-one has mentioned Christopher Plummer's nude status)
Captain America - Lucas Lee is a pretty good actor. Also countdown to The Avengers *squeeee*
Horrible Bosses - well my mate wants to see it and I love Jason Bateman

I am also looking forward to Mr Rachel Weisz and hottest stud in a galaxy far far away in Cowboys and Aliens

Recommended by me and e-friends

Life.com photoblog awards recommended by @NShearerphotos on Twitter. You may want to check out his photos too. http://www.life.com/gallery/57551/image/ugc1233441#index/0

Got any weddings this summer – of course you have...try a stylish custom made fascinator by Millyboo as seen above. You can also click on the photo above to see other vintage inspired headwear.

I LOVE this project.
The gist :
We are calling for you to create a ‘postcard’ for the place you live and work – no ordinary tourist postcard, but an image showing something interesting and real about your relationship to your environment. Be innovative. There are no restrictions on media, tone, or content. Just stick to 170mm by 120mm – the dimensions of the average postcard. The rest is up to you.

If you want to contribute an image then send a hi-res digital file of the image (300dpi) along with a small profile picture must also be sent to hello@postcardsfromeurope.org by 10th August 2011. More details here

Manchester mention – The Burlington Fine Arts Club presents Andrew Bracey and others. Click the link if you too think ALL WORK AND NO PLAY MAKES JACK A DULL BOY.

Any recommendations for me tweet me @shegeekmcr or comment below.

have a superb weekend!

Singing In The Rain

6 days until I am officially working on That Day We Sang at the Manchester International Festival (see what I did there!). I will run very long indeed if I get into how much I love being involved in festivals, from the one off performances which burn bright never to be experienced again, to the glamour of working in the same circle as britpop Gods, cinema legends collaborating with creatives, genre defying musicians and every kind of artist under the sun and so much more. And Snoop Dogg. 10 pounds of awesome in a 5 pound bag. Girlie and carefree and full of possibilities.

This week's films. Ah Kaboom. Not a film for everyone, and I had some issues with the last 15 minutes but I don't want to criticise it because despite it's flaws, it is completely original and delightfully camp, alongside being utterly crazy. Gregg Araki's is a wonderful filmmaker and it makes me respect him even more since it takes quite some skill to have both Kaboom and Mysterious Skin - dark and compelling in very different ways - in your bag of tricks.

This week I also watched Potiche - which if you want to see it you already know you want to see it, it was a predictable, light melange of fun, French frolics. I aIso mentioned last time I am looking forward to Bridesmaids which I want to see mainly cause I love a laugh and secondly because the women involved are magnificent and a tribute to what good writing and good filmmaking is about. Women in Hollywood as always puts it better than I do.

Events coming up:

Next week I am crossing between cities here are a few things I shall be hitting a missing due to my bi-city status:

In Manchester – Tonight (Friday 24^th June) at my favourite cultural hangout - yes I am obscenely biased having spent many years drinking and subsequently working there – shoots for the stars with the exhibition Constellations– if at all possible openings at Cornerhouse are not to be missed. Unless you’re in the wrong city at the wrong time, like me.

Not Part Of again brings a plethora of Fringe events to Manchester if MIF is not quite your thing – including Blackbird which I mentioned last time.

In Birmingham - Giantess 1st July in Digbeth – The band formely known as StangetimeS will miss one dedicated fan. Please take my place!

Recommendations from my twitter friends:

GeorgeFOBentley suggests we take a moment to contemplate Mark Ashmore’s The Lost Generation.

Whilst Cassie Miller has me captivated by the National Theatre of Scotland’s five minute theatre project. http://fiveminutetheatre.com/news/

Opportunities:
Fashion Designers: An opportunity courtesy of the Creative Industries Networking Group in Manchester – next meeting is on 4^th July in Rain Bar – my first meeting for a year and a highly anticipated event for that very reason! Also possibly because of the range of creatives and collaborators and the fantastic fellowship of the networkers.

Filmmakers: Courtesy of comma press – The 10th edition of Magma, mostra di cinema breve - International Short Film Festival will take place next winter in Acireale, Italy: Submission deadline: JULY 31, 2011. For any other information and to fill in the entry form, please visit the website - www.magmafestival.org/engl

Cash for your art: I always feel it's important that good work receives good rewards so this looks very promising: The Sky Arts Ignition: Futures Fund is open to individual artists working in visual art, theatre, performance art, film, music, dance or literature. For more details click here: http://www.ideastap.com/Opportunities/Brief/f5eebaff-7f13-40bb-bfa8-9ef10145a8b1#Overview

I probably won’t update during the festival, so until July, adieu my friends, I leave you with a song in my heart, which I'm dedicating to my cousin Rowena who would have been 31 this week.

Bursts of colour on a grey day

Today's blog is very colourful, inspired by Birmingham School Of Art's Degree show (Margaret Street on the doorstep of the delicious Birmingham Food Fair). My pictures don't do justice to some of the work, so here's a couple of snaps of some of the bigger pieces which stood out. The show is on until Friday at the school on Maragret Street (stop by the international food festival on your way out, I did!). I want to mention a few in particular: Sophie Court produced my favourite pieces in the show - the lady in glasses bottom right is one. I also liked Wendy Derrick's pixellated paintings, being greeted by Donation for the Blessing of England by Edgar Askelovic, Natalie O'Keefe's silence series photographs , Lauren Quirke's composite images and Kyriaki Vrasida's tendrilled objects. Some more pics are on my flikr but I recommend heading down in person before the show closes on Sunday 19^th.

Film fun:
The last night was the opening night of the Edinburgh Intl Film Festival. I say this with a tinge of sadness as the last time I missed an EIFF Tony Blair was still Prime Minister but everyone was hoping for the best after he went, The Simpson's Movie was still hotly anticipated and I was convinced that this was the year the BBC realised that the next film 200...presenter should be me! Aaah what an idealistic time 2007 was!

So if you're in Edinburgh, sampling the myriad delights of the festival's films, special strands and late night arguments in the bar about the whether you can look at a pair of scissors again after antichrist over a drink in the Filmhouse, Cameo or any other bar that’ll take you, I doff my hat to you in vicarious solidarity.

Having missed quite a lot of cinema lately I am playing cath up this week with the primary coloured Gnomeo & Juliet. Having missed Samson and Delilah on Film4 I am planning on rewatching it As I wished I could straight after seeing it at the cinema the first time. And finally, I will be going once again to The beautiful Electric Cinema to see Kaboom. spurred on by the dual recommendations of Cornerhouse’s podcast (nice Heathers shoutout Rachel), and David Austen’s wide eyed anticipation.

I am also counting the minutes until I get to see Bridesmaids featuring some of my favourite comic actress Kristen (everything she does) Wiig, Maya (Away We Go- EIFF 2009) Rudolph and Mellissa (no chef will ever be more awesome than Sookie St James in the Gilmore Girls) McCarthy.

Very theatrical dahling:
July in Manchester is a very busy time not only because I shall be working on That Day We Sang at Manchester International Festival (god closes a festival window and opens a freaking ginormous door) but because some of my longtime collaborators colleagues have shows on as part of the Manchester Fringe organisation, Not Part Of. Details of Lucia Cox's show Blackbird and The Myth of Escape, a play starring Andy Palmer are linked.

Organised Chaos Productions latest show Peacefully At Home will be at the Buxton festival after successful dates in Manchester. It’s written by a former winner of the prestigious Bruntwood playwrighting competition Nicola Schofield.

Stuff my other friends have been doing: They’re on the site for a reason - They’re really talented!

Leeanne Stoddart’s book will be coming out in the autumn – keep your eyes peeled for details about her book launch

Donkey Stone Films – revamped their website.

Elliot Binns may still be looking for a writing partner for this intriguing project.

Finally, here is a link to Phil Meachem’s youtube stream featuring trailers for his previous and forthcoming projects.

Thanks for reading folks, I'll hopefully be back soon, in the meantime, please follow me on twitter @shegeekmcr – I’m way more succinct and my pic is currently that great literary character The Bogwoppit.