DVD review: What Maisie Knew

January 4, 2014July 18, 2019 Garry ArnotLeave a comment

A modern adaptation of the Henry James novel of the same name, which looks at the break up of a dysfunctional relationship through the perspective of their neglected young daughter. Julianne Moore and Steve Coogan star as rowing rich couple Susanna and Beale, an ageing rocker and wheeler art dealer respectively, going through a turbulent marriage where their six year old girl Maisie (Onata Aprile) is used as a bargaining chip, passed from pillar to post. She only finds occasional solace through nanny turned stepmother Margo, expertly portrayed by Joanna Vanderham, and surprisingly also with Lincoln (Alexander Skarsgård) who Susanna marries soon after the divorce in a selfish ploy for sole custody. Directed by Scott McGehee and David Siegel, ‘What Maisie Knew’ is beautifully made, full of top drawer performances, great humour and has a heart wrenchingly touching narrative.

Maisie’s isolation is shown effectively through the cinematography, by putting her petite figure in gaping wide shots, a microcosm highlighting her minor significance in the sensationalist lifestyles of her parents. Also, when holding hands with a grown up, we, as the audience, are continuously placed at Maisie’s head height, the faces of her elders often left unseen, illustrating the flimsy nature of her upbringing and letting us into her world. This is a recurring theme, the story allowing us into Maisie’s way of life, through use of neat close ups of her drawings, toys and games of tic-tac-toe, but not shying away from her inner trauma, the built up sadness and torment expressed perfectly in a memorable scene with one single tear. There are zoom fixations on Susanna and Beale, as if the camera represents her gaze and what makes her tale so heartbreaking is that she clearly adores her parents yet her love is unrequited. There are one or two tender moments in which we see that she may well be loved by her mum and dad, but not in the right way.

What aids this success are the magnificent performances from all concerned. Veterans Moore and Coogan are both great in the parenting roles. We see a lot more of Moore’s reckless rock mum which she has down to a tee but Coogan is equally effective in a very Coogan-esque smug but funny role. As with all the actors, they excel in scenes with the amazing Onata Aprile. With shades of Mara Wilson in Matilda, Aprile is impeccable in the titular role. Co-star Vanderham stated that even when Aprile is in neutral mode, her facial expression suggests sadness which works brilliantly, giving off an effortless aura. She not only plays sadness well, she brings a lot of humour, delivering excellent observations on the people around her. Scenes at the school really help to offer a nostalgia of childlike humour, in particular in a hilarious moment when she introduces her new step dad Lincoln to her class like a show-and-tell piece. Vanderham and Skarsgård are really good and their characters are also mistreated and used by Maisie’s parents and through this neglect they form a bond with Maisie.

I have nothing but praise for ‘What Maisie Knew’, and was instantly drawn into the story and the likeable, and relatable characters. Onata Aprile steals the show, evoking a hugely emotional response and the clever direction and camera work links us to her viewpoint. It is interesting to see a feuding break-up film through the eyes of the child, who is inevitably affected the most, their outlook deserving of its showcase. Last year, nine year old Quvenzhané Wallis was showered with award nominations for her work in Beasts of the Southern Wild, showing young stars can now be recognised in the same way as adult actors. It is easy to fall into the trap of saying she was amazing ‘for her age’ but she was incredible for any age and makes this film a faultless masterpiece.

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DVD & Digital

DVD review: Searching for Sugar Man

December 28, 2013May 23, 2016 Garry ArnotLeave a comment

The Academy Award winning documentary ‘Searching For Sugar Man’ looks at the mysterious circumstances in which singer songwriter Sixto Rodriguez rose to fame in South Africa without knowing, and without reaping any of the benefits. Written and directed by Malik Bendjelloul, it explores two mega fans of Rodriguez, who join forces to solve the case, with the incredible tale told mostly through talking heads interwoven with the soulful songs of Rodriguez, crooning over Dylan-esque guitar melodies and sticking it to the man.

When he released his albums Cold Fact and Coming from Reality in 1971 and 1972 respectively, for some unknown reason, nobody in American cared enough to support him and the record sales were near non-existent, but years later the album and his powerful words found their audience in South Africa, during apartheid. It was said that his album was so well received, it could be found in nearly ever white home in SA, alongside Abbey Road and Bridge Over Troubled Water. Yet because of this, it was assumed Rodriguez was also a success across the Atlantic when in fact, he was far from it. It raises many questions of the music industry and the darkly selfish nature of it. It is astonishing to think that while his albums were playing to thousands on the radio in South Africa, he was none the wiser, working long hours in construction to provide for his family.

Bendjelloul’s low budget direction has the same charm as much of Rodriguez’s music, the audio and visuals blending harmoniously, but it has been suggested he has made some embellishments and omissions in order to create a more presentable story. Whether this is the case or not has no significance for me, and I thoroughly enjoyed how it was pieced together, with great suspense in leading up to the screen introduction of Sixto himself. The interviews with his three daughters are particularly moving when he goes onto receive the recognition he had deserved for his work decades before. His music was a godsend to his dedicated supporters during their nation’s battle for equality, and this emotive account captures that sense of adoration. The captivating true story is translated to cinematic scale, showcasing his talent to all who care to embrace it, and putting the mystery of the financial gains to one side, serving as a celebration of a talent which was so nearly lost.

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DVD & Digital

DVD review: The Act of Killing

December 27, 2013May 8, 2014 Garry ArnotLeave a comment

‘The Act of Killing’ is a brutal investigation into the genocide which took place in 1965 Indonesia after President Sukarno was overthrown to be replaced by Suharto. Those who refused to conform to the new political agenda were branded communists and massacred. Director Joshua Oppenheimer pushes the boundaries of factual filmmaking asking questions of gangsters Anwar Congo and Adi Zulkadry who killed masses of innocent people without conscience or consequence and are heralded as national heroes today.

Initially, the aim was to create a piece in which he would speak to the ancestors of the so-called communist victims but the government put paid to his plans. Instead, he speaks to the men who carried out the killing spree, who horrifically speak openly and proudly, talking through their methods of murder in grim detail. They continually attempt to justify their actions, translating the term gangster as ‘free man’ twisting the semantics to give a reason behind what they have done. This idea is repeated with a warped version of the song ‘Born Free’ used later over a waterfall backdrop with celebrated figures singing along gleefully, where we also see a man representing the spirit of the victims, removing the wire used to choke him to death and thanking Congo for killing him and sending him to heaven, placing a medal around his neck to glorify his actions.

Oppenheimer asks the pair to re-enact their callous acts and encourages them to make a film about it and they duly accept this proposition. Anwar shows no remorse initially, boasting about his idea to strangle victims with wire to prevent the heavy bloodshed of his past approach. He is now a leader in a right wing organisation Permuda Pancasila, full of powerful key figures from the death squads who have shockingly gone unpunished. Instead of the film becoming a history lesson, it offers background but decides to focus its energy on the psyches of Congo and Zulkadry to explore them as individuals searching for signs of mercy and forcing them to recognise the horror of their pasts.

Werner Herzog took an executive producer role and showered the piece heavily with praise. He said “I have not seen a film as powerful, surreal, and frightening in at least a decade… it is unprecedented in the history of cinema.” It is certainly brave filmmaking, directed with the unfaltering sense of exploration of Michael Moore or Louis Theroux, tackling the harrowing subject head on. It is not for the fainthearted, and makes for uncomfortable viewing nearly all the way through, but is handled expertly and definitely sheds light on the struggles of an extremely troubled nation.

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DVD & Digital

DVD review: Elysium

December 23, 2013November 8, 2019 Garry ArnotLeave a comment

After the success of District 9, advert-maker turned filmmaker Neill Blomkamp is back with sci-fi action thriller ‘Elysium’, starring Matt Damon and Jodie Foster. Set over a century in the future, or 2154 to be precise, Earth is a diseased and overpopulated wasteland. The rich and fabulous have upped and left to a new planet which resembles a halo in the sky called Elysium with strict regulations and a med bay in every beautiful home, healing inhabitants of any illness or injury. Max Da Costa (Damon) is a former car thief gone straight working in a droid manufacturing plant within the ruins of Los Angeles. After an industrial accident exposes him to a lethal dose of radiation, leaving him with just five days to live, he is forced to come up with a plan of action to reach Elysium to cure himself, bringing him up against the severe Elysian Secretary of Defence, Jessica Delacourt (Foster) who will stop at nothing to prevent this.

Although set in a science fiction environment, it can be argued that Elysium represents an exaggeration of the state of the world in the present day, highlighting the class system and the gaping divides between the lifestyles of the rich and poor. Director Blomkamp has spoken about this viewpoint, stating that the film is less of a prediction of the future and more an ‘allegory about wealth discrepancy’. It is refreshing to see a cinematic tackle on such current issues, and it has been done exceptionally by a relatively inexperienced filmmaker. To explore an idea in a unique way, building from a strong opening and developing the plot impressively, there is a lot to admire here and the fight sequences towards the end are colossal, particularly between Max and Delacourt’s sadistic mercenary Kruger, who is an effective villain, brilliantly portrayed by Sharlto Copley who starred in the aforementioned District 9. His wicked exterior and thick South African accent make him one of the most watchable baddies of the year so far. The commercial background is clear in the striking aesthetics of the picture, taking notable influence from previous sci-fi blockbusters, Damon appearing a cool but twisted modern interpretation of Terminator after being fitted with a body brace known as an exoskeleton to increase his strength. With so much focus towards the visuals, which are worthy of seeing on the big screen, the script falters a little with the dialogue coming across stilted occasionally, though this is a minor criticism within so many positives.

Matt Damon is sublime in the lead role, and has won me over with what I would boldly claim is one of the best performances of his career. I was yet to be convinced of his star quality, putting his Bourne trilogy down as a poor mans Bond, and I remain unmoved by the majority of his work. I’ve never quite been able to root for him until now, and surprisingly found myself on the edge of my seat, egging him on in the final showdown as if it was a Rocky Balboa bout. His everyman attitude worked perfectly for the role, and the relationship with childhood friend Frey (Alice Braga) was touching and believable. Jodie Foster has a return to form as the cold power hungry Delacourt, a role that feels as though it could have been written for Foster’s ice queen demeanour. I should mention Wagner Moura who is an exciting presence as gangster hacker Spider who tries to illegally smuggle people from Earth up to the haven of immortality, and who Max looks to for help in his time of need. William Fichtner and Diego Luna also make an impact in their smaller supporting roles.

In bringing his bold theories to the big screen in exceptional fashion, could Blomkamp be an auteur in the making? He certainly has an eye for design as the picture is magnificently pleasing on the eye, and he appears to know how to get the best out of his stars. Whether that is due to enforcing his vision or letting them get on with it, I am not so sure but either way he has managed to create a Matt Damon character that I got on board with so I am grateful for that if nothing else. With stunning CGI, an interesting premise and a menacing villain on top, ‘Elysium’ was without a doubt my blockbuster of summer 2013.

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DVD & Digital

DVD review: One Direction: This is Us 3D

December 19, 2013September 7, 2022 Garry ArnotLeave a comment

Morgan Spurlock has been associated with controversy in the past, no stranger to tackling hot topics like the US obesity epidemic and Al-Qaeda, so his latest project came as a bit of a surprise. When it was announced he would be in the director’s chair for ‘One Direction: This Is Us 3D’, you wouldn’t be alone in thinking he would open our eyes to a different, maybe darker, side to the world’s biggest boy band, going deep beneath their glossy exterior. Instead of his usual exploratory mindset going to extremes with his subject matter, he takes a step back going fully behind the camera to portray the famous five as likeable, hard working lads taking their massively lucky break in their stride.

Heavily produced by Simon Cowell’s Syco Entertainment, perhaps there was a hint of restriction in place when it came to the what could be shown and which footage should be cut and shuffled away, never to see the light of day. Cowell himself has a talking head part where he sits smug behind an executive table, taking all the plaudits for the manufacture of the group and their worldwide success. Other guest appearances come unexpectedly from Chris Rock and Martin Scorsese, both in attendance at their colossal Madison Square Garden concert, signifying their breakthrough across the Atlantic.

In justifying his career choice to venture into music documentary film-making, Spurlock explained that the huge budget and use of 3D drew him to the piece and after unsuccessful attempts at helming the Justin Bieber and Katy Perry tour docs, he finally has his chance to play around and experiment with the capabilities of extra dimensions. The gig recording is fun, and the songs have catchy pop choruses but in terms of camera work, it goes as expected bar a scattering of flashy graphics and one coolly executed effect which transforms each of the boys into action hero figures in primary colours. A few of the lesser known tracks tend to drag, and the behind the scenes sections are far more engaging. During the gaps in between the all singing all dancing concert footage, we follow the gang on their world tour and look back at their humble beginnings, where their parents deliver heartfelt messages on how their lives have changed since One Direction’s X-Factor journey and we bear witness to the chummy camaraderie between the fivesome as they express their individual personalities, play youthful pranks and thank the obsessively dedicated fan base they possess, who stalk them around the globe like blood thirsty zombies.

This Is Us gives a brief insight into life on the road for a group of youngsters experiencing the closest superstardom to Beatlemania and kept my attention throughout but unfortunately does so without delving into too much detail, which goes against the trademarks of the director. For the hordes of adoring fans, or the Directioners as I believe they like to be known as, this serves as a perfect slice of pop propaganda and will sit nicely in DVD cases stacked from floor to ceiling in the ever-growing string of 1D World stores across the planet.

DVD & Digital

DVD review: Kick-Ass 2

December 8, 2013May 4, 2014 Garry ArnotLeave a comment

Ordinary citizens have put their day-to-day duties aside to become DIY superheroes again in ‘Kick-Ass 2’, but this time there’s more of them. In 2010, we were introduced to Dave Lizewski who, after the loss of his mother, donned a green and yellow suit and became Kick-Ass. Based on the Mark Millar graphic novel, it was a box office smash, satirically referencing the overdone superhero genre whilst being heralded as a worthy comic book film adaptation in its own right with unique characters and an interesting plot. Three years later, Kick-Ass (Aaron Taylor-Johnson) wants his sequel and teams up with Hit-Girl (Chloe Grace Moretz) to bring a squad of super villains to justice. Back with a new director in Jeff Wadlow who also took writing duties, this smart caper is a good bit of fun, despite misjudging the violent streak, and sees its titular lead fall under the shadow of the brilliant Hit-Girl who really should have her own series of films instead.

We revisit Dave and Mindy Macready a.k.a Hit-Girl at high school where they appear to have put their crime fighting pasts behind them, even though Kick-Ass legacy is still very much at large with a new brood of wannabe heroes announcing themselves to the city. The teen flick/superhero movie crossover works very effectively with Mindy, taking influence for the former from the likes of Mean Girls and offering great character development as she tries to be popular amongst the cool kids but deep down knows she should be Hit-Girl, out beating up the bad guys carrying the torch without the guidance from her father, Big Daddy. This arc is where the piece is at its strongest and the some of the scenes in the school are excellent, whilst Kick-Ass himself skulks moodily on the sidelines like a Tesco Value Spiderman. Meanwhile, rich kid Chris D’Amico whose superhero persona was Red Mist previously is now parentless (notice a pattern here?) and out to cause destruction under his hilarious new villainous alias The Motherfucker.

Forces of good and evil collide in what becomes a unnecessarily bloody conclusion, with strangely more violence than many of the comic book films it pays homage to. The formula to mix comedy and violence has been mastered in the past by filmmakers such as Quentin Tarantino and Roberto Rodriguez, and the OTT elements are used frequently here with limbs sliced and eyes gouged out at will, but for some reason it doesn’t sit right in this picture. The blend of influences don’t quite gel and the ambition to be a teen coming of age tale, superhero battle and slapstick horror comedy gets messy in the latter half and I feel it loses sight of its origins, possibly down to the change of personnel.

Chloe Grace Moretz steals the film in the performance stakes, with both alter egos equally as convincing. Her badass attitude is a joy to watch and she delivers a few cracking lines with every offensive outburst equating to another dollar in Mindy’s overflowing swear jar. She balances this superbly with a hurting adolescent missing her father and it is a touching portrayal. Taylor-Johnson continues where he left off, carrying off the geek role suitably, but is second fiddle from start to finish whereas Christopher Mintz-Plasse is very enjoyable as the baddie. His eccentricity fits perfectly with the part and its hard to imagine anyone pulling off The Motherfucker in the same way. The veteran substitution from the original sees Nic Cage departing which can only be a good thing and Jim Carrey stepping in as leader of organisation Justice Forever, Colonel Stars and Stripes which is probably the most longwinded superhero name ever. His inclusion offers the narrative some oomph in the middle section, and this will count as another high point in his recent return to form but he is unfortunately terribly underused. There seemed to be depth to his character that sadly is only really glossed over.

The follow up stays true enough to the franchise stylistically with quirky graphic inserts and introduces a host of wacky new faces for us to enjoy, but it is the development of Mindy and Chris that stand out, leaving behind the eponymous bore than is Kick-Ass. Perhaps a new instalment will give Moretz further room for development in a leading role, which would definitely be worth a look in and give the series a much needed fresher edge. Nonetheless, this chapter duly fills its running time with enough action-packed sequences and wit to satisfy as a pleasing popcorn movie.

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Features

Is Grease The Most Culturally Influential Summer Blockbuster Ever?

December 4, 2013December 10, 2019 Garry ArnotLeave a comment

Picture it. You’re in the big city. A night on the tiles. You reach the nightclub and it’s a fancy dress theme. I guarantee there’s at least one group of T Birds or Pink Ladies.

You’re at your uncle’s 40th. It’s getting late and everyone is a little tipsy. The DJ announces over the muffled sound system that the next track on his play list is the Grease Mega mix. I guarantee the dance floor is filled within seconds. All the lads want to be Travolta and all the women want their guys to be Travolta. Everyone knows the words and more importantly, all the moves.

Even if you’re not a fan, and I challenge you to find someone who isn’t, everyone has seen Grease, or has at least heard of it. It is part of our lives, and its influence has been passed down through generations, making it arguably the most influential film of all time.

Set in the summer of 1959, it tells the story of holiday sweethearts Danny (John Travolta) and Sandy (Olivia Newton-John) who end their teenage fling thinking that they would never meet again. But when Sandy’s parents decide not to return to native Australia, she is enrolled into Rydell High where she meets Danny again and they rekindle the romance. The ‘American teen movie’ will forever be in debt to Grease, as it established the stereotypes that form the genre that it still going strong today:

The greaser – Danny

The shy girl – Sandy

The cool dude – Kenickie

The mouthy one – Rizzo

The quirky one – Frenchy

The ditzy one – Marty

The geek – Eugene

Coming of age high school films have made good use of these roles through generations of cinema such as Porky’s, The Breakfast Club, American Pie and Mean Girls, and is now so heavily familiar that it is parodied, most notably in 2001’s Not Another Teen Movie. For a more modern interpretation of Sandy’s transformation from quiet ‘nice girl’ to saucy minx with attitude simply from a bag of make-up and a few inspirational words from a friend, see 1999’s She’s All That. Even this year, the genre is being rejuvenated with satirical youth culture attack flicks Spring Breakers and The Bling Ring. OK, they’re both a million miles away from the innocence of Grease, but would they have been able to exist if the foundations hadn’t been laid before them?

Directed by Randal Kleiser, it launched the careers of Travolta and Newton-John cementing them in cinema history forever. The iconic tunes and bubble gum gloss give this masterpiece a timeless effect, and the simple ‘boy meets girl’ plot remains fresh and relevant to this day. It even has an exhilarating car chase sequence which every good summer film needs. It is uncomplicated fun at its very best, and its cultural significance is hard to beat, meaning that Grease and the term ‘summer blockbuster’ will always go together ‘like rama lama lama ke ding a de dinga a dong. A wop ba-ba lu-mop a wop bam boom!’

DVD & Digital

DVD review: Alan Partridge: Alpha Papa

December 2, 2013May 4, 2014 Garry ArnotLeave a comment

To take a much loved British sitcom and transport it to the silver screen is always an unenviable risk and many have seen their best efforts fail in the past. How do you stay true to the qualities of the series so as not to lose your fan base but create enough interest and intrigue for cinema-goers who aren’t as familiar? It would be too easy to get carried away writing a narrative which could become too distanced, alienating the audience altogether. In recent years, screenwriters have proved it can work with the biggest notable success of late being The Inbetweeners Movie which saw the four hapless teens embark on their first lad’s holiday to Malia. This year, beloved face for North Norfolk radio, Alan Partridge portrayed by the brilliant Steve Coogan, has been called up for his cinema debut over a decade after the regular television series although he has made numerous guest appearances since then. When a firm of suits step in to take over Alan’s beloved station, the hierarchy is restructured leaving Partridge caught up in a hilariously gripping siege after a former colleague DJ Pat Farrell hits out against the corporation.

The secret to Alpha Papa’s success is the admirable lack of plot ambition, as it stays in Alan’s home city of Norwich throughout. By not getting carried away with a complex narrative and staying loyal to its origins, it shows more ambition in relying on the setting as the backdrop of a feature rather than the standard half an hour slot, and the time is filled well without overstaying its welcome. Visually, there is a noticeable step up though, with Alan taking on a strangely hipper attire than previous years with a nods to his touched up image in the script. It is shot well, and the action sequences are sharply edited giving a deserved cinematic upgrade. The humour is much the same as in the television series with blink-or-you’ll-miss-it gags crammed in, Coogan brimming with charisma and lapping up the resurrection of his best creation. The jokes are frequent, and often brilliant, with numerous laugh out loud moments particularly in the first half of the film. As it develops, there is less natural opportunity for trademark one-liners and for me, he is always best relaxed on air interacting awkwardly with his listeners. Supporting cast all hold their own with Tim Key as the highlight as sidekick Simon while Felicity Montagu and Simon Greenall offer nostalgia as Lynn and Michael the Geordie respectively.

If you didn’t like the show originally then I advise that you stay well clear as this is one for the fans, and is a real treat for the cult following it has. Coogan impresses without overdoing it, flexing his acting chops once again after a run of big screen performances this year following the magnificent What Maisie Knew and Winterbottom’s The Look of Love with whom he has worked with on more than one occasion in the past. So now that we know Alan Partridge still works as a character, still as funny as he ever was and adapting with the times, will this spawn another film, or perhaps new series? Or should he quit while he is ahead, leaving this as a fond and fitting farewell to a true gem of British comedy? Either way, this is a worthy addition to the back catalogue.

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DVD & Digital

DVD review: Only God Forgives

December 2, 2013April 15, 2021 Garry ArnotLeave a comment

After the ultra-violent cult success of Drive, the experimental Danish director Nicolas Winding Refn has once again paired up with Ryan Gosling for revenge thriller ‘Only God Forgives’, but they have very deliberately steered away from the preconceptions that the winning formula would be repeated. Where their previous collaboration dabbled in art house themes, the latest outing tears down conventions, offering a mesmerising cinematic experience that has severely divided opinions, inducing a chorus of boos from critics when it premiered at Cannes in May but receiving a standing ovation from others. Gosling stars as Julian who runs a Muay Thai boxing club used as a front whilst he peddles drugs behind the scenes. When his older brother Billy is brutally murdered in retaliation to a heinous crime he had committed, their controlling mother Crystal (Kristin Scott Thomas) orders Julian to avenge the death of her first born. This leads him to battle with the sword wielding police lieutenant Chang (Vithaya Pansringarm) who is the apparent ‘God’ from the title, worshipped by his force as he employs his own merciless brand of law enforcement.

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DVD & Digital

DVD review: Snabba Cash (Easy Money)

November 17, 2013September 12, 2019 Garry ArnotLeave a comment

Since the Danish directors Lars Von Trier and Thomas Vinterberg founded the avant-garde movement known as Dogme 95, Scandinavian cinema has went from strength to strength. The ‘back-to basics’ rules and regulations of the group helped make a name for Denmark in the industry, and it wasn’t long before neighbouring countries got in on the act. Best selling authors such as Sweden’s Stieg Larsson and Norway’s Jo Nesbo are proof of the raw, and beautifully dark storytelling coming out of the area in recent years. Their novels have inevitably spawned successful films, most notably Larsson’s Millennium trilogy, the first instalment of which has even had a US remake starring Daniel Craig and Rooney Mara. Also getting the Hollywood treatment, with Zac Efron in the lead role, is 2010 Swedish crime thriller ‘Snabba Cash’, which translates in English as ‘Easy Money’. Due to the thumbs up from the late Roger Ebert, and the team up between the Weinstein Company and fan Martin Scorsese, the picture finally has a US/UK general release, in July 2013. Directed by Daniel Espinosa, the plot follows three men in Stockholm’s criminal underworld whose paths cross, with lasting consequences for all involved.

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