July
Tue 1 July 7.45pm
WHERE IN THE WORLD IS OSAMA BIN LADEN? (12A)
Morgan Spurlock sets off to find the man 'responsible' for the
War on Terror so that his baby will arrive in a safer world. Likening Osama Bin
Laden to Keyser Söze in 'The Usual Suspects', Spurlock traverses the Middle
East, interviewing people on the street to hear their views and prove that Arabs
are just like Yanks. Spurlock applies his trademark investigative techniques
with a mix of outrage and humour, interlaced with comic videogame-style
animation.
USA/France, 2008, 90mins
Reviews: :: The Guardian :: The Observer :: The Times ::
:: Top of Page ::
Thu 3 July 7.45pm
MANUFACTURED LANDSCAPES (U)
Jennifer Baichwal observes Edward Burtynsky as he photographs
the effects of industrialisation on the landscape, the surreal vistas awesome in
scale; China's mountains of the computer waste: the Yangtze River where whole
towns are disappearing in the flooding caused by the Three Gorges Dam: the
shipbreaking yards of Bangladesh: Shanghai with its increasingly crowded skyline
and millions of new inhabitants. Burtynsky's ambiguous images seek to impact
upon our consciousness, to provoke reflection on some highly inconvenient
truths. Baichwal's documentary places the images into a wider context;
addressing human stories within the seductive cinematic aesthetics.
Canada, 2008, 86mins
Reviews: :: The Guardian :: The Observer :: The Times ::
:: Top of Page ::
Fri 4 and Sat 5 July 7.45pm
A SECRET (15) 
Inspired by real events, Claude Miller's adaptation of
Phillipe Grimbert's novel is an old-fashioned drama about family secrets, set
against the background of WWII and the following years. Seen in inter-cut
flashbacks, the truth about François Grimbert's parents' lives during the Nazi
occupation is gradually revealed. Offering no judgement or solution, Miller uses
fragmented timelines and a direct, but understated style, to call upon the
audience to draw its own conclusions.
France, 2008, 106mins
Reviews: :: The Guardian :: The Observer :: The Times ::
:: Top of Page ::
Tue 8 and Thu 10 July 7.45pm
UNE VIEILLE MAITRESSE (15)
Catherine Breillat's 12th feature is a tale of amour fou, a
lavish costume drama adapted from Jules Barbey D'Aurevilly's classic novel. At
the heart of the piece is an outrageous performance by Asia Argento, playing
Vellini the former, and still occasional, mistress of the notorious Ryno De
Marigny; her influence over Marigny such that he is willing to let her wreck his
recent marriage and reputation. The latest chapter in Breillat's fiercely
intelligent disquisition on sex and society, The Last Mistress is costume drama
with no holds barred.
France, 2007, 114mins
Reviews: :: The Guardian :: The Observer :: The Times ::
:: Top of Page ::
Fri 11 and Sat 12 July 7.45pm
CARAMEL (PG)
A charming and sensuous romantic comedy centred around Si
Bella, an upmarket Beirut beauty salon. Between treatments, the stylists and
clients exchange frank conversation about their loves and lives, from lesbian
leanings and surgically reinstated virginity to OAP dating and infidelity.
Nadine Labaki's directorial début is a warm and often very funny tribute to the
power of friendship between women, presenting an intriguing portrait of life in
modern-day Beirut. 'Labaki's first foray into feature filmmaking heralds the
arrival of a genuine talent, displaying an impressive ability to draw laughter
and tears with equal proficiency.' (Ali Jaafar, 'The Times BFI 51st London Film
Festival')
Lebanon, 2008, 95mins
Reviews: :: The Guardian :: The Times ::
:: Top of Page ::
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