Jonathan del toffo

[Benicio Del Toffo]

Went to see the new Shane Meadows film the other night (plus a Q and A session with Shane himself - and all proceeds going to Notts County's Fans Trust).

It's called 'Dead Man's Shoes' and I heartily recommend it to any of you.

A bit dark and unsettling in places, but not too bad...

A welcome return to form after the frankly dull 'Once Upon A Time In The Midlands'.

[Sie Vulture]

dark, unsettling and .. well... quite good!



Bennie - I agree - this film is now out on DVD and I'd recommend it too.
Extremely dark and very unsettling, be prepared to be made to feel very uncomfortable whilst watching it.

A welcome return to form for the boy Meadows - esp after the watery blandness of "Once Upon A Time...". Extras on the DVD include an interview with Shane Meadows and a short film about a young boy's quest to become a wrestler entitled "Northern Soul" which is quite funny...

[Palma Rubia]

The best film i saw last year... very mean, very moody.

[wayne]

Still looking forward to this one, sounds good! I'm still hoping he'll one day beat 'Small Time', his best film to date (and one of the best British films of the 90s, frankly) and it's regarded especially fondly as we live slap bang on the streets where it was filmed: that's my racecourse bootsale they all go theiving at...and those are our neighbours' green wheely bins right there! Paddy Considine is well underrated as well...his nutter in Romeo Brass gets that special kind of East Midlands thickness spot on...

Ben, you been to the showings they do occasionally of his shorts at the church opposite the Fox (another 'Smalltime' location, along with our local Lord Nelson): usually run as part of the annual 'Sneinton Art Trail' day mid-summer time, free. I'll find out when it's going to be this year & let you know if not. Very funny, him & his mates arsing about in Bakersfield Sneinton & The Meadows...

[Sie Vulture]

That's a point - I'm still to see "Romeo Brass" - any good ???

[Benicio Del Toffo]

'Romeo Brass'? Criminally neglected mate. Different type of thing to 'Dead Man's Shoes' (which I would say is the best thing he's done thus far and is possibly the best UK film since 'Trainspotting').

The key to 'Romeo Brass' is that it doesn't follow narrative convention, with 'Once Upon A Time In The Midlands' you heard so much about how it was a conventional Western, that you knew it had to follow a set framework and that conflict resolution would take the form of the guy in the white hat getting the girl and vanquishing the baddie, riding off into the sunset etc etc. So there was no surprise and very little interest. 'Romeo Brass...' has surprises. I'd give it 8/10. 'Dead Man's Shoes' would get 9/10. I've lent my DVD to several mates (and bought it for others as a gift), all have given a minimum of 8/10.

Very quotable as well. Destined for cult status.

Considine = best British actor of the moment by a street.

[sermad]

I just watched 'dead mans shoes'. I can see why the notts heads are in a tissy about this film - its utterly superb.

Its got everything - amazing acting - great soundtrack - extreme psychotic behaviour and regional accents!

Up there with 'get carter' as a premier slice of uk carnage. Seek out.

[Hooded Claw]

Just seen this on film 4 freeness.

My word! its amazing. Just a heads up that the DVD is £3.94 on amazon at the moment. Highly, highly recommended.

[Morbius]

..another voice in agreement, "Dead Mans Shoes" is a superb film, good soundtrack too..

[left hand corner]

And I am in full agreement. Top film.

Still can't get my head around the other Jonathan Del Toffo pick 'Visitor Q'.

[manzo]

Just seen this on film 4 freeness.

Am I the only one who's narked that they have ads during the films? I know that it's technically "free", but I really can't be doing with the long breaks they are putting in, to the extent where I won't be watching it.

[Hooded Claw]

I was thinking about this, I guess they made the decision due to subscription slowing down. Hence more money to be made on adverts via a big launch.

I am notorious for falling asleep during movies so I actually don't mind the adverts as an oppurtunity to make tea/go toilet/find snacks etc, which keeps my eyes from shutting*. There seem to be only about four or five breaks per film so its not too frequent, and unlike ITV and 5 they don't cut the film mid sentence for ads.

*case in point, managed to sit through shawshank redemption and dead mans shoes on Monday without nodding off once. Thats about 5 hours of film.

[Morbius]

Am I the only one who's narked that they have ads during the films? I know that it's technically "free", but I really can't be doing with the long breaks they are putting in, to the extent where I won't be watching it.

..I'm in total agreement, I hate Ad breaks with a passion, any suspension of disbelief or atmosphere is instantly ruined. I know they are a necessary evil on commercial channels but I would rather watch something on DVD (rented or otherwise) than have my experience of the movie ruined by constantly being taken out of the moment.
Obviously this is not the case when I just want to veg in front of a movie for the sake of it, but only applies when I really want to experience the film.

[babycart]

You lot don’t know you’re born. Over here the ad breaks are so long that they repeat most of the ads twice and still have time for plenty of footage of traditional folk dancing or a bunch of blokes in sombreros singing. When the film comes on again it’s like bumping into an old friend you haven’t seen for ages. Plus the adverts go out at three times the volume of the film. But what really bugs me is they never show the credits – this happens in Germany too and it’s absolutely infuriating if you have any interest in cinema at all.

[Hooded Claw]

But what really bugs me is they never show the credits – this happens in Germany too and it’s absolutely infuriating if you have any interest in cinema at all.

What does annoy me is when, at the end of a film you ALWAYS get some plummy voice talking over the credits introducing the next programme or telling you whats on tomorrow. I think that spoils the feel of the film for me more than the adverts.