Another DVD review, this time of The King (James Marsh, 2005) a film with an urge to be interesting, but one which fails to find any reason to be seen. With the Edinburgh International Film Festival on its way, I am beginning to return my critical eye to the many DVDs that land on my doormat of a morning in anticipation of the cinematic feast mere weeks away. A number of titles have arrived but it is only this that has driven me to write a review, despite the film having little effect.
A sweet film that captures something magical about the horror of youth, locates the wonder in first love, and knowingly retells it through the lens of a super-8.
Taking a look at the lives behind championship gamers, De Putter's film is a well made expose on a world that is virtually anonymous in the west, but a virtual reality for many half a world a way.
Cruising on a wave of geek chic, this documentary is an interesting portrayal of a vintage obsession, the drive and determination left over from a voracious decade - that of the 80's, with its shoulder pads, oversized mobile phones, and importantly arcade machines. Though there were countless classic arcade games - Pac-Man, Space Invaders, Q-bert - this documentary focuses not on the culture of retro gaming, but one game in particular - Donkey Kong.
Black Swan takes on the contrived world of Ballet, exposing the heavily competitive, strict and frankly dangerous world which the classical art creates.
