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BRUGES BUDDIES: Brendan Gleeson) and Colin Farrell on the set of the film In Bruges. Image: Focus Features.
Killing Time in Bruges by Linh
Writer and director Martin McDonagh’s first feature film In Bruges (pronounced ‘broozh’) is an usual and dark comic thriller set in the beautiful medieval city of Bruges in Belgium during Christmas time.
McDonaugh’s script cleverly allows the picturesque city to draw out the personalities of the characters and also provides an eerie yet attractive backdrop for the action scenes.
In Bruges revolves around two contract killers, Ray (Colin Farrell) and Ken (Brendan Gleeson), who have been sent to Bruges following a murder gone awry in London. Ray was to have killed a paedophile priest, but also accidentally shot dead a young boy during the process.
Their unscrupulous but principled boss Harry (Ralph Fiennes) has ordered them to cool their heels in Bruges until he contacts them at a later date. What follows is a blend of horrific violence, plenty of bloodshed, drug and alcohol consumption, excessive expletive-laced dialogue along with some intriguing characters.
Colin Farrell is charmingly boyish as Ray, who whines about being stuck in Bruges when he would rather be in Dublin. His thick, dark eyebrows and Irish accent add to his character’s quirks, while he ponders his latest mistake as an assassin. Not even the fairy tale surroundings of Bruges can distract him from his silent pain of killing an innocent child.
Brendan Gleeson plays Ken, the more experienced killer and father figure to Ray, having been paired up with him for the last few contract killings. Gleeson gives Ken a brooding yet jolly persona and makes a huge personal sacrifice to save Ray’s life, whom he sees as having plenty of potential.
Although he appears in the last several scenes in the film (only heard on the phone with Ken for two thirds of the film at the start), Ralph Fiennes is hot-headed and foul mouthed as the merciless and relentless boss, Harry.
Almost all the swearing in the film comes from Harry, in both written and verbal form, yet Fiennes delivery is comical and nasty.
The city of Bruges has its own personality with a unique atmosphere and a hauntingly historic feel in all its tourist attractions including the museum, the art gallery, the cafe and even the fictional hotel where Ray and Ken stay has a Flemish flavour.
The supporting cast is wonderful with each character bringing their own blend of humour, action and silliness to the film.
Clémence Poésy (who played Fleur Delacour in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire) is sizzling as the drug dealer and Ray's love interest, Chloë.; Jordan Prentice is an enigmatic and prejudiced dwarf, Jimmy, who appears in a movie being filmed in Bruges and Thekla Reuten is marvellous as the hotel owner, Marie, who holds her own as bullets are fired around her.
In Bruges is more innovative than Quentin Tarantino's Pulp Fiction and more intense than Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, and stands out as a dazzling little cinematic gem which may not appeal to some but will delight many.
Director: Martin McDonagh
Cast: Colin Farrell, Brendan Gleeson, Ralph Fiennes, Clémence Poésy, Jérémie Rénier, Jordan Prentice, Thekla Reuten, Erik Godon.
Screenplay/writer: Martin McDonagh
Director of photography: Eigil Bryld
Producers: Graham Broadbent and Pete Czernin
Editor: Jon Gregory
Music: Carter Burwell
Production designer: Michael Carlin
Running time: 1 hour 47 minutes.
TRIGGER HAPPY: Harry (Ralph Fiennes) wants "a normal gun for a normal person" in the film In Bruges. Image: Focus Features.
Propping Up A Scene by Linh
When actors make a scene while not performing or acting on set, it's usually frowned upon. When stage or film prop decorators make a scene, they usually gain kudos and recognition for their efforts.
Hence, the following list of favourite (un-numbered and in no particular order) film props used universally to convey messages about a character, the setting, the era/period of the film and assist with the action/drama of the plot.
Props - not just an accessory but also a necessity.
There are many, but the following is a tiny taste of the massive smorgasbord of props used in films over the years.
TELEPHONE/ MOBILE PHONE:
Communication is vital in daily life and as films reflect society's growing love of connecting, networking and socialising, the telephone/mobile phone makes regular appearances on the big (and small) screen.
RECEIVING END: Joan Deerfield (Susan Sarandon) gets some distressing news in the film In The Valley of Elah. Image: Warner Independent Pictures.
MOTIVATIONAL: Jerry Maguire (Tom Cruise) hits a motivational high with 'Show me the money!' in Jerry Maguire. Image: TriStar Pictures.
TRENDSETTERS: Dionne (Stacey Dash) and Cher (Alicia Silverstone) make mobile phones the latest must-have accessory in Clueless. Image: Paramount Pictures.
THREATENING: Stu Shepard (Colin Farrell) fears for his life in Phone Booth. Image: Twentieth Century Fox Films
BEDS:
Images of beds conjure up many thoughts including sex, sleep/rest, comfort and support.
Beds in films are both decorative (background props) or practical (sleeping in or jumping on).
The best scenes are when beds become part of a character's personality, history or catalyst for change in the storyline.
BED OF CHAIRS: Viktor Navorski (Tom Hanks) sleeps at the airport terminal as he waits for his immigration status to be fixed in The Terminal. Image: DreamWorks Distribution/ United International Pictures.
IMMOBILE: Jean-Dominique Bauby (Mathieu Amalric) hates being bedridden as Claude (Anne Consigny) translates his eyelid movements in The Diving Bell and the Butterfly. Image: Miramax Films.
PLAYFUL: Donna (Meryl Streep) jumps about on the bed as she and Rosie (Julie Walters) and Tanya (Christine Baranski) relive their youth in Mamma Mia! the Movie. Image: Universal Pictures.
AUTOMOBILES:
Whether it's the brand name or the model, the colour or the practical uses - automobiles certainly get your attention while they're onscreen.
TIME TRAVELLER: Doctor Emmett Brown (Christopher Lloyd) created a time machine out of a 1981 De Lorean, installed with a flux capacitor, remote control, hover conversion in the trilogy Back To The Future. Image: Universal Pictures.
BEETLE MANIA: Herbie is a 1963 Model 117 Volkswagen Type 1 (Beetle) with a personality and a mind of its own from the classic Disney films, Herbie the Love Bug, Herbie Rides Again, Herbie Goes to Monte Carlo, Herbie Goes Bananas, Herbie: Fully Loaded. Image: Walt Disney Productions.
COLOURFUL CAR-FU : The Mach 5 is a car built for speed with style and substance in Speed Racer. Image: Warner Brothers.
SHAGGIN' WAGON: Harry (Jeff Daniels) spends his life savings turning his van into a dog in the film Dumb and Dumber. Image: New Line Cinema.
FOOD AND DRINKS:
The ultimate advertising and product placement opportunities are found to rely on the edible and consumable props - food and drinks.
FAST FOOD FREAK: Morgan Spurlock subjects himself to a 'Mac attack' of nothing but McDonalds products for 30 days in the documentary Super Size Me. Image: Showtime Independent Films.
Bad publicity is better than no publicity. McDonalds should be happy Super size Me is not another McLibel.
CULTURE SHOCK: The bushman Xi (N!xau) discovers a Coke bottle, which he's never seen before and believes it must have come from the Gods in The Gods Must Be Crazy. Image: Twentieth Century Fox Films.
Coca Cola attempts to spread the fizz around the world, even in the middle of the Kalahari Desert. Although the bottle is empty, the trademark design of the Coke bottle still features as part of the storyline.
TANGY: Orange flavoured Tic Tacs are Bleeker's (Michael Cera) favourite obsession in Juno. Image: ezyDVD.com
Retailer ezyDVD offers a free packet of Orange Tic Tacs if you pre-order the limited edition DVD of Juno in the Tic Tacs box packaging. Another advertising ploy from Ferrero, the makers of Tic Tacs.
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Artistic Puffers by Linh
Susan Sarandon as Catherine Ames in a scene from Twilight. Image: Paramount Pictures.
Following a US study in 2005 showing that “exposure to onscreen smoking prompts many American adolescents to light up”, Hollywood was urged to include smoking warnings on DVDs.
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A couple of weeks ago, six major film studios (Paramount Pictures, Sony Pictures Entertainment, Twentieth Century Fox, Universal Pictures, Walt Disney Co. and Warner Bros.) have agreed to include the public service announcements on their films' DVDs which depict scenes with tobacco use.
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Is Hollywood really starting to get serious about the smoking issue, along with many film stars deciding to quit smoking?
Cate Blanchett as Bob Dylan in I'm Not There. Image: Paramount Pictures, The Weinstein Company.
The hit musical film Mamma Mia! which is currently screening in Australia, has a smoking scene and keen cinephiles who watch films right up to the end credits will notice a smoking warning.
It’s tagged on at the very end: “ The depictions of smoking in this film are based solely on artistic consideration…and not intended to promote tobacco consumption…..”
Could it be that film studio Universal Pictures is bowing to the pressure from health authorities or just appeasing Mamma Mia! star and anti-tobacco crusader Pierce Brosnan? Maybe it’s setting a cinematic health trend and hoping other major film studios would follow suit?
Would it have been more effective if a tobacco warning appeared immediately before the film as most people won't sit and read the end credits? Should there be a volumetric tobacco classification code - minor tobacco use, mild tobacco use and excessive tobacco use?
David Strathairn as Edward R Murrow in Good Night and Good Luck. Image: Warner Independent Pictures.
Despite opposition to the unhealthy habit, there will always be smoking onscreen in order to reflect reality. However, many actors are choosing to smoke fake nicotine sticks or herbal cigarettes for various character portrayals.
Brad Pitt as Tyler Durden in Fight Club. Image: Twentieth Century Fox.
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LOVING COUPLE: Borte (Khulan Chuluun) and Temudjin (Tadanobu Asano) are reunited in Mongol. Image: Andreevsky Flag Film Company
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Motherly Smotherly by Linh
For first time director Vince Di Meglio, the film Smother is not a bad effort. Di Megilo and co-writer and producer Tim Rasmussen weave a fine blend of chuckles and chaos into the storyline.
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Super and Heroic Boy by Linh
One of my favourite childhood animated series is making the leap from the small screen to the silver screen.
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Searching For Morals by Linh
Ben Affleck makes an impressive directorial debut for his first major feature film, Gone Baby Gone, with his younger brother Casey Affleck in the lead role. Based on Dennis Lehane's novel, Gone Baby Gone sees private detective Patrick Kenzie and his partner Angie Gennaro investigate the disappearance of four year old Amanda McCready, with subplots including corruption in the police force, paedophilia, child molestation and drug abuse.
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Love Beyond Delusion by Linh
Australian-born director Craig Gillespie has struck cinematic gold with his second film as director. Following his directorial debut with the less successful Mr Woodcock, Gillespie’s Lars and the Real Girl has become a quirky hit with critics and audiences.
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Comment by Linh
on Celluloid Scenery - A List With a Difference
Celluloid Fun
I like lists but I'm not a list addict. I thought it would be fun to do something different with a list.
It's really inspired by David Letterman's legendary Top Ten List. His lists are always topical and entertaining.
Cheers!