Tony Paley Racing editor at Guardian and Observer and contributor to Guardian Film www.guardian.co.uk/profile/tonypaley Continue reading →

Tony Paley Racing editor at Guardian and Observer and contributor to Guardian Film www.guardian.co.uk/profile/tonypaley Continue reading →

my stupid predictions (not my stupid opinions): I see some downward movement on Coppola on the “best director” lists. Sorry, Francis. You done us proud. “Godfather 1&2” might take a small hit as well. This all depends on how many baby boomers are still voting. Have they grown out of their “Godfather” phase? On individual lists, I predict Kubrick “Barry Lyndon” folks will try to make a noble but unsuccessful move to be part of the conversation, but their movement will fall apart at the last moment. A few “Eyes Wide Shut” true-believers will branch off and try to make a stink, but in general, cooler heads will prevail and they will log in their Kubrick vote for “2001.” or “Strangelove” No Kubrick movement. I ... Continue reading →

So, while the weather is dark and stormy, the on-screen world is surprisingly balmy. The apocalyptic scenario that has marked past festivals is noticeably lacking from this year’s line-up. Cannes 2012 looks like the year of love, even if one auteur’s feelgood is another’s pain.In the 20 or so competition films alone, three have the word “love” in their titles: Paradise: Love, from Austria’s confrontational film-maker Ulrich Seidl; Amour (Love), from previous Palme d’Or winner Michael Haneke (The White Ribbon); and Like Someone in Love from another Palme d’Or winner, Iranian director Abbas Kiarostami.It’s not so much that these singular film-makers have suddenly delivered hearts and flowers — all approach their theme in unconventional ways — but they have put aside the politics, murders, mayhem ... Continue reading →

They Live (Carpenter, 1988) 4pm; The Monster Squad (Dekker, 1987) 6pm; Se7en (Fincher, 1985) 7.45pm & The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (Hooper, 1974) 10pm:I'll Be Your Mirror Festival, Alexandra Palace. The Prince Charles cinema have chosen the films for Friday night at the I'll Be Your Mirror Festival, curated by band Mogwai and the All Tomorrow's parties crew. More details here of a brilliant weekend that includes Mark Cousins' new film on the Sunday. That day's films have all been selected by Louis Theroux.Here is Paul Vickery of the Prince Charles with his reasons for choosing tonight's movies:John Carpenter, Rowdy Roddy Piper, Aliens, OBEY, Subliminal Messaging, overly-long punch-ups... They Live has it all, and then some. We've screened this film at the Prince Charles a couple ... Continue reading →