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Beyond the Gates (USA rel. 2007, dir. Michael Caton-Jones)

 

 

original poster
Background

For the record, I saw this film under the UK-release titled Shooting Dogs1, and I saw it before I saw Hotel Rwanda. Actually that would have been a better basis for me to review the film on but for better or worse, since then I have actually seen Hotel Rwanda and invariably when I review Beyond the Gates I am obviously drawing oblique comparisons to both films. So I will try in earnest to not make this blog a comparative review but rather focus on Shooting Dogs/Beyond the Gates and why I feel it had such an enormous impact on me2.

 

So for a while after this movie was released overseas I followed its trail across ti he Atlantic in earnest waiting to see if and when it would get picked up; finally in late 2006 IFC Pictures purchased the US distribution rights and the film was finally released in March 2007.

 

 

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DVD Pick: Children of Men

The Human Project Lives

Actually this is a movie pick – it is currently on a loop on cable television. But I recommend a DVD purchase for posterity.

Introduction

Admittedly the movie that I was anticipating view when I saw it in January is not the film I experience after I left the theater nearly two hours later.

Initially I sat there flummoxed at all the images was flashing across the screen. Literally there is a lot to take in … your visuals are assailed (and assaulted) from the very beginning.

At the conclusion of my first viewing, I was aware that I had not seen a bad film but had been witness to something different than I had experienced in quite some time. It was only after my recent second viewing that I felt comfortable giving my opinion and (a minimal degree of) insight into what my cinematic experience was.

Visually it is a remarkable film – a certain credit to the fine cinematography (thank goodness Mr. Emmanuel Lubezki received an Oscar nomination for his efforts).

Also great credit goes to the director, Alfonso Cuaron, who has helmed pictures such as Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (my personal favorite book AND film of the series) and Y Tu Mama Tambien, a film that I must admittedly go back and re-watch because frankly, I was left scratching my head on that one too.

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Great Movie Resources

I have decided as my first post to provide a link of some of the internet sites I found to be the most helpful and useful in my expolration of all things cinematic (in no particular order).

Film Reviews:

http://www.rottentomatoes.com – a great site for concensus film reviews

http://www.bbc.co.uk/fivelive/entertainment/kermode.shtml – Mark Kermode film reviews from BBC Radio

Movie Databases:

http://www.imdb.com – the old standby

http://www.facets.org – an excellent guide to the entire world of cinema. I used to receive the catalog – made for great reading; items also availabel for purhcase

http://www.criterion.com – the source for “important” classic and contemporary cinema from all over the world

Films on Television:

http://www.turnerclassicmovies.com – 24/7 classic films and specials, all commerical-free

What’s Playing Now:

http://www.fandango.com – where I go to purchase my movie tix

Film Societies, Institutions, Installations and in Academia:

http://www.filmlinc.org – The Film Society of Lincoln Center

http://www.afi.com – American Film Institute

http://www.bfi.org.uk – British Film Institute – their publications and books are amazing

http://www.moma.org/collection/depts/film/index.html – Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) film Collection

http://www.filmquarterly.org/index2.html – Film Quarterly Magazine

http://www.loc.gov/film/ – National Film Preservation Board; also the location of the Film Registry for films to be forever preserved

As I continue to recall more sites that I visit, I will post them to the blog roll. Enjoy!

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