The blog for hip + arty urban adventurers. Uncovering things to do and places to go in London and beyond. Visit the main site at a www.theculturalexpose.co.uk and click here to join the mailing list...
From a quick look at the plot - which revolves around a newly elected Pope that cannot bring himself to greet the faithful, leaving his advisors to seek help from a renowned psychoanalyst - you would be excused to think that this is nothing more than the Italian version of The King’s Speech. However, both films tackle a similar subject from two different angles.
Melville (Michel Piccoli), the central character, has the more daunting task of facing his fear of his new role and responsibilities on his own. After a brief awkward session with the psychoanalyst, Melville escapes the Vatican and starts wandering around the city. As expected, a legendary actor Piccoli perfectly captures the child-like enthusiasm with which Melville embraces the simple joys of life that he has been deprived from for a long time, adding a warm and affecting touch to these scenes and helping us feel emotionally connected to a character who happens to be the Pope.
Unfortunately, whenever the story moves away from Melville’s stroll to follow the life in the Vatican, the film loses some of its charm. By showing us how the initially disorientated psychoanalyst ends up appearing almost at ease, Moretti makes a nice point about how confinement does not necessarily equal unhappiness but these mostly comic scenes feel somewhat tame (with the exception of the impromptu volleyball game which is as fun as it sounds).
It is difficult though to be overly critical of a film that never succumbs to the forced sentimentality often associated with this type of stories. We Have a Pope’s strongest merit is that it manages to warm our hearts not by feeding us with the idealistic notion that “if you believe in yourself you can accomplish anything” but by helping us realise the sheer happiness that lies in accepting that not everyone needs to become a leader. (Words: Apostolos Kostoulas)
Watch Me Move: The Animation Show has come to the Barbican - and we can’t wait to see it! But if you could choose your all time favourite animation/cartoon, what would it be?
Before you throw your hands up in disgust at the thought of another remake; relax! Apocalypse Now is being re-released back into cinemas and no, it’s not even in 3D. In fact, it doesn’t need it; the re-mastered 1979 war drama is more epic than ever. Under Francis Ford Coppola’s direction you sweat in the stressful action of the Vietnam War and fear senseless death with Captain Benjamin Lillard (Martin Sheen). He leads his crew on a secret mission to kill an ‘insane’ renegade - Green Beret Walter Kurtz (Marlon Brando) who has lost sight of his duties and become a tribal God in Cambodia. It’s a story questioning the honour of war and so the images of death and destruction are still relevant to what’s on the news today and the acting is so superb that it transports you into the horror of the scorching war zone yourself. (Words: Selina Ditta)
Ok, so officially this might be directed at a slightly younger audience than you guys (assuming there are no 5-year-old child prodigies amongst you? I could be wrong – kids grow up so quick nowadays!) but you’ll find that this is a gem for all ages. Loosely based on the children’s poem To Paint a Bird’s Portrait by Jacques Prévert, it’s been translated and transformed into the fruit of the award-winning Peut Etre dance-music Theatre Company. Not only this, but it’s fully supported by the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) – so rest assured that no birds were harmed in the making of this play.
It combines a mix of dance physicality, French folk music and eye-catching design and four dancers in total take to the stage to describe the story of a little bird who shuns migration for a winter in Paris; all because she falls in love with the songs played by a Parisian street musician, (a nice twist on the way humans and birds interact, no?). The play was commissioned by Brighton Festival but will be spending some time at the Rich Mix, Bethnal Green - a great opportunity to indulge your inner-child. (Words: Laura Thornley)
New indie flick Win Win - written and directed by Tom McCarthy (The Station Agent) - asks a pertinent question. In these times of economic uncertainty just how far is a person of integrity willing to go in order to stay afloat?
The goal of Win Win’s central character, lawyer Mike - played by Sideways’ Paul Giamatti - is a modest one. An altruist at heart, he owns a practice dealing exclusively with the elderly. With his business capsizing, he desperately seeks to make ends meet. When a sketchy opportunity arises to make some extra cash by acting as legal guardian for one of his clients, he abruptly seizes it. But, rather than allowing the dementia-suffering Leo to live at home – an important part of the deal – he instead chucks him into an old folk’s home whilst simultaneously pocketing the monthly cheque for his care in order to keep his head above water financially. The situation is further complicated - as one would expect - by the arrival of Leo’s runaway grandson, a reticent prodigal wrestler named Kyle.
It may not be the kind of storyline that wins awards for originality. However, the merit of McCarthy’s unusual and softly spoken film lies in the integrity of its message. It’s the type of film that reminds you humanity does, in fact, have some redemptive qualities, despite what you might sometimes suspect. Go see. (Words: Aoife Moriarty)
