By Ross Miller
We may be smack bang in the middle of the Glasgow Film Festival, but even if you’re not taking part in the festivities, there’s still plenty of films to enjoy at home and on the big-screen. In this week’s guide you’ll find everything from laid back teen comedies to quirky romances to pulse-racing cyber thrillers. Happy viewing!
On TV
Dazed and Confused (1993)
Richard Linklater captured the hearts of everyone with his latest nostalgic masterpiece Boyhood, but here’s your chance to go back and witness the film that put him on the map. Set in the groovy ’70s on the last day of school before summer, it follows the various groups of juniors and seniors as they celebrate their freedom. As Quentin Tarantino described it, it’s one of the greatest “hang out” movies ever, with unforgettable characters, quotable dialogue and an enjoyably laid back nature. Watch out for Matthew McConaughey in his first ever film role.
Watch it if you liked: Empire Records, Can’t Hardly Wait, High Fidelity
Showing on Monday February 23rd, 11:15pm, Film4
Deja Vu (2006)
Narrowly missing out on our 10 Great Time Travel Films list, this time travel thriller was directed by the late-great Tony Scott and stars Denzel Washington as an A.T.F. agent who is brought in to assist a special unit which uses a technology that allows them to see into the past for a specific period of time. Its sci-fi and action sensibilities sometimes clash with the attempted romance subplot but it delivers the thrills when it counts and uses a fascinating plot device that will leave you pondering.
Watch it if you liked: Source Code, Enemy of the State, The Taking of Pelham 123
Showing on Wednesday February 25th, 9:00pm, BBC3
Amour (2012)
Michael Haneke’s Palme d’Or and Oscar-winning masterpiece looks at how an old married couple try to cope when one of them suddenly suffers a stroke. It’s absolutely heartbreaking, punch-to-the-stomach viewing but hugely rewarding for it. The two lead performances are sensational, particularly Emmanuelle Riva as the afflicted spouse (for it she became the oldest ever Best Actress Oscar nominee), and it has a lot to say about love and lifelong devotion.
Watch it if you liked: Away From Her, The Piano Teacher, Cache
Showing on Thursday February 26th, 9:00pm, Film4
On Demand
In Order of Disappearance (2014)
It was one of our picks for Films You Might Have Missed in 2014 and if you did happen to miss it then here’s your chance to catch up. This extremely dark, Norwegian crime-comedy stars Stellan Skarsgaard as a man who, soon after being given the Citizen of the Year award, takes the law into his own hands when his brother is murdered, igniting a war between a local gangster and the head of the Serbian Mafia. A bleak but nevertheless entertaining slice of Scandi-noir.
Watch it if you liked: Fargo, No Country for Old Men, Pulp Fiction
Available on Netflix
Mood Indigo (2013)
Michel Gondry’s exercise in cinematic quirkiness follows an independently wealthy bachelor (French heartthrob Romain Duris) who seeks to find a cure for his newfound love Chloe (Audrey Tautou) when she’s diagnosed with an unusual illness caused by a flower growing in her lungs. That plot description (and the above pic) should give you some idea of the idiosyncratic tone of the film and those with a low tolerance for that sort of thing will find it infuriating. But if you like your films eccentric and wholly unique then it’s a visually distinctive treat to behold.
Watch it if you liked: The Science of Sleep, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Be Kind Rewind
Available on Amazon Instant
Fading Gigolo (2014)
John Turturro writes, directs and stars in this comedy that bears more than a passing resemblance to the work of Woody Allen. Turturro plays a quiet and unassuming florist who, upon the suggestion of his overbearing friend (played by Allen himself), decides to become a male escort. It’s a low key, character-driven comedy with a pleasing touch of melancholia about it as it explores the idea of human connection (or lack thereof) in the crowded yet curiously disjointed New York City setting.
Watch it if you liked: Manhattan, Mighty Aphrodite, American Gigolo
Available on NOW TV
In Cinemas
Cake (2015)
She’s obviously mostly known for her comedic roles but here Jennifer Aniston turns her hand to a very serious role and subject matter. She plays a woman who, following a terrible accident that has left her physically scarred, has to deal with the struggles of living with chronic pain and how that affects those around her, including a potential new love interest (Sam Worthington). It fumbles a little when it tries to slowly reveal the central character’s past, but Aniston is terrific and there’s no denying it has the best of intentions.
Watch it if you liked: The Fault In Our Stars, My Sister’s Keeper, Philadelphia
Blackhat (2015)
Director Michael Mann’s first film since 2009’s Public Enemies focuses on a hacker convict (Thor himself, Chris Hemsworth) who, in exchange for his release, is tasked with helping the government hunt down a dangerous cyber criminal. It’s very hard to make a film about people typing away on keyboards that interesting but Mann very much pulls it off, mixing those intense hacking scenes with globe-trotting chase sequences and shoot-outs. A slick, intelligent and above all else completely gripping cyber thriller that is very relevant to today’s world.
Watch it if you liked: Bourne franchise, Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit, The Recruit
Let us know what you thought of any of the films @Scotcampus and @rosstmiller!