Cinema slips away without fanfare

Once a place of imagination: Southside Cinema has been closed
 for more than seven years, and appears unlikely to ever reopen

It stands empty and forlorn, ravaged by climate and weather. There has been no audience for more than seven years, and in all likelihood the final curtain has fallen at the derelict Southside Cinema in Bermuda.

For many decades cinemas have been reducing in numbers, the result of changing tastes. That trend is evident at Southside Cinema.

When it was open, I occasionally went along to watch a movie or two. Films I saw included Pride and Prejudice, She's the Man and Superman Returns. It was convenient and out of the way at the eastern end of the island, far less visited than the two main cinemas in the city of Hamilton. 

Located in the former US baselands, the cinema was constructed by the Americans for personnel stationed at what was once the Kindley Air Force Base, on St David's Island, from 1948 to 1970, and which became the US Naval Air Station Bermuda from 1970 to 1995.

The cinema was operated by the Army and Air Force Motion Picture Service, and was reputed to have access to the latest movies weeks in advance of the civilian cinemas elsewhere in Bermuda.

Once the US military departed Bermuda in 1995, the theatre became a local enterprise.

With a 425-seating capacity it was the largest cinema on the island, which was another reason why I favoured it. It was rarely busy. However, I do remember in April 2006, during the Bermuda International Film Festival, when it was famously packed to the max, with a queue outside that included the island's Premier at the time, Alex Scott. Kudos to Mr Scott for not pushing in (he was behind me in the queue). However, he did not stay for the second feature that day, Neil Young's Prairie Wind concert film.

That spike in popularity was an anomaly. Most of the time the cinema barely attracted a few dozen customers. It was dated, and the once impressive interior was fading with age. The main auditorium lights were always dimmed, perhaps to disguise the dilapidation. Admission was cash-only - no debit or credit cards.

In 2009, there was a double shooting outside the cinema shortly after a late movie showing. 

The cinema closed in 2013. There was talk of it being reopened, but it has remained shuttered.

Now it stands empty, its exterior showing increasing damage from the elements. Who knows how much longer the building will be there? Its days appear numbered.

Southside Cinema served its purpose and brought many hours of joy to countless audiences for more than 50 years, and I can attest to its success in immersing audiences in entertaining "other worlds" - if only for an hour or two at a time.

As Southside Cinema slips away without fanfare, the happy memories of the movies it once showed live on.

DVDs that brightened the long days of lockdown

Home cinema: DVD entertainment during the months of lockdown ranged from Toy Story (all four films), to
classics not seen for 30 years, such as Ghost and Airplane! - and a new "old" discovery Breakfast at Tiffany's 

In the strange world of the Covid-19 pandemic lockdown, the realm of films and shows brought comfort and escapism.

Yes, there was television news and updates, and re-runs of shows on the broadcast channels. But personal choices from a DVD library were more intimate and treasured.

It was escapism to a place of familiarity; seeing how we lived before the world was turned upside down. And it was an opportunity to suspend belief and enter a different realm for a few hours.

The films, shows, and characters became friends during a time of uncertainty.

So what did you watch during those stay-at-home months?

Here is our selection. Toy Story - all four films. I'd never seen any before, but for two consecutive weekends the saga unfolded one delightful movie at a time. 

Likewise, the TV comedy show Still Game - which spans nine series and 20 years. The lockdown days were immensely brightened by the half-hour gems of laugher. And the good news is the box set is not yet exhausted.

Comedy and romance were well served, with a sprinkling of adventure, from a first viewing of Breakfast at Tiffany's,  a delight, to comedy classic Airplane!, Friday, and the 80s/90s moments of Ghost, How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days and Sliding Doors. There was new flicks in the shape of Star Wars: Rise of Skywalker, and Stan & Ollie.  And the out of season treat of animated classic The Snowman, plus the truly uplifting Sunshine on Leith.

Somewhere down the road they'll be watched again, perhaps when we are back in a "normal" world. Though even then, I'm sure, they'll jolt a flashback to the strange uncertain days of the lockdown, and the pleasure, comfort and familiarity they afforded.

VIDEO: Please Don't Go - a musical moment from Sunshine on Leith.

  

New Star Wars - a train wreck or last hurrah?

What lies ahead? a scene from the trailer for
the final Star Wars story in the Skywalker saga

A second trailer has been released for what will be the final movie of the Star Wars saga that began 42 years ago.  So will the film be a last crunching pile-up moment of the train wreck delivered by 2017's The Last Jedi, or will it be an uplifting hurrah?

Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker is episode nine and the conclusion of the Skywalker story, which started in 1977 with the original Star Wars (later renamed Episode 4: A New Hope). That first movie set in motion one of the 20th century's major cultural and cinematic phenomenon.

Sadly, two years ago the franchise suffered the shockingly divisive episode eight, The Last Jedi. In December we shall see what can be salvaged from the wreckage, and whether what should be a cinematic climax like no other will manage to at least be a fitting finale.

The Star Wars story has spiraled downward dramatically in the past few years. Depending on your point of view that nosedive may have started with the opening segment of the current sequel trilogy, The Force Awakens, in 2015, or been nailed by the calamitous storytelling and legacy mishandling of The Last Jedi.

How bad are things for Star Wars? Consider this: there is a real chance The Rise of Skywalker will not reach $1 billion at the box office, a mere four years after episode seven, The Force Awakens, became the third film in history to take more than $2 billion. For popularity to wane that suddenly and dramatically takes a lot of doing. Disney must be fretting.

For context, The Last Jedi did not attract multiple repeat viewings the way most of its predecessors did, and topped out with a worldwide box office total of $1.3 billion, while Star Wars spin-off Solo, released five months later, was a relative flop taking only $393 million.

A final hurrah: rebel spaceships, many recognisable from their
appaerance in the original Star Wars movie in 1977

It's true that financial success alone is no indicator of artistic merit and integrity, there are plenty of outstanding creative works that have made pitiful financial returns. But the Star Wars franchise was a seemingly indestructible cash-cow when, earlier this decade, Disney splashed $4 billion to buy Lucasfilm and the rights to create these new films.

The first half of the new trailer shows clips from each of the previous eight movies in the saga. Interestingly they are shown in order of their original release date rather than chronologically by the events they portray. What stands out is the clean, clear, and bright crispness of the original trilogy - a harking back to a more innocent escapist era and a magnificent story arc that stretched across those three movies.

We then see clips from the hit-and-miss prequel trilogy, before we pass into today's convoluted and muddled sequel trilogy, and finally a few short snippets of the upcoming movie. Very little is revealed, although there is another lightsabre duel between Rey and Adam Driver - sorry Kylo.

That slip, where I could remember the actor's name but not the name of the chief villain he portrays, is instructive of the major problem this trilogy has - and that is a crippling lack of character "buy in". This new movie might as well start with a blank slate, because The Last Jedi failed to develop any of the characters in meaningful ways and followed a preposterous storyline. It also managed to end with no compelling reason for audiences to return to see what happens next.

With no character or story arc to bind things together, this new trilogy is broken. The Rise of Skywalker for all intents and purposes is a standalone movie. And while it is too early to write off the new film, it is hard not to feel a sense of forboding.

Director and writer JJ Abrams has to find a resolution to a 42-year saga in a single film that was left high and dry by its immediate predecessor. There is some hope, because Abrams has shown flashes of skill, from Super 8 to his fairly steady handling of The Force Awakens. But what is required now is a tall order.

Only a genuine redemption of Luke Skywalker, one of cinema's most cherished heroes, is likely to save the day in the wake of this greatest legacy character's treatment in The Last Jedi. In this trailer and the first released earlier in the year, we get to hear his voice. This time we also hear the voice of Emperor Palpatine and the sinister breathing of Darth Vader, both of whom were thought destroyed in 1983's Return of the Jedi.

So to return to the question, what lies ahead? Will it be a final pile-up train wreck moment, or will it be an uplifting hurrah for Star Wars? Let's hope for the latter. Over to you JJ.

• The new trailer for Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker

Lady Bird does justice to life's imperfections

Not eye to eye:'Lady Bird' and her mother and the strained dynamics of
their relationship are central to Lady Bird and its coming-of-age story

Growing up in an unremarkable place, and literally on the wrong side of the tracks, that's life's lot for Lady Bird, the titular character in the 2017 movie that delighted cinema audiences.

But this is a coming-of-age story, and Lady Bird is not about to let circumstances define who is she, or her destiny.

Lady Bird shows us the messy imperfections of life and family and of pushing against the restrictions of authority. However, it is also about looking to the horizon for fulfilment and a better life, the realising of true friends and who loves you ... and who likes you; watch for the subtle but defining distinction between the latter two as they bump together in the strained relationship of Lady Bird and her mother.

While it has been labelled a comedy-drama, this is much more a realism coming-of age tale. Don't expect laugh out loud moments because, while there are amusing turns, this film does not overly seek or play for laughs. Instead, it focuses on the heartfelt nature of a struggling family, particularly the friction between Lady Bird (Saoirse Ronan) and her mother (Laurie Metcalf).

Lady Bird also has a feeling of connection to places. Towards the end Lady Bird drives through the streets of Sacramento, California, seeing from a new perspective familiar places where she once walked - one step removed and moving on, but absorbing that connection with the familiar, with home.

Lady Bird is worthy of the praise it attracted from audiences. Four stars from five.

Ofiicial trailer for Lady Bird:

Rogue One - a grimly great Star Wars tale

If you are looking for a 'soft and cuddly' Star Wars movie, then Rogue One is not the one you're looking for.

Expect hard edges and the grim realities of life under the Imperial boot in this tale about a group of unvarnished misfits willing to sacrifice everything to strike at the Galactic overlords.

With Rogue One, director Gareth Edwards takes the Star Wars story deep into the dim and dark territory that paid dividends for The Empire Strikes Back and made it the standout episode of the original trilogy.

Rogue One’s realism and its portrayal of the grey areas that exist between the light and dark of good and evil, give it a grown-up feel. There are enough nods in the direction of the main series to firmly anchor it within the Star Wars universe, but its self-contained story arc is not subservient to the Skywalker/Jedi/Force narrative of the main saga.

Felicity Jones, who plays the lead role, has tagged it as Star Wars 3.5, referring to the episodic nature of the film franchise, in which the original Star Wars is now known as Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope.

Chronologically, the events depicted in the film occur in the run-up to the original 1977 blockbuster, with Rogue One ending 10 minutes before the opening scene of A New Hope.

However, don't be put off if you are unfamiliar with the Star Wars saga, because a new viewer should be able to enjoy and follow this film without prior knowledge of either what came before or after, although they will miss out on a lot of symbolism and foreshadowing.

This is a standalone from the main series and is the first such departure. A further two standalones are planned, along with two more episodes in the main series.

Rogue One is a welcome return to gritty realism. It is self-contained with no obvious follow-on (aside from 1977's A New Hope). The characters are introduced, have their adventure and the tale concludes. Rogue One is decidedly dark and far from Disney-fied.

Bleak realism dominates. We see the struggle of the rebel alliance, and the wayward, raggle-taggle elements that are involved. Many of the locations are strikingly dimmer than we have come to expect in the Star Wars realm, including the opening scenes on a tundra-like world (filmed in Iceland). Darkly lit scenes add to a feeling of oppression, as does the nondescript clothing of the Rogue One team, which is a mass of blacks and grey. However, this compounds the already frustrating task of differentiating one character from another, as many lack distinguishing attributes and blend in as much of a muchness.

Jones stands out in her role as Jyn Erso, a plucky misfit. Sadly, her backstory is never divulged to the extent that it should have been, and consequently Erso lacks a truly engaging presence. This is not the fault of Jones, whose character portrayal lifts Erso above the band of rebellious cohorts.

There are other exceptions; droid K-2SO (played by Alan Tudyk) is a Star Wars classic, and the Jedi-like follower Chirrut Imwe (Donnie Yen) stands out, but the stronger sense of individuality and identity so masterfully achieved in the original trilogy is missing from Rogue One. Forest Whitaker is wasted in his small role. His character, Saw Gerrera, had scope to be a far more fascinating addition to the story.

As seems obligatory in movies today, the story rushes headlong towards the next development at the expense of allowing time for characters to grow and express themselves, or to reveal inner conflicts satisfactorily.

The grand battle in the final quarter of the movie will have its fans, but Star Wars cheapens itself by plumping for hefty war film stylistics. The original trilogy was all the better for relying on character development and interaction and less on half-an-hour runarounds with all guns blazing.

The fleeting return of three strong characters from the original movie (two through the wonders of digital technology), nicely ties Rogue One to the epic storyline to follow, and Edwards skillfully guides the film’s finale to the point where the 1977 classic lifts off.

Rogue One is a grown-up Star Wars adventure that entertains and delights. It succeeds in demonstrating the reality of a rebellion against evil overlords - the squalor and unglamorous realities of half-victories and sacrifices. A little more character focus, a little less wham-bam, and this could well have been a classic. As it is, Rogue One is a solid entry in the top four best Star Wars films.

A tale of two movie theatres

It was a strange experience - going to see two films, on separate occasions and at different cinemas, with one of the theatres empty and the other a sell out.
To add to the bizarreness, the film at the empty theatre was the brand new release, Chappie, while the movie with the packed audience was the 30 years old The Breakfast Club.

It was a case of "pick a seat, any seat" at the afternoon matinee showing of science-fiction movie Chappie, the latest offering from director Neill Blomkamp, who also made the acclaimed District 9 and Elysium (blog post here). Despite the popular location of the theatre in downtown Santa Monica, there was not another sole in the auditorium to see this entertaining, action-packed adventure featuring an armour-plated police robot with artificial intelligence.

The film had some roughness around the edges, but it was enjoyable and certainly deserving of more than an empty theatre. As Heather and I departed the cinema I did wonder if having the film poster accidentally back-to-front outside of the theatre might have harmed its audience-pulling potential.

And so to The Breakfast Club, which didn't even get to have a poster outside the shopping mall cinema where it was being shown.
So how did anyone know it was on? The trailer above helped to spread the word, as did a number of newspaper articles that tied in with the 30th anniversary of the film's release in 1985.

For two nights only the restored film was shown at 430 theatres across the US. I discovered there was a one-off 30th anniversary showing nearby when I read the newspaper that morning. The theatre was all but sold out for the re-run of John Hughes' classic teen film.

On entering the auditorium the affection that many people hold for The Breakfast Club was clear. The audience consisted of a wide cross section of people, some of whom had obviously returned to see a film they remembered watching first time around, when they too had been teenagers. And then there were audience members much younger who had probably not even been born when the film first hit the silver screen. They appeared to be the same age as the characters in the film, but a generation removed from the music and sensibilities of the 1980s.

Not that that mattered one jot, because The Breakfast Club has a timelessness, and it is graced with universal themes that resonate across the ages. It is the story of five very different high school students - the punk, the princess, the brain, the jock and the basketcase - who are thrown together to serve a Saturday detention in the school library.

I've long admired the films of the late writer-director John Hughes. He was gifted in his ability to make teen movies and coming-of-age films that showed empathy with the lives of young people, capturing truths through memorable moments.

Two of the film's stars, Molly Ringwald and Ally Sheedy, attended a re-showing of the film last month at the South by Southwest Film Festival, in Austin, Texas. Ringwald told USA Today that the Millenials generation "totally get it".  She said: "It hits on universal themes that resonate for each generation. Now The Breakfast Club is a touchstone, in the way JD Salinger books were for me growing up."

Watching the film on the big screen I was taken back to my younger days and recollections of seeing the film long ago, and also memories of being at school and recognising in others the archetypal character-types from the film. In truth, we probably all carry a portion of each within our identities.

It was wonderful to be in a full house watching such a touching classic. As the Simple Minds' song Don't You Forget About Me played out at the climatic end of the film it was time to go, but in the knowledge that I'll revisit this memorable film again as the years roll by.

Hey director, leave those films alone

They're great movies. Classics of their era. So why did the directors who made these masterpieces decide to tweak and alter them 20 or 30 years later?

If the changes had made the movies better I'd understand, but in the case of the original 'Star Wars' trilogy and the gritty, 1979 cut of 'The Warriors', the subsequent re-imaging has resulted in far inferior viewing experiences.

I have great admiration for both George Lucas ('Star Wars'), pictured below, and Walter Hill ('The Warriors'), two exceptional talents. But I'm mystified by their motivation for tinkering with some of their best work to make director's cuts that are best consigned to the nearest trash can in favour of the originals.

Many others have commented on these director's cut, take a look around on the internet and YouTube to see what has been said. In the case of the original 'Star Wars' trilogy the changes are mostly computer generated animations splashed across the screen that alter the tone of the movies and, quite frankly, clutter up the clarity of the stories. With Hill's director's cut of 'The Warriors' the inclusion of cartoon-cutsy transitions between scenes completely jars with the compelling realism and darkness of the 1979 version.

Sure, there is a place for revisiting creative works and improving upon them. My favourite poet William Butler Yeats did so with great success, and the evolution of the song 'Saints and Angels' by the music group The Waterboys, from its mid-1980s original to its early 2000s incarnation, with notably developed lyrics, are testament to how artistic works can rise to a new level when reworked by their original creators.

Returning to movies I would add Ridley Scott's director's cut of 'Blade Runner' to the list of artistic works enhanced by a slight re-imaging.

The big danger comes when the re-working is done on a creative work that has already proven to be massively popular in its original format. Anyone who tinkers with such is doing so at great peril.

Of course, you pays your money and you takes your choice. Except in the case of 'Star Wars' and 'The Warriors' you can't. If Lucas and Hill are saying, 'Hey, this is what I intended the movie to be originally' and leave the viewer with the option of watching the original or their re-worked alternative, then fine. Alas, that is not the case. It is practically impossible to lay your hands on unaltered versions of the original 'Star Wars' trilogy, likewise copies of the 1979 original of 'The Warriors' are no longer produced, having been superseded by the director's cut. Both directors have taken a deliberate and strong line, arguing that their director's cuts are the definitive versions and the originals should be removed permanently from public consumption.

The first 'Star Wars' movie, released in 1977, is unquestionably one of the biggest landmark cinematic releases of the 20th century. Yet today the public are unable to purchase or view this iconic film in its original, un-tweaked glory.

Similarly, if you want to see 'The Warriors' as it appeared in 1979 you'll have to scour second-hand shops or online sales sites to get one of the pre-director's cut releases. It's becoming scarcer, but it's worth the effort.

So what can be done? Ultimately, it boils down to a simple request. To slightly misquote the lyrics of a Pink Floyd song, 'Hey director, leave those films alone'.

Shirley Temple sails away

Shirley Temple has sailed away on the Good Ship Lollipop. She is a name from a far away era, but also a timeless ray of sunshine to the world captured and preserved, as though in amber, as a child of joy reflecting innocence and wonder for the world.

Her star was at its zenith more than 70 years ago when she topped the US Box Office list from 1934 to 1938, all while less than 10 years old.

She appeared in her last feature film in 1949, but went on to live a full life, with television appearances and then a career as an ambassador.

And of course, there is the non-alcoholic cocktail that bears her name and has been around since her hey-day.

Her passing at 85 was a moment to recall the joyful films she made in the 1930s. It was the time of the Great Depression. Shirley Temple was the perfect antidote to lift the spirits of a nation (and the world). She had fresh-faced optimism and the energy of a youngster filled with wonder, hope and belief for the promise of future days.

Growing up, I recall watching Shirley Temple's films when they were shown on television as schedule 'fillers' - usually early afternoon matinees when audience figures were traditionally low. Their feel-good factor never diminished.

Waves of nostalgia caress the gentle sands of my mind when I watch films from that golden era. I hanker after the silver screen's simpler world, where people and lives appear more straightforward, where common pleasantries were indeed commonplace, and where life's wholesomeness is exuded most everywhere you looked.

Today, each time I watch young Shirley sing 'On The Good Ship, Lollipop' from the film 'Bright Eyes' (1934), I'm transported back to those happy, long ago days. So here is my salute the child star who will forever be remembered as the knee-high ray of sunshine that brightened the world. Shine on, Shirley.