The Ninth Cloud Exclusive Interviews

The Ninth Cloud director Jane Spencer’s existentialist film starring Michael Madsen, Jean-Hugues Anglade, Megan Maczko and Leo Gregory, is now available to download in the UK exclusively on iTunes

The film is a dark, existential comedy about a young woman trying to find answers to the meaning of existence … who runs into a whole pack of strange characters in London, from bohemian struggling artistes, to monied British aristocrats, with all their varying agendas.

Exclusive interviews below from the special screening at The Prince Charles Cinema in London’s Leicester Square and with star Michael Madsen at the Raindance Film Festival.

EE Helps Fans Shop For BAFTA Film Awards 2018 Looks

EE the UK’s largest mobile operator  is going all out at the EE British Academy Film Awards 2018. In a world first, EE will use its powerful 4G network and the latest image recognition technology to enable film and fashion fans across the UK to shop affordable versions of the red carpet looks in real time on the night.

Presenter Rochelle Humes will take on the role of EE’s red carpet host, inviting film’s finest to strike a pose in the 4GEE Style Scanner as they arrive at the Royal Albert Hall.

This unique camera rig fitted with Google Pixel 2 devices will shoot the stars from 12 angles using its unrivalled smartphone camera* in less than two seconds capturing every little detail of their clothes – from the shape of the cut, to the pattern, colour and texture of the material. Each image captured is then stitched together automatically creating a 3D rotating GIF of each celebrity’s look.

Fans at home will be able to check out the stars’ glamorous gowns and suits as they are uploaded live from the red carpet to @ee Instagram Stories, before ‘swiping up’ to browse a selection of similar yet affordable alternatives curated from a catalogue of more than 16,000 retailers.

Rochelle Humes, Red Carpet Host at the EE BAFTAs, said: “Fashion plays a large part in what people love about the awards night, but it is also powerful tool for making a statement. That’s why I, along with many others, will be wearing black in support of the Time’s Up movement.

“I love fashion and I don’t think you should have to spend a fortune to look great, so I am particularly excited about the 4GEE Style Scanner. It will make it easy for people to find red-carpet-worthy clothes that don’t break the bank. It was incredible seeing the technology in action and I can’t wait to see people at home getting involved.”

The Shape Of Water Review

The Plot

During a time when cold war paranoia and thinly veiled prejudices grip American society, an unlikely relationship develops between a mute cleaning lady and a mysterious creature being held at the secret government facility she works at.

The Good

Guillermo Del Toro is a rarely gifted storyteller with an unashamed passion for the transformative magic of fantasy storytelling. His much acclaimed previous work on Cronos, Hellboy and Pan’s Labyrinth are masterclasses in the clever use of practical effects to bring a fascinating array of creatures and strange worlds to life on screen. In The Shape Of Water Del Toro uses all of that considerable technical skill and absurdly imaginative vision to craft a powerfully sincere romantic fantasy.

Actor Doug Jones has long been Guillermo Del Toro’s secret weapon. The statuesque performer has collaborated with the acclaimed director countless times as a creature performer, proving himself to be uniquely capable of working with complex prosthetic makeup and visual effects wizardry. In this film Doug Jones gives one of his finest performances as a truly original leading man. His muted performance as the film’s muted amphibious ‘creature’ is the perfect counterpoint for Sally Hawkins equally mute leading lady.

Del Toro’s exquisite visual style gives the film its beauty, but it is the expertly nuanced performances from a fantastic ensemble cast that gives the film its heart. Sally Hawkins is simply glorious as a mute leading lady who is by turns meek and inspiringly bold.  Likewise Richard Jenkins, Octavia Spencer and a villainous Michael Shannon each bring considerable depth to supporting performances that help the film paint a complex picture of the struggle between unlikely love and ugly evil. Michael Shannon in particular deserves praise for delivering yet another performance that bristles with menacing intensity from his first moments on screen till the very last.

An achingly romantic soundtrack helps provide the film with extra dimensions of nostalgic charm and sincere yearning. The film’s more uplifting and beautiful moments largely counterbalance its occasional flashes of ugly violence and menacing subtext.

The Bad

Like much of Del Toro’s unique work The Shape Of Water lurches between moments of indescribable beauty and ugly violent horror. While this is a very deliberate element of Del Toro’s dark fantasy it will prove at times jarring and potentially deeply unsettling for more squeamish audiences. At times when the film strays into more graphic body horror it risks alienating audiences lured by a marketing campaign mostly based around the film’s more softly romantic undertones. Del Toro’s trademark lush visual style and Alexandre Desplat’s emotionally warm soundtrack can’t entirely shield audiences from the film’s more unsettling moments.

The Ugly Truth

Guillermo Del Toro offers audiences a beautiful and visceral fable that echoes much of his acclaimed past efforts and pays tribute once again to the most iconic elements of fantasy storytelling. Accomplished visual effects and a stellar ensemble cast bring a truly unique if sometimes challenging love story to life. While not always an easy watch for squeamish audiences, overall The Shape Of Water is unforgettable movie magic.

Review by Russell Nelson

David Thewlis Joins Avatar Sequels Cast

Harry Potter and Wonder Woman star David Thewlis has confirmed that he is joining the cast of the Avatar Sequels, currently filming Avatar 2 & 3 back to back with James Cameron. Speaking about the forthcoming project on the red carpet in London at the world premiere of his new film The Mercy, Thewlis confirmed that while his role has not yet been announced he has been getting to grips with wearing motions capture suits, so it’s a safe bet he won’t be playing a human part for at least the majority of the film.

Thewlis also hinted that while he is potentially scheduled to actually appear in three sequels, the studio will apparently wait to see how Avatar 2 & 3 do at the box office before starting production on further sequels.

Check out the Full video interview below:

Eugenius! Review

The Plot

In the magical heart of the 1980s, a teenage geek named Eugene spends his nights dreaming of superhero adventures in far flung galaxies and his days turning those visions into comic books. Little suspecting that the heroes and villains he’s dreaming of are actually all real. When Hollywood decides to turn Eugene’s creations into a blockbuster movie it looks set to change the lives of Eugene and his loyal best friends. But things quickly get much more complicated when the world of Hollywood make believe starts colliding with real life adventures.

The Good

Eugenius! is a truly joyous comic book homage that utterly embodies the most beloved elements of the genre. Undeniably original and fun throughout, the show strikes a nice balance between knowing comedy and genuine heart.

Musically Eugenius! does a magnificent job of fully capturing the quirky magic of the 1980s, with original songs showcasing a wide array of crowd pleasing genres. The show has more toe taping rock anthems, seductively cheesy love songs, awkward raps and belting power ballads than you can shake an electric keytar at. Song title’s such as ‘Comic Book Kind of Love’ and ‘No Pants Dance’ give a flavour of the abundant playful charm on display. The biggest challenge for audiences is not singing along, particularly during catchy choruses and a memorable finale.

Eugenius! has a wonderful ensemble cast that do full justice to the often demanding score while also delivering acting performances bursting with effortless enthusiasm. Liam Forde is a well-chosen fit for the reluctantly heroic Eugene, his boyish frame and powerful voice make for an endearingly awkward leading man. Likewise Dan Buckley is shamelessly entertaining as Feris, Eugene’s loyal ally who regularly proves to be a show stopping self-deluded delight. Perhaps the show’s most valuable asset though is the dazzling vocal power of Laura Baldwin, giving a literally note perfect performance as Eugene’s love lorn fellow geek Janey.

Surrounding this central trio of west end superstars a versatile cast that breath hilarious life into Hollywood cliché’s and characters like Tough Man and Superhot Lady. The production does a fine job in particular of recycling its modest ensemble in a compact performance space. The show’s choreography deserves special praise as well for consistently packing blisteringly energetic displays into almost every scene. The dance performances add an extra dimension of spectacular spectacle to proceedings, crafted with a loving fusion of classic 80s moves and modern musical magic.

The overall look and feel of Eugenius! is a colourful mash up of classic comic book charm and 80s throwbacks. Smoke machines, knowingly cheesy special effects and spectacular spandex perfectly embody the true spirit of the production. Mark Hamill lending his instantly recognisable voice to a robot sidekick is also an extra special treat for fans. It’s hard to imagine a more perfect sign of just how loving well-crafted this production is than the fact that Luke Skywalker himself has given it such a vocal seal of approval.

The Bad

Audiences that are either too old or too young to have any affectionate memories of the 1980s and its timeless pop culture charms will obviously be a little less delighted by this shows relentless barrage of in jokes and playful references. Thankfully most of the show’s inspirations are iconic enough that even those with merely a passing knowledge should be able to laugh along quite easily. While the show’s silly slapstick sense of humour won’t appeal to more sombre cynics, thankfully there’s nothing more infectious than irrepressible joy.

The Ugly truth

Eugenius! is a delightful explosion of musical madness fuelled by power ballads and pop culture. A brilliant ensemble cast, catchy original songs and camp clever comedy combines to make this show a truly delightful treat. Eugenius! is absolutely essential viewing for comic book fans, 80s obsessives and all musical theatre lovers. We urge you, book tickets for this show now, if you want a better life.

Review by Russell Nelson