The Bafta's are Broke

The Baftas are Broke

This Sunday, The Orange British Academy Film Awards graces our presence with a host of British and American films hoping to get awards. Films such as The Descendants and The Artist are fighting it out for the best film gong; where as favourite to take the Academy award George Clooney has fierce competition against Brit’s Michael Fassbender and Gary Oldmen for their roles in Shame and Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy respectively. 

With a few of Hollywood’s top stars looking to be there, everybody is sure to be excited? Well, quite frankly, I’m not. Why? Well the Baftas are Broke. I understand that all Award shows are biased to a certain degree, that’s the nature of the beast and I’m OK with that. But, surely the Baftas takes the cake. 

The Bafta awards are so biased towards British films that I for one have lost all interest. Normally the nominees are biased towards British films and actors. This year seems to be a bit better than others for Bafta nominees as most of the people nominated could have a case made for deserving the award. I think this is due to the fact that The Academy Awards nominations are pretty dreadful this year, so the Baftas couldn’t get much worse. 

However, what’s bad about the nominations is I already know who is going to win. I already know that George Clooney will be beat by Fassbender or Oldman; I know that Kenneth Branagh, Jim Broadbent or Christopher Plummer will win the supporting actor category and I know that Meryl Streep has a good chance of winning for her portrayal of British ex-Prime Minister, Margaret Thatcher. 

Why do I think these people will win? Have I acquired a secret X men ability to predict the future and have decided to use those powers to predict award shows instead of saving the world? Not quite. It’s because all the nominations I have named have the British connection. They are either British or are playing someone who is British. The rule for the Baftas is, if you’re British, you’ll have a pretty good chance. 

This shouldn’t be the case. I understand that we should support our British Heritage and build the British Film Industry, but, the Baftas are doing it wrong. Have separate categories for British films and I could see it working. But, putting British films in with every other film, then having that film win, isn’t proof that us Brits can make great films, it just makes the Baftas look like a Joke. 

It makes them look so bad, that Hollywood stars rarely turn up, making what could be a respectable showcase of British Television into a ‘who’s who’ of British actors and B list celebrities maybe with the odd superstar who got confused at the airport and ended up on our shores. 

With a few tweaks the Baftas could be great, but until they fix the bias they will remain broke. 

Until next time, enjoy the show.

Feel free to comment below. Or tweet me at @glamgrunge

Daniel Morris.

Submarine- Proof that the British Film Idustry doesn't completely suck

Submarine- Proof that the British Film Industry doesn’t completely suck

OK, admittedly this is delayed. Submarine has been out for quite a while now and I should have given the Brit-flick a watch before now. BAD DAN! But, there’s a reason I didn’t. I don’t like British film. I’m sorry, I know that’s treason, but unfortunately it’s true. Obviously I don’t not like all British film, but I have to admit I don’t love the lot of it. That being said, if I do go on to write a British film, I’ll love it, but that’s because I’m a hypocrite, yo. 

So this disdain for British cinema to overcome, I eventually gave Richard Ayoade’s coming of age indie-fest Submarine a watch. And I loved it. 

This could be contributed to my love for coming of age indie movies. Whether it is Juno, Nick and Nora’s infinite playlist, Scott Pilgrim vs. the word or Adventureland, if it smacks of 80s pop or folk B-sides, contains quirky dialogue and focuses on young love, and then his hardnosed critic is smiting. 

That being said, I still know whether the film is bad or not and Submarine certainly isn’t bad. Submarine definitely would go toe to toe with some of the best coming of age stories for the US and in most cases, would stand victorious. 

Right from the beginning, Submarine smacks of indie goodness, proving that Ayoade knows the genre incredibly well. Oliver Tate (Craig Roberts) is our protagonist and like all good coming of age stories, he isn’t exactly popular. Submarine hits all the beats you’d expect it to with gusto, unparreled to any British film I have recently seen. 

Why has it gone a long way to restoring my faith in British film? Well partly it’s due to snappy dialogue, the great performances and the relationship between our protagonist and his lover. However, that’s not everything. 

The best thing about Submarine is that it doesn’t get bogged down in all its Britishness. Yes, it’s British and it doesn’t shy away from that, but it doesn’t let it get in the way of the film either. It seems to me that British film after British film are more concerned about their British identity, that they let it get in the way of the story.

Not Submarine. Submarine accepts that it’s a British film pretty early on. But, not once does the British essence get in the away of the story. Not once does it feel forced when the characters say something quintessentially British, it feels right for that character. This is Submarine’s greatest asset and a credit to Mr Ayoade. 

Submarine’s only flaw is it’s a tad predictable. OK it hits all the beats with perfection, but they are all the same beats we’ve seen previously, but there the beats we haven’t seen in English film, so it is forgivable.

If you haven’t seen Submarine yet, give it a watch. You won’t regret it. And if you do, don’t blame me, as you shouldn’t have listened. 

Until next time, enjoy the show. 

Feel free to comment below. Or email me at: cinemascreenandspandex@gmail.com Follow me on Twitter @glamgrunge

Daniel Morris

Sacha Baron Cohen: The Best of British

Sacha Baron Cohen:  The Best of British. 

When I was younger Ali G: In da house was the film to talk about between me and my classmates. If you hadn’t seen Ali G outrageously becoming a member of parliament, then you would have to sit with the kids that eat beetroot sandwiches and listened to the radio before bedtime. The reasons for this movie’s success with me and my chums were the swearing, the innuendos and the sexual references. 

Now watching Ali G I realise two things. The film is a lot smarter than my twelve year old self gave it credit for. What I thought was a lads comedy, is actually a satire on the political system in modern day Britain. Not just the occasional sex joke then? Never mind. 

The second thing that’s apparent while watching Ali G, whether it be the film or the TV show, is how talented Sacha Baron Cohen is. Again, if you had asked me a few years ago whether I thought Sacha Baron Cohen was going to be a star, I would probably have heavily protested, claiming that he’s only good at acting a fool. 

That would not be Sacha’s fault, but mine, for not realising what Sacha is about. As anyone can see, he’s more than just a funny man; he’s a damn good actor. In the last few years Sacha has moved on from Ali G and brought to the big screen two more characters from his TV shows: Borat and Bruno. 

Both of these films include elements of pseudo-realism and both try to showcase the stupidity and close-mindedness of the western world. Yes they are funny, but that’s not the main point of these films. They are here to inform, then entertain. Showcasing Mr Cohen’s talent for creating a message behind a story. Not just a funny man after all. 

However, Bruno and Borat aren’t my favourite Sacha films. It’s his performance’s in Hollywood that has made me realise that Sasha is one of the most talented comedians around, British or not. Sacha has starred in such films as Talladega Nights, Madagascar, Sweeney Todd and Martin Scorscece’s homage to movies: Hugo. 

In every one of these movies, SBC has given thoroughly enjoyable performances. However, the most impressive thing about these performances is there all completely different. It’s like the man is a chameleon. A French racing car driver, a king lemur, a south London fraud pretending to be an Italian barber, and an English-French station agent, Sasha has truly done it all. 

But it’s more than just performing the role, Sasha becomes the role. He immerses himself so much into his comedic role that it takes you a while to realise, which forces you to shout at the television ‘that’s Ali G!’

The most impressive thing about Sasha’s performances has to be how seriously he takes his comedic roles. 

Take Talladega Nights for example. Sasha plays Jean Girard with a seriousness you would expect from Phillip Seymour Hoffman in his latest Oscar fair. But, it works and it works well. Sasha believes he’s that character so much, that it’s hard for us not to believe him too. 

I know he’s not the biggest star in Britain at the moment, but for my money, he’s definitely the best. When it comes to comedy anyway. 

What do you think? Feel free to let me know?

Email me at cinemascreenandspandex@gmail.com

Follow me on Twitter @glamgrunge

Until next time, enjoy the show

Daniel Morris