Film Preview: Diversions Film Festival, 6 – 8 November, Filmhouse, Edinburgh

Diversions Film Festival 2009

Returning to Edinburgh’s Filmhouse for a second year, the Diversions Film Festival (Friday 6 – Sunday 8 November), aims to provide an educational introduction to historical works and a glimpse into ongoing dialogues at the edge of moving image production.

Film Preview: Africa in Motion Festival, 22 October – 1 November, Filmhouse, Edinburgh

Africa in Motion (AiM), the UK’s largest African film festival, returns to Edinburgh’s Filmhouse for its fourth year from 22 October to 1 November.
Providing a platform to challenge, engage with and explore issues surrounding the African continent and its films, the festival includes a range of over 50 classic and contemporary films – long, short, [...]

Interlude: Pontypool needs you!

A worrying message was issued by Edinburgh’s Cameo cinema today via their Twitter feed, stating that: “It seems the poor reviews have killed Pontypool. A real shame as it’s one of the more original films out there. Creepy and humorous.”

Film Preview: Colossus – The Forbin Project, 19 October, Filmhouse, Edinburgh

Tomorrow night at the Filmhouse in Edinburgh there’s a rare showing of 1970 sci-fi chiller Colossus: The Forbin Project from 6pm.

Film Preview: The Imaginarium of Dr Parnassus

Terry Gilliam fans in the UK should be very excited right about now as the cult director’s latest, much discussed, film The Imaginarium of Dr Parnassus is now in a cinema near you.
Well, it’s hopefully near you. A strangely subdued marketing campaign has been given to the film, as well as a staggered release schedule [...]

Film Preview: Vampyr, 13 October, Filmhouse, Edinburgh

Here’s a treat and a surprise: as part of their Introduction to European Cinema course, Edinburgh’s Filmhouse are this Tuesday screening Carl Theodor Dreyer’s 1932 film Vampyr, a film I’ve wanted to see for years.

Film Preview: The Cheviot, the Stag and the Black, Black Oil, 1 November, Filmhouse, Edinburgh

Coming soon at Edinburgh’s Filmhouse is a rare chance to see The Cheviot, the Stag and the Black, Black Oil, filmed by the BBC in 1974 as part of their Play for Today strand and an adaptation of the infamous Scottish play of the same name.

Film Preview: Harry Brown

The trailer for Michael Caine’s next film, Harry Brown, is out today, and it looks like it could be something worth looking forward to.
Harry Brown (Caine) is an ex-military man living on a council estate overrun by violence and disorder. When his best friend (David Bradley) is killed, Brown turns vigilante, taking revenge on the [...]

Film Preview Exclusive: Dawn/Day of the Dead screenings and Q&A’s, 25 October, Cameo Cinema, Edinburgh

The Cameo have done it again. Not content with bringing cult movie favourites Bruce Campbell and Lloyd Kaufman to the city, they’re now about to host another special event in conjunction with local shop Cult Fiction and Arrow Video: screenings of Dawn of the Dead (1978) with a Q&A from star Ken Foree and Day [...]

Film Event: University of Edinburgh Open Studies Film Courses, September – December 2009

It’s been a few years since I last enrolled on a course at the University of Edinburgh as part of their Open Studies series, but I’m tempted to head back this Autumn as the new Film, Media & Contemporary Cultures programme is announced.

Film Preview: The Big Smoke, 6 – 7 September, Filmhouse, Edinburgh

This Sunday and Monday sees Edinburgh’s Filmhouse screen the final selection of short silent films from the BFI Mediatheque on Tour, Big Smoke.

Film Preview: Monty Python – Almost The Truth, 29 September, Vue Cinemas, Edinburgh

Showing exclusively at Vue Cinemas on Tuesday 29 September, Monty Python: Almost the Truth will retell the Python phenomenon from start to finish.

Film Preview: Away We Go & Sam Mendes Q&A, 14 September, Cameo Cinema, Edinburgh

Released on 18 September in the UK, Edinburgh’s Cameo Cinema will be hosting a preview of Sam Mendes’ new film Away We Go on Monday 14 September, complete with live satellite Q&A with Mendes following the screening.

Film Preview: Modern Times, 22 September, Filmhouse, Edinburgh

There’ll be a rare screening of Charlie Chaplin’s Modern Times on Tuesday 22 September at Edinburgh’s Filmhouse.

Film Preview: Where Eagles Dare & The Bridge at Remagen, 23 August, Cameo Cinema, Edinburgh

Perhaps inspired by the release of Tarantino’s Inglourious Basterds, the Cameo is screening two war classics as a double bill on Sunday 23 August: Where Eagles Dare and The Bridge at Remagen.
Clint Eastwood, Richard Burton and Peter Barkworth star in Where Eagles Dare from 1.30pm while Bridge at Remagen features Robert Segal and Robert Vaughn.

Film Preview: Bill Douglas Trilogy, 19 August, Filmhouse, Edinburgh

Exciting news for fans of Bill Douglas/Scottish independent filmmaking/great films: August’s Made in Edinburgh screening at Edinburgh’s Filmhouse will be a three hour showcase of the visionary filmmaker from Newcraighall, the three short films known collectively as The Bill Douglas Trilogy, will be shown on 19 August at 5.45pm.

Film Preview: Clockers and Richard Price interview, 29 August, Filmhouse, Edinburgh

Edinburgh Filmhouse screens 1995 US drama Clockers followed by a Q&A with its screenwriter Richard Price on Saturday 29 August.

Film Preview: Mesrine Parts 1 & 2, 6 August, Cameo Cinema, Edinburgh

Exciting news from Edinburgh’s Cameo cinema today, exclusively via their Twitter feed, that they’ll be screening both parts of the new French thriller Mesrine, starring the brilliant Vincent Cassel, on Thursday 6 August.

Reel Time blog

Some readers of this blog may be aware that I write a weekly film column, Reel Time, for the Edinburgh Evening News in which I ramble for 500 words about something cinema-related before the editor cuts me off in my prime.

Film Preview: Alastair Sim Season, 7 – 30 August, Filmhouse, Edinburgh

It’s still a few weeks away but it’s worth putting this in your diaries: Edinburgh’s Filmhouse is hosting a season of films devoted to one of the cities most famous sons, Alastair Sim, from Friday 7 – Sunday 30 August.