11/04/2014 The Film Review

title decider in the Premier League. That's at 6:30pm.

Hello and welcome to the Film Review. To take us through this

week's cinema releases is Jason Solomons. So Jason, what do we have

this week? We have a world of cinema today. We started Ireland for

Calvary, starring the bearer of an actor, Brendan Gleeson. We are off

to India, for a tentative and pungent romance from The Lunchbox.

And we are back to 1960s Nigeria and the Civil War. Thandie Newton and

Chiwetel Ejiofor star in Half Of A Yellow Sun. We begin in Ireland with

one of my favourite actors and directors. John Michael McDonagh.

There is also Martin. And his mother John. They specialise in firecracker

wit and absurdity and profanity and philosophy. Calvary is no

different, the story of Brendan Gleeson who plays Father James

Lavelle. A parishioner is out to get him. It is poignant because of

today's news story. Somebody is out to get revenge on the clergy. The

father is a good man. He faces up to Chris O Dowd. The film is populated

by Irish character actors including Dylan Moran. It has that absurd

setting and deep issues. If we get locked in here we will have to make

love to keep warm! You were out of the house where you? Is everything

all right? Everything is fine. No everything is not fine. The shades

of everything. Oh, that. What is going on? That was not me. It is the

black fellows she has been seeing. I mean, the coloured fellow. I am

sorry, I did not mean to be racist. She speaks in riddles half of the

time. I cannot make sense of her. I think she is bipolar, lactose

intolerant, one of the two. I do not know where I am with her and I am

glad to have her off my hands. And if the new man is knocking her

about? What has that to do with me? Not everyone can carry the weight of

the world. It is Father Ted and Reservoir dogs. In this one there is

a lot of anger. Anti`clerical anger and anger at the state of Ireland

today. There is a rich banker, played by Dylan Moran. Immigration,

allsorts of things going on. There is a daughter who comes to visit and

a secret American author. It is almost the whole world is against

Brendan Gleeson and he sails through with dignity, even though he faces

impending doom. Probably a metaphor for the country itself. It is a

strange film because of the blend of humour with deep philosophy, unusual

to find a film with philosophical discussions. It is interesting he

plays a good priest and a good man at a time when we have been

discussing in the news, that of the child abuse stories. It is about

faith, in the church, inhumanity, maintaining that belief in that

system through being a good man. It is an interesting film. Some people

will be a last berated by it, some will be thrilled. I am on it. Some

moments are very funny, and some are sobering league serious. The

Lunchbox. One of the very strange things, the lunch culture. The

people who carry the Tiffin stacked boxes. Harford examined it and found

it the most perfect system. One in 1 billion lunchboxes goes astray. The

story `` in 1 million. The story is about the one that goes astray. He

opens the box and discovers the food is better than normal and puts

inside a note of thanks. He finds out it was made by a frustrated

housewife who concocts wonderful dishes for him. Her husband has not

noticed. It is tender, the romance begins. The notes are left in

between the bread in the Tiffin box. It is like 84 Charrington cross

road. `` Charing Cross Road. You also think of monsoon wedding. It is

not slum dog millionaire, it does not have that pace. It has a

documentary realism which is lovely to see and beautifully handles. A

lot of funny parts about modern life. You are in the commuter

trains, and they are writing notes to each other. All of life is there.

Visiting a graveyard. On the commuter train, he said there is no

room in the graveyard, they only get standing room only, even in death.

Half Of A Yellow Sun. From the wonderful novel. It is one of those

when you read it, you are not sure they can make a film about it. It is

about says Hugh Allah to, the senses of Africa and trying to transpose it

to screen against the backdrop of the civilian war in `` Civil War in

1960s. It has not been on the screen before. Only in documentaries. We

have two fantastic actors, Thandie Newton and Chiwetel Ejiofor. He

brings that wonderful dignity to the role of an intellectual Nigerian

professor who is slightly away from the war, but still a firebrand and

looking to educate a boy who works for him. John Boyega. He is in fact

a south London. It is arriving this weekend. Very special. Make sure the

house is clean. I can cook. She likes her fried rice a certain way.

I am not sure you will make something suitable. I can make

that. Let's make the rice and you can get the chicken. It is not for

negotiation. Did you go to school? Standard two. I learn everything

fast. How long ago? Many years, but I learn fast. Widely juiced up

school? My father's crops fail. Why did your father not find somebody to

lend school fees? I suppose you will be the oldest, studying standard

three, but the only way to get their respect is to be the best. Do you

understand? Yes, sir. My name is not serve. `` sir. Call me Odenigbo.

Critics have said it is boring. All of African life is there. They have

tried to mix politics with the personal. You have a love story, the

tale of two sisters against the epic backdrop and they have tried to mix

in the politics and almost educate people about the history of Nigeria.

It does not quite work for me. I do not think I knew any more about the

conflict from watching this film. It is a pity because you have the

newsreel of Michael Nicholson and Frederick Forsyth, who was a war

correspondent. It is something close to the family of Chiwetel Ejiofor.

It is beautifully written. Can the poetry translate. Can it come to the

screen? It does not quite come off in the way you want it to having

read the novel. But the performances are exemption rate. The best thing

that Thandie Newton has done. There is excitement. It is a love story.

Can you maintain it against the backdrop of politics and war? Your

Best of the week is a documentary. Twenty Feet From Stardom. Backing

singers. You see and hear them but do not realise how wonderful they

are. It is an Oscar`winning documentary. People are coming out,

tapping their feet, it is inspirational. People who have

worked with Stevie Wonder, Bruce Springsteen, the Rolling Stones, the

original brown sugar. Can you make the transition from being a backing

singer and becoming a star? It is interesting. Not everyone can be

famous. There is not enough room up front. Can you be a team player, or,

a leader? The music is fantastic. And the DVD is likely's Oldboy. The

remake of a Korean movie. Josh Brolin, and a little over the top in

a Spike sort of way. For a DVD at home, it is fallacious, bloodthirsty

and stylish fun. You will find more film news and reviews on the

website. That is it. Thanks for watching. Goodbye.

A good`looking Friday evening across most of the UK. Sunny spells.

Temperatures will fall sharply. Most will continue to see sunshine this

weekend. In the northern half of the UK, expect a brisk wind to pick up.

There will be some