“Berlinale What?”

I knew it was some festival in Berlin. For a guy growing up in Chennai, making shorts on miniDV, and still stuck in the second year of his film school, that was good enough. ‘Some festival in Berlin, dad,” I told my father, “I am going to be nominated as India’s delegate. They call it the Berlinaal or something like that.” I was excited.

Of course the next day when I knew it was not some film festival in Berlin, but the film festival in Berlin, in fact the world, my joy knew no bound.

It was only because the director of the Goethe Institute was a very visionary lady that she had the courage to nominate a 24 year old short filmmaker, in competition with 30-something heavyweights – movie critics, journalist, the elite!

Reelshow International Italian Student Festival Shortlist

Reelshow International Announces:
The  Italian Student Filmmakers Festival Shortlist: Click here  to see the finalists.

The Voting Room is now open and will remain open until 10th January 2009.
Ten amazing films have been selected to go through to the final.
As well as our panel of judges,all members have the chance to vote for their favourite film.The shortlist consists of ten films by young and emerging Italian filmmakers and spans fiction, animation and documentary genres.
Click here for the Voting Room. You have to be a reelshow member to vote. Registration is free.

The Top 5 Alternative Christmas Films

There is just over a week until the big man makes his way from the North Pole and down our chimneys, so being in a slightly seasonal and festive kinda mood, I decided to take a look at my top five Chrismas flicks. Now, this isn’t going to be to everyone’s taste, and you will not find It’s A Wonderful Life or Miracle on 54th Street on this list. The alternative Reel Show guide to Christmas films.

Let’s kick it off.

No.5: NATIONAL LAMPOON’S CHRISTMAS VACATION (1989)

My favourite Lampoon series features the talents of the legendary Chevy Chase as Clark Grisworld, head of the Griswold family. This is the third movie in the series and possiblt my fave (apart from European Vacation – “Big Ben. Parliament.” Beverly D’Angelo stars as Mrs Grisworld and a very young Juliette Lewis plays daughter Audrey. The film was actually written by 1980’s comedy genius John Hughes who wrote that other Christmas movie, Home Alone, as well as Pretty In Pink and Ferris Bueller’s Day Off – so it has good pedigree. This is one of the films that I roll out every Christmas, and this year will not be any different.

BEST BIT: Anything with Randy Quaid as Cousin Eddie. 

No.4:  SCROOGED (1988)

Bill Murray as Scrooge. The classic Dickens story is updated for the eighties generation and here Murray stars as a troubled TV executive who is visited ‘one holiday season’ by the ghosts of Christmas past, present and future. Richard Donner, who has directed every Lethal Weapon movie, helms this classic.

BEST BIT: The “Put a little love in your heart” singing medley at the end.

No. 3: THE NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS (1998)

A more recent film, and a wonderful film from the mind of Tim Burton. This stop-motion animation piece has it all, a great story, great characters and superb ‘traditional’ animation. It all revolves around Jack Skellington who leaves doomy, gloomy Halloweentown and discovers the joys of Christmas Town, where he decides that he wants Santa’s job.

BEST BIT: All of it. I love this movie!

No. 2: DIE HARD (1988) 

The ultimate blokes Christmas movie and I really cannot believe that this hasn’t made the number one position. Bruce Willis is the New York cop, caught in a Los Angeles skyscraper on Christmas Eve. Alan Rickman and his European bad guys hold everyone hostage and blow Mr yakamoto’s bonce off. Not very festive like eh? I love everything about this movie, from Argyle, Sgt. Al Powell, and even Ellis. The creep.

BEST BIT: Yippe-Kay-Yay! 

No.1: GREMLINS (1984)

The number one film on my ultimate alternative Christmas movies is another from the 1980’s. It’s the Joe Dante classic that is Gremlins. This is Crimbo magic. From the opening scene where Mr. Peltzer first discovers Gizmo, all the way through to the arrival of the Gremlins themselves. George Lucas, cartoon legend Chuck Jones and executive producer Steven Spielberg all pop in cameos. 

BEST BIT: The magical opening scene where Mr. Peltzer discovers Gizmo. 

We love Film trailers

Ah, the film trailer. The only, and indeed the best reason for heading down to you local multiplex to catch the latest blockbuster. For me, it was the highlight of my day out at the movies, or the ‘pictures’ as we used to call it back in the day. I’d always arrive with a fresh bag of hot popcorn in plenty of time. I used to sit there in that dimly lit room listening to the soundtrack for the film that was about to play, munching away as ads played for Walls Cornetto ice creams and Westlers hot dogs – ‘available in the foyer now’. In fact, I remember being done with both my medium sweet and 7-Up before those commercials had even ended. Then came the aforementioned best bit -  those glorius trailers, or coming attractions as they were known. What would we get to see today?

Now, I’m a child of the 1980s. The days way before the Internet or any of that. Cinema was the ultimate day out for a nerdy teenage school kid that was just getting interested in girls and kissing in the back row – not that I can ever remember doing anything in the dark, dingy area of my local ABC in glamourous Gloucester. There was always something better happening up there on the big-screen than down the blouse of any girl that had the honour of accompanying me to see a film. You see, back then it wasn’t cool to go down and see a film on your own. All of my mates were into football or indeed rugby, my town’s preferred sport, anything but sit in a dark cinema in the middle of summer. My love was always the pictures, and I would go with anyone. Even if that was a girl. Of which there were many throwing themselves at me at the age of twelve (I wish)

Original article by permission Reelshow International