Results tagged “indie” from Birmingham Post - Lifestyle Blog

What with various ailments of family members keeping me close to base this week, it's been time to catch up on some films.

A strange phenomenon has emerged from my DVD sessions. I seem to be watching more and more films which, in theory, are interesting, quirky and out of the ordinary, in other words, worthy of the attentions of a cultural commentator.

They turn out to be well crafted but ultimately annoying because the narrative just doesn't ring true. They seem to be coming out of some film factory specialising in interesting, quirky and out of the ordinary movies. They are simply trying too hard. Which ends up as plain trying.

Let's cut to the chase. The trio of movies watched in a row which brought me to this frustrating conclusion were Hallam Foe, Brick Lane and Edmond. The first two are based on books, the third is a version of a David Mamet stage play.

The really annoying thing is that all of them feature terrific performances - from Jamie Bell (above), Tannistha Chatterjee (above) and Satish Kaushik and William H Macy respectively. Writers and directors seem to be letting down indie film audiences while the actors are giving us a reason to watch.

Notes on a Scandal is another example which springs to mind. I want to see great movies, not just great performances.

Am I being unreasonable? Anyone agree with me?