Posted by Bonnie on 30 May 2008 at
02:07
Happy 31st Birthday to Rachael!
I was planning to launch the new version of the website today, as I thought it would be appropriate (it is her birthday, after all!) but unfortunately I have run into a few problems along the way and am not quite finished yet. It shouldn’t be much longer than another few days, but I would be very hard pressed to finish the site by tonight. It may happen, if I turn into Wonder Woman or something, but it’s unlikely.
It honestly is almost ready, though. Just need to get the gallery and message board finished. I’d like for it to be fine-tuned and ready to go, rather than doing it as a rush job. I’m now aiming for early next week.
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Posted by Bonnie on 27 May 2008 at
12:00
A new collection of voiceover clips to showcase Rachael's voiceover talent.
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Posted by Bonnie on 23 May 2008 at
08:35
Dangerous Parking is released today in the UK. Currently showing at the following cinemas:
- Showcase, Leeds, Batley WF17
- AMC Broadway Plaza, Birmingham B16
- Empire Great Park, Birmingham B45
- Showcase, Bristol BS2
- Empire Leicester Square, London WC2H
- AMC Great Northern, Manchester M2
- Showcase, Reading RG41
I hope it gets a wider release, but I won’t hold my breath!
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Posted by Bonnie on 23 May 2008 at
12:00
Noah Arkwright is a man on the edge: for years lauded as the best thing about the British Film Industry, success hasn't been the only thing that has gone to his head. When Noah makes a drunken pass at Kirsten one day, he finds himself forced to face up to his demons and admit that either he kicks the booze, or faces death. Though a tough course to navigate, rehab propels Noah into an encounter with his guardian angel Clare, the woman who might just be able to save him. But just when it seems he might be happy, fate deals Noah the cruellest of blows…
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Posted by Bonnie on 22 May 2008 at
12:00
Noah Arkwright (Peter Howitt) is an arrogant British filmmaker with an all-consuming drink and drugs problem whose hedonistic lifestyle is about to catch up with him fast. The story jumps back and forth in time through his wildest excesses, his stint in rehab, marriage, fatherhood and his numerous battles against bladder cancer.
In many ways Dangerous Parking is every bit as difficult to watch, not to mention impossible to like, as its central character. It'll sorely test the patience of every viewer. But you can't help feeling a begrudging respect for the work that went into getting it made or the bravery of the driving force behind it: writer, director, producer and star, Peter Howitt.
The film really does epitomise the term "warts and all" and I doubt if you'll see a more daring performance by an actor this year.
Based on the widely acclaimed autobiographical novel by Stuart Browne, Dangerous Parking employs a fractured narrative that jumps at an increasingly rapid rate between the key moments in its protagonist's life. As a result, the tone occasionally feels uneven and Howitt, as director, could have done with exercising a little more restraint.
It's confrontational approach prevents you sympathising with the central character, such is the selfish, arrogant and self-destructive nature of his early years, while a near-constant, clever-clever voiceover also becomes tiring.
But there's no denying the movie faces up to big issues without passing judgement and will make viewers ask some very relevant questions about the nature of life and death, while the performances all-round (including those of Saffron Burrows and Sean Pertwee) are first-rate.
As such, it's a provocative piece of cinema that's likely to leave you feeling a wealth of emotions ranging from anger, frustration and despair to happiness and even sorrow. The length, too, calls for patience.
That it ultimately left me feeling drained and uncertain of its merits probably has more to do with Howitt's refusal to compromise on what's contained in the novel than any inherent failings in the film. But even though I continue to have my reservations about some of the content and structure — and couldn't quite bring myself to completely forgive Noah — there's no denying the bravura of Howitt's performance or his unstinting commitment to a project that took four years to complete. It'll stay with you for some time afterwards.
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Look forward to the US release of both films.
