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Monday, 08 September, 2008

PLANETNOTION TELEVISION!

CAMERA-FOLK AND FILM EDITORS WANTED!

Planet Notion is looking for guys and dolls to film and edit features for its new TV channel, PNTV. Accompanying Notion to artist interviews, gigs, fashion shows, festivals and international events, you will be skilled, passionate and full of ideas about how to produce shit-hot video content. Camera-folk will be experienced and ideally have their own equipment, or at least access to equipment, while editors must be able to turn projects around quickly, and with stylistic flare. If you can both film and edit content, we would especially like to hear from you! These casual, unpaid positions would be ideal for those looking to develop their showreels, and to get the chance to travel, film major artists and top events.

Please email lucy@musichqmedia.com if you’re interested in getting involved, cheers!

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We get paid to sit on our arses and watch films, so you dont have to. Check out whats on, and ignore your your other half.

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Dynamo's Concrete Playground

Dynamo's Concrete Playground

Dynamo's Concrete Playground is firmly embedded in street culture. This ultra-talented 23-year-old shows off his innovative mix of magic, beats and the streets throughout; he integrates amazing card manipulations with popping and locking, and bounces playing cards off his feet just like he's doing kick-ups in the park. He uses trainer tricks and faster-than-a-speeding-bullet clothes changes to shock JD Sports staff, performing tricks that have the power to silence even the gobbiest of youths. Yet alongside the tricks, this documentary shows him having jokes with his mates on their road trip, taking full advantage of that handy humourinducing tool, the loudspeaker. Much city-centre banter ensues ("Please remove your hood or we will remove you"), which only emphasises Dynamo's down-to-earth persona, as if an inflated ego could never become this man’s reality. Ever true to his roots, Dynamo takes us on a magical tour through the overlooked underbelly of British culture. From the infamous Delph Hill estate in Bradford where he grew up, to famous jerk chicken shop Island Hut in Birmingham, and on to some of the glamorous highlights of London, Dynamo wishes to show the "different sides of the UK, using magic and music to break down barriers." And no matter what ground he treads, people react with the same degree of gasp-inducing delight, showing magic’s universal appeal. Dynamo knows how easy it is to lose your way in Britain's much-criticised youth culture, and acts as a walking example to the kids he encounters. He shows that using your talent really can lead to great things. Dynamo is only 23-years-old, and magic has already made his wildest dreams come true. In his travels, he has entertained the likes of Jay-Z, Pharrell Williams, Dizzee Rascal, Chris Martin, Paris Hilton, Goldie, as well as his own personal icons De La Soul. Alongside this, as if you needed to add insult to injury, Snoop Dogg and Ian Brown have written tracks about him, he has performed with the Gorillaz and has been in a music video with Kanye West. His DVD incorporates an urban soundtrack of both new and well-known talent, ranging from Sway to Terri Walker, from Terra Firma to The Blood Brothers Crew. OUT ON DVD NOW

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DEJA VU

DIRECTED BY: TONY SCOTT STARRING: DENZEL WASHINGTON, JIM CAVIEZEL, VAL KILMER. Released at Cinemas: December 22nd An all-star directorial and production team bring us the latest in a line of unsettling yet captivating futuristic thrillers. 'Déjà Vu' explores the phenomenon that is commonly held as a trick of the mind, but here technology makes it a reality. For federal agent Doug Carlin (Washington), feelings about the past become warnings about the future and the dangers it may bring. When Carlin is called upon to investigate a horrific bomb exploded on board a New Orleans ferry, he quickly discovers that what he thought was all in the mind is actually a disturbing and ground-shattering race against time. Carlins' déjà vu holds the key to stopping a large-scale disaster, and he must travel back in time to stop the untimely murder of the woman he may or may not be in love with in the process. Even as both the love story and the course of history play out in reverse, the film’s far-fetched premise somehow manages to remain viable. In fact, the agents' Time Lab was constructed to resemble a surveillance system put in place in New Orleans prior to Hurricane Katrina, when it was destroyed, and producer Bruckheimer is aware that such surveillance could soon become law. Always the innovator, Scott takes CGI to the next level with his choreographed car chases that are occurring in both the past and present. 'Déjà Vu' is impeccably shot, and remains slick and suspenseful throughout.

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BLACK BOOK

DIRECTED BY: GABRIELE MUCCINO STARRING: CARICE VAN HOUTEN, SEBASTIAN KOCH, HALINA REIJN. Released at Cinemas: January 19th Paul Verhoeven spent 20 years honing his art in Hollywood, directing action thrillers like 'Robocop', 'Starship Troopers' and the lascivious 'Basic Instinct'. Now he’s returned to his native Holland to bring us this complex wartime tale of collaboration, betrayal and retribution. 'Black Book' covers the final months of WW2 as we follow the fate of Rachel Steinn, a strikingly beautiful Jewish woman (van Houten) forced into hiding who then witnesses the murder of her whole family. To unmask the traitors, Rachel assumes a blonde bombshell persona, joins the Resistance and works at Nazi HQ. Verhoeven brings all his Hollywood experience to bear, negotiating the complex twists and turns of a cracking script. We identify wholeheartedly with Rachel’s quest for the truth, which leads her to make unlikely allegiances and take thrilling risks. Verhoeven's recreation of wartime Holland always rings true, this movie is after all based on actual events, and Verhoeven only introduces explicit sexual scenes and quickfire humour when they enhance the plot.

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THE PURSUIT OF HAPPYNESS

THE PURSUIT OF HAPPYNESS

DIRECTED BY: PAUL VERHOEVEN STARRING: WILL SMITH, THANDIE NEWTON, JADEN SMITH. Released at Cinemas: January 12th Chris (Smith) is in dire straits. His career is flailing miserably, his wife has just abandoned him with their five-year-old son and a whole heap of financial worries, and he’s about to be evicted from his flat. When he sees a man with a slick suit and a Ferrari, he realises he's not destined to remain at the bottom of society’s pile, and embarks on an internship at a brokerage to try and overcome the odds stacked against him and his son. Despite being homeless and penniless, Chris Gardiner's story shows the massive success that can stem from support, love and a battle of endurance, and it’s all based on a true story, folks. This is a rare move towards serious emo-drama for Smith, and it pays off, for this is heart-wrenching stuff. A fathers' plight to remain just marginally above the poverty line for his infant son is harrowing enough, but when the son places all the trust in the world in his loser father, it becomes increasingly hard to fight back the tears. With just a smattering of nepotism, Smith's son is played by his actual son (who would've guessed it!) who shines as the ultra-cute and ever-grateful Chris Jnr. This is an emotionally engaging rags to riches story, a chance to see Smith in an entirely new light, and perhaps in the running for an Oscar.

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PERFUME: THE STORY OF A MURDERER

PERFUME: THE STORY OF A MURDERER

DIRECTED BY: TOM TWYKES STARRING: BEN WHISHAW, DUSTIN HOFFMAN, ALAN RICKMAN. Release date: December 26th 'Perfume' combines magical and intoxicating imagery with incredible acting to create an affecting aroma that looks set to last. Jean Baptise Grenouille (impressive newcomer Ben Whishaw) is gifted with a superior, almost supernatural, sense of smell. He becomes infatuated with the smell of an innocent orange-seller, and vows to recreate her perfect scent for the whole world to experience. He gains an internship with floundering perfumer Baldini (the consistently wonderful Hoffman), but soon becomes frustrated by the limitations of perfumery to capture human odour, and turns to murder. The perfume he creates by gathering the scent of 12 beautiful young women dramatically transforms all those who come into contact with it, and Grenouille realises that he has managed to bottle pure innocence. This fascinating protagonist feels no responsibility or compassion, but is fuelled solely by his olfactory obsession. His talent is comprehensible from the outset, and we come to understand his motives as the search for real love, in spite of any negative consequences. Twykes sets the scene with Jean-Baptiste's birth in the fish markets of 18th century Paris, and juxtaposes this festering filth with the ravishing decadence of the perfumeries visited later. The impressive cinematography ensures that the film remains visually sumptuous throughout, as the lush colours used here become an almost aromatic experience. This is dark and affecting viewing, showing Grenouille's escalating conflict realistically and intricately. It possesses a persuasive power, this 'Perfume'.

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RUNNING WITH SCISSORS

RUNNING WITH SCISSORS

DIRECTED BY: RYAN MURPHY STARRING: ANNETTE BENING, ALEC BALDWIN, JOSEPH CROSS, JOSEPH FIENNES, GWYNETH PALTROW, EVAN RACHEL WOOD. Released at Cinemas: January 19th 'Running with Scissors' tells the madcap rites of passage tale of Augusten, a 12-year-old obsessive compulsive boy packed off by his mother to live with her shrink. In Dr Finch’s house of quirks, Augusten must become accustomed to a space packed to the rafters with sociopaths, a place where the Mother figure eats dog food for fun, and miracles emerge from stool-samples. The plot seems too outlandish to be true, yet this is based on the facts of Augusten Burroughs' own upbringing, as documented in his big-hit memoir of the same name. Although this is a scandalous pitch-black comedy, 'Running with Scissors' offsets the mayhem with sensitive character development across the board. All of the characters possess deep-rooted and disturbing issues, yet the film humanises rather than criticises. Annette Bening stars as Augusten's (Cross) too-bipolar-to-function mother Deidre, who displays at least seven shades of psycho here, and hopefully gets herself in the running for an Oscar to boot. Rising starlet Evan Rachel Wood puts on a great show as Natalie, Augustens' cynical sidekick. Even habitually straight-laced pair Paltrow and Fiennes manages to convey their characters' problems with sympathy rather than cliché. First-time movie director Murphy (of Nip/Tuck fame) has recently stated that this is a survival story about the universal quest for family and identity. Augustens' childhood innocence is left in tatters as events unfold here, yet he manages to find the hilarity amid the calamity, and emerges largely unscathed. Burroughs' himself states that he "used humour as a kind of life raft" to keep him afloat throughout these tumultuous times, which is what the film so perceptively conveys.

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FLAGS OF OUR FATHERS

FLAGS OF OUR FATHERS

DIRECTED BY: CLINT EASTWOOD WRITTEN BY: PAUL HAGGIS STARRING: RYAN PHILLIPE, ADAM BEACH, JAMIE BELL, PAUL WALKER. Released at Cinemas: December 22nd Eastwood approaches an important yet difficult to broach issue with bravery and gravitas here, providing a directorial tour de force. He employs the production prowess of Spielberg to create many a scene of battle hysteria, and screenplay It-man-of-the-moment Paul Haggis, to ensure the script remains up to scratch. This is a trio that has multiple-Oscar nominations written all over it. This superlative WW2 epic is structured around the lives of four American marines who hoisted an American flag five days into one of the most horrific battles of the war, in the Japanese Island of Iwo Jina, in February 1945. Their flag-raising was captured on camera by photographer Joe Rosenthal, and subsequently became a beacon of hope for the Allied Forces. The marines were called home to embark on a fundraising campaign to help with the war effort, due to their new heroic status across the States. Guilt, self-loathing and alcoholism sets in as the men realise the sheer volume of their compatriots who will lose their lives before their time, while they feel they got spared without reason. All three of the surviving marines struggle to cope with the repercussions of their actions in Japan. Ryan Philippe is consistent and committed as John "Doc" Bradley, but it is Adam Beach who really excels here as Ira Hayes, a Native American boy who is truly troubled and disturbed by other peoples’ interpretations of his actions. 'Flags of our Fathers' uses some disorientating narrative shifts, but employs multiple narrative voices purposefully to show the personal consequences of this momentous event. Eastwood refuses to let us forget the traumas of recent history, and breaks down traditional depictions of heroism and patriotism, showing the realities as well as the glories faced by soldiers.

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THE LAST KING OF SCOTLAND

THE LAST KING OF SCOTLAND

DIRECTED BY: KEVIN MACDONALD STARRING: FOREST WHITTAKER, JAMES MCAVOY. Released at Cinemas: January 12th Forest Whitaker provides a colossally powerful and Oscar-ready performance here, as he becomes all-powerful Ugandan dictator Idi Amin. This is the gripping first film from documentarian Kevin Macdonald ('Touching the Void', 'One Day in September'), another man who refuses to disappoint. Based on a novel by Giles Foden, 'The Last King of Scotland' views Amin's rise to power through the eyes of a Western Doctor, Nicholas Garrigan, who goes to Africa to leave boredom firmly on foreign shores, and swiftly becomes head physician and key advisor to Amin. Hypnotised by his charming and charismatic nature, Garrigan does not recognise Amin's emerging evil until it is too late. Whittaker has stated the importance of combining a commanding presence with a sensitive realism in his characterisation of Amin, a figure who must appear simultaneously loveable and loathable. He almost embodies this amiable madman role, and the wickedly dry humour set up in the film's opening section doubles the fear factor of Amin’s later despotism. The Last King of Scotland explores the ease with which absolute power can corrupt, as well as the complexities of figures such as Idi Amin. Though it may be criticised as using a typical Hollywood (and potentially Imperialist) tendency to view African history through white eyes, this does nothing to diminish the psychological force and impact of the performances here.

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BOBBY

DIRECTED BY: EMILIO ESTEVEZ STARRING: EMILIO ESTEVEZ, CHRISTIAN SLATER, MARTIN SHEEN, ANTHONY HOPKINS, SHARON STONE, DEMI MOORE, HELEN HUNT, FREDDY RODRIGUEZ, ASHTON KUTCHER, LINDSAY LOHAN, ELIJAH WOOD. Released at Cinemas: January 26th Fatal shots silenced the sound of hands clapping on June 6th 1968, as Robert "Bobby" Kennedy was assassinated after a rousing campaign speech in the Ambassador Hotel, changing the course of American politics for ever. Or so Estevez would have us believe, and he makes a damn good case for it in this brave film, which combines his childhood obsession with Bobby with a staggeringly all-star cast. Estevez shows a fine return to form, proving that he has surpassed the dark days of his Bratpack past. He states that, although this is not an overtly political film, Bobby's death represents the "day the music died in terms of the American political landscape." However, rather than focusing on the what-if President himself, the film follows the lives of "ordinary folk" (ahem, A-list celebs) going about their business in the Ambassador Hotel on that fateful day. The hotel becomes a microcosm for America at large, and the diversity of characters shows the hopes for the future that a great cross-section of society placed in this man. From racism in the kitchen to despair amid the youth and the elderly alike, this is a great slice of social dissection, a "disaster movie of the heart." Though somewhat over-emotional throughout, the film's finale stunningly combines modern and archive footage with Bobby's own speech from that night ringing out from history, leaving a message that still hits home in our current political climate. What a difference a day makes.

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CASINO ROYALE

DIRECTED BY: MARTIN CAMPBELL STARRING: DANIEL CRAIG, EVA GREEN, MADS MIKKELSE, JUDI DENCH Daniel Craig makes his debut appearance as the infamous 007 agent in the 21 st James Bond film 'Casino Royale'. This movie is the third screen adaptation of Ian Fleming's very first Bond novel, which was originally produced as a 50s television episode, then released as a 1967 film spoof. 'Casino Royale' introduces James Bond before he holds his license to kill, but this makes him no less dangerous, and after two professional assassinations he is elevated to '00' status. His first 007 mission sends him to Madagascar where he must spy on a terrorist, Mollaka (Sebestien Foucan). Bond decides to investigate independently of M16 after plans go astray and following a lead, heads to the Bahamas where he encounters Dimitrios (Simon Abkarian) and his girlfriend Solange (Caterina Murino). He soon finds that Dimitrios is involved with Le Chiffre (Mads Mikkelsen) - banker to the world’s terrorist organisations. Secret Service Intelligence reveals that Le Chiffre is hatching a sinister plot to increase his funds by raising money in a high stakes poker game in Montenegro at Le Casino Royale. 007's mission is to play against him and he must beat him in order to destroy the bad guys evil plans.

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BORAT

DIRECTED BY: LARRY CHARLES STARRING: SACHA BARON COHEN, PAMELA ANDERSON (AS HERSELF), KEN DAVITIAN Released at Cinemas: Nov 3 "I like you! Will you be my friend? I like sex with ladies. Very nice." With delicately put phrases like that it could only be Borat, everyone's favourite Kazakhstani reporter. He has released his own movie, the catchily titled: 'Borat: Cultural Learning's of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan.' The outrageous character, brought to life by the creator of Ali G - Sacha Baron Cohen - travels from his primitive middle eastern home to the U.S. to make a documentary. His mission is to report on the "greatest country in the world", but with his crew in tow, Borat seems more interested in locating and marrying Pamela Anderson than on his assignment. On his cross-country road-trip, the moustached presenter manages to be wonderfully offensive to a whole host of real people in real situations with cringely funny consequences.

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