Fiercely Mild

Classic scene in Metropolis

Metropolis (1927) is by far one of the great classics of the silent film era

I was fortunate enough last Friday to see the directors cut of Metropolis last Friday supported by a full orchestra at the Babylon cinema in the Mitte area of Berlin. Metropolis is one of my all time favourites in terms of silent films and I was quite excited to hear about and see the ‘director’s cut’ supported by a full orchestra.

It was interesting to see how the missing segments were added to the film, however, I don’t believe that these segments really added that much to the film. Also, in certain parts of the film, these added segments did not integrate very well into the flow of the film either. The orchestra though definitely added something special to the film and the classic style of the old Berlin cinema helped create great acoustics and atmosphere to enjoy this special film.

Polanski's Ghost Writer wins him best director award

Best director award given to Polanski for his latest film ‘The Ghost Writer’

The controversial director of French and Polish origin was unable to collect the award as he is still under house arrest in Switzerland facing extradition to the United States. The Ghost Writer is a surprisingly good political thriller with quite a few interesting twists and turns. It is also for me, the best film starring Pierce Brosnan since his début as Mr Bond in Golden Eye. His role was quite small but proportionate, with Ewan McGregor taking the starring role as the replacement of a Ghost Writer for ex Prime Minister Brosnan. One could not help but draw contrast to Brosnan’s character and that of Blair facing the Iraq inquiry and having his relationship with the US scrutinised. I’ve not seen any other of Polanski’s films but think I will have to give them a try. But with the Berlin winter coming to an end, I fear I won’t get through much of them.

Wang Quan'an's film wins first prestigious Golden Bear

A Chinese film opens the festival of film of Berlin

The International festival of film in Berlin, Berlinale, opens today with a Chinese film made by Wang Quan’ans. The Chinese director Wang Quan’  will aspire for a second “Gold Bear” this year.

For this anniversary, the artistic director Dieter Kosslick paradoxically made the choice of an opening without glitter and sparkles: “Apart Together” is a political drama without high-speed motorboats which recalls the pain of the Taiwaneses separated for decades from their families that remained in communist China. Its director was discovered in 2004 by the Panorama section of the festival with its second feature-length film “The story of Ermei”. It is the account of a family reunified after long and painful separation. “Together Apart” echoes the history of Germany, 20 years after the fall of the Berlin Wall, underlined Dieter Kosslick.

20 films are in competition this year

In a snow-covered and icy German capital, Wang Quan’ again aspires to the prestigious statuette won four years earlier with his “Marriage of Tuya”. He will be competing with 19 other films in the field of international cinema. The German director Werner Herzog chairs a jury of seven members, of which the American actress Renee Zellweger– who will help decide on January 20th who will be in line to receive the prestigious Golden Bears. The Japanese Master Yoji Yamada, who directed more than 80 films during the last four decades, will close the festival with “Otouto” (“About Her Brother”), which is not included in the competition. Many will also brave the cold weather for an outdoor performance of the eagerly awaited ‘Metropolisis’ on Friday. This is one of my favourite films, however, I would much rather watch this film in the comfort of the cinema. However, just like concert tickets for popular groups, tickets for Metropolisis sold out very quickly, so I will probably end up watching it at home.

Berlinale 2010 should be an exciting year for the festival

For its 60th anniversary, the film festival of Berlin opens its doors with the finest directors of the whole world from February 11th to 21st. This year, the Berlinale receives Martin Scorsese and Roman Polanski amongst other guests from the cinema world.

The Festival of Berlin, second world festival of cinema after Cannes, will decree the gold Bears on February 20th. A festival of international scale to the eclectic tastes which once again promises to open its borders within the cinema of the world.

Festival of Berlin 2010, the cinema beyond the borders

Twenty-six feature films will display the gold Bears. As exceptional guests, it is necessary to count Martin Scorsese, who will come with his film “Shutter Island”, except competition, which starts tomorrow on the French screens. Roman Polanski will leave his country cottage of Gstaad for Berlinale, where his film “The Ghost Writer” is in competition, featuring Ewan McGregor and Pierce Brosnan.

On the side of French cinema, it is the film “Mammuth” of Benoit Delépine and Gustave Kerven which is in competition, with Gérard Depardieu and Isabelle Adjani.

On the other side of the English Channel, the Michael Winterbottom British will present the film “The killer Inside me” with Jessica Alba and Casey Affleck. A Sheriff of the West of Texas transforms himself gradually into sociopathe.

The festival will travel as far as Asia with Zhang Yimou, crowned Bear of gold into 1988 which returns with a remake of film of the Coen brothers “Blood for blood”, heading “San qiang pai jing qi”. Still in China, Wang Quan’s (won the 2007 gold Bear with “the marriage of Tuya”), he now presents “Together Flat”. American cinema is obviously always present with the director Noam Baumbach and his film “Greenberg”.

Tickets for these performances are expected to sell out fast. So if you are dating men or women who enjoy cinema, it would be wise to book tickets for the event as soon as possible to avoid disappointment.

It is the Japanese director Yoji Yamada who will close the Festival on February 20th with the projection of his film “Otuto”. It will then depend on the jury of the 60th anniversary of the festival to decide the prizes. The president of the festival is the German writer Werner Herzog. He will be accompanied, amongst others, by the American actress Renee Zellweger. It should be a great 60th anniversary to be involved in.

After the announcement of the presidency of the jury by the writer Werner Herzog last December, we are now able to reveal that the other members of the jury are Francesca Comencini, Nuruddin Farah, Cornelia Froboess, Jose Maria Morales, Yu Nan and Renee Zellweger.

Shopping for office chairs in Berlin is no easy matter

Does anyone know a decent place for finding good quality, yet reasonable chairs in Berlin?

It’s been a few months now since I’ve been in Berlin and I’ve yet to find a comfortable yet affordable office chair. It seems I always get to the flee makets in Friedrichshain too late on Sundays to find any of the good chairs (if there are any). Also, the arctic weather doesn’t inspire me to go shopping around and comparing either. I was hoping craigslist would provide some good options, but they seem to only be armless chairs of the green variety. Whilst I was shopping for furniture however, I did come across a chair in Sconto. The last place I expected to find anything, but I wasn’t that convinced unfortunately.Hopefully I will find something soon as I fear a leg may fall off my current (wooden) chair causing me to headbutt the desk and knock me out cold. Time is of the essence. Let me know if you have any tips or comfortable second hand chairs for sale.