James Marsh

As a humble film critic, one can’t pretend to guess at the theory of everything in respect to the physical forces of the Universe. However, there may be a theory of everything concerning biopics, since, as The Theory of Everything demonstrates, they can’t help but all seem exactly the same. Surely, the uniform execution of tropes in storytelling, production, and acting across disparate movies point to the presence of some law underlying reality. Either that or biopics just make people really, really lazy.

There’s a much quoted line from David Fincher’s Seven, found in one of many notebooks scribbled by horrific serial killer John Doe, that reads: “Long is the way, and hard, that out of hell leads up to light”. The sentiment and association is very appropriate when musing on the visceral sledgehammer assault on emotions, morality and senses represented by David Peace’s Red Riding series, a sprawling nine year epic of neo-noir, adult fear and a simmering stew of all forms of human evil.

Shadow Dancer Directed by James Marsh Written by Tom Bradby 2012, UK, Ireland There’s no real reason to believe that the artistry required in the making of a documentary is vastly different to that required in the making of a fictional narrative. Nonetheless it is always interesting to watch filmmakers transition from one to the …

Shadow Dancer Directed by James Marsh Written by Tom Bradby 2012, UK, Ireland There’s no real reason to believe that the artistry required in the making of a documentary is vastly different to that required in the making of a fictional narrative. Nonetheless it is always interesting to watch filmmakers transition from one to the …

Project Nim Directed by James Marsh USA, 2011 After his Maoist period, Godard commented that if cinema had the power to change the word, that time had most certainly passed. His cynicism has been mirrored by countless other filmmakers who have declared cinema capital-d Dead, a vague and fatalist proclamation against their chosen art. Our …

Concept art for James Cameron’s Avatar is in and it’s further upping the anticipation factor.  The art was released by the website Market Saw.  They are a part of their forthcoming book “The Art of Avatar James Cameron’s Epic Adventure.” And what can I say they look “EPIC.”  These pictures have been confirmed by Fox …