REVIEW - The Pact * *

Review by Damon Rickard

Stars Caity Lotz, Casper Van Dien

Written by Nicholas McCarthy

Certification UK 15 US R

Runtime 89 minutes

Directed by Nicholas McCarthy



Nicole and Annie (Lotz) haven't seen their mother for years but following her death Nicole returns to the house they grew up in to sort out her affairs.  Having suffered at her hands as they grew up, Annie refuses to have anything to do with it until Nicole goes missing.

Believing Nicole has done what she always does and run off, Annie doesn't think there is anything strange about her sister's disappearance.  But when things start going bump in the night, Annie soon realises that something more sinister is also living in her mother's house.

What started off as a somewhat promising ghost story soon descended into a by the numbers, highly cliched horror film, aimed at the masses.  Other than a lead actress in Caity Lotz that was very photogenic making her easy to watch this had nothing going for it.  Unless of course you were dying for a return to the screen of Casper Van Dien who hasn't figured out yet that the only reason he fit in to Starship Troopers is that its tone supported bad acting.  And no, he hasn't improved.

The script was poor with character exposition being thrown at us in lines such as "so how long since you shot up", "I've been clean four years".  So I guess that character is a reformed heroin addict.  This was also in the first conversation in the film,  You also have Nicholas McCarthy not believing his audience has a brain cell between them that he felt it necessary every time Annie sees a picture of her mother to have to say out loud to herself "Mum".  Just in case we couldn't figure it out.

The film was riddled with flaws, which if you do see it and make it to the end you'll soon spot the holes from earlier on and also left story strands completely sidelined.  Such as Annie's niece who she had to start looking after following her sister's vanishing act.  The niece was all but forgotten for the middle third of the film.  There were highly fortuitous school friends still living in town that just happened to be genuine mediums.  Although maybe most people went to school with someone that communicates with the dead and then later in life happened to be part of a haunting.  I must have missed out.

The characters were barely fleshed out (other than bad things happening to Annie when she grew up we know nothing about her), the acting was poor and the dialogue scarcely believable.  

But most unforgiving was that the film was just, well, boring.
 

REVIEW - Red Tails * * *

Red Tails ★ ★ ★

Review by Damon Rickard

Stars Nate Parker, David Oyelowo, Cuba Gooding Jr, Terence Howard

Written by John Ridley & Aaron McGruder

Certification UK TBC US PG13

Runtime 125 minutes

Directed by Anthony Hemingway

Before and after the war, the African American’s suffered constant abuse at the hands of racist white Americans.  But even when men were supposed to unite against a common enemy there was no respite from this.  Given second string duties and treated as second string humans, the black soldier was seen to be a soldier of little or no worth.  One to be kept out of the way so that the real Americans can do the fighting.

This is the story of a group of young black pilots, led by “Easy” (Nate Parker) put through the Tuskagee training program that was essentially a socio experiment to try and enable them to prove their worth.  We find them based in Italy flying missions across empty fields and areas where no German’s have been sighted for some time.  They are waiting for that one chance to go into battle and show that they are as good as any pilot that fought for a country they love and is yet to love them back.

Red Tails is George Lucas back with Rick McCallum (Star Wars prequels) producing together to bring us visual style but lacking depth and heart.  They have taken a screenplay that, in the right hands, could have been crafted into one of the year’s best films.  Unfortunately what we are left with is something written with a great idea but struggled to really flesh it out.

We were presented with a number of ideas that could have been delved into more deeply such as the potential alcoholism of Easy, the love story between a young black pilot and a white Italian girl and, the central piece to the film, the first hand struggles of the pilots.  Each was given fleeting moments to show they were there but nothing was really followed through.

The love interest in particular turned out to be forced and ultimately unnecessary.  Had they given us something more believable then this may have been a worthwhile sub-plot.   As it was, it remained almost an afterthought.

The racial attitudes of the white soldiers were glossed over with short scenes that were never followed through.  And the redemption of turning some soldiers around was explored in barely mentioned relationships where a simple sentence was used to demonstrate their change in attitudes.

That’s the bad stuff out of the way, now onto the positives that the film had to offer.  After an opening sequence where the acting and dialogue was so bad I was worried about what I was in for.  And then when the credit “and Cuba Gooding Jr” flashed up, my heart sank.  Thankfully, a few annoying characters aside, the performances were all decent and in turn crafted likeable characters whom you found yourself rooting for.  The dialogue was often shaky but the interplay between the soldiers was entertaining, if lightweight and somewhat clichéd. 

The battle sequences were very well handled but lacked something that created any real tension.  Part of this was down to the pure predictability of the film where they used every trick in the book to bring in an emotional punch (someone might as well have said “I just got married the day before I enrolled”).  But true to Lucasfilm style, emotion was not a strong point in this film.  Which is a shame as this was a story that should have been served by the battle against the odds, the hardships overcome and the inner demons that some of these pilots obviously faced.  

As it is Red Tails was an entertaining but ultimately hollow film which will be watched and likely quickly forgotten.  There’s not enough good about it to say it’s anything more than average but there’s also not enough bad about it to have particularly disliked it.  It just sits on the proverbial fence thinking it’s something that it isn’t.

REVIEW - The Cabin In The Woods * * * *

Review by Damon Rickard

Stars Chris Hemsworth, Kristen Connolly, Bradley Whitford

Written by Joss Whedon & Drew Goddard

Certification UK 15 US R

Runtime 101 minutes

Directed by Drew Goddard


I will start by saying sorry that I have not put a trailer up for you guys on this one.  But there is good reason.  I avoided seeing it just in case they put something in there that might spoil the fun factor of this movie.  Going in blind is definitely the way to do it.  Well blind on the plot front anyway.


But the point of a review is to let you know if you should go and see the film.  I've seen a lot of reviews where people say don't read reviews.  I would say if you do, be careful if you want to maximise the  entertainment factor with this.  It's a ride of a film and you need to go with it but it makes it better if you don't know where it's taking you.


Written by TV stalwart Joss Whedon this has his sensibilities all over it.  The style of character and dialogue is most definitely his as is the revamping of a genre to make something of his own.  Take the likes of Firefly (not exactly your conventional sci fi) and Buffy (whilst the original film lacked in quality the idea was strong enough for a hugely successful TV show), which certainly gave a new spin on the vampire tales of yesteryear.  Well he's done it again with the horror genre (I don't count Buffy in that as it is as much horror as Twilight is in my humble opinion - just much better).


This film is so full of horror references, the buffs (nay geeks) will practically explode trying to spot them all.  The idea here is to take something so generic and uninspiring about horror and the stick two fingers up at it and say "here's what you can do with this setting!!".  It would appear that Whedon has plumped for the atypical cabin in the atypical woods and filled it with the atypical young, good looking people that are just awaiting all the horrible things to happen.  There's even a cellar.


Cabin goes to places even Sam Raimi didn't manage to take his poor folk in the Evil Dead series when they visited their Cabin of doom.  Some of you will hate what this film has to offer whereas others will simply love it for its freshness and daring approach to a genre that is always in danger of becoming stale (remakes, sequels, Michael Bay just some of those reasons).  


Whilst not flawless it is a very entertaining ride.  The characters are all well placed with specific traits to give them their meaning in the film (it's almost like they stuck The Breakfast Club in there!), the dialogue snappy and funny and the pacing is almost perfect.  Slow build, picks up with the action after we get to know our gang and then the end set piece just ramps it up to the Spinal Tap proverbial 11.


You get your gore, your scares, your laughs.  And the laughs aren't your Roland Emmerich, Michael Bay (someone might think I don't like him) forced gags just for the sake of it, no, they're well placed and seem natural coming from the characters we have gotten to know.  None of it seems "jokey".


Overall I thoroughly enjoyed Cabin and would recommend this to anyone that loves a good horror and especially to those that just love horror.  It's a love letter and reinvention of the genre all in one Cabin In The Woods.


4/5

REVIEW - The Raid * * * * *

Review by Damon Rickard

Stars Iko Uwais, Donny Alamsya, Joe Taslim, Ray Sahetapy

Written by Gareth Evans

Certification UK 18 US R

Runtime 101 minutes

Directed by Gareth Evans

In the heart of Jakata lies an apartment block, 30 stories high and inhabited by some of the most violent and ruthless underworld criminals. Ruled with an iron fist by a notorious drug lord, the building has remained untouchable with even the best of the police's resources unwilling to darken its doors.  Until now.....

The film follows Rama (Iko Uwais) and the group of elite cops as they attempt what was previously thought unthinkable, a raid on this haven for those on the wrong side of the law.  Thinking they have the upper hand by launching an unsuspected dawn attack, the 20 strong group of enforcers slip into the building, efficiently and quietly.  That is until a spotter pulls the alarm.  Their objective is no longer taking the building down but getting out alive.

Gareth Evans has delivered a heart pounding, rip roaring, no holds barred action film which is unlike anything else I have seen.  There have been martial arts action movies that are a fantastic spectacle and break conventional barriers (think Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon and even Ong Bak) but the inventiveness of the way this one is delivered provided me with a viewing experience that left me breathless.

The choreography and ability of artists in the fight scenes is exceptional, coupled with an inspired use of the camera and cinematography to make it look as beautiful as it is frenetic.  This is a non stop juggernaut of an action film that doesn't let up.  The dramatic scenes, whilst well acted and providing us with the necessity of a plot, serve to whet your appetite for what is coming next.

For me personally I couldn't find a fault in this film, which if you wanted to look past its shallow exterior, I'm sure it has.  After all the story telling really is secondary to the action.  However if you know that you are getting a film that does exactly what it says on the tin then I don't see this as an issue.  I was entertained and excited all the way through, walking away wishing for more.  That, my dear reader, is the sign of a great film.

I'm not saying everyone will enjoy it to the extent that I did as no matter how fantastic you and a million others believe a film to be, there will always be those that don't agree.  However in this case, they would be wrong!

I am aware I haven't talked about the acting and the characters (Iko creates an eminently likeable hero in Rama) but that's not what this film is about.  Although even these bits are handled better than most dramatic films that center on character and dialogue through a great script.

Overall I cannot recommend this movie enough.

5/5

REVIEW - Corman’s World: Exploits of a Hollywood Rebel

Review by Damon Rickard

Stars Roger Corman, Martin Scorsese, Jack Nicholson

Written by Alex Stapleton & Gregory Locklear

Certification UK 15 US R

Runtime 101 minutes

Directed by Alex Stapleton

Like me, Roger Corman is a name you will probably be familiar with but may not know the full extent of the effect he had on modern cinema making and possibly the film industry as a whole.  I knew he was behind films I grew up with such as Piranha, The Masque of the Red Death, Watchers, Death Race 2000 and the all time classic Munchies (no I didn’t think you’d heard of it) but I did not know he was behind the camera on 56 titles and produced or executive produced 399.  To say the man was prolific is an understatement.

However the films were not of a high quality, even to the point of one being made (The Terror) just because he had a set spare until another film went into production.  The result was a mess to the point even its star, Jack Nicholson, had no idea what was going on.  Corman revels in low budget, exploitation flicks that always seemed to find an audience.  Only one of Corman’s films failed to make its money back, 1962’s The Intruder.  Sadly this was his one attempt at making a meaningful film which touted an anti racism message.  It was a brave film for its time and as such failed to connect with a wider audience, sending Corman back to his schlock.  Who knows what might have happened had this film been box office gold.

The documentary brilliantly takes us through Corman’s body of work with interviews from some of today’s biggest players in Hollywood that got their start thanks to Corman.  Faces such as Nicholson, Scorsese, Ron Howard, William Shatner (star of The Intruder), Joe Dante and, inexplicably, Paul W.S. Anderson (an unwelcome and entirely unrequired addition).  It recounts his stories of the hows and whys he did the pictures he did.  It details how his influence on the 70’s New Wave brought about the likes of Easy Rider, Jaws and Star Wars and also how these films changed the way Corman felt about the industry.  The list of faces you’ll recognise who owe their start to Corman is too long to mention here but it is impressive.

The letdown of this was that it felt a bit too much like a Biography Channel biopic, just much better.  Sadly a few of the talking heads such as Irvin Kershner, Polly Platt and David Carrodine have died since filming their parts and will never get to see this love letter to someone they obviously feel indebted to either directly or indirectly and, as with everyone on show, harbor a vast respect for. 

If you’re interested in the life and times of those that influenced the movies you watch today then this a must see. For anyone else I don’t think this will give too much satisfaction, which is a shame as people should know the name Roger Corman.

4/5

My Top Ten Films of 2011

Well the year is done and whilst I have seen many movies this year, I would still love to have seen more.  There may well have been movies that I didn't see that should be in this list.

Please don't berate me for this, it's my favourites of the year.  It doesn't mean they're yours and it doesn't necessarily mean they're the most technically well made films.  These are the ones that I enjoyed the most.

Number 10
Tucker & Dale vs Evil
When I saw this I had no idea what the premise was, outside of it being a horror comedy.  Some of the acting isn't great, some of the dialogue (especially the leader of the college kids) is a touch weak but this film delivered laughs in its droves.  On repeat viewing I found it just as funny.  A neat twist on the hillbilly killer films.

Number 9
Source Code
Groundhog Day meets Quantum Leap as we revisit the same 8 minute period to track down a bomber on a train.  Jake Gyllenhaal is superb as Colter Stevens in this high concept thriller.  He is able to be sent back in time to find a bomber of a train who is suspected of planting another device.  If they can find his identity they can find the bomb.

The only slight problem is they can only go back to the last 8 minutes of a person's life.  So Colter Stevens "leaps" into the last 8 minutes of a stranger's life to try and track down the man who has already killed the train full of people.  This is a well crafted, well acted, tense affair and ultimately thoroughly enjoyable.  The love story never becomes schmatlzy and it doesn't detract from the action.  The less you know about the film the better.  It's one of those, you know there's going to be a twist somewhere types.  But my view is why look for it, let the twist come to you.

Number 8
Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy
Gary Oldman heads up this all star cast of the big screen version of the BBCs drama.  This film is all about the performances.  There are times when it's difficult to know exactly what's going on and who's involved in what but at the end it all kinda makes sense but even if it didn't you wouldn't care as you just seen an act off by some of Britain's best talent.  With the likes of Tom Hardy, Colin Firth, Benedict Cumberbatch, Mark Strong and John Hurt you really are spoiled for choice.  Whilst Oldman et al were all superb, it was Hardy for me who stole the show as he seems to be doing everywhere these days and also does in another of my top 10.

Number 7
We Need To Talk About Kevin
If you think you've had a crappy day then Tilda Swinton's character in this bleak and sometime harrowing drama will make you rethink.  The story of a child who never seemed happy and the incredibly portrayed love hate relationship he endured with his mother, this film was infuriating (John C Reilly's Franklin never managed to see the issues), distressing and moving.  Swinton has never been better as we see two periods of her life simultaneously, a before and after, play out.

Kevin (newcomer Ezra Miller) brings to life Teenage Angst as never seen before.  There is no motive to the way he feels and acts, he just is the way he is.  There's no understanding him and therefore little sympathy for him which I felt was intentional.  David Cameron's "Hug a hoodie" theory would be seriously put to the test here.  Sometimes kids are just mean.  And mean kids do mean things no matter how much attention you shower them with.

Number 6
Super 8
I thoroughly enjoyed JJ Abrahm's monster movie which took me right back to my childhood films of the 80's.  I came away with their sense of adventure as I did with such films like The Goonies and ET.  It's very rare you find a teenage ensemble that all put in a good shift with their performances.  Usually kids seem like their acting.  Every now and then, real talent emerges (Dakota Fanning, Chloe Moretz) and normally you find it's Spielberg unearthing it.  Whilst he did have a hand in the production of this movie, you have to admire how Abrahm's has managed to "do a Berg" and pull believable and likeable performances out of his young cast.

Number 5
50/50
A charming and funny tale about a guy with cancer.  Yep you read that right.  Based on the writer's own experience fighting the disease we follow the story of Adam (Joseph Gordon Levitt) dealing with the knowledge he has a 50/50 chance of survival.  Some of the better characters could have been given more to do and a weaker one a little less but this was all about Levitt and co-star Seth Rogan who played off each other with precision.  Rogan plays the friend who had as hard a time dealing with it as Adam does and this is explored brilliantly as outwardly we see Rogan using Adam's situation to his own advantage.  If you fancy a comedy with more intelligence in the wit rather than sight gags or jokes as well as a real emotional bang and genuine heart in the film making then look no further than here.

Number 4
Moneyball
Brad Pitt stars as Billy Bean, real life GM of Oakland A's baseball team and how he took on the big boys with endless bank accounts.  Normally baseball films don't travel too well to the UK as it's just not a sport that garners much interest here but as this one focuses on the behind the scenes rather than the game itself it stood itself a much better chance.  The subject matter, highly relevant in today's football scene with the likes of Chelsea and Manchester City able to blow their opponents out of the water financially, will be far more appealing than your usual sports movie.

It is based on the chance encounter with an economics major, played brilliantly by Jonah Hill, that changed the architecture of baseball forever and brought sports science into the frame across the world.  The use of things such as Optica having benefited significantly from these two men.  Pitt is on top form, possibly his best performance since The Assassination Of Jesse James if not is career.  It's not showy a la Twelve Monkeys or artistic a la The Tree of Life but centered in reality and he brings so much to a very down to earth character.  In lesser hands the central performance could easily have been dull and unsympathetic.  A sports film


Number 3
Warrior

Tom Hardy steals the show in the second film in my top ten that he appears.  Last year's The Fighter brought an attempt at gritty realism to the boxing world which hadn't really been done since Raging Bull.  The Wrestler before that.  Warrior, a story of cage fighting, tries to do nothing more than entertain you.  This is not about realism, the fight scenes are more Rocky than Raging Bull, but this is not a flaw in the movie.  You know exactly where it's heading and just enjoy the ride.

Hardy and Joel Edgerton spark off each other fantastically as warring brothers both determined to win a special world cage fighting championship.  You know which brother you're supposed to pick and root for but the sheer screen presence and sympathy Hardy brings to his role, you find yourself siding with his angrier and meaner one of them.  A great watch which proves you can mix pure Hollywood entertainment with intelligence, great writing, brilliant characterisation and performances to match.  Michael Bay please take note that it doesn't need to be all about close ups, super slow mo running and explosions every other minute.
 


Number 2
Drive

A measured, evenly paced, beautiful and exceptionally violent film with one of the most enigmatic lead characters of the decade that manages to put others to shame with barely a word uttered.  From the silent getaway at the beginning to the soon to be infamous lift scene, Ryan Gosling oozes with cool which practically drips off the screen.  Laden with 80's style and sound this is no easy feat.  The soundtrack provides an electronic audio backdrop of beauty, perfectly partnering the charm and feel of the visuals it accompanies.

The direction is precise and original.  Back to the opening getaway we see it entirely from the inside of the car.  I don't recall ever having seen this take on an escape before.  Yet it was captivating and brilliant.  As was everything about this film,  Including the evil turn from Albert Brooks who provides one of the most brutal killings I've seen yet it contains barely any blood or graphic violence.  This was done with words and genius framing of the moment.  It needs to be watched to fully appreciate.  This is a film that will sadly be overlooked by the Oscars but will be remembered long after most of what Hollywood chooses to acknowledge.



Number 1
Kill List

The full review for this film is on my site and I wholly recommend you read it.  This is a film that is best served going into without knowing too much detail, which I have tried to do whilst conveying how brilliant this film was.

Kill List swings from kitchen sink drama to violent gangster to out and out horror without ever becoming confused.  Like a fine dining dish the flavours are perfectly balanced.  The film delivered on all counts for me.  Character, acting, story, laughs, drama, violence.  I can honestly say I've not seen an overall film experience like this one  I was left open mouthed and stunned.  Not everyone is going to like it in the same why I have, I accept that, but if you are a fan of cinema then this is a must to see.

INTERVIEW: Gillian MacGregor

Just prior to the release of the great short, Hit Girls, I met up with star and scribe, Gillian MacGregor.  After having only chatted to her via the medium of Twitter I had no idea what to expect from the version of her that could talk to me in more than 140 characters.  

She was as charming and pleasant as she is online but her picture doesn’t do her justice, she is more beautiful in the flesh.  She certainly possesses the movie star looks and hopefully this and her upcoming projects will provide her the springboard into the bigger projects she deserves.

Recently Gillian had also been involved in a charity project called Model Fight Night which, whilst Hit Girls was our reason for the meeting, was where we started……

Damon: How did you get into Model Fight Night?

Gillian: Hit Girls was the first action project that I did.  I learnt the action like it was a dance and found that I happen to be, you know, not horrendous at it and after that I got more action stuff. This was obviously good for me as it was something that I’d always been interested in but never thought it’d be something that I could ever get to do.

(Gillian, Rosie & Joey on set - picture by Zoe Ryan)

I was doing a job playing Claire Redfield from Resident Evil and I became very good friends with one of the other actresses, Hannah Farmer.  She took part in Model Fight Night last year.  The thought of actually having a martial arts skill that I’ve trained in and worked hard for was very appealing.  I was excited about what I’d potentially be able to do action wise at the end of the process.

Training sessions at the Boxing Clinic were awesome.  Well... until the first time I got hit in the face.  For a little while after that I just wanted to quit to be honest! The punch came right underneath my head guard to my jaw and it felt like my brain had rattled.  I thought fuck this I don’t wanna do this anymore, but I’d said I was going to do it, so I did!  We were raising money for the Katie Piper Foundation so there’s no way I would have backed out.

Damon: Would you do it again?

Gillian: It depends on what else I’ve got going on as the time commitment is huge.  When it actually came to the fight, I loved it.  There was a lot of crying and insecurity during the build up to the fight, but then on the day I was completely calm.  By the time I got in the ring I was so aggressive I was like an animal.  It was an amazing experience and I won so that was quite nice.  

Being a working actor requires you to be on the case all the time and I just found that everything suffered because you have to prioritise the training because someone’s going to be trying to take your head off.  So if you don’t train you could get hurt.

Damon: Has it affected you getting new projects?

(Gillian & Rosie take things up a notch - picture by Zoe Ryan)

Gillian: Well, since Fight Night I’ve been busy.  I’ve just shot my part in a new British feature, “Across the River” and, among other projects, I’ll be shooting a thriller feature “The Quiet One” in January.  Also, I’m back on stage again in November as well. I’m doing a show called Burlexe and it’s about the stories of the ladies who do burlesque.

Damon: Is that going to be in London?

Gillian: Yes (The Shadow Lounge, 5-7 Brewer Street,London, W1F 0RF)

Damon: So what was your inspiration for “Hit Girls”?

Gillian: I wish I had a good story for you!  I just had this idea of what if Rachel and Monica from “Friends” were evil, and “Hit Girls” is what came out.   The original script is quite different to the finished short because I wrote that 4 or 5 years before we actually shot it and during that time it had undergone different personnel changes including a different director.  I think Adrian was our fourth director!  Rosie, the producer and fellow Hit Girl, called me up and asked me if the script was available and off we went.

(Gillian ready to kick ass - picture by Zoe Ryan)

I was going through a really bad personal time just before the shoot and I’d try to leave the business but I just kept getting work, which is obviously nice.  When you want it you don’t get it, when you’re not looking for it, it comes your way. I told Rosie she could have the script but I didn’t think I wanted to be in it.  She said “No! You have to be in it. You must be in it.” So, of course, I was – thank God!

Damon: Where was it filmed? The opening shot looked fantastic.

Gillian: The flat belonged to a friend of Rosie’s.  It’s quite special.  We were really nervous using it.  

I’ve got an interesting story about the intercom scene.  That’s a live feed from the front door into the flat and not done in post production.  Joey (Ansah, her co-star) and I didn’t know each other at the time and we had to do this intimate scene, which is awful at the best of times!   With the live feed to the whole building, everyone could have been watching it. We were there shooting it for hours doing the same racy thing over and over.  I didn’t know that at the time!  

The view from the flat was amazing.  I was so worried about everything I even had to put tape on my heels so I didn’t mark the floor. 

Damon: So how did he survive getting a knitting needle shoved up his nose?

Gillian: Well you can.

Damon: Did you research that?

Gillian: I did research that.  People get shot through their head and as long as it doesn’t hit certain points then you can survive it.

Damon: Until you get hit in the head with a spade!!

Gillian: That was horrible.  That blood went right in my eye.  We only had one take of that and it was the last shot before we had to get the sunrise.  It was like pressure, pressure, pressure.  We had five crew members that were underneath the camera with the blood, ready to throw it at us and someone got their hand in the shot and so we had to crop it a little.

  

Damon: So are you going to be putting Hit Girls into festivals?

Gillian: For now the plan is we’re just going to release it online.  It’s not a festival piece, it’s too commercial.  We’re going to do quite a bit of press, starting from now! You’re the first one.

Damon: Excellent, thank you. I noticed you have a TV show in the works.  Ninety Eight Percent.  What is that?

Gillian: I’m a lesbian in that one which isn’t something I imagined trying in front of a crew of people, ha ha!  I have no experience of this.  This will be a new thing for me. It’s going to be shot later this year, beginning of next year and it’s set back home in Scotland so that’s really cool.  

It’s got a BAFTA nominated director, Frank McGowan.  I’m really excited to be working with such a young, dynamic Scottish company.

  

Damon: You mentioned being a lesbian in it….

I have a lesbian sex scene, oh my dear lord!! My dad is going to freak out, he’ll kill me. My family weren’t impressed with Hit Girls to be honest, with the wanking scene. I had to tell them you don’t actually do it you know; it’s a film.  Joey didn’t even have his willy out, I promise.  

Obviously there’s more to the show than the sexuality of the characters.  It’s a gritty crime drama.  So, I have got other scenes other than the sex scene but that’s the one that’s making me go “Holy Shit! Holy Shit!! Holy Shit!!”  Everything is local, the whole cast is Scottish as are the crew. Its good Scottish talent, we’re doing it for the Scots.  I’m nervous though.

Damon: I’d be nervous if I were doing something similar.

At my audition they didn’t ask me straight out if I was gay or straight but they warned me that there are sexual scenes with a female and was I alright with that?  I was like hey, whatever.  It’s just as bad doing those scenes with boys as it is with girls to be honest.

Damon: So it’s a drama?  Is it a comedy drama or straight up?

Gillian: It’s just drama.

Damon: Any plans to move into comedy?

No specific plans.  I just go with whatever fits, you know?  The thing with Hit Girls is it is meant to be funny.  We had a big screening at BAFTA with strangers and they laughed all the way through but when my friends are watching they just don’t know what to do.  They don’t know if they can laugh or not in case they laugh when they’re not supposed to.  I was like “It’s okay, I’m wanking a dead man, you can laugh at that”.   I think it’s quite hard to do comedy.  Poor Joey.  He’s ticklish so he had a hard time with that bit trying to be dead.  

Also we had to actually kick him into the grave.  The first time it happened I wasn’t expecting it.  Poor Joey.  To be fair to him he kept his mouth shut and he did it about five times.

Damon: So with you doing all the action stuff, were they your knife skills?

Gillian: Yes they were. They weren’t that good to be fair. Although it’s actually hard to chop a lime in half in one strike. I really enjoyed it.  It’s a good little short

Damon: And it’s yours.

Gillian: And it’s mine.  Sort of.  Ours.  There were loads of lessons that I learned. I’ve written stuff that’s been produced before and generally it’s been done as I wrote it but Hit Girls wasn’t because everyone has their input.  It became much more of a collaborative process between me, Rosie and Adrian.  

Adrian brought the boyness to it... you know, that masculine and feminine mix which seems to be what works in it.  It’s what people comment on.  

On the day we were faced with cutting some dialogue and I wasn’t happy.  Because of rain interrupting filming Adrian said we were going to have to.  I said that we’d gone over the whole script we can’t cut anymore dialogue.  But, actually, he was right and we could have cut quite a bit of that and it still would have worked but never mind.

Damon: So was the rest smooth sailing?

Gillian: No, ha ha. We actually dragged Joey through the forest, actually took his whole body weight and that was so difficult.   And we lost the sound and had to ADR the whole forest stuff.   Somehow they sorted it out and made it work. Joey even came into the ADR suite and actually put his weight on us so you could hear it in our voices.

Damon: Good thinking.

Gillian: That wasn’t my idea. Are you kidding?  I was like do we have to? Ha ha.

Damon: So do you want to make the move into big budget features or you did you want to keep doing more low key things?

Gillian: I’d like to be able to do both. If you could do the bigger stuff to fund the smaller stuff then I think that would be the best situation for all.  

I’d like to be able to do some more writing.  I’ve got a feature script that I’ve been working on for a while and would love to work on more but it’s so hard finding the time.

It feels like the industry has changed so much you need to be able to do all sorts of different things.  Otherwise you’ll just sink.  So I feel like, certainly with a lot of the lower budget films I get involved in my input is potentially more than just being an actor.

Gillian is certainly more than just an actor.  She has an enthusiasm of all aspects of creation that makes you want to go out there and make movies with her.  I am looking forward to seeing her in Burlexe and hope that she soon starts reaching to wider audiences and brings her infectious personality which is currently untainted by the Hollywood machine.  And to be honest I can’t see her falling into the trappings of the Hollywood lifestyle.  Whilst considering her home to be London she is a true Scot at heart and they’d never let that happen.  This is only a good thing.