10 Philippine Showbiz Today
May 8 - 21, 2017
Jan. 22-Feb.7, 2015
The Green Hell (G) ****
Full Throttle!
Fast and Furious - look out.
And please do not confuse The Green
Hell with The Green Mile. Instead get
inspired by this thrilling car driven
juggernaut from Touchwood Pr that
gets it’s own special screening in a
limited engagement at Vancouver’s
prestigious Park Theatre. Part of the
Cineplex Events series this amazing
show is well worth the effort to seek
out.
Full of history and uncanny
vintage footage this documentary on
Formula 1 racing is a car enthusiast’s
dream. Director Hannes Michael
Schalle is an obvious admirer of
racing, so how he managed to cobble
together vintage clips and news
reel footage of Germany’s famed
Norburgring race track is a marvel.
Complete with insightful interviews
from those who were there we see
the construction of the track and the
importance this enterprise played in
Germany from the late nineteenth
Century through the Hitler years and
well into the 1970s.
Part of German pride this
economic
powerhouse
helped
usher in Europe’s love affair with
the automobile
as perennial
heavyweights Mercedes Benz and
Porsche fought it out for bragging
rights at winner’s circle and as a
Norman (PG) ***
Cashing In!
Modern politics get raked over
the coals in Norman. Perfect timing
with the current British Columbia
and Great Britain elections now in
full bloom comes this savvy flick from
Mongrel Media now seeking your
votes at the Fifth Avenue Cinemas.
Much a labour of love gathered here
are some top line actors seemingly
yakking it up at government expense.
Share in the joy.
Front and centre in this
black comedy are a shady New Yorker
and an obscure Israeli politician. No
one seems to take much stock of the
rather restless Norman Oppenheimer.
Here Effective casting sees Richard
Gere come on strong as the ultimate
wannabe Wall Street huckster. Too
bad that Woody Allenesque approach
seems to rub many people the wrong
way. This is the type of guy who in a
harmless sort of way manages to get
in your face - although in a nice sort
of way. Norman is the poster child for
invading one’s own personal space.
Sheer luck sees the
mensch meet Eshel , an up and
coming Israeli politician played with
convincing zeal by Lior Ashkenazi.
way to improve and expand their
manufacturing base and their own
car popularity among consumers.
A bit late on the scene but not to
be outdone the British were not far
behind as the likes of Stirling Moss
and Aston Matin were to become
household names throughout the
60s and 70s.
Thrilling races at the track are wonderfully captured in this highly
enjoyable look at the development of
road racing in Germany and beyond
and Formula 1’s impact on a public
yearning for more.
Showtimes
May 10 Wednesday. 7:00 PM
The Park Theatre Vancouver
May 25 Thursday 7:00 PM.
The Park Theatre Vancouver ●
Strange
things
can happen in The
world of politics,
as in life, so when
Eshel becomes
the Prime Minister
it opens up a
whole set of doors
and can of worms
for Norman and
friends.
Mostly
a vanity project
Norman offers some real good
campy performances and may be
inspired in parts by bribery scandals
that have plagued leaders in the land
of milk and honey in the past as well
as other world leaders. Somewhat of
a guilty pleasure it’s fun to watch this
wacky nudnik ply his trade. Among
those crossing this well-meaning (?) vagabond’s path include first rate
actors like Michael Sheen, Steve
Buscemi and Hank Azaria. Fans of
politics, business and money may
like this insight into the messed-up
mind of a delusional manipulator
and scammer par excellence. Sounds
like most politicians when you peel
away the veneer. ●