Medway is not just home of the chav and 'that Dickens bloke'. We also, quite surprisingly, have a budding cineaste society which meets every Thursday at Dockside Odeon.
This Thursday (15th March) The Other Cinema will be showing the recent winner of the Academy's Best Picture award The Artist. While I could tell you how great a film it is, it wouldn't do it any justice because there are plenty more qualified and eloquent people all over the interwebs who can do that for you. What I will do, though, is tell you why it might actually be more your sort of film than you think.
All everyone is talking about is how it's an homage to the golden age of Hollywood. Sure, but it's more than that. Even being something of a 'film person', I can count the number of silent films I've seen on my hands and I didn't feel like I was missing anything from the film.
It's also not something to be a snob about. People seem to have this impression that the film is going to be like poetry in its pretension and impenetrability. What pulled the rug from underneath me was the film's lack of pretension and complete accessibility. You don't have to know the definition of mise-en-scène to laugh at a dog that can pretend to be shot.
There's also a preconception among audiences that because there's no dialogue the film will be somehow boring. I'll admit, I was in the same boat. I made a note to myself to count how many times I looked at my phone during the film and, surprise surprise, my eyes didn't leave the screen from start to finish.
...Okay, that's a massive lie, but it was only twice; and one of those times I could have sworn I heard my phone vibrate.
If you don't go and see this film on Thursday you will seriously be missing out because it is likely to be one of the best films for quite a while and it's unlikely that any TV station will buy the rights to it ten years down the line. It will be a betrayal of your very nature as a student if you don't get down to The Other Cinema and watch a silent, independent film and discuss it over a (FREE!) glass of wine with some film experts.
Look at that smile! If that doesn't win you over, then I give up. Go please yourself with Bad Boys II if you're going to be like that.
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