DVD OF THE WEEK

EXIT THROUGH THE GIFT SHOP ****
Director: Banksy. Starring: a whole bunch of artists

This is not a film that will appeal to many people, but for those with an interest in art, and street art in particular, it is a veritable goldmine of insight into the processes of creation, as well as a skewed examination of the value of art.
And if that sounds serious, then this film is anything but. It is – apparently – directed by Banksy, the most famous street artist in the world, whose remarkable creations have appeared mysteriously (often in mind-bending locations) around London and elsewhere for two decades. There is thrilling night-time footage of such art being created and the spirit of anti-authoritarian freedom behind such daring acts is invigorating.
But Banksy is also famously anonymous and, as the film goes on, concentrating on Thierry Guetta (a man who – apparently – used to document such artists before taking his own plunge into the creative world), it becomes obvious that there is more at play here, and that the whole thing might actually be another put-on. How much of this is actually true?
People far more knowledgeable than me about the street art scene have been unable to separate the fact from the fiction, but it hardly matters. This is, at many levels, a most entertaining film – surprising, funny and very smart.

Collapse (****) is one of those documentaries that works on many levels. Directed by Chris Smith (American Movie, Yes Men) it is a series of interviews with Michael Ruppert, a man who predicted the 2008 financial crash and has alarming things to say about what will happen to the world when the oil runs out. He's a follower of the ‘peak oil' theory – which seems undeniably sound, with only exact timing in dispute – and the title of the film rather gives away his prediction. It is alarming, to say the least, but very hard to argue with anything he says, despite his obvious ‘eccentricity'. Start planting those veges now.

The mopey teen love triangle limps on in The Twilight Saga: Eclipse (*), as broody Bella chastely whines on about wanting to join the undead (because she's ‘different' y'know). This time the unconvincing CGI werewolf clan teams up with Edward's louche vampire buddies to protect Bella from an army of vampire ‘newborns'. (Army? Well there's about twenty of them.) Despite interminable angsty teen moaning, young girls will no doubt gush as Eddie proposes to Bella, and she and Jake pash on a mountain top. Others will pray for the ‘army' to kill ‘em all. Sadly its eventual arrival - after 100 minutes of drivel - is a huge anticlimax. Ghastly.

After the brief theatrical run of an extended edition containing an extra 8 minutes, the Avatar Special Edition (****) is now out on DVD and Blu-Ray with no fewer than three separate cuts of the film. The extended theatre version is there along with the original, and a ‘collector's' version of the film which basically adds a new start to the movie, showing us Jake Scully on earth before his trip to Pandora. Good news is that the extra footage is all cool animal and planet stuff and marks an improvement, while the earth opening means early shots on the ship aren't broken by flashbacks. Worth another look, if only once.

Only those with the most tolerant view of quirky ‘Oirish' comedy will make it through Zonad (**), a film set in small-town Ireland which appears to mistake stupidity for whimsy. It tells the story of a family who return home one day to find a man in a red superhero costume, crashed out on their floor. Despite clearly being a ne'er-do-well drunk, they accept that he is in fact an alien with superpowers, and consequently give him the run of the village and many free pints at the local. Things then get messy when an ex-partner in crime arrives and grabs his own limelight. Feeble.