The Malta Independent 12 June 2025, Thursday
View E-Paper

Cinema: A Dangerous Method - Exploration Of sensuality

Malta Independent Thursday, 3 May 2012, 00:00 Last update: about 12 years ago

On the eve of World War I, Zurich and Vienna are the setting for a dark tale of sexual and intellectual discovery. Drawn from true-life events, A Dangerous Method takes a glimpse into the turbulent relationships between fledgling psychiatrist Carl Jung, his mentor Sigmund Freud and Sabina Spielrein, the troubled but beautiful young woman who comes between them. Into the mix comes Otto Gross, a debauched patient who is determined to push the boundaries.

In this exploration of sensuality, ambition and deceit set the scene for the pivotal moment when Jung, Freud and Sabina come together and split apart, forever changing the face of modern thought.

A Dangerous Method was directed by David Cronenberg (Eastern Promises, A History of Violence, Crash) from a screenplay by Academy Award winning writer Christopher Hampton (Atonement, Dangerous Liaisons), who adapted his own stage play The Talking Cure for the screen.

Academy Award nominee Keira Knightley (Never Let Me Go, Atonement, Pride and Prejudice) stars as Sabina Spielrein opposite fast-rising star Michael Fassbender (Inglourious Basterds, Fish Tank, Hunger and the upcoming Jane Eyre, X-Men: First Class and Prometheus) as Carl Jung, with Academy Award nominee Viggo Mortensen (Eastern Promises, A History of Violence, Lord of the Rings trilogy) as Sigmund Freud.

Vincent Cassel (Black Swan, Mesrine) plays Otto Gross, and Canadian newcomer Sarah Gadon plays Jung’s wife Emma.

A Dangerous Method reunites Cronenberg with Academy Award winning producer Jeremy Thomas following their partnership on Crash and Naked Lunch. The film also brings together Cronenberg’s creative team, with whom he has a long history of collaboration on such titles as A History of Violence, Eastern Promises and eXistenZ.

This includes the three-time Academy Award winning composer Howard Shore (The Lord of the Rings trilogy), director of photography Peter Suschitzky (Star Wars: Episode V), production designer James McAteer, costume designer Denise Cronenberg (The Incredible Hulk), Academy Award® winning hair and make-up designer Stephan Dupuis (The Fly) and editor Ronald Sanders (Coraline).

Classification 18

American Pie Reunion - What has changed and what hasn’t

Welcome to the reunion of the Class of 1999 from East Great Falls High. In the comedy American Reunion, all the American Pie characters we met a little more than a decade ago return for their high-school reunion. In one long-overdue weekend, they will discover what has changed, who hasn’t and that time and distance can’t break the bonds of friendship.

It was summer 1999 when four small-town Michigan boys began a quest to lose their virginity. In the years that have passed, Jim (Jason Biggs) and Michelle (Alyson Hannigan) married while Kevin (Thomas Ian Nicholas) and Vicky (Tara Reid) said goodbye. Oz (Chris Klein) and Heather (Mena Suvari) grew apart, but Finch (Eddie Kay Thomas) still longs for Stifler’s Mom (Jennifer Coolidge). And Stifler (Seann William Scott) remains the same as he ever was. Now these lifelong friends have come home as adults to reminisce about—and get inspired by—the hormonal teens they were.

Completing the core group returning for the long-awaited American Reunion are comedy legend Eugene Levy as Jim’s Dad, Natasha Lyonne as the sexually-wise Jessica, John Cho and Justin Isfeld as the world’s biggest Milf enthusiasts, Chris Owen as The Shermanator and Shannon Elizabeth as Jim’s first on-screen tryst, Nadia.

They are joined by a supporting group of actors new to the series: Dania Ramirez as Selena, the East Great Falls ugly duckling whom no one thought would become so gorgeous; Katrina Bowden as Mia, Oz’s vapid model girlfriend; Chad Ochocinco as himself, playing Oz’s on-air co-host; Jay Harrington as Dr Ron, Heather’s pompous cardiologist boyfriend; Ali Cobrin as Kara, Jim’s sexy next-door neighbor; and Chuck Hittinger as AJ, Kara’s idiot boyfriend.

American Reunion is written and directed by Jon Hurwitz & Hayden Schlossberg (Harold & Kumar Escape From Guantanamo Bay), based on characters created by Adam Herz (American Wedding). The comedy is once again produced by Craig Perry (American Pie series), Warren Zide (American Pie series), Chris Moore (American Pie series) and Adam Herz.

Leading American Reunion’s behind-the-scenes team are director of photography Daryn Okada (Mean Girls, Baby Mama), production designer William Arnold (Magnolia, Last Holiday), editor Jeff Betancourt (Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle, The Grudge), costume designer Mona May (Enchanted, The House Bunny) and composer Lyle Workman (Forgetting Sarah Marshall, The 40-Year-Old Virgin).

Executive producers for the comedy are Louis G. Friedman (American Wedding), Paul Weitz (American Pie) and Chris Weitz (A Better Life), Seann William Scott and Jason Biggs.

Classification 18

Cleanskin - Operating off the grid

Ewan (Sean Bean) is a Secret Service Agent working undercover in the criminal underbelly of London. His mission is to pose as the body guard of a small time arms dealer and discover who he is selling the Semtex to. However, when they are brazenly ambushed by a masked gunman in a West End hotel lobby, Ewan is shot and wounded and the dealer assassinated. The Semtex is stolen.

Days later, a suicide bomber detonates himself inside a busy London restaurant and the Secret Services worse fears are confirmed – the stolen Semtex was used in the bombing. There is a terrorist cell operating in London, hell bent on bringing death and destruction to the nation’s capital.

Briefed by his operators (Charlotte Rampling and James Fox), Ewan is tasked with finding the cell and executing them. The bombers have detonation triggers sewn into their jackets so they must be shot in sight – head shots only.

His orders are to terminate with extreme prejudice. Operating off grid, no one will know what his mission is; and if he is caught, they will deny all knowledge.

Unknown to Ewan, the mastermind behind these bombings is Ash (Abhin Galeya), an idealistic embittered young man, who was ‘turned’ whilst at University by the charismatic, but Machiavellian, radical Muslim cleric Nabil (Peter Polycarpou). Ash is utterly devoted to the cause but with no criminal history, he is very agent’s worst nightmare. He is a ‘cleanskin’: a terrorist with no previous convictions and unknown to the national security services.

With the clock ticking, Ewan and his partner Mark (Tom Burke) discover and assassinate two members of the cell, but Ash escapes and rushes to the location of his final and most lethal bombing. It is the wedding of a prominent American neo-con’s daughter at a large, central London hotel. Can Ewan and Mark take him out before the unthinkable occurs?

Classification 18

Films are released by KRS

  • don't miss