Dylan Matthew's blog

There were some memorable moments, but the Edinburgh Film Festival 2011 was generally a lacklustre, disappointing affair, that looked like it was cobbled together at the last minute.

In spite of prior rumblings and fears, this year's EIFF will be more accessible and vibrant in many ways than previous years

Tron Legacy lives up to the hype, looks great, sounds great and the 3D’s up to scratch so go see it on the biggest screen you can find.

As Edinburgh's snow related problems plummet new depths, it feels like we are in the script of a Hollywood disaster movie.

 As the musicians take the stage in front of Nobles Bar's large dominating set of stained glass windows the sun comes out and highlights the central image high above them, of Madonna and child in a boat alone in the ocean.

Dylan offers some of his highlights of the recently ended Edinburgh International Film Festival

Just a brief note to say that if you are free today there are two extraordinary films worth seeing at the Edinburgh Film Festival.

Day 5 of the Edinburgh Film Festival ended on a high after the gentle delights of Mai Mai Miracle (see earlier blog/review). In the afternoon I attended a Scottish Screen reception on the sunny rooftop of the Delegate Centre which has almost 360° panoramic views of the city. There I ran into Morag McKinnon and Colin McLaren, director and writer of the much anticipated Donkeys which was to receive its world premiere just a few hours later.

Edinburgh Film Festival hots up, literally

It's Day 4 of the Edinburgh Film Festival and it really feels now like its taking off.

Gangs of skateboarding kids and mini clusters of homeless swilling winos (i.e. the usual residents of Bristo Square) were in for a surprise last Wednesday evening when the relative calm of the night was shattered by the sight of Sir Sean Connery grooving away and getting on down alongside ostrich-feathered dancing girls, a balkan-esque band and stilt walkers.

A couple of days ago I collected my EIFF press pass and main programme guide from the del

I knew I had to be somewhere yesterday morning as I flumped groggy eyed onto my hideously ugly and uncomfortable sofa and flipped on the daily propaganda and yes folks, David Laws is still resigned

I can tell you this year's EIFF has nearly taken it out of
me. I decided to go for a swim this morning to try and remember what its like
to not be in a cinema and to feel...well just to feel anything to be honest. In
the last two weeks, my muscles for doing anything physical have atrophied into a
sitting half awake position and consequently I sank to the bottom of the pool
like a stone the second I jumped in.

I can’t hear anything this morning. My ears are bleeding thanks to Scotland’s premier psychedelic post rock band who didn’t just play very loudly last night at the HMV Picture House but played through speakers that were actually 747 aircraft engines. Well, it seemed that way to me.

A couple of hours after seeing Spread (see previous blog) I went to see what is probably the most anticipated film of the EIFF, a film that couldn't be further removed from the charming warm breeze of Ashton Kutcher if it tried. I have folks, survived the ordeal that is Antichrist.

A team of road maintenance specialists set upon my head this morning with a pneumatic drill accompanied by a klaxon like siren at the ungodly hour of 8am.

Apologies to anyone who’s been frothing at the mouth with anticipation for my promised daily pearls of wisdom from the EIFF but I have a small confession to make. I have a job. Another job.

Once more unto the breach my friends. I’m back and I’m ready for my annual cinematic adrenalin shot in the arm. The Edinburgh International Film Festival is back and the twain shall coincide once again.

Completely against my predictions (I plumped for Duane Hopkins Better Things), the prolific and ever popular Shane Meadows (having come close once before) wins the Michael