My Top Ten Films of 2012.
So, here we have it - I have watched a fair few films this year and I wanted to look back and review the films that I have enjoyed and try and collate a top ten (or actually, in this case, it is a top 12 due to a trilogy - although in my defence, it is just one story split into three films! That's my excuse and I am sticking to it!). This is not a list of films that have been released this year, but instead, comprises of films I have watched this year, regardless of their release date or whether I have seen them before or not. It is a top 10 of films which have either blown me away, taken me by surprise that have drawn me in wholly, or that have just plain and simply been a joy to watch. In short - what films did I enjoy sitting through the most? So here, in no particular order are my favourite films of this year. Clicking on the poster will take you to the trailer, so if you have not seen them, check out the trailer and see what you think. If you have seen them, let me know if you agree or disagree with my choices using the contact page. Finally, if there are any recommendations you have for the forthcoming 12 months, then please get in touch.
.... And My Bottom Six Films of 2012...
Trailers not included....! I wouldn't waste my time or yours ;)
Moulin Rouge
A young, penniless writer makes his way to Paris to write about the bohemian ideals, Beauty, Freedom, Truth and Love, but he has never been in love, until he meets Satine, a courtesan in the Moulin Rouge. Falling head over heals in love with each other, he is hired to write the latest spectacular musical for the renovated theatre, which is being funded by The Duke, a mean and powerful man who is obsessed with Satine and wants her all to himself. As the two carry on their secret love affair, it ultimately becomes self destructive as Satine pretends to woo The Duke. But all the time, Satine is terminally ill, although she doesn't know this and matters come to a head when the love affair is discovered by The Duke. This film was a real mixture of style, music and staging. Directed in a blur of speedy camera shots which is so quickly cut they make your head spin, the film looks sumptuous and flamboyant. The constant bombardment of song, dance and images comes thick and fast. Where the film comes into it's own is how clever it is in terms of interspersing a mixture of songs and styles (whoever would have thought a mash up of the Can Can and Nirvana could have worked?) and the very range of songs used (Diamonds are a Girls Best Friend through to Heroes, Bollywood, Children of the Revolution and The Sound of Music). This, coupled with it's sheer, relentless opulence made for dazzling viewing. The sets were brimming with objects and people, the costumes were excellent and the whole thing done with such visual flair that it was a feast for the senses. The leads, Ewan McGregor and Nicole Kidman were surprisingly good, as were the supporting cast. But as for the film, it doesn't stop there. What you have amongst the visual treat is a story which, albeit clichéd , packs an emotional punch. This is a very divisive film in terms of it's style and content- one which you will either love or hate, but for me, I loved it. In a year where I have seen so many films, this was a good way to end the year on.
Headhunters
A recruitment headhunter has a successful career, an amazing home and a beautiful wife who he adores. He also has a sideline of breaking into people's homes and stealing valuable works of art to fund his lavish lifestyle. But when he is introduced to a man who has recently sold his company and wants to find employment with a rival, his life spins out of control. Stealing a valuable painting from the candidate, he finds his life is at risk as he is hunted down by the candidate, who is a headhunter himself, but in the military capacity. Finding himself on the run from the constant menace of his would be assassin, he engages in a game of cat and mouse to keep himself alive. This was an excellent Swedish thriller. Made by the same people and the "Girl who..." trilogy, this film was exciting, tense and very enjoyable. It has all the elements of a good thriller, the car chase, the run through the woods, the nearly getting caught, the determined police officer and so on. In many ways, it would be perceived as a thriller by numbers, but despite it's common elements with many other thrillers, it was really quite good. There was genuine tension, some nice twists to the story and a good pay off, but the crowning achievement of the film is how you end up rooting for the weasel-like central character, who, after all, is a thief, a liar and a manipulator. Despite his flaws and the fact that he is not the sort of person who cares for many other people outside of himself and his girlfriend, you can't help but be on his side. Overall, a very good thriller. It doesn't quite reach the heights of the "Girl Who...." trilogy, but then I fear nothing will for some time. But that aside, it is a good little film and one which I thoroughly enjoyed.
Cache
A couple find their domestic bliss impacted on, when they receive a videotape of themselves under surveillance The film shows them coming to and from their home and more tapes follow, accompanied by increasingly violent hand drawn images. The husband, a prominent TV personality, has his own theories about who is behind the tapes and drawings, but the police will not intervene due to the passivity of the stalker, so he makes his own investigations, which force him to revisit events from his childhood which he would rather have remain buried. The title of this French film translates to "Hidden", which sums up this film. The film could be perceived as pretentious given it's multi layered meanings and interpretations. It is billed as a thriller, but played out more as a drama. That said, the whole premise is a good one, and I was attracted to the idea of the story. But where the film comes into it's own, is in it's interpretation of it's own title, with hidden secrets, memories, guilt and feelings. It has secrets withheld between spouses, secrets from son to parents and secrets from the past being resurrected. It also looks at issues of racism and xenophobia both from the individual and from the state, and how this can be hidden in the middle class, suburban perfection of the family. The film used long static shots, blurring the division between whether you thought you were watching the film itself or the video surveillance footage (the long shots similar to the directors other film, Funny Games). The story unfolded in such a way that I was convinced that I had worked out the twist and the ending but the ending was very strange, came out of nowhere and failed to satisfactorily tie up the narrative, but this is not a film as such which has a typical story arc, but one which leaves you mulling it over once it has finished and beyond. It is a thinking man's drama, and one which may well be viewed as pretentious foreign cinema but equally one which may be viewed as thought provoking cinema. The film leaves it up to the viewer as to how much they see in this film and how much and on what level they perceive it, but the remainder that the viewer does not see remains hidden.
Exit Humanity
A soldier returns to his family from the American Civil War, and lives on his farm, until a plague of zombies attacks and he is forced to shoot his wife, who becomes infected. His son is missing and he spends his time searching for his son and hunting the undead. When he finds his son is also a zombie, he has to kill him too, but embarks on a journey through the infested woodland to scatter his sons ashes in a waterfall which would fulfil a promise he made to his son. On his journey, he meets a number of characters who require his help or who can offer him help. But all the while, the zombies are relentless in their pursuit of the living and a war traumatised confederate general is also seeking answers. The synopsis above may sound a bit vague, but this is deliberate as I do not want to spoil the story for you. Told as a man reading from his journal, the film had a story which zigzags and heads off at tangents with each new chapter, and often in unexpected ways. The film was multi layered, being not so much of an all out horror film, but instead being a road movie, drama, story of personal redemption, a character driven piece and a gentle examination of how far people can be pushed if needed. It had undertones of social commentary, with comparisons being easily spotted in terms of HIV and Nazi concentration camps, which seemed to be asking the viewer to look at how far we have come since the 1980's. The performances were all very good, the scenery beautiful and the direction added visual flair by incorporating small segments of animation and overlays of journal pages at times. The characters were well developed and I really enjoyed this film. Like "The Dead", it was an original concept to see a historical/period piece with Zombies instead of the usual modern day setting, making the film quirky and interesting. Overall, it was a very good watching, but one which has to be watched with the right expectations. If you are looking for an all out Zombie action fest, then dig out "La Horde" (although there is plenty of zombie hunting and head-shots in this film too), whereas if you are looking for something which is subtle and focused on characters and emotions as opposed to guns and ammo, then this is well worth it. This is a thinking man's 28 Days Later, and if you think that "Let The Right One In" is a love story, then this is the Zombie film for you.
Creepshow 2
This horror anthology contains three stories of revenge. Written by Stephen King and with a screenplay by George Romero, we meet Old Chief Wooden-Head, a cigar store Indian who comes to life to avenge the murder of the local, kindly store owners. We then join four teenagers who swim out to a raft on a lake and are held hostage by a flesh eating oil slick. Finally, we are introduced to a woman who is racing back from her extra marital affair and is involved in a hit and run with a hitch-hiker - the problem is, the hitch-hiker won't stay dead. This tongue in cheek anthology is generally considered to be a pale imitation of the original Creepshow, but I have to admit to being in the minority and preferring it to the original. The first story is perhaps the weakest, and I think that "The Raft" is probably the best. The whole thing is dated by the hair and fashions more than the story, but overall, it is fun, as opposed to scary and is easy watching. It's low budget shows on the screen, but the special effects are generally not too bad. The segments are bookended by a cartoon wraparound story which is a bit weak, but overall, it is an enjoyable, no brainer to pass on 90 mins when you don't want anything too demanding.
The Raid
A police officer is part of a crack team who enter into a tower block to flush out a crime boss who is using the place as a drug factory. Each floor is littered with lookouts and violent criminals loyal to their leader. Entering into the building, the police quickly discover that they are there on an unofficial mission set up by some corrupt police officers and that they are out-gunned, outnumbered and out of luck. What follows is a battle for survival. This film was outstanding. The action was wholly relentless, not letting up for a second. There was little lead up to the start of the fighting, it was straight into the action set pieces and once it had grabbed you, never let go. The fight scenes were vicious, amazingly choreographed and violent. The characters were developed between the fight scenes without the need for long drawn out scenes. The film was directed with enthusiasm and made excellent use of sound at times (using muted tones to give a brief respite from the explosive action) and was brilliant all round. Once again showing how Hollywood is often one step behind, this Indonesian film directed by a Welshman comes across as the love child of District 13 and La Horde was 96 minutes of mind-blowing entertainment.
Chronicle
Three teenagers find a mysterious object hidden in an underground chamber whilst at a party and their contact with it gives them abilities above and beyond their wildest dreams. They find that they can start to move things with telekinesis, and as they develop their abilities, they find that they can move bigger objects and learn how to fly. But as their powers grow, it takes over one of the youngsters who has their own problems and his dark side takes over. He goes on the rampage with spectacular and devastating results. This film was a really pleasant surprise. I had not heard of it and was bought it as a Christmas present. It was a "found footage" style film, but was done in quite a clever way to show all of the characters at different times and used footage from police camera's CCTV etcetera to broaden the visuals away from the usual hand-held shaky camera. . The film swiftly developed both the characters and the story and built up to a very impressive and enjoyable crescendo which was both exciting and action packed. It could have easily lost it's way, but actually stayed on track with a good story arc. I really did like this film and it was good to be taken by surprise by a film that I had never heard of.
Elf
After crawling into Santa's sack at the orphanage, a baby is raised by the Elves at the North Pole. When Buddy discovers that he is not an Elf, but a human, he sets out on a quest to find his father. Heading to the bright lights, and culture shock, of New York, he discovers that his father is a grumpy workaholic with no Christmas spirit. But Christmas spirit is what is needed for Santa's sleigh to fly and when Santa crashes in Central park, it is up to Buddy to save the day. This delightful film is a Christmas tradition and is watched every year. I have never been a fan of Will Ferrell, but this film is just brilliant. It is funny and gives some genuine laughs, is schmaltzy enough to tug at the heart strings in all the right places, but is never over sugary. The culture clash elements are just hilarious and it is the perfect film for getting in the mood for Christmas. It is brilliant fun and a genuine delight.
Dr Seuss' How The Grinch Stole Christmas
Based on the well loved book by Dr Seuss, the Grinch, who has a heart two sizes too small, lives in a cave above Hoosville where the Hoo's live. Hating Christmas, he sneaks into the town in the middle of the night and steals everything to do with Christmas, but with the help of the Hoo's and their Christmas spirit, the Grinch's heart grows and he tries to put right what he has done. This is a charming animation from 1966 by Warner Bros. The film is voiced by Boris Karloff who narrates and does the voice the Grinch. it is yet another Christmas tradition in the household and, despite being a little dated, is fun, has some nice little musical numbers and brings back happy memories from childhood. It has a short running time, and is nothing particularly new in terms of story, but is faithful to the book. Well worth a watch and far superior to the live action version.
X-Men: First Class
in the 1950's, Professor Eric Xavier is recruited by the FBI to address the issue of genetic mutation after an agent witnesses a military commander being blackmailed by a group of mutants, led by Shaw, who are intent on starting a nuclear war. They pressure the commander to place missiles in Turkey, causing the Russians to retaliate and try to place missiles in Cuba. The mutants goal is to annihilate the "normal" humans and enhance the mutants powers with the radiation and fallout. But Shaw is being relentlessly pursued by Erik Lehnsherr, a mutant who had his mother murdered by Shaw and was subject to horrific experimentation in the concentration camps by Shaw. They tea, up with other mutants to prevent the war, but during their battle, the cracks in their relationship become visible and their priorities and beliefs lead them to be at odds. This was a very good film which nicely reboots the X-Men franchise. I am not a big fan of superhero movies, but I do really like the X-Men films. This prequel was fast paced, action packed and had some good special effects. The performances were all perfectly adequate and it fills in the back stories of a number of characters who are familiar from the other films (Mystique, Beast and most importantly, Magneto and Professor X). It had some clichéd lines at times, and was, in essence, a film whereby the "gang" are rounded up and trained. But it did, in some respects, follow the first X Men film in terms of it establishing the characters and back story, ready for the next films in the series. Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed the film and it has made me want to revisit the other films.
Death Tube: Broadcast Murder Show
A young man who has watched a voyeuristic website where people are killed (although the viewers are not always sure whether it is real or not) wakes up to find himself trapped in a small room and the latest player in the Death Tube Game. Finding a laptop, he finds a that there are 8 people in the game, all competing against each other in a series of tasks to secure the chance to win their freedom. Failure at the task means death. The game is hosted by a bizarre "theme park costume" style yellow bear, who is the vicious and twisted mastermind behind the website. As the stakes get higher, the group work together to complete the tasks and try to win their freedom, but there can only be one winner. This film was similar to Saw in some ways, especially Saw 5, with strangers trying to work out why there are there and trying to work together to complete the necessary tasks. The film was clearly low budget, at times looking like it was filmed on a hand held home video camera, but this added to the overall feeling of the film. The acting was nothing to write home about, but the plot was well written and intriguing. Not very high on the gore content (perhaps as a result of the low budget), this film develops the characters and relationships more than anything and it was all the better for it. It was well directed, with a lot of overlays of the comments of the "website viewers" flashing along the screen, adding to the voyeuristic feel of the film. Overall, it was a good film which I enjoyed and it's running time of just short of two hours flew by.
White Christmas
Two ex army men, who embarked on a successful theatrical show following leaving the army, meet two girls who are due to perform a holiday show at a hotel in Vermont. Following them, the men discover that the hotel belongs to their ex General, who has hit hard times and has been rejected from rejoining the army. To support him, bring in guests to the hotel and make him realise how much the he is still loved, they organise a huge new show to fill the hotel and secretly invite their old army buddies to come. This film was a real feel-good, old fashioned musical. With exhilarating dance routines and musical numbers, it's twee production, great songs, funny one liners and heart warming ending it was an absolute pleasure to watch. I had never seen it before and thoroughly enjoyed it. It was really good to watch a family film with absolutely nothing offensive about it. The only surprise for me was that despite it being about Christmas, it is only in the last few minutes that Christmas trees and Santa hats come into play - leaving the rest of the film not feeling particularly as Christmassy as I expected it to be. But that said, it was a wonderful film which was perfect viewing to accompany mince pies and sloe gin.
The Nightmare Before Christmas
Jack Skellington, the king of Halloween Town has had enough of scaring people and thinks that there must be something more to life. Whilst strolling in the woods (and feeling sorry for himself) he stumbles across Christmas Town and becomes obsessed with the bright lights, snow and joy of the season. Deciding to hijack Christmas, he kidnaps Santa Claus and sets about preparing for his own version of Christmas. But when it all goes horribly wrong, can Jack save the day and restore Christmas to what is should be? This film was great. I think of it as a Christmas film as opposed to a Halloween film (although that is a controversial view). Beautifully animated with stop motion animation, the colourful characters are brought to life with enchantment and enthusiasm. The songs are expertly written by Danny Elfman and the whole thing plays out very much like a sing through musical. Original, funny and entertaining are just three of the ways to describe this fun film. Visually, it is stunning and has a host of townsfolk which have been very thoughtfully designed and who are all individual. The sets are outstanding and the film is one that is well worth a watch.
The Prestige
Two magicians work alongside each other as audience plants until an accident which kills the wife of one of them during a trick. With the bereaved blaming his colleague, the two magicians enter into a rivalry which cranks up the stakes of one-upmanship and turns deadly, as they constantly try to outdo each other both on the stage and in their personal lives. But in trying to discover each other's secrets, one is framed for murder. This film was astounding. It is one I have seen before, but following recommending it to someone at work, I just had to watch it again. I am so pleased I did. It is brilliantly directed by Christopher Nolan. The story is highly original, with so many twists and turns that it makes your head spin. It is clever, intriguing and one of those films which you really have to think about. Only on repeated viewings can it be fully appreciated as everything falls into place. The clues are all there. It is whether you choose to see them. The performances from the cast (Michael Caine in particular) are all very good, the film shot beautifully and it was just excellent all round. It is one of Nolan's films which is under appreciated, given that it is overshadowed by his Batman trilogy and by Inception, but is certainly up there with the best of them.
I Still Know What You Did Last Summer
Four teenagers undertake what they feel is a harmless prank at the local 4th July fair, pretending to be a legendary hook wielding killer in fisherman's slicks, chasing their friend through the crowd to scare the townsfolk, But the prank goes horribly wrong and one of the falls to their death. Covering up their involvement in the prank, the following summer, the four teenagers involved find themselves pursued by the real fisherman. This film was absolutely dire. Uninteresting clichéd characters (the pretty but sensible girl, the dopey but subsequently heroic shy guy who likes her, the arrogant jock and the rebellious wannabe rock star troubled teen), zero tension, no thrills, "plot twists" you could see coming a mile away, poor acting, poor story, terrible ending.... just pretty dire all round. Even it's 94 minute running time seemed like a lifetime. I would struggle to see one redeeming feature in this film, which is saying something.
This Is It
This film charts the rehearsals of the comeback tour that Michael Jackson was about to embark on (in a record breaking run at the O2 Arena), but his death shortly before the run was about to start, led to the release of this "tribute" film. Kenny Ortega, who was directing the stage show puts together as much completed rehearsal footage together to try to demonstrate the show Jackson was trying to create. When this film starts, there are a number of the backing dancers crying and saying how wonderful Jackson was. At that stage, I did think I was about to embark on a two hour, self indulgent love-fest. What it was in reality was a pretty straight forward look at the work, with Jackson belting through his greatest hits and dance routines with a talented cast and crew. Whilst the film has some parts which look behind the scenes at Jackson working and putting together the show, the main bulk is just the musical numbers which are presented as completely as possible. It is, in essence, the DVD of the tour which never was and does show what a spectacular concert he was about to give. I was dubious upon first watching the film, perhaps bordering on cynical (I felt that it's limited two week cinema release was a cash in on the death of Jackson), but what you actually get is a fairly decent two hours of entertainment. It goes without saying that if you are not a fan, then you should perhaps steer clear, but if nothing else, it is worth watching just to see how freakishly big MJ's hands are (which, I am afraid, will be my enduring memory of this film!).
Star Trek
Following a bar fight, a young James T. Kirk joins Star Fleet and soon works his way up the student ranks. Following an emergency distress call from the planet Vulcan, they students are thrust into the world of real combat against a rogue Romulan who is out to avenge the future destruction of his planet by travelling into the past through a black hole and destroying the Federation planets before time catches up and they destroy his planet. But with Spock brought from the future to witness the destruction of his home planet and with a young Spock and a young Kirk at each other's throats, the fate of Earth lies in their hands. This film was absolutely fantastic. I have never been a Star trek fan, but this film blew me away. The action set pieces followed each other at breakneck pace, but they were wrapped into a good story and around well developed characters. The special effects were excellent and the whole film was a joy to watch. Like "Inception", is one of those films that I never think to watch, but I am so glad to have rediscovered it. If there was one flaw in it, it was Simon Pegg once again playing himself and doing his usual contorted face pulling which he calls acting (why JJ Abrahams (or anyone for that matter) keeps casting him I will never know), but when a film is this good, it can be forgiven for such a quibble. The cast were great as the young crew (Zachary Quinto in particular excelled as Spock) and I for one cannot wait for the sequel.
Flatliners
Five young medical students participate in the ultimate experiment when they take it in turns to undergo a medically induced death only to be brought back to life by their colleagues. They use the time that they flat-line to explore what is beyond death with the hope and intention of bringing back the answers to what lies out there. But what they do is bring back something with them, and it is not necessarily the answers. This 90's film was excellently directed by Joel Schumacher. He is a very underrated director and does a great job with creating a visually attractive film, with scenes flooded in blue and red washes and long, lingering, fluid, sweeping camera shots. The themes of the film explore regret and guilt and there are aspects of the story which are recognisable to the viewer. The beautiful cast were the 90's equivalent of the Brat Pack, but this does not detract from an original story which is expertly handled by Schumacher. Whist the cast are on the screen, the visuals are the star.
Wilde
Oscar Wilde, famous playwright, author and wit sidesteps the comfort of his marriage and embarks on a tempestuous and stormy relationship with the son of a lord built on obsessional love, which is ultimately destructive to both of them. Enraged by his son's relationship, Lord Queensbury evokes a trial whereby, despite standing up for what he believes to be right, leads to the downfall of Wilde and eventually his imprisonment over "the love that dare not speak it's name". This biopic was interesting in terms of it's historical context and was the usual high quality period drama that is synonymous with British film. Stephen Fry gives a good performance as Wilde, despite him effectively playing a version of himself. Jude Law is better than expected as his young muse and the supporting cast of British actors all offer solid performances. The film was a little drawn out and slow in places, but overall was not too bad. It is not the best film I have seen, but was compelling enough, despite this being a film genre which I am not particularly that fond of. Once the Court case started, it did seem to pick up it's pace and was overall an interesting biopic, but one which could have been a little punchier in it's pace and one which is perhaps best watched on a lazy Sunday afternoon.
Life of Pi
A young man called Pi is raised in a zoo in India, but due to circumstances beyond his control, his family sell the animals and head to a new life in Canada. Transporting the majority of the zoo's attractions on a freighter ship with them, having sold them to zoos in North America, the ship hits a ferocious storm and sinks, leaving Pi stranded in a lifeboat with a hyena, a baboon, a zebra with a broken leg and a Bengal tiger by the name of Richard Parker in the middle of the pacific ocean. What follows is the amazing story of the man who engaged in the most remarkable journey. Based on the best selling, prize winning and well loved book, this film was one I was really looking forward to. Having read the book (and really enjoyed it) only a couple of months ago, I was unsure about how this would transfer to the screen, but I had high hopes given that Ang Lee was behind the film and it had cast largely unknown actors in virtually all of the roles. Starting with the negatives, the film was in 3D, which I thought would lend itself to the epic journey well, but in actual fact was completely redundant and wholly unnecessary. Unnecessary overlapping of images, needless shots of birds flying towards the audience and pointy sticks protruding out of the screen were disappointing touches. There were times when 3D could have transformed the film, using perspective and distance in a similar way to Avatar, but this opportunity was missed. I would have much preferred to see the movie in 2D, or in 3D done properly. The second issue I had with the film was that some of the direction over relied on florescent imagery, notably at 3 key points in the film, all of which, I thought, took the film into the realms of fantasy, when the story was played out in a straight and factual way for the majority of the film. That said, these are minor quibbles when a film is as good as this one. The two sections that bookend the main story were fine, with good performances from the actors and a good balance between the not over complicating itself with the religious aspects of the book. But the ship sinking and the subsequent time on the lifeboat were fantastic. The lead actor, to say this was his first film. gave an outstanding performance. His character was touching and easy to relate to and his performance provided a range of emotions in the viewer. But the star of the film for me, was the CGI tiger, Richard Parker. Amazingly done, the special effects really brought life to all of the CGI animals, but for a CGI character to raise such emotion within the viewer is where Ang Lee excels in this film. Given the amount of audience members weeping during the movie, it is clear it wasn't just me that it touched. There were aspects of the book that were excluded wholly, and aspects which were reduced, but nothing so as to detract from the main story and in a way which would ruin the film. It was a very brave film to take on, and one which largely is very successful. The film, at times, looks stunning and it is reminiscent of Castaway at times, with a one man cast holding together a significant chunk of the film. The 2 hour 10 mins running time flew by and I am looking forward to seeing this film again. It is not a film which is to everyone's tastes and some may find it slow going as there is no fast paced dialogue or relentless action. It has more than a hint of "Oscar" about it - for acting, special effects and best film (in my view), but regardless of that, as a touching and gentle study of one man's unbelievable story, it comes highly recommended.
Road To Perdition
The great depression of the 1930's is at it's worst. A man, who has been taken in by the local gangster and treated like a son, finds himself on the wrong end of a double cross, when his son witnesses him and an "uncle" from the family murder a man. Using the witnessing of the incident as an excuse, the uncle murders the man's wife and other child, leaving him to go on the run with his son, all the time chased by his former family and a hit man hired to take him out. But during the course of the film, it becomes apparent that the Uncle has a secret that may blow the family apart from the inside. This film was very stylish and based on a graphic novel. Leaving behind the style of 300 and Sin City, this is more of an elegant affair. Visually dark to reflect the depression hit setting and the dark undertones of the story, Sam Mendes does an excellent job. The performances by the cast as a whole were excellent, Tom Hanks was very good, as as Daniel Craig, Jude Law and Paul Newman. This was a very slow moving film, and not my usual type of movie, but I did enjoy it, it drew me in and turned out to be better than I expected. I particularly liked the stylistic nods to the classic gangster films, with it's persistent rain, silhouetted figures and monotone dialogue. it was not the best film I have ever seen, but it was worth a watch.
Inception
Hobbs is a man with a special gift. He has the skills, technology and contacts to manipulate and enter into other peoples dreams to extract information. But when he is offered the chance to invade the subconscious of the man who is about to take over the largest energy company in the world to plant an idea, rather than extract one, he takes the challenge, despite him facing his own personal demons which confront him in the dream state. By planting the seed of an idea at a very deep level (in a dream within a dream within a dream) they team have to battle the "mental security" of their victim, Hobb's past (which he has kept secret from the team) and somehow manage to escape undetected. This film was absolutely mind blowing. The story was complicated and multi layered (in more ways than one), leading to a film which you really have to concentrate on, but it is one of those films which really does reward the viewer for their efforts. The special effects were flawless, the action was breathtaking and relentless, the story original and incredibly clever and the ambiguities in the story, the interplay between the real world and the dream world and the excellent performances from the cast made this one of the stand-out films of the last few years. Expertly handled by writer and director Christopher Nolan, this film certainly helps to cement his reputation as one of the most original and talented film makers in many years. The film once again blew me away, and made me wonder why I do not watch it more often.
We Are What We Are
A man collapses and dies in the street leaving his family to fend for themselves. But this is no ordinary family. They are cannibals, who relied upon their father to provide their food. But with him gone, they have to fend for themselves. The siblings argue amongst themselves about who should lead the family, one brother is a sensitive soul despite his upbringing, the other brother is a violent, hot headed young man and the sister tries desperately to mediate between them. Whilst the mother remains hysterical at the loss of her husband and tries to keep her mental health stable, the family head out to try to obtain someone for "the ritual", but can they make the transition from recipients to providers. This Mexican film was an unusual one, which was not the blood-soaked, gore-fest which I expected, rather it was reminiscent of "Let The Right One In", in terms of being something else other than a horror film. Whilst "Let The Right One In" was *(in my view) a tender love story, this film was a study of a family in crisis, with it's character driven story proving to be more about the interactions of the protagonists than an all out slasher. It dealt with themes of rivalry, harboured secrets and portrays the family with sympathy, for they are cannibals as a result of poverty as opposed to choice. But it's dark and brooding atmosphere create an engaging piece of film which was a little off centre as opposed to the usual cannibal films. That said, it is a film which has to be watched in the right frame of mind.
A Christmas Carol - The Musical
Ebenezer Scrooge is the meanest man in town, and his bitterness is legendary. But one Christmas eve, he is visited by the ghost of his former business partner who warns him he will meet with three ghosts - the spirits of Christmas past, present and future. As the clock strikes one, the first of his ghostly visitors arrive, but can they change Scrooge and his miserly ways? This made for TV movie is based on the stage show (which I saw a couple of weeks ago) and was an absolute joy. The songs were instantly likeable, catchy and memorable. Kelsey Grammer was great in the lead role and the supporting cast were all more than adequate. The musical numbers were undertaken with gusto and enthusiasm and the musical routines were both enjoyable and uplifting. The proceedings were wholly saccarine and sugar coated, there were "mockney" accents aplenty and the snow covered sets were bright with the California Sunshine, but this, to me, all added to the charm of this utterly delightful film. It may have been corny, but it never pretends to be anything other than what it is, which is an unashamedly enjoyable family film. Overall, it amounted to an excellent guilty pleasure and a film which will be no doubt join Elf to be watched and re-watched every Christmas eve without fail.
Clash Of The Titans
Perseus is a demi god, his father is Zeus and his mother the wife of a king who had led a rebellion against the Gods some years ago. Adopted as a baby by a fisherman and his wife, Perseus lives the simple life of a mortal until, in yet another uprising when the mortals become weary of the Gods, his family is accidentally killed by Hades. Swearing revenge, Perseus embarks on a journey to avenge the death of his family, whilst all of the time the war between Gods and man rages on and Hades plots against his brother Zeus. This remake of the 1983 family favourite was far better than the poor reception from critics and public would have you believe. Sam Worthington grunts and sweats his way through the exciting and fast paced action sequences and Liam Neeson and Ralph Finnes camp it up as Zeus and Hades. The action is relentless, with the film moving quickly from one set piece to another, which does make the film a little disjointed at times and, it could be argued that is is nothing more than a number of action sequences held together by a very weak story. That may be true to an extent, but it means that it does avoid the padding and stretching out of the original film. The special effects are good enough, the script is average and the story and development of characters are thin. But this is a film which should be enjoyed for what it is, which is a straight forward, no brainer action flick. When watched in the right frame of mind, this was a great piece of Friday night fodder.
Wrath Of The Titans
After the death of his wife, Perseus and his son continue to live the lives of mortal fishermen. Zeus asks Perseus to help him enter the underworld to face the growing threat of Chronos, the father of the Gods and a Titan whom the Gods defeated before. Chronos is on the rise and after being betrayed by Hades, Zeus finds himself held captive and his power being drained to reinvigorate the titan. Persues, with the help of the son of Posiden, another demi-god, enter the realms of Hades to stop the threat of the Titan and rescue Zeus. This film was more of the the same, in terms of it being non stop action set pieces held together by the flimsiest of stories. The budget was clearly much bigger as the special effects were a vast improvement on the original and did look spectacular at times. The action was once again fast paced and came at breakneck speed, moving from one set piece to another. This once again did lead to the story (which was based around the issue of family dynamics) being slightly disjointed at times, but overall, this was an enjoyable piece of popcorn fodder. When compared to the first film, it had less story, better special effects, but was just as entertaining. It was the kind of film that you enjoy, but doesn't stay with you for that long after the credits roll. That said, it was great fun.
Good Night And Good Luck
During the 1950's, the McCarthy witch-hunts in respect of communism were pressing ahead and you were assumed to be a communist if you spoke up against the draconian hearings held by the government. The accusations were made against everyone from those in the public eye to those on the street. As paranoia grips the nation, a young man is discharged from the air force following his father being found to be a subscriber to a Serbian newspaper. This story was picked up by Edward J. Murrows, a famous TV broadcaster and journalist, who becomes tired of the unfounded persecution of the everyman and takes a stance against the Governments. This leads to a media war between McCarthy and Murrows after CBS dissented from towing the line with the government and directly challenging the US Government policy. The film focusses on the backroom decisions behind what has been considered for many years as a pioneering piece of gold standard journalism. This film was excellently directed by George Clooney (who also co-stars) and at times is shot almost with the feel of a documentary. The film is black and white and sumptuously shot, with a 1950's soft focussed veneer, reflecting the time period of the film. The performance by David Straithaim as Murrows is flawless and the supporting case all provide subtle yet powerful performances. The film also cleverly intersperses footage of the McCarthy hearings and interviews from the time, lending an air of authenticity to the proceedings. A surprising little film which deserved it's critical acclaim and deserved more of a commercial success.
Changeling
Based on a true story, a mother returns from work to find that her son has gone missing. In desperation she calls the police, and after a desperate search, a young boy is returned to her. The police insist that he is her son, but she is convinced that he is not. Despite her protestations, the police won't admit that they have made a mistake as they have recently attracted enough negative press, so she is incarcerated in a psychiatric unit. However, with the help of a preacher who dedicates his life and sermons to revealing the corruption in the LAPD, she takes action against the police whilst never giving up on the search for her son. This film was absolutely excellent and I really enjoyed it. It was subtly directed by Clint Eastwood, who uses muted tones to draw you in to the story without the need for flash distracting techniques. Angelina Jolie is a revelation, turning in a great performance and was almost unrecognisable. The costumes of the 20's and 30's set story were great and Jolie looked absolutely stunning. The supporting cast were all excellent, and there was not a poor performance in the whole thing, especially some of the child actors. What starts off as a drama moves into the courtroom in the latter half of the film and the film was just one of those which just engages the viewer. The film was a real surprise, being much better than I expected. Very highly recommended.
The Sound of Music
This classic, well loved family film is the story of Maria, a nun who becomes a governess for a family of 7 children who reside in a strict household run by a former navy captain. Over the course of her time there, she befriends the children, falls in love with the Captain and brings music and happiness back into the household. But with the rise of the Nazi party, the family must escape Austria and secure their future. This film is camp, twee and corny, but it is wholly enjoyable when watched for what it is and has to be the epitome of a guilty pleasure. The songs are all time classics (the type of songs where you know the words whether you have seen the film before of not) and it is a testament to the film that it still stands as an all time classic after all these years. Julie Andrews is excellent in the lead role, the film is well directed by Robert Wise (who also did West Side Story) and the children were not as annoying and they could have been. Overall, a lovely film with excellent musical numbers, a classic story, great performances and an example of how they really "don't make 'em like they used to". Put the tweeness and camp to one side and enjoy this film for what it is.
I Saw The Devil
A Korean special agent falls on the wrong side of the law when his fiancée is killed by a notorious serial killer. Driven by rage and vengeance, he takes leave from work and tracks down the killer, catching him, beating him and then releasing him, like a cat playing with a mouse before the kill. As the beatings become more vicious and brutal, the cop finds himself turning into someone or something just as unimaginable as the man he is hunting. This Korean thriller was excellent. Plenty of violence, gore and hard action, but taught, thrilling and tense. Some people complain that it slows in the middle, but I didn't think that at all. The characters are well developed and rounded. The leads are excellent and the director does a more mainstream job then usual, directing the proceedings in a less stylistic way than a number of his other films. Overall, it was an excellent crime thriller. It is such a shame that when there are such good stories and films out there like this, that many people are put off by foreign language and subtitles.
Funny Games
A family are held hostage in their lakeside holiday home by two strangers - young men with an outward appearance of politeness and good manners, but underneath, they are sadistic and brutal individuals who bully, torture and maim the couple and their young son. As they try to escape, the family find themselves in more and more danger, as the unhinged strangers keep on with their sick games. I do feel very mixed about this film. At times, it was interestingly shot, with the camera lingering in one position, allowing the action to unfold for uncomfortably long periods of time. There were strange moments whereby the actors addressed the audience directly, which jolted the viewer ("are they talking to me?"). The performances of the cast were good, especially the two strangers, but overall, the film started off well and seemed to slack off, with the actions of the family becoming increasingly unrealistic (for example, mentioning that there was a working mobile phone in the car, yet spending all their time trying to get one in the house to work that was broken). Towards the end of the film, I was becoming increasingly bored, but this may have been down to me being tired and not feeling too well when watching it. It was an OK film, but after the initial build up,. the story didn't seem to develop as it could have, which ultimately led to the film simply becoming flat. Perhaps a second viewing may be in order?
Halloween H20
Twenty years after the horrific events of that night in Haddonfield, Laurie Strode is living under a new persona, with a job as a head teacher at an upmarket boarding school. Despite residing behind the secured gates and the protection of the security staff, she is still suffering from flashbacks of her brother stalking her. As Halloween approaches, Michael Myers tracks down his sister and tries to finish off what he started all those years ago. But Laurie Strode has other ideas and can no longer reside in fear, so decides to fight back. This film was meant to be a celebration of the Halloween legend, but does miss the mark. There are ample nods to the original film (with some parallels in terms of situations or camera shots) but the film never really hits the heights of the original, despite having Jamie Lee Curtis back in what many consider to be her signature role. The film is ruined by the introduction of "typical teens" and a rapper in one of the main roles. The film lacked tension or any real sense of threat or suspense.The genius of (the original) Halloween is in it's simplicity and lack of clichés, which cannot be said for the generic horror film this turns out to be. All in all, H20 is proof that they don't make 'em like they used to....
The Dead
An American engineer finds himself on the last evacuation flight out of an unnamed African country which has been torn apart by war and is now being torn apart from hoards of the dead who roam the plains in search of food. Constantly surrounded by the dead and running out of ammunition, the engineer teams up with an African soldier who has deserted the army in a desperate attempt to to find his son, who has been picked up and taken to safety by a military convoy. Travelling through the plains in a battered van, the two make their way to try to reunite their families, one in America and one in Africa. However, the constant threat of the dead, who are hungry for flesh, is ever present. This film was very very good. It was beautifully shot and looked stunning - the African countryside was beautiful to look at and provided an unusual backdrop to a good zombie story. The attacks were gory and menacing and the relationship growing between the two men thrown into a horrific situation was warming in contrast to the constant menace all around them. I thoroughly enjoyed this film and it is one of the best zombie films I have watched and one of the better films I have seen of late. it comes highly recommended.
Storm Warning
A couple find themselves lost whilst out on a boating trip and end up sailing up a drainage ditch where the water becomes so shallow that they resort to walking to try and find help. As a heavy storm brews in the sky, the come across a farm house, which is home to a father and two brothers, all of whom are less than desirable. The couple are tormented, tortured and physically injured, but the tables turn when they find themselves locked in the shed and at risk of real harm. In order to escape, they realise that they need to become the same as the family and fight fire with fire. This neat little Australian shocker was short in it's running time and seemed to be a lot of build up (the majority of the film was building up to the face off) but it was well worth the wait, as the inventive and violent deaths hit the viewer. It was overall an enjoyable horror film - it was nothing that had not been seen a million times before in terms of story, but the methods used to exact revenge and secure their escape were inventive and original. A nice little film to round off some great Halloween viewing.
Meat Grinder
A young woman who is psychologically disturbed following her abusive childhood and the murder of he daughter struggled to keep reality in perspective. She is of the view that the secret to good Thai cooking is fresh human flesh and blood. She starts with a noodle cart and after a riot, she finds a dying man hiding in it, Using him as ingredients, she opens a noodle shop and quickly becomes very popular, due to her delicious food, but she needs more victims for the food to continue. With her mental health spiralling out of control, she becomes more and more disturbed and violent. This Thai film was a bloody, gory and at times violent little film. The special effects were great and there was literally bucket-loads of blood and plenty to make you squirm. The story, however, was a steadily paced and the ending did drag out a little (it could have done with being about 15 minutes shorter). But overall, it was a nice addition to the "foreign horror" collection and made me shift uncomfortably in my seat on a few occasions.
Midnight Meat Train
A young photographer trying to get his big break and is undertaking a project shooting "the city as no one else has ever seen it". Taking photographs of strangers at night, he stumbles upon a woman who is being attacked on the subway, and after intervening, she gets on the train, only to never be seen again. He starts his own investigation into her disappearance and uncovers not only a long line of people who have disappeared on the subway, but also a giant hulk of a man who he suspects may be murdering them on the train and disposing of their bodies. But as his investigation leads him closer to the truth, it places him at real risk. This film was above average, but not great. There are some good (gory) special effects and plenty of blood for the gore hounds and the film as a whole benefits from it's urban and familiar setting.. It also has a decent performance from Bradley Cooper in the lead, but where it falls down is with a daft ending (the last five or so minutes) and with the casting of Vinnie Jones in the role of the murder. Whilst he does not speak (which is a blessing) he never really brings menace to the role and his acting is, as usual, just wooden. I did not buy into the character at all, instead, just being able to see Vinnie Jones in a suit. That said, if you can forgive it for those two faults, it was a watchable enough little horror which would have been elevated with a better actor in the role of the violent murderer.
Children Of The Corn
A couple are travelling along the deserted roads of Nebraska, arguing along the way and heading towards the end of their marriage faster than they are to their destination, when their car hits a small child who runs out of the corn fields into their path. Upon examination, it transpires it was not the impact that killed him, but his throat had been slit by an unknown assailant prior to the accident. The couple head to the local town of Catlin, where time seems to have stood still and the streets are empty. But the town harbours a dark secret - a population where the children have killed all the adults and where the fanatically religious Isaac leads the murderous children to sacrifice each other and any other outsiders to the deity of "he who walks behind the rows" of corn. There follows a game of cat and mouse as the couple flee for their lives. This wholly unnecessary remake of the 1980's film of the same name (based on a Stephen King story) was just abysmal and had virtually no redeeming features whatsoever. Over long (even at it's pretty short 90 mins running time), poor acting, poor casting, unlikeable main characters, poor special effects, unnecessary and ridiculous changes to the original story, complete lack of menace, threat or tension, sloppy direction and, in summary, was just plain terrible. It is one of those films where you have to wonder why they bothered at all.
The Commitments
The Commitments are the hardest working band in Dublin, who are formed by managed Jimmy Rabbite to bring soul to the working Northsiders of Dublin. With the help of Joey "The Lips" Fagan, an old horn player (and a player in more ways than one), the band go from their initial gig at the church hall to great things, but the tensions in the band caused by egos, personal problems, rivalry and creative differences mean that it is not long before the cracks start to show. This brilliant film charts the rise and fall of the band and is hugely entertaining as it does. The film has great performances all round from a talented bunch of musicians (all of whom were plucked from obscurity, X Factor style, prior to filming). Andrew Strong as the lead singer excels with his outstanding voice and the musical numbers are excellent interpretations of soul classics. The script is funny, witty and clever but in amongst the comedy and musical performances the film has, at it's heart, a touching tale of friendship and ambition. It was a joy to rediscover this little gem of a film.
Dumb and Dumber
Two accident prone and thick as pudding friends, Harry and Lloyd, head out on a road trip to return a briefcase to a wealthy and attractive heiress, but their act of kindness finds them embroiled in the middle of a kidnap plot as it transpires that they have picked up the bag containing the ransom money. As they travel cross country to Aspen, they find themselves in all sorts of bizarre situations, as they are relentless pursued by the kidnappers trying to claim their ransom who have mistaken them for professional rivals. This film was still very funny, even after having seen it numerous times before. There were still some belly laughs to be had and despite never really been a big fan of Jim Carrey, I have to say that he is brilliant in this. Jeff Daniels is overshadowed by Carrey, but is equally as impressive as Lloyd. Whilst the film was not as funny as I remember it, it was still very enjoyable. The humour varies between outright slapstick to very subtle and it was a good way to round off an evening.
Sin City
In Sin City, crime and corruption is rife, life it cheap and chaos and violence rule. The film follows the lives of a handful of characters, all with their own stories of revenge, violence or redemption. A police officer chases a paedophile who believes his untouchable because of his connections with the Mayor. A thug who seeks to avenge the death of the prostitute he has fell in love with and a gang of women who run the streets in their section of town based on their rules. The intertwining lives and stories of Sin City are laid bare. This stylistic film was beautifully shot in black and white, with splashed of colour. Filmed very much like a comic book, thereby being faithful to it's source material, the film was beautiful to look at (similar to 300 in style) and was suitably dark and bleak in it's outlook. At times the warmth of the characters came shining through (mirroring the splashes of colour which occasionally appear). The performances were good all round, the special effects were great and the character interesting and engaging. Overall, not a film I thought I would enjoy when I initially watched it, but I was happy to prove myself wrong and it was good to see it again.
5150 Elms Way
A young film student is out in the suburbs, when he has an accident on his bike and is injured. He knocks on the door of a local taxi driver to ask if he can clear himself up and whilst in the kitchen, hears a cry for help from upstairs. Investigating the noise, he finds a young man laying severely injured on the floor, but his discovery leads to him being locked in the room by the taxi driver. He is held captive, with no explanation as to why, and is tortured and beaten. The taxi driver is a religious fanatic and chess champion who is trying to fulfil his own personal mission. The two eventually strike a deal that if the young boy beats the driver at a game of chess, he wins his freedom..... But who was the injured man and what is the personal mission that drives the taxi driver? As the young man finds the answers to these questions, he tries desperately to hold onto his sanity and grasp his freedom. This French film was an interesting and intriguing horror/thriller, with an original(ish) plot which twists and turns. The film is sympathetically directed towards the plight of the young man and cleverly reflects his descent into desperation. The leads are good, and although some of the characters are a little cliché at times, it does not detract from a nice little thriller. It was lower on the gore and violence than I was expecting, but what I found instead of a horror was more of a psychological horror/thriller which was worth watching and posed some interesting questions about morality.
Three Extremes
A trio of tale from some prominent directors of Asian cinema, each one with a sting in the tale. In the first story called "Dumplings", a woman visits an unorthodox doctor who's food contains an ingredient which helps her to keep young and beautiful. But youth comes at a price, but how much will she pay to maintain her looks. In the second story, "Cut", a film director is held hostage by an extra he has used on his films who gives him the choice to perform a difficult task or watch his pianist wife have one of her fingers cut off every five minutes that the task remains uncompleted. Finally, in "Box", a sister harbouring a horrific guilt following an accident in her youth is haunted by her actions. All of these stories were very good. Dumplings was uncomfortable viewing and worked perfectly as a short story. The acting was excellent and the story was filmed with subtlety given it's subject matter and had a nice twist in the end. "Cut" was another great little story, with an ending which you had to think about. The gore was subtle and shown just enough to make you shift uneasily in your seat. The final story "Box£ is told in flashback and has a lot of implication in it, making it something to think about. These three films were all ones with confusing endings, but endings which made you think about them long after the film had finished. If you imagine an extreme version of Tales of the Unexpected, then you are somewhere close to what this film is.
Three Extremes .... 2
The second film in this series brings three more tales filmed by three more directors from Asia. The first film is a tale of a husband and wife who are separated, but have no idea why or how. As the wife makes her way to the desolate futuristic city where he is residing, the Husbands memories become more and more confused. The second film is based on the Thai legend that puppets used for theatre shows are loyal to their master even after death and that anyone who tries to bring the puppets to life will die. A troupe of actors find themselves subjected to the curse. The final film is about a policeman who's son goes missing and his rather reclusive neighbours who practice a strange herbal medicine are the prime suspects after their little girl is seen playing with him in the deserted corridors. Once again, this was an excellent trilogy of films. It didn't quite reach the heights of the initial film, perhaps because I knew more what to expect. The first tale was a little slow paced at times, but entertaining nonetheless. The second piece was perhaps the weakest of all six short stories and I did find myself willing the story to move forward at times. But that said, the last story was excellent, with a great third act and a nice twist in the tail. Overall, one good, one not quite as good and one excellent. Despite the weaker middle link, still a highly recommended collection.
The Grey
A band of oil-riggers are heading home from their post, when their plane crashes into the Alaska wilderness, leaving only a handful of survivors. The harsh reality of the situation quickly comes home, as the howling wind, driving snow and freezing temperatures take their toll. But there is a more immediate threat to their survival in the form of a massive pack of wolves, who are vigorously defending their territory from the intruders. Running for their lives, the survivors try desperately to survive their perusers, the harsh weather, starvation and the elements. This was an excellent film. The first thing to mention is the excellent performance from Liam Neeson, who is perhaps at the best I have seen him for a long time. That said, the whole cast were excellent, and the performances were convincing, understated, genuine and touching. The cinematography was stunning and the scenery was beautiful. The thing I really enjoyed was the hidden menace of the wolves, which are not always in view, but were hinted at, by way of a glimpse of a shadow or a low growl. The lack of the wolves being constantly on screen meant that you became immediately empathic with the main characters and shared their peril. You constantly felt the wolves were breathing down your neck, which (with the surround sound) immersed the viewer even more in the film. The film was more of a survival drama than an action film, but was all the better for it. This was an excellent drama, highly enjoyable and touching. Highly recommended.
Cannibal Apocalypse
Following a daring rescue in the jungles of Vietnam, a Sargent rescues two of his colleagues who have been held captive and starved. Their desperation for food brings them to cannibalism. Flash forward to modern day America, where the two captives have been in a psychiatric unit. When one of them is sent out into town on day release, he ends up in a gunfight with the local police which leads to the three Vietnam veterans reuniting, but they discover that they all share a desire to devour chunks of human flesh as a result of a virus they picked up in Vietnam. They go on the run, but will the police be able to stop them before they spread the virus? This was billed as they "original video nasty", although watching it, it is hard to see why. The film is incredibly dated, although that said, it is over 30 years old. It is full of badly edited 80's action and wacca-wacca guitar music (making it sound more like a 70's porn film than a video nasty!), and the shocking moments which earned it it's video nasty label and cult status are few and far between. Looking at it now, it is hard to see why this was classed as so shocking upon release, but I do wonder whether that is evidence of how desensitised we have become to film violence. It is perhaps more gritty than a lot of the horror films around that time, owing more to Taxi Driver than The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, and there was an interesting analogy between a chase through the sewers of Atlanta and the tunnels permeating the Vietnam jungle. Overall, it was an OK film, but ultimately, fairly forgettable. As a piece of cinema history, it was interesting and it was good to see what got the BBFC so riled at the time.
One Eyed Monster
The cast and crew of an adult film trek up to a group of abandoned cabins in the mountains to film their latest production, but a storm isolates them and they find themselves stranded. Continuing with the shoot, porn legend, Ron Jeremy (playing himself) is struck by some kind of lightening bolt, causing his "one eyed monster" to come to life, detach itself from his body and go on the rampage, with the cast and crew being picked off by Ron Jeremy's dismembered member, which, it transpires, has been possessed by an alien. Thankfully, the "local recluse", a damaged Vietnam vet, who has encountered the beast before helps the crew to hatch a plan to survive. This comedy horror was good fun and was as tacky, crass and crude as you would expect. Filled with some rather adult orientated one liners, a couple of laugh out loud moments and a few low budget special effects made this a fun 80 minutes viewing. To be fair, the joke did wear a little thin towards the end, but overall, given that it was picked up at the local pound shop, it was worth the quid I spent on it. It is certainly no cinematic masterpiece by any stretch of imagination, but it never pretends to be anything other than what it is, which is a cheap, low budget, tacky, self referential movie which falls into the so bad it is good genre and is entertaining in itself. No doubt, this will become cult viewing at some stage in the future.
The Human Centipede
Two young American girls on a tour of Europe head out for an evening taking in the German night-life, but in their car breaks down in the woods and they head out into the rain filled night to try to find help. They stumble across a house in the middle of nowhere, and the gentleman who resides there is a little odd, but accommodating. However, after drugging them, they find themselves waking up shackled to a hospital bed and ready to fulfil the "Doctor's" sick fantasy - to join three human beings by connecting them by a common intestine and surgically sewing them mouth to anus in a "human centipede". What follows is a tense game of cat and mouse around the deserted house and the outcome of the experiment. This is a cult film, which was clearly made for shock value and for the most part, does it's job. The actor playing the Doctor is suitably weirdly creepy. The premise behind the film is as ridiculous as it is sick, but for some reason, the film works. Not perhaps as shocking as it pretends to be, it is a very good film which clearly and firmly sits in the "different" category. It is nowhere near the line drawn by "A Serbian Film", but overall, is a pretty uncomfortable evening's viewing and works well in it's goals to shock, offend, repulse and give a knowing tongue in cheek (no pun intended) nod at the black humour contained deep within.
King Kong
A film maker in the 1930's is about the have the plug pulled on his new film, so he steals the footage so far and heads off to film "on location" since he has recently come into possession of a map detailing the whereabouts of a mysterious place called "Skull Island". With his film crew in tow, along with a writer and an actress who finds herself flung into the leading role by pure chance, they land on the island and stare at the huge stone wall built around it's perimeter. But was the wall built to keep the world out or to keep something in? The actress finds herself kidnapped by the natives, and placed as an offering to the mighty King Kong, a huge gorilla. But a bond forms between deity and sacrifice, and as the crew of the ship set out on a rescue mission, it soon turns into a hunt with a plan to capture the beast and return it to show in New York. This big budget remake by Peter Jackson came off the back of his success with the Lord Of The Rings films. It is a very long affair, more than doubling the originals running time. The special effects are a mixture of excellent and awful, with a number of them looking very dated already, and some of them just plain embarrassing (the dinosaur stampede in particular). But there were also times when Kong himself looked amazing. The thing I found with this film was that it was split into three acts, the initial act used for character setting and the journey to Skull Island were excellent. The second act, being the rescue mission, was overblown, unnecessarily drawn out and far from flawless in it's presentation but the final act in New York when Kong goes on the rampage, was excellent. It was, in effect, a sloppy middle section bookended by two very good chapters. As a whole the film was a bit overdone and one has to ask why there was any need to remake the original at all (given the 1970's remake also). But, all in all, the film was ok, held my attention for the best part (although I did find myself wondering in the middle section) and it's running time did not seem like three hours. The action sequences were competently handled in terms of direction, Andy Serkis once again did a great job as the CGI title character, bringing warmth and emotion to the part, but looking in the round, you have to wonder whether this was a film which actually needed to be made in the first place....
In Time
In the future, money is no longer used, and time is the currency (a cup of coffee is four minutes, a car, 5 years), so in essence the rich can live forever, whereas the poor in the ghettos exist with never much more than a day or so left to live. Time can be transferred between individuals, so when a young ghetto dweller finds himself with over a century on his clock, he is at risk from his neighbours and the local gangsters who want to steal as much time as they can. He heads to New Greenwich, the most exclusive area in the city and lives the high life. But the Timekeepers (the time police) are in pursuit and with the help of the daughter of one of the worlds "richest" men, he embarks on a path of trying to bring down the system and share the time equally amongst the population. This futuristic Robin Hood was a neat little sci-fi thriller. It has an excellent central premise (the idea of time as a currency) and was an interesting concept and one which continued to bound around my head after the film had finished. The leads were adequate in their roles, and the special effects were minimal, but decent. The editing, at times, was a little jumpy, even with cuts within the same scene, but overall, this was an enjoyable film. The film had real undertones of a communist revolution, which I am not sure if that was the intention, and also that the motivation of the female lead character was not really explained, but that was not enough to spoil the film.
Patrol Men
The Isle of Peyton is an idyllic community just off mainland Britain, where old fashioned and traditional values are firmly reinforced. The island is run by a mayor who broadcasts every evening on the TV, encouraging people to follow his guidance and to ensure that they are home before dark, remain behind locked doors and keep their curtains shut. The reason is a murderer who brutally attacked and killed his sister many years ago and who is still loose somewhere on the Island. Both the curfew and discipline are maintained on the Island by the Patrol Men, a menacing group of masked men who rule with violence. But when a young man from the mainland breaks the curfew and vanishes, it is left to his his friend and her unlikely accomplice to uncover the truth. This was a very good, albeit low budget film. The acting was poor quality in places, the camera work and sound was not consistent and often of poor quality, but the story was very good. The film played as if it was a show-reel for a film student, submitted as his exam piece. Watching the DVD extras it seems my analysis was about right. Throughout the film, I kept thinking how this film could be really enhanced by a bigger budget and a cast who could act. But the reality is that the film was made within very tight parameters, but by two very promising film makers. In places, it was tense, well filmed and well written. The idea was original, and the story was decent enough, despite it unravelling a little towards the end. This was worth a watch.
Kill List
A retired soldier turned contract killer spirals into a horrific situation as his work for a mysterious client becomes more and more violent, aggressive and mysterious. As the job progresses, he finds that his family is placed at risk, he friends are placed at risk and his sanity is placed at risk. This was a pretty good independent British film (and it was a surprise to watch it and see it was filmed within a mile of my house!) It started off a little slow for the first half hour, slowly building up the characters, but quickly turned into a violent, bloody gangster story before developing further still. I do not want to ruin anything but saying too much, other than it was a very good little hidden gem, solid performances, particularly from the male leads and brutally gritty in places.
Nuns On The Run
Two Criminals, Brian and Charlie, want to leave the employment of their "boss", and so pull off a daring double cross involving them stealing a million pounds from the triads for their boss then stealing the million pounds for themselves. But their escape doesn't go to plan and they end up hiding out from the mob, the triads and the police in a convent. Disguised as nuns, they find themselves embroiled in the day to day life of the convent, including it's college for young girls. But when they try to flee to Rio, they must get out without being noticed. This early 90's comedy has dated somewhat, but was entertaining enough nonsense. Robbie Coltraine and Eric Idle play the bungling but good natured criminals, the laughs are not as loud as they were on initial viewing some years ago, but it had it's moments.
Braveheart
William Wallace is brought up by his Uncle following the murder of his father and brother at the hands of the English. Returning to his home village years later, he falls in love and secretly marries (to avoid the English Nobleman having his "rights" to the bride's virginity on her wedding night) and vows to live peacefully and raise crops and a family. But when his wife is murdered by a Lord to goad Wallace into fighting, his rage becomes greater than they could ever imagine, and he unites the clans of Scotland and engages in all out War with the English. Mel Gibson's Oscar winning epic may not necessarily be historically accurate, but it is still a powerful and epic piece of cinema. The battle scenes are brutal, violent and raw, the infighting and double crossing of the Scottish nobles was an interesting juxtaposition to the unity of the clans and the was overall competently handled and highly enjoyable, and it's near on three hour running time flew by.
Cabaret
A young writer and a cabaret artist mix out of their league in a pre Nazi Germany, indulging in a hedonistic lifestyle and a tempestuous series of relationships with each other, a member of the German upper class and a number of others. Their story is interspersed with the colourful characters and performances of the KitKat club. But all the while, the rise of the Nazi Party is evidence and the impact upon them and those around them soon becomes evident. I watched this following seeing the stage show, and I have to say that it is not a patch on the theatrical version. The scenes in the club are done with flair and enthusiasm, but never quite reach the dizzying heights that they could or should have. The story is very different to the stage show and was more focussed on the two leads other than those around them. Liza Minelli simply did not draw me in, as she just seemed to be playing herself, and her egocentric character had very little to endear herself to the audience. I did expect more from the musical numbers, given the film was directed by Bob Fosse, but they were a little muted. It was never a film that particularly appealed to me, and was watched off the back of the excellent stage show, but this turned out to be watchable enough, but a disappointment in itself.
Nightwatch
A young law student takes a job in the morgue as a night watchman to help him pay for his studies, but as the nights draw out,the victims of a serial killer start to arrive at his place of employment. A series of increasingly dangerous dares between himself and his friend result in him becoming the prime suspect in the murder investigation, with his senior pathologist on his case and a detective breathing down his neck. But his job and his actions result in placing both himself and his girlfriend in danger. This was an excellent Danish film, which was a tense thriller, with plenty of twists and turns. Whilst it may seem old fashioned now in terms of it's themes, and many of the shock moments have been seen time and time again, this was made some years before the films it is often compared to and was innovative in it's time. There was good performances from the leads, the atmosphere was tense and the story was engaging. The twists and turns were numerous, although some of which were a little unsurprising
The A Team
The back story of the A-Team unfolds in this semi prequel to the TV series. The Team are drafted in to recover $1 Billion in counterfeit notes and the printing plates for the fake bills just as the Army is pulling out of Iraq, but they are set up and framed for the murder of their commander in chief. Escaping from their respective military prisons, the team fight to clear their name and bring their common enemy to justice. This film was not half as bad as the reviews and relative box office receipts would make out. In actual fact, it was a decent action film with it's tongue planted very, very firmly in it's cheek. It gives a sly wink to the audience, which lets you know that it doesn't take itself too seriously. There are some great set pieces of action, in particular the end sequence, and there are some incredibly over the top stunts, but all in all, it was very entertaining. The cast were not bad at all, given how much they have to live up to, and relish in hamming it up. There are plenty of nods to the original TV series and overall this was a highly enjoyable piece of absolute nonsense.
In Their Sleep
A woman still grieving the loss of her teenage son in a tragic accident finds herself caught up in a tense game of cat and mouse when she accidentally knocks over a young man in her car on the way home. He tells her how he is being chased by a burglar who he disturbed at his home. Reminded of her own teenage son, she takes to her home to protect him, but it is not long before his pursuer arrives and the chase begins again. But why is the young man being so relentlessly chased, what secret is he harbouring from his potential saviour and is everything really as it seems? This was yet another great French horror film, with a slightly predictable story at times, but nonetheless done with style. The cast were excellent, and some of the death scenes were intense, really getting across the cold, heartless detachment of the killer. Some aspects of the story have been seen before but this is done so well, that you have to forgive it for it's lack of originality. But it is nice to see a film grounded in reality, with a plausible storyline that could easily be grounded in fact.
Stay Alive
A group of friends play a video game based around an old legend of a countess who murdered innocent young women to preserve her looks and youth. As they die in the game they die in real life, but in ways identical to their computer game counterpart. A young man with a troubled past finds himself trying to stop the resurrected spirit of the countess in the real world before any more of his friends meet their fate. But with the police believing him to be the prime suspect for his friends murders, the race to bring an end to the Countess' reign of terror begins. This film was absolute hokum. It was corny, cliché, poorly acted, had very little tension or atmosphere, jumped from one scene to another leaving massive holes in narrative, broke it's own rules (seeing some characters die in the game, but not in the real life and some characters die in real life but not in the game) and was generally quite uninspired. Made as a teen version of films like "The Ring", where video and reality mix uneasily, this was your typical teen horror. The attractive cast couldn't act their way out of a paper bag, but at a mercifully short running time of 80 mins, it served it's purpose as a low expectations horror by numbers teen flick. Despite it's negative qualities, I couldn't bring myself to turn it off, so it can't be all that bad. It is nothing original, has been seen plenty of times before, but lower your expectations and let it wash over you. .
Mutants
A couple, one an ambulance driver and one an emergency doctor, take refuge in a huge abandoned building in the middle of the wood as a virus which turns people into flesh eating, fast moving mutants sweeps the country. After hearing helicopters, they try to make contact with a nearby army base to request evacuation.. But one of them is immune to the virus, whereas one is infected, and as the virus takes hold, love and loyalty comes into conflict with survival. And with a band of renegades arriving at the building and the woods surrounding them harbouring hundreds of mutants, it turns into a fight for survival. This French film was very good. Fast paced, tense, and gory in places, this intense film concentrated mainly on the relationship between the couple and by having a small cast, it reigned in the usual zombie story for one which was more intimate and human focussed. That said, it had its fair share of violence, chases and horror. Overall, another example of why Hollywood is being left far behind in the horror stakes.
Burlesque
A young, talented Iowa waitress packs up and leaves for the bright lights of LA, where she wants to sing and dance. She stumbles across a Burlesque bar and immediately falls in love with the place. Conning her way into a waitress job, she works her way up to a dancer, but when a rival dancer pulls the plug on her breakthrough performance, she sings the song and wows the crowd. But with the club in heavy debt and under threat of takeover by an unscrupulous building developer and with her growing love for her engaged room mate, will the show go on? This is one hell of a guilty pleasure. It is perhaps the campest musical ever committed to celluloid. It is corny, predictable, has all been done a million times before, but there is something about this film which is just massively entertaining. The dance sequences are excellent, the soundtrack surprisingly good and it does get the feet tapping. The leads are good in their roles, the supporting cast are great and the whole thing works pretty much perfectly. Absolute nonsense, but damn entertaining nonsense nonetheless, which is just itching to be made into a stage show.
Doghouse
To help one of them get over his divorce, group of lad's lads go off for a weekend of drinking in the sleepy country village of Moody, where the women outnumber the men four to one. However, the women of the village have all been infected with a virus that has turned them into man hating, brain-dead and hungry zombies (or zombirds, as they are called) who have already killed all the men in the village and are hungry for fresh meat. The group find themselves hunted around the sleepy village by the insane women and use a variety of tricks to survive and escape. This low budget British comedy horror was, in my view, much better than Sean of the Dead. It was funny, gory and enjoyable. The acting is not particularly great, which adds to the humour of it all. The special effects are half decent and pretty gory. You can see just how limited the budget was given the way in which it was filmed, but all in all, it was just good fun.Danny Dyer plays himself, Noel Clarke is perhaps the best and the zombirds are inventive. There were some great moments which actually made me laugh out loud. The film was loud, crude, sexist, gross-out, laddish, funny, and tacky, but doesn't pretend to be anything else other than what it is, which is a good film to enjoy with a few beers for the "Loaded" generation.
Fame
The story of group of students who start out their road to their dreams at the New York Academy of Preforming Arts. Focussing on 8 students, their dreams, hopes, fears, aspirations and all of their insecurities are exposed. A student who is dominated by her overbearing mother, a gay actor who is struggling to come out of the closet, a dancer who can't read, a comic who is far too sure of himself and a musician who isn't convinced of his talent.The film follows their progress through the school, from their first audition to their graduation ceremony. This was a great film, which despite being over 30 years old has not dated that much. The themes of sexuality and illiteracy are not as shocking and ground breaking as they were when the film was released, but the universal themes of self doubt, determination and personal lives impacting on their studies still stand today. The film was much more character driven than I expected and was more about the students than the performances, but the set pieces of dance and song were great and the whole film has a fast paced feel. The film switched easily between the large set pieces involving a number of students to the intimate scenes focussing specifically on one or two. Overall, I was very surprised by this and it was much better than I either remembered and anticipated in respect of a repeat viewing.
Fight Club
A bored car accident investigator meets reckless and charismatic Tyler Durden and his life is thrown into a mess of chaos and mayhem. They start by fighting each other for fun in a car park, yet as the club expands and branches start to emerge in other cities, the club develops from men letting off steam to a more sinister campaign against consumerism and media manipulation of the individual. But what is Tyler Durdens secret and how can he wield such power over one man? This film was excellent and I had forgotten just how good it was. Excellent direction from David Fincher, great performance from Edward Norton (reminding you how good he used to be) and perhaps one of Brad Pitt's best turns as he oozes charisma and charm with a sinister undertone (reminding us that, underneath his looks, he can be a damn good actor). The plot was fast paced, intriguing and kept me hooked. It was dark, brooding and menacing, but has a sly wink to the audience. The script was excellent and very well written. It was spot on with it's digs at consumerism and idealism mass media imagery. A film which can be enjoyed as a social commentary, an action film, a mystery, a thriller or a black comedy, but all in all, a film which should be enjoyed.
Alien v Predator
A wealthy businessman discovers an underground pyramid 2000 feet under the ice in Antarctica and takes a team of experts to the site to claim it as his discovery. But the pyramid is the site of a battle which takes place every 100 years between two of the most deadly species in the universe. The epic battle for supremacy commences, with the humans caught in the middle. This average sci fi caper served it's purpose in terms of holding my attention for its duration and had a couple of good action sequences, but overall, it was decidedly flimsy and shallow. The story could have been much stronger, the huge holes in the story could have been plugged and the ridiculous aspects of the plot (predators teaming up with humans) would have been left out.... but I found it entertaining enough with my brain in neutral.
Apocalypto
A peaceful Myan village in the forest is plundered by a rival tribe, who destroy the houses, murder the children, rape and kill the women and capture the men for selling in the city. A young warrior, Jaguar Paw, hides his pregnant wife and child in a nearby well, but he is captured and subjected to a long journey to the city where he is to be offered to serve a "higher purpose". However, fate intervenes and he manages to escape, killing the son of his captor in the process. As he races to get back to the site of his former village to rescue his wife and child, he is pursued relentlessly through the forest by his former captors who are intent on revenge for their loss. This was a fantastic film, where the entire film is in the Myan Language. The ravaging of the village was brutal, horrific and graphic, and the treatment of the villagers throughout the film evoked genuine emotion in the viewer. The action scenes were excellent and the chase through the forest which dominates the latter part of the film was thrilling. The film does slow down in the middle (when they reach the city) but only temporarily, but with this exception, it was virtually relentless. Despite what anyone thinks of Mel Gibson's personal life, this film shows that he is truly talented and was a surprising hidden gem which I am pleased I have watched.
Resident Evil 1 - 4
In this series of films based on the popular video game of the same name, Alice, who works for security for the Umbrella Corporation finds herself thrown into a post apocalyptic nightmare following the outbreak of the T Virus. In the first film, the T Virus is released in an underground complex called "The Hive", having the effect of it being shut down and turning the staff into the un-dead. Alice and a bunch of soldiers are sent in to reboot the computer system, but find themselves under attack as the T Virus spreads. In the second film, Alice, who finds herself immune to the effects of the T Virus, has been genetically enhanced by Umbrella and uses her heightened senses to escape from Raccoon City. In the third film, she travels with a bunch of survivors to a now deserted Las Vegas where she fights for survival and becomes increasingly powerful. In short, these are fairly average films, but entertaining enough in their own right. The story is flimsy and predictable and they can be put no higher than "light teen horror", but as bog standard horror flicks, they are watchable enough. The first is not as good as it could have been, the second perhaps being the best of the bunch with much better action sequences, and the third was a bit slow, but plodded along nicely. For details of the fourth film, there is a more detailed review below. All in all, passable brain dead nonsense, but enjoyable nonetheless, with enough nods to the computer games to keep the fans happy, but not so much that it alienates the non PlayStation owners.
Slumdog Millionaire
A young man who grew up in the slums of Clacutta is one question away from winning the top prize on India's version of "Who Wants to be a Millionaire". He is arrested for cheating, as, after all, how could an uneducated slumdog know the answers? He is interrogated by the police and he explains, by way of flashbacks, how he knew the answers to the questions as a result of his life experiences. He and his brother grow up, finding that they both follow different paths but that they share their love for one woman. The film follows the story of how fate keeps him apart from true love and how he does actually know which president is on the back of a $100 bill. This film won great critical acclaim and 8 Oscars, and I have to say that I was never that bothered about watching it. However, I am now glad that I did. Whilst it wasn't, in my view, worthy of it's massive Oscar win, it was a very good film and far exceeded my expectations. I genuinely expected that I wouldn't like it, but I really did. The direction was a bit flashy and at times, style over substance, and it was a little long at it's two hour running time, but overall, it was a pleasant surprise.
Seven
A serial killer is murdering people in thought out and calculated ways reflecting each of the seven deadly sins. Detective Sommerset, is jaded, cynical and only a few days away from retiring and is partnered by Detective Mills, who is young, enthusiastic and a little hot headed and they are assigned to the case. But with few clues other than the ones deliberately left by the killer, the race is on to solve the crimes before the 7th victim is claimed and the masterpiece is completed. This dark film was brilliant. Even after multiple viewings, it was still a great watch. The relentless rain in the city provides a beautiful backdrop for this bleak film which leaves most of the horror to the imagination and is all the better for it. It is not what you see, but that you don't see that gets you. Brad Pitt gives ones of his better performances and Morgan Freeman is as solid and reliable as always. The film has a great twist (which probably everyone will know by now) and is beautifully directed by David Fincher, whereby the tension is cranked up and the desperation felt by the main characters is shared by the viewer. Overall, a great movie.
Avatar
A wheelchair bound ex marine, Jake Sully, finds himself transported to the planet Pandora, to take the place of his scientist brother (who has been killed) in a project to integrate with the inhabitants of the planet. The purpose is to persuade them to relocate from their homeland so that a mining company can mine the rich deposits under their homes. To do this, they create Avatar's, synthetic beings that are controlled telepathically. However, whilst gaining the trust of the people, Jake learns to be a warrior and falls in love with the daughter of the chief and by when the time comes to use physical force eject the Na'vi, Jake is torn between following orders and his new found love and freedom of the daughter and his new environment. This film was nothing more than Pocahontas in space, but done with impressive visual flair. I was a little reluctant to watch this again, as I had thoroughly enjoyed it on the big screen and it was the first time we had really seen the new 3D technology, so it had a real wow factor. I was worried that it would look dated by now and that it would loose something on the small (2D) screen. However, I was wrong, as the effects still look stunning and whilst I did find myself wanting it to be 3D again, I thoroughly enjoyed it. I watched the special extended cut, and it's near on three hours running time flew by. I was pleased to rediscover this film and, despite the fact that it is now the done thing to slate the film, I was pleased to watch it again.
Hannibal
Hannibal Lecter is living in Florence, enjoying the finer aspects of the city's cultural scene. He is placed back on the FBI's most wanted list, following a backhander by the only victim ever to survive an attack by Lecter, who is now horribly disfigured, wheelchair bound and hell bent on revenge. Clarice Starling is also having a difficult time after a drug bust goes wrong and she finds herself suspended. The negative publicity leads Lecter to contact her, which sets her on the trail of trying to find him with the help of INTERPOL. But once Lecter is recognised by a local police officer in Florence, he tries to flee, but finds himself at the mercy of his former victim. This was a pretty terrible film. It is such a shame, as with a good director, Anthony Hopkins reprising what is perhaps seen as his signature role, Gary Oldman in support and written by Thomas Harris, you would have thought that this would have been a fantastic follow up to one of my all time favourite films. What it was in reality, was a dull, over long, drawn out and uneventful film. It had very few redeeming features and was a really poor end to the series of films. There was very little happened in terms of plot, the ending was far fetched and a little silly and it is easy to see why Jodie Foster declined the opportunity to reprise her Oscar winning role.
The Bourne Legacy
Following the incident with Jason Bourne and the exposure of the Treadstone project, the CIA try to shut down the numerous secret projects and all covert agents are being killed off. However, one project involves agents being subject to biological manipulation, by having performance enhancing viruses injected into them. However, they don't know this and rely on placebo drugs which they think are sustaining their equilibrium. As the CIA try to silence the scientists involved, one escapes and joins forces with a rouge agent to get him the medication he needs whilst all the time evading capture and agents sent to intercept them. As a big fan of the original Bourne trilogy, I had high hopes for this film, but unfortunately, it did not quite come off. I felt that Jeremy Renner (the lead actor) was not charismatic enough to carry the film. Edward Norton did all but phone in his performance and overall the cast were adequate, but nothing special. The direction was very similar in style to Supremacy and Ultimatum at times (especially during the action sequences - with it's fast paced editing, blurred camera work and close ups)There were some good action sequences in it. At times, the fight scenes, chases etc were damn good. However, the the film suffered a bit of an identity crisis, not being sure whether it was an action film or a political thriller. The major points for me is that the film was very unevenly paced, and just when you though it got going, it stalled. There was some cracking action set piece only for the story to wind down for some talking, and the story seemed to be there solely to tie the action pieces together. The film was over-long and could have been a much better film for being 25 mins shorter. The reality is that this didn't need to be a Bourne film - it could have been any old action film as a standalone effort, but they have just thrown in a few references to the Bourne films and carried on a franchise. It was a bit disjointed and the story seemed to develop not for the purposes of progressing the story itself, but just to set up the next set piece of action. It was not as intelligent as the previous films. In summary, it was ok, could have been a lot better, faster paced and had a better lead. The action sequences were pretty good, but overall a bit of a missed opportunity.
Hairspray
In Baltimore in 1962, Tracy Turnblad is a little girl with a big attitude, a big dream and even bigger hair. She dreams to dance on her favourite music TV show, the Corny Collins Show, but her acceptance is blocked by the station manager who is more interested in stepping on everyone to keep her daughter in the spotlight and have her crowned (again) as Miss teenage Hairspray. But Tracey befriends the black kids who star in the "negro day". Tracey feels that they should all be allowed to dance together, so she takes on the station, the system and the community to do what's right. This movie is an absolute delight and perhaps my biggest guilty pleasure. The songs are superb, catchy and memorable. The dance sequences are just brilliant. The film is funny, fast paced, well directed and choreographed and just wholly entertaining. The perfect feel good, no brainer to watch when you have not had the best of days. The cast are superb, even John Travolta as Edna Turnblad. But the stand out performance in this film is Nikki Blonksy who excels as Tracey. This is perhaps one of my all time favourite films, which never fails to get me singing along and my feet tapping,
A Chorus Line
The adaptation of the Broadway musical about 16 dancers trying to get the part in a new musical by a legendary producer. As the audition takes place, they are all called to the front to explore who they are, why they dance and why they want the part. But the audition becomes more and more personal as the dancers expose their personal demons as well as their dancing ability. This was a real surprise film and I really enjoyed it. It is slightly dates in terms of it's music, which was very 80's, but if you ignored the leg warmers, you were left with very tightly choreographed routines, excellent performances and a really unusual musical, in which the characters flaws, vulnerabilities and emotions were fully exposed. Told through some very enjoyable songs and musical numbers, whilst being set primarily in one location (the stage where the audition is taking place) this was a very entertaining film and well worth a watch.
Sick Nurses
The ghost of a nurse murdered by her colleagues comes back to exact her revenge on them in a night of horror in this Thai horror. A doctor who is able to manipulate the women around him, makes a nice little sum on the side by selling the bodies from the morgue in the hospital. But when one of the nurses finds out that he has been cheating on her with her sister, she threatens to expose the black market trade and is murdered by her fellow conspirators. A week later, she returns, in the form of a demon who tortures the girls in ways which reflect their own insecurities and personal demons, before killing them in various horrific ways. This is a very good Asian horror, which is similar in style to The Ring and other such (original Asian) horrors, but this film piles on not just the tension and horror, but also the gore (in bucket-loads). With it's inventive death scenes, graphic violence and plot twists, this is an excellent example of why Hollywood horror is way behind other countries.
Knight and Day
A secret agent finds out that he has been doubled crossed and soon realises that he is not meant to survive his latest mission. He escapes and tries to clear his name, but in the whirlwind of his escape, he embroils a young woman who is more used to her mundane everyday life and not used to the fast paced action of being an international secret agent. The two enter into a rip-roaring adventure to ensure their safety until they can get to the bottom of the conspiracy. This was a fairly bog standard romantic action comedy, which was entertaining enough. Tom Cruise and Cameron Diaz gave adequate performances, the direction was competent but nothing special and the film was nothing more than a big budget remake of a number of other films. It was an average film, entertaining whilst it was being watched, but ultimately, shallow and one which makes no specific lasting impression on the viewer. It just seemed like a rather more lavish version of (the much better) "Bird on a Wire" with Cruise and DIaz simply replacing Mel Gibson and Goldie Hawn, but with both Cruise and Diaz demanding more glamorous locations.
Love and Other Drugs
A womanising viagra salesman, who uses his charms and looks to buy favour with the doctors secretaries, meets and falls in love with a free spirited young waitress. But whilst he is pushing forward his career with a pharmaceutical giant, she struggles to buy the drugs she needs to control her parkinsons disease. They meet each other initially for a relationship of "no strings convenience", but he finds himself in a position he has never been in before... falling in love. But she is a free spirit who doesn't want anyone or anything to tie her down, but does this independence mask her insecurities about her degenerative illness? This romantic comedy was enjoyable nonsense. it was genuinely funny at times and both leads were adequate in their roles, but then this is a lightweight film which doesn't demand too much of the viewer. Predictable in parts and following the usual story arc of will they / wont they, but overall, a film which was good, even if it doesn't stay with you long after it's conclusion.
Tintin - The Secret of the Unicorn
Tintin purchases a model ship, The Unicorn, but finds himself in the middle of a rip roaring adventure when he finds that there are other interested parties who are desperate to get their hands on the model. But what secret does the Unicorn hold and why do so many people want it? Finding himself kidnapped and on a ship, Tintin joins forces with Captain Haddock who may hold the key to the secret, if only he can stay sober for long enough. The adventure takes place in the air, on water and on many foreign lands as the chase is on to follow the clues to the ultimate prize. What a surprise this film was. I was dubious when it was released, but I was blown away. It turned out to be a junior, animated version of Indiana Jones, with it's quick pace, stunning action sequences, excitement, humour and great story. The look of the film was stunning, with a hybrid of computer generated characters and motion captured actors. It was a very distinctive style which did look beautiful. I was very impressed with this film and cannot understand why it was not a big hit. It left me wanting to watch it again straight away, and with a long wait between the second and third films in the planned trilogy.
RockNRolla
Lenny Cole, a London mob boss, is the "go to" man if you want to buy the favour of the local planning office. He is paid a substantial fee for helping a Russian developer. As a sign of good faith, he is leant a valuable painting by the Russian mob boss which is stolen off Cole's wall. While Cole's men search for the paining before the Russians realise it is missing, three local petty criminals, the Wild Bunch, steal money from the Russian using inside information from his accountant, the lovely Stella. Meanwhile, a local drug-addled rocker, Johnny Quid, is reported drowned, and his connection to Cole is the key to unravelling the deceits and double crosses of life in the underworld. This was, unsurprisingly, typical Guy Ritchie fare, but I have to say that it far exceeded my expectations.Gerard Butler and Tom Hardy were both very good in it, as were the supporting cast. It was thoroughly enjoyable and kept me interested throughout, although it was really no different in it's tone and style to "Lock, Stock" or "Snatch". It seems that Ritchie can only make one type of film and it is fair to say that he has certainly found his niche. Cliché in some parts, and a real element of "seen it all before", but the intertwining threads of the story and the witty banter between the characters made this for an enjoyable, if not overly familiar, piece of entertainment.
The Dark Knight Rises
Bruce Wayne is all but a recluse and is mourning the loss of Rachel Dawes. But whilst he whiles away the hours in his seclusion, a new threat to Gotham City is rising, in the form of mercenary called Bane. He is a hardened thug who is determined to bring Gotham to it's knee's. By burying it's police force in the subway system, he brings chaos to Gotham, whilst all the time a dirty bomb is ticking down to cleanse Gotham for good. A confrontation between Batman and Bane results in Batman having his back broken and him thrown into a godforsaken prison where only one person has ever escaped from. Added into this is Batman's complex relationship with Catwoman, who's intentions and motivations are never really known. I really like the first two films in this series, but this was not the denouement to the trilogy that I really wanted. Whilst it was a good film, highly enjoyable and held my attention, it was not the film it could, or should, have been. The story was good, but for me, key elements were missing, namely there was not that much Batman in it, there was no Batmobile and the set pieces, whilst good, were not as relentless as the previous two films. Add into this that there were a number of glaring plot holes and Bane was not as menacing as he could have been. But despite it's flaws, I did enjoy it and I am looking forward to a repeat viewing on DVD
Ted
Hoping that his Teddy Bear would come to life, an 8 year old loner, John, makes a magic Christmas wish which comes true. Fast forward nearly 30 years, and both have grown up. Ted is a pot smoking, beer drinking, party animal who is forever leading his best friend (and Thunder Buddy) astray. But needing to commit to his girlfriend,John has to make a decision as to whether it is "bro's before hoe's". He asked Ted to leave, so Ted tries to make it on his own. But with a plot to kidnap Ted under way by an unscrupulous father, will Ted and his best buddy remain friends or is a case of two's company, three's a crowd? I have to say I absolutely loved this. Written and directed by Seth McFarlane, the man behind Family Guy, this was very similar in style and humour. It is politically incorrect and just spot on for my sense of humour. There were bits which were laugh out loud moments, and bits which just had me giggling like a schoolboy for minutes after the gag. The sarcasm, pop culture references and crude humour suited me down to the wire. I'm not too sure how it would stand up to repeated viewings, but I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Starship Troopers
Rico and his friends sign up for the Federation to fight the deadly threat of intergalactic bugs which are threatening Earth. The students become rookie recruits and their progression up the ranks and into battle is followed by this film. Becoming leader of the mobile infantry squad, Rico leads the charge on the ground whilst his girlfriend looses interest in him and trains to be a pilot in the fleet. But as the recruits realise that they are being led into a trap by the bugs, a huge battle culminates in a confrontation with a new breed of bug which threatens to turn the war against the humans. This was a gory, violent action flick, surprisingly so given it's age. It is pretty much non stop action, great special effect and what (director) Paul Verhoven does best. But underneath this polished but action packed veneer, it is a dark and satirical stab at communism and establishment, all done with it's tongue very firmly placed in it's cheek. It stands up surprisingly well given it is now 15 years old.
This Means War
FDR and Tuck are secret service partners, best buddies and like brothers, but their camaraderie is interrupted when they both find out that they are dating the same girl. The battle-lines are drawn with the rules being that she mustn't know that they know each other, neither can sleep with her and may the best man win. However, their jealousy, competitive streak and love for her drive them to sabotage each others attempts using all of the surveillance techniques and secret service resources at their disposal. This was an entertaining romantic comedy. Admittedly light on laughs, it moved along at a reasonable pace, with a few set pieces and a few fights and car chases thrown in for good measure. The leads were all good and the plot was your usual rom-com fodder. That said, it was a decent enough "no brainer" which was easy watching, if not a little predictable and shallow.
Spartacus - Gods of the Arena
A prequel to Spartacus, this mini series follows the rise of the house of Capua and follows how the Ludis came to be a powerful force to reckon with during the construction of the new gladiatorial arena. The story centres around how Batiatus struggles with the bonds of paternity following disagreements with his father over how the ludis should be run. Double crossing, politics, backstabbing, revenge, manipulation and murder are all at the forefront of the series as the House Of Batiatus strives to secure it's place in the Primus of the opening day of the games, thereby cementing it's reputation and future. Down in the Ludis, we learn how Crixus came to be the man he is, how he started his affair with Lucretia and why he is so determined to become champion. We also learn how Oenomaus becomes Doctore and how Ashur earns his leg brace. This series nicely filled in the back stories of some of the main characters from Blood and Sand. Made as a stop gap in the hope that Andy Whitfield would recover from cancer prior to filming the second series, this mini-prequel was not quite as good as the first series, but was gripping nonetheless. The budget, gore and sex is vastly increased over Blood and Sand, and was an interesting and entertaining watch.
Spartacus - Blood and Sand
Following a betrayal by a high ranking Roman leader, Spartacus finds himself sold into slavery and his wife taken from him and sold into a similar fate. Refusing to ever give up hope of being reunited with his wife, Spartacus rises through the ranks of the Gladiator arena and becomes the Champion of Capua, whilst all the time, trying desperately to find out any news of his wife. Following the felling of an unbeaten behemoth, Spartacus finds favour in the bloodthirsty crowd, but all of the time, he is plotting his escape and revenge against those who have wronged him and his beloved family. It says something when you can watch an entire (US) TV series box set in less than a week. This was just excellent - it did not have the budget of Lost or other US drama's but what it lacks in finances, it more than makes up for in plot, gratuitous sex and over the top, blood soaked violence. The story focusses on a number of different aspects - the fight always being the centrepiece of the episode, but with interesting character relationships, lots of backstabbing, murder and corruption and almost pantomime characters which you love or hate. This was absolutely excellent and, with the prequel series, Gods of the Arena, waiting on my shelf, you can expect a review of it soon. The highlights of the series were "The Beast From The Pit" and the final episode. You can sum this series up in one word - "Brilliant".
Scream 4
Sydney Sheldon returns to Woodsboro to promote her new book, Out Of Darkness, but her book tour and the domestic bliss of the now married Dewey and Gale Weathers are interrupted by the reappearance of Ghostface. The usual hack and slash set pieces follow as the police battle to track down the killer and Sydney tries to stay alive. I feel a bit mixed about this film. The whole film is a comment on social media and reality TV fame and fortune, but just doesn't really come off. It tries to poke fun at the issue of the Hollywood "re-boot", playing by the rules of that, but somehow it falls flat. There is nothing original about this film in the slightest and it closely follows a similar track to the original Scream, where it is not quite a remake, but not original either. You (literally) have seen it all before. Set pieces are rehashed from the original film and the whole thing is unoriginal, contrived and so self referential, that it looses itself in trying to be too clever. There was little gore, little tension and little character development. The "film within a film within a film" elements are pretentious and the whole thing fell fairly flat compared to the very clever original. That said, it was a decent enough watch (I did say I was mixed about it), it's running time seemed short so the film clearly held my interest, and I have seen worse slasher flicks, but it's predictable plot and denouement left me a little unimpressed. If you want a lighter version of the original Scream, then this is the film for you. My verdict - a decidedly average money-spinner resulting from a missed opportunity.
Footloose
Ren McCormack moves to a small town in the bible belt of the mid west and finds it a struggle to fit in. The town is a place of high morals where drinking, music and dancing are banned. Years earlier, a group of teenagers had died in a car crash on the way back from a concert, one of whom was the son of the town's preacher. He has taken it upon himself to cleanse the town and be their moral guardian. Despite a run in with the local trouble maker and falling in love with the rebellious daughter of the preacher, Ren tires to settle in to town life, but finds himself frustrated by the repression and straight laced environment. In response, he seeks to organise a senior prom and takes on the church, the town council and the town itself. This 80's classic has dated somewhat (nowhere more evident than the baby-faced Kevin Bacon) but was still a decent teen flick of rebelliousness. It's classic soundtrack combined with it's dance sequences helps to maintain it's cult status and whilst the story is simple and has all been seen before you can easily see why this was ground breaking in 1984. In my view it doesn't quiet match Flashdance, which was released around the same time, but was still a half decent film and took me back to my youth.
Final Destination Quadrilogy
In Final Destination, a teenager has a premonition that the plane he and his classmates are on is going to explode in mid air and creates such a fuss that a few of them get thrown off the flight. The plane subsequently explodes, and, despite thinking that they have cheated Death, they all start to die in bizarre accidents. Can they protect themselves from their demise, or is it inevitable as part of Death's plan? The formula was directly lifted to premonitions in respect of a motorway pile up, a roller-coaster which crashes and an accident at a race track in the subsequent films. Whilst the first film of the series was by far the best, the fun in all of these films is waiting to see exactly how the chain of events would ultimately lead to the demise of the character in hand. You can feel yourself thinking "is this it....?" as yet another potential way to meet your maker is introduced into the sequence of events leading up to the ultimately gory end of one of the teenagers. These fall more into the "fun horror" category rather than anything else and were entertaining and enjoyable. They all have very short running times, so don't outstay their welcome, but they do gradually reduce in quality as the series goes on.
The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo
The first in the Millennium Trilogy sees a disgraced journalist, Blomkvist, hired by the patriarch of a wealthy business family to look into the disappearance of his niece some 40 years ago. Having recently been convicted and due to shortly start a six month prison sentence, he takes the cold case and moves into the family estate on a remote island. He is assisted, albeit without being asked, by a computer hacker, Lisbeth, who has a troubled history of her own and who has been hacking into his computer. All of the family members fall under suspicion and as the net closes and the clues come into focus, the situation for the investigators becomes more perilous. This film was absolutely brilliant. It was an excellent crime thriller with a roller-coaster plot and unpredictable twists. Reminiscent at times of Seven, Kiss The Girls and Along Came A Spider, this serial killer chase is one that is highly recommended. It should be noted that this was the original Swedish version, not the Hollywood remake and it left me wanting to immediately start watching the second film.
The Girl Who Played With Fire
In the second film in the trilogy, Millennium Magazine is about to publish an expose into the world of sex trafficking which implicates a number of high profile individuals including the DA, senior police officers and other prominent figures. Having confronted a number of them, a young journalist and his girlfriend is murdered and Lisbeth is framed for the crime. Hunted by both the police and the trafficking ring, she goes on the run, and tries to clear her name, but she can't do it alone and enlists the help of Blomkvist who is the only one who can prove her innocence. But with her troubled past catching up with her, can Lisbeth confront her demons? This was a good follow up to the first film and a proper continuation of the story, with multiple references to the previous film. Whilst it was not quite up to the very high standard of the first film, it was perhaps because it was a lot darker in tone, content and subject. It was slightly more action based that the initial film and, unlike the first film, did not have a definite ending,which will no doubt lead nicely into the conclusion of the trilogy. That said, it was yet another gripping thriller and well worth a watch. I am very much looking forward to seeing how it all plays out in the final film.
The Girl Who Kicked The Hornets Nest
In the conclusion of the trilogy, Lisbeth faces trial where all of her troubled past is exposed and her history is brought into question. Meanwhile, a conspiracy to ensure that Lisbeth spends the rest of her life in a psychiatric unit comes the forefront. But all the time, the government are secretly looking into the activities of the group known as "The Section", who weres a key players in relation to Lisbeth's troubled past. Who they are and why they acted as they did is being investigated by Blomkvist as he struggles to help build a defence for Lisbeth and prove her innocence. But with every step he takes he puts himself, literally, in the firing line, risking his staff, his reputation and his life. In this final instalment of this trilogy, they really have saved the best for last. It was a taught and suspense filled thriller and it's two hours twenty minutes flew by. It was a mixture of gripping courtroom drama, action film and political thriller. The performances were excellent, the story was intriguing, it tied up all the loose ends of the previous two stories and neatly completed the story arc of the three films. Absolutely cracking entertainment which was easily the best of very good trilogy and overall, the series was an excellent set of films which I would recommend without hesitation.
In Bed With Madonna
Filmed behind the scenes of her 1990 Blonde Ambition Tour, this film captivates the tantrums, bitchiness, hard work and fun behind the tour that has been considered by many as Madonna at the peak of her career. With numerous classic moments, such as Madonna's reaction to Kevin Costner calling her show "neat", problems with her voice, threats of being arrested in Toronto for performing "Like a Virgin" and that scene of the tour cast playing truth or dare all interspersed with footage of her live performances, this shows a funny, bitchy and self obsessed pop star at her (sometimes contrived) best. But regardless of the "look at me" style of the two hour film, you cannot deny what a show she puts on and how talented she is when it comes to putting together a live show. It is also interesting to see how it is all put together and the difference between the diva behaviour and the hard working tour trying to keep the show on the road. An interesting watch when juxtaposed with I'm Going To Tell You A Secret, a similar project filmed on her Reinvention Tour, which shows a more serene (but equally contrived at times) artist.
Seven Brides for Seven Brothers
After bagging himself a wife on a visit to town, Adam takes Milly back to his ranch and wants her to be the usual dutiful wife, but the strong willed Milly has other idea's and pulls Adam into line, along with his six other brothers. They ask her to teach them the ways of courting and after going into town for a barn raising, they all fall in love. Sneaking back into town, they kidnap the objects of their affections and take them back to the ranch, as an avalanche blocks them in for the winter. Will the brides succumb to the brothers new taught charms? This old fashioned musical is one of the original MGM productions and is a delight, despite it being very twee and dated. However, it was enjoyable and wholesome with inventive choreography, the barn raising a particular highlight.
All That Jazz
As all of his chain smoking, drinking and womanising catches up with him, a choreographer looks back on his life from his deathbed and evaluates his life. The semi autobiographical story written and directed by Bob Fosse (of "Chicago" fame) was a steady affair as he looks back over his artistic creations, his affairs, his missed opportunities of parenting his daughter and his mistreatment of his loyal wife. This was not your usual run of the mill musical, with the set pieces being demonstrations of his choreography as part of the story as opposed to a traditional musical number. The story was very steady and there was not a particularly large number of events in it. This uneventful film was quite downbeat viewing and almost the antithesis of your usual musical fodder.
Rock Of Ages
In 1987, a small town girl and a city boy both move to LA with dreams of becoming a rock star and end up working at a nightclub on Sunset Strip. When they meet, it is love at first sight, but they face a number of challenges on the road to true love. These include the charismatic Stacee Jaxx trying to come in between them, the god squad wife of a local senator trying to close down the club and their own lack of confidence in their own talent. Can the club stay open, will Stacee Jaxx launch his solo career from the club and will true love win through. The film, based on a stage musical and directed by Adam Shankman was a real missed opportunity. The first half was slow and uninspiring, but it did pick up in the second half. There were moments where the whole thing picked up and kicked some denim clad butt (some of the musical numbers in the strip club were excellent) but overall, it was a bit lacklustre. The songs were all soft rock classics (despite a lot of them not being written in 1987 when the film is set). The surprising find in this film is Tom Cruise who oozes charisma as Stacee Jaxx and who can belt out a tune too. But overall, a very disappointing follow up from the director of Hairspray and not a patch on that film by a long shot.
Oceans 13
When one of Danny Ocean's cohorts is swindled in a business deal by a wealthy casino owner and suffers a heart attack, Danny and the gang agree to help in recovering his pride and his money. They plan to do this by breaking the bank, causing all of the punters in the Casino to win big on it's opening night. Using a variety of cons, disguises and downright blatant cheek, they infiltrate the new casino and plant their devices to bring the house crashing down. This was an average film, better than the dire Oceans 12, but not a patch on the original Oceans 11. The problem was it had all been seen before and that there was a great amount of build up, but not a massive amount of pay-off, as the film swiftly reached it's conclusion just as it seemed to get going. It was an entertaining enough couple of hours, worth a watch and passed a Sunday evening. Steady performances from Clooney, Pitt, Damon and the rest of the cast, most of which were just them playing themselves making it seem like an an excuse for a gang of friends to spend a couple of months in Vegas and be paid handsomely for it.
The BunnyMan Massacre
Supposedly based on a true story, a group of friends travelling through the American backwoods are attacked by an unseen maniac in a truck, who bullies them and tries to run them off the road. despite their efforts, they cannot escape. But when events conclude with fatal consequences, the friends seek out help in the woods, looking desperately for someone to help them. They come across a cabin in the woods which, unbeknown to them is the home of the truck driver and his family. The film was a homage to the slasher films of the 80's and filmed in a very faithful style to that genre. The violence and murder is left a lot to the imagination as the camera pans away from the all out gore. The Film would have worked much better, though, without it's main selling point, which is that the killer is dressed up in a bunny costume, the type you would get at a second rate theme park. Whilst it could have been quite sinister with the right look, this just didn't work, as all I was doing was waiting for him to rev up his chainsaw whilst saying "what's up doc?". A shame as despite it being very surreal at times, it was more surreal then sinister.
Mothers Day
Three brothers return to their childhood home following a bungled bank robbery, one of them badly injured following being shot, one of them over excitable and trigger happy and one trying to hold everything together. When they realise that their mother is not there, and the house is now owned by a young couple, all hell breaks loose. Mother is called back to the house, where she tries to control the situation and to help her boys to get enough money to get them across the border. But the new home-owners and their party guests are not as accommodating as they would like, and the evening quickly descends into torture, murder, rape and violence as the "family" become more and more desperate, the home owners and their friends attempts to escape become more and more daring and violent and as the situation spirals out of control. This film was a real surprise. I expected it to be your usual run of the mill cheap Hollywood thriller, but I was wrong. What it turned out to be was a brutal, bloody and violent thriller, which was tense and intriguing. Rebecca DeMornay was good in it, playing the duel personality as good as she ever does. To be fair, in some ways, it had all been seen before (it was reminiscent of The Last House On The Left, I Spit On Your Grave etcetera) but was still a very good way to pass just under two hours.
District 9
20 years after the mother-ship first appeared over Johannesburg, the aliens (or "Prawns" as they are referred to by the humans) are living in a shanty town on the outskirts of the city. Treated as second class citizens, the slum is due for "relocation" to a smaller and more concentration camp style location out of the city and a government backed team go in to enforce the eviction. The leader of the team finds himself sprayed with something that starts to merge his DNA with that of the Prawns, and as a hybrid, he becomes highly desirable and valuable as a research project. Hiding out in the slum, can he regain his humanity or will he remain an alien on his own planet? This film was absolutely brilliant. Filmed partly in a faux documentary style, this really drew me in. The special effects were very realistic, the action was fast, well staged and exciting, the story was original in many ways and the references and undertones of ethnic cleansing, prejudice and hard hitting government tactics are particularly relevant today (the eviction reminded me very much of the recent eviction of the Travellers camp). I was genuinely impressed by this film and think it is one of the better science fiction films of the last few years. Highly recommended.
Drive
A Hollywood stunt driver spends his nights as a getaway driver at nights for LA's criminal underworld. His dreams of escaping and entering the world of motor racing are just within his grasp. But upon meeting his troubled neighbour, who is awaiting her husband to come out of prison, he falls in lover with her. But her husband gets tangled up in bad debts upon his release and following his brutal murder,. Driver seeks to protect his neighbour and her son using whatever force is necessary. This slow burning thriller was reminiscent of a lot of the Korean films I have watched recently, character driven, slow moving and building to a violent and bloody crescendo. It was beautifully filmed - a dark story set against a backdrop of neon garishness and the film reminded me very much of the Michael Mann films of the late 80's (Manhunter in particular).Ryan Renyolds was surprisingly good, as were the rest of the cast (despite some slightly stereotypical underworld bosses). Well worth a watch.
Smash Cut
Able Waltman is the worst horror film-maker, whose latest film is ridiculed by audiences and critics alike. After the first screening, he finds himself in a strip club, where he takes home one of the dancers, but accidentally kills her in a car crash. Not sure what to do with the body, he scatters the body parts on the set of his latest movie. Amazed by the realism of his latest work, the studio bosses become more and more pleased with him, but he needs more bodies to decorate his set. As he rewrites the script to fit his latest victim, the stripper's sister hires a private detective to look into her disappearance. This was one film which was not what I was expecting. It was a "homage" to the schlock horror exploitation films of the late 60's, particularly the Herschelll Gordon Lewis films (including him giving the film a "Bloodfeast" style introduction), but fell into the "trying to be so bad it's good category". Very tongue in cheek, over the top and tacky, which worked on many levels. There was more than a heavy reference to the genre, some good moments of gore and was entertaining in it's own right . Whether it worked or not, I'm not sure. As a homage, it was excellent, as a film full of self referential moments, it more than fulfilled it's quota and in terms of (deliberately) cheesy, over the top acting, it took some beating . That said, I have not seen enough of the genre to be able to fully appreciate the overall effectiveness of the semi parody, but at a short 83 mins, it was enjoyable but surreal.
A League of Their Own
Based on the true story of the American All Girls Professional Baseball League, this is the tale of a group of women who become the backbone to the first season of girls baseball. Drafted in to keep the sport alive during the war, when the male players were fighting overseas, the girls become increasingly popular despite some initial reservations. Two sisters find themselves on the Rockford Peaches team and the film follows their journey from working in the dairy to the world series. But the real story behind this is not the baseball itself, but the friendships that formed amongst the team mates. This was an enjoyable little film. Geena Davis was excellent as usual, with a good supporting cast including Tom Hanks and (in one of her better performances), Madonna. The film was sentimentally directed by Penny Marshall, and despite being completely manipulative with the audiences emotions, you can't help forming an attachment to the main characters. Clichéd at times, and a film which unashamedly tugs on the heartstrings, but one worth watching on a rainy bank holiday afternoon.
Grave Encounters
A group of paranormal investigators filming a reality TV show go into an abandoned asylum where there is reported ghostly goings on. Locked in overnight, the atmosphere becomes increasingly creepy and the cameras start to capture windows opening themselves, playful spirits touching the hair of the crew and the of slamming doors by invisible hands. But as the night progresses, the spirits become more and more sinister until the crew start to doubt their own sanity. Filmed in the hand held / found footage style, this film (most likely made off the back of the Paranormal Activity films) was fairly good. It had a good build up, the odd noise, a suggestion of someone or something seen out of the corner of your eye, and the location for the film was excellent. It was genuinely atmospheric up to about three quarters of the way through, with some good moments - the kind that makes the hair on the back of your neck stand up. But where I felt it failed was that instead of going for subtle, the spirits became too prominent and things happened which were never really explained by the story (for example, how they end up with hospital wrist bands on). I enjoyed it regardless, but the denouement of the plot fell a little into the contrived. I would recommend it as it far surpassed The Blair Witch Project, but unfortunately it did not quite reach the heights of [Rec]. For me, the majority of of the film was tense and well made, playing on your mind and proving that, not only, less is sometimes more but also that sometimes, the scariest thing of all can be your own imagination.
Red Tails
George Lucas has fought for many years to bring the story of the struggle of a squadron of black pilots to be involved in active duty on the font line to the big screen. Our hero's are skilled, talented and bored with their routine missions flying over the countryside in Italy, far away from the front line. When finally given their chance to prove themselves, they exceed everyone's expectations and slowly build a reputation of excellent flying skills. But the war machine runs alongside the propaganda machine back in the USA, and the idea of black pilots doesn't go down too well. I have to say that the aerial sequences were excellent, competently handled, exciting and action packed and this is where the film came into it's own. Where it lacked was that if you imagine every single cliché for a war movie and compact them into a two hour movie, then you have Red Tails. The soldier falling in love with the peasant girl, one of the pilots being shot down and escaping from a prison camp, hanging out in the barracks, battling the bottle as well as the enemy.... you get the picture. The direction of the story on the ground was lacklustre and lazy at times with lots of shots of planes in silhouette against a sunset meaning that the direction was cliché at times as well as the story. Not only that, but the stereotypes of the black pilots were ironic given the films overall underlying message about prejudice. The pilots playing blues guitar and the spoons during time on the ground and the almost comedy "yessum boss" accent of one or two of the cast seemed to sit uneasily with the arguments of the commander about how prejudice and stereotypes should be disregarded. In short, a "seen it all before" war film of two halves, a brilliant half in the air, a somewhat disappointing half on the ground. Enjoyable, and worth seeing for the dog fights, but for a more rounded film, Memphis Belle is a better bet.
Priscilla, Queen of the Desert.
Three drag queens from Sydney "go bush" and travel in a giant pink bus from the comfort of the city to a hotel in the middle of the outback to perform a show. Bernadette has just lost her boyfriend, Tick has his own reasons for going and Felicia only goes to achieve his childhood ambition (to climb Kings Canyon as a queen). Along the way, they bicker, bitch, break down, shock the locals in the little townships along the way, teach the aborigines how to dance to Gloria Gaynor, face prejudice and find love. It is always a joy to rediscover a film, and I had forgotten how good this film was. Laugh out loud funny, touching and just downright enjoyable. Issues of prejudice are sensitively highlighted and handled giving the film some backbone, but at no point does it's message negate from or slow down the bulk of the film, being the friendships and failings of the three main characters. The costumes (rightly) won an Oscar, the performances from the cast are excellent (Guy Pearce especially) and any film which features a woman shoot ping pong balls out of her flue is always a winner in my book! The scenery is stunning, the script original and intelligent, and the banter between the three of them is razor sharp. it is 90 minutes of pure, unadulterated escapism.
A Tale of Two Sisters
A very dark, brooding, slow burning tale of family abuse and victimisation. Two sisters leave a psychiatric unit and return to the large and daunting home of their father and step mother. The sisters are very close, seemingly bonded as a result of some traumatic event and their relationship with their step mother is somewhat strained as her cruelness and violent mood swings spiral out of control. The motives for and changes in her behaviour are somewhat unexplained, and as her behaviour becomes more and more abusive, the siblings relationship becomes closer and their interactions with the family become more and more disturbing. Having seen the remake (which is only loosely based on this Korean modern classic), this had a lot more of a sinister feeling and the direction and acting were all superb. However, I have to confess that, whilst I enjoyed it (and realised that what I thought was going to happen as a result of watching the "remake" first wasn't actually going to happen), it may have been the wine, but I found it all very confusing. by the time I had watched the ending a couple of times, I think I pretty much understood it (internet research has confirmed that I was correct!), but therein lies the key to this film. It is a difficult watch, one which has to focussed on and concentrated on, but nonetheless, a great film which rewards it's viewers patience and concentration.
The Chaser
The Chaser is the latest film in what is developing into the Scubamonkey "Korean Cinema" season, This was a great little film which took me unaware. A fallen police officer turned pimp has a number of his girls go missing. Thinking that they have been sold by the punter he has sent them too, the reality is that they are brutally murdered. Using one of his girls, a young mother, as a lure to try and track down the man selling his girls, his plan doesn't work out. But a chance encounter in the street with a man covered in blood means that he has caught the killer. Now, with only twelve hours until he is released from police custody due to lack of evidence,and hope of finding his last girl alive is fading, the race is on to find the evidence to convict the killer. The multiple layers of the central character were beautifully portrayed. Crossing over from being on the right side of the law to the wrong side, and switching between hardened pimp and police officer, the confusion and desperation and the interplay of the guilt and anger of the central character was evident. Added to this was a number of excellent chase scenes, some Hostel style torture and tense action, this was quite frankly one of the better films I have seen in a while. Highly recommended, fast paced and proof that a taught action thriller doesn't need big explosions and over the top stunts. Less, in this case, is definitely more.
A Bittersweet Life
In this Korean revenge thriller, a hotel manager who also happens to be the right hand man of one of the most powerful crime bosses in Seoul. he is asked to keep his eye on the much younger girlfriend of his suspicious boss who is convinced she is cheating on him. He is under strict orders to "take care of things" if he finds out she is seeing someone else, but he allows a moment compassion to cloud his judgement with consequences which allow a series of brutal events to unfold, resulting in him seeking revenge on those responsible, each encounter becoming more and more confrontational until the ultimate face off with his former boss. This nice little thriller was a real slow burn, building the characters slowly but steadily in the first hour and becoming increasingly violent in the final hour. Beautifully shot, (looking more simple than it clearly is)with long lingering shots of people walking down corridors, an excellent use of reflections in glass and stark contrasting colours, the film looked stunning. The inner turmoil of the protagonist was clear and the violence was harsh and bloodthirsty. It was a little slow going in places, (but this seems to be the way of Korean films), but overall it was an enjoyable revenge thriller splatted with blood, violence and, unusually, a very human side to it.
The Messengers
A Family move into a remote farmhouse to start a new life, but the teenage daughter,despite being resentful at being dragged away from her friends, doesn't seem to settle for other reasons. Amongst the sunflower crop lies something more sinister, dark and brooding. But whilst the adults in the house seem blissfully unaware of the supernatural forces at work, the children are plagued by the shadowy figures. But who are they and why are they making contact with the troubled family? This was an average film. In terms of haunted house films, I have not seen one for some time, so quite enjoyed it, but the cliché riddled plot held very few surprises, the twist in the story was painfully obvious and the acting will not win any awards. Similar in nature to "The Others", which is a far superior film, it was throwaway nonsense and no scarier that your average made for TV movie, but passed it's proportionally short running time quite nicely.
The Messengers 2: The Scarecrow
More haunted house hokum when a young family try to run the farm (from the first film) and find their every effort thwarted - crows peck all the corn, the water pump will not work so the land is dry and dying and the crop is failing. The bank wants to foreclose on the mortgage and the personal troubles of the family are coming to the forefront. The father finds an old scarecrow in the barn, and despite his son's concerns about it being "scary and evil", he places it in the field. The farm springs into life and the crops thrive, but at what price? And why has the scarecrow's presence had such an influence on the corn field? To be fair, this film was enjoyable, throwaway nonsense. The characters were likeable enough, the cast were adequate, but the special effects limited, no doubt confined by the films very small budget. Looking more like a made for TV movie than a film release, this was a decent enough way to pass 90 mins, but, as with the first film, was nothing that I had not seen before.
Resident Evil:Afterlife
When Alice infiltrates the Umbrella HQ, Wesker escapes but not before injecting an anti-virus that negates the powers that Alice has built up, turning her back into a human. Alice continues her desperate search for Arcadia, the supposed safe place which has not been touched by the T Virus. But a chance encounter with an old acquaintance and a group of survivors in old abandoned prison brings her ever closer to Arcadia. But what secret really lies in Arcadia, and is it the safe haven she has been searching for? The fourth in the RE series was watchable zombie nonsense. It was not the dramatic reboot of the series that it was promised to be, and was more of the same, but some good set pieces, sometimes half decent (but blatantly obviously made for 3D) special effects and the return of familiar faces and characters from the RE games lifted it slightly above RE: Apocalypse. In short, Friday night, brain-dead entertainment - perhaps , somewhat ironically, ideally suited to the brain-dead zombies in the film itself!
The Dictator
Sacha Baron Cohen's latest creation is the dictator, General Alladeen, who travels to New York to to address the United Nations, but is kidnapped during an assassination attempt arranged by his right hand man. With his beard shaved off, and the dawning of a new democratic society for his country (the constitution being signed by a rather unintelligent body double) Alladeen is left on the streets with no one to help him, but the manager of the local free trade cooperative and "touchy feely earth mother" who mistakes him for a supporter of the democratic society being ushered in. The film follows Alladeen's struggle to ensure that democracy does not come to the country that he has so lovingly oppressed. It is such a shame that this film did not live up to it's potential. This was an attempt to move away from the "mockumentary" style of Borat and Bruno, and ends up suffering for it's narrative format. Whilst it did have some good laugh out loud moments, it also had it's fair share of jokes that fell flat. Unfortunately, there was not as much laughter around the cinema as I would have expected. A lot of the jokes were based on racism, sexism and homophobia, which, whilst some hit the mark, the "easy targets" were hit, which made for some lazy comedy. I would have expected something a bit more intelligent from Cohen overall. That said, there were some very sharp and satirical moments in it which were, in fact, very clever - the advantages of a dictatorship (according to Alladeen) stood (uncomfortably) shoulder to shoulder with the issues faced by democratic societies today and was an excellent satirical high point in the film. I did feel myself warm to the film in places despite my reservations, but ultimately, whilst it was not a terrible film, I still left the cinema with a slight feeling of disappointment.
Sister Act
Mediocre lounge singer, Deloris Van Cartier, witnesses a mob hit led by her gangster boyfriend and ends up in the witness protection programme in a convent (or "the last place on earth anyone would look for you"). Despite early difficulties in settling in, itchy clothes, sneaking off to bars at night and rubbing up the mother superior the wrong way, she brings change to the convent by training the choir and reworking Mowtown hits into the church services. But it is not long until the change of fortunes of the convent is picked up by the local media and that mob end up on her trail. This is a cheesy, corny, sentimental piece of cinema, but, when watched for what it is, it is a funny, foot tapping and more than pleasant way to spend 90 mins. Whoopi Goldberg is perfectly cast in this film and brings a warmth to the proceedings (albeit by playing herself). An ideal rainy day bank holiday film and a huge guilty pleasure, although not one you would necessarily admit too having a soft spot for!
Mission: Impossible
IMF undertake a mission in Prague, which results in the death of all but two of the task force. Realising that he is the chief suspect in the "mole hunt" that this operation really was, Ethan Hunt embarks on a plan to steal the list (that he is already supposed to have stolen), involving a complicated deal with an international arms dealer, Max, whilst all the time trying to clear his name and find out exactly who the real mole is in the task force. Watching this film again made me realise just how iconic many of the scenes have become (the suspension on wires in the computer vault has been copied, parodied and referred to on many occasions) and it is a real testament to the film that it managed to be exciting, action packed and thoroughly entertaining without their being any sex, violence or swearing..... which just goes to show that there are still some good films out there which all the family can watch together which are not just soppy, sentimental kids films.
Mission:Impossible II
Ethan Hunt faces a rogue agent who has stolen a biological weapon and it's antidote. Enlisting the help of his enemy's ex girlfriend, whom Hunt falls in love with, he tries to prevent the sale and reacquire the biological weapon. I revisited this as part of my MI series and have to say that I was pleasantly surprised. It was not half as bad as I remembered. It was, clearly, very different in style to the first film, and I guess that is why it fared so badly when compared to it. What we see here is a film heavily influenced by Asian cinema at a time when it was not popular. John Woo does a great job of the direction, but it's style was, in some ways, both it's appeal and it's downfall, as it alienated the cinema going pubic who were expecting "more of the same" after the first one. As a stand alone film, and not looked at as part of the series, it is actually very good. It is much darker in tone and content, Cruise is brooding throughout and the themes of revenge, unrequited love, obsession and over protection are clear. The only criticisms are that the fusion of Eastern and Western cinema did not always come off (how many shots of hair blowing in the breeze in slow motion can one film handle?) and the repeated use of Woo's trademark slow motion doves does quickly become cliché. More a drama/thriller than traditional action film, when watched in the right frame of mind, it was a much better film that initially thought, despite it being the weakest link in the series.
Mission:Impossible III
Ethan Hunt, having left field duty, is trying to reintegrate into society and settle into a relationship, but when an agent he trained (and has a close affinity to) is captured, he is involved in her rescue from an international dealer who is after "the rabbits foot", a weapon which could potentially cause massive damage to world stability. But following the capture of the dealer, events transpire which puts Hunt's wife in the line of fire, and he must do everything within his power to protect not only society, but also those closest to him. Once again, this film raises the bar in terms of action. I have totally forgotten the film, so it was like watching it for the first time. Once again, spectacular stunts, flawless special effects and jaw dropping action combine with tension, a great story and all round good performances. Vastly better than M:I 2, this clearly sets the template of multi continent hopping, relentless, all round entertainment.
Mission:Impossible - Ghost Protocol
In the fourth film in the series, IMF is set up and blamed for the bombing of the Kremlin. As a result the US Government disavows IMF and Ethan Hunt and his team go it alone trying to track down the terrorist responsible, chasing them from Budapest to Moscow, Dubai and Mumbai. This film was breathtaking. It was everything a good action film should have been. It was just one great set piece after the other, but tied together with a good story and excellent performances, direction and special effects. The stunts were just amazing and it has reminded me just how good this film franchise is (even the slightly out of place second film). I have to say that I thought this film would just be "ok", but it far surpassed my expectations. Tom Cruise was surprisingly good. The only downside was the annoying (as per usual) Simon Pegg, who gurned his way though the film as the "comedy" support, but this is a minor quibble when you look at it in context of this superb film as a whole. .
Dirty Deeds
In the late 1960's/early 1970's the illegal gambling dens in Sydney were more than lucrative and were controlled by one man (despite a challenge from a local mobster). But when the American branch of the Mafia get wind of the money that is being made, they want a piece of the action and send two mobster (who are both on thin ice for a variety of reasons) to try to muscle in. The resulting attempts to take over are documented in this light hearted and entertaining little film. Loosely based on true events, (loosely on the basis that all the people involved in the real events are either dead or won't incriminate themselves), this was very well acted (Toni Collette was excellent as usual) and the look of the film was distinctly 70's (split screen, lens filters etcetera) which gave a duel sense of nostalgia and authenticity. I quite enjoyed it. It had a steady pace (similar to "The Dish") and is typical of Australian cinema. I enjoyed it much more than I thought I would.
The Descent
A group of female adrenaline junkies( and best friends) explore an underground cave system in an attempt to gloss over the first anniversary of the death of one of the girl's husband and daughter. The journey starts off well enough, but when one of the girls secretly takes the group off the beaten track and following a claustrophobic event where a tunnel collapses, the girls find themselves trapped. They try to find their way out, but as they descend deeper and deeper into the caves, they find that they are not alone. This film starts off as a tense claustrophobic and excellently directed drama of the girls trying to find their way out (the kind of film where you hold your breath and suck in your stomach as they try to squeeze through tiny gaps) and then turns into a gory, violent and blood soaked horror as the group are hunted in the darkness. It was just superb. I love this film - one of the great British horrors (up there with Eden Lake) which looks more expensive than it's modest budget.
The Descent - Part 2
More of the same, as a rescue mission is set into motion when the authorities realise the girls are missing. The rescue party heads down into the cave and soon find themselves being picked off by what dwells in the dark. Once again, there are many moments of similar breath holding, stomach sucking in tension as the first one. Following on in story directly from the end of The Descent, this is pretty much a re-run of the first film's formula, and, although it is not quite as good as the first film, it is by no means a poor follow up.
The story nicely follows the events of the first and there are many references / scenes relating to the previous events.
It is vastly underrated and well worth a watch. If you liked the first one, then you will no doubt enjoy this.
The Adjustment Bureau
A surprisingly good little film with Matt Damon as a politician who falls in love with a young woman, but it seems as though it is not meant to be. But it is not fate intervening, but specially trained agents of the "Adjustment Bureau", a mysterious organisation who ensure that the world "runs to plan" by nudging people along the correct path and making slight adjustments. Despite being warned to keep away from her, the pull of love proves too strong and so he goes against the system and looks for a way for them to be together. A decent action / sci-fi film based on a short story by Philip K Dick, it was fast paced, an interesting and enjoyable concept and in some ways, reminiscent of Inception and Run Lola Run (in terms of it's themes of the impact of small change on fate), this was a little gem of a film which is well worth a watch. the film comes to a rather sudden end, but that is a small criticism overall. Clearly made of the back of the success of "Inception" (as was Source Code), it is worth a watch.
Rise of the Planet of the Apes
A Scientist with a personal interest in developing a treatment for Alzheimer's develops a serum which is tested on Monkeys in his lab. The serum works better than he had hoped and not only repaired the damaged brain cells, but increased the intelligent of the subject. he takes a baby chimp, Caesar, from the lab and raised him at home, whilst continuing his experiments. But when Caesar attacks a neighbour, he is sent to a sanctuary where he asserts his leadership, takes over and plans his escape. I thought this was an amazing film. I loved everything about it - great story, amazing special effects, great acting and exciting as hell. I really didn't expect anything of it - I have never been a fan of Planet of the Apes, and bought this on a whim, not really knowing why. I am so glad that I did. It was just brilliant. I love it when a film just takes you by surprise. I cannot recommend this film enough.