A singular vision from a talented first time director, Spaceship journeys into the minds and souls of a group of teens in suburban Britain. Writer-director Alex Taylor takes a genre title, subverts it with a low-key premise, only to defy any and all expectations with a psychedelic head trip of a film, full of distinctive characters and faux-philosophical musings. A unique tone, expressive visuals and a knockout emotional finale keep things moving when the film threatens to meander into eternity.
Reviews
3 Reviews
Road to Perdition
(2002)
Hey There, Beautiful
18 January 2013
Road to Perdition is beautiful . . . and I mean really, really stunningly gorgeous.
But just being sumptuously shot isn't good enough, you need a bit of substance; and that's where Sam Mendes' 40s set gangster film falls short.
Admittedly, when you're in the same genre as films like Goodfellas and the The Godfather, it can be difficult to really stand out, but Road to Perdition is too cold and, dare I say it, boring to be held in the same regard as those masterpieces.
It tells the story of gangster/failed family-man Michael (Tom Hanks) whose gangster family – led by Paul Newman's John Rooney – turn against him. He is forced to go on the run with his eldest son, impressively played by Tyler Hoechlin, as they are hunted down by Jude Law's semi- necrophilic hit-man.
For such a stellar ensemble cast, much of the acting is surprisingly weak; especially Rooney Jr. played by Daniel Craig, boasting a pants mobster accent. But the two actors with the most screen time – Hanks and Hoechlin – manage to hold it together, and it is their father-son moments that carry the most emotional weight.
At its heart, Road to Perdition is a film about a father being cast out by his adopted family (the gangsters) and finding his true family. That really is a beautiful message, and one that actually comes close to supplying some real heart. It's just that whenever the plot drifts back into a gangster revenge story, it just grinds to a halt, and apart from the gorgeous visuals, there is absolutely nothing worth investing your time in.
It's does look good though . . .
But just being sumptuously shot isn't good enough, you need a bit of substance; and that's where Sam Mendes' 40s set gangster film falls short.
Admittedly, when you're in the same genre as films like Goodfellas and the The Godfather, it can be difficult to really stand out, but Road to Perdition is too cold and, dare I say it, boring to be held in the same regard as those masterpieces.
It tells the story of gangster/failed family-man Michael (Tom Hanks) whose gangster family – led by Paul Newman's John Rooney – turn against him. He is forced to go on the run with his eldest son, impressively played by Tyler Hoechlin, as they are hunted down by Jude Law's semi- necrophilic hit-man.
For such a stellar ensemble cast, much of the acting is surprisingly weak; especially Rooney Jr. played by Daniel Craig, boasting a pants mobster accent. But the two actors with the most screen time – Hanks and Hoechlin – manage to hold it together, and it is their father-son moments that carry the most emotional weight.
At its heart, Road to Perdition is a film about a father being cast out by his adopted family (the gangsters) and finding his true family. That really is a beautiful message, and one that actually comes close to supplying some real heart. It's just that whenever the plot drifts back into a gangster revenge story, it just grinds to a halt, and apart from the gorgeous visuals, there is absolutely nothing worth investing your time in.
It's does look good though . . .
Alien vs. Predator
(2004)
Not as bad as people make it out to be
7 July 2010
There are many people out there, who are die hard fans of the alien/predator series, that will tell you that Alien vs Predator was a complete flop and that it brings a bad name to the series. But I think these people will have gone into the cinema expecting to see something as great as the original classics. If they had gone in without any expectations I'm sure they would have got a lot more out of the film.
Lets get it straight, AvP is not as good as it's predecessors, though I did enjoy it more than Predator 2. But it is a hell of a lot of fun and I found it thoroughly entertaining. Yes, the directing is nearly as poor as the story, and many of the characters have less charisma than a bumble bee, but there ARE some things this film does incredibly well. The special effects are superb and the creatures have never looked better. The fight scenes are frantic and exciting. It also gives you a bit of the history of the two alien races on Earth.
I would have liked it to be more scary (not one scene made me jump) and yes, it COULD have been amazing. But it wasn't, and I can deal with that, because I had a good time watching it. And that to me is the most important thing.
Lets get it straight, AvP is not as good as it's predecessors, though I did enjoy it more than Predator 2. But it is a hell of a lot of fun and I found it thoroughly entertaining. Yes, the directing is nearly as poor as the story, and many of the characters have less charisma than a bumble bee, but there ARE some things this film does incredibly well. The special effects are superb and the creatures have never looked better. The fight scenes are frantic and exciting. It also gives you a bit of the history of the two alien races on Earth.
I would have liked it to be more scary (not one scene made me jump) and yes, it COULD have been amazing. But it wasn't, and I can deal with that, because I had a good time watching it. And that to me is the most important thing.
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