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Reviews
Castle Rock: The Queen (2018)
A dark mind unravelled
A journey into the dark corners of dementia interwoven with the characters and history of Castle Rock expertly delivered in chilling fashion.
Daddy's Little Girl (2014)
Confrontational and Original Horror
There's no doubt about it, child attacks, pedophilia, rape and murder are subjects we usually try to avoid. They are terrible to behold face on and harder still to understand what kind of evil could commit such an act and destroy so much. Sadly these stories are far too often appearing and the version of these atrocities the public gets fed via the 6 o'clock news are often watered down compared to the brutal reality of the situation. Yet for varying crimes, many of the monsters that commit these acts walk the streets undiscovered or are released from the judicial system far too soon.
It's a very bold and confrontational move indeed from up and coming director Chris Sun to unfold a situation on the screen that can't help but raise the question
what would you do if such a haenous act happened to someone you love? And more to the point, what would you do to the monster who committed the crime? This is a question that more than a few have candidly discussed over a cold beer.
The movie is hard to place in a specific genre. In many ways it's a brutal and inventive horror, with one particular horrific act that I have never seen in any movie, ever, which is certainly a feat in todays maelstrom of horrific offering. I won't offer any spoilers, but it's easy to see why the fresh eyes and mind of Chris have been acknowledged by leading horror figures internationally, his earlier work 'Come and Get Me' and this new offering both nominated for awards in the horror genre.
But it's also very much a drama. In our lives we have loved ones, so we can relate easily to the dramatic arcs demonstrating a family's bond, and importantly the strength of a bond between a father and his daughter. Surprisingly, being a movie with this dark subject matter also carries itself in parts as a laugh out loud black comedy.
After leaving the theatre the movie stayed with me uneasily for some time, and that's a good sign. I can point to dozens of Hollywood blockbusters that I have promptly forgotten as soon as I've dusted the popcorn from my lap, but not so with Daddy's Little Girl. The film raises questions, emotions, and encourages discussion, while still being hugely entertaining. I was taken down the rabbit hole during the film, and there was settled in for long enough to leave a marked impression, one that's helped me to look closer at an uncomfortable but very real evil in the world, and ask if the system is working. Are the punishments really enough for the horror and destruction that these people bring to our beautiful worlds? And I think it's important that we think about this. Personally I've known far too many people who have been hurt in some way, many who have never spoken up, and others with stories of only minor punishments for their perpetrators while the victims are expected to go on existing with the emotional scars long into the future, some, sadly, never to be the same again.
This movie addresses the topic in an unexpected way, and to some what will be a conflicted yet satisfying way. With a solid performance from the cast, (especially from little Billi Baker, and the emotional powerhouse Michael Thomson), a chilling cleverly matched score, and a fantastic special FX department, Slaughter FX, Chris Sun's Daddy's Little Girl is sure to be noticed, and like a tarantula, once you have noticed it moving towards you, you simply can't look away.
Mizugumo Monmon (2006)
Touching and Breathtaking
I've travelled half the world before to Ghibli, and when we were planning on going to Japan again this year (2009) I was so excited to go back to Mitaka and see Ghibli's next exclusive for the museum only short, I made sure we added the out of the way leg from Yokohama to see it.
I am a strong man, and only 35, but near the end of the superb emotionally provocative piece the magic of Ghibli overcame me and I found myself both grinning and tearing up.
My wife smiled at me, she knew how much it meant to me to come. Later I brushed away my tears, and admitted to her that to me it was such a special thing, coming all this way to see something very few people would get a chance to see... (It's quite a mission to get to the museum and you need to book a month before you leave your own country with the actual date set in stone...) And of course, it was classic Hayao Miyazaki too... It's so hard to explain that sensation.
Make the effort if you love the director or potentially miss out forever on the experience.
Futurama: Into the Wild Green Yonder (2009)
A nod to an imperfect yet dear friend.
I agree the 2nd movie was the best of the 4.
I will always love and hold dear Futurama, certain episodes stand out, the romantic sentimental, never to forget Frys dog, or the holophone episode, or the message Fry wrote in space. The comedic lover never to forget Zoidbergs attempt to win a mate, the Whatif machine, or anything Bender has ever done. Oh, and Zap of course, (moreso than Kif).
The episodes that appeal the least to me are the lengthy plot related Nibbler time twisting episodes, and the other overly story arced episodes that introduce new characters too often, which is the category in which I would place these movies.
I have to say that the Wong family has always been consistently boring material for me, and I know, others too.
I guess 90 minutes has that problem, in that there is a necessity to create a drama rather than a subsection of throwaway laughs and The Simpsons movie suffered from a similar fault. I believe it could have been done though. It's fair to say that South Park pulled it off better than most with their Bigger Longer movie.
It's sad to see the gang go. Regardless of speculation, it will be years, if at all, before they re-emerge, and although these 4 episodes were less than perfect, each and every outing was punctuated with many smirk worthy hits, if not laugh out loud moments, and anything that can keep you smiling and wanting more is worth archiving on the good shelf in my opinion, and I will revisit not only classic episodes but these movies again and again over the years ahead.
The idealist in me looks forward to a day that the writers get off the phone and yell, 'we've been unaxed!', cause although movies are eager berries to pick, they often lack the exhilarating hit, the condensed juice of a good 22 minutes of laughter, packaged in the format we have trained our brains to consume so well.
What say Fox, these guys deserve a call for their efforts. Agreed?
Eagle Eye (2008)
Unbelievable and a little long....
I know it's science fiction. I know it's swing through the trees Shia Lebouf. I know it's popcorn garb, but I had to put my 2 cents in because a movie that is a) not a comedy, and b) punctuated with 'seen before' special FX and a 'done before' set of story arcs, needed that something extra in the realm of believability.
Not only did the movie lack this, (and I tried to enjoy it, cause I think the cast is great, Michael Chiklis is great whatever he does), but it dragged a little.
Also, I guess it insulted my intelligence, primarily by over explaining simple things in 5 different ways, first with a subtle easy to pick hint, then immediately followed by a direct 'working it out' reference', and then a paint by numbers graphic in case you were still puzzled, (or four years old).
My wife said the same points as we left the cinema, just as I was thinking it.
What does it have going for it? Not the story, sorry. It's unfortunately been done, and done better before. Big Brother cant see and manipulate everything, no spoilers here though sorry.
Acting though, quite good. A somewhat saving grace, considering the script. 7/10, (more for some like Billy Bob and The Shields Mickey C).
Special FX - 7/10 (by todays standards - it's no Transformers etc.).
If I didn't know better, and can't blame a studio for agreeing with me, I'd suspect a formulaic cash machine.
Insert Story line # 12 - Big Brotheresque control dialogue. Add 2002 budget quality of special FX and selection of peripheral on the way out or TV actors, and solidify with upstart Shia Lebouf who seems to be dazzling some demographics, at some level of effectiveness.
Include explosions and FX, many directly copied from ex-Fresh Prince movies. Those FX too epic, mask with quick shaky camera and fast cuts to avoid analysis of detail.
I sadly cant say more, or it will include spoilers, but I would suggest that the voting bell curve is wrong here, or dominated by 16 year old voters.
This movie is average, and it just deserves a 5-6, no higher, not ever.
U2 3D (2007)
I have seen U2 live.
After seeing this extraordinary milestone in cinematic history, I was left flabbergasted by the sheer quality and magnitude of 'being' there. The 3D was astonishingly crisp and the editing a sublime mix of ethereal focus pulls and cross dissolves, interspersed with moments of additional 'not overused' graphic overlays. Everything accentuated everything, and had I been a stalwart U2 fan rather than a curious cinephile, I would have had no choice but to give this experience a solid 10/10.
If they repeat the performance with a Pink Floyd or an REM, at this quality and at this level of immersion I will give my first 10.
Whether you love U2, or simply admire their creative tenacity, you will enjoy yourself to the point of at the very least a strong admiration of the technical prowess of the 3D mechanics, and showmanship of Bono, and in my opinion, moreso, The Edge.
Enjoy!
World Trade Center (2006)
Recommended viewing for those who need to see...
Let me start by saying that I am a cynical son of a gun, for want of a better euphemism. I am also an Aussie, so was fairly detached from 9/11. Not that detached that the whole of Australia barely worked that day, and the TV was going in full force. The impact was none the less huge, even here. This movie to me was clichéd, yes, was Hollywood, yes, was the closest thing I have seen to an accurate depiction of the events surrounding a small bubble of actual event, also yes. I have seen a lot of negative reviews of this movie, but Oliver Stone was always going to cop a curve ball, prepared though he surely was. Touching nerves is a good thing though, and I feel strongly after seeing this movie, that the ordeal suffered by the world on that day, has been stylized effectively in one of many storytelling facets. In actuality I cried. There you have it. I'm a cynic, an Aussie, not a sentimentalist, or a Nic Cage fan per se, (although a mate of my mates buys swords with him at Japanese auctions, and assures me he's a sound bloke), and yet, I learned something. I heard that on that same day that a natural disaster caused many more deaths in India on that same weekend, and for years I threw that into a verbal battle, but there is an inherent sadness in terrorist aftermath, an unjust heaving of the soul that although is equal in grief to the death of any loved one, is, on another level, amplified by the decisive hate of those who are taught to destroy western culture. Not to enter into a debate on religious creed, and staying with the movie, I enjoyed it, clichés aside, and feel that the uber-cynics should either avoid this movie, or accept its foibles without casting slings and arrows at an otherwise above average attempt to share a moment in shared history that has ultimately brought us closer as a world audience amongst the hurt. As a footnote, those who feel Oliver Stone has capitalized on this event may wish to look at most of his past films. This is a man who has a track record for factually documenting many events in history, and it would be awry in my opinion to cast aspersions on this most recent attempt which is clearly no different.
Bring It On: Again (2004)
Honey, I shrunk my brain.
I need to wash my eyeballs and earholes after seeing this rubbish. Perhaps the entire cheerleading team borrowed a time stopping device from the bad plot department and studied choreographed performance arts for 2 years straight. Personally, I wish I had a time travelling device simply so I could travel back in time 2 hours, and smash the DVD player before my girlfriend subjected me to this tripe. I will never get my 2 hours back. In fact I'll stop typing this right now, because that movie is still occupying my time, and not another second... HOWEVER, Apparently to submit a review it needs to be 10 lines, with that in mind... Don't WASTE ANY TIME ON THIS MOVIE Perhaps a visit to the dentist would be more enjoyable.