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Reviews
Lucy (2014)
A huge turkey of a film, devoid of tension and logic.
I had heard about this film and thought the premise sounded great and once the hype had died thought I'd give it a whirl. Cast and director seemed top notch, boy was I going to be disappointed...
The first 20 or so minutes of the film are quite intriguing and there is much to like about the protagonist and antagonist(s) as the story unfolds. However once we understand what is happening the rest of the film seems redundant. We know that Lucy will deal with everything that comes her way because of her amazing powers (despite the fact she allows half the University staff at the end to get brutally killed why she casually chats with Morgan Freeman) So many plot holes, so much daft logic it's painful. The tension disappears at this point too and we are subjected to a paint by numbers formula that so pervades US studio films these days.
Scarlett did a great job and I feel her performance rescued this film from the toilet completely. Yet one cannot wonder how it got to the state it did at just past the hour mark. Morgan Freeman probably did a 2 week shoot, took the money and ran. The car chase in Paris was painfully CGI ridden (see Ronin for a proper Paris car chase without CGI) I care about it so little that I can't be bothered to say anything else about it.
Another one of those films that's only good because it keeps people employed in the film industry whilst assuming the audience are stupid.
The Grey (2011)
Great Premise - Boringly Unreal Depiction
I had to rewatch this film, after falling asleep during the first attempt and I never fall asleep during films. On the original watch at about the hour mark as they leave the plain I went drifting into the land of nod.
So, to give it justice and fair crack of the whip I watched it again. 2 things jumped out at me: First the men did not reflect the dire situation they were in. The correct reaction to being plane crashed into a barren ice wasteland and slowly getting eaten by Wolves was nowhere near correct. I have to put this down to poor direction. Liam Neeson pretty much held that together by himself and he clearly 'got' the scenario but the other members of the group were far too blasé and non vocal about their plight and imminent death. When the 3rd to last guy just sat down to die, it was clear this director knew nothing of the human spirit to survive. Had he not researched how skeletal men, ridden with infection and malnourished continued to build the Bridge over the River Kwai, knowing that one day they may meet their families again? No one just lies down, particularly when he was just limping in the previous scene, he had not even reached crawling on his knees. This is in no way reflective of the human survival instinct and for me took away the last remnants of realism of this lacklustre film. (bearing in mind we are talking a sensible budget with a top box office draw actor in Neeson.)
Next was the Wolves. We never really get to see them and it's almost like the director went with a 'Jaws' approach, less is more, don't show the monster in case it looks fake. But these are Wolves, just large dogs that everyone is familiar with and the lack of showing the personality of the Wolves kills the antagonistic angle in this film. We don't really know them, we hardly even see them and the time we do see them, they are clearly CGI or animatronic. I don't know why they didn't use real Wolves for some of the key scenes and do their best to make this as believable as possible, the film hinged on it for me. We have a pretty authentic plane crash scene but the stars of the show fall short of that IMO.
The film wasn't overly long but it seemed it and it also seemed very spaced out, the pace was very slow even though on paper it went hopping from one tense scene to the next and should have bounced along nicely. Again I feel this was the directors fault maybe even at the cutting stage, it just lacks an impetus, an urgency that these guys need to keep moving, keep warm, keep eating etc. When making the obvious comparison to Alive! which doesn't have any Wolves, that film is far more engaging and compelling because it addresses the issues we would face in that scenario and I feel large elements of that basic survival context were absent from this film as mentioned.
All in all a very flat film but I felt it was photographed nicely and given some of the conditions for filming, they crew did well in the circumstances. There's not much else to say given it was just a lot of ice and snow and a bunch of men walking about, just such a shame the characters were so shallow when the opportunity was there to flesh them out, make us feel the sympathy the film needed and cut down on some of the other unnecessarily drawn out sections to balance the film better. I don't understand for example why the suicide attempt was brought up at the end of the film, and even Leeson said it how it was "it doesn't matter now". Damn right, why not engage us in the other guy who's death we simply don't care about when he gets trapped under the log?
Clearly a Neeson vehicle in the hands of an inexperienced director of the human condition in extremes.
The Road (2009)
Grim, sparse yet totally engaging-A film about being a Father, A Man and a Husband.
Being a fan of Mortensen's solid acting and dedication to his characters, I thought this film would be worth a shot. Knew it was a post apocalypse movie with very little in the way of much else and based on the Pulitzer prize winning book by Cormac McCarthy. I should say I haven't read the book.
What I liked about this film was that it was true, at least as true as how I see the world - post some nasty population devastating event. Yes you wouldn't trust a soul, yes food would be scarce and once the animals and tinned food was gone, humans would be next on the menu. You don't really see much of that but there is a scene where a house has a 'larder' full of people ready to be cooked, run by some nasty looking types.
Throughout the film as it progressed I was really hoping this wouldn't have some sugary happy ending, but once they left the safety of their newly discovered bunker, I think I was hoping something nice would happen amongst the bleakness of it all at least for the kid's sake! It was obvious Mortensens character wouldn't make it and only a matter of time before the kid would have to go it alone. He didn't have to in the end but that is one of my hang ups about the film. Although the kid was good at acting with nothing particularly demanding of a 'performance' - it did come across that despite his time out on the road living like he did, he would at least have been at bit tougher. Maybe they were following the book, maybe it was direction, maybe Viggo's character wasn't doing a great job of telling him that any person walking around was a potential assassin. He didn't seem to make any progress either and was still pleading with his Dad to give the black man his clothes back and give him a tin of food too. He showed a little bit of guts at the end but it was still weak and as a result I thought the entire character was a bit weak since he never really went anywhere or did anything of note. Not quite your John Connor from T2.
However that was my only gripe with the film. I thought all other scenarios were true to the situation and a potential direction you may take given the same circumstances. The suicide pact seemed plausible given that you may be boiled in a pot by some nasty desperado like person at any moment.
The cinematography was nice, in fact it was classy. Not much in the way of your usual Hollywood style look, very much natural light with some lift here and there to enhance practicals. There were obviously much in the way of FX shots for skies and stuff but it was seamless. I did think the CGI shot with the boats was a bit gimmicky, maybe not such an iconic, epic scene would have fitted the film better bearing in mind that no reason for the apocalypse was given. Other wide establishing shots were more tasteful I felt. I expected a lot more hand held work but most of the film was rock solid with also not much in the way of moving camera work. Nice to be able to just sit and watch something play out without the need to get a steadicam or dolly out in every shot.
What this film is really about is being a parent. I'm not sure that if you haven't got children whether this film would resonate at all. I put myself in Dad's position and the boy as my own young son and just felt the whole thing. I think Hillcoat got the vibe of the story absolutely right. There's nothing much else here apart from a man's love for his son and what he would do to preserve it. Yes he had a perfectly good bunker stocked with food but the safety of his kid was paramount and he took a gamble to stay alive. It paid off. He held him and kissed him and bathed him and nurtured him, tried to teach him (see above) it was all about the relationship but moreover the role of Dad, Man and Husband. The whole thing hung on Mortensen's shoulders and I think he pulled it off admirably. The scene with the piano and it's significance was stunningly simple but so emotionally evocative. This is a director with a good handle on storytelling.
Lots of people missed the point here. No there was no big explosions, an explanation, some kind of killer virus or hoards of zombies with a thirst for blood. Compare it to War of the Worlds (which I love but for other reasons) It was a bit more cerebral and a beautiful study of a relationship between Father and Son against the most bleak background you could imagine.
Fish Tank (2009)
Dirty, honest, sad, lonely but strangely uplifting...
I just watched this in the Grand Lumiere theatre at Cannes FF, a brilliant experience and a fantastic film! What struck me immediately was the use of natural light in this film. It really had that feeling that you were there and there were none of the typical Hollywood looks to people and sets. It had a very British feel, very much in the vein of Loach's Kes.
having discovered the story behind Jarvis the female lead, it makes the whole performance more astonishing and remarkable. The angry teenager has never been done more convincingly in my opinion, even though my daughter can at times be a close second! There must be young hopefuls in drama schools around the country literally gutted that they have devoted their young lives and untold money to this art but been trounced by an absolute beginner in a role she was obviously made for, whether she knew it or not.
The environment was nasty, you could smell the urine in the corridors, feel the poverty amongst the residents and imagine the boredom of the children. One thing that did occur to me at the start of this film was that Mia wasn't great at dancing. I first thought that if this was a film about how dancing would save her, she would either need to get good quickly or it would be a serious fail.
The male lead, Connor (Fassbender) appears early on as another of Mia's mothers' 'pulls' from the local pub or club. The sexual tension is evident from the start but it doesn't stop Mia from rifling his wallet for money within minutes of meeting him! The mother is stereotypically perfect, the lush who drinks to excess yet tries in vain to preserve her looks with botox and yards of makeup and bleach. It's not clear what she does but suffice to say, not very much, particularly in the parenting department.
Finally we have Sophie, Mias sister. For me she was the comic relief, raising the film above total hopelessness and depression with her funny comments, observations and innocent (ish) take on things. It's hard to imagine the words were put in her mouth as they seem so natural. Whilst in Cannes watching this film it was evident that much of the dialogue went over the audiences head. When we heard the (obligatory staff) dog was called Tennants, we laughed out loud, but we laughed alone! The film just seemed to tick along effortlessly. The scenes with Connor and Mia where bursting with tension and the inevitable coupling just a matter of time. However there were times, for instance the spanking scene with Connor in the bedroom, where it seemed that Mia had experienced something similar and it had adversely affected her. It wasn't clear whether Connor represented an abusive father figure who she couldn't help but fall for or whether she was just a curious teenager, having seen him and her mother having sex through the door one night.
Very difficult to find fault with this film, even if you were looking. The performances were believable, the camera work although almost exclusively hand-held was not jarring and just helped convey the realness of the piece. Lens flares, exposure issues, focus etc, all leant to the genuine feel and put you right there. Even the ending rounded up the film perfectly and I'm glad she wasn't going to win any dancing competitions and get a job in the West End! Great achievement, surely the Palm D'or must belong to Andrea Arnold this year for a brilliantly portrayed glimpse of life as an East End teenager in London and for such a little amount of money! (£2m)
Tetro (2009)
Slow Burner - Nice Twist - Engaging Film
I knew nothing about this film but went along to a private screening at Cannes just last week.
I wasn't sure whether the black and white was going to last much past the opening scenes, it did, and I feel it really helped this film portray the contrast and the depression felt by the main character Tetro.
The film slowly unravelled slowly, providing just enough snippets of the bigger underlying story obviously hidden away in the past of the 2 brothers to keep you engaged. Played out against the backdrop of modern day Argentina (it wasn't obvious when the period was until we get a glimpse of a modern day car about 25 minutes in) We have Bennie the young brother, visiting his manic depressive prospect playwright brother and catching up on lost time together. However it's evident from the start that the older brother, Tetro does not want to rekindle any family ties for reasons that unfold during the film.
Bennie discovers the latent stories written by Tetro and attempts to finish them in order for Tetro to be recognised for his brilliance, something Tetro himself seems unwilling to do.
I love what Coppola has done here, I loved the character and the vibe he set, particularly the little village theatre where Tetro worked and where we see a gaudy and low budget production of Faust being performed. We revisit this theatre for Bennie/Tetro's first play which doesn't go well! The underlying story is all about the father of the brothers, a top orchestral conductor who jumped on his far more talented brothers back (Tetro's uncle)to become the most renown conductor in New York. What then follows is his megalomaniacal fathers disregard of his son and subsequent stealing of his sweetheart. Coupled with the fact that Tetro was then responsible for his mothers death in a car crash and his father never forgave him and you have the perfect recipe for the depressive abyss that Tetro finds himself in at the start of the film where we come in.
We see some beautiful flashback sequences, in colour to provide the contrast to Tetro's mood, of past events but done in a theatrical almost ballet style. The ones toward the end of the film are nothing short of exquisite and really hammer home the depth of feeling.
The climax sees Bennie and Tetro finally rewarded by their peers at the regional arts festival for their joint work but also forced to face up to the ultimate family secret, one which I shan't give away here! The signs for a big twist are apparent but exactly what that is may be narrowed down but not apparent until it occurs in my opinion.
The actor who plays young Bennie has DeCaprio overtones and does bear a physical resemblance, Gallo as Tetro is menacing yet feeble behind his fake facade. Tetro's wife provided a perfect go between for the main characters, not to mention turning in a brilliant performance! Jose the cafe owner provides comic relief and 'Alone', the theatre critic is the spectre of potential humiliation and failure that Tetro must overcome and convince of his genius.
I loved this film and only gave it a 7 for the predictable ending which was a bit over dramatic and clichéd for what was otherwise a well acted and nicely designed bit of cinema. The story is rich and the scenery and sets are brilliant, particularly the Patagonian mountains.
KSE.
Children of Men (2006)
Excellent Work by Director Alfonso Cuaron
This film bucks the trend big time:
Massive takes The use of famous REAL London locations Political incorrectness Hugely innovative camera techniques Almost 100% hand held camera work understated, solid acting Fantastic sets-minimal CGI
I watched this film 3 times on the bounce purely because I had to catch everything and one pass just wasn't enough. It wasn't until the 3rd watch that the long takes finally hit me and I realised how seamless he had made them. They gave the whole piece a real sense of time, pace, energy, urgency and life. Amazing how such an obvious technique lends itself so perfectly to this film. It must have been demanding and harrowing to pull off but the effort is so worthwhile.
Clive Owen did a great job and I loved his whole reaction to what was appearing around him. Compare it to Tom Cruise in WOTW and it's a different ball game in the Armageddon situation. Owen was totally believable and his weakness for Bells whiskey and nasty looking futuristic cigarettes showed he was only human whilst keeping his crown as the emerging hero in the film. I also loved Caine as the old hippy, seemingly oblivious to everything except his beloved crop of Strawberry Cough cannabis.
For me, this film represented an utterly realistic scenario of the future. Well thought out with spectacular attention to detail and also many hidden references to icons of the previous century. There were so many layers that 3 watches was imperative to soak ones mind in what was there should the viewer pry into it a little deeper.
On first watch, the scene in the car (you know the one!) was tense and engaging but on the second watch it became obvious that some serious camera trickery went on to achieve those shots. Again referring back to WOTW where Cruise and kids flee the town on the Freeway and we are treated to a fantastic camera pan, in out and around the moving car. This goes one step further with interaction from people outside and was obviously done for real and not green screened. The 3rd watch revealed the length of the take and yet another layer of complexity to this seemingly regular car interior shot. Fantastic that we are still being treated to amazing cinematographic revelations in this day and age.
The film goes from strength to strength, from realism to gritty realism. The story remained solid throughout, with a minimum of holes and dead ends to leave the viewer frustrated. Too much to relay here. suffice to say the ending was sweet and not disappointing as 90% of film endings are. The whole film was an event and I shall be watching Alfonso's next work very carefully if it's anything like this tour de force of cinema.
Tenacious D in The Pick of Destiny (2006)
Maybe I Missed Something-Maybe This Film Missed The Target
I was looking forward to seeing this film. I'm familiar with JB and KG's music and thought it was great, if a little on the coarse side and having one or two more fecks than it should have.
However right from the start this film just didn't sit with me. There's was no background on JB and we were thrown right into this scenario we had to take as read. Were we expected to fit this character into the mould of any other angst teen who wanted to be a rockstar? This film missed all the great clichés and funny stuff associated with rock music and being a budding musician. OK Spinal tap, Bill & Ted and Wayne's World has already covered those bases and that kind of makes you think why make this film? It was like a badly written Dumb and Dumber with guitars.
The story and delivery were constantly stilted and the more I watched the more I thought this was aimed at 12 year olds, so what about all the foul language? Back to the story, the pick of destiny...it wasn't even original or absorbing. The pizza guy was a stoodge and some of the musical material in the film was quite bad. The Tim Robbins character was great but for me he didn't fit nicely into the film and stuck out like a sore thumb. My favourite bit was the Ben Stiller scene in the music shop, I thought at that point the film was beginning to come to life and take shape a bit but it just seemed to nosedive after that. I kept thinking 'that would have been great to do that there' and so on and I feel they missed many opportunities to expand the characters and story and make it a bit more engaging.
The climax and resolution of the film just fell flat for me. The music was rubbish and I got the impression JB was just on some kind of rock God trip, trouble is he lacks the looks, musical ability and presence of said God. The slight comic relief, relief from KG was as wooden as his acoustic guitar. Probably the most empty film I've seen in ages, the whisp of an idea stretched out to 90 mins with such thin content it should never have got passed the development stage and should've been binned. At least in Waynes World we had sympathy for and loved the characters and at least in Spinal Tap we laughed for 20 years. This will go down as the proverbial crock for the majority of people.
Would have made a far better batch of quick 3 minute youtube videos or a simple straight to DVD release to 'D' fans, but at least it kept some people in work!
Road to Perdition (2002)
Atmospheric Gangster Adventure With Another Hanks Triumph
Is there anything Hanks can't do? When this came out I gave it a bit of a wide berth as I thought that hanks had gone too far. OK so hes one of the best character actors on the planet today, but a mob hit-man? Could his performances in Big, Sleepless in Seattle and similar American slush, then his later work such as the compassionate characters in both the Green Mile and SPR undermine this potentially ruthless gunman's screen persona? Not so. He convinced me yet again, but in his own Tom Hanks way. Times were hard, he had a family to support and so through his Irish connections became involved in Gangland dirty work. I thought his character was totally believable and as with most of his work, he sucks you in and makes you believe him, which is why he's working so hard, pulling so many punters to his films and why he has a price tag to match.
So we have a dog eat dog world of gangsters, underhand deals, sleaze and guns. I loved the setting, the emptiness and loneliness of some scenes and the hustle and bustle of mid depression city life in America. We are led quickly into Hanks role as a hit-man/runner for the mob/Irish gangs and treated to some fine work by host of quality actors: Paul Newman, Daniel Craig, Jude Law and the Hank's son in the film who whilst a bit wooden at first, seemed to loosen up towards the end, indicative of a linearly shot piece.
The scene when Newman gives the boy a silver dollar after he witnesses a gangland murder (where his father Hanks machine guns a gang of heavies) was the moment I couldn't stop watching. It was a great moment.
The film is lavish in terms of attention to period detail. The shot where they enter Chicago, although CGI is still breathtaking. My only concern was Hanks relationship with his son. There seemed to creep in a bit of post 70's American sacharrine rather than the harsh world of the 30's. The scene where Hanks was talking to his kid was however great, you could see this was the first time he had had a proper sit down talk with his son, yet I thought it could've been better. More could have been made about the shitty life Hanks had put his family and himself through. Maybe subtlety was better, but it was a good opportunity to highlight the situation as it would have been. The hug at the end was truly great, you could really feel that it was one of very few hugs he had ever had, particularly from his own boy.
Jude law was great as the malnourished, hunched over nutter who made money from being both hit-man and photographer. It was inevitable that he would show up again at the end of the film, such a performance dictated a curtain call for this fantastic character...and a curtain call he got. With Hanks in the final act, he stands at the window in a brilliantly overlong shot. We see the sea lapping the shore, Has Hanks character made it? Broken away from the mob and carved out an anonymous life with his son after the horrors of what had happened in the last 6 weeks? Sadly no, after a string of armed robberies where he steals only the Mobs dirty money from banks known to hold the dodgy cash (to protect himself from instant execution) and whilst staring out of the window, Laws character kills him in a chronic irony and in my opinion a fantastic end to a superb movie. Hanks son in turn kills Law which leads to an understated anti-gun statement, but the end of the film where he returns to a remote farmhouse, where he had stayed earlier in the film, was a lovely touch and rounded it all off into what must be one of my favourite film endings. Tragic but complete.
Sam Mendes has done it again. A real piece of film with just about everything all contained within it's priceless completeness.
The Last King of Scotland (2006)
Gripping Docu-Drama Whittaker Steals The Show!
Just as the real Idi Amin could hold sway over vast audiences with only his voice, so too can Whittaker command the screen in the guise of the now infamous Ugandan despot.
Right from the start I was sucked into this film, made in what I would call The British Style. The main Character Nick Carrigan (Mr. Tumnus from Narnia) was nothing short of brilliant as the young doctor. His enthusiasm and lust for life just filled the screen.
Nicks first meeting with Amin was terrifically tense and I think a great job was done of portraying the mistrust around at the time. The quick editing and skillful direction gave the meeting its full weight, it was then I knew this was going to be a fantastic film. 2 actors and a dusty dirt track, yet it was gripping.
We see the benevolent side of Amin at the start and his attempts to improve the situation and the world view of Uganda. However even from the start Amin was already slaughtering his opponents or anyone who dare speak out against him, wholesale. It was during this first act that I realised that the Nick Carrigan character may be fictional. I am old enough to remember Amin coming to power and being exiled to the middle east at the end of the 70's, but nothing about the 'little white monkey'. No matter, if this was just a vehicle to portray the life and times of Amin, it was working well! Whittaker stole the show, a total powerhouse performance, from the hulking frame, the accent and the mood swings that turned him from a teddy bear into a monster in the blink of an eye. He was genuinely scary on screen, but you also felt for him, such is the power of Whittakers talent, his level of research into Amin and the masterful story and direction. Of note too were the sets of the time and his equally frightening death squads.
One scene really took me and it was where we see Amin playing an accordion at a party. He sits almost in a trance like state whilst slowly squeezing the instrument and captured within that short shot was in my view why Whittaker got the Oscar he so deservedly won.
My only real criticism was the over use of the zoom lens in this film. I don't know whether it was to give a news like feel but whereas it had its uses in places, I felt it becoming annoying after a while.
No special effects, no pirates no lavish sets, just a handful of quality actors, a story rooted in fact and a good production team. A truly brilliant film that kept me sucked in until the last second and left me hanging in dusty, humid, sweaty Uganda circa 1979 for days after.
Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End (2007)
Sadly Disappointed-A damp squib marks the worlds end for the POC trilogy.
Everything about this film has already been written.
I'd just like to add that for a few hundred million and with a strong cast this film should have been a whole lot better. The story and character development, and the expansion on established characters was just not there.
After 90 minutes I found myself looking at the quality of the sets and costumes as this is where this installment of the POC trilogy really excels. Looks like they got some real boats in there this time! If only this trilogy had been planned from the start instead of an initial first film that was self contained and a real spectacular romp of a summer film and then 2 more films hastily/badly written and ill conceived simply tagged on the end of what was always going to be just a giant cash cow for the studio.
I was longing for more, for someone to again lead the film as Jack did in the first one, but it was such a higgledy piggledy mess I couldn't help but lose interest.
Maybe in 20 years some upstart director may do a re-make and get someone to write a coherent, engaging and exciting story for us to follow instead of this mess that looked like it was written the day before the shoot and they just went with what they had because of financial constraints and actors other commitments. I can't wait to see Jerry Bruckhiemer waxing on about this film when the DVD comes out! *insert expletive of choice*
The Great Riviera Bank Robbery (1979)
Fantastic Film-Never Seen!
I can't really rate this film as I saw it once when I was about 12, but what I do remember is that it was fantastic, dirty, gritty and defined my knowledge of McShane as a great actor.
I remember sewers, drills and bank vaults full of money that the robbers had all weekend to spend robbing I also remember the scene at the end where the hero jumps from a police station window onto a waiting motorbike that speeds away once he is safely seated.
What this post is really about is to see if someone has a copy. I'd happily pay good money, so please drop me a message if you come across one!
Gangs of New York (2002)
Visually Stunning Epic that didn't quite cut the masterpiece mustard.
I had missed this film first time around and it took 5 years for me to finally watch it. When you think Scorsese and actors like Lewis, Broadbent and Neeson you tend to think that it'll be worth watching at the very least.
I think Scorsese was on a historical mission as much as anything with this film. The story was so weak that it had to be the portrayal of the times and the birth of a city/nation that was the real focal point of the film. Had I seen this at the time I would have been worrying about DiCaprio's casting, but now I'm convinced he's one of the best young actors around. Cameron Diaz I thought was miscast and never really did it for me in the role of promiscuous pickpocket Jenny. Accents from all non Irish actors were all over the place but it was forgivable! Then we of course come to Lewis in what must be his most brilliant role to date. His portrayal of The Butcher was nothing short of menacing, nasty, slimy and quite literally frightening. He showed his vicious potential throughout the film but his brutal murder of Monk McGrinn on the doorstep of his shop was shocking, as was his treatment of the would be assassin in the theatre.
There was a lack of character development for me, particularly with DiCaprios character. There was much that was not shown about who he was and even where he lived and slept! Also The Butcher, how did he get so evil? What motivated his actions and why did he live in squalor? However it was kind of good to be kept thinking about what the characters got up to as well! The set and costume design were amazing. I didn't find the gore overwhelming and if anything it was underplayed as I'm sure with the weapons shown, things would have been a whole lot messier during the many fights the gangs had during that period. The whole thing was played out around a simple revenge style plot and the end was already given at the start as we see the young Amsterdam take the knife used to kill his father and bury it. For a 3 hour film it never felt sluggish, all the time we were kept moving and the story continued to unfold albeit heading for the inevitable ending.
So we are treated to a visual feast: huge crowd scenes, lavish extensive sets, great atmosphere and lighting and very little in the way of digital FX to weigh it down. One nice touch for me was the ending time lapse sequence where we see New York grow from the ramshackle wooden buildings of the 1860's right up to the modern day. Interesting too that the twin towers were included in the clip although they were destroyed almost a year previous in the 9-11 attacks. A tribute from the staunch New Yorker Scorsese no doubt.
A good film for me and Lewis's performance will linger as a benchmark for many years. A masterpiece? The miscasting and weak storyline prevent it from earning the title, but as far as direction and the production values, it's almost there.
Equilibrium (2002)
Something about this film never clicked for me...
Right from the start a bell was ringing in my head about this film. Was it the 80's TV film looking 'futuristic' transport? Was it the clichéd post apocalyptic preabmle? Was it the fact that the 'original' Mona Lisa was about 2 feet bigger than the original currently hanging in the Louvre in Paris? Within the first 10 minutes I had spotted more continuity errors than you see in may films, perhaps 2 or 3. The lack of blood on the floor after the initial slaughter of the rebel group, having been shredded by more lead than a church roof was also worrying. The film, from the start seemed to be so bent on style that it forgot about basic film-making techniques. I thought shot composition was poor, albeit there wasn't much in the way of scenery to balance shots or to make a composition from.
Then more problems; The way the police types just stood by and watched whilst one was chopped or killed, allowing our hero Bale to kill multiple foes at a single sitting. Even the plot helping dialogue about 'optimum fighting tactics' didn't seem to explain why the police just stood around and didn't spray the area with bullets. Also Who was training these police? You don't all draw guns and then form a circle around your quarry!! Which leads on to the incessant cocking of weapons, which this film must be the title holder for most gun cocks per minute of any film, even multiple cockings of an already cocked gun were spotted. Oh and then the costume department fell on its face by kitting out our police in standard issue leather 3/4 jackets and crash helmets, in obligatory black. How original! However, Bale was great as the cold cleric, Sean Bean gets another huge fee for dying within the first act of yet another film, he must love Hollywood. I was also drawn into the story as it did twist a bit and leave me wanting more. For me though, there were a few too many helpers along the way to highlight where the story was going. Even the double twist with the Brandt character was transparent given his cocky dialogue throughout.
On the whole, for me the whole thing could have been a lot darker in storyline and in terms of the lighting, it seemed to lack atmosphere. Also in a world supposedly bereft of feelings, a close examination of the dialogue shows many lines borne out of feeling by all characters (even the ones taking their medicine!). I did like the Beethoven scene though, only spoilt by Bale's awkward dialogue at the end of that scene.
Matrix inspired, didn't quite make its premise, nicely acted, cheap looking, but entertaining none the less.
World Trade Center (2006)
A big budget bum of a movie
Right away, this film is too soon after the event, too sensitive and politically straight-jacketed to be able to give a proper objective take on the subject matter.
The first few scenes/minutes of the film seemed incredibly stilted, with the actors not really knowing what they should be doing, let alone portraying characters who didn't know what they were supposed to be doing. Nicholas cage tells everyone to focus, whilst at the same time loading up a large trolley with about 300 kilos of equipment in a building where there are no lifts! There didn't seem to be the environment of emergency when the guys were wandering around the foot of the towers. You could see chaos but it seemed to be a long way away and they seemed detached from it. Maybe this was intentional but it did take away some of the drama of the first 15 minutes of the film. Just as soon as some action started, action that you knew was just around the corner and palpable, the film seemed to come to a standstill.
Of course trying to act your arse off whilst lying down, barely visible and covered in tons of material is tough. The acting though I don't think was in question except possibly for Cage's typically American gung ho statements whilst he rallied his half dead troops. It seemed to me that the whole film could have been 40 minutes shorter, a lot of the banter was just painting by numbers: the obvious longing for their partners, visions of times gone by etc. It was all very predictable and offered nothing new on that front.
Whilst not quite as saccharine as Pearl Harbour, there was that Americanisation of the subject that painted everyone in some kind of heroic light, from the main characters right down to the children, ready to drive into ground zero and start digging. It was over egged in my opinion.
They prayed to God yet did no one consider the possibility that it would have been easier for God to have flipped the terrorists wrist and cause the plane to crash into New York harbour than to see 3000 die and a handful live? Whilst they are constantly praying to the same God to save them. Was God having a huge joke with the Americans that day? Do Americans think they have a Monopoly on Gods actions for the good of their own patriotic humanity? A huge quandary ignored by the scriptwriters.
There was much about the event I felt should have been included that would have added more weight, yet avoided schmaltz. Not least a tip of the hat to the many that didn't get a positive outcome that day. The CGI was seamless, it could have been shot on the day it was that realistic. However, I couldn't help but think the whole thing was just missing something and as I said, felt like it was treading on eggshells regarding the real horrors of the events.
I couldn't say I enjoyed the movie. Let's let someone else have a proper go when the wounds have healed and the conspiracy theories have died down.
Cold Mountain (2003)
Solid Acting-An Excellent Portrayal of mid 19th Century America
I really enjoyed this film. It was about time Anthony Minghella had the success he so justly deserves after making some fairly good films throughout his career, most notably Truly Madly Deeply and the English Patient. Strange though that a thoroughly English director should take on a staunchly American subject and then also fill the main roles with a host of Non American actors. I can't vouch for the authenticity of accents, but the main characters did a fantastic job. I loved Winstone, you could even smell him, such was his menacing presence. Natalie Portman also did a great job in what was only a fleeting role in the film.
The battle scenes were brutal and I think well researched and recreated based on my knowledge of the American Civil War. It really plunged you into the horror and chaos of warfare in that era with muck and bullets abound.
The central story of Law and Kidmans character was strange in that it was based entirely on voice overs and the odd look or sigh from the characters. Apart from a brief period at both the start and the end of the film, the two just spent the time longing and it's clear that their love for each other is what helped them through their individual struggles as Law recovers from serious war injuries and Kidman tries to cope with running a farm on her own.
What I thought was also good about this film was the sense of suspense and empathy for the characters, built up through some excellent development. I genuinely thought Minghella might kill off any character at any given time and I was not certain that the plot would converge as it would normally. The shock shootings of Zelweggers father and the retarded musician were among the many twists and turns that kept the audience unsure of the outcome. However the plot did converge as you would expect but even then Minghella handled the reunion with 'real world' strategy and we don't see the pair running together in slow motion into an obvious camera flying around them, embrace. Instead we see what would have been more probable at the time and the period. A very conservative reunion with the bed scenes saved for later and executed very tastefully.
I loved the way the whole vibe of 19th century America was portrayed and it was the setting that really embedded the characters as much as anything. The hardship, the realities, everything was masterfully put together. Right down to the fantastic costumes, it was a winner for me. Zelwegger did steal the show and I couldn't help but think how rugged and weathered she looked. Either good make up, or she was hitting the drink during production! A tragic yet happy ending and for me a great film.
The Transporter (2002)
The Transporter-Didn't move me.
I loved Statham in Snatch, I thought he was inspirational, and pulled off the part with real conviction. The voice over throughout only adds to your involvement with his character and sympathy to his plight.
Here however I felt that Statham was totally misdirected. He seemed straight jacketed in the part and the lines he was given further tied him down. His screen presence is fantastic and the film on paper should have been great. The opening car chase (although ridden with more continuity errors than many entire films) was reminiscent of Frankenheimer, even more so with the French location. The story however as it unfolded I felt was staggered and unconvincing both in content and acting. The Asian girl I thought was about as wooden as an 18th century Galleon and although there should not have been any chemistry due to the circumstances, any attempt just didn't work, including the scene where she drops her clothes in the doorway. Totally embarrassing, dialogue, acting, direction...todo! There were many simply unbelievable parts and I can't help nut think that this should have been an 18 so that the makers could have exploited the violence and gun play to it's max which seemed to be it's mainstay anyway. Insteadwith a kiddie rating which I feel could have been executed so much better. Once I saw the rocket leave the launcher when Stathams house was attacked, and travel almost pedestrian like through his kitchen, giving them both time to take evasive action, my suspension of belief snapped and I had to enter the comedy zone for the rest of the film. All the time fighting my better intentions because the film had great production values, even if it did contain a tad too many jump cuts for my liking. It dipped in and out of great and mediocre for a couple of hours.
Statham earned a nice pay packet no doubt, but I'm sure he'll look back on this as a huge turkey that probably didn't warrant a sequel, of which I have not seen. Hopefully he'll not try and any more accents, god knows why this either wasn't dubbed or scrubbed from day 1 of the shoot. It would have worked better with his native accent, possibly tidied up for the US market who seem to have a problem with the 'mockney' south London drawl. There were so many dialects and accents it was a bit of a mess on that front.
This surely has to win the prize for most bullets dodged by leading man in any film to date.
Watch Ronin and see where it could have gone.
The Descent (2005)
What will be a classic British horror!
A great movie when you consider what is behind it. A relatively inexperienced feature director, not a lot of money, no big cast names, shot mostly in a handful of locations. (the hospital scenes are the 'long corridor' at Pinewood studios)Many corners were cut to bring this to the screen including using the same set parts again and again to produce the different cave interiors and swapping the USA for bonny Scotland for the location work.
I thoroughly enjoyed this film and when I rented it I just pressed menu and play then watched the whole thing again after the initial view. Loved the ending the sense of helplessness that the lead Sarah would have felt.
The real magic of the film comes from the claustrophobic lighting which in all but a handful of cases uses available light from torches and flares. The colour coded lighting also helps you follow the plight of each group of characters.
The music was OK but I thought it sounded like it was written by someone not familiar with film scoring. Some of the instrument timbres were not matched well to the situation. A bit clunky but it did complement the film well.
There were some plot holes and things not made completely evident but overall a fantastic effort and what must go down as a British horror classic. It's hard enough getting a film made here in the UK let alone a good one!