Top Five Movies of 2010

Finally it is the end of the year and at this point we look back in an optimistic fashion by looking at the highlights. However when compiling this list I realised how many great films I missed; either through then only showing at a film festival or unless they are due to be released next year in the UK. The films I missed and would like to have seen are: Winters Bone, Black Swan, Animal Kingdom, The Kings Speech, The Arbor, Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives, Mother and so on.

However from the films I did see this is the final list.

5. Dogtooth (Yorgos Lanthimos, Greece)
This Greek beautiful yet disturbing movie tells the story of a family whose mother and father characters lie to their twenty year old children about the horrors which lay outside their enclosed garden. The twisted black humour and graphic incestuous scenes may turn some views off but the over all central theme reminds some people of a Michael Haneke movie.

My Rating- * * * *


4. The Disappearance of Alice Creed (J. Blakeson, UK)
With it’s Hickcockian style and pace, J. Blakeson’s first feature length flick was truly and eye opener. With it’s seemingly simplistic plot it soon becomes a tale of twists and turns and the three member cast each add another interesting dimension to the story. Shown on only a limited amount of screens the movie unfortunately didn’t see the recognition it deserved. 

My Rating- * * * *

3. The Social Network (David Fincher, USA)

This was another easy contender as The Facebook Movie (now one of two; the second Facebook movie being Catfish) dominated both American and European audiences as it depicts the somewhat sad live of multi-billionaire Mark Zuckerberg played fantastically by Jessie Eisenberg. Aaron Sorkin’s quick paced, fast dialogue story of success and betrayal captivated audiences as transcended the expectations of the general audience.

My Rating- * * * *


2. Biutiful (Alejandro González Iñárritu, Spain/Mexico)

One of the most original and powerful movies of the year (which is due for general release sometime next year), Biutiful definitely had to be put somewhere in the list. The movie won Javier Bardem the Prix d'Interprétation Masculine or Best Actor award at the 63rd Cannes Film Festival.
My Rating- * * * * *

1. Inception (Christopher Nolan, UK/USA)

Riding off the success of The Dark Knight, Nolan is an unstoppable force and Inception was no exception. Surprisingly only one person voted for it to be in the top ten movies in Sight & Sound magazine. Even so Nolan showed studios that with a big budget doesn’t mean the target audiences are as mindless as they believe.
My Rating- * * * * *

Unfortunately not every film can make it into the list. Here was the best of the rest; Scott Pilgrim vs the World, Of Gods and Men, The Kids Are All Right, Monsters, Four Lions, Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans.

What where your favourite films of the year and why? If you disagree with my list please comment. Below I have left the top film lists from Sight & Sound magazine, Little White Lies magazine and IMDB.

Sight & Sound’s Top Ten Movies

Little White Lies #32 Digital Issue

Internet Movie Dater Base, Year in Review 2010

What to watch this Christmas (TODAY)

You know it’s Christmas when you see the Coca Cola advert on TV and you read the TV listings and see the movies they’re showing. As Christmas draws near here is a list of some of the movies which will help you dissolve back into the kid you use to be whilst also including some movies you wouldn’t think to be Christmas flicks but are technically either about of set during the Christmas holidays.

The First Movie I am going to mention has been a great movie to watch annually, and includes Macaulay Culkin when he wasn’t a drug addicted brat. Obviously I’m talking about Home Alone (1990), which is the story of a big family who all go on Christmas holiday together but unfortunately forget to bring their eight year old boy Kevin (Macaulay Culkin). Whilst the parents are away Kevin runs amuck watching violent movies harassing old snow shovelers and invading his older brothers privacy. Everything appears to be perfect until two thieves Harry (Joe Pesci) and Marv (Daniel Stern) attempt to steal Kevin’s fun which sends him on a mission to defend his home by any means possible. Filled with laughs which never get old this is a film everyone should see this year.

Now Christmas films can’t always be filled with fun and laughs sometimes you have to watch something with a lot of heart and joy and in this case; Frank Capra’s It’s A Wonderful Life (1941). For those who haven’t seen it the movie is about George Bailey (James Stewart) a frustrated businessman who is helped by an angel by showing what life would look like if he had never been born. Even though it isn’t filled with laughs this is a definite classic which has stood the test of time. Even if you think you haven’t seen it you have seen the story in one carnation or another because of the great story elements.

For those who are Tim Burton fans the next choice will come at no surprise, produced by the gothic master himself and directed by Henry Selick The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993) is a brilliant movie especially in a time where CGI is seen as perfection and stop motion is dead. The story is about Jack Skeleton (Chris Sarandom & Danny Elfman), the King of Halloween who becomes bored with his monotonous life and goes in search of something new and stumbles across Christmas Town. With a mix of songs written by Elfman himself an great visuals this movie will always be played to both young and old and will be in an Tim Burton completesists collection.

Now for something completely different, even though at first you wouldn’t think it is considered a Christmas movie but he holiday isn’t complete without at least one viewing of Bruce Willis as John McClane as he saves LA from terrorists in the brilliant Die Hard (1988). Now this is a film filled with gags and gore as the hard boiled cop, John McClane infiltrates the Nakatomi Plaza building to save his estranged wife Holly (Bonnie Bedelia) as terrorists led by Hans Gruber (Alan Rickman) threaten the safety of all the hostages including Holly. Even though some of the sequels where terrible the original still stands for being a kick-ass all out battle between one cop and building full of terrorists.

The second to last movie I have picked to get people in the Christmas spirit is a movie so frightening no one wanted to feed their beloved pets after midnight. Before I sound as if I have lost the plot, I am talking about Joe Dante’s Gremlins (1984). A lot of people might mistake a film such as Gremlins for a horror with humour however this is all cast over the Christmas backdrop. Whilst looking for a present to give to his son Billy (Zach Galligan), inventor Randall Peltzer (Hoyt Axton) stumbles across an old antique show in China Town and attempts to buy a small fury creature called a ‘Mogwai’ from a strange old Chinese man named the Grandfather (Keye Luke). After being refused it is only his grandson (John Louie) who manages to sneakily sell Randall the Mogwai. Once bought, Randy is given a set of rules about how to treat the cute animal, 1) never expose it to bright light, 2) never get the Mogwai wet and 3) never feed it after midnight. Obviously these rules fall on deaf ears and its up to Billy to finish what he started. Even though it has dark tones the movie is still classic and enjoyable for everyone this Christmas.

I saved the best for last with possibly one of if not the greatest Christmas movies which everyone will agree with. This movie would be Muppet’s Christmas Carol (1992) which once again mixes funny songs with great characters as the Muppets do their take on the classic story by Charles Dickens whilst bringing in great action talent such as Michael Cain to play the selfish Ebenezer Scrooge as he is haunted by three ghosts in order to change his soul in the after life. I imagine it will be broadcasted on television at one point or another this Christmas but if not people should dig out their copies on VHS and remember one of the most enjoyable movies which everyone loves.

Review for 'Monsters'

First time director Gareth Edward’s has described his high-concept but low budget movie Monsters as “if movies such as Cloverfield or Godzilla is 9/11 then Monsters is Afghanistan and Iraq”, it is this line alone which caught the attention of the general public and made people turn on this indie monster movie in a good way. Shot for only a shoe string budget of £15,000 and film across Mexico, Guatemala and Belize really sets it’s self apart form the big Hollywood mainstream.

Samantha (Whitney Able) is stuck in Mexico, and so is Andrew (Scoot McNairy). Two different people in the same city for two different reasons only brought together by the fact that Samantha’s father is Andrew’s boss. After a brief meeting Andrew is tasked to bring Samantha back safely to America, the only problem is that after buying a ferry ticket which turns out to be a dead end the two must travel through the ‘Infected Zone’ It is established at the beginning of the movie that a NASA space probe collecting samples crashed landed in Mexico releasing spores over the vast woodland, and it is from these spores that the extra terrestrials seeped out from. Whilst they are apparent and somewhat scary these giant hundred foot creatures are roaming around they are not the central theme of the movie and only lay in the background. What Gareth Edward’s focused on was the relationship between Samantha and Andrew as they discuss trivial things such as dolphin’s belly buttons.

The brilliance of the movie is this key theme of the film not focusing on the aliens but rather on the relationship of the two characters who try to get home. This movie could have easily been set in Iraq and Afghanistan and had little cut form the script, and it would still have been a fantastic movie. But the movie also has a political subtext as it intertwines social class as well as immigration to further blur the lines.

What Gareth Edward’s has created on only his bedroom laptop is spellbinding. There is no big reveal of the monster at the end ala Cloverfield and whilst Cloverfield is still a fantastic achievement, Monster’s goes leaps and bounds with the enjoyment of the narrative.

Scoot McNairy and real life girlfriend Whitney Able do a terrific performance as two people who have different lives which are pulling each other away form the other. Both characters had to improvise the whole script whilst acting opposite unaccredited actors. Whilst this use of improvisation might seem lazy on Edward’s behalf the end result feels natural and believable.

In Matt Bochenski’s review for Little White Lies magazine (#32) he commented on the apparent connection the movie has to Neill Blomkamp’s District 9 (2009) however Bochenski said that it has more connections to Duncan Jones’ Moon (2009) in terms of it being a British sci-fi movie with an American cast. Bochenski is definitely on to something. If you enjoyed those two movies you will enjoy Monsters, however don’t go in expecting the new Cloverfield, go in expecting a movie which crosses into many genres whilst staying true to it’s central theme.

Trailer

* * * *

SPECIAL FILM FESTIVAL REVIEW FOR ‘BIUTIFUL’

I managed to see a special screening of the film which won actor Javier Bardem the Best Actor award at this years (63rd) Cannes Film Festival at this years Cine-City Film Festival in Brighton and what an experience it was. The movies I am referring to is Alejandro González Iñárritu’s ‘Biutiful’. The Mexican born director is already famous with English speaking countries with films such as ’21 Grams’ and ‘Babel’, however he is back on top form with one of this years best foreign film.

Uxbal (Javier Bardem) a single parent of Matoe (Guillermo Estrella) and Maramba (Hanaa Bouchaib) is a good man who is trying to do the best he can for everyone, unfortunately it doesn’t always work out how he anticipated. Whilst Uxbal runs a sweat shop for Chinese immigrants and gets African immigrants to sell the stuff on the streets, his main job is to talk to the recently diseased and help them move on to the next life. After suffering from stomach pains, Uxbal is quick to find out he only have a few months left to live which sets him off in a desperate attempt to get closer to his kids so that the do not forget about him whilst at the same time trying to patch things up with his ex-wife Marambra (Maricel Álvarez).

Whilst Uxbal’s uncanny job only appears a few times during the course of the plot the films main focus is on a man who is trying to make the most of his life before he dies. It is only until the end, that we understand the supernatural edge the movie carries, and carries well. Iñárritu has managed to cross different genres and the end result is a cross between a melodrama and a growing of age story with haunting scenes which will freak out experienced horror fans which films such as ‘Paranormal Activity 2’ can’t copy. But be warned this isn’t a supernatural movie, it is clear that the main focus is on the family.

The visuals are beautiful as the film opens on a snow covered hill top but soon moves onto the darker side of Barcelona. The excellent visuals stay through out the movie as Iñárritu shows different sides of the city which cinema hasn’t been before. And even though the film comes in at over the two hour mark it is a somewhat enjoyable viewing which isn’t down to the movie but the content it shows as we see Uxbal slowing dying.

The special effects, whilst only being brief are terrific as they blend into the surroundings rather then distract you from them. The nightmarish scenes as Uxbal makes peace with the spirits of the dead leave a distinct taste in the mouth of the audience well after you have left the cinema. It is easy to see why Guillermo Del Toro attached his name to the project.

The acting is fantastic as we see Uxbal at his best and worst but this detail to character arch is also seen with the characters such as Marambra. But even the children have to deal with some tough material as the parents a constantly bickering at each other. Javier Bardem has made the character of Uxbal a very like able one as we sympathise with what he does despite him hurting everyone he tries to help.

‘Biutiful’ is definitely one of the best films of the year and possibly the best foreign film. Iñárritu has blended a fantastic story about a man attempting to tie up all the strings of his somewhat messy and uncontrolled life before his inevitable fate with and equally good supernatural subplot which ties everything up in the end. If Bardem won an Academy Award for his psychotic killer in ‘No Country for Old Men’ then he definitely deservers to be nominated for Best Actor at next years award season.

Trailer

* * * * *

Review for 'Due Date'

Riding on the success of ‘The Hangover’ (2009) which made just under $500 million world-wide, writer-director Todd Philips was given the permission by Warner Bros to make any movie he wanted. The end result is something not too far from his last movie whilst at the same time audiences have flashes of déjà vu from movies such as ‘Planes Trains and Automobiles’ (1987).

Peter Highman (Robert Downey Jr.) is an uptight businessman who is on the road most of his life, whilst his pregnant wife Sarah is ready to go into labour. On the day he is meant to catch a plane to get home, Peter meets wanna-be actor Ethan Tremblay (Zach Galifianakis) who is about to change his life. After briefly meeting outside the airport, they meet on the flight and due to a misunderstanding with an air marshal both of them are put on the “no fly” list. Ethan soon finds Peter, and they set out on a road trip from Atlanta to Los Angeles just days before Peter’s baby will be born.

As expected the long trip is full of genuine laughs. And this is to be expected from the director of possibly one of the funniest films of last year. Whilst the story isn’t completely original, and the few pointless cameos are thrown in to fill the time, the film on a whole is worth a night out to the cinema. Unfortunately Galifianakis is the weakest link as he is no different from his character in ‘The Hangover’. As the flamboyant strange character of Ethan, Galifianakis is no different then the dim witted Alan. On the other hand, Peter is a schizophrenic businessman who jumps between hating Ethan and liking him. Together they make an odd funny couple just like Steve Martin and John Candy in ‘Planes Trains and Automobiles’.

Along their journey they survive through a lot of memorable moments such as attempting to cross the border into Mexico whilst stoned, crashing the car after falling asleep behind the wheel, and insulting a crippled war veteran and paying the price for it. Of course the events in ‘Due Date’ are outrageous and over the top, however the combined laughs of Robert Downey Jr. and Zack Galifanakis make it a trip worth riding in the back seat.

This movie appeals to practically all younger audiences whilst more mature audiences might not enjoy it as much. It’s definitely not as enjoyable as Todd Philips’ last flick but still worth a watch. Whilst ‘The Hangover’ is very re-watchable, ‘Due Date’ lacks the same freshness.

trailer

* * *

Review for ‘Another Year’

Mike Leigh has built his career on improvising his movies with the various actors he work has worked with over the years. Taking a couple of months and only an initial idea and transforming it into a full movie with the help of the actors he employs. After riding the modest success of his last movie ‘Happy-Go-Lucky’ (2008) is ‘Another Year’ up to scratch on the edgy creativity Leigh’s known for?

Like everybody, Tom (Jim Broadbent) and Gerri (Jim Broadbent) are getting old. However whilst their happiness lies in each other it appears everyone around them is finding it much more difficult to find that special someone. As the spring turns to summer and so on, Tom and Gerri have various dinner dates with characters such as Mary (Lesley Manville) a dysfunctional co-worker of Gerri’s who likes to drink more then someone should, whilst on Tom’s side he battles to keep high spirits with his friend Ken (Peter Wight) who wants to find solace in Mary. The movie chronicles the year from Tom and Gerri’s point of view as characters as the year goes by and characters come and go in through their little world.

One of the main problems with the movie is that it runs on much longer then it should. Whilst characters such as Tom and Gerri are fun and interesting in their old age, most of the other characters just nag on and draw out the film. Characters such as Marry (who is very similar to Blanche from ‘A Street Car Names Desire’) keeps popping up uninvitingly as we begin to see her slipping from normality in such a way that when she is at the front door even audiences don’t want her around. Then there’s Ken, a pathetic booze guzzling chain-smoker who recalls when he was young before breaking down into tears. But their son Joe (Oliver Maltman) hasn’t got it any easier as he tries to find someone he wants to settle down with.

The movie ambles along each season with little point other then to draw the movie out into four separate sections as characters promises are lost through the different times. Leigh has definitely hit the same style Yasujiro Ozu in which the film centres around a character (or characters in Leigh’s case) and we see their friends and family around them as they effect the story however missing the historical importance which Ozu is know for. Whilst it appears that nothing is happening under neither it all you have love, loss, alcoholism, shattered dreams and bitter disappointment.

Whilst ‘Another Year’ won’t be to everyone’s taste, some may find a heart warming story about getting old. Others will see it as nothing more then old people talking about getting old. If you enjoy works by the elderly director then you will be pleasantly satisfied however apart from it having a lot of heart it ends up feeling somewhat boring and repetitive.

Trailer

* * *

Review for 'Saw 3D'

The Saw franchise has been gripping to life more then it’s once great serial killer Jigsaw, but now as we come to the final chapter of the series; ‘Saw 3D’ leaves a bitter taste in our mouths worse then any trap the producers could have thought up. The Saw franchise has become such an endurance test that it’s amazing they could string out such a ridicules story this far.

This final time round Jigsaw (Tobin Bell) is targeting survivor turned author Bobby Dagen (Sean Patrick Flanery) as he cashes in on his so called ‘experience’. Before long we realise that he has fabricated his test and is cashing in on it. So it is no surprise to him or the audience when he wakes up in some elaborate trap and has to rescue his team of liars as he attempts to also save his two dimensional wife. The story also pulls together loose ends especially with Dr Gordon’s character (Cary Elwes) who makes and appearance as well as the on going feud with Hoffman (Costas Mandylor) and Jigsaw’s widowed wife Jill (Betsy Russell) with a conclusion which tries to but fail to redeem the lost franchise.

This movie separate it’s self from the rest of the series, with not only 3D but how it is only gratuitous violence. Not to say that the other instalments where any less gratuitous however the producers used the extra dimension as an excuse to show appalling murders. There is nothing smart or sophisticated about this movie which the first few had along with their charm. It appears that director and creator of ‘Saw’, James Wong jumped off the sinking boat as the editor of the franchise Kevin Greutert returns to direct after working on equally bad Saw VI.

The acting is possibly some of the worst I have seen as it looks like a low budget American TV drama. None of the characters have any depth as their characters bios couldn’t last more then one line sentence. Part of the theory of horror cinema is that you need to establish likable characters which engage with the audience in a way that when they are in threat the audience feels the same dread, which is why the final girl archetype works as a good template to horror movies. This theory is completely lost in ‘Saw 3D’ as all the characters are selfish and boring cardboard cut outs.

This movie might entertain people who are fans of the series but if you are stuck thinking what to watch at the cinema you should definitely skim past this one. The 3D is barely there and used in a pathetic way to grab what little money the producers think they need. The only saving grace is possibly the last five minutes as they string together the last threads of a once entertaining series. Fans of the series will be let down, and those who aren’t will be left sickened by the over the top violence as bit of humans come ‘flying’ out of the screen.

*

Review for 'The Kids Are All Right'

On the outside a film like ‘The Kids are All Right’ (2010) might look like a little indie flick which should live in an Arthouse cinema, however once you delve in you realise that there is something more interesting and entertaining then a bunch of teenager sitting around talking ala Mumblecore or a Kevin Smith movie. Not that works by the Duplass Brothers or Andrew Bujalski are teenage trash, it is just they have hardly pushed the indie boundaries like Lisa Cholodenko’s ‘The Kids are All Right’. Once again I am forced to pull out the Oscar nods card however this is the general consensus from a lot of critics, but there isn’t smoke without fire.

Nic (Annette Bening) and Jules (Julianne Moore) are a seemingly happy lesbian couple with children Joni (Mia Wasikowska) and Laser (Josh Hutcherson) however when Joni turns eighteen she is bugged by her younger brother Laser to call their biological dad Paul (Mark Ruffalo) and set up a meeting. Whilst not telling their loving mothers, Joni and Laser head out to meet Paul, a cool, relaxed man who appears to have it all. As Nic and Jules are quick to find out about Paul the family begins to see that everything isn’t what the believed it was. Head of the house Nic has a drinking issue which is reminiscing of Miles from Alexander Payne’s ‘Sideways’ (2004), Jules becomes confused with her life choices, Jodi is about to go off to college but has feelings for her long term friend Jai (Kunal Sharma) and Laser is friends with bad influence Clay (Eddie Hassell). On the outside each character appears confident and assure of their lives however after Paul joins the mix everyone’s self esteem breaks down and we see their less then perfect world.

Penned by Lisa Cholodenko and Stuart Blumberg this smart, intellectual movie about parenthood, responsibility and growing up deals with some heavy issues. It’s obvious to note that it is an off beat comedy which some people are not going to get but that is the crowd who enjoy the works of Michael Bay. This is edgy stuff, especially with the lesbian couple which doesn’t bog down any of the story plot but it is really the family who works as a unit but breaks down if separated.

As I mentioned before the film can be associated with the likes of films such as ‘Sideways’, in that it prizes it’s self on dry humour especially with Mark Ruffalo’s character Paul. All the main actors especially Annette Bening and Mark Ruffalo’s characters are very well acted and believable whilst being let down by minor characters especially with Kunal Sharma and Eddie Hassell however that doesn’t shy from the movie on a whole.

Whilst ‘The Kids are All Right’ has very few minor weak leaks on a whole the movie is very enjoyable. The characters are interesting and likable and the jokes aren’t the adolescent humour you come to expect in an Apatow movie. If you enjoy movies with some edgy intellectual characters this is right for you.

* * * *

What’s Got You Spooked This Halloween?

Halloween has once again come around just days before the Mexican Day of the Dead (2nd Nov) however once again us horror hounds are disappointed by the lack of films in the cinema. Where are our saviours: John Carpenter or Sam Raimi (to name a few) to haunt us with chilling tales? Instead we are left with ‘Paranormal Activity 2’, ‘Let Me In’ and the film which just won’t ironically die ‘Saw 3D’. And whilst a few of them aren’t necessarily bad they lack that spark that will keep people talking about then for years to come. This year has been a fairly terrible year for horror movies whilst last year we where satisfied with interesting and fun horrors such as Christopher Smith’s ‘Triangle’, Charles Guard’s ‘The Uninvited’ and Sam Raimi’s return to horror ‘Drag Me To Hell’. So whilst this year we have been “treated” with re-makes (or re-imaginings as the studios say), re-boots and sequel, I say save money from the cinema and go out and buy a stack of horror flick. What should I buy? I hear you ask, well here’s my list of some classic movies to keep you up.

First movie I’m going to mention is a film I personally hold dear and that’s John Carpenter’s ‘The Thing’ (1982). Set in Alaska in a remote research centre in the middle of no where the team is happy and safe until a helicopter chasing a cute dog comes along will all guns blazing. After handling the situation, our hero R.J. McReady (Kurt Russle) heads to the facility to which the helicopter came from only to find some bazaar corpses and locations of a crashed alien space ship. Before long the team discovers that the alien has infiltrated the research centre with the ability to replicate any organ mass leaving the rest of the men paranoid and frightened. Not for the faint heart this classic is sure to send disgusted shivers down anyone’s backs. Especially go see it because a prequel is coming next year to spoil all the fun.

Next film I’m going to recommend is a Canadian horror click which came out late last year named ‘Pontypool’ (Bruce McDonald, 2009). Now bear with me whilst I explain as little as possible; the film opens with radio presenter Grant Mazzy (Stephen McHattie) on his way to work when a babbling woman stops him before disappearing into the snow, nothing to strange some may thing however when Mazzy gets to work in the basement of a church on a hill strange reports of cannibalism begins to flood the news team. Whilst hosting a radio station, Mazzy begins to decipher whether the reports are factual or a hoax. What makes this movie stand out is it’s take on zombie movies where by the infection is spread by a viral infection, ‘Pontypool’ plays with an infection which is spread verbally. This twist on the zombie genre is based on Tony Burgess’ chilling book ‘Pontypool Changes Everything’ this adaption will become a cult classic which is also going to spawn a trilogy.

With a terrible re-make coming from Satan himself Michael Bay, ‘Nightmare on Elm Street’s credibility has gone down slightly, however seeing the iconic scene with Johnny Depp being pulled into his bed, we really remember what this film was all about. No one can take Robert England’s place as the burnt slasher killer as he moves from dream to dream, killing off the inhabitants of Elm Street. Possibly Wes Craven’s greatest achievement this film belongs in an true horror fans collection.

The last film to spook you this Halloween comes from director Stanley Kubrick whilst spawning from the disturbing mind of writer Stephen King. Of course I’m talking about ‘The Shining’ in possibly one of Jack Nicholson’s greatest performances as the troubled writer, who is forced together with his lovely wife Wendy (Shelley Duvall) and disturbing son Danny (Danny Loyd) in a claustrophobic haunted hotel miles from civilisation. The empty halls, creep corridors and haunting bathrooms all contribute to a great viewing experience which would keep you up all night.

The Thing * * * *

Pontypool * * *

Nightmare on Elm Street * * *

The Shining * * * *

Review for 'Paranormal Activity 2'

The story of ‘Paranormal Activity’ is one of an independent horror film’s shoot to fame and popularity, ‘Paranormal Activity 2’ on the other hand is very different. It’s like the first was a geek who had to work to get a girl, whilst the sequel is like the pretty boy who never had to try.

To explain the story of ‘Paranormal Activity 2’ is to say too much, once again it relies on the audience to believe that this is ‘found footage’ ala ‘Cannibal Apocalypse’, ‘Blair Witch Project’ and ‘[REC]’. On the arrival of new born baby Hunter, recently wed parents Dan and Kristi (whose acting credit is hidden whilst the film tries to keep the ‘found footage’ mentality) appear to be living a perfect life only until strange things begin to happen in and around the huge house. After returning home one night, the family find their picturesque house completely in ruin; they decide to set up security cameras around the house whilst mixing in footage from a hand held camera which individual characters hold at certain time. The end effect works really well as the audience sees the action from afar, but then are sucked into a sort of point of view angle as the characters scream and run.

What was so impressive about the first film is lost on the sequel. When the first (finally) came out audiences where left shaking and dreading the following night, however with this instalment it has all been watered down to the point when you are mainly surprised rather then shocked. For some audience members ‘Paranormal Activity 2’ will scare the life out of them but for any horror fanatics it’s not much.

The main problem with this movie is that it feels very ‘been there done that’. A lot of the spooky ‘activities’ pop up a second time from the first movie, however with a high budget gloss. Rather then playing on your nerves, it is just filled with cheap scares. Having said that the comedy makes a nice counter balance to the poor scares; horror and comedy are closely linked in cinema and it is a nice change from the quick scares which are too far apart.

The story takes too long to actually pick up and when it finally does it lingers for too short a time before its finale, resembling found footage Spanish zombie flick ‘[REC]’ and leaves the audience disappointed. It seems director Tod Williams didn’t know pacing very well, and the movie looses a lot of its subtleness which was what writer director Oren Peli got right with the first.

Although ‘Paranormal Activity 2’ lacks originality and subtleness, it ends up still being a fun trip to the movie which will haunt some audience members later that night.

* *

Review for 'The Social Network'

Bloggers Note: I know in the post 'Social Network: My Thoughts' I noted that I would not review the movie however after writting up those notes for my universities newspaper; I thought I would post it here as well.

One of the biggest problems with David Fincher’s new flick ‘The Social Network’ is everyone going to see it is calling it ‘The Facebook Movie’. What people don’t actually realise is that it isn’t about someone carelessly clicking ‘Like’ on their friends latest Facebook comment, but rather about the legal battles Mark Zuckerberg went through in the past decade to get Facebook to where it is.

The movie begins with soon to be billionaire Mark Zuckerberg (Jessie Eisenberg) on a date with his girlfriend Erica (Rooney Mara), with enough snappy dialog that the audience begins to establish what kind of a character Mark really is. He’s ingenious, fast and also a bit of an ass as his girlfriend soon dumps him, sending Mark off on a drunken rage to hack all the Harvard Universities ‘Facebook’ pages and make a sexist site called Facemash.com for people to rate their peers. After being suspended by his university, Mark is approached by the Winklevoss brothers, who ask Mark to create a site for them called Harvard Connections. However, Mark has an idea for his own site, a site which everyone with a Harvard email account can access and make a profile, and with best friend Eduardo Saverin backing him, Mark becomes unstoppable. It is this site which later becomes the Facebook we all know and use today. From just the opening scenes we understand the irony which is throughout the film, and that irony is how possibly one of the most anti-social people created the most social network in the world.

With the West Wing’s script writer Aaron Sorkin and director David Fincher behind it, ‘The Social Network’ ends up being a contest of wit between writer and director. It is so refreshing have a director who can use CGI (in the case of the Winklevoss brothers both being actor Armie Hammer) as a tool and not a gimmick, and a writer whose pacing is so fast it doesn’t wait for the dim-witted to keep up.

The acting in it is excellent, Jessie Eisenberg has established himself before and with this movie catalogue behind him, he appears to completely embody Mark Zuckerberg as a character. As well as Jessie, up-and-comer British born Andrew Garfield has really grown from ‘The Imaginarium of Dr Parnassus’ (2009) and only good things can come from the new Spiderman. Then there is Justin Timberlake (whose track record of movies haven’t been great until now) as the Napster inventor Sean Parker who becomes Mark’s mentor, whilst attempting to divide long time friendship with co-creator Eduardo Saverin. But even the minor characters grab the audience whilst making them laugh or emotional. Although it is too early for Oscar nods, I wouldn’t be surprised if one of these three is nominated and it would be rightly so.

With the critical acclaim and its second week in the US Box Office chart this movie is really a testament to the fact that people would prefer to see a movie which is clever, funny and insightful. The quick dialog and snappy characters make the lengthy film time go flashing by. We are the Facebook generation, and this movie captures it’s creation in a captivatingly way.

* * * *

Review for 'Let Me In'

So I went to a special screening of Matt Reeve’s latest film Let Me In at the BFI Film Festival yesterday and have come back a different person.

To start with I reviewed Tomas Alfredson’s Let the Right One In last year when it came out and it was definitely one of the best films of the year, if not the best. So when I and every other fan heard that good ol’ Hollywood were going to get their greasy paws on it for the audiences who can’t read subtitles, we were not happy. I also have read the John Ajvide Lindqvist book, so I am in somewhat a good position to judge this movie.

For those who don’t know the story, it centres on newly named Owen and Abby. Set in the snow covered hills of Los Alamos, New Mexico in 1983; Owen (Kodi Smit-McPhee) a troubled youth who by night becomes a knife wielding peeping tom but by day is bullied and humiliated by school bully Kenny (Dylan Minnette) on a daily basis. Owen’s only friend is his single fundamentalist Christian mother until a mysterious girl named Abby (Chloe Moretz) moves in next door. After a few rocky moments it only takes a Rubix Cube to begin their deep friendship. However, Abby isn’t all that she seems to be, whilst she acts like a sweet girl there’s something that lies beneath the surface. This brilliant coming of age story is heightened by the horror at which at times can make the true horror fan jump.

Whilst the film is a remake, it is surprisingly interesting. Remakes have a bad name which is only their own faults, and whilst this can’t hold a light to its original counterpart Reeve’s has done a respectable job. The several differences in motivations and character archetypes than Let the Right One In had given the fans of the original enough to come back for seconds. Whilst the film can stand on its own, it is not without its flaws and the biggest one is its script written by Reeves. In true American fashion the pacing never slows down and keeps going on and on, and whilst this doesn’t sound like a bad thing it is a complete change of pace from the first film. The original was slow to show how mundane Oskar’s life is and the progression in time; with Let Me In it feels like this is happening within a week. Reeve has also fiddled about with all of the character’s names, which is strange to say the least. But the most disturbing change is the fact that two characters now wear masks which is a surprising turn which attempts to make the film something of a slasher movie. One of them looks like Leather Face which the other looks like a bin man with a rubbish bag over his face.

Whilst some characters roles have been dramatically diluted, for example the character of Virginia (Sasha Barrese), other characters have stolen scenes in a fairly convoluted what, i.e. the detective (Elias Koteas). Whilst some may see this as a bad thing, it is more apparent that Reeve’s wanted to focus on the relationship of seemingly innocent Owen and Abby.

Then you come to the awkward acting. Surprisingly Kodi Smit-McPhee and Chloe Moretz do a somewhat disappointing portrayal of the two lead characters as they try to mimic the relationship of Kåre Hedebrant and Lina Leandersson’s Oskar and Eli. This leaves their relationship stale and forced and is a problem in some scenes. Then there is Richard Jenkins who is a normally a capable actor, however is questionable when playing Hakan, now simply named the ‘Father’, who ambles around the film swearing and being a moody old man who we do not sympathies with.

Produced by the revitalised studios Hammer Films who are known for such vampire classics as Brides of Dracula, Dracula AD 1972 and Vampire Circus this is by no means a flop. The Cloverfield director has made an artistic and interesting view on the book which will not disappointing any true vampire fans. Abby can proudly stand among the likes of Christopher Lee’s Dracula. This incarnation of adaption is also far more explicit and will please those who have a strong blood lust. I recommend buying Tomas Alfredson’s original Let the Right One In, however Let Me In is not such a disgrace, and is probably one of the better films emerging around Halloween.

Anticipation - 2

Enjoyment - 3
Retrospect - 3

The Social Network: My Thoughts

So I just got out of the screening of The Social Network, David Fincher’s latest endeavours and rather then doing a review I will just put down my thoughts about the movie and let people decide whether they want to see it or not.

To begin with the movie is going to have a hard time selling it self and will forever be known as ‘The Facebook Movie’. What people don’t actually realise is that it isn’t about someone carelessly clicking Like on their friends latest Facebook comment but rather about the legal battles Mark Zuckerberg went through in the past decade. With the West Wing’s script writer Aaron Sorkin with director David Fincher behind it The Social Network is exactly what Roger Ebert said:

“It [The Social Network] hurtles through two hours of spellbinding dialogue. It makes an untellable story clear and fascinating. It is said to be impossible to make a movie about a writer, because how can you show him only writing? It must also be impossible to make a movie about a computer programmer, because what is programming but writing in a language few people in the audience know? Yet Fincher and his writer, Aaron Sorkin, are able to explain the Facebook phenomenon in terms we can immediately understand, which is the reason 500 million of us have signed up.”

The acting in it is excellent, Jesse Eisenberg has established himself and with this movie catalogue however he seems to completely embody Mark Zuckerberg as a character. Andrew Garfield has really grown from the Imaginarium of Dr Parnassus and only good things can come form the new Spiderman and then there is Justin Timberlake whose track record of movies haven’t been great until now. But even the minor characters grab the audience whilst making them laugh or emotional. Although it is too early for Oscar nods, I wouldn’t be surprised if one of these three is nominated and it would be rightly so.

I really enjoyed The Social Network. Only an hour ago did I emerge form the cinema but already I’m planning on a second visit. The quick dialog and snappy characters make the lengthy film time go flashing by. We are the Facebook generation, and this movie captures it’s creation in an captivatingly way.

The Latest Films and NFB News

As many of you know I have recently run off to university so haven’t had time to think about blogging anything. I have settled in so I plan on doing some proper blogs. First of all I have an Unlimited Card at Cineworld so have been taking full advantage of that. So this will be a quick blog/review for the movies I have seen over the few weeks.

Also coming up I am heading to Leicester Square to go the BFI’s festival screening of Cloverfield director Matt Reeves’ remake of the brilliant Swedish vampire tale Let the Right One In (review here) names Let Me In. So after I have seen that I will be posting my thoughts on whether Roger Ebert was right.

So movies I have seen recently are as followed-

The Other Guys – it’s terrible, Will Farrel is quickly burning out after the success of genuinely funny Anchorman. Ferrel needs to go back and do something interesting: Stranger Then Fiction.

Salt – Once again a pointless and ludicrous story will naf acting. Salt’s been compared to movies like The Bourn Conspiracy but I feel it’s completely lacking in believability or entertainment.

Back to the Future: part 1 – classic movie worth seeing on the big screen. GO SEE IT.

The Town – If you’ve seen Michael Mann’s Heat, go watch it again because it’s The Town’s lead inspiration (despite it being based on a book) and feels like a children’s dramatisation of the classic heist movie.

Buried – Great underrated movie which reminded me of Hitchcock’s Rope. Don’t believe the terrible reports this is something worth seeing. Just remember the writer and director had to keep it in one very small location. That is talent.

Made In Dagenham – Great movie with Sally Hawkin’s leading. Very empowering to women and at the centre has a great heart.

So that’s it so far, I’m going to a preview screening of The Social Network tonight so that should be worth a blog. And the movie of the week is-

Buried

Film of the Week

Only a short announcement today – I know I haven’t been doing many blogs recently because I’ve been working on my writing. I should pick up again soon but thing might slow down from time to time.

Anyway every week I will do a post about what has been my film of the week. Weather it was a DVD, Short Film or in the cinema I will write a small piece on a recent film I watched. And to start I’ll do last weeks.

Film of the week:

CRONOS (1993)

Feature debut from director Guillermo Del Toro and stars Mexican favourite Federico Luppi as an elderly antique seller who comes across an ancient relic called the Cronos Device. The device grants it’s user the ability to grow old however comes at a price. The owner/user must drink the blood of the living to keep the device alive. Cronos is a beautiful vampire story about a man and his grand daughter against an evil organisation whilst also battling with growing old.

“One of the finest chillers of the decade. A masterpiece"
-Mark Kermode

Is this the end of UK Cinema?

Forget Michael Bay making Transformers 3. Forget Johnny Derp (I mean Depp) making Pirates whatever. The UK Film Council is being abolished by having it’s funding cut by the government. And why I hear you ask –

“The UK Film Council is to be axed as part of a cost-cutting drive by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS), it has been announced.” – BBC News

For those that don’t know the UK Film Council (UKFC) was made in 2000 and was given £15m to invest in UK,  talent. This is (as you can imagine) really bad news because it is hard enough for young talent to get a film funded and a lot of brilliant British films had been funded by the UKFC. Films such as Jane Campion’s 'Bright Star'; Oscar-winning filmmaker Andrea Arnold's second feature 'Fish Tank'; Armando Iannucci's 'In The Loop'; and Sam Taylor Wood's 'Nowhere Boy', written by Matt Greenhalgh where all funded and possibly wouldn’t of been made without the help of the UKFC.

"People will rightly look back on today's announcement and say it was a big mistake, driven by short-term thinking and political expediency," – Time Bevan (UK Film Council chairman)

What does this mean for the future of British Cinema? Who knows? In the recent Little White Lies (#30, on sale now) there was an article about the future of cinema and with this news surfacing today it will have a great knock on the industry. Will something pop up which is similar? Will other investors like Film4 be swamped with people trying to get their films funded? It is truly bad news for film makers and fans.

Sources

UK Film Council to be abolished

UK Film Council Official Site

UK Film Council Wiki

Review for 'INCEPTION'

Directed by – Christopher Nolan

Cast – Leonardo DiCaprio, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Cillian Murphy

Release date: Out Now

After the roaring (and I mean roaring) success of The Dark Knight which made billions for Warner Brothers, the studio said to Nolan he could do anything he wanted and what he did was something beyond brilliant.

To review this movie, it’s hard because the best bit about Inception is to know nothing about it. Don’t bother even watching the trailers. If you want to know the bare basics they go like this - the film centres around Cobb played by DiCaprio as he delves into your dreams and steals you secrets. After a job goes sour Cobb has to assemble a crack team to help him achieve Inception whilst battling his own daemons in an attempt for redemption. The tag line for the film is – Your mind is the scene of the crime, and that’s the best way to explain it. That’s all I’m going to say.

Christopher Nolan has become such as brilliant director that he has acceded his previous work it in every way. Inception is a brain child Nolan has been forming for more then ten years and he did the right move by waiting till he had the right sources and tools. His first film Momento is just the icing on his very creative cake and if he continues to be allowed this sort of freedom will do wonders for Hollywood. Hollywood has some thought that audiences only care about brain numbing explosions whilst Nolan has clearly shown that audiences want to have a challenging narrative.

The acting is brilliant as DiCaprio once again shows this year that he is a Tour de Force of an actor (he opened this year with Shutter Island which I personally really liked). With a great co-starring cast of Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Cillian Murphy, Ellen Page and Tom Hardy who we last saw as Bronson. Both the script and the cast have to be nominated at the Academy Awards because Nolan has found a great mixture of actors, script and visual style. Whilst the beginning of the movie seems rushed and confusing it all works out. Ellen Page mentions at one point “so who’s subconscious are we in” and whilst that is directed at the audience it shows that both the audience and the characters are lost in this crazy labyrinth and that it is good that you feel lost and confused. There are enough great acting, gunfights, set pieces in the movie to keep anyone hooked.

I plan on seeing the movie a second time because after learning all the rules you want to submerge yourself back into the world and decipher anything you didn’t manage to get.

This film will be hard to beat and it going in top of my list of films of the year. It could even go into my personal favourite film list. Everyone needs to see this, in IMAX or in a multiplex and the best thing about it is it’s not in 3D. Bat-three will be incredible.

Anticipation - 4

Enjoyment - 5

Retrospect - 5