Kevin Smith invents INDIE 2.0

Kevin Smith has upset Hollywood. The Clerks director premiered his latest movie; Red State last month at the Sundance Film Festival in Utah and after a rumoured auction turned out to be true, his producer Jon Gordon sold Smith the rights to his own movie. In the speech that followed Smith talked about how "Indie film isn't dead. It just grew up," before announcing that the writer director himself would be taking the movie on a road trip, much like what happened with Gone With the Wind. Red State with be toured around various cities and after the screening Smith do a Q&A along with lead actor Michael Parks.

Red State is the story of three teenage boys who go into the woods looking for sex but instead find God as horror unfolds involving fundamentalist Christians. The cast includeds Michael Parks, John Goodman, Malissa Leo and Kyle Gallner who recently stared in the remake of a Nightmare on Elm Street.

Smith has a fan base and knows it after creating the successful Smodcast Podcast Network, and is only aiming for his personally audience. However not everyone is as happy as the director, Marketing people and Studios are apparently up in arms after Smith confessed that even though the movie cost five million to make, a studio would waste twenty million just on advertisements. Smith has taken time to research and design a plan to get his movie distributed without big companies throwing money at it but the bit question is; will it work?

Is this the true future for independent cinema? It is apparent these days that independent film-makers are finding it hard to get their films distributed however showcasing it in theatres around the country might be a good way to get buzz for the movie and to find a distributor.

Has all this controversy destroyed the movies reputation before it’s general release sometime in October? Red State will be debuting on tour March 5 at New York's Radio City Music Hall and hitting major U.S. cities throughout March before ending on April 4 in Seattle. This month the movie will be playing at the Berlin Film Festival and Smith hopes to get the movie distributed in Europe in October to make the seventeenth anniversary of his original movie Clerks, which put his name on the map. After seventeen years of independent and studio films, is Smith doing the right thing with indie 2.0 and is this the future?


Kevin Smith speech at Sundance Film Festival

Review for Black Swan

Natalie Portman has always had an up and down career, sometime she chooses her roles carefully (for example Garden State) but other times not she’s chooses the odd questionable job (Star War trilogy). After exploding on the scene in 1994 in Luc Besson’s phenomenal Leon it has taken her almost fifteen years until she has given a perfect performance in the form of Darren Aronofsky’s Black Swan. After playing at the Venice Film festivals and several other film festivals the film has gradually built up momentum until it has finally been realised to the general public, however it definitely is a movie not suited for a lot of audiences despite the BBFC giving it a mere 15 certificate.

The story follows perfectionist ballerina Nine (Natalie Portman) who becomes obsessed with gaining the role of the Swan Princess in the latest performance of Swan Lake for a highly acclaimed ballet company. With an over baring and controlling mother (Barbara Hershey) and an eccentric director Thomas (Vincent Cassel) the pressure on Nina becomes a heavy burden. After being told time after time that she’s a perfect Swan Queen however lacks the power to play the swans evil twin the Black Swan, Nina begins to descend into madness and the line between what is reality and what’s in her head are drastically blurred. On top of that new competition in the form of free spirited girl Lily (Mila Kunis) comes in to wreak Nina’s new found fame. Or is she?

For a film in which it’s themes of oppression, obsession and perfection have become common ground, Aronofsky handles them excellently as they feel new and fresh. The dark material is handled excellently as the movie becomes unpredictable as we see Nina’s fractured state. It is also hard to pin point a specific genre for the movie, is it a horror? A dancing movie? A psychological thriller? Who knows? Aronofsky rehashes the same themes he showed with The Wrestler (2008) but moves beyond it in almost every way. The stark black and white feel to the movie is both beautiful but at some points menacing. Aronofsky’s themes of self destructions which are see in all his films such as Requiem for a Dream and The Wrestler are once again back as well as his very dark nature which is present towards the end as the horrific third act plays out. The handheld direction is far from Paul Greengrass territory as it reflects Nina’s state of mind and clever camera techniques make the camera invisible around the ballet studios. This is an artistic movie where the director has used modern technology to tell a story rather then avoid one.

It is easy to see how the movie have been compared to The Red Shoes (1948) mixed with the work of David Cronenberg and Dario Argento as Aronofsky shows the beauty but hardships of pursuing your love. The rituals which Randy the Ram religiously went though in The Wrestler are echoed as we see Nina crack bones and modify her ballet shoes like a professional. Portman in fact even took a year out to train in Ballet and is it clearly apparent here as she moves as if she’s being dancing for years,

It has to be said that Portman’s near flawless performance as the fragile performer is incomparable to any female performances in the past year. However she’s doesn’t just steal the show as Vincent Cassel, Mila Kunis and even Wynona Ryder all play significant roles. All the performances are moving and horrifyingly believable.

Black Swan is definitely a movie for certain audiences who can stomach certain scenes which I couldn’t begin to describe without spoiling plot points. It will have anyone turning away at the graphic images which have an artistic beauty to them. And the movies crescendo will leave you emotionally drained and make you doubt your shadow. This definitely won’t be Aronofsky’s swan song however he has set a bar for himself which will be hard to follow.

* * * * *

Review for The King's Speech

Finally there is a great British contender to stand up to the plate of the American oppressive market which is modern cinema. Every so often you have the odd British movie which pops up but is soon over taken by the next big explosion movie. Last year it was films like Made In Dagenham and Another Year but what makes Tom Hooper’s movie stand out more is how it doesn’t get bogged down about it patriotism which the film is centered around.

            The true story is passed on George VI (Colin Firth) as he battles with himself as he has a self-esteem crippling speech impediment. After trying everything with wife Elizabeth (Helen Bonham Carter) everything seems at a loss. However after being recommended by an outside force Elizabeth soon finds Lionel (Geoffrey Rush) a failed Australian actor who promises to help the prince. After some fairly big bumps in the road George VI begins to open up as we see the antagonist is mainly in himself rather then a specific being. After his farther King George V dies Edward VIII (Guy Pearce) reluctantly becomes king. With World War 2 on the horizon the royal house is throw into a frenzy as the country needs to sort its self out before any war breaks out.

            There’s very little you can say against a movie like The King’s Speech. The script by David Seidler is informative and handles humour in all the right places. Without being a show off Seidler uses the right information to inform the viewers on a subject which was hid from the general public. Tom Hooper’s direction is superb as he shows the pre-war London in all it’s beauty before the bombs begin to fall. The mist covered streets add a artistic edge to the visuals and the locations you travel through are beautiful.

            The acting from everyone is brilliant and touching especially with the cameo from Guy Pearce. Obviously the film main focus is on Firth and Rush’s characters and it is handled very delicately as the have little arguments about hierarchies before finding a middle ground. Firth has once again proved himself a terrific actor as we see his internal struggle and frustration he feels towards himself. And with support from Bonham Carter in a surprisingly ‘normal’ role she becomes a very warm presents through out the movie.

            It is surprising with all the acting talent that this is a brilliant film which aims to entertain and inform audiences of any age about a time in British history which has not been seen before. If you are stuck for what to watch there isn’t much better out there amidst the dull and copy/paste films which pollute the cinema.  

* * * *

Review for The Green Hornet

It’s really a sad day for creative art as we say good bye to Michel Gondry as he sails off in to the untalented horizon which is Hollywood. After his last flick, Be Kind Rewind, was such a disappointment he returns to direct the Seth Rogan and Even Goldberg superhero tale which is The Green Hornet. The Green Hornet is based of an old pulp hero which happened to be a television show in the 60s. After director Stephen Chow dropped the project it looked bleak for the production however after Michel Gondry jumped on board there was a certain comfort in knowing the movie would turn out well, the end result however is far less interesting then it should have been.

The story follows Brett Ried (Seth Rogan) a spoiled son of a millionaire who, after the death of his father decides to become a superhero with his sidekick Kato (Jay Chou). However instead of going down the normal route they decide to pose as villains in order to get close to the villain before taking them out. The villain in this case is Chudnofsky (Christoph Waltz) a less then scary villain who has a complex issue as he blows up various competition around L.A.  With Kato’s quick wit and engineering talent and Brett’s charisma (often mistaken for arrogance) and apparent wealth the two set out to have some fun sooner then actually save the neighbourhood.

It comes as little surprise that the movie is full of gags especially after the writing due to them making their names from penning Superbad. However sometimes the jokes feel out of place and even inappropriate, but when they are in the right place they work to the films advantage.

The film also handles it’s homage’s well as subtle hints a littered through out of the television show and more importantly it Bruce Lee who played the role of Kato in the 60s television show. Aside from that the film is poorly paced as the only interesting parts include Brett and Kato’s relationship whilst the rest seems to drag its heels especially with the scenes with Chudnofsky and Lenore (Cameron Diaz). Whilst the Bromance elements seen in Superband are also present here the stylised action scenes soon become boring and repetitive.

With Seth Rogen in the lead he plays his usual funny guy however it is Jay Chou who steals the attention as this is his first Hollywood movie and in fact when he’s on screen the film becomes much more interesting. Apart from them Christoph Waltz and Cameron Diaz did the best they could with the fairly poor material they where given. Christoph Waltz appears as a tacky 80’s villain whilst Cameron Diaz is really showing her age.

The most disappointing part of the movie is the direction which is so bland and contrived with only a few sparks of originality but it is even more disappointing seeing how the director has made his man on his visual style. Certain impressive visual elements to peek through but on the most part it’s a generic Hollywood big budget movie.

If your looking for an action superhero flick with some good laughs then you should take a look but don’t look for too long or you might get a head ache. The movie is very flawed and vastly disappointing. Once again another movie has been throw out in 3D and whilst it appears present at first you are quick to forget it’s even there. With Superhero movies on the rise of in quality such as Kick-Ass and Scott Pilgrim- this is definitely a step back but with the pedigree behind it it should have been much more impressive however it falls flat on it’s face like its wacky lead.

* *

Review for 127 Hours

Aron Ralston can be called several names: explorer, adrenalin junkie, and/or idiot. After stories surfaced that he was trapped in the American desert after a climbing accident where in he had to amputate his own arm with little more then a off the shelf tool, Aron has become a star in America, giving motivational speeches which he charges $37, 000 for. How could such a seemingly simplistic plot be fitted into a feature length movie is an impressive feet as writer director Danny Boyle steps up to tackle the amazing story of survival.

127 Hours is a film much like The Titanic, as in the audience knows what’s going to happen before it actually does.  The film begins with Aron (James Franco) preparing to go on a trip and after collecting a few essentials such as water, food and Gatorade however missing his Swis Army by only a few centimetres (one of many shameful gags). After arriving in the desert he camps out until morning before taking a bike ride out across the harsh terrain. Along the way he happens to meet Kristi (Kate Mara) and Megan (Amber Tamblyn), two young post college ‘explorers’ and spend a fun afternoon which aims to set up his character before going their separate ways. It is not long before the cocky armature explorer manages to slip whilst climbing and gets his hand crushed between a rock and the crevice wall.

Up until this point there is a certain tension which hangs over all the little moments when Aron is alone. The tension is then shifts after the accident to when he will eventually cut off his arm. Whilst Franco does fantastic performance the main flaw is in the character himself. He appears to be a fairly unlikable character who is so self obsessed that he videos trivial things such as himself riding a bike. Whether the real Aron Ralston is like this or not is irrelevant because it is hard to sympathise with a reckless, selfish adrenaline junkie who finally gets his comeuppance.

During the time which we are waiting for him to finally cut off his arm, Aron makes videos of himself as a diary of a man going crazy by isolation which is mirrored in his eyes. After making a little camp around him Aron has to ration all his belongings. All of the dialogue is also between himself and the camera as he narrates the situation to us. It’s around the mid point that Aron begins to loose it and the flashback begin with girlfriend Rana (Clémence Poésy) which leads to a truly  appalling line after a break up in which she screams at him “You’ll always be alone.”

The lead up to the eventual dismemberment is filled with flash backs and hallucinations before Aron’s camera runs out of battery which forces him to finally cut it off. It is only until he can’t document himself that he feels the need to do something about the situation.

Danny Boyle reprises his usual frantic editing and unusual camera work as he rejoins Slumdog Millionaire DP Anthony Dod Mantle however it all become a bit much and a little too frantic. That mixed in with footage of people in crowds to further add the notion that he will be alone for the movie begins to border on the annoying. The film has also been compared to last years brilliant thriller flick Buried. Unfortunately it lacks the clever and pure execution that Buried prized itself on as the movie escapes the small confines which Aron finds himself in. It is understandable that he escapes his fate through his hallucinations however Buried just handled the idea of isolation much better as all the action happens which in the coffin.

127 Hours fits in well with Boyles body of work as the themes of survival and isolation are seen through out with films such as 28 days Later, Trainspotting and Sunshine. The gruesome special effects are handled excellently and it’s easy to believe the reports of fainting and stomach contents being emptied. Whilst 127 Hours is a fairly solid movie, there are bits which annoy (especially the cringey sequence before the credits) and it is the sort of film which only needs one viewing but it is a fairly amazing story of survival.

* * *

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.