symonm Reviews

TT3D: Closer to the Edge (2011)

Superb adrenaline rush. Bike fan or not, just superb...

[10/10 · 2 November 2012]

I so wanted to like this having heard nothing but great things about it from biker friends and even non-bikers that had seen it, that I was feeling a little apprehensive when I finally sat down to watch it. I shouldn't have worried as even with the weight of that expectation, what a treat! What a fantastically well told account of the build up to and the actual TT races themselves one particularly year in it's history. Told with such human interest from a range of characters including the wonderfully maverick and unintentionally comic Guy Martin, the world record setting Ian Hutchinson and the TT legend that is Jon McGuinness amongst others, TT3D CTTE is a superb film on every level. Beautifully shot, high octane pace, great characters and back stories and I have to say a sensitive and thoughtful approach to the tragic events that year. The tagline says something about not being alive just because you're breathing, and bike fan or not how true is that? It's been 20 years since I made a boyhood trip to the TT but the memory of the thrill remains and it's now on my to do list once again. Laugh out loud highlight for me was Guy's explanation of what he would find "unbelievable". That's worth the price of the DVD alone.

If you liked "Senna" and/or you have an ounce of adrenalin in your body, whether or not you think you're interested in bikes or the TT, watch this film. You'll love it. 10/10

Insidious (I) (2010)

Scary at first but then turns into a remake of Poltergeist

[6/10 · 30 April 2012]

Insidious is a strange movie. I can't remember being initially so unsettled by a horror movie for a long time (maybe White Noise all those years ago, the first viewing of Paranormal Activity perhaps) but it soon descends into a rip-off of more than one "classic" horror and ends up being almost a word for word re-write of Poltergeist. The eerie moving furniture, the parent having to enter the netherworld to retrieve the child, the ageing female medium that can see the dead and her two buffoon like cohorts that walk around with their Ghostbuster wands. "Walk to my voice", "Only you can save him" and so on. At the end, if skeletons had risen from an underground graveyard I'd have laughed out loud, but thankfully there was some saving grace in the ending. Even there though, it's well enough done but it's not a shock. In fact I'd suggest that anyone who didn't see it coming, is at best, very new to Horror.

So why the 6 rating? Because it's a product of it's time. It's not original, in fact it's so unoriginal with regard to one particular film that it will be viewed as almost a joke movie to some, but as a standalone scary film (and especially if you're young or new to Horror) it's quite creepy at first and a reasonable stab at the genre. I do wish it had lived up to it's start, not been so predictable and not been so overtly a remake of Poltergeist but I guess it's hard to be truly original in Horror nowadays.

The Wire (2002–2008)

Nothing, absolutely nothing even comes close

[10/10 · 20 April 2012]

NB Overview but contains occasional minor spoilers

HBO's "The Wire" is probably the only made for TV show that I will ever feel sufficiently motivated to comment upon as although I've enjoyed others over the years; Hill St Blues, The Soprano's, West Wing etc, this is simply beyond astonishing on every single level and without doubt the best thing I have ever seen on the small screen. Actually it may well be the best thing I have ever seen. So many others here and elsewhere have said everything I feel about this show but just to endorse a few things and perhaps to add a few pointers that may be relevant to others thinking of watching it:

I'd suggest watching it as a box set on DVD, Not once or twice a week on TV repeats. It's simply too complex in storyline and characters to concentrate and to remember the subtle touches and introductions of characters and scenarios that you may not see again for half a season or more otherwise.

It's dialogue is rich and difficult to follow at first until you realise that it doesn't matter that you don't understand every word said or meant all the time. The story plays out the same way (and with many comparisons) that a great opera does in it's native language. The meaning is revealed all the same.

Don't even try to form an opinion (whatever it then turns out to be) until you've seen at least half the first season. What other great non-linear shows like The Soprano's started with it's long drawn out story lines, taking what snapshot-TV (like CSI) would do in a single episode and making it play out over the season, The Wire does with multiple parallel story lines every season.

Each season is sort of standalone in it's own way in that each focuses on a different but intertwining aspect of Baltimore life but the pay off is in watching the complex development of the characters and story lines and in that respect although others have been there, none have ever done it with such stunning craft and panache.

Where The Soprano's was superb ground breaking TV for many of the same reasons, you always knew that they were essentially criminals. There were very few innocents and deep down the characters weren't really likable because their default setting was always violence and anger. Here when the worst kind of wrong 'un is killed, as they frequently are (Tip-don't get too attached to any of the characters in the Wire because it never takes you where you expect to go) you often feel real remorse because of their back story or what they were really like or perhaps just the recognition of the societal problems that brought them to that point. You find yourself able to empathise with murderers, drug dealers and vicious thugs in the same way that you can with the elected officials, the police and the school governors. Often they're the same people, with the same problems at home and at work. The more or less lone white cop is wily and inventive, insightful and a tenacious law man but an alcoholic failure of a husband, the perfect police lieutenant has a seriously dodgy background that constantly threatens to derail his rising star, the drug lord is trying to build a legal construction business with his lifetime best friend and faces red tape from city hall that even he can't get past. The school teacher is an ex-cop that viciously pistol whipped a young kid once and the young kid with nothing but drugs, prostitution and murder in his life is also an above average student looking for a helping hand out of his situation. These are just some of the many, many twists and turns where it is often not clear at any point who the good and the bad guys are and who will survive and who won't. It is an astonishing achievement that this is so but everyone I know that has seen The Wire would agree.

It's of course tragic, it's definitely dramatic but it's also funny in places, the way real life is funny, absurd and comical, there are standout performances but they're just about from everyone. Omar's character for example is breathtaking in his logic, his style, his raison d'etre but he too is flawed and watching him, you can't help while feeling delight at his actions, also feeling overwhelming sadness that this intelligent, calm (he never utters a single profanity throughout) ghetto Robin Hood character is doomed to meet the sort of pointless fate that he dishes out so readily. In a complete reversal of those characteristics, the drugged up low life street trader/informer character Bubbles, works hard to turn his life around trying to achieve the family recognition that he has so craved. These are just two instances of the incredible depth and lengthy development of it's characters but I could have named countless more. The Wire will keep you guessing as to who is "important" who isn't and why the writers are going down a particular route.

I could go on and on (and frequently do about this) but it simply is without peer in TV and at least up there with the greatest that the Big Screen has ever produced. As someone once said, you either love The Wire or you haven't seen it yet.

If you're one of the latter half, I can't urge you enough to find the time to invest in this masterpiece of modern storytelling. Trust me when the final season 5 episode ends, you'll miss it like you wouldn't think possible.

Four Lions (2010)

Uncomfortable hilarity? Yes but it's worth it.

[7/10 · 16 April 2012]

The most difficult film I've ever felt like commenting upon but... It's funny. Really, really funny in places, the sort of funny where you can't stop thinking about the joke long after it's gone.

The complete absurdity of the situation (four bungling British would-be jihadists trying to plot a suicide bombing while clearly enjoying all the privileges of the life they claim to hate) is exactly what you would expect from a Chris Morris offering and as long as you understand what it is that he does and more importantly why, this film works. Of course the subject matter is perhaps difficult to watch and will be offensive to some but that doesn't mean that it doesn't have merit.

Individual moments of genius comedy abound. Lines such as "Rubber Dingy rapids bro" and "Wookie down, the Wookie is down" live long in the memory and that is the mark of good comedy.

It is uncomfortable in places. The poignancy of Omar's family life with his beautiful wife and loving son, the innocent idiocy of Waj and the unspoken reasons why Barry may have converted to fundamental Islam, all show the other side of life and why ultimately this film is about lack of tolerance and a deep ignorance of what is important in life. Whatever your colour, creed or religion.

I believe that I know what Chris Morris was doing here and because of that I found Four Lions hilarious and touching, not offensive and sick, but it is a fine line and I can see why some wouldn't touch it. That is their loss as at it's heart, this is just a great British comedy.

Delicatessen (1991)

A real treat on every level.

[9/10 · 5 April 2012]

As far as style goes, this is almost without parallel. Jeunet's own 'Amelie' has moments of very similar style shots and humour and Gilliam's 'Brazil' has some of the zanyness and other world quality of it but other than that, it's more or less on it's own as an example of off-beat hard to pigeonhole non mainstream film.

It's a comedy, a dark(ish) post apocalyptic drama, an art house movie, a love story. It touches on horror at times and seems to tick so many boxes, yet doesn't sit in any one of them. Few films manage that so well.

The lighting is inventive and the sets are incredible. Even the subtle change of colour tone at the end, perhaps suggesting that everything will be alright now, cleverly plays on the subconscious and beautifully lightens the whole mood of the film at it's close.

The wonderfully comic timed spring mattress duet that Louison and Mme Plusse share and Aurore's tragically pathetic attempts to kill herself which only succeed when she doesn't want to do it anymore are shining moments in the comedy of Delicatessen.

The militant vegetarians who attempt the rescue and the old self sufficient man living in a flooded apartment with frogs and snails growing wild, providing him with a ready source of food are just part of the absurdity and yet wonder of a film that delights and amazes in equal measures.

Truly a great film and to paraphrase a review of The Wire (TV's greatest ever series), I would seriously suggest that "you either love it or you haven't seen it yet"

The Green Hornet (2011)

This movie most certainly does not "Kick-Ass"

[4/10 · 29 February 2012]

There are no other ways to try and dress this up. Americans would say that this movie SUCKS, I'm going to go with the fact that is STINKS, but whatever your vernacular, this is really, really bad. One which even the always impressive Christopher Waltz can't save. He doesn't reach the heights he hit in Inglorious, partly because the role just isn't developed enough here, but he still excels. There's just something about the guy's on-screen persona that is mesmerising.

OK so apart from Mr Waltz, what is going on here? The movie is about a superhero that isn't (so nothing like the brilliant Kick-Ass then) and a disillusioned kid wanting to put the world to rights (so nothing like the brilliant Kick-Ass then) He has a kung fu manservant sidekick named Cato who he beats up in his own house (so nothing like Insp Closeau's Kung fu manservant Cato then) and a seemingly infinite amount of money to live out his playboy lifestyle with a garage full of exotic cars (so nothing like Iron Man then). He...oh you get the idea. I know it's based on an old(ish) comic book but this movie blatantly plagiarises just about every possible recent superhero movie and then some, the characters are wooden and unoriginal. The stretched out storyline is nothing new and the lengthy OTT gun fights that litter every 20 minutes of a movie that could have been 30mins shorter and still be an hour too long just get on your nerves.

Seth Rogan is simply miscast here and fails to engage the audience with his usual wit. In addition to that, his character and the way he played the role is very unlikeable as is just about everyone and everything else in this movie. I really cannot find anything positive, other than the aforementioned Mr Waltz to say about his.

EDIT: It's interesting to read that some people think that "geeks" or "pseudo-intellectuals" or serious film fans won't want to like this. Well I'm not sure if I fit any of those labels as I love all film genres. A good film is a good film whatever it's genre/nationality/style/age/cast list/budget/message/Director/purpose etc and similarly a bad film is a bad film.

Suffice to say that for all the reasons above, this is not a good film.

The Artist (I) (2011)

A wonderful feel good movie for every taste

[9/10 · 27 February 2012]

It's easy to be disappointed when you so want to like something and I so wanted to like this, because I loved the idea of something so different, so out of the norm, yet made in the modern era. It not only didn't disappoint, it far exceeded my hopes and I and everyone with me left the cinema with huge smiles on our faces.

What a wonderful simple tale, beautifully told and acted by both newcomer leads. Moving, funny, enthralling and so genuinely uplifting that I cannot imagine what sort of person wouldn't love this film.

The fact that many won't bother to see it because it's B&W or silent or retro or whatever prejudicial reason some people have in their heads is impossible to comment upon without a certain amount of pity for those that think that way.

Is it the best movie of the year? Maybe, maybe not but it deserves it's awards and every piece of positive praise it gets. Don't even get me started on the dog (and I'm not a "pet person" in the slightest) but he deserves an Oscar too.

Fabulous all round old fashioned feel good movie. I loved it-You will too.

Citizen Kane (1941)

The best film ever?...Hard to argue against that accolade.

[10/10 · 3 February 2012]

It's perhaps pointless to eulogise too much more about a film widely and eternally regarded as the best ever made because it's hard to add anything original to what has already been said.

What I would say is that although it's not really possible to quantify what makes anything "the best ever", this comes as close as it's possible to imagine. Particularly given the technical and cultural restrictions and modus operandi at the time it was made. Citizen Kane is a masterpiece of cinema in every way. A wonderful story told in a non-linear way (itself very unusual for it's time), yet the viewer never loses the plot or the power of the unfolding tale. Fantastic central and supporting performances and such majestic cinematography that it truly does deserve it's Everest like billing.

Citizen Kane, while a product of its time is still absolutely genius filmmaking.

The Godfather (1972)

The film is the star

[16 November 2011]

Often cited as the greatest film ever made, I can't 100% agree with that but along with it's immense sequel, it is certainly "one" of the greatest ever made. Like all celluloid masterpieces, it doesn't date. Sure some cinematic techniques alter, sound, lighting, colour and camera-work vary over the years, perhaps they're improved in general but these are transitional and often just fashionable points, not a reflection on the quality of a film.

The Godfather is a ground breaking film. Slow, complex and often with no attempt to educate the audience into the "whys" of what is happening, you're simply invited to draw your own conclusions into the right and wrongs of this world and the characters within it. But the story itself is pure genius. Vicious yet measured, vengeful yet honourable, people centred yet set in a world where self appointed royalty are all powerful. It's a ride, rarely if ever bettered.

Sometimes a star makes a film, other times a film makes the star (and actually that might be true for Al Pacino here) but in The Godfather we have a film that is the star itself. It's not really possible to pick out stand-out performances without citing them all. That is what makes it one of the very best of all time and a must see for anyone with the slightest interest in the history of Cinema.

Jackie Brown (1997)

Quality from QT

[9/10 · 11 November 2011]

Although not one of QT's most talked about works, Jackie Brown is Tarantino at his best. Everything about this movie works. From the start, with it's long following shot of Pam Grier walking along in her Flight Attendants uniform, Jackie Brown is primarily character driven. It doesn't seek to be action or fantasy orientated, it's not gung-ho or overly clever and there are no mystery sub plots where the viewer has to wait for the end for the pieces to be tied together, (although there is some beautifully crafted surprises along the way). It's just a great character driven "book" brought to life by the master of dialogue rich films. Sure it's violent in places, it's an homage to the blaxploitation films of American urban 70's low life after all, but throughout, it's theme is simply what happens to Jackie. A hard working but lonely, although still beautiful middle aged woman who's life has inexplicably passed her by and her attempt to augment her low wage and raise her low self esteem with some easy ill-gotten gains, the police investigation into what happens after and an unlikely but very believable mixed race pseudo-romance with a white bail bondsman. What intricacies there are to the plot, features incredible supporting roles from Robert De Niro, Brigit Fonda and Samuel Jackson amongst others. All of whom are exceptional here.

The musical score throughout is perfect (as always with QT) and in the end, the ultimate pay off being that although Jackie Brown gets away with it and the bad guys are gone, her crime means that she has to walk away (well drive away) from her chance of happiness.

Great film, great cast, great score and great fun. More like a 10/10 than a 9/10

Inglourious Basterds (2009)

Tarantino always polarises opinion but...

[9/10 · 9 November 2011]

...his films are damn entertaining. At their best (Pulp Fiction, Jackie Brown, both Kill Bill's) they are without comparison as no one else makes films like he does. Personally I am a huge fan, I love the character development, the fantastically clever use of dialogue, the perfectly balanced music score and the story lines themselves. The lack of accuracy or attention to historical detail doesn't bother me either as I leave his films thoroughly entertained every time. However I do understand that in respect to this film particularly, QT is taking huge liberties with his historical interpretation and that will no doubt bother some people. On this occasion, it doesn't me! So we have a film about a group of Nazi hunting Jew soldiers led by the wonderfully OTT Lt Aldo Raine and a lovely interwoven secondary plot featuring the escape of a Jewish girl and her eventual revenge on the vicious Nazi that murdered her family. It's told with humour, pathos and a devil-may-care approach to the morals of what both sides are doing and it's all the better for that. Perhaps more than any other QT movie, (OK, maybe Jackie Brown's in the same category here) the inspired choice of musical score particularly when Shosanna is getting made up ready for her big final show (David Bowie's Cat People)is beautiful, powerful and moving and a fitting finale to her part of the plot.

Yes it's true to say that the Fuhrer, his key henchmen and a large chunk of the ruling Nazi party probably wouldn't have all attended a small provincial theatre in an occupied land for a propaganda screening during wartime and certainly not with what amounted to just a handful of footsoldiers for protection and it's possibly fair to say that Shosanna's justification as to how she was now running that theatre may have been more deeply researched by the party sent out to scope the place out before the big day. I'm sure there were many other "oversights" if one was critiquing a serious factual war film, however...

Great film. Loved it.

Alien 3 (1992)

Worthy of a second viewing, but make it the Directors cut!

[6/10 · 15 August 2011]

Alien 3 is a much better film than many seem to think IMO.

It seems that a mainly US audience didn't like it initially but the European audience apparently did. I can't figure out why that should be, but if it's just that the US saw only the theatrical release which was re-edited by the studio before release and not the original Assembly (or Directors) cut version which shows us what Fincher's and Weaver's vision actually were, maybe that's more understandable. It can't hold a candle to the first two movies but overall it's not bad at all. Moody, atmospheric and with fantastic settings and camera-work. I liked the story and the sub plots, most of which were lost or watered down in the theatrical release including Golic releasing the creature from captivity (an entire section which bizarrely disappears in the theatrical release) and the subtle clean ending of the extended version where the Queen does not emerge from the suicidal Ripley at the last moment. Alien 3 in retrospect works well in the series and if you take the version the Director intended you to see and watch it again you may see it in a different light.

I Love You Phillip Morris (2009)

Awful mistake from two great actors

[1/10 · 1 July 2011]

I can't recall the last time I actually gave up on a movie and with that in mind, some will say that I can realistically only comment on the first half of this bizarre film.

I hated it. Not because it was about gay people, (plenty of great films about and with gay people involved), not because it was unfunny (oh but it really was unfunny) and not for any other pre-planned or prejudicial reason. I'm not easily offended and I'm often very intolerant of those that are, but this was a 15 rated film that instantly shows such graphic sexual activity that all but the most liberal minded free spirits would think was acceptable for 15yr olds. It was honestly as close to gay porn as I can imagine. Even with this in mind, had there been any obvious attempt to make a good film or a typical Jim Carrey funny film or an art house film or anything that actually provided a storyline worth sticking around for, I'd have been more accepting of it. Instead, certainly the first 50 mins that I managed, were simply just a series of gay sex scenes linked by strong stereotypes of flamboyant gay men. Maybe Carrey and McGregor saw it as a clever risk and maybe it could have been, (Sean Penn's "Milk" was), but what I saw was just horrendous and extremely difficult to watch.

However, like Milk, it was based on a true story so there must have been some basis in reality there, I just cannot understand why it was made in this fashion (neither funny, nor moving nor interesting in any way) and particularly why this was rated as it was. What do you have to show and say in a film nowadays to get an adult rating? Need to go watch "The Majestic" again to get my Jim Carrey appreciation back now.

The Machinist (2004)

Above and beyond the call Mr Bale!

[9/10 · 30 June 2011]

Throughout film history, there are several well documented cases of actors taking their preparation to the max. De Niro's Jake La Motta springs immediately to mind as one prepared to physically alter his body to fit the role but what Christian Bale does here is way above and beyond the call of duty. It's genuinely disturbing and yet crucial to the film to see 'Batman' looking like an Auschwitz survivor.

That said, it doesn't define the film. Sure it's a key part of it but the plot is excellent, the way the film unravels (literally in the case of the reveal-all carpet scene we return to at the end) and the way Reznik's reality and his fantasy world blend so seamlessly that it takes real concentration to keep up at times, make this a really, really good psychological thriller. It's possible to work out the ending, in the same way that some guessed Sixth Sense and Usual Suspects perhaps, but it doesn't matter. Brad Andersons "The Machinist" is an excellent study of how a bad decision that a good man makes, can lead to unbearable guilt and life changing mental frailty and it's a real tick on Christian Bale's acting CV.

Congrats to all concerned. Great movie.

The Green Mile (1999)

Another period prison based Darabont masterpiece!

[10/10 · 14 June 2011]

In every way, this is a wonderful film and IMO deserves a rare 10/10 because it's hard personally for me to see how it could have been made any better. Hugely touching, emotive on every human level, a brilliant storyline, by all accounts a faithful screenplay and wonderfully cast. It's long, but the time flies.

Hanks is superb here as is the inspired choice of Michael Clarke Duncan and in fact all of the cast. Even the mouse was brilliant!

SPOILERS:

It's the story of a simple man wrongly convicted of the worst type of crime. Set in a time where there is no real recourse to justice for such men and with a subplot that becomes the main focus of the film. Is John Coffey a gift from God and if so why are we allowing him to be legally murdered? That he ultimately doesn't mind, doesn't ease Paul's pain or the viewers pain at what we are watching

Both Bitterbuck and Delacroix will make you question the death penalty

Percy's grossly offensive behaviour will make you question your humanity

Paul Edgecomb will make you realise what a fantastically emotive actor Tom Hanks is and Duncan's John Coffey will make you weep

Hats off to you Mr Darabont once again and thank you for a truly beautiful film.

Altitude (2010)

Holy mother of God, Where do you start??

[3/10 · 8 June 2011]

There is an irritating trend at the moment, away from the traditional "stupid teens being picked off by a monster/lone psycho" type of horror movies, to put hot young actors acting out their teen angst's into new situations just because they look good on screen. Occasionally it comes off and occasionally it doesn't. Here it most certainly doesn't. The basic premise has merit as a Twilight Zone style horror thriller but it's so deeply flawed in every way, It's hard to know where to start. Let's have a go:

The Technical: At Sara's age, she would have had to have been flying extensively to be competently piloting a twin of that size. Hard to imagine how she could have kept that from her strict Army Colonel Dad. Let's not even get into how she'd have afforded either the money or the time while studying at College.

She'd most certainly have needed to be IMC rated to fly that plane which she says she isn't.

Altimeters work on outside air pressure not magnetic forces

Why wasn't a trained pilot constantly squawking (automatically sending out her ID to ground stations) and checking it, trying to talk to someone, anyone?? Instead of leaving a doomed plane to it's own devices for 2/3rds of the movie to argue with everyone else and have a heart to heart with her freaky boyfriend?

Why didn't she reduce power and fly in a circle until she'd established position? This is basic pilot training at PPL level which she was apparently way above.

Even James Bond couldn't have pulled off that Elevator fixing manoeuvre outside a turbulent plane in that storm. Way too far-fetched for even this movie.

The cast: What a hateful bunch of idiot kids. So you're facing likely death in a terrible storm, your aircraft is climbing way beyond it's service ceiling seemingly out of control, there may be a supernatural monster trying to eat your plane and...I know, let's have a huge fight over a comic book and the blond girl. Let's freak out and take an overdose of air sickness pills (Is that even possible?) and let's leave the cockpit unmanned while I go and ask my boyfriend why he lied to me about a car crash. Yup makes perfect sense to me.

The plot: Not a bad idea, but if it had been done as an adult film or with young actors that played it or were directed for the purposes of producing a believable or alternatively just a very entertaining teen horror film, (think of the first Final Destination movie for an example of what I mean by entertaining teen horror), it could have been excellent. Instead Altitude is ridiculous on every single level and the lack of common sense, likability and decency in any of the main cast meant that while it was OK to watch for a short time (it's only about 90mins long anyway), it's a terrible film overall.

Cemetery Junction (2010)

Gervais and Merchant's best film work yet

[8/10 · 20 April 2011]

I'm always surprised when a film I'd heard had mixed reviews at best, turns out to be so much better than I was expecting and Cemetery Junction is a great example of this.

It's an old fashioned feel good movie. Sure it's maybe a little twee in places and ties things up nicely at the end but what's wrong with that sometimes? Great casting with superb performances from the central few characters and again a stunning turn from Ralph Fiennes. How good an actor is that guy? Poignant, touching, both gently and laugh out loud funny in places, a great character driven plot and just very very good film making IMO. Great use of music too, which like Tarantino movies always adds massively to the overall appeal.

Can't recommend it enough. Gervais and Merchant should be very proud of themselves and I hope they're aware that this is a much better film than the box office takings would suggest.

Similar film styles would be East is East, Sideways and maybe, Letter to Brezhnev. If you liked those, watch this. You'll love it.

Das Boot (1981)

Could have been one of the most incredible films ever made...but isn't

[8/10 · 2 March 2010]

After 20 years or so, having finally gotten around to watching it properly again, as it should be seen: in full Directors Cut/Original German language mode, I was initially totally engrossed in the beautiful nature of this film. Wonderfully shot, eerie compelling drama, very real human emotions, (even given the nature of the whole Nazi/Master race subject matter here) and then...that "Commando Comics" ending. For any non-Brits reading this, "Commando" was a series of WWII comic books for young boys that always made sure the 'nasty baddies' got their comeuppance in the end, usually in some typically gung-ho moment of literary redemption. What a shame it had to end like that. All that effort, all that time (3.5 hours), spent empathising with the crew and especially with U-96, feeling their fear and their worries and then a random US fighter plane comes out of nowhere, kills them all and sinks the sub when it's home and dry. Shocking Cop out Herr Peterson and it means you don't get the 10 your film should've deserved.

Other than that, it's a masterpiece. Great shame.

Paranormal Activity (2007)

Lives up to the hype. Very surprising!

[9/10 · 11 December 2009]

I tend to avoid traditional Horror films and certainly the American ones partly because everything has to be explained to the audience and wrapped up in a little bow at the end, but mainly because they're never horrific or scary at all. As an adult, there are only so many times you can put up with impossibly beautiful teens running around a remote cabin half dressed while the college kid with a grudge (and usually superhuman strength and the power of invisibility) picks them all off one at a time, but "Blair Witch" was different, so was "Rec" and most Asian horror is too, so for me there is occasionally still hope with the genre. It was therefore with some trepidation that I went expecting it mostly not to live up to the hype. Another Blair Witch knock off that won't come close I assumed. Jeez was I wrong! It's tense, genuinely scary, with some stand out moments particularly when the bed-cam scenes that aren't shown on the trailer are revealed and is so well acted from two complete unknowns who carry 99% of the film themselves that it's hard to imagine how known actors could've carried this film any better. Each to their own I guess, but I don't scare easily and this film made me jump.

I hope they don't go down the sequel route as there's just no need. Blair Witch 2 showed us why that's not always a good idea. So for me it's a huge and very unexpected thumbs up.

Lilo & Stitch (2002)

A beautiful animated understanding of the human condition

[10/10 · 12 October 2009]

I deliberately saw this film again recently having read some of the comments in a quiet moment. I was amazed how some people saw this movie: Most specifically the negative comments. While I appreciate that we're all different, I am at a loss to understand how anyone could not have loved this film? Did some people really think it was too violent, not suitable for children and most bizarrely of all that Lilo was nasty and aggressive? This is a young girl who is poor, teased at school for being "different" and who has recently lost both her parents in a car crash and she is a therefore a terrible role model for kids??? Lilo was gorgeous, in every way. Disney captured with stunning beauty and accuracy the mannerisms of a troubled child, a little lost, scared and angry, but also sweet, (wanting to pay for her pet herself) loving, (the home made doll she returns to) clear thinking (not feeding Pudge the fish, tuna sandwiches) and hopeful (the constant photo taking of "family" people that she so yearns for).

It's my favourite ever Disney film and in my top 10 of all time because of the way it makes me feel when I watch it. Wonderful characters, laugh out loud funny in places, great soundtrack, strong storyline, good over evil, redemption and ultimately the sort of family values that we all crave. If some people couldn't get over the fact that initially Lilo is a troubled child and Stitch is a character without morals and guidelines (which Lilo teaches him throughout) when that is so obviously the point, I feel sorry for them.

A beautiful film in every way 10/10

I'm Not There (2007)

Beautiful inventive biopic, but you probably need to be a fan already

[8/10 · 24 July 2009]

I guess this is another one of those films that does require the viewer (for the most part) to actually like the subject matter. For me, being Dylan's biggest fan, this was never an issue but it still needed, as a "project" film, to be well cast and well scripted. It was.

Personally I thought everyone worked well but particular kudos to Cate Blanchett who is extraordinary as the young Dylan. So convincing in every way that for a moment I forgot who was playing the role. Marcus Carl Franklin as "little Woody" was also incredible, Julianne Moore is always superb and carried the "Joan Baez" role with uncanny beauty and even Richard Gere shone in his brief "Billy the Kid" role.

These sort of multi faceted 'people' films (think Crash, Magnolia, Bobby etc) work if the story is good. Maybe they don't always have to stay 100% true to the base storyline, although those who know enough about Dylan's life and music will certainly feel that his many facets were very well represented here, but they do have to be entertaining. I loved this movie as I thought I would, because above all else it was entertaining. Could've been a disaster but if you love Dylan's philosophy as well as his music, you'll love this.

The Dark Knight (2008)

Great film, deserves the praise, but 7th best of all time???

[8/10 · 17 July 2009]

I cannot possibly see how this is the 7th best film of all time on IMDb's list (What, behind Seven Samurai, Wonderful Life and the peerless Donnie Darko to name just a few??) but it is a superb film nevertheless with a stunning performance from Heath Ledger. Simultaneously scary, funny, over the top yet subtle (maybe even to De Niro proportions). Heath's Joker achieves the very difficult task of creating both a likable and a hateful character in one. Nothing short of a brilliant piece of acting which could have won him the Oscar without the undoubted wave of grief following his untimely death.

There are I suppose, some nit picking flaws; Dent's Face is so badly damaged, it couldn't possibly function as it does and although it's comic book, a little more realism would have enhanced the experience, the whole premise of good overcoming evil ultimately hinged on every single person on the two boats not wanting to commit murder, even though it would almost certainly mean their own death. Nice idea and it probably worked in the context of the moral meaning of the film but someone would have flipped the switch or tried harder than they did to do so. Minor points, that IMO could have been better portrayed. Still a great movie in every sense. Just not the 7th best of all time!

Donnie Darko (2001)

Incredible mind trip-A must see (again and again!)

[10/10 · 1 July 2009]

It's taken me 5 years to finally "get" this movie and now I don't know how (although I always liked it), I never really fully appreciated it before. Talk about waiting for the penny to drop!

It has to be watched in it's entirety with a completely open mind. If you are one of those people that makes up their mind about a film after a few minutes, Donnie Darko is not for you, but then you'd also be missing out on Mulholland Drive, Twelve Monkeys and other genius mind bending work of celluloid art that will pass you by. Your loss. Where this is unique (amongst those other greats) is in it's sheer complexity and that is also where it will lose viewers, but if any film ever deserves to be repeatedly viewed, analysed and savoured, all for the ultimate goal of simply understanding it, this is it.

It may take repeated viewings, much debate and many years (as in my case) to understand it all, but Donnie Darko is an absolute work of art that should be seen by everyone who loves clever and thought provoking film.

Utterly phenomenal.

Wanted (2008)

Unmitigated garbage

[1/10 · 1 July 2009]

This film stank from the first to the last minute. Where to start: The bad language was totally unnecessary. It's not swearing per se that's the problem, that has it's place when used well as do any other words, it's that this just isn't necessary and it spoils the dialogue when used so liberally and by everyone all the time. My wife described it (before she gave up on it and went to bed) as "Jason Statham does the Matrix" which I think sums it up nicely.

Sure the action was interesting, but so totally unbelievable in every way that it just looked silly. Even allowing for the fact that it was a comic book script, it was so OTT in this respect that I found it impossible to lose myself in it the way I can in films like "V for Vendetta" or "Watchmen" The total disregard for human life is often an issue in these sort of films although it can often be excused given the context of the film, but here the gratuitous scene where the fraternity take out a train full of passengers presumably sending everyone (except our "heroes" of course) plunging to a horrible death is deeply, deeply flawed filmaking.

Lastly, just how much do you want to flag up an ending? In fact the many twists and turns were so obvious so far in advance that only the laziest of viewers would fail to see them coming a mile off. Lazy and flawed filmaking again.

Had I paid for this, I'd have demanded a refund. One of the worst big budget movies I've ever seen. Hated it and deeply disappointed in Morgam Freeman particularly.

Sunshine (2007)

Promised so much but ultimately disappointing

[18 August 2008]

For 4/5ths of this movie I was very much enjoying it. While not a truly unique concept, it was at least originally handled and it's depth and the crew's differing perspective of their own humanities where very well played out. Cillian Murphy was superb. His best role yet, but...

What was that convoluted ending about? Why the extended searching out of Pinbacker on the ship once the payload had been delivered? Shades of mood enhancement seen before in such movies as 2001 and Event Horizon but it was just so unnecessary here. The job was done, the last 15 minutes were superfluous and daft and spoiled for me what was an otherwise interesting take on the space/disaster genre.