This film came up on my IMDb recommendations and i decided to check it out not expecting much. Wow, was I surprised. The film begins with the pace and feel of an afternoon TV movie, albeit one a bit more dark in tone and mysterious. Ben is a hotel manager and widower, his wife died in a car accident years ago and he is bringing up their daughter as a single dad. His wife's father blames him for his daughter's death, for running away from the wreck. That's a pretty deep jumping off point and from there some mysterious visitors arrive at Ben's hotel and turn his world upside down. I don't like to spoil plots of films too much but from there on in, the film becomes intriguing and gripping right until the end. The cinematography actually really stood out at times too - particularly the scenes after the meteorite hits and the way the story was put together especially the ending is a great example of using cinema as an art form, with minimal exposition and a beautiful, incongruous ending. Highly recommended.
Reviews
60 Reviews
Indian Summer
(1993)
Nostalgia Personified
22 January 2007
Indian Summer is a warm, multi-character film, that would make a fine afternoon film (with a bit of editing).
The film begins in the past with a group of children being shown a moose, which sets the tone perfectly before cutting into the present, when a group of adults from the "golden age" of the camp are invited back again to spend a few weeks holiday by the head of the camp, Uncle Lou. The film then allows the viewer to spend time with these characters as they remember their times at the camp, and form new memories in their latest stay.
The film succeeds in the great way it brings across its characters in this gorgeous setting, and allows them room to develop without having to worry about plot developments. Watching these people reminisce, and their relationships with each other is what the film is all about and why it works so well. It never goes to over the top and melodramatic, always keeping its warmth, charm and realism. I've never seen a film where nostalgia is captured so well, and found myself getting drawn in despite never having been to one of these camps as a child myself.
For a warm, nostalgic character movie, I sincerely recommend.
The film begins in the past with a group of children being shown a moose, which sets the tone perfectly before cutting into the present, when a group of adults from the "golden age" of the camp are invited back again to spend a few weeks holiday by the head of the camp, Uncle Lou. The film then allows the viewer to spend time with these characters as they remember their times at the camp, and form new memories in their latest stay.
The film succeeds in the great way it brings across its characters in this gorgeous setting, and allows them room to develop without having to worry about plot developments. Watching these people reminisce, and their relationships with each other is what the film is all about and why it works so well. It never goes to over the top and melodramatic, always keeping its warmth, charm and realism. I've never seen a film where nostalgia is captured so well, and found myself getting drawn in despite never having been to one of these camps as a child myself.
For a warm, nostalgic character movie, I sincerely recommend.
The Eighth Day
(1996)
Good acting but not much else.
19 January 2007
Warning: Spoilers
The Eighth Day is supposed to be a charming experience, but I found it to be largely irritating and dull.
The film focuses around Harry, played by Daniel Auteuil, a salesman who's life is falling apart. Stuck in his daily routine, estranged from his wife and failing to be a father to his children. This, cut-and-paste character then meets Georges, a guy with Down's Syndrome who proceeds as we all know by now to help him turn his life around and get back to being a father to his kids.
The problem is that we are given no insight as to why Harry puts up with Georges after the initial meeting. Harry's life is in a bad enough state as it is, it's completely implausible that he'd risk losing his job by taking time off to try and get Georges to his mother's house. The humour completely misses the mark, instead of showing us why Harry is putting up with this guy, we are treated to a series of irritating, unfunny skits in which Harry bears the brunt of Georges mishaps.
The film reaches its peak when Georges remembers it's Harry's daughters birthday and along with other people from his home steal a bus, take Harry out of a conference, set off some fireworks, et viola! Harry is a good father again and now he can see the kids. For a film that is supposed to be grounded in realism (despite its poor attempt at a fantasy/reality message) this is completely implausible and unbelievable. Add to this the demise of Georges character, which I cannot fathom as to how people have been in tears at, as he is surely one of the most irritating characters ever created.
The best thing about the film is it does have two great performances from its two leads, but these are not good enough for me to recommend that anyone sit through it. A lot of comments for this film has suggested its similarity and superiority to Rain Man, this is not so in my eyes, this is a watered down sub-standard effort with none of Rain Man's humour or warmth.
The film focuses around Harry, played by Daniel Auteuil, a salesman who's life is falling apart. Stuck in his daily routine, estranged from his wife and failing to be a father to his children. This, cut-and-paste character then meets Georges, a guy with Down's Syndrome who proceeds as we all know by now to help him turn his life around and get back to being a father to his kids.
The problem is that we are given no insight as to why Harry puts up with Georges after the initial meeting. Harry's life is in a bad enough state as it is, it's completely implausible that he'd risk losing his job by taking time off to try and get Georges to his mother's house. The humour completely misses the mark, instead of showing us why Harry is putting up with this guy, we are treated to a series of irritating, unfunny skits in which Harry bears the brunt of Georges mishaps.
The film reaches its peak when Georges remembers it's Harry's daughters birthday and along with other people from his home steal a bus, take Harry out of a conference, set off some fireworks, et viola! Harry is a good father again and now he can see the kids. For a film that is supposed to be grounded in realism (despite its poor attempt at a fantasy/reality message) this is completely implausible and unbelievable. Add to this the demise of Georges character, which I cannot fathom as to how people have been in tears at, as he is surely one of the most irritating characters ever created.
The best thing about the film is it does have two great performances from its two leads, but these are not good enough for me to recommend that anyone sit through it. A lot of comments for this film has suggested its similarity and superiority to Rain Man, this is not so in my eyes, this is a watered down sub-standard effort with none of Rain Man's humour or warmth.
Thief
(1981)
The Michael Mann Blueprint
18 January 2007
Thief is a very good crime drama, coming from the master of the genre, Michael Mann.
Thief is the story of Frank, a used car salesman and part time safe cracker, who likes to do things his own way, but by chance, gets drawn into a deeper criminal underworld that he doesn't want to be a part of.
The success of the film lies in its realism, and its central character, Frank is a real character, full of depth, someone the audience can relate to and want to come out on top. The rest of the film then follows your typical high end criminal versus local gangsters versus the police formula, with a few original ideas, but always holds the attention due to Frank's charisma.
If you're bored of watching your Heat, Donnie Brasco etc. DVDs for the tenth time, give Thief a chance and you will be greatly rewarded.
Thief is the story of Frank, a used car salesman and part time safe cracker, who likes to do things his own way, but by chance, gets drawn into a deeper criminal underworld that he doesn't want to be a part of.
The success of the film lies in its realism, and its central character, Frank is a real character, full of depth, someone the audience can relate to and want to come out on top. The rest of the film then follows your typical high end criminal versus local gangsters versus the police formula, with a few original ideas, but always holds the attention due to Frank's charisma.
If you're bored of watching your Heat, Donnie Brasco etc. DVDs for the tenth time, give Thief a chance and you will be greatly rewarded.
The Mother
(2003)
Better than average Brit indie flick
18 January 2007
The Mother is a solid and well made film that tackles a taboo subject in a relationship movie context. It revolves around its title character, a grandmother, getting involved in her daughters affairs (well, that's one way of putting it.) and the fall out of her actions.
To me, these sorts of films (of the indie melodrama kind) are probably best used as a showcase for the talent involved, a vehicle for actors and directors to make an interesting film, a film that would receive high critical praise, but not a film that people would fall in love with so much as to watch on a regular basis. To that end, The Mother succeeds very well, the acting and its partly controversial subject matter making it stand out from the competition.
Though I found it compelling viewing, especially from an acting standpoint, I would have liked a better ending to lift the film to an even higher level, but taken as it is, if you want a slow burning, well acted, family drama, this will do rather nicely.
To me, these sorts of films (of the indie melodrama kind) are probably best used as a showcase for the talent involved, a vehicle for actors and directors to make an interesting film, a film that would receive high critical praise, but not a film that people would fall in love with so much as to watch on a regular basis. To that end, The Mother succeeds very well, the acting and its partly controversial subject matter making it stand out from the competition.
Though I found it compelling viewing, especially from an acting standpoint, I would have liked a better ending to lift the film to an even higher level, but taken as it is, if you want a slow burning, well acted, family drama, this will do rather nicely.
Backstage
(2000)
Backstage
14 December 2006
Backstage is a documentary following a group of Roc-a-fella and Def Jam artists on the Hard Knock Life tour. Jay-Z, DMX, Method Man, Redman, Ja Rule and countless others from their respective stables are followed on the road. A mix of live footage and backstage action focusing on the main people involved with the project. It is quite an interesting documentation of what was a big event in hip-hop history, with the 30 plus entourage of rap artists all in one place, almost guaranteed a breeding ground for anarchy and chaos. Most notable scenes include an argument between Damon Dash and Russel Simmons, and a fleeting appearance from "Pain in da Ass", the man who used to do the Al Pacino impressions on Jay-Z's albums.
Late Night Shopping
(2001)
Great.
6 December 2006
Late Night Shopping is a fairly imaginative character film based around a group of people who work night shifts.
The film succeeds in it's subject matter, thanks to a good script containing all sorts of musing dialogue about life, philosophy and relationships that never feels overwritten, enabling the reality of the piece to flourish. The characters are all well drawn, on the surface, there's the shy one, the one with girlfriend problems, the mysterious one and the ladies man, but thankfully over the course of the film thanks to it's character based nature the characters become real and interesting.
The plot largely takes a back seat to allow us to spend time with these characters until it develops into a more conventional romantic drama sort of thing towards the end. I'd liken it to the film Swingers (one scene in particular is identical) due to the "mates hanging out" theme of the film, with a subtle hint of beat culture (the film contains a few Kerouac and Salinger references).
A good film to watch, and an achievement in solid, decent film-making.
The film succeeds in it's subject matter, thanks to a good script containing all sorts of musing dialogue about life, philosophy and relationships that never feels overwritten, enabling the reality of the piece to flourish. The characters are all well drawn, on the surface, there's the shy one, the one with girlfriend problems, the mysterious one and the ladies man, but thankfully over the course of the film thanks to it's character based nature the characters become real and interesting.
The plot largely takes a back seat to allow us to spend time with these characters until it develops into a more conventional romantic drama sort of thing towards the end. I'd liken it to the film Swingers (one scene in particular is identical) due to the "mates hanging out" theme of the film, with a subtle hint of beat culture (the film contains a few Kerouac and Salinger references).
A good film to watch, and an achievement in solid, decent film-making.
Casino Royale
(2006)
Refreshing
4 December 2006
Casino Royale gives the Bond franchise a decent injection of adrenaline that it needed to be relevant again.
Chances are, you already know what Casino Royale is about, so I won't go too much into details. It is a difficult film to review, mainly because it will obviously be compared to all the other Bond movies (which I can't say I'm a fan of, they're mostly hit and miss decent enough action movies) and also because there is quite an odd structure to the proceedings. (Though, this may be because it doesn't follow the same structure as most other Bond movies.) I'll just get into it, the film succeeds due to the reinvention of the Bond character and becoming a back to basics film, this can be credited to both Daniel Craig and the scriptwriter for the former, and Martin Campbell for the latter. I'm sure I'm not the only one who is annoyed at the level of CGI used in films these days, it's usually so obvious it detracts from the film and lessens the impact due to it being completely fake looking. Thankfully, Casino Royale ditches this in favour of a more realistic approach, including the likes of Sebastien Foucan, parkour extraordinaire (the reason I wanted to see the film) to create some realistic, hard hitting action scenes.
Another aspect where the film succeeds is the relationship between Bond and Vesper Lynd, which was a joy to watch, and a welcome change from the bordering on Benny Hill antics that the likes of Roger Moore got into.
So, it's got solid realistic action, rounded enough characters for an action film (including the main "villain" Le Chiffre, who despite his eye gimmick keeps up with the reinvention of Bond, given decent reasons for his villainous actions, not just a madman bent on world domination.) The film fails on a few levels, as big and action packed and Bond as it is, I felt it may have worked better in three short episodes due to it's odd structure and pacing, it feels like three films pasted together. This is probably due to the fact that I was expecting a typical Bond structure, (Bond tracks villain, Bond beds women, Bond beats villain, Bond gets his girl, end) which the film was brave enough to ditch, so not really a big failure. The other main failure is the now mandatory product placement, (the scene with the Ford looking particularly just like a car advert) but I usually look upon product placements as tongue in cheek myself, and have a bit of a giggle about it rather than kick up a fuss.
In a nutshell, Casino Royale is a meandering journey with James Bond, complete with hard hitting scrapes, gambling for the Queen, and relationships with women. A very entertaining film.
Chances are, you already know what Casino Royale is about, so I won't go too much into details. It is a difficult film to review, mainly because it will obviously be compared to all the other Bond movies (which I can't say I'm a fan of, they're mostly hit and miss decent enough action movies) and also because there is quite an odd structure to the proceedings. (Though, this may be because it doesn't follow the same structure as most other Bond movies.) I'll just get into it, the film succeeds due to the reinvention of the Bond character and becoming a back to basics film, this can be credited to both Daniel Craig and the scriptwriter for the former, and Martin Campbell for the latter. I'm sure I'm not the only one who is annoyed at the level of CGI used in films these days, it's usually so obvious it detracts from the film and lessens the impact due to it being completely fake looking. Thankfully, Casino Royale ditches this in favour of a more realistic approach, including the likes of Sebastien Foucan, parkour extraordinaire (the reason I wanted to see the film) to create some realistic, hard hitting action scenes.
Another aspect where the film succeeds is the relationship between Bond and Vesper Lynd, which was a joy to watch, and a welcome change from the bordering on Benny Hill antics that the likes of Roger Moore got into.
So, it's got solid realistic action, rounded enough characters for an action film (including the main "villain" Le Chiffre, who despite his eye gimmick keeps up with the reinvention of Bond, given decent reasons for his villainous actions, not just a madman bent on world domination.) The film fails on a few levels, as big and action packed and Bond as it is, I felt it may have worked better in three short episodes due to it's odd structure and pacing, it feels like three films pasted together. This is probably due to the fact that I was expecting a typical Bond structure, (Bond tracks villain, Bond beds women, Bond beats villain, Bond gets his girl, end) which the film was brave enough to ditch, so not really a big failure. The other main failure is the now mandatory product placement, (the scene with the Ford looking particularly just like a car advert) but I usually look upon product placements as tongue in cheek myself, and have a bit of a giggle about it rather than kick up a fuss.
In a nutshell, Casino Royale is a meandering journey with James Bond, complete with hard hitting scrapes, gambling for the Queen, and relationships with women. A very entertaining film.
Pan's Labyrinth
(2006)
Nice, but not great.
28 November 2006
Warning: Spoilers
Pan's Labyrinth was an interesting, beautiful film to look at (most of the time) but from a simple entertainment standpoint it was just a bit on the dull side. The film is set in Spain, against the backdrop of the Spanish civil war. A young girl goes to stay with her mother and her new stepfather, a one-dimensional fascist general.
The film succeeds on many levels, mainly from cinematography and effects standpoints. But fails (for me at least) to gain much interest into the characters involved. If the film had got me to care about the characters a bit more, it would have been a great movie, but as it stood, it just lacked that depth of character that it needed to push it into the next level, leaving me not to care too much about the fate of the characters, no matter how beautiful, or ugly their world became and the script, (or at least the English translation) was average at best. (take the first interrogation scene with the stuttering man for example.)
For anyone who has seen a Hayao Miyazaki movie, the notion of a young girl retreating into fantasy to escape her troubles is nothing new. And although Pan's Labyrinth might be a masterpiece in terms of cinematography and effects, it really should've tried more to investigate the characters rather than having a simple "innocent young girl" vs. "murdering fascist general" which was just a bit too simple.
The film succeeds on many levels, mainly from cinematography and effects standpoints. But fails (for me at least) to gain much interest into the characters involved. If the film had got me to care about the characters a bit more, it would have been a great movie, but as it stood, it just lacked that depth of character that it needed to push it into the next level, leaving me not to care too much about the fate of the characters, no matter how beautiful, or ugly their world became and the script, (or at least the English translation) was average at best. (take the first interrogation scene with the stuttering man for example.)
For anyone who has seen a Hayao Miyazaki movie, the notion of a young girl retreating into fantasy to escape her troubles is nothing new. And although Pan's Labyrinth might be a masterpiece in terms of cinematography and effects, it really should've tried more to investigate the characters rather than having a simple "innocent young girl" vs. "murdering fascist general" which was just a bit too simple.
A good film for kids.
28 November 2006
Lemony Snicket was quite a patchy affair for me, but children are sure to enjoy it. The film involves three children who get taken into care by various relatives and embark on a series of unfortunate events, as the film title suggests.
The film is stylised in nature, very similar to that of Tim Burton's usual neo-Gothic style, as a result it is more theatrical, beyond the border of fantasy than reality. Kids are sure to enjoy it, and it was a pleasant enough ride, but for me, the gags were hit and miss and though it held my interest I can't say that it was one of the better children's films I've seen.
The film is stylised in nature, very similar to that of Tim Burton's usual neo-Gothic style, as a result it is more theatrical, beyond the border of fantasy than reality. Kids are sure to enjoy it, and it was a pleasant enough ride, but for me, the gags were hit and miss and though it held my interest I can't say that it was one of the better children's films I've seen.
Ali
(2001)
The Greatest... Nearly
28 November 2006
Ali is a very interesting film that succeeds on many levels that is very brave for covering certain areas of Ali's life that some people will not get. This film is not a portrait of Ali's boxing career, but rather his political activism, involvement in the civil rights movement and his relationship with the Nation of Islam.
Biopics are tricky things, and surely, the life of Muhammad Ali could have been covered a thousand different ways. What Michael Mann knows, is that the main "rise and fall" story would have been covered in numerous documentaries. Ali, as a result is an intriguing look into parts of Ali's life that the populous may not be familiar with.
As for the film, if you can get past this factor, (and for me, it wasn't a struggle at all, but a welcome) the film has a great script, (jumping straight in to Ali's first title fight) cinematography and all that a film usually needs to be good. The acting in particular is exceptional. Will Smith used to be the guy from The Fresh Prince of Bel Air remember? Jamie Foxx was hilarious, Jon Voight was perfect and Mario Van Peebles delivered in the role he was born to play. The film is quite stylish at times, especially early on, heavy on music, though I don't really have an opinion on whether it helped the film or not, (it worked most of the time, actually) just thought I'd throw that in.
Ali is a great film, more of a civil rights struggle film than a boxing movie. If you're expecting the usual story, of Ali's boxing career you may have to wait for another Ali film to be made. (I suspect that there will be eventually.) For now though, I'm certainly not complaining.
Biopics are tricky things, and surely, the life of Muhammad Ali could have been covered a thousand different ways. What Michael Mann knows, is that the main "rise and fall" story would have been covered in numerous documentaries. Ali, as a result is an intriguing look into parts of Ali's life that the populous may not be familiar with.
As for the film, if you can get past this factor, (and for me, it wasn't a struggle at all, but a welcome) the film has a great script, (jumping straight in to Ali's first title fight) cinematography and all that a film usually needs to be good. The acting in particular is exceptional. Will Smith used to be the guy from The Fresh Prince of Bel Air remember? Jamie Foxx was hilarious, Jon Voight was perfect and Mario Van Peebles delivered in the role he was born to play. The film is quite stylish at times, especially early on, heavy on music, though I don't really have an opinion on whether it helped the film or not, (it worked most of the time, actually) just thought I'd throw that in.
Ali is a great film, more of a civil rights struggle film than a boxing movie. If you're expecting the usual story, of Ali's boxing career you may have to wait for another Ali film to be made. (I suspect that there will be eventually.) For now though, I'm certainly not complaining.
Shiner
(2000)
Great in parts, but could've ended better.
26 November 2006
Shiner is a film that effectively blended many genres, but just couldn't pull off a decent ending. The film begins as a character/boxing/gangster film, that holds it's own, until it takes the tone of a mystery thriller, and still keeps interest, largely down to a great performance from Michael Caine.
At times, Shiner shows some real potential, with some great scenes and dialogue fleshed out by some decent performances, once it settled into itself, it was still engaging and kept my interest until the ending, where a resounding feeling of "that's it?" surfaced.
Shiner is a good film at times, and could've been great if it had a better ending. It is worth watching though, largely for a blinding performance from Michael Caine.
At times, Shiner shows some real potential, with some great scenes and dialogue fleshed out by some decent performances, once it settled into itself, it was still engaging and kept my interest until the ending, where a resounding feeling of "that's it?" surfaced.
Shiner is a good film at times, and could've been great if it had a better ending. It is worth watching though, largely for a blinding performance from Michael Caine.
Forbidden Planet
(1956)
Science Fiction!
26 November 2006
Forbidden Planet is a groundbreaking film that became the blueprint for a million sci-fi movies. A team of astronauts go to investigate a planet, strange things are afoot. What I liked about Forbidden Planet though, it didn't settle into exactly what sort of film it was until a good way through it. About halfway through, I was wondering what was going on, the whole film seemed to just be pure sci-fi, the astronauts being led around a strange planet being told about the previous inhabitants taking up a large bulk, until quite a high brow mystery/horror concept is thrown into the mix, (very effectively, I might add). The film is very ambitious for the mid fifties, in terms of it's special effects and high brow subject matter (though thankfully, explains it all to those who might not understand), for this reason, it is a triumph, and definitely worth a watch 50 years later.
Immortality
(1998)
A vampire film with bags of originality.
24 November 2006
The Wisdom if Crocodiles is a very well made, character driven vampire film, that does away with many of the clichés associated with vampire films for the better.
The film centres around it's central character, Steven Grlscz, his relationship with women, and the police, who eventually suspect him of murder.
Steven doesn't have fangs, (which incidentally, were first brought into the vampire myths by the Hammer films.) doesn't burn up in the sunlight, (or even worse, go around wearing sunglasses and black in the day.) he is not a poseur, he is a real vampire. He needs to drink blood to live, for reasons that are revealed gently throughout the film.
The films success lies in it's shedding of these usual clichés, to make something that is less a part of a fantasy world, a more grounded in reality. This is fully represented through the whole of the films strata, for example when a fight breaks out involving local thugs, we are not treated to a slow-motion fest set to some industrial metal or matrix-like techno, but a realistic scrap, with a weird white noise sound crossed with choral singing musical accompaniment.
The film is also successful in some small touches that make it worth re-watching. Some little things that seem normal on a first viewing, that take up perhaps a second, are seen in a different way on repeat viewings. I find this quite a admirable addition to the films quality.
To sum up, The Wisdom of Crocodiles is an inventive, intelligent vampire film, without the clichés, grounded in reality and definitely worth watching.
The film centres around it's central character, Steven Grlscz, his relationship with women, and the police, who eventually suspect him of murder.
Steven doesn't have fangs, (which incidentally, were first brought into the vampire myths by the Hammer films.) doesn't burn up in the sunlight, (or even worse, go around wearing sunglasses and black in the day.) he is not a poseur, he is a real vampire. He needs to drink blood to live, for reasons that are revealed gently throughout the film.
The films success lies in it's shedding of these usual clichés, to make something that is less a part of a fantasy world, a more grounded in reality. This is fully represented through the whole of the films strata, for example when a fight breaks out involving local thugs, we are not treated to a slow-motion fest set to some industrial metal or matrix-like techno, but a realistic scrap, with a weird white noise sound crossed with choral singing musical accompaniment.
The film is also successful in some small touches that make it worth re-watching. Some little things that seem normal on a first viewing, that take up perhaps a second, are seen in a different way on repeat viewings. I find this quite a admirable addition to the films quality.
To sum up, The Wisdom of Crocodiles is an inventive, intelligent vampire film, without the clichés, grounded in reality and definitely worth watching.
The Texas Chain Saw Massacre
(1974)
The pornography of terror.
23 November 2006
The bad news is The Texas Chain Saw Massacre has a plot that is completely unoriginal and has undeveloped characters. The good news is that it doesn't need these things to work.
Plot? - A group of teenagers are driving to an old house in the country that belongs to one of their fathers, terror ensues.
Why does The Texas Chain Saw Massacre work, where so many others have failed?
The Texas Chain Saw Massacre does not barrage you with dull chit chat between idiotic characters and pitiful attempts at comedy in between gory murders for one. The execution of the film is the key to its success - A slow build up before the carnage, weird camera angles, macabre set designs, spooky, realistic cinematography, a genuine masterclass in film editing and a bizarre, down-right effective soundtrack. It is these elements that separate The Texas Chain Saw Massacre from it's imitators creating an onslaught of unrelenting, fear inducing images and sounds.
Another reason why for myself in particular, 32 years after the film was made, is the fact that it is a 32 year old film. With modern horror movies, it is easy to disassociate from the on screen characters, usually down to too stylised cinematography and improved production techniques. With the older films, grainer and less stylised, the realism is enhanced, and thus easier to believe.
On the film's release in the UK, the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) banned it citing "The pornography of terror." I agree with that statement whole-heartedly, as after a little rummaging around, it builds to a climax and when it's over you will feel drained.
Plot? - A group of teenagers are driving to an old house in the country that belongs to one of their fathers, terror ensues.
Why does The Texas Chain Saw Massacre work, where so many others have failed?
The Texas Chain Saw Massacre does not barrage you with dull chit chat between idiotic characters and pitiful attempts at comedy in between gory murders for one. The execution of the film is the key to its success - A slow build up before the carnage, weird camera angles, macabre set designs, spooky, realistic cinematography, a genuine masterclass in film editing and a bizarre, down-right effective soundtrack. It is these elements that separate The Texas Chain Saw Massacre from it's imitators creating an onslaught of unrelenting, fear inducing images and sounds.
Another reason why for myself in particular, 32 years after the film was made, is the fact that it is a 32 year old film. With modern horror movies, it is easy to disassociate from the on screen characters, usually down to too stylised cinematography and improved production techniques. With the older films, grainer and less stylised, the realism is enhanced, and thus easier to believe.
On the film's release in the UK, the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) banned it citing "The pornography of terror." I agree with that statement whole-heartedly, as after a little rummaging around, it builds to a climax and when it's over you will feel drained.
Performance
(1970)
...?
21 November 2006
Performance was many things, intriguing, original, surreal and bizarre. But not an entirely satisfying piece of entertainment. Performance starts of simple enough, (if can handle the editing style, which if you're familiar with Nic Roeg you will identify immediately.) with a gangster (played very well by James Fox) fall out of favour with his boss and flee, eventually ending up in the house of a reclusive, bohemian, retired rock star. For me, the film held its own until the end, which was ambiguous to say the least, and unsatisfying. Whether this is a detriment to the film as a shoddy attempt to inject some mystery into a film that didn't require it, or an ending that defies convention for the purposes of art I am yet undecided, but at the moment, it seems that to put such an ending on a film that was largely very simple makes it detrimental. But then again, the film is largely an exploration of the influence of people on their fellow beings, fantasy and reality, the male and female sides of either gender and so perhaps this is being a bit harsh. Either way, Performance is an interesting film, at sometimes gritty and realistic, others pure surrealism. If it had managed to balance these a bit better, it would be a superior piece of work, but as it stands it's still inventive in terms of direction and technique, but not as engrossing as to be fully enjoyable.
Bates Motel
(1987 TV Movie)
Just don't...
21 November 2006
Bates Motel is a terrible film. If you are a fan of Psycho and the Psycho series trust me, you are not missing anything.
Where to start? The plot centres around a man named Alex who met Norman Bates in a sanitarium, and on Norman's death, is left the Bates Motel in his will. Alex then goes about finding the place, and fixing it up so Bates Motel can live on.
Now here's how you know a movie is bad: 1) You go into it with low expectations and it's still awful.
2) You take the film on it's own terms, not worrying how it relates to the Psycho franchise and it's still awful.
3) You take it in the context that it's a pilot for a sitcom and it's still awful.
Bates Motel is more of a comedy than anything else, and while I'm willing to accept (just) that the Psycho franchise can go in this direction, I cannot accept the woeful attempts at humour that are featured in the movie.
The acting is terrible and the script woeful, complete with an ending that anyone who has seen an episode of Scooby Doo will guess very early on. This film is so far away from the original Psycho as to be offensive to anyone who treasures the original for the stone cold classic it is.
Just please be aware, Bates Motel is rare and hard to get for a reason. It is awful, and stands as the worst film I have ever seen.
Where to start? The plot centres around a man named Alex who met Norman Bates in a sanitarium, and on Norman's death, is left the Bates Motel in his will. Alex then goes about finding the place, and fixing it up so Bates Motel can live on.
Now here's how you know a movie is bad: 1) You go into it with low expectations and it's still awful.
2) You take the film on it's own terms, not worrying how it relates to the Psycho franchise and it's still awful.
3) You take it in the context that it's a pilot for a sitcom and it's still awful.
Bates Motel is more of a comedy than anything else, and while I'm willing to accept (just) that the Psycho franchise can go in this direction, I cannot accept the woeful attempts at humour that are featured in the movie.
The acting is terrible and the script woeful, complete with an ending that anyone who has seen an episode of Scooby Doo will guess very early on. This film is so far away from the original Psycho as to be offensive to anyone who treasures the original for the stone cold classic it is.
Just please be aware, Bates Motel is rare and hard to get for a reason. It is awful, and stands as the worst film I have ever seen.
Intermission
(2003)
A solid piece of entertainment
20 November 2006
Intermission is one of those modern multiple storyline films in which a group of characters lives intertwine. And, as per usual involves a car crash. These factors tie it to the likes of Magnolia, Amores Perros, 21 Grams, Crash, 13 Conversations About One Thing and many more films I'm sure that escape me at this point. So what does Intermission have to offer that these films do not? For one, the acting talent involved is pretty much a who's who of Irish (and Scottish) actors at present. Colin Farrell, Cillian Murphy, Colm Meaney, Shirley Henderson and Kelly Macdonald. The other main factor in the quality of Intermission lies in it's script, which comes across as funny, engaging and despite the comparisons made above is fairly original. It is most definitely a lighter affair than some of it's contemporary rivals listed above, and though not groundbreaking by any means, is a well-made and engaging piece of work.
Alfie
(1966)
Engaging character flick
20 November 2006
Alfie is a film about a promiscuous man and the situations and people that he interacts with. I can only imagine this is what all the people behind those "Confessions of a Window Cleaner...Taxi Drvier..." movies had in mind, before those dastardly executive producers got involved. Alfie is so far from the British sex comedy it may be marketed as it's quite astounding. The film has the tone of a comedy/drama, it's comic at times, has one or two harrowing scenes, and the central character has a remarkable depth, thanks largely to an underwritten script(in a good way - not to much information about the central character but enough hints as to form an interest) and Michael Caine's performance. It's also interesting to have a largely misogynistic character in the main role, and with him narrating direct to the camera produces a love-hate relationship with Alfie, (surely a brave move for any film) in which one minute you'll see him as charming cheeky chap, and a minute later as a downright pig. Alfie is a great character to spend some time with. He's not a role model, or a hero, or a villain, but a fully rounded, deep character who will hold your interest over the film's near two hour runtime.
Croupier
(1998)
A hypnotic character portrait
28 October 2006
Croupier is a film that shouldn't work. It doesn't have a conventional plot, doesn't seem to be about anything, (it's got gambling in it and is set inside a casino, but isn't really about gambling.) and the main character seems to have no clear desire for anything. I'm still wondering why I enjoyed it so much. Perhaps the absence of these motifs that you'd expect in any conventional film is what makes it special, I suspect that they add to it's originality, but what really makes the film work is how completely engaging the main character is made.
Jack Manfred, from his chain smoking to his dry voice-over, is completely engaging as a character, without having to go through any obvious conventionalities that would force the audience into finding him endearing. This is surely a combination of Mike Hodges directorial skill, the script and Clive Owen's acting ability.
The film is essentially a character study, with a front of a gambling film, that examines this character and his relationships with the people in his life, - his girlfriend, boss, father and colleagues, how he sees the world, and how he will cope when presented with certain situations.
It is brought to the screen with quality that demands attention and a score that heightens the atmosphere the film creates and really sets the tone.
Jack Manfred, from his chain smoking to his dry voice-over, is completely engaging as a character, without having to go through any obvious conventionalities that would force the audience into finding him endearing. This is surely a combination of Mike Hodges directorial skill, the script and Clive Owen's acting ability.
The film is essentially a character study, with a front of a gambling film, that examines this character and his relationships with the people in his life, - his girlfriend, boss, father and colleagues, how he sees the world, and how he will cope when presented with certain situations.
It is brought to the screen with quality that demands attention and a score that heightens the atmosphere the film creates and really sets the tone.
The Tingler
(1959)
Terrific!
29 September 2006
The Tingler is a gimmicky, sci-fi horror about a scientist who discovers a terrible secret about human fear. The film is surely one of cinemas best ever gimmick movies, with showings having vibrating seats whenever people screamed, I can only imagine what this would have been like to watch in theatres, but you can tell it would have been an enjoyable experience. The film in itself is very good for what it is, dramatic and terrifying elements working most of the time, whilst managing to hold a postmodern sense of fun. That all these elements are able to be held together and pull off their desired effects is a great achievement.
Carlito's Way: Rise to Power
(2005 Video)
Good if taken separately.
29 September 2006
Carlito's Way: Rise to Power is a prequel to the film Carlito's Way. Without giving too much away though, the film's end doesn't fit to the beginning of the original, and thus is a bit of a disappointment. I have heard that there is another "missing piece" in between this film and the original, currently being worked on as a novel, if this is true, then time will tell how they all fit together, and many people criticising this film for not working with the original may have to eat their words. So, taking Carlito's Way: Rise to Power as a film in it's own right, it does quite well. Carlito meets two guys in jail and they push drugs when they get out. The usual gangster movie clichés are played out, but with some good comedy touches, clever plot and a focus on the morality of it all in dialogue. Any character played by Pacino is going to be a tough role to fill, but I felt Jay Hernandez did very well, and would love to see the "missing piece" get made if it is true. Sean Coombs was also surprisingly good, having the bulk of the best comedy lines. All in all, as long as you don't expect a movie that is as good, or directly links to the original, you should enjoy it.
Village of the Damned
(1960)
would have liked a bit more
26 September 2006
Village of the damned is a sci-fi horror, where a small town strangely falls asleep for several hours, and the women become pregnant as a result. And the result of this result results in a bunch of children who all dress the same, have strange hair, glowing eyes and superior intelligence. The film raises a number of questions - how did this happen? Are these children aliens, evolved humans or mutants? Are they a threat to society? What is their purpose? If they are a threat, can killing them be justified? While the film contains these interesting ideas, I felt that some of the themes raised could have been addressed in a bit more detail, which would have made the film more interesting, but it is never the less an original and intriguing feature.
Behind the Lines
(1997)
Solid film with interesting themes
26 September 2006
Regeneration is a film about various WWI soldiers in a mental correction facility, including the WWI poets Siegfried Sassoon and Wilfred Owen. The film achieves a lot in terms of the scope of issues it manages to cover with each of the characters. Sassoon's character is used to question the authority of the men who operate the war effort and their aims, while the Billy Prior and Capt. Rivers characters are a study on how grief affects soldiers in different ways as well as several other important ideas. It may take a while to get into, (it did for me) this is because for the first part of the film I wasn't entirely sure where it was going to go, after a while though, the film takes over and becomes a very engaging experience. The acting was a bit patchy in places in my opinion, but other than that I couldn't find much about this film that wouldn't make it worth watching. Definitely recommended.
Children of Men
(2006)
Jaw dropping, astonishing, brilliant.
24 September 2006
Children of Men is a film set in England in the near future. The world has gone to pieces, a fascist state is in power, revolutionaries are plotting and women are infertile. Intense, bleak, harrowing stuff, and not since Blade Runner has a film captured and expressed this feeling through the sets, locations and production design so throughly. Though not exactly a "film noir" it's this feature of Children of Men, expressing the bleakness of this situation, through cinematic technique that is it's best asset. The plot is just as intense, characters well presented and interesting, acting is solid, script? Solid, cinematography? Phenomenal. If you can get you're head around the initial concept, (are you really going to sit there and say "women infertile? What a preposterous idea!") you will be treated to one of the best films of the year.
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