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Reviews
Dawn of the Dead (2004)
Hit and miss affair really
The first ten minutes of this film promise so much more than it actually delivers. Barely bothering to set up a static normal life premise, the film kicks right in with a loud and larger than life action opening - underlined by the late use of credits. If the film had followed through on this premise, it would have delivered a ninety minute, unpretentious horror shlock, one that would have done Romero much more justice than what is actually produced.
However, it is overly ambitious for a film that has to overcome so many initial obstacles (i.e. 1) its a horror film - often looked down on by serious cinemagoers and 2) its a remake of a horror film - surely representative of a lack of new ideas?). Sometimes it appears to be encroaching a critique of contemporary society, and at other times it seems to be commenting on the last thirty years of horror films (without paying too close attention to detail, I picked up on nods to The Exorcist, It's Alive! and the Blair Witch Project). All of these potentially subversive topics are all undermined by a seemingly ridiculous bit of pointless nationalism as the remaining protagonists sail off into the sunset, framed with the stars and stripes.
However, the film isn't without its interesting experiments - self-reflexively juxtaposing different film making styles by switching between a standard Hollywood feel and digital video (in the same vein as Danny Boyle's 28 Days Later). This pioneering is interesting, yet mildly shoddy - a more skilled director would have pulled it off seamlessly, whilst Dawn of the Dead wears its scars on its arm.
Personally, I felt that a straight forward horror flick would have been better in these circumstances - and let any other motives be expressed unconsciously, a technique that Romero mastered in.
5/10
Lost in Translation (2003)
All those things that are better left unsaid
And so, with Lost in Translation, cinema audiences are presented with the first hotly tipped film of 2004. As with many that have gone before it, this film will benefit mostly from extremely strong word of mouth and I, for one, will be helping it along in this advertising strategy as this is a deeply interesting and accomplished piece of work.
In the unlikely pairing of Bill Murray and Scarlett Johansson, Sofia Coppola brings out some fantastic on-screen chemistry and some truly touching moments. As Charlotte puts her head on Bob's shoulder outside a truly bizarre karaoke bar, we can feel two people truly connect with one another even though nothing is said between them. The same applies to the remarkable scene where Bob puts a over-partied Charlotte to bed, clearly contemplating what would happen if he made his move again, without saying a word.
The touching silences show that this is a film that places the utmost importance not on what is said, but what is not said and what is better left unsaid. Both protagonists are in clearly complex stages in their lives, yet Coppola leaves the audience to judge for themselves not to have the characters spell it out for them. This is just part of the minimalist approach that the film adopts with long shots and long silences. The minimalism of the film represents the emptiness that the characters feel in such a foreign city as Tokyo and the culture shock is shown by the juxtaposition of this minimalism with the busy metropolis that is Japanese culture.
This is a fine, fine film and well worth a first, if not a second and a third, viewing. Fantastic performances all round with masterful direction highly recommended.
8/10
Fargo (1996)
A favourite of mine (potential spoiler)
There is something a little novel about reviewing a film released half a decade ago I'm writing this after watching Fargo for the fourth time, not the first, so this really should be preceded by the following disclaimer: Fargo is one of my favourite films - ever.
Bringing together an ensemble group of ever so slightly eccentric characters and thrusting them into the epitome of small-town America Fargo tells the story of a scam gone wrong mainly due to the utter incompetence of its protagonists. On many levels, this is a film primarily about its characters the inability of people to communicate, the repulsive Have a Nice Day' aesthetic of the nineties and humanity's greatest vice: a constant desire for more money. In this way, Marge perfectly portrayed with the correct amount of conviction and humour by Frances McDormand is the lead role. She is a woman who likes people and loves their inner good shown by her affection for fumbling husband Norm and there is barely anything more disheartening in the film than the extended close-up of her melancholic face after discovering the extent of Mike's lies this is the point where she becomes disillusioned with people, and this only increases as she comes face to face with Grimsrud.
However, Fargo is about a lot more than people and humanity and, aside from Marge, there are many protagonists. It is also a film about violence and the inability to escape from violence. Shot against such a beautiful, invariably white backdrop, the red of blood becomes increasingly shocking simply accentuating the horror of violence in this small-town society. Characters resort to violence simply because they have no other outlet for their inability to communicate Carl shoots Wade simply because he is frustrated at Jerry's non-appearance, there is no possible gain for him in this murder.
There is not a bad thing to say about Fargo the writing is perfectly spot-on, juxtaposing blackly hilarious lines with extreme violence, Deakins' cinematography is breathtaking, encompassing seemingly endless landscapes of snow-white, and there is not a bad apple amongst the cast. Everything is rounded off with a cherry on top the subtle Coen Brothers directorial touch the ability to either exploit the funniest thing in every frame or create humour in something that is distinctly serious. Much attention has been given to the auteur status of the Coens, and I do think that Fargo is unmistakably their work - possibly their finest hour in a fine canon of cinema. Just simply perfect.
10/10
Dirty Pretty Things (2002)
Interesting take on the subversive city theme
Overall, 'Dirty Pretty Things' is an intriguing look at a subversive side of London - a side unseen to both indigenous residents and, most importantly, (and obviously, seeing as much of the film is set in a hotel) tourists. The narratives discusses the stories of multiple immigrants - all searching for something in London that is just impossible to find at home.
The multiplicity of the characters allows the film to present the stories of numerous immigrants - everyone has a different tale to tell. The protagonists - Okwe and Senay - come from different backgrounds and are searching for a different dream - as are many of the other, entirely more minor, characters that are encountered in the hidden and sinister environment. This is a film about how this subversive environment reacts to those it can use and abuse - I found one of the most powerful images to be the sight of blood spots on Senay's white robe clearly emphasising a distinct loss of innocence. The previously devoutly religious Senay is transformed into a girl sharing a cigarette with a prostitute - "what a couple we make".
Stephen Frear's direction is masterful, powerfully juxtaposing establishing shots of the city of London with somehow sinister interiors of businesses filled with illegal immigrants - showing how dark the city can be when the surface is scratched. The lead performances are masterful - Audrey Tatou in particular following up on her success in 'Amelie' with a superb performance, proving herself to be a top quality actress.
However, despite all the goodness, the story never seems to go far enough and left me feel a little disappointed. Okwe, in particular, is never really developed fully, and his late character turns, despite adding another depth to his character, feel a little hasty and rushed. This really could have been the British film of 2002 but, somehow, it falls just that little bit short. Still definitely worth a look.
7
Mies vailla menneisyyttä (2002)
Treading an amusingly fine line (spoilers spoilers spoilers)
The events depicted in 'Man Without A Past' would probably be, in any other film, reasonably disturbing. A guy gets brutally beaten within an inch of his life, loses all memory of his previous life, is forced to live in a shack with a Branson wannabe landlord, is the victim of armed robbery and police maltreatment, and finally finds out that his wife in a previous life had just ditched him.
Yet, Kaurismaki represents these events in such a way that everything just seems...funny. The performances from the actors seem very contrived and wooden, devoid of any actual emotion, which gives the whole film a very light-hearted feel, working hand in hand with amusing traits that most of the characters possess. This, coupled with a jaunty soundtrack and some brilliantly written dialogue ("Leave my metabolism out of this"), puts a smile on the audience's faces. But then you realise you're smiling, and considering the subject matter, the whole film becomes insanely surreal.
One reading of the film could say that the light-hearted treatment is actually a representation of the love and community spirit that is thematic in the film. The vagrants work together, even the landlord is prepared to do anything for a modest fee, and they can always rely on the kindness of strangers, or the Salvation Army. This sense of community culminates in the film's ending.
Maybe if Markku Pelota was all alone without a memory then the film would be a lot more disturbing. But, as it is, he is surrounded by kindness and love, and so the moral of this story is, if you're ever down on your luck, go to Finland! Genius.
8/10
Sweet Sixteen (2002)
Hard-hitting and gritty film about family and friendship (spoilers)
Ken Loach's latest film, 'Sweet Sixteen', begins in a very peculiar way: announcing to the audience that for the first 15 minutes only, the film will be subtitled. I think the directors hope in this was to help the audience along with understanding the broad Scottish accents and then removing their textual support from right under them at a point where they would neither notice, or need the subtitles any more. It doesn't quite work in this way, and for the first 15 minutes, the subtitles take away from the film and are, frankly, quite irritating.
However, this is one of the only negative points that I could make about this gem of a film - a welcome return to it's roots for British cinema, which has recently lost it's way in a stream of romantic comedies (as recently noted by Sight & Sound). The aspect of this film that makes it so hard-hitting and so plainly disturbing is the fact that the characters are written in such a way that an audience, at least a British audience, can relate to them. Any teenager will know someone like Liam or Pinball - a youth lost his way through a rough upbringing or other unfortunate circumstances. The fact that these characters continue to get involved with joyriding, arson, robbery and, at the extremity, class A drug dealing is powerful to the audience because it could happen to any one of these figures in our lives (although granted, the story may stray a little from the realms of realism as Liam becomes involved with some 'Lock, Stock...'-esque gangster figures).
I would identify the main themes of 'Sweet Sixteen' as family and friendship - as Liam refuses to kill Pinball despite being ordered to by his "Al Capone" style boss we can see that friendship, no matter it's current state, means more to him than his own life even. The strangely comforting framing of Liam and Chantelle between the door frame and the open door on more than one occasion shows how close they are as a family, and makes Liam's outburst on her towards the movies conclusion even more haunting. In fact, the main motivation of Liam's character is a desire to build a better life for his mother when she is released from prison, away from the clutches of an abusive step-father and the run-down state of the family home.
'Sweet Sixteen' is a triumph for Ken Loach, and British cinema in general. I would hope that this could make it big on both sides of the pond, yet the accents may cause American audiences trouble seeing as though they are not so familiar with Scots. Or something. If 'All Or Nothing' can contend with this, then it will be a golden age for British cinema.
8/10
Onegin (1999)
Beautiful and clever, but tragically flawed
I watched 'Onegin' twice in the space of two days, and I have to admit that the first time I watched the film - I hated it. I found it poorly written, slowly paced with huge jumps in plotline and character development - and just a bit of a waste of film. The second time I watched the film, I discovered a second level which enhanced a lot of the features that I felt were lacking on a first viewing.
For example, on the first viewing, I didn't realise how important costume and setting were to character development - and Martha Fiennes has worked well with symbolism to present the complete turnarounds in both Tatyana and Onegin's character - especially in the big 6 year jump in the film's narrative. Tatyana's dresses become more flamboyant as the film progresses (in fact, the first time we observe her she could almost be mistaken for a peasant with the headscarf, but by the end of the film she is far closer to Olga and her mother in style). She wears increasing amounts of jewellery as the film progresses also, representing her increasing desire to impress. However, she is still the same character and is still true to her original belief to repel any sense of adultery. This sort of symbolism is extremely important to the characters in 'Onegin', and is quite possibly overlooked on a first screening.
The film is also beautifully shot, a lot of it on location in Russia, which means the snow covered streets of Petersburg look little short of stunning on the screen. One of the films final scenes, where Onegin declares his undying love for Tatyana, is astoundingly beautiful, with the black of Onegin contrasting perfectly with the white of Tatyana - showing that they could not be further apart from each other, despite the mutual attraction. The social situation that pressured Tatyana into marriage makes any kind of formal relationship impossible.
However, I found the film quite poorly written, and the addition of a handful of one liners from Onegin took away from the potential seriousness of scenes. The writers may argue that they were trying to further the representation of Onegin as a sarcastic man apart from society - but I thought they were cheap tricks to get a giggle from the audience. Without the symbolism, the characters were quite poorly written, with no real reason for Onegin's sudden changes of heart or a decent image made out of the actual social pressure that girls of the period were put under to marry. The only scene which begins to extend on this is a comic one, so it doesn't really have the desired effect.
I think personal taste also comes into my apparent slight distaste for this film. It would not be the sort of film that I would watch out of choice.
6/10
Gosford Park (2001)
Interesting study, told with interweaving storylines and complicated relationships
Gosford Park is clearly the work of a genius. Altman has taken particular care to detail, accurately recreating a country house party of the 1930's. However, what the director is obviously much more interested in is the inner workings of the house, how the relationships between the characters differ between appearance and reality.
The film is slightly deceiving in advertising itself as a murder mystery, as the main theme of the film is not murder or detective work, yet the different between the social classes, the 'upstairs' and the 'downstairs' party. The films closing credits epitomise this by dividing the cast list into two, in the same way the characters would have been divided in their contemporary period.
The extent of Altman's genius is shown in his ability to interweave so many different storylines and relationships between the characters. He has assembled an eclectic list of characters, each with their own quirks and personal interests, and then throws them 'Big Brother style' into a house, observing how they interact like a scientist testing rats. The representation of the characters is also extremely clever, as the film doesn't generalise the upper classes in a derogatory role whilst presenting the lower classes in a more general light. Instead, each character has their own strengths and weaknesses, making themselves completely individual to the rest of the house.
This, however, is one of the films pitfalls as by the end of the film, the audience may not have figured out every character and may have made their own conclusions, which do not concur with the directors intention. However, this remains to be a wholly fascinating study of class differences, and character relationships, in the 1930's.
The Believer (2001)
Contradictory ideas fused together expertly (p.spoilers)
To learn that Henry Bean, the director of 'The Believer, is himself a Jew is rather surprising. This is so as he often portrays his protagonist, Danny Balint, a violent Neo-Nazi active (portrayed brilliantly by newcomer Ryan Gosling), with sympathy more than disdain. At some times, the film may even lead you to believe that, due to Danny's intelligent approach to anti-semitism, that his views are justified and that the Jewish faith is fatally flawed.
However, I believe that Bean is actually trying to convey an ideology that Judaism actually is flawed, and to represent the confusion experienced by those questioning their traditional faith, as shown by the flashbacks of a young Danny arguing the finer points of the Jewish faith with his class teacher and the repeated hallucinations encountered at the rear of the movie with Danny running up the stairs endlessly. Even at his death, Danny is unsure of what to believe, questioning both his compressed Jewish faith and his recent anti-semitic beliefs, questioned by the presence of a newspaper reporter.
This is where 'The Believer' differs from the powerful 'American History X', an obvious comparison. At the end of that movie, both Edward Norton and Edward Furlong's characters had 'learnt their lesson' regarding anti-semitism and decided against it, but Danny in 'The Believer' has not, and this is where the latter is discreetly more hardhitting.
It is unfortunate that 'The Believer' was made at such a time where it hits a very sensitive topic and therefore will only be seen by a very select few, because it is a superb directorial debut and a movie that will be thought provoking in the future. The fusion of contradictory ideas will be confusing in the cinema, but may start to settle as more thought goes into the film. Overall, this is an intelligent study of a troubled character, loosely based on a true story, questioning the meaning of a specific religion.
Pi (1998)
An abstract piece of work from first-time director Aronofsky
Pi is Aronofsky's debut feature length piece, and it seems as if it was a pet project to him, but there may be the slight notion that he spent a little too long refining his baby. Pi comes off like an abstract poem that's just a little too obscure, and no-one is really sure what the poet is trying to achieve, hence the poem comes off as slightly self-indulgent.
What Pi does do though is offer an interesting representation of Max Cohen, a brilliant but troubled and obsessive compulsive mathematician, who becomes infatuated with discovering a 216 digit number which will not only unlock the stock market but also reveal the real name of God. However, the film concentrates not so much on the storyline but prefers to concentrate on effectively displaying the everyday life of Max, from his disturbing migraine attacks to his fear and paranoia of other people. Ultimately this is a story about Max, and his development from a reclusive maniac to a slightly more normal and younger carbon copy of his mentor Sol Robeson. The camera changes frequently between putting the audience into the head of Max to watching him in a third person, sometimes almost voyeuristic, fashion. The change of picture quality occasionally highlights this subtle switch.
Pi isn't a religious movie, despite the apparent religious content to the plotline. In fact, the group of Jew's trying to uncover the 216 digit number are presented in no better a light than the group of Wall Street predictive agents threatening Max to present them with the number. You get the feeling that when Max, towards the beginning of the film, tells Lenny that "I'm not interested in religion" that this may be the voice of Aronofsky (a self proclaimed "classically hypocritical high holiday Jew") distancing himself from any notion of Pi being religious.
Although Pi is original and strangely compelling, it is just Aronofosky wetting his directorial beak and practicing techniques which he will make better use of in his sophomore feature 'Requiem For A Dream', a more accomplished and mainstream film. If you compare and contrast the two closely, then you will find countless similarities.
However as I said, it is original and it is compelling, and it is better than most pap from the Hollywood production line.
8/10
Batoru rowaiaru (2000)
A film challenging human mentality or just an no-brainer action movie?
Kinji Fukasaku is treading a very, very fine line with 'Battle Royale'. It can be read as a masterpiece, challenging human mentality when placed in extreme conditions. Or it can be read as a no-brainer action flick with duff social implications, no better than the action tripe which is pulled off the Hollywood production line. The sense of comedy, which even moves into slapstick comedy in places, seems to pull the film into the latter category.
Yet, I left the cinema thinking about what I'd do in the same situation. And I think that was what Fukasaku wanted to achieve with his work, he wanted his audience to leave questioning their own nature.
The directors main mode of attack on the audience is the sight of young teenagers viciously murdering each other, and in some cases, the glee in which they take in it. The sight of Kitano murdering a young girl for whispering before the game has even begun is very powerful, and would surely ridicule any notion that this is simply a no-brainer.
I think the main flaw of the film is the quantity of characters are featured. Instead of having 20 odd characters who the audience knows, and would therefore be more shocked at the deaths of, we are given 45 students, each who die in various 'sketches' showing the backgrounds preceding their arrival on the island. Although some of these sketches are very powerful (the Lighthouse scene remains fresh in my memory), I believe that other ways could have been discovered to run the film's narrative. This is probably what kept the film from being a masterpiece.
I also believe that the English translation has done the original Japanese dialogue little justice. In some places, the audience are suspicious of whether Fukasaku is trying to emulate the naivety of the characters in their speech, or whether the line has just been subtitled poorly.
As it stands, 'Battle Royale' will become a cult classic. It's notorious status, due to it's banned status in the U.S, will make it a must-see and I think audiences will find a lot here to make them think about. The action just makes it a very powerful piece of work, used to hammer home the ideology.
8/10
Barton Fink (1991)
A classic Coen Brothers attempt (spoilers)
There are so many ways in which you can draw comparisons between 'Barton Fink' and other films made by the Coen Brothers: the male protagonist, Barton Fink, is very similar to other, almost tragic heroes, portrayed in their films. I would draw a comparison from their latest film, 'The Man Who Wasn't There', where Ed Crane is simply looking for something more, yet it all falls down on him. Yet, with Barton Fink, he doesn't go looking for something more, it finds him, and then falls down on him. Fink's almost Catch 22-like situation, where everyone in Hollywood is insane apart from him, from Steve Buscemi's subtlely mad bellboy, Chet, to Michael Lerner's loud-mouthed, fickle studio executive.
One of the Coen's main talents is to distort the audience's perceptions of situations. Barton Fink walking down a burning hallway slowly, carrying a box and a typewriter, seem strangely comic. The same applies to John Goodman's Charlie Meadows, who despite having just murdered all of Barton Fink's family, still manages to come off as almost a lovable character.
Along with the rich characters, this is also a satire of the movie industry. Jack Lipnick's lack of respect for Barton Fink's wrestling movie, which Fink sees as his finest work to date, is dismissed angrily due to the protagonist being more than just a one dimensional wrestler character. You can't help but get the feeling that the Coen Brothers are having a dig at demons from their Hollywood past.
As with most other Coen movies, this is very slow moving. It's deliberate and an obvious criticism, but I found it frustrating in this movie, and in some points there just isn't enough to keep the audience interested. It seems as if the main part of the plot is about to start about 75 minutes into the film with the murder of Audrey Taylor, only to be seemingly deceived.
But you know that Joel and Ethan are sitting at home, laughing at that criticism, after all, it's all a bit of a private joke.
7/10
Man on the Moon (1999)
Reasonable tribute to Andy Kaufman
With 'Man On The Moon', director Milos Forman has produced an appropriate tribute to comedian Andy Kaufman in that he has tried, successfully in parts, to blur the lines between Kaufman's twisted imagination and reality. The audience is left questioning sometimes which parts of the film are the reality in Kaufman's life, and which parts are just a stunt created by Kaufman. The film is slightly frustrating because of that, but it's probably the way the director wanted it. The opening sequence is superb, accenting the sense of humour owned by Kaufman.
Jim Carrey's performance is outstanding in a part that's perfect for him as it allows him to show both his rubber faced comedy talent as well as his potential for serious acting.
The main fault with the film is the amount of information it tries to get in in too little time. Trying to fit an entire mans life into 2 hours is difficult and will lead to bits being cut short, and that is exactly what happens in Man on the Moon. Kaufman's rise to fame is barely documented, although his fall from fame is given a lot more screentime and so I'm guessing that it was decided as more important, which is fair enough.
This is obviously a must-see if you are a fan of Andy Kaufman, and is a recommended watcher for everyone else as it's an often funny, occasionally heart warming comedy/drama
7/10
Donnie Brasco (1997)
Good enough, but let down by length
I was looking forward to seeing Donnie Brasco as I'm a fan of 'mafia type' films. This, however, fell short of my expectations for a few reasons, but then again, I did like some themes and ambitious storytelling techniques in the film.
My main faulting with Donnie Brasco is that some parts of it seemed rather rushed to me, which resulted in an element of unintentional confusion. Screenwriter Paul Attansio has ambitiously tried to converge several strands of the story into the film, probably trying to achieve all the elements of the book. These strands include not only Joseph Pistone/Donnie Brasco's (expertly portrayed by Johnny Depp) undercover work in the Mafia but also the effect his profession has on his home life and the current events in the Mafia. While this would work well with more explanation, it seems that some parts, especially Pistone's home life, were too rushed and too big jumps were made in the plot.
Some people may be deceived into thinking that Pistone's increasing devotion to the Mafia is because he feels at home or accepted within the organisation but I think that it is much more to do with the theme of friendship, more specifically his friendship with 'Leftie' (Al Pacino on fine form). The look on Pistone's face when his mafia 'buddies' are beating the hell out of the Japanese waiter is clear evidence to me that he does not want to be a part of it. Friendship is usually a common theme in films of this genre, but it is conveyed in fine detail in the film, showing that despite the obvious, the friendship between the two protagonists is not betrayed.
The character of Pistone/Brasco is developed wonderfully from an FBI agent pretending to be a jewel expert, to actually temporarily becoming part of the Mafia, and back again. The in depth insight into the character is one of the film's strongest points undoubtedly, almost it's saving grace.
However, the themes and characters do not make up for some of the gaps in the storyline which I observed on a first viewing, and so this film never does excel the tag of just 'good'
6/10
Waking Life (2001)
Flawed philsophical masterpiece?
I saw this film at the London Film Festival and was greatly impressed. It's main attraction is, obviously, the original visual style employed by Linklater, and his team of artists. The method of painting over the film is visually stunning, and as part of his audience, Linklater does literally catapult you into the genuinely trippy world of the human mind. The artistic freedom given to the film makers by their technique is almost unlimited, and they do exploit it to their advantage. Characters morphing into their ideas and theories, and other little bits of animation away from the main action, do show great attention to detail, but sometimes it does seem as though the animation is distracting you from the dialogue, and it can be frustrating as many of the theories discussed by the characters are confusing and require concentration. Whether this is deliberate is debatable, Linklater may be trying to confuse the audience into thinking that he is a genius.
However, away from the visuals, this is an accomplished feat of movie making. Despite the fact that there is a complete lack of character building, aside from Wiley Wiggins, our tour guide figure, the film is thought provoking, and allows the audiences imagination to fill in the deliberate gaps left. Personally, I enjoy this a lot better than being told precisely what is going on and precisely what to feel by the film. Much of the dialogue is intelligent, and avoids many clichés which I was afraid would be the death of the film. The script expertly moulds philosophy, drama and comedy together into what would be described as a whirlwind world' if it wasn't slow moving, allowing the audience to gather their thoughts together before being assaulted by another ideology.
It may be that much of this film is confusing because Linklater is deliberately trying to confuse you, attempting to convey the confused state which many of his characters seemed to be in with their jumbled ideologies. Whatever the reason, this film could well have been a masterpiece, but maybe just falls close to the mark.
9/10
The Man Who Wasn't There (2001)
Paying homage to things I'm too uncultured to understand
I went to the movies to see 'The Man Who Wasn't There' in it's opening week, and there were 3 people in the entire cinema. That is probably an accurate representation of how well it's being received around the country, but still, it is an accomplished piece of work for the Coen brothers and their usual director of photography, Roger Deakins. The cinematography is the most notable part of the film, the richness of the shots, yet still in black and white, is astounding. The use of shadow and smoke all adds to the slightly surreal, film-noirness of the film.
It is obvious that the Coen's are paying their dues to film noir with 'The Man Who Wasn't There', but I found, due to my limited knowledge of the genre, that a lot of the 'in jokes' and homage towards it, I didn't 'get', as it were. I have a feeling my enjoyment of the film would've increased with an increase of knowledge regarding noir. Yet, as mentioned in the Sight And Sound publication, this film is far from being film noir, to the extent where you could almost label it as anti-noir. With my limited experience, the main contradiction to the film noir genre which I noticed was that the main female lead, Frances McDormand's Doris Crane, is far removed from being the classic femme fatale of the genre. I'm sure there are many other references.
The character of Ed Crane was fascinating. Expertly portrayed by Billy Bob Thornton, he is written as a quiet, agreeable man who, for once in his existence, took a stab at something he wanted and it just led to his whole existence crumbling down around him. The constant blank expression on his face, and the lack of tone in his voice, show that he is not an evil criminal, as he is perceived as being by some of the other characters ("What kind of man are you?"), but he is just a barber, wanting something a little deeper and meaningful for life. As I said, Thornton's performance of Ed Crane is note perfect, and he may be up for some awards for this one. Scarlett Johansson is also impressive as Birdy Abundas, the young girl who Crane attempts to manage musically in another pearshaped attempt to give his life more meaning. Johansson is a fine young actress who we may be seeing more from in the future.
Conclusively, this is a fine piece of work, what one has come to expect from the Coens. Maybe it's a bit slow in places (probably deliberately so) and maybe there's a case for style over substance, but it's still a competent work of art.
7/10
Coyote Ugly (2000)
Good idea, badly pulled off
After seeing the trailer and reading a little about the film, I liked the premise of Coyote Ugly a lot - small town girl goes to work at some kind of hardcore bar. However, writer Gina Wendkos has simply delivered a sappy love story, with a slightly darker edge, characterised by the Coyote Ugly bar, and probably the influence of producer Jerry Bruckheimer, better known for his work on action films such as Con Air and Enemy Of The State.
Now, this would have been my misunderstanding and me simply going to see the wrong movie if it were a good love story. However, the characters are hideously one dimensional (i.e. the audience knows nothing about the other two barmaids, Cammie and Rachel, both of whom seem to have leading roles, apart from their bar personalities). Even the protagonist's main development, the overcoming of her stage fright, doesn't really make any sense and seems to be a rushed conclusion rather than a gradual development.
However, after criticising it, Coyote Ugly is moderately entertaining. The bar scenes in particular, not just because of the acres of female flesh on display, but also because of the excitement of these scenes and the whole concept of the bar itself. With this in mind, the scenes shot in the actual bar are the best of the whole film, coming off like a music video. This does work against the film in the conclusion however, with the last 5-10 minutes seeming to be more of a promo for the film's music single rather than actually concluding the film satisfactorily.
Make no mistake about it, Coyote Ugly is entertaining, and even exciting in parts, but it's really just a cardboard story filled with one dimensional stock characters.
6/10
Memento (2000)
The direction is the real winner (spoilers)
Many people have found Memento frustrating, and I can see why. After concentrating so hard on keeping up with the action and being convinced that you are being led back to an explosive finale, you just end up with Guy Pearce saying "now, where was I?" and you realise that you've been concentrating so hard on absolutely nothing. I, however, thought that this movie was absolute genius.
Director Christopher Nolan uses a post-Tarantino style narrative, moving the story backwards. It's good to see some new styles of narrative as opposed to the 'Pulp Fiction' style with stories all interlinking towards the conclusion. Not only does the storytelling style impress, but it also puts the viewer right into the head of Leonard Shelby. Yes, it's frustrating - but Nolan is just trying to convey to you how frustrating it is for Shelby, and he has chosen the best possible way of doing it.
The three protagonist performances from Guy Pearce, Carrie-Anne Moss and Joe Pantoliano are good. Pantoliano and Moss in particular are superb in convincing the audience that they're something what they are not. However, the real superstar in the film is Christopher Nolan's outstanding direction and script. He never tells the audience too much to make the film boring, but he also never tells too little to keep the audience guessing. There are so many 'blink and you'll miss it' moments (keep an eye out for Sammy Jankis sitting in the residential home) that you cannot absorb everything necessary in one viewing. What Nolan has successfully done is keep the audience in the palm of his hand and thrown them into the head of Leonard Shelby. And I loved every minute of it.
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Dead Man Walking (1995)
A feather in the cap of Tim Robbins (spoilers inside)
Dead Man Walking is a stunning piece of filmmaking for many reasons. It features Susan Sarandon and Sean Penn giving incredible performances. The direction of Tim Robbins is outstanding. The script leaves nothing to be desired. This is so close to perfect.
The character of Sister Helen Prejean is someone, on basic terms, whom a lot of the audience will be able to relate to. Torn between what she feels and what she thinks is right, whilst being continuously interfered with from all outside parties she is just striving to help people. Sean Penn's character develops from being a vicious criminal still pleading his innocence at the beginning of the movie, to the admitting, fear stricken man we see in the final execution scenes.
The final scene in the execution chamber is very powerful, and will leave you haunted by its realism. The images of the victims parents, finally realising the enormity of what they've demanded as Penn is being put to death, are very disturbing. It seems that Tim Robbins has succeeded in what he set out to do with this movie, which was to provide a thorough investigation into capital punishment, and how it emotionally affects everybody involved.
Robbins' script strays away from the legal side of matters, preferring to focus on the emotional side of capital punishment, a decision that I think is one of the film's strong points. The characters are so expertly portrayed that it would have been foolish to just concentrate on legal statistics.
This is a film that communicates directly with the audience, giving them a sense of realism to a concept of which the majority will have no direct experience. If you haven't seen this yet, then I wholeheartedly recommend it as one of the greatest triumphs in film of the decade.
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The Usual Suspects (1995)
Undoubtedly a remarkable piece of work
There seems to be little debate between movie critics that The Usual Suspects is one of the great works of the decade and, finally seeing it for myself, I found out why.
The Usual Suspects has very little wrong with it. Bryan Singer's direction is flawless, and it is accented by a host of outstanding performances all round. The characters are well written with significant development, and an outstanding aura of mistrust for each other in a time when they really should pull together. Spacey and Palminteri play a great double act as the witness/interrogator, which provides the narrative for the film.
The narrative itself is very well thought out, giving the audience just enough information to not leave them completely in the dark, but not giving them too much, in order to keep them guessing. The relatively complex plot could have easily gone astray with an overly complex narrative, but that doesn't happen.
The films main most powerful asset does lie in the well documented ending, which superbly edits together audio and visual effects to let the audience's jaw drop to the floor with disbelief. It is a truly brilliant piece of storytelling and film making, and will no doubt inspire a new wave of inadequate copycats.
All in all, The Usual Suspects is a triumph for anyone involved with it, but maybe just lacks a little something to earn it full marks.
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Kalifornia (1993)
Unfairly criticised psychological horror
After watching Kalifornia, two things struck me immediately. Firstly, it's a lot more disturbing than I had predicted. The gore, and general horror factor, reach impressive heights. Secondly, it's a lot better than I had imagined. After reading a handful of unflattering reviews and unimpressionable box office figures I was never expecting much but this is actually a success for director Dominic Sena and the horror movie genre in general.
Kalifornia is how horror movies should be made with slightly different storylines, believable characters and at least some element of intelligent realism. Brad Pitt is absolutely terrifying in his role as the alcoholic, psychotic Early Grayce. In addition to his top-notch performance, his characters continual aura of unkemptness is a triumph for the filmmakers. Pitt's continual squinting, and the cameras reluctance to show him looking directly towards the audience, makes the audience struggle to get even a glimpse of his soul. Juliette Lewis gives the other notable performance as Early's dependent partner, a field day for any psychologist. Pitt and Lewis form the perfect trailer-trash' couple, and the movie's other coupling of David Duchovny and Michelle Forbes does not even come close to comparing.
The shadowy lighting of the main serial killer' spots, especially in the film's finale, help preserve the tense atmosphere and keep the audience on their toes. But there are few cheap shocks in this film as Sena prefers to develop the psychotic character of Early until the audience are absolutely terrified of him, and what he has the potential to do.
Some of Duchovny's voice-overs, giving insights into the mind of serial killers, are slightly clichéd and unimaginative but the premise that his character is blind to the film's main irony, that his perfect subject is sitting in the back seat, is highly believable and you find yourself siding against Forbes for being so critical of Early and Adele.
A must-see movie for horror fans, or anyone wanting to see a criminally under appreciated piece of work.
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Mars Attacks! (1996)
Burton pays his respects to the 1950's
Mars Attacks! Isn't so much a spoof of the famed science fiction B-movies of the 1950's rather than it is homage to them. Director Tim Burton claimed to be a great fan of the genre, and with this 1996 comedy, he has successfully crafted a hugely enjoyable comedy while also paying his respects.
The real stars of the show are the aliens themselves their appearance alone should be enough to encourage laughter in the audience. But their actions and private jokes simply excel expectations, and the way in which writer Jonathan Gems have managed to even go as far as creating a personality for the main aliens, mostly the ambassador, is particularly impressive.
However, in addition to the aliens, there are also a Catch 22 type plethora of characters, each with their own quirks and reactions to the invasion, with an all star cast to back them up. The way in which most of the characters are developed enough within the film to let the audience decide whom to sympathise with is note worthy as in many such disaster films with many different characters (yes Deep Impact, I'm looking at you) the audience finds it hard to be bothered who dies and who lives. Jack Nicholson is impressive in his double role, particularly with his performance of Art Land, a sleazy Las Vegas hotel/casino owner. Annette Bening is also convincing in her role as Barbara Land, a comically insane reformed alcoholic.
The concentration on characters does lead Mars Attacks! to tread lightly around the notion to have an intricate plot. It seems the coupling of Burton/Gems would rather comically destroy the worlds landmarks rather than develop any sort of plot intricacies, but to be honest, I don't think anyone cares.
As well as tickling his audiences' funny bone, Tim Burton also manages to slip in a few hidden political statements of the contemporary government the White House press officer's weakness for prostitutes may raise a few eyebrows. Not only this, but the way in which the President calls all his senior staff down to some kind of war room and saying they `have to take charge of the situation', before only being prepared to discuss what they should tell the press, gives you the impression that Burton is working with some sort of political hidden agenda.
But, after saying that, the film still remains to be very gung ho with the only other world leader, besides from the President, being shown in the President of France who is briefly portrayed as being hysterically foolish. Whether this is a deliberate poke at the nationalistic approach used in similar, more serious, disaster movies such as Armageddon' and Independence Day' would be up for debate, however.
Mars Attacks! has been criticised by critics and moviegoers alike, but these people probably took it far too seriously. This is a hugely enjoyable movie, and a must see for anyone who misses the days of drive-in movies.
8/10
Enigma (2001)
A good blend of everything
The quick cuts between flashback and present day footage in the first 2 minutes of Enigma' throw the audience off the track right from the beginning and they never really recover until the film edges towards tying up it's loose ends and if you don't concentrate, then you probably will never catch up.
Yes folks, it's a bit of a thinking man and historians movie, but with the additive of romance thrown in just to give it a touch of popular value. However, there is neither too much or too little sappiness to take away from the rest of the film because, make no mistake about it, this is a very good movie.
A combination of a choice selection of suspense filmmaking techniques by Michael Apted and 3 very good performances from Dougray Scott (who is superb as the moody yet complex Thomas Jericho), Jeremy Northam and Kate Winslet all blend together to form a fine finished product. Apted uses variable speed cutting techniques not just to build suspense, but also to accent Jericho's mood swings and strokes of genius. As should be the case in any Hitchcock inspired movie, the music, although remaining in the background primarily, accents the visuals very well.
Suspense fans should enjoy this, historians should find it reassuringly accurate and casual moviegoers will probably enjoy the brain strain. This is a high quality, and probably highly unappreciated, piece of work.
8/10
House on Haunted Hill (1999)
Kinda like they got bored halfway through (potential spoiler)
I went into this movie with average expectations, and left with an average view of it. There's a lot of questions left unanswered, and it doesn't look like there's much of a sequel there, at least with the same characters.
To be honest with you, the first half of this movie is amazing....very atmospheric and genuinely scary...it sets a good scene for the second half of the movie. Unfortunately, the second half doesn't nearly deliver and it finishes very abruptly...in fact I skipped back a few scenes just to check I hadn't missed anything by mistake. A lot of questions about the house's past are left unexplained, and the relationship between Eddie and Sarah which seems to develop somewhat in the movie never concludes. It is like they took their time over the first half, and then realised how behind scheldule they were and rushed making the second half.
Saying that, the visual and audio effects are both above average which kinda makes up for the average acting. It's just a shame that the storyline has so many holes...
6/10
P.S It's worth seeing just for the shots of Orlando, FL's Hulk rollercoaster at the beginning though :)
Very Bad Things (1998)
Comically angry but not too bad
This film could have been so, so bad but in fact it doesn't come out too awful and rather entertaining. The storyline is a bit angry and over the top but it's not at all supposed to be a serious film, so that is not important.
All the leading actors turn in believable performances, with the standout being Christian Slater's manic best man. This definitely is not light comedy entertainment though, as there is lots of gore and a strong stomach might be in order for some scenes.
Overall, not at all bad....6/10