Dr_Kruger Reviews

Caché (2005)

Now there's an aptly titled film!

[9/10 · 24 June 2009]

The amount of unanswered questions at the end of the film is staggering, yet I wasn't left frustrated. Despite the carrot being dangled in front of me for most of the film I didn't need a nicely wrapped up conclusion. I was simply content at the quality of what I'd seen, which really is testament to the film. In fact the ending shot, one of the best I've seen in ages, which is simply a shot of the facade of a school with pupils leaving, entering and hanging around leaves even more unanswered questions. Hidden away there is something that many will even miss completely, or have turned the film off by this point! Hidden is about a family of three who receive mysterious video cassettes and pictures which indicates they are under surveillance and being stalked. Simple, but the main themes of the film being hidden sins and hidden guilt come into play in exciting fashion.

Daniel Auteuil, an actor I've a lot of time for is excellent. There are only a handful of actors working today who can be the only person in dialogue free scenes lasting two or three minutes where so much is said simply by his presence alone. There are three or four such scenes in which he simply delivers a masterclass in acting.

Hidden is not your typical thriller with peaks and troughs of tension, here the tension is slowly and cleverly built with these moments of reflection in between, with the unanswered subplot involving Auteuils on-screen wife adding to the intrigue.

Splash (1983)

Spash - Wonderfully Whimsical

[9/10 · 22 May 2009]

I must have seen 'Splash' a dozen or more times as a child of 8 or 9 and not since. It's been my pleasure tonight to watch it with my 8 year old boy, all the scenes I remembered and some of those I didn't came flooding back and we had a real hoot.

Howard manages to create a whimsical comedy/fantasy but it's not without depth too. Hanks, in one of his earliest roles is superb as 'unlucky in love' Allen, who in the end shows that love has no boundaries. Daryl Hannah was even more beautiful than I remember and, particularly in the early scenes where she doesn't speak English shows why she was perfectly cast for the role. Eugene Levy and John Candy add the humour and make it an all round joyous watch.

I won't pretend it hasn't got 'flaws'. I mean why doesn't she just climb out of the tank, dry herself off and walk outta there, but this isn't and doesn't pretend to be some kind of statement film. I simply can't judge it that way For me, it was a childhood classic, and now is simply a classic in its own right

Red Riding: The Year of Our Lord 1974 (2009 TV Movie)

Exciting British corruption drama

[9/10 · 5 March 2009]

I've been looking forward to this trilogy for a while and so far it doesn't disappoint. Director Julian Jarrold has come a long way since 'Childrens Ward'! Touching Evil and Cracker are more familiar territory although this is stunningly directed with the style and panache of 'Zodiac' but with a far more interesting story, characters and actors. Yes, the performances from Andrew Garfield and co were terrific. I'm already looking forward to the following film to see how the corrupt coppers move on from this dirty episode and also to see Considine in action in a meaty role once again.

It's one of those films where everything makes sense at the end. Good stuff

Dancer in the Dark (2000)

Devastation for the Senses

[10/10 · 26 February 2009]

I love films like this that are shot in a way that makes the characters the main focus, and not the camera itself. The camera is hidden away, almost voyeuristically looking in on what's going on. I know some will hate this style and the 'hand held' look which for me adds a depth of reality to films like this.

First of all, the brass overture at the beginning was simply stunning and sent shivers down my spine, and after the ending I simply had to listen again. Being without sight wouldn't have been a disability at this point, although the art and paintings that accompanied it makes one realise how much we take our senses for granted. We are constantly reminded of this throughout.

The film itself is an absolute tragedy, only briefly broken with the colourful and dramatic 'dream' sequences, but then every time we're bumped back to reality with the faded, drably lit setting that the film takes place in. I almost don't think of this film as a musical, as the musical turns aren't in fact 'real', they aren't part of the story and simply Selma's way of escaping her misfortunes.

Selma is the very definition of a dreamer, but you always get the feeling that this is due to circumstance rather than a natural trait as all her dreams take place during difficult times. Her main hate of musicals is that they eventually have to end, and because you know the end is coming when the camera lifts out of the roof, which is what is so sad about the ending of the film.

After seeing the reactions to 'Dogville', I'm fairly sure that those who aren't fans of Von Trier's work will once again tell me about his 'anti-US' stance of a woman coming to America to heal her son, yet is cruelly and unjustly treated by the American justice system. Yes, it is cruel and unjust, but this is all circumstance. I would ask you to take a look at how he generally portrays the working class people of America in a positive light. The factory boss, the musical director, the prison guard and her landlords all become good friends and are most kind and helpful to her. It is only the actions of one coward that start the downfall her timid personality is incapable of halting.

In the end we are faced with an incredibly brave woman facing a dilemma that no-one should have to face, and the ending stunned me just as much as "A short film about killing". The film overall had me mesmerised and it's certainly the best film I've seen so far this year.

I want to watch it again but I think it'll be a while before I do

All Quiet on the Western Front (1930)

an indictment of the inhumanity of war

[10/10 · 6 February 2009]

I've just watched All Quiet on the Western Front for the second time. The first time was a long time ago. Perhaps too long. It's quite simply a wonderful film on the morality (or lack of) of war, and perhaps the most convincing anti-war film I've seen, focusing purely on the feelings our lead character Paul Baumer.

It starts off with blind optimism during the recruitment process and after a harsh induction programme in a segment that Kubrick gleans so much from in his 'Full Metal Jacket' film. The dormitories are almost an exact copy and the Drill Seargent is a mean guy just like R.Lee Ermey's was.

During the first night on the field and their introduction to Katczinski, who seems like a man to fear, new recruit Behn, a man who didn't want to enlist is killed in horrific fashion and the new recruits are given a glimpse of what is to come. "He's a corpse, no matter who he was" is Katczinski's reply to one of the new recruits who wails "he was my friend". Truly awful stuff. We're quickly whisked to the first daylight trench battle which has some incredibly dynamic camera-work and the B&W and speeded up film almost makes it feel real. Here is a film that can use little in the way of gore, but create a far more terrifying atmosphere than even the opening of "Saving Private Ryan".

"War is like a fever. No one wants it but it is there all at once" As the war progresses, the boys receive letters from home. This should be a joyous occasion, and is for some, but Baumer is not so convinced. We start to get the feeling that this place isn't the place for letters. It isn't the place for hope.

One of the key scenes follows where Baumer single handedly kills a man with a knife and is forced to spend the night with him in a hole as he dies. Begging the man for forgiveness highlights his inner fight. Everything is telling him war is wrong, but we know he is being dragged into it and irreversibly changed.

It's not completely devoid of humour though. Part way into the second act and after Katczinski and the other old hand's have softened (or is it that the new recruits have simply hardened giving us an illusion) we are treated to a scene with some lovely French peasant girls, and the betrayal of Himmelstoss, getting him blind drunk so the three young boys can have a girl each is particularly funny.

Possibly the saddest part of the film is towards the end where Baumer is injured and able to spend some time on leave at home. He soon realises after visiting his family and the professor who enlisted him that he doesn't belong there. He'd rather be on the front line with Katczinski and pals where he knows where he stands.

And with that, I'll leave it there. The final 10 minutes is heartbreaking and it is no wonder that the armed forces at the time prevented recruits from seeing this film. It's an indictment of the true inhumanity of war, and a film that is so important in our history as human beings.

A Heart in Winter (1992)

frustrating yet satisfying all in one!

[9/10 · 22 January 2009]

After watching my favourite film of last year "Jean De Florette and Manon Des Sources" I thought I should check out this love story that has two of the main protagonists of that film.

Emmanuelle Beart and Daniel Autueil star in this film about a love triangle of intricate characters. Stephane (Auteuil) and Maxime (Dussollier) are partners in a violin workshop/traders. Maxime, an extrovert womaniser meets the woman of his dreams Camille (Beart) and quickly decides he loves her and leaves his wife to find a love nest for them both.

Stephane is an introvert, a complete opposite of Maxime, but with a mysterious presence and when he meets Camille, an instant connection forms. Camille quickly tries to unravel the emotionally guarded Stephane, despite her own fairly shy tendencies.

That's it, that's the plot. Fairly straightforward stuff, but the beauty of the cinematography, set against a violin score of the highest quality really makes this a tremendous film, lest I forget the great performances of Auteuil and Beart the latter of whom really convinces as an up and coming professional violinist.

The tension between the three main characters is really well created, bringing us to a feverish state with the last act beckoning. The complex character of Stephane is really intriguing to see develop, although when the final act does arrive it would've been far more satisfying to see him show at least some visual emotion, since we have had to interpret Auteuil's subtle glances and facial expressions all the way through the film.

It actually brings a fairly frustrating climax to the film, although one can't complain. It's a refreshing film to watch and is satisfying in the sense that you know that this 40 something year old man isn't going to change in an instant, no matter how beautiful the love interest (and yes, she is indeed beautiful). The ending makes sense, even if we want it to be different.

All in all, a love story I can highly recommend

A Matter of Life and Death (1946)

Enjoyable, if a little sickly sweet for me

[7/10 · 8 January 2009]

Although not strictly a war film, I loved the ideas in this film, the notion of a WWII aviator falling in love with the American officer over the radio in his 'final moments', then cheating death and having to argue his case in front of a celestial court in particular.

The opening sequence was mightily impressive and the transitions from earth to heaven, accentuated by the change from colour to black and white were also very impressive. Technically, this was a fine film and must've been considered even moreso back in the day.

I was also particularly fond of the camp French man who was responsible for bringing Niven to the court.

However, the whole falling in love thing over the airwaves, which was the main relationship in the film was far too whirlwind and too sugary for even my sweet tooth. I also thought the majority of the actual court appearance was pointless bickering between Americans and Brits and the ten minutes would've been better served in developing the relationship between Niven and Hunter.

That said, I still enjoyed it, just perhaps not as much as I thought I would

Zodiac (2007)

A good story, but it didn't really work for me

[6/10 · 13 November 2008]

I've come to regard David Fincher as a dynamic filmmaker with slick fast moving films which keep you on the edge of your seat.

I was expecting more of the same with Zodiac last night. I did get one of those qualities. It was certainly fast moving. It spent little time hanging around for us to absorb the vast amounts of evidence and facts that came with the case which led to it being less engaging for me. It dealt with the evidence in too much of a 'matter of fact' manner without concentrating on what it was supposed to do, which is entertain us. I also found that the large time jumps in the case where there were no letters from the Zodiac interrupted the flow of the film. In a well constructed film this should never happen.

It's not all bad. It was an interesting story and certainly had it's tense moments. Perhaps being in America at the time would have helped. Again though, in a well made film this shouldn't matter. For me it erred too much on the style of 'documentary' and didn't have enough character development for me to enjoy it massively as a film. The first 20 minutes (before the huge evidence overload came into play) were exciting and I was thinking it was going to be great.

Unfortunately it didn't keep it up. I suspect it would probably be more enjoyable on a second viewing now that I have got to grips with all the intricate parts of the case, but I just don't know if it's worth it, which is a shame. I wouldn't have associated this film with Fincher at all if I hadn't known

Manon of the Spring (1986)

Sheer perfection

[10/10 · 10 November 2008]

I decided to do my review/praising of Jean De Florette here on the Manon Des Sources board. After all, it is not a sequel, but a continuation of the same story.

Being made at the same time, the beauty captured in Jean De Florette flowed effortlessly into Manon Des Sources. I just find these two films so entrancing in every way. It's drama and tragedy of the highest order without a single ounce of melodrama to spoil its earthy and honest depiction of rural life in France. It is, as a friend on IMDb said, "the ultimate Greek tragedy, but in France". It is true that I have never seen tragic irony done so well as as at the end of this film. It's pure film-making at its very best set against the most rustic scenery and music one could hope for.

I am here speaking on behalf of both films, which at this late stage of the calender year, are currently my favourites this year. The effectiveness of the ending of Manon is owed in huge part to the way the character of Cesar is built throughout Jean De Florette, and so together I give these films a resounding 10/10

Alien: Resurrection (1997)

What is it that makes it the worst of the series?

[5/10 · 3 November 2008]

What is it about this film that makes it the weakest of the four Alien films? Visually it's terrific in places. Where Brad Dourif faces off the Alien through the glass in the lab, the set design, lighting is excellent. The music is nice and dramatic and the cast and performances from Weaver, Perlman, Wincott, Dourif, and others are really good too. Some moments of dialogue also put a smile on the face. I quite enjoyed Ripley 8 telling Leland Orser he was going to die and she was the mother for one.

So what we have is the basis for a great sequel. Where does it all go wrong? Well the whole concept is just completely ridiculous isn't it. I mean almost every trick that made the first films work (and most other effective action/horror work) is hammered, the main thing being that limited exposure of the actual Alien to keep you on the edge of your seat is gone and here it's practically in every second scene. This nullifies any potential for it to be scary. The final 30 minutes is cringe making at best and since and they didn't even get the science right. I mean, since when does Sulfuric acid dissolve glass? It's a damn shame, because with all the ingredients in the first paragraph in place it had the potential to be better than Alien3 if not as good as the first two. If anything, Alien Resurrection shows how difficult a task Fincher had in making Alien3 original and reinventing the concept. For what it does well it gets half marks from me

Ghost Town (I) (2008)

Funny and Charming, despite a shaky start

[8/10 · 28 October 2008]

"Ghost Town" is the story of Bertram Pincus, a dental surgeon who, after undergoing a colonoscopy and dying on the table for 'a little under 7 minutes' can see dead people. After being bribed by Frank Herlihy (Greg Kinnear), a dead guy who desperately wants his widow to break up with her new love, Bertram agrees to help and comedy/romance ensues.

It's a fairly cheesy premise, lightly mocking "Ghost (1990)" you feel, although Gervais and Kinnear add some comedic backbone to the film. Leoni is surprisingly good in the fairly difficult role of 'widow in a rom-com' whilst having to be convincing in being attracted to Ricky Gervais! As the film starts off you begin to wonder if this is going to be the most cringe making two hours of your life. Ricky Gervais has never been in anything where he hasn't had complete artistic control over the material and in 'Ghost Town' he had next to none. It shows in the first 15 minutes where you just don't get into his character and wonder how the balance of his unique comedic talent is going to fit into a fairly typical Hollywood "funny guy meets normal girl" rom-com.

However.......... as the movie progresses and his character is put in situations where Gervais is allowed to ad-lib a little and get some of those "I can't believe he said that" quotes out in true Gervais style to movie really grows on you. He really grows into the character and the middle third of the film becomes a real hoot.

Then.......... the final third of the film comes and doubts start to creep in again, as we enter "tragedy and love" mode and I start to wonder if Gervais can pull it off. He does!, and I'm quite astounded. He's maturing as an actor and while I'm not quite sure if he'll get many leading roles, bit parts and even second billings as a cheeky side kick roles are bound to come flooding in for him.

In the end it all becomes quite charming. I really believe the addition of Gervais's 'straight side' to his game could be the most important thing to come out of this film for him professionally, although if you still want a good laugh it's still well worth a look. Unlike a lot of films that fade, this one starts off on the wrong footing, but just gets better and better 8/10

A Short Film About Killing (1988)

Simple, yet thought provoking film about capital punishment

[9/10 · 21 October 2008]

A very simple film that should make even the extreme right wing supporters of the death penalty at least question their beliefs.

Personally, I am a supporter of capital punishment, and until the final 15 minutes I was still unfazed by the film and clear in my mind that if used correctly it should be implemented. I know all the arguments about capital punishment not affecting crime rates but to be honest I don't really care about that. It's all about an eye for an eye and allowing relatives a degree of closure knowing that the perpetrator who killed their love one had suffered a similar fate.

However, and this is where this film is clever, the film doesn't allow you to see any real background to the character before committing his crime. It allows you to see only the act and judge the character on the act alone. If the film ended at the murder you would also believe capital punishment is not such a bad idea after all. Once we go past the very short trial (A long drawn out trial was rightly skipped as we already know the fate of our young man), and we get the one on one interview with the aspiring anti death penalty barrister we start to see just how screwed up this kid is, and how the rage in him is not entirely of his own making. Just as you start to question if you knew your mind doubts start to creep in and, just as quickly, before you can really gather any coherent thoughts he is whisked away to his death, and the act is entirely as abhorrent as you imagine it would be.

The nasty high risers and grainy colourless backgrounds set the scene well, and the shaded lenses, focusing on the main character highlighting his loneliness and possibly his narrow mindedness made it a rather sad film to watch, but it certainly is worth sticking with.

An 9/10 is definitely warranted

House of Sand and Fog (2003)

two top drawer performances from Kingsley and Connolly

[8/10 · 25 September 2008]

Is there anyone in the business as good at displaying grief and tragedy as Jennifer Connolly? I don't think so.

It's a story that is primarily about one thing. Family. Family is at the heart of every aspect in the film. At the end it makes you want to go check on your kids and make sure they're sleeping safe.

The film is about Behrani (Kingsley), an Iranian Colonel who is forced out of his country and ends up making a living as a working class man in America. His wife wants to retain the high life and as a result they are forced to buy a reposessed property to make ends meet.

Kathy (Connolly), is the depressed woman who's life seems to have no meaning, who forgets to pay a few bills and has her house taken from her. Along the way she meets married father and police officer Lester (Eldard) and starts an affair. Her obsession to regain the house, which was actually possessed by mistake but she cannot get back legally, is what leads to the tragedy.

Kingsley and Connoley are equally fantastic in a film that touches on touchy subjects such as stereotypes, closed minded views of other nationalities from both perspectives, and break ups of young families without passing judgement or forcing any opinions on you.

The build up and run time of the film is paced to perfection. Minor niggles include Eldard who is respectable, but not completely believable and a score that kept me expecting Willam Wallace to turn up and behead someone. Overall though an extremely good story and totally engaging down to a well written and paced script and two top drawer performances.

Control (2007)

Visually bleak, yet moving and honest Biopic

[8/10 · 11 September 2008]

Use of Black and White is sometimes used unnecessarily, and can sometimes come across as a little pretentious. In Control I'd say it was essential. Every shade of black to grey to white is used perfectly to bring life to the film, but always reminding us of the bleak character we are dealing with. The ending I found to be particularly moving, the thick black smoke from the church lifting our antihero into the skies around the fields of Macclesfield.

The film also manages to convey very accurately all the events from his short life from a teenager up until his death without passing judgement or making rash statements about his character. It presents the facts and allows us to make up our own minds as to why he behaved as he did. Sam Riley was terrific, especially in any scene involving Joy Division's performances. He really nailed it. The use of music as the soundtrack with no additional scoring seemed to add to the bleakness of the quiet dialogue sequences.

I was also quite fond of the portrayal of Rob Gretton by Tony Kebbell, who weirdly played alongside Paddy Considine in Dead Mans Shoes who in turn played Gretton in the Factory Records themed film "24 hour party people". He added a little touch of humour which, without it would've made the film unbearably depressing.

Kes (1969)

funny, sad, uplifting, depressing

[8/10 · 5 September 2008]

Even though it's shot through the eyes of a boy in the coal mining city of Barnsley in the 60's there's a lot that many people can empathise with in this film. A broken home, an annoying older brother, bullying, bad teachers, good teachers and just not fitting in, whether that be from personal experience or just knowing someone like that. Let's face it, there's a boy like Billy Casper in every school year isn't there? Because of all this, Kes is a hugely nostalgic film regardless of whether you grew up in those times or in those areas. I can only imagine it must be like being catapulted straight back into school for those who did! I do wonder how the traditional northern dialogue translated to others. Some might not get it, but being a northerner myself I found it hilarious. It's funny how there isn't a quotes section for the film on IMDb as there were some great lines I was hoping to quote here. It's probably because no bugger had a clue what was being said . The football scene in particular, with the PE teacher who wanted to be Bobby Charlton was a highlight for me.

In a sense it's a damn shame that Billy's (David Bradley) accent is so thick. I can only assume that this is the reason he didn't become a household name as his performance in Kes was terrific. His relationship with Kes was really sweet and the scene where he stands in front of the class to tell all was really important in getting this across. He's a frustrating character though, you really want the Hollywood ending for him, but this isn't Hollywood, it's Barnsley and even though he's a likable little scally with definite potential his position within the school, his broken home, his social class and his wandering mind was always going to be against him. Despite not seeing what he will eventually become, I think his hopes were ultimately buried with Kes.

The Wild Bunch (1969)

Stupendous

[10/10 · 4 September 2008]

was trying to think of a single word to describe this film. Incredible just doesn't seem to cut it, marvellous gives no kind of meaning to the sheer scale of it, wonderful is far too prissy for such a savage film. So I settled on stupendous! Which means - Amazingly large or great; huge and of astounding force, volume, degree, or excellence... Are you lot happy with that? What I witnessed last night was a real 'tour de force' from Peckinpah, an achievement that marries direction and editing of the likes I have seen in movies since 1969, but never before. The techniques employed in the action sequences, the frantic cutting, the slo-mo as people are flying through the air, the whole way it was put together seems to have set the standard for almost every actioner I've seen in my life. As a result, you could be quite easily mistaken for thinking "The Wild Bunch" was far more recently than 1969.

That brings me to another point. I haven't seen many 70s westerns so forgive my ignorance, but I've seen plenty since. What happened to Westerns! I mean I am a huge, huge fan of the likes of Unforgiven. It's uncompromising grit has had me in awe of that film for many years, but has there ever been a western since "The Wild Bunch" that has been so much fun, with so much humour, yet so brutal? Not that I can remember. It's like a wiseguy gangster film set in the west! Pure genius, and I can't understand why I haven't seen anything like it since.

The acting is of the highest calibre blended with characters that have fantastic chemistry. William Holden holds the screen like the star he is, and his "Let's go" scene where he rounds up the boys for one last showdown is some of the best acting I've ever seen. His blue eyes simply pierce the screen and look square at you. And the finale? Scarface eat your heart out! Clearly two massively different films, but has "The Wild Bunch" overtaken "Unforgiven" as my favourite western? It just might have you know!

The Bucket List (2007)

Reiner Back to his best? Not quite, but a vast improvement over recent films

[7/10 · 14 August 2008]

After a number of completely uninteresting films over the last decade or so, Rob Reiner came back with "The Bucket List" which I had the opportunity to watch last night. The idea of the film grabbed my attention immediately when I saw the trailers and I was interested to see how he would handle the subject, although I had a fairly good idea.

As far as the basics of the film are concerned, the story and characters are solidly constructed, and possibly deserved a little more 'heart and soul' putting into it from the two leads, particularly Freeman who just felt a little like he was acting within himself.

Having two powerhouse actors instantly recognisable from their earlier successes was always going to be difficult to retain any kind of realism, and in places Morgan Freeman's narrative did make me wonder why they weren't both in Shawshank prison. In a completely straight piece I fear the casting would have been a real problem. However, it was clear from the start that the issues in hand were always going to be dealt with with a deadpan joke or a tongue-in-cheek comment which Nicholson is a master at. Having said that, there were a couple of throw away comments which just seemed a little crass. I mean self deprecating humour is all well and good but in one or two spots I cringed a bit at the way it mocked an illness that 1/3 of the population die of in a pretty miserable way.

When all is said and done it was an enjoyable film, and the humour was probably just about right and not too overbearing. I'm sure that it will be bashed from pillar to post by many for it's lack of gritty realism, but I'd congratulate Renier for not going down that path that has been well trodden of late. An uplifting film about death is what it is and in that I think it succeeds, with a light smattering of giggles along the way

There Will Be Blood (2007)

There will be..........slight boredom, but technically great and fascinating nonetheless

[8/10 · 13 August 2008]

I'm always left wondering whether these types of films are marvellous pieces of art or not. Films as films should be. Films where no stone is unturned, every aspect of the film has been run through with a fine tooth comb to achieve cinematic perfection. One can't deny the clinical precision with which they are made, the sheer immersion of the actors within the roles, the thought that has gone into them, the sheer beauty of some of the sequences.

Or are they the work of men striving to outdo the last man, looking for brownie points and winks and glances from peers rather than the primary function of films which is to entertain the audience.

Just a thought.

Luckily, in the case of "There Will Be Blood" we get everything from the first paragraph but we also get Daniel Day Lewis and Paul Dano. As a result, any thoughts of the directors real intentions are banished from memory and we can just soak ourselves in two incredible performances.

Yes, it's a little too long perhaps, but Daniel Plainview is a very interesting character indeed with Day Lewis once again being the difference between a poor film and a good film, and in this case the difference between a good film and a very good film.

I gave it 8/10, with a little more focus on entertainment value this had the potential to be perfect

Event Horizon (1997)

under appreciated

[9/10 · 26 June 2008]

I remember this film getting a critical lashing and not fairing too well at the box office, but I can see Anderson's comments in the special features being true. His vision was of a film that, not unlike "The Shining", that didn't fair well on it's release, he hoped that "Event Horizon" would steadily gain followers over the years.

I really don't see why that shouldn't be the case. Although Anderson's more recent films haven't been much to shout about I think he still has a great imagination and better films will surely follow from him. I think "Event Horizon" should eventually become a real classic.

It's a great spin on 'monster horror', the irony and ingeniousity being there are no actual monsters. Not unlike other great horror's, you don't actually see the evil character in question, only the product of that evil which in this case is Sam Neill's character.

There great performances all around in particular Sam Neill and Kathleen Quinlan, it's not overly reliant on special effects, although the effects that are used are timeless, excellent makeup and pyrotechnics (apart from the dodgy early CGI engine coolant), it's excellently held together with timing and pacing which always keeps you on the edge of your seat.

The work on lighting especially creates the mood for a great horror. I think it's awesome

Eyes Wide Shut (1999)

brilliant

[9/10 · 19 June 2008]

From the second scene in the film, where Alice (Kidman) is shown on the toilet (just something perfectly natural, yet never shown in films) as they're getting ready for the party, you know this is going to be a different kind of a film.

From the trailer that I saw so many years ago, with Chris Isaak's 'Baby did a bad bad thing' playing in the background while Cruise/Kidman/Kubrick was displayed in bold writing, I was expecting some sort of sordid, sleazy film. Certainlty some people's opinions are as such too.

What I saw was an intriguing depiction of actions and consequences catalysed by events that never even actually happened, but were as damaging as those that did happen. Dr. Bill (Cruise) uses Alice's admission during a hilarious pot smoking scene as his excuse to justify his own desires and fantasies. The first visit to the hooker, leading to Dr.Bill visiting his old friends Jazz Club leading to the bizarrely fantastical "Costume Party" sequence are all a consequence of their pot smoking session.

I loved how the plot came together, even though it was fairly obvious who the secret helper at the costume party was, and why his pianist friend disappeared the day after. Despite an intense feel to the film, the script and situations and the way they were delivered by those involved, most notably Cruise, consistently put a cheesy grin on my face.

The film always kept me at full attention, got better and better and ended on a perfect note, summarising exactly my thoughts about their relationship.

Great film

The Thin Red Line (1998)

atmospheric and 'real'

[8/10 · 13 June 2008]

It always sounds a bit lame when you hear a 20 something who's never actually lived through a war let alone be part of one praise a war film for it's 'realism', but this is exactly how I imagine a real war to be. No bias is put on the emotions of one side, both Americans and Japanese are shown to have the same emotions of fear, anger and in some cases insanity. Usually in war films it's only a small minority that show fear and sometimes cowardess and I sometimes imagine that in reality there would be a hell of a lot more soldiers displaying these emotions and characteristics, as shown in the thin red line where most characters at some point experience this, even the hardened Seargent played by Sean Penn.

Despite all this two characters really stand out for me. Elias Koates is fantastic, playing the 'professional businessman turned soldier' with equal skill and magnanimousness as Hanks does in Saving Private Ryan, and Nick Nolte as Lt. Tall, an uncompromising experienced soldier in his first real war. The standoff between those two on the hill was a real standout moment.

This is my first Mallick film, despite being close to buying Badlands on a few occasions but I'll definitely be buying that one soon. I can see why film buffs revere him so highly. His sweeping style and imaginitivity behind the camera lends really well to epic war films and I'm surprised that he hasn't done one before this. I can imagine the same style will also translate well into westerns and road movies too! All in all, despite not breaking new ground in terms of the battle scenes, Mallick tries to show a more human, spiritual and moral side of war and in that I think he succeeds. The characters seem more 'real' than possibly in any other war film I've seen since the huge raft of British WWII films of the 60's and for that alone I think it's a great accomplishment

Irreversible (2002)

Irreversible = Incredible

[10/10 · 5 June 2008]

The first 45 minutes of this film were a movie trip unlike anything I think I've ever witnessed before. It was such a relentless whirl of darkness and rage conveyed superbly by Noe. The no holes barred approach needed for films like this was employed, no half measures can be taken in a film like this and I applaud everyone involved for it's gritty realism. The sound effects and nightmarish camera spinning really make this first part special.

It's by far the best I've seen Cassell, he was made to play this angry, vengeful, if slightly unlikeable character of Marcus. I feel the fact that he plays a fairly unlikeable guy works, as you can't help but brush it aside in sympathy for the guy. A goody goody character wouldn't have been as effective if you know what I mean.

Because I knew of THAT scene in the film (which I'm sure everyone knows about before they watch it) and due to the structure of the film and the first scene in "The Rectum", I was not looking forward to it one bit. When Alex left the club and was told to take the subway my heart was going like the clappers.

I was brought down with a sickening bump with what followed.

Perhaps the second half of the film will not everyone's cup of tea. After all, this is traditionally what should be in the first half, and some may think "I know what's going to happen, this is irrelevant". I think it's very clever indeed and what sets it apart from the similarly structured 'Memento'. To go through all the character introduction knowing and more importantly having seen what 'fate' is going to be handed to them is heart breaking and adds an extra dimension compared to if the film was put chronologically. I'm also glad that Noe used a fairly traditional directorial style for this part. It contrasted from the nightmare we know is ahead and really makes the characters more real.

Put simply, Irreversible is Incredible. A masterpiece and the favourite film I've seen this year

Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2008)

It's not all bad, just mostly

[5/10 · 27 May 2008]

It is with a heavy heart that I write this review.

The Indiana Jones films were without doubt my favourite trilogy. I loved all three for different reasons, in particular the first two although Last Crusade was a worthy ending to the trilogy. I don't think it's nostalgia that makes me feel this way. I have the DVD set and have watched them many times leading up to the 4th instalment and they still fill me with joy and excitement, as they do my son who I let watch them, and without pressure from myself he also claimed they were his favourite films of his short life too.

I guess the Crystal Skull always had a lot to live up to in that respect and, unless it recreated exactly the atmosphere, chemistry and excitement of the first three, it was never going to live up to my expectations.

Unfortunately, I was let down in almost every aspect by this film. However, instead of going on forever about how it let me down for fear of rambling I'll just list the key points that disappointed me. Here goes:

1/ Indy is an archaeologist. He's at his best when chasing ancient artifacts with religious implications. It's just more fitting. I hated the story and the twist it took 2/ Ford was too old, not physically, the body seemed willing but his facial expressions were tired and unengaging. 3/ The action sequences felt poorly thought through and in many cases were pointless and didn't feel like they contributed anything to the plot 4/ Ray Winstone's character was annoying. He double-triple-quadruple crossed Indy and yet Indy kept letting him 'tag along'. WHY!!!!!!!?????? 5/ John Hurt could've done so much more. He was wasted. Would've been much better had he been Abner and had more of a prominent role. 6/ Blanchett, while a great actress was by far the weakest villain of all the 4 films. Even Donovan was a better character in 'last crusade'...and why Russians, it just seemed like it was a case of 'I guess we've done the Germans to death who next? I know why not the Ruskies 7/ I was excited by the reintroduction of Marion, but where in Raiders she was cool, sexy and played the role perfectly, in Skulls she was annoying and the chemistry between her and Indy was lost. 8/ Spielberg and his effects men studied the first three to try and recreate a similar feel. They didn't study hard enough. The CGI was over the top. The ants sequence was a poorly disguised copy of the scenes with the beetles in 'The Mummy'. 9/ I was finding my mind was wandering through the 2nd half of the film due to the points above. That would have never happened through the first three 10/ Hated the ending, plain and simple.

You'd think I absolutely abhorred it reading my comments so far, but I have to be hard on the film. It's like Eastwood making a 4th dollars movie, it's bound to be analysed to death and any tiny problems highlighted. It's just unfortunate that they were major not minor problems. Despite it's problems it wasn't all bad. Some of the script was decent. I liked some of Indy's lines. Shia Lebeuf's character, who I thought was going to be annoying, was actually pretty decent (apart from the tree swinging). Unfortunately there's nothing in here that's going to make me give it more than half marks.

As a standalone movie it would've got a 6, maybe a 7

as it is, it's a 5/10 from me......and I'm absolutely gutted

The Bourne Ultimatum (2007)

Please don't spoil this fabulous trilogy with a fourth

[9/10 · 21 May 2008]

Sequels are the most annoying habit of modern American cinema for me. More often than not they have the smell of money making greed running through them instead of wanting to create something special with a logical and satisfying ending to the series.

The Bourne Ultimatum has succeeded in rounding of a fantastic trilogy of films in the way I described above. Along the way it has provided thrills and spills with excellently executed to give the maximum buzz. This final? instalment ramps up the tension dramatically and steers clear of any kind of mushy ending which would'be been a real letdown.

I seriously love these films. My only quibble relates to Greengrass's obsession with using 'shaky-cam' to heighten the tension. In places it is highly effective, but in the longer dialogue/office scenes it gets rather annoying. It's a minor complaint but I still think it's an exceptional, well thought through ending.

Se7en (1995)

Se7en - a second viewing 13 years later

[10/10 · 21 May 2008]

Thinking back, I do believe this was my first 18 certificate film I watched at the pictures and it left a real impression. It's always been a favourite even though for some inexplicable reason I have only seen it just the once.

So it was with some trepidation that I bought the 2-disc DVD on ebay recently and decided to watch it the night before last. I wondered if knowing the dramatic outcome already would spoil the viewing pleasure of what goes before.....It didn't.

I wasn't wrong as a 15 year old in my assumptions that it was the best thriller I'd ever seen and while I've seen some great films over the last 13 years I'm pleased to say that this one is right up there with the best of them. It's also weird how I seemed to remember every single detail from every scene, even with my notoriously dodgy memory.

I just can't fault this flawless film, Fincher was on top of his game here and it's definitely my favourite of his and I am a fan of Fight Club