There's inevitably a delay in seeing some movies, particularly when it comes to Awards Season (as such I was months late in seeing The King's Speech, and only just over the Christmas season have I caught up on Black Swan). Plus you might not always be able to get to the cinema - indeed there was a huge gap in my cinema-going after the forgettable Columbiana in the first half of September, that was only plugged in the last days of the year with the excellent Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol.
Part of me decided that, in these more restrained times, I'd only go and see films I was much more certain would be worth the trip and the ever-increasing ticket costs ... but then there are other films that you are certain you'll be buying on DVD or Blu-Ray. Kevin Smith's Red State is a must-buy for me, so rather than spend several quid seeing it in the cinema (it was barely on the screens as it was) I can put that cash towards the home video release (which, now that I mention it, is in January). Also coming out in January will be Drive - another flick I'm rather switched-on by, so there's two examples of September 2011 releases that I won't see until January 2012.
Enough of that though - what flicks (that I actually saw in the cinema) tickled my fancy in 2011? In chronological order, my Top Ten of 2011 are:
1) The Fighter - Mark Wahlberg's restrained boxer is the perfect balance to Christian Bale's far-out, wide-eyed, character-of-characters in this true-life tale of a working class boxer rising to great heights before the chance slips through his fingers entirely. If it was between this and Rocky, I'd pick Rocky, but The Fighter is well worth seeing.
2) True Grit - the Coen Brothers give us a fresh telling of the source novel. Typically classy Direction, beautifully photographed, and brilliantly performed. An absolute must-watch.
3) Paul - Simon Pegg, Nick Frost, Kristen Wiig, a pot-smoking alien-on-the-run, and a whole host of modern comedy legends make Greg Mottola's fanboyishly fun sci-fi-action-road-movie-comedy a total blast.
4) Fast Five - surprisingly bloody good fun. I might even go so far as to say it's the best of the series. Big in every way, the action is thunderously entertaining, the vehicle sequences thrilling, and it was just such a fun ride. A little heart, a little humour, and Justin Lin's assured ability at crafting memorable action set pieces make this a damned good time.
5) X-Men: First Class - exhibiting smarts to equal its brawn, even underwhelming side characters can't affect the fascinating central battle between good and evil that birthed the Xavier/Magneto war of conflicting ideologies. Sweeping aside the action-heavy but ever-so-dimly-written-and-directed Last Stand, Matthew Vaugh's comic book fest proved to be the highlight of a heavy crop of comic book movies this year.
6) Captain America - putting characterisation ahead of blowing shit up, Joe Johnston's comic book adaptation proved to be a thoroughly entertaining ride that actually bothered to ascribe meaning to all the spectacle.
7) Hobo With A Shotgun - without a doubt my number one film of 2011. Jason Eisener's grindhouse throw-back is gleefully gruesome, utterly barmy, and lovingly crafted with a truly independent spirit and method. Rutger Hauer brings heart and even pathos to the titular avenging street-dweller, while everyone else brings grue, guns, and gurningly over-the-top performances. It was my most anticipated movie of the year, and the Blu-Ray release didn't let me down at all - bloody brilliant.
8) Rise of the Planet of the Apes - mixing smarts with blockbuster budgets seems to be becoming a common theme nowadays, and hip-hip-hooray for that. After last year's underwritten Iron Man 2, and three ever-diminishing and ever-dumber Transformers movies, the balance has been countered with films such as this. Trading on themes ever-present in the struggle for equal rights, the spectacular visuals were coupled with a meaningful script.
9) Super 8 - nostalgia, scope, heart, and thrills galore combined to form a nigh-on perfect sci-fi that harked back to the glory days of Steven Spielberg's milestone works such as E.T. and Close Encounters of the Third Kind. J.J. Abrams did a stellar job. The central child cast pull you in and feel real, joy isn't without pain or loss, and the jaw-dropping train crash compliments an accomplished sense of pacing.
10) Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol - deftly scripted and directed, nail-shreddingly tense action from Brad Bird as he makes his live-action debut. Mixing thrills with chuckles in all the right places, this is one of the best action thrillers I've seen in a long time.
The Technically-In, Technically-Out Mention (because I saw it on January 3rd 2012):
The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo (2011) - side-stepping the 'perfunctory pit' that so many English-language remakes fall into (Let Me In, please step forward), David Fincher brings his uniquely gifted talent to explore the ever-more-popular international phenomena that is the opening part of the 'Millennium Trilogy'. Fincher brings his remarkable sense of poise and precision to material that's already familiar to millions globally, but still manages to match the original Swedish film punch-for-punch.
Honourable Mentions:
Source Code - certain plot holes aside, Duncan Jones' follow-up to last year's impeccable Moon, is a breezy bit of sci-fi action that may sometimes stumble with logic, but nevertheless puts ideas ahead of fireballs.
Scream 4 - this third sequel rocked up a decade after the dreadful Scream 3 and actually had a little something to say. Most of the wit of the original had returned, and there were even a few good tricks pulled out of the bag. Perhaps it struck home more with those of a nostalgic disposition such as myself: I discovered the original flick during my formative years - initially loving it, then resenting it due to the torrent of tripe cash-ins that it unleashed, only to fall back in-love with it all over again after the horror genre regained its balls in the early 2000's.
The Inbetweeners Movie - the little Brit-flick that could. More like a long episode that doesn't always fire on all cylinders, but for any fan of the cringe-inducingly-good show on E4 must have been happy with this. If you're in-on-the-whole-thing it's great fun, but if you're decidedly on-the-outside-looking-in, you might think otherwise. Personally I'm on the inside having a great old time.
Do note that I usually come to less-mainstream fare after their release year, either through Sky Movies, Film4, the Horror Channel, or DVD/Blu-Ray.
Showing posts with label planet. Show all posts
Showing posts with label planet. Show all posts
Wednesday, 4 January 2012
Monday, 15 August 2011
Hextuple Bill Mini/Cine Musings: August 2011...
Rise of the Planet of the Apes:
I've never seen any of the original movies (nor Tim Burton's roundly derided decade-old remake), but I am familiar with certain iconic images, names, and quotes from the original film starring Charlton Heston - and one day I'll get around to seeing that. Right now though, the franchise is undergoing a rebirth for the modern age, when issues surrounding Civil Rights and the place of the individual and the masses within society, continue to rumble underneath our feet on a daily basis.
In the same summer that has seen the brain dead and overlong Transformers 3 lummox about the place, the intelligence behind Rise's script provides a welcome human (and indeed primate) connection. It's not about apes going ... ape shit ... and smashing up the place, it's about a subjugated community discovering themselves, rallying against their oppressors, and seeking freedom and peace. In the wake of the England riots I wondered if this would prove a touch uncomfortable, but whereas the rioters had no reason for their vicious disregard for their own communities beyond the pursuit of a pair of trainers, the primates in this franchise refresher are gifted (via experimentation, as man seeks to cure it's own mental diseases and ailments) with superior brain functions, and events conspire to bring a collection of them together (chimps, gorillas, orangutans et al) in San Francisco (appropriately enough).
Much like the original films, this 2011 update has rich allegory seas from which to fish - be it the Suffragettes, the Civil Rights Movement, or whatever form of movement to erode barriers that have bred contempt, fear, violence and ignorance - it can be seen as a canvas on which to paint your own personal struggles. Fortunately, the rise of the apes themselves isn't one of unwarranted violence (only the occasional instance of, frankly justified, revenge) - which allows the audience to continue to sympathise with the apes (captured quite convincingly via CGI and performance capture techniques) - and indeed a number of the humans. Mind you, the two main villains of the piece are a bit one-dimensional.
It's an enjoyable sci-fi actioner with a good head on its shoulders with something to say, and what's more it's a touching film at times - anyone who has experienced Alzheimer's (for which the fictional ALZ-112 and ALZ-113 are deemed to be the cure) will understand what has driven James Franco's Will Rodman to create something for good, that ends up causing disaster.
Appaloosa:
This western (from Ed Harris) is no True Grit, Unforgiven, or The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford - but it's still an entertaining watch, mostly due to the central duo of travelling law men Virgil Cole and Everett Hitch, played by Ed Harris and Viggo Mortensen respectively. Their chemistry keeps the pace moving, with a nicely played vein of good humour sewn in, even if the plot does feel a little scattered and doesn't always command your attention.
Rain Man:
Tom Cruise's specialist car importer (Charlie Babbitt) starts out as a complete and utter arsehole, and remains so (for the most part) for a considerable portion of the movie. I'm not sure if that would necessarily happen in a movie these days, but it's Dustin Hoffman's involving portrayal of a highly functioning autistic man (who, as Charlie's brother, inherits $3 million) that keeps the film interesting. Certain morals along the way are now somewhat dated, but for the most part it remains a good watch.
Grindhouse Trailer Classics Vol. 1:
A load of old scratchy, grimy, grotty, and sleazy trailers cut together back-to-back for a couple of hours. Simple really. Many of the trailed movies are well worth seeing in their entirety (Shivers, Zombi, The Last House on the Left, Coffy etc), but a number are fine enough as trailers and no more (all the best bits, none of the direlogue and inept production). Ideal for connoisseurs of grindhouse cinema.
Logorama:
A short film that's set in a world constructed from, and populated by, corporate logos. It's a nifty little piece - in which a gun-toting Ronald McDonald attempts to evade the police - with a sarcastic, but generally hands-off tone. The plot is secondary, the whole point is seeing the extent to which our lives are decorated by corporate logos and brands (it's amazing how many you know in an instant), and it does make me wonder how on earth they got the permission to use all these logos ... or perhaps it falls into some sort of grey area that allows it.
Exit Through The Gift Shop:
The so-called "Banksy Documentary" is really more about Thierry Guetta, a French filmmaker (who incessantly documented his entire life, and then his dealings with the emerging street art scene) who then became a street artist himself (Mister Brainwash). It's a fascinating portrait of the birth of a whole new approach to art, from it's back alley beginnings, to it's current status as incredibly valued alternative art adored by celebrities and mere mortals alike. Definitely worth checking out.
I've never seen any of the original movies (nor Tim Burton's roundly derided decade-old remake), but I am familiar with certain iconic images, names, and quotes from the original film starring Charlton Heston - and one day I'll get around to seeing that. Right now though, the franchise is undergoing a rebirth for the modern age, when issues surrounding Civil Rights and the place of the individual and the masses within society, continue to rumble underneath our feet on a daily basis.
In the same summer that has seen the brain dead and overlong Transformers 3 lummox about the place, the intelligence behind Rise's script provides a welcome human (and indeed primate) connection. It's not about apes going ... ape shit ... and smashing up the place, it's about a subjugated community discovering themselves, rallying against their oppressors, and seeking freedom and peace. In the wake of the England riots I wondered if this would prove a touch uncomfortable, but whereas the rioters had no reason for their vicious disregard for their own communities beyond the pursuit of a pair of trainers, the primates in this franchise refresher are gifted (via experimentation, as man seeks to cure it's own mental diseases and ailments) with superior brain functions, and events conspire to bring a collection of them together (chimps, gorillas, orangutans et al) in San Francisco (appropriately enough).
Much like the original films, this 2011 update has rich allegory seas from which to fish - be it the Suffragettes, the Civil Rights Movement, or whatever form of movement to erode barriers that have bred contempt, fear, violence and ignorance - it can be seen as a canvas on which to paint your own personal struggles. Fortunately, the rise of the apes themselves isn't one of unwarranted violence (only the occasional instance of, frankly justified, revenge) - which allows the audience to continue to sympathise with the apes (captured quite convincingly via CGI and performance capture techniques) - and indeed a number of the humans. Mind you, the two main villains of the piece are a bit one-dimensional.
It's an enjoyable sci-fi actioner with a good head on its shoulders with something to say, and what's more it's a touching film at times - anyone who has experienced Alzheimer's (for which the fictional ALZ-112 and ALZ-113 are deemed to be the cure) will understand what has driven James Franco's Will Rodman to create something for good, that ends up causing disaster.
Appaloosa:
This western (from Ed Harris) is no True Grit, Unforgiven, or The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford - but it's still an entertaining watch, mostly due to the central duo of travelling law men Virgil Cole and Everett Hitch, played by Ed Harris and Viggo Mortensen respectively. Their chemistry keeps the pace moving, with a nicely played vein of good humour sewn in, even if the plot does feel a little scattered and doesn't always command your attention.
Rain Man:
Tom Cruise's specialist car importer (Charlie Babbitt) starts out as a complete and utter arsehole, and remains so (for the most part) for a considerable portion of the movie. I'm not sure if that would necessarily happen in a movie these days, but it's Dustin Hoffman's involving portrayal of a highly functioning autistic man (who, as Charlie's brother, inherits $3 million) that keeps the film interesting. Certain morals along the way are now somewhat dated, but for the most part it remains a good watch.
Grindhouse Trailer Classics Vol. 1:
A load of old scratchy, grimy, grotty, and sleazy trailers cut together back-to-back for a couple of hours. Simple really. Many of the trailed movies are well worth seeing in their entirety (Shivers, Zombi, The Last House on the Left, Coffy etc), but a number are fine enough as trailers and no more (all the best bits, none of the direlogue and inept production). Ideal for connoisseurs of grindhouse cinema.
Logorama:
A short film that's set in a world constructed from, and populated by, corporate logos. It's a nifty little piece - in which a gun-toting Ronald McDonald attempts to evade the police - with a sarcastic, but generally hands-off tone. The plot is secondary, the whole point is seeing the extent to which our lives are decorated by corporate logos and brands (it's amazing how many you know in an instant), and it does make me wonder how on earth they got the permission to use all these logos ... or perhaps it falls into some sort of grey area that allows it.
Exit Through The Gift Shop:
The so-called "Banksy Documentary" is really more about Thierry Guetta, a French filmmaker (who incessantly documented his entire life, and then his dealings with the emerging street art scene) who then became a street artist himself (Mister Brainwash). It's a fascinating portrait of the birth of a whole new approach to art, from it's back alley beginnings, to it's current status as incredibly valued alternative art adored by celebrities and mere mortals alike. Definitely worth checking out.
Thursday, 2 December 2010
Machete...
As soon as I saw the trailer at the head of Grindhouse/Planet Terror, I knew I wanted to see a feature length version of Machete, and now three years later here we are. Disappointingly there was barely (if any) pushing of this flick here in the UK. If you weren't somehow in the know, you wouldn't know a damn thing about it being in the cinemas.
As such the screening we went to was a bit on the sparse side, but even still it was a ruddy good old time. The pre-title sequence is the movie at quite possibly it's best - to say it starts of strong is an understatement. Heads and limbs are lopped off, gags are thrown out to the audience, and generally speaking there's just a bunch of bad-assery going on for five minutes.
Continuing the vibe established by the under performing (Theatrical Box Office wise) cult extravaganza Grindhouse, Machete goes for the 'dirty old print' look (albeit in a far subtler way), and pretty much just wants to have fun with over-the-top characters in over-the-top situations. The guys are tough and the girls are smoking (and pretty tough themselves), and the violence is brutally humorous.
Sticking the various set pieces together (the best of which are found in the first half) is a plot relating to illegal immigration, which is fair enough as without that the plot would be drearily similar to countless other exploitation flicks. However, what is disappointing is that Rodriguez & Co never really bother to get into the meat of the issue - it's pretty much 'the proponents of a great big fence are murderous uber-rednecks, and those against are poster boy freedom fighters' ... weirdly, for an exploitation flick, the plot is a bit undercooked. If you're going to introduce an interesting start point for a plot, at least dive into it, rather than leave the stone half turned.
Indeed it's when the movie focuses on getting some of the plot out of the way that the movie dips, in that it begins to lack some of the memorable moments that we are treated to so regularly in the first half. It's as if the throttle keeps slipping in the second half, which is unfortunate, because when the movie is cooking it's on fire.
Danny Trejo is fun-as-hell as the titular short-talking tough-guy hero - getting great lines like "Machete don't text" to play with, and hot chicas to bed throughout - while the supporting cast dive into the fun of it all, most notably Jessica Alba, Jeff Fahey, Cheech Marin, and Robert DeNiro, the latter of whom is a bit underused.
This was the sort of flick that had already shown us many of it's best bits in the faux trailer that preceded Planet Terror, although it was fun to pinpoint where the existing shots turn up, and where certain changes have been made along the way. Machete had a lot of hype going into it, so perhaps that explains the slight twinge of disappointment that I felt in the second half of the flick, but now that I've seen it, it'll be good to see it a second time - on its own terms for exactly what it is.
However, despite some slow points in the second half, and a slightly underwhelming finale, Machete is a rip-roaring good time that does what exploitation movies are supposed to do - give the audience bad ass dudes, sexy tough girls, and an over-the-top sense of action and violence.
As such the screening we went to was a bit on the sparse side, but even still it was a ruddy good old time. The pre-title sequence is the movie at quite possibly it's best - to say it starts of strong is an understatement. Heads and limbs are lopped off, gags are thrown out to the audience, and generally speaking there's just a bunch of bad-assery going on for five minutes.
Continuing the vibe established by the under performing (Theatrical Box Office wise) cult extravaganza Grindhouse, Machete goes for the 'dirty old print' look (albeit in a far subtler way), and pretty much just wants to have fun with over-the-top characters in over-the-top situations. The guys are tough and the girls are smoking (and pretty tough themselves), and the violence is brutally humorous.
Sticking the various set pieces together (the best of which are found in the first half) is a plot relating to illegal immigration, which is fair enough as without that the plot would be drearily similar to countless other exploitation flicks. However, what is disappointing is that Rodriguez & Co never really bother to get into the meat of the issue - it's pretty much 'the proponents of a great big fence are murderous uber-rednecks, and those against are poster boy freedom fighters' ... weirdly, for an exploitation flick, the plot is a bit undercooked. If you're going to introduce an interesting start point for a plot, at least dive into it, rather than leave the stone half turned.
Indeed it's when the movie focuses on getting some of the plot out of the way that the movie dips, in that it begins to lack some of the memorable moments that we are treated to so regularly in the first half. It's as if the throttle keeps slipping in the second half, which is unfortunate, because when the movie is cooking it's on fire.
Danny Trejo is fun-as-hell as the titular short-talking tough-guy hero - getting great lines like "Machete don't text" to play with, and hot chicas to bed throughout - while the supporting cast dive into the fun of it all, most notably Jessica Alba, Jeff Fahey, Cheech Marin, and Robert DeNiro, the latter of whom is a bit underused.
This was the sort of flick that had already shown us many of it's best bits in the faux trailer that preceded Planet Terror, although it was fun to pinpoint where the existing shots turn up, and where certain changes have been made along the way. Machete had a lot of hype going into it, so perhaps that explains the slight twinge of disappointment that I felt in the second half of the flick, but now that I've seen it, it'll be good to see it a second time - on its own terms for exactly what it is.
However, despite some slow points in the second half, and a slightly underwhelming finale, Machete is a rip-roaring good time that does what exploitation movies are supposed to do - give the audience bad ass dudes, sexy tough girls, and an over-the-top sense of action and violence.
Wednesday, 3 November 2010
Octuple Bill Mini Musings: October 2010 catch-up...
Midnight Cowboy:
It's thoroughly of its time, from the drugs-fuel of the 1960s obsession, to the cutting edge of the New Hollywood era where daring-do was the order of the day. It's a shame that such risk taking is rarely seen these days - could you imagine a film being made today about a country boy looking to 'make it big' in New York as a male prostitute, only to fail miserably and end up living in squalor, and at the same time be weirdly funny about it all? I don't think so.
Cat People:
Part of BBC4's horror season, and in-connection to the first episode of Mark Gatiss' "History of Horror" documentary, I was really surprised by how utterly, utterly dull this film is. Aside from a couple of decent scenes of suspense (the bus, the pool, the office), three-fifths-of-sod-all happens for 70 minutes. The opening half an hour is painfully dull, and painfully dated - in that 'oh my darling, I've known you for five minutes and I love you so, let's get married' kind of way that's unbelievable rather than charming. Each to their own and what not, but I think I'll side with John Carpenter on this one - it's naff.
I Walked With A Zombie:
From the people that brought us the dreadfully dull Cat People the year before (Director Jacques Tourneur and Producer Val Lewton, but with different screenwriters), comes this tale (again with corny 'oh I hardly know you at all, yet I want to marry you' tacked-in 'love' subplot) of a nurse brought to a beautiful-but-deathly island to look after a rich white man's zombified wife. The rich white folk view any suggestion that the native rituals and beliefs might actually hold sway over this woman's plight with condescension and mockery, but the curious nurse is keen to investigate. The pacing is far, far superior to Cat People. Stuff actually happens for one, we also see things for two, and the emaciated, bug-eyed zombified local who appears twice is genuinely creepy. The lush visuals and the intriguing plot smooth over any out-dated world views, and it was well worth a watch. I was quite charmed by it.
The Battle of the Bulge:
Only a few years after the genuinely brilliant and involved epic that was The Longest Day, came this cheesy epic. It's nowhere in the same league as the former, it's too long-winded and far too "movie!" about everything. It feels more like a kid's action man comic book than a revered take on true-to-life (and, then, recent) events.
Planet 51:
The trailer made this look genuinely funny and entertaining, but the set-up is only good enough for a trailer really as it is stretched mercilessly thin across 90 minutes. The 1950s-on-an-alien-planet-where-a-homosapien-astronaut-is-the-actual-alien angle is charming, and initially quite amusing, but then a wafer-thin 'run around for a bit, get into some scrapes, get captured, escape, run around some more, learn a lesson, say goodbye' plot turns a nifty idea for a short subject into far-from-Pixar fare. It has some nice moments and a few good chuckles, but it's undercooked and disappointing in the end.
A Serious Man:
Unapologetically Jewish, if you don't know your goys from your barmitzvahs, then too bad (but it's all the better and individual for it). Fortunately the classically-Coens plot filled with dilemmas, oddballs, and morals galore keeps things moving for the uninitiated. I much preferred the likes of No Country For Old Men, Fargo and The Big Lebowski, but the Coen charm holds it all together. Not one of their greats, but quite possibly one of their most personal efforts.
Away We Go:
An indie-vibes comedy drama from Sam Mendes filled with supporting oddball repulsives and depressed drones, about a young couple who aren't far from becoming a family for the first time, and they're looking for a place to settle. There's not an awful lot of meat to chew on, or gravitas to engage with, but it's just a really nice film to watch. The central pairing are sweet and nice. Their problems aren't demanding to the viewer, their happiness isn't overplayed or saccharine, but aspirational and a perfect balance for a succession of guest-star segments, the most notable and entertaining of which features Maggie Gyllenhaal as a mind-numbingly awful, smug, rabidly left, and forceful hippy. Do you want a happy little flick with two charming protagonists? Have a gander at this.
The Goods: Live Hard, Sell Hard:
Featuring a whole host of "oh that guy/chick from that comedy show/movie" actors and actresses, the first half an hour is slick and fast paced with 'the funny', but the remaining hour gets slower throughout as the basic plot movements have to get untangled, solved and wrapped up inside the 90 minutes running time. A decent comic diversion for a Friday or Saturday night - it's the sort of film you'd rent or watch on Sky Movies with a couple of friends and a couple of cans.
It's thoroughly of its time, from the drugs-fuel of the 1960s obsession, to the cutting edge of the New Hollywood era where daring-do was the order of the day. It's a shame that such risk taking is rarely seen these days - could you imagine a film being made today about a country boy looking to 'make it big' in New York as a male prostitute, only to fail miserably and end up living in squalor, and at the same time be weirdly funny about it all? I don't think so.
Cat People:
Part of BBC4's horror season, and in-connection to the first episode of Mark Gatiss' "History of Horror" documentary, I was really surprised by how utterly, utterly dull this film is. Aside from a couple of decent scenes of suspense (the bus, the pool, the office), three-fifths-of-sod-all happens for 70 minutes. The opening half an hour is painfully dull, and painfully dated - in that 'oh my darling, I've known you for five minutes and I love you so, let's get married' kind of way that's unbelievable rather than charming. Each to their own and what not, but I think I'll side with John Carpenter on this one - it's naff.
I Walked With A Zombie:
From the people that brought us the dreadfully dull Cat People the year before (Director Jacques Tourneur and Producer Val Lewton, but with different screenwriters), comes this tale (again with corny 'oh I hardly know you at all, yet I want to marry you' tacked-in 'love' subplot) of a nurse brought to a beautiful-but-deathly island to look after a rich white man's zombified wife. The rich white folk view any suggestion that the native rituals and beliefs might actually hold sway over this woman's plight with condescension and mockery, but the curious nurse is keen to investigate. The pacing is far, far superior to Cat People. Stuff actually happens for one, we also see things for two, and the emaciated, bug-eyed zombified local who appears twice is genuinely creepy. The lush visuals and the intriguing plot smooth over any out-dated world views, and it was well worth a watch. I was quite charmed by it.
The Battle of the Bulge:
Only a few years after the genuinely brilliant and involved epic that was The Longest Day, came this cheesy epic. It's nowhere in the same league as the former, it's too long-winded and far too "movie!" about everything. It feels more like a kid's action man comic book than a revered take on true-to-life (and, then, recent) events.
Planet 51:
The trailer made this look genuinely funny and entertaining, but the set-up is only good enough for a trailer really as it is stretched mercilessly thin across 90 minutes. The 1950s-on-an-alien-planet-where-a-homosapien-astronaut-is-the-actual-alien angle is charming, and initially quite amusing, but then a wafer-thin 'run around for a bit, get into some scrapes, get captured, escape, run around some more, learn a lesson, say goodbye' plot turns a nifty idea for a short subject into far-from-Pixar fare. It has some nice moments and a few good chuckles, but it's undercooked and disappointing in the end.
A Serious Man:
Unapologetically Jewish, if you don't know your goys from your barmitzvahs, then too bad (but it's all the better and individual for it). Fortunately the classically-Coens plot filled with dilemmas, oddballs, and morals galore keeps things moving for the uninitiated. I much preferred the likes of No Country For Old Men, Fargo and The Big Lebowski, but the Coen charm holds it all together. Not one of their greats, but quite possibly one of their most personal efforts.
Away We Go:
An indie-vibes comedy drama from Sam Mendes filled with supporting oddball repulsives and depressed drones, about a young couple who aren't far from becoming a family for the first time, and they're looking for a place to settle. There's not an awful lot of meat to chew on, or gravitas to engage with, but it's just a really nice film to watch. The central pairing are sweet and nice. Their problems aren't demanding to the viewer, their happiness isn't overplayed or saccharine, but aspirational and a perfect balance for a succession of guest-star segments, the most notable and entertaining of which features Maggie Gyllenhaal as a mind-numbingly awful, smug, rabidly left, and forceful hippy. Do you want a happy little flick with two charming protagonists? Have a gander at this.
The Goods: Live Hard, Sell Hard:
Featuring a whole host of "oh that guy/chick from that comedy show/movie" actors and actresses, the first half an hour is slick and fast paced with 'the funny', but the remaining hour gets slower throughout as the basic plot movements have to get untangled, solved and wrapped up inside the 90 minutes running time. A decent comic diversion for a Friday or Saturday night - it's the sort of film you'd rent or watch on Sky Movies with a couple of friends and a couple of cans.
Wednesday, 16 December 2009
Aliens of the Deep...
What with the coming of Avatar - and indeed the return of James Cameron - I figured it was about time I got off my arse and checked out those couple of undersea documentaries he made early on this decade. First through the letter box was Aliens of the Deep, and what is definitely the weaker of the two documentaries.
That said, it's still fascinating. A mixture of technological and natural eye-saucering. It doesn't carry the same poised, descriptive and imaginative commentary as David Attenborough does in the exemplary Planet Earth and Life (both of which have featured undersea episodes, covering some of the very creatures gawped at in Aliens of the Deep).
Nothing particularly deep, but alluring to those of a James Cameron fandom persuasion, and those who want to get a taste of the experience of deep sea exploration.
That said, it's still fascinating. A mixture of technological and natural eye-saucering. It doesn't carry the same poised, descriptive and imaginative commentary as David Attenborough does in the exemplary Planet Earth and Life (both of which have featured undersea episodes, covering some of the very creatures gawped at in Aliens of the Deep).
Nothing particularly deep, but alluring to those of a James Cameron fandom persuasion, and those who want to get a taste of the experience of deep sea exploration.
Friday, 14 August 2009
Planet Sci-Cast (2008)...
A friend of mine (who has been in a few of my short films) asked me for a bit of help with filming a little video for the Planet Sci-Cast competition (make a 90 second short film which demonstrated something fun to do with physics that you could try at home).
I did offer to film it on my camera and edit, but to make sure we stayed within the rules, we just filmed it far more simply (hence the comedy 'back of an envelope' idea ... although seeing other entries we could have gone further on the look with ease).
Anyway - it took a fun idea (to do with friction), and it was a simple demonstration of the principle. There was another video that was inspired by the same 'try this at home' segment on some physics magazine (I forget the name now), which won out over us - but even still, we were nominated in the "best film by an adult team" category, which was nice.
I did offer to film it on my camera and edit, but to make sure we stayed within the rules, we just filmed it far more simply (hence the comedy 'back of an envelope' idea ... although seeing other entries we could have gone further on the look with ease).
Anyway - it took a fun idea (to do with friction), and it was a simple demonstration of the principle. There was another video that was inspired by the same 'try this at home' segment on some physics magazine (I forget the name now), which won out over us - but even still, we were nominated in the "best film by an adult team" category, which was nice.
Thursday, 27 March 2008
111th post spectacular!
Well it's been a good day. First off, an awesome episode of South Park. Then a very promising meet & greet (more on that in due course, as-and-when), and now:
http://www.planet-scicast.com/
view_clip.cfm?cit_id=2706&tab=directors#tabs
Or search for "friction" or "sticky books".
I helped my mate Ben film this little physics experiment for a competition, although I didn't have to do that much, I basically moved the camera a smidge and acted as his helper monkey, hehe. However - good news is, so I've been informed by the man himself, it's been selected or some such exciting word for 'the next stage' or whatever you might fancy calling it - in other words, good stuff.
There's some event being held for this competition in London. Ben will certainly be attending ... I might be, but who knows ... what with my freelance lifestyle it's tricky to make plans for a month in the future, as well as the extortionate price of train tickets. But I'm certainly keeping my fingers crossed for Ben's cool video, it's one of those little things you can try at home easily, and it's something you'd have never thought of or heard about before - I know I'd never heard of such a thing before, and it was pretty cool.
So all-in-all, a good and productive day.
http://www.planet-scicast.com/
view_clip.cfm?cit_id=2706&tab=directors#tabs
Or search for "friction" or "sticky books".
I helped my mate Ben film this little physics experiment for a competition, although I didn't have to do that much, I basically moved the camera a smidge and acted as his helper monkey, hehe. However - good news is, so I've been informed by the man himself, it's been selected or some such exciting word for 'the next stage' or whatever you might fancy calling it - in other words, good stuff.
There's some event being held for this competition in London. Ben will certainly be attending ... I might be, but who knows ... what with my freelance lifestyle it's tricky to make plans for a month in the future, as well as the extortionate price of train tickets. But I'm certainly keeping my fingers crossed for Ben's cool video, it's one of those little things you can try at home easily, and it's something you'd have never thought of or heard about before - I know I'd never heard of such a thing before, and it was pretty cool.
So all-in-all, a good and productive day.
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