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Archive for the Mystery Category

The Skin I Live In * * * * *

Posted in Drama, Horror, Mystery with tags 2011 on August 16, 2012 by Mark Walker

Director: Pedro Almodovar.
Screenplay: Pedro Almodovar, Agustin Almodovar.
Starring: Antonio Banderas, Elena Anaya, Marisa Paredes, Jan Cornet, Roberto Alamo, Blanca Suarez.

Any time I approach a film by director Pedro Almodovar, I know straight away that I’ll have to pay attention. He explores difficult and heavy themes but does them with such style and attention to detail that his craftsmanship cannot be ignored. For anyone wondering whether he achieves the same level of quality with this recent effort, then wonder no more. He does and more so.

Robert Ledgard (Antonio Banderas) is a plastic surgeon who has perfected a new form of artificial skin. The problem with Ledgard though, is that he’s not entirely healthy of mind and as a test subject, he holds Vera (Elena Anaya) captive in his home to conduct his experiments. However, the arrival of a wanted criminal makes an appearance at his home which brings forth the dark history of the doctor and patient and how they came to be in their current situation.

Something that I have always tried to avoid when writing down my thoughts on a film is treading into spoiler territory. This is certainly one of those films that’s difficult to write about without giving away major parts of the plot. Suffice to say, Almodovar himself described the film as “a horror story without screams or frights” that was loosely based on the novel “Tarantula” by French writer Thierry Jonquet and inspired by Georges Franju’s 1960 film “Eyes Without a Face“. It also has an odd David Lynch feel to it, or more to the point, Lynch’s daughter Jennifer and her 1993 movie “Boxing Helena” (much more accomplished than that of course) In different hands this film could have fell into torture porn territory and ended up hitting the straight to DVD slasher shelf but with Almodovar at the helm, it takes on a whole new shape and form. His ability to construct an elaborate narrative cannot be questioned and he commands an audiences attention, while teasingly, revealing the layers to his story. Quite simply, he’s an artist! That statement alone should be enough to simplify this highly creative director’s impressive catalogue. Scenes are shot with such an eye for detailed beauty that you’d be forgiven for being reminded of classical pieces of art as he frames his picture like an expressionist painter. The production design is superb and visually, the film is simply beautiful. The beautiful look isn’t reflected in the material though. This is dark stuff and despite being, both shocking and bizarre, it possesses a sense of humour – all be it, a sick one. Almodovar’s recurrent themes and probing of the human psyche are also explored; masochism, transgender issues and repressed sexuality but ultimately this is a modern, twisted take on the Frankenstein story and one that he imbues with style and creative flair. But nothing is black and white here, he even toys with the morality of the audience in clever use of the Stockholm syndrome in which a hostage begins to identify with and grow sympathetic to their captor. As always with Almodovar though, there are a major plot developments that throw his films off-kilter and take such dramatic turns that they quite near takes your breath away. To reveal any more would be completely irresponsible and wholly unfair of me but rest assured that this is thought provoking filmmaking and a craftsman plying his trade at a very high standard. He’s also aided by superb performances by his leads; Elena Anaya could well be the next Penelope Cruz and it’s great to see Banderas deliver such an intense and brooding character, making you wonder why he and the Spanish auteur have waited 21 years before collaborating again here.

A provocative and macabre near masterpiece from Almodovar. It’s one worthy of attention and arguably his finest film to date.

Mark Walker

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The Hunter * * * 1/2

Posted in Drama, Mystery with tags 2012 on July 27, 2012 by Mark Walker

Director: Daniel Nettheim.
Screenplay: Wain Fimeri, Alice Addison.
Starring: Willem Dafoe, Sam Neill, Frances O’Connor, Morgana Davies, Finn Woodlock, Sullivan Stapleton, Callan Mulvey, Jacek Koman.

Willem Dafoe is one of those actors that despite possessing a recognisable name in cinema still isn’t afraid to take on projects that are in danger of being unrecognised. He’s worked with some of my favourite director’s in David Lynch, Lars von Trier and Wes Anderson and yet always finds the time to be involved in lesser known works. This is another example of that.

A biotech corporation hires hunter Martin David (Willem Dafoe) to track down the, believed to be extinct, Tasmanian tiger. He finds board with a single mother (Frances O’Connor) and her two children who’s father has disappeared in the hills, hunting the same animal. As David delves further into the hunt, he realises that all is not as it seems and his employers, the locals and a tracker (Sam Neill) have other plans for him.

The premise of this film about the hunt for the last known Tasmanian tiger is intriguing enough but it grips even more because of the finely tuned, low-key atmosphere; the indulgence in some beautiful sweeping landscapes and a lead actor that has character written all over his rugged face. From the opening alone, it’s apparent that this film is in no rush and seemingly revels in it’s methodical approach. Now, that’s not normally a problem for me. In fact, I welcome it but when the film hints at a further depth without fully providing it then I begin to feel disappointment creeping in. There are themes of man’s relationship with nature and environmental issues going on underneath it all somewhere but the deeper you dig, you realise it’s not that profound. Yet, on the surface it would have you believe it is. That’s not to say that there’s not plenty to admire here. There is; it has a decent – if underdeveloped -conspiracy thriller element and it’s more than competently shot with beautiful cinematography and another solid performance from Dafoe to add to his growing canon. Most of the weight is on his shoulders and he carries it well but despite a very good performance, I wasn’t entirely convinced about his characters actions. On the one hand, he was very kind and concerned and the other, uncaring and cold. I think the fault with this lies with the script. His character isn’t fleshed out enough leaving him enigmatic. Maybe this was intentional but I just took his character to be muddled, giving off mixed messages and never fully allowing me to identify with him. The rest of the characters came off even less developed which would leave you to believe that this air of mystery amongst them was part of it all. If so, it just didn’t work for me.

It shares similar themes to “The Grey” before it, in terms of man versus nature and even in it’s attempts at a philosophical approach. I enjoyed it but I expected a little more profundity.

Mark Walker

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Lucky Number Slevin * * * 1/2

Posted in Crime, Mystery, thriller with tags 2006 on July 24, 2012 by Mark Walker

Director: Paul McGuigan.
Screenplay: Jason Smilovic.
Starring: Josh Hartnett, Bruce Willis, Morgan Freeman, Ben Kingsley, Lucy Liu, Stanley Tucci, Danny Aiello, Kevin Chamberlin Mykelti Williamson, Dorian Missick, Robert Forster.

The biggest thing I remember hearing about this film upon it’s release was the mentioning of Ben Kingsley’s Knighthood on the film poster. This seemed to create quite a stir, as professional credits don’t normally include this. It transpired that is was all just a mistake but it overshadowed the film itself. A shame really, as this is quite a tight little mystery/thriller.

Arriving in New York to stay at a friend’s apartment, Slevin Kelevra (Josh Hartnett) finds that his friend is missing and owes money to two very dangerous criminals – The Boss (Morgan Freeman) and The Rabbi (Ben Kingsley). Added to which, Slevin finds himself mistaken for his absent friend and soon involved in a lot of trouble with them both. With the help of his friends neighbour Lindsey (Lucy Liu), Slevin tries to clear up the confusion.

I’ve always been a sucker for films that twist and tease, keeping you perplexed and forcing you to keep up to speed. I like it when the script has actually been given some attention and one that demands the attention of the viewer. This is that type of film. It keeps you guessing and is not without a dark and lightness of touch either. It helps when there’s an impressive cast assembled also and each of the performers involved here deliver fine pieces of work. Seeing old hands Freeman and Kingsley play off one another is a particular highlight. Ultimately, it’s the convoluted nature of the story that impresses most though. Screenwriter Jason Smilovic and director Paul McGuigan add substance and style to the proceedings and keep you at just the right distance from the characters’ motivations. However, intricate and clever films also face the danger of becoming too loaded. For the most part, this film is a success but the denouement is a little muddled. For a film of this type to work, it needs to have a pay-off and this does have a satisfactory one. The only problem is, it has one too many. Without revealing too much, the fate of a prominent character seems like it’s been tacked on and stinks of studio involvement, letting down an otherwise intricate and cleverly constructed film.

A satisfyingly convoluted crime yarn with an impressive and eclectic mix of actors. However, the unravelling is a major demerit. Well… that and Willis’ ridiculous hairpieces.

Mark Walker

17 Comments »

Twixt * * 1/2

Posted in Horror, Mystery with tags 2011 on June 16, 2012 by Mark Walker

Director: Francis Ford Coppola.
Screenplay: Francis Ford Coppola.
Starring: Val Kilmer, Bruce Dern, Elle Fanning, Ben Chaplin, Joanne Whalley, David Paymer, Alden Ehrenreich, Anthony Fusco, Don Novello, Ryan Simpkins.
Narrator: Tom Waits.

Having crafted such classics as “The Godfather parts I & II“, “The Conversation” and “Apocalypse Now“, director Francis Ford Coppola was, rightly, considered one the heavyweights of cinema. However, he fell on hard times financially and most of his recent film’s have shown a shadow of his former self and have had people scratching their heads as to how someone so prominent could deliver such nonsense.

Hall Baltimore (Val Kilmer) was once a successful writer. His career has nosedived and he struggles to produce the material anymore. He comes to a small town during a book tour, and becomes involved in the murder investigation of a young girl. In a dream, he is approached by writer Edgar Allen Poe (Ben Chaplin) and a youthful ghost named V (Elle Fanning) who is in some way connected to a local murder. Both inform him of the details but the connection to the murder is unclear.

As this film opens we are given a growling narration from Tom Waits about a small American town and an introduction to it’s inhabitants and our protagonist. The first thing that strikes you is Coppola’s perfectly refined atmosphere and obvious ability in framing a picture. Quite simply, the film is marvellously shot. The angles with the camera are impressively positioned and use of light and colour are sumptuous. At one point he introduces a monochromatic approach that further adds to the creepy ambience. From very early on, Coppola’s talent is still apparent but where he struggles, is in a particularly poor script. It comes across as an amateur horror and on this front, you wouldn’t think for a second that it was Coppola behind it. However, despite the the bad writing, it’s clear that this is a very personal project for the director; the idea originated from a dream he once had, which reflects in the story itself and the actual death of his son (Gian-Carlo Coppola) in a speedboat accident also has a heavy influence. The very premise, consisting of a writer in rapid decline also mirrors the director’s similar creative downfall. At one point, our lead character is asked the question “how does it feel to the bargain basement Stephen King?” and that’s exactly the feeling that this film gives off – a bargain basement horror. Whether this was Coppola’s intention is debatable but it still doesn’t forgive the muddled unravelling of the story. All this being said, I still found myself persevering with it.

This left me with very mixed thoughts. One the one hand, it struck me as an absolute low-budget turkey but on the other, it intrigued me enough to keep watching. If anything, just see what path the once great director is now treading.

To look into another of Coppola’s recent efforts, my next stop will be his 2009 film “Tetro“.

Mark Walker

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Kill List * * * *

Posted in Crime, Drama, Horror, Mystery with tags 2011 on May 25, 2012 by Mark Walker

Director: Ben Wheatley.
Screenplay: Ben Wheatley.
Starring: Neil Maskell, Michael Smiley, MyAnna Buring, Harry Simpson, Emma Fryer, Struan Rodger, Ben Crompton, Robin Hill,

In 2009, Ben Wheatley made his directorial debut with crime drama “Down Terrace“. It gained him some recognition but he wasn’t overly talked about. A mere two years later, he delivered this. Like it or not, Wheatley has now captured the attention of many.

Having not worked for nearly a year, contract killer Jay (Neil Maskell) is nagged by his wife Shel (MyAnna Buring) to start earning again. As a result, he takes on a new assignment with his partner Gal (Michael Smiley) to kill three successive targets that will pay lucratively. Things look simple on the surface but darker events soon begin to unravel.

As the movie opens, a white symbol scribes upon a black background. It almost resembles one of Anarchy or possibly the Occult. It could easily be ignored but it would be wise to pay heed as it may give you a better understanding of this discordant mystery. As quick as the symbol appears… it’s gone. We then delve straight into working class British drama territory; an arguing dysfunctional family, financial constraints and characters with dangerous demeanours. Credit must go to the director for his use of a rarely static camera in the opening. It adds to the complete involvement of the viewer and the contribution from his editor Robin Hill also deserves mention. The clever editing techniques add to an ever growing intensity as we become embroiled in bigger and more deadly affairs.
In gritty urban drama’s there are normally tortured or struggling souls but rarely is a deeper moral scale explored from the perspective of the everyday man. The lead character of Jay loves his family but he also happens to be a hired killer. Him and his friend Gal are painted as being human with in-human actions and they even see their murders as justifiable. They don’t conform to society as a whole and as we observe their “Kill List“, white captions appear on-screen informing us of who the intended victims are – “The Priest“, “The Librarian” and “The M.P.” Do these ‘hits’ reflect or allude to their eradication of religion, academia and politics from society? Their anarchistic behaviour alluding to the film’s opening symbol? That’s only part of the ambiguity involved here. Some actions from the key characters are unexplained, not to mention the unravelling of the film. There is an extreme shift in genre. It discards it’s dramatic approach completely and heads full-on into horror territory as it explores the possibility of inner demons and evil at work – this time, the allusion of the symbol being related to the occult. This in turn throughs up questions as to the stability of the protagonists mental health. The shift in tone is uneasy and it’s audacity throws you off but it’s nonetheless intriguing.
Whether there is a message involved or not, it will no doubt confound and provoke debate. That, in my eyes, is always a good thing and at the very least, there’s no denying this type of unconventional filmmaking is admirable and well delivered.
Director Ben Wheatley could very well have a big future ahead if this is anything to go by. The same could be said of the leads in Neil Maskell and Michael Smiley; they show a good camaraderie together and deliver realistic and powerful performances.

Be aware that the ending of this film travels far down the road of ambiguity. Don’t expect it to make complete sense but what you can expect, is for it to deliver visceral, unsettling and thought provoking material.

Mark Walker

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Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy * * * *

Posted in Mystery, thriller with tags 2011 on May 8, 2012 by Mark Walker

Director: Tomas Alfredson.
Screenplay: Peter Straughan, Bridget O’Connor.
Starring: Gary Oldman, Colin Firth, Tom Hardy, Mark Strong, John Hurt, Benedict Cumberbatch, Ciaran Hinds, Toby Jones, David Dencik, Stephen Graham, Konstantin Khabensky, Svetlana Khodchenkova, Simon McBurney, Kathy Burke.

After the success of his Swedish horror film “Let the Right One In“, director Tomas Alfredson tackles the novel of John le Carre which first aired as a British TV miniseries in 1979 starring Alec Guinness. It’s a tough project to take on, when all eyes are on you but Alfredson’s abilities are perfectly suited to the material.

After a botched mission, the head of MI6, British Intelligence spymaster, known as Control (John Hurt) is sacked from the agency along with his number-one man, George Smiley (Gary Oldman). Soon after their sacking, information is revealed that a Soviet mole has infiltrated the Secret service and worked his way up to the highest echelon. Smiley is then approached to take on a new assignment: spy on the spies and find out who the mole could be.

The first thing to grab your attention about this film is its style. It captures London in the 1970’s to the minutest detail and cinematographer Hoyte Van Hoytema deserves every credit for his striking work here. To compliment the lush imagery is a perfectly pitched score by Alberto Iglesias and within minutes the game, that is espionage, is set. Alfredson is a director that obviously likes to work at a certain pace. That pace may be excruciatingly slow for some people but it can also be highly effective. In this case, it’s the latter. This film ruminates long and hard on it’s characters and their subtleties. However, it is so convoluted and dialogue driven that the slightest lapse in concentration will leave the film incomprehensible. I don’t profess to have understood it entirely but I kept up to speed enough to be left satisfied with the outcome. My review of this may be posted a little early though, as this is a film that definitely requires at least two sittings. For that reason, I have settled on my current rating but that will only ever get higher if I ever get around to that second viewing. A couple of criticisms I had was a lack of any real action. Don’t get me wrong, I wasn’t expecting Jason Bourne to make a appearance but it threatened a few exciting set-pieces and then didn’t deliver. The other was the identity of the double-agent; it became clear earlier than it should have which lessened the impact of the final revelation. These are small gripes though as the suspense and intrigue were engrossing and more than competently handled by the director and his eclectic cast of quality British actors – I happen to be an admirer of every one of them. It’s Oldman though, in the lead role, that is the real standout. He’s very reserved and it’s a performance that may disappoint fans of his intense roles like Drexl from “True Romance” or Stansfield from “Leon” but he holds a presence that hints of something darker to his character. At first, it was a performance that I didn’t really see what all the fuss – and Oscar nomination – was about. That was, until the film draws to close and you realise that Oldman has had you captivated for over two hours. The story itself is difficult to speak of as I’d be entering into spoiler territory, not to mention my review would be in danger of becoming very long-winded. Rest assured though, this is a thoroughly involving and accomplished mystery.

An enthralling and masterfully constructed spy thriller that is handled with such a deftness of skill that it doesn’t allow you to switch off for a second.

Mark Walker

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Doubt * * * * 1/2

Posted in Drama, Mystery with tags 2008 on April 2, 2012 by Mark Walker

Director: John Patrick Shanley.
Screenplay: John Patrick Shanley.
Starring: Meryl Streep, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Amy Adams, Viola Davis, Alice Drummond, Audrie Neenan, Joseph Foster II, Paulie Litt.

John Patrick Shanley is probably better known for the 1987 film “Moonstruck” which garnered Cher a best actress Oscar and also one for himself in the screenplay department. He went on to direct “Joe Versus The Volcano” in 1990, to mixed results, but here he’s back to his native New York, doing what he does best and taking only his second stab at directing.

In a Bronx Catholic school in the 1960’s, stern and moralistic school principal Sister Aloysius Beauvier (Meryl Streep) suspects that gregarious priest Father Flynn (Philip Seymour Hoffman) has shown an unnatural and indecent interest in one of the school’s alter boys. She is so certain of her suspicions but lacks the evidence to prove it, leading to a battle-of-wits between them.

There are, easily, three main reasons why I enjoyed this film so much and they are: the three actors involved. Amy Adams is one of the strongest young actresses around at present and Streep and Hoffman are two of my all-time favourites. I never tire of watching them and to see them go head-to-head, chewing up the screen with powerful roles, is dramatic gold as far as I’m concerned. Such choice material though, ultimately rests with Shanley. His writing, not only has the characters in doubt but the omission of integral plot developments cleverly leaves the audience with doubts also. Is Father Flynn guilty of such indecency? Or, is Sister Aloysius bitter and slanderous toward the outgoing priest in order to retain her hierarchy? It’s an intriguing confrontation, masterfully played out buy a relentless Streep and victimised Hoffman. Adams, meanwhile, is caught between the two in a wonderful show of innocence and hope. All three were Oscar nominated for their performances, and deservedly so. Viola Davis, as the alter boys struggling mother, also deserves mention with some strong displays of emotion. It’s a film of performances and everyone is up to the task. Roger Deakins is another deserving of praise, with his exquisite cinematography. As always, his use of the camera captures the mood beautifully with some simple but lush and quaint images.

Ambiguous and tantalising. Some may find the ambiguity frustrating but I found that it kept entirely in-touch with the theme of the film. That being, quite simply… doubt.

Mark Walker

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The Woman In Black * * 1/2

Posted in Horror, Mystery, thriller with tags 2012 on March 15, 2012 by Mark Walker

Director: James Watkins.
Screenplay: Jane Goldman.
Starring: Daniel Radcliffe, Ciaran Hinds, Janet McTeer, Shaun Dooley, Roger Allam, Sophie Stuckey, Ailsa Khazanova, Liz White, David Burke, Daniel Cerqueira.

Now that Harry Potter has waved his last wand, actor Daniel Radcliffe has to go and work for a living. Somehow, he has to convince that he can shake off the confines of his, boy wizard, signature role. On this evidence, he just might still earn enough to pay the rent.

Arthur Kipps (Radcliffe) is a recently widowed, young solicitor that’s sent to a Yorkshire village to clear up the affairs of a recently deceased woman who lived in a remote house. When he arrives he finds that the house holds a dark history and the frightened villagers won’t dare go near it.

I have said it, time and time again… Good horrors are very hard to come by. When this was released, it seemed the horror genre was, wisely, going back to it’s origins. Not least, in that it was produced by ‘Hammer’ studios. It takes the story back to early 20th century, Victorian times, with the basic, tried and tested, haunted house and lurking evil spectre. It also seizes the opportunity to cram in all the obligatory conventions of a horror; the creaking empty rocking chair, the porcelain dolls, mechanical toys that operate on their own and ghostly faces appearing in upstairs windows. Things, do indeed, go bump in the night. The house is vast and spooky; the land is barren and desolate and the locals have a fear and trepidation of newcomers. Director James Watkins and cinematographer Tim Maurice-Jones undoubtedly assemble the perfect creepy atmosphere and the look of the film is sublime. Where it falters though, is in it’s pace. A good ghost story should, rightly, take it time and build on it’s premise – which this does – but it shouldn’t be laboured to the point that you have lost interest before the spectre is properly revealed. This took forever to get going and when it finally did, it was all over. The second half of the film is rushed and the Arthur Kipps character’s transition from solicitor to hands-on ghostbuster happens a little too quickly and easily. As far as Radcliffe is concerned, he still looks a little too young to convince as an adult but with his five o’clock stubble and pallid complexion, he and us, soon settle into the role. He doesn’t really have a lot to do though, other than wander around looking perturbed. Which he does competently.

Yet another horror that fails to live up to the anticipation. The whole is not the sum of it’s parts and it spends too much time trying to force a reaction, rather than earning one.

Mark Walker

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Memento * * * * *

Posted in Film-Noir, Mystery, thriller with tags 2000 on March 14, 2012 by Mark Walker

Director: Christopher Nolan.
Screenplay: Christopher Nolan.
Starring: Guy Pearce, Carrie-Anne Moss, Joe Pantoliano, Mark Boone Jr., Stephen Tobolowsky, Harriet Sansom Harris, Jorja Fox, Callum Keith Rennie, Larry Holden.

Before his foray into the adventures of the Caped Crusader with “Batman Begins“, “The Dark Knight” and “The Dark Knight Rises” or even his mind-bending Science fiction actioner “Inception“, director Christopher Nolan delivered this independent, teasingly constructed, psychological thriller in 2000. It was based on an original idea by his brother Jonathan and was only his second feature – after his debut “Following” in 1998. It also marked the emergence of a brilliant directorial talent.

Leonard Shelby (Guy Pearce) is a man who suffers from short term amnesia. He can’t make new memories. The last memory he has, is of his wife… dying. Leonard knows one thing; his wife was murdered. He doesn’t know by whom though and sets out to find her killer, with his condition causing an obvious problem. So as not to forget any information he comes across, it has to be taken, either in photograph or tattooed to his body. Every waking day he has, is a fresh start and a fresh investigation with people manipulating him along the way. Or is he manipulating his own mind…?

With the arrival of Quentin Tarantino in the early 90’s and his films “Reservoir Dogs” and “Pulp Fiction“, it became cool again, to deliver films in different time frames and to manipulate the chronology of the narrative. Tarantino was by no means the first, but he influenced a new generation of filmmakers. There was an abundance of low-budget crime thrillers that attempted to emulate his success. It wasn’t until Christopher Nolan delivered this though, that even Tarantino had been surpassed.
According to Nolan, the best place to start his story, is at the end. Who am I to question that? Who am I to question one the finest independant films to come across in years? He does indeed start at the end of the film, working his way back to the beginning and taking you through one of the most jaw dropping and confusing films I’ve ever seen… and I’ve seen a lot. Straight away, we know how this story plays out but the skill is in finding out why.
Not only is the narrative manipulated but the most impressive thing about this, is how we participate in the main characters frame of mind. He is us, as we try to decipher an elaborate murder mystery, in reverse order. If your not carefully listening or observing, this will leave you miles behind. Rarely does a film demand such unconditional attention and still have you scratching your head. It’s not only the accomplished direction or the vice-like script that’s impresses though. Guy Pearce’s central performance is also marvellous. He displays the perfect amount of vacantness, unsure of himself and others, with glimmers of paranoia and despair. Without a performance to capture this characters bewilderment, it wouldn’t have worked as well as it does.

The tag-line for this was… “Some memories are best forgotten”. The same can’t be said for this film. It won’t allow you to forget it. An absolutely gripping and perplexing modern noir from Nolan and one of the finest and most orginal films for a very long time.

Included in My Top Ten films.

Mark Walker

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L.A. Confidential * * * * *

Posted in Crime, Drama, Film-Noir, Mystery with tags 1997 on March 10, 2012 by Mark Walker

Director: Curtis Hanson.
Screenplay: Brian Helgeland, Curtis Hanson.
Starring: Kevin Spacey, Russell Crowe, Guy Pearce, James Cromwell, David Strathairn, Kim Basinger, Danny DeVito, Graham Beckel, Brenda Bakke, Paul Guilfoyle, Ron Rifkin, Matt Malloy, Simon Baker.

James Ellroy is one of the finest of hard-boiled crime writers. For those not familiar, check out his “L.A. Quartet“; four novels, that delve into the seedy and corrupt world of the Los Angeles police force in the 1950’s. This film is actually based on the third novel in the series and director/screenwriters Curtis Hanson and Brian Helgeland have done a marvellous job in adapting Ellroy’s convoluted narratives and staccato writing.

L.A. in the 50’s is rife with organised crime and corruption in the police force. Both intertwine in the glitz and glamour of the booming Hollywood movie business. The story follows the path of three very different police detectives. Jack Vincennes (Kevin Spacey) – the suave and ambitious type with an eye on stardom for himself. Bud White (Russel Crowe) – the brutal strong arm who will do anything to achieve his form of justice and rookie Ed Exley (Guy Pearce) – who does everything by the book and believes in law and order. A late night shooting in a coffee shop, which leaves one policeman dead brings these three detectives together in an elaborate plot involving corrupt politicians, prostitutes made to look like movie stars, gangster Mickey Cohen and sleazy tabloid journalists.

First of all, where this film succeeds – in it’s difficult adaptation – is capturing the mood and setting. Not since Roman Polanski’s “Chinatown” in 1974 has this been achieved. The music by Jerry Goldsmith taps into film-noir with a seedy jazz score, while Dante Spinotti’s rich cinematography perfectly captures the infancy of the city of Los Angeles, before it’s economical boom. It was a city that could make or break a person, with corruption at every corner. This rich attention to detail, is also captured by some outstanding performances. Kim Basinger won a supporting actress award but it’s Spacey, Pearce and particularly Crowe that own this film. Their performances have seldom been better. The story itself can simply be described as labyrinthine. There are so many facets that’s it’s hard to keep up. It demands your attention and commitment but it also rewards. Credit must go to Curtis Hanson, who does an excellent job in handling all the narrative arcs and teasingly fitting all the pieces together. This is filmmaking of the very highest standard.

An absolutely enthralling film, that’s so vivid and compelling that fans of the genre should not ignore.

Included in My Top Ten films.

Mark Walker

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Source Code * * * *

Posted in Mystery, Science Fiction, thriller with tags 2011 on February 2, 2012 by Mark Walker

Director: Duncan Jones.
Screenplay: Ben Ripley.
Starring: Jake Gyllenhaal, Michelle Monaghan, Vera Farmiga, Jeffrey Wright, Brent Skagford, Cas Anvar, Michael Arden, Craig Thomas, Russell Peters.
Voice of: Scott Bakula.

Director Duncan Jones’ debut “Moon” has been one of the best science fiction films of recent times, causing obvious excitement and anticipation for his next project. Well… this is that project, and although it doesn’t quite match the quality of “Moon“, it cements Jones’ position as a great new talent.

US military helicopter pilot Colter Stevens (Jake Gyllenhaal) is drafted as a test subject for a scientific process which can project his consciousness into the past (and another person’s body) for a limited time. Suspicious of his handler Captain Goodwin (Vera Farmiga) and the programme’s director (Jeffrey Wright), Stevens repeatedly lives through the last eight minutes of the life of a passenger on a commuter train which has just been destroyed by a terrorist bomb until he can find the person responsible.

There’s nothing quite like getting down to business and that’s exactly what Duncan Jones does here. Within minutes we are thrust into the action and spiralling plot and admirers of the television series “Quantum Leap” will no doubt realise that they are on familiar ground. In keeping with similiar themes from his previous film, Jones explores the isolation of Gyllenhaal’s character, which results in paranoia and distrust for those around him. Questions are also posed as to his identity and mortality, much in the same way of Sam Rockwell’s character in “Moon“. Two very different films sharing common themes. Jones is the type to include a few in-jokes in his films also. There’s a Chesney Hawkes ringtone being a reminder of Rockwell’s alarm clock in “Moon” and the voice of Gyllenhaal’s father provided by a certain Scott Bakula from “Quantum Leap”. Not to mention an uncanny likeness to (Jones’ father) David Bowie’s 1969 song “Space Oddity”. It’s a story that shares similarities with many before it… “12 Monkeys” and “Groundhog Day” being a notable couple. However, Jones makes his own impression on this common premise and is helped with great performances by his actors. The only problem was the questionable ending. It had it all wrapped up at one point before deciding on a crowd pleasing Hollywood number that let’s down an otherwise excellent film.

Intriguing and thought provoking. Keeping you hooked and interested from the get go. Science Fiction has a great future if Duncan Jones stays involved.

Mark Walker

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Super 8 * * * *

Posted in Mystery, Science Fiction with tags 2011 on February 2, 2012 by Mark Walker

Director: J.J. Abrams.
Screenplay: J.J. Abrams.
Starring: Kyle Chandler, Elle Fanning, Joel Courtney, Gabriel Basso, Noah Emmerich, Ron Eldard, Riley Griffiths, Ryan Lee, Zach Mills, Dan Castellaneta, Glynn Turman, Michael Hitchcock, A. J. Michalka, Jessica Tuck.
Voice of: Bruce Greenwood.

Steven Spielberg serves as producer on this latest film from director J.J. Abrams, and if you hadn’t seen the credits or been told beforehand, you might well think he’d done more than produce. This is Abrams unashamedly emulating the great master.

Sneaking out at night with their Super-8 camera, to shoot a pivotal scene in their homemade zombie film, Joe (Joel Courteney) and his pals witness a dramatic train crash. After the mililtary move in to clean things up and some people begin to go missing, the boys realise that some form of creature escaped from the wreckage.

As several, if not all, of critics will have mentioned, this is reminicent of Spielberg’s earlier works. It has the same small town setting and wonder of “E.T.”, the same sci-fi influence of “Close Encounters…” and the same camaraderie of his earlier production of “The Goonies”. It’s 1970’s America is before the days of video games, were the kids still went out on their bikes and a ‘Walkman’ was a prized possession. Everything is captured in true Spielbergian style and Abrams’ attention to detail is flawless. So much so, that a young audience today may not identify with it, due to it’s old fashioned nature. I however, found it to be very refreshing indeed. They just don’t make films with as much heart as this anymore. It’s slow in the build up, with Abrams in no rush to reveal. He gives his cast of young talented unknowns a lot of room to manouevre and the familiarity between them is entirely believable. There’s so much going on with the strong characters that having the creature absent for most of the film and lurking in the background is entirely acceptable. It’s an old fashioned monster story (complete with miltary cover-up) that relies on the ability of it’s cast and doesn’t feel the need to go over the top with CGI. When it does reveal what’s lurking around the town, that’s actually when the film falters. Having it unknown for most of the film was part of the appeal but this is a small gripe in what’s a fresh contemporary movie.

Abrams has been a director that has given a much needed adrenaline shot to recent film franchises “Star Trek” and “Mission: Impossible III”, and this ability to inject some vitality into an old format doesn’t look like subsiding any time soon, if this latest delivery is anything to go by.

Mark Walker

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Edge Of Darkness * * *

Posted in Crime, Drama, Mystery, thriller with tags 2010 on February 2, 2012 by Mark Walker

Director: Martin Campbell.
Screenplay: William Monahan, Andrew Bovell.
Starring: Mel Gibson, Ray Winstone, Danny Huston, Bojana Novakovic, Shawn Roberts, David Aaron Baker, Jay O. Sanders, Damian Young, Denis O’Hare, Caterina Scorsone.

Having concentrated more on his directorial duties with “The Passion of the Christ” and “Apocalypto”, Mel Gibson had seemingly abandoned acting. This is his first acting vehicle since 2002’s “Signs” and straight away he’s back to doing what he does best; playing unhinged loose cannons.

When the daughter of veteran Boston detective Thomas Craven (Mel Gibson) is killed in front of him, police assume he was the target. But Craven begins to suspect it’s to do with the shady businessman Jack Bennett (Danny Huston) she was working for and begins to start digging to uncover the truth.

The advertising campaign for this film is quite misleading. This is no slam-bam actioner like they would have you believe, but if you are familiar with the 1980’s BBC television mini-series on which it’s based, then you’ll have a better idea of what to expect. This is a slow burning conspiracy thriller that’s very deliberately paced and certainly in no rush to tell it’s story. It’s mainly dialogue driven with Mel not giving too much away while teetering on the brink. Then all of a sudden there are graphic bursts of violence and action that have you jumping out of your seat. These moments are highly effective and realistic but unfortunately too few. The performances are good, Gibson can do this stuff in his sleep, the sleazy Danny Huston can do likewise, as can Ray Winstone playing yet another hard man. The problem is, they talk a good game. Sitting around bumping their gums when they should be bumping some heads and leave a few unexplained plot strands along the way.

A decent conspiracy thriller with highly effective and unexpected bursts of action. Unfortunately, the action is just a bit too sporadic for it to completely grip.

Mark Walker

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Surveillance * * * 1/2

Posted in Crime, Mystery, thriller with tags 2008 on January 30, 2012 by Mark Walker

Director: Jennifer Chambers Lynch.
Screenplay: Jennifer Chambers Lynch, Kent Harper.
Starring: Julia Ormond, Bill Pullman, Pell James, Ryan Simpkins, Cheri Oteri, Michael Ironside, French Stewart, Kent Harper, Caroline Aaron, Gill Gayle, Hugh Dillon.

Jennifer Chambers Lynch (daughter of the great trancendental David Lynch) made her directorial debut in 1993 with “Boxing Helena”. That film received some scathing reviews and if my memory serves it was an absolute turkey. However, this second shot at directing is a vast improvement.

Hunting a vicious serial killer, FBI agents Hallaway (Bill Pullman) and Anderson (Julia Ormond) pitch up at a police station to question three survivors and the cops who saved them. But with the stories failing to match up, can anyone be trusted – and is anybody safe?

You can tell that Jennifer Lynch’s auteur filmmaker father has had a heavy influence on his daughter. She employs a similiar eerie atmosphere; similiar characters with odd, unexplained behaviour and similar small, remote american settings like “Twin Peaks”, or “Wild at Heart”. Although she’s still a far cry from the genius or intelligence of her father, she can be proud of what she’s crafted with this one. The performances are spot on from a cast that has obviously put their trust in their director and Lynch’s visual style complements the cast. It’s not without it’s flaws however, and sometimes verges on implausibility but I really liked it. Certainly not for all tastes but it’s very effective and disturbing feeling of dread lingers long after viewing it. The fact that it’s set in a deserted rural American town adds to the lonliness and fear from the characters and the audience.

In only her second film, it looks like Jennifer Lynch still has a bit to learn but with this unusual serial-killer thriller it looks like she may still have something to offer, despite living in her fathers shadow.

Mark Walker

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The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo * * * * 1/2

Posted in Crime, Foreign Language, Mystery with tags 2009 on January 29, 2012 by Mark Walker

Director: Niels Arden Oplev.
Screenplay: Nikolaj Arcel, Rasmus Heisterberg.
Starring: Michael Nyqvist, Noomi Rapace, Lena Endre, Sven-Bertil Taube, Peter Haber, Peter Andersson, Ingvar Hirdwall, Marika Lagercrantz.

Swedish Cinema seems to have hit a new high note of late with the successful adaptations of “Let the Right One In” (as well as it’s American remake “Let Me In”) and now novelist Stieg Larsson’s “Millenium Trilogy” (also remade in America). This is the first of the trilogy and proof that Sweden are delivering top quality material at the moment.

Journalist Mikael Blomkvist (Michael Nyqvist) is hired by aged tycoon Henrik Vanger (Sven-Bertil Taube) to look into the 40 year-old disappearance of a favourite niece. Computer hacker Lisbeth Salander (Noomi Rapace) checks out Mikael as a preliminary to his hiring, and is intrigued by the old mystery. The two investigators team up and find themselves pursuing several serial killers.

Former journalist turned novelist Stieg Larsson’s books were released after his untimely death, to remarkable success. Due to such success, they were always likely to be adapted into films. Well, here is the first and it’s a very faithful adaptation. A tightly structured and gripping whodunnit that takes it’s time in revealing the pieces to it’s elaborate puzzle. This film is in no rush and plays out in a way that respects the audience’s intelligence and patience.
Mikael Blomkvist is an endearing character, the moral male to Lisbeth Salander’s feral female. Both genders acting against type in Stieg Larsson’s misogynist world and both Michael Nyqvist and especially, Noomi Rapace are excellent in their roles. Rapace getting the part of a lifetime as one of the best heroine’s to hit our screens for a very long time. She takes no shit and turns the tables on the depraved men of society, who have nothing more on their minds than abuse and rape. Misogyny is a strong theme throughout. Even reflected in the original title of the film ‘Man Som Hatar Kvinnor’, which literally translates as “Men Who hate Women”. It’s a very dark and graphic film that has an escalating sense of foreboding from the get go. The only gripe I have is that, being a major part of the story, the Vanger family are a little on the underdeveloped side. It can often be confusing as to who is who and when the big reveal is made, it doesn’t quite have the surprise or impact it should. However, this is a minor fault in an otherwise taut and well structured thriller.

Murder mysteries don’t come much better than this. Thoroughly rewarding stuff.

Mark Walker

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The Girl Who Played With Fire * * * *

Posted in Crime, Foreign Language, Mystery, thriller with tags 2009 on January 29, 2012 by Mark Walker

Director: Daniel Alfredson.
Screenplay: Jonas Frykberg.
Starring: Noomi Rapace, Michael Nyqvist, Lena Endre, Peter Andersson, Yohan Kylén, Yasmine Garbi, Paolo Roberto, Georgi Staykov, Mikael Spreitz, Per Oscarsson, Hans-Christian Thulin.

Second installments of a trilogy have a history of being just the midriff of the story. They tend to lack the essential elements of coherence. No real beginning and no real end is the common problem. This has a few snags like that but it’s still a solid enough follow up.

Lisbeth Salander (Noomi Rapace) returns to Sweden, becomes a suspect in three murders and goes on the run. Journalist Mikael Blomkvist (Michael Nyqvist) is sure Lisbeth is innocent, but realises she is being pursued by dangerous criminals who have a connection to her troubled past.

Not as gripping as the first, (which is mainly down to the investigation, it doesn’t have the hook the first one had). What it does have in it’s favour though, is the backstory of Lisbeth. We learn a bit more of her motivation and what her history has done to shape her character. Blomkvist doesn’t really contribute very much this time around, mainly just providing support and keeping the flag flying as a decent male character. This second installment is not afforded the same time as the first. It doesn’t develop the characters or story in the same way and as a result it seems rushed, as if director Daniel Alfredson was eager to get onto the third part. Like all middle segments, it’s stutters. Having a change of director can sometimes be a hindrance also, as is, the lack of any proper conclusion. However, it still grips and a major plus is having Lisbeth as the main focus this time, with Noomi Rapace once again a joy to watch, when handing out her form of tough justice on some unsavoury menfolk.

It was always going to be a hard task to emulate the first part, but the additional interesting characters add much more to the story in terms of Lisbeth’s history, preventing it from being just another mid-section.

Mark Walker

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The Walker * *

Posted in Drama, Mystery with tags 2007 on January 28, 2012 by Mark Walker

Director: Paul Schrader.
Screenplay: Paul Schrader.
Starring: Woody Harrelson, Lauren Bacall, Kristin Scott Thomas, Lily Tomlin, Willem Dafoe, Mary Beth Hurt, Ned Beatty, Moritz Bliebtreu, William Hope, Steven Hartley.

The last time writer/director Paul Schrader delved into the seedy world of male escorts was in 1980 with “American Gigolo”. That film gained notoriety, not for it’s quality or exemplary filmmaking but for being the first time on screen that there was full frontal male nudity in a mainstream film. Thankfully we are spared such indescretion this time, but it still doesn’t save the film.

Carter Page III (Woody Harrelson) is an escort for some of Washington, D.C.’s finest society women. He accompanies them to several high-class events whenever they are in need of male company. When the husband of one of his lady friends appears murdered, Carter gets caught up in a scandal-tinged murder mystery.

Paul Schrader is normally quite reliable but I wish I had remembered that the aforementioned “American Gigolo” was a stinker before I’d sat down to this equally poor retread and saved myself the time. And quite a bit of time that would have been. It would have amounted to 1hour 47mins, which going by the pace of this film, would have seemed as if I’d saved more. By god this film takes a long time going nowhere. Harrelson puts in a decent attempt as the gay socialite with southern drawl but ultimately he’s miscast. He maintains your interest for a short time and from the beginning the film looks very promising. However, it soon becomes very dull, very quickly, and there’s nothing Harrelson or the impressive supporting cast of fabulous actresses can do about it.

Murder mysteries normally have anticipation, suspense, and intrigue. This has neither, and going by the mis-judged tempo of the film, “The Crawler” would have been a better choice of title.

Mark Walker

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Phone Booth * * * 1/2

Posted in Mystery, thriller with tags 2002 on January 28, 2012 by Mark Walker

Director: Joel Schumacher.
Screenplay: Larry Cohen.
Starring: Colin Farrell, Kiefer Sutherland, Forest Whitaker, Katie Holmes, Radha Mitchell, Josh Pais.

I’m not a massive fan of Joel Schumacher. He’s a very frustrating director, who only occasionally delivers the goods. His limited talents are better served when working with a low budget and you don’t get much lower than practically a whole film set inside a phone box. It works though, thanks to a brilliant performance from Colin Farrell.

Stu Shepard (Farrell) is an arrogant, swindling, talent agent who talks the talk and walks the walk. At least, that’s what he thinks. Unbeknownst to him, is that somebody, somewhere (voiced by Keifer Sutherland) has been following his movements each day and decides to make him pay for his lies and deceit by holding him hostage in a telephone booth and systematically revealing to him, everything he knows and intends to expose.

Filmed in real time and never straying from the confines of the claustrophic phone box (with the exception of a few split-screen moments), Schumacher manages to crank up the tension with ease. It’s a simple idea but highly effective, which is in part to an absolutely fantastic Colin Farrell, channeling a tense DeNiro-like performance, full of amorality and disregard to eventual sensitivity and redemption. It’s a hard task for Farrell, considering he’s never off screen but he nails it and delivers one of his finest screen moments. There is also fine support in Forest Whitaker as the detective on the scene and Keifer Sutherland’s creepy monotone voice is a character in itself.

This film has it’s critics but there’s no denying the grip it has on you and the fine acting delivered from a very basic premise.

Mark Walker

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Broken Embraces * * * 1/2

Posted in Drama, Foreign Language, Mystery with tags 2009 on January 28, 2012 by Mark Walker

Director: Pedro Almodovar.
Screenplay: Pedro Almodovar.
Starring: Lluis Homar, Penelope Cruz, Blanco Portillo, Jose Luis Gomez, Tamar Novas, Angela Molina.

Director Pedro Almodovar yet again delivers what he does best. Another portrayal of human nature and the complexities of relationships.

Harry Caine (Lluis Homar) is a blind writer who, while being supported with his daily duties, agrees to help a young man with his idea for a book. In the process of helping him, he is forced to look back at his own life. Revealing that 14 years ago, he was in fact, renowned film director ‘Mateo Blanco’, who shared a passionate relationship with his leading actress ‘Lena’ (Penelope Cruz) that put both their lives in danger, and lead to tragedy and Harry’s blindness.

Almodovar returns with his muse, Penelope Cruz and his usual convoluted story arches as well as his eye for beautiful imagery. As ever, his direction is methodical and visually splendid and draws another fine performance from Cruz – who really seems to raise her game when working with him. It’s Lluis Homar who impresses most though. At just over two hours, it demands a level of commitment but, as ever, it’s rewarding. Teasingly, releasing pieces of the story bit by bit and delivering his usual dramatic revelations with ease.

It’s by no means his best but it’s another fine addition to Almodovar’s catalogue of high quality film making.

Mark Walker

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w Delta z (The Killing Gene) * *

Posted in Drama, Horror, Mystery, thriller with tags 2007 on January 28, 2012 by Mark Walker

Director: Tom Shankland.
Screenplay: Clive Bradley.
Starring: Stellan Skarsgard, Melissa George, Selma Blair, Tom Hardy, Sally Hawkins, Paul Kaye, Lauren Hood, Barbara Adair, Ashley Walters.

This film has, deceivingly, been pitched as “Saw” by way of “Se7en”. Firstly, it doesn’t have the originality of the first “Saw” installment and secondly, it is by no means, anywhere near as good as “Se7en”.

New York cops Eddie Argo (Stellan Skarsgard) and Helen Westcott (Melissa George) investigate a series of bizarre murders in which innocents are tortured in front of guilty loved ones who could (but don’t) volunteer to die in their place.

The fact that it’s a serial killer yarn is frankly, the only comparison that can be made with the films mentioned above. It has the atmosphere in abundance, looking very gritty and dangerous but all it achieves in doing, is reminding you that graphic violence in films is completely unnecessary, if the script is in place beforehand. Which this just doesn’t have. It strings us along with the old who-done-it? storyline but after half an hour of it’s nasty attitude and having a lack of identity with the characters, I couldn’t care less who done what, or why, when, or how. All I was aware of was that I couldn’t give a shit if any of them sneezed and their heads fell off. A shame really, as it uses a philsophical question as a good narrative tool. Asking “does altruism exist in nature?” In dealing with altruism it should have shown some of it’s own and saved us from this abusive assault. However, a short appearance from the very talented Tom Hardy and Stellan Skarsgard getting the lead role for a change, are plus points.

A film that really looks the part but leaves a rotten aftertaste and ultimately falls into torture-porn category.

Mark Walker