MARKED MOVIES

Machine Gun Preacher * * * *

Posted in Biography, Drama with tags 2011 on July 10, 2012 by Mark Walker

Director: Marc Foster.
Screenplay: Jason Keller.
Starring: Gerard Butler, Michael Shannon, Michelle Monaghan, Souleymane Sy Savane, Kathy Baker, Madeline Carroll, Grant Krause, Reavis Graham, Peter Carey.

Marc Foster is quite a versatile director that seems to be able to turn his hand at many different genres. His fantastical “Finding Neverland” and comedic “Stranger than Paradise” are a far distance from say, his gritty debut “Monster’s Ball” or even his foray into Bond territory with “Quantum Of Solice“. With this movie, he has changed direction again and it’s no less accomplished than his previous film’s.

Sam Childers (Gerard Butler) is a drug using, violent biker who has just been released from prison. Upon his release he is soon back to his old wicked ways but having nearly murdered a man in defence of his best friend Donnie (Michael Shannon), he decides to turn his attention to God and find redemption. It’s at this point, that his spiritual journey begins and he finds himself taking up arms to liberate Sudanese refugee children from the LRA – the local militia, known as the Lord’s Resistance Army.

The very premise of this film seems like it’s has been concocted in some executive Hollywood office. I can just imagine it being pitched and how ridiculous it might have sounded. However, this is actually based on a true-story and the real Sam Childers is still, to this day, fighting for the freedom of African Children. That being said, I had never heard of Childers before or the ongoing struggle he is directly involved in and as a result I was left with the unfortunate title of this film and it’s slightly off-putting poster as my only information. After a few mindless action movies under his belt, you’d be forgiven for mistaking this recent Gerard Butler film as being in a similar vein. After all, the poster depicts him brandishing a rifle with the obligatory cowering child, hiding by his side. This very imagery and the more than dubious title completely misleads. It’s actually quite far from that type of film and more of a human and political drama. Thankfully, I still gave this a chance and left it feeling quite satisfied indeed. This is thanks in large to a charismatic and very powerful performance from it’s leading man. There is a real intensity to Butler’s delivery and it’s credit to the filmmakers that the flawed and distasteful behaviour of Childers is not ignored. He wasn’t someone that you’d like to cross paths with, yet Butler plays him with just enough edge and compassion – never fully losing your support or feelings of isolation from him. His transformation from violent misogynist to redeemed man of God and ultimately, saviour and mercenary is believable, if a little unexplained. Yes, there are flaws in the character development but it’s proof that given the right role, Butler can certainly deliver the goods. It’s his committed and passionate performance that forgives some big leaps in character progression. Ultimately, this fault is in the screenplay as the supporting characters also suffer; again, they are not bad performances but their roles are very underwritten. Michelle Monaghan is good but distant and this could be said even more for the very underrated Kathy Baker, who has absolutely nothing to do as Childers’ long suffering mother but the biggest waste of talent comes in the shape of Michael Shannon. With an Oscar nomination behind him for “Revolutionary Road” and a superb leading role in “Take Shelter“, this man should have been utilised more wisely. He still manages a presence but really, him and the aforementioned actresses melt into the background.
Slight over-length may also be an issue here but trying to condense anyone’s life story without causing some major bum-numbing amongst viewers can’t be an easy task.

This is a film primarily about one man – Sam Childers – and thankfully, the actor chosen to play him is more than up to the task. Despite some flaws, this is still an admirable and thoroughly involving biopic.

Mark Walker

12 Comments »

Trainspotting (A Scottish Review) * * * * *

Posted in Crime, Drama with tags 1996 on June 29, 2012 by Mark Walker

Director: Danny Boyle.
Screenplay: John Hodge.
Starring: Ewan McGregor, Robert Carlyle, Ewen Bremner, Kevin McKidd, Jonny Lee Miller, Kelly MacDonald, Peter Mullan, James Cosmo, Eileen Nicholas, Shirley Henderson, Pauline Lynch, Stuart McQuarrie, Keith Allen, Kevin Allen, Dale Winton, Irvine Welsh.

(As Trainspotting is one of my favourite film’s, I think it’s deserving of a review written in my native Scottish tongue. So here it is. It’s also a little experiment to see if anyone, other than a Scot, can understand what I’m actually saying)

Director Danny Boyle’s braw debut “Shallow Grave” wiz always gonnae be a hard act tae follae but tae attempt an adaptation ae the ‘unfilmable’ Scottish novel “Trainspotting” by Irvine Welsh, seemed like lunacy. Boyle, oan the other haun, captures Welsh’s book brilliantly and even though “Slumdog Millionaire” gathered him a best director Oscar, this stull remains his best film.

It follaes the lives ae a group ah freends fae Auld Reekie as they experience the up’s and doon’s ah life through scag use. Renton (Ewan McGregor) decides tae go clean and rid hissel ae his affliction and his low-life mates but finds that’s easier said than done. Spud (Ewen Bremner) is a bit ae ah dunderheid and far too needy, SickBoy (Jonny Lee Miller) is too sleekit and gallus, Tommy (Kevin McKidd) is scunnert and has just taken some bad direction and Begbie (Robert Carlyle) is always crabbit and just a plain fuckin’ nutter. It disnae matter though as Renton still decides tae enters intae makin’ a wan aff drug deal with his auld pals, so as tae make a new life for hissel aw th’gither.

Boyle’s filum has aften been criticised as glorifyin’ drug use. Glorifyin’ drug use? Really? Eejit’s who believe this must huv been watchin’ a differnt filum. The characters involved aw behave despicably. They are responsible for stouth’s, rammie’s and deith’s – includin’ the deith ae a wean; get imprisoned; contract HIV; ruin their lives and others’, aw because they’re junkies and need tae feed their habit. Whit this film has in depth, vibrancy and fun, is the reason it could be mistaken for bein’ pro-drug use but huvin’ these qualities is mair ae a testament tae the filmmakers involved, in making a bleak and depressin’ subject matter, very entertainin’. The characters urr extremely well written (kudos tae writer Welsh) and acted by an ensemble ae excellent actors. It made a star ae Ewan McGregor, who’s character, although likeable – and brilliantly played – is essentially the person responsible fur the doonfaw ae many of the other characters. Notable other performances urr Ewen Bremner as the numptie “Spud”, the maist endearin’ of the group and a character too saft fur ‘is lifestyle. The best ae the bunch though, is Boabby Carlyle as the psychotic “Begbie”, who’s choice ah drug isnae heroin but violence, and he’s just as destructive wae it. He’s a dangerous and highly volatile gadgie and Carlyle perfectly captures the oan-edge feelin’ ae his terrifyin’ unpredictability. It’s an award worthy performance that wiz sadly overlooked. Everythin’ aboot the film reeks ah class. Fae it’s rollickin’ soundtrack, tae the rich, snappy dialogue, wae great characters in hilarious situations and kinetic fast paced direction. This film huz everythin’ gon fur it and stauns as wan ae the finest films ae the 1990′s.

A relentlessly energetic experience that leaves ye cravin’ fur mair, much like the habit ae it’s protaganists.
A pure uncut, Class “A” steesher.

(If this review is indecipherable to anyone go here for the English language version)

Mark Walker

42 Comments »

Jack Goes Boating * * * *

Posted in Drama with tags 2010 on June 27, 2012 by Mark Walker

Director: Philip Seymour Hoffman.
Screenplay: Robert Glaudini.
Starring: Philip Seymour Hoffman, Amy Ryan, John Ortiz, Daphne Rubin-Vega, Richard Petrocelli, Thomas McCarthy.

Throughout the years – either in leading roles like “Love Liza” “Capote” and “Doubt” or supporting roles such as “Boogie Nights” or “The Big Lebowski” – Philip Seymour Hoffman has always delivered consistency. As a result of this, he has become one of my favourite actors and like many respected performers he now takes his first step into directing. For his material, he chooses a play that he’s familiar with (and one that he performed off-broadway). Wisely, Hoffman behind the camera doesn’t go for anything flashy but instead, delivers a solid low-key character study.

Jack (Philip Seymour Hoffman) is a lonely chauffeur to Manhattan’s upper middle classes. He takes comfort in his reggae and secretly wants to be a Rastafarian. He also possesses a shyness which leaves him with very few friends. The one’s that he does have, are his neighbours Clyde (John Ortiz) and Lucy (Daphne Rubin-Vega). Playing match-maker, Lucy introduces him to another of life’s shy souls; Connie (Amy Ryan). As they awkwardly attempt to make a connection, they find that life doesn’t always have to be a struggle.

It’s because of the range and high level of Hoffman’s performances that I was so eager to see how he faired behind the camera. Now, this isn’t a film that will instantly have you singing his praises from the rooftops but what it is, is a slow moving and deeply involving drama that pays attention to it’s characters and their subtleties. This film is in no rush whatsoever but it’s all the better for it. It allows us to completely get inside the minds and the hearts of the characters and allows the actors (in this case, four of them) to take centre stage and provide the goods. In keeping with playwright Robert Glaudini’s off-broadway show, Hoffman casts the same actors; John Ortiz, Daphne Ruben-Vega and himself all reprise their roles. They all seem on very comfortable ground and new arrival Amy Ryan, no less so. Ultimately, this is a film about performances and they are all uniformly brilliant. They deliver vulnerable characters at odds with themselves and the world, showing extensive ranges of loneliness and weary outlooks.

An emotive and pragmatic slice-of-life that’s strictly for lovers of slow moving cinema. Some may find it tentative or cloying but I found it showed an awareness from a welcome new director.

Mark Walker

15 Comments »

Chronicle * * * *

Posted in Action, Adventure, Science Fiction with tags 2012 on June 26, 2012 by Mark Walker

Director: Josh Trank.
Screenplay: Max Landis.
Starring: Dane DeHaan, Alex Russell, Michael B. Jordan, Michael Kelly, Ashley Hinshaw, Bo Petersen, Anna Wood, Rudi Malcolm, Luke Tyler.

Shaky-cam, found footage film’s have now become the rung on the ladder for budding filmmakers. Hardly a year goes by now, without at least one popping up on our screens. “The Blair Witch Project“, “Cloverfield” and the very successful “Paranormal Activity” are the most notable. This one though, is the most impressive.

Three teenage friends, Andrew (Dane DeHaan), Matt (Alex Russell) and Steve (Michael B. Jordan) find a hole in the ground, in the middle of the woods. They go down and find a strange illuminated entity. When they emerge, they find that they have telekinetic powers and capabilities. As their great powers grow though, things start to get drastically out of hand.

I’m not a massive fan of superhero movies and quite frankly, I’m a bit tired of seeing them everywhere I look. This film could probably fall into that category but what this has in it’s favour, is a fresh delivery and a real sense of originality.
First off though, I wasn’t entirely convinced by the premise. I found it hard to believe that an awkward, hormone-raging teenager would actually decide to record everything he does on a video camera. To say the least, it stretched credulity. However, the filmmakers are wisely aware of this. They don’t pretend to just pass it off. What they do, is admit to it regularly throughout the early stages of the film. There are constant, self-conscious reminders of people unhappy with it and as result the protagonist takes a bit of a regular beating – but then you would probably do the same if someone had a camera stuck in your face all the time – so the self-conscious aspect pays off enough to keep your disbelief suspended. It even attempts to toss in some philosophical theories that tie-in nicely with the story. This may come across as a bit too ambitious for some but writer Max Landis and director Josh Trank are not arrogant in their delivery. They don’t explain in detail, leaving it wisely up to the intelligence of the audience to notice the references themselves. It’s a clever piece of subtlety that raises this film above the normal standard. One particular mention is of Plato’s allegory of “The Cave” which is entirely fitting for the unravelling of the story. It also explores the different nature in individuals and manages to incorporate a deep sense of ethics. Altruism and Hubris play a big part in the unravelling of the characters and with the level of intelligence and philosophical undercurrent, this is a welcome modern take on the superhero genre.
As the story progresses, the standard shaky-cam approach is gradually abandoned in favour of a
more ambitious style. In keeping with the plot, more inventive and convincing ways are delivered, freeing it from the shackles of it’s particular sub-genre.

A highly creative and ambitious endeavour that has set a benchmark for film’s of this type. It’ll be interesting to see if this style of filmmaking can actually be bettered after this.

Mark Walker

32 Comments »

LET’S HAVE A SIT DOWN #3

Posted in Uncategorized with tags 2012 on June 22, 2012 by Mark Walker

Episode #3 of Let’s Have A Sit Down is upon us. In this scenario we have two of the big hitters of Hollywood going head-to-head – an off-kilter Tom Cruise and a menacing George Clooney. Again, using completely authentic dialogue from the characters they have played, we have the Cruiser and the Cloonmeister involved in a little unspecified criminal activity.

(Warning: if you are sensitive of ear and easily offended then don’t read on as this conversation will contain some profanities.)

Clooney: OK, rambler… Let’s get rambling.

Cruise: And to what do I owe this pleasure?

Clooney: You… are just dumber than a bag of hammers.

Cruise: I assume I need no introduction…

Clooney: Are you… Wheezy Joe?

Cruise: I’m… a master of the muffin…

Clooney: Well… I’m a Dapper Dan man.

Cruise: Fucking bullshit. I will not apologize for who I am. I will not apologize for what I need. I will not apologize for what I want.

Clooney: I detect, like me, you’re endowed with the gift of gab.

Cruise: A little oversimplified… But yes, something like that.

Clooney: Plant yourself in that chair.

Cruise: Look, fuckstick, I’m incredibly busy. So why don’t you get the hell out of here before I snap your dick off and jam it into your ass…

Clooney: I said “plant yourself.” Plants don’t talk.

Cruise: Let me ask you something: are you out of your fucking mind?

Clooney: I’m not gonna shoot you unless I have to. And if I have to I’ll feel really bad about it. Now sit down.

Cruise: Are you saying my life is in danger?

Clooney: Who the fuck do you work for, you fucker?

Cruise: I am out here for you. You don’t know what it’s like to be ME out here for YOU. It is an up-at-dawn, pride-swallowing siege that I will never fully tell you about, ok?

Clooney: Well, your best better get a hell of a lot fucking better, or you are gonna feel a hell of a lot fucking worse.

Cruise: We live in a cynical world. A cynical world. And we work in a business of tough competitors…

Clooney: There’s no play here. There’s no angle. There’s no champagne room. I’m not a miracle worker, I’m a janitor. The math on this is simple. The smaller the mess the easier it is for me to clean up.

Cruise: Yeah… a nutless monkey could do your job.

Clooney: Well, that is a matter of opinion and I do not give a fuck about yours.

Cruise: In this big game that we play, life, it’s not what you hope for, it’s not what you deserve, it’s what you take.

Clooney: You know you’re on the path to truth when you smell shit, isn’t that what they say?

Clooney: … you’ve achieved nothing. Jesus Christ was dead and alive again by 33. You better get crackin’.

Cruise: My father wrote about this in his book. Chapter 1… Page 1… Paragraph 1: What is the answer to 99 out of 100 questions?… Money.

Clooney: Thirteen million…

Cruise: Show me the money.

Clooney: You’d be surprised about what you can get, if you ask for it the right way.

Cruise: Why don’t you cut the cute act… and tell me what it is you’re looking for?

Clooney: … your… being robbed…

Cruise: … Oh, wait! I got a better idea. Instead of a hundred million, how about I send you a hobo’s dick cheese?

Clooney: Do I look like I’m negotiating?

Clooney: If you try to run, I’ve got six little friends and they can all run faster than you can.

Cruise: I think maybe the money’s what’s throwing you off here today.

Cruise: I’m finished, I’m fucked. Twenty-four hours ago, man, I was hot! Now… I’m a cautionary tale. You see this jacket I’m wearing, you like it? Because I don’t really need it. Because I’m cloaked in failure… I ate two slices of bad pizza, went to bed and grew a conscience.

Clooney: Rule number one: No noise, no questions. You make a noise…
[holds up gun]
Mr. 44 makes a noise. You ask a question, Mr. 44 answers it.

Cruise: or you can grow a conscience in the next five mintutes and see where that takes you.

Clooney: You know anything about gunshot wounds?… Specifically, the worst thing about a gunshot wound, provided you survive the bullet, is something called sepsis… That’s right. Say a bullet tears into your gut. It creates a cavity in the dead tissue. That cavity fills up with bile, and bacteria, and you’re fucked.

Cruise: You know, … there’s one thing I learned in all my years. Sometimes you just gotta say, “What the fuck, make your move.”

Clooney: … what’s wrong with you? Is it me? Is this my fault? Do think that this is what I am? I am a professional fucking thief. I don’t kill people that I don’t have to… What YOU are doing – what YOU are doing – what YOU are fucking doing, is not how it’s done. Do you understand? Say “yes, … I understand.” Say “yes, … I fucking understand”

Cruise: … from now on my fist is going to be so far up your shithole that every time you have a thought, it’s gonna have to tiptoe past my wedding ring…

Clooney: You little fuck. Do you get hit a lot?

Cruise: Stop acting like a fucking retard.

Cruise: … I’m more afraid of bein’ nothing than I am of being hurt.

Clooney: I’ll tell you what I am – I’m the damn paterfamilias…

Cruise: … spare me the psychbabble father bullshit.

Clooney: So what are you… ? A faithless preacher? Or a mean motherfuckin’ servant of God?

Cruise: … we gotta make the best of it. Improvise. Adapt to the environment. Darwin, shit happens. I Ching, whatever man. We gotta roll with it.

Cruise: They’ll tell you I’m mentally unstable and violent and dangerous and it will all sound very convincing.

Clooney: “Low profile.” Do you know what the words “low profile” mean?

Cruise: … We’re in this together. Fates intertwined. Cosmic Coincidence.

Clooney: You know, it’s too bad we are so much alike, otherwise we would have gotten along perfectly.

Cruise: I’m not trying to make history here.

Clooney: You know, you really are a negative person.

Cruise: I will miss our conversations.

Clooney: I know that I have put you through hell, and I know that I have been one rough pecker. But from here on out, you are… in my cool book.

Clooney: Keep the money. You’ll need it.

Cruise: You don’t have to. I’m through.

Clooney: Damn! We’re in a tight spot.

Cruise: Take comfort in knowing you never had a choice.

Cruise: Now, I want you to take a step back… and literally fuck your own face.

Clooney: Well, it doesn’t matter now, because you’ve got about two fucking seconds to live.

21 Comments »

LET’S HAVE A SIT DOWN #2

Posted in Uncategorized with tags 2012 on June 18, 2012 by Mark Walker

After the positive feedback on my experimental “Let’s Have A Sit Down #1“, I’ve drafted up another to fuel some popular consumption. This time, I’ve attempted to construct more of a topical conversation and again, using only dialogue spoken from characters that the actors have played. In this episode, we have two actors that have never shared the screen together. So without further ado, here is the legendary and iconic Jack Nicholson and Samuel L. Jackson sharing a beverage and discussing women, violence and religion.

(Warning: if you are sensitive of ear and easily offended then don’t read on as this conversation will contain some profanities, as well as, racial and sexual dialogue.)

Nicholson: God, I’d give anything for a drink. I’d give my god-damned soul for just a glass of beer.

Jackson: Mind if I have some of your tasty beverage…?

Jackson: Mmmmm. Goddamn… This is some serious gourmet shit…

Nicholson: Heineken? Why it’s the finest beer in the world! President Kennedy used to drink it.

Jackson: … the cornerstone of any nutritious breakfast…

Nicholson: Here’s the first of the day…
[He starts flapping one arm like a chicken]
Neh, Neh, Neh! Fuh, Fuh, Fuh! Indians.

Jackson: oh man, I’ve seen some crazy ass shit in my time.

Nicholson: Is that crazy enough for ya? Want me to take a shit on the floor?

Jackson: Oh, man, I will never forgive your ass for this shit. This is some fucked-up repugnant shit.

Nicholson: Here’s something to remember when you’re older… – never pass up a bathroom, never waste a hard-on, and never trust a fart.

Jackson: Whoa! Y’all take a chill. You got to cool that shit off. And that’s the double truth, Ruth.

Nicholson: You can’t handle the truth.

Jackson: What the fuck happened to you, man? Shit, your ass used to be beautiful.

Nicholson: They was giving me ten thousand watts a day… and I’m hot to trot. The next woman takes me on’s gonna light up like a pinball machine and pay off in silver dollars.

Jackson: Hey, that’s Kool and the Gang.

Nicholson: Men are such cocksuckers aren’t they? You don’t have to answer that. It’s true. They’re scared. Their dicks get limp when confronted by a woman of obvious power and what do they do about it? Call them witches, burn them, torture them, until every woman is afraid. Afraid of herself… afraid of men… and all for what? Fear of losing their hard-on.

Jackson: You know me. It’s my duty to please that booty.

Nicholson: Well… there’s more things in this life than you can possibly imagine. I knew a whore once in Wilmington. She had a glass eye… used to take it out and wink people off for a dollar.

Jackson: The last time I got blown, candy bars cost a nickel.

Nicholson: I see men running around trying to put their dicks into everything, trying to make something happen… but it’s WOMEN who are the source… the only power. Nature, birth, rebirth. Cliche? Cliche… sure… but true.

Jackson: I’m always frank and earnest with women. Uh, in New York I’m Frank, and Chicago I’m Ernest.

Nicholson: just your average horny little devil.

Jackson: I eat the pussy, I eat the butt, I eat every motherfuckin’ thang.

Nicholson: All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.

Jackson: My ass may be dumb, but I ain’t no dumbass.

Nicholson: You’re dumber than you think I think you are.

Jackson: English, motherfucker, do you speak it?

Jackson: I’m sorry, did I break your concentration? I didn’t mean to do that. Please, continue, you were saying something about… What’s the matter? Oh, you were finished. Well, allow me to retort…

Nicholson: Never, never, interrupt me, okay? Not if there’s a fire, not even if you hear the sound of a thud from my home and one week later there’s a smell coming from there that can only be a decaying human body and you have to hold a hanky to your face because the stench is so thick that you think you’re going to faint… Or, if it’s election night, and you’re excited and you wanna celebrate because some fudgepacker that you date has been elected the first queer president of the United States and he’s going to have you down to Camp David, and you want someone to share the moment with… Not for ANY reason. Do you get me, sweetheart?

Jackson: Man, you best backoff. I’m getting a little pissed here.

Nicholson: You didn’t let me finish my sentence… I’m not gonna hurt ya. I’m just going to bash your brains in. Gonna bash ’em right the fuck in!

Jackson: Well, I’m a mushroom-cloud-layin’ motherfucker, motherfucker! Every time my fingers touch brain, I’m Superfly T.N.T., I’m the Guns of the Navarone.

Nicholson: Take caution in your tone… I’m a fair guy, but this fucking heat is making me absolutely crazy.

Jackson: Say… again. Say… again, I dare you, I double dare you motherfucker… one more Goddamn time.

Nicholson: … Calm down, or you’ll shoot in your pants.

Jackson: Normally, … your ass… would be dead as fucking fried chicken, but you happen to pull this shit while I’m in a transitional period so I don’t wanna kill you, I wanna help you… Besides, I’ve already been through too much shit this morning…

Jackson: God put you in my path and I aim to cure you of your wicked ways.

Nicholson: You ever dance with the devil in the pale moonlight?

Jackson: The path of the righteous man is beset on all sides by the inequities of the selfish and the tyranny of evil men. Blessed is he who, in the name of charity and good will, shepherds the weak through the valley of darkness, for he is truly his brother’s keeper and the finder of lost children. And I will strike down upon thee with great vengeance and furious anger those who would attempt to poison and destroy My brothers. And you will know My name is the Lord when I lay My vengeance upon thee.

Nicholson: People who talk in metaphors oughta shampoo my crotch.

Jackson: Whether or not what we experienced was an According to Hoyle miracle is insignificant. What is significant is that I felt the touch of God. God got involved.

Nicholson: Where do they teach you to talk like this? In some Panama City “Sailor wanna hump-hump” bar, or is it getaway day and your last shot at his whiskey? Sell crazy someplace else, we’re all stocked up here.

Jackson: If my answers frighten you then you should cease asking scary questions.

Nicholson: Y’know… you got a helluva knack for killin’ a conversation.

Jackson: Look, I hate to be the kinda nigga does a nigga a favor, then, BAM!, hits a nigga up for a favor in return. But I’m afraid I gots to be that kinda nigga.

Nicholson: What do you wanna discuss now? My favorite colour?

Jackson: My name’s Pitt. And your ass ain’t talkin’ your way out of this shit.

Nicholson: …why can’t we all just get along?

37 Comments »

Goodbye Lenin! * * * * *

Posted in Comedy, Drama, Foreign Language with tags 2003 on June 17, 2012 by Mark Walker

Director: Wolfgang Becker.
Screenplay: Wolfgang Becker, Bernd Lichtenberg.
Starring: Daniel Brühl, Katrin Sass, Chulpan Khamatova, Maria Simon, Florian Lukas, Alexander Beyer, Burghart Klaussner.

Directors Lars von Trier from Denmark, Pedro Almodovar from Spain, Michael Haneke from Germany, Guillermo del Toro from Mexico and most recently Tomas Alfredson from Sweden are a handful of director’s from across the globe that have cemented a fervent following worldwide. These are a notable bunch (and there are many others), so why is it then, that after this little gem of a film from 2003 that German director Wolfgang Becker hasn’t made more of name for himself? If this film is anything to go by, he certainly deserves more recognition.

In 1989, East German teenager Alex (Daniel Brühl) feels liberated when the Berlin Wall comes down. His mother, however, is a staunch Communist, who would balk at the thought of westernisation. Just before the collapse of the wall, she has a heart attack and falls into a coma. When she awakens 8 month later and Germany now reunited as a country, Alex along with his older sister are advised by doctors to protect her fragile condition from any form of stress. As a result, they fabricate news bulletins and information to dupe their recuperating mother into believing German reunification never actually happened.

With a music score by Yann Tiersen, who done the wonderful soundtrack to the 2001 French film “Amelie“, you’d be forgiven for having similar feelings to that film while watching this. It’s not just the music that they have in common though. They also share an inventive and highly original approach. This may not contain the fantasy elements of “Amelie” but it’s delivered with such an offbeat creativity that it could hold it’s own against (another notable director) Jean-Pierre Juenet’s aforementioned delight. It has a great mix of humour and pathos with scenes of such tragic sadness combined with a wonderful lightness of touch and sharp observational humour. Despite the title of the film and the political setting of the story, this is essentially a coming-of-tale and less of a commentary on the demise of communism in East Germany. The fall of the Berlin wall serves only as a backdrop to the maturing of the young protagonist. So as not to ostracise his audience writer/director Becker wisely and cleverly, doesn’t side with either East German communism or West German capitalism but instead, skilfully crafts a bittersweet satire and nostalgic tale of life from both sides of the country. He’s also helped immeasurably by two emotionally understated performances from his lead actors; Daniel Bruhl and Katrin Saas.

I was aware of this film when it was released but it should never have taken me as long as it has to get around to viewing it. Now, I’m just glad and hope that others don’t make the same mistake of ignoring this profound and poignant pleasure.

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

26 Comments »

Rumble Fish * * * *

Posted in Drama with tags 1983 on June 13, 2012 by Mark Walker

Director: Francis Ford Coppola.
Screenplay: S.E. Hinton, Francis Ford Coppola.
Starring: Matt Dillon, Mickey Rourke, Nicolas Cage, Dennis Hopper, Diane Lane, Chris Penn, Laurence Fishburne, Diana Scarwid Vincent Spano, Glenn Withrow, Sofia Coppola, William Smith, Michael Higgins, Tracey Walter, S.E. Hinton, Tom Waits.

Released back-to-back with his previous ‘teen-novel’ adaptation “The Outsiders“, Francis Ford Coppola attempted another of S.E. Hinton’s books. Like his previous release, he assembled a brilliant cast but approached it in a different style. This time, the results were far more impressive.

Rusty James (Matt Dillon) is a troubled young man from a broken background. His mother left him years ago and his father (Dennis Hopper) has turned to alcohol. He’s the leader of a small gang in a time where gang fights are dying out and most people of his generation still idolise his absent older brother ‘The Motorcycle Boy’ (Mickey Rourke). Rusty James refuses to accept and believes he can make as much a name for himself as his legendary sibling. When his brother returns to town, the life that Rusty James envisioned begins to change.

Admittedly, I never got around to reading the book on this one and given Coppola’s sumptuous visual take on it, I’m sure it would have made for an interesting comparison. Much like “The Outsiders“, this also has a feeling of a teenage audience at heart but is executed with much more darkness and depth. Coppola’s use of monochrome – with momentary flashes of vibrant technicolor – is simply astounding and quite beautiful to observe. Several scenes throughout the film border on surreal and dreamlike and the intense performances add to this; Matt Dillon is on great form as the tearaway teenager who can’t stay out of trouble and as his brother, Mickey Rourke delivers a character of quiet, tortured intensity. The rest of the cast are great also with Dennis Hopper playing the alcoholic father and Laurence Fishburne, Chris Penn and Nicolas Cage making up the rest of Rusty James’ crew. Added to which, there is a welcome cameo appearance by Tom Waits, mumbling his way through a short but memorable character. Coppola once described this film as “an art-film for teenagers” and coming from the man himself, there is no better description. It might have been experimental or ambitious for him at this time but it still stands as one of his most visually refined pieces of work. Special mention must also go to Stephen H. Burum for his ethereally stunning cinematography and Stewart Copeland (from the band “The Police“), for his unsettling and impressionistic score.

This makes a perfectly dark companion piece to the lighter side of “The Outsiders“. They couldn’t have been shot any more different and if viewed together, would make a great double bill.

Mark Walker

13 Comments »

The Outsiders * * *

Posted in Drama with tags 1983 on June 13, 2012 by Mark Walker

Director: Francis Ford Coppola.
Screenplay: Kathleen Rowell, Francis Ford Coppola.
Starring: C. Thomas Howell, Matt Dillon, Ralph Macchio, Patrick Swayze, Tom Cruise, Rob Lowe, Emilio Estevez, Diane Lane, Leif Garrett, Darren Dalton, Glenn Withrow, Gailard Sartain, William Smith, Sofia Coppola, S.E. Hinton, Tom Waits.

After “One From The Heart” in 1982 and his subsequent bankruptcy following that film’s spiralling production costs, director Francis Ford Coppola turned his hand to a couple of adaptations of ‘teen-novels’ by S.E. Hinton. This was the first (followed by “Rumble Fish“) and although it doesn’t quite hold up today, it still shows how Coppola had an eye for acting ensembles.

In 1960’s Oklahoma, 14 year old Ponyboy Curtis (C. Thomas Howell) is part of a gang known as “The Greasers”. At heart though, he has an interest in poetry and “Gone With The Wind” and believes in a better life. However, one evening him and his friend Johnny Cade (Ralph Macchio) are attacked by rival gang “The Socs”. In defence, Johnny is forced to kill one of them and with the help of Dallas Winston (Matt Dillon), they go on the run. While away though, the tension mounts between the two rival gangs.

I remember reading S.E. Hinton’s book in school when I was about 13 years old and as much as I loved it then, it is ultimately a sentimental and romanticised view of adolescence. Upon reflection, there are several cringe-worthy moments and Coppola approaches the material with such a melodramatic and unashamed style. In fairness though, he sticks very closely to Hinton’s novel (which she wrote when she was 15) and I don’t suppose it was meant to appeal to anyone other than those harbouring their teenage angst. It’s just a shame, that with such potential, the director of “The Godfather” couldn’t have dropped some of the self-indulgent innocence and added a little more bite. However, it doesn’t proclaim to be anything other than what it is and it’s target audience should still find plenty to enjoy. I know I did – 20 years ago. A lot of scenes still retain a certain power and the music score by Carmine Coppola compliments it well. As does, the use of Stevie Wonder’s marvellous song “Stay Gold“. The most impressive thing about it though, is the ensemble of young actors that Coppola managed to assemble. A lot of them went on to bigger and better things while some crashed and burned but at the very least, it was a cast of familiar faces that were at the forefront of many successful movies of the 80’s and 90’s. Coppola released a director’s cut in 2005 that restored almost half an hour of footage. I haven’t seen that cut and whether or not it improves the film remains to be seen but I would be interested in viewing it nonetheless.

As a big fan of the novel in my youth, this is a bit of a guilty pleasure for me. Coppola portrays the characters and sets the scenes with admiration but now that time has passed and my critical faculties have developed, there’s no doubt that youth and idealism played a part in my, more favourable, opinion back then.

Mark Walker

13 Comments »

Headhunters * * * * 1/2

Posted in thriller with tags 2012 on June 9, 2012 by Mark Walker

Director: Morten Tyldum
Screenplay: Lars Gudmstead, Ulf Ryberg.
Starring: Aksel Hennie, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Synnove Macody Lund, Eivind Sander, Julie Olgaard, Kyrre Haugen Sydness, Reidar Sorenson, Nils Jorgen Kaalstad, Joachim Rafaelsen, Mats Mogeland.

Do you ever tire of hearing that a Hollywood remake is in the pipeline, when the ink has hardly dried on the original script? Like “The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo“, “Cell 211” and “Let The Right One In” before it, this is another that has had the green light for an English language version. It’s easy to see why there would be interest in this as it’s an exceptionally good thriller. I just don’t see why it’s necessary to have it redone.

Roger Brown (Aksel Hennie) is a high-flying businessman who works as a headhunter. He scouts potential applicants for executive jobs. While interviewing them, he learns very useful information that leads him to his second source of income: a sideline in executing valuable art robberies. His extravagant and expensive lifestyle can’t be funded by his headhunting job alone. One particular interviewee is Clas Greve (Nicolaj Coster-Waldau). He has all the credentials for a post that Brown needs to fill but he also has just inherited a piece of art that will cure all of Brown’s financial woes – if he can just get his hands on it. As it turns out though, this art theft is not as simple as his previous ones and Greve is not as buttoned up as he makes out.

As this film opens we are introduced to unlikely leading actor Aksel Hennie who has an appearance that resembles the love child of Christopher Walken and Steve Buscemi. He’s not your average leading man and his character is not that appealing either. He’s a self-centred weasel of a man that seems to lack any morals but you know that things are, not entirely, going to go to plan for this scheming, double-crossing thief and that’s exactly what captures your attention and provides the hook in this adaptation of Norwegian writer Jo Nesbo’s novel. Director Morten Tyldum is wise enough to play his cards when he needs them and wrings out the suspense, masterfully, at every turn. He mounts the tension slowly before staging one gripping scene after another. The unpredictability of the spiralling plot delivers genuine excitement, helped immeasurably by natural characters and performers. Hennie in particular, is absolutely brilliant and will no doubt become a household name after this (apparently he already is, in his native Norway). Kudos to screenwriters Lars Gudmstead and Ulf Ryberg. It’s their tight, deliberately paced and unpredictable script that keeps you guessing and shows a good level of intelligence. Admittedly, I haven’t read the novel but if I were author Jo Nesbo – whose next page to screen transfer will be “The Snowman“, directed by Martin Scorsese – I’d be very proud of the job that has been done here.

When the headhunter becomes the headhunted, this film grips like a vice and refuses to let go. I’ve seen quite a few film’s from Scandinavia over recent years and have been very impressed with the high standard they are delivering. This is no exception and a thriller that will definitely compete with the best of the year.

Mark Walker

26 Comments »

LET’S HAVE A SIT DOWN! #1

Posted in Uncategorized with tags 2012 on June 7, 2012 by Mark Walker

I’m going to try a little experiment which may become a regular feature on my blog if it is successful enough and I can continue to amass the material. The aim is to bring two actors together in conversation using only dialogue from characters that they have played.

The two actors I’ve chosen to get this little experiment going have actually already shared the screen together. We were first treated to this with the coffee shop scene in Heat. That’s right, it’s the legendary Robert DeNiro and Al Pacino engaging in a little fighting talk…

(Warning: if you are sensitive of ear and easily offended then don’t read on as this conversation will contain quite a lot of profanities.)

DeNiro: You talkin’ to me? You talkin’ to me? You talkin’ to me? Then who the hell else are you talking… you talking to me? Well I’m the only one here. Who the fuck do you think you’re talking to?…

Pacino: You know what? Fuck you! How about that?

DeNiro: It’s not necessary to lay a foul tongue on me my friend. I could get upset. Things could get out of hand. Then in self defense, I could do something to you that you would not like, right here.

Pacino: Oh what a big man you are! Hey, let me buy you a pack of gum. I’ll show you how to chew it.

DeNiro: I fuck you right where you breathe, because I don’t give two shits about you or nobody else.

Pacino: You wanna fuck with me? Okay. You wanna play rough? Okay. Say hello to my little friend!

DeNiro: … if you make one more move on me, you motherfucker, I’ll fuckin’ cut your fuckin’ balls off and shove ’em up your fuckin’ ass. I’ll fuckin’ bury you! I’m gonna stick ice picks in your eyes and send ’em to your family so they can eat them for dessert!

Pacino: Why don’t you try stickin’ your head up your ass? See if it fits.

DeNiro: You wanna play games? All right, I’ll play your fucking games.

Pacino: Who the fuck are you?… What, you think you like me? You ain’t like me motherfucker, you a punk. I’ve been with made people, connected people. Who’ve you been with? Chain snatching, jive-ass, maricon motherfuckers. Why don’t you get out of here and go snatch a purse.

DeNiro: I ain’t no white trash piece of shit. I’m better than you… I can out-learn you. I can out-read you. I can out-think you. And I can out-philosophize you. And I’m gonna outlast you. You think a couple whacks to my guts is gonna get me down? It’s gonna take a hell of a lot more than that… to prove you’re better than me!

Pacino: You think you’re big time? You gonna fuckin’ die – big time.

DeNiro: What is the fuckin’ matter with you? What – what is the fuckin matter with you? What are you, stupid or what?

Pacino: …All I have in this world is my balls and my word and I don’t break them for no one. Do you understand?

DeNiro: I can feel the juices rushing back to my balls as we speak.

Pacino: Whoo-aah.

51 Comments »

Mary And Max * * * * 1/2

Posted in Animation with tags 2009 on June 6, 2012 by Mark Walker

Director: Adam Elliot.
Screenplay: Adam Elliot.
Voices: Philip Seymour Hoffman, Toni Collette, Bethany Whitmore, Eric Bana, Renee Geyer.
Narrator: Barry Humphries.

Back In 2003, director Adam Elliot released an animated short called “Harvie Krumpet“. It went on to win an Oscar and like most animators after receiving this accolade, he went on to make a feature film. If this little film is anything to go buy, then it won’t be the last we’ll be seeing of this talented artist.

It tells the story of two, not so different but very unusual, pen pals; Mary, an 8 year old Australian girl living in Melbourne and Max a 44 year old man from New York. They both struggle to get on in life and have difficulty connecting with people yet miles apart, manage to strike up a heart-warming friendship that spans 20 years.

As we are introduced to young Mary Daisy Dinkle (voiced by Bethany Whitmore as a child and Toni Collette as an adult), we are told she has eyes the colour of muddy puddles and a birthmark the colour of poo. She gets teased at school and her parents are always busy. Her father is either working on taxidermy or attaching the strings to teabags and her mother is constantly ‘testing’ the sherry and listening to Cricket on the radio. The people around her have very little time for her. As a result, she randomly chooses a name from an American phonebook and writes a letter to Max Jerry Horovitz. Max (voiced by an unrecognisable Philip Seymour Hoffman) is just as lonely and finds the world very confusing and chaotic. He has trouble understanding people, is hyper sensitive and has trouble expressing his emotions. However, he decides to respond and an unlikely friendship develops between them. It’s the commentary on their individual lives and personal experiences that provides this film with some off-beat and darkly humorous ideas. Mary is able to ask questions like: Do sheep shrink when it rains? Why old men wear their trousers so high and if a taxi drives backwards does it save you money? She also tells Max of her neighbour who’s scared of going outside – “which is a disease called homophobia”. She’s sweet and innocent and like Max, shares that inability to fit in. Max is also allowed a rare chance in his life to open up. He tells her of his top five favourite-sounding words; “Ointment, Bumblebee, Vladivostok, Banana and Testicle”. He also informs us, that when he was young, he invented an invisible friend called ‘Mr. Ravioli’. His psychiatrist said that Max didn’t need him anymore, so ‘Mr. Ravioli’ now just sits in the corner and reads self help books. The humour is easy-going and possesses a freshness and originality. The use of animated clay dolls and monochrome and sepia settings are also brilliantly done, helping the humorous characters and dialogue perfectly compliment each other. Despite a lightness of touch though, it also addresses some deeper themes; alcoholism, mental illness, body image, suicide and depression which make this a film more suited to adults but that doesn’t stop it from being a delightful and highly inventive piece of work.

It’s been a long time since I seen Adam Elliot’s short “Harvie Krumpet” but I’ll be keeping an eye out for it again after this creative, emotional and poignant little treat.

Mark Walker

10 Comments »

Coriolanus * * * *

Posted in Drama, thriller, War with tags 2011 on June 4, 2012 by Mark Walker

Director: Ralph Fiennes.
Screenplay: John Logan.
Starring: Ralph Fiennes, Gerard Butler, Brian Cox, Vanessa Redgrave, Jessica Chastain, James Nesbitt, Paul Jesson, Lubna Azabal, Ashraf Barhom, Dragan Mieanovie, Jon Snow.

As a personal rule, I don’t watch adaptations of William Shakespeare’s works unless I’ve read the play beforehand. I like to have a frame of reference when it comes to the bard but in this case, I capitulated and couldn’t resist putting the film off any longer. I’ll always wish that I had found the time but that doesn’t diminish the overall quality or power of this interpretation from first time director Ralph Fiennes.

In a war ravished modern state calling itself Rome, where the people and the military have taken to the streets, hero General Caius Martius (Ralph Fiennes) is set to become the leader of the republic. Opponents across the political scale have other ideas though and attempt to orchestrate his downfall and banishment. Once exiled, the furious General forms an alliance with former nemesis Tullus Aufidius (Gerard Butler) and returns home, intent on taking revenge on the city that has scorned him.

Despite the modern alternative setting that Fiennes chooses for his adaptation, he still manages to retain the feel of a play. Some scenes reflect a classic BBC dramatisation and he employs some high quality actors to provide the goods. The classically trained actress Vanessa Redgrave is the most comfortable amongst the ensemble as the influential matriarch Volumunia. She delivers her lines with absolute confidence and such an understanding of Shakespeare’s iambic pentameter. She’s not alone though; for as little time as they get, the ubiquitous Jessica Chastain delivers a reserved performance as Coriolanus’ disconsolate wife Virgilia and Gerard Butler proves that his talents lie beyond mere rom-com’s and mindless action movies as Aufidius, the rebel leader of the Volscian army. Butler’s fellow Scotsman Brian Cox also shows some real presence in one of his better roles of recent years as the Roman senator Menenius. But as the tortured and unrelenting protagonist Caius Martius Coriolanus, it’s Fiennes that takes centre stage, chewing it up in the process and delivering an intense and ferocious performance. It’s often forgotten how good an actor Fiennes really is but this is proof, once again, that given some meaty material, he can really sink his teeth into it. Shakespeare’s works tend to be all about the prose and the performers and as much as this film delivers on that front, it also delivers an effective modern setting with surprisingly brilliant action set-pieces. There is a real intensity to the politics involved and Fiennes wisely chooses to stick with the original material. It’s hard to balance Shakespeare’s writing’s in a contemporary way and for the most part, it works impressively. However, as the original play is based on a supposed Roman general during the 5th century BC, there are regular references to the common beliefs of this time. “The gods” is an often used piece of dialogue that doesn’t quite fit with the chosen setting and whenever the actors deliver lines with such, it jars slightly. The rest of the film though, is a towering and mesmerising take on the machinations and intrigue of political power.

As always with Shakespeare, it takes a while to tune your ear but the visuals are so effective and the performances so good, that it brings one of his lesser known tragedies, comfortably, to a wider audience. It also heralds the arrival of exemplary actor Ralph Fiennes as an exemplary new director.

Mark Walker

20 Comments »

Prometheus * * *

Posted in Action, Science Fiction, thriller with tags 2012 on June 3, 2012 by Mark Walker

Director: Ridley Scott.
Screenplay: Jon Spaihts, Damon Lindelof.
Starring: Noomi Rapace, Michael Fassbender, Logan Marshall-Green, Charlize Theron, Idris Elba, Guy Pearce, Rafe Spall, Sean Harris, Kate Dickie, Benedict Wong, Emun Elliott, Patrick Wilson.

It has been over three decades since director Ridley Scott made “Alien” in 1979. When news broke of his intention to revisit the genre of science fiction, the anticipation was huge. Originally, this was intended to be a prequel to his earlier film but on second thought, Scott decided to make it into an original film in it’s own right. For one, there’s no doubt that this IS a prequel and I can’t see why he’d proclaim it to be otherwise. For another, he should have decided on a different project altogether, as this doesn’t quite muster the thrills or atmosphere that viewers will, no doubt, expect.

In the Isle of Skye, Scotland, in the year 2089, scientists Elizabeth Shaw (Noomi Rapace) and Charlie Holloway (Logan Marshall-Green) discover an ancient star-chart. It points to the possibility of other life forms in the universe. A crew is assembled aboard the ship ‘Prometheus’ and land upon LV-223, to further investigate. There is optimism amongst the crew that they will find the answers to the origins of humankind but what they get in return, is not entirely what they expected.

I tried to go into this avoiding the hype, the trailers and most critical opinions. I also tried to avoid comparing it to “Alien“. I didn’t want my expectations raised too high and for the most part, they weren’t. But whether, your expectations are high or not, there’s still no avoiding a lazy and abysmally written script.
As expected, Ridley Scott has crafted a fantastically visual spectacle. The opening scene alone, of sweeping landscapes and crashing waterfalls is one of wonderment and draws you right in. Scott sets his stall up well and with a patient hand, he introduces us to his not too distant future. As we know from another of Scott’s classic science fiction films, “Blade Runner“, he’s no stranger to exploring existential themes. He does so again here but only just touches upon them. He seems more in favour of delivering eye-candy than inviting us to ponder and it soon becomes apparent that this film is all about the look.
There is an eclectic mix of characters and upon their introduction, shades of the franchise are apparent – It’s basically the same formula all over again. The performances are good though and Noomi Rapace, in her first leading role, is commanding. The always reliable Michael Fassbender, once again, immerses himself and probably stands out as the highlight of the movie. Theron, however, is criminally underused and given very little to work with. As much as the actors deliver what they can with the material at their disposal, the characters are hollow and there isn’t really a particular one that takes centre stage or one that you’re able to identify with. Most of them, are actually just fodder for forthcoming mayhem. The major problem with them though, is that some of their motives are unexplained, leaving an obscurity to the film that I don’t think was intentional. On the surface, this has it all but it’s what’s underneath that counts and Scott has ultimately decided on a script that is far from satisfactory. Plot strands are lazily passed off, in favour of moving the story along to the next B-movie moment. There are some shocks and jumps but the lack of intelligence only grows stronger as the film heads towards it’s inevitable climax. As I sat with my other half in the darkened auditorium and the end credits began to role, she said one word that could strongly reflect most people’s opinions… “Bullshit”.

I find it hard to be as overly critical, as it’s visually ambitious and it’s conception is brilliantly realised but there’s no escaping the hollowness of it all. I’d love to rate this film higher but for anyone who appreciates my opinion, I’d be doing you a disservice. This is a classic casualty of it’s own hype.

Mark Walker

47 Comments »

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

44 Comments »

The Innkeepers * * *

Posted in Horror with tags 2012 on May 24, 2012 by Mark Walker

Director: Ti West
Screenplay: Ti West
Starring: Sara Paxton, Pat Healy, Kelly McGillis, Alison Bartlett, Lena Dunham, George Riddle, Brenda Cooney.

Is it just a matter of getting older or are horror films no longer able to capture the imagination anymore? A lot of recent one’s have wisely went back to the premise of ghostly spectres haunting old houses and unsuspecting newcomers arriving to get the bejesus scared out of them. “The Woman In Black” is one, that tried and failed. This latest, from director Ti West, has a little more savvy and actually works reasonably well.

‘The Yankee Pedlar Inn’ is an old hotel that is plagued with stories of Madeline O’Malley; a ghostly woman that has roamed the hallways. On it’s last weekend before closing, two college dropout employees Claire (Sara Paxton) and Luke (Pat Healy) decide to use a video camera and try to capture some evidence of the reported events. One of the last guests to check in is former actress Leanne Rease-Jones (Kelly McGillis), now specialising in the occult, who shares her knowledge of the hotel as things become increasingly sinister.

For a start, this has a bit of an independent feel to it. The characters are likeable and although some performances are stretched, it benefits from the actors being relatively unknown. Despite it’s indie feel though, it’s shot with complete confidence. As any good ghost story should, it builds slowly and allows the audience to identify with the characters. It also has the perfect setting; a vast, empty, haunted space – that is actually shot in the real Yankee Pedlar Inn – and makes great use of this location. It also helps to inject a bit of humour and two thirds of the movie has it’s tongue stuck firmly in it’s cheek without compromising the overall intention; scares. When the final act kicks into gear and the ghost is finally revealed, it’s get’s very interesting and some genuine jumpy moments occur. However, the major problem that plagues this, is that it sets itself up for a big reveal and then doesn’t deliver. For a film that prides itself in it’s slow build-up and attention to detail, the resolution seems rushed, unexplored and unexplained.

It’s a competent effort that benefits from great production design and an eager director but it would have been so much better, if a little more care had been put into the script.

Mark Walker

21 Comments »

No Country For Old Men * * * * *

Posted in Crime, thriller, Western with tags 2007 on May 17, 2012 by Mark Walker

Directors: Joel & Ethan Coen.
Screenplay: Ethan & Joel Coen.
Starring: Josh Brolin, Javier Bardem, Tommy Lee Jones, Woody Harrelson, Kelly Macdonald, Garret Dillahunt, Tess Harper, Barry Corbin, Stephen Root, Rodger Boyce, Ana Reeder, Beth Grant, Gene Jones.

Ever since their dark debut “Blood Simple” in 1984, Joel & Ethan Coen have commanded an audience’s attention. They followed that up with the wacky and kinetic comedy “Raising Arizona” in 1987, proving early on, that they were comfortable in any genre. That hasn’t changed over the years but what it does do, is leave you with feelings of anticipation whenever they deliver another film. You just never know what light or dark delights they are going to deliver. This film is the darkest delight they have delivered so far.

While hunting in the Texas desert, a young mid-west cowboy (Josh Brolin) comes across a botched drug deal and decides to snatch a satchel of cash. Unknowingly, there are bigger things at work here and his foolish decision attracts the attention of a relentless hitman (Javier Bardem) who has been sent to recover the money. As bodies begin to pile in their wake, a local Sheriff (Tommy Lee Jones) has the duty of hunting them down.

To foreshorten the opening lines of this film and give an insight from the disillusioned protagonist Sheriff Ed Tom Bell, we are told “… the crime you see now, it’s hard to even take its measure. It’s not that I’m afraid of it. I always knew you had to be willing to die to even do this job. But, I don’t want to push my chips forward and go out and meet something I don’t understand. A man would have to put his soul at hazard. He’d have to say, “O.K., I’ll be part of this world.”” Sheriff Bell is at a loss to explain human behaviour and the evil actions of people that he has pursued throughout his career in law enforcement. He is the weary heart and soul of this movie and a character that Tommy Lee Jones can do in his sleep. He serves as one part of three characters whose lives explosively intersect. The others include; Llewelyn Moss (Josh Brolin) a foolish young man who doesn’t quite grasp the enormity of his actions, which in turn, attract the attention of very disturbed and dangerous killer Anton Chigurh (Javier Bardem) – who makes decisions on the flip of a coin and wields a hydrolic cattle gun as a weapon. Cleverly, the Coens have them sharing very little (if any) screen time and Jones’ Sherrif always two steps behind the aftermath of destructive events.
As always, the Coens are at the top of their game and have a good grasp on this adaptation of Cormac McCarthy’s novel. They capture his recurrent themes; isolation, the passing of time and changing epoch’s. In “The Road” McCarthy explored a post-apocalyptic change. In this, it’s the end of the western way of life and despite life-experienced characters, a lack of understanding in the reasons for it’s happening. Throughout their films they have delivered consistent moments of suspense. Here though, the Coens outdo themselves with regular scenes of unbearable tension (done without the use of music). The actors are all up to the task and despite Lee Jones and the Oscar winning Bardem receiving most of the plaudits, Brolin also delivers an absolutely solid, low-key performance. No Coen brothers review would be complete without mentioning the sublime talents of their regular cinematographer Roger Deakins. Yet again, his stark and beautiful camerawork compliments the barren landscapes that these characters roam. As always, his and the Coens’ vision complete one another. One of the brothers’ finest films and thoroughly deserving of its best picture and director(s) Oscar awards.

If you’re aware of the Coen brothers’ canon (and most filmgoers are) then combine “Fargo” and “Blood Simple” and this is what you get… only better. A very gripping and powerful neo-western.

Mark Walker

35 Comments »

The Guard * * * *

Posted in Comedy, Crime, Drama with tags 2011 on May 14, 2012 by Mark Walker

Director: Jonathan Michael McDonagh.
Screenplay: Jonathan Michael McDonagh.
Starring: Brendan Gleeson, Don Cheadle, Liam Cunningham, Mark Strong, David Wilmot, Fionnula Flanagan, Rory Keenan, Declan Mannlen, Laurence Kinlan, Katarina Cas, Gary Lydon.

There’s something that seems to run through the family of the McDonagh’s; Martin made an impressive debut with the lively, comedy crime drama “In Bruges” in 2008. Now his sibling Jonathan does the same with this. Combining genres can so easily go wrong but both the McDonagh’s seem to be rather good at it.

In Galway, the west coast of Ireland a seemingly random murder occurs. Sgt. Gerry Boyle (Brendan Gleeson) investigates and soon believes it to be part of a drug-smuggling ring. The case becomes so important that the FBI get involved and send over agent Wendell Everett (Don Cheadle) to mount a large scale operation in bringing the drug ring down. The two law enforcers don’t exactly see eye-to-eye and have completely different approaches to their professions but manage to find common ground in working together.

As we are introduced to the character of Sgt. Gerry Boyle, he’s just come across a crime scene. He searches through the pockets of a deceased young man and helps himself to a tab of LSD. Within minutes this towering character and his unconventional methods are established. It takes a good actor to pull this off and Gleeson is more than up to the task. It’s his solid performance that’s at the centre of this off-beat and cynical comedy. Gleeson has become ubiquitous of late, appearing in film’s internationally and having already worked with the likes of Steven Spielberg (“A.I. Artificial Intelligence“) and Martin Scorsese (“Gangs Of New York“). He has worked with these directors for good reason, as he can seemingly turn his hand to any role. He’s not alone here though, fine support is delivered by the always reliable Don Cheadle, who’s not afraid to take a step back and allow Gleeson to shine and as the three dangerous, drug-running killers, Liam Cunningham, David Wilmot and Mark Strong are given small but memorable roles. It’s fun to listen to them discuss philosophy before cold-bloodedly despatching of innocent people. It’s the balance of danger and humour that keeps director McDonagh’s film fresh and able to play with the usual genre conventions. The laughs are genuine and never forced and the sharp Irish humour that courses through it is hilarious. Toward the end, it threatens to succumb to cliche but still has enough up it’s sleeve to leave you contented.

The mismatched buddy-cop movie has been done many times before but this still manages to find some mileage in it. That’s thanks to it’s balanced approach and contemptuous brand of humour.

Mark Walker

21 Comments »

Sin City

Posted in Crime, Fantasy, Film-Noir with tags 2005 on May 11, 2012 by Mark Walker

Directors: Robert Rodriguez, Frank Miller.
Screenplay: Frank Miller.
Starring: Mickey Rourke, Bruce Willis, Clive Owen, Benicio Del Toro, Elijah Wood, Nick Stahl, Jessica Alba, Rosario Dawson, Brittany Murphy, Jamie King, Carla Gugino, Devon Aoki, Alexis Bledel, Powers Boothe, Michael Clarke Duncan, Nicky Katt, Marley Shelton, Tommy Flanagan, Frank Miller, Rutger Hauer, Josh Hartnett, Michael Madsen.

“This is blood for blood and by the gallons. These are the old days man, the bad days, the all-or-nothing days. They’re back! There’s no choices left. And I’m ready for war”

Director Robert Rodriguez is a real mixed bag for me. Most of the time, I either find his films childish or over the top. This, however, is far from childish but so wildly over the top, it’s hard not to like it. It’s based on the adult comic-book by Frank Miller (who serves as a co-director) and is by far Rodriguez’s finest film to date.

Basin City is the film noir community that plays host to three hardboiled comic-book tales. “The Hard Goodbye” has Marv (Mickey Rourke) an brutish ex-convict who avenges the murder of prostitute Goldie (Jamie King) that he had fallen in love with; “The Big Fat Kill” where private detective Dwight (Clive Owen) finds himself helping hookers fight mercenaries from the red light district and “That Yellow Bastard” sees disgraced cop Hartigan (Bruce Willis) protect dancer Nancy (Jessica Alba) from a psychotic sadist and sex offender (Nick Stahl).

This film may be, unashamedly, computer enhanced but it doesn’t diminish it’s highly visual approach. It’s shot in true noir style with wonderful touches of vibrant colour throughout it’s monochrome palette. It also has the downbeat voiceover that most film’s of the genre indulge in. It’s quite simply, a stunning piece of work. Comic-book adaptations have taken to our screens on a regular basis but Rodriguez has probably been the most faithful to his source material. This is as close as I’ve seen in a page to screen transfer. Rodriguez has retained the look and feel of this fantasy world, practically word-for-word, and I can only assume that having it’s creator Frank Miller on board is a major merit. Like a lot of comics it’s most certainly a boys-own adventure; All the guys look tough and talk tough and most of the gals dress in dog collars and S&M gear. It could be deemed insulting or exploitative towards women but it’s written purely as fantasy and works an absolute treat. I’m a big fan of film-noir but you’d be hard pushed to find it done in such an audacious way. Into the bargain, Quentin Tarantino ‘guest directs’ a scene and we are also given a huge cast of familiar faces. All of which, are superb. The real standout though is a comeback performance by Mickey Rourke. He’s as brutal and relentless as they come – “… they should’ve shot me in the head and enough times to make sure” – and he’s unlike most comic characters you’ll find yourself rooting for. I’ve always been a fan of Rourke’s and this is one of my favourite performances from him. It’s great to have him back. Ultimately, it’s the look and feel of the film that possesses the real power though. It’s very hard not too be drawn into this visceral and uncompromising neo-noir.

Sin City 2: A Dame To Kill For is in the works and if Rodriguez and Miller can recreate their true visual spectacle and technical achievements, then we could be in for another treat.

Mark Walker

Trivia: Robert Rodriguez scored Kill Bill: Vol. 2 in 2004 for $1. Quentin Tarantino said he would repay him by directing a segment of this movie for $1. Tarantino, a vocal proponent of film-over-digital, has said that he was curious to get hands-on experience with the HD cameras which Rodriguez lauds. When asked about his experience, Tarantino merely replied, “Mission Accomplished.”