MARKED MOVIES

The Messenger * * * *

Posted in Drama, War with tags 2009 on February 2, 2012 by Mark Walker

Director: Oren Moverman.
Screenplay: Oren Moverman, Allessandro Camon.
Starring: Ben Foster, Woody Harrelson, Samantha Morton, Jena Malone, Steve Buscemi, Eamonn Walker, Brendan Sexton III.

War films tend to show you the brutality of conflict on the battlefield; the blood and the guts; the firepower; the fear and the bravery. Few address the conflict at home, which is quite surprising as the ones that do, tend to be raw and personal stories. This one certainly is.

Decorated Iraq war veteran Sgt. Will Montgomery (Ben Foster) is back home and dealing with various ailments. He’s assigned to the Casualty Notification Office, where he and his superior Capt. Tony Stone (Woody Harrelson) have the unwelcome task of informing next of kin whenever a soldier dies.

A very impressive debut from director Oren Moverman who also co-scripted but also a very bleak and depressing drama, dealing with a part of war that is so often overlooked. Foster and Harrelson (in an oscar nominated role) both deliver intense and solid performances, every time they notify a next of kin, it’s unbearably nerve wracking. Each relative dealing with their grief in different ways. Some with anger and violence, some with devestation, some with remorse, but each one as powerful as the next. As the film progresses, it concentrates less on the job they do and more on their own personal suffering, and as a result, loses momentum. However, when the full extent of their own emotional suffering becomes clear we are treated to a masterclass of acting from Foster and Harrelson in what becomes a very personal moment between them. There are periodic lulls, especially when the film branches off into Foster’s romantic involvements with Samantha Morton and Jena Malone but these lulls are coupled with sporadic moments of brilliance. Ben Foster is steadily building a reputation for himself with his consistant portrayal of tortured souls and Harrelson – although not always a favourite of mine – is really starting to win me over with his shrewd choice of unselfish roles.

Stark and hard-hitting but the performances from the two leads and the raw emotional power it posseses make it quite captivating.

Mark Walker

2 Comments »

Redbelt * * * *

Posted in Drama, Sport with tags 2008 on February 2, 2012 by Mark Walker

Director: David Mamet.
Screenplay: David Mamet.
Starring: Chiwetel Ejiofor, Tim Allen, Alice Braga, Emily Mortimer, Rodrigo Santoro, Joe Mantegna, Ricky Jay, David Paymer, Max Martini, Rebecca Pidgeon, Ray Mancini, Jose Pablo Cantillo, John Machado, J. J. Johnston, Jack Wallace.

After the arguably awful “Spartan”, writer/director David Mamet delivered this. It could be called a genre picture but if you know Mamet, you’ll know he doesn’t really follow conventions.

Mixed-martial-arts instructor Mike Terry (Chiwetel Ejiofor) has money problems. He could earn $50,000 in a competition, but honour precludes him from fighting for money. Then a series of chance encounters leaves him no choice but to step into the ring.

The film opens dramatically, introducing several of it’s key characters in quick succession and manages to maintain this drama for a lenghty period. In fact, for almost the entire film. The acting is marvellous with Chiwetel Ejiofor’s central, dynamic performance a real highlight. He’s a fine actor, deserving of more major leading roles. As always, David Mamet’s dialogue is sharp and natural, helping his characters come to life. At first, so many strands to the story are introduced, with no explanation, before eventually bringing them all cleverly together. Mamet is known for his writing skills and again they are on display here. Despite the undeniable power though, as it progresses, it starts to veer toward the formulaic side (which I suppose is difficult considering it’s subject) and ties it’s many strands up rather quickly, in a nice red bow (or quite literally ‘belt’). It was far too neatly done and gave the feeling of being rushed, letting down an otherwise superb film.

Although flawed, it’s still absorbing and one of David Mamet’s better films. It’s not a major demerit but I found it to be a bit short, I was enjoying it so much that I could have done with an extra half an hour. Then again, maybe there is no higher compliment than this.

Mark Walker

2 Comments »

American Perfekt * *

Posted in Crime, thriller with tags 1997 on February 2, 2012 by Mark Walker

Director: Paul Chart.
Screenplay: Paul Chart.
Starring: Robert Forster, Fairuza Balk, Amanda Plummer, David Thewlis, Paul Sorvino, Joanna Gleason, Geoffrey Lewis, Chris Sarandon, Jay Patterson, Judson Mills.

This was one of those crime thrillers that came along in the wake of Quentin Tarantino’s emergence and tried to emulate his style for ‘cool’ violence. The only thing this has in common with Q.T. though, is Pulp Fiction’s Amanda Plummer and Jackie Brown’s Robert Forster in the cast. The rest pales in comparison and frankly, I don’t see much of a resemblance.

A young woman (Fairuza Balk) travelling through the desert on her way to meet her sister (Amanda Plummer) crosses paths with a psychotic physician (Robert Forster) who decides his actions on the flip of a coin.

When I seen this years ago, I was thoroughly entertained and thought it was a highly original and exciting film. On second viewing, it doesn’t quite stand up to scrutiny. The originality I thought it once had is basically taken from novelist Luke Reinhart’s “The Dice Man”. What is an intriguing premise is played out with such a lack of urgency that it becomes very tedious, very quickly. It picks up when Fairuza Balk arrives in town though and Forster’s psycho pychologist begins to reveal himself. However, he’s still a little tepid and despite a decent performance, he’s not nearly menacing enough. There are a few things worthy of admiration but it’s the pacing that’s all wrong, letting down a decent cast and missing an opportunity for genuine thrills.

A half baked psychological thriller that aims high but ultimately falls hard from it’s intended target.

Mark Walker

6 Comments »

Eragon (x)

Posted in Action, Adventure, Family, Fantasy with tags 2006 on February 2, 2012 by Mark Walker

Director: Stefen Fangmeier.
Screenplay: Peter Buchman.
Starring: Ed Speleers, Jeremy Irons, Sienna Guillory, Robert Carlyle, John Malkovich, Djimon Hounsou, Garrett Hedlund, Alun Armstrong, Joss Stone, Chris Egan, Gary Lewis.
Voice of: Rachel Weisz.

I enjoy a good fantastical story but I had avoided this one due to the bad things I’d heard of it. However, I eventually thought I should still give it go and see for myself. Seriously though, I wish I’d listened to the naysayers now.

Young farmer Eragon (Ed Speleers) finds a dragon’s egg, and teams up with the newborn dragon, Saphira (voiced by Rachel Weisz), a former Dragon Rider (Jeremy Irons) and a female Elf (Sienna Guillory) to tackle an evil king (John Malkovich) and his shady accomplice (Robert Carlyle).

Bad dialogue, bad acting, bad movie. If your going to release a fantasy film these days then make sure it has some mileage, as “The Lord of the Rings” has set a very high benchmark. This was also based on a series of books by Christopher Paolini but it’s not even in the same league as some of the quality we’ve recently been spoiled with. Admittedly, I’ve never read the books, leaving me unsure as to how the adaptation should be but I do know this… the voice of the dragon was a bad move. It made no effort to even look like the dragon was communicating and just came across as cheap and insulting. Although some were impressed with the special effects, I didn’t find them to be anything special at all. Speelers doesn’t really cut it as the hero of the tale, lacking charisma and any form of acting ability and the rest of the cast seem perplexed. You get the impression from Irons and Malkovich that they know they’ve made a mistake with this one. The same goes for Carlyle but he still manages to deliver a decidedly nasty villian that’s way above this nonsense. Normally a fantasy yarn has something to hold your interest – no matter how poor – but it just goes to show there are exceptions to that. This is one, and quite possibly the definitive to those exceptions.

The only positive that can be taken from this is that due to it’s box-office and critical failure, we will probably be spared the adaptations to the rest of the series. A very bad film indeed.

Mark Walker

Leave a comment »

Blitz * 1/2

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

Director: Elliot Lester.
Screenplay: Nathan Parker.
Starring: Jason Statham, Paddy Considine, Aidan Gillen, David Morrissey, Luke Evans, Zawe Ashton, Ned Dennehy, Mark Rylance, Nicky Heston.

Jason Statham, or ‘The Stath’ (as he’s now known in the action world) kicks some arse in his hometown ‘Landan’ and to use a parlance from our Cockney friends, he’s not “‘avin’ a fackin’ bubble” either. He’s deadly serious and intent on dishing out some rough justice.

Detective Sergeant Tom Brant (Statham) is a no nonsense cop, under investigation for alleged police corruption. Still, when a serial cop killer (Aidan Gillen) starts kicking around ‘daan the Old Kent Road’ bumping off the ‘bobby’s on the beat’, Brant is the only guy hard enough to track him down.

Statham has went down a treat in America and has become a new action hero for them, but personally, I’m not into all that. Let’s face it, his films are aimed more at teenage boys. As usual, he does his thang of looking tough, talking tough and staying as far away from a razor as possible. Paddy Considine gets a brief moment where his class shines through but it’s hard not to feel sorry for him when he’s reduced to such material. Why hasn’t Considine been snapped up by the American market? He’s one of the finest British actors around at present and the biggest surprise for me, is why he’s even involved. It manages a marginal interest in seeing what is essentially “Dirty Harry” playing out in London. Nice use of locations also and a gritty urban feel, but sadly that’s about all.
Statham’s hard man routine is wearing a bit thin these days. Considering he used to be an Olympic diver and a model he talks a bit too big for his britches. He carry’s it well though and his films are what they are really. Let’s put it this way, you hardly need your noodle when watching one of them.

Watch the aforementioned Clint Eastwood/Don Siegel classic instead. It’s much more rewarding.

Mark Walker

Leave a comment »

Labyrinth * * * 1/2

Posted in Adventure, Family, Fantasy with tags 1986 on February 2, 2012 by Mark Walker

Director: Jim Henson.
Screenplay: Terry Jones.
Starring: Jennifer Connelly, David Bowie, Toby Froud, Shelley Thompson, Christopher Malcolm, Warwick Davis, Kenny Baker.

Imaginative fantasies have become commonplace of recent times with the release of “The Lord of the Rings” and “Harry Potter” films etc. This has been made possible with the technology we have now, helping to bring fantastical imagery to a new level. However, this 1986 film preceeded those using old-fashioned puppetry from “The Muppets” creator Jim Henson and based on an original story by Terry Jones from “Monty Python” fame.

When her baby brother is stolen by the Goblin King (David Bowie), young Sarah (Jennifer Connelly) must mount a rescue operation. A plan made doubly tricky by the fact he has hidden his castle in the middle of a treacherous labyrinth populated with the weird and the wonderful.

This being a childhood favourite of mine, it was nice to visit it again recently. It also serves as a reminder as to how good Jim Henson and his puppets were. With most movies now relying on computer generated special effects, it’s refreshing to know that a more inventive approach was once used. However, some scenes do show up the limitations (and strings) and some stunted dialogue and amature acting don’t help matters. Despite this though, it’s the sheer imagination, fantastical otherworld and it’s eclectic inhabitants that capture your attention in a way that children’s films don’t quite do anymore. When I was young, I wholly entered into Henson’s world and upon a recent rewatch, was reminded how easy that was to do. It’s still effective now and with a shared enthusiasm from my CGI exposed young daughter, it’s testiment that a young audience today can still be captivated by it. Not so long ago, special effects had an integrity about them and Jim Henson and his puppet company were one of the best in the business. Henson was still honing his skills before his untimely death a few years after this. Ironically he died in the same week he was going to sell him company to one of the modern computer generated giants of today. A little known company called… ‘Disney’.

A fantastical, family friendly classic that I much loved as a youngster and have the pleasure to relive with my own children. It has aged fairly well. Although, I often wonder if Bowie actually had that excessively ridiculous codpiece written into his contract. Dear oh dear, David. Have you no shame?

Mark Walker

2 Comments »

This Boy’s Life * * * * 1/2

Posted in Drama with tags 1993 on February 1, 2012 by Mark Walker

Director: Michael Caton-Jones.
Screenplay: Robert Getchell.
Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Robert DeNiro, Ellen Barkin, Jonah Blechman, Eliza Dushku, Chris Cooper, Carla Gugino, Zack Ansley, Tracey Ellis, Kathy Kinney, Gerit Graham, Tobey Maguire.

Before the heights of stardom, a young Leonardo DiCaprio built his name with this coming-of-age tale based on the real life memoirs of writer Tobias Wolff. On this evidence it’s easy to see why his talents couldn’t be ignored.

Caroline (Ellen Barkin) drifts from State to State and boyfriend to boyfriend, dragging her now teenage son Toby (Leonardo DiCaprio) along with her. Finally it seems she may have met the man of her dreams, in the shape of Dwight (Robert DeNiro). After excitedly making plans to stay this time and begin a new life, it becomes apparent they were a little swift to judge as Dwight’s gentlemanly facade begins to slide, revealing his true nature.

Scottish director Michael Caton-Jones (“Rob Roy”) shows he has an excellent eye for detail in small town America and an even better eye for talent in discovering Leonardo DiCaprio. His performance here is nothing short of astounding and when pitted against the likes of Robert DeNiro, you kind of have to be on your game. Not only is DiCaprio on top of his game for such a young age, he matches – if not betters – the legendary actor. His portrayal of Toby is heartfelt and extremely emotional. Ranging from desperation and capitulation to courage and triumph. He displays a myriad of emotions as a misunderstood and frustrated young man, with sudden bursts of violence and a rebellious nature, to an eventual inner strength and maturity. His performance is helped no-end by the chemistry he shares with DeNiro. They both play off one another powerfully. DeNiro offering another skillfully nuanced addition to his canon of dysfunctional and abusive characters throughout his illustrious career. You can almost feel the jealous rage that consumes Dwight, a very physical and psychologically abusive man. The verbal and mental jousting between both actors is raw and highly charged, eventually culminating into physical brutality with a fight scene that looks entirely realistic. Two wonderful actors delivering powerhouse performances. Unfortunately, despite her obvious talents, Ellen Barkin is left caught between the two male leads with a very underwritten role. However, she’s no slouch and still manages a show of strength in her character as well as a vulnerability. This is an absolutely harrowing and absorbing true life story with a perfectly rendered 1950’s setting and a fine supporting cast that deserves far more recognition than it’s
received.

With two indefatigable and energetic lead performances it’s easy to see why Robert DeNiro is regarded as the greatest screen actor of his time and why DiCaprio became a star and may yet follow in the legend’s footsteps.

Mark Walker

5 Comments »

A Town Called Panic * * * * 1/2

Posted in Adventure, Animation, Comedy, Family, Fantasy, Foreign Language with tags 2009 on February 1, 2012 by Mark Walker

Directors: Stephane Aubier, Vincent Patar.
Screenplay: Stephane Aubier, Vincent Patar.
Voices: Stephane Aubier, Bruce Ellison, Benoit Poelvoorde, Jeanne Balibar.

Stop-motion animation still has a place in film today despite the computer generated brilliance of Pixar and Dreamwork etc. “Wallace and Gromit” are still a success and with the arrival of this inventive adventure, it shows that there’s still some mileage left in the old stop-motion style yet.

Papier mache toys Cowboy and Indian’s plan to surprise Horse with a homemade birthday gift backfires when they accidently destroy his house. No sooner have they built a new home only for it to be stolen from beneath their noses by a stealthy and cunning assailant. Strange adventures ensue as the trio travel to the centre of the earth, trek across frozen tundra and discover a parrallel underwater universe where dishonest subaquatic creatures live.

As long as there’s still imagination and creativity in the world, there will still be works of art produced regardless of being at a disadvantage. This little animation is proof that millions of money isn’t necessary to produce something that works. Stop-motion animation is probably the most difficult and painstaking of techniques, making you wonder why they even bother in the first place. Fortunately they do bother and we are treated to this fantastic little gem. It’s basic in it’s setup and characters, with second rate little toys brought to life, injected with hilarity, detail and crammed full of creativity and imagination that it’s hard to resist. An absolutely wonderful little treat and very unlike most animation today. Yes, “Wallace and Gromit” are famous stop-motion characters but they are still miles from this surreal Belgian adventure from Stephane Aubier and Vincent Patar.

It’s a pure joy that will shamefully be overlooked by many and deserves a wider audience for it’s originality alone. Added to which, it unashamedly boasts…”shown in glorious 2D.” Superb!

Mark Walker

Leave a comment »

Paul * * *

Posted in Comedy, Science Fiction with tags 2011 on February 1, 2012 by Mark Walker

Director: Greg Mottola.
Screenplay: Simon Pegg, Nick Frost.
Starring: Simon Pegg, Nick Frost, Kristen Wiig, John Carroll Lynch, Jason Bateman, Jeffrey Tambor, Jane Lynch Sigourney Weaver, Bill Hader, Joe Lo Truglio, David Koechner, Blythe Danner.
Voice of: Seth Rogen.

After the British success of “Shaun of the Dead” and “Hot Fuzz”, messers Simon Pegg and Nick Frost go American with this latest collaboration. Gone is director Edgar Wright from the aforementioned films and replaced by “Superbad” director Greg Mottola with mixed results.

Graeme (Pegg) and Clive (Frost) are two British geeks on a road trip of the US. Along the way, they pick up an unexpected hitchhiker – a small, foul-mouthed alien called Paul (Seth Rogen), who enlists the duo to help him get him home. But the Government has other ideas, dispatching agents to pursue the trio.

Fans of Pegg and Frost will no doubt lap this up and some may even be happy about the arrival of Mottola. I however, find the comic duo a bit hit-and-miss and I find Mottola even less appealing. The highlight of this film is the voice and humour of Seth Rogen. In a film littered with unnecessary bad language the only one who can actually pull it off is Rogen. The rest of the cast attempt to, but it just comes across as desperate attempts at jokes that turn out to be completely lacking in hilarity, when they should really be splitting your sides. There is still entertainment to be had though, with enough in the tank to keep you amused but it’s far from hilarious. The sci-fi in-joke involving Steven Speilberg and his creation of “E.T.” is cleverly dropped in, as well as a few nods to “Close Encounters…”, “Star Wars” and “Aliens”. With a story that has enough strength to provide an abundance of jokes, it’s a shame they never seem to come, leaving all the good gags to Rogen, who effortlessly steals the film from everyone.

Another reasonably decent effort from Pegg and Frost but I think had Edgar Wright been involved, he could have complimented their brand of humour rather than Mottola’s profane punchlines that don’t always work. Fun, but a bit disappointing.

Mark Walker

Leave a comment »

The Next Three Days * * * 1/2

Posted in Crime, thriller with tags 2010 on February 1, 2012 by Mark Walker

Director: Paul Haggis.
Screenplay: Paul Haggis.
Starring: Russell Crowe, Elizabeth Banks, Brian Dennehy, Liam Neeson, Lennie James, Olivia Wilde, Ty Simpkins, Daniel Stern, Helen Carey, Kevin Corrigan, RZA, Jason Beghe, Aisha Hines.

Having cut his teeth on Television shows (“ThirtySomething”, “L.A. Law” and “Due South” among others) and writing screenplays for Clint Eastwood (“Flags of Our Fathers”, “Letters from Iwo Jima”, “Million Dollar Baby”) as well as a Bond film (“Casino Royale”), Paul Haggis has only really directed a handful of films. Quite a surprise, considering he’s been around for a while but also quite consistant in his directorial duties.

Out of the blue, businesswoman Lara Brennan (Elizabeth Banks) is arrested and convicted of murder, her teacher husband John (Russell Crowe) the only one who believes her innocence. When appeals are exhausted, Lara becomes suicidal, and as their son is suffering, John decides to break her out.

This film reminded me of the type of material director Ron Howard would be drawn to. In some ways it even starts out how he would have made it; underwritten characters; emotional family upheavel; the every man’s fight to keep his family together. Something along the lines of Howard’s earlier film “Ransom”. That film happened to be one of Howard’s better forays but he has made some crap and the beginning of this film shaped up like the usual Howard Hollywood hokum. However, Haggis is in charge and with the normally reliable Russell Crowe onscreen, as well as some nice short appearances by the likes of Brian Dennehy, Daniel Stern and Liam Neeson, this film trancends it’s uncertain material into a gripping fast-paced thriller. Credulity is in question on several occasions and the lack of drive in the beggining threatens to sink the whole affair but it takes a dramatic turn for the better in the second half, having more in common with 1993’s “The Fugitive” and almost as exciting. It’s not often we get a jail-break film from the outside perspective and with Crowe’s subtle show of strength and dynamic central performance, we get a story that just about manages to suspend disbelief by taking you to the edge of your seat.

It may be a slight step down from Paul Haggis’ earlier films “Crash” and “In the Valley of Elah” but despite this, it shows that he’s a capable director of suspense and thrills. Two thirds of a fine film.

Mark Walker

Leave a comment »

Sunshine * * * *

Posted in Science Fiction, thriller with tags 2007 on February 1, 2012 by Mark Walker

Director: Danny Boyle.
Screenplay: Alex Garland.
Starring: Cillian Murphy, Chris Evans, Rose Byrne, Michelle Yeoh, Hiroyuki Sanada, Cliff Curtis, Troy Garity, Benedict Wong, Mark Strong.

Ingredients for a top of the range sci-fi =

1 dollop of “Solaris”.
Half oz of “Event Horizon”.
1lb of “Mission to Mars”.
A generous helping of “Alien”.
And a sprinkle of “The Shining”.

Give them to visionary director Danny Boyle to shake them up and… Voila.

In the not-too-distant future, the sun is about to die. A crew is sent to re-ignite it with a nuclear bomb; when they fail, a new team sets out to finish the job. But they find that flying to the least hospitable place in the solar system and staying sane and alive is no simple matter.

Boyle is Britain’s very own Ang Lee in his ability to continually switch between genres. This is his attempt at Science Fiction and it’s a damn good one at that. His use of atmosphere is the most striking thing about this, with eerie and highly effective sound effects and an excellent music score by Underworld adding to the overall sense of foreboding and creepiness. Using a multi-cultural cast also works in it’s favour in the way that you don’t know who will perish at any given moment, very much like Ridley Scott’s “Alien”. As mentioned above – and by most other viewers – it has a lot in common with several films of this genre and the denoument unfortunately turns more toward the “Event Horizon” side of horror. It doesn’t entirely work and feels a little tacked on, as if Boyle and writer Alex Garland ran out of ideas. However, this is still an impressively handled and often powerful outing for Boyle.

A very underrated addition to the science fiction genre and one of Danny Boyle’s finest films. His collaborations with writer Alex Garland has produced consistantly good results.

Mark Walker

2 Comments »

True Romance * * * * *

Posted in Action, Crime, Romance with tags 1993 on February 1, 2012 by Mark Walker

Director: Tony Scott.
Screenplay: Quentin Tarantino.
Starring: Christian Slater, Patricia Arquette, Gary Oldman, Brad Pitt, Dennis Hopper, Christopher Walken, Val Kilmer, Michael Rapaport, Saul Rubinek, Bronson Pinchot, Chris Penn, Tom Sizemore, James Gandolfini, Samuel L. Jackson.

To fund his directorial debut “Reservoir Dogs“, Quentin Tarantino unfortunately had to sell his script for True Romance and as good a job as director Tony Scott does here, you can’t help but wonder what might have been had Tarantino been given the chance to helm it himself.

Shy and lonely comic store clerk Clarence Worley (Christian Slater) can’t believe his luck when he meets doting Alabama Whitman (Patricia Arquette) in his local cinema. What’s more, she shares all his interests and the two fall madly in love. There is one small problem however, as Alabama is actually a prostitute and still under the control of her abusive pimp Drexl (Gary Oldman). Taking it upon himself to pay Drexl a visit Clarence then finds himself high-tailing it with Alabama and a suitcase full of cocaine which invites the attention of gangsters, cops and Hollywood producers.

If you can imagine this film being shot in the same split-time frame structure that “Pulp Fiction” had, then this would give you an idea of how Tarantino intended this to look. His original screenplay was certainly layered in this way, with the characters appearing then reappearing at different times throughout the film. Sadly, we’ll never get to see this, but it doesn’t matter very much, as this is still an excellent ultraviolent foray into Tarantino’s criminal underworld. What really makes this standout is his astute ear for dialogue, played out by an impressive ensemble of wonderful actors. There are so many excellent scenes (and performances) it’s hard to pick a favourite. Crime boss Don Vincenzo (Christopher Walken) and Clarence’s dad Clifford (Dennis Hopper) having a tete-a-tete over the historical inter-racial relationship between the Moors and Sicilians and Clarence’s confrontation with wild-eyed, white rastafarian pimp Drexl being just a couple of numerous quality ones. Added to which, there’s a brief but brilliant turn from Brad Pitt as a stoner flatmate, who uses all the toilet paper and has a liking for beer and cleaning products and James Gandolfini as a cold, sadistic hitman. Like I said, there’s too many to mention. Influenced by previous ‘lovers on the lam’ films such as, “Bonnie & Clyde” and “Badlands” but most notably like “Wild at Heart” with it’s numerous violent confrontations and it’s array of colourful characters. Holding it’s own against any one of them. I’m not director Tony Scott’s biggest admirer but his hyperkinetic style actually suits the pace and explosive nature of this story and it’s characters and he actually compliments Tarantino’s writing.

Stylish, gripping, violent, profane and endlessly quotable. What more do you expect when sitting down to a Tarantino flick? He may not have directed it but it still stands as one of his finest.

Mark Walker

2 Comments »

An Education * * * *

Posted in Drama, Romance with tags 2009 on February 1, 2012 by Mark Walker

Director: Lone Sherfig.
Screenplay: Nick Hornby.
Starring: Peter Sarsgaard, Carey Mulligan, Alfred Molina, Dominic Cooper, Rosamund Pike, Olivia Williams, Emma Thompson, Cara Seymour, Matthew Beard, Sally Hawkins.

Having garnered some Oscar attention upon it’s release with nominations for Best Picture, Actress & Screenplay, I found this to be a film I should probably check out. It’s not something I’d normally be drawn to but in this case, I’m very glad I was.

Jenny (Carey Mulligan) is attractive, doing well at school and set to land a place at Oxford. Then she meets David (Peter Sarsgaard), an older man. He dazzles her with the edgy world beyond her ’60s suburban life, and soon a very different destiny opens up before her. But everything is not quite as it seems.

Essentially this is a coming-of-age story but it’s handled with such care and restraint by Danish director Lone Scherfig, that it becomes so much more. It’s beautifully shot with a fine rendering of 1960’s English suburban life. A lot of attention has been given to this, and it shows. There are blink and you’ll miss them subtleties between the characters and the acting by everyone involved is first class. Alfred Molina as Jenny’s domineering but loving father; Peter Sarsgaard with his perfectly honed ability to be charming yet bordering on creepy; and Emma Thompson lends some weight with her matriarchal head-mistress. The real star though, is Carey Mulligan. She exudes wisdom yet naivete, confident yet doubtful. It’s a marvellous performance and thoroughly deserving of her Oscar nomination. Throughout the course of the film there is an anticipation of tragedy that never really transpires, but it doesn’t matter. What we are given is so much more believable with these very real and nuanced characters culminating into a quite beautiful rite of passage tale.

As Jenny finds it hard to resist the attractive and flamboyant lifestyle of David, so did I in resisting this film with it’s exquisite attention to detail and all round, solid, confident filmmaking.

Mark Walker

Leave a comment »

Zombieland * * * 1/2

Posted in Action, Comedy, Horror with tags 2009 on February 1, 2012 by Mark Walker

Director: Ruben Fleischer.
Screenplay: Rhett Reese, Paul Wernick.
Starring: Woody Harrelson, Jesse Eisenberg, Emma Stone, Abigail Breslin, Amber Heard, Derek Graf, Mike White, Bill Murray.

Zombie flicks have always had an underlying sense of humour throughout them, which has also made them perfect fodder for an out and out comedy. “Shaun of the Dead” was a British attempt at it and this, in some ways, could be seen as it’s American cousin.

A virus has swept the world and turned 99% of the population into ravenous zombies. A few “normal” humans remain, like young Columbus (Jesse Eisenberg), who hooks up with a gun-toting zombie-eradicator named Tallahassee (Woody Harrelson). Their road trip gets detoured when they encounter two savvy sisters Wichita (Emma Stone) and Little Rock (Abigail Breslin) heading for an amusement park in California.

This film had me hooked from the beginning with it’s excellent fun packed introduction complete with Eisenberg’s life saving “rules” to surviving a now over populated world of Zombies and a hilarious slow-motion credit sequence with zombies, of all kinds, chowing down. As it progresses though, it begins to run out of ideas becoming a bit uneventful. This is mainly due to the characters having no real purpose in their lives and are left to just waste time on their travels. As a result it becomes a little stale but the arrival of a cameo appearance by Bill Murray playing himself, lightens up the proceedings and the amusement park finale is pure excitement. A perfect way to see our Zombies friends meet their fate. The four actors all put in good performances. Harrelson gets the juicy role but it’s Eisenberg who really shines, combining comedy with drama effortlessly. It’s good to see that he is getting some choice roles and continues his good streak. Ruben Fleischer does a fantastic job here and is definitely a director to watch. He has a creative and fun-filled visual style that keeps this film going, despite some periodic lulls.

Zombie fans should find plenty of enjoyment and fans of comedy won’t be displeased either. Roll on the sequel.

Mark Walker

1 Comment »

Adventureland * *

Posted in Drama, Romance with tags 2009 on February 1, 2012 by Mark Walker

Director: Greg Mottola.
Screenplay: Greg Mottola.
Starring: Jesse Eisenberg, Kristen Stewart, Martin Starr, Bill Hader, Kristen Wiig, Ryan Reynolds, Margarita Levieva, Matt Bush, Jack Gilpin, Wendie Malick, Josh Pais, Mary Birdsong.

Jesse Eisenberg released two films in the same year with ‘land’ in the title. Both featured theme park’s and both also featured him trying to lose his virginity. “Zombieland” was one and “Adventureland” the other. Unfortunately for this though, I’d personally choose flesh-eating Zombies to face-sucking teenagers any day.

When James (Eisenberg) is forced to take a summer job in a ramshackle Pittsburgh theme park, he fears the worst. But the friendships he makes, the lessons he will come to learn, and especially a bumpy romance with remote fellow worker Emily (Kristen Stewart) will ultimately end up becoming memories for life.

A teenage romantic comedy with emphasis on the teenage romantics and less on the comedy. It had a few laugh out loud moments though, with some well written, humourous supporting characters. Where the laughs come from is the similiar dick joke humour from Greg Mottola’s previous film “Superbad“, but this is a more serious rite of passage tale than his earlier film. Nice use of ‘Lou Reed and The Velvet Underground’ on the soundtrack and fine performances throughout, particularly Bill Hader as the eccentric theme park manager. However, anything that this had going for it was spoiled by the teenage love story at it’s core. It was a bit dull and seemed as though it had teenagers in mind as it’s target audience.

The teens wear their angst on their sleeves and if you find yourself still stuck in this difficult time of your life then you’ll find plenty to identify with… Everyone else should avoid.

Mark Walker

Leave a comment »

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

2 Comments »

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

4 Comments »

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

1 Comment »

The Girl Who Kicked The Hornet’s Nest * * * *

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

Director: Daniel Alfredson.
Screenplay: Ulf Ryberg.
Starring: Michael Nyqvist, Noomi Rapace, Lena Endre, Annika Hallin, Jacob Ericksson, Sofia Ledarp, Anders Ahlbom Rosendahl, Mikael Spreitz, Georgi Staykov.

Stieg Larsson’s “Millenium trilogy” draws to a close with this third and final installment and after amassing a collective running time of nearly 7 hours, it still grips like a vice.

Outlaw hacker Lisbeth Salander (Noomi Rapace) awaits trial for attempted murder. Journalist Mikael Blomkvist (Michael Nyqvist) gathers evidence about her tragic past to help her case. A Swedish intelligence agency wants her silenced and her maniacal half-brother (Mikael Spreitz) wants her dead.

What with the mystery of the first installment and the action of the second, now we are given the talky final act. The cover-up of all the past scandals and indescretions and justice handed out in legal forms. Daniel Alfredson once again takes the directorial reins after the Second film. This time though, he’s learned his lesson about pace. It’s not as rushed, preferring instead, the slow investigative pace from the first film. Once again, the hook isn’t as good but the tension builds slowly and assuredly as we learn the eventual fate of Lisbeth. Like the second also, Lisbeth and Blomkvist’s relationship is very distant. They share very little screen time and whenever they do, it is strained and awkward. Blomkvist’s love unrequited. Lisbeth is less active this time. She is mainly bed ridden and displays very little in her communication with everyone around her. This however, proves to be just another master stroke in her battle for survival. On the surface, it seems that Noomi Rapace has less to work with, now that her strong-willed character has been seriously wounded. Nevertheless, when you watch the ever so subtle facial expressions from her, as she tries to remain stoic, you realise how much of a wonderfully reserved performance she puts in. With less dialogue, it’s probably her finest display from all three films. Although this is an altogether more solid narrative than the second, some parts feel rushed and some questions are left unanswered. Still, it’s a very fine trilogy and the characters inhabit a world – although not altogether pleasant – that’s been a gruelling yet rewarding experience.

If the Americans (or director David Fincher to be precise) can capture half of the spirit of these films with his version of the trilogy, then hopefully, mature writing and exstensive filmmaking will become the norm.

Mark Walker

Leave a comment »

Monsters * * 1/2

Posted in Drama, Science Fiction with tags 2010 on January 29, 2012 by Mark Walker

Director: Gareth Edwards.
Screenplay: Gareth Edwards.
Starring: Scoot McNary, Whitney Able, Annalee Jefferies, Justin Hall, Victor Vejan.

Gareth Edwards deserves plaudits aplenty for this directorial debut. Not only is he the director, he’s also the writer, the cinematographer, the production designer and as if that’s not enough, he’s does the special-effects aswell. The only one that really needs honed though, is his writing.

Kaulder (Scoot McNairy) is an American photojournalist working in Central America. After a phone call, he’s compelled to pick up his boss’ daughter, Sam (Whitney Able), from hospital and see that she gets back home to America safely. Thus begins a fraught journey – and a tentative romance – as a series of mishaps force the pair to trek through ‘The Infected Zone’, a strip of land along the US border inhabited by gigantic extra-terrestrial creatures.

After being warned that this film was far from a big budget effects laden sci-fi, I went into this actually knowing what to expect. However, I still left it feeling disappointed. It’s undeniably impressive in being shot on a shoestring budget, using only one camera and a cast that consisted of only two trained actors, but overall, it’s frankly boring. It thinks it’s way more deeper than it actually is and there’s a massive essential ingredient missing from it… a story. It’s high on atmosphere and ambience but very low on excitement and thrills. I realise that Edwards shot the film as and when he could, without any pre-planned scripted scenes – which I greatly admire – but it doesn’t make for very good entertainment. The two unknown leads give fine performances but are left with a lot of staring into the beyond with slow meditative shots as they ponder their feeling for one another. The aliens or ‘creatures’ are kept to a minimum and finally when our two protaganists are treated to a touch of soft core alien porn, it helps them realise their own feelings. The title of the film is also a problem. Yes, it may well just be reffering to the American army, leaving devestation in their wake with their Gung-ho approach in eradicating the alien entities, rather than ‘monsters’ being the entities themselves. However, I still think the title is as misleading as the pace is misjudged.

An impressive low-budget shoot that definitely looks the part but despite it being hard to criticise a film that has been molded by the talents of one man, it’s still highly uneventful and painfully dull. It’ll be interesting to see what Gareth Edwards does next though, he’s certainly got the skills.

Mark Walker