The Hurt Locker * * 1/2

Posted in Action, thriller, War with tags on January 17, 2012 by Mark Walker

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Director: Kathryn Bigelow.
Screenplay: Mark Boal.
Starring: Jeremy Renner, Anthony Mackie, Brian Geraghty, Guy Pearce, David Morse, Ralph Fiennes, Evangeline Lilly.

And the Academy award for best picture goes to…”The Hurt Locker.” Eh?…What? I must have missed something. I actually like Kathryn Bigelow’s action films “Point Break” and “Strange Days” and in a genre which is dominated by male directors she can certainly compete. However, this was a bit lacklustre compared to her earlier films and yet it was far better received – especially in terms of awards.

Sgt. Will James (Jeremy Renner) is a bomb disposal expert while on a tour of duty in Iraq. He is good at what he does and definitely has big enough cohones. Problem is…his cohones are too big. In fact, he’s an adrenaline junkie which continually puts him and his comrades in grave danger.

This is pretty much the gist of the story with a surprising amount of nothing inbetween. I’ll give credit where it’s due though as when the tension mounts it’s done masterfully by Bigelow and some scenes are genuinely thrilling and edge of your seat, with an excellent and edgy lead performance by Renner. However, there are very few of these moments and the film starts so well that it leaves it harder for the rest of the film to keep up. Despite Bigelow wisely taking little to no political stance on the war in Iraq I can only assume that all the Awards recognition this film recieved were in some way a form of western propaganda. I must admit about half way through it, I noticed a loud ticking noise. Turns out it wasn’t the bombs needing defused, but me clock watching.

Sporadically impressive but otherwise highly over-rated and quite dull.

Mark Walker

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Up In The Air * * *

Posted in Drama, Romance with tags on January 17, 2012 by Mark Walker

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Director: Jason Reitman.
Screenplay: Jason Reitman.
Starring: George Clooney, Vera Farmiga, Anna Kendrick, Jason Bateman, J.K. Simmons, Sam Elliott, Zach Galifianakis, Danny McBride, Melanie Lynskey, Amy Morton.

Director Jason Reitman’s follow-up to his award winning “Juno” is yet another commentary on modern life. This time, instead of teenage pregnancy, it’s corporate America.

Ryan Bingham (George Clooney) loves his job. Unfortunately for other people, they lose their’s while he’s doing his. He’s a hatchet man and his duties consist of firing people from their employment and flying all over America to do so. His personal achievement being the collection of a vast amount of frequent flyer miles as he goes. He’s a man with very little attachments in life and no real connections with people. That is, until he meets the woman of his dreams (Vera Farmiga) on his travels just as his company decides to downsize and ground him. Forcing him to assess his life and himself.

This film starts brilliantly with a great introduction to Clooney’s character and lifestyle but once the dust settles and Farmiga’s character is introduced, it becomes essentially a romantic comedy. I hoped for something more and despite some fabulous dialogue and performances, the film doesn’t really manage to break free from it’s romantic tendencies. All-be-it that it does things a little differently from the formula, I was still left dissapointed having heard such great things beforehand.

Mark Walker

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Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans * * * *

Posted in Crime, Drama with tags on January 17, 2012 by Mark Walker

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Director: Werner Herzog.
Screenplay: William M. Finkelstein.
Starring: Nicolas Cage, Eva Mendes, Val Kilmer, Fairuza Balk, Shawn Hatosy, Alvin “Xzibit” Joiner, Brad Dourif, Jennifer Coolidge, Tom Bower, Vondie Curtis-Hall, Irma P. Hall, Shea Whigham, Michael Shannon.

To remake Abel Ferrara’s raw and gritty 1992 film “Bad Lieutenant” that had one of cinema’s most daring performances from the brilliant Harvey Keitel would be foolish and unwise. In fact it would be lunacy. Thankfully director Werner Herzog and star Nicolas Cage are well aware of this and produce something altogether different (with a fair amount of their own brand of lunacy).

Set in New Orleans post hurricane Katrina, Lt. Terrance McDonogh (Cage) injures his back in an uncharacteristic moment of decency in helping a convict from drowning. This injury leads to a heavy reliance on drugs to get through each day but in his own words “Everythin’ I take is prescription…except the heroine”.
Lt. McDonogh is indeed a “bad” one. He shakes down the local gangsters and innocent nightclubbers just to get his next hit and also has gambling debts spiralling out of control. Meanwhile, he is trying to look after his prostitute girlfriend (Eva Mendes) and alcoholic fathers dog while investigating the execution style murder of a Senegelese family and having hallucinations of Iguanas and dancing spirits.

It is inevitable that comparisons will be made between Ferrara’s and Herzog’s films but aside from sharing the same title and having a corrupt cop as the protaganist, that’s as far as the comparison goes. Herzog goes for a more humorous approach which in turn relies heavily on a solid performance from his lead actor in order for it to work. Thankfully, Nicolas Cage does not disappoint. He is brilliantly over the top and yet subtle in other ways and delivers his best performance in a long time. Cage’s subtle moments of wincing and the stiffness in his movements, constantly remind you of the cronic pain his character is in. Not to mention his more outlandish behaviour when high on drugs. This is the Nic Cage of old and actually has you on his side, despite the fact that his character is one of the most unsympathetic he has played.

Wonderfully depraved viewing.

Mark Walker

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The Gift * * * 1/2

Posted in Mystery, thriller with tags on January 17, 2012 by Mark Walker

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Director: Sam Raimi.
Screenplay: Billy Bob Thornton, Tom Epperson.
Starring: Cate Blanchett, Keanu Reeves, Giovanni Ribisi, Greg Kinnear, Hilary Swank, Katie Holmes, Gary Cole, J.K. Simmons, Michael Jeter, Kim Dickens, Rosemary Harris, Chelcie Ross, John Beasley, Danny Elfman.

Anytime director Sam Raimi is mentioned in connection with the occult, the “Evil Dead” springs to mind. This however, is not quite the hilarious gore fest he’d produced earlier but a more character driven mystery.

Annie Wilson (Cate Blanchett) is recently widowed and now a struggling single mother. She has psychic abilities and it’s in this that she tries to make ends meet by helping a few of the locals with her fortune telling abilities. Despite the skepticism of some of her neighbours and the local law enforcement she is asked to help in the investigation of a recent murder when all other leads come to nothing. But by becoming involved in the investigation, she puts herself and her children in danger with some people preferring that their secrets are left alone.

More similiar in structure to Raimi’s
“A Simple Plan” with Billy Bob Thornton (who co-writes this) rather than his horrors or blockbusters like “Spiderman”. It’s a well crafted supernatural thriller that keeps the tension high and the mystery elusive long enough to hold your interest. It also helps to have an impressive cast, which this certainly has. Surprisingly though, it’s not the Oscar winning/nominated actors like Blanchett, Hilary Swank or Greg Kinnear or even the excellent supporting actors like Gary Cole, J.K. Simmons or Giovanni Ribisi that shine in this film but it’s Keanu Reeves who steals the show in this impressive ensemble. He is entirely convincing as a menacing and abusive wife-beating redneck husband. Complete with skip-hat and beard. It’s probably his best performance to date and he should definitely play more unsavoury characters in future.

A tightly constructed little who-done-it? and worth checking out, even if it’s just for Reeves’ excellent powerhouse performance.

Mark Walker

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Lonesome Dove * * * * *

Posted in Drama, Western with tags on January 17, 2012 by Mark Walker

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Director: Simon Wincer.
Screenplay: Larry McMurtry.
Starring: Robert Duvall, Tommy Lee Jones, Danny Glover, Frederic Forrest, Robert Urich, Rick Schroder, Diane Lane, Anjelica Huston, D.B. Sweeney, Chris Cooper, Glenne Headly, Barry Corbin, William Sanderson, Timothy Scott, Nina Siemaszko, Steve Buscemi.

Based on the pulitzer-prize winning novel of the same name by Larry McMurtry this four part T.V. mini series (amounting to approx 6 hours running time) is one of the best westerns ever made.

Two retired and aging Texas Rangers, Woodrow F. Call (Tommy Lee Jones) & Augustus “Gus” McCrae (Robert Duvall) have settled down in life in the mundane and unremarkable town of Lonesome Dove, Texas. After an unexpected visit and some fruitful information from their old colleague Jake Spoon (Robert Urich) they decide to take one last kick of their spurs and go on an arduous 3000 mile cattle drive across the plains to Montana, where they face new and old adversities.

An absolutely epic western in every sense of the word and done in the grandest of scales. Director Simon Wincer had a pretty poor career before and after this but will always be remembered for assembling this cast of exceptional actors playing prodigious well written characters. Robert Duvall and Tommy Lee Jones are perfect in their roles with fine support all around. Frederic Forest is a particular standout as the native and very dangerous “Blue Duck”, who has some old scores to settle with the former lawmen. The man behind it all though is writer Larry McMurtry. His books are the perfect material to adapt and if you like this then it’s worth checking his earlier novels with Gus and Woodrow in “Dead Man’s Walk” and “Commanche Moon”.

Vast, masterful and quite possibly the consummate western.

Mark Walker

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From Dusk Till Dawn * * * 1/2

Posted in Crime, Horror, thriller with tags on January 17, 2012 by Mark Walker

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Director: Robert Rodriguez.
Screenplay: Quentin Tarantino.
Starring: George Clooney, Harvey Keitel, Quentin Tarantino, Juliette Lewis, Ernest Liu, Salma Hayek, Cheech Marin, Danny Trejo, Tom Savini, Fred Williamson, Michael Parks, John Saxon, Kelly Preston, John Hawkes.

Before their collaboration on the “Grindhouse” double-bill, Quentin Tarantino and Robert Rodriguez joined up to do this crime/horror picture. Both Tarantino and Rodriguez’s choice actors also join the show, with the inclusion of a pre-stardom George Clooney.

Seth and Richie Gecko (George Clooney & Quentin Tarantino) are two murderous bank robbers on the run and fleeing for safety to a nightclub in Mexico called the “Titty Twister” which is reportedly a safe haven for criminals. To get there they kidnap preacher Jacob Fuller (Harvey Keitel) and his kids Kate (Juliette Lewis) and Scott (Ernest Liu) who are travelling in their motor home. Once they reach the club though, they soon realise that when the sun goes down, they have more to deal with at the hands (and teeth) of bloodthirtsy vampires.

If this sounds rediculous or over-the-top then thats because it is. The film starts in true Tarantino fashion with the two criminal brothers dressed in black suits similiar to “Pulp Fiction” and “Reservoir Dogs” and spouting equally impressive dialogue. This however, changes abruptly about half way in and becomes nothing more than a horror B-movie – obviously the work of Rodriguez. As much as this is quite fun, it jars with the cool and dialogue laden beggining. It’s a transition that’s not a very smooth one and feels like two different films cut and pasted together. This a shame really, because the first half of the film is up there with Tarantino’s best stuff. I would have much preffered it if he had just completed the film in that similiar style. What I was most impressed with was the effortless performance of a cool-headed but dangerous killer from George Clooney, who at this time in his career was just fresh from his “E.R.” scrubs. He is absolutely brilliant and this was just the beginning of several fitting performances from Clooney in the future.

There’s no denying that is an enjoyable gore fest with wonderful dialogue but I couldn’t help but wonder what might have been.

Mark Walker

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The Sixth Sense * * * *

Posted in Drama, Mystery with tags on January 17, 2012 by Mark Walker

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Director : M. Night Shyamalan.
Screenplay: M. Night Shyamalan.
Starring: Bruce Willis, Haley Joel Osment, Toni Collette, Olivia Williams, Donnie Wahlberg, Trevor Morgan.

Every once in a while a film comes along that instantly appeals to the public and becomes part of pop-culture “The Usual Suspects” and “The Shawshank Redemption” were a couple and “The Sixth Sense” is another.

It follows the story of Cole Sear (Haley Joel Osment) an 8 year old boy who is misunderstood by all around him. He seems withdrawn and lacks confidence. His mother Lynn (Toni Collette) cannot work out what the problem is and neither can child psychologist Dr. Malcolm Crowe (Bruce Willis). Through time though, young Cole begins to confide in Dr. Crowe and reveals to him that he can “see dead people” and is in fact plagued by ghosts all around him that everyone else is unaware of.

This was the film that brought M. Night Shyamalan’s directing to everyone’s attention and still remains his best film. He has found it difficult to replicate the success he had with this one and it’s no surprise why. It is a brilliantly crafted ghost story with a genuinely surprising twist. Shyamalan doesn’t go for anything fancy or any unexpected fright techniques but rather allows his story and characters to unfold in their own time, which in turn allows us to care and invest in the film. Willis gives a very subtle and sympathetic performance, one of which he isn’t usually known for and the Oscar nominated Collette is outstanding and almost unrecognisable as the protective and loving mother. The real star of the show though is young Osment, also Oscar nominated, who is completely believable as the frightened and tormented child.

There’s nothing overly gorey or frightening about this film, just damn good storytelling and excellent use of atmosphere.

Mark Walker

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Carlito’s Way * * * * *

Posted in Crime, Drama, thriller with tags on January 17, 2012 by Mark Walker

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Director: Brian DePalma.
Screenplay: David Koepp.
Starring: Al Pacino, Sean Penn, Penelope Ann Miller, John Leguizamo, Luis Guzman, Ingrid Rogers, James Rebhorn, Joseph Siravo, Richard Foronjy, Frank Minucci, Adrian Pasdar, Jorge Purcel, John Ortiz, Rick Aviles, Brian Tarantina, Jon Seda, Marc Anthony, Paul Mazursky, Viggo Mortensen.

10 years after they first collaborated and brought Tony Montana to the screen in “Scarface”, Brian DePalma and Al Pacino team up again for yet another foray into the crime world.

Puerto-Rican drug dealer Carlito Brigante (Pacino) has just been released from prison due to some diligent defending from his trusted lawyer and friend Davie Kleinfeld (Sean Penn). Upon his release, he is immediately back in contact with his old cohorts from the streets and recieves several offers to get him back in business, but Carlito is determined to go straight and make a better life for himself and his girlfriend Gail (Penelope Ann Miller). The problem is, he needs money to escape the life of crime so agrees to run a nightclub for as long as it takes to earn his money and move on. However, as much as he’s finished with his previous life, his previous life is not finished with him as old and new faces appear, testing his resolve.

DePalma’s “Scarface” has a proud and faithful following but with “Carlito’s Way” he has outdone himself. There are some similarities with both films and Brigante could also be seen as an aging Montana but the reason it works better this time around is the investment we have with Carlito. He is a more human and sympathetic character and we want to see him succeed. Pacino also underplays it this time with a lot more subtlety and a lot less grandstanding, immediately winning us over. There is also some brilliant support from Sean Penn who oozes sleaze and due to his spiralling cocaine habit is more of a danger than a help to Carlito. John Leguizamo is also a standout as Benny Blanco “from the Bronx”, a young but dangerous hood out to make a name for himself and a short but powerful appearance from Viggo Mortensen as a strung out disabled addict, who also has his own interests at heart. Fine performances all round and effortlessly handled by DePalma who’s also not adverse to showing us some flamboyant and skillful camerawork during some tense and exciting action set-pieces.

Although it may not be as “epic” as some other crime films, it without doubt deserves to be considered as equal to the best in the genre and stands as DePalma’s best film so far.

Mark Walker

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88 Minutes (x)

Posted in Mystery, thriller with tags on January 17, 2012 by Mark Walker

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Director: Jon Avnet.
Screenplay: Gary Scott Thompson.
Starring: Al Pacino, Alicia Witt, Leelee Sobieski, Amy Brenneman, William Forsythe, Ben McKenzie, Deborah Kara Unger, Neal McDonogh, Stephen Moyer, Victoria Tennant.

Director Jon Avnet released this film with Al Pacino just before “Righteous Kill” in 2007, where he reteamed Al with Robert DeNiro. If you have seen the disaster that that film turned out to be, then you pretty much get the idea where this one is headed. In fact, if I were DeNiro I’d be pretty peeved that Al never mentioned a word about working with Avnet – a director of such stinking magnitude.

Dr. Jack Gramm (Pacino) is a professor of criminal psychology who has also helped the police with the conviction of a serial killer, awaiting execution. It transpires though, that the good Doctor may have got things wrong in his findings and it’s also at this time that he recieves an anonymous phone call informing him that he has 88 minutes to live.

Some feeble attempts at tension and plotting then ensue, with Al probably spending more than 88 minutes to blow-dry his ever increasing hairstyle.
I can’t believe I am wasting my time even commenting on this film. It has already stolen more than enough from me. I do this as a warning to all. This is unequivocally the worst Pacino film I have ever seen – and his worst performance. He spends a lot of the film on the phone and on second thoughts, he could have probably phoned in a better performance rather than wasting his (and our) time turning up.

Never mind minutes, 88 Seconds is too long for this piece of garbage.

Mark Walker

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On The Waterfront * * * *

Posted in Crime, Drama with tags on January 15, 2012 by Mark Walker

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Director: Elia Kazan.
Screenplay: Budd Schulberg.
Starring: Marlon Brando, Eva Marie Saint, Karl Malden, Lee J. Cobb, Rod Steiger, Martin Balsam, Fred Gwynne, Pat Hingle.

A timeless classic and one that is still revered and endlessly quoted to this day – with one scene in particular “I coulda been a contender…” that has went down in cinema history. Unfortunately, there was some more dark history behind it all, from director Elia Kazan and writer Budd Schulberg.

Terry Malloy (Marlon Brando) works on the docks run by corrupt union boss Johnny Friendly (Lee J. Cobb). As long as everyone does what Friendly tells them, then there are no problems. However, Terry witnesses the murder of a young man who crosses Friendly and can’t quite let his conscience ignore it, feeling the need to testify against the local criminal and bring him to justice, despite causing more trouble for himself in the process.

It’s hard to be subjective in my opinion of this film in the knowledge that writer Budd Schulberg and director Elia Kazan had been informants during the 1950’s “Communist Witch-Hunt” and named several of their friends to right-wing senator Joseph McCarthy as being involved in “Un-American activities” and destroyed people’s lives and careers in the process. This is a major problem in the telling of this story, as it is obvious that both Schulberg and Kazan were justifying their deplorable actions through the “heroic” character of Terry Malloy. Despite this, however, there is no denying the talent involved in this film. Brando finally bagged a deserving Oscar for his role as angst ridden ex-pugalist Terry, with great support from Rod Steiger as his conflicted brother Charley; Karl Malden as the local priest and voice of reason Father Barry and a snarling Lee J. Cobb as union boss Johnny Friendly. It’s all beautifully shot by Kazan and despite his personal exploits (like Roman Polanski), there is no denying the man has talent but I just can’t bring myself to give it five stars or forgive his audacity at “naming names”, blatantly showing no remorse for it and passing it off as entertainment.

If viewed as just a film then it’s quality stuff. Kazan has crafted a wonderful piece of cinema with superb performances but a very dubious message permeates throughout.

For an alternative view on it’s themes have a look at “The Crucible“.

Mark Walker

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Watchmen * * * * 1/2

Posted in Action, Mystery, Science Fiction with tags on January 15, 2012 by Mark Walker

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Director: Zack Snyder.
Screenplay: David Hayter, Alex Tse.
Starring: Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Jackie Earle Haley, Patrick Wilson, Billy Crudup, Matthew Goode, Carla Gugino, Malin Akerman, Stephen McHattie, Matt Frewer.

It takes a hell of a lot for me to suspend my disbelief when it comes to people running around in spandex, with existential angst and desperately trying to be taken seriously. Put simply, I’m not a massive fan of crime fighting alter-ego’s but director Zack Snyder may well have cured me of all these ills, with this wonderful adaptation of Alan Moore’s graphic novel.

Set in an alternate 1985 America, where president Richard Nixon has been re-elected for a fifth presidential term. Superhero’s have been outlawed and the whole country is heading toward ruin with the over-hanging threat of a nuclear attack from the Russians. Following the murder of one of their sidekicks, the outlawed former crime fighters begin to re-surface, leading an investigation into the past and present unsavoury activities of the masked avengers.

Being a massive fan of Alan Moore’s comic, I was very interested and excited in whether Zack Snyder could achieve the “unfilmable”. Thankfully and impressively, he has. I tend to be quite critical of adaptations from books but Snyder has done a fantastic job here. Alan Moore’s story (and artwork from Dave Gibbons) has been miraculously recreated onto the screen. Everything looks and feels the way it did on the page with similiar dialogue and perfect casting. Some things have been dropped and wisely the story within a story “Tales of the Black Freighter” was released separately as a short. Snyder also includes brilliantly effective slow-motion action scenes, retaining the violent nature of the comic and perfect use of 60’s/70’s music throughout – particularly Bob Dylan songs. The director showed promise with his earlier films “Dawn of the Dead” and “300”, but here he has outdone himself and achieved exceptionally in a very difficult adaptation which the talented likes of Terry Gilliam and Paul Greengrass failed to do before him.

It all works on a believable level with convincing characters (except one, none of them has any form of super human powers) who inhabit a bleak and convincing, alternate modern world, making it probably the best comic book adaptation I’ve seen so far.

Mark Walker

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The Rock * * 1/2

Posted in Action with tags on January 15, 2012 by Mark Walker

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Director: Michael Bay.
Screenplay: David Weisberg, Douglas Cook, Mark Rosner.
Starring: Sean Connery, Nicolas Cage, Ed Harris, Michael Biehn, William Forsythe, David Morse, John Spencer, John C. McGinley, Tony Todd, Bokeem Woodbine, Danny Nucci, Claire Forlani, Todd Louiso.

This film has a lot to answer for, mainly because Hollywood decided to give more jobs to director Michael Bay following this successful action film. Unfortunately, what he produced after this makes my eyes bleed but he has to be given credit for keeping up the thrills in this one.

The story is (as ever) basic! A disgruntled veteran (Ed Harris) feels the government has done him wrong despite his service to the country and decides to hold the city of San Francisco to ransom by taking over Alcatraz and using it as a base to launch a chemical attack on it’s innocent citizens. The Government feels he’s a loon-ball and decides to enlist the help of F.B.I chemical weapons expert (Cage) and a team of marines to put a stop to the lunacy. None of them have have a clue how to infiltrate Alcatraz so persuade a former British agent (Connery) – the only person to ever escape Alcatraz and currently being held by the Americans – to help out and earn his freedom in return. What then ensues is…you guessed it…big guns, big explosions and mucho machismo.

This is all done under the guidance of producer Jerry Bruckheimer, so I suppose you can’t really complain when things get silly and over the top. I’m not a great action fan but I can recognise it for what it is and this isn’t too bad, considering. The three leads involved, Connery, Cage & Harris are what make this film. They are all fine actors and deliver worthy performances. Connery is one of very few actors that can cut being old and still able to be convincing as an action hero (Clint Eastwood being a recognisable other). Cage shows his early action man credentials, while still retaining his wacky humorous side and Harris, as always, is intensely commanding. They all seem to have their tongues stuck firmly in their cheeks and in it for the healthy paychecks. They know and we know, that this is complete nonsense but hey, there’s fun to be had anyway.

If you ever get the sudden notion to bang your head against a big Rock, don’t bother. Bang your head against this one instead. It almost has the same effect but this one’s slightly more gentle. Just slightly, mind you.

Mark Walker

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Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgandy *

Posted in Comedy with tags on January 15, 2012 by Mark Walker

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Director: Adam McKay.
Screenplay: Will Ferrell, Adam McKay.
Starring: Will Ferrell, Paul Rudd, Steve Carell, Christina Applegate, David Koechner, Fred Willard, Holmes Osbourne, Seth Rogen, Judd Apatow, Danny Trejo, Luke Wilson, Jack Black, Ben Stiller, Vince Vaughn, Tim Robbins.

Am I missing something about Will Ferrell? Granted, he was actually quite funny in “Elf” and his cameo in “Starsky & Hutch” was a hoot but really his humour is extremely childish and bottom of the barrel stuff.

In San Diego in the 1970’s, there is only one newsman with any clout and that’s Ron Burgandy (Ferrell). That is, until an ambitious young up-start arrives and threatens Ron’s perfect world. What’s worse is…she’s a woman. Ron being a bit of a male chauvinist not only sees this as a threat to his job security but also a threat to his manhood and enters into a battle of the sexes to keep his job and keep the male camaraderie in the workplace.

This film has a faithful following and lots of people seem to adore it but I didn’t find it funny at all. All the gags – if you can even call them gags – are forced and lazily written. I’m no comedian but I throw away better jokes than Ferrell’s on a daily basis. In it’s favour, it has a wonderful cast who all seem to be having fun and delivering fine comedic performances but its a shame they have no material to work with. Nice shows from Steve Carell and Paul Rudd and Ferrell’s Burgandy is also a good character with loads of potential but the jokes just don’t fly and it seems as if everyone is making it up as they go along. Maybe they were and maybe that’s the whole point but then maybe it’s simply just… shit.

A real insult to call itself a comedy. There is one joke that this film has and that’s the film itself.

Mark Walker

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The Mothman Prophecies * * * 1/2

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

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Director: Mark Pellington.
Screenplay: Richard Hatem.
Starring: Richard Gere, Laura Linney, Debra Messing, Will Paton, Alan Bates, Lucinda Jenney, David Eigenberg, Ann McDonough.

As soon as I see Richard Gere’s name in the credits of a film, I’m instantly put off. The man has made an absolute fortune without having any real ability and in this he, yet again, proves he has a very limited range. Thankfully though, there is more to this film than Gere and his usual dull repetitive approach.

John Klein (Gere) is a Washington journalist, who after the death of his wife in a car accident, is somehow drawn to Point Pleasant, a small town in West Virginia, where strange and unusual events are happening to the locals. They are all living in fear, having premonitions and reporting sightings of a large black winged figure around the area. This is also the same dark figure that Klein’s late wife claimed to have seen before her death, causing further obvious interest from the journalist and also putting his own life in danger.

Supposedly based on actual events, this is a surprisingly tight and engaging little super-natural thriller. As mentioned earlier, Richard Gere is a plank of wood but the support from the always excellent Laura Linney and the wild eyed Will Patton are very welcome indeed. There is brilliant use of atmosphere and low-key music that raise this film above a particular standard and has many genuinely creepy moments. It doesn’t try to be too fancy but wisely and effectively leaves a lot to the imagination and just gets on with telling an unsettling story. Which it does, to good and chilling effect.

Like a feature length espisode of “The X-Files”, this is a gripping little mystery.

Mark Walker

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Inception * * * * *

Posted in Action, Mystery, Science Fiction with tags on January 14, 2012 by Mark Walker

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Director: Christopher Nolan.
Screenplay: Christopher Nolan.
Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Tom Hardy, Marion Cottilard, Ellen Page, Michael Caine, Ken Watanbe, Cillian Murphy, Dileep Rao, Tom Beranger, Pete Postlethwaite, Lukas Haas.

Grandmaster extraordinaire Nolan, has managed to do it again. Not only has he used the teasingly elaborate and original approach of the great “Memento” but he has fused it with the bleak and inventive approach he used in “The Dark Knight”. Both styles when amalgamated, produce one of the most satisfying action, sci-fi thrillers for not only this year, but for many a year.

In a future corporate world, Dom Cobb (Leonardo Di Caprio) is an “extractor” – an agent capable of entering the sub-concious of another, through their dream state. His job consists of retrieving information from their dreams that they would not share as common knowledge. Being an agent a long time in the game, he also harbours secrets of his own that he wouldn’t like to be exposed but finds himself forced to complete a particular assignment that may grant him freedom from his own demons and allow him back into “reality”. The lines have become blurred in what Cobb knows and what he has exposed himself to for so many years, that telling the diffence between reality and dreaming has become increasingly difficult.

First off, it’s hard trying to condense this film into words. Even when you see it, it’s hard to condense it into your mind. That being said, it’s the most enjoyable and challenging film I’ve seen in a while. The days of big budget action films with someone kicking around in a torn vest or bandana are gone. This has raised action films to a new level. We all thought “The Matrix” was where it`s at, but “Inception” has thrown down the guantlet. We demand films with intelligence and that`s what we get here. Not for a second are we allowed to turn off, scratch our nose, or fondle and kiss our other half in the darkened auditorium. As soon as this film starts, we are hooked and it doesn`t have mercy. Christopher Nolan`s warped and clever approach takes over and assembles a fine cast to contribute. Di Caprio reprises a similiar tormented role from his previous “Shutter Island” and does it, yet again, entirely convincingly. The film hinges on his shoulders and he manages to gain our trust, despite the fact that we are still not sure about him or his morals. There’s also great support from a fine ensemble cast, particularly Joseph Gordon-Levitt who effortlessly shows a different side to his acting chops and is commandingly able in some sublime action scenarios. “Memento” is one of my all time favourite films and I see this, in some ways, as “Memento” with money.

Overall, an absolute mind teasing, visual treat. Mr. Nolan, carry on sir! You treat your audience with respect and for our sakes, I hope you continue to do so.

Mark Walker

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Toy Story 3 * * * * *

Posted in Adventure, Animation, Comedy, Family with tags on January 14, 2012 by Mark Walker

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Director: Lee Unkrich.
Screenplay: Michael Arndt.
Voices: Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Joan Cusack, Ned Beatty, Michael Keaton, Don Rickles, Wallace Shawn, John Ratzenberger, R. Lee Ermey, Estelle Harris, Jodi Benson, John Morris, Laurie Metcalf, Timothy Dalton, Bonnie Hunt, Richard Kind, Whoopi Goldberg.

This is most likely the last adventure we’ll have with our plastic and stuffed little friends. So, it’d be wise to lap it up and enjoy it as much as you can. Thankfully, that’s not very hard to do with this wonderfully adventurous final
installment.

This time around, Andy is now 17yrs old, meaning that his old and faithful toys Woody, Buzz, etc. are now relegated to an old box and have not been played with for years. During a clearout before Andy leaves for college, the gang are mistaken for a bag of trash and left for the dumpster. Having escaped this minor mishap, all but Woody agree to be donated to a children’s daycare centre, where they will be valued and adored by kids other than Andy. Once at the daycare centre though, all doesn’t turn out as planned. It is controlled and run like a prison by a jealousy fuelled and tyrannical bear who has been abandoned by his previous owner, leaving Woody to rescue his old chums from their incarceration.

Pixar, yet again, manage to balance their film perfectly for the audience. Like the previous films, it appeals to both adults and children, which is probably the hardest task it had in being successful again. Without taking away from the familiar ones, the story is fleshed out with additional joyous characters, namely, the inclusion of a shallow Barbie & a dark and scheming Ken, to hilarious results. There is also a wonderful little homage to “Cool Hand Luke” when the toys are told if they step out of line they’ll “spend a night in the box”. Visually, it’s outstanding. The animators have really excelled themselves and it should be seen in glorious Imax 3D, to fully appreciate it’s intricate beauty.

A wonderfully exciting treat for all and several of cinema’s best little characters will be sorely missed, but in the words of Randy Newman’s recurrent song…Toy Story’s “got a friend in me”.

Mark Walker

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Shrek Forever After * * * 1/2

Posted in Animation, Comedy, Family with tags on January 14, 2012 by Mark Walker

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Director: Mike Mitchell.
Screenplay: Josh Klausner, Darren Lemke.
Voices: Mike Myers, Eddie Murphy, Cameron Diaz, Antonio Banderas, Julie Andrews, Jon Hamm, John Cleese, Walt Dohrn, Mary Kay Place, Conrad Vernon, Larry King.

Everyone’s favourite rotund ogre returns in his final adventure in the land of Far Far Away, as Shrek goes fourth.

The story follows directly on from the third instalment where Shrek is now the married father of three little ogre’s. The problem being that Shrek doesn’t think he’s cut out for family life and starts to miss his previous life of being a swamp dwelling batchelor. It’s during this moment of reminiscence and weakness that he is approached by Rumpelstiltskin who seizes the opportunity to enter into a contract with Shrek, promising him his old life back. Unbeknownst to our green friend though, it changes everything and the land of Far Far Away becomes a dystopian land ruled by the tyrannical Mr. Stiltskin and everything Shrek had known, no longer exists. This being the case, the Shrekster has to set things right and enlist the help of his old and faithful friends.

A welcome return to form for the franchise, following the disappointing “Shrek the Third”. It uses a clever narrative device in the vain of “It’s a Wonderful Life” and allows the story to fall into an alternate reality and change everything that has gone before and with this being the premise, the Shrek tale is given more room for manoeuvre. The fact that Shrek has to re-acquaint himself with old chums, Donkey, Puss in Boots and Fiona is refreshing and works a treat. The only problem with the story is that Shrek himself as a character, is a little flat this time around and it is left up to the ever reliable and hilarious Donkey and a now over indulgent and obese Puss in Boots to provide the laughs. They are both great, if a little underused, as is a newly developed and hardened Gingerbread Man. The introduction of the odious and impish Rumpelstiltskin is also a welcome villian, as well as his accomplice the Pied Piper.

Back on form and as enjoyable as ever. It’s good to know that Shrek has went out on a high note.

Mark Walker

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Flirting With Disaster * * * 1/2

Posted in Comedy with tags on January 14, 2012 by Mark Walker

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Director: David O. Russell.
Screenplay: David O. Russell.
Starring: Ben Stiller, Patricia Arquette, Tea Leoni, Richard Jenkins, Josh Brolin, Alan Alda, Lily Tomlin, Mary Tyler Moore, George Segal, Celia Watson, David Patrick Kelly.

Director David O. Russell has certainly got a quirky style and this being only his second film, you can see where he honed those quirky talents of his.

Mel and Nancy Coplin (Ben Stiller and Patricia Arquette) are a married couple who have started a young family. The problem is though, having been adopted from an early age, Mel has some unanswered questions about his past and his real parents. As a result, he can’t give his 4 month old baby a name until he has tracked down his biological parents and get a better idea of where he comes from. This then has him, his wife and his adoption case worker (Tea Leoni) travelling across America in search of answers and finding themselves in all sorts of wacky company and ludicrous situations.

There is lots to be enjoyed here in this situational comedy about a dysfunctional family with equally dysfunctional friends, striving to just live their lives in the way they see fit. It’s just that with everybody striving for different things, there are bound to be clashes and it’s these clashes that provide the backbone to this farsical comedy. There is plenty of sharply written dialogue from well written individual characters, played by an excellent ensemble of actors. This is one of Stiller’s earlier goffball roles and you can see why he has now been typecast. Lily Tomlin and Alan Alda are a treat as Mel’s birth parents who haven’t really left the sixties and still retain their tantric, hallucinogenic approach to the world but the real star of the show is the wonderfully talented and underrated Richard Jenkins as a homosexual policeman, who unwittingly consumes some LSD in his evening meal.

A hugely talented cast and it also shows the directors early promise but the jokes feel a little forced at times and the film starts to sag around the midway point. However, when Jenkins turns up he safely carries the film home. It’s worth it just for him.

Mark Walker

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Tropic Thunder * *

Posted in Action, Comedy with tags on January 13, 2012 by Mark Walker

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Director: Ben Stiller.
Screenplay: Ben Stiller, Justin Theroux.
Starring: Ben Stiller, Robert Downey, Jr, Jack Black, Nick Nolte, Steve Coogan, Jay Baruchel, Danny McBride, Bill Hader, Toby Maguire, Matthew McConaughey, Tom Cruise.

Ben Stiller is on familiar ground with this, in covering the egotistical world of celebrities. He had a go at the fashion models in “Zoolander” and now he has a go at the movie stars in this. Both have similiar results and unfortunately these results are poor.

The story is also on familiar ground and was covered 20 years previously in “Three Amigos”. It follows a crew of over paid movies stars who, while filming (in this case a vietnam war film) find themselves involved in a real hostile environment against real enemies. All the while they are oblivious and think it’s part of the script and manage to stay in character throughout, despite real bullets and explosions all around them.

Stiller has always been a likable, if not entirely hilarious comedic actor. His talents seem to be better served in playing the goofballs (“Something About Mary”, “Meet The Parents”) rather than writing or directing them. Unfortunately, he is doing all three in this film and doesn’t achieve anything in either role. Instead the plaudits (surprisingly) go to the more serious actors in Tom Cruise and the Oscar nominated Robert Downey, Jr. They are both wildly over the top, adding some much needed fun to this film, which it doesn’t really deserve. Jack Black is as irritating as ever and has nothing to do but be Jack Black and when he’s got nothing to do, he’s even more unbearably irritating. I can’t fathom why Matthew McConaughey and Nick Nolte got involved and Steve Coogan should know better. Thankfully though, Cruise and Downey, Jr. are in it for our sake, otherwise this would have been an absolute waste of time. I give this film a star each for both of them but Stiller didn’t merit such commitment and excellent performances in this thunderous stinker.

A real waste of talent.

Mark Walker

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A Serious Man * * * *

Posted in Comedy, Drama with tags on January 13, 2012 by Mark Walker

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Director: Joel Coen & Ethan Coen.
Screenplay: Ethan Coen & Joel Coen.
Starring: Michael Stuhlbarg, Richard Kind, Fred Melamed, Sari Lennick, Aaron Wolff, Jessica McManus, George Wyner, Adam Arkin, Michael Lerner.

Quite a difficult one to get a handle on from the Coens, especially when you’re not familiar with the book of Job from the Old Testament, of which this is an allegory of. They can always produce something tense, then effortlessly switch to something hilarious and then…well…and then they craft something like this, that’s hard to pigeonhole. God bless those pesky brothers.

Larry Gopnik (Michael Stuhlbarg) is a physics professor. He leads a God fearing Jewish life in the suburbs with his wife and two children. When he comes home from work, after an attempt at bribery from one of his students to get a better grade, he is informed by his wife that she wants a divorce. She has fallen in love with their neighbour and wants Larry to move out. Meanwhile, his son is approaching his Bar Mitzvah but has got himself mixed up in drugs and spiraling financial debts in Larry’s name and his daughter is determined to get a nose job, while his brother who sleeps on the couch, can’t cope with the world and relies heavily on Larry’s support. Things are not going well for Larry and he finds himself in need of some serious guidance and turns to his local but elusive Rabbi to seek advice in his life.

A unique and informative insight into Jewish religion and culture from the Coens. It’s very different from anything they have done before and wasn’t what I was expecting at all. The theme of the uncertainty of religious guidance in our lives is perfect to support the choatic events that are inexplicably bestowed upon Larry and how religion doesn’t have all the answers. If anything it asks more frustrating unanswered questions for our protaganist and with some hilarious results. The cast of unknowns are uniformly excellent (especially Stuhlbarg) and add to the believable Jewish community that the brothers have created and Roger Deakins’ cinematography is as always, beautifully rich in capturing the 1960’s era in which it’s set.
It didn’t share the tension of “No Country for Old Men”, the complex hilarity of “The Big Lebowski” or even the surreal imagery of “Barton Fink” but this is still a very subtle treat from the brothers Coen and one which I will no doubt be visiting again, looking for answers, just like Larry Gopnik.

Mark Walker

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