MARKED MOVIES

Tom Waits: Under Review 1971-1982 * * * *

Posted in Documentary, Music with tags 1982 on January 13, 2012 by Mark Walker

Chances are, if your a Waits fan then you’ll want to, or will have already checked out this documentary. It follows his career from his demo tapes to his first studio album “Closing Time” with producer David Geffen, through his long collaboration with jazz engineer ‘Bones’ Howe, ending with the album “Heartattack and Vine” before Waits’ style changed completely.

The influences on him are also looked at, from his love of jazz to Jack Kerouac and the ‘beat’ generation.
Its packed full of interviews and anecdotes from people who worked with Waits and about the tenuous comparisons with his contemporaries John Prine, Bruce Springsteen and Bob Dylan. Sadly, it doesn’t shed very much light on the man himself (at least not much that a Waits fan wouldn’t already know) and although there is some nice footage of Waits being interviewed throughout the 70’s, there is no interview with him directly. We don’t get to hear his opinion on his wonderful albums throughout the 70’s era and his troubador style. It does show archival footage though, of live performances of some of his best songs throughout this time like, “Tom Traubert’s Blues”, “Kentucky Avenue” and “Small Change”, leaving you wanting more and heading straight for ‘You Tube’ to listen to the whole song.

For fans of the old Tomcat, it’s a nostalgic chance to revisit the lounge lizards early musical genius. For people new to him, it’s a nice introduction to his wonderfully original talents.

Mark Walker

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The Bucket List *

Posted in Comedy, Drama with tags 2007 on January 13, 2012 by Mark Walker

Director: Rob Reiner.
Screenplay: Justin Zackham.
Starring: Jack Nicholson, Morgan Freeman, Sean Hayes, Rob Morrow, Beverly Todd, Alfonso Freeman, Rowena King.

Jack and Morgan, now over the hill, attempt fetching a bucket of laughter. Jack fell down in a hospital gown and Morgan came tumbling after.

Pretty damn poor considering it unites two of cinema’s great actors in Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman, under the direction of the normally reliable Rob Reiner – who is no stranger to fine comedies. However, Reiner seems to have forgotten something integral here…namely comedy itself.

Nicholson and Freeman play two terminally ill patients sharing a room in hospital. When faced with the news that they have months to live, they compose a “Bucket List”. A list consisting of all the things they’d like to do before they shuffle off their mortal coil. Working their way through their list, they achieve feats of sky-diving, racing fast cars, tackling the Himalayas etc.

You’d think watching these two veteran actors in several hair-raising scenarios would be a joy but quite frankly, it’s not. What it is, is dull and uneventful. Jack and Morgan are given next to nothing to work with and are let down by a very tedious and formulaic script. Reiner’s direction is also extremely flat, not helped by some very poor, sub-standard special effects and fake use of international locations. By today’s standards it’s very insulting and the talent involved, not to mention us, deserve more.

If I ever compose a Bucket list for myself, first thing on the list will be…’Don’t attempt to polish a turd. Despite what it says on the tin’. Avoid at all costs.

Mark Walker

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Mystic River * * * *

Posted in Drama, Mystery with tags 2003 on January 13, 2012 by Mark Walker

Director: Clint Eastwood.
Screenplay: Brian Helgeland.
Starring: Sean Penn, Tim Robbins, Kevin Bacon, Laurence Fishburne, Marcia Gay Harden, Laura Linney.

There have seemingly been no restrictions in Clint Eastwood’s directorial armoury – now spanning several decades. He can turn his hand, more than competently and reliably to any genre and this adaptation of Dennis Lehane’s novel is another of Eastwood’s finest, especially in terms of characterisation.

In a small Boston neighbourhood, three young friends are playing, until a car pulls up and abducts one of them. 25 years later the friends have went their separate ways. Jimmy (Penn) is the local gangster, Sean (Bacon) is a police detective and the abuctee Dave (Robbins) is just trying to keep his life together after the traumatic events of his childhood. All these years later, more traumatic events falls upon these former friends as Jimmy’s young daughter is murdered and with Dave displaying some very unusual behaviour, he becomes the prime suspect in Sean’s investigation. The traumatic events of their past seem to be, only now in their later years, fully unravelling.

Admittedly I haven’t read Lehane’s book and apparently Robbins’ character is given more of a back story which makes more sense to his character and his actions and has less of a whodunnit stroryline. That being said, the mystery involved in the perpetrator of the murder is the film’s weakest link and the tenuous revelation of the murderer is very unconvincing which almost threatens to undo the whole thing. Thankfully though, Eastwood holds it together despite that major plot discrepancy and the film is ultimately a character study in the soul searching and what-if’s throughout their lives. The whole ensemble put in fine performances but none more so than Sean Penn as the emotionally afflicted and grief ridden father. He was robbed of an Oscar a few years previously for his magnificent turn in “Dead Man Walking” but here gives a similiar emotive and heart wrenching performance and thoroughly deserved his 1st Oscar this time around. Eastwood also directs with consummate ease and adds another powerful and thought provoking film to his credentials.

It could have been a classic but unfortunately has a major flaw in the denouement but like the very fine performances, it’s hard to forget.

Mark Walker

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Constantine * * * 1/2

Posted in Action, Fantasy, Horror with tags 2005 on January 13, 2012 by Mark Walker

Director: Francis Lawrence.
Screenplay: Kevin Brodbin, Frank Cappello.
Starring: Keanu Reeves, Rachel Weisz, Shia LaBeouf, Djimon Hounsou, Tilda Swinton, Peter Stormare, Pruitt Taylor Vince, Gavin Rossdale, Michelle Monaghan, Domino Harvey.

DC Comics’ “Hellblazer” gets the big screen treatment with the chain-smoking, existentialist detective John Constantine and although it may not appeal to some fans, there’s no denying it has style.

Keanu Reeves plays the paranormal man in question, who after having visions of entities all his life, attempts suicide. Having been revived from his unsuccessful attempts, John Constantine is then doomed to an eternal waking life of demonic confrontations. This being the case, he attempts to make a deal with God, (in the knowledge that he has lung cancer) that if he can help in the eradication of demons from Earth, he may get a reprieve and be able to enter Heaven when he dies.

“Constantine” has a very imaginative and stylish look to it, mainly down to music video director Francis Lawrence. He uses several unusual camera angles and great use of atmosphere, showing exactly where he learned his craft. However, some inexperience is visible, the tell-tale signs being style over substance. It just so happens though, that the style is magnificent and has some similarities with the low budget Christopher Walken gothic/horror flick “The Prophecy”. Lawrence’s take on the biblical characters are very creative, from Tilda Swinton’s androgenous “Angel Gabriel” to Djimon Hounsou’s “Midnite” a guardian between Heaven & Hell and Peter Stormare’s looming, well-dressed “Lucifer”. Mixed up in all of this is a very mixed bag in Reeves as “Constantine”. He’s strangely brooding and appealing, yet also woefully bad in his selfconscious overacting. It’s a very frustrating performance and a constant reminder that your watching a film, which ultimately isn’t a good thing. The inclusion of Shia LeBeouf’s comic sidekick “Chas” isn’t a good thing either and seriously jars with the tone of the film. Really, we should be able to immersive ourselves in Lawrence’s wonderfully atmospheric (under)world but get held back from full immersion to these visual treats by a lead performance that’s not much better than Schwarzenegger would have delivered and a new director that is still finding his feet.

Comic fans may not be happy, but it’s still very hard to resist it’s visual splendor.

Mark Walker

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Sherlock Holmes * * * 1/2

Posted in Action, Mystery with tags 2009 on January 13, 2012 by Mark Walker

Director: Guy Ritchie.
Screenplay: Michael Robert Johnson, Anthony Peckham, Simon Kinberg.
Starring: Robert Downey, Jr, Jude Law, Rachel McAdams, Mark Strong, Eddie Marsan, Kelly Reilly, Robert Maillet, Geraldine James, Hans Matheson, William Hope, James Fox.

Guy Ritchie knows a thing or two about the up’s and down’s and in’s and out’s of London, so who better to give us a revamp of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s super deducer “Sherlock Holmes” than “Snatch”s cockney geezer? Getting involved, more surprisingly though is Robert Downey, Jr. as the Holmes boy himself.

Supernatural plans are afoot for Holmes and Watson this time around as the very sinister Lord Blackwood has been meddling in occult affairs and sacrificing innocent young women to further his gains. Once brought to justice, Blackwood is hanged for his crimes but this is only the beginning of Holmes’ problems. Blackwood then seemingly rises from the dead with even greater powers and a stronger influence on the people of the city.
Ritchie’s period look of 19th century London is brilliantly realised and he uses his gritty, grainy and almost sepia hue to perfect effect here. What he also brings to the table is his penchant for violence, with some impressive slow-motion action scenes. His vision of Holmes is more of a fighter and less of a thinker. It’s quite an odd choice but Downey Jr is perfect in the role. He injects a lot of humour into the character and plays him as a drug and alcohol induced extrovert, with a glazed madness over his eyes and nice comic touches. Jude Law also lends excellent support as his trusted sidekick Dr. Watson, who is as tough as he is educated. They make a good double act in what is essentially a buddy-buddy movie with them both playing off one another. However, the story itself is a little disappointing and hard to suspend your disbelief with the villianous Mark Strong absent for quite a lot of the film. Not to mention, a thankless role for Rachel McAdams who is reduced to nothing more than a token love interest. Make no mistake, this is the Holmes and Watson show and nobody else really gets a look in.

There’s plenty of fun to be had but let’s hope they tighten it up a little for the sequel.

Mark Walker

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Duplicity * * *

Posted in Romance, thriller with tags 2009 on January 13, 2012 by Mark Walker

Director: Tony Gilroy.
Screenplay: Tony Gilroy.
Starring: Clive Owen, Julia Roberts, Paul Giamatti, Tom Wilkinson, Denis O’Hare, Tom McCarthy, Wayne Duvall.

Better known for his screenwriting duties on the “Bourne” series, Tony Gilroy can certainly concoct a spy tale or two and here he uses his talents again. After cutting his Directorial teeth on the tense and gripping “Michael Clayton”, Gilroy crafts another corporate espionage yarn but to lesser effects this time round.

Owen and Roberts play two British and American agents respectively. They specialise in playing people and retrieving very important information for their greedy fat-cat employers. Being so good at what they do and also sharing a close and intimate relationship they decide to team up and make a big play that will keep them financially secure for the rest of their lives. The problem is…can they trust each other?

Gilroy goes for a more gentler and slightly humorous and playful approach this time. The film looks wonderful, with lavish international locations and all basked in sunshine and champagne, setting the tone for the grand caper. He doesn’t go for the dark, atmospheric and dangerous tone that he used to magnificent effect in “Michael Clayton” and unfortunately employs the services of Miss Roberts with her big, teethy grin and lack of range. These are Gilroy’s first mistakes. Owen carries himself well, all-be-it his usual fare but it’s a role that would previously be better suited to Steve McQueen, Cary Grant or by today’s standards, George Clooney – who you get the impression this may have been intended for. Also, the casting of Paul Giamatti and Tom Wilkinson as rival corporate businessmen at each others throats is potential genius. I say “potential” because this is one the films strongest points but doesn’t utilise it and has these two great actors distant from each other for most of the film, despite a brilliant slow motion brawl between them at the beginning of the movie. Speaking of which, the beginning of the film is so strong that the rest pales in comparison. The actors put in fine performances but it all becomes a little convoluted without any real delivery of satisfaction.

Surely an espionage film that has been running rings around the characters and the audience should end with a bang? This sadly dragged me into their games, promised so much, yet delivered so little.

Mark Walker

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Any Given Sunday * 1/2

Posted in Drama, Sport with tags 1999 on January 12, 2012 by Mark Walker

Director: Oliver Stone.
Screenplay: Oliver Stone, John Logan.
Starring: Al Pacino, Cameron Diaz, James Woods, Dennis Quaid, Jamie Foxx, Aaron Eckhart, LL Cool J, Matthew Modine, Jim Brown, Lauren Holly, Ann-Margret, Elizabeth Berkeley, John C. McGinley, Charlton Heston.

Considering the talent involved and the fact that American sports tend to be good stock for film material, you’d think that this film would be a winner. Sadly, not on this occasion.

Tony D’Amato (Al Pacino), is the coach for the Miami Sharks, a team who have hit a real slump in form and are struggling to hold their own on the football pitch. The team has too many Chiefs and not enough Indians and D’Amato not only has to manage the on-field antics of his players but also the off-field antics and spiraling ego’s. This is all done with new hard-ass owner Christina Pagniacci (Cameron Diaz) breathing down his neck and demanding results.

There is such a brash in-your-face kinetic energy to this film that you dont get a minute to relax throughout it. Pacino has several of his usual in-your-face rants, Oliver Stone’s direction and dreadful cameo are in-your-face, the sharp and edgy editing is in-your-face. The whole exhibitionist sport is in-your-face. So much so, that it becomes very abusive and quite frankly, tiresome very early on. Added to this, the film goes on for at least an hour over its recommended running time, bombarding us with some very high testosterone and machismo. The only positives rest with the impressive use of close contact football scenes, complete with disorientation and crunching tackles and the fine cast, particulary Cameron Diaz who shows she can match the rants and aggression of Pacino. It’s just disappointing that the film couldn’t supply the great ensemble with some material to work with.

Wonderful cast. Wonderful director. Woeful film.
On Any Given Sunday, I’d avoid this stinker.

Mark Walker

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The Box * * * 1/2

Posted in Mystery, Science Fiction, thriller with tags 2009 on January 12, 2012 by Mark Walker

Director: Richard Kelly.
Screenplay: Richard Kelly.
Starring: Cameron Diaz, Frank Langella, James Marsden, James Rebhorn, Holmes Osborne.

Based on the short story “Button, Button” by “I am Legend” writer Richard Matheson, this is a strange little film thats hard to pigeonhole due to some very strange and surreal happenings. Director Richard Kelly (“Donnie Darko”), refuses to stick to any particular formula and as a result leaves you a little unsure about what you’ve just seen.

Norma (Cameron Diaz) & Arthur Lewis (James Marsden) are a happily married couple who are having some financial difficulties. Out of the blue, they are contacted by a mysterious stranger named Arlington Steward (Frank Langella). Mr. Steward delivers a box to their house and makes them a bleak, but very tempting offer. They are given a choice to push the button on the box and receive $1 million, however, by doing so, somebody somewhere will die.

This film received quite a lot of criticism and wasn’t very successful upon it’s release, which is a shame really, as it does have several positive things going for it. First of all, it poses the type of moral question that everybody will find it hard to ignore and follows through with the consequences of making such a decision. Richard Kelly’s direction is refreshingly different also. He throws in all sorts of unconventional and unexpected ‘Lynchian’ touches like the main character missing part of her foot and another missing part of his face. Strange bell ringing Santa’s standing in the middle of the road, nose bleeding zombies and all this with the air of a NASA conspiracy hanging over it. All very strange indeed, with little to no explanation for some of it. The film also looks wonderful, brilliantly capturing the 1970’s era and style and the three lead performances are excellent. However, with all this unexplained strangeness you start to wonder whether Kelly is taking it all a bit too far and quite frankly, not really caring if we understand the whole thing. Which is a big ask, considering the film is just short of two hours and demands a level of commitment.

A very bizarre, (slight) misfire but interesting nonetheless and it definitely has a lasting effect due to some well structured creepiness.

Mark Walker

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Shaun Of The Dead * * * 1/2

Posted in Comedy, Horror with tags 2004 on January 12, 2012 by Mark Walker

Director: Edgar Wright.
Screenplay: Simon Pegg, Edgar Wright.
Starring: Simon Pegg, Nick Frost, Kate Ashfield, Dylan Moran, Lucy Davis, Bill Nighy, Rafe Spall, Martin Freeman, Tamsin Greig, Reece Shearsmith, Matt Lucas, Chris Martin, Trisha Goddard, Krishnan Guru-Murthy, Vernon Kay.

I find there’s always been an element of humour to the old George A. Romero zombie flicks. Let’s face it, how hard does it look to get away from them? There were always plenty of thrills and I love those films, but sometimes it seemed they were taking the piss. With this film, there’s no doubt that it’s doing just that.

Shaun (Simon Pegg) is in a dead end job, just split up with his girlfriend and shares a flat with his idle best pal Ed (Nick Frost), who does nothing but play playstation, eat cornettos and frequent the local public house. Shaun’s life is frankly, going nowhere. However, when an outbreak of flesh eating zombies happen to start appearing around his neighbourhood, taking bites out of his family and friends, Shaun finds his purpose in life. Armed with a cricket bat and batch of old vinyl L.P.’s he sets out to save his loved ones and hide out in his favourite pub, till it all blows over.

An impressive pastiche of the zombie films of old, injected with some hilarious humour and fine comedy moments. Director Edgar Wright cut his teeth on the T.V. Series “Spaced” and brings the same cast to this, as well as some other familiar faces from British comedy shows like, “The Office”, “League of Gentleman” & “Black Books”. It’s Wright’s familiarity with the genre that’s most impressive though, he could quite easily have played it straight and still came across as a competent director of horror. He employs excellent use of atmosphere and structure with some wonderfully inventive camerawork. I was very impressed, considering it’s his first feature length film and it’s no surprise that Tarantino & Rodriguez had him direct one of the fake trailers on their “Grindhouse” double feature. On the down side though, I found some of the gags forced and the jokes (much like the flesh eating un-dead) became rather stale. With no fresh ideas after passing the hour mark, it started to show it was really a 30minute television episode, drawn out to feature length.

Still, there’s bags of fun to be had with fine performances from a great cast and Pegg and Frost are an excellent comedy duo.

Mark Walker

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25th Hour * * * * 1/2

Posted in Drama with tags 2002 on January 12, 2012 by Mark Walker

Director: Spike Lee.
Screenplay: David Benioff.
Starring: Edward Norton, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Barry Pepper, Brian Cox, Rosario Dawson, Anna Paquin.

During the early to mid-1990’s Spike Lee was a director who could do no wrong in my eyes. His films were of a very high calibre and then he hit a dip in form, seemingly never recovering. This however, was a reminder of how good he can be.

Monty Brogan (Edward Norton) is a Manhattan drug dealer who has to confront the choices he has made in life on his last day before serving a seven-year prison sentence. He spends his last 24hours of freedom with his girlfriend Naturelle (Rosario Dawson) his father (Brian Cox) and his two best friends Frank (Barry Pepper) and Jake (Philip Seymour Hoffman), all the while determining who really sold him out.

This is a Spike Lee “joint” I don’t mind taking a hit off, at all. Filled with very intense and dramatic conversations and confrontations between the characters, delivered with superb performances. Norton and Hoffman have already cemented their reputations but Pepper is a highly under-rated actor that I predict will be winning awards very soon with the quality he consistantly delivers. It’s a real joy to watch them bounce off each other, adding real gravitas to some well written dialogue. Lee’s direction is also up close and personal, giving it a further sense of realism. The post 9/11 psyche of New Yorkers is a running theme throughout and even one scene has two characters overlooking ground-zero as they discuss the end of an era. Lee also explores the multi-cultural diversity of the city, like he has done previously in “Do The Right Thing” and “Jungle Fever”, among others. The diversity is also played out in the three friends, with very different values. It’s an ambitious film with nearly every other scene or character, subtly displaying metaphor for the fragile state of the city they inhabit.

Despite a running time that slightly overstays it’s welcome, this is a highly charged and thought-provoking allegory of capitalist America and boasts three superlative, indefatigable performances from Norton, Pepper & Hoffman.

Mark Walker

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Mesrine: Killer Instinct * * * * 1/2

Posted in Crime, Drama, Foreign Language with tags 2008 on January 12, 2012 by Mark Walker

Director: Jean-Francois Richet.
Screenplay: Abdel Raouf Dafri, Jean-Francois Richet.
Starring: Vincent Cassel, Gerard Depardieu, Cecile De France, Gilles Lellouche, Roy Dupuis, Elena Anaya.

The allure of the gangster lifestyle seems to be a constant source of entertainment for people (myself included). It’s a genre that has turned out countless classics and with this recent French addition, director Jean-Francois Richet has a good go of including his film amongst the best.

Part one “Killer Instinct”, covers the early career (1959 – ’70) of outlaw Jacques Mesrine (Vincent Cassel), covering his military service in Algeria, apprenticeship with a Paris gang-lord (Gerard Depardieu), crime-spree partnership with soulmate Jeanne (Cecile De France) and escape from a tough Canadian prison.

Being only the first installment of this two-part, 4 hour crime flick. The word ‘epic’ may spring to mind. Strangely though, it never felt epic to me and I think this was mainly down to it not being about a criminal family but only one individual. However, it’s no less effective and has more in common with “Scarface” in Mesrine’s one man rise to power or notoriety and “Bonnie & Clyde” for his crime spree with a ladyfriend. What’s demanded from it, is also the thing that holds it all together and that’s a lead performance of power and charisma. This is where Vincent Cassel comes in. He’s absolutely captivating. He commands every bit of the screen with a tour de force show. Being one of the finest actors around at present Cassel can now officially change his name to ‘excel’ for his portrayal of this dangerous career criminal. Excellent support also from a sadly underused but menacing Gerard Depardieu, who shows great presence and the only one that comes close to Cassel’s powerhouse performance.

An exciting fast paced bio-pic that’ll have you hooked right from the excellent split-frame opening scene. Worth checking out for Cassel alone.

Mark Walker

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Mesrine: Public Enemy #1 * * * * 1/2

Posted in Crime, Drama, Foreign Language with tags 2008 on January 12, 2012 by Mark Walker

Director: Jean-Francois Richet.
Screenplay: Abdel Raouf Dafri, Jean-Francois Richet.
Starring: Vincent Cassel, Ludivine Sagnier, Mathieu Amalric, Samuel Le Bihan, Gerard Lanvin, Olivier Gourmet, Georges Wilson.

I only wish more directors were willing to broaden the scope of their films in this way. If an audience isn’t willing to sit for too long then release it in parts. Recently, Quentin Tarantino (“Kill Bill”) and Steven Soderbergh (“Che”) done it successfully or just look at another classic French two-parter “Jean De Florette” & “Manon Des Source” by Claude Berri. Proof enough that it works.

Part two “Public Enemy No: 1”, covers the later career (1974 – ’79) of French outlaw Jacques Mesrine (Cassell), covering the bank robberies which made him France’s most wanted criminal, his partnership with a fellow prison escapee (Mathieu Amalric), his relationship with free spirit Sylvie (Ludivine Sagnier) and his violent death.

The testament to a good film is it being able to tell you the ending at the beginning and still manage to produce a captivating film. “Carlitos Way” was a notable other in this particular genre. It’s in the second installment that we see more of Mesrine’s ego. His growing obsession with his notoriety and his shrewd manipulation of the media to help boost his criminal-celebrity image and his belief that he was a revolutionary. He’s more confident and daring, taking more chances and applying his trade right under the noses of the law-enforcement – right down to an escape from a court room and posing as a police officer to the police themselves. In some ways Mesrine was a confidence trickster which makes for gleeful entertainment in his sheer audacity. I see both parts of the film as one complete whole and as a result, rate them both the same in their exploration of the cultural image of a gangster and the ruthless nature required, coupled with the undeniable appeal and charisma.

Over the course of 4hours you are asked to invest a little but the (many) escapades of this charismatic anti-hero keep the excitement going and the running time a pleasure.
Magnifique.

Mark Walker

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Winter’s Bone * * *

Posted in Drama, Mystery with tags 2010 on January 12, 2012 by Mark Walker

Director: Debra Granik.
Screenplay: Debra Granik, Anne Rosellini.
Starring: Jennifer Lawrence, John Hawkes, Sheryl Lee, Garret Dillahunt.

Being able to experience another culture or catch a glimpse of a person’s lifestyle without physical involvement is one of the wonders of cinema. Thank our lucky stars for celluloid then, as it allows us the luxury of paying a visit to the stark and violent backwoods of America and still able to walk away from it. It’s a place I’d rather not have to endure, as this film so vividly confirms.

Seventeen year-old Ree Dolly (Jennifer Lawrence) sets out to track down her bail-jumping dad after he uses the family home to secure his bond. Failing to find him will mean that she, her mother and siblings will have to fend for themselves in the bitter Ozark woods. Overcoming her kin’s code of silence and threats of retribution and violence, she slowly uncovers the truth behind her father’s disappearance.

The lives of the characters in this film are as barren as the landscape. The environment is unkind which in turn manifests itself in the inhabitants. They are a product of their environment and this unsavoury bunch and their lawless community are perfectly captured by director Debra Granik and cinematographer Michael McDonough. Good performances too, by the Oscar nominated newcomer Jennifer Lawrence (who reminded me of a young Juliette Lewis) and John Hawkes (“From Dusk Till Dawn”) finally getting a role suited to his abilities. However, as much as I enjoyed this, I feel the critics have praised it just a bit too highly. In their numbers, they lapped this one up and I struggle to see why. It certainly looks the part and the performances are excellent but it’s a tad lethargic, considering the main character has a deadline to meet. Other than the novelty and voyueristic setting of a neo-noir in the desolate backwoods, It didn’t offer anything new and I must admit that I found myself drifting off a few times. It failed to hold my attention for its entirety, only occasionally jolting me back to attention with a few memorably powerful scenes.

A fine feel for the place and the people but having had very high expectations going into it, I can’t help but feel that I’ve been a victim of hype.

Mark Walker

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Never Let Me Go * * * *

Posted in Drama, Science Fiction with tags 2010 on January 12, 2012 by Mark Walker

Director: Mark Romanek.
Screenplay: Alex Garland.
Starring: Carey Mulligan, Andrew Garfield, Keira Knightley, Sally Hawkins, Charlotte Rampling, Izzy Meikle-Small, Charlie Rowe, Ella Purnell,

Novelist Alex Garland (The Beach) seems to have become something of a science-fiction screenwriter these days, with “28 Days Later” and “Sunshine” already done and the forthcoming “Dredd” and “Halo” in the making. However, this adaptation of Kazuo Ishiguro’s book is his most subtle sci-fi yet, and his most effective.

Kathy H. (Carey Mulligan) is a woman looking back on her life, from her childhood days at Hailsham boarding school with best friends Ruth (Keira Knightley) and Tommy (Andrew Garfield). Like all the other Hailsham pupils, the three have a very particular destiny – one which, together, they slowly grow to understand, and struggle to accept.

Science-fiction doesn’t come much bleaker when it addresses the nature of existence or the purpose in our lives. Especially when that purpose is to serve another, wholeheartedly, and to ones detriment. This excellently crafted drama brings reminders of George Orwell’s “1984” and Aldous Huxley’s “A Brave New World” in it’s depressingly bleak and hopeless, alternate time in history. It has an interesting and thought provoking premise and what makes good science fiction tick is it’s believability. This is a very plausible story in our modern age of genetic modification and it’s under-played to perfection. Director Mark Romanek focuses on the human/inhumane element of the story and any indication of an alternate time is subtly done. Helped no end with some gorgeous cinematography by Adam Kimmel and excellent performances from the three leads and their younger counterparts – who bear and uncanny resemblance to the older actors.

A cerebral and melancholy film that’s beautifully executed in the struggle of it’s characters’ misfortunes and inevitable fate. Touching and heartbreakingly bleak.

Mark Walker

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Greenberg * * * *

Posted in Comedy, Drama with tags 2010 on January 12, 2012 by Mark Walker

Director: Noah Baumbach.
Screenplay: Noah Baumbach, Jennifer Jason Leigh.
Starring: Ben Stiller, Greta Gerwig, Rhys Ifans, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Chris Messina, Juno Temple, Jake Paltrow, Susan Traylor.

Dysfunctional families (and people) share a common theme throughout writer/director Noah Baumbach’s films. He focused on the dissolution of a relationship in “The Squid and The Whale”, a destructive neurosis in “Margot At The Wedding” and now the disintegration of a personality with “Greenberg”.

Following a nervous breakdown, New York carpenter Roger Greenberg (Ben Stiller) arrives in LA to look after his brothers family home and sickly dog. His path crosses with the family’s young assistant Florence (Greta Gerwig), and an awkward relationship develops. He also tries to rekindle old friendships from when he was an up-and-comer quite some time ago.

Baumbach focuses yet again on neurotic behaviour and the fragility of a person crumbling under the weight of his own expectation and ambition. I wouldn’t say that I’m all that keen on Ben Stiller but like Jack Black in “Margot at the Wedding”, he puts all his irritating and outrageous send-ups aside and concentrates on acting. No, he doesn’t get his dick caught in his zip or anything, but what he does do is show restraint and puts in a very nuanced and subtley brilliant dramatic performance. This director certainly knows how to get the best out of an actor and Stiller is not alone. Greta Gerwig is absolutely marvellous and produces one of the most natural and beautifully rich performances I’ve seen in a long time. This is an actress that deserves more attention. Rhys Ifans is also very endearing and adds depth and realism as Greenberg’s long suffering friend. It’s a trio of excellent performances, making the characters really come alive and Baumbach displays a talent for capturing the everyday perfectly, showing an affinity with Woody Allen in his sharp observations and neurotic characters.
Roger Greenberg as a character has a lot in common with Nicole Kidman’s Margot in their social awkwardness and almost natural ability to hurt someones feelings and despite Stiller’s excellent performance, that’s what hinders the film slightly. He’s a detestable, rude and egotistical man, that we are forced to spend a lot of time with, making it less enjoyable than the director’s previous outings to angst-ville.

Despite the irritatingly self-absorbed character and his very privileged lifestyle this is still another refined and assured character study from the very talented Noah Baumbach.

Mark Walker

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True Grit * * * * 1/2

Posted in Drama, Western with tags 2010 on January 12, 2012 by Mark Walker

Directors: Joel Coen & Ethan Coen.
Screenplay: Ethan Coen & Joel Coen.
Starring: Jeff Bridges, Matt Damon, Josh Brolin, Hailee Steinfeld, Barry Pepper, Dakin Matthews, Paul Rae, Elizabeth Marvel.

Charles Portis’ novel “True Grit” was given the big screen treatment in 1969 with none other than ridiculously overrated actor John Wayne in the lead role. He unbelievably garnered himself an Academy Award for his (and our) trouble but with the Coen brothers and Jeff Bridges, we get an altogether more fulfilling and faithful adaptation this time around.

Tom Chaney (Josh Brolin) is a hired hand who kills a farmer and flees. The daughter of that farmer is an indomitable 14 year-old girl named Mattie Ross (Hailee Steinfeld). She hires tough, one-eyed US Marshal and heavy-drinking reprobate Reuben J. ‘Rooster’ Cogburn (Jeff Bridges) to bring him in. Joined by Texas Ranger La Boeuf (Matt Damon), the odd posse head into Indian territory on their manhunt.

The Coen brothers’ attention to detail is second to none and some would even say that a western is perfectly suited to their talents. They certainly take great delight in the period with their wonderful eye for detail and exagerrated jangling of spurs. As well as the usual Coens array of colourful characters, the main performances are uniformly excellent. Young Steinfeld is impressively confident amongst an experienced cast; Damon amuses with good comic relief; Barry Pepper is disgustingly bad to the core; Brolin (all be it brief) is dangerously dim-witted and Bridges chews up the screen more than he does his tobacco. His ‘Rooster Cogburn’ is like a cross between his previous laid-back stoner ‘The Dude’ from “The Big Lebowski” and his cantankerous drunk ‘Bad Blake’ from “Crazy Heart“. As much as it was highly unlikely, I would have loved to have seen Bridges make it two Oscars in a row to become only the third actor to do so after Spencer Tracy and Tom Hanks. After all, John Wayne got one and he’s not in the same league as Bridges. Sadly though, it wasn’t to be and the same goes for Roger Deakins who missed out on an award for his gorgeous cinematography. He consistantly plays a massive role in bringing the Coens’ visions to life and here he outdoes himself. An award for the man is long overdue.

A magnificent, beautifully crafted and gritty depiction of the wild-west that’s the best of it’s kind since…well, since the contemporary neo-western “No Country For Old Men” also by the mighty Coens with very sharp dialogue and a catalogue of great performances.

Mark Walker

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Morning Glory * *

Posted in Comedy with tags 2010 on January 12, 2012 by Mark Walker

Director: Roger Michell.
Screenplay: Aline Brosh McKenna.
Starring: Rachel McAdams, Harrison Ford, Diane Keaton, Jeff Goldblum, Patrick Wilson, Ty Burrell, Patti D’Arbanville, John Pankow, Matt Malloy, Bruce Altman.

The magic of movies is a powerful thing, but unfortunately it can’t eradicate our screen heroes from aging. I suppose in some cases that’s not always neccesary. Certainly not when it’s actually quite enjoyable seeing “Indiana Jones” & “Han Solo” be a grumpy, cantankerous old man.

Fired from her local TV news station, passionate producer Becky Fuller (Rachel McAdams) gets hired by failing breakfast show ‘Daybreak’ to turn around its fortunes. Her bright idea is to pair current host Colleen Peck (Diane Keaton) with veteran respected newsman Mike Pomeroy (Harrison Ford), an ex war correspondent who believes he’s above the daytime television drivel, refusing to play along and clearly only in it for the money.

Breakfast-time television is all light-hearted enthusiasm with very little content and in keeping with that, this film follows that particular mood very closely. But then what do you expect from “Notting Hill” director Roger Michell? He knows the formula and sticks to it. What maintains your interest here is mainly the performances. McAdams does well in her first lead role. She’s highly appealing, carrying the film with sursprising ease. Keaton retreads similiar work from her Woody Allen days but is unfortunately reduced to nothing more than mere support with an underwritten character, but still delivers. Similarly, Jeff Goldblum looks like pitching in a good turn but is sadly left on the sidelines. Ford though, is an egotistical, snarling treat and is a real joy to watch. His sparring with Keaton is a particular highlight, which again is sadly nowhere near enough. It’s because of McAdams and Ford that the film holds a marginal interest and it’s also fun to see the inner workings of morning television shows. I wonder though, if our American friends are aware that across the Atlantic, “morning glory” means something altogether more suggestive here. In fact, this film could have been doing with some more risque humour. It begins with some, about an anchor (Ty Burrell) with a penchant for feet and granny porn, but after that it sadly falls into it’s comfortable little inoffensive niche.

Light-hearted and refreshing but it’s nothing new. However, there’s no denying Ford’s star power and his ability to raise mediocre material up a notch. It’s worth it just to see him being an egotistical, selfish asshole.

Mark Walker

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The Terminal * * 1/2

Posted in Comedy, Drama with tags 2004 on January 12, 2012 by Mark Walker

Director: Steven Spielberg.
Screenplay: Sasha Jervasi, Jeff Nathanson.
Starring: Tom Hanks, Stanley Tucci, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Diego Luna, Chi McBride, Barry Shabaka Henley, Zoe Zaldana, Kumar Pallana, Eddie Jones, Michael Nouri.

Despite the two of them being perfectly suited to collaborate on a project, it took Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg a long time to finally get around to doing it. Then in quick succession, they churned out three films together. This being the third and least effective.

Viktor Navorski (Tom Hanks) lands at JFK airport, to find his homeland of Krakozhia has dissolved in a rebellion and his passport is no longer valid. Stranded in a bureaucratic no-man’s land, he must live in the airport, unable to go home and unable to venture onto American soil.

1998’s “Saving Private Ryan” was the first brutally realistic collaboration between actor and director, followed by 2002’s “Catch Me If You Can” which was more light-hearted with dark undertones. This 2004 film is lighter still and if going by this progressively gentler pattern that Hanks and Spielberg were to collaborate again, it would probably be a whimsy film version of “Little House On The Prairie”. That’s not to say that there isn’t anything to enjoy here. There is, but it seems like a step down for them. It’s still a light-hearted fable that’s hard to resist though, considering Spielberg’s knack for cranking up the schmaltz factor and Hanks’ knack for endearing characters. The performances from all involved are good (particularly Hanks and Stanley Tucci) but nobody is really stretched.

It’s not the finest hour from the names involved and probably best suited to fans of romantic-comedies but I still enjoyed passing time with it and it did raise the occasional smile with it’s uplifting positivity.

Mark Walker

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Shine A Light * * * *

Posted in Documentary, Music with tags 2008 on January 11, 2012 by Mark Walker

Director: Martin Scorsese.
Featuring: Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Charlie Watts, Ronnie Wood, Christina Aguilera, Buddy Guy, Jack White, Martin Scorsese.

Having already covered such musical talents as The Band in “The Last Waltz” and Bob Dylan in “No Direction Home”, director Martin Scorsese now turns his hand to iconic rock ‘n’ roll band The Rolling Stones.

The closeness that Scorsese achieves is nothing short of magnificent. He must have had cameras everywhere and manages to capture the vibrancy of this fabulous band during their “A Bigger Bang” tour, playing at the Beacon theatre in New York. He manages to get so close you can see every wrinkle, every pore and you can almost smell the whisky from Keith Richards. Having been going strong for nearly 50 years (they were formed in 1962) and each band member over 60 years old, they’ve still got what it takes and can still get a crowd going. Their vibrancy is second to none and you can see why they have lasted so long. Tour footage is intercut with old footage of the band in their younger days and rise to stardom. It also briefly shows how the film was put together with footage of Scorsese conducting his documentary as the legends on-stage conduct their music. You can see Scorsese has a love and a knowledge of this great band. Otherwise, we probably wouldn’t hear so many of their classic songs played throughout his films. It’s just a shame that the band members have aged. This would have been a much better intrusive film had it been The Stones in their prime. However, they’re still an exceptional outfit, Mick Jagger’s energy still impresses and they remain my favourite.

For Stones aficiondos only. If you count yourself as one, then you’ll love it.

Mark Walker

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Public Access * *

Posted in Mystery, thriller with tags 1993 on January 11, 2012 by Mark Walker

Director: Bryan Singer.
Screenplay: Bryan Singer, Christopher McQuarrie, Michael Feit Dougan.
Starring: Ron Marquette, Burt Williams, Leigh Hunt, John Renshaw, Brandon Boyce.

In 1995, director Bryan Singer delivered one of the finest crime films – not too mention one of cinema’s killer twists – in “The Usual Suspects”. Before that, he cut his teeth on this low-budget, independant suspense tale.

Whiley Pritcher (Ron Marquette) is an enigmatic stranger who arrives in the small American town of ‘Brewster’ and starts up a public television show asking the local residents “what’s wrong with Brewster?” Not before long, the residents are all calling in, revealing secrets about their neighbours and causing dark fueds, in this once idyllic town.

Although this film was done in the early 90’s it has a very dated 80’s look to it. Despite this, you can still see the early promise from Bryan Singer. It’s competantly shot and achieves quite an eerie feel to the whole thing. This little tale would have made a great Twilight Zone episode but as a feature length film, it doesn’t quite have enough in the tank for it to hold your interest over a short but somehow protracted 87mins running time. Amature acting is a major letdown also but it’s always interesting to see where a career began and Singer certainly shows flourishes of his crime classic to come.

It builds slowly and assuredly and it’s intriguing premise draws you in, but it ultimately loses it’s way and ends with a wimper.

Mark Walker

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