Halloween 2014

Who says late night impulse purchases are a bad thing? Well, probably my bank manager, but even they can't deny that some things are too good a bargain to pass up.

So, in a detour from the destination to stock up on breakfast cereal I was in the DVD aisle of Tesco late last night and couldn't resist a Halloween purchase of The Addams Family and ParaNorman for £3 each. After the rather perplexing 'challenge 25' hold up at the self-service tills (seriously, for two PG rated films...), I walked away with my Sunday viewing sorted.

So, while the TV channels would rather have us all visually gorging on Christmas already (see the pic of Channel 5's schedule yesterday! Seriously, it was only November 1st!) I will be prolonging the spooky, gothic, Halloween atmosphere for a little while longer at least.

Cineworld Unlimited Secret Screening - 15th July 2014

So last night I went to my first Cineworld Unlimited Secret Screening, and have to say I feel a little cheated. Having only had my Unlimited card for a few months, this was the first screening that peaked my interest. Why? Because the enticing email that was sent a month in advance promised a 'major new film well ahead of its UK release'. So I did the maths: screening to take place on the 15th July, what is due out in the next few weeks after that...

 

Ok, in hindsight, maybe a Marvel property being shown two weeks before the release date was a little too much to hope for, but I was not the only one hoping for this outcome - as the two gents sitting next to me confirmed.

So when Andy Serkis showed up to introduce Dawn of the Planet of the Apes (seriously annoying title to type, that one..) you could feel a palpable wave of disappointment go through the screening room. That is not to negate DotPotA (even that's a pain in the arse to type!!), I'd heard good stuff about it and had planned on seeing it anyway, but you have to feel that there was some false , or at the very least, intentionally misleading, advertising at work here. DotPotA is due for release this week, tomorrow, in fact. So while I'll agree that it was a chance to see a 'major movie', I would take issue with the notion that this is 'well ahead of its UK release.'

Further case in point, today I have received an email about the next unlimited screening to take place in August, and they've already announced the title of that - the new Daniel Radcliffe rom-com, What If? (no thanks) - so the cynic in me feels that there was some misleading marketing strategy here to get people to believe they were going to see one film 'well ahead of its UK release', when really it was basically a preview screening of another. 

Perhaps I should be annoyed at myself for being sucked in by this, but the fact that the online booking system forced me to pay for 3D glasses (several pairs of which I already own) which I then could not get as they are not supplied at the ticket collection machine and the queues were ridiculously long upon arrival at the concession stands makes it much easier to be annoyed by Cineworld on this occasion. Having said this, it could have been worse, DotPotA was a pretty good film - I live in knowledge that the choice of film could have been a lot worse! But can't help feeling disappointed. So, another two weeks to go...

Bad Neighbours

It's a strange thing going into a film like Bad Neighbours when you are the wrong side of twenty-five yet still at university. Albeit, I am a graduate student in the final year of my PhD, but I still can't necessarily identify with the supposed grownups in this scenario; I may not be partying every night, but family suburban life seems a lifetime away. Yet in a sesne this is the dichotomy at the heart of this film. the notion that adolesence has almost extended and we all feel like we should be holding onto our youth and days of carefree partying. Not so long ago 'having it all' was the idea that you could have both a career and a family, one did not negate the other (ok, that is from a slightly feminst angle, but stick with me for a moment). Now it seems, or at least as far as the characters here are concerned, that this now extends to maintaining that 'college lifestyle' indefinitely. This is where the Bad Neighbours differs from the perception that you might have taken from the trailer - this is not just about a poor couple being beset by a rowdy group of teens. In this instance both are as bad as each other.

It is this premise that is the force that drives much of the action - after moving to a quiet neighbourhood with their baby, Mac (Seth Rogen) and Kelly (Rose Byrne) have reservations about their new neighours; a fraternity. While they are certain that this will mean excessive noise and a disturbance to their peaceful suburban existence, at the same time it is obvious that neither want to be labeled as the old fuddy-duddies next door. And at first it seems like their fears are put to one side; after they initially go over to ask the frat to turn the music down at their party they end up staying the whole night and enjoying it with them. But for Mac and Kelly this is no longer a sustainable lifestyle and when the next night the noise escalates again, they do waht any sensible adult might do and call the police. This sets in motion the string of one-upmanship that drives the rest of the film. 

This is essentially a comedy that relies more on the situational joke rather than the witty one liner, and that's not necessarily a bad thing. There are certainly a fair number of laughs - not deep, gut wrenching, 'oh my, my face hurts so much, please stop' laughs, but enough to make you not feel like you wasted your time or your money. It's an enjoyable hour and forty minutes, but ultimately there isn't really anything here that is particularly memorable (writing this one hour after leaving the cinema and I'd be pushed to recall my favourite gag). I suppose in the end this is a film that very much lives up to its premise and like the partying days of you early youth; it was fun while it lasted, but once its done you ultmiately can't think of that good of a reason to go back.

The Raid: Retaliation

From the opening shot of a wide open field it's clear that Gareth Evans' sequel to The Raid is going to be a much different affair in scope and atmosphere. Picking up almost immediately after the last film finished we are first shown the unfortunate fate of Andi before picking up with Rama - and things not exactly going the way he'd envisioned either. 

After learning that the events of the first film obviously run deeper than one dirty cop, Rama is given the option to go under cover and befriend the son of one of the most influential men of the city, Uco, who unfortunately happens to be in prison. Already Rama's moral character is challenged as he must commit an offence that will place him there as well. 

Thus we encounter our first action sequence as Rama is besieged by 15 other prisoners - a sort of, prison welcome, I suppose. It's a sequence that sets up the tone of the film to come; the tension and build up to a fight, the quiet moments offering more suspense that intensify the taut action.with the anticipation of the action sequences almost as satisfying as the actual pay-off. It is interesting that in a recent interview Evans stated an interest in making a horror film one day, and from the set up of the action pieces, use of music and editing its clear that all the elements are there and that's a film I'd be interested to see.

But what of the actions sequences themselves? That's what we're all here for, right? The frenetic pace of the first film and the dynamic hand to hand battles. There was some fear that without the confines of the location in the original film the claustrophobic atmosphere that made it so enjoyable might be lost. Not so; the very first fight we get is actually confined to a smaller space - a toilet cubicle, and acts as a masterclass in fight choreography in tight spaces (Captain America: Winter Soldier directors take note, this is how it's really done). We may not be trapped in a building anymore, but the use of space for many of the action sequences seemingly finds our protagonist in ever tighter spaces to try and punch his way out of. 

Having said this, the larger fight sequences are also as exhilarating as anything in the first. There are long shots that weave in and out of the action and other modern action directors should take note here - this is how hand-held cam shots should be used. Too often, the use of this shaky style of filming is used to cover-up elements of the action - whether thats the brutality of what's on show to gain a lower rating (The Hunger Games) or presumably to cover up the lack of actual fighting prowess of the stars involved in the punch-up. Not so here, the hand-held cam does what it should; takes you into the heart of the action, and give a sense of dynamic interaction within the fight sequence - especially in the early mud fight in the prison.

Maybe I'm biased, I loved the first film, so was always going to go in with a desire to like this film. But almost a week on from sitting in hat darkened cinema, and when I think back all I want is to see it again - and isn't that the hallmark of a brilliant action film? Until the DVD release, I guess I'll have to make do with reruns of the original...

Finally Back to the Future...

Last weekend I righted a wrong in my film viewing history that has needed addressing for way too long. Ok, so the main motivation behind this was a resounding blight of procrastination, with a dash of depressive tendencies, that led to total head in the sand avoidance of PhD related work for the last few days, but that's not the point. 

So, as I was flicking through the channels trying to find something to distract me from my absolute lack of motivation, I stopped on the Sky Action/Adventure channel at Back to the Future. This holds the place as one of those special films that I'd seen bits of but never actually seen all the way through. I knew many of the cultural references and had always bluffed my way through the nostalgic reminisces of friends on the film with a non-committal laugh - a 'I get that reference, but don't feel the need to comment further' type of deal. Well, I have this rule that I need to try and do at least one productive thing a day, and what more productive way to spend a Sunday than to fill an embarrassing gap in your filmic knowledge for the future. Oh, and if by way of a bonus, Part II and Part III (the only one I had seen all the way through, several times, in fact) were on straight after - that's the whole day wasted (productively spent) right?!

As it turns out, this is by far the best way to watch the Back to the Future trilogy as each film starts immediately after the last one finished - you even get a nice little recap of the final scenes just in case you needed a reminder. 

It seems a mark of a classic teen movie that it can be viewed almost 3 decades after its release and not feel incredibly dated. And it doesn't. Maybe it's the virtue of this being a piece that transcends different eras in time, so that you feel like the 80s segments aren't 'the present' but the 'present' for the character. Given, the ageing make-up effects don't really stand up to any scrutiny these days, but they have a certain charm (a so bad, they're ok, kind of feel) that you really don't give it much thought. 

Perhaps the most jarring segments come in Part II when Marty and the Doc go to the future. A good part of this must be our proximity to the actual date in which they end up - we are, after all, only just over a year away from the 2015 that they visit. And their 2015 world, how much does it resemble our own? Erm, well not really. But then what imagined future that we might have now will we be laughing at in 30 years time? Where we see ourselves and where inevitably will be will always be somewhat at odds. What they did seem to hit quite appropriately on the head was the nostalgia themed cafe - ok, it's probably a plethora of vintage 50s themed places that are currently popular, but who's to say in twelve months time the 80s won't be more en vogue. 

So was my time wasted? Do I feel like I missed out on something coming to this trilogy so late? Well, yes, sort of. They are good fun and packed with the kind of quotable lines and pop culture references that I love to bore people with. So maybe I had a great gaping hole in my 80s movie knowledge during my teens, but I've finally righted the wrong. Just need a few more viewings to really get me up to speed with everyone else...

300: Rise of an Empire

‘Shall we see the Muppets?’

‘Can’t stand Ricky Gervais, how about Cap. America?’

‘Nah, saw that last week…’

And that is how we arrived at the cinema to see 300: Rise of an Empire (Noam Murro, 2014). It was basically one of those cinematic experiences that was not so much fuelled by a desire to see the film in question, but by the constraints of scheduling; what else is showing at the time that we are going? As such, I had no preconceptions; I don’t think I’d even seen a trailer for it. It was a film that hadn’t really crossed my radar, which is strange given that I generally like films based on comic books (sorry, graphic novels) and gory action.

300: Rise of an Empire picks up where the last film finished; surveying the dead bodies of the 300 dead Spartans. Through the words of Lena Headey’s Queen Gorgo we are transported back in time to a battle in Greece that set in motion these events and are introduced to our lead protagonist, Themistokles (Sullivan Stapleton), who, by killing Persian King Darius, sets in motion the events that lead Xerxes (Rodrigo Santoro) to become the ten-foot god-king we encountered in 300. As well as introducing us to a new foe in the form of Eva Green and the formidable Artemisia – a Greek born woman with  a ‘Persian  heart’, as she puts it. The story then proceeds to run in parallel with the events of 300 and show the aftermath and subsequent battles, thus acting as a prequel and sequel in one.

‘It’s really gory’ my friend whispered to me as the opening titles started to roll. And it was. And while it was nice to actually see a film that isn’t afraid to portray the fact that if you severe a limb or spear someone through the chest there will be a substantial amount of blood involved (I still haven’t gotten over the gall of White House Down showing Channing Tatum slit a guy’s throat with not even a hint of blood. Which in itself raises some many questions about the way in which we portray and sanitise violence, but I’ll save that rant for another day) which in the current market, must be commendable. But, and perhaps this was due to the fact that we watched it in 2D, rather than the intended 3D (which I think this is one of those films where it would’ve worked in its favour), the blood looked more like a thick sludge of mud. Then again, this is a stylised comic book adaptation, so maybe I should let that criticism slip, at least they showed some form of blood!

The film plodded on with some nifty, but perhaps not entirely necessary, slow-mo, an array of accents (apparently ancient Greek warriors had all sorts of international ‘twangs’ to their utterances, who knew?) and a totally superfluous bit of father-son melodrama. Perhaps that is being overly critical, but it definitely feels like this is a film that relies too heavily on its style rather than its substance. Having said this, I didn’t wholly find it unenjoyable, which in many ways is thanks to Eva Green’s Artemisia. Who relishes every instance she has on screen, every line of dialogue (even the badly written ones) to create a presence that carries you along for the ride. It almost seemed a shame when it becomes clear how 9-lives Themistokles plans to achieve his victory.

Ultimately, 300: Rise of an Empire falls into the category of film that you don’t mind having wasted two hours of your time for, but that you will not feel compelled to see again.

Week in Film: 17-23 Feb 2014

It's been a relatively quiet week as far as film viewing goes - don't you just hate when work gets in the way of your cinematic pleasure. I did however, make time to get my first viewing of The Conjuring (James Wan, 2013) . This was achieved purely under the guise of research - I am currently writing a chapter on dolls, including the creepy ones, so couldn't miss the representation of Annabelle. And let's face it, James Wan seems to have somewhat of a preoccupation with creepy dolls/puppets, so is a good place to find some good material.
It had a nice retro horror vibe about it and some creepy moments, but on the whole if you are familiar with the genre there wasn't much that would surprise you. Having said that, while not innovative, it was a fine handling of the usual suspense littered with shocks. 

Later in the week I actually managed to get to the cinema - it's been a while - to see The Lego Movie (Phil Lord & Christopher Miller, 2014). I must admit that all the trailers had left me a little cold to this and I hadn't had the intention of paying money to see it until I read a favourable review on Den of Geek. Usually in agreement with their opinions on such things I took the opportunity to tag along when some friends said they were going. And I'm so glad that I did. As I'd gathered from the trailer, not all the jokes hot the mark, but it moves at such a pace that before you don't really care. It's a film that has an enthusiasm you just can't help but be infected by. Even the what would be usually annoying song featured throughout turns into a pleasant little rare pen you find embarrassingly humming along to yourself days later. What stood out for me, however, was the curve ball that the narrative threw in in the final act. Without giving anything away, it was inspired, and while on reflection it was hinted at earlier on, it still came as a pleasant surprise. It served to twist the message of the film from the clichéd 'everyone is special' to a more pointed comment upon the way in which we interact with the world as we grow up and about the importance of not letting the perfectionist adult overshadow the creative inner child we were allborn with. It's almost a shame that it has done so well at the box office, because that inevitably means a sequel but can they recapture the magic of the first again? I'm doubtful, and wish some thing's Hollywood would leave as self contained entities to speak for themselves without diluting to the point of annoyance. But when has artistic integrity ever trumped a dollar sign? 

Week in Film: 20-26 Jan 2014

My New Year started with a dry patch, in film terms. Three weeks in and I realised I barely watched anything – very rare for me. So I was more than happy to get my ass down to the cinema for the first time this year. It was one of those where you agree to meet someone to see what’s on and decide when you get there type of things. So I was pleased when I pre-checked the times beforehand and realised the only film near our 6pm meeting point was The Wolf of Wall Street – result, this is the film I want to see. But when I got the text from my friend earlier in the day suggesting we meet earlier (as nothing is really on at 6), I got the distinct impression someone else in our party of two was trying to manipulate which film we were going to see. I wasn’t wrong. But to be fair, if you are going to the cinema with a hairdresser you have to expect that they want to see the film with the best display in hairdressing. So, off we went to see American Hustle.

This wasn’t a complete disappointment, all the hype and subsequent backlash after the plethora of awards it has picked up had peaked my curiosity. However, given all the accolades it is getting I can’t say I understand why. That’s not to say it was a bad film; despite a couple very loudly sleeping in our cinema, it was an enjoyable couple of hours. But was I blown away? Did I walk away thinking, ‘wow, that was the best thing I’ve seen in the last twelve months!’ Well, the short answer is no.

The performances I’ve heard so much about were good, but considering the acting talent assembled, I’ve seen all do better in other roles.  The story also, left a little to be desired. Was this aiming to be a drama? Or a comedy? Because the dramatic tension was just not turned up enough – honestly, did you ever feel that Irving and Sydney were in that much danger? They were always destined to get away cleanly. If I’m honest, the biggest point of tension within the narrative was wondering whether Amy Adams’ Sydney was going to have a wardrobe malfunction. But maybe it was supposed to be a more light-hearted affair – after all, it did win the Golden Globe for Best Comedy/Musical . Yet, I barely tittered at maybe two lines. If this was a comedy, I was not getting the jokes, obviously. I left the cinema, and I suppose it was best to say that American Hustle left me truly underwhelmed. 

The rest of my filmic viewing throughout the week did not feature anything new: a late night TV showing of Saw III to which I was barely paying attention (yes, that’s the type of film I have on as background noise, what’s your point?) and a Saturday night in with the big screen TV and The Raid on DVD. It also consisted of a great little vintage horror from the 70s, Asylum. I had watched this many years ago, but, as I’m currently writing a chapter on dolls, had to seek it out again (on youtube here) and re-watch the relevant segments – a man who believes he can will his conscious into a small figure of himself.  Typical of the episodic horror that seemed to be a feature of the genre at the time its not a bad watch, if you’re into that sort of thing.

The Raid 2: Berandal

Three years ago, for those who like to keep their ears to the ground for all things action movie based, the buzz around The Raid (Gareth Evans, 2011) was palpable: a blistering martial arts action-fest by a Welsh director in Indonesia. Given its limited UK release, I missed seeing it in the cinema, but even on my meagre little TV, my first viewing can only be described as a draw-droppingly epic experience. But I still can’t get away from the fact that this is probably a film that will be best enjoyed on the big screen. But, I have a chance to make all right, with its sequel, The Raid 2: Berandal (Gareth Evans), released later this year.

But will it live up to the expectations of the first? Well, the trailer is promising:

And if the initial reaction after the screening at Sundance 2014 is anything to go by, this one is just as thrilling as the first:

http://www.hitfix.com/motion-captured/review-the-raid-2-delivers-visceral-thrills-on-an-epic-scale

http://thefilmstage.com/reviews/sundance-review-the-raid-2/

http://twitchfilm.com/2014/01/sundance-2014-first-impression-the-raid-2.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=twitter&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+TwitchEverything+%28Twitch%29

All of this looks good, and this is one film I am definitely more than a little excited for this year. But still a few months to go, so until then, I think tonight I may have to dig out the DVD of the first film…    

Star Trek Into Darkness

So is this the new format for Hollywood blockbusters these days? Take a very British actor, in the strictly stereotypical sense, dye his hair black and have him cause some kind of havoc with civillian casualties that seriuosly vexes our heroes. He then surrenders, gets marched through spaceship/airship and is put into a glass-fronted cell (because that always ends well!). Does this all sound familiar? Because as I was watching Star Trek into Darkness I couldn't help but be reminded of another film populated with numerous superheoes. Cut to said villian of the piece trying to verbally manipulate his captors from his cell, and the sense that his surrender was maybe not a snag in his diabolical plan after all, but an integral element. 

Despite this, I don't think it was the familiarity of the plot points that led to the lack of unpredictability and tension. Add to that the illogicality of solving the ship's power problem, not by any technical or computer based means by the numerous scientists on board, but by a good kicking (thus confirming my particular favoured method of dealing with failed technology, although less successful in my experience). Undoubtedly some of the supporting performances lift the film along the way but generally the second Star Trek outing remains a disticntly average affair.    

New Year Celebrations

It seemed that the main trend was to stay in this year for New Years Eve. So unlike most of my friends I was at the most lavish party in town, albeit from the comfort of my best friend's sofa, tucked up under a duvet, but elegantly hosted by none other than Mr Jay Gatsby. We had all the music, the vibrant fellow party goers and free-flowing booze a girl could need (ok, so only the booze bit was technically part of my reality, but that's just being pedantic). 

There was a slight pang of guilt that, maybe, I should start the New Year as I intend to go on; watching a good film (that is, critically recognised as so). So the fact that the Godfather: Part II was on FILM4 and I had failed to tune in, almost seemed like starting on a bad note. But then it would have inevitably ended up with the overwhelming desire to greet every wish of a 'Happy New Year' with a brash hug, rather aggressive kiss on the cheek and a 'You broke my heart. You broke my heart!' before enigmatically walking away - probably not the best idea for someone already circling the margins of social acceptance. 

So Baz Luhrmann's 2013 retelling of The Great Gatsby it was. Maybe it is more style over substance, but perhaps it also embodied a few messages that weren't as hollow and shallow as first glance may suggest to start the New Year. Firstly, that money can't buy your way to happiness - or, as I would argue in Luhrmann's case, better art, as, for me, his films were much more interesting before he had an exorbitant budget. But, perhaps most aptly; you can't relive the past. While these are derived from the main source material of Fitzgerald's novel, it seems an appropriate message to take forward into 2014: the past is gone, we can't relive it or recapture it and to do so is futile. So for all the New Year's resolution/new start bullshit that will be doing the rounds for the next 24 hours, maybe my first film of the new year has given me more to ponder than the glitz and glamour of fictional tragic decadence. And maybe, if I really wanted to explore this more, I'd dig out my copy of the novel. But like everyone else, the burst of enthusiasm for the pursuit of such philosophies will probably have dissipated by tea-time.