Fanalysis

Final Destination 5

2011-08-23T14:48:00.000-07:00

Final Destination 5

Starring: Nicholas D'Agosto, Emma Bell, David Koechner, Courtney B. Vance, Tony Todd

Directed by: Steven Quale

Reviewed by: Conor Flynn

I must confess having seen the first Final Destination film a number of times over the years, but I have never really warmed to it. The first film takes itself too seriously and fails in my eyes because the red-herring concept ultimately becomes highly repetitive and somewhat predictable. The sequels, if you excuse the pun, are a different kettle of fish, starting off with the massively enjoyable second entry. ‘Final Destination 2’ is a self aware, tongue in cheek benchmark; a formula movie done to perfection, so much so, that each subsequent sequel has tried to replicate this entry more than the original. Part five is the latest in the series and, surprisingly, is one of the best, but is it as good as the second film?

A number of unfortunate travellers manage to avoid Death’s plan when one person in their group, Sam (D'Agosto), sees a premonition of their demise just before it actually happens. An investigation is held into the accident, with FBI agent Jim Block (Vance) particularly suspicious of Sam. Then, one by one, each of the members die in a series of bizarre accidents and only a local coroner (Todd) seems to know the reason why…

‘Final Destination 5’ is a success at maintaining the exact same formula set out by the second film. In ways this latest film doesn’t even need a review, as the closing credits to the film are a mini-review in of itself. AC/DC’s epic ‘If You Want Blood, You Got It’ sums up the entire movie. If you enjoy macabre jokes, you should get a kick out of this film. If you don’t, you won’t; simple as. Admittedly, the invention of the series is beginning to show signs of fatigue; in particular, a scene in which a gymnast comes to a crunching, though uninspired, demise, however, the opening accident, which sets-up the rest of the film, is visually breathtaking, dramatic and darkly humorous.

Despite the films problems, it flies along with such bloodthirsty merriment you hardly notice the massive flaws. The acting is wooden, the dialogue is laughably bad and, for the most part, the plot is fairly generic stuff. That said; this sequel manages one or two surprises along the way. The opening credit sequence slyly foreshadows the ending to the film, an ending which hardcore fans of this series will thoroughly adore. Fans will also delight in the return of Tony Todd, who adds a fun plot twist to the norm.

The Final Destination series is like the Big Mac of horror; part five is packed with the same laughably tasteless grue as before, which you either love or loath. It’s certainly a big improvement on the dull first and fourth films, better than the third film, but it still isn’t as good as ‘Final Destination 2’. Better than expected.

Cowboys & Aliens

2011-08-14T16:41:00.000-07:00

Cowboys & Aliens

Starring: Daniel Craig, Harrison Ford, Olivia Wilde

Directed by: Jon Favreau

Reviewed by: Conor Flynn

When I first heard the title to this film, I automatically thought of two things. Firstly, the film title seemed to be yanked straight out of z-grade (micro-budget) hell. It turns out that the story is based on a comic book. Secondly, the horror of ‘Wild Wild West’ wiki wiki-ed its way back from the recesses of my mind. To my genuine surprise, the trailer for ‘Cowboys & Aliens’ wasn’t remotely like that latter dreck, if anything, the trailer and accompanying poster suggested a darker, moodier piece. Of all the summer event films, this one I looked forward to the most, but did it live up to expectations?

A stranger with amnesia (Craig) awakes in a desert to find a strange bracelet attached to his wrist. He arrives in the town of Absolution, but soon his past catches up with him when Colonel Dolarhyde (Ford), a farm rancher with an iron grip on the town, discovers his return. But before their dispute can be resolved, aliens attack from the sky and abduct the majority of the townsfolk…

Once the opening act is dispensed with, and it is quite literally forgotten about until a useless summary towards the films closure, we finally get down to the brass tactics of the cowboys and aliens smackdown. The film relies heavily on standard conventional wisdom, for example, the aliens are quite ambiguous and abduct various townsfolk to study humanities weaknesses. If only they had studied their own weaknesses, and by extension, the weaknesses of the story, which only offers the aliens one laser powered bracelet, which is conveniently stolen by the main hero, who proceeds to decimate the majority of the aliens. Sure, there is one alien who has a similar weapon, but shouldn’t all the aliens carry these powerful hand weapons? Suffice to say that the story, which took six writers to hone, is a poorly conceived mess.

Essentially, this is a film were you’re asked to kick back and enjoy the shenanigans no matter how ridiculous they become. Considering how inane the story is, it’s amazing that any of this was pulled of successfully. Generally when it comes to westerns, it’s a given that a mega budget piece such as this will look great, ‘Cowboys & Aliens’ is no exception. Other technical areas also impress, particularly the atmospheric soundtrack provided by Harry Gregson-Williams. On the acting side, Harrison Ford is his usual likeable grumbling self, whereas Daniel Craig channels Clint Eastwood’s persona of ‘the man with no name’ well, but he lacks real charisma. Director Jon Favreau opts to play things straight and handles the action scenes well, but the film is far too po-faced and lacks fun it should have in abundance.

‘Cowboys & Aliens’ avoids another ‘Wild Wild West’ fiasco, but it could and should have been so much better. It remains silly, but too serious. In doing so, it neuters most of the absurdity of its situation, but to the determent of a sense of fun.

The Smurfs

2011-08-14T16:23:00.000-07:00

The Smurfs

Starring: Hank Azaria, Neil Patrick Harris, Jonathan Winters, Katy Perry, Jayma Mays

Directed by: Raja Gosnell

Reviewed by: Conor Flynn

When it comes to originality, ‘The Smurfs’ film lacks invention, that said, the fantasy elements, while lazily executed (the story is set in our world as opposed to the Smurf universe), offer some chuckles along the way. It maybe tiresome from an adult point of view, but from a kid’s perspective, it’s refreshing and new, which makes it almost critic proof. That said, critics’ have assembled in overwhelming numbers to slate this film, but is it really all that bad?

After years of searching, evil wizard Gargamel (Azaria) has finally found the location of the Smurf village. With the destruction of their home, the Smurfs split up. Lead by Papa (Winters), the Smurfs find themselves whisked through a wormhole which leads them into New York City. Now, with the help of Patrick (Harris), an advertising artist, the Smurfs must defeat Gargamel and find a way home.

‘The Smurfs’ is packed with fast paced slapstick and self-referential humour. Whether or not it’s funny is strictly down to your knowledge of both. For the most part the film is pretty innocuous stuff, though one awful moment of toilet humour, where Gargamel urinates near a dinner table, threatens to derail the film entirely. It’s also impossible to ignore the amount of rampant product placement in the film, referring particularly to a scene blatantly promoting the video game ‘Guitar Hero’. Also, if you are a parent, you may recognise the dusted down, off the shelf, storyline which is very similar to 2007’s ‘Alvin and the Chipmunks’. Once again we have a number of cute creatures disturbed from their home, who then hide inside a container carried home by a kind hearted, but career driven man, who can’t achieve all his goals without a little helping hand.

On a slightly more positive note, the film never strays too far from its source material; that said; Gargamel using Smurfs to extract their magical essence is much better than him eating them (which never made sense). Hank Azaria, as Gargamel, is hammy, but fun, never more so when throwing his CGI cat Azrael through wormholes and asking, “Are you dead?” Everyone else doing a live action part phones it in. The voice talent, on the other hand, is great and quite believable. The CGI is excellent, whereas the 3D is nothing special, with only a few moments (namely the opening scene) standing out.

Although adults will have to grin and bear some gratuitous flogging of merchandise, ‘The Smurfs’ is harmless and lightweight stuff. Better than expected, though not by much; overall the film is worth the endurance.

The Tree of Life

2011-07-08T03:44:00.000-07:00

The Tree of Life

Starring: Brad Pitt, Sean Penn, Jessica Chastain, Hunter McCracken

Directed by: Terrence Malick

Reviewed by: Conor Flynn

With an extravagant film title, ‘The Tree of Life’ clearly has lofty ambitions; but does it reach the heights it clearly aspires to? The story is multifaceted; centring on the life of Jack (Penn), from his birth, through to his latter days as an adult, how he struggles with his brothers death, spirituality and his affections for his mother (Chastain), along with reconciling differences with his caring, yet highly domineering father (Pitt). The film is a complex piece and my above story summation only scratches the surface.

The film recalls the visual splendours of Stanley Kubrick’s ‘2001: A Space Odyssey’. Hardly a surprise considering this film was photographed by none other than Douglas Trumbell, the genius behind the visual effects of sci-fi classics such as ‘Blade Runner’ and ‘Close Encounters of the Third Kind’. Visually ‘The Tree of Life’ is breathtaking and magical to watch, something missing from cinema for decades. The visuals are accompanied to perfection by a truly beautiful score which sweeps you away. It’s stunning, but what about the narrative? This is where the film is a bit of a let down…

The criticisms which follow may seem harsh, but I can’t deny them, despite wanting to fully embrace the film. Director Terrence Malick completely struggles with what the rest of us mere mortals term ‘a sense of reality;’ his ~~philosophers~~ characters tend to ponder the extremities of existentialism; there’s no time whatsoever for chugging a beer until you pass out. What we have then is a film which is intellectually stimulating aurally and visually, but emotionally tepid, maybe even banal. Just to understand what I’m getting at, it suffers from the same problem inherent with the worst excesses of a Quentin Tarantino film, each character tends to sound the same; therefore you have an adolescent exposing his inner Freudian turmoil of wanting his father murdered. It just doesn’t ring true, not helped by the child’s unusually poetic and automaton delivery.

At times the film is extremely simplistic in what it is trying to say, which amounts to a life lesson which states that if you are nice to others, you will have a fulfilling life, but it does it in a very heavy handed way, as if Malick is pummelling the idea in your face which also leads to unintentionally amusing moments, amongst them; where Brad Pitt channels his ‘Fight Club’ Tyler Durden persona, but with children. ‘The Tree of Life’ will be chastised by some as art-house bilge. If philosophising on the meaning of it all doesn’t float your boat, steer well clear of this film. For everyone else, art hasn’t been this epically contentious in years and for that alone, it’s a towering achievement.

‘The Tree of Life’ is worth the ticket price alone for its sublime visuals and absolutely exquisite soundtrack, but narrative wise; it isn’t satisfying enough on first viewing. It could take a subsequent screening or ten in order to fully appreciate this one.

Transformers: Dark of the Moon

2011-06-28T15:37:00.000-07:00

Transformers: Dark of the Moon

Starring: Shia LaBeouf, Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, Tyrese Gibson, John Turturro

Directed by: Michael Bay

Reviewed by: Conor Flynn

As a long time Generation One Transformers fan, the live features have always been fairly problematic for me, but none more so than the second film. Likewise, if you too hated the first sequel, this newest entry won’t alter your view of the series. The issues raised previously once again rear their ugly head in the form of the sleazy establishing shot of the main female character, the use of foreigners in the film for demeaning and caricatured jokes, along with the belief that might is always right. Couple these things with pure lapses in logic (a ridiculous scene in Chernobyl) and you’ve another recipe for hi-octane disaster. But is it really all that bad?

The plot owes a lot to the original cartoon series, but I won’t go into the specifics. The year is 1961 and a spaceship (with a fan pleasing name) crash lands on the moon, only to be discovered by NASA, who send the Apollo 11 team to investigate. Fast forward to the present day and Sam (LaBeouf) has lost his girlfriend and is looking for a job. For now, the Autobots continue to police the world, while the Decepticons have gone into hiding. Soon the Autobots discover that the military have been hiding evidence of a secret weapon stored on the crashed spaceship and decide to investigate further…

Although this third film in the series is a vast improvement on the second film, that really isn’t much of an endorsement. The film lacks any genuine character interaction and what plot there is becomes completely inert in the last hour. Two elongated action sequences highlight some incredible skydiving and, in pure cartoon fashion, what it’s like to be thrown around a falling skyscraper. It’s visually stunning, and for once, the 3D is actually very convincing, but plot-wise, it’s a complete mess. Just ask yourself this; what is the main antagonist doing during these two moments? What is he waiting for? But this isn’t the worst bit; that is saved for a completely unconvincing exile plot device, which is easily the laziest twist in recent memory.

There are a few minor saving graces, namely the choreography, which, unlike the previous two entries, doesn’t make your brain feel like it has been lobbed into food blender going at ludicrous speed. Also the director’s fetish for showing mechanical parts has been reigned in; we don’t get to see as much robot innards transforming for a protracted length of time; the Transformers simply transform, getting down to the business of being robots or being in disguise. It’s streamlined, but more effective.

There is any number of negatives to throw at this film; overlong, shallow, brainless, exhausting, unoriginal or unfunny etcetera, but when it comes down to opening day, criticism of a film like this is a moot point. If you drooled at the trailer for this film, see it immediately, it’s a hi-octane mêlée par excellence, for everyone else, avoid.

Paranormal Activity 2

2010-10-22T07:19:00.000-07:00

Note: Due to attending this years Dublin Horrorthon, I needed to knock this review out very quickly, so it isn't the most polished one you'll read. Hopefully it's decent enough.

Paranormal Activity 2

Starring: Brian Boland, Sprague Grayden, Molly Ephraim

Directed by: Tod Williams

Reviewed by: Conor Flynn

Paranormal Activity 2 is a superior piece of entertainment, but whether or not it is a decent film is debatable. What do I mean? Some of it is frightening while other parts of it are downright funny, in the latter case, a scene early on which involves a robotic swimming pool cleaner. Suffice to say, you'll know when it happens, it’s like a scene out of Evil Dead II and it left people at the screening I saw, howling with laughter. I will avoid a proper plot description, simply because it will ruin some of the surprises along the way. That said; your prior knowledge of the first movie is essential.

Again, like the first film, there is A LOT of questionable set-up. If you start thinking about the logic of the film, you're pretty much on a losing streak from the beginning, namely; why is it necessary to film the setting up of the security cameras. Of course, it's to forward the plot, but who in their right mind would film such a scene in a real world situation, unless you want to bore your relatives to death. The opening fifteen minutes are just as laboured as the original, with the exception of one major character development which is a very nice surprise.

After this we get down to the brass tactics of spoooooky stuff. Essentially, if you liked the first film in this department, you get more of the same here. That’s a problem with this, or any other, sequel; the producers pretty much repeat the frights of the first film. This hinders the picture somewhat; we get doors closing by themselves (again), loud banging noises out of nowhere (again) and people being dragged away (again), but as it’s a sequel it’s all amped up a few notches from last time. And don’t forget the Oujia board (again). Wackiness, of course, ensues. Although it does recycle a lot of these elements, there are a few new inventive scares along the way. Some work better than others, unfortunately, some are just plain laughable; one of which will evoke the ghost of Michael Jackson and, as one tabloid headline pricelessly put it “, baby dangling madness...” Thankfully when the film does hit, it hits hard. One scene inside the Kitchen had everyone in the cinema jumping and it is little nuggets like these which keep both the film and, more importantly, the tension going. Another improvement is that the film has something of a proper back-story this time round, though it is still underdeveloped, vague and poses way too many unanswered at the films closure.

Another plus is that you care slightly more this time around for the people involved, particularly the father, who comes out with some particularly off the cuff remarks, especially about “…the terrorists winning”. Trust me; it’ll make sense when you see it. This all culminates in a terrific twist towards the end of the film. Sadly the payoff for this twist is a little flat. Clearly, after considering the multiple endings of the first film, and thus the fan reaction (some preferred the original 2007 ending while others preferred the wider theatrical ending shown in 2009), the makers went for something in between for PA2’s ending this time around. Again, like last time, the ending is an abrupt letdown which doesn’t frighten despite its admittedly great set-up. Despite all these problems, I still feel I got my monies worth. Like the first Paranormal Activity, it’s all a bit of a novelty, but a very enjoyable one.

Centurion

2010-04-21T11:21:00.000-07:00

Centurion

Starring: Michael Fassbender, Liam Cunningham, David Morrissey, Dominic West, Olga Kurylenko

Directed by: Neil Marshall

Reviewed by: Conor Flynn

In a way I feel kind of sorry for director Neil Marshall. Not only has he to contend with a rival film (Kevin Mc Donald’s ‘The Eagle of the Ninth’) which is loosely based on a similar subject to Centurion (something which happened before with his film ‘The Descent’ and its rival ‘The Cave’), but he has also had to battle studio interference. It is reported that Centurion went through numerous cuts until the directors personal cut eventually won out. So, after a slew of headaches, is Neil Marshall’s latest film any good?

The story is based on the Roman myth of the ninth legion which travelled to the North of Scotland only to vanish without a trace. In this film the legion is attacked by the Pict with only a few Romans remaining. During this battle, their General (West) is captured, which leads to a rescue attempt lead by Quintus Dias (Fassbender). Soon the rescue attempt fails and Quintus finds his group pray to the Pict, lead by the vengeful Etain (Kurylenko).

Neil Marshall abandons the hyper stylisation he employed to mediocre success on his last film ‘Doomsday’ in favour of down and dirty grit for his latest feature. Though Centurion may at first seem like a recap of ‘Doomsday,’ in ways the film is more of a throw back to the directors enjoyable debut feature ‘Dog Soldiers;’ with a band of soldiers fending off a superior ferial force. Thankfully, unlike ‘Doomsday,’ there is a lot less pilfering of better films going on, that said, the grimy visuals certainly owe a lot to the opening sequence to the film ‘Gladiator’. Centurion can be compared to survivalist films such as ‘First Blood’ though no where near on par.

Sadly the cast is wasted amongst the action, which is a shame considering the long list of reliable British and Irish actors included. Michael Fassbender looks lean and mean for the part, but bar a few scenes of banal love interest for Quintus, Fassbender isn’t given much to do character wise. Dominic West manages to supply the film with some weight despite his early departure. Unfortunately the talents of Liam Cunningham, David Morrissey, Riz Ahmed, J. J. Field and Noel Clarke are given little to do. The only actor to have anything to play with is Olga Kurylenko who excels with primal ferocity as Etain.

Centurion is passable entertainment. No doubt you’ll have seen it done before and better in other films, which makes this a fine, if forgettable distraction.

Clash of the Titans

2010-04-02T05:25:00.000-07:00

Clash of the Titans

Starring: Sam Worthington, Ralph Fiennes, Liam Neeson, Alexa Davalos, Danny Huston

Directed by: Louis Leterrier

Reviewed by: Conor Flynn

If ever there was a story that could benefit from a remake it would have to be Clash of the Titans. The original 1981 film was average at best; held together less by its clunky story and more so by its stop motion special effects from maestro Ray Harryhausen in what proved to be his final film. Fast forward almost thirty years and this time around CGI takes precedence over stop motion effects, but is the film an improvement? Let’s just say that the story is slightly improved, but not by much. A war has begun between man and the gods. The gods, lead by Zeus (Neeson), demand the sacrifice of Princess Andromeda (Davalos), otherwise the city of Argos will be destroyed by the monstrous Kraken. Standing in the way of this battle is Perseus (Worthington), a demigod whose family is murdered by Hades (Fiennes)…

Clash of the Titans is basically a series of set-pieces. Your enjoyment of the film will depend on whether or not you willing to jettison story telling in favour of some mixed special effects action sequences. Unfortunately this new film lacks the wow factor of the earlier films stop motion effects, but makes do with a few highlights, particularly the battle against the Scorpioks. This segment is enjoyable to watch, and surprisingly, ends in a splatter filled demise reminiscent of the giant bugs from ‘Starship Troopers’.

There is also a certain cute factor to it when the Scorpioks are used to carry our heroes to their next stop. The other highlight of the film is the Pegasus/flying horse, which is a thing of beauty. Sadly the other creatures of the film don’t pad out as well, but more on than later. Another enjoyable element is the unintentionally amusing performances from both Fiennes and Neeson, the latter who glitters even more so than he did almost thirty years ago in ‘Excalibur’. Disco ball or not, his performance is hammy, whereas Fiennes crews the scenery.

Once again, much like in the original film, the battle between the Kraken remains an anti-climax. The build-up is good, but inevitably ends too quickly. The reverse can be said of the sequence involving Medusa. Unlike the original film, the sequence lacks a build-up and jettisons any notion of atmosphere in favour of speedy action. It’s all the more surprising then that this Medusa sequence drags the most, but it’s still far better than the gorgons recent appearance in the trudged ‘Percy Jackson and the Lightening Thief’. The main problem with the film is Louis Leterrier’s po-faced direction. Little to no humour seeps through with the exception of a small cameo from the mechanical owl from the original film. Regrettably the 3D, which has been retrofitted, isn’t nearly up to scratch, looking mostly flat and drab in colour.

Overall, the film is good, but could, and should, have been much more fun than really is. Clash of the Titans is worth checking out, though I’d be hesitant to recommend the 3D version of the film.

Legion

2010-03-02T04:57:00.000-08:00

Legion

Starring: Paul Bettany, Dennis Quaid, Charles S. Dutton, Tyrese Gibson, Adrianne Palicki

Directed by: Scott Stewart

Reviewed by: Conor Flynn

The biblical apocalypse is something which Hollywood loves to delve into on a regular basis. Look no further than the very successful ‘Left Behind’ series or if you’re looking for a more commercial effort then ‘End of Days’ will suffice. To this day my personal favourite, like the majority of other film goers, would have to be ‘The Omen’ series. The reason is simple. Each film is wildly over the top and all the more entertaining for it. One thing that each film mentioned so far has in common is that they all rely on a contrived concept which you must buy into to believe, however, no amount of rapture can lessen how straight-faced this latest film is…

God, because of “all the bullshit,” has lost his faith in mankind. He sends forth his legion of angles to bring about the Apocalypse. Standing in his way is the rebellious Archangel Michael (Bettany) and a band of diners holed up in a restaurant in the desert…

Once again the apocalypse has raised its ugly head, but due to the budget of the film, seems to be localised to a restaurant in the middle of nowhere. Basically we’re in John Carpenter territory sans any sense of claustrophobia or dread. This is the films biggest failure; instead of building suspense through character conflicts inside the restaurant, the film revels on the glossy special effects on the outside, leaving little to the imagination.

Sadly by the time you get round to having some answers, the film is practically over, adding up to a whole lot of nothing. Considering the films early promise of a battle of the ages, the last third of the film ends on an anti-climatic note which isn’t helped much by the films lack of a proper antagonist. At the centre of all these problems is Scott Stewart’s po-faced writing and direction. Not a moment goes by that isn’t taken with the utmost seriousness, however, try taking a scene in which an elderly lady spouts out all sorts of cuss words then starts scaling the roof top of the restaurant seriously. It’s laughable at best and lacking any real sense of horror at its worst. Thankfully there is a slight saving grace in the form of some reliable acting, particularly from Charles S. Dutton, who pushes the weak material much further than it really deserves. I can’t even get into how awful the dialogue is or how the film manages to rip off a legion (pun intended) of vastly superior action flicks.

Legion is a big disappointment. There are a few promising moments, but they come to nothing. It’s instantly forgettable stuff.

Crazy Heart

2010-02-15T06:21:00.000-08:00

Crazy Heart

Starring: Jeff Bridges, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Robert Duvall, Sarah Jane Morris

Directed by: Scott Cooper

Reviewed by: Conor Flynn

It’s surprising to think that Jeff Bridges still hasn’t won an Academy Award for best actor in a leading role. Even his most iconic part, “The Dude,” in the Chon Brothers ‘The Big Lebowski,’ failed to even get him nominated. There have been a few close calls, namely ‘The Last Picture Show,’ ‘Thunderbolt and Lightfoot,’ ‘The Contender’ or even John Carpenters highly underrated ‘Starman,’ the one which Bridges himself believes he deserved an award for. It’s interesting to note that the latter film shows Bridges performing a cover of The Everly Brothers ‘All I have to do is Dream’. The song is far from a career highlight, but showed the diversity of the actor, something which he is repeats magnificently in Crazy Heart…

Bridges plays Bad Blake, a washed up country singer with an alcohol issue. He tours around venues he’d rather not play; however, an opportunity develops which enables him to go back on the road with a one time protégée, the now famous, Tommy Sweet (Farrell). Along the way, Blake meets Jean (Gyllenhaal), a journalist who he begins to fall in love with, however, Blake’s problems soon threaten to get the better of him…

So is Jeff Bridges as good as the hype suggests. The simple answer is yes, but there is a question mark as to whether or not this is his most memorable role. For most he will forever remain “The Dude,” but Crazy Heart shows Bridges at his most passionate yet grizzled. Amusingly he reminds me of Sam Elliot…in ‘The Big Lebowski’. That isn’t helped by the opening sequence which shows Bad Blake in a bowling alley positioned in much the same way as Elliot in the latter film. Beyond the odd comparison, Bridges slips into the role sublimely and convinces both in the role of an alcoholic and that of a county music singer. Maggie Gyllenhaal is the lynchpin to Bridges performance and equally manages to convince as a reporter. Also good, though slightly less convincing as a musician, is Colin Farrell. His cameo is short, but effective.

All said and done, this is about Bridges performance more than anything else. There’s not much exceptional about the story. We’ve been here before, most recently with last years excellent ‘The Wrestler,’ but to a less interesting or original degree. The middle section of the film sags slightly from this over familiarity and the final third, in which Blake loses Jean’s child, feels rather tacked on for no other reason but to rejuvenate a by the numbers storyline. Thankfully the acting keeps your interest jettisoned enough to overlook its obvious flaws.

Crazy Heart is decent, with two terrific performances. Worth checking out though the story is far from memorable.

Invictus

2010-02-01T06:25:00.000-08:00

Invictus

Starring: Morgan Freeman, Matt Damon, Tony Kgoroge, Patrick Mofokeng, Julian Lewis Jones

Directed by: Clint Eastwood

Reviewed by: Conor Flynn

The 1995 rugby world cup is only a year away. The South African team, known as the Springboks, have suffered a number of defeats culminating in a loss against England. Meanwhile newly elected president Nelson Mandela (Freeman) searches for a way to bring his nation together. Mandela looks to the Springboks for help, in the hope they will win the World Cup and therefore put an end the racial and economic divisions…

Nelson Mandela is the role that Morgan Freeman was born to play. Granted he sounds nothing like the former African president, but exudes the leader’s passion and strength in a performance which is subtle and less showy than you would expect. Overall it is a superb performance, one which should guarantee Freeman a nomination at the Oscars. I have to admit having never warmed much to Matt Damon in any film before, but his performance here is very strong, though he really is playing second fiddle to Freeman.

Director Clint Eastwood defies convention and delivers a biopic no one expected. As usual he applies the simplest approach to the material, which may annoy some purists who want to see a more in-depth biopic of Mandela. The choice to pick up Mandela’s life story at the beginning of his presidency is certainly an unusual one, but Eastwood manages to convey the sense of political tension superbly. The film is leisurely paced but is kept engaging throughout due to Eastwood’s usually assured direction.

The only thing which isn’t handled so well is the rugby scenes. Eastwood treats the action like an American football game, making it seem too fast paced with quick edits which adds a false sense of drama to the film. By the final showdown between Africa and New Zealand, Eastwood allows the game to take precedence over the story which feels lazy at best. It also doesn’t help being a true story that the outcome of the match is already known. There is the argument that there are a slew of historical inaccuracies in the film, but these are largely trivial, though there is one scene that sticks out like a sore thumb; Mandela asks for an explanation as to how the world cup works. Clearly this was done to cater for American consumption, though Americans themselves need not worry too much, as the final ultimately shows.

Invictus is a great film helped along by a brilliant central performance from Freeman. The final fifteen minutes are typically vacuous for a sports biopic, but overall the cast and direction will win over even the most jaded viewer.

Pontypool

2010-01-26T14:24:00.000-08:00

Pontypool

Starring: Stephen McHattie, Lisa Houle, Georgina Reilly, Hrant Alianak, Rick Roberts

Directed by: Bruce McDonald

Reviewed by: Conor Flynn

• Directors Audio Commentary
• 2 short movies
• Stills Gallery
• Trailers

Pontypool follows a usual day inside a local radio station. Newly hired shock-jock Grant Mazzy (McHattie) wants to shake things up against the objections of his producer Sydney Brair (Houle). Grant gets more than he asks for when a number of reports flood in which suggest a riot has started out on the streets. Initially the calls seem like a series of hoaxes, but quickly the reports begin to spiral out of control….

Pontypool is one of those films where it is best to know as little as possible before seeing it. The film is mostly set inside a radio station, which feels cheap and stagey at times, but thankfully the film takes a note out of a few early John Carpenter films (‘The Fog’ comes speedily to mind) and wracks up tension by keeping the protagonists inside the same area for the duration of the movie. This makes for a very claustrophobic film which could very easily bore if it wasn’t for the two convincing performances from leads Stephen McHattie and Lisa Houle who are both excellent.

Sadly the final third is slightly disappointing. The showdown attempts to be provocative, but ends up feeling highly pretentious. Without giving the game away, let’s just say that the film runs out of things to say, however, even at the latter stages of the film it remains a highly engaging piece worthy of your attention. Apparently the first of two sequels are in the works which shows you how good the film really is.

The DVD itself is light on extras but is generally good. Picture quality is excellent and is seemingly without any faults. Sound is available in 5.1, but doesn’t make that much of an impact with your system and sometimes it’s difficult to follow what is being said in a few scenes because the dialogue tends to overlap. Also included are two shorts, the first called ‘Eve,’ an experimental short which doesn’t look to dissimilar to an early Marilyn Manson video. The second short ‘Dada Dum’ is equally striking but I have to wonder why both of these shorts are on the DVD in the first place as they seem to have no relation to the main feature. Also included is an audio commentary which is highly unusual because it is more or less a script meeting for the two sequels! This is a highly engaging talk from the writer and the director which is the highlight of the DVD. Filling out the extras are a number of trailers and a stills gallery.

Pontypool is highly gripping for two thirds of its ninety minute length. The last third is a bit hard to swallow, but despite this, and thanks in part to two superb performances from McHattie and Houle, the film remains absorbing throughout. Bring on the sequel please.

Toy Story 2 3D

2010-01-17T08:13:00.000-08:00

Toy Story 2 3D

Starring: Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Joan Cusack, Kelsey Grammer, Don Rickles

Directed by: John Lasseter

Reviewed by: Conor Flynn

I remember almost a decade ago seeing a copy of Empire magazine with Toy Story 2 on the front cover and thinking what a bad idea for a sequel that was. This sequel was originally going to go straight to video, something that never bodes well for a follow-up. I was shocked then to discover that not only had the film escaped the humiliation of being plonked alongside other straight to video dreck such as ‘The Return of Jafar,’ but that the magazine had awarded the film top marks. Sure enough, the film deserves exactly that recognition, even ten years on, as one of the greatest sequels ever made.

We rejoin Woody and Buzz where we last left them in the first film; Andy’s bedroom. In a switch around from the last adventure, it is now Woody who is in jeopardy when an unscrupulous toy collector steals him and plans on selling him to a toy museum in Tokyo, Japan. It is now up to Buzz and the other toys to rescue Woody…

Toy Story 2 is a masterpiece. It takes the best elements of the first film and amps them up another notch. Key to this is the storyline itself, in which the toys begin to consider what life will be like after Andy leaves. This adds an incredible depth to a story which already is filled to the brim with wit. Another element which dazzles is the animation which hasn’t aged a bit. Top this off with the hilarious voice work of Tom Hanks and Tim Allen and your left with a film which not only equals, but surpasses its original.

The problem, if there is one in an otherwise flawless film, is that there isn’t a proper central villain. The Toys have to contend with not one, but three villains in the form of Al, Zerg and another assailant (keeping that latter one a secret just in case you’re the only person on the planet who hasn’t seen this sequel in the last ten years). This inhibits the film slightly. None of these characters combined are as menacing as Sid from the original film. Another problem, though no fault of the film itself, is the use of 3D in the film. Personally I found it a distraction, taking my 3D glasses off a few times to see what was actually in 3D. There is very little, making the 3D upgrade a little pointless as a viewing experience.

If the standard is this high come Toy Story 3 in July, we’ve a lot to look forward to. A terrific sequel in every sense of the word, Toy Story 2 is a must see in any format.

The Boys Are Back

2010-01-17T07:51:00.000-08:00

The Boys Are Back

Starring: Clive Owen, Laura Fraser, George MacKay, Emma Booth, Nicholas McAnulty

Directed by: Scott Hicks

Reviewed by: Conor Flynn

True Stories are branded about like nobodies business these days in film. I have issues reviewing any true story, in the sense that they have to be judged harder than fictional work. The reason for this is very simple; there ought to be something exceptional in the story for it to be worthy of the big screen treatment, where you have to pay quite a bit to see it in a cinema, otherwise it should be relegated to television. That’s not to say that all TV movies are bad, far from it. The BBC have provided some of the best TV movies down through the years, pretty much anything directed by the late Alan Clarke comes speedily to mind. It shouldn’t come as a big surprise to learn that The Boys Are Back is a BBC production, but is it a film more suited to TV than cinema?

Clive Owen plays Joe Warr, a sports journalist who has fallen on hard times. His wife Katey is diagnosed with cancer which eventually takes her life. This sees Joe struggle to make ends meet both with his career and parenthood. Matters only worsen with his choice of parenting where he allows his children to do what they want whenever they want. Complications arise when Joe leaves the kids at home alone...

The Boys Are Back is held together by strong performances. Clive Owen is probably at his most restrained in an appealing role which doesn’t ask him to constantly furrow his brow or grind his teeth down. He is ably supported by a fine cast, most notably by (at the time of filming) six year old Nicholas McAnulty. He plays Joe’s youngest son with an incredible amount of unpredictability which makes for engaging viewing.

Sadly the film disappoints as well as delights. The biggest problem with the film as a whole is that it feels too prosaic and ordinary. It has a true story that is a little too true to life and is all the more mundane for it. Things aren’t helped when you realise that the film leads up to a predictable ending. Director Scott Hicks doesn’t make much use of Australia’s beautiful scenery, instead opting to shoot indoors or, whenever outside, in pitch darkness. It makes for an unnecessarily claustrophobic feel.

The Boys Are Back will appeal to anyone in an undemanding mood. It’s held together by strong performances, but the story and direction are more suited for television than your local multiplex.

Classic Review: Confetti

2010-01-10T11:55:00.000-08:00

Confetti (2006)

Starring: Martin Freeman, Jessica Stevenson, Stephen Mangan, Meredith MacNeill, Robert Webb, Olivia Colman, Jimmy Carr, Felicity Montagu

Director: Debbie Isitt

Reviewed by: Conor Flynn

It's competition time. Confetti magazine are looking for 'The Most Original Wedding of the Year'. They are giving two hopefuls the opportunity to create and win their own dream wedding. The three finalists will be assisted by wedding planners through their day to day preparation of the ceremony and reception. This will be followed by the main event itself, where each of the couples will compete for the top prize of a luxury home. The winners will have the prestige of appearing on next issues front cover of Confetti.

The competition, rigged from the beginning, is a total gimmick. But not to everyone. We follow couples Matt (Freeman) and Sam (Stevenson), both inspired by film musicals, Josef (Mangan) and Isabelle (MacNeill), two hugely competitive tennis players and finally Michael (Webb) and Joanna (Colman), two bare all naturists, en route to the finals. Aiding each of them along the way are Heron (Vincent Franklin) and Hough (Jason Watkins) the wedding planners, whilst behind the scenes, the publishers, Antoni (Carr) and Vivian (Montagu), argue their choice of winner.

Everyone seems to have various problems to solve along the way. Sam has family issues stemming mostly from the brake up of her father and mother. Josef and Isabelle feel they should, like Matt and Sam, have a choreographer for their marriage, that along with Josef feeling jealous of Isabelle's trainer. Problems also arise for Michael and Jonanna who, against the wishes of the magazine, want to preform their vows completely naked, which leads to Jonanna having cold feet.

As a comedy, for the most part, Confetti is extremely funny. The plot, as with the majority of mockumentaries, is mostly improvised. The acting is excellent all around, in particular, Stephen Mangan provides some of the biggest laughs. Also, it's great to finally see Jessica Stevenson in a proper film leading role, which proves that up until now, with the exception of the television series Spaced, she has been a massively under-used talent.

Confetti isn't the most original idea ever, we've seen this thing done plenty of times before, most notably by Christopher Guest (Best In Show). It's also far from consistently funny, a running joke about Isabelle's nose, literally, falls flat on it's face. Also the last third, in which the romance comes to the fore, the film noticeably suffers from a lack of jokes, this said, it would take even the most hardened cynic to leave without grinning from ear to ear.

The Road

2010-01-03T09:39:00.000-08:00

The Road

Starring: Viggo Mortensen, Kodi Smit-McPhee, Charlize Theron, Robert Duvall, Guy Pearce

Directed by: John Hillcoat

Reviewed by: Conor Flynn

The Road was a film that I was looking forward to seeing, not only because it is based on Cormac McCarthy’s Pulitzer Prize winning novel, but due to the fact that it was director John Hillcoat’s follow up to his vicious, yet lyrical masterpiece, ‘The Proposition’. Add to this Hillcoat’s long time collaboration with musician Nick Cave and, on paper at least, this looked like a certified masterpiece in the making…

An unidentified catastrophe has left the world devastated; all the animals have died, while the earth has been left scorched. Viggo Mortensen plays an unidentified man, known only as Poppa to his child (Smit-McPhee). The promise of a better life supposedly awaits them at the coastline, but many obstacles lie in wait, including the threat of cannibalistic tribes.

You may recall that this film should have been released at the end of 2008 and not at the beginning of 2010. Word has it that the film was pulled from its original release date due to the harrowing nature of the initial cut. I get the suspicion that a (superior) director’s cut will appear in future, but for the moment we are left with a visually astonishing film, with an engaging storyline. The film has some incredibly gripping moments, in particular, two scenes in which the father must decide whether or not to shoot his own son. Another plus is that the events surrounding the cataclysm are left ambiguous which is very refreshing. The acting is generally strong; Smit-McPhee’s performance works best, and though only in the film for a short time, Charlize Theron leaves a haunting mark. Some will delight in Robert Duvall’s Oscar-baiting cameo, but it seems out of place with the rest of the film.

As for Mortensen, I have issues with his performance and character, but mostly because of the use of his voiceover. What worked in the novel well feels mechanised here. What is problematic with the story is the level of emotional attachment the audience has with his character. Poppa remembers the past with his deceased wife (Theron), but is devoid of any positive emotion, mostly focusing on events such as a traumatic child birth. With the exception of one moment spent with Poppa and the boy at a waterfall, his emotions tend to be indistinguishable; this makes it hard to connect with his character.

Strangely, much like Mortensen’s voiceover, Nick Cave and Warren Eillis’s score feels intrusive. The closing moments to the film are pretty rushed, resulting in a feeling of deus ex machina. Add to this a bit of southern caricaturing, along with some debatable product placement and you’re left slightly wanting.

For fans of the novel, this adaptation will feel neutered of its poetic horror, the exact thing which Hillcoat brought so successfully to ‘The Proposition’. There seems to be a very good drama buried inside this film, but at the moment it doesn’t feel fully realised.

Films of the Decade

2010-01-03T09:30:00.000-08:00

Films of the Dacade:

Due to time constrains, I can’t go into the reasons for my choices in any real detail, long story short, I’ve unrelated work to do which is filling up my time. Anyway the following list makes up, in my opinion, some of the best films of the last decade as well as the best for 2009:

(2000)
Wo hu cang long aka Crouching tiger, Hidden Dragon
Gladiator
Requiem for a Dream
O Brother, Where Art Thou?
American Psycho
Battle Royale
Dark Days

(2001)
Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Rings
Moulin Rouge!
The Others
Heist
Donnie Darko
Sen to Chihiro no kamikakushi aka Spirited Away
Rabbit-Proof Fence
Hedwig and the Angry Inch

(2002)
The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers
The Rules of Attraction
Bubba Ho-tep

(2003)
Old boy
Kill Bill
Bad Santa
Final Destination 2
X2
Wrong Turn
Ong Bak
The Station Agent
Zatoichi
Touching the Void

(2004)
Sideways
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
Crash
Shawn of the Dead
Der Untergang aka Downfall
Napoleon Dynamite
The Life and Death of Peter Sellers
Freak Out

(2005)
Batman Begins
Serenity
Kiss Kiss Bang Bang
Hard Candy
Wallace & Gromit in The Curse of the Were-Rabbit
The Devils Rejects
Wolf Creek
Good Night, and Good Luck
The Proposition

(2006)
Casino Royale
Children of Men
United 93
Borat
El laberinto del fauno aka Pans Labyrinth
A Scanner Darkly
This Is England
Neil Young: Heart of Gold
Quills
Heart of Gold

(2007)
The Diving Bell and the Butterfly
There Will Be Blood
Zodiac
The Mist
[REC]
Control
Into the Wild
The Mist
Time Crimes

(2008)
In Bruges
The Wrestler
Milk
Iron Man
Hunger
Not Quite Hollywood: The Wild, Untold Story of Ozploitation!
Mary and Max
The Hurt Locker

(2009)
Anvil: The Story of Anvil
Bronson
Star Trek
Watchmen
Drag Me to Hell
Anything for Her
Moon
Black Dynamite

Nearing Christmas

2009-12-15T15:29:00.000-08:00

So the reviews are a little thin on the ground at the moment. I have to apologise for that, but I'm hoping to draw up a list (like everyone else) for films of the year and decade. Just waiting to see a few more films re: Avatar! In the mean time feast your eyes on the geelfully dark short below called 'Treevenge'. It isn't the most P.C. film in the world (think 'Brain Dead/Dead Alive' meets 'Gremlins' which inanimate objects, in this case Christmas Tree's) so you have been warned...

Treevenge

2009-12-15T15:28:00.001-08:00

Treevenge
Uploaded by Shua_. - Watch feature films and entire TV shows.

Law Abiding Citizen

2009-11-22T15:27:00.000-08:00

Law Abiding Citizen

Starring: Jamie Foxx, Gerard Butler, Bruce McGill, Colm Meaney, Leslie Bibb

Directed by: F. Gary Gray

Reviewed by: Conor Flynn

Abiding Citizen is very close to closing this decade with a controversial bang. Despite displaying morals clearly set in la-la-land and having a ludicrous plot twist towards its final act, the film still managed to stoke most American film critics who have taken the moral high ground with regard to it, but is it really all that bad?

Clyde Shelton (Butler) lives a happy life with his wife and child. This ideal existence is shattered when two thugs brake into his house, one who rapes and murders both his wife and child. Due to insufficient evidence, prosecutor Nick Rice (Foxx) takes a plea bargain which sees the less guilty of the two face death row while the other is given a lenient sentence. Ten years later Shelton somehow manages to enact revenge on the two thugs, but doesn’t want to stop there, he wants to take down the whole system.

Law Abiding Citizen is as hilarious as it is conceited. Not a moment goes by in which you don’t question the retribution Shelton dishes out to his victims. Clearly an eye for an eye isn’t enough for Shelton; with one of his victims he literally wants not only the eyes, but also the tongue, toes and testicles. Tis just a little bit harsh, me thinks. As if that wasn’t preposterous enough, the explanation as to how Shelton commits the acts (while stuck behind solitary confinement) beggars belief. Law Abiding Citizen is utter trash, but is so confidently brazen about its own self importance, it’s a complete hoot!

The film is haphazardly directed by F. Gary Gray, though it has touches of brilliance, namely a scene midway though which is easily on par with the infamous sloth scene from the film ‘Seven’. It’s guaranteed to jolt most viewers out of their seats, but also humour due to its twisted sense of irony. But when the film is bad, it is laughably so, in particular, a moment where Shelton dresses as a cop. Suffice to say that his reveal isn’t anything like the wrath he later purports he will bring down upon the system. It isn’t “biblical,” it’s Clouseau-esque. Add to this, a lot of risible dialogue, a gratuitous nudity shot for Butler’s fans, a gun toting graveyard robot (no, seriously), and you’re left with something so boneheaded, it’s completely priceless!

This isn’t an easy film to mark. Given a choice, I’d give it a ‘question mark out of 5’ because part of me knows it’s terrible, but that would deny the fact that I got so much entertainment value out of it. For the moment, it gets a four out of five, but if you, the reader, feel that’s too generous, a one out of five will just as easily suffice.

Paranormal Activity

2009-11-22T15:12:00.000-08:00

Paranormal Activity

Starring: Katie Featherston, Micah Sloat, Mark Friedrichs, Amber Armstrong, Ashley Palmer

Directed by: Oren Peli

Reviewed by: Conor Flynn

Paranormal Activity has been hyped like no other horror film in recent memory. Not since the highly overrated ‘The Blair Witch Project’ has a horror film generated such attention. Allegedly Steven Spielberg declared that a screener of the film he received was haunted! The question is; does the hype live up to the marketing?

Paranormal Activity relies heavily on audience anticipation. It turns the screw slowly. The film successfully wracks up tension through the use of static camera shots which force your eyes to dart around the screen in readiness for the next big fright. This is a film that oozes dread, supported by eerie sound effects specially designed to rattle the audience. The storyline is threadbare, concerning a couple stuck inside a house which is haunted by a demon. Basically, Paranormal Activity is an efficient frightener, but it does have a slew of problems which become more noticeable on a second viewing.

Much like the witching hour from midnight to 3am in which the demon haunts and disturbs the couple, the impact of this film depends completely on when and where you watch it. Watching the film during the daytime proves ineffectual upon leaving the theatre, whereas seeing it at night time is an unnerving experience. It’s also a bit of a shame that general audiences in Ireland and the UK are only allowed to see the film now, after October 31st, when the hoopla for Paranormal Activity is dying down.

There are other elements to the film which don’t play well on ether viewing, firstly an unintentionally funny moment involving the demon leaving a set of footprints inside the couple’s bedroom. Considering the aforementioned Spielberg connection with the film, it’s bemusing to note the uncanny similarity of the demons footprints to that of E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial. Another part which doesn’t play well is the final shot of the film; re-shot at the behest of the bearded one. The alternate ending, which can be seen on YouTube, has its flaws, but is (literally) more grounded and gives an eerie closure to the film. The new ending feels like a cheaply set up cash-grab for a sequel. Another noticeable problem is the films lack of depth; the absence of real narrative is a serious hindrance with repeated viewing. Even the dreaded Blair Witch had a more engaging back story than this demon.

Fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me. Sadly this is an idiom that is applicable to Paranormal Activity. It is a bit of a novelty, but a highly effective one the first time round.

Nativity

2009-11-22T15:04:00.000-08:00

Nativity

Starring: Martin Freeman, Martin Wooton, Ashley Jensen, Jason Watkins, Ricky Tomlinson, Alan Carr

Director: Debbie Isitt

Reviewed by: Conor Flynn

Director Debbie Isitt highly impressed with her last feature, the spectacular, but criminally ignored ‘Confetti’. The main element which made the film work so well was its use of improvisation, much like that used by director Christopher Guest or Mike Leigh. Although the idea wasn’t exactly fresh, the results led to some of the funniest British comedy in years, thanks to great acting and some very assured direction from Isitt. Unfortunately the same can’t be said for her latest feature.

Martin Freeman plays primary school teacher Mr. Madden. Every year sees a competition between his school St. Bernadette’s and that of another rival school lead by Gordon Shakespeare (Watkins). Their aim is to receive a five star review from a snobbish theatre critic who writes for a local paper. Soon Mr. Madden is placed alongside Mr. Poppy, a classroom assistant, who seems to have a man-child mentality. After Mr. Madden idly brags to Shakespeare about his ex-girlfriend’s involvement, who allegedly is a big time film producer; he soon discovers that Mr. Poppy has told everyone that ‘Hollywood’ is helping St. Bernadette’s with their nativity play…

Director Isitt invites back an acting ensemble who worked with her on previous films; unfortunately the results completely misfire this time around. As stated already, the film was partially improvised and it shows. A haggard looking Martin Freeman stumbles along, occasionally flubbing through his lines. Ashley Jensen is given little to do and looks lost. To top this all off is a co-star turn by Martin Wooton, whose caricature of Mr. Poppy is as irksome as it sounds. The only actors left unblemished are Ricky Tomlinson as the local mayor and Alan Carr as the snooty theatre critic. The children fare better than most of the adults, but their performances seem to be cut from a kitchen sink drama. Put simply, the balance between comedy and drama is highly uneven, but this isn’t the worst part.

The characters also have a nauseating fixation with everything Hollywood. Granted if ‘Hollywood’ were to come to any small area, it would be seen as huge coup in the time of a recession, however, most of the characters in the film refer to Hollywood as an individual, putting it on a level of sheer idolatry. This could have been used to critique Hollywood’s commercialisation of Christmas, but it misses the mark, ending up as ugly and crass as the majority of Hollywood films which get thrown out every year specifically to capitalise on this festive event.

After the brilliance of ‘Confetti,’ Nativity can be seen is a major letdown. A great idea is scuppered by a lack of cohesive direction. Children might get some enjoyment from the juvenile antics of Mr. Poppy, but most adults will want to claw their eyes out. A real disappointment this one…

Black Dynamite

2009-11-08T07:00:00.000-08:00

Black Dynamite

Starring: Michael Jai White, Salli Richardson, Arsenio Hall, Kevin Chapman, Tommy Davidson

Directed by: Scott Sanders

Reviewed by: Conor Flynn

For many, the golden age of the film spoof can be cited between the years 1974 and 1980. Film spoofs had been around decades before this, but it reached something of a zenith starting with director Mel Brooks’ classic ‘Blazing Saddles’. By the end of the decade, Brooks’ career was overshadowed by the Monty Python team with films such as ‘Life of Brian,’ however; people seem to agree that the Zucker brothers ‘Airplane’ defined the genre and influenced the rest of this period and beyond. Black Dynamite feels like a throwback to this golden era…

The film begins with the death of Dynamites’ bother at the hands of the mafia, singled out for his inarticulate use of jive. Meanwhile Black Dynamite (White), a former CIA operative, declares war on drug barons dealing smack to little kids on the streets. Soon Dynamite gets word of his brother’s death, which leads to a conspiracy involving malt liquor that points all the way to the White House…

As you can tell from the synopsis and title of the film, Black Dynamite is a spoof of urban action movies of the early 1970’s. The film is painfully funny, so funny in fact it wares you out. The middle section lulls slightly, but even with fewer jokes on offer, the hit rate is still high. Much like the majority of 70’s urban action movies, the final explanation behind the conspiracy is so hilariously convoluted; it is one of the movie highlights of the year. Add to this a set of (superb) music cues which mimic the actions as they happen on screen and you’re left with one of the funniest spoofs of the decade. This could have been marketed alongside ‘Grindhouse’ as a third feature, but unlike that double whammy of ‘Planet Death’ and ‘Death Proof,’ it’s a lot less pretentious than the latter and far wittier than the former.

For anyone concerned that the film stereotypes for comic relief, rest assured that it’s knowingly tongue in cheek. The film is significant as one of the few spoofs where the actors aren’t constantly mugging for camera, unlike the irritating ‘Scary Movie’ series and its awful spin-offs. This is a film where, if the volume was turned down, it could easily pass as a proper movie from the era with only tiny visual faux pas giving a hint that it’s a spoof. It’s far removed from earlier efforts at the genre such as ‘I’m Gonna Git You Sucka’ or ‘Undercover Brother’ and is all the better for it.

Sadly the film seems to have sunk without a trace in America which leaves the option of seeing it in cinemas over here very remote. A comedy as excellent as this one does not come around often, if you have the chance to check it out, do so immediately, it’s a cult classic in the making…

[Note: Black Dynamite has yet to be released in Ireland and the UK. Screening courtesy of Dublin Horrorthon 2009]

Memories of Matsuko

2009-10-21T06:08:00.000-07:00

Memories of Matsuko

Starring: Miki Nakatani, Eita, Teruyuki Kagawa, Mikako Ichikawa, Yusuke Iseya

Directed by: Tetsuya Nakashima

Reviewed by: Conor Flynn

• Trailers
• Making of Matsuko
• Film to storyboard comparison

‘Memories of Matsuko’ takes its influences from a wide range of melodramas; everything from ‘Gone with the Wind,’ to the films of Douglas Sirk and on through to contemporary films like ‘Amelie’ and ‘Moulin Rouge’. It also manages to be bleaker than the bleakest moments of each of those films combined…

The film starts off cynically by relating the idea that everyone has aspirations which can come to nothing. What follows is the story of Matsuko; a woman who constantly tries to escape into an idealistic world, but constantly meets with the reality of a male dominated and violent society. Her story is told through flashback as her nephew pieces together her life story and how she came to be murdered. Matsuko is surrounded by men who consist of liars, perverts and failed artists or jealous lovers, yakuzas and pimps. Each is treated as a potential lover, but similarly disappoint in the same way as Matsuko’s estranged father. To make things even more harrowing are some bright and breezy musical numbers that reflect Matsuko’s inner need for love, the reality which will never happen. The moral of standing by your friends instead of escaping into a fantasy world is a positive one, but it maybe too bittersweet for some to swallow.

‘Memories of Matsuko’ is a long trawl through tragic melodrama which could so easily have been a masterpiece if the film was a little less focused on the fantastical elements which dominate the film. The visuals, which will bring to mind the excellent ‘Moulin Rouge,’ are spectacular (spectacular). Unfortunately they dwarf the narrative, but there are other problems as well. Even if the story is a fantasy, it still needs to follow its own internal logic, but here we have a vast majority of flashback sequences told by a series of unreliable third person narrators. Furthermore, Matsuko interjects her own voice-over between the flashbacks, but the transition between the different set of narrators feels clumsy, unnatural and intrusive. This choppy effect distances the viewer from Matsuko, making it difficult to care for her plight. Thankfully the film is held together by a superb central performance by Nakatani who manages to invest more emotion into her character through wide ranging expressions than anything given to her though the messy script.

The picture quality of the film on DVD is very heavily compressed, pixelated and blurry. It looks very poor. The sound is ok, but nothing special and doesn’t really make much use of the rear speakers in 5.1. The 2.0 is also fine. Three extras are included on the disc; trailers, a ‘making of’ and a ‘film to storyboard comparison’. All are pretty self explanatory.

The film is a potential masterpiece killed by overzealous visuals and an unfocused script. It’s difficult to see this tragedy being an experience you would want to repeat over and over again. Rent before buying.

Kamikaze Girls

2009-10-21T05:36:00.000-07:00

Kamikaze Girls

Starring: Kyoko Fukada, Anna Tsuchiya, Hiroyuki Miyasako, Sadao Abe

Directed by: Tetsuya Nakashima

Reviewed by: Conor Flynn

• Trailers
• Interviews with the cast

After the bleakness of ‘Memories of Matsuko’, this reviewer initially approached director Nakashima’s earlier work with weariness. Thankfully ‘Kamikaze Girls’ is a lot less harsh than the films title suggests, however, that doesn’t make it easier to watch. If anything, it is even more alienating than the latter film. Why? Well maybe it’s this reviewer’s lack of knowledge of Japanese pop culture. One thing is for definite though; ‘Kamikaze Girls’ is aimed at the teenage female market and no-one other than the teenage female market.

The story is about Momoko (Fukada), a seventeen year old girl with an obsessive interest in ‘Lolita’ fashion, a variation on 18th Century French Rococo art. To fund her expensive, self absorbed habit, she sells her father’s imitation ‘designer’ wear. Eventually she comes into contact with Ichigo (Tsuchiya), a rebellious ‘Yanki’ biker girl. Together they form a relationship which sees them encounter an embroiderer and biker gang amongst others…

Kamikaze Girls isn’t the most cohesive film in the world. It takes a good ninety minutes of this one hundred and two minute long film to come to the conclusion that devoting your life to designer labels is less important than keeping your friends and childhood (though the epilogue completely contradicts this idea). The film is as empty as it sounds as the story meanders all over the place; we simply follow the girls around in a series of random events. Also, there is little coherency to the film, for example, at the beginning we are told that Momoko no-longer wants to live, yet when it comes to explaining why this is towards the films closure, it all comes across as contradictory and surreal for the sake of being surreal. Sure, Momoko is a teenager and therefore open to contradictions and day dreaming, but that doesn’t excuse the film from sending out mixed messages.

The DVD itself is pretty poor. The picture quality is heavily compressed, pixelated and blurred, with even a noticeable amount of ghosting and burnt in subtitles. This is a shame as the film, which is heavy in rich visual colours, certainly deserves better treatment than this. The sound, in 2.0, is clear and without any problems. There are two extras included; a number of trailers and ‘interviews with the cast’. The latter is informative but slim at seven minutes in length, but it’s still better than no extras at all.

It’s hard to recommend this DVD. The film plays like the antithesis of superficiality but ruins it all through a litter of contradictions, while the DVD itself is well below average. Rent before buying.