As good as this film is, some (including myself) still think it to be a touch underrated. Perhaps it’s the fact that it didn’t get all the recognition that it probably could’ve received, or that (despite getting two big time Oscar nods) it was overshadowed by some Titanic films that year…

L.A. Confidential
Director: Curtis Hanson
Cast: Kevin Spacey, Russell Crowe, Guy Pearce
Running time: 138
Age restriction: R
Genre: crime, drama

 Plot Synopsis

Have you really not seen this film?

It’s a 1950′s noir type period piece about celebrity lookalikes, corrupt cops and the violent, drug induced underbelly of the glossy high society. Tracking the paths of three vastly different detectives with opposing motives and their quest for truth, justice and redemption – and seeing who’s willing to do what, to get what they want. its an L.A. crime drama wrapped up in a faux Hollywood bow.

The Target

Based on the L.A. crime series by James Ellroy, but don’t be lulled into thinking this is a conventional crime drama… the performances alone are worthy of a look, but generally, if you see yourself as a film fundi, then this title already occupies a comfortable place in your home entertainment collection – maybe even in a display unit – if you have one.

The Bottom Line

It’s one of those seemingly rare projects that came together without much confidence from the studios but became something of a cinematic gem. For a direct comparison, just look at the flop that was The Black Dahlia for a demonstration on how something like this could have gone wrong. It’s not just the top notch writing, but the performances are simply stellar, chief among them was the performances by two complete unknowns as part of the trio of leading stars (at the time of course – 1997 – this was a huge gamble that paid off beautifully for both the film and the actors); that being Guy Pearce and Russell Crowe. The only major ‘known’ lead at the time was the third detective, Jack Vincennes, played by Kevin Spacey.

If there is one fault, then it would most likely come in the form of the final act, or more specifically, the last 10 – 15 minutes, which I believe was rewritten at some point in the development to shorten the running time. I do believe the book’s ending was slightly different… but this detail could be interpreted differently from one viewer to the next, it certainly doesn’t hurt the story.

L.A. Confidential can be taken as a lesson in filmmaking for modern Hollywood, or more precisely, a lesson in storytelling, in portraying layered characters where even the good guys (once you decipher who they are) don’t like each other, a high profile cover-up with entangling agendas to muddy the waters around a murder mystery, all the while brushing shoulders with corrupt cops.

Personally though, these are my favourite performances by Crowe (beside that of The Insider) playing the ever blunt Bud White, and then Kim Basinger (a performance which was rightfully rewarded, and forms something of a fulcrum for her career).

A screening now is as good as it ever was; its poised for a younger generation to come along  (too young to fully grasp it when it was first released) and rediscover it for renewed appreciation. I implore you to get the Special Edition DVD as its packed with cool special features. I found it full of tasty titbits on what made this film such a success.

‘It’s Christmas Eve in the City of Angels and while decent citizens sleep the sleep of the righteous, hopheads prowl for marijuana, not knowing that a man is coming to stop them! Celebrity crimestopper Jack Vincennes, scourge of grasshoppers and dopefiends everywhere!’ Ya like it, Jackie boy?’ – Sid Hutchins (Danny Devito)

“… Off the record, on the QT, and very Hush, Hush!”

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About Steven Benjamin:

A Capetonian – the only son, amongst four siblings, of a demure working mother and a missionary (once upon a time) for a father. Humble and God fearing, I’m a writer looking to add a different perspective whilst also telling stories on the side. I’ve lugubriously turned to writing after failing in a mental attempt to become a Formula 1 driver. I’m currently also working on my spicy debut novel, The Quiet Days!

Steven’s personal blog

First of all, let me say I am not a fan of horror movies in general, and I’m even less a fan of the torture porn sub-genre, which includes movies such as Hostel and Saw. It’s not so much that the gore is off-putting, but more that the violence serves no purpose beyond shock value and this is what I find most disturbing about it. Having said that, Wake Up and Die is a very interesting concept, but I found certain scenes extremely unsettling, and unfortunately not in a good way.

Wake Up and Die
Director: Miguel Urrutia
Cast: Andrea Montenegro, Luis Fernando Bohórquez
Running time: TBC
Age restriction: TBC
Genre: horror

Plot Synopsis

Wake Up and Die is actually a re-dub of a Spanish film called Volver a morir (Dead Again). A woman, Clarissa, wakes up one morning lying naked on a mattress next to a man. She’s confused since she doesn’t know how she got there, but the man doesn’t appear to be threatening. Unfortunately her instincts are wrong and soon after the man seduces her, he murders her. She is amazed when she awakens again on the same bed next to the same man, after having just been killed by him. She must figure out what’s going on and how she can escape from this deranged man’s clutches.

The Target

This movie is very obviously aimed at fans of splatter/torture porn.

The Bottom Line

The idea behind Wake Up and Die is actually quite clever. It’s basically Groundhog Day, but with a much darker twist. Whether people will be able to stomach this dark twist depends entirely on the viewer. Unfortunately, it’s riddled with other problems as well.

Firstly, it’s a re-dub of the original Spanish film, and it’s not a good one. The voice actors are quite bad, and naturally the lip-syncing is quite off. You do get used to the out of sync dialog after a while, but you can’t really get used to the poor voice acting. Tying in with the re-dub is the poor use of sound in general. The music that is used is usually quite bad, and only serves to pull you out of the movie on several occasions. I am assuming that the original music was better, as the current soundtrack often sounds out of place.

Secondly, the protagonist is quite annoying. Even though she is supposed to learn something new every time she wakes after she has died, she sometimes seems to forget critical things, or when faced with an opportunity to escape, she doesn’t take it. This only makes you want to reach into the movie and slap her for being so stupid. The antagonist seems to be pretty run of the mill, but at least his character doesn’t do too many idiotic things. Also in regards to the characters, are the performances, but this is a complicated issue to deal with because of the re-dub. I watched a few scenes with the sound off, and from what I can pick up from the actor’s body language, the physical performances are quite good. But, as I said earlier, the English voice actors are so, so, bad.

Another problem is the obviously very low budget effects that are used to suggest that Clarissa is traveling back in time. Initially these were very distracting, although they became less so as the movie progress. This was probably because the cuts were much quicker towards the end of the movie.

Now this isn’t really a problem (or at least I didn’t find it an issue), but there is a lot of nudity in this movie, including a full male frontal shot. Now obviously this makes sense because this movie is about a woman who wakes up next to a strange man after probably having a one night stand with him. Some people may not like this, so just a warning up front.

If there’s one thing I have to say that’s quite good about this movie, it’s the in-shot effects and some of the props, which are very well recreated. Both of the characters bleed throughout this movie, and there’s more than enough realistic blood going around. There’s also some body and body part props that are used near the end that look very convincing.

Wake Up and Die sometimes steps over the line into some very, very dark territory. It doesn’t show these disturbing events through to their conclusions, but it shows enough for me to want to stop the movie in several places. If the following is at all upsetting to you, avoid this movie at all costs: rape, murder, genital mutilation, and gore. Again, I may be biased against this genre, but I really did find this movie quite hard to stomach at times.

About the writer

Rowan Govender, a writer and artist who is more commonly known by his pen name Rowango, graduated from the University of Kwa-Zulu Natal with an Honors degree in Media in 2006. He relocated to Cape Town in 2007 to pursue his interest in writing and film. He is currently employed part time in the Technical Writing industry, while he pursues personal creative projects.

No, there’s no magic, it’s just a patch of land in the middle of a lake – in fact the island is simply a background feature in a subtly pleasant drama made memorable by the performances and decent writing. In sort, they could have used a different title, and in some instances, they did.

The Magic of Belle Isle
Director: Rob Reiner
Cast: Morgan Freeman, Virginia Madsen and Madeline Carroll
Running time: 107
Age restriction: 10 LMA
Genre: romance

Plot Synopsis

A depressed old cripple man named Monte Wildhorn (Freeman) moves into a lake house one summer to hopefully rekindle some of the dying embers of his writing career – not to mention overcome the recent loss of his wife/muse. To accompany his reluctant journey to the writer’s version of redemption (or to escort him out of writer’s block/Bermuda triangle – let’s call it writer’s triangle) is a lovely neighbour (Virginia Madsen) and her three daughters. Oh, and lest we forget, he’s also tasked with babysitting the lake House owner’s overly charismatic dog, Ringo.

The Target

For fans of Morgan Freeman and for those just looking for a decent drama. I must say that due to some good writing, it definitely was great to hear some quality Freeman monologues – it’s amazing what a few good lines and some kernels of literature sound like from his immortal voice. Let’s be honest Freeman has been overused or overexposed and in some strange cases underused over the past few years…

The Bottom Line

So it’s not going to win awards and hasn’t set the box office alight but – and maybe this is because my most recent DVD meals have ‘hit the palette like a wet dog’ – I actually enjoyed this film. I kept expecting it to lose my interest but it didn’t. So if your expectations are low, you will be sufficiently entertained. Mind you, you have to be in the mood to watch a film like this anyway, so if you’ve got a hankering for it…

Without doubt its strongest assets are its cast and writing – neither puts a foot wrong – there are even a couple of notable cameo appearances to boot. The flaw comes in with the pacing, it could be a tad shorter and I really think they could have tapped the resources of the quirky little nearby town and its colourful characters – the beginning sequence at the funeral is a prime example of the richness on offer.

Top marks though to Freeman and his ‘conversations’ with the dog ‘Spot’ (Ringo). And then there are the three girls (Madsen’s daughters) who play an important part in Monte Wildhorn rediscovering his zest for life, and his writing, even in his twilight years – although you probably guessed that events leading up to that are a little predictable. (FYI, Monte wrote Westerns).

I was a bit befuddled by the somewhat pseudo sudden ending – the final scene just feels a little iffy, like they simply had to end the film somewhere and then (okay I was kind of expecting it) pop: end credits – no setting sun or wide angle retreating camera shot of the lake or anything…
One last thing; it seems the issue I had with title the filmmakers had as well since the DVD’s back blurb starts with “’The Summer of Monte Wilhorn’ is the story of…” – which would have been a much more fitting name… in fact it is the name of the film, or, its other name…

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About Steven Benjamin:

A Capetonian – the only son, amongst four siblings, of a demure working mother and a missionary (once upon a time) for a father. Humble and God fearing, I’m a writer looking to add a different perspective whilst also telling stories on the side. I’ve lugubriously turned to writing after failing in a mental attempt to become a Formula 1 driver. I’m currently also working on my spicy debut novel, The Quiet Days!

Steven’s personal blog

Like most of the books in my library, The Great Gatsby sits among the many half-read and sorely abandoned. Baz Luhrmann’s vision of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s master work may not be the deepest rendition of the famed novel but it’s a stunning film for an audience looking to kick back and relax without engaging on an emotional or intellectual level.

The Great Gatsby
Director: Baz Luhrmann
Cast: Leonardo DiCaprio, Tobey Maguire, Carey Mulligan
Running time: 143
Age restriction: 13
Genre: drama

Plot Synopsis

Nick Carraway, A young man filled with dreams moves to New York in the boom of the roaring 20s. Soon he discovers that he lives next door to the mysterious Jay Gatsby, a secretive high roller whose lavish parties attract the wealthy denizens of New York and fuel their desires for the high life and excess, but the man is surrounded by all manners of tales, and the curious Nick is far more interested in the man than his displays of decadense.

The Target

Fans of the book and Luhrmann have an excuse to go to this, the production is immense and filled with a level of embellishment that borders on absurd. Regular film goers should also give it a watch for the same reasons, but I’d recommend reading the novel afterwards to truly appreciate what Fitzgerald was trying to communicate.

The Bottom Line

From the start of The Great Gatsby, Baz Luhrmann’s stamp of creativity is ever present, and if you’re familiar with his previous works like Moulin Rouge, you’ll know that the man takes no half-measures. The film oozes style and over the top production values – Luhrmann has spared no expense on the monolithic adaptation, every scene looks like it cost a million bucks with it’s attention to detail and touch of sophistication….simply put, The Great Gatsby looks the part with it’s enormous wealth injected into the design.

In many ways, the look of the film is a testament to the message that Fitzgerald was attempting to convey – the cautionary tale of excess – as The Great Gatsby is almost single-handedly overwhelmed by it’s 24 carat coating, and beneath that shell is the corpse of the story. The film is one to be appreciate at surface value as it holds little else, it’s empty. But as long as the performances are good (which they are) and the look and feel are attractive (thumbs up on this one too), it shouldn’t matter…right?

It’s also the perfect example of Baz Luhrmann and the sort of film he tries to make – he reduces complex ideas and idealism itself into popcorn fodder for the mass market filmgoer, which I consider to be the worst kind of evil as it insults the source material. This brings me to the conundrum of whether movies should be appreciated as art or simple entertainment, both camps are equally important, but Luhrmann sabotages the source to get what he wants, and The Great Gatsby – as grand as it appears – exists solely to extract money from it’s viewers, a case proved by the uselessness of the 3-D effects that were implemented.

But in spite of the moral outrage you just read it’s still a supremely executed bit of escapism. It’s based on an amazing piece of literature and the story reflects the expert storytelling. It’s not just a visual spectacle but also a well paced, well acted piece of cinema that remains enjoyable and compelling throughout, and I’ve been lead to believe that it is pretty faithful to plot of the book (which is usually a bonus). That said, their are some oddities that were vexing  and unfortunately they are marks of that Luhrmann seal. The music in specific is undoubtedly the greatest point of discussion as the director uses a modern soundtrack to overlay the authentically assembled setting. It’s a little jarring to hear rap music set amongst the visuals of Jazz Age New York; a painful beacon that refuses to let the audience immerse themselves in the times when it crops up.

As this is one of those films that use 3-D without any real justification, it should be mentioned that the effects are moderately well used but not essential, as was the case in recent classics like Hugo and Life of Pi. Still, the effects are generally pleasant and as one that usually suffers from post-3D migraines, I left the preview theatre with my marbles intact.

Like the fictional character, Baz Luhrmann’s vision of The Great Gatsby is decadent, mysterious, and powerful, and unfortunately it is also somewhat corrupt. But it tells the legendary tale in spectacular fashion, a visual smorgasbord of glamour and excess that will delight any audience looking for a brand of escapism that reaches for that unobtainable grandeur, and succeeds in most regards.

Sylvester Stallone and Walter Hill team up for this comic-book balderdash adapted from a French graphic novel. Walter Hill outfits the narrative with an ethnically diverse cast and soaks it in the thick noir of New Orleans but despite some redeeming qualities, the trashy and predictable plot sinks from the weight of action-man clichés; one-dimensional characters; outrageously weak B-grade dialogue and ludicrous stereotypes.

Bullet to the Head
Director: Walter Hill
Cast: Sylvester Stallone, Sung Kang, Jason Momoa
Running time: 100
Age restriction: 16 LNV
Genre: action

Plot Synopsis

After witnessing their respective partners die at the hands of the same killer, a staunchly stubborn hitman and a by-the-book cop form an unlikely duo in attempt to take down their common enemy.

The Target

The title says it all. Several caps get busted left, right and centre throughout the film, and not even the production company logos are safe. B-film plots and pulp action films are a style in themselves with their own niche target but anyone expecting typical Stallone-fare and the morally shallow territory of Walter Hill will find an easy and satisfying film. Having said that, Bullet to the Head embraces an odd Friday night Kung-fu action film charm which I found mildly appealing. In that sense, the target audience is a lot wider than the film cares to admit and anyone looking for some cinematic gaucherie or facile entertainment will get more than they bargained for.

The Bottom Line

At least the film never pretends to be something it is not. The marketing; the choice of actors; the style and the dialogue all come down to the same thing: bullets, bullets (occasionally axes) and explosions. All the necessary ingredients for B-grade pulp and flavour are there but despite genre-veteran execution, Bullet to the Head still warps beneath shoddy characterisation and a disjointed structure. No matter what style a film is in, there is no excuse for ignoring an earnest enquiry into what makes people tick. The film is littered with flat caricatures (who are dispatched as quickly as they appear) and villains whose motivations are never clear. Creating caricatures and hoping the audience will relate, because it is a ‘style’, is pretty much shooting the moon.

Martial arts cinema is a prime example of films which have a perceived ‘bad style’ but are in fact masterly executed. They deal with complex cultural issues and are usually very narrative intensive, despite the lengthy and showy fighting scenes. Bullet to the Head is certainly not a martial arts film but is essentially the same at grass-roots level (martial arts is replaced by Western violence and morals). In this way, it is disappointing that Walter Hill couldn’t stay within his genre and still pull off morally interesting characters. As mentioned before, the ingredients are there but more than often they feel placed and act as surface motivations for the characters. There was no desire to explore these characters fully when the script was written and it is frustrating because there are moments where you are conscious that you are being denied interesting character elements for the sake of a B-grade style.

To add insult to injury, the film’s structure alienates character development even more. Instead of focusing on the rare moment of insight, the film cuts to scenes of double-crossing and dubious occurrences in an attempt to build thrills. But the thrills can’t be created if we don’t give a shit about the characters! Overall editing sabotages the film but good quality can be found in the fight scenes themselves. I noticed almost no use of over-cutting, which is strangely trendy and edgy in big-budget action films of late. All the fight scenes are extremely well-constructed and contain the only almost-on-the-edge-of-your-seat moments.

Oh yes. East Asians. Political correctness always makes people’s ears flare up but I can’t help but go down this road. The moments of racism are not major and are an attempt at comic relief but there isn’t anything relieving about them. They become annoying, distracting and unnecessary halfway into the film. Hill has already created so many sequences of unintended comic relief, that the Asian stereotypes are redundant and feel sign-posted: “Hey, laugh at this. We’re making fun of the Asian guy!” – I’m not one for political correctness but there are more creative ways of poking fun at racial stereotypes *ahem* Modern Family *ahem*. Again, very little thought went into it.

Sylvester Stallone is always good as Sylvester Stallone. The film feels more like a randomly generated environment into which the 66 year old Stallion is dropped and we sadistically watch as if at a gladiator tournament. Maybe this film is a contemporary distraction and in that way, it works. If you intend on seeing the film, you may not have been expecting a mentally stimulating experience but remember to never get your hopes up and to treat it for what it is: a mindless diversion, and the makers want you to see it that way. This film is overall a missed opportunity – The potential for B-grade, pulp-noir characters and settings to offer interesting insight into the immoral underworld of urban sprawls, was completely wasted and the rare moments of genre brilliance are not enough to save the film from its own rain of bullets.

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About Martin Rutkowski

Martin Rutkowski is a recent graduate from AFDA Film School with an Honours degree in Directing and Screen-writing. He has two ears and one mouth and listens twice as much as he speaks. For him, home is wherever there is a darkened room, a projector and a good film playing and finds nothing more spiritual than cinema. Martin would love nothing more than to spread his passion for films (and maybe give an opinion or two) whilst pursuing several screen-writing projects.

‘Based on true LA stories’ – I’m not exactly sure what that means, but if this film is anything to go by, then it’s nothing good…

L.A., I Hate You
Director: Yvan Gauthier
Cast: Warren Ostergard, Paul Conway, Rebecca Da Costa
Running time: 95
Age restriction: unrated
Genre: action

Plot Synopsis

Um, it’s hard to pin point. What I do know is that there’s a lot of intersecting stories, and they jump around between them quite a lot so it’s hard to keep track. On top of that it can drag a little in parts and become rather boring, especially when you’re trying to make sense of where everything is leading… but according to the back blurb on the DVD it’s (as mentioned) based on true LA stories, wherein a guy orders a hit on his wife and then regrets it and tries to stop the murder… at least that’s one of the stories.

The Target

I’m not entirely sure. There are one or two gruesome scenes, so it’s not for the faint of heart. It’s also not for those looking to be entertained.

The Bottom Line

Okay, so Rebecca Da Costa is exempt from criticism here – she’s Brazilian, and certainly held my interest for a while, in between them jumping sporadically to another story, because, of course she can’t very well be in every scene.
This is usually where I state the most redeemable qualities of the movie and then weigh that up with the bad… so here goes: You know how certain A-grade films use seasoned yet fringe actors to fill the minor roles, well here you have those fringe actors taking centre stage while they got B-list-ers to fill the other parts (so expect one or two suspect acting performances). FYI I am actually a pseudo fan of William Forsyth (he does have talent), but the man has done some atrocious films in his day… the same, to a slightly lesser degree, can be said for Malcom McDowell. Anyway, I did note that some effort was put into the filming and cinematography side of things, but I think this film would have worked better as a very long trailer – that would have been a bit more entertaining at least.

L.A., I hate you – need we comment on the terrible name itself – just lacked in too many departments (writing, directing, editing, a proper title) to resemble something aiming to be the shadow of a decent film.

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About Steven Benjamin:

A Capetonian – the only son, amongst four siblings, of a demure working mother and a missionary (once upon a time) for a father. Humble and God fearing, I’m a writer looking to add a different perspective whilst also telling stories on the side. I’ve lugubriously turned to writing after failing in a mental attempt to become a Formula 1 driver. I’m currently also working on my spicy debut novel, The Quiet Days!

Steven’s personal blog

The Good Doctor is an interesting thriller, but unfortunately it never seems to make the most of its potential.

The Good Doctor
Director: Lance Daly
Cast: Orlando Bloom, Riley Keough, Taraji P. Henson
Running time: 93
Age restriction: 16
Genre: thriller

Plot Synopsis

The Good Doctor is the story of Dr Martin Blake, a new doctor who has recently joined a LA hospital. Not long after he starts working there, a young woman by the name of Diane comes in. He diagnoses her, begins her treatment and watches her health improve as the medication starts to work. While she’s recovering, she and Martin start to grow closer. It’s not too long though before she’s discharged, and sent home. Dr. Blake is invited home by her family, and sensing an opportunity, he decides to accept the invitation. He plans to keep Diana close to him, and the only way he can do that is by making her sick again.

The Target

The Good Doctor will appeal to audiences that like their thrillers to be more intellectually stimulating than action driven.

The Bottom Line

Orlando Bloom is just like Hugo Weaving in that Hugo Weaving will forever be known as Agent Smith and Orlando Bloom will forever be known as Legolas. It seems that Bloom is a better actor than Weaving however, as his performance in The Good Doctor made me forget that he was once a long haired elf that skated down stairs while killing orcs with his bow. In fact, his performance as the somewhat sociopathic doctor is pretty damn good. The performances of the supporting cast, even some of the minor characters such as the nurses, are also surprisingly convincing.

I must comment on the lighting and cinematography, which was particularly good. Subtle changes in camera angles and lighting all help build tension in this movie.

And the tension. The Good Doctor is quite a nerve wracking film, which is exactly what you want from a thriller. There are scenes where one waits for it all to come crashing down on the doctor’s head but he seems to navigate his way out, at least for now.

Unfortunately The Good Doctor does seem to lose something towards the final act of the movie. The tension never seems to release, but instead just slowly peters out. The problem with the tension is also that we never get that “whew that was close moment” the way we do in a movie like Argo. We get that from Argo because the movie has characters we obviously empathise with. The thing is that we aren’t rooting for Dr Blake. The man clearly has a dark side and we get to see this very clearly. But then how are we supposed to feel when he escapes from danger? Yes, there are some shadier characters around him, but considering he’s the main character and he’s doing all these bad things, there needs to be something that allows us to empathise with him a bit more. I feel that creating mixed feelings in the audience would have given this movie this extra spark that it needed to be great, instead all we know is hints of some of the things he went through just before the movie started, and we never fully learn about what he’s been through.

The Good Doctor could have been great. There’s good performances all around, and some very interesting characters. There’s even some really tense scenes that had me on the edge of my seat. Unfortunately, it does have a few problems that ultimately make it hard for me to recommend that anyone watch it. Perhaps if you’ve worked in the medical field, or are an absolute medical genre junkie, this will be high on your list of movies to watch, but unfortunately for me, by the time the credits started rolling I was feeling decidedly underwhelmed.

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About Rowan Govender

Rowan Govender, a writer and artist who is more commonly known by his pen name Rowango, graduated from the University of Kwa-Zulu Natal with an Honors degree in Media in 2006. He relocated to Cape Town in 2007 to pursue his interest in writing and film. He is currently employed part time in the Technical Writing industry, while he pursues personal creative projects.

Peter Pan is back! Disney has finally loosened its memoriam grip on another classic which soars onto our screens with a new coat of high-definition magic!  The film has arguably the most timeless appeal of any Disney animation and this high-def release is celebrated on Peter Pan’s 60th anniversary, but does this edition live up to the grandeur of Peter Pan’s legacy?

Peter Pan Blu-ray
Directors: Clyde Geronimi, Wilfred Jackson, Hamilton Luske
Cast: Bobby Driscoll, Kathryn Beaumont, Hans Conried
Running time: 77
Age restriction: A 
Genre: animation

Film Review

In some ways this review is a challenge: a Cris de Coeur while avoiding hyperbole. Watching Peter Pan after so many years, I felt the same wide eyes and broad smile return after almost two decades since primary school. I’m finding it difficult to shake off the nostalgia this film has infected me with, but this is of course a testament to the wonder of Peter Pan.

This is one of Disney’s most beloved classics. Despite many iterations of J.M. Barrie’s classic 1904 play, it is this re-imagining that has firmly placed Peter Pan in our collective unconscious. Having been locked away in Disney’s memoriam vaults for years, Peter Pan finally joins my Disney Blu-ray hoard and makes it feel more complete. It feels as refreshing as ever to watch the film again for the first time in years, and with it comes a feeling of relief. Relief, because despite criticism for some unsavoury racial stereotypes and narrative liberties; the film has survived intact and acts as a truthful portrayal of an era and the undying fantasy at the heart of the classic theatre production.

Never will we forget that in the 50s, red Indians were red because they blushed too much when kissing girls and that they know so much because they greet with a how? Even in a racially sensitive country like South Africa, it is still vitally important for kids to acknowledge these stereotypes and openly discuss them with parents or teachers. I believe that it is the whimsical nature of the film that acts as a perfect conduit for children to understand and challenge stereotypes in their own way. I appreciate that Peter Pan has survived, intact, all these decades of social change and that we may enjoy its magic as well as chuckle at some attitudes that surprisingly still exist.

The film is a breath of fresh air when compared to the recent over-saturation of CGI animated features. Every magical flight; every bout of swordplay and every sequence of dancing and singing do nothing less than spring to life from each gorgeously hand-painted frame. Despite the film celebrating its 60^th anniversary, it boasts the pizazz and spirit of a much younger production. Don’t get me wrong, CGI is a masterful craft in its own right but Peter Pan is an evocative testament to the power of hand-drawn animation and its enduring visual magic.

Audio/Video Quality

Peter Pan’s release on Blu turns this classic into a high-def reference title. It comes as no surprise that Disney has used all the latest digital breakthroughs available to them, however, in some ways this 60 year old classic has been mishandled by modern advancements. Yes, the film has been completely restored: the colour palettes are rich and vibrant; and the images spectacularly clean. Nevertheless, some Disney and animation purists may find the cleanliness of the picture an over-kill and slightly bothersome. Firstly, the film grain has been removed. Previous releases of Peter Pan have all retained their natural cinematic appeal due to the presence of grain in the image. Call me an idealist, but film grain adds a subtle beauty to all motion picture and animated films and it’s a shame to see it expunged here. The second problem is the unnatural enhancement of the colours and contrast, which look great, but are not truthful to Walt Disney’s original vision. This is all knit-picking of course and and those not bothered by the tweaks will find this release an exceptional Blu-ray treat.

Interesting to note is Disney’s unpredictable audio treatment. Some of their releases unleash a sonic surround sound frenzy, whilst others are just a monotonous audio faux pas. Thankfully, Peter Pan excels with its  DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 surround track. Never is the picture betrayed by the enhanced sounds of Never-never Land and serve only to envelope the audience further in its fantastical setting. Music, effects and dialogue all dance in unison to create a sumptuous and immersive experience which is always effective and honest to Disney’s intended vision.

Bonus features

I am a confessed bonus feature fanatic and always searching for the best possible release of any film worthy of high-def treatment. I absolutely despise classic films with stingy bonus features and this region B release of Peter Pan is unfortunately a frugal misery. Several DVD special features have been recycled and many of the bonuses which feature on the region A Diamond Edition (over 4 hours worth) have only been partly included. A shame for an animated film with such an exceptionally erratic yet creative production.

The target

As with any Disney film, Peter Pan appeals to all ages: children discovering this 1953 classic for the first time or older audiences rediscovering a Disney classic finally re-released from the vaults. The film’s appeal is highly universal and archetypal.

The Bottom Line

Despite a few irks, Peter Pan’s leap onto Blu-ray is a spectacular one. I believe it will endure for a further 60 years as the definitive adaptation of a wondrous story and should find its way to any high-def Disney collection. If you are as much a Blu-ray purist as I am, consider the diamond edition of the film which is a region A release. It’s not region locked and will work on all Blu-ray machines in South Africa. However, if you are just keen to own this classic film with no fuss, don’t hesitate to upgrade or own it for the first time!

Overall score (not an average)

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About Martin Rutkowski

Martin Rutkowski is a recent graduate from AFDA Film School with an Honours degree in Directing and Screen-writing. He has two ears and one mouth and listens twice as much as he speaks. For him, home is wherever there is a darkened room, a projector and a good film playing and finds nothing more spiritual than cinema. Martin would love nothing more than to spread his passion for films (and maybe give an opinion or two) whilst pursuing several screen-writing projects.

It’s hard to imagine that Jurassic Park is already 20 years old, and by tradition it’s getting another shot at the silver screen. Thankfully for someone like me who missed it the first time around, this is the experience that I’ve been waiting for.

Jurassic Park 3D
Director: Steven Spielberg
Cast: Sam Neill, Laura Dern, Jeff Goldblum
Running time: 127
Age restriction: 10-12PG 
Genre: adventure

Plot Synopsis

Do we really need to go here? Has anyone NOT seen this movie?

The Target

If you haven’t seen Jurassic Park on the big screen, then this a must see. The 3D effects are okay but don’t really justify the admission of a return visit alone.

The Bottom Line

Lets rewind to 1993, if you were old enough to remember, Jurassic Park was the biggest movie of the year – everyone was going ape over it and I should know, my schoolyard friends revealed the entire film before I had a chance to watch it on the big screen…which never happened. Tragedy befalls the penniless youth that couldn’t afford to sneak into the local multiplex for this epic flick, but owning the tape on VHS was at least a consolation as I watched Jurassic Park until the tape succumbed to the faults that marked the now archaic medium.

It took 20 years of waiting but I too eventually got my turn to experience Steven Spielberg’s pulpy classic, and damn was it worth the wait. The film itself barely seems to have aged a day (unlike the actors of course) and it stands the test of time as most Spielberg films do. At first I was a little worried that the then revolutionary computer generated effects would have shown their age but they surprisingly hold up, mostly due to combined use of animatronic puppets in addition to polygon models.

The story itself is of another time, it has an old world charm to it – a laboured first act propels the film into a mashup of science-fiction, horror and adventure that isn’t often seen nowadays. For some, the pacing may be a little on the slow side but the lengthy introduction sets up the scene for some of Hollywood’s most memorable and iconic moments. The plot itself is absolutely ridiculous, drawing upon the 1990 novel which in turn is inspired by the silly science-fiction stories of Burroughs-era tales, but it carries at least a little bit of science fact in terms of the genetic theories that are used to justify the fantasy.

Jurassic Park is also, what I feel to be, John Williams’ last great cinema score – that’s not to say that everything he has done since hasn’t been top class, but listening to the iconic themes booming through the surround sound setup of a cinema, I feel that he hasn’t quite composed an anthem in recent years that is as catchy and epic as his accomplishments on Jurassic Park. As a fan of Williams and his older work, this was likely my first reason as an adult filmgoer to return to the land that defies time.

At the time of release, Jurassic Park’s greatest box office snare may have been it’s larger than life production values, but it lives on today as an astoundingly well told adventure that is packed with memorable characters – and I’m speaking specifically about Jeff Goldblum’s Ian Malcolm, an obnoxious character that manages to convey a great deal of poignancy despite a comedic candy coating. In many ways, Jurassic Park epitomises the true cinema experience in that it’s really a theme park attraction of a movie while simultaneously operating as a tribute to cinema’s historic love of fantasy. Simply put, they just don’t make movies like this anymore, and everyone should experience Jurassic Park on the big screen – no matter your age, no matter how many times you may have seen it on TV, this Hollywood epic must be seen in cinema to be truly appreciated.

On a side note to parents, if your kids are begging you to take them to Jurassic Park, please listen to them, this might be their last chance to see something like this and from personal experience, I never really forgave my folks for refusing to take me. Boy, that sounds petty.

I had heard that Flowers of War, the war movie based on the fall of Nanking, was less than entertaining when it was showing on the big screen. As a result, I gave it a miss. When it arrived in my pile of DVDs to review, I left it till last, thinking it was going to be pretty bad. I reluctantly popped it into my DVD player today, but contrary to what I’d heard, by the end of the movie I was pleasantly surprised.

The Flowers of War
Director:  Zhang Yimou
Cast: Christian Bale, Zhang Xinyi, Huang Tianyuan
Running time: 146
Age restriction: 18 LVP
Genre: war, drama

Plot Synopsis

Flowers of War is a war film set during the take over of Nanking by the Japanese Imperial Army in 1937. As the city falls, people flee or hide from the invading Japanese army. A group of Chinese Catholic students are on their way back to the convent where they live when the invasion begins. The students get split up during the confusion. An American man (Christian Bale) finds two of the students and leads them back to their home, where he pretends to be the priest in order to protect them from the marauding Japanese soldiers.

The Target

Flowers of War will appeal to fans of war movies, as well as viewers who like their drama on the intense side.

The Bottom Line

Flowers of War is directed by Yimou Zhang, the director who brought you Hero. Despite the change in setting, Zhang still manages to squeeze in some spectacular set pieces. Whether it’s the remnants of a Chinese squad taking on pillaging Japanese soldiers, or one Chinese soldier’s last defiant stand against the invaders, the movie finds the time to throw in some pretty cool action. Unfortunately these scenes do seem a bit out of place, since they might lead the viewer into thinking this movie is something along the lines of Saving Private Ryan, which it isn’t. After a fairly action packed opening act, the movie switches to a far more character driven story.

Excluding Christian Bale, you probably won’t recognise most of the actors, but this doesn’t mean the performances aren’t good. All the main characters are incredibly well cast and bring great performances to this movie.

Unfortunately this is necessary since this movie suffers from melodrama overload towards the end. Each of the actor’s performances are good and believable, but Zhang puts way too many heavy scenes into the end of this movie. Once you know the fate that awaits the characters in the final act, Zhang lays on heavy emotional scene after heavy emotional scene, leaving you well worn out and also thinking “is it over yet?”

The movie also has a bit of unnecessary brutality, with Zhang very clearly painting the Japanese as almost unforgivably evil. Considering this movie is based on a true events, it would have been a little bit better to see a more balanced view, similar to what Eastwood did in Letters from Iwo Jima and Flags of our Fathers.

Flowers of War is a emotionally packed movie that is almost overbearing in places, but it’s definitely a worthwhile watch, particularly if you enjoy more character driven war movies.

About the writer

Rowan Govender, a writer and artist who is more commonly known by his pen name Rowango, graduated from the University of Kwa-Zulu Natal with an Honors degree in Media in 2006. He relocated to Cape Town in 2007 to pursue his interest in writing and film. He is currently employed part time in the Technical Writing industry, while he pursues personal creative projects.