UK, 1960. Directed by Val Guest. Stanley Baker, John Crawford, Donald Pleasence, Maxine Audley, Billie Whitelaw, Joseph Tomelty, Vanda Godsell.
Hammer-produced tough crime thriller set in and around Manchester, with extensive use of authentic locations. Stanley Baker stars as Martineau, a hard-boiled police inspector on the trail of escaped convict Starling (John Crawford), who has returned to the city to pick up his stash from a previous theft. Starling gets his cronies together and pulls off a wages snatch which ends in the murder of a young female courier. Martineau, who has some history with Starling, vows to get his man. The film is notable for its bleak outlook, both in its photography and emotional tone, and can be seen as pointing the way forward for a new type of policeman on British screens. With his weary, seen-it-all demeanour, troubled personal life and uncompromising toughness, Martineau is a forerunner of many British coppers who would grace our screens in the years to come – indeed, just two years later Stratford Johns would be making his name as Barlow in the BBC TV series Z Cars, also set in northern England. Unfortunately the scenes with Martineau’s wife (Maxine Audley), in trying to depict the frustrations and inadequacies of a policeman’s life, feel awkward and barely believable – a problem with the script rather than the actors. But many of the characters are nicely drawn and there’s good work from Donald Pleasence as an unsavoury bookmaker and Billie Whitelaw as his unfaithful wife. There’s a host of other British character actors in supporting roles and some taut action sequences which are still gripping to watch even today. Director Val Guest is clearly influenced by some of the American classics of the genre and mostly it works very well. Topped off with a fine score from Stanley Black, it’s definitely worth seeing. Trivia: fans of vintage Coronation Street episodes may be interested to know that Doris Speed, who as Annie Walker was for many years the matriarch of the Rovers Return, appears briefly in the only film she ever made. Blink and you’ll miss her.
Thursday, December 16, 2010
Sunday, December 12, 2010
Room To Rent
France / UK, 2000. Directed by Khalid Al-Haggar. Saïd Taghmaoui, Rupert Graves, Anna Massey, Juliette Lewis, Karim Belkhadra, Clémentine Célarié.
Ali (Saïd Taghmaoui) is a young Egyptian who has been living in London but whose visa is due to expire in a few weeks. His aim is to become a screenwriter and he spends a lot of his time tapping out scripts on his battered old typewriter, taking his inspiration from the people and events going on around him. With little money and having been thrown out of his lodgings we follow him as he finds accommodation with a succession of colourful characters while desperately trying to raise the money to buy himself a British bride to enable him to stay in the country. The flatmates are a gay photographer (Rupert Graves), a Marilyn Monroe lookalike (Juliette Lewis) and an elderly blind woman who believes him to be the reincarnation of her dead lover (Anna Massey). This is one of those “immigrants trying to make it in Britain” movies, which I guess originated with My Beautiful Launderette (a much better film than this). It works part of the time, but some of it feels a bit laboured and the final act, which moves us into fantasy territory, sits uneasily with what has gone before. But if this is a weakness it’s also a strength, because what I liked most was that the storyline was admirably unpredictable. Saïd Taghmaoui handles his role satisfactorily and is believable as the hapless hero. As the photographer, Rupert Graves gives a strong, thoughtful performance, which steered clear of the caricature it could have been. As “Marilyn”, Juliette Lewis gives a convincing impersonation of a character who’s impersonating the movie star (if you see what I mean), but I was left unsure as to her motivation. As the elderly woman, veteran Anna Massey delights by simply doing what’s expected of her – I reckon she could do this kind of thing in her sleep! Overall then, a quirky little film which falls short of greatness, but has much to interest the viewer.
Ali (Saïd Taghmaoui) is a young Egyptian who has been living in London but whose visa is due to expire in a few weeks. His aim is to become a screenwriter and he spends a lot of his time tapping out scripts on his battered old typewriter, taking his inspiration from the people and events going on around him. With little money and having been thrown out of his lodgings we follow him as he finds accommodation with a succession of colourful characters while desperately trying to raise the money to buy himself a British bride to enable him to stay in the country. The flatmates are a gay photographer (Rupert Graves), a Marilyn Monroe lookalike (Juliette Lewis) and an elderly blind woman who believes him to be the reincarnation of her dead lover (Anna Massey). This is one of those “immigrants trying to make it in Britain” movies, which I guess originated with My Beautiful Launderette (a much better film than this). It works part of the time, but some of it feels a bit laboured and the final act, which moves us into fantasy territory, sits uneasily with what has gone before. But if this is a weakness it’s also a strength, because what I liked most was that the storyline was admirably unpredictable. Saïd Taghmaoui handles his role satisfactorily and is believable as the hapless hero. As the photographer, Rupert Graves gives a strong, thoughtful performance, which steered clear of the caricature it could have been. As “Marilyn”, Juliette Lewis gives a convincing impersonation of a character who’s impersonating the movie star (if you see what I mean), but I was left unsure as to her motivation. As the elderly woman, veteran Anna Massey delights by simply doing what’s expected of her – I reckon she could do this kind of thing in her sleep! Overall then, a quirky little film which falls short of greatness, but has much to interest the viewer.
Saturday, December 11, 2010
Quicksand
France / UK / Germany, 2003. Directed by John Mackenzie. Michael Keaton, Michael Caine, Judith Godrèche, Matthew Marsh, Rade Serbedzija, Xander Berkeley.
Michael Keaton here plays a stiff, fastidious bank investigator who unwittingly gets himself embroiled in criminal activities when he is sent to the South of France to look into some dodgy money movement. “Criminal activities” includes money laundering, corrupt cops, human trafficking, the Russian mafia, assassination, family kidnapping etc., etc., none of it very original. He uncovers a film company being used as a front for the villains and meets a has-been actor unwittingly working for them (Michael Caine). He forms an alliance with a female executive of the company (Judith Godrèche), the film’s would-be femme fatale. He is set up and framed for a murder he didn’t commit and spends much of the movie on the run, dodging both the cops and the villains as he doesn’t know who to trust. Finally his daughter is kidnapped, leading to the film’s climax. Does any of this sound familiar? With the two Michaels headlining I had certainly hoped for more from this film. But the plot is hopelessly contrived and Keaton didn’t convince me as the fussy bank investigator in the opening sequences, which made his transformation into action hero less believable. Michael Caine has often said in interviews that one of the first things he looks for when offered a script is its location, and I venture to suggest that was his prime motivator here. As the washed-up actor he gives us a performance which is almost a parody of himself – watching it I was reminded of his Spitting Image puppet from years ago, lounging around with a big fat cigar, pointing to a spot in his garden and instructing Bob Hoskins (with wheelbarrow full of cash) to “put the money over there, Bob”. As the female lead Judith Godrèche looks good but that’s about it. It seems a shame that the film’s director should be John Mackenzie, who made The Long Good Friday. I understand the movie failed to get a theatrical release but went straight to DVD – I can’t really say I’m surprised.
Michael Keaton here plays a stiff, fastidious bank investigator who unwittingly gets himself embroiled in criminal activities when he is sent to the South of France to look into some dodgy money movement. “Criminal activities” includes money laundering, corrupt cops, human trafficking, the Russian mafia, assassination, family kidnapping etc., etc., none of it very original. He uncovers a film company being used as a front for the villains and meets a has-been actor unwittingly working for them (Michael Caine). He forms an alliance with a female executive of the company (Judith Godrèche), the film’s would-be femme fatale. He is set up and framed for a murder he didn’t commit and spends much of the movie on the run, dodging both the cops and the villains as he doesn’t know who to trust. Finally his daughter is kidnapped, leading to the film’s climax. Does any of this sound familiar? With the two Michaels headlining I had certainly hoped for more from this film. But the plot is hopelessly contrived and Keaton didn’t convince me as the fussy bank investigator in the opening sequences, which made his transformation into action hero less believable. Michael Caine has often said in interviews that one of the first things he looks for when offered a script is its location, and I venture to suggest that was his prime motivator here. As the washed-up actor he gives us a performance which is almost a parody of himself – watching it I was reminded of his Spitting Image puppet from years ago, lounging around with a big fat cigar, pointing to a spot in his garden and instructing Bob Hoskins (with wheelbarrow full of cash) to “put the money over there, Bob”. As the female lead Judith Godrèche looks good but that’s about it. It seems a shame that the film’s director should be John Mackenzie, who made The Long Good Friday. I understand the movie failed to get a theatrical release but went straight to DVD – I can’t really say I’m surprised.
Friday, December 10, 2010
Arsenic And Old Lace
USA, 1944. Directed by Frank Capra. Cary Grant, Priscilla Lane, Raymond Massey, Peter Lorre, Josephine Hull, Jean Adair.
Mortimer (Grant) is a theatre critic and previously confirmed bachelor who’s just got married to Priscilla Lane. En route to their honeymoon he stops off to see his sweet old aunts (Hull and Adair), only to discover they’ve been poisoning a succession of lonely elderly men and burying them in their cellar. Also in the house is Mortimer’s brother Teddy (John Alexander), who thinks he’s Teddy Roosevelt and runs up the staircase blowing a bugle and yelling “Chaaaaarge!” every half hour or so. As the evening draws on his other brother Jonathan (Massey), a murderer newly escaped from prison, turns up with his accomplice, mad Doctor Einstein (superb Peter Lorre). They have a body of their own they’re trying to dispose of. Other characters drift in and out of the action, including a wannabe playwright cop (Jack Carson), so concerned to interest Mortimer in the play he’s written he completely misses the chaos going on around him. And there’s stalwart support from Edward Everett Horton and James Gleason. There's also an amusing running in-joke about Jonathan looking like Boris Karloff, the actor who had played the role on stage. Adapted from the successful play by Joseph Kesselring, Arsenic And Old Lace is a wonderful farce which delights from start to finish and has been a personal favourite of mine for many years. Everyone plays their part well, director Capra keeps the action moving fast and furiously and there’s a laugh in almost every line. Just about perfect.
Mortimer (Grant) is a theatre critic and previously confirmed bachelor who’s just got married to Priscilla Lane. En route to their honeymoon he stops off to see his sweet old aunts (Hull and Adair), only to discover they’ve been poisoning a succession of lonely elderly men and burying them in their cellar. Also in the house is Mortimer’s brother Teddy (John Alexander), who thinks he’s Teddy Roosevelt and runs up the staircase blowing a bugle and yelling “Chaaaaarge!” every half hour or so. As the evening draws on his other brother Jonathan (Massey), a murderer newly escaped from prison, turns up with his accomplice, mad Doctor Einstein (superb Peter Lorre). They have a body of their own they’re trying to dispose of. Other characters drift in and out of the action, including a wannabe playwright cop (Jack Carson), so concerned to interest Mortimer in the play he’s written he completely misses the chaos going on around him. And there’s stalwart support from Edward Everett Horton and James Gleason. There's also an amusing running in-joke about Jonathan looking like Boris Karloff, the actor who had played the role on stage. Adapted from the successful play by Joseph Kesselring, Arsenic And Old Lace is a wonderful farce which delights from start to finish and has been a personal favourite of mine for many years. Everyone plays their part well, director Capra keeps the action moving fast and furiously and there’s a laugh in almost every line. Just about perfect.
Thursday, December 9, 2010
The Disappeared
UK, 2008. Directed by Johnny Kevorkian. Harry Treadaway, Greg Wise, Alex Jennings, Ros Leeming, Tom Felton, Nikki Amuka-Bird.
Although tagged as a horror/thriller, this is more accurately described as a ghost story with some horror overtones. Matthew (Harry Treadaway) returns home after a spell in a psychiatric ward where he has been trying to come to terms with the disappearance and probable death of his younger brother. He still carries feelings of guilt as his father (Greg Wise) had left him in charge of the younger boy on the night he vanished. Home is a run-down flat in a grey tower block in South London which he shares with his father. There is an uneasy mood between them which we can gather is due at least in part to recent events, although in the father we also have a sense of a quick temper possibly fuelled by drink. Soon Matthew is hearing the voice of his brother calling out to him in a variety of ways and he takes this as his cue to investigate his disappearance further. Along the way he is helped by his new neighbour, Amy (Ros Leeming), a young girl with family troubles of her own, a local psychic (Nikki Amuka-Bird) and his best friend Simon, played by Tom Felton (Draco in the Harry Potter films, here in a more sympathetic role). This is the first feature-length production for director Johnny Kevorkian and co-writer Neil Murphy, and it’s an impressive debut. The twists and turns of the plot aren’t that surprising when they come and there’s quite a few clichés, but what made it interesting for me was the bleak landscape and naturalistic feel to the cinematography and the acting. You get a sense that this is what it would be like if Ken Loach made a horror film. It’s only in the final scenes, where the plot demands a more conventional thriller action and dénouement, that the naturalism jars a little. But still well worth a look.
Although tagged as a horror/thriller, this is more accurately described as a ghost story with some horror overtones. Matthew (Harry Treadaway) returns home after a spell in a psychiatric ward where he has been trying to come to terms with the disappearance and probable death of his younger brother. He still carries feelings of guilt as his father (Greg Wise) had left him in charge of the younger boy on the night he vanished. Home is a run-down flat in a grey tower block in South London which he shares with his father. There is an uneasy mood between them which we can gather is due at least in part to recent events, although in the father we also have a sense of a quick temper possibly fuelled by drink. Soon Matthew is hearing the voice of his brother calling out to him in a variety of ways and he takes this as his cue to investigate his disappearance further. Along the way he is helped by his new neighbour, Amy (Ros Leeming), a young girl with family troubles of her own, a local psychic (Nikki Amuka-Bird) and his best friend Simon, played by Tom Felton (Draco in the Harry Potter films, here in a more sympathetic role). This is the first feature-length production for director Johnny Kevorkian and co-writer Neil Murphy, and it’s an impressive debut. The twists and turns of the plot aren’t that surprising when they come and there’s quite a few clichés, but what made it interesting for me was the bleak landscape and naturalistic feel to the cinematography and the acting. You get a sense that this is what it would be like if Ken Loach made a horror film. It’s only in the final scenes, where the plot demands a more conventional thriller action and dénouement, that the naturalism jars a little. But still well worth a look.
Wednesday, December 8, 2010
Happy-Go-Lucky
UK, 2008. Directed by Mike Leigh. Sally Hawkins, Eddie Marsan, Alexis Zegerman, Samuel Roukin, Sylvestra Le Touzel, Andrea Riseborough.
In my book any Mike Leigh film is going to be interesting in some way because of his unique, collaborative approach to constructing the characters and storyline. In this one we have an award-winning performance by Sally Hawkins as Poppy, a teacher whose mostly optimistic view of life is reflected in the film’s title. She is 30 years old and relentlessly – some would say irritatingly – chirpy and good humoured, with a childlike enthusiasm for much of what goes on around her. There is little plot; rather, we are shown episodes in her life over a short period of time – with girlfriends on a boozy night out, taking driving lessons, preparing for and taking a class at the primary school in which she works, an edgy visit to her married, pregnant sister, dealing with a child who’s being bullied, taking part in a dance class (hilarious!) and beginning a relationship with a new man in her life. Of these it is the driving lessons which are given the most screen time, with the instructor, Scott, being the other major character in the film. In a powerful performance by Eddie Marsan, we see that Scott is in a sense the antithesis to Poppy. Where she is happy and optimistic, he is depressed and pessimistic. Where she is chirpy and easy-going, he is despairing and serious. Where she is relaxed and open minded he is uptight and bigoted. Where she accepts the multiracial society she lives in he is a paranoid racist. Most of all he is profoundly angry – about almost everything. Verdict: an engrossing film which makes an impressive addition to Mike Leigh’s body of work and incidentally, how nice to see a film set in a real-life London instead of the picture postcard tour which is so often served up.
In my book any Mike Leigh film is going to be interesting in some way because of his unique, collaborative approach to constructing the characters and storyline. In this one we have an award-winning performance by Sally Hawkins as Poppy, a teacher whose mostly optimistic view of life is reflected in the film’s title. She is 30 years old and relentlessly – some would say irritatingly – chirpy and good humoured, with a childlike enthusiasm for much of what goes on around her. There is little plot; rather, we are shown episodes in her life over a short period of time – with girlfriends on a boozy night out, taking driving lessons, preparing for and taking a class at the primary school in which she works, an edgy visit to her married, pregnant sister, dealing with a child who’s being bullied, taking part in a dance class (hilarious!) and beginning a relationship with a new man in her life. Of these it is the driving lessons which are given the most screen time, with the instructor, Scott, being the other major character in the film. In a powerful performance by Eddie Marsan, we see that Scott is in a sense the antithesis to Poppy. Where she is happy and optimistic, he is depressed and pessimistic. Where she is chirpy and easy-going, he is despairing and serious. Where she is relaxed and open minded he is uptight and bigoted. Where she accepts the multiracial society she lives in he is a paranoid racist. Most of all he is profoundly angry – about almost everything. Verdict: an engrossing film which makes an impressive addition to Mike Leigh’s body of work and incidentally, how nice to see a film set in a real-life London instead of the picture postcard tour which is so often served up.
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
Primeval
USA, 2007. Directed by Michael Katleman. Dominic Purcell, Brooke Langton, Orlando Jones, Jürgen Prochnow, Gideon Emery, Gabriel Malema.
Supposedly a horror film about an extra large killer crocodile, Primeval is actually a bit of a joke – in fact they should have called it What’s Up, Croc? Set in Burundi amidst the background of civil war, a small news team investigates the aforementioned killer croc which has become news in the Western world because it’s recently gobbled up a white woman. The team are a motley group of caricatures we’ve all seen before: a hunky male reporter (Purcell), who initially regards the expedition as a waste of his time; a foxy female reporter (Langton) who insists they take it seriously; a wisecracking black cameraman (Jones), best buddy of Purcell; a Steve Irwin-type crocodile expert cum media pundit (Emery); a grizzled old crocodile hunter with a chip on his shoulder (Jürgen Prochnow no less); and a black youth (Malema) who tags along with them because he wants them to take him back to the States when they leave. But having set up this scenario the film then takes a different direction entirely and becomes an action thriller about the Burundi civil war and its genocide. From this point on the poor old croc struggles to get his fair share of screen time. Even this wouldn’t be such a disaster if it had been done well, but the script is very heavy-handed and discussions amongst the team about the political situation are very po-faced and unconvincing. There seems to be an attempt to use the crocodile as some sort of allegory, by giving him the same name as the dreaded local war lord, Gustave. Some of the action sequences are effective enough, although they would have been well advised to follow the rule of such films that the less you see of the monster the more effective the threat. The whole thing has a sort of 1970s feel to it. Fans of this genre will be pleased to note it has the obligatory cute animal – in this case a dog – which enables a scene where our heroes have to return to the danger zone to rescue it.
Supposedly a horror film about an extra large killer crocodile, Primeval is actually a bit of a joke – in fact they should have called it What’s Up, Croc? Set in Burundi amidst the background of civil war, a small news team investigates the aforementioned killer croc which has become news in the Western world because it’s recently gobbled up a white woman. The team are a motley group of caricatures we’ve all seen before: a hunky male reporter (Purcell), who initially regards the expedition as a waste of his time; a foxy female reporter (Langton) who insists they take it seriously; a wisecracking black cameraman (Jones), best buddy of Purcell; a Steve Irwin-type crocodile expert cum media pundit (Emery); a grizzled old crocodile hunter with a chip on his shoulder (Jürgen Prochnow no less); and a black youth (Malema) who tags along with them because he wants them to take him back to the States when they leave. But having set up this scenario the film then takes a different direction entirely and becomes an action thriller about the Burundi civil war and its genocide. From this point on the poor old croc struggles to get his fair share of screen time. Even this wouldn’t be such a disaster if it had been done well, but the script is very heavy-handed and discussions amongst the team about the political situation are very po-faced and unconvincing. There seems to be an attempt to use the crocodile as some sort of allegory, by giving him the same name as the dreaded local war lord, Gustave. Some of the action sequences are effective enough, although they would have been well advised to follow the rule of such films that the less you see of the monster the more effective the threat. The whole thing has a sort of 1970s feel to it. Fans of this genre will be pleased to note it has the obligatory cute animal – in this case a dog – which enables a scene where our heroes have to return to the danger zone to rescue it.
Sunday, December 5, 2010
Mildred Pierce
USA, 1945. Directed by Michael Curtiz. Joan Crawford, Jack Carson, Zachary Scott, Eve Arden, Ann Blyth, Bruce Bennett.
A film noir melodrama, Mildred Pierce is perhaps most famous for being the movie that sensationally rescued Joan Crawford’s career and brought her back to box office success and the stardom she had experienced in the 1930s. Her performance in the title role won her the Oscar for Best Actress. The story, adapted from a James M. Cain novel, is straightforward enough: Mildred’s love for her daughter Veda (Ann Blyth) leads her through a series of catastrophes which she not only survives but uses to transform herself into a highly capable, wealthy and successful businesswoman. Unfortunately Veda is so thoroughly selfish and grasping, the more she gets the more she wants, as Mildred eventually realises (not before time, we the audience are thinking!). The story begins with a murder and is then told in flashback for much of the film's running time, as we gradually learn of the events which led to this violent climax. Crawford’s melodramatic style works well in a movie which combines soap opera with noir thriller. Directed by Michael Curtiz and shot in classic expressionistic style by Ernest Haller (whose cinematography was also nominated), with a memorable score by Max Steiner, the film is a triumph of the talents who produced it. As the men in Mildred’s life, Carson, Scott and Bennett all play their parts well and Ann Blyth is suitable repulsive as the daughter from hell. But the most telling line in the movie is left to Mildred’s business associate Ida (a peerless performance by Eve Arden): "Personally, I think alligators have the right idea. They eat their young."
A film noir melodrama, Mildred Pierce is perhaps most famous for being the movie that sensationally rescued Joan Crawford’s career and brought her back to box office success and the stardom she had experienced in the 1930s. Her performance in the title role won her the Oscar for Best Actress. The story, adapted from a James M. Cain novel, is straightforward enough: Mildred’s love for her daughter Veda (Ann Blyth) leads her through a series of catastrophes which she not only survives but uses to transform herself into a highly capable, wealthy and successful businesswoman. Unfortunately Veda is so thoroughly selfish and grasping, the more she gets the more she wants, as Mildred eventually realises (not before time, we the audience are thinking!). The story begins with a murder and is then told in flashback for much of the film's running time, as we gradually learn of the events which led to this violent climax. Crawford’s melodramatic style works well in a movie which combines soap opera with noir thriller. Directed by Michael Curtiz and shot in classic expressionistic style by Ernest Haller (whose cinematography was also nominated), with a memorable score by Max Steiner, the film is a triumph of the talents who produced it. As the men in Mildred’s life, Carson, Scott and Bennett all play their parts well and Ann Blyth is suitable repulsive as the daughter from hell. But the most telling line in the movie is left to Mildred’s business associate Ida (a peerless performance by Eve Arden): "Personally, I think alligators have the right idea. They eat their young."
Saturday, December 4, 2010
Cellular
USA / Germany, 2004. Directed by David R. Ellis. Kim Basinger, Chris Evans, William H. Macey, Jason Statham, Eric Christian Olsen, Adam Taylor Gordon.
Kim Basinger has been kidnapped and held prisoner in the attic of her own home by a gang of ruthless thugs for reasons she does not understand. Her son and husband are also at threat and in a desperate attempt to try to rally help she clicks together the wires of a wall phone smashed by her captors, hoping to connect to someone at random and convince them she’s being held prisoner. She can do this because we have learned in the opening minutes of the film that she’s a science teacher. She reaches Ryan (Chris Evans), convinces him she’s in danger and it’s up to him to save the day but to do so they have to keep the connection open. This plot gimmick then carries us through the film, with Ryan facing all manner of threats to the connection and eventually, to himself. Preposterous? Yes. Does it work? Surprisingly well. From its opening scenes of calm suddenly shattered by vicious assault this film rattles along, keeping the action moving and its audience gripped as Ryan solves one difficulty after another and demonstrates the versatility of the humble cell phone. They should have called it 101 Things To Do With A Mobile Phone. The acting’s fine – Jason Statham makes a convincing bad guy and it’s a real bonus to find William H. Macey – an actor I am happy to watch in any movie – in the cast playing a weary but principled cop. For me, the film benefits from two things in particular, which I often mention in reviews. The first is that it succeeds in drawing in its audience and keeping them hooked by keeping the action going. If you are telling an unlikely or implausible story the worst thing you can do is to give the audience time to figure out the illogicalities of the plot. The second thing, which connects with the first, is that this film runs only just over an hour and a half. I seem to have watched so many films lasting two hours which would have benefited from having 20 minutes or so chopped off. Cellular is definitely one of the better thrillers I’ve watched in recent times.
Kim Basinger has been kidnapped and held prisoner in the attic of her own home by a gang of ruthless thugs for reasons she does not understand. Her son and husband are also at threat and in a desperate attempt to try to rally help she clicks together the wires of a wall phone smashed by her captors, hoping to connect to someone at random and convince them she’s being held prisoner. She can do this because we have learned in the opening minutes of the film that she’s a science teacher. She reaches Ryan (Chris Evans), convinces him she’s in danger and it’s up to him to save the day but to do so they have to keep the connection open. This plot gimmick then carries us through the film, with Ryan facing all manner of threats to the connection and eventually, to himself. Preposterous? Yes. Does it work? Surprisingly well. From its opening scenes of calm suddenly shattered by vicious assault this film rattles along, keeping the action moving and its audience gripped as Ryan solves one difficulty after another and demonstrates the versatility of the humble cell phone. They should have called it 101 Things To Do With A Mobile Phone. The acting’s fine – Jason Statham makes a convincing bad guy and it’s a real bonus to find William H. Macey – an actor I am happy to watch in any movie – in the cast playing a weary but principled cop. For me, the film benefits from two things in particular, which I often mention in reviews. The first is that it succeeds in drawing in its audience and keeping them hooked by keeping the action going. If you are telling an unlikely or implausible story the worst thing you can do is to give the audience time to figure out the illogicalities of the plot. The second thing, which connects with the first, is that this film runs only just over an hour and a half. I seem to have watched so many films lasting two hours which would have benefited from having 20 minutes or so chopped off. Cellular is definitely one of the better thrillers I’ve watched in recent times.
Friday, December 3, 2010
The Last Castle
USA, 2001. Directed by Rod Lurie. Robert Redford, James Gandolfini, Mark Ruffalo, Steve Burton, Delroy Lindo, Robin Wright Penn.
Prison drama which centres around the arrival of the highly decorated soldier General Irwin (Redford) at a military prison run by the obsessive, sadistic Colonel Winter (Gandolfini). We learn Irwin has been incarcerated for disobeying a direct order which led to the death of soldiers under his command. Winter admires Irwin and initially the general states he just wants to do his time and get home and we see him discouraging other inmates from treating him any differently from anyone else. But Winter’s cruel regime soon changes Irwin’s mind and before long the two are locked into what is effectively a battle of wills within the confines of the prison as Irwin plans and leads an uprising. Both men use military strategies; the difference is that Winter is largely a theorist (he even has a collection of books and military memorabilia), while Irwin has fought many real-life battles. It’s a film whose plot doesn’t stand too much close scrutiny but it is highly effective in its portrayal of the two opponents and the final battle is exciting to watch. It benefits from two solid leading performances. Redford is as reliable as ever, bringing all those qualities we have come to expect of him over the years, oozing a mixture of fairness, inner strength, determination and toughness. But it’s Gandolfini who impressed me more – his portrayal of Winter is subtle and gives a real sense of the inner life of the man without turning him into a caricature. He proves once again there’s more to him than his breakthrough role in The Sopranos.
Prison drama which centres around the arrival of the highly decorated soldier General Irwin (Redford) at a military prison run by the obsessive, sadistic Colonel Winter (Gandolfini). We learn Irwin has been incarcerated for disobeying a direct order which led to the death of soldiers under his command. Winter admires Irwin and initially the general states he just wants to do his time and get home and we see him discouraging other inmates from treating him any differently from anyone else. But Winter’s cruel regime soon changes Irwin’s mind and before long the two are locked into what is effectively a battle of wills within the confines of the prison as Irwin plans and leads an uprising. Both men use military strategies; the difference is that Winter is largely a theorist (he even has a collection of books and military memorabilia), while Irwin has fought many real-life battles. It’s a film whose plot doesn’t stand too much close scrutiny but it is highly effective in its portrayal of the two opponents and the final battle is exciting to watch. It benefits from two solid leading performances. Redford is as reliable as ever, bringing all those qualities we have come to expect of him over the years, oozing a mixture of fairness, inner strength, determination and toughness. But it’s Gandolfini who impressed me more – his portrayal of Winter is subtle and gives a real sense of the inner life of the man without turning him into a caricature. He proves once again there’s more to him than his breakthrough role in The Sopranos.
Thursday, December 2, 2010
The Green Man
UK, 1956. Directed by Robert Day. Alastair Sim, George Cole, Jill Adams, Terry-Thomas, Raymond Huntley, Colin Gordon, Dora Bryan.
Adapted from the stage play Meet A Body by producers Launder & Gilliat, this farce may not be as widely known as the more famous Ealing comedies but is nevertheless one of the funniest British films of the 1950s. It tells the tale of a gauche vacuum cleaner salesman (Cole) and the young woman he befriends (Adams) who together thwart the murderous plans of a master assassin (Sim). In addition to the leads there’s a wealth of familiar faces appearing in supporting roles: Raymond Huntley as a pompous politician, attempting to have a dirty weekend with a naiive typist, Terry-Thomas as a caddish charmer, convinced his wife is keeping tabs on him, Dora Bryan as a flirty barmaid and the wonderful Colin Gordon as a pretentious intellectual poet-cum-BBC newsreader. In real life Alastair Sim fostered George Cole and helped his acting career – they appeared together in numerous films including of course the St Trinians series. Here they don’t have many scenes together but each is amusing in his own right whenever they’re on screen. Cole of course would find even greater fame on TV in the 1980s playing Arthur Daley in Minder. My favourite moment in this film: Sim’s pretence of enthusiasm as the string trio play in the hotel lounge. Priceless.
Adapted from the stage play Meet A Body by producers Launder & Gilliat, this farce may not be as widely known as the more famous Ealing comedies but is nevertheless one of the funniest British films of the 1950s. It tells the tale of a gauche vacuum cleaner salesman (Cole) and the young woman he befriends (Adams) who together thwart the murderous plans of a master assassin (Sim). In addition to the leads there’s a wealth of familiar faces appearing in supporting roles: Raymond Huntley as a pompous politician, attempting to have a dirty weekend with a naiive typist, Terry-Thomas as a caddish charmer, convinced his wife is keeping tabs on him, Dora Bryan as a flirty barmaid and the wonderful Colin Gordon as a pretentious intellectual poet-cum-BBC newsreader. In real life Alastair Sim fostered George Cole and helped his acting career – they appeared together in numerous films including of course the St Trinians series. Here they don’t have many scenes together but each is amusing in his own right whenever they’re on screen. Cole of course would find even greater fame on TV in the 1980s playing Arthur Daley in Minder. My favourite moment in this film: Sim’s pretence of enthusiasm as the string trio play in the hotel lounge. Priceless.
The Jacket
USA / Germany, 2005. Directed by John Maybury. Adrien Brody, Keira Knightley, Kris Kristofferson, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Kelly Lynch, Brad Renfro, Daniel Craig.
How do I describe this movie? Psychological thriller? Sci-fi? Horror? Contemplative piece on the meaning of life? It has elements of all of these, which perhaps explains my difficulty with it. A Gulf War soldier (Brody) is shot when he lets down his guard. Initially thought to be dead he miraculously comes back to life. His voice-over tells us: “I was 27 the first time I died”. In a series of brief episodes we see him convicted of a murder he didn’t commit and incarcerated in a secure hospital for the criminally insane where he becomes the object of a mad doctor’s (Kristofferson) experiments. The story then develops into a time-travel saga, one of those tales where the protagonist keeps making leaps forwards and backwards to try to change the future and right wrongs etc. It has a slightly arty feel to it, which is no surprise from this director, but for me it still feels like an expanded episode of The Twilight Zone. Nothing wrong with that I guess, but I had the impression I was supposed to engage with it on a higher level than that, something I failed to do. It’s solidly made, the acting’s excellent (Brody’s mournful persona is just right here) and the scenes in the hospital are shot in suitably subdued colours, nicely contrasting with those set in the future. Keira Knightley as Brody’s girlfriend – a key player in the story – excels in a role that requires some skill in its execution, but Daniel Craig fares less well, in a small role which seems superfluous. Satisfactory if you’re happy to suspend your disbelief and just go with it.
How do I describe this movie? Psychological thriller? Sci-fi? Horror? Contemplative piece on the meaning of life? It has elements of all of these, which perhaps explains my difficulty with it. A Gulf War soldier (Brody) is shot when he lets down his guard. Initially thought to be dead he miraculously comes back to life. His voice-over tells us: “I was 27 the first time I died”. In a series of brief episodes we see him convicted of a murder he didn’t commit and incarcerated in a secure hospital for the criminally insane where he becomes the object of a mad doctor’s (Kristofferson) experiments. The story then develops into a time-travel saga, one of those tales where the protagonist keeps making leaps forwards and backwards to try to change the future and right wrongs etc. It has a slightly arty feel to it, which is no surprise from this director, but for me it still feels like an expanded episode of The Twilight Zone. Nothing wrong with that I guess, but I had the impression I was supposed to engage with it on a higher level than that, something I failed to do. It’s solidly made, the acting’s excellent (Brody’s mournful persona is just right here) and the scenes in the hospital are shot in suitably subdued colours, nicely contrasting with those set in the future. Keira Knightley as Brody’s girlfriend – a key player in the story – excels in a role that requires some skill in its execution, but Daniel Craig fares less well, in a small role which seems superfluous. Satisfactory if you’re happy to suspend your disbelief and just go with it.
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
The Manchurian Candidate
USA, 2004. Directed by Jonathan Demme. Denzel Washington, Meryl Streep, Liev Schreiber, Kimberly Elise, Jon Voight, Vera Farmiga, Bruno Ganz.
I’m wary of remakes, especially if I have fond memories of the original, and John Frankenheimer’s 1962 version starring Laurence Harvey and Frank Sinatra is a film I rate highly. But this one is headlined by two actors at the top of their game – Streep and Washington – and in Jonathan Demme has a highly acclaimed director, so I was interested to see what they’d done with it. The film uses the basic storyline from the original but updates and expands it. So we still have a conspiracy plot to use a brainwashed veteran to assassinate the president and an evil, power-hungry mother but the Communist conspirators of the earlier version are now the enemy within – big business and its corporate interests in the shape of the sinister Manchurian Corporation. Really comparisons aren’t helpful because despite the similarities this really is a different film and unfortunately a less successful one. Political thrillers with unscrupulous corporations and corrupt politicians have become a cliché and there is a lack of clarity and direction in the writing here which fails to lift this above the ordinary. There are too many plot holes left gaping and just too many indeterminate men in suits – I never did figure out the significance of Dean Stockwell’s character. Despite this Washington is superb – he just needs a better film. Streep was disappointing – her performance felt a bit like pantomime. Trivia: was Jon Voight’s final scene in the kayak a sly reference to his famous role in Deliverance all those years ago?
I’m wary of remakes, especially if I have fond memories of the original, and John Frankenheimer’s 1962 version starring Laurence Harvey and Frank Sinatra is a film I rate highly. But this one is headlined by two actors at the top of their game – Streep and Washington – and in Jonathan Demme has a highly acclaimed director, so I was interested to see what they’d done with it. The film uses the basic storyline from the original but updates and expands it. So we still have a conspiracy plot to use a brainwashed veteran to assassinate the president and an evil, power-hungry mother but the Communist conspirators of the earlier version are now the enemy within – big business and its corporate interests in the shape of the sinister Manchurian Corporation. Really comparisons aren’t helpful because despite the similarities this really is a different film and unfortunately a less successful one. Political thrillers with unscrupulous corporations and corrupt politicians have become a cliché and there is a lack of clarity and direction in the writing here which fails to lift this above the ordinary. There are too many plot holes left gaping and just too many indeterminate men in suits – I never did figure out the significance of Dean Stockwell’s character. Despite this Washington is superb – he just needs a better film. Streep was disappointing – her performance felt a bit like pantomime. Trivia: was Jon Voight’s final scene in the kayak a sly reference to his famous role in Deliverance all those years ago?
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
Catch Us If You Can
UK, 1965. Directed by John Boorman. Dave Clark, Barbara Ferris, Clive Swift, Hugh Walters, Yootha Joyce, Robin Bailey.
What a surprise this was! Back in 1964-5 the Dave Clark 5 were tremendously popular and in some quarters even touted as a threat to the Beatles themselves. This film, coming as it did after A Hard Day’s Night, was the natural next step for the band. I don’t know why I didn’t watch it at the time – possibly because I was never that keen on the Dave Clark 5 – but the moment passed and, in time, so did the band. When I did finally get to see it – 45 years after its release – I was astounded to find that this was far from being a pale rip-off of the Beatles’ film. Yes, it is a vehicle for the band in that they and their music are featured, but they are not playing themselves and the music is on the soundtrack rather than the visuals. The plot separates Clark from the rest of the band for much of the time and takes him and his model friend on a semi-surreal quest through 60s hip Britain for the meaning of life. If that sounds pretentious, well, it is, but with a young John Boorman directing and playwright Peter Nichols scripting it held my attention throughout even though much of it doesn’t make a lot of sense. Yootha Joyce and Robin Bailey, TV stars in the making, appear in some amusing scenes together as a bored but wealthy couple and Archers fans may be interested to spot Edgar Harrison, the third actor to play Dan Archer, in what I believe was his only film role.
What a surprise this was! Back in 1964-5 the Dave Clark 5 were tremendously popular and in some quarters even touted as a threat to the Beatles themselves. This film, coming as it did after A Hard Day’s Night, was the natural next step for the band. I don’t know why I didn’t watch it at the time – possibly because I was never that keen on the Dave Clark 5 – but the moment passed and, in time, so did the band. When I did finally get to see it – 45 years after its release – I was astounded to find that this was far from being a pale rip-off of the Beatles’ film. Yes, it is a vehicle for the band in that they and their music are featured, but they are not playing themselves and the music is on the soundtrack rather than the visuals. The plot separates Clark from the rest of the band for much of the time and takes him and his model friend on a semi-surreal quest through 60s hip Britain for the meaning of life. If that sounds pretentious, well, it is, but with a young John Boorman directing and playwright Peter Nichols scripting it held my attention throughout even though much of it doesn’t make a lot of sense. Yootha Joyce and Robin Bailey, TV stars in the making, appear in some amusing scenes together as a bored but wealthy couple and Archers fans may be interested to spot Edgar Harrison, the third actor to play Dan Archer, in what I believe was his only film role.
Monday, November 29, 2010
Gods And Monsters
UK / USA, 1998. Directed by Bill Condon. Ian McKellan, Brendan Fraser, Lynn Redgrave, Lolita Davidovich, David Dukes, Rosalind Ayres.
Thoughtful and at times very moving film which explores the final days of British director James Whale, who went to Hollywood and became the man who made Universal’s Frankenstein and The Bride Of Frankenstein in the 1930s but was later shunned and largely forgotten by the film community. An elegant homosexual in poor health and in his 60s, he befriends the young, handsome Clayton Boone (Brendan Fraser) who has been employed to work in his garden. The attraction for Whale is complex – we understand it to be in part sexual, but in fact it is more than that. In his head we see a connection is made between Clayton and the friendless, misunderstood Monster in Whale’s famous picture. As Whale, Ian McKellan is superb in a part which could have been made for him and Brendan Fraser acquits himself well, hitting just the right note of naiivety and vulnerability. As Whale’s housekeeper, a virtually unrecognizable Lynn Redgrave almost steals the show in a brilliant supporting role performance and Rosalind Ayres is also notable for her spot-on impersonation of the Bride herself, Elsa Lanchester. A quality film.
Thoughtful and at times very moving film which explores the final days of British director James Whale, who went to Hollywood and became the man who made Universal’s Frankenstein and The Bride Of Frankenstein in the 1930s but was later shunned and largely forgotten by the film community. An elegant homosexual in poor health and in his 60s, he befriends the young, handsome Clayton Boone (Brendan Fraser) who has been employed to work in his garden. The attraction for Whale is complex – we understand it to be in part sexual, but in fact it is more than that. In his head we see a connection is made between Clayton and the friendless, misunderstood Monster in Whale’s famous picture. As Whale, Ian McKellan is superb in a part which could have been made for him and Brendan Fraser acquits himself well, hitting just the right note of naiivety and vulnerability. As Whale’s housekeeper, a virtually unrecognizable Lynn Redgrave almost steals the show in a brilliant supporting role performance and Rosalind Ayres is also notable for her spot-on impersonation of the Bride herself, Elsa Lanchester. A quality film.
Sunday, November 28, 2010
Cloverfield
USA, 2008. Directed by Matt Reeves. Michael Stahl-David, T. J. Miller, Jessica Lucas, Lizzy Caplan, Mike Vogel, Odette Yustman.
Cleverly constructed monster movie which brings something new to the genre in that the whole thing is shot in a hand-held, shaky camera style apparently depicting events as they happen. It’s a mixture of Godzilla and Blair Witch, engaging and maintaining our interest as it follows the fortunes of a small group of young people as they struggle through the streets of Manhattan in the aftermath of violent destruction caused by a scary monster and the smaller spider-like creatures (parasitic lice?) which descend from it with alarming rapidity. The protagonists are at a surprise farewell party when they are suddenly thrown into chaos as the building shakes violently. The aforementioned camera is held by one of them who has been rather amateurishly filming the celebration. Taking to the streets, it soon becomes clear to all that a major attack on the city is taking place. I found it highly effective, not only in its special effects but also in the involvement I felt with the characters. Oh, and it’s also pretty scary at times!
Cleverly constructed monster movie which brings something new to the genre in that the whole thing is shot in a hand-held, shaky camera style apparently depicting events as they happen. It’s a mixture of Godzilla and Blair Witch, engaging and maintaining our interest as it follows the fortunes of a small group of young people as they struggle through the streets of Manhattan in the aftermath of violent destruction caused by a scary monster and the smaller spider-like creatures (parasitic lice?) which descend from it with alarming rapidity. The protagonists are at a surprise farewell party when they are suddenly thrown into chaos as the building shakes violently. The aforementioned camera is held by one of them who has been rather amateurishly filming the celebration. Taking to the streets, it soon becomes clear to all that a major attack on the city is taking place. I found it highly effective, not only in its special effects but also in the involvement I felt with the characters. Oh, and it’s also pretty scary at times!
Friday, November 26, 2010
The Leather Boys
UK, 1964. Directed by Sidney J. Furie. Rita Tushingham, Colin Campbell, Dudley Sutton, Gladys Henson, Avice Landone, Lockwood West.
Set in the world of young bikers, The Leather Boys is part of the “new realism” of British films of the period – a period which introduced many new young actors onto the screen. Rita Tushingham, a star from her appearance in A Taste Of Honey a couple of years earlier, here is cast with Colin Campbell as a couple of working-class teenagers who marry young but find it difficult to adjust to the responsibilities of life as a couple. He has a motorbike and they are both part of the local scene, hanging out with their mates at a bikers’ café. When things get too difficult for the couple, Campbell finds himself spending time with a new biker friend (a thoughtful and convincing performance by Dudley Sutton), not realising the true nature of the other’s affection for him. This being 1964, the homosexuality is handled with subtlety and discretion, but is nevertheless very clearly stated and because of this the film has been declared groundbreaking, though of course very tame by today’s standards. The ending, typical of films of this period, is downbeat and somewhat bleak, but it’s definitely a film worth seeing and if you’re a bike fan you’ll probably enjoy the road sequences.
Set in the world of young bikers, The Leather Boys is part of the “new realism” of British films of the period – a period which introduced many new young actors onto the screen. Rita Tushingham, a star from her appearance in A Taste Of Honey a couple of years earlier, here is cast with Colin Campbell as a couple of working-class teenagers who marry young but find it difficult to adjust to the responsibilities of life as a couple. He has a motorbike and they are both part of the local scene, hanging out with their mates at a bikers’ café. When things get too difficult for the couple, Campbell finds himself spending time with a new biker friend (a thoughtful and convincing performance by Dudley Sutton), not realising the true nature of the other’s affection for him. This being 1964, the homosexuality is handled with subtlety and discretion, but is nevertheless very clearly stated and because of this the film has been declared groundbreaking, though of course very tame by today’s standards. The ending, typical of films of this period, is downbeat and somewhat bleak, but it’s definitely a film worth seeing and if you’re a bike fan you’ll probably enjoy the road sequences.
Thursday, November 25, 2010
An Alligator Named Daisy
UK, 1955. Directed by J. Lee Thompson. Donald Sinden, Jeannie Carson, James Robertson Justice, Diana Dors, Roland Culver, Stanley Holloway.
With a cast of stalwart British character actors and pleasing photography of 1950s Britain, I had hoped and expected to be more entertained by this film. Unfortunately I found myself glued to it for the wrong reasons - I couldn't quite believe how awful it was. I must have watched thousands of old films and am always ready to make allowances for them being products of their time, but this was really hard going. As others have noted, a major problem is that it doesn't seem to know what it wants to be: a gentle romantic comedy, a slapstick comedy or a musical. I was a bit gobsmacked when Jeannie Carson suddenly broke into song about 15 minutes in! It's not believable on any level, either the storyline itself or the fact that Daisy never appears to have an ounce of menace in her at any time. Other aspects which defied credibility included the casting of suave Donald Sinden as a songwriter (a songwriter for God's sake!), the fact he has Diana Dors for a fiancée and doesn't appear to have the slightest interest in her (I mean, Diana Dors! Come on!) and a ludicrous scene in a song publisher's office. The whole thing's silly in the worst possible way. If I had to pick a favourite scene it would be the one at the very beginning with that wonderful actor Wilfred Lawson - after that everything went downhill in a big way.
With a cast of stalwart British character actors and pleasing photography of 1950s Britain, I had hoped and expected to be more entertained by this film. Unfortunately I found myself glued to it for the wrong reasons - I couldn't quite believe how awful it was. I must have watched thousands of old films and am always ready to make allowances for them being products of their time, but this was really hard going. As others have noted, a major problem is that it doesn't seem to know what it wants to be: a gentle romantic comedy, a slapstick comedy or a musical. I was a bit gobsmacked when Jeannie Carson suddenly broke into song about 15 minutes in! It's not believable on any level, either the storyline itself or the fact that Daisy never appears to have an ounce of menace in her at any time. Other aspects which defied credibility included the casting of suave Donald Sinden as a songwriter (a songwriter for God's sake!), the fact he has Diana Dors for a fiancée and doesn't appear to have the slightest interest in her (I mean, Diana Dors! Come on!) and a ludicrous scene in a song publisher's office. The whole thing's silly in the worst possible way. If I had to pick a favourite scene it would be the one at the very beginning with that wonderful actor Wilfred Lawson - after that everything went downhill in a big way.
La Vie Rêvée Des Anges
France, 1998. Directed by Erick Zonca. Élodie Bouchez, Natacha Régnier, Grégoire Colin, Patrick Mercado, Jo Prestia.
An exceptional film which rightly picked up many nominations and awards for its two female leads and its director, including a shared Best Actress award for Élodie Bouchez and Natacha Régnier at the Cannes Film Festival in 1998. They play Isa and Marie, two young women who meet by chance and form a strong friendship – at first they are inseparable, with Isa moving into Marie’s borrowed apartment, but over the course of a couple of months their differences, particularly their fundamentally different philosophies of life and love, put a strain on their relationship. I’m aware that description doesn’t really do the film justice – there’s a lot more to it than that. It’s shot in a naturalistic style, which is simple but sweeps us into their world; we feel the intensity of their emotions. It’s refreshingly free of cliché and plot predictability, and its climax shockingly understated. A great piece of film-making.
An exceptional film which rightly picked up many nominations and awards for its two female leads and its director, including a shared Best Actress award for Élodie Bouchez and Natacha Régnier at the Cannes Film Festival in 1998. They play Isa and Marie, two young women who meet by chance and form a strong friendship – at first they are inseparable, with Isa moving into Marie’s borrowed apartment, but over the course of a couple of months their differences, particularly their fundamentally different philosophies of life and love, put a strain on their relationship. I’m aware that description doesn’t really do the film justice – there’s a lot more to it than that. It’s shot in a naturalistic style, which is simple but sweeps us into their world; we feel the intensity of their emotions. It’s refreshingly free of cliché and plot predictability, and its climax shockingly understated. A great piece of film-making.
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
Jeepers Creepers
Germany / USA, 2001. Directed by Victor Salva. Gina Philips, Justin Long, Patricia Belcher, Eileen Brennan, Jonathan Breck.
With Francis Ford Coppola as Executive Producer it's perhaps not surprising that this film is a little better than many in the same genre. The first half (about 45 minutes) is really very good, with director Victor Salva building up the relationship between the siblings and creating an uneasy feel where you sense something will happen but are unsure what. That said, it somewhat falls apart in the second half, as it develops into a routine monster movie which allows you time to think about the illogicalities of the plot. But overall not a bad effort, though I would certainly challenge the quote on the packaging: "the best US horror movie of the last 10 years".
With Francis Ford Coppola as Executive Producer it's perhaps not surprising that this film is a little better than many in the same genre. The first half (about 45 minutes) is really very good, with director Victor Salva building up the relationship between the siblings and creating an uneasy feel where you sense something will happen but are unsure what. That said, it somewhat falls apart in the second half, as it develops into a routine monster movie which allows you time to think about the illogicalities of the plot. But overall not a bad effort, though I would certainly challenge the quote on the packaging: "the best US horror movie of the last 10 years".
Fantastic Voyage
USA, 1966. Directed by Richard Fleischer. Stephen Boyd, Raquel Welch, Edmond O’Brien, Donald Pleasence, Arthur O’Connell, William Redfield, Arthur Kennedy.
What a hoot! A small medical team and a submarine are miniaturised and injected into the body of a leading Cold War scientist who has suffered a blood clot following his escape from east to west. The crew are in a race against time to save his life. Visually imaginative, in a psychedelic sort of way, it holds the attention as our heroes battle the alien terrain of a human body. The actors’ performances are satisfactory without being particularly noteworthy and it’s possible that some viewers may actually learn some basic biology if they pay attention. The main problem is that there’s too much dialogue, which tends to slow down the action. But this is OK if you're happy with undemanding sci-fi.
What a hoot! A small medical team and a submarine are miniaturised and injected into the body of a leading Cold War scientist who has suffered a blood clot following his escape from east to west. The crew are in a race against time to save his life. Visually imaginative, in a psychedelic sort of way, it holds the attention as our heroes battle the alien terrain of a human body. The actors’ performances are satisfactory without being particularly noteworthy and it’s possible that some viewers may actually learn some basic biology if they pay attention. The main problem is that there’s too much dialogue, which tends to slow down the action. But this is OK if you're happy with undemanding sci-fi.
In This Our Life
USA, 1942. Directed by John Huston. Bette Davis, Olivia de Havilland, George Brent, Dennis Morgan, Charles Coburn, Frank Craven, Billie Burke, Hattie McDaniel, Ernest Anderson.
John Huston’s second film as director, and an interesting one it is too. Opinions differ about whether Davis ruins it by giving an over-the-top performance – I’m inclined to say she doesn’t. Huston was quoted as saying he “let the demon go”, in a reference to her performance. She plays a spoilt young woman who ditches her own fiancé in favour of her sister’s husband – and that’s just for starters! By the end of the film it is clear her character is totally irredeemable – in fact, we are shocked by the depths to which she is prepared to sink to save herself. There is much to interest film analysts here – for example the psychological make-up of the family, with good sister de Havilland taking after her gentle father and Davis after her selfish mother. Then there’s the equally selfish and obnoxious Uncle William (Charles Coburn – brilliant) and his slightly sordid, lecherous relationship with Davis which has a whiff of incest about it – very daring for 1942. The final scene between these two is very powerful (and very unpleasant). Also notable for its time is the depiction of racism, with Ernest Anderson giving a fine performance as an intelligent young black man struggling against a system which will condemn him for a crime he didn’t commit simply by taking a white person’s word against his. The other point of interest for me was one of gender – the women are the strong characters here, and the men are mostly weak or ineffectual. Packed with interesting stuff and well worth a look.
John Huston’s second film as director, and an interesting one it is too. Opinions differ about whether Davis ruins it by giving an over-the-top performance – I’m inclined to say she doesn’t. Huston was quoted as saying he “let the demon go”, in a reference to her performance. She plays a spoilt young woman who ditches her own fiancé in favour of her sister’s husband – and that’s just for starters! By the end of the film it is clear her character is totally irredeemable – in fact, we are shocked by the depths to which she is prepared to sink to save herself. There is much to interest film analysts here – for example the psychological make-up of the family, with good sister de Havilland taking after her gentle father and Davis after her selfish mother. Then there’s the equally selfish and obnoxious Uncle William (Charles Coburn – brilliant) and his slightly sordid, lecherous relationship with Davis which has a whiff of incest about it – very daring for 1942. The final scene between these two is very powerful (and very unpleasant). Also notable for its time is the depiction of racism, with Ernest Anderson giving a fine performance as an intelligent young black man struggling against a system which will condemn him for a crime he didn’t commit simply by taking a white person’s word against his. The other point of interest for me was one of gender – the women are the strong characters here, and the men are mostly weak or ineffectual. Packed with interesting stuff and well worth a look.
The Old Maid
USA, 1939. Directed by Edmund Goulding. Bette Davis, Miriam Hopkins, George Brent, Donald Crisp, Jane Bryan, Louise Fazenda.
Civil war melodrama based on a Pulitzer Prize-winning play by Zoe Akins from a novel by Edith Wharton. Davis and Hopkins are cousins whose love-lives become interwined, resulting in the birth of an illegitimate daughter for Davis. Such are the twists and turns of the plot that many years later the daughter regards Hopkins as her mother and Davis as an embittered old maid. It’s not my favourite Bette Davis film, but the two leads give powerhouse performances and the storyline gives a fascinating insight into a time when illegitimacy was socially unacceptable and faced outright discrimination from the wealthy classes.
Civil war melodrama based on a Pulitzer Prize-winning play by Zoe Akins from a novel by Edith Wharton. Davis and Hopkins are cousins whose love-lives become interwined, resulting in the birth of an illegitimate daughter for Davis. Such are the twists and turns of the plot that many years later the daughter regards Hopkins as her mother and Davis as an embittered old maid. It’s not my favourite Bette Davis film, but the two leads give powerhouse performances and the storyline gives a fascinating insight into a time when illegitimacy was socially unacceptable and faced outright discrimination from the wealthy classes.
Monday, November 22, 2010
The Smallest Show On Earth
UK, 1957. Directed by Basil Dearden. Virginia McKenna, Bill Travers, Margaret Rutherford, Peter Sellers, Bernard Miles, Francis De Wolff, Leslie Phillips.
A young couple (Virginia McKenna and Bill Travers, pre-Born Free) are initially excited to hear they’ve inherited a cinema, only to discover it’s a “fleapit”. This is a charming British comedy which, while not up to the standard of the better Ealing comedies, is nevertheless an amusing and entertaining film with a quality cast. Because of his later international stardom much is often made of Peter Sellers' presence, and he is as good as ever, but here he is flanked by two of the greatest actors in British films of the post-war era - Margaret Rutherford and Bernard Miles. Together they make up the trio of oddball staff who have been running the cinema for many years. My favourite moment: Margaret Rutherford walking grimly down the centre aisle offering ice creams for sale. Hard to think it's now over 50 years old!
A young couple (Virginia McKenna and Bill Travers, pre-Born Free) are initially excited to hear they’ve inherited a cinema, only to discover it’s a “fleapit”. This is a charming British comedy which, while not up to the standard of the better Ealing comedies, is nevertheless an amusing and entertaining film with a quality cast. Because of his later international stardom much is often made of Peter Sellers' presence, and he is as good as ever, but here he is flanked by two of the greatest actors in British films of the post-war era - Margaret Rutherford and Bernard Miles. Together they make up the trio of oddball staff who have been running the cinema for many years. My favourite moment: Margaret Rutherford walking grimly down the centre aisle offering ice creams for sale. Hard to think it's now over 50 years old!
Rio Bravo
USA, 1959. Directed by Howard Hawks. John Wayne, Dean Martin, Ricky Nelson, Angie Dickinson, Walter Brennan, Ward Bond.
I've lost count of the number of times I've seen this film and watching it again recently I was aware I had mixed feelings about it; apart from anything else it feels like an old person's movie, full of corn and characters you can rely on to do what you'd expect them to do, and the pace of the action is somewhat leisurely. It’s very much Wayne and Hawks winding down after their respective lengthy careers. On the other hand, I could watch this film almost any time - the dialogue's witty and enjoyable, the whole cast is excellent with Dean Martin especially a joy to watch, it's easy on the eye and brain and the good guys win (naturally). A great Sunday afternoon film.
I've lost count of the number of times I've seen this film and watching it again recently I was aware I had mixed feelings about it; apart from anything else it feels like an old person's movie, full of corn and characters you can rely on to do what you'd expect them to do, and the pace of the action is somewhat leisurely. It’s very much Wayne and Hawks winding down after their respective lengthy careers. On the other hand, I could watch this film almost any time - the dialogue's witty and enjoyable, the whole cast is excellent with Dean Martin especially a joy to watch, it's easy on the eye and brain and the good guys win (naturally). A great Sunday afternoon film.
Sunday, November 21, 2010
Kinsey
USA / Germany, 2004. Directed by Bill Condon. Liam Neeson, Laura Linney, Chris O’Donnell, Peter Sarsgaard, Timothy Hutton, John Lithgow, Tim Curry.
Intelligent, thoughtful biopic of one of recent history's most fascinating and complex characters. Because it's refreshingly underplayed by all, the significance of the research work into sexuality is made all the more startling. Laura Linney is particularly good, and has the best line in the movie: "I think I might enjoy that, yes." At turns funny, poignant, thoughtful and fascinating, this delights from start to finish and has a determinedly non-dramatic ending. One other highlight worth mentioning: a rather wonderful cameo from Lynn Redgrave.
Intelligent, thoughtful biopic of one of recent history's most fascinating and complex characters. Because it's refreshingly underplayed by all, the significance of the research work into sexuality is made all the more startling. Laura Linney is particularly good, and has the best line in the movie: "I think I might enjoy that, yes." At turns funny, poignant, thoughtful and fascinating, this delights from start to finish and has a determinedly non-dramatic ending. One other highlight worth mentioning: a rather wonderful cameo from Lynn Redgrave.
Keeping Mum
UK, 2005. Directed by Niall Johnson. Rowan Atkinson, Kristin Scott Thomas, Maggie Smith, Patrick Swayze, Tamsin Egerton, Liz Smith, Emilia Fox.
Amusing dark comedy which has its moments but ultimately fails to deliver satisfactorily. Rowan Atkinson, vicar of a tiny parish in Cornwall, is married to sexually frustrated Kristin Scott Thomas, who is half-heartedly embarking on an affair with her golf instructor (Patrick Swayze). Their daughter is sexually promiscuous and their son is being bullied at school. Into their household comes Maggie Smith, a sort of murderous Mary Poppins with a dark secret. Each of the family is helped by their new housekeeper, although her methods of bringing harmony to the household are unconventional to say the least. Well acted by all, but predictably it’s Maggie Smith who steals the film. Watching this I was reminded of some of the classic Ealing films (as I suspect I was meant to), but overall it’s a bit of a disappointment – the script feels a little too tentative, as if the director and writers aren’t too sure how far they can go. Nevertheless, an undemanding and occasionally funny film which is easy to watch.
Amusing dark comedy which has its moments but ultimately fails to deliver satisfactorily. Rowan Atkinson, vicar of a tiny parish in Cornwall, is married to sexually frustrated Kristin Scott Thomas, who is half-heartedly embarking on an affair with her golf instructor (Patrick Swayze). Their daughter is sexually promiscuous and their son is being bullied at school. Into their household comes Maggie Smith, a sort of murderous Mary Poppins with a dark secret. Each of the family is helped by their new housekeeper, although her methods of bringing harmony to the household are unconventional to say the least. Well acted by all, but predictably it’s Maggie Smith who steals the film. Watching this I was reminded of some of the classic Ealing films (as I suspect I was meant to), but overall it’s a bit of a disappointment – the script feels a little too tentative, as if the director and writers aren’t too sure how far they can go. Nevertheless, an undemanding and occasionally funny film which is easy to watch.
Saturday, November 20, 2010
The Specialist
USA / Peru, 1994. Directed by Luis Llosa. Sylvester Stallone, Sharon Stone, James Woods, Rod Steiger, Eric Roberts.
Well, I liked the John Barry score. Stallone is, well, Stallone. Sharon Stone goes through the motions. James Woods gives yet another over-the-top performance. Eric Roberts is given god-awful lines to say. Rod Steiger looks mournful most of the time, perhaps wondering how he got involved in this film. The script is awful, the story lacks any real credibility and it's not even exciting.
Well, I liked the John Barry score. Stallone is, well, Stallone. Sharon Stone goes through the motions. James Woods gives yet another over-the-top performance. Eric Roberts is given god-awful lines to say. Rod Steiger looks mournful most of the time, perhaps wondering how he got involved in this film. The script is awful, the story lacks any real credibility and it's not even exciting.
Friday, November 19, 2010
Van Helsing
USA / Czech Republic, 2004. Directed by Stephen Sommers. Hugh Jackman, Kate Beckinsale, Richard Roxburgh, David Wenham, Will Kemp, Shuler Hensley.
This begins promisingly, with the familiar Universal Pictures globe logo dissolving into a firebrand held by one of the angry villagers, marching to storm Victor Frankenstein's castle in a high-resolution monochrome scene with more than a nod to Universal's original Frankenstein. The whole of the opening action sequence is gripping and done with some flair, but sadly things fall apart rapidly after that.
They've thrown everything in but the kitchen-sink here - Dracula, the Wolf Man, Frankenstein and his monster, even Mr Hyde - or is it Quasimodo? - pops up briefly in the form of Robbie Coltrane. And then of course there's Van Helsing himself.
I was part of that generation who grew up with Hammer's Peter Cushing as the good vampire slayer, so this hunky, leather-clad, testosterone-fuelled assassin was a bit of an assault on the senses, much like the film itself. Kate Beckinsale struts about sexily in tight leather as well, but listening to her extraordinary accent I would suggest she doesn't draw too much attention to her appearance in this movie on her CV. The CGI is relentless throughout and, while it's all very clever and breath-taking, I found it curiously alienating. None of it really made me care about the characters or what happens to them. Finally, the plot! Hammer Pictures could have made about 15 films out of all the different plot threads here. Whatever would dear old Peter Cushing have made of it all?
This begins promisingly, with the familiar Universal Pictures globe logo dissolving into a firebrand held by one of the angry villagers, marching to storm Victor Frankenstein's castle in a high-resolution monochrome scene with more than a nod to Universal's original Frankenstein. The whole of the opening action sequence is gripping and done with some flair, but sadly things fall apart rapidly after that.
They've thrown everything in but the kitchen-sink here - Dracula, the Wolf Man, Frankenstein and his monster, even Mr Hyde - or is it Quasimodo? - pops up briefly in the form of Robbie Coltrane. And then of course there's Van Helsing himself.
I was part of that generation who grew up with Hammer's Peter Cushing as the good vampire slayer, so this hunky, leather-clad, testosterone-fuelled assassin was a bit of an assault on the senses, much like the film itself. Kate Beckinsale struts about sexily in tight leather as well, but listening to her extraordinary accent I would suggest she doesn't draw too much attention to her appearance in this movie on her CV. The CGI is relentless throughout and, while it's all very clever and breath-taking, I found it curiously alienating. None of it really made me care about the characters or what happens to them. Finally, the plot! Hammer Pictures could have made about 15 films out of all the different plot threads here. Whatever would dear old Peter Cushing have made of it all?
The Huggetts Abroad
UK, 1949. Directed by Ken Annakin. Jack Warner, Kathleen Harrison, Susan Shaw, Petula Clark, Dinah Sheridan, Jimmy Hanley, Peter Hammond, Hugh McDermott.
The final film in the Huggett saga sees the family escaping the austerity of post-war Britain for an overland trip to South Africa. To help fund it they take on a paying companion who, it turns out, has his own shady reasons for wishing to join them. As a plot it’s wafer-thin and highly predictable, but reasonably enjoyable in its way. It’s cheerfully politically incorrect (funny/sinister foreigners), in the way that many films of this era are – how times have changed! Notable for the cameo appearance of legendary British theatre actor/director Frith Banbury – in a long career he only made just five films. Dinah Sheridan joins the cast to take on the role of eldest daughter Jane, playing alongside her real-life husband Jimmy Hanley. Hugh McDermott appears as the dubious companion. And Petula Clark sings another naff song. Brilliant!
The final film in the Huggett saga sees the family escaping the austerity of post-war Britain for an overland trip to South Africa. To help fund it they take on a paying companion who, it turns out, has his own shady reasons for wishing to join them. As a plot it’s wafer-thin and highly predictable, but reasonably enjoyable in its way. It’s cheerfully politically incorrect (funny/sinister foreigners), in the way that many films of this era are – how times have changed! Notable for the cameo appearance of legendary British theatre actor/director Frith Banbury – in a long career he only made just five films. Dinah Sheridan joins the cast to take on the role of eldest daughter Jane, playing alongside her real-life husband Jimmy Hanley. Hugh McDermott appears as the dubious companion. And Petula Clark sings another naff song. Brilliant!
Vote For Huggett
UK, 1949. Directed by Ken Annakin. Jack Warner, Kathleen Harrison, Susan Shaw, Petula Clark, Peter Hammond, David Tomlinson, Diana Dors.
Third of the four Huggett films, this one is centred around the murky world of local politics, with Joe Huggett unwittingly becoming the pawn of rival business interests. Once again the cast is filled with familiar British character actors, several reprising their roles from the second film in the series. Petula Clark’s role is more prominent than previously and the eldest daughter and her husband don’t appear. Warner and Harrison are as dependable as ever and the latter’s malapropisms are a scream. Now over sixty years old, like the other films in the series it depicts a British way of life which is long gone.
Third of the four Huggett films, this one is centred around the murky world of local politics, with Joe Huggett unwittingly becoming the pawn of rival business interests. Once again the cast is filled with familiar British character actors, several reprising their roles from the second film in the series. Petula Clark’s role is more prominent than previously and the eldest daughter and her husband don’t appear. Warner and Harrison are as dependable as ever and the latter’s malapropisms are a scream. Now over sixty years old, like the other films in the series it depicts a British way of life which is long gone.
Thursday, November 18, 2010
The Tailor Of Panama
USA / Ireland, 2001. Directed by John Boorman. Pierce Brosnan, Geoffrey Rush, Jamie Lee Curtis, Brendan Gleeson, Leonor Varela, Harold Pinter.
Interesting thriller laced with satire and some wryly amusing moments from John Boorman and John Le Carre. With more than a passing resemblance to Graham Greene's Our Man In Havana (filmed by Carol Reed in 1959), this well-scripted film plays on many cinematic conventions regarding the shady world of espionage. In this it is helped enormously by the imaginative casting of Brosnan as the foul-mouthed, over-sexed Osnard, a kind of bastard son of James Bond. Brosnan looks as if he's enjoying himself enormously and must have relished the role. Equally Geoffrey Rush is terrific too, skillfully conveying the decency of his character behind the ex-con's bullshit. Footnote: Daniel Radcliffe's film debut, just prior to winning the Harry Potter role.
Interesting thriller laced with satire and some wryly amusing moments from John Boorman and John Le Carre. With more than a passing resemblance to Graham Greene's Our Man In Havana (filmed by Carol Reed in 1959), this well-scripted film plays on many cinematic conventions regarding the shady world of espionage. In this it is helped enormously by the imaginative casting of Brosnan as the foul-mouthed, over-sexed Osnard, a kind of bastard son of James Bond. Brosnan looks as if he's enjoying himself enormously and must have relished the role. Equally Geoffrey Rush is terrific too, skillfully conveying the decency of his character behind the ex-con's bullshit. Footnote: Daniel Radcliffe's film debut, just prior to winning the Harry Potter role.
Wild Bill
USA, 1995. Directed by Walter Hill. Jeff Bridges, Ellen Barkin, John Hurt, Diane Lane, David Arquette, Keith Carradine.
Downbeat biopic of the final days of Wild Bill Hickcock, made by the estimable Walter Hill. At the centre of the film Jeff Bridges turns in another thoughtful performance, offering us clues as to what the man was all about, without giving any answers. Unfortunately as a movie it drags its feet, possibly due to it being partly based on a play - there's a long, drawn-out, will-he-won't-he scenario with Bill's young assassin which feels like it goes on forever. I always think that films which start with the audience knowing the eventual outcome have to work harder to sustain their attention, and in this regard the movie fails. A shame, because it's a film of quality which might have fared better with a less introspective approach.
Downbeat biopic of the final days of Wild Bill Hickcock, made by the estimable Walter Hill. At the centre of the film Jeff Bridges turns in another thoughtful performance, offering us clues as to what the man was all about, without giving any answers. Unfortunately as a movie it drags its feet, possibly due to it being partly based on a play - there's a long, drawn-out, will-he-won't-he scenario with Bill's young assassin which feels like it goes on forever. I always think that films which start with the audience knowing the eventual outcome have to work harder to sustain their attention, and in this regard the movie fails. A shame, because it's a film of quality which might have fared better with a less introspective approach.
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
Here Come The Huggetts
UK, 1948. Directed by Ken Annakin. Jack Warner, Kathleen Harrison, Jane Hylton, Susan Shaw, Petula Clark, Jimmy Hanley, Peter Hammond, David Tomlinson, Diana Dors.
Having featured in the previous year’s Holiday Camp, the Huggetts take centre stage in this feature, the second of four big-screen outings for them. This one features them in their home and work environments and is again filled with familiar faces in the supporting roles, including John Blythe, Amy Veness, Clive Morton, Maurice Denham, Doris Hare, Esma Cannon and Dandy Nichols. Amusing now to watch Kathleen Harrison’s deep suspicion of the newly installed telephone in her home! As with the first film, this gives us a slice of British life as it was then in those postwar years – there’s a sense of the old order changing, with elements like the aforementioned telephone. For newcomers trying to follow the series the changing family structure can be a bit confusing – here Petula Clark joins the cast as the youngest daughter, the oldest daughter has lost her baby and Peter Hammond is now the middle daughter’s boyfriend instead of the Huggett’s son. Don’t let it worry you – just sit back and enjoy!
Having featured in the previous year’s Holiday Camp, the Huggetts take centre stage in this feature, the second of four big-screen outings for them. This one features them in their home and work environments and is again filled with familiar faces in the supporting roles, including John Blythe, Amy Veness, Clive Morton, Maurice Denham, Doris Hare, Esma Cannon and Dandy Nichols. Amusing now to watch Kathleen Harrison’s deep suspicion of the newly installed telephone in her home! As with the first film, this gives us a slice of British life as it was then in those postwar years – there’s a sense of the old order changing, with elements like the aforementioned telephone. For newcomers trying to follow the series the changing family structure can be a bit confusing – here Petula Clark joins the cast as the youngest daughter, the oldest daughter has lost her baby and Peter Hammond is now the middle daughter’s boyfriend instead of the Huggett’s son. Don’t let it worry you – just sit back and enjoy!
Holiday Camp
UK, 1947. Directed by Ken Annakin. Flora Robson, Dennis Price, Jack Warner, Kathleen Harrison, Hazel Court, Jimmy Hanley, Peter Hammond.
The first film to feature the Huggett family, later to become a household name in the movies and on radio in Britain in the late 1940s and 1950s. Here they are one element of a portmanteau film set in a holiday camp, with various characters cutting across a number of different storylines. There is Flora Robson as a intelligent but reserved spinster who finds a purpose in “adopting” a pair of young people who are in trouble with an unplanned pregnancy. Dennis Price is in caddish mode, a smarmy con-man with a sideline in strangling young women. Then there’s the Huggetts themselves, led by Jack Warner and Kathleen Harrison – a “salt-of-the-earth” working-class family determined to enjoy themselves on holiday. Some of the dialogue is very funny, although there’s an uneven feel to some of it, probably due to there being five different writers involved. It really gives a taste of the British at play in the immediate post-war years. The cast is filled with stalwart British character actors, plus watch out for a brief, uncredited appearance by Diana Dors demonstrating her dancing skills.
The first film to feature the Huggett family, later to become a household name in the movies and on radio in Britain in the late 1940s and 1950s. Here they are one element of a portmanteau film set in a holiday camp, with various characters cutting across a number of different storylines. There is Flora Robson as a intelligent but reserved spinster who finds a purpose in “adopting” a pair of young people who are in trouble with an unplanned pregnancy. Dennis Price is in caddish mode, a smarmy con-man with a sideline in strangling young women. Then there’s the Huggetts themselves, led by Jack Warner and Kathleen Harrison – a “salt-of-the-earth” working-class family determined to enjoy themselves on holiday. Some of the dialogue is very funny, although there’s an uneven feel to some of it, probably due to there being five different writers involved. It really gives a taste of the British at play in the immediate post-war years. The cast is filled with stalwart British character actors, plus watch out for a brief, uncredited appearance by Diana Dors demonstrating her dancing skills.
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
The Avengers
USA, 1998. Directed by Jeremiah S. Chechik. Ralph Fiennes, Uma Thurman, Sean Connery, Patrick Macnee, Jim Broadbent, Fiona Shaw.
Big screen re-makes of old TV series always run the risk of being despised by fans of the original, but even making the usual allowances I have to say The Avengers is about the worst I've seen. I think they attempted to capture the quirky, surreal world of the series, but missed it by a mile. Fiennes and Thurman are all at sea, and even Connery, an actor who generally acquits himself well whatever the film, gives an embarrassing performance. The interplay and dialogue between Steed and Mrs Peel lacks any kind of subtlety, wit or charm and here is cruder - some of the exchanges feel like they belong in a Carry On film. As for continuity, it's virtually non-existent. Patrick Macnee's brief "appearance" as an invisible agent hidden in the bowels of the ministry building seems strangely appropriate - almost as if he couldn't bring himself to actually show his face. In short, it's a mess. While they're all still alive, why doesn't someone get Brian Clemens to write a "reunion" screenplay for Macnee, Honor Blackman, Diana Rigg, Linda Thorson and Joanna Lumley? I can see it now - they all meet up in Steed's nursing home (a home for retired agents), where someone's bumping off the residents....
Big screen re-makes of old TV series always run the risk of being despised by fans of the original, but even making the usual allowances I have to say The Avengers is about the worst I've seen. I think they attempted to capture the quirky, surreal world of the series, but missed it by a mile. Fiennes and Thurman are all at sea, and even Connery, an actor who generally acquits himself well whatever the film, gives an embarrassing performance. The interplay and dialogue between Steed and Mrs Peel lacks any kind of subtlety, wit or charm and here is cruder - some of the exchanges feel like they belong in a Carry On film. As for continuity, it's virtually non-existent. Patrick Macnee's brief "appearance" as an invisible agent hidden in the bowels of the ministry building seems strangely appropriate - almost as if he couldn't bring himself to actually show his face. In short, it's a mess. While they're all still alive, why doesn't someone get Brian Clemens to write a "reunion" screenplay for Macnee, Honor Blackman, Diana Rigg, Linda Thorson and Joanna Lumley? I can see it now - they all meet up in Steed's nursing home (a home for retired agents), where someone's bumping off the residents....
Sunday, November 14, 2010
Small Time Crooks
USA, 2000. Directed by Woody Allen. Woody Allen, Tracey Ullman, Hugh Grant, Elaine May, Elaine Stritch, Michael Rapaport.
A typically moral and wryly amusing tale from Allen, here appearing as Tracey Ullman’s dumb husband. He’s a small-time crook whose plan to rob a bank with a bunch of fellow misfits fails but in so doing inadvertently brings riches (legally) to the couple by launching Ullman’s home-baked cookie business. As one might expect, there’s plenty of laughs along the way and Allen’s writing once again generously gives some of the funniest lines to others than himself. It’s worthy of note that this film features three great performers rarely seen these days – Ullman (who steals the film) and those two great Elaines, May and Stritch. Not the funniest film he’s ever made, but there’s a lot here to keep you amused.
A typically moral and wryly amusing tale from Allen, here appearing as Tracey Ullman’s dumb husband. He’s a small-time crook whose plan to rob a bank with a bunch of fellow misfits fails but in so doing inadvertently brings riches (legally) to the couple by launching Ullman’s home-baked cookie business. As one might expect, there’s plenty of laughs along the way and Allen’s writing once again generously gives some of the funniest lines to others than himself. It’s worthy of note that this film features three great performers rarely seen these days – Ullman (who steals the film) and those two great Elaines, May and Stritch. Not the funniest film he’s ever made, but there’s a lot here to keep you amused.
Inside Man
USA, 2006. Directed by Spike Lee. Denzel Washington, Clive Owen, Jodie Foster, Christopher Plummer, Willem Dafoe, Chiwetel Ejiofor.
Heist movie featuring bank robber Owen in a cat-and-mouse confrontation with cop Washington. What starts out as an apparent Dog Day Afternoon situation soon develops into something rather more complex. The twists in the plot, the humour, some quirkiness in the supporting characters and the solid performances from all the leading players kept me attentive throughout. However, having said that I also felt it suffered from a lack of clarity in its script – there were too many loose ends. The plot seemed unnecessarily complicated – for example, the Jodie Foster character appeared to be superfluous to the story, but maybe I felt that because I didn’t entirely understand what she was supposed to be doing. Entertaining without being unmissable.
Heist movie featuring bank robber Owen in a cat-and-mouse confrontation with cop Washington. What starts out as an apparent Dog Day Afternoon situation soon develops into something rather more complex. The twists in the plot, the humour, some quirkiness in the supporting characters and the solid performances from all the leading players kept me attentive throughout. However, having said that I also felt it suffered from a lack of clarity in its script – there were too many loose ends. The plot seemed unnecessarily complicated – for example, the Jodie Foster character appeared to be superfluous to the story, but maybe I felt that because I didn’t entirely understand what she was supposed to be doing. Entertaining without being unmissable.
Hostage
USA / Germany, 2005. Directed by Florent Emilio Siri. Bruce Willis, Kevin Pollak, Ben Foster, Jonathan Tucker, Marshall Allman, Serena Scott Thomas.
Gripping thriller which sees hostage negotiator Willis achieving redemption for an earlier failure through dealing with a similar but more complex situation a year later. This is actually a very clever film – time and again you think you know where it’s going, but then the twists and turns of the plot take it into less familiar territory. Director Siri is said to have a love of noir classics of the 40s and 50s and it’s very apparent here, especially with his skilled use of light and shadow. All the main characters have an element of psychological depth, and there’s a strong use of symbolism throughout – I especially liked the motif of blood on the hands of various characters at different points. Don’t take the movie at face value – “Bruce Willis in hostage thriller” sounds like a cliché, but this is most definitely not another Die Hard.
Gripping thriller which sees hostage negotiator Willis achieving redemption for an earlier failure through dealing with a similar but more complex situation a year later. This is actually a very clever film – time and again you think you know where it’s going, but then the twists and turns of the plot take it into less familiar territory. Director Siri is said to have a love of noir classics of the 40s and 50s and it’s very apparent here, especially with his skilled use of light and shadow. All the main characters have an element of psychological depth, and there’s a strong use of symbolism throughout – I especially liked the motif of blood on the hands of various characters at different points. Don’t take the movie at face value – “Bruce Willis in hostage thriller” sounds like a cliché, but this is most definitely not another Die Hard.
Tuesday, November 9, 2010
Black Sheep
New Zealand, 2006. Directed by Jonathan King. Nathan Meister, Peter Feeney, Danielle Mason, Tammy Davis, Oliver Driver, Glenis Levestam.
A delightfully gory tale featuring genetically modified killer sheep, this horror-comedy from New Zealand is a lot better than many blockbusters. The humour is witty, the acting from a largely unknown (to me) cast is polished and believable and at 87 minutes the film is just the right length to avoid wearing out its welcome. I wasn’t expecting much, but I was agreeably surprised.
A delightfully gory tale featuring genetically modified killer sheep, this horror-comedy from New Zealand is a lot better than many blockbusters. The humour is witty, the acting from a largely unknown (to me) cast is polished and believable and at 87 minutes the film is just the right length to avoid wearing out its welcome. I wasn’t expecting much, but I was agreeably surprised.
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