Hooray! It’s a Holiday: Review of Sightseers

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Sightseers

Director: Ben Wheatley

By Alex Watson

When people think of a typical serial killer film, they tend of think of it being a very grizzly and unpleasant experience where there will be bullets and blood by the bucket load. But no one ever think that it could be in the least bit funny and that humour can be found in even the most bizarre circumstance. This week we turn to Ben Wheatley’s follow up to his already cult classic Kill List, where he gives us a very British view on murder mixed with a caravan holiday in Sightseers. This week I was privileged to catch an exclusive screening at the Cornerhouse Cinema in Manchester!

Tina (Alice Lowe) lives with her domineering mother who still blames her for the death of their beloved dog Poppy. Desperate for an adventure and to escape her mother’s grasp, Tina takes off on a romance caravan holiday with her new boyfriend Chris (Steve Oram). As the pair views the countryside, a darker side to her man appears and very soon a series of nasty deaths will take place with various tourists who ‘ruin their holiday’ all the while testing the relationship.

Sightseers is a film of rare quality and it is brought to life through the brilliant direction by Ben Wheatley and the script by stars Lowe and Oram shines brightly! Through its very unusual premise, the laughs keep coming by the bucketful. But it’s the casual depict of violence that makes this film really shine. However, it’s the fact they are merely killing people who have annoyed them is such minor ways which provides the laughs. In particular when Chris bludgeons a man to death after he ticks them off for not picking up their dogs ‘excrement’ he justifies his bloody demise with “He’s not human… he’s a Daily Mail reader!”

At its centre, there is a very British feel to it as the pair visits such odd tourist spots as the Crich Tramway museum and Ribblehead Viaduct. With its road trip feel and a female who is desensitised to violence, this is almost like the British version of Badlands!

But like Wheatley’s predecessor Kill List, the film also possesses a surreal edge to it and this is exemplified in a quite disturbing dream sequence where Chris chases after a woman in white which then hints at some potentially life changing events. It almost seems like the after events of the ending of Kill List. When the death scenes come they are indeed shocking and often gruesomely played out, but there is such a gleeful and upbeat feel to them which gives these moments a

The development of Chris and Tina as a couple gives Sightseers its beating heart. Tina is a woman who is trapped in life by her bulling mother (who openly tells her she was accident!) and at first she seems to relish the freedom. But even in the face of the terrible deeds that Chris does, she seems to be drawn to it. The parallels between the two are what draw us to them; Chris simply wants his perfect holiday to run on schedule and tends to lose his rag when people spoil it. Tina’s character goes from simply hitching a ride, to stacking up a body count of her own!

As the pair nitpick about their attempts to outdo one another it provides for some classic British film moments because these two are like so many couple’s we have met while camping and after this we will always be suspicious of who we let in our caravans! Though their ending will divide viewer because much like the end of Kill List- more questions remain!

Oram and Lowe make for a compelling pairing in Wheatley’s film and their unusual chemistry stands out. Already well known on the comedy circuit, the two use their skills to give us one of the best and most humorous scripts of the year. Hopefully we will see them on the BAFTA list come next year!

I cannot praise this film highly enough and I can simply finish by saying- Please See This Movie! Ben Wheatley is one of the most offbeat directors that Britain has and we can only wonder what he has in store for us next, Sightseers is probably the best British film we will see all year will also be the most unusual yet painfully experiences you will ever have in cinema. Remember when going on a road trip, always pick up your litter because you never know who may be paying attention!

Welcome to My Nightmare: Review of A Nightmare on Elm Street

Classic from the Vault: Halloween Edition

A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984)

Director: Wes Craven

By Alex Watson

“One, two, Freddy’s coming for you… Three, Four, better lock your door!” The moment we hear those eerily spoken words our fist clench and our body tenses up! Wes Craven’s A Nightmare on Elm Street has inspired one of the truly great horror characters in disfigured knife wielding manic, Freddy Kruger because he is the kind of thing nightmares are made of! Craven’s ability to scare us is beyond doubt; both Scream and The Hills have Eyes have become slasher favourites! But Elm Street still remains his finest hour and dreams after this were the never same again!

In the town of Springwood, Nancy (Heather Langenkamp) and her friends are experiencing horrific nightmares about a crazed maniac who has a glove of knives. At first they dismiss these dreams as just dreams but after her friend Tina (Amanda Wyss) is horrifically murdered, Nancy realizes that they must stay awake in order to stay alive, but also they must delve into the legend of Freddy Kruger (Robert Englund) before it is all too late!

Even though it has been parodied to death in the modern day, A Nightmare on Elm Street is still just as terrifying today and it was years ago. All the way through whenever someone falls asleep we know that something terrible is due. The scariest element is that in the dream world the teens are stuck in Freddy’s domain! And in that place there is no escape because Freddy is able to manipulate his surroundings to his advantage! In other words, if you die in dreamland, you die in the real world!

The images that we are left with are some the most iconic and frightening of horror movies, including the scene where Glenn (Johnny Deep in early role) is innocently asleep in his bed- then suddenly two arms reach out from under him and pull him down, cue mass blood splatter that even Dexter would be proud to analyse! The most terrifying of all is watching poor Tina’s demise as her boyfriend sees knife marks magically appear on her body and then an invisible force throws her about the room! The fact that no one can do anything to help makes this all the more shocking!

But it’s the man himself Freddy that provides the real scares in A Nightmare on Elm Street, clad in his torn red and green striped top with his hat and glove of razor sharp knives- Craven has given a truly frightening villain who literally cannot be killed! Although he lurks mainly in the shadows, his menace surrounds the movie and ensures that sleepless nights will lie ahead after this! Although the later Elm Street films have proved patchy affairs, Freddy’s presence has yet to fade on screen and this to Craven credit for this!

Robert Englund brings Kruger to life through an impressively creepy performance, although behind heavy prosthetics for his role, Englund still conjures up a threat that is everlasting and has ensured that he has remained a favourite with horror fans ever since. Heather Langenkamp is equally impressive as Nancy, this is because she decides to go against the ‘typical scream queen’ formula and is instead resourceful against Freddy and his reign of doom, and in the end it is her strength that will see her through.

Johnny Depp also makes an early impression as Glenn, even though his screen time is limited. In his short time he also gets to star in one of horrors best loved death scenes! Seems if he comes across Freddy in a dream, he owes him a glass of blood stained beer.

Dated it may be now, A Nightmare on Elm Street is one the most original and genuinely startling horror movies of all time which has a villain for the ages. Although Wes Craven’s most recent efforts haven’t been the same quality scare wise, he will always be loved by the horror community for bring us Freddy! Sleeps well after watching this because remember “One… Two, Freddy’s coming for you!!”

Crazy in Love: Review of Misery

Classic from the Vault

Misery (1990)

Director: Rob Reiner

By Alex Watson

Some of the really brilliant moments in movies are the ones which make us squirm with discomfort! The effect of these is that although they are un-pleasant to watch, we know that are the images that will stick in our minds after the credits roll. Take for instance Brad Davis biting out another inmates tongue in Midnight Express, or James Franco being forced to amputate his own arm in Danny Boyle’s 127 Hours. But none were more stomach churning than the leg breaking scene in Rob Reiner’s, Misery to give this full effect you need an actor with a presence to match, and in Kathy Bates it was found!

Writer Paul Sheldon (James Caan) has found great success in writing the Misery series novels, but now he has killed her off and is moving on to new things. But when he crashes his car during a freak blizzard he comes into contact with his ‘biggest fan’ Annie Wilkes (Kathy Bates). Whilst confined to his bed Sheldon begins a horrific ordeal as he is regularly tortured and forced to re-write his novel to bring back the character he has killed off. But his problems are only just beginning!

Misery is a film that will never leave your mind for so many reasons, firstly the character of Annie Wilkes is one of the most terrifying figures in cinema and she is the kind of fan that any famous person hopes not to come within 1000 miles of. She is a woman with a very short fuse and at any moment there could be a major explosion, the constant look of dread on Paul’s face sums up his terrifying experience and we fear for his safety all the way through.

Director Rob Reiner does a masterful job of keep the suspense at maximum all the way through.  When we first meet Annie she seems a little too obsessed with Sheldon’s books for her own good- but the moment she finds that her beloved Misery has been killed, she snaps completely! And as she goes nuts we know horrendous events lie ahead! This one event seems to set Annie off and she becomes convinced that it is her ‘mission in life’ to make him bring Misery back from the dead!

By the time the leg breaking scene comes, we already completely scared stiff by this crazed woman and her delusion that her time with Paul is some kind of off-beat romance. But this doesn’t lessen the brutal effects that follow, as the sledge hammer hits we cower in our chairs, the most horrific part comes after when Annie says ‘God I Love you Paul” it’s times like this that make us hope we never have to experience something like this!

Kathy Bates gives one of the scariest performances of all time in Misery and all the way through her very presence strikes fear into the heart! But it’s not just shock value because Bates gives Annie a more human element in her calmer moments and we begin to realize that there might be a good person underneath it all who is lost in haze!

She is ably supported by fellow veteran James Caan who gives a wonderful as Paul Sheldon, although he spends most the movie looking petrified, he is also very resourceful and constantly looking for a way out and as the film carries on, Caan gives him an edge which will eventually see him through.

Rob Reiner’s adaptation of Stephen King’s novel remains a tremendous piece of work and even today it has lost none of its jump factor. Casting Kathy Bates was one of the best decisions he could have made, it is a shame that Reiner’s career of late has taken a major slide because Misery showed how versatile a director he could be. For a very different kind of Halloween, I recommend this film but beware it might just drive you Cock-a-Doody with fear.

I’ve Been Everywhere: Review of On the Road

On the Road

Director: Walter Salles

By Alex Watson

Jack Kerouac’s novel On the Road has personified the ‘beat generation’ and its depiction of living free in the age of Jazz  has inspired a whole wave of artists such as singers Bob Dylan and Jim Morrison and notably novelist Hunter S Thompson.  But in today’s popular culture how will Kerouac’s novel translate onto the big screen, and can The Motorcycle Diary’s director Walter Salles bring a generation back to life again?

The plot follows budding novelist Sal Paradise (Sam Riley) who at a time of his life where he feels lost meets wandering soul Dean Moriarty (Garrett Hedlund) and his teenage wife Mary Lou (Kristen Stewart), together they will embark on a cross country trek across the United States which will teach them all many lessons about life, music, love and most of all, friendship!

On The Road is one of the most beautifully shot films of the years and Salles’ lavish direction eye once again provides us with some stunning road scenery, but more than anything it is his representation of the 1940’s jazz scene that impresses most because Salles here doesn’t attempt to water down any elements and we have a first-hand look at how casual sex and drug use became a normal thing in people’s lives.

Through these showings we see a group of young people trying to expand their minds by tripping on Benzedrine and smoking pot which initially provides great fun, but you can feel the repercussion coming and very soon the party comes to a juddering halt as lines are crossed and relationships become increasingly complicated!

The portrayal of the friend of Sal and Dean is the part that keeps us hooked because here you have two men who might as well be brothers and seem to have a great time together. But Dean is the very definition of a party animal and will simply wander from place to place to find his next good time, even if it means leaving you behind! This includes skipping out on Mary Lou and his other wife Camille (Kirsten Dunst) because there are other women who are wilder and he will return to them when he fancies

As the pair travels across The US and sometimes beyond, you get the vibe that Sal is becoming both Dean’s compulsive need and his burden, this is exemplified when he asks Sal to take him Mexico to continue the party then promptly abandons him in a hospital when he is sick because the situation simply doesn’t interest him!

Although is an excellently portrayed film, you get the feeling that this adaptation has perhaps taken too long to come to the screen and as a result the slickness that should have been there gets lost in translation. Because of this delay, the feel of Kerouac’s novel will be probably lost on the younger generation who will feel this is an overlong road movie!

This would have been a perfect picture in the 1970’s at the hands of Hal Ashby or Robert Altman but although Salles gives us a wonderfully acted and solid picture, it’s probably not going keep On the Road die hard’s truly happy.

Sal Riley’s excellent performance drives the film forward and through his narration it adds suaveness to him, Riley’s talent was evidence in Anton Corbin’s Joy Division film Control and it seems that this man is destined for big things. Garrett Hedlund brings the charisma of Dean to life through a slick and smooth turn, already an established name through films like Tron: Legacy, Hedlund proves he’s an able actor without the special effects.

Kristen Stewart is a good choice as Mary Lou and does well in the part, although she doesn’t spend a little too much of her screen time taking her clothes off (which will no doubt excite male admirers), in a cameo appearance Viggo Mortensen is outstanding as Old Bull Lee, a morphine addict who the boys visit, in his brief time on screen, Mortensen makes his presence felt and you can only wish there was more of him in it!

In spite of Salles’ best efforts, this adaptation of Kerouac’s On the Road is probably not going to be among the nominees at the end of year award ceremonies (though Riley probably deserves a nominated), a visual pleasure and a pacy story line cannot make up for this feeling somewhat incomplete, like the novel itself- time will show if this sticks in the memory.

It’s My Prom Night: Review of Carrie

Classic from the Vault

Carrie (1976)

Director: Brian De Palma

By Alex Watson

There are many iconic moments in horror films, for instance we have the chilling final shot of a frozen Jack Nicholson in The Shining, The Shark coming from below to attack its victim in Jaws to finally the horrifying sex scene in Rosemary’s Baby where Mia Farrow is literally taken by Satan! But none have such an iconic final act than Brian De Palma’s adaptation of Stephen King’s novel, Carrie, a finale which is guaranteed to leave you with a blood stained prom queen haunting your dreams!

Carrie White (Sissy Spacek) is a social outcast at her high school due to her religious fanatic mother Margaret (Piper Laurie).  One day when she experiences her first period, a mean prank is played on her by bullies Sue Snell (Amy Irving) and Chris Hargensen (Nancy Allen).  Feeling remorseful for her actions, Sue asks her boyfriend Tommy (William Katt) to take Carrie to the prom, which she accepts despite the protest of her mother. But Chris isn’t so forgiving and hatches a plan to get revenge- one which will end in tragedy!

The great thing about De Palma’s version of Carrie is that it is not strictly a horror film, and in the early stages it stays more in the bounds of a high school/ coming of age drama, but the touches of horror are hinted at from the outset, in particular the infamous opening shower scene as De Palma glides in slow motion through the girls locker room to finally centre on Carrie innocently showering. As she gets her period she runs to the girls for help and instead of helping her they mercilessly throw tampons at her screaming “Plug it up!” As Carrie cowers in the corner, the feeling in the air turns frightening!

You could say that the real horror in the beginning stages is portrayal through Margaret’s stranglehold over Carrie. With her literally everything is a sin!  For instance when she learns of her daughter experiencing her period she hits her and reads aloud from the ‘good book’ how her Carrie has sinned and then drags and locks her to a closet to pray!

Mother and daughter are the centre piece of De Palma’s film because through her fears and fanatical religious beliefs Margaret has turned her sweet natured daughter into an oppressed recluse. But in a tense finale confrontation, Carrie will make her mother pay for her wrong doings and the repercussions will be of biblical proportions!

All the way through we can feel things building to an almighty climax- and in great horror tradition it is delivered with gusto. We know from mid way of Carrie’s powers of telekinesis and her fear of using it. But when Chris’ pitiless prank with a bucket of pig’s blood is carried out- Carrie uses her ability and turns a perfect prom night into a fiery massacre! As we watched the blood stained Carrie standing menacingly at the centre of a stage while others run for cover, our blood freezes in our veins!

But in many ways it is deserved pay back for her on who have been her tormentors, particular Chris Hargensen! And although she has caused carnage in so many ways- you can’t help but sympathise with Carrie White!

As Carrie, Sissy Spacek is spellbinding and is a presence we are drawn to throughout the movie. But where she makes her mark is in the final act, as Carrie gets her revenge the icy stare of Spacek, lit by the fires of Hades is truly unforgettable! Piper Laurie is an equally frightening presence as her mother Margaret; though it is border-line over the top, her representation of religious mania is just as memorable.

As the villain Nancy Allen make a notable movie bitch as Chris, the girl who is seemingly without a moral compass and as a result of her vindictiveness pulls the rope on the bucket that triggers the catastrophic prom night events!

Brian De Palma brought us one the most memorable films from years gone by, Carrie is both terrifying and immensely heartbreaking at the time and includes many memorable moments, including a finale shot which is sure-fire to make you jump from your seat!

A remake is set for 2013 starring Chloe Moretz and Julianne Moore- I wish them well! Just remember that if you take someone to the prom, be sure to look out for them because otherwise things could get out of hand!

The Girlfriend Experience: Review of Ruby Sparks

Ruby Sparks

Directors: Jonathan Dayton & Valerie Faris

By Alex Watson

There has been a bit of a wait for Jonathan Dayton & Valerie Faris’ follow up to their minor indie classic Little Miss Sunshine, which gave audience something completely different and showed us the ultimate dysfunctional family road movie. Now we turn to their next idea and it comes from one of the film stars Zoe Kazan, who shows us how love can be created out of thin air and sometimes even the perfect person needs to be modified to suit ourselves. But will Ruby Sparks bring the same shine that their previous brought to the screen?

Neurotic writer Calvin (Paul Dano) is experiencing writers block and is struggling to finish his follow up book his acclaimed debut he wrote when he was 19. At the same time he dreams of a girl named Ruby (Zoe Kazan) and through these dreams he falls in love with her. When given a writing assignment by his therapist (Eliott Gould) Calvin writes a back story for Ruby and this inspires him to write again. Then one morning he wakes up to find that Ruby has now become real! But even though he has the girl of his dreams, Calvin very soon finds that the personality he wrote might not be perfect!

Ruby Sparks is one of the most original ideas of the year and through Zoe Kazan’s superb script it simply lights up the screen. We have all dream of our perfect person and wondered how we could mould them into the ultimate partner. Dayton & Faris put all our desires into focus and show us to be careful what you wish for because it could potentially backfire! The real feel to this movie captures the same kind of indie glitter that Little Miss Sunshine was able to give audiences.

The central story of Calvin and Ruby is one that is very sweet and incredibly genuine, Calvin is a borderline control freak in life and his quirks have pushed away many people including his ex Lila (Deborah Ann Woll). He is continually met with praise for his previous novel- but he hates it because he believes people only like ‘a part of him’. When he meets Ruby, at first he cannot believe his luck at having written his ideal love.

At first he has trouble convincing people this is actually real – this is demonstrated in a brilliantly captured scene where he shows his brother (Chris Messina) that Ruby exists by constantly writing new things for her to do on his type writer such as her speaking fluent French. The second his brother clicks on, is priceless! As he knows Calvin has created what most men dream of.

But soon the very distinctive personality he fell in love with begins to annoy him and the scenes where he tries to literally re-write Ruby are a mixture of heart break and sheer hilarity. Calvin is his own worst enemy in this situation and it goes to show that some people are not meant to be changed because their colours shine brightest when they are themselves!

Although film does sag more into traditional rom- com territory in the middle part, where Calvin and Ruby pay a visit to his hippie mother (Annette Bening) and step-father (Antonio Bandaras)  it has an ending that delivers a worth conclusion to its brilliant premise. Although some heart may sink at its outcome, but I won’t give too much away here!

Paul Dano seems like an odd choice to star in a sweet film like Ruby Sparks, given his previous dark turn as preacher Eli in There Will Be Blood. But nevertheless he is a magnificent choice and her perfect embodies Calvin’s difficult persona on screen and through his performance he gives him a sweeter side.

But the film belongs to Zoe Kazan as Ruby- a new star is truly born here as Kazan gives firstly one of the most creative scripts of recent times that from start to finish makes great use of its ideas. And also she illuminates on screen at all times, Ruby is one of the sweetest and most caring people you could ever wish to meet and through Kazan we would all happily be with her and not change a thing! The fact that Dano and Kazan are real life partners adds to the reality on screen.

Dayton and Faris have made us wait sometime but Ruby Sparks has been worth the six years in between and I think we will struggle to find a more unique concept this year in cinema. If anyone out there has every thought about changing the people they love, then head down and watch this film because it will teach you not only to love people for what they are- but will make you wish you could write something as well as Calvin!

The Marked Man: Review of Get Carter

Classic from the Vault

Get Carter (1971)

Director: Mike Hodges

By Alex Watson

Michael Caine is an icon of British cinema for a number of reasons, firstly he has a presence that cannot be denied and through this is able to bring any number of possible scenarios to any one scene he plays. Secondly although his notorious cockney accent might have been mocked consistently through the years it gives him a trademark and as a result it gives his dialogue a bite. Add these elements together and you get the king of cool for British cinema! His talents were never better showcased than in Mike Hodges grim yet suspenseful classic, Get Carter.

When his brother dies in mysterious circumstances in Newcastle, London based hit-man Jack Carter returns to the North to investigate. While there he realizes his brother had become deeply involved with seedy underworld. Although several hardened criminals warn Carter to go no further, he eventually battles his way to the truth- but not before finding out many unpleasant truths about his brothers past!

Get Carter is one the most absorbing thrillers you are likely to find and in this day and age its effect still has not warn off. From the very moment Carter steps off the train in the North East you can feel the feathers already begin to ruffle! Even in the face of many tough gangsters, Carter makes mincemeat of them without breaking a sweat and all the way through we are wondering what his next step will be?

But his most impressive quality is complete lack of emotion towards the sad set of circumstances he has been dealt with. All throughout Carter shows contempt towards all, viewing everyone as a nuisance for getting in his way to the truth and readily killing them without a hint of regret. Women in particular have no place in the life of Carter and he sees them merely as disposable objects. In particular, his seedy phone call to his boss’s girlfriend, Anna (Britt Ekland). Carter is a very unique character because for the most part he very unlikeable and seems at no point to want the audience to warm to him. But through his mission to avenge his brother’s death, we find ourselves rooting for him all the way.

The most surprising thing about Get Carter is that it is a very different kind of gangster thriller than we have come accustom to in years gone by. There are no wise cracks present and throughout the humour element stays absent from the screen. Though there is violence a plenty, Hodges forgoes the buckets of fake blood and focuses more on psychological effect of this violence. What we are left with an experience that is border-line unpleasant in places, but it succeeds in building up the tension for the brutal finale!

Setting the movie in Newcastle gives the picture a grim overtone and through the rainy scenery it adds to the gritty edge. But on although it looks normal on the surface, the deeper that Carter delves the stranger this place becomes, almost like lifting a rock from the earth and seeing what’s underneath. But the films end a more abnormal place has been uncovered and in the end we fear that this could become a similar world to The Wicker Man?

Get Carter is by far Michael Caine’s picture and he holds the screen with an ice cold coolness that has yet to be truly equalled in this kind of film! All through the picture Caine gives a straight depiction of a man out for blood and will get it by any mean, this lack of emotional complex serves Get Carter well and ensures its classic status!

Apart from Caine, few others get a look in, although there are great turns from play-write John Osbourne as crime boss Kinnear and an outstanding debut from veteran Geordie actor Alun Armstrong as Keith, a boy obsessed with Carter and who will do anything to help him, but really shouldn’t expect any thanks for his troubles!

Shamefully Hodges picture was re-made in 2000 starring Sylvester Stallone (although Caine still appeared) and was un-surprisingly ripped to shreds! But that one mistake aside, Get Carter is a true legend of British cinema and deservedly so and through Caine’s star power it makes it essential viewing for any fan of this genre. Whether or not you like Carter as a person will depend on you but bear one thing in mind- he’s probably very upset! And it’s best not to trample on a man who’s down, seriously!

Changing with the Times: Looper Review

Looper

Director: Rian Johnson

By Alex Watson

It has been a little while since there has been a truly mind bending sci-fi thriller, not since Chris Nolan launched Inception upon the film world and made our twist like a pretzel has there been a film that has made us ask all kinds of questions! But this year there has been a lot of hype surrounding Rian Johnson’s follow up to his well acclaimed debut film Brick, a film which deals with a very different form of time travel and proposes us to think, what happened if we met our future selves? Expect debates a plenty as we review Looper.

Set in the future, Joe (Joseph Gordon- Levitt) works as a Looper- an assassin who executes people sent by time travel from 30 years in the future. He is very successful at his job, but one day- the target turns out to be the future Joe (Bruce Willis)! Because of this he fails to carry out his hit and as a result his bosses are soon in pursuit of him. When he meets his future self and learns to plans to avenge his pain filled past. As both work to change their future, they will both some come into contact with single mum Sara (Emily Blunt) and her interesting little boy!

I am happy to announce that Looper is exactly the kind of intelligent sci-fi thriller we have been searching for in the last couple of years. The plot is very technical to describe and would normally require Professor Brian Cox type intellect to understand, but where it stands out is in its brilliant storyline which has legs that allows it to stride forward; the notion of history being re-written is fantastically portrayed and brings into a view a number of interesting questions.

After all, we have all wondered what meet our future selves would be like and how it could change our path in life. The moment when both Joe’s cross paths is one of the highlights of the movie, and is proceeded by an impressive 30 year montage where we see Joe go from being a callous young assassin, to a being mixed up with the mob and a life on the run! Afterwards we see the fear in the young Joe’s eyes as the older one describes the pain and heart break that has plagued his life. Although his younger man scoffs at this, he can’t shake the feeling that this will one day happen to him! Here Rian Johnson puts all our questions into view and makes us think about what we can do to change things for the better!

Looper succeeds on a level where films like The Adjustment Bureau (which also dealt with re-writing history) failed because although the former had an interesting idea to it, the logic got mangled on screen and caused people to ask too many questions surrounding it. From the very beginning of Johnson’s film, he has any potential questions iced in an opening voice-over and from there it makes the future seem plausible. Here were are shown a dystopian future where people do drugs through their eye balls and the economic crisis is so bleak, tramps literally line the streets. This is a truly unique vision and for once shows that in a brainy sci-fi, ideas come before visuals!

Both Bruce Willis and Joseph Gordon-Levitt are magnificent as the older and younger versions of each other and together they hold centre stage well, also through impressive make up Gordon-Levitt looks identical to Willis and this blocks any potential snipes that two don’t seem alike!

Emily Blunt is also wonderful as Sara, a woman whose love for her son is absolute; even though he will pay an awful part in the future Joe’s tragic back story! Blunt doesn’t just play the typical doe eyed woman and gives Sara a strength that makes her stand out.

There is no doubt that we are looking a major talent of the future, Rian Johnson has brought us a film which has great heart and truly makes our mind ticks. Looper will be high on my list of films for 2012 and I can guarantee any viewer that they will not have a brainier and thought provoking experience like this. Cult status is guaranteed for this picture, Johnson and Gordon-Levitt better get together soon because together anything is possible! Be sure to think of your future everyone, because who knows what lies ahead!

Mr Law & Order: Review of Dredd

Dredd

Director: Pete Travis

By Alex Watson

Many people’s memories still quake with fear as we remember Sylvester Stallone’s previous outing as Judge Dredd. What started as fans delight quickly dissolved into a corny nightmare with its wooden acting and truly terrible storyline and not to mention Sly repeatedly slurring “I AM THE LAWWW” So imagine peoples scepticism when a re- boot of the franchise was announced! But with no real star names attached, this effort looked to be more promising and fans began to believe again? How will British Director Pete Travis take his new vision on a comic legend in Dredd?

Based in the futuristic Mega City One, the world has become a vast wasteland and people are becoming more desperate everyday! The city’s top cop Judge Dredd (Karl Urban) has his work cut out for him as more crime is committed! But even worse a new drug called Slo-Mo has hit the streets from gang leader MaMa (Lena Headey) and is deadly addictive. Soon Dredd is called to mentor rookie Judge Anderson and together the two go on a routine bust inside MaMa controlled tower, Peach Trees. But very soon the two find themselves sealed inside and very soon the only way out is to fight their way upstairs!

Thankfully Dredd sheds the ham factor of its predecessor and is thankfully stripped down to its bare elements by Director Travis and screenwriter Alex Garland. The plot here is minimal and unlike before there is no back story for Dredd and because of this there are no unnecessary sub plot diversions. Here we have a man who will keep law and order, no matter what the cost! The more simple touches allow this film to fire on all cylinders and finally fans get the Judge Dredd their patience has deserved! It is to the credit of Garland and Travis for restoring the faith!

Although the visual effects are rare in this piece, they are none the less spectacular and in 3D this is a worthy experience! In particular, several stunning sequences demonstrating to us life through Slo-Mo eyes. But more than anything, the more grainy cinematography gives us a grittier feel than Stallone’s effort and for the time we see just how bad life in Mega City One has become!

But one area where Dredd falls down is in the centre story line, the idea of cops fighting their way up a drug baron controlled tower block feels dangerously similar to the Indonesian film The Raid by Gareth Evans (reviewed earlier this year) and in the beginning part it becomes a game of spot the similarities. This isn’t to say that the story is any less interesting, but this premise does feel a little cut and pasted.

However, any flaws in story are made up by the excellent portrayal of Dredd, never once is his helmet removed (although we his head once from behind) and this man is all business so in Travis & Garland’s world- humour doesn’t exist with this man because there is peace to preserve. The villainess, MaMa however isn’t quite as brilliant; although she is a cunning and chilling lady- she doesn’t quite conjure up the threat need to drive such a movie.

As the aforementioned Judge, Karl Urban is excellent is this role! A capable supporting man of recents times in RED, Star Trek and The Lord of the Rings trilogy, but when pushed into leading man mode, Urban truly holds the screen and never relents. His performance is made all the more impressive as he is behind a helmet throughout- his chin alone deserves an Oscar for its efforts!

Though Lena Headey looks the part as the scarred MaMa, she doesn’t quite have the menace to go with it. Which is a shame seeing as her work as evil Queen Cersei Lannister in Game of Thrones has brought us one the best villains on TV! Olivia Thirlby gives solid support as rookie Anderson who has learn fast as the baddies close in around her!

The redemption of Judge Dredd is finally here (and no Rob Schneider in sight!), Dredd is a fine adaption of John Wagner’s comic and we can begin to forget Stallone’s original effort and embrace the true bad-ass that Urban has brought to our screens. – Fans let the healing process begin!