In a Better World: Review of Elysium

Elysium

Director: Neill Blomkamp

By Alex Watson

 

South African visionary Neill Blomkamp returns to our screens this week with his much hyped future movie Elysium. After his well received, Johannesburg set sci-fi movie District 9, many have been anticipating his follow up effort for some years now. Once again this summer we turn to a directors view of earth after destruction- but after some mixed receptions of the same idea, how will Blomkamp’s idea stand out from the rest? With Matt Damon on board as the lead this could be the element that strengths this movie!

Set in the year 2154, earth has become almost inhabitable and as a result, the wealthy members of the human race have formed their own satellite world Elysium where there is no sickness, death or ageing and is run with an iron fist by Defense Secretary Jessica Delacourt (Jodie Foster)- who works hard to keep any illegals from entering. But when ex convict Mark Da Costa (Matt Damon) is exposed to a fatal dosage of radiation in a factory incident, he is given only 5 days to live. His only way to survive to get to Elysium – but he will have an obstacle in his way in the face of psycho Elysium agent Kruger (Sharlto Copley).

Elysium is one of the more enjoyable and believable futuristic earth movies of 2013 and Blomkamp succeeds in giving us a realistic and visually stunning portrayal of an earth which is on the verge of collapse. The Los Angeles of 2154 is a grimy place littered where employment is scarce, robots have become our police force and crime is large- all the while the gleaming white circle Elysium hangs about them in the sky! The early scenes showing a mainly robot controlled earth provides some great moments (such as Max’s robot control parole officer) , unusually for a big blockbuster, Blomkamp focuses largely on theme of illegal immigrants attempting to enter the different airspace to get better medical treatment- but instead are rounded up like cattle!

Max’s journey to try and break into Elysium is one that gives the movie direction- the moments after he is pulled from his accident- he is met by another monotone robot who simply gives him pills while saying “Thank you for your service” from there rather than accept defeat, he decides to rise up and live another day. His plan is not without its problems and an assault on billionaire John Carlyle (William Fichtner), Kruger and his gang onto him like white on rich and from there he literally has to play it smart or die trying! His reconnect with childhood sweetheart Frey (Alice Braga) is one that gives the movie some heart- though is perhaps underdeveloped.

While Elysium looks and sounds great and for the majority of its 109 minute running time, the story doesn’t quite flow like it should and its rather flat and slightly hoaxy climax misses the thrills of District 9 that Blomkamp gave us previously, also it is let down by a series of rather one note villains- Delacourt while ruthless, fails to really pose any kind of serious threat other than her desire to have society which looks like a picture postcard while destroying innocent illegal’s attempting to join the party. When Kruger enters, things become more interesting as this an agent who couldn’t give a damn about the folks he servies- he is always for himself (no matter whether the action he takes is right or wrong!) his showdowns with Max give the movie an extra shot of adrenalin.

Matt Damon proves he can do sci-fi well and rings in a typically solid lead turn as Max, through his shaved head and prison tats- this a very different Damon than people will be accustomed to seeing- but as usual he is able to give the movie a centre. Though Jodie Foster proves unusually disappointed as the bizarre accented Delacourt and for her she is not firing on all cyclinders. Personally I am a big supporter of Jodie, but as the villain she doesn’t quite fit!

Sharlto Copley however, has the most fun as outlandish agent Kruger and the OTT feel he brings to the character makes him the main villain of the piece and gives him a presence that makes us stand up and pay attention.

Though Elysium might not be the top movie of the summer, it sure does provide an interesting view of the future and Blomkamp’s view on human condition are very thought provoking throughout. As a director he will be one of the more impressive visual artists to watch over the coming years. Save and invest your money wisely everyone- you never know when it could come in handy!

Top 10 Great Movie Character Entrances

Top 10 Great Movie Character Entrances

Sherif Ali (Lawrence of Arabia): The first appearance of Omar Sharif’s Ali is by far one of the most stylish ever created on screen as he makes a splendid entrance, appearing first as a speck on the horizon then slowly through the desert heat haze comes a camel with Ali riding on its back and Lawrence looks on in sheer amazement. Legendary set designer John Box achieved this stunning look by lining the desert sand with white stones to bring the full effect- today this scene is still awe inspiring and in Lawrence’s very long running time, it is this moment that will forever stand out!

Darth Vader (Star Wars): The man in black’s first appearance on screen is one forever imprinted onto the minds of die hard Star Wars fans- emerging from the destroyed blast door of the rebel ship with his storm troopers in tow, he calmly enters the scene with cold hard authority and in an instant the quintessential cinematic villain is born! Set to John Williams’ famous score, George Lucas masterfully set up one of the series most iconic characters who is able to conjure up pure excitement and immense nerves whenever he appears- but when he chokes the Rebel commander to a bone breaking death- we realize this is no ordinary villain!

Quint (Jaws): During a town meeting, the residents of Amity Island argues amongst themselves as to who will kill the Shark that has devastated their town and more recently killed the Kitner family’s boy- suddenly a horrific dry scratching noise rings out! The camera pans around to reveal hunter Quint (Robert Shaw) running his nails down a black board, which on it has a drawing of a stick man being eaten by a giant shark! Through his hard, piercing gaze, Quint instantly succeeds in not only grabbing the town’s attention, but the audiences too as he offers “$10,000 for me by myself. For that you get the head, the tail, the whole damn thing” the entrance of the old sea dog is as chilling as the entrance of the shark he’s pursuing!

Indiana Jones (Raiders of the Lost Ark): Whenever you see the opening sequence from this movie, it is always able to capture the same exhilaration each time as our hero Indiana Jones (Harrison Ford) skilfully manoveures his way through a variety of booby traps to claim the golden idol he has been seeking, we assume he has made it. But when the room begins to shake- his troubles are only just beginning and Indy is then forced to run from a collapsing chamber and most memorably a giant rolling boulder! This beginning perfectly sets up our hero for the series with his devil may care attitude and his love of the high risk stuff! This scene still ranks as the most notable Indy moment and without, its hard to imagine how the film would have been?

The Balrog of Moria (Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring): Gollum and Sauron may have been impressive CGI characters through the Rings trilogy- but neither of them made an entrance more spectacular than the Balrog. As he enters our nine companions are surrounded by a sea of orcs with seemingly no way out! From the air comes a deep growl which alone is enough to send the many enemies scarpering! As a bright orange light slowly creeps across, we know he is heavy duty stuff and from the defeated look on the face of Gandalf (Ian Mckellen) it dawns on our heroes that this enemy cannot be killed by any weapon they possess! But his gigantic and beastly form is revealed to us- it is hard not to be frozen with shock and have fear hit you hard!

John Doe (Se7en): As Kevin Spacey’s killer casually walks into a police station trying to catch the attention of his pursuer Detective Mills (Brad Pitt) it leads to a shocking reveal as he cries out “DETECTIVE!!!” as Mills turns around he sees his suspect drenched in calmly stating “You’re looking for me!” until this point John Doe has never been shown to the audience and has mainly avoided being seen- but his entrance causes firework as baffled cops restrain him. But his introduction will prove to be the catalyst for a tense finale which both thrilling and incredibly devastating as Doe tries to bring the seven deadly sins full circle!

The Alien (Alien): The Chestburster scene still has the ability to scare us even today as the Alien literally ‘bursts’ its way onto our screens through John Hurt! When the crew of the Nostromo starship sit down to what appears to be an ordinary dinner, they have no idea what is about to unfold- cue splatter filled mayhem as the crew stare in wonder at the tiny creature that has just appeared- this moment proves to be the tipping point of Alien- for genuine shock, director Ridley Scott didn’t inform his cast about the chestburster- so the stunned looks all around are genuine here!

Anton Chigurh (No Country For Old Men): One of cinema’s greatest bounty hunters instantly makes his presence felt within moments of arriving in the Coen Brothers Oscar winning thriller- picked up by the cops for a minor offense, Chigurh (Javier Bardem) then proceeds to strangle a young deputy to death with the same cuffs he put on him! The look of almost orgasmic pleasure on his face as he struggles on the floor with his foe instantly sets up one of this century’s finest villains. Moments later he flees in a police car and then after pulling over a random driver- shots him from the head with a captive bolt pistol! Chigurh is a machine of a man and his menace is felt throughout this and his introduction sets the tone for this!

The Joker (The Dark Knight): During the impressive bank heist sequence in Christopher Nolan’s second Batman adventure, the various masked vigilante’s keep mentioning a strange man calling himself ‘The Joker’ but when the Heath Ledger’s grinning maniac is finally revealed to us, his presence is unforgettable as he tells William Fichtner’s mob bank manager “I believe whatever doesn’t kill you simply makes you… stranger!” the moment he whips off his mask the audience see the madman that Bruce Wayne has to deal with and he has a face no one will ever forget!

Leon the Professional (Leon):  Jean Reno as cinema’s best hitman sure has an entrance to go with it as well, as he coolly and brutally executes a multitude of drug dealing baddies to get to his target- but it’s the moment where he corners his victim in the shadows holding a blade to his throat that will raise pulses most as he calmly resists all manner of bribes and simply tells the man to ring a number. Upon completion he simply asks “Do you understand… good!” and slinks off into the darkness.  This is one lesson this dealer will never forget and you can safely say he’ll never be visiting New York again!

Vienna Vacation: Review of The Third Man

Classic from the Vault

The Third Man (1949)

Director: Carol Reed

By Alex Watson

British cinema has brought some real cornerstones of the movie world in years gone by and has produced some legendary directors such as David Lean, Alfred Hitchcock, Michael Powell and John Boorman- but one director who often appears on this list in Carol Reed, who won an Oscar for his adaptation of Oliver in 1968- but it was his adaptation of Graham Greene’s Vienna based mystery The Third Man that many consider his greatest work and more than 60 years on, it still haunts audiences seeing it for the first time. In 1999 The British Film Institute ranked this as the greatest British movie of the 20^th Century- but how does the film stand up today?

Downtrodden western novel writer Holly Martins (Joseph Cotten) arrives in Allied occupied Vienna after being offered a job by his old friend Harry Lime (Orson Welles) upon arriving he discovers that his friend past away and is informed by sardonic British policeman Major Callaway (Trevor Howard) of his black market dabbling! Martins however, refuses to believe the story and becomes desparate to clear Harrys name. For this he goes digging deeper into his old friend’s affairs and comes into contact with Lime’s mistress Anna (Alida Valli). But very soon a massive is reveal to Martins and his world is transformed forever!

The Third Man is quite rightly considered a classic of British cinema and through Reeds stunning direction and a legendary suspenseful score by Anton Karras, we are given a mystery which is absorbing and continually shocks us throughout! From the moment Martins hops off the train in Vienna it is apparent that there is a big secret lurking in the dark shows of the city and it seems whenever he confronts one of Harry’s old ‘acquaintances’ another inconsistency is found in their stories! From the half truths being spun it appears his friends do not wish him to find out what really happened and who the ‘Third Man’ at the scene of the accident really was!

Martins is a character who is diving head first into a world of trouble and his characterization from a naive nobody to a reluctant detective provides the movie with a real strength and as Harry’s crime filled world including such dastardly deeds as selling diluted Penicillin is revealed to him, his desire to clear Lime’s name becomes progressively less fierce and he becomes obsessed with finding out the identity of the mystery person involved with Harry’s death- even though he is repeatedly warned by Callaway and others not to press the matter, Martins will continue and then a startling revelation is found!

But the main talking point of The Third Man comes from its well noted and still celebrated twist mid way through the movie- for first time viewers I will withhold what this moment includes, but the scene is one that will provide many jaw dropping in shock as the infamous third man is finally revealed to the audience. When his face is shown to us from the light of an upstairs window, a true classic is born!

Joseph Cotten turns probably the finest performance of his career as the suspicious Martins and all throughout this movie we both fear for his safety and urge him towards finding the truth! Cotten was an actor who is probably one of the most underrated if the 40s and 50s and his presence on screen here is excellent. But it’s Orson Welles that dominates the movie, despite only appearing three times throughout, Welles provides a haunting yet charming vibe to Harry and this adds to the movie’s gloomy feel.

The Third Man should rank as compulsory viewing for all lovers of British cinema and Carol Reed takes us on a thrilling ride throughout its 104 minute running time. The zither theme tune by Karras will send a shiver down your spine whenever it appears and today this effect is still as fresh as before. Its placing as the greatest British movie of all time is well deserved and even today it has yet to find an equal!

Rebels with a Cause: Review of Kick Ass 2

Kick Ass 2

Director: Jeff Wadlow

By Alex Watson

 

When Kick Ass was released back in 2010, it was met with much acclaim and hailed as one the coolest and most original superhero flicks of this century so far- but it wasn’t without its controversies as due to violence some critics condemned it entirely as being ‘irresponsible’. But it appears this didn’t damage the overall impression as for four years now fans have waiting for a sequel to happen- well fear not because Kick Ass and Hit Girl are back on our screen this year under the new direction of Jeff Wadlow in Kick Ass 2! Can lightning strike twice for this franchise?

Three years on from defeating Frank D’Amigo, Dave Lizewski (Aaron Taylor-Johnson) and Mindy Macready (Chloe Grace Moretz) are attempting to lead normal lives. But inside both of them yearn to be Kick Ass and Hit Girl again! To help keep the public safe, Kick Ass join the superhero group ‘Justice Forever’ led by deranged vigilante Colonel Stars & Stripes (Jim Carrey). But a bigger threat will emerge as Chris D’Amigo (Christopher Mintz-Plasse) is out to avenge his father and becomes the worlds first supervillian- The Motherfucker! In doing so he begins a run of chaos that threatens Kick Ass’ whole world!

It is great to see this group back to together on screen and Kick Ass 2 does prove to once again prove to be another bout of fun mixed with some expletives for good measure! The lives of Dave and Mindy have changed drastically and the script manages the gaps in the story well and the story picks up with Mindy promising adoptive father Marcus (Morris Chestnut) that she will go on the straight and narrow and end her violence- the scenes of her trying to fit in at school provide of the movies funniest scenes, such as her revenge on a super bitch cheerleader with an interesting device!

But although the laughs are still there, the movie doesn’t quite have the sparkle of the first movie and in places it feels like the new direction of Wadlow feels compelled to fall back in the movies foul mouthed humour to keep the laugh factor safe. At times this sequel makes from great viewing and it’s the introduction of the Motherfucker that really sparks the story into life as Chris in this movie has done a complete 360 degree turn and in his new ridiculous leather clad customer he really makes for a fascinating villain and his intent on revenge will literally leave your blood running cold with the methods he resorts to!

Whereas the first movie was all about our small band of heroes, this movie widens the net to whole new cast of heroes, the results differ in quality because we have some great minors character such as ‘psychics professor’ Dr Gravity (Donald Faison) and the wonderfully named Night Bitch (Lindy Booth)- but it’s Colonel Stars & Stripes who scores highest as he demonstrates his lust of justice by using his well training dog Eisenhower and gleely proclaiming “Yeah there’s a dog on your balls!” Together they provide a thrilling finale as Justice Forever goes head to head with the Motherfucker’s evil army in a no holds barred battle! This sequence will have every Kick Ass fan cheering inside.

Another major criticism of Kick Ass 2 has again been the overuse of violence (Jim Carrey has since distanced himself from the project due to this), in its predecessor, originally director Matthew Vaughn kept these scenes to a minimum, but in Kick Ass 2 the violence comes thick and fast and after a time it does become a burden and gives the movie a rather OTT feel. Why Wadlow feel he needs to resort to this when he has a fine cast and an equally compelling story is a mystery?

The now named, Aaron Taylor Johnson again is great as Kick Ass and once more makes for a great on screen hero, after making a name for himself in the original, Taylor Johnson again proves his one of the most interesting British talents currently around. But this movie again belongs to Chloe Moretz as hit girl, who steps up her game in this movie and gives a softer performance which conveys Mindy being to learn what it means to be a teenager!

Christopher Mintz-Plasse fills the villain role incredibly well and goes from being spoiled rich boy, to rich boy with one hell of a grudge! All the way through, Mintz-Plasse relishes his new bad guy persona and stays on the right side of hammy to give a performance that gives the film a new lease of live! Jim Carrey in his limited time on screen is great as deranged hero Stars & Stripes, but he feels very underused and although he has several memorable lines we feel he could have been used more than in an overextended cameo!

Although it may not reach the critically highs of the first movie, Kick Ass 2 has more than enough to keep fans happy and with a potential threequel on our hands, any mistakes from his movie can be easily rectified- the three wait has been a long one and this film may prove to be one of the better sequels we will see in 2013! Hope to see you soon Dave- don’t leave us hanging this time though!

Ideas for New Terminator Reboot

In 2015, Arnold Schwarzenegger will once again don the shades and the leather jacket to become his most iconic character, the Terminator. According to reports, this new adventure will focus on the birth of Sarah Connor and her family during the 1940’s and 1950’s- to me it seems like a mistake going back this far and I think the story would work better in the modern day and after the under-rated Terminator: Salvation starring Christian Bale and Sam Worthington, this fact is strengthened. But with Dwayne Johnson reported being approached to join the cast, this could be interesting. Here are some ideas I feel could work better,

• Terminator: Rise To Power: The T 101 is sent back in time to assassin a state senator gone power crazy to prevent him from approving a bill which will lead to Skynet being formed. With some tongue in check references to Arnie’s time in office, this film could proved to be a great mixture of action and humour!
• Terminator Vs. Predator: End of The World- Why not combine two of Arnie’s finest movies on screen for a couple of fun hours as the Terminator and the Predator square off against each other in the remains of the destroyed earth as John Connor and friends run for cover wondering what the hell is happening! This would sell tickets by the bucket load- if only for nostalgic reasons.
• Terminator: Money to Burn:  In this action packed caper, the Terminator is sent back through time (landing naked as usual) to kill a Madison Avenue executive who will eventually play a key role in financing Judgement Day, only to get caught up investing in Weapon Manufacture on the stock market. He learns the evils of gun violence and strives to protect humanity from it- but his actions leave them defenceless when the machine arrive in the far future- a great twist of him being a double agent would work wonders for this!
• Terminator: The Ultimate Showdown: Here the T-101 faces the ultimate team of heroes, Bruce Willis, Chuck Norris, Steven Seagal and JCVD- yes this would basically be the Expendables, but it all the actors play themselves this would make for a Friday night cult classic with a ton of quotable lines- throw in a typically crazy Nic Cage cameo and we have a home run with this idea!

Whatever the result- it will be great to Arnie become his greatest creation again because if nothing else his presence on screen will make our hairs stand up! Until next week folks- “I’ll Be Back!!”

Show Me The Money: Review of Eight Men Out

Classic from the Vault

Eight Men Out (1988)

Director: John Sayles

By Alex Watson

There are some sporting scandals that really do rock sports fans to the core like Lance Armstrong’s cheating his way to seven Tour De France titles, The Italian Football scandals where Juventus where stripped of their title for match fixing and even more terrifyingly Mike Tyson’s shocking bite on Evander Holyfield! But for Baseball fans one event stands alone and that is the eight Chicago White Sox players who chose to throw the 1919 World Series! But what was the motive behind their decision? Iin 1988 John Sayles explored this in his critically acclaim movie, Eight Men Out.

After another glorious season, the Chicago White Sox players go to defend their World Series title against the Cincinnati Reds. But their penny pitcher owner Charles Comiskey (Clifton James) refuses to pay them a bonus even after their continuing brilliance! Sensing unrest, two small time bookies convince star players Chick Gandil (Michael Rooker), Happy Felsch (Charlie Sheen) and ageing pitcher Eddie Cicotte (David Strathairn) to throw the World Series and earn more money! But as the team falls under suspicion with some ‘questionable’ performance- 8 players will soon have their lives changed forever.

Criminally under viewed in the UK, Eight Men Out is one of the most heartbreaking and intriguing sports drama you will ever watch. John Sayles never once makes these players out to be martyrs of the game and is only interested in how this tragic tale unfolded! The players of yesterday didn’t earn the big bucks that the Major League players of today make and to many of them, throwing the series was a way of getting a good pay day, the gamblers are the real villains of this piece as they manipulate these easily led ball players into being banned from the game for life!

There is a sense of unfairness in this tale and it starts with Comiskey denying the team their bonus and leads the men into a sense of rebellion. The players themselves don’t seem to realize the implications involved and at first see this as a bit of fun. But their risk will claim many unfortunate casualties including star batsman Joe Jackson (DB Sweeney) who although involved is very ill educated and doesn’t seem to really understand quite what is happening and third baseman Buck Weaver (John Cusack) who angrily rejects the chance to be involved but was unfairly banned along with the others!

It’s the scenes on the field that really drive Eight Men Out as the seemingly unbeatable White Sox team begins to make shocking mistakes during play and after a while these errors become more and more suspect! As this affair goes on, star reporter Ring Lardner (played by Sayles) senses something foul is afoot and the manager Kid Gleason (John Mahoney) and straight laced player Eddie Collins (Bill Irwin) finally clue into the fact that their team is throwing this series away but are powerless to intervene and can only watch in anger as they lose to the fury of the home fans! But the aftermath will be severe as Lardner breaks the destroying story to the fans and this begins a riveting courtroom sequence as the 8 players accused fight for their careers.

The performances in this movie are ones of a high calibre and are lead by David Strathairn as Cicotte, a star player coming to the end and who simply wants a nice retirement package, through Strathairn’s world weary performance we see a man ashamed of his actions but is now in too deep! Although Charlie Sheen and Michael Rooker are both equally strong, it’s John Cusack and DB Sweeney who stand out most as the two innocent casualties of this betting scam!

Sweeney as Jackson gives a good sense of naivety as a man who is convinced to join his friends but sadly through no fault of his own is dragged down with them, while Cusack’s Buck Weaver is the voice of objection throughout but his cries will fall on deaf ears (Weaver would spend the remainder of his life fighting his ban to no avail!)

Eight Men Out is a must see for any fans of John Sayles work and is one of the truly great and under-rated sports films of years gone by. Its story of corruption makes this a must see and the ‘Black Sox’ team is one that makes for great viewing as we learn what would make such a great team permanently shame the sport they loved!  Once again Baseball proves a winning subject and with its great cast I highly recommend this.

Man in the Mask: Review of The Lone Ranger

The Lone Ranger

Director: Gore Verbinski

By Alex Watson

“HI-YO SILVER….AWAY!!!” You, me and everyone we know has been hearing this cry since the dawn of time and now finally The Lone Ranger has made its way across to the big screen after a glorious period on radio in 1933 to its small screen beginnings from 1949 to 1957 with Clayton Moore starring as the masked avenger! But its trip to the cinemas has been no easy journey and during production in August 2011- filming ground to a halt over budget concerns! But director Gore Verbinski has been able to bring the journey full circle-but delays of this kind are always a worrying sign, can the charm of Johnny Depp’s Tonto save this movie?

In 1933 San Francisco, aged Comanche tribesman Tonto (Johnny Depp) relives his tale of the Wild West to a young boy. Back in 1869 lawyer John Reid (Armie Hammer) returns home to become his towns new District Attorney- but soon things take a bad turn when John watches his brother Dan (James Badge Dale) being murdered by notorious outlaw Bruce Cavendish (William Fichtner) during an ambush of Texas Rangers and is left the sole survivor! Revived by Tonto- Reid decides to don a mask and avenge his brother’s death by becoming The Lone Ranger.

So far The Lone Ranger has opened to a poor box office and less than favourable reviews, for the most part this is a very fun movie and director Gore Verbinski makes great use of the buddy comedy aspect of the story between John and Tonto. The main problem however, lies in the over bloated script which makes the story far more drawn out than it needs to and isn’t helped by some flat sides stories involving corruption by railroad contractors who are building the Transcontinental Railroad led by devious Latham Cole (Tom Wilkinson) which gives a rather hoaxy feel to the story. Although this is an entertaining ride, there is a rather average and slightly stale feel to this all and it doesn’t look like $250 million dollars well spent!

This film begins well enough with a reasonable exciting opening act John returns home with a college law degree and an eye still on his onetime sweet heart Rebecca (Ruth Wilson) who is now married to his brother- but when the brothers Reid make an ill fated trip into the desert, they are gunned down by Butch and left for dead! But as he awakes in the midst of being buried by Tonto, a new vigilant is born as he learns to ‘never take off the mask’. But asides from this opening segment and a fun finale as our two heroes outsmart their enemies but using not one but two different trains, the middle section of the movie just sags as truths are reveal and predictable twists come forward.

However the partnership of John and Tonto is where The Lone Ranger has the most fun, as they constantly bicker with one another and the Comanche continually feeds his the dead crow which is sat permanently on his head- although Tonto is bizarre with his broken English and strange customs, he is a very wise and aware warrior who is the only man who can shape his ‘kemosabe’ from being a by the book lawman, to being able to dispense justice with a bullet! Bizarrely for an action film the sidekick feels like the real star of the movie.

Johnny Depp looks the part of Tonto in this movie and this another role which will fill his fan base with joy and he is given free rein to be quirky and mysterious. But although Depp is solid as always, this doesn’t feel like he is pushing himself and while this might provide customer parties with a new favourite outfit it won’t be remember as one of his great performances. Armie Hammer as the hero tries his hardest to stand out but doesn’t quite nail the part and next to Depp he looks like he is all at sea and doesn’t feel like the man the anchor such a big bucks film.

As the villain the ever reliable William Fichtner is memorably nasty and the grimy and scarred Cavendish and he makes for a great enemy for the two and his continuous exasperation at them not staying dead provides some fine funny moments. Also it is wonderful to see Ruth Wilson being given her shot at Hollywood as the sister in law/ love interest of John and after he brilliant turn as Alice Morgan in BBC show Luther she has earned her chance!

Sadly The Lone Ranger will not be one of this year’s greatest summer blockbusters, but nevertheless it is still fun and fans of Depp should probably still check this out, it is a shame that this hasn’t quite met the expectations but money doesn’t always guarantee success in this field! One day hopefully we will cry out “HI-YO Silver!” in triumph, but until then Kemosabe, we shall have to wait!

The Bright Lights of Hell: Review of Only God Forgives

Only God Forgives

Director: Nicolas Winding Refn

By Alex Watson

After the visually beautiful and multiply acclaimed movie Drive in 2011, the celebrated partnership Ryan Gosling and Nicolas Winding Refn return to our screens with their Bangkok based drama Only God Forgives. Danish director Refn is one of the film world’s most upcoming directors and after his brutal yet brilliant interpretation of notorious British criminal Charles Bronson in his movie Bronson– this has lavish eye for detail has made him a cult favourite. But how will this follow up stand up to lovers of art based cinema?

Julian (Ryan Gosling) is a US ex pat living in Bangkok, Thailand who runs a Thai boxing gym as a front for his drug trafficking business. After his brother Billy (Tom Burke) is murdered for killing a 16 year old girl, it brings him to attention infamous police Lieutenant Chang (Vithaya Pansringarm) a man who truly believes he is the angel of death! The involvement of his long estranged mother Crystal is equally unwelcome and soon Julian is left fighting for his life in the face of true evil!

Only God Forgives is a very lavish and stunning visual feast for Winding Refn who through his neon lit corridors and rooms creates a world which looks the very definition of pure evil, and the contrasting colours work wonders for characterization as Chang is permanent stood under bright red lights, symbolizing his supernatural abilities, while Julian under cooler colours stands as the only thing approaching good in this movie.

But although this is well shot art piece, beneath it the overall result rings very hollow and the story is almost nonexistent and the constant pretty cinematography will baffle and frustrate many viewers! Refn seems to trip up on his own love of the obscure and seems intent of providing us with continuous picture perfect scenes to keep our eyes hooked throughout. The characters we are given are given limited explaination and it is only through monologues by Crystal that we get even a glimpse of the reasons why Julian is in Thailand and his relationship with Thai hooker Mai (Rhatha Phongam) is never given a moments explanation.

I understand the overall message that Refn is trying to give us, that this is about the conflict between good and evil and that Julian by confronting Chang is going into the very heart of darkness to avenge a man he truly disliked in real life. It’s just that the lack of linear story is immensely maddening and its Refn relentless flicking back and forth between odd scene such as Chang singing in a karaoke bar while he fellow cops watch in awe and an unexplained scene where Julian quietly watching Mai behind a beaded curtain. Also the very ambigious ending will leave people shaking their heads in disbelief as the showdown we have been craving comes and goes far too quickly.

Ryan Gosling looks the part of Julian and carries off the role with smouldering excellence and limited dialogue- problem is that is all he is really given to do throughout and spend most of the film sitting quietly and looking mysterious standing in dark hallways. Gosling is a man of talent, but although this role will go down as iconic- it doesn’t stretch him! Kristen Scott-Thomas is by far the stand out as his foul mouthed mother as she doesn’t even attempt to be heart warming to her son and instead continually berates his shortcomings compared to her favoured son Billy- this is a very different role and Scott-Thomas shows what an underrated actress she can be.

Vithaya Pansringarm will hold everyone’s attention as Chang and without using words he is able to conjure up a great sense of danger and as far as villains go- this one really is not to be messed with, if only for the sword he carries at all times!

Only God Forgives was a movie that promised a great deal when first shown to us, but I think you will not find a more polarised response to a movie throughout 2013!  Refn previous film Drive, explored similar ideas and overall this is a very beautiful movie and fans of Blu Ray are in for a treat, but beneath the lushness there lies a story waiting to be uncovered- on later viewings this may become clearer, but until then we will have to wait! Refn will return strong, I have no doubts as he is a director to pay attention to in years to come!

Secret Guilty Memories: Review of The Secret in Their Eyes

New Cult Classic

The Secret in Their Eyes (2010)

Director: Juan José Campanella

By Alex Watson

 

South American cinema has brought us some real gems over the past 10 years with the most notable examples being Fernando Meirelles’ superb film City of God which showed the life and hardships in the slums of Rio, Catalina Sandino Moreno playing a small town Colombian girl seduced into big money by being a drug mule in Joshua Marston’s Maria Full of Grace and finally Walter Salles’ acclaimed biopic of the early years of Che Guevera in The Motorcycle Diaries. But in 2010, another gem was brought to us from Argentina which gave us a pulsating storyline which showed us that past regrets never stay buried in The Secret in Their Eyes.

After recently retiring, former attorney Benjamin Esposito (Ricardo Darin) decides to take up writing as hobby, for this his visits old friend and former boss Irene Hastings (Soledad Villamil) to ask her permission to tell the story of the one case that still haunts him, The Morales Case- which was a horrific rape and murder case which went unresolved even though Esposito made a pledge to the victims husband the killer would be brought to justice! As he delves back into his old case, old memories will resurface bringing about old conflicted feelings!

Winner of the Best Foreign Film Oscar in 2010, The Secret in Their Eyes in one of the most heartfelt and absorbing drama’s that we will see for a very long time and this is down the human feel of the story we are given. Things are set up well by Campanella who sets up a magnificent whodunit as we witness glimpse of the gruesome fate of Liliana Coloto (Carla Quevedo) and through a sense of duty, Esposito assures her husband Ricardo Morales (Pablo Rago) that justice will be served!

But when his drunken assistant Sandoval (Guillermo Francella) gives them a vital lead involving football club Racing Academy, this leads us to one of the most thrilling chase scenes as through a single take shot- Sandoval and Esposito chase suspect Isdiro Gomez (Javier Godino) through the stadium and finally it appears they have their man- before an unfair circumstance will set him free! The present day Esposito continually wrestles with this failure throughout and this is what drives Campanella’s film along.

Although The Secret in Their Eyes is long on running time, the payoff is very much worth the time invested and through the characters on show, we get a profound sense that time doesn’t always heal all wounds and it’s the unspoken feelings between Benjamin and Irene that give this movie a bottled up emotional feel as both seem to want to take things further- but secretly restrain themselves in order to establish working order.

As we get further glimpses of the repercussions of the investigations into the Morales case, we slowly learn why Benjamin fears to step further. But it’s the movies shocking outcome when he visits the aged Morales and we learn exactly what became of Gomez in the aftermath! The result will shock many at first but you will come away with a sense of satisfaction.

The performances in this movie are continually excellent with Ricardo Darin giving a wonderful and humane performance as Esposito, his kind hearted presence makes this man a very identifiable hero and we root for his cause throughout and his is joined by Soledad Villamil in an equally sharp supporting role as his boss Irene, who shows great strength and warmth as she swaps between friend and colleague- but she also possesses a fiery edge and the way she attempts to break Gomez to confess his crimes is one of the most unforgettable scenes you will see in this film!

But its Guillermo Francella who steals the show as alcoholic assistant Sandoval who knows he has truly wasted his life away by spending time in dive bars and punch ups with nobodies- but he loves this too much to quit! Francella provides the moment with some unexpected comedic moments, such as his hilarious lines answering the phone, which includes lines like “Sperm Bank- Loans Department!”

If The Secret in Their Eyes isn’t yet lining your foreign films collection then I suggest you add this ASAP- because this movie is one of the most breathtaking and heart stopping experiences you will ever have! A rumoured remake with Denzel Washington is in the works, so best to see this before another fine film is potentially spoiled! Just remember while watching this- the past will never stay hidden, so make amends while you still can!

The Gang’s All Here: Review of RED 2

RED 2

Director: Dean Parisot

By Alex Watson

 

When RED was released back in 2011, it solidified the fact that Bruce Willis was a great action icon and it proved one of that years most surprisingly entertaining and funny films. Now the ageing warriors Bruce, John Malkovich and Helen Mirren have returned for another bout of near death experiences, bullet strewn rooms and wisecracks galore and with Galaxy Quest director Dean Parisot at the helm this could yet prove another enjoyable ride. But the problems with sequels they don’t always meet expectations, so will RED 2 prove to be as good as its predecessor?

Retired CIA Operative Frank Moses (Bruce Willis) is growing restless becoming domestic in his relationship with Sarah (Mary Louise-Parker), but it comes as both a blessing and curse when his madman best friend Marvin (John Malkovich) appears to inform they have been wanted men by the world’s agencies due to their false linking to an old Soviet project- this leads to them to another bout of running across the globe to settle old scores whilst aided by their old killer acquaintance Victoria (Helen Mirren)- all the while coming into contact with old scientist Edward Bailey (Anthony Hopkins).

RED 2 is another equally dumb and fun ride and the film plays to its main strength which comes from its great clutch of characters, Frank and his thrill seeking girlfriend get the most laughs as they squabble whilst dodging numerous armed baddies and casually insane Marvin continually gets them into plenty of hair raising situations all the while casually dispensing romantic advice. The gang all work when they are together and Parisot lets them run with it and together this impressive triumvirate steal the show!

But while the cast works well, the ideas and script don’t flow quite as well as they should and on this occasion some of the laughs feel strained. Yes their exploits breaking into the places such as the Kremlin in Moscow and a high security loony bin have their moments, but we can help but feel this adventure doesn’t quite have the relish that previous director Robert Schwente was able to bring. Also another key problem is that we are continually introduced a string of devious characters such as Catherine Zeta-Jones’s shady Russian Op and Byung Hun Lee’s suave assassin with only the briefest of explanations and Parisot seem to be assured that everyone will just ignore this oversight and be excited by the explosions!

Also even the great efforts of Willis and co another cover up what is ultimately a rather below par ending, the introduction of Bailey is at first intriguing but as his identity is slowly drawn out, his involvement because less attractive and when the big reveal is shown to us at the end, it will probably have been guessed by the audience a while back! But in spite of the floors it has, RED 2 is a great way to spend an evening and for lovers of comedy action, you will probably feel right at home with this one.

Bruce Willis is his usual wisecracking self as Frank, but unlike the first film, Willis seems to be having less fun in this role and for once in his career is not at the forefront of the laughs. Mary-Louise Parker has the honour of the funny girl in this film as his curious girlfriend Sarah who after her reluctant participation in original events has become the ultimate thrill seeker.

However it is left to John Malkovich and Helen Mirren to steal the show as casually homicidal pair Marvin and Victoria- Malkovich proves that no one in Hollywood can do crazy like he can and again his maniac schemes cause as many problems as they solve and through this some great comedic moments are born. Mirren is great fun as M16 lady Victoria and after her calm love of violence in the first, her character has lost none of its charm and as we see her casually decomposing a body in a bathtub within moments of her arrival- giggles are assured.

Even this sequel hasn’t quite carried across the slick and witty feel of the previous effort, RED 2 will still be worth a watch this summer and I’m sure that the gang will reunite for a third effort at some point soon and with a little remodelling the next instalment of Frank and Co could well be one that is very memorable! As you were gentlemen (and Helen!).