5 Modern Day Figures We Will Probably See Movies About

 

• John McAfee: The British-American Founder of McAfee software has lived a somewhat ‘charm’ life and the past few years of his life have made for some interesting news reading since he went into exile in Belize and Guatemala since an American expatriate was found dead at his home in Ambergris Caye. With his history of drug abuse and losing a fortune of almost $100 million from his glory days running one of the biggest companies in the world- this could make compelling viewing- just get Gary Oldman to play this guy and we have a winner!
• Anders Breivik: Whether we want to or not, at some point we will a movie based on the terrible events in Oslo on July 22, 2011 where the Norwegian mad man killed 77 people to stop ‘an Islam uprising’. I have no doubts that this will make for tense and claustrophobic viewing as we attempt to understand the reasoning behind Breivik horrific act and be chilled as we hear his gruesome confessions as he tells the press he ‘deserves a medal’! But the real heartstring puller will be watching Norway picking up the pieces in the midst of tragedy!
• Amy Winehouse: This woman had a voice to die for and her un-timely death at only 27 in 2011 had made her into a martyr figure which will mean will see this story on the big screen sooner than we can say… well anything at all really! Her ascent and initially glory and success with her album ‘Back to Black’ could be a solid base in which to build her tale of a troubled marriage to drug addict Blake Fielder-Civil which would contribute to her subsequent downward spiral into her own addiction and would eventually deprive her fans of a woman who never scratched the surface of what she was capable of!
• Michael Schumacher:  The seven time German Formula One champion made as many enemies as he did admirers in his time on the track due to his aggressive style of driving which at times bordered on cheating (particularly his attempt to ram into Jacques Villeneuve to decide the 1997 season). As a film you would be better suited to a documentary about this man as would give good light to his apparently pleasant manner off the track mixed in with his win at all cost attitude to give an interesting look at a man both loved and loathe at the height of his success!
• Robert Mugabe: The long time President of Zimbabwe is universally hated and feared to due to his oppressive regime where he has deteriorated the country’s economy, openly intimidates opponents and often has people murdered to keep himself ahead! A second eye view film from the point of view of an aide or political rival could make this movie into the next ‘The Last King of Scotland’ and give an eye view into life during wartime and an insight into the mind of a leader gone powermad!

 

Before finishing this piece I would like to mention that I am aware some of this choice will cause great debate and some may be offended at my choices, but from a story point of view there are writers and filmmakers out there who will be willing to take the risk of making these stories and from these, some bold pieces could arise!

A Man Apart: Review of Captain Phillips

Captain Phillips

Director: Paul Greengrass

By Alex Watson

 

Earlier this year we saw the full effects of a cargo ship being hijacked by Somali pirates in Danish movie A Hijacking. But now established director Paul Greengrass and megastar Tom Hanks give us an unbelievable account of Richard Phillips- a man who selflessly survived against the odds during a daring raid at sea in his movie Captain Phillips. However as we have so often witnessed in these movies, people should prepare for things to get mighty tense because in the wide blue ocean, escape is impossible!

In April 2009 after leaving its port in Oman, Captain Richard Phillips (Tom Hanks) takes control of the Maersk Alabama ship heading to Mombasa. But during its voyage, the ship comes under threat from a group of Somalia pirates and despite the Phillips and the crew’s best efforts- the ship is boarded! To avoid things getting messy, Phillips is taken as a hostage to save the lives of the crew. Over the next five days, events will become tense and with his captors becoming more desperate, Phillips’ life hangs in the balance!

After a slight misstep with his previous film, Iraq war effort Green Zone, Paul Greengrass is right back on award winning form with Captain Phillips and this film is a tight and tense ride and will guaranteeing heart stopping moments throughout. Its principle strength comes from the main character we are given and Greengrass and writer Billy Ray smartly avoid any hero clichés with Phillips and make him as an ordinary simply wanting to do this job! But it’s how he keeps his head during the movie’s most fist clenching sequences that make him stand out and thanks to his skilful diversions of the captors, his crew are given a fight chance at survival!

Things are slow burning in this drama and events begin with a still calmness with Phillips driving his wife to work in the US and giving a speech about remaining tough and once at sea we are shown the men going about their duties. But when the attacks come, they start as no more than a blip on radar that makes him suspicious- but as they near, it becomes clear they are not just going to pass and when the pirates come, Greengrass’ love of detail shows throughout as we are shown exactly how a major cargo ships repel attacks, but as the pirates get their ladder abroad, we know things are a whole new ball game and these men are no ordinary thugs!

Events  in Captain Phillips are divided into two main parts, the first being the crew of the Alabama being under attack and the second being Phillips becoming hostage in a life raft with a group of money hungry pirates. The second half is where the psychological edge comes into play as Phillips (nicknamed Irish by his captors) is forced to play it smart in order to stay alive and as the US Navy closes in, his captors become more unstuck and soon it becomes clear that his un-killable status is slowly decreasing as their options run out! But there is no reason with these men and as Phillips make a futile effort to convince his chief captor Muse he can change, the man snidely responds “Maybe in America, Irish” By the end of his ordeal, the wear and emotion plays on his face so hard it will be impossible even the steeliest person not to shed a tear!

At the centre of events is a tour de force performance from Tom Hanks as Richard Phillips and right through this movie Hanks gives his character and strength that endears him to us from the very beginning and he makes sure that we experience each emotion along with him. Hanks is surely front runner for the Best Actor Oscar as award season rolls around! There is also a note worth performance from actor Barkhad Abdi as lead pirate Muse and thanks to some excellent work, he makes for a lurking threat throughout as a man driving purely by monetary reasons!

Together Greengrass and Hanks have given us one of the most absorbing and poignant drama’s of 2013 and Captain Phillips is a dead certain to appear on many awards nominations lists this year. There may be times when viewers are compelled to look away in fear, but stick with things and you will rewarded with an ending that will truly strike home and leaving recount events as you walk home. But for those who ever wanted to know how to fend off Pirates at sea, you might want to take note when watching this.

To Live & Die in LA: Review of Swingers

Classic from the Vault

Swingers

Director: Doug Liman

By Alex Watson

It is always charming when there is a comedy which creeps into our lives from absolutely nowhere and nearly makes our sides split from laughing. The nineties had it share of these movies such as Clerks, Groundhog Day and the Hot Shots films, but one movie that still stands up is Doug Liman’s tale of four men letting loose around Los Angeles in his 1996 movie Swingers which gave us a raw but ultimately real depiction of people search fame and more importantly, themselves.

Comedian Mike (Jon Favreau) had recently moved to Los Angeles from New York and is currently struggling to find any work- he is also unable to get over his failed six year relationship which end shortly before he arrived. His best friend Trent (Vince Vaughn) decides that to cheer him up, he will make it his mission to find Mike a new girl- in doing this the two men and their other companions Rob (Ron Livingstone) Charles (Alex Desert) and hot headed Sue (Patrick Van Horn) will learn valuable lesson about life and friendships and why you should only leave one voicemail!

A huge box office success on a microscopic budget, Swingers is one those 1990’s films that has stood the test of time and today is still as profoundly hilarious and affecting as it was previously. Written by former comedian Favreau, we are given a script that gives us a cluster of great character whom we can each identify with in some many ways. The core the film consists of the four men trawling various parties/bars looking for any kind of hook ups with Trent repeatedly assuring them “We are so money” it is established early on during a disasterous trip to Las Vegas that these men are not quite the key players they make themselves out to be!

The ordinary aspect of these people in Swingers is the element that works best and as we see the men bicker over playing video game ice hockey, their rubbish cars and eating in various dive diners makes for some of the funniest moments of the film and with Trent’s continuous theories on getting Mike laid are the kind we been overhearing for years. Along with some great Reservoir Dogs parodies, this makes for one of the most entrancing comedies of the 1990’s

Mike is a man who is truly lost in life and still pines for his former ex but is unable to move on from her as well! He forms the centre of the story and his pains throughout can be related by many single males and despite being told to ‘wait a week’ before calling a girl back- Mike’s repeated and desperate voicemails to Brooke Langton will make most of us wince for hours afterwards! But his friends are both a blessing and a curse on his happiness with Trent’s bad advice and Sue’s wannabe gangster mentality (which leads to a hell raising clash with a street gang). But all the while we yearn for him to turn things around!

This movie also provide a spring board for the careers of Vince Vaughn, Jon Favreau and Ron Livingstone who are each equally excellent their respective roles. Vaughn brings great charisma to the part of Trent and his boundless energy and excitement makes for a great character who we would want to be our wing man! Jon Favreau is very authentic and touching as Mike and rings in a turn which establishes what a good talent he can when not behind the lens of a camera. Also look out for an early role for Heather Graham whose brief appearance makes the biggest waves!

Only five years after making this movie, Doug Liman would go on to kick start a movie franchise with the Bourne Identity, Vaughan has gone onto be one of the big names of gross out comedy and Jon Favreau had gone to direct the adventures of Tony Stark in Iron Man! Their success is highly deserved as Swingers is one of the funniest and real movies you will ever witness and if you ever needed a pick up film, then here it is! Congratulations Mike- you finally made it!

5 TV Characters Who Deserve Spin Offs

Every TV series always has a minor character who is pure gold, but sadly they don’t always get the stand alone series that they deserve and now after announcement that Breaking Bad’s fast talking lawyer Saul Goodman will get his own spinoff, I felt it was time to give some other polished gems some consideration.

1. Brother Mouzone- The Wire: Though only making brief appearances in series 2 & 3 of this great Baltimore based crime drama- the man who name in Islamic means ‘Brother Judicial’ was everlasting with his bowtie and well spoken manner. But it was coolness in the face of danger that made him so memorable, particularly the way he dispatches thug Cheese and his other drug dealing friends with minimum effort before asking “What I do have to do to make the man put down his gun?”. Put all this into a TV series and this would be make for golden viewing because here we have an ice cold protagonist to build a show around.
2. Alice Morgan- Luther: As a villain/ally Alice Morgan’s cold and calculating persona has kept us hooked whenever she appears in this excellent UK thriller because she is the only person who is capable of playing above the level DCI Luther plays. In her own spin off the possibilities are endless for the type of scenarios she could face and most likely come out on top still smiling evilly.  Though we may have to watch the upcoming series 4 of Luther first before we get any bright ideas.
3. Vic Mackay: The Shield:  The exploits of our favourite bald headed LAPD cop kept us glued to the TV through all seven seasons of The Shield, but its ending left the door open for more possible Vic adventures- what could possibly happen now he is permanently assigned to a desk? Knowing Vic there are many ways he can still find trouble and cause a stir among his fellow ICE employees- plus in the City of Angels he’s not going to be short on enemies to play with. Someone call Shawn Ryan already!
4. Richard Harrow- Boardwalk Empire: This war scarred and mask wearing assassin has provided HBO’s Boardwalk Empire with a character to wonder about and throughout this series his inner conflict and made for some great and tense moment. On this element alone Richard deserves his own series because as a leading man he could well drive things forward, perhaps if they trace his steps from his traumatic service in the trenches of WW1 and things could develop into something special because here we have an killer with conscience and will make for fascinating viewing.
5. Sideshow Bob- The Simpsons: As much as I love any one of Kelsey Grammer’s great appearences on The Simpsons as our favourite psycho Sideshow Bob, I feel this man truly deserves his own series because lets face it, we’d all like to know what exploits this man could pull outside of the Springfield universe- thrown in some great musical numbers like his skilful rendition of HMS Pinafore and we have a home run!

The Hunt: Review of Prisoners

Prisoners

Director: Denis Villeneuve

By Alex Watson

 

Like goals by Lionel Messi, kidnapping and abduction movies come in great flurries every year and the results often vary in quality but one thing is always the same, the result is never pleasant to watch! Film such as Changeling dealt with a movie having her child stolen and the anguished caused over time whereas Michael Haneke’s Funny Games dealt with a family being imprisoned against their will and forces to play sick games to survive. This year Canadian director Denis Villeneuve bring us his showing of an American family on the verge of collapse in his movie Prisoners.

When his and another families’ child is abducted on Thanksgiving, father Keller Dover (Hugh Jackman) frantically searches but she doesn’t appear he calls the police. Detective Loki (Jake Gyllenhaal) is assigned to the case but still he cannot locate the girls. But soon after it appears they find the culprit in child like creep Alex Jones (Paul Dano) but when lack of physical evidence forces them to release him and anguished Keller kidnaps Alex and is then decided to take matters into his own hands to find his children!

Prisoners is a well acted and skilfully shot thriller and director Villeneuve shows real promised with his American debut and aided by some wonderful cinematography by veteran Roger Deakins, a wintry and rain swept Philadelphia gives the film a misty atmosphere that adds needed tension in key parts. The continual guessing is well established throughout and even though Alex seems to be the man they want to be the killer- the rug is swept from under us when it is revealed he has the IQ of a 10 year old! But as the slow burning story is play out, we know the villain is at large but we will have to think twice before we guess who it might be!

But even though things look great on paper, the plain and formulaic script by Aaron Guzikowski fails to elevate this film above your average Friday night thriller. The whole race against the clock concept as a whole works well and we continually question Alex’s guilt or innocence, but the story feels far too drawn out and we feel that a swifter conclusion might have served this better. Also the ending we are given feels a tad clique and many will feel that we should have seen this one coming from a mile away!

The characters themselves run into difficulty in Prisoners as although we sympathize with their pain, their actions gradually draw us away from them. Keller is a man who is on the edge- but when he kidnaps Alex, locks him in an old bathroom and beats the living daylights out of him- we begin to lose empathy for him! Asides from that he seems to do nothing else but shout at people.  Loki is a commitment detective and his butting heads with his superiors over the case does add some bite to the feel of the film!

Hugh Jackman does his best with the material he is given and he is successful in his portrayal of a grieving father wanting answers, but it doesn’t feel like a role that particularly stretches his abilities and even though Jackman as always is watchable- it won’t be seen as one of his vintage roles. Jake Gyllenhaal suffers the same plight to a degree as even though as Loki his excellent, again it does seem like a role that will rise his stock any further. One of today’s better rising stars, Gyllenhaal we know is capable of bringing a role to life but here he just isn’t given enough.

Of all the performances on show, Paul Dano is the one who rises highest and gives a mesmerising turn as alleged child killer Alex Jones- through his incoherent soft mumbles and his near blank expression, Dano makes us ask a thousand questions and his appearance is the element that makes this movie tick.

Prisoners is a movie that in the right hands could have been a very tight and tense thriller, Villeneuve’s movie is in no way a bad effort at all and he makes the most of the talented cast on offer, but this movie cannot shake the feeling that the after effect feels disappointingly thin.  But this will provide people with some decent entertainment and it will be interesting to see where Villeneuve’s name goes from here (let’s hope better than his racing counterpart Jacques)!

Lost in a Haze: Review of Filth

Filth

Director: Jon S Baird

By Alex Watson

 

In the mid nineties Irving Welsh’s novel Trainspotting was adapted into an influential piece of British cinema by Danny Boyle and as a result it flew the flag for the ‘Cool Britannia’ but ever since then is writing has been mysteriously absent apart from some versions of his less successful works in the late 90s. But this year, Welsh’s influence is back on our screens as director Jon S Baird brings across a tale of a troubled soul looking for all the wrong answers in Filth.

Detective Sergeant Bruce Robertson (James McAvoy) is a copper with a loose set of moral values and alongside that has an addiction to cocaine and alcohol. Gunning for a promotion to Inspector, Robertson considers himself first in line for the job and after being chosen to head up an apparent racist murder, things seem set in place. But in the midst of his investigating, Bruce’s troubled mind takes a worrying turn into darker territory as he indulges his addiction more- he begins to crack as a result!

Filth is a welcome return of Welsh’s material to cinema and this is thanks to its memorable protagonist Bruce Robertson who is makes for an unlikely hero on screen. As a man he is a detestable tormenter due to his apparent mistrust and hatred for the human race and at any opportunity Bruce preys on weak minded and any others he considers lower than him. For this he skilfully manipulates his work colleagues such as Ray Lennox (Jamie Bell) and he his pathetic and gullible ‘best friend’ Clifford (Eddie Marsan) whom he makes perverted sex calls to his wife Bunty (Shirley Henderson) sounding like Frank Sidebottom!

All the way through we have to take Bruce at face value and even though his acts such as deliberately stealing a kids balloon and releasing it and paying an individual to make his colleague look homosexual (which incites one hell of an incident) we amazingly hope that this man will gain some kind of a conscience. But during his coke induced hallucinations- there is a window in his soul as he speaks to his shrink eccentric Dr Rossi (Jim Broadbent) and this could almost be seen as his confession of his crime and we begin to wonder just what has driven this man to become the mess we see before us, as Bruce says whilst coming down from a high “I used to be a good man”

The final act however is where Filth does lose a few brownie points a Bruce goes from being a casual abuser to a follow blown madman- Bruce’s grip over his people has slipped and he absolutely hates it, but in trying to reclaim it his actions become increasingly erratic and the tone of movie takes a gloomier and more psychedelic tone. But in doing this the final ‘big reveal’ will not satisfy everyone because although clever, it does disappoint us somewhat but nonetheless it keep us thinking!

James McAvoy feels born to play troubled copper DS Robertson and this role feels like the flipside of his role in Welcome to the Punch and as the antihero he gets a meaty role to sink his teeth into and his presence from the very get-go dominates the film. But around him is a fine supporting cast including film regular Eddie Marsan who is superb as his naive bestie Clifford who although is driven to the point of destruction by Bruce, never once clocks on to his schemes!

Jamie Bell, Gary Lewis and Shirley Henderson are all fine in their respective roles but its the bizarrely Australian accented Jim Broadbent as his Dr Rossi who stands out most as his presence both amazes and terrifies us at the same point as he gradually chips away at Bruce’s arm until his mind falls to pieces!

Filth proves there is life yet in the works of Irving Welsh and this film is probably as close as he has come to hitting mainstream cinema and Bruce Robertson will no doubt go down as the one of the more fascinating character pieces of this year if not the history of British cinema. Also if you ever wanted to kick the habit and keep your mind stable- this film will provided the key!

Del Toro Does The Simpsons

The Simpsons new Halloween episode has been given a massive shot in the arm as their opening credits were animated by Mexican maverick Gulliermo Del Toro and in less than three minutes he has created a great piece of work where he humerous Simpson related references to his film Pan’s Labyrinth (including a fine appearence by Mr Burns as The Thin Man), Blade II (with Carl Carlsson making a fine Blade) and his most recent film Pacific Rim!

Also he found to reference Hitchcock and The Birds as well as other Halloween greats Frankenstein and The Wolf Man! Click on the link below to witness a fine piece work- Cheers G Man, much appreciated!

 

In My Corner: Review of Million Dollar Baby

New Cult Classic

Million Dollar Baby (2004)

Director: Clint Eastwood

By Alex Watson

 

Modern day Clint Eastwood movies are a more mature breed where rather than relying on his famous threatening presence he has now focused more on character driven drama’s and the result so far have been fascinating, such as the emotionally charged Mystic River and his account of the 1995 Rugby World Cup in Invictus where Morgan Freeman led the way as Nelson Mandela. But perhaps his greatest modern achievement came from his tale of two lost souls finding common ground in the boxing ring in his tear jerking drama Million Dollar Baby.

Frankie Dunn (Clint Eastwood) is a brilliant but only marginally successful boxing training based in Los Angeles and after being abandoned by his star fighter after turning down yet another title shot- he is left with nothing. But fate brings him into the path of woman boxer Maggie Fitzgerald (Hilary Swank) who shows great promised- although put off by training a lady, Frankie and his old friend Scrap (Morgan Freeman) see a great talent and together they could just go places!

Winner of the Best Picture Oscar in 2004, Million Dollar Baby is deservedly one of Eastwood’s career highs and this packs a big emotional punch throughout. Its main strength lies in the excellent script by veteran writer Paul Haggis which although to some may seem clichéd due to its Rocky inspired theme of underdogs, but its characterization cannot be faulted and through this we are presented with three compelling characters who are each running from past trauma’s but like each other, they all find comfort and acceptance in the ring.

Frankie is a man who is in constant conflict with himself, each week he writes a letter to his unseen daughter which as always is returned unopened and harasses his long suffering priest (F Brian O’Byrne) who openly scolds him. Maggie is a girl from the Ozarks in Missouri who hails from an unloving family and abusive past and by stepping in the ring she finds her own identity. Scrap is a man who has lost an eye due to staying in the ring too long and now

The scenes in the ring are where this drama really fires as Maggie’s excels with a series of one round knockouts and finally Frankie begins to see the potential in his new protégé and begins considering taking the risks he had previously avoided. But his gamble ultimately give the film an unexpected and heart rendering twist as Maggie takes on notoriously underhanded German boxer Billie ‘The Blue Bear’ and when the moment hits, there will be a horrified silence all around!

From there the final third of Million Dollar Baby takes a turn into unforeseen territory and for perhaps the first time in his career, Eastwood drops his usually cold front and takes on a newer and more vunerable side as he wrestles with a whole new conflict whilst watching his friend suffer. The closing scenes as the pair interact will melt even the most steely hearts as Maggie begs him to do something that very much goes against his core believes. Watching Clint shed tears will be astonishing to even his most die hard fans.

Eastwood excels as cranky old man Dunn and this will probably stand as his most accomplished performance as the ghosts of the past linger heavily on his face! Linking this to Frankie’s devout Catholicism works very well and his final dispute within himself provides with a great leading character. But its Hilary Swanks Oscar winning turn as Maggie that really wins our hearts as she battles against adversity to finally find her place in life- but Swank really comes to life in the final third as she deals with a life changing deal.

Morgan Freeman was finally awarded an Oscar for his turn as scrap and he provides fine support for the leads and as always his narration gives the film another layer.

Million Dollar Baby is not only a fine boxing movie but also one of the better dramas of this century so far- but first time viewers beware, this one is not to be taken lightly and it is quite possible that after viewing this you might want to take a moment to recover!

Kevin Costner: Worthy of Redemption?

People are frequently beating up on Kevin Costner these days, ok fair enough the man had a horrific mid 1990’s with expensive and critical failures Waterworld and The Postman and as a result his star has since wained from the megastar he was back in the day. But one thing people have forgotten about the California native is that he is still able to draw our attention when on screen. So to make us remember why we loved him so much, here are some reminders of how great he can be!

Great Kevin Costner Performances

1. Field of Dreams: This is the role for which Costner is most associated with and through his excellent and naturalistic performance as everyman farmer Ray Kinsella- the idea of the American Dream was beautifully captured as he risks everything to build a baseball diamond in his backyard to have the greats of the game come play! His reunion scene with his estranged father will go down as one the most touching scenes in cinema history and through Costner’s barely contained emotion- it comes alive!
2. Dances with Wolves: Kevin’s directorial debut was initially derided by many experts of the industry who dubbed it ‘Kevin’s Gate’ but numerous Oscar’s later, Costner had the last laugh as his star was born in Hollywood. As weary US Soldier Lt. Jim Dunbar, this proved one of his most profound and heroic performances as a man who comes to love and embrace the Indians he comes to encounter, which causes great friction among the military.
3. The Untouchables: In this early star making role, Costner excels as idealistic Treasury agent Eliot Ness who in Al Capone dominated Chicago- decides to make a brave stand that will bring an empire crumbling down. With top support from Sean Connery, Costner’s turns in one of his best turns going from by the book enthusiasm to realising that winning sometimes requires you to go against your beliefs- cue him cooly throwing Billy Drago headfirst from a rooftop!
4. JFK: Do you believe the second shooter theory in JFK? Public opinion will go on until the end of time, but alongside this there is a superb Costner performance as D.A Jim Garrison. With sheer conviction and authority, Costner instantly grips us on screen and although Garrison’s motives for pursuing this are questionable at best but nonetheless we cheer for him all the way through and in doing so Garrison brings forward a theory that will stun the public and shed a whole new light of what happened that fateful day in Dallas!
5. Bull Durham: There’s always an air of cool associated with many of Costner’s early performances but it was never better demonstrated than in Ron Sheldon’s baseball film. As veteran catcher Ray ‘Crash’ Davis, Costner has effortless charisma as the minor league who is still yearning for a shot at glory but is being forced to mentor hot shot pitcher Nuke (Tim Robbins)- his speech of the things he ‘believes in’ to Susan Sarandon goes down as one of sports best monologue and confirms that Baseball and Kevin- go very well together!

 

After his impressive supporting role as Jonathan Kent in Man of Steel, it proves that there is more to come from this man and that he has lost none of his effect on screen and here’s to hoping to a deserved return form for this man! We’re routing for you KC!