THE LONE RANGER (Gore Verbinski, 2013)

Posted on August 9, 2013 by MoodyB

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Starring: Johnny Depp, Armie Hammer, William Fichtner

You may like this if you like: Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (Gore Verbinski, 2003), John Carter (Andrew Stanton, 2012), Raiders of the Lost Ark (Steven Spielberg, 1981)

Idealistic lawyer John Reid (Hammer) returns to his home somewhere in Texas and along with his brother (James Badge Dale), and his fellow Texas Rangers, rides out into the desert to hunt down notorious outlaw Butch Cavendish (William Fichtner playing a bad guy as usual). They are ambushed and all killed, except Reid who is as good as dead until Tonto (Depp), a renegade Comanche rescues him mainly due to the insistence of a mysterious white horse (don’t ask). Presumed dead and discovering the justice and law he believed in is filled with corruption, Reid forms an unlikely (and admittedly reluctant) partnership with Tonto to fight the injustice. Wearing a mask to keep his identity secret (well, sort of) Reid becomes ‘The Lone Ranger’ to stand up against the corruption and potential slaughter of innocent Indians. Or at least it something like that, at 149 minutes there is more to it than that, but trust me; plot is not too relevant. There are trains and Tom Wilkinson involved in there somewhere too.

For some reason The Lone Ranger has been released a good month earlier in America than the UK, inevitably meaning I have heard all the comparisons to John Carter as it is equally poor in box office receipts as it is as an actual film. Well, to be perfectly honest I actually thought John Carter was ok. It was by no means great with many things wrong with it, but I found it perfectly watchable and have seen far, far worse. The Lone Ranger is actually similar in my view, it is overlong and an absolute mess with many things wrong with it, but once again I have seen far, far worse.

So, where to start? Well, you would have thought Gore Verbinski, Bruckheimer, the Disney bigwigs and the writers of Pirates of the Caribbean (Ted Elliot, Justin Haythe and Terry Rossio) would have learnt their lesson after the ridiculous running time of numbers two and three. Unfortunately they have not, and at 149 minutes The Lone Ranger is at least 30 minutes too long. Of that trilogy (forget On Stranger Tides) numbers 2 and 3 were too long, overstuffed and ultimately a mess compared to the extremely enjoyable number one. There is of course the whole origin story to sort out but it could have been done more efficiently with many unnecessary moments (Monty Python and the Holy Grail style rabbits, anyone?) that would have made this a much leaner and ultimately more fun experience.

One thing I could not comprehend is the Night at the Museum style framed narrative, these scenes add nothing at all and though maybe the intention is to add nostalgia and heart, they are ultimately boring and only extend an already bloated running time. The narrative itself is extremely inconsistent in tone; sometimes death defying moments are portrayed with a light farcical tone, while there are sometimes quite dark and serious moments that more than justify the 12a rating. The former is absolutely fine, but the latter (along with the bum numbing running time) means that it is inappropriate for a young audience. Is it a kid’s film? Is it a family film? Is it more for young adults? The answer is yes to all of them and no to all of them depending on what scene you are talking about. One minute we see a horse licking scorpions off our heroes faces complete with tongue in cheek dialogue while they are buried in the ground, the next William Fichtner is cutting out someone’s heart or Indians are being slaughtered.

The plot shows no care for logic either (A, why is he at the top of a scaffolding tower on a mountain top? B, how the hell does he then get down? ), with many of the more ‘mystical’ elements simply being there for a convenience more than anything else just to find a way to get our heroes (and the screenwriters) out of a pickle. This would be forgivable if the film was more consistently light hearted, but for me it just about got away with it as there were many likeable elements.

I found both leads extremely likeable and I thought they shared good chemistry. Armie Hammer proved he is a good actor in The Social Network and I thought did an extremely solid job here. Though maybe sometimes seeming lost and a tad out of his depth, he is very likeable and his comic timing is pretty good. Though Johnny Depp may be essentially playing Jack Sparrow with a dead bird on his head, I found him very likeable and entertaining, even if he was given some cringe inducing lines of dialogue. It is this dialogue that for me made the film funnier than perhaps initially intended; some of the dialogue and plot developments are so bad that you have to laugh at them. Otherwise you would probably cry!

The budget (which they may not get back) is also well spent with some extremely enjoyable set pieces. There is an extremely good use of setting with the traditional Western setting of Monument Valley used very effectively. The final action set piece, though requiring patience to actually get to, is an absolute blast. Set to Rossini’s William Tell Overture it is a physics and logic defying farce (possibly with a Benny Hill influence) but is outrageous fun and if I am brutally honest, worth the two hour wait.

Oh, did I mention that Helena Bonham Carter was in it and that her character has a rather fancy wooden leg? No? That’s alright then.

The Lone Ranger is certainly many things: Inconsistent, stupid, funny, farcical, too long and overstuffed are a few words that come to mind for me. Take off 30 minutes or so and this would have been a very enjoyable silly romp, but overall for me there is enough fun for it to just (and I mean only just) get away with it. Good chemistry and enjoyable/bonkers set pieces may be its ultimate saviour and I would say worth renting at home, but most definitely not worth £10 of your hard earned and a numb arse. The Lone Ranger it is by no means great with so many flaws, but as I have said before; I have seen far, far worse.

5/10

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THE BURFORD TOP 10S: MY PERSONAL TOP 10 FILM COMPOSERS OF ALL TIME

Posted on August 8, 2013 by MoodyB

This gallery contains 10 photos.

I once heard a TV producer claim that, and I quote, “the composer is there to sort out scenes where the writer has fucked up”. There is an element of truth in that and for me the music in a … Continue reading →

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A LATE QUARTET (Yaron Zilberman, 2012)

Posted on August 8, 2013 by MoodyB

a late quartet

 

Starring: Christopher Walken, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Catherine Keener

You may like this if you like: Broken Flowers (Jim Jarmusch, 2005), About Schmidt (Alexander Payne, 2002), Quartet (Dustin Hoffman, 2012)

The Fugue are an extremely successful quartet that have been playing together in New York for 25 years. However when Cellist Peter (Walken) learns that he has Parkinson’s disease he realises that it is time to retire. This then sets off a catalyst for the other three members to revaluate both their roles in the quartet, but also their lives as previously repressed desires and feelings are now brought to the surface. Second Violinist Robert (Hoffman) decides he wants to sometimes play first violin, and his marriage to viola player Juliette (Keener) also comes under increased strain. Meanwhile first violinist Daniel (Mark Ivanir) begins to teach Robert and Juliette’s daughter Alexandra (Imogen Poots) and the two begin a passionate affair. As the quartet grow increasingly apart, it becomes increasingly unlikely the four of them will put behind them all their differences to play Beethoven’s Opus 131, a piece with nine movements to be played nonstop, for Peter’s final concert.

So, first we had Quartet and now we have A Late Quartet, while the former was a light hearted and touching grey pound pleaser, the latter is in my view a more series and unashamedly low key human drama. This is in my view a film with genuine heart and examines those little things in life that may not be important in the grand scheme of things, but to the individual they are a big deal. These are the little things that both make us human and make us all that little bit different.

One thing that immediately works in the favour of A Late Quartet is the undeniably strong cast, all four give excellent performances that make the admittedly quite often basic material feel poignant and compelling. Despite the slightly high brow setting, the four of them help to produce a very watchable and involving drama. This is most definitely an intelligent drama that demonstrates a thorough knowledge of Beethoven and classical music, yet manages to avoid pitfalls of smugness and pretentious that could potentially alienate many. The well to do snowy New York setting and the architecturally rich concert halls provide an effective setting but once again thankfully do not become to imposing or overdone. It would have been so easy to make a film which makes it hard to care about the minor problems of wealthy concert musicians, but yet thankfully this is a drama with its feet firmly rooted on the ground. Overall we are given four protagonists that we can associate with whether we are musicians or not.

The emotional involvement I was happy to make into these characters was mainly down to the acting. All four actors are on top form providing both the genuine heart needed to keep such a serious drama going along as well as appearing believable as world class musicians.

Admittedly some the narrative developments are a little contrived and as all the issues between the characters worsen there is very little resolution. Admittedly many of the issues of day to day life go fully unresolved, but in this case it feels more like lazy writing. Everything develops at a gentle pace; this gentle feel to proceedings perhaps taking the edge of everything. A stronger script may have given the film more edge and therefore more raw emotional power. Though there is poignancy to the (admittedly slightly cheesy) ending, there is also frustration as there is very little resolution to all what we have just invested 100 minutes of our time witnessing. I think that maybe the script could have done with a couple more re writes to produce a stronger, more well thought out script that is deserving of the effective production values and outstanding acting. This for me stops A Late Quartet being a truly exceptional drama that is as genuinely emotional as it obviously wants to be, but there is still enough there for it be watchable and involving.

A Late Quartet is a classy and delicately observed drama with exquisite acting and plenty of genuine heart. It is overall a compelling and involving watch, but is sadly a little too gentle and let down by a slightly contrived and basic script.

6/10

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THE PAPERBOY (Lee Daniels, 2012)

Posted on August 8, 2013 by MoodyB

the paperboy

 

Starring: Mathew McConaughey, Zac Efron, Nicole Kidman

You may like this if you like: Killer Joe (William Friedkin, 2011), Mud (Jeff Nichols, 2012), A Streetcar Named Desire (Elia Kazan, 1951)

Hotshot Miami Times reporter Ward Jansen (McConaughey) returns to his Florida hometown to investigate the controversial conviction of Death Row inmate Hilary Van Wetter (John Cusack). Ward lets college dropout brother Jack (Efron) help out as the driver to help him find some direction in his life, and the two estranged brothers get to know each other again. Aiding with the case is Ward’s British colleague Yardley (David Oyelowo) and also Charlotte (Kidman) who through letters to each other is recently engaged to Van Wetter and her presence allows access to Van Wetter for Ward and Yardley to uncover the truth. As adolescent Jack gets to know Charlotte it opens up a whole new world of sexual desire as he develops an infatuation with her.  As all involved investigate deeper into the case it opens up issues of racial prejudice and inequalities as well as dark secrets and revelations of themselves.

A film famously booed at Cannes, Lee Daniels follow up to the critically acclaimed Precious is a slight change in direction. It is intentionally trashy, grotty and sweaty with obviously intentional bad editing and jump cuts. It was a reception that I think in retrospect was a tad harsh. Maybe they were expecting more, but for me The Paperboy is a just about watchable, enjoyable enough film that is an extremely self aware piece of exploitation cinema.

The actual plot is not too important, more just a vehicle to depict a plethora of themes such as repressed sexuality, sexual desire, race inequality and of course murder. Though these themes are touched upon they are never dealt with particularly seriously or in any great detail, mainly being used as a tool to up the trash factor as high as possible. It is essentially at it’s (sort of) heart a coming-of-age tale with Zac Efron as its protagonist as he feels feelings of sexual desire, jealousy and infatuation for the first time.

Presented within the narrative are essentially almost a series of memorable scenes held together by a wafer thin plot. These scenes are at times uncomfortable and quite shocking in various ways, but yet still manage to be compelling. This is also at times quite a disconcerting experience, as at times I wanted to laugh, but wasn’t sure why or indeed if it was appropriate. It is apparent that this was Daniels’ intention as the film is pretty much a mess, but again that was probably intentional. Likewise, none of the characters are particularly easy to care about, or indeed like at times, but again that was probably intentional too. Despite all this The Paperboy has just about enough to keep it ticking over.

This is most definitely a film that provides a genuine and raw (sometimes too raw) feeling of time and place. You will almost feel sweaty and wanting a bath just watching it, trust me. The main thing that allows The Paperboy to work is its strong cast, making the hollow plot and trashy and then beyond trashy sweat and sexuality bearable and strangely compelling. They all give committed performances in roles that in some ways are against type. Zac Efron is frequently in his pants and is surprisingly good, perfectly suited to his role. McConaughey is once again a commanding screen presence in the same gear as Killer Joe and Mud put together, and he and Efron make a surprisingly effective double act. The main standout is Nicole Kidman; playing against type, she is pure trailer trash and giving off an undeniable level of highly charged sexuality and emotional instability. Whenever she is on screen she is undeniably watchable and the first scene she shares with John Cusack (also unhinged and very watchable) is very well acted, extremely uncomfortable and certainly unforgettable. Daniels has obviously given his cast free license to really go for it with their characters, and they are obviously enjoying themselves which for me this makes sure that The Paperboy just about works.

The Paperboy is an intentionally trashy, nasty and uncomfortable watch that for me just about works mainly down to the acting and Lee Daniels stoic self confidence. Worth a watch definitely, but only once as there is actually very little substance to go with all the grimy style, but at least you will know what to do if you get stung by a jelly fish!

6/10

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THE WOLVERINE (James Mangold, 2013)

Posted on August 3, 2013 by MoodyB

the wolverine

 

Starring: Hugh Jackman, Tao Okamoto, Rila Fukushima

You may like this if you like: X-Men Origins: Wolverine (Gavin Hood, 2009), The Bourne Identity (Doug Liman, 2002), Batman Begins (Christopher Nolan, 2005)

Set after the events of The Last Stand Logan (Jackman) now lives a solitary life haunted by subconscious conversations with Jean Grey (Famke Janssen) who is both the love of his life and the woman he was forced to kill. He then meets Yukio (Fukushima) who has been trying to find him for a long time to tell him that her dying employer requests that Logan comes to Japan to say goodbye. That man is named Yashida (Haruhiko Yamanouchi) who Logan once saved from a nuclear bomb in the Second World War who has grown up to become Japan’s most wealthy and powerful businessmen. Logan reluctantly accepts and once there is unwittingly caught up in a battle between his dying past acquaintance, that man’s granddaughter, the warring ninja and Yakuza tribes and a deadly mutant known as Viper (Svetlana Kodchenkova). Logan is forced not to only confront his own personal demons, but placed in a much more vulnerable position than ever, his immortality which will either destroy him or allow him to become stronger than ever.

Or something like that anyway.

So here we have yet another X-Men film and another attempt to focus solely on Hugh Jackman’s snarling Wolverine. This time they have taken the character to Japan and only actually have two other mutants in the entire story, showing perhaps an attempt at a solely protagonist driven piece. This is a complete change of direction from Origins which was very silly and forgettable but I must confess on repeat viewings that I do find it very watchable (though I will never ever forgive what this franchise has done with the character of Gambit!) and certainly went for mutant character overkill.

As we get plenty of alone time with Logan we of course therefore get plenty of soul searching and pondering of the meanings of immortality and whether it is a curse or a gift (yawn). Mark my words; this is a film that predominantly takes itself very seriously. There is some of Logan’s trademark dry humour, but laughs are very few and far between.

Unfortunately throughout the narrative I just found it hard to actually care about anything. There is no denying that Wolverine is a great film character with so many potential arcs, and Hugh Jackman is of course as likeable and dedicated as ever. The opening sequence of the Nagasaki bombing is a spectacular opening scene but after that it is very much a stop/start affair. Overall I found The Wolverine to be an extremely overlong, ponderous, boring and slightly empty experience. I am all for scenes with some serious soul searching dialogue, but the talky scenes seem to be overlong and achieve nothing in terms of character development. Throughout I found the story hard to get into and indeed hard to care about any of the characters that Logan comes across, and especially his love life. In fact, Logan’s reasons for going to Japan at all are more plot convenient than particularly compelling.

James Mangold is a director that in my view consistently produces solid (though with the exception of Identity rarely spectacular) films and after the slightly more unique Darren Aronofsky jumped ship the studio obviously wanted the franchise in sturdy and experienced hands. Mangold’s contribution to the X-franchise obviously wants to distinguish itself from the rest in a film that I am reliably informed is very close to the comics this particular story is based on. That may please the fan boys but for the rest of us the distinctive lack of other mutants and quite a shoddy script in this one risks any real lack of involvement in a market full of single protagonist driven super hero films. The only two mutants we have here are Rila Fukushima’s Yukio who can (sort of) see the future and Svetlana Kodchenkova’s Viper, who is a potentially very interesting character. Viper can spit poisonous venom, is a genius scientist that finds a w ay to ‘cure’ Logan and completely shed her skin. Despite being an obviously very powerful mutant she is very underdeveloped and pretty much a token bad guy, well woman. As is the norm with Marvel films now, wait for a post credit sequence for a couple of old favourites to turn up in a tantalising set up for next year’s Days of Future Past.

One thing Mangold does handle well in my view is the action. As it is just Wolverine this enables the action to be more brutal and physical like the character himself. No silly super powers like controlling the weather, or the more fantastical ones, just Logan and mortal Japanese warriors having good old fashioned fisticuffs. Logan himself is more vulnerable than ever and this can be genuinely felt. Yes of course in the same way that us English are either posh or cockneys; the Japanese are all samurai sword wielding, honour seeking warriors. But this is Hollywood. However, Japan does prove an effect setting and the fight sequences are handled extremely well and genuinely thrilling. The scene on top of a 300mph bullet train is a particular highlight.

As the narrative reaches its conclusion things do get genuinely interesting until a few slightly anti climactic developments inevitably leave a feeling of disappointment. This once again only shows that perhaps Mark Bomback and Scott Frank’s screenplay could have done with some tweaking and a little more imagination. Overall, The Wolverine is a solid enough addition to the franchise but a bit of pruning with the script and shaving off at least twenty minutes would have benefitted it all no end. There is no denying that the 126 minutes requires effort and not a repeat viewing anytime soon.

Taking the X-franchise east with a completely different shift of tone had potential and does merit admiration; however The Wolverine is a solid but very forgettable effort. Thrilling action sequences make up for the ponderous and rather empty talking in-between to produce a very stop/start experience and a case of wasted potential.

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THE ABCS OF DEATH (26 Different directors, 2012)

Posted on July 31, 2013 by MoodyB

the abcs of death

Starring: Ingrid Bolsø Berdal, Kyra Zagorsky, Iván González

You may like this if you like: Three… Extremes (Fruit Chan et al, 2004), Destricted (Marina Abramovich et al, 2006), V/H/S (David Bruckner et al, 2012)

An anthology consisting of 26 short films by 26 different directors. Each director was given £5,000 and complete freedom to make a film about death focussing on one letter of the alphabet.

I know it is extremely obvious to say this, but a film with a running time of over two hours consisting of 26 short films is inevitably going to be hit and miss. Unfortunately for me it is predominantly more misses than hits. It is an ambitious initial concept that though perhaps it is a little naive it should receive some credit. It is also a good theme to choose; death is one of the few subjects that has universal appeal in that it of course affects all of us throughout our lives and obviously at the end of it. This should therefore have created much more emotional engagement than there actually is. The directors used are from all over the world and so in theory all the different cultural influences should provide some rich and genuinely interesting meditations on the theme of death.

There are some bigger names here such as Ben Wheatley (Sightseers), Ti West (The Innkeepers), Jake West (Doghouse), Jason Eisener (Hobo with a Shotgun) and Xavier Gens (Hitman) to name a few I know. I am sure those more familiar with horror films further afield will be more familiar with some of the other names too, but they have all predominantly produced self indulgent offensive-for-the-sheer-bloody-sake-of-it rubbish.

When I got to ‘f’ to find out is for ‘fart’ it felt like I was watching Movie 43 with more blood. At this point I could not help but sigh in the knowledge that there were still 20 films to go. Boundaries of taste are of course there to be pushed and tested but most of these films are just plain nasty for the sake of it with no actual artistic integrity, and are just extremely dull and pointless.

Things start off ok with Nacho Vigalondo’s A is for Apocalypse which has a good little twist at the end and Enersto Díaz Espinosa’s C is for Cycle being genuinely inventive. Marcel Samiento’s D is for Dogfight feels genuinely cinematic but after that the only highlight is Lee Hardcastle’s stop-motion animation of T is for Toilet, which is both imaginative and entertaining. There are some attempts to be funny such as W is for WTF and Q is for Quack but once again these just prove irritating immature self indulgent crap. Whereas Ben Wheatley (a director who I am a fan of) looks like he cannot even be bothered with the extremely boring POV style U is for Unearthed. Ti West received much acclaim for Innkeepers but his M is for Miscarriage is quite simply vile and nasty. I could not find any real emotional connection with any story (A, C, D and T the exceptions) and I don’t think any effort went into trying to create any from anyone. It is basically 22 directors laughing at anyone watching this and mockingly shout “I get to make films for a living and you don’t! Look what I can waste £5,000 on!” £5,000 is of course a lot of money to many people, it certainly is to me.

The ABCs of Death takes what could be an interesting concept and turns it into an irritating, boring and quite frankly pathetic vanity project. With a few exceptions, the whole experience is quite simply an insult to any dedicated film fan.

3/10

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A FIELD IN ENGLAND (Ben Wheatley, 2013)

Posted on July 31, 2013 by MoodyB

a field in england

Starring: Reece Shearsmith, Michael Smiley, Julian Barratt

You may like this if you like: Witchfinder General (Michael Reeves, 1968), Pi (Darren Aronofsky, 1998), Sightseers (Ben Wheatley, 2012)

During the English Civil War a man by the name of Whitehead (Shearsmith) cowardly escapes the battle field and is joined by three men who themselves are also fleeing, one of which claims to know of a good ale house. As our group of misfits approach a field they are met by O’Neil (Smiley) a man who Whitehead has actually been sent to arrest, but who forces the group to search a field for an apparent treasure. However, after consuming the mushrooms that grow within the field, the group have experiences verging on psychedelic, paranoia and hallucination. Or at least the viewer certainly does.

Well, that is the sort of plot but trust me, it isn’t really important. Ben Wheatley’s previous two efforts for me were as much about the visuals and stylistic approach as plot. Well, A Field in England is pretty much all about the visuals. Shot in widescreen black and white, it is a bizarre and unique 90 minute head trip that is certainly hard to forget.

Shot with pretty much no budget, Wheatley has crafted an extremely atmospheric mood piece with some great performances and genuinely disturbing images. Shearsmith is perfectly suited to his role and gives a great performance with some of the scenes involving him screaming or off his face on mushrooms being genuinely disturbing and creepy. Jim Williams’ subtle and low key but effectively sinister and creepy score adds to the effective disconcerting overall feeling of dread.

However, for me great style and imagery can only go so far without any kind of substance in a feature length film. The fact is that there is no substance here at all. David Lynch is my favourite director so I do not have a problem with ‘unconventional’ plots that perhaps don’t quite make narrative sense but I thought A Field in England complacently feels it does not need to even try. I understand that it may well be more of a mood piece, but without any substance whatsoever a film has to be pretty special to be anything more than a 6/10 or three star film at best.

Wheatley and regular co writer (and wife) Amy Jump obviously have no idea how to end this film so decide to go for a generic and predictable shoot out which is a tad boring. I found Kill List to be style over substance and unfortunately so is A Field in England. Wheatley is obviously a very talented film maker with a great eye for effective visual flair, but perhaps should pay a little more attention to the actual substance of the piece and the initial screenplay. He is obviously so eager to get behind the camera that he wants to get the initial creative process before that over as quickly as possible. Both Kill List and A Field in England have basic and extremely clunky dialogue and so perhaps more effort on the initial screenplays are needed before he gets behind that camera.

A Field in England is an unashamedly unique and stylish mood piece with some genuinely disturbing and unforgettable images. It is definitely worth a watch, but a severe case of style over literally no substance.

6/10

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VILLAGE AT THE END OF THE WORLD (Sarah Gavron and David Katznelson, 2012)

Posted on July 30, 2013 by MoodyB

This gallery contains 1 photo.

  Starring: The villagers of Niaqornat You may like this if you like: The Peddler (Eduardo de la Serna et al, 2010), Beasts of the Southern Wild (Benh Zeitlin, 2012), Trashed (Candida Brady, 2012) Shot over the course of a … Continue reading →

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HUMMINGBIRD (Steven Knight, 2013)

Posted on July 30, 2013 by MoodyB

hummingbird

 

Starring: Jason Statham, Agata Buzek, Vicky McClure

You may like this if you liked: Gran Torino (Clint Eastwood, 2008), Naked (Mike Leigh, 1993), The Limey (Steven Soderbergh, 1999)

Ex Special Forces agent Joey (Statham, of course) now lives as a ghost amongst the homeless of London.  After being badly beaten by a group of men after trying to protect a young woman called Isabel (Victoria Bewick) Joey manages to break into an upper class apartment through a skyline window. After discovering that the owner will be away for a few months, Joey assumes the man’s identity to get his life back on track with the help of Sister Cristina (Agata Buzek), a nun who works at his old homeless shelter with demons of her own. Using his military skills, Joey begins working as a heavy in the dark London underworld, using the money he earns to give to those that need it. However, after discovering that Isabel was used for prostitution and then brutally murdered, Joey swears vengeance on all those involved which takes him deep into the heart of London’s dark underworld and may ultimately both redeem him but cause his demise.

So, this is familiar territory; an action star attempting serious ‘acting’ and going for the more gritty approach to prove he is not just a pair of fists and an intense stare. Now it is the turn of England’s best action export to have a go at the gritty stuff. I make no secret of the fact that I am personally a fan of Statham and I thought he was perfectly suited to the role and gives a committed performance. Of course it is convenient that he looks the part when he is required to use his fists, but between the brawls and fisticuffs I thought Statham was very solid, giving us a likeable and sympathetic protagonist. Statham is in my view a decent actor when he wants to be and his intense stare and obvious internal torture and conflict give us a protagonist to believe in.

Unfortunately for me, it is the material Statham is given and the actual writing that stops Hummingbird from being anything other than above average. Writer Steven Knight (Eastern Promises, Dirty Pretty Things) has a good track record and there is serious potential here, and though it all ticks along nicely it never quite packs as hard an emotional punch as it wants to. There is a slightly deluded element of smug self righteousness in the script using the whole ‘dark side of London that you never see’ tag. Yes we do; there are many films that deal effectively with the harsh realities of inner city life (London and many others) or indeed anyone who watches the news will hardly find this film an eye opening education. There is indeed a preachy and slightly patronising feel to this film which inevitably slightly alienates the supposedly higher brow audience it wants to aim for and prevents Hummingbird from being any more than solid.

Despite the feeling of self importance in the script, plot wise Hummingbird is pretty much a solid but extremely generic vengeance by numbers story. There is the usual character arc of redemption and solace, I guess explaining why in the States this film is actually called Redemption. Though his script may not be exactly life affirming, in what is his first directorial feature length effort Knight definitely seems to have an eye for effective visuals. The use of both the upper class and dirty run down London locations proving a very effective and atmospheric setting. Again, never providing a feeling of ‘I never knew London had homeless people’ because anyone watching this has social awareness, but there is a consistent and effective atmosphere of repression and social injustice throughout the narrative. The violence too is suitably nasty and never over stylised.

Not only is Statham very effective in his role, but Agata Buzek gives a subtly effective performance as Sister Cristina. She provides genuine emotional substance to both her character and the film as a whole. As the story plods along it is never in doubt what is going to happen and perhaps a little suspension of belief is needed as Joey seems to easily avoid capture despite sometimes it feeling like the entire London police force is after him. There is also the subplot involving Joey’s estranged wife (an underused Vicky McClure) and daughter. The very few scenes are genuinely moving and perhaps this could have received a little more attention in the narrative. However, overall this is a very watchable and well made thriller. I didn’t ever have me on the edge of my seat, but neither did it ever bore.

Hummingbird is ultimately perhaps a case of unrealised potential with not as much substance as it believes it has got. The preachy tone and generic plot provide limitations, but otherwise Hummingbird is a well acted, solidly directed, effectively atmospheric and watchable drama.

6/10

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THE BURFORD TOP 10: MY MOST QUOTABLE FILMS OF ALL TIME

Posted on July 27, 2013 by MoodyB

We all of course have films that we love, and we have films that we love and often quote. These quotes may always make us laugh, they may be poignant or they may just have a unique individual meaning to us. Dialogue is very hard to get right; and sometimes a film has such incredible, unique and memorable dialogue that it is so much more engaging and after watching it you eternally find yourself quoting it.

Of course we all have specific lines from films we remember for our very own unique reasons, for this list I have gone more for the ten films that for me continuously have quotable and memorable lines throughout the narrative. Admittedly this has lead to this list being predominantly funny quotes, but the ten with the dialogue that most stayed in my mind. Trust me; this is both good and bad.

This being my personal top ten it is the top ten films I have found myself quoting the most over time. However this does not necessarily mean it is the ten genuinely best scripts of all time. Sometimes I found myself and friends continuously quoting from a film because its dialogue is so incredibly and uniquely bad. Read on and this will make sense.

Of course this is my opinions and solely based on the films I alone have seen, and therefore the ten that I personally have found myself quoting all the time. If anyone has their own suggestions that they feel I should have included then please comment and if I have not seen them I will give them a watch.

1. Withnail & I (Bruce Robinson, 1987)

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An obvious choice maybe, but a thoroughly justified one in my view as this is the one film with the most memorable dialogue I have personally ever seen. For me the sign of a great film is that it gets better with every viewing and Withnail & I is the perfect example of this. I remember in my student house watching this repeatedly, my housemates and myself quoting it at each other, and yes there did tend to be alcohol involved. The fantastic performances from Richard E. Grant, Paul McGann and Richard Griffiths also help truly bring the dialogue to life.  Though it is predominantly hilarious, there are a plenty of effective moments of melancholy and poignancy. It is a uniquely British humour that perhaps works better in context than isolation, but there is something in both these characters that we can all relate to.

There are so many quotes, and we all have our favourites, and though many of the greater quotes are within a full conversation, here are a few of the briefer ones:

“Don’t you threaten me with a dead fish!”

“I’ve some extremely distressing news… we just ran out of wine!”

“I feel like a pig shat in my head.”

“I’ve got a bastard behind the eyes.”

“Even a stopped clock tells the right time twice a day.”

“We want the finest wines known to humanity. We want them here and we want them now!”

“Jesus, you’re covered in shit!”

“As a youth I used to weep in Butcher’s shops!”

Trust me, I could go on.

2. Airplane (Jim Abrahams, David Zucker & Jerry Zucker, 1980)

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In all Abrahams, Zucker & Zucker spoof style comedies the gags and one liners make up the comedy, and in Airplane they do not stop coming. Infinitely silly and infinitely funny, Airplane combines memorable characters and some truly memorable lines. The list is endless; here are a few of the shorter ones:

“Nervous?”, “Yes”, “First time?”, “No, I’ve been nervous lots of times”

“Surely you can’t be serious?”, “I am serious, and don’t call me Shirley”

“A hospital! What is it?”, “It’s a big building with patients in it. But that’s not important right now.”

“Have you ever seen a grown man naked?”

“Looks like I picked the wrong week to quit drinking/ smoking/ sniffing glue/ amphetamines.”

3. Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy (Adam McKay, 2004)

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Another one for me that improved with repeat viewings, I know many find Will Ferrell a little annoying and samey, but here he his perfectly suited to the character of Ron and all the outrageously arrogant and daft lines of dialogue he has. Paul Rudd and Steve Carell get their fair share of lines too.

“I want to be on you.”

“I am in a glass case of emotion.”

“I’m very important. I have many leather-bound books and my apartment smells of rich mahogany.”

“The only way to bag a classy lady is to give her two tickets to the gun show…”

“It’s so damn hot… milk was a bad choice.”

“I love lamp.”

4. Snatch (Guy Ritchie, 2000)

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One crime this and Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels is guilty of is that it has paved the way for a plethora of unfunny ‘mockney’ films that are supposed to be funny but just plain stupid and rather boring. However for me Snatch works; it is very silly of course, but with a good cast obviously having a blast (especially Alan Ford) this is an extremely entertaining film that is tremendous and infinitely quotable. The comedy here often relies on exchanged quick witted one liners in conversation, but here a few in isolation:

“Shut up and sit down you big bald fuck!”

“In the quiet words of the Virgin Mary; come again?”

Brick Top’s ‘nemesis’ speech.

“Where did you lose him? He’s not exactly a set of car keys is he?”

“I f**king hate pikeys!”

“What’s happening with those sausages George?”, “Five minutes Turkish.”, “It was two minutes five minutes ago.”

“Who is gonna mug two black fellas, holding pistols, sat in a car that is worth less than your shirt?”

5. Ghostbusters  (Ivan Reitman, 1984)

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As a child of the 80s this was one of my favourite films as a kid and though it perhaps looks a little dated, it is still tremendous fun with a cracking script.

“Ray. If someone asks you if you are a god, you say yes!”

“I’ve been slimed!”

“So. She’s a dog…”

“Yes it’s true. This man has no dick.”

“Why worry? Each one of us is carrying an unlicensed nuclear accelerator on his back.”

“Sorry, Venkman, I’m terrified beyond the capacity for rational thought.”

6. Predator (John McTiernan, 1987)

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No list of great quotes would be complete without Arnie, and thanks to Shane Black’s silly but quick witted script Predator is not only outrageously entertaining but also has some truly classic lines.

“I aint got time to bleed.”

“This stuff will make you a god damned sexual Tyrannosaurus, just like me!”

“If it bleeds, we can kill it!”

“Bleed, bastard!”

“You lose it here; you’re in a world of hurt.”

“Get to da choppah!”

7. In Bruges (Martin McDonagh, 2008)

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For me what makes Martin McDonagh’s black comedy (or white tragedy as it has been referred to) is the exceptionally quick witted script. The extremely swear-heavy tone is perfectly judged and Colin Farrell, Brendan Gleeson and Ralph Fiennes are blatantly really enjoying themselves as they exchanged fantastic lines. It is just a shame McDonagh got a bit too smug and complacent when he later made Seven Psychopaths. I also should probably be a slightly responsible blogger and perhaps refrain from mentioning some of the best quotes here.

“F**king Bruges!!!”

“They’re filming midgets!”

“One gay beer for my gay friend, one normal beer for me because I am normal.”

“That’s for John Lennon, you Yankee f**king c**t!”

“You two are weird. Would you like some cocaine?”

“It’s an inanimate f**king object!”, “You’re an inanimate f**king object!”

“It’s only Christ’s blood, so of course you don’t f**king have to!”

8. The Running Man (Paul Michael Glaser, 1987)

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Predator had a great script, but for sheer cheesy Arnie one liners The Running Man has to be his masterpiece!

“What a pain in the neck!”

“He had to split!”

“Just give them an evasive answer. Tell them to go f**k themselves!”

“…Because there’s nothing funny about a dickless moron with a battery up his ass.”

“Hey, Lighthead! Hey, Christmas Tree!”

“Jesus Christ!”, “Guess again!”

“They think I’m your girlfriend.”, “I can straighten that out. See that camera up there? I’ll strangle you in front of the whole audience.”

9. Batman & Robin (Joel Schumacher, 1997)

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Remember I mentioned films sometimes being quotable for the wrong reason? Well here you go! I think it is a commonly accepted fact of life that this is one utterly terrible film for reasons we all know. However, the script is so cringe-inducing bad that it cannot help but be extremely memorable. Every line from Arnie is a clunky and downright embarrassing one liner or pun involving feeling cold while every line from Uma Thurman is an embarrassing euphemism. Even Clooney gets in on the act. They may be awful, but they are infectious and certainly unforgettable. What makes the whole thing funny is that it is all delivered with total straight faced stoicism!

“I hate to disappoint you but my rubber lips are immune to your charms.”

“You’re not sending me to da cooler!”

“This is why Superman works alone.”

“Mercy? I’m afraid my condition has left me cold to your pleas of mercy.”“I need a sign that you’ve turned over a new leaf.”, “How about “slippery when wet?”

“Come join me. My garden needs tending.”

“In this universe, there’s only one absolute… everything freezes!”

“If revenge is a dish best served cold, then put on your Sunday finest. It’s time to feast!”

There are so many more, but I just cannot bring myself to go on.

10. St. George’s Day (Frank Harper, 2012)

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Anyone who knows me unfortunately knows perfectly well how often I quote this film. Once again, this is down to an extremely bad script. When I say bad, trust me in that there is no word to describe the script. It is so clunky, clichéd and outrageously deluded in that those who wrote it thought they were writing an intelligent crime drama that the result is one of the funniest and infinitely quotable films of recent years. It is so incredibly racist, sexist and downright deluded in delivery, and the conversations between characters include some of the worst but equally most memorable dialogue I have ever heard. If this was an intentional comedy it would not work, but because it is delivered with such stoic seriousness it is beyond hilarious.

“F**king Eastbourne!”

“You can’t beat a bit of wet.” (When our protagonist refers to women)

“The price is right? This aint the game show you c**t!”

“Just open the fucking vibrator!”

“No one likes us, we don’t care!”

“Disinformation”

“He should be in Marbella! He’s bang out of order!”

“Two words for you; Angry Russians!”

That is just the tip of the ice berg, however the most poignant moment of dialogue for me:

“Sometimes bollocks means ‘its bollocks’, sometimes ‘the bollocks’, or sometimes it just means (Tugs on the crutch of his trousers) ‘bollocks’!”

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