KILLING THEM SOFTLY (Andrew Dominik, 2012)

Posted on May 26, 2013 by MoodyB

killing them softly

Starring: Brad Pitt, Richard Jenkins, Ray Liotta

You may like this if you liked: Pusher (Nicolas Winding Refn, 1996), Lawless (John Hillcoat, 2012), Rampart (Oren Moverman, 2011)

In some really moody run down part of America during the economic crash of 2008, three amateur crooks hold up a mob protected card game and steal all the money causing the collapse of the local criminal economy. The card games are run by Markie Trattman (Liotta) and due to common knowledge that he had previous games purposely raided all fingers point at him. To restore order, hit man Jackie Cogan (Pitt) is hired by a local gangster at the top of the tree to sort out Trattman and hunt down the amateurs that robbed the game.

After Andrew Dominik’s near perfect The Assassination of Jesse James I was expecting good things. However I was very disappointed. Killing Them Softly has a narrative that consists predominantly of episodes of slow dialogue-heavy scenes and the occasional scene of graphic violence. That is not ever a problem for me if it is a good film, but I found the whole experience alienating, frustrating and downright boring. Of course I ‘get it’ and the deeper meanings within the narrative about 21st century American society, and there is no doubting there is intelligent ideas involved within the film that are expressed and depicted very well. In fact with George Bush or Barack Obama talking on the radio every few scenes the whole message really does get crammed down our throats a little too much.

I have seen consistently excellent reviews for Killing Them Softly describing it as ‘well made’ and ‘intelligent film making’, I may be cynical but I just cannot help feeling people have been sucked in by the whole ‘intelligent film’ tag and are almost being a little deluded by being proud of themselves for ‘getting it’. There is no doubt at all in my mind that this film is indeed well directed and acted, as well as making some intelligent and I expect quite accurate observations on society. The characters in this film are all unglamorous, extremely flawed, and extremely hard to like and with the exception of Pitt’s character exceptionally useless. However the audience this film is aimed at will learn nothing new here and personally if I am to dedicate 90 minutes of my life to watching a film I want something in return. I get why the characters are extremely unlikeable, and why there is so much dialogue, but for me Killing Them Softly just simply does not work as a film as it is just an extremely frustrating and infuriating experience. It does not get anyone thinking as we could learn everything depicted here from taking a few minutes to read a news article. In fact if the final scene involving Pitt and Jenkins existed in isolation it would make all the exact some points that the previous ninety minutes had just as effectively.

Killing Them Softly is well made, acted and makes intelligent points well. However in my view simply just does not work as a feature length film, producing a very alienating, frustrating and quite frankly boring experience. I was extremely disappointed and would strongly advice against ever watching this, just watch the news instead.

4/10

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THE BURFORD TOP 10: THE TOP TEN SCENES WHERE EVEN GROWN MEN ARE ALLOWED TO CRY

Posted on May 20, 2013 by MoodyB

We all like a good cry from time to time and we all cry at certain films, which is one of the many reasons why we love them so much. We all cry at different films as they have different personal meanings for us. Here is my own personal top ten tear jerking moments in cinema and It’s a Wonderful Life, Brief Encounter and The Notebook are nowhere to be seen! I am sure plenty of people will disagree with me as films are personal experiences (well good ones anyway) and if anyone has their own personal scenes that they feel I should have included please suggest away.

1. The Lion King (Roger Allers and Bob Minkoff, 1994) – Mufasa dies.

tearjerker 1

The first time I saw this scene is a dark moment of my childhood I will never forget. This is pure Shakespearean tragedy in Disney form. Hans Zimmer’s Oscar winning score is playing and Simba is all alone.

2. The Iron Giant (Brad Bird, 1999) – The sacrifice

tearjerker 2

“Guns kill and you don’t have to be a gun, you are what you choose to be”. The lines spoken by his human friend echo in his mind as the Iron Giant (Vin Diesel), designed to be solely a weapon sacrifices himself to stop a nuclear bomb from completely devastating a town where he discovered and embraced the human emotions of compassion and friendship.

3. Kes (Ken Loach, 1969) – the neck snap

tearjerker 3

Billy (David Bradley) is a young northern working class boy we can all relate to: bullied, lonely, miserable and struggling to find any happiness or meaning to his life. After befriending and training a Kestrel he finally finds happiness, meaning and companionship in his life. This is all heartbreakingly shattered when his nasty older brother simply snaps its neck.

4. The Shawshank Redemption (Frank Darabont, 1994) – the final scene

tearjerker 4

This is for me the most perfectly poignant but yet so simple ending to a film that will never ever be bettered. Morgan Freeman walks along the beach and makes eye contact with Tim Robbins. The two smile at each other and approach each other; the camera rises to simply show these two close friends walk towards each other and hug. This for me is pure cinematic perfection and proves that dialogue sometimes is useless. The look these two close friends give each other as well as Thomas Newman’s beautiful score is all we need.

5. Life of Pi (Ang Lee, 2012) – Richard Parker’s ‘goodbye’

tearjerker 5a tearjerker 5b

We have invested so much time in these two characters and have come to care about both Pi and Richard Parker but are poignantly reminded that Richard Parker is indeed a wild animal with no loyalties. We all want to love him as we have spent so much time with him but the fact he does not look back at Pi before disappearing into the jungle is a harsh but poignant reminder that he is after all a wild animal.

6. Cinema Paradiso (Guiseppe Tornatore, 1988) – The cut kissing scenes montage

tearjerker 6

This is most effective at the end of the director’s cut and a scene purely about context. As Ennio Morricone’s beautiful and poignant score is cranked up, the images Toto watches sum up perfectly all the emotions we have felt and understood during the narrative. As Toto sits there crying so do we as we contemplate our own lives like he does as all the various emotions hit us at once. It is a reminder how films play an important part of so many of our lives and depicts so well all the experiences of love, loss, happiness and sadness we all experience. The themes of this film are simple and relative, and that is why they are so emotionally effective.

7. Requiem For A Dream (Darren Aronofsky, 2000) – The final scene

tearjerker 7

A film many remember as horrible to watch, which of course it intentionally is. However within the misery there are many genuinely intimate scenes as our mentally and physically tortured characters struggle to find happiness. The final scene is all in Sarah Goldfarp’s mind and set on the game show that has inadvertently destroyed her entire life. It for me is genuinely poignant and emotional. What we see is the extremely simple things that were her ‘dream’; simply for her beloved son to be happy to tell the world while on the game show. When the two hug and tell each other that they simply love each other and the audience give them a standing ovation it is a poignant reminder that the most important thing to all of us is the love of our family.

8. Homeward Bound (Duwayne Dunham, 1993) – Shadow won’t make it

tearjerker 8

This one may be solely for animal lovers. When Shadow, the older dog appears too old to make it out of the hole and he tells Chance and Sassy to not wait for him animal lovers and children everywhere cannot help but shed a tear, despite the fact this is a Disney film so we know how it will all actually end.

9. The Last Samurai (Edward Zwick, 2003) – I will miss our conversations

tearjerker 9

Despite this being a Tom Cruise blockbuster that is extremely Hollywood there is something deeply moving about this scene. We have invested over two hours of our time following these two men who were once enemies and they have become brothers in arms. When Ken Watanabe willingly lets Tom Cruise take his life and Cruise repeats the lines they have said to each other throughout the story we just cannot help ourselves but shed a tear. Hans Zimmer’s sweeping strings are turned up to the max as well just to make sure.

10. Transformers the Movie (Nelson Shin, 1986) – Optimus dies.

tearjerker 10

This maybe one solely for children of the 80s who were Transformers fans and begs the question did Michael Bay actually ever watch this film? Optimus Prime was everyone’s favourite toy and is a hero and stands up for everything that is right, there is no way he can ever be killed? In a cartoon?!? Yes indeed he can, the fact it was an accident by Hot Rod that allowed Megatron to kill Prime and the cheesy 80s soundtrack playing in the background adds to the tragedy.

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THE PLACE BEYOND THE PINES (Derek Cianfrance, 2012)

Posted on May 20, 2013 by MoodyB

the place beyond the pines

Starring: Ryan Gosling, Bradley Cooper, Eva Mendes

You may like this if you liked: Half Nelson (Ryan Fleck, 2006), Flight (Robert Zemeckis, 2012), Blue Valentine (Derek Cianfrance, 2010)

Luke (Gosling) is a motorcycle stunt rider with a travelling carnival. When the carnival is in Schenectady, New York he goes to see former lover Romina (Mendes) to discover he has a son. Despite the fact Romina lives with a man who cares for her, Luke pledges to provide for his son and quits the carnival to stay in Schenectady. Luke gets a job as a mechanic working for Robin (Ben Mendelsohn), however Robin persuades Luke that if he is going to be able to provide properly for his son then he should utilise his skill at riding a bike as a getaway to rob banks. Despite advice from Robin to limit the amount of times you do it, Luke decides to go it alone and is then that his path is put on a direct collision course with Avery Cross (Cooper) an ambitious cop (and father of a boy the same age as Luke’s) who is first on the scene to pursue Luke after a robbery. I do not want to say too much more but what follows shows how the actions of these two men shape their own lives and that of their sons over the next fifteen years.

So it is the old ‘difficult second album’ syndrome as Derek Cianfrance attempts to follow up the critically acclaimed and raw emotional masterpiece that was Blue Valentine. Thankfully in my view he has avoided illusions of grandeur and produced another compelling character driven drama. Keeping the raw techniques of hand held cameras and long takes of Blue Valentine but placed inside a far more ambitious and grand narrative The Place Beyond the Pines deals once again with personal themes involving the family unit. Told through an unusual three part narrative, this time the main themes consist of how the actions of the fathers then dominate the path of their sons. There is no escaping the fact that the plot itself is a little contrived and too neat in some ways. The fact one man wants to spend time with his son and the other rejects his, and then the inevitability of their two son’s lives intertwining is pure Charles Dickens (among other things). There is a feeling of the inevitable once we enter the final third and it does all feel a little predictable. Anyone expecting a drama with various surprising twists and turns will be disappointed, but for me this slightly contrived narrative is simply a mere tool to depict the narrative’s main themes and ideas which are for more personal.

We follow conflicted characters with inner turmoil trying to genuinely do the right thing but as we all know, good intentions can be relative and someone very often suffers as a result. The plot structure itself feels mythical and like that of a Greek tragedy in which character’s fates are inevitably destined to intertwine. If you are willing to forgive the narrative for feeling a little contrived and clichéd and just focus on the character’s individual internal and external battles then TPBTP is a compelling and engaging study of the human condition. It does not teach us anything new but is still an excellent character study.

Some may be put off the by the 140 minute running time, but I felt this was essential at giving the characters the depth required for us to engage with the journeys they embark on. Cianfrance himself prefers the long takes and handheld close ups providing an intimate feeling throughout despite the epic scale of the narrative. The choral score and pine tree landscapes provide an effectively atmospheric and once again mythic feel to the narrative. Gosling is once again excellent, providing a magnetic subtle presence whenever he is on screen. Every facial expression conveys so many thoughts and Gosling has once again portrayed a character that is fascinating. The first third of the film is in my view a fascinating and gripping experience.

The Bradley Cooper led second act feels less compelling and does perhaps stagnate a little. Cooper himself is solid and Cianfrance takes advantage of the naive innocence in his bright blue eyes, but his character is just not as captivating as Gosling’s. The subplot involving police corruption and Ray Liotta basically playing Ray Liotta is quite simply not as interesting as the story in act one. However the plot developments in part two are essential for what happens in part three, they just feel a little laboured in what was for me by far the weakest and most artificial part of TPBTP’s slightly unconventional narrative.

The final third contains captivating performances from Dane Dehaan and Emory Cohen as Jason and AJ, Luke and Avery’s respective sons. The two hours of our time we have already invested in this film is amply rewarded here. How the two boys meet and how Jason discovers the true identity and story of his father is all a little predictable and admittedly a little dull to watch and it was another part of the story I just wanted to get over so the film could go back to focussing on how Jason decides to shape his destiny. The ending itself is poignant and in my view provides a genuinely emotionally satisfying conclusion that manages to avoid the clunky clichés that it could have easily fallen into.

The Place Beyond the Pines is a very ambitious film that manages to be both grand in scale but intimate in its themes. If you are willing to forgive the contrived and slightly predictable plot as well as the long running time, the powerhouse performances and detailed character development provide a compelling and involving character driven drama. It will not change your life or teach you anything new, but this is honest and well thought out film making.

7/10

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ALEX CROSS (Rob Cohen, 2012)

Posted on May 20, 2013 by MoodyB

alex cross

Starring: Tyler Perry, Mathew Fox, Edward Burns

You may like this if you liked: Jack Reacher (Christopher McQuarrie, 2012), Along Came a Spider (Lee Tamahori, 2001), Factory (Morgan O’Neill, 2012)

Dr. Alex Cross (Perry) is one of Detroit’s finest detectives (naturally) and looks set to leave working on the dangerous streets of Detroit for the relatively safe desk of an FBI profiler so he can spend more time with his family and not risk them losing him. Trust me that is the first of many clichés. A serial killer by the name of Picasso (Fox) is torturing and murdering rich business people of Detroit. He leaves a Cubist Charcoal drawing by his victim to leave a clue as to who his next victim is, hence the name (My god that is clever!). Due to unforeseen circumstances involving Cross and his team of walking clichés trying to protect Picasso’s next target, things get very personal between the two of them. Alex Cross is then forced to, yes you guessed it, test his own moral and physical limits to pursue and catch Picasso and to stop him terrorising the city.

I have never read a James Patterson novel, but I know this man is an absolute machine when it comes to churning out crime thrillers and he is the biggest seller in the world at the moment so he must be doing something right. His Alex Cross books are one of his most popular and long running so considering Lee Childs and Jo Nesbo books are being made into films it was inevitable that Hollywood was going to return to James Patterson. After all the two previous outings starring Morgan Freeman were in my view very solid thrillers. When I saw this film was directed by Rob Cohen (The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Empire, Stealth, xXx) I was genuinely scarred; this is a man who makes extremely dumb and not very fun action films. I can safely say that in my view Alex Cross is Rob Cohen’s best film, but when I say that it is hardly his 9th Symphony. Alex Cross is an incredibly dumb and stupid film that seems to make sure it ticks every Hollywood crime thriller cliché on the list. The performances, screenplay, directing and plotting are shoddy, flat and predictable. The embarrassingly horrific tagline on the poster says “Don’t ever cross Alex Cross”, that basically sets the standard for the entire film. I sincerely hope the books are much better than this.

I have noticed there have been some extremely angry reviews of this film that have well and truly slated it. I must confess that though it is by no means great (or indeed good) I have seen much, much worse recently (The Sweeney, Savages to name two). Due to the fact it is directed by Rob Cohen I had low expectations and these were met, but I did not feel that I had wasted my time. I would give this film a four out of ten as it is very watchable if you fancy something that requires no thought whatsoever and enter with low expectations.

Tyler Perry does seem to be having a good go at trying to make this role his own and kick start a successful franchise for himself. Despite there being so many books, I don’t expect another Alex Cross film anytime soon so it is back to wearing the dress for Mr. Perry. However his lack of screen presence, lack of ability to have more than one facial expression and less than commanding monotone fixed level voice provide a less than memorable hero. His lack of chemistry with Edward Burns and the flat script mean that any talky scenes are just plain boring. Even what is supposed to be an extremely emotional plot development just simply is not, it is genuinely impressive in some ways just how emotionless it all actually feels.

For all its flaws Jack Reacher was in my view very good fun due to Cruise’s natural enthusiasm and charisma, Alex Cross plays it predominantly serious, but when the plotting is this stupid that is in my view a huge mistake. For me the only comedy was Mathew Fox. I admire his effort and commitment for going skinny, but that attempted psycho stare he attempts just really made me laugh. When you are finding the film’s antagonist who is supposed to be a crazed psycho serial killer funny, then perhaps the film has failed a little. Even the usually dependable Jean Reno appears to be intentionally exaggerating his own natural accent and sounds more like Inspector Clouseau.

Alex Cross also seems to follow the current trend of Hollywood thrillers with a ‘clever’ twist revealing who the actual ‘bad guy’ is. It delivers the twist with an element of smugness, but due to silly casting decisions it is blatantly obvious long before it happens. Even how the actors are shown on the cast list in the credits gives it away before the film has even started. Anyone who has seen this or another recent example like Safe House will know what I mean.

A perfect example of how to brutally murder a franchise before it has begun; Alex Cross is beyond stupid but yet attempts to play it serious. It is just about watchable, and Mathew Fox brings unintentional humour but have very low expectations (and maybe a few alcohol drinks) first.

4/10

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COMPLIANCE (Craig Zobel, 2012)

Posted on May 19, 2013 by MoodyB

compliance

Starring: Ann Dowd, Dreama Walker, Pat Healy

You may like this if you liked: Phone Booth (Joel Schumacher, 2002), Exam (Stuart Hazeldine, 2009), Fermat’s Room (Luis Piedrahita and Rodrigo Sopeña, 2007)

Based on true events, Compliance tells the story of the dramatic and very dark events that take place in a fast food restaurant over one night. What looks set to be a typical busy evening takes a dramatic and dark turn after an alleged phone call from a police officer (Healy). The already stressed manager (Dowd) answers the phone and the apparent Police officer tells her that one of her employees, Becky (Walker) earlier stole from a customer. They claim that the customer is there with them and that the manager must keep Becky in the office waiting to be picked up by the police, an allegation Becky completely denies. The ‘officer’ claims that the police station is extremely busy and so there is no one available to come to the restaurant and therefore to speed up the process and prove Becky’s guilt the manager will have to completely strip search Becky. Reluctant at first, the manager complies and Becky is forced to strip until she is naked despite protesting her innocence and left wearing just a borrowed apron. To manipulate and control events further, the apparent officer claims to have spoken to the general manager and also that he is currently searching Becky’s house as she may be involved in her brothers apparent drug dealing (which he does not). To find the money events spiral to even darker levels as various members of staff and the manager’s fiancé (!) are left to look after Becky. With their differing levels of gullibility when being told what to do by a voice of apparent authority, these various people contribute to Becky’s sexual and physical humiliation for a crime she never committed.

Oh god lord, this is a difficult one to review, let alone to decide whether I recommend it. I have very little knowledge of what actually happened in these true stories though I am aware that many similar incidents to what the narrative portrays have genuinely happened. I also have to say that I get the whole ‘easy to judge when watching but how about when you are actually in that situation’ speech that Zobel has constantly said when interviewed. People are much easier to manipulate when panicking and vulnerable, especially when apparently hearing from a voice of authority. Some admittedly more than others and this film does show that to be fair as some characters refuse to comply with the caller. Fine, but in an effort to fill 90 minutes and perhaps really shock people this whole message in my opinion gets lost as the film really takes some serious liberties with my ability to go along with that. When a film is marketed as ‘shocking’ it will always attract a crowd that will watch it for the wrong reasons and if these events did happen describing them is sufficiently shocking. To then graphically show what happened feels both contrived and patronising. There are some extremely pointless scenes that add nothing. Some scenes are drawn out and this can be effective at adding tension, but here they lack any genuine tension as they for me they were just too ridiculous and unbelievable leading to them feeling contrived.

One thing that troubles me throughout is the actual intentions of the director. Is it a genuine attempt to simply document what happened, a lecture on the gullibility and stupidity of people or almost an attack on the voyeuristic tendencies of us the viewer? I do not know. All I know is that I constantly found myself wanting to shout at the screen as I could not believe the stupidity of these people. I have worked in a restaurant like this and know that no manager would ever go as far as what happens here, and they would certainly not get their fiancé who does not work there involved. In a world of political correctness gone mad where everyone can sue everyone else managers know they have to be so careful that as soon as it got to completely strip searching Becky no manager who is solely in charge of a restaurant and everyone in the building would go any further. Everything after that was just beyond belief for me and led to an extremely infuriating viewing experience, the fact what happened felt too farfetched destroyed any effectiveness or shock value of what was being depicted. Ok, so apparently what is portrayed did genuinely happen and so if that is the case the case the film needs to work harder at trying to understand why. It feels here that Zobel just wants to make a film about a shocking true event and hope that the fact it is ‘shocking’ will be enough. If we want to know what happened we can use this wonderful invention called the internet to read about what happened.  A film with a narrative of a fictional retelling of the event needs to do more and it feels that a better film maker would do a much more effective and thought provoking job than Zobel has. If you want a film that is an effective lecture on our voyeuristic approach to watching violence then I recommend Michael Haneke’s Funny Games. Zober seems to complacently believe that a simple retelling is enough, but there has to be some substance as that is just lazy and insulting to the viewer’s intelligence.

This film feels like a bit of a mess and quite frankly seems to be trying too hard to convey various ‘shocking’ messages that it borders on farcical and lacks any genuine power. There appear to be many different ideas at work and it would have been far better to focus on one and make that more effective. Some of the things that happen to Becky are appalling and I personally thought it was a bad idea to show them. Of course it is not as graphic as it could have been and is only a 15 here in the UK, but description for me is always more effective and shocking than showing. The film almost feels a little patronising as opposed to shocking when showing the appalling things that happen to Becky, as it feels that Zobel appears to have to feel he has to show things too much for us to understand how bad they are. Basically, it feels like the main message of Compliance is that people are stupid and so are the people watching Compliance. Thank you Craig, really appreciate that!

The fact that different characters comply with differing extents was the one thing I found genuinely interesting. It possibly reveals differences in their personalities and underlying darker thoughts. One character refuses as it feels wrong, another simply sees through what the caller is trying to do and another complies completely to the extent that they commit rape. A situation like this could reveal people’s true personalities and perhaps the dark places of their subconscious. That would be an interesting idea to explore in a film, but if this is the intention of Compliance then it could have been done so much better and not in the patronising lecture like tone like it is here. Indeed at the end there is a scene showing the manager being interviewed on TV and genuinely believing she is a victim, but by then I was already so incredibly annoyed by what I had previously seen to care anymore. This was especially the case as the dialogue was very mediocre.

It is worth noting that the cast, especially Ann Dowd and Dreama Walker are excellent and give their character as much depth as they can considering the material they are given to work with is rather average. I suppose Craig Zobel deserves some credit as I have had to write such a long review, but that is only to attempt to describe why I personally think this film is a complete failure.

Compliance for me is ultimately an extremely infuriating experience that actually taught me nothing. It is certainly a film you will not forget, but is one I would not recommend. There was material here that a better director could have made into a film with interesting and thought provoking ideas, but if anyone does want to know about these stories and be genuinely shocked then it is better to simply read about them.

3/10

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STAR TREK INTO DARKNESS (J. J. Abrams, 2013)

Posted on May 19, 2013 by MoodyB

star trek into darkness

Starring: Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Zoe Saldana

You may like this if you liked: Star Trek (J. J. Abrams, 2009), Transformers: Dark of the Moon (Michael Bay, 2011), Star Wars Saga (George Lucas et al, 1977 – 2005)

This is not a synopsis that should be written with too much detail as I do not want to spoil anything. Basically, Starfleet comes under attack from within by John Harrison (Benedict Cumberbatch) a former high ranking officer who is basically a one man war machine with a very serious vendetta. After attacking a meeting of Starfleet’s highest ranking officers Kirk (Pine) and his team vow to travel to the other side of the universe to retrieve Harrison and make him answer for his crimes.

In a world dominated by blockbusters having half baked lazy plots (Iron Man 3) Into Darkness almost feels like a pleasant exception and a reminder that films can combine big with brains. There is a strong plot with plenty of twists and turns and genuinely emotional pay offs, but to say too much here would spoil it. After starting things off with a top blockbuster that pleased diehard fans and multiplex crowds alike J.J. Abrams has delivered a more confident and more complete sequel. Now with the origin story and character introductions out of the way Abrams and regular screenwriters Roberto Orci, Alex Kutzman and Damon Lindelof have been able to focus on pushing these characters further and produce a fast paced and genuinely exciting and involving film. The opening sequence of the crew saving a planet from a huge volcanic eruption is big, bold and frantic that sets the tone for the rest of the narrative and the pace never stops. Also within this sequence Kirk and Spock’s (Quinto) loyalty and morality are seriously tested setting up some very important themes that dominate the entire narrative and provide one of the key emotional cores. This opening scene successfully combines big bold action sequences at a frantic pace that are driven by the decisions and actions of the characters involved creating more emotional involvement and payoff. This high standard is maintained throughout as just like in Skyfall, Into Darkness is predominantly a character driven narrative. This making it therefore so much more emotionally involving than most bog standard blockbusters, who complacently (and insultingly) think loud bangs and bright lights are enough. Despite admitting he perhaps used too many lens flares in the last one; J.J. Abrams does not shy away from them once again with Into Darkness. I saw the film in 2D so am not sure how these looked in 3D, but though perhaps they are sometimes unnecessary they add to the epic scale of how the film looks.

At just over two hours there is very rarely a lull in the pace as there is pretty much always something going on with big set piece being followed by even bigger set piece. The constant plot developments keep you hooked but yet there is always a constant feeling that Abrams is always in control. This being the future there is of course the inevitable outrageous things being achieved by mind numbing science with slightly confusing explanations that are said as characters are running, but when the film is this much fun that is forgivable. Though if you are the kind of person who hates that then you probably would not consider watching a Star Trek film in the first place.

One major factor that keeps all the frantic action together is the performances. All major characters are given great dialogue and make great use of it. Pine for me has made Kirk his own, feeling more confident in the role this time around and giving him real substance. He may well still be a maverick and a bit of a wise guy, but he is man of integrity and loyalty and the perfect blockbuster protagonist. Quinto is once again excellent, conveying the internal conflict felt by Spock with absolute perfection as well as great comic timing. Karl Urban once again provides reassuring substance and humour as well typical metaphors as Bones. Cumberbatch excels in his role providing genuine menacing presence; lesser actors would have struggled to avoid hamming it up and sounding like a pantomime villain but his character is legitimately sinister and his motivations are explained and give his character genuine depth. All other characters are left on the sidelines, getting their chance to shine only on the occasional moments when the narrative needs their unique skills but they are all once again excellent. Simon Pegg and Anton Yelchin’s accents are admittedly a little over the top, but never border on annoying. Both characters provide effective and genuinely funny comic relief throughout. However with so many characters there is never a sense of overkill and it is all handled well, and the main focus is the Kirk/Spock bromance and their relationship is what gives Into Darkness genuine heart and soul.

Just like the first film, Into Darkness has some subtle and less subtle references to the past to please hardened Trekkies. I do not have excessive knowledge myself of the history of Star Trek so there could easily be more than what I noticed. Some have argued that during a key emotional moment a following narrative development that nods to the past undermines it a little, I personally did not find this the case and in some ways added to it.

Big, bold, breathless and beautiful, combined with genuine heart and soul. J.J. Abrams has upped the game even higher to produce a blockbuster that delivers on all levels and sets a very high standard for the summer ahead.

8/10

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THE IMPOSSIBLE (Juan Antonio Bayona, 2012)

Posted on May 14, 2013 by MoodyB

the impossible

Starring: Naomi Watts, Ewan McGregor, Tom Holland

You may like this if you liked: World Trade Center (Oliver Stone, 2006), The Day After Tomorrow (Roland Emmerich, 2004), Perfect Sense (David Mackenzie, 2011)

Based on a true story, The Impossible tells the story of the Bennett family who spend a holiday in Thailand for Christmas 2004 and get caught up in the tragic events of the tsunami that cost so many lives. Maria Bennett (Watts) and eldest son Lucas (Holland) find themselves alone in the carnage and with Maria suffering from horrific injuries struggle across the ravaged landscape to get help. Henry Bennett (McGregor) and youngest two sons Thomas (Samuel Joslin) and Simon (Oaklee Pendergast) are at the ruins of their hotel and determined to find the rest of their family.

‘Based on a true story’ leaves certain room for scope, and some cynics may claim the decision to change the main characters of a Spanish family to a British family may be motivated by potential box office receipts. Especially with the casting of bankable well known stars like Watts and McGregor. Also disaster films, especially ones based on a recent true story always tread a fine line for me. There has to be a balance achieved that avoids showing all the heartbreaking scenes of tragedy as shameless money shots. I personally thought The Impossible achieved this perfectly and emerges as a heartfelt and deeply emotional drama made with absolute integrity.

In my view, for disaster films to work they have to follow one of two structures: Either a global balls out special effects bonanza that lacks any real protagonists to care about (and costs a lot of money) or a more intimate story that focuses on a small number of characters. The criminally underrated Perfect Sense in my view achieved this perfectly and we all know the appalling tragedy that occurred during Boxing Day 2004 and this film never forgets that, but the focus on just one family provides compelling and emotional drama that truly does tug at the heartstrings.

The pacing of this film is perfect and lesser films would spend so much more time cashing in on the fact we know what is going to happen and overdoing it on shots of people enjoying themselves in the sun. There is just enough time devoted to show us the family and their own personalities before the tragedy strikes. The scenes when the tsunami hits are breathtaking, they are expertly created by Bayona and sound and image create an overpowering and claustrophobic experience. The scenes depicting the aftermath are brutal and heartbreaking, but once again never over do it and feel contrived. They are made with integrity and demonstrate respect for this appalling tragedy.

After the disaster has hit, we are left with a purely character driven narrative. The members of this family are characters we truly care about with Bayona showing restraint at reminding us of what is happening around them. The scenes of lined up corpses and dying patients in the hospital offering a sense of perspective instead of cheap contrived melancholy money shots.

Watts and McGregor both give committed and heartfelt performances that evoke genuine sympathy but for me the main stars are the younger actors. Tom Holland gives an extremely powerful performance and we often see the film through his eyes as we follow his extremely powerful and poignant character arc. Even when the inevitable plot development has happened there are few clichéd moments as we are poignantly reminded of the tragedy surrounding the Bennett’s and that Maria’s struggle continues.

However as the film enters its final third there may be a few too many clichéd moments that add nothing. The score itself by composer Fernando Velázquez tried way too hard to cling at the heartstrings and just ended up feeling a little too contrived.  Anyone watching this will remember these horrific events at the hands of nature and all the mechanics of film making are really not needed to remind us of the scale of this tragedy. These however are minor criticisms of what is otherwise an expertly made human drama.

The Impossible is an expertly made human drama that is made with the necessary integrity and respect. Due to it being such a recent event this is not an easy watch and do not expect to have dry eyes at times, but the themes of the compassion of the human spirit avoid all the clichés to deliver a deeply moving and involving drama.

7/10

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THE HEIST (Peter Hewitt, 2009)

Posted on May 14, 2013 by MoodyB

the heist

Starring: Morgan Freeman, Christopher Walken, William H. Macy

You may like this if you liked: Tower Heist (Brett Ratner, 2011), Welcome to Collinwood (Anthony and Joe Russo, 2002), Bottle Rocket (Wes Anderson, 1996)

Or The Maiden Heist as it was originally called when made in 2009. However it was only released here in the UK as a straight to DVD film a few weeks ago, which is not a good sign! However, with a pretty decent cast I thought I would give this a go. Well, Roger (Walken) and Charles (Freeman) are security guards at a Boston art gallery that both have individual pieces of art that they like to stare at for hours. Upon discovering that the museum’s collection has been sold to a gallery in Denmark they hatch a plan to steal their beloved art works. They enlist the help of George (Macy) an ex military night guard who likes to get naked to his favourite piece of art (!) which is a statue of a warrior. Using George’s military skills, the three of them attempt to steal the three pieces and swop them with fakes when the move is taking place. Sounds epic doesn’t it?

I watched this film with low expectations, especially after reading some extremely negative reviews that may have confirmed why it took years to get an extremely low key release. There were some reviews that said it was watchable and good fun, and I would personally agree with them. This is a film made with such genuinely honest intentions making it impossible in my view to hate. It is by no means a masterpiece and though intentionally a comedy there are more mild titters than actual laughs. In fact the biggest laughs come when William H. Macy gets naked, and I did not think I would ever say that statement in my lifetime!

The plot itself is hardly original and everything flows along nicely, but very predictably. Most of the comedy is extremely predictable but almost in a reassuring way. This film will not change your life and is quite forgettable but you could do so much worse. It is obvious the three big stars are enjoying themselves and having a bit of fun while Breckin Meyer appears to be wondering what happened to his career when he makes his two minute appearance. It is the natural chemistry and obvious enjoyment of the three leads that help the 90 minutes to flow along nicely.

My major criticism is the apparent lack of effort by those behind the film. All involved from actors to director know they are not making a ground breaking masterpiece, and there is a feeling they are all could have tried a little harder in terms of the comedy. There is a feeling that those making it have almost resigned themselves to making a straight to DVD film which is shame as there was potential for some feel good comedy utilising the cast if the effort was made. However everything is all so good natured that I found it impossible to not slightly enjoy myself while watching it though admittedly one viewing is enough. This is most definitely a film that is a safe bet if the entire family is over and wants to watch a film as it will not offend anyone and if a conversation breaks out for five minutes no one will all of a sudden struggle to figure out what is going on. I would not recommend anyone to put this on their ‘must watch’ list but if you are looking for something that is 90 minutes long and a very easy inoffensive gentle watch then you can do far worse than this little yarn.

5/10

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IN THE HOUSE (François Ozon, 2012)

Posted on May 13, 2013 by MoodyB

in the house

Starring: Fabrice Luchini, Ernst Umhauer, Kristin Scott Thomas

You may like this if you liked: Swimming Pool (François Ozon, 2003), Stranger Than Fiction (Zach Helm, 2006), Ruby Sparks (Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris, 2012)

Germain (Luchini) is a literature teacher disillusioned with the increasingly unresponsive classes he has to teach. When setting the basic assignment of getting pupils to describe their weekend, most are terrible but one in particular catches Germain’s attention. Written by 16 year old pupil Claude (Umhauer), Claude describes how during his weekend he was finally able to get into the middle class house of his fellow pupil Rapha (Bastien Ughetto). What makes the piece so compelling is that not only is it extremely well and vividly written, but Claude describes how it was always his intention to get inside this house and how he manipulated Rapha into becoming friends with him. The piece also ends with “to be continued” which compels Germain to want to know what happens next. So begins Germain teaching Claude how to write compelling stories while Claude continues to write how he enters and manipulates the lives of Rapha’s family. As the lines blur between fact and fiction there are inevitable dramatic consequences that will change both the lives of Germain and Claude forever.

Of course when a film is a story about storytelling (as well as being French) they can be accused of certain smugness. Well of course there is here, but I feel it is thoroughly deserved as In the House is an extremely watchable drama that is tremendously well made. Luchini gives an excellent performance as Germain, his disillusionment with society is something we can all relate to and it is easy to see why he is so compelled by Claude’s essays. The visual sequences depicting the essays are expertly put together and the first third of the film simply flies by as it is so incredibly enjoyable. As developments begin to get out of control they may seem a little unbelievable but that is the point. Fact and fiction do blur as both characters get in too deep and ideas of the construction of storytelling and how narration can be a manipulator dominate the narrative.

As the narrative develops the themes of unreliable narration and manipulated storytelling come into their own. I will confess that I was never 100% sure what was true and what was fiction by the end, but I was happy to guess. There are deeper themes at work about our natural voyeurism and curiosity and the protagonist of Germain is basically us the viewer. Indeed the film does manipulate us the viewer, but when it is made so expertly well that is not a problem and we are happy to be sucked in. There are many times towards the end where we have to fill in the dots ourselves but we are happy to.  Within the narrative not only are we shown how stories are always manipulated by the writer, but also how depicting very human themes and emotions can immediately draw us in. Certain characters can be constructed in certain ways or do certain things that can deeply affect the viewers experience and involvement of the story. In the House constantly refers to this and maybe perhaps at times over complicates itself with possible bluffs and double bluffs, but it is consistent in pace and there is never a dull moment.

Ernst Umhauer gives a magnetic performance as Claude and his relationship with Germain and the constant questioning of who is teaching and manipulating who is gripping till the film’s very end. The ending itself is both poignant and hilarious with an extremely memorable closing shot that shows that a story never truly finishes and life is filled with both tragedy and comedy, and is always ‘to be continued’.

In the House is an expertly crafted and superbly acted drama that is engaging and riveting. The narrative structure and increasing questioning of what we are seeing will certainly not appeal to everyone, but otherwise this is a very enjoyable film that anyone who appreciates more intelligent and questioning story telling will very much enjoy.

8/10

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CHAINED (Jennifer Chambers Lynch, 2012)

Posted on May 13, 2013 by MoodyB

chained

Starring: Vincent D’Onofrio, Eamon Farren, Evan Bird

You may like this if you liked: Michael (Markus Schleinzer, 2011), The Silence of the Lambs (Jonathan Demme, 1991), Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer (John McNaughton, 1986)

After a trip to the cinema young Tim (Bird) and his mother (Julia Ormond) catch a taxi home as it is getting late and quite a distance to walk. Unfortunately the taxi driver is Bob (D’Onofrio) a serial killer who uses his taxi to pick up unsuspecting women and brutally kill them. Bob kills Tim’s mother but allows Tim to survive, however referring to Tim as ‘Rabbit’ and to live as his slave and with a chain attached to his foot. His jobs include cooking, gathering information from local papers on Bob’s victims and cleaning up the blood of the victims after Bob has buried them in his basement. As Rabbit turns 18, and after an experience with a father bullying his son in his taxi, Bob decides it is time to educate Rabbit and he gives him countless books about how the human body works. It appears to be Bob’s intention to make Rabbit his protégé and become more of a father to him, but will Rabbit turn out that way?

As horrific as surreal killers are, there has always been an obsession as to how their mind works and an attempt to understand their motivations for committing the acts that they do. After all despite the obvious differences in mindset, they are just human beings in the end. Film is no exception and there have been many examples of fascinating depictions of serial killers on screen. Though there are comparisons between the excellent (but very unsettling) Michael there is one key difference; Bob is not a paedophile and never sexually assaults Rabbit and that all his victims are women.

The latest from Jennifer Lynch (daughter of Dave) is made in a respectful and restrained tone that thankfully avoids venturing on to torture porn. There is more a focus on a subtle character driven narrative with all the horrific brutality taking place off screen. This is the key in producing what I thought was a very interesting and compelling character study. Through the character of Rabbit and his relationship with Bob, the narrative provides a slightly different approach to understanding the mindset of a serial killer. Though the motivations behind his actions are never spelt out there are plenty of subtle hints and his character is genuinely interesting. He is unattractive, overweight and owns a house in the middle of nowhere and is expertly depicted by a great unsettling slobbering performance from D’Onofrio.

When the narrative moves to Rabbit reaching adulthood new interesting themes arrive. Bob seems to have obvious good intentions and compassion towards Rabbit. Though there is no excusing the crimes he commits we are shown that he is not a complete monster adding so much more depth to his character. What develops now within the narrative are themes such as nature vs. nurture as Rabbit has not received any education since being abducted at the age of nine. Eamon Ferran gives an excellent performance of an 18 year old with the mental age of a nine year old. As Rabbit has had no education or family for nine years what then develops as Bob attempts to educate him and attempt to be a father figure is extremely compelling and expertly acted, written and directed. I personally found myself really caring about what happens to Rabbit and was compelled to find out whether he would turn into Bob junior or not.

Though the subject matter of course is a dark one and so this is not a film that will appeal to everyone there are some interesting and thought provoking ideas within the narrative. The restrained and subtle approach to direction, dialogue and acting are genuinely unsettling but provide compelling characters.

However the last twenty minutes and the downright outrageous twist completely undermine all the good work the rest of the film has done. This is not a twist I saw coming, but that is mainly because I expected better from Lynch junior. This is a twist more fitting of a Hollywood torture porn film and is surprising and shocking but only in a disappointing and frustrating way. It is completely out of tone with the rest of the film and quite literally undermines everything previously seen.

Overall Chained is a well constructed and superbly acted character study that poses thought provoking ideas, questions and themes. The downright stupid twist does undermine a lot of the good work and will annoy, but overall Chained is in my view still worth a watch. If you can stomach the rather dark nature of the material you are rewarded with a character in Rabbit that is genuinely compelling.

7/10

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