EVEN THE RAIN (Icíar Bollaín, 2012) viewed on 2/4/13

Posted on April 4, 2013 by MoodyB

even the rain

 

Starring: Gael García Bernal, Luis Tosar, Karra Elejalde

You may like this if you liked: Shooting Dogs (Michael Caton – Jones, 2005), Salvador (Oliver Stone, 1986), The Mission (Roland Joffé, 1986)

A passionate director Sebastián (Bernal), his cynical producer Costa (Tosar) and the rest of their Spanish film crew travel to Cochabamba in Bolivia to make a revisionist epic about Christopher Colombus’ discovery of America. Sebastián’s vision is to show the Spaniard’s rough treatment of the natives as they attempted to ‘civilise’ them. Costa simply chose Bolivia because of the tax breaks and the fact that they can recruit local residents to be in their film for next to no money. The filming is suddenly under threat as there are local protests from the starving locals over the oppressive privatisation of the water supply. Sebastián and Costa find themselves involved as one of the pivotal native characters in the film is leading the protest and the oppression of the Bolivian locals mirrors the oppression of the Indians in their film.

I know this film is a little old, but after seeing excellent performances from Bernal and Tosar in No and Sleep Tight respectively, I then saw this and was very intrigued so added it to my Lovefilm list. Films within films are always a tricky one and can often become a little over indulgent and smug, such as Seven Psychopaths. Thankfully, Even the Rain does not fall into this trap, working on many levels and all told with heartfelt honesty and humanity.

The parallels between the film they are making and what is happening around them never feels contrived or clichéd, as it is dealt with in a subtle and cautionary way. However, Even the Rain is essentially a very human film. The situation is very real and all the characters, both Spanish and Bolivian are presented demonstrating all the compassion but also flaws that we all have. Bernal and Tosar are both excellent as the two contradictory characters, but they actually compliment each other very well. As their characters become involuntarily involved in what is happening around them the decisions they are forced to individually make are very human and believable decisions faced by many people all over the world.

The supporting cast of both the Spanish actors and oppressed Bolivian locals all give excellent and human performances that evoke genuine sympathy as we are forced to place ourselves in what is a very real and believable situation. As the drama develops and intensity increases it is very engrossing and involving. With a story like this there is always a risk to fall into the traps of cliché or over sentimentality, thankfully all plot developments feel very real and natural, leaving a conclusion that will not disappoint.

Even the Rain is a gripping, involving and very human drama that grips till the very end, avoiding all the predictable clichés of any similar Hollywood drama.

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BURFORD BACK IN TIME: THE PINK PANTHER COLLECTION (Blake Edwards, 1963 – 1982) viewed on 31/3/13

Posted on April 4, 2013 by MoodyB

pink panther pink panther collection

Starring: Peter Sellers, Herbert Lom, David Niven

You may like these if you liked: The Pink Panther (Shawn Levy, 2006), A fish Called Wanda (Charles Crichton, 1988), Casino Royale (Val Guest et al, 1967)

The Pink Panther (1963)

Bumbling French detective Jacques Clouseau (Sellers) is sent to Switzerland to catch the infamous and mysterious jewel thief known as ‘The Phantom’ and before he steals the priceless pink panther diamond. However, despite the thief being right under his nose, the blundering Clouseau seems to constantly make things worse and a complete mess wherever he goes.

For me, the first in the series is a classic farce. The plot itself is very minimal but the brilliantly funny set pieces are what make such entertaining viewing. Of course Sellers steals the show but all the supporting cast are on excellent comic form, which makes the overall film consistently funny. There are so many memorable scenes that prove for great comedy all you need is timing. Unfortunately a build up containing so many brilliantly farcical and hilarious scenes is inevitably going to lead to an inferior climax, and this is the case, but that aside this is a classic and surely one of the most genuinely funny films of all time.

A Shot in the Dark (1964)

After a murder, Clouseau is the first policeman on the scene and despite that it appears blatantly obvious that the murder was committed by the beautiful maid Maria, for some reason Clouseau insists she is innocent and lets her go free. Several more murders are committed, again Clouseau insists she is innocent and always lets her go free insisting to prove in his own unique bumbling way that the murderer is someone else. While Clouseau keeps on releasing Maria, this slowly builds up Chief Inspector Dreyfuss’ (Lom) hatred of Clousea and slowly drives him continuously insane.

Sellers was never intended to be the star of The Pink Panther, but in this it is obvious this has now become films centred around his character of Clouseau, and it shows. The French accent is so much more emphasised and his bizarre behaviour is even more farcical. In the case of A Shot in the Dark this works perfectly producing a film that is consistently hilarious but also with a better plot than the first film. Seller’s comic genius is given free reign here and this provides some hilarious and unforgettable moments. This is also the first film featuring Herbert Lom and Burt Kwouk, and they prove to be excellent additions, especially Lom whose performance is as hilarious and memorable as Sellers. Once again such a brilliant build up is always going to end in a slight anti climax, and that happens here, but otherwise A Shot in the Dark is as good if not slightly better than its predecessor.

The Pink Panther Strikes Again (1976)

After his pure hatred of Clouseau has driven him to the point of insanity, Charles Dreyfuss kidnaps a genius scientist and makes him build some doomsday machine he has invented. Dreyfus then threatens to destroy the world with one very simple demand: Someone has to kill Clouseau. Many of the powers of the world vow to do this, but this being Clouseau, this proves a lot harder than it ever should.

No matter what film franchise, number three always proves difficult to outdo or at least match its predecessors. Unfortunately this proves the case, as the story is actually better than execution. Sellers and Lom are hilarious and over the top as ever, but this is an extremely inconsistent film. There are still some hilarious moments such as when everyone is trying to assassinate Clouseau does not disappoint and is brilliantly done. However there are many scenes that feel like filler and become boring and overlong, such as when Clouseau tries to break into Dreyfuss’ castle. Overall, TPPSA is enjoyable with its best moments making up for the boring ones, but signals the start of a potential decline.

Revenge of the Pink Panther (1978)

To scare the Americans into making a deal with him, Philippe Douvier proves he is still powerful by having the now Chief Inspector Clouseau assassinated. Due to a typically farcical case of mistaken identity, they get the wrong man without realising it. Now he is assumed dead, Clouseau is determined to find out who tried to assassinate him, in his own inimitable fashion. Meanwhile Charles Dreyfuss believes he is finally free, but thinks he is going mad as he seems to keep on seeing Clouseau.

How many fourth films in a franchise are better than the rest? Well, never but here number four is nowhere near as good as one and two, but just as watchable and inconsistent as three. Once again this is basically a set of farcical set pieces set along a half decent but slightly wafer thin plot. There are once again very funny moments with Sellers and Lom as over the top and hilarious as ever despite the slightly inferior material they have to work with. The supporting cast, especially the ‘bad guys’ are however very average and forgettable, and the scenes without Sellers and Lom are extremely dull. The films climax is not amazing but perfectly entertaining and satisfying with enough laughs and action to entertain leaving number four as a watchable but quite forgettable film.

Trail of the Pink Panther (1982)

The pink panther diamond is stolen from Lugash and Chief Inspector Clouseau is called to investigate, however his plane crashes en route and he is missing presumed dead. French TV reporter Marie Jouvet (Joanna Lumley doing a terrible accent) decides to investigate into the life of Clouseau and attempt to find out if he is actually alive or dead. As part of her investigation she interviews many of Clouseau’s friends, colleagues and enemies of the past.

Anyone who has seen number five knows that it is not really a film. It is almost like a greatest hits compilation of the previous four. Sellers died before making and all footage involving him is archive footage and outtakes from the previous films. Half way through, Blake Edwards must have run out of footage and then the plot involving Lumley takes over. Whereas the other films felt like a series of set pieces set along a wafer thin plot, number five just actually is.

I would love to describe this is a sentimental tribute, but the cynic in me knows this is just a shameless cash in. I find it impossible to recommend this film as it is just a waste of time when you can just watch the other ones again as an alternative. Some of the scenes not in previous films are of course funny in their own right, but the context in which they are shown takes away any enjoyment. The second half as Joanna Lumley interviews all the actors from the previous films may have well made a good documentary but as it is passed off as a film it simply just does not work. The story involving the diamond theft basically disappears when the Sellers footage has run out. Basically, number five is an awful and quite frankly embarrassing addition to the franchise that should never have been made, well chucked together.

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HYDE PARK ON HUDSON (Roger Michell, 2012) viewed on 30/3/13

Posted on April 4, 2013 by MoodyB

hyde park on hudson

 

Starring: Bill Murray, Laura Linney, Olivier Coleman

You may like this if you liked: The Kings Speech (Tom Hooper, 2012), Hitchcock (Sacha Gervasi, 2012), My Week with Marilyn (Simon Curtis, 2011)

Hyde Park on Hudson tells the story of 1930s American President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s (Murray) very secret affair with his distant cousin Margaret ‘Daisy’ Suckley (Linney). The main narrative of the film centres around both the developments in their affair as she learns that there is so much more to FDR than anyone realised, as well as a weekend in 1939 in which King George VI of England pays the President an important visit to ask for help in the impending war with Germany. The result is basically The King’s Speech crossed with Downton Abbey, told through the perspective of Suckley mainly referring to the secret letters between them that were not discovered until she died.

The marketing behind Hyde Park on Hudsoon is even more cynical and crafty than usual. This has obviously been marketed to the so called emerging ‘grey pound’ demographic as a light hearted comedy (what is Murray’s expression on the poster all about?!?), but it is actually quite a serious drama about a moment in history with very little comedy or feel good factor. In fact the whole film felt a little cynical as it was simply a product with no real heart and soul. It was designed to appeal to the huge fan base of Downton Abbey, Marigold Hotel and The King’s Speech with its lovely looking production values and wants the award success of The King’s Speech. The performances are all excellent and committed, but with a film as forgettable as Hyde Park on Hudson I am not surprised it was never mentioned during awards season.

The story itself has definitely suffered as it feels disjointed an inconsistent. This is a shame as there was serious potential as this was quite an important moment in history as this was the start of the ‘special relationship’ between America and Great Britain, while also providing insight into a President who was a genuinely interesting man. The story is narrated by Suckley, but there are so many scenes, some involving secret meetings, without her. I understand that these may be there more to provide setting than narrative developments, but then if this is the case there should be more focus on the relationship between Roosevelt and Suckley if this is what the story is primarily about.

Hyde Park on Hudson is a perfectly watchable, well made and well acted drama and the 90 minutes are so flow along quite nicely. That however is part of the problem, there is no real substance here, the characters feel underdeveloped and there is no real resolution at the end of the film. The theme of forbidden love, especially when a President is involved, has potential to be powerful and engrossing. However, this film seems too afraid to dive deep into the mindset of any of its characters, and just skirt around the edges. This all produces a very forgettable and empty viewing experience.

Perfectly watchable, but insistently forgettable; Hyde Park on Hudson frustrates as much as it entertains, and a lack of focus and a desperation for awards is the main reason it does not realise its own potential.

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CLOUD ATLAS (Tom Tykwer, Andy Wachowski and Lana Wachowski, 2012)

Posted on April 4, 2013 by MoodyB

cloud atlas

Starring: Tom Hanks, Halle Berry, Hugh Grant

You may like this if you liked: The Fountain (Darren Aronofsky, 2006), 2001: A Space Odyssey (Stanley Kubrick, 1968), The Tree of Life (Terence Malick, 2011)

Everything we do, good or bad, has actions and consequences that effect future actions and situations. Everything is basically connected, even if we die, our life carries on through other connected souls. No this is not EE’s latest ad campaign involving Kevin Bacon; this is the premise of Cloud Atlas. Based on the novel by David Mitchell, we are basically told six separate stories set in very different periods of time, the earliest being the Pacific Ocean in 1849 and the latest a post-apocalyptic 24th century Hawaii. These are stories of love, hatred, greed, betrayal, compassion, loyalty and all the basic human emotions. While the landscape of the planet may change, these basic human emotions are still what dominate the reasons for our actions. Just for good measure, it seems we also have six different genres of film all put together too! The six stories involve a period piece telling of a diary from a voyage across the pacific, an intimate tale of a talented composer with a forbidden love, a present day thriller about corruption and murder at a nuclear power plant, a farcical comedy about an elderly man wrongly placed in a retirement home, a Sci-Fi action film telling of a rebellious clone in futurist Korea and a tribe living in post apocalyptic Hawaii.  To demonstrate the connections and karma, the same actors predominantly play one character in each of the stories. Trust me, that is the tip of the iceberg, but at least there is no Kevin Bacon in sight!

Cloud Atlas is a film that has so far been loved and loathed, with the term ‘admirable failure’ banded about frequently. I personally loved the visual style of Tom Tykwer’s film version of Perfume, another supposedly unfilmable novel, so that was certainly a good start. Due to style and structure of the novel, and the fact Cloud Atlas was not funded by any large studio, there is no denying this is an ambitious film which does indeed have to be admired. There are quite possibly an equal number of quite reasonable reasons why people seem to love or hate Cloud Atlas. For me these are both very strong words and I would personally apply neither to Cloud Atlas, I found it very enjoyable and thought it works. Just.

Firstly I must implore people not to be put off by the running time. Yes it is a long time and you may have a saw bum if watching this at the cinema. However, for me at no point does Cloud Atlas drag, there is always something happening in the multiple stories and in fact this film actually for me mentally felt shorter than Django Unchained.

For the narrative structure of Cloud Atlas to work all six individual stories need to be able to stand on their own and I felt they all did. They contain plenty of twists and turns, likeable protagonists with their own character arcs and satisfying conclusions that not only fit with the other stories, but the individual conclusions are perfectly satisfying. Some stories are of course better than others, the 1936 tale of Ben Whishaw’s composer being the stand out story in my view compared to the generic and forgettable modern day thriller involving Halle Berry’s investigative journalist. Some are a little contrived in places, but all fit together very nicely at the end. As they all simultaneously reach their conclusions the whole experience is extremely involving. Admittedly as the film reaches its simultaneous conclusions this feels a little too cheesy and over sentimental. This does perhaps feel a little contrived, patronising and annoying as it may detract a little from the engagement of what has happened previously, but Cloud Atlas just about gets away with it as I felt I truly cared about some of the characters.

As never having read the novel, I would be interested to know how the fact these characters are linked is actually described. To cast the same actors in each story, sometimes major or minor roles, is both an inspired and frustrating decision. Narratively speaking, it is economical and adds visual explanations that would otherwise require words and a longer running time. However, it can sometimes be off putting, the more minor roles in the stories sometimes feel unnecessary and for the sake of it and often detract from the engagement of the films core narrative theme as they truly add nothing to it. Tom Hanks turning up as an angry Irishman for a couple of minutes or Hugo Weaving in drag as a Nurse Ratched type character add nothing to the actual individual stories and prove to be unwanted and unnecessary distractions, often inducing unintentional humour. I understand that it may be important to get every actor in each story, proving the whole theme of connection, but when their actual character adds nothing to that story it may well have cut the off putting running time.

Despite everything I have said so far, Cloud Atlas is not a complex film and very straight forward to understand. The overall narrative themes presented are quite straight forward to understand straight away and never rammed down anyone’s throat. The six individual stories themselves are very easy and not especially complex either. This for me was what made Cloud Atlas such an enjoyable and watchable experience. With all these themes I was personally worried that there might be a serious overstuffing of philosophical nonsense like in the Wachowski’s Matrix sequels, this could have lead to the film becoming a combination of patronising and alienating. Thankfully this is kept to a minimum, treating the audience as intelligent individuals who ‘get it’ and letting the different stories develop in their own right.

Credit and admiration does indeed have to go to Tykwer and the Wachowski’s due to their audacity and sheer bloody single mindedness to make Cloud Atlas their way. This was not funded by any big studios and it definitely shows as how it is presented would never have been allowed by any big studio. There would have been some serious dumbing down, constant patronising unnecessary reminders of what is going on and a much shorter running time. Another thing unique about the respective director’s approach was to have Tykwer direct three of the stories, and the Wachowski’s the other three. This was also done with directors using completely different production crews. All six films are very well made and directed with some beautiful shots, but using this production method could have easily left the film feeling disjointed and inconsistent. However, despite the glitches I have already mentioned Cloud Atlas does flow extremely well, this is partly due to the excellent editing, but also the director’s obvious passions for this project which is very much theirs. I seriously hope that Tykwer and the Wachowski’s make their money back on Cloud Atlas, they deserve it.

Cloud Atlas is many things: Ambitious, audacious, over stuffed, bonkers and a little too contrived and cheesy. However, most importantly Cloud Atlas is a surprisingly simple but engaging and enjoyable experience, despite the running time. In my view, no masterpiece and it won’t change your life, but definitely worth a watch.

6/10

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BAD ASS (Craig Moss, 2012) viewed on 28/3/13

Posted on April 3, 2013 by MoodyB

bad ass

 

Starring: Danny Trejo, Charles S. Dutton, Ron Perlman

You may like this if you liked: Machete (Robert Rodriguez, 2010), Hobo with a Shotgun (Jason Eisener, 2011), Taxi Driver (Martin Scorsese, 1976)

Vietnam veteran Frank Vega (Trejo) has lived a humble life forgotten by society, but one day when on a city bus he witnesses two thugs threatening an elderly man, he subsequently and inevitably intervenes giving them a good kicking. The fight is recorded by another passenger on their phone, the video is YouTube sensation and Vega becomes a local hero and frequently referred to as ‘Bad Ass’. After the hype has died down Frank’s best friend is murdered by a criminal gang. The police show little interest in solving his best friends murder so Frank decides to, yes you guessed it, take things into his own hands and get vengeance, while at the same time uncovering crooked cops, mayors etc all while wearing a bum bag. As you do. Now, bum bag aside, that does sound like a completely original and non-clichéd plot doesn’t it?

Let us just all get one thing clear; this film is called Bad Ass and stars Danny Trejo as the protagonist. Anyone who has even the basic knowledge of action films should already know what to expect here. So, yes it has such a cut and pasted plot from any other B movie action flick that could easily have Steve Austin, John Cena, Chuck Norris, Steven Segal etc. as the protagonist. This story is as predictable as anything like that, but would we want it any other way? Every character is some caricature; most of them really should be able to win a fight with Danny Trejo if it wasn’t Danny’s film, and yes he even gets the girl. There is indeed no point in reviewing this film properly as of course it is rubbish, predictable and clichéd. I knew it would be, and so should anyone else. Anyone who watches it only has themselves to blame. It is called Bad Ass for god’s sake!

However, there are redeeming features and it may be better to compare this thing to the films of such thespians as I just mentioned. This film knows its place, and never skirts from what it knows it is. This actually produces some strange comforting feeling when watching it, as you know where you stand and you can just relax, switch your brain off and sit back. If you are one night wanting a film to really make you think or shock you then you are never going to choose a film called Bas Ass are you?!? For reasons I have mentioned this is a perfectly watchable and adequate addition to the action B movie collection, especially due to its most redeeming feature: The comedy. As per usual this is generally laughing at and not with, but the moment where Danny Trejo dons an outrageous suit for a hot date will remain with me for a while. Also the fact Frank is an internet sensation and occasionally has random ‘fans’ turn up to help him may be a slightly convenient plot device, but it does make Bad Ass at least a little different and does add a little to the entertainment factor.

In summary, it is called Bad Ass and stars Danny Trejo in the lead role, that pretty much speaks for itself!

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TRANCE (Danny Boyle, 2013)

Posted on March 29, 2013 by MoodyB

trance

Starring: James McAvoy, Rosario Dawson, Vincent Cassel

You may like this if you liked: Shutter Island (Martin Scorsese, 2010), The Game (David Funcher, 1997), Vanilla Sky (Cameron Crowe, 2001)

Simon (McAvoy) is a top London auctioneer overseeing the auction of a priceless Goya painting. A gang of criminals lead by Franck (Cassell) attempt to take the painting and apparently are successful; however Simon managed to hide the painting. During the robbery a blow to the head by Franck put Simon in intensive care and he can now no longer remember where he put the painting. It is then revealed that Simon is actually part of the gang and Franck orders him to see a hypnotist to help him remember, Simon then goes to see Elizabeth (Dawson) to help him remember. However, this process is not as simple as first thought and what is required is a deep trip inside Simon’s subconscious as memory and reality become extremely blurred. All this for a bloody painting!

So much has been said about Danny Boyle’s status as a ‘national treasure’ after his excellent job of the Olympics. Leaving that all to one side he is first and foremost a film director, and in my view a very inconsistent one. From, in my humble view, complete classics such as Shallow Grave, Trainspotting and 28 Days Later, underrated classics such as Millions and Sunshine, an extremely overrated Oscar winner in Slum dog Millionaire and over ambitious failures such as The Beach and A Life Less Ordinary. One thing to his credit, he likes to give different genres and styles a go, and Trance is certainly different to anything else he has done. That appears to be a good and a bad thing here in my view.

I will try my best to avoid spoilers, and I think I can easily achieve that by saying all the inevitable plot twists and turns are all to be taken with a pinch of salt. For me, firstly there is not enough actual plot here to truly care too much about all the jumps between reality and imaginary. With it being hard to care about the minimal plot, then perhaps the desired impact of all this supposedly mind bending narrative is very minimal. To care too much and to actually think about the half baked plot would be to actually realise there is not too much going on and it is all rather predictable. It is also hard to care about the characters as they have no redeeming features, the acting from the three protagonists is fine, but they are all actually characters that we would rather have nothing to do with. The other four members of Cassel’s gang all fit so well into cockney geezer stereotypes it all feels a little embarrassing.

However, to not think too much is the best way to approach Trance. This is a very well made, stylistically audacious piece of film making. It is obvious Danny Boyle is having tremendous fun here using all the different techniques he can possibly think of. The use of heart pounding music is excellent, all the different styles of shots fit together well with the excellent neon cinematography. Trance is however a pure example of style over substance, but as long as you accept this, when the style is this good the whole experience is tremendous, but forgettable, fun. This however does lead Trance to feel like a film about film making. However, with Danny having this much fun, it is impossible not to enjoy it with him. This is not essential Danny Boyle, but one of his most ludicrously entertaining guilty pleasures.

Trance is a surprisingly very hollow and predictable experience plot wise, but made in such an audaciously breathless way that it is a very entertaining trip.

6/10

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PARANORMAN (Chris Butler and Sam Fell, 2012) viewed on 26/3/13

Posted on March 29, 2013 by MoodyB

paranorman

 

Starring: Kodi Smit-Mcphee, Anna Kendrick, Christopher Mintz-Plasse

You may like this if you liked: Coraline (Henry Selick, 2009), Corpse Bride (Tim Burton and Mike Johnson, 2005), Frankenweenie (Tim Burton, 2012)

Norman Babcock is a school boy who lives as an outsider, this is not helped by the fact he can talk to the dead. One day Norman’s estranged uncle tells Norman his gift plays a part in is his destiny to take over as the one mortal that must protect the town from the curse of a witch it condemned to death centuries ago. Norman reluctantly tries but things go wrong, leaving to the rising of the un-dead. Now Norman must uncover the truth behind the witches curse and save the town.

Paranorman was produced by the makers of Coraline and released around the same time as Frankenweenie, playing a part in the current trend of slightly darker stop motion kid’s films. Though, in my opinion lacking the genuine passion of Frankenweenie or edgier panache of Coraline, Paranorman is tremendous fun for viewers of any age.

The themes here of the unpopular unappreciated outsider who becomes the hero are certainly nothing new, but the actual story itself is good fun and very watchable. There are plenty of nods and winks to zombie films and enough jokes for adults here to keep viewers of all ages entertained. There are actually some surprisingly dark moments that would mean I would not recommend this film to be watched by very young children on their own, but it is all done in a way that there is this invisible feeling of safety which fits perfectly into the genre. As the story reaches it’s predictable and slightly clichéd (this is a kid’s film after all) conclusion any viewer will be entertained, but I must confess this is a more forgettable experience than those other films I mentioned earlier.

Enjoyable but forgettable, Paranorman is not as original as it seems to think it is, but has enough action and comedy to entertain viewers of all ages.

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TABU (Miguel Gomes, 2012) viewed on 26/3/13

Posted on March 29, 2013 by MoodyB

tabu

 

Starring: Teersa Madruga, Laura Sokveral, Ana Moreira

You may like this if you liked: Wild Strawberries (Ingmar Bergman, 1957), The White Ribbon (Michael Haneke, 2009), The Artist (Michel Hazanavicius, 2011)

Tabu tells two stories at different parts in the life of one woman, called Aurora. The first half set in present day Lisbon tells the story of an elderly and dying Aurora living a life of regret while suffering from senility. She asks her concerned and kindly neighbour called Pilar to track down a mysterious man from her past. After Aurora’s funeral the man then reveals some of the things that her neighbour thought Aurora said simply as the random mumblings of a senile old woman actually refer to a different time in her life. So the second half of the film begins as the man tells the story of when Aurora lived in colonial Africa at the foot of Mount Tabu, and he reveals the tragic events that took place when he moved out there that were to forever shape the rest of their lives.

I watched Tabu knowing very little about it and found the film a real treat to watch, but however I will try to avoid giving too much away as this is one of those films that are best to watch not knowing too much. The whole viewing experience is very rewarding, not just emotionally, but also in that your required patience is amply rewarded. Though the entire film is shot in black and white, the two different stories are told in differing stylistic ways, making Tabu a very fitting tribute to cinema itself.

The first half, firstly being set in the present day, has almost a surrealist feel to it, with some apparently random moments and new characters being introduced suddenly. This does require your attention and anyone could be forgiven for wondering where the hell the film is going. However, as the first half reaches its inevitable conclusion and we enter the second half, this is where Tabu becomes an engaging and emotionally rewarding film. Many of the supposedly random moments of the first half now fit in perfectly as we are revealed what happened when Aurora was a young woman living in Africa.

The second half is a rather simple story of an illicit love affair that could never be but is told in an emotionally powerful way, enhanced by the framed narrative structure and deeply mournful narration of who we discover to be the man she loved. The power of the voice over is enhanced by the completely different stylistic approach of the second half, the only dialogue throughout is the voice over of Aurora’s lover and the whole second half is shot in 16mm. The poignant reflections of the narrator can easily be interpreted as also being the director’s and perhaps us the viewer’s feelings towards silent era cinema of a bygone age. This stylistic approach is very much purposeful, all other diagetic sounds can be heard, and the characters are physically talking to each other. The emotional power is only enhanced by the fact all we can hear is the non-diagetic narration and having to otherwise rely on expressions and body language of the characters. Part two feels like a two sided approach to love of the past; a past loved one and a love of cinema of the past.

Despite the main subject of the story at hand, Tabu is not a completely bleak film, the playful use of different cinematic techniques and music are a joy to watch and the catharsis of the ending leaves a feeling of poignancy but not abject misery. There are however elements to Tabu that may frustrate. It feels that the protagonist of part one is Pilar, Aurora’s neighbour and her story does feel frustratingly unfinished as we see elements of her daily life that make us truly care about her as these moments have literally nothing to do with Aurora. However, this is the story of Aurora through the eyes of those around her and in that case the stylistic approach of part one in retrospect fits with that of part two. The surrealist and playful approach to narrative structure in part one may seem pretentious and potentially alienating to some, but after watching the entire film I could only look back at it with positive feelings.

Original and unique, Tabu is a thoroughly engrossing and emotionally rewarding story that serves not only as a tribute to human love, but also love of the history of cinema. The first thirty minutes or so may feel hard work at first, but what the remainder of the film has to offer more than amply rewards the viewer’s patience.

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SOLDIERS OF FORTUNE (Maxim Korostyshevsky, 2012)

Posted on March 29, 2013 by MoodyB

soldiers of fortune

Starring: Christian Slater, Sean Bean, Ving Rhames

You may like this if you liked: The Expendables (Sylvester Stallone, 2010), The A-Team (Joe Carnahan, 2010), Cliff hanger (Renny Harlin, 1993)

The term Soldiers of Fortune basically refers to billionaires who can pay to be involved in combat for ‘bragging rights’ apparently but without the danger of ever potentially getting injured. No, I don’t know either! To make sure that these wealthy men are in safe hands, the company that runs this thing persuades Craig McCenzie (Slater) a disgraced ex army officer who has a record of not a single man under his command dying. The mission is some utter nonsense involving a supposedly safe island where they are to drop some supplies. Surprisingly enough things go wrong, and the other actually trained soldiers are all killed leaving McCenzie and his motley crew of B movie actors. There is also some cut and pasted plot involving the island being run by an evil dictator who partners a dodgy CIA agent (who is the reason McCenzie was forced to leave the army) as well as some rare minerals and weapons exporting cartel. Can McCenzie and his band of merry men over power this generic nasty army and conveniently liberate the island? Sounds epic doesn’t it?

Well…

Ten or so years ago the likes of Christian Slater, Ving Rhames and Sean Bean were reasonably big names and turned up in decent blockbusters, however since then as they have got a bit older (but apparently less wiser) they have a tendency to turn up in low budget straight to DVD B movies. Here we have all three of them together! So not exactly brimming with potential!

There was actually potential here as SOF could have been a fun jolly boys outing of B list actors, unfortunately it seems that only Bean is enjoying himself while all the others appear to be taking their roles extremely seriously in some failed attempt to reinvigorate their declining careers. The whole thing for this reason and that director Maxim Korostyshevsky (really?) thinks he is actually making a serious and bold action flick. There almost seems to be an attempt to make a new Dirty (half) Dozen which makes the whole thing feel a little contrived, especially with a clichéd ‘rousing’ score being turned up to 11 at any available opportunity.

It is just about entertaining enough as you cannot help but simply laugh at it as it falls into every narrative trap inevitable including plot holes, clichéd one liners, a vengeance story for the protagonist, predictable double crossing, dodgy CIA agents and a nasty Eastern European dictator complete with his band of generic Eastern European heavies. Yes I know most action films have this, but this usually comes with redeeming features such a sense of fun, good action and likeable characters. Even the cut and pasted story is surprisingly slow and takes ages to get going, this is probably an attempt at ‘character development’, but it just exposes the clunky dialogue even more.

The only thing memorable about the whole experience is that you will be racking your brains as to what they spent the apparent $8million budget on. Though maybe not the budget of Avatar, it would be perfectly reasonable to expect some decent action set pieces for that kind of money. There is surprisingly little action and the closing scene is so extremely random that you cannot help but laugh. Ok, so maybe I am be a little harsh as SOF is not horrific and works ok as something to have on in the background if you have a few mates round. Trust me; in a genre that is already over cluttered, there are plenty of better alternatives. Just to clarify, this is still better than Taken 2 though!

Soldiers of Fortune is basically dumb without the fun. Don’t be pulled in by the lure of the reasonably famous cast and ‘surprisingly’ half decent budget. The terrible acting, clunky script and shoddy action can only mean that Soldiers of Fortune basically only works as a parody and bugger all else. If you ever have $8million in your pocket and fancy making an action film, make Soldiers of Fortune your first port of call in a lesson in exactly how not to make one.

3/10

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SEARCHING FOR SUGAR MAN (Malik Bendjelloul, 2012) viewed on 24/3/13

Posted on March 26, 2013 by MoodyB

searching for sugar man

 

Starring: Sixto Rodriguez, Stephen ‘Sugar’ Segerman, Dennis Coffey

You may like this if you liked: Senna (Asif Kapadia, 2010), Bobby Fischer against the World (Liz Garbus, 2011), Anvil: The Story of Anvil (Sacha Gervasi, 2008)

In the 1970s Detroit folk singer Sixto Rodriguez had a short lived music career with two critically acclaimed but commercially unsuccessful solo albums. He then disappeared into obscurity. However, in South Africa during the political repression and unrest his unique brand of heartbreakingly frank songs caught the imagination of the population and he became a best seller and musical icon. Despite all this no one actually knew who Rodriguez was, and so in the early 1990s two South African fans decide to find out the exact identity of this man whose songs had caught the imagination of an entire population. Many rumours said that he committed suicide; some said he shot himself on stage and some that he set himself on fire. What follows is a heart breaking and genuinely emotional story for all involved. However I am not going to tell you anymore, anyone who has seen it will know and those that haven’t should just watch it!

If Searching for Sugar Man was a fictional story it would quite rightly receive accusations of being outrageously clichéd and cheesy, but as a completely true story this adds genuine poignancy and emotion. Some of the plot developments and twists and turns provide such genuine sentiment that can only be achieved by a true story presented as a documentary. However, this is not just a film for those who appreciate a great story, but also those who appreciate great music. I personally, along with all of America it seems, had never heard of Rodriguez and when you hear the music for the first time it blows you away. Rodriguez’s gentle timeless protest folk with frank and honest lyrics that we can all relate to match anything Bob Dylan ever did. The fact it was by sheer chance that his music ever got to South Africain the first place adds even more poignancy to this story.

There is absolutely no doubt that this is a story that needs to be told and most definitely music that needs to be heard, and anyone who watches this will feel all the better for watching it. However this is definitely a stronger story than the way it is actually told, a lack of available footage for the director was always going to pose a problem and some parts do feel like filler that sometimes detracts from the power of the heartbreaking story presented. Even at 86 minutes at times Searching for Sugar Man feels a little too slow at times. However this is a minor criticism as the sheer power of the actual story makes well and truly up for any actual lack of on screen substance at times. This film is also proof that just like with Senna producing a documentary with real footage provides a much more genuinely emotional impact and much more engagement than a Hollywood style biopic. Of course the director still chooses how and what to show us, but there is no denying the genuine power where as a biopic always dangerously risks venturing towards cliché and melancholy.

Searching for Sugar Man is genuinely heartbreaking but also ultimately uplifting story that lovers of a great story or great music will appreciate alike. An unforgettable experience and strongly recommended.

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