Alan's list of likes from 2010........

It's been a while.  All I can say is, that's full time employment for you!  I thought that since 2010 was drawing to a close, that now would be the perfect time to throw out all of the things I have enjoyed this year.  Here are the movies that floated my boat in 2010.........

Inception

Otherwise known as the movie that inspired me to start this blog.  Undoubtedly Christopher Nolan's masterpiece (at least, hopefully, only until The Dark Knight Rises comes out), this is the best movie of the year.  In a summer packed with Reboots, Sequels, Comic Book movies and throwbacks to the 70's and 80's, here was a movie that managed to appeal to both the arthouse and the blockbuster loving crowds.  Nolan dared to treat his audience with respect, and not spoon feed them every last bit of information.  This was a movie dealing with the concept of dreams, what it means to be human, how to deal with loss, the idea of kindred spirits, of eternal love, of what limbo means, of what the human mind can achieve and more.  I'm willing to bet that almost everyone who saw this movie took something different from it, and immediately wanted to watch it again.  I'm currently at 3 cinema trips and 2 viewings of the excellent blu ray.  I think that number will increase in the next month or two........

Toy Story 3

What is it about Pixar?  How do these guys consistently deliver the goods and stir up more emotions than most live action films can only dream of?  It took me a while to watch this.  As I say, full time employment has led to less trips to the cinema.  But I watched it on blu ray two weeks ago and it was outstanding.  It actually led me to believe that Toy Story may be the best trilogy of films ever made (though Back to the Future and Bourne are definitely good shouts).  Toy Story 3 is special because adults will get just as much out of it as kids.  For the kids, there's the fun visuals, Spanish Buzz and the joy of seeing all our beloved characters work as a team.  For the adults, there's the themes of loss, of growing up and that one, horrible moment where we thought they were going to send everyone off in a blaze of glory.  I still think Up is the most heartfelt of all of Pixar's output, but when Andy had one final play with all his toys before letting go, there was definitely a lump in the throat.

Shutter Island

Possibly Scorsese's most out and out fun film.  That sounds like a strange statement to make given the dark subject matter and the weighty themes at play.  But this is definitely his 'Haunted House' movie.  It's all about what evil lurks around the next corner, or in the dark, or in our minds.  The plot is straightforward, and a lot of people have said that they saw the twist coming (I actually knew only because I had read the book months earlier), but the film was so visually interesting, and the actors so well cast and operating at the top of their game, that I enjoyed the hell out of it.  I said when it came out that lifelong Hitchcock fan Scorsese had finally made his Vertigo.  I think that statement sums it up.

Knight and Day

Just a damn entertaining movie.  But hey, I'm a fan of the Cruiser.  There's a reason why he's a movie star and in this, both he and Cameron Diaz have charisma to burn.  It is by turns predictable and generic, but at least it knows what it is.  It feels like the filmmakers are constantly having a nudge and a wink at the audience and asking them to buy into the outlandishness of it all.  The locations are varied and interesting, the action scenes original and visually spectacular, and everyone just looks like they are having fun.  And by the end of it, that list included me.

Kick Ass

Otherwise known as the movie that showed Scott Pilgrim vs the World how to do it right.  Kick Ass was awesome.  Characters you cared about, interesting and original action, a sharp, funny and zany script and Nicolas Cage reminding you why you liked him in Con Air and Face/Off so much.  Unfortunately, it didn't set the box office alight, but hopefully the blu ray and DVD sales will convince the studio to greenlight a sequel.  In the meantime, at least Mark Millar has started to release a follow up in comic book form, so we can continue to enjoy the ridiculous world he has created.

The Ghost

Roman Polanski is not necessarily the nicest person to have ever lived.  But I'm not hear to judge his morality, simply comment on his movies.  The man made Chinatown, so any new output always peaks my interest.  This taut little thriller really struck a chord with me.  It's just a well made, well told yarn about an ex British PM (clearly modeled on Tony Blair), and the ghost writer assigned to write his memoirs.  Once he starts the research into his subjects life, what he finds could possibly kill him.  Again, the two leads are having fun, Pierce Brosnan clearly reveling in a smarmy role, the standout.

The American

The very definition of old school moviemaking.  One main plot, one main character having a mid life crisis, one exotic location equals one streamlined film.  Despite being a slow burner, there is never a wasted frame.  George Clooney (who is more and more like a modern day Cary Grant with each passing role) plays an assassin, sent to complete one last job before he is allowed to slip off into a life of normality.  It's a story that's been told a million times before, yet there is a depth and humanity to this movie that helps it stand out.  Similar to Tom Cruise, it's roles like these that remind you just why Clooney is a movie star.

The Town

Proving that Gone, Baby Gone was not a fluke, Ben Affleck's sophomore effort is arguably even better than his first.  The fact that he also heads up a cast including Jon Hamm, Jeremy Renner and Chris Cooper, makes it all the more impressive.  Similar to The American, this is a very old school movie, relying on such crazy notions as good characters, good storytelling and clear motivations.  It reminded me a lot of Michael Mann's masterpiece Heat, and any movie that can invite comparisons with that is doing something right.

Back to the Future

I know, I know.  How can I include a film that was made 25 years ago?  Well, I had the pleasure of catching a showing of a newly restored, digital print on the big screen, and it was one of the best cinematic experiences of my life.  This movie, like Inception, is the result of a perfect storm.  When the creative minds, actors, writers and director all come together to create something truly special.  What strikes you first about BTTF, is how unbelievably fresh it appears.  It could have easily been made yesterday and you wouldn't know the difference.  That's what makes something good, truly great.

Well, there you have it.  I know there are some big releases missing, such as The Social Network, Black Swan et al, that are appearing on other people's lists.  But I have yet to see these films, and can't possibly comment until I do.

If I have missed any of your favourites, please feel free to comment below.  I hope to follow this list up in the next few days with my most disappointing cinematic experiences of the year.  Hopefully it won't take me another month and a half!

Until next time.........

First big budget movie to look forward to next year? Check out the trailer for BATTLE: LOS ANGELES.....

We all love a good balls to the wall action movie a la Black Hawk Down.  We all love us some invading aliens, first of all getting the upper hand only for the relentless human spirit to triumph a la Independence Day.  Put the two together, and you've got the quick sell for Battle: Los Angeles.  Starring Aaron Eckhart, this movie is coming out early next year.  Comparisons to the tragic Skyline are no doubt easy to make (the directors of that particular car wreck actually do the special effects for this movie), but this definitely looks a cut above.

It probably won't trouble the Academy next year, but file under one to look forward to.  Enjoy......

Aliens - The quintessential Sci Fi / Horror movie?

I've been looking forward to the Alien Anthology on blu ray for a while.  The opportunity to have both Ridley Scott's and James Cameron's early masterpieces in high definition is one that many movie lovers will take.  Borrowing heavily from the already released Alien Quadrilogy on DVD, this is the definitive set for Alien fans, comprising of a frankly overwhelming amount of extras.

With regards to the movies themselves, Alien 3 is a curious failure.  A movie that epitomizes why the creative minds should be left to the decision making, and not the head honchos of the studio.  Alien Resurrection is an attempt to bring Aliens up to date with much more special effects and set pieces.  It's not a bad movie by any means, but when put beside the first two, it's definitely an inferior take on the Alien mythos. 

Which brings us to the first two movies.  It's impossible to mention one without the other, as the two are so perfectly intertwined that they could almost be one 5 hour movie cut in two.  Judging them separately, you're either a fan of Ridley Scott's slow building and atmospheric movie, or James Cameron's slow build followed by balls to the wall action.  I definitely fall into the latter category.

In my opinion, James Cameron is one of the most consistently entertaining directors of all time.  Even his 'weaker output' such as True Lies or The Abyss, are both head and shoulders above anything Michael Bay will ever accomplish.  But then you just roll off the list - Terminator, Aliens, Terminator 2, Titanic, Avatar.  They are all bona-fide genre classics.  But let's just focus on Aliens.  For now........

Set 57 years after the original, Ripley is woken from her hyper sleep, only to be blamed for the original disaster aboard the Nostromo.  This is Cameron's depiction of how big business works.  Someone has to be culpable for all those lost dollars, and Ripley's the only survivor.  She tells them about the Alien lifeform they encountered, and how what she did was out of an instinct for survival.  As no physical evidence was found, nor any alien lifeform found in the following 57 years, her flight license is revoked.  To add to her woes, she also finds out that mining colonies have been set up on the planet where the original crew first encountered the Alien.  Her warnings fall on deaf ears.  Until.......

They inevitably lose contact with the mining colony and as a result ask Ripley to join a group of space marines, and investigate what happened.  Ripley is initially hesitant, but suffers from crippling nightmares, and realizes she'll never be able to move on until she faces her fears.  So off they go.

This leads to one of the most tense and slow build sequences in cinema history.  Cameron revels in drip feeding the audience information before the Aliens attack.  So much so in fact, that the studio, having seen the rushes, asked why they weren't seeing anything.  They wanted to know where the money was being spent.  Then the walls start to move in on the Marines.  Kick ass action follows, and the film doesn't let up for the remaining duration of the running time.

To say any more would ruin the movie for the two remaining people in the world who have not yet witnessed its greatness.

For me, the reason the movie works so well is because everything fits together so perfectly.  The directing and writing by James Cameron is top notch.  The characters he has created and the structure of the film is perfect.  What starts as a celebration of how technologically advanced and superior the human race is, halfway through transforms into how futile those weapons and technology are in the face of a much more primal, and determined species.  The subtle Vietnam analogies are there for all to see.

The characters he created are fantastic, but the actors who bring them to life are all flawless.  Sigourney Weaver deservedly got a best actress nomination at the Oscars that year, in a movie and genre that the Academy would normally ignore.  The grunts are all very individual from Bill Paxton's Hudson, to Michael Biehn's Hicks and Jenette Goldstein's Vasquez.  Then there's Lance Henriksen's android Bishop, and of Paul Reiser's ultimate corporate sleazeball Burke.  All of the cast are individual and you care for every one of them, something that was sadly missing from the likes of Predators and the AvP movies.

It's also hard to believe this movie was made nearly 25 years ago.  The set design and special effects, especially the Aliens themselves, are top notch and really do stand up today.

The sound is a key element is a movie like this, and it is unnerving at times, heroic at others.  In other words, it fits perfectly.

The blu ray itself is stunning.  The clean up in the picture quality is masterful, hardly surprising given that James Cameron personally supervised the transfer. This is the kind of movie that really shows the power of the format.  The fact that both the theatrical version and the director's cut is also included, is a bonus.  Personally I'd opt for the director's cut, as any more Aliens is in my mind, a good thing.

As I'm sure you've guessed by now, this is one of my favourite movies of all time.  It is the perfect blend of suspense, horror, character, action and drama.  It is a testament to Aliens, that Cameron referenced the movie so many times in Avatar, be it in the way the grunts act or the design of the military.  And if it's good enough to influence the most successful film of all time (tm), then it's definitely good enough for me.

Until next time...........

New Batman 3 news. OFFICIAL!!!!!

THE DARK KNIGHT RISES..........

Now that is a great title.  Christopher Nolan revealed the title today as well as mentioning a few other tidbits.

Contrary to popular opinion, The Riddler has been confirmed as NOT being the main villain, with Nolan keen to move on with the characters he has already established.  What does this mean?  A more prominent role for Zsasz?  Ra's Al Ghul to return?  Talia Al Ghul to show up to avenge her father's murder?  Two Face is somehow alive?  The Joker to be recast?  So many questions come from such a cryptic line.  Nolan is a smart guy.

As for the title, it shows the writer-director’s intention to keep his Batman trilogy tightly stitched together. “We’ll use many of the same characters as we have all along, and we’ll be introducing some new ones,” Nolan said cryptically.

The film will also NOT be shot in 3D (Thank god) and will again use IMAX cameras for select scenes.

After all the speculation, it is great to get some official confirmation regarding the projects status.  I really dig the name, and again Nolan has the balls to leave Batman out of the title, showing trust in his audience.

July 20th 2012 is looking further and further away.......Until next time........

Back to the Future tidbits.....

I recently caught Back to the Future, when it was playing in the Odeon.  It was a brand new digital transfer, and also featured a remastered soundtrack.  It  really was something special.  The film feels as vibrant and fun as it did when it was first released, and it's hard to believe that the movie is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year.  Suffice to say, the Blu Ray edition contains the same digital transfer and remastered audio for all three films, and its another great showcase for the clarity of Blu Ray itself.

I came across this interview with Bob Gale, one of the creators of this seminal movie.  In it he discusses Eric Stoltz in the role of Marty, how Doc may have purposefully burned down his mansion to claim on the insurance money, as well as the future (if any) of the franchise.  It's a great read, check it out.

http://moviesblog.mtv.com/2010/10/25/back-to-the-future-bob-gale-easter-eggs-eric-stoltz-sequels-25th-anniversary/

Matt Damon gives his two cents on the upcoming BOURNE LEGACY.....

Recently, it was announced that Universal was moving forward with a new movie in the Bourne franchise.  Paul Greengrass, the director of both The Bourne Supremacy and The Bourne Ultimatum, said he had no plans to return and Matt Damon has went on the record saying that if Greengrass wasn't in, then he never would be either.

Well, Universal have decided to get Tony Gilroy, the screenwriter on the first three movies, to script a new story and also to direct.  Under the working title of The Bourne Legacy,  Gilroy has stated that the movie will investigate the murky world of spies and counter-intelligance, but will not focus on Bourne himself.  However, there is to be some kind of open ending that would allow Matt Damon to return to the franchise in the future, if he so wished.

Well it would appear that Matt Damon has been left out of the loop.  When asked about the project, he had only this to say, 'I found out they're making another when somebody saw it on the Internet' Damon told Parade. 'Nobody bothered to call me. I'm not in it, but even so, they'll work Bourne into the title I guess.

'Universal just wants to call everything the Bourne something. So I guess they are trying to make another franchise and as they say, 'It isn't over until it's over.''

I wouldn't hold your breath on Damon returning anytime soon.

This all sounds like a massive shame to me.  The Bourne Trilogy is one of the best film series released in the last 20 years.  It forced Bond to up his game, was fast paced and exciting, and felt like it took place in our world, rather than some pumped up, glamourised version of it.  I'm all for them continuing the story.  After all, the ending of Ultimatum was a big tease.  But if the creative minds of Greengrass and Damon are absent, then I'm afraid my seat in the cinema will be absent also.

Until next time............

Star Wars VII - IX on the way?

You can take this with a large pinch of salt, but the latest rumour doing the rounds on the 'net, is that George Lucas is planning on expanding on the Star Wars Saga with a new trilogy of movies.  These would apparently be set after the original trilogy and would take place in the same universe, but have nothing to do with the original characters.  Hmm.......

Apparently the plan is to re-release the existing saga on Blu-ray, and for Lucas to use the profits from that (already early estimates set that profit at $500million+), and to self finance the movies.  This would allow him to shoot them his way, with little to no interference.

But does the world really need any more Star Wars movies?  The original trilogy are a blast, if overrated.  I'm not doubting their importance, legacy or the knock on effect they had on special effects.  Nor do I deny that Harrison Ford's Han Solo is one of the coolest characters of all time.  But to me, Lucas made similar films in the late 90's and early 2000's and his scripting, the standard of acting and direction were all called into question.  Yet, the dialogue and acting was over the top in the original movies but was overlooked because they were ahead of their time.  As even Harrison Ford once noted about the original scripts 'You can write this, but that don't mean you can say it'.

As I say this is all rumour at this point, but what do you guys think?  Potential to make up for the disappointments of Episodes I-III?  Or further salt rubbed in the wounds of the fans of the original trilogy?  Until next time..........

New TOP GUN directed by TONY SCOTT? Yes Please..........

It would appear that Top Gun 2 is a go.  Out doing press for his upcoming Denzel Washington starring action movie 'Unstoppable', Tony Scott let slip that the next film he would like to tackle is a sequel to one of the defining 80's era movies, Top Gun.

Unfairly just labelled as the gayest action movie ever made, it is nonetheless an awesome piece of blockbuster moviemaking, which remarkably holds up well today. 

Scott has been quoted as saying "I don't want to do a remake. I don't want to do a reinvention. I want to do a new movie" No reboot replacing The Cruiser as Maverick then.

When asked about what kind of sequel this would be, Scott continued "It's a whole different world now. These computer geeks -- these kids play war games in a trailer in Fallon, Nevada and if we ever went to war or were in the Middle East or the Far East or wherever it is, these guys can actually fly drones. They are unmanned aircraft. They operate them and then they party all night" says Scott.

As long as they find a place for 'Take My Breath Away', I'm in.  Oh and remember I said that it had been unfairly labelled as being a bit too homosexual....Well if they had have used this trailer, then that claim would have been valid.  And they didn't even have to use the Volleyball scene!  Until next time...........

The Hobbit has been greenlit!.....finally.

The Hobbit is a strange beast.  A prequel set before the Lord of the Rings saga, it is viewed more of a kid friendly story set within that world.  Yet a brave move was made in bringing in Guillermo Del Toro to helm a two part story based on Tolkien's book.  A man who specializes in nightmarish and haunting imagery.  This was to be no kid's fare, and had Tolkien fans salivating.  Two years of hard pre production work later and Del Toro walked away from the project.  MGM's financial woes are well documented and are the sole reason that the Sam Mendes directed / Daniel Craig starring Bond 23 has never come to be.  Same story with The Hobbit and I guess Del Toro just got sick of waiting.  He stepped down, thanked the fans and moved onto other projects.

So who could rescue these movies?  Well, look no further than the original trilogy's demi-god, Peter Jackson.  Having been on board from the start as a writer and producer, it was surely only a matter of time before he took the directing reins once Del Toro announced his departure.

Well apparently, MGM and Warner Bros. have agreed to bankroll the movies, and we're looking at seeing the first movie by early 2012.

This is undoubtedly good news.  While Star Wars may have been the defining cinema trilogy for generations past, for me it has come no bigger or better than the Lord of the Rings Trilogy.  The unique way in which all three films were shot back to back.  The teaser trailers, the epic length, the lack of compromise of Tolkien's source material, the relative unknown nature of the cast.  It all just came together wonderfully and being released one year apart around Christmas time always gave us movie goers something to look forward to.

2012 is shaping up to be pretty damn big.  Already confirmed is Batman 3 (tentative release date July 20th, 2012), as well as the Spiderman reboot and The Hobbit.  You can probably add Zack Snyder's Superman to that list, though I have a feeling it might aim for a late 2011 release.

2012 is already looking too far away!  Until next time...........

Scream 4 - More of the same, but is that a bad thing?

At the recent aptly titled Scream awards in the States, the cast of the upcoming Scream 4, provided the hungry public with their first taste of the latest film in the genre defining series.  Scream was a great movie, and it easily stands up today, same as the original Nightmare on Elm Street or Psycho.  Scream 2 was a fantastic sequel, and the first one I was able to catch at the cinema.  Scream 3 was a disappointment, and there was always this lingering feeling that it was a shame to end the series there.

Well, they're back.  Kevin Williamson, writer of the first two (but crucially not of the third) and director Wes Craven have joined forces once more to bring a new chapter to modern audiences.  If it goes down well, this is to be the first part of a new trilogy.  It's good to see the original cast members back, and it's never a bad thing to see Neve Campbell on the big screen.......

Here's the teaser trailer.  It definitely looks to have caught the spirit of the first movie, and I'm looking forward to this.  Enjoy.

Roll on Halloween. Frank Darabont brings The Walking Dead to our screens....

It's been a bad year for television.  Two of my beloved shows, 24 and Lost, came to an end.  Entourage has announced there will only be one more half series and then a movie, and there are still no signs that TV executives will see sense and bring back Arrested Development!  Okay the last one is a bit of a stretch, but things are suddenly looking up.

First of all, we have HBO and their Scorsese produced Boardwalk Empire.  HBO's new Sopranos?  It's getting better by the episode, but may take a while to match Tony and friends.  And at the end of this month, we have The Walking Dead to look forward to.  The idea of zombies walking the earth, and very little of mankind remaining is hardly a new idea, but for me it's always cried out for more exploration than a two hour movie.

The fact that it's produced and directed by Frank Darabont only whets the appetite further.  He will always be remembered for The Shawshank Redemption, and rightly so, but his adaptation of The Mist was exceptional, containing a heightened feeling of dread and also huge respect to the source material.

I think F/X have picked up the rights for this side of the world, while AMC will be showing it in the States.  Here's the trailer for you to enjoy.  Looking forward to this.  Until next time.........

Tom Hardy cast in New Batman film.....?

Deadline Hollywood is reporting that Tom Hardy, the Forger in Inception, has been cast in the upcoming Batman movie.  To be honest, it sounds like they are clutching at straws a little bit, the source indicating that Christopher Nolan likes to work with the same actors, and that Inception was such a smooth shoot that he's keen to link up again.  If this is indeed the case, I'd rather it was Joseph Gordon Levitt being cast, but after his charismatic turn in Inception, Hardy would certainly not be a bad alternative.

Assuming this is true, then what role would he be up for?  Everyone seems convinced that The Riddler will be the next villain in Nolan's Batman saga, given his love of playing tricks on the audience and the his all round intelligence.  But for me, there are several villains I think could be utilised instead.  Hush would be a great nemesis, as anyone who has read Jeph Loeb and Jim Lee's graphic novel masterpiece will attest to.  Black Mask would also be a good alternative, and would certainly fit in with the Gotham underworld Nolan has established.

On the female side, I think Talia Al Ghul would be a superb way of bringing the story full circle after Ra's apparent demise in Batman Begins.  And then of course, Catwoman is heavily rumoured.

As I say, all we can do is speculate at this point as Christopher Nolan is one of the few director's in Hollywood who can keep his scripts, stories and secrets close to his chest, knowing just how much to release to whet the public's appetite.

Who do you think should be in the next Batman movie?  Feel free to leave comments below.  Until next time...........

When Christopher Nolan met Alfred Hitchcock...........

This is the coolest thing I've seen today.  The Inception trailer has been fan made into a 1950's trailer.  If you recognise the music or the voiceover narration, then two points for you.  They are from the Vertigo trailer, Hitchcock's 1958 masterpiece.  Two of the best films ever made brought together?  Awesome.  Enjoy........

'This is so much fun it's freaky' - Rockhound. My review of Armageddon on Blu Ray......

Armageddon is a great movie.  There I've said it, let the abuse begin......

Released in 1998, it tells the story of a bunch of redneck oil drillers who are drafted by the US government to land on an asteroid to drill a hole, drop a nuke into it and save humanity.  It is preposterous to the nth degree, but hell is it ridiculously entertaining.  From the offset, when we meet Harry Stamper (Bruce Willis) and his crew, it's tongue is firmly in cheek, and it stays there for the duration of the movie.

What makes this a great movie is that it all comes together so well.  First up, the cast is fantastic.  Sure Bruce 'The Man' Willis is front and centre, but this is a true ensemble piece.  Ben Affleck, Liv Tyler, Billy Bob Thornton, Will Patton, Steve Buscemi, Michael Clarke Duncan, Owen Wilson, the list goes on and on.  They all know the type of movie they are making, and there is a great comedic chemistry there.  Take the scene early on when they agree to take on the mission, and they make a list of demands should they be successful.  Michael Bay actually just told the actors to put down whatever they want on the sheets, it wasn't in the script.  From parking tickets being wiped off their records, to a summer stay at the White House, the scene is funny and reaches a great crescendo when they say they never want to pay taxes again.....ever.  Who wouldn't ask for that?  It's a sense of fun and humour that continues throughout.  Sure these guys are saving the world, but why can't they have a bit of fun along the way?

The other reason the cast works so well is that they all create varied and flawed characters.  They may all get limited screentime in comparison to Harry and AJ (Ben Affleck), but they make the most of it.  From Will Patton trying to reconnect with his son and possible ex-wife, to Steve Buscemi taking out a huge loan from a dangerous loan shark, believing he won't make it back, they all have different motivations for agreeing to take on this dangerous and frankly ridiculous mission.

This brings us to AJ and Grace (Liv Tyler).  It is their relationship, as well as Grace's relationship with her father, Harry, that gives the movie heart.  Some people might say it's contrived, and sickly, but it feels genuine to me.  The animal crackers scene is often maligned, but I'm sorry, if you haven't talked like that to a girl, when no-one else is around, then you're either a liar or have always been single!  The best and most true line comes at the end of the scene when Grace asks, 'Do you think anyone else in the world is doing the same thing as us right now?', and AJ's response is 'I hope so, otherwise what the hell are we trying to save?'.  Shakespeare it may not be, but it's honest and it rings true.

This brings us to the action of the movie.  If there's one thing Michael Bay has always done well in his career, it is blow shit up and make it look great.  The opening meteor shower that hits New York at the start sets the example.  Then we have meteors hit Southeast Asia, and Paris.  This was a smart move.  Although the movie is unapologetically draped in American patriotism, there are at least attempts to show this is a worldwide disaster, and not only the United States will suffer should the asteroid hit.  On Blu ray especially, the action is phenomenal.  The picture is crisp and clear, and for a movie which is over 12 years old, Armageddon could easily stand up against today's effects driven movies.  In fact, put it side by side against something like Clash of the Titans and I know which one I think looks better.

Then there's the action sequences in the Russian space station, and upon the asteroid itself.  Against a ticking clock that will spend the end of humanity, these sequences are tense and best of all they feel dangerous.  You know that not everyone is going to survive, and this is important in increasing the threat level against these characters we have spent the first half of the movie getting to know, and rooting for to succeed.  We want Harry to be triumphant.  We want Oscar (Owen Wilson) to see it through just for the passion to be part of 'a historic mission.  Deep blue hero stuff'.  We want Rockhound (Steve Buscemi) to get home and face the loan shark knowing he saved the world.  We want Chick (Will Patton) to find happiness reconnecting with his son.  We want AJ and Grace to have their happy ending.  There are so many characters and motivations, that there is always a character to root for.

It's the little things that transform this from a good movie to a great one. 

*SPOILERS AHEAD*

There is a lot of set up, and it all gets paid off in the end.  For a no-brainer action blockbuster, it has both heart and smarts.  From Harry making sure that Truman gets a mission patch from the spacesuit, to Molly Mounds the stripper treating Rockhound as her hero when he returns.  Everyone who survives gets their happy ending.  Which of course brings us to Harry's fate.  Who didn't shed a tear when Harry sacrifices himself, so his daughter can get married and live a happy life?  It begs the question, that if we only had two minutes left to talk to the person we loved the most in the world, what would we say?  What would we make sure that they knew?  And then there's one final tense scene where Harry gets blown off his feet, and only just detonates the bomb with seconds to spare.  Tremendous stuff.  Well acted, well directed, well scripted and gorgeous to look at.

*SPOILERS OVER*

Maybe the reason this movie has stayed with me, is because I was 15 when it came out and watching movies on the big screen was such a pleasure.  It reminds me of a simpler time, when characters were purely good, motivations were clear and director's like Michael Bay were simply out to entertain you.  If I put it beside other big budget blockbusters of the last few years, only The Dark Knight, Inception and Avatar hold up.  Even Michael Bay has hit a downward spiral, with the likes of his Transformers movies and The Island, no match for his earlier output of Armageddon and The Rock.

The only downside to the blu ray release is that is almost entirely devoid of extras.  Now I have the Criterion Edition on DVD and the extras are exhaustive.  Totally worth checking out if you can get it cheaply on DVD just for Michael Bay and Ben Affleck's commentary.  Affleck - 'I just ask Michael would it not be easier to train astronauts to drill a hole?'.  Michael Bay - 'Shut the fuck up Ben, it's a movie'.  It's this attitude that led to, personally, one of my favourite movies of modern times.  Logic goes out the window (there can be no explosions in space due to the lack of oxegen), and all out balls to the wall entertainment has taken its place.  The lack of extras are disappointing, but made up for by the fact that along with The Dark Knight, and North by Northwest, this is one of the sharpest, most gorgeous Blu ray transfers I have seen.  

So make some popcorn, switch of the lights and your brain, put it on the biggest screen you have and crank up the sound.  Armageddon is back to own your ass all over again.  Watch the scene below and tell me you don't want to drop what you are doing and watch it right now.  Until next time.............

Superman Reboot update - A villain has been chosen........

It appears that Zack Snyder (or maybe Christopher Nolan) has their head screwed on.  We're a bit sick of seeing Superman squaring off against Lex Luthor.  Which is why Superman geeks collective heads will explode at the news that General Zod will be Superman's nemesis in the new movie.  Well I guess we can count on some awesome action.  But who will be able to step into Terence Stamp's shoes?

Most unsurprising news hits the net regarding Superman reboot.........

Well, I did call it.  Zack Snyder has officially been chosen to helm the planned Christopher Nolan produced 'Superman reboot'.  A darling of Warner Bros. given that he made a shedload of money for them with 300 and Watchmen, he was always the obvious choice.  He has shown great respect to the source material with the two movies mentioned (ending to Watchmen aside), and had an eye for visual flair.  At worst, its bound to much more visually arresting than Bryan Singer's 2006 Superman Returns.  Release dates and news soon to follow.  Now on to the next question.  Who should play the Man of Steel..........

Oh and as an example os Snyder batshit crazy visual style, check out the trailer for his upcoming 'SUCKER PUNCH'.  And then try and tell me what its all about!  Until next time.........

An example of when a remake can be a good thing......

Coming off the heels of the Oscar winning No Country For Old Men, the Coens shot the relatively low key movie A Serious Man.  So where to next?  In a surprise move, they announced that their next movie would be an update of the Charles Portis novel TRUE GRIT.  Filmed once before, it was an Oscar winning role for the legendary John Wayne, and is rightly revered as a classic.  So the Coens have a lot to live up to.

The first trailer was released in the last few days, and it looks gorgeous.  If you want a modern day actor who is big enough to fill 'The Duke's' boots, then you need to look no further than 'The Dude' Jeff Bridges.  And when you round out your cast with Matt Damon and Josh Brolin, you know you're onto a winner.  Check it out.  Looking forward to Oscar season this year......

SUPERMAN REBOOT - Who's your choice to direct?

It's no great secret that Warner Bros. are forever trying to get another Superman movie going.  Buoyed by the success of Christopher Nolan's Batman movies, and the all round general explosion of comic book movies, they seem determined to get the 'Original Superhero'(tm) to the front and centre.  Superman Returns (2006) was supposed to be the triumphant return.  But die hard fans were left disappointed by a lack of action, a jealous and soul searching hero as well as the idea to give Superman and Lois Lane a son.

Now I'm no Superman expert.  In fact, I've read very few of the comics due to the fact I'm much more of a Batman fan.  Batman is somewhat based on reality.  The idea of a dark avenger, with limitless resources and uber-smarts, has always seemed more plausible to me than an alien landing from outer space proving to be the saviour of humanity.  But I quite enjoyed Superman Returns.  It was not the bomb that was widely reported.  In fact, it made in excess of $300 million dollars worldwide.  Warner Bros. though were expecting Titanic or Lord of the Rings type numbers and it was back to the drawing board.

Fast forward a few years and one exceptionally awesome Dark Knight movie later, and suddenly its all go again.  Warner Bros. officially announced that they have turned to Christopher Nolan to 'godfather' (a term Nolan himself dislikes) a new Superman movie.  He and David Goyer (storywriter of Batman Begins and The Dark Knight) have come up with a story, and a new direction for the Man of Steel.  Nolan is also responsible for handpicking a Director to oversee production on a new Superman movie.

Nolan has remained tight lipped as to potential choices, but has ruled himself out due to his responsibilities to the Batman franchise.  He has been too busy promoting a personal little movie called Inception, maybe you've seen it?  But in the last few days, a list of potential directors has emerged.  This is by no means official, but let's look at the names.

1) Tony Scott.

Accomplished, veteran action director.  Tony Scott has directed such flashy classics as Top Gun, True Romance, Man on Fire and without a doubt his best work, The Last Boy Scout.  There's no doubt his action pedigree, but for me this would not be a good choice.  For one, his movies have always taken place in reality.  He has showed no science fiction leanings, nor an interest in comic book movies.  I think his quick editing, flash cuts would seriously undermine the action as well, and his movies are about as deep as a puddle.  However, there is no doubt it would be entertaining as a spectacle, and would probably be more fun that Bryan Singer's versions.  Can't help but think that his brother might be a better choice............

2) Matt Reeves.

Or Mr. Cloverfield to you and me.  Look, I'm not going to bag on Cloverfield.  It was a victim of maybe having too good an advertising plan, of being a bit too clever for itself in the run up to its release.  It's mysterious trailer before Transformers, JJ Abrams involvement and was only referred to as 1-18-08 right up until it hit movie theatres.  But I have watched it several times and have never failed to be entertained.  He is currently working on Let Me In, a totally unnecessary American remake of one of the best foreign movies of the last few years, Let The Right One In.  Until that hits, I don't think Cloverfield would be a strong enough reason to hand over a multi-million dollar franchise to him, and therefore think he is one of the least likely contenders.

3) Jonathan Liebesman

Another relative unknown, Liebesman has been responsible for The Killing Room, and the remake of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre.  His upcoming Battle: Los Angeles shows a lot of promise, and he has already been earmarked for the Clash of the Titans follow up.  I must admit, that Chainsaw Massacre aside, I have very little experience with his style and storytelling abilities.  Massacre was good for what it was, and while it didn't match the intensity and grittiness of the original, it never disgraced itself either.  In that sense, at least he shows that he has respect for whatever source material is available.  But I think with his commitment to Clash 2 already in place, and Warners hoping to get moving on the Superman reboot, that he will be an unlikely choice.

4) Duncan Jones.

I'm a big fan of Moon.  I think that finding originality in Science Fiction is so difficult these days.  From Lovecraft to Philip K. Dick, from Aliens to Halo, almost every base has been covered.  But with Moon, it was a film I couldn't readily equate to any other.  Pushed, the movie it would remind of most would be The Shining, in terms of the loneliness, the dread and building atmosphere.  He is currently working on another Sci-fi project called Source Code, due for release next year. Clearly, this is a genre he is comfortable in, and therefore seems like he would be a good choice.  He has tons of experience directing commercials and has hand picked his film projects, rather than just direct anything to get experience. The advance word on Source Code is extremely positive, and this may be what tips favour in his direction.  Out of the contenders mentioned, this would be my choice.

5) Zack Snyder.

And so we come to the love him or hate him selection of the contenders.  I'm a fan.  I think the Dawn of the Dead update was a template that any up and coming director should follow when it comes to updating a classic (though personally I'd like to see Hollywood leave the classics of yesteryear alone, but let's face it, that's not gonna happen).  300 was then a good follow up, if not the be all and end all that some proclaimed it to be.  Snyder was then the man to finally tackle Watchmen, and last ten minutes aside, I think did a wonderful job.  I'm not a strict fanboy and therefore changing the ending isn't what irked me.  It was changing it to one that didn't make sense.  If Dr Manhattan was a weapon that the US were hiding behind, and he disappeared, do you not think rival countries would be rubbing their hands together that the US would be in a weakened state?  I don't think the world would have united like they did when a giant space octopus was brought to earth.  But anyway I digress.  Snyder's upcoming film Sucker Punch looks batshit crazy, and endlessly inventive.  But what the hell is it all about? Maybe the execs at Warner Bros. have liked what they have seen?  I think of all the directors mention, Snyder is the most likely.  His movies are fun, gorgeous to look at and he has a comic book history with 300 and Watchmen.  I would not be disappointed if he got the nod.

So there you have it.  But you never know, Nolan is a master in misdirection and perhaps none of these names are being considered.  It's been rumoured that there will be a couple of massive announcements in the coming weeks, regarding the future of the Batman and Superman movies.  And while I'm excited about Superman, as long as Nolan commits to Batman 3 (or Gotham City as its rumoured title goes), then I'll be happier than a nymphomaniac in a brothel.

One things for sure though, whoever takes the reins, will have the weight of the world's expectation on their shoulders...........



Who would you guys choose?  Or are there any other Directors you think should be considered?  Please just don't say Kevin Smith......

Until next time.........

KNIGHT AND DAY - The most fun movie of the summer?

It's a bit weird to describe a film starring Tom Cruise and Cameron Diaz as something of a sleeper.  But in a summer filled with mind bending films, super hero capers and testosterone action movies, that's exactly what it is.  Knight and Day, directed by James Mangold of Copland and Walk The Line Fame, flew in under the radar.  A globe trotting spy caper, it may just be the most flat out enjoyable movie of the summer.  This is not a great piece of art, nor will it change your outlook in life, but it is ridiculously entertaining.

The story follow June Haven, a thirty-something mechanic shop owner.  About to board a flight home to her sister's wedding, she bumps into the mysterious Roy Millar.  After a brief flirtation on the plane, she returns from the bathroom to find everyone on the flight dead by Roy's hand.  He claims self-defense and is able to safely land the plane.  On the ground, Roy tells her that some people are going to come after her and tell her stories of how he is a mentally deranged spy.  Of course, he tells her that this will all be lies, and assures her that he will look after her.

What follows is a plot that takes our protagonists worldwide, from Sevilla to Austria, aboard the Orient Express to the streets of Boston.  What this movie is clearly aiming for is a modern day Hitchcock spy caper.  Tom Cruise is in the Cary Grant role, and Cameron Diaz fills Eva Marie Saint's shoes.  Whilst this is not on the level of North by Northwest (though what is?), what it does, it does very well.

The action scenes are imaginative and varied.  From fistfights on a plane, to a shootout in a safehouse.  From a knife fight in the kitchen of the Orient Express to a car chase during a bullfight in Sevilla.  The best thing about this movie is that it has a sense of fun.  It doesn't take itself seriously and that's what I think sets it apart in a summer filled with angst, guilt, themes of loss and trying too hard to be cool.  The film has comedic moments, and always has a nudge and a wink at the audience.

With regards to the cast I think they do a great job.  Tom Cruise seems to be a love him or loathe him kind of actor, but I'm personally a fan.  After all of his success in the 80's and early 90's, it would have been easy for him to follow an easy route and churn out charming rom-coms and coming of age tales.  Instead he opted for challenging movies such as Magnolia, Vanilla Sky, Collateral and Born on the Fourth of July.  This is by no means a role that stretches him, but it does demonstrate why he is a movie star.  Cameron Diaz is clearly having a lot of fun as well.  The two share great chemistry, no doubt a by-product of having worked together before in Vanilla Sky.

A quick word on the cinematography.  As I say, this is a movie that supports a globe trotting plot, and the locations are cool.  It really makes you want to jump on a plane and head out to Europe for a few weeks of R&R.  The life of a movie star eh?

Overall, this was a thoroughly fun and entertaining way to pass two hours.  When the blu-ray arrives I will definitely pick it up.  In a summer that has contained such disappointments as Salt and Scott Pilgrim, this old school style of moviemaking feels like a breath of fresh air.

Until next time.......

Looking forward to RED....

I like to post trailers on my blog, show the films that I'm looking forward to in the coming months.  The latest one to catch my eye is RED (or Retired, Extremely, Dangerous).  Based on a graphic novel (aren't 50% of movies these days?), this stands out for me because of the cool cast.  Bruce Willis, John Malkovich, Morgan Freeman, Helen Mirren?  All trained former agents?  All showing how to kick ass old school style?  I'm sold.  It looks like they're having a lot of fun with this.  I only hope the trailer doesn't show too much of the cool stuff.  The shot of Bruce exiting a moving car and pulling out a gun is high level bad-assery.  Looking forward to this.....

Why KICK-ASS kicks ass.....

I'm not usually one to pay full price for a blu ray.  I think they are still too expensive and have been quietly building my collection through sales and 2 for £18 deals.  This week I made an exception.  Before either were released, I had grouped together KICK ASS and SCOTT PILGRIM into the same category in my mind.  Both were based on graphic novels, both were from hip, rising British directors, and based on the trailers, as much as I was looking forward to them, I thought they might both be trying too hard to be cool.  I saw Kick Ass in the cinema, and I enjoyed it.  I saw Scott Pilgrim in the cinema, and well....you know my thoughts on that.

Kick Ass came out on blu ray, and to be honest, I thought I would wait and pick it up on the cheap, but Dom Cobb and his team must have infiltrated my mind and planted the idea that I should buy it, because for a few days there, there was no other movie I wanted to watch.  So I caved (well actually Emma grabbed it for me when she was in town, might not have given her the money for it yet........), and settled down to watch it the other night.

I was not disappointed.  From the opening, which sets perfectly the tone of this movie, where a guy tries to fly from the top of a tall building and subsequently falls to his death, to the opening bars of 'Stand Up' by The Prodigy, I knew I was going to have a good time with this movie.

The story concerns Dave Lizewski, an unremarkable yet not too much of a loser, teenager.  A self confessed comic book geek, he and his friends like to shoot the shit about comics, their place in the world and their importance.  Dave gets the idea in his head (that Dom Cobb does get around) that someone should try to be a real life superhero.  He reasons that you don't have to have superpowers, just the right amount of determination and balls to help people who are in need, whether it be someone who is getting beat up or helping someone find their lost cat.

When he saves a guy, the incident is filmed and of course, put on the internet.  It quickly becomes the most viewed video on youtube, and Kick Ass has become something of a celebritiy.  This does not go down well with a local gangster Frank D'Amico, who wants rid of him.  Obviously Kick Ass is not the strongest guy in the world, and Frank could easily crush him at any time.  Luckily, help comes in the form of Big Daddy and Hit Girl, a father and daughter who have taken it upon themselves to rid the world of scum.  And they have their own unique way of doing it.

Coming from Matthew Vaughn, the producer behind Guy Ritchie's good movies (Lock, Stock and Snatch), it's no surprise to see that this movie has it's fair share of dark humour, colourful language and over the top the violence.  What is surprising, is that it all blends perfectly.  And that is down in no small part to his secret weapon, Hit Girl.

Hit Girl is a twelve year old mini assassin, that would give James Bond and Jason Bourne a run for their money.  She would certainly beat them in a swearing contest, and it'll never cease to be funny to hear a 12 year old girl utter the word 'cunt' (sue me, I'm immature!).  But what really makes this character stand out is that she has the moves to back up the language.  I think I counted that she had killed over 25 people by the movies end, and nearly every kill is different.  She is definitely versatile.

But Hit Girl is not the only reason this movie works.  It works because the characters are likable and their problems are relatable.  This was always my main gripe with SCOTT PILGRIM.  There was never anything approaching an interesting or likable character.  Here, they are plentiful.  From Dave's best friends, to Chris D'Amico, to Dave himself, and Big Daddy, these are all interesting characters with their own motivations and goals.

And then we come to the action.  This movie is always entertaining to watch because the action sequences are awesome.  From Big Daddy taking out a warehouse full of guys captured on Nanny cam (it'll make sense I promise), to Hit Girl and Kick Ass's assault on Chris D'Amico's penthouse, the film constantly mixes it up and the action never feels repetitive.  It has rocket launchers, night vision goggles, throwing blades and even a jet pack put to use.  This is what we all want to see in a movie like this.

A word about the blu ray.  The transfer is really crisp, the sound clear as a bell (very important given the great soundtrack) and the extras are extensive and entertaining (I especially liked listening to Matthew Vaughn's commentary where he calls the movie Kick-Arse.  Can you tell he's from London?).

The film is not perfect.  There are one or two jokes that fall flat, and also Nic Cage's Adam West impression does grate after a while.  But these are small issues when compared to everything that does work.  The film can frequently be laugh out loud funny, full of 'holy shit!' action scenes and has great potential to be a franchise.  And not one that relies on action figures or happy meals to keep going.

Just one last thought.  There are scenes where guys are stabbed in the throat, or their leg is sliced right off, or they are made to shoot themselves, and you can't help but laugh.  But as soon as someone gets a knuckleduster to the face, you can't help but grimace.  How does that work?

Overall, highly recommended, and I might even consider giving Emma the money for it.  Well, we'll see.  Until next time..........

Scott Pilgrim vs The Expendables. My Crazy Tuesday Double Bill.......

Tuesday is the best day to go to the cinema in Belfast.  £2.50 a ticket, good crowds and plenty of movies to choose from.  Even if you see a bad one, you don't feel ripped off (though Salt did test that theory to the limits).  So double bills have become something of a commonplace for me.  A few weeks ago it was Inception and The A Team.  We all know my ridiculous level of manlust for the first of those movies but The A Team was damn enjoyable as well.

So yesterday it was The Expendables, followed by Scott Pilgrim vs The World.

First up, The Expendables.  I've been looking forward to this all summer.  As a child of the 80's and early 90's, the idea of an ensemble piece with Sly, Bruce and Arnold was an impossible dream.  But here they are, all up on screen, at the same time.  Unfortunately, this movie was not made 15 years ago and therefore it was a small scene.

The plot revolves around a group of Mercenaries, who are hired to overthrow an dictator on a small tropical island.  And that's it.  But that's the whole point of a movie like this.  There is no need for a complicated plot, or deep character development.  We're here to see these guys blow shit up.  And therein lies the problem of The Expendables.  If this movie was made 15 years ago, when these guys were all big box office draws, it would have been epic and the budget would have been off the scale.  This movie unfortunately seems small budget, with all the action taking place on a small island or mainland America.  Even the opening on a ship relies on thermal imagery, and ends up looking like a cut scene from a video game.  There is no globe trotting plot, no glamourous locations.

The dialogue at times is cringe-worthy and it actually doesn't make sense.  One exchange was 'Who sent you?' Answer 'So does your mom?'.  What???  It doesn't even follow the rules of a simple conversation.  Again this wouldn't be so much of a problem if it had the humour of something like Commando, but the humour falls flat most of the time.  The story of how Randy Couture's character ended up with cauliflower ears was terrible.  Sly is much better than this.  This is the man who wrote Rocky, Rambo and their various sequels.  He knows how to write great dialogue but here the script really struggles.

I also think it's a mistake for a film like this to hire Eric Roberts and Mickey Rourke.  These guys are great actors, and they add weight and believability to their characters.  Unfortunately, this really shows how limited some of these other guys are.  Anytime (Stone Cold) Steve Austin was on screen, trying to exert menace, I couldn't help but laugh.  Jet Li's broken English never helps, and he kept telling a story about needing money for his family, and it ultimately went nowhere.  Randy Couture was so bad he couldn't even pull off a joke.  And Sly is looking old.  He's creepily trying to look young with his eyeliner and drawn on 'stylized' goatee.  Why?  We know he's older than he used to be, but it's his experience that makes him vital.  He should be the Clint Eastwood of a film like this, instead of Roger Moore in A View to a Kill.

But enough bitching.  When this movie does get going in places, it's awesome.  The scene at the docks where Sly and The Stath (also good doing his best Stath impression) are escaping in the plane, only to turn around and 'send a message'.  Great stuff.  And when the team decide to go back to the island, the last 30 minutes are pure, visceral boy's own action.  This is where limited 'actors' such as Stone Cold and Couture prove useful and fun to watch.  But to me, there's not enough of this.  The film really takes too long to get going when it should start and finish with a bang.

As I alluded to earlier, this movie gives the impression that its budget was small.  In addition to this, I'm guessing there must have been some sort of clause that this movie was 15/pg13 rated.  There's definitely a better, grittier and bloodier version of this film waiting to be released.  Keep an eye out for a 'Director's Cut' on DVD and Blu Ray.

So overall, it was pretty much what I expected, though I can't shake the feeling that it was a missed opportunity.  However, I say, bring on The Expendables 2 with JCVD, Wesley Snipes, Jackie Chan and Donnie Yen.  So, onto Scott Pilgrim.........

If The Expendables is a throwback to Ye Ol' action movies of yore, I feel that Scott Pilgrim is trying to establish itself as the action movie for the future.  It is however, an abject failure.  I said afterwards that 'never before has a film been so loud and energetic, yet so ridiculously dull.'

I'll just admit it now.  I'm not a huge fan of Spaced, Shaun of the Dead or Hot Fuzz.  Spaced, for me, was too busy patting itself on the back for cramming in as many cultural and geeky references as possible, that it was devoid of original ideas or humour.  Shaun of the Dead was okay, but hardly great.  The fact that it is even mentioned in the same breath as British classics such as Trainspotting, The Italian Job or Lock, Stock is laughable.  Hot Fuzz I definitely enjoyed the most of the three, but after watching it once, I have no desire to revisit it again anytime soon.

Scott Pilgrim is a continuation of Spaced.  It's so concerned with being as loud as possible, as full of geek references as possible, of being cool, that they forgot to make an interesting movie.

The problem starts with the structure of the movie.  Scott has to defeat 7 evil exes.  So if he's only on number 2, do you think he'll win?  Of course he will, it's all so predictable that every time he faces off against an opponent who is so much stronger and better than he is, that he will emerge victorious. 

The film also starts off with this cool, interesting editing style of speeding up and slowing down the action.  It throws up subtitles on the screen showing off the characters like they were items in an IKEA catalogue.  It shows pee meters being drained when Scott goes to the toilet.  That's pretty cool and original.  But when they continue this style for a full two hours, it grows tiresome very quickly.  The editing style is at home in a 2 minute trailer, but for two hours you'd swear Edgar Wright had gone to the Michael Bay school of editing.

Then there's the characters.  Do you really care about any of them?  Scott himself, played by Michael Cera, is a selfish, unlikable and stupid person.  He is defined as a loser, yet when he is confronted by these super evil exes, he suddenly becomes the most cunning, hardest and most determined person in the world.  Character development?  Who needs it?  Let's just have our characters able to do anything to suit a scene.  Ridiculous!  Then we have Ramona, the so called 'woman of his dreams'.  She's flightly, impulsive and not so nice.  She even tells Scott that she's like this, but he just has to accept it.  Please, can she be my girlfriend?  All of the evil exes were cliched ideas in one way or another.

Another thing.  If your movie is going to employ mind bending physics, or slow motion fights, then you, as the director or writer, have to justify it.  There's The Matrix, when bullet time is justified by Morpheus saying that in that world you are not able to break the rules, but you can bend them.  In Inception, all the action takes place in the dream world, and therefore gravity is manipulated.  In Scott Pilgrim it just is.  Some scenes take place in a representation of reality, others in a hyper unrealistic computer game world.  Is it a dream?  Do they have superpowers?  Why bother explaing it to the audience in any coherent way?  Just accept it.

But they don't just stop at computer game references.  There's a three minute scene which starts with the Seinfeld music and the riffs on that show complete with audience laughter and everything.  I've never walked out of a movie (and proud to say I still haven't), but that was stretched to breaking point at that moment.  Again, let's try to prove how cool we are by throwing in another couple of totally unrelated pop culture references.

So after two of the longest hours of my life, Scott and Ramona ended up together.  What a shock!  I didn't see that coming at all.  Sorry I guess I should have used SPOILER ALERT, but let's be honest, this movie was never going to end in any other way.

Crazy Tuesday double bill will of course continue.  I just hope my choices next time are a little better.  I guess I still haven't seen Toy Story 3 yet, so that's a definite.  Anyone with any ideas please comment below.

Until next time.......

'No one kills me, until I say so' - Jacques Mesrine

Now that's pronounced 'May-reen' not 'Mes-rine'.  This is something that Jacques Mesrine is very clear about, correcting various people throughout the course of two movies and four and a half hours of his life story.  Both movies begin with a very fitting quote.  'All movies are part fiction.  No movie can accurately portray the complexity of human life'.  It's almost a disclaimer, a slight of hand that tells you not to believe everything that happens is true, it couldn't possibly be.  And this fact alone sums up the man of Jacques Mesrine.

I'm always wary of films that start with the story's conclusion.  I think sometimes it can be used effectively.  Take American Beauty for example, it's just a simple line 'My name is Lester Burnham, and in one year I will be dead'.  This is effective as it sets up the mystery of why will he be dead?  And also what did he do in that last year that led to his death?  How will he lead the last year of his life.  On the flipside, we have something like Mission:Impossible 3.  It starts out with Ethan Hunt tied up, being told by the villain Owen Davian, that he has to the count of 10 to tell him where the rabbit's foot is, or he will kill his wife.  There's nothing wrong with the scene itself.  In fact it is very tense, well written and well acted.  My problem comes from the fact that movies like these depend on the suspense of what will happen to the main character?  How much danger is he in?  How will he ever get out of this?  Bearing all this in mind, if you know the character survives to this pivotal scene then all of the suspense is drained out of the film.

With a story like Mesrine, bearing in mind that it's based on fact, and you realize the extravagance of his character, there really is only one logical way it can end.  But I'm getting ahead of myself.

Split into two films - Killer Instinct and Public Enemy Number One, the story of Mesrine begins when he is in the Army.  It is during the conflict between France and Algeria in the 1960's, and he is a low level foot soldier.  He does however show his ruthless streak when he is told by his superior to kill a woman in front of her brother, in a bid to learn the location of bombs planted by the Algerians.  However, he shoots the brother instead, letting the woman live, and thus showing despite his ruthlessness, he has his own moral code.

The Algerian wars come to an end, and he goes back to Paris to live with his parents.  It is here that his downward spiral begins.  Catching up with his old friend Paul, he is seduced by the dark side of Paris - the prostitution, the booze, the gangsters.  He forges a relationship with Guido, a gangster boss who rules the underworld of Paris.  When an Arab immigrant pimp roughs up one of the girls Mesrine has been seeing, he takes it upon himself to teach the Arab some manners.  And it is done in his own, ruthless way.

So what follows is the next 15/20 years of his life, as he robs banks, escapes prisons, romances women and lives well.  There is no clearly defined start, middle and end, and this is simply due to the fact that the life he lived was so sporadic.  One day he'd be buying Mercedes and drinking Cristal, the next he'd be suffering at the hands of the SCU.  The next year he'd be escaping from prison and on the run, then he'd be going back to said prison armed to the teeth and trying to get the rest of the inmates out.  He lived moment to moment, never in denial that it'll last forever, but in the belief that he'd make it count while he did.  And that's what these two films are, a series of moments.

The character of Jacques Mesrine himself in an interesting one.  When most people live a life as a gangster, that's what they are an that's the end of it.  It's the only life they know.  At different times in his life he tried to go straight.  He had jobs as diverse as a model maker to a private chauffer.  But the life of crime was always there for him and that is what he is good at.  Later in his life, robbing banks and escaping prisons was not enough for him.  He was turning to life as a revolutionary, planning to overthrow financial institutions and governments.

I'm looking forward to watching these movies again, as this is a story worth repeating.  In fact, when watching the second film, it comes to light that Part 1 - Killer Instinct, was based on a book Mesrine wrote whilst in prison.  I think I'll delve deeper into his story by reading his book.

I asked in an earlier post was this the French Scarface?  I would say while not as good a movie as the Al Pacino classic, it is a more interesting story.  Fact is often more interesting than fiction....

The French Scarface? I'll soon know.....

I've bought quite a few Blu Rays recently.  A couple of classics (Psycho and Casablanca), a couple of bargains (JCVD for £4, and Night Watch for £6) and a few newer releases (Shutter Island).  But having just caught the above trailer for the imminent US release of Mesrine, I remembered I'd bought it in the middle of my splurge, and I'm off to watch it.

Anyone already seen it?  Leave your comments below.  If it strikes a chord (or even if it doesn't), expect my two cent review on it in the coming days.

JCVD - Legend....

If like me, you were a child of the 80's and 90's, it would have been impossible to get into movies, without watching the films of 'The Muscles From Brussels'.  Bloodsport, Kickboxer, AWOL, Cyborg, Double Impact, Death Warrant - these were all big hits on the burgeoning home video scene.  Low on plot, but high on cool karate and charismatic characters, they were an essential part of any movie education.  Then Hollywood came calling.

Starting out with Universal Soldier, Van Damme was being tailored for the big screen.  Executives seeing him as a smaller but more flexible version of Arnie.  Here was a karate champion, someone who could do all his own stunts, but had already proven that his name could sell a movie in the home market.  UniSol (don't movie executives love shortened versions of movie titles?) performed well, and so it was onto his next project - bringing John Woo to Hollywood.  Hard Target was the result of their collaboration.  For me, this is a ridiculously underrated movie.  Effectively a modern western, it traded on the theme of man being the toughest prey.  There were kick ass karate sequences, cool slow-mo car chases and pigeons aplenty.  It had all the hallmarks of a John Woo classic, yet it did not exactly pack them in at the movie theatres.  However it did take almost $40,000,000 domestically against an $18,000,000 budget, so while it wasn't the hit they had hoped for, it was onto the next project for Van Damme.

That next project turned out to be Timecop.  An adaptation of a graphic novel long before they were fashionable, it concerned Gabe Walker, a cop who is able to travel through time.  Unfortunately, it's not just cops who have access to this technology, and therefore time itself has to be protected.  This was bigger in every way than Hard Target, a full $10,000,000 higher budget, special effects, futuristic sets and vehicles.  This was the movie where Van Damme was to have arrived.  Again, it did not perform as well as expected, though it did make $44,000,000 domestically.  Whilst not at an accelerated rate, Van Damme's audience and appeal was growing.

At this point, I'm going to ignore Street Fighter.  Without a doubt the worst film in Van Damme's catalogue (though Derailed does run it close), it broke even, just about making its budget back.

So it was time for Hollywood to throw their entire weight behind Van Damme, leading to his biggest theatrical release in Sudden Death.  In it he plays a fireman who, after a traumatic day where he loses a little girl in the middle of a rescue, has chosen to lead a quieter life as a fire marshall at a sports arena.  Said sports arena is then taken over by terrorists, as they hold the vice-president hostage and demand a huge ransom.  So in other words, it's Die Hard in a sports arena.  It had a well known actor as the villain (Powers Boothe), a reputable director in Peter Hyams and effective action set pieces.  Without doubt the standout of these is where he fights a woman who is dressed up in a Pebguin suit (trust me, it makes sense within the context of the movie!).  It was a big hit.  Worldwide it more than doubled its budget.  Van Damme had truly arrived.  Surely the only way was up.

But with the success, brought the temptations.  Van Damme slipped into a serious drug habit and became uncontrollable.  He entered a month long rehab programme but lasted merely a week.  By 1997, he was divorced and the reasons given alluded to abuse of his wife and drug addiction.  It was around this time that his movies were no longer released theatrically, and he was seemingly condemned to straight to video hell.  This would continue for 10/11 years, with a serious of low budget action films.  It was not hard to see that Van Damme was simply working for the paycheck and brought next to nothing to his performances.  As well as suffering a creative vacuum, his health was deteriorating by the day.  He was diagnosed with rapid cycling bipolar disorder, and had become suicidal.

It was the only unexplored role for Van Damme, that would ultimately be his saviour.  He would have to play himself.



Here, at last, was a movie where Van Damme could actually show some emotion.  Show that he was more than just high kicks and bad jokes.  And it is fantastic.  I recently watched this on blu ray for the first time in over a year and it has lost none of its freshness.  It is by turns darkly comic, and unflinchingly real.  Apparently, Van Damme was wary of parodying himself, and thought the project was a bad idea.  It was only when he read the script, and learned that there would be a scene where he would 'break the fourth wall' did he agree to do it.  Said scene happens around 2/3 into the movie.  Van Damme is raised up to the rafters, and away from the fictional story being told.  He addresses the audience and talks about all his mistakes, how Hollywood corrupted him, and how life for him has been by turns both exceptionally hard and exceptionally blessed.  It is extremely moving and unflinching, leaving no punches pulled (bad pun I know) and showing Van Damme in his most fragile, human state.

If you have not yet watched JCVD, I highly recommend it.  And I challenge you, once it is over, not to be in the mood to watch Bloodsport, or AWOL.  I went for Bloodsport myself...........

Awesome title as the idea of remakes is turned on its head!

A Woman, A Gun and A Noodle Shop.  That is a title.  In an era where it seems every single successful foreign film is snapped up by Hollywood and repackaged for people who can't be bothered to read subtitles (cough*Americans*cough), it is refreshing to see it go the other way.  Blood Simple, a relatively small 'Coen Brothers' movie from the 90's, is being given the Asian treatment.  Now to me, this is how you do a remake.  You are essentially telling the same story, but it is in a unique and engaging way.  I'm hoping the QFT run a print of this later in the year.  What do you guys think?

Danny Boyle's follow up to Slumdog.....

Well the silly season of movies is nearly over, so that means a shift to more Oscar-bait material in the coming months.  With trailers starting to slowly filter out, this is Danny Boyle's latest.  Inspired by a true story, expect this to generate plenty of awards buzz.  I think this is a case of a trailer being really well put together, revealing the plot, but not showing too much.  The cinematography is stunning by the way.  Looks awesome, what do you think?

Mix equal parts The Fugitive and Bourne, take away all charm, sense and plot and you've got SALT. My two cents.......

I give any movie under the sun a chance.  I will always look for some redeeming features or some merit from any cinematic experience.  But when the only one that strikes you after 100 minutes of Salt is that Angelina Jolie looks great once she dyes her hair black, you know you're in trouble.  This review will contain spoilers, but there's no other way to point out the ridiculousness of this movie, without talking about plot points.

The film concerns Evelyn Salt, played as well as could be expected by Angelina Jolie.  She is a CIA agent who is happily on her way back to her husband for their anniversary when a man turns himself in, claiming to know secrets about Russian moles within the U.S, government agencies.  She gives him five minutes, where he details a long term plan by the Russians 30 years ago to kidnap babies, and train them from a young age to be secret agents.  They then send them to America to infiltrate the CIA, NATO, Secret Service, and whatever other agencies are linked to the plot.  Now at this point, I must mention that I quite enjoyed this idea, and I like the idea of a man with such deep beliefs, that he could set up a covert agency like this.  Salt is about to leave the room when the man reveals that a Russian mole is going to kill the Russian president, and that the name of the mole is Evelyn Salt.

So rather than take the word of a CIA agent who was tortured in Korea and never gave anyone up, and also has a clean record of service, they take this defector at his word and detain her.  No due process, no further interrogation of the suspect.  Nope, they've got her bang to rights.  Hmm.....

Salt thinks her husband might be in danger, and decides to go on the run to find him and clear her name.  But not before an overlong, repetitious chase sequence where the might of two agencies who defend their country on a day to day basis, cannot catch one woman.  Well I guess we know she's serious.  But crucially, no-one dies trying to stop her.  That's important for later.

So another little tidbit gets dropped at this point, that her husband just happens to study spiders.  Bit of a wacky occupation for a spy to be holed up with, but aha!  This is also important for later.

So she's wounded from the chase and needs to stop the bleeding.  So she goes to a club but has no money to get a maxi-pad from their bathroom, so she kicks the machine off the wall.  I guess this is to show how desperate she is, and how she has nowhere to turn.  Oh wait a minute, in the very next scene she is in New York, has a fake credit card, and a stash of money, guns and provisions, including spider venom she extracted from one of her husband's deadly spiders that he just keeps around the house.  I wonder what she'll use that for?  You never see her put it to use so when it is 'revealed' what she has done with it, there is zero surprise.

So, true to form, the very next sequence has Salt conforming to the story that she's a mole, a kick ass agent and a patriot, so she goes through with the plan to assassinate the Russian president.  On the way to getting there, she takes out at least 10 or 11 secret service agents, yet again she does not mortally wound anyone, do you see a pattern establishing here?  So she shoots the president, but it is done off camera.  And when his body is found there us no blood and no-one pronounces him dead, just that he has 'no pulse'.  Do you think she might have used the spider venom?  Salt is arrested and everyone is now convinced of her guilt, but we're only halfway through the film and no-one has died.

So, she escapes from custody again (those secret service agents are really incompetent aren't they?  Guess they were just hiring that day) and reunites with the man who outed her as a sleeper.  They kill her husband, and force her to watch to prove her loyalty.  So she lashes out and kills everyone in the boat.  Think she is who the CIA think?  I mean, she hasn't killed anyone so far, and then suddenly she is a killing machine?

I could go on and on, but the biggest 'revelation' which grates, is when they reveal who the real mole is.  Like it wasn't obvious the whole way through, but then they try to explain why they outed Salt in the CIA building and apparently it was a back up in case anything went wrong, then she would take the fall.  So let me get this straight, a man has been training kids and planning this 'Day X' for thirty years, has planned it down to the most meticulous of details, but needs a loud, unpredictable, highly trained patsy in case things go wrong?  Ridiculous!

This may very well be the worst film I've seen since Eagle Eye.  What they both have in common is that they try to play it straight, to try and give some sort of weight that this could actually happen, and then pepper it with characters who make ridiculous decisions and stupid plot twists that make no sense.  If this were something like Mr and Mrs Smith, or say, True Lies, it could try to play it tongue in cheek and wink at the audience, but there is zero humour in this.

Oh and one last thing, if you're going to make a film, give it a definitive ending.  Make it a self contained story.  The last few minutes of this set up a sequel to such ridiculous proportions that you'll think the last reel is missing.  Batman Begins showed how to tease audiences with the Joker Card ending, but still had a self contained story.  The Bourne Identity had a self contained ending where Bourne meets up with Marie in the bike hire shop but still leaves the world open to a sequel.

Rant over for now, but don't be surprised if there's a follow up and also a tearing apart of Eagle Eye......

New Trailer for Black Swan!

Darren Aronofsky is never a boring filmmaker.  From Requiem to a Dream to The Wrestler via The Fountain, his movies are consistently challenging and original.  The trailer for his latest has just arrived and it looks suitably different from the rest of the crowd.  And if the story doesn't grab you, there's always the promise of a kiss between Natalie Portman and Mila Kunis to enjoy!

Pencil in under 'one to watch out for'.

Twelve cabins, twelve vacancies - My review of Psycho on Blu Ray

Psycho is an undeniable classic.  Made during Hitchcock's 'golden period' which also spawned Rear Window, Vertigo, North by Northwest, The Birds and the criminally underrated The Wrong Man, it has stood the test of time.  It's actually hard to believe that it's celebrating its 50 year old anniversary this year, and therefore it's a perfect time for this HD re-release on Blu Ray.

First off, for a 50 year old movie it cleans up well.  The images are smooth and sharp, and the remastered soundtrack is clear as a bell.

The story concerns Marion Crane, an unmarried thirty something who is having an affair with Sam Loomis.  Sam is a proud man, who won't have them together until he pays off the debt from a previous marriage.  When Marion is presented with $40,000 at her office, she steals it and makes a break for a new life with Sam.  It's a long drive, and she has to stop for a good night's sleep.  So she pulls into the Bates Motel.....

What strikes me about Psycho is how many long stretches of silence there.  A lot of the tension comes from Marion's paranoia, which then shifts onto Norman Bates' paranoia about the secret surrounding his mother being discovered.  A lot of long, silent glares.  Looking over their shoulder's at who may be following them.  The sheer length of the lead up to the shower scene....

It's Hitchcock at his most confident and most playful.  For Psycho, he bought the rights to Robert Bloch's novel anonymously, in order to keep the price down.  He then utilised the cast and crew from his popular television show, Alfred Hitchcock Presents.  The whole thing was made for less than $1 million, which for Hitchcock, coming off the expensive shoots on Vertigo and North by Northwest, was unheard of.

In fact, Hitchcock made the movie solely to make a point.  His reasoning was that so many bad, cheap, black and white movies were made yet still made a profit, then how would a well made black and white movie do?  He got his answer as Psycho went on to gross over $40 million and become one of the most successful movies of the year.

This is a quality Blu Ray release.  The movie is fantastic and the extras are not to be sniffed at either.  There is a wealth of documentaries, behind the scenes footage and interviews with the master of suspense himself from back in the day.  For anyone with even a passing interest in suspense and horror movies, this is essential.