The blog is back......

It's been a while, and a lot has gone on in movie land.  I've seen some great films, and sadly some terrible films.  I thought I'd get back on the horse and share my thoughts with the world (or rather the six people who actually read this thing!)

Quick Reviews

This is going to be my new format.  Unless a movie particularly impresses, or indeed disappoints,  I'll keep the reviews short, simple and to the point.  Here's what I've caught at the flicks in the last few months.

Source Code


A movie I'd been looking forward to for a while.  Given Duncan Jones's incredible debut with Moon, I was curious to see how he would handle a big budget.  And for 95% of the running time, this did not disappoint.  It actually reminded me of the kind of flick the great Alfred Hitchcock would have had fun with.  It was intelligent, engaging and a fun ride.  And then came the last five minutes......I would never spoil a movie for anyone by revealing anything, but suffice to say it did not sit well with me.  It was such a tonal shift, and so in opposition to the rest of the movie, that I'm convinced it must have been studio interference.  Hopefully a director's cut will be released on blu ray, and it can bring me back again.

Scream 4


Better than expected but my expectations were low.  Entertaining enough, but probably will never be rewatched, unlike the superior Scream and Scream 2.

The Hangover 2


This is a movie that left me a little confused.  Did they really just remake the first film in a different location?  Yes they did.  Is it still funny?  Yes it is.  I get the feeling this is a series that has to end at 2 movies, as it has lost all the freshness and surprise elements that made the first so much fun.  As I say, still entertaining, but again, I'll probably not be in a rush to see it again.

X-men : First Class


This could be the most divisive movie of the summer thus far.  Some have commended it's measured tone, it's integration of a real world crisis into the X-men timeline, and the performances of James McAvoy and Michael Fassbender. Others have lamented the lack of action, the amount of money shots contained in the trailers and how Beast was handled.  I'm somewhere in the middle.  I think it was as good as it was going to get after the Brett Ratner shitfest that was X Men 3.  It reintroduced the characters to the world, and brought a level of gravitas back to the Magneto, Professor X dynamic.  But to me, it was a set up movie. The sequel to it should be fantastic.  The world is established, the factions decided and a great story should follow.  It might be a while before I watch it again, but it was almost worth the entry fee alone for a certain cameo, and the best use of the word 'fuck' in any movie for a long time.

Thor


My pick for movie of the summer so far.  I've been to the cinema to see it twice, once in 3D and also in 2D.  If you haven't caught it yet, I'd go 2D all the way. Aside from Avatar, 3D just is not convincing me so far.  (Though apparently James Cameron has seen Transformers 3 and says it is the best use of 3D since his opus).  Thor was just flat out fun.  It had a bit of weight to it as well due to the fractious family relationships, but for me it was just pure spectacle and great characters.  It was funny as well.  Played just the wrong way, this could have been a modern day Flash Gordon, all camp and wooden.  Instead, great credit has to be given to Kenneth Branagh, who along with Jon Faverau, Joe Johnston and Joss Whedon, was a bit of a left field choice for a superhero film.  But then again so was Christopher Nolan, and look how he singlehandedly got the world to take the superhero movie genre seriously.  Highly recommended for a great night at the movies, plus, you know, Natalie Portman.  Enough said.

Coming Soon


A breakdown of what's coming up.

Captain America


Another Marvel movie to look forward to.  The early trailers have been impressive and I am pumped for this.  One of the best looking movies of the summer for sure.



Green Lantern


This one from DC, and possibly the film I'm looking forward to the most this season.  The early footage was underwhelming, but recent trailers are hinting at something truly epic.  It's a great time to be a comic book geek.



Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2


I was initially a hater of Harry Potter, but then I read the books.  Imagine.  Great storytelling that has translated well, if a little awkwardly, to the silver screen at times.  This is the book that has the epic Battle of Hogwarts, and this should be worth the price of admission alone.



Transformers : Dark of the Moon


There's no disguising that after a great start with the first movie, that Transformers 2 fell well short of expectations.  It's not a terrible movie, but it is a mediocre one.  It has great moments, nearly all of which feature Optimus, but it also has Tranformer balls, a horny dog, and a terrible Aussie actress as a transformer / human hybrid.  I have faith Michael Bay can turn it around.  After all, he did make Armageddon.



Cowboys and Aliens


That title + James Bond and Indiana Jones in the same film + the director of Iron Man =  There on opening day.



So there you have it, a quick update and I hope to be back much more frequently. What movies are you looking forward to?  What have I missed?  And more importantly, why is it not July 20th 2012 yet?  To all Batman fans, you know what that date means...........

Until next time........

My Oscar Picks, for better or worse............

It's Oscar time again, which means Sky Movies needs turned on again, popcorn will need to be made, and I can look forward to a night of very little sleep.  Below are my picks for I think will take home the Oscar (and in brackets are who I wish would win).

Best Picture - The Social Network (Inception)

Best Actor - Colin Firth (James Franco)

Best Actress - Natalie Portman (Natalie Portman)

Best Supporting Actor - Christian Bale (Christian Bale)

Best Supporting Actress - Helena Bonham Carter (Amy Adams)

Best Director - David Fincher (Darren Aronofsky)

Best Original Screenplay - Inception (Inception)

Best Adapted Screenplay - The Social Network (Toy Story 3)

Best Animated Picture - Toy Story 3 (Toy Story 3)

Best Foreign Language Picture - Biutiful (Biutiful)

Best Cinematography - True Grit (Inception)

Best Editing - The Kings Speech (127 Hours)

Best Art Direction - The Knigs Speech (Inception)

Best Costume - The Kings Speech (The Kings Speech)

Best Make-up - The Wolfman (The Wolfman)

Best Score - Inception (Inception)

Best Song - Toy Story 3 (Toy Story 3)

Best Sound Mixing - The Kings Speech (Inception)

Best Sound Editing - Inception (Inception)

Best Visual Effects - Inception (Inception)

Best Documentary - Exit Through The Gift Shop (Exit Through The Gift Shop)

Best Animated Short - Day & Night (Day & Night)

So there you go.  What do you guys think?  It'll be interesting to see how many I got right, and how many I wished would win do win!  Until next time............

A couple of movies that won't trouble the Oscar voters..........

Awards season is upon us, and therefore most of the movies hitting theatres are weighty, character driven pieces.  To try and maintain a balance though there are a few action movies on the way.  These two trailers caught my eye today.  Enjoy.

First up is Battle: Los Angeles.  It's not hard to see why Warner Bros have hired the director of this for the sequel to Clash of the Titans.  Alien invasion movies are dime a dozen, but this looks epic.  I've already featured an earlier trailer in my blog, this one is even better.



Second up is Priest.  This has the potential to be the next Blade.  The action looks imaginative and the locations varied.  I think the studio is hoping for a franchise out of this.  Looks good.  Let's hope it is another Blade and not another Blade 3!



Until next time.......

127 hours - The first masterpiece of 2011......

It's been a while since I was at the cinema I'm sad to admit.  The move to full time employment along with Christmas working hours in hospitality, meant that there were very few opportunities for me to indulge in my first love.  In the last week, I was thrilled to learn that the restaurant I work in, will be closing on Tuesdays for the foreseeable future.  Welcome back 'Crazy Tuesdays', I look forward to many good times ahead!

I think that next week, it may be the Paul Haggis directed 'The Next Three Days', and I may also relent and catch either 'Harry Potter' or 'Tron' before they depart the big screen.  But this week, there was only one choice for my triumphant return, and that was Danny Boyle's latest '127 Hours'.

 

I've been looking forward to this for a few months now.  If you've been following my blog, you may even remember that I posted the trailer and called it one to watch.  The true story of Aron Ralston, an American mountaineer, it details a memorable trek through the Utah mountains.  After a brief flirtation with two fellow explorers, he is soon back to his favourite status, that of a loner.  Only one problem with that, if no-one is with you or knows your whereabouts, if anything happens, you're on your own.  And boy does he find that out when a rock gives way, and he falls down a 30ft drop, with said boulder landing square on his right arm.

What follows is the account of the following 127 hours.  Given that Aron survived to tell the tale, you know it is inevitable that he will get out from under the rock.  However, that does not take away from the raw intensity and nerve shredding attempts to free his arm.

If the film was just Aron on his own for the 90 minutes, there's a chance it would have inevitably run out of steam.  After all, how many ways can you show a man struggling to free his arm?  This is where Danny Boyle and his co-writer Simon Beaufoy are clever.  They pepper the running time with visions, memories, dreams, basically showing what thoughts must have been going through his mind.  If you were convinced that your time was running out, what would you be thinking about?

There are flashbacks to a girl he once loved and let go.  Memories of his parents, and how he never appreciated them as much as he should have.  The workmate who he should have told exactly where he was going.  These are just a couple of examples, and Boyle is not afraid to show you that Aron was far from perfect, and in fact was a bit of a prick at times.  But you always sympathise with him, because he is resourceful, witty and above all, human.  James Franco gives an incredible performance, and if another actor had have taken the role, it may not have been half as powerful.  I think they should just give him the Best Actor Oscar now, but in a year where Inception will be largely ignored by the Academy, nothing will surprise me come February.

The film also works well in its presentation of opposites.  It begins in a flurry of high energy, split screen images, showing modern life in all its neon, bustling glory.  It therefore acts as respite when Aron reaches the vast wilderness of Utah.  We feel his relief and almost wish we had the drive to join him.  However, after over an hour in his company, having front row seats to his mental desintegration, the same images are repeated and it's a most welcome sight.

A special mention must also go to the, already, most famous (infamous?) scene.  You probably know by now how Aron manages to get free and it's not for the faint hearted.  A full on, three minute, uncompromising and uncomfortable scene, it is nevertheless one of the tensest you will see in any movie of the last 10/20 years.  And the release you feel at the end of it, it must be close to the real emotion that Aron himself experienced!

Also praiseworthy is the music of the film.  Boyle has once again utilised the services of A.H. Rahman, after the two successfully collaborated on Slumdog Millionaire.  The high energy opening, the quiet, contemplative moments right through to the cathartic joy of the end are all perfectly enhanced by the composition and choice of the music.

This is such a strong start to 2011, and Danny Boyle is quickly becoming as consistent and exciting a director as Christopher Nolan or David Fincher.  I await his next with relish.

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

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...........