It is really quite something when you can sit and watch so many people being brutally butchered by some crazed knife-wielding pshycopath in a ghostface mask and feel absolutely nothing. When the first Scream film hit cinemas in 1996 it was fresh, it was exciting, and it was scary. With each subsequent movie in the franchise the body count has risen but the shocks have decreased. It has become so formulaic and predictable that it is just impossible to care about what is going on. It is also too self aware for its own good and the pop culture references, that were once cool and funny, are now just annoying.
5/10
Saturday, 16 April 2011
Sunday, 3 April 2011
Sucker Punch
I don't know if it is simply that my expectations had been lowerd so much due to all of the negative criticism that has been flung its way, but I don't mind saying that I actually liked this film. It has stayed with me since the end credits began to roll.
I understand a lot of the criticism. There is very little characterisation. The bad guy seems more fleshed out than the leading heroines. Also, the fantasy world that Baby Doll creates is clearly one built by your average adolescent male, not your typical strong independent woman, all short skirts and samurai swords. Hardly a postergirl for modern-day feminism.
Despite all this I couldn't help but enjoy it. As a self-confessed, bonafide geek, the film hits all my fanboy buttons. It plays like a two hour music video, in which director Zack Snyder utilizes every visual trick up his sleeve, to assault the senses. It is anything but subtle. But it works! Look at the fantasy section with the dragons and orcs and tell me that Snyder wouldn't be a great choice for The Hobbit should Jackson need to drop out.
Sucker Punch won't be for everyone (clearly, it should also not be rated 12A, but that is an argument for another time). In fact, it makes it all too easy for the naysayers to attack. But if you are of a forgiving nature, and prepared to surrender yourself to it, the film offers a rather enjoyable ride.
7/10
I understand a lot of the criticism. There is very little characterisation. The bad guy seems more fleshed out than the leading heroines. Also, the fantasy world that Baby Doll creates is clearly one built by your average adolescent male, not your typical strong independent woman, all short skirts and samurai swords. Hardly a postergirl for modern-day feminism.
Despite all this I couldn't help but enjoy it. As a self-confessed, bonafide geek, the film hits all my fanboy buttons. It plays like a two hour music video, in which director Zack Snyder utilizes every visual trick up his sleeve, to assault the senses. It is anything but subtle. But it works! Look at the fantasy section with the dragons and orcs and tell me that Snyder wouldn't be a great choice for The Hobbit should Jackson need to drop out.
Sucker Punch won't be for everyone (clearly, it should also not be rated 12A, but that is an argument for another time). In fact, it makes it all too easy for the naysayers to attack. But if you are of a forgiving nature, and prepared to surrender yourself to it, the film offers a rather enjoyable ride.
7/10
Saturday, 5 March 2011
My top 50 foreign language movies.
The following lists my top 50 movies that are not in the English language:
1. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (Ang Lee, 2001)
2. House of Flying Daggers (Zhang Yimou, 2004)
3. Pan's Labyrinth (Guillermo Del Toro, 2006)
4. Let the Right One In (Thomas Alfredson, 2008)
5. Wings of Honneamise (Hiroyuki Yamaga, 1987)
6. Amelie (Jean-Pierre Jeunet, 2001)
7. Sanjuro (Akira Kurasawa, 1962)
8. Lust, Caution (Ang Lee, 2007)
9. The Seven Samurai (Akira Kurasawa, 1954)
10. The Twilight Samurai (Yoji Yamada, 2002)
11. Not One Less (Zhang Yimou, 1999)
12. Riding Alone For Thousands of Miles (Zhang Yimou, 2005)
13. Hero (Zhang Yimou, 2002)
14. Zatoichi (Takeshi Kitano, 2003)
15. Red Sorghum (Zhang Yimou, 1987)
16. Rashomon (Akira Kurasawa, 1950)
17. Apocalypto (Mel Gibson, 2006)
18. The Class (Laurent Cantet, 2008)
19. Musa: The Warrior (Sung-su Kim, 2001)
20. Spirited Away (Hayao Miyazaki, 2001)
21. Oldboy (Chan-wook Park, 2003)
22. City of God (Fernando Meirelles & Katia Lund, 2002)
23. Downfall (Oliver Herschbiegel, 2004)
24. Princess Mononoke (Hayao Miyazaki, 1997)
25. The Grave of the Fireflies (Isao Takahata, 1988)
26. The Diving Bell and the Butterfly (Julian Schnabel, 2007)
27. The Road Home (Zhang Yimou, 1999)
28. Sunflower (Yang Zhang, 2005)
29. Night Watch: Nochnoi Dozer (Timur Bekmambentov, 2004)
30.Tell No One (Guillaumet Canet, 2006)
31. Infernal Affairs (Wei-keung Lau & Alan Mak, 2002)
32. Mongol: The Rise to Power of Genghis Khan (Surgey Bodrov, 2007)
33. In the Mood for Love (Kar Wai Wong, 2000)
34. Happy Times (Zhang Yimou, 2000)
35. The Banquet (Xiaogang Feng, 2006)
36. 2046 (Kar Wai Wong, 2004)
37. The Passion of the Christ (Mel Gibson, 2004)
38. Ju Dou (Zhang Yimou, 1990)
39. Bullet in the Head (John Woo, 1990)
40. The Devil's Backbone (Guillermo Del Toro, 2001)
41. The Orphanage (Juan Antonio Bayona, 2007)
42. Three Colours: Red (Krzysztof Kieslowski, 1994)
43. Curse of the Golden Flower (Zhang Yimou, 2006)
44. Day Watch: Dnevnoy Dozer (Timur Bekmambentov, 2004)
45. The Big Blue (Luc Besson, 1988)
46. One: Cavale (Lucas Belvaux, 2002)
47. Ghost in the Shell (Mamoru Oshii, 1995)
48. Cinema Paradiso (Giuseppe Tornatore, 1988
49. The Eye (Oxide Pang Chun & Danny Pang, 2002)
50. Police Story (Jackie Chan, 1985)
1. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (Ang Lee, 2001)
2. House of Flying Daggers (Zhang Yimou, 2004)
3. Pan's Labyrinth (Guillermo Del Toro, 2006)
4. Let the Right One In (Thomas Alfredson, 2008)
5. Wings of Honneamise (Hiroyuki Yamaga, 1987)
6. Amelie (Jean-Pierre Jeunet, 2001)
7. Sanjuro (Akira Kurasawa, 1962)
8. Lust, Caution (Ang Lee, 2007)
9. The Seven Samurai (Akira Kurasawa, 1954)
10. The Twilight Samurai (Yoji Yamada, 2002)
11. Not One Less (Zhang Yimou, 1999)
12. Riding Alone For Thousands of Miles (Zhang Yimou, 2005)
13. Hero (Zhang Yimou, 2002)
14. Zatoichi (Takeshi Kitano, 2003)
15. Red Sorghum (Zhang Yimou, 1987)
16. Rashomon (Akira Kurasawa, 1950)
17. Apocalypto (Mel Gibson, 2006)
18. The Class (Laurent Cantet, 2008)
19. Musa: The Warrior (Sung-su Kim, 2001)
20. Spirited Away (Hayao Miyazaki, 2001)
21. Oldboy (Chan-wook Park, 2003)
22. City of God (Fernando Meirelles & Katia Lund, 2002)
23. Downfall (Oliver Herschbiegel, 2004)
24. Princess Mononoke (Hayao Miyazaki, 1997)
25. The Grave of the Fireflies (Isao Takahata, 1988)
26. The Diving Bell and the Butterfly (Julian Schnabel, 2007)
27. The Road Home (Zhang Yimou, 1999)
28. Sunflower (Yang Zhang, 2005)
29. Night Watch: Nochnoi Dozer (Timur Bekmambentov, 2004)
30.Tell No One (Guillaumet Canet, 2006)
31. Infernal Affairs (Wei-keung Lau & Alan Mak, 2002)
32. Mongol: The Rise to Power of Genghis Khan (Surgey Bodrov, 2007)
33. In the Mood for Love (Kar Wai Wong, 2000)
34. Happy Times (Zhang Yimou, 2000)
35. The Banquet (Xiaogang Feng, 2006)
36. 2046 (Kar Wai Wong, 2004)
37. The Passion of the Christ (Mel Gibson, 2004)
38. Ju Dou (Zhang Yimou, 1990)
39. Bullet in the Head (John Woo, 1990)
40. The Devil's Backbone (Guillermo Del Toro, 2001)
41. The Orphanage (Juan Antonio Bayona, 2007)
42. Three Colours: Red (Krzysztof Kieslowski, 1994)
43. Curse of the Golden Flower (Zhang Yimou, 2006)
44. Day Watch: Dnevnoy Dozer (Timur Bekmambentov, 2004)
45. The Big Blue (Luc Besson, 1988)
46. One: Cavale (Lucas Belvaux, 2002)
47. Ghost in the Shell (Mamoru Oshii, 1995)
48. Cinema Paradiso (Giuseppe Tornatore, 1988
49. The Eye (Oxide Pang Chun & Danny Pang, 2002)
50. Police Story (Jackie Chan, 1985)
Thursday, 10 September 2009
Inglourious Basterds.
The opening chapter is fantastic. But I really didn't like the second chapter. It tries to make you too complicit in the violence.
Christopher Waltz steals the show as 'The Jew Hunter' and Brad Pitt's facial expressions are quite amusing throughout.
The film shows genuine moments of maturity from Tarantino as a filmmaker that are often lost amongst all of his fan-boy antics. But even in Basterds he struggles to reign those tendencies in to the detriment of the overall picture. We really could have done without being subjected to Eli Roth.
The director clearly shows a strength in bringing the best out of his performers though, and as much as I dislike Roth, his performance is surprisingly okay. As is Diane Kruger. She could usually give a plank of wood a run for it's money. But here she's quite brilliant. Honourable mentions should also go out to Michael Fassbender and Mélanie Laurent.
Overall this is a much better film than I was expecting. I just wish it had more of what made the first chapter so great and less of what made the second chapter so distasteful.
8/10
Christopher Waltz steals the show as 'The Jew Hunter' and Brad Pitt's facial expressions are quite amusing throughout.
The film shows genuine moments of maturity from Tarantino as a filmmaker that are often lost amongst all of his fan-boy antics. But even in Basterds he struggles to reign those tendencies in to the detriment of the overall picture. We really could have done without being subjected to Eli Roth.
The director clearly shows a strength in bringing the best out of his performers though, and as much as I dislike Roth, his performance is surprisingly okay. As is Diane Kruger. She could usually give a plank of wood a run for it's money. But here she's quite brilliant. Honourable mentions should also go out to Michael Fassbender and Mélanie Laurent.
Overall this is a much better film than I was expecting. I just wish it had more of what made the first chapter so great and less of what made the second chapter so distasteful.
8/10
Underworld: Rise of the Lycans.
Personally, I thought the first Underworld film was absolutely terrible. It was an action film in which there was hardly any action. The dialogue was painful and the 'vampires' were an absolute joke, all whining on about rules and traditions.
I reluctantly went to see the second film. Although it practically suffered from all of the things that were wrong with the first film it was actually a minor improvement as it did raise its game considerably in the action stakes. Though Underworld 2 is a bad film, I still thought to myself that if Underworld 3 is as much of an improvement on Underworld 2 as Underworld 2 was on the first one, then we might finally have a half decent film.
Luckily, this is the case. We are still treated to fairly awful dialogue and the vampires still suck (no pun intended). But at least Michael Sheen is given a bit more meat to bite into and the story keeps things simple, allowing the action to move on quite nicely. So, quite a pleasant surprise really.
It's no classic, but it's entertaining, and if the next one is as much of an improvement on this one as this one is on the last then we might actually have an Underworld movie that I would consider buying on DVD.
6/10
I reluctantly went to see the second film. Although it practically suffered from all of the things that were wrong with the first film it was actually a minor improvement as it did raise its game considerably in the action stakes. Though Underworld 2 is a bad film, I still thought to myself that if Underworld 3 is as much of an improvement on Underworld 2 as Underworld 2 was on the first one, then we might finally have a half decent film.
Luckily, this is the case. We are still treated to fairly awful dialogue and the vampires still suck (no pun intended). But at least Michael Sheen is given a bit more meat to bite into and the story keeps things simple, allowing the action to move on quite nicely. So, quite a pleasant surprise really.
It's no classic, but it's entertaining, and if the next one is as much of an improvement on this one as this one is on the last then we might actually have an Underworld movie that I would consider buying on DVD.
6/10
Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen.
Okay, I'm not going to start having some kind of Kermodian rant about how stupid this film is. Anybody who takes a film based on kids toys too seriously clearly needs to chill out. The first film was indeed quite stupid. It lacked any kind of logic and was absolutely devoid of subtlety. But, what it did have was fun, lots of fun. The characters were likable and the explosions and mayhem came thick and fast. There were times when the forced moments of humour threatened to derail the whole thing, but luckily, they managed to reign these moments in and get back on track. None of this can be said about the second film.
Revenge of the Fallen is nowhere near as solid in the entertainment department as the first film. Many of the supposedly humorous characters are just downright annoying. The gangster rapper style twin robots are the main culprits. I just felt embarrassed every time they came on screen.
The sad fact of the matter is that most of the so-called humour seems to have a very child-like quality to it. This would not usually be a problem with a film like this. How else are they going to get the kids to buy the toys? But when it runs alongside gags that are clearly directed at adults, and have no place being in a kids film, I really start to wander if the filmmakers even know who they are making this film for. That Steven Spielberg's name is attached only adds to the disappointment. You would think that he of all people would know better.
It's not like the film makes up for it in the action stakes either. All of the action just feels like a rehash of scenes from the first film only not as good. We are told that the big bad in this film, the Fallen of the title, can only be defeated by a Prime but absolutely no reason is given as to why this is so.
Some scenes have clearly been thrown in because some clever studio execs have said 'Like, hey guys, we need to see Megan taking her kit off'. Yeah, okay, we get it, Megan Fox is hot. Get over it! Also, at times I felt that this film was simply an advertisement for the new Green Day album. I'm not too fussed about that. I like Green Day.
So far, with the exception of Watchmen and Star Trek, this has been a terrible year for blockbusters. First Wolverine. Then Terminator: Salvation. Now this! I still enjoyed many parts of this film and I think that, due to its nature, it cannot be criticised in the same light as Wolverine and T4. I expect those films to be a lot more serious and give me something to think about. In that respect they failed. Likewise, I expected this to be a non-stop roller coaster ride of fun. While it did offer some of this I couldn't help but feel I had been cheated.
Not a bad film by any stretch of the imagination. But still somewhat disappointing.
5/10
Revenge of the Fallen is nowhere near as solid in the entertainment department as the first film. Many of the supposedly humorous characters are just downright annoying. The gangster rapper style twin robots are the main culprits. I just felt embarrassed every time they came on screen.
The sad fact of the matter is that most of the so-called humour seems to have a very child-like quality to it. This would not usually be a problem with a film like this. How else are they going to get the kids to buy the toys? But when it runs alongside gags that are clearly directed at adults, and have no place being in a kids film, I really start to wander if the filmmakers even know who they are making this film for. That Steven Spielberg's name is attached only adds to the disappointment. You would think that he of all people would know better.
It's not like the film makes up for it in the action stakes either. All of the action just feels like a rehash of scenes from the first film only not as good. We are told that the big bad in this film, the Fallen of the title, can only be defeated by a Prime but absolutely no reason is given as to why this is so.
Some scenes have clearly been thrown in because some clever studio execs have said 'Like, hey guys, we need to see Megan taking her kit off'. Yeah, okay, we get it, Megan Fox is hot. Get over it! Also, at times I felt that this film was simply an advertisement for the new Green Day album. I'm not too fussed about that. I like Green Day.
So far, with the exception of Watchmen and Star Trek, this has been a terrible year for blockbusters. First Wolverine. Then Terminator: Salvation. Now this! I still enjoyed many parts of this film and I think that, due to its nature, it cannot be criticised in the same light as Wolverine and T4. I expect those films to be a lot more serious and give me something to think about. In that respect they failed. Likewise, I expected this to be a non-stop roller coaster ride of fun. While it did offer some of this I couldn't help but feel I had been cheated.
Not a bad film by any stretch of the imagination. But still somewhat disappointing.
5/10
The Hangover.
I saw The Hangover last night. There were a few funny bits (i.e. the Chinese gangster), but for the most part I just found the whole thing offensive. Trying to make a convicted rapist, Mike Tyson, out to be some kind of cool, misunderstood hero really leaves a bad taste in the mouth. And why do movies always make out that Vegas is the city of dreams. It's sin city. It's tacky. All surface and no substance. And since when has violence to a baby ever been funny? We are supposed to laugh at someone (admittedly by accident) bashing a car door into a baby's face.
This piece of garbage currently sits in the IMDb top 250. How the hell did that happen? Has society seriously sunk so low that a film like The Hangover can be accepted as first class entertainment?
Judd Apatow's comedies often push it close to the edge but at least his characters usually learn something and have their hearts in the right place. The four main characters in this are all completely lacking a moral compass and, quite frankly, I would be ashamed if I really knew guys like these in real life.
3/10
This piece of garbage currently sits in the IMDb top 250. How the hell did that happen? Has society seriously sunk so low that a film like The Hangover can be accepted as first class entertainment?
Judd Apatow's comedies often push it close to the edge but at least his characters usually learn something and have their hearts in the right place. The four main characters in this are all completely lacking a moral compass and, quite frankly, I would be ashamed if I really knew guys like these in real life.
3/10
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
