Monthly Archives: January 2010

Jan 31 2010

Obsessed

Viewed – 30 Jan 2010  Blu-ray

Beyonce Knowles, whilst being one of the more talented singers currently around, has only briefly flirted with acting, with appearances in Austin Powers: Goldmember and Dreamgirls.  Yet this entry in her CV has her in a psychological thriller, playing the happy, stay at home mom to her career husband (Idris Elba), who catches the eye of a rather unhinged blonde hottie in the office.  Ali Larter (from Heroes amongst other credits) is the predatory newby at the company who sets her sights on married man Derrick, determined to seduce him regardless of whether he wants it or not.

Now I know, this is a premise that has been done to death, most famously with Michael Douglas / Glen Close classic Fatal Attraction, and although this offers nothing new (and lacks much of the depth of that movie), makes for entertaining viewing despite its obvious predictability, mainly because of a feisty Ali Larter who plays the nut job stalker to perfection, and without wanting to spoil things, an otherwise under-used Beyonce gets to show not only her acting skill but also her physical ability in a wonderfully over the top bitch fight.  So as a vehicle for Beyonce it remains mildly successful, as anything particularly imaginative, it doesn’t even try – but this still does the formula well, no matter how many times you may have seen it in other movies.

Verdict:  3 /5

Jan 30 2010

Suspiria

Viewed – 29 Jan 2010  Blu-ray

Dario Argento’s iconic 1976 gothic horror is probably one of the most unique and influential horror movies ever made, forming the inspiration for countless horror movies that followed, including John Carpenter’s legendary Halloween.  Following the story of a young ballet dancer (Jessica Harper) as she attends a prestigious German dance academy, and soon stumbles upon a secret witches coven.  Yet this very basic premise is only half of the appeal of Suspiria, as it is probably the most striking looking movie I’ve ever seen.  Inspired by dreams, fairy tales and  gothic imagery, Argento’s most celebrated work is a treat both for the eyes and even more importantly, the ears with Goblin’s oppressive, freaky soundtrack overwhelming the movie to near bursting point.

I have seen this one many times and it is definitely a favourite of mine in the horror genre, and the murder set-pieces are among the director’s best, with a shocking, intense and hardcore opening that once seen is not easily forgotten.  Over the years I guess it’s impact has been diluted somewhat, the acting remains amateurish and the characters wafer-thin, but as with any Dario Argento film, the actors are not really the focus, and the camera work, beautiful set-design and near-artisitic violence still dazzle to this day.

The newly released Blu-ray from Cine-Excess is a mixed bag.  Sound wise it is something to behold, with a faithfully restored version of the original score reproduced to stunning effect in DTS HD Master Audio.  The image quality is less impressive, that while for the most part seems cleaner and a lot more colourful than previous DVD editions, seems marred by overly high contrast, making some scenes look excessively bright, with skin tones especially suffering.  On repeated viewings however the high-art style of the movie certainly suits the intense colour scheme and many of the set-pieces are given a new lease of life.

Extras consist of a very informative and funny commentary by horror enthusiast Kim Newman and Argento-file Alan Jones, as well as a new documentary and interviews – making this still a worthy package for fans and newcomers alike.  Just a shame the new HD print couldn’t have been a little better handled.

Verdict:  4 /5

Jan 29 2010

Bayonetta – impressions

Well picked this up recently after seeing the mostly unanimous reviews online and in mags, boasting it to be one of the best games released in a while.  Now at first, I was never too sure I’d like Bayonetta – coming from the design team behind Devil May Cry, a game I got tired of due to repetitive, overly difficult gameplay.  Yet I also admired that games take no prisoners approach, and if I considered myself a gamer of any skill, I really should have stuck with it.  So you could say Bayonetta is my second chance, and with a quirky, very Japanese art style and a sexy lead character, this was begging to be played. 

So what do I think of it?  Well… at first I wasn’t really sure what to make of it.  aesthetically, despite a pleasingly imaginative look, it didn’t feel very ‘next gen’ whatever that means, and having come fresh off Darksiders, it appeared underwhelming.  It also came across very old-fashioned, lacking anything I hadn’t seen many times before – and it was button mashing hell.  Then after a while, it began to click – learning the combos, timing your evade move to trigger ‘witch time’ so to make battles more in your favour, and then discovering the highly imaginative environments and weird heaven / hell themed enemies.  The story is something to do with this Bayonetta who has lost her memory and is battling the army of heaven whilst trying to figure out flashes of her past locked away in her head.  It’s typically bonkers plotting, and the characters are totally bizarre – and in many ways that’s the charm.  I’ll also add that it’s tough going, not necessarily because the enemies are too hard (which they near-as-dammit can be sometimes) but that the save system is punishingly unfair, making you run through an entire level again if you happen to quit out before the end – and the levels are long!  There’s infinite continues to be used when killed, but these diminish your score / rating, and if you just want a break, you lose a lot of your progress as a result.  Also the option to buy upgrades and items seems very stingy as you get next to no money (or rings) to buy anything particularly useful beyond lollipops to boost energy or make you invulnerable.  Maybe I haven’t figured it all out yet though, as I have only just discovered you can create your own items by mixing potions, something which was never actually explained to me - I discovered it by accident. 

Yet if you liked Devil May Cry and similar Japanese action games, and have a high tolerance for tough gameplay and huge boss battles – then by all means give this a go – but I’ll warn you, it’s not for everyone!

Jan 28 2010

Mesrine: Part 2

Public Enemy Number One

Viewed – 27 Jan 2010  Blu-ray

Set a few years after the climax of Killer Instinct, we meet Jacques Mesrine (Vincent Cassel) now more of a celebrity and outlaw than the gangster, understudy of the past.  Mesrine is now his own man, and is once again committing bank robberies, living life on the edge and getting his name in the press.  It’s not long though before he’s back in court, awaiting sentencing and charming the pants off the jury.  Yet his crimes are undeniable, and even though he escapes custody several times, he’s eventually banged up and looking at a twenty year stretch, where he pens an autobiography and befriends an inmate with plans of escaping once again.

Vincent Cassel’s portrayal this time around of this larger-than-life character is much more showy and charismatic, bringing to life a criminal you can’t help but admire, despite the ability to cold-bloodedly execute a reporter, turn against the women in his life or alienate himself from friends due to outlandish scheme after outlandish scheme.  You get the impression that Mesrine had ideas very much above his station, and as he began to believe his own hype, you realise his days are numbered. 

Jean-François Richet’s energetic and (surprisingly) even more entertaining follow-up to Killer Instinct is every bit as well executed as that movie, and is packed with powerful performances and edge-of-the-seat tension.  This time around the man behind the myth is more thoroughly explored, and scenes such as the prison visit from his daughter show the emotion and the good person behind the bravado.  It’s obvious Mesrine was not an evil man, and as an exploration of not just a criminal but as a person, this one can not be faulted.

Verdict:  5 /5

Jan 24 2010

Mesrine: Part 1

Killer Instinct

Viewed – 23 Jan 2010  Blu-ray

Vincent Cassel could probably be called France’s answer to Robert DeNiro, with a lengthy career in some of the country’s biggest (and often) most controversial movies.  Many will probably however know him from David Cronenberg gangster flick Eastern Promises, as well as Oceans Twelve & Thirteen.  He’s definitely one of my favourite foreign actors.  This time, in arguably his most high profile role, he plays the part of real-life career criminal Jacques Mesrine, a former soldier in the Algerian army who on returning home finds it difficult adjusting to a normal life living with his parents and holding down a day job, and is soon lewered into a life of crime, under the guidance of local gang boss Gerard Depardieu.

This first movie in the epic life of one of France’s most notorious criminals, plays as a straight forward gangster story as our anti-hero goes from heist to heist, bedding women, fathering children and being flung in and out of prison – all the time living on his witts.  Despite several instances where he tries to ‘go straight’, it’s not long before he’s involved in another crooked deal, and for me came across as a very ballsy, reckless man with little respect for anyone but himself.  Yet with Cassell, he still makes what should be an unpleasant character, likable, as he oozes charisma and screen presence in the grand tradition of Al Pacino out of The Godfather, a movie this most closely resembles.

Directed with skill and no end of style by Jean-François Richet, this is both absorbing and entertaining, that although violent at times, never reaches Goodfella’s territory, and is mostly restrained, which I think goes in its favour - this is a character piece afterall.  At times I did lose track as the years fly by, and even what country Mesrine was in sometimes was left a little vague, yet this has plenty of raw intensity, quality acting (including a very good Gerard Depardieu), and some powerful moments … leaving me thirsty for part 2.

Verdict:  4 /5