Monthly Archives: February 2010

Feb 28 2010

Boogie Nights

Viewed – 27 February 2010 Blu-ray

This came out when the industry was still buzzing about Quentin Tarantino as the new hotshot wonder kid of Hollywood, and I admit to originally sitting down to this expecting another Pulp Fiction. Although the two movies have similarities, this is the more complex and rewarding of the two, even if on a personal taste level I still consider Pulp my all time favourite.

Mark Wahlberg, at the time still best known for his brief rap career and Calvin Cline ads, plays a kid frustrated with his own life, working in the kitchen of a local club, where he gets discovered by porn mogul Jack Horner (Burt Reynolds), having heard rumours of Mark’s oversized ‘appendage’. Before long he is whisked away from a dull life living with his parents, shouted at by his mother and admiring Bruce Lee to become Dirk Diggler, the new big name of the adult film industry. There he meets a colourful band of characters, all with their own problems, from Amber Waves’ failed mother turned porn actress to school girl Rollergirl (Heather Graham), who hides her adult film career behind a mask of school exams and cute innocence.

Paul Thomas Anderson’s second movie (loosely inspired by the life of porn actor John Holmes) is a revelation and a stunning showcase for his talent that would go on to win him much acclaim with Magnolia and There Will Be Blood. Here though we see someone delivering a boyhood fantasy of a movie, yet leaving behind much of the movie-geek self indulgence that has blighted Tarantino’s career after Pulp. With an obvious affection for his characters, we are treated to a movie that is about a lot more than the porn industry of the seventies / eighties as we explore these very complex people, with special mention for Julianne Moore as Amber Waves who’s tragic, uneasy performance balancing her life in a seedy world with that of the desire to be a mother to her estranged son, is heart breaking – considering that normally this actress bores me. There’s also an incredible comeback from Burt Reynolds as Jack Horner, the mentor / father figure to Wahlberg’s Dirk Diggler, which garnered him plenty of recognition, even if it will probably be his swansong. Wahlberg I must say is also brilliant, playing naive and inexperienced whilst also being someone you can’t help but like. He’s also uncomfortably funny, a tone this movie excels at throughout as you watch, cringing as each character goes through humiliation after humiliation, whilst at the same time blissfully ignorant. Add to this probably the most memorable soundtrack I have ever heard in a movie, and well, what more can I say?

I can count on the fingers of one hand movies that work on pretty much every level, and this is one of them. 

The Blu-ray from Newline is very pleasing, the picture looks like it was shot only recently not 13 years ago, and to complement an impressive visual performance, the DTS HD Master Audio fills the room, the iconic music grabbing you immediately. Extras-wise we have a very listenable commentary by the director, and another from most of the cast and the director again. Other than that we have a bunch of deleted scenes, a trailer and a couple of music videos. Not too shabby.

Verdict: 5 /5

Feb 28 2010

Them

Viewed – 27 February 2010 Blu-ray

This French horror steps away slightly from the endurance torture extremities the country has become famed for recently and delivers a more traditional fright fest with a wholly believable premise, made even more terrifying when you discover it’s based on real events.

Following the story of a young couple who live in an old stately home in the middle of nowhere (yes, I know), this one puts the viewer and the couple through a night of terror as they are gradually invaded by an unknown gang of psychos who proceed to torment the terrified couple as they try to escape. With effective use of sound and darkness, this is very unnerving stuff, with a quality in-peril performance from the two French actors (especially Olivia Bonamy). Although at times it’s hard to tell what’s going on and who has invaded the house, this all cranks up the tension to a near-unbearable degree, and made for a very gripping ride. Not particularly violent apart from a few moments when the couple fight back, this was filled with enough atmosphere and dread that any bloodshed would probably have been too much. Hyped on the cover as “Utter, Blind Terror”, this isn’t quite brave enough to really freak you out, but what it does, it does well.

Watch with the lights off for maximum effect.

Verdict: 3 /5

Feb 26 2010

Heavy Rain – impressions

Now if you are after something different, this is certainly a game to consider.  A murder mystery serial-killer thriller following the stories of four very different, fully realised characters.  You control the game uniquely in every aspect, not just by moving your character around the environments, but as intricately as brushing their teeth, drying their hair, interacting with a wealth of objects and items, and conversing with other characters by picking out floating subject matter in a limited time.  It all makes for a surprisingly intense and involving experience, aided by some incredibly detailed graphics that for the first time really show you what high definition and the PS3 can do.

Now I have some criticism, mainly the awkward control of your characters movement, especially during intense, fast paced moments where just pointing your character in the right direction can be tricky.  Also the game suffers, at least at this time from some jittery frame rate and a few crashes that made me have to quite out and reload.  Not what I expect from a new game.  But saying that the story is involving and some of the situations, such as trying to find your kid in a crowded shopping mall, made me really feel concern and fear, something I think this game holds unique.  It captures that much coveted movie atmosphere, but doesn’t take away from the ‘game’, therefore achieving the best of both worlds.  It also feels the most genuinely mature game in a long while, even if it falls into cheap titillation and gore sometimes to get its point across.

I do wonder how long this one will take me, as I feel I am breezing through it, but with multiple choices to any given situation, I can see me playing through this repeatedly just to see what direction the story takes.

Feb 25 2010

Cinema-du-shock

In the past five or so years, there has been a resurgence in horror movies from foreign climates, most notably France. Where our American cousins may be stuck in remake hell, the French seem to be doing something all together more gutsy and raw. I have always had a fondness with world cinema as a whole, and consider France to be one of the best countries for both drama and action with acclaimed names like Luc Besson and Vincent Cassell among their exports. Yet I only really became aware of French horror with the slasher movie Switchblade Romance (Haute Tension), a quality throwback to the video nasty era of the early eighties, and a movie that left me both impressed with its quality and stunned by its unflinching violence. Yes, American & UK movies have stepped it up as far as on screen violence goes with the likes of the Saw franchise and Eden Lake or The Descent… but something about ‘Switchblade struck a cord with me… and made me thirsty to hunt out more French horrors.

Little did I realise that Switchblade was only the tip of the iceberg, and other horrors were to push my endurance and comfort levels further than ever before. Although ‘Switchblade remains conventional in the slasher flick rule book (apart from a seriously dodgy twist climax), what else I have seen has made me somewhat cautious when sitting down to watch another. Martyrs should probably go down in history as the most disturbing torture / revenge movie ever made – it takes no prisoners, and the on screen suffering is quite tough to watch… but again, it’s done with a great deal of skill, that although I may have been disgusted, I couldn’t help but admire it’s audacity at the same time. Similar in bold attitude is Inside (À l’intérieur), another difficult to watch experience, soaked in blood and featuring a very nasty and unpleasant ending. I also don’t recommend it if you are pregnant or just given birth. Yet I couldn’t help but be impressed. The talent available in France seems to be very different and with less restraints than say Eli Roth or Rob Zombie. These guys do enter the territory explored in French horror, but come away formulaic and not quite as brave (or should that be crazy) as the French, and for me these movies would never get the green light in Hollywood. Also add to the argument that these are in unfamiliar surroundings with foreign speaking cast, and the comfort of a glossed over American or British movie is lost, and all bets are off. This is one reason why Japanese chillers like Ring work so well – it’s the discomfort in the unfamiliar that is completely lost when such movies are remade by American studios.

So if you are into horror, not just casually, but have grown up on Friday the 13th and Halloween, yet yearn for those days when a horror movie was the forbidden fruit and not the audience grabbing new kid of the mainstream it is now, then check out French horror – but I warn you now, it will leave its mark on you, for better or worse.

I still feel a newcomer though to French horror, but plan to review more titles on this blog in the coming months, not just from France but also other countries.  For now here are my reviews as posted on this blog.

Martyrs  (France)

Inside  (France)

Frontier(s)  (France)

Let The Right One In  (Norway)

Rec  (Spain)

Feb 24 2010

Princess Mononoke

Viewed – 24 February 2010  DVD

I’ve always been an admirer of Japanese animation, first getting an appetite for it with the classic sci-fi masterpiece Akira, then further more growing my appreciation with Ghost In The Shell and Perfect Blue.  Yet the movies of famed artist Hayao Miyazaki offer a different spin on Jap anime, namely fantastical dream-like worlds, wierd characters and compelling storylines.  With a maturity to them not often found in the medium.

This tells the tale of a young Prince who after saving his village from a demonic boar, is cursed during the battle and forced to leave.  He soon stumbles upon the plight of mining colony who seem  hell-bent on destroying the local forest, regardless of the spirits and animals present, due to a power-hungry governess.  At the same time the Prince spots a young girl who is living amongst the wolves, and the villagers refer to her as Princess Mononoke, the wolf-girl.  Before long the Prince is torn between his loyalty to a village that take him in and the survival of a sacred forest, as war breaks out.

This grand spectacle is full of quirky characters, some decent voice acting from the American cast shoe-horned in to replace the original Japanese (Claire Danes especially giving Princess Mononoke plenty of attitude), but its Miyazaki’s magical world and that charming Japanese art style that wins through, with a good story where you are soon routing for Princess Mononoke and the Prince and booing the villains.  At two and a quarter hours, it’s certainly epic, both in imagination and emotion, and it’s not hard to see why this is so regarded among movie fans; yet it also remains somewhat lacking in mainstream appeal, with plenty of time given to bland dialogue and mundane moments like eating and working, that may alienate some viewers.  I didn’t enjoy it quite as much as the other Miyazaki movie I’ve seen, Spirited Away, and some of the animation seems in need of restoration, but regardless – this was still time well spent.

Verdict:  3 /5