Regarding movies, I only totaled 14 for July. Since returning I have spent a lot of time on TV shows, but I did see some features I found particularly enjoyable.
Psycho (1998) –
4/10
After embezzling money from her employer, Marion Crane
checks in to the Bates Motel and falls victim to its terrible secrets. Once in
a while Gus Van Sant’s remake of ‘Psycho’ feels like an interesting film
experiment, but it more often than not feels like a wasteful cash-in on the
classic Hitchcock movie. The shot-for-shot approach completely eliminates what
potential for reimagining this story there may have been, and curses it with an
overwhelming feeling of artificiality. While the script is fine and is
complimented by a consistent visual style, everything else feels off. With the
exception of very minor characters (such as Philip Baker Hall as Sheriff
Chambers) everyone is terribly miscast and approaches their performance looking
bored, probably indicating how misguided this project was from day one.
The Conjuring 2
(2016) – 8/10
Ed and Lorraine Warren travel to England to investigate
the Enfield haunting and the demonic possession of a young girl. I had very
little hope that a sequel to the outstanding ‘The Conjuring’ would work, but
it’s confirmed that James Wan is a force to be reckoned with in horror
filmmaking and almost makes up for the bland ‘Annabelle’ spin-off. It need not
be said that this movie is frightening thanks to its exceptional suspense,
twists and dark visuals, but I think that dramatic qualities are what make it
stand out as an unusually good horror sequel. The exploration of the
relationship between Ed and Lorraine Warren offers surprising developments. The
brilliance of its child actors enhance the terrors drawn from parental
instinct. Some methods are repetitive, but it’s otherwise a great horror film
to enjoy whether you’re a sceptic or not.
Drunken Master
(1978) – 7.5/10
An undisciplined young man is forced to learn Kung-Fu
from a torturous drunk as punishment. A spiritual successor to ‘Snake in the
Eagle’s Shadow’ and inspiration for a similarly titled film from 1994, ‘Drunken
Master’ is a great example of the martial arts comedy. It doesn’t take itself
seriously, yet there’s a certain heart to it that helps it stand out as
genuinely compelling as opposed to merely comedic. Jackie Chan’s youthful
energy provides the possibility for a great many unusually choreographed fight
scenes which inevitably will appeal to any genre fan, but I think his
character’s transformation from careless to committed is representative of a
more mature quality. The humour of the film derives from numerous sources,
however I personally only found it moderately funny.
The Water Diviner
(2014) – 7.5/10
A farmer travels to Turkey after the end of WWI to find
his sons who went missing during the Gallipoli campaign. It’s undeniable that
the lessons of Gallipoli will remain part of the Australian collective
conscience for decades to come and films on the subject will remain topical.
Russell Crowe’s first feature film as a director is a quality modern take on
the real tragedies of the battle and its impact on his character, Joshua
Connor’s world. The most heart-wrenching scenes of the film are predominantly
in its flashbacks, where most unusually characters you don’t get to know turn
out more dramatic than the central cast. At times though I feel it gets
distracted from its major goals and goes on small tangents with its subplots
focusing on cultural alienation and the Greco-Turkish conflict. Undeniably
though, it’s impressive for the actor’s first time in the director’s chair.
Amistad (1997) –
7.5/10
In 1839, a group of slaves being shipped to America lead
a mutiny against their captors and find themselves fighting for their lives
when they’re put to trial. Despite not even being 20 years old yet, ‘Amistad’
is among Spielberg’s lesser talked about films and I can somewhat see why. It
doesn’t have the memorable flair that marks out countless of his other works
and even feels overstuffed at times. There’s an undeniably enormous dedication
to the quality of the production, with its great set design and a readiness to
be sombre when needed. It feels that its message on social injustices in the
past are held in higher importance than exploring its several characters, many
of whom are played wonderfully by the cast. I think expanding on the depth of
major characters could push ‘Amistad’ into being great as opposed to merely
good.
The Last of the
Mohicans (1992) – 8/10
A white man adopted into the Mohican tribe protects a
British colonel’s daughters during the French and Indian War. This
Native-oriented, almost-American Western adventure film is an unusual entry
into Michael Mann’s filmography but quite earnestly proves itself as a
historical drama. There’s a certain outlandishness to it with its fantasy-esque
romanticisation of the pre-American revolution period. While it does stick to a
highly fictionalised approach for mass appeal, it does have something to say on
racial divides and the meeting of the Old and New Worlds. This is best shown
through the tumultuous relationship between Hawkeye and Cora, played
wonderfully by Daniel Day-Lewis and Madeleine Stowe. ‘The Last of the Mohicans’
also boasts an impressive score that’s very complimentary of its many dramas.
Hotel Transylvania
2 (2015) – 7.5/10
To keep his daughter and her husband from leaving his
Hotel in Transylvania, Dracula tries to bring the monster out of his
half-human, half-vampire grandson. I praise the original ‘Hotel Transylvania’
as a great modern family classic best enjoyed during the Halloween season, but
admittedly it is a less than perfect film. This sequel suffers from similar
shortcomings to its predecessor, but will surely be enjoyable enough for fans
and the general public. What does feel very fresh is the way it pokes fun at
modern societal behaviours (eg child worship, political correctness, social
media) and how out of touch these classics monsters are with it. Like in the
predecessor, Adam Sandler proves that he has what it takes for this comedic
interpretation of Dracula and that while the actor may not be great some roles
fit like a glove.
The Raid (2011) –
8/10
During the botched raid of a Jakarta apartment building,
a S.W.A.T. team is trapped and hunted by a drug lord’s army of thugs. Sometimes
you find great genre entries from the most unexpected places, and the
Indonesian gem ‘The Raid’ will surely give Hollywood action movies a standard
to live up to. What I appreciate most is that despite its never-ending
intensity, it still manages to find time to explore the humanity of its
characters and its themes of man’s corruptible nature. The action of the movie
is beyond ferocious in its both its suspense and the extent of its gore, almost
looking like something from a dreary horror film, and it’s complimented by an
appropriate (if not slightly intrusive) use of the handheld shaky-cam technique
and a desolate colour scheme. Its strong performances bring out the most in its
characters in the few moments the movie slows down, but other than that it’s a
fast-paced experience that defines the word ‘thriller’.
Breathless (1960)
– 8/10
After impulsively killing a policeman, a car thief tries
to convince his American lover to follow him to Italy before the authorities
catch him. Jean-Luc Godard’s feature debut played an influential role in
helping initiate the French New Wave and inspiring the filmmakers that came
after it, but even now remains an exciting exercise in pure style. While its
plot is usually considered secondary to the methods its realised I would argue
it’s still impossible to overlook. Observing the conversations between Michel
and Patricia, be they about the film’s events or plain banter has a remarkably
natural vibe about it. Godard’s techniques are paramount however. His constant
use of jump cuts can be jolting, but they also keep you in the intensity of the
moment and the cinematography (shot on a handheld camera) succeeds against all
odds and captures some of the beauty of Paris in the process.
Night of the
Living Dead (1990) – 8/10
When the dead begin returning to life to feed on the
living, a group of people hole up in a farmhouse and can’t agree on what to do
to survive. There’s no doubt this is an unnecessary remake for a cherished
horror classic, but the influence of an experienced figure like Tom Savini
evidently only rubs off in the most positive way. Similarly to the original, it
capitalises heavily on human psychology, especially in regard to survival
instinct. It’s the focal point of both the film’s drama and suspense.
Surprisingly it does have an improvement over the original in its writing of
Barbara as a more proactive character as opposed to a mere damsel, but in many
other respects it really battles to have the same impact as the watershed 1968
movie. While I think Savini approached this with a little too much loyalty to
the source material, it’s undeniably a thrilling update for more modern
audience.
[Rec] 2 (2009) –
7.5/10
A supposed medical professional leads an armed team into
the quarantined apartment building hoping to find the cure to the virus. Picking
up immediately where its brilliant predecessor left off, ‘[Rec 2]’ continues in
a remarkably similar fashion, terrifying us in the process. However I think that
what new ideas it offers tend to undermine the original’s great mystery that
established it as a modern genre classic. The sense of reality promoted through
its use of the found-footage technique expectedly offers a feeling of urgency
that draws you right into the characters’ situation. Where it falls is in its
religious undertones, which feel all too artificial and prompt a lot of loaded
exposition. Its somewhat episodic nature also habitually works against it by
forcing the plot to work backwards on itself and halting forward development.
Elysium (2013) –
7.5/10
In a future where the wealthy live on a luxurious space
station while the rest of humanity remains on a polluted and overpopulated
Earth, one man undergoes a mission to save his life and bring equality to the
two worlds. Neill Blomkamp’s second feature film unfortunately pales in
comparison to the outstanding ‘District 9’. It has the seeds for something
great, but never coheres into much more than a very basic popcorn movie. Thematically
it does deliver early on with its commentary on the nature of privilege, the
proximity between the first and third worlds and the objective value of human
life. I was let down by how it detracts from its symbolic case study in favour
of becoming a loud, CGI-coated (but still likable) action flick, not helped by
laughably one-dimensional villain characters. ‘Elysium’ features a great sci-fi
world that mirrors some of our realities, but plays it too safe to live up to
the Blomkamp’s earlier achievement.
Pitch Black (2000)
– 6.5/10
After being stranded on a desolate planet populated by
bloodthirsty creatures, the crew finds itself having to put faith in the
prisoner they were transporting. I’ve been interested in the somewhat cult-like
following these ‘Riddick’ films have gained for a while, but I don’t think this
first instalment has really grabbed me as much as it had others. The visual
style of the film is a mixed bag due to both its appropriately dark night
scenes existing alongside day scenes filtered too intensely. The gradual
revelation of character motivations, especially its anti-hero Riddick (played
by Vin Diesel) provide spikes in interest. Sadly I think its thrills only
accomplish their goals at a basic level with too many stoops into common
clichés that inhibit ‘Pitch Black’ achieving a status as a modern sci-fi classic.
Porco Rosso (1992)
– 8/10
In 1930s Italy, a contractor pilot cursed to look like a
bipedal pig deals with air pirates, a competitive rival and an aspiring young
engineer looking to be his partner. While far from Studio Ghibli’s greatest accomplishments,
‘Porco Rosso’ definitely succeeds in inspiring the imagination and entertaining
with its balance of fantasy-drama and comedy and fine-lining of history and
fiction. A very personal element is also evident given Hayao Miyazaki’s own
fascination with airplanes and flying. The linking of the Great Depression and
fascist regime with the plights of its characters sets apart its other-worldly
qualities from past realities, but hold little relevance over the stories of
its characters. The titular Porco feels like a symbol for how experience and
our own actions shape identity, especially in regard to intimate relationships
and a sense of duty. The studio’s animation style is a legendary as ever and
compliments the stylistic blends of its tale very well.
My Top 10 Films for July 2016
1. The Conjuring 2
2. Breathless
3. The Raid
4. Night of the Living Dead
5. The Last of the Mohicans
6. Porco Rosso
7. [Rec] 2
8. Elysium
9. Drunken Master
10. Hotel Transylvania 2
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