Captain America:
Civil War (2016) – 8/10
Political interference in the Avengers’ affairs and the
emergence of a new villain lead to a conflict between Steve Rogers and Tony
Stark, both of whom have their own feelings on how to do what’s right. Two
sides of the same coin at odds are sometimes more compelling than two different
coins all together, and ‘Captain America: Civil War’ exceeds expectations by
delivering a character-driven tale about a rift between two heroes. A frequent
output of high-intensity action sequences will please all action movie lovers,
but the real core of the story is how realised even its minor characters all
become through its concept of a ‘civil war’ and its multilayered tale. It goes
beyond simply being a tale of Captain America and Iron Man contending with an
unforeseen situation, but rather one that pulls the entire MCU towards a
fascinating new direction. Dare I say though I felt that Spider-Man’s inclusion
was underutilised and geared more at serving fans that working towards an
otherwise excellent story.
Falling in Love
(1984) – 7/10
After a minor mix-up while shopping, Frank and Molly fall
into an intimate romance that’s complicated by the fact they’re both married. A
fairly run-of-the-mill romantic drama that’s undoubtedly made more memorable by
the involvement of its two stars. It’s not that ‘Falling in Love’ has anything
poorly produced about it, but rather its script doesn’t really leave all that
remarkable an impact. What I can appreciate is that there is a certain maturity
about it. Without being an indulgent philosophical exercise, it is well aware
of the ethics around the love of its main characters in regard to loyalty,
adultery and being accountable. The brisk New York setting subtly expresses the
feelings of loneliness that come with impersonal big city life, and De Niro and
Streep both illustrate this whether or not they’re sharing the screen.
The Shallows
(2016) – 8/10
A young woman surfing in Mexico has to summon all her
resources to survive when she’s attacked and stalked by a great white shark.
Many have claimed ‘The Shallows’ to be the best shark movie since ‘Jaws’ and
while I’m undecided on that it’s definitely an understandable nomination. It’s
a more than solid thriller that focuses itself in a direction to distance
itself from the typical drivel of the killer shark subgenre. It benefits
greatly from sitting on the fence between a polished, high-budget studio effort
and a grotesque exploitation film. While this unique greatness can be
attributed to a great range of audio and visual techniques, a tense feeling of
atmosphere and confining its moments of intense horror to a minimum, much is
owed to Blake Lively’s performance. She’s sympathetic, surprisingly developed
for a film of this kind and really brings the audience into her shoes.
Spotlight (2015) –
7.5/10
The story of a team of reporters at the Boston Globe who
investigated a decades-long series of allegations and cover-ups of child
molestation by Catholic priests, and set off a wave of global revelations about
the Church. The Oscar winner for Best Picture of 2015 stresses the importance
of truth and justice. In a lot of ways it feels like a spiritual successor to
‘All the President’s Men’ and evidently has opened eyes in a similar way. I
praise ‘Spotlight’ for its degree of depth, and I feel its message about the
power of journalism and the way it reveals ugly realities are perhaps greater
than anything else seen onscreen. The exploration and level of detail in the
investigation is given so much attention that it doesn’t save nearly as much
runtime for character drama, which is somewhat made up for by an incredibly
committed cast. It has more to say about institutional practices as opposed to
individual people, doing the former incredibly well. However I must say that I
think numerous other Best Pictures nominees deserved the award more.
Neighbors (2014) –
6/10
A married couple with a newborn baby are forced to live
next door to a fraternity, and do whatever they can to get them kicked out.
While enjoyable enough to keep you occupied for its runtime, I personally found
‘Neighbors’ to be far less energetic for something that involve numerous Apatow
associates, and frankly only occasionally hilarious. Undeniably the greatest
selling point for the film is Seth Rogen’s presence and charisma. Being the
focus of comedy in numerous other films, the trend definitely rings true in
‘Neighbors’. The running theme on growing up and embracing adulthood would
typically be the focus of something endearing, but here it becomes the
justification for unmitigated stupidity among an innumerable number of
characters. It’s chuckle-worthy, its cast is talented, but too in-your-face for
my tastes.
Waking Life (2001)
– 7/10
A man wanders through various dreams and talking to
different people about the nature of reality and the universe. Undeniably a
passion project for director Richard Linklater and a way of getting numerous
thoughts out in the open in a creative way. Personally I found the lack of a
narrative and focus on smaller scenarios to be outside of my taste, but
nevertheless ‘Waking Life’ offers amazing little nuggets of philosophy from
time to time. Being heavy on dialogue puts it into an awkward inconsistency.
Some of these moments come off as little more than speculative rambling, whilst
others genuinely provide insight to what dreams, reality and the world around
us are. The rotoscope visual style is perhaps the most distinctive element,
which amazingly resembles the way we perceive the worlds of our dreams. ‘Waking
Life’ likely offers something for everyone, but not every aspect of it is
easily chewable and some audiences may feel lost in its unconventional approach
to filmmaking.
Sweet Sweetback's
Baadasssss Song (1971) – 5/10
After defending a Black Panthers member from racist
police, a black male prostitute goes on the run while members of his community
aid him in whatever way possible. I feel somewhat uneasy giving an influential
film a negative review, but I have to say that Melvin Van Peebles’ movie remains
relevant for legacy alone. Credited with kicking off the Blaxploitation genre,
it ironically doesn’t live up to the movies it inspired. It’s grossly
underwritten given its focus on spontaneous incidents of sex and violence and
the titular character’s seemingly endless running into nothingness over actual
development. The production values also beg for more, particularly in regard to
its awkward sound editing and basically non-existent artificial lighting.
Melvin Van Peebles wanted to use the cinema to voice the anger of the black
community and capture the mood of the immediate post-civil rights era, but this
passion doesn’t always manifest as competence.
King Kong vs.
Godzilla (1962) – 7/10
A pharmaceutical company captures King Kong and brings
him to Japan, where he escapes and battles with Godzilla. The third Godzilla
movie produced by Toho marks the beginnings of a goofy, action-oriented
approach compared with the more serious entries of the 50s, and it’s not even
really a bad thing. The lack of preservation for the Japanese version lead me
to watching the altered English-language version released in the US, and I’m
still fairly pleased. It doesn’t pretend to be anything more than the silly
kaiju movie it is. Human characters are likable enough, though largely
forgettable. When its real stars, Godzilla and King Kong come onscreen, you
can’t help but cheer on for both and indulge in the wonders of cheap rubber
costumes and he destruction of miniature sets. Naturally it can’t compare to
the brilliant 1954 classic, but I did enjoy the new approach enough to put it
above ‘Godzilla Raids Again’.
Don’t Breathe
(2016) – 8/10
Three burglars looking to steal an enormous fortune
become trapped in the home of a blind veteran, who isn’t the helpless man they
assume him to be. I thought Fede Alvarez’s remake of ‘The Evil Dead’ to be
surprisingly great, and this original film ‘Don’t Breathe’ is very much in the
same vein with its never-ending thrills and outstanding use of location. What I
initially found peculiar was the reversal of expected roles between burglars
and the survivors of war, but it fortunately doesn’t rely on the subversion of
our assumptions nearly as it does scare in a very grass roots manner. The
delicate use of both lighting and sound is crucial to making this seemingly
average Detroit home transformed into hell onscreen. Stephen Lang is simply
terrifying as the villain, and the overall intensity of the experience certainly
makes up for the occasional plot hole.
The Verdict (1982)
– 7.5/10
A lawyer with his best years behind him takes on a
medical malpractice case to renew his career and strive for justice for the
victim. The late Sidney Lumet was an exceptional filmmaker and having directed
arguably the greatest courtroom movie ’12 Angry Men’ it’s no surprise that
nearly 25 years later Lumet’s ‘The Verdict’ would be topical at the Oscars. While
at times the film can be very sombre, I think it’s fitting for the drama at
hand. It’s not so much the uncertainties of the legal case that drive our
interest as much as it is our investment in Frank Galvin. While it does
sometimes neglect the stories of its secondary characters, it’s an often gloomy
analysis of our protagonist. Every action feels like a response to a past
dilemma, which then drives us even deeper into the world of Frank’s mind. Paul
Newman’s great performance is crucial to the narrative’s success, whether you’d
rather concentrate on the character’s inner demons or the immediacy of the
courtroom.
The Pursuit of
Happyness (2006) – 8.5/10
A struggling salesman undertakes a new professional
endeavour to lift himself out of his circumstances after taking custody of his
young son. ‘The Pursuit of Happyness’ is often held in high-esteem as a great
motivational film, and it’s very by-the-numbers of Hollywood in this way.
However I actually found the experience to be more eye-opening in its making
you count your blessings. While it often gets sentimental, in doing so offers
an emotive insight into disadvantage that’s made me appreciate my own life
position for the better. Of course the movie coldly depicts the polarizing
effects of capitalism in the United States, but provides a glimmer of hope by
reminding us of our chance to take advantage of it. The best aspect of the
movie is its emotional touch. Will Smith is exceptional in the role of Chris
Gardner, and his onscreen chemistry with his real-life son Jaden is nothing
short of touching.
The Castle (1997)
– 7.5/10
A tight-knit, working class family on the outskirts of
Melbourne is told they must vacate their home to make room for an expansion of
the airport, but take their fight to court instead. For a modestly budgeted
comedy film made in Australia, ‘The Castle’ performs admirably well as both
something funny to give you a smile and an endearing piece about family. It has
a marked Australianness about it that may not appeal to foreign audiences, and
I personally try to avoid this kind of patriotism wherever possible. The
fortunate truth is that it’s very tongue-in-cheek about national pride. It knows
its characters are simpletons and a product of their environment, and it both
mocks and celebrates this through comedy. The cleverest aspects of the film are
undoubtedly in its expressions on constitutional justice and references to the
Mabo case, but the conception of family values is the warmest and most inviting
aspect of the experience.
Inside Man (2006)
– 8.5/10
When a bank heist turns into a hostage situation, a
detective, a power broker and the robber enter a series of negotiations and reveal
that the plan isn’t what it initially seemed to be. This Spike Lee joint is
potentially one of the best the director has ever done. Having not been written
by Lee, it doesn’t have that racially-motivated quality we’d associate with a
lot of his work. That said it still feels very appropriate for the man given
its focus on justice and a feeling of a situation always being at a boiling
point. At times it feels like a modern ‘Dog Day Afternoon’ (something it
playfully pokes at) but it strives to be something a little more elaborate.
‘Inside Man’ is among the most intense thrillers I’ve seen recently, but I wish
that these moments where it shines didn’t become bogged down by its shifted
story structure and desire to be more than audiences would expect. It’s a great
movie and I think that despite some imperfections it could be seen as a film
classic someday.
Jersey Boys (2014)
– 8/10
The story of four young men from New Jersey who comes
together and form The Four Seasons, one of the most iconic musical groups of
the 1960s. While far from Clint Eastwood’s greatest work and not his first
dealing with the personal lives of beloved musicians, I still feel that ‘Jersey
Boys’ was unfairly brushed under the rug. Like the Rotten Tomatoes consensus
states, perhaps it isn’t as inventive and energetic as it could be and this
leads to it feeling like a very run-of-the-mill biopic without anything daring
to offer. I think the film is worthy of appreciation for its celebration of the
famed group and the more general culture of music of the 1960s, but also for
its empathy towards the struggles with fame and responsibility. Even though I’m
not a fan of the band, I found it hard to resist not bobbing my head along to
its many musical numbers. Far from Clint Eastwood’s more ambitious efforts, and
it may not parallel the real significance the band had in its prime, but it’s a
fine biopic.
Invaders from Mars
(1953) – 6/10
A young boy witnesses the landing of a UFO and becomes
caught up in military action against the aliens that are taking over the minds
of human beings. ‘Invaders from Mars’ is a schlocky B-movie and typical of the
1950s alien-invasion film craze. It isn’t particularly good, but features a few
elements that may have driven into being a bit more than enjoyably goofy had
they been exploited properly. Promising beginnings are very reminiscent of the
likes of better films like ‘It Came From Outer Space’ or ‘Invasion of the Body
Snatchers’ but it descends into an overinflated mess of repetition by the
half-way mark until reaching a lazily-written climax. Some have praised it for
depicting its story through the eyes of a child, but I think the use of this
technique has been exaggerated. It has its moments of joy, but ‘Invaders from
Mars’ ultimately doesn’t live up to its reputation.
The Burning (1981)
– 8/10
A former camp caretaker is horribly burned in a prank
gone wrong, and years later returns to the camp to take revenge on those that
caused his disfigurement. It might be an obvious cash-in on the success of
‘Friday the 13th’ but ‘The Burning’ has reminded me of just how much
I love the slasher genre and it’s a far better film than many entries in the
more recognisable franchises. Fascinatingly it’s the first movie ever released
by Miramax Films, and it delivers exactly where it should. Its kill are
numerous and creative, the natural environment serves as a great basis for
atmosphere, and the backstory of its villain is developed just enough to rival
many other genre entries. Many would note that ‘The Burning’ is most famed for
being an early career point for many recognisable faces, but I don’t think
anything is worthy of more praise that Tom Savini’s outstanding gore effects.
‘The Burning’ is a brilliant example of slasher movie fun.
Game Change (2012)
– 8/10
In the lead-up to the 2008 Presidential election, Senator
John McCain selects the unknown governor of Alaska, Sarah Palin as his running
mate, which becomes the first of many errors that would cost the campaign. I
think that it’s quite upsetting that ‘Game Change’ never had the opportunity to
be a feature for the big screen. It’s not a film about any particular political
position, it doesn’t try to endorse a conservative or Republican attitude, but
it does reveal the overall significance that public image and celebrity plays
in the electoral process. The way performances have been scripted and then
directed make a clear statement to viewers. Ed Harris’ McCain is portrayed as a
modest political moderate, but the real interest is in Julianne Moore’s Sarah
Palin. I was impressed the film’s ability to capture both the hilarity of
Palin’s incompetence, whilst being sympathetic to her bring ridiculed for the
same reason. ‘Game Change’ depicts the democratic process in a personal,
behind-the-scenes manner and can be enjoyed by those on all ends of the
spectrum.
Blair Witch (2016)
– 7.5/10
The younger brother of a missing woman finds footage
providing a possible answer to her whereabouts, and with a group of friends,
ventures into the forest supposedly inhabited by the Blair Witch. Initially
released as a secret sequel under the title ‘The Woods’, the new Blair Witch
movie generally proves to be competent, but it’s apparent that it won’t be
sticking to the collective memory of the horror community for very long. An increased
budget and technological innovation provide the opportunity to capitalise on
the original’s achievements, but it habitually just mimics them and I think
this fact alone impedes ‘Blair Witch’ from achieving real greatness. The set-up
is a sluggish revisit of the mythology fans are familiar with, yet we don’t get
the same treatment with these new characters who are all flat and
uninteresting. Is it scary though? When it picks up its pace, it takes full
advantage of its atmosphere and attempts to answer some fear-inducing questions.
In my opinion it’s pretty good, but it’s not good enough to stand free of the
1999 film’s legacy.
Corman's World:
Exploits of a Hollywood Rebel (2011) – 8/10
A documentary on the decades-long career of Roger Corman,
the director/producer often considered to be the king of low-budget,
independent filmmaking. Alex Stapleton’s documentary is a beautiful tribute to
Corman and his library of work, and an important reminder of the immense
contribution to the filmmaking craft and the modern industry he had. Given his
association with exploitation and B-grade cinema, it’s become all too easy to
forget his significance in light of mainstream Hollywood’s enormous commercial
power. What this documentary does is politely nudge the viewer into a state of
appreciation, and this is where I think it performs best. Whether it be in the
form of giving numerous talents a starting point, or delivering an output so
great and distinguished it’s hard not to be wowed. I’m ashamed to say that my
viewing of Corman films is limited, but I aim to correct it. Corman’s life is
one worthy of celebration.
Grand Theft Auto
(1977) – 7.5/10
A young woman steals her wealthy father’s Rolls Royce and
leaves for Las Vegas with her fiancé, but the couple find themselves on the run
from a group of reward seekers trying to stop them. Initiated by Roger Corman’s
New World Pictures and directed by Ron Howard for his feature-length debut,
‘Grand Theft Auto’ is over-the-top but fully aware of the exciting power of the
road movie. Without any real character drama to take advantage of, the film is
reliant on cars and collisions in the manner of an exploitation movie and in
that respect it works generally well. Its characters are cardboard archetypes,
but often hilarious in their cartoonish goofiness. The movie is famed for its
demolition derby sequence, which epitomises the love affair with chaos and
destruction. Is it objectively good? Not really. Trashy, but full of spirit and
seeing a great filmmaker’s starting point is fascinating.
WolfCop (2014) –
6.5/10
A small town cop with a major drinking problem finds himself
turned into a werewolf after an insane cult places him in a ritual. Through its
silly premise, this little Canadian horror comedy makes it clear that it doesn’t
aspire to be anything more than trashy, B-grade cinema and invites us to judge
it according to that standard. ‘WolfCop’ isn’t great regardless of the angle
you approach it, but it does have its merits in being the cheese that genre
fans find so endearing. The major joys are solely in cartoonish humour and an
interesting (if not very typical) take on the mythology of the werewolf. At
times the film feels like an underdeveloped tale of a lowly man’s
transformation into a community hero, and sadly this gets obscured by the
script’s desire to be exploitative. ‘WolfCop’ has real independent horror movie
style with its splattered gore and use of practical effects.
My Top 10 Films for September 2016
1. Inside Man
2. The Pursuit of Happyness
3. Don't Breathe
4. The Burning
5. The Shallows
6. Captain America: Civil War
7. Game Change
8. Corman's World: Exploits of a Hollywood Rebel
9. Jersey Boys
10. The Verdict
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