Se7en, Napoleon Dynamite, Pandorum

This week's update... only nine minutes late. That's what I call pushing the deadline.

#1 - SE7EN

Stars - Brad Pitt, Morgan Freeman, Kevin Spacey, Gwyneth Paltrow

Director - David Fincher

Memorable Quote - 'Wanting people to listen, you can't just tap them on the shoulder anymore. You have to hit them with a sledgehammer, and then you'll notice you've got their strict attention.'

Review - Whew, what a corker. Actually can't believe I only just got round to seeing this - and I know I say that a lot, but it's true. The acting is exactly as impressive as you would expect from reading the cast list, and I feel like you really get to know the characters. You feel affection for Somerset, you like Mills and want to see him do well, and when you realise (predictably, before Somerset does) just what is in that delivered box at the end, you feel real horror on Mills' behalf. You watch the characters being manipulated by the killer, and you know you can't stop it from happening. It's clear that this inspired a slew of copycat films (pretty much the entire Saw series, for a start, even down to the main detectives in the first installment), and it's clear why. This is perfection in the detective genre: an interesting case, compelling detectives, an enigmatic city and a race against time. Key also is that final twist - the idea that there are two murders left to go when they take him in, and that they have stopped him before he completes his cycle, being blown out of the water by Mills' actions. Every scene is gripping and intense, even the simple dinner scene where Paltrow and Pitt force their smiles through the sound of the train. I'll say no more because if you've seen it, you know it's an amazing film, and if you haven't, there's no need for me to spoil it for you. Go watch it, now. 5/5



#2 - NAPOLEON DYNAMITE

Stars - Jon Heder, Aaron Ruell, Jon Gries, Efren Ramirez, Tina Majorino

Director - Jared Hess

Memorable Quote - 'Gosh!'

Review - I've seen many reviews of this film that stated, 'if I had watched this when I was teenager...'. In a sense I think it's true that, like Juno and other similar works, this is a movie that appeals to the teenage market, mostly by showing them themselves with a large dose of humour attached. That doesn't mean you can't enjoy it as much as an adult, far from it - if you've ever been to high school then you know what it's like, and you know how being a teenager is, so you can identify. The characters are caricatures, obviously, and a lot of the film has a very dated feel, but that tends to add to its charm rather than retract. Jon Heder is perfect as the awkward teenage nerd trying to fit in and not understanding why he doesn't, and Pedro's breath of optimism (believing he could ask the most popular girl in school to the dance) becomes a refreshing catalyst to change Napoleon's life. I think in a way that's what the aim of this movie was - to say that you can change the way people see you if you have a little confidence, that you don't have to always live in the past like his Uncle, and that people have hidden depths - who would have suspected the cousin of being able to get the girl that he did? More than anything it's about transition, about growing up and learning - which can happen at any age. Perhaps I would have rated it higher a few years ago, but that I suppose is the danger of a teen movie. 3.5/5



#3 - PANDORUM

Stars - Dennis Quaid, Ben Foster, Cam Gigandet, Antje Traue, Cung Le
Director - Christian Alvart

Memorable Quote - 'You're all that's left of us. Good luck, God bless, and Godspeed.'

Review - There were so many ways this film could have gone wrong. Even reading the synopsis I was skeptical, but then I remembered the fact that I've never seen Ben Foster in a role I didn't enjoy watching and went for it anyway. I'm glad I did, because this dodges most of the things that swallow up other sci-fi movies. There were no absurd aliens from outer space attacking, and if you refuse to accept the idea that it was only the chemicals that changed the humans into monsters, well, even the characters admit that it's only a theory. The explanation for the disappearance of Earth is barely touched on - clever, since now we can't argue with the likelihood of the scenario. There's a nice neat Fight-Club-esque transition between young Gallo and 'Payton' that came as a surprise to me - up until the moment that he could still hear his voice even after pressing the mute button, I had no suspicions. It's rare for a movie to be able to do that these days, but it was well done, and looking back at the camera shakes and ghosting throughout the movie it all began to make sense. The special effects were used sparingly and well instead of the excessiveness than can sometimes plague this genre, and the acting was top class. Gigandet reminded me of a young Hayden Christensen, which is not to be sniffed at - it was a similar crazy sneer that catapulted Jake Gyllenhaal to fame, let's not forget. Foster was captivating as always, taking us through the whole spectrum of fear, paranoia, control and anger as he battled the demons inside and outside, pushing all of the other characters to one side. Even as it seems that Gallo will kill Nadia, we as an audience are focusing instead on whether Bower is going to save her or give in to Pandorum. The ending had a kind of wretched hope to it, suggesting that if he can defeat Pandorum, then together the survivors can defeat the remaining hunters and start a new Earth. In short, I recommend this to anyone who, for instance, was so exasperated with Avatar that they cringe every time they hear the word, anyone who ever enjoyed Star Trek or Farscape, and anyone who enjoys good acting. 4.5/5

Ne le dis a personne, Donnie Darko, Oldboy

After last week's in-cinema movie, three older ones that I'm visiting myself for the first time.

#1 - NE LE DIS A PERSONNE (Tell No One)


Stars - François Cluzet, Marie-Josée Croze, Kristin Scott Thomas

Director - Guillaume Canet

Memorable Quote - 'Now I'll tell you the truth.'

Review - Ahhh, a nice little French action/thriller. I consider it a compliment when I say that this film had all the potential of a Michael Haneke film, without the Haneke hallmarks - the most notable difference of course being the fact that the ending was resolved. It was thoroughly satisfying to watch Alexandre Beck racing through the streets to find his wife, and most importantly to find the answers; though it was perhaps strange to imagine that he could outrun the police even when injured, rather than being unrealistic it seemed inspiring. It was possible to believe that his desperation and love pushed him forwards. It was also interesting to try to solve it as the audience, trying to find out what the final solution was and wondering whether he would find her again. Though it was very safe and happy-happy at the end, that did not devalue it - it was a beautiful ending and well worth watching. Also kind of weird to see Kristin Scott Thomas speaking French, I always forget she can do that until she does. Anyway, I fully recommend it. 4.5/5



#2 - DONNIE DARKO

Stars - Jake Gyllenhaal, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Jena Malone, Mary McDonnell, Drew Barrymore
Director - Richard Kelly

Memorable Quote - 'I promise, that one day, everything's going to be better for you. '

Review - Ahhh, I can't believe I hadn't seen this film until this week. What was I thinking? This is an amazing movie! I think what I love the most are the following two things: one, that Jake Gyllenhaal is actually a brilliant actor in this, and his facial expression and the way he speaks fit the character so perfectly as to give him a curious mix of charm, teenage boy angst and also insanity. Two, the fact that there is this whole big theory behind it all that you don't even need to know to get the film. If you don't know about this whole thing with agents and receivers and whatever else, you can still enjoy the storyline that is there. This is witty, thought-provoking, and character driven in a way that really makes you connect. It's easy to see why it graces 'best films ever' lists, and there's still nothing quite like it out there. What more can I say? If you haven't seen it, do so at your earliest opportunity, because it's fantastic. 5/5



#3 - OLDBOY

Stars - Min-sik Choi, Ji-tae Yu, Hye-jeong Kang

Director - Chan-wook Park

Memorable Quote - 'Even though I'm no more than a monster - don't I, too, have the right to live?'

Review - Phew. One thing is for certain, this is a very powerful film. A man is locked up for fifteen years; along with him we experience his descent into half-sanity, his coping methods, the joy of near-escape (ironically occuring immediately before his scheduled release). The film becomes more and more disturbing as we are pulled deeper and deeper into the plot, particularly hitting a spot as soon as you figure out who Dae-su Oh's daughter is. Watching him learn the truth becomes even harder when you know what is coming. You almost wish that you are wrong in your assumption, right until the moment when the truth is revealed. The attack scenes were great most of the time, and the dentistry scene is of course harrowing to watch, though it would all have been a bit more believable if, for example, the same guy didn't keep getting up in the corridor scene after we clearly see him get kneecapped with the hammer right at the start. The guy shouldn't be able to stand. Aaaanyway, they were all still well choreographed and filmed, and many of the scenes were given overwhelming feels by their mise en scene (the snow, her room, the penthouse, the internet cafe etc). I found it very hard to stomach his decision at the end - for me, I could not wipe that knowledge from my brain knowingly and just carry on. If something's wrong it's wrong, whether you can be hypnotized out of knowing that or not. Compelling though, and a very interesting watch, if not exactly for the fainthearted. 4.5/5

Black Swan

A one-film post this week, resultant of a trip to the cinema.

#1 - BLACK SWAN

Stars - Natalie Portman, Vincent Cassel, Mila Kunis, Barbara Hershey, Winona Ryder

Director - Darren Aronofsky

Memorable Quote - 'The only person standing in your way is you. It's time to let her go. Lose yourself.'

Review - Black Swan, let's make no mistake here, is not the gentle ballet movie the old couple who sat in front of me were expecting. In fact, it's no easy ride at all, and as the lines between reality and delusion become blurred, it's the audience's job to pay enough attention to keep up.

We begin with a simple story, the dancer who is herself a dancer's daughter, trapped in her maternal home and performing to all of her mother's wishes. There is something certainly creepy and restrained about how Erica keeps Nina childlike and innocent, under a strict regime of diet, sleeping timetable, and even wardrobe. Nina's life is dancing, that much is clear, and without the Black Swan element of the storyline it would have been easy enough to make a movie about how she breaks out from her mother's overwhelming influence and live a little. This, I feel, is where most of those audiences who disliked the film would have been lost: there is almost an unnecessary element to the extra plot, as if we are seeing two stories at once. No matter; no film is perfect, and a large amount of audiences do enjoy the disturbed element of the plot.

The way that Nina's dark side, the black swan, takes over begins to be clear right from the very moment that the mysterious scratches appear on her back, and when her mirror image begins to act out on its own the sense of fear that is generated is palpable. Almost every scene in the movie contains reflective surfaces, so we begin to feel that she will never be safe from this dangerous reflection, particularly when her delusions begin to play out in front of her eyes. The deceptions are layered on top of one another - not only was Lily not looking at her threateningly in her room, she was not even there! The biggest reality-twist shock for me was the moment when Lily appears, alive, outside the dressing room, and we realise that Nina stabbed herself instead of her. Though it was really quite far-fetched that she managed to dance the entire second act with a piece of glass in her side, and also that the blood did not begin to show until the last moment, I suppose that's cinematic license.

Vincent Cassel is pretty much the standard go-to man for French rogues in American films, and he fulfills this role well as ever. Particularly towards the end, we begin to see that he is not actually evil or an uncaring man - he is proud of and almost blown away by Nina's performance, and seems genuinely surprised and flattered when she kisses him. Her mother, too, is willing to overlook broken fingers in order to tend to her daughter, instead of acting like the witch imprisoning her in the tower as she was at first made out to be.

The film is really very quiet throughout, something that made the cinema not the best place to see it I feel - hearing every rustle of someone else's popcorn is not what the quiet scenes were made for. The ballet music was, however, very effectively used, as were the subtle noises or shifts in music as in the club scene. Those noises right at the edges of our hearing add to the overall tension and fear factor of the film, dragging us in to her world of paranoia and delusion.

Overall I was impressed with the film; Portman's performance is compelling, and the other cast members also fit their roles perfectly, particularly Kunis' act as the dark side of Nina's delusion and also the innocent dancer who she is revealed to be when we see that it is a delusion. All round, I recommend it, though perhaps seeing it on DVD would improve the experience. 4.5/5

Hidalgo, Let The Right One In, Requiem for a Dream

Here's your weekly update!

#1 - HIDALGO

Stars - Viggo Mortensen, Zuleikha Robinson, Omar Sharif, a ton of horses

Director - Joe Johnston

Memorable Quote - 'Mister... you can say anything you want about me. I'm gonna have to ask you not to talk about my horse that way.'

Review - Hidalgo is something of a strange film, if you're trying to categorise it. It's not really an adventure film, since all the mishaps that occur are mostly skipped through quickly in favour of character-driven plot. It's not really about the race, either, until he reaches the finish line. It's not really about the horse/man bond, since he sets all the horses free at the end instead of reinforcing the point that his horse is all he needs. Not sure how he was planning on making a living any more either, but whatever. I suppose in a strange way it's a coming of age film; the story of a man who, despite his age, has not yet truly accepted himself and his own background, choosing to hide from it instead. It's not the best film you'll see but there are a lot of beautiful horses, and a few select cultural tidbits that don't really go far enough to be worthwhile. It feels like a rushed version of a more complex story, which it probably is, and is generally just far too safe to have much of an impact. Point in case, I actually watched this before Christmas and only just remembered to review it. 3/5

#2 - LAT DEN RATTE KOMMA IN (Let the Right One in)

Stars - Lina Leandersson, Kåre Hedebrant, Per Ragnar, Patrik Rydmark

Director - Tomas Alfredson

Memorable Quote - 'Eli... Are you a vampire?'

Review - Ahh, what a movie! I do love it when the hype is justified. Everyone in this film must have been selected very carefully, since they're perfect for their roles, from the bully and his even tougher older brother through to Oskar's father and his friend. The story itself is quite touching; a somewhat naive, seemingly attention-starved twelve year old shines when someone his own age finally gives him the time of day rather than trying to push him into holes in the ice. The message this gave across, I feel, was not about vampires or death or any of the rest of it; it was about friendship and loyalty, and how we can overlook one another's flaws when we enjoy each others' company enough. There have been many debates about the film, such as what Eli's gender is (clearly male), but there is nothing too difficult to understand here if you watch carefully enough. There is something beautiful about the overall tone of the film, added to immensely by the snow, and by the strange calm that Oskar seems to demonstrate whenever he is confronted. Outwardly his eyes are closed stoically, but inwardly we know there must be something under the surface. My least favourite part was probably the cat attack scene, which spoiled things a little with how obvious the cgi was, but most of the other effects looked great - Hakan's acid burns in particular. Definitely worth watching, particularly since the remake has come out; something I haven't seen and don't intend to, for at least a while. I don't really see why they had to bother making a new one when this version was almost perfect already. 4.5/5

#3 - REQUIEM FOR A DREAM

Stars - Jared Leto, Jennifer Connelly, Ellen Burstyn, Marlon Wayans

Director - Darren Aronofsky

Memorable Quote - 'Somebody like you can really make things all right for me.'

Review - Christ. Right, first off, I would like to say that out of everyone who recommended this film to me, not one person mentioned how depressing it is. Not one. In order to address this problem for future viewers, I issue this warning: you will actually want to die about twenty minutes before the end, and it gets worse. Seriously, it's so goddamn harrowing. Literally no one has a happy ending. For most of it I was feeling all happy about how Leto and Connelly made a good-looking couple and they were going to set up a business and he was going to visit his mum and everything, and then without a warning suddenly everyone's in hell or something. I was not prepared for that. The good news is, though, that if you're ever thinking about doing drugs, this will put you right off. On the other hand, it may also put you off television and prescribed medicine, but, y'know, every cloud. I think the most distressing part of it was a) the mother's heartfelt speech when Harry finally came to visit her, and b) the fact that the police wouldn't let him go to hospital. I'm not sure I believe that would actually happen, but it was pretty horrible. The filming was very good, with the tiny clips to represent a whole process each time, and the way it got overwhelming during pivotal moments was very well done, though it was a little cheesy to have them all roll onto their sides at the end. Also, I may be wrong, but Harry's dream sequences reminded me too much of 'La Jetee' for it to seem like a coincidence. A very well done film, to be fair, just not that enjoyable because of the content. 3.5/5