Nov 02 2022
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Cinema, Film, Movie, Movies, Technology, Uncategorized

Event Horizon (1997). Crikey, this is terrible.

A total clichéfest after an almost absorbing first 10 minutes and admittedly impressive set design, this is one of those ‘cult movies’ that quite a few renowned movie critics admire. I believe they have been bribed by the producers or blackmailed or something. It’s the worst kind of B-movie in that everything in it is lifted from everything else, even down to the bizarre appearance of an Eddie Murphy lookalike as one of the ship’s crew; I did a double take and it took about a minute to realise it wasn’t him.

Not a developed character in the picture, the script bafflingly tries to compensate with constant jargon that the characters relay to the audience in order to inform us that we are stupid and not crew members on a spaceship. And it’s all so rushed it feels like the editors took speed during the latter half of the cutting sessions. 

Only reason I’m moaning about such a shitter is that a few cinephiles whom I respect have said it’s great.

They are very wrong.

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Nov 01 2022
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Art, Hip hop, Kanye West, Music, Uncategorized

Watch the Throne (2011) – throwback to this masterpiece.

The best collaborative album, and Kanye West at his peak. Apparently, he lost his mind or something recently.

Yes:

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Oct 30 2022
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Art, Cinema, Film, Movie, Movies, World War One

All Quiet on the Western Front (2022) is a terrible movie.

The 1930 original is an exercise in magisterial technique. You watch it and marvel how it was put together.

Whether the technique fits the script – most films fail at this – has always been an issue for your reviewer, and as we’re talking about WWI films, the pointless 1917 (2019) is an infuriating venture into needless aesthetics. 

Sadly, I hated this movie. It was the definition of mawkish and naive, the soldiers wee gullible pups with identikit snarling chops, marching about with big gormless grins on their proposed way to Paris. It was embarrassing to view. NO ONE behaves like this, and indoctrination isn’t that effective.

The score – annoying drums for no reason, interrupting the drama which could have been – was not good at all.

I also found it funny how the teacher looks the exact same as the Wilhelm II verbal-shagger from the Lewis Milestone corker – pathetic!

It’s a truly rubbish movie, a veritable Pick ‘n’ Mix of cliches and embarrassing reworkings of tropes from far superior fare.

I lost a lot of interest in all developments and contemplated my next viewing of Paths of Glory (1957).

Don’t bother with this.

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Oct 26 2022
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Art, Cinema, Film, Movie, Movies, Uncategorized, United States, Vietnam

Tigerland (2000).

A movie exclusively dedicated to Vietnam-era boot camp.

How did the director of Batman and Robin (1997) make this? But then again, he made Falling Down (1993) and The Lost Boys (1987). ‘Gritty’ gets overused in cinema and reviews of cinema, as if it’s a shortcut aesthetic to a decent film, but here it is decidedly gritty but for a reason and it works. It had to take the gritty approach; the opposite take on basic training is Kubrick.

Farrell is so natural and just … quality. Apparently, he auditioned for a boy band before plying his trade as an actor? I’m so glad he failed at the former. The rest of the cast: all excellent, and it’s rare to see each actor perfect for the role.

Proper drama, a gritty drama.

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Oct 23 2022
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Art, Cinema, Film, Movie, Movies, Uncategorized

The Banshees of Inisherin (2022).

Funny, indeed hilarious at times, sad, melancholic, and rather quite depressing, this is one grand odyssey into loneliness, boredom, and existential crisis that just isn’t spontaneous or … watchable enough to be up there with In Bruges (2008) or The Guard (2011), but it’s certainly something different. It takes so long to get going, though, and there’s only so much material you can draw from the Craggy Island setting.

Still, it’s better than most, and has the best performance by a donkey since Au Hasard Balthazar (1966).

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Oct 21 2022
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Art, Cinema, Film, Movie, Movies, Uncategorized, United States

Joy Ride (2001).

A taut thriller from a pre-smartphone era, the internet in its relative infancy, it’s exactly this disconnection which makes the premise genuinely creepy. Think Duel (1971) but with less sympathetic leads who kind of have it coming.

There’s a real sense of menace throughout this road trip from hell, and that’s in no small part to the spooky vocal talents of Ted Levine as ‘Rusty Nail’. Every time he decides to terrorise the trio down the CB radio, I couldn’t help but think of Buffalo Bill trying on his next arm cast.

Superb movie.

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Oct 17 2022
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Art, Cinema, Crime, Film, Movie, Movies

Memento (2000).

It’s hard to define Nolan’s style – he goes epic and wide-angle when the moment demands it, but mostly his syntax is economical and unobtrusive, non-showy. It almost always works because you’re drawn into the intricacies of the story. 

He has a thing for subject matter. Like the polymath Kubrick, you get the impression he’s autodidactically researched himself into a master of the topic. Memento (2000) defines Nolan at his very best. Immediately after watching I went on the usual internet binge. He seems to know most of his shit. 

The non-linear structure works to a tee because it makes sense. The complexities of the character and the realisation that he’s not some naive rookie vigilante are revealed so well you’d be forgiven for thinking this is the director’s 10th venture into movie making. 

And Joe Pantoliano is sublime. He always is. 

What happened to him? 

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Oct 13 2022
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Art, Cinema, Crime, Film, Movie, Movies, United States

Go (1999).

This is a who’s who of 1999 – Sarah Polley, Jay Mohr, Scott Wolf, and the loon film buff from Scream 2 (1997).

It’s a wee bit annoying that the characters don’t appear to be affected much by anything that happens but then the movie does exist in this enclosed Tarantino-World with its own parameters. I’ve also never even heard of supermarket employees living such ridiculous adventures. And it’s good to once again have a movie that reveals Las Vegas for what it is – a pointless mess of a city consisting of predators and losers. 

Revelation: I never knew William Fichtner could do comedy. He’s understatedly very amusing, his “ulterior motive” confession capping off the most awkward Christmas dinner ever.

Like all Doug Liman films, it’s a brisk affair, unpredictable and with a purposeful style that never wavers. 

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Oct 10 2022
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Uncategorized

Philip Seymour Hoffman walks away with Mission: Impossible III (2006).

Because he’s a thoroughly convincing sociopathic sleazeball who doesn’t give a hoot about his rep and the flab. He looks nuts and acts logically … which is kind of scary. 

Best scene: The Hoff being dangled upside down by our lad Cruise from a military transport plane and not being particularly bothered by it because he knows he’s too valuable to kill.

Scenes like this continue to contribute to the growing legend that is Hoffman and all discoveries that await new cinephiles.

He is still missed.

Oct 07 2022
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Art, Cinema, Crime, Film, Movie, Movies, Soviet Union, Uncategorized, United States, USSR

The Good Shepherd (2006).

Firstly, let’s get this out of the way: Angelina Jolie should not be in movies. She has no acting ability that has ever been evidenced in anything she has featured in. I mind that Sony Pictures hack years ago when a producer referred to her as a “minimally talented spoiled brat”. Sums the situation up. For some reason she is in movies, and was cast in this to put bums on seats, though I do question the sanity of folks who’d watch it for the delights of Jolie. She’s awful.

Now that’s cleared up, some positives. Like Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (2001), this was gripping without ever seeming to be about anything; it’s the little details and the intricacies and the things that are easily missed. It’s less a depiction of Cold War espionage and more a portrayal of a bloke operating within a system of double entendres, maintaining the poker face at all times (Damon is a cold fish here but we can see why).

De Niro hasn’t made many films and this one is curious subject matter. Of all the topics and milieus, I’d never imagined he’d be interested in something like this. It’s very well made, a bit of the Michael Mann about it.

Bobby should make more spy flicks.

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