Richard Curtis, creator of Four Weddings and a Funeral, Notting Hill, Love Actually, and the writer of that Van Gogh episode of Doctor Who, a British institution, a man capable of spreading warm fuzzies over scones and a pot of tea, serving it up in a couple of hours for joyous film entertainment. Basically, if you're down and feeling a bit glum and you're feeling like the world is a cruel and horrible place, watch anything with Richard Curtis' name attached and you will feel a sudden warm happy feeling.
About Time follows a standard theme, it's a love story, but it's also as much about the people around the core couple, populated with familiar tropes, but as an additional wrinkle there is the added aspect of time travel. Perhaps Curtis was so influenced by his love of Doctor Who (long time fan, great man) and decided to weave this into a story. But time travel isn't so much at the forefront of the story, as much as it is a story telling device, there is a whole load of rules to adhere to, but the time travel never really impedes massively on the story telling. It's a bit saccharine, but as I've previously mentioned, you're not going to see a Richard Curtis film to be challenged or thrilled; although there is a delightful sensation just by seeing things go right.
The film follows a formula, you can almost predict how certain things might unfold, but the film throws curveballs and delights in subverting expectations by tweaking things with the time travel allowing the main character to repeat a scene. Obviously it doesn't outstay it's welcome and the travel thing doesn't solve all his problems, and as time goes on our main character learns to live without such helpful redos.
Best place to start? Domhall Gleeson, to be from here, known as Ginger Hugh Grant. This guy is a great actor, and bless him, he is doing some great work here, but from the accent, to the social awkwardness, to the slightly squinty eyes, it's just all something a certain Hugh Grant gained fame for a couple decades ago in previous Curtis films. I adore this man, Gleeson (not Hugh Grant), he played Levin in the recent adaptation of Anna Karenina and was painfully underused (I understand why Levin's part wasn't as massive as it could have been, they basically used all of his essential moments but there was just never enough time...) and was also in Black Mirror earlier this year which was heartbreaking. As a romantic lead? He worked great, he was loveable sweet and just all around adorable... I think I'm in love.
Rachel McAdams, you are adorable, you are sweet, you possibly are the most beautiful creature on this planet, the exact lovely lady every man would want to take home to meet his mother. She just effuses warmth that woman, and is a perfect fit in this film. As for the rest of the cast? Well it's a line up of what is essentially a Curtis character countdown!
Tom Hollander is the curmudgeonly angry chap who is a standard misanthropic genius man, he hate everything but he goes along with everything and plays happy with people regardless because he's a softie underneath, obviously.
There is the main guy's sister, she's a bit batty, a bit mad and happy and quirky, a catalyst when things get a bit slow, also in a happy healthy brother/sister loving relationship, it's all good. Then there are the main character's friends, the ginger kid from Skins third generation (I nearly fell off the sofa wondering when the hell did he grow up?) and some dweeby chap he works with at the lawyer firm or something who is so criminally dumb I wonder how he is a lawyer, and most importantly if they hiring insanely idiotic people like him then either I a) have a chance as a lawyer finally using my history degree for good and not ... absolutely nothing, or b) my theory about nepotism ruling the entire universe stands tall and I should just give up.
Other thoughts? Uhhh... It's just a great film. Why? Because even though I really hate voiceovers. I loathe them... but Curtis seems to rely so heavily on them with his affable male leads - Hugh Grant usually, narrating the main themes of the story being told, just to make sure the people with even the lowest attention spans can grasp what it is the film is about. About Time? It's about appreciating what you have, living every day by just being a nice person and spreading good feelings wherever you go. Basically, be nice and happy and everything will turn out alright? Such a cliche, but people forget to just be nice nowadays it's just so pleasant to be in the company of a film which wants everyone to just smile and be happy.
About Time is a standard British film, and everything about it, from the scenery, to the people, to the situations, are all achingly charming and delightful. It's set in an ideal beautiful world where people learn from their lessons and gradually grow and become better people, it wants you to do the same, it wants to take your hand and say, be the better person! What's wrong with that? Let's all be nicer and happier! I felt so much happier after seeing this film. Sure, you could say, it's all manipulation, but it comes from a man who honestly just wants everyone to just smile and be loved, because it's the entire body of his work which says this over and over, I don't think he is manipulating me, he's just trying to share his life view. There aren't many films like this nowadays, brimming with optimism and love, and it's just really nice to know that I can rely on someone to keep providing me with them, and keep me smiling. Cheers Curtis.
Tuesday, 17 September 2013
Thursday, 12 September 2013
The Way Way Back
Films with Sam Rockwell are 80% better, fact. Every now and again a film comes along which infinitely lifted to a higher plane by the inclusion of Sam Rockwell, nothing has ever been more true than with this film, although Seven Psychopaths comes to mind too... Right so I have no real indication of what I should say about this film apart from, every second of Sam Rockwell is pure electricity. Well actually a person at work the other day say they saw it and declared they had no idea who a certain someone was and were impressed by the way he essentially stole every scene. So what else do you need to know?
Well, Jim Rash and Nat Faxon wrote and directed the film about a teenage boy's summer of emotions. Mum is with a jackass played by Steve Carrell, there was just so little acting involved in this role, he wasn't doing anything, it was such a lame role, easy man to loathe, nothing interesting to take away from it, boring. Then there is Toni Collette being harried and emotional, to be fair she has always excelled at this since Muriel's Wedding; I've never forgiven her for making my feelings so sad. Then there is the kids, totally non-descript, the girl who now plays younger Carrie. Most importantly Jim Rash and Nat Faxon make appearances in their own film, Jim Rash plays socially awkward pain in the bum member of staff, everyone takes great joy in mocking him, we all get a good laugh. Nat Faxon is best bud and all around nice guy and gets to do a nice Ben from Ben and Kate style list of dance moves, damn memories... Obviously it's only interesting to me that Nat Faxon's co-star Dakota Johnson who played Kate in Ben and Kate (a show I did not want to be cancelled.) has been cast as Anastasia Steele in the 50 Shades of Grey film opposite the delectable Charlie Hunman, not that I would go see that trash... Oh and I would be remiss if I didn't mention that Jim Rash is Dean Pelton from Community but everyone in the entire universe knows this. Maya Rudolph is the most hard working member of staff at the water park and she bounces off Sam Rockwell delightfully. Alison Janney is playing the best female role being a fantastically terrible person who for all their insane faults is still likeable. Then there's the kid with the lazy eye who is great.
This is a film which encapsulates that summer feeling and brings us a reminder that Water Parks are essentially awesome, but then when you actually drag your bum around one all day it's in actuality the biggest load of awkward rubbish ever... Then this is combined with hanging around adults who are all essentially all drunk randy fools, and about as idiotic at teenagers but with worse manners. It's great that the socially uncertain kid with the broken home can find some joy in this world considering his life is an omnishambles at this particular moment. Sadly enough even though it's September this is a distinctly summer film. Then there is the amount of shots of the kid sitting in the car looking stoically emotional...
As far as characters go everyone comes as either bland or simplistic. Which is fine but when you've got bottled fireworks in the form of Sam Rockwell with his magical charisma and awesome glittering through every scene it's so hard for anyone else to compare. Once again, I can't stress this enough, Sam Rockwell is a force of nature. I adore him. I implore you to see this film just for him alone, I know I see most films with Sam Rockwell in just because his name is attached to it, he is perfection. It's a pleasant way to spend an afternoon, and puts a smile on your face sure. Sure it's predictable, but it's fun and sweet and I enjoyed it.
Well, Jim Rash and Nat Faxon wrote and directed the film about a teenage boy's summer of emotions. Mum is with a jackass played by Steve Carrell, there was just so little acting involved in this role, he wasn't doing anything, it was such a lame role, easy man to loathe, nothing interesting to take away from it, boring. Then there is Toni Collette being harried and emotional, to be fair she has always excelled at this since Muriel's Wedding; I've never forgiven her for making my feelings so sad. Then there is the kids, totally non-descript, the girl who now plays younger Carrie. Most importantly Jim Rash and Nat Faxon make appearances in their own film, Jim Rash plays socially awkward pain in the bum member of staff, everyone takes great joy in mocking him, we all get a good laugh. Nat Faxon is best bud and all around nice guy and gets to do a nice Ben from Ben and Kate style list of dance moves, damn memories... Obviously it's only interesting to me that Nat Faxon's co-star Dakota Johnson who played Kate in Ben and Kate (a show I did not want to be cancelled.) has been cast as Anastasia Steele in the 50 Shades of Grey film opposite the delectable Charlie Hunman, not that I would go see that trash... Oh and I would be remiss if I didn't mention that Jim Rash is Dean Pelton from Community but everyone in the entire universe knows this. Maya Rudolph is the most hard working member of staff at the water park and she bounces off Sam Rockwell delightfully. Alison Janney is playing the best female role being a fantastically terrible person who for all their insane faults is still likeable. Then there's the kid with the lazy eye who is great.
This is a film which encapsulates that summer feeling and brings us a reminder that Water Parks are essentially awesome, but then when you actually drag your bum around one all day it's in actuality the biggest load of awkward rubbish ever... Then this is combined with hanging around adults who are all essentially all drunk randy fools, and about as idiotic at teenagers but with worse manners. It's great that the socially uncertain kid with the broken home can find some joy in this world considering his life is an omnishambles at this particular moment. Sadly enough even though it's September this is a distinctly summer film. Then there is the amount of shots of the kid sitting in the car looking stoically emotional...
As far as characters go everyone comes as either bland or simplistic. Which is fine but when you've got bottled fireworks in the form of Sam Rockwell with his magical charisma and awesome glittering through every scene it's so hard for anyone else to compare. Once again, I can't stress this enough, Sam Rockwell is a force of nature. I adore him. I implore you to see this film just for him alone, I know I see most films with Sam Rockwell in just because his name is attached to it, he is perfection. It's a pleasant way to spend an afternoon, and puts a smile on your face sure. Sure it's predictable, but it's fun and sweet and I enjoyed it.
Tuesday, 3 September 2013
The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones
Now there is one reason I went to see this film, and I should probably be ashamed to say this; I have a ridiculously inappropriate girl-crush on Lily Collins. She is literally the most beautiful thing in this world at the minute, Lord knows how Phil Collins of all people managed to spawn such a delightfully gorgeous little nymph.
If there was anything worth saying about this film, well I would have said it by now, and I've been sitting on this blog all week waiting to figure out what exactly I want to say. Obviously Miss Collins would not even be acknowledged weren't it for her prestigious parentage, but hey, the whole eyebrow sensation and the impeccable fashion sense are doing her favours. I can't say she's a dreadful actress, in fact she's good at beguiling looks and pained expressions, there is a distinct lack of charisma, but when she looks so damn good, well it doesn't really matter does it. Considering a good chunk of the film is spent basically just looking at her, and getting her to dress up in various outfits and looking damn good regardless of how gothic things get I think she does quite well. She even acknowledges how ridiculous the outfit they put her in as she yanks off those crazy thigh high boots at one point, but then she has to put them back on again, for safety's sake, in case she steps on something sharp, like a stiletto heel... Apart from that she is just pretty... And that's all films are about lately, casting extremely pretty people in pointless roles.
What was I even talking about? Oh right! The film! This film is so boring... I forgot sleeping was an option after paying for the ticket. There are certain segments where I was so bored with what was going on I was just looking at film errors, like the blatant green screen seam, or the fact that Lily Collins has red hair dye staining her forehead from recent touch ups to keep that unnatural shade vibrant. Is gothic culture that intriguing? Do we all need to be clad in leather with garish tattoos to hunt demons? Is that necessary? Why don't people just dress normally?
The only normal thing about the film was Robert Sheehan, and he was given, unrequited best bud role which just made him look emasculated and lame. Plus he clearly has a vampire bite and doesn't need his glasses later on in this film, do we get any resolution on that? Also speaking of problems with the plot. Incest? Really? Lane Pryce made a point of telling gothic, never convincing, Henry VIII to just flat out lie to the kids about their parentage, but that whole turning the ring around so the W was an M or whatever, well that was just damn convincing. Obviously it's a thread that is completely ignored at the end, they'll have their forbidden love regardless. It just made me feel uncomfortable for the rest of the film because it's just thrown in there as a complication for them to overcome, but it's just... Well, it just didn't work on any level. I'm not that squeamish when it comes to these things, I fricking love The Borgias, but this just failed on so many levels.
I really have little else to say about this film except it's been done. Love Triangle, check, teenage girl discovering supernatural powers, check, girl discovering her natural abilities far surpass that of anyone who has trained their whole lives just to piss off everyone, check, gay for flavour, check, gothic everything, check, Aidan Turner as a werewolf, check (damn hot one at that...)
Bored. I'll be off...
If there was anything worth saying about this film, well I would have said it by now, and I've been sitting on this blog all week waiting to figure out what exactly I want to say. Obviously Miss Collins would not even be acknowledged weren't it for her prestigious parentage, but hey, the whole eyebrow sensation and the impeccable fashion sense are doing her favours. I can't say she's a dreadful actress, in fact she's good at beguiling looks and pained expressions, there is a distinct lack of charisma, but when she looks so damn good, well it doesn't really matter does it. Considering a good chunk of the film is spent basically just looking at her, and getting her to dress up in various outfits and looking damn good regardless of how gothic things get I think she does quite well. She even acknowledges how ridiculous the outfit they put her in as she yanks off those crazy thigh high boots at one point, but then she has to put them back on again, for safety's sake, in case she steps on something sharp, like a stiletto heel... Apart from that she is just pretty... And that's all films are about lately, casting extremely pretty people in pointless roles.
What was I even talking about? Oh right! The film! This film is so boring... I forgot sleeping was an option after paying for the ticket. There are certain segments where I was so bored with what was going on I was just looking at film errors, like the blatant green screen seam, or the fact that Lily Collins has red hair dye staining her forehead from recent touch ups to keep that unnatural shade vibrant. Is gothic culture that intriguing? Do we all need to be clad in leather with garish tattoos to hunt demons? Is that necessary? Why don't people just dress normally?
The only normal thing about the film was Robert Sheehan, and he was given, unrequited best bud role which just made him look emasculated and lame. Plus he clearly has a vampire bite and doesn't need his glasses later on in this film, do we get any resolution on that? Also speaking of problems with the plot. Incest? Really? Lane Pryce made a point of telling gothic, never convincing, Henry VIII to just flat out lie to the kids about their parentage, but that whole turning the ring around so the W was an M or whatever, well that was just damn convincing. Obviously it's a thread that is completely ignored at the end, they'll have their forbidden love regardless. It just made me feel uncomfortable for the rest of the film because it's just thrown in there as a complication for them to overcome, but it's just... Well, it just didn't work on any level. I'm not that squeamish when it comes to these things, I fricking love The Borgias, but this just failed on so many levels.
I really have little else to say about this film except it's been done. Love Triangle, check, teenage girl discovering supernatural powers, check, girl discovering her natural abilities far surpass that of anyone who has trained their whole lives just to piss off everyone, check, gay for flavour, check, gothic everything, check, Aidan Turner as a werewolf, check (damn hot one at that...)
Bored. I'll be off...
Wednesday, 21 August 2013
Alpha Papa
Alan Partridge has, and will forever, hold the title of most British comedy character ever. Perhaps it's my skewed vision of the world, but the middle aged, self-obsessed, despicably obtuse, high and mighty caricature is just perfection. You're now going to assume I loved this film, because I love garish knits and sharp humour, you'd not be far off. I have few complaints about this film aside from the fact that it doesn't outstay it's welcome, at 90 minutes you might not be getting your money's worth but they squeeze every minute with as much fun as they can. To be honest it gets a bit ridiculous after a certain point and the material could have probably been condensed into an hour long TV special, but hey it's still got some quality jokes in there. I could just watch this all day to be honest, I love a bit of Alan Partridge, especially when Michael the Geordie is around, and let's be perfectly honest, the laugh per minute ratio is greatly increased when there is a northern accent anywhere in British comedy, not that I'm personally biased or anything.
Anything with Armando Iannucci's name within spitting distance of it is usually guaranteed slick black humour of the highest nature, skewering those with the biggest of egos and none have bigger egos than the behemoth of Alan Partridge. Iannucci has been busy making Veep over the water (which is beyond fantastic) so it's nice to see him coming back to something so good, you know, now that The Thick of It is officially over and Malcolm Tucker has received the keys to the TARDIS and whatnot...
To be honest, I saw this about a week ago and whilst I laughed raucously at many of the painfully inappropriate statements made, and one fantastic jingle, it hasn't stayed with me as much as I'd have liked. I want to be quoting the damn thing, I want to want to see it again and cry laughing with each rewatch - but Iannucci and Alan Patridge aren't those kind of comics. They don't spout catchphrases or make easy to repeat jokes, they have biting retorts and precision timing at hand which I lack in the day to day. I'm not desperate to watch the film again, there are sections that are not to my brand of humour, a nudity scene springs immediately to mind, but the jokes that made me laugh did so quite loudly in the cinema. Mainly from Michael the Geordie, and there was a couple of shit jokes in there too (pun intended.)
It's a funny film, and it's great to see Steve Coogan effortlessly portray such a brilliant character, but it's not a particularly memorable outing, which is a shame.
Anything with Armando Iannucci's name within spitting distance of it is usually guaranteed slick black humour of the highest nature, skewering those with the biggest of egos and none have bigger egos than the behemoth of Alan Partridge. Iannucci has been busy making Veep over the water (which is beyond fantastic) so it's nice to see him coming back to something so good, you know, now that The Thick of It is officially over and Malcolm Tucker has received the keys to the TARDIS and whatnot...
To be honest, I saw this about a week ago and whilst I laughed raucously at many of the painfully inappropriate statements made, and one fantastic jingle, it hasn't stayed with me as much as I'd have liked. I want to be quoting the damn thing, I want to want to see it again and cry laughing with each rewatch - but Iannucci and Alan Patridge aren't those kind of comics. They don't spout catchphrases or make easy to repeat jokes, they have biting retorts and precision timing at hand which I lack in the day to day. I'm not desperate to watch the film again, there are sections that are not to my brand of humour, a nudity scene springs immediately to mind, but the jokes that made me laugh did so quite loudly in the cinema. Mainly from Michael the Geordie, and there was a couple of shit jokes in there too (pun intended.)
It's a funny film, and it's great to see Steve Coogan effortlessly portray such a brilliant character, but it's not a particularly memorable outing, which is a shame.
Wednesday, 24 July 2013
The World's End
Part three of the infamous 'Cornetto Trilogy' the final act following the tough to follow, timeless Shaun of the Dead and the delightfully demented Hot Fuzz, it was never going to be an easy ride. Oh man, why was I so excited, why did I feel so disappointed. I'll level with you, it wasn't as good the previous entries to the 'Trilogy' of 'Blood and Ice Cream'. It would probably be enough to leave my blog right there, but I'll go into detail, largely because babbling on here is the most fun I can have sometimes.
Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz were flat out genius, how the hell do you compare to that exactly?
You quite simply can't it would seem because World's End just doesn't, but it's still a decent film, a slice of fried gold so to speak, but still when you're slapping it on the end of two excellent pieces of cinemas you're going to be sorely disappointed. The creators themselves invite the comparisons and therefore it's incredibly difficult not to see them and acknowledge them.
It's a funny film but it has the issue of telling most of it's funny jokes in the trailers and giving away the biggest conceit in the film. Shaun of the Dead - Zombies, Hot Fuzz - police/mad conspiracy, The World's End - Invasion of the Body Snatchers? Except... I'm not 100% on any motive. Zombies don't ask for motive, Hot Fuzz is one of the best written films without a doubt in years, and it also has the added bonus of Timothy Dalton overseeing proceedings.
Speaking of actors, there are so many damn cameos in this film! Mark Heap is barely in it, but there he is! Plus Rafe Spall has the tiniest of head nods and there are obviously the main players as Martin Freeman is bumped up to lead role position, as is Paddy Considine, so there's a few helpful nods from the past, not least a flash of a Cornetto wrapper. Except there are a few differences this time round, most of the characters are thinly drawn individuals, but the best character by and large is Simon Pegg's Gary King, the rest are just along for the ride, which is basically the main plot of the film. In fact, there is very little else going on in this film apart from one deluded man and his quest to reshape the past.
You can't just build a film around Gary King, although I'm sure Gary King would bloody love that idea. A good chunk of all of the film's jokes come solely from him, which is fine, he's funny, not laugh out loud funny but he more than gives us enough to work with by being an arsehole and holy hell is Simon Pegg absolutely killing it in that role. But the rest of the characters get short shrift, poor Martin Freeman, I almost feel bad for him... Then there is Nick Frost, who in this instance is forced to play the straight man to Pegg's maniac, usually it's the other way around but this time Frost is devoid of anything interesting to do aside from use some bar stools creatively in a brawl - sure the bromance and their lover's quarrel is somewhat expected but it doesn't feel particularly earned. Luckily the ineffable Paddy Considine fares better as the epitome of 'the good looking one' - which is fine, he's damn good looking, and talented. In fact I'm glad he was taken along for most of the ride just so I could observe his beyond gorgeous face and a flash of bum ('very nice'), he also gets some of the better ensemble jokes, specifically one about a misspelled Gary King. Eddie Marsan is the quiet meek rich kid that grew up to be the meek silly quiet guy. Then we also have a female just because, well there has to be a female surely? Rosamund Pike fills the role and does... Well not a whole damn lot apart from be something for the boys to argue over, I don't think this film would pass the Bechdel Test, but it's a blokey film and I was more than prepared for that. Plus, I spent most of my time objectifying Paddy Considine... I am blatantly turning into a dirty old woman. I apologise.
There could be something interesting going on here but it's all a bit muddled. The film feels like pointing out that the robots aren't robots, there are just replacements, for the most polite invasion ever, except they chase people around attack them and try to force them to convert, well it lost me... It's also heavily emphasised that Gary King is a messed up man with delusions far beyond anyone's comprehension, he can't be trusted and he is above all else a raging alcoholic, and YET the characters follow him around, acknowledging that it's beyond ridiculous but it keeps the plot on the rail-road tracks. The film tries to hammer home the malaise of returning to a place called home and discovering it doesn't hold that same feeling, nor will it ever again. It has a crack at the troubles with growing up but then it also throws in, we're all fuck-ups and even into middle age should be allowed to have a good time and mess around, but then the end kind of just messes around with that and makes it seem less of a good idea. To be perfectly honest it's just a bloody mess! Which is a shame after the incredibly tightly scripted Hot Fuzz and Shaun of the Dead. There is a lot of plates whirring but nothing really to care about and the end, oh god the end... It's just a mish-mash and it doesn't seem to care that it's not making any sense, in fact it acknowledges that, but it's more bothered about sinking another pint at the next pub.
In speaking to many people about this film it's apparent out of the Cornetto Trilogy, or the 'Blood and Ice Cream' films, everyone has their particular favourite, and some say The World's End surpasses it's predecessors, well I wouldn't say that, but some people think so. But my argument stands that the point of the previous films were loving homages to specific genres skewering them with a particularly British brand of humour, but The World's End doesn't really do that, not to my knowledge anyway, the core idea is flimsier, the story isn't as good and the references are if anything lost on me which is a shame.
But my main feeling from watching this film was that a lot of the jokes were based around nostalgia, the whole film in fact in steeped in nostalgia and there is a joy of picking out little notes from the previous films and seeing familiar faces, and similar jokes (as ever Simon Pegg has to jump over a fence), but it just wasn't the same, it didn't feel as good or as amazing as before. If anything that makes the film a work of sheer genius, making a film about returning to your home town where things are the same but just don't feel quite right and things just end up being disappointing - people go to see The World's End expecting it to be as good and amazing as the previous films, and it feels like them, but there's something missing, it doesn't quite click, things feel different in a bad way... If that is exactly what Simon Pegg and Edgar Wright were aiming to do, then 'Bravo' is all I can say. The whole film is a metaphor! I've blown this whole thing wide open, I figured it out! Still doesn't mean this film is the best they've ever made, but perfection isn't easy, and this is a good example, they've delivered up to this point and just stumbled at the finishing line.
I'm being so harsh because I know what these guys are capable of, and this just isn't their best. Damn, it's good, it's funny, but it's not as good as it could have been, although I wouldn't know what else to do with it or where to go... So hey, if you want a laugh it's still the funniest comedy I've seen this year so that's something, frankly I'll be watching Hot Fuzz/Shaun of the Dead on ITV2, ta very much.
Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz were flat out genius, how the hell do you compare to that exactly?
You quite simply can't it would seem because World's End just doesn't, but it's still a decent film, a slice of fried gold so to speak, but still when you're slapping it on the end of two excellent pieces of cinemas you're going to be sorely disappointed. The creators themselves invite the comparisons and therefore it's incredibly difficult not to see them and acknowledge them.
It's a funny film but it has the issue of telling most of it's funny jokes in the trailers and giving away the biggest conceit in the film. Shaun of the Dead - Zombies, Hot Fuzz - police/mad conspiracy, The World's End - Invasion of the Body Snatchers? Except... I'm not 100% on any motive. Zombies don't ask for motive, Hot Fuzz is one of the best written films without a doubt in years, and it also has the added bonus of Timothy Dalton overseeing proceedings.
Speaking of actors, there are so many damn cameos in this film! Mark Heap is barely in it, but there he is! Plus Rafe Spall has the tiniest of head nods and there are obviously the main players as Martin Freeman is bumped up to lead role position, as is Paddy Considine, so there's a few helpful nods from the past, not least a flash of a Cornetto wrapper. Except there are a few differences this time round, most of the characters are thinly drawn individuals, but the best character by and large is Simon Pegg's Gary King, the rest are just along for the ride, which is basically the main plot of the film. In fact, there is very little else going on in this film apart from one deluded man and his quest to reshape the past.
You can't just build a film around Gary King, although I'm sure Gary King would bloody love that idea. A good chunk of all of the film's jokes come solely from him, which is fine, he's funny, not laugh out loud funny but he more than gives us enough to work with by being an arsehole and holy hell is Simon Pegg absolutely killing it in that role. But the rest of the characters get short shrift, poor Martin Freeman, I almost feel bad for him... Then there is Nick Frost, who in this instance is forced to play the straight man to Pegg's maniac, usually it's the other way around but this time Frost is devoid of anything interesting to do aside from use some bar stools creatively in a brawl - sure the bromance and their lover's quarrel is somewhat expected but it doesn't feel particularly earned. Luckily the ineffable Paddy Considine fares better as the epitome of 'the good looking one' - which is fine, he's damn good looking, and talented. In fact I'm glad he was taken along for most of the ride just so I could observe his beyond gorgeous face and a flash of bum ('very nice'), he also gets some of the better ensemble jokes, specifically one about a misspelled Gary King. Eddie Marsan is the quiet meek rich kid that grew up to be the meek silly quiet guy. Then we also have a female just because, well there has to be a female surely? Rosamund Pike fills the role and does... Well not a whole damn lot apart from be something for the boys to argue over, I don't think this film would pass the Bechdel Test, but it's a blokey film and I was more than prepared for that. Plus, I spent most of my time objectifying Paddy Considine... I am blatantly turning into a dirty old woman. I apologise.
There could be something interesting going on here but it's all a bit muddled. The film feels like pointing out that the robots aren't robots, there are just replacements, for the most polite invasion ever, except they chase people around attack them and try to force them to convert, well it lost me... It's also heavily emphasised that Gary King is a messed up man with delusions far beyond anyone's comprehension, he can't be trusted and he is above all else a raging alcoholic, and YET the characters follow him around, acknowledging that it's beyond ridiculous but it keeps the plot on the rail-road tracks. The film tries to hammer home the malaise of returning to a place called home and discovering it doesn't hold that same feeling, nor will it ever again. It has a crack at the troubles with growing up but then it also throws in, we're all fuck-ups and even into middle age should be allowed to have a good time and mess around, but then the end kind of just messes around with that and makes it seem less of a good idea. To be perfectly honest it's just a bloody mess! Which is a shame after the incredibly tightly scripted Hot Fuzz and Shaun of the Dead. There is a lot of plates whirring but nothing really to care about and the end, oh god the end... It's just a mish-mash and it doesn't seem to care that it's not making any sense, in fact it acknowledges that, but it's more bothered about sinking another pint at the next pub.
In speaking to many people about this film it's apparent out of the Cornetto Trilogy, or the 'Blood and Ice Cream' films, everyone has their particular favourite, and some say The World's End surpasses it's predecessors, well I wouldn't say that, but some people think so. But my argument stands that the point of the previous films were loving homages to specific genres skewering them with a particularly British brand of humour, but The World's End doesn't really do that, not to my knowledge anyway, the core idea is flimsier, the story isn't as good and the references are if anything lost on me which is a shame.
But my main feeling from watching this film was that a lot of the jokes were based around nostalgia, the whole film in fact in steeped in nostalgia and there is a joy of picking out little notes from the previous films and seeing familiar faces, and similar jokes (as ever Simon Pegg has to jump over a fence), but it just wasn't the same, it didn't feel as good or as amazing as before. If anything that makes the film a work of sheer genius, making a film about returning to your home town where things are the same but just don't feel quite right and things just end up being disappointing - people go to see The World's End expecting it to be as good and amazing as the previous films, and it feels like them, but there's something missing, it doesn't quite click, things feel different in a bad way... If that is exactly what Simon Pegg and Edgar Wright were aiming to do, then 'Bravo' is all I can say. The whole film is a metaphor! I've blown this whole thing wide open, I figured it out! Still doesn't mean this film is the best they've ever made, but perfection isn't easy, and this is a good example, they've delivered up to this point and just stumbled at the finishing line.
I'm being so harsh because I know what these guys are capable of, and this just isn't their best. Damn, it's good, it's funny, but it's not as good as it could have been, although I wouldn't know what else to do with it or where to go... So hey, if you want a laugh it's still the funniest comedy I've seen this year so that's something, frankly I'll be watching Hot Fuzz/Shaun of the Dead on ITV2, ta very much.
Thursday, 18 July 2013
Emmys - 2013 Nominations
I just want to join the masses and voice my outrage that neither Hannibal or Orphan Black received any recognition. I get that Orphan Black is a less prolific show on a less acknowledged network but Tatiana Maslany should and must be recognised for her remarkable achievement, damnit she made that show not only watchable but outstanding! Then Hannibal, there are no words, neither Hugh Dancy or Mads Mikkelsen being nominated and then the cinematography, it was simply mindblowingly good!
Also a small shout out to New Girl and it's second year, building on a set of characters, the writers have crafted realistic and loveable people to root for, as well as the acting being top notch. Also Emmy Rossum has once again been snubbed for being the lifeblood that still keeps the US version of Shameless actually interesting.
But then again, I don't honestly know what I was expecting... The stalwarts and David Fincher pretty much took all the spaces. Also shout outs for Vera Farmiga and Jason Bateman for their nods, good times. I also hope Breaking Bad sweeps in it's final year, unless the second half of the season counts for next year?
Also a small shout out to New Girl and it's second year, building on a set of characters, the writers have crafted realistic and loveable people to root for, as well as the acting being top notch. Also Emmy Rossum has once again been snubbed for being the lifeblood that still keeps the US version of Shameless actually interesting.
But then again, I don't honestly know what I was expecting... The stalwarts and David Fincher pretty much took all the spaces. Also shout outs for Vera Farmiga and Jason Bateman for their nods, good times. I also hope Breaking Bad sweeps in it's final year, unless the second half of the season counts for next year?
Pacific Rim
Let me tell you something immediately, why the hell is this film called Pacific Rim? I get it, there's a rift on the ocean floor of the Pacific Ocean, but in Britain, we use the word 'rim' for other purposes. It's a known fact that the English language can be melded into any kind of innuendo, everybody I've ever known has been a variation of the Todd from Scrubs, literally everyone can turn any given statement into something rude with enough thought and sniggering, if not, well they just aren't trying hard enough. Minds in the gutter. So here we are, Pacific Rim, it was literally just too easy. I mean come on. (See also: Snatch, Hurt Locker, Golden Eye, more may come to mind later...)
This was a halfway decent film. I would go as far as to say I actually enjoyed it. Guillermo Del Toro is one of those special people I would describe as an auteur, his fingerprints are all over this project and he has such massive creative control, it's so easy to collar this as one of his films, but there's a distinct difference, there's a huge massive crazy blockbuster budget! There are flashes of brilliance shining through the bellicose insanity taking place in this film. It's the biggest project Del Toro has had to date and clearly the most money he has had to play with and there is fight sequence slap-bang in the middle of this film which is sheer entertainment, it's jaw-dropping, it's thrilling, sure it makes no sense out of context, but the whole scene is so damn good I would let it off and pay for the ticket price alone just to watch that particular scene again. Unfortunately the rest of the film doesn't quite match up to that particular twenty minutes, which is a shame because when it's firing on all cylinders and we see such a good sequence which galvanises everything to this point and pulls us to the final act, it's quite disheartening to see the rest not quite match up.
Pacific Rim is big hulking concept, but who cares when all you have to understand is that there are giant robots scrapping with big bulbous crazy monsters from under the sea. According to my sources there is a whole wealth of exposition that was left out even from the well paced introduction, but hey overloading people with this stuff wouldn't be very thrilling. I described it to a customer as a big action film, much like Godzilla meets Transformers, she let out a loud squeal and said 'Oh no, not for me.' I think the very concept made her want to run away screaming, well she did let out a little scream and then tottered away. Oh right, just to add to that, Kanye West has declared it his favourite film, of course from his aesthetic, he would love something with neon colours and destruction; does this tarnish the film for me? Would I be that petty? Would you? Food for thought.
My point being, this film won't appeal to everyone, and for the most part it almost didn't really appeal to me, but hey Guillermo Del Toro did such a damn good job with Hellboy, and Pan's Labyrinth was such a dark delight, I trusted his judgement. But the lesson here is, bigger doesn't necessarily mean better. The magic of Pan's Labyrinth was how genuinely terrified the scene with the Pale Man made me feel, it was essentially a skinny bald guy chasing a girl down a corridor, it was so much cheaper but my god was it gloriously effective. Not once did I react as strongly Pacific Rim.
I don't want to call Pacific Rim mediocre because it's still a much more interesting concept than the standard popcorn fodder I've deigned to sit through the past few weeks. In fact out of the big blockbusters I would say it was the most interesting and visually immersing than anything wearing a cape I have watched of late.
There are too many spinning wheels too many cogs turning for Pacific Rim to be a fully realised experience, the main characters cause me a bit of a headache, there is the whole science-y part, there's the tentative but ultimately weak romance, there's emotional scars all the characters are trying to carry, there's the fact that the Kaijus are mostly indistinguishable and for giant monsters to not really see much of a difference can confusing, sometimes it's hard to determine just what is taking place on screen, but let's take all that and admit; you can't deny it's ambition.
Idris Elba, king of 'Don't you ever touch me again, oh and one more thing, don't ever touch me again.' Luther* excels at giving the film a level of gravitas that the giant rock-em sock-em robots don't quite manage, the man can literally fill the screen with his presence, he is something else and I'm so glad he's been given something meaty to work with after a scant role in the dreadful Prometheus. Obviously apart from him and the much loved Charlie Day from Always Sunny in Philadelphia, there is nothing exciting about the roles on offer in this film. The lead male is played by Charlie Hunman, he's actually a local lad from Newcastle which feels like home to me at least, I have great respect for anyone with Northern roots (see: Gina McKee), unfortunately all of that is stripped away and replaced with a gravelly standard American accent, that's fine, but he suffers the same fate as Emma Watson with her accent-changes, he literally cannot emote for the life of him with the voice. Which is fine, he's a standard heroic type with a deep pain to tackle and a knack for kicking people in. Then there is his romantic interest, she was in Babel, and as far as romances go this one is straining for credibility. Sure there is a wisp of chemistry between the pair but let's just back up a second.
A unique aspect of powering up the giant robots to contend with the big ole beasties smashing the Earth to pieces, they need two pilots who need to be connected by the brain to control the giant mechs, this is used satisfactorily to tie up the 'getting rid of the monsters for good' conceit and it's just overall a pretty nifty idea which is mostly well executed; it comes with a set of rules. One of the rules is that the two people combining their minds have to have a strong connection 'the stronger the connection the better the fighter' or something to that effect. The two leads barely have any contact apart from the walk and talk, the gaping at each other in a corridor flirting and whacking at one another with sticks, does that a strong connection make? Since when? Was there not enough time to throw in a tiny bit of body contact with out, ahem, wooden sticks? I know it's not that kind of a film, and hey getting horizontal does not a romance make, but I couldn't really see their connection very well, and for their partnership to work there had to be something more to grasp onto surely? There are brother et brother, father et son, a bunch of basketball chums (I think...) two old Ruskie chums, but the presumably most proficient machine is being manned by two people who barely know one another, sure, as it turns out they are pretty damn efficient in the end but godamn, the amount of time spent with them, we don't see much of their 'strong' connection, the film tries pretty hard to set it up, but it doesn't really work... Possibly because the material given to the actors wasn't enough, or perhaps the actors had so little chemistry it was just assumed we'd accept it. I just don't get it, call me idiotic. Never mind...
Then there is the whole science-y part, I'm not going to go into great detail about it but stock scientist archetypes working through their theories to provide a decent plan was just a bit bleh... Funny to a degree but still achingly standard.
Pacific Rim as a film certainly has it's problems, there are some timing issues which is hampered by a pretty much failed attempt at fleshing out some of the characters which mostly just falls apart. Then there is the fact that out of the action sequences the best one is in the middle of the film, we see all four Jaegers taking to the field and watch as two quite interesting monsters shred through them, then it goes from the ocean to the city, just basically the whole sequence was awesome, the film before that was set up, the film after that was just a bit disappointing. It also mostly set at night in the rain, it's a film that's desperate to be seen in 3D (which I avoided) and for once I was a bit disappointed I didn't see it in that form because I can imagine the added depth to certain sequences might have aided it, because damn it's a beautiful film, my brain will be filled with images of neon brightly coloured streets glowing in the midnight rain, as giant mechs attack indistinguishable squishy monsters. But hey just to change it up a tiny bit, why not see a sequence in the daylight? Or would that be more difficult...?
Del Toro's personality shines through in each shot, visually it's a stunning film and it's sometimes quite breathtaking to observe, but it's also a film, lest we forget, about giant robots punching giant monsters, and that's all it will be remembered for, because for the most part, that's what it did best. I do believe we have learned that in this regard bigger isn't always better, but I would warrant that this is a learning curve for Del Toro, and he can only get better, it feels like he literally went mad with the amount of money he had to make this film and he enjoyed every second, and that beams through the screens, he's having a damn good time. Sure most people won't really see what all the excitement is about, but letting this man loose can only mean good things, and perhaps this is a step in a direction that could lead to great things. Pacific Rim has made me optimistic for the future, and it's just good to know that Del Toro has an infinite imagination and a good sense of humour, it'll serve him well because I really think this could lead to something very interesting.
*What do you mean you've never watched Luther, I implore you to go forth now and watch it!
This was a halfway decent film. I would go as far as to say I actually enjoyed it. Guillermo Del Toro is one of those special people I would describe as an auteur, his fingerprints are all over this project and he has such massive creative control, it's so easy to collar this as one of his films, but there's a distinct difference, there's a huge massive crazy blockbuster budget! There are flashes of brilliance shining through the bellicose insanity taking place in this film. It's the biggest project Del Toro has had to date and clearly the most money he has had to play with and there is fight sequence slap-bang in the middle of this film which is sheer entertainment, it's jaw-dropping, it's thrilling, sure it makes no sense out of context, but the whole scene is so damn good I would let it off and pay for the ticket price alone just to watch that particular scene again. Unfortunately the rest of the film doesn't quite match up to that particular twenty minutes, which is a shame because when it's firing on all cylinders and we see such a good sequence which galvanises everything to this point and pulls us to the final act, it's quite disheartening to see the rest not quite match up.
Pacific Rim is big hulking concept, but who cares when all you have to understand is that there are giant robots scrapping with big bulbous crazy monsters from under the sea. According to my sources there is a whole wealth of exposition that was left out even from the well paced introduction, but hey overloading people with this stuff wouldn't be very thrilling. I described it to a customer as a big action film, much like Godzilla meets Transformers, she let out a loud squeal and said 'Oh no, not for me.' I think the very concept made her want to run away screaming, well she did let out a little scream and then tottered away. Oh right, just to add to that, Kanye West has declared it his favourite film, of course from his aesthetic, he would love something with neon colours and destruction; does this tarnish the film for me? Would I be that petty? Would you? Food for thought.
My point being, this film won't appeal to everyone, and for the most part it almost didn't really appeal to me, but hey Guillermo Del Toro did such a damn good job with Hellboy, and Pan's Labyrinth was such a dark delight, I trusted his judgement. But the lesson here is, bigger doesn't necessarily mean better. The magic of Pan's Labyrinth was how genuinely terrified the scene with the Pale Man made me feel, it was essentially a skinny bald guy chasing a girl down a corridor, it was so much cheaper but my god was it gloriously effective. Not once did I react as strongly Pacific Rim.
I don't want to call Pacific Rim mediocre because it's still a much more interesting concept than the standard popcorn fodder I've deigned to sit through the past few weeks. In fact out of the big blockbusters I would say it was the most interesting and visually immersing than anything wearing a cape I have watched of late.
There are too many spinning wheels too many cogs turning for Pacific Rim to be a fully realised experience, the main characters cause me a bit of a headache, there is the whole science-y part, there's the tentative but ultimately weak romance, there's emotional scars all the characters are trying to carry, there's the fact that the Kaijus are mostly indistinguishable and for giant monsters to not really see much of a difference can confusing, sometimes it's hard to determine just what is taking place on screen, but let's take all that and admit; you can't deny it's ambition.
Idris Elba, king of 'Don't you ever touch me again, oh and one more thing, don't ever touch me again.' Luther* excels at giving the film a level of gravitas that the giant rock-em sock-em robots don't quite manage, the man can literally fill the screen with his presence, he is something else and I'm so glad he's been given something meaty to work with after a scant role in the dreadful Prometheus. Obviously apart from him and the much loved Charlie Day from Always Sunny in Philadelphia, there is nothing exciting about the roles on offer in this film. The lead male is played by Charlie Hunman, he's actually a local lad from Newcastle which feels like home to me at least, I have great respect for anyone with Northern roots (see: Gina McKee), unfortunately all of that is stripped away and replaced with a gravelly standard American accent, that's fine, but he suffers the same fate as Emma Watson with her accent-changes, he literally cannot emote for the life of him with the voice. Which is fine, he's a standard heroic type with a deep pain to tackle and a knack for kicking people in. Then there is his romantic interest, she was in Babel, and as far as romances go this one is straining for credibility. Sure there is a wisp of chemistry between the pair but let's just back up a second.
A unique aspect of powering up the giant robots to contend with the big ole beasties smashing the Earth to pieces, they need two pilots who need to be connected by the brain to control the giant mechs, this is used satisfactorily to tie up the 'getting rid of the monsters for good' conceit and it's just overall a pretty nifty idea which is mostly well executed; it comes with a set of rules. One of the rules is that the two people combining their minds have to have a strong connection 'the stronger the connection the better the fighter' or something to that effect. The two leads barely have any contact apart from the walk and talk, the gaping at each other in a corridor flirting and whacking at one another with sticks, does that a strong connection make? Since when? Was there not enough time to throw in a tiny bit of body contact with out, ahem, wooden sticks? I know it's not that kind of a film, and hey getting horizontal does not a romance make, but I couldn't really see their connection very well, and for their partnership to work there had to be something more to grasp onto surely? There are brother et brother, father et son, a bunch of basketball chums (I think...) two old Ruskie chums, but the presumably most proficient machine is being manned by two people who barely know one another, sure, as it turns out they are pretty damn efficient in the end but godamn, the amount of time spent with them, we don't see much of their 'strong' connection, the film tries pretty hard to set it up, but it doesn't really work... Possibly because the material given to the actors wasn't enough, or perhaps the actors had so little chemistry it was just assumed we'd accept it. I just don't get it, call me idiotic. Never mind...
Then there is the whole science-y part, I'm not going to go into great detail about it but stock scientist archetypes working through their theories to provide a decent plan was just a bit bleh... Funny to a degree but still achingly standard.
Pacific Rim as a film certainly has it's problems, there are some timing issues which is hampered by a pretty much failed attempt at fleshing out some of the characters which mostly just falls apart. Then there is the fact that out of the action sequences the best one is in the middle of the film, we see all four Jaegers taking to the field and watch as two quite interesting monsters shred through them, then it goes from the ocean to the city, just basically the whole sequence was awesome, the film before that was set up, the film after that was just a bit disappointing. It also mostly set at night in the rain, it's a film that's desperate to be seen in 3D (which I avoided) and for once I was a bit disappointed I didn't see it in that form because I can imagine the added depth to certain sequences might have aided it, because damn it's a beautiful film, my brain will be filled with images of neon brightly coloured streets glowing in the midnight rain, as giant mechs attack indistinguishable squishy monsters. But hey just to change it up a tiny bit, why not see a sequence in the daylight? Or would that be more difficult...?
Del Toro's personality shines through in each shot, visually it's a stunning film and it's sometimes quite breathtaking to observe, but it's also a film, lest we forget, about giant robots punching giant monsters, and that's all it will be remembered for, because for the most part, that's what it did best. I do believe we have learned that in this regard bigger isn't always better, but I would warrant that this is a learning curve for Del Toro, and he can only get better, it feels like he literally went mad with the amount of money he had to make this film and he enjoyed every second, and that beams through the screens, he's having a damn good time. Sure most people won't really see what all the excitement is about, but letting this man loose can only mean good things, and perhaps this is a step in a direction that could lead to great things. Pacific Rim has made me optimistic for the future, and it's just good to know that Del Toro has an infinite imagination and a good sense of humour, it'll serve him well because I really think this could lead to something very interesting.
*What do you mean you've never watched Luther, I implore you to go forth now and watch it!
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