"Like the cast of a Fellini movie"

Victor Hertz Alternative Movie Posters

2011-02-18T16:18:00.003Z

Swedish designer, Victor Hertz, has created these minimalist movie posters based on pictograms.

See more here...

Olly Moss Movie Poster Designs

2010-08-05T09:59:00.003+01:00

Godfather Part II Poster - Olly Moss

Just came across this superb selection of Olly Moss posters. There are plenty of imitators producing great work, but Olly seems to continually come up with gold every time. My favourite has to be The Godfather Part II, but the on The Waterfront poster below is a close second...

On The Waterfront Poster - Olly Moss

Robocop Poster - Olly Moss

Convoy Poster - Olly Moss

You can find the full collection here.

Rare Star Wars Photos

2010-05-31T00:21:00.003+01:00

I came across these image of Star Wars recently. Wonderful to find some scenes I didn't recognise, and although they are not all new, thought you would like to see them.

Obsessed Much..?

2010-05-01T12:47:00.003+01:00

Doritos are running a competition to make a new advert for them, and a friend of ours has taken up the challenge.

The adverts had to be 29 seconds long and include the Doritos logo, as well as complying with other regulations. Amy Rowe took up the gauntlet and has produced a little moment of comic genius as different people are obsessed with anything vaguely Doritos related. Take a look and see what you think.

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Alternative Robocop Posters

2010-04-02T15:24:00.003+01:00

Live for Films have just announced the winners from their poster design competition. The idea: to design an entirely new poster based on elements from the film, but without being based on the film that was actually made. Tough! But these two examples show what creativity that sort of restrictive brief can produce.

To see the other entries, take a look at the Robocop Poster results here. The next challenge is Dark City.

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Saul Bass Credits for Star Wars and Tron

2010-03-26T13:30:00.005Z

Tron vs. Saul Bass from Hexagonall on Vimeo.

Personally, I cannot get enough of Saul Bass influenced credits, so was pleased to discover these two. They speak for themselves, both replicating the style of the title sequences of films like The Man with the Golden Arm and Anatomy of a Murder, animated by Bass.

These were both posted on the excellent Live For Films site.

If you know of any other little gems like these, let me know and we will add them to the site.

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First Blood

2009-12-03T12:49:00.005Z

PLOT

Damaged Vietnam veteran, John Rambo (Sylvester Stallone), goes in search of the only other surviving member of his unit deep in the mountains of North West states, only to find that he is the last. He re-enters civilisation and meets small town sheriff, Will Teasle (Brian Dennehy), who mistreats him along with the rest of the police department. Rambo snaps back to his Vietnam years and takes to the woods, bringing a personal war down onto the National Guard and this isolated region.

REVIEW

Most cinema goers know the genre defining moments in movie history - Marlon Brandon responding to the question, "What're you rebelling against, Johnny?", with, "Whaddya got?"; HR Giger's Alien sculpting the look of science fiction horror; or Sam Peckinpah's revising of the Western in The Wild Bunch - and at the moment Rambo leads the pursuing police into the mountains on an appropriated motorbike, action films were permanently altered.

This was the birth of One Man Army movies that dominated the eighties and filtered down into the decades that followed. Here was the embodiment of the American faith in the possibility of anything with enough self belief, that capitalist dream that has launched countless businesses and enterprises, why Brits like the inventor of the iPod will take their ideas to the states to escape the cynicism of their own nation.

First Blood arrived at the perfect time, tapping into the mood of a nation that had just elected Ragon to power. The posters portrayed their gungho hero cradling a heavy weight machine gun, making him a symbol of militaristic supremacy.

The weapons of the film are treated lovingly, the script taking any opportunity to mention the specific class of gun, showing them off like new toys, and - especially considering the sequels to this film - you would be forgiven in viewing it as an elegy to the excesses of the coming eighties. But here is where First Blood shows its confused politics.

Rambo is the product of a system that has used and abandoned him. He has retreated from the world and when he enters the small town of Hope in the opening scenes, we have no indication as to the length of time he has dwelt in the wilderness. When hunted in the woods, he makes use of his knife and nature around him as a defence. Trees and rocks remove the threat of rifles and even a helicopter in an exceptionally well shot scene.

Even when Rambo lays down his knife and picks up various elements of the US Army's arsenal, he turns it on the elements of Hope's capitalist society. This final assault could be interpreted as military tactics as he eliminates the town's energy and food supplies, then their defensive possibilities, but the film lingers on these moments in a confused sense of delight in carnage, and destruction of American mainstays. He goes out of his way to bring Vietnam to the people who sent him there.

This was a film that could not escape the disenfranchisement of its forerunners - it shares more than a passing resemblance to aspects of The Deer Hunter along with it, and Deliverance's aesthetic - but it also reveled in the new era of American military might. It wanted to be an old fashioned war movie, but felt compelled to continually nod towards anti-war sentiment, as if to say, "It's okay, you can enjoy this, we hate war too!".

There is no denying that First Blood is a good film, and it is worth noting that it pre-dates Full Metal Jacket and Platoon. It wallows in flights of fancy, but also carries an emotional heft, and the superb cinematography belies the director of photography's (Andrew Laszlo) background being primarily in television.

The only real tragedies are the terrible song that taints the credits, and the sad fact that the director (Ted Kotcheff) went on to make Weekend at Bernies...

Letters From Iwo Jima

2009-11-13T11:52:00.004Z

PLOT

The World War II battle for the strategically important island of Iwo Jima, told from the Japanese perspective. Focusing on the stories of General Kuribayashi (Ken Watanabe) and young conscript Saigo (Kazunari Ninomiya) as the assault rages about them.

REVIEW

The terms brave and important have been attached wantonly to this picture, and considering it is an American film made from the perspective of the Japanese during a World War II engagement, that seems justified. Clint Eastwood famously realised during the making of Flags of Our Fathers, that there was a vital story to be told about the opponents of this assault. The question is, was this that story?

Enormous attention to detail went into this film, as is always the case with Eastwood's movies, and it was extremely refreshing to find the whole film in the Japanese language. The script was based on works of non fiction, and the story co-written by the Japanese screenwriter. It felt authentic, and its success in Japan proves the point.

In Eastwood's hands, the drama is taught throughout, characters are given personal battles to fight before and during the assault, with satisfying conclusions. There is a sense of the classic war movie, without the action degenerating into the glamourisation of post war, propaganda pictures. But this also presents one of the films flaws.

As with The Changling, despite the factual basis of the film, it feels too cinematic. There are overt story arcs, which, while drawing us in, taint the piece by presenting history as a framing device to a personal tale. Like The Thin Red Line, there is a great sense of the foot soldier being passed from pillar to post with little understanding of what is actually happening. But there is too clear a journey for Saigo, as he attempts to get from A to B.

If his path through the war zone had been the main focus of the film, it may have worked, but we also see a great deal through the eyes of General Kuribayashi. The plot strands of the two characters intertwining a little too often.

There is also great effort to humanise the Japanese forces, necessary if we are to root for them in the way Eastwood wants us to. But then we are suddenly presented with scenes to remind us that, actually, the Japanese were baddies - only the characters we are meant to like are acceptable, and then, only because they disagree with the ethos of Imperial Japan.

Each of the main characters are clearly shown to be rebellious and disenfranchised, but nonetheless patriotic to a fault. This need not be the case, Downfall dealt with the very tricky subject of the core of the Nazi party, and succeeded in portraying Hitler and his associates without making us complicit in their beliefs.

Letters From Iwo Jima is a notable stride forward in the American perception of the world beyond its vast borders, and worth watching. However, while featuring engaging performances and excellent photography, it fails to tell us anything new about the conflict that a short documentary on The History Channel could not.

Empire Reviews

2009-06-17T17:05:00.006+01:00

I have bought every copy of Empire magazine since I picked it up in an airport and broke my "no magazine" rule. After some months of viewing the critics reviews as gospel, I began to spot the tastes of particular reviewers, and sense when the magazine had adopted a certain stance toward a movie. This goes with the territory of running a national magazine that has to balance sales and a honed taste in cinema. What concerned me was the review of Terminator Salvation.

I had listened to Mark Kermode's rant on Radio 5 - and while I enjoy his reviews and listening every week - was waiting to see what the slightly less biased view from Empire was going to be (Kermode habitually takes umbrage to a particular point, and then is unable to view the film objectively; entertaining, but frustrating). All blockbuster reviews tend to have at least half a star added while the hype machine runs, but this can be taken into account.

For some reason though, the reviewer of this film lacked the confidence of their own convictions. They seemed apologetic of their praise, dusting off old clichés to dress up an explanation that read more like trailer voice-over - "The film is propulsive, barely stopping for breath. There are exciting chases, suspenseful close calls, edge-of- your-seat battles and adrenaline-charged set-pieces."

There appears to be a desperate desire for this film to be good - "For a summer blockbuster, Terminator Salvation is bursting with plot and incident. Much of it even makes sense!".

A complaint made by other reviewers of McG's film, is how derivative it is; not a problem for Empire - "McG borrows from the styles of his peers to make something that breaks few barriers but works well on a visceral level".

Coming to the conclusion of the review, we are told of a flaw, that it finishes abruptly, but even after this, four stars are emblazoned below. I was left shocked at the low level of critique, even for a Summer tent pole release, and reminded of a very similar piece of work. The review for Danny Boyle's Sunshine.

Another four star review of a so-so film, and another range of excuses, albeit far better written. The film has a lot to commend it, with great attention spent on the visuals, the creation of a believable world, and focus on character. But this was movie that borrowed heavily from predecessors, according to Empire, unavoidably - "Do the limitless realms of space and the human psyche paradoxically only offer a finite number of ways for people to go bonkers?"

To imply that we should forgive Boyle rehashing old plot lines and far better films, as there are no new genre stories, is a weak argument to say the least. Consider how Donnie Darko approached time travel, or Brick's take on Raymond Chandler, and to a lesser extent, Children of Men's fresh angle on a simple road movie. There is originality to be found, and to deduce that we should stop trying to seek out what is new, is soul destroying.

To like a film that does not break boundaries and set new standards is far from a sin, but the film should nonetheless be given a review and rating that reflects its true status. For example, we all have our taste in art, perhaps the Impressionist period. Some artists, however, still paint in a style that apes Monet or Toulouse-Lautrec. This is not to say they are without talent, or those that buy their art are at fault. But those paintings will always be sold from gift shops, and not hung in the Louvre.

Spoof Star Trek Review

2009-06-06T16:52:00.003+01:00

Thinkhero.com have posted another Megashow, and it's a good one. A belated review of the recent JJ Abrams Star Trek reboot.

Thinkhero.com continue to provide witty and useful movie news, and are a site worth keeping an eye on. This is just one of the features they provide, and gives an idea of the effort put into their work.

Line Up for Fal River Festival's Film Evenings Announced

2009-05-19T17:18:00.004+01:00

The full line up for the film evenings, which we see the King Harry Ferry turned into a floating cinema as part of the Fal River Festival, has been announced.

Film on the Fal, which has been organised by Event Cornwall to coincide with the nine-day festival, will see five films being screened across four nights.

The special showings kick off on Sunday, May 24, in Events Square, Falmouth, with a double bill of Pirates of the Caribbean - The Curse of the Black Pearl, and Anchorman (The Legend of Ron Burgundy).

The action then moves to the King Harry Ferry for three evenings starting on Tuesday, May 26, with the Poseidon Adventure.

That will be followed on Wednesday, May 27, with Pirates of the Caribbean 2 – Dead Man’s Chest, and the classic movie, Jaws, on Thursday, May 28.

“We’re really excited about screening three films of the King Harry Ferry,” said Event Cornwall director, Claire Eason-Bassett, “I think the atmosphere on the ferry once it has moored in the middle of Fal at night, especially with the Poseidon Adventure and Jaws, will be fantastic. They’ll make evenings to remember, and what’s even more exciting is that we’ve found out that Robert Shaw, who plays shark hunter Quint in Jaws, went to Truro School.”

Running from 22 - 31 May, this year’s Fal River Festival will feature over 130 events which organisers believe will attract over 30,000 people.

Fal River Festival director, Toby Budd, said: “The film screenings are going to be something for all the family to get involved with and we’re really pleased to be working with Event Cornwall on them.

“Turning the King Harry Ferry into a floating cinema is going to be a memorable event and one which the people who see it will always remember. And what makes it even more special is that we think, that instead of a drive-in, we’re going to have Cornwall’s first sail-in.”

Tickets cost £8 and £4 and can be purchased from Hall for Cornwall box office on 01872 262466.

For more information on Fal River Festival contact Toby Budd on 01872 863132.

5 Screenings of Classic Films in Falmouth & on the King Harry Ferry as part of the Fal River Festival:

Sunday 24th May

Events Square Screenings

6.30pm - Pirates of the Caribbean – The Curse of the Black Pearl

Join rogue pirate Captain Jack Sparrow and young Will Turner on their quest across the high seas to search for the love of Will’s life, Elizabeth Swann. On the way they must battle the world’s most treacherous pirates to save her – but there is more at stake and all could be lost unless the ultimate sacrifice is made. Bring your parrot and cutlass – you could be in for a rough ride.

9.00pm - Anchorman (The Legend of Ron Burgandy)

When Ron Burgandy’s status as the highest rated anchorman in San Diego is threatened by ambitious newswoman Veronica Corningstone, he is at first willing to play along – as long as she only pursues newstories of ‘female interest’! But it soon becomes clear that Veronica isn’t willing to settle for covering cat fashion shows, and cooking – and she has her ambitions set on Ron’s seat at the newsdesk. Get ready to witness more than just the battle of the sexes – this means war.

King Harry Ferry Screenings

An exciting chance to see some classic films in the unique setting of the King Harry Ferry. All films start at 22.00 and parking is available at Trelissick Gardens with access down the road to the Ferry. Please bring portable chairs
and warm clothing. Bar and sweets concession available on the Ferry.

Tuesday 26th May – The Poseidon Adventure

When a tidal wave hits the Poseidon ocean liner, only a handful of passengers survive the force of the water – and led by Frank Scott they must attempt to climb their way to safety. Enjoy the film, and make sure you’re sitting comfortably – you wouldn’t want to rock the boat.

Wednesday 27th May - Pirates of the Caribbean 2 – Dead Man’s Chest

Another swashbuckling installment from Captain Jack Sparrow . Reminded that he owes a blood debt to Davy Jones, captain of the ghostly Flying Dutchman, Captain Jack must enlist the help of Will Turner and Elizabeth Swann to save his soul – but to do this they must join him on another perilous adventure.

Thursday 28th May - Jaws

This cult classic sees the beautiful beach resort of Amity Island shattered by what lurks beneath the water. It is up to Police Chief Brody, fisherman Quint, and marine biologist Hooper to hunt down the 200 Pound White Shark, before the waters turn red with blood once more. Just don't look over the edge – who knows what lurks beneath.

Monsters vs Aliens

2009-04-27T23:55:00.015+01:00

PLOT

Animation where Susan Murphy (voiced by Reese Witherspoon) grows into a giant on her wedding day, and then joins a team of other classic sci-fi monsters in combating an alien attack.

REVIEW

I was raised on 50s sci-fi, ever since my Dad started videoing a late night programme in the 80s - The Worst of Hollywood. It introduced, then showed, a dire B movie each week (a gorilla in a diving helmet using a deadly bubble machine, a hub cap on a string, and, most vivid in my mind, the Smog Monster charging its batteries from chimneys) and entered my psyche indelibly. So there was little doubt I would watch this film from the moment I saw the title, especially when my niece and nephew asked to be taken - I wouldn't be a good uncle if I didn't say yes..?

DreamWorks cannot help but be compared to Pixar, and have certainly raised the game since the beautifully animated Kung Fu Panda, but this picture has a very different aesthetic to both. It manages to evoke those classic, Cold War influenced movies from the past, cathedral like alien constructions from such films as the Forbidden Planet, and the spectacle of big budget action like Independence Day.

There is something very pleasing about the style of art as it successfully brings essential Japanese elements to the mix. Among the well crafted characters (The Missing Link's tail flopping like a thrown fish is perfect), the robot probe that assaulted San Francisco is masterfully created.

This giant alien machine manages to look cute and hapless while inflicting deadly damage to the city, and in one scene blends into the architecture ominously. The fight between it and Insectosaurus (voiced by co-director Conrad Vernon) at the Golden Gate Bridge works extremely well due to the careful mimicry of Japanese creature features.

This sequence is the first time we see the monsters in action, and is truly impressive - carrying a level of threat without scaring the little ones. The scenes within a deserted San Francisco are excellent, and need to be seen on the big screen. But the sheer success of this captivating set piece is also a flaw in the film. Like some great films before it, Monsters vs Aliens peaks too soon.

The Host and Superman Returns both had outstanding moments of special effects, extremely well used, and then were unable to create an equally satisfying finale. That is not to say these were bad films, The Host for instance chose to use dramatic character development to add weight to the final moments, and due to the time spent on building an interest in those individuals - despite the spectacle having been upstaged - we cared.

We sadly do not care quite as much about the peril attempting to be averted during the climax of Monsters vs Aliens. It chooses to place the heroes in well realised monumental alien construction, and while pleasing on the eye, we are detached from the world we recognise and therefore - despite the well scripted and choreographed humour - do not care as much as we should.

The film boils down to a series of interesting events, pasted loosely together by mediocre character interplay. It still manages to maintain attention through the well played protagonists, keeping up a steady flow of enjoyable lines and antics.

Seth Rogen as B.O.B. (based on The Blob) is consistently funny, as is Rainn Wilson, who plays the alien Gallaxhar. Stephen Colbert (President Hathaway) does not disappoint, apart from one very weak Close Encounters of the Third Kind parody. It is also good to see a strong female lead in a film that could easily have been very masculine, without being overly clichéd. The supporting cast are given far more to do here than in Kung Fu Panda, and although they are the familiar Frat Pack, do not go for the out of place humour that Shrek 3 allowed to dominate.

The kids I took were both were far more involved in this film than WALL-E, and I enjoyed the many references, such as Dr. Strangelove's War Room, and the line "destroy all monsters". Thankfully though, it did not feel as if there were two scripts being played at the same time, one for the children, the other for bored adults.

It is good to see DreamWorks continuing to try new genres and learning from previous mistakes, instead of trying to ape Pizar's style. But they still have some way to go before they have their own Toy Story.

A Night at the Opera

2009-04-09T14:36:00.001+01:00

PLOT

In Italy, Otis B. Driftwood's (Groucho Marx) position as wealthy Mrs. Claypool's (Margaret Dumont) business manager is threatened when Herman Gottlieb (Sig Ruman) promises to get her into society through becoming a patron of the Opera. In his attempts to regain his position, he comes into contact with Fiorello (Chico Marx) and Tomasso (Harpo Marx), friends of an unpopular opera singer in love with the female lead. They stow away to follow the production to New York and try to reinstate their positions.

REVIEW

So, is it the best Marx Brothers picture? We are going to have to say the word "purist", (a word that crops into practically every review of this film), they would argue that once the brothers moved to MGM they lost the anarchic edge of earlier films - Animal Crackers, Monkey Business - and there was a change from humiliating the love interests, to assisting them.

Both of these points are true, implying that they had lost creative control of their movies, especially when you hear quotes such as that from producer Irving G. Thalberg, who called their previous film, Duck Soup, a "stinker". But it was also his suggestion that put the trio in an extraordinarily powerful position. He encouraged them to take the film out on the road, performing it before live audiences, therefore returning them to their vaudeville beginnings. They were able to fine tune the material in a way that few other actors are able.

This approach gives us the equivalent of the drastic cuts Airplane received, to ensure that no moment was wasted on self indulgent routines. There is a careful balance between the superb visual gags, and lightning fast patter from Groucho.

Of the two love interests, Ricardo Baroni (Allan Jones) and Rosa Castaldi (Kitty Carlisle), Kitty shines with a coolness and exceptional voice. Although you often find yourself wishing they were off screen, they do not detract as much from the laughs as they could, and they give a central premise for the plot to revolve around. The film flows effectively in a way that their previous films were unable to.

We are also blessed with some of the finest comic scenes in cinema: the dispute over the contract for Ricardo Baroni between Groucho and Chico - Fiorello: Can he live in New York on $3.00? Driftwood: Like a prince. Of course he won't be able to eat, but he can live like a prince.

Switching the beds in Driftwood's apartment to confuse a detective, and of course the crowed cabin scene:

These very visual scenes show clearly the influence of the stage, especially when rearranging the furniture in the apartment. Two rooms are seen simultaneously, and you can imagine the audience's response as they see the policeman stumble from room to room trying to find the fugitive brothers.

A Night at the Opera is polished from start to finish, packed with quotable dialogue, and building to a satisfying crescendo. It also benefits from losing the fourth brother, Zeppo, sadly a dead weight to be carried in the previous pictures. It remains my favourite of their films, showing that their unique style could not be homogenised. It is also the perfect starting point for any who have not seen their films before, paving the way into the surreal insanity of the Paramount pictures.

Call for Cornwall Film Festival 2009 Entries

2009-03-11T18:13:00.006Z

The eighth Cornwall Film Festival will take place Thursday 12th to 15th November 2009 in Falmouth, Cornwall, an annual celebration of Cornish and international filmmaking.

The Festival offers local and national premieres, professional development workshops, lectures and parties providing the opportunity to network with the UK’s leading industry professionals.

Film Critic Mark Kermode at the 2008 Cornwall Film Festival

AWARDS

This year the Festival introduces two new Jury Awards for Cornish short films which will replace the audience awards for Best Film of the Festival and Best Student Film of the Festival. Jury members will include leading UK media industry professionals.

The Another Country International Short Film Award celebrates films of all genres made in towns, villages and rural communities across the world. There is a cash prize of £1,000 for the winning film from award sponsors University College Falmouth.

Board Shorts awards and prizes will also be presented to the best international surf/skate/snowboarding short films.

CATEGORIES

Cornish Shorts / Features
We take pride in the thriving Cornish film industry, and a key aim of the Festival is showcasing films where at least one of the creative team (writer, director, producer) is resident in Cornwall. We accept films of all genres. Films under 20 minutes will be eligible for the Best Film of the Festival Jury Award

Cornish Student Films
These films will be eligible for the Best Student Film of the Festival Jury Award

Board Shorts
The Festival's popular screening event which showcases new talent in surf/snow/skateboard filmmaking and photography. Films in this category are eligible for prizes and awards.

ANOTHER COUNTRY International Short Film Award.
The Another Country International Short Film Award showcases films of all genres made in towns, villages and rural communities across the world. There is a cash prize of £1000 for the winning film from award sponsors University College Falmouth.

Screen Actions
Screen Actions is the Film Festival run by young people for young people. If you're aged 8-18 and you've made a short film submit it to Screen Actions. We accept films of all genres.

For more details go to the submissions page of the Cornwall Film Festival site.

Razorback

2009-03-06T12:16:00.008Z

PLOT

An environmentally concerned American journalist (Judy Morris) heads to the Australian outback and proceeds to disappear after observing a sinister, pet food factory. Her husband (Gregory Harrison) follows the trail to where the eponymous, giant wild pig, dominates the life of a hunter (Bill Kerr), who has a long standing grudge with it.

REVIEW

I will start with a serving suggestion: This film is best served with a group a lads who have just returned from the pub, and cannot quite tell what is stuffed pork, and what is just plain cheese.

The best creature feature movies are the ones that shroud the beast in mystery and shadows, as that is where these paranoid delusions dwell in our individual psyches - left over from childhood nightmares. Fog and darkness also have the useful side affect of hiding much of the poorer quality areas of the puppets as well, but rarely has it been as essential as in this film.

Choosing such a cinema-unfriendly villain was never a good starting point anyhow. Pigs are highly dangerous, but somehow not terrifying on screen, and this specimen resembles not a great deal more than a botched attempt at taxidermy; and about as mobile. The only times it carries any menace are when it is off screen, and even the lighting techniques cannot imbue it with any life.

Those lighting effects are impressive though. You can tell that Russell Mulcahy, the director, has a background in music videos, specifically Duran Duran. He cuts the picture like the best of the early eighties boom in pop video, using his keen eye to create vignettes within the film, allowing Australia's unique landscape to do what his puppet cannot.

Sound is also used to great effect. Each geographic location having its own signature, and most of them eerie and chilling. He creates a remarkable claustrophobia in the massively open expanses.

The plot could have been written on a beer mat, containing no surprises, and its characters are unable to carry the story, outshone by the peripheral locals. The style of the two pet food factory villains, is very derivative of Mad Max, coming only a few years after that genre defining film, and the setting and composition of the finale is echoed in his later later work, Highlander.

I would refer to Razorback as a B-Movie, but for its comparatively large budget, and so we are left with a film that thinks it is more than it is. The sub-genre of gigantic killer animals, or revenge of nature pictures, has many more watch-able entries. But, providing you follow the serving suggestion, this is a passable effort.

The Pianist

2009-02-20T20:54:00.003Z

It is very difficult to review a film like The Pianist objectively, considering the extremely powerful subject and source material. The film is a very close adaptation of Wladyslaw Szpilman's eye witness account of the Nazi occupation of Warsaw. A Jew, he saw first hand the ghetto, and - incredibly avoiding the cattle trucks to the death camps - survived through to the arrival of Soviet troops.

Roman Polanski, who directs, also escaped the Warsaw ghetto, making him a perfect choice for this screen adaptation. His direction capturing Szpilman's style of writing, without judgement or melodrama (such as Schindler's List), and underlining his experience as purely a survivor. This is often considered a failing in the film, as the screenplay sticks very close to the written account. There are large periods of the picture that are devoid of dialogue and seem to lack forward momentum.

Judging the film adversely because of this decision, is perhaps due to a desire for it to address bigger issues and be presented on a larger canvas. The narrative follows Szpilman (played by Adrien Brody) constantly, never straying away from his point of reference. If it happens behind a wall, we do not see it, if it happens around the corner of the street, we are left to listen and observe reactions of others.

This is a strength of the film; Polanski does not get bogged down in the impossible task of attempting to explain why those horrors occurred. The result is very reminiscent of the classic British style of writing, such as by authors like H.G. Wells, who's protagonists do not drive the narrative, but primarily observe. In The Pianist we feel the helplessness of a person in the midst of unnatural events. The word survivor is used endlessly when describing this film, and the implication of a sole survivor of a plane crash sums up the sheer arbitrary nature of Szpilman's story.

The film has faults though. Wooden, stilted acting from much of the support - emphasised by Brody's finest performance - taints the immaculately recreated scenes. It is as if Polanski was only interested in Szpilman, similar to the way Tim Burton forgets to direct characters he does not connect with.

But don't forget the music; the interrupted performance at the beginning and Chopin Grande Polonaise Brillante at finale, perfectly bookending the film with unspoken import. There is a joy in seeing the reflection of the pianist's hands reaching back from the dark, polished wood of the piano, as Brody portrays the true joy in creating such beautiful sounds. It also gives us the stand out scene in the film, viewable below.

There is much left unexplained, especially concerning Captain Wilm Hosenfeld (Thomas Kretschmann), the German officer who acts in a very unexpected way. Read the book, it contains details that will surprise you.

Coogan's Bluff

2009-01-30T21:33:00.002Z

I was very surprised by this film, coming so soon after the Dollars trilogy and recommended frequently, by reputable sources, as a transition between The Man With No Name and Dirty Harry. It is poorly scripted - and I mean the sort of dialogue and plot developments you would expect in a children's programme - and very naive, as if its portrayal of New York comes from a holiday brochure.

Clint Eastwood plays rule breakin', deputy sheriff, Walt Coogan from Arizona, sent to collect a prisoner from New York. After deceiving the NYPD into releasing him into his custody, the prisoner escapes. Coogan then proceeds to break more rules in his pursuit of him though the city.

We see the cliché's of New York paraded before us, and sixties staples are ticked off. The hippy club, the promiscuous and damaged teen, the unreasonable senior police officers... When you consider that this police fantasy was made in the same year as Bullitt, and Sergio Leone had gone on to make Once Upon a Time in the West, this film is inexcusable.

The plot is simply there to serve as a vehicle for Eastwood. It panders to the image his fans want to see, portraying him as a loose cannon who has to beat off the girls with a pointy stick. The prisoner is basically a MacGuffin - totally dropping out of the storyline until needed for a chase scene near the end - and any pretence at detective work merely moves Coogan from standard scene to the next - pool room fight, interlude with attractive woman, hooker in hotel room.

Interesting that its director, Don Siegel, would go on to make such films such as The Shootist and Escape from Alcatraz, and Dean Riesner, one of the two writers, would pen High Planes Drifter and Play Misty for Me. Coincidently, both worked on Dirty Harry as well. On the other hand, Herman Miller, the other writer, had as his last writing credit an episode of MacGyver, after dabbling in Knight Rider territory; do you think we found the weak link?

One thing in the film's favour though, was the excellent closing shot on the helipad. Framed and directed with aplomb, we then see the city retreat from view as Eastwood travels back to his natural habitat. Sadly, the direction of the film has this same picture postcard detachment from its stars, both human and geographic.

In the Mood for Love

2009-01-18T18:09:00.011Z

Everyone has a few cinematic moments that change their perception of movies indefinitely, one of mine was the second Maggie Cheung walked down the alleyway to get take-away food from street vendors, with only the sound of Shigeru Umebayashi's Yumeji's Theme playing (make sure you follow that link!). It opened my eyes to the possibilities of soundtrack, cinematography, and minimalistic nuances portrayed in the faces of actors. This is a film in which the plot can be explained in one or two sentences, but would take hours to attempt to pass on the sensations it invokes.

Kar Wai Wong wrote, directed and produced this film set in 1960s Hong Kong, following the tale of two married neighbours who both suspect their partners of infidelity. They form a relationship based on denial and mutual sadness. Each scene that these two (Cheung and Tony Leung Chiu Wai) share is charged with unspoken and withheld passion, hearkening back to old fashioned pictures like Brief Encounter.

You never see their partners' faces, only ever overhearing a few words, re-emphasising the focus back to our main two protagonists, and much of the film is shot with only one of their faces in the frame. This drives home the isolation they both feel, imposed by their marriage partners and themselves. It also serves to intentionally confuse matters when they start to act out confrontations with their partners.

What can be overlooked by their status as the victims of the piece, is the strange way they deal with their predicament. It hints at more peculiar currents that lie beneath the surface of these two seemingly innocent character, and yet is instantly forgiven.

The melancholy beauty of this study on the fragile nature of love and broken trust is effortless. Each scene so carefully devised, every performance so subtle, every powerful colour, gently flooding your senses, without overwhelming (Christopher Doyle and Pin Bing Lee produce wonderful results in cinematography, Doyle's style evident again in Hero, but never so restrained). The repetition of music and settings used effectively to replicate emotions and juxtapose narrative elements.

Someone compared this film to the Chinese gift of gift giving, presenting the most simple item in such style. This film is a gift of simplicity and endless depths.

Hotel Chevalier

2009-01-08T13:46:00.002Z

The short that precedes Wes Anderson's, The Darjeeling Limited. It sets up Schwartzman's character for the main feature, and goes some way to explaining his liaison with Amara Karan's Rita later in that film.

Jack Whitman (Jason Schwartzman) sits alone in a Parisian hotel and receives an unexpected visit from his ex-girlfriend (Natalie Portman). It lasts thirteen minutes.

The sheer opulence of the visuals is intoxicating, soundtrack (Where Do You Go To, My Lovely) beautifully used, the scarcity of dialogue gives each phrase such dramatic weight, and the treatment of Portman is almost fetishistic. She is playing a similar character to that of Gwyneth Paltrow's in The Royal Tenenbaums, but alludes to even more complexity.

The tragedy of such a powerful short, is that The Darjeeling Limited pales in comparison, as can often be the case, consider some of the Pixar films that are outshone by their exceptional preludes. We learn far more about Whitman in these few minutes than in the rest of the film, where Anderson flounders amongst crude metaphors.

There is much unspoken, and more hinted at, and what dialogue exists, is spoken with power and economy. Portman says, "Are you running away from me?", and with immediate brevity, the response is, "I thought I already did."

I would love to buy this film alone, and leave the good intentioned, but didactic, main feature on the shelf.

The Transporter

2008-12-14T02:04:00.002Z

Okay, so I convinced my wife to watch this action movie with me, and we were pleasantly surprised. It did everything that vacuous, frothy action pictures should do, and wit a bit of style.

Jason Statham plays Frank Martin, an ex-special forces operative, who lives outside the law delivering contraband in his rather snazzy motor. He has a set of rules that he enforces religiously. Obviously, he breaks the rules, and gets into a spot of bother with a girl.

Forget the plot. Forget the dialogue. Forget physics. Enjoy the ride, literally.

We open with a well realised car chase, full of wit and ingenuity. It is also played out to a bit of hip hop instead of the normal, bland action soundtrack. The location is also used well, Nice, France. This is another of the film's strengths, a European setting. Such a pleasure to see a film that is not immersed in overly familiar American scenes.

The action scenes are why we are here though, carried very well by the impressive on-screen presence of Statham, but truly created by the Hong Kong veteran, Corey Yuen. Fight choreography is excellent, with great imagination, and an understanding that the main draw for this film is Jason's torso. Corey takes full advantage of this, having him lose his shirt in an altercation, and actually use it to defeat three assailants.

Mark Kermode has made a good case for the similarities between the oiled up fight scene, and such other homo-eroticism as seen in Spartacus. But did not mention the fact that our main protagonist actually manages to get a kiss in with one of his opponents! Admittedly it was ostensibly a way for him to steal the oxygen from him while underwater, but there was more passion in that one sequence than in any of his screen time with the female star, Qi Shu.

If your estimations are low and you are looking for a film that will simply entertain, this is a good choice, and streets ahead of big budget action movies like Die Hard 4.0.

Amelie

2008-12-07T01:16:00.002Z

Amelie is a film that pours off the screen and washes you with the delicious colours its director and cinematographer saturate each scene. The sound creates a nostalgia in you for memories you do not even possess. This is a fable that paradoxically allows us to look into childhood with at once the knowing eyes of adulthood, and the certainty of our imagination. It is in love with cinema.

The plot is simple, following a small portion of Amelie's (Audrey Tautou) life in Montmartre, Paris, where she attempts to improve the lives of those around her with unorthodox means, in a way of avoiding confronting her own. Each simple action is woven from captivating detail and eccentric delight.

Jean-Pierre Jeunet, who directed and co-wrote, forged a style that has been emulated time and again since. Each character is introduced with snippets of detail about their life and loves, accompanied by illustrations drawn on our screens. Michael Sowa's art comes to life from paintings and figurines, in a way we would like to suppose a child would anthropomorphise the world about them. Wes Anderson's pictures also add moments of surreal animation that enable you to believe in fairytales.

The humour is not lost in the subtitles, with more nuances noticed in each viewing. Amelie at one point hands some money to a beggar, who responds "Sorry madam, I don't work on Sundays".

Some have accused the film of being too much of an unreal, picture postcard of Parisian life, but along with the unabashed romanticism lies shots of the seedy side of Montmartre. Anyone who has visited will be aware that turning one corner will lead you into the red light district. This is not glossed over, and yet is somehow imbued with the same glow and wit as the rest of the tale.

Although the story is unashamedly uplifting, it does not feel the necessity to tie up every lose end and create happy endings for every character. This is definately to the film's credit, letting your mind wander amongst the possibilities. It also manages to avoid displaying iconic landmarks in each shot. The note perfect frame composition instead invites you to see more of the city than most American ventures into foreign capitals, we follow the lives of Parisians, we see where there own memories emerge from, not a view from an open top bus tour.

If I can persuade one person who is normally put off by subtitles, then my mission has been successful. This is essential viewing, and more than once. Do not let it become a film you always mean to watch, it will reward your trust in its storytelling endlessly.

The Mist

2008-11-30T22:43:00.004Z

Mark Kermode persuaded me to watch this via his Radio 5 programme with Simon Mayo. I knew the ending was going to be tough, the Empire magazine review hinted at as much as well, but nothing prepared me for what actually happened.

There is a lot to recommend this film for. It is imaginative, thought provoking, well shot and acted. The low budget does show sadly, but its dramatic weight does not rely on showy effects. Excellent use of the sound serves to engender far more tension and nerves than any of the recent Alien pictures.

The characters are on the whole realistic, the main protagonist, played very well by Thomas Jane, does not make the right decisions all the way though. He is guilty of hesitancy and misguided actions, but this makes it easier for us to relate to him. His son is also very well created as a human being, and Nathan Gamble brings him to life admirably.

A brief plot synopsis: a mist descends on a remote American town, trapping a (convenient) cross section of the population in a supermarket. Lurking within the mist are unknown creatures. Once the plot gets under way, it emerges that the real trouble lies within the building. Mrs. Carmody fires up the scared survivors with tales of firm and brimstone.

Sadly, we are force fed a political and social opinion. There is a moment when we are suddenly made clear what this is all a metaphor of - when we were fully aware anyway - through the use of a quite clichéd exchange. This unfortunately took the power from its social comment; didactic rather than provocative.

Mrs. Carmody is given far too much of the running time, and you start to grow a little tired of hearing her speak. If she had been played by Marcia Gay Harden with a little more restraint, the end product could have been much more enduring.

The last disappointing moment was the cop out explanation we are given near the end. It is such a shame the true source of the horrors had not remained as shrouded as the town outside the supermarket. For all its shortcomings, Cloverfield wisely left you wondering just how the creature got to New York.

I say, "the last disappointing moment", although you are already aware that the ending sucked the life from me, making my wife declare that I am never allowed to chose a DVD again. This was the conclusion that its director, Frank Darabont, fought so hard to keep. I respect him for staying true to the original Stephen King novella, but am still left with a horrible taste in my mouth.

If those issues I have mentioned were less prominent, I could forgive it the ending. As it is, I will return the DVD and vent my spleen to the staff member on duty in the Spar I rented it from! (I love the poster by the way...)

No Country for Old Men

2008-11-30T16:31:00.001Z

Deakins' photography is stunning, the Coen's keep you off guard throughout - constantly confounding expectations - and the performances are superb. The methodical actions of the protagonists as they plan and carry out an activity as simple as throwing a case over a fence, are incredibly compelling.

The metaphor at the end is a little heavy handed, and the point is laid on with a trowel in the final moments of dialogue, but by all accounts they stayed close to the book, and so I can only commend them for the commitment to source material.

Not quite the denouement of Fargo, more in the vein of Millers Crossing (not a bad thing!).

Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem

2008-11-30T15:41:00.002Z

My word, I never realised it could be so bad... There is just nothing to recommend this film. The Predator itself is a totally redundant character in this film, despite having the only tangible narrative, he feels entirely tacked on. The conclusion only serving to emphasise his lack of relevance. If the Predators' involvement had just been left as a means for the Aliens to get to Earth, it would have acceptable.

The Strause brothers also alter the film's mythology wantonly. The life cycle of the Aliens accelerated to the point of comedy, removing any dramatic weight or threat that they once held, rendering them as merely cannon fodder. The reproductive element of the original is discarded in a particularly distasteful scene with the hybrid "pred-alien" (what's wrong with alien-ator?).

There also appears to be scenes missing, for example, the ones that turn the town into a war zone. One minute there are three Aliens running around, the next we have the National Guard turning up, for a scene that was a blatant rip off from Aliens, and poorly executed.

If only the action was engaging, if only the characters had been passingly interesting, if only there had been one moment of invention, if only his keys hadn't been thrown down the sewer...

The Godfather, Part III

2008-11-30T15:39:00.000Z

All the negative press enabled me to enjoy this film, I really expected to hate it. The nepotism in casting was disappointing, and there were a few notable flaws that have been discussed at length here already, but I felt genuine emotion in the final scenes. I also loved the effective use of the opera with the climatic moments.

The Peacemaker

2008-11-30T15:28:00.000Z

Entertaining, didn't get bored or want to switch it off. Pretty standard actioner fare, with lots of embarrassing jumping away from explosions moments, and even more cringe-worthy scenes of mourning for someone who has just died - the later more disappointing as each of the leads gets their tearful ten seconds, and then back to running around.

Some good set pieces though, thankfully low on the CGI as well.

Ne le Dis à Personne (Tell No One)

2008-11-30T15:02:00.000Z

Wonderfully shot, so much good to say about this film. Interesting characters, good dialogue, excellent action scenes...

Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End

2008-11-30T15:00:00.000Z

Preposterous, bloated, convoluted... I enjoyed it more when I saw it at home as I was ready for it to disappoint me, but it just seems such a waste to have gone all Star Wars on it, needlessly. It could have been such a great adventure yarn, but instead we have endless redundant plot lines - such as Calypso sub plot - and shameless misuse of excellent actors like Chow Yun Fat at the expense of Ikea Knightly and Orlando Bland.

The final scene with Jack Sparrow looked genuinely interesting, and I felt I could watch his adventure right then and be entertained, just a shame about the messy almost three hours that preceded it...

Annie Hall

2008-11-30T14:57:00.001Z

One of the best comedies ever made, without doubt. The dialogue is diamond sharp, the characters are developed so well, the structure inventive and original, and on top of this, it has slick visual humour such as probably my favourite moment where Alvy takes on the spiders in the bath.

Horse Feathers

2008-11-30T14:48:00.004Z

The plot is wafer thin, aiding the brothers, in that it lets them get on with the show. The scene in the Speak Easy is superb; how can so much humour be gained from just a door! It's very easy to see how their films were direct translations of the stage act, and makes you wish you had seen them perform in the flesh.

Blazing Saddles

2008-11-30T14:48:00.003Z

One of my all time favourites, watched it again yesterday, Mel Brooks in his Golden Age. I would give it five stars, but the, nonetheless humourous, finale where we leave the film set and enter the studio, just smacks of an inability to write a suitable conclusion.

Monkey Business

2008-11-30T14:47:00.002Z

It is incredible how well the humour works, seventy seven years after it was made. The physical comedy is unrivalled, and the dialogue razor sharp. Groucho is on top form, and his interchanges with Chico side-splitting.

The only disappointment is that they had to leave the ship, I could have watched them run from the crew for at least another hour! The support, apart from a few stand outs such as Thelma Todd, don't really turn up; but that just seems to let the brothers enjoy themselves even more - "Is it true you're getting a divorce as soon as your husband recovers his eyesight?"

Elizabeth: The Golden Age

2008-11-30T14:45:00.001Z

What makes a good historical epic? Is it the costumes, the photography, the colours, the lighting? If so, the unofficial Elizabeth sequel should excel - a blissfully visual experience that takes the powerful images of its predecessor a step further - but is this enough to distract us from dialogue, plot, and underlying message?

The potential for this historical period has been squandered in, what was essentially a rehash of the original, with misguided attempts to put the queen through exactly the same quandaries, and story arch as her younger self. It does not site right, and neither does the awfully scripted romance between Elizabeth and Raleigh.

I am not going to start considering the historical inaccuracies (personally, I prefer accurate history, but even Shakespeare re-wrote history for the sake of drama), or the lazy depiction of the Spanish as scheming fanatics, and focus on perhaps a greater cinematic sin, that of creating a film with no dramatic weight. One moment we are watching the deliberations of Blanchett as she frets over Owen's seduction of her handmaiden, then the tacked on melodrama of the execution of Mary Queen of Scots, and then, suddenly, there is the crowbarred in Armada.

We feel no connection with her plight, only that the audience is told how awful it all is. The most we see of the English military force, is a little group of soldiers standing on a hill, with Blanchett giving a patented Rousing Speech (a la Kingdom of Heaven, Troy, Return of the King, and sadly not - as was intended - Henry V) on an unruly horse/metaphor.

We are also entirely detached from the naval battle that makes up the finale. If there had been a little more running time devoted to letting the viewer know the actual details of the battle - that the English ships were tiny in comparison, or that Drake used his knowledge of the sea against the vast fleet - we may have forgiven the depiction of the engagement through the eyes of just one man, Raleigh.

There is an incredible film to be made about this period in history, we can only hope that someday someone does.

Minority Report

2008-11-30T14:41:00.001Z

As I watched this film the other day, I remembered all the reasons I loved it at the cinema - Colin Farrell's character and excellent acting, the visuals, the twists and turns... but I was also reminded of the disappointingly Spielbergian conclusion. From the moment Cruise's character works out what is going on, the film loses momentum, the plot develops holes, loose ends are neatly tied up, and everything is bathed in a warm glow.

Star Wars: A New Hope

2008-11-30T14:40:00.001Z

Five stars for its importance in cinema, and my childhood memories. The film is very flawed, but I am not going to list my concerns as it taints my enjoyment of it. Sometimes you have to just enjoy things for what they are, and there are few films that can still ignite the imagination like this one, even after thirty years.

Flushed Away

2008-11-30T14:36:00.001Z

One of the wittiest children's films for quite some time, I cannot understand its unpopularity. Agreed, some of the animation looks poor, but once we are in the sewers the film comes to life. Enjoyable for adults and keeps the attention of the kids.

In the Valley of Ellah

2008-11-30T14:02:00.001Z

Excellent performances, compelling viewing, but ultimately a vehicle for an essay on the American forces in Iraq. It presents itself as a thriller, but about halfway through, we realise that the explanation will not totally satisfy.

Metaphors are signposted, especially the misleading David and Golliath parable and flag flying upside down, and Tommy Lee Jones and Charlize Theron's story archs are unimaginative.

I was left feeling that it would have been better if Tommy's character had just stayed at home, as there was nothing he could do to affect the rot but turn a blind eye.