Sucker Punch (2011)

Mark Kermode said this film was interminably dull, to which I (optimistically, but arguably logically) thought "scantily-clad girls with guns and samurai swords fighting dragons and zombie Nazis CAN'T be dull".

I stand corrected.

Sucker Punch opens with a stylish, albeit clichéd, opening sequence; lots of slo-mo, lots of starkly-lit images and heavy scoring. Then the title appears, the words 'Sucker Punch' appearing in rain rivulets on a car window. I thought the person who suggested that in whatever meeting it was should perhaps have been laughed out of the room. Then my optimism popped up again and said 'Hey, maybe it's an inspired decision and maybe this is an enjoyable, if slightly daft, romp of a film that oozes bold styling'.

Let me summarise briefly to spare a 6-page rant. Shortly after the film's opening I stopped caring about the main character. And the rest of them. Then I stopped being impressed with the 'alternate reality' sequences (the 'dance' sequences). Then I just struggled to keep myself awake and occupied long enough to not walk out and abandon my mates.

I couldn't believe it. Somehow Zack Snyder has managed to achieve something I never thought possible. He's made scantily-clad girls with guns and samurai swords fighting dragons and zombie Nazis genuinely, and mind-numbingly, boring. My hat's off to you, Zack. Now can I have my money and two hours of my life back, please?

Sucker Punch clocks in at 1hr 50mins, but it feels like a three-and-a-half hour film thanks to unempathetic characters, a repetitive format, unexplained layered realities and most of all, gallon upon gallon of slo-mo! Just running the film in normal speed would easily cut it down to an hour and a half.

I think the final nail in the coffin for me was about two-thirds through the film where the main character (whose name my brain seems to have erased already) murders a sleeping baby dragon to plunder fire-producing capabilities. No compassion whatsoever, she just slits his throat and takes what she wants, before having to execute his mother too, after.

No catharsis left, couldn't convince myself to care about any of these characters or the film any more.

Whilst there are certainly some good sequences and stunning visuals occasionally, mostly this is Grade A boring b******t. Which is a disappointment from the guy who did a serviceable job of filming the unfilmable Watchmen.

The Fighter

Firstly, some background. Before seeing The Fighter, I'd already watched the HBO Documentary High on Crack Street: Lost Lives in Lowell, and the AOL Kids parodies of the best picture Oscar nominations, including their version of The Fighter. The former gave me a solid, real-world basis and connection to the characters in the film, and the latter a preparedness for the 'unintelligible Boston accents'.

With this experience, but no clue as to the outcome of Mickey's boxing career, I think I was probably just as receptive and prepared for the film as I could be. Knowing more about Mickey's career might have lessened the tension I felt during the film, knowing less about Dicky, Boo and the realities of Lowell and the Eklunds at that time might have lessened my sense of catharsis. (I can only speculate because obviously I experienced the film under the conditions I did. Maybe there's a thesis here somewhere about individuals' film experiences being just as much a product of their own life experiences and the environmental conditions under which they see the film? I digress. Massively.)

The Fighter is not 'just a boxing film', as I've heard almost no-one describe it, but a taught, involving and very affecting family drama. It deals with family bonds, for better or worse, the effects of fame, both fading and desired, the desperation in the struggle to fight against drug addiction, family shaping who you are. David O. Russell has done a good job, the film is well-paced an elicits a range of emotions from start to finish.

The performances are stellar across the board. Bale captures Dicky very well, and likewise with Melissa Leo and Alice. Mark Wahlberg finally gets his teeth into a worthy lead role. It seems ages since he's had an honest-to-goodness role worth his talent. I think maybe the sting of Max Payne is still tainting my memory on that one... and the preposterous notion of The Happening.

I loved the look of The Fighter too. The interviews which bookend the film, along with, most notably, the final fight of the film were all shot with '90s-era HBO cameras, which avoided the clichéd 'fight film' style and lent it a great authenticity and an immediacy in the ring. The rest of the cinematography (by Hoyte Van Hoytema, who lensed Let the Right One In in '08) was very nicely realised, and the slow-motion swing back and forth between fighters midway through the film sticks in my mind. Loved it.

All in all, The Fighter is a powerful film, thriving on family conflict, and ultimately delivers a knockout.



...sorry.

Easy A

I had my reservations.

I mean, I've loved Emma Stone in everything from Superbad to Zombieland, but I thought perhaps Easy A would fall into the trap of being a kitschy teen chick flick. Fortunately, however, what we get is an intelligent and biting comedy that at times satirises the films of my expectation (most notably with the quip about the 20-year-old high school student).

From it's sharp, literary references and parallels to the dialogue and performances, Easy A creates a tight, highly entertaining feel-good movie that genuinely provokes thought. This isn't a run-of-the-mill teen comedy, this is witty, thematically complex and very self-aware. The narration scenes break the fourth wall as Olive addresses the audience directly under the guise of a webcast, and there are more pop- and literary-culture references than you could shake a moderately-sized former tree limb at.

Thomas Hayden Church steals every scene he's in, which is a tall order considering the breakaway accomplishment of Emma Stone's performance and the fact he shares a number of scenes with her. I want to see him do more of these intelligent comedic roles, it was very refreshing. Lisa Kudrow gives a very good supporting performance, keeping her character firmly grounded in reality, rather than falling into an exaggerated caricature. By all means though, Emma Stone proves herself a very capable leading lady, rather than just the supporting player she's been to date. Her comedic ability is aptly tapped and she's at her witty, sarcastic best in this, while her dramatic scenes showed a sensitivity and depth worthy of her Golden Globe nomination.

Easy A is a fresh and fun film visually, the lens capturing the youth and the energy of a rumour-led high school in sunny California. Equally, the soundtrack is pitch-perfect, providing additional buzz and that veneer of 'high school cool'. There were some interesting time remapping sequences from long Steadicam takes that really enhanced the idea of connectivity within the high school environment. As I touched upon earlier, the film benefits from its use of real-world references, be they subtle ('heads in the oven') or more blatant (the Ferris Bueller musical number 'for no apparent reason'). This really makes the film appreciable on a deeper level to the savvy audience.

'Pleasantly surprised' would perhaps be doing Easy A a bit of a disservice. It's a fantastically entertaining feel-good film that doesn't feel like the standard popcorn fare, but benefits from intelligent writing. It's a film that isn't afraid of the deadpan retort without feeling the need for the obligatory 'did you get the joke?' nudge and wink afterwards.

It didn't deserve the stigma of being pre-judged based on what I'd heard or thought I'd heard about it. Then again, that's the whole point, isn't it?

127 Hours (2010)

Danny Boyle consistently astounds me. 

I've yet to see a film he's done that has disappointed me. Even Slumdog Millionaire, which I thought was overhyped, was still a very solid, very well crafted film. The diversity and range of the man as a director both inspires me and makes me hate him just a little bit.

Now, that said, I haven't seen his entire back-catalogue, but all I've seen, I've enjoyed. Trainspotting - junkie dramedy. 28 Days Later - zombie holocaust. Sunshine - sci-fi horror. Slumdog Millionaire - a slumdog becomes a millionaire. And now, 127 Hours - adrenaline-fest-cum-survival struggle true story.

To take Aron Ralston's true account of his climbing mishap and battle of will to survive and turn it into a 94-minute film that never suffers a dull moment is a testament to Boyle's skill. Split-screen, pumping, upbeat music, and close-ups are used to great effect throughout the film, as are handheld video and stills shots. Flashbacks and hallucinations keep both the protagonist and the audience entertained/determined to see this thing through. 

Along with the entertainment factor, there was a great sense that the audience was experiencing a few of the symptoms of this ordeal along with the character. Personally, I often found myself wondering how I'd be reacting and putting myself in his position. Consequently, the hallucinations and the fantasies all felt very 'real', Scooby Doo in the canyon for instance, got a big audience reaction.

James Franco was simply superb in this film. From what I've seen and heard of the real Aron Ralston in interviews, Franco seems to have nailed it. Additionally there was no point at which I thought 'he's not really stuck in a canyon', it felt very real, not an exaggeration, but a human, soulful reaction to the ordeal.

I read an article before seeing the film about the equipment and techniques Anthony Dod Mantle used to shoot this film, given the incredibly confined location. I have to say, all the effort in modifications and adaptation has paid off. 127 Hours is a beautifully realised film, aesthetically speaking. From the sprawling vistas to the near-claustrophobic canyon, to the exquisite close-ups from within pipes and water flasks, the film is a visual delight. Possible exception of the amputation scene. Emphasis on 'possible' there.

In short, a wonderfully realised true-story, an inspiration, a what-the-hell-would-I-do challenge, a triumph. See it.

Into the Wild (2007)

I feel a little bit nauseous.

I've just finished watching Into the Wild for the first time. I'd heard mixed things about it previously. A few people have said it's inspiring and desperately sad too, and a few have labelled it 'distinctly average'.

I have to admit, I thought it was a fantastic film. It held my attention throughout its entire 148-minute runtime, and emotionally took me on a journey I didn't fully expect. Did I like everything about it? No. Did I at times find 'Alexander' was selfish and foolhardy to his detriment? Yes. Does that make it a bad film? No, probably the contrary.

Into the Wild is beautifully shot, capturing the essence of wild America in almost every frame. The cinematography succeeds in immersing us in the world, and at times trapping us in it with Christopher in his darker and more frantic moments.

I thought perhaps Into the Wild would be a study of Christopher as reflected in the landscape and the characters around him, but the supporting ensemble have such weight and are all so very well portrayed that they are almost the bigger story. That is to say, Into the Wild is as much a film about Christopher's influence upon the world and those he meets therewithin as it is about the way they affect him.

Speaking of the supporting cast, I can't find a weak link, none of the characters feel incidental or unnecessary, and all are pitch-perfect performances. Catherine Keener, Brian Dierker and Vince Vaughn all had great supporting roles, as did a pretty well-disguised Zach Galifianakis. Special note must be made of Kristen Stewart (I had no idea she could act when given a decent script and good direction!) and Hal Holbrook, both of whom made me genuinely care about them beyond their appearances on-screen. I was left wondering how they dealt with life after 'Alexander' left them. Come to think of it, was Christopher being selfish when he told the old man he'd talk about adoption after he returned from Alaska? Was he instead guarding against the possibility he wouldn't return? It's clear from his leaving his hat and attempt to cross the river that his intention was to make it back, so who knows?

And whatever happened to that fresh-faced kid from The Girl Next Door? Emile Hirsch proves he's got some serious acting chops, as well as a Christian Bale-like ability to change his bodyweight to suit the role. He carries off this sometimes kooky, sometimes brazen and oftentimes conflicted character with great conviction and success.

The character and the story, given that they are based on real-life events, are handled responsibly by writer/director Sean Penn, and woven into a very affecting cinematic experience. The journey, both physically and emotionally, of this literary, adventure-obsessed character to escape the oppression of his parents and the stresses and strains of modern society in the wider sense is a hell of a story. The descent into self-exiled, lonely delirium and the dissolution of the rational, educated mind through desperation to survive is a powerful enough conclusion, especially when framed by the lives of those he's left behind. Yet, is this a sad tale of lost hope, or the (somewhat unfortunate) natural conclusion to a dream sought and lived? The latter, by all means.

I couldn't help but to enjoy the ride, even with the niggling dread playing on my mind, until the desperation and resignation of the finale. Even in death, that this young man could find the meaning of happiness is inspiring.

My Camera Showreel

My Camera Showreel is now finished and up on YouTube. It's also included below:-



And the extended version is here:-

What an eventful month and a half...

Well It's well and truly summer again...

I spent my 6-week placement working for White Lantern Film in Poole, where I had great fun as a Production Assistant and driver and even got a Gaffer credit on the comedy short film Flushed, as well as working on the forthcoming Amateur Gardening Magazine DVD.  The staff and crew there were really fun to work with and I think it was a very successful insight into the work of an upcoming independent production company.  I have also passed on the opportunity of 2 weeks work placement at Leopard Films to James, as he still hadn't secured a placement.

Pretty much straight after this, I packed my bag and headed on to Glastonbury '08 with Ben, his girlfriend, and Sparrow.  It was great fun once again, with scarcely a trace of mud this year!! Whilst the line-up wasn't so packed with bands I wanted to see, we had great fun watching those we made it to, including The Wurzles, Alphabeat, Panic! At The Disco, The Fratellis, Goldfrapp, Kate Nash, Mark Ronson, Lightspeed Champions, Seasick Steve, and those we heard from our camp, like Get Cape, Wear Cape, Fly, The Raconteurs, John Mayer, Shakin' Stevens and Brian Jonestown Massacre. The biggest disappointment was the Young Knives, because they were pretty generic and kept us waiting for what seemed like an eternity in a VERY packed John Peel stage, ahead of the Ting Tings debut.

Conveniently, this leads me to the highlights of the weekend's music. Best hot tip: Vampire Weekend. Best intra-band banter: The Wombats. Best rock lightshow: The Verve. Best crowd-draw: The Ting Tings. Best set of the weekend: Jay-Z. There, I said it. Sod the controversy, he was pretty f*cking awesome.

Anyway, I'm home again now, and I returned to 700-odd bales of Hay my first day back... Lovely.

Returning from Bournemouth on the M27, with a car full of my stuff from Uni, and travelling at about 85mph in the fast lane, the rear of my car started to wobble, as if affected by a crosswind, although the trees weren't moving. As I slowed down, the snaking became worse and the car started making some very unhealthy noises and began billowing smoke from the outside rear tyre. I managed to safely guide my car across the 3 lanes and the slip road to the relative safety of the hard shoulder, to see my tyre was 'somewhat buggered' as the AA man so eloquently phrased it.  In preference to risking my legs without a big van with flashing lights on it behind me, I rang the AA and joined for the year, and there was a friendly mechanic on scene not more than 15minutes after I hung up. Of course I got Mr Thick at AA telesales who couldn't work out why I wasn't still in the outside lane, why I was by the sliproad to junction 7 or what the meaning of his useless existence was. But there you go. Sorted it out, found a spare hubcap by the hard shoulder (albeit not the one I lost) and bought a new tyre that afternoon.