Monday, 18 April 2011
Hostage (Dir. Florent Emilio Siri) 2005
Epic. Must watch again without distractions to better understand plot!
Thursday, 3 February 2011
Black Swan
To some extent I knew what to expect... On the other hand this film was completely shocking. I wouldn't say it was an enjoyable experience but it was certainly evoking and incredible.
From the start of the film there was a lot of hand held which was very noticeable and disconcerting. Which worked for the film. It gave the very normal beginning an undercurrent of discomfort.
Throughout the entire film was uncomfortable and on edge. I put this down to the sound work because it was just fantastic. I would imagine a lot of foley was used and there were moments when the sound gelled so well with the film that it was almost unnoticeable yet if you listened, it was completely unnatural to that moment or setting.
Another thing that really stood out for me was the special effects. They were ridiculously good. Throughout the film Portman's skin rippled with effects so subtle that you barely noticed until it became much more obvious and important towards the end. The sound effect that went along with this effect was so perfect it made my skin crawl too!
Overall this was a fantastic film. It's subtleties really balanced the gore and shock factors. I would say the creep element is very Pan's Labyrinth yet the gritty handheld realism grounds it in reality even throughout the fantastical scenes.
Watch it! But be prepared!
From the start of the film there was a lot of hand held which was very noticeable and disconcerting. Which worked for the film. It gave the very normal beginning an undercurrent of discomfort.
Throughout the entire film was uncomfortable and on edge. I put this down to the sound work because it was just fantastic. I would imagine a lot of foley was used and there were moments when the sound gelled so well with the film that it was almost unnoticeable yet if you listened, it was completely unnatural to that moment or setting.
Another thing that really stood out for me was the special effects. They were ridiculously good. Throughout the film Portman's skin rippled with effects so subtle that you barely noticed until it became much more obvious and important towards the end. The sound effect that went along with this effect was so perfect it made my skin crawl too!
Overall this was a fantastic film. It's subtleties really balanced the gore and shock factors. I would say the creep element is very Pan's Labyrinth yet the gritty handheld realism grounds it in reality even throughout the fantastical scenes.
Watch it! But be prepared!
Tuesday, 18 January 2011
Edge of Darkness (Dir. Martin Campbell)
It was very good. Better than expected. Very strange choice of opening shots, unnecessary even. A random shot of dead bodies emerging to the surface of a lake, then suddenly cuts to a home video of a young girl on the beach.
Also cliche ending, ghosts walking into the light. But excellent story. A bit confusing at times but really gripping.
Also cliche ending, ghosts walking into the light. But excellent story. A bit confusing at times but really gripping.
Valentine's Day (dir. Garry Marshall)
Throughout, I was imagining how the script was written. Which was slightly annoying but it is interesting knowing I have an idea about that sort of thing now.
The cast was impressive but I wouldn't say they all played their best roles. With two simultaneous twists, which I thought worked really well. It involved two characters getting to know each other throughout the film and getting closer towards the end, then suddenly they spin off in two separate directions into scenarios which were built up in different storylines alongside their one.- Very unexpected but I did work it out beforehand (go me). Much like Love Actually and He's Just Not That Into You - in regards to the romance and the multiple storylines with various minor links and interactions. The entire film represented the one day, an interesting structure.
I thought Ashton Kutcher was very good in it and the children were ridiculously cute. Apart from that and the older couple, the acting was fairly mediocre.
It wasn't necessarily a great film but it was ok.
The cast was impressive but I wouldn't say they all played their best roles. With two simultaneous twists, which I thought worked really well. It involved two characters getting to know each other throughout the film and getting closer towards the end, then suddenly they spin off in two separate directions into scenarios which were built up in different storylines alongside their one.- Very unexpected but I did work it out beforehand (go me). Much like Love Actually and He's Just Not That Into You - in regards to the romance and the multiple storylines with various minor links and interactions. The entire film represented the one day, an interesting structure.
I thought Ashton Kutcher was very good in it and the children were ridiculously cute. Apart from that and the older couple, the acting was fairly mediocre.
It wasn't necessarily a great film but it was ok.
Alice In Wonderland (Dir. Tim Burton)
The best thing about it was Johnny Depp and the March Hare. Without their characters and the way they were performed/created, it wouldn't have been especially worth watching. The beginning was nonsense. The introduction of Alice in a severe English society was boring and rigid and Mia Wasikowska's (Alice) performance seemed rubbish in the beginning but improved as the film progressed.
As Alice entered wonderland, familiar characters were poorly and rapidly introduced and then inexplicably snatched away. It was a strange and uninteresting part of the story, it set up a bad start to the film. The CGI effects were equally as poor. Very rigid and unrealistic. It seemed like they had paid more attention to certain characters and quickly knocked out background characters and setting. (Flowers with faces- a familiar character, appears once with poor animation). Unlike other Tim Burton films, there didn't seem to be much depth to the world. We saw Alice walking through the wilderness of Wonderland with wildlife sound effects but no wildlife! There was only a suggestion of the creatures that resided here when she first arrived and saw a 'horse'fly and a 'dragon'fly. Apart from that, there was no wildlife. The world seemed exclusively inhabited by the main characters and those they interacted with. Some of the animated characters were brilliant but when CGI was used on the actors, the effect just didn't sit right.
I have never been a fan of 3d films. I find that any movement is blurred considerably more when in 3d. When I saw Avatar, it was so perfect that I became unaware that I was watching a 3d film. Alice in Wonderland was nothing like that in 3d. At one point I found myself going cross-eyed when I tried to focus on what they had plunged into the audience. Probably best seen in 2d, my attention might have then been better drawn to the artistic elements of the film rather than having to concentrate on focusing my eyes on what was happening.
This could have been amazing. While Avatar pulled us into an entirely new world, Alice in Wonderland was a page in a book- flat. Definitely not the best of Tim Burton. His adaptation of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory was much more accomplished and I think Alice in Wonderland was let down.
As Alice entered wonderland, familiar characters were poorly and rapidly introduced and then inexplicably snatched away. It was a strange and uninteresting part of the story, it set up a bad start to the film. The CGI effects were equally as poor. Very rigid and unrealistic. It seemed like they had paid more attention to certain characters and quickly knocked out background characters and setting. (Flowers with faces- a familiar character, appears once with poor animation). Unlike other Tim Burton films, there didn't seem to be much depth to the world. We saw Alice walking through the wilderness of Wonderland with wildlife sound effects but no wildlife! There was only a suggestion of the creatures that resided here when she first arrived and saw a 'horse'fly and a 'dragon'fly. Apart from that, there was no wildlife. The world seemed exclusively inhabited by the main characters and those they interacted with. Some of the animated characters were brilliant but when CGI was used on the actors, the effect just didn't sit right.
I have never been a fan of 3d films. I find that any movement is blurred considerably more when in 3d. When I saw Avatar, it was so perfect that I became unaware that I was watching a 3d film. Alice in Wonderland was nothing like that in 3d. At one point I found myself going cross-eyed when I tried to focus on what they had plunged into the audience. Probably best seen in 2d, my attention might have then been better drawn to the artistic elements of the film rather than having to concentrate on focusing my eyes on what was happening.
This could have been amazing. While Avatar pulled us into an entirely new world, Alice in Wonderland was a page in a book- flat. Definitely not the best of Tim Burton. His adaptation of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory was much more accomplished and I think Alice in Wonderland was let down.
Shutter Island (Dir. Martin Scorsese)
If you intend to go and see this film and don't want to know anything about it then don't read on! Spoiler alert, as they say..
Shutter Island was a complex plot of double meanings. We follow a pair of US Marshals supposedly investigating the disappearance of the patient "Rachel Saldano". As the plot thickens, Dicaprio's character reveals ulterior motives for his being on Shutter Island. Throughout the film DiCaprio is haunted by images of his traumatic Nazi killing past, and the death of his wife. Through strange occurrences and meetings, we are unknowingly fed clues towards the climax near the end of the film.
During the first scene it seemed this wouldn't be a great film. The dialogue was poor and basic, there was very inappropriate and edgy music, and Leonardo DiCaprio's tie was being wind swept in the opposite direction of the expected wind from a moving boat. The strange and annoying music continued for about 10 minutes until they stepped through the gates of the mental asylum on Shutter Island, accompanied by very wary and heavily armed guards. It's hard to believe Scorsese would have made the opening sequence that bad and the twist revealed at the end sheds light onto the reason behind it.
Most of the characters were very interesting and well perceived. There was a strange encounter between DiCaprio and a German psychiatrist which was a bit confusing, it felt like they were sharing an inside joke which we weren't filled in on. DiCaprio portrayed his character very well and very believably. Every one of the actors apart from DiCaprio were hiding something from us and the protagonist which came across very well. We are successfully lead into DiCaprio's world and his perception of all the deceptive people around him even though everything that is real to him, is complete fantasy. This false narration is much like in Memento and creates a very interesting twist at the end. The film was particularly like Memento in the fact that the whole film was a fantasy created by the protagonist to deal with an issue or trauma.
Jackie Earle Haley played his character George Noyce fantastically, I am a huge fan of his acting though and think he is brilliant.
The camera work was interesting but seemingly showed poor continuity, however I think that watching it back would reveal that the continuity issues were purposeful. There was one shot where the camera craned from a mid shot of an orderly along the floor to DiCaprio, which was very strange and disorientating. I am not sure that it was either good nor bad.. just strange.
It's hard to comment on the film after seeing the end because the twist changes every perception of what you have already seen. For instance the first sequence, the dialogue was so strained and unnatural, but when it is put into the context of the protagonist's fantasy it seems right. Also the heavily armed guards and awkward, lying patients and doctors in the asylum all make sense. I am sure that upon watching it again many clues would reveal themselves and many things will make much more sense. I look forward to watching it again and picking it apart!
Shutter Island was a complex plot of double meanings. We follow a pair of US Marshals supposedly investigating the disappearance of the patient "Rachel Saldano". As the plot thickens, Dicaprio's character reveals ulterior motives for his being on Shutter Island. Throughout the film DiCaprio is haunted by images of his traumatic Nazi killing past, and the death of his wife. Through strange occurrences and meetings, we are unknowingly fed clues towards the climax near the end of the film.
During the first scene it seemed this wouldn't be a great film. The dialogue was poor and basic, there was very inappropriate and edgy music, and Leonardo DiCaprio's tie was being wind swept in the opposite direction of the expected wind from a moving boat. The strange and annoying music continued for about 10 minutes until they stepped through the gates of the mental asylum on Shutter Island, accompanied by very wary and heavily armed guards. It's hard to believe Scorsese would have made the opening sequence that bad and the twist revealed at the end sheds light onto the reason behind it.
Most of the characters were very interesting and well perceived. There was a strange encounter between DiCaprio and a German psychiatrist which was a bit confusing, it felt like they were sharing an inside joke which we weren't filled in on. DiCaprio portrayed his character very well and very believably. Every one of the actors apart from DiCaprio were hiding something from us and the protagonist which came across very well. We are successfully lead into DiCaprio's world and his perception of all the deceptive people around him even though everything that is real to him, is complete fantasy. This false narration is much like in Memento and creates a very interesting twist at the end. The film was particularly like Memento in the fact that the whole film was a fantasy created by the protagonist to deal with an issue or trauma.
Jackie Earle Haley played his character George Noyce fantastically, I am a huge fan of his acting though and think he is brilliant.
The camera work was interesting but seemingly showed poor continuity, however I think that watching it back would reveal that the continuity issues were purposeful. There was one shot where the camera craned from a mid shot of an orderly along the floor to DiCaprio, which was very strange and disorientating. I am not sure that it was either good nor bad.. just strange.
It's hard to comment on the film after seeing the end because the twist changes every perception of what you have already seen. For instance the first sequence, the dialogue was so strained and unnatural, but when it is put into the context of the protagonist's fantasy it seems right. Also the heavily armed guards and awkward, lying patients and doctors in the asylum all make sense. I am sure that upon watching it again many clues would reveal themselves and many things will make much more sense. I look forward to watching it again and picking it apart!
The Hurt Locker (Dir. Kathryn Bigalow)
Obviously I had to watch it as it won 6 Oscars AND 6 Bafta's.
Best Achievement in Directing
Best Achievement in Editing
Best Achievement in Sound
Best Achievement in Sound Editing
Best Motion Picture of the Year
Best Writing, Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen
I knew it was meant to be good but come on! So I watched it. And yeah it's good. Something I don't get with these awards though is the sound judged. I do understand how difficult and time consuming sound is but I don't understand how it is judged.
Definitely want to watch it again, I don't feel like I was paying enough attention to it. But it was very good. I really respect Kathryn Bigalow for pushing and pushing the fact that she made this film to represent the people that these films aren't always made about. It really shows how dangerous their jobs are and how difficult and detached the men are from their homes. The end shot was very powerful, Renner walking off in his suit to disarm a bomb while the audience is told he has a year in Iraq before he sees his wife and child again.
I felt that the film covered almost every aspect of these bombings, car bombs, suicide bombs, remote bombs, body bombs and more bang boom bombing. It also showed us the trust and security the men have in each other and how bonded they are from their experiences. I just don't understand what distinguishes a film from the rest. Because I know that Up in the Air, Blindside, Avatar, District 9 and Up were also very good, also all nominated as best picture at the Oscars. The only obvious thing I can think of is the kind of groundbreaking subject matter. The issues that were touched upon and the way they were tackled. It was certainly something I had never seen before and I am really interested in the unknown of war because I don't trust the papers.
Really wish I had caught it at the cinema. I will be sure to catch Green Zone before that disappears off the big screen. I think Hurt Locker is just one of those films that is truly given justice at the cinema.
LOVE the theme tune... It was played over and over and over again at the Oscars. The Way I am. Brilliant.
Best Achievement in Directing
Best Achievement in Editing
Best Achievement in Sound
Best Achievement in Sound Editing
Best Motion Picture of the Year
Best Writing, Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen
I knew it was meant to be good but come on! So I watched it. And yeah it's good. Something I don't get with these awards though is the sound judged. I do understand how difficult and time consuming sound is but I don't understand how it is judged.
Definitely want to watch it again, I don't feel like I was paying enough attention to it. But it was very good. I really respect Kathryn Bigalow for pushing and pushing the fact that she made this film to represent the people that these films aren't always made about. It really shows how dangerous their jobs are and how difficult and detached the men are from their homes. The end shot was very powerful, Renner walking off in his suit to disarm a bomb while the audience is told he has a year in Iraq before he sees his wife and child again.
I felt that the film covered almost every aspect of these bombings, car bombs, suicide bombs, remote bombs, body bombs and more bang boom bombing. It also showed us the trust and security the men have in each other and how bonded they are from their experiences. I just don't understand what distinguishes a film from the rest. Because I know that Up in the Air, Blindside, Avatar, District 9 and Up were also very good, also all nominated as best picture at the Oscars. The only obvious thing I can think of is the kind of groundbreaking subject matter. The issues that were touched upon and the way they were tackled. It was certainly something I had never seen before and I am really interested in the unknown of war because I don't trust the papers.
Really wish I had caught it at the cinema. I will be sure to catch Green Zone before that disappears off the big screen. I think Hurt Locker is just one of those films that is truly given justice at the cinema.
LOVE the theme tune... It was played over and over and over again at the Oscars. The Way I am. Brilliant.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)