Review: Here Comes the Devil

Missing children, mad curses, sexual hysteria and blood curdling cries of anguish play out disturbingly well in this chilling, atmospheric horror. Here Comes the Devil is an homage to Peter Weir’s Picnic at Hanging Rock and in the same vein as other influential 1970s mystery horror such as Nicolas Roeg’s Don’t Look Now with hints of Jodorowsky in appearance, setting and excessiveness. 

You can read my full review over on Starburst Magazine

Review: Santa Sangre

Psychological, spiritual and physical dismemberment is explored in this surreal, outrageous and excessive piece of cinema. A carnival full of the spirit of Dionysus plays out on screen, intoxicating the senses from the very beginning and leading the protagonist, Fenix, to a clear epiphany.  First brought to the big screen in 1989  Santa Sangre marked Alejandro Jodorowsky’s return to feature filmmaking after a long absence. 

You can read my full review over on Cinetalk

Review: Painless

Director Juan Carlos Medina’s debut feature film (co-written with one of the [REC] writers Luiso Berdejo) is a haunting, visceral allegorical horror exploring the Spanish conscience in the aftermath of the civil war. When a group of children are diagnosed with the affliction of feeling no pain (a real condition called congenital analgesia) they are snatched away from their family, forced into straitjackets, tattooed with a letter and hidden away from the rest of the world in a sanatorium where they are experimented upon.

 

You can read my full review on Starburst Magazine

Review: The Brass Teapot

Director Ramaa Mosley presents a comedy commenting on consumerism, the recession and shifting values all wrapped up in a style aiming for the magic of Spielberg or Dante’s films where fantasy plays out in an everyday American setting. 

You can read my full review at Starburst Magazine

Review: Foxfire - Confessions of a Girl Gang

Comparisons to Francis Ford Coppola’s The Outsiders can’t be helped with the  period American setting, coming of age storyline, young cast and aspects of gang violence, but that’s as far as the similarities go with exploration of masculinity replaced with a look at the female struggle of the 1950s. Palme d’Or winner (Entre Les Murs) Laurent Cantet adapts Joyce Carol Oates tale of female empowerment, teen angst and communism encapsulating the spirit and the political mood with pulpy being replaced by poetic. The setting, clothes and the girls’ mannerisms feel appropriate for the time but sometimes the female camaraderie and interactions just don’t sit right. Staying close to the source material delivers the message clearly but it gets bogged down with an overly long running time of 143 minutes that ends like a bad biopic. 

You can read my full review over on Cinetalk

Review: Frances Ha

Noah Baumbach and Greta Gerwig join forces again to great success. Gerwig not only takes on the lead role but has also co-written the well observed screenplay which explores the intimacy of female friendship and the feeling of uncertainty prevalent in a generation struggling to fulfil their potential. 

You can read my full review over on Cinetalk.

Review: Seven Psychopaths

After his much lauded and surprisingly brilliant feature debut In Bruges, writer/director Martin McDonagh delivers a clever, funny, violent satire about violence in films. It mixes elements of and references Tarantino, Peckinpah and even Malick, and has much in common with Get Shorty, Short Cuts and Bowfinger. Witty dialogue, dark moments, fast paced action, shoot outs and the framework for a bloody revenge film are set in motion and just as you're about ready to settle in for the usual proceedings McDonagh shifts gears and heads in a different direction.

Read my full review over at Starburst Magazine

Review: Looper

In this high concept sci-fi thriller the principal players are both the same character (Joe), with Joseph Gordon-Levitt taking the role of his younger self and Bruce Willis playing the older and wiser version. Writer/Director Rian Johnson takes the concept of time travel, mixes it with a film noir feel and adds a gangster style narrative that leaps and bounds in unexpected directions.

You can read my full review over at Starburst Magazine

Released on 28th September 2012

Review: Sightseers

With director Ben Wheatley’s body of work headed for cult status he’s a filmmaker whose output you cannot afford to miss, and with Sightseers he delivers yet again with a dark concept dominated by caustic characters.

You can read my full review over at Starburst Magazine 

Released in the UK on 30th November.

Showing at TIFF 11th, 13th and 16th September

http://tiff.net/filmsandschedules/tiff/2012/sightseers

 

TIFF 2012 Picks

1. The Brass Teapot
Starring Juno Temple and Michael Angarano as a couple who discover a brass teapot that dispenses cash when they feel pain. What lengths will they go to for money? Director Ramaa Mosley's first feature film.
For more information click here

2. A Werewolf Boy (Neuk-dae-so-nyun) After a promising debut in End of Animal (a disorientating post-apocalyptic monster movie) this is South Korean Director Jo Seung-Hee's second feature. Coming of age, fairytale and a werewolf? Fingers crossed. For more information click here

3. Ghost Graduation
A Spanish comedy described as The Breakfast Club meets Ghostbusters. Though Director Javier Ruiz Caldera's first feature was the spoof film Spanish Movie (the less said the better) perhaps he can find his own voice in his second film. For more information click here

4. No One Lives
Director Ryuhei Kitamura returns with a horror film that will hopefully deliver on its title. His previous films include the  Midnight Meat Train (starring Vininie Jones) and Versus. Both personal favourites of mine. For more information click here

5. John Dies at the End
Based on the popular horror novel by David Wong (Jason Pargin) featuring gateways to hell, mind-bending drugs and meat monsters and directed by Don Coscarelli (Phantasm and Bubba Ho-Tep) this could either be a CGI monstrosity or a cult classic.For more information click here

 6. In Another Country
Isabelle Huppert stars in Hong Sang-Soo's latest film set in the Korean seaside town of Mohang. Three separate stories exploring human vulnerability and relationships. For more information click here

7. Much Ado About Nothing
Joss Whedon's spin on Shakespeare. I am so intrigued by this. For more information click here

8. Pieta
Kim Ki-Duk makes a return to  storytelling after his hiatus. His last film was the documentary Arirang which charted his road to recovery from post traumatic stress and depression  Hopefully a return to form. For more information click here

9. Foxfire: Confessions of a Girl Gang
Laurent Cantet (The Class, Entre Les Murs) adapts Joyce Carol Oate's dark tale of female empowerment set in 1950s America. For more information click here

10. The ABCs of Death
An ambitious horror anthology with 26 gory chapters from directors such as Xavier Gens, Yoshihiro Nishimura, Nacho Vigalondo, Ti West, Adam Wingard and many more! For more information click here

11. Sightseers
If you like your comedy black and brutal Director Ben Wheatley (Kill List) delivers on all fronts in his third feature film. For more information click here

12. I Declare War
Directors Jason Lapeyre and Robert Wilson team up in this dark comedy about children playing war games. Mixing fantasy and reality and entering the mindset of the little warriors this could prove to be unsettling territory. For more information click here

13. Spring Breakers
Director, Harmony Korine (Gummo, Mister Lonely) dresses James Franco up in Hawaiin shirts and cornrows. If nothing else, this film looks spectacularly seedy. 

14. Berberian Sound Studio
A rich puzzling mix of startling sound effects and dreamy visuals that pays homage to the Giallo and the often overlooked sound engineer. Not to be missed. For more information click here

Bloody Brilliant Horror

My partner is not a fan of a lot of the horror films I watch, but on walking into the room half way through this, a smirk appeared and he sat down to watch the rest of the film.

This is small budget, scurrilous satire I highly recommend you adding to your DVD collection.

You can read my review over on Starburst.

Terracotta Distribution recently released Hansel & Gretel on Blu-ray and it looks amazing on this format. A sad and fascinating fantasy story that takes elements from the Brothers Grimm fairy-tale and twists them to ask the question ‘what would happen if the children never got saved’? A continuous carousel like nightmare plays out in the seemingly idyllic setting of a pastel hued house in a deep forest. 

 You can read my review over on Starburst 

 

Another Terracotta DVD release is Desire to Kill  which comes out on 20th August. You can read my review over on Cinetalk

Other horror titles I have reviewed recently are Lovely Molly which I thought  had a lot of potential...You can read my review over on the fabulous Filmoria 

And although it is not what I would classify as bloody brilliant I did enjoy 

Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter as it made me laugh A LOT!

You can read my review over on Starburst

Electrick Children, Brooklyn Brothers, Joyful Noise and the Art of Rap

A lingering love story filled with the curiosity of youth and the gentle nature of innocence. It flows to a modern beat of rock and the timeless tempo of the Utah and Nevada landscape.  An exceptional debut from Rebecca Thomas; can’t wait to see what she comes up with next.  

You can read my review here and I also interviewed Rebecca whose next film will involve Mermaids.. You can read the interview here. 

  The Brooklyn Brothers Beat the Best is another directorial debut from Ryan O Nan who also writes and stars in this musical road trip movie of sorts that starts slowly but strums along nicely once it gets going. Andrew McCarthy makes an appearance!

You can read my review here.

Queen Latifah and Dolly Parton throw bread rolls at each other, sing some songs and give some good old advice to their children and grandchildren in the gospel choir duelling picture, Joyful Noise.

My love for Dolly Parton knows no bounds! 9 to 5 was her finest movie moment (I think we can all agree on that) but to watch her dancing with (the ghost of) Kris Kristofferson under the moonlight was pretty special too!

You can read my review here.

Ice-T meets with a bunch of his friends from the world of rap to discuss their craft.  Each artist shares their different approach and all come across as passionate. The foundations of rap are focused on, the importance of performance, and the creative process of each is fascinating to learn about making this a fine tribute. 

You can read my review of Something from Nothing: The Art of Rap here.

The Dark Knight Rises

It finally arrives tomorrow and it is pretty good, you can read my review over on Starburst

The masks are cool and everything but Selina Kyle wears some wicked boots. Someone send me a pair. Juno Temple makes her way into the Nolan gang too (loved her in Killer Joe and Dirty Girl).

Brave

Pixar do it again! You can read my review over on Starburst

In cinemas Scotland and Ireland : Aug 3rd

In cinemas England and Wales : Aug 13th

Review: Seeking a Friend for the End of the World

“I’m not a survivalist, I’m an optimist!”

Lorene Scafaria’s directorial debut shows promise, with her background as a screenwriter penning Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist her knack for writing a funny line and setting up some amusing and poignant scenes is clear. The soundtrack suits the pensive mood for an end of the world setting and though it falls on the sentimental side it works. Scafaria mixes apocalyptic mind set with road trip adventure and the jovial tone works extremely well for the first half of the film. Unfortunately the “friend” aspect of the film is lost to a romantic storyline between the two lead characters, Dodge (Steve Carrell) and Penny (Keira Knightley). 

There are 21 days left until a meteor hits the earth. Dodge has been abandoned by his wife and Penny regrets her life as a serial monogamist. Both are reflecting on their lives and their misspent ways when Penny stumbles through Dodge’s apartment window and they first meet despite being neighbours for years.  Dodge looks to his first love whereas Penny is looking to reconnect with her family and they both take to the road in search of the void in their lives. Disconnect, loneliness and lack of community spirit are the themes explored, but what it all comes down to is the question, “what would you do if the world was about to end? “ Priorities are changed and rules are thrown out the window making a marvellous first hour of viewing.  The pair cling on to the only pillar of hope they can which is the promise of fulfilment through human connection.  With material items losing value a relationship formed on the road steers these two to their obvious end. 

This is an end of the world comedy that after a strong start takes a turn into romantic schmaltz.  For the most part Scafaria’s strong, witty script keeps the momentum chugging along. People taking drugs, letting their kids get drunk, engaging in promiscuous sexual activity and basically all the conduct of a society on the edge are presented in an exceptionally funny way. Dodge and Penny don't feel fully developed as characters, and though both Carrell and Knightley give good performances, it is hard to believe in their forming relationship. Though mostly charming, it seems to lose the comedic, laid back vibe half way through in favour of mainstream predictability with the emphasis moved from friendship to amorous sentimentality. 

Released in the UK on 13th July 

The Amazing Spider-Man

Was there warrant enough for this Spider-Man reboot after the Sam Raimi origin story only coming out ten years ago? Having had issues with the visuals in that particular franchise I was looking forward to updated technology giving the suited hero some real depth.  This Spider-Man looks amazing. The suit for one has texture and the action scenes feel more robust.  Scenes in the first half of the film where Peter Parker gets bitten exploring the labs of OsCorp feel refreshed and have been updated well. Blue UV hues mirror the suit he will soon don and intricate designs delight.  Though I did enjoy Toby Maguire and Kirsten Dunst’s performances in the 2002 version I was looking forward to a new spin on this superhero tale.  Once again the leads have been cast well with Andrew Garfield and Emma Stone having great chemistry. Sally Field is a feistier Aunt May and her character develops a harder edge as the film goes on. Paired up with Martin Sheen as Uncle Ben they come together to form a fine parental team.  

This origin story does on the surface have some differences. Gwen Stacy (Emma Stone) playing the love interest and the discovery of Peter’s father’s past work lead him to interactions with the curiously cold Dr. Curt Connors (Rys Ifans). This mad scientist contrasts well with Peter’s own story as he transforms into the Lizard and loses his humanity.  Unfortunately this is where the visuals let the film down with some uninspired CGI. With nods to Godzilla and Creature from the Black Lagoon (pictures of the lizard's claw making the front of the newspapers) it is disappointing that this movie monster is not as striking as those made in 1954. 

Garfield is superbly well cast in the role of Peter Parker, geeky enough to be believable and incredibly endearing. This Spider-Man reacts with a youthful arrogance, taunting his prey and humiliating them with his web slinging abilities. He playfully quips when in the suit and strikes the famous comic book stances. Director Marc Webb inserts some dark action between romance and comedy in the first part of the film and develops his characters well, but the finale does have a generic air of going through the motions to set up the sequel.   

Spidey leaps and bounds forward in fast action scenes of free running style and sticky awkwardness but doesn’t reach the promised amazing heights.  Aimed at a younger audience who should enjoy the high school romance aspect and teen angst but a sense of familiarity in this origin story may leave some underwhelmed. 

Released in the UK on 3rd July 2012

Sheffield Doc Fest: Music and the DIY spirit

Bones Brigade: An Autobiography tells the story of a group of individuals who were cemented together through skateboarding. Stacy Peralta, Director of Dogtown and Z Boys and the much loved The Search for Animal Chin (of which he is a little embarrassed by now) takes us back to the 1980s to tell the story of the formation of the Bones Brigade skate crew.  Tony Hawk, Rodney Mullen, Mike McGill, Steve Caballero, Lance Mountain and Tommy Guerrero revolutionised and formed the modern face of competitive skateboarding.  Peralta splices old school footage, photos, and interviews that sum up the true spirit of this crew but he has also produced an excellent account of the history of skateboarding. Rodney Mullen is a rad, passionate genius who is mesmerizing to watch on screen through his skate tricks and speeches. An inspirational story about a passionate and driven group of boys growing up and getting to make a living from doing what they love.


Indie Game: The Movie was always a must watch for me, with my partner being a part of the games industry and some of my friends games developers I was intrigued to see how the filmmakers would portray their subjects. Thankfully the documentary focuses on the personal stories and inspiration for the games leading to a funny and moving depiction. 

Grandma Lo-Fi is the embodiment of a melodic soul.This documentary has been put together very much like a homemade mix tape and it is a lovely tribute to an inspirational woman.










Pertti Kurikka’s Name Day is a four piece Finnish punk band who are making a name for themselves in the scene. All the members have learning difficulties and voice their frustrations through their music and lyrics. Directors Jukka Karkkainen and JP Passi put this band under the spotlight and the outcome is positively positive.  The Punk Syndrome is an uplifting celebration of what it is to be a creative human being.

Searching for Sugar Man charts an investigation born out of a love for music and a man who captured the imaginations of a liberal white population wanting to rebel against their government.

Jason Becker: Not Dead Yet honours the mighty axeman who would not stop fighting for his life.












All these films share the DIY and independent spirit that often comes with creativity and each tells a compelling story.
You can read my full coverage here: http://www.cinetalk.tv/tagged/sheffield-doc-fest

Rock of Ages

If Tom Cruise doesn't do it for you in Rock of Ages Giamatti is sure to...

Fans of the stage show are likely to enjoy Adam Shankman’s film adaptation. Sex, stardom and Stacee Jaxx (Tom Cruise) dominate this story of small town girl meets bright lights. Shankman’s past films include a remake of John Waters’ Hairspray, Bedtime Stories and a couple of episodes of Glee. The music hails from the 80s and it is nothing if not fun but it falls into the modern Glee world of mash-ups and mildness. It is entertaining cheese with some strangely surreal performances and appearances.  

Sherrie (Julianne Hough) meets Drew (Diego Boneta) just as she enters LA to fulfil her dreams of becoming a singer. Drew works in the Bourbon Room and sets her up with a waitressing job only for young love to ensue and the pitfalls of the rock 'n' roll lifestyle to rear its ugly head.  The two leads will appeal to the audience it is aiming for, but they are totally eclipsed by the supporting actors. Tom Cruise as the topless, whiskey sipping rock star Stacee Jaxx steals every scene, and apart from the unnecessary pairing with a baboon called Hey Man will keep you laughing.  His scenes with Malin Akerman, who plays Rolling Stone journalist Constance Sacks, are filthy over the top fun.

Alec Baldwin’s club owner Dennis is paired up with Russell Brand’s Lonny who fits into the picture and is well cast.  Their dynamic is amusing and they both seem to be having lots of fun in their roles. Paul Giamatti turns up as the crooked manager to Jaxx and his character presents the issues that creative types face in the industry.  You may cringe when he sings, but it is all done with a knowing nod.  Catherine Zeta-Jones plays the zealot fighting against rock music and her dance scenes are brilliant, but she lacks the exuberance of Lin Shaye who played a similar role in Detroit Rock City.

You need to be all in with this kind of film; if you are a fan of hair metal and power ballads you are sure to leave the cinema with a grin on your face. 

Rock of Ages is out in the UK from Wednesday 13th June.

Prometheus

Ridley Scott has created an immersive, incredible looking film full of great ideas about creation, destruction, faith and mankind. Starting off with some impressive landscape shots, it moves to a dark, vast and intricate world set to astonish.  Holographic recordings, atmospheric devastation and some visually original images grace the screen. When Scott, as inevitably expected, starts to pick off the crew, the energy is ramped up and some sick shit kicks off; there are a few excellently grotesque moments.

Noomi Rapace plays a strong and focused scientist yet her performance is tinged with tenderness making her an endearing presence. Idris Elba is on fine form as the self-assured captain and Charlize Theron plays her cold role with class but the character is slightly underdeveloped.  Michael Fassbender’s David does not disappoint, in fact, every scene he appears in is pure joy. He is menacing, comical and spot on as a synthetic soulless son of a bitch.

On the surface Prometheus was a blast and Fassbender was fantastic but it definitely had some engine problems.  Unfortunately some of the ideas Scott touches on do not get fully explored.
There are some tacked on scenes that feel out of place and unnecessary but for the most part the sinister mood and sets are engrossing.

Prometheus was never going to live up to the hype surrounding it, or reach the same heights of Alien, but this is a grand, ambitious sci-fi blockbuster.

I am going back for more on Friday…

Sci-Fi London 11

 

A weekend watching sci-fi related films was always going to be a high point for me and I was not disappointed. Thanks to the sci-fi London team and Louis Savy for being so accommodating. I spent most of it with Tom Jupiter whose love for Star Trek and sci-fi is inspiring and it was a great few days of films and japes.

Sound of My Voice was the highlight of the festival for me. A debut film from Director, Zal Batmanglij, presenting exactly the kind of  cleverly constructed sci-fi I love. Brit Marling co-wrote and stars in the film and is pitch perfect. You can read my review in Starburst Magazine.

Other debuts I watched that showed potential included The Last Push and Cycle also reviewed in Starburst Magazine.

I also caught a couple of documentaries, both about Star Trek... The Captains followed William Shatner round as he met with and interviewed the actors who have also taken on the role. Scott Bakula and William Shatner riding on horseback singing to Fiddler on the Roof was a highpoint. Shatner, of course, manages to make the documentary all about himself but in the most entertaining way possible. Arm wrestling with Chris Pine and singing with Avery Brooks makes for fascinating, fun viewing! 

Trek Nation follows Eugene Roddenberry around (son of Gene) but it just didn't reach the same level of entertainment as The Captains. It is informative, but for the initiated, may not shed any new light.

I suggest you read Tom Roberts' coverage over on Starburst Magazine here and here.

Films I would watch at SIFF 2012 if I had a spare £900

 Excision

Directorial debut from Richard Bates Jr. starring Traci Lords with a cameo from John Waters.

The Legend of Kasper Hauser 

Davide Manuli directs Vincent Gallo in two roles. Nuff Said. The trailer for this is just awesome... I couldn't resist watching.

 John Dies at the End
Based on an excellent comic horror story, directed by Don Coscarelli who just happens to have directed some of my favourite films (Phantasm) and featuring one of my favourite actors Paul Giamatti.

V/H/S
Joe Swanberg, Ti West, Adam Wingard David Bruckner and Radio Silence all take turns Directing in this horror.

Thale
Norwegian Folklore from Aleksander L. Nordaas, hopefully as good as Trollhunter.

The Last Man on Earth
Aliens take over earth in this Italian sci-fi film.

Extraterrestrial
Director Nacho Vigalondo (Timecrimes) takes sci-fi somewhere else in this funny film. I saw this at TIFF and recommend catching it.

Robot and Frank
A buddy comedy about an old man and a robot. Directorial debut from Jake Schreier boasting an interesting cast.

Easton's Article
Low budget sci-fi that will hopefully be big on the ideas. First time feature from Tim Connery.

Killer Joe
New film from Director William Friedkin. Exciting times.













Other films I would be inclined to catch are Your Sister's Sister Lynn Shelton's fourth feature (and it has Mark Duplass in),  Take this Waltz directed by Sarah Polley, Romancing in Thin Air from eclectic director Johnnie To, Fat Kid Rules the World, God Bless America, Roller Town, Grassroots and Long Night's Journey Into Hell

Seattle International Film Festival runs from 17th May - 10th June. For more information: http://www.siff.net/index.aspx