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The Haunting in Connecticut (2009)
Stale, paint-by-numbers chiller
Similar to The Amityville Horror, 2009's The Haunting in Connecticut is a supernatural horror film which employs the "based on a true story" crutch as a hook to entice movie-goers. Of course, the claim that it's based on an actual suburban haunting is all smoke and mirrors, as those who spend even half an hour conducting research will realise the majority of this film's narrative was invented by the screenwriters (Adam Simon and Tim Metcalfe). Interestingly, even Ray Garton - who novelised the particular ordeal - has gone on record stating he doubts the veracity of the story, and this all goes to show how loose the phrase "based on a true story" can sometimes be employed. Interestingly, too, The Haunting in Connecticut seems not that it's based on a true story, but instead based on horror movies of prior decades.
The story concerns the members of the Campbell family, whose oldest son Matt (Galler) is suffering from cancer. In order for them to live in close proximity to a specialty clinic where Matt (Gallner) is undergoing experimental treatments, the family opt to rent a house in Connecticut. However the realtor explains that the house "has a history", which soon becomes apparent when Matt begins witnessing disturbing images at night. At first he believes they are mere hallucinations as a result of his cancer treatments, but the visions are far too vivid. When it's revealed the residence was formerly used as a funeral home, Matt seeks help from a fellow cancer patient, Reverend Popescu (Koteas), who recognises the horrific signs as a cry for help from a macabre past.
To its credit, The Haunting in Connecticut does neglect a few horror clichés we've come to expect from the genre, but these are unfortunately replaced by generic plot lines more common to film in general. On top of the formulaic ghost story, there's the sudsy melodrama about Matt dying from cancer and the impact it has on his family. A poorly-developed side plot exposes the father of the family as an emotionally-abusive former alcoholic, but this is barely touched upon and seems to have been included to add an extra ten minutes to the runtime. Meanwhile the mother is unable to connect with her dying son on an emotional level, and struggles to hold her family together. These clichés don't stop, with the wise priest entering at the right moment to provide an essential service, and children seeing unsettling images as well. Moreover, the characters are without personality and believability. In fact, they deserve a Stupid Horror Movie Character Award in the Family Category. After all, once the ghosts scare the hell out of everyone, the protagonists don't bother to leave the house and head for the closest motel...instead they return to their beds and try to sleep. If people are stupid enough to remain in a situation like that when they could easily leave, they deserve exactly what they get.
In addition, The Haunting in Connecticut is so bankrupt when it comes to generating an effective atmosphere of dread that first-time director Peter Cornwell inserts countless "boo!" moments in an attempt to keep viewers interested. Thus, scenes of dialogue are frequently punctuated with glimpses of a ghostly figure reflected in a mirror or passing outside of a window. These scares are appallingly telegraphed too, with menacing music cues, obvious framing, and protracted dramatic pauses. It becomes almost comical after a while. Indeed, if one played a drinking game in which one swallowed a gulp of alcohol each time a ghoul appeared on-screen in a flash edit of hazy doom, chances are you'll be drunk within half an hour... It's that overused. Furthermore, the PG-13 rating forbids overtly gruesome or explicit content - this means no gratuitous nudity, no requisite sex scene between husband and wife, and the burnt corpses look distinctly tame. Neither nakedness nor gore could have salvaged this paint-by-numbers chiller, but the film would've at least been more digestible.
On the bright side, The Haunting in Connecticut is not unredeemably awful. The script clearly strived to flesh out these characters well enough, and the acting is passable. The plotting also accommodates the removal of one of the most embarrassing horror clichés of all - since the story takes place during the 1980s before the days of the internet, the characters at no point research the phenomenon via Google as a means to lazily advance the narrative to the next plot point. The problem with The Haunting in Connecticut, however, is that it simply feels stale. The story is not interesting or surprising enough, the protagonists aren't compelling enough to latch onto, and the cinematic style is dull.
Edison (2005)
Standard DTV fluff with a few A-listers
Upon its completion in 2005, Edison (alternatively titled Edison Force) endured a torturous limbo existence. Following a disastrous reception at the 2005 Toronto Film Festival as well as terrible test screening reactions, its theatrical release was jettisoned and it headed straight to DVD. Similar to Uwe Boll's BloodRayne, one will likely glance at the cast list for this movie and wonder why such big-name stars agreed to appear in it. Sure, witnessing the likes of LL Cool J and Justin Timberlake in this type of direct-to-DVD action fodder is not much of a shock, but when they're placed alongside such respected actors as Kevin Spacey and Morgan Freeman...one can't help but wonder what the hell happened. Though far more watchable and entertaining than its reception might suggest, Edison remains highly disposable, forgettable and generic. There's nothing wrong with the movie at face value, but it's pure genre stuff, and clearly a paycheck effort for all involved.
In the film, Timberlake plays a naïve and ambitious reporter named Pollack whose research for his latest story leads to the discovery of a major scandal. An elite police force in Edison known as F.R.A.T. appears to be corrupt, and the entire justice system seems to be willingly turning a blind eye to the abuses of this unit. When Pollack's life is threatened (along with the life of his girlfriend), he begins working with his editor, a once-famous reporter, and a private detective to bring down F.R.A.T. and everyone behind it.
Long-time small-screen scribe David J. Burke makes his writing and directing debut with Edison; a flick which clearly strived to be a sprawling corruption drama in the vein of Chinatown and L.A. Confidential that additionally tries to deliver an important message about the moral responsibilities of journalists. Before diving into this film's innumerable flaws, it must be said that Burke's directorial work is solid. Backed by a reported $25 million budget, the first-time director has crafted a number of exciting set-pieces, and the cinematography is frequently energetic. The score, too, is effective. But the problem is that this movie is a parade of clichés which only clicks on a very basic level. With a loose-cannon antagonist, the hard- ass cop with a good heart who strives to fight against corruption, and Freeman portraying the wise old Pulitzer-winner unsubtly named Moses, the whole enterprise is very familiar, meaning there's not a great deal of suspense. The plotting sorely lacks credibility as well - some of the characters are so inept at covering their tracks that a reporter from a small magazine could pin them to the mat.
In terms of action and suspense, Edison flaunts a few decent scenes here and there, but the film as a whole fails to gel. This is mainly due to Justin Timberlake, whose acting one can't help but snicker at. The inexperienced actor is saddled with the enormous responsibility of carrying the film's dramatic weight, and the movie was almost certainly designed as a stepping stone for Timberlake up to star status, but the singer is not compelling or believable enough. Also, he's consistently outshone by his co-stars, most notably Kevin Spacey and Morgan Freeman, who, while phoning in their performances, are still Kevin Spacey and Morgan Freeman! Timberlake may get better as an actor with time, but he's completely wrong for this role. Added to this, Edison is plagued with too many utterly inane moments, including a scene where Pollack escapes the bad guys on a bicycle and a sequence in which Morgan Freeman dances in his dressing gown.
At first, Edison is bursting with promise. Despite some underwhelming acting, the conspiracy plot is engaging and the film does a fine job of making us curious. From there, Burke decides to wrap everything up like a cheapjack action flick, and thus the quiet conspiracy thriller approach is suddenly replaced by shoot-'em-up action set-pieces, car chases, explosions and even a flamethrower. The director might find it cool when people are killed in violent ways, but he fails to understand that this is not the outlet for such a thing. Once the characters shut up and the bullets begin to fly, we see past the glossy sheen of this all-star ensemble and realise Edison is nothing more than a direct-to- DVD actioner inhabited by a few A-listers. Timberlake fans or fans of hardcore action flicks may find this an enjoyable evening of movie- watching. For those seeking something more substantive...move along, there's nothing to see here.
Mary and Max. (2009)
Sublime film of warmth, humour and power
In this cinematic era of computer animation, the art of claymation (for which hand-moulded figurines are painstakingly photographed one frame at a time) is slowly dissolving. Aardman Studios (the guys behind Wallace and Gromit) seem to be the only ones who still possess the patience required to continue the practise into the 21st Century. It's therefore refreshing to witness the Australian film Mary and Max (the feature film debut of Adam Elliot, who won an Oscar for his short film Harvie Krumpet), which was created using this claymation method to tell a bizarre, sweet and mature story. Tremendously inventive, clever, hilarious and wise, Mary and Max is a sublime movie of warmth and compassion about life's dissonances. The animation is superb, the characters are endearing, the humour is abundant, and it honestly and thoroughly explores several topical themes. If American Beauty director Sam Mendes collaborated with Aardman Animations, the product would be something like Mary and Max.
Based partly on Elliot's own life experiences, Mary and Max is a feature about two people leading a mundane existence on the fringe of society; finding solace only in their heartfelt pen-pal letters to each other. Mary Daisy Dinkle (voiced by Bethany Whitmore and Toni Collette) is a chubby, friendless 8-year-old living in the suburbs of Melbourne with her neglectful parents. One day, Mary randomly selects a name from the Manhattan phone book and writes a letter to him. She chooses Max Horovitz (Hoffman); a severely obese 44-year-old Jewish man with Asperger's Syndrome living in the chaos of New York City. It turns out they have a lot in common - beyond loneliness and a complete lack of friends, they share a love of chocolate and a TV show called The Noblets. Thus begins a 20-year correspondence, with their friendship surviving more than the average diet of life's ups and downs.
There's plenty of playful narration (almost constant) courtesy of Aussie legend Barry Humphries which gives the film the feel of a children's tale, but Mary and Max is not for kids. The movie doesn't shy away from covering an array of mature, confronting issues, such as depression, sexuality, suicide, obesity and mental illness. Unlike most mainstream movies in which friendship saves the day and everybody is happy, Mary and Max is unmistakably dark - both physically dark, and dark in its depiction of reality. Max is never able to lose weight, and Mary can never escape the shadow of her parents. Mary eternally resides in her brown-tinged Melbourne suburb, while Max's New York City is depicted as a grey metropolis whose only bright colours are those that come from Mary (a red pompom, for instance). The predominantly colourless and ominous cityscape of NYC is clearly symbolic of Max's melancholy, mental distress and isolation. The ending in particular underlines the film's dark disposition; showing that in real life there may be happy middles, but happy endings are almost non-existent. But despite this, Mary and Max is by no means a highly depressing venture; it's a cinematic delight, with its downbeat content matched by constant laughs, a super- abundance of heart, and several deeply moving moments. Somehow, all of this is squeezed into an 85-minute timeframe, which at times feels longer due narrative simplicity and the occasional pacing issues. This is probably to be expected, however, as Elliot has only previously worked on shorts.
Even though a mere claymation short could take up to a year to create, old-school animators such as Adam Elliot and his team display a palpable affection for this approach. Mary and Max spent a total of five years in the making, with six dedicated animation teams working under Elliot's direction in a converted factory in Melbourne, and each team creating an average of 4 seconds of footage per day. A huge kudos to Adam Elliot and his claymation team for creating such a vivid, picturesque world here, with the grim landscape evoking a film-noir feel. Every one of the characters, created from plasticine, is intricately and lovingly detailed. The detail does generate the illusion that we're watching a computer-animated movie, yet the painstaking claymation process affords a look, feel and soul that has yet to be replicated through computers. One must have patience and passion to undertake a stop-motion feature of such scale, and these are two qualities Adam Elliot infinitely exerts.
Another tremendous pleasure of Mary and Max is the voice cast; a cornucopia of vocal talent from across the globe. Without a doubt, Philip Seymour Hoffman has proved one of the most versatile actors of recent years with his exceptional vocal work (Capote, anyone?), and he's virtually unrecognisable here. This is, of course, the true essence of voice acting - a viewer should not be given the chance to focus on the actor providing the voice, but instead the character they are voicing. Meanwhile Bethany Whitmore is effortlessly endearing as the young Mary, and Toni Collette is pitch-perfect as Mary in her later years.
Through an immense artistry as well as an evident maturity emanated by the makers, Mary and Max affirmatively and genuinely answers a potent question: is there someone for everyone? In adulthood, we understand that we're born into our families but choose our friends, and the 20- year friendship between these two vastly different yet curiously similar individuals proves the theory. Adam Elliot's ambitious first feature- length claymation movie is an absolute delight, merging witty laughs with heartfelt emotion to generate this genuinely moving slice of animation. Mary and Max is, at least for this reviewer's money, the best animated motion picture of 2009 (yes, better than Up). After the terrific Harvie Krumpet and now this, it's clear Elliot is a highly talented filmmaker one should keep an eye on in future years.
The Hurt Locker (2008)
Apolitical, boots-on-the-ground war picture
The notion of yet another motion picture concerning the Iraq War is probably about as welcome as a knife in the eye. While it may be a pertinent topic in this day and age, it's a flat cinematic subject, with Hollywood producing generally stodgy movies of bloated self-importance marred by various miscalculations (Rendition, The Kingdom, and so on). Thank heavens, then, for Kathryn Bigelow's superb The Hurt Locker. Among the various reasons that Bigelow's flick works where others have failed is that it never endeavours to be "about" the war in Iraq; rather, it accepts the war as a background setting for a fascinating character study regarding the potentially addictive thrills of mortal danger.
Set during the early stages of the post-invasion period in Iraq in 2004, The Hurt Locker follows a group of American soldiers known as Bravo Company who specialise in bomb disposal. With just a few weeks remaining before they are rotated back to the United States, their Sergeant meets with an unfortunate end. This leaves the other soldiers in the unit to serve their final weeks with a new comrade; Staff Sergeant William James (Renner). Much to the chagrin of his fellow soldiers, James is an adrenaline junkie with no qualms about disarming a bomb device manually (and thus breaking protocol). The plot of The Hurt Locker from there is episodic, with the soldiers shifting from conflict to conflict. Tension is a killer during these sequences, because explosive devices aimed at everyone and no-one could be disguised beneath any pile of garbage. Since a bomb would take out anybody and anything within a certain radius, James must approach one of the devices alone to disarm it (with the perimeter maintained by his fellow soldiers). Thus, one of the most repeated images of the film is of the unaccompanied James as he wanders into a strangely deserted space - a fitting visual metaphor for the character's emotional and personal isolation from those around him, both near and far (one even gets the sense his wife and kid back home are never close in his mind).
The Hurt Locker was scripted by Mark Boal; a journalist who based the film's screenplay on his own experiences. Even if you're unaware of this fact before watching the movie, you'll likely suspect it because a clear and unvarnished sense of reality permeates every frame. This is an apolitical, boots-on-the-ground war picture. Not once do the characters stop to discuss why they are there, and they never discuss the wayward politics of the war. In fact, the movie has no political agenda. The filmmakers don't care if the invasion and occupation is right or wrong - all that matters is that the troops are in the country, have a job to do, and are fighting for survival. Much like a number of prior films that have touched on the Iraqi conflict (such as Jarhead), The Hurt Locker portrays a meandering battle that ends up being less about specific offenses and more about maintenance. Unpredictable combat leads to unpredictable schedules, and (particularly for a bomb disposal unit) the call of duty comes when it comes. Right from the opening scene, there's a potent sense that no character is safe, and death can come at any moment. It's this terrifying uncertainty that fuels the story's drama.
Another of the greatest strengths of The Hurt Locker is that it quickly and decisively re-establishes Kathryn Bigelow's position as one of the best action filmmakers in the business. Speaking from a technical standpoint, this film is a stunner from start to finish. Bigelow has always had a knack for directing action in complicated, even abnormal scenarios (like surfers robbing banks in Point Break), and the deserts of Iraq are no different, with the director exhibiting an amazing command for the physical details of film-making while shifting through the various set-pieces. A viewer can viscerally feel the danger the characters are in, as most of the film was shot on location in Jordan using an effective documentary style. Interestingly, cinematographer Barry Ackroyd utilised four hand-held cameras at any one time, capturing a total of about 200 hours of footage. Even with this hand-held disposition, the frame is never rocked too much. However, it must be said that despite this technical competency, the movie fails to resonate as much as something like Saving Private Ryan or Platoon.
The film's cast boasts such names as Ralph Fiennes, Guy Pearce and David Morse, but these big-name actors are relegated to minor roles. This is intentional since, although these well-known stars may entice people to watch the movie, they can detract from the reality of the situation. The main players of The Hurt Locker are instead Jeremy Renner, Anthony Mackie and Brian Geraghty, each of whom pulls off their characters with complete assurance and compelling enthusiasm.
Kathryn Bigelow's The Hurt Locker is not a film that assumes an ideological stand regarding the Iraq War. Instead, it aspires to present viewers with a war film about the ways in which a unit of soldiers react to the pressures of combat. In fact, if a few details were changed, this could be set during any war. To the credit of the filmmakers, the movie only misfires a few times - a major detractor is when the focus leaves Iraq on a couple of occasions to examine William James' life in America, but neither time is necessary. The second trip home provides an explanation for James' risky behaviour that's a bit too on the nose, especially when combined with the music video-style recruitment commercial that closes the film.
The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)
Enchanting holiday romp with something for all...
A 75-minute charmer of a motion picture that transcends age, Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas should be part of every household's annual Christmas traditions. Everything a movie-goer has come to expect from the imagination of Tim Burton is presented here in stop-motion form: it's bursting with visual majesty, populated with lovably morbid creations and filled with ornate Danny Elfman compositions. It's an instant classic which bears the esteemed title of being the first feature-length stop-motion animation picture. Certainly paving the way for other greats like Chicken Run and James and the Giant Peach, The Nightmare Before Christmas manages to capture the undeniable Christmas flavour which is blended perfectly with the maudlin imagination of childhood.
The story revolves around a straightforward premise: each season has a town (there's Easter Town, Christmas Time, Halloween Town, etc), and none of these towns knows of each other or their respective festivities. Jack Skellington (voiced by Danny Elfman and Chris Sarandon) resides in Halloween Town, but upon completion of the same old annual routine he grows bored, and loses faith in his own holiday. After Halloween night, Jack saunters off into the woods and stumbles upon a door leading to Christmas Town. He is so taken by the concept of Christmas that he takes it upon himself to take over Santa's duties for the year.
Jack Skellington is a uniquely-designed bunch of bones who inhabits a fantastic world brought vividly to life with the first big musical number; This is Halloween - an energetic, sumptuous feast for the senses. The Nightmare Before Christmas contains some of the most ornately detailed and expertly captured shots in the history of stop- motion, and animation altogether. There's so much eloquence in the visual "voice" the film exhibits, and each shot is so rich with an almost immeasurable amount of creativity that there's always something eye-catching to focus on. Tim Burton's shooting schedule for Batman Returns conflicted with the long, arduous three-year shoot for The Nightmare Before Christmas, so he hired stop-motion veteran Henry Selick to tackle the directorial duties. Burton may have receded to producer status, but every frame resonates with that distinctive Burton sensibility. As one watches the film and marvels at the visual splendour, one can't help but admire the fantastic, painstaking job Selick and his team did of bringing Burton's vision to life.
As it turns out, holiday commercialism is to thank for this film's existence. Burton reportedly got the inspiration for his poem on which the film is based when he witnessed a store taking down a Halloween display and replacing it with Christmas merchandise. The jarring exposition of Halloween and Christmas was all it took to inspire Burton to write a tale of Halloween Town and Christmas Town; two phantasmagorical cities. The Nightmare Before Christmas also showcases one of Burton's key influences: German expressionism. The dark, foreboding sets, high-contract lighting and stark angles (also seen in Burton's Batman movies) harken back to German films of the silent era, such as Nosferatu, Metropolis and The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari. If there's a flaw, it's that the story is a bit too simplistic and drawn- out, with occasionally sluggish pacing.
The Nightmare Before Christmas follows the tradition of employing music and songs as a means to progress the narrative. As this is a Tim Burton movie, the songs are provided by his frequent collaborator Danny Elfman (who used to be the lead singer for Oingo Boingo, but found a far more successful career as a film & TV composer). The music and visuals of The Nightmare Before Christmas are inseparable. Elfman's first-rate compositions support the visuals in grand style; whether it's a tender moment, a celebratory scene, or a frightening sequence. Fortunately, the songs are both memorable and catchy (don't be surprised if you feel the urge to sing while the music assuages your ears). Elfman also provided the vocalisation of Jack Skellington's singing voice, while Chris Sarandon voiced Jack during the dialogue sequences. Another well- achieved role comes in the form of Catherine O'Hara's honest and eclectically sweet Sally. This handmade character, stitched together by a half-hearted creator, shows the most human of emotion in Halloween Town.
Parents wondering if The Nightmare Before Christmas is suitable for their children should know that the frightening aspects of the picture are nicely blunted by humour and Elfman's music. Jack Skellington isn't the frightful creature one would assume him to be...he's just a misunderstood hero. There are so many enchanting sights and sounds to behold within this cinematic tour de force that there's not enough room for anxiety and fright. In short, The Nightmare Before Christmas is a fun holiday romp with something to offer everyone. For the children, it's a fantasy celebrating two holidays. For the adolescents and adults, it's an opportunity to experience some good, hearty entertainment while marvelling at how adept the animators have become at these techniques.
The Tournament (2009)
Fun and satisfying action offering
From time to time, it's great to witness a high quality piece of Oscar- worthy celluloid. But in the world of modern cinema, there are films which exist as slim excuses to subject an audience to a mindless barrage of action set-pieces which defy the laws of logic and nature. When handled correctly, there's nothing wrong with this type of action film. Happily, 2009's The Tournament is an example of a brainless actioner done right. It's no true surprise that this movie was relegated to a straight-to-DVD release, but it nevertheless works as an effortlessly enjoyable 95 minutes of solid entertainment.
The storyline appears to closely resemble The Condemned, which itself was just a version of Battle Royale and The Running Man. Basically, every seven years an event known as "The Tournament" takes place. For this tournament, thirty elite assassins battle it out in a random, unsuspecting town (putting unknowing residents in the crossfire), and the last assassin left alive receives a cash prize along with a prestigious title. Cover stories about terrorist attacks and gas explosions are prepared to keep the tournament a secret to the civilian population. This time 'round, the assassins converge on the town of Middlesbrough, Great Britain (you know, that town which has been voted the worst place to live in the UK). Filling out the roster this year are an assortment of hit-men who use everything from sniper rifles to their own bare hands to bazookas. Complicating the situation is drunk, faithless priest Father Macavoy (Carlyle) who finds himself caught up in the deadly game.
Overseeing the mayhem is a congregation of shady billionaires (is there any other kind?) who watch the entire tournament on a wall of monitors and place wagers on the players. Of course, the entire town of Middlesbrough is wired up with HD video cameras that are part of some network, and two ultra smart computer hackers (who live off Red Bull and talk like they're from a Diablo Cody film) have hacked into the system in order to allow the gambling billionaires to see which contestant is winning. As a side note, it's a mystery as to why this film was written to include 30 assassins locked in combat when almost half of them are dispatched via a standard movie montage. Wouldn't it be easier to just cut down the amount of players?
The Tournament hits the ground running; truly living up to its non-stop action premise. Naturally, there are countless plot holes within the movie which any screenwriter with two brain cells should have been able to close up with ease. For instance, sensors are implanted into every assassin so that they can be tracked, and so the computers can keep up with those who've died. These sensors work on body heat and switch off whenever someone is killed, despite the fact the body actually stays warm for a while after death. Wouldn't it make more sense for the trackers to be paired to a person's pulse? One of the assassins also manages to easily cut out their sensor too, so why doesn't everyone else follow suit? Shouldn't there be a far more effective brand of tracker? Besides, a great assassin shouldn't need the prize money, so why enter a contest with such slim odds of survival? On top of this, the characters have absolutely no depth - they feel like they've been put together using cardboard found in a recycling bin, and they possess no traits to distinguish them from generic clichés one might find straight out of a video game (there's the psychotic shotgun-wielding Texan, a hulking bearded Russian, the Parkour-enhanced French assassin, and so on).
Okay, now that it has been established that The Tournament is illogical, implausible, stupid and shallow...how's the action? It's great you asked, because the action is very goddamn sweet, and the movie as a whole is fun and satisfying. It rises above most others of its ilk due to the fact that it features practically no CGI; affording a grittier, more organic feel. All the action (from the fantastic stunts to the high-octane car crashes to the exciting Parkour) was done for real, and many of the stars performed their own stunts. Director Scott Mann also cleverly intercuts security camera footage into the proceedings (both as part of the action and as part of the television news reporting on the "terrorist incidents" happening throughout Middlesbrough). Furthermore, the acting is actually halfway decent. Robert Carlyle brings great immediacy and intensity to his role, while Ving Rhames is enjoyably badass, and Ian Somerhalder appears to be having a ball. Kelly Hu is nothing but a pretty face, but at least it's a still a pretty face.
Filming for The Tournament initially began in 2007 (in Bulgaria, which has become the go-to place for filmmakers on constricted budgets making straight-to-DVD fodder), but unfortunately the production soon ran out of money. It took so long for the filmmakers to regain financing that the movie had to be re-cast, and filming had to start from scratch. It's good that director Scott Mann stuck to his guns (excuse the pun), because his persistence has resulted in an excellent homage to the Hong Kong actioners of yore. Delivering as much in the action quotient as it skimps in the intelligence quotient, this is not a film meant to be scrutinised for any longer than it takes for the carnage to register in your brain. Take it for what it is.
Orphan (2009)
Generic, by-the-numbers suspenser
In motion pictures, it's a widespread belief that children are the embodiment of pure evil. Perhaps not all kids are the spawn of Satan, but horror filmmakers realise that evil disguised behind the eyes of a seemingly innocent child is an effective way of amplifying the scare factor. Into this genre now steps 2009's Orphan. Instead of being an overly effective suspense piece, however, this is a predominantly boring, meandering film which suffers from repetition and poor scripting. If the creepy kid horror genre is in need of resuscitation, this subpar affair will not provide it.
The plot, in a nutshell, concerns Kate (Farmiga) and John (Sarsgaard). They're married with two kids, but Kate's recent miscarriage has put a strain on their relationship that's already burdened by John's infidelity and Kate's battle with alcoholic tendencies. Seeking to introduce a new child into their family, the couple decide to adopt. During a visit to the local orphanage, John connects with a strange yet astonishingly intelligent 9-year-old Russian girl named Esther (Fuhrman). As you may or may not have guessed, Esther is no ordinary child, and seems to have been specially ordered from the Eastern European School of Creepy Kids. She distinguishes herself from those around her not only because she's mature beyond her years, but because she also appears trapped in a 19th Century time-warp with her fondness for Victorian doll dresses and ribbons. For her introductory scenes, Esther of course appears beguiling and innocent. Once she's adopted by John and Kate, the film then sets out to defy our preconceptions of how eerie and horrifying this little girl can be. And good heavens, is she creepy.
If it means anything - and in dealing with the consistently awful creepy kid subgenre, it likely does - Orphan is not the worst of its kind. It's atmospheric enough and contains a number of generally unsettling sequences, not to mention there's a solid attempt to delve into the characters' lives so that they comes across as more than blood-spurting automatons. Yet, in spite of these strengths, the film remains a ridiculous, by-the-numbers horror show. Spanish director Jaume Collet- Serra poorly orchestrates so many clichéd "boo!" moments designed to make the audience jump (such as mirror reveals), on top of faux scares in which a viewer believes they're about to jump but - surprise! - nothing's there. The repetition is irritating and laughable. These moments are hardly effective, too, since the music, with its rising disharmonies and sudden crashes, suggests there's a "scare" on the way. Orphan is also predictable from a narrative standpoint. It's easy to guess Esther's next move well before she makes it. And for the climax, the filmmakers call upon the most embarrassing genre convention imaginable: giving superhuman abilities to a weak character. At least the final showdown is relatively entertaining. Highly predictable, yet still satisfying nonetheless.
In addition to all this, the characters tend to act in whatever way serves the plot best. For example, it makes no sense for Kate and John to adopt Esther when she's clearly out of synch with the rest of the family. Furthermore, Kate is sometimes a raging alcoholic, but at other times an overly caring mother. Infidelity issues are raised in the first half, but they hardly surface again. At times, John is a trusting, loving husband and father, but at other times he's both ignorant and disloyal. Not to mention these characters are so stupid. What parents never see their child undress? What parents allow their child to skip dental appointments, and basically live in solitude in a mansion-like home? Why would no-one question Esther's ribbon accessories or her anti- social behaviour? Furthermore, John sets a new standard for Horror Movie Dumbass - he's bizarrely enamoured with this Russian girl (even when she rats him out for flirting with their neighbour!) and ignores his wife's desperate warnings. All of this is coupled with a major violation of Roger Ebert's main tenets for an unsuccessful narrative: if the main plot-point could be easily resolved - in this case, a mandatory medical examination should've been conducted by a state-run child protective services agency prior to approving the adoption - everything falls apart.
Credit where credit is due - in the acting department, things aren't too shabby at all. Vera Farmiga and Peter Sarsgaard share solid chemistry which makes their relationship believable. Isabelle Fuhrman is a terrific find: she's cute and charming, which makes her behaviour far more unsettling. The convincing Russian accent adds to her unnerving presence as well. For a horror movie of this type to boast such terrific performances is nothing short of a miracle. Yet, if one sets aside the solid acting, the interesting final plot twist, a few effective set- pieces and the fact it still works on a pretty basic level, Orphan remains a generic, cliché-ridden suspense film that strains credulity to breaking break. If you're in the midst of a strained marriage and are considering adopting a Soviet child, you may find this to be a terrific horror outing. As for everyone else...nah, it ain't worth the effort to get through these two distinctly mediocre hours.
The Marine 2 (2009)
Very hard to recommend...
In this name-only follow-up to the woeful 2006 film The Marine, yet another WWE superstar makes his feature-film debut (Ted DiBiase Jr.), and in the same endeavour proves that he as unfit to carry a motion picture as all the other wrestlers-turned-actors before him. For The Marine 2, DiBiase is placed in the role of a different marine named Joe Linwood, who takes a vacation in Thailand with his wife Robin (Cox) following a difficult assignment. See, Robin is in charge of a large party at some new island resort, so this is a good enough excuse for Joe to tag along in case something goes wrong. As to be expected, something does happen - a group of terrorists crash the party and take Robin hostage, along with all the other rich people. Negotiations begin between the authorities and the terrorists, but Joe is dissatisfied with their efforts. Unwilling to sit by idly, he takes matters into his own hands.
It's unbelievable how wooden everything in The Marine 2 truly is. Not a single actor here - not even the headlining Ted DiBiase Jr. - displays any degree of enthusiasm in their respective performances. DiBiase is one of the most wooden action stars in history (even by straight-to-DVD standards), and after enduring 90 minutes of him spewing clichéd dialogue with zero conviction, the "acting" of Steven Seagal or Jean- Claude Van Damme becomes appreciated. At least those guys look somewhat credible are action men. DiBiase, on the other hand, merely looks like a normal young lad in prime physical condition who's more likely to hold open the door for an elderly lady at the supermarket than single- handedly assassinate a group of highly trained killers. To his credit, he does occasionally try to act (for instance during a cheesy, melodramatic "don't die on me!" moment), but he just resorts to the patented Christian Bale "gravel voice" before returning to his ordinary line delivery. While DiBiase can obviously handle the action elements (especially evident during a terrific single shot showcasing some impressive fight choreography), anytime he opens his mouth he sounds as if he's reading from a teleprompter. In fact, his performance channels the Chuck Norris style of cardboard acting. This ain't the only Chuck Norris similarity - The Marine 2 plays out like a Missing in Action sequel, with an American protagonist and Asian stereotypes for antagonists.
At least for all its flaws, The Marine 2 is superior to its name-only predecessor and considerably more enjoyable. Swapping out both John Cena and the PG-13 rating, there are at least a few guilty pleasure moments throughout. Director Roel Reiné (Pistol Whipped) stages a few impressive, flashy action scenes considering the budget and DTD origins, but the film fails to heat up until the second half, and there's a distinct lack of both forward momentum and tension. The action sequences are mishandled a lot of the time as well - during one particular scene, Joe is in a shootout, and then everyone drops their guns in order to launch into a fist fight. When there aren't any silly situations like these, or any shoddy CGI explosions stinking up the screen, a viewer will be struggling to make out where the characters are in relation to each other due to the haphazard editing and the overused hand-held cameras. The thin story is stretched out by plot twists which arrive like clockwork before things culminate in a laughable foot chase in which the hero knocks down a wooden foot bridge cover using his forearm.
Rather than aping the style of the original The Marine (which was a flat-out Commando imitation) this sequel delivers something that's part First Blood and part Die Hard. Hell yes, I'm well aware of how that sounds, but those responsible for The Marine 2 lacked the talent to create a film which lives up to the potential of this ostensibly foolproof concept. There's no sense of goofy fun which was present in the countless films aped by The Marine 2...this is just a highly generic mishmash of clichés which takes itself far, far too seriously. Meanwhile the villains - led by Temuera Morrison - are marred by unclear motives and even less personality; depleting all sense of danger from the proceedings.
Lots of stuff blows up, lots of people shoot at one another, and lots of guns are fired - The Marine 2 does have that going for it. But the movie is so jam-packed with tired action movie clichés that, despite the fact it's all marginally entertaining and somewhat watchable, it's hard to recommend. Fans of 2006's The Marine (all one or two of them) in particular should stay away, since there's no connection to its predecessor, and Ted DiBiase Jr. sets the credibility of wrestlers as actors back more than a few years with his stale performance.
Universal Soldier: Regeneration (2009)
Startlingly competent and highly entertaining
For all you action fans, the wait is finally over. At long last, Jean- Claude Van Damme and Dolph Lundgren have re-teamed for Universal Soldier: Regeneration; yet another sequel to their 1992 hit. With so many Universal Soldier flicks floating around, it can be confusing if one attempts to get a handle on where all the various entries fit into the overall series. Just to be clear, Regeneration is a direct sequel to the original movie - it disregards the two direct-to-DVD follow-ups that came before it, as well as the 1999 theatrical sequel Universal Soldier: The Return. The product is downright awesome, startlingly competent and highly entertaining. It may not be a masterpiece, but as superfluous sequels created for the direct-to-DVD market go, this is definitely above average.
The story, naturally, is a simple one - the Russian President's offspring are abducted by terrorists who occupy the Chernobyl Nuclear Complex; rigging the reactor with explosives and threatening to detonate these explosives unless the President complies with their demands. The terrorists also have a second generation Universal Soldier under their control (an enormous, unstoppable brute played by Andrei 'The Pitbull' Arlovski). With traditional armies failing to diffuse the dire situation, the powers that be have no alternative but to resurrect their 'Universal Soldier' program. Eventually, when things get desperate, the government recruits Luc Deveraux (Van Damme); one of the originals of the 'UniSol' program.
Universal Soldier: Regeneration was written by Victor Ostrovsky and helmed by newcomer John Hyams. Interestingly, John is the son of Hollywood mainstay Peter Hyams, who was responsible for such Van Damme vehicles Timecop and Sudden Death. Peter merely acted as cinematographer here; allowing his son to handle the directorial duties. Speaking from a critical standpoint, Regeneration is pretty poor, but John Hyams absolutely nailed the action sequences. The flick opens with a humdinger of a car chase - an effective, gritty, technically sound slice of cinema, which is particularly laudable given the lowly $14 million sum Hyams was playing with. Well aware that every penny counts, and keen to show off his film-making skills, the relatively inexperienced director displays real flair throughout the constant action sequences (some of which resemble Call of Duty: Modern Warfare). Topping this off, the fight choreography is sensational - the various punch-ups scattering judiciously throughout the runtime are guaranteed to get pulses pounding.
The crown jewel is, of course, the battle between Jean-Claude Van Damme and Dolph Lundgren. The first Universal Soldier, helmed by Roland Emmerich (before the man went on to become a destroyer of worlds), was nothing more than an excuse to pit two of the biggest action stars of the era against each other time and time again. Arriving seventeen years after the original film, this very basic formula is reused for Regeneration, and it still brings about a highly entertaining action vehicle. Granted, Van Damme only appears in about half the film, and Lundgren only receives roughly 15 minutes of screen-time, but even this is enough to saddle the film with a "Worth a Look" sticker. The boys bring it, and then some - they beat the tar out of each other, and their size difference works just as well here as it did in 1992. They're the real deal, too - it would appear they didn't have stuntmen doubling for them very often, because most of the time Van Damme and Lundgren can be clearly seen either receiving the beatings or dishing them out.
In addition, the work of Van Damme and Lundgren in Regeneration truly suits the acting range of both stars: they merely play emotionless thugs whose single objective is to kick some serious ass. Witnessing these two masters of mayhem at work reminds us (and will hopefully remind Hollywood) just how deserving Van Damme and Lundgren are of being given a chance at a big theatrical comeback. Granted, they are dire thespians, but they remain watchable in the context of a hardcore action film. These two aren't the only muscle-bound performers to see in Regeneration, mind you - wrestler Andrei 'The Pitbull' Arlovski is given ample opportunity to slaughter people and show off his fighting chops.
Taken merely at face value, Universal Soldier: Regeneration is a success. It achieves everything it sets out to do, and doesn't short the actionphiles one bit. It's easy to acknowledge the film's flaws - the highly predictable screenplay, the unremarkable dialogue, the not-so- compelling plot - but it all comes with the territory. Why expect the next The Godfather of a Universal Soldier flick? The final 30 minutes delivers the type of slam-bang, balls-to-the-wall action movie-making that's easy to appreciate. Regeneration is atmospheric, brisk and knows when to quit. It's a great beer and pizza flick, fellas.
Harry Brown (2009)
Gripping example of British film-making
Inevitably, Harry Brown will be branded as Death Wish for the 21st Century, and the UK's answer to Gran Torino. In fact, this 2009 production - which marks the feature film debut of Daniel Barber - is an intriguing mix of its two aforementioned predecessors; merging a timely portrait of contemporary street crime (similar to the Charles Bronson action vehicle) with the idea of an elderly serviceman bearing witness to the decline of the area he has called home for decades (much like Clint Eastwood's Gran Torino). Despite being imbued with these winning characteristics, Harry Brown undeniably remains a slice of wish fulfilment revenge fantasy cinema. Thank God it's also expertly-crafted, and a gripping example of British film-making.
Michael Caine plays the revenge-dispensing title character of Harry Brown; a 70-something ex-Royal Marine who lives in a run-down neighbourhood now ruled by feral teenagers (more commonly referred to as "chavs"). With his wife having recently passed away due to natural causes and his best friend bullied to death by the drug-peddling gangs of the local area, Harry is left alone and emotionally withdrawn. Moreover, the authorities have been powerless to solve the killing of Harry's best friend, and Harry is determined to see justice done. Armed with military experience and bucket-loads of anger, he thrusts himself into gun-toting, death-dealing action to clean up the neighbourhood.
In lesser hands, the narrative of Harry Brown could've played out like a Death Wish sequel (let's not forget Charles Bronson was 72 years old when he kicked serious ass in Death Wish 5). But Daniel Barber handles the material with an unmistakably realistic, gritty tone. The character of Harry Brown is not some daft superman of a granddad vigilante - similar to Clint Eastwood's Walt Kowalski (from Gran Torino), Harry is just an ordinary man who's pushed too far, and who's constantly marred by his limitations as a senior citizen. Thankfully, too, Harry is not merely one-dimensional - he feels like a fully-formed human being; reinforced during the film's first half hour which potently observes the character as he goes about his ordinary daily activities. Thus, when he exacts his savage payback, a viewer can comfortably cheer him on.
This brings us to the topic of the film's moralistic standpoint. Look, the film does not advocate vigilante justice. Harry Brown displays the effectiveness of actions outside the realm of prescribed law, but the tone is unmistakably downbeat (as opposed to Death Wish, which was light exploitation cinema). Moreover, it may ostensibly seem wrong for Harry to slaughter the unruly teens because it's gradually revealed his friend was slaughtered in self-defence. If one digs deeper, however, one will learn that self-defence merely entails disarming an attacker, whereas these "chavs" disarm Harry's friend before beating and stabbing him with intent to kill.
A major asset of Harry Brown is Michael Caine's magnetic, badass screen presence. As Empire said, the film reconfirms Caine as the unparalleled king of cool. Indeed, there's an unmistakable touch of Jack Carter as he lays waste to every mugger, peddler and hoodie he crosses paths with. More importantly, even when Harry is doing very little, the masterful Caine keeps you interested - he holds the film together with several solemn-eyed close-ups and a subtle hint of emotional turmoil boiling beneath his hard exterior. But Emily Mortimer, playing a determined Detective Inspector, is wooden, while Charlie Creed-Miles does what he can with a thankless role of a naïve police officer. Liam Cunningham, who delivered such an unforgettable performance in the 2008 film Hunger, is highly compelling and convincing as one of Harry's old friends.
Daniel Barber - the Oscar-nominated director of the 2007 short The Tonto Woman - displays an astute cinematic eye and ear in Harry Brown. The opening sequence, shot as if from a mobile phone camera, is visceral, and endowed with unsettling immediacy. The housing blocks and locations in which the story transpires heighten the authenticity and grittiness, as well. This is also one of the most gorgeous British films of the decade - the colour palette has been duly dipped in inky blacks and autumnal browns; recalling the rich, shadowy look of The Godfather or the urban darkness of Se7en. For this, credit belongs to the ace rising- star cinematographer Marin Ruhe (whose prior work includes Control). However, despite the technical proficiency, the film is strictly cartoon-level in terms of character and story. It's the predictable Death Wish formula played out on the streets of 21st Century Britain with one-dimensional villains and useless policemen. More importantly, the film depicts some uncomfortably extreme solutions to dealing with misbehaving teenagers without getting to the heart of the issue. Another grave miscalculation is the use of digitally-created blood which at times exhibits distracting phoniness.
As a slice of histrionic Charles Bronson-esquire revenge cinema, Harry Brown delivers, and pushes all the right buttons. Although not quite as accomplished as Shane Meadows' exceptional Dead Man's Shoes, this is a powerful and vital example of modern British film-making.
Bullitt (1968)
Not especially exciting, but VERY cool
Helmed by Peter Yates, 1968's Bullitt is the film which positioned Steve McQueen at the forefront of American movie stars. Bullitt was truly a turning point for McQueen - he had previous starred in several films (The Magnificent Seven and The Great Escape stand out the most from this period), but this was the role that propelled him to genuine stardom. With his sex appeal, desire for accurate detail in his movies, and plain old cool, McQueen was a perfect fit for the iconic Frank Bullitt. With that said, it's critical to note that Bullitt is nothing like the slam- bang, action-oriented crime pictures so prevalent in the 21st Century. The film's celebrated car chase is certainly exhilarating, but it lacks the over-the-top excitement of modern action sequences. There are no spectacular shootouts in Bullitt either, and, while the climactic ending brings about a few tense moments, this is not an especially exciting film. It is cool, though, and that's why Bullitt has become a deserved classic.
In the story, Frank Bullitt is assigned the task of protecting a witness who's set to testify against the Mob in a few days. He decides to place the witness in a seedy hotel for the night; a location he feels is both secure and well hidden. But in spite of his best precautions, both the witness and Frank's colleague are gunned down by professional hit-men. With the victims near death, Bullitt sets out to track down the thugs responsible; quickly becoming ensnared in an elaborate conspiracy and finding himself in the sights of a vast criminal network.
Frank Bullitt is not your standard action movie protagonist. He is not cut from the same cloth as Dirty Harry or John McClane. He's instead soft-spoken and maintains restraint. More importantly, Frank is a loner who is not understood by anybody. His beautiful girlfriend wants to understand and love him, but Frank appears further detached from reality with each case he solves and every ounce of blood he pays witness to (consider a scene in which a corpse is found: Frank himself is calm and casual, but his girlfriend is horrified). While his superiors look upon Frank as a man to count on who'll complete the job, they are unable to understand his methods. He's perceived by those around him as someone who's more machine than man, and who exudes little humanity...just coolness.
Contrary to popular belief, Bullitt did not invent the car chase. Car chases have appeared in movies since the silent film era. That said, however, Bullitt did reinvent the car chase. Exceptionally choreographed, skilfully shot and blazingly fast, the chase sequence in this film is truly magnificent, and set the precedent for action movies to follow. Even despite all the sophisticated film-making technology available since 1968, it's almost impossible to beat the mesmerising chase in Bullitt. The entire sequence was done for real, too, with no over-cranked footage (the norm for chases at the time) and with McQueen doing virtually all of his own driving. Best of all, there's no music blasting throughout the sequence; just screeching rubber, the thud of tires against asphalt, and the roar of the spectacular engines.
Rather than focusing on action, the runtime of Bullitt is spent examining politics and procedures in police-work required to solve a crime. Realism was paramount in the creation of this movie, and director Peter Yates has pulled off an outstanding job. The atmosphere is heightened by the fact that the whole movie was filmed on location rather than in a studio - hospital scenes were filmed in a hospital, morgue scenes were shot in a morgue, the run-down hotel room was an actual run-down hotel room, and so on. This approach tested the film technology of the era since lighting was difficult in such cramped conditions, but the filmmakers' dedicated exertions afforded a gritty, dark, almost documentary feel. It's also crucial to reiterate that the car chase was staged at actual speeds, and was actually filmed on the streets of San Francisco (roads had to be shut down by the filmmakers). On top of this, actual professionals were employed as extras instead of mere background actors - real doctors and nurses were shown in the background during hospital scenes, for instance, as opposed to a parade of Hollywood hopefuls with a headshot and a smile.
Similarly, the brilliantly economical script solidifies the atmosphere of realism. Characters carry out their tasks without contrived explanatory dialogue, and it gives a viewer the sense that they're watching actual events. Clearly, the filmmakers understand the time- honoured adage that a picture says a thousand words, because the body language and movement during periods of silence often convey more than what is spoken. Yet, beyond McQueen's definitive anti-hero and the exhilarating car chase, everything else is somewhat humdrum - Bullitt constantly feels as if it's half-asleep. The plot is perhaps too convoluted and a second viewing is required to get the details straight. Furthermore, while the character of Bullitt is reasonably complex, the characters surrounding him are clichéd. Most of all, the narrative may be a tad too reserved to satisfy every taste. The lack of directorial flourish instils an unfortunate sense of datedness as well.
Inevitable flaws aside, Bullitt is a classic cinematic artefact highly deserving of all the accolades and acclaim which has been bestowed upon it. With its meticulous attention to detail and a terrific examination of the happenings behind the scenes of a police investigation, this is a crime-drama that entertains with intelligence. If you don't watch this movie closely, you'll miss vital details, and that's what makes it more than just another cop movie with a car chase.
Extract (2009)
Sturdy, constantly uproarious comedy
With a few motion pictures and several television projects under his belt, Mike Judge has become the undisputed master of working man's comedy. No matter the colour of their specific collar, the characters created by Judge exist on the front-lines of American industry. Whether he's exploring the irritating administrative politics of contemporary office workers or the family dynamics of upper-class rednecks, the writer-director is visibly focused on finding comedy in the everyday and is seemingly fascinated by the banal lives of dull people. More than that, Judge is content not to tug the heartstrings or rely on frequent hilarity as long as he is able to build the impression that the people on screen are an honest reflection of the co-worker to your right or the relative on your left. Office Space and Idiocracy introduced and solidified Judge's approach, which is sustained with the writer- director's third movie, Extract, to great success. A sturdy, constantly uproarious comedy, this film reinforces Judge's voice as a relaxed filmmaker with impeccable comic timing and a terrific skill at blending absurdity with the awkwardly real.
Jason Bateman plays Joel; the owner and founder of a small company that produces food extracts. However the film's title of Extract not only refers to the trade of the protagonist, but also to the main plot threads. There's a drop-dead gorgeous new woman in town named Cindy (Kunis) who in reality is a con artist and a petty thief out to extract whatever she can from those she encounters. Meanwhile, a worker at the Joel's factory, Step (Collins Jr.) loses a testicle in a work-related incident and, with a little prodding from Cindy, decides to sue the company and extract compensation. Unfortunately, Joel's home life isn't any better - the sex has been extracted from his banal marriage, and his irritating neighbour (Koechner) is trying to extract money from Joel for tickets to a dinner that both Joel and his wife have no interest in attending.
Of course, this brief synopsis barely scratches the surface of the subplots which emerge throughout the runtime of Extract. There's about as much "story" here as was featured in Office Space; allowing the film to be mainly about its characters, their situations, and their legitimately hilarious exchanges. If there are surprises to be had with this movie, they're certainly not in the story, which unfolds predictably once one buys into the premises. The surprise is how downright hilarious the whole movie is.
Office Space developed into such a cult classic due to its uncanny observations on cubical drudgery; offering viewers a shoulder to cry on while cooking up frequent laughs. Extract focuses on the less glamorous managerial positions, and provides a flipside of the coin. The best parts of Extract are those which dissect commonplace, everyday elements: the chatty neighbour, the dynamics of a sexless marriage, and the dullness of a workplace. Like Peter Gibbons in Office Space, Joel is an ordinary guy trying to find his way in life, but is constantly hampered by the incompetents surrounding him. The writer-director clearly knew he was making something silly, but he has infused Extract with an unpolished realism that grounds the film superbly. It's the gift of this great filmmaker; the ability to lampoon workplace ethics and expose a core of truth within a ridiculous motion picture.
Although Judge mocks idiots, hypocrites and all other clueless denizens of life, there's an obvious affection for the ordinary people who make the world turn but aren't usually placed front & centre in mainstream cinema. Therefore, these ostensibly boring people come across as genuinely appealing and interesting. When compared to the blaring antics of most Hollywood comedies, Judge appears to downplay the humour in Extract to a constant low hum which reflects Judge's appreciation of simplicity and general decency. Expecting a nonstop laugh-fest would be setting yourself up for disappointment, however - this is low-key comedy of situation and character that relies upon the strength of the cast and the well-written material. Extract is dry and it won't satisfy every taste, but those who appreciate this form of subtle humour will be rewarded greatly.
The cast Judge has assembled is terrific. Jason Bateman continues to display his mastery of portraying the straight man; playing effortlessly against the eccentricities of his oddball co-workers and the other peculiar people surrounding him. The scene-stealers here, though, are Ben Affleck, Clifton Collins Jr., J.K. Simmons and David Koechner. Affleck, who has been gradually rebuilding his damaged career by appearing in under-the-radar films since Hollywoodland, submits a wonderful performance as a bartender who believes Xanax is the cure for everything (including the common cold). The role tackled by Collins Jr. is one dimensional on paper, but the actor's performance provides the character with depth and humanity. J.K. Simmons appears to relish the opportunity to play Joel's business partner and is given several killer lines to play with, while Koechner nails the part as the annoying, talkative, socially awkward neighbour. Mila Kunis (best known as the voice of Meg Griffin in Family Guy) is well-suited to the role of Cindy; she's required to look ridiculously hot as she goes about her business of tricking the men she encounters, and she pulls it off.
Following the theatrical catastrophe of 2006's Idiocracy (a biting sci- fi satire which 20th Century Fox unceremoniously dumped in all of four theatres), Mike Judge has returned with the brilliant Extract; his companion piece to Office Space. Unfortunately, while the dump-and-run approach utilised by Fox for Idiocracy was not in evidence this time, the distributor of Extract - Miramax - did not exactly roll out the red carpet either. The film entered a number of theatres, but the marketing campaign was minimal and it was given an appalling release slot. Extract may not be a masterpiece, but it's considerably superior to most 2009 comedies which received a more robust backing (Year One, Dance Flick, Fired Up and Bride Wars, anyone?).
Charlie & Boots (2009)
Funny & Touching
The concept of an Australian comedy featuring the once-in-a-lifetime pair-up of Paul Crocodile Dundee Hogan and Shane Kenny Jacobson would appear foolproof. And while this movie doesn't live up to all of its potential, Charlie & Boots (the sophomore effort of director Dean Murphy, who previously teamed up with Paul Hogan for 2004's Strange Bedfellows) is an endearing, poignant and sweet comedy-drama. This is a film infused with so much heart that even the feel-good clichés it occasionally employs seem charming. It's simply an ideal vehicle for its two primary stars.
The plot line is reasonably straightforward. After the tragic death of his beloved wife Grace (Thompson), Charlie (Hogan) - a hardworking farmer - is left devastated and withdrawn. On a whim, his older son Boots (Jacobson) decides to take an impromptu fishing trip with Charlie, as it could shake his old man out of the doldrums and perhaps repair the rift between them. Once Boots gets Charlie in the car, he informs him they'll be travelling from their Victorian hometown to Cape York (thousands of kilometres away) for a spot of fishing off the country's northernmost tip (a trip long promised but never accomplished). Charlie is at first none too co-operative, but Boots does his best to be upbeat. Along the way they pick up an attractive young female hitchhiker with boyfriend trouble (Griffin), and they fend off a succession of older women who are interested in Charlie.
This is a superbly relaxed, warm and good-natured movie that celebrates the relationship between father and son. Gradually, as the trip unfolds, an uneasy companionship emerges as the two begin to learn more about each other and the dramas that ruptured their lives. The movie exposes family conflicts, and watches the protagonists as both of them divulge emotional revelations while their relationship is slowly put back on track. Charlie & Boots can also be perceived as a picturesque tourist guide of rural Australia. During their travels the characters encounter the Grampians, Tamworth, Forbes, Tenterfield and even the spectacular Great Barrier Reed. A lot of these locations are low-key (Baz Luhrman wouldn't have used them), and the radiant cinematography courtesy of Roger Lawson does justice to them. Dean Murphy's direction is frequently competent, keeping things wonderfully minimalist and naturalistic (an efficient set-up that poignantly observes Charlie's grief is a particular highlight). Dale Cornelius' delightful score adds yet another layer of enchanting flavour. The movie may be little more than a string of vignettes that all adhere to a similar formula, but everything fits together nicely. Just how well it'll play for an international audience is a mystery, though.
Charlie & Boots is heavily laced with dry Aussie wit that's well suited to Australian audiences, who should also readily identify with the characters and be enthralled by their warmth. Most of the film's good-natured comedy is derived from witty lines and a number of hilarious comedic set-pieces (such as a sequence involving a not-too-bright police officer). Yet despite the film's strong points, there are problems with the screenplay (penned by director Murphy and Stewart Faichney). The main problem is that the whole thing is painfully by-the-numbers - it's your usual bonding road-trip movie which obeys the rules of the genre (we know Charlie and Boots will patch up their relationship, for instance). Here's another thing: laughs are a tad too limited considering the talent involved. It's never particularly dull per se, but it only rarely takes off in a way that's seriously exhilarating.
Getting Paul Hogan and Shane Jacobson together in a movie was a terrific idea (however tenuous their physical resemblance). Hoges is his usual brilliant self as Charlie; delivering a trademark performance that has echoes of his glory days. The former Crocodile Dundee star is able to express an inner sadness that's deeply affecting, and the gradual breaking down of his character's bitterness and reserve is effectively conveyed. Meanwhile, Shane Jacobson is pitch-perfect - likable, sympathetic and above all relatable as Boots (whose real name is revealed in an amusing, nicely judged scene). He perfectly embodied the hard-working Aussie bloke in the 2006 hit Kenny, and in Charlie & Boots he brilliantly embodies your typical middle-aged man. In the supporting cast there's the young Morgan Griffin, who would've been 16 or 17 during production. Griffin brings a delightful warmth and buoyancy to the material, and an audience will miss her (as the boys do) when she abruptly leaves the story. Roy Billing, in a brief cameo, is another amusing highlight. The movie is in loving memory of Reg Evans who plays an amusing minor role in the movie, and who died in the 2009 Victorian bushfires.
All things considered, Charlie & Boots is a pleasant, enjoyable little Aussie film of male bonding which is both funny and touching. Its charm is very pervasive, and it's difficult not to yield to it. Any Australian who has ever taken a multiple-day road-trip will easily relate to the situations the protagonists encounter (car trouble, snoring relos, etc). Charlie & Boots may be a highly clichéd affair, but it'll surely plant a smile on your face - and who can complain about that? Be sure to watch until after the end credits for a bonus laugh.
The Magnificent Seven (1960)
Magnificent Western
It's strangely appropriate that John Sturges' The Magnificent Seven is a Western remake of Akira Kurosawa's Japanese epic Seven Samurai. After all, Kurosawa has repeatedly said that his work is inspired by American Westerns. While The Magnificent Seven cannot compete with Seven Samurai in terms of visual dexterity or profound thematic complexity, John Sturges' Western-ised adaptation holds up as a rousing action-adventure story as well as a fascinating turning point in the history of films about the Old West. Not only does The Magnificent Seven contain a pitch-perfect cast and a satisfying amount of exciting, gun-slinging action, but it additionally finds time to explore deep contradictions of the mythic noble outlaws which proved so endemic to the American Western genre.
The plot is a simple one, and follows the template established by Kurosawa's Seven Samurai. A small Mexican village is repeatedly raided by a bandit gang led by the menacing Calvera (Wallach) who constantly leaves the villagers destitute. Desperate and fed up with living under Calvera's thumb, several of the villagers travel to a nearby border town in the hope of purchasing guns to defend themselves, but end up simply hiring professional gunmen instead. A total of seven men are recruited, who travel back to the village to confront Calvera and his gang of bandits. Each of the seven men has their own reasons for being involved, but all are united under the common goal of removing fear from the village and overthrowing the evil marauders.
The Magnificent Seven is divided into two distinct halves. The first chronicles the rounding up of the seven gunmen, while the second half recounts the epic battle fought between the gunslingers and Calvera's gang of bandits. Taken at face value, this is standard good vs. evil stuff. But if scrutinised further, one will uncover something much deeper. Sure, the good guys fight off the bad guys heroically, but each character is imbued with a finely-drawn, distinct and interesting personality. The gunmen are masterfully humanised; they're tough guys who have regrets and fears, but manage to do a commendable job of hiding them. Things steadily intensify during the lead-up to the final showdown which displays no mercy even towards the film's most likable characters. The Magnificent Seven also remains vital and interesting due to departures from the genre norms it opted to take. This was probably the first Hollywood Western in history to delve into the emptiness of the life of a gunfighter; they're confident in their profession, but are unable to hold down a stable home and family life. In a wonderfully judged scene, the seven men discuss the pros and cons of the life they've chosen, and it's apparent this life hasn't greatly rewarded them since they were poor enough to accept this job for which they'll receive little pay.
Of course, The Magnificent Seven wouldn't be considered such a success on characters alone; there are rousing action sequences here as well. In this respect, much of the credit belongs to director John Sturges, an 'outdoor' director who keeps the pacing efficient and has an eye for action set-pieces. Prior to The Magnificent Seven, Sturges was experienced in directing both action films and Westerns with such titles as Gunfight at the O.K. Corral and Bad Day at Black Rock. It's due to the director's extensive experience that when the action happens, it's taut, motivated and convincing, with a strong sense of urgency and a clear notion of what's at stake. The expansive vistas of Western scenery, the codes of honour among the gunslingers, the camaraderie they find in each other, as well as the shootouts so common in Hollywood Westerns are all included here in spades. This fusion of so many irresistible elements raises the film several notches above more typical tales of simplistic cowboy heroes.
Yul Brynner was initially suggested to direct this movie, but Sturges ended up getting the job. Instead, Brynner settled for one of the protagonists - an excellent alternative, because Brynner's performance is outstanding. Another inspired casting choice is Steve McQueen as a member of the titular team. McQueen, who eventually went on to star in Bullitt and The Great Escape, imbues his performance with cool and intensity. He was the ultra-cool male film star of the 1960s, after all. The other five champions of the film are James Coburn, Charles Bronson, Robert Vaughn, Brad Dexter and European film star Horst Buchholz. It's easy to see why these men were cast: all have unique, memorable faces that convey both conviction and desolation. A number of actors got their big breaks in this film, including Steve McQueen, James Coburn and Charles Bronson. It's funny to imagine these actors being relatively unknown at the time. It's also interesting to note that there was a tremendous rivalry between the actors, in particular between Brynner and McQueen. Meanwhile Eli Wallach is superb playing the menacing, no-nonsense villain. Too many movies allow the lead villain to remain two-dimensional, but this is not the case here.
Upon close examination, there are no real flaws to point out within The Magnificent Seven - it's just flawed in the sense that it feels like an abridged reiteration of Seven Samurai. Other than that, the film is top drawer. It offers drama, strong characterisations, clever writing, action and suspense. It's exciting, witty, smart and sometimes even sweet. Added to this, it's a Western actioner that crosses the line to appeal to movie-lovers of all sorts. Deep down, you know it's not as brilliant as Kurosawa's Seven Samurai...but very few films are.
Rapid Fire (1992)
Exciting, Rapid-Fire Action Flick!
Designed and constructed as nothing more than a kick-'em-up action vehicle for Brandon Lee (son of Bruce Lee), Rapid Fire is satisfying patchwork genre film-making. It's a highly entertaining, albeit painfully generic pastiche of Mafioso politics, crooked FBI machinations, perpetual mayhem and an array of awesome action sequences. No elements are incorporated into Rapid Fire to hoist it above the territory of the strictly ordinary, but it remains fulfilling as a mindless action flick.
The plot, naturally, has a clichéd ring to it: in a typically contrived way, Jake Lo (Lee) witnesses a mob execution. Jake agrees to testify against the Big Powerful Bad Guy No-One Has The Guts To Mess With, and the FBI places him in the witness protection program. Since it's an unwritten law in the world of action flicks, this witness protection program proves rife with corruption, and Jake - once framed by the FBI - is forced to take matters into his own hands. On the run from the law and caught in the middle of a battle between two feuding drug lords, the Jake is faced with only one way to clear his name: team up with a renegade cop (Boothe). Nothing new here, folks.
Alan McElroy's screenplay (from a plot conceived by himself and Cindy Cirile) seems culled from about 15 television movies concerning witness relocation, unjustly-accused heroes, and cops so devious it's impossible to tell who to root for. The plot twists are all quite predictable, the love interest (in the form of a female cop played by Kate Hodge...is there any other kind?) seems rudimentary, and the villains are comprised of stock B-movie bad guy clichés. Point is, there's no narrative innovation, and characterisations are nothing unprecedented. But why watch such a motion picture on the basis of anything other than action? You shouldn't. Rapid Fire is an action movie; plain and simple. Sure, the world already has enough action movies, but Rapid Fire manages to do something that other action movies failed to achieve: showcase the amazing fighting skills and general agility of Bruce Lee's son. The film never breaks out of the B-movie mould, but Brandon Lee (who helped choreograph the fighting) is given multiple action scenes to work with, ensuring the movie is worth sitting through despite the recycled plot and characters.
As for Brandon Lee, he's not as wooden as one might expect. It was to his advantage that his acting didn't suffer from the exasperating eccentricities of his action star peers - such as Steven Seagal's egocentric mumbling or the preening style of Jean-Claude Van Damme. Or, for that matter, he wasn't marred by any of their accents either. Lee could act; he emitted a charming screen presence of good looks and genuine cool. His fisticuffs are fluid and exhilarating, and boast an inventiveness rarely witnessed outside of Hong Kong kung-fu cinema - not only does Lee use his hands and feet as lethal weapons, but he also defends himself by improvising with nearby objects. Lee's sudden death (due to an on-set accident during production of his next movie, The Crow) is a true tragedy - the young lad had a promising career ahead of him. As for the rest of the cast, there's a solid, if routine performance courtesy of Powers Boothe playing the grizzled, single-track cop, in addition to Nick Mancuso who's passable as the villain, and Kate Hodge who's likable but nothing special as the love interest. Al Leong makes a brief appearance to battle Lee at one stage, too. During the '80s, Leong's played background henchmen in several action films (like Die Hard and Action Jackson), and it's terrific to see him here.
As far as standard, mindless cookie-cutter action movies (with little redeeming values) go, you could certainly do far worse than Rapid Fire, though that's hardly a ringing endorsement. Those who enjoy balls-to-the-wall action movies will find enough to enjoy within these fast-paced 90 minutes, but others need not apply.
Black Dynamite (2009)
Consistently hilarious, inventive spoof
The idiots responsible for Date Movie, Epic Movie, Meet the Spartans and Disaster Movie should be abducted and forced to watch Black Dynamite so they can see how a good spoof movie is done! While recent spoofs have focused on mimicking familiar film scenes or ripping off celebrities with the idiocy of a 10-year-old boy, Black Dynamite is a nostalgic throwback that simultaneously recreates and celebrates the trademarks of the 1970s blaxploitation genre - the jive pimps in garish outfits, the evil politicians, a funky R&B soundtrack, and dialogue laced with expletives, peculiar slang and ethnic slurs. A gleefully harebrained spoof of all things Shaft and Superfly that plays straight-up stupid with vintage film-making aesthetics, this is one of the most consistently hilarious and creative spoofs since the days of Airplane! and its brethren.
Michael Jai White plays the titular character of Black Dynamite; a muscular badass with a lot of guns, an expertise in kung fu and a knack for getting women into bed (or anywhere else that suits him). An evil presence in the city has committed the ultimate crime: they've killed Black Dynamite's kid brother. Dynamite goes on a rampage, tearing up the streets to find the perpetrators. During his quest to serve up payback he also tries to keep kids safe from drugs and protect his bitches from harm. This all leads to the discovery of a terrifying conspiracy against black men.
In tradition with '70s-era blaxploitation films, the protagonist is a noble ass-kicker who spouts odd slang, is very popular with the females and can make villains quake at the very sight of him, whereas the proceedings are coated with a colourful sheen of tacky clothes, crazy cars and hilariously over-the-top fight sequences. Black Dynamite is certainly knowing in its spoofing, but it rarely winks at the audience to signal any sort of self-aware comfort. The film has a fantastic poker face; committing to an enjoyably silly routine of mockery and homage without being too conscious. On top of the high batting average for laughs, the action set-pieces are pretty awesome as well. And, much like all the greatest spoofs in history, one doesn't need a thorough knowledge of the genre being sent up in order to understand the jokes. This is a major asset for Black Dynamite, because, let's be honest, how many '70s blaxploitation flicks has the average person actually seen? In a sense, Black Dynamite is to blaxploitation what the Austin Powers films are to '60s spy flicks. Not many young comedy fans would be familiar with anything like In Like Flint, but that didn't prevent Austin Powers from becoming an extremely popular franchise.
Black Dynamite looks spot-on; as if it were an honest-to-goodness blaxploitation picture that has been sitting in a vault for over thirty years. '70s blaxploitation pictures were low-budget affairs often made without a great deal of technical skill, and Black Dynamite recreates this film-making incompetency with astonishing, hilarious accuracy. Director Sanders replicates everything from the colour scheme to the cheesy zoom-ins; from the one-dimensional performances to the obvious editing mistakes. Rather than taking the Grindhouse route of aging the picture in post-production, cinematographer Shawn Maurer filmed on Super-16 colour reversal stock, which generates a high-contrast, richly saturated image that's well-augmented by the excellent imitations of '70s-style clunky camera-work and awkward framing. The sets are an absolute hoot (particularly the wonderfully chintzy White House interiors used during the climax), and the mood is further sold by Adrian Younge's utterly perfect, playful score loaded with funny trills as well as "Dynamite!" vocal hits whenever the titular character enters the room or kicks some ass.
Michael Jai White is pitch-perfect as Black Dynamite; coming across as a credible hero so tough, well-meaning and proud in his embrace of black masculinity that one could easily imagine him being perceived as a point of pride back in the '70s. White manoeuvres through the ridiculous action sequences splendidly, using his extreme physicality to punch villains through walls and brandish phallic weapons convincingly. Similar to the wonderfully obtuse Leslie Nielson (who was a crucial component for the success of the Naked Gun! series), White carries the entire movie and wins you over easily through sheer force of straight-faced absurdity. And that's the key to a great spoof: the characters can never be in on the joke. Black Dynamite nails this perspective with a satisfying consistency, which is particularly laudable when the actor has to deal with the crew's low-budget incompetence (such as a hysterical boom mic joke).
The art of cinematic spoofing has become so degraded by the likes of Date Movie and Epic Movie that it may take several minutes to recognise Black Dynamite as part of this once-brilliant genre. Some may perceive this movie as a simplistic one-joke affair (because it kind of is), and the film does have trouble sustaining its raucous energy, but the solid laughs and inventiveness manage to compensate for the minor blunders.