DVD review: Godzilla
2014 marks another year filled with reboots and sequels, many unwanted and frankly unnecessary but Godzilla’s return to the big screen has been met with only intrigue and excitement. The trailers have teased and the hype has quickly became monumental but would this new imagining of the classic fable rid all memory of Roland Emmerich’s nineties interpretation, which is widely regarded as a misfire? The director this time is the relatively inexperienced Gareth Edwards, who gained widespread recognition after his low-budget hit Monsters. With the big budget he now has at his disposal, he has assembled an all star ensemble including Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Elizabeth Olsen and Bryan Cranston who all ultimately play second fiddle to the stunning CGI on show and the Godzilla himself, of course.
Respectful to the origins of the story, Gareth Edwards chooses to build around his characters and story first, and really makes us wait for the monster reveal. The plot revolves around the Brody family, headed by former nuclear plant worker Joe who has a conspiracy theory linked with what appeared to be a natural disaster at his place of work fifteen years previously. His son Ford, an explosives expert, hesitantly decides to take notice of his father’s claims, flying to Japan to meet him, and they become embroiled in a fight for survival whilst doting wife Elle is left in San Francisco keeping up with the developments via breaking news bulletins.
The human element of the film slow burns into insignificance, falling to the waste side as it is belittled by the colossal beasts around it. When a Massive Unidentified Terrestrial Organism, or a MUTO as it’s referred to, becomes free to roam in big city, the real spectacle begins. The pterodactyl-like creature is visually impressive and once we see a boss fight collision in the brilliantly choreographed final act, it is an aesthetic feast as well as a marvel in sound design. See this in on the largest screen possible and it’ll be worth it for the roar-off alone! Sentiment shines through in the eponymous monster, almost humanising Godzilla and really fleshing out his character despite the unfortunately concise screen time he is given. This signifies a tip of the hat in homage to the historical background of the pop culture icon.
As far as the acting goes, the big name cast unsurprisingly struggle to leave a lasting impact in the shadows of the giants. Cranston is solid enough, as is Elizabeth Olsen with what material they have to work with. Taylor-Johnson has bulked up but where muscle has been added, fun and emotion have passed to make way to create a rather emotionless hero and I struggled to connect with his personal circumstances. Members of the supporting cast feel even more meaningless, with David Strathairn and Sally Hawkins criminally underused. Ken Watanabe serves the purpose to deliver the scientist’s ‘we call him Godzilla’ line that fan-boys will be waiting for but does very little else other than perfecting a horrified expression in reaction to the carnage that ensues before him.
As an action piece, Godzilla is a remarkable technical achievement, and is as thrilling and entertaining as you would expect from a modern adaptation. It sadly falls down a few plotholes and lacks a powerhouse performance to lift the human aspect. Despite this, Gareth Edwards has furthered his reputation as a filmmaker and given the project a sense of intelligence as well as having the sensational set-pieces. The legend has a new lease of life, and with a sequel in the pipeline, this could be the start of an exciting new series of monster movies.
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DVD review: Cold in July
Laden with neon, synth and mullets, Jim Mickle’s latest film ‘Cold in July’ is a stylish throwback to the eighties, adapted from a novel of the same name by Joe R. Lansdale. Michael C. Hall, who is known for playing cool serial killer Dexter, stars as Richard Dane, an honest family man who confronts a house intruder in the opening scene. The suspenseful start sets up an interesting premise, as threatening criminal Ben (Sam Shepard) begins to torment Richard and his loved ones. This raises questions around carrying a firearm for protection in the home, and the consequences that this form of self defence can present. This slow-burning thriller is full of potential but descends into ridiculousness, as the directorial vision becomes somewhat blurred.
Starting with a Cape Fear atmosphere, with Sam Shepard in the haunting Max Cady type role, before turning into something more along the lines of Dukes of Hazzard, writer director Mickle has very clear, if mismatched, influences for this project. Jeff Grace’s electronic score has strong flavours of the work of Cliff Martinez, who provided the sounds for Drive and Only God Forgives. Comparisons aside, the story has pacing issues and takes too long to get anywhere. Around halfway, an unorthodox investigator Jim Bob Luke, played brilliantly by Don Johnson, is added to the fray and certainly brings with him a much needed dose of adrenaline. His snappy sense of humour distracts from the shoddy character development but after a while, it becomes hard to see the motives in any of the protagonists as they join forces to bring down an snuff-video operation.
‘Cold in July’ is not without its strong points, and is very successful at building tension. I can’t remember being as gripped as I was watching the first couple of scenes. The performances are suitably solid also, with each of the three big names bringing another dimension. The problem is that the elements that their characters provide feel as though they belong in three separate films. Somewhere the recipe turns sour. The inventive and attractive cinematography will only hold the attention of the audience for so long but ultimately, the unnerving chill becomes an irritating draught.
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DVD review: Two Days, One Night (Deux Jours, une nuit)
Film is often celebrated for the sense of escapism it provides, the enclosed darkened rooms of the cinema proving a welcomed distraction from the outside world. In comparison to this theory, the Belgian directing brothers, Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne are known for their naturalistic style, presenting real life issues on the cinematic stage. Their latest effort, ‘Two Days, One Night’ highlights the problems within the social economic system not only in the small French town in which it is set, but globally. Marion Cotillard stars as the depression stricken mother Sandra who returns to work after a leave of absence at a solar panel plant to find that her colleagues have chosen to accept a bonus instead of her keeping her minimum wage job. She has the weekend, as the title suggests, to overturn the vote, approaching them one by one in a desperate plea to save her livelihood.
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DVD review: Edge of Tomorrow
Now that we’re into blockbuster season, the Cruiser is back with another action packed sci-fi adventure. Adapted from Hiroshi Sakurazaka’s novel All You Need is Kill, Doug Liman directs ‘Edge of Tomorrow’ which is not only big, but clever as well. Tom Cruise stars as military media man, Major William Cage who has rallied troops to battle against an alien invasion that is quickly spreading across Europe. As face of the campaign against a deadly threat to the human race, he is as confident and cocky as ever. However, when he is forced into the front-line, he is less than enthused and relies on the help of super-soldier Sergeant Rita Vrataski (Emily Blunt) to save the world, but most importantly to save his own skin.
What sets the film aside from the run-of-the-mill popcorn is the time-travel elements that see William Cage effectively ‘reset the day’ each time he loses his life in the heat of battle. As a result, it becomes like watching somebody play a video game, desperately trying to reach an unattainable checkpoint…but a lot more fun. It doesn’t explain itself all too well, so there are evident plot-holes, but there is also entertainment, and a surprising amount of humour in watching Tom Cruise die over and over again. The repetitive nature of the story never gets boring and is more long lasting that any of the glossy special effects. I found the action sequences to be rather frenetic and distracting, with spider-like creatures known as mimics whizzing about the screen like moths around a light. The 3D adds very little to the experience, but the characters and their complex companionship hold it together.
In recent years, I have been known to avoid the work of Tom Cruise, as I feel that with any role he takes on, I struggle to invest in his characters. I can’t take him seriously as the all-conquering hero. But with Edge of Tomorrow, his character is initially far from a hero. He is smug on the outside, cowardly on the inside which is an interesting turn to see Cruise pull off, and he does it very well. He links with Emily Blunt believably, as she plays a strong willed warrior, not dissimilar to her powerhouse part in Looper. They share moments that are genuinely funny as she prepares him for his next attempt at overturning the alien army. Of course, there is a Hollywood romance aspect involved but it is handled well without being overdone.
Edge of Tomorrow is a smart, inventive summer flick that showcases two stars at the top of their game. With obvious flavours of Groundhog Day, it still manages an aura of originality as the majority of the film is contained within a tight time-frame creatively played through continually, before stretching further a field for an expansive finale. The computer game feel lends an odd sense of ownership over the lead, and though it may be frustrating at times to watch him fail, you urge him to pick himself up and give it another go, improving all the time.
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DVD review: Joe
David Gordon Green is a director with something to prove after coming under scrutiny with his film-making choices over recent years. His credible status and background came into question after his work on throwaway comedies. The publicised return to form is captured within what is being referred to as his indie trilogy, the first instalment of which was released last year and was a critical success. The second, titled ‘Joe’, stars Nicolas Cage in the eponymous role; an ex-con with anger issues who plies his trade in the destruction of pine trees to make way for stronger saplings.
DVD review: Fading Gigolo
Since his first ever screenplay was butchered at the hands of a production company when it hit cinemas in 1965, Woody Allen vowed to always direct films that he’d written so that he felt in control of the final result. He also rarely appears in films unless he’s had a hand in the filmmaking process. Because of this, it was a surprise to see him star alongside John Turturro in comedy flick ‘Fading Gigolo’, a film which Turturro this time writes and directs. The flimsy plot follows florist Fioravante (Turturro) as he embarks on a new career path, led into the seedy male prostitution game by the not-so-retiring bookshop owner Murray Schwartz (Allen). Building to take part in a ménage à trois, will Fioravante pursue his controversial lifestyle or will he leave it behind for the widowed love interest Avigal?
Turturro is best known for his association with the works of the Coen brothers, but his latest is undeniably influenced by the back catalogue of his co-star. His New York is viewed through Allen-tinted frames, the city captured cosily and welcoming, home to witty Jewish ramblings over a jazz laden score. The bond between the two leads is amusing, and the script at times is done very well as Murray and Fioravante take on new aliases Dan Bongo and Virgil Howard respectively and converse over their joint venture. This provides the perfect scenario for Allen’s comic delivery and he is on fine form, but the sub-plots surrounding feel forcefully out of sync, and don’t flow with nearly as much effortlessness. Other characters lack any depth, and the romantic angle is skewed to the point that it is difficult to care whether he gets the girl or not by the end.
In John Turturro’s apparent vision to create a Woody Allen-esque picture, he’s succeeded, but has unfortunately made an average one. He has got a great performance out of Allen, and puts in a good leading turn himself but has sadly discarded everything else, leaving the film a little soulless. Sharon Stone and Liev Schreiber play unimaginative stereotypes and are rather wasted in their roles. Niggles aside, it’s refreshing to see Allen stepping out from behind the typewriter for a change and making us laugh so if you’re a fan of his humour, ‘Fading Gigolo’ is definitely worth a look.
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DVD review: Salvo
Italian cinema has become closely associated with the gangster-movie genre, yet the directorial debut of collaborators Fabio Grassadonia and Antonio Piazza has taken elements from that distinctive style of film to create something slightly different. The central, titular, character played by Saleh Bakri is a mafia hitman who whilst pursuing his next victim, meets the target’s blind sister, Rita (Sara Serraiocco). This presents an fascinating encounter which leads him to question his flailing morals. The technical aspects are bold and ambitious, the clever use of audio offering up an often intense sensory experience but the dialogue-light story wears thin, running out of ideas about halfway through.
We are with the slick assassin Salvo pretty much from start to finish, from his alarm clock waking him in his dank and derelict bed-sit, through him scoffing lunch, to driving around what appears to be the incredibly bumpy backstreets of Palermo. A wide range of camera techniques are employed, from static shots, shaky-cam over-the-shoulder car journeys to atmospheric floor sequences. For a leading man, Lacoste-loving Salvo has little to say so the bold visuals do well to hold interest and build suspense for his first meeting with Rita. This scene is a highlight, as the focus switches to the vulnerable blind sister of Mafioso man Renato. The sound heightens and we see her blurred perspective of only shapes and colours, and by placing the audience in her susceptible state the sense of danger is also ramped up. Her fragility thaws his ice-cold demeanour, stopping him in his tracks and forcing him to consider his options. Does he save the girl and change his ways or put her out of her misery?
The latter parts of the film fail to match up to the initial excitement of when Salvo first comes across Rita, and descends into convention, even angling in a little romance that sadly refuses to gel with the noir themes explored. The narrative slows down to the point where it nearly moves backwards and the soundtrack gets quite stale and repetitive. There is one entertaining scene though, where dialogue is surprisingly used quite sparingly for a conversation between Salvo and a mob boss who looks like a cross between Tony Soprano and Jimmy Saville. I am far from against a minimalist script, and loved Ryan Gosling’s hushed anti-heroes of Drive and Only God Forgives, but Bakri lacked the necessary magnetism to carry it off. Serraiocco is great with what she has to work with, and has the perfect expressionistic face to act with little material.
Salvo doesn’t tick enough genre boxes to be classed as a gangster film, yet doesn’t stray away from it far enough to become anything else. Instead, the flawed result is caught in no man’s land somewhere in the middle and despite its consistently intriguing cinematography, promising for first time feature filmmakers, it has no real lasting impact. With a stronger, more involving script, the characters would gain more depth which would in turn allow them to fully absorb the emotionally charged topic of redemptive love and take on the plot, rather than just exist within it.
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Top 5 Films that Broke the Fourth Wall
Definition of FOURTH WALL
: an imaginary wall (as at the opening of a modern stage proscenium) that keeps performers from recognizing or directly addressing their audience
An old term related to audience participation in theatre but in film terms, the fourth wall is essentially the screen. Usually used for comic effect, here are my five favourite uses of the technique where a character disturbs the passive audience to speak directly to camera.
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The Wolf of Wall Street
Director Martin Scorsese is no stranger to breaking the fourth wall and in his latest masterpiece, Leonardo DiCaprio regularly lets the audience in on his illegal operations. Playing the part of Wall Street stockbroker Jordan Belfort, he takes time out from his scamming to explain financial jargon and how much money he is making. How nice of him!
For my review, click here!
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Ferris Bueller’s Day Off
Matthew Broderick tells it like it is in Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, talking the audience through his foolproof plan to pull a sickie from school and have a day of fun. The cheeky-chappy style and delivery is copied by Saved by the Bell’s lovable rogue Zack Morris.
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Filth
The list takes a darker turn onto the gritty cobbled streets of Edinburgh with Jon C. Baird’s adaptation of Irvine Welsh’s novel Filth. Alcoholic junkie cop Bruce Robertson is not a well man, physically or mentally, and we, as an audience, are complicit to his wicked mind games as he turns colleagues against each other and betrays his friends.
For my review, click here!
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Funny Games
In Michael Haneke’s psychotic thriller Funny Games, the fourth wall is well and truly smashed when a character not only speaks into the camera but rewinds the film back a few minutes so that he can play it out his own way! The Austrian original version is excellent but if you don’t want subtitles, Haneke remade his own work for a wider English speaking audience with Boardwalk Empire star Michael Pitt holding the remote.
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Annie Hall
We’ve all been frustrated in a queue, being subjected to the thoughts of the outspoken, wanting to challenge them or simply tell them to keep their idiotic opinions to themselves! In the Oscar winning romantic comedy Annie Hall, stand up comedian Alvy Singer speaks up to defend the work of highly regarded philosopher Marshall McLuhan. When discussing the scene, director Woody Allen said ‘I felt many of the people in the audience had the same feelings and the same problems. I wanted to talk to them directly.”
For more analysis of Woody Allen’s work, click here!
DVD review: Benny & Jolene
Cinema Perspective 