2008.05.30
Vexille
Fumihiko Sori was the producer on Appleseed and the character animator for James Cameron’s Titanic. Now he has a go at directing himself and the results are nothing less than breath-taking.
After Japan withdraws from the UN, refusing to heed new cyborg laws, they become an enigma. Clouding their country from satellites and spies with the most complex technologies, no-one has been in or out for ten years.
Until… a Japanese diplomat organises a meeting with politicians from the UN states and promptly replaces them with identical cyborgs. Undetectable with even the most thorough of scanners.
The American military, acting outwith orders, send in an elite team of soldiers to bring down the Japansese cloaking device from within. Among that team is the titular character Vexille.
What she finds there is incomprehensible. I don’t want to spoil it for you because it is the biggest revelation of the movie.
She teams up with some of the locals to usurp the megalomaniac president and his cyborg armies before they conquer the world.
The storyline to this film may be lacking in any emotional substance (there’s a brief love triangle, but it’s given short shrift), but that’s not what you’ll watch this for anyway. You’ll watch this to be dazzled by the advancements in animation technology. And it’s all here.
Watching this is like playing the most advanced Final Fantasy game. You’re constantly left gaping in awe at the amazing graphics. The best comes near the end with the large ‘Fangs’(Monsters made of metallic junk) piling through the desert. There is such intricate 3-D detail in them that you half-expect them to jump out the screen.
I’d love to watch this on HD. In fact, I think I’d be willing to buy an HD system just for this movie.
There are a lot of similarities to the film Appleseed, which clearly influences it, but the images are much sharper and clearer here.
Verdict 8/10
Visually stunning, but the story’s lacking.
2008.05.29
Doomsday
When I first saw the trailer for Neil Marshall’s Doomsday, depicting Scots as savage cannibals, I thought this film looks crap. Then I thought, this film looks a bit racist. Well… It isn’t racist.
Doomsday charts the outbreak of a virus in Glasgow and the subsequent quarantine of Scotland. Locking the healthy people in with the infected by rebuilding Hadrien’s wall.
In the midst of this a young child is saved and carried off by soldiers, leaving her grieving mother behind.
Fast forward 25 years and the child is grown up. She’s a highly trained cop or soldier(It isn’t clear) with an attitude; Eden Sinclair, played here by Rhona Mitra.
When the virus is found in London the government plan another qauarantine, but there may still be hope. Survivors have been spotted by satellites in Scotland. If Eden can lead a team into Scotland and find a cure within 48 hours, they may be able to prevent an outbreak.
Tasked with finding Doctor Kane(Malcolm McDowell), who they think found a cure, they head over the wall.
The locals aren’t too friendly. They’re more likely to eat you than shake you by the hand. A group of Neo-punks led by Sol(Craig Conway) take the team prisoner and begin cooking them one by one. Eden manages to escape along with another native prisoner.
The native leads her and her quickly dwindling team to Kane’s medieval castle. There, the once great Doctor, has made himself a bloodthirsty King. He watches over Eden as she fights in a gladitorial bout.
Doomsday never really finds its own voice, but, rather, jumps from one diluted movie reference to another. The first act is clearly influenced by Aliens and Escape from New York. The second by all three Mad Max films. The third act is more like V for Vendetta and Equilibrium. It’s a shame that these influences shine brighter than the original plot points because it would have a better film otherwise.
The acting is poor. Ever since Keira Knightly tried to sound tough in Pirates of the Carribean, I’ve been convinced that posh English accents and tough talk don’t mix. The last line of this film is supposed to inspire fear and awe, but Eden’s too busy chewing on her marbles.
McDowell and Bob Hoskins are painfully underused. Even overshadowed by the Blair/Brown government characters.
The one stand out actor was Craig Conway. He was brilliant as the over the top Sol. He was the evil villain you couldn’t help but love.
Another clever bit was the use of music. Fine young Cannibals blares out as the savages start to cook Sean Pertwee.
If Marshall had toned down his obvious love for the movies that influenced him, this would be a great follow-up to the brilliant ‘The Descent’ and ‘Dog Soldiers’.
Verdict 5/10.
A mixture of parts that never become a whole.
2008.05.28
I found the following thumbnail which i think sums up the sex and they city movie far better than me and Kev could muster in the podcast.
2008.05.28
Iron Man
Not often does a film live up to its hype. Very rarely does it exceed its hype. Iron Man is one such rarity.
Multi-millionairre weapons designer Tony Stark(Robert Downey Jnr) lives the life of riley. He drives expensive cars, flies expensive planes and shags expensive babes. From the very off we’re exposed to Stark’s razor sharp wit as he sips his drink in the middle of a war zone. This man is as cool as the ice in his whiskey.
He is quickly dragged out of his playboy existence when the convoy he’s travelling in is attacked by a group of terrorists called ‘The Ten Rings’. Any fan of the comics will instantly get that reference. It seems that someone has been supplying the terrorists with his own state-of-the-art weapons. They kidnap Stark and force him to build them a missile.
During the shoot-out, Stark is injured and requires an electro-magnet on his chest to survive the effects of the shrapnel.
It’s while here that Stark designs his prototype Iron Man suit. A bulkier, cumbersome version of his later design.
Cue some design and build scenes, which will light up any A-team fans heart.
When he escapes, he dedicates himself to protecting the people he had endangered with his weapons.
He slowly uncovers a plot to supply the terrorists with his weapons and fights back. Culminating in a showdown between his new Iron Man suit and a much bigger and stronger Iron-Monger based on his first suit.
There are some heavy political messages at the heart of this film, but they stay in the background. Which makes the film all the more enjoyable for it. Stark’s one-liners will keep you laughing throughout exposition heavy scenes. While the action scenes are unparalleled among other comic-book adaptations.
The CGI is slick and seamless and you’ll be troubled to tell the difference. The pace of the film is, as you’d expect, faster than sound.
The acting is brilliant. Robert Downey jnr was born to play this role. His quick swap from moral indifference to world-weary benevolence is flawless.
Jeff Bridges is great as Stark’s business partner Obidiah Stane, all smiles and friendly gestures concealing his true intentions.
There are plenty of references to keep the comic-book fraternity happy. Especially after the closing credits, so stick around.
Verdict 10/10
The best comic-book adaptation so far.
2008.05.26
Southland Tales is one of the most complex, confusing storylines you’re ever going to see. Of course, you wouldn’t expect any less from Donnie Darko director Richard Kelly.
Kelly hasn’t done a whole lot since Donnie Darko in 2001. Popping up to script the Keira Knightly flop Domino then disappearing again. It will delight his fans to know that Southland Tales is a return to Kelly’s own imagination.
The film takes place in an alternate history, where, in 2005, a series of nuclear explosions are detonated in Texas by terrorists. This prompts World War Three, with America attacking the Middle East and North Korea.
A shortage of oil follows quite quickly and the race is on to develop a new renewable source of power to keep the war machine moving.
Laid over this back drop you have three intertwining storylines. The main one concerns top hollywood actor Boxer Santaros(The Rock) who awakes in the desert with complete amnesia. The reasons behind his disappearance and what he was doing in the desert are slowly revealed.
He’s taken in by pornstar/ reality talk show host Krysta Now(Sarah Michelle Geller). Together they write a prophetic screenplay which shows the real apocalypse.
An anti-government group called the Neo-marxists try to ransom Boxer back to his Senator Father-in-law in exchange for an end to TV and Internet content being filtered.
Sean William Scott plays twin brothers who are trying to find each other.
A creepy scientist called the Baron develops a new source of power, called Liquid Karma, which the world’s leaders are willing to cut their limbs off to own. Literally in the case of Japan’s prime minister.
Even with the help of Gulf-war veteran Justin Timberlake narrating the gaps for us, it’s very easy to get lost.
If it sounds exhausting, that’s because it is. I’ve only skimmed the surface of each story thread here. It also includes things like trans-diimensional rifts, Time-travel paradoxes, and much more.
It’s not as hard to follow as say Shane Carruth’s Primer was, but it’s just as labyrinthine as anything Lynch or Aronofsky could do. if you like the Complexities of The Fountain, you’ll love this.
There are some wonderful set-pieces that play out like porn for the mind. You have a doped up Justin Timberlake singing the killers ‘I got soul, but I’m not a soldier’. And watch out for the two Hum-vees going at it.
There are also a set of three graphic novels which precede the film. die-hard fans will think nothing of buying these, but personally I think the films are understandable without them as you’re given a brief summary of their contents at the start.
All in all, this a thinking man’s movie not a saturday night popcorn film. It’s hugely inaccessible to your average cinema-goer. Which is why it loses a few points for me.
Verdict 7/10.
For a more in-depth description of the film, listen to our podcast.
2008.05.23
After 19 years Harrison Ford has the fedora back on and has returned to the role that made him a super star. Indiana Jones is back and the writing/directing of George Lucas and Stephen Spielberg are also present in the re-union. Going into this movie i had a sense of anticipation, after all and its an Indy movie and with today’s special effects we could be in for something very special. But i did have nagging doubts after the hallow and empty experience of watching the star wars prequels, anything with George Lucas’ name attached will attract an certain amount of skepticism plus Spielberg as good as he is like his sentimental sugary stuff a bit too much these days.
So the big question how does Indy 4 fare? it is not the spectacle we hoped for but it is not the disaster we feared. The major drawback here is the plot device ( Or Macguffin to quote Lucas) the crystal skull is fine enough but their ultimate origin when delivered did have me groaning as being over the top and just totally out of place in an Indy movie. That aside the rest of the movie is pure Indiana Jones, the action sequences thrilling and the wisecracks humorous. Harrison Ford is back on easy street here playing the grouchy archaeologist and looks in great shape. The movie starts at area 51 and gives a hint of thing to come with a thrilling chase through the warehouse seen at the end of Raiders. Being set in 50’s the ruskies are the principal villains of the piece with Cate Blanchette being the chief protagonist. Dodgy ruskie accent aside she does a decent job in the role . The whole supporting cast is on the whole great Shia Le Beouf as the young greaser Mutt who enlists Indy in the quest for the titular skull, John Hurt as an old friend of indays gone slightly mad. Of all the supporting plays Karen Allen really shines and the banter between her character Marion and Indy sizzles and is a joy to watch. It is only Ray Winestone cast as Mac and old war buddy of Doctor Jones that dissapoints, but i think this is more down to the script having him a strictly by the numbers ‘Cor blimey guvnor’ cockney rogue.
After area 51 Indy returns to teaching where he is given a leave of absence and a chance meeting with Mutt takes him to South America and the journey plus the action gets into full sway. Some action scenes will leave you breathless but a few moments are just plain goofy (Shia’s Tarzan springs to mind). The one thing i noticed is the familiar soundtrack seemed strangely subdued by the sound effects which almost drowned out the Raiders march on a few occasions.
Overall this sits in the Indy cannon well but is one were the parts feel better than the whole sum. And yes there is a sugary sweet sentimental ending that had the fingerprint of the modern day Spielberg. But it is great to see Indy back and showing that action does not need to be a CGI show reel but can have depth and feeling.
Zulu Rating : 7/10 not the best and not the worst Indy movie, will satisfy all the fans, just.
2008.05.23
I’m scared about reviewing this, my favourite film, because nothing I say can do it justice. My words can’t tell you how brilliant this film is. If Cal was worried about being sycophantic, then I’m just wiping David Fincher’s shit off my nose.
Edward Norton’s Nameless Narrator has everything a young aspiring white-collar worker needs; the plush Condo, the ikea furniture, The rewarding job. But, something is inherently missing. There is no substance beneath the surface. In an attempt to fight his relentless insomnia Norton starts attending support groups for Lukemia and other life-threatening diseases. It’s here that he learns to let go of all his yuppy concerns in the face of their real concerns. ‘Babies don’t sleep this good’.
This works until another ‘Faker’ appears at the groups in the form of Marla Singer(Helena-bonham Carter). Norton can’t attain the same level of escape if he sees another faker there; she reflects his lie.
It’s only when he meets enigmatic soap-sales man Tyler Durden(Brad Pitt) that he finds a true source of escape, Bare-knuckle fighting. Tyler leads Norton on a downward spiral to full spiritual freedom telling him that “the things we own, end up owning us.” and “It’s only after we’ve lost everything that we’re free to do anything.”
Together they create Fight Club; a bare-knuckle boxing circuit where angry young men come and vent their primal male agrression. Unused in this world of sexual equality.
Most people will have seen this by now and will, no doubt, know the final twist at the end, but I don’t want to spoil it for the few that haven’t. Suffice to say the revelation at the end was the first of its kind and has been copied to the point of ridicule. It even slightly detracts from repeat viewings of Fight club itself. Slightly.
The dark, surreal tone to the film gives it an ironic feel; not to be taken too seriously. But, for me, the irony was wasted.
The film has a particular resonance for me(probably most men) when I’m trailing my girlfriend around Ikea or shoe shops. Standing nodding deferentially at lamp-shades or rugs or the colour of her new shoes. In a consumer society this is commonplace and I can’t deny that I enjoy buying things for myself, but when you think about man as a hunter-gatherer then consumerism goes against his very being.
He shouldn’t just have to pick things out of a selection, he should have to cut down the tree and make it himself. We’re like tigers in a zoo, gradually losing our hunting abilities. This film, for me, grabs men buy the scruff of the neck and screams “look at what you’ve become”.
The Fight Club’s develop into a huge organized underground movement intent on destroying the consumerist culture by destroying all the credit companies and taking us all back to zero debt. Who can’t familiarise with that? Durden envisages a future where we live off the land once again, unconcerned about how we look or the latest fashions. A simple life.
If only there were such a movement, it would have me amongst its number.
A film that spoke to me and shaped my perceptions on life.
Verdict 10/10
There are no words to sum it up.
2008.05.21
Apologies in advance this review will be biased and sycophantic in the extreme cos there is no way i can be neutral on this. For those who don’t know (shame on you) this movie is a story set in a nightmarish future were the streets are overcrowded, the sun never shine and rain in perpetual. It follows a Blade Runner a special kind of detective who are trained to identify and ‘retire’ replicants (Androids in Laymen) on a mission to hunt down a group of the newest kind who have come to earth knowing their 6 year life is coming to an end and seek to extend their lives by asking audience with the creator of the replicants Eldon Tyrell.
In the main role is Harrison ford as Deckard who is excellent as the angry loner detective who could have been ripped out the pages of a Mickey Spillane novel. Deckard is a man alone and fed up life , drinking heavily but is the best at his job. Ford injects a good dose of world weariness into Deckard and also plays it right in the ambiguity of the characters humanity. Is he a replicant? that is a question for another time but then there is also the love affair with Rachel (Sean Young) the beautiful replicant who is unaware of her true nature but through her relationship with deckard the very man trained to kill her kind she accepts what she truly is.
We also have the peerless Rutger Hauer who plays the villain, Roy Batty the replicant obsessed with extending his pre-determined life span it is a testament that Hauer can inject a character with a psychotic menace and a child like naivety this is exemplified in the scene were he meets his maker towards the end of the film.
As for cinematography, this is where Blade Runner triumphs over the competition every scence is a photographic masterpiece from the dazzling opening firey Hades cityscape of Los Angels to the final scenes every scene is rich in atmosphere. The future portrayed here is bleak and depressing but it has beauty to it that has influenced so much of cinema and popular entertainment since. Flims such as the Matrix owe a huge debt to Blade Runner because without it our movie going would be so much poorer. Ridley Scott’s flair for visual is at its dazzling best here again that opening scene of the nightmarish future L.A. is alone worth buying this movie on every format for the foreseeable future.
The Themes present are universal, deep and moving the nature of reality, what makes us humans our actions? our memories,? the deep seated desire for immortality and also love are al explored .
The music is an electro landscape from the mind of Greek composer Vangelis that blends to perfection with the neon strewn landscape of the movie and is at times ominous – the opening credits music will always send a shiver down my spine , haunting – Roy Batty’s final words which even the most alpha of males will struggle to hold back a tear during and beautiful – the sublime love theme.
Combine all of these what do you get ? Perfection. This movie is a beautifully crafted, skillfully executed and will stay with you forever the pace to some may be slow but i find it hypntotic, every scene is eye candy, every line is filled with meaning, every action of the actors is symbolic, from that dazzling opening to that unsure ending were we are left none the wiser as to the fate of the two lovers or the enduring mystery of Deckards true self. Everyone must see this film and then buy it and watch it and watch it again it stands to repeat viewings like nothing few others. The special effects are still majestic, the styles timeless and the whole movie is just magnificent.
See this movie, if you love cinema then this has it all a piece of peerless history that we feel the resonance of throughout movies to this day.
Zulu Rating – 10/10 – Perfection ain’t boring it’s beautiful a seminal piece that will never be equaled.
2008.05.19
Local Hero
This film made me feel guilty. Guilty because I don’t take the time to appreciate my local surroundings.
The underlying thread of this quaint little movie is about a high-flying American Businessman who arrives, and slowly falls in love with a small Scottish village.
A houston-based oil company plans to buy the small idyllic village and turn it into an onshore refinery. They send a man(Peter Riegert) they assume is of Scottish descent(based on his second name being MacIntyre) to smooth over the deal with the locals. Contrary to expectation the villagers are more than ready to sell. They’re just holding out for a bigger sum.
During his stay ‘Mac’ loses his city ideals and warms to the village. Accompanied by his shy Awkward, Scottish co-worker Oldsen played by Peter Capaldi, they start to integrate into village life. The villagers open wide their arms, dollar signs in their eyes.
One villager becomes a thorn in Mac’s side as he refuses to sell. He just happens to own the whole beach. It coincides with the arrival of Mac’s boss Felix Happer(Burt Lancaster in his golden years) who tries to broker a deal. Happer, a star-gazer at heart, instantly falls in love with the village too.
‘Heart-warming’ is a phrase that sums up the first two acts, but ‘tragic’ sums up the third. Everyone’s wish comes true except our protagonist, who ends back where he started. It’s hard to digest this twist of events, but it makes the film seem more genuine for it.
You’ll spot an array of Scottish talent in the sidelines too. Blink and you’ll miss Rikki Fulton, Jonathon Watson and John Gordon Sinclair(Gregory’s Girl).
I also have to mention Happer’s relentless Psychologist here. Every time he’s on screen he brings a laugh. Even when Happer has sacked him, he doesn’t give up.
Directed by the Gregory’s Girl Helmer Bill Forsyth, you know to expect raw organic Scottish humour. It’s just a shame that Forsyth’s career wasn’t more illustrious, before he abandoned directing all together.
The one drawback I felt, and there’s only one, was the pacing of the movie. It seemed to stagnate for a while and I was left a little frustrated. But within the context of a sleepy little fishing town, it was right at home.
Next time I’m out and about I’ll try to take in more of the Scottish scenery and I’ll know it was prompted by this film. It’s not every film you can say that about.
Verdict: 9.5/10
A film that will stay with you. Especially if you’re a Scot.
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