Introduction

 

2003

Comments by juni0r

 

Okay well its taken me near on half a century to get this particular list up.  I've recently started to get onto the new technology so DVD films have taken a place on my shelf too.  Funny to have had so many films and not had a video machine to watch them on for so long... This has been on the drive for over 18 months.  Well its up now finally.  Cinema is definately a good way to see where we've been, and how long ago it was.  Man, to think Robin Hood came out in 1991 and that was over 10 years ago now... well, aren't we getting old?  Some of us are anyway...  Even the technology changes.  VHS will be around for a while yet all the same.  As for my next purchase, perhaps Aliens (SE), or Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels I expect. 

 

As of 8 August, (no, didn't have the readies on the release day :( ) I now have Fellowship of the Ring, first instalment of the greatest Fantasy epic ever, by our own Peter Jackson.  No support up until recently, now the man is a legend and everyone wants to claim some part of the pie.  The world waits with baited breath for the Two Towers.  No one could have imagined the film rendition was going to be so successful.  Thanks to all those who brought us this unforgettable piece of cinema.  My DVD is sure going to get a thrashing now :)  My best mate Mark W. starred as a Uruk Hai.  He enjoyed giving the elves a good going over, despite the bruisings.

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Transformers

 

February 2008

 

Comments by juni0r

 

This film, based off the Hasbro toys of the same name, and the cult TV series, has its roots in Japanese Anime, and has done a good job considering the fan base and staying true to the universe. If you're not familiar, things centre around two opposing sides of an alien race, of a bio-mechanical make up. They can "transform" from humanoid-like form of robotic nature to a given machine, specific to each character. Trucks, cars, planes... you get the idea. My favourite is the bad guy tank named Devastator. There was another of the bad guys based off the new anti-mine truck which further down the line is a South African vehicle. Needless to say it is being put to good use in Iraq, and the troops can't get near enough of them. SNAFU.

Basically, we have the bad guys, the Deceptacons, their leader, Megatron, voice played by Hugo Weaving(who is known for The Matrix and V for Vendetta) having been on earth for sometime now, originally discovered by young Sam's (Shia LaBeouf) great grandfather Captain Archibald Witwicky way back when. Anyway, the deal is, this thing called the cube, the centre of all life for the species is now on earth along with Megatron. Conflict stems around the need to find this cube, of which Captain Witwicky's surviving glasses hold an imprinted map of its location on the lenses. One of the Autobots, the good guys, is here to look after Sam. Bumblebee is cool as and you just want him as your new best buddy.

Anyway, as things develop, the new battleground becomes earth as both sides have reinforcements arrive in quick succession. The US military is at odds with the technology, but soon get to using A-10's and AC-130 gunships to good effect. 105mm light guns in a plane is a fun idea... yeah. Good for dealing to drug cartels' crops south of the border... and dealing to roving deceptacons. The military soon finds an edge after sussing that sabot (pronoched "sa-boo") rounds are good for the MGL grenade launchers and bad for nasty robots with bad attitudes. Evidently the DU (Depleted Uranium) firing 30mm gatlings on the warthogs had the desired effect. That's what you get from spent reactor fuel... hot as the sun, real hot...

"There's more to you than meets the eye." Well, of course the line had to come at some point. Here it's Sam putting in the final word as he drops off Mikaela, played by Megan Fox, after a somewhat complicated initial meeting with Bumblebee playing around and making Sam's life more difficult than a teenage boy's life needs to be. Of course you know that these two are going to get together in true Hollywood style. The relationship is really well handled. All the aspects of a typical youthful encounter... just with robots added in for something a little different.

The Rock is a great flick, and Michael Bay was behind that one too, but all told he's not my favourite director by a long shot. Basically, I am a firm believer that there is far too much attention given to actors and directors. Actors, by the way I mean big name actors who you no longer see their characters but them, the actor. Directors, big name directors of whom you think their name and not the movies they've made and, perhaps, why they are good. The reason they are good is because of a team effort. Otherwise a film of excellent potential ends up mediocre.

So, in that regard, Transformers did transform, with the help of a huge array of talent. Not an overstated director on any count, or any big names. Though I am a Jon Voight fan. You know this man if you know him. Heat is my pic film with him in it. In Transformers he plays the Secretary of Defence.

Actors and actresses are all talent here, and it is as if their natural leanings have been drawn out to full potential. Kevin Dunn plays Sam's father Ron and is convincing as the father figure, which, you may have seen him do before in Small Soldiers. Threatening punishment on one turn, then proud as punch when he discovers a girl hiding in the lad's room, knocking the knuckles in congratulations.

You have the wee girl, played by Sophie Bobal, and all she says to the Autobot as he walks over top of her after landing is... "Are you the tooth fairy?". So cute. The cutest of the cute. Man... shucks.

Rachael Taylor was good as the token foreigner, computer expert, young Aussie girl helping out on the side of good and true. Nice, as here we have another example of Hollywood's move away from forcing everyone to be American. Like weapon's needing to be reloaded, these days, its good to have characters from other countries, talking like they talk, behaving like they do. The world is a big place. It's full of real human flavour and its top marks for any production who wants to show it that way.

Special effects and animation was a big part of this film and done to perfection. The complexities of the transformations is quite a sight to behold. How these artists managed it I do not know. In some ways, it made the film. With painstaking countless hours at the keyboard, sucking up the radiation of their computer screens, they brought an old toy to life in real style to the big screens of Hollywood. Perhaps, like Lord of the Rings, it couldn't have been done properly until now, technology finally having closed the gap for the visual realisation.

Editing must have been such a core and came off really well. I can see the cutting floor now. Like so many other aspects of film making, this one is underrated big time. Just look at the USAF guys during the second attack after escaping the massacre at the base as Captain Lennox (Josh Duhamel) tries to call home in the middle of a firefight. Rolling action, tension and humour together in a bundle like that as he tries to sort out comms with the Indian bloke in the land of outsource. Taking the stereotype and running with it was good, but the editing made it all class.

Humour comes from quality scripts and writers, they make the characters come alive. No, its not the actors who decide on what's said, people. Writers create the stories and bring them to life with solid characters and situations. It makes them human, not just one dimensional... errr... robots? This film is a crack up, from Sam's "special time", to our oil changing Autobot on the Special Agent of Sector 7 played by John Turturro, and the earlier moment of Sam's wee dog Mojo, doing the business and our friendly, if slightly agitated Autobot, being quite concerned about going rusty. Now that's how you make a robot come alive, have feelings and emotions, giving them human traits. Speaking of John Turturro he plays these sorts of fellows brilliantly. Real cocky and upstart went he's on a roll, but a frustrated blithering mess when it goes all wrong.

The coolest, most outstanding thing about the credits was to see thanks go out to all the members of the US Armed Forces. Top notch. After all the assistance of individuals, units and bases, they went beyond it and thanked the combined institution for their service to a fine country. Top marks.

It was nice to see Kiwi Mike Hopkins in the credits for his Oscar nominated work on the sound. Rock on. Kiwis are everywhere and highly sought after. The sound track has some oldies, some new stuff, and its all good stuff. From Marvin Gaye to Linkin Park, suits so well. You have Bumblebee playin' the tunes right on cue. Ah, ain't young love grand? Yip, I might just search out the soundtrack as well.

It is a shame the version I got, though the tin box was the key, it only had the director's voice over on the special features, nothing else. Will have to, eventually, get the other version with the full range of special features - the "making of" and all that jazz. But that's for another day and will probably write up something extra when I do.

 

The film makes some political statements, but they don't interfere with the film in any way. And reference to "duck and cover" is pretty clever. Retro, like the toys, has its place. Our current world is certainly an interesting one, and a direct reflection of where we have come from, and often not so far back either. There is an unexpected charm that such a film can produce a certain quality from this sort of thing.

As the box says on one side "protect", and on the other "destroy", such is the examination of ourselves. Sure, its an action movie, based off a kid's toy, but there is far more to it than that... far more than meets the eye.

 

Captain Lennox

USAF - more than meets the eye...

 

Screamers

 

January 2008

Comments by juni0r

This film does a good job of examining Philip K. Dick's classic theme of what it is to be human. Paranoia is central. It is based off his short story, Second Variety. There has been some severe modifications but the themes remain constant, as does the central concept behind the screamers, known as "crabs" in the author's story, essentially a self-directed defence network of miniature robots which protect the underdogs, the Alliance, against their much more substantially financed and equipped New Economic Block rivals. A mobile mine field if you will.

There has been no contact of consequence between the two factions for sometime, then a sole NEB soldier enters the Alliance base, risking life and limb to bring a message to the enemy for a peace negotiation. This sets off a chain of events worthy of any classic SF tale.

The short story was written in the Cold War era and in a much earlier time in Science Fiction, thus the setting for it was on the Moon, and the UN served as what is now the Alliance, with the Russians predictably the bad guys, now the dominating power of the NEB. Quite clever modernisations, changing with the times and a climate of political correctness. It pays to keep the history of the original adaptive material in mind when looking at a film like Screamers. It also reminds us how relevant such work remains today.

The one liners are classic and well scripted, quite skilled in reflection of military humour and the psychological survival necessary of battlefields, even in the future out in space somewhere.
On top of that the conflict is perhaps even better displayed with some good, sometimes excellent, acting skills. Hendricksson's argument with his XO early on is thoroughly convincing, played by Peter Weller of Robocop fame.

For those not in the know, the shades are not for essence of cool, but rather, for the rather critical role of preventing snow blindness. There are also contemporary military kit, like ET pouches and mini-crock neck torches. The details include unit badges and distinctive uniforms of the two opposing forces. The standard issue weapons of the Alliance and NEB present differing tactical methodologies which demonstrates some forethought rarely seen, even in big budget features.

This work, done on a shoe-string, filmed in Canada, I believe is worthy of a sequel, or as is popular today, a prequel, perhaps dealing with the war. If the quality editing and scriptwriting, along with comparable levels of acting can be brought about from this feature, then it would be well worth it. These talent bases alone outstripped any sense of the visual limitations witnessed which might have handicapped the product. But, as can be said of any determined crew, it only presents challenges to be overcome. This is certainly the case with Screamers.

Give this one a look, even if SF isn't your thing. Certainly get it for the DVD shelf if it is. If you like a thinking person's film its worthwhile, but it also works for simple action when you want to turn the brain off for the better part of two hours. If you can, get hold of the short story by Philip K. Dick for a bit of a walk down memory lane and some comparative. Most likely it is found as the title for one of several collections of short stories and a testament to the trails and tribulations of the author.

Commander Hendricksson

A leader against the common, man-made enemy...

http://www.sonypictures.com/movies/screamers/

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Hostel and Full Metal Jacket

October 2007

Comments by juni0r

Hostel. Now, this one was interesting in that at least it had some sort of story to it. There was some guts to the environment and the purpose of the blood, so to speak. Sure, this stuff is not about intelligence but it is producing more credibility in a genre which typically lacks it as a whole. There are even some realistic dynamics between characters. But all in all it had all the goodies you'd expect from a splatterfest. A mate had mentioned it ages ago, and finally got to see it after one of the lads had hired it out. We now have a DVD player where I'm staying, and a decent sized TV to boot. I'm not a horror fan but felt compelled to watch this one as a form of commitment to the genre, and wasn't disappointed on that basis at all.

Though I have long had Full Metal Jacket on VHS, its been hanging around on DVD lately at the CD and DVD Store so thought it was about time I picked it up. But, since me and a pile of mates went to check out the new Warehouse just down the road, managed to grab it from there for just $12. Good to get to watch it for the first time in ages a couple of nights ago. Lee Emery is superb in it as the Drill Instructor, Gunnery Sergeant. His real world experience shines through in the role. I still remember seeing FMJ at the theatre. Now, it was way back when they still had intermissions. Well recalled as they split the film between the events of Parris Island and in country in Vietnam. If you've not seen it, check it out. Along with Platoon, and Apocalypse Now, this is one of the all time great War films ever made. Really only coincidence that they are all based during the Vietnam War. I would have to say that, by and large, the modern filmmaking fraternity just can't make 'em like they used to. There will always be exceptions of course. Most of them are European.

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Pans Labyrinth and Children of Men

 

September 2007

Comments by juni0r

 

It is very unusual to be able to say that, in the matter of a few days, I've seen two films for the first time and they are both really quality pieces of cinema which I would unreservedly recommend to almost anyone. So without further ado, here we go...

 

Pans Labyrinth

 

This film is the best film I've seen in a while - and since I am currently studying film and have been for two years, that's saying a lot. Perhaps I've never watch another Hollywood film again... Nope, not possible. But this one from Spain is just amazing. See it, even if you hate subtitles. There are so many reasons to see it... even if you want a very special way to spend two hours. Know how sometimes you watch a movie and go... "that was two hours I'll never get back". This is on the opposite end of the scale. The quality, the acting, the detail, the special effects, the sets... everything was just quality. A precious piece of cinema.

The father and son hunters - don't waste my time says the Captain - do proper search - pounding in the son's nose in furious anger. Very graphic. This sort of thing throughout the film makes it unsuitable for kids. But older teenagers, with guidance and maturity would be no problem. Put it this way - the messages in this film would teach most adults a thing or two. Lessons that should not need to be learned, but today... well, its getting critical. And that is why these films are made. Real messages. They are not simply there for entertainment.

The fine details are precise, impressive, like the two tests upon Mercedes from the Captain - the key - you forgot the key... Concluded by his warning to her to be very careful. Also, something you are seeing more commonly these days in films, even in Hollywood (when of the appropriate genre) is the depiction of violence, the direct and practical nature of death in the war setting. The making sure that an enemy is dead, and the wounded are indeed dead. Head shots - and often more than one from a pistol. This is done not in a graphic way to glorify the violence, but for realism. A few days after seeing Pans, I also saw this sort of thing in Children of Men.

Towards the end, the bullet that kills the Captain isn't "between the eyes" or in the forehead - its through the cheek. Again, a detraction from classic Hollywood cinema which is also a nice touch in detail. Real life is often not so precise.

In conclusion there is a very nice twist combining the ultimate message. And it is not one so easily explained. Here, in a very fine example of what collaboration of a multitude of talents can do in producing such a piece of cinema, love and compassion in the most dreadful circumstances of war, oppression and idealistic hatred is passionately created. Magical, both literally and figuratively this film is a must see.

Fairy tales do exist... but indeed we do need to be truly alive to experience them. The magic is out there, we just have to close our eyes to our own blindness.

 

 

Children of Men

I wrote a wee bit on this one on my Diary page but it certainly deserves a more substantial dolloping of grammar. I've watched it twice now, at the time of writing, and that is a testament to its quality right there. Even the best, I would typically wait out for a week or so after an initial viewing. Am guessing this has something to do with the fact it is somewhat in the nature of my own work: science fiction which is near-future, gritty and about disturbingly real and contemporary issues. A possible future, a way for the artists involved to get a message out. And for each there will be a different mode, or courier, view. Its a very personal thing.

The very original concept for the film is the eventual death of humanity because, amongst other things, there hasn't been a baby born for eighteen odd years. Things have been looking very bleak ever since and are rapidly going down hill. The UK seems to be the only similarity to prior civilization left. Amongst all this, many themes emerge, quite pertinent of the day, including terrorism (of course - which the masses seem to have forgotten has been going on for centuries) immigration and other social challenges of the modern age. Entwined in it all is, of course, a little bit of hope. A solid bit of reflection on our own humanity is shiningly depicted in the birth scene, in the middle of the death and destruction of a war zone. This was impressively done, very well handled I thought.

One striking thing about this film is the nature of character purpose. People serve their purpose, and, when they are redundant, like the harshness of war, their time is up, they are somehow eliminated. And someone else picks up the baton and carries the plot forward. And there are plenty of them too, each unique. Some, like Jasper and Syd, even entertaining at times. You even get attached to them, which is a challenging thing to do when its not someone who is there from start to finish.

The sets are amazing. As man bleeds, so does society, so does the streets themselves. Gaping holes are wounds bared to the polluted skies. The old school, which, since the premise is that there hasn't been a child born for eighteen years, is worthless and left to rot amongst creeping vines. A metaphor for learning. Man will never learn, and even in this crisis of infertility, the species insists on fighting, killing and dying. Thoroughly impressed with the closing set, the street battles are brutal, the running gun battles are reminiscent of any quality war film which depicts it as a decay of the human mind, a horrifically personal process. Bloody conflict where heroes are few and far between when pure survival is the key, and when they appear they are often not who we think they are, and they too perish. Wounds and the dead litter the stairwells. Careless shots lead to overwhelming counter fire, and those who you think will survive do not.

Uniforms are modern, vehicles are modern but worn out as time and industry has broken down. Digital patterns. SA80s and PLCE webbing, British Army helmets make the British British. Humvees and XM8s suggest what remains of the US stocks have filtered through as the UK struggles away on its own. Hey, and if the project for this rifle didn't make it as a replacement for the M16, at least Hollywood has something cool to play with. Real soldiers' lives aren't worth it obviously, so far as the penny pinchers are concerned, to have a decent rifle. Enough on that. G36 variants of all sorts including C's, denote quality, but are no assurance the user is going to make it. All of this adds to excellent sense of authenticity and immersion. Right down to modern night vision on the soldiers' helmets.

This one stars Clive Owen as Theo, the central character who is just an everyday guy who is having a really bad day. He's no soldier, certainly not a killer, but he is a heck of a survivor. You feel for the guy right throughout and it seems the only really comfort he has is his mate Jasper and that whiskey bottle of his. Michael Caine as Jasper is the local hippy. The original form, not one of these modern day wannabes.

 

There are some great one-liners and some very powerful ones as well. The feel and grit of the atmosphere throughout the film really works and keeps you there. It is based off a book, the credits didn't give a title, by P.D. James. See this film, its quality stuff, no doubt about it.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0206634/

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28 Weeks Later

 

June 2007

Comments by juni0r

There is nothing unexpected here but it is still an entertaining ride, and except for those of us who study film and a few others, that is purely why we go to the movies anyway. Plus, you can't complain about $6 on cheap Tuesdays. Maybe the theatres will still do a reasonable trade if they can keep that up.

Essentially this is 28 Days Later on a bigger budget. Instead of a handful of people / infected, we have entire streets full. Instead of a British Army section... or whatever remains of an ill-fated platoon, we have a US stabilisation force. It was odd, we didn't even see one European soldier in the US AOR. You'd think you might see at least one or two Frenchies, a German or someone as liaison officers or something. Nope. Not that we need to go into details like that in such a film as this.

The original was done with digital cameras and a budget of 8 million, demonstrating that big things can be done with very little. This has allowed a sequel with an obviously much bigger price tag attached and a mass of resources. This is what its all about, getting to the big time and getting recognised.

In the opening scenes after a quiet dinner in the dark Robert Carlye was to demonstrate what is meant by survival of the fastest. A true slaughter fest in a classic hauled up cottage in the remote countryside. You can't beat stereotyping and following the long-established genre rules. In a desperate escape sequence, our main character also shows one who has outboard motor wins.

There isn't too much of any sort of plot here, but that can be expected from such a film. And we don't want one anyway, not in a flick like this. Basically the UK is wiped out by the Rage virus and a US lead NATO force comes in to clean up. Low and behold things are started up again through a few events to give the story some sort of depth. And the expectant shooting starts. The rebuilding is put on hold while a resurgence of the infected is dealt with by necessarily brutal military efficiency.

The plot centres around a couple of kids who have the answer to the virus, a possible vaccine at least, and two Delta Force operators, and a nurse, who is looking after them. One Delta guy is a sniper, our central hero, and his sidekick a pilot who makes several attempts to extract our people under very harrowing circumstances.

Shame our Delta boy has to downgrade from a M21 to a M4 carbine. You need as much punch as possible when taking down a "infected". Most won't recognise the subtle selling stint here, making out how easy it is to drop a person with a single shot from a M4, in 5.56mm. The reality is quite different and if only it were wholly broadcast the general populous might just be up in arms (no pun at all intended) in support of troops deployed overseas with absolutely useless tools for the job - notably the standard issue ammunition.

If nothing else in this film we learn that flame throwers are bad. Night vision scopes are good, and that heroes still exist. In regards the latter I mentioned that heroic acts are happening every day, particularly on battlefields around the world and they go unnoticed but by those directly involved. The comment seemed to be lost on my fellow conversationists. Just as well we have the movies. By most accounts women like men who are willing to lay down their lives for them... Pity its expected of the untrained as well. In a world fill of zombies the anti-gun lobbyists would be spewing. I'd rather have even an M4 over a crowbar... until it got real close and unfriendly like...

Westland WAH Apache in flight. Well, at least you'd expect it to be, since the Army Air Corps has their own 64s and it would save a great deal of money over shipping in them from the States or even a European base. The gunner needs to go back to gunnery school though. Just about nailed the car, but not quite. Still, wouldn't have done the film much good if it got shredded eh.

What does a chopper jock do when he sets down? Gets out the water blaster and sprays the blood from the rotors. Man, that scene was great. You want blood and gore, just see what our Gazelle pilot does across the plains of England.

And sure enough, with an abandoned cockpit and dubious sillohettes in the night approcahing the Efful Tower after our characters have flown over the very white cliffs of Dover, there is most certainly a cue for a sequal. No prize money for guessing what its called.

The black man survives to the end... or did he?

But, for the splatter fest of which I am not typically partial, like the original I did enjoy it on its own merits. So, if you don't mind a fair bit of blood and a whole lot of screaming and jerky camerawork (suitable to the genre) then go see 28 Weeks Later.

 

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Shooter

May 2007

Comments by juni0r

Bob Lee Swagger is right. Out of the service, sometimes all you wanna do is just lay down and enjoy the good life. Such is the main character's last name suggests. But as we all know, it doesn't always play out that way. So the former Marine Scout Sniper is finds himself putting butt to shoulder and once again in the hot seat. But this time it is a much less conventional mission than even this young veteran is use to.

Directed by Antoine Fuqua, Shooter impressed me by not trying to be any more than what it was - a good old fashioned bit of Hollywood action, with some drama a few thought-provoking lines of dialogue thrown in for good measure - for those of the audience that is open for a little more than the pure entertainment this flick provides.

Why is it the spotter always gets whacked in these films? And why, when they break cover do they always hang around in one spot so - as you might expect their exacting skills of marksmanship to tell them, they are a consistant and stable target. Oh dear, especially when the OpFor is dropping mortar rounds on their head. Why? Because it propels the plot forward and provides us with the universally accepted solo protagonist. Everyone else in support, or drawing his wrath.

The .50 on the chopper was much fun. You could see how that was gonna end. Happiness is a big fifty, man.

Scout Snipers are very much some of the best people in this domain in the world - and I guess it helps with the greatest audience being American, but... one day, just one day perhaps the whole idea that a given unit or nation is the best will subside. Nope... no that's okay, what does get me though is that somehow this guy, as young as he is, is the best guy out there for this job. In the thousands of boys, say from the last 20 years who can do it, having similar or the same training and experience. Additionally, as sad as it might be there wouldn't be time to call in someone from a number of other nations; New Zealand, Australia, South African, the UK. Israel.

But understand this, one of my characters is Force Recon, and he kicks arse (that's "ass" to our American friends).

The only film that comes to mind, in this regard, and which shows a great deal of respect for the oldest linage of modern day Special Forces, is Sean as an aged SAS man in The Rock. I've met some of these old buggers and believe me... that's how it would have gone down. Youth and strength has got nothing on wisdom and cunning. A young friend of mine was surprised the other day when I made mention of this. No surprise to me, such a reaction. Still I am sure there are other films that do this.

All this does it remind me how long it is since I've taken in The Rock. Might have been better if there were three fellas, if that last SEAL guy had survived. As nuts as it was, I understand why someone might go topside like that despite the obvious outcome.

Had to restrain my outburst of glee as the girl hits the intruder with the shotgun - wammo - guess all the anti-gun lobbyists will be cursing how evil guns are - yes of course these inanimate objects have emotions. Home defence... with a room sweeper.

So glad our main man didn't get it on with the chick. That would just have been so full of cheese, but no, he didn't. He remained focused, job at hand, and the photos of his dead mate helped to keep any temptations at bay.

Firing pin thing, lost on some people, but a fine touch for the rest of us.

Why did no one else in the theatre laugh when he said to his mate to just feed his dog a page of ballistic charts each day?

Perhaps weak secondary characters? No, not too bad really. Our main man, well, you get the feeling he didn't rely on his side kick as much as he could of (in a non-combat sense due to a lack of experience). It wasn't so bad as to become a Commando though.

Hey Quick Clot. Excellent to see a quality product on screen. Saving lives every day. First heard about this stuff through an ex-Army mate of mine, then saw it for sale through US Cav. This in mind, the gunshot wounds help to demonstrate that our hero is indeed a vulnerable human being. Even the most highly trained is not invincible. And a buddy is always a help no matter what.

It was obvious that the three girls in front of me were not there for anything other than Marky Mark himself. It was funny the places they laughed in the film, not understanding some very basic stuff. Lets face it, though they made some blunders technically wise it was generally a good action flick, no brainer, with a geninue attempt to let the audience know that snipers are actually highly trained professionals who need to be of above average intelligence. Little red glowy lights on pyrotechnic devices thrown into bushes is something, it appears, Hollywood can not do without. It is like the old cartoons with DANGER embossed on dangerous stuff... a signal to the audience JUST in case they don't get the idea. A visual cue of sorts.

Standing in the doorway, light producing the perfect silhouette as Gunnery Sergeant Swagger confronts the Rade Serbedzija character isn't the sort of thing a trained infantryman, much less sniper, does. But this is classic Hollywood and does indeed go back to the Westerns of old. See Cooper at the end of the absolutely brilliant Dog Soldiers for another example of this.

Snow and blood... they're just so contrasting.

Point of Impact by Stephen Hunter which this film is based off - perhaps as a writer I am more inclined to note and appreciate where most films come from.

Amazing just how many people rave about this great movie and that great movie, not once conveying that so many came from books - yes, the writers, the novels, the short stories, in the small print, their names so much smaller than that of the stars in these films. So much for being the visionary of the tale.

And convesly that is why there are so many rubbish films out there today. Yes, directors, producers (who on a whole do more work than the former), cameramen (sorry, camera persons), they all are artists in their own right, but tell me please, why when someone says "Lord of the Rings" these days, the first thought that comes to most peoples' minds is Peter Jackson, and not Tolkien?

I stated words to this effect to a fellow Film scholar of mine and all I got was a blank look. Guess the point is emphasized. But then, I'm surprised still by the number of supposed Science Fiction fans (of Film, rather than literature) who don't know who Philip K. Dick is. 38 novels (was it?) in his short life. Most, of any genre, can't even claim to a dozen.

 

To conclude, if you like urban action with a military taste, some technical stuff, and plenty of rapid-fire hand to hand, check out Shooter. I think ol' Gunny Swagger needs to have found himself a better hide from the authorities. But then again, if he had, we wouldn't have this couple of hours worth of entertainment.

 

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300

 

April 2007

Comments by juni0r

 

Zack Snyder's 300 did a very good job of being what it was desiring to be. It demonstrates, I believe, a exemplary model of the whole movement of graphic novel to big screen works. The cinematography, the lighting all worked its magic to remind us where the story have come from. Based off Frank Miller's book, it deals with The Battle of Thermopylae in 480BC and a handful of Spartan troops defending Greece from the hordes of Persians who decide to invade, lead by their king of the time, King Xerxes I.

The name of the battle comes from the mountain pass where at which, they did the fighting. Of course the politicians of the time do what they do best, and do next to bugger all. King Leonidas leads, sure enough, three hundred of his best warriors to take up the banner and, as it turns out, build some very interesting walls in defence of their country. Of course their numbers were made up to around ten thousand in real terms, we're just focusing on the elite Spartan warriors who were the central focus of the story. Our King Leonidas makes a sure point during the film about the difference between warriors who come and join a fight when required, and those who are professional soldiers who actually train for war and are therefore, better fitted in the management of one. This concept is often lost of modern civilisations who claim to despise war so very much, yet when it comes, surprisingly the costs are high because of this lack of preparedness. Oh indeed to learn from history.

Yes, to be prepared for war. That means fighting an enemy, on a battlefield in the worst of conditions in the harshest climates. This is not some realist speaking, but a reality of humanity, where failure to heed the warnings has told us it means the loss of what we hold so dear, in fact, the loss of a civilisation to something we deplore the most. And this is what we gift our future generations if we are unable to stomach those realities.

Giggling drunk girls didn't really help in the enjoying of the film. The staff need to be walking about every now and then and getting people out like that. You pay good money and want to enjoy what you've come to see. As my mate said to the staff afterwards, its things like this that have people no longer going to theatres. Who wants that rubbish when you can stay at home and watch it on your DVD and big screen TV at home?

Yes, the singular sex scene... well, it was certainly quite acceptable for Hollywood and for the majority audience, but it sure didn't depict the actual culture of the time and place :) All fine by me. Now, was the actress who played the queen the same who was empress in Gladiator?

The lighting, the cinematography all lent itself brilliantly to the adaptation of a graphic novel and the acting wasn't bad for this kind of film. Also, I was impressed by how, even in the low points, where there was no action (very few) there was not a lull in the story. The narrative kept you interested, but most of all the atmosphere created by the effects and the nature of a historical event, as opposed to such things simply being added flavour or necessary ascetics to keep your attention over and above some so typically badly done aspect of contemporary films these days.

If you don't mind a bit of blood letting, a bit of gore, and mountains of corpses, and a good cause, then 300 is definitely for you. If you'd rather avoid such things and sue for world peace, this isn't the one to see. But do remember that corpses do make the flowers grow.

I thoroughly enjoyed this one and look forward to getting my hands on the graphic novel, be it at an expectedly exorbitant cost.

 

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Blood Diamond

January 2007

Comments by juni0r

 

A pretty good film this one, and I do recommend it. DiCaprio plays a not bad South African. His accent is generally well done, a few slips but that's about it. The story takes in a great deal of issues regarding the greater continent, not only the issue of the diamond trade made obvious by the title. It does this quite well, from differing professional perspectives, child soldiers, racism and the history of apartheid, and the nature of man. The character interactions are realistic making you believe you are watching a serious film dealing with serious issues. Not only that, it isn't all happy endings.

Still, asides making a profit at the box office and ensuring already wealthy actors continue to bathe large sums of money, am not sure what it intends to achieve. How a customer can ensure their diamonds are not "blood diamonds" I have yet to fathom. Few people are even aware of that reality. Films don't tend to hold their messages within their audiences for too long. It is, after all, mostly about a few hours of entertainment, though the message is a strong one.

After all, during the Christmas period I noted a ring being sold for $6,999. Don't expect too many people would ask where it came from. To put it in perspective, this amount of money is more than I pay in rent every year. Amazing eh. All for what?

To end though, if you know nothing of this business, or you know a little and are curious, take a look and just maybe you may have the time and inclination to learn a little more. If this is the most a couple of hours at the cinema promotes a person to do then I suspect the efforts in making the film will be worth while.

 

Indeed, there is no apartied in a foxhole... and if you're in the s*%# call the dakka dakka.

 

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Out of the Blue

 

November 2006

 

This review is yet to come. Due to the nature and content of this film, I may decide not to review it.

 

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Aliens

 

September 2006

 

Comments by juni0r

 

TALK OF genre - Raiders of the Lost Ark is not fantasy. A film that has some elements of a given genre does not make the genre. It must be the central focus. Conan the Barbarian, The Archer and the Sorceress, Lord of the Rings, are all fantasy. Raiders is an adventure film with some fantasy elements. Another example; The Matrix has action in it, but it is Science Fiction. If you go into sub-genre then it is cyberpunk or dark future.

 

Aliens

Vietnam in space - low tech vs. high tech, and the low tech victory. Heard this on the Cameron interview. Now, to be honest it had never occurred to me, pretty much as any historical connection eluded in the presence of solid action and technical competence in relation the military concepts of a possible future. But hey, lets face it, military history for centuries is full of these sorts of predicaments, and no doubt so will the future. It is the nature of warfare in any case. So, as Cameron reflects, this link was but a very small part of the overall concept.

And how about this, Al Mattews, who plays Sgt. Apone, enlisted in the US Marine Corps in 1965, and serving in Vietnam was the first black Marine to be promoted in the field to sergeant. Not only that, he earned two purple hearts. For those of you unfamiliar to the US award, it is given for those wounded in combat. No wonder he plays such a convincing role in the film. A bit like Lee Emery in FMJ (or any role in which he plays a drill sergeant :) ) The cigar just does it man. Two rockers makes Apone a Gunnery Sergeant in the US Colonial Marine Corps.

CGI vs. rubber suits, 90% of time, I'll take the suits, decent puppeteers and good editing over the high tech approach. Too smooth, too unnatural. Just use it where you have to, and let the sculptors and the actors do their thing.

 

Ah, knifey knifey with the Sykes Fairburn commando dagger.

The one liners are classic.

"I guess she don't like the cornbread either."

Hail to Frosty - Peace through superior firepower, my brother. Praise be to the M41A pulse rifle.

 

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United 93, First Blood, Edward Sissorhands... and Miami Vice

 

August 2006

 

Comments by juni0r

 

United 93

I had a few hours to spare. Am not even entirely sure why I went into the theatre. Was of mixed feelings on if I should even see this film. And of course it was really a documentary / drama affair. We all know the outcome. Its the humanity at the core that we go to for something like this... the history.

The only New Zealander to be killed in the 9/11 attacks was killed on United 93, and a key instigator to the onboard action. I'm taking it he was the big fella with wearing the rugby jersey and the baseball cap. Comments on rugby were made while he was off-screen. I'd be keen to hear from anyone who knows more about this.

And to be part of fighting back, it just demonstrates something I'm innately proud of as a Kiwi. People might think differently and often do these days, but stuff that view... These people knew what was coming and did whatever they possibly could to make a difference. And by heck they did. Their selfless acts no doubt saved countless more lives.

Perhaps the most poignant aspect of this film is to see the credits afterwards. The real people who are depicted. Then to see so many credits rolling with "as Himself". It really makes you think, well beyond the "what would have I done?" question.

All in all, beyond knowing if I should have written anything at all about this, and seeing the trailer for the upcoming 9/11 film World Trade Center, this film has made me angry and very sad all at the same time. Definitely frustrated, as a human being. But there is hope wherever there are those who will stand up and be counted, no matter the cost, no matter the outcome.

Can't believe it, after getting a reduced ticket price, it still ended up being a $21 outing. And that only included a big packet of M&Ms (which were bloody good by the way, but only lasted for five odd minutes into the film) and a chocolate covered ice cream. Man, what is the world coming to?

Notice what a crazy world we live in? How can I possibly be concerned with such trivial things?

First Blood

I did, though a few days later, pick up Rambo First Blood. I watched it again for the first time in several years. Given when it was made and, in fact, when the book was written, says a lot. The things I've recently said, the final statements of Rambo at the end of the film... well, I just hope we HAVE moved on and are a bit more respectful of human beings and the cost of war. But it was when I picked the film up and the young fella behind the counter told me that they "don't fight wars like that anymore" when he referred to Jarhead, that I had to smile awkwardly and walk out of the store.

 

Perhaps he hasn't been following the ground war in Iraq. The general public will continue to believe the illusion it is all about "push button warfare" until they see it personally. Pity that it takes that, and that common sense eludes the distant spectator of conflict. Me, I just can't seem to get into conversations like that anymore for fear of being misunderstood.
Hand to hand combat and the skills of close quarter battle are as indispensable today as they were 2000 years ago.

In closing I would like to say that, in view of the sequels to this film, as much as the first in the series was a tribute to those who fought in Vietnam, the second was a unwarranted insult of same. The third one served to further insult those who fought and who died in Afghanistan. With word of a further installment I can't see how this can possibly be remedied, but with a few decent creative minds, perhaps it can at least be made up for in some part. In my humble opinion, anything less than the calibre, and in the vain of Over There would be off the mark.

 

Edward Sissorhands

Tim Burton never fails. Wonderfully brilliant story and a well crafted film. There are some good ones you know are out there, and you wonder why on earth it takes you so very long to see them. Thanks for handing it to me K2. Yeah, I'll jealous you walked out with so many good ones, including The Rock. But I couldn't leave empty handed eh. Perhaps a reward for getting that work done, with about 1o minutes to spare!

Fairytales - I think I was somehow meant to get this film today... The idea is more than an idea you know. It can be real. You just have to believe...

 

This film was heartwarming, spoke of innocence and being ignorant of the way the world worked (yet I would suggest that the film suggested it wasn't necessarily the right way - well, that's my feelings anyway). It was about courage, about darkness and peoples' fear. About judging others and the consequences of such judgments. Most of all this film was truly magical...

This was a beautiful film. Creatively original. Its about what is appropriate and what is not, examining how we look at ourselves and treat others, how we look at others and treat ourselves.

Sleepy Hollow is definitely on the cards too. There are few exceptions in the genre and that is one of them I'll be happy to acquire.

And there was some ideas I had on expanding an element of the sequel to Trails, turning it into a short story, Yes I know it sounds backwards, but it is away of exploring ideas, digging deeper into areas you can't cover in the given work. Was talking to my mate the other day on issues of exploring. So very important in any creative avenue. And this is what I shall do... And Edward Sissorhands, after it taking me so many years to finally see it, has encouraged me to do exactly that. A film has seriously worked when it has done that - and so very few do that these days.

For what had the potential for turning into a real crap day, two mates really made it. It doesn't hurt so much when you aren't alone. Weird eh, cause sometimes people just well, make me spin out.

So yip, its 2349hrs and I just spent the last 20 odd minutes cranking out some ideas for this new short story. Been so long since I've put pen to paper - fingers to keyboard... yeah yeah... in that way. I miss it. I just can't do without it. Lifeblood. Feels darned good. Great stuff. MCP, rest easy. Nice to get your text. Take care of your wee self eh. Not long now mate... holiday time.

 

Miami Vice

 

All I can say is... cooool. 50 calibaaaaaar... Yeah, you know me... firepower man. Nope a brick wall, a car body... a nothin' gonna do you no good. Cars. Nice cars. Fast cars.... the ultimate fashion accessory... a G36C man. Offsets that urban feminine look just perfect. Some fine examples of the firepower kind. Excellent fire fights, though I can't recall a change out.

 

Mister Mann certainly learnt a lot from his experiences on Heat where a former SAS man gave him the low down on tactical appreciation. Showed nicely here. Nope it ain't the 80s show but you can't expect that. Especially for those of us who grew up with it. The only real bummer on this one was the lack of that fine music score by Jan Hammer. Crockett's theme is where it's at. JJ Cale's Cocaine... There were a few major lulls in the action but its also about drama and tension between the various conflicting organisations so its not really a negative. All in all a worthy watch for those of us who like our hardware. All I can say is... Fifty calibre... drooool.

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The Island and A Scanner Darkly... and some different scenery.

 

June 2006

 

Comments by juni0r

 

I got a chance to see The Island. A good one alright. If you like Philip K. Dick style then I seriously recommend this one. And speaking of that man and movies, as it were, from the grave. A Scanner Darkly is coming... Animation with a difference.

http://www.theisland-themovie.com

http://wip.warnerbros.com/ascannerdarkly/

Though I was a bit late on departure I finally got out to the Hutt. Nice to get away on a regular basis, even if for a few hours. Different scenery, different company. And the train ride is nice along the coast. I love seeing the open sea, the ferry heading out, the airliner up in the sky. The simple things in life can be so special sometimes, so long as we give ourselves the time and the space to take them in in such ways.

 

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Downfall on DVD, Da Vinci Code, Hotel Rwanda... and The Matador.

 

May 2006

 

Comments by juni0r

 

Ummm... that in mind, it just re...minded me, I saw Downfall was out on DVD. Thought to pick it up, but resisted the temptation. And at the same store I saw Shihad's latest album out as well, which appeared to be both audio CD and DVD all in one for the same standard price of $34.95. Some good songs on the new album.

 

Maybe when I'm feeling rich.

 

Da Vinci Code

 

Got a text from my mate and headed into town to see Da Vinci Code. Okay, well, a oncer maybe... I don't recommend it. There were some quality actors there, and either they weren't in the right film or they just weren't in the mood. Even Jean Reno was mediocre and for me that is saying something. If you've read the book I doubt you'll enjoy the movie. So much detail left out.

 

If I hadn't read the book I am sure I would have got lost several times. And because I had read the book I was disappointed. Yes, that is often the case, but even more so here than most.

 

Okay, so it was based off a book that was well researched, and controversial, but the quality of the writing wasn't over the moon stuff. But it sold millions because it was controversial. The film is still making money even though it is far from good. It shines through when you see someone like Tom Hanks in the role of Langdon yet.. well, most of the acting was, well... flat.

Too much hype. Go and see X-Men III or something, wait for DVD and rent it. Better yet, use your "all you can eat" broadband account the way its meant to be used and bootleg it. Did I say that out loud?

No, support the artists and producers and actors and directors... because they're all so poor... Nope, tell them to put some effort in, like they have so many times before, then you'll shell out the $39.95 for the disk.

Read the book, forget the movie.

 

Saw Hotel Rwanda tonight. Good flick. Well put together. Not as daunting as I expected but then, that means it has better audience exposure. My thought was... they always make these sorts of films in retrospect. No wonder events like this continue to happen. Yet another major failing of the world, but mostly the UN. Well done... Before we get all Anti-American... (yes, an article in the latest New Zealand Listener, which I wasn't about to read. Well done New Zealand, just the sort of attitude we need in this lovely little world of ours). Think about Bosnia.

Jeepers, there I go again...

"Empathy, the ability to unselfishly look at the world through another person's eyes, unbound by your own trauma."

Well, the weather is getting chilly and the knees are starting to feel it more than usual. Yes, winter is coming.

 

Ran into an American mate of mine in town there. Had been thinking it was a good night for a movie before I went home. Low and behold there was no need to justify it anymore when he turned up. We had a few things to do before hand yet I'd forgotten that, being Tuesday, it was cheap flick night. So we hooked up later on, after I downed some Mickey D's. Yeah, I know, takeaway rubbish. Still, it was easy and it reminds me I'm in a city :) Well, one (the only one) that I don't mind living in. Okay, maybe also Whangarei.

Went to The Matador. Funny, interesting and definitely a break away for Brosnan's typical roles. You can tell, from his funding of this one, it was his way to play a role he wanted to play, something a little more out there, more experimental perhaps. The two primary characters were realistically depicted in the hitman who was going over the edge and needed to get out of the business, and a common everyday fellow who found himself connected to this joker in no other way but by human spirit. Despite the outrageous plot I found myself empathising with both characters. Entertaining to say the least and well worth the few bucks to see it.

 

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V for Vendetta

 

March 2006

 

Comments by juni0r

 

Ah, what a classy film this is. Had it recommended to me by a friend and further encouraged by several positive reviews. Though I have some knowledge on comic books and graphic novels thanks to a few avid fan mates of the genre and style, I didn't know too much about Vendetta before I headed off to see it.

 

Where it could be argued that a number of film conversions have gone west, not living up to expectations, this one was a sure winner retaining that flavor you'd expect. There is nothing lost to the celluloid and it maintains a gripping and current plot for contemporary times for both the issues of terrorism, what it is, and civil liberties.

 

Admittedly I expected Natalie Portman was going to end up some sort of superhero, but I was surprised and in a positive way. This is one of her best performances to date and a sure winner after the dreadfulness that was Star Wars. In her defence, that wasn't her fault. Here, much like Cruise's character in WotW, you get a sense for the real person, going through tragedy, someone you can, or at least, want to relate to.

 

Hugo Weaving, of whom you not once saw his face during the entire story due to his Guy Fawkes mask concealing his identity in his anti-hero role, played a superb role as V. I was thoroughly impressed by the final show down demonstrating the fact that, cold steel does indeed beat hot lead on a magazine change.

 

This film will be difficult for some people, even disturbing, as it deals out to issues very much in the media presently. Which of course is also a reflection on our past and our failures as human beings, both then and now. Some may even go so far as to say it is in bad taste. Maybe because it strikes a cord they wish not to be struck. Perhaps it is time the world woke up. For all the rubbish films out there these days, in these past few months, this is another one I can honestly say you should see.

 

This is no mere comic book tale...

 

http://vforvendetta.warnerbros.com/

 

Lord of War

 

Lord of War begins with an intriguing piece of POV camera work from the view of a 7.62x39mm bloc round from manufacture in some Russian Federation factory, though being boxed up and shipped out to eventually ending up in some African state, leaving the barrel of a ubiquitous AK47 assault rifle, and burying itself in the head of some poor kid who is standing haplessly on an unknown street where, of course, an ever present gun battle rages.

 

The film follows a Ukrainian immigrant to the US played by Nicolas Cage, named, of course, Yuri (which some spell Uri). By the time we meet him he is a grown man who does reflect on his childhood somewhat with the realisation that, if he really wants to get ahead in life, he had to find the right business. Sure enough, he witnesses a mob shooting and clicks to the answer reasonably astutely, even if there are slight reservations echoing, manifested in the unease of his first sale in the illegal selling of firearms. I'm sure the pressure was eased knowing that that first sale was of an Uzi submachine gun, one of the finest weapons of type known to man, and still a top rated specimen in the world today.

 

We follow Yuri's life as he learns a few lessons and eventually makes it big despite deceiving his stunning wife and being hounded by a ATF man played by Ethan Hawke. No Yuri he's not here for the alcohol or the tobacco. So we get to globe trot quite a bit in the comfort of our own homes and see the virtual slaughter, the end result of our primary character's tradecraft. A competitor in the form of Ian Holm was perhaps not as convincing as I would have liked but perhaps Bilbo had sometime to do with that. Not his fault, its just, the roles are quite apart from each other, ain't they just?

 

This film has been lauded as anti-gun but I tend to disagree even if it was the director's or writer's aim here. It throws about serious facts via voice over narrative, that was perhaps overdone at times, but its all part of the big picture. It is no more anti gun as Westerns are about pro gun or smoking. But, one would hope, it does perhaps generate some food for thought pertaining to the issues presented. Most of which doesn't lie at the feet of the independent operator but governments.

 

http://www.lordofwarthemovie.com/

 

Crash

 

This was a worthy winner of Best Picture if ever there was one yet there will be plenty who, still riding high in the PC saddles remain flabbergasted that Brokeback Cowboy, or whatever it was called, didn't win the big one. The best film won on the night and people need to just get over themselves. No, just because a film features queers (opps, they don't find that offensive anymore do they?) doesn't make it an instant winner because its dealing with a subculture in our society.

 

How about a film like Crash that deals with virtually every issue, every race and quite a few faiths to boot. And does it really nicely thank you very much. This one was brilliantly put together, managing to deal with several subplots, locking them together in a seamless style which you don't often see these days.

 

This one, after I'd finished watching the Oscars, was one of those real deals where I brought the film, off the cuff, without having seen it first. Saw it there on sale in the DVD store and was quite surprised it was there for only $19.95. The girl behind the counter informed me it had been out for almost a year.

 

One pleasant surprise here was seeing Sandra Bullock act in a way I'd never seen her act before. Don Cheadle, Matt Dillon, Brendan Fraser all played good parts, as did several of the cast I'd never seen before. Its nice when you strike a tale were it seems those on screen have put their hearts and souls into the role and not simply gone to work each day envisioning the big pay packet at the end of the contract.

 

The story tackled some serious issues from police corruption to racism, and managed to throw in a few nice surprises there that actually made sense. Sure, it was an American film, but I am sure most countries can relate to this one. Its a film everyone should see. Well done Paul Haggis. Ah, with a last name like that, you can't really go wrong, can you?

 

http://www.crashfilm.com/

 

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Jarhead

 

February 2006

 

Comments by juni0r

 

Though its not a film I would write home about, this one was worth the watch. So long as you're not going looking for a war film. Why? Because its not. The trailer is perhaps a bit suggestive of this fact, maybe it avoids the issue. And that is, in a way how the movie rolls along. You just have to be aware that its not going down traditional routes to get where its going. And by some account, some audiences did believe this was... nowhere.

 

The point is, thought its a film about war, its not a war film. It is set during the Persian Gulf War of 1991. Yes, the Gulf War after the Gulf War which involved Iraq and Iran and went for substantially longer than 100 hours.

 

Perhaps not unlike Stanley Kubrick's Full Metal Jacket, though nowhere near the quality in execution we see the turning of civilian into Marine fighting man during which time we witness the death of one Marine in training even before the boys are shipped out. A good lesson to keep your head down when there is a MG letting strip inches away from your cleanly shaven scalp. No, Kevlar doesn't stop high velocity lead, gentlemen.

 

You enter into the world of the military, the camaraderie, the forming of the cohesive force which is the building block of any formidable, and even the not so formidable,military outfit about the globe today. You witness the anxiety and frustration of impending battle, and the confrontation of the very real thing called fear.

 

So, as you can see, it is more about the war within, the human spirit and what war does to the soul. We follow a US Marine Scout Sniper unit during the land engagements and, to make a long story short, the Marine at the centre of the whole affair has trained quite substantially to get where he's got, only to have to reckon with the fact he wasn't permitted to do his job when he got there - that is, kill an enemy officer. When it came time to squeeze off, some bugger pulls the plug.

 

There is the obligatory friendly fire incident, which always seems to need to be raised by the media even though everyone knows about it. Isn't it great they don't have to live with the consequences? Yet a pen can see to the deaths of thousands of people, far more thoroughly than any single AK47. We see a depiction of the "Highway of Death", a mass of burt corpses and vehicle wreaks.

 

But no, its not about war this one, more about humanity... Which of course, has always been about war.

http://www.jarheadmovie.com/welcometothesuck.html

 

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War of the Worlds

 

January 2006

 

Comments by juni0r

 

Half way through the first month of 2006 I took a chance on a film, based on a mate's recommendation. A week before I was there in a local bookstore dicing up whether or not to buy War of the Worlds (2005). There was a $10 difference between the standard film and the SE version. I showed great self control and walked out without spending the $39.95. You have a trip to think about, money to save. Okay, so then a week later after there was confusion on a video membership, we returned to Blockbuster and, rather than me sign up and hire Batman Begins, I brought WotW SE, and to suddenly discover there was a 25% discount and only had to pay $29.95 for it. Score. And hey, Bird Flu in Turkey, I might just have to postpone the trip if things aren't definitely under control in a couple of months.

 

Popping the disk into the DVD player, I can say, after 112 minutes I was thoroughly impressed by this adaptation. The CGI wasn't over the top. Tom Cruise played a 'real bloke' not some super human super hero ninja commando type. He was trying to save his family, not the world. Nice. The scale of it all was emphasized by the downed airliner, and the 'ghost train' as my mate called it, as an Amtrak train goes flying by flaming, its passengers incinerated by the alien menace with no way to stop. The impact of the ash at the beginning of the film is first class.

 

Was good to see some troopies of the 10th Mountain involved in WotW. Most of them had been overseas on deployment and most where about to head back in about a month after they'd helped with the filming. Great to see the involvement of the military in such projects. Some serious fun outside the serious nature of duty and service to one's country. And hey, to have the boys doing the drills and offering up advice and ideas for the production crews amongst the goings on of the film making process is just awesome. Excellent in the end result to know you have people acting like soldiers because they are soldiers.

 

Have to get hold of the (1953) version sometime, but even sooner, the H.G. Wells novel.

 

http://www.waroftheworlds.com/

 

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Before Sunset, Perfect Strangers, Extreme Ops

 

December 2005

 

Comments by juni0r

 

So, well into the night I can say I had a triple banger night for the flicks. First was Before Sunset which was an interesting one, with an abrupt end. Ethan Hawke is this author, which always appeals, seeing how they are portrayed as characters, who meets up with this girl again years after a brief encounter. They are in France and this actress, who played Zoe in Killing Zoe, puts on a French accent for all of about three or four sentences of dialogue throughout the entire film, gets together with the author after she reads a article on him and sits out at a book-signing. It is all basically one long conversation, down streets, on a boat, in his car. Well worth a look.

 

The second film was Perfect Strangers, which I had started to watch the other night but had to hit the hay. A New Zealand film, it has Sam Neill in it who spends half the film in a freezer. Take a look. Robyn Malcolm, who will be familiar to Kiwi readers, plays a very short role at the beginning of this one.

 

Apparently it is much like that one where Julia Roberts is on the boat and gets accosted... what's it called? Dunno which one came first. An interesting film, and also well worth a look.

 

Number three, with a title like Extreme Ops, I thought was going to be a B grade action flick hardly worth my time. Well, well into the night I found I was still there, not so much wanting to see how it turned out, but keen enough to be entertained. Predicable plot aside, the bad guys get wasted in classic style and our heroes, a group of young extreme sporters who are filming a US commercial are caught in a tangle with a Serbian general wanted for, yes, you guessed it, war crimes, when they discover he didn't actually die on board that airplane after all... This one had the actress (is it still PC to call female actors that? No... good then) who played the the Alliance soldier at the very beginning of Screamers. "He's mine."

*********

Some films, though you never forget just how cinematically powerful they are, you need to be reminded. I have met some people who claim they never watch a given film more than once. Each to his or her own but I do believe that every now and then revisiting a film can help you see it in a different light. You can pick up things, often subtle, that you had not seen before. Most of all, it can convey emotions or thoughts you had not experienced before. Films are not reality, but they depict a sense of it. And from that becomes many different forms of inspiration, whether it be creative, in life or otherwise. These are just some thoughts I've had after watching Platoon again after such a long time.

 

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Paycheck

 

November 2005

 

Comments by juni0r

 

It soon became time to check out Paycheck. I've never been one for Ben Afleck, at all, in anything. But he actually did pretty good in this one. There was more to him than a one-dimensional dumb arse who constantly sounded like he was reading a queue card in monotone. The story always helps, but it can't save a dead actor when there is no talent there on the big screen. He pulled it off on this one. In fact I reflect and realise that, or though I'm a major fan of PKD material, it was Afleck's starring role that had me discarding it, first at the cinema, then at the video store. It will be interesting to see how true it is to the book, how many liberties were taken.

 

This is certainly the classic, "what it is to be human" theme seen throughout Dick's work. No super human human's, just interesting situations of reflection for both the characters and the audience. Perhaps the best quote from the entire feature was - "Besides, some of the best things in life are total mistakes"

 

I did, and still do, always wonder why security guys are so crap at hand to hand. In Paycheck it becomes rapidly apparent that these rent-a-cops follow a similar fate to their Star Trek counterparts. Uma Thurman is looking her best in this film, but I do think it is because of the character the actress is portraying more than anything else.

 

It is really refreshing to get a film out of Hollywood, in contemporary times, whereby the secondary characters are not simply brain-dead and there for the sole purpose of making the primary character(s) look good. Low and behold this has to do with good writing. Another words, in this case, Philip K. Dick. Modern writers tend to be lazy, or after initial successes, forget everything they ever learnt about the craft. The effect on films is overwhelmingly negative.

 

It must be about time to score the book. Maybe I'll just wait until after Christmas.

 

 

**********

Top 10 Favourite Movies of All Time

 

 1  The Last of the Mohicans
 2  Ghost Dog / La Femme Nikita
 3  Blade Runner / Star Wars (the original cut) / Aliens
 4  Full Metal Jacket / Enemy at the Gates / Platoon
 5  Heat / The Professional (Leon)
 6  Rob Roy / The English Patient
 7  Harley Davidson and the Marlboro Man
 8  The Lord of the Rings
 9  Goodbye Pork Pie / The Grasscutter / Battle Truck
10  Bram Stoker's Dracula / Dog Soldiers / The Relic

 

Okay, so I chickened out on the tough task of 1-10, but rest assured the number one spot is definitely LotM. Some spots are made easier by slotting in several of my favourite films of the same genre. Cheating I know. The number 9 position is dominated by lesser known classic Kiwi flicks, and I recommend them on both entertainment and patriotic grounds. The entire list is generated out of, depending on how the genre dominates, technical accuracy, entertainment, and production quality. Where those films are grouped, generally speaking, the order of the genres denoted are also my order of preference for a good quality movie. So there you have it.

 

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Christmas Goodies, Over There, Basic... and some books.

 

October 2005

 

Comments by juni0r

 

Now, or though I was expecting a box of goodies from the US, I wasn't expecting quite a gob-smacking list, and all well before Christmas. It has certainly come early this year, no doubt about that. Happiness is a part of BDU pants, several books and a US Cavalry catalogue to drool over. And of course, two new DVDs. Basic, which I have mentioned before here, was in my mate's DVD machine the evening I got the package, and he was as impressed with the film as I was first time around on Sky Movies. And I'd seen it since then too.

 

An impressive twist, good acting and a collection of unforgettable one-liners makes this military flick definitely a worth-the-watch. Samuel L. Jackson plays a hardened US Army Ranger veteran who takes his boys out of an E&E Ex. When things go a bit pear-shaped, John Travolta's character, a former Ranger and class act interrogator, now DEA operative heads in to see what has gone down after a surviving member of the unit has laid out a rather haunting story of what went down out in the bush. The director, John McTiernan was the man on Die Hard and Predator, and you'd expect nothing better from someone of this ilk. He most certainly delivers. Sadly, its one of those films you can't say too much about plot wise, without letting the cat out of the bag. It'll keep you guessing until the end.

 

When my mate had mentioned Over There, I was quite surprised to see it advertised here on Sky Movies a few weeks later, expecting it to take weeks to hit a signal this far south. So there was a definite appointment with Sky Movies a few weeks later. Now, I am happy to have the pilot to this new show, dealing with US Army personnel from 3ID on deployment in Iraq, in hand. It will be good to have a look at the special features, and most certainly, catch as many of the seasons episodes as is humanly possible. I've been impressed by the no-holds-barred approach to the production and its shaping up to be a good one.

 

The books you say? Well, three great titles which I am looking forward to, and all dealing with in some part of all, the current War on Terror and actions in Iraq. Boots on the Ground is expectantly dealing with Airborne, in this case 82nd Airborne, by Karl Zinsmeister. Masters of Chaos is a history of US Special Forces, by Linda Robinson, winner of the Moors Cabot prize from Columbia University's Graduate School of Journalism. This goes into the earning of the Green Beret, back to Operation Just Cause in Panama, through to recent events. The third book, This Man's Army is the personal account of Andrew Exum, a member of 10th Light Infantry Division (Mountain) and his experiences from the front line of the War on Terror.

 

I tell you, I'm seriously overloaded for the next month at least, as it concerns reading material. In the world of a writer, this is all good.

 

Cheers K, you da man. Merry Christmas and have an awesome 2006. You deserve nothing but the best mate.

 

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Downfall, The Last Part of Star Wars... and movie wisdom.

 

May 2005

 

Comments by juni0r

 

Seriously looking forward to The Downfall, directed by Oliver Hirschbiegel who brought us Das Experiment. This new film covers the last days of Hitler's life, all bunkered up. It has had some awesome reviews and having seen the director's previous work I expect it to be nothing short of amazing. It was released April 21, so don't know what that means in terms of it being out down here in NZ.

 

http://www.dasexperiment.de

 

Empire's Wack - Movie Wisdom http://www.empireonline.com.au

 

# 49 - A good-guy's revolver will always hold 500 per cent more ammunition than the average villain's AK-47...

 

The eagerly awaited Revence of the Sith will be here 19 May. A much darker film than the previous two, there will be lots of familiarity filtering through considering it is a hook for the original Star Wars. I don't ever remember any real bad press or opinion of Star Wars until we looked back on Episode I and II. Sad, but I think, just maybe, this third installment (or is that sixth?) will make up for it. Perhaps my only concern is the overuse of CGI, or that, like the first two, the CGI is claimed to be something it isn't... real. If the technology has improved or the techies and artists aren't lazy then hopefully we won't see more of the "why did they CGI that when they could have just filmed a real one" scenario. Rocks aren't smooth. If they can make a character look human in Final Fantasy then they can make a hut on Tatooine look like a real hut in the middle of the Sahara.

 

Nope, I hold out good hopes for this one. I'll be there and I won't even tarnish my opinions of it before I see it with my heartfelt disappointment of the previous releases.

 

Layer Cake, from the producer of Snatch, and Lock Stock... is out shortly too and considering how much I thoroughly loved those flicks (they're virtually a genre on their own) I hold out high expectations for this latest piece.

 

Wooohoo, and War of the Worlds in June. And I have to hope that Ridley Scott's Kingdom of Heaven makes for a better experience than Troy or Alexander. Some people need to read the history books... and perhaps concentrate less on the actors for the actors sake and focus on the story. Sad when its more about money than entertainment and a good story. Either way eh, there will be a few film reviews coming to THS over these next few months...

 

Episode III : Revenge of the Sith

 

Okay, went off to a later showing of Episode III : Revenge of the Sith. Was only willing to commit to it after I heard back from a veteran Star Wars fan mate of mine. Sweet, and I got shouted, so there we have it. Time to rock and roll. Perhaps my impressions are exceeded simply because, due to I and II they were made very low. I certainly didn't want to be disappointed.

 

It is indeed darker. Anakin Skywalker is the epitome of evil as lies, deceit and betrayal rule the plot. We see how the Emperor and Anakin transform for their future appearances in Star Wars and Jedi. The more jaded audience of the 2000s has allowed for more brutality in demonstrating the crossing from the light to the Dark Side of the Force. There were some moments of poor acting, which was to be expected. There were also some very, shall we say, current political slights of dialogue. "If you are not with us, you're..." I see it as humour rather than any sort of political stance on the side of the writers, or of Lucas. Perhaps I was disappointed to to see more of the Wookies, and their homeworld. And, Yoda wielding a lightsaber is somewhat hilarious. Entertaining to the last, our dyslectic muppet is.

 

The thing that did impress me was the seamless nature of the flow of what will now be appreant between III and IV. We really did need that. Our designers did a good job of showing space craft and other technologies from which you could see the natural progression. From the Republican Commando through to Stormtrooper, from ships that were obviously the forerunner to the Imperial shuttle, to the behemoth ship which will transform into the Star Destroyer.

 

I don't want to go into the story here for fear of creating spoilers, but enough to say it is worth seeing, and even the cost of a ticket to the big screen shouldn't be dismissed. In the end, I will be happy to put III up there with the "Non Special Edition" versions of the original trilogy. No, Greedo is a clutse, and didn't need to fire. And Lucas' true vision of a magnum revolver's report in amongst laser blasts during Luke and Leias' swing across the non-functioning catwalk is beyond me.

 

Go and see it. You may not wish to see it again, but it is worth the once over at least. A good recovery.

 

Sadly Readings screwed up our viewing, about three quarters of the way through, but finally got things back on track. I have not allowed this to impede my review at all.

 

http://www.starwars.com

 

 

So Weit Die Füsse Tragen

 

April 2005

 

Comments by juni0r

 

Got to see this German film, after a mate handed it to me, in exchange for Courage Under Fire. It was brought in Poland so, I loose another Region for my DVD player but it was seriously worth it. Every time I watch a European film, even when I can't understand the language spoken, I am reminded just why I love it so much. There is just something that Hollywood so rarely touches these days. There is a rawness that comes from this stuff. Not to mention another view of the world, of history, and its effects on humankind. Its nice, for a change. Or rather, the experience is so very different. Thanks D.

 

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Alien Quadology, "Eat this!" ...and Jarheads of the Future

 

March 2005

 

Comments by juni0r

 

This day I managed to get through to Chapter 13. And that was inbetween watching the Alien Quadology - or whatever they call it. Sky Movies is a great thing. Okay, I dropped Alien 3 'cause its sucks and I wanted to get some more work done. Michael didn't like the script, and quite frankly, neither did I. Hicks lives on in our memories. It must be the best series ever made. I mean, the quality of it, and the fandom is massive. It, asides perhaps a little competition with the Terminator fancise, is the only series of films where people will challenge the fact that the first in a given series is perhaps not the best. I think, the thing you find with the Alien films is that each fits a different genre, in part, and that helps a great deal as well.

 

The best quote ever "Eat this!", for all you shotgun lovers out there, closely followed by Frosty's "I guess she don't like the corn bread either". Frost was definately the man for those one liners. Why did he have to die so fast eh? Jarheads in the future. Firepower. Thanks James Cameron for some excellent films.

 

The third installment was made simply for the sake of making a new film. Unfortunately, with such a francise you'd have expected more. With Michael Biehn pulling out that was all the signs you needed. You'd think they could find a decent story for that project. Nevermind, with Alien 4 Ressurection, even with the premise that Ripley was cloned from blood and what not, it was a great SF adventure in the Alien universe. Some brillant and diverse characters making it a joy to watch. Christie kicked arse - our dreadlocked spacer merc rocking with duel pistols which had this useful richochete effect when required and a grenade launcher that was impressively handy for dealing to unwanted alien eggs. Why did he have to die so bloody soon? Anyway, a good recovery from Alien 3. If you haven't seen it and like the genre, take a look sometime.

 

I could talk for hours about these films, so I won't 'cause well, if I ever want to get my own stories out there in this medium, one must get the stories written, eh.

 

 

I mean, is that a good advertisment for Colgate or what?

Right, time for some work. Then the fourth installment...

 

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Electra

 

February 2005

 

Comments by juni0r

 

Went and saw Electra at the flicks with a mate, pretty much spare of the moment. I was virtually out of cash thanks to having just purchased my Cat Boots. Thankfully it must have been the manager I dealt with as he gave me a wee discount. Hopefully by the time next payday comes around I will actually get paid so I can pay my rent. You know how it is. Anyway - to the film...

 

Found the ending was a bit limp, like it lacked some kind of punch or another, but other than that I really enjoyed it. The red costume made up for that though. Not the cutest arse wiggling I've seen lately but it a selling point. The storyline was strong with decent intercut scenes into the past, seeing our heroine dealing with the truama of the past, as superhero comics and, thus films, are frequent to travel. There was plenty of action but this wasn't overdone at the expense of a decent story which was nice to experience. The main bad dude was into his i-to-jutsu which was cool. This is the Samauri art of using two swords, both Katana and Wakazashi at once. Mushashi was an expert in this. Though the Samuari carried both swords, long and short, as a symbol of status they were not all skilled in the use of both blades at one time. The movie, towards the end had our primary protagonist throwing one of his swords. Not the done thing. Throw those weapons designed for the job, and never your last weapon in your arsenal.

 

The special effects were okay, and I have to say I enjoyed the idea that demons were getting their arses kicked. One disappointment was not that