Ben-Hibburd Reviews

Bright (I) (2017)

Bright Review.

[6/10 · 22 December 2017]

After last year's critical flop Suicide Squad, director David Ayer and Will Smith once again team up for what's essentially a modernised retelling of 1988s Alien Nation. Written by Max Landis the film tells the story of an alternate earth where Orcs, Fairies, Elves all co-exist with man, set in a modern day L.A. Will Smith stars as a beat cop Daryl Ward who's forced to work with a rookie Orc cop Nick Jakoby played by Joel Edgerton, the first of his race to be accepted into the police force. Together they stumble into a plot of deceit, murder and betrayal as a mystical wand that can grant wishes and stop a dark lord is fought over by gangsters, fellow officers and Eleves.

On the surface level the film is a fairly entertaining buddy cop film. Will Smith is essentially playing a sweary version of himself, and whilst it's not his most challenging role he still retains his unmistakable level of charm and charisma. Joel Edgerton also does a good job in his role as the inexperienced rookie learning on the job. Again it's nothing out of his wheelhouse but he helps carry the film alongside Will Smith convincingly.

The action and mystical elements are well done in this film. David Ayer also does a great job of building a world where elements such as Orcs and Elves living in L.A could've felt ridiculous. However they were nicely integrated into the story. David Ayer's dilapidated urban grimy visual motifs also help to sell the world the characters live in.

Where my main issue comes into play is in the films subtext and dialogue. I get that this wants to send a deep message of racism, inclusion, poverty etc, but at times it was so on the nose and forced it felt rather clumsy. Where-as a film like Alien Nation shows you injustice and bigotry visually, this film has the characters stop and tell each other every few minutes which at times had me rolling my eyes with cringe.

Other then that issue, and a slightly overlong runtime Bright is a solid buddy cop film with an added twist of fantasy, that manages to tick all the boxes it needed too. Whilst it might not be the most original or intelligent film, the backlash against it from the critics has been rather harsh. Bright is a film worth watching especially if you have Netflix.

Pi (1998)

Pi Review.

[7/10 · 19 December 2017]

I didn't really want to review this film as there's not a great deal to say about it that people haven't already. Darren Aronofsky's debut film is a bizarre, surreal, intelligent, paranoia fuelled film about a mathematician who's trying to uncover the patterns of the universe.

The main reason I wanted to talk about this film, is that Clint Mansell's incredible score is in my opinion one of the best scores I've heard in any film. It's an expertly constructed piece of work that helps to elevate every aspect of this film. The score is perfectly intertwined with the central character of the film, and works as his inner monologue to reflect his different mental states throughout the film. From being eerie to panic ridden to sheer mania it's a bold piece of work. That when I found myself drifting from the film it was the score that kept sucking me back in with it's intoxicating atmosphere.

The film on the whole is pretty good, but without the score I don't think this film would've worked nearly as well as it did. I would recommend watching this film for the soundtrack alone.

Cyborg (1989)

Cyborg Review

[1/10 · 19 December 2017]

Jean-Claude Van Damme stars as Gibson a wondering mercenary living in the remnants of a post-apocalyptic New York. Whilst traversing through the wastes of New York, he stumbles across a cyborg who's carrying vital information about a cure for the plague that's ravaged the Earth. He takes decides to escort her to Atlanta to deliver the cure, whilst being chased down by a marauding gang of crazed bandits, in-which Gibson has had past encounters with.

Cyborg is a flat out terrible film. As I write this review i'm really struggling to find a single positive aspect from the film. This film doesn't contain one redeeming quality, going into the film I was hoping for a 'It's so bad, it's good' scenario, but this film couldn't even manage that. Every single aspect of this film is poorly executed. Whilst the film is a direct-to-video B movie, it doesn't excuse the sheer sloppy craftsmanship that's present on screen.

The action scenes were woefully choreographed. And the stunt work was some of the worst I've seen in a film. However this is further exacerbated by terrible shot compositions. At the best of times the action was half in frame, with the rest of the action set-pieces focused on the bland set design. The editing is utterly atrocious which made the half of a fight scene I could see, totally incoherent.

The films score? Soundtrack? I don't know what the fuck it was, but it wasn't music. Seriously a four year old using saucepans as drums would've been more audibly pleasurable. The films music was so tonally jarring I felt like I was watching a 90's daytime soap mixed with bad porno music.

All the actors in the film were abysmal. Jean-Claude was bad, but he at-least tried with his severely limited range. The main villain came across like a pound store Arnie. And whilst the script was giving none of the actors anything to work with, they were still boring and insipid and unable to bring a distinct characterisation to their roles.

This is easily one of the worst films I've seen this year. This film made me break my one rule I have when watching films, which is to not fall asleep. Three hours later, it's taken me longer to watch an 85 minute 'action film' then it took for me to watch Doctor Zhivago, I think that sums up this dumpster fire of a film.

The Terminator (1984)

The Terminator Review

[10/10 · 19 December 2017]

I'm going to preface this review by saying that The Terminator is one of my favourite films of all-time. And a film i consider to be a near faultless action/horror masterpiece!

I think by now pop culture and anyone who considers themselves a film buff knows what this story is about. So i'm not going to go into a long winded jaunt into the finer plot elements as they've been done to death already. However I wanted too highlight one area of the film that I don't think gets enough credit. And that would be the phenomenal pacing and editing. In my opinion The Terminator has the best pacing in a film that I've seen, and perhaps one of the best of all-time.

The film starts with a small amount of exposition which is needed. But as soon as the film shifts to the present day the film moves at a thunderous pace and never slows down. Even in the quieter character building scenes the plot is constantly being propelled towards the films endgame.

From the assault on the Police precinct onward the film maintains a constant fluidity of pure action intertwined with deep character motivations. There's not a single dull frame in this film, even after my thirtieth odd watch i'm constantly engaged and sucked into the film, and a-lot of this down to brilliant editing.

The action scenes are also expertly shot and choreographed. The transitions from one set piece to other flow smoothly, never feeling out of place. It's a truly remarkable achievement James Cameron was able to accomplish on such a small budget.

With exception to Mad Max: The Road Warrior I can't think of another action film that's paced to perfection. There are very few films that are able to balance action, character development and world building with as much depth as The Terminator. Editor Mark Goldblatt deserves just as much credit as Cameron got for crafting a flawless action masterpiece.

Free Fire (2016)

Free Fire Review

[6/10 · 19 December 2017]

Free Fire is unfortunately Ben Wheatley's first misfire. Whilst the film isn't terrible by any stretch of the imagination, it does have a-lot of issues. Firstly the overall concept is an interesting idea. A 90 minute shoot-out in a single location sounds like a great idea. And for the first 30-40 minutes the film was highly entertaining. But when a character asks another "how long has it been" you know the film is starting to wear thin.

The film is loaded with an extremely talented cast featuring Cillian Murphy, Brie Larson, Sharlto Copley, Michael Smiley. They all give boisterous, lively performances but their characters are paper thin. For the type of film this is I didn't need any character background, but a little bit of development and growth would've given the film a little more direction.

One of the biggest issues I had with the film was that it meandered for the majority of the second half. This caused me to lose interest in the film as the overall intensity dropped. Another issue I had was the tone of the film, whilst it does have some good moments of levity, the film played itself far too straight. Going in I has expecting and action film with plenty of moments of dark humour, but that was few and far between. And a-lot of the jokes didn't land for me.

Free Fire was an over-all disappointment made even more-so by the fact I'm a huge fan of Ben Wheatley. In the end Free Fire was an interesting experiment that seemed better in concept rather than in its execution.

Christmas Vacation (1989)

National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation Review.

[5/10 · 19 December 2017]

National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation is the third instalment into the Vacation series. Chevy Chase and Beverly D'Angelo return to reprise their roles of Clark and Ellen Griswold. As-well the children have been recast again, this time Juliette Lewis and Jonny Galecki star as Audrey and rusty. And they're the most memorable of the young actors in these roles.

Christmas Vacation sees the Griswold's host Christmas with their dysfunctional extended family that have a knack of causing all sorts of mischief and chaos. Whilst Clark and Ellen act as the glue that holds both families together. This film is definitely a vast improvement over European Vacation. The story and over-all zaniness has been toned down making the film more palatable.

One of the biggest issues I had with the film is it recycles many of the jokes that were done in the first two films. There were some jokes that made think seriously they're doing this again, in-particular Clark's dream sequence. A-lot of the jokes didn't hit the mark for me. However all the performances felt earnest and all the characters were likeable especially Chevy Chase and Beverly D'Angelo who were once again the best thing about the film.

Over-all Christmas Vacation is a safe film that tones down some of the more raunchier humour of the previous films. However due to the sheer likeability of the Griswolds, Christmas Vacation makes for a charming if at times slightly dull Christmas film.

Star Wars: Episode VIII - The Last Jedi (2017)

Star Wars: Episode VIII - The Last Jedi Review/thoughts

[5/10 · 19 December 2017]

I can't remember the last time Iv'e left a screening of a film and been so conflicted about the events I've witnessed. This review is going to be more of a general thoughts and feelings as I'm still trying to digest the film. I'll keep this as spoiler free as possible.

• Firstly I thought the first act was the weakest, whilst the space battles were thrilling and engaging, the plot was essentially a rip-off of the the first season of the rebooted Battlestar Galatica. Whilst I loved the show, I wish that the 'story group' came up with a better story.

• Another issue in the first act was the comedic clashes in the tone of the film. There were way too many jokes, a couple garnered a chuckle, but the majority were cringe worthy.

• I was happy to see Poe get a larger role in this film, he is given a proper fleshed out character arc, unlike a-lot of characters. He brings charm and likeability to the story without it ever feeling exaggerated. I'm looking forward too seeing where his character will go in the next film.

• Pretty much everything with Kylo Ren was brilliant, he really is the the standout MVP in this trilogy. His character is given extra layers of depth and turmoil, expanding on the great foundation he was given in The Force Awakens.

• Kylo Ren and Rey's dynamic was the highlight of the film, anytime the film cutaway I wanted it to go back to them.

• The cinematography, editing, score etc were all well done. Rian Johnson does a good job of capturing the Star Wars feel visually. There are a couple of standout moments the are just beautiful to witness. I won't elaborate further as I don't want to spoil anything, but when you see the film you'll know straight away.

• One of the biggest issues I had was the poorly plotted scenes involving Finn, Rose and Canto Bight. It felt like it came from another film, when I was in the cinema I thought to myself that it played out more like Guardians of the Galaxy. I was really perplexed about why they went down this route. And that's not even mentioning the ridiculously on the nose politicising about animal cruelty. I mean WTF did PETA part fund this film? I'm all for subtext but this was badly misjudged.

• The final act of the film was fantastic and it felt more like a Star Wars film. Crait is an excellent addition to the Star Wars universe. However the final battle felt slightly rushed.

All in all there were some great things in this film, however I felt like they misjudge a few plot/lore elements that I really didn't like. I'm going to talk about light spoilers in this next section so be warned!!!

_____________________________________________________________________________________SPOILERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! - - - - - - - - - - - - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ SPOILERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! -

• I want to mention that i'm a big fan of the whole Star Wars universe, whether that's watching Clone Wars, Rebels, reading all the new Disney canon from the Aftermath books to Guardians of the Whills. Reading all the Marvel canon comics. Heck even the now defunct legends books like Heir to the Empire, Crimson Empire, The New Republic etc.

This film let me done in one major area. And that's Luke Skywalker. Whist iv'e started to come to terms with his 'arc'. In the end it felt like a character assassination. They took everything I loved about Luke Skywalker when I was growing up and stomped it into the ground. To be honest I can see why people say that it feels like a slap in the face to fans of the extended universe.

• I get that Disney want and in fact need to move away from the original trilogy but this felt wrong to me. The Luke Skywalker I remember would NEVER, NEVER try and kill his nephew even in a moment of weakness. He helped bring Vader back who was so far gone, and this felt like a complete cop-out. In the EU he made mistakes, but was still revered as the greatest Jedi that ever lived, he was a hero and an inspiration. In thi this film he's a crusty old hermit that milks cows.....sigh!

• I must say I wasn't to bothered about the changes to the lore about the Jedi and force powers. I actually think it opens up some interesting directions in future films. I also really like that they brought up the contradictions of the Jedi order which was expanded in depth in the Clone Wars.

• Another issue I had was how this film essentially made the Force Awakens completely irrelevant. Everything J.J set up has been thrown out of the window, and that left a bad taste in my mouth. I guess I can't wait to see what Snoke's origins will be in a new novel next year by Greg Rucka or someone.

• Don't even get me started on Phasma.

In the end iv'e given this film a 3/5. I really feel like I need too re-watch this film as there was a-lot too absorb. Actually this film would of been better if it was episode 9, as it felt more like a finale then a middle film. I hope a re-watch will improve upon my initial complaints, but something the first time round just felt a bit off. Either way I hope they don't bring back Lando in 9 and then just kill him off.

Dead or Alive 2: Birds (2000)

Dead or Alive 2: Birds Review.

[7/10 · 4 December 2017]

Dead or Alive 2: Birds is a film about two disconnected childhood friends that grew up to be hit men. After an assassination of a Yakuza boss, which they were both involved with leads to a massive gang war. They cross each others paths when they find themselves returning to their roots on a small island where they grew up together. Whilst laying low from the cops and Mafia they begin to reminisce on their childhoods growing up together.

This film has absolutely nothing to do with the original film other then carrying similar thematic elements, and it can be watched separately (which I would recommend). And just like Miike's Black Society trilogy I found the sequel again to be vast improvement over it's predecessor. Just as Miike did with Rainy Dog, he dramatically tones down the over the top silly antics that he's built his reputation on, and instead delivered a mellow, nuanced character piece. Although that's not to say all the violence he's known for is absent because it's not. What the film does is show the consequence of violence and how one act of violence can start a chain of events that spiral out of control.

Miike also does an excellent job developing his two lead characters, they both have distinct personalities and reasons for why they do what they do. By the end of the film I even started to care for them, which isn't something I can say for many of Miike's characters.

Dead or Alive 2 is easily one of Miike's best films, the plot and characters are all well thought-out, and whilst it does teeter on the edge of silliness towards the end. Miike manages to reign himself in and deliver an excellent crime drama.

The Little Chaos (1967)

The Little Hours Review.

[6/10 · 2 December 2017]

The Little Chaos is another early short from Fassbinder that again shows glimpses of his immense talent that was yet to come. The story was more pedestrian in this film, essentially three door-to-door salespeople get fed up with their job and decide to rob a lady that turned them all away. This short has good acting and surprisingly accomplished directing. However the story didn't really offer anything other then a fun ten minute love letter to classical Hollywood cinema with a slight infusion of French New Wave.

In the end the short is fairly inconsequential, and not as memorable as the City Tramp (which also came in the Arrow Video release). However it's worth seeking out too see a more mischievous Fassbinder at work in front and behind the camera.

Experiment in Terror (1962)

Experiment in Terror Review.

[8/10 · 2 December 2017]

Blake Edwards monochromatic thriller is a beautifully shot, tense film filled with excellent performances. Kelly Sherwood (Lee Remick) works as a bank teller. One night upon returning home she's threatened by a stranger known as 'Red' (Ross Martin) in her garage, she's then forcibly told to rob her bank of $100,000 or she and her sister will be murdered by him.

She then manages to get the word out to an FBI officer John 'Rip' Ripley (Glenn Ford) without Red knowing. Rip then advises Kelly on what to do and how to act in order to lure Red out and catch him. The film does a great job of maintaining it's tension even though the film is slightly overlong and suffers from pacing issues in the second act. However the screen-writers do a great job of writing likable, interesting characters whilst keeping the action focused on their situations rather then the plot/heist, which helps to hide some of the pacing issues.

The entire cast all give excellent performances, especially from Ford and Remick. Their actions and reactions are down to earth and feel like genuine progressions, rather then the hyperbolic acting associated in that era of film-making. The film is expertly directed by Edwards who's unafraid of having a hard edge when the film needs it. Although this was most likely due to the fact that post-Psycho directors were able to push the envelop a-lot more. Whilst there's nothing offensive by today's standards the film does manage to keep a few hidden surprises up its sleeve.

This film reminded me in a-lot of ways to Cape Fear which came out in the same year. Whilst I wouldn't put it on the same level, I would say that Experiment in Terror would make a fantastic companion piece on a double feature with it.

Dead or Alive (1999)

Dead or Alive Review.

[5/10 · 2 December 2017]

Takashi Miike had definitely cemented himself as an auteur by the time this film had come out. This film for better or worse reaffirms his status as one of the most outlandish, genuinely bonkers directors working today. Within the first minute of the film we get a crime riddled montage filled with over the top gore and violence. Featuring and not limited too a naked woman plummeting to her death with a bag of cocaine that explodes upon impact. A crazed mafia boss doing a fifteen foot line of coke, that would be more then enough to put an elephant into a catatonic shock!

What then follows is a pretty tame (by Miike's standard) Yakuza story about two gangs at war and the cops in the middle. There's not really much to say about the plot other then it was fine for what it was. However after a 'shocking' turn of events (which was fairly obvious) the film builds to a truly bizarre shoot-out between the two main characters that would make even David Lynch say WTF?!

Within the first couple of minutes the film (as with most of Miike's) the directing and editing is so outlandish you either role your eyes in derision or you jump on board for a wild ride, unfortunately I found myself in the former.

The City Tramp (1966)

The City Tramp Review.

[8/10 · 2 December 2017]

The City Tramp is an interesting 11 minute short from Rainer Werner Fassbinder. The film focuses on a homeless man that finds a gun and contemplates suicide. The City Tramp is one of Fassbinder's earliest films but it contains everything I love about his style of film-making. It's equal parts melodramatic and melancholic and as with all his films it manages to tap the juicy vein of social commentary in a way so few directors are able to.

I started this year not seeing or knowing anything about Fassbinder, and I now finish the year with him being one of my favourite directors iv'e seen so far!!

The Nest of the Cuckoo Birds (1965)

The Nest of the Cuckoo Birds Review.

[6/10 · 23 November 2017]

Long considered lost in the annals of cinematic history, a 35mm print of this Southern Gothic tale was discovered recently in a New York theatre. The film has since been restored and finally shown to audiences with the help of Mubi and film director Nicolas Winding Refn. This film is a classic case of a myth being built up so much that it doesn't quite live up to the reputation. The film is a passion project from star, writer, director, and editor Bert Williams. Williams plays an undercover cop called Johnson whose cover gets blown whilst trying to infiltrate a gang of violent moonshiners.

As he evades the gang through the murky swamps of the deep South, he finds himself washed on a small island. On this small island there's a dilapidated hotel with three somewhat off-kilter inhabitants. Johnson decides to stay at the hotel whilst the heat dies down, except strange occurrences keep happening to make him believe that he's not quite as safe as he thinks he is.

The film clearly draws a-lot of influence from past genre classics, most notably Psycho and Night of the Hunter. The film has an incredibly creepy atmosphere, alongside a couple of scenes with genuinely disturbing imagery. Unfortunately there's not much more to the film then that. The characters in this film aren't well defined or given much characterisation. The biggest issue I had was that the overall story felt dull, and it's not until the final twenty minutes when the plot starts moving that film becomes intriguing.

The film had a lack of urgency in the script and started to meander midway through. Due to the bland, uninteresting characters (and at times pretty bad acting), this film felt like a missed opportunity as the filler in between the interesting plot developments was poorly developed. The film would've made for a fantastic thirty minute short, but instead it's stretched out even with a short run-time of eighty one minutes. It's a shame because the film has some really great moments but not enough to sustain a feature film. In the end it's a film worth seeking out if you have Mubi for the rarity alone. However what you'll get is a B-movie mash up of Psycho and Night of the Hunter intersected with strikingly original moments that'll make you think this could've been a really great film.

The Desert Rats (1953)

The Desert Rats Review

[6/10 · 23 November 2017]

The Desert Rats is a fairly standard 1950's World War II picture. The film focuses on a theatre of war that doesn't get covered as much in media. The action takes place in North Africa, and primarily the siege of Tobruk. As the British and Anzac forces had to repel Rommel's forces, wave after wave over the course of eight months, using every trick in the book to make sure that the German forces were unable to reach the Suez canal.

Robert Wise does a good job of shooting exciting action scenes that were better then a-lot of films at the time. The problem is this film is basically a ninety minute fire-fight. Which isn't a huge negative, what is, is the lack of characterisation or plot. I can't remember a single character from the film as they all blended together and became faces rather then characters.

The film also lacked any real tension until the last twenty minutes when you could actually feel the exhaustion from the characters after battling for months on end. As a pure action film it does a good job of showing the toll war can have upon soldiers. It's just a shame that none of the characters had any sense of personality or individualism. Over-all this film makes for a decent watch on TCM on a Sunday afternoon, other then that it doesn't offer much. This is a rare case of a film that would be perfect for a remake.

Shinjuku Triad Society (1995)

Shinjuku Review.

[5/10 · 16 November 2017]

Shinjuku is a bizarre film even by Miike's standards. I'm still undecided about whether I like this film or not and I'm not quite sure where to begin describing this film. In layman's terms it's a film about two brothers, one's a police officer (Kiriya) the other is a lawyer (Yoshihito) working for the mafia. During the course of the film a war breaks out between the Chinese and Japanese gangs, and it's down to Kiriya to keep his younger brother safe from the fallout.

Shinjuku is one of Miike's early projects and was the first one to get him noticed, whether that's from the sheer shock factor or genuine talent I don't know. The film has a certain low budget aesthetic that works really well. The film also has a genuine sense of grit and nihilism to it. The characters are all horrible, and they do horrific things to each other. From scenes where the police interrogate their suspects by anally raping them, to the mafia harvesting organs from children there are no good guys in this film, only shades of grey.

The film also tries to deal with a wide range of taboo topics, most notably having a homoerotic undertone which at times felt out of place, and only there to serve as shock value. Over-all there are some interesting aspects to the film. I liked the main story and the juxtaposition between the two brothers, despite it not being very original. Shinjuku had moments of brilliance but for the most part I didn't buy into what Miike was going for.

Rainy Dog (1997)

Rainy Dog Review.

[8/10 · 16 November 2017]

I'm happy I can finally say now that I've watched a great Takashi Miike film. Rainy Dog retains all the gritty, stylish motifs that Miike is known for, but this time his story is grounded in reality. Rainy Dog tells the story of a struggling Japanese hit-man that hates the rain as he's living out in Taiwan. His world is upheaved when a woman from his past informs him that he has a son, which she dumps on him.

The film then goes from being a gangster flick into a hybrid coming of age story as both the father and son as they adapt to their situation. Whilst the father is also trying to evade a local crime boss who's after him. Rainy Dog is a quiet, slow paced introspective film. This film worked well for me as i'm not a fan of Miike's usually hyper-kinetic direction and the over the top silliness that's found in most of his screenplays. This film has an engaging narrative, even if it borders occasionally on clichés that are found in the gangster genre. There's nothing wholly original in this film. However what makes it work though is how well directed the film is and the serious thoughtful approach given to the script.

The films cinematography has a wonderful atmospheric tone, the whole film is literally drenched in rain which adds another layer on emotion on top of the film. The film also has fleshed out interesting characters, that whilst flawed, they're also sympathetic and relatable. One of the main issue I have with Miike's films are the poor characterisations, most of the time his characters feel like cartoons. Here he goes a great job of making them feel human. In the end Rainy Dog is a familiar but effective crime drama, and is one of Miike's best films.

Three Days of the Condor (1975)

Three Days of the Condor Review.

[8/10 · 14 November 2017]

Sydney Pollack's Three Days of the Condor is a classic paranoia fuelled political spy thriller. The films all round writing and direction is solidly crafted. Leading to very little in the way of negative criticism. Whilst the over-all mystery and bleak narrative isn't as potent as a film like Marathon Man, it manages to stay relevant with its effective prophetic narrative. The film tells the story of a CIA researcher Joseph Turner played by Robert Redford, as he stumbles across a secret coding system which leads to his entire team being murdered. He's left with no choice to go on the run and outwit and hopefully expose the criminals that are trying to kill him.

On his journey, Joseph comes across a random stranger Kathy Hale played by Faye Dunaway. After initially holding her hostage and both not trusting each other, they team up to fight back against their would be assassins. This leads me to my one small complaint, I like both Redford and Dunaway as actors, and I also liked their characters in the film. However the typically rushed romance subplot felt a little bit out of place. Further into the film it started to feel natural, but at start it clashed with the tone of the film.

Both Redford and Dunaway give terrific performances as does the rest of the cast. In particular Max Von Sydow as the company man that's on their tail, he gives an ice cool, calculated performance. Three Days of the Condor is film well worth seeking out. It's a finely paced thriller with moments of good action and a talented cast that give excellent performances, it's one of the best paranoid thrillers to have come out of the 1970's

Assassin's Creed (2016)

Assassin's Creed Review.

[6/10 · 10 November 2017]

Based on the hugely popular Ubisoft video games (of which i'm a fan), Assassin's Creed sees Michael Fassbender star as Callum Lynch a man that has been sent to death for murdering a pimp. After being sentenced to death he wakes up at Abstergo, a mysterious corporation that uses his DNA to access his ancestors memories in the attempt to locate the Apple of Eden. The apple is a device which has the ability to control people's free will. He's thus sent back to 15th century Spain using his ancestor Aguilar de Nerha's memories, an assassin who's pledged his life to guard the artefact.

This film really should've been called Assassin's Sweeps, seriously I don't think I've seen a film with as many camera sweeps as this film has. It really started to bug me after the first 20 minutes. In some ways Assassin's Creed is the perfect adaptation, because just like its video game counterpart it's filled with so much potential, but it's never fully realised. This film suffers the same issues the game also does, where everything inside the Animus with Aguilar's memories is excellent and intriguing. However in the current timeline the characters and story are un-interesting. Every time the film cut back to it, I wanted it to return to the Spanish setting.

Where this film struggles is in the writing. It's clear that this film was made for fans of the video game, which is fine. However I felt like they didn't do a good enough job explaining the lore and the rules of the world for those that have no idea about the game series. Another minor issue I had with the film is the characters felt very generic, they're all given typically clichéd backstories, and for such a stellar cast it was a missed opportunity to give the film some much needed depth.

For a video game adaptation the film is competently well made. The cinematography and costume/set design all look and feel authentic in the 15th century setting. Justin Kurzel does a good job directing the action scenes, they're fluid and the shaky cam isn't as extreme in other films of this ilk, which makes for a more engaging experience. The first act of the film is clearly the weakest as the film is trying to shove tons of exposition down the audience's throats and the editing is poorly constructed. Thankfully from the first Animus set-piece the film manages to find it's footing and becomes more confident and sure of itself.

Michael Fassbender gives a typically committed performance in his dual role, and he keeps the film grounded on the right track when the plot starts to become questionable. Jeremy Irons, Charlotte Rampling and Marion Cotillard all give a decent if somewhat unremarkable job in their roles. In the end Assassin's Creed could've been a better film if they kept the focus on the Spanish Inquisition rather than the modern day storyline, I think one more pass on the script to tighten up the loose plot threads would of made the film more accessible to general audiences. However despite all the problems the film has, it's easily one of the best video game to film adaptations made thus far, take from that what you will.

Slither (2006)

Slither Review.

[5/10 · 1 November 2017]

Slither is written and directed by James Gunn. The film sees a midwest town become infected by alien worm creatures, that turn the townspeople into meat craving mutated 'zombies'. Influenced from classic 50's sci-fi such as: The Blob, The Thing etc, Slither is a horror comedy that's light on the horror and the comedy. With the talent in front and behind the camera I was expecting a-lot more.

The standout performer in this film was by far Michael Rooker, as always he gives a charismatic over the top performance that lights up the screen. Especially when he stumbles across the creature that attaches itself to him, leading to him doing funny bizarre things. Nathan Fillion and Elizabeth Banks were also solid in their roles without leaving their comfort zones. Everybody in the film does a good job.

I found it hard to rate this film, as this isn't a bad film but I found it un-engaging and tiresome to sit through. Technically speaking the film was well crafted. The practical effects and gore looked good, even if at times they resembled the left over props from The Thing. However I found this film to be tonally perplexing, the scary moments weren't scary enough. With the only effective scene coming from the bathtub sequence, but that was it. The comedic elements were also lacking I can't remember a scene (other then when a character loses a hand grenade) that even made me slightly chuckle. In the end this film ends up getting lost between the two elements, and that made for frustrating viewing.

Throne of Blood (1957)

Throne of Blood Review.

[9/10 · 31 October 2017]

Throne of Blood is Akira Kurosawa's adaptation of William Shakespeare's play Macbeth. This adaption sees the classic story transported to feudal Japan, a change that worked to the films advantage as the themes of honour and betrayal felt more authentic and consequential. As with all Kurosawa films it's impeccably shot, the film has an epic, grandiose scale. The cinematography is atmospheric and the use of nature and weather help to bring life to the film.

The film stars Toshiro Mifune as Taketoki Washizu a samurai warrior who along with his close friend Yoshiteru Miki (Akira Kubo) come across a spirit in the woods. The spirit prophesied that Washizu shall become ruler of cobweb castle and that Miki's son will rule after him. Leading to him becoming fearful of eventually being usurped. The film follows the play fairly closely with none of the major events being drastically altered.

The characters in the film are given deep characterisation. They all felt unique with distinct personalities. The standout in the film was Isuzu Yamada as Lady Asaji Washizu. She gives a brilliant, conniving snake like performance. Her whispers and manipulations in her husbands ear felt natural and authentic. You see the wheels of mistrust turn in Washizu's mind as her words begin playing on his mind, confirming that he needs to take action before being betrayed himself.

Throne of Blood is one of the best Shakespeare adaptions I've seen. It's also one of Kurosawa's most accessible films. There's not a-lot too add that people haven't already said, only that Throne of Blood is a bona fide classic.

Hardcore (1979)

Hardcore Review.

[7/10 · 30 October 2017]

Hardcore is Paul Schrader's lurid odyssey into the seedy underbelly of pornography and prostitution in 1970's California. George C. Scott stars a conservative midwestern businessman who searches every street corner and dirty back alley in search of his missing teenage daughter whose started appearing in porno films.

Coming off the success of writing Martin Scorsese's masterpiece Taxi Driver, this film is essentially a B movie companion piece. Hardcore is a well written slow burn that has become slightly dated, but still manages to retain its potent commentary on the dark side of the City of Angels.

George C. Scott gives a tour de force performance as the religious calvinist Jake Van Dorn, Scott gives an earnest performance as a man willing to bend his moral compass in the slim hopes of finding his daughter. Whilst in the process of finding his daughter he hires the expertise of a slimy private investigator played Peter Boyle. Boyle once again gives an excellent understated performance, it's a shame Boyle never got the leading roles his talent deserved.

Hardcore is an excellent thriller which has some pacing issues and it also occasionally tonally riffs off Taxi Driver, especially in the last act. Other than that Hardcore is an uncompromising thriller that's supported by excellent writing a wonderful central performance from George C. Scott.

A Field in England (2013)

A Field in England Review.

[10/10 · 29 October 2017]

Wow...I'm utterly speechless, I don't even know where to begin with this review. Ben Wheatley's metaphysical art house masterpiece is a raw, intense, surreal visual feast for the eyes. A Field in England is a what I consider to be a pure cinematic experience. Set during the 17th century English civil war four world weary deserters come across an alchemist (played with menacing gusto by Michael Smiley) who's looking for buried treasure in a field that may or may not have supernatural powers. I'm not going to talk much about the plot, firstly because this film works better going in fresh, and secondly it's completely irrelevant to what the film is truly about.

Ben Wheatley is an incredibly divisive director, you either love or hate his work and this might be his most divisive material yet. As someone who's a big fan of his work this film was everything I could've hoped for. I'm not someone whose main focus on a film is the plot, film in my opinion is first and foremost a visual medium, and therefore the first thing I look for is how good is the visual experience. Most films are 'pretty' to look at, which is fine, but then there are those rare films where the visual storytelling is so powerful it evokes emotions in you. This film had that through it's entire run-time, I never took my eyes off the screen. I was transfixed by this incredible piece of work. (the last time I've been physically moved by film/TV was the atomic bomb episode of Twin Peaks) It's not something that happens often, so when it does it's a testament to how effective the film was.

Whilst i'm on the subject of Lynch this film seemed like it was heavily influenced by Lynch's early works such-as Eraserhead. There's one scene in particular, a three minute tracking shot of a man walking out of a tent in slow motion, that was hauntingly beautiful whilst being deeply unsettling and that's the best way to summarise this film. The film is also accompanied by Jim Williams score, which is one of the most impressive, atmospheric scores I've heard in a very long time.

The screenplay is expertly written by Wheatley's wife and long time collaborator Amy Jump. It's a film that works on multiple levels depending on what you take away from the film. It's a story that can be easily explained, essentially the characters take mushrooms and go on a bad trip, which works on a surface level. However there's deeper symbolism and metaphors to be found, are the characters in purgatory? Are they going through the nine circles of hell, as they take on 'the Devil' as Smiley's character is constantly referred to as being. It's a film that allows you to take any explanation you want based on the experience you have with the film.

A Field in England is a provocative surrealist masterpiece, that solidifies Wheatley as one of the most impressive, creatively bold directors working in cinema today!

Blow (2001)

Blow review.

[5/10 · 27 October 2017]

Blow is directed by Ted Demme and stars Johnny Depp as real life drug smuggler George Jung, who was part of the Medellin cartel run by Pablo Escobar that at one point had an 85% market share of all cocaine imported into America in the late 70s early 80s. Blow is a fairly inspired biopic with some flashy moments sprinkled throughout. Watching this film I kept asking myself what was the film trying to achieve? Because I struggled to find anything that retained my interest in the film. That's not too say this is a flat out bad film, which it isn't, it's just with a plethora of quality crime biopics such-as: Goodfellas, Donnie Brasco, Serpico, Scarface etc this film falls by the wayside.

The film is technically well constructed and the soundtrack was a joy. The film also contains terrific performances across the board. Johnny Depp gives one of his better performances, he does a terrific job of making a thoroughly unlikable character somewhat sympathetic and relatable. The star of the show for me was Jordi Mollà, Jung's unhinged business partner Diego Delgado. During a short stint in prison Jung and Delgado team together alongside Escobar to flood the American market with cocaine. Also in this time Jung meets and marries Mirtha (Penelope Cruz). Demme does a good job of juxtaposing their relationship against Jung's own parents which adds a nice dynamic to the film.

The film is rounded out by excellent supporting performances from Ray Liotta, Rachel Griffiths and Paul Reubens. The entire cast give a committed performance. It's just a shame that for such an interesting time in history the screenplay was so dull. You almost get a sense that the creators were trying to make their own version of Goodfellas, rather than expressing their own vision, and in doing so the film came off as being disingenuous. Ted Demme does not have the same kinetic editing or free-flowing, stylish camera movements that Martin Scorsese does. Which he then tries to over-compensate with, using a high-energy soundtrack and voice-over character exposition. The problem is this only works when the pacing is rapid and the audience needs quick-fire exposition to understand what's happening. The pacing in this film is lethargic, and the voice-over became increasingly tedious.

In the end Blow is a disappointing film, it had so much potential that wasn't fully realised. There are fun moments to be found in the film, and the engaging performances more than make up for a dull script. The biggest issue with Blow is that it's a film that is more interested in following the footsteps of past genre classics, rather than carving out its own path.

Police (1985)

Police review.

[6/10 · 24 October 2017]

Maurice Pialat's Police is a moody, gritty French noir. The film stars Gérard Depardieu as Mangin a rough, no-nonsense police detective, that during the process of trying to bust a Tunisian drug ring falls for a mysterious alluring woman (Sophie Marceau) whose linked heavily with the gang. Maurice Pialat directs this film with his usual stoic motifs, and just like The Mouth Agape it works for this film. The tone is excellent thanks to the use of classic noir elements. The main issue I had with the film, is that that it wasn't concise about what it wanted to achieve, whether that's to be a straight police procedural or a character piece/love story, in the end it becomes a melting pot of different ideas.

Another problem I had with this film was it came across too passive, there was no punch to the story, everything just happens with low energy. The pacing left a-lot to be desired, most of Pialat's work is finely paced, but in a film like this which is more focused on plot it needed to be a bit quicker. There were large portions of the film where I found myself becoming disinterested in what was happening on screen.

This is the weakest film I've seen from Pialat so far. What saves the film from being flat-out boring is Gérard Depardieu's excellent performance. He carries the film by being constantly interesting and engaging. He's also a fantastic conduit for other performers as his energetic screen presence bounces off all the actors in the film. Most notably is his terrific chemistry with Sophie Marceau together they really keep the film alive when it starts to become contrived and uninteresting.

This is the weakest film I've seen from Mubi's retrospective look at Pialat's filmography, which is disappointing because I've enjoyed the majority of his films. In summery Police is a missed opportunity, it's an average crime drama that's boosted by two strong central performances. Police is the last film from Pialat's mostly stellar filmography that I would recommend.

Haunted Honeymoon (1986)

Haunted Honeymoon review.

[4/10 · 20 October 2017]

Gene Wilder's Haunted Honeymoon is an honourable failure. The film is written and directed by Wilder and it contains a-lot of the same visual and comedic motifs associated with his earlier collaborations with Mel Brooks. Whilst I understood what Wilder was going for I felt the film missed the mark both in its comedy and plot. The film was incredibly dull, after watching the film I can barely remember any genuinely hilarious scenes.

Gene Wilder plays Larry Abbot a neurotic horror radio presenter, who returns to his family castle where he grew up after getting engaged. He decides to take his fiancée Vickie Pearle (Gilda Radner) back home for the marriage. To cure Larry of his neuroticism his uncle decides to scare the irrational fear he has, out of him. There's also a badly underutilised murder mystery plot that's going on in the background, as someone wants to murder Larry.

Gene Wilder is as always his charming self, he carries this movie, and I would hate to of seen this without him, because it would of been a total disaster. The rest of the cast is pretty forgettable. Dom DeLuise seemed like he wasn't interested in the film and that came off in his performance. Terence Stamp was wasted in the film, he had very little screen-time. Gilda Radner had a decent amount of chemistry with Wilder but nothing noteworthy.

In the end this film, has many scripting issues, it's a film that want's to be its own film, whilst having the same comedic tone as a Mel Brooks film. The plot barely makes any sense and even when it does it's not interesting, and to be brutally honest this film felt like the unfunny b- roll material left out of Young Frankenstein. The only reason I would recommend this film is for Gene Wilder who shows again why he was an incredible on-screen talent.