All Quiet on the Western Front (1930)
Based on the German novel of the same name this American adaptation won both best director and best film awards at the Oscars. Some German boys in a class are talked into signing up to fight in the First World War by their teacher and go off to find that life on the front lines is not all they were lead to believe.
This is the original and archetypal anti war film and it really does stand the test of time. While this film was now made 80 years ago the production quality still holds up and the battle sequences are especially impressive given the way modern film makers rely on the crutch of CGI. It is refreshing to see the story told from a German point of view and the plot is much as you would expect, soldiers let down by poor leadership in a pointless war. Some of the acting is a bit hammy for modern standards but is not to such levels that it damages the film.
4/5 a very good first world war film.
Monday, 21 March 2011
Sunday, 20 March 2011
Fake
S1m0ne (2002)
Andrew Niccol directs Al Pacino in his second film as a director and the third film he wrote. Tired of working with actors that have silly demands a director uses a digitally created actress that everyone else thinks is a real person.
Compared with Niccol's excellent previous films this effort does come up short but only by the high standards previously set. The characters are not especially engaging, Pacino as the director who ends up hating his creation seems very hard to relate to in what should have been an interesting part. While the film is weak it is not really bad and tells a fairly good story that is well enough made.
3/5 not bad but not worth seeking out either.
Andrew Niccol directs Al Pacino in his second film as a director and the third film he wrote. Tired of working with actors that have silly demands a director uses a digitally created actress that everyone else thinks is a real person.
Compared with Niccol's excellent previous films this effort does come up short but only by the high standards previously set. The characters are not especially engaging, Pacino as the director who ends up hating his creation seems very hard to relate to in what should have been an interesting part. While the film is weak it is not really bad and tells a fairly good story that is well enough made.
3/5 not bad but not worth seeking out either.
Saturday, 19 March 2011
Not so childish
Kick Ass (2010)
Matthew Vaughn directs this adaptation of Mark Millar's original comic which features a mainly young cast supported by Nicolas Cage. There are no super heroes but a teenage boy without any powers decides to give being a masked crime fighter a go as too many people allow crimes to be committed without helping the victims.
The first original comic from Millar that was adapted for the screen was Wanted (2008), while Millar has a really interesting and dark take on super heroes and the comic book genre the adaptation of Wanted was an adaptation in name only and the kind of thing that would drive Alan Moore up the wall. Thankfully this film does a massively better job of retaining the dark and cynical world view. Despite the dark elements the film is great fun and is very funny in places, over all it is a very polished effort.
I do have two problems with the film, the first is that the first half or so of the film does spend a little too long getting the plot set up before we get into the action packed finale third. The larger problem I have is with the main characters love interest who seems to have been changed to allow a happier ending and this in part is not really in keeping with the rest of the film but also makes her character fairly unbelievable.
4/5 a really entertaining film with a dark side.
Matthew Vaughn directs this adaptation of Mark Millar's original comic which features a mainly young cast supported by Nicolas Cage. There are no super heroes but a teenage boy without any powers decides to give being a masked crime fighter a go as too many people allow crimes to be committed without helping the victims.
The first original comic from Millar that was adapted for the screen was Wanted (2008), while Millar has a really interesting and dark take on super heroes and the comic book genre the adaptation of Wanted was an adaptation in name only and the kind of thing that would drive Alan Moore up the wall. Thankfully this film does a massively better job of retaining the dark and cynical world view. Despite the dark elements the film is great fun and is very funny in places, over all it is a very polished effort.
I do have two problems with the film, the first is that the first half or so of the film does spend a little too long getting the plot set up before we get into the action packed finale third. The larger problem I have is with the main characters love interest who seems to have been changed to allow a happier ending and this in part is not really in keeping with the rest of the film but also makes her character fairly unbelievable.
4/5 a really entertaining film with a dark side.
Friday, 18 March 2011
Show trial
Paths of Glory (1957)
Stanley Kubrick directs Kirk Douglas in this anti war film set in WW1. An attack by a French division fails and the general blames the cowardice of his troops, to punish the troops men are selected at “random” to be executed for the failings of the whole division.
The main bulk of the film deals with Douglas acting as the defence for the soldiers charged with cowardice trying to save them from execution. While superficially the men are being punished for the cowardice of the whole division in reality they are being punished for the poor leadership of the general and this seems to be the main point how the failure of those in power results in hardship for those below them while the general largely gets away unscathed. There is not much more to say about this film other than it is well made if not remarkably so.
4/5 a good early Kubrick effort.
Stanley Kubrick directs Kirk Douglas in this anti war film set in WW1. An attack by a French division fails and the general blames the cowardice of his troops, to punish the troops men are selected at “random” to be executed for the failings of the whole division.
The main bulk of the film deals with Douglas acting as the defence for the soldiers charged with cowardice trying to save them from execution. While superficially the men are being punished for the cowardice of the whole division in reality they are being punished for the poor leadership of the general and this seems to be the main point how the failure of those in power results in hardship for those below them while the general largely gets away unscathed. There is not much more to say about this film other than it is well made if not remarkably so.
4/5 a good early Kubrick effort.
Thursday, 17 March 2011
Organised crimes
Road to Perdition (2002)
Tom Hanks, Jude Law and Paul Newman (in one of his final roles) star in this film based on a graphic novel which was inspired by a manga series. Tom Hanks works for the mob as a hit man and enforcer but when his son witnesses a murder they end up on the run from the mob and seeking revenge.
This is the second film directed by Sam Mendes and the direction and cinematography here are amazing, the atmosphere and tone of the film are excellent through out. The plot is simplistic but draws you in and the themes of the consequences of a violent life or violence in general and fathers and sons runs well through out. How the relationships between the main characters is set up works really well to reflect and contrast on each other.
5/5 a must see!
Tom Hanks, Jude Law and Paul Newman (in one of his final roles) star in this film based on a graphic novel which was inspired by a manga series. Tom Hanks works for the mob as a hit man and enforcer but when his son witnesses a murder they end up on the run from the mob and seeking revenge.
This is the second film directed by Sam Mendes and the direction and cinematography here are amazing, the atmosphere and tone of the film are excellent through out. The plot is simplistic but draws you in and the themes of the consequences of a violent life or violence in general and fathers and sons runs well through out. How the relationships between the main characters is set up works really well to reflect and contrast on each other.
5/5 a must see!
Wednesday, 16 March 2011
Putting the laughter in slaughter
Clue (1985)
Tim Curry stars in this film inspired by the board game Clue or Cluedo as it is known in the UK. A dinner party is held in a big house for a number of people that have been invited anonymously and murders ensue.
In general board games do not make for obvious inspiration for films but this film works really well thanks to the great performance of Tim Curry as the butler and the script that includes plenty of silliness and humour. The plot only serves nominally as a mystery what the film is really about is the comedy but the three different endings are a good touch. It does feel that there is a slight amount of padding in the middle of the film but it does not hold the film back really.
4/5 very funny dark comedy.
Tim Curry stars in this film inspired by the board game Clue or Cluedo as it is known in the UK. A dinner party is held in a big house for a number of people that have been invited anonymously and murders ensue.
In general board games do not make for obvious inspiration for films but this film works really well thanks to the great performance of Tim Curry as the butler and the script that includes plenty of silliness and humour. The plot only serves nominally as a mystery what the film is really about is the comedy but the three different endings are a good touch. It does feel that there is a slight amount of padding in the middle of the film but it does not hold the film back really.
4/5 very funny dark comedy.
Tuesday, 15 March 2011
Straight on till morning.
The Straight Story (1999)
David Lynch directs a film based on the true story of Alvin Straight and his journey across Iowa and Wisconsin. Alvin's brother has a stroke and as Alvin is old and his eye sight too bad to get a drivers license he has to drive his lawn tractor cross country to visit him.
For anyone familiar with some of Lynch's more famous films this is a large departure from his usual subject matter but some how manages to be both very real and surreal at the same time. Along the way the old man has various encounters with different people that help round out the plot well. The soundtrack is excellent and really helps balance the ageing and sad but determined nature of the protagonist as does the great scenery on show.
4/5 the best lawn mower road movie of all time!
David Lynch directs a film based on the true story of Alvin Straight and his journey across Iowa and Wisconsin. Alvin's brother has a stroke and as Alvin is old and his eye sight too bad to get a drivers license he has to drive his lawn tractor cross country to visit him.
For anyone familiar with some of Lynch's more famous films this is a large departure from his usual subject matter but some how manages to be both very real and surreal at the same time. Along the way the old man has various encounters with different people that help round out the plot well. The soundtrack is excellent and really helps balance the ageing and sad but determined nature of the protagonist as does the great scenery on show.
4/5 the best lawn mower road movie of all time!
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