Completely Caught by this one

I’m not a massive sci-fi fan, but every once in a while I’ll dip my toe into something with a sci-fi twist (and hope that it is actually convincing). Caught (2017) had all the makings of an excellent watch, but instead of being disappointed by unconvincing out-of-this-world CGI, I was treated to one-and-a-half hour’s worth of incredible acting, but with zero alien content! I repeat, ZERO ALIEN CONTENT!

From the start, you are encouraged to give this film your full attention, partly due to the fact that it is shot at one location, a quiet village setting, so the weight of the film is reliant on its dialogue, shared primarily between four main characters. This is by no means a negative, as I always think that limitations like these (often as a result of small budgets) encourage creativity and sometimes result in better films. Director Jamie Patterson delivers a tense and unsettling build-up to some gripping, zombie-esque human-on-alien confrontations, but fails to deliver the one scene we, as the audience, are all waiting for: A GLIMPSE OF SOME extraterrestrial ACTION! Reader, there wasn’t any…

Caught – 2017 Film
A couple invite a man and woman into their home who wants to ask them some questions and things start getting very weird.
Stars April Pearson, Cian Barry, Mickey Sumner, Ruben Crow, Aaron Davis, Regan Elizabeth Brown and Dave Mounfield. pic.twitter.com/CilAcjAmU0

— UK FILMS AND TV CENTRAL (@ukfilmsandtv) October 4, 2018

In the director’s defence, I can see why maybe the decision was taken not to ‘go there’ and instead allow the viewer to imagine for themselves what these other-worldly beings are or could be, but with that, comes the risk of disappointment, and I was disappointed, and I’m not even a big sci-fi fan! But disappointing can not be said of the actors April Pearson (Skins, TV series), Cian Barry and Mickey Sumner, who gave convincing and bold performances that will no doubt catch the eye of other directors. April, for example, could easily be cast in a lead role in a horror and/or zombie film; Cian has the makings of playing a cold, calculating killer; and Mickey is a versatile actress who packs emotion into every scene.

In short, the cast and directing did not let the film down, but the plot did. It just didn’t go far enough and therefore you come away from the film slightly frustrated… and so very underwhelmed. Rating: *** (3 out of 5 stars)

The Magnificent Seven – brothers in arms

I have a confession to make: before yesterday, I had never watched The Magnificent Seven (1960). Quite how this happened, I’ll never know…But it was worth the wait!

What a dream team Yul Brynner (‘Chris’) and Steve McQueen (‘Vin’) make and they had a great little bromance going on. If you’ve ever watched Westworld (1973), then you know sure as hell that Brynner is more than comfortable in the role of the cowboy. In The Magnificent Seven he shows acting prowess he would later go on to display in Westworld: strong and unnervingly calm, Brynner is alpha male without even trying. He doesn’t even have to open his mouth.

This is true of the scene in the bar with young hothead ‘Chico’ (Horst Buchholz) whose masculinity has been threatened by Brynner’s gunslinging knowledge and ability. Brynner stays silent and still throughout the whole scene as Chico screams and shouts and near enough stamps his feet in frustration. Your nerves are on edge as you wait for Brynner to respond to his goading with one hefty right hook, but the punch never comes.

Although there is a lack of the fast-paced action that we are used to today, this film takes care of its characters and encourages the audience to get to know them, so that if/when(!) one of the characters’ dies, you actually feel bothered by this – something which modern films can forget.

It was also a pleasure to see a young Robert Vaughn cast in this film. I know him more for his role as Albert Stroller in TV series Hustle. What a chap!

P.S. The title music in The Magnificent Seven is great!

Has anyone see the 2016 remake? If so, I’d love to hear what you thought of it. Is it worth a watch?

Further reading:

Reactionary: The Magnificent Seven (1960)

 

 

She who dares – Mary Queen of Scots

Two historical figures of great wonder come together in the visually striking Mary Queen of Scots (2019), directed by Josie Rourke. The casting of Saoirse Ronan (Mary Stuart) and Margot Robbie (Queen Elizabeth I) was spot on and the costumes and scenery were breathtaking.

I would deem this film a career-defining moment for both actresses who shone bright and held their own against a backdrop of deceit, misery and despair. Ronan (Hanna, 2011) was a perfect choice for the role of Mary. She has the maturity of an actress many years her senior and this shows in her ability to convey conflicting emotions throughout the film e.g. as she readjusts to life following the murder of her best friend and second husband, sets off into the unknown after being forcibly separated from her infant son, and in her darkest hour, she faces her executioner Queen Elizabeth I.

This was taken the day we shot @MaryQueenMovie's climactic scene. It was Margot Robbie's last day, and Saoirse Ronan's first day on the film. That day, they did some of the best work I've ever seen from two actors. We're in cinemas today. Go and marvel at them. pic.twitter.com/P6jW16g5M6

— Josie Rourke (@josierourke) January 18, 2019

Robbie’s (The Wolf of Wall Street, 2014) crowning moment for me was the scene where she comes face-to-face with Mary in what escalates into an emotionally charged discussion between two rulers who are both fearful for their futures. Robbie speaks every word with meaning and communicates to the audience a confliction with her thoughts and feelings for Mary that are all-consuming and slowly eating her up on the inside. In short, Robbie makes an excellent Elizabeth I and I’d love to see her in a historic role again in the future.

Even if you’re not the biggest fan of costume dramas, I would give this film a go as its construction is as big and bold as the characters it portrays and you can’t help feeling like you know these women a little more personally by the end. They are not merely ‘ghosts from the past’ but forces of nature with voices to be heard. Rating: **** (4 out of 5 stars)

Further reading:

Film Review – Mary Queen of Scots (2018)

Mary Queen of Scots

Film Review: Saoirse Ronan in ‘Mary Queen of Scots’

 

Can You Ever Forgive Me?

Although this wasn’t a biopic that I would rush to go and see, Can You Ever Forgive Me? (2019) is a pleasant mix of seriousness and comedy all shaken up with a twist of crime – not a bad cocktail and certainly not boring either.

Melissa McCarthy (Bridesmaids, 2011) was a good choice to play the role of writer Lee Israel and it was refreshing to see her in a more serious role and less so as the butt of jokes, because this woman can act! She is certainly not just a comedienne, but so much more.

The film allows you as the viewer to make your own mind up as to whether Lee Israel was a villain or not. Some may say she was a resourceful woman of great character, a survivor. Others may say she was merely a failed writer and a crook, and not to be trusted. I would say she’s somewhere in the middle. Misunderstood? Yes. Talented? Yes. Wise? No. Blameless? No.

If I’m honest, I’m not sure I would have picked this particular author’s life for a biographical film. I have no doubt that Lee Israel’s memoir Can You Ever Forgive Me? (2008) is a lot better read than it is broadcast onto the big screen. Her story, although harrowing at times, for me, just doesn’t have enough meat on the bones to make it a talked about memoir for years to come. Benjamin Lee from The Guardian sums it up nicely: ‘…at times it does work better as a concentrated character study, but it’s such a joy to spend this time with McCarthy, drunkenly scheming and grumbling, that it’s hard to complain.’

In short, Melissa McCarthy doesn’t let you down.

Further reading:

REVIEW: “Can You Ever Forgive Me?”

TIFF18: Can You Ever Forgive Me?

Guilty v Forgiveness – It Depends #filmreview #canyoueverforgiveme?

Turning the page on Chernobyl Diaries

I happened to watch Chernobyl Diaries (2012) in two parts, picking up from where I left off about six months later. Is it a good scare?  Yes. Is it well structured? Yes, mostly…

Why this film works as a horror is down to the geographical setting in the abandoned city of Pripyat, close to the site of the 1986 Chernobyl nuclear disaster. Your mind is already thinking up the worst about radiation and its impact on nature and the human body. That’s what drives the drama of this film and there are definitely more than a couple of jumpy moments along the way!

Director Bradley Parker makes excellent use of shadow and dark spaces to build suspense, along with the classic ‘stumbling around in the dark by torchlight’ scenario. It’s an interesting setting for a horror film and the theme of abandonment comes through loud and clear!

FYI – Chernobyl itself was back in the news this week: “Pripyat was…recently deemed safe to visit for short periods and has now become one of Ukraine’s most talked about tourist attractions. An estimated 60,000 people visited the exclusion zone last year, keen to witness the dramatic decay.” Source: BBC, Chernobyl: The end of a three-decade experiment.

Further reading:

Chernobyl Diaries

Horror Movie Month! #29: CHERNOBYL DIARIES (2012)

Why Jeepers Creepers will always be my #1

So I finally bought myself the Jeepers Creepers trilogy on DVD, a good 17 years since I owned the first Jeepers Creepers (2001) on VHS. I’m one happy lady, it is my number one horror; director Victor Salva knows how to scare.

What I love so much about these movies is the way in which Salva builds suspense; he allows the camera to linger and waits for the action to come to him (particularly in the road chase sequences). He doesn’t overdo the gore; he keeps it light and comical almost, and treats his audience to memorable and frightening sequences which, in my opinion, make you enjoy watching The Creeper (Jonathan Breck) and his weird ways.

Although Jeepers Creepers 3 (2017) isn’t the best of the three films, it’s still a decent watch, even if The Creeper has now adopted a very fetching red jumper! What I thought was clever was how Salva chose to focus more on The Creeper’s van and its contents; something which wasn’t really explored properly in the earlier films. But, although he did a good job of knitting the three films together in this latest offering, it was disappointing not to really find out any more about the Creeper and his origins. Could this be because a Jeepers Creepers 4 is in the offing?

I loved the characters Trish (Gina Philips) and Darry (Justin Long) from the first Jeepers Creepers, and if I had to vote for my favourite scenes, I have one from each film (seems fair!). They are as follows:

• The ending of Jeepers Creepers with the unnerving mix of Darry’s face, The Creeper’s eyes and the fantastic 1938 song of the same title

• The Creeper running through the wheat field in Jeepers Creepers 2. He is shot from the bus and runs towards the camera at a gradual angle which brings him closer and closer, all the while showing more and more of his black clothed body as he sprints through the field

• The car ambush in Jeepers Creepers 3, where The Creeper rubs little peep holes into the blood splattered car window so that he can get a better look at Addison (Gabrielle Haugh)

Now I need to watch some other Salva films – any suggestions? Let me know.

Further reading:

A review of “Jeepers Creepers 3” (2017)

Jeepers Creepers 3 – Pros and Cons

JEEPERS CREEPERS 3 (2017)

Gone Girl: she was never really there

Gone Girl (2014) has an interesting plot with sinister intentions but I’m not convinced it’s a great thriller. This is why I’m about to read the book by Gillian Flynn to see whether the film is the poor relation rather than the storyline itself.

There’s nothing wrong with the acting; Rosamund Pike (Amy Dunne) and Ben Affleck (Nick Dunne) played their parts well. I just felt the lengths to which Amy goes in her vendetta was a little far fetched and the timeline of events just didn’t add up to me, but again, this could be a failure of the film and not the writing.

Once in love, always in love? #GoneGirl pic.twitter.com/fbFYYTEGkj

— Gone Girl (@GoneGirlMovie) January 20, 2015

So what did I like? Well, for me the so-called ‘plot twists’ that everyone raves about wasn’t what grabbed me. It was more how I felt myself changing allegiance more than once between Amy and Nick, before it was revealed what was actually going on. I think the chilling aspect of this whole story is how a person can manipulate the media in order to get what they want. Clever. It’s all based on assumption and perception, leaving one of the characters in a terrifying position. This is what makes the ending all the more unsettling…what’s your next move? Are you going to get out of this one alive?

Gone Girl shines a light on toxic relationships; a melting pot of lost identities, forgotten dreams and resentment. It poses that disturbing question: do you really know your spouse/partner/lover at all? Chilling to the bone. I’d rate this film 3.5 out of 5. There’s enough in it to hold your interest, but for me it loses its way somewhere in the middle. But I’m hoping the book will change my mind!

 

Ex Machina: You like what you see?

Ex Machina (2015) certainly holds your interest. This was a film I had wanted to see for a while and finally sat down to watch it a few weeks ago. For me, it moves the AI narrative on a bit – away from the silliness of robots merely invading humans and more into the advances of an AI brain with the ability to bluff humans.

The plot isn’t too confusing either, but this is a film which you do have to concentrate on before any real action begins. However, I think director Alex Garland rewards the audience for their patience, by delivering a film which keeps you guessing as to just how intelligent ‘Ava’ (Alicia Vikander) actually is. Her humanoid qualities make her a marvel to look at, but her perceived vulnerability is what really drags you into her world – a tactic which ensnares an unsuspecting programmer Caleb (Domhnall Gleeson).

Congratulations to Alicia Vikander for her Supporting Actress nomination for Ex Machina! #GoldenGlobes pic.twitter.com/vGauLL3Pva

— Film4 Productions (@Film4Production) December 10, 2015

Nathan the AI creator, played by Oscar Isaac, is an unsavory sort of chap, but I feel his importance as a character becomes secondary to Ava, to the point that by the end, you wonder whether Ava’s ‘creator’ needed to be in the film at all.

A plot twist does come towards the end. But I did kind of see it coming to tell you the truth. A tad disappointing, but it didn’t ruin the film in any way.

I do think the film could have done with either a bit more action or the inclusion of new characters to keep you entertained. This judgement is by no means a comment on the acting, but a few times during the dialogue between Caleb and Nathan (and there is a lot), I felt my mind begin to wander…

The real question: How does Ava feel about you? #ExMachina pic.twitter.com/JIOunWamzE

— Ex Machina (@ExMachinaMovie) November 10, 2015

But Ava herself I loved. In reality, she held all the power, because what Nathan had constructed was a sort of futuristic femme fatale. Never underestimate a woman…robot or otherwise!

Further reading:

Movie Review: Ex Machina

47. Ex Machina

Ex Machina (2014)

A classic never goes out of fashion

My Fair Lady (1964) is one special film. A stellar cast and the most wonderful musical score. Quite simply, it is a masterpiece.

I first watched this film when I was about eight-years-old. Dad took me to see it in the Croydon Clocktower, now known as The David Lean Cinema. What struck me then are the same qualities I see in the film now; the vibrant colours of the flowers in the opening credits; the nimble Audrey Hepburn and her captivating performance as Eliza Doolittle; the handsome Jeremy Brett (Freddy Eynsford-Hill) singing on the street where she lives; the hilarious Rex Harrison (Professor Henry Higgins) and his marbles; and the loveable rogue that is her idle father.

Comedy flows throughout and although it is a long film (2h 50m), you are rewarded for your patience with wonderful choreography and memorable costumes. The one scene that sticks a lot in people’s minds is the Ascot Racecourse. A mix of witty conversation, good timing and one big surprise make this scene a  real winner. I love it.

My Fair Lady holds your attention right from the start. It remains a tremendous explosion of colour, comedy and melody that just keeps giving throughout the generations. Truly loverly! ***** (5 out of 5 stars)

I was thinking recently that this will probably be the next film in the running for a remake, but part of me hopes it is left alone as I really don’t think you can beat it.

My Fair Lady – I salute you!

Who’s your greatest female character in film?

This popped up on my Twitter newsfeed the other day: The 100 greatest female characters in movies, and it caught my attention because I covered the topic of strong, female fighters in film as part of my university dissertation.

So I’ve had a quick look through the list, and while I’ll admit that I haven’t seen a lot of these films, I did come across some that I definitely rate, but more for the great acting as opposed to the character itself.

I was especially happy to see The Bride high up on the list from Kill Bill – I featured this character in my dissertation. Great casting and a great role!

Here’s the ones I picked out from the list:

74.  Annie Porter, Speed (1994). Played by Sandra Bullock

63.  Annie Wilkes, Misery (1990). Played by Kathy Bates

60.  Mary Poppins, Mary Poppins (1964). Played by Julie Andrews.

Re-make due in 2018.

35.  Ursa, Superman 2 (1980). Played by Sarah Douglas.

Arguably the best of the franchise.

You can follow Sarah on Twitter @TheSarahDouglas

29.  Trinity, The Matrix (1999). Played by Carrie-Anne Moss

17.  Carrie White, Carrie (1976). Played by Sissy Spacek. Read my review

14.  Matilda, Leon (1994). Played by Natalie Portman

8.   The Bride, Kill Bill (2003). Played by Uma Thurman

6.   Dorothy Gale, The Wizard of Oz (1939). Played by Judy Garland.

Who else would I add to the list?

Definitely these kick-ass characters/actresses:

*Maud Watts, Suffragette (2015). Played by Carey Mulligan. Read my review

*Annie Dwyer, No Escape (2015). Played by Lake Bell. Read my review

*Katniss Everdeen, The Hunger Games: Catching Fire (2013).

Played by Jennifer Lawrence. Read my review

Further reading:

The best 100 films?