ENOUGH

You and I will never have to go through this again,

We watch it all crumble to the sea.

We count the colours in your head,

Which one is he?

And some illusions break

While some cling to the lie;

Some are purged by the ache,

Then something dies.

All this time you waste crawling back in;

The hardest thing to shatter,

Willingness to give.

You and I don't need this safety net,

We’ve got our feel flat on the ground.

We count the colours in your head,

You think one is me?

The harder you try to push

The more you see the smile;

Some are cleansed through the pain,

Then something dies.

All this time you waste crawling back in;

The hardest thing to shatter,

Willingness to give.

The greed gets cold, and the teeth start to bite;

The easiest thing to smother,

My only light

I settle into you in every wrong way;

Blinkered and poisoned, clinging to the day.

Watching from a distance, see you hiding in the grey;

Under lock and key, put the selfishness away.

All this time you waste crawling back in;

The hardest thing to shatter,

Willingness to give.

But you and I will never sift through this again,

We can wait to believe.

We can count the colours in your head,

Which one is she?

And some illusions break

While some cling to the cry;

Some are purged by the pain,

Then something survives.

TORI AMOS AT THE ROYAL ALBERT HALL - 3RD OCTOBER, 2012

I have lost track of the amount of times I've actually seen Tori Amos, but the experience has never been less than magical, and is more often better described as very intense and beautiful.  Tori's unfaltering track record for live performance deems a lengthy review almost unnecessary (fans who hadn't seen her before won't be let down, and fans who have know just how good she is).  I must say, though, tonight's show at the Royal Albert Hall was, at points, closer to a word I have not used to describe her shows before: Majestic.

First, a major disappointment, but not with her.  We arrived before 3.00 in the afternoon and excitedly got in line for the Meet and Greet; I was most happy that I was to get my first and only copy of Little Earthquakes signed on the year of its 20th anniversary!  Having been confirmed to definitley be seeing her and a cut-off point being decided upon, we were most disappointed and frustrated when another guy came out and drew a clearly arbitrary line on the floor in front of us (not literally, of course) and advised us that beyond this point, people would not see her due to her soundcheck.  This might have been acceptable if it had been worked out with any sort of policed system, or had left more than a pitiful ten people disappointed.  Very bitter.

  
Gold Dust, an album of her material re-worked with orchestra arrangements works on more than that one level; not only is it interesting to hear these pieces, some of which are classics, bolstered by classical instrumentation, but much like Joni Mitchell's Travelogue, it also gives her, and her audience, an opportunity to reflect on the themes of the songs, the meanings, and to hear them differently years and years later; a chance to consider how they have changed, for both us, and her.  Tonight, we hear the whole record presented in full.  We kick off, however, with a B-side track not actually on the album, Flying Dutchman, and within the first two lines she has "fucked it up again", as she so eloquantly announces.  To some, this may seem to be a bad sign, but to the hardcore Tori fan this is par for the course, and as always, is followed by some joking on Tori's part, some healthy laughter, and then the song has begun again.  That is the only (notable) error for the night; from there on it is smooth sailing.

Yes, on a personal level, there are a few down moments; Snow Cherries From France, Jackie's Strength, and Girl Disappearing, whilst perfectly performed, lack a certain something.  Or perhaps this is just a reflection of my own taste; I have never been that in love with these songs.  A quick look at the set (below), however, illustrates just how much that leaves to be described as gorgeous.  In the past we have seen her give very intense, raw performances; performances that seem to reach in and tear you to pieces.  Tonight is not, for the most part, one of those nights; the orchestra bring something to the songs that makes them less imposing somehow.  The arrangements are written by John Philip Shenale, who actually worked on Yes, Anastasia the first time round, and the grandiosity, whilst removing that raw edge, and removing Tori's ability to improvise and play around with things in the way she often does, also transforms the songs.  Some may not be so keen on the accompaniment, but to me it is like seeing your partner with a different hairstyle, make-up and a dress you have never seen her in before; she is not less attractive, just notably different.  Even the aformentioned Yes, Anastasia, with its already familiar arrangement, has been edited, shifted about, and has had its urgency turned up.  "We'll see how brave you are, we'll see how fast you've been running" remains as powerful a refrain and mission statement as it ever was.

Cloud On My Tongue, with its building vortex of strings, sucks you in to the song anew, and along with Baker Baker, Marianne, Silent All These Years, Winter, Flavor, and the mighty Gold Dust, is delivered with tender beauty and that majesty I mentioned.  In all cases the story driving the song is recalled, replayed in our head, and even re-assessed up to twenty years on!

Tori doesn't say much, except to address her daughter, who is here tonight with school friends, all dressed in red school uniform.  The sweet moment is followed by the sweeter Ribbons Undone, the one song performed solo tonight, and, to those of us who understand, the sentiment of the piece has never been more moving.

We see the evening out with an unusual, yet surprisingly powerful Our New Year.  Tori has been quiet, but is clearly on top of the world right now.  Tonight has not been the most intense performance I have seen from her, but it has been a tremendous set list, and she remains bold, proving herself once again to be an artist not happy with being static, treading water.  She will continue to push herself, with the promise of her musical in London next year, and an album already in the works for 2014.  Yes, despite dropping off the general public's radar about fifteen years ago, we see tonight a woman who is her generation's Joni Mitchell, a woman who doesn't need Cornflake Girl or a dancefloor filling remix of Professional Widow, who lives for what she does, and while she is doing it, I for one will be listening.

Gold Dust is out now.

Royal Albert Hall, 3rd October, 2012 

FLYING DUTCHMAN
CLOUD ON MY TONGUE
BAKER BAKER
MARIANNE
SNOW CHERRIES FROM FRANCE
RIBBONS UNDONE
HEY, JUPITER
JACKIE'S STRENGTH
WINTER
YES, ANASTASIA
FLAVOR
GIRL DISAPPEARING
SILENT ALL THESE YEARS
LEATHER
EDGE OF THE MOON
GOLD DUST
PRECIOUS THINGS
STAR OF WONDER
PROGRAMMABLE SODA
OUR NEW YEAR

SKUNK ANANSIE - BLACK TRAFFIC

Skunk Anansie fans were over the moon to see it confirmed that the band had re-grouped a few years back, and I was certainly one of them.  Having never got into them much earlier I felt like a late arrival, understanding the hype only once the horse had bolted, so the news was....well, music to my ears, I suppose.  Speaking for myself, the album that marked their return, Wonderlustre, didn't really mark the return of the band as far as I was concerned; it is not that the album is at all bad, I'd happily say it is perfectly average, with some good, some weak, but ultimaely nothing that inspiring.  The truth of the matter is, I believe, that whilst the band might never admit it, they were still shaking off the rust when they wrote and recorded that material, and I have to say it shows.  Now we have Black Traffic, and here is how it works.

Opening with I Will Break You, we get the high energy Skunk coming out all guns blazing; it is heavy, has a thunderous bass, and will undoubtedly get the crowd moving when played live.  Similarly, later on the album we get Sticky Fingers In Your Honey, this record's Selling Jesus, with its injection of high octane energy and sense of fun, driven by a rare but much enjoyed double kick.  Together they make up this album's nod to the Skunk Anansie of Then.  To some degree this is a sadness; the rest of the album reflects a Skunk Anansie of Now, and whilst that is to be expected, it stands as a criticism of the album that there isn't quite enough of that fire-in-the-belly style that comes to mind when I mention Stoosh or Charlie Big Potato. 

This is not to say there are not plenty of wonderul hard rocking moments, but as with the very addictive I Believed In You, a riff-tastic burst of anger from a band who know exactly what they are cross about, there is a standard vibe to a lot of it, a safeness to them.  Spit You Out is the first song to really boast the soaring chorus we know Skunk for, and the trick is repeated quite a lot throughout the record, most notably with the song that should have been the closer, This Is Not A Game.  Following a couple of lacklustre tracks, this song sets you up for another taste of disappointment, only to then surprises you with a glorious, anthemic chorus that could have been written by Queen, and reminds us that Skin remains one of the greatest female vocalists we have produced in the last couple of decades.

The hard elements aside, we have an album highlight in I Hope You Get To Meet Your Hero, which is very much this album's Brazen.  Accompanied by a gorgeous string arrangement, Skin delivers heartbreaking lyrics with passion and Ace sounds terrific on bass.  Satisfied gives us another killer chorus and great lead guitar, and is a song that underlines Skin's ability to remain concise about the issues she is addressing, without becoming preachy.  Indeed, this album is generally a less personal record, and apparently more of a subtle knife to the political world, though a lot of it can still be understood as personal as well, which is a constant through the album and is to be admired.

Black Traffic has its weaknesses, even if you're not comparing it to old material; Sad Sad Sad and Drowning come across fairly standard, and Our Summer Kills The Sun is not the only moment that feels like a leftover from previous records and lacking inspiration.  In terms of production, some of this albums feels a little over-processed, lacking the in the room vibe that makes older material feel so vital, and whilst Skin's delivery is technically superb, there are points at which we miss the rawness of a more angry performance.  There are also points at which, through no fault of her own obviously, there appears to be a thin-ness to her voice that doesn't sit as well as it should with the rest of the band.  Granted, these moments are rare, but nevertheless, there they are.

Black Traffic is a solid rock album that tramples all over its predecessor in many ways, not least due to the confidence of a band who had been away for too long, and have now found their footing again.  Further away from perfect than it should be, and certainly not a touch on previous efforts, but a marked return to some sort of form, even if it is a new, more mature, but often less urgent and inspired form.  I remember saying something similar about Pearl Jam when they came out with their self-titled album, which I like very much.  I'm basically saying that all flaws aside, and whilst it is no album of the year or anything, this is still well worth your time!

 RATING: 3.5/5

A Sponsored 48-Hour Fast! Help us

It has been a while, but for the first time in ages I'm using my blog, not to talk about film, but to ask for people's help.  The Raising Hope Foundation are an official, registered, charitable organisation, who have been working very hard to provide orphans of Ghana with many of the things we so easily take for granted.  You can learn about them by checking out the following link, and please do:

http://www.raisinghopefoundation.co.uk/

My sister Jody and I are taking part in a 48-hour fast with a view to raising a good amount of money in aid of their efforts, specifically those to provide an orphanage in the village of Santrokofi.  This is where our fast comes in; sure it's a drop in the ocean compared to what these children have to deal with on a daily basis, but we think if we can drum up support to be able to give a little something towards it, it will be a good thing.  Please take a look at our charity site, linked below, have a good read about it.  Do note that any donation you choose to make is not listed with your name, so you do not have to feel sheepish about giving little; every little helps.  In any case, we encourage you to share this in whatever way you wish, whether it be on Facebook, Twitter, on your blog, whatever spreads the word.  Most people won't know us, but the kindness of strangers is a great thing.  Please give what you are able to.

http://www.charitygiving.co.uk/teamelford

Please feel free to comment, or contact me on eonbluedan@hotmail.com.  You can also see the Facebook Event and perhaps even join in yourself here:

https://www.facebook.com/events/155234567948911/

Much thanks.

Daniel of Team Elford.

THE DARK KNIGHT RISES - Spoiler Free!

Let's start by saying Christopher Nolan must be cool under pressure. With Batman Begins he re-booted a comic book legend with the brave origin story many fans had been waiting for; a dark, brooding piece of work that takes its time to tell the story of Bruce Wayne's journey from scared child, to lost soul, to conflicted hero of Gotham City.  Received well by over-joyed fans, it was a unique new take on Batman, happily crushing the memory of Joel Schumaker's effort with "that movie that shall not be named", and a marked success for the man who already had a reputation as the exciting talent behind Memento.  Before moving on to the sequel Nolan brought Christian Bale and Michael Caine (the perfect Alfred) along for the ride with the Hitchcockian The Prestige, in which his ability to manipulate an audience in the best way shone through.  It is a movie about magicians trying to out-do one another, which itself plays out as a magic trick for the audience, in just the way one is described in the movie.  The budget was upped, and so too were the stakes and the brains, as he brought us The Dark Knight, with which he showed us just how smart he thought his audience might be; his was no simple superhero story, it had become a grand allegory, a crime thriller akin to Michael Mann's Heat, with twists, turns, dark themes and tough politics, with which other directors simply wouldn't have bothered.  Nolan appeared to have a Godfather situation on his hands, as he left The Dark Knight on a cliffhanger ending, an ending he says he was happy with; he claims to have had no intention of completing a trilogy unless they found the story to tell.  Well, after a little 2010 success called Inception (you may have heard of it?) they found said story...and boy, what a story they found!  If Nolan felt the weight of expectation on his shoulders, of either the Batman fans waiting for the conclusion that wouldn't drop the ball, or the cinema fans who haven't seen him put a foot wrong yet, the result doesn't suggest even a hint of it.  The Dark Knight Rises shows itself to be the biggest film he has ever made, grand in scale, Dickensian in delivery, and again not without its political teeth, as it unashamedly reveals itself to be, effectively, a war film, and a very good one at that....

Eight years since the Batman was outlawed as a thuggish criminal who killed police officers and the promising District Attorney Harvey Dent, Gotham has become safe, officials stopping organised crime pretty much entirely, locking away the perpetrators with no chance of appeal on the strength of the new Dent Act, founded, of course, on the lie that Dent died a hero.  Commissioner Gordon is living with his guilt, Bruce Wayne is holed away in his mansion, hobbling around on a stick, and the Batman is gone, but the crime figures are great and the public are happy.  Things cannot stay this way forever, of course; a mercenary is coming to rock the boat, he is a beast of a man, he is militant in his thinking, unwavering in his conviction, and brutal in his approach.  His plan is fairly simple in terms of the end game, and let's say it is not looking good for Gotham's citizens.  As Jim Gordon says, the Batman has to come back.

All the principle cast return, and they all bring their A Game.  Whilst they are more periphery characters here, Morgan Freeman and Michael Caine deliver with both barrels, particularly Caine, whose Alfred faces a devastating and life-changing choice in this final part.  Somebody really needs to give Gary Oldman his Oscar now; his turn as Jim Gordon here is incredible, completing his character arc beautifully.

Christian Bale, for whatever issues people may have had with him as Bruce or Batman in the past, really goes somewhere in The Dark Knight Rises that he hasn't had to before.  If the growl of Batman has been beyond your understanding until now, perhaps this film will explain it for you, and if it doesn't it's not a problem, Batman gets something like fifty minutes screen time in total.  Yes, a Batman movie that is not that far off the three-hour mark is brave enough to keep Batman's appearance to the minimum until the final act.  If you think this is skimping a bit, I argue it is by design and there is good reason:  Eight years have passed without Batman, and all effort is made to ensure the audience have a taste of what that is like.  Bale's performance as the man who struggles with the possibility of having to be the hero again is superb, his interactions with Alfred never more moving, as he is told that putting on a suit won't make him what he was, that he is not Batman anymore, and is destined for failure.  This is a Bruce Wayne story, and it is as Wayne that we really see why Bale is known for his dedication to a role; this is a truly vulnerable human being we see.  For all the time without Batman, you do not feel the absence of Batman; the storytelling is just too engaging.  Of course, when Batman does arrive for the first time it is an epic entrance, cheekily prefaced by an obviously excited cop fans will recognise.  It is one of many spine-tingling moments that makes you want to cheer.

How are the newcomers?  Marion Coltilard is fine as new Wayne Board member Miranda Tate; I can't say I'm a huge fan of her in general, but she gets the job done.  Anne Hathaway destroys all pre-conception within her first couple of scenes as Selina Kyle and owns the role, playing the moral ambiguity perfectly.  Joseph Gordon Levitt plays an idealist cop named Blake, a reminder to Gordon of how he once was.  He is a little known character from the comic's lore, but is put to great use; to say he presents his arc well is an understatement...and what an arc it is!  He is also the star of a couple of my favourite scenes, and he delivers beautifully.

Now we come to Tom Hardy.  If you have seen Bronson, Warrior, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, or indeed Nolan's own Inception, you already know he has a formidable versatility.  Though he is masked for the entire movie, he does not allow the mask to be the character, there is a real performance here.  There is discussion about the voice of Bane, some like it and some appear not to, but they were never going to please everybody.  I had no real pre-conception, and I don't know if that helps, but I find the way the voice is done, with the post-production boom, makes him overwhelmingly intimidating and intense, it carries the idea nicely that he is smart, scary, and a force with which Batman may genuinely be unable to reckon.  Having now seen it twice in two different auditoriums, I can confidently say there is NO ISSUE with regard to understanding everything he says.  The first time it may be fair to say you don't catch everything perfectly, just through not being ready, and when you can't see somebody speak, especially when their speech is muffled, it obviously tests your ears, but you still get the idea.  The second time, however, I got every single word.  It is a case of tuning your ear and being willing to listen rather than expect it to be spoon-fed.  This franchise has always been about keeping things grounded, and it applies here; the man is wearing a mask, and you would have to listen to him carefully in reality, so why not in the cinema?  People may write that off as an excuse and a way of me kissing Nolan's arse, but in fact I don't think this movie is without flaws, Bane's voice just isn't one of them.  There is a great deal of licence taken with the character of Bane, but with that licence they create a genuinely interesting story; they go somewhere with him I wasn't expecting, bravely humanizing the villain.  There is some debate about Heath Ledger's Joker being more memorable, but this has nothing to do with performance, and all to do with character; both are terrific performances, both characters have their devoted fans, and your preference for one over the other is merely going to depend on your personal taste.  For my money Hardy's Bane is the more interesting character, because he has a history, a heart, not to mention some beautifully written moments in which his intention terrifies, and some in which you realise how realistic and frighteningly understandable the public's reaction to his false "Power to the People" rhetoric is, where Joker was an Agent of Chaos, and that is really all you got to know.  Before people have a go, I love Ledger's Joker; as I say, it is down to the nature of the characters, not the performance from the actors.

Nolan has become a trawler's fishing net for cast and crew, with a healthy proportion of the people working on the final instalment of the Batman trilogy having worked with him on at least one of his previous movies.  Most notable is Wally Pfister, Director of Photography for everything he has done.  The movie looks stunning, and it is both a shame, and exciting, to know that he is heading off to make his own movies.  I wish him well and, with the slightest touch of fear, look forward to what Nolan will do next....without him.

Hans Zimmer once again brings his genius to proceedings, though here there is a sense of repetition of old ideas in the soundtrack.  That being said, perhaps it makes sense, with the film nicely coming back to the beginning of the story, and touching upon ideas and story points from both previous films.  Although the music may not be as obviously fresh and exciting as before, the new elements are nicely done, especially those of Bane's, which are thunderously powerful.

I have told as much detail as I am willing to, anything further would spoil.  Safe to say it is dark, bleak, even depressing to a point; it is shocking to see just how intent Nolan is on upping the stakes to just about as high as they can get.  He is relentless in putting you through a harrowing, chilling experience, and it is incredible how often you find yourself realising his Batman is a trilogy of its time in the real world.  His insistence on working in-camera as much as possible, without the aid of CGI, really grounds the action too; you truly feel the weight and intensity of it, because it is being caught for real, with real people and real stunts.  It is complex, in-depth storytelling, requiring your attention to detail, and as with all of Nolan's work, repeat viewing actually reveals more treats, rare for what we think of as a superhero film.  For that reason, if you are not a fan of the heaviness of The Dark Knight, avoid this.  It is long, but from the incredible opening scene, to the perfect final sequence and shot (which was apparently set in stone from very early on and never altered), it pulls the pieces together gradually, upping the pace as it moves along, and builds toward a final forty-five minutes which is undoubtedly due to be some of the most exciting cinema we will see this year.  Nolan is able to keep winding up the tension with a "Just when you thought it couldn't get any worse" approach through the whole of the second half; it isn't often we get to use the expression "on the edge of your seat" literally, is it?

I do have my quibbles, issues with moments I think were a tad misjudged, most notably a few "Hollywood moments" that feel forced, and surprisingly un-Nolan, which makes me wonder how much choice he had when it came to the crunch on these things.  They are superfluous to proceedings; the characters' arcs would have been perfectly fine without said moments.  These, along with a few trim backs that could have been made, keep it from being perfection, but I can forgive him the little indulgences when I consider just what an achievement the movie is, both on its own, and as the exclamation point to close the best vision of Batman ever created, and one of the greatest trilogies of all time!  Nolan and his work have been snubbed before, but I must say, if this does not receive the Oscar nod for Best Picture, Best Director and Best Cinematography, at least, the Academy's punishment will need to be more severe ;)

So, Chris, what next?  I vote an Adam Sandler rom-com!

4.5/5

THIS WEEK: Four Days Inside Guantanamo / The Ides Of March

0 - Avoid at all costs
1 - Bad
2 - Has redeeming features
3 - Good.  Rent it when you can
4 - Cinema trip/Definitely see it as soon as possible
5 - You must have this movie! 

FOUR DAYS INSIDE GUANTANAMO

Put together by Luc Cote and Patricio Henriquez, this is a film that is almost exempt from a rating for me as, whilst it is of interest, it is barely what one might call a film.

"The interrogation recordings of the underaged Canadian Guantanamo Bay prisoner, Omar Khadr, by Canadian intelligence personnel are presented with observations by his legal representatives and former cell mates." - IMDB.

Whilst it is not a movie you would want to rent for entertainment purposes, and certainly one you would want to follow up with something a little more....cinematic, it is an important film to see, even if not quite the education I had hoped for.  2.5 / 5

THE IDES OF MARCH

George Clooney reveals the cynical, political animal within, and shows once again that he is not a bad hand behind the camera.  As good as in front of it?  Tough call, but this film goes some way to suggesting yes.

Running alongside the almost mute performance in Drive last year, this movie give Ryan Gosling the opportunity to go to the other extreme and deliver more than one line at a time.  He is Stephen Meyers, an idealist campaigner for Democrat Governor Mike Morris (played here by Clooney in a surprisingly underwritten role).  Meyers finds himself caught up in a scandal that threatens not only his career, but perhaps more importantly, his own sense of morality.

The major strength of the movie lie in the casting.  With an entire cast who overshadow Clooney, including Paul Giamatti, Evan Rachel Wood, and the ever-watchable Phillip Seymour Hoffman, it could have been in a less capable director's hands and still come out doing okay.  As well as this, despite the title giving some idea as to what the implications of the story will be, the twists and turns of the tale are rather nicely handled, as well as the point of scandal itself, which I must confess took me by pleasant surprise.  It is not all roses, however; Marissa Tomei is pretty much wasted, there is little to write home about in terms of cinematography and score, and it could be said that it is, at times, more convoluted than it need be.

For what it is though, this is well worth a rent!  If you're not into American politics it may lose some interest points for you, but once you have your head around what is going on (the film does well in making this clear if you're willing to go with it), it makes for a good evening's entertainment, and perhaps also a little food for thought.  3.5 / 5

Catch if it if you like:  A Few Good Men, All The King's Men, Good Night and Good Luck.

THIS WEEK: The Cabin In The Woods / 50/50 / Taxidermia / The Way

THE CABIN IN THE WOODS

Delayed by some financial issues and a distribution takeover, Joss Whedon and Drew Goddard finally have their creation unleashed.  If you've seen the trailer you probably believe you have seen too much; by now you know this film has more to it than the trailer would suggest, and you might even believe you have filled in the blanks and know what to expect?  I can guarantee you are almost definitely wrong!  From the opening sequence, in fact, you know you are on the back foot, and even if you think you have some basic idea of what's going on with this film by now, I still promise that where they go with it will have you gawping!  What you think it could be?  It's not that...

Five American college kids head out for a long weekend at a cabin Kyle's (Chris Hemsworth) cousin owns.  When they arrive bad shit happens and they all die!  That is what you need to know.

It is a rare movie we can walk in to totally unprepared for what is going to happen, it is more rare for a marketing campaign to successfully shroud the film in mystery until you see it for yourself, and it is even more rare again for both of those things to be genuinely important to your enjoyment of a film.  You will remember how Wes Craven's Scream subverted the genre and became a geek favourite?  The Cabin In The Woods is that film for today's horror generation.  The difference is that Scream made us simply laugh at the tropes; The Cabin In The Woods sets out to not only subvert the current slasher/torture-porn genre, but to make us question our view of today's popular horror, and consider its unsettling implications.

How do they do this?  Well, that would be telling, but they have let their imaginations run riot and created an actual narrative idea that makes the tropes not just something to point and laugh at, but integral to the point of the movie.

This is not a masterpiece, and whilst I agree it has drawn a line in the sand that people involved in American horror won't be able to walk around easily (it will be impossible to watch another Cabin Fever or Hostel without thinking about this movie), I also realise that, on reflection, there are issues I have with the film, questions unanswered, blanks I think we are supposed to fill in ourselves that a longer first act might have helped make less of an issue.  More time with the chracters up front, getting to know them better, would actually have aided the film in more ways than one.  Due to a lack of knowledge about the film, audience expectation may also prove a bit of a downfall; the engine of the movie is one that will disappoint some as much as it enthralls the many, and it does sort of depends on your taste.  Of course I would like to talk in more detail about my qualms with the movie, but that in itself would spoil the whole point of it! Grrr!

Those issues aside, however, let it be said that this is a very brave, extremely subversive, smart, amusing meta movie.  It is not scary, but it is not a horror film, it is a film about horror, so it does not matter.  A special mention for Fran Kranz as Marty, who is pretty much a scene-stealer, Richard Jenkins and Bradley Whitford as a couple of terrific lab guys, and a final act that puts on show an incredible imagination, whose grandiosity almost overloads their budget, but not so badly as to take away from the "WOW" factor of the idea.  It is definitely the most ridiculously over-the-top, insane thing I have seen for rather a long time!     4/5

Catch it: If you are a cinephile who wants to see something smart and surprising

50/50

Joanathan Levine directs a surpisingly sensitive comedy drama about a young man who has cancer.  I generally am not a fan of Seth Rogan, but here he plays Kyle, best friend to Joseph Gordon-Levitt's cancer sufferer Adam, and despite his vulgarity, we see quite clearly that Adam could not have a more loyal friend.  Anjelica Huston is terrific as the mother and Anna Kendrick, despite being most famous at the moment for her role in a certain vampire series we won't mention, is actually very, very good as Adam's counsellor.  The balance of humour and drama is almost perfect, and is helped along majorly by JGL, a little powerhouse of an actor whose real might has yet to be fully recognised, but I think it will in time. 

The smart thing about the writing is that it never loses sight of the fact that the illness is obviously a horrible thing; it doesn't try to find humour in the illness, but rather around it, observing rather well how people react to the dying person.  The result is a comedy that is extremely humourous and honestly moving.  I did feel it could have delved deeper into the relationships in certain areas, and some of the peripheral characters simply did not come across as believable, given the situation, but generally I really enjoyed it.

This isn't one for your shelves, but is a definite one to rent as soon as you can!  3.5 / 5

Catch it if you like:  Good offbeat comedy

TAXIDERMIA

Do you want to see a "Scato-absurdist-expressionist outrage comedy" (Michael Atkinson, IMDB) that seems to be about Hungarian history and communism, could just as easily be about gluttony, involves fire penises, soldiers fucking holes in the wall, bodily excretions of every kind, eating competitions, self-surgery, makes little to no real sense at all, and is utterly disgusting?  Then this is the film for you, directed by Gyorgi Palfi, go root it out.  Some of it looks quite good.  1/5

THE WAY

Emilio Estevez directs his own father in one of the more surprising films of 2011.  Tom, a small-town ophthamologist who lives a quiet, content life, learns of his son Daniel's death overseas.  Upon arrival in Spain to bring his son's remains home, he instead decides to walk the Camino de Santiago de Compastella, the pilgrims' walk his son never completed; an attempt, we feel, to reconcile with him in his own way.

The movie is primarily about Tom's personal journey, but on his way he meets three other people, each from a different part of the world, and we discover what the walk means to each of them.  A simple idea, but as the movie has it, the pilgrimage is a very personal journey, and Esteves really does capture the complexities of each individual raher well, slowly and realitically unwrapping the layers of the characters, ultimately capturing the sense of cameraderie that grows between them, and distilling it wonderfully in a hotel scene we can all relate to.  It is superbly paced, beautifully shot and played well by all involved: Martin Sheen simply makes it real, Deborah Kara Unger looks perfectly ravaged by life and plays it spot-on, James Nesbitt is cast almost too well as travel author Jack, and most surprising is Yorick van Wageningen as Joost the "fat dutchman", a role in which he is immediately likable, and about as far away from his more recent part in Fincher's The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo as you could imagine; I must confess I didn't recognise him!

My criticisms are few, but they do hinder the film: The second act has a feeling of being misjudged at times, and the need for Daniel to appear at various points throughout the movie, in the end even having a conversation with Tom, feels really unnecessary.  Thankfully the movie does end up paying off, but those things do hold it back from my full four stars, sadly.  

It is an eye-opening film, and one which, much like The Way itself, you find you get something from regardless of your religious affiliation.  Nothing too fancy, but a beautifully shot movie, with a subject which is generally well handled.  Not without flaws, this is one to see nevertheless.  3.5 / 5

Catch it if you like:  The Straight Story, The Kids Are Alright

THIS WEEK: A Better Life / Drive / Vanilla Sky

A BETTER LIFE

From Chris Weitz, who is certainly what we might call a "hit and miss" film maker, comes a movie that sits nicely in the "hit" category.  Demian Bichir plays Carlos Galindo, a father working endlessly to ensure his son can enjoy a future, whilst avoiding immigration officials himself.  That is pretty much it; you couldn't have a more simple setup.

Directed with a similar eye we saw with About A Boy, this film is a charming and actually rather moving portrait of a father and son finding reconcilliation.  The characters are nicely fleshed out, their trials and tribulations staying very believable; no huge flashback or over-long exposition is ever needed to gather what you need to about why the father and his son are where they are, or why they behave how they do.  The performances from both guys aid this, with Bichir earning this year's Oscar nomination nicely!  Jose Julian does extremely well as the son Luis; despite his early apparent ignorance and his desire to be off the rails, he is never unlikable.  It is the underlying sense of there being somebody worth caring about that makes this whole thing work.

Beyond all of that, it is a nice, straightfrorward tale which tackles the Latino migrant struggle without being bias or mean-spirited, and actually does not lose faith in you as an audience to go with it to its final, natural conclusion.  It is nothing fancy, just a well-played film which, after settling into a groove after the slightly awkward opening twenty minutes or so, really works.  It is no blockbuster, and it is not quite what you might call feel-good, but it is well worth a watch.  3/5

Catch it if you like:  About A Boy, Kite Runner, Oranges And Sunshine

DRIVE

One of the best looking films of last year (how it wasn't up for a Cinematography award is beyond me), dripping with sexy style and boasting an astounding soundtrack that becomes a character all of its own, this film also features superb central performances from Ryan Gosling and Carey Mulligan.

Quiet and intense, Drive uses a look and gesture in place of lines of dialogue, holding of hands instead of an erotic sex scene, yet just as intimate, and wrings every ounce of tension from some surprising places.  It is an existentialist genre piece; a romantic, urban hero fairytale laced with flashes of explosive, tough violence.  Many have mentioned that it is over the top with its violence, but I can honestly say I believe that reaction is partly due to the fact the violence seems to come from nowhere; the reaility is the violence itself is nothing that graphic.  The violent moments play an important role in the chracter arc, they are short, sharp and shocking; they are quick to pass and we do not linger on them.  As a whole I do not think of this film as a particularly violent one.  Perhaps it is just me.

Drive has a silky, sexy slickness, an almost dream-like quality that brings Lynch's Mulholland Drive to mind, but with that is a focused, Scorsese-like directness to its narrative.  It will have, and indeed does have, its detractors for various reasons that I can see, but most of those reasons are ones for which I personally enjoyed the film all the more.  It is a movie that surprises you, a movie that draws you in; it is a strangely addictive, infectious, and I dare say even romantic movie, and it had to be in my Top 10 of last year!  4.5 / 5 

Catch it if you like:  Fear X, Mulholland Drive, Taxi Driver


VANILLA SKY

A true divider of a movie, one which people seem to really respond to, either positively or negatively.  I guess that says a lot for Cameron Crowe's precision as a director in this case, if nothing else.  Inspired by the Spanish Open Your Eyes, arguably the better film, also startting Penelope Cruz, Crowe set about creating a film that, as he put it, would "meet you wherever you wanted it to", a film that would "find its greatest audience half asleep" as the film washed over them.  And so he has. 

David Aames has it all, he has inherited his father's company, can have any woman he chooses, and yet he finds himself in a nightmare after a car accident in which his "fuck buddy" dies leaves him physically scarred, suffering chronic headaches, and being charged with the murder of the one woman with whom he may have wanted a real relationship, a murder he cannot remember committing.  McCabe, David's court-appointed psychiatrist, has the job of unlocking David's mind and finding the solution to the puzzle.  To say more is to spoil the film, but the journey it takes you on is quite spectacular.  Tom Cruise, for all his apparent flaws in reality, is really rather good here, and he has a terrific supporting cast with him.  Most notable among these is Kurt Russell, playing McCabe, and Jason Lee as his best friend.

I had not watched this for some time before this week's viewing, and it has lost little of its initial shine for me.  Made by somebody who clearly has a strong affection for art, every frame is thought about, every piece of music is important.  Although its setup sounds like a standard psychological thiller akin perhaps to Jacob's Ladder, Vanilla Sky is really more of a moving exploration of humanity, of the people who touch our lives, and all the things that make us who we are.  And it is literaly all the things; with over 400 pop culture references, it is like an Andy Warhol installation.  Crowe's desire to make the film in this way becomes more interesting to reflect on after having watched it.  Vanilla Sky can make your heart soar with its conclusion; you can get more and more from it...if you choose to get on board with it in the first place.  Although I will confess it is not quite the masterpiece I remember watching at the theatre in the 90's, it still remains a very affecting piece of work for anybody who believes in the power of the art of cinema!  If you do not admire anything else, nobody can rightly argue that the opening scene is not brilliant!  4/5

Catch it if you like:  Director Cameron Crowe, Amelie, Magnolia

Speed-Dating Questions!

TEN SPEED-DATING QUESTIONS THAT GUARANTEE YOU BAG YOURSELF A DECENT FEMALE

1 – Do you like Twilight?

You must kick off with an important question that grabs her attention, and here it is!  There are really only three acceptable responses to this:  She likes the books but hates the films, she only read them, or best of all she gives you a blank look, indicating she has no idea what you are referring to.  If you get any other response, tell her to shush and move on.

2 – Did you enjoy Pirates of the Caribbean?

Again there are only certain responses that allow you to move forward with the conversation:  She only likes the first one for entertainment value and doesn’t understand why there were any sequels, she only saw the first one, or she “can’t stand them,” preferably spat through gritted teeth!  This is the best response, as it shows an intensely passionate disdain for the series over which you can bond.  If you get a response indicating any sort of admiration for the series, you may as well get up and walk away; she has only wasted hours of her life on this rubbish for one reason, we all know what it is, and any opinion she would offer from here on is rendered pointless waffle.  A thorough enjoyment of this series is pretty conclusive evidence that she has a vacuum where a functioning brain should be.  Abort!  On the assumption she gets this second question right, however, your potential partner is showing promise! 

3 – Do you have children?

You’re hoping for a big no here.  They get in the way, and they are a constant reminder there was someone else...it’s no good for your ego.  While you’re trying to have your way with her, you don’t need her being distracted or having “more important people in her life”.

4 – Have you had a lot of sexual partners?

Once again honesty is best here, and we are really looking for a woman who is quite inexperienced, as close to a virgin as possible really.  You want to know that, regardless of your experience, hers pales by comparison; you certainly don't need someone who's put it about a bit.  You are going to be the man in the relationship, you are going to take charge, and the last thing we really want is someone who knows what she is doing.  What’s more, a woman with a lot of sexual partners.....let’s be honest, you probably can’t trust her not to sleep with your friends.

5 - Are you highly energised, do you keep fit, and are you quite flexible?

Obviously you need someone who will provide you with some fun times in the bedroom department, and this is a good way of ascertaining whether she will in a subtle way.

6 – Do you read?

At this stage it is fair to say you might have a woman with a reasonable taste in cinema, a past that does not deflate your ego,  and who is probably quite good in bed.  So now we move on to her attention span,  and ability to comprehend and be wrapped up in words.  If she says yes, push her for a favourite book, or something she has read recently.  Magazines obviously do not count!  You may consider testing your lady with a couple of long words; make them a few syllables, really push her!  If she does not read, you should politely advise her to move on.

7 – Are you well-educated?

Okay so you have someone not adverse to a book, but this is an important distinction:  She may read, but you do not need someone who thinks herself clever!  As we said before, you are the man and you will be taking charge; if anyone is going to turn to the other for the important decisions, it will be her turning to you, not the other way around.  If she studied politics, humanities, or any important-sounding subjects, it is best to leave it here; you don’t need her belittling you in front of your mates, or being outspoken and wiping out any chances you have for positive social networking.  If she studied something academic like English or maths to a high level, though she could come in handy in certain situations, I would still be careful.   It is mildly acceptable if she studied something a bit lofty, such as the Arts or sociology.  Ideally, though, she will be a bit of a dunce.  Likewise, if they hold a particularly prestigious job, you may want to avoid; you don't want to be outshone.

8 – Do you talk a lot?

This speaks for itself, but clearly, as your partner, she will need to understand when to keep her opinions to herself and not embarrass you.  Again honesty is the best policy.  

9 – Do you have any physical disability, deformity, or any mental issues I should know about?

Obviously we are striving for perfection here, so she needs to be up front right now about her missing toe, dodgy birthmark, or any other physical defect that  will reduces her rating when out in public with you.  Where you draw the line is obviously down to you, but remember this woman could potentially earn the right to be on your arm, and you will be in regular competition with your friends, so you need to keep the bar set quite high!  Any mental issues are probably going to creep up on and surprise you when you least expect it, so it is best you get it out of her at this point.

10 – Do you have HIV, or any sexually transmitted disease, as far as you know?

As long as the answer is a resounding no (preferably with evidence), you can tell her to grab her coat, she’s pulled!

And there you have it, simple!  So get yourself along to a dating night, stick to this regime, and I guarantee you will have them lining up!

THIS WEEK: The Awakening / Smokin' Aces / The Tree Of Life

THE AWAKENING

Rebecca Hall stars as Florence Cathcart in a movie I don't feel got the attention it deserved.  We are post-WW1, "a time for ghosts", as the film has it; Cathcart is busying herself investigating and writing about claims of spirits, hauntings, and the charlatans who take full advantage of the vulnerable people in this tragic time.  With each debunking an ambiguous, crushing memory is brought to the surface; is this a woman searching hopefully for the case she cannot disprove?  The answer to this, and other questions, remains smartly unaddressed, with reveals punctuating the film perfectly, as we follow Cathcart on a journey to a boys' boarding school.  Dominic West's Head Master Robert Mallory explains the boys are "frightened to death" of a ghost in the grounds.  Upon her arrival the stage is quickly set for an elegantly told tale, which carries in its fabric some special qualities that so many ghost stories don't: empathy, sadness, and great sense of melancholy.

The movie looks gorgeous, with stunning set and cinematography.  Director Nick Murphy's framing, timing of chilling moments, and pacing is close to perfect right the way through.  He maintains a sense that you are missing a piece of a puzzle, though you cannot put your finger on what it is; he holds the tension just right, never revealing more of his hand that he needs to, but never being so aloof as to lose your interest.  Yes there a couple of bits and pieces I think are a tad clumsy, but nothing that took me out of the story.

To suggest other stories which it owes a debt to would spoil certain elements, but if you like the really classic tales akin to The Turn Of The Screw, this is definitely a movie you should make time for.  For my money it out-classes the recent The Woman In Black on a few points.  I reference this movie in particular because it shares common ground in terms of premise, setting and tone   What is interesting is I do not think it is necessarily as scary as that film, but it is the better movie overall.  Firstly there is a very strong central performance!  I'm not getting at Radcliffe, don't worry, I think he did perfectly fine, but when you see Rebecca Hall (The Prestige may be the last time most people will have seen her in a big role), you will know what I mean.  Another area in which it is near perfect is its use of the jump-scare; there are not many here and those which are work nicely.  Finally, it doesn't cop-out on the final act as so many other films have the tendency to do.  As always with such a film as this, there is some debate over whether the final act works as well as he thinks it does.  I understand this; not everybody will feel totally satisfied, but the film is strong enough in so many other areas, it is hard to walk away feeling you haven't just seen a very well-told ghost story.  Watch out for the great setpiece involving the doll-house; sounds cheesy to describe, but it really works!

This is a film that nearly gets everything right; it manages to balance haunting storytelling, interesting characters you have to care about, and the creepy elements.  The result is an extremely enjoyable film, with a turn in the story that feels familiar when it occurs, and yet you almost certainly will not see coming beforehand!  4/5

Catch it if you like:  Any really good, classic ghostly tales, because this is pretty on the money!


SMOKIN' ACES

Okay, what to say?  A Las Vegas entertainer, Buddy 'Aces' Israel, has turned snitch on the mob and he is staying in a penthouse suite, under full guard, until it is time to give his evidence and be whisked safely into protection.  Lots of other people want him dead, hence the clever title of the movie...get it?  It's about everybody wanting to smoke Aces?  Nevermind...

Joe Carnahan has a good idea in here somewhere, but instead of paying a tribute to Tarantino, he should have handed the job over to him.  In Tarantino's hands this movie would be dynamite!  Smokin' Aces lacks the characters and dialogue of Tarantino; Carnahan opts for over-the-top, unrealistic, and actually rather silly archetypes, and at points ugly stereotypes, who have no heart or soul, nothing to relate to or understand.  In some cases it is an attempt to be hip and cool, but it comes off as juvenile in what should have been a rather snazzy, smart, exciting thriller......yeh that's right, like True Romance!  Think I'm exaggerating?  This movie features a gang of "funny", foreign, half-naked, chainsaw-welding goons.  Yeh......

Its last-ditch attempt at having an intellectual edge will only fool the most simple-minded, really.  Am I saying it's not a clever idea?  No!  In fact I quite admired the last five minutes of the movie; it is well shot, well-written, well-scored (Clint Mansell is the star of this film!) and Ryan Reynolds gets to act...something nobody else has the chance to do throughout.  I just found myself wishing the director had made the movie that deserves the smart, well-executed ending, because then it wouldn't feel so disappointingly out-of-place, and people like Reynolds and Garcia wouldn't seem so wasted!

For a restrictive setting, some credit must be given for being able to stage some tasty action set-pieces pretty well, and there are some humorous moments throughout, but this is nowhere near as good as its full-to-the-brim cast and reputation as a contemporary minor classic had me believe.  It it not without merit, but I found myself pretty unimpressed.  2/5

Catch it if you like:  True Romance, The Usual Suspect....Both films you will get more from.

THE TREE OF LIFE

Terrence Mallick directs Brad Pitt, Sean Penn and Jessica Chastain (if direct is the right word) in this meditation on very lofty notions about the meaning of life, our origins, existence of God, nature, etc, etc.  I'm being flippant only because, aside from it looking absolutely stunning and owing a great deal to Kubrick's mind-boggling masterpiece 2001..., this really falls rather flat.  I give Mallick a round of applause for being brave and bearing his heart in such a way; this is clearly a work of love, from a man doing some immense soul-searching, but by a certain point I found myself thinking he should really not involve us in that search.  Taking us from a death of child in the 1950's, back to the BEGINNING OF TIME......WITH DINOSAURS....was an error.  How did Kubrick get away with it?  I don't know....I can't answer that, I only know that this movie struggles in the end under the weight of its own.....ponderings.  Nobody really gets the chance to perform, as this is more of a moving photo book.  There are some enjoyable sequences in here, but not enough to hang such a long film on.  It ultimately left me rather cold; there is not much more I can say.  2/5

Catch it if you like:  The Fountain, 2001; A Space Odyssey.....In fact, just watch those.  They are just as meandering and lacking in narrative rigour, but at least they are technically astonishing, boundary breaking, and you can find yourself beautifully lost in and moved by them.