The King's Speech - 2010, Dir: Tom Hooper

   No matter the standard of his performance, nor the recognition he receives for his roles, Colin Firth continues to struggle to shed the monkey from his back. Said ape comes in the form of the charming Mr Fitzwilliam Darcy. For many, Firth is the definition of the stoic Pride and Prejudice swoon-merchant. The Englishman's role as Helen Fielding's modern caricature in the Bridget Jones films has only cemented this association.

   Firth is an odds-on Oscar favourite for his portrayal of King George VI, however his remarkable performance is not a solitary one in Tom Hooper's film. Bolstered by a stellar British line-up that includes Geoffrey Rush, Sir Derek Jacobi, Guy Pearce, Michael Gambon and Timothy Spall, it centres on Firth's character but certainly doesn't lack quality in its supporting cast. Contrary to IMDb's character page, Helena Bonham-Carter plays Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon (a.k.a. the Queen Mother) and not Princess Elizabeth (a.k.a. the current monarch), who is played by young Freya Wilson.  

   Historically this film is set between the years 1925 and 1939, from the opening attempted speech at Wembley Stadium to his first wartime speech as King George VI in September 1939. Along this timeline, King George V (Gambon) passes away, King Edward VIII (Pearce) abdicates to marry an American and the downtrodden Prince wrestles with his severe speech impediment while his life undergoes a period of significant change. 

   Firth's performance is well-advertised, and it must be said that even the highest expectations are well and truly met. As Firth's Prince Albert valiantly struggles to form his sentences, the viewer is both immensely endeared to the character and consumed by the tension, silently willing the next words to come from his month. Every silence is painful, as the prince displays immense personal bravery in a family that has little sympathy for his perceived 'weakness'. There is an intimacy to Hooper's camerawork that succeeds in further amplifying this effect.



Perhaps appearing on 'Loose Women' was a poor choice.

   Encouraged by the patient optimism of his wife (Bonham-Carter), the prince's efforts to cure his stutter lead to an atypically informal relationship with speech therapist Lionel Logue. Geoffrey Rush is supremely charismatic as the man hired by royal appointment who demands to forego royal protocol during their sessions. The interplay between Rush and Firth is integral to the humour, as the common Australian (do not expect a thick Aussie accent) dares familiarity with the relatively stiff royal.

    Audiences are perhaps easily drawn into stories of struggle against adversity and eventual triumph of the will. The King's Speech has these two aspects in abundance, yet something else seems to set it apart. Firth's remarkable performance, rich in depth and subtlety, is a more than legitimate reason to fall in love with Hooper's film; however, its universal appeal lies in the connection between a King and his people. A reluctant monarch, who is shown to both rely on the help of his people and inspire them in a time of desperation, proves to be a very worthy hero.

Verdict: 9/10

Rollerball - 1975, Dir: Norman Jewison

   A film that has been described as an 'Orwellian sports movie' is an interesting proposition. Featuring a premise that stemmed from William Harrison's 'Roller Ball Murder' (1975) short story, it depicts a futuristic society in which nations have fallen away in the wake of corporate power. Direction came from Norman Jewison, a Canadian whos credits prior to this included The Thomas Crown Affair (1968) and musicals Fiddler on the Roof (1971) and Jesus Christ Superstar (1973).

   To a viewer watching at a time in which this corporate stranglehold has seemingly become a reality, it might be argued that Rollerball holds more significance than ever. James Caan leads the cast as the cryptically named Jonathan E. Jonathan is a member of the Houston team and generally considered as the top player in the world. Caan is very much the biggest name actor in Jewison's film, just a year after paying an expensive toll as Sonny Corleone in The Godfather: Part II (1974).

   The main conceivable reason why this film earned a 2002 remake is its significantly dated appearance to the contemporary film viewer. There is a typical '70s blandness in the 'futuristic' sets and we see obselete technology at every turn. Even simple things like the use of roller boots instead of rollerblades in the game itself are very representative of the film's vintage. While these aspects will always be somewhat detrimental to the experience of a film such as this, it is important to consider a film so thematically rich on a much broader level. 

   The 'sport' of Rollerball is, in a word, ludicrous. Played on what is essentially a velodrome, two teams on roller boots and motorcycles attempt to score points by getting a ball into a scoring target on the surrounding wall. It is a physical sport, played at speed, and this naturally creates many opportunities for spectacular thrills and spills. The film is structured around three of Houston's matches: the opening quarter-final scene, the semi-final in the middle and the climactic final showdown.

   Urged to retire by the corporate Powers That Be, Jonathan's determination to continue his sporting career causes some rather drastic rule reductions in the sport. The subsequent increase in violence puts the lives of the protagonist and his team-mates in jeopardy. Along the way, a rather weak ex-wife storyline is presented and Jonathan also embarks on a quest for information on the mysterious corporations and their decision-making processes. The latter strand culminates in a laughable scene in which Caan is encouraged to ask a 'supercomputer' (that is essentially a talking water cooler) for answers. 

Whip It + Testosterone + Silliness = Rollerball?

   The lead actor's performance could be generously described as off-beat. His line delivery (in scenes in which he is not wearing roller boots) largely consists of mumbling and Caan's portrayal of Jonathan E does not conform to any traditional 'sports star' archetype. There is a reluctant nature to the character, a trait that Caan perhaps hoped would be refreshing in a leading sportsman, but only results in producing a very strange performance. 

   Personally, I feel that fans of this cult film overplay the deepness of its themes; namely those of corporate dominance in a dystopian society and the power of the individual. I feel it possesses interesting ideas about violence in society and the nature of sports celebrities, but as a film fan I see very little conviction in the execution of these ideas on screen. Putting aside the dated aesthetic and Caan's performance, Rollerball is an ambitious 70s sci-fi which, while watchable enough, stumbles a little to maintain focus on its central plot and as a result does not fulfil its greater potential. 

Verdict: 5/10

Misc: 8 Misinterpreted Movie Titles

1. Trainspotting



Renton wishes he hadn't spotted a train.



   Mark Renton (Ewan McGregor), a keen locomotive enthusiast, spends most of his time with his like-minded friends Spud (Ewen Bremner) and Sick Boy (Jonny Lee Miller). After a tragic turn of events and on the insistence of his family and disapproving friend Begbie (Robert Carlyle), he finally decides to give up recording train numbers and move to London for work. When he arrives and sees the vast network of underground railways, Renton soon finds out that he can't leave his trainspotting past behind that easily...

Jake and Joey try to bore the bull to sleep with nonchalance

2. Raging Bull

   Jake LaMotta (Robert De Niro) and his brother Joey (Joe Pesci) go on the hunt when an escaped bull terrorises their local neighbourhood in the Bronx. The pressure and expectation takes its toll on Jake, who starts to bring his bull-fighting aggression home with him. We see the collapse of his life as Jake alienates himself from his family and his brother and is left to face the bull, alone...

The 5-for-1 deal on black suits had helped save a bit of money.

3. Reservoir Dogs

   When their local reservoir is drained and left as wasteland. Five local businessmen decide buy the land in order to open a greyhound track. To get the money for the plot and construction, they perform a daring heist. The robbery goes badly wrong and the group escape to their mutually owned warehouse. While deciding what to do, they start to suspect that one of them is a police informant...



Clint hadn't realised that 'Jean'  was also a French man's name.



4. Million Dollar Baby

   A multi-millionaire boxing promoter (Clint Eastwood) invests $1 million in developing the most dominant female boxer in history, taking an orphaned baby from care and raising her as his own. Maggie's (Hilary Swank) world is turned upside down when a former boxer, Scrap (Morgan Freeman), reveals to her the truth about her adoption. Questions of morality, life and love are raised as Maggie tries to trace her mysterious past...

 5. Twelve Monkeys

Battered, bruised and out of bananas.

   Zany animal comedy starring Bruce Willis. James Cole, a mental patient, is sent back in time to kidnap 12 infant chimps that go on to become supersoldiers in the future under a military dictatorship. His mission is to keep the chimps safe until the future dictator is found and arrested. Cole soon learns that he's got more than he bargained for...   



Daniel Plainview: Moustache afficionado and barber.



6. There Will Be Blood

   Heartwarming tale of a barbershop owner (Daniel Day-Lewis) who, in an effort to prepare his son (Dillon Freasier) for carrying on the family business, begins to teach him the art of shaving with a cut-throat razor. When his son tells him he instead wants to go to study law at university, a stubborn man learns a valuable lesson about fatherhood... 



Shirtless at armageddon, but at least he still had that hat.

7. Apocalypse Now

   Starring Martin Sheen, Robert Duvall and Marlon Brando. When signs begin to appear that the world is coming to an end during the peak of the Vietnam War, US soldiers and Viet Cong begin to understand their common humanity and struggle together to survive the catastrophic natural events. Francis Ford Coppola directs as two contrasting forces learn there is more to being alive than conflict...



8. M

   Peter Lorre plays the title role in this origin story that follows the upbringing of 007's famous boss in 1930s Germany. Falsely accused of heinous crimes on innocent children, M goes on the run from the authorities and incensed public in Fritz Lang's heart-pounding thriller. Lorre is exceptional as the man on the run. A morality tale about justice and public hysteria, and a must-see for Bond fans...

(Left: Seagulls were a nuisance, but this was utterly ridiculous)





Honourable Mentions:

• Sliding Doors, a Star Trek fan film.
• Heat, Michael Mann's star-studded, yet incredibly dull educational science video.
• The Kids Are All Right, in which two dwarves fall in love, and become parents to normal sized children.

The Basketball Diaries - 1995, Dir: Scott Kalvert.

   Prior to directing this adaptation of Jim Carroll's autobiographical book, Scott Kalvert had only directed two music documentaries and Mark Wahlberg's work-out video. Despite this distinct lack of experience, the result of Kalvert's feature film debut is seen as an important marker on the careers of two young actors of the time. Often seen as instrumental in boosting the early careers of both Leonardo DiCaprio and Mark Wahlberg, The Basketball Diaries was fairly new territory for both the director and his young leading men.

   Carroll's story is one of a group of four young Catholic school boys, members of the school's gifted basketball team. We see the group's gradual descent into the vice-like grip of hard drug addiction on the streets of New York City. It is a story of that familiar, turbulent time the life of young men, with defiance against authority and teenage sexual angst the orders of the day. 

   The film commences with the boys losing a friend to leukemia, an event that seems to be the catalyst for what unfolds from then on. Jim (Leonardo DiCaprio) takes the news the hardest and subsequently it is he that indulges in the hedonism to the greatest degree; actions that have a crushing effect on both his home life and school basketball career. Supporting DiCaprio's Jim are Mickey (Mark Wahlberg), Pedro (James Madio) and Neutron (Patrick McGaw). The group's tight cohesion quickly begins to loosen as the drugs and petty crime begins to dominate their lives. While McGaw's character steps back from the brink just in time, Mickey, Pedro and Jim's increasing addictions start to claw at the seams of their lives, with deadly consequences. 

   DiCaprio shines as the thoughtful young man who's passion for writing is fractured by the numbness of heroin. From the angsty scenes at home with his worried mother (Lorraine Bracco) to the raw agony of 'cold turkey', DiCaprio's range even at this early stage in his career is clear to see. Wahlberg's performance also stands out, as the brash, muscle-bound Mickey. Sensitive about his family, but desperate to retain a 'tough guy' facade, he falls just as deep as Jim into the seedy underworld. In the next two years, DiCaprio would go on to star in Romeo and Juliet (1996) and Titanic (1997), catapulting him into the Hollywood stratusphere. Wahlberg would have his big push to true stardom in the post-millennium period, but his roles in this and 1997's Boogie Nights were a large part of his rise to cinematic fame. 

   Kalvert's direction leaves the viewer wondering why the Brooklyn native only went on to make one more film after this (Deuces Wild in 2002). Clearly influenced by his work on musical films, dream sequences (including one much analysed in the wake of the Columbine massacre) and more stylistically charged scenes punctuate the narrative throughout. These kinds of technique are easily overused, but Kalvert's artistic ventures contribute to the drug-addled mania embarked upon by the youths. 

   An angsty, urban tale of talent wasted, young lives embroiled in crime and the painful path to redemption. Scott Kalvert produces strong performances from his two young stars and adds an artistic slant to a narrative bereft of much but bleakness. While there are a variety of cases of character underdevelopment, and less than convincing performances in some supporting roles, The Basketball Diaries is a thoroughly watchable piece of 90s cinema.

Verdict: 6.5/10  

My Name Is Joe - 1998, Dir: Ken Loach.

   Ken Loach is reknowned as a director who has panned the grimmest and bleakest waters to find some of the most memorable nuggets of cinematic gold produced in the British Isles. I can only apologise for the melodrama of this analogy, however appropriately it fits. In situations like the desolute ruination of Greenock in Sweet Sixteen (2002), and the working-class drabness of Manchester in the likes of Ladybird, Ladybird (1994), Loach frames stories of humanity in grey tableaux, bringing life to seemingly dead spaces in society.

   My Name Is Joe, in typical Loachian style, exposes the flaws of our protagonist (Peter Mullan) right from the outset. A jobless, reformed alcoholic, Joe's weakness for drinking is the yoke he bears throughout. It is the tightrope he walks that imbues him with a kind of fragility as he tries to do some good in his local Glaswegian community. An outing with the football team he organises, a ragtag group of crooked but likeable locals, leads him to meet Sarah (Louise Goodall). Naturally the two become close, and this relationship seems to be precisely what the doctor ordered for Joe, as we get further glimpses of the harrowing alcoholism of his past. 

   While the director is gifted at turning his camera on the lower echelons of city communities and finding warmth and hope, he does not neglect the more sinister elements of Glasgow's city streets. In local crime boss McGowan (David Hayman) he provides the villain of the piece, a man of few words yet the personification of arrogance. Joe and Sarah's mutual interest in a pair of local young parents, who have fallen into debt to McGowan, soon begins to come between their relationship and Joe is left to ultimately choose between his new love and the fate of the struggling, naïve couple. 

   Peter Mullan's performance earned him the Best Actor award at Cannes 1998, and it is easy to see why. Joe Kavanagh is a man who walks the same streets where the ghosts of his former addictions still linger. Mullan plays a man still not free of his desperation, yet who cannot contain his excitement at the prospect of a second chance at life. He has companionship in fellow recovering drinker, Shanks (Gary Lewis), and a real opportunity to find romance in his life with Sarah. What holds him back is his inherently masculine desire to fix all the wrongs that lie before him. This, tragically, only leads to the good things he has forged in his own life falling into jeopardy.  

   This film is almost the archetypal Ken Loach social realist drama. Loach has gone on to use a variety of the same elements in Manchester-based Looking For Eric (2009), albeit with Steve Evets in the lead role and Eric Cantona providing a supremely original twist. As usual, the director has employed a cast of mostly unestablished actors and non-actors from the surrounding area; and once again he has not been let down. This authenticity is what gives Loach's films a distinctive veneer; and while this film is arguably lighter in tone than some of his other work, the hard Glaswegian setting is no laughing matter. While there is comedy and romance in My Name Is Joe, it is still steeped in social realism. As the Bard of Avon is often quoted, the course of true love never did run smooth.

Verdict: 7.5/10

Synecdoche, New York - 2008, Dir: Charlie Kauffman.

   When sitting down to watch Charlie Kauffman's debut, it would be advisable to consider his body of writing work prior to it. A film written and directed by the man who wrote Being John Malkovich (1999) and Michael Gondry's Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004) is very unlikely to emerge as a straight-laced piece of cinema. The idea of a passive, receptive audience seems obselete in Kauffman's eyes, with greater emphasis placed on stylistic motifs and the necessarily remarkable performances of the cast.The viewer is regularly required to detach from rationality and consider what is presented in terms of what it means, regardless of the surrealism and insanity of the scene on screen.


   Despite the director's close working relationship with Michael Gondry in the past, Synecdoche, New York is a taste of 'Kauffman direct' as it were, with no directorial buffer between the mind of the author and his work's manifestation on film. Philip Seymour Hoffman plays a theatrical director who, fresh from a successful stage production, has been awarded a MacArthur grant to use as he wishes. Hoffman's protagonist, Caden Cotard, seeks to use the grant to create the most honest and realistic piece of work achievable. Using an impossibly large warehouse in the theatre district of Manhattan, he gathers an ensemble cast of actors to stage the events of his own contemporary life. Building an ever-expanding set, a mock-up of the real world outside, Cotard oversees the development of his would-be masterpiece.


   On it's own, in a more conventional film, this narrative would be considered a novel one. Kauffman, however, constructs his film not around the Caden Cotard's project, but around his own mundane existence. As his professional project develops and grows, we delve deeper into the life of Cotard. His relationships with the women in his life, in particular, are exposed as complex, raw and inexorably fragile. The mystery of his exstranged ex-wife (Catherine Keener) and daughter's life abroad, his failing marriage to an actress (Michelle Williams) and the lingering shadow of his feelings for Hazel (Samantha Morton) weigh heavy on the protagonist. His compulsion to dwell on death, and the apparent deterioration of his health, all prove to blur Caden Cotard's perception of life as he immerses himself in the immensity of his project.

   The film's close involvement with the protagonist means his perspective is what the viewer sees. This is particularly telling when, at certain points in time, it seems that time has dramatically leapt forward. Every section of the film is layered with messages and motifs that allude to the reality of what is occurring in Cotard's life. This can have a jarring effect, making certain scenes seem frustratingly ambiguous and surreal. I would speculate that the patient, thoughtful viewer will find Charlie Kauffman's film to be a satisfying experience. The confused viewer should consider a little light reading in Jungian psychological theory and some research on the Cotard and Capgras delusions (referenced by name in the film).


   In short, this is a remarkable film. The layering of 'life performed' upon 'life lived' and the clashing of these two areas of Cotard's existence raise a variety of ideas about meta-reference. Hoffman's main character lives his life in the knowledge that his actions echo clearly and directly in his work, and when a character such as this cannot control his own life properly the effects prove dramatic. It is a towering performance from Hoffman, who takes the character from middle adulthood to the frail confines of old age with overwhelming candor. It is a story of life, love and loss, with a twisted perspective that makes it anything but ordinary.


Verdict: 9/10    

Misc: 12 Pieces of Trivia That You'll Never Need To Know For A Pub Quiz.

+Bill Pullman has no sense of smell since sustaining a college injury which left him in a 2 day coma.

Viggo Mortensen: King of Gondor and Habs fan.

+Viggo Mortensen wore a Montreal Canadiens t-shirt under all his armour throughout shooting for the Lord of the Rings trilogy.

+In 1995, Kevin Bacon formed a band with his brother Michael called The Bacon Brothers. The duo have released 6 albums.

+Michael Bay's first job in film was filing storyboards for Raiders of the Lost Ark, when he was 15 years old.

+Jason Schwartzman used to play drums in Californian band, Phantom Planet.


+Susan Sarandon is a keen table tennis player, and is involved in the 'Spin' table tennis club in New York.
  

Billy Bob: Fears armoires and bureaux.



+Billy Bob Thornton has a phobia of antique furniture, specifically French and English style pieces. He also has an aversion to certain kinds of silverware.

+Jared Leto had a pet dog by the name of 'Judas', who unfortunately died in 2007.

+Robbie Coltrane was born Anthony Robert McMillan. 'Coltrane' is a stage name he adopted in tribute to jazz saxophonist John Coltrane.

+James Gandolfini was awarded the title of 'Class Flirt' in his senior yearbook.

Gandolfini, then and now: Still up to his old tricks?



+ Jada Pinkett Smith was a close friend of  the late West Coast rap artist, Tupac Shakur.

+ Ray Liotta, a player for the Kansas City Royals baseball team, is a distant cousin of Goodfellas (1990) actor, Ray Liotta.

Timecop - 1994, Dir: Peter Hyams.

"There is never enough time....to satisfy a woman." - Max Walker, in Timecop (1994)

   Van Damme's opening lines of dialogue can probably be taken as a fair indication of the standard of Mark Verheiden's script for this time-travelling action adventure. Coupled with the intonation and line-delivery issues faced by the high-kicking Belgian, it was never going to be Shakespeare. The premise of Timecop is far-fetched to say the least, placing JCVD in a world in which time-travel has become a possibility and, naturally, requires a policing organisation to prevent its misuse. Van Damme plays Max Walker, an officer charged with the responsibility of taking down those who try to change history for their own gain, creating "ripples" in the temporal order. 

   
  
   Even from the outset, the dialogue contains somewhat tedious allusions to time-travel and even the most patient viewer will tire of lines such as "I can see into the future!". This only adds to very standard 90s-actioner feel of Peter Hyams' film. As this is precisely what Timecop is, it would be wise to consider it within this context.

   The plotline showcases some familiar elements from films of the era. There is political corruption in the character of ambitious Senator Aaron McComb (Ron Silver), who desires the presidency and sees time-travel technology as a convenient way to gain all the funding needed to get to The White House. Another aspect which makes Timecop a product of its environment is the action. Van Damme's style is of course relatively unchanged, as we see Max disposing of the inevitable groups of faceless henchmen with a typical mix of impressive kicks and improvised weaponry. Highlights (as it were) of these scenes include a surprisingly lengthy sequence of knife-fighting and a lethal combination of water and a taser gun. A particular moment involving an assailant's arm being chemically frozen and subsequently shattered is perhaps one to forget.

   To the 2011 viewer, Timecop's dating of the futuristic time-travel police headquarters as being in 2004 means it suffers from what I like to call 'Space 1999 Syndrome'. The optimism of the timescaling adds to the general preposterousness of the sci-fi involved. The main treachery comes from the greed of the villainous McComb, who essentially wants to employ a stock market version of Biff Tannen's sports almanac scheme in Back To The Future to make himself rich enough to run the country. However, they also find time to include an emotional strand of narrative, involving the death of Walker's wife (Mia Sara) ten years earlier. This area of the plot is left relatively untouched for the most part, until the climax of the film.

A photographic summary of what to expect.

   To be frank, Timecop requires a little 'relaxation' of the viewer's cognitive faculties. To dwell on the holes in the plot, the quality of the scriptwriting and the ludicrous nature of the combat sequences would only serve to frustrate. Hyams' film will never be considered a triumph of 1990s cinema, nor even a particularly good film of the decade. The best to be hoped for is some less than subtle Nissan product placement and a showcase of the lead actor's martial arts skills in a variety of historical time periods.

Verdict: 3/10

Checklist: 4 Nineties Actors Resurfacing In The Noughties

   It is my 22nd birthday today. As someone who grew up in the 1990s I know that there are certain characteristics that most 90s kids share. For example:

• The ability to identify the vintage of an episode of The Simpsons from seeing the opening titles alone.
• The overwhelming urge to clap four times at the appropriate moment of I'll Be There For You by The Rembrandts. 
• When clearing out old stuff in our rooms, we still often find POGs .

   As I took stock of my formative years this morning, I started thinking about actors from 90s films that have generally struggled in the 00s yet have reappeared in the last couple of years. Here are five...


1. Daniel Stern

   His memorable felonous double-act with Joe Pesci in Home Alone and Home Alone 2: Lost In New York will come to mind when anyone thinks of the American comedic actor. Wild-eyed and generally dishevelled looking, Stern was reportedly considered to play Back To The Future villain Biff Tannen. He is also known for playing other notable roles in 90s comedies such as City Slickers and Bushwacked. His post-90s career has not been quite as prosperous, however Stern landed roles in Drew Barrymore's Whip It in 2009 and Paul Haggis' 2010 crime drama The Next Three Days. It appears that one half of the 'Wet Bandits' has had something of a reinvention.

2. Jeff Daniels

   A very similar story to the above. Another man made most famous by his double-act, Jeff Daniels' partnership with Jim Carrey in Dumb and Dumber (1994) came after his appearance in Jan de Bont's Speed (1994). His everyman looks are infused with a subtle kind of charm, but unlike Carrey, Daniels has rarely been a leading man choice. The 1990s also saw him work for Disney in 101 Dalmations and the less impressive My Favourite Martian.Up until Noah Baumbach's autobiographical offering The Squid and the Whale (2005), Daniels had been somewhat cast into obscurity. His leading role in Baumbach's film seemed to reintroduce him to the higher-end directors and producers. One of these was George Clooney, who cast Daniels in 2007's Good Night And Good Luck. Since this impressive performance, Jeff Daniels has had strong showings in acclaimed films such as State of Play (2009) and Away We Go (2009).

3. Kieran Culkin

   Macauley's brother made his debut in Home Alone (1990), playing Mac's bed-wetting cousin Fuller McCallister. Throughout the decade he reprised this role in the sequel (1992) and appeared in both Father of the Bride films (1991, 1995) and had roles in The Cider House Rules (1999) and She's All That (1999). Culkin then played the lead in the very well-received Igby Goes Down (2002), however it was another six years before his next appearance. That came in the form of Lymelife in 2008. Star-studded indie film Paper Man (2009) was next for Kieran (a film that also featured Jeff Daniels) and the middle Culkin brother was thrust back into the mainstream eye in Edgar Wright's Scott Pilgrim Vs The World (2010). Although it seemed unlikely in the 90s, Kieran Culkin has well and truly eclipsed his older brother, establishing himself as an exciting young actor with ever-growing credibility.

4. Chris O'Donnell

   This man is often recognised as having played Robin in Joel Schuhmacher's highly-criticised Batman films (1995, 1997), having initially made his name starring alongside Al Pacino in Scent of a Woman (1992). O'Donnell rounded off the decade in mediocre mountaineering adventure Vertical Limit (2000), before dropping under the radar for the first half of the decade. Resurfacing in 2006, O'Donnell has benefitted from TV roles in the likes of Grey's Anatomy and NCIS to receive parts in more prominent films such as Max Payne (2008) and the sequel to Cats & Dogs (2010). With a permanent role secured in NCIS: Los Angeles, the prospects of more big screen time for Chris O'Donnell look pretty good.  

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Silent Hill - 2006, Dir: Christophe Gans.

   The Silent Hill series was perhaps an inevitable project for film makers seeking the long-sought grail that is a successful computer game adaptation. A psychological, survival horror franchise which drew inspiration from earlier successes in the genre such as Resident Evil, it presented a slightly different approach to the format by placing everyman characters in these horrific scenarios, as opposed to the combat-trained heroes (i.e. credible survivors of such situations) of previous games.

   The opening segment of the film places us with the protagonist and her troubled daughter (Jodelle Ferland). Rose (Radha Mitchell), troubled by young Alessa's sleepwalking, nightmares and sleeptalking of the words "Silent Hill", decides the only way to remedy the situation is to pay a visit to the deserted settlement, alone. This is done against the wishes of her equally concerned husband Christopher (Sean Bean). It is perhaps worth noting in passing that the family's surname is da Silva, despite very little suggestion that either of the parents are of hispanic origin.     

   By most accounts, Frenchman Christophe Gans' film is is one of the more faithful video game adaptations that have made it as far as the cinema screen. This is mostly down to the maintenance of the Konami series' distinctive aesthetic. The eponymous ghost town is an environment of heavy fog, falling ash and dark interiors, hiding the horror that lurks within.

   Described by one description I read as a 'stylish horror', it is evident from the outset where the emphasis has been placed when dividing the budget. The narrative seems to only serve as a vehicle to carry Rose from one piece of  visual CG horror or game homage to another. Christopher spends the duration hassling local law enforcement, archivists and even the clergy to try to find his wife and daughter, all the while apparently struggling to decide on an accent to use. Rose escapes (fanboy-pleasing) monstrosities such as 'Pyramid Head' and, along with the relatively insignificant police officer character Cybil (Laurie Holden), encounters the sinister cult that one suspects will hold the key to the origin of the unnatural goings-on. Grainy, sepia-tone flashback montages provide pieces of historical information to supplement the present-day events, as the supernatural explanation for the constantly-burning fire beneath the town is revealed.   

   While many solid horror films hinge on similarly forgettable plotlines, they often rely on strong, likeable characters. This is the hurdle at which Silent Hill spectacularly falls. Firstly, for the opening two acts of the film, Rose spends the majority of her time screaming and cowering from the neverending horrors that crawl, stagger and lurch towards her. Admittedly not an unreasonable reaction, but for this section of Silent Hill she is very much a dated kind of female character. Rose is dependent on the comparatively masculine Officer Cybil to get her out of trouble on a number of occasions, which quite frankly does not make her the most engaging protagonist. 

   Christophe Gans has pleased many fans of this franchise with his valiant attempt to use the source material, and while Silent Hill possesses moments of striking visual horror and possesses all the homages an enthusiast could probably hope for, there are a multitude of disappointments along the way. The characters do not present any great cause for interest, the narrative seems to lurch forward, and while there were repeated suggestions of it in the opening acts, the cult's witch hunt emerges rather abruptly and the scenes lack the kind of truly unsettling power wielded by those in The Wicker Man or Rosemary's Baby. It's strength lies in the horrific monsters and imagery that dwell in the ghost town, and even these sections can be somewhat CGI-heavy. 

   For Silent Hill fans, this film will provide a variety of enjoyably familiar scenes and sights, and probably much more satisfaction than felt by Street Fighter or Tomb Raider enthusiasts. On balance, however, the film joins a ever-lengthening list of sub-par horror films with good intentions which are hindered by a lack of character depth and an uninspired script.

Verdict: 5/10

  

Checklist: 5 Underrated Film Villains

1. Mola Ram from Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984). 

   Iconic Bollywood actor Amrish Puri, typecast for countless villain roles in his native India, was cast by Spielberg to play the thuggee cult leader. Chilling heart ripping sequences aplenty and one of the finest maniacal cackles ever heard made him unforgettable, yet noticeably absent from AFI's 100 Villains list.

2. Brandon Shaw from Rope (1948).

   Alfred Hitchcock's great experiment, with its miniscule cast and marathon takes, centres upon on the underhanded deception of two murderous young intellectuals. Homosexual undercurrents in abundance for queer theorists and remarkable performances from John Dall and (to a lesser extent) Farley Granger set this duo apart from villains of Hitch's other projects. It is the callous, aloof Brandon who is the bolder of the two, coldly defiant in the face of James Stewart's inquisitive schoolmaster. 

3. L'il Dice/Li'l Zé from City of God (2002).

   An exteme case of the picked on little boy turned sociopathic murderer. L'il Dice commits an almost gleeful hotel massacre as a child and ruthless acts of aggression towards rival drug dealers, rape and vengeful murder as a young man. One particularly heinous act of cruelty on a helpless child present the villain of Fernando Merelles and Kátia Lund's film as a disturbing representation of what a difficult upbringing in the slum suburbs of Rio de Janeiro could produce.

4. Cypher from The Matrix (1999).

   While Hugo Weaving may have stolen the villain show as the seemingly unstoppable Agent Smith, the traitorous Cypher is a far more interesting character than his relatively small role would suggest. Displaying far more depth and humanity than most of Morpheus' band of rebels put together, this tired and cynical man attempts to cut a deal with the tenacious Agents in order to return to the blissful ignorance of living in The Matrix. His betrayal leads him to murder and ultimately to his own death. A genuinely human element in a film bursting with stone-faced (dare I say 'machine-like'?) characters. Played capably by Joe Pantoliano.

     

  

   5. Alec Travelyan (006) in Goldeneye (1995)

  

   The most (and arguably the only) intriguing aspect of Martin Campbell's film is the turncoat 00 agent, played by Sean Bean. Brosnan's Bond is faced with the prospect of having to defeat his friend, who he long believed to have died years before. The bitterness of Travelyan at the British treatment of his Soviet family at the conclusion of World War II is a reasonably credible back-story and the concept of 007 facing an agent who possesses the same training and abilities as he adds a bit of spice to the usual Bond formula. The last Bond film to still openly embrace Cold War attitudes has a treasonous villain often overlooked in comparison to the Blofelds and Scaramangas of past outings.

Thank You For Smoking - 2005, Dir: J. Reitman.

   Jason Reitman's first feature film is an adaptation of a 1994 book of the same name. Reitman himself was responsible for turning Christopher Buckley's satirical novel into a usuable screenplay, believing that he shared a similar artistic voice to the original writer. A key aspect of the script trouble experienced by those wishing to make this film in the past was undoubtedly its satirical nature and the controversial aspects of its key themes.

   The protagonist Nick Naylor seems an easy fit for the handsome confidence of Aaron Eckhart. Naylor, a spokesman for 'The Academy for Tobacco Studies', is a character who exudes self-belief in his own abilities to argue in favour of the universally condemned tobacco industry. Divorced, with an intelligent young son (played by Cameron Bright), Nick is assigned by the powers that be to try and find new ways to popularise cigarettes in reaction to the actions of a vehemently anti-smoking Vermont senator (dead-pan precision from William H. Macy).

   His work assignments present the inevitable father-son bonding narrative, with an added twist of questionable morality as Naylor Snr passes on life lessons on debating and the idea of 'never being wrong'. A striking kidnapping scene involving nicotene patches and his relationship with Katie Holmes' ambitious young reporter send his career into free-fall, setting up the crucial realisation-of-purpose process and semi-redemptive conclusion.

Eckhart as the doctor of smoking spin

   The satire in Reitman's film lies largely in the exaggerated characters in Nick Naylor's lobbyist world. J.K. Simmons virtually reprises his J. Jonah Jamieson role from Spiderman to play the mysteriously named 'BR' and Sam Elliot is casting perfection as the former Marlboro man. Reitman constructs a world of shallow 'do-gooders', slick spin-doctors and obsession with political correctness, and this is where the satirical comedy takes centre-stage.

   A break-out performance from the slick Eckhart an impressive showing from the seductive Holmes and small, but eye-catching appearances from Rob Lowe and Robert Duvall tie this film together exquisitely as a finely casted political satire comedy which saw the debut of a young director with a wealth of potential. His subsequent offerings, Juno and Up In the Air, have cemented Jason Reitman as one of the most exciting new helmers in cinema.

Verdict: 7.5/10

"Willkommen. Bienvenue. Welcome. C'maan in."



"Cinema should make you forget you are sitting in a theater." - Roman Polanski

   Well, that's the cryptic name of this blog cleared up.

   While I have a lot of reservations about Polanski as a man, I believe it to be the austere definition of successful film-making.

   This is yet another valiant attempt from yours truly to commit to writing a blog. My strategy for this effort is essentially to narrow my focus to an area for which I have an unrelenting passion. 

   My childhood cinematic upbringing took the usual route of Walt Disney animation and live action children's fayre. To this day, I maintain a long-term obsession with Disney's Aladdin (1992). Indeed, for a long time in my family home there was a small picture of myself as a child, sat with Aladdin's VHS box in my hand, eyes glued to the screen. I firmly believe that one of the greatest moves the Disney corporation made in recent years was to finally release Ron Clements' classic on DVD. The 'Musical Masterpiece edition' is a cornerstone of my DVD collection.



Raiders of the Lost Cave of Wonders



   My first memory of a trip to the cinema was Antrim Cineplex to see the live-action adaptation of The Flintstones (1994). Perhaps an ill-advised film choice with the benefit of hindsight, but I am fairly certain that I enjoyed every minute of the experience as a 5 year old.




The Coen Brothers did not direct this.



   I remember every aspect of walking into that building for the first time. The ticket box, the neon lights and mirrored walls, the thick red carpet and the distinctive sweet smell of popcorn. The trailers amazed me, every short preview that I saw engrossed me as much as the next. Another distinctive memory is of leaving the Cineplex, practically begging my mother to allow me to see Mortal Kombat (1995). I am relieved to say she did not relent. It is fair to say that growing up has presented me with a steep learning curve in terms of the quality of film I pay to see.

   Sharing the common desire amongst children of my age to see films that had an age recommendation attached to them, I encountered some films that were perhaps ill-advised for a young boy, such as James Cameron's The Terminator (1984) and Stanley Kubrick's The Shining (1980). Both of these films are recognised as 1980s cinematic classics of sci-fi and horror respectively, but perhaps were not particularly suitable for me at that stage. Especially considering that I had been scared by Steven Spielberg's E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial (1982).

E.T: The Extra-Terrifying

   I am approaching my 22nd birthday as a relatively unscarred young man who has not, under the influence of witnessing violence in cinema and playing Grand Theft Auto, decided to go on a murderous rampage. This is both a relief for my family and a large spanner in the works for the arguments of moral-panic embracers who strive to find a provable connection between media representations and violent crime. But I digress...

   In this blog I will be reviewing films I see in the cinema, on broadcast television and in recorded formats. I will strive to maintain regularity in my posting and present a wide variety of genres for critique (plus: bonus caption pictures!). I wish to combine astute observations and entertaining writing, and hope that keeping this blog will benefit my writing ability and my skill in studying film. 

   If you, dear reader, choose to read this blog and provide feedback of your own, I will be most humbled and appreciative.

James Erwin.