Movies
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Written by Steven McKay
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Tuesday, 06 July 2010 18:00 |
Released earlier this year, British psychological thriller Exam chronicles the fate of eight candidates as they enter into the final stage of recruitment for a mysterious Fortune 500 company. However, being one of the most influential, and secretive, companies in the world, it soon becomes apparent that the candidates are faced with no ordinary selection process, and the movies 100 minute run time serves as an insight into what people will, and won't do for the sake of money, prestige and power.
With regard to the films premise, it's a remarkably simple set up; after making it to the final round of selection, the candidates are placed in an exam room together, and are given eighty minutes to complete a test. In order to do so, they need only answer one question. The caveat to this, is that the candidates must first figure out what the question is, all the while following a strict set of rules – deviation from the rules in any way results in failure of the test, and immediate expulsion from the selection process.
As it winds toward its climax, the movie takes some bizarre twists and turns as the candidates try to figure out the question, with each idea becoming more and more outlandish as they get closer to the eighty minute deadline, and before long, the candidates begin to turn on one another as desperation and suspicion take hold.
Despite a chaotic, and somewhat predictable ending, the movie starts out well, and does a good job of drawing the viewer in by creating a palpable sense of intrigue, and before long you'll find yourself joining in with the guessing games and semantic evaluations. Most of the logic the movie employs in dealing with its central mysteries is easy enough for the viewer to follow along with, and in some cases the movie even does a good job of subtly leading the viewer to a certain conclusion, only to later show it to be nothing more than a dead end.
The movie also does a good job of showing how easily people can get swept up by the tide of unfolding events, especially when part of a group of like-minded individuals; during the course of the movie, the candidates ideas dovetail from rational and well thought out, to tenuous and frantic all too easily as time continues to slip away from them.
However, the film is let down somewhat by the ending, both in terms of the deterioration of the volatile group dynamic, which seems a bit silly, and by the ending itself – parts of which seem largely telegraphed.
Despite this though, Exam's premise is still an interesting idea for a movie, and is, for the most part at least, quite entertaining, as well as being something of a pastiche of (and perhaps a cautionary tale for) reality TV shows. |
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Written by Russ Crandall
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Sunday, 13 June 2010 17:34 |
I was hesitant in watching Solomon Kane; I had heard about it and watched a trailer, but it looked to me like another attempt at milking a comic book story for some money. I read the Wikipedia article on the film and it said that it has an 82% "fresh" rating on rottentomatoes.com, which is really good for a community-fed statistic. Convinced of its merit, I decided to try it out.
To be honest, I couldn't stand it. It was a vague, slow, and unrelentingly boring film with CGI that is about 10 years out of date. It tells the tale of a guy that looks like Van Helsing who wears a pilgrim hat. Solomon's backstory is not very fleshed out beyond an obligatory flashback or two; being that this is the first film in a projected trilogy, they should have spent more time working the character's motivations so that I would actually want to watch the next two films. And in this case, I will not be watching the next two films.
And by the by, there are only 17 reviews up on rottentomatoes.com, so I don't think it's an accurate assessment. Rather, you should consider the hundreds of reviewers that were so unimpressed that they couldn't get around to writing something. |
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Written by Steven McKay
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Tuesday, 01 June 2010 19:00 |
As a modern take on the vampire movie, Daybreakers puts an interesting spin on what is essentially quite a tired genre, and the films central concept is surprisingly fresh, and full of potential.
Set in the year 2019, Daybreakers takes place in a world where the human race has been all but wiped out by a vampire virus, with only around five percent of the human population immune to this virus. However, rather than tell the story from the point of view of the remaining survivors, as most films would, Daybreakers shows us a vision of a world ruled by its nocturnal inhabitants; where coffee shops sell coffee made with twenty percent blood; where once bustling city streets now sit empty during daylight hours, only to seethe with life during the night; and where technology has evolved in leaps and bounds, for the simple purpose of allowing vampires to live a very normal, very human existence.
The films main concept is extremely thought-provoking, and will have you pondering over some of the finer details long after the movie has finished. There's no doubting the fact that Daybreakers tries to do something bold and innovative with the vampire genre. However, as good as the initial concept is, some bad decisions, poor execution, and nonsensical plot development quickly turn a clever idea into a brainless mess.
Despite a promising opening, Daybreakers is clearly a movie with an identity crisis, and before long, all of the intelligence flaunted in the films opening scenes gets buried beneath layers of predictability, needless gore, silly characters, and an absurd plot. For example, while the movie initially takes the novel approach of making a fully-fledged vampire society the focal point of the plot, it isn't long before the small remaining faction of human resistance becomes the films real focus. From that point on, the plot plays out as predictably as you'd expect, and only ever deviates from predictability when trying to shock the viewer with over-the-top gore, or an outlandish plot device – the films ridiculous cure for vampirism being of particular note in that respect.
Ultimately, Daybreakers ends up as much of a disappointment by the films end. This is not to say that the movie is terrible, but rather, it's a disappointment in terms of not living up to the standard it sets for itself in its opening scenes. By that token, Daybreakers is a film with a brilliant premise, which is let down by bad execution, inconsistent writing, and no clear idea as to what the movie is supposed to be trying to accomplish. Also, having a terrible name doesn't help either. |
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Written by Russ Crandall
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Saturday, 13 March 2010 19:28 |
Like most red-blooded Americans, I read Where the Wild Things Are as a kid. I don't remember much about it, because as far as I remember, there's not a whole lot to remember - some kid running around with some beasts. I was worried that there wasn't going to be a lot of substance to its big screen adaptation, and in a sense I was right, but in the hands of the very capable director Spike Jonze, there was really nothing to worry about.
The film follows the story of Max, a young boy who finds himself in a world filled with huge, wild beasts. His emerging relationship with them and how it reflects on his actual life at home is the core of this film, just as I thought it would be.
One troubling and unexpected aspect of this film is the fact that it left me deeply disturbed. Max runs the whole gamut of childhood emotion, and he is unpredictable and, dare I say, wild - just like the beasts in this new world. The characters all act in rash, erratic ways and for the first half of the movie I was uncomfortable and on edge. But then, finally, it hit me - this is the brilliance of this film.
Where the While Things Are is not a film for children, because it's too dark and violent. What it is, though, is a film that is intended to make adults feel like children again. It's like Spike Jonze went back in time and kidnapped the 10-year-old version of himself and made him direct this film - the camera angles, characterization and movements all feel overwhelmingly juvenile. The characters behave irrationally because they're either children or the result of a child's imagination - it makes perfect sense. Once I realized this and willingly let myself take this film on as if I was a child again, I loved it. I didn't understand everything - and that's how children are - but I still took every scene and made what I wanted with it.
If you didn't like this film, try taking your adulthood blinders off and see if that made a difference. It did for me.
Steve also reviewed this movie a couple months ago; click here to read it. |
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Written by Russ Crandall
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Friday, 05 March 2010 19:18 |
Yep, I'm definitely a Wes Anderson fan. Rushmore is probably on my top 10 films of all time, and his other films are damn fine flicks, too. I was a little hesitant when I heard that he was making a stop-motion adaptation of The Fantastic Mr. Fox, written by Roald Dahl in 1970. I was afraid that an animated film wouldn't accurately portray the tension and distance that Anderson's films so brilliantly capture. Turns out that I had nothing to fear, because once again we're treated to a film that has overwhelmingly more good qualities than bad.
The film follows a fox (voiced by George Clooney) who has given up his trade of chicken stealing to become a family man. It has all the great features of a Wes Anders0n film - an ensemble cast, a flawed protagonist, and charming set pieces - and it's perfectly paced. Don't let the fact that it's an animated film, or that it's based on a Roald Dahl book, lead you to think that this is a children's film; it deals with identity, honesty, and Wes Anderson's favorite theme, existentialism. Choosing Clooney to voice the protagonist was a perfect choice, since there are few actors that can accurately capture that "sly" essence of a fox.
The film itself is beautifully animated in a vintage style, and the 1960s soundtrack really helps it to feel like a period piece. Overall, The Fantastic Mr. Fox is an entertaining and thoroughly enjoyable film. |
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Written by Russ Crandall
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Thursday, 04 March 2010 05:17 |
The Informant! is the latest film from Steven Soderbergh (director of Ocean's 11-13, not sure who did the first 10). It is getting a bit of buzz for Matt Damon's performance, which was pretty freaking awesome. He plays the VP of a huge agriculture firm, as he becomes a whistle-blower for the FBI during a price-fixing investigation.
I tend to shy away from most corporate films, or anything with a vague conspiracy notion. Goes all the way back to the time that some girl convinced me to take her to see The Pelican Brief when I was 13. Imagine my dissatisfaction when my parents drove us to see a film that had neither birds nor underwear in it. That being said, I thought that The Informant! would be lighthearted enough for me to overlook its premise. I mean, it has a damned exclamation point! FUNNY.
The film is amusing, but ultimately sad and disturbing. Much like the film Observe and Report, this movie shows what should be a miserable existence in a comedic light, to startling effect. A few days after seeing it, it finally sank in and I can really understand this film. It's a film that tries to show how the guy sitting next to you could be totally fucking nuts and you may not realize it. Matter of fact, you could spend every day with that guy and never know it. The film doesn't try to explain this occurrence, or justify anything. It's just there. Ultimately, this is a film that has a sweet candy shell but is a bitter pill to swallow. You initially chuckle at the fashion of the time period, but its content left me thinking for several days afterwards. It was great. |
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Written by Russ Crandall
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Sunday, 28 February 2010 13:30 |
Lawd, I hate this kind of comedy. You know, those movies where we're supposed to think it's funny to place the protagonist in a series of unfortunate events that spin out of control and make the him look like an asshole. Maybe it's because I unknowingly project myself into every leading character, but this shit just drives me up the wall. It's the reason I couldn't ever watch What About Bob? or Meet the Parents more than once. Sure, I get it; the protagonist makes some sort of stupid initial decision and the rest of the film is "punishment" for acting out against social or cultural norms. I've taken a film class or two. But goddamn if I don't get irked by these downward-spiral films.
Extract is the latest Mike Judge movie (you know, Office Space!) and it stars that guy from Teen Wolf Too and some other shit. He owns an extract factory, he's going through some sexual dysfunction with his wife, and he's friends with Ben Affleck (who's a bartender). These three factors drive the film into my previous-bitched-about subplot, in which things go haywire for our hero. But unlike the few films that get this "downward spiral" mechanic right (see: just about every Coen Brothers film), this slow descent into unhappiness is neither graceful nor deserved, and it never feels like it ends satisfactorily for the characters, and the viewer.
Granted, this film may be the deepest thing associated with Mike Judge ever (we are talking about the guy that made Beavis and Butthead and Idiocracy after all). It deals with death, dismemberment and a failing marriage; but in the end, I can't help but feel that Mr. Judge should stick to shallow and mildly vulgar comedies. Those were at least entertaining.
Best line: "I'd be the laughing stock of the grindcore community!" |
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Written by Russ Crandall
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Friday, 26 February 2010 12:51 |
I hadn't even heard about Pandorum until it showed up on my TV screen the other day, but I was thinking it was the right film for me. Dennis Quaid in space. You know, like Enemy Mine, or maybe even like Innerspace (although that's a stretch). Awesome. People waking up from deep sleep to find their ship is all messed up and that they aren't alone onboard. Awesome. Sounds like something right up my alley.
Unfortunately, I feel like I've seen Pandorum somewhere before. Nearly every scene smacked of something familiar, and it left me unsatisfied. It's a mix of Alien, Event Horizon, and Total Recall (not really, but nobody talks about Total Recall enough these days), without capturing any of the essences which made these films enjoyable in the first place. In the end, it was a derivative and overly long sci-fi film that was mediocre at best, and as much as I hate to admit it, a waste of my time. I'm holding out for Enemy Mine 2, though. |
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Written by Russ Crandall
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Wednesday, 24 February 2010 17:16 |
Coraline is a stop-motion animated film directed by Henry Selick, the guy that directed The Nightmare Before Christmas and James and the Giant Peach. It's based on a novel written by Neil Gaiman, the guy that wrote the Sandman comic book series. The film centers around a girl named, you betcha, Coraline, and the creepy new house that is the new home for her and her parents.
It was nice to jump into a film geared towards younger audiences and actually be interested the whole time. I had no idea how the film would play out, and it kept me on my toes. The film flows well, it keeps things funny, and it is visually stunning. It sports a darker tone than what I'd expect for a family film, which also made it appealing. Now that I think of it, it reminds me more of Alice in Wonderland than anything. There are some hiccups when it comes to character and plot development, but in hindsight I think this film is definitely worth checking out. |
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Written by Russ Crandall
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Tuesday, 23 February 2010 21:30 |
The Box is a 2009 film that is adapted from a short story, that was also adapted for an episode of The Twilight Zone. It stars Cameron Diaz and that annoying guy that played Cyclops, and it was directed by Richard Kelly, the guy that directed Donnie Darko. Its premise starts pretty simply: a man shows up at their house with a box, and an offer. If Cameron and whiny Cyclops boy push the button that's on top of the box, two things will happen: they'll receive one million dollars, and someone that they don't know will die.
Being that it's a Richard Kelly film, I was expecting it to dovetail into a total cerebral mind tease, but it didn't get out of hand. Actually, between Donnie Darko and Southland Tales, The Box is easily Richard Kelly's most easily swallowed film. It does a great job of building suspense but still keeping Kelly's signature style. I have a feeling that a lot of people went into this film expecting your typical Hollywood suspense flick, and were probably pretty angry. With that in mind, I enjoyed this film ten times more because of it.
The Box is a heady, confusing film that's not as heady or confusing as you'd expect. I liked it. |
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