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Reply 600
Fair dues. At least you saw it! :biggrin:
Reply 601
This little gem of a thread has been hiding from me :p:

lil groovy dude
I wanna see Memoirs of a Geisha! :p:


Good film, seriously. Been on Sky Movies a lot recently ;yes;
lil groovy dude
I wanna see Memoirs of a Geisha! :p:

Seriously, read the book first. You won't understand it properly unless you read the book. Plus, the book is one hundred times better :wink:
vector
Good film, seriously. Been on Sky Movies a lot recently ;yes;

:confused: Honestly?

I take it you didn't read the book! :p:
Reply 604
I didn't, no. Probably should have done though I guess...
Reply 605
Name of Film: The Bourne Ultimatum (2007, Paul Greengrass)

Ah, the season of summer blockbusters. It's not every year that has a film come along in this period that is both incredibly intelligent and ridiculously exciting. Normally they're either one (Transformers, Spider-man 3), the other (Waitress, Knocked Up) or neither (Bratz...).

But the third outing in the Bourne trilogy is looking to - at least temporarily - change all that. It's both clever and pulse pounding, and is easily on of the best films of the year so far, let alone the best Bourne film or the best of the summer!

We all know the story by now - slighted US Government agent Jason Bourne (Matt Damon) seeks identity. Enjoys CQC and outsmarting opponents, as well as a predilection for running. But this time, they've taken it to the next level, the screenwriters - of which there are four - piling on the intrigue and tension. The film begins before the end of The Bourne Supremacy, with Bourne wounded and desperately trying to evade the Moscow police. Jump forward six weeks later, and he's just read an article about himself in the Guardian - and something called 'Blackbriar', which is apparently linked to the Treadstone project from the previous film. Intent on tracking down the journalist who wrote it, he once again gets himself caught up in the insipid dealings of the CIA.

It's perhaps a little confusing - and viewing of the first two films is recommended, preferably as close to your viewing of the third as possible. But the story is brilliantly conceived, and it ties off all of the loose ends beautifully and logically, but without ever losing a frenetic pace that keeps you on the edge of your seat the whole way through. There's a particularly memorable piece of scripting towards the end - suffice to say, it involves Bourne outwitting everyone who's after him, and it's wonderfully downplayed by both director and screenwriters.

Damon is still superb as Bourne; as he was in both the first and second - so elsewhere there's fantastic (and occasionally suprisingly) good turns from Julia Stiles, David Strathairn, Paddy Considine and Joan Allen. Albert Finney crops up too, and his performance is suitable creepy and evil for his role. In fact, the cast is nearly flawless - even the slightly less verbal contribution from Edgar Ramirez.

But, once again, the true star of the show is Greengrass' direction. From the conspiracies in the CIA's HQ, to the incredible action sequences; his documentary-style hand-held cameras lend a sense of presence to the whole thing. It's almost like you're there, with Bourne, listening in on the conversations he's having, following him over the rooftops of Tangier as he evades police. Of particular note is a superb car-chase, which both mirrors the one in Supremacy, whilst adding a further veneer of realism to the whole thing. There's also a fantastically visceral roof-top chase that culminates with a brutal fist fight that is nail-bitingly tense.

However, as with any movie, it's not without it's problems - although the ones it does have are more or less instantly dismissable. First, if shaky-cameras aren't your thing - or even tend to make you feel nauseous- then the lack of visual focus in some of the scenes may annoy you somewhat. Also, the somewhat open ending may add to frustration. But these are minor, and are easily over-looked in light of the over-whelming number of fantastic qualities.

So, once again Bourne has proved that action films can have brains too. It's a fittingly brilliantly end to a brilliant trilogy.

Rating Out of 10: 9/10
Reply 606
Das Neonicle
Just feel more could have been made with the chemistry between Damon and Stiles tho????

I honestly think that was deliberately unexplored. It makes it far more interesting :biggrin: Plus, it would've made the pace slacken somewhat...
Reply 607
I write reviews for my website - www.shaunmunro.co.uk - hope these are alright:

Name of Film: Death Sentence (2007, James Wan)

James Wan's revenge thriller "Death Sentence" is a loose (that is, thematic) adaptation of Brian Garfield's 1975 novel of the same name, which itself was a sequel to his earlier novel - Death Wish (made famous through Charles Bronson's steely cinematic portrayal). Wan's 2007 update sees Nick Hume (Kevin Bacon) witness the slaughter of his teenage son before his very eyes, and feeling cheated out of justice by the legal system, decides to take the law into his own hands, hands that very quickly become stained with blood.

Anyone who has the slightest knowledge of this project will likely be privy to the "spoiler" that is the death of Hume's son, and even if you aren't aware, Wan waits no more than ten minutes before offing the promising hockey star in a shockingly violent manner, a manner which, considering the content of the Saw films, shouldn't have been shocking, but is made so due to the change of scenery (a petrol station rather than a grotty bathroom). One can argue that writing Hume's son as a promising athlete is something of a superfluous addition, intended to only further the tragedy, but it does at times seem to have a purpose, particularly in relation to exploring Hume's relationship with his other, younger son, a dynamic that unfortunately isn't explored in anywhere near enough detail.

I think it would be unfair to attest that every film on Earth is attempting to impose or espouse some sort of ideology or set of societal values upon us, but at the same time, what Death Sentence is saying about both the legal system and us as people is somewhat muddling. Hume believes his son's murderer should be sent to prison for life (in the literal, non-legal sense, and I can't far disagree with him), and is disgusted when he discovers that a few years is the most that he can hope for. At this very early point in the film, at which Hume decides to withdraw his testimony to exact "street justice" against the young man concerned, the message seems to be "the legal system can fail, so do something about it", but as the film progresses, this message becomes turned on its head, often in over-apparent fashion (as I will detail later).

Hume subsequently goes about delivering his own brand of justice against the assailant, and as can be expected, all this does is incite yet another wave of brutal violence. The brother of the man Hume is after soon enough comes into the fold, wanting revenge against Hume for Hume's own revenge against this man, and so Death Sentence very quickly becomes a game of tit-for-tat, where one death warrants another, and ultimately, everyone, whether they live or die, is going to meet an unhappy end. Billy, the leader of the gang, wants to kill Hume's wife (Kelly Preston) and son, and Hume's ultimate goal is to prevent this, and whilst I can respect that a man suffering with grief will not be thinking clearly, one would like to think he would know better than to start a war of death against a gang and not expect recourse.

The fact that this sea-saw battle is able to continue for such a prolonged period is beyond ridiculous. Realistically speaking, Hume should have been dead by the film's 40th minute, given how he is beset upon from all sides by a number of gang members, and through nothing but great luck is able to elude them. Such seems to be the recurrent motif through the set pieces of this film - Hume is Superman-like at times, dodging bullets and cannonball-like shotgun blasts from baddies with horrific aim, and furthermore, delves into moments of Bronson-like baddassery that seem to almost come from nowhere (considering Hume's job is a cushy office gig as a risk assessment expert).

As if fending off an army of gangsters wasn't enough, Hume is being pursued by Detective Wallis (Aisha Tyler) who takes longer than she should to realise that Hume is the man leaving the bodies of gangsters all over the place. Naturally, as an officer herself, Wallis is an exponent of the values that justice is right, and vigilantes upset the social balance, espousing these values with no grey area. As such, Wallis seems something of a robotic, unreal character, and one would have to ask - what if her son were killed? That's not to say I was hoping for Wallis to be some vengeance-bent cop herself, but for her to show a tad of sympathy for Hume rather than scold him for murdering those likely better off dead anyway would have been nice.

Perhaps the real treat of Death Sentence is a tense chase through a parking lot, a chase which, whilst perhaps aided by CGI compositing, at least presented the illusion of a single-shot scene, lasting at least two or three minutes, as Hume hides from a large number of gang members closing in on him, resulting in a violent encounter, and a spectacular set piece involving a car, and, well, the parking lot roof. This scene alone at least exhibits Wan's growth as a director - as much as I enjoyed Saw, it's nice to see a far more sedate, less-hyperactive filmmaking style.

Hume, in his search for as much weaponry and ammunition as possible, encounters Bones Darley (John Goodman), a ridiculous-looking, eccentric, yet frequently amusing character in his own right. The lines Goodman is given are among the best in the film, such as proclaiming that one of his guns will deliver "head removal guaranteed". The majority of Goodman's scenes are rather funny, whether intentionally or not, and more to the point, once he puts on his pair of ludicrous glasses, these scenes lose any measure of tension that might have been creeping in. This isn't necessarily to the film's detriment, in that Goodman made the film considerably more entertaining, and he did well with what he was given.

The setup for the final act is very clear - Hume rather crudely shaves his head (an act Bacon insisted on doing rather than wearing a bald cap), and donning his son's leather jacket, resembles a Sex Pistols tribute band reject as he heads into the final battle, carrying more weapons and ammunition than a small army. The action pieces from here range from sick (where a man's leg is unceremoniously blown clean off) to beyond insane (bisecting a van with a car), and nearly throughout, Bacon's character sifts through without a scratch. As the film arrives at its sure-to-be-bloody showdown, be it not the fault of Wan but moreso his screenwriter, Ian Jeffers, we are informed in very heavy-handed fashion that Hume, in his quest for vengeance, has now become what he attempted to stop. The sheer postulation of this idea left an excruciatingly sour taste in my mouth, and considering that Hume is not like these men in most other aspects, I found that it almost pigeon-holed Bacon's character. Yes, in one's quest for vengeance they may have to get their hands dirty and sink to the level of their adversary, but these people, such as Hume, still retain those human elements that these animalistic grunts do not. What I at least agreed with, however, was that one man attempting vengeance for his own son's murder, is essentially just murdering another man's son, whether that man is as compassionate or loving a father as Hume or not.

Perhaps Death Sentence is telling us that you're damned if you do, and damned if you don't - the justice system will go easy on animals who should by all rights spend life behind bars, and taking the law into your own hands will likely cause you to lose more than you gain. It's quite a depressing picture to paint, and whilst I doubt the script was ever written with this consideration in mind, it's a nice idea. Unfortunately, one hasn't much time to ponder on it, as Detective Wallis creeps back on-screen in the film's final moments with a remark to suggest "I told you so" with all the subtlety of a "The More You Know" public service announcement.

All in all, Death Sentence is a confused moral piece that has an intriguing premise, but is mired by its straight-forwardness in tackling a contentious issue. The trailer may ask us "How far would you go to protect your family?", but the film itself seems to ask "How far would you go to endanger your family, destroying your family unit?". Bacon, something of an underrated and under-awarded actor, is a well-versed lead, and most of his foibles can be attributed to the script rather than Bacon's acting prowess, and Goodman's performance is likewise a gem that could well have been saved for better films. The film's logline may aswell have read "invincible Kevin Bacon battles endless waves of witless thugs", but to this effect, the film is loud, abrasive, and often very violent, and so Death Sentence will certainly find itself an audience. If anything, this film exhibits Wan's growth as a filmmaker, and to that point, it was infinitely more enjoyable than his horrendously awful Dead Silence.

Rating: 5/10
Reply 608
Film: Away From Her (2006, Sarah Polley)

Away From Her is the writing and directorial debut of Sarah Polley, a surprising turn considering her previous body of work (acting in Go, and Zack Snyder's Dawn of the Dead remake). Perhaps more surprisingly, Polley has, in her first attempt at an endeavour such as this, crafted a mature, unrelenting effort at exploring the difficulties of dealing with Alzheimer's.

When we first meet the couple concerned - Frank (Gordon Pinsent), and Fiona (Julie Christie), unless you've read a synopsis of the film, you may be somewhat unsure as to which one of them is actually afflicted with Alzheimer's. The exposition to this effect consists of a number of social interactions which make it clear to us (it's Christie's character), and to this point, it's quite a refreshing way of introducing this tragic illness to the viewer, rather than forcefully imprinting it on us with over-the-top melodrama.

The film, much the same way as the illness itself begins to affect those it ultimately consumes, slowly flows in and out of the narrative, surrounded by intellectual banter (and even a quaint little commentary on "American garbage" cinema), and just when everything seems fine, Fiona will go to fetch another bottle of wine and become very confused. This dynamic ensures that the viewer isn't bombarded with either too much or too little exposure to this illness too soon. Furthermore, there are occasional injections of humour, such as Fiona declaring "what an ugly baby" whilst walking past a young boy, deviating entirely from social norms, doing so in an amusing way, but in a manner which doesn't make fun of Alzheimer's. All of Fiona's irreverence is beside-the-point in relation to her illness, and given how she interacts with Grant, one can assume that she was this facetious (or perhaps an understated version of this) before she became ill.

Grant, meanwhile, is clearly suffering through this also (a feat to which Pinsent's performance must be commended, despite its expected overshadowing by Christie). He is comforted by the fact that, his wife, in her illness, has found affections for another man, although whether she believes this "other man" to actually be her husband is a point of contention which Grant may, or may not realise. Grant feels guilt for ultimately deciding to send Fiona to a nursing home, but she assures Grant that it's her decision, one which she made before her condition began to rapidly deteriorate, I hasten to add. In this sense, atypical of many similar productions, Fiona is a strong female lead despite her illness - she sympathises for Grant, but remains firm - she will be going away from him, and perhaps it's easier for her because of her illness. It's not as such an "ignorance is bliss" message or anything so heavy-handed (in relation to the rather sensitive subject matter), but Grant has no means of getting away from this - he is ever-cogent, and as such always conscious that Fiona is quickly going to spiral downwards.

Grant's visit to the home is like a metaphor for Dante's Inferno. The first floor is seemingly quite peaceful and serene - patients play chess and relax on chairs, eating dinner with relatives at Christmas. However, the second floor is like one of the latter circles of Hell, where patient's conditions range from barely cogent to near lunacy. It's quite the bleak picture of foreshadowing that Polley paints here, when you realise that by the film's end, this is likely where Fiona will be ending up, despite Grant's insistence that she will not be needing a transfer to the second floor.

Thematically, Away From Her is all about loneliness - the sufferers of Alzheimer's are isolated, victims of their own minds, and their families are similarly afflicted, but their solitude comes in their grief, and in some cases, their failure to come to terms with what is coming. Grant has no children, which only exacerbates his negative schema.

Following the 30-day period of no contact with Fiona (which the home insists upon), Grant endures a rather gut-wrenching encounter with Fiona, and whilst it's not like we couldn't see it coming, the performances make you feel for these characters. Make no mistake, Away From Her is a sympathetic film, but is also, more to its credit, unpatronising, and we never get away from the truth of the matter. Fiona begins to feel that she needs a man of her sort, declaring "he doesn't confuse me" in reference to another sufferer of Alzheimer's she has become friendly with at the home. Grant's reaction to this is to, out of love for his wife, still come to see her every day, but effectively torture himself in seeing her with this man every day. The other man is an Alzheimer's patient himself - how can you get angry at him? Grant has no outlet for his feelings (not yet, at least), and so simply attempts to remind Fiona of who he is, in vain, as you can expect.

A curious idea is postulated (but thankfully not expanded on, or in what could have been disastrous, made a "twist"), in that perhaps Fiona is punishing Grant for the times in his life in which he wasn't a good husband. Fiona's comment prior to going to the home, that "we expect too much" would seem to refute that. Anything her husband has done has been accepted, and moreover, forgiven, it seems.

Grant eventually finds comfort in the wife of the man whom Fiona is currently involved with, although this is slow-going and awkward to begin with, and it takes a rather poignant, brief encounter with a teenage girl visiting the home to truly pull himself out of the doldrums. This point marks something of a transformation for a number of the characters - these emotionally drained individuals attempt to make the best of a terribly tragic situation, finding someone, anyone with similar problems, and clinging to them as tightly as possible.

Ultimately, Away From Her hits the expected peaks and troughs, but this isn't a film about surprises and stultifying plot twists - it is a sympathetic, affecting, uncompromising look at Alzheimer's, and how it affects the sufferers and their families (who are consequently also suffering a great deal). The pace comes close to fleeting at times, but the performances are grand (although each of them is overshadowed by Christie's certain-to-be-Oscar-nominated turn-in), and for Sarah Polley's screenwriting and directing debut, it's a very solid start, and hopefully a mere header for things to come.

Rating: 8/10
Reply 609
Film: Battle Royale (2000, Kinji Fukasaku):

Battle Royale, the adaptation of Koshun Takami's fabulous novel of the same name, is near enough controversy at 24 frames per second, unleashing a downbeat, counter-culture, subversive tone from its matter-of-fact opening, to its twist-filled end. Much furore has surrounded the fact that this film is still unreleased in America (contrary to the belief that the film was banned), most postulating that a film involving school kids killing each other is simply too close to the bone in the wake of the Columbine, and more recently, Virginia Tech shootings (which means that things don't bode well for the already ill-fated American remake of this film).

Much comparison has been drawn to Kubrick's cerebral masterpiece A Clockwork Orange, in how both films accompany violent scenes with classical music, a sort of macabre juxtaposition that really is quite beautiful to behold. I would deem such a comparison to be only a compliment to the dedicated auteurship present in both Kubrick's and Fukasaku's efforts here.

Battle Royale opens by informing us that employment is at an all-time low in Japan, and truancy at an all-time high, so to combat this problem, every three years a class of school kids are randomly selected and taken to an island where they must fight to the death, with the victor granted safe passage home. We are soon enough greeted with an iconic image of the previous winner - a blood-soaked, smiling young girl holding a toy doll. It's pretty harrowing stuff, and with all the subtlety of a sledgehammer, it familiarises you with what is to follow in the next 115 minutes.

Prologue aside, we are introduced to the various personalities of the next class who are unknowingly to be placed in the BR program. Through a series of flashbacks, we learn about the pasts of the central characters, and soon enough the bus full of kids are on their way to the island (and still unaware of this fact). A dark undertone very quickly pervades and permeates through this film, hiding under the tender, piano-scored, cookie-sharing moments (which astoundingly manage not to reek of cheese), ready to leap out at a moment's notice.

The students are all gassed on the bus, and awaken in a classroom on the island, quickly informed by their old teacher, Kitano (near enough playing himself, with gusto, I add), that they are the next victims of the BR Act, and that they must kill each other if they want a chance of surviving. All of the students are fitted with neck collars, which explode if a student attempts escape, breaks the rules, or if there is no single victor after 3 days.

Kitano is somewhat of an embittered old man, apathetic towards the children's plight as he finds them to be "no good", no wonder, given how one of the students stabbed him years previously. Kitano has a vendetta, and violently carries out his revenge on one student, whilst making an example of another. Understandably confused and frightened, the students are sent off with a weapon and basic provisions, and worse still, there are two additional "transfer students", one who signed up for fun, Kiriyama (Ando) and the other, Kawada (Yamamoto), a mysterious, shotgun-totting fellow with his own agenda.

Mere moments later, the bodies begin to hit the floor, and the students realise that this is no joke - one student uttering "it's for real", after killing another student in self-defence. Some decide to play the game, others simply cannot bring themselves to play and kill themselves, whilst others caught up in the frenzy, such as our protagonists, Shuya (Fujiwara) and Noriko (Maeda), run and hide as hard and fast as they possibly can. From this point, the film is essentially a fight to the death, interspersed with flashback-driven character development. Disturbingly, the film also has a disquieting undercurrent of dark humour. Kitano constantly cracks facetious little lines such as "Your parents have been informed, so go for it!", and at one point even accuses the students of slacking off on the killing. Furthermore, the instructional video that the kids are shown before being sent out to kill is hosted by a ridiculously chirpy individual, and I'd even go as far as to deem it a little creepy. Even as the carnage ensues, this undertone never lets up - a student has an axe embedded into his skull, and proclaims "I'm fine" before dying. You might laugh, but you might also feel guilty for it afterwards.

Things soon begin to look very bleak for our protagonists - their main adversary, Kiriyama, is quickly offing the other students, and amassing an ever-increasing arsenal of weaponry as he does so. Kiriyama seems to take a sick pleasure in murder, even going as far as to decapitate another student, shove a grenade in his mouth and hurl it through a window at our hapless protagonists.

As the useful title card counts the remaining students alive (and reminds us of the dead), we also meet Kiriyama's female counterpart - Mitsuko, a sly, murderous individual who is near-psychopathic in her modus operandi, even decapitating a girl with a scythe at one juncture, presenting yet another obstacle for our heroes to overcome.

What is truly fascinating about Battle Royale is each of the little relationships and subplots that transpire - some find this island a blessing in disguise in a sense, a chance to settle scores and grudges, be it for a boyfriend stolen away by another girl, or a girl who would never date them. Mitsuko herself says "What's wrong with killing? Everyone has their reasons". Others use it as a means of declaring their undying love to someone, more often than not in their final moments after having been mortally wounded. It's a risky approach, in that it could well have seemed overly-sentimental, but it is kind of touching when you consider that some characters, foolishly or not (it's teenage logic, remember), take this chance to seek out those they love, even risking death to do so.

Friendships are also put to the ultimate test, and in one notable instance, paranoia infects a large group of friends, causing them to viciously slaughter each other, with one girl declaring in her final words "We're all idiots, we might have survived".

Ultimately, Kitano is the key to the equation - he is quite the forlorn, and in a sense tragic character. His daughter wants nothing to do with him, and so seeing all of these young teenage girls in need of a saviour only naturally invites certain paternal feelings that begin to overrule his obligation to see the game through to its inevitably bloody and violent end.

Things eventually slow down a little, and Kawada takes Shuya and Noriko under his wing, professing that he has a way out, a strategy that involves our dynamic duo more than they could ever have anticipated. Meanwhile, a classmate by the name of Mimura and his friends discover a wealth of electronic equipment, and work on bringing the BR system down, determined to fight back against their oppressors.

Fukasaku manages to wedge some impressive symbolism into the definitive Special Edition of the film, an example being that one student confesses his love for another girl in his dying moments, and we then flash back to him at a basketball game, shooting the ball and narrowly missing. Similarly, as the hackers implement their plan to bring down the system, Mimura, the leader of this group, scores, and as each basketball flashback appears, they become more and more harrowing, and more saddening as we realise just how many students in these flashbacks are now dead, and how the friendships shown in these clips are now severed. Sure, it's not the most subtle symbolism in the world, but it works.

The film is as such more cerebral than you might expect - characters seem to occasionally either be talking to some form of a God, or breaking the fourth wall, and talking beyond the grave, one girl proclaiming "I just didn't want to be a loser anymore" after dying. I don't quite know if Fukasaku intended for the film to be interpreted as such, but nevertheless, I thought it as a nice touch.

As the number of surviving students begins to dwindle, Mimura and his gang of activists strike back, throwing their plan into action, in a highly exhilarating scene (thanks in large part to Masamichi Amano's wonderful score). The fate of the hackers following their last stand is perhaps some sort of political statement, but semantics aside, it's still a wonderfully-envisioned scene.

The surviving students proceed to band up for the final battle, surrounded by fire (with high-art cinematography that anyone can appreciate), and whilst this fight is swift and decisively-fought, it is no less effective, exciting and iconic. Following this, twists are thrown in, which will likely either disappoint you (appearing to be a copout), or (and considerably more likely) will fascinate you and cause you to wonder quite what just happened. Even once the credits roll, some points are still up for debate, and are still argued as I write this.

The ending of the Special Edition does take some of the kick out of the effectiveness of the film, but it does append some interesting but ultimately unimportant scenes. The manner in which the scenes are almost procedurally appended to the end of the original cut with interspersed title cards is a little crude, and flows nowhere near as well as the comparatively restrained end to the original cut. If you do ultimately decide to see the original cut, this new cut does not drastically change things.

In an age where many people's children, not many years older than the children here, are sent to what many consider an "unjust war", Battle Royale is extremely relevant, and thrives on its controversy rather than impresses in lieu of it. Furthermore, given how a few of the more risqué deaths are shown in only fleeting detail (such as Mitsuko curiously walking away from two dead, naked boys), it certainly inspires one to read Takami's novel if one hasn't already. In short, Fukasaku is a master, capturing superb bunny-stunned performances from all of the youngsters involved, and at the time of writing, I would deem this the greatest foreign film I have ever seen. It's a word I'm very cautious of using, but "flawless" comes to mind, and even if not, something damn close.

Rating: 10/10
Reply 610
Film: The Bourne Identity (2002, Doug Liman)

The Bourne Identity is a shining example of how to present an enigma to the viewer from the outset, build on that enigma to near-excruciating levels, whilst hurling in wild car chases and intelligent action. In short - it's the rare action film that has a brain.

The film opens with Jason Bourne (Damon) being rescued from the ocean by a ship, unconscious with two bullets in his back, and a bank code stored on a chip embedded in his hip. Furthermore, Bourne has amnesia, yet upon reaching land, and when confronted by adversaries, he finds that he is a highly adept fighter. Furthermore, the CIA, and more notably two somewhat shady agents (played by Chris Cooper and Brian Cox) appear to have some interest in Bourne and the mysterious "Treadstone" project. As Bourne follows various leads in the hope of making sense of this mess, he becomes even more confused, and it soon becomes clear that people are out to kill him. Why? Well, that's the wonderful mystery of The Bourne Identity.

As smart as the character of Jason Bourne is, it's refreshing to see that he's not perfect - whilst when escaping a Zurich bank he has the good sense to steal a police radio, he walks past it first and has to backtrack a few steps to grab it. These little subtleties make Jason Bourne a more complex character, and moreover, more realistic.

Before Bourne has any time to take a breather, he meets Marie (Potente), and after offering her a rather large monetary incentive, Marie drives Bourne to Paris. Once this uneasy relationship is established, Liman decides (rather smartly) to flesh out the CIA angle. This is yet another great little nuance of this film - Liman gives us a near-balanced view of this rather intense situation, cutting between Marie and Bourne, and Cooper and Cox's characters.

Once the initial chaos subsides, a speedy rapport develops between Marie and Bourne, something beyond the mutual benefits of this transaction (Marie receiving $20,000 for the lift, and Bourne getting where he needs to go). Whilst this could so very easily simply become a conventional love story relationship, what's refreshing about it is that Bourne simply, flat-out tells Marie what he knows of his troubles, and does away with that melodramatic, overblown, cliché way of holding things back. It feels more authentic to me, character-wise, and lesser films have faltered when ignoring this.

Whilst it does very much appear to be a relationship of convenience by the time they reach Bourne's Paris retreat (Bourne wants company, Marie needs a place to stay), what I particularly loved about this relationship was that Marie almost becomes something of a protégé to Bourne - he teaches her a few things about espionage, and she manages to impress Bourne with a few slick moves of her own.

It's not long before Bourne postulates that there may very well be no-one to trust, and must remain suspicious if he is to remain alive. A number of violent encounters give Bourne no more answers, and it's not long before Bourne and Marie are on the lam in Paris, with seemingly nowhere to hide. Furthermore, Bourne is clearly frustrated, in that he is reluctant to involve Marie in this volatile situation (and quite honestly, he's probably thinking that she'd slow him down), but she wishes to stay, perhaps feeling safe with Bourne. This, combined with Bourne having little time to rest between dispatching assassins sent for him, telegraphs him as a smouldering, determined character that will not be stopped, and, as a viewer, he is difficult to dislike, and extremely easy to sympathise with.

Soon enough, the much-lauded car-chase sequence comes around, and what I truly love about this scene is that whilst it's highly frenetic (even cut to what is now a dance club classic by Paul Oakenfold), it is also one of the most authentic car-chases in recent memory. It has a truly old-school feel about it, where car collisions result in shunting and flying metal as opposed to preposterously-placed explosions. Even though Bourne exhibits all of the deft skill of a professional stunt car driver, this scene is a breath of fresh air, and I would go as far as to call it both the most exciting scene of the film, and one of the best car chases in years.

As the enigma begins to unravel itself, some dark truths are revealed to Bourne and Marie, truths that will test the strength of the relationship they've developed, working somewhat of a rift between them. Further tensions rise as the CIA agents are pressed to put Bourne in a body bag to cover their own hides. Cooper and Cox's characters know that Bourne's smart and moreover, a tough cookie, and Bourne is aware of the CIA's resources, so there's a brilliant back and forth battle of wits here. These CIA agents aren't inherently evil (although their Treadstone project isn't the most by-the-book operation there is), and rather than gearing towards some sort of political goal, these men are simply after self-preservation. As such, the much-overused message of "the police = bad" is absent here, and rather, it just seems that most of the time the authorities are after Bourne, it's simple police officers just doing their job. It's only the Treadstone assassins sent after Bourne that one could deem as true villains, and even then, one of them, when defeated, offers a few insights to Bourne.

Following more carnage, Bourne and Marie escape to a rural farmhouse retreat, where important scenes of character development take place (scenes which, funnily enough, Damon and Liman reportedly had to fight to keep in the final cut). It's here that we see Bourne briefly interact with a man's children, and he worries that coming here is endangering them. Bourne also considers simply forgetting about who he was, and focusing on who he is now, going underground and leaving with Marie. It's the quaint subtleties in this scene that make it so important in developing Bourne as the person we come to know him as.

Before Bourne can make any decisions, he's preyed upon by a Treadstone assassin (played with gusto by the then largely-unknown Clive Owen), and Bourne is thrust into action. Much to his dismay, he is still left with few answers once the battle is over.

The final confrontation is tense, and filled with shocking revelations. More violent encounters are thrown Bourne's way (including the only weak, CGI-laden action piece of the film - a preposterous scene where Bourne rides a man down a staircase), and a wonderful twist is thrown in for good measure that helps to set up the sequel rather nicely.

The film ultimately ends on something of an optimistic note, and considering how easily the ending could have descended into a forced, contrived and cheesy mess, it's an impressive testament to the talent on hand that all the ending did was leave me salivating for the next instalment. Also, Moby's "Extreme Ways" playing us out has since become the iconic song for the series, and rightly so.

The Bourne Identity takes a story that could very-well have been a decent, but decidedly average spy thriller, and ratchets up the action with such intelligence, such dedicated craftsmanship so as to deliver a production that is truly special. It's a wonderful return to the old-school action thriller, devoid of overly-hyperactive camerawork and overblown action, and best of all, it's the start to a wonderful trilogy.

Rating: 8/10
Reply 611
The Bourne Supremacy

The Bourne Supremacy, if anything, is an example of how to craft a sequel that is as consistently smart, action-packed and thrilling as the original film. Given the production issues of the first film, and the change of director for this sequel, Supremacy had a lot running against it, but with little-known director (at the time of release) Paul Greengrass at the helm, audiences are treated to a worthy continuation of Bourne's adventures.

Supremacy picks up two years after the events of the first film, where Bourne has seemingly successfully eluded the authorities and fallen off the grid with his girlfriend Marie (whom he met in the first film). However, Bourne is still plagued by his past, haunted by nightmares, and the voice of his former mentor. Bourne's peaceful retreat lasts for all of ten minutes in Supremacy before an assassin (played with might by Karl Urban) plants Bourne's fingerprints at a high-profile crime scene, and furthermore, comes to Bourne's doorstep to kill him. Bourne, the ever-observant intellectual that he is, declares "we got lazy", and soon enough, he is once again on the run.

A thrilling car chase soon follows, and makes clear what is to many one of the huge problems of Greengrass' entries into the Bourne canon - the "shaky cam". During the majority of the action scenes in Supremacy, the camera shakes all over the place, and whilst it does have a raw, gritty, cinema verite feel to it, it also is often disorientating and simply irritating to watch. It can be effective at times, but other times it's almost headache-inducing. This effect is near enough the only real weakness of this film that I can find.

Following a shocking, completely out-of-nowhere emotional kick-between-the-legs, Bourne is forced out of hiding and thrust back into action, with the hope of both vengeance and finding out more answers to his own identity, such as, for starters, what his real name is.

Meanwhile, it's not long before the CIA are on the case, and the slimy Ward Abbot (Brian Cox) returns as the ruthless operator of the Treadstone operation. It's this point at which we meet CIA Deputy Director Pamela Landy (Joan Allen), who is determined to discover what project Treadstone is (causing Abbot to attempt to cover his tracks), and quite what Jason Bourne's up to (considering that at this point she believes him to be a murderer).

Whether Bourne is pursued, or even at one point, captured, he exhibits the smarts to avoid one scrape after another, and it appears that he hasn't lost a step. In fact, he (whether he realises it or not) manages to confuse the CIA to the point where they don't seem to be on the same page. Bourne is exhausted and haunted by his past, yet nevertheless soldiers on, relentlessly eluding and outsmarting the authorities at every turn.

Soon enough, Nikki, a minor character from the first film (played by Julia Stiles) is pulled back into the fray, and manages to provide an insight into Bourne's psychological state, as such serving as quite the useful commodity to Landy.

Remaining in line with the original film, the fight scenes are uniformly brutal, unpolished and authentic-looking. When Bourne battles the only remaining Treadstone agent left (other than himself), a man who is near-enough his equal, I would argue the case that it is one of the most realistic-looking fights committed to film.

Bourne eventually gets some room to breathe, and makes an attempt at getting some more answers, stalking the CIA, striking terror into their hearts as he appears, and promptly disappears with the tact of a ghost. Bourne, tired of running and hiding, eventually decides to meet with Nikki, in a wonderfully intense series of scenes that makes it clear that it is the performances that make Supremacy as thoroughly enjoyable as it is - Urban as the ruthless assassin, Allen the meticulous and unflappable deputy, Cox as the sly antagonist, and Bourne as the smart assassin whose anger and frustration is scarcely suppressed.

Naturally, the CIA sending Nikki was a mistake, as she is inexperienced in the field and easily intimidated by Bourne, allowing Bourne to gain more vital information and once again showing that he is smarter than his pursuers - he knew Nikki would be easy to shake down, and the CIA needed to send her if they had any chance at catching Bourne.

Meanwhile, Brian Cox's desperation is reaching a fever pitch, attempting to cover his own back and ensure that Bourne takes the rap for everything, even killing those close to himself to that effect.

A massive manhunt subsequently ensues, with the police en-masse out to catch Bourne. Following a wild pursuit, Bourne for the first time seems both exasperated and somewhat afraid, a refreshing little caveat that lets us know that Bourne is not Superman, just a smart man on the run

Following perhaps the least-cliché phone call in film history (where, for once, after someone hangs up, the other person doesn't say "hello?" despite the line clearly being dead), Bourne is able to close the net on his aggressors, but his struggle is not yet over, as those baying for his blood at the outset return to finish the job. As Bourne is pursued through the dingy streets of Moscow, things begin to look a little bleak - wounded, and with both dangerous assassins and the authorities chasing him, he does the only thing he can do - run, and he does so at an incredibly frenetic pace, something which, no matter how many times Bourne does it, never seems to get old. In a memorable car-chase sequence, rather than the skill that got Bourne through the original film's vehicular pursuit, blind luck seems to be the order of the day here, ending with all of the different angles colliding in one spectacular, violent crash.

Supremacy gives us a glimpse into a more human, compassionate Bourne, and by the film's end, he tries to make amends for his past wrongdoings, a catharsis that is truly incredible to watch. As the credits roll, Bourne is given something of a reprieve, and once again, the ever-iconic "Extreme Ways" by Moby plays us out.

The Bourne Supremacy is a spectacular, adrenaline-fuelled, and consistent sequel that cements this series of films as having a place at the top of the spy-thriller canon. James Bond (2006's Casino Royale excluded) may have the gadgets and the ladies, but Bourne has the raw emotion, the gritty brutality, and best of all - the brains.

Rating: 8/10
Reply 612
The Bourne Ultimatum

The Bourne series (comprising of The Bourne Identity and The Bourne Supremacy) has, up to this point, been noted for its intelligent, old-school action pieces, its well-executed plot, and whether you love it or hate it, its violently kinetic camerawork (or "that annoying shaky camera", as some profess to call it).

Ultimatum, the third (and purportedly final) instalment in this wonderfully consistent series seeks to solve the mystery of Jason Bourne's identity, whilst providing audiences with smart thrills-and-spills, and a winding plot that's packed with tension to an almost unbearable, Hitchcockian level. To say that it delivers in all of these aspects is to merely touch the surface, and hardly do this smashmouth rollercoaster-ride of a spy thriller justice.

It has famously been said that act one of a play is "the cat getting up the tree", act two is "what the cat encounters whilst in the tree", and act three is "the cat getting down from the tree". This series in of itself is something of a tripartite-structured play, and in Ultimatum, this crucial, explosive, frenetic third act, Jason Bourne gets down from the tree, and does so kicking and screaming for near enough the entire 115-minute running time.

This globe-trotting adventure (which sees Bourne travel to Paris, London, Madrid, Tangier and back home to New York) continues quite literally where Supremacy left us, although to say too much about this would spoil a surprise regarding the first 80 minutes of the film. In short, the first two thirds of this film will likely leave you thinking "Wait a moment, where does this slot in?", and then you'll have your feet kicked out from under you and soon enough realise quite what's going on. I imagine some people may not enjoy being lead down a path like this, but I felt that it worked, even if it wasn't really necessary.

Supremacy saw Jason Bourne attempting to make amends for his past transgressions as an assassin, and this theme is somewhat recurrent through Ultimatum, although is admittedly overshadowed by Bourne's undying, almost desperate need to know who he is, and how he became this person. Bourne does make amends, but as he finds others able to help his cause, he inadvertently makes them targets also, in one instance resulting in their rather shocking death.

The tense cat-and-mouse game in London introduces us to the latest bureaucrat baying for Bourne's blood - the thoroughly dislikeable CIA official Noah Vosen, played with an appropriate level of slime by David Strathairn, who was more perfect for this role than words can describe, and believe me, that's a compliment. Vosen is heading up the latest incarnation of the infamous Treadstone program, now renamed "Blackbriar", which serves as a means for the CIA to, without recourse, dispatch sleeper assassins to eliminate governmental targets, the current, and most slippery of which is Bourne.

It isn't long before Pamela Landy (Joan Allen) is pulled back into the fold to assist in capturing Bourne, although it becomes clear very quickly that she is the antithesis of Vosen. Vosen wishes to make quick work of Bourne, killing him (and anyone aiding him) and moving on, whilst Landy is opposed to his end-game attitude, and wants to get to the truth. As such, there is an ever-present struggle between Landy and Vosen, one which builds and builds until the immensely satisfying payoff.

It is perhaps more inexorably true in Ultimatum than the previous instalments that no matter what you throw at Bourne, he will take it in his stride, perhaps adjusting a few steps along the way, but he will make it through. One can attempt to outsmart him, but ultimately, Bourne is much smarter than his pursuers, and more incredibly, it doesn't cause him to appear smarmy or unrealistically adept (take note: the last decade's worth of James Bond films, minus Casino Royale). The CIA frequently find important pieces to Bourne's puzzle, but by the time they arrive at them, Bourne has swept through, found what he needs, and simply has to lie in wait to dispatch the next fleet of bad guys sent his way.

An interesting side-note to that, though, is that at one stage, a Blackbriar assassin is able to outsmart Bourne, and Bourne's inability to notice what had been placed before him hinders his progress further, as Bourne near-enough has to return to the drawing board with his only lead expended. Curiously, it appears that whilst the CIA could not stifle Bourne, persons emergent from these shady training programs are the closest thing to Bourne's match

Be that as it may, Bourne is not without help. Nicky (Julia Stiles) returns once again, initially as Bourne's reluctant cohort, but it soon becomes clear (although is never explicitly stated) that they share a past. Nevertheless, Nicky acts almost as a replacement for Bourne's companion, Marie, from the first two films, although fortunately, things never delve into a ham-fisted love story. Rather, Nicky helps Bourne both tail and evade assassins left and right, using her CIA clearance to do so, although this is at the cost of slowing Bourne down considerably, as she is vulnerable in field operations and requires near-constant protection (as she herself is now a target).

Whether you're a fan of Greengrass' directorial style or not, it cannot be denied that his fight scenes present a brutality, a naturalistic violence that is rarely executed as well or as often as it should be. As Bourne treks across Tangier, he is set on by an assassin, and the two engage in a wildly visceral slug-fest that is about as engrossing as these brawls come. The "meat packing" sounds aren't overdone, both men seem capable of victory, and the fight is messy rather than stagey (they stumble over, grabbing any weapon they can, even if it's a towel), and this all adds up to an absolutely thrilling mano-y-mano contest.

Furthermore, as is de rigueur with this series by now, Ultimatum is complete with a wildly hyperactive car chase, and as per its predecessor, results in a chaotic and insanely violent collision, sending metal flying in all directions. The resultant carnage of this chase actually allows a turn of character development for Bourne - he has become this repentant character who wishes to stop running, and this is reflected in the mercy that he exhibits near the film's close, which in turn may be the smartest decision he ever made. By the film's end, things have come full-circle in a rather clever fashion, and one would not be lambasted for wanting to let out an uproarious cheer, be it for finally getting the answers we've been waiting three films for, because Jason Bourne is such an extremely likable protagonist, or because of the ever-consistent, ever-meticulous filmmaking on display in this trilogy.

The Bourne Ultimatum is the sum of the parts so expertly crafted by Doug Liman and subsequently Paul Greengrass. You'll observe that Ultimatum received half a star higher than the previous films - does that mean Ultimatum is a better film? At the risk of butchering my own rating system, I'm going to say no. Ultimatum is in many ways much of the same (not that this is a bad thing), but what Ultimatum does is give us the answers we've been pining for, and embodies everything that made the first two films so fantastic in the first place. The first two films were the build-up, throwing more and more questions at us and a few answers here and there, and Ultimatum is the incredibly satisfying, action-packed payoff. Whilst many will disagree (on the grounds that two more books were written, albeit by Eric Van Lustbader rather than Robert Ludlum), I feel that Ultimatum is the natural end to this story, and if we never see another entry into the series, that shows a degree of restraint rarely seen these days, and I respect that.

These halcyon moments where intelligent, thoughtful action films surface must be cherished. Rarely do films end in a manner that make you want to stand up and cheer, but Ultimatum does that.

Rating: 9/10
Reply 613
Fracture (2007, Gregory Hoblit)

Gregory Hoblit's "Fracture" is a thriller about how what initially appear to be inconsequent foibles can cause great problems - a collection of hairline fractures causing a serious fracture, if you will. The opening credits sequence of Fracture is a nice allegory of this concept, depicting marbles travelling along a metal contraption, and if the metal course were to break or, dare I say, fracture at all, then this marble will fall to the ground, as it does at one point in the film. Yes, I'm probably stretching the applications of the film's title, but you get the idea.

We are quickly introduced to Ted Crawford (Anthony Hopkins), a highly intelligent engineer, who returns home to discover his wife's infidelity, and soon enough makes a choice that many would undoubtedly fantasise about - he murders his unfaithful spouse. Ted, the intellectual that he is, is able to cover his tracks exceedingly well. Furthermore, his ability to do this never appears contrived, although perhaps that's a little of Hannibal Lecter spilling over.

Crawford would best be described as "uniformly strange" from his behaviours in a tense discourse with a hostage negotiator, confessing "I shot her, I know it was wrong", Hopkins maintaining a truly unsettling deadpan delivery. It becomes evident very quickly that he knows how to push people's buttons, lighting something of a raging fire under this negotiator with some carefully chosen verbiage.

Irritating hotshot lawyer William Beachum (Ryan Gosling) unwillingly lands as the prosecutor in Crawford's case, yet once Beachum arrive at court, he quickly finds himself intrigued by Crawford, and when faced with the chance to resign from the case, he ultimately decides not to. Crawford plays what is the start of a slight and nuanced series of mind-games with Beachum, almost confusing him perhaps, but ultimately arousing his curiosity to the point where he has to see this case through. As such, the character of Crawford is speedily established as manipulative, and whilst it's a comparison that the crew, and Hopkins especially, will dislike and refute, this behaviour is most Lecter-like.

Beachum is quickly warned that Crawford is a master manipulator, but Beachum, ever-ascending the career ladder as he is, in a bout of slight arrogance, thinks nothing of his case, that it's open and shut. Hopkins' Crawford, however, is testing him - he has confessed, but now wishes for the legal system to prove it, and has gone to great lengths to cover his hide to this effect - there were no fingerprints on the gun recovered, no powder residue about Crawford's person, and worse still, this gun has never been fired.

In their subsequent interactions, an understandably dumbfounded Beachum only becomes more confused, whilst Crawford seems to have discovered something which he can use to get under Beachum's skin, and rather than keep it to himself, he rather audaciously lets Beachum know this fact. It's refreshing to see a film that isn't entirely cerebral when exploring an individual who may or may be psychotic, and laying his game out on the table as he does is an interesting turn to that effect.

To anyone but himself, Crawford may appear insane, yet he has a meticulously-planned scheme with which he will ensnare anyone who attempts to bring him down. When Crawford executes part of his plan, it seems to shock everyone inside the courtroom, yet this scheme is disappointingly simplistic - it relies on a great deal of coincidence in regard to who was first to arrive at the crime scene, and this was too tenuous of a leap to convince me.

Nevertheless, Crawford's plan, to this point, has worked perfectly - Beachum himself has grown frustrated, and the higher-ups, such as DA Joe Lobruto (David Strathairn) only serve to bury his self-esteem further by reaffirming his own weakness - his need to win. Crawford's series of head games entice and taunt Beachum in an almost passive-aggressive fashion, to the point where Beachum feels compelled to find evidence to put this man away, even as threats towards his career are levelled against him. With pressure from one side begging him to drop the case, and another urging him to continue pursuing it, Beachum is in something of a rut - which ever decision he makes will essentially anger someone.

This pressure begins to weigh heavily on Beachum with ever-increasing force, and furthermore, his being a lawyer, and all of the values that this encompasses, proceed to stack up against, and enrage him. Hopkins' screen time rather regrettably decreases at this stage, giving way for the development of Gosling's character, when, considering how disinteresting Beachum is in comparison to Crawford, is both an unfortunate shame, and an astronomical mistake.

Even when all hope is lost, Beachum refuses to let this case lie - he has to know where Crawford's murder weapon is, and it seems to transform him into either a better person or a more adept lawyer - I'm still working that out. On the other hand, perhaps it does neither and simply demonstrates that Crawford has discovered Beachum's fracture and exploited it, leaving Beachum broken to a point, sending him even further headlong into Crawford's trap, obsessed with discovering the key to this case. This trap, and its resultant explanation, however, is devilishly simple - it's not as clever as you may have hoped for, but given how I was half-expecting a twist-fest, and considering how delightfully enigmatic the build-up was, the payoff isn't so bad.

The final moments of the film are discontenting to say the least - it, depending on your interpretation of events, relies on either the uncharacteristic idiocy of our villain, or what appears to be a gross misunderstanding of law. The fact that certain details are never explained, simply leaves one flustered rather than intrigued, and we're left unaware as to whether the writers (Daniel Pyne and Glenn Gers) truly threw us a befuddled legal interpretation or not. If we take away anything from this film by its end, it's that if you dig a hole for the next man, you may very well fall in yourself - a maxim applicable to both leads.

Fracture is a sedate (and occasionally straggling) legal thriller that is for the most part an engaging piece, complete with a bewildering enigma, but Gosling's character is something of a bore, and hardly someone I felt compelled to revere as a hero. Gosling's performance was decent (and decidedly more impressive than Rosamund Pike's stagey American accent), although nothing particularly exciting, which isn't surprising considering who he is acting opposite. Hopkins comfortably slips into his role, and is conspicuous by his absence when off screen, which unfortunately occurs far too often. Had it not been for some moments of incredulous coincidence and a wholly unsatisfying ending, Fracture would have been one of the more engrossing thrillers of 2007, yet becomes merely an entertaining, decidedly flawed piece.

Rating: 6/10
Reply 614
Ghosts of Cité Soleil

Cité Soleil, one of the most densely-populated shanty towns in Haiti, has been deemed by the United Nations to be the most dangerous place on Earth, and in 80 minutes, Danish filmmakers Asger Leth and Milos Loncarevic attempt to prove this fact to us, through introducing us to both the political leaders of Haiti itself, and the de facto figureheads of the various slums of Cité Soleil. What is perhaps most disturbing of all is that all of this murder, poverty, and gang-inspired violence is a mere 2-hour flight from Miami.

Ghosts of Cité Soleil is undoubtedly guerrilla filmmaking at its most basic - the crew involved, whilst never appearing on camera or projecting their voices, immerse themselves deep into the volatile trenches of Cité Soleil, and admirably so - this place is Hell-on-Earth. All too many times, for lack of their own safety, do these filmmakers stand mere yards away from gunfights and other dangers, but with the crew safe and this documentary now in the can, one must give these people their due. There are, interestingly enough, times when Ghosts of Cité Soleil appears to possess some essence of production values under this guise of guerrilla-filmmaking - there are some sweeping helicopter shots every so often, and whilst this is by-and-large a Super-8 handcam affair, there are a few moments that were clearly captured on more flashy film stock.

This documentary revolves around the lives of two of the five leaders of Cité Soleil, the first calling himself "2Pac", a rap-enthusiast who, with a 3-year-old daughter in tow, simply wants peace. He has nothing but contempt for the (at the time) President of Haiti - Jean-Bertrand Aristide, yet is not a political dissenter in the gun-totting fashion you may expect. Rather, 2Pac sees the rap lyrics he writes as "nukes", which is a nice idea, but frankly, quite futile in any instance, let alone in Haiti. I have no idea how 2Pac manages it, but he is able to contact musical artist Wyclef Jean on the phone (judging by their rapport, they're long-time friends) and rap to him down the phone. Wyclef likes what he hears, and 2Pac declares that he needs to get out of Haiti and allow his music to be heard - it's almost inspiring how, in this down-trodden environment, 2Pac finds a passion that drives him so.

Much of the conflict in Haiti emerges from the "Chimeres" (roughly translated as "ghosts"), a group supposedly (but unofficially) affiliated with the government, seeking to intimidate and quash political dissenters. Aristide naturally denies this, of course, and whether or not the claim is true, it's still a frightening prospect, even as we sit comfortably hundreds of miles away. This is merely the first of many shocking images presented to us in this film - for example, whilst children handling weapons may have a slightly dampened effect on us now in lieu of films such as City of God, Blood Diamond and Babel, actually being exposed to real footage of such is something entirely different. It's exposition is brief in Ghosts of Cité Soleil, but nonetheless worrying.

The second leader of Cité Soleil we meet is Bily, 2Pac's brother, a decidedly more combative man - a member of the Chimeres, in fact. This naturally creates a dormant animosity between the brothers, in that one wants peace whilst the other partakes in direct action, but 2Pac attests that he respects his brother, and simply doesn't involve himself in that side of Bily's life. Despite their at times diametric opposition, these brothers are both family men with children, fighting for what they believe to be the most viable and effective means to an end.

One of the more curious individuals in the film is Lele, a French relief worker who, upon visiting the only hospital in Cité Soleil, urges the wounded Chimeres to not simply be hired guns for the President. Her cause is undeniably noble, but, like 2Pac's, more often than not falls upon deaf ears - how much change can one person truly cause? If any part of Ghosts of Cité Soleil appeared scripted or telegraphed in anyway, it would have to be her "character", ultimately falling for one of the brothers, strangely enough.

Cité Soleil is a vision of Hell in every sense of the word - deformed and unclothed children are helpless, whilst dead bodies and pregnancies litter the streets. Watching a newborn baby being carried away with a crudely cut umbilical cord still attached, still with scissors dug into the cord, is both one of the most vile and disturbingly memorable images I've seen recently.

Opposing the Chimeres is the "Cannibal Army", a gang of ex-Aristide supporters who, in a surprising 180, turned their weapons against Aristide following the death of one of their army. I can't say I found this terribly well-explained - a whole army changing their stance due to the death of one person does seem rather strange. Nevertheless, their intent is to roll through Haiti, taking as many cities as possible, before reaching the President's residence and attempting to overthrow him.

Ghosts of Cité Soleil is, at heart, a test of brotherhood, as 2Pac begins to grow increasingly impatient with Bily's behaviours. Meanwhile, true terror takes hold in Cité Soleil as a death occurs in the group we're following, and the Cannibal Army arrive at their destination, at which stage all Hell breaks loose (as if it already hadn't). There is jubilant happiness on one side, and smouldering anger on the other - the views presented are somewhat weighed in favour of those attempting to overthrow Aristide, but at least there is some sense of balance.

This documentary is at its best when it gains impressive, unprecedented access to both the leaders in Cité Soleil, and the police officers attempting to arrest them. It's a strange sort of access though, and I'm not sure if it's totally moral to talk to these supposedly dangerous leaders, and then moments later talk to the police, who are attempting to apprehend them.

These soldiers, as they stand with their machine guns in hand, may appear to be emotionless, acerbic individuals, but by the time Ghosts of Cité Soleil reaches its close, we realise that behind these tough veneers are people who feel and hurt like anyone else. In some final moments of thoughtful reflection, we are reminded that these people have families like any of us, and one must consider whether their causes are worth risking the sanctity of that construct. Ghosts of Cité Soleil offers little levity by its conclusion, delivering a final, crushing blow to the viewer as we discover the heartbreaking fates of those we, dare I say, became friendly with for the last 80 minutes (backed by Brian Eno's superbly emotive song "An Ending"). If one can take any consolation from the final pieces of information we're given, it's that perhaps there's a little good in most, if not all of us.

Rating: 7/10
asdasta
Fracture (2007, Gregory Hoblit)

Gregory Hoblit's "Fracture" is a thriller about how what initially appear to be inconsequent foibles can cause great problems - a collection of hairline fractures causing a serious fracture, if you will. The opening credits sequence of Fracture is a nice allegory of this concept, depicting marbles travelling along a metal contraption, and if the metal course were to break or, dare I say, fracture at all, then this marble will fall to the ground, as it does at one point in the film. Yes, I'm probably stretching the applications of the film's title, but you get the idea.



Rating: 6/10


thats an understatement to say the least, lol
Reply 616
Hot Rod

Hot Rod, quite simply, is one of the strangest, most offbeat comedies to come our way since Napoleon Dynamite (a film which, I hasten to add, I wasn't terribly fond of upon first viewing). Filled with irreverent gags, and so-called "random" interludes of "humour", Hot Rod is a curiosity of a comedy.

It becomes clear early on that much of the laughs to be sought in Hot Rod are physical, beginning with an impressive, and surprisingly funny (considering how often it was shown in trailers) instance where our protagonist fails a stunt and pays for it in rather brutal spades.

Whilst I did end up ultimately enjoying Hot Rod somewhat, I must admit that I was incredibly apprehensive that this would just end up as another offbeat screwball comedy that, were you to show even a pinch of contempt for it, you would be lambasted for "not getting it" (see: Napoleon Dynamite). Hot Rod didn't grip me right away - whilst the humour was notably different from most of the romps you'll see this year, it really didn't seem to work to begin with. It was almost as though they were trying too hard to deliver a different, edgy brand of laughs. Perhaps this was just the warming up stage for me, as there were parts of this film later on that had me laughing heartily.

The basic premise of Hot Rod is that Rod Kimble (Samberg) is an amateur stuntman, and is suddenly informed that his abusive step-father Frank (McShane) is in dire need of an extortionately expensive heart-transplant. Whilst Kimble and Frank have contempt for one another, Kimble is determined to beat Frank in a fight some day (so as to finally be deemed "a man"), and so wants to ensure that Frank doesn't die (although surely fighting a man who's had a heart-transplant can't be too healthy either). As such, Kimble hatches a plan to perform a jump over 15 buses in an attempt to raise money for the heart transplant.

Continuing from that point, we have Ian McShane, who by far brings the strongest performance to the table as the bitter, acerbic and down right thoroughly dislikeable step-dad. His first line - "never sneak up on a man who's been in a chemical fire" pretty much says all you need to know about him - he's an aggressive madman of the highest order. This character really wouldn't work if it wasn't for the great chemistry between McShane and Samberg - McShane plays a great tease whilst Samberg, conversely, makes a convincing frustrated chump.

From here, we also meet the predictable love interest, in Denise (Fisher). As with McShane, Samberg gels quite well with her, and it makes the emotional cripple that Samberg plays all the more convincing. One notable instance of this is when he tells Denise that she looks pretty, and when she says "What?", he nervously returns "You look ****ty!", much to my laughter. This was a man I could sympathise with.

Soon enough, Will Arnett shows up as Denise's rich, egotistical boyfriend. His character is one giant cliché, but Arnett has fun with the role, and next to McShane, provides the most enjoyable performance of the film. His character is one you can love to hate, and they gave Arnett some of the best lines of the film, such as, after running over a raccoon, proclaiming "the raccoon wouldn't have stopped for us", before laughing heartily. This isn't his best work (that honour would be bestowed to Mitch Hurwitz' brilliant Arrested Development), but it's still a good turn.

The rest of Hot Rod is essentially a dense collection of wild set pieces, from impromptu dance numbers and money-making montages, to faux poignant interludes, to a curious Asian man appearing virtually out of nowhere. More often than not, they all end with our protagonist being injured in some way, be it falling down an extremely long hill, flying through some sort of building, or being hit by a car. I felt that the dance number came a little too early in the film to really inspire much of anything, but the ridiculously violent ending to this and other skits were surprisingly funny. I still attest that physical humour (particularly that which is in this film) is a lower form of wit, but with a film like Hot Rod, I took my victories where I could find them, and these just happened to be the continual violent torture of our protagonist. It is worth noting, though, that these moments get very, very close to becoming tiresome by the film's end, and by the time the "cool beans" montage comes around (by which the characters utter these two words over and over until they lose all meaning), I was close to holding my head in my hands. Furthermore, gag-wise, an entire exchange regarding the pronunciation of "wh" seemed to have been poached from a Family Guy episode, much to my dismay

There is the occasional injection of superficial emotion into the film, where our protagonist experiences a number of ups and downs, and ultimately begins to doubt himself. This almost appears to be a turning point in the film, and just as the viewer may be able to feel something for this character, he's hit by a van. I'm not complaining about it, mind, just noting that the instances of emotion are generally just padding for the comedy.

Everything eventually sets up nicely for the finale, and we have further ups and downs, and ultimately the film ends exactly as you'd expect. Yes, Hot Rod is by its end very predictable, but that didn't stop it being an entertaining ride, with some great performances from Arnett and McShane, and some humour that was very hit and miss, but when it hit, it hit hard. It won't be the best film you'll see this year, nor probably even the best comedy you'll see this year, but it's dumb fun and I'm sure that's what the creators were going for.

Rating: 6/10
Reply 617
The King of Kong (2007)

Seth Gordon's "The King of Kong" assumes a stance rarely adopted by the mass media in relation to computer games - one that, rather than vilify it, attempts to glorify the activity and the persons who partake in it. A gamer myself, I find it to be a refreshing turn, and as an exploratory piece into the world of old-school, coin-op gaming, as well as what can be characterised as "Rocky for geeks", this is an immensely enjoyable documentary.

From the opening moments of this glorious documentary, gaming is discussed as though it's a sport, and it may seem to veer on the plain of facetiousness, but I assure you, there's nothing tongue-in-cheek about the people we meet in this film, as endearing and amusing as they are. Whilst, as they attest themselves, their attempts to break the Donkey Kong world record are in no way comparable to, for example, a Triathlon, the participants are equally as dedicated, probably spending as much time perfecting their craft as these athletes, and get just as frustrated when they don't achieve their goals.

Whilst I cannot deny that The King of Kong in many ways reinforces the archetypal "geek" stereotype, it at least serves as a reminder that they aren't all socially inept individuals who live in their parent's basements, repelled by women. Steve Wiebe in particular (one of the forerunners in the battle for the Donkey Kong world record) is something of an everyman, a family man who usurps the stigmatic connotations associated with gamers - he was both an athlete and musician in his younger days, and now enjoys the (more than) occasional pop at Donkey Kong on his home arcade machine, as his wife and child look on.

The King of Kong avoids the pitfalls that beset many specialist documentaries, in that they assume that the viewer has knowledge of the particular field. Kong, however, still manages to keep you in the loop, and quite frankly, if you've never heard of Donkey Kong, gamer or not, you're likely so far from the loop that it's the least of your problems. Nevertheless, the actual concept of the game is explained in clear and concise detail, and further still, the concept is quite basic in itself.

The glue of this documentary, and by far the most entertaining and engrossing aspect, is the rivalry between the two front-runners for the Donkey Kong world record. The battle between Steve Wiebe and Billy Mitchell, the two men in question, is compared by those in this documentary to the spectacular rivalries of the mainstream sports of America, and the passion with which they make this claim, whether you agree with them or not, is admirable. This feud, which begins as something of a friendly competition, builds and builds and builds, with accusations of hacked arcade motherboards and doctored video tapes, well and truly drawing you into what is essentially nothing but a contest of "can you top this?", a war about nothing more than prestige and reputation. The technicalities and considerations postulated in attempting to oust suspected cheaters are quite remarkable, and to this effect, it wouldn't surprise me if the world record regulatory committee (a company named "Twin Galaxies) were to implement mandatory drug testing next, for shame.

Gordon draws an extremely clear line, perhaps too clear, in relation to who we should root for and who we should revile in this competition - we see glimpses of Wiebe's family frequently, and he is driven to tears by his frustration in attempting to break this record. Billy Mitchell, however, is only ever shown to be a smouldering, perhaps calculating individual, with his wife only shown in brief, and as the head of a burgeoning hot sauce business, there are obvious acerbic connotations with "bigwigs" such as that. If you read interviews on discussion boards and articles on the Twin Galaxies website, you are likely to think very differently of Mitchell than this documentary attests, but the dichotomy of a villain and a hero made this film all the more enthralling, and it's not as though Gordon was manipulating a social or political issue, so I'll let him off.

Through all of the passive-aggressive attacks on one another, with all of the supposedly modified devices and doctored videos aside, the superbly telegraphed build-up leads to what is quite literally the war to settle the score. By the competition's end, I felt a wide variety of emotions - sympathy and happiness being the most prevalent two. Some of the film's greatest moments are the contemplative, thoughtful ones, such as where we're treated to quick glimpses of Wiebe playing the piano, and when Gordon examines the personal torments of these competitors, these individuals who are so driven to win. Furthermore, Joe Esposito's classic "You're The Best" pumping along with these gamers exhibiting an inhuman level of dexterity is truly emotionally engaging, and oddly enough, quite inspiring to watch.

Clocking in at under 80 minutes, The King of Kong doesn't keep you for a second too long, and in this short running time, manages to explain why games aren't "just games" to these people, and whether or not you find them caricatures of the stereotypes that some of them attempt to avoid, their determination and heart for this activity is truly inspiring. This is their Olympics, and they'll be damned if anyone's going to take it away from them. The conclusion to this tale caused me to smile, but the documentary is unfortunately already dated by a competition that took place recently. Still, this is hardly the fault of the filmmakers, and not only as a gamer, but as a film lover, I hold this documentary in high regard, as not merely a documentary, but a wonderfully inspiring piece that stands among the great documentaries of our time.

Rating: 10/10
Reply 618
Mad Max (1979)

Mad Max wastes no time in establishing a post-apocalyptic, nihilistic world, a barren wasteland where the morally bankrupt stalk the streets, preying on the innocent and defying the rather tenuous legal system. The opening scenes involve the police chasing a cop killer, yet the line between the law and the unlawful is blurred - the police wear black leather clothing, and as victims of their society, are often violent and blood-thirsty themselves.

When one goes back to watch the film now, the car chases not only hold up to today's standards, but furthermore, they are refreshingly physical, organic set pieces, sending metal flying in all directions rather than littering the street with over-the-top explosions. They are shot with a kinetic energy that is impressive considering the low budget, and many filmmakers today could learn a lesson or two from watching this film.

It's not long before we meet our titular hero - Max - an officer of the law, who is something of a vigilante, yet in a world such as this, his (and his colleagues') extreme methods are the only tangible form of justice. Outside of this world, Max is a family man, with a wife and a young son, and we get the impression that Max isn't some sort of sadist that enjoys killing law-breakers, but that when pitted against people who are this vicious and morally apathetic, his violent method is the only method.

Whilst there is certainly no peaceful utopia in this post-nuclear world, what resembles a time of peace is usurped as a band of villainous bikers arrive in town. These bikers are quite the distinguished looking antagonists, dressed in some rather questionable-looking attire, and donning some equally curious haircuts. Whether you like their style or not, it's undeniable that the villains are visually arresting and rather original-looking. Furthermore, they are absolutely abhorrent - they have no outlet for redemption whatsoever, brutalising the town shortly after arriving.

As an action hero, Max is considerably more complex than you may expect - he is an emotionally developed character, his dreams haunted by the vile mutilation of one of his colleagues. This scares Max, and provides him with a little humanity, allowing him to realise the danger of both his job, and the world around him. Not only is he scared of the evils that he encounters every day, but he is also afraid of what he is turning into - by removing savages from the streets, he is forced to, at least in part, become one himself, and worse still, he worries that he is starting to enjoy it.

Needless to say, his worry overpowers him and he confines to leaving his job for the sake of his family. Ditching his chrome leather for some smart-casual attire, the viewer must beg the question - is this the "real" Max? Naturally, Max is now a repressed shell, but ultimately happier (and certainly safer), as he is able to enjoy his family, and he sees this sacrifice as necessary for his family.

However, it isn't too long before Max's family are preyed upon by the foul bikers terrorising the town, and whilst initially able to elude them, they return with guns, and all other manner of crude weaponry, blazing. This see-saw action is a masterful reflection of Todorov's theory of equilibrium and disequilibrium, repeatedly crunching this equation, giving us moments of terror followed by moments of respite.

Max and his family suffer a home invasion, a tense standoff in which Max attempts to diffuse the situation, but when you're battling foes that are this morally devoid, such attempts are largely fruitless. After the attack is over, and Max is left in the wake of an extremely tragic series of events, Gibson brings such a raw, gritty emotion to his character, quickly ploughing through a range of emotions, from simmering anger to ultimately unbridled, vengeance-driven rage. Max is past caring for his own safety - there's no sidekick or ancillary character to tell us this, but Gibson, by his speechless demeanour, lets us know it.

Donning his old leather, and now truly the vigilante he near enough was whilst a cop, Max pursues full-speed ahead - Max is vengeance at 100mph, viciously stalking and slaughtering those who have wronged him. In this land where criminals walk free, Max and his special brand of justice are King. There is also a sense of irony in the fact that his job did indeed turn him into a savage, but by the film's end, Max will need that savagery to stay alive.

Mad Max's ending, whilst leaving little for the viewer to ponder, is wonderfully macabre and unforgettable. The film's climax is as short and sweet as the entire film itself, wrapping things up with extreme pace, but given the nature of the film, little explanation is required once the final body hits the floor. In summary, Mad Max is an effective, impressive science-fiction actioner, all the more so considering the miniscule budget the crew had to work with. Gibson, whilst at this stage largely unknown and inexperienced, turned in an appropriately brutal and driven performance as the tortured protagonist, and if the term "cult classic" was ever apt anywhere, it would be here.

Rating: 8/10
Reply 619
Mad Max 2

The original Mad Max was both a critical and commercial success in 1979, pulling in over $100,000,000, a fantastic feat considering the $400,000 budget, even managing to maintain the highest cost-to-profit ratio of any motion picture for 20 years (ultimately being ousted by The Blair Witch Project). Given the film's astronomical success, it wasn't long before a sequel came along

Mad Max 2 wastes no time whatsoever, introducing us to another ragtag band of murderous psychopaths mere moments into the film. Meanwhile, Max has since abandoned his family dwelling (his family having been mercilessly slaughtered in the first film) and is something of a drifter, living on dog food and always in search of gasoline for his trusty, and now iconic vehicle - the V8 Interceptor. Max eventually stumbles across a small community with a rather copious gasoline supply, the only problem being that the town is under siege by a villainous gang.

This sequel takes a little more time to get going than its predecessor - rather than throwing us headlong into the action as the original film did, this takes a more stoic approach to things, with Max observing the carnage from afar before deciding to get involved. It might just be that his personal tragedies have taught him to exhibit an air of tact, in assessing a situation before running in all guns blazing.

Viewers will quickly realise that this is as unforgiving and morally devoid as the original film - led by the imposing, monstrous Lord Humungous, the evil gang viciously murder inhabitants of the town in an attempt to pilfer its gasoline supply. The fact that they ultimately give the townspeople 24 hours to peacefully hand over the town (and moreover, its gasoline reserves) would suggest that they are slightly more humane than the antagonists of the first film, but rest assured that this group are as brutal as anything seen in the first film.

As you can expect, Max becomes caught in the middle of the squabbling inhabitants, and ultimately acts as a directional force, a leader in their fight, although Max doesn't take this as a charity case - he's getting as much gasoline as he can carry out of it. In this sense, it's great to see that the character of Max never lets up in looking out for his best interests first, and as such, he is something of an anti-hero.

The first half of Mad Max 2 may be a little restrained for some - the action is few and far between, but is essentially build-up for the action-packed second half, beginning with Max engaging the gang in a high-speed automobile demolition derby. The smashmouth style of car-chase direction from the first film quickly returns in full, violent force, as well as the rather homoerotic attire of the villains.

From this point, the narrative follows a similar structure to the first film - both Max's side and the opposing gang incur losses in a string of violent exchanges, each time regrouping and then returning to fight soon after. Max, the unlucky soul that he is, merely wishes to get out of dodge with his gasoline and his car (frankly he doesn't see this as his battle), yet as it turns out, in another ironic twist, Max may well have been safer in the town, as he is waylaid and left for dead moments after leaving. Furthermore, the enemies crawling around the desert wasteland are now more dangerous than ever, using nitrous oxide to drive even faster (and as such, more dangerously) than before (and you thought The Fast and the Furious used that gimmick first?).

Max ostensibly ends up right back where he started, thanks to what is near-enough Max's only foible in the series up to this point. Max, driven only by his own need to escape these heinous monsters, agrees to aid the town in their escape, resulting in a full-throttle, white-knuckle thrill ride, taking place both on the lush desert terrain and even in the sky to a degree. The exciting finale is explosion-laden and every bit as unforgivingly brutal as the original film's, and no matter how many times a body is hurled under a car in this film (and no matter how many times I watch it), it is still shocking.

Max Rockatansky, now black and bruised, with enemies literally coming from all angles and directions, is solidified as an action-hero by Gibson's steely performance, portraying a character who never lets up, and will not be stopped with such gusto and enthusiasm that it's near-impossible not to take a shine to both Max as a character and Gibson as a performer.

After an exciting and bombastically violent finale, as with the first film, the desert sand has little time to settle before the credits hit. Miller clearly has no interest in providing any padding or gentle decline for the audience, and frankly, this film is all the better for it.

As a sequel, Mad Max 2 is seemingly unnecessarily but ultimately well-executed. It takes a little while to get to the meat of the matter, but once it does, it delivers as many adrenaline-fuelled thrills as the original, with as much directorial craftsmanship also. I found Max's personal struggle to be more interesting and relatable in the first film, yet his taking it upon himself to lead a band of otherwise hopeless soldiers to the cusp of destruction with all bells tooting is enjoyable to say the least.

Rating: 7/10

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