Iron Man 3 review

Tony Stark: You're not a man. You're nothing more than a maniac. I'm not afraid of you. No politics here: just good old fashioned revenge.

Director: Shane Black
(2013)

Regardless of the quality of the content, Marvels Phase One was a resounding commercial success. Initialised by Ironman (2008) and concluded by the spectacular yet hollow The Avengers, the 6 film series made 3.8 billion dollars across the world, Phase 2 was going to be a thing regardless of what anyone thought. In a move reminiscent of the start of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, this next chapter also begins with another Ironman film with Robert Downey Junior reprising his role as the genius billionaire playboy philanthropist. While there’s little doubt that box office receipts will reach hundreds of millions, it’s a crying shame that Ironman 3 isn’t the experience we were all hoping for.

After the events of The Avengers, Tony Stark is in a dark place. Racked with insomnia and suffering severe anxiety attacks, he spends most of his time tinkering with his creations. His obsession pushes the boundaries of girlfriend Pepper Potts (Gwyneth Paltrow) who is intent on leaving him. When Tony becomes embroiled with terrorist The Mandarin (Ben Kingsley), he is left isolated and alone, struggling to protect those he loves and cares for. With the help of James Rhodes (Don Cheadle) he sets out to stop The Mandarin while getting caught up in a biological project run by Aldrich Killian (Guy Pearce) known as ‘Extremis’.

The films biggest issue resides with its story, a dismal blend of underdeveloped arcs and telegraphed revelations. The vast majority of the films plot is given away in the film’s opening flashback, forcing us to wait for Stark to play catch-up for another 30 minutes before events can progress any further. Killian’s motives are weak, Guy Pearce’s best efforts simply can conceal how much a generic villain he truly is. What’s mishandled even more is both The Mandarin and the Extremis plot arc. Kingsley’s villain is an intimidating, fearful character to begin with, his untraceable terrorist attacks and TV hijackings paint him as a more cerebral man than an outright violent one. But soon he is nothing more than Osama Bin Laden minus a turban, committing televised crimes like a cheap Joker impersonator. Soon focus shifts away from Kingsley’s hard work back to Killian, making the film suffer dramatically with a terribly implemented plot twist.

Where the film also falters is in the action scenes, which strive to be functional instead of exciting. The climax to The Avengers would be difficult to top, so Black smartly sidesteps the issue, giving us a large scale conflict that is small enough to remain personal. While it’s initially a joy to see dozens of Ironman suits jetting through the sky, it soon becomes apparent that all we’re really witnessing is bright lights and searing explosions, the decision to shoot the finale in darkness (again) results in some muddled visuals by the folks over at Weta Digital. Instead of emphasising the unique roles of these additional suits, they’re instead used as cannon fodder for extremis aggressors, appearing in frame only to be obliterated just moments later.

Elsewhere the quality of the action is even more temperamental, sometimes beautiful but mostly messy thanks to some tight camerawork and choppy editing. The destruction of Starks house is a prime example of this, the personal devastation of the attack is lost in a sea of loud noises and smeary rubble. The second act set piece involving Starks rescue of passengers from a destroyed plane is more engrossing, primarily thanks to the fact that it was shot by an aerial stunt team.

Extremis is even worse, a facet of the plot that is wholly uninteresting and incredibly simplified, acting as nothing more than a way to avoid having Ironman fight more robotic foes after the suit heavy battles of the first 2 films. The result is a massive waste of Rebecca Hall’s talent, her part in the film is reduced to sexy scientist who spells out the plot for those incapable of putting 2 and together. In fact, it seems there was no point in casting Kingsley, Pearce or Hall outside of a handful of scenes, squandering potential seems to be what Ironman 3 does best.

Of course, these disappointments are alleviated slightly by Downey Junior’s Stark, a role that he wears like a second set of skin. While his comedic timing remains impeccable, the character’s humorous side is toned down significantly, a result of the PTSD that he suffered due to the climax of The Avengers. This additional depth to the character is a welcome one, seeing his massive ego reduced to nothing is a welcoming and strangely affecting, and portraying the fallibility of seemingly indestructible superheroes is the step in the right direction for the Marvel Cinematic universe as a whole. Yet beyond Starks advances, Ironman 3 is a severely unsatisfying experience, marred by a bad story and soulless action. The conclusion is limp, a defect that extends to the now famous after credits sequence which isn’t worth waiting for. Spending too much time reflecting on Phase One instead of paving new ground, this is undoubtedly the first big disappointment of the year. We can only pray that isn’t indicative of things to come.

The Descent Part 2 review

Director: Jon Harris
(2009)

As a general rule, I despise sequels. From a business perspective they’re absolute gold and in some cases are actually superior products to the first film, but said examples are few and far between. When you narrow this down to horror films, the genre that seems to crank out the most sequels- direct to DVD or otherwise-than any other, the chances of a follow-up to a decent film are almost microscopic. While we all wished that the Descent Part 2 was the series ‘Aliens’, it fails miserably, both as a standalone feature and as a lazy follow-up to a solid British horror.

The Descent Part 2 even manages to damage the quality of the original film by completely undermining the first films crowd pleasing ending. Instead of the climactic dream sequence of the preferred UK cut, Part 2 follows the generic US version, in which Sarah (Shauna McDonald) escapes the cave system and finds safety at a nearby road. She’s suffering from amnesia, although this serious medical condition doesn’t stop the local Sheriff Vaines (Gavan O'Herlihy) from forcing her to take a rescue party back into the caves to search for her friends.

 As purveyors of the first film know, Sarah is the lone survivor of the gruesome ordeal, although any potential drama or tension is dispersed by her loss of memory. Little makes sense in the 15 brief minutes set above ground, right down to the sloppy writing and weak acting. The use of amnesia reduces Sarah’s character to a one dimensional mute, a choice almost as baffling as doctors allowing her to leave mere days after the trauma she has endured. The first film spent plenty of time developing its characters, even if they were mostly fodder for the beasts that lurk in the darkness, but at least their deaths held some degree of impact. The descent (this time by elevator) down into the cave fails to mount the tension in any way, a failing that reverberates throughout the entire feature.

Once firmly underground, the contrived amnesia plot device is mercifully discarded and the attempts at fear begin. Only that exactly what they are, attempts. Every impactful shock of Marshals film are replicated here to a far lesser degree, Director Jon Harris simply can’t give the audience a frightening payoff when the films build-up has been so lax. Expect scenes involving night vision cameras, glowsticks, pools of liquid and rockslides to happen, lazy déjà vu of the strong moments that made the original film so nerve shattering and intense. Special mention should go to the utterly idiotic characters however, the ones who fire guns in tight spaces and handcuff themselves to another survivor to prevent them from running off, even as the group is hounded by the monstrous crawlers that call the cave home. The first film ruined the horror of its monsters by showing too much of them, diminishing their effectiveness. Harris is once again content on emulating, and even shows one of them dive-bombing into a pool of shit (yes really) to chase its prey.

And then Harris tries to hit you with a shocker ending in the same vein as the original that, for a brief few moments, actually works. The intriguing ambiguity is soon shattered though, as it dawns on you that the final scene makes no sense whatsoever. This is the final memory I have of this sloppy horror flick, one that sums up not only the disappointment of an unwarranted sequel, but also a needless twist bolted on to the end to replicate the far superior first film. This is simply a film worth avoiding, rewatch the first film instead and pray that they don’t make a third.

Short review: Trance

Director: Danny Boyle
(2013)

In his 19 years of making films, Trance, Danny Boyles latest, is the first that could be considered a complete let down. The premise of the film seems relatively simple, a botched art heist puts a criminal (Vincent Cassel) the amnesiac, double crossing thief (James McAvoy) and his hypnotherapist (Rosario Dawson) on a trippy, mind bending venture in order to uncover the hidden location of the painting. While the film possesses decent cinematography and performances, the narrative is a complete shambles; a mess of plot arcs and dream sequences bog the film down from the get go. It leaves the audiences head spinning aimlessly, a far cry from other, smarter crime thrillers in recent years (Shutter Island, Inception). The story twists and turns itself into the ground, Boyle simply doesn’t want events to make any sense. A couple of revelations resonate, but the end product is relatively poor.

Short review: Alien 3

Director: David Fincher
(1992)

Even without prior knowledge, it’s easy to see that Alien 3 had suffered terribly during development. David Fincher’s directorial debut was unfairly ruined by an idiotic and interfering studio; the result is a weak link in a potentially brilliant trilogy. By killing off Newt and Hicks just minutes in, Alien 3 sours the taste in the mouth of fans of Aliens, and things don’t improve much from there. The writing and editing is all over the shop with a largely uninteresting plot and characters that disappear with no explanation. The film manages to be hideously boring at times too, rescued by some stellar art and set design that is amongst the series high points. Looking beyond the excitingly impractical climax, Alien 3 lacks the horror and suspense of the original film and the visceral gunplay of its sequel. The result? A total mess.

Go review

Simon Baines: He's a good guy.

Marcus: Oh, he's the good drug dealer.

 

Director: Doug Liman
(1999)

Coming out at the end of the 90’s, Go is a film that succinctly surmises the entire decade into a neat 90 minute package. The small budget, emphasis on dialogue and characters as well as the non chronological narrative, Go is the product of its decade. While it does wear its love of Tarantino’s Pulp Fiction firmly on its sleeve (very few films didn’t at the time), it’s the hidden gem of 1999, sitting quietly at the back behind the behemoths of such a fantastic year for film.

The most entertaining aspect of Go is its interlocking 3 pronged narrative that shows the same event from the perspective of multiple characters. Beginning at the end of a 12 hour shift, we see a botched drug deal and illegal rave from the perspective of high school dropout Ronna (Sarah Polley) and Claire (Katie Holmes), the former desperately in need of money to avoid eviction from her flat. Her buyers are Adam (Scott Wolf) and Zack (Jay Mohr), 2 TV stars being forced into becoming temporary undercover cops. Ronna's story is presented first and is arguably the most integral of the tales, charting her progress from scoring 20 hits of Ecstasy from dealer Todd (Timothy Olyphant) to dealing and dodging cops makes for exhilarating viewing. Her journey concludes just 30 minutes into the film, a choice that’s both narratively satisfying as well as being ambiguously open ended. The real joy that comes from watching Go is seeing the links that lock the 3 acts together into an interrelated whole.

Act 2 follows Ronna's co worker Simon (Desmond Askew) as he parties in Las Vegas with some of his friends. Although Simon doesn’t have much of a physical presence in Ronna’s story, his actions and phone calls have severe consequences that reverberate through a multitude of other characters. This is the shallowest of the films chapters, but its lack of depth is more that covered by the excellent humour, a thrilling sense of urgency and unmatched sexiness on display; these 30 minutes feel like 10 by the time the story shifts perspective once again.

In contrast to Simons story, Adam and Zack’s feels like it’s far longer than it actually is, making the weak link in an otherwise entertainingly consistent film. Showing events from the final, unseen perspective certainly wraps up some of the films more interesting questions, but too much of this act is bogged down by William Fichtner’s Officer Burke. That's not saying that Fichtner gives a poor performance, it’s just his character almost singlehandedly kills the films snappy pacing with an overly extended dinner sequence which gives little in the way of payoff or relevance. The fact that both Adam and Zack are TV stars makes the decision to have them partaking in an undercover sting seem bewildering, one of the few instances of sloppy scripting that is so contrasting with the excellence that writer John August has crafted.

In a sense, Go gives us what we expect form an independent production; pure, inspired energy that pulses throughout the films strongest stretches. In this sense it’s the anti Magnolia; sharp and throbbing with velocity compared to P.T Andersons leisurely paced and overflowing love letter to Robert Altman. It loses this zip in the third act, but still remains a highlight in one of the greatest years for film in recent memory.

The Walking Dead Season 3 Episode 16 Welcome to the Tombs

!!!!!!WARNING SEASON 2 AND 3 SPOILERS!!!!!!

CLICK LINK TO VIEW

The Walking Dead Season 3 Episode 15: This Sorrowful Life

!!!!!!WARNING SEASON 3 SPOILERS!!!!!!

CLICK THE LINK TO VIEW

The Walking Dead season 3 Episode 14: Prey

!!!!!!WARNING SEASON 3 SPOILERS!!!!!!

CLICK THE LINK TO VIEW

The Dark Knight review

The Joker: It's simple, we kill the Batman. 

Director: Christopher Nolan
(2008)

Over 4 years on, it’s easy step back and observe the effect that The Dark Knight has had on the superhero genre, as well as films on the whole. When one thinks of comic book adaptations, crappy effects, shoddy dialogue and men in ridiculous rubber suits all unfortunately spring to mind. But Christopher Nolan has changed such a trite genre for the better. After sowing the seeds of change with 2005’s Batman Begins, he blossoms this hard work into a truly fine effort, the genre transcending blockbuster that is The Dark Knight.

18 months after Batman Begins, Gotham is becoming cleaner, criminals fear the night and thanks to The Batman (Christian Bale) the city is relatively safe. Through the combined efforts of The Dark Knight, Lt Gordon (Gary Oldman) and district attorney Harvey Dent (Aaron Eckhart), mob bosses are slowly losing their grip on the underworld. Things change dramatically with the arrival of The Joker (Heath Ledger), an insane and formidable adversary, hell bent on bringing Gotham and Batman to their knees. As the Jokers mania spreads, Bruce Wayne must push his alter ego to the very limit in order to protect those closest to him, namely butler Alfred (the always sublime Michael Caine) and attorney Rachel Dawes (Maggie Gyllenhaal, replacing Katie Holmes).

If fear was the central theme of Batman Begins, then The Dark Knight is fuelled by unpredictable Chaos, a tone that Nolan sets from the get go. A 6 man bank heist is orchestrated, complete with a multitude of double crosses and the reveal of our scene stealing antagonist. From this stunning scene on, Nolan doesn’t let up. Explosions, chases, brawls and city wide pandemonium act as the fuel to a mesmerising film which pushes its genre, and filmmaking in general into bold new territory. This is in equal parts due to the dark, gritty tone, shooting key scenes in the ultra sharp IMAX format and The Joker himself, excellently portrayed by the late, great Heath Ledger.

While Batman Begins was no slouch in the acting department thanks to a strong assemble of talent, the performance that will be remembered for years to come is Batman’s most infamous foe. Ledger knocks it out of the park as the psychotic clown, his excellent dialogue delivered in such a zany, mesmerising manner that we almost forget that the caped crusader is indeed the star of the film. Ledger’s career has been a fine one, but this is what he’ll be rightfully remembered for.

The dark knight marks the start of a new phase of Nolan films, no longer restricted by budget; he is able to craft his film to fit his vision. Going against the grain when it comes to superhero films, the use of CGI here is kept to a minimal, with practical effects being used as often as possible. So when a bus crashes through a wall, a truck gets flipped on its head or a car gets destroyed, we’re seeing it actually happen. Such a practical approach is even used in bigger situations, the Jokers demolition of Gotham hospital is done for real, right down to the roof crumbling to the floor.

Taking an almost Spielbergian approach to set pieces, Nolan once again defies modern convention by showing us as much of the action as possible. The camera doesn’t shake around violently but remains smooth, framing the action so we as an audience can digest each punch and explosion. The editing is sound in this respect too, scenes are relatively long; nothing gets shredded into incomprehensible blur like other, lesser offerings. For the most part this works wonderfully, but there are moments when this directorial choice is a detriment to the overall quality of the film. Take Batman himself, dishing out hefty blows to Gotham’s criminals and the Jokers goons. It looks realistic, but the slow nature of Bales movement makes him appear sluggish in his brawls. It’s not a monumental issue, but it paints the caped crusader as a lumbering brute rather than the agile ninja that he truly is.

There is little doubt that The Dark Knight is a masterstroke in filming, a delicious concoction of old school philosophies and convention obliterating plot twists. But like all of Nolan's films, even those seemingly designed to be watched more than once (Inception), the film doesn’t lend itself well to multiple viewings. If The Dark Knight is watched once, and only once, it’s a 10/10 film in every regard. Viewing it a second time is a lessened experience however, and the narrative creaks under its gargantuan weight. Both Two Faces rampage and the ferry sequence seem rushed and implausible. It’s still a terrific film, but the magic it generates when viewing for the first time is an unrepeatable feeling. Regardless, this is bound to go down as Nolan's masterpiece, the great second act in a genre redefining trilogy.

The Walking Dead Season 3 Episode 13: Arrow on the Doorpost

!!!!!!WARNING SPOILERS!!!!!!

CLICK TO VIEW

Short review: Triangle

Director: Christopher Smith
(2009)

There are so many things to be said about Triangle, yet so little of it can actually be communicated. Triangle is a relatively unknown psychological thriller masquerading as a dumb horror. Unlike others in this subgenre, Triangle twists and turns not to set up a 3^rd act plot twist, but to develop its revelation that occurs in the 1^st act. 30 minutes in and things are looking grim, the cast is tiny in size and obtuse clues point towards our heroine Jess (Melissa George) being insane. An in a flash director Christopher Smith turns the film on its head, with the ocean liner our protagonists are stuck on becoming almost as intriguing as the Overlook Hotel. While its narrative complexity causes some convolution, Triangle is a very solid film, intent to cater to the more cerebral horror fans. A smart, satisfying film that deserves a lot more recognition.

The Walking Dead Season 3 Episode 12 review: Clear

!!!!!!WARNING SEASON 1 AND 3 SPOILERS!!!!!!

CLICK THE LINK TO VIEW

The Walking Dead Season 3 Episode 11: I Aint a Judas

!!!!!!WARNING SEASON 2 AND 3 SPOILERS!!!!!!

CLICK THE LINK TO VIEW

The Walking Dead Season 3 Episode 10: Home

!!!!!!WARNING SEASON 3 SPOILERS!!!!!!

CLICK LINK TO VIEW

Short review: Safe

Director: Boaz Yakin
(2012)

Writer/director Boaz Yakin brings us Safe, yet another generic action flick starring Jason Statham. He’s a homeless ex cop whose life gains purpose after he saves 11 year old genius Mei, whose memory holds a very important code to a money filled vault. The story here is childishly basic, yet Yakin convolutes events to give the appearance of depth and intricacy. Regardless, the Chinese, Russians and corrupt NYPD officers battle it out for the code that Mei possesses. It’s very cliché, acting almost as filler until we stumble onto the next action sequence, of which there is a plentiful supply. Some of these are practically shot and interesting, the Russian kidnapping scene for example. Yet the majority descend into sharp edits and trite camerawork, both of which render the action incomprehensible. The climactic shootout is erratic yet immensely dull, summing up the entire film rather neatly.

The Walking Dead Season 3 Episode 9: The Suicide King

!!!!!!WARNING SEASON 3 SPOILERS!!!!!!

CLICK THE LINK TO VIEW

Short review: Misery

Director: Rob Reiner
(1990)

It’s unfortunate to remark that 1990 thriller Misery is less than the sum of its parts. James Caan, Kathy Bates, directed by Rob Reiner and based on a Stephen King novel; it has the makings of a classic. Yet these components are functional rather than sensational, leaving Misery feeling slightly undercooked. Famed novelist Paul Shelton (Caan) has a car crash only to be thankfully rescued by his “number 1 fan” Annie Wilks (Bates). His injuries leave him bed ridden as Annie’s crazy obsession with him bubbles to the surface. Bates does a good job as this distressingly creepy crazed fan, although she often overdoes key moments with a little too much lunacy. This is a contrast to Caan; giving a performance so phoned in that he’s almost catatonic at times. The film is certainly disturbing; although its concept isn’t suited to the films stretched running time.

Zero Dark Thirty review

Dan: Can I be honest with you? I am bad fucking news. I'm not your friend. I'm not gonna help you. I'm gonna break you

Director: Kathryn Bigelow
(2012)

ZDT kicks off in startling fashion; a black screen reminiscent of Kubrick, the substance of the scene comes not from what we see, but what we hear. Actual audio from the September 11^th attacks on the world trade centre, people screaming, crying, a devastating combination of scared and confused. For a film that charts the journey of the locating and killing Osama Bin Laden, Kathryn Bigelow (The Hurt Locker) takes the bold decision to start at the beginning. What begins is the almost 10 year hunt for the infamous perpetrator, shown through the determination and incredible will of one phenomenally dedicated woman, Maya (Jessica Chastain).

Maya’s journey begins in a detention centre in a CIA blacksite, bearing witness to the torture of Amman (Reda Kateb) a known associate of Al Qaeda. The dirty work is executed by Dan (Jason Clarke), an interrogator who becomes a close ally of Maya’s. Chastain does a wonderful job of showing Maya’s initial fragility, merely a young woman almost fresh out of high school. Dan’s interrogation is successful, giving Maya the name of Abu Ahmed. We follow Maya through her hunt for leads to Bin Laden, a mission she dedicates her life to.

As an audience, we all know how ZDT will end; the conclusion is ingrained in the memory of anyone old enough to remember the horror of 9/11. But the success of Bigelow and Hurt Locker writer Mark Boal is how this conclusion is reached, a strong emphasis on plot over story. Much like her previous film, ZDT can’t be stuffed into a genre like many films; instead it exists in many, ranging from drama to action. The opening, torture focused act makes way for the meat and potatoes of the film, almost an investigative thriller, not to mention a character study of Maya. Its engrossing stuff, riveting to the point of making the spurts of action almost seem dull.

Calling Chastain’s Maya the beating heart of ZDT would be a slightly misleading statement. Once again she steals scenes effortlessly, something she has done in everything appearance from The Tree of Life to Lawless. The talent of the actress isn’t in question here but instead the depth of her character. Maya is a machine, dedicating most of her life to hunting down terrorists. She’s cold, calculating and merciless; one dimensional up until the film’s sensational final shot. Strong female protagonist she might be, but she isn’t a complex one. This is somewhat bizarre, especially considering how brutal torturer Dan has his emotional frailties and intricacies. The fact Maya is based on an actual real life person (or persons) is ever so slightly terrifying.

For the most part Boal's dialogue is gripping and exciting, guiding the audience through the relatively complex plot without resorting to patronising handholding. Yet it has the occasional lapse, moments when he gives talented actors monumentally ridiculous things to say. It’s unfortunate that Chastain’s Maya takes the brunt of the flak, spouting shit such as (“I'm the motherfucker that found this place, sir.”), harmfully stripping away the seriousness of the films events up to this point. These slips into the outlandish aside, Boal has succeeded admirably.

Bigelow shifts gears once again in the final 3^rd, a startlingly accurate of SEAL Team 6’s raid on Bin Laden’s compound. It’s almost shot in real time, minute for minute. The ferocity of doors being breached and the vicious sound of bullets as they tear through the air are impressive, the lack of music amplifying the quality of the sound design, as well as perfectly setting the atmosphere. It’s entertaining, but never cinematic, Bigelow has puts more emphasis on crafting an accurate portrayal rather than an engrossing action scene. While this is admirable, taking some artistic licence with such a pivotal moment would have worked wonders.

 Taking into consideration the subject matter, Bigelow has succeeds admirably with Zero Dark Thirty. We all knew what the outcome of this 2 and a half hour film would be, but the way this conclusion is reached is engrossing. A fine example of how an excellent plot can infuse life in even the most well known stories.

Pulp Fiction review

Jules: The path of the righteous man is beset on all sides by the inequities of the selfish and the tyranny of evil men. Blessed is he who, in the name of charity and good will, shepherds the weak through the valley of darkness, for he is truly his brother's keeper and the finder of lost children. And I will strike down upon thee with great vengeance and furious anger those who would attempt to poison and destroy my brothers. And you will know my name is the Lord when I lay my vengeance upon thee. 

Director: Quentin Tarantino
(1994)

There's something very special about Quentin Tarantino films, something that’s difficult to pinpoint. It’s not the quality of the cinematography, the flashes of hard violence or the intriguing narrative. No, I think my love for his films comes out of the fact he has characters sit somewhere and talk about shit for an entire film and still manages to craft some of the most brilliant, perversely funny films I've ever seen. There’s little doubt in anyone’s mind, Pulp Fiction is a fast talking, pop culture phenomenon.

Opening with a couple chatting about robbing liquor stores and restaurants, Pulp fiction grabs your attention from the get go. The dialogue is a standout; these characters remain seated for almost the entire scene, our interest held by the enthralling conversation. These 2 characters (Tim Roth and Amanda Plummer) are almost discarded as we jump cut to a pair of hitmen, Vincent (John Travolta) and Jules (Samuel L. Jackson) as they do dirty work for their boss, Marcellus Wallace (Ving Rhames). Tarantino isn’t content with just following this duo, and we witness more jump cuts involving prize-fighter Butch (Bruce Willis), Marcellus’ wife Mia (Uma Thurman) and the mysterious cleaner, the Wolf (Harvey Kietel). It’s presented in a non linear fashion, the story consists of various plot arcs that don’t instantly mesh, but become entrancing in the way they fall perfectly into place.

Tarantino shows us that he is one of the finest writers of his generation. There is nary an exchange that isn’t brimming with style or class, every word spoken is thoughtfully chosen. Homage’s are lathered on thick, his previous occupation as a video store clerk being used to full affect. Pulp may last 2 and a half hours, but sublime dialogue makes the time fly. The best scenes are those with Jackson and Travolta. The dialogue here is insane, ranging from the weird (comparing foot rubs to oral sex) to the hilarious (you wanna know what they call a quarter pounder with cheese in Europe? Royale with cheese.) The middle of the film becomes severely bogged down by Bruce Willis’ character Butch. It starts splendidly, with an excellent Christopher Walken starring flashback, but becomes tiresome. The following cab ride with a driver obsessed with death (Angela Jones) was good, but too much time is spent on Butch’s girlfriend Fabienne (Maria de Medeiros) talking about pot bellies and blueberry pancakes. This arc does finish excellently though, violence and death preventing this sizable chunk of film from becoming a total loss.

Complimenting the phenomenal dialogue is the superb work of Cinematographer Andrzej Sekula. His incredibly gorgeous cinematography goes beyond excessively flashing framing in order to augment the narrative. One scene that always stick in my mind is when Butch realises his precious pocket watch is missing. Things begin with a long shot framing both him and girlfriend Fabienne, as he roots through his suitcase to find it. As he searches, the camera slowing zooms in to focus on him, Fabienne out of shot but still talking. Pulp Fiction is full of shots as meaningful as this; both Tarantino and Sekula have successfully added a further layer to the way the story is told.

Once the credits role and all the pieces of the puzzle fall into place, Pulp Fiction can very much be considered and influential, genre defining classic. Rammed with iconic, memorable scenes and backed by a scintillating script and a perfect use of music, we have the defining film of the 90’s. The middle is dragged down and Tarantino pushes the boundaries of self cameo a little too far, but Pulp Fiction is and always will be a classic.

The walking dead Season 3 mid season finale Episode 8: Made to Suffer

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Warning, season 3 spoilers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Click the link to reveal review.