Marble Hornets Season 2 review: Episodes 27 to 42

!!!!!!SEASON 1 AND 2 SPOILERS!!!!!!

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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!!!!!!

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Short review: Searching for Sugarman

Director: Malik Bendjelloul
(2012)

From the gorgeous opening vistas of a South African coastline, Searching for Sugarman sets itself up to be a very special kind of documentary. Its sublime blend of animation, perfect cinematography and ‘8mm’ footage bestow such a riveting visual display for a film of its genre. Its brilliance reaches beyond its aesthetic with the engrossing story of Rodriguez; the phenomenal 1970’s singer who disappeared after his album flopped stateside. It charts his apparent suicide to his popularity in South Africa where his songs became a cultural phenomenon. And in the final third, Searching for Sugarman falls apart. The filmmakers interview Rodriguez’ friends and bosses in the present day, building up to finding the fabled singer, only to reveal they found him 13 years prior, when he toured South Africa, throwing the entire film out of context. A stunning story wrecked by manipulative and deceitful design.

Monsters Inc review

Mike: I think I have a plan here: using mainly spoons, we dig a tunnel under the city and release it into the wild.

Sulley: Spoons?

Mike: That's it, I'm out of ideas. We're closed. Hot air balloon? Too expensive. Giant slingshot? Too conspicuous. Enormous wooden horse? Too Greek.

Directors: Andrew Stanton, David Silverman, Lee Unkrich
(2001)

It’s an almost surreal experience being able to revisit Pixar films during their infancy after knowing just how successful the company’s streak would turn out. Almost singlehandedly responsible for the second golden age of animation with their pioneering piece of perfection that is Toy Story (1995) the studio has proliferated the use of computer animation to the point where no one does anything by hand anymore. Despite being universally adored by audiences of any age upon release, Monsters Inc critical reception was warm rather than blisteringly molten like Toy Story’s, and even to this day I find this baffling. In a near perfect run of films spanning more than a decade, Monsters Inc is one of the company’s absolute highlights.

Set in the monster populated Monstropolis, Monsters Inc follows Sully (John Goodman) and Mike (Billy Crystal), 2 best friends and employees at Monsters Inc, a factory that collects the scares from children in order to power everyday activities. The factory has doors that lead into children’s closets, allowing the monsters to infiltrate the human world to gather the required ‘scream’ energy that society has become so dependent upon. In a hilarious revelation, human children are considered to be poisonous, with a single touch being able to kill instantly. After a shift one day Sully finds a door left on the factories scare floor and accidently lets a human child called Boo (Mary Gibbs) into the monsters realm. This puts the duo on a crash course with the antagonistic Randall (Steve Buscemi) a malevolent camouflaged lizard who has bold ambitions about the future of the monsters world.

What makes the film work is its genius, high concept idea and precise, entertaining storytelling. The concept of another world inhabited solely by monsters whose way of life is powered by the screams of frightened children might sound like something out of an arthouse horror flick; the idea and its universe are developed sensationally by Pixar’s creative minds. The way the city of Monstropolis functions is so similar to ours, but is flipped on its head by the physical state of its creatively designed inhabitants. A janitor cleans up a trail of slime only to create another when he moves due to being a slug, a monsters tongue is so long it doubles up as a child’s skipping rope and deodorant is based upon foul smells (wet dog anyone?). These quirky aspects of an otherwise relatable society make for some tremendous laughs, as well as establishing just how original the film, and films in general, can truly be.

While both Toy Story’s and A Bugs Life are films that do an excellent job of catering to 2 broadly different audiences, it was with Monsters Inc that Pixar really began perfecting the art of pleasing such a varied audience. Mike and Celia go to a fancy restaurant called Harryhausens and Mike is put off by the idea of yellow snow cones (“they're lemon!”) while younger audiences will adore the slapstick humour and comedic violence. The written gags are razor sharp and are slanted more in favour of entertaining adults than they are of children, and this catering to such a diverse audience is executed flawlessly, making for a cohesive, well rounded feature.

Much like Toy Story 2, Pixar saves one of its strongest moments till last as Sully, Mike and Boo soar through the factory warehouse, using the door track line as a form of makeshift rollercoaster/getaway vehicle from the villainous Randall. Soon the characters are using the doors as portals, travelling to various locales around the world. The chase is visually stunning and totally exhilarating, culminating with an emotionally charged finale that could reduce a grown man to tears. The films flaws (obvious, cliché villain, the usual Pixar buddy comedy routine) are minor, the successes are astronomical. Watch it again on Blu Ray to remind yourself how the Cars films are minor lows in a company that’s only in the business of crafting phenomenal highs.

The Walking Dead Season 3 Episode 15: This Sorrowful Life

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

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Wallace and Gromit: The Wrong Trousers review

Director: Nick Park
(1993)

There's only very little that needs to be said about Nick Parks Wallace and Gromit the Wrong Trousers, a short stop motion animation that's The Godfather of its genre. After renting out the spare room to an ambiguously sinister penguin, Gromit’s Techno Trousers are integral in the heist of a diamond by the malevolent bird. From start to finish Parks magnum opus is crammed with pitch perfect humour, genius gags and an astute sense of britishness. The low fi charm of Claymation is delightful that enhances every scene with such detail and ingenuity putting everything else similar to shame. And then there’s that climax, a chase on a miniature train track around Wallace’s home as Gromit lays down additional track as the locomotive barrels forward at an alarming and exhilarating rate. Quite possibly one of the greatest moments in the history of film, animation or otherwise.  A true masterpiece.

Garden State review

Sam: Hey, I recognize you.

Andrew Largeman: Oh, did you go to Columbia High?

Sam: No, not from high school, from TV. Didn't you play the retarded quarterback?

Andrew Largeman: Yeah.

Sam: Are you really retarded?

Andrew Largeman: No.

Sam: Ooh, great job man! I really thought you were retarded. I mean, you're better than that Corky kid and he's actually retarded. If there was a retarded Oscar you would win, hands down, kick his ass!

Director: Zach Braff
(2004)

The only reason I decided to watch acclaimed indie film Garden State was for a very ignorant and almost childish reason. It’s the reason why teen girls watch Cronenberg’s Cosmopolis and young women feel the need to watch 2011’s critically revered Drive. The answer? Because the film stars an actor who I enjoy watching. That and Scrubs is a fantastic piece of television. That's right, I watched Garden State solely on the basis of writer/director/star Zach Braff, and this choice was a surprisingly sound one, as Braff’s directorial debut is terrific little film.

The film follows Andrew ‘Large’ Largeman, a little big actor who resides in LA. His career highlight was playing a retarded quarterback in a TV film, but since then the acting well has turned barren. Upon receiving the news of his mother’s death, Large returns home to New Jersey for the first time in 9 years for the funeral that awkwardly collides him with his estranged father (Ian Holm). Soon after catching up with his friends from this previous life he bumps into Sam (Natalie Portman), an incredibly eccentric 20 something who he instantly has a connection to. In the remaining days of his visit to Jersey he attempts to find himself and understand his path forwards in life.

The remarkable themes of self discovery and progress are at the heart of Garden State, and Braff's script tackles such bold subject matter in a remarkably successful way. In different hands the film could’ve veered off into the direction of monologues and nature shots, but the focus is very much on the emotions of the characters. Large feels very isolated in his life, perpetually on medication and unaware of his next move. One hilarious scene sees his new handmade shirt match the wallpaper; a not so subtle metaphor for being lost. Make no mistake, Braff’s direction isn’t particularly subtle, but his choices certainly ring true without devolving into total pretentiousness.

What’s certainly odd to see is Braff in a role that isn’t the recognizable JD from Scrubs. The childish quirks of his medically adept alter ego are missing here, instead Large is filled with a somewhat emptiness. His voice is quiet and movements are reserved, never wanting to be the centre of attention, even when people bring up his successful ventures as an actor. Juxtaposing Large is the oddball attitude of Portman’s Sam, the catalyst in Large’s life that brings him out of his self imposed isolation. Portman certainly pulls it off here by bringing Sam to life and making her simultaneously quirky and incredibly cringe worthy.

In interviews Braff has stated that Garden State is a film about 20 something’s who haven’t planned out their lives past the age of 21. This is employed in full force for the majority of scenes, from the unemployed millionaire friend (“I've never been so bored in all my whole life”) to gravedigger Mark (“I'm only 26. I'm not in any rush”). It certainly allows the film to appeal to the aimless crowd of late teenagers and college graduates, even if Braff’s script becomes incredibly melodramatic in some of the more emotionally intense scenes.

For all its themes of existence and finding ones path in life that takes up the majority of the film, it’s a complete shame that the film’s final third (if it can be called that) is utterly lacking in a multitude of departments. After some strong scenes of Large and Sam bonding, the film goes quite literally on a detour leading the cute couple and Mark to an abandoned quarry. Not only is the journey out of place and a little dull, the film abandons its strongest thematic beats in favour of silly moments of cliché. The climax is a kicker, the films thoughtful groundwork is undone by a hideously generic RomCom ending. If it wasn’t for the quality tarnishing final act, Garden State would be a slice of indie heaven. Instead it’s merely a good film that never truly reaches its full potential.

The Walking Dead season 3 Episode 14: Prey

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

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Pale Rider review

Megan Wheeler: And when he had opened the fourth seal, I heard the fourth beast said: "Come and see." And I looked, and behold a pale horse. And his name that sat on him was Death. And Hell followed with him.

Director: Clint Eastwood
(1985)

While I'm not a big fan of westerns, I was drawn to the Clint Eastwood directed and starred Pale Rider for that sole reason, Clint Eastwood. The man has made and acted in some terrific films during his career, so the expectations were relatively high. There’s no denying the strengths of Pale Rider, most notably its action and Eastwood’s performance, but it’s also hard to overlook the lacklustre drama that makes up the bulk of the film.

The film opens with a gang of horse riding cowboys riding across a plain, intercut with shots of a docile nearby village. The length of the shots get progressively shorter and the crosscutting becomes feverishly fast until the 2 scenes collide. The settlement is destroyed and to repair the damage Hull (Michael Moriarty) heads into town. Once there he is assaulted by those who attacked his community, working under the orders of a dastardly business man called LaHood (Richard Dysart). This potential beatdown is averted by a man called Preacher (Clint Eastwood), who saves Hull and travels back with him to stay with his lover Sara (Carrie Snodgress) and her daughter Megan (Penny Sydney).  LaHood desperately wants the land that Hull and his friends have settled on to get to the gold that resides there, and is prepared to employ the infamous Stockburn (John Russell) and his deputies to go head to head with the enigmatic preacher in order to get it.

Some strong religious themes are present here, but surprisingly they add not only to the mystery of Preacher, but also the quality of the film itself. Megan prays to the lord to bestow her a miracle to reduce the suffering in her life. During this reading we see a shot of Preacher riding his horse superimposed onto the existing shot of Megan burying her dog. Later, upon Preachers arrival into town Megan is reading from the bible, Revelation “And I looked. And behold, a pale horse, and his name that sat on him was death. From here the tone is set, is Preacher a message from god? A Ghost? Or simply here to settle a grudge with the cold-hearted Stockburn? Eastwood teases the answer but never explicitly states it; the ambiguous final shot is as rewarding as any shootout.

That's not to say that Pale Rider’s brief bursts of action aren’t entertaining of course, but they often lack any form of weight or impact. Upon preacher’s rescue of Hull, he beats up a gang with a wooden stick with apparent ease. The choreography and editing is exciting, but the blows don’t feel vicious enough. The climactic gunfight fares better mainly due to the change in approach. The bullets do fly, but in a restrained manner that makes every death seem more significant. Preacher hides around town, ambushing Stockburn’s goons using deception and deceit. It’s engrossing as well as further adding to the complexity of Eastwood’s character; design like this feels fresh when compared to modern action scenes which are only concerned with explosions and death.

Even though Hull is the films protagonist, his character pales considerably when paired with Eastwood’s gunslinger. Preacher might not have a great deal of screen presence, but this only works in favour of the avenging angel; a case of less is more. Despite his beatdown of LaHood’s goons, Preacher is a man of cloth, something that amplifies the mystery of his character. Elsewhere we have Hulls potential wife to be Sara in what equates to a throwaway role. Richard Dysart does a fine job of breathing life into primary antagonist LaHood, his slimy nature and short fuse make for an ideal villain.

In the later stages of the film threat comes from Stockburn and his deputies, although all of which don’t get enough time to develop into anything other than cannon fodder for Preachers pistols. While the major characters are solid, the supporting cast is awful, a lame collection of stereotypes and one dimensional set fillers.

This ties partly into the films biggest issue, the drama that lacks bite in-between the violence. The community’s issues aren’t portrayed in there true severity making the fact they might have to relocate their homes more of a slight inconvenience than a life changing issue. Beyond this is nothing but lacklustre interactions that bloat the films running time out to almost 2 hours, a length that's slightly overindulgent. Pale Rider is a solid film, but the connective tissue between Eastwood’s scenes tear the film down to less of an impressive level.

Short review: Arachnoquake

Director: Griff Furst
(2012)

Even for a SyFy original movie, my standards were still monumentally low for Arachnoquake, a film even more stupid than it sounds. Set in New Orleans, It follows a bunch of bad characters played by talentless actors as the city suffers earthquakes that set loose a load of giant, fire breathing spiders. From here it’s an onslaught of poor acting, beyond terrible CGI, dozens of continuity errors and just plain awful filmmaking. The film lacks any form of logic, I mean, why go to a drug store to get an inhaler when you can use scuba gear instead? Soldier’s fire unloaded guns, baseball players hit spiders like a homerun (complete with cartoon sound effects) and everyone trips over logs that aren’t actually there, you know, for suspense. It’s laughably bad at best, and downright atrocious for the majority of the film. Avoid like a giant, fire breathing spider.