Review: The Disappearance of Alice Creed

Year: 2009 (U.K. Release 2010)

Director: J Blakeson

Screenplay: J Blakeson,

Starring: Gemma Arterton, Eddie Marsan, Martin Compston

Synopsis is here

The first 13 minutes of this film has no dialogue just precise work. One or two glances and nods, but there's almost like a telepathic link between the two characters we see. They're setting up for a plan and all that concerns them is the matter at hand. It's a tense and well put together set up that almost felt reminiscent to Michael Hanke's The Seventh Continent (1989) but the Non-Diegetic music accompanying the scenes help make this less of an examination but the imagery still manages to keep up an interesting and similar, simmering amount of tension (although Hanke will always be on a different level).

Executed in such a short and sharp way for most of it's running time; TDOAC is a tightly wound thriller that keeps the details small and the pace quick. It keeps an asshole like me from taking a second glance at such nonsense like plot mechanics. It's three characters (the only ones you'll see) are quickly thrown together and present an engaging dynamic. They all held my attention in one way or another and kept my interest level high.

If my dumb ass asked questions, it was about motivations, not clues. Why is that important? Because when I think of clues I begin to try too hard in figuring the film out. Motivations say that the characters are bigger than the clues, more interesting and worth much more of your time. That's what I liked about this movie. Set mostly within one set (a dilapidated high rise flat), these motivations twist, turn and get larger, the size of the room stays the same. That's the presence of claustrophobia I like.

J Blakeson's debut film is an assured feature that does as best as it can with very little. From it's methodical beginning, to it's building of the climax in the third act which cheekily looks to have pilfered from a pivotal moment from the Coen Brothers Miller's Crossing, it knows that it has to keep moving to stay interesting. To achieve this, Blakeson casts actors who all distracted me with their portrayals of desperation. From the straight talking Eddie Marsden (an actor who doesn't get enough credit) to an effective performance from Gemma Arterton. Arterton's Alice is a long way away from her "bigger" roles and she shows to me that given a chance she can really bring some guts to a role. The lesser known actor Martin Compston has a lot to do and handles it pretty well. His performance is pretty much key to the film and if you don't believe in it then the film will probably unravel for the viewer.

It's the strength of the acting that helped me forget about flaws that the film has. For one this is a 90 minute feature running at 100 minutes. If the film was shaved a little then I feel the tension could have ran higher. Also a character revelation gained a few titters in the audience. This may be because it feels quite outlandish, it may be because the audience was immature, either way it's a moment handled well by the actors, but isn't the strongest part of the narrative.

Despite this, TDOAC is a tightly wound thriller with some confident direction and strong performances. It was also a film that brought in more of an audience than I had thought. I like to think that this is because it is another British film that doesn't quickly fall into the cockney gangsters or tweed Romantic comedy that for some reason we keep encouraging ourselves to make. Yay us!

Review: Gentlemen Broncos

Year: 2009 (U.K. Release 2010)

Director: Jared Hess

Screenplay: Jared Hess, Jerusha Hess

Starring: Michael Angarano, Jemaine Clement, Jennifer Coolidge, Sam Rockwell, Halley Feiffer, Hector Jimenez

Jared Hess' third feature has come to U.K cinemas off the back of a very weak critical performance. film writers have not been kind to it and the film was pulled from theatrical release because of it. In a time where many have been bemoaning the death of film criticism, it's intriguing that the studio felt so threatened that they took such evasive action. This isn't to say they may not have had worries before. Much like Hess' Napoleon Dynamite, GB wishes to askew convention and defy basic definition.

Gentleman Broncos' offbeat sense of place and timing worked for me. Combining cringe comedy, gross out and small town slice of life with such an abstract rhythm gives off the feeling that Hess only really wants a niche market to tap into his movie. It doesn't all work, but I have to admit I laughed my ass off that at the stuff I found effective.

The film does of course have it's weak moments, much of them being Hess' reliance on the projectile humour, which comes out in spurts and gives mostly mixed reactions. A snake taking a shit on it's owner isn't just lowbrow but merely too cheap to bring any more than a a tiny titter (if that). However, watching the same owner (writer/actor Mike White) sitting on his car in a pose that's usually reserved for pit girls had me howling. Why is that funny? It is the context. The first thing I thought to myself was "he was clearly standing like that without anyone watching". Such a bizarre position for no reason had me going, as did the superb performance from Flight of the Concords cast member Jemaine Clement.

The role of Chevalier is a display of hilarious pomposity that steals the film from under the likable protagonist of Benjamin (A very straight but warm Michael Angarano). Flight fans will love it and others may take notice as Clement oozes with sleaze. You just want him to have as much screen time as others. In fact his performance made me forget that you have the fearless Sam Rockwell doubling up as not only a bollockless Dune character wannabe, but also a camp transvestite version of said bollockless Dune character wannabe. Both displays are good times. Jennifer Coolidge also lends her comic timing to this and looks very comfortable with the uncomfortable goings on.

It's a shame that less isn't done with characters like Halley Feiffer's Tabatha and Hector Jimenez's Lonnie, who are both pretty one note and mostly forgettable if not for their selfishness or face stretching respectively. Hess seems to introduce these characters as important but then almost assigns them to oblivion, through at one point their part of the narrative clearly overlaps with Clement's Chevalier's character's wrong doings.

However, with this said, Hess' film deal with the interesting notion of how problematic an idea is when it becomes tangible. It's low-key release is a sharp contrast to Hess' Nacho Libre (his second feature) and despite that film still having that same offbeat nature, you get the feeling that bigger may not have been better for the director of cult on that production. In watching Benjamin not only sell his story to be turned into a film, but nicked as well, it all feels a little personal. But I didn't find it as self indulgent as other reviewers have mentioned. I feel Hess may just know this world better than some of us. Not all dorks rush to fuck pies or take out porky's. I feel what Hess may be doing is showing us the underbelly of the underbelly* and as a director he brings out enough in his characters to make them interesting and to laugh with them as opposed to at them. I guess I'm saying the oddball works here, not the well worn.

*Jesus. How fucking pompous did I sound there!

Review: Iron Man 2

Year: 2010
Director: Jon Favreau
Screenplay: Justin Theroux
Starring: Robert Downley jr, Gwyneth Paltrow, Don Cheadle, Sam Rockwell, Micky Rouke, Samuel L Jackson, Scarlett Johansson

I was talking to a friend (whose forgotten more about movies than I'll ever know) over the weekend about the marketing of Iron Man 2. He was quite surprised that heading into May (Summer Blockbuster territory) and the opening of the biggest film of the year (at the present moment), that the advertising seems a little lackluster. I hadn't really noticed because, being at the cinema almost constantly I've seen the trailer more than enough times. But in terms of promotions and tie ins, it has felt a little light on that aspect. He concluded that it's very interesting for an "event" movie to be released mostly on the basis that you liked the first film these days and I agree. I mean even Transformers 2 had Micheal Bay bemoaning the marketing of the movie despite the fact that it made shitloads of cash.

Advertising or no, it's safe to say that I really enjoyed the second chapter of the Iron man story. While the first Iron Man film was a very well crafted origin story (which surprised many who didn't expect much), this next entry puts more at stake, builds upon the already nicely defined characters and brings about actions scenes that are not only bigger than the previous film, but also more exciting. The film has some unfortunate cute moments (did we need THAT kid in the third act), and the second act at can feel a little stagnant, with the Warhammer vs Iron Man scene is obviously put in place to break up all the talking. However, for me the films faults were pretty minimal, considering some of the other perils that Favreau had to avoid.

Yes Iron Man 2 had to deal with such hazards like too-many-characters-syndrome. A common problem which has help take out other movies such as say Batman and Robin. Characters take a back seat but that didn't faze me. The film concentrates on the character of Stark and his wavering mortality. It highlights and advances certain relationships, but doesn't focus too hard on them, and for me this works. We don't get a top heavy feature a la Spiderman 3 in which we have everyone fighting for screen time, but a film in which characters neatly fit into the plot when needed and never overstay their welcome. I was never bothered that we hadn't seen enough of someone if they were off screen. The film does a good juggling act with so many characters.

With this said, it is called Iron Man 2 and Robert Downley jr isn't going to allow this movie to run away from him. He revels in Justin Theroux's (Tropic Thunder) sharply written banter and his facial tics and energy make sure that there's never a dull moment on the screen. The flaws of Tony Stark are brought to the surface this time around and it's the strength of an actor like him that makes this ovie tic. Your with him when he jokes and your with him at his moments of weakness. The clash of Starks swagger and his impending mortality is something your just don't get with Bruce Wayne and Batman. Such a conflict is warmly welcome.

This is not to say that the supporting cast don't get a say. Gwyneth Paltrow is a great foil to the eccentric antics of Downley jr, while the new casting of Don Cheadle is a welcoming change. Scarlett Johansson is mostly here for eye candy, but still brings a stronger display than this role than in some her recent films. I not only enjoyed the casting of Sam Rockwell and Micky Rourke but I also loved the banter and the threat they posed. The idea of bringing two villains together to kill the legacy of the hero? Far more interesting than merely killing the man. And the small cameo from Garry Shandling? Nicely done.

The first Iron Man surprised people who didn't expect too much from the material and what many got was a more colourful alternative to Batman. The second film doesn't match the scope of The Dark Knight, but as an expansion of Marvel universe as well as the Iron Man saga, this was an exciting watch.

Review: Extract

Year: 2009 (U.K. release date)
Director: Mike Judge
Screenplay: Mike Judge
Starring: Jason Bateman, Mila Kunis, Kristen Wiig, JJ Simmonds, David Koechner

Synopsis is here

Some of the reviews I've read, remark the characters of Extract as archetypes or even stereotypes, and to this I do agree. These caricatures are pretty one note, and like a proverbial
Wild E Coyote, they ain't the sharpest scalpels for the surgery. However, Judge's talent is his ability to give these cutouts that uneasy sense of familiarity despite their apparent flatness. In the same way that teenagers (and adults) "got" Beavis and Butthead despite their lack of dimension, Extract gives us dopey gigolos, lazy middle aged racists and druggy bartenders that not only had me nodding in recognition but laughing often.

Be it tv shows or movies Judge's timing and pacing has always been key to getting the most out his jokes. For me it's never been the dialogue that's attracted me to Judges work, but the extra half a beat he'll place on a characters reaction that got a reaction out of me as a viewer. There's also an element of reality Judge manages to extract from those moments and help bring out humor of the air headed views and decisions of the characters on screen. Watch how these people look when they're working things out in their head, the screws are turning as slow as their thinking. It's an amusing watch.

Many film writers are comparing this to Judges cult hit Office Space, however, they shouldn't. While similarities surface between the two, Extract is a film that deals with ignorance within communication. While Office Space is a satire of the daily grind, how it effects us and our escapism fantasies, Extract deals with ignorance within communication. From the early scenes involving Mila Kunis' drifting criminal being drooled over by two young "suitors" to Joel's (Bateman again back in great Micheal Bluth form) constantly frustrating conversations with his next door neighbor Nathan (an hilarious David Koechner).

If they're not listening then they're not talking; as Joel manager of an extract bottling plant can't even talk to his wife (another nicely noted display from Kristen Wiig) about their lack of sex life. Much like the extract he sells, Joel is packed up too tight to actually give himself relief and would rather listen to the drug hazed jabbering of his bartender friend (a delightfully dopey Ben Affleck) than sit and do the simple thing. The lack of communication slowly turns to farce and all because is waiting for their time to speak. In the factory this ignorance leads to smashed bottles, outside the factory, it leads to affairs with fake pool cleaners. I do enjoy the material.

Once again Mike Judge delivers a film that may find its fans on the DVD market and for me deserves more than just one watch. The easy going and light feel is a shell for another sharp look at how misguided we can be as people be it work or at home. Stupid people don't notice there's something wrong until there's a mess on the floor. Extract gives us plenty of mess, both literally and symbolically.

Review: Centurion

Year: 2010
Director: Neil Marshall
Screenplay: Neil Marshall
Starring: Micheal Fassbender, Dominic West, Olga Kurylenko

Synopsis is here

If there's one thing i love about Neil Marshall, it's that he's not afraid to get his hands dirty, and Centurion once again has the man jumping back into the bloodbath with a claret covered tale about the 9th Legion, the roman military unit who disappeared during Romes invasion of Britain. Don't expect too much of a complex narrative to tell (this is Neil "Dog Soldiers" Marshall) this is Gladiators wilder and more feral cousin. It's a straight up, streamlined, men on a mission flick which doesn't shy away from brutality.

Marshall, a British, writer/director that I'm particularly fond of, has once again gone back into what he would like to see in a simple action thriller and brought it to the forefront. The pacing is tight, it's set pieces have some nice moments to them (usually involving a beheading) and what more interesting (to me any way) is that the characters in the film have the comradeship that was sorely missing from bigger budgeted movies such as...clash of the titans.

Yes this is a movie in which the general of the legion drinks (heavily) with his men before starting a bar brawl and when dying means dying together. This kinship within the characters is one the strong spurs which drive the movie forward and kept me interested...as well as the balls to the wall gore. Marshall has written this film with a modern audience in mind and shows us a group of soldiers that interact like a group of soldiers would. While certain films like to believe that films of a certain period were full of well spoken British actors who wouldn't dare speak a word out of place; Marshall's script has a rough, workman like feel to the proceedings with its loutish swearing and banter. At first it felt little off, and I thought to myself "why would it?" In fact Marshall's idea not only modernizes the film but it helps us connect with the characters with it's "just-like-us" mentality. While I don't swear like a sailor to everything, the idea that these soldiers come from a more blue collar circle, fits the surroundings more than one would think.

Casting wise, Marshall mostly hits home, as these character actors are not only on the right side of rugged, but also help put across the workman nature of the piece. Actors like Liam Cunningham and JJ Field who show up put in small but solid turns that help pad the film out. Noel Clarke unfortunately hits a bum note, not due to effort but more down to miscasting, as his voice is just a little too "kidulthood" to be truly believable. Olga Kurylenko unfortunately says nothing in this film and there's a slight inkling that either a man or woman could play the role. She does however do the action well and still has enough charm in her silence to push the idea that she is revenge incarnate.

Of course the leads however, are leads for a reason and the placement of Dominic West as the raw edged Titus and Micheal Fassbender's wonderfully reluctant Quintus are perfect. Fassbender in particular once again shows that he is one of the most interesting new actors on the scene with a display that is miles away from his turn in Inglorious Basterds and not at all like his intense role in Fish Tank. Here he shows that he doesn't just carry scenes, but whole films.

Fans of Marshall's earlier work will be happy again here as once again his set pieces are solid, tight sequences that revel in their bloodiness. They're are visceral, realistic and wouldn't look out of place in a good horror film. It is also Marshall's best looking film, utilizing all of the surroundings to emphasize the isolation and wildness of the land. Although at time you will wonder (like the soldiers) how do certain characters find each other...

However if your thinking that after the movies finished and your on the way home, then the directors work is done and you were far too focused on the guts, gore and viscera to care. Marshall once again shows that when it comes to Brit flicks, he is our B movie man and if anyone can bring us something different to our usual gravitas to Rom-coms and kitchen sink dramas, it's him...when Shane Meadows is busy*.

NOTE: This may be the only film about Roman's that has a reference to Under Siege.

*Not counting Kick-ass...lol.