And so I move swiftly on to my 2011 in film. In this post I will share my thoughts on recent Cinematic and DVD releases, along with other, perhaps older films, which are worthy of note (for better or worse). 2011 has surpassed all others in the sheer volume of films that I have seen, so this retrospective will be in no way an exhaustive list. There are, however, a quite sizeable list of films in this review so my comments on them shall remain brief. Onwards with the round-up!
Source Code (2011) - Duncan Jones
Saw VII (2010) - David Hackl
From the sublime to the ridiculous. I think I convinced myself to watch the SEVENTH instalment of this frankly awful franchise just to be sure that, like they promised, this was the last one they would ever do. Each Saw film has had a habit of sinking even lower than the previous one, and to make matters even worse, there has evidently been a big slash in the budget. It would appear that the first choice makeup artist did a runner when they realised just how bad this film really was, given the fact that the 'blood' looks more like the kind of thing Antonio would be applying to your Mr Whippy. Yes, they really have used the same plot formula for the seventh time and you can see the so called 'twist' coming from the opening credits. For the love of film AVOID. 1/10 (the only reason it got 1 is because they promised not to make another. In the likely event they abandon popular opinion and good taste by making another, my mark is amended to 0)
The Usual Suspects (1995) - Bryan Singer
It has taken until now for me to discover this critically acclaimed crime heist (before you ask, I don’t know what took me so long). The fact that The Usual Suspects surpasses the majority of the 2011 films I have seen this year illustrates how technology is temporary, class is permanent. The cast is heavyweight, Spacey's character is cinematic dynamite, and I can guarantee you will find yourself looking round the room in bewildered amazement as if to say 'did you just see that?!' when the end credits roll. Undoubtedly the biggest kick to the nuts i've had all year. 9/10.
Directed by Clint Eastwood, starring Matt Damon, Hereafter certainly has the pedigree. It follows the likeable George (Damon) as he reawakens the sleeping giant that is his ability to speak to people from the 'hereafter' (dead people, to put it bluntly). The concept intrigues, but the films reverent seriousness towards the idea of talking to the dead is undermined by the unfeasible sequence of events, and a peculiar lack of conviction evident in a script that seems more concerned with ideas than with the characters that are supposed to have them. Net result being that the characters appear hollow and insincere. We are steadily spoon-fed a watered down plot, redeemed only by the soft, almost lyrical cinematography. One is left wondering how an actor of Damon's class, and a director of Eastwood's clout, combined to create such a tepid nonentity. 3/10.
The Social Network (2010) - David Fincher
Films about criminals derive their entertainment from the fact that there is usually an element of their character which is misunderstood, which redeems all the evil turns the protagonist has taken; there is no such redeeming feature to The Social Network's Mark Zuckerberg, no matter what the critics might tell you. This documentary style account of the dark beginnings of the worlds most lucrative social networking website infuriates and irritates more than it entertains. At the film's conclusion I was left wondering what the actual point of the film was, other than to tally up the backstabbing, squabbles, lies and deceit amongst a group of people upon which the world could not have heaped more privilege. It was like a nightmarish, 2 hour long version of Made In Chelsea, only these people are meant to be intelligent, and should supposedly know better. This is why The Social Network leaves you blackly pessimistic about the fate of humanity if this is the kind of thing that Harvard, engine room of the world's greatest minds, is churning out. The fact that the film moved me to such strong emotions, however, is testament to its ability to provoke, if nothing else. 4/10.
Revolutionary Road (2008) - Sam Mendes
Di Caprio and Winslett are perhaps best known for making cinemas around the world awash with tears at the sad demise of their fiery romance in Titanic. Revolutionary Road is a far less optimistic enquiry into whether true love conquers all. 'The Wheelers' (as the neighbours affectionately call them) are a loving, genuinely interesting couple living in Middle-America, who slowly see their free spirits crushed by the mediocrity of suburban living. We watch the relationship unravel, and eventually disintegrate. Director Sam Mendes shows a real eye for the little details, such as the ubiquitous brown furnishings, the ever present cigarette upon which Winslett tugs so furiously during times of stress, and the hearing aid of a fellow suburbanite who can no longer tolerate the eternal prattling of his control-freak wife. The real mastery is in the deliberate and painfully slow pace at which the film moves. There is nowhere to hide, and as the film inches towards its desperate conclusion, it becomes deliciously unbearable. 8/10.
The Lives of Others (2006) - Florian Von Donnersmarck
This is the pick of an exceptional crop of World Cinema viewing for me this year. Few moments in history reflect the waking nightmare of Orwell's 1984 more vividly than the so-called 'Democratic Republic' of East Germany before the Berlin wall fell. This is the story of a member of Orwell's Thought Police, a government voyeur named 'Weisler' who becomes so enveloped in the life of the man he is monitoring, that he resolves to covertly aid him in his revolutionary plans. In this world of surveillance and CCTV, one does not have to look hard for the relevance of this film to our lives today. It is a gripping drama, but also a fascinating psychological portrait, illustrating the phenomenal depth and scope of the human psyche, and the power it has to overrule reason and personal preservation. 9/10.
This heavy going psychological drama is about a man who goes to extraordinary lengths to redeem himself for the seven lives he believes he took in a devastating car crash. It is sobering stuff, and some critics have panned this film for being dull and too obviously attempting to wring every last tear from its audience's eyes. However, I found this a particularly tender and nuanced fable, dealing with particularly complex and unusual subject matter with a delicacy that gives the film an effortless, poetic quality. Ben (Will Smith), the film's protagonist, is a genuinely mercurial and intriguing character, his relationship with Emily (Rosario Dawson) provides most of the films highlights, and I found the revelation at the climax to be genuinely surprising, unlike many critics who thought it predictable (so call me stupid!). Seven Pounds could be said to be a bit too morally prescriptive, perhaps preachy or self righteous, which is why critics have been keen to put the thing down. I would agree with detractors that this film is not without its faults (the final scene, for example, is a peculiar disappointment), but it is a charming and ambitious tale and most definately a worthwhile watch. 7.5/10.
Invictus (2009) - Clint Eastwood
It is the type of film critics are meant to love. Huge director: tick, solid cast: tick, monumental moment in history: tick. Whatever 'it' is, Invictus, it would seem, has 'it' in spades, and the warm reception and words of praise duly followed Invictus like the delirious crowds of emancipated South Africans followed Nelson Mandela when he rose to power in 1994. Invictus is concerned with this moment in history, and Mandela's desire to unite apartheid SA through Rugby. There is tonnes of mileage in this source material, that point need hardly be made. But one is more aware of what the film lacks rather than what it has. Where are the flashbacks to Mandela's colourful past? Where is the violence on the streets barely hinted at in the film? Where is the scrutinizing eye of the international community? We hear so much about apartheid Africa, yet we hardly see it. One gets the impression that Eastwood could barely get to grips with his admittedly colossal source material. The result is that the script is fractured, the key relationships forced, the end result: uninspiring. Mandela, played by Freeman, only adds to the film's woes, wooden and lifeless with the American accent often rearing its ugly head; Mandela just doesn’t feel real. It was never going to be easy, as far as filling shoes go, they don’t get much bigger than Nelson Mandela's, but Freeman could have at least tried. Promising so much, delivering so little, this was perhaps the biggest anticlimax I have known. 4/10.
A highly enjoyable and much improved sequel to the intriguing opener. Holmes' infamous nemesis Moriarty takes centre stage as the famous detective duo attempt to stave off all out war in Europe at the turn of the century (don’t bother lads, it's going to happen in 10 years anyway!). The chemistry between Holmes (Downey Jr) and Watson (Law) is a joy to behold, and again Downey Jr's intoxicating (and intoxicated) rendition of Holmes positively glitters in the gas lit backstreets of Victorian London. The action scenes can feel slightly lengthy at times, the plot is also a little cluttered, but above all this film is immensely fun and it is refreshing to see how A Game of Shadows doesn’t take itself too seriously. The franchise is very much alive and kicking with a worthy adversary in the form of Moriarty (played exquisitely by Jared Harris) kicking things up a notch. It iss just a matter of keeping up the good work for the inevitable third instalment, and knowing when to quite whilst you are ahead. This was a big highlight in what has been a disappointing year at the cinema in my opinion. 8/10.
'The Good.....'
Limitless (2011) - Sexy, fun, cool. Limitless ponders over the effect of the perfect drug, and what people will do to get their hands on it. Rarely letting you pause for breath, this breakneck action thriller delivers a pretty satisfying, and suitably mind bending 'hit'. 9/10
Atonement (2007) - Marketed as a costume drama, I didn’t think this was going to be my kind of thing, but there is enough history and psychological Chess-playing to keep most people happy. Interesting use of time sequencing and a pretty nice musical score too. Ticks the boxes: 8/10
Fred Claus (2009) - Sweet, charming, funny, this is the perfect tonic for a lack of Christmas cheer (not that you are gonna need it now). A little over-ambitious and cramped, yes, but stick with it, and you will watch the credits roll feeling sufficiently entertained and heart-warmed. 7/10
Das Experiment (2001) - Everything you could hope for in a horror film but with an added psychological kick that gives a frighteningly familiar and believable dimension to the astonishing events which unfold, bear in mind this was based on a real experiment which took place...9/10
A Beautiful Mind (2001) - I had been meaning to see this for some time and I wasn’t disappointed when I finally got the opportunity. Like Shutter Island only better, this film really gets you into the psyche of the genius Nash (Crowe). The emotional investment in the protagonist that the film demands makes the climax a real tear-jerker. 8/10
The Death of Mr Lazarescu (2005) - Another impressive offering from our European friends. This gritty-grotty drama follows the inevitable plight (come on the title gives it away!) of an old drunk as he is ushered through the infinite cogs of a highly inefficient healthcare machine. Profoundly depressing yet often comic, this bleak thought provoker is a must see for anyone who prefers the glass half empty. 8/10
'The bad and the ugly...'
127 Hours (2010) - Since Slumdog, critics have been clambering over each other to heap praise on Danny Boyle. I found this film laboured and dull. The ending confirmed my suspicions that this film thought it was far cleverer than it actually was. 5/10
Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows Part 2 (2011) - And so this lengthy franchise grinds to a halt. The last book should never have been dragged out into two films, but such is Hollywood. This last effort degenerates into a kind of Terminator for teenagers. Not a lot happens, the final battle is tepid. 4/10
Green Lantern (2011) - Beginning to grow a little tired of comic book films, this one being more formulaic than the Fibonacci sequence. Same old set-pieces, same old world being saved from eternal destruction, same old happy ending. Yawn. 4/10
The Fighter (2010) - Probably one Mark Wahlberg will want to forget. OK reviews, based on a true story blah blah blah. The Fighter is frightfully boring and more predictable than the odds of another Saw Movie. 5/10
Cowboys and Aliens (2011) - I thought there might be more to this than meets the eye, there isn’t. And just to confirm, yes, this film really is as bad as the title would suggest, you also pretty much get the whole point of the film just by reading the title too, so please, don’t bother watching it. 2/10.
Film criticism, in my opinion, is at its best when it takes the form of a dialogue. So I would gladly welcome any comments, alternative opinions or criticisms you might have.
