Cillian Murphy, Rose Byrne, Cliff Curtis, Michelle Yeoh
Dir. Danny Boyle
Scr. Alex Garland
I nearly didn’t write this review because, three days after seeing the film, I was still a bit peeved. I wanted this film to be so much better than it was – I think it had so much potential. But, apart from the visual spectacle, the plot ended up weak and clichéd and the last third was just rubbish.
The premise: 50 years into the future, the Sun begins to die, and Earth is dying as a result (as you’d expect – brrrrrr!). A team of astronauts are sent to revive the Sun - but the mission fails. Seven years later, a new team are sent to finish the mission as they are Earth's last hope. They have to detonate a massive bomb, able to destroy the strange matter that is messing with the Sun, and restore the Sun's natural state. Let’s leave aside the fact that this is complete scientific rubbish (as is pretty much every film of this kind – The Core, Armageddon, Deep Impact and so on and so forth). According to one expert, once the ship gets nearer to the sun, the gravity would stop them being able to walk and eventually crush them. So, yeah, let’s not even go there.
The reason I had high expectations for this film was largely due to the impact Danny Boyle had had on the zombie genre with 28 Days Later and how frightening and thrilling that movie was. And I thought that maybe he could change the way we were served up the typical “let’s stop the earth from dying by doing some cool stuff in space” film. And, in some respects, he did. Visually, Sunshine is stunning. There is so much potential when dealing with an entity so amazing – the film takes full advantage of the sheer size and brightness and heat of the Sun, and sometimes assaults the audience’s retinas to get the point across. Which is exactly the experience I want to have when faced with a film about a huge ball of fire and gases. There are many visual treats in this film, not just the Sun: the lush oxygen gardens, the funky spacesuits, small and fun advances in technology you’d hope for in a movie set nearly 60 years in the future. There’s a lot to feast on here.
However, the same can’t be said for a plot that has much promise but completely loses it way nearly 40 minutes from the end, leaving the audience yawning and waiting for the predictable ending. Without giving too much away, there’s an intruder on the ship. And he’s not nice or sane. He’s certainly an unwelcome addition to a film that was going places and then, in the end, went exactly where almost every other movie of this genre goes – Predictable Street in Lamesville.
The acting is solid, with especially good turns from Cliff Curtis (the on-board psychologist, meant to keep the crew sane and who ends up a little crazy himself) and Cillian Murphy (the scientist who came up with the “Sun bomb” plan). The cast is convincing as a tight but tense unit of experts, committed to playing their important part in this world-saving mission.
So, a big “screw you” to Alex Garland, whose script ultimately ruins what had the potential to be a really great film. By all means, see Sunshine. Just don’t expect it to change the sci-fi genre … which, I have to admit, was a pretty big expectation to have in the first place.
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Cassie: Only dream I ever have... is the surface of the sun... everytime I shut my eyes... it's always the same.
Monday, April 30, 2007
Sunday, April 22, 2007
300
Gerard Butler, Lena Headey, Dominic West, David Wenham
Dir. Zack Snyder
Scr. Zack Snyder & Kurt Johnstad & Michael Gordon
What a load of rubbish. What a load of utterly entertaining, visually stunning, heart-racing rubbish. 300 is as subtle as a spear through your eye, but (after checking your rational mind at the cinema door) prepare to be thoroughly entertained, amused and thrilled.
300 is based on Frank Miller's graphic novel about the Battle of Thermopylae in 480 B.C. Lead by King Leonidas, 300 Spartans attempt to defend their freedom against thousands upon thousands of invading Persians. And I don’t think I’m spoiling the story by saying they make a mighty impact. What makes these Spartans so special? Well, apparently they are fighting for justice and freedom, which (according to my well-read partner) is ironic considering you couldn’t find a less just ancient society if you tried. What makes them even more special is that they train their boys in warfare from an obscenely young age (didn’t everyone back then?!?) and they have a rather nifty fighting style (I’ll give them that one). All that really makes them special in the end is that they are SPARTANS (which they remind us over and over in very, very loud voices).
But I didn’t go to see 300 for a history lesson. I went because (a) I loved the cinematic rendering of Sin City (also a Miller graphic novel) and hoped an equally stunning job would be done with this film, and (b) I like to see huge men with huge abs repeatedly plunging spears into their enemies. Actually, (b) is not why I went to see it, but was certainly quite a sight (I suspect every man in the audience was sucking in his stomach and thrusting out his chest). As for (a), well, it looked damn impressive – highly stylised, beautiful art direction, amazing colours, brilliant costumes; hyper-reality at it’s finest. I was not disappointed.
The acting … well, it’s irrelevant really. Gerard Butler (King Leonidas) is a very good actor, but all he really had to do here was shout and look intense and mean and then shout some more. Which he did very well. I was much amused by the apple scene – the comic timing was excellent. Pity there wasn’t more intentional comedy (I certainly laughed a lot, but I suspect I wasn’t supposed to). Lena Headey was mildly annoying as the Queen, but her lack of clothing means that you might not notice her acting skill. But none of these actors did 300 for the acting accolades. I assume they just wanted to dress up and go RAAAAAAAAAR!!!
Don’t see 300 if you are a pacifist. Or if you are looking for an intellectually stimulating and nuanced film. By all means see 300 if you’ve had a hard week at work and need some mindless violence. See 300 if you like beefy men with unbelievable physiques. And certainly see 300 if you want to be visually enthralled. (P.S. If you do want to see an excellent visual spectacle based on a graphic novel which actually has a nuance or two, see Sin City).
-----------------------
Messenger: This is blasphemy! This is madness!
King Leonidas: Madness? THIS IS SPARTA!
Dir. Zack Snyder
Scr. Zack Snyder & Kurt Johnstad & Michael Gordon
What a load of rubbish. What a load of utterly entertaining, visually stunning, heart-racing rubbish. 300 is as subtle as a spear through your eye, but (after checking your rational mind at the cinema door) prepare to be thoroughly entertained, amused and thrilled.
300 is based on Frank Miller's graphic novel about the Battle of Thermopylae in 480 B.C. Lead by King Leonidas, 300 Spartans attempt to defend their freedom against thousands upon thousands of invading Persians. And I don’t think I’m spoiling the story by saying they make a mighty impact. What makes these Spartans so special? Well, apparently they are fighting for justice and freedom, which (according to my well-read partner) is ironic considering you couldn’t find a less just ancient society if you tried. What makes them even more special is that they train their boys in warfare from an obscenely young age (didn’t everyone back then?!?) and they have a rather nifty fighting style (I’ll give them that one). All that really makes them special in the end is that they are SPARTANS (which they remind us over and over in very, very loud voices).
But I didn’t go to see 300 for a history lesson. I went because (a) I loved the cinematic rendering of Sin City (also a Miller graphic novel) and hoped an equally stunning job would be done with this film, and (b) I like to see huge men with huge abs repeatedly plunging spears into their enemies. Actually, (b) is not why I went to see it, but was certainly quite a sight (I suspect every man in the audience was sucking in his stomach and thrusting out his chest). As for (a), well, it looked damn impressive – highly stylised, beautiful art direction, amazing colours, brilliant costumes; hyper-reality at it’s finest. I was not disappointed.
The acting … well, it’s irrelevant really. Gerard Butler (King Leonidas) is a very good actor, but all he really had to do here was shout and look intense and mean and then shout some more. Which he did very well. I was much amused by the apple scene – the comic timing was excellent. Pity there wasn’t more intentional comedy (I certainly laughed a lot, but I suspect I wasn’t supposed to). Lena Headey was mildly annoying as the Queen, but her lack of clothing means that you might not notice her acting skill. But none of these actors did 300 for the acting accolades. I assume they just wanted to dress up and go RAAAAAAAAAR!!!
Don’t see 300 if you are a pacifist. Or if you are looking for an intellectually stimulating and nuanced film. By all means see 300 if you’ve had a hard week at work and need some mindless violence. See 300 if you like beefy men with unbelievable physiques. And certainly see 300 if you want to be visually enthralled. (P.S. If you do want to see an excellent visual spectacle based on a graphic novel which actually has a nuance or two, see Sin City).
-----------------------
Messenger: This is blasphemy! This is madness!
King Leonidas: Madness? THIS IS SPARTA!
Monday, April 9, 2007
Pan’s Labyrinth
Ivana Baquero, Sergi Lopez, Maribel Verdu, Ariadna Gil
Dir. Guillermo del Toro
Scr. Guillermo del Toro
Warning – I am going to rave about this movie. Rave until I can rave no more. Because this is truly one of the most visually lush, incredibly sad, beautifully magical movies I have ever seen. Another warning – do not take kids to this movie. Yes, the lead may well be a young girl and, yes, it may well be a fairytale. But this is a fairytale strictly for adults. And non-squeamish ones at that.
Set in Fascist Spain in 1944, Pan’s Labyrinth tells the story of a young girl, Ofelia (Baquero), who is taken by her pregnant and ailing mother to live in the woods (awesome!) with her new father, a not-very-nice-at-all Captain in the Spanish Army (not so awesome). There she meets a fairy and a faun and her life will never be the same again. Ofelia, the faun named Pan informs her, must complete three tasks before she can claim her rightful place as Princess Moanna and ... well, why don’t I just let the movie explain itself: “A long time ago, in the underground realm, where there are no lies or pain, there lived a Princess who dreamed of the human world. She dreamed of blue skies, soft breeze, and sunshine. One day, eluding her keepers, the Princess escaped. Once outside, the brightness blinded her and erased every trace of the past from her memory. She forgot who she was and where she came from. Her body suffered cold, sickness, and pain. Eventually, she died. However, her father, the King, always knew that the Princess' soul would return, perhaps in another body, in another place, at another time. And he would wait for her, until he drew his last breath, until the world stopped turning...” Beautiful. So, set on getting herself (and her family) out of horrible place and time she finds herself in, Ofelia is determined to complete the tasks while also nursing her sick mother and avoiding her new father.
Set alongside this magical story is the political battle between the Captain and his troops, and the communist revolutionaries hiding in the woods (aided by some dissenters in the Captain’s camp). This story is just as powerful and moving as Ofelia’s struggle and, as the movie progresses, the two tales become interwoven. And we learn a frightening lesson – the evil that exists in the real world is so much more chilling than that in a fairytale. I don’t want to give too much away, but let’s just say that (in a typically European tradition) many characters die. And, in a very non-Hollywood way, death is not always a bad thing.
The acting in this film is top-notch. Baquero is brilliant and mature beyond her years. She is emotional heart of the story and we root for her, are scared with her, and cry for her. Verdu plays Mercedes, who works for the Captain and befriends Ofelia, but has a secret of her own. Verdu is a very powerful actress and is superb in this role. Lopez plays the Captain with great relish and, jeez, did he give me nightmares! He is absolutely amazing – utterly charming and completely evil. The best combination.
Having seen Hellboy (del Toro’s adaptation of the graphic novel), I knew that the effects and costumes in this film would be very convincing. But I was still surprised by how completely amazing this film looked. The faun is a joy to behold. And that creature with the eyes in his hands – wow. Creepy beyond belief. You won’t find computer graphics here (well, you will, but you won’t notice them). Everything is skin-crawlingly organic, including the violence which will perhaps put some off this film – just make sure you can hide behind something or someone when the Captain sews his own face back together. Ick!
Guillermo del Toro has created something very special. This film represents everything that a true fairytale should be – dark, disturbing and dangerous. Its images and imaginings will stay with you for a long time. It is both incredibly sad and beautifully uplifting. Do yourself a favour – see this film. You will not be disappointed.
-----------------------
Capitán Vidal: You could have obeyed me!
Doctor: But captain, to obey - just like that - for obedience's sake... without questioning ... That's something only people like you do.
Dir. Guillermo del Toro
Scr. Guillermo del Toro
Warning – I am going to rave about this movie. Rave until I can rave no more. Because this is truly one of the most visually lush, incredibly sad, beautifully magical movies I have ever seen. Another warning – do not take kids to this movie. Yes, the lead may well be a young girl and, yes, it may well be a fairytale. But this is a fairytale strictly for adults. And non-squeamish ones at that.
Set in Fascist Spain in 1944, Pan’s Labyrinth tells the story of a young girl, Ofelia (Baquero), who is taken by her pregnant and ailing mother to live in the woods (awesome!) with her new father, a not-very-nice-at-all Captain in the Spanish Army (not so awesome). There she meets a fairy and a faun and her life will never be the same again. Ofelia, the faun named Pan informs her, must complete three tasks before she can claim her rightful place as Princess Moanna and ... well, why don’t I just let the movie explain itself: “A long time ago, in the underground realm, where there are no lies or pain, there lived a Princess who dreamed of the human world. She dreamed of blue skies, soft breeze, and sunshine. One day, eluding her keepers, the Princess escaped. Once outside, the brightness blinded her and erased every trace of the past from her memory. She forgot who she was and where she came from. Her body suffered cold, sickness, and pain. Eventually, she died. However, her father, the King, always knew that the Princess' soul would return, perhaps in another body, in another place, at another time. And he would wait for her, until he drew his last breath, until the world stopped turning...” Beautiful. So, set on getting herself (and her family) out of horrible place and time she finds herself in, Ofelia is determined to complete the tasks while also nursing her sick mother and avoiding her new father.
Set alongside this magical story is the political battle between the Captain and his troops, and the communist revolutionaries hiding in the woods (aided by some dissenters in the Captain’s camp). This story is just as powerful and moving as Ofelia’s struggle and, as the movie progresses, the two tales become interwoven. And we learn a frightening lesson – the evil that exists in the real world is so much more chilling than that in a fairytale. I don’t want to give too much away, but let’s just say that (in a typically European tradition) many characters die. And, in a very non-Hollywood way, death is not always a bad thing.
The acting in this film is top-notch. Baquero is brilliant and mature beyond her years. She is emotional heart of the story and we root for her, are scared with her, and cry for her. Verdu plays Mercedes, who works for the Captain and befriends Ofelia, but has a secret of her own. Verdu is a very powerful actress and is superb in this role. Lopez plays the Captain with great relish and, jeez, did he give me nightmares! He is absolutely amazing – utterly charming and completely evil. The best combination.
Having seen Hellboy (del Toro’s adaptation of the graphic novel), I knew that the effects and costumes in this film would be very convincing. But I was still surprised by how completely amazing this film looked. The faun is a joy to behold. And that creature with the eyes in his hands – wow. Creepy beyond belief. You won’t find computer graphics here (well, you will, but you won’t notice them). Everything is skin-crawlingly organic, including the violence which will perhaps put some off this film – just make sure you can hide behind something or someone when the Captain sews his own face back together. Ick!
Guillermo del Toro has created something very special. This film represents everything that a true fairytale should be – dark, disturbing and dangerous. Its images and imaginings will stay with you for a long time. It is both incredibly sad and beautifully uplifting. Do yourself a favour – see this film. You will not be disappointed.
-----------------------
Capitán Vidal: You could have obeyed me!
Doctor: But captain, to obey - just like that - for obedience's sake... without questioning ... That's something only people like you do.
Sunday, April 1, 2007
Black Sheep
Nathan Meister, Peter Feeney, Danielle Mason, Oliver Driver, Tammy Davis
Dir. Jonathan King
Scr. Jonathan King
I’ll never look at sheep in the same way again. To be honest, I’ve always found them a little frightening anyway (I’m a city girl) and this movie is enough to make you never want go near one ever again. This movie is certainly gross, at times very funny indeed, but not the brilliant masterpiece it could have been.
Angus (Feeney) and Henry (Meister) are brothers who have gone their separate ways – Angus running the family farm and Henry trying desperately to stay away from it. Henry returns to collect his share of the family fortune, thereby giving complete ownership of the farm to Angus – a shady, somewhat unethical farmer who loves his flock just a little too much. Thanks to two trespassing green activists, played by Mason and Driver, all hell breaks loose when an evil cannibalistic sheep is set free and soon the whole flock is infected. Cue a lot of blood and gore and a chance for Henry to overcome his fears and reclaim his heritage.
The best thing about this movie is the basic premise on which it is based – what if the sheep started to attack? Especially in a country where they outnumber people more than ten to one. And that one joke could have easily carried the film for 90-odd minutes. I think where Black Sheep loses it way is when we are faced with the huge sheep/man monster combo. I just think it was unnecessary. It’s much funnier to see normal sheep hurl themselves at unsuspecting people; much funnier to see a flock running over a hill towards a crowd of people to devour them; so much funnier when a sheep comes crashing through a door, The Shining-style.
Also, although Black Sheep has its share of very funny gags (none of which I want to ruin for you – the trailer did its fair share of that already), there were a lot fewer laughs than there should have been. Which was disappointing. And then there were some gags that just weren’t funny and I was somewhat surprised that this film carried only an R13 rating. Angus’s final fate seemed enough to make it R16. Don’t get me wrong – I like my fair share of gore. But something about certain scenes in this film just didn’t float my boat. Which meant, for me, it wasn’t the laugh-fest I was hoping it would be.
Although you’re not going to remember this film for the fine performances of the cast, I thought they were all excellent. I especially had a soft spot for Tucker (played by Davis) who was, by far, the person I would most want in my corner if the sheep did indeed decide to attack. There is also the interesting underlying theme in the film regarding the evils of genetic engineering and the future of farming. Which I’m sure farming types will find fascinating. Me? Well, I just fancied a nice leg of roast lamb with all the trimmings.
------------------
“There are 40 million sheep in New Zealand... and they're pissed off!”
Dir. Jonathan King
Scr. Jonathan King
I’ll never look at sheep in the same way again. To be honest, I’ve always found them a little frightening anyway (I’m a city girl) and this movie is enough to make you never want go near one ever again. This movie is certainly gross, at times very funny indeed, but not the brilliant masterpiece it could have been.
Angus (Feeney) and Henry (Meister) are brothers who have gone their separate ways – Angus running the family farm and Henry trying desperately to stay away from it. Henry returns to collect his share of the family fortune, thereby giving complete ownership of the farm to Angus – a shady, somewhat unethical farmer who loves his flock just a little too much. Thanks to two trespassing green activists, played by Mason and Driver, all hell breaks loose when an evil cannibalistic sheep is set free and soon the whole flock is infected. Cue a lot of blood and gore and a chance for Henry to overcome his fears and reclaim his heritage.
The best thing about this movie is the basic premise on which it is based – what if the sheep started to attack? Especially in a country where they outnumber people more than ten to one. And that one joke could have easily carried the film for 90-odd minutes. I think where Black Sheep loses it way is when we are faced with the huge sheep/man monster combo. I just think it was unnecessary. It’s much funnier to see normal sheep hurl themselves at unsuspecting people; much funnier to see a flock running over a hill towards a crowd of people to devour them; so much funnier when a sheep comes crashing through a door, The Shining-style.
Also, although Black Sheep has its share of very funny gags (none of which I want to ruin for you – the trailer did its fair share of that already), there were a lot fewer laughs than there should have been. Which was disappointing. And then there were some gags that just weren’t funny and I was somewhat surprised that this film carried only an R13 rating. Angus’s final fate seemed enough to make it R16. Don’t get me wrong – I like my fair share of gore. But something about certain scenes in this film just didn’t float my boat. Which meant, for me, it wasn’t the laugh-fest I was hoping it would be.
Although you’re not going to remember this film for the fine performances of the cast, I thought they were all excellent. I especially had a soft spot for Tucker (played by Davis) who was, by far, the person I would most want in my corner if the sheep did indeed decide to attack. There is also the interesting underlying theme in the film regarding the evils of genetic engineering and the future of farming. Which I’m sure farming types will find fascinating. Me? Well, I just fancied a nice leg of roast lamb with all the trimmings.
------------------
“There are 40 million sheep in New Zealand... and they're pissed off!”
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