The Quarantine Collection: Week 9

As restrictions have eased and I have been able to see a few friends this week, this will be the final lockdown log. I saw 57 films during this time, as well as numerous seasons / series of a range of TV shows. Great success. 

Fri. 15th May : War of the Worlds (2005)

DVD. 

Steven Spielberg directs this modern adaptation of the famous novel and radio show with some razor sharp tension and impressive effects. I was captivated throughout the runtime; and my resistance to naming Spielberg as a 'great' was severely tested. This is the only 21st century film of his that feels on par with his more acclaimed works. The basement scene, opening invasion and a taut crowd scene make for some heart pounding set pieces, all the while Spielberg keeps the camera at eye level. There is an annoying scene with the son character, and the ending feels sudden, but a lot of excitement in the first two acts ensures an enjoyable time. 

Also check out : Minority Report (2002)

Sat. 16th : Howl's Moving Castle (2004)

Netflix,

Crafted as an anti-Iraq War allegory, this Studio Ghibli film has all the classic hallmarks: an imaginative story (based off an English novel), entertaining characters, gorgeous animation and a stirring message. Again, its climax is not as exciting as the rest of it, but the characters and humour maintain interest. Christian Bale voices Howl. 

Also check out : Castle in the Sky (1986)

Sun. 17th : All About My Mother (1999)

Box of Broadcasts. 

This Spanish film comes from acclaimed director Pedro Almodovar, who uses his position to platform such pressing issues as AIDS, transgender identity and homosexuality. The result is a film totally bewildering in its sexual politics. Most of the cast are women, and the men in it want to be women. Its relatively entertaining, with a young Penelope Cruz. 

Also check out : All About Eve (1950)

Mon, 18th : In the Line of Fire (1993)

DVD. 

Wolfgang Peterson (one of the coolest director names) helms this political thriller, revolving around Clint Eastwood's Frank, a Secret Service agent who failed to prevent Kennedy's assassination in thr 1960s, so now feels it his duty to protect the president of the 1990s from a crazed and chameleonic John Malkovich. This is a straightforward film but it also has brains and wit to match its style and energetic tone. There is also a nice conversation about giving up your job for someone you love, which is a lovely sentiment. 

Also check out : Absolute Power (1997)

Tue. 19th : Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (2019)

Blu-ray. 

This re-watch sealed my verdict that this is my favourite Tarantino film. The golden photography, casual tone to the scenes and pacing, instantly iconic characters and period detail through lavish production design and radio stations form a bittersweet historical experience. It still makes me chuckle, its filled with nods to Westerns and there is some brilliant acting from DiCaprio and Pitt in this. I may not have had that knot in my stomach the second viewing, but the climax is still one of those scenes that elicits both a satisfying cheer and an 'oh fuck me' simultaneously. It is QT's most mature piece, with an effective final shot. 

Tarantino ranking : Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, The Hateful Eight, Inglorious Basterds, Pulp Fiction, Django Unchained, Jackie Brown, Reservoir Dogs, Deathproof.  

Also check out : Dazed and Confused (1993)

Wed. 20th : Finding Dory (2016)

DVD. 

A textbook definition of a harmless sequel, Finding Dory looks top notch, has some good belly laughs and has an emotional punch. But it also functions as a parable for the hardships, and the potential joy, that living with someone with disabilities can have. Director Andrew Stanton endeavours to steer the story away from repeating the same beats as Finding Nemo (2003) and it mostly works, though it is noticeable. And the truck driving is absurd. 

Also check out : Moana (2016)

Thu. 21st : How to Train Your Dragon (2010)

Netflix.

My second favourite Dreamworks film after Kung fu Panda (2008), this is also a key demonstration on a film being far greater than the book. Its message about acceptance and preconceptions is potent, but its John Powell's terrific music and the Hiccup / Toothless dynamic that really soars. The test drive scene, forbidden friendship scene and Astrid's ride above the clouds are standout scenes, but the final boss fight has some exciting amounts. And it is not afraid to maim its lead character. 

Also check out : How to Train Your Dragon 2! (2014)

The Concern for Mission Impossibles 7-8

After first watching the almighty Mission Impossible: Fallout in 2018 with my granddad, one of my first thoughts was that for the sequel to be bigger and better, 'they are going to have to head to space'. A few weeks ago there were articles circulating that star Tom Cruise was talking to NASA about making a film in actual space, but not Mission Impossible related. This could just be me writing a few hundred words on why I think Fallout is the absolute pinnacle of 12 rated action cinema, but I do have some expressed concerns for the next two sequels, installments 7 and 8 (which are being shot back to back). 

The Mission Impossible franchise started in in 1996 with a Brian De Palma picture that was very much in the vein of the old tv show. In 2000, Cruise returned but with Hong Kong action director John Woo behind the camera, delivering a crazy, blissfully unaware action film that made big bucks. After a hiatus, JJ Abrams directed the third film in 2006 before the franchise really found its footing in 2011 when Brad Bird helmed Ghost Protocol, more designed around riveting stunts and action set pieces. The famous Burj Khalifa scene is the series' magnum opus and epitomises what the franchise, and indeed Tom Cruise, stand for. Then in 2015, Christopher McQuarrie upped the spectacle even more with Rogue Nation, before returning to direct Fallout. You will have noticed the anomaly here: McQuarrie is the only director to return. The franchise was originally intended to have different creative voices for each film, but the Cruise / McQuarrie bromance was too much and they knew they could do better. Fallout is a sensational piece of escapism, containing one of the greatest vehicle chases, one of the greatest fist fights, one of the greatest foot-chases, the greatest skydive sequence and the greatest helicopter chase in cinematic history. It ticks nearly every action scene box and the editing, camera work and choreography just seem so perfect as to be unsurpassable. 

The recycling of McQuarrie was respectable in that he went out of his way to make the film different; his composer and cinematographer for Rogue Nation were replaced for Fallout, and the process of making the film was vastly different, with McQuarrie and Cruise finding locations for action scenes before a script was even in place. As such, the script does feel convoluted in trying to get to each action location, but it does work. But how are the two going to make these next two features not just look and feel different, but also to be better? 

There are a couple of ways in which they could start. Firstly, if there is one type of action sequence that the Mission Impossible films haven't left a stamp on is the shootout. There have been a couple and protagonist Ethan Hunt is more than happy to shoot to kill, but Fallout's shootout was shot in darkness. If McQuarrie and Cruise can pull off something to rival Heat or The Magnificent Seven then that would feel like a justified sequel. There is also a gap for snowmobile chases or other Arctic set action scenes, although that may feel like tapping into James Bond territory. Or take a note from the new Top Gun film and try and make an impressive dogfight with jets (not the most environmentally set piece however). The next option is to really investigate the characters. Cruise's Hunt did get some neat developments in Fallout, but Benji (Simon Pegg), Luther (Ving Rhames) and Ilsa (Rebecca Ferguson) could have some welcome arcs and backstory that could catch up with them. 

If McQuarrie and Cruise still feel they can one up their set pieces from Fallout then they must have some insanely inventive ideas because right now I struggle to imagine sequences as concisely edited and thrilling as the helicopter chase or skydive in their 2018 action class. But, even if it these sequels do not live up to Fallout, the chances are I would just be as riveted by a Rogue Nation level film on the action front. 

The Quarantine Collection: Week 8

Still praying for cinemas to be open in some format for Tenet in July. 

Fri. 8th May : Night Passage (1957)

DVD. 

The last in my James Stewart Western box set, the story of this by the books genre picture concerns money, trains, and bandits. It is standard issue, but the visuals are tidy and Joey from Shane (1953) is back playing a slightly older Joey. But other than that, its enjoyable enough to be passable, but not bold enough to be memorable. 

Also check out : Shane 

Sat. 9th : Flags of our Fathers (2006)

DVD. 

My post- VE Day WW2 film was this Clint Eastwood directed picture. The companion film to Eastwood's Letters from Iwo Jima (2006), this film instead looks at the Battle of Iwo Jima from the American perspective, whilst also investigating the intriguing story behind the iconic photo of the planting of the flag. The battle scenes zing but the film is told in a non linear frame narrative, criss crossing between three time lines at a quick rate. This does break up the action and tension somewhat, but if told in a linear way, you would have an action heavy first hour, and then a quieter, more character focused second half which perhaps would feel like two films. There is some inspiration to the direction; a dessert carved to resemble the soldiers raising the flag is covered in a blood red strawberry sauce. But the film would perhaps work best if it had the Native American soldier Ira in the exclusively in the crosshairs; his battle with heroism, drunkenness and discrimination gives the story an emotional beat. Also, ten years after this film it was revealed that the father of the book's writer (the son one of one of the three surviving soldiers of the flag raise) was not actually involved and therefore lied about it. But as an exercise in proto-fake news, this is a solid effort.  

Also check out : Letters from Iwo Jima 

Sun. 10th : Darkest Hour (2017)

DVD.

Another companion piece war film, Darkest Hour goes hand in hand with Dunkirk of the same year, offering the political backdrop to the latter's visceral front line intensity. Yes, Gary Oldman is terrific, with voice, movement and posture all ensuring his performance is not just make-up reliant. The speeches are rousing enough and it is funny in its own British way, but it does feel like *another* Churchill Oscar film designed to get an actor an Oscar. And the Tube scene is well intended, but far too fantastical and on the nose. Points for bringing up Churchill's involvement in Gallipoli though.

Also check out : Downfall (2004) 

Mon. 11th : Play Misty for Me (1971)

DVD. 

The directorial debut of a certain Clint Eastwood, Play Misty for Me is a psychological thriller that sees Eastwood's jazz DJ David encounter a fan of his radio show. They sleep together, but the fan soon starts displaying concerning, obsessive behaviour. Violence follows. It may not add anything new to the slasher genre, but this is a tight production, with Eastwood's direction citing the influence of Sergio Leone with its extreme close ups and rapid editing. It contains a hell of a satisfying death but could have done with David playing the policeman's song at the end. 

Also check out : High Plains Drifter (1973)

Tue. 12th : Breezy (1973)

DVD. 

The third Eastwood directed film of the week, and the last in my collection, sees Clint step back from acting as he directs William Holden and Kay Lenz as two strangers who fall in love. The catch? Holden's Frank is nearing 50 and Lenz's Breezy has barely finished high school. Murky with its sexual politics but unfortunately bland in the bedroom, the two actors do imbue their roles with complexity and, in the latter's case, a whole lot of fun. Largely set in Frank's house, where the two are not scrutinized by the public, it looks at image, perception and the boundaries of love. Bit tooooo Hollywood in its conclusion however. 

Also check out : The Graduate (1967)

Wed. 13th : The Big Short (2015)

Netflix. 

It took me a good hour before I clocked one of the characters was Brad Pitt with a beard and glasses, and my mind was blown as if it were a plot twist. Ryan Gosling, Christian Bale and Steve Carrel also star in this scathing look at the housing crisis and recession in the late 00s. Adam McKay brings wit and satire (best line: "so here's Margot Robbie in a bubble bath to explain") and fourth wall breaks, but it also packs a depressing thud at the end. 

Also check out : Vice (2018)

Thu. 14th : Le Mans 66 (2019)

DVD. 

I bought this for my dad's birthday and we all sat down and watched it and I was relieved they liked it. Not as much as I do though. This film is grade A filmmaking: the sound editing of the different engines, the lines of continuity in the racing scenes, the fantastic chemistry between Christian Bale and Matt Damon. The first 7000 RPM race and the entirety of the finale made me just as excited as I felt watching it in cinema. Sports movies can produce a lot of testosterone. 

Also check out : Rush (2013)

The 20 Greatest Westerns

The Western is the most endearing genre in film for me; its framing of people against vast, untouched wilderness, its stylised set of laws and the struggles and hardships of frontier life all amalgamate into a genre that is consistently evolving. Not to mention men on horseback against a sunset always look fantastic. I have seen an overwhelming volume of Westerns to the point where it feels like it is the only genre I can confidently make a 'greatest list' for.
I set a criteria for this: ten films felt too narrow a margin, so twenty was chosen as a more accommodating figure, one that could provide the range required to cover this immortal genre. Secondly, I limited my choices to one film per director. This was hard, but necessary in preventing messers Leone, Ford and Eastwood from dominating this list. The list therefore contains twenty different 'voices' or interpretations of the Old West that come from nearly every decade in the genre's history. And finally, there is no order to this list. My general thinking was combing through all my favourite Westerns, and eliminating them whenever a director reappeared again. As it happens, this culminated in a pretty solid list. 

The Classical Western: 

1. The Treasure of the Sierra Madre (John Huston, 1948)

A towering picture, John Huston re-teams with Humphrey Bogart to tell a more unconventional tale of the Old West. Three men journey into the hills to earn their fortune during a gold rush, inevitably leading to suspicion, greed and violence. Bogart steals the show in a performance that deteriorates into madness, no doubt influencing the creation of Gollum. Gripping, dark and with a pretty perfect ending, this deconstructs the gold rush as a cause for the reduction of humanity and sanity.  

2. Shane (George Stevens, 1953)

"Come back Shane!" is not just one of the final lines in this quintessential Western; it is a perfect representation of the genre as a whole. Alan Ladd's title character leaves the town he has just assisted, and the young boy Joey he has educated, to take his gun toting abilities elsewhere, ensuring the town remains its purity. Shane has memorable performances, a menacing villain and sumptuous cinematography, but ultimately it is a solid story just told exceptionally well.

3. High Noon (Fred Zinnemann, 1952)

In the early 1950s America was dominated by the Red Scare; a crippling fear of communism. The Hollywood blacklisting singled out numerous filmmakers for suspected sympathetic views towards communism, and Fred Zinnemann's real time Western acts as an attack on this Red Scare. Gary Cooper is left to fend for himself when he hears some notorious criminals are returning to town. Left alone by his people who reject his plea to help, it singles out the need for Americans to assist one another (and that doing so does not make you a communist). 

4. Rio Bravo (Howard Hawks, 1959)

Howard Hawks could also be represented on here with 1948's Red River, but Rio Bravo acts as a brilliant companion piece to High Noon, of which Hawks and star John Wayne were appalled by Gary Cooper's need for help in it. Rio Bravo was made out of spite, with Wayne as the tough sheriff who rejects help, believing Americans can handle problems alone. The politics does not exactly work out (Wayne is assisted by Dean Martin and Montgomery Cliff) but for rousing action, fun characters and some brilliant, claustrophobic photography that only once goes above head height, Rio Bravo is the 1950s in a bottle. 

The Revisionist Western:

5. The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (John Ford, 1962)

John Ford, the founding father of the genre, could have made the list with Stagecoach (1939) or The Searchers (1956) but for his most potent and vocal work, it is the The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance that endures. Moving away from Monument Valley, Ford set out to revise a genre that he helped create by choosing to shoot in black and white and entirely on sound stages. With John Wayne, James Stewart and Lee Marvin, this ode to a by-gone time sees law arrive to the frontier in the form of Stewart, who clashes with the gun-centric Wayne about how to deal with bandit Valance (Marvin). Most famous for its immortal line "when the legend becomes fact, print the legend", it is fully aware of the embellishment of the Western stories at the cost of reality. 

6. The Wild Bunch (Sam Peckinpah, 1969)

Sam Peckinpah (Bloody Sam) is too oft overlooked as an important director. His shocking usage of violence and camerawork paved the way for John Woo, Martin Scorsese and Quentin Tarantino and this is the finest example of his skill. Book-ended by two vicious gun battles, The Wild Bunch does not shy away from showing civilians caught in the crossfire or the bloody aftermath of a body being riddled with bullets. Filled with fascinating imagery, the story sees an ageing group of outlaws attempt one last job as the frontier starts to shrink and time catches up with them. A film about the changing of the guard (the frequent shots of children, the look of confusion at seeing a car for the first time), it gives outlaws one last ride in the sun. 

7. The Outlaw Josey Wales (Clint Eastwood, 1976)

Yes, Clint Eastwood's Unforgiven is perhaps the more substantial and richer piece of film, but there are others like it. On the other hand, there is nothing quite like The Outlaw Josey Wales, a perfect picture in almost all aspects. Eastwood plays Josey, a Civil War soldier hunted by the Union but also undertaking his own personal quest for revenge. Allegedly a Vietnam War allegory, the action is rousing and the landscapes are lavish. But its the ensemble of characters that stick, showcasing the lives of other's on the frontier: Native American Lone Waite, some travelers, bounty hunters, and ex-soldiers like Josey himself: all looking for a place to set up and call home. Funny, with a balanced tone and great dialogue, this is supreme entertainment. 

The Western as Parable: 

8. The Ox-bow Incident (William A. Wellman, 1943)

Clocking at a refreshing 75 minutes, The Ox-bow Incident serves as a damning indictment of lynch mobs and vigilantes. For lead character introductions, few can match this as Henry Fonda enters a town, gets drunk, knocked out and then throws up. Before long he has joined the townsfolk as they ride into the hills without the sheriff, looking to hang some suspected killers. A very bleak picture, it is a vivid portrait about the flaws in taking the law into your own hands and somehow maintains a relevancy to the world today. There is a corker of a shot involving the obscuring of Fonda's eyes with someone else's hat, pointing towards the blindness of the townsfolk. 

The Spaghetti-Western:

9. The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (Sergio Leone, 1966)

One of the most popular sub-genres of all time, the Spaghettii- Western refers to Italian made frontier films that are pretty liberal with violence and blood. Sergio Leone is of course the master, and choosing between TGTBATU and his richer Once Upon a Time in the West (1968) was near impossible. But this is the more famous and iconic, and also the more entertaining. Clint Eastwood, Lee Van Cleef and Eli Wallach are the titular characters and their dash to find some buried money at a cemetery makes for some rousing set pieces and one of cinema's greatest musical scores from Ennio Morricone. If not enjoyed the first time, watch it again. Until you do. 

10. The Great Silence (Sergio Corbucci, 1968)

Sergio Corbucci is the other key figure when it comes to Spaghetti-Westerns. His 1966 film Django is great fun, but The Great Silence is a more accomplished and unique film. Set in a blizzard enveloped town, it deals with gunslingers and bounty hunters, in particular the mute hero Silence and the detestably evil Loco. It does have an absolute downer of an ending, but its rich context as an allegory for the assassinations of Martin Luther King and Malcolm X steer this towards true greatness. And silence. 

The Animated: 

11. Rango (Gore Verbinski, 2011)

By default, Rango is the selected animated Western. Perhaps incredibly bold to place on this list (my granddad would be appaled), I nevertheless feel that it deserves to be on here, both for its medium and its comedy focus. Yes its not set in the Old West (cars at the beginning), but hey, neither is Blazing Saddles (1974). Roger Deakins fills the screen with stunning visuals and the script has a neo-noir mystery edge, but it is also a chance for a nobody to be a somebody, gaining skills rather than entering the town with all the gun play and match striking mastery audiences usually expect. And Bill Nighy's Rattlesnake Jake is a marvelous creation.

The Audience Favourites:

12. The Magnificent Seven (John Sturges, 1960)

A Christmas time and pub quiz favourite, The Magnificent Seven is good old fun. Everyone knows the story: seven men defend a settlement from thieving bandits, but the cast, iconic scenes and famous theme song make this is a true gem. No it does not have much to say, but it does not need to- its escapism. And for a pub quiz learn these names: Yul Brynner, Steve McQueen, Charles Bronson, James Coburn, Robert Vaughn, Brad Dexter and Horst Buchholz.

13. Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (George Roy Hill, 1969)

"What do you mean you can't swim? The fall will probably kill ya." 'Raindrops Keep Fallin' On My Head.' That final freeze frame. These are what Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid are my most known for, as well as the iconic pairing of Robert Redford and Paul Newman. It may be more buddy film than Western, but the winning lead duo elevate the material tenfold and the finale is one for the ages. 

Frontier and Survival Westerns: 

14. Jeremiah Johnson (Sydney Pollack, 1972)

Robert Redford is mountain men Jeremiah Johnson, who takes himself up into the hills to live off the land and start a new life. Encountering all manner of far-frontier characters, this is a very entertaining snow Western with some nifty action scenes and breathtaking photography of Utah's National Park. Johnson's journey and eventual foundation of a family acts as a microcosm for the whole westward expansion concept; taming the untamed landscape. 

15. The Revenant (Alejandro Innaritu, 2015)

More of a proto-Western, The Revenant was a big box office hit, lead in part for its famous Leonardo DiCaprio performance and the technical prowess of it all. Shot entirely on location with natural lighting only, the wilds of the northern frontier have never looked so beautiful, so dangerous and so god damn cold. Indeed, the camera work is some of the best committed to film. With a near spiritual atmosphere generated through a haunting score and the isolation DiCaprio's Hugh Glass faces, the film is not afraid of vicious violence and gore. The most technically spellbinding film on this list. 

21st Century Westerns: 

16. Open Range (Kevin Costner, 2003)

Kevin Costner revived the genre with 1990's Dances With Wolves, but this is perhaps the more 'Western' of the two that deals with another trope found in the genre: a man returning to a former life of violence. Eastwood's Unforgiven did it brilliantly, but here there is an added potency due to Costner's lead character still having people he cares about around him, not least Robert Duvall and Annette Benning. If it takes a long time for a gun to go off, the final shootout is worth it for its immersive sound design and to see Costner's troubled character finally unleashed. A reminder that the genre still has flair, just don't count the bullets. 

17. The Assassination of the Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford (Andrew Dominik, 2007)

I nearly gave this space to a neowestern like No Country for Old Men (2007) but my love for this semi-biopic outlaw film prevailed. Brad Pitt and Casey Affleck are the respective title characters in this gorgeous looking work of art that examines the idea of celebrity, meeting a hero and being inspired by criminals. The metaphors are rife and it is a very slow burn of a story, but patience is rewarded thanks to the potency of the two leads' mesmerising performances. 

The Remake: 

18. 3:10 to Yuma (James Mangold, 2007)

The Western is a genre with many remakes, but unusually they are often very good. 2010's True Grit was a more faithful adaptation and The Magnificent Seven (2016) is unmitigated fun. But James Mangold's 3:10 to Yuma is my favourite. Christian Bale, Russell Crowe, Logan Lerman and Ben Foster are all at their best in this story which sees a simple farmer (Bale) escort a notorious outlaw (Crowe) to catch the train in the title. Along the way they develop a grudging respect for each other, which concludes in a spectacularly dramatic final shootout. The characters are engrossing and Mangold is a competent all-rounder of a director. 

Off-kilter Westerns:

19. Johnny Guitar (Nicholas Ray, 1954)

Despite its title, this is an extremely ahead of its time female dominated Western. Johnny Guitar is a stoic man who finds himself accompanying Joan Crawford's independently minded saloon owner as she evades a lynch mob led by an old rival Emma Small. The sets, cast and story feel fresh and it led to Francois Truffaut labelling it "the Beauty and the Beast of Westerns". 

20. McCabe and Mrs Miller (Robert Altmann, 1971)

The last one to watch on this list, McCabe and Mrs Miller's greatness is only apparent after becoming used to the narrative conventions of Westerns. Stunningly authentic in design and architecture, it breaks nearly every cliche going: our protagonist is a businessman, he wins his shootouts by killing his opponents from behind, he is cowardly, the landscape is snow drenched and the legend that McCabe brings to town with him is perhaps untrue. Ravishing, intelligent and sobering. 

The Quarantine Collection: Week 7

I am going to miss lockdown a tremendous amount, the hermit that I am.

Fri. 1st May : The Man From U.N.C.L.E (2015)

Netflix.

In the third Pirates of the Caribbean, there is a moment where Black Pearl captain Barbossa is looking out with a telescope, only for rival captain Jack Sparrow to appear alongside him, producing an even longer, slightly wobbly and totally ridiculous telescope in a gag all about who has the biggest penis. If you take that scene and stretch it into a lean, two hour Guy Ritchie spy film, you get this. Henry Cavill is the ultra suave American agent; Armie Hammer the muscular, hotheaded Russian (and Alicia Vikander the middle woman). The two chaps trade quips and show off their skills and gadgets in a gloriously whimsical way, and it does make for very fun viewing. If there was more clarity and boldness in the action then this would be a top spy film.  

Also check out : Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery (1997)

Sat. 2nd : Black Hawk Down (2001)

DVD.

Ridley Scott makes a tense, all out action war film that shocks with its gore and injury detail but bewilders with its invisible politics or stance on war. It does not get bogged down with character much, which is a shame considering the cast: Eric Bana, Orlando Bloom, Ewan McGregor, Tom Hardy, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau. A bit too much violence, not enough motive. 

Also check out : Jarhead (2005)

Sun. 3rd : The Frighteners (1996)

DVD.

His last film before The Lord of the Rings, Peter Jackson directed and wrote this bizarre B-movie which stars Michael J Fox as a unique chap who can see and interact with ghosts; using them to 'haunt' places in order to con the home owners out of some money through his psychic business. This concept is not utilised enough before a Grim Reaper starts killing people at random around the town and has to be dealt with. The 1990's CGI is goofy and fun and the third is pretty monumental; moving from set piece to set piece with sustained energy. Harmless fun. 

Also check out : The Goonies (1985)

Mon. 4th : The Third Man (1949)

DVD. 

In post-war Vienna, a writer of Western books comes to see and stay with his friend Harry Lime (Orson Welles), but upon arrival finds himself unraveling the mystery of what happened to Lime. Stunning in the usage of shadows and light, this noir tale unfolds with intrigue. Welles, in what can only be described as a cameo, is sensational; his introduction and exit the kind of filmmaking that sticks to the brain. But a poignant moment at the end elevated this from one of the best films in the 1940s, to one of my favourites of the 1940s. 

Also check out : Citizen Kane (1941)

Tue. 5th : Ida (2013)

Box of Broadcasts.

This Polish film concerns a young nun investigating her familial ties. Shot in superb black and white, it features a moment and camera set-up that inspired Tommen's death in Game of Thrones. It is a shame I was not more invested in the story than I was with the photography.

Also check out : Cold War (2018)

Wed. 6th : The Lady from Shanghai (1947)

DVD.

Another Orson Welles film (this time also directed by him), this 40s noir mystery runs at a brisk hour and a half and is a highly rewarding watch. Welles' accent walks a tightrope between Irish and pirate, but the colourful characters, numerous twists and an exceptionally shot ending in a hall of mirrors ensures this is worthwhile entertainment. To think that in a hall of mirrors sequence, the camera always has to be invisible, and this was accomplished without easy CGI.

Also check out : The Maltese Falcon (1941)

Thu. 7th : Destry Rides Again (1939)

DVD. 

A very young James Stewart plays Destry, or Destry Jr., a summoned sheriff deputy with a famous father. Brought in to control the string plucking criminals that effectively govern the town of Bottleneck. The majority of this film takes place in a saloon but it is, to use my dad's go to adjective, utterly charming. The performances are winning, the characters likable and the politics shockingly progressive for a film of this genre at that time. The fact that it also has something to say about legacy and law is a bonus. 

Also check out : Winchester '73 (1950)

TV Roundup: 

Westworld Season 3 Episodes 7-8

Sky Atlantic. 

The third season of Westworld has ended and whilst liking it overall, it has left a lot to be desired. With the titular park nowhere in sight, the focus has been on the real world, but the show has failed to find a character to fully focus on. Dolores is hardly compassionate and it is head scratching to know if we are meant to be supporting her or not. Maeve is still stuck with the irritating 'my daughter' arc and William, the show's best acted and most fascinated character, is barely used in this season, appearing in only half the episodes, and even then barely at all. Aaron Paul did make a fine addition to the cast, but for season 4 to work, Westworld really needs to find an audience surrogate to get behind. Still, each episode crackles with invention and thought and the score has been superb throughout. Maybe I just miss the Old West stuff too much. And Anthony Hopkins. 

The Bodyguard

Netflix / BBC.

I am about two years late to the discussion but The Bodyguard rocks. Its opening sequence on a train is remarkably suspenseful filmmaking, and following terrorist attacks are equally riveting. Richard Madden plays David Budd, an ex-soldier assigned to protect the Home Secretary, Julia. I was constantly riveted by what was happening and the show would not work were it not for Budd who, brilliantly acted by Madden, inhabits a grey area that allows most scenes to serve multiple purposes as he uses the police force tools to get answers, helping his own line of inquiry outside of the government officials. This makes the viewers and Budd's colleagues constantly question his motives and shady actions and the lone-wolf thread works a treat. If the happy ending feels like a cop out (no pun intended), then you can't help but feel it is somewhat deserved after the preceding events. 

After Life Seasons 1-2

Netflix.
Ricky Gervais has a real talent for evoking emotion and here he has carte blanche to say and do whatever he likes in this drama comedy about Tony, a man struggling to exist in a world without his recently deceased wife Lisa. Directed, produced, written and starring as Tony, this is Gervais operating without Stephen Merchant but still has his recycled actors from other series. An After Life is very predictably structured around a handful of locations. Firstly there is Tony's home which usually bookends each episode, second is the office of the local newspaper that Tony works for and the goings on of his colleagues, next is the bench that overlooks Lisa's grave where Tony regularly chats to an older woman who has lost her husband, then there is the care home of Tony's dad and the nurse that may or may not be of romantic interest, then there is the overly masculine therapist and finally there are scenes of Tony doing his field work investigating progressively funnier 'news' stories. There are also exchanges with his postman, Pat, and a sex worker called Daphne. This formula may come off as repetitive (there are numerous mentions to Groundhog Day) but there is a hidden beauty to the routine of an ordinary person and the sanity and reason to continue attitude it encourages. Gervais is admittedly terrific with the intense grief and misanthropic attitude, even if it does feel like another platform for Gervais to voice his atheism or thoughts on the world. If Gervais had lost his wife, then this show would be autobiographical. There are times, especially in the second season, where it feels like every conversation ends up revolving around Tony talking about Lisa and this does get frustrating as it prevents the other characters receiving a spotlight. The numerous cam footage that Tony watches on a laptop can also be irritating and overdone, but for the most part Gervais mines fresh material out of each location and character throughout both seasons. And the therapist, played by Paul Kaye, is among one of Gervais' finest comedic creations. Utterly disgusting and bitingly satirical, he reminds me of many of my former colleagues: "anyone he doesn't want to rape Hitler is a fucking bender" and "I think my broke my thumb up some bird's arse" remain two immortal lines from this crazed 'therapist'. It is a shame a third season has been made, as it breaks Gervais' usual 'two season and a Christmas special rule' but I will judge the content when I see it. 

Star Wars: The Clone Wars Season 7 Review

Of the many doorways to my childhood, Star Wars: The Clone Wars is the one that was never fully closed. Starting in 2008, this animated 'kids' show aired every Friday on Cartoon Network after school and was effectively the highlight of my week. Set between Attack of the Clones and Revenge of the Sith, the show was made by people who loved Star Wars, but thought the prequels left a lot to be desired. Subsequently, this show was developed with the intent on abiding to the prequels to the most minute details (Anakin meeting Grievous for the first time in Episode III meant the writers had to come up with scenarios where these characters never interacted prior) but also developing and enhancing the main relationships, such as Anakin and Obi-wan's. As such, the show single-handedly boosted the quality of the content of the (until recently) maligned prequel trilogy. Tragedy struck when Disney bought Lucasfilm, leading to the cancellation of the show in favour of 'new' Star Wars content and leaving fans such as myself dissatisfied that we never got that inevitable flow directly into the start of Episode III. 

Alas, fan demand lead to the final season's creation under Dave Filoni, a Star Wars filmmaker who understands the world better than any other currently working for Disney. Despite only containing 12 episodes of 22 minutes (there were previously 20/22 a season), the show makes do with some exceptionally storytelling. The show is somewhat unique in that the episodes do not always follow on from each other; instead there are story arcs that usually last between 2-4 episodes back to back. It is  therefore easier to review the arcs then the overall season. 

Season 7 has three stories, each with four episodes. The first revolves around the 'Bad Batch', a clone trooper team with defect abilities that makes them trigger happy shock troopers who are socially ostracised but revered for their daring escapades. These episodes are standard Clone Wars: fun, lighthearted and with a sustained level of action perhaps more aimed at younger audiences. 

The second story revolves around Ahsoka Tano; Anakin's former Padawan who left the Jedi Order after becoming disenchanted in the cause. Ahsoka was left out of season 6 but here she returns, helping out two sisters, Trace and Rafa, in the underbelly of Coruscant. There is a sharp decline in entertainment with this story; the bickering between the three and the action scenes feel repetitive and one episode opens with them in a cell, then they escape, then they finish the episode back in the cell. And if that episode feels like padding, then it makes the whole set of episodes feel like padding. The only noteworthy material in it is the focus on what ordinary people think of the Jedi, and Ahsoka realising her Jedi attributes will always be with her. But this is lesser Star Wars. 

The final episodes are a different beast. Gone is the opening titles and voice over, replaced by a Lucasfilm card and 'Part I:...' This is the story that season 7 was built to show: the Siege of Mandalore. Ahsoka reunites with fellow Clone Wars original Captain Rex to take down Darth Maul who has taken over the planet Mandalore. After a touching reunion with Anakin, the stage is set for a monumental finale. At one point Obi-wan informs Ahsoka that Count Dooku is dead and from then on these episodes are filled with dread. The entire TV show has lived in the shadow of Order 66; that grand finale to the war which makes all the combat seem hopelessly futile. For the ardent fans who have seen the show's cousin Rebels, they know that Rex, Ahsoka and Maul all survive. But the tension doesn't come from the 'if' or the 'what', but the 'how' and 'when'. Watching these episodes bizarrely reminded me of Once Upon a Time in Hollywood; the sense of dread you get as an audience member knowing something awful is about to happen that the characters do not know about. That a child's animation show can elicit anxious shakes and sleepless nights from me is credit to the writing and directing on display. 

The action is phenomenal: the lightsaber clash between Ahsoka and Maul is one of the best in Star Wars history, Maul's corridor mayhem rivals Vader's in Rogue One, and a thrilling sequence as a cruiser is sucked into a moon's gravity all make for gasp inducing set pieces. And yet despite all of this the small episodes still find time for rich character work; Ahsoka ponders her's and the clones existence, having seen only war and not knowing what to do when it is over. War is bad, but without it there would be no Rex, or Fives or Echo. And, like the final few minutes in Game of Thrones, the show ends with a beautiful, dialogue free montage that is bleak, beautiful and utterly heart-breaking. These four episodes are hands down some of the best Star Wars content ever.

To grade the season is impossible: it is not like Thrones where the strength and tension of the generally outstanding final few episodes comes from the previous six or seven episodes building it up. Instead, it is three stories that work well together but the emotional response to the final four episodes can be felt without watching the other arcs. If the Bad Batch is a reasonably good storyline (7/10), then the Trace and Rafa story is a lukewarm padding session (5/10) and the Siege of Mandalore is simply outstanding television (10/10). A fitting farewell to the George Lucas era of Star Wars, and my own childhood. 

The Quarantine Collection: Week 6

Whilst my mum is on the front line working on a covid-ward at the hospital, my dad is carrying out the essential work of painting someone's caravan. And I am just doing quizzes on Zoom. 

Fri. 24th April : Glass (2019)

DVD. 

I ordered Glass after I saw and loved Unbreakable. With my 'realistic superhero' curiosity piqued, I settled down with a Twirl and Salt and Pepper Pringles and mostly enjoyed this sequel/crossover. Bruce Willis, Samuel L  Jackson and James McAvoy are all back as the 'supers' and director M. Night Shyamalan is very keen to get them together, leading to rapidly paced opening that sees Willis' David Dunn take on McAvoy's The Horde. There is a lot of playing catch up to be done, with this film taking place nearly twenty years on from Unbreakable, but only a short while after Split (2017). The positives stem from the overall originality of the picture, the questions it raises and McAvoy, who delivers another awe-inspiring talent show of multiple personalities each with their own physicality and accent. His ability to switch between them is masterful and Glass is worth a watch just for the sheer range of this performance. It is also the most serious work SLJ has done in a while; not a single swear word or joke in sight, though it does take an hour to give him his first line. The film does suffer from being overly ambitious, with an ending that drags and refuses to end. It also falls prey to having characters commentate on what is happening, giving the film a meta-quality to it. But much like Deadpool (2016), simply pointing out the story beats does not excuse the film from still conforming to them. 

Also check out : One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975)

Sat. 25th : Extraction (2020)

Netflix. 

Extraction is a new Netflix original written by Avengers' Joe Russo and directed in his debut by Sam Hargrave, the stunt coordinator on numerous Marvel films and other action blockbusters. Starring Chris Hemsworth, Extraction is set in India and concerns Hemsworth extracting a young boy to deliver him to someone or other. The story is extremely weak, and were it not Joe Russo writing, it would be surprising if this film would have been made. Luckily it did, because this is actually quite entertaining. The influence of the director's stuntman past is evident; the action has that John Wick style of clean wide shots, meticulously choreographed skirmishes and an appetite for unconventional weapons. There is a rather brilliant 12 minute car chase turned shootout turned foot-chase turned knife fight that is captivating, but the third act just throws an unlimited number of red shirts to be gunned down by the heroes. Basically Call of Duty: The Movie, Hemsworth has his primary and secondary load-outs, frag and smoke grenades, a knife and a high enough kill streak to endlessly summon canine units. Come for the action, nothing else. 

Also check out : Lone Survivor (2013)

Sun. 26th : Gegen die Wand / Head-On (2004)

Box of Broadcasts. 

An alcoholic forty year old German marries a young German-Turkish girl in order for her to have greater freedom from her parents. Such is the simplicity of the story outline, but this 'love' story is riddled with self harm, death, rape and envy. The girl,  Sibel, is played by Sibel Kekilli (aka Shae from Game of Thrones) and she actually does a very good job, all things considered. Not a pleasant watch, but the episodic story, denoted by the Turkish band that pops up on screen to play a few traditional songs, makes this compelling viewing as a Greek tragedy. 

Also check out : Romeo and Juliet (1996)

Mon. 27th : Moon (2009)

DVD. 

The 2010s was a Golden Era for space films: Gravity, Interstellar, The Martian, Ad Astra and First Man in particular. Just missing out of that period is Duncan Jones' (the son of David Bowie) debut Moon, which stars Sam Rockwell as an engineer on the moon harvesting a fuel to be used on Earth. He is assisted by Kevin Spacey as a HAL-9000-esque robot, and it is very creepy. The moon is an ideal setting for science fiction: it walks that tightrope between fiction and non-fiction: humanity has been there, giving it credibility, but also it is still this far off, uninhabited destination which provokes imaginative ideas about it. With a brisk run time, Moon is certainly thought-provoking with a great premise that is better to experience then be told. Rockwell excels in a one man show, and the score accompanies the deafening silence of the moon well. What it is missing, perhaps due to the small budget, is a strong visual eye that makes the above space films so brilliant. It wouldn't have hurt the film to have more breathtaking shots of space or the Earth to satisfy my fondness for vast, empty spaces. 

Also check out : The Martian (2015)

Tue. 28th ; Creed (2015)

DVD. 

2015 was the year that nostalgia took over film. Star Wars The Force Awakens, Jurassic World and Creed are all guilty of tapping into that love for the old films, and they were all successful in doing so. Now I have never seen a Rocky film before but I have not met someone who did not enjoy Creed, so gave it ago. And it is a blinder. Directed by Black Panther's Ryan Coogler, this sports film transcends its conventional story with three unique qualities. Firstly, the bond between Adonis Creed (a solid Michael B Jordan) and Rocky (a watchable Stallone) is rich and dynamic. Secondly, the filmmaking is seriously muscular; a second fight is shot in a continuous take inside the ring. Thirdly, the film's exploration of legacy and identity means it has something far more substantial and fresh to say than Force Awakens or Jurassic World, steering it away from 'cash-grab' territory. The third act is also utterly energising, reminding me of how I felt watching the Olympics, the World Cup or Le Mans 66 (2019). Sports really is home of the goosebumps, especially when that Rocky theme song starts. 

Also check out : Warrior (2011)

Wed. 29th : Limitless (2011)

Netflix. 

Before 2014's Lucy unlocked the rest of her brain's potential, Bradley Cooper popped up a pill which gives him White Walker eyes and the deductive speech and visuals of Benedict Cumberbatch's Sherlock Holmes. Limitless is pretty average entertainment; fun to watch with a premise that intrigues, but the next day it is hard to remember anything in the way of dialogue or scenes. It feels like Lucy and 2013's The Wolf of Wall Street, combining enhanced brain power with amoral, self-interested gluttony. The film shies away from emotion, missing out crucial conversations about Cooper's character cheating on his girlfriend, whether he is guilty of killing someone and ultimately why he is building this vast empire. There is a line early on that the book he is writing is about a utopia, and the implication is that everything he does is with the desire to better the world, using his advanced IQ to solve the world's problems as he eventually runs for president. But this is barely explored, and without it the character is just a greedy, arrogant and opportunistic Jordan Belfort type. 

Also check out : The Wolf of Wall Street (2013)

Thu. 30th : Bad Day for the Cut (2017)

DVD. 

An Irish revenge thriller, Bad Day for the Cut sees a farmer on the warpath after his mother is killed. His journey, in a red camper-van, sees him enter the underbelly of Ireland's crime world. An almost Shakespearean tale about family feuds and the chain of violence, the story is simple yet brought to live by some subtle performances. If you want to watch a man burn another man with a saucepan of beans, or watch a woman bash another chap's head in with an iron whilst screaming c-bombs, then I recommend. I also recommend just to boast you have seen a film that does not even have the 'Plot' section on Wikipedia filled in. Oh, and it contains an immensely satisfying use of Chekov's Gun theory. 

Also check out : Hell or High Water (2016)