Dave Camp on Film

SITE UPDATE

2010-03-01T10:45:00.001-08:00

Hi guys,

Please note that all future posts will be made to my new website. It can be found here:

davidcamponfilm.co.uk

Some of the design elements are incomplete, but the full archive of this blog has been shifted over.

Many Thanks,

-David

‘Whatever Works’ (Woody Allen, 2009)

2010-03-01T09:16:00.000-08:00

Even lightweight Woody Allen is still perfectly watchable. There’s a laziness in the writing missing from his best work, and LD struggles to escape his Curb persona, but it’s just about harmless, insubstantial and humorous enough to warrant viewing. To be honest, I’m too interested in Allen’s modern Euro-drama’s to long for further returns to New York. The comic touch isn’t really there anymore.

2.5/5

‘Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans’ (Werner Herzog, 2009)

2010-02-28T11:56:00.000-08:00

In other hands ‘Bad Lieutenant’ could easily slot into 2AM DTV hell – in the hands of Herzog and Nicolas Cage it cements its place as a quotable, small-time cult classic. Cage drools and spasms his way through his best performance since ‘Adaptation’, waving his magnum around like a child’s rattle whilst roaming the dark, grimy streets of post-Katrina New Orleans. The antithesis of David Fincher’s vision of the city, Herzog’s frame is never far from the filth, the occasional Iguana scuttling through the titular characters drug-addled hallucinations. The result is hilarious. I can’t wait to see it on a triple-bill student film night with ‘Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas’ and ‘Withnail & I’.

4/5

‘Troll II’ (Claudio Fragasso, 1990)

2010-02-20T08:35:00.001-08:00

As they say, there's no coffee in Nilbog - It's the devil's drink. You can't piss on hospitality.

1/5 or 5/5….depending on your perspective.

‘A Serious Man’ (The Coen Brothers, 2009)

2010-02-19T06:27:00.001-08:00

The Coen’s have the sort of light, effortless touch that even bona fide comic directors would traffic their own organs to replicate. As is the case with much of their filmography, the simplest and most understated scenes are mined for comedy gold, every cast member completely in tune with their offbeat tone. With the focused, but delicate touch of master craftsman, they have the ability to draw their ensemble completely into a world of their own. 14 films, 12 are great = do the math.

4/5

‘The Lovely Bones’ (Peter Jackson, 2009)

2010-02-17T04:29:00.001-08:00

‘The Lovely Bones’ is a failure on almost every conceivable level. Whilst being in no way dislikeable, it’s the sort of fascinating disaster where you stare bemusedly at the screen, baffled and perplexed as to how a filmmaker as talented as Peter Jackson is capable of misfiring so wildly. The tone shifts violently, individual scenes crunch together with the finesse of a toddlers toy trains, the very connective tissue of the script veers madly left to right in directionless confusion. It’s the sort of film you’d be forgiven for thinking Jackson had abandoned during production, leaving the reigns to an amateur.

Almost every area of the production has problems only an army of slaves could dig to the bottom of. For a director who has shown a remarkable handling of unwieldy projects, Jackson lets all his least desirable traits rise to the surface, wallowing in a self-indulgent faecal bath of iffy pacing, poor camerawork and crap editing. On a purely conceptual level the design of Susie Salmon’s heaven is disastrous. Chock full of pastel colouring and cringeworthy computerised scenary it’s heartbreaking to think that Jackson allowed such an intimate, contained story to blow so out of proportion. The visuals alone are close to unbearable, but it’s Jackson’s inability to fully convey how Suzie interacts with the living world that really irritates.

Stanley Tucci provides a solitary shining light, valiantly battling against the staggering ineptitude of Mark Wahlberg’s career-worst performance. When Wahlberg first stumbled in wearing a suit, sporting a mullet – I could do little more than burst out laughing. Sadly, it’s that sort of film.

1.5/5

‘The Cove’ (Louie Psihoyos, 2009)

2010-02-15T08:38:00.001-08:00

No camera trickery or clever editing can replicate the fear and excitement the activists at the heart of ‘The Cove’ must have felt as they uncovered the horrific truth at the heart of the Taiji dolphin meat industry. More in common with Jason Bourne than ‘March of the Penguins’, their attempts to expose the slaughter through a covert operation involving freedivers and hidden cameras results in one of the most exciting action set-pieces of the last year. This phenomenal sequence may be its strongest card, but it’s the passion of the team at the films heart, their conviction and dedication to this cause that transfixed me to the screen.

It’s impossible to deny that ‘The Cove’ presents anything other than a one-sided argument (discussions of Japanese cultural heritage are quickly skirted over), but when faced with such graphic and disturbing footage – it’s difficult to disagree with its agenda.

4/5

‘Silent Night, Deadly Night’ (Charles E. Sellier Jr, 1984)

2010-02-13T07:07:00.000-08:00

My second dose of satanic Santa in less than a month, ‘Silent Night, Deadly Night’ covers similar ground to ‘Christmas Evil’ but with less charm, less originality and more nuns. My pet peeve: spree-killer Billy is too young and too-lacking-in-white-moustache to convince as a malevolent Santa doppelganger. I hear the sequel is better.

2/5

‘The Wolfman’ (Joe Johnston, 2010)

2010-02-11T06:03:00.000-08:00

It’s obvious within a few minutes that ‘The Wolfman’ was hacked to pieces in the editing room. Supporting characters are underdeveloped, exposition is carelessly sped through and large, bloody chunks have been torn from the opening half hour. As a result we’re left with gaping holes of logic that not even Joe Johnston’s strong sense of pacing can fill. Partly the product of a weak script (Andrew Kevin Walker and David Self are capable of much, much better), partly the product of a troubled production and studio interference, Johnston & co have nevertheless managed to scrape together a lean, but eminently watchable ninety minutes. It may be stripped to the bone but his film has the production values of a much grander affair. The Victorian period details, makeup work and gothic cinematography are suitably atmospheric, Hugo Weaving and Anthony Hopkins dive in excitedly with hammy, enjoyable roles and there’s real exhilaration in watching Del Toro let loose post-transformation.

Speaking of the metamorphosis from man to monster, the CG/practical mix works nicely with a suitably agonising, well-executed couple of sequences in which both Rick Baker and the sound department bring their A-game. With luck, some of the cut footage will be reinstated at a later stage. With a little more meat, I’d expect to add a star to this review.

3/5

‘Invictus’ (Clint Eastwood, 2009)

2010-02-09T03:30:00.000-08:00

I hadn’t been convinced that the 1995 Rugby World Cup was the best story for a crew of this pedigree to tell, but though the sports clichés roll on thick and fast in the final half hour, Clint Eastwood's direction is steady enough to control the gentle drift into conventionality. There’s an elegance in the way he balances the broader context of post-Apartheid South Africa with the teams progression through to the final. It’s exciting stuff, and he really makes it work.

The casting may be as predictable as the eventual Springboks victory, but Morgan Freeman brings a real gravitas to Mandela that goes beyond dialect coaching and makeup. It’s the sort of performance that could have easily slipped into lazy mimicry, but instead radiates confidence and wisdom. Matt Damon, to my surprise, also steps up to the mark and convinces in a strong supporting turn.

4/5

‘Edge of Darkness’ (Martin Campbell, 2010)

2010-02-06T09:32:00.001-08:00

Slotting somewhere between ‘Taken’ and last years ‘State of Play’ adaptation, Martin Campbell’s action thriller is mainly notable for slapping Mel Gibson’s age-ravaged face back on the screen after an absence of almost eight years. Gibson, who looks like he could use a nicorette inhaler and acid peel, is back to his growly best as he runs around Boston trying to make sense of William Monahan’s convoluted script.
Campbell’s expert pacing and an excellent Ray Winstone make the experience satisfactory.

3/5

‘An Education’ (Lone Scherfig, 2009)

2010-02-03T06:40:00.001-08:00

I had my doubts in Nick Hornby's ability to write for screen, but all concerns were quickly alleviated as his skill at crafting fully-realised characters shone through. A series of marvellous performances aid in no small part, the uber-charismatic Peter Sarsgaard perfectly capturing the essence of sleazy charm as he seductively snakes his way into Carey Mulligan’s jailbait pants. He’s the roguish alpha-male superhero of teenage girl dreams.

Sarsgaard may be sadly absent from awards season, but Mulligan’s plaudits are more then deserved. She imbues Jenny Miller with enough youthful belief in her own wisdom and wide-eyed excitement at bohemian London to send her to the Kodak Theatre and back next month, gold statue in hand on the flight home.

4/5

‘The Road’ (John Hillcoat, 2009)

2010-02-02T06:05:00.001-08:00

I guess ‘Precious’ isn’t the only film I’ll see this week that explores the depths of human misery. It’s also, I’m delighted to say, not the best.

I read, and enjoyed (if that’s the correct word) Cormac McCarthy’s novel a while ago. Though Hillcoat avoids some of the more disturbing moments (no baby spitroast etc), he does a fine job of bringing the bleakness of the world to life and reflecting McCarthy’s sparse prose in the barren landscapes and underplayed performances. There may be compromises in the level of onscreen violence, but Hillcoat never shies from the true horror and hopelessness of this world, crafting a film that’s even parts survival drama and chase movie. At its heart, Viggo Mortensen fleshes out his literary counterpart with a career-best turn that I was (rather disappointed) to see missed out on an Academy Award nomination this afternoon. Either way - he’s magnificent.

At a modest $20 million, John Hillcoat must have fought tooth and nail in order to find funding for an adaptation as dark and despairing as 'The Road'. Tough though it may have been - we at least know where some of the cash came from! Even in a dying post-apocalyptic hell, Mortensen and son are still able to take a short break here and there to enjoy the worlds last Coca Cola.

I find a great deal of guilty-pleasure in Product placement. Even in a world as visually compelling as ‘The Road’s, the sight of Viggo knocking back Earth’s last Jack Daniels never ceases to delight.

5/5

‘Precious: Based on the Novel "Push" by Sapphire’ (Lee Daniels, 2009)

2010-01-30T10:47:00.000-08:00

Much has been written of what a harrowing and bleak film ‘Precious’ is, but little can prepare for the actual experience. Stripping even its ‘known’ cast members (Mariah Carey, Lenny Kravitz) of any moviestar gloss, the screen is ablaze with nothing but raw drama and emotion – the temptation of escapes into sentimentality and melodrama largely avoided in favour of a darker path. As it happens, I feel a little sorry for Daniels et al that their film has been elevated to a level where it’s coming under awards-season scrutiny. It’s a small, focused, performance-driven project that would be better served outside of the glare of major publications and the broader media. Taking this into account, I think it would be remiss of the Academy not to nominate Gabourey Sidibe and Mo'Nique for their work. The latter, in particular, deserves all available plaudits for imbuing a truly hateable character with a redemptive streak. The films most impressive scene (you’ll know it when it arrives), doesn’t quite dispel our anger, but manages to add layers to a character that I’d previously rated in the upper tiers of detestable screen villainy.

If there’s one criticism I could make, it’s that Daniels should’ve pulled his adaptation out of the 80s and set it in the modern day. The period setting doesn’t exactly diminish the social comment, but I feel dropping these characters into the 21st century would better highlight their despair to modern audiences. It’s a minor quibble of an otherwise impeccable production.

4/5

‘Christmas Evil’ (Lewis Jackson, 1980)

2010-01-26T03:18:00.000-08:00

There's a serial killer on the loose.

Big white beard. Black boots. Sack of presents. Any ideas?

With more interest in John Carpenter than festive spirit, this culty Yuletide slasher neatly balances the laughs and scares to make the most of its amusing concept. Closely following the breakdown and red-suited rebirth of our villainous Claus-surrogate, director Lewis Jackson embraces every schlocky convention to the fullest. Thank God it’s another eleven months until Christmas…

3/5

‘Up in the Air’ (Jason Reitman, 2009)

2010-01-19T14:09:00.000-08:00

An unbearable prick by reputation, Jason Reitman’s trio of films all have qualities fighting bravely to escape from the agonising veneer of superficiality he sprays over every frame. I’m supportive of satisfying, easygoing dramedy, most especially when concealing a more intriguing centre – but Reitman steers his interest in light comic touches and Clooney-charm too close to the core. A stronger director would have pushed his star further in unravelling Ryan Bingham as we push towards the ending. Despite teasing us with a brief, unsuccessful attempt at human connection – we’re ultimately left with a protagonist as shallow and empty as in the opening minutes. Clooney may have spades of effortless charm, but he’s too draped in his own persona to ever fully immerse himself in the character. I don’t hold it against him. He plays a suave, charming George Clooney better than I could.

What we really have holding us back here is Reitman. He’s a lightweight juggling material beyond his abilities. I commend him for overreaching his talents, but he’d be better suited slumming it down with his father in the gutters of studio comedy. That said, though he can’t compare with the Alexander Payne’s and Cameron Crowe’s, it’d be unfair not to compliment his eye for visuals or his casting. GC may not surprise, but Vera Farmiga continues to be amongst the most consistent and interesting actresses working in (and outside of) Hollywood. Similarly, Reitman nails the placing of Jason Bateman and Danny McBride in supporting roles. Both are excellent. Both have beards. Both wish a stronger director was behind the camera.

3.5/5

‘Daybreakers’ (The Spierig Brothers, 2009)

2010-01-14T04:29:00.000-08:00

With the confidence of a duo well versed in their vampire lore, The Spierig Brothers do a fine job with this taut, well-paced piece of genre subversion. Character actors like Hawke, Dafoe and Sam Neill are given plenty of room to play in their underwritten roles – the $20 million budget quite astonishing considering the remarkable production values and creature effects.

The political subtext is a little heavy handed, but the strength of the concept and design of the world more than make up for any problems under the skin of this minor masterwork of vampire revisionism. The most entertaining fluff so far this winter.

3.5/5

‘In The Loop’ (Armando Iannucci, 2009)

2010-01-12T04:20:00.001-08:00

Aside from the shared joys of Malcolm Tucker’s foul mouth, this lacks the focus and consistency of ‘The Thick of It’ – regularly losing its edge in dire Washington segments that feature weaker actors playing weaker characters performing weaker material. Iannucci et al would have been better sticking to a domestic crisis.

3/5

‘Duel’ (Steven Spielberg, 1971)

2010-01-10T07:45:00.001-08:00

Almost forty years old, Spielberg’s pulpy debut is still a minor masterpiece of suspenseful concept-excitement. Hitchcock is, of course, mentioned repeatedly in the ‘Making Of’ documentary.

4/5

‘Antichrist’ (Lars von Trier, 2009)

2010-01-02T14:42:00.000-08:00

It’s not the first time von Trier (still provocateur no.1) has courted controversy and raw, primal effect to engage his audience. I’m not really certain I have much of a handle on my interpretation of the film yet, but the joy of von Trier is that he so often works on levels beyond easy understanding. What is certain is that not a single second of his vision has been compromised, the performances are beyond brave and each frame is overflowing with beauty, terror and madness. Accusations of misogyny levelled at von Trier by the right-wing press could only be the result of the most simplistic reading of the film. Whilst exploring the nature of grief in an incredibly direct way, I think what he might be doing here is subverting audience’s gender expectations of the two leads. Jaded critics, soothed into a sense of wellbeing by incorrect assumptions, mistake their resentment at being wrong-footed in the third act for misogyny on von Trier’s part. They couldn’t be more wrong. He’s just playing with us. As I said, there’s a lot more to it then that – but for now that’s my loose grip on things. Looking forward to viewing again later in the year!

5/5

‘Sherlock Holmes’ (Guy Ritchie, 2009)

2010-01-02T09:13:00.001-08:00

Incomprehensible plot aside, a fun Downey Jr and bouncy Hans Zimmer score make for an entertaining two hours. Period details seem faultless. CG is used sparingly.

3.5/5

2000-2009: The Worst film of the Decade

2010-01-01T09:15:00.000-08:00

And the worst…

Crash (Paul Haggis, 2004)

'I've learned to never underestimate the academy's bad taste. ‘Crash’ as best picture? What the fuck.'
-Manohla Dargis (New York Times)

I feel truly sorry for the films decent ensemble, as the status afforded to ‘Crash’ as a result of the academy’s monumental mistake has left its reputation in the gutter. Its awards success has been its undoing. The spotlight revealed the extent of its failure. Its legacy is to be despised. As the sun rose after that disgraceful March night, Paul Haggis found himself one of the most reviled men in Hollywood – the creator of the most actively mocked and dislikeable non-genre film of the twenty-first century.

‘Crash’s script will one day be used (in film classes) to illustrate poor screenwriting practices. It’s a contrived masterpiece of false emotion, terrible dialogue and simplistic moralizing – rolled together in a derivative hyper-link structure that not even it’s enormously talented cast can fathom. One could be forgiven for thinking Haggis wrote it as a comedy. My detest grows greater with time.

2000 - 2009: My Favourites of the Decade

2010-01-01T09:13:00.000-08:00

Favourite 10 of Decade

I entered this decade as a thirteen-year old and exited it a grizzled twenty-three. Though none of these films could ever be as formative as those encountered during the childhood that preceeded them, all have become firm favourites as the years have gone on. Some exist as the latest gold star next to the names of some of my favourite filmmakers; others shook me to the core with their power, passion and artistry. I will continue to support and promote each and all.

There Will Be Blood (Paul Thomas Anderson, 2007)
Mulholland Drive (David Lynch, 2001)
Moulin Rouge! (Baz Luhrman, 2001)
Adaptation (Spike Jonze, 2002)
Shooting Dogs (US title ‘Beyond the Gates’) (Michael Caton-Jones, 2005)
The Lives of Others (Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck, 2006)
Lost in Translation (Sofia Coppola, 2004)
The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou (Wes Anderson, 2005)
The Fountain (Darren Aronofsky, 2007)
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (David Fincher, 2009)

Runners up:

The Lord of the Rings (Peter Jackson, 2001-2003)
American Psycho (Mary Harron, 2000)
Good Night, and Good Luck (George Clooney, 2005)
Spirited Away (Hayao Miyazaki, 2001)
Requiem for a Dream (Darren Aronofsky, 2000)
Wonder Boys (Curtis Hanson, 2000)
Let the Right One In (Tomas Alfredson, 2008)
Punch-Drunk Love (Paul Thomas Anderson, 2002)
Shaun of the Dead (Edgar Wright, 2004)
Dogville (Lars von Trier, 2003)
Pan’s Labyrinth (Guillermo Del Toro, 2006)
Spider-Man 2 (Sam Raimi, 2004)
Gladiator (Ridley Scott, 2000)
Kill Bill: Vol 1 & 2 (Quentin Tarantino, 2003-2004)
Almost Famous (Cameron Crowe, 2000)
Cast Away (Robert Zemeckis, 2000)
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (Michel Gondry, 2004)
Sideways (Alexander Payne, 2004)
The Departed (Martin Scorsese, 2006)
The Prestige (Christopher Nolan, 2006)
Zodiac (David Fincher, 2007)
Million Dollar Baby (Clint Eastwood, 2004)
Munich (Steven Spielberg, 2005)

2009: The Worst

2010-01-01T08:53:00.001-08:00

Least favourite of 2009

The Spirit (dir. Frank Miller)
The Reader (dir. Stephen Daldry)
Valkyrie (dir. Bryan Singer)
Halloween II (dir. Rob Zombie)
Underworld: Rise of the Lycans (dir. Patrick Tatopoulos)
Crank: High Voltage (dir. Neveldine/Taylor)
X-Men Origins: Wolverine (dir. Gavin Hood)
Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (dir. Michael Bay)
The Final Destination (dir. David R. Ellis)
The Twilight Saga: New Moon (dir. Chris Weitz)

2009: The Best

2010-01-01T08:50:00.000-08:00

The Runners-Up (in no particular order)

The Hurt Locker (dir. Kathryn Bigelow)
The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus (dir. Terry Gilliam)
Paranormal Activity (dir. Oren Peli)
Up (dir. Pete Docter)
Watchmen (dir. Zach Snyder)
The Boat That Rocked (dir. Richard Curtis)
Drag Me To Hell (dir. Sam Raimi)
Inglourious Basterds (dir. Quentin Tarantino)
Where the Wild Things Are (dir. Spike Jonze)

‘Drag Me To Hell’, ‘Inglourious Basterds’ and ‘The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus’ represent three veteran masters producing some of the best work since the beginning of their careers.

‘Watchmen’ achieved the rare feat of being both utterly faithful to its paper counterpart whilst never being afraid to be its own stylistic beast. Zack Snyder offered up some great renderings of beloved characters, sharp visuals and aggressively energetic direction. It’s the adaptation I’d always dreamt of.

‘Up’ and ‘Where the Wild Things Are’ may be pitched to a younger audience, but have just as much (if not more) to offer seasoned viewers. Rich with emotion and artistry, they represent some of the best studio filmmaking the year had to offer.

‘Paranormal Activity’ and ‘The Hurt Locker’ came out of nowhere and completely frazzled my brain. They strike with an earthy, visceral impact totally lacking from most Hollywood product. I was left reeling for days.

I may revisit ’The Boat That Rocked’ more then any other film released this year. The camaraderie and affection amongst the cast paper over any editorial indulgence - Richard Curtis’ enthusiasm for the era as vital a character as Ifans, Frost or Hoffman.

My Favourite Film of 2009

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (dir. David Fincher)

David Fincher once said that good art shouldn’t entertain - it should scar. His interests don’t lie with things that soothe, but those that cut and penetrate deep into the consciousness. ‘Benjamin Button’s’ success largely stems from its rejection of conformity and its unrelenting support of Fincher’s worldview. It’s almost unheard of for technologically progressive, vastly budgeted awards season fare to be splashed with such an unusual view of love and relationships but Fincher’s film is rich with alternative, refreshing ways of looking at the world. It might be the most unconventional, offbeat $200+ mill blockbuster ever put out in Hollywood, with a true visionary artist guiding the ship through the stormy waters of love, death and loss.
Steven Spielberg has called the film “an American Classic” I wouldn’t disagree. It’s marvelous, joyful cinema at its finest. It’s the best film of 2009.

Near-Misses

Synecdoche, New York, Gran Torino, Milk, Che: Part 1, Star Trek, The Wrestler, Role Models, Frost/Nixon, Vicky Christina Barcelona, Fantastic Mr. Fox, Jennifer’s Body, District 9, Avatar

Favourites of decade coming soon....

'Avatar' (James Cameron 2009) - Further Thoughts

2009-12-23T05:33:00.000-08:00

The ridiculous hyperbole is starting to grate on me. I sat down last night to watch Duncan Jones's excellent 'Moon' (a genuinely cerebral sci-fi) and it's already taken over from 'Avatar' as the centrepiece of my thoughts. Cameron shot an exciting movie, but I'm convinced it has neither the legs nor depth of a 'Terminator' or 'Aliens'. I'll be interested to see how it holds up in reputation over the next year or two - but I think once the initial excitement of seeing such wild, inventive visuals wears off - we might not be so enamoured with what remains.

Much as with 'The Dark Knight', I hate that the internet community has essentially decided to isolate and denigrate anyone who questions the films quality to the tiniest degree. We do this all the time, but I've never witnessed it to this extent. It's vaguely embarrassing.

‘Moon’ (Duncan Jones, 2009)

2009-12-23T05:32:00.000-08:00

Strong, slightly underdeveloped ideas more than made up for by confident direction from Jones and a masterful double performance from Sam Rockwell.

4/5

'Avatar' (James Cameron, 2009)

2009-12-18T14:35:00.000-08:00

Quickie thoughts, trying to ignore fandom pant-creaming…

Quite impressed, though primarily by the intricacy and detail of the design/sfx work. Slick Camerony action, engaging leads and entertainingly clichéd villain all in place. The hyperbole from fandom is deafening, and I'm not sure it'll hold up to repeat viewings on DVD - but as a cinematic experience: it's often extraordinary. Complaints about the derivative story + anti-american sentiment are largely unfounded. Effects are never photoreal, but the level of emotion from the CG characters is astonishing. I found myself strangely attracted to Zoe Saldana's blue alien. 3D is utilised effectively to add depth to the frame without the cheap trickery of pop-outs. It works.

4/5

‘Where the Wild Things Are’ (Spike Jonze, 2009)

2009-12-15T04:14:00.000-08:00

Though the incomprehensible mismarketing would lead you to believe otherwise, ‘Where the Wild Things Are’ never remotely approaches being a children’s film. It’s a dark, adult, often-extraordinary fairytale open to various interpretations whilst always remaining rich with multiple layers of meaning. Jonze juggles the conflicting emotions and vulnerability of his lead like a master, creating a surreal, impressionistic masterwork almost entirely without narrative. It’s easy to criticise ‘Where the Wild Things Are’ as being slight because it lacks any discernable plot, but I don’t think that’s what Jonze is going for here. It seems to thrive alone on bittersweet tone, resulting in a dreamlike, otherworldly quality

Directors fight to work with material as great as Jonze was handed for his first two films. Finally, 7-years after ‘Adaptation’, he steps free of the shadow of Charlie Kaufman and into his own unique world. He controls every frame of it.

It would be remiss not to direct praise at the Jim Henson monster creations. The furry suits (albeit with facial CG augmentations) have a weight and presence that would be lacking from fully animated characters. Voice and design work is impeccable.

4/5

‘Reds’ (Warren Beatty, 1981)

2009-12-14T07:09:00.000-08:00

I’m not sure ‘Reds’ (despite its 3+ hour runtime) is by any means a great account of John Reed’s experiences during the Russian Revolution. Beatty casts his net wide and far, trying valiantly to cover an impossible miniseries worth of material but the main focus centres on the melodramatic romance between Reed and fellow writer/artist Louise Bryant.

The more successful first half is effective in digging under the skin of Bryant, and the beliefs that led her to abandon the safety of her tepid marriage for the carefree world of New York bohemia. The second half takes in a grander scale - placing the romance against a vast historical/political backdrop. Like most great American epics, the romantic relationship remains at its core, but Beatty’s misstep is that he lets our attentions drift a little too far during the flabby third hour. Diane Keaton as Bryant is the true protagonist and her journey is utterly marginalized in favour of Reed’s in the aftermath of the Revolution itself.

Jack Nicholson wears a powerful and fascinating moustache as cynical playwright Eugene O’Neill. Photography and all performances are excellent.

4/5

‘The Descent: Part 2’ (Jon Harris, 2009)

2009-12-05T15:06:00.001-08:00

‘The Descent’ is probably the best British horror film of the decade, spoiled only by a vile alternative ending used for its American release. This ending jettisons an enormously significant minute or two from the conclusion of the film – a moment that raises huge implications and suggestions as to the nature of some of the events that precede it.

Tragically, Jon Harris’ sequel is floored from inception by making two catastrophic mistakes. Firstly, it uses this US ending as its jumping off point – secondly, everything that follows hinges on an utterly inane plot device that abandons any pretence at logic. And all just to get Sarah back into the caves….

Under different circumstances I don’t think franchising the first film is necessarily a bad idea, but Harris et al avoid playing on its creative, precise scares and instead opt for gooey genre trash. On that level, credit where credit is due, it rises above the confused stumblings of the opening half hour to become an entertainingly crunchy exercise in explosive bloodshed and faecal bathing. The suspense of the first film may be lacking but those strong, bloody set pieces are often a great deal of fun.

Expect to hear me groan though when the inevitable ‘Descent 3D’ is announced.

3/5

‘New Moon’ (Chris Weitz, 2009)

2009-12-02T04:12:00.000-08:00

Bella’s father’s moustache is on fine form, and some of the supporting cast seem to be enjoying themselves, but without any sense of narrative drive or purpose it all feels like a wasted effort. Does anything actually happen in the next story?

It would be nice to say that ‘New Moon’ was all one big laugh - a humorous jumble of stiff soap-opera line delivery by its cast of sparkly vampires and shirtless werewolves - but, alas, the main feeling I’m left with is just how boring it all is. With little in the way of conflict or direction – Chris Weitz’s adaptation draws to a laboured end after (what feels like) about four hours and no ground is gained, few events actually occur and nothing much changes. It doesn’t even have the energy to descend into self-parody.

Ignoring the absence of plot, poor performances and crap dialogue – it’s the dreariness and lack of spark that sinks the film. For all the flaws of ‘Twilight’, Catherine Hardwicke was at least (to an extent) able to disguise the inadequacies of the material. Weitz has no such luck.

A weak director working with a weak cast on weak material. The result doesn’t surprise.

2/5

‘Paranormal Activity’ (Oren Peli, 2009)

2009-11-27T06:21:00.000-08:00

This ‘found footage’ subgenre of horror films intrigues me. They may not be particularly cinematic, but what they lack in scope and elegance they more then make up for in brutal, grungy authenticity. There’s no starry name or dodgy special effect here to pull you out of the illusion - the façade of realism allowing Peli to ramp up the tension and terrify the audience with exquisite sound design and creative shocks.

One element of ‘Paranormal Activity’ largely ignored by mainstream media is simply how entertaining it is. Each scream that emerged from the packed crowd had the throng roaring with laugher. Peli controls the audience’s response with an almost surgical precision, balancing the panic and relief in a manner remarkable considering his inexperience. This might be the last great horror film of the decade.

4.5/5

‘The Frighteners’ (Peter Jackson, 1996)

2009-11-23T04:24:00.000-08:00

I was glossing over the wikipedia page for ‘The Frighteners’ yesterday evening and found it referred, quite wonderfully, as a cross between ‘Ghostbusters’ and ‘Twin Peaks’. The hyperactive comedic tone Jackson hits might have more in common with his own earlier filmography then either of those examples, but it’s definitely tied up in that quirky subgenre of horror populated by films just as equally categorizable as comedies. Every bit as inventive as ‘Beetlejuice’ or any of Sam Raimi’s non-spidey output, Jackson papers over the thin plot with a madcap tone befitting of his crazed imagination.

I miss Michael J. Fox…

4/5

‘2012’ (Roland Emmerich, 2009)

2009-11-19T03:59:00.000-08:00

The natural enemy of logic, plausibility and sense returns for one final bang. Aided by a very capable troupe of actors, Roland Emmerich delivers his usual mix of nonsensical destruction and excruciatingly earnest soap opera drama.

The framing and geography of the set pieces is exemplary - the quality of his action choreography far higher then other filmmakers working in this budget range. The pacing remains a little off between those big sequences, but when they come they sweep in with weight and style. Emmerich keeps his ego in check and has a refreshingly old-fashioned, quite restrained visual style that makes the most of the outstanding effects work. Clocking in at 2 hours 40 minutes it’s a little saggy around the middle, but the size of the ensemble and Emmerich’s ambitious scope just about justifies the lengthy runtime.

It’s nice to see an event movie not trapped in the confines of a franchise.

4/5

‘The Social Network’ Script Review

2009-11-16T14:32:00.001-08:00

I’m not in the habit of writing up thoughts on scripts, but a new David Fincher project always warrants the extra effort. ‘The Social Network’ practically demanded my immediate, undivided attention and much as I once felt compelled to track down drafts of ‘Zodiac’ and ‘Benjamin Button’, typing up some feelings on this felt nothing less than an obligation.

In telling the story of the birth of Facebook, Aaron Sorkin’s screenplay (adapted from Ben Mezrich’s book) is equal parts frat-house comedy, courtroom drama and tale of friendship destroyed by greed. Harvard student Mark Zuckerberg (to be played by Jesse Eisenberg) pilfers the idea for the social networking site from fellow students -his programming expertise and a little luck leading him to become the world’s youngest billionaire in his early-twenties.

At 162 pages, Sorkin’s screenplay isn’t a quick read, but as it rolled along the attraction to Fincher became increasingly apparent. Mark Zuckerberg has the drive and obsession of ‘Zodiac’s’ Robert Graysmith and his fledgling company even comes across a little like a sanitised Project Mayhem. Sorkin’s strength is in managing to wrap a complicated story into an expert structure whilst keeping both eyes on the disintegrating friendship between co-founder Eduardo Saverin and Zuckerberg. The factual elements are fascinating, but it’s the destructive effect ambition and success had on the characters that kept me engaged. Zuckerberg’s a fascinating mix of antisocial tech geek and power hungry prick and I think Jesse Eisenberg’s going to have great fun playing around with him.

Of the supporting cast, Sorkin has an ace up his sleeve in his depiction of the ego-centric Napster founder/Facebook chairman Sean Parker. Dropped in around the half-way point, Justin Timberlake has an opportunity to craft an instantly iconic villain. Given all the best material to play with, his role in tearing apart Zuckerberg and Saverin’s friendship should sit at the very core of the final product. I’d already pitch Timberlake as a potential early contender for the Feb 2011 Supporting Actor trophy. It’s a career-making role.

Fincher’s come into some criticism for choosing this project, but I think it’s a brave, unusual choice for Hollywood’s most consistently inventive and uncompromising director. Talk of a new prototype camera system being used suggests he intends to stay on the cutting edge of technology, but let’s hope he can stay focused on drawing out the best from Sorkin’s quite remarkable screenplay. Roll on Autumn 2010….

5/5

‘A Christmas Carol’ (Robert Zemeckis, 2009)

2009-11-11T14:56:00.000-08:00

A very standard adaptation padded out, confusingly, by several action sequences. It’s been a while since I’ve read the story, but at no point do I remember any of the following:

a) Miniaturised Scrooge whizzing down drainpipes
b) Scrooge running from an evil horse and cart.
c) Scrooge surfing an icicle.

I respect Robert Zemeckis, but I fear he remains alone in his conviction that mo-cap has a future. An excellent Carrey and occasionally impressive animation render it watchable, but Zemeckis has got to abandon this fanatical obsession and return to the world of live-action. It’s gone too far.

2.5/5

‘Jennifer’s Body’ (Karyn Kusama, 2009)

2009-11-10T13:35:00.000-08:00

AKA the redemption of Diablo Cody.

This is my favourite teen horror for a long time. Unlike the rest of the remake/sequel/re-hash/re-do crop, Cody’s cooked up something tight and inventive with a total understanding of the genre she so effortlessly subverts. Whilst pandering to the squeals of delight from the Friday night crowd, she’s managed to imbue every page of her script with fandom delight and nods to the horror hardcore.

Somewhere out in the wild there are a group of very, very happy academics. I may not have liked anything Cody or director Karyn Kusama have produced before now, but they’ve laid out a film theorists dream on the table with this one. I look forward to probing my thoughts further in the weeks to come. For now I’ll try my hardest to avoid objectifying Megan Fox. I’d hate for her to eat my soul.

4/5

‘Michael Jackson's This Is It’ (Kenny Ortega, 2009)

2009-11-10T02:56:00.000-08:00

As a staunch critic of the Jackson comeback, I was pleasantly surprised by ‘This Is It’. After viewing the concert footage, I sincerely think that had death not intervened Jackson could have been onto something here. It’s disgustingly over-produced and elaborate, but I think the final product could have proven quite spectacular. That said, it’s a little grating that in getting a glimpse of what-could-have-been, we have to sit through frequent MJ circle-jerks from the irritatingly subservient director Kenny Ortega.

Jackson himself is, of course, absolutely bonkers. The songs and dance routines are still great.

3.5/5

‘Empire of the Sun’ (Steven Spielberg, 1987)

2009-11-07T14:42:00.000-08:00

It’s been years since I’ve read the novel so I can only briefly comment on the quality of Tom Stoppard/Steven Spielberg’s adaptation. As I remember, J. G. Ballard does a pretty remarkable job of fixing the perspective on events almost exclusively from Jim’s POV. Spielberg’s skill as a filmmaker is that he’s able to replicate that to some extent, though bombastic cinematic visuals (spectacular though they are) aren’t offered to us with much in the way of discretion. The more mature director he later become didn't allow nifty pyrotechnics to pull away from the anchor.

I hope that Spielberg’s Abraham Lincoln/American Civil War picture reinvigorates his interest in the epic, sweeping, historical dramas he seems to have abandoned this decade. Production values are impeccable and make me yearn for the day where every frame of a Spielberg picture isn’t filtered through the overexposed lens of Janusz Kaminski.

A 'pre-growl’ Christian Bale is excellent as our Ballard surrogate.

4/5

‘Fantastic Mr. Fox’ (Wes Anderson, 2009)

2009-10-26T15:28:00.001-07:00

I’m no animation buff, but the choice to reject modern ‘advances’ in stop-motion in favour of a rough, hand-made character/set design lifts ‘Fantastic Mr. Fox’ above mildly amusing and into the highest tier of children’s films put out in recent years. The voice cast are excellent, but it’s the design that sells the thing. I don’t doubt that even with slick CG graphics and a 3D component Anderson would have still knocked it out of the park, but it’s the worn, ‘lived-in’ feel of the sets and the jerkily animated characters that gives the film its peculiar charm.

Admittedly I went in, first and foremost, as a committed Wes Anderson aficionado – but I believe even the most ardent critic of his style will find something to like in what he’s done with this adaptation. As expected, the patented, well-timed Wes Anderson ‘dry-punchline’ hangs off the end of several great volleys of dialogue – but it’s those endlessly joyful pipe-cleaner puppets that are the real triumph. Fox need to get on the ball and start pumping out Kylie the swirl-eyed Possum soft toys ASAP. He rules.

4/5

‘Saw VI’ (Kevin Greutert, 2009)

2009-10-25T08:36:00.000-07:00

Part of the reason ‘Saw VI’ is so successful is that it isn’t a slave to the previous instalments of the series. Unlike parts four and five, the central plot manages to stand almost completely alone whilst maintaining its relevance to earlier franchise episodes.

Though the requisite flashbacks and impeccable continuity remain in force, Melton & Dunston’s script is looser and more energetic than their work on the previous two entries. As a result, they’ve made a much better film.

3.5/5

‘Encounters at the End of the World’ (Werner Herzog, 2007)

2009-10-20T03:31:00.000-07:00

It’s testament to Herzog’s skill as a documentarian that he has no guilt in allowing the landscapes to slip, sometimes unnoticed, into the background. The beauty of the Antarctic views might have distracted a lesser filmmaker – but with the exception of a couple of interesting deviations into underwater photography, Herzog chains himself to his subject matter with a dedication and focus.

By studying the individuals who find themselves in such an environment rather than the environment itself, the result is that Herzog intensifies the beauty and power of the backdrop. It’s relieving to know that after almost forty years he continues to find as much wonder in man as in nature.

4/5

‘An American Werewolf in London’ (John Landis, 1981)

2009-10-18T13:42:00.001-07:00

Watching the trailer for Joe Johnston’s ‘Wolf Man’ film, I was a little upset to see that prosthetics and makeup have been abandoned in favour of CG for the transformation sequences. Whose wise idea was that? I’m in no way resistant to modern technologies, but I struggle to see how even state-of-the-art animation can top the raw power of Rick Baker’s practical work on this movie. Here’s hoping those effects have been cleaned up by release date!

The greatest strength of ‘An American Werewolf in London’ is the deftness of Landis’ touch. It’s undeniably a horror film first and foremost – but Landis’ direction is confident and playful – no doubt in his mind that audiences will eat up the humorous elements with the same enthusiasm as they do the jumps and scares.

The prospect of a remake cuts through me like a dagger.

5/5

‘Black Sheep’ (Jonathan King, 2007)

2009-10-18T12:51:00.001-07:00

Quick dose of Saturday-night kiwi sheep madness enjoyed by all. The eighty minute runtime is just about right - first-rate gore and decent setups making the most of the tiny budget. Will I ever look at a sheep the same way again?

3/5

‘The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus’ (Terry Gilliam, 2009)

2009-10-18T12:45:00.001-07:00

As with the best of Terry Gilliam, I feel this first viewing is just the beginning of a long relationship with ‘The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus’. His habit of throwing a bucket of ideas at the screen and hoping they stick is in full force, but unlike ‘Fear & Loathing in Las Vegas’ or ‘Tideland’ - ‘Parnassus’ is accessible enough not to be lost forever into the dark recesses of cult.

Let’s be frank - this film is never going to escape its troubled production or the death of its star. Somehow though, in spite of all the odds, it miraculously rises above Ledger’s death and feels richer and stronger as a consequence. Much as ‘The Dark Knight’ (twisted though it sounds) was even more compelling as a result of his passing, I was glued to every second of ‘Doctor Parnassus’ involving what remains of the performance itself, the trio of celebrity replacements and Gilliam (and co-writer Charles McKeown’s) remarkable efforts to preserve the arc of the Tony character. There’s something grotesque and beautiful in observing a final work dripping with such love and respect for the actor. There literally couldn’t be a more fitting or poignant tribute then a monologue Johnny Depp delivers around the halfway point. In the hands of a lesser actor this could have appeared trite - but Depp nails it with grace and elegance.

It does a disservice to the strength of the material though to ignore its numerous qualities and put a solitary spotlight on ‘the Ledger factor’. In terms of plot, bizarre visuals and consistency of tone – this is Gilliam’s most enjoyable work since ‘Twelve Monkeys’. I find myself wishing I could return to the cinema on consecutive days this week to spend more time with such a distinctive and loveable ensemble.

4.5/5

‘Halloween II’ (Rob Zombie, 2009)

2009-10-13T04:42:00.000-07:00

My heart skipped a truly confused beat twenty minutes into ‘Halloween II’ when Malcolm McDowell’s Dr.Loomis showed up, in present chronology, acting as though his ON-SCREEN DEATH in the first film had never occurred. No explanation was ever given.

What sort of shitty screenwriter forgets he killed a character in the previous film?

Answer – Rob Zombie.

When not inserting bizarre, unexplored symbolism (why does Michael Myers keep hallucinating a horse in this film?!?!), Zombie seems to revel in his fundamental misunderstanding of the Myers character. What was once a faceless boogieman born from suburban America is now a 7-foot supervillain fashioned by redneck abuse and spurned on by his spectral mother. Hell, Zombie is so sloppy and indecisive he doesn’t even stick to his own interpretation of the character. His efforts to humanise Myers and explain his formation are pissed away when little Mikey grows up to develop super strength and immortality. Why strive to ground your killer in reality just to abandon these efforts at the halfway point? If interested in exploring the mindset of a psychopath, why choose a villain that possesses none of these traits? With that first film, Zombie hijacked a great horror franchise to explore his own shitty interests. Returning to do it again just rubs further salt in the wound.

The biggest compliment I can give ‘Halloween II’ is that even the biggest piece of crap looks shiny next to the first. The half star is for Brad Dourif’s ponytail.

1.5/5

'Up’ (Pete Docter, 2009)

2009-10-10T11:08:00.000-07:00

Almost fifteen years on from ‘Toy Story’ and Pixar remain the miracle studio.

There’s something endlessly reassuring about being able to enter a cinema in a place of complete trust - not with the vision of a director or writer, but with the continued perfection of a corporate entity’s output. That Pixar, especially as a subsidiary of one of the world’s largest studios, has avoided compromising their artistic integrity and drawn an audience – not by cheap trickery – but by producing product of consistent quality is nothing short of astounding.

They may be adhering to the inevitable formula imposed by a big studios commercial intention, but even after ten films Docter/Stanton/Lasseter etc still find room to manoeuvre effortlessly and invisibly within the confines of their vast budgets.

4.5/5

'Zombieland' (Ruben Fleischer, 2009)

2009-10-08T04:43:00.000-07:00

I’ve heard ‘Zombieland’ was originally developed as a TV series and I really hope its future as a franchise lies on the small screen. A recast may be inevitable, but I think there’s a lot of mileage to be gotten from further adventures in this world. The possibilities of a 22-episode comedy set post-zombie-apocalypse are too appealing to be left on the drawing board. A series pilot should be commissioned in favour of cinema sequels.

The film itself was light and likeable. One particular (soon to be legendary) sequence had our small audience literally crying with laughter. The rest merely elicited occasional murmurs of amused approval.

3.5/5

‘Toy Story’ (John Lasseter, 1995)

2009-10-06T04:51:00.001-07:00

Not even the efforts of gimmicky 3D can take away its crown as Pixar’s best.

5/5

‘Scream of Stone’ (Werner Herzog, 1991)

2009-10-05T07:50:00.001-07:00

Cerro Torre is the coolest fucking mountain of all time.

I really connected with Herzog’s disgustingly underrated alpine adventure. It’s not without its problems (Brad Dourif aside, some of the casting feels a little lightweight) but Herzog tells a simple story with style and confidence. It’s not particularly layered (no doubt the result of a Herzog-free screenplay), but who gives a shit when faced with drama and photography as exciting as the final ten minutes.

Rumour has it this is Kevin ‘Touching the Void’ McDonald’s favourite mountaineering movie. I think it might be mine too.

4/5

‘Stroszek’ (Werner Herzog, 1976)

2009-09-30T01:43:00.000-07:00

‘We have a 10-80 out here, a truck on fire, we have a man on the lift. We are unable to find the switch to turn the lift off, can't stop the dancing chickens. Send an electrician, we're standing by.’

‘Stroszek’s accessibility goes a long way. Whereas I find much of Herzog’s 70s output too experimental to really get to grips with - he’s done himself a favour here by tying the characters to something cohesive. There’s a vicious subtext on the fallibility of the American dream, but the focus never strays far from the duo knocking around at its heart. The character work is actually pretty incredible, Bruno and Eva’s inability to escape their own nature both compelling and heartbreaking. Herzog’s skill at de-romanticising locations feels twice as impressive due to the familiarity of the American setting. One of his best.

4.5/5

‘Ed Wood’ (Tim Burton, 1994)

2009-09-28T03:40:00.000-07:00

Though I remain unimpressed with his twenty-first century output - it takes just one viewing of ‘Ed Wood’ to remind us that Tim Burton is one of our great visual stylists. This isn’t just a showpiece for pretty photography though, as Burton shows signs of a maturity never revisited. His elegant biopic manages the feat of being utterly reverent to its deluded subject’s enthusiasm whilst never missing the opportunity to slip in a little dark humour at his expense. To say the cast are outstanding would be an understatement. This is career best work from Burton and his star.

5/5

‘Heart of Glass’ (Werner Herzog, 1976)

2009-09-25T08:45:00.000-07:00

Famously, nearly the entire cast were put into hypnotic trances at the start of each shooting day. This adds a highly stylised, often frightening edge to underwritten roles. It’s difficult to muster up much sympathy for characters unable to emote, but the blank, soulless stares work nicely when balanced with Herzog’s tale of a town on the brink of chaos.

Of the Herzog films I’ve seen, ‘Heart of Glass’ might be the most successful crossbreed between his documentary and feature works. His perspective is as detachedly immersive as ever - the camera (almost literally) travelling back through time to the hazy landscape of eighteenth century Bavaria. On a purely visual level, this stands alongside ‘Aguirre, the Wrath of God’.

4/5

‘The Enigma of Kaspar Hauser’ (Werner Herzog, 1974)

2009-09-18T06:04:00.000-07:00

An extraordinary performance from street-musician turned actor Bruno S (as the titular feral-man) lifts this to a higher level then it probably deserves. The usual Herzog quirks (chimps riding horses etc) are all present and accounted for, but there’s something of a lack of subtlety. The scenes where Hauser is domesticated play too broad and comedic, straying from the tragic overtones that accompany the beginning and end. Such tonal inconsistency is absent from Herzog’s best work.

3/5

'The Thing' (John Carpenter, 1982)

2009-09-16T06:37:00.000-07:00

As far as cult-horror goes, ‘The Thing’ is every bit the equal of ‘Alien’. That the latter film was franchised within an inch of its life does nothing to change the fact that when stacked directly against one another the differences in quality are negligible.

As both an exercise in suspense, character and innovative creature design – this remains one of the most successful horror films of the 1980s and probably the highpoint of John Carpenter’s career.

5/5

‘Adventureland’ (Greg Mottola, 2009)

2009-09-15T09:09:00.000-07:00

I’m starting to think Greg Mottola aspires to be the bald Richard Linklater.

He’s almost there.

4/5

‘Dorian Gray’ (Oliver Parker, 2009)

2009-09-15T04:39:00.001-07:00

I feel a slight surge of guilt that a paperback copy of ‘The Picture of Dorian Gray’ sits unread in my bedroom. This adaptation can’t quite overcome that ‘BBC Sunday afternoon miniseries’ feel, but strong turns from Colin Firth and Rebecca Hall make it eminently watchable. Production values are adequate.

3/5

‘Let The Right One In’ (Tomas Alfredson, 2008)

2009-09-15T04:38:00.000-07:00

See 08/04/2009. Still stunning.

5/5

‘The Wild Blue Yonder’ (Werner Herzog, 2005)

2009-09-12T05:37:00.000-07:00

AKA ‘Herzog goes to space’.

Tied together by Brad Dourif’s entertaining monologues, Herzog’s sci-fi adventure works a thousand times better then ‘Fata Morgana’ simply because the images actually have meaning. Tying the story of a stranded alien into what is, essentially, a space shuttle documentary shouldn’t really work – but Dourif sells it to us with passion and vigour. At a lean 80 minutes it’s a relaxing and gentle exploration of some of Herzog’s favourite themes.

3.5/5

‘(500) Days of Summer’

2009-09-11T04:50:00.000-07:00

What could’ve so easily tipped into irritating indie circle-wank thankfully remains grounded enough to rise above its less desirable elements. I’m not sure the non-linear structure adds much of anything, and the requisite trendy soundtrack is predictably present – but Gordon-Levitt and Deschanel are appealing enough to lift it higher then the formulaic rom-com tedium that clutters cinema screens for most of the year.

Marc Webb’s visual style may be derivative of other music video debutants, but there seems to be genuine understanding of the (excellent) screenplay and a surprisingly deft handling of its increasingly weighty themes. He’s no Spike Jonze or Sofia Coppola, but I’ll be genuinely interested to see where he goes next.

4/5

‘Fata Morgana’ (Werner Herzog, 1971)

2009-09-06T11:04:00.000-07:00

It’s the cross-over that my life has been crying out for! Featuring no less then three tracks from ‘The Songs of Leonard Cohen’ to accompany Herzog’s 75 minutes of desolate African scenery, there’s undoubtedly something strangely hypnotic about the experience. That said; this is almost profoundly lazy work. Were Herzog’s name not attached, one could be forgiven for mistaking it for the creation of a film student on safari. The Cohen songs are beautiful but without context or purpose (the opposite of ‘McCabe & Mrs Miller) and the obscure narration largely irritates.

I don’t doubt its importance in Herzog’s development as an artist, but this plays more as a series of cutting room outtakes rolled together into a feature then a cohesive film. Even as an experiment in documentary surrealism, I struggle to see what Herzog intended to accomplish. Not one of his best.

2/5

‘District 9’ (Neill Blomkamp, 2009)

2009-09-06T11:03:00.000-07:00

It’s interesting that ‘District 9’ and ‘The Hurt Locker’, (two films made away from the Hollywood machine for a combined total ¼ the budget of the average summer blockbuster) contain the best action sequences of 2009. I’d go as far as to say it defies belief that a film with a $30 million price tag contains special effects and design work leagues above anything else I’ve seen thus far this year.

Political allegories aside (wonderful though they are), simply as a balls-out sci-fi shoot-em-up, ‘District 9’ stands alongside the best the genre has to offer. If Blomkamp is able to shoot something as equally iconic with his sophomore effort, we could be looking at the beginnings of a very interesting career.

4.5/5

‘Funny People’ (Judd Apatow, 2009)

2009-09-04T03:25:00.000-07:00

Robin Williams, Jim Carrey and Adam Sandler are all great actors – absolutely capable of channelling the energy of their comic work into more serious fare. Unfortunately, (as ‘Funny People’ constantly strives to remind us), the temptation to compromise your artistic integrity for big paycheques (cue infantile crap) is usually too great to resist. Judd Apatow to save the day!

Apatow’s films work, I think, primarily because they eschew that annoying tendency of American comedies to slip into grotesque set piece after grotesque set piece and instead let the humour emerge naturally from fairly realistic situations. He surrounds himself with such a warm and familiar ensemble that even when things get dark (as they inevitably do), the support structure of his wider cast prevents events from ever slipping too far into seriousness.

Some more judicious editing could have made this a great film rather then a very good one, but Apatow has coaxed a strong enough performance from Sandler to justify the extended runtime. George Simmons is a rich, layered character that washes away the bitter taste of fifteen years of tedious slapstick and irritating accents. It’s often-astonishing work from an actor who needs to start picking more material befitting of his abilities.

4/5

‘Even Dwarfs Started Small’ (Werner Herzog, 1970)

2009-09-02T06:07:00.000-07:00

Crucified monkeys, the taunting of blind midgets, injured giraffes, dead pigs and chicken throwing contests. The immature ramblings of a filmmaker yet to find his feet, or something more?

Individually, many of the set-ups and characters are hilarious, but with no real direction or purpose my interest began to wane as we veered towards the ninety-minute point. The problem is that Herzog doesn’t seem to have pinpointed any direction for his (satire? comment on revolution/human cruelty?) so proceedings quickly descend into nothing more than a series of humorous dwarf-based sketches.

3/5

‘The Hurt Locker’ (Kathryn Bigelow, 2009)

2009-09-01T03:26:00.001-07:00

It’s always daunting to approach something that’s received almost universal critical acclaim - most especially when one of the few female directors with a cult fanbase and a great degree of geek-cred is behind the camera. Thankfully it’s no hard task to recommend, as Bigelow has turned over the best two hours of her career and the most interesting Iraq war story yet told. Though the bomb-disposal set pieces are beautifully orchestrated, the success of ‘The Hurt Locker’ lies in Bigelow’s ability to completely immerse you in a fully formed foreign world. By dropping us so close to her characters on the ground, the temptation to allow sloppy polemical thinking to drift into view is avoided. The result is tightly focused and totally absorbing.

4/5

‘The Final Destination’ (David R. Ellis, 2009)

2009-08-29T04:24:00.001-07:00

I have little to no expectations of any third sequel in a horror franchise, but Ellis somehow manages to make even recurring point-and-shoot death scenes tedious. The streak of humour he cut through Part 2 is entirely absent, its void filled with gallons of digital blood and unimaginative set pieces.

I have to hand it to New Line. They’ve literally gotten away with releasing the same film four times without audiences noticing.

And the 3D was shit…

1/5

‘Inland Empire’ (David Lynch, 2006)

2009-08-24T07:32:00.000-07:00

David Lynch works best when he has a concept to focus in on. Indulgent and surrealistic straying from the path is expected, welcome even, but only when arranged around familiar thematic ground. The problem with ‘Inland Empire’ is that Lynch disappears totally and completely into his own creation - leaving the audience with nothing but a series of bizarre (and beautiful) unconnected images. By the middle hour, all graspings at logic or basic cohesion fall apart as we drift fully and completely into his hallucinogenic nightmare.

This is all fair and as intended but with only Laura Dern’s performance to keep us tethered to reality, the film is demanding beyond the realm of acceptability. Maybe I'm just too dense to understand it?

3/5

‘Inglourious Basterds’ (Quentin Tarantino, 2009)

2009-08-22T10:54:00.000-07:00

It had been apparent from when I first read a draft of the script a little over a year ago that (despite a marketing campaign pitching it at the masses), this was going to be Tarantino’s least mainstream film since ‘Jackie Brown’. I had some initial misgivings on the page, finding that the various story elements tied together too clumsily and conveniently in the fifth (and final) chapter. Thankfully on screen, virtuoso editing papers over any cracks in the material and what read as lazy plotting plays out fluidly and convincingly. For those who found ‘Death Proof’, (or even ‘Kill Bill’ for that matter), scrappy and juvenile – this is undoubedtly a return to the focused, performance/dialogue driven filmmaker of ‘Pulp Fiction’ and ‘Reservoir Dogs’.

Special mention must go to the central set-piece in a Parisian tavern – twenty minutes of beautifully crafted, conversation fuelled, suspense in which QT ramps the tension up to eleven. Perhaps he should take a stab at horror?

4.5/5

‘The Time Traveler’s Wife’ (Robert Schwentke, 2009)

2009-08-21T04:40:00.000-07:00

Though Schwentke does a commendable job hitting the right tone and selling us the relationship at the heart of the story, his weaknesses – most notably a rather flat visual style and an inability to pace the thing don’t leave us with much but a couple of extremely good performances and a desperate longing to re-read Audrey Niffenegger’s (often great) novel.

It’s a true shame that original director Gus Van Sant left before production. Schwentke’s shot a fine film, but Van Sant’s could have delved far deeper into the emotions of the characters - crafting a textured melodrama rather than a slight and superficial one.

3/5

‘The Sugarland Express’ (Steven Spielberg, 1974)

2009-08-20T09:28:00.000-07:00

In terms of documenting the role of news media in creating celebrities out of criminals, ‘The Sugarland Express’ is no ‘Dog Day Afternoon’. Spielberg’s focus is too tight, interested only in the immediate as his characters race across Texas in search of their infant son. Though no small success for a first time filmmaker (discounting ‘Duel’), one is left with the impression that there’s greatness hidden away in the material. If only he had been able to hone his skills for another decade…

3.5/5

‘The Long Goodbye’ (Robert Altman, 1973)

2009-08-19T08:50:00.000-07:00

Robert Altman made a string of highly unusual, almost great films in the early seventies. Though the shock of a youthful, moustachioed Arnold Schwarzenegger terrified me to the core, I found ‘The Long Goodbye’ surprisingly self-aware and humorous (though the convoluted plot gives even ‘Chinatown’ a run for its money). Altman directs Elliot Gould and Sterling Hayden to probably the best performances I’ve seen in his filmography.

4/5

‘Orphan’ (Jaume Collet-Serra, 2009)

2009-08-11T13:35:00.001-07:00

Vera Farmiga is an immensely skilled actress, given more character to chew on here then the formulaic setup deserves. It would have been easy to focus attention on the amusing possibilities offered by a 9-year-old serial killer, but Collet-Serra seems confident enough in his knowledge of the genre to allow attention to divert to Farmiga’s Kate – cooking up material befitting of an actress of her calibre.

3.5/5

‘Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me’ (David Lynch, 1992)

2009-08-10T02:33:00.000-07:00

I’m extremely dubious as to the purpose of the prequel format in general, previous examples doing little more than reiterating information already covered in their previous incarnation. Somehow though, almost in spite of itself, ‘Fire Walk With Me’ manages to rise above its own purposelessness – enriching and building upon the backstory of the TV series with a string of terrific performances and terrifying images.

Cleaving close to the ‘A Woman In Trouble’ ground covered by (amongst others) 'Inland Empire’ and ‘Mulholland Drive’, there’s something about the Laura Palmer story when filtered through the performance of actress Sheryl Lee that’s both heartbreaking and compelling – the disparate fragments given by ‘Twin Peaks: Series 1’ finally gelling into a complete picture courtesy of the vulnerability she brings to the character. It’s incredible work from an actress sorely underused in the series.

4/5

G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra (Stephen Sommers, 2009)

2009-08-07T03:24:00.000-07:00

I’m never going to advocate the Stephen Sommers approach to filmmaking, but ‘GI Joe’ somehow managed to rise above my impossibly low expectations and work on the same silly/dumb/goofy level that made ‘The Mummy’ such a success in the 90s.

It sounds like faint praise to commend something for not being completely terrible but in truth – it kinda works. The action sequences are refreshingly well edited with a decent sense of place. Though Sommers may be incapable of telling a cohesive story, he’s mastered the art of action choreography and those slick, energetic set pieces lift the film above a few unbearable performances. Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Christopher Eccleston are, in particular, almost astonishingly bad.

But hey – ninjas!

3/5

‘The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou’ (Wes Anderson, 2004)

2009-08-02T15:15:00.000-07:00

There’s a tendency for some writer-directors to excel in only one area, valiantly (and admirably) continuing to play auteur on their own projects despite a weakness on the left or right. Not Wes Anderson. Anderson the writer and Anderson the director are in perfect sync, every line put to paper with the knowledge of how it’ll be timed and delivered. In that elegant, indescribable way that only the best filmmakers can manage Anderson balances his comedy with such heartbreaking moments of profundity that I wonder why he’s still stuck preaching to his cult. Possibly my favourite moment falls when Owen Wilson’s Ned Plimpton (or should that be Kingsley Zissou?) asks Murray’s character why he never tried to contact him. Murray simply, and sadly, replies “Because I hate fathers, and I never wanted to be one.” There’s more soul in that delivery then in any other comedy released this decade.

Outside of Charlie Kaufman, PT Anderson and David Fincher, there’s nobody in the film industry I love as much as Wes Anderson. This is his masterpiece. I love it as much today as I did that first lonely viewing in an empty Uxbridge cinema almost five years ago. It's perfect.

5/5

‘Short Cuts’ (Robert Altman, 1993)

2009-08-02T14:38:00.000-07:00

Robert Altman was pretty much the pioneer of the hyperlink narrative and though ‘Short Cuts’ isn’t the highpoint of his career, it has an important place in the history of the increasingly popular ‘lots-and-lots-and-lots of interlocking stories’ structure. Though a useful tool for tying together disparate plot threads, the successes of ‘Short Cuts’ lie in delving deep into the personal lives of its characters - digging emotional truths to the surface and letting the cast play tug of war with the consequences. The lack of focus on an overriding theme holds it back from ever reaching the highs of ‘Nashville’ (Altman’s earlier hyperlink experiment), and the connective tissue between different stories sometimes feels a little tenuous – but Altman throws such good material at his actors that Tom Waits, Downey Jr, Julianne Moore et al have an absolute ball tearing through the (admittedly lengthy) three hour runtime. The ending, when it eventually comes, is anticlimactic but at least it’s off the back of real drama. For every ‘Amores Perros’ or ‘Magnolia’ we sadly have to endure the shallow posturing of a ‘Crash’, the black mark against the mostly untarnished reputation of the format.

Altman understands character. Altman, were he still with us, would have really, really, really hated ‘Crash’.

4/5

‘Hard Eight’ (PT Anderson, 1996)

2009-07-22T15:30:00.000-07:00

It’s something of a tragedy that a filmmaker as brilliant as Paul Thomas Anderson has only made two films this decade. That ‘There Will Be Blood’ was as good as anything released eases that anguish.

Tracking back to the beginning of his career, this slick little thriller Anderson shot in his twenties offsets its simplicity with taut screenwriting and strong performances.

Philip Baker Hall is excellent.

4/5

‘Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince’ (David Yates, 2009)

2009-07-16T14:56:00.000-07:00

It’s been a few years since I’ve read JK Rowling’s penultimate Potter story so I’m in the advantageous position of holding only hazy memories as to its content. Free of the rabid nitpicks of a frenzied fanboy I could approach with a reasonably clear mind and only modest interest. To my delight, Yates & co continue the trend set after those shaky opening hurdles with another precise, well-paced children’s adventure rife with excellent performances and great photography. I continue to have issues with some of the core casting, but the Potter machine practically seems to run itself now – each entry clear in developing its own identity whilst remaining principally faithful to its literary twin. I think, deep down, there is a fundamental misunderstanding of certain characters that grates at my tolerance of the series, but it’s hard to be frustrated when an instalment comes along that is so rich and cinematic.

It’s the classy remedy to summer sequelitis. It’s the anti-Transformers.

4/5

‘Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore’ (Martin Scorsese, 1974)

2009-07-15T12:37:00.000-07:00

Ellen Burstyn had a hell of a run in the first half of the seventies. Shot shortly after ‘The Last Picture Show’ and ‘The Exorcist’, she’s awarded here for the strength of those supporting performances with nearly every scene of this minor gem. She won every prize going. She deserved them all.

Despite a wholly unflattering portrait of men for the first hour (ouch), I kind of fell for this widowers trip across America with kid in tow. It’s too loosely structured and bizarrely paced to be amongst the best of the MS filmography, but Burstyn’s character and the great ensemble around her are so easy to latch onto that I could easily have doubled my time spent in Tucson.

I was particularly surprised when a pre-Taxi Driver Jodie Foster popped up.

4.5/5

‘Brüno’ (Larry Charles, 2009)

2009-07-14T11:13:00.000-07:00

Sacha Baron Cohen is almost frighteningly talented as a character-comedian, putting the efforts of his contemporaries (whatever the fuck happened to Mike Myers?) to shame. On pretty much every level this is nothing more than a slightly weaker remake of Cohen’s Borat film, but the line of taste and decency is pushed so far and the setups are so bold and outrageous that I find myself admiring Cohen’s complete lack of shame as much as his abilities as a performer.

I laughed. A lot.

3.5/5

‘Who's That Knocking at My Door’ (Martin Scorsese, 1967)

2009-07-12T14:48:00.000-07:00

Not so much a full feature as a fledging filmmakers first foray into the artform; the authenticity of the performances and scripting stemming from budgetary inadequacy and youthful rawness. Scorsese’s always been at his best when his frame is down at street level, and the film is never sharper then when unobtrusively observing the birth of a relationship through actors Harvey Keitel and Zina Bethune.

Bethune’s admission of rape cuts as deeply as anything in Scorsese’s filmography.

4/5

‘Public Enemies’ (Michael Mann, 2009)

2009-07-11T07:20:00.000-07:00

What the fuck has happened to Christian Bale? Why has the irresistibly charming, energetic and manic fun-loving Bale of ‘American Psycho’ been replaced by a bland, humourless everyman? His second dour role of the summer (even flatter in ‘Terminator Salvation’), it’s as though his passion for the craft is evaporating as he slips towards forty. The most interesting thing about the performance is how pristine his skin looks under Michael Mann’s HD camera. Christ I’d like a bottle of movie-star moisturiser…

Thankfully Mann’s brave photographic choices (a period film has never felt so immediate and realistic) balance out nicely with a great Johnny Depp, Marion Cotillard and Billy Crudup (who steals the show in his brief scenes).

It’s not *quite* as engaging as Mann’s best work, but at least there are no fighting robots in sight…

4/5

‘Rescue Dawn’ (Werner Herzog, 2006)

2009-07-08T13:24:00.000-07:00

Adapting his own documentary ‘Little Dieter Needs to Fly’ into a feature should seem a wasted time for Herzog, but the story is so gripping that even seeing Christian Bale et al re-enact scenes we’ve already had vividly described by Dengler himself appears strangely worthwhile.

The eccentric Herzogian humour absent from ‘Little Dieter’ (largely a detached one-man show for DD) is in place, a refreshingly growl-free Bale is as good as he’s ever been and the roaming hand-held camera zooms and zips through the jungle like a wild animal.

4/5

‘Race to Witch Mountain’ (Andy Fickman, 2009)

2009-07-07T11:22:00.003-07:00

Dwayne Johnson continues to have a deft comic touch, but Fickman’s incompetent direction and a worthless screenplay spoil a decent concept.

2.5/5

‘Duplicity’ (Tony Gilroy, 2009)

2009-07-07T11:22:00.001-07:00

Clive Owen and Julia Roberts are on good form, but I think it’s time for Tony Gilroy to leave the corporate-thriller behind for a while...

3/5

'Martyrs' (Pascal Laugier, 2008)

2009-06-30T12:23:00.000-07:00

It’s testament to the strength of the opening hour of ‘Martrys’ that it survives the journey into self indulgence that derails the second half. Truth be told, the sheer insanity of that ending deserves a degree of credit despite being a bizarre mess of unpredictable revelations, sloppy editing and extreme violence.

Great though he is as a peddler of sadism (sometimes an underappreciated ability), Pascal Laugier is less capable as a screenwriter – the frequency of plot twists saying more about his inability to stick to a good idea then intelligent about-faces designed to wrong foot well-versed genre fans.

3.5/5

‘Wings of Hope’ (Werner Herzog, 2000)

2009-06-26T16:00:00.001-07:00

In 1971 Juliane Köpcke was the sole survivor of a plane crash in the Peruvian rainforest. Under different circumstances, had he not narrowly missed the flight, Herzog himself may not have lived to film ‘Aguire, Wrath of God’ nearby.

It’s a little too short to work as a feature, and Köpcke’s character isn’t given the same level of detail as a Dengler, Treadwell or Kinski – but it’s another hit nonetheless for WH!

3.5/5

‘Little Dieter Needs to Fly’ (Werner Herzog, 1997)

2009-06-26T15:58:00.000-07:00

This journey through a Vietnamese POW camp with German/American pilot Dieter Dengler is every bit as sharp and well-structured as the other Herzog documentaries I’ve seen. Much like ‘Grizzly Man’s Timothy Treadwell (and Herzog himself for that matter), Dengler wears his eccentricities on the outside, making him a fascinating and lively figure as engrossing to hear describing window-shopping for sausage in post-war Germany as giving a vivid re-enactment of plane crash.

4/5

Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (Michael Bay, 2009)

2009-06-20T12:43:00.000-07:00

Big shiny fighting robots. Big robots. Big ones. Fighting.

I should give this Transformers sequel some credit. It’s silly, childish nonsense but the scale of the thing is kind of astounding. Michael Bay is the natural predator of self-control, caring as little about his audience as he does rudimentary concerns like plot and character. More a $200 million ego-trip than an actual film; Bay sprays every frame with glossy effect after glossy effect – the only limit to what’s on screen what his own imagination can’t conjure.

I sort of admire him. In the same way I admire tsunamis and bear attacks.

3/5

‘Transformers’ (Michael Bay, 2007)

2009-06-18T13:46:00.001-07:00

Maybe I was a little too harsh on Transformers the first time around, viciously laying into the ‘fighting robot movie’ as being incomprehensible, poorly edited and ultimately tiresome.

Truth being, it’s incomprehensible, poorly edited but also….a fighting robot movie.

All forgiven. Sort of.

3/5

‘Control’ (Anton Corbijn, 2007)

2009-06-16T14:59:00.000-07:00

Having developed something of an interest in Joy Division last year, I probably should have gotten around to seeing this Ian Curtis biopic a little earlier. Better late then never though - I’m delighted to report that it’s as rich, layered and strangely beautiful as the band at their best.

…and Curtis died after watching a Werner Herzog film. I don’t know whether that should be considered a recommendation of ‘Stroszek’, but I’m pretty excited about checking it out (unless similar results occur, of course).

4/5

‘Manhattan’ (Woody Allen, 1979)

2009-06-16T14:54:00.000-07:00

This is the best Woody Allen film I’ve seen. The experience was made all the sweeter by the empty 200-seater cinema I occupied alone as that incredible opening five minutes blew my mind.

There’s something about the way Allen writes dialogue that feels naturalistic in a way unbefitting of its forced pseudo-intellectualism. It’s kind of amazing, really - as is the way Diane Keaton can simultaneously play obnoxious and loveable.

5/5

‘Evil Dead II’ (Sam Raimi, 1987)

2009-06-15T13:03:00.001-07:00

Though ‘Drag Me To Hell’ may end up being looked upon as Sam Raimi’s masterpiece - time continues to be kind to this insanely enjoyable mix of hyperactive physical comedy, frenetic camerawork and cartoonish splatstick. It’s career-defining stuff for Raimi and I doubt he could ever have predicted the cult sensation it would evolve into over a couple of decades.

This isn’t just a film – it’s a cornerstone in the history of a genre.

5/5

‘The Hangover’ (Todd Phillips, 2009)

2009-06-12T14:16:00.000-07:00

Immature, predictable, effective.

Good cast.

3.5/5

‘My Best Fiend’ (Werner Herzog, 1999)

2009-06-11T15:22:00.000-07:00

"I can see through him like one can see through water in the sink, and I know what’s in there and I know what can be mobilised and I know what can be articulated and I know the energy and his so-called insanity or whatever you call it and I know how to evoke it. How to bring it to life.”

Werner Herzog on Klaus Kinski

It seemed appropriate off the back of viewing all five Herzog/Kinski collaborations to check out Herzog’s 1999 retrospective on their creative partnership, and I’m currently leaning toward the view that he’s an even stronger documentarian then he is a feature film director.

This is fascinating as both a reflection on their relationship and as an insight into Kinski’s lunacy

4.5/5

‘Zack and Miri Make a Porno’ (Kevin Smith, 2008)

2009-06-11T15:20:00.000-07:00

I was probably a little overzealous in my praise when I first marked my thoughts back in November. Nonetheless, repeat viewings serve quite well once it reaches its swing.

Justin Long steals the show.

3/5

‘Cobra Verde’ (Werner Herzog, 1987)

2009-06-07T12:29:00.000-07:00

Though not quite operating on the same level as ‘Aguire’ or ‘Fitzcarraldo’, this is nonetheless a compelling exploration of the African slave trade with some great imagery and an interesting cast.

From a goat taking communion, to a terrifying polio sufferer – the final Herzog/Kinski collaboration maintains the high standards set by the previous four works.

Except ‘Woyzeck’….which I sort of hated.

4/5

‘Terminator Salvation’ (McG, 2009)

2009-06-03T15:17:00.001-07:00

McG had almost made a believer of me.

Off the back of some of the most vitriolic fanboy scepticism I’ve ever witnessed – his fanatical efforts to invoke confidence in the project eventually swept over even my own cynicism as a barrage of decent pre-release material raised hopes that this was more then just another brand-name cash-in.

Sadly, his attempt to appease fandom has resulted in a humourless movie that only comes alive during the (admittedly spectacular) set-pieces. McG attempts to compensate for his inherent lightness by playing too earnest and grim - the almost non-existent script doing little to aid his capable cast.

Much as with its predecessor, I struggle in efforts to reconcile my love for those first two instalments with the later sequels. Fine though they are on a superficial level, I’m yet to be convinced that mining James Cameron’s universe 25 years down the line is anything but Hollywood at its most crass and unimaginative.

Sam Worthington is the bright point of the proceedings; striving valiantly to find a soul in his underwritten character. His performance aside, this bares little relation to the Terminator of my childhood…

3/5

‘Fitzcarraldo’ (Werner Herzog, 1982)

2009-05-30T06:52:00.002-07:00

Both in the period + madness/audacity of their protagonists and their schemes - ‘Fitzcarraldo’ shares a common brother in ‘There Will Be Blood’. I couldn’t say whether Herzog’s second adventure down the Amazon was an influence on PT Anderson’s film, but the similarities extend through the (almost three hour) runtime as Klaus Kinski and his crew attempt to drag a ship over a mountain. It has been suggested, and one cannot help but feel, that Kinski’s efforts are paralleled by Herzog’s own desperate attempts to finish the project.

It’s less focused then ‘Aguirre, the Wrath of God’, but that central performance holds ‘Fitzcarraldo’ together.

4/5