The Heat

The Heat

Overall Rating: 4 stars.

Mightily crude and at times mildly offensive, The Heat will nevertheless prove to be a funny journey, mostly thanks to it's promising director and well-matched leads.

The Good

It's damn funny. This is mainly due to Bullock and McCarthy. Their chemistry is astounding, which is obviously a key success in a buddy-cop film. Their comic stylings in the film are pretty much polar opposites, but that brings out more of the humour. The script is tight enough to entertain most people, even if it doesn't stretch to making the entire film a blast, like The World's End or Airplane! However, I found the majority of the jokes funny and enjoyed participating in the running gags.

They're chemistry is efficient enough to disguise the worn plot points, particularly during the final act.

The Bad

Both McCarthy's sweary, crude Mullins and Bullock's goody-goody Ashburn go through predictable narrative arcs, which are nothing new to the genre. They're redeemed slightly just because they bring so much humour to the film in the first place.

The humour won't appeal to everyone too. There are some funny bits which aren't crude, but a lot of the humour relies on McCarthy swearing like a trooper and Bullock being reliably disgusted. Perhaps a bit more comic variety would enhance the film.

To Conclude

The Heat is funny, predictable and slightly over the top at times, but it's great cast and decent script compensate. It also shows that director Paul Feig is able to replicate the success of his previous efforts, particularly when working with experienced leads.

The Magic of Horror Movies

I'm a novice when it comes to horror movies. To be truthful I've only ever seen a handful of proper horror film. I didn't really ease myself in either. The only horror films I've ever really seen are Jaws, The Birds and, worst of all, The Exorcist.
It was a bold move when I decided to rent the DVD for The Exorcist: The Version You've Never Seen. Yup, I even watched the extended edition, featuring the digitally remastered spider-walk scene (seen below). 

 

I didn't want to start slowly and work my way up the pantheon of horror films. I was under the impression that I couldn't be scared easily, therefore I set the bar high for myself.
"Torture porn" as it has been branded has never really appealed to me, or seemed scary, so that eliminated films like Saw and Hostel from my list.
Zombie films have always seemed cliché too, so I crossed Night of the Living Dead off.
That left what were supposedly the scariest films of them all, the atmospheric films. I was left with the likes of The Blair Witch Project, Psycho and Nosferatu.
I chose The Exorcist because of the mystery surrounding it, whilst I knew the basics of Psycho, Friday the 13th and Nightmare on Elm Street, I didn't know what to expect from The Exorcist.

In short, I think the word terrifying sums up my experience. I was haunted for weeks after and I'm still apprehensive even now. If you've seen it  you'll understand, it's an elemental gem of cinema, but I don't plan to watch it again. It was too scary to watch again.
However, even since, I've been drawn in my what I call the magic of horror films. To me there's something darkly alluring about them. Ever since, I've been reading about The Evil Dead, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre and Halloween. I've been absorbed into that strange culture, learning about Freddy Krueger, Leatherface, Jason Vorhees and Michael Myers (all four portrayed neatly in the below image). 

Horror films continue to be popular to this day, as The Conjuring, Saw and The Last Exorcism can prove. This is simply because a lot of people enjoy being scared. Whether it be from a horrific slasher scene, or the nerve-wracking combination of music, lighting and atmosphere. 

It is of course a very saturated genre, ruined with derivative sequels and middling reboots. But they can be some of the most successful films ever if crafted well, for instance, The Exorcist is the highest-grossing R rated film in the world - quite a feat for a horror film.

Much of the mystery which lingers around horror films comes from the unknown, which is exhibited at it's best in Jaws and The Blair Witch Project, where the threats remain offscreen most of the time. Both of these films have changed what it means to step into the sea and woods for a lot of people.

So in general we can conclude that there are about 3 main types of horror film, each with endless sub-genres. There's splatter/slasher/gore films, where blood and guts is what scares us. This is the "torture porn" route and it's popular amongst the public, less so amongst critics. Saw is the main flag-bearer for gory films these days, but Nightmare on Elm Street and Friday the 13th have used the technique in the past.

 

The other two have murkier definitions and could be merged, but for the purpose of this blog I'll split them. Some of the best horror films as I mentioned earlier rely on atmosphere for scares (a very effective technique from my limited experience). Hitchcock used the atmosphere to thrill and scare his audience in most of his films, including the likes of The Birds. The Exorcist uses a similar technique, the build-up is the scariest part. All of those scenes pacing the corridors of the Macneil house make your heart beat faster and faster. 

Finally we come to the unknown. Sure it can use the same techniques as atmospheric films, but it's a vital sub-genre. In these films darkness proves to be of vital importance, as does music. What would Jaws be without the famous score from John Williams? And the screeching violins in Psycho heighten the mystery behind the shower scene.

Of course some people might prefer a bloody movie to one that utilises old school scares. Some films, like the recent reboot, Evil Dead, use both, although I haven't seen/heard of a film which has done so with great success (some may argue that The Exorcist does to an extent).
Whilst the genre has great moments and iconic villains - which have been soaked up into popular culture - it is riddled with more sequels and reboots than any other genre. Halloween and Saw has an endless amount of sequels and Leatherface, Freddy Krueger and Jason Vorhees are overused far too much in spinoffs, sequels and re-makes. This destroys the magic and threat which made the original films so successful in the first placem which is why critics generally detest horror sequels (there are some exceptions - e.g. The Evil Dead 2 and the first two Frankenstein sequels)

The lesson to be learnt? On the whole, film studios should leave their great horror creations alone. Sequels make the characters wearisome and tarnish their shock-value. Can you name a successful horror film which doesn't have a sequel/reboot to it's name? Jaws, Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Halloween, Friday 13th, Nightmare on Elm Street, Saw, The Exorcist, Night of the Living Dead, Dracula, Frankenstein, Psycho. The list goes on and on. Hollywood is becoming more about money-grabbing and less about making quality horror, which saddens even me, a horror film novice.

Alan Partridge: Alpha Papa

Alan Partridge: Alpha Papa

Overall Rating: 5 stars.

A triumph of British comedy, capturing the spirit and quirky charm of the ever popular sitcom, Alpha Papa is hilarious, mostly thanks to a sharp script and an appalling yet appealing performance from Coogan as Partridge.

The Good

To quote Empire: "Ruddy hilarious".  It's immensely British in nature (not sure if some of the jokes will translate very well across the pond) but it's such a typically Partridge style of humour, bizarre and slightly surreal.

The humour succeeds mostly thanks to Steve Coogan, who has mastered his creation. Every small look or expression is worth a laugh, combine that with a series of great one liners (particularly towards the end, where the absurd plot reaches it's peak) and a funny premise, you'll find it hard to keep a straight face if you're British or a fan of the show.
The plot is ludicrous but still (just about) believable. Best of all, it doesn't see Alan fly off to some exotic country - like the majority of sitcom film adaptations. His feet are planted firmly in the beautifully grim Norwich, just as with the sitcom.

The Bad
All I could say is that it's too British. The sitcom is similar, so I cannot dissuade you from seeing this if you're not English. Just try to enjoy it.

To Conclude
Funny, well-written, nicely acted and splendidly silly, it's hard to argue with the fun Coogan is having during his romp on the big screen.

The World's End

The World's End

Overall rating: 5 stars

Consistent, action-packed and jovially hilarious, The World's End benefits greatly from it's talented cast and tight direction. It's a profane parody, far from droll, but highly amusing. 

The Good

It's so great. It shares traits with Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz, the best traits and an adequately small amount at that. Pegg is a hilarious lead, backed by a terrific supporting cast (Freeman, Pike etc.) and inspired by his and Wright's solid writing. 

The plot is suitably ludicrous, but The World's End is a parody! It can be as stupidly silly as it wants, which it is, particularly the ending. 

It manages to make people laugh with so many different elements, whether it be a funny line, a visual gag, a quirk of one of the characters or a twist in the story. It is very British in nature (I'm not sure others won't get some of the humour), but it suits my taste in every way. Others won't feel the same, undoubtedly, but comedy films are very hard to critique broadly. 

The Bad

It isn't bad, but the ending is slightly weird. It's not how I would've done it for sure, but it was satisfying and humourous enough.

To Conclude
Raucous, dark and well cast, the last installment of Wright, Pegg and Frost's Three Cornetto trilogy is the best of the lot, featuring the same humour but with plenty of great characters and twists to keep it fresh. British at heart, The World's End is a comedy gem.

10 of the Best Film Villains in Cinema - Part 1

Over the years, Hollywood has supplied us with quite a few memorable villains. Obviously I can't talk about all of the best ones here, but I think I can cover the best ones over a series of articles.
Please note, this isn't the villains being ranked - such a task seems impossible to me - it's just a collection of some of the best (or worst, depending on your perspective) villains.

Harry Potter (Franchise)

Voldermort

A more contemporary villain, Ralph Fiennes' chilling Voldermort is one of the most famous villains in the world, thanks to the global success of the Harry Potter novels and the films. He's undeniably threatening, thanks to his power (his magical abilities are second only to the mighty Dumbledore) and his bizarre physical appearance. The pale skin and virtually non-existent nose are all crucial to making him as scary as he is - as well as Ralph Fienne's suitably scary performance. 

Lord of the Rings (Franchise)

 Sauron

He takes two forms throughout Peter Jackson's epic trilogy. The first is a tall, metallic monster, wiping out anything in its path. The second is a bright, burning eye, menacingly watching over his desolated lands. Both equally powerful and frightening, although the second truly gets to me. It's the mental capabilities he has which make him properly scary.

Toy Story 3

 Lotso

Ugh. This guy. Yeah. I hate him too. On the outside, he's plush. He's pink. He's a hugger. He smells of strawberries. He is in fact, one of the most hideous individuals to ever grace cinema screens. His final moment of tyranny is the worst. He effectively stops Woody and the rest of the toys from surviving, a truly villainous feat. He gets his comeuppance though, thankfully...

Jaws (Franchise)

The Shark

Nicknamed "Bruce" on set, the monster of Steven Spielberg's 1975 thriller had a massive impact on society at the time. First off, Spielberg is a master of suspense. Combine that with a genuine premise and a previously unseen threat, you can see why people were so damn scared of Jaws. Although it packs less of a punch these days, it's still pretty scary. And the shark isn't even real.

Star Wars (Franchise)

Darth Vader

Despite turning good in the end, Darth Vader is one of the two antagonists in four (including his spell as Anakin in Revenge of the Sith) of the Star Wars films. Those four films are commonly considered the better films of the franchise too, rightfully so. His powers are scary. His demeanour is scary. His outfit is scary. Damn, even his breathing is scary. It was a brilliant creation by George Lucas, even if his final scene in Revenge of the Sith was slightly... awful.

One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest

Nurse Ratched

Have you seen One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest? If you haven't, you will not understand what makes Nurse Ratched such a good villain. It isn't necessarily her personality, but her actions. She is cold, spiteful and cruel and, as we see towards the end of the film, vengeful. She too is given a taste of her own medicine, but her powerful grasp over the inmates of the asylum is dangerous enough.

The Exorcist

Regan MacNeil/Pazuzu

Firstly, I am very sorry for inflicting the above image on you (it's not even the worst one), but the possessed antagonist of The Exorcist is absolutely abhorrent. It's without a doubt the scariest film I've ever seen (check the blog archive - to the right - for my review), this is mainly due to the demonic possession of the young girl by Pazuzu, a foul mouthed, powerful devil. The image is scary, but the film is haunting.

Batman (Franchise)

 The Joker

You may prefer one or the other, but both Jack Nicholson's Joker and Heath Ledger's Joker are equally brilliant, merciless and chaotic. Nicholson's is a colourful, delirious maniac, who would like nothing more than ruthless, pointless murder. Ledger's joker is darker, more sinister, with the same satanic motives. I can't chose between the two of them, but they're both darkly amazing.

The Shining

 Jack Torrance

We all know that Jack Nicholson is a master at portraying the most delirious and mental characters around, partly because the man himself has a few screws loose. He's a genius though, one of the most intelligent men alive, which allows him to become such crazy characters. From Randall McMurphy to the Joker, to Jack Torrance. The villain of Stanley Kubrick's adaptation of is insane, scary and harrowing. Watch if you dare.

Dracula (Franchise)

Dracula

There have been so many Dracula films. Christopher Lee was a good Dracula, but the best vampire is certainly the one played by the brilliant Bela Lugosi in the early 30s Universal horror films (some of which - by the way - are immense, Frankenstein and the first two sequels especially). His performance is something not seen previously, different from other monsters, different from even Nosferatu. It's a boundless performance.

One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest

One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest

Overall Rating: 5 stars

Dramatic, personal and perfectly cast, One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest is perhaps one of the defining moments of two great actors' careers, elevated by a great supporting cast and sharp narrative.

The Good

Jack Nicholson and Louise Fletcher. I've never seen dramatic interplay like this on film before. They best even Anthony Hopkins and Jodie Foster in The Silence of the Lambs. Yeah, they're that good. The film would be good without its astounding leads, but with them, it's superb.

The supporting cast are similarly fantastic. Danny DeVito (yes, Danny DeVito) is a standout amongs them all. Although that should not diminish the achievements of the others.

None of this would have been possible without the story. A story which is certainly unique, something not seen before or since. I love he simple setting and the fleshing out of the narrative of even the minor characters, particularly during Nurse Ratched's meetings.

Nicholson is deliriously funny in parts too. Although the humour is dark, it's replaced with drama towards the uplifting, albeit sad, ending. To understand what I mean, you have to see it. Believe me.

The Bad

Nurse Ratched's a bitch.

To Conclude

It's funny, it's moving, it's dramatic. A cinematic masterpiece, famous for the iconic performances of Louise Fletcher and Jack Nicholson, but perhaps most notable for being something unique.

Silver Linings Playbook

Silver Linings Playbook

Overall rating: 5 stars.

Immpecably crafted, sharply acted and beautiful direction, Silver Linings Playbook is sure-footed, pure cinema, taking a suitable number of risks to heighten the drama even more.

The Good

Acting is crucial in films like this. I have not seen a film with such talent in a long time. Bradley Cooper, Jacki Weaver and Roberto De Niro are all superb, but Jennifer Lawrence's performance as recovering sex-addict Tiffany is marvellous, certainly worthy of its Oscar. 

The great actors, teamed with a well written script and assured direction from David O'Russel create sharp narrative, to the extent where you feel that you've known these characters for years.

I can't sell this film enough, it's well mounted, beautifully shot and executed with charm and charisma. Even Chris Tucker is good...

The Bad

Nope. Can't find anything...

To Conclude

Undeniably engrossing, nothing short of absorbing, Silver Linings Playbook is my favourite film of 2012, it's moving and truly effortless, a dazzling spectacle, for all  to enjoy.