Film Reviews
Edge of Darkness (with Mel Gibson interview)
Mel Gibson returns to the big screen for his first major role in six years in the gripping thriller Edge of Darkness. The Oscar winning filmmaker and actor was tempted back into a starring role in front of the cameras by the opportunity to work on a contemporary cinematic version of one of his all time favourite mini series, which was originally screened in the 1980s and starred the late Bob Peck.
Gibson loved the BBC drama and when the original series director, Martin Campbell, came to him with the idea of a contemporary cinematic version of the same story he was immediately interested. In Edge of Darkness he plays detective Thomas Craven whose daughter is shot dead by his side as she leaves their house.
At first police believe that the killers were targeting Craven himself and that his daughter was shot by mistake but gradually he discovers that she had a secret life as an activist who had been trying to expose a corporate cover up at the nuclear plant where she worked.
The result is a nail biting, extremely tense thriller that casts Gibson in one of his favourite roles, as a maverick loner who has to fight a corrupt system to find out exactly what happened to his beloved daughter and bring her killers to justice.
MEL GIBSON INTERVIEW:
Q: Are you pleased with Edge of Darkness?
A: Yeah, it works. On face value I think you could just say it looks like ‘oh here we go, another revenge movie’ and stuff but it’s actually rather more than that. It investigates grief, loss, in a good way.
Q: Presumably you had seen the original BBC series?
A: Oh yeah and it really blew my mind. I saw the original series in the 1980s and it really blew my mind,” he says. “I watched it and I was like ‘wow!’ I was left with my mouth hanging open. Bob (Peck) is dead now and he was amazing in that. I think it was the best TV I saw in that decade and it’s a tall order when your task is to make an updated version of it within the time frame of two hours. I mean, even the music in the original series was amazing – music by Eric Clapton and Michael Kamen. How cool is that? But I felt good about it because Martin (Campbell) was doing it again and it was the same team sort of having another look at it. I think it holds its own, which is good.
Q: You obviously had to make the story contemporary. Was he corporate conspiracy aspect of the story one of the things that appealed to you?
A: Yeah that sort of thing and you know, who knows? It’s kind of a stab in the dark but hey, you don’t have to stab to far in the dark, before you hit something these days. I mean there’s a lot of stuff going on that’s, I think to anybody with a brain, looks around and says ‘that ain’t right.’ So I don’t know if we’ve hit anything on the head or not, but it’s feasible. And it’s like, it’s illustrated, it’s not sketched out to heavily, but just enough.
Q: You’ve acted in a couple of smaller roles but Edge of Darkness is your first major role for a few years. Was it a conscious decision to step back from acting and concentrate on directing?
A: I guess seven or eight years back there was just this kind of decision that I felt like I was getting stale in the arena that I occupied, so I thought I’d just step out of it for awhile and just change hats and then go for some other, for different kinds of things. And I don’t know, I just felt like it was time to come back, because if you spend that long away, I mean you’re going to change - time and maturity and oxidization and all of the little things take a hold of you, you’ll come back and you’ll make different decisions, than what you had seven or eight years earlier. And God willing if I go on and do the same, just keep moving, because I think once you start to stand still in an area, it’s maybe a little dangerous, so you almost have to impose a penalty on yourself and walk away for a little while, because you can walk into that groove where you just think ‘well, keep going..’ it doesn’t mean anything after awhile, except a pay check, which is not, doesn’t really justify or, it’s not really what you’re after.
Q: OK, so what are you after when you have been in the business for so long?
A: What you’re after is really kind of some fulfilment in what you do and have other people relate to it, and if it starts to feel stale, you’ve got to re-examine it I think. And I really like the experience of stepping away from that and getting behind the camera. It’s great, that’s the best. And I’ll do that again soon too, I’ll just break it up a little.
Q: What was it like coming back into a big role like this?
A: Well, it just seemed pretty matter-of-fact - you’re much more relaxed. It’s pretty much the same as I remembered it, as far as just the mechanics of it going, it’s kind of like riding a bicycle, except that you bring more time, more experience, and a fresh voice to the party, that’s it. It was fun to work on it because it was a deceptive little production in that it was a lot of bits that kind of added up, but individually, they didn’t seem to amount to anything on their own, which was, I think I’m able to see, especially having been in the directors chair myself for awhile…
Q: Obvious question but, like you said, you’ve been directing your own films, so how was it go back and have somebody direct you?
A: Well I think the main thing you have is empathy for the director. It’s like you look at the guy and you go ‘poor bastard’ (laughs) because they run you ragged. And of course your job there is to help him achieve what his vision is, so you’re there but the workload seems less, and indeed it is, because you’re a component in the process of storytelling whereas with the other gig, you’ve got to be on 24/7.
Q: Was it a hard part physically? Because there are some fight scenes and they look very authentic…
A: You know, I love the way that fight looks, it’s messy looking…
Q: At one point you look winded, it’s very realistic…
A: (laughs) Dude, I was winded! I’m like trying to catch my breath and hey it’s tough, that kid was strong, and he’s half my age, so it’s like, and he had to let me win (laughs). So it was like one of those things like where, ‘whew, he’s a handful!’ So you don’t bounce off, you don’t bounce back as quick as normal, I mean I had a couple of sore days after that one. But yeah, you’re knocked around, but it’s fun, I like making the image, it’s worth it for that. As long as you’ve got a good bone man afterwards that can reset you, because you need a chiropractor and somebody to like put your neck back because you get knocked around. And you don’t bounce back as fast. It’s like I used to do this stuff off the side, 25 years ago, no problem, now it’s like, ‘owww! I think I’ll just crawl under the couch!’ (laughs)
Q: Your character in Edge of Darkness is driven by terrible grief because he’s a father who loses his daughter in the most violent way. You’re a father yourself, so presumably you could relate to that?
A: Of course, yeah. I’ve got grandchildren and you’re looking at that, I’m looking at my daughter and my sons kind of step into that place where I’ve been, as responsible adults, and man, they’ve turned out OK and I’m going to have to shuffle off one of these days so this is what I’ve done to hand it on to them. It’s the idea of natural progression and most of us want to hand on those good things to our children, our experiences, to them. And to have that taken away, like the guy in this story does, to lose that natural thing like that, would have to change your perspective on the world and your whole existence. So that’s what I found very interesting about the script. And that the core of it is kind of pretty emotional, so that it doesn’t turn into a Charlie Bronson revenge movie, but it actually means something.
Edge of Darkness is released in Cinemas from January 29th 2010
Michael Jackson's This Is It
Directed by Kenny Ortega
Starring Michael Jackson, Kenny Ortega, Orianthi Panagaris
For all of you who have considered going to see this film and are still finding yourself stuck on the fence...here’s a word of caution. If you did not like Michael Jackson and only thought his music was OK, then this is probably not the film for you.
However, for those of you, who like myself, adored all that Michael Jackson gave to this world... whether it was his musical genius or general strangeness... this is a definite must see. Although the opening three or four minutes to this motion picture was a tad nostalgic (dancers blubbering and gushing about how MJ changed their lives), it does soon pick up as Michael takes to the stage.
As soon as that first beat hits your ear drum, you know this film is worth every penny you just spent on that ticket. With every pulse of the surround sound speakers, you remember why you bought that first Michael Jackson tape, vinyl, CD, DVD, video, download... It’s hard to believe at times that some of these songs have been around for decades, that you have listened to them over and over and over again, and they still get some limb bopping, tapping or clicking. Even if people don’t like the man you’re watching at that very second, it is rare that you will find a person who cannot admit that MJ was a musical genius. He knew how to get the spine tingling, the hairs rising and the heart pumping in all of us. He knew music.
The movie is an homage to what would have been this musical legend's comeback tour. And trust me, it would have been immense. From watching this film, you get a sense that MJ really wanted to put on a show. He wanted the special effects, the stories behind every song, the interaction with the audience, the reinvention of what was legendary into what is contemporary. He moved Thriller into the 21st century and gave Earth song its rightful place within our Global Warming society. Even on a 2D screen, you feel that MJ and the production team were looking to impress the masses, not just the Michael Jackson enthusiasts. This was going to be the performance the world was waiting for.
But enough about the music and enough about the production. What about the man?
He did look frail. He did look strange. He did talk like a child. You could see that MJ was not a normal man. He did have issues but it was addictive to watch. It gave him a weird charisma that draws you in because you don’t understand him and yet you want to hear everything he has to say. For a man with so much supremacy, he was astonishingly humble and he continuously reminds himself and those around him about how blessed they all were. The documentary format gave audiences the opportunity to see MJ at work; he knew what he wanted from this show, he knew how he wanted this show to look, sound and feel. He controlled everything, from letting songs “sizzle” for that extra bar in favour of added anticipation, to adjusting dance moves of an already flawless choreography in order to give that Moon Walk magic he knew so well. And speaking of dancing, no-one could deny that the man could still move. It was hard to believe that MJ could still crack out those moves at 50 but he did it. And he did it well. Even his voice was on par. He still had that vocal diversity that made him famous. True, the vocals are not on a level with what we expected from him 10 years ago, however, they work. They are fragile but they send the same message on every song. They state to the world that MJ was still more than deserving of his King of pop crown.
The film is a rehearsal of what would have been. It is a broken down, raw sample of a show that we will never see. I am a Michael Jackson fan so this review is biased and I fully admit that. However, if you do not like MJ, you shouldn’t have read this review. If you don’t like him but you read it anyway, then I guess the legend that was Michael Jackson got to you after all.
★★★★★
Alex Wyatt
Up
Directed by Pete Docter, Bob Peterson
Starring Edward Asner, Christopher Plummer, Jordan Nagai, Bob Peterson
Entering a surprisingly full cinema whilst wearing a somewhat suspect pair of over-priced 3D sunglasses, one wonders what the draw of an animated film about a pensioner and some balloons could truly be. As the opening scenes unfold however, it becomes apparent that Up is something special.
Our protagonist, a tragically lonely and cantankerous old widower named Carl Fredricksen (voiced by Ed Asner), is first introduced in what can only be described as a masterpiece of narrative exposition; we witness the childhood meeting of Carl and his one true love, their marriage, purchase of a house and eventual, heart-wrenching parting. Following the loss of his beloved wife, Carl (still in the aforementioned house), defies bullying property developers by appending thousands of multi-coloured balloons to his roof in order to fly away for one final adventure.
Those first five minutes of montage alone pack more emotional punch than twenty Hollywood blockbusters combined, their subject matter and emotional depth a risky and profoundly original opening for any movie, let alone an animated one. Herein lies the beauty of this work; those very adult strains of heart-wrenching sadness, loss and notions of thwarted dreams are omni-present, yet don’t alienate the target audience and still manage to present the older patrons with a highly rewarding and beautifully cathartic experience.
Despite this overriding melancholia, the film still packs more laughter (primarily in the form of a talking Doberman with a speech impediment), action (a final showdown on top of a giant Zeppelin) and pure, unadulterated film-making genius into ninety-six minutes than most ever could. The host of supporting characters (Russell the boy scout, Kevin the brightly coloured bird and several hundred talking dogs) provide a tremendous foil and comic relief to Carl’s monosyllabic grumpiness. Michael Giacchino’s vivacious score gives a buoyant and playful edge to those moments perhaps too risky for the younger members of the audience.
The film (or rather, the studio) loses points for the faux-stylish 3D glasses which I was forced to wear; the ‘thrill’ of Disney 3D soon wears off once it becomes apparent that one has paid over the odds for an experience which is essentially no better, and significantly less clear, than 2D. Up is available in both formats and, given the choice, I would certainly opt for the latter.
Nevertheless, Pixar must truly be applauded for this original and lively feature. One can only hope that the future of the company’s output lies in other such delightfully human, relentlessly comic and universally endearing films.
★★★★½
Liz Mowforth
The Twilight Saga: New Moon
Directed by Chris Weitz
Starring Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson, Taylor Lautner
As a self confessed, self diagnosed ‘twi-hard’ there was no question involved as to whether I would attend the 00:01am showing, on its release date.
Unless you’ve been in complete isolation, with no means of communication for the last year, you will have heard of the sensation that is “Twilight” and the eighth wonder of the world: Robert Pattinson. “New Moon” is the long awaited, next instalment of vampires and teenage love affairs.
For those of you who haven’t read Stephenie Meyers’ novels, “New Moon” takes us back to the town of Forks, on Bella Swan’s (Kristen Stewart) 18th birthday. She is technically, now, a year older than her heartthrob boyfriend, Edward Cullen (Robert Pattinson) and so, is desperately longing to be bitten and turned into a vampire. These hopes, however, soon vanish when the Cullen family moves away; and in doing so, cut all means of contact with Bella. The return of two familiar faces causes trouble in Forks; but the return of Jacob Black (and his ‘hot bod,’ which is on display a little more than necessary) may just be able to counteract this.
“New Moon” definitely seems to be aimed at a much wider demographic audience than its predecessor. It still contains the core plot of romance and heartbreak, but has a mixture of other elements also. A fair amount of action is featured; and the film’s high budget means that the special effects in these scenes are decent, especially during the werewolf vs vampire fight scenes. There is a huge amount of suspense laid out, particularly when the plot leads us to the Volturi in Italy, so expect to be perched on the edge of your seat!
Like any adaptation, the film features some differences to the novel, which fellow ‘twi-hard’s’ will notice. My advice is to go into the film with an open mind, viewing it as a whole different entity to the book.
“New Moon” was the number one advanced ticket seller of all time and featured stars such as 50 Cent, Jennifer Love Hewitt and Cat Deeley at its premiere: showing that it is ‘cool’ to love “The Twilight Saga.” Oh, and it’s not seen as ‘sad’ if you (like me) are eagerly anticipating the release of “Eclipse.” Right?
A must see!
★★★★★
Shauna Botrel
The Men Who Stare At Goats
Directed by Grant Heslov
Starring George Clooney, Ewan McGregor, Jeff Bridges, Kevin Spacey
I must admit I wasn’t holding out too much hope for this film. I can’t honestly explain why, but I never really got excited about it. Whether that was the fault of my own disinterest or the film’s marketing, I went into the film not knowing much about it. I was aware of the basic premise. That reporter Bob Wilton (McGregor), whilst trying to get the story of his career and win back his wife by travelling to Iraq, becomes entangled with and reluctant sidekick of Lyn Cassady (Clooney) an ex ‘psychic-spy’ convinced he has been ‘re-activated’ to carry out a top secret mission.
The story sounds interesting enough, and I must say I was relieved to hear that it was a comedy as I doubt an idea as absurd as this would work in any other genre. For me however, it was apparent from the start that the film was adapted from a novel. Whilst all the main parts that make up a story are there – hero, bad guy, journey, conflict resolution – none of these elements felt developed enough for me. It’s as if all the main seeds were taken from the book to create this 90 minute film, but none of the flesh. A prime example of this is Spacey’s character, Larry Hooper. The film is told from the point of view of and narrated entirely by Wilton, and is split mainly into two periods of time; present day Bob and Lyn traversing the deserts of Iraq and flashbacks of Lyn’s time in the top-secret military programme ‘Project Jedi’. Headed by Bill Django (Bridges), the aim of the unit was to develop American ‘Super-soldiers’, with skills such as precognition, remote viewing and the ability to stop a subject’s heart just by staring at them (mainly practiced by staring at the eponymous goats). Hooper is introduced in these flashbacks as little more than a bit of comic relief, the ‘annoying one’ of the gang, barely having more than 10 lines. But as the film reaches its climax, it clumsily reaches out for a villain and the hand lands on Hooper. I almost felt bad for hating him, as the character was horrendously underdeveloped.
Despite all its faults, ‘The Men Who Stare at Goats’ is sure to do well at the box office, if not for the stellar cast alone. It features some of the best actors of our time, each giving a great performance. McGregor plays it safe by giving a solid performance as Wilton but Clooney really shines as Cassady, knocking the performance out of the park. As both the young wide eyed recruit (and by young I mean young; digital de-aging has really come along since the mess they made of it in X-Men III) and middle aged, disenchanted ex-soldier Clooney looks comfortable and performs brilliantly. Bridges is excellent as hippy Django, almost giving us a glimpse of how The Big Lebowski’s Dude would have fared had he joined the army. Spacey is good, but is never really allowed to excel under the constraints of the script.
All in all, I have nothing too bad to say about this film, but nothing too good to say about it either. It’s well made, the acting is exceptional, the story is intriguing and original, and although I didn’t laugh quite as loud as some of my fellow cinema goers, at times it is genuinely funny. However those points aren’t enough to save the film from its underdeveloped characters, empty storyline and forced ending. Worth seeing, but save it for your LoveFilm list. The very definition of 3 stars.
★★★☆☆
Aziz Vora
Gonzo: The Life and Work of Dr Hunter S. Thompson
Gonzo: The Life and Work of Dr Hunter S. Thompson
Rating: 8/10
For those unfamiliar with Hunter S. Thompson, it may be hard to find a reason for why you would want to see this feature length documentary. However, when you glance at the featured contributors, it’s hard to not be slightly intrigued by who this man was and what he was about. When an ex-president, a best-selling American author, a singer, a political commentator and a founding member of a chapter of the motorcycle gang, Hells Angels, all give their personal accounts of Thompson, it can’t be denied that his life and work has been indelibly etched into modern American politics and culture. Thompson went famously by the pseudonym, Raoul Duke, and invented Gonzo journalism – where the journalist is a character central to the story told in their perspective. The book and subsequent film Fear and Loathing In Las Vegas, is a standout example of this genre, where Johnny Depp (who also narrates this movie) indistinguishably portrayed Thompson. As far as feature length documentaries are concerned, it is the great source material that is Thompson’s incredibly varied and exciting life, which keeps you engaged and eager to find out what the hell this man did next in his life.
For people who haven’t read any of Thompson’s books, this movie serves as a great introduction to his style and voice, where excerpts of his writings are read out by Depp, aided with mind melding psychedelic imagery and an effortlessly cool old school rock and roll soundtrack. Every period of Thompson's life seems to be covered, from his year spent with the Californian chapter of Hells Angels, to his failed campaign for sheriff in Pitkin County, to his extensive coverage of George McGovern’s 1972 US Presidential campaign, to his tragic suicide in 2005. The movie also delves into Thompson’s personal life and paints a vivid picture of his true character.
Highly recommended.
Certificate: 15
Release Date: 19th December 2008 (showing at the Cornerhouse)
Free Jimmy
Throw in a cult Norwegian movie about a junkie elephant, a wealth of recognisable acting talents and a translated screenplay courtesy of Simon Pegg, and what you get is a deadly cocktail called Free Jimmy. At the first glance, it may seem that this is a kids’ movie, but BE WARNED – this movie is for adults. It includes a graphic sex scene, profanity, violence and frequent drug use. Which makes it all the more confusing seeing as the tone and delivery of the voices and comedy is alarmingly of the overacted, slapstick ilk that would be prominent in the latest computer-animated kids’ movie.
Looking at a long star-studded cast list, it is evidently a waste of effort as the only likeable and effective characters are the ones who do not speak – Jimmy the elephant and his friend, the moose. Rather than wasting money on the acting talent, it would have been a much wiser move to have spent more time on the lazy translation (or even used subtitles), which appears to have done the much loved original a great disservice. The animation also looks like a cut scene from a video game, lacking the fluidity and detail that many animated films can boast today. Overall, this movie yearns to break conventions, but forgets how to entertain its audience in the process.
3/10
