New film reviews are all spoiler free!
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Friday 19 December 2014

The Babadook (Jennifer Kent 2014)

"Ba-ba-ba... dook! Dook! DOOOOOKH!"
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2321549/
The concept of The Babadook is fairly classic, a creepy stalker/ monster film in which a mother fights to protect her son. The majority of traditional horror tropes follow however The Babadook manages to poke its hat above other recent horror flicks. 

The film centers around the psychological struggle of sleep deprived widow Amelia and her eccentric and slightly annoying to watch (for good reason) son Samuel. Still grieving her husbands death after six years, (on the day her son was born) when Samuel finds a pop up book with one of the creepiest and most un unassumingly original monsters in modern cinema, he begins to believe he will be captured by the Babadook.

So what sets the Babadook apart from other horror films of the type ie. Mama (AndrĂ©s Muschietti 2013), Insidious (James Wan 2010). Well first off, without delving too far into spoilers, the psychological questions it raises throughout the film are excellent, you actively question if the Babadook is real or if Amelia is actually breaking. That in itself is horrifying, you don't have to believe in a monster to fear for Samuel when the lights go out and you hear "Baba ba dook dook dook.". Secondly is just how creepy and believable the babadook is, he is always changing, never really seen or known, and the question of sanity really throws into questions what the Babadook actually looks like. 

Stylistically the films strays away from any kind of extreme gore or jump scares and relies solely on creating tension which is achieved brilliantly through the chilling score. Now I'm gonna get a little horror nerdy and a little spoilery and talk about theory and genre and stuff so if you havn't seen the film skip this paragraph. So I really like that Amelia isn't your typical female horror victim, she is struggling but she is independent, she is not the final female we are used to from slasher flicks. Not only that but she doesn't survive because she is a virgin, she clearly has a child, and if you wanted to get technical and say that she has not been sexual since her sons birth, a masturbation scene should put that to rest. The idea of the power of the Babadook being the personification of bottled up grief and anxiety over Amelia's husband is a great idea and the supernatural horror represents the power over the families lives the accident still holds. The domestication of the Babadook, in the basement where the husbands memory lived, shows the acceptance of grief and the moving on of not just Amelia but of Samuel too. Anyway I end my spoiler section by saying I think The Babadook is really interesting and may do a little genre study on it sometime.

The spoilers are over guys, you can read again.

The Babadook is simply put one of the tensest brave and thematically interesting horror films to come out of the last few years. Not only is it a suspenseful psychological horror, it is a beautiful drama about a single mother.
8.5/10

Monday 15 December 2014

Hercules (2014 Brett Ratner)

"Fucking Centaurs"
I expected an incredibly cheesy action packed laugh of awfulness. I'm not sure if that's because of Dwayne Johnson or the trailer or Brett Ratner who hurt me with X Men The Last Stand... What you get with Hercules is like an omelet, basic action from a Thracian, Roman period (the egg), fun twists on the Hercules myth (some surprise peppers), comic dialogue (mushrooms), and just a brilliant sprinkling of cheesy goodness on top. Don't get me wrong its a guilty pleasure but this film is incredibly entertaining and a lot of fun.

One of the greatest things about the film is the twisting of the myth, it turns Hercules into a team of fighters (Herc at the front) who perpetuate a myth to strike fear into opponents. Not only that but his mythological opponents are likewise faked, either through people in suits or pure exaggeration.

Whilst angrier or stuffier reviewers may get stuck in the generic nature of the film and action comedy is what it is, this doesn't get caught up in pretension or recreating the wheel, it relies on fairly strong acting and tongue in cheek. If you don't want to watch Hercules you probably wont enjoy it. If your tempted you're going to have a good time.
7/10

Friday 12 December 2014

The Hobbit, The Battle of Five Armies. (Peter Jackson 2014)

The defining chapter indeed. After 13 years and 6 films we finally say goodbye to the world of J.R.R. Tolkien through the eyes of director Peter Jackson. I am going to assume I am as surrounded on the internet by fanboys as I was at the midnight screening last night. For those of you yet to see it, wow, your in for a treat. The final chapter of The Hobbit is packed full of action, fun and heartfelt tragedy.

As always Jackson is fair with the source material and keeps the story moving with a quick pace, the sheer amount of combat in the film is insane, and its all intelligently and beautifully choreographed. A specific little note on that front, the elves slice their victims neatly as appose to the brutish dwarves who decapitate orc after orc with a different kind of grace, just one subtle touch that gives Jackson's version of Tolkien's world the same richness as the source material itself. Don't be misleads though, despite the combat the story is strong as ever and the dialogue is perfect.

I can't say much more than it felt like a great and respectful, if not a little sad, end to the tale of the ring of power. I walked away thinking that we know that from the end of this film Bilbo gets no more adventure, he just sits and withers, in mind if not in image. Anyhow lets not dwell on that, more good things! The cgi is expectedly fantastic and somehow doesn't worsen the CG in the LOTR trilogy when you look back, which is nice. If I had any nitpicks to... pick, it would be that it ends pretty suddenly, we don't really get a glimpse of everyone settling back down. I assume that is because we see through Bilbo's eyes and because of the criticisms of Return of the king's 45 minute end after end after end. (Not to mention you know, the lord of the rings comes next)

As a saga its brilliant, I almost cracked on the Fellowship when I got home to ride that feeling out. The marathon must be done but god help me when that day comes, no not god, but a hobbit, they seem like happy chaps.
9/10

Just a side note on high frame rate, its weird, I cant make my mind up. Everything looks more real, is that right for a fantasy film or does it need that movie gloss? I can't decide, it takes a while to get used to which is of course a set back but I think if it is continued to be used in the right way it could work really well. Maybe for documentary or more realistic films, the Hobbit seems like a strange choice to crack it out on. Colour me intrigued.

Slow on the restart

Hey guys real sorry, been slow on the blogging lately, I really wanted to pick it back up but I have been filming or editing almost non stop for the last three months or so. Finally got some down time where its just gentle editing to do so I'm hoping to get back on the blogwaggon. What do you want to see me write about? Think im gonna do some news, american tv reviews/ recaps and maybe some behind the scenes stuff with me. Sorry nothing I have done has really been released all that well but check out the Eat Defeat live video I did, most of the rest of my stuff is either still in post or not mine to reveal to you lovely poeple, you will see it as soon as I can let you. Anyway, what do you think I should cover? Let me know!


Tuesday 21 October 2014

Production!: 2 Projects in post, 2 Projects in Pre

I have spent the last month or two shooting almost a 1tb of footage! All documentary type stuff. Firstly I worked with Kismet (a local drama company) and the RSPB to film their Marsh Songs dramatic production. I am in the middle stages of editing a short promo of it for the RSPB, a full performance dvd and a short documentary about the drama production. Hopefully to be completed within the next fortnight! Lots to do.

As if that wasn't enough I decided it would be fun to go around Europe with my brothers band Eat Defeat and film all of their shows and a lot of their journey. Lots of fun but very tiring work, I haven't even begun to edit yet, but theres no deadline so at least theres no hurry.

I am finally working towards directing my first short in years, since outbreak file2! Sin (working title) is a sneak peak into the universe of my science fiction pilot Return to Earth. Set on a post apocolyptic world inhabited by rebels, scientific experiments and "utopian" cities I cant wait to actually start filming next month. Its going to be a tricky job to set the scene right but I'm up for the challenge.

And the fourth and final project is so early in pre production that at the moment its just a few brain storms on paper. So I'm not going to tell you what it is just yet other than hopefully it will be a web series co written with Ari Carr!

So thats what I have been up to, I would go more in depth but I have to get back to it...

Saturday 20 September 2014

Marsh Songs Performance

The first showing of Marsh Songs was on last night and it was a great performance!

get tickets here: Telephone 07756 500292. Five pounds full, three pounds concession

Check out some images of the dress rehearsal below:












Sunday 14 September 2014

MarshSongs



Marshsongs is a community led RSPB funded project including the prestigious Kismet drama group and countless creative members of the community. The aim of the production, as well as to entertain of course, is to raise interest in the recently renewed Beckingham Marshes Nature Reserve. What does this have to do with me? Well roughly a month ago I was contacted by the group to do some film work for them, principally to edit some wildlife footage for projection throughout the play. This grew into a short doc type film as well, chronicling the practice and progression of the project.

It has been great fun and practice so far, with just one week left before the performance everything seems to be falling into place. The script, written by Michael Hatfield, is being wonderfully performed in rehearsals and the music written by Russell Booker is being played by a select for students from The Gainsborough Academy fits the performance perfectly. The play, based around the Beckingham Marshes themselves, jumps through time to describe how humanity treats such land, its comical, dramatic and, through the personification of the Marshes, surprisingly dark. KISMET's physical style and the live music really bring the play to life, I am looking forward to seeing the live performances with the added energy from the audience.



The show is on next weekend in Beckingham and the following weekend at the old hall get tickets here: Telephone 07756 500292. Five pounds full, three pounds concession

Really do it, it should be a great show. 



I am hoping to have enough footage and story to do a slightly longer documentary, maybe around 10mins so keep your eyes out for that too!



Saturday 9 August 2014

Inbetweeners 2 (Damon Beesley, Iain Morris 2014)

The boys are back!
The Inbetweeners once again road trip out of the uk and off the telly onto the big screen once again breaking bex office records for UK comedy. There is a really easy way to review Inbetweeners 2, if you like the show, you like the film it is more of the same. Different enough to keep it interesting but expect all the same "bants" (banter... that wont catch on like "friend") as usual, poop jokes, failure to attract women and quite a lot of cock.

Supposedly the boys last outing, according to the stars anyhow, it is a fairly fitting end, dont worry though, no spoilers here. I think the film really works, I think I was the only person in the cinema over 20 apart from my dad but it was a great laugh and a pretty good cinema experience. I am curious about the cut scenes and cut actor, Daisy Ridley of recent Star Wars casting fame, but hope that the crew come back to do more. With the writers of the show and films now directing I think they have done a great job of letting the characters grow up in age without growing up too much as people... As someone who is roughly the same age of the characters I could identify with a lot of the less ludicrous scenes and it would be interesting to see that continue. Not to mention the somewhat lackluster careers that have spawned for the group, channel four comedies with them spawn left right and center but none are particularly well received, why not keep going?

Anywhoo to reiterate if you have laughed at the immature kind of humour and scarily accurate language for teens today then you will love the film just as you have the show.

7/10

Monday 4 August 2014

Guardians of the Galaxy (James Gunn 2014)


Opening last weekend with an eye watering box office high (for august and 3rd highest for the year so far) Guardians of the Galaxy is Marvel's latest hit. Mixing the superhero genre up again, this time with space opera, achieving a Firefly/ Star Wars kind of feel Guardians is great fun, it feels like the high concept fun classics of the 70's, 80's and 90's like Star Wars and Indiana Jones, big budgets, big laughs and a great cinema experience.

The performances are all great, the CG tree (Groot), and raccoon (Rocket) are both completely convincing and maybe the best characters in the film. A special mention needs to be given for Peter Serafinowicz and John C Rielly (and the writing of course) for turning their bit parts into sincere characters. Written and Directed by James Gunn, known for cult spoof body horror Slither, the quirky humor is perfect, you suspend all disbelief and laugh along with the film, it might not be as dark or serious as say Captain America The Winter Soldier, but it might be the most fun I have had in the cinema in years, I want to go back!

Like many Marvel fans, when Guardians was announced I wondered exactly who they were and why Marvel would bother making a film about them. Many people think the same about the upcoming Ant Man film and if Guardians is anything to go by we should just let Mr Feige (exec producer) do whatever he likes because the Marvel Studio's movie machine continues to pump out high concept, fun engaging blockbusters, and I dare say this one almost tops the lot.

Needless to say it is quite simply a pleasure to watch, if you haven't seen it you are missing out! Go... Now... Go on...

9/10

Thursday 31 July 2014

I'm back!

I know it has been a long time since posts graced this blog, Uni life kinda took over, but thats all done now so expect to see my news, reviews and behind the scenes information on a weekly basis once again. I have really missed this, its good to be back. Guardians of the Galaxy review coming this saturday!