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DVD Reviews => Movie Reviews => Topic started by: Najemikon on February 06, 2011, 07:57:39 PM

Title: "Fancy the pictures, me Duck?": The British Film Marathon
Post by: Najemikon on February 06, 2011, 07:57:39 PM

I seem to have built up an eclectic mix of British film, new and old that I haven't got round to reviewing, so I thought I'd have a separate thread for them. Hopefully show a bit of variety. It isn't all Four Weddings, Full Monty and gangsters calling each other "slag", you know. ;)

Title: Harry Brown ***
Post by: Najemikon on February 06, 2011, 08:04:04 PM

Harry Brown
3 out of 5

(http://www.jonmeakin.co.uk/images/harryb.jpg)

In the UK we do have a real problem with anti-social behaviour from groups of teenagers who are allowed to congregate in public areas, where they can quickly become abusive, fuelled on cheap alcohol provided by any means. At the very least, their mere presence is a threat to regular people, but it can escalate to them roaming like gangs and even largely taking control of areas like council estates or parks. It leaves their neighbours scared to leave the house and tabloids use the images to portray “Broken Britain”. “Hoodies” is the catch-all term for these little bastards, be they full on villains with multiple ASBOs, or just mouthy thugs nicking Mars bars from the corner shop. Teenagers in general sadly get tarnished with the same brush and, in truth, it’s a small amount of troublemakers allowed to get out of control by a justice system that simply doesn’t account for their behaviour, and parents who defend their sweet children regardless of whether they believe them capable of knocking over Grannies or not.

Despite being a real threat, for many people, the Hoodie is an urban Bogey Man. It’s no fun walking through a crowd of youths late at night who are ready and willing to find any excuse for violence, but it’s the idea of what they can do that is scary. And the idea that someone could come along and sweep up the shit with vigilante justice is a welcome thought for many people. That’s where I thought Harry Brown came in and if it had stuck with that, I think it would be a better film.

It opens with a scene that perfectly demonstrates what I was saying above. A couple of thugs are using a mobile phone to film themselves racing around drunk in park on a bike. One of them has a gun and in their perverse idea of larking around, they accidentally shoot a young mother in the head and then get themselves splattered by a lorry. This is a perfect start. It exploits what we think these youths are capable of, while out of control and rendering a local park as a no-go area. Even if it’s rare, Dirty Harry style, it gets the viewer angry because we know it can happen and will if someone doesn’t sort it out.

We are soon introduced to that potential sorter outer, Harry Brown, played by Michael Caine, and the story unfolds with him keeping to himself, dealing with his wife’s hospitalisation and death. He lives a quiet life, visiting his friend, Leonard (David Bradley). Leonard is frightened because he is being terrorised by the local thugs and he finally rises to them. They beat him to death, but leave nothing for the coppers to go on. [understament]Harry, is not best pleased[/understatement].

The actor who played Jack Carter? A character who is an ex-Marine with a grudge? Going all Gran Torino on these sods? Settle in. This is going to be fun! All righteous, no nonsense, string-‘em-up retribution.

And for a while, it is. As Harry deflects the police to investigate for himself, it’s evocative stuff seeing him as an old man brought to life by targeting low-end drug dealers. There is a wonderful moment in Leonard’s burnt out flat where he peers out a crack in the window onto the local hang-out for the youths. Later, a set piece where he clears out a drug den and rescues a girl is fantastic. Caine is quite frankly awesome in this role. It’s a largely claustrophobic story and he is brilliant at portraying both the old man in a quiet routine and the sharp, skilled ex-soldier with catchphrases! OK, he can do it blind-folded, but he does round out the character with genuine emotion. This film has been called Britain’s Gran Torino by some, but that is very misleading. However, that’s not to say it doesn’t have similar depth.

Emily Mortimer is great as the loner police woman who starts to suspect Brown might be responsible for the recent killings, while her colleagues scoff, but here the problems start. There is a hint of a past that helps her sympathise with Brown and a suggestion she asked to be transferred to the worst area possible for some reason that is never fleshed out. That was annoying.

A much bigger problem is that the story expands to suggest the youths are organised foot-soldiers for a local drug-lord and willing to commit cold-blooded murder to get up the ranks. That might be the case in some areas, but it’s at odds with the premise that exploits the fact that their real-life counterparts are not organised. By giving them too much credit, the scary side of the plot is undermined because we can’t identify with the situation anymore. It also misses a fantastic opportunity to ask a difficult moral question: would Brown be an acceptable alternative to the police, considering half the problem is that the courts are dealing with fresh faced children? By making them low-level gangsters, it lets Brown off the hook and a very interesting film has suddenly pulled its punches and become silly. And that’s all before we find out who the local drug baron is (ridiculous!) and a full-scale riot on the estate is contrived out of seemingly nowhere.

Damn shame. Daniel Barber has directed a very good film that does brilliantly well to shake off the clichés of being a British thriller, while being violently relevant (it even says so on the cover!) :P. Having the iconic actor from Get Carter in the lead is an ace and the rest of the cast are excellent and also avoid stereotypes, especially Joe Cornish in a small role; I know him from soap-land and he is also great in This Is England, but this is the first time I’ve seen him as a completely different character. Rapper Plan B plays the lead thug and he too is very good, clearly putting a lot of work into the role. The writing is great and surprisingly subtle considering the premise (watch the sombre sequence of Leonard’s funeral and wake).

It just went so silly. But I can still recommend it as both a piece of solid entertainment and a sign that maybe British film is becoming more flexible that it can take a well-trod genre (if ‘Grimy British Northern Thriller’ is a genre!) and make it feel vibrant and fresh.

Title: Re: "Fancy the pictures, me Duck?": The British Film Marathon
Post by: Jimmy on February 06, 2011, 10:03:07 PM

Any chance that you talk about some british comedy? You know what kind of comedy I talk about of course :whistle:

Title: Re: "Fancy the pictures, me Duck?": The British Film Marathon
Post by: Najemikon on February 06, 2011, 10:19:24 PM

 :laugh:

Unlikely I would have thought! Unless you meant Carry On?  :whistle:

Title: Re: "Fancy the pictures, me Duck?": The British Film Marathon
Post by: Jimmy on February 06, 2011, 10:32:57 PM

The Carry On set is part on my wishlist Jon, so feel free to review some. If you have some Pete Walker's movies I don't own yet I would be interested to know your impressions too.

Title: Re: "Fancy the pictures, me Duck?": The British Film Marathon
Post by: Najemikon on February 06, 2011, 10:55:18 PM

Sorry, no Pete Walker here. Not my thing really...  :bag: Maybe Die Screaming Marianne, but even then, it's unlikely.

Can I interest you in social coming of age dramas, such as Billy Liar or Saturday Night Sunday Morning? ;)

Title: Re: "Fancy the pictures, me Duck?": The British Film Marathon
Post by: Jimmy on February 06, 2011, 11:26:54 PM

Sure sometimes I fall on some of those films while I check amazon uk and they seems interesting, but I don't know a lot of thing about them. Too bad you don't like Pete Walker, Man of Violence one of his early film is on my wishlist and I would had like to know more about it (because the release is more costly than usual).

BTW BFI had many dvd who look great to me like Permissive (1970), The Pleasure Girls (1966), Privilege (1967), London In The Raw (1964), A Taste of Excitement (1969), The Party's Over (1965), etc.

Anyway you know that my tastes are more diversified than many seem to think they are...

Title: Re: "Fancy the pictures, me Duck?": The British Film Marathon
Post by: Najemikon on February 06, 2011, 11:33:13 PM

Oh, I know. That's what the wink was for!  :laugh:

The BFI are marvellous. I think you have the opportunity to pick up a couple of theirs, you should. Really great value discs. Like Criterion, really.

I thought of this one actually, as it seems to be a very insightful look at British films in the 70s. The included sequel is actually a kind of 'making of' for the first one:

Nighthawks & Nighthawks II (http://filmstore.bfi.org.uk/acatalog/info_12080.html)

Title: Re: "Fancy the pictures, me Duck?": The British Film Marathon
Post by: Kathy on February 06, 2011, 11:35:46 PM

I didn't think there was enough British films for a marathon!  :tease:

Title: Re: "Fancy the pictures, me Duck?": The British Film Marathon
Post by: Najemikon on February 06, 2011, 11:37:27 PM

:laugh:

Is that a challenge, missus?

Title: Re: "Fancy the pictures, me Duck?": The British Film Marathon
Post by: goodguy on February 07, 2011, 02:23:47 AM

So you will finally get around to watching Repulsion then?  :whistle:

For the newer stuff: Anything from Michael Winterbottom, David Mackenzie, Pawel Pawlikowski, Lynne Ramsay, Andrea Arnold...?

Title: Re: "Fancy the pictures, me Duck?": The British Film Marathon
Post by: Najemikon on February 07, 2011, 06:14:34 PM

Quote from: goodguy on February 07, 2011, 02:23:47 AM

So you will finally get around to watching Repulsion then?  :whistle:

For the newer stuff: Anything from Michael Winterbottom, David Mackenzie, Pawel Pawlikowski, Lynne Ramsay, Andrea Arnold...?

Repulsion is on my LoveFilm list actually. Damn thing never dropped to a reasonable price.

Winterbottom has never grabbed me as a must see. I'd probably watch Killer Inside Me at some point anyway, but I wouldn't include it here because it's an American story. This thread will be for distinctly British film. I'll be doing Shane Meadows stuff for instance. Of the others, Perfect Sense looks interesting from McKenzie, but I didn't like Pawlikowski's Summer of Love at all. Morvern Caller from Ramsay isn't on my radar, but you never know. However, I do have Andrea Arnold's Red Road! The Blu was £5 at Zavvi, so I thought it worth a punt. ;)

Title: Re: "Fancy the pictures, me Duck?": The British Film Marathon
Post by: goodguy on February 08, 2011, 04:25:13 AM

Quote from: Jon on February 07, 2011, 06:14:34 PM

Winterbottom has never grabbed me as a must see. I'd probably watch Killer Inside Me at some point anyway, but I wouldn't include it here because it's an American story.

I was thinking more of the films he made in the '90s (that still counts as new compared to 1965). Wonderland, which is clearly my favorite, or even I Want You (A thriller! With Rachel Weisz!! Doesn't that tempt you?). I have yet to see Butterfly Kiss, but it sounds quite remarkable too.

Quote from: Jon on February 07, 2011, 06:14:34 PM

...but I didn't like Pawlikowski's Summer of Love at all.

:weep: There really is no future for us, Jon.  :weep:

Quote from: Jon on February 07, 2011, 06:14:34 PM

Morvern Caller from Ramsay isn't on my radar, but you never know.

What about Ratcatcher then? That should be pretty close to Shane Meadows.

Quote from: Jon on February 07, 2011, 06:14:34 PM

However, I do have Andrea Arnold's Red Road! The Blu was £5 at Zavvi, so I thought it worth a punt. ;)

I haven't seen anything from her yet, but like Lynne Ramsay, she seems to have made quite an impression with only two films. Fish Tank sounds slightly more interesting to me than Red Road (I suppose for you it's the other way around), but I definitely want to see both.

Title: Re: "Fancy the pictures, me Duck?": The British Film Marathon
Post by: Kathy on February 11, 2011, 05:22:46 PM

Deep Discount has a 50% off sale on British films: http://www.deepdiscount.com/Movie-Deep-Deals-British-DVD-Sale?utm_source=WhatCounts&utm_medium=Email&utm_content=02-11-11&utm_campaign=24278&promoCode=24278

Title: Re: "Fancy the pictures, me Duck?": The British Film Marathon
Post by: Najemikon on February 12, 2011, 03:01:27 AM

Thanks, Kathy. Mostly TV stuff there and unfortunately, really just Sunday evening fare, like Midsommer Murders (an inadvertently hilarious series set in a sleepy village; it ran so long, any normal village would have been overflowing with corpses!) or Agatha Christie adaptations.

I did spot Tipping The Velvet. I know there is a healthy lesbian interest on here, so that might be of interest.

Title: Re: "Fancy the pictures, me Duck?": The British Film Marathon
Post by: Tom on February 12, 2011, 03:26:58 AM

Quote from: Jon on February 12, 2011, 03:01:27 AM

I did spot Tipping The Velvet. I know there is a healthy lesbian interest on here, so that might be of interest.

I think I am the only one left here who regularly watches lesbian themed movies. I can recommend (http://www.dvdcollectorsonline.com/index.php/topic,5261.msg88382.html#msg88382) Tipping the Velvet.

Title: Re: "Fancy the pictures, me Duck?": The British Film Marathon
Post by: Jimmy on February 13, 2011, 09:01:06 PM

Quote from: Jon on February 06, 2011, 10:19:24 PM

Unless you meant Carry On?  :whistle:

So Jon any chance for a review of Carry on Girls? Robin Askwith is in it and usually I like him in everything

Title: Re: "Fancy the pictures, me Duck?": The British Film Marathon
Post by: Najemikon on February 14, 2011, 01:14:31 AM

Quote from: Jimmy on February 13, 2011, 09:01:06 PM

Quote from: Jon on February 06, 2011, 10:19:24 PM

Unless you meant Carry On?  :whistle:

So Jon any chance for a review of Carry on Girls? Robin Askwith is in it and usually I like him in everything

Sorry, Jimmy, you have to pick an entry that's really The Carry On series way past prime? It's pretty awful really, except I suspect you would enjoy it. I don't mean that as a back-handed compliment; my real problem with the film is that it shows a series that had been so wonderful, was now dying.

Title: The Ghost ****
Post by: Najemikon on February 14, 2011, 01:18:17 AM

(http://www.invelos.com/mpimages/50/5055201811448.4f.jpg)

The Ghost ***** Year: 2010 Director: Roman Polanski Rating: 15 Length: 128 Min. Video: Widescreen 2.35:1 Audio: German: DTS-HD Master Audio: 5.1, English: DTS-HD Master Audio: 5.1 Subtitles: German

---

When a gifted ghostwriter (Ewan McGregor) is hired to write the memoirs of former British Prime Minister Adam Lang (Pierce Brosnan), he quickly finds himself trapped in a web of political and sexual intrigue. Lang is implicated in a scandal over his administration's harsh tactics, and as the ghostwriter digs into the politician's past, he discovers secrets that threaten to jeopardize international relations forever. Co-starring Olivia Williams and Kim Cattrall, it's a taut and shocking thriller from acclaimed director Roman Polanski (The Pianist).

This was a pleasant surprise. I knew I would enjoy it, looking like a political thriller, starring Ewen McGregor as a writer hired to complete an ex-Prime Minister's autobiography (auto-ish) following the mysterious death of the previous ghost, and directed by Roman Polanski, but I underestimated its humour and Film Noir eccentricity. I wasn't expecting to include it in a collection of distinctly British films, but the film is brought to life precisely by it being an English twist on the classic American thrillers. It works as a stone cold thriller, but it has a wink at the audience every time it comes close to being too serious.

McGregor disappointed me at first, as he has abandoned his own Scottish accent for a London one, but I soon warmed to the choice, especially as his delivery hints at Marlowe ironic weariness. Inspired by money more than honour, a hint of a love for alcohol, a touch of casual flirting with both 'Femme Fatales' and we have our classic 40s detective reborn as the ghost writer of the title. In the course of the plot, which largely takes place on an isolated island with strange characters, he will discover evidence of murder, be haunted in a real sense of the word by the victim, visit a mysterious professor, get chased more than once, make deals with shady characters and sleep with inappropriate women, all with an air of not wanting to get involved. Apparently one draft of the screenplay even featured narration! Certainly it resembles little of political thrillers such as All The Presidents Men or even actioners like Patriot Games at the other end of the scale. Instead, it's relationship with the Double Indemnity's of this world make it feel unusually fresh.

The two ladies in the film, Kim Cattrall as Brosnan's assistant and Olivia Williams as his wife and probably the real political power, are both excellent, especially Williams ("for God's sake, if we come across a terrorist, I'll text you!", she yells at a security guard who won't leave her alone) though Cattrall impresses by finding a balance between intelligent, sultry and dizzy as her part demands. And Pierce Brosnan was yet another surprise because he represented my biggest reason to ignore this film and I'm happy to say how absolutely bloody wrong I was.

You see, from the trailer, and still after watching the film, you can't avoid the story's barbed relevance. An ex-Prime Minister fielding accusations of being a war criminal? It seemed so obvious as to be clunky and Brosnan's grinning assured confidence -this is Bond after all- had to be the biggest clunk of all. He's playing Tony Blair, isn't he? But he isn't, because he affects an awkwardness bordering on stupidity that is both very funny and makes him unpredictably dangerous, yet distances him from being an impression. Brosnan balances the character perfectly when he could have phoned in a Bond clone and as such, this is one of his best roles. There is one moment where he disembarks from a plane and at the top of the steps, he pauses, statesman-like, yet he is also clearly briefly confused as to where he might be! Of course, your opinion of Blair might mean I just strengthened the idea this is a sharp satire...

However, the eccentricity of choosing to use a Noir setup, naturally undoes the potential satire and that is very important because the film can exist on its own terms. While being interviewed for the job (by Jim Belushi, no less) McGregor comments that he knows nothing about politics, but that will allow him to understand Brosnan's character all the better. That works for the film too. It's like the film is happy to make Tony Blair sweat, but just as quick to nudge him in the ribs and yell "gotcha!". Thriller first, satire second. Polanski wrote the film with Robert Harris, developing Harris's own novel, which he assures us he had the idea for many years before, wanting to base it around a typically Hitchcockian everyday man trapped in a situation he can't control. Blair's situation and his accusers gave him the final piece to complete it, so it informs the film rather than becomes what it is about. Still, the sequence with the protesters including the grieving father of a solder is treated with enough respect to be substantial.

The irreverence and lightness of touch in the cast is Polanski's doing and it follows through in his direction, accompanied by an unusual score from Alexandre Desplat (Fantastic Mr Fox, and BAFTA winner for The Kings Speech). While meticulous, with stunning details in the setups (even the way he frames characters has a spark other directors miss), the film carries an easy charm. Little things like McGregor's awkwardness as he clambers into a car with a large case, or the way his honesty sometimes gets the better of him consistently grounds the film. The behaviour of the staff, from the relaxed security guards to the poor caretaker trying to fill his barrow with twigs in the wind, is very funny, yet still feels designed for a purpose (the way McGregor trips on a casual guards feet is humourous while demonstrating he is out of his depth and being watched constantly). The manuscript itself almost becomes a Maltese Falcon type object!

Like a proper Noir, the story is serious and exciting and Polanski executes a couple of action beats perfectly. It just never forgets to be fun and the very final moments underline that dual nature beautifully. I enjoyed it immensely and look forward to seeing it again.

Title: Re: "Fancy the pictures, me Duck?": The British Film Marathon
Post by: kahless on February 14, 2011, 06:34:02 AM

Great review, Jon!  :thumbup:

I was undecided whether I should by this movie. It's now on my wishlist!  :D

Title: Re: "Fancy the pictures, me Duck?": The British Film Marathon
Post by: Jimmy on February 14, 2011, 12:38:58 PM

Quote from: Jon on February 14, 2011, 01:14:31 AM

It's pretty awful really, except I suspect you would enjoy it.

Looks like you know me quite well :laugh:

Title: Re: "Fancy the pictures, me Duck?": The British Film Marathon
Post by: Najemikon on February 14, 2011, 09:27:27 PM

Quote from: kahless on February 14, 2011, 06:34:02 AM

Great review, Jon!  :thumbup:

I was undecided whether I should by this movie. It's now on my wishlist!  :D

Thank you, sir! Glad to have snagged someone with it. I really think it may have been slightly taken for granted overall.

Title: 24 7: Twenty Four Seven *****
Post by: Najemikon on February 15, 2011, 12:58:07 AM

(http://www.invelos.com/mpimages/50/5060002831434.4f.jpg)

24 7: Twenty Four Seven ***** Year: 1997 Director: Shane Meadows Rating: 15 Length: 93 Min. Video: Anamorphic Widescreen 1.85:1 Audio: English: Dolby Digital: 2-Channel Stereo, Commentary: Dolby Digital: 2-Channel Stereo Subtitles:

---

GIVING IT, TAKING IT, LIVING IT, MAKING THE BEST OF WHAT YOU'VE GOT... TWENTY FOUR HOURS A DAY, SEVEN DAYS A WEEK. That's the philosophy Alan Darcy (Bob Hoskins) teaches the bored Nottingham youth he sees wasting their lives on rundown Council estates when he forms a local boxing club. As the club gets noticed with coverage in the papers and an important match against a rival outfit, Darcy gives the troubled teens something worth fighting for and a dream to believe in for the first time ever. Acclaimed as "The Best British Film of the Year", with Shane Meadows hailed as the most exciting young director of his generation, Twenty Four Seven is a life-affirming experience full of genuine humour, courage and hope in the human spirit.

This film is magic. That's the only real sensible explanation! It was made for next to nothing, in black and white, with a cast of largely unknowns (aside from one). It's rough around the edges and feels unassuming, yet it is in turns poetic, hilarious and moving. It has a sting in the tail but is an uplifting and emotional story. It's an astonishing piece of work that, to be honest, makes the star rating look silly.

It's the story of Darcy (Bob Hoskins), a lonely but enthusiastic man who starts a boxing club for the local teenagers to try and build up their self respect. He drags them up from nothing and gives them a reason to exist. Several of the young boxers have their demons and the various threads of their stories come together in that little club with Darcy's own little tale running through the middle. It's a great screenplay with loads of mileage, told in a flashback device that gives it a lyrical, melancholic air, yet feels so relaxed the humour and honesty just roll out. Bob Hoskins is marvelous and all credit to him for doing it in the first place. He is absolutely convincing as Darcy and he'll make you hope there are real people like him. I loved the scene where he drags one drug-addled loser (called Fagash!) to his court appearance, despite his protest he's rather go back to bed!

As for the rest of the cast, it's tough to single anyone out. They all seem real, like they walked straight off an estate and onto the set, with a comaraderie you just can't fake. They're actors, so I know how silly that statement is, so watch it if you don't believe me! English viewers will enjoy spotting a couple of well-known soap stars and even James Corden, now very well known as an exceptionally talented writer, comedian and actor makes his debut here. Gavin and Stacey is his big hit and I know a few of you enjoy British sitcoms, so I recommend you look it up. Actually, now I think about it, I wouldn't be surprised if Meadow's writing was a direct influence on Corden as I can think of some similarities, especially in the big family scenes.

If the film is magic then Shane Meadows is a magician. He's a Nottingham film-maker and 24-7 was his first feature film. His most recent is This Is England, which was followed by a brilliant TV series. He could surely have had his pick of projects, yet he has stayed committed to small budgets and fledgling casts from drama groups. Long may he continue because his is some of the most important work being done for British film. His secret might be in the way he composes any one scene, letting the actors play it out and choosing his focus carefully. A sequence in Wales is stunning. And this remember, is on cheap film with little definition, so no Blu-Ray vistas to enjoy! He just knows how to make something truly beautiful. That doesn't prepare you for how dynamic his brief action moments are, such as the scenes in the ring or an awful explosion of violence that will shake you to the core.

I hope to eventually include his other films here, but don't wait for my say so. Just start for yourself with 24-7 and don't be put off by it's cheap look. It's wonderful. This trailer is not a good representation of the actual quality, the film does have more clarity! But maybe you'll get a taste of what I'm trying to show you.

Title: Re: "Fancy the pictures, me Duck?": The British Film Marathon
Post by: Dragonfire on February 15, 2011, 02:34:38 AM

I saw a trailer for The Ghost Writer once and thought it looked interesting..I just haven't had the chance to see it yet.

Title: Re: Harry Brown ***
Post by: Alien Redrum on February 23, 2011, 06:35:24 PM

Quote from: Jon on February 06, 2011, 08:04:04 PM

Harry Brown
3 out of 5

(http://www.jonmeakin.co.uk/images/harryb.jpg)

In the UK we do have a real problem with anti-social behaviour from groups of teenagers who are allowed to congregate in public areas, where they can quickly become abusive, fuelled on cheap alcohol provided by any means. At the very least, their mere presence is a threat to regular people, but it can escalate to them roaming like gangs and even largely taking control of areas like council estates or parks. It leaves their neighbours scared to leave the house and tabloids use the images to portray “Broken Britain”. “Hoodies” is the catch-all term for these little bastards, be they full on villains with multiple ASBOs, or just mouthy thugs nicking Mars bars from the corner shop. Teenagers in general sadly get tarnished with the same brush and, in truth, it’s a small amount of troublemakers allowed to get out of control by a justice system that simply doesn’t account for their behaviour, and parents who defend their sweet children regardless of whether they believe them capable of knocking over Grannies or not.

Despite being a real threat, for many people, the Hoodie is an urban Bogey Man. It’s no fun walking through a crowd of youths late at night who are ready and willing to find any excuse for violence, but it’s the idea of what they can do that is scary. And the idea that someone could come along and sweep up the shit with vigilante justice is a welcome thought for many people. That’s where I thought Harry Brown came in and if it had stuck with that, I think it would be a better film.

It opens with a scene that perfectly demonstrates what I was saying above. A couple of thugs are using a mobile phone to film themselves racing around drunk in park on a bike. One of them has a gun and in their perverse idea of larking around, they accidentally shoot a young mother in the head and then get themselves splattered by a lorry. This is a perfect start. It exploits what we think these youths are capable of, while out of control and rendering a local park as a no-go area. Even if it’s rare, Dirty Harry style, it gets the viewer angry because we know it can happen and will if someone doesn’t sort it out.

We are soon introduced to that potential sorter outer, Harry Brown, played by Michael Caine, and the story unfolds with him keeping to himself, dealing with his wife’s hospitalisation and death. He lives a quiet life, visiting his friend, Leonard (David Bradley). Leonard is frightened because he is being terrorised by the local thugs and he finally rises to them. They beat him to death, but leave nothing for the coppers to go on. [understament]Harry, is not best pleased[/understatement].

The actor who played Jack Carter? A character who is an ex-Marine with a grudge? Going all Gran Torino on these sods? Settle in. This is going to be fun! All righteous, no nonsense, string-‘em-up retribution.

And for a while, it is. As Harry deflects the police to investigate for himself, it’s evocative stuff seeing him as an old man brought to life by targeting low-end drug dealers. There is a wonderful moment in Leonard’s burnt out flat where he peers out a crack in the window onto the local hang-out for the youths. Later, a set piece where he clears out a drug den and rescues a girl is fantastic. Caine is quite frankly awesome in this role. It’s a largely claustrophobic story and he is brilliant at portraying both the old man in a quiet routine and the sharp, skilled ex-soldier with catchphrases! OK, he can do it blind-folded, but he does round out the character with genuine emotion. This film has been called Britain’s Gran Torino by some, but that is very misleading. However, that’s not to say it doesn’t have similar depth.

Emily Mortimer is great as the loner police woman who starts to suspect Brown might be responsible for the recent killings, while her colleagues scoff, but here the problems start. There is a hint of a past that helps her sympathise with Brown and a suggestion she asked to be transferred to the worst area possible for some reason that is never fleshed out. That was annoying.

A much bigger problem is that the story expands to suggest the youths are organised foot-soldiers for a local drug-lord and willing to commit cold-blooded murder to get up the ranks. That might be the case in some areas, but it’s at odds with the premise that exploits the fact that their real-life counterparts are not organised. By giving them too much credit, the scary side of the plot is undermined because we can’t identify with the situation anymore. It also misses a fantastic opportunity to ask a difficult moral question: would Brown be an acceptable alternative to the police, considering half the problem is that the courts are dealing with fresh faced children? By making them low-level gangsters, it lets Brown off the hook and a very interesting film has suddenly pulled its punches and become silly. And that’s all before we find out who the local drug baron is (ridiculous!) and a full-scale riot on the estate is contrived out of seemingly nowhere.

Damn shame. Daniel Barber has directed a very good film that does brilliantly well to shake off the clichés of being a British thriller, while being violently relevant (it even says so on the cover!) :P. Having the iconic actor from Get Carter in the lead is an ace and the rest of the cast are excellent and also avoid stereotypes, especially Joe Cornish in a small role; I know him from soap-land and he is also great in This Is England, but this is the first time I’ve seen him as a completely different character. Rapper Plan B plays the lead thug and he too is very good, clearly putting a lot of work into the role. The writing is great and surprisingly subtle considering the premise (watch the sombre sequence of Leonard’s funeral and wake).

It just went so silly. But I can still recommend it as both a piece of solid entertainment and a sign that maybe British film is becoming more flexible that it can take a well-trod genre (if ‘Grimy British Northern Thriller’ is a genre!) and make it feel vibrant and fresh.

I really enjoyed this film and, as you said, Caine is excellent here.

I have to agree the riot seemed to come out of nowhere, and a bit of lazy writing to put the protagonists in the position they needed to be in for the film's finale. It should have been handled a little better.

Have you listened to the commentary yet? Caine is funny as hell. (Assuming there is a commentary on the version you have.)

Title: Re: Harry Brown ***
Post by: Najemikon on February 23, 2011, 07:28:42 PM

Quote from: Alien Redrum on February 23, 2011, 06:35:24 PM

I really enjoyed this film and, as you said, Caine is excellent here.

I have to agree the riot seemed to come out of nowhere, and a bit of lazy writing to put the protagonists in the position they needed to be in for the film's finale. It should have been handled a little better.

Have you listened to the commentary yet? Caine is funny as hell. (Assuming there is a commentary on the version you have.)

I actually rented this one (I know! Sacrilege! ;)) so I didn't have time for the commentary, but I'm keeping an eye for it dropping in price. I might even pick up the DVD as it wasn't a film that exploited Blu-Ray really, for the sake of getting those extras for a couple of quid it might be worth it.

Glad to hear it seemed to travel well to the States. Makes me wish even more they'd have reined it in and not gone for that finale. We do occasionally have the rougher estates turn into a riot zone, but it is very rare indeed. It seems misplaced in the context of this story.

Title: Re: Harry Brown ***
Post by: Alien Redrum on February 23, 2011, 11:16:12 PM

Quote from: Jon on February 23, 2011, 07:28:42 PM

It seems misplaced in the context of this story.

I agree wholeheartedly. The film is so...quiet up to that point. Caine's quiet anger. His wife's quiet passing, that sort of thing. And the riot is just so... loud. The movie works better on that quiet level.

Title: A Room for Romeo Brass ****
Post by: Najemikon on March 15, 2011, 05:58:15 PM

(http://www.invelos.com/mpimages/50/5060021171115.4f.jpg)

A Room for Romeo Brass **** Year: 1999 Director: Shane Meadows Rating: 15 Length: 87 Min. Video: Widescreen 1.85:1 Audio: English: Dolby Digital: 2-Channel Stereo, Commentary: Dolby Digital: 2-Channel Stereo

---

12 year olds Romeo (Andrew Shim) and Gavin (Ben Marshall) live next door to each other. They're the best of mates with a shared sense of humour that helps them survive in a landscape of comic losers and broken dreams. But their friendship is put to the test by a chance encounter. After a stranger saves them from being beaten up, the boys are only too happy to help their new hero and pal in his quest to date Romeo's sister. Little do they realise they are being drawn into a world of dangerous obsession, violence and desperation; a world that threatens to tear the two friends apart. From acclaimed director Shane Meadows 'A Room For Romeo Brass' is a contemporary coming-of-age story that is as funny as it is frightening.

A Room For Romeo Brass, Shane Meadows’ second film, is a charming story of growing up that features several themes that can be seen throughout the directors career.

It’s a simple plot about two friends, Romeo and Gavin. One day they get involved in a typical scrap with some kids who picked on Gavin and they are rescued by Morell (Paddy Considine) who breaks up the fight. Morell is out of work and clearly a loner, but takes to the two boys. They spend a lot of time together, especially as Morell fancies Romeo’s older sister, Ladine, and they try to help him charm her, seeing as she probably wouldn’t look at him twice otherwise! Romeo is especially enamoured with him, because he doesn’t get on with his dad, who is trying to mend bridges with his family following what is implied to be a violent past. The story takes a sombre turn when Romeo starts ignoring Gavin in favour of the stranger.

The brilliance of 24-7 carries through to this film as the naturalistic cast have a wonderful, real banter with one another, which while being very funny with great dialogue, also feels genuine. That supports the story as it takes a more serious turn, then an even darker one, without ever losing its charm or the viewer’s confidence. Romeo and Gavin are very much the central characters and drive the narrative, even when things are happening to them, rather than them forcing it. That’s so important because what I mean is, this is just their life and it’s vitally important to them, not just some farcical caper they’re getting into; and they don’t even have Stand By Me’s built-in sense of nostalgia, which focuses on the idea that the kids will grow up… have grown up, even.
 
I can’t find a real fault with the film, except maybe I would have liked to have seen more of the storyline with Romeo’s dad, played by Frank Harper, especially in the scenes with his daughter, Ladine (Vicky McClure who along with Andrew Shim crops up in more of Meadows’ work). Harper was superb in this. You probably know him as Dog in Lock Stock And Two Smoking Barrels, plus he was in 24-7 as a rather similar character. Therefore I was surprised to see what a layered, delicate performance he gave here as a man trying to come to terms with his past and prove to his family he had changed. It gives the cathartic ending an edge of irony too and I really enjoyed that angle. Oh, and a note for Bob Hoskins. The man is a genius. He gets a couple of very brief moments, as one of Gavin’s teachers who visits him at home, and they amount to mere seconds, but he is wonderful in them.

Filmed in the East Midlands, near my area, the best compliment I can give this film is that I know these people and I know where they come from and I never questioned that, once. It never feels sensational or romanticised, which more well-known working class British comedies like The Full Monty rely on.

That does however mean that it doesn’t pander to any particular audience, so sadly it can easily fall through a crack between genres, never to be seen again! Kids would identify with Romeo and Gavin and get a lot more from this story than they would from most stuff aimed at them, but it does take a very violent and terrifying turn. I would implore you to see it and treat it as nostalgia for yourself if not the characters, like Meadows clearly does.

Title: Re: "Fancy the pictures, me Duck?": The British Film Marathon
Post by: Najemikon on March 15, 2011, 06:00:15 PM

You know, I'm sure I had a good reason for not using the HTML window Tom posted ages ago. Damned if I know what it is.  :bag: Isn't it so easy?  :-[ :hysterical:

Tom, I've also nicked some of your layout as I particularly like it. ;)

Title: Re: "Fancy the pictures, me Duck?": The British Film Marathon
Post by: Tom on March 15, 2011, 06:10:36 PM

Quote from: Jon on March 15, 2011, 06:00:15 PM

Tom, I've also nicked some of your layout as I particularly like it. ;)

No problem. Glad you like it :)

Title: Re: "Fancy the pictures, me Duck?": The British Film Marathon
Post by: Najemikon on March 15, 2011, 07:38:28 PM

Quote from: Tom on March 15, 2011, 06:10:36 PM

Quote from: Jon on March 15, 2011, 06:00:15 PM

Tom, I've also nicked some of your layout as I particularly like it. ;)

No problem. Glad you like it :)

You and Pete both post regularly and I kept wondering where you got the time to bother with all the details. Thing is, I loaded the bloody HTML window when you posted it ages back! For crying out loud, I even kept uploading the covers to my webhost when they were already available. :-X

Title: Re: "Fancy the pictures, me Duck?": The British Film Marathon
Post by: Tom on March 15, 2011, 07:53:27 PM

Quote from: Jon on March 15, 2011, 07:38:28 PM

You and Pete both post regularly and I kept wondering where you got the time to bother with all the details.

I am way too lazy to would have bothered with all the details manually. :P
But on the other hand I am not too lazy to program something which automates something like this. As you probably know I don't use the HTML window in DVD Profiler but something similar in my tool. Benefit is, that in my program I can also add my DVDCO rating, my review text, IMDb and Wikipedia links to the database and I get a fully generated review for posting it here (including awards). I also get fully generated lists for my monthly postings in the "What I have bought/watched this month" threads.

Title: Re: "Fancy the pictures, me Duck?": The British Film Marathon
Post by: Najemikon on March 15, 2011, 07:58:32 PM

That's what I need, especially for my blog. I fall behind, only through laziness. If I had a template and could just post a decent looking review in a few minutes, I'd be flying. I should find the time and have a go; I used to program Access a lot so I'm not afraid of code, I just can't be bothered!  :laugh:

Title: Re: "Fancy the pictures, me Duck?": The British Film Marathon
Post by: RossRoy on March 15, 2011, 08:21:40 PM

Quote from: Jon on March 15, 2011, 07:58:32 PM

I used to program Access a lot so I'm not afraid of code, I just can't be bothered!  :laugh:

Sounds way too familiar!  :laugh:

Title: Re: "Fancy the pictures, me Duck?": The British Film Marathon
Post by: Najemikon on March 15, 2011, 10:22:48 PM

Quote from: RossRoy on March 15, 2011, 08:21:40 PM

Quote from: Jon on March 15, 2011, 07:58:32 PM

I used to program Access a lot so I'm not afraid of code, I just can't be bothered!  :laugh:

Sounds way too familiar!  :laugh:

You as well?  :laugh:

Title: The Innocents *****
Post by: Najemikon on March 15, 2011, 10:39:57 PM

(http://www.invelos.com/mpimages/50/5035673010327.4f.jpg)

The Innocents ***** Year: 1961 Director: Jack Clayton Rating: 12 Length: 96 Min. Video: Widescreen 2.35:1 Audio: English: PCM: 2-Channel Stereo, Commentary: PCM: 2-Channel Stereo Subtitles: English

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Deborah Kerr plays Miss Giddens, guardian of two angelic orphans. When ghostly disturbances make themselves felt she determines to protect her charges. Jack Clayton's superb adaptation of Henry James' The Turn of the Screw keeps us guessing until the end.

Fans of The Haunting will really like this one. And I mean the 1960s version, not the really crap remake! And The Others bears some comparison too, but this is far superior and doesn't rely on a twist. The story has a deeply creepy dark side and can be very disturbing, with echoes of The Shining.

Three comparisons in one paragraph! And normally I don't like the whole "if you like this, then you might like that, because it's like those" sort of review, but I'm trying to put The Innocents in context because no-one seems to have heard of it, which is criminal.

It's much more subversive than a typical horror. It even comes across as a very British period class drama complete with enthusiastic melodramatic dialogue, especially from Deborah Kerr. It would seem at home on cosy Sunday evening TV and you'd assume it was dated even in 1961, following as it did such revolutionary horror films as Psycho, Peeping Tom or Mario Bava's Black Sunday. But the flowery language and stilted politeness are a means to an end and create an almost satirical and cruel story that makes for an astonishingly powerful film. If anything, it is a finer piece of writing and more challenging than its more famous predecessors in horror cinema, but all go to prove that the early 1960s were one of the most fertile and important periods in the genre.

The story is based on The Turn of The Screw by Henry James, adapted by William Archibold and Truman Capote, who gave the story its twisted heart, subverting what you might have otherwise dismissed. And far from being the predictable old fashioned actress I may have insinuated she was earlier, Deborah Kerr, as the Governess Miss Giddens, is vital to selling this audacious plot. It is a captivating performance that traps the audience beautifully. Wherever your sympathies lie at the end will be because of her and in any case, don't expect an easy night's sleep after watching it!

The children, Flora and Miles, are played by Pamela Franklin and Martin Stephens. Essential to the story, the chemistry between them is wonderful, and so too their relationship to Miss Giddens and the housekeeper, memorably played by Meg Jenkins. Child actors are so often the weak spot, but these two will keep you guessing, especially Stephens. If The Omen had been filmed 15 years earlier, this kid would have been a shoe-in playing the little bastard!

For all the metaphors and subtext, The Innocents is first and foremost a visual ghost story. While it doesn't rely on jumps and gimmicks, Jack Clayton's clever direction, drawing together the brilliant performances and sumptuous sets, is complemented by Freddie Francis's gorgeous photography which will have you on the edge of your seat, peering into shadows. And while in the context of the story, the two ghosts may or may not exist, they will still make your blood run cold. A stunning moment on a rain-lashed lake is especially haunting, all the more for being in daylight. Clayton wrings every bit of potential from the frame without ever forcing the viewer's attention.

The result is possibly the finest ghost story ever filmed; a unique, memorable and important contribution from British cinema at its most confident. Big words, eh? Please give it a try.

Make sure you do on Blu-Ray too. The print is pristine and proves the real strength in high definition is not necessarily in CGI, but classic photography, where the depth of a well composed film comes to life. And in a sort of high class "Buy One Get One Free" offer, the BFI release also includes The Bespoke Overcoat (1955), a short film and another ghost story of a different tone to The Innocents. It is an absolute gem and, shush, but you might prefer it; it's that good.

Title: 44 Inch Chest *
Post by: Najemikon on March 16, 2011, 12:20:04 AM

(http://www.invelos.com/mpimages/50/5060116725674.4f.jpg)

44 Inch Chest * Year: 2009 Director (ha!): Malcolm Venville Rating: 18 (or not suitable for anyone with a brain) Length: 95 Min. of turgid drivel Video: Widescreen 1.85:1 Audio: English: DTS-HD High Resolution: 5.1, English: Dolby Digital: 5.1 (you can hear the dull thumps of the screenplay in glorious surround sound!) Subtitles: English (I'm ashamed to admit this film was English, yes)

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From the team behind Sexy Best comes this potent exploration of the masculine ego at breaking point, set against the seedy back drop of Londons`s gangster underbelly. Colin Diamond (Ray Winstone) is in agony, shattered by his wife’s (Whalley) infidelity with a young French Waiter. His motley crew of friends - Old Man Peanut (John Hurt), Beredith (Ian McShane), Archie (tom Wilkinson), and Mal (Stephen Dilane) - kidnap Loverboy, and assemble a kangaroo court so that Colin can restore his manhood with revenge. Loverboy's life is now at stake as Colin wrestles with heartbreak, anger, madness, love and self-pity. A powerful and explosive drama of retribution Nuts describe as a 'tense knockout'

In case you're confused, that's not an asterisk after the films title, it's the score. One star. Have I ever given such a mark before? I don’t think I have and let me quickly say why. For me, films even at their most serious and dark are an optimistic endeavour and should not be greeted with too much cynicism. Therefore, even the worst films have something going for them. Films depend on so much going right from so many different people, it’s a wonder they get made at all sometimes. Usually when I don’t like a film, it is merely disappointment. To get from two stars to one means it must have been offensive and pointless all at once. Which in the case of 44 Inch Chest, it certainly was.

The opening scene is wonderful; panning from the face of a terrified dog, across the detritus of what was his living room, the destruction of which was by his own hand, we find a shell-shocked Ray Winstone. The look on his face tells it all. He’s had a breakdown and taken the environment with him following, we learn, his wife leaving him for a waiter. The scene plays out to the tune of All Out Of Love, by Air Supply. Brilliant! This can’t fail. From the producers and star of Sexy Beast, which was superb, what can go wrong?

Not the cast, that’s for sure, all old hands at playing gangster types, they’re near perfect. As well as Winstone who is always great, we also have Tom Wilkinson, John Hurt (as the marvellously named Old Man Peanut, as foul a mouthed bastard as you’re ever likely to meet) and perhaps best of all, Ian McShane as a gay gangster, who is simply hilarious. Each of them have a good section of dialogue each, so I can see why they were attracted to the project.

So we have the star, we have the enthusiastic supporting cast and the story has started in a most appealing way. Where do we go from here?

Wilkinson plays Winstone’s friend who tries to help him pull himself together by loading up a van with their old cronies and one recently kidnapped waiter with a bag on his head and they rock up to a secret location and sit in a room and… well, that’s about it.

Winstone weeps and wails, gets angry, etc, etc, ad infinitum, while the others variously sympathise, reason, bicker or insult one another while persuading him to find his balls and murder the poor bastard (still with the bag). It’s like a play and if I wanted a bloody play, I’d go to the bloody theatre, thank you very much. And if I did go to the bloody theatre, it wouldn’t be to watch this self-serving miserable shite.

For one, gangster having a crisis? Tony Soprano has not only been there, done that and got the t-shirt, the t-shirt doesn’t fit anyone else anymore because The Sopranos have done this story perfectly. Pointless! Not only that, but the scripts on that TV show were clever enough to recognise the monster. Tony was a magnificent character, because of his “Who? Me?” wounded selfish pride. 44 Inch Chest wants us to understand and sympathise with Winstone’s character without a shred of irony.

So, point two. It has no moral core and no respect for the story outside of Winstone or that room. It’s just a stretched out exercise of him coming to terms with himself (a wanker) and being a grown up about it. Woo-hoo! Grab the fucking popcorn. What a thriller! Urgh. In flashback, it shows how his living room got destroyed. He pretty much used his wife, bouncing off the walls, to cause the key destruction. She ran off into the night, bleeding and battered and we later see her flag down a truck, but we don’t know anything else about her. She isn’t even allowed another scene with Winstone, to put over her side again…

Except for the dream sequence! You see, the script is so selfish, the only way the two meet again is in Winstone’s fevered brain (which also by the way, includes such delights as the other characters swapping heads, which should be all clever and insightful and stuff and instead, is just shit). He imagines she comes to the room, teases him, begs him, flirts with the victim… poor old Joanne Whalley is positively drowning in this testosterone bullshit. My problem is that she is simply a projection of his mind in this instance, so the screenplay is actually completely unable to flesh her out properly, other than as an object.

Because you see… oh, hold on… am I still counting these points? Bollocks to it… anyway, my overriding sense is that the sheer out dated male-ness of the whole thing is nauseating. And the ending is such a complete sodding cop-out that it is so insulting.

I think I can see why it’s like this. A few years ago I saw a film called Swimming With Sharks, about the cut-throat world of agents in Hollywood. It was an average film overall, but what struck me was that the screenplay was clearly autobiographical, it was so sharp and well observed (idealistic junior agent suffers abuse and bullying from his boss) until part way through when it turned into fantasy (he kidnaps his boss and tortures him into admitting he was a bastard). It seemed obvious that the guy wrote about his actual life in the office and then what he would like to do, whereas in reality he was still in the office, being bullied (until he sold that actual screenplay, probably!). Most of us have sat in a crap job and dreamed about the day they’d listen to us or we’d burn the building down… haven’t we? Er… moving on.

Anyway, it seems clear that one, if not both, of the writers Louis Mellis and David Scinto have used this screenplay to write about how they felt when the love of their life pissed off with the milkman. And how they were going to find that milkman, and… and… cut his balls off… and, er… Ooh! Rip his head off! And… actually, they’re just going to sit there, moping and writing about it until they feel better, and never see their old partner again, let alone threaten the milkman.

But you have to have more than one coloured crayon when you try and turn your fevered fantasies into stories. You have to be intelligent enough to understand points of view beyond your own and even if you can’t do that, just having the guy walk away at the end, feeling all better, is bloody ridiculous! He put two people through hell, but now he’s had a think, he feels much better. Well, bully for you, sunshine.

Oh no. Spoiler alert? Trust me, I’ve done you a favour. I wouldn't mind so much if it was exciting in any way whatsoever. But it's just dull.

What a miserable, self-centred, clunky piece of rubbish this film is. Really. Avoid it. Ian McShane keeps making you think it might get better every time he opens his gob… he’s lying. It doesn’t.

Title: Re: "Fancy the pictures, me Duck?": The British Film Marathon
Post by: Antares on March 16, 2011, 12:24:37 AM

It's also one of the longest reviews you've written. Isn't it amazing how the venom just pours out when you write about a film you detested so much?  :laugh:

Title: Re: "Fancy the pictures, me Duck?": The British Film Marathon
Post by: Najemikon on March 16, 2011, 12:31:25 AM

:laugh: I know! I suppose it's a case of offence is best defence in case someone disagrees... :whistle:

Don't let it distract from the previous review though. Have you seen The Innocents?

Title: Re: "Fancy the pictures, me Duck?": The British Film Marathon
Post by: Antares on March 16, 2011, 12:32:40 AM

No, but it sounds interesting.

Title: Re: "Fancy the pictures, me Duck?": The British Film Marathon
Post by: Dragonfire on March 17, 2011, 12:13:53 AM

I tried to figure out stuff with the html before, but I couldn't get it to work right.  I thought I had the code I needed in the editor thing, but then I couldn't get out of that without shutting down the program completely.

Title: Re: The Innocents *****
Post by: goodguy on March 17, 2011, 06:51:44 AM

Quote from: Jon on March 15, 2011, 10:39:57 PM

The Innocents *****
...
The story is based on The Turn of The Screw by Henry James, ...

That seems to be by far the most adapted Henry James novel, although I haven't seen any of those adaptations aside of from The Others, which I liked quite a bit (and the twist IMHO doesn't devaluate it). Of other Henry James adaptations, I've only seen the The Wings of the Dove and Die Freunde der Freunde (The Friends of the Friends), and both are pretty great too. So I probably will check this one out someday.

Title: Everywhere and Nowhere ***
Post by: Najemikon on October 08, 2011, 02:12:00 AM

(http://www.dvdcompare.net/images/reviews/2562.jpg)

Everywhere and Nowhere *** Year: 2011 Director: Menhaj Huda

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When asked where he comes from, Ash (James Floyd) replies, “everywhere and nowhere”. Everywhere being that he was born in the UK to a traditional Pakistani family where his older brother, Ahmed (Alvy Khan), is his guardian and who encourages him to embrace his heritage. But nowhere because he's a teenager, trying to find a direction in life, preferably to be a DJ and mix with his friends, eschewing his traditional and strict upbringing.

The story of a teenager trying to please his family and follow his ambition at the same time is an old one, but always relevant and perhaps more so for this current generation of Asian youth. Ash considers himself British and more importantly, his is possibly the first Asian generation that is largely accepted as British, so the story refreshingly has almost no racism agenda outside of his older brother’s ignorance. The conflict comes not from the community refusing to accept Ash (on the contrary, his friends encourage him), but from his brother assuming the community is the same one he grew up in suffering persecution. His success as a small business man has made him arrogant and elitist. He still has a “them and us” attitude, so he assumes Ash must follow him into that business and keep away from the filthy nightclubs. In fact, it seems to be to keep away from anyone who isn’t Pakistani.

The theme extends to Ash’s sister (Shivani Ghai), who despite encouraging Ash to be proud of his talent, nevertheless is in an inter-racial relationship with Ronnie (Simon Webbe) that she can’t bring herself to reveal because the family wouldn’t accept him. And the idea of family loyalty is further explored in Ash’s friends, Zaf (Adam Deacon) who is streetwise, but devoted to his ill father, and Jaz (Elyes Gabel) who sleeps around, yet is talking about accepting an arranged marriage as the easy option, therefore possibly exploiting the very traditions he otherwise seems to rebel against. Finally there is Ash’s cousin Riz (Neet Mohan) who is impressionable and being seduced by extremist ideas.

That was an interesting angle that could have been built on more, but it’s let down by a dreadful cliché of a scene, the only time the film feels truly clumsy. Riz is pulled over for no reason by a policeman (Dexter Fletcher), who is such an unlikely stereotype, you think the film must be poking fun at him and the idea that Asian youths get stopped by police on a whim. Yet the scene then validates the police action because they find leaflets in the car! It needed Four Lions confidence to make that work. Any notions that the film had lost its way though, are forgotten during a fantastic club scene, where Ronnie gives Ash a chance to DJ. It’s exhilarating stuff and revitalises the story as Ash’s ambition is now validated. Music is a big part of the film throughout, as you might expect, and it all comes together here.

Menhaj Huda is not an overly ambitious director and he keeps focus on the characters and story. The narrative is straightforward and borderline naïve, predictable in many ways, but the quality cast treat it honestly and make it easily watchable. The relationship between Ash and his various family members (including Shaheen Khan and Art Malik) is very well realised. Alvy Khan is particularly good in an awkward role to judge as the brother. The supporting cast of friends vary, but Elyes Gabel stands out (some may recognise him from his long stint on Casualty) especially in a very funny scene on a cricket pitch. Katia Winter brings confidence to the role of Ash’s love interest and her scenes always seem to bring a spark to the story.

Without any hint of hyperbole, Everywhere And Nowhere had potential to be as relevant to this generation of Asian youth as Billy Liar did to the post-war teenager. It also stands as a more optimistic companion to This Is England or Trainspotting, not to mention undermining the cynicism of My Beautiful Laundrette. It just isn’t sharp enough to match up to those previous films, but hopefully that won’t matter to the target audience and they’ll take it under their wing. It deserves such attention. The extra features expand on what was clearly an important production for those involved.


For full technical review visit DVD Compare (http://www.dvdcompare.net/review.php?rid=2562)

Title: Island ***
Post by: Najemikon on October 08, 2011, 02:18:10 AM

(http://www.invelos.com/mpimages/50/5060238030533.4f.jpg)

Island *** Year: 2011 Director: Elizabeth Mitchell, Brek Taylor Rating: 15 Length: 96 Min. Subtitles:

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Based on 'Jane Rogers' acclaimed novel, "Island" is a tale of yearning and retribution. Abandoned at birth, Nikki Black has spent most of her life in care sustained only by fairy-stories. Incapable of love, fearful and desperate for revenge, she decides to find her birth mother, confront her, and bitter enough to consider murder. She travels incognito to a remote Hebridean island where Phyllis now lives as a recluse with Calum, her son.

I had high hopes for Island after it had been on for just 10 minutes. The opening sequence is great, introducing the mysterious story by relating it to a short fairy tale, narrated by the films lead (Natalie Press as Nikki Black) as she journeys to a remote island to track down the mother who abandoned her at birth. Her dark tale of children escaping a witch is made even more evocative by beautiful drawings coming to life as animations. At the end of her tale, when the witch has been vanquished, Nikki says with quiet determination that she plans to kill her mother. It’s a fantastic start for the film. The regret and the yearning for redemption are already palpable, while the fairy tale framework is sublime and original and then with a stark promise to hang over the rest of the film.

Aside from the animated innovation, Brek Taylor & Elizabeth Mitchell direct with confidence. As Nikki arrives on the island, the shot of her walking away from the ferry is superb. The camera is tight on Nikki, while the tailgate of the ferry rises and it is clear she senses that the point of no return has just been reached. And we still have no idea of what she will find on the island. She could end up in a wicker man, even! Taylor and Mitchell’s film, based on a novel by Jane Rogers, has a strong identity of its own.

Without revealing who she is, Nikki rents a room from her mother. Janet McTeer plays Phyllis wonderfully well, with pride and dignity. She is a sad lady, in constant pain from some ailment and still grieving for a husband she lost a few years before in a boating accident and living in fear for her son, Nikki’s half-brother, Calum. He is played by Colin Morgan, who some of you may know from the TV series Merlin and he is excellent. Calum knows the island better than anyone, but he is a virtual recluse, because his mother doesn’t let him leave. The parallels with Nikki’s beguiling fairy story are becoming clear, only the irony is, Phyllis is no witch. Still Nikki’s intentions have not changed as she becomes too close to Calum and, despite herself, perhaps even to her mother despite all the anger she carries.

It is at this point that I struggled with the film and became frustrated with it. Whereas it had started with such promise and a strong focus with an intriguing story, by the second half it was plodding and meandering. Gradually, scenes stop flowing together, although they aren’t without their moments, such as Nikki getting lost during a storm. However, much of the frustration is with Nikki herself. I’ve liked Natalie Press for some time and she is great here, winning the viewer’s attention as soon as the film starts, but that attention is never rewarded. I expect the mystery of why she wishes her mother dead and her wavering emotions plays out very well in the novel, but the clever irony, supposed to reflect the fairy tale from the start, is a tough sell on screen when it has to be balanced so the audience still connect. Nikki is especially hard to like when she is so arrogant, aloof and alien to the island, despite her maintaining a brittle attractiveness throughout, especially in a stand-out simple scene shortly after Calum rescues her from the storm. I did love her fruity dialogue too! It’s in such contrast to the others.

The narrative develops into a “will she”, “won’t she” plot and Phyllis’ fate is truly unpredictable, but none of its possible conclusions have any weight of consequence that should support the powerful ending the story deserves. We were heading for Straw Dogs, possibly via The Wicker Man and instead it fizzles into a cop-out scene that exploits the carefully constructed characters; perhaps you can say that is how a fairy tale is constructed, but this has no substance to carry you through the credits. It’s brilliantly filmed, it’s just what happens that disappoints. The closing scene is so dull -and vomit inducing, thanks to a particularly duff line of dialogue- that what started as a very interesting and unique film with bags of potential is reduced to an exercise in banality. A real shame because Natalie Press and Colin Morgan give it their absolute all and the credits are wonderful, with a return for the delicate animations and that fairy tale sense of wonder.

Island is a passionate piece of work for Brek Taylor & Elizabeth Mitchell and all their considerable effort is on the screen, supported by emotional and powerful performances by the three leads. While it was clearly a difficult novel to adapt and something may have been lost in the translation for the ambiguous middle section, we might also assume the original story is to blame for a cheap ending that betrays the threads that were being so carefully drawn out. But still, it is an intriguing film that might reward repeat viewings and despite a sub-par video presentation, the DVD has an excellent gallery of bonus features that might just persuade you to give it that second chance. It is at least worth seeing to understand the passion a film-maker can have for one project over several years.


For full technical review visit DVD Compare (http://www.dvdcompare.net/review.php?rid=2528)

Title: Patrol Men ***
Post by: Najemikon on October 08, 2011, 02:24:40 AM

(http://www.invelos.com/mpimages/50/5037899011713.4f.jpg)

Patrol Men *** Year: 2010 Directors: Ben Simpson and David Campion Rating: 18 Length: 90 Min.

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Peyton Island’s inhabitants are supposedly living a contented life, secluded from the immoral temptations of modern times that mainland Britain is succumbing to. That is, so long as they are happy living under a strict curfew, enforced by a nutty Mayor and his Patrol Men, the creepy mute replacements for a police force. There could be a murderer on the loose and the charismatic Mayor is using him as bogey man to ensure the scared citizens toe the line. Alex (Chloe Van Harding) is a teenage girl living with her dad (Jez Jameson) on this island. She is friends with Jess (Josh Golga) who has only been there a few weeks and is willing to question the strange rules. When he disappears, Alex endangers herself to find out how and uncover the secret of the Patrol Men.

The real talent behind Patrol Men is in a precise understanding of the Thriller genre and despite the lack of resources, a neat sidestepping of clichés into something more naturalistic and tangible. It doesn’t matter that the vaguely dystopian theme is a well-worn template, because it’s told in an honest way that still has the power to scare and shows us the great potential of the filmmakers. Nothing feels staged, yet it is nevertheless dramatic. The opening scene is especially disturbing and perverse (hints of Dario Argento! Though a bit let down by the music) and while there is nothing else to quite match its promise, a couple of the deaths are suitably nasty.

The story was written by directors Ben Simpson and David Campion with Niall Maher and is balanced and well-paced. Dialogue is inconsistent, with some scenes flowing better than others, but small details that give a sense of depth and history to the background bulk up the plot. It doesn’t just rely on the central character either (note the sub-plot with a school inspector and an English teacher) and there’s even a bit of social context. It can occasionally feel episodic; it would work brilliantly as a comic, 2000ad style, or a creepy TV series.

As an example of the effort being put into this, I was very impressed by the great-grandfather character that has visions, because this is strictly not a supernatural tale, but all the best horrors have a dose of madness, something you can’t rationalise. This old fella is it and his few scenes are effectively staged. Throughout, Ben and David show a talent for precise composition. The poor quality set-up hides it well (not their fault, film-making is all about counting pennies), but they know how to use the frame to its best. A flashback moment with an Inspector is particularly good. The mysterious Patrol Men themselves do little, but how they are positioned and when they appear makes them very threatening. Wearing gas masks seems such a cheap solution, but it bloody works! You’ll remember them after the film has long finished. While you get used to the cheap visuals because of this confident style, the sound quality is fairly poor. It’s the limits of the environment though and there’s a decent soundtrack of modern music used well to break it up.

The cast are unknowns working for free, which is astonishing, because at least the key parts are very good. Some of the supporting cast occasionally look a bit lost and unsure, while others struggle to be consistent, but young Chloe does well as Alex. Jonathan Hansler as Mayor Yorke throws himself into the role, as a kind of Wicker Man Lord Summerisle crossed with a Bond villain. He’s great fun. Andrew Harwood Mills, perhaps the most experienced according to his IMDB profile, possibly has the most intriguing role as the Schools Inspector, but Anthony Abua as Okie, a reluctant helper to Alex, is the best, giving a layered and generous performance. His fruity dialogue helps give him the attitude and he wears it well.

The low grade production is bound to put people off, but those who make the effort will be rewarded with a decent story with a couple of scares, and an insight into a group of film-makers with a sharp talent that should blossom with more cash behind them.


For full technical review visit DVD Compare (http://www.dvdcompare.net/review.php?rid=2407)

Title: Third Star ***
Post by: Najemikon on October 08, 2011, 02:37:55 AM

(http://www.invelos.com/mpimages/50/5060103793112.4f.jpg)

Third Star *** Year: 2010 Director: Hattie Dalton Rating: 15 Length: 92 Min.

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Join James, Miles, Davy and Bill on a raucous roadtrip with a serious purpose: giving James the time of his life however little time that may be.

Third Star is a story of a dying man’s camping trip with his friends, probably his last opportunity to return to Barafundle Bay in Pembrokeshire, his favourite place in the world. While it immediately sounds self-important and you think you’ve probably seen this sort of film one too many times already, it is so brilliantly written with an easy charm that it effortlessly draws you in. For a while, it is a wonderful ode to life and an optimistic yet realistic tale about male friendship. It can’t maintain the standard, but nevertheless, it’s an easy recommendation.

The first star of this film is the cast. Benedict Cumberbatch is possibly the finest actor of his generation (Sherlock, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy) and he is superb here as the terminally ill James. His is a genuine character, with melancholy humour and no self-pity to speak of, which is good news for the audience as this kind of emotional role can easily feel manipulative. In the rare moments when he is alone, you see his fear and regret written in his face, while with his friends he can be unpredictable, ranging from noble to arrogant “prick”, as they call him at one point! The relationship between the men is absolutely convincing and the film hinges on both their banter and bickering, because like any good solid friendship, they occasionally hate one another! There’s a refreshing lack of exposition at the start and the film is at its best when merely free-wheeling. Literally so, in the strange buggy-cum-wheelchair, with a tree strapped to the back. Yes, I did say ‘a tree’. They intend to plant it as a tribute to James. Tom Burke, JJ Feild and Adam Robertson are inspiring as the loyal friends and with Cumberbatch, they easily hold the focus during the most random scenes (a bar brawl is fantastic fun in particular). We could all do with a group of mates like this, whether we were terminally ill or not.

The key to them being so convincing is in the dialogue. It’s very natural so the banter never feels forced, yet you’ll laugh out loud as if they were telling finely tuned gags and the whimsical script has a neat habit of diffusing itself before it gets too serious at several points. A discussion about what happens when you die, the notion of faith and religion, etc, is ended with one of the friends protesting, “don’t piss on my Nirvana”! Possibly the best scene is merely a conversation with an odd beachcomber, looking for washed up “brown Darth Vaders”! Hattie Dalton’s clever direction means the film never drags or feels episodic. And she works at it too. Maybe she could have got away with just making sure the camera was always pointing at the brilliant cast, but there are some great scenes making the most of the landscape. A stand-out moment for me was wild ponies being startled by the guys, or a nerve shredding attempt to get the fragile James down a steep slope.

How I wish the film was like this all the way through. The loose, rather random nature of the plot could have been pursued to become something profound, something that looks at how terrible and cruel cancer is, without being maudlin; but instead it’s as if the narrative loses nerve about halfway. Clues were there from the start, if I’m honest. The background to each friend is so convenient that only the most optimistic viewer will believe it was always going to be ignored. And then there are the awkward moments that are clearly setting up The Big Finale. The last act especially feels contrived and false, playing safe by turning into a soap opera, complete with needlessly sensational twists. Worst of all, the purity of the friends’ relationship is undermined by a need for drama and conflict to expedite a story none of us actually wanted; the characters, including James, don’t feel so real anymore, but merely designed for a purpose. A jarring agenda to the story becomes unavoidably clear and suddenly a film that seemed to understand the quiet, awful nobility of cancer seems to understand nothing at all, wasting the incredible build-up on an immature denouement with no sense of consequence. The fact it is still so powerful and moving is testament to the cast, but I can’t avoid the sense I was now being manipulated.

It’s a great shame that Third Star couldn’t quite deliver, but when it’s at its best in the first hour or so, it’s a fantastic gem. Cynics will have the story figured out early on and it pains me to say they will be absolutely proved right despite the superb first half avoiding the very conventions it eventually gives in to. While the ending is undoubtedly moving, it leaves you with a nagging sense that there was a sudden lack of thought for the consequences. You might rightly feel short-changed by a production that ultimately fails to have the courage of its early convictions and becomes selfish. Yet I still implore you to see it! Those characters, the dialogue and those performances deserve to be seen and for a while at least, it's sublime.

The DVD is also worth getting for Hattie Dalton’s two marvellous short films (both under 15 minutes): Banker won a BAFTA and stars Michael Sheen as an attendant at a sperm bank. It’s funny, grotty and slightly disturbing! Highly recommended, as is the very funny One of Those Days with Derek Jacobi. It imagines Judgement Day has arrived and how the administration would work! Jacobi is great as a reasonable chap who has nevertheless had his paperwork mixed up with an infamous figure from history. Can he and his wife negotiate their way out of a bureaucratic nightmare and make it to heaven? Great stuff with a superb ending and you might never consider Derek Jacobi in quite the same way again.

Hattie’s considerable talent in these shorts demonstrates that the main feature would have been a more satisfying experience if it wasn’t weighed down by the last half hour of nonsense.


For full technical review visit DVD Compare (http://www.dvdcompare.net/review.php?rid=2549)

Title: Re: Island ***
Post by: goodguy on October 08, 2011, 02:40:08 AM

Thanks for drawing my attention to Island. I think I vaguely noticed it before but dismissed it for the revenge story, without knowing about the fairytale aspects or Natalie Press. And if I recall correctly, you didn't care for My Summer of Love, so you being ambivalent about this one and calling it meandering gives it extra points in my book.  ;)

Title: Re: Island ***
Post by: Najemikon on October 08, 2011, 02:51:36 AM

Quote from: goodguy on October 08, 2011, 02:40:08 AM

Thanks for drawing my attention to Island. I think I vaguely noticed it before but dismissed it for the revenge story, without knowing about the fairytale aspects or Natalie Press. And if I recall correctly, you didn't care for My Summer of Love, so you being ambivalent about this one and calling it meandering gives it extra points in my book.  ;)

 :laugh: My pleasure! We should always be passionate in our reviews, but I always try to portray the subject in a way that will help others decide if it's for them, regardless of my rating or conclusion. Still, I wouldn't be surprised if we both came away with similar reservations in the end.

I know it seems like I'm trying to run a DNS attack on the site with the amount of reviews I'm catching up with, so you might have missed another one I think is definitely up your street. See Praise, an Australian drama, in my other thread... http://www.dvdcollectorsonline.com/index.php/topic,5216.msg147091.html#msg147091

Title: Re: "Fancy the pictures, me Duck?": The British Film Marathon
Post by: samuelrichardscott on October 08, 2011, 01:26:34 PM

I watched Island before sending you the review disc and I think you summed it up perfectly. :clap:

Title: Re: Island ***
Post by: goodguy on October 12, 2011, 08:29:46 AM

re: Island

Quote from: Jon on October 08, 2011, 02:51:36 AM

Still, I wouldn't be surprised if we both came away with similar reservations in the end.

 :( If anything, your review is too generous. The location is great, the actors do a fine job, but direction and cinematography are serviceable at best, with quite a few annoying distractions, such as the horror film gimmicks and flashback flashes. The opening has indeed some intrigue, but even there the film already feels a bit too neat and schematic to be of interest. As so often, mediocre films are far more disappointing than bad ones.

Title: Re: "Fancy the pictures, me Duck?": The British Film Marathon
Post by: Najemikon on October 12, 2011, 11:38:27 AM

Well, you know me, ever the optimist! I always give extra credit for effort, especially in such a low budget and the two ladies directing seemed to have a good sense of what they wanted. Apparently the project took several years to complete.

Unfortunately that does make you question why they didn't spot the problems which are quite fundamental. The narrative was shaping up to be quite clever, but it turned out to be disappointingly obvious and even now I can't fathom what the hell they were doing with the Nikki character.

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are we supposed to sympathise with her at the end, even though she's clearly nuts and has just caused the death of a lady who probably didn't deserve such retribution? And that 'rape' scene left a bad taste behind too. This is why I was so optimistic; I thought they were attempting a Straw Dogs hero-is-actually-villain sort of dynamics, but they let it play out without irony. Fail!