Monthly Film Reviews (October, LATE!)

I'm going to do mini-reviews of films I've seen recently for you cool kids. I may do it every couple of weeks. Comment your opinions if you've seen them. Obviously, I've seen thousands of films, but I'm going to start from last week. I don't give full marks out easily, as neither do I give bottom marks out easily, bare that in mind.

"Upstream Color" (Netflix) - I can't even begin to try and explain what is happening here. Trust me. It's the same Director who did 'Primer', it's essentially a Sci-Fi film without any real science fiction. Where Primer confused you with sciency-talk that you didn't risk trying to debunk, this confuses you with imagery and references.

It's shot really well and has quite a surreal edge to it. It's narrative may not be to everyone's taste as there's a lot of mumbly dialogue to give off a naturalist vibe. I expected more but I found it interesting enough.

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"The Rover" (Amazon Prime) - I absolutely love Australian films done well. The slight change yet similarity in culture always adds something extra for me. After seeing 'Animal Kingdom' and thinking it was probably one of the best films of the year, The Rover was put on my watch-list as soon as it was announced. Now, Robert Patterson is a lead character in this alongside Guy Pearce but I hope people look past the Twilight thing because personally I think teen-movie actors should be given a chance at serious roles. Unless your Taylor Lautner and then you're just asking for trouble - put a t-shirt on for fuck sake. I've even given old Harry Potter the benefit of the doubt a couple of times.

Anyway, the film itself is nothing like Animal Kingdom, it's very slow and builds up it's narrative through the cinematography of the baron near-future landscape and grubby inhabitants.

R.Patz for me is playing someone with learning difficulties, at least that's what I'm telling myself to make his performance er on the thin line of good and bad. Not even in a Nic Cage way. In all though the film was quite enjoyable, it had a mute-tone which I generally like anyway as I don't need people constantly yapping to get what is going on. I'm being only very slightly generous in the score of:

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"The Signal" (Netflix) - I actually really liked this. It's about a paraplegic computer whiz at MiT who is dropping his girlfriend off at her new Uni/College and decides to pay a visit to a hacker who has been bothering him and his mate for a while whilst on the way.

All of this goes to shit, obviously, and they all end up in some kind of Area 51 type complex after seemingly having made contact with Aliens. I can't say any-more on the story other than it progresses really well, with the Action actually building up closer to the ending. The twist I saw coming about 30 minutes near the end but I don't think it's that obvious really. It's definitely underrated.

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"Late Phases" (Netflix) - Werewolf movie. If you've seen 'Stakeland', you'll recognise the main protagonist in this, who plays a grumpy blind veteran in an old people's home. He's no way old enough to be there and the make-up is pretty average. This actually progresses decently enough, the acting is borderline but after a shaky 10 minutes it becomes interesting.

I will say this now, the Werewolves are pretty shocking. They are more like giant evil Rats with plastic looking complexions, but the transition scene is up there with one of the best of this genre.

If you can get through the first sighting of the Werewolf, you'll be able to enjoy this decent flick.

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"The Conspiracy" (Netflix) - Found-footage horror/thriller based on two film-makers who follow a conspiracy nut who is convinced of secret societies / illuminati and 9/11 being a government false-flag. The said conspiracy nut then goes missing and the two film-makers try and work out what happened.

There's parts that are really creepy and a few times I stopped to remember that this is all based around real-world theories, which heightened it for me scare-wise. It's definitely better than the lack of marketing has suggested and if you're a bit of a tin-hat wearer yourself then give it a watch. 

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"What We Do in the Shadows" (Netflix) - A mockumentary about a group of Vampire house-mates in New Zealand. This was actually pretty funny. All the vamps are from different periods which is explained quite well in sketches, so everyone has their unique personality that is built around that. A lot of gags from the seen-it-coming line but also a few that were unexpected.

The script plays on the more 'underwhelming' realisations of what Vampires are actually like, but has enough changes in pace to keep you going. I always rate comedies in comparison to other comedies, and this is easily a 7/10 for me.

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"Hyena (2014 film)" (Netflix) - A gritty dirty-cop thriller by the same Director/Actor combo as 'Tony'. The film follows a coke-snorting detective and his colleagues who are in with some dirty drug smuggling business that quickly goes bad and are forced to work with a new set of criminals who don't trust them (and whom they don't trust either).

The story doesn't particularly move forward other than when he meets a human-trafficked woman and some violent scenes trying to get her out. I enjoyed it for it's almost noir style and credible acting. The ending is pretty annoying, so if you hate "Soprano-type" finales you may want to re-consider watching it. Excellent cinematography, solid acting and with grungy cop-thriller vibe it's worth a look.

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"Grabbers" (Netflix) - Set in coastal part of Ireland, a weird Alien squid thing is killing people. It took me a while to watch this because the poster for it looked too B-Movie for me to consider it a serious choice. However when I did I found that this was a very Shaun of the Dead type film that can be enjoyed if you aren't being too try-hard for the night.

There's definitely a bit of wonky-Irish-accentry going on with the clearly Sheffield-based actor who has a shit perm. However the idea that this Alien can't eat you if you're pissed is quite funny. I'm glad I ended up watching this as it was definitely not the SyFy special I expected.

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I actually can't believe I've watched 8 films this week and not be single.

Umm, am I disturbed?

Film in Question: Audition

I picked up this film after watching Martyrs, Ichi the Killer, Inside, Etc...
And I have to say it wasn't as gruesome as I expected. The scenes I found, were way too brief, in comparison to how long I had to sit through awkward mundane chatter between the two leads.. The thing is, I feel it needs to be seen by someone who has no expectation of violence, that way it's shock value is heightened. So here lies the problem - if I wasn't privy to it's hyped up gruesomeness, would I have waited around to see it?

However, my overall perception of Audition is a positive one and I may be tempted to rewatch it.

Re-watching Shutter Island

I watched Shutter Island again on Monday, and it really is worth a second viewing. When I saw it at the cinema, I loved it anyway, but upon watching it again you pick up on clues that allow you to make up a whole different perception of the characters. Things that you may just bypass as non-instrumental the first time around, add evidence to a re-opened case.  

Watching this the first time, at the end I was sticking by the protagonist, entrusting his beliefs over any evidence other characters throw at him - defending his case at all cost. However re-watching the film certifies the protagonist a non-reliable narrator.

What  I find good about this film, is exactly what others didn't. They automatically assume that because a laid out conclusion is what they had already worked out isn't part of the illusion. Quoting people that claim it to be "Scorsese's Gothika" just establishes my point that they think the film is a clear cut Asylum thriller that we've all seen before. I'm afraid not, It some-what annoys me to hear people not understand the film as it gives me a feeling of disappointment for it. I won't add any spoilers but let me say this film will have you believe you know what is going to happen, but on further inspection and especially on a second viewing you will eventually build a case of doubt. 

The whole point is that nothing is as it seems, even the title Shutter Island is an anagram of Truth and Lies. Scorsese trademarks are all over the film, but lest not be confused with what his priority was. The book by Lehane was actually intended to be unfathomably confusing, as he has stated himself. For something for others who have seen this movie to take into account, do you really think the point was that you couldn't work out the ending? Or whether the ending was even correct at all? 

This film leaves you with questions, a lot more than can be said of other movies, so if you like that sort of thing, open your mind, and watch this.

Watch Yo'self Pilgrim

I've been in a band for say... 3 Months? Yet we don't really have a single name.. to our name. Although it seems it's not very important to the other guys in the band, until we're on the road to giggdom. I think because I love making stuff on the computer and generally just coming up with names, for everything it is to me.

So I came up with a few names, but I really like this one...  What do we reckon?

Ah, the first post.

Well, some how you have stumbled upon my blog - which just so happens to be my very first. Ok, so what I may or may not have in store for you is the weird and not very wonderful world of my brain. The sole intention of creating this blog was indeed somewhere in which to vent my ramblings in a public domain, slightly less public than the Colosseum of Critique and Judgement that is Facebook. I'm sure you may / may not find Reviews for Films I've enjoyed / hated, samples of things I'm working on, be it Art, Band Practise sessions, or Drafts from my numerous Screen-writing  projects.