Saturday 30 May 2015

It Follows


Spoiler Alert!

Original and terrifying, It Follows gives us an entity with many faces - a curse to be bestowed upon one, transferable through sex. Horror films have often utilised a sexually transmitted conceit - playing on our fears of real-world sexual contraction. Taking a subtler approach with It Follows, the film-makers have successfully given us a parable which stays long in the memory.

Written and directed by David Robert Mitchell, It Follows begins with one such victim of the curse running scared around suburbia, evading an invisible (to the audience at least) entity. By the end of the opening act, we discover the fate which awaits all who come into contact with the curse.

Shortly there after we're introduced to Jay (Maika Monroe), a high-school graduate with a close group of friends - sweet on a guy who she's prepared to take the next step with. Before you can yell, "Steer clear, girl!", the deed is done! Awaking from a chloroform attack, Jay finds herself tied to a wheelchair, with her lovely new beau explaining what's gonna happen to her next. A naked woman soon approaches, intent on chasing Jay down (all be it at a creepily slow pace). Despite bestowing an horrific curse on her, Jays new fella decides to give her the heads-up on her bedevilled new existence (bless him)!

Suitably shocked but less than convinced, Jay returns to her friends and family and continues on her path. Before long another ghostly figure approaches (a former victim perhaps?). After several disturbing encounters, Jay tracks down her former lay, along with her friends to discover more.
Various things are learnt, not least is the fact that others who contract the curse and pass it on are a link in an ever-expanding chain - accountable and in danger, should the curse find it's way back to them. What follows are various attempts at out-manoeuvring and out-smarting this perpetual menace.

After a fantastic build and various inventive encounters with the antagonist(s), the final act is a little too subtle for its own good. The formula of ridding the curse by passing it on is repeated once too often and the final denouement is unclear (there's a suggestion that the curse has been passed to a prostitute or two)? Ultimately our main protagonist (Jay) continues on with her life - new boyfriend and fellow curse(y) in toe. One has to assume that together they are living with the curse - supporting one another, as many victims of sexually incurable disease the world over have to do.

It Follows is a great little horror movie with a fantastic premise. David Robert Mitchell, along with his cast and crew have brought sexually transmitted infection to the fore once again. These issues continue to be relevant and will hopefully spark conversation (and dare I say it, action)! Interestingly there's no mention of contraception throughout the films entirety - surely this would have made for an interesting plot device, if nothing else? The fact that it's been jettisoned altogether is a tad irresponsible to my mind.

Dour though the ending might be, It Follows proves once again that you don't need blood and guts or even digital effects to scare an audience. More often its those primal fears which concern us most. Mistakes made in the heat of passion and the inevitability of our own demise continue to be foremost on our minds!

4/5


Poster image courtesy: https://uk.pinterest.com

Friday 29 May 2015

Avengers: Age of Ultron


The sequel to the biggest super-hero movie of all time is here! With all the principles of the first adventure returning (Joss Whedon in-particular), Age of Ultron arrives with high expectations - and it doesn't disappoint!

Beginning with an assault on a HYDRA base, Age of Ultron sees our heroes cleaning up the SHIELD/HYDRA debacle after the events of The Winter Soldier. Tony Stark is determined to prevent any possible threat which may lie ahead - particularly after having the proverbial carpet pulled from under him and the rest of the Avengers.
Not content with building a number of Iron Man suits, Stark has since been tinkering with drones (of a kind), in an effort to keep the world safe - covering more ground than the Avengers ever could. Starks next step is to give the drones independent thought - in effect creating artificial intelligence. With Dr Banner on side, Stark goes about putting his plans into action - absolving the task of the Avengers forever.

Not all goes as planned however, with Starks experiment birthing the villainous Ultron. With the history of man at his disposable (thank you internet), Ultron comes to the realisation that should humans be saved, they will not be safe from themselves - thusly we should all be wiped from the face of the planet!
So begins a plan by Ultron (free to travel from Starks drones to HYDRAs drones, improving upon them incrementally) to rid man from this Earth.

Meanwhile two orphans, who have grown to hate Stark (as a result of his former weaponry dealings) seek Ultron out. Pietro and Wanda Maximoff are twins who have been experimented on by Baron Von Strucker (of HYDRA fame). They have the power of speed and the power of psychic manipulation respectively.
Ultron uses the twins powers to great effect, disorientating our team of heroes. One of the highlights of the movie sees our team independently second-guessing themselves, immersed in vivid dreams and nightmares. More so than the opening "splash-page" of the HYDRA assault, these sequences bring some classic Marvel imagery to life - not least is the decimation of the Avengers, as seen through Starks eyes.

Despite some chilling imagery and a serious threat to avenge, Age of Ultron is a lot of fun! One could argue that the film is funnier than most comedies of late! Of course with Joss Whedon at the helm (and chief writer to boot) this is hardly surprising. DC are gonna be hard-pressed to trump Marvel with their seemingly dark/serious approach.
The humour in the Marvel Universe is absolutely essential - making every tale of good triumphing over evil a distinguishable one (see also: thoroughly entertaining)! All the boxes have been ticked in this new adventure, but the humour will be the primary ingredient remembered!

Another notable ingredient this time is the sheer expansiveness of the Marvel-verse. Since Iron Man in 2008 the Marvel universe has been growing larger with each subsequent adventure. Age of Ultron never pauses for scintillating breath - truly delivering on an ever increasing cross-pollination of characters. Along with the Avengers, we have appearances from Falcon and War Machine, the aforementioned twins (Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch) and the creation of a further hero. A welcome addition to the Marvel-verse, sporting the dulcet tones of Paul Bettany (formerly Starks super computer, Jarvis).

With events in full swing, Age of Ultron also offers some tantalising hints at what's to come. Despite his willingness to do good, Stark treads on quite a few toes in this adventure, giving credence to the upcoming Civil War tale - cracks in the team are indeed visible! Trouble is a foot in Asgard for Thor and the power of the Infinity Stones are further realised - the Infinity War is coming yo!!

Marvel have done it yet again with Age of Ultron. Joss Whedon, his cast and crew have surpassed themselves, delivering a thrilling yarn with spectacle-a-plenty. Each character is given their chance to shine. No one is left-out or forgotten - a team effort indeed!

4/5


Poster image courtesy: http://www.hypable.com

Tuesday 5 May 2015

Fast and the Furious 7


Two years ago I reviewed Fast 6 on this very blog. With Fast 5 a watershed moment in this series, I had high hopes for the sixth instalment. It didn't disappoint and has in fact improved with each subsequent viewing.
Fast 5 is still the benchmark for me - making the impossible appear possible, in terms of effects work and stunts (a thrilling story helped no end)! To my mind Fast 6 veered over that line. Things started to appear less believable, relinquishing the investment audiences had made with Toretto and company. Subsequently the fate of Toretto and his team became more inconsequential.

Well, Fast 7 makes the previous entry look almost documentary-like in it's execution! I caught the Road Runner Movie on television the other day (hilarious) and after seeing Fast 7, I can say with some certainty that the two share more with one another than any previous Fast and the Furious entry!

Fast 7 comes with high hopes of course (the least of which is the integrity of the series I'm sure). At the forefront of most peoples minds will be the passing of Paul Walker and the completion of said film without one of it's leads.
The bulk of these questions and more fell at the feet of new director James Wan - a substantial change from long-time director of the series Justin Lin.
Known for his horror output over the last eleven years (Saw, Insidious, The Conjuring), Wan was a left-field choice, but an assured one.
Keen to stretch his repertoire perhaps, Wan has fully embraced the aesthetic of the series. The giant title is indicative of Wans recent output, but everything else is glistening chrome and glistening flesh - accompanied by an R&B/Hip-Hop infused soundtrack and enough sharp, quick edits to keep even the casual viewer captivated.

Fast 7 sees Owen Shaw (from episode 6) hospitalised and crippled - with his brother Deckard (the Stath) out for revenge. After visiting his brother, Deckard goes about acquiring information on Torettos whereabouts. His first stop is the DSS offices of Los Angeles and the computer of one Luke Hobbs (Dwayne Johnson) - big mistake!
Deckard and Hobbs go head to head in one of the best scenes, which goes some way to establishing the Looney Tunes-esque nature of this instalment. Surely one punch from Johnsons tree trunk-like arms would kill most men?!

Once Shaw is loose from Hobbs grasp, he's hot on the heels of Toretto and his gang. Hobbs does what he can to land some help at Torettos feet in the form of a deal. This particular deal comes from Mr Nobody (Kurt Russell), a government spook on the trail of some stolen technology.
The McGuffin this time is the Gods Eye - a headache-inducing piece of equipment, which can search the globe for a specific individual, utilising the personal tech of the planets population. Buy more phones people - lets make this thing a reality (if it isn't already of course)!
In exchange for retrieving this device, Mr Nobody will help locate Deckard Shaw and further help Toretto bring him to justice.
Hence forth a series of increasingly ridiculous set-pieces to get the blood pumping!

A lot of the fun of Fast 7 (not to mention the rest of the series) comes with the acknowledgement of cast and crew at the absurdity of the events unfolding. A good portion of this series has been executed with tongue firmly in cheek, leaving little doubt that all involved are having a blast!
The producers of this series believe bigger is better and so far they've not been wrong. I stand by my belief that a return to a slightly more grounded adventure would benefit this series greatly. Lets get clever with these characters before an adventure on Mars ensues!

Talking of grounded, the end of Fast 7 is handled with great sensitivity. With Walkers passing in mind, Toretto (Diesel) leads a fond farewell to his fallen brother - allowing for both Walker and the character of Brian to live on in film-land.
The fact that this little sequence has the ability to bring a tear to the eye should further demonstrate the expertise this team brings to the Fast franchise. There's no question they know exactly what they're doing. Here's to Fast 8 in a year or so!

3/5


Poster image courtesy: http://hnnblogs.com

Monday 4 May 2015

Top Five


Top Five is the third feature from comedian/writer/director Chris Rock. It's a rom-com of sorts, undoubtedly pooling from Rocks own personal experiences.

Rock plays Andre Allen, a successful comedian with a feature-film career. Allen is accompanied by Chelsea Brown (Rosario Dawson) on a press tour to promote his latest opus, Uprize (the first dramatic retelling of the Haitian uprising of 1791). Chelsea is a journalist from the New York Times interviewing Allen for a feature.
Chelsea is our window into Allens life and her subsequent interview helps us learn of Allens past, present and future.

Allens story is the classic rags to riches tale (up to and including the inevitable creative impasse).
Rock is telling the story of the comedian here. An all too familiar story beginning with the creative freedom of the past, which walked hand in hand with obscurity (later notoriety). Then with commercial success comes compromise - the arch-nemesis to creativity! Ultimately commitment and responsibility befall our once and future king - with the need to keep those around him fed and watered.
So many of our heros (particularly comedians) appear to struggle to recapture the energy and originality of their youth. Rather than embrace their age and adapt, they often play it safe with projects so broad, they may hit with box office receipts but they too often miss creatively. Comfortable and secure in their privileged surrounds, the desire to rock the boat is long gone. Interesting how the very same risks and bombast they took in their youth can signify career suicide years later?!

Rock covers all of the above and more in Top Five - much of which can be measured by Allens romantic entanglements. With a marriage to Americas, reality-television sweetheart on the calender, Chelsea represents a romantic gamble. Chelsea seeks the truth from Allen and doesn't shy away from asking the tough questions.
Being in the limelight as Allen has all these years, we learn the truth of his past indiscretions. These flashbacks break-up the conversation between Allen and Chelsea nicely. Full of physical comedy, they are genuinely funny and further help form the put-upon character of Allen.

Reminiscent of Richard Linklater and Woody Allen before him, Top Five is a fly on the wall account of two people getting to know one another, via witty and engaging repartee - with the streets of New York their backdrop.

Interestingly Top Five brings to light a lot of the same themes as Birdman (they would make for a great double-feature). While Birdman took more of an insular look at it's subject, Top Five looks outward at the trappings of fame and celebrity. Together they create a grand expose on the power of stardom, both good and bad.

Lest we forget, these are first-world problems these characters are facing, but problems never the less. Both films acknowledge this with an infectious smile and a vulnerable heart - exactly how the free world should face all their problems really!

4/5


Poster image courtesy: http://www.reddit.com