Reviews

Saw this as a preview at Pinewood Studios recently and was caught by surprise at how accomplished it is as a first movie. Director and co- screenwriter, Omid Nooshin has crafted an intelligent and genuinely suspenseful take on a (to be fair) not-so-original idea – the runaway train.

Populated by believable characters, the train journey gets underway and a clever introduction of the various relationships ensues. The number of passengers on board dwindles to an eclectic few, seemingly in real time, before this familiar and very British late train to Kent is invaded by the plot of a Hollywood Blockbuster. And this merger is the heart and soul of the piece – a 'what if?' scenario that sneaks out of nowhere, pulling the rug on what you thought you were watching.

If I had to level any major criticism it would be that the films ultimate ambitions are occasionally betrayed by its lack of budget, but don't let that put you off – a number of creative decisions were probably based around what couldn't be afforded and, in my opinion, are improved by the inability to throw lavish visual effects at the screen. What we are left with is a taut, claustrophobic thriller that's hard to second guess.

The film makers influences are easy to spot, the 'Dual' like scenario and the rattling interplay between a collection of disparate ('Jaws'- like) characters screams early Spielberg, whilst the slow build of simmering tension, as the reality of the situation takes hold, evokes the sensibilities of Hitchcock, as does the Herrmann-esque score. The setting doesn't stray from the confines of the train, which in a way becomes a character itself, although thankfully it never feels too static, nor becomes stale. This is a thriller that takes its time to present a credible realism – all the better so that when the brief flashes of chaos and action do erupt we are invested in the characters lives and the predicament they face becomes a life threatening battle for survival with, only too real, motive and consequence.

To reveal the details of some of the emotionally charged scenes would be remiss, save to say that Dougray Scott turns in a performance of restrained gravitas that recalls the promise of his earlier work. In fact the cast seem uniformly intent on selling the danger and urgency of the piece.

All in all, I found Last Passenger to be a thoroughly entertaining film that I'll be seeking out again when it's released on the big screen in the UK.

'Moon' is built around a stunning solitary performance by Sam Rockwell as 'Sam Bell', a lone astronaut overseeing a mining operation on the moon. With thoughts of his three year tenure coming to an end, Bell prepares himself to hand over the reins of responsibility and for the journey home, but when he begins to experience visions that put him in harm's way, the film takes us into some seriously cerebral science fiction.

Duncan Jones has crafted a melancholic yet powerful exploration of identity and isolation which manages to remain original whilst strongly evoking the feeling of films such as 'Silent Running', '2001: A Space Odyssey', and 'Solaris', to name but a few. It is to the films credit though, that such comparisons can be made, as Moon stands beside them as a sombre and philosophical foray into the eeriness and stillness that the realities of Space Travel may one day bring.

Like all really good sci-fi, 'Moon' poses difficult moral questions with regard to the development of technology and the dangers that such progress will invoke. That it does it within the confines of a creepy, atmospheric puzzle box of a movie is a bonus that will stand the test of time.

This sweet natured indie Dramedy by the Duplass brothers takes its starting point from the movie 'Signs', which posits that the unrelated trivialities of life hold a stronger more meaningful interconnectedness.

And thus, after a wrong number asking for 'Kevin', slacker Jeff (Segel) embarks on a series of misadventures, ostensibly to purchase wood glue to repair a wooden slat, but in actuality allowing this search to reveal the unpredictability of a meandering quest for a 'destiny' of any kind.

Jeff's mother, Sharon (Sarandon) is a bored office working widower whose day is brightened by an instant message from a 'secret admirer'. And his odious, yet redeemable brother Pat (Helms) is struggling to hold on to his marriage with the potentially adulterous Linda (the often overlooked, but superb, Greer). It is these disparate narrative strands of a distant and dysfunctional family unit that are woven together by Jeff's pursuance of 'Kevin', told through a mildly frenetic and documentary like lens. The plot occasionally flounders, due to its own exploration of randomness, but at a brisk 82 minutes it's always engaging.

The denouement is a touch heavy handed, but perhaps necessarily so, offering a comment on the human need for a strong and complete sense of fulfilment. What we are ultimately provided with is an unpretentious and entertaining microcosmic view of the haphazardness of existence and the arbitrary nature of fate.

Oh, and it's funny.