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Reviews
The Seventeenth Kind (2014)
Exciting adaptation of a timely and satirical sci-fi short story
As a huge Michael Marshall Smith fan, I had been waiting for this release with a mixture of excitement and trepidation. Would they screw up one of my all-time favourite short stories? I can say with relief that not only have they captured Smith's uniquely idiosyncratic style; they have created something supremely cinematic out of what is a very claustrophobic story on paper. Without giving too much away (the less you know the better for this type of film) Tony Curran plays a vain TV presenter who is forced to use his guile and cunning to thwart an Alien invasion during a shopping channel broadcast. As somebody primarily familiar with Curran for his sinister and brooding work in 'Defiance' and 'Underworld' I was surprised at what a great comic actor he is. It's no mean feat playing somebody smarmy, arrogant and still likable at the same time but he pulls it off with great energy. Really inspired casting and I hope this leads to more comic roles for him. Sylvester McCoy (playing a salesman who is not quite who he seems), is
well he's Sylvester McCoy! For those of us who grew up on his Doctor Who this of courses translates as bloody awesome! The same goes for Brian Blessed. The same goes for Miriam Margoles. The same goes for Ralph Brown. For genre geeks like me of a certain age, this really is nirvana. In short a wonderful adaption of a brilliantly satirical story. I predict big things for director Andy Collier and urge him to adapt Straw Men next!
Clerks (1994)
You'll either love it or wonder what all the fuss is about.
Clerks is very much a movie of it's time. Now a kid with an I-Phone would most probably produce something more technically proficient. Many of it's pop culture references are dated and at times the performances can feel undeniably stilted. It's also one of the best movies of the 90's-and for those of us who has worked as a store Clerk probably of all time. It might sound odd talking about a movie that is 80 per cent Star Wars and Dick jokes in such lofty terms but as with most great comedies, there is something deeper going on beyond the gags and banter. Themes of frustration, isolation and friendship are explored much more acutely and intelligently than many a po-faced drama attempting to tackle similar subjects. Highly recommended.
Cypher (2002)
A sci-fi thriller with both style and substance
Vincenzo Natalie produced a cult classic with his ingenious debut feature Cube. His follow up is just as smart and engaging but unfortunately a lot less well known.
Cypher follows Jeremy Northam (delivering a wonderfully transformative performance) as an office worker who becomes entangled in a web of high tech corporate espionage.
While individual elements have clearly been cribbed from some more high profile films, taken as whole Cypher feels stylish, cerebral and even unexpectedly emotional by the end credits. List it alongside other under-appreciated Sci-Fi gems like Gattaca, Existenz and A.I.
The Young Poisoner's Handbook (1995)
One of the most underrated British films of all time?
If you are able to cast aside the moral implications of creating a comedy( albeit a pitch black one) out of relatively recent real life tragic events than you'll find one of the 90's(and British cinema's) most underrated offerings. The Young Poisoner's Handbook tells the 'true' story of a very sick and twisted young man(brilliantly played by Hugh O'Connor) in appropriately sick and twisted fashion. If the Coen Brothers where British you could imagine them producing something along these lines. Indeed Benjamin Ross's debut feature is so accomplished and idiosyncratic you find yourself wondering why he hasn't a long list of features under his belt. Oh well, he has this one and it's great. Seek it out!
Collateral (2004)
Tom Cruises Best Film
Actually not only Tom Cruises best film but also Michael Mann's. Yes, I'm including Heat in that! The set up is simplicity itself. A Hit man( Cruise)coerces a meek cab driver( Foxx) to ferry him around L.A as he terminates a list of targets over the course of 1 night. As premises goes it's deliciously efficient but hardly mind blowing. The brilliance of the film is taking this somewhat generic starting point and adding a level of nuance and characterisation lacking in the vast majority of genre thrillers.
Jamie Foxx was nominated for an Oscar for his excellent portrayal of a man discovering his balls as his circumstances go from bad to worse. It's Tom Cruise however( playing against type) who truly creates a classic character in Vincent- a psychopath who is both chilling and likable. Tom Cruise may be the worlds biggest movie star but it is easy to forget( and ignore) what a great character actor he can be on the rare occasion he is able to shed his hero image. His career may have produced more iconic roles but for my money this is his most interesting.
Another element that also helps differentiate Collateral from the genre crowd is the cinematography. While most film makers try as hard as possible to use digital to replicate the film look, Michael Mann boldly goes in completely the opposite direction. Digital is proudly made to look digital-giving the film a hyper real( and unique) aesthetic it would otherwise lack.
I debated whether I should rate this film a 10 out of 10 because it is does have noticeable flaws( although what film doesn't when you look hard enough). As a myriad of other reviewers have pointed out, the 3rd act feels rather predictable and by the numbers in comparison to the inventive excellence of the first 75 minutes or so. None the less, while the ending may not hold any surprises, crucially it is still satisfying and does not derail( unlike so many movies with that begin with such promise)what has come before. In fact, upon my second viewing, what initially felt like plot contrivance suddenly felt thematically elegant and exactly as it should be.
A great, tense thriller. Watch it!