Films I Saw In February

Up In The Air (Jason Reitman, 2009): Likable, quirky fluff from the director of ‘Juno’. Is quite funny and moving in fairly equal measures. I don’t think it’s Oscar material and Clooney is on ‘auto pilot’ for most of the film, but Vera Farmigan and Anna Kendrick are really good in the supporting roles. It’s a solid enough movie, but probably better to catch on DVD.



The Damned United (Tom Hooper, 2009): Wasn’t expecting too much from this, but really enjoyed it. Michael Sheen is outstanding as Brian Clough during his disastrous tenure at Leeds and Colm Meaney is superb as his predecessor Don Revie. Not really a football film, more one about hubris and the arrogance of talent and has real appeal even if you aren’t really into sports (which I’m not).


Four Lions (Chris Morris, 2010): This is the long awaited suicide bomber comedy from one of my biggest heroes, Chris Morris. He’s spent years researching this, and the results are definitely on the screen. The film is intelligent, and offers a fresh perspective on cinematic terrorism. Still, it isn’t quite as satisfying as his other works, it doesn’t feel like a film, even when it unconvincingly wanders into thriller territory, and (astonishingly for Morris) just isn’t funny enough. It’s good, but feels like a missed opportunity.


Harold & Maude (Hal Ashby, 1971): One of the few big ‘New Hollywood’ films I haven’t seen. The film, a quirky love story between an existentialist 19 year old and a feisty 79 year old woman feels like the sort of thing Wes Anderson would have made now, and not in the 70’s. It’s a totally original film, unsentimental and very moving, one of the best older films I’ve seen in a while.


The Sugarland Express (Steven Spielberg, 1974): Debut theatrical film from Steven Spielberg is not quite top league for him but is still a gripping enough lovers on the run kind of film with some great chase sequences and a fine performance from Goldie Hawn.


Hellboy & Hellboy 2: The Golden Army (Guillermo Del Toro, 2004 & 2009): I wasn’t expecting too much from these films despite the brilliance of Pan’s Labyrinth, but I found both to be top flight comic/action blockbusters, with good characters, action pieces and visuals. Both are fine films, but the second one has the edge with less exposition, better action and more imagination.


The Wolfman (Joe Johnston, 2010): Long delayed horror remake with Benicio Del Toro in the title role. He does very little other than stumble around in pain or in a daze, and most of the scene chewing is left to Anthony Hopkins, whose accent seems to change on a scene by scene basis, and the brilliantly hammy Hugo Weaving as a police inspector. Effects are good enough, (CGI is still not a patch on the animatronics for American Werewolf in London) but an over reliance on ‘jumps’ over atmosphere, and the absence of little new in the plot makes it a fairly pointless watch. Would no doubt have been superior if original director Mark Romanek was at the helm.


High Plains Drifter (Clint Eastwood, 1973): Along with Unforgiven this is the best Clint Eastwood-directed film I have seen. He basically reprises his role in the Dollars Trilogy, and, as a director, has clearly learned from Leone. I was really surprised as to how fucking nasty and badass this film is; definitely one of the most vicious Westerns I have seen. Combining supernatural elements with an unconventional revenge storyline it feels original, fresh and engaging. Best of its kind I’ve seen in a while.


Hollywoodland (Allen Coulter, 2007): Decent enough Hollywood mystery film inspired by the death of original Superman TV actor George Reeves. Ben Affleck surprisingly delivers the best performance in the film as Reeves and Adrein Brody is also fine as a brooding private eye. The film is a good half hour longer than it needs to be, and the pacing isn’t very good but as neo noirs go, it’s ok.


Life Is Sweet (Mike Leigh, 1991): Early feature film from Mike Leigh with a great cast, and one of his less downbeat films. Broadband is superb (as always), as his Horrocks, Spall and Thewlis. I generally am not a fan of realist British films, but Leigh’s are always the exception. Not his best film, but ‘Life Is Sweet’ is fun and moving in equal measures. It’s rather good.


Rope (Alfred Hitchcock, 1948): Good, Hitchcock thriller if incredibly homoerotic. Famous long takes used throughout have awkward transitions, but overall it’s a suspenseful examination of suppressed desire and murder. Not one of The Master’s best but good by any other standard.


Blur: No Distance Left To Run (Dylan Southern and Will Lovelace, 2010): Solid music doc about one of my favourite bands. It’s a little self congratulatory an doesn’t really contain any new revelations, and the band (particularly Albarn) don’t always come across as likable but it’s impossible not to be moved by the climactic Glastonbury and Hyde Park performances if they mean as much to you as they do to me. Second disc on the DVD contains the Hyde Park gig, where a ‘Tender’ chant I started can be heard before they do ‘Popscene’!


Secrets And Lies (Mike Leigh, 1996): Absolutely brilliant, I’ve owned this for years but only just got around to watching it. Brenda Blethyn, who seems to spend most of the time crying after meeting a long lost daughter, is superb as is the hapless Timothy Spall as her well meaning brother. The script, acting and direction is all world class, and out of the Mike Leigh films I have seen only Naked ranks higher.


Bronson (Nicolas Winding Refn, 2009): Watchable, if slightly pointless British ‘hard man’ biopic. It’s unclear where the films sympathies lie in terms of Bronson, and one does wonder whether or not the world really needed to see a film about his life. Nevertheless it has a gritty retro feel to it, reminiscent of Alan Clark’s work and Thomas Hardy is absolutely on fire and commanding in the title role.


The Leopard/Il Gattopardo (Luchino Visconti, 1963): Long, but beautiful Italian epic with a superb international cast and gorgeous sets and costumes. The film is a lengthy meditation on the passing of the old aristocratic order in 18th century Italy. Not for everyone of course, this film is a work of art in the strictly classical sense. Burt Lancaster delivers arguably his best performances and Alain Delon and Claudia Cardinale are one of the most glamorous cinematic couples ever.


Velvet Goldmine (Todd Haynes, 2000): I watched this mainly because of my love of Bowie and Iggy, but this film is a total bastardization of their legacy. Ewan McGregor is hopelessly miscast as the surrogate Iggy, and can barely hold the accent down. The eternally contemptible Jonathan Rhys Meyers proves himself to be utterly unworthy to lick the shit off Bowie’s boots also. The entire thing is overblown, and utterly ridiculous. It may have a great soundtrack, but fuck it; I could make a film with a great soundtrack. It doesn’t mean I could make a great film though. Anyway, this certainly isn’t a great film.


Mestine (Jean-Francois Richet, 2008): I saw the first part last summer, and finally caught up with the second this month. Together, they make an outstanding crime epic, and with a recent viewing of ‘Public Enemies’ it makes me realise how tepid that film is. Cassel gives the performance of a lifetime, he is vicious, charismatic and very well dressed. His treatment of his wife and girlfriends go a long way to scuppering sympathy but overall this is an exciting, well placed crime epic. Even when viewed together it never seems overlong. Very strongly recommended.


Soylent Green (Richard Fleischer, 1973): Somewhat tree hugging sci fi thriller, the films main success is in the creation of its future world, but in terms of pacing and story structure it is kind of dull, and the ending is pretty poor. It does have a moving performance from Edward G. Robinson in his last film though.


Kick Ass (Matthew Vaughn, 2010): Superb comic/action adaptation with a star making turn from Johnson and a brilliant comeback from Nic Cage. The film zips by and is such delirous fun it should be illegal.


Telstar (Nick Moran, 2009): Solid adaptation of Nick Moran’s 2006 play about producer Joe Meek, which I saw with Con O’Neil in its original run. Spacey does a decent enough British accent and is effective as his manager, and the ever annoying James Corden is actually OK as his drummer. It’s much longer than it needs to be, and does tend to drag the final act along quite a bit but O’Neil is superb as Meek and makes the film worth seeing.