Thursday September 30th 2010
Has anyone else got a cold at the moment? I have, and it’s not helpful when I’m trying to watch a movie. My throat closes up, my nose aches and my eyes water so much that I look like I’m in tears over the slightest dramatic incident.
The point I’m trying to make is that, when I went to see Buried on Tuesday, I was predisposed to feel claustrophobic. But it still wasn’t totally effective.
I’ll sum it up in five points, if that’s OK with you:
1. It is indeed set in a box. Hooray for that.
2. Ryan Reynolds is great, and I struggle to think of another actor who could have done the job better. I would like to see a gender-swap remake with Amy Adams though.
3. It actually manages to do the orange/teal grading thing quite legitimately, due to most of the lighting coming from either a mobile phone or a lighter.
4. It’s too long, it loses all sense of direction at the 60 minute mark, and so much of the action is phone-based that after a while it starts to feel like an audiobook.
5. 6/10.
Wednesday September 29th 2010
Well I’ve been sent two by accident.
Suck on that, ‘HeyUGuys’.
Monday September 27th 2010
Michael Winterbottom’s The Killer Inside Me, which as I’ve already pointed out is both amazing and fantastic, is out on (DVD and) Blu-ray today and it is well worth exchanging some currency for.
It’s an exemplary transfer (I’m almost tempted to use the word ‘lush’) and while it might not seem like the kind of film you’re going to stick on on a Sunday afternoon, you’d be surprised what a satisfying repeat watch it is.
AND! The ‘cast and crew interviews’ included are some of the worst I’ve ever seen. Standard definition video, Windows Movie Maker-style titles and audio that sounds like it was recorded on one of those little pens with a dictaphone inside.
Nonetheless, this is worth your money.
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[While we're on the subject: the fact that Empire can call a film 'near faultless' and then give it four stars raises serious questions about the films they give five stars. Are we supposed to believe that Kick-Ass, Winter's Bone and Precious are literally faultless? Jus' sayin' is all.]
Sunday September 26th 2010
If there’s one thing I don’t particularly look forward to each Autumn, it’s seeing ‘this year’s Little Miss Sunshine‘. A range of fairly average, conventional comedies have been included in this spurious category, mainly because they’ve got a bit of swearing in them or feature Zooey Deschanel.
The Kids are All Right, from unpronounceable director Lisa Cholodenko, is most definitely ‘this year’s Little Miss Sunshine‘ and has already amassed more buzz than the Oxford Street Disney Store [that's like a proper joke right there].
Unfortunately, it’s actually really really good as well, which makes writing a knowingly irreverent blog post on it all the more difficult. The cast are phenomenal (especially Mia Wasikowska, Annette Bening and Julianne Moore), there are dozens of perfectly observed little moments, and if it wasn’t for the distractingly wall-to-wall indie soundtrack (HOORAY VAMPIRE WEEKEND HOORAY) and mildly cop-out ending, I’d be pushing this straight to the top end of our Best of 2010 list.
As it is, I’m going to have to have a think.
