31 Monday Oct 2016
Posted in Announcements
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It feels like I’m getting a lot better than a few days ago. I think it is the last part of the virus now and that it is leaving me in peace. Thank God I say, that virus needs a kick in the balls. I wanted to tell you all I feel a lot better now, still not 100% but around 98.
31 Monday Oct 2016
Posted in Movie Reviews
Tags
1980's, A Nightmare on Elm Street, Amanda Wyss, Heather Langenkamp, Horror, John Saxon, Johnny Depp, Nick Corri, Robert Englund, Ronee Blakley, Wes Craven
Film Title
A Nightmare on Elm Street
Director
Wes Craven
Starring
A seminal horror classic that is perfect for spooky viewing today on Halloween, A Nightmare on Elm Street is atmospheric and exceptionally directed terror that sucks you right in to the strange story and introduces the world to another horror villain in the shape of Freddy Krueger.
The film centres on a group of teenagers; Nancy, Tina, Glen and Rod, in a quiet town, who begin experience unusual things in their dreams. 
Tina is the first member to have the vivid nightmares, and who begins to get very frightened of the possibility of death by what she sees. All of the teens seem to have had the same dream of a scarred man with knives on his fingers called Freddy Krueger tormenting them. But these dreams take a definite and more sinister tone when Tina is actually killed while dreaming of this. Thuggish bad boy Rod is accused of the slaying and arrested, but Nancy( who is the daughter of the local police chief) is not to sure as she can’t shake the feeling that the shared experience of dreaming the same thing holds a bearing over this. Nancy is right about the man from the dreams being responsible, but everyone else thinks she his going crazy due to grief. As more blood is spilled, it becomes a struggle to stay awake and not drift to sleep, where Freddy can kill them. It also transpires that there is something hidden by Nancy’s parents regarding Freddy, that may just hold the key to his murderous appearances. Yet Nancy has already deduced a way that she may be able to render the seemingly omnipotent Freddy powerless. With an array of strong plans, she sets up battle against the monster that is Krueger, with the intent on putting a stop to his savage killings once and for all.
The horror maven that is Wes Craven is the man behind this work of cinematic horror. His expertise in the macabre and terrifying are bountiful and for all to glimpse, with most impressive achievement being the way he blurs dreams and reality to become jagged and indistinguishable. By employing this technique, Craven catapults the audience into the confusion of the central teens as they look for ways to stop falling asleep for fear of what will happen. 
There are numerous times when even we are not sure whether we are viewing a dream sequence or normality as the effect of each is meshed to such a spectacular degree. Memorable moments come from this film and continue to enthrall. My personal favourites being the opening dream of Tina’s in the boiler room that sets the atmosphere of the film, Nancy following a ghostly vision of Tina wrapped in a bloody body bag and Nancy’s setting of traps to ensnare the bogeyman of Freddy for good. A Nightmare on Elm Street established the horror icon of scarred child killer Freddy Krueger, who no doubt had viewers terrified of going to sleep and still no doubt does that today. With that maniacal cackle, gruesome appearance and sly wit, he is one of the best villains to come from the horror genre. The sins of the parents theme is visited quite well and adds another element of tension to the strange mix at work. Where the biggest points are scored in A Nightmare on Elm Street is the aural landscape of spooky synthesizers and repeating percussion to create a haunting, childlike influenced score of sinister backbone that will make even the most serious person afraid and with nerves jangled.
The lead character of scared but plucky Nancy is embodied by the naturalness and likable delivery of Heather Langenkamp. 
Nancy is the only person who realises the link between the dreams and the deaths and sets out to. She is depicted as a strong and intelligent young girl who is adept at survival and unlike some girls in horror that are thrust into battling, Nancy is the instigator of the fight with a fierce determination. The smarts are wonderfully provided by the assured work of Heather Langenkamp, who shows us a Scream Queen of cleverness and vigor. Robert Englund cements his place in movie history with his creepy interpretation of the knife-wielding Freddy Krueger. With a despicable and unearthly menace, he scares the hell out of everyone because of how powerful the character seems to be(and the fact that dreams are uncontrollable). John Saxon and Ronee Blakley contribute a sense of unspoken terror and knowledge playing Nancy’s parents, who have more than a little inkling of what is going on. A young Johnny Depp in his movie debut, portrays the goofy boyfriend of Nancy who is also dragged into the creepy goings on that plague him and his friends. Nick Corri and Amanda Wyss are used well as two of the teens who fall victim to the slayings.
Frightening from start to finish and packed with spine-tingling events, not least of which is the ability to traverse reality and imaginary, A Nightmare on Elm Street is deservedly a classic of the horror genre for its execution and ability to scare, even by today’s standards.
29 Saturday Oct 2016
Posted in Movie Reviews
Tags
1980's, Amy Steel, April Fool's Day, Clayton Rohner, Deborah Foreman, Deborah Goodrich, Fred Walton, Griffin O'Neal, Horror, Jay Baker, Ken Olandt, Leah Pinsent, Mystery, Thomas F. Wilson
Film Title
April Fool’s Day
Director
Fred Walton
Starring
A very witty and suspenseful slasher, that is also a mystery in its overtones, April Fool’s Day brings the fun factor to the genre and the fact that it’s a bit different stands it in good stead.
On the weekend just leading up to April Fool’s Day, a number of college friends; Kit, Rob, Arch, Chaz, Nikki, Harvey, Nan and Skip are invited to the island home of rich fellow student Muffy St. John. 
On the way over to her home by ferry, a joke between them unintentionally causes physical harm to the deckhand Buck, who is subsequently hospitalized. Though the group are more than a little shaken by the injury of Buck, they plod in hopes of having a good time on the island. Hostess Muffy immediately sets the playful tone of the weekend with practical jokes for everyone. The party is soon in full swing as everyone gets a little tipsy and some get frisky. As the jokes mount however, hidden secrets from the past are referenced for a few characters which can only spell something bad. Yet while the feeling of the house started as a laugh for everyone in the beginning, darkness takes hold as members of the group go missing and later turn up dead. Just who is the person behind these killings? Does the privileged Muffy have anything to do with the scary turn of events. The terrified teens want to know, if they can live that long that is as the next ferry comes on Monday. Could this be a prank gone way too far or something a lot more sinister? It becomes apparent that not all of them are going to make it until the ferry for the mainland arrives and it’s up to the remaining youths to survive what remains of their time in the house.
Fred Walton brings a workmanlike sense of direction and considerable flair to the material, allowing humour, mystery and horror to converge simultaneously. He establishes the links between the humour of the piece and the creeping horror that will befall all almost from the beginning, when the joking of the kids accidentally causes harm to The trick to getting humour right in horror is knowing when to stop and not overpower the film, which April Fool’s Day does efficiently as it still provides jolts and shocks. While it is a horror/ slasher in many regards, the film masquerades as a whodunnit, with countless references to Agatha Christie. 
This approach definitely surprised me as I was expecting a full on horror, but the mystery of it all is actually what makes April Fool’s Day a cut above the rest as it takes an atypical route. The biggest asset in April Fool’s Day’s artillery is the well woven and banter filled script that it has. Written by Danilo Bach, it sets up the jokey and playful atmosphere of the title, while cutting in some crafty suspense. The script makes the characters a likable and funny group who you would like to spend time with, if they were real of course. And it says a lot about the film that when certain characters meet death, you are a bit sad to see them depart. With a title like the one the film has, you definitely expected the unexpected. April Fool’s Day delivers heavily in that area, especially the ending which I did not see coming at all. The only thing I will say is that it is a sly conclusion to a well mounted film. 
For a horror, the film is largely sparing on gore, only showing us the aftermath. Some of the make up effects are more than a little dated, but this flaw can be overlooked as the film is more concerned with the mind games than anything else. A wonderfully composed score hits the right balance between tricky humour and creepy terror, with an eerie whistling sound pervading the music with an enigmatic unease. All of these elements distinguish the film as something different in the genre and make April Fool’s Day a film that should be better known, as I feel it is highly underrated when people discuss films in the genre.
A fresh and competent cast perform very well, supplying April Fool’s Day with good performances that are better than some that you glimpse in horror films. 
A delightfully off-kilter vibe radiates from Deborah Foreman as the pampered hostess of the weekend. By turns, there is a playfulness and then a kookiness that appears that is pretty mysterious and strange. You get the feeling that there is something not right about Muffy, but thanks to the enigmas created by Deborah Foreman, we are unsure if she is really capable of anything this twisted. Amy Steel stands out as the most resourceful of the teens and the most down to earth one when things get creepy. Rob Olandt is on hand to be the heroic guy of the group and compliments Steel pretty effectively. A lot of the humour comes courtesy of Thomas F. Wilson, who has an infectious laugh and whose antics are comically endearing. The rest of the selected cast are suitably goofy and fun to be around in their own respective ways. And as I said, because they are amiable as characters, you do feel a bit low when they are killed off by the unseen murderer.
A tricky little film with a twist or two here and there, especially in the last half, April Fool’s Day really succeeds on the strength of its cast, direction and above all the excellence of the script. I can give this film a lot of respect for taking a different approach from most and having a lark with it.
28 Friday Oct 2016
Posted in Movie Reviews
Tags
2000's, Action, Alicia Keys, Andy Garcia, Ben Affleck, Chris Pine, Common, Crime, Jason Bateman, Jeremy Piven, Joe Carnahan, Kevin Durand, Martin Henderson, Maury Sterling, Nestor Carbonell, Peter Berg, Ray Liotta, Ryan Reynolds, Smokin Aces, Taraji P. Henson, Tommy Flanagan
Film Title
Smokin Aces
Director
Joe Carnahan
Starring
An all out violent spectacle of crime, action and weirdness, Smokin Aces is best enjoyed as a brainless action flick. Though saying this, the film attempts to get more serious which doesn’t exactly sit well with the rest of the piece. Smokin Aces still keeps you entertained throughout with the ensemble cast and shocking events, but it is a bit of a mess.
Las Vegas magician and gangster wannabe Buddy ‘Aces’ Israel is involved with the Mob( who have helped his growing success) as he wants a piece of the action. 
Like all wannabes, he has messed up a lot and knowing this, he has now become a turncoat. He promises the FBI crucial information on the Mob, in exchange for his safety. Yet the Mob already knows of Buddy’s traitorous behaviour and the head of the crime family places a $1 million bounty on his head. Meanwhile the FBI, under the command of Deputy Director Locke has ordered two of his agents, Carruthers and Messner to go to a hotel in Lake Tahoe where Buddy is holed up in the penthouse suite. They are to make sure nothing happens to him, as his testimony is extremely valuable for the FBI. As the bounty on the weasel that is Buddy is so high, all sorts of criminals and mercenaries come out of the woodwork for a piece of the action. These include sexy contract killers Georgia Sykes and Sharice Watters, torture expert Pasquale Acosta, bail bondsman Jack Dupree and his two fellows friends, a man who specialises in disguise Lazlo Soot and three crazed Neo-Nazi siblings, The Tremor Brothers. Yet events change for the FBI’s plans regarding the washed-up Israel and something sinister is definitely a miss, which puts Carruthers and Messner in very real danger. As the parties of assassins and contract killers reach the hotel, all matter of hell is going to break out. Everyone converges in bloody fashion as they attempt to either kill, capture or save Israel who is a much wanted man, dead or alive.
Joe Carnahan writes and directs Smokin Aces as a shoot em up slice of carnage and chaos. I did think he got for the most post the right vibe for this film, with strange and darkly comedic undertones thrown into the blender. He has a sure hand on the action that implodes from all angles once everyone reaches the hotel and is more than adept with style. 
His visual eye can best be described as frenetic and adrenaline infused, as he barely pauses for a breath and bombards you with quick flashes galore. It’s all very unusual but fits the absolute crazy tone of the film. It’s when he tries to deepen Smokin Aces that the cracks begin to appear significantly. Granted, some of the depth pays off but it is largely superfluous and grows to be very strung out as the film reaches the climax. If he had just left the film as it was with the outrageous and ridiculous abundance of fighting and bullet play, it might have been a bit more substantial. Instead, Smokin Aces reaches too high and shoots itself in the foot by attempting to be something more than it is. It is a ridiculous and wild film but that is what sells it well during most of it, only to be let down by a plot that gets way to convoluted for its own good. Anyhow, there is still enough bloodshed and flashy style to keep you watching Smokin Aces. A slashing and breakneck soundtrack accompanies the film to a successful degree of pulse-pounding violence and brutality.
With any film that boasts an ensemble cast, you are going to get people who stand out more than others. Smokin Aces is no exception to that rule, with some giving it their all as a rogues gallery and others left with only small and nondescript parts. 
Jeremy Piven plays the part of Buddy, who the whole plot centres on as he is the one who everyone wants to either kill or harm. Piven sells the part pretty effectively; displaying the drugged-up and altogether pathetic man who wanted to play gangster but whose obnoxious attitude and poor decisions led to him turning snitch. The character isn’t really likable, but Piven gives it his best to invest something into him. Two of the best roles in the film belong to Ray Liotta and Ryan Reynolds, with Liotta quite good as the seasoned and professional agent. Ryan Reynolds in particular stood out to me as the straight arrow agent learning of betrayal and his performance was pretty spot on in displaying a mature and sombre change in character. Singer Alicia Keys, in her first movie role, sizzles as the sexy part of a two woman squad of deadly contract killers. With her low voice and sultry attitude, Keys displays a lot of potential as an actress here which is refreshing as most singers who attempt acting fail. Backing her up is the feisty personality of Taraji. P Henson as the outspoken but highly skilled shooter. Tommy Flanagan bristles with uneasy menace as a master of disguise, but Nestor Carbonell is sadly underused as the creepy torture guy.
Stealing most of Smokin Aces however is the trio consisting of Chris Pine, Kevin Durand and Maury Sterling portraying the absolutely off-the-wall Tremor Brothers. 
They liven up the already bouncing movie with crazy antics and nasty glee, chewing their parts to bits as they wipe out hundred with there precious and strange artillery. Trust me, these guys are just some of the craziest things you will witness in a movie chock full of perversity and what the hell trips. Andy Garcia, who is for me a lot of the time very reliable, is given scant to do which is a definite shame as he could have really been a force of nature.Rapper Common is well employed as Buddy’s bodyguard, who sees that he has been lied to by his employer as part of his pardon agreement. Ben Affleck appears in what amounts to a limited part, but when he is there I liked the cynical attitude of him. The other two men who feature in his part of the story, Peter Berg and Martin Henderson are unfortunately stranded without a lifeline. Far more successful in a small part is Jason Bateman, who in two scenes owns it as the disheveled and uncouth attorney involved in Buddy’s case.
I have been left with somewhat mixed thoughts about Smokin Aces. While I like the outrageous nature and blood-soaked action, I didn’t take too kindly to the fact that it tried to be something more thoughtful. Action movies by definition are ones that you switch the brain off for. Though I did lean more towards the enjoyment factor in this balls out action venture, despite my grievances.
27 Thursday Oct 2016
Posted in Gif Posts
Tags
It’s been a while since curvy peaches graced my blog, so welcome them back.
27 Thursday Oct 2016
Posted in Movie Reviews
Tags
1970's, Allan Arbus, Blaxploitation, Booker Bradshaw, Coffy, Jack Hill, Pam Grier, Robert DoQui, Sid Haig
Film Title
Coffy
Director
Jack Hill
Starring
A well-known blaxploitation film that bolstered the career of its star Pam Grier(who would become the reigning queen of the genre), Coffy is an exciting film that surprisingly still has some resonance today. Some of the parts don’t stand up, but the overall product is still a spectacle to behold.
Coffy is a nurse who has seen the bad effects of drugs on her community. It has really hit home as her younger sister has become a drug addict and is now in rehabilitation after taking a bad batch of heroin. 
Coffy is at the moment dating Howard Brunswick, a smooth talking and seemingly nice councilman who is running for a position in congress and the one who provides some support to her. Boiling with anger at the anguish that she sees for those who are close to her, Coffy vows to get even with the people involved in the drug trade. The ladder of corruption reaches very high and branches out in prostitution rings, plus cops that look the other way as they are on the pay roll of bad gangsters. Coffy is given more of an incentive to take justice into her own hands and seek vengeance when a good friend of hers, who refused to take a bribe is beaten into a coma. With her smarts and attitude, she infiltrates one such ring posing as glamorous hooker. She sets about with her body and brains up the corrupt drugs structure and the gangs within it that are in front of her, primarily hoping to reach the main men in pimp King George and perverted Mafia boss Vitroni. Yet while fighting for what’s right, Coffy may just discover that the issue and the horror may lie closer to home than she thinks.
Jack Hill writes and directs Coffy in an efficient and gripping fashion. His script has a snap and streetwise sound to it, while his confidence in direction with the action keeps the film going along. Some parts could have been embellished, but Hill’s direction is still marvellously constructed and packs a punch when needed. 
His quick pacing is a good asset in Coffy, and straight from the opening scene where our main character blows the head off a drug dealer and gives his accomplice a taste of his own medicine, the film never lets up on the entertainment score. And the tension is more than cranked up in the last act as Coffy fights the goons of the dealers and later on brings new meaning to the word ball busting. There is enough gratuitous nudity, bloodshed and profanity in Coffy, that one associates with the genre. Some parts of this don’t have the same impact as they once did, but the violence still stacks up it must be said. And the many ways that Coffy takes out the corrupt gangsters and dealers she comes across is immensely satisfying as you can see why she is doing it. She just wants to stop the drug trade that ruined her sister’s life and with no one to help, it falls upon her to take often violent control in this situation. Though people may take issue with the whole violence and vigilantism of Coffy, that is to also forget the message in it. The film is clearly one that is against drugs and never loses that moral standpoint, which is refreshing to see for a film of the time. And Coffy is not presented as some superhero, she is really an ordinary women glimpsing the horror and actually doing something about it. An irresistible funky soundtrack puts you right in the middle of everything and has that tone of the 70’s that you just can’t shake.
At the centre of the film is the forceful and feisty Pam Grier, who was born for this role of the sassy vigilante. 
With a tough attitude, depth and sex appeal, she portrays the eponymous Coffy as a woman who has seen enough and wants to get right back at those who ruined her sister. Grier boasts both an emotional and physical presence that is hard to tear your eyes away from and it is easy to see why she is seen as such an icon in the genre. You would seriously not want to tangle with the character of Coffy, as she has vengeance and anger boiling through her waiting to ignite. Booker Bradshaw plays her man, who may know more than he’s letting on behind that friendly demeanor and clean-cut image. Robert DoQui and Allan Arbus both register well as the pimp and slimy Mafia man who Coffy is trying to reach and eliminate before they ruin other lives, just like they have done to her sister. Sid Haig steals the show whenever he is present as the vicious hit man for Vitroni, genuinely emitting something quite uneasy and creepy about the largely laconic brute.
Despite the moments that become ludicrous, Coffy ratchets up the action in many ways and you can’t ask for a better person to play the title character with the grit and determination of Pam Grier. This blaxploitation movie is a blast in more ways than one.
26 Wednesday Oct 2016
Posted in Television Opinions
I recently saw the entire run of Alias and fell in love with the twisty spy show. Much of that was down to the central character of spy Sydney Bristow, played wonderfully by Jennifer Garner. The character is a phenomenal one and here are the reasons why:
Reason 1- She is the mistress of disguise:
A lot of the fun of watching Alias was watching the disguises that Sydney would use when on dangerous and covert missions. They ran the gamut from classy to outrageous, though she looked amazing in all of them. Seriously, how many wigs did she wear throughout the run of the show? There are too many to count.
Reason 2- She is adept at getting out of sticky situations:
Bad situations continually befall Sydney throughout Alias. She really shows a knack for getting out of these tough jams with prowess and fighting skills. If there is anyone you need to be cool under pressure and not crack, it is Sydney Bristow. Put her through torture, beatings or threats and she will still most of the time come out on top.
Reason 3- She is a polyglot:
In the spy game, knowing the lingo is key to concealing who you are. Sydney masterfully has a great command of many languages that helps her infiltrate enemy territory with guile and trickery.
Reason 4- She is an emotional person who is sympathetic:
Unlike so many spies in films and television, Sydney actually has a heart and is pretty much just like everyone else. Only she has a more dangerous and eventful life than the average human. All of the events that happen to her show her as a person who while strong, still has vulnerability underneath it all. This is precisely one of the reason I responded to her as a character, her depth of humanity. Her character is a prime example of someone who goes through a lot of trauma, but has the resilience to survive.
Reason 5- She kicks major ass:
As a spy, it is only natural that Sydney would know how to defend herself. Yet her fighting skills are something to behold. Sydney can brawl with the best of them, coming up against evil on a daily basis and locking horns with baddies. Seriously, I wouldn’t want to be on the end of one of her punches.
25 Tuesday Oct 2016
Posted in Movie Reviews
Tags
2000's, Blanca Portillo, Carmen Maura, Drama, Foreign Language Film, Lola Dueñas, Pedro Almodóvar, Penélope Cruz, Volver, Yohana Cobo
Film Title
Volver
Director
Pedro Almodóvar
Starring
A melding of genres and a celebration of womanhood, Volver is a layered movie from Pedro Almodóvar. Weaving together a galaxy of themes with deft assurance, he crafts Volver with pathos and a stellar cast, headed by an astounding Penélope Cruz.
Raimunda is a hard-working woman who along with her shy sister Sole used to live in a windswept region of La Mancha. 
Both sisters now reside in Madrid, along with Raimunda’s teenage daughter Paula. Often Raimunda and Sole travel back to La Mancha to tend to the graves of their parents, who perished years before in a terrible fire and also take time to visit their ageing Aunt Paula. Meanwhile Raimunda works tirelessly to provide for her daughter and lay about husband, who recently got fired for his laziness and drinking. She must also contend with Aunt Paula talking as if the girl’s mother is still alive and well. Augustina, a family friend with her own problems, is also on hand to help at times and speaks of how Aunt Paula has been speaking like this for a while and believes her. Before overworked Raimunda can consider this possibility, three particularly testing events take place for her. First her daughter accidentally kills her father after he attempted to assault her, leaving Raimunda with a body to dispose of. Then she is left in charge of a friend’s restaurant , which could help her money wise and give her somewhere to hide her husband’s corpse. And then Aunt Paula dies quite suddenly before elaborating on her stories of their mother’s return. But all of this is just the tip of the iceberg for Raimunda and Sole. 
Their mother Irene returns(just like Aunt Paula said), seemingly from beyond the grave. She wishes to help her daughters in ways that she couldn’t while alive. She also wishes to mend the relationships and atone for the past, especially with Raimunda, from who she was estranged for a long time. But will any of these issues be resolved as more skeletons rattle in closets for everyone? And how many more eventful occurrences can be thrown at Raimunda and Sole?
Pedro Almodóvar is a director who loves women and nowhere is this more apparent than here in Volver. He clearly understands and is intrigued by women and from his own pen and direction, the experience of sorority and the things that women go through on a daily basis in life take colourful shape. His biggest achievement is his mixture of filming styles and switches in tone, complete with genre hopping and references to other film makers. There is a little bit of Hitchcock in the parts where Raimunda covers up the murder of her husband in various ways that generate some real suspense as well as black humour. 
The melodramas of Douglas Sirk get a shout out in the domestic struggles and issues faced by females, that are ever-present for Raimunda and the ladies surrounding her. And the magical realism of a ghost returning( which fits with the title that translates into ‘to go back’) is just another inspired ingredient to a film that pulls it all off admirably. Considering all the disparate influences at play, it says a lot that the final product is something clearly in Almodóvar’s vision and control. Tragedy, comedy and drama meet and create a film that is brimming with content, leaving there to be nary a dull moment. Themes like death, family scars, secrecy and infidelity are explored with both tinges of humour and melancholy with neither one of the two rising above the other. There is something so rich about Volver with its eye-popping colour scheme and collection of topics covered; it’s almost like stepping into another world where between scenes something new is infused with the craftsmanship of an artist at work and at his apex. You’ll be laughing one moment, then moved the next by this layered work on show. And that score from Alberto Iglesias matches the rapid switches in tone effortlessly.
Penélope Cruz turns in an astonishing performance as Raimunda, who is constantly besieged by events that she tries to weather. 
So much of what happens depends on the character and Cruz never misses a beat. She exudes so many emotions and a sense of fortitude that is unmistakable. The character of Raimunda is one that is a dream for an actress and Cruz makes it her own. All the strength, hard life, sadness and sexiness is presented in such a natural and sublime way that for my money, this is the best performance that Penélope Cruz has ever given to cinema. And the rest of the cast is none too shabby either. A moving Carmen Maura is wonderfully cast as the returning mother and through her face, you can see the regret and pain that has haunted her and resulted in her reappearance. Lola Dueñas contributes a suitably mousy vulnerability and sweetness as the timid Sole, who is the first to encounter her returned and seemingly reanimated mother. Sole is someone who is the complete opposite of her outspoken sister and Dueñas excels at getting this across. The young Yohana Cobo is ideal for playing the teenage daughter, while a barely contained melancholy emits from Blanca Portillo as she essays the role of Augustina.
An extremely enthralling and eventful movie that covers a lot of ground without ever getting boring, Volver is an experience from a director at the top of his game, both thematically and stylistically. This film is not to be missed under any circumstances as it will no doubt resonate with you in some way from beginning to touching finale.
24 Monday Oct 2016
Posted in Announcements
Tags
This is just a quick update for everyone. As of the last few days, I think I’m getting a virus and I feel a bit off colour. I’m telling you this because I may take a few rests from blogging and not review as much in the next few days depending on how I’m feeling. Don’t panic as I’ll still be around. I have enjoyed this month of blogging but am going to rest just a little bit. Who knows, this virus may be gone in the next few days or so. Hope everyone understands.
24 Monday Oct 2016
Posted in Movie Reviews
Tags
2000's, Brian Cox, David Dorfman, Gore Verbinski, Horror, Jane Alexander, Martin Henderson, Naomi Watts, The Ring
Film Title
The Ring
Director
Gore Verbinski
Starring
The Ring is a remake of a well-respected horror so I can understand the trepidation of some people about how successful it would be. They need not have worried because The Ring is an exceptionally well crafted and very unsettling horror with imaginative brush strokes.
The Ring centres around an unusual videotape that comes with a strange and unsettling story. 
Filled with bizarre images, it is said that anyone who views it will then receive a phone call, telling the viewer that they will die in seven days. A group of teenagers who viewed the tape while on a trip all turn up dead exactly a week later and at the exact same time. One of the victims was the teenage niece of Rachel Keller, an investigative journalist. While supporting her young son Aidan who was very close with his cousin and is very troubled by it, she becomes curious after she hears someone mention the sinister tape. Being a journalist, she is naturally drawn to delve into the mysterious case. Tracking the whereabouts of her niece she comes to the cabin she stayed at, and it is here that she encounters the mysterious tape. In an attempt to understand the events attributed to the tape, Rachel watches it and sure enough receives the ominous phone call of seven days left. Desperate to uncover what is going on and fearing for her life, she calls upon the services of her ex-boyfriend Noah, who is also the father to Aidan. He is an expert in video technology and is helpful to her cause, though he is very skeptical of the power of the tape. 
In her investigation, the images of the tape and strange visions lead her to link it with The Morgan family, in particular a strange young girl named Samara. Yet there is still more to unearth that could spell a different outcome for all party to the tape. Now terrified of whether she can save herself and those closest, Rachel has just seven days to discover the origins of the tape before it is too late for anything else.
Gore Verbinski handles the material with a stylistic yet still accomplished sense of direction. He has a clear eye for pacing and making events not what they seem, deepening the mystery with resplendent assurance and command. While he is very much a visual director, he also taps into the unpredictable and unraveling mystery of the piece rather well. As The Ring boasts a lot more thematic maters than the average horror film, this is something of a given. I loved seeing a horror film that wasn’t mindless but instead intelligent and gripping. Imagery throughout The Ring is pretty haunting and the way that it is explored deeply is another bonus in the supernatural horror of everything. 
And by the far the most creepy image is that of Samara, a pale young girl in white dress and flowing black tresses that cover the eyes emerging from a well on the tape. There are some stretches within The Ring that get a bit too drawn out for its own good. But the overall impact and atmosphere paper over these minor cracks in what is still an essentially frightening movie, that gladly has brains as well as a scare factor. The green-blue tint that pervades almost all of the film conjures a surreal aura to everything, which goes a long way in making the audience feel both drawn into the building set of events and cause deep anxiety. This use of a colour palette can’t be praised highly enough as it weaves a creative spell all through The Ring. Hans Zimmer is on music duties and structures a deepening dead that drips from every sonic tweak he infuses into the film.
Naomi Watts is very convincing in the terrified yet steadfast role of Rachel, who finds that the mystery with the tape may just cost her everything if she doesn’t decipher it all quickly. 
Watts brings out a purposefulness and a confusion that go in hand in hand in making us feel something for the character whose investigation turns deadly and more unsettling. Supporting her is the easy charm and growing nervousness of Martin Henderson as Noah, who scoffs at the idea of a tape having that power but then regretting it big time. It must be said that the level of fear that both Watts and Henderson project is excellently conveyed and pretty potent. David Dorfman plays the scared and unusual child of Rachel’s well, with the drawings and things that he sees becoming integral to the plot. Brian Cox and Jane Alexander add a lot to their roles as people from Samara’s past, who are terrified of the horror that occurred and seems to be spreading once more.
A downright eerie film with a compelling mystery throughout, The Ring is one hell of a spooky film that knows just the right way to have you creeped out as well as getting you to think.
