Review: Attack of the Werewolves

Attack of the Werewolves (Lobos De Arga) is a Spanish comedy horror written and directed by Juan Martinez Moreno. It is set in a remote village called Arga, where a 100-year-old curse troubles the residents. Our protagonist Tomas (Gorka Otxoa) is an unsuccessful writer who travels from Madrid back to the small village, which he hasn’t visited since he was fifteen. He is the male descendent of the ruthless Marchioness of Marino, his great-grandmother, who forced herself on a gypsy knife thrower and became pregnant with his son. She then destroyed the camp where he lived and killed all of the men, women, and children. The gypsy’s wife put a curse on her, which caused her son to transform into a werewolf.

The villagers of Arga have invited Tomas back to receive an award, and he thinks it will be a good place to do some more writing. At first he is welcomed with open arms, but things aren’t what they seem. The locals want to sacrifice him to lift the century-old curse and rid themselves of the terror that has haunted and hunted them for years. According to the legend, if a male Marino is eaten by the creature exactly 100 years after the curse was inflicted, the village will return to normal. If not, an even worse curse threatens to befall the residents.

Tomas is captured and thrown down into the tunnels beneath the village with his publisher Mario (Secun de la Rosa). Calisto (Carlos Areces), his childhood best friend, searches for them with the help of Tomas’ loyal dog Vito. Tomas discovers the werewolf down in the dark and barely escapes it. The group then have to flee from the villagers while also trying to figure out how to put a stop to the dangerous curse.

Attack of the Werewolves is atmospheric, chilling, and also really funny. There are a number of humorous scenes in the film, like the villagers getting confused about the curses, Tomas trying to get a phone signal, and the group’s unconventional attempts to lift the curse. The comedy horror includes nods to classic werewolf films such as An American Werewolf in London and The Wolf Man, which obviously provided inspiration for Juan Martinez Moreno.

I love werewolves and they don’t get as much focus as other horror monsters such as vampires and zombies. Attack of the Werewolves is the best werewolf movie I’ve seen since the brilliant Dog Soldiers, which is one of my favourite films. It has great physical make-up effects rather than crappy CGI beasties and is very tongue-in-cheek but with an effective Wicker Man-style tone. It also has solid performances from the main cast (including the adorable dog), who play very likeable characters. The film is suspenseful, with a well-structured story, and good-looking locations. It does a great deal with its limited budget and pays homage to legendary genre movies while providing a fresh take on the werewolf film.

[DVD screener provided by flickfeast. Review originally posted here]

Review: Comes a Bright Day

British romantic thriller Comes a Bright Day stars Submarine’s Craig Roberts as Sam Smith, a young bellboy at the Mandarin Oriental hotel in London. When his boss Mr Morgan sends him on an errand, to take a watch belonging to one of the guests to a nearby jewellers to get it adjusted, he pops into the café where his best friend Elliot works on the way. There he is introduced to Mary (Imogen Poots) who spots the expensive watch he has decided to slip on and tells him he should stop by ‘Clara’, the exclusive jewellery boutique where she works, which just so happens to be the place his boss told him to visit.

So off he goes to the jewellers, to eye up the sparkling gems and the beautiful assistant Mary. Unfortunately, while he is there two armed robbers, who call each other Cameron (Kevin McKidd) and Clegg (Josef Altin) to hide their real names, burst in. The jewellery shop’s owner Charlie (Timothy Spall) sounds the alarm and the police are soon on their way, but after a shootout during which Clegg is shot in the foot, the criminals retreat back inside. Getting caught up in this jewellery heist-gone-wrong leaves Sam, Mary, and Charlie trapped inside, taken hostage by the psychotic Cameron and his partner-in-crime as they look for a way to escape.

Comes a Bright Day is writer and director Simon Aboud’s feature-length debut. He began his career as a writer for an advertising agency, and does well with this low budget film, which restricts most of its action to just one room. The confined environment is well-used and tensions run high for the criminals and hostages who are all trapped.

The failed robbery attempt at the jewellers isn’t the main focus of the film; it’s more of a backdrop. It provides an opportunity for the main characters to get to know each other, and there are lots of scenes with Sam, Mary, and Charlie talking about their lives and their dreams. Mary tells a touching story about the history of a ruby bracelet, which offers some welcome escapism during the hostage situation.

The film is partly a coming of age story about Sam gaining the confidence to achieve his dream of opening a restaurant with his friend, and partly a love story about a chance encounter with Mary. These tend to push the more thrilling criminal parts to the side, meaning the supporting cast don’t get enough time to shine. Kevin McKidd’s disturbed robber with a stutter is entertaining and intense but underused. The complicated character enjoys listening to Madame Butterfly while slowing sawing through a ceiling panel in the hopes of finding an escape route. But his motivations are never explained and we don’t learn much about him, which is a shame.

Comes a Bright Day tries to juggle lots of elements and genres, leaving some by the wayside slightly while others take centre stage. Ultimately though it is still a very watchable British film with a great cast, and it marks a promising debut from Simon Aboud.

[DVD screener provided by flickfeast. Review originally posted here]

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Review: I Melt With You

Mark Pellington’s drama I Melt With You starts off as a story about a group of male friends enjoying a getaway where they consume copious amounts of alcohol and drugs. However, events take a much darker turn around halfway through the film, when something from the past comes back to haunt them.

 

The four men in their 40s, who all went to college together, reunite for a week-long catch-up in a house overlooking the sea in Big Sur. Each of them is happy to escape their normal lives for a hazy week of drinking and drug-taking, as they are all unhappy, disillusioned, and full of regrets.

Richard (Thomas Jane) is a womaniser and unsuccessful author who has begrudgingly become a high school English teacher. Jonathan (Rob Lowe) is a doctor who writes prescriptions for money and is becoming detached from his son, who calls his new stepfather “Dad”. Ron (Jeremy Piven) is a stock broker who is at the centre of a federal investigation. Tim (Christian McKay) is a man who feels responsible for the recent loss of his loved ones. None of these are really likeable or identifiable characters, and the only positive attribute we see is their close friendship and fondness for each other.

The friends go swimming, driving, fishing, and partying, but mainly they drink and take drugs while moping around and complaining about how awful their lives are. After a few days, these excessive and repetitive festivities make way for much darker events, as a pact they all made when they were younger re-emerges and things get even more out of control. The pact that changes the tone of the film and the subsequent events is a little hard to believe in. Would you really follow through on an agreement you made in college when you were young (and probably drunk and high)? They all take it a bit too seriously instead of just dismissing it.

The film’s best feature is its soundtrack of punk music from the ‘80s. The roaring and pounding tunes from the likes of the Sex Pistols, The Clash, The Pixies, Talking Heads, Dead Kennedys, and The Specials, add to the drug-fuelled, hazy atmosphere. They hark back to a time that the four men are pining for and help them to relive their youth, when they were carefree and had fewer troubles.

I Melt With You is a visual assault that is full of angst and excess. Eric Schmidt’s stylish cinematography and the picturesque locations make it a fine-looking film, but at times it feels like an overlong music video. This may have something to do with Mark Pellington’s history directing lots of videos for bands including Pearl Jam, U2, and Foo Fighters. I Melt With You is a treat for the eyes and ears at times and it has a solid cast, but it’s a film of two distinct halves and unfortunately neither of them are particularly impressive story-wise.

[DVD screener provided by flickfeast. Review originally posted here]

Review: The Escapist

The Escapist stars Brian Cox in the lead role of Frank Perry, a convict serving a life sentence in a London prison. Frank keeps his head down and doesn’t cause any trouble. However, he unexpectedly receives the first letter for a very long time, informing him that his daughter is near death after suffering a drug overdose. This bad news makes him realise he needs to see his daughter again to make peace with her, so he decides to break out and devises a plan of escape.

Frank brings a number of the other inmates in on his plan. First he goes to Brodie (Liam Cunningham, who is brilliant as usual) who seems to be his closest friend in prison. Brodie’s knowledge of the underground tunnels comes in handy when planning their escape route. Edgy boxer and former thief Lenny Drake (Joseph Fiennes), new boy Lacey (Dominic Cooper) and Batista (Seu Jorge), who concocts and deals drugs in the prison, are also brought on-board. 

Unfortunately, another convict called Tony (Steven Mackintosh) discovers what they are up to and threatens to tell his brother, the menacing Rizza (Damian Lewis), who rules the prison while the guards look the other way. The group need to find a way to keep Tony quiet if they want to make it out to freedom.

Brian Cox is solid and sympathetic as The Escapist’s emotional core and his fellow inmates are played by a talented supporting cast. The action inside the claustrophobic London prison switches between the events before and during the breakout. The scenes showing the escape set up questions for the viewer to ponder, which are answered throughout the course of the film in the interspersed flashbacks. The rush of the breakout mixes well with the anxious planning stages. The film uses a very effective past-and-present structure and good editing, and it adds a great final plot twist. Benjamin Wallfisch’s excellent score helps to heighten the moments of tension with its intensity and sense of urgency.

The Escapist was directed by Rupert Wyatt, a British talent who followed this debut feature with Rise of the Planet of the Apes. Wyatt also co-wrote the film with Daniel Hardy and has said that the structure of the film’s plot was inspired by a well-known short story written in the 19^th century: American author Ambrose Bierce’s An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge. Frank Perry is shown reading this story and he shows it to Rizza near the end of the film. It is set during the American Civil War and also features an irregular time sequence and a twist ending.

The Escapist is a thrilling and clever prison drama with an innovative plot structure. Add to that a range of interesting characters, an impressive cast and engaging music, and you have a refreshingly enjoyable escape film.

Review: The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel

British comedy drama The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel features a stellar cast including Judi Dench, Bill Nighy and Tom Wilkinson, who play a group of retirees who travel to the titular hotel in India. At the beginning of the film, we are introduced to all of the main characters in a series of short vignettes that show their different situations in the UK and their reasons for moving abroad.

Evelyn (Judi Dench)’s husband has recently passed away and she needs to sell their flat to pay off his debts. Douglas (Bill Nighy) invested his retirement money in his daughter’s internet start-up, which hasn’t been very successful. His wife Jean (Penelope Wilton, who was also married to Nighy’s character in Shaun of the Dead) isn’t impressed with the retirement properties they can afford in the UK. Graham (Tom Wilkinson) has just retired as a judge and is returning to the place where he lived when he was younger. Muriel (Maggie Smith) needs a hip replacement. Norman (Ronald Pickup) and Madge (Celia Imrie) are both single and looking for love and new adventures.

They are all enticed by advertisements for ‘The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel for the elderly & beautiful’, which looks impressive and vibrant, and is less expensive than places in the UK. When they arrive, they discover that it’s not what they were led to believe as the hotel is rundown, dusty, and in need of some serious restoration. Sonny (Dev Patel), the young man who owns it, is trying to renovate it and is very happy when his first tenants move in. Sonny’s brothers have successful businesses but so far he has failed to live up to his mother’s expectations. She wants him to give up his dreams about the hotel and agree to an arranged marriage. He is in love with a young woman called Sunaina but his mother disapproves of her.

Some of the retirees embrace the new culture while others take an instant dislike to it and don’t want to try new things. Graham is the one who seems most at home there and his story about his past in the country is very moving. As they start to forge bonds with each other and explore their colourful surroundings, each of their stories heads towards a resolution. These are mostly satisfying, if a little predictable. 

Directed by John Madden (Shakespeare in Love, Captain Corelli’s Mandolin), The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel is based on Deborah Moggach’s novel These Foolish Things. It features eight different stories, with some getting a little side-lined along the way. It would have been good to see more of Madge and Norman, who have a number of great lines, including Norman misquoting Ivan Drago from Rocky IV: “If she dies, she dies.” Although this would’ve meant adding to the already long running time. The film ends predictably but optimistically, with everything working out as expected. As Sonny says: “Everything will be all right in the end, and if it not alright, it is not yet the end.” It is the talented cast and beautiful scenery that make this charming tale enjoyable, especially for older audiences. 

[DVD screener provided by flickfeast. Review originally posted here]

Review: Coriolanus

A modern retelling of one of Shakespeare’s lesser known tragedies, Coriolanus is the directorial debut of Ralph Fiennes, who also stars as the titular General. The contemporary tale of war, politics, and betrayal begins with civil discontent and a food crisis. An urban war zone is the setting for an action-packed battle between the Romans and the Volscians, with close quarters combat culminating in an intense knife fight between Caius Martius (Fiennes) and Volscian leader Tullus Aufidius (Gerard Butler). They both escape with their lives and Martius takes the city of Corioles, returning to Rome a hero and named General Coriolanus. 

After this celebrated victory, he is encouraged by his controlling mother Volumnia (Vanessa Redgrave) and veteran politician Menenius (Brian Cox) to follow a political career and seek the position of Consul. However, tribunes Brutus (Paul Jesson) and Sicinius (James Nesbitt) conspire against him and the people of the city turn on him. He tries to make peace with them but is unable to do so, and is banished from Rome. 

He travels to Antium, the city where Tullus resides, and sees his arch-enemy walking through the streets. In stark contrast to Coriolanus, this man is clearly loved by his people, who hug him and shake his hand as he walks past. Coriolanus turns himself over to Tullus, offering his life or his service. Tullus chooses to use his knowledge and skills to strike Rome and they join together. Coriolanus, fuelled by anger, plans to take his revenge on his city and those who cast him out.

Ralph Fiennes played Coriolanus back in 2000, in a production for the Almeida Theatre, and felt it would work well on the big screen. He worked with screenwriter John Logan (Gladiator, The Last Samurai) to cut Shakespeare’s text, modernise the story, and keep the pacing tight. The play has been updated with contemporary settings, costumes and props, and TV news reports are used effectively to summarise key plot points (with a cameo from Channel 4 newsreader Jon Snow).

Coriolanus is established as a great soldier and leader who is very ambitious, inflexible, and proud. This pride and his refusal to compromise inevitably lead to his downfall, as he is unable to win the approval of the masses. He doesn’t care what the citizens think of him and feels only scorn towards them, even though he has won many battles and suffered many wounds on their behalf. Fiennes gives a commanding performance as this surly hero, who clearly prefers war to politics. Vanessa Redgrave is magnetic as Coriolanus’ patriotic mother Volumnia, and Brian Cox, Gerard Butler and Jessica Chastain offer strong support as well. Fiennes’ masterful understanding of the play’s narrative, themes and language, and the talented cast make the material accessible and engaging for viewers, even those who might find the text a little challenging.

[DVD screener provided by flickfeast. Review originally posted here] 

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Review: Chronicle

Chronicle is a found-footage superhero movie that explores what happens after a group of high school students gain amazing abilities. It starts out like a teen drama, with a shy young guy called Andrew buying a video camera to film his daily events. Through this, we are given a glimpse into his difficult home-life with his drunk, abusive father and bedridden mother. We are also shown his school-life, where he gets picked on and is often seen sitting by himself.

His cousin Matt takes him along to a party but he inevitably ends up sitting alone outside in the dark. Steve, a popular kid running for school president, finds him and asks him to bring his camera so they can investigate something strange nearby. Andrew, Matt and Steve venture down into a mysterious hole in the ground, where they discover an unexplained glowing (and possibly alien) entity. The three students soon find they have gained special powers like being able to move objects with their mind (telekinesis) and fly.

Instead of using their abilities to fight crime, like the superheroes we usually see on screen, they use them to have fun and do things high school boys like to do. They play pranks in a store by levitating toys, covertly lift girls' skirts up with a leaf blower, and move people’s cars to different parking spaces. However, these harmless pranks start to get out of hand as they grow stronger and develop their powers.

Andrew uses his abilities at the school talent show and becomes popular with everyone for the first time. But this turns out to be only temporary, and after a run-in with his dad, he spirals out of control and starts using his powers recklessly. His loneliness and anger cause him to resent those without superpowers (who he sees as inferior), and he becomes unwilling to follow anyone else’s rules and limit the use of his powerful abilities. He is clearly very troubled emotionally, after years of being an outcast and feeling unwanted both at home and at school. This detachment and his newfound powers cause him to think that he is above everyone else (he describes himself as an “apex predator”), which ultimately leads up to a dark and explosive climax for the film. 

Chronicle marks the directorial debut of Josh Trank and is the first feature length screenplay by Max Landis (son of John, director of The Blues Brothers and An American Werewolf in London). The film is a great accomplishment by these newcomers, with its intriguing premise and exploration of an effective origin story. It gives viewers a fresh take on both the found-footage film and the superhero genre, with special abilities that feel more believable than usual. It raises the question of what to do when given great power and shows why you need to use it responsibly, not misuse it.

[DVD screener provided by flickfeast. Review originally posted here]

Review: Haywire

Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) fighter Gina Carano takes the lead in the action thriller Haywire, which features a starry cast including Ewan McGregor, Michael Fassbender, Antonio Banderas, Bill Paxton, Michael Douglas and Channing Tatum in support.

Haywire follows Mallory Kane (Carano), a black ops specialist often hired for covert missions around the world. At the start of the film, she meets with fellow operative Aaron (Tatum) in a diner, before fighting with him, and escaping with a stranger who helps her out. As she drives away with him, she explains what has led to her current situation. The film, which uses a non-linear narrative structure, shows these prior events in flashbacks.

Her handler Kenneth (McGregor) hired her for a job in Barcelona, where she worked alongside Aaron to free a Chinese hostage called Jiang. After this mission she had planned to take a break, but Kenneth asked her to go to Dublin at short notice, to work with MI6 agent Paul (Fassbender). Kane finds Jiang dead in Dublin and then Paul tries to kill her when they go back to their hotel room. She is pursued across the city, with chase scenes through the streets, buildings, and across the rooftops, before she escapes to New York, where we found her in the film’s opening scenes.

Realising she has been double-crossed and there are few people she can trust, she then flees to New Mexico to see her ex-marine father (Paxton).  She knows that those hunting her will look for her there and attempts to catch them off guard and ultimately exact her revenge on the people who betrayed her.

Directed by Steven Soderbergh (Contagion, Traffic, Ocean’s Eleven), Haywire was written by Lem Dobbs, who wrote the 1999 crime drama The Limey, which was also directed by Soderbergh. Another of his collaborators, David Holmes (who was the composer on the Ocean’s trilogy), provides the score for the film.

Haywire has some great action set pieces, with fight scenes that feel authentic due to Carano’s obvious skills, which make her character seem like the real deal. She was hand-picked for the lead role by Soderbergh, who was impressed by her physical power and fighting skills, and she did almost all of her own stunts in the film. Mallory Kane is a tough female character who definitely shouldn’t be underestimated. As her handler says in the film: “Don’t think of her as a woman, that would be a mistake.” The no-frills fight scenes are unhurried and enjoyable. They are free of music and sound effects, instead using the natural sounds of kicks and punches, which enhances the action. Although the story isn’t wholly engaging and satisfying, the fights and chases should hold the viewer’s attention. The strong ensemble cast includes several A-list actors, whose appearances throughout the film also provide an extra boost.

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Review: Near Dark

Near Dark is a vampire Western from 1987, co-written and directed by Kathryn Bigelow (The Hurt Locker, Point Break). The film marked her first solo directorial effort and although it wasn’t a big hit at the box office, it has become something of a cult classic thanks to its performances, genre fusing and unusual portrayal of vampires. The film stars Adrian Pasdar, Jenny Wright, Lance Henriksen, Bill Paxton, Jenette Goldstein and Joshua John Miller.

Read my review at Suite101: A Review of Kathryn Bigelow's Near Dark

Review: Crazy, Stupid, Love

Cal Weaver (Steve Carell) has been married to his high school sweetheart for 25 years. His world falls apart and he jumps out of a moving vehicle after his wife Emily (Julianne Moore) suddenly announces that she wants a divorce and confesses that she slept with another man. Meanwhile, good-looking ladies man Jacob Palmer (Ryan Gosling) tries to pick up straight-talking Hannah (Emma Stone) in a bar but finds that his irresistible charms don’t work on her as she shoots him down.

After finding himself alone, and with no idea how to meet new people, Cal goes to the bar to drown his sorrows and grumble about the man his wife slept with, David Lindhagen (Kevin Bacon). He sees how popular Jacob is with women and one night Jacob invites him over and offers to help him rediscover his manhood. The young bachelor seems to be an expert in the dating game and takes Cal shopping to buy new clothes, and to the bar so he can learn to be more confident with women.

At the same time, we see that those around Cal have romantic problems of their own and the film’s great ensemble cast feature in these different threads. Cal’s 13-year-old son Robbie is hopelessly in love with the 17-year-old babysitter Jessica, but she has a secret crush on Cal. His wife Emily is unsure of her relationship with her work colleague David. Jacob finds himself falling for Hannah, the one who briefly got away and makes him reconsider his womanizing ways. As all of these connected strands develop, Cal has to decide whether to move on or fight for the woman he loves.

Crazy, Stupid, Love is directed by Glenn Ficarra and John Requa (I Love You Phillip Morris) and written by Dan Fogelman, who previously wrote the screenplays for a number of animations including Cars, Bolt and Tangled. He offers a fresh and witty script that avoids many of the pitfalls that spoil most modern romantic comedies. The characters are all likeable and the talented cast all give good performances. There is great chemistry between Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling, especially in the scene where their characters stay up for most of the night talking, and Gosling shows an aptitude for comedy. Steve Carell is also impressive, and I liked the funny subplot about Cal visiting the family home to secretly do the gardening at night because he had a nightmare that David Lindhagen was doing it.

The film is essentially about people finding their one true love or their soulmate. It identifies that some get lazy or complacent after years of marriage and advocates continuing to work hard at relationships to show how much you love someone. Although the rom com is one of my least favourite genres, I found this film engaging, sweet and a lot funnier than most recent offerings.

 [DVD screener provided by flickfeast. Review originally posted here]

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Review: Serenity

Serenity is a science fiction film written and directed by Joss Whedon (Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel), who created the much-missed TV series Firefly, which features the same characters and takes place in the same universe. Unfortunately it lasted only 14 episodes but its strong DVD sales and large fan-base led to the team reuniting for a cinema release. The film stars Nathan Fillion, Gina Torres, Alan Tudyk, Adam Baldwin, Summer Glau and Chiwetel Ejiofor.

Read my review at Suite101: A Review of Joss Whedon's Sci-Fi Movie Serenity

Review: Saint

Fantasy horror movie Saint was written and directed by Dutch filmmaker Dick Maas, and depicts St. Nicholas as a murderous bishop. Originally titled Sint in the Netherlands and called Saint Nick for the US DVD release, it tells the story of a killer Santa-like figure who kidnaps and murders when there is a full moon on December 5th. The film stars Huub Stapel, Egbert Jan Weeber, Caro Lenssen and Bert Luppes.

Read my review at Suite101: A Review of the Fantasy Horror Movie Saint

Review: Rare Exports: A Christmas Tale

It’s Christmastime in snowy Finland and a young boy called Pietari (Onni Tommila) watches a team of men drilling down into the Korvantunturi Mountains on the border with Russia. These ‘seismic researchers’ find sawdust and blocks of ice beneath the earth and their leader is pleased with the discovery of a burial ground. As they dig further down, Pietari tells his friend he thinks Santa Claus is buried under the mountains.

He goes home to research Santa and finds books depicting him as a wild beast-like man who kidnaps naughty children. Pietari joins his father Rauno (Jorma Tommila) and friends to go round up reindeer, which will be used to sustain them over the winter months. Hundreds of the animals are found slaughtered, their bodies spread across the white landscape. The men believe it was wolves but Pietari finds footprints in the snow similar to those he saw in a book about Santa Claus…

Strange occurrences then befall their small village. Rauno finds an injured man in his bear pit who shows a peculiar interest in Pietari. Radiators, potato sacks, hairdryers and children go missing. It becomes clear that Pietari was right, and Santa has been found deep in the mountains. He is being held by people who want to make money out of his legend, but Santa’s elves are determined to get their master back.

Rare Exports: A Christmas Tale is a very different kind of festive movie. It offers a twisted take on the mythical Christmas story of the jolly old man with a white beard dressed in red, who hands out presents to children who’ve been well behaved. This film exposes an ulterior legend, one that depicts Santa Claus as a scary creature with large horns, and his ‘little helpers’ as naked and creepy old men who do their master’s bidding.

The film is dissimilar to the cheesy movies that are usually associated with Christmas. Although it is very funny in places, it has a sinister edge and doesn’t mock the plot. The actors play their roles straight-faced, as if the events really are occurring.

The protagonist, Pietari, is an endearing character and his strained relationship with his father Rauno comes across effectively. The young actor who plays him, Onni Tommila, is the real-life son of the man playing his dad, Jorma Tommila. Pietari’s mother is missing for an unexplained reason, and his father often seems like he doesn’t know how to deal with him on his own. Their relationship grows and develops throughout the film as they work together to save the children and stop Santa’s elves.

Rare Exports: A Christmas Tale is based on two award-winning shorts by the director Jalmari Helander, who came up with the story behind them with his brother Juuso. Rare Exports Inc. (2003) and The Official Rare Exports Inc. Safety Instructions (2005) were written by, directed by, and star the same people as this film, and they have acquired something of a cult reputation on the internet. They were adapted for the big screen in the form of this feature length prequel.

This Finnish film is fun and interesting, with an atmospheric setting, beautiful landscapes, blowing snow and whistling winds. It is a twisted and imaginative film that is also quite brief, at just 84 minutes. A real Christmas treat, this definitely makes a nice change from the usual festive-themed movies and it’s one I’d happily watch every December.

[DVD screener provided by Flickering Myth. Review originally posted here]

Review: Five Minarets in New York

Drama Five Minarets in New York splits its time between New York and Turkey. After a series of covert raids and rough interrogations, one criminal reveals the identity of a dangerous international terrorist referred to by the codename ‘Dajjal’. Under duress, the man tells Turkish police officers that the person they’re looking for is Hadji Gumush (Haluk Bilginer).

In New York, Agent David Becker (Robert Patrick) and his team from the FBI receive a warrant from Interpol and arrest Muslim scholar and family man Hadji Gumush. His wife Maria (Gina Gershon), daughter and friend Marcus (Danny Glover) seem clueless about his past and believe him to be innocent. Hadji appears to be a devoted husband and father but could this just be a front for his sinister true identity?

Two Turkish secret service officers called Firat (Mahsun Kirmizigül) and Acar (Mustafa Sandal) are sent to America to extradite Hadji. On their way to the airport to fly him back to Turkey, their cars come under attack and Hadji escapes custody. His friend Marcus planned the escape and helps him go into hiding to elude the authorities because he fears that Hadji won’t be treated fairly if he’s taken back to Turkey. Firat and Acar hunt for Hadji and when they find him he submits to being taken to Istanbul. After spending some time with him, they start to have doubts about his guilt. But if he’s innocent, why has he been accused of being a fundamentalist and the leader of an international terror network?

Five Minarets in New York was written and directed by Mahsun Kirmizigül, who also stars in the film as one of the main characters. This is his third film and, following two solely Turkish productions, it is his English-language debut. He spent all the profit he made from his previous movies on the making of this one, and he manages to not stray too far from his roots.

The film examines whether a man’s innocence or guilt matters to someone who is blinded by and hunting for vengeance, and asks the audience to think about how far they’d go to bring someone to justice. There is an interesting twist at the end of the film that turns the events on their head. The hunted man and one of his hunters are revealed to have more in common than it first appeared. 

Large parts of the film are uninvolving as viewers are given minimal background information about many of the characters, who are quite one-dimensional. No one stands out as the person we should be identifying with and rooting for. The constant uncertainty about Hadji’s guilt is the main focus of attention for the viewer. There is also a difficult balance in the film as it switches between American thriller and Turkish film commenting on Islamophobia. There is decent American talent, with three well-known actors who are impressive if a little underused in their supporting roles. The thought-provoking story effectively draws the audience’s attention and as it reaches its conclusion, the strands unwind to reveal a smart sub-plot underneath.

[DVD screener provided by Flickering Myth. Review originally posted here]

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Review: Assassination Games

Assassination Games pairs veteran action icon Jean-Claude Van Damme with rising action star Scott Adkins in a tale of two skilled hitmen on the hunt for the same target. Vincent Brazil (Van Damme) and Roland Flint (Adkins) are both offered a contract on a criminal called Polo Yakur (Ivan Kaye), who was just released from prison. Flint has been living quietly in a remote part of the world with his bedridden wife. She was beaten, raped and put into a coma by Polo and his men, and she hasn’t recovered from it. Flint refuses the contract at first but ultimately has a change of heart. After finding out that another assassin has taken on the mission, he decides to go after Polo for revenge, regardless of the payment.

It comes to light that Flint has millions of dollars that belonged to corrupt Interpol agents, and they want it back. They arranged to have Polo released from jail in the hope of luring Flint out of hiding so they can capture him and retrieve their money. Brazil and Flint get in each other’s way when they both try to take out Polo so they fail to kill him. After a fight, they decide to work together on the contract as they have a common goal. However, because the mission is personal for Flint, it becomes very dangerous for both of them.

Van Damme’s Brazil is a professional contract killer. Cool, calm and calculated, he is a loner who trusts no one and doesn’t like anyone getting close to him. All he has is a cute pet turtle that retreats into its shell every time he tries to stroke it. Assassination Games is a real family affair for Van Damme as his daughter and one of his sons appear in the film. Kristopher Van Varenberg (Van Damme was born Jean-Claude Van Varenberg) plays an Interpol agent and Bianca Van Varenberg plays Flint’s wife Anna. They have both had roles in a number of Vam Damme’s other movies as well. Also, he was filming Assassination Games during his TV documentary series Jean-Claude Van Damme: Behind Closed Doors, which gave viewers a glimpse into his personal life.

Scott Adkins is solid as the assassin with a personal vendetta but he isn’t given enough fights to show off his skills and the film doesn’t capitalize on the potential of his team-up with the action legend. Adkins faced off against Matt Damon in The Bourne Ultimatum and played a Russian inmate and fighter in the Undisputed series of films. He is due to star with Van Damme again in Universal Soldier: A New Dimension and The Expendables 2.

Assassination Games is mostly set and filmed in Romania. The action sequences are well edited but scarce and there is a lack of man-to-man fight scenes. This is one that will probably satisfy those who like Van Damme’s extensive back catalogue of action films but it doesn’t really offer anything original or special to attract new audiences. It’s an enjoyable yet unspectacular action film that offers decent performances from its two leading men.

[DVD screener provided by flickfeast. Review originally posted here]

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Review: Bunraku

Bunraku is set in a world that has been ravaged by fighting and war. After an animated opening sequence detailing how it has changed, including the banning of guns by the new civilization, we are shown a dystopian setting where the majority of the action takes place. A theatrical fight scene introduces a group of assassins led by the smooth-talking but deadly Killer #2 (Kevin McKidd). These men work for Nicola (Ron Perlman), a man known as the Woodcutter, who never shows his face in public. He is the most powerful man east of the Atlantic and uses his Red Suits and Killers to rule the town, while having its officials over for exclusive poker games.

Two mysterious men arrive in town on the same train, one a nameless drifter (Josh Hartnett) and the other a samurai called Yoshi (Japanese pop star and actor, Gackt). They both find their way to a bar called The Horseless Horseman, and after initially taking a dislike to each other, the Bartender (Woody Harrelson) persuades them to work together. The two men share a common goal, both are out for revenge and Nicola is their target, although they have different reasons for hunting him down. By featuring an honourable samurai warrior and a gunless cowboy as the main protagonists, the film effectively blends heroes from east and west cultures.

Bunraku was written and directed by the Israeli-born filmmaker Guy Moshe. It is the follow-up to his debut child trafficking film Holly. The title is based on a 400-year-old form of Japanese puppet theatre, operated by puppeteers who dress all in black so they blend into the background. The film does often feel as though it takes place on a stage, with theatre-inspired sets and scenery that looks like it’s made out of paper. 

Walls and backdrops pop up and fall, green screens provide CG backgrounds and the virtual origami-like world is reminiscent of a pop-up book. Coincidentally, Woody Harrelson’s Bartender makes pop-up books as a hobby and shows Yoshi the one he is working on, which bears some resemblance to Spider-Man’s origin story. This unique visual style extends to impressive special effects and animation sequences, used to switch from one scene to another and enhance certain moments in the film. The stylish aesthetic includes subtitles that look like they’ve been lifted from comic book panels.

Bunraku’s interesting and innovative blend of techniques and genres makes it hard to categorize. The film draws inspiration from many different areas and is a genre mash-up of spaghetti western, martial arts, revenge thriller, noir, fantasy, mafia, musical (without the songs), and adds elements from video game and comic cultures too. 

The film has a great cast and is narrated by Mike Patton (former singer of Faith No More). Kevin McKidd clearly relishes his flamboyant and devious role as the villain’s right-hand man and Woody Harrelson provides some good humorous moments. Demi Moore is underused as Alexandra, Nicola’s woman who has a mysterious past. One scene shows how she is linked to the Bartender, but this isn’t expanded upon and her character ultimately feels a bit unnecessary. This quirky and unique film is not for everyone as some may find the mix of genres confusing and disjointed. However, others will find this oddness refreshing, the visual style striking and the story a fun, modern tale of good vs. evil.

[DVD screener provided by Flickering Myth. Review originally posted here] 

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Review: Blitz

Jason Statham stars as Detective Tom Brant, a no-nonsense cop who, at the start of the film, assaults three youths trying to break into a car and receives some bad publicity in the newspaper. When a young policewoman is shot dead one evening at point blank range, a new Inspector called Porter Nash (Paddy Considine) is put in charge of the investigation to find the person responsible and he discovers that Brant’s questionable methods could be useful in this case.

The psychotic killer (Aiden Gillen) who calls himself “The Blitz”, phones journalist Harold Dunlop (David Morrissey) to confess his crime and vows to kill eight more police officers. His quest for tabloid glory leads him to commit vicious and shocking crimes against the upholders of the law, like shooting a young officer sitting in his car in broad daylight.

Brant and Nash make a good team as they join forces to protect their own and take the murderer down because the police need to catch him before he catches them. These two characters, and the villain, are the highlights of the film thanks to the actors who portray them. There is a strong cast of British actors including Jason Statham (continuing his action-packed career), Paddy Considine (on fine form following great performances in Submarine (2010), Hot Fuzz (2007) and The Bourne Ultimatum (2007)), and Aiden Gillen (from TV’s The Wire and Game of Thrones). David Morrissey and Luke Evans also make the most of their smaller roles. 

The director, Elliott Lester, has worked on over 100 music videos and commercials. This is his second full-length film following teen drama Love is the Drug, which was screened at the Cannes film festival in 2006. Nathan Parker, who wrote Duncan Jones’ excellent debut film Moon (2009), adapted the story from a novel by acclaimed Irish crime writer Ken Bruen, who has written a series of books featuring the character of Brant.

Blitz is a solid cop drama with good performances, direction and framing. However, there are times when the tone of the film switches unsuccessfully between darkly humorous, tragic drama and action-packed thrills. The attempt to move away from a straight action film and add other elements sometimes leaves it feeling fragmented and uneven. The sub-plot involving a policewoman recently out of rehab also detracts from the main story and isn’t as involving as it should have been. There is another missed opportunity concerning the interesting relationship between the killer and the journalist following the story of his career. This isn’t built upon; instead the journalist seems to disappear half-way through the film. 

Overall however, the film is an enjoyable cop drama. Brant, with his unconventional (and not always law abiding) methods of stopping criminals, is a likeable character, and action star Statham builds on the hard-man image he has cemented in films like The Transporter (2002), Crank (2006) and The Expendables (2010).

[DVD screener provided by flickfeast. Review originally posted here]