April 26th, 2007
Amongst the crowded pantheon of modern sci-fi flicks, there stands a film often overlooked by many; a modern classic overshadowed by its pr-driven counterparts. Gattaca is a science fiction drama set in a future where a new generation of genetically modified humans are considered to be socially superior. Anyone born naturally is dubbed a ‘godchild’ and is, essentially, part of a weaker social order. Vincent (Ethan Hawke) happens to be exactly this and his genetic flaws stand between him and his dream of going to space, an aspiration he can only achieve as a member of an elite company: Gattaca Corp. Read the rest of this entry »
Posted by David in General, Reviews
March 31st, 2007
On the surface, Cry Wolf appears to be yet another mindless teen horror. You could definitely be forgiven for your assumptions because it certainly validates some of the stereotypes associated with such a label. After all, it is set in a school, the main characters are a suitable cross-section of teen culture, there’s a crazy killer on the loose and everyone is seemingly getting bumped off, though not before a few false alarms and fleeting glimpses of the killer. But, as uniform and unadventurous as it may sound, the film’s theme of deception is something that you should bear in mind. Read the rest of this entry »
Posted by David in General, Reviews
October 1st, 2006
The last few years have seen an effective revival of the horror genre and all of its subsidiaries, perhaps most notably - the horror/comedy genus. Recently highlighted by the incredible success of Shaun of the Dead, this subgenre has been inundated with copycats and efforts from young hopefuls, most of which, have failed to impress. But there are a select few – usually thanks to big studio backing – that have shone through and either achieved critical acclaim and/or box office success. Recent examples to have hit this exclusive jackpot include James Gunn’s Slither and Chris Smith’s Severance (unsurprising mention – see title).
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Posted by David in General, Reviews
June 27th, 2006
As a big fan of Hong Kong action movies myself, it was with excited fervour that I opened this 2 disc special edition of John Woo’s classic “A Better Tomorrow”. Faced with the prospect of a disturbingly stimulating set of extra features, it was a struggle not to abundantly salivate as my excited paws ushered the first disc into the tray. First hurdle down and it was time to sit back and admire the wizardry of a legend in his prime. “A Better Tomorrow” was the film that forged the infamous Chow Yun-Fat/John Woo partnership - a unity that would dominate Asian action cinema for the ensuing decade. The duo essentially made careers for each other, both had a history of hideously mediocre proportions (Woo was stuck directing comedies and Yun-Fat in the world of television) and ABT was the film that effectively brought them both out of their creative slumps and steered them towards greatness.
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Posted by David in General, Reviews, DVD
June 22nd, 2006
The creative talent behind “Peace Hotel” is almost overwhelming; a capable up and coming director/writer (Ka Fai-Wai) coupled with two of the biggest names in the Cantonese industry (Chow Yun-Fat and John Woo), one of whom is arguably amongst action cinema’s most respected icons and you seem to have compiled a definite recipe for success. However, some expectations are there to be trodden on and it seems that, from the outset, “Peace Hotel” is a slight departure from Woo and Yun-Fat’s previous work and therefore not in their immediate area of expertise. There’s still a fair bit of martial arts, but the twisted romance that we witness blossoming, is what the film really focuses on.
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Posted by David in General, Reviews, DVD
June 13th, 2006
As the title suggests, “Reeker” is a movie that revolves around a bad smell – perhaps not the most riveting of subjects but at least something seemingly unique. If somebody described the atmosphere that Dave Payne wanted to create, out loud, then it would come across as impossible to convey properly via the silver screen; you can’t see a smell, so how can it be utilized well enough to feature heavily in a horror movie? Well, Payne came up with an answer to the question his subject matter posed and after a late night viewing of his conclusion, I was inhaling the bittersweet smell of indecision.
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Posted by David in General, Reviews
June 6th, 2006
On paper, the premise for The Ringer seems inordinately politically incorrect and offensive, certainly too controversial for a major studio to pick up. But Fox along with Conundrum Entertainment, the people that brought us Stuck on You, translated the ultimate in bad taste into a credibly comedic motion picture – or at least, that’s how the situation was read prior to release.
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Posted by David in General, Reviews
May 14th, 2006
In the western world, Hollywood blockbusters are generally the order of the day. The never-ending stream of conventional films is rarely interrupted by something truly original and intelligent. Lady Vengeance is one of these rarities and provides you with an intoxicating saunter off the beaten track. It’s the third instalment in Park Chan-Wook’s so-called “revenge” trilogy, which includes Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance and the more recent Oldboy, and it promises to deliver the same level of ingenuity, fluidity and beauty that its predecessors have been hailed for.
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Posted by David in General, Reviews
May 8th, 2006
When someone mentions stylish cinema, directors such as Tarantino, Kubrick and Scorsese come to mind. However, South Korea has been cultivating a new generation of film-maker and alongside the mighty Park Chan-Wook stands Kim Jee-Woon - a director that recently made a name for himself in the international market with 2003’s A Tale of Two Sisters. A Bittersweet Life is his foray into the gangster genre and it manages to redefine the meaning of the word style, by adding a whole new dimension of brutality and fashionable sophistication to the typical gangster flick.
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Posted by David in General, Reviews
March 13th, 2006
From the man that brought us the largely reviled, although somewhat misunderstood “Cabin Fever”, comes “Hostel”; a brutal tale of torture and betrayal. The film follows the story of 3 backpackers that head to a small Slovakian town in search of the fabled sexual fiends that a friend described to them back in Amsterdam. The young travellers check into the local hostel and embark on a weekend of hedonistic pleasure-seeking, only to discover that some things are too good to be true.
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Posted by David in General, Reviews
