What I’ve Been Watching (April 2011)

Here's what I've been watching in April!


SPOILERS AHEAD

The Walking Dead – Season One (2010)

I didn't watch The Walking Dead in April; I caught it back when it first aired on FX last year. However, I thought I'd include a brief review in this blog post due to its recent debut on terrestrial TV, on UK channel Five, as I feel like the series had enough of an impact on me to draw a detailed opinion. When I first found out that The Walking Dead was to be made into a TV series (helmed by Oscar nominated director Frank Darabont), it was one an unreal moment, due to my wishes to see a property based upon a graphic novel serial I'd been a loyal follower of since the very first issue. It always seemed like something that would never happen (as it had done for so long with Watchmen, another graphic novel adaptation I had been longing for), but when rumours soon became stone-wall fact I began to count down the days until I could see just how Rick Grimes was portrayed in his battle to survive a zombie apocalypse. British actor Andrew Lincoln takes over the role of Rick, a police officer who awakes from a coma to find the world is overrun by the undead. The first couple of episodes tell of Rick’s struggle to make it out of the hospital and into the city of Atlanta, where he miraculously finds his wife and son at a camp on the outskirts of the area. The Walking Dead graphic novel series had some of the best character development I’ve seen in the medium and much of that can be seen in this series, although some characters have been emitted and some traits left out (hopefully to be included in future episodes). As the series progresses it’s clear that its main focus is the people (especially the love triangle between Rick, his wife Lori and his best friend Shane) just as it was in the books, with some extra threats from the zombies being added in to make the series a lot more watchable. As the episodes coast on towards the end of the first series, it’s clear that the writers felt the need to move away from the graphic novels and make the TV show its own beast. I wasn’t entirely happy about this, but the situations we see the characters get into in their struggles for survival are thrilling to watch. The Walking Dead isn’t afraid of killing of characters you come to love, which is something the graphic novels did well and I am glad the show stuck to this. The final episode felt a bit pointless and was an odd place to end the series, but overall I was very happy with the adaptation and I certainly look forward to season two. I hope the show takes the characters to the prison setting of the second story arc in the books, which is where things really start to get interesting. It gets an 8 / 10.

Let Me In (2010)

US remakes of popular European movies can often be watered down versions of the originals, forcing what elements made them popular into obvious crap and forcing them down our throats. For that reason, I avoided Quarantine (a remake of Spanish horror flick [REC]) like the plague, but for some reason I didn’t feel that way about Let Me In (the remake of the amazing Let The Right One In, the Swedish tale of a young boy who befriends a female vampire). Perhaps it was because what trailers I had seen seemed to keep the original essence of the movie, or perhaps it was because it starred Chloe Moretz (who made a profound impact on me after her starring role as Hit Girl in Kick-Ass). Let Me In followed the original closely, only veering off on certain small instances of plot, but altogether creating a very accessible version of the story, especially for people who wouldn’t have wanted to watch the subtitled Let The Right One In. It was as good as a remake could get, which is why it gets 7 / 10.

Dead Snow (2009)

Nazi zombies you say? Well, I’m a big fan, mainly due to their use in recent Call of Duty games, and the idea of a movie using them as the main threat to a group of skiers is just as awesome as it sounds. Dead Snow is a lot of fun, combining over-the-top gore with imaginative violence in the same vein as such classics as The Evil Dead. It’s throwaway B-movie horror at its best, and I recommend it highly to anybody wanting to be entertained and disgusted for 90 minutes. It’s not much more than that, so I’ll be giving it a 6.5 / 10.

Jonah Hex (2010)

Oh shit. Somebody took the story of Jonah Hex, dumbed it down to the point of being unrecognisable and ran it through a mill of crappy dialogue, dull storyline and poor execution. The beginning of the movie skipped through the important plot points as if they weren’t even there, telling Jonah Hex’s origin in just under ten minutes. The rest of the movie thunders through at a slack-jawed pace, relying on the fact that its audience has a low IQ and condescending us to the point of vomit. Josh Brolin as Hex could have been anybody, just muttering his lines and snarling through his scars. John Malkovich, who usually takes the role of a villain and makes it unique, is bland and cliché. Megan Fox is pointless and after 45 minutes of this travesty I wanted to switch off. The only cool thing about this movie is that Mastodon did the soundtrack (and guitarist Brent Hinds gets a cameo). Not a saving grace however, so it’s just a SHIT MOVIE OF THE MONTH earning 3 / 10.

Hobo With A Shotgun (2011)

Perhaps one of the most original and entertaining ideas for a movie that has ever been, telling the story of a homeless man who has had enough with the wrongdoings of society and decides to blow crooked cops, a paedophile Santa and various other scumbags to hell with the help of a pump action shotgun. Majestic, right? Rutger Hauer plays the title hobo with great vigour, bringing a fairly undignified role a sense of style that I’m sure not many actors of his age could do convincingly. The story is based on a fake trailer that appeared between the Grindhouse movies (Planet Terror and Death Proof) from a few years ago, and the B-movie freak show is really a joy to watch. It’s over-the-top, jaw-dropping and at times, downright fucking ridiculous, but in a way that leaves you desperate for more rather than reaching for the off button on your remote. Its tone is oddball and retro, calling upon the bold colours and electronic soundtracks of exploitation movies of the seventies and eighties. The gore is something that takes centre stage, clearly having been planned and executed by some talented make up staff, and these moments are really the most memorable of the movie. I recommend it highly, and it gets a 7.5 / 10.

The Green Hornet (2011)

I wasn’t sure what to expect going into Michel Gondry’s big screen adaptation of The Green Hornet, following a lot of problems during the pre-production and a questionable leading man in Seth Rogen, who despite being a competent comedy actor and a man whose work I certainly enjoy, has yet to cut his teeth as an action star. I am not familiar with The Green Hornet in its format as a radio show and comic book series so didn’t have much to compare this movie to, and for that reason I went in blind and came out feeling relatively happy with the outcome. It’s a decent action flick with some quirky additions from Gondry, as I much expected, including a fantastic split-screen sequence showing a rumour being circulated amongst the underbelly of organised crime, which was a neat touch. Rogan was amusing at times and his sidekick Kato (played by Jay Chou) supplied the action (albeit stealing as much as he could from Jet Li’s outing in The One). However, the villain of the piece, (Chudnofsky / Bloodnofsky played by Christoph Waltz) seemed wasted at times and I wanted to see much more of him. I did enjoy the first scene with Chudnofsky threatening a rival gang leader played by James Franco and I think the movie would have worked better with some scenes along those lines. It was enjoyable for the running time so I’ll give it a 6 / 10.

3:10 To Yuma (2007)

The wave of modern Westerns has really been great over the last ten or so years, with highlights including The Proposition, The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford and most recently, the remade True Grit. It’s another remake that I finally got around to watching with 3:10 to Yuma, with Russell Crowe playing a dangerous captured outlaw being escorted to a prison-bound train by Christian Bale’s war-wounded rancher. I thoroughly enjoyed the dynamic between the two lead characters; they were unique characters to appear in such a movie and far from the obvious bad guy/good guy lines. The cinematography is outstanding and this lends to the movie’s epic feel, which is exactly what makes classic Westerns work so well. This is up there with the best, earning it an 8.5 / 10.

Rubber (2011)

Another bizarre movie, along with Hobo With A Shotgun, that took my fancy after coming across much buzz on the internet, was Rubber, the story of a living tire with destructive telepathic powers who roams the desert in search of victims. It’s a once in a lifetime concept, that’s for sure, but unfortunately Rubber was pretty boring, the pace of the short movie dragging its heels and the odd plot points hindering it rather than adding to its overall effect. I did enjoy seeing such a low budget movie’s take on exploding heads, which was a joy to behold. But it won’t be making any waves and it’ll only be getting a 5 / 10.

Bored to Death – Season One (2009)

Bored to Death is described as a noir-rotic thriller, but it fails to mention the fact that it’s also pretty damn funny. That may be obvious, seeing as it stars Jason Schwartzman, Zack Galifianakis and Ted Danson, three very different comedic actors. The three of them combine wonderfully on screen and it made this first series of Bored to Death, following a struggling writer’s adventures as an unlicensed private detective. The jokes are subtle and the storylines are well thought out, with none of the characters growing stagnant at any time and the mishaps they get into always seeming interesting enough to make you come back for the next episode. I’ll be cracking on with series two very soon, and I’ll give this first series a 7.5 / 10.

RocknRolla (2008)

I’m not the biggest Guy Ritchie fan, but I’ll always give his movies a go and I finally got around to the only one of his popular films that I hadn’t yet seen. The sheer amount of characters in RocknRolla is mind-boggling, and most of them seem to be played by actors who have moved on to bigger and  better things, but based on this movie I’m not sure why. None of the actors seem to be exerting their full potential (especially Tom Hardy, Idris Elba and Mark Strong) but the movie is an entertaining watch for what it is, which is a less effective version of Lock, Stock & Two Smoking Barrels with much weaker plot points that drive it ahead. Just a 5.5/ 10.

The Girl Who Kicked The Hornet’s Nest (2009)

The final movie in the Millenium trilogy (soon to get its American remake, of course) is a much more downbeat affair for much of its running time, showing Lisbeth Salander recovering in hospital after the events of The Girl Who Played With Fire and facing a trial for three murders. There are yet more conspiracies and shady characters trying to keep Lisbeth behind bars, and yet again its journalist Mikael Blomkvist coming to the rescue to clear her name. There were lots of plot points wrapped up and loose ends tied, with Lisbeth getting her justice and finally coming out as a hero. It was a great end to a great trilogy, but let’s see what David Fincher is made of with the US remakes, the first of which comes at the end of this year. It’s a 7 / 10.

The Cable Guy (1996)

After be reacquainted with one of Jim Carrey's classic roles in The Mask earlier this month, I decided to revisit a movie I haven't seen for over 10 years, another one of Carrey's staple mark roles from his early career. Watching The Cable Guy after such a long time (after being overly familiar with it after repeated watches as a kid) was a strange experience and I found it odd just how many sections of dialogue I remembered word for word. One thing that struck me during this movie was how differently I viewed it in my younger years, the movie being not much more than an over-the-top comedy with Carrey let off the leash and thriving in the whirlwind of energy he creates. It was a movie to laugh at and enjoy, but what I found myself doing during the 90 minute running time was marvelling at what themes it brought to the surface. The subject matter is dark and twisted, with Carrey's cable guy trying desperately to worm his way into the life of one of his 'preferred customers', played by Matthew Broderick, and displaying the tendencies of somebody who is clearly mentally unstable when he doesn't get his own way. He's lonely and far from normal (explained somewhat by flashback scenes showing him being 'babysat' by a television) and begins to manipulate Broderick's character and effect his life in bizarre and heartless ways, all in the name of gaining friendship due to his longing for meaningful human contact. It could easily be a thriller or even a horror movie in regards to the subject matter, but this black comedy is a classic with highlights for me including a visit to Medieval Times and a strange karaoke party. It's a large canvas for Jim Carrey's on screen personality to fire crazed paintballs at and certainly one of his career defining roles. 7.5 / 10.

The Tourist (2010)

The Tourist wasn't half as bad as I was expecting it to be, but by no means does that suggest it was a success. I was entertained for the running time, but not solidly entertained, and that enjoyment perhaps mostly came from picking holes in the plot, acting and general direction the movie took. With two of Hollywood's biggest stars heading up the cast it had the makings of a decent espionage thriller, but unfortunately for the CV's of Angelina Jolie and Johnny Depp, it never quite hits the mark or any sort of stride, and drags itself down into the sewer of predictability way too often. I won't go into the plot too much, but I will say that it relies too heavily on unlikely coincidence and a ridiculous level of intelligence at the hands of the two lead characters. Jolie's character, Elise, seems way too smug about something constantly and Depp's Frank is inept and desperate, but definitely the most likeable of the two. The supporting cast were forgettable, with Timothy Dalton and Paul Bettany being wasted, and the central villain of the piece (who in one scene kills one of his henchmen by strangling him with a tape measure) one of the most unconvincing threats I've seen on screen in a long time. James Newton Howard's score makes the whole affair seem way too magical and hinges on the romantic elements much too often, which are parts of the movie that work the least. But I was expecting far worse, so I'll be happy to give it a 5.5 / 10.

Raging Bull (1980)

A lot can be gained from working what kind of film fan you are when you decide what your favourite Martin Scorsese / Robert DeNiro collaboration is. For me, it’s got to be Taxi Driver, but this movie comes close as its one of the most powerful pieces of sports filmmaking I’ve ever seen. Raging Bull tells the story of the a man on the edge, Jake LaMotta, a boxer slowly working his way up the ladder to the big time. The movie focuses on his life out of the ring much more than inside it, highlighting his violent temperament, paranoia and straight-up bastard qualities. Inside the ring, the scenes are brutal and unflinching, making the most of the entire film being shot in black and white to bring the energy, tension and violence of the fights directly to the forefront of the picture. The bloodshed is unrivalled in any boxing movie I’ve seen, perhaps making it the most stark and realised telling of the sport to have ever been on screen. Arguably it’s one of DeNiro’s best performances and without a doubt is the best film I’ve seen this month (even if it’s the fourth or fifth time I’ve seen it in my life) so gets a MOVIE OF THE MONTH winning 9 / 10.

Poltergeist (1982)

Poltergeist is one of the first films that truly scared me when I saw it as a kid, and with another watch it’s clear why. It’s a timeless horror movie that draws from the fears of children and combines it with a classic ghost story to bring one of the most compelling and terrifying movies of my generation to the screen, which is something current ghost stories could only dream of (eat your heart out Paranormal Activity). The effects hold up well today, and the whole movie has an air of dread surrounding it based on the ‘Poltergeist Curse’ that has surrounded it since the death of two of its stars (Heather O’Rourke and Dominique Dunne, who played two of the Freeling children) after its release. I know I’ll keep being scared by this movie for years to come, which is why I’ll give it an 8 / 10. 

Thor (2011)

I couldn’t wait for the latest offering from Marvel Studios, especially after finding out recently that The Avengers had begun shooting this week. I wasn’t as excited for Thor as I had been for last year’s Iron Man 2 and am for this summer’s Captain America – The First Avenger. While Tony Stark’s last outing was lacklustre to say the least, I was extremely happy to find Thor ticking all of the boxes I had hoped it would. Director Kenneth Branagh combines all of the elements of the Norse God world of Asgard with Thor’s time on Earth (which includes a love story with Natalie Portman, some comedic turns and some fantastic action). The movie almost had a few nuggets of geekery linking the other Marvel Studios movie to this one and also some other moments to set up The Avengers, due for release next year. My favourite of this was a bit-part for Jeremy Renner as Hawkeye, an employee of S.H.I.E.L.D attempting to stop Thor from reclaiming his hammer (a mighty weapon he loses once banished by his father to Earth). I was pleased with everything I saw on screen, especially with Chris Hemsworth’s performance as Thor, which surprised me with how genuine and faithful to the character it was. The action was fun to watch and the scene after the credits got the hairs on the back of my neck pricking up. It earns a well-deserved 8 / 10.