What I've Been Watching (January 2012)

SOME SPOILERS AHEAD

For me, it’s January was a slow month for movies and for that reason I haven’t yet been to the cinema in 2012 (despite there being several releases I wouldn’t mind seeing, I have had neither the time or money to indulge). But I did manage to catch one of last year’s most critically acclaimed, Brit thriller ‘Kill List’ as well as all episodes of a UK show that passed me by, ‘Sherlock’. Throw in a couple of classics and this is ‘What I’ve Been Watching’ in January 2012.

The Prestige (2006)

Despite being a huge fan of the works of Christopher Nolan, I’ve somehow managed to avoid The Prestige up until now, and boy am I happy I finally got around to it. The movie, which stars Hugh Jackman and Christian Bale as rival magicians and their attempts to sabotage each others acts after a tragedy that effects them both, is a master class in direction, cinematography and screenwriting. The plot kept me guessing right up until the end and the non-linear storytelling added to the majesty of the movie. It’s my MOVIE OF THE MONTH with an impressive 9 / 10.

I Love You, Man (2009)

Another feel-good Paul Rudd comedy from the last few years that I am a huge fan of is I Love You, Man. The ultimate ‘bromance’ movie, Rudd stars as a newly engaged man who has one big problem in the lead up to his big day – he has no friends. No friends means no best man, so he sets out on a mission to make pals and stumbles across Jason Segel’s slacker, and the two of them soon become the best of buds. It’s a lot of fun, and the clearly improvised elements in certain scenes make for the most hilarious moments. Good times! 7.5 / 10.

Serenity (2005)

It’s been several years since I watched the brilliant cult phenomenon that was Firefly, an epic sci-fi show that broke the mould and pushed the boundaries for what modern sci-fi meant to both fans of the genre and outsiders. Serenity is a feature length version of that show, not really pushing much in terms of special effects and story-telling in comparison to the show. It’s for that reason that much of the movie is disappointing, feeling like a middle of the road episode that just happens to last longer than the TV show. It’s a nice bonus for fans, but didn’t feel necessary to me. 5.5 / 10.

Hunger (2008)

Steve McQueen’s first collaboration with one of my favourite modern actors, Michael Fassbender, before this year’s Shame, is Hunger, a bleak and hard hitting drama set in a Northern Irish prison, following a man’s plans and final execution of an IRA hunger strike. The pacing of the film lets it down, as otherwise it’s a great story with some excellent performances and wonderful cinematography for what is essentially a very claustrophobic film. It’s just too slow, and the hunger strike the whole thing is centred on is reduced to the last 30 minutes or so, which is quite disappointing. 6 / 10.

Kill List (2011)

Brit thriller Kill List was easily the most baffling movie experience I have had in a long time, and although at the time I wasn’t sure whether that was good or bad, I am now convinced that I witnessed one of the most dazzlingly original and mind-warping films of recent times. Ben Wheatley has constructed a labyrinth of ideas beneath a primitive and violent plot, which allows the movie to swing back and forth between genres with ease. I’ve never seen anything quite like this, so I won’t be spoiling the ride with any details here. The ending leaves a sour taste, but on reflection, this is a finely crafted film that cannot be compared to much, and rarely do we see that in filmmaking any more. 8/5 / 10.

Hesher (2010)

Joseph Gordon-Levitt can’t seem to do much wrong, in both my eyes and the eyes of the average adorning moviegoer, and in Hesher, where Gordon-Levitt steps out of the box to play a sociopathic loner who befriends a young boy who is mourning the death of his mother. The movie is chaotic, strictly in the vein of a quirky indie drama, but with enough in substance and message to make it thoroughly enjoyable. Plus, there are numerous Metallica songs on the soundtrack, which makes it at least 20% cooler in my book. 8 / 10.

Fright Night (2011)

Colin Farrell loves a remake at the moment! With Total Recall getting the modern treatment and due for release later this year, I managed to catch the Irishman in the retelling of 1985’s horror shlock, Fright Night. The movie was fun for the running time, but failed to evoke any of the eerie qualities of the original, with Farrell in heartthrob mode more often than terrifying villain with his portrayal of a vampire who moves into a sleepy suburban town. Worth a watch, but won’t change the world. 5.5 / 10.

Sherlock – Season One (2010)

The modern day adaptation of the world’s most famous detective passed me by when it first hit UK screens, but based on many positive reviews I decided to give it a shot. I’m really glad I did, because the new twist on the classic Sir Arthur Conan Doyle stories is imaginatively written and excitingly vibrant. Benedict Cumberbatch takes the title role, slipping into the character of Sherlock with ease, his snappy acting style suiting each carefully piece together plot perfectly. Martin Freeman provides the support as Dr Watson, but the entire cast are just as good, making each episode in the three part series a thrilling ride from start to finish. There are spectacular moments that have been reworked in wonderful fashion from the source material and this kept me on the edge of my seat. I wish there were more than three episodes per series, as when the big reveal of the camp yet sinister Moriarty arrives, things end all too abruptly. 8 / 10.

Sherlock – Season Two (2012)

To compare this series to Guy Ritchie’s recent movies isn’t fair, because they are entirely different beasts. But for the record, I love this show far more (and I didn’t hate the Sherlock Holmes movie, although I haven’t seen the sequel). The second run of Sherlock was superior to the first, but only just. Perhaps it was because it included an episode of the Holmes story I am most familiar with, ‘The Hound of the Baskervilles’, but I think it was because of the way the whole built up situation ended in tense and remarkable style in ‘The Reichenbach Fall’. Moriarty is without doubt a dastardly villain, a fitting match for Sherlock, but for him to seemingly force the great detective to commit suicide was fantastic. Series three has been commissioned, so we can finally get the answers as to how Holmes popped up alive at the climax of the episode. A truly great British show. 8.5 / 10.

Bad Boys (1995)

Back in the days when Michael Bay wasn’t bombarding us with 120 minutes of robot porn every 2 years or so, he was making movies like this. And boy, is Bad Boys a riot. It may be because it’s drenched in nostalgia, cheesy one-liners and over-the-top explosive action, but each of those ingredients adds something special to this classic blockbuster from the mid-nineties. It’s amusing to see how differently the careers of leading men Will Smith and Martin Lawrence have faired, but doesn’t take away from the simple enjoyable nature of Bad Boys. 7.5 /10.

Flags of Our Fathers (2006)

I don’t know what it was about the Clint Eastwood directed Flags of Our Fathers that I didn’t like, but I just couldn’t get into it at all. It moved at a snail’s pace and seemed to evoke all of the clichéd narratives that the worst of the World War II movies do. Perhaps it is because the last few years have included a repeat viewing of Band of Brothers and the brilliant The Pacific for me, but this movie just went nowhere and provided some of the worst performances of actors portraying battle worn soldiers I’ve seen in a long time. I lost interest about halfway through, but persevered as I always do. I love Clint’s directorial work, but this was just bad. It has to be my SHIT MOVIE OF THE MONTH with 4 / 10.