3:10 to Yuma
Russell Crowe is the leader of an outlaw gang. Christian Bale is an impoverished rancher who, desperate for money, is persuaded to escort Crowe to a prison train. On the way they encounter hostile Apache, vengeful railroad workers and, not least, Crowe's gang as they seek to rescue him. Crowe is excellent, switching effortlessly between menacing and charming throughout the film. Even so, he is upstaged by psychotic gang member Ben Foster, one of the most frightening characters to appear on screen since Trainspotting's Begbie. A western that's well worth seeing.
Superbad
I took my teenage son to a preview; I squirmed with embarrassment for the first few minutes, but it turned out to be the funniest film either of us had seen since Borat. The plot is straightforward; three nerdy sex-obsessed schoolboys are on a mission to buy alcohol for a party. In that respect it's a dumb teen comedy like American Pie…but it's much better, and in a peculiar way, more moral. Warning: lots of swearing, lots of kn*b gags, and some very crude dialogue, none of which is repeatable here. The two lead characters (Jonah Hill and Michael Cera) are great. So are Bill Hader and Seth Rogen - star of Knocked Up and the film's co-writer - who play immature, out-of-control policemen. Christopher Mintz-Plasse, as the lead characters' geeky sidekick McLovin', is best of the lot.
In the Hands of the Gods
Five English teenagers from diverse backgrounds hatch a plan to travel from New York City to Buenos Aires to meet their hero, Diego Maradona. All are masters of “freestyle football” - an extreme form of keepie-uppie. The plan is to finance the road trip by busking, staging impromptu street exhibitions in the cities of North and South America. There's some amazing skill on display here - notably juggling with various fruits and vegetables in a market in Guatemala City. But rather than the football, the film focuses on the lads' motivations, and the growing tensions that threaten to derail their efforts as they edge closer to their goal. A rather strange documentary, but engrossing.
Run, Fat Boy, Run
Simon Pegg jilts his pregnant fiance at the altar, but comes to regret it five years later when he meets the new man in his ex-girlfriend's life, a successful American hedge fund manager. Pegg, worried that the new man will supplant him in his five-year-old son's affections, plans to win her back by running the London Marathon. With entirely predictable results. Having enjoyed Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz, I was really looking forward to this one. But sadly, it falls well short. It's difficult to muster much sympathy for Pegg's character, and Hank Azaria (voice of Moe the Bartender, Apu and Chief Wiggum in The Simpsons) is wasted as Pegg's rival. I wouldn't bother.
Films what I've seen
No, I haven't seen it. Edinburgh rooftops. It's got some good reviews. Jamie Bell, the lead male, was great in Billy Elliot. Mind you, that was seven years ago. Anyone else seen it?
This week, I'm going to see Death Proof, the new Tarantino film, and (maybe) A Mighty Heart, about Daniel Pearl, the journalist killed in Pakistan a couple of years ago. Angelina Jolie plays his wife.
I'll keep you posted.
This week, I'm going to see Death Proof, the new Tarantino film, and (maybe) A Mighty Heart, about Daniel Pearl, the journalist killed in Pakistan a couple of years ago. Angelina Jolie plays his wife.
I'll keep you posted.
Death Proof
This flopped in the US when it opened as half of Grindhouse, a double-header. Death Proof is Quentin Tarantino's instalment. It stars Kurt Russell as Stuntman Mike, a sinister scarfaced character with a souped-up vehicle who follows four women to a bar in Texas. The action's painfully slow for a large part of the film. If you've seen Reservoir Dogs or Pulp Fiction, you'll be familiar with the pattern: inconsequential, random and sweary dialogue, intermittently amusing. The twist is that this time it's women rather than men talking dirty, but I think Tarantino overdoes it. The cinematography deliberately mimics low budget 1970s movies - a bit scratchy and brightly lit with jumpy cuts, which might irritate some people. Mind you, the second half of the film is something else, with car chase action that's better than Bullitt and the French Connection. In summary: dirty talk by sexy women, absolutely brilliant car chase, satisfying ending. Great soundtrack, too.
This flopped in the US when it opened as half of Grindhouse, a double-header. Death Proof is Quentin Tarantino's instalment. It stars Kurt Russell as Stuntman Mike, a sinister scarfaced character with a souped-up vehicle who follows four women to a bar in Texas. The action's painfully slow for a large part of the film. If you've seen Reservoir Dogs or Pulp Fiction, you'll be familiar with the pattern: inconsequential, random and sweary dialogue, intermittently amusing. The twist is that this time it's women rather than men talking dirty, but I think Tarantino overdoes it. The cinematography deliberately mimics low budget 1970s movies - a bit scratchy and brightly lit with jumpy cuts, which might irritate some people. Mind you, the second half of the film is something else, with car chase action that's better than Bullitt and the French Connection. In summary: dirty talk by sexy women, absolutely brilliant car chase, satisfying ending. Great soundtrack, too.
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iainburnside
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The Kingdom
At the start, this looks like it's going to be a political thriller. It starts with a brutal attack on a foreign residential compound in Saudi Arabia. The US wants to take action, or at least find out who is responsible, but is thwarted by the religious and political sensitivities of the Saudi regime. The country simply won't have American investigators on its soil. Until, that is, a deus ex machina - a contrived and implausible plot device - clears the way for Jamie Foxx and his chums from the Feds to make things right. They have five days, and precious little co-operation from the domestic security forces, to sort things out.
Certainly, there's stuff to enjoy here. Some genuine tension at the start when we see the build-up to, and the implementation of, the initial attack. Other than that? Rockets flying, bullets ricocheting, exploding cars and exploding houses. And, seeing as it's the Middle East, exploding people.
It's done well, and action fans will be impressed. But one of the people I was with was put off by the camerawork - deliberately hand-held and jerky during the action scenes, with quick jumpcut edits. Actually, quite a lot of the film feels like a video game.
Today in the cinema, I learned that FBI forensic personnel are terrific detectives. And they're absolutely ace at close-quarter urban combat against heavily-armed Islamist militants. Even though they're in an unfamiliar area, in a very foreign country. Heh.
Two elements look to have been shoehorned into the film. The sympathetic Saudi army officer, there to hammer home the idea that the terrorists don't have the support of the people. And a corny and ambivalent ending, as in - so who really are the baddies?
This is just so much bollox; I can only imagine good ol' boys from Alabama to Wyoming watching this film, whooping and hollering every time a 'towelhead' gets slotted. When you boil it down, it's nothing more than Rambo Goes To Riyadh. So if you're a Chuck Norris fan, you'll be in your element - it's undeniably exciting. But if you're looking for something insightful about the way things are in that part of the world, best stay away.
(Out Thursday 5 October)
At the start, this looks like it's going to be a political thriller. It starts with a brutal attack on a foreign residential compound in Saudi Arabia. The US wants to take action, or at least find out who is responsible, but is thwarted by the religious and political sensitivities of the Saudi regime. The country simply won't have American investigators on its soil. Until, that is, a deus ex machina - a contrived and implausible plot device - clears the way for Jamie Foxx and his chums from the Feds to make things right. They have five days, and precious little co-operation from the domestic security forces, to sort things out.
Certainly, there's stuff to enjoy here. Some genuine tension at the start when we see the build-up to, and the implementation of, the initial attack. Other than that? Rockets flying, bullets ricocheting, exploding cars and exploding houses. And, seeing as it's the Middle East, exploding people.
It's done well, and action fans will be impressed. But one of the people I was with was put off by the camerawork - deliberately hand-held and jerky during the action scenes, with quick jumpcut edits. Actually, quite a lot of the film feels like a video game.
Today in the cinema, I learned that FBI forensic personnel are terrific detectives. And they're absolutely ace at close-quarter urban combat against heavily-armed Islamist militants. Even though they're in an unfamiliar area, in a very foreign country. Heh.
Two elements look to have been shoehorned into the film. The sympathetic Saudi army officer, there to hammer home the idea that the terrorists don't have the support of the people. And a corny and ambivalent ending, as in - so who really are the baddies?
This is just so much bollox; I can only imagine good ol' boys from Alabama to Wyoming watching this film, whooping and hollering every time a 'towelhead' gets slotted. When you boil it down, it's nothing more than Rambo Goes To Riyadh. So if you're a Chuck Norris fan, you'll be in your element - it's undeniably exciting. But if you're looking for something insightful about the way things are in that part of the world, best stay away.
(Out Thursday 5 October)