David M. Brown's Blog, page 30

This Week’s Books (19/01/14)

Richard J. Evans – The Third Reich at War (2008)

The final volume in Richard J. Evans’s masterly trilogy on the history of Nazi Germany traces the rise and fall of German military might, the mobilization of a “people’s community” to serve a war of conquest, and Hitler’s campaign of racial subjugation and genocide.

Already hailed as “a masterpiece” (William Grimes in The New York Times) and “the most comprehensive history… of the Third Reich” (Ian Kershaw), this epic trilogy reaches its terrifying climax in this volume.

Evans interweaves a broad narrative of the war’s progress with viscerally affecting personal testimony from a wide range of people–from generals to front-line soldiers, from Hitler Youth activists to middle-class housewives. The Third Reich at War lays bare the dynamics of a nation more deeply immersed in war than any society before or since. Fresh insights into the conflict’s great events are here, from the invasion of Poland to the Battle of Stalingrad to Hitler’s suicide in the bunker. But just as important is the re-creation of the daily experience of ordinary Germans in wartime, staggering under pressure from Allied bombing and their own government’s mounting demands upon them. At the center of the book is the Nazi extermination of Europe’s Jews, set in the context of Hitler’s genocidal plans for the racial restructuring of Europe.

Blending narrative, description and analysis, The Third Reich at War creates an engrossing picture–at once sweeping and precise–of a society rushing headlong to self-destruction and taking much of Europe with it. It is the culmination of a historical masterwork that will remain the most authoritative work on Nazi Germany for years to come.

Verdict: The final and best of Evans’ trilogy on the Third Reich exploring the end of Hitler’s dream. 5/5

Go to top

Edgar Allan Poe – The Pit and the Pendulum (1842)

Stories in the Travelman Short Stories series take the reader to places of mystery, fantasy, horror, romance, and corners of the universe yet unexplored. In turn, readers take them on the bus or subway, slip them into briefcases and lunchboxes, and send them from Jersey to Juneau.Each classic or original short story is printed on one sheet of paper and folded like a map. This makes it simple to read while commuting, convenient to carry when not, and easy to give or send to a friend. A paper envelope is provided for mailing or gift-giving, and both are packaged in a clear plastic envelope for display. The cost is not much more than a greeting card.

Verdict: Another excellent story by Poe. 4/5

Go to top

Stephen King – 11.22.63 (2011)

If you had the chance to change the course of history, would you? Would the consequences be what you hoped?

Jake Epping, 35, teaches high-school English in Lisbon Falls, Maine, and cries reading the brain-damaged janitor’s story of childhood Halloween massacre by their drunken father. On his deathbed, pal Al divulges a secret portal to 1958 in his diner back pantry, and enlists Jake to prevent the 11/22/1963 Dallas assassination of American President John F. Kennedy. Under the alias George Amberson, our hero joins the cigarette-hazed full-flavored world of Elvis rock’n'roll, Negro discrimination, and freeway gas-guzzlers without seat belts. Will Jake lurk in impoverished immigrant slums beside troubled loner Lee Harvey Oswald, or share small-town friendliness with beautiful high school librarian Sadie Dunhill, the love of his life?

Verdict: Stunning novel from King that adds further weight to the master’s versatility. 5/5

Go to top

Sun Tzu – The Art of War (c. 512 BC)

Conflict is an inevitable part of life, according to this ancient Chinese classic of strategy, but everything necessary to deal with conflict wisely, honorably, victoriously, is already present within us. Compiled more than two thousand years ago by a mysterious warrior-philosopher, The Art of War is still perhaps the most prestigious and influential book of strategy in the world, as eagerly studied in Asia by modern politicians and executives as it has been by military leaders since ancient times. As a study of the anatomy of organizations in conflict, The Art of War applies to competition and conflict in general, on every level from the interpersonal to the international. Its aim is invincibility, victory without battle, and unassailable strength through understanding the physics, politics, and psychology of conflict.

Verdict: An important historical document that also turns out to be a great read. 4/5

Go to top

Jonathan Miller – Stripped: The True Story of Depeche Mode (2003)

Depeche Mode became the world’s best -selling synth-led group selling in excess of 40 million albums. Contains exclusive interviews with founder member Vince Clark and producer Gareth Jones. Also includes previously unpublished interview material with the band members themselves.

Verdict: Fantastic account of the group’s rise to stardom and of the works of former members, Vince Clarke and Alan Wilder. 5/5

Go to top

Kate Mosse – Labyrinth (2005)

July 2005. In the Pyrenees mountains near Carcassonne, Alice, a volunteer at an archaeological dig, stumbles into a cave and makes a startling discovery-two crumbling skeletons, strange writings on the walls, and the pattern of a labyrinth. Eight hundred years earlier, on the eve of a brutal crusade that will rip apart southern France, a young woman named Alais is given a ring and a mysterious book for safekeeping by her father. The book, he says, contains the secret of the true Grail, and the ring, inscribed with a labyrinth, will identify a guardian of the Grail. Now, as crusading armies gather outside the city walls of Carcassonne, it will take a tremendous sacrifice to keep the secret of the labyrinth safe.

Verdict: An okay story but, like The Da Vinci Code, the end product doesn’t justify the hype. 2/5

Go to top

Arthur C. Clarke – 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)

A special new Introduction by the author highlights this reissue of a classic science fiction novel that changed the way people looked at the stars–and themselves.

Verdict: Though inferior to Kubrick’s visually stunning adaptation, this remains a memorable sci-fi novel. 4/5

Go to top

The post This Week’s Books (19/01/14) appeared first on News of the Worlds.

Dave’s Odyssey #6

In May 2008, I went travelling on my own for the first time and was out of England for a month. Along the way I took in Singapore, New Zealand, Australia and Thailand before coming home. I kept a journal of my time on the road, so here’s a day by day account of my trials and tribulations that has the undeserved title of Dave’s Odyssey. 

Day 6 – Christchurch, New Zealand

Gorgeous view from Cashmere Hills

The 7.00 a.m. wake up call began a new day. I’d slept better than previous nights at least. Breakfast at the Tudor restaurant was another buffet affair, which I prefer. A suit of armour greets you at the entrance, continuing the influence of Henry VII and his children. It made one feel right at home.

After breakfast we drove to the outskirts of Christchurch and into the Cashmere Hills. The beautiful landscape I’d expected of New Zealand suddenly opened up before me along a high and winding road. Varied hills, dense forests and on the horizon the snow-tipped peaks of the Southern Alps. It was quite a spectacle.

Thankfully, the coach came to a stop and we were allowed to take photos of a fabulous panoramic view, including the Canterbury Plains, the Southern Alps and the Pacific Ocean stretching deep inland. Clear skies made for some great photos. I settled for just three photos but am sure others in the group took more.

Cathedral Square

Dave filled us in on the local history and I was surprised to hear that one of the characters in the film Heavenly Creatures originally came from Christchurch. Along with her best friend, she committed murder and, on her eventual release, emigrated to Scotland where she now writes crime novels. Other areas of interest were the two Scottish brothers that first settled in Christchurch and whose descendants are still living in New Zealand to this day.

We headed back into the city to the centre of Christchurch. The focal point of the city is the cathedral. Surrounded by stalls, a tram line and host to a rambling wizard when the season is warm; he’s supposedly an expert in arguments! We took the obligatory photos in Cathedral Square, wandered the stalls before returning to the coach for our last destination.

The Canterbury Museum contained a diverse range of history:- prehistoric, early civilizations, geography, sports heroes, polar explorers, birds etc. It was free to go in but it’s surprising they don’t charge something, though you can make donations. Before you ask, yes I did!

Botanic Gardens

After the museum we had the rest of the day free. I headed for the Botanic Gardens, which were on the doorstep of the Canterbury Museum. The Gardens were seemingly endless parkland dotted with trees and floral displays with the River Avon running through the centre. Beyond the Gardens I reached Lake Victoria, which was accompanied by a smaller lake named – yes, you guessed it – Lake Albert.

After the Botanic Gardens I headed for the Arts Centre. It’s an actual college for art students but some sections are open to the public and artwork is on display as well as for sale. I’m not a connoisseur of the arts but there were some nice pieces although the prices were far beyond my budget.

One section was devoted to Japanese architecture. It doesn’t sound the most exciting area to peruse but these designs from the Land of the Rising Sun were examples of the type of buildings the future may hold and they were weird and wonderful to say the least.

River Avon

I completed the tour of Christchurch with a walk down the River Avon. This led me back into the heart of Christchurch. Before heading back to the Cotswolds Hotel I stopped off in Victoria Square which paid tribute to both Queen Victoria and to Captain Cook. Christchurch is undoubtedly proud of its English heritage.

Back at the hotel I found my international adapter wasn’t compatible with New Zealand plugs so I had buy one from the hotel. It’s a good investment because it works in Australia as well. I couldn’t get by without one because the digital camera eats through batteries faster than I get through a pizza.

I was privileged to sample some New Zealand television and what a feast it was. Bugging with Ruud follows an eccentric wildlife expert/amateur that wandered a desert to find out how bugs survived in the intense heat. Not content with observing their methods, Ruud practised them himself. Digging in the sand and rubbing the grains on his body, running over hot coals, you name it, Ruud did it. He’s one of those types. This lunatic was followed by two documentaries on shark attacks which have put me off going into the sea, I don’t mind saying.

Tomorrow the day begins at 6.00a.m. It’s a long drive through New Zealand to Queenstown. It feels like I’ve barely been in Christchurch and already we’re moving on. Looking ahead at the rest of the itinerary it seems the rest of the tour is going to be like this. It would be nice to spend a bit longer in some places but to be fair we’re cramming a lot into 31 days and at the snippet price it’s a bargain.

The post Dave’s Odyssey #6 appeared first on News of the Worlds.

Masterpieces #3: Akira

About Akira (1988)
It’s 2019, the world is on the brink of absolute destruction. Tokyo shimmers with tech-noir fetishism, gangs of cyber-punk bikers cruise the sprawl of the post-atomic city and rioting crowds surge under the neon-topped buildings looming a thousand storeys into the sky. Now, old gods return to do battle with Akira and something more than comic book ultra-violence is unleashed. Prepare to enter this astonishing nightmare of hyper-reality created by one of the world’s leading animation directors, Otomo Katsuhiro.

Directed by: Katsuhiro Otomo

Runtime: 124 minutes

Studio: Funimation

 

Amazon US Amazon UK IMDB

Akira (1988)

I’m a big fan of Japanese anime with my first taste of it coming in the late eighties. I remember Hayao Miyazaki’s classic Laputa: Castle in the Sky (1986) first airing on British television. I was a pre-teen at this point and my late grandparents would often tape some great programs for me. That recording of Laputa stayed in the family for years until someone (I’m still not certain who) taped over it. Boy, was I pissed!

In the early nineties my older brother began sampling Manga films, adaptations of Japanese comics and graphic novels and we experienced some contrasting formats ranging from Project A-Ko (1986) to Urotsukidoji I: The Legend of the Overfiend (1989). On each VHS was a trailer for another film my brother and I were desperate to see, beginning with the voice over: “Neo-Tokyo is about to explode.”

This film was, of course, Akira which remains, in my humble opinion, the greatest animated film there has ever been. It was adapted from Katsuhiro Otomo’s graphic novel (1982-90) which stretched to 6 volumes and covered more than 2,000 pages. It’s epic in every sense of the word but back in 1988 Otomo’s magnum opus was somehow adapted into a 2 hour feature length film.

Explaining what the hell Akira is about isn’t the easiest of tasks and even today I’m not convinced I understand every aspect of it. We are told that in 1988 Tokyo is destroyed by a widespread explosion that forms the catalyst for World War III. The scene soon changes to AD 2019 in Neo Tokyo, born in the aftermath of the devastation that obliterated its predecessor. The streets are filled with riot police and protesters, while rival biker gangs – the Capsules and the Clowns – cruise the highways and battle it out for supremacy.

The film quickly gets going with the Capsules, led by Kaneda, involved in the latest battle against the Clowns. Tetsuo, a downtrodden member of the Capsules, races ahead of his friends in order to prove his worth, only to crash when trying to avoid a young boy – Takashi – who has wandered into the road. No sooner have the Capsules arrived at the crash site than the military arrive and abduct both Takashi and the wounded Tetsuo. Tetsuo then becomes the basis of experiments linked to the elusive Akira, a unique child that played a part in the destruction of Tokyo 30 years before.

That’s a simplified idea of what goes on in Akira but there’s so much more depth to it, my ramblings hardly touch the surface. Our focus is shifted frequently, watching Kaneda’s search for Tetsuo and his involvement with a rebel faction opposed to the government, Tetsuo’s emergence as a powerful being hell-bent on taking revenge against all who have wronged him, the three espers – Takashi, Kiyoko and Masaru – and their link to both Akira and Tetsuo, as well as the imposing Colonel Shikishima and Doctor Onishi who oversee the project involving Tetsuo.

While Kaneda comes across as a bit of a goofball at times, his priority being getting together with rebel, Kei, he ultimately steps up as something of a hapless hero. The really memorable moments belong to Tetsuo though. At the outset he is an insignificant runt in the biker gang, scorned and dismissed by his peers, but following the experiments he is subjected to, Tetsuo inevitably escapes his confines and is near unstoppable as he wanders the city and leaves nothing but devastation in his wake. The friendship between Kaneda and Tetsuo is explored in more depth towards the end, revealing companionship that isn’t apparent in the first half of the film. The final face-off between the two men simply has it all.

I have seen different versions of Akira and my preference is for the original English dub though you can’t go wrong with the film’s first incarnation in Japanese. The new English dub that was released in 2001 just didn’t do it for me, but to be fair I’d become so used to the original that this was bound to be the case. I had the same problem when a modern dub was done for Laputa, which wasn’t as memorable as the previous one, but that’s just my opinion and many have disagreed with me about that.

Watching Akira it’s hard to believe that this amazing film is now more than 25 years old. The likes of Pixar may produce more visually stunning animations these days but I still prefer this format that Studio Ghibli still primarily use. The company founded by Hayao Miyazaki and Isao Takahata in the early eighties has produced some of my favourite anime films but all of them are superseded by Otomo’s Akira. It remains visually stunning to this day, has an intricate story, great characters, memorable set-pieces and a terrific climax. For anyone that is curious about trying Japanese anime I would point them to Studio Ghibli first, simply for the variety of films offered there but if they really want to see anime at its best then they should head for Akira and Neo Tokyo, buckle their belts, hold tight, sit back and enjoy the ride.

The post Masterpieces #3: Akira appeared first on News of the Worlds.

This Week’s Films (13/01/14)

The Deal (2008) 

Charlie Berns is a veteran Hollywood movie producer who has given up on his career and life. This is until his idealistic screenwriter nephew comes up with the script of a lifetime and Charlie decides to give his career one final shot. The only thing standing in his way is Diedre Hearn, a sharp witted studio executive brought in to keep Charlie in line. But when their A-list action star gets kidnapped and the studio shuts down their movie they relunctantly team up to pull off one of the biggest hustles in Hollywood history. This is a smart screwball comedy with bags of charm and the wonderfully crackly chemistry between William Macy and Meg Ryan makes this a must see!

Verdict: Limited comedy with few laughs and no chemistry between the two leads. 4/10

Go to top

Revenant/Modern Vampires (1998)

It is a little known fact that Los Angeles plays host to an underground community of glamorous and sophisticated vampires, who restrict their sex-and-blood activities to a select number of clubs. That is, until one of their number, seductress Nico (Natasha Gregson Wagner), decides to go looking for action on the streets, earning herself the nickname of ‘Hollywood slasher’. The arrival of vampire hunter Frederick Van Helsing (Rod Steiger), complete with a group of city gang bangers he has hired by mistake, complicates matters still further.

Verdict: One of the worst vampire films I’ve had the misfortune of watching. 1/10

Go to top

Detour (2009)

Driving back to Norway, Lina and Martin reach a roadblock where a policeman tells them to take a detour deep into the Swedish forest. Soon one creepy incident after another leaves them stranded in the dark woods and everything seems much too bizarre to be purely accidental. What Lina and Martin do not know is that they are under constant video surveillance and have been unwittingly cast as the leading roles of a live internet snuff movie with a definitive and terrifying end. Explore your worst possible fears in this shocking horror thriller that was inspired by terrifying true events!

Verdict: Slow and formulaic horror that offers nothing new to the genre. 3/10

Go to top

The Bird with the Crystal Plumage (1970)

An American writer traveling in Rome is the only witness to an attempted murder by a sinister man in a raincoat and black leather gloves, though he is powerless to do anything to stop him. With a feeling that something is not quite right about the scene he has witnessed and the police’s inability to make any progress, he launches his own personal investigation and nearly loses his life in the process. While this modern day Jack-the-Ripper type is slithering through the dark byways of Rome slicing up pretty girls.

Verdict: Intriguing horror thriller and an impressive debut effort from Dario Argento. 8/10

Go to top

Humains (2009)

A team of researchers travel to the Swiss Alps to investigate a scientific discovery on human evolution. However, the trip soon turns into a deadly fight for survival when the team crash into a gully and find themselves falling prey to someone…or something.

Verdict: Promises more in the first half than it delivers in the second. 4/10

Go to top

How About You (2007)

Since the death of her husband Kate has been running a residential home for eldery residents. When her mother is taken ill, Kate reluctantly leaves her impetuous younger sister Ellie in charge over the Christmas period. Looking after the home proves to be a mammoth task. ALthough most of the residents have left to spend the festive season with their families four grumpy residents known as the “hard core” are left. Retired screen beauty Georgia, spinster sisters Hazel and Heather and reformed alcolohic High Court judge DOnald. Its a baptism of fire for Ellie whose youth and inexperience bring her head to head with the cantankerous foursome, resulting in hilarious and sometimes sad antics of these uncivilised seniors.

Verdict: The predictable storyline is enhanced by some good performances from the likes of Redgrave, Ackland and Staunton. 6/10

Go to top

A Boy and His Dog (1975)

This cult sci-fi comedy, based on the novella by Harlan Ellison, was used as source material for the 1979 film ‘Mad Max’. Set in a post-apocalyptic future, the film tells the wry tale of Vic (Don Johnson), a good-for-nothing young man with a talking dog called Blood, through whom he communicates telepathically in order to procure himself food and sex with nubile young women.

Verdict: The first hour is okay but the film loses its way with a change of direction in the final third. 5/10

Go to top

Ghost Writer/Suffering Man’s Charity (2007)

Black comedy horror, from debut director Alan Cumming, about a failed musician whose charity towards a struggling writer is taken for granted with devastating effects. Always ready to help those in need, especially handsome young men, music teacher Jonathan Vandermark (Alan Cumming) takes in a lodger, would-be writer Sebastian St. German (David Boreanaz). But when he discovers that Sebastian is taking advantage of the situation by sleeping with as many women as he can, while rebuffing his landlord’s advances, Jonathan sees red. Determined to show the stud-about-town that charity begins at home, Jonathan sets in motion a chain of events that will have terrible repercussions for them both, in this life and the next.

Verdict: Worth watching for Alan Cumming’s aptly OTT performance. 7/10

Go to top

** FILM OF THE WEEK **

Near Dark (1987)

A vampire movie with a western backdrop. Caleb is a farmboy living in the midwest of America. One Friday night he gets involved with Mae, one of a group of vampires who roams America in a Winnebago. Caleb has a week to make his first kill to become a fully fledged blood sucker.

Verdict: It’s no Fright Night or The Lost Boys, but Near Dark is certainly one of the better vampire movies. 8/10

Go to top

The Last Harbour (2010)

Ian Martin is a washed up Boston Police Detective who, after another booze-related botched arrest, is given one last chance by his Captain: a reassignment to the sleepy seaside town of Salem Harbor – Ian’s hometown and life he left behind years ago. There he must rebuild his fractured relationship with his daughter Leanne. But when local girl Alison Stone goes missing with few in the town showing any concern, Ian must unravel the mystery which brings him closer to him than he would like. As the pressure mounts, Ian finds his old habits are hard to control, and he must decide how much he’s willing to change to mend his seemingly lost relationship with his daughter.

Verdict: Limited thriller though the murder mystery at the heart of it should keep you interested until the end. 6/10

Go to top

Junkyard Dog (2010)

Audra Buckman, a 19 year old college student, is trapped in a month-long nightmare, struggling to stay alive and uneaten whilst being held captive, half-starved and repeatedly raped by the Junkyard Dog (Innis Casey) an oddly charismatic but vicious man-eating monster. Audra’s only hope of escape from this hell, and the mouth of a madman, is Samantha Deatherage (Vivicia A. Fox), a tough FBI agent who is sent on a solo mission to find the missing girl.

Verdict: An average thriller that may be too unpleasant for some to watch. 5/10

Go to top

Grace is Gone (2007)

Stanley Phillips (John Cusack) takes care of his two young daughters, Heidi and Dawn, while his wife Grace serves overseas in Iraq as a member of the U.S. Army. When Stan receives devastating news about his wife, he has no idea how to tell the couple’s little girls. Not yet willing to have them face the awful truth, Stan and the girls go on a spontaneous road trip that takes them to Florida and to his own boyhood home. Along the way he shields them from the news about their mother until Heidi and Dawn sense the truth. It’s a story of a father’s love and courage in a time of family tragedy.

Verdict: Moving drama enhanced by the performances of Cusack and O’Keefe. 8/10

Go to top

Vampire Girl Vs Frankenstein Girl (2009)

The deranged genius behind Tokyo Gore Police is back with a chilling new flick that’s re-writing the hallowed history of the horror genre. Vampire Girl vs. Frankenstein Girl is the terrifying story of two classic monsters re-imagined as super hot – and extremely lethal – Japanese school girls. Gore rules supreme in this blood-cake cavalcade of carnage chosen as the winner of the Audience Award at the 2009 NY Asian Film Festival. Fan boys and movie blogs are already buzzing over this bloodbath du jour, and aficionados of psychedelic blood-filled chocolates, mad scientist principals, sumo wrestlers from hell, and sex-crazed school nurses are guaranteed to lose their heads over this old school splatter-fest.

Verdict: An early contender for the most bizarre film of the year. 6/10

Go to top

The post This Week’s Films (13/01/14) appeared first on News of the Worlds.

This Week’s Books (12/01/14)

Michel Faber – The Crimson Petal & the White (2002)

Sugar, 19, prostitute in Victorian London, yearns for a better life. From brutal brothel-keeper Mrs Castaway, she ascends in society. Affections of self-involved perfume magnate William Rackham soon smells like love. Her social rise attracts preening socialites, drunken journalists, untrustworthy servants, vile guttersnipes, and whores of all kinds. 

Verdict: A delightful narrative make this book well worth your time, despite its length. 4/5

Go to top

Mark Haddon – The Sea of Tranquillity (1996)

He borrowed library books and read about astronauts walking in space, orbiting the earth, and flying around the moon. Every night the little boy hoped and hoped that one day astronauts would land on the moon. And then, one cloudless night, they did. . . . “Haddon captures the profound thrill of being witness to the moon landing better than any other picture book.”–”School Library Journal”

Verdict: Pleasant enough tale about childhood dreams of space. 3/5

Go to top

Richard J. Evans – The Coming of the Third Reich (2004)

There is no story in twentieth-century history more important to understand than Hitler’s rise to power and the collapse of civilization in Nazi Germany. With The Coming of the Third Reich, Richard Evans, one of the world’s most distinguished historians, has written the definitive account for our time. A masterful synthesis of a vast body of scholarly work integrated with important new research and interpretations, Evans’s history restores drama and contingency to the rise to power of Hitler and the Nazis, even as it shows how ready Germany was by the early 1930s for such a takeover to occur. The Coming of the Third Reich is a masterwork of the historian’s art and the book by which all others on the subject will be judged.

Verdict: Insightful opening to the trilogy detailing the Nazi rise in a disillusioned post-WWI Germany. 4/5

Go to top

Edgar Allan Poe – The Tell-Tale Heart (1843)

Do your students enjoy a good laugh? Do they like to be scared? Or do they just like a book with a happy ending? No matter what their taste, our Creative Short Stories series has the answer.We’ve taken some of the world’s best stories from dark, musty anthologies and brought them into the light, giving them the individual attention they deserve. Each book in the series has been designed with today’s young reader in mind. As the words come to life, students will develop a lasting appreciation for great literature.

The humor of Mark Twain…the suspense of Edgar Allan Poe…the danger of Jack London…the sensitivity of Katherine Mansfield. Creative Short Stories has it all and will prove to be a welcome addition to any library.

Verdict: Well-written but dark tale of murder and crumbling sanity. 4/5

Go to top

Richard J. Evans – The Third Reich in Power (2005) 

The definitive account of Germany’s malign transformation under Hitler’s total rule and the implacable march to war. 

By the middle of 1933, the democracy of the Weimar Republic had been transformed into the police state of the Third Reich, mobilized around the cult of the leader, Adolf Hitler. If this could happen in less than a year, what would the future hold? Only the most fervent Nazi party loyalists would have predicted how radical the transformation ahead would be. 

In The Third Reich in Power, Richard J. Evans tells the story of Germany’s radical reshaping under Nazi rule. Every area of life, from literature, culture, and the arts to religion, education, and science, was subordinated to the relentless drive to prepare Germany for war. His book shows how the Nazis attempted to penetrate and reorder every aspect of German society, encountering many kinds and degrees of resistance along the way but gradually winning the acceptance of the German people in the long run. 

Those who were seen as unfit to be counted among the German people were dealt with in increasingly brutal terms. The Nazi regime took more and more radical measures against the racially “unfit,” including Germany’s Jews, Gypsies, homosexuals, mentally ill, “asocial” and “habitual” criminals. After six years of foreign policy brinkmanship that took the Nazi regime from success to success, Hitler’s drive to prepare Germany for the war he saw as its destiny reached its fateful hour in September 1939. The war he unleashed was to plunge the world into a maelstrom of genocide and destruction. The Third Reich in Power is the fullest and most authoritative account yet written of how, in six years, Germany was brought to the edge of that terrible abyss.

Verdict: Inferior to the first instalment but still an absorbing read all the same. 4/5

Go to top

Edgar Allan Poe – The Black Cat (1842)

The Black Cat is a short story by Edgar Allan Poe. It was first published in the August 19, 1843, edition of The Saturday Evening Post. It is a study of the psychology of guilt.

Verdict: Another great read, maybe my favourite by Poe so far. 4/5

Go to top

The post This Week’s Books (12/01/14) appeared first on News of the Worlds.

Dave’s Odyssey #5

In May 2008, I went travelling on my own for the first time and was out of England for a month. Along the way I took in Singapore, New Zealand, Australia and Thailand before coming home. I kept a journal of my time on the road, so here’s a day by day account of my trials and tribulations that has the undeserved title of Dave’s Odyssey. 

Day 5 – Singapore – Australia – New Zealand

New Zealand’s sniffer dogs meant business!

Two consecutive flights certainly take its toll. As we approached Sydney we could see the coast lit up all the way to the horizon and this was at 5.00 in the morning! Tackling the security at Sydney proved more straightforward than I could have hoped for. Rather than face a repeat of the drama at Singapore over the contact lens solution, I handed the two bottles over and with a concerned tone asked if they’d allow the stuff through. I got no response from the guy at security. He just casually put the two bottles with my other things and that was that.

Getting from Sydney to Christchurch in New Zealand wasn’t that bad. The only crisis was the immigration forms we all had to fill in to be presented with out passport and ticket. The New Zealanders are obsessed with food and plants that tourists might want to sneak into the country. I didn’t think there was anything incriminating in my backpack so I signed off the form with a clean bill of health.

Captain Scott, Christchurch, NZ

On reaching New Zealand we had sniffer dogs and x-rays of our luggage, all wanting to find something wrong but, luckily, I got my contact lens solution through without any glitches. We then met our new tour guide/driver – Dave – shortly after. He seemed nice enough.

The first noticeable thing about New Zealand was the change in temperature. The last day in Singapore had been sweltering. The first day in New Zealand was cold and wet. For a second I thought I had taken the wrong plane and ended up back in England. We had a quick tour of Christchurch to pinpoint any restaurants we might wish to try, then it was off to the hotel.

The Cotswold Hotel was more like a series of traditional English cottages. The area was Tudor themed with the cottages divided under the names of Henry VIII’s six wives, still retaining their heads in this instance. An assortment of furniture, shiny tables, two TV’s and a short walk from the bar and restaurant pretty much summed up my room. There was a bit of drama with the door in the respect it had no handle just a knocker in the centre reminiscent of the ones held in the jaws of lions. I turned the key and tried to open the door but all to no avail. I found you had to just keep on turning the key until the door opened of its own accord. Bizarre. Call me old fashioned, but I prefer those door handle contraptions. You know where you are with them.

A day spent mostly travelling took its toll!

By the time we were sorted at the hotel it was late afternoon. I went for a quick walk into Christchurch with the aid of a map. A must-see for tomorrow was clearly the River Avon that runs through the city and you can traverse it either by punting or a simple stroll along the riverside. I was impressed to find a statue of polar explorer, Captain Scott, on display. It paid tribute not just to Scott but to the four other men that died with him on the journey back from the South Pole.

The rain become more persistent as the time passed so it was time for a walk back to the hotel. Unfortunately, despite having the map I got a tad confused and it was a good while before I found Victoria Road, which led back to the Cotswold Hotel. On the way back it was amusing to see Christchurch living up to its characteristic as the most English city in New Zealand. The many street names were all reminiscent of home – Oxford, Cambridge, Peterborough and Manchester to name but a few. Clearly originality in street names is not prevalent here.

After being awake for more than 24 hours for the second time this week it was inevitable that I’d be retiring early. I was nodding off by 8.00 so called it a night. At least the rest of the tour, except the flight back to Heathrow from Thailand, won’t see me staying awake more than 24 hours.

The post Dave’s Odyssey #5 appeared first on News of the Worlds.

This Week’s Films (06/01/14)

Fatal Move (2008)

Action film set in Hong Kong’s triad gangland. After a drug deal goes wrong and a simple kidnap escalates into murder, one of Hong Kong’s most ruthless triad gangs finds itself on the brink of self-destruction: riddled with greed and ambition and relentlessly pursued by enemies on both sides of the law. Leader Boss Lin (Sammo Hung) must now reassert his authority by destroying everyone who stands in his way.

Verdict: Light on plot but heavy on action, blood and gore. 6/10

Go to top

The Sword With No Name (2009)

Experience an inspirational and breathtaking journey back to Koreas fabled Joseon Dynasty with this stunning, action-packed adaptation of the life of legendary Empress Myseongseong: the inspirational leader who stirred the courage of her nation in the face of seemingly overwhelming foreign aggression. A young woman of noble birth embarks on a dangerous cross-country journey, where she encounters an infamous bounty-hunter. Honour-bound, he becomes her protector and against all the odds they fall in love. A few years later, to fulfill a sacred promise, she must enter the royal court and ascend to the throne as Empress, leaving her love behind. However, when aggressive Japanese forces gather against her nation, the bounty hunter will once again stand by her side as a devoted bodyguard. As the conflict escalates to all-out war, her irrepressible leadership will sustain her people and give them the hope of victory. Tragically, as her reputation spreads, she will become a target for assassination, but one mans courage will make all the difference…

Verdict: Often visually stunning with a heartfelt romance at its core. 7/10

Go to top

**FILM OF THE WEEK**

The Grapes of Wrath (1940)

This remarkable film version of Steinbeck’s novel was nominated for seven Academy Awards®, including for Best Picture, Actor (Henry Fonda), Film Editing, Sound and Writing. John Ford won the Best Director Oscar® and actress Jane Darwell won Best Actress for her portrayal of Ma Joad, the matriarch of the struggling migrant farmer family. Following a prison term he served for manslaughter, Tom Joad returns to find his family homestead overwhelmed by weather and the greed of the banking industry. With little work potential on the horizon of the Oklahoma dust bowls, the entire family packs up and heads for the promised land–California. But the arduous trip and harsh living conditions they encounter offer little hope, and family unity proves as daunting a challenge as any other they face.

Verdict: Beautifully filmed and well-acted adaptation of John Steinbeck’s novel. 9/10

Go to top

Troy (2004)

Brad Pitt picks up a sword and brings a muscular, brooding presence to the role of Greek warrior Achilles in this spectacular retelling of The Iliad. Orlando Bloom and Diane Kruger play the legendary lovers who plunge the world into war, Eric Bana portrays the prince who dares to confront Achilles, and Peter O’Toole rules Troy as King Priam. Director Wolfgang Petersen recreates a long-ago world of bireme warships, clashing armies, the massive fortress city and the towering Trojan Horse.

Verdict: Some great battle scenes are undone by often weak acting. Not sure what Homer would have made of it all. 6/10

Go to top

Dreamcatcher (2003)

Four young friends perform a heroic act and are forever changed by the special powers they gain in return. Years later, the four men who now have separate lives are still haunted by their powers which are more burden than gift. On a hunting trip in the Maine woods, they are overtaken by a vicious storm in which something much more ominous moves. Challenged to stop an alien force, the friends must risk their own lives, with the fate of the world in the balance. Directed by Laurence Kasdan and based on Stephen King’s best-selling novel, Dreamcatcher is guaranteed to chill you to the bone. Starring Morgan Freeman and Jason Lee.

Verdict: Gets off to a good start then takes a sharp turn into downright bizarre and ludicrous. 3/10

Go to top

The Conspirator (2010)

Based on a true story, The Conspirator tells the powerful story of a woman who would do anything to protect her family, and the man who risked everything to save her. In the wake of Abraham Lincoln’s assassination, seven men and one woman are arrested and charged with conspiring to kill the President, Vice President, and Secretary of State. The lone woman charged, Mary Surratt (Wright) owns a boarding house where John Wilkes Booth (Toby Kebbell) and others met and planned the simultaneous attacks. Against the ominous back-drop of post-Civil War Washington, newly-minted lawyer, Frederick Aiken (McAvoy), a 28-year-old Union war-hero, reluctantly agrees to defend Surratt before a military tribunal. Aiken realizes his client may be innocent and that she is being used as bait and hostage in order to capture the only conspirator to have escaped a massive manhunt, her own son, John (Johnny Simmons). As the nation turns against her, Surratt is forced to rely on Aiken to uncover the truth and save her life.

Verdict: Well-acted drama but be careful reading some synopses as, like me, the ending may be spoiled for you. 7/10

Go to top

Ink (2009)

As the light fades and the city goes to sleep, two forces emerge. They are invisible except for the power they exert over us in our sleep, battling for our souls through dreams. One force delivers hope and strength through good dreams; the other infuses the subconscious with desperation through nightmares. John and Emma, Father and Daughter are wrenched into this fantastical dream world battle, forced to fight for John’s soul and to save Emma from an eternal nightmare.

Separate in their journey, they encounter unusual characters that exist only in their subconscious. Or do they? Ink is a high-concept visual thriller that weaves seamlessly between the conscious and the subconscious. Ink has been hailed as the new ‘it’ movie and compared to cult classics Brazil, Donnie Darko, The Matrix, Twelve Monkeys and Pan’s Labyrinth.

Verdict: A sci-fi film with substantial depth and heart beneath the surface. 7/10

Go to top

A Shock to the System (1990) 

When advertising executive Graham Marshall (Michael Caine) is passed over in favour of a younger and more ruthless colleague, he realises that his days are numbered. After accidentally causing the death of a man on the subway, however, Graham finds out just how easy it is to kill, and begins to employ his new-found skill in the boardroom. With his career revived, Graham then decides to apply his deadly methods in other areas of his life…

Verdict: Caine is delightfully menacing in this sinister black comedy. 7/10

Go to top

Rampage (2009)

Bill lives and uneventful life in a small town. He lives with his parents who are his case about pretty much everything, he works as a mechanic and has a self-righteous idiot as a best friend. He seems like a decent guy who loves his parents and tries to be courteous to his fellow man. But there seems to be something brewing inside him that doesn t feel quite right. One day, Bill pulls on the body armour he has been hoarding, picks up a ocuple of machine guns and heads into town…..

Verdict: Limited in the vein of Falling Down but with a disappointing ending. 5/10

Go to top

Ripple Effect (2007)

Hip, new-age clothing designer, Amer Atrash is in pursuit of the America Dream. Though he has come close several times, something unexpected always seems to prevent him reaching his goals. His commitment to his work leaves his wife Sherry, feeling neglected, and as a result she decides that he should move for a while to give them both time to re-evalute their lives. Amer tries to bury himself in his work, but is haunted by the memories of an event that transpired years ago. Finally, he confesses his secret to Sherry, divulging the story of an unavoidable accident fifteen years earlier, that left Phillip Blackman a cripple and in a wheelchair. Believing that all of the pitfalls in his life are directly linked to the events on that fateful night Amer sets out to find Phillip and make amends.

Verdict: A great cast do their best but Ripple Effect is too short to deliver on much-needed substance and characterisation. 4/10

Go to top

28 Days (2000)

When her alcoholic misdemeanors land her in court on a drunk-driving charge, Gwen Cummings (Sandra Bullock) is sentenced to 28 days in rehab. Arriving at the clinic, Gwen at first resists the discipline and emotional honesty required by her treatment, but she soon forms bonds with the other inmates and builds up the courage to tackle her problem. Also starring Steve Buscemi, Viggo Mortensen and Elizabeth Perkins.

Verdict: Decent drama with a great leading performance from Sandra Bullock. 7/10

Go to top

Alone in the Dark 2 (2008)

Former witch-hunter Abner Lundberg (Lance Henriksen) is forced to come back to fight his old nemesis, a century-old dangerous witch out on the prowl again. This time, Lundberg joins forces with Edward Carnby (Rick Yune), who attempt to track down the dangerous witch Elisabeth Dexter (Allison Lange). Also Starring Zack Ward (Freddy vs Jason; Bloodrayne II), Jason Connery (Hoboken Hollow; Brotherhood of Blood) and Michael Pare (BloodRayne; The Virgin Suicides). 

Verdict: It’s hard to imagine things getting worse than Alone in the Dark but this sequel may have achieved it! 1/10

Go to top

Basement Jack (2009)

A bloody slasher film in the tradition of the classics from the Eighties, Eleven years ago, Jack Riley went on a brutal killing spree murdering fifteen people including his own mother. Now released, he goes on another knife wielding rampage and the sole survivor of Jacks initial sadistic attack makes it her mission to hunt him down.

 

Verdict: Limited slasher movie with weak acting and a lack of characterisation. 2/10

Go to top

The post This Week’s Films (06/01/14) appeared first on News of the Worlds.

This Week’s Books (05/01/14)

Randy Shilts – And the Band Played On (1987) 

By the time Rock Hudson’s death in 1985 alerted all America to the danger of the AIDS epidemic, the disease had spread across the nation, killing thousands of people and emerging as the greatest health crisis of the 20th century. America faced a troubling question: What happened? How was this epidemic allowed to spread so far before it was taken seriously? In answering these questions, Shilts weaves the disparate threads into a coherent story, pinning down every evasion and contradiction at the highest levels of the medical, political, and media establishments. 

Shilts shows that the epidemic spread wildly because the federal government put budget ahead of the nation’s welfare; health authorities placed political expediency before the public health; and scientists were often more concerned with international prestige than saving lives. Against this backdrop, Shilts tells the heroic stories of individuals in science and politics, public health and the gay community, who struggled to alert the nation to the enormity of the danger it faced. And the Band Played On is both a tribute to these heroic people and a stinging indictment of the institutions that failed the nation so badly.

Verdict: An always interesting account of the outbreak of the AIDS epidemic, but would have preferred a more general narrative, as opposed to the array of shifting perspectives. 3/5

Go to top

Edgar Allan Poe – The Raven (1844)

The Raven is a narrative poem by the American writer and poet Edgar Allan Poe. It was published for the first time on January 29, 1845, in the New York Evening Mirror. Noted for its musicality, stylized language and supernatural atmosphere, it tells of the mysterious visit of a talking raven to a distraught lover, tracing his slow descent into madness.

Verdict: My first experience of Poe and what a delightful poem this is. 4/5

Go to top

The post This Week’s Books (05/01/14) appeared first on News of the Worlds.

Dave’s Odyssey #4

In May 2008, I went travelling on my own for the first time and was out of England for a month. Along the way I took in Singapore, New Zealand, Australia and Thailand before coming home. I kept a journal of my time on the road, so here’s a day by day account of my trials and tribulations that has the undeserved title of Dave’s Odyssey. 

Day 4 – Singapore 

The Arts House

Following the excitement of yesterday at the Night Safari, I was hoping for a stress-free day today. The majority of the group had opted for a morning cruise on Singapore River. I chose to utilise my time in exploring the city further.

Today has been the hottest so far. Previously the sun was behind the clouds and although it was still too warm for us Brits, it wasn’t too bad walking around. With the sun in the ascendancy a simple stroll became a gruelling marathon.

First stop was the Fountain of Wealth. Unfortunately it turned out to be one of those nighttime attractions that lights up the streets so had little to offer during the day. The only consolation I took from this unrewarding detour was seeing more of the track for the Formula 1 Singapore Grand Prix they’ll be hosting later this year. Like the Monaco race, it looks like they’ll be closing off parts of the city for the weekend.

My next target was a visit to Singapore’s National Museum. Despite having a map I went off course but luckily wandered into a real find – Fort Canning Park. Our tour guide had pointed this place out from a distance on our first day in Singapore. The area is of significance because the first ruler of the island is said to be buried there. Later, the British built a house on the hill and fortified the area with towering walls and numerous cannons.

Fort Canning Centre

I didn’t see the entire park because it was huge. By the time I’d first found the place, my arms and forehead were dripping with sweat and I’d forgotten to bring any water! I don’t tend to be superstitious but the debacle of yesterday’s Night Safari could have been more down to my not wearing my St. Christopher medal rather than my own stupidity. I’d made the effort to wear the necklace today and fortune smiled on me. I found an archaeological dig, which was interesting but more importantly next to it was a vending machine filled with ice cold drinks. I spent the next five minutes bringing myself back to life with a much-needed beverage.

I must have spent around an hour wandering the park before I spied the National Museum. The main section comprised mostly of sketched drawings, while the history, culture, fashion etc required you to buy a ticket to swipe in for individual sections. I chose to head back to the hotel not due to being tight-fisted with money but because time was getting on and I still wanted another walk down Singapore River.

I wasn’t back at the hotel long before the doorbell rang. It was the cleaner eager to work on my room. She’d visited earlier in the day to see if I needed any laundry doing. Despite both of us being able to speak English we found a mutual language barrier whereby we would have to say everything twice before it was understood. I opted to leave her to it and headed for Singapore River though the cleaner did reassure me the room would only take ten minutes to clean. Not thorough enough if you ask me.

Thomas Raffles

The sun was out again when I made for Singapore River and proved far too hot to walk around in for long. The most notable part of Singapore River was a statue of Thomas Raffles. His name resonates throughout Singaporean society and the statue overlooking the river is said to have been erected on the very spot he first stepped onto the island. Raffles negotiated the use of Singapore for the East India Company back in the 19th century and the island soon fell under British control.

On my way back to the hotel I made the mistake of checking one of the shopping centres. First, one man who wanted me to look through his stock of cameras and camcorders approached me. I politely declined but at the next stall an elderly man called me over and shook my hand. He asked where I was from and I informed him England. He thought I said Finland but we soon cleared that up. I think it was the “land” bit that threw him. Easy mistake to make!

Luring me inside the shop, I was told to have a seat while he produced sheet upon sheet of material with much enthusiasm. I wasn’t sure what to do so just bided my time. Not content with trying to sell the stuff to me himself the old chap set a younger man on me whom was knowledgeable about England and knew Yorkshire well enough. I don’t think he’d heard of Barnsley though.

We soon got down to the business of selling. He wanted to produce a shirt for me from material of my choice. His mobile ringing interrupted the conversation but he set the old fellow on me again. When I came to express my lack of interest they shook my hand and sent me on my way. I felt a bit sorry for the old guy as he’d laid out at least ten sheets of material for me to peruse. Their quoted time for producing a shirt was 2 minutes!

Security was strict at Singapore but New Zealand and Australia promised to be even stricter

Back at the hotel there was little for me to do but wait till 5.00 for our coach to the airport. I would have preferred staying longer in Singapore but next up is New Zealand and Australia so as consolations go it doesn’t get much better than that. I had a feeling Singapore would be a beautiful island but I must admit it’s exceeded all expectations.

Negotiating the airport was straightforward, at least at first. We had two flights ahead of us:- first to Sydney, then onto Christchurch on New Zealand’s south island. It was set to be another 24+ hours without sleep. There was a couple of hour’s wait for our flight so I passed the time chatting with two sisters in my tour group. They were the first ones I’d met and continually refer to me as ‘young man.’ They do say your eyesight goes when you get older. The eldest – Pamela – told me of her days as a midwife and how she’d delivered the baby of Robert Smith – lead singer of The Cure. She described his gloomy image in the showbiz world as misleading and revealed he’s actually one of the nicest guys you could hope to meet.

Security at Singapore proved a major stumbling block. We all had to throw our bottles of water away and, for me, the contact lens solution was a no-no. At 250ml the bottle was too big to allow through so I had to walk to the far side of the airport to the pharmacy where I bought two 100ml bottles. Back at security I had to transfer the contact lens solution to the two smaller bottles before I was allowed to proceed. Both bottles are clear with no labels so I envisage not being able to get the stuff into New Zealand. It’s a good thing I brought my glasses!

The post Dave’s Odyssey #4 appeared first on News of the Worlds.

The Best Films I Saw This Year (2013)

By the time the world waved farewell to 2013 I had sat through no fewer than 375 films. I’ll be honest and say that sometimes it was an honour, other times I questioned the meaning of life and, in the extreme cases, I had to wonder if I’d make it to the end. While I have experienced some spectacular films this year, I have also seen some real turkeys, many that should be put in metal boxes and buried in a remote desert. As much as I’d love to dwell on the bad films such as Piranhaconda, Ratman and Swamp Zombies, I’ve chosen to share with you all the films that I felt were worth a five star rating. 

Now, you might be thinking this will be a long list but you’d be wrong. Of the 375 films I watched, only 18 deserved that coveted 10/10 that I am loathe to hand out except to the very best. Many films I watched were 9/10 efforts, almost there, but just missing that magic ingredient to push them to the maximum.

I don’t go to the cinema very often so what you’ll find here are a selection of films from various years, the oldest from the 1940s and others being more recent efforts. Feel free to share with me your best films from 2013. I’d love to hear your recommendations.  

Go to top
**FILM OF THE YEAR**
5 Centimeters Per Second (2007)

Makoto Shinkai’s anime love story is unquestionably one of the most beautiful films I have ever seen. Tracing the friendship of Takaki and Akari who form a bond at school and, when separated, try desperately to maintain contact strikes many a chord with real life. Shinkai avoided melodrama and being over sentimental here. There was no cliched Hollywood ending, but a brutally honest truth about the ideals of youth not being fulfilled in adulthood. Takaki and Akari’s story may not end the way we wish but it is still a wonderful story nonetheless and 5 Centimeters Per Second is undoubtedly my film of the year. It may only last one hour but what an amazing hour it is.

Go to top
50/50 (2011)

How can you make a film about a young man diagnosed with cancer funny? Well, having Joseph-Gordon Levitt and Seth Rogen in it is a good way to start. Based on a true story, we follow Adam Lerner whose diagnosis with a rare form of spinal cancer while in his late twenties turns his life upside down. Adam has to face the very real possibility of dying but in his best friend, Kyle, and a young therapist, Katherine, he finds that he isn’t alone in battling his illness. Both funny and incredibly moving, 50/50 is a film that will make you smile, maybe even cry, but the overall experience is heart-warming and uplifting.

Go to top
Annie Hall (1977)

Often regarded as Woody Allen’s finest film, Annie Hall boasted great characters and a terrific script. It has Woody Allen’s character, Alvy, looking back on his relationship with Annie Hall and how and why it all came to an end. He also reflects on relationships prior to Annie and how different factors contributed to their eventual downfall. This was a fascinating study of love and relationships in general with Alvy striving for the perfect equilibrium with a woman but finding his efforts to be in vain, not just through faults with others but ultimately with himself. Annie is as close to perfection as Alvy gets and watching their good and bad times is both funny and tragic.

Go to top
The Bridges of Madison County (1995)

Clint Eastwood’s adaptation of Robert James Waller’s novel steers clear of being too soppy and melodramatic, delivering a convincing and very moving romance. Eastwood is a travel photographer, Robert, charged with taking pictures of bridges in Madison County. He meets Meryl Streep’s lonely housewife, Francesca, and, with her family away, they have a four-day affair, that is clearly more than just sex. The film divides between Robert and Francesca’s romance and events in the present as Francesca’s children sort through her belongings following her death. Even knowing what has transpired in the present, it is hard not to wish Robert and Francesca well, despite her infidelity and longing to escape from an unhappy marriage into the freedom and solace that her lover offers.

Go to top
Citizen Kane (1941)

Often heralded as the greatest film ever made, I don’t share that sentiment but it is hard to deny that Orson Welles’ Citizen Kane is anything other than a work of genius. A journalist’s painstaking effort to uncover the meaning of media tycoon Kane’s final word of “rosebud” on his deathbed forms the perfect backdrop to his story. The boy that begins poorly, inherits a media empire and seemingly has everything is also the focal point of a tragic tale. Welles is a striking presence on screen with impeccable delivery and dominating every shot, just as he did in The Third Man. I can appreciate why Citizen Kane has the reputation it does and although it will never dislodge Blade Runner as my favourite film, it is still one of the best I’ve seen this year.

Go to top
Departures (2008)

Yojiro Takita’s drama blended beautiful music with the poignant Japanese encoffining ceremonies. An unemployed musician and his loyal wife return to his home village where he takes a job at what he thinks is a travel agents, but ends up being a funeral home. Although there were some sentimental moments involving the protagonist and the father he hasn’t seen since he was a boy, this was a wonderful film from start to finish with the encoffining ceremonies depicted here never failing to mesmerise in their intricacy and reverence for the loved and lost. Departures was a deserved winner of an Oscar and easily one of my favourites of 2013.

Go to top
The Graduate (1967)

You can’t go wrong with a film that has great actors, a sharp and quotable script, and has a fabulous soundtrack in the background. Benjamin Braddock’s affair with the sexy Mrs Robinson and his later falling for her daughter, Elaine, is played out amidst the sumptuous music of Simon and Garfunkel with such classics as The Sound of Silence and Scarborough Fair. It’s one of those films that you’ll know so much about even though you’re watching it for the first time. The Graduate memorably shies away from an all is well Hollywood ending and leaves us with some ambiguity as Benjamin chooses between Elaine and Mrs Robinson.

Go to top

In the Mood for Love (2000)

I’d actually seen Wong Kar-wai’s 2046 prior to this film and, though it was a sequel of sorts, it was still an engaging and terrific film. In the Mood for Love proved to be so much better. Tony Leung and Maggie Cheung depict next door neighbours in a block of apartments who learn that their respective spouses are having an affair with one another. Our two protagonists end up spending a lot of time together in the midst of this revelation and fight the urge to commit adultery themselves. On the surface this may be slow-paced and ponderous at times, but it is a delicate depiction of two people who have been wronged by those they love and find understanding and compassion in one another’s company.

Go to top
It’s Kind of a Funny Story (2010)

Mental illness is an important subject though one which has an unnecessary stigma attached to it. If there is one lesson to take from the brilliant It’s Kind of a Funny Story then it’s there are many forms of mental illness and that all should be taken seriously. Craig Gilner is a suicidal sixteen year old who ends up in a mental hospital due to numerous pressures in his life. He finds friendship with another patient, Bobby, and also forms a close bond with Noelle, who is in the hospital for self-harm. This was both a funny and moving film that addressed the severity of its subject matter but managed to be uplifting and inspirational in equal measure thanks to a great cast, script and some memorable set-pieces. This gem was discovered almost by accident really which makes it all the more special.

Go to top
Kind Hearts and Coronets (1949)

I remember first watching Eddie Murphy in Coming to America and being impressed by the multitude of roles he and Arsenio Hall had. Back in the 1940s, Alec Guinness took on no fewer than eight roles in Kind Hearts and Coronets. Dennis Price is Louis Mazzini whose mother was disowned by the D’Ascoyne family and left in poverty. When she dies, Louis swears revenge and systematically arranges the deaths of the various members of the noble family, paving the way for himself to claim the title of Duke. Very funny with memorable turns from Alec Guinness, the film is a winner thanks to the terrific lead performance of Price who veers between graceful and charming to conniving and malevolent at the drop of a hat.

Go to top
La Strada (1954)

2013 proved to be my first experience of legendary Italian filmmaker Federico Fellini. While 8½ is often lauded as his masterpiece, I actually preferred La Strada. It is a simple tale of a young woman, Gelsomina, who joins entertainer, Zampano, on the road and assists him in his act of binding himself in chains and breaking them through sheer will and muscle. Gelsomina is an innocent woman at the outset but life on the road gradually takes its toll on her. Beautifully filmed, sublimely acted and with an air of poignancy at the end, La Strada is the very definition of simplicity but, by the same token, it is a near flawless masterpiece.

Go to top
Not One Less (1999)

Zhang Yimou is one of my favourite directors so, unsurprisingly, he has not one but two films on this list. The first is a simple tale of a school teacher in a rural village. She has her class help raise funds to send her to the city to find and bring back one of her students, who has run away from home to earn money for his family. Beautifully filmed with amateur actors making it look easy, this may not have the visual wow factor of Hero and House of Flying Daggers but it was an honest and heartfelt film, which raised a major issue at the time of its release about education in China.

Go to top
Once (2006)

What do you get when you put an Irish busker and a Czech flower seller together on the streets of Dublin? The answer is some beautiful music and one of the most wonderful films I had the privilege of watching in 2013. Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova are musicians first and foremost but as actors they are both completely natural on screen, conveying a moving friendship that clearly develops into mutual love. With our Dublin guy wanting to go to London to pursue his music career and our Czech girl having a child at home, can they overcome the obstacles and be together? Once is a simple tale but with two endearing leads and some lovely music it’s hard to imagine anyone not enjoying this.

Go to top
Red Sorghum (1987)

The second of Zhang Yimou’s films on this list. Red Sorghum was Yimou’s debut effort and also starred one of his proteges – Gong Li. Very much a film of two halves, Red Sorghum is a simple and delightful story at the outset as Gong Li’s character is taken for a pre-arranged marriage to a much older man who owns a distillery. When he dies, she is the sole owner but romance isn’t far away in the form of a sedan carrier that initially brought her to her new home. Gong Li’s character works with a group of men at the distillery and begins producing fine wine again, but harsh times in the form of the Sino-Japanese War are just around the corner. At this point Red Sorghum becomes a much darker film. Yimou delivers on gorgeous scenery, memorable characters and a far from predictable ending. As debuts go, it doesn’t get much better than this.

Go to top
Silver Linings Playbook (2012)

Film adaptations of books I love always leave me nervous as I have seen so many ruined on the big screen, with The Time Traveller’s Wife and my favourite book of all time – Norwegian Wood – being just two examples. I approached David O. Russell’s adaptation of Matthew Quick’s novel with some caution but I soon realised there was nothing to worry about. Okay, Russell has changed a lot from the book, made it his own to an extent, but he has produced was a memorable romantic comedy drama with a great cast all on top form. Robert De Niro and Jackie Weaver alone were great inclusions but this film was all about Bradley Cooper as Pat and Jennifer Lawrence as Tiffany, the latter earning an Oscar for her efforts. While I would have liked a more faithful adaptation of the book, I was soon lost in this film and left grateful that the essence of what made the novel so great was retained here.

Go to top
Soldier of Orange (1978)

Paul Verhoeven’s World War II epic focuses on a group of Dutch students who have different experiences during the war when the Netherlands is occupied by Germany. While some join with the Germans, others lay low and some even find themselves involved in resistance to the Nazis, seizing the chance to work with the British. Soldier of Orange is notable for an early appearance from Rutger Hauer who would steal the show four years later in my favourite film – Blade Runner. This is an unpredictable and epic war film that delivers the moving contrasts of a group of young men who are brothers at the outset during their time in university, but by the end the war has changed them irrevocably. While I would hail Das Boot as the best war film I’ve ever seen, I was very impressed with Soldier of Orange and seeing the war from the perspective of the Dutch was both insightful and fascinating.

Go to top
The Way (2010)

Emilio Estevez directed his father, Martin Sheen, in this moving and spiritual journey of Thomas Avery, an ophthalmologist and workaholic who has a delicate relationship with his son, Daniel. When Daniel dies at the start of a journey known as the Camino de Santiago across the Pyrenees, Tom initially goes to France to recover his son’s body but instead he decides to take Daniel’s ashes on the pilgrimage himself. He joins with an overweight Dutchman, a Canadian woman fleeing an abusive husband and an Irish travel writer. Along the route, the quartet all search for their own meanings and insights in their complicated lives. Beautifully filmed throughout, depicting some breathtaking scenery, lots of good food and wine, friendly locals and often having tension and resentment amongst the travellers, The Way is a moving drama of family, friendship and self-discovery that was one of the year’s undoubted highlights for me.

Go to top
Whale Rider (2002)

New Zealand and Maori tradition were the order of the day in this wonderful film from Niki Caro. The story of Pai is both memorable and inspirational as she strives to break the centuries old tradition of only grandsons being eligible to succeed as the tribe leader. Pai is devoted to the current leader, her grandfather Koro, and does all she can to win his admiration and approval. While initially dismissive of her, Koro has warmed to his granddaughter but also blames her for problems in the tribe, which he fears is going to fall apart. As Koro looks to the other boys in the village for a successor he fails to realise that the ideal candidate is standing right before him. Much of Whale Rider’s appeal comes from a deeply touching performance from Keisha Castle-Hughes who was deservedly nominated for an Oscar. The ending may be predictable but it makes for an uplifting and moving experience all the same.

Go to top

The post The Best Films I Saw This Year (2013) appeared first on News of the Worlds.