David M. Brown's Blog, page 39
August 8, 2013
Film Review: Carnage
Roman Polanski directs this comedy of manners adapted from the play by Yasmina Reza, who also co-writes the screenplay. A stripped-back four-hander, the film tells the satirical tale of two sets of well-heeled New York City parents – Penelope and Michael Longstreet (Jodie Foster and John C. Reilly) and Nancy and Alan Cowan (Kate Winslet and Christoph Waltz) – who meet for a discussion after their sons are involved in a violent incident in the school playground. Despite their honourable intentions, long-suppressed resentments and hostilities soon flare up both between and within the couples, leading to a rapid deterioration in civilities.
Starring: Jodie Foster, Kate Winslet, Christoph Waltz, John C. Reilly, Elvis Polanski
Directed by: Roman Polanski
Runtime: 80 minutes
Studio: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
Amazon USAmazon UKIMDB Review: CarnageIt’s the Longstreets vs the Cowans in Roman Polanski’s comedy. The respective sons of both parents have been involved in a fight at school where one has struck the other with a stick leading to some dental work. Alan (Christopher Waltz) and Nancy Cowan (Kate Winslet) meet with Michael (John C Reilly) and Penelope Longstreet (Jodie Foster) at their home to write a joint letter to the school and bring an end to the whole sorry mess. What begins as an amicable discussion and the agreement that the warring boys should make peace soon descends into chaos as four strong personalities compete and refuse to give an inch.
Penelope is strong-willed and insistent that her son has done no wrong being the victim in the school dispute. Michael’s loyalty veers during the exchange and he tries to be the good guy in maintaining the peace and offering nibbles for the guests. Nancy seems agreeable at the outset but the slightest word from Michael or Penelope leads to her taking offence and arguments quickly ensue. Alan is a workaholic and divides his time between talking with Michael and Penelope and answering his mobile which seems to ring every few minutes, slowly annoying everyone else in the vicinity. The film takes place entirely in the Longstreet residence as the two couples battle it out. Inevitably the odd household item becomes victim to the duel but will they make peace in the end?
Though Carnage falls short of the 90 minute mark it is still impressive work from Polanski to have this set entirely in one apartment and simply be the Cowans and Longstreets having some pretty vicious arguments. The irony is they have come to resolve a somewhat childish falling out at school only to prove they are far more juvenile than their own children. The four leads are all great and it’s certainly a privilege to have Oscar winners Winslet and Foster facing off against one another. In the end I prefer Reilly’s tactic of grabbing a whisky when things get very heated! Audiences looking for a more eventful film should probably look elsewhere but this a funny and well scripted comedy.
Carnage successfully maintains the interest despite the one apartment setting. This must have been a gamble for Polanski but he has ensured the film never becomes monotonous or dull at any point. A great cast, funny script and lessons in what not to leave on your coffee table are all here in abundance.
Verdict: 4/5
(Film source: reviewer’s own copy)
Film Review: Carnage | Thank you for reading Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dave
Film Review: Tyrannosaur
A powerful and affecting award-winning drama from feature writer / director Paddy Considine (Dead Man’s Shoes), TYRANNOSAUR follows the story of two lonely, damaged people brought together by circumstance. Joseph (Peter Mullan) is an unemployed widower, drinker, and a man crippled by his own volatile temperament and furious anger. Hannah (Olivia Colman) is a Christian worker at a charity shop, a respectable woman who appears wholesome and happy. When the pair are brought together, Hannah appears as Joseph’s potential saviour, someone who can temper his fury and offer him warmth, kindness and acceptance. As their story develops Hannah’s own secrets are revealed – her relationship with husband James (Eddie Marsan) is violent and abusive – and as events spiral out of control, Joseph becomes her source of succour and comfort.
Starring: Peter Mullan, Olivia Colman, Eddie Marsan
Directed by: Paddy Considine
Runtime: 92 minutes
Studio: Optimum Home Entertainment
Amazon USAmazon UKIMDB Review: TyrannosaurPaddy Considine’s drama is one of the grittiest I have seen for quite some time and comes with a firm warning for the faint-hearted to stay clear. The story focuses on Joseph (Peter Mullan), a widowed and middle-aged man who enjoys a drink but has a frightening and near uncontrollable anger problem. The opening scene alone is one of the most upsetting as Joseph loses money at the bookies and takes his anger out on his dog. Joseph’s bursts of rage dissipate as swiftly as they begin and he is left full of remorse for his lack of control but the damage is already done. One day he is involved in a fight with three teenagers at the local pub and needing to be alone he ducks into a charity shop and hides behind a rack of clothes. The shop owner, Hannah (Olivia Colman), is a devout Christian who shows Joseph kindness and prays to God to help him. Initially dismissive of Hannah, Joseph soon finds himself drawn to her and they slowly form a fragile friendship.
What Joseph perceives to be a happy life for Hannah is anything but. She lives on a rich estate but is a victim of severe domestic abuse at the hands of her cruel husband, James (Eddie Marsan), whose actions add to the gritty tone of the film and will be tough for some people to stomach. As Joseph grows suspicious of sudden bruises on Hannah’s face, she begins to spend more time with him in his world. Being with Hannah, Joseph begins to try and control his anger and turn his life around. This isn’t easy given a hostile neighbour across the road who has no issue with his bull terrier attacking his girlfriend’s young son, one of the few people Joseph converses with and remains calm. Joseph manages to keep his cool with his neighbour but when Hannah leaves her abusive husband and seeks sanctuary with him, his anger is put to a severe test.
Tyrannosaur is hard-hitting from the opening minutes and does not let up throughout. Domestic abuse and incidents involving dogs will be too upsetting for some audiences but these developments are integral to the characters of Joseph and Hannah. Both Mullan and Colman are fantastic in the leads as two damaged people that find comfort in one another even though one is a ticking time bomb. The concluding segments do not stray from the overall brutal reality of the narrative offering no melodrama but instead giving us some hope for the characters whose lives are affected by Joseph for good or worse.
Tyrannosaur is a well-acted but uncompromising drama that should be approached with caution. The many unpleasant scenes won’t suit everyone but if you can brave those moments there is a harsh but well-crafted drama here with two excellent performances from the two leads. While I enjoy the escapism that films have to offer, I do appreciate a story like this one that holds a mirror to the real lives that many people have to face.
Verdict: 4/5
(Film source: reviewer’s own copy)
Film Review: Tyrannosaur | Thank you for reading Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dave
August 7, 2013
Game Review: Nebulus
The late eighties and early nineties had some classic games and here is yet another one. Nebulus was a platform puzzler where you took charge of a little green chap called Pogo. He is charged with taking his submarine out into the ocean, locating a series of towers, ascending them until he reaches the top and destroying them. Sounds simple enough, doesn’t it?
Each of the eight towers Pogo has to climb are cylindrical in shape with platforms and stairways dotted around their sides and enabling our hero to climb to the top. However, there are many obstacles such as gaps to leap across, puzzles to solve and enemies to evade if you are going to make it to the top. If you are hit by an enemy, Pogo falls until he lands on the nearest platform. Fall too near the bottom and our hero may end up drowning in the ocean.
Due to the shapes of the towers, Pogo has to walk around them to locate the necessary platforms to climb higher. Rather than Pogo moving left and right though, it is the tower and the platforms that move instead which makes the game more user friendly. There will be something of a learning curve when you first play, avoiding some of the enemies such as balls that race around the tower and won’t stop for anyone, especially Pogo.
Once Pogo has reached the top of a tower he enters the final door to destroy it. The tower then shrinks to the ocean surface leaving Pogo free to hop into his submarine and move onto the next tower. In between the towers you are treated to a mini game where you navigate Pogo’s submarine, shooting fish that approach and catching them. Points are only collected if you managed to hit the fish then catch them. If you miss it’s a few points missed from your overall total.
As with many games from this era, Nebulus is not a long experience. Looking back it’s great to see the game through in its entirety. I won’t deny that this was a game I couldn’t complete in my youth. A sequel followed in 1990 but the difficulty of that game was even greater than its predecessor. Though a brief experience I still think Nebulus is a memorable one all the same, another example of the creators having to come up with a different concept rather than just relying on the visuals as many companies seem to do today.
Verdict: 4/5
Game Review: Nebulus | Thank you for reading Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dave
Film Review: Dr Strangelove
Stanley Kubrick’s classic black comedy about a group of war-eager military men who plan a nuclear apocalypse is both funny and frightening – and seems as relevant today as ever. Through a series of military and political accidents, two psychotic generals – U.S. Air Force Commander Jack D. Ripper (Sterling Hayden) and Joint Chief of Staff “Buck” Turgidson (George C. Scott) trigger an ingenious, irrevocable scheme to attack Russia’s strategic targets with nuclear bombs. The brains behind the scheme belong to Dr. Strangelove (Peter Sellers), a wheelchair-bound nuclear scientist who has bizarre ideas about man’s future. The president (also Sellers) is helpless to stop the bombers, as is Captain Mandrake (Sellers once again). Dr. Strangelove is truly a brilliant film classic.
Starring: Peter Sellers, George C. Scott, Sterling Hayden, Keenan Wynn, Slim Pickens
Directed by: Stanley Kubrick
Runtime: 93 minutes
Studio: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
Amazon USAmazon UKIMDB Review: Dr StrangeloveStanley Kubrick’s satirical black comedy is both hilarious and frightening in equal measure. It begins with General Jack D Ripper (Sterling Hayden) ordering Captain Lionel Mandrake (Peter Sellers) to put their base on alert and issue a command to airborne B52 planes to implement Wing Attack Plan R which translates as a nuclear air strike on Russia. As part of the Cold War initiative the Americans have kept a large group of B52s airborne around the world but all within 2 hours of Russia and all now descend on the country. Ripper has very much gone rogue on this one and a crisis council is immediately called in the War Room at the Pentagon.
In a large room with fancy boards depicting the world map, a circular table where every seat also has a phone within easy reach gather the American President Merkin Muffley (Peter Sellers), General Buck Turgidson (George C Scott) along with numerous officers and aides. Turgidson briefs everyone on the situation and insists on adopting the fantastic policy of not drawing too many conclusions about motives until the matter has been fully investigated. The council must find a way to stop the B52 planes which only respond to a specially coded message that Ripper knows. The Soviet ambassador (Peter Bull) is called into the War Room to help as the President speaks with the Premier of the Soviet Union. While the Pentagon is frantically trying to sort this crisis, a lone B52 continues its journey to Russia armed with Top Secret extensive booklets on what they need to do once they arrive.
Dr Strangelove is hilarious for almost its entire duration. Once the B52 planes get the order to attack Russia they seem to spend hours pouring over the Top Secret instructions from a safe and placed in envelopes addressed to individual members of the crew. At the Pentagon it’s laughs all the way as General Turgidson briefs the President on the crisis while trying to protect the large boards from the sight of the Soviet ambassador. Sellers has various roles in the film and he is great in all of them, especially as former Nazi Dr Strangelove. Scott is brilliant as Turgidson, stealing many of the best lines and still raising a smile when silenced by the President as he remains twitchy in his chair. After all the laughs, the film becomes serious in the end as Dr Strangelove comes forward in his wheelchair and with an arm he can’t control. The film greatly emphasises the delicate balance the US and the Soviet Union maintained throughout the Cold War.
Dr Strangelove is probably funnier than the subject matter should really allow. Star turns from Sellers and Scott make this one almost a laugh a minute experience, but in the end it leaves one cold and unnerved by the possibilities of nuclear war. Comedies such as this one with humour but also with sincerity and heart are always among the best.
Verdict: 4/5
(Film source: reviewer’s own copy)
Film Review: Dr Strangelove | Thank you for reading Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dave
Film Review: Body Heat
An erotic thriller starring William Hurt as gullible Florida lawyer Ned, who becomes involved with married femme fatale Matty (Kathleen Turner). He is soon obsessed with her and will do anything for her; even murder her husband. Director Lawrence Kasdan creates a modern film noir.
Starring: William Hurt, Kathleen Turner, Richard Crenna, Ted Danson, J.A. Preston
Directed by: Lawrence Kasdan
Runtime: 113 minutes
Studio: Warner Home Video
Amazon USAmazon UKIMDB Review: Body Heat
Lawrence Kasdan’s erotic thriller tells the story of a lawyer, Ned Racine (William Hurt), who goes to work each day and on returning home is on the look out for one night stand opportunities. Things change when he meets Matty Walker (Kathleen Turner) who is married to a rich businessman, Edmund Walker (Richard Crenna), who is away during the week and only comes home at weekends. Ned pursues Matty and they begin a passionate affair amid the unrelenting summer heat which is mentioned more than once. Rather than discard Matty as he would with other women, Ned keeps coming back and cannot resist her. Over time they fall in love and want to be together but there are some complications.
Keeping their affair secret seems straightforward enough to begin with but Ned foolishly visits Matty when she’s caring for her niece and the girl spots them in a compromising position! Oh dear. Worse follows when Matty insists she wants to be with Ned but wants some of Edmund’s money. Having signed a pre-nuptial agreement she would come out of a divorce with very little so doesn’t know what to do. Of course, Ned who is now besotted decides that the best way forward will be to murder Edmund which Matty reluctantly agrees with. The scene is then set for a homicide but can Ned go through with it and is Matty really to be trusted?
Body Heat is a somewhat predictable but still engaging thriller from start to finish. Considered pretty steamy at the time, the sex scenes are rather tame by today’s standards so don’t let the erotic tag put you off. Both Hurt and Turner are very good in the leads with Turner getting in some good practice for her memorable role as Barbara Rose less than ten years after this one. Notable support is to be found from a geeky Ted Danson and Mickey Rourke who Ned turns to when plans are put in place to murder Edmund. It was great to see Richard Crenna, who I’ve only ever seen in the Rambo movies. He sure looked strange without the soldier’s uniform!
Body Heat is a well-worked thriller with good central performances and a decent ending despite much of the story being easy to work out beforehand. I’ve seen films that have followed this one that are almost identical but this one explores the themes of lust, greed and power very well and will maintain your interest throughout Ned’s descent into murder for love.
Verdict: 4/5
(Film source: reviewer’s own copy)
Film Review: Body Heat | Thank you for reading Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dave
August 6, 2013
Film Review: Not One Less
Thirteen-year-old Wei Minzhi is assigned to work as a substitute teacher in a poverty-stricken region of rural China. However, she will only be paid if she manages to keep the already-fast-depleting class intact. So when she discovers one morning that pupil Zhang Huike has been sent by his mother to work in the city, she does the only thing she can do and goes after him. Unfamiliar with city life, she suffers many dispiriting knock-backs in her attempts to locate her young charge, and it is only when she asks a TV station for help that her efforts bear fruit.
Starring: Minzhi Wei, Huike Zhang, Zhenda Tian, Enman Gao, Zhimei Sun
Directed by: Zhang Yimou
Runtime: 106 minutes
Studio: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
Amazon USAmazon UKIMDB Review: Not One Less
Made in the same year as the wonderful The Road Home, Zhang Yimou’s Not One Less was supported by the Chinese government and Yimou had to craft it carefully in conveying the poor state of education in rural China. Almost like a documentary the film stars amateur actors who retain their own names and effectively play themselves. The story follows thirteen year old Wei Minzhi who arrives in Shuiquan village to substitute for teacher Gao who is going away for a month to visit his ailing mother. Concerned for the children, Gao reluctantly allows Wei to take charge of them but makes her promise to lose none of the children. The film emphasises the high rate of children not finishing education and this become a problem Wei has to face as well as getting the children on her side, especially troublemaker, Zhang Huike. Wei is powerless to prevent one girl, Ming Xinhong, from being taken to another school as she is showing promise as a runner and big things are expected of her. The situation becomes even worse when Zhang Huike leaves school and heads to the city to earn money for his ill mother and pay off the family debts left behind by his late father.
Rather than accept that Zhang Huike is gone, Wei decides to unite the children in her care and have them help her earn money to take a bus to the city. After accomplishing this deed through some hard work, Wei has the village mayor care for the children while she heads off alone to the city. The film then cuts between Wei’s search as she sleeps in stations or on the streets, while managing on water she can get from stray taps between her search through various methods for Zhang Huike. Elsewhere, Zhang Huike is faring no better, reduced to wandering the streets and begging for food to survive. The question is can Wei find Zhang Huike in time or will she have to return to Shuiquan village alone?
Yimou’s film may not have the same qualities of his other efforts but it is honest and tender. The amateur actors give a much-needed sense of reality to what is a very thought-provoking subject. The beautiful rural surroundings of Shuiquan village contrast greatly with the destitute and poor villagers, while the big city appears imposing and like another world to Wei and Zhang Huike. It’s amazing they survive longer than a day on the streets. The film came under criticism for messages at the end that emphasised the state of education in China in 1999 with some critics pointing out that Yimou’s hands were tied with some of the information. Away from the politics, Not One Less is another beautifully simple story from Yimou that matches his more glamorous films.
Not One Less is another masterpiece from Zhang Yimou, arguably one of the best directors working today. While this doesn’t match up to the likes of Hero, House of Flying Daggers, Red Sorghum and The Road Home, it still has a lot to offer and is near flawless in its execution. A pleasant group of amateur actors carry the film well and the concluding segments are deeply poignant as Wei concludes her search for Zhang Huike and finds out what became of him.
Verdict: 5/5
(Film source: reviewer’s own copy)
Film Review: Not One Less | Thank you for reading Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dave
Film Review: Dark Shadows
From the wonderfully warped imagination of Tim Burton comes the story of Barnabas Collins (Johnny Depp), a dashing aristocrat who is turned into a vampire by a jilted lover and entombed for two centuries. Emerging from his coffin into the world of 1972, he returns to his once-majestic home, only to the few dysfunctional descendants of the Collins family who remain. Determined to return his family name to its former glory, Barnabas is thwarted at every turn by his former lover – the seductive witch Angelique (Eva Green) – in this wildly imaginative” (Sam Hallenbeck, NBC-TV adventure).
Starring: Johnny Depp, Michelle Pfeiffer, Helena Bonham Carter, Eva Green, Jackie Earle Haley
Directed by: Tim Burton
Runtime: 112 minutes
Studio: Warner Home Video
Amazon USAmazon UKIMDB Review: Dark Shadows
Tim Burton’s latest film seems him collaborate once more with Johnny Depp, Michelle Pfeiffer, Helena Bonham Carter and even Christopher Lee. The story begins in the 18th century with the history of the Collins family that emigrate from Liverpool and set up business in Maine. Barnabas (Johnny Depp) makes the mistake of having an affair with a maid, Angelique (Eva Green), who is madly in love with him and also a witch. When Barnabas spurns Angelique and falls for Josette (Bella Heathcote), Angelique takes a vicious revenge. She orchestrates the deaths of Barnabas’ parents then has Josette throw herself from a cliff. In despair Barnabas tries to kill himself only to find Angelique has cursed him to be a vampire. Barnabas is later imprisoned in a coffin where he remains buried for nearly 200 years.
In 1972 construction workers inadvertently unleash Barnabas who returns home and meets the latest generation of the Collins family – Elizabeth (Michelle Pfeiffer) and her rebellious daughter, Carolyn (Chloe Grace Moretz); Elizabeth’s brother Roger (Jonny Lee Miller) and his son David (Gulliver McGrath). Also on the scene is a psychiatrist, Dr Julia Hoffman (Helena Bonham Carter). The Collins family still have a fishing business but it is failing thanks to the efforts of Angel Bay, a rival business fronted by none other than Angelique whose revenge against the Collins family show no signs of abating. Barnabas is determined to restore the fortunes of his family and get the better of the witch that cursed him. He has a lot to lose though, not just his family and business but the new caretaker, Victoria (Bella Heathcote), who he has fallen for.
Dark Shadows is unsurprisingly a peculiar film. Given Tm Burton is at the helm this is hardly surprising but the difference with this film is that it simply doesn’t know what it wants to be. At times it comes across as gory and leans towards horror, then there are injections of comedy at random intervals. There are many characters to be acquainted with and some are more endearing than others. Depp puts in another memorable performance as Barnabas and Green has a lot of fun as Angelique. The likes of Carter are on the periphery and have little relevance to the overall narrative. The romance between Barnabas and Victoria is also lacking in any real depth and become almost an afterthought. It’s a basic story in the end with no real surprises. While the comedy elements are funny, there is something distinctly lacking here compared to many of Burton’s other films.
Dark Shadows is quite good but in the end has to be dismissed as one of Burton’s weakest projects. While I welcome Burton and Depp working together once more, it’s not enough for both men to carry a film alone. A decent cast is on offer here with many underused and although there are some amusing moments in this one, it feels like a bit of a mess. Burton’s more recent films haven’t been up to the standards of the work he was churning out in the early nineties but he remains a fine director. Elements of his magic are on display here just not enough of the time.
Verdict: 3/5
(Film source: reviewer’s own copy)
Film Review: Dark Shadows | Thank you for reading Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dave
August 5, 2013
Film Review: The Graduate
Mike Nichols directs this 1960s comedy drama starring Dustin Hoffman, Anne Bancroft and Katharine Ross. After graduating from college, Ben Braddock (Hoffman) returns to his wealthy parents’ South Californian home unsure of what he wants to do next. Feeling pressurised to get on with his life, the young Braddock escapes into an aimless affair with Mrs Robinson (Bancroft), an older, married woman and friend of the family. The pair meet regularly, with neither expecting anything serious from the relationship, but this seemingly simple situation becomes complicated when Ben meets and begins dating Elaine (Ross) – Mrs Robinson’s daughter. Featuring a score written by Paul Simon and performed by Simon and Garfunkel, the film was nominated for six Oscars and won for Best Director.
Starring: Dustin Hoffman, Anne Bancroft, Katharine Ross, William Daniels, Murray Hamilton
Directed by: Mike Nichols
Runtime: 101 minutes
Studio: Optimum Home Entertainment
Amazon USAmazon UKIMDB Review: The Graduate
Benjamin Braddock (Dustin Hoffman) isn’t having a nice time when he flies home to Los Angeles after graduating from college. His parents and a large group of family friends are all eager to know of his future plans but Benjamin isn’t ready to think about that and becomes increasingly withdrawn. Hiding in his room during a family party he is interrupted by Mrs Robinson (Anne Bancroft) whose husband (Murray Hamilton) is a law partner of Benjamin’s father (William Daniels). Benjamin agrees to drive Mrs Robinson home and despite his best efforts to leave she lures him inside and proceeds to offer herself to him whenever he wishes. Initially horrified, Benjamin later takes Mrs Robinson up on the offer and they begin an affair.
Suddenly a summer in Los Angeles becomes pleasant for Benjamin, divided between sunbathing by the family pool and sneaking off to a hotel to sleep with Mrs Robinson. However, problems mount when Elaine Robinson (Katharine Ross) comes home from college. Mrs Robinson warns Benjamin not to take her daughter out on a date but he is more or less forced into it by his father. Although Benjamin is initially cold towards Elaine he soon finds himself falling for her. This obviously puts Benjamin in an awkward quandary. Does he defy Mrs Robinson and pursue Elaine, or does he forsake a potential future with Elaine to continue his affair with her mother?
The Graduate is one of those films you know so much about even without seeing it. I pretty much knew the entire plot but none of it hindered the experience. This was my first viewing and I was certainly not disappointed. Hoffman is great in the lead as the withdrawn and nervous Benjamin, while Bancroft is delightful as the sexy and forceful Mrs Robinson. The acting and the script are all great but the film is enhanced even further by the wonderful soundtrack from Simon and Garfunkel. Mrs Robinson, April Come She Will, Scarborough Fair and The Sound of Silence all feature but it is the latter that is the most evocative, capturing the forlorn and lost Benjamin at key moments in the film, especially that opening scene when he leaves the plane and makes his way through the airport.
From start to finish, The Graduate is funny, well-acted and has many memorable moments. Many of the quotes from the witty script will be familiar even if you haven’t seen the film, while the ambiguity of the end scene on that bus only adds to the overall mystique of this classic sixties comedy. Fantastic.
Verdict: 5/5
(Film source: reviewer’s own copy)
Film Review: The Graduate | Thank you for reading Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dave
Film Review: 13hrs
From the producer of Dog Soldiers, 13 Hrs stars some of the hottest young British talent in one of the horror hits of the year. Starring Tom Felton (Harry Potter), Gemma Atkinson (Hollyoaks), Isabella Calthorpe (How to Lose Friends and Alienate People) and Joshua Bowman (Holby City). A full moon hangs in the night sky and lightning streaks across dark storm clouds. Sarah Tyler (Isabella Calthorpe) returns to her troubled family home in the isolated countryside, for a much put-off visit. As the storm rages on, Sarah, along with her family and friends shore up for the night, cut off from the outside world. But something emerges from the driving rain and darkness. Something that holds a dark secret so devastating that, in one night, it could wipe out the entire family. Trapped, Sarah, along with her brothers and friends must use their heads as well as their physical strength to survive not only the thing that is hunting them down one by one – but their own entrapment as the besieged group turns in on itself. Can they survive the horror which is stalking them? Can they survive for 13 hours? Or is their enemy already amongst them and always has been?
Starring: Tom Felton, Isabella Calthorpe, Gemma Atkinson
Directed by: Jonathan Glendening
Runtime: 90 minutes
Studio: High Fliers
Amazon USAmazon UKIMDB Review: 13hrs
It’s not the happiest homecoming for Sarah (Isabella Calthorpe), who returns to England to visit family from her home and work in Los Angeles. She finds her stepfather Duncan (Simon MacCorkindale) alone in his study and exhausted. She then heads out to the barn where her brothers – Stephen (Peter Gadiot), Charlie (Gabriel Thomson) and Luke (Antony Di Liseo) – are partying with friends – Gary (Tom Felton) and Doug (Joshua Bowman). Also there is Sarah’s best friend, Emily (Gemma Atkinson), who is dating Stephen and doesn’t have the warmest of welcomes for a friend she believes abandoned her. From her young brother Luke, Sarah learns of trouble in the family with the suspicion that their mother (Sue Scadding) is having an affair. Before they can worry further the group find blood in the house and discover Duncan has been devoured in a brutal attack.
It soon becomes apparent that something dangerous is on the property and kills anything that gets in its way. The group seek refuge in the loft of the house but manage to ring the emergency services. While they hideout, a police officer May (Cornelius Clarke) and trained dog catcher McRae (John Lynch) head for the isolated residence in response to a call about a wild animal attack. Can they get there in time or will the family and friends be wiped out? What is attacking them and where has it come from? The group must endure 13 long hours before they can find the answers.
I was worried this would be an awful horror film but it is actually okay. Budget restraints are evident with sightings of the creature minimal at best and our view of proceedings through its eyes being simply to make the screen red. The characters are one of the saving graces with lots of hostility between the family and friends evident throughout and threatening to end them before the monster does. It’s a short experience though with too many characters in the end but the conclusion has a decent enough twist. Fans of Tom Felton who has top billing be warned though for his screen time is somewhat limited.
13hrs is an okay horror film let down by a limited budget. Sightings of the monster are few and far between and you are left to view the dead victims rather than seeing them being attacked. The characters are quite well developed despite the film’s limited run-time but despite the interesting twist at the very end the film is distinctly lacking overall.
Verdict: 2/5
(Film source: reviewer’s own copy)
Film Review: 13hrs | Thank you for reading Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dave
August 4, 2013
Film Review: The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey
From Academy Award®-winning filmmaker Peter Jackson comes The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, the first of three films adapting the enduringly popular masterpiece The Hobbit, by J.R.R. Tolkien.
The trilogy of films are set in Middle-earth 60 years before The Lord of the Rings, which Jackson and his filmmaking team brought to the big screen in the blockbuster trilogy that culminated with the Oscar®-winning The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King.
The adventure follows the journey of title character Bilbo Baggins, who is swept into an epic quest to reclaim the lost Dwarf Kingdom of Erebor from the fearsome dragon Smaug. Approached out of the blue by the wizard Gandalf the Grey, Bilbo finds himself joining a company of thirteen dwarves led by the legendary warrior, Thorin Oakenshield. Their journey will take them into the Wild; through treacherous lands swarming with Goblins and Orcs, deadly Wargs and Giant Spiders, Shapeshifters and Sorcerers.
Although their goal lies to the East and the wastelands of the Lonely Mountain first they must escape the goblin tunnels, where Bilbo meets the creature that will change his life forever…Gollum. Here, alone with Gollum, on the shores of an underground lake, the unassuming Bilbo Baggins not only discovers depths of guile and courage that surprise even him, he also gains possession of Gollum’s “precious” ring that holds unexpected and useful qualities; a simple, gold ring that is tied to the fate of all Middle-earth in ways Bilbo cannot begin to know.
Starring: Hugo Weaving, Martin Freeman, Ian McKellen, Cate Blanchett, Richard Armitage
Directed by: Peter Jackson
Runtime: 166 minutes
Studio: Warner Home Video
Amazon USAmazon UKIMDB Review: The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey
I’m a big fan of Tolkien’s work and have loved The Silmarillion, The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. Peter Jackson’s adaptation of The Lord of the Rings trilogy, while not perfect, was still a remarkable achievement. Although Guillermo del Toro was said to be taking the reins for The Hobbit, Jackson eventually came back into the frame and I was happy to hear that. The film certainly divided the critics though and the more I read about it the more concerned I became. The basic premise to the story is the tale of Bilbo Baggins (Martin Freeman) who is whisked away from his rural idyll in the Shire by Gandalf (Ian McKellen) and a company of dwarves led by Thorin Oakenshield (Richard Armitage). The dwarves were once rulers of the kingdom of Erebor and Thorin is the living heir to the throne having seen the dwarves’ treasure trove taken by a dragon named Smaug while battles against orcs led to the death of Thorin’s father. Bilbo is recruited as a burglar at Gandalf’s insistence but the dwarves are wary of their companion.
What follows is the start of an epic adventure in Middle Earth as the dwarves come up against orcs, goblins, warg riders and trolls. The Lonely Mountain, the ruins of Erebor, is their ultimate destination with rumours circulating that Smaug may be no more. Rather than sticking entirely to the book, Jackson has opted to add substance to the story by giving extensive background information and by tracing the story of an individual known as the necromancer that has appeared on Middle Earth and is causing some concern. The Hobbit is very much an adaptation of both the novel and the start of bridging the gap between this story and The Lord of the Rings and I understand it is this separate endeavour that led to the decision to make three films rather than two. This film covers the story up to the dwarves struggles beneath the Misty Mountains and their dramatic escape. The next film in the series promises them reaching their destination at the Lonely Mountain. Beyond that I assume the sixty year gap between Bilbo’s adventure and the start of Frodo’s may be addressed.
I have great respect for Peter Jackson with what he achieved with The Lord of the Rings but I was disappointed in places with The Hobbit. I didn’t see the need to bring back so many characters from the trilogy that did not appear in the original novel. While many fans will be interested in seeing The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings linked together, Tolkien didn’t write his books this way. They were very much separate stories. The One Ring is the only tenuous link between the two and Tolkien had to rewrite a chapter of The Hobbit to make it fit once he had the idea for The Lord of the Rings. The rest of the history was an optional extra for readers in the appendices so including it here slows the narrative distinctly. As with the book, the film is somewhat lighthearted with Freeman providing some quirky humour and this carries on throughout the film. Though the battles are dramatic it seemed like Gandalf’s fight with the Goblin King was more slapstick than the more serious and dramatic fight he had against the Balrog. The cast are pretty good with Freeman settling well into his role. Armitage is arguably the best as Thorin, while McKellen makes a welcome return as Gandalf. There are some great moments including the gorgeous scenery and Bilbo’s encounter with Gollum but other elements make this feel uneven and disjointed at times. It’s just about a 4 star film for me but I think it could have been better. I’m looking forward to the next two installments but I’m concerned they may have ponderous moments like this one.
The Hobbit has some good moments but too many weaknesses prevent this being a masterpiece. Perhaps following in the footsteps of The Lord of the Rings has hindered the experience somewhat. It’s a much less eventful story but by adding substance Jackson has tried to make this epic when there was really no need. I still think this could have been done in two films, possibly even one, so it will be interesting to see what the sequels have to offer. It may seem like enjoyed nothing about the film but this certainly isn’t the case. The characters are good, the feel of Middle Earth is there and the battle scenes are still eye-catching. This isn’t as good as The Lord of the Rings but, as with the books, it’s probably unfair to compare them.
Verdict: 4/5
(Film source: reviewer’s own copy)
Film Review: The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey | Thank you for reading Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dave
