David M. Brown's Blog, page 42

Book Review: And When She Was Good – Laura Lippman

About And When She Was Good (2012)In the comfortable suburb where she lives, Heloise is just a mom, the youngish widow with a forgettable job who somehow never misses her son’s soccer games or school plays.

But in discrete hotel rooms throughout the area, she’s the woman of your dreams – if you can afford her hourly fee.

For more than a decade, Heloise has believed her unorthodox life to be a safe one; rigidly compartmentalized, maintaining no real friendships and trusting very few people. But now this secret life is under siege. Her once oblivious accountant is asking loaded questions about her business. Her longtime protector is hinting at new, mysterious dangers. Her employees can no longer be trusted. Her ex, the one who doesn’t know he’s the father of her son, is appealing his life sentence. And, one county over, another so-called ‘suburban madam’ has been found dead in her car, an apparent suicide…

Can Heloise stay alive long enough to remake her life again, and save her son? Can she really expect to leave everything else behind?

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Review: And When She Was Good

I absolutely love a good suspense novel and twists and turns – if well done – are always appreciated.  And When She Was Good particularly surprised me in that it has a main character, Heloise, who I really shouldn’t empathise with. She’s objectionable in many ways, not necessarily because of her unconventional profession but more because of her arrogance and slight air of superiority. Instead, I actually loved her feistiness and her determination.

And When She Was Good is a great novel about the lioness backed into a corner, doing everything she can to protect her life and her child. There may be some unconventional means taken to do this but that simply adds to the idea that she will go to any lengths to make sure her child has a good future. It is therefore hardly surprising that she encounters trouble from multiple sides: from an employee, from a former partner, from the law, even from her accountant.

What I liked most about this novel was that it started with life being relatively in order with one or two ends dangling. Threads were pulled and life became much more complicated very, very quickly. The novel had an extremely fast pace and that added to the feeling of the world rapidly crumbling around her and having to make quick decisions in order to salvage whatever she could.

This is one of those times when you’re really not sure if you should like the main character but – darn it! – you’re going to root for her anyway. You’ll decide after-the-fact whether or not she deserves it. For now, can she get out of the scrape? How will she do it? What will she sacrifice? When you’re swept along so fully by a book and its story and characters, how can you not love it?

Verdict: 4/5

(Book source: Netgalley)

Book Review: And When She Was Good – Laura Lippman | Thank you for reading Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dave

Film Review: Barton Fink

About Barton Fink (1991)




Set in Hollywood during the 1940′s, “Barton Fink” is a comic satire about creative egos, flashy moguls, a travelling salesman and a nasty case of writer’s block. Barton Fink (John Turturro) is a New York playwright lured to Hollywood to work as a screenwriter. It doesn’t take long for Barton’s life to erupt in complete chaos. His studio boss orders the serious-minded Barton to write a low budget wrestling movie. Deeply disappointed, Barton returns to his seedy hotel, types one sentence and then¿ nothing. To make matters worse, he is continually interrupted by Charlie (John Goodman), a chatty travelling insurance salesman who lives next door. Eventually they become friends and Charlie tries to help Barton by teaching him the finer points of wrestling. As the clock ticks away and the temperature climbs, Barton becomes more desperate as his life spins out of control.

Starring: John Turturro, John Goodman, Judy Davis, Michael Lerner, John Mahoney

Directed by: Joel Coen

Runtime: 116 minutes

Studio: 20th Century Fox

 

Amazon USAmazon UKIMDB Review: Barton Fink

Written in just 3 weeks, Barton Fink was born out of the Coens’ frustration with Miller’s Crossing (1990). Struggling with that film, they had a break to try and find inspiration and ended up penning Barton Fink which also deals with writer’s block. Set in 1941, playwright Barton Fink (John Turturro), is the toast of Broadway but he is convinced to go to Hollywood and write movie scripts. Taking a room in a run down hotel, Barton’s surroundings include peeling wallpaper and a solitary painting of a woman on a beach shielding her eyes from the sun. It’s an image that often appears throughout the film. Barton is struck with writer’s block and his cause isn’t helped by the sound of an amorous couple next door and also the laughter of an insurance salesman, Charlie Meadows (John Goodman). Charlie confronts Barton after the writer complains of a disturbance from the neighbouring room but any ill feelings are soon swept aside and the two men become friends.

While Barton cannot get any ideas for a script for a wrestling movie, he has many encounters with the creative minds in Hollywood. He reports to Capitol Pictures boss, Jack Lipnick (Michael Lerner), who has complete faith in Fink’s ability. When the ideas simply won’t come Fink hope a meeting with renowned writer W.P. Mayhew (John Maloney) will help but he finds one of his heroes is just a drunk who is abusive to his secretary and lover, Audrey (Judy Davis). With a deadline for his script looming, Barton begins to succumb to the pressure and a series of bizarre things begin to happen to him including coming into possession of a mysterious box and even Barton waking to find a dead body in his room.

Barton Fink is another gem from the Coen brothers and as with many of their films you will probably need to give this repeat viewings to get the full impact. As Barton feels the pressure of writing, it seems the line between fiction and reality is broken and what we witnesses may or may not be true. Certainly some of the later scenes are outrageous but the film remains something of a puzzle even when the final credits roll. Turturro and Goodman are both excellent in the leading roles but a very good cast backs them up well, including a young Steve Buscemi who works at the gritty hotel Barton and Charlie are both staying in. Although I was left with more questions than answers by the end of the film, I was still satisfied with the overall experience.

Barton Fink is certainly one of the better of the Coen brothers’ films. While not reaching the heights of Raising Arizona, O Brother Where Are Thou? and The Big Lebowski, this is still a well-crafted film with a great script and some fabulous characters. It’s always fun picking out the actors that appear regularly in the Coens’ films and Barton Fink is no exception.

Verdict: 4/5

(Film source: reviewer’s own copy)

Film Review: Barton Fink | Thank you for reading Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dave

Film Review: The Blackout

About The Blackout (2009)




Los Angeles, Christmas Eve: a series of power outages, minor earth tremors and other strange events threaten to ruin the holidays. But when the residents of a suburban apartment block experience a sudden total blackout, they are determined to investigate. Deep in the cavernous basement they make a shocking discovery – what is seemingly the breeding ground of a new race of blood-thirsty creatures. With it quickly becoming apparent that the frightening occurrences overtaking LA are connected, this group of rag-tag neighbours must put aside their differences and fight to save their city from an eternal blackness. With time running out and the murderous creatures just getting started, they know they must restore the power, as when the lights go out for good, the feeding will begin…

Starring: Barbara Streifel Sanders, Joseph Dunn, Ian Malcolm

Directed by: Robert David Sanders

Runtime: 80 minutes

Studio: Kaleidoscope Entertainment

 

Amazon UKIMDB Review: The Blackout

The Blackout says it all in the title really. A city is plagued by a series of earthquakes, power starts to cut out intermittently and all on Christmas Eve. Our focus is on one block of apartments in particular where many of the residents are gathered at a party. The night becomes a pretty unpleasant one though when something sinister is discovered in the basement and begins to go on a murderous rampage throughout the building.

Elizabeth (Barbara Streifel Sanders) and Daniel (Joseph Dunn) are celebrating Christmas with their two children – Ashley (Abigail Droeger) and Kyle (Tyler Armstrong) – as well as Daniel’s brother Dylan (Michael Caruso) who is a heavy drinker and lacks basic etiquette in his inebriated state. To try and ease the tension, Daniel sends his son to the basement to get a present. Why it’s down there I have no idea. Given that this basement is pretty dark and scary is it good parenting to send a child alone? My concerns heightened when Daniel goes to look for Kyle and takes Ashley with him. She goes down to the basement ahead of her father and when he can’t find the children he just casually goes home and says he’s no idea where they are. He doesn’t even seem frantic. Elsewhere are Ethan (Michael Caruso) and Claire (Caroline Rich) who are having marriage issues and Ethan’s solution is to go to a party and flirt with the hostess. Nice. Soon the festivities are ruined by monsters from the underground that begin killing everyone that has the misfortune of getting in their way. The residents that have remained in the apartments for Christmas must now band together and make their way outside but with Elizabeth and Daniel now deciding it is a good time to find their children the group of survivors can either split up or stick together and find Kyle and Ashley first.

The Blackout is slow to get going with primary focus being on two marriages that have a spot of tension for different reasons. The other characters involved seem to be fillers more than anything else. The monsters that terrorise the people in the apartments don’t look overly convincing though they are menacing to the extent I wouldn’t want to sit and have a drink with them. The acting here is utterly lousy with Elizabeth and Daniel being some of the most unconvincing parents I have seen. I am not a father and have no desire to be but even I felt more concern for the two children in this film than their parents seemed to. The story is lacking in explanation about why these monster have appeared save the earthquakes throughout the city and the conclusion leaves this open-ended with more questions than resolutions.

The Blackout is a pretty tedious effort, devoid of convincing acting and missing a decent story. Questionable parenting aside, the characters are not an engaging bunch and you won’t feel a flicker of emotion as their numbers are wilted down. Actually you may feel anger and annoyance at having wasted your time with this one. Even ardent horror fans will find little to salvage from this wreck.

Verdict: 1/5

(Film source: reviewer’s own copy)

Film Review: The Blackout | Thank you for reading Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dave

Film Review: Squeal

About Squeal (2008)




A dysfunctional rock band’s road trip takes a disastrous detour when their van breaks down in the middle of nowhere. Desperate to find help, the group stumbles upon a genetic experiment gone wrong and finds themselves trapped in a mutant-inhabited den of carnage.

Starring: Allison Batty, Kevin Oestenstad, Stephen Dean, Joe Burke, Kelly Jean Badgley

Directed by: Tony Swansey

Runtime: 79 minutes

Studio: E1 Entertainment

 

 

Amazon USAmazon UKIMDB Review: Squeal

Tony Swansey’s gruesome horror is Animal Farm meets The Texas Chainsaw Massacre as a family of human/pig hybrids, the result of an experiment gone wrong, have sought refuge at an abandoned farm. Anyone unfortunate enough to wander into the vicinity is soon captured and brutally slaughtered. After watching one hapless fool killed at the outset, our focus turns to a band who hit the road to play some shows. Mika Hakkinen lookalike Mark (Kevin Oestenstad), Travis (Stephen Dean) and Tom (Joe Burke) are the band members and are joined by their manager and Mark’s girlfriend, Valerie (Allison Batty), as well as two groupies Travis has invited along – Mindy (Kelly Jean Badgley) and Cindy (Esther Claire). There’s a lot of friction in the group usually caused by the outspoken Travis and things do not improve when Tom crashes the van after swerving to avoid what looks like a child in the road. Mark, Valerie and Tom head back to a gas station for help but as it gets dark the nightmare begins for the group.

What do you do if your friends have gone for help and you’re left to watch over the van? If you’re Travis you have a threesome with your groupies but the fun is cut short by a pig man that abducts the trio and takes them to the farm. Mark, Valerie and Tom also end up being captured and thrown in cages. They’re not the brightest group either. Tom gets himself captured because he spots the pig man and a pig woman having sex in a barn and he decides to watch! When Mark manages to release Travis he abandons everyone and runs outside shouting which alerts the pig family and all six friends end up captured. The security in the farm is pretty poor too given how many times the friends escape but they can never get completely away. It’s clear that not all are going to survive and once the pig man gets to work on them it isn’t pretty.

Squeal is significantly less than 90 minutes but it does feel like a slow film in the build up. The characters are annoying so you’ll not be overly concerned what becomes of them. Once they end up on the pig family’s farm the violence begins though a lot of it is implied rather than on camera. There are brief snippets about the experiment that has created the man/pig hybrids but this element of the story is thin to say the least. The acting isn’t bad but it’s not inspiring either and with a limited budget we don’t get a good look at the pig woman. The pig child is plain bizarre, applying make-up in one scene while the pig man decides Valerie will look much nicer in a summer dress. Inevitably, the final stages of the film involve just a couple of the characters but the conclusion is both unsurprising and unsatisfying.

I’ll avoid any jokes about pigs and just say Squeal is severely lacking. A limited budget, the thin storyline and a group of characters that are hard to like derails this somewhat. If you’d have stuck pig masks on the family in The Texas Chainsaw Massacre then you may have ended up with Squeal. The difference is that Tobe Hooper’s film was eerie, had more of a story and better performances to elevate it away from the pit of obsolescence where Squeal is destined to sink.

Verdict: 1/5

(Film source: reviewer’s own copy)

Film Review: Squeal | Thank you for reading Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dave

Film Review: Grabbers

About Grabbers (2012)




The sleepy coastal community of Erin Island is about to receive some unexpected visitors. Vicious extra-terrestrial predators have landed and they’ve got a thirst on…. for blood. With razor sharp tentacles and an insatiable hunger, the alien creatures are about to indulge in a feeding frenzy the likes of which has never been seen before. With a storm fast approaching and with no means of escape, the townsfolk have one last shot at survival. Will the locals find enough Dutch courage to survive The Grabbers?

Starring: Richard Coyle, Ruth Bradley, Russell Tovey, Lalor Roddy, David Pearse

Directed by: Jon Wright

Runtime: 94 minutes

Studio: Sony Pictures Home Ent.

 

Amazon USAmazon UKIMDB Review: Grabbers 

Jon Wright’s horror comedy is set on a remote island off the coast of Ireland. A group of fishermen witnesse what looks like a meteor crashing into the ocean. They are soon killed by something in the water with what looks like tentacles. The film switches to the arrival of Lisa Nolan (Ruth Bradley), a Garda who is stationed on the island for 2 weeks to support Garda, Ciaran O’Shea (Richard Coyle), whose superior is on leave. Lisa arrives to find she turns many heads on an island with more men than women and soon finds herself drawing interest from both Ciaran and Dr Adam Smith (Russell Tovey). Ciaran informs Lisa that there isn’t much that happens on the island and so confident is he of this that he drinks heavily at night and even on the job. Lisa takes her work more seriously and very soon there is a crisis on the island.

With fishermen missing and mutilated whales washed up on the shore, it’s clear that the locals are under some threat. Another fisherman, Paddy (Lalor Roddy), accidentally catches a tentacled sea monster and decides to take it home and put it in his bath. He tells Ciaran about what he’s found but Paddy is dismissed as talking nonsense due to being drunk. Paddy returns home and comes under attack but somehow, pissed out of his brains, he manages to fight the monster off. The islanders soon come under attack from another monster in the water that can only survive by drinking blood and remaining wet. It has a weakness though that Ciaran works out. Paddy only avoided death because he was so drunk the alcohol levels in his blood were high enough to put the monster off. With this in mind the island’s only pub is open to everyone to partake of an epic piss up to protect themselves from being devoured. Genius. However, although the locals will be drunk, including Lisa and Ciaran, they will still need to find a way to stop the monster.

Grabbers initially seemed like a recipe for an awful horror film but once I realised it was set in Ireland I knew it would be good. One thing the Irish do very well is comedy. The story is pretty simple with the alien monster coming ashore and killing the islanders mercilessly. The idea of it being a bloodsucker but unable to handle victims who are drunk was a pure masterstroke. Seeing Ciaran address the locals at church and lure them to the island’s only pub with the promise of a free bar was wonderful and many laughs are raised with Lisa who has never been drunk before but soon settles into the routine with the obligatory laughter and slurring. The love triangle between Lisa, Ciaran and Adam is predictable in its resolution but it’s still amusing watching it unfold. Watching a film like Grabbers, you can appreciate why Simon Pegg in Shaun of the Dead felt the best way to handle the zombie apocalypse was to take refuge in the nearest pub.

Grabbers is an amusing but silly horror comedy where the monster’s worst enemy is the intoxicated locals. Usually with these films it is the drunk people that are easy prey so credit to the writers here for turning this idea on its head. A fun cast and amusing script make this a good night’s entertainment. It’s not the most spectacular horror film you’ll ever see but the premise is interesting and there are many laughs to be had.

Verdict: 3/5

(Film source: reviewer’s own copy)

Film Review: Grabbers | Thank you for reading Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dave

Game Review: Tomb Raider 2

About Tomb Raider 2 (1997)




Lara Croft is back in Tomb Raider 2, and she’s ready to explore, using new weapons and moves and solving new puzzles. Lara races against three competitors to find the Dagger of Xian, an artifact hidden within the Great Wall of China. Legend has it, whoever drives the dagger into his or her own heart will receive the power of the dragon. Tomb Raider 2 sends Lara to Tibet, Venice, and more exotic locations in search of the doors to the emperor’s palace, the home of the dagger.

 

 

Amazon USAmazon UK Review: Tomb Raider 2 (PS1)

I recall Resident Evil 2 and Tomb Raider 2 being released at similar times and the former outselling its rival substantially. A sequel to the excellent Tomb Raider was inevitable and with a large world for Lara Croft to explore there was plenty of scope for further adventures. Looking back, is this sequel better than the original?

The story begins with the background to the Dagger of Xian that is stolen by an evil Emperor who plunges it into his heart, turns into a dragon and leads his army into battle. Warrior monks manage to defeat the Emperor, removing the dagger from his heart, before returning it to its home within the Great Wall of China. In the present day Lara comes in search of the Dagger but she soon finds she has a rival, Marco Bartoli, hoping to defeat her in the race.

This sequel is somewhat different to the original in that there are many levels that don’t really involve raiding tombs as such. Beginning in China, Lara heads for beautiful Venice, before moving onto an oil rig, heading to the bottom of the sea where a sunken ship is being excavated, onto Tibet and finally to China. The variety of settings are fantastic and you’ll come under some heavy fire from Bartoli’s men in the majority of places you explore. When Bartoli’s men are not around there’s usually some other danger waiting to trip you up.

The format is very similar to the original. Lara has her trusty pistols for company but can gather a variety of different weapons to make fights much more straightforward. This game is slightly more difficult than the first one and the bonus of a save anytime, anywhere feature certainly makes this a more friendly experience. I found some of the underwater sections tricky, especially the races against time to reach the surface for air. Driving a boat around Venice is memorable and a snow jet through the mountains of Tibet is cool, especially when you can run your enemies through with it. Finally, the last couple of levels are especially memorable with the penultimate one before the final boss just bizarre.

Tomb Raider 2 still has a lot to offer. There’s a lot more variety than the first game but I still think I prefer the original just a fraction. Although there is a risk of monotony in having Lara exploring just tombs I think that ties in better to her profession but that’s just me. All of the settings in Tomb Raider 2 are great fun and the new save option minimises the frustration immensely.

Tomb Raider 2 is a great follow-up to the excellent original. Although this doesn’t carry quite the same charm as its predecessor it still has many merits of its own including some memorable settings and that much more generous save option.

Verdict: 5/5

Game Review: Tomb Raider 2 | Thank you for reading Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dave

Film Review: The Ides of March

The Ides of March (2011)




Ambition seduces and power corrupts in a nerve-wracking thriller from Academy Award® nominated director George Clooney (Good Night, and Good Luck). Idealistic campaign worker Stephen Meyers (Ryan Gosling) has sworn to give all for Governor Mike Morris (Clooney), a wild card presidential candidate whose groundbreaking ideas could change the political landscape. However, a brutal Ohio primary threatens to test Morris’s integrity. Stephen gets trapped in the down-and-dirty battle and finds himself caught up in a scandal where the only path to survival is to play both sides. The all-star cast includes Philip Seymour Hoffman, Paul Giamatti, Marisa Tomei and Evan Rachel Wood.

Starring: Ryan Gosling, George Clooney, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Paul Giamatti, Evan Rachel Wood

Directed by: George Clooney

Runtime: 101 minutes

Studio: Sony Pictures Entertainment

 

Amazon USAmazon UKIMDB Review: The Ides of March 

George Clooney’s film looks at the dark side of American politics. It centres on the efforts of junior campaign manager Stephen Meyers (Ryan Gosling) to secure the Democratic primary for Governor Mike Morris (George Clooney) of Pennsylvania. Morris has one more candidate to beat – the Arkansas Senator Ted Pullman (Michael Mantell) whose campaign is spearheaded by Tom Duffy (Paul Giamatti). Both candidates are debating in Ohio and looking to secure the favour of North Carolina Senator Frank Thompson (Jeffrey Wright) whose endorsement will decide which man becomes the Presidential candidate. Stephen’s work alongside senior campaign manager Paul Zara (Philip Seymour Hoffman) sees him exposed to the dirty business of politics when he makes a mistake that costs him everything.

Stephen’s error is in having a secret meeting with rival Tom Duffy who wants Stephen to defect from Morris and support Pullman. Duffy plans to offer Thompson a lucrative position in exchange for his endorsement, something Governor Morris won’t consider given that he hates Thompson. Though Stephen refuses to join Duffy he fails to tell his manager, Paul, immediately and things take a turn for the worst when New York Times reporter Ida (Marisa Tomei) reveals to Stephen that his meeting has been leaked to the press. If that wasn’t bad enough Stephen has started a relationship with an intern, Molly (Evan Rachel Wood), and when she receives a call from Governor Morris in the middle of the night which Stephen accidentally answers, some shocking secrets come to the fore which leave Stephen in something of a quandary. He knows of a scandal in Morris’ camp and when Paul fires him he has to decide whether to walk away or take revenge.

Clooney’s drama may not surprise you in its depiction of the corruption that goes on in politics but it’s still fascinating all the same. It doesn’t matter what country it is, I have come to expect some shady dealings within governments and The Ides of March does a great job of depicting a complex web of lies and deceit while Governor Morris pursues the ultimate prize. Clooney’s charismatic Morris appears squeaky clean but when Stephen uncovers a dark secret the real face of the Democratic candidate is revealed. The best thing about the film is how Stephen approaches the campaign when he is out of a job. I anticipated him taking action and brutal revenge but I was somewhat taken aback by his concluding actions. Compare Stephen at the outset to his final appearance in the closing reels and you will see a man who has been changed forever by the political game.

The Ides of March is an excellent political drama with a first rate cast. There are so many great actors here that Clooney was in danger of underusing them but as director he gives them all equal billing while taking a backseat himself until the whole sorry mess of Morris’ political campaign unravels at the death. Gosling carries the film well until then and delivers a compelling performance in the loss of decency and innocence he still retains at the outset.

Verdict: 4/5

(Film source: reviewer’s own copy)

Film Review: The Ides of March | Thank you for reading Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dave

Film Review: Heartbreakers

About Heartbreakers (2001)




Maxine Connors (Sigourney Weaver) and daughter Paige (Jennifer Love Hewitt) are a successful con-artist double act. Scheming mom Maxine lures rich men to the altar only to set up a seduction via her daughter that guarantees a hefty divorce settlement a little time later. Some debts to clear, Maxine fixes well-intentioned billionaire William Tensy (Gene Hackman) in her sights, which Paige insists will be her last job. Complications ensue when Paige falls in love for real with a lowly bartender (Jason Lee) and washes her hands of the project, forcing Maxine to somehow deal with this sticky situation and come to terms with her daughter’s real emotional agenda.

Starring: Sigourney Weaver, Jennifer Love Hewitt, Ray Liotta, Gene Hackman

Directed by: David Mirkin

Runtime: 123 minutes

Studio: MGM

Amazon USAmazon UKIMDB Review: Heartbreakers

I’ve always worried I’d be an easy victim of a hustler or con artist but when it comes to the leading ladies in Heartbreakers I should be safe as I’m neither rich and am also married. Max (Sigourney Weaver) and Page Connors (Jennifer Love Hewitt) are the mother and daughter team that specialise in finding rich men and taking a large chunk of their wealth away. Max works her charms to marry them within three months of meeting and manages to avoid consummating the union before catching them about to commit adultery with Page. A swift divorce follows and with it a massive pay out. The latest victim is Dean (Ray Liotta) who is left sexually frustrated on his wedding night and cannot resist his sexy secretary Wendy, who happens to be Page. Following this latest job Page wants to go it alone but when the IRS catch up with them both women are faced with a hefty tax bill and the need for one final big score before going their separate ways.

Following a lengthy debate they settle on rich widower William Tensy (Gene Hackman) but while Max is trying to woo the ageing widower, Page becomes acquainted with bar owner Jack (Jason Lee). Page does her best to be dismissive of Jack’s advances but when she discovers he is sitting on a substantial profit she warms to him. While Max’s advances towards William have a few speed bumps and involve statues with large penises, Page finds herself falling for Jack, though she won’t admit it. Will her feelings for him ruin the con or will she be able to get William’s money and then leave with her mother? If that’s not a big enough problem the two women have to contend with Dean who is determined to find Max and rekindle their love affair.

Unusually long for a comedy, Heartbreakers is thankfully never dull. Both Weaver and Hewitt make a good mother and daughter combination, their personal feelings for one another and rivalry often threatening to ruin their con but somehow they keep everything together. Weaver is amusing when trying to be Russian while Hewitt’s firm and dismissive Page is no match for Jack who always has a witty answer for her leading to even more frustration and eventually a spot of romance. Lee, Liotta and Hackman are all good here but the film belongs to Weaver and Hewitt.

I wasn’t sure what I’d make of Heartbreakers but it turned out to be really good. While there were not many laugh out loud moments, the story is well done, the script decent and even though the ending is somewhat predictable it’s still an apt denouement. If you’re looking for a decent date movie you’ll find this one worth your time.

Verdict: 4/5

(Film source: reviewer’s own copy)

Film Review: Heartbreakers | Thank you for reading Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dave

Film Review: Whale Rider

Whale Rider (2002)




A small Maori village faces a crisis when the heir to the leadership of the Ngati Konohi dies at birth and is survived only by his twin sister, Pai. Although disregarded by her grandfather and shunned by the village people, twelve-year-old Pai remains certain of her calling and trains herself in the ways and customs of her people. With remarkable grace, Pai finds the strength to challenge her family and embraces a thousand years of tradition in order to fulfill her destiny.

Starring: Keisha Castle-Hughes, Cliff Curtis

Directed by: Niki Caro

Runtime: 101 minutes

Studio: Lions Gate

 

Amazon USAmazon UKIMDB Review: Whale Rider 

I spent two weeks in New Zealand in 2008 and my time in the Maori centre of Rotorua was one of my favourites. Niki Caro’s moving drama explores Maori tradition in one coastal village where the chief Koro (Rawiri Paratene) is awaiting the birth of his grandson. His son, Porourangi (Cliff Curtis), is left devastated when his wife gives birth to twins – a boy and a girl – but both his wife and son die. The surviving girl is named Paikea after the Maori that first came to the land on the back of a whale. Koro is dismissive of his granddaughter and does not want her to take such a great name. In the Maori tradition the title of chief passes to the first born son and Koro’s hopes are for his son to marry again and father a boy so the line is not broken.

The film moves on more than a decade with 12 year old Paikea (Keisha Castle-Hughes) having now formed a close bond with her grandfather. When Porourangi returns from travelling in Europe he reveals he has no interest in becoming the next leader and that he has fallen in love with a German girl who is pregnant with his child. Paikea, devoted to her grandfather, chooses not to return to Europe with her father but wishes to make Koro proud by becoming the next leader. Bound by traditions, Koro dismisses his granddaughter and looks amongst the boys in the village for the next candidate to be chief. Paikea goes against tradition to prove Koro wrong and though her grandfather begins to resent her she is determined more than ever to succeed.

Whale Rider is a beautifully simple story of family and tradition and how the world is always changing. Castle-Hughes won rave reviews for her performance and was deservedly nominated for an Oscar. From start to finish she is fantastic as Paikea with more than one moment likely to leave many with tears in their eyes. Paratene is great as the stubborn grandfather though you will despise him for the harsh way he treats his grandfather and how he is reluctant to go against Maori tradition to acknowledge her strength and spirit. There are many poignant scenes in the film but the end thankfully has some uplifting moments.

Whale Rider is a wonderfully filmed and finely acted family drama with an unforgettable central performance from Castle-Hughes. Though Maori culture seems so very different to what I have known in the UK, many aspects of family and the reluctance to spurn tradition in favour of a modern and changing world still ring true. This heartfelt story of one girl’s triumph over adversity is destined to be one that will be remembered for years to come.

Verdict: 5/5

(Film source: reviewer’s own copy)

Film Review: Whale Rider | Thank you for reading Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dave

Film Review: The Gravedancers

About The Gravedancers (2006)




After the funeral of an old friend who died in a car accident, former school friends Harris, Kira, and Sid break into the local cemetery after dark, and after Sid reads a mysterious incantation he finds on one of the nearby tombstones, they dance on the graves. Soon, the three of them find themselves haunted by three different ghosts whose graves they desecrated. Harris and his wife Allison find themselves haunted by a deranged female pianist/ax murdered. Sid gets haunted by a child pyromaniac, and Kira haunted by a sadistic rapist. All of them turn to a paranormal investigator named Vincent Cochet and his assistant Frances to try to help them break the curse they imposed on themselves before the next full moon when they will be killed by the ghost s wrath.

Starring: Dominic Purcell, Josie Maran, Clare Kramer, Marcus Thomas, Tchéky Karyo

Directed by: Mike Mendez

Runtime: 95 minutes

Studio: Lions Gate

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Growing up I was always wary of walking on gravestones. I didn’t fear anything bad would happen but I was raised so politely that it never crossed my mind and I still feel that way today. In Mike Mendez’s film we have a trio of friends who go one better by dancing on some graves! Harris (Dominic Purcell), Kira (Josie Maran) and Sid (Marcus Thomas) are reunited when a friend dies in an accident. Sid doesn’t go to the funeral but after getting drunk decides to go the graveyard and pay his respects. Harris and Kira join him and suddenly the friends are dancing, enjoying themselves and Harris takes the opportunity to kiss Kira even though he is married to Allison (Claire Kramer). In the days that follow the three friends begin to first hear strange noises and then have bizarre individual encounters.

The hauntings of the three friends are not restricted to them alone. Others they know can also be attacked. We focus mostly on Harris where it is Allison that first hears strange noises. Doors opening when they shouldn’t, a piano playing and stopping whenever Harris enters the room and the cat is on edge and even disappears at one point. Allison believes it is Harris’ ex Kira that is causing the problems but when they visit her, Kira is beaten and bloody, her home trashed and she is rushed to hospital. Sid has also been having difficulties and turned to paranormal investigators Vincent (Tcheky Karyo) and Frances (Megahn Perry) for help. When the group go back to the graveyard they see the graves they have danced on come from criminals. Harris has danced on the grave of a piano teacher that murdered her lover and his wife, Kira is haunted by a judge that liked to abduct, rape and torture, while Sid is the victim of a boy who was a pyromaniac. Vincent and Frances have theories on how to stop the hauntings and reveal the ghosts have a limited time to achieve their ultimate objective: to kill those that disrespected their final resting places.

The Gravedancers was a good little horror with an interesting premise. Dancing on a grave is not something I would do but our three drunk friends see no issue with it and their actions put not just themselves in danger but those around them. The different threats the ghosts posed were good with Kira easily having the worst of it and though the trio know they have to survive only a month, they are warned the ghosts will become more sinister with each day that passes. The ending is somewhat predictable but this still manages to be quite creepy in places.

The Gravedancers has a pretty decent storyline and there is enough to unnerve and keep you interested for the duration. Three distinct ghosts offer some welcome variety and although the conclusion isn’t difficult to spot this is still worth consideration. Once again: don’t walk or dance on people’s graves!

Verdict: 3/5

(Film source: reviewer’s own copy)

Film Review: The Gravedancers | Thank you for reading Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dave