Sin Nombre review
Knowing little about the film before seeing it, Sin Nombre has proved to be one of the more pleasant surprises of the year.
Although the tale holds few surprises it is nicely structured, firmly establishing the main characters — a Honduran girl and a toughened Mexican gang member — and setting them on their separate journeys before they meet and form a relationship while continuing their dangerous journey together.
It is wonderfully shot, exposing some breathtaking, although not typically attractive, locations and combined with surprisingly superior acting performances, the director conjures an absorbing, convincing atmosphere of poverty and desperation.
31st Aug 2009 | Comment | Official site | On IMDb
Inglourious Basterds review
Some promotional posters for Inglourious Basterds haven’t displayed the title of the film at all. Can’t think why. It doesn’t really matter, though; they say all they need to: “Quentin Tarantino’s New Film.”
Tarantino is a draw for good reason: he can be a great writer, especially of dialogue, and he has a deserved reputation as a very talented director. His characters are well formed and here, Aldo “Apache” Raine and Hans “Jew Hunter” Landa, brilliantly played by Brad Pitt and Christoph Waltz, particularly stand out, providing the most entertaining and funny moments.
The enjoyable film displays Tarantino’s brilliance but it also shows up a lack of discipline. It is a similar length to Pulp Fiction and Jackie Brown but, unlike those tighter films, Inglourious is far, far too long with many lengthy, indulgent scenes that trip up the pace and bog down the story rather than push it forward. After making some of the best movies of recent decades, Tarantino appears to be taking a few backwards steps, somehow becoming more rough around the edges the more he familiarises himself with his craft.
23rd Aug 2009 | Comment | Official site | On IMDb
The Time Traveler's Wife review
Time travel tales can all too easily get bogged down in their own cleverness with convoluted, mind-bending plots developing from wild paradoxes. The Time Traveler’s Wife, however, is made for a mass, bubblegum audience, the majority of which probably wouldn’t count Timecrimes amongst their faves. That’s not a bad thing, but this is a romantic drama with a sci-fi twist, rather than the other way around. Think of it as an elaborate Disney TV movie.
It’s a really well made movie, though. There’s a nice little lightweight story that holds the attention and progresses smoothly and purposefully. For romdram doubters, the science-fiction element and the fact that it’s not overly saccharine make it more palatable than otherwise similar affairs without, I expect, annoying romantic drama fans too much.
It’s original for a mainstream movie, but perhaps not the most exciting, most oomph-infused film for those who want something a little more challenging. An easy film to recommend to most friends and family, though.
21st Aug 2009 | Comment | Official site | On IMDb
Mesrine: Part 1 - Killer Instinct review
The first instalment of the Mesrine epic, recounting the life of French mega-criminal Jacques Mesrine, oddly begins with a title stating that no film depicting real events can be wholly accurate. Most intelligent people realise that “true stories” are, and often need to be, embellished for dramatic effect, so what’s the motive behind this message? What are we about to see? Are we supposed to take the film with an extra pinch of salt? This is hardly the ballsiest of starts.
The fast-paced, action-filled film is often gripping but it is also all too often frustrating as the piecemeal story jarringly jumps from one, usually brutal, sequence to the next without being held together by any obvious common thread. By the time more odd, unnecessary text pops up at the abrupt ending, the two hours have flown by and been largely entertaining but the prospect of another two hours for part 2 isn’t overly compelling.
14th Aug 2009 | Comment | Official site | On IMDb
