AL..'s Talk

Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein

My absolute fav A&C. A classic. Luv Bela & Lon always.

Fighter (Aicha)

Fighter is a very different film to your average Martial Arts flick. While the combat and training scenes are plentiful, these are not the point of the film. Fighter is a film about Aicha, a teenage girl of Turkish origin trying to find her way in Danish society. It's a coming of age story that looks at modern European cultural conflicts in a mature and intelligent way.

The script is densely packed and rich with the complexities of different cultures and generations trying to find how best to get along with each other. There are no pantomime villains here and Aicha's family really does come across as a real family trying to cope with real difficulties.

The acting is strong across the board and the fight scenes are unvarnished and suitably spectacular.

This is one of the best martial arts films I've seen in a long time and one that works very well on a range of levels.

Screamers

Screamers is a documentary that uses the perceptions and music of System of a Down to examine why genocides keep on happening.

Initially it's a slightly odd combination of concert and documentary footage. However, once the film gets into its stride it quickly becomes a very powerful polemical documentary and its central message - that ignoring genocides will only encourage more to take place - is one that certainly bears repeating.

Azumi

A great, fun action film with a stunning final battle. I can't believe it's taken me so long to get around to watching it

A Charlie Brown Christmas

A holiday classic. My fav Charlie Brown, of course.

It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown

A Halloweeen classic. Still has some slow parts, but very much a part of my Halloween tradition since I was a kid. See it at YouTube.

The Haunting

Read the book. Read Shirley Jackson & MR James & LeFanu... just read. P/S: Has anyone ever noticed how truly bitchy Eleanor is in the orig? lol.

Le Monde Selon Monsanto (The World According to Monsanto)

Shi wan huo ji (Fireline) (Lifeline)

Johnnie To regulars such as Lau Ching Wan take lead in this 1997 drama which claims "firefighting is easy, relationships... not so much". The Hong Kong fire department simply serves as a backdrop for the well acted domestic drama early on, and it seems the film could just as easily be following a police department. While engrossing, the many ongoing subplots are eventually dropped, in favor of some actual firefighting; which is fine, as it's obvious they were destined to fizzle out otherwise.

The films finale presents an outstanding technical spectacle, as the leading cast members attempt to extinguish a widespread fire at a knitting factory. Here, To once again proves he can pretty much direct anything, including live fire. This climax helped to bring home two awards for the film at the 1998 Hong Kong Film Awards - Best Editing (Wong Wing-Mung) and Best Sound Effects; which were clearly well deserved.

Lifeline is an enjoyable popcorn flick, masquerading as something else until the final act, in which the genre masks are torn off with great force. This film showcases two very different sides of To as a director, the only problem is, they don't really glue. However, it's ultimately a good watch.

Cashback

I watched the 2004 short film a while back and really enjoyed it, so I was more than looking forward to the feature length film, and I'm pleased to say it passed my expectations.

This film is a study of the human mind, and how it deals with living an average life; however, what it does so brilliantly is highlight the hidden depth within working a dead end job for minimum pay.

With some astonishing cinematography, Sean Ellis is able to make a typical Sainsbury's supermarket look like an example of inspired modern-day architecture. Never did I think, I'd genuinely feel the urge to hand in an application form for my local Sainsbury's; not until I saw this film.

Ben Willis is fantastic. His subdued performance, with near philosophical narration embodies the life of an insomniac perfectly; and I should know, being one myself. Willis draws you in instantly, and you don't want to leave his presence, by the end you feel you've made a close friend.

Apart from quite a noticible change in direction part way through, and a few moral quips, I find it hard to fault Cashback. I feel this film was made for people like me, and I can't wait to watch it again and again. What's even better, is that I now have yet another British director to get overly excited about. I can't wait to see what Ellis' future holds.

I recommend Cashback to anyone who has worked in a supermarket, gone through a difficult break-up, or suffered from severe insomnia. To be honest I recommend it to anyone who is truly passionate about film.

Blowup (Blow-Up) (Blow Up)

PTU (PTU - Police Tactical Unit)

Johnny To has already established himself as one of the better directors to come out of Hong Kong in recent years and he's on fine form with this stylish crime thriller which touches on themes of honour, loyalty and friendship as it progresses, almost fatalistically, towards a genuinely explosive climax.

PTU: Police Tactical Unit may be a little light on substance, but the style of the film more than makes up for this.

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13 game sayawng (13: Game of Death) (13 Beloved)

Falling Down meets My Little Eye in this smart and shocking horror/thriller. Not only does writer/director, Chukiat Sakveerakul have plenty of visceral observations to make about materialism, the increasingly debased nature of reality type entertainment and and the connection between the two, but the film also reflects on the rapidly shrinking nature of the private space.

More here

Two Evil Eyes

Both Romero and Argento are icons of the horror genre and, if nothing else, putting their films back to back in this anthology is a fascinating exercise in comparing the strengths of each. It helps immensely that both films in the anthology are solid entries in the respective directors' oeuvres.

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Linda Lovelace for President (Hot Neon)

Shirley Valentine

So sweet, great shots of Greece.

Akumu tantei (Nightmare Detective)

Over the years Shinya Tsukamoto has ranged across a variety of genres - from the mind bending SF of Tetsuo to the grimy eroticism of A Snake of June. Although both the genre and the plot can change from one film to the next, Tsukamoto's consistent reworking of similar themes and his kinetic visual style gives his films a distinct auteurial stamp that is difficult to miss. While Nightmare Detective, his foray into the horror genre, may well be the director's most accessible film to date, it is still very much a Shinya Tsukamoto film.

This time around he has merged popular concerns with internet suicide pacts with his own themes of alienation, despair and a loss of humanity. The result is a darkly ambitious film that manages to be genuinely chilling.

Full Review

Death Sentence

A pretty decent revenge flick overall. Kevin Bacon gives a decent performance, but sometimes it feels as though he's forcing his characters emotions. Aisha Tyler's character is terribly written, her behaviour and attitude couldn't be less realistic. On the plus side, the film definitely has the dark presence it needs, and it gets a thumbs up for sheer balls, as it really attempts to push your emotions to the limit towards the end. If you enjoy tales of revenge then you'll definitely want to check this out. It doesn't stand with the best, but it still delivers.

READ THE FULL REVIEW

American Gangster

Ridley Scott ticks another genre box on his list, with this very satisfying gangster movie. A brilliant eye opener, with performances for the ages. Denzel Washington and Russell Crowe are perfectly cast, and more than compliment this dark tale. American Gangster offers up some of the best drama of the year, which will stay with you for a long time, and that's always the sign of a strong dramatic tale. Scott's gangster epic is a thoroughly rewarding experience, and one of the best movies I've seen from the genre recently.

More to follow.