Review Roundup - Cherry Bomb

GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY (2014)

It's easy to become cynical when every blockbuster out there is constantly promising to be a good time. Eventually it becomes clear that it's all part of an endless hype machine advertising yet another hollow product. For all the easy targets to be hit in the name of popcorn adventure stories too often there's a John Carter, a Green Lantern or a Star Trek Into Darkness. CGI fuelled tedium and poor writing often take the place of real fun and spoil things for everyone. The simple pieces that make up entertaining ride are apparently too easy to fumble or break entirely. Luckily the top brass at Marvel Studios more often than not have their heads screwed on... so far at least. There have been some rough patches but with The Winter Soldier nailing the slick action vibe earlier in the year, James Gunn's oddball space fantasy has got the lighter and more colourful angles covered.

Review Roundup - Continue? Yes/No

EDGE OF TOMORROW (2014) 

In a return to science fiction, Tom Cruise stars in this adaptation of Japanese novella All You Need is Kill, keeping it's story of an alien invasion in which soldiers become trapped in a time loop. While that title and the cast has unfortunately been Westernised (Edge of Tomorrow is very Star Trek) this is at least an improvement on his previous vehicle Oblivion. Taking cues from the likes of Groundhog Day and more recently Source Code, this is never as good as either of those films but at least offers an action filled adventure that manages to maintain a sense of humour and has a well paced story. While it has a lot of fun and some fine spectacle, several aspects lead to it being essentially flimsy and it lacks the depth that could have been afforded by having such a brain wracking central concept. It also doesn't help that some elements lead to clichés and strange plot holes that could have been avoided considering the amount of rewrites the script went through. Still, while it's never excellent it mostly works.

Officer Cage (Cruise, originally written as Keiji) a PR man thrown onto the front line for attempted blackmail, finds himself reliving the military's last ditch attack after being killed in the assault. He has no experience of warfare, he's just a talker. By teaming up with Rita Vrataski (Emily Blunt, keeping the original name) a veteran who has been through this but lost that power, they plan a way to win what is at first a futile battle by learning more and more, one day at a time. With death required to send him back in time, the makers seem to understand there is comedy to be mined instead of just having an all out dark and gritty look at the futility of war. This brings a problem to the table however, in that darker ideas and character development are left aside in place of popcorn entertainment. Which isn't a negative thing entirely, but they could have expanded on certain elements while keeping a fun balance. A single scene shows the toll this is taking; having tried endlessly to get through the lines with Vrataski, Cage starts to think this will never work out - at least for the both of them. He's seen the way it all plays out so many times that it drains any motivation. But it's brief and later gives in to unnecessary saccharine with a predictable ending. Despite the deliberate use of European beaches to convey a sense of seriousness this is at the core just a throwaway action film. Real characterisation is never reached even if the cast is likeable throughout.

The real issues arise from any closer examination of the story as it unfolds. Cage is shown as a TV personality selling the war effort, but nobody he meets knows him or believes his story about being forced into the battle; instead they are all told he's a deserter and never question this. Maybe troops in Britain don't get the US news? They go further later on by taping his mouth shut when he tells them about the future; it's played for laughs but seems a little strange when he knows such fine details. Rita is being shown to the public as a hero but she still has to go in with the other grunts, and they never explore this propaganda angle or offer any satire. The enemy is named as "the Mimics" but they never mimic anything except a mass of writhing tentacles. By the time the finale comes along this silliness starts to pile up, but this kind of shallow writing is just weak rather than something which derails the whole story. The military use of powered armour (the kind they had to cut from Starship Troopers) offers some fun visuals, even if like the aliens they are not particularly well designed. They should have looked to the original illustrations for sleeker costumes. But overall this is still a good time, and for once in this genre the pace and fun factor keep things moving along to avoid it becoming a complete shambles.

3/5

BONUS REVIEW
UNDER THE SKIN (2013)

Scarlett Johansson drives a van around Scotland to lure men into an alien soup. Yep, that's it. As a premise this allows for a number of weird and sinister moments - as well as some neat visuals - but the film has a number of other elements fighting for attention and doesn't ever consolidate them into a fully formed narrative. The horror aspect is the strongest and offers some very creepy material, but the use of hidden camera footage comes across as jarring when it's clear that the non actors have been asked to take part in the other parts of the film. By suggesting this early on it's a distraction to have time to think who is real and who is acting. A third act in which our nameless woman starts to do more than hunt for human prey is a nice turn of events, and there are various scenes that suggest her view of our society as she she explores it - but this is never fleshed out. They do manage to convey a sense of character from someone that has little dialogue but like everything it could have gone a little further to give it all more weight. Still if you're looking for a slow, atmospheric and unsettling piece of sci-fi come drama it might be worth a look.

3/5

Review Roundup - Monster Miss

GODZILLA (2014)

After the fun but immensely shallow Pacific Rim, and having seen Gareth Edwards previous film Monsters the stage was set; he could build a perfect bridge between the two. His first feature's strength was it's subtle use of giant creatures as a back drop for some good human drama. While it was nothing mind blowing there was a lot of potential to be seen in the world building, the clever use of low cost effects and the misdirection of the title. The problem is that while it's true that these elements are present in his move into big budget film making, there are a number of other problems that overshadow this. In what should have been an absolute victory for the Big G having last been wasted by Hollywood in the 1990s, things don't work out. Instead of balancing the two elements, neither the spectacle or the drama is handled in a way that works.

Straight off the bat the parts done really well stand out. Brian Cranston dealing with a nuclear accident in the opening scene sets the scene for the major strengths - engaging characters with motivations that work, and tension building through growing disaster events. It would be easy to plan out a story that brings his emotionally wrecked engineer into a collision with Ken Watanabe's biologist as both are invested from differing viewpoints. But the focus shifts early on to bring a lot of one dimensional military characters instead, for reasons that are unclear. Rather than delivering on what could be dramatic scenes between these two, Cranston's son played by Aaron Taylor-Johnson comes in after the plot moves forward in time several years. His family melodrama has no weight, the character has zero personality, and to makes things worse the way the monster parts of the story unfold are written in for complete convenience from his job as a bomb disposal expert to the path of destruction managing to arrive just where he is at the time. This weakness could have been saved by pure monster power but the problems don't end here.

Introducing the idea that these are ancient animals reliving their old life cycles is a great idea, and the way things play out to reflect current world concerns in a great use of the themes from the original 1954 movie. But not once but twice, the big battle scenes are cut short. Instead of a first and second act finale to hit those beats and keep things going, cameras cut away awkwardly to show other events instead. It's cringeworthy when they decide to end a sequence early and show it on someones TV in the background of another scene, or literally close the door on an attack when survivors get into a shelter. Maybe they had financial problems? This might have been acceptable if the sequences at the very end where amazing but the problems persist and they have way too many obscured shots from the perspective of ground troops or moments shown in dark and dusty nighttime environments. The great designs are shown off several times but don't get utilised nearly enough. All the excitement is sucked out, and it's very confusing to see the build ups done right and the outcome then totally fumbled. It's hard to say what went wrong when they clearly have the tone down and know how to build up tension in several great scenes. They even manage to give the creatures some humanity in what are the best moments, playing against expectations. But it's a big shame that these are fleeting.

2/5

BONUS REVIEW
X-MEN DAYS OF FUTURE PAST

X-Men as a screen franchise has had a troubled history, so while this latest entry is thankfully a great time I am always amazed it came back from the depths of a wasted Last Stand and the shambolic Origins: Wolverine. Hitting a number of the same notes as First Class, this remains a light but fun story using the younger cast members and real world history and a stepping off point for some absurd but entertaining set pieces. In what could happily be a final note for the series, a Terminator style future filled with death and grey wastelands collides with a colourful alternate 1970s where scary robots are created by evil mustache wearing scientists. As a result there are far too many mutants, many being on screen only to display their own visually impressive powers. At this point it's clear which ones are being introduced for special effects scenes rather than characterisation. But it balances the bleak and the fun pretty well in the end, despite a lack of real focus - while First Class worked best when it was trying to be a Magneto film this could have done better being more about Mystique or Professor X. Still, it's great to hear the X2 theme again and their is a lot to like even if at times it feels episodic.

3/5

Review Roundup - Hammer Time

THE RAID 2 (2014)

In an effort to follow up the original film and use an earlier script that was previously considered too expensive, The Raid 2 (sometimes subtitled with it's original name Berandal or 'Thug') is a strange and wonderful thing to see come together. Originally the story of a prisoner befriending a crime boss's son and joining a mob war, this is now an undercover cop film and the nameless thug has been replaced with the hero Rama from the first outing. If this all sounds a bit unwieldy and convoluted, that's only because it is. But whether this all collapses under it's own weight or if they manage to throw in enough eye watering set pieces and imaginative moments for it to work is something for serious consideration. The result is both an improvement and a step down from it's predecessor, but in the end manages to be it's own thing.

Scorecard

OCTOBER

• The Terminator ☆☆☆☆☆
• The Raid 2 ☆☆☆☆
• Encounters of the Spooky Kind ☆☆☆☆
• Jackie Brown ☆☆☆☆
• Let The Right One In ☆☆☆☆
• Nosferatu: The Vampyre ☆☆☆☆
• Rasputin The Mad Monk ☆☆☆☆
• Seven ☆☆☆☆
• The 7 Golden Vampires ☆☆☆
• The Abominable Snowman ☆☆☆ 
• Captain Kronos ☆☆☆
• Dracula (1958) ☆☆☆
•  Fright Night ☆☆☆
• Scars of Dracula ☆☆☆
• Nosferatu ☆☆☆
• Only Lovers Left Alive ☆☆☆
• The Host (Goemul) ☆☆☆
• The Thing From Another World ☆☆☆
• The Vampire Lovers ☆☆
• Straight on Till Morning ☆☆
• Tales from the Crypt ☆☆
• Dracula ☆☆
• Salem's Lot ☆☆

Horror Bites - Halloween Bloodsuckerfest

PART THREE: LEFTOVERS

Time to go even further forward in time. And where better to start than with Fright Night which makes a nice return to the 1980s after a few older school viewings. Despite some weird vampire seduction moments (just how old are these school kids?) and a story about creepy neighbours that has been done many times already, it's all very entertaining. There's a certain kind of charm to it all and Chris Sarandon as the vampire next door is both effortlessly charming and sinister.

There's nothing exceptional here if you consider the sum of its parts but it's fun and imaginative. Maybe it's just because I like the sort of period over acting from an '80s feature. Some of the scenery chewing great particularly from Roddy McDowell who plays a has-been movie star thrust into a real horror scenario. There are a few splatter moments and lot of fun practical effects included, including wolf transformations and dissolving bodies. The electronic score from Brad Fiedel (The Terminator) isn't that memorable but it helps give this all a classic vibe. (4/5)

Since this is the third and final segment here I will have to include a bit of everything. Let's start with the original version of Salem's Lot. Like the evil clown film It this is a two part TV movie based on the works Stephen King. but unfortunately this isn't really as good as a whole. There are some interesting elements here but while the vampires are pretty damn creepy the whole thing is a bloated mess with too many plot holes. I have to assume that the unexplained moments are book elements that have been cut down for time.

The vampire genre always has a lot of rules to explain, but when they choose some but don't keep to them it makes things hard to follow. It's also a problem that it's full of rambling Stephen King tangents that don't serve enough of a purpose. I'd like to see this re-edited but even then there's too much material that doesn't work. Does it really need a lengthy section about a guy catching his unfaithful wife if neither of them is a main character? While James Mason adds a touch of class and the main vampire is great most of it is just a head scratcher. (2/5)

Keeping with the theme of mixing things up I have to add a foreign language release, and one that is by far the most successful entry to this viewing session; Let The Right One In. It's deeply unnerving but also deeply character driven. The story is dark and weird but has a strong bond of friendship at the centre... even if it's one that will being ruining the lives of every day people. This is a great idea which it doesn't shy away from exploring. The vampire is more than just a monster and its victims are more than just faceless goons to increase the body count, so everyone wins.

It also asks questions about the nature of innocence as troubled boy Oskar meets the vampire Eli. He may have a sadistic streak waiting to surface and Eli may have a lost childhood under the cold immortal exterior. Looking at the amount of bloodsuckers on this list the kind of depth here is nearly unheard of. Even if some of the even darker elements of the original story are glossed over this is an adaptation that really works. It's eerie, haunting and very engaging. Which in this subgenre is a rare achievement. (4/5)

The same can't quite be said for Interview With The Vampire. I get the feeling a whole lot of this has been either chopped down or removed to fit the running time, or at least it's told in a way that gives it that vibe. While what's left is interesting enough, Brad Pitt feels miscast in a role that isn't energetic enough for him. Antonio Banderas arrives later but it doesn't help as he spouts a bunch of pseudo philosophy just leads nowhere. Perhaps the two lead actors should have been swapped?

On the other hand Lestat (Tom Cruise) is totally unlikeable but at least he's got a personality you can hate. It's a shame then that it feels like he could have been given more to do. It's bloody when required with few great Stan Winston effects, and it really picks up when scenes of action and revenge come into play. But as a horror story it lacks any real chills. It has a lot of period drama style, so if intricate costumes and sets are your thing it won't disappoint. In the end the problem of the story feeling cut short means that it lacks depth and closure Which is problem when someone's whole life story is being told. (3/5)

I'll bring this all to a close this with a newer entry in the genre, Only Lovers Left Alive. It does what the title suggests at least, but whether the melancholy romance elements and that sombre idea of living forever works against more quirky elements is debatable. I really like Tilda Swinton's performance as a wise and immortal figure. But other parts aren't quite as fleshed out as they should be, including John Hurt has a vampiric Christopher Marlowe or the concept of modern human blood being toxic because of Twenty-First Century living.

It works a lot better when these undead creatures are simply drawn as artists, writers or musicians. Adam (the suicidal musician) and Eve (the considerate naturalist) make a good pair while others like her sister Eva (the immature monster) arrive to upset their balance. Perhaps the latter is a bit much when most of the story is more thoughtful and low key as a character study. Then again perhaps that's the whole point. It's all nicely filmed and has enough thought provoking stuff along the way so it's a good note to go out on. (3/5)

(Part one) (Part two)

Horror Bites - Halloween Bloodsuckerfest

PART TWO: SHLOCK-TOBER

While the first segment of this little marathon focused on just a few of the incarnations of Dracula that have come about over the decades, sequels and spin-offs were always slightly different in tone. Which may be putting it lightly when it comes to Hammer releases in their later years. To be brutally honest, most of their sequels starring Christopher Lee... are varying degrees of bad. Brides of Dracula is best, and doesn't include him, while Prince of Darkness is a mixed bag. Scars of Dracula is the only one I can enjoy for what it is. Which is an oddity amongst the sequels and seems be a stand-alone plot (even if they start it with yet another absurd resurrection). Where do they keep finding the Count's ashes if they blew away with the morning light in 1958?

Lee actually gets some dialogue this time even if it's just in a few early scenes. But it's always good to see him being given more to do. It's been reported that many of the films have no speaking part for D but it's been disputed why. He claims that he refused to read while the film makers say they didn't write anything in the first place. The fake bats are still really awful and there are some comedy moments which are very out of place, but it's still entertaining for the most part in a silly kind of way. Their attempts at adding more violence and sex this time are still really tame which is kind of endearing, which I guess adds to the fun. (3/5)

On the subject of adult material it's strange that that The Vampire Lovers is case of reputation over actual content. Hammer's take on the Carmilla story is strangely uneventful on the whole. It's cult status and the advertising material for it are pretty misleading. In the modern day you can see it all for what it is - a product of it's time from a mainstream studio. A few decapitations are all this includes in the way of real horror and most of the vampire moments are done in vague dream scenes which lack any kind of atmosphere.

All the supposed erotic content is very low key unless the idea of a few shots of naked skin are to be considered adult content. How racy! As for the story itself Ingrid Pitt is fine but the character isn't developed and whether Miss Carnstein is truly evil or just lonely isn't explored with any depth. The weird plot threads that are left hanging (she has a few helpers early on who are never explained) also don't help. Worst of the General played by Peter Cushing is barely in it, what a crime. (3/5)

Luckily he appears as Van Helsing in one of the strangest entries here, Legend of the 7 Golden Vampires. The good doctor is in China... for some reason. Something about discovering if local folk tales are true, unfortunately the local academics will have nothing to do with it. Also in town is Dracula... (played by Not Christopher Lee) also for some reason. He's set up shop in the Far East disguised as a priest, while a group of golden masked vampires terrorise the locals for him. Or so it appears.

The problem is that they actually were doing this before he showed up, so their arrangement is less than crystal clear. In fact in a way he's totally superfluous, appearing in the opening and then being dispatched in mere seconds right at the very end. I guess at this stage Van Helsing is just a seasoned pro at all this staking business. But story isn't the focus here - it's all about the undead action. This is a collaboration with the Shaw Brothers studio, and the team up brings plenty of fight scenes to the film. It's all complete nonsense but I guess that this strange set of circumstances could only ever result in a strange movie. (3/5)

The nonsense continues with Captain Kronos Vampire Hunter. He's British military captain who uses a Japanese sword and has a rather German accent, so your guess is as good as mine. He travels the land often taking off his shirt while just occasionally fighting evil. It's a film that has a kind of a kitchen sink approach, as you can see with his sidekick - both a professor and hunchback. After a while it's easier not to question this kind of thing and just go with all the nonsense.

They throw in some unique (and perhaps fabricated) vampire lore, including a life draining species rather than the ones that drink blood. There's also a strange scene where they use frogs buried in the woods to discover if someone is the walking dead. I guess you'd have to call this an adventure story rather than any kind of horror, but it kind of works. Where else are you going to get a finale where the hero smiths a sword and duels with the vampire? Hammer had plans to make this a series but it never panned out, and while I enjoy this you can kind of see why. (3/5)

(Part one) (Part three)

Horror Bites - Halloween Bloodsuckerfest

PART ONE - DRAC ON DRAC ACTION

Vampires, creatures of the night, the walking undead. What a load of complete and utter nonsense eh? Well yes and no. Less a horror villain and more a familiar face in popular culture, you can't move for the amount of blood drinking ghouls out there. They appear on breakfast cereal and children's television shows after all. Are they ever scary? It's hard to be sure when they have so many weaknesses. Are they appealing? I have to say yes. Despite the varying quality of the media involving Dracula and his followers there's something interesting about all of this. With or without the Gothic trappings of his original time period.