To be ambitious with your film in the small budget world of indie filmmaking is one thing, to actually succeed like Spare Parts has is something else entirely. Speaking to the talent of the cast and crew when this film has cool story, solid acting and some damn good fights. Great kills. Surprisingly good effects work. Jullian Richings being evil. What more could you want in a film?
Reviews
7 Reviews
Sunshine
(2007)
A unique film.
23 September 2010
Warning: Spoilers
Danny Boyle has created a film inspired by the titans of the sci-fi genre, 2001, Alien, Solaris etc... Right from the start, with the quiet opening voice over of Cillian Murphy's strong voice, Boyle starts building the power of the sun with his use of the colour pallets used on the interior and exterior of the Icarus II - robbing us of any vibrant colour inside the ship with a lot of blues and greens while we're inside the ship. And the sound of the sun - something lost on a lot of today's modern sci-fi epics - with the furry and the force of the sun hitting the shield. A great answer to how can you show the power of something you can't see? The energy being emitted from the sun. Which only speaks to the creativity and fearlessness of Boyle. From not giving us the traditional globe helmets on the fantastically realistic EVA suits to see which actor is in the suit to having a soundtrack composed by John Murphy and the electronic band, Underworld - which has created one of the most beautiful and unique scores I've ever heard.
Boyle has cast a crew as unique as the rest of his film starting with, Hiroyuki Sanada as Keneda. Everyone of these actors are fantastic with these powerful performances centered more with looks and body language then dialogue. 8 cast members and not a single one gives up anything to another member but the true stand out to this cast is Chris Evans. Who takes this performance and proves beyond a shadow of any doubt that he can stand on screen with actor's actor like Hiroyuki Sanada, Cillian Murphy, Cliff Curtis, Rose Byrne and Mark Strong.
The sequence with the crew watching Mercury orbiting the sun is one of the most brilliant scenes in cinematic history in my opinion. The beautiful CGI shots of Mercury against the sun (that looks better then 200 million dollar pictures at a fraction of the cost it would take to pay for lunch on those productions) with the beautiful score from John Murphy and Underworld. Boyle's choice to let the imagery speak for itself as we look upon the crew.
And finally, Boyle chooses to end the film as quietly as he began the film with an understated brightening of the sun on a frozen Australia - almost as if the sun was rising for a new day. Very well done - letting the story play out.
Sunshine is a truly unique film that can stand with titans of the genre of science fiction films.
Boyle has cast a crew as unique as the rest of his film starting with, Hiroyuki Sanada as Keneda. Everyone of these actors are fantastic with these powerful performances centered more with looks and body language then dialogue. 8 cast members and not a single one gives up anything to another member but the true stand out to this cast is Chris Evans. Who takes this performance and proves beyond a shadow of any doubt that he can stand on screen with actor's actor like Hiroyuki Sanada, Cillian Murphy, Cliff Curtis, Rose Byrne and Mark Strong.
The sequence with the crew watching Mercury orbiting the sun is one of the most brilliant scenes in cinematic history in my opinion. The beautiful CGI shots of Mercury against the sun (that looks better then 200 million dollar pictures at a fraction of the cost it would take to pay for lunch on those productions) with the beautiful score from John Murphy and Underworld. Boyle's choice to let the imagery speak for itself as we look upon the crew.
And finally, Boyle chooses to end the film as quietly as he began the film with an understated brightening of the sun on a frozen Australia - almost as if the sun was rising for a new day. Very well done - letting the story play out.
Sunshine is a truly unique film that can stand with titans of the genre of science fiction films.
Invictus
(2009)
One of Clint's best films
30 June 2010
Warning: Spoilers
It's what I love about Eastwood and what I hate about the majority of the modern movie going audience. Eastwood doesn't look for the most innovative way to shoot his film - which seems to be the biggest complaint about the film - he looks for the best way to shoot his story. Invictus never comes off as pretentious under Eastwood's direction. It doesn't try to shove anything in your face. Eastwood tells us a fantastic, inspiring, story and he simple asks us to go in with an open mind.
Morgan Freeman as South African president Nelson Mandela and Matt Damon as François Pienaar, the captain of South Africa's rugby team the Springboks, are magnetic on the screen. Freeman is terrific as Mandela playing the role with charm and charisma. Matt Damon has done the performance of his career. His role doesn't get enough time to develop as much as Mandela but what he does, he does amazingly well.
Invictus is a film with some incredible heart and emotion and it was one of the best films of 2009 by far.
Morgan Freeman as South African president Nelson Mandela and Matt Damon as François Pienaar, the captain of South Africa's rugby team the Springboks, are magnetic on the screen. Freeman is terrific as Mandela playing the role with charm and charisma. Matt Damon has done the performance of his career. His role doesn't get enough time to develop as much as Mandela but what he does, he does amazingly well.
Invictus is a film with some incredible heart and emotion and it was one of the best films of 2009 by far.
A solid character driven action film.
25 June 2010
Warning: Spoilers
Right from the opening with the brutal murder of billionaire, Neiro Winch, to the end of the film with Largo finally accepting who he is, Jerome Salle, has created a strong, character driven, action film in adapting Jean Van Hamme and Philippe Francq's fantastic graphic novel. From the introduction of Largo - saving a girl from very large soldiers - Salle keeps the story and character beats strong throughout his action sequences. And the way he frames his shots truly shows off the beauty of the world wide setting of a Largo Winch story.
The story is very well done, both in writing and as shown on the screen, concentrating on Largo's life as he searches for his place in life as oppose to action sequence after action sequence.
Tomer Sisley is spectacular as Largo Winch. Playing the role with passion, wit and cockiness. He owns the screen when he's on it and doesn't give an inch to any of the extremely strong actors he's playing against. Kristen Scott Thomas is deliciously slimy as Group W's number two. She needs to play villains more often. My personal favourite scenes are every one with Tomer Sisley and Karel Roden together. Two fantastic actors that both went for it and didn't give an inch to the other.
This is a fantastic action film that has more heart and story then most north American films. Highly recommended for anyone who enjoys well written action/espionage film.
The story is very well done, both in writing and as shown on the screen, concentrating on Largo's life as he searches for his place in life as oppose to action sequence after action sequence.
Tomer Sisley is spectacular as Largo Winch. Playing the role with passion, wit and cockiness. He owns the screen when he's on it and doesn't give an inch to any of the extremely strong actors he's playing against. Kristen Scott Thomas is deliciously slimy as Group W's number two. She needs to play villains more often. My personal favourite scenes are every one with Tomer Sisley and Karel Roden together. Two fantastic actors that both went for it and didn't give an inch to the other.
This is a fantastic action film that has more heart and story then most north American films. Highly recommended for anyone who enjoys well written action/espionage film.
Valkyrie
(2008)
A well told conspiracy thriller set during the second world war
20 June 2010
Warning: Spoilers
It bothers me just how often Tom Cruise is screwed out of the recognition he should get for being such a truly talented actor. Even more so when he's in a film that's as well directed, well written and well performed as this film is.
This film is Cruise's best, and most understated, performance since Collateral and The Last Samurai. And to say that against the performances of this film's cast shows the kind of actor Cruise is. Straight from the beginning of the film with his being conflicted over joining the operation - the scene in the cellar with his family is particularly noteworthy for that and Bryan Singer's excellent skills as a director - to his recruiting. "I'm involved in high treason with all means available to me. Can I count you in?" Perhaps Cruise's best scene and a small example of just how good the writing of this film is. Chris McQuarrie's and Nathan Alexander's work is brilliant. "Any problem on this earth can be solved with the careful application of high explosives." Singer's directing of this film is as brilliant as McQuarrie and Alexander's writing. His handling of the different motivation of these men was very well done and made the story in my opinion. His casting - the actor playing Hitler was particularly well done. Other directors could learn from Singer's attention to detail - to the point where Cruise was standing in the exact spot the actual Stauffenberg was executed.
Valkyrie is the best film of 2008 by far and the fact that it wasn't nominated, or won, the Oscar's that it deserves shows just how sorry a state the academy is in.
This film is Cruise's best, and most understated, performance since Collateral and The Last Samurai. And to say that against the performances of this film's cast shows the kind of actor Cruise is. Straight from the beginning of the film with his being conflicted over joining the operation - the scene in the cellar with his family is particularly noteworthy for that and Bryan Singer's excellent skills as a director - to his recruiting. "I'm involved in high treason with all means available to me. Can I count you in?" Perhaps Cruise's best scene and a small example of just how good the writing of this film is. Chris McQuarrie's and Nathan Alexander's work is brilliant. "Any problem on this earth can be solved with the careful application of high explosives." Singer's directing of this film is as brilliant as McQuarrie and Alexander's writing. His handling of the different motivation of these men was very well done and made the story in my opinion. His casting - the actor playing Hitler was particularly well done. Other directors could learn from Singer's attention to detail - to the point where Cruise was standing in the exact spot the actual Stauffenberg was executed.
Valkyrie is the best film of 2008 by far and the fact that it wasn't nominated, or won, the Oscar's that it deserves shows just how sorry a state the academy is in.
Spy Game
(2001)
A superbly well crafted and contemporary spy thriller
18 June 2010
Warning: Spoilers
Tony Scott brings his love of the old school genre of espionage films as Casablanca to the modern and contemporary from everything to his locations in Morocco, to the actors he cast, to the way he framed the shots.
Robert Redford proves, true to life, that he is still the best as old school CIA spook Nathan Muir - bringing the superbly well crafted script, character, and dialogue by Michael Frost Beckner to life. Brad Pitt delivers, what in my mind, is one of the best performances of his career. Showing just how good an actor he goes from the cocky, self assured and extremely skilled sniper Tom Bishop to the Tom Bishop, made hard by his experiences and conflicted with his feelings. Catherine McCormack brings the heart to the film as the exact opposite of Bishop and Muir, driven by her feelings.
The story is well crafted, with excellent and smart dialogue. Inspired by true to life intelligence operations, Spy Game, is a film that will be as one of the titans of the spy thriller genre ten years from now along with Confessions of a Dangerous Mind and Traitor.
Robert Redford proves, true to life, that he is still the best as old school CIA spook Nathan Muir - bringing the superbly well crafted script, character, and dialogue by Michael Frost Beckner to life. Brad Pitt delivers, what in my mind, is one of the best performances of his career. Showing just how good an actor he goes from the cocky, self assured and extremely skilled sniper Tom Bishop to the Tom Bishop, made hard by his experiences and conflicted with his feelings. Catherine McCormack brings the heart to the film as the exact opposite of Bishop and Muir, driven by her feelings.
The story is well crafted, with excellent and smart dialogue. Inspired by true to life intelligence operations, Spy Game, is a film that will be as one of the titans of the spy thriller genre ten years from now along with Confessions of a Dangerous Mind and Traitor.
A Good Year
(2006)
A fantastic story about life
18 June 2010
Warning: Spoilers
What I love most about the film is how Ridley Scott handled Russell Crowe's character's, Max, reuniting with his grandfather, Henry. By playing off the back ground of the south of France, Max smelling Henry's last cigar sitting on the weather beaten bistro table, he says so much more then dialogue could ever do.
Russell Crowe and Freddy Highmore are the shinning stars in this film. Crowe's performance from career driven, yet lonely Max to slowly, and then finally, embracing life. And Highmore's cocky young Max. You can see Russell Crowe's Max in Freddy and Freddy in Crowe's Max. These two performances are the shining stars in a galaxy full of them. Marion Cotillard, Albert Finny, Abbie Cornish, Archie Panjabi, Tom Hollander and a surprising Didier Bourdon, under the always masterful direction of Ridley Scott, bring the well crafted screenplay of Marc Kline to life.
This is a great film for a warm July night. Highly recommended.
Russell Crowe and Freddy Highmore are the shinning stars in this film. Crowe's performance from career driven, yet lonely Max to slowly, and then finally, embracing life. And Highmore's cocky young Max. You can see Russell Crowe's Max in Freddy and Freddy in Crowe's Max. These two performances are the shining stars in a galaxy full of them. Marion Cotillard, Albert Finny, Abbie Cornish, Archie Panjabi, Tom Hollander and a surprising Didier Bourdon, under the always masterful direction of Ridley Scott, bring the well crafted screenplay of Marc Kline to life.
This is a great film for a warm July night. Highly recommended.
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