AND EVEN MORE MOVIES!

Annie Hall

Honestly? Pretty pretty average. I don't think the comedic aspects of it have stood up to the test of time. Is something that was original 30 years ago still original today? No. And originality was 90% of the charm of this film to begin with i think. The jokes are lame by my standards, and there was no scene that made me laugh, which confused me as this film was on the AFI top ten comedies list. Hugely disappointing comedy, decent drama, but no better than decent.

Oldboy

Phenomenal film. Equals Kill Bill, and possibly surpasses it as my favourite revenge film. A South Korean film from 2003 which only just missed out on the Palm D'or (which was won by Fahrenheit 9/11!!??!!) about a man who at the beginning of the film is inexplicably kidnapped and held as a prisoner in something resembling a hotel room for 15 years, without explanation to him or to the viewer. During the 15 years he was fed and had a tv and bathroom, but had no contact with the outside world or any other persons, and both as a way to help him survive and as a means to fight his captors/enemies he trains himself to fight by shadowboxing. He is set free after 15 years without reason or explanation and proceeds to found out who it was who imprisoned him and why. The fight scenes are as good as Kill Bill, but surprisingly more western (more like Die Hard fighting!!!) and the way the story unravels is great, flashing forwards, backwards and twisting in all directions. Brilliantly filmed and acted.

Serpico

Directed by Sidney Lumet, this film has a similar look to Dog Day Afternoon, a film he directed two years later, which also had Al Pacino in the lead role, and which was also based on a true story. Good film, not as good as Dog Day Afternoon, but interesting in that it tells the story of Frank Serpico, the brave New York cop who risked his career and life to turn in his corrupt co-workers, through the medium of film.

24 Hour Party People

Good film, which may have served me better if i had had a better knowledge of 80's and early 90's Manchester/MADchester music, and the scene. Steve Coogan plays the recently departed Tony Wilson, and basically tells his story, although through it, Coogan tells us other peoples story, like Joy Division, and New Order and the Happy Mondays, by speaking directly to the camera on a regular basis. This is an interesting style, and kind of makes me wonder why Tony Wilson didn't just play himself. But Steve Coogan is brilliant in this film, and during Tony Wilsons journalistic endeavours a little Alan Partridge seeps out, which can't be a bad thing in a film. Little bit of a deflated ending though, although seeing as it is a true story it can't be the filmmakers fault, can it?

Babel

Disappointing in comparison to Alejandro Inarritu's other films, this is still a pretty good film, with an interesting concept, in that one bullet affects so many people around the world. I liked the performances, and the story was ok, but the thing that annoyed me (spoiler! WRITTEN IN WHITE, HIGHLIGHT IT TO READ IT) of all that happened, the Americans were eventually the people who got off without any real difficulty in the end, the Mexican woman was fired, deported and had her life ruined, the Japanese characters who had just got over the grief of losing their wife and mother were made to go through it all again, and the Morrocan families that were shown were torn apart, killed, arrested or beaten. The American tourists were very annoying, as were the American children, and they all apparently got off scott-free! That annoyed me. I'm not an American-hater or anything but it annoyed me that a Mexican director would basically cater for an American audience and bow to Hollywood.That is all. It's a decent film though.

Brick

This is a pretty awesome film. Starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt (3rd rock from the moon) as the main character, this film noir sleuth story is a hark back to the old days, with a young and contemporary cast. Set in an American highschool, and examing the different cliques and the crime underworld which is present, this is one man/boys attempt to solve the murder of his ex-girlfriend. The deeper he goes, the darker the surroundings, and the more dangerous things get. Great story, fantastically made, and brilliantly acted. I really enjoyed this film, and the way the characters spoke, and the way they interacted were oddly compelling, in that they seemed a little out of place in what in a way is a teen film. Gordon-Levitt is especially good in this film.