After what seems like a millennium in development, the long awaited return of the Superman movie franchise occurred in 2006 when Bryan Singer helmed Superman Returns, the semi-sequel to Superman II.
And a sequel is pretty much what you get. The look, basic personalities of the characters, graphics, music and even many shots are lifted right out of Richard Donner's original 1978 movie. And why not, when it's still one of the most powerful and enjoyable interpretations of a comic book superhero on the big screen.
Much time has been spent on the excellent script, distilling the separate elements of Superman's back story/powers, the events of Superman 1 & 2, introducing new characters and new situations...while juggling a romantic love triangle and a plot rule the world. Just as he did with the X-men sequel, all the parts are woven and refined into a lean, seemingly simplistic tale.
The cast are mostly superb, especially Brandon Routh as The Man Of Steel, who spine-tingly manages to channel the spirit of the late Christopher Reeve into many a scene. Overall, Routh's performance (much like Singer's direction as a whole) is much more restrained from that of Reeve's interpretation of the character...but cut from the same cloth. Kevin Spacey provides a low key, but deliciously menacing turn as Lex Luthor while his sidekick, Parker Posey, is an unpredictable delight. Only Kate Bosworth, as intrepid reporter Lois Lane, seems miscast. Sure, she's suitably single-minded and undeniably gorgeous, but she lacks Lois's wise-cracking cynical edge. Here, she's just distracted and a little cold.
Typically, Singers direction is sure, steady and deliberate..perhaps more so here than in his previous efforts. The result is something of a 'still' movie, that doesn't quite have the urgency of most summer blockbusters. However, apart from the final reel which could have been tightened up, this slower pace only helps to highlight the subtleties in the movie; a Spacey one liner here, a smirk from Routh there, an under-stated effects shot everywhere.
The Space Shuttle sequence remains one of the best action set-pieces of the year. However, while always exciting, as Superman saves the worlds inhabitants from one disaster or another, it ends up being a movie about a strong bloke lifting things; a globe, a sign, an aeroplane, a small continent.
Still, this is beautifully crafted, romantic, character focused, mythic, epic stuff. It's just a damn shame Warners didn't allow Singer to progress with a sequel. Superman Returns made as much money as Batman Begins did...and look what happened to that sequel.
David Tennant finally finished his run as the tenth incarnation of the BBC's long running science fiction drama Doctor Who. While never my favorite Doctor (unlike the readers of Doctor Who Magazine who voted him the best actor ever to portray the Time Lord) it was good to see Tennant go out on top in "The End Of Time - Part 2".
It was exactly what you'd expect from a Russell T Davis finale; scenes of wonder, quite, intimate moments of drama, lots of shouting, lots of running, a smattering of over-the-top, inappropriately timed humor and a barking plot that only makes sense to a giddy 10 year old. Fortunately I can tap into my inner geek-child so this was great fun (just please don't let my inner intellect know if you see it...)
Of course what was really important was how they handled the regeneration sequence. And all I can say is...Russell, me lad. Beautifully done. As the 10th Doctor accepts his fate, he delivers one last helping hand to each of his companions of his lifespan. In reality, this is really Russell T Davis saying goodbye in a Big Brother-style compilation of The Doctor's best moments, as most of this continuity will now be left behind in favor of incoming head-writer Stephen Moffat's new players. But it works wonders. Touching and nostalgic. A perfect goodbye.
Matt Smith has a short introduction as the regenerated 11th Doctor, but he makes an impact. I love the way he observes he's "still not ginger" when looking at his hair....surprised at his spitting (both him and Dalton...it's not a contest, is it guys?)...and fascinated to see if "Geronimo" will become his catchphrase.
I'm looking forward to springtime already when the new series promise the return of Daleks, Weeping Angels, Alex Kingston along with some Vampires and the impossibly cute Karen Gillan as the new companion. Geronimo!
It has to be said, the recent BBC remake of John Wyndams novel The Day Of The Triffids was much better than I anticipated. I'm not familiar with the source material, and I can barely remember the BBC's own 1980's adaptation (except to say it was a lot slower paced than this).
It's got a strong cast with Dougray Scott doing a solid job in the lead, along with able support coming from Joely Richardson, Vanessa Redgrave, Jason Preistly (one dimentional are barely seen) and Ewan Bremner. Comediuan Eddie Izzard's got a bit of stick for his bad guy role, but I was quite impressed with his convincing naturistic performance as the manipulative, power hungry Torrance.
Triffids 2009 has got a contemporary vibe. That means a fast pace (for those with ADD), a Zimmer-ish score and some hand held camera work to keep the energy levels up. The effects are good too, split between the 28 Days Later apocalyptic backdrops and the CG triffids themselves, which are wisely kept to a few necessary shots.
This adaptation has retained the social comentary on how humanity has exploited nature for it's resources (fuel) and how nature has struck back by having the very salvation of mankind be carniverous plants. Cool! As like the apocalyptic Romero zombie movies, the focus here isn't on the triffids (it's an ever present background threat) but more on the evils that mankind is willing to inflict on each other to prove a point, to gain power or to force a set of values upon a population.
Good stuff, and one suspects, bloody expensive. Well done BBC.
Another year. Another best of list. This list feature the 20 movies that I made the strongest connection to during 2009. It may include movies that were produced in previous years, but I've included them for 2009, as that's when I saw them first.
As ever, these films are rated by how they have affected me personally. I don't look at these movies with the dispassionate eye of a seasoned movie critic. Rather, I look at how these movies have satisfied the inner geek that is unique to me.
I look at the entertainment factor of each film...how much a movie thrilled me, made me laugh, moved me emotionally, stimulated me artistically or made me think. I look at the re-watchability factor...do I want to watch this movie again and again? Then there's the longevity factor. Will I like this movie in a year's time? Or in ten years time...or am I just taken in by the hype (The Roger Rabbit syndrome)?
So in reverse order, my pick of 2009 is:-
20/ Halloween II. Rob Zombie improves upon his 2007 remake and delivers an unrelentingly savage addition to the slasher genre. An under appreciated auteur. But an auteur, with a distinct vision, never the less.
19/ Trick r Treat Brilliant horror anthology with a great cast, clever script and some inventive, old-school Amblin-style direction.They do make 'em like this anymore.
18/ Martyrs. Torture porn with a brain...Martyrs proved that the reigning kings of cinematic horror on the planet are the French. A dazzling script that constantly changes direction and gorno taken to new levels. If you're not fazed by the excesses of modern horror, here's one to make you go, "That's some fucked up shit!"
17/ The Hurt Locker Director Kathryn Bigelow's stunning comeback with the best contemporary war movie since Blackhawk Down. It's a compelling, three pronged character study, framed with a series of THE most tense set-pieces of the year.
16/ Harry Brown Michael Caine just gets better with every year he's working and delivers a career best performance in this minimalist, contemporary urban western. Sleek of script, gritty in tone and glossy in execution...the best Brit movie of 2009.
15/ Up Pixar deliver another classic mixing action, humour and adventure in a story that appeals to all ages. The emotional depth the company brings to animation is amazing, as demonstrated by the mournful sadness experienced by the aging Carl, the films unlikely hero.
14/ Where The Wild Things Are Spike Jonze's arthouse children's adaptation sucks you into the mindset of a child from beginning to end. This years movie that, yet again, it isn't style over substance...the style IS the substance. Great to see a director using cinematic techniques to enhance what's in the script.
13/ Terminator Salvation Perhaps the most controversial movie choice in the top 20. This is a face-paced, post-apocalyptic actioner that doesn't embarrass itself in front of its two Cameron predecessors. Although flawed by not living up to its full promise, Salvation is one of the few summer blockbusters that demands to be rewatched.
12/ Crank 2: High Voltage The original looks like The French Connection in comparison. Take the unhinged minds of directors Nevildine & Taylor, detatch any sense of conventional logic...then let rip. The most quotable film of 2009 ("Bing Crosby!")that is worth the ticket price alone for the Chevzilla sequence. Like Evil Dead or Braindead before it, this is a celebration of unrestrained imagination.
11/ Black Dynamite Low budget, homage to 70's blackspoitation, Black Dynamite is constantly surprising from start to end. It's completely faithful to the Shaft look in all respects, very very funny and gets more insane as it progresses.
And now for the top ten. Unlike previous years, 2009 contains a selection that fully deserves to be up there.
10/ Paranormal Activity That rare beast; a horror film that's genuinely scary. Combining the 'Blair Witch' hand held factor with a traditional haunted house tale...and setting it in a modern house with an everyday, easy-to-relate-to couple. White knuckles and puckered sphincters are the consequence.
9/ Valkyrie Tom Cruise, Bryan Singer and an all-star cast team-up for this gripping World War 2 thriller. Low on action but uncomfortably high on nail biting set pieces, this is as tense as it is historically revealing. Cruise continues his run of quality movies that began with 1993's The Firm.
8/ Moon Old school 70's science fiction makes a welcome return in Duncan Jones's low budget drama. Although limited to one actor and a few sets, the story explores familiar sci-fi ground in a haunting new way.
7/ Zombieland Combining tips of how to survive a Zombie apocalypse with interwoven stories of humorous, mess-up cynics was a masterstroke. The gags stand up to repeated viewing, the song selection is amazing and the characters endearing and moving. Plus THAT Bill Murray cameo.
6/ Inglorious Basterds Quentin Tarantino's best movie since Pulp Fiction. Filmed with the skill of an old school Hollywood pro combined with the language of a cult film geek, this is QT at his best. The script is lean yet multi-layered, Melanie Laurent is a talent to watch, Brad is funny as hell while Christopher Waltz blows everybody else away.
5/ Drag Me To Hell Sam Raimi's return to form following his roaming the wastelands of drama and super-heroes. The master shows just how it should be done with loud, jumpy noises, swirling camerawork, a demented gypsy...and a leading lady he takes pride in putting through the emotional, and physical, wringer. Demented in a way most other directors can only dream of.
4/ District 9 Another stunning reinvention of the science fiction concept of first contact, Neil Blompkamp gives us the bizarre insect-like alien 'Prawns',lays heavily on the apartide references, and delivers the story in a semi-documentary style. Despite sci-fi trappings and social commentary, the movie never loses focus on the characters...even the bug eyed ones.
Faithful adaptation of Alan Moore's landmark graphic novel, Watchmen was rich and uncompromising. Like last years Dark Knight, Watchmen deconstructed the superhero genre by exploring a variety of masked heroes with differing morality. Dark, blackly comic with Zack Snyder impeccably framed visuals. A movie so dense it demands multiple viewings.
That rare movie that occurs once or twice a decade that blasts off your eyeballs with it's imagination capturing genius and groundbreaking quality visuals. After 12 years absent from narrative film-making, James Cameron can still pen and direct an action blockbuster along with the best of them...only then to combine it with the smarts of an Oscar worthy movie. Zoe Saldana shines through the astonishing CGI make-up while Cameron's big action set-piece bashes your brain until your balls throb. It doesn't hurt that it riffs on his own classic, Aliens, as well.
Simply the most emotionally involving, exciting and re-watchable movie of the year. The script is an astonishing accomplishment, juggling reinvention, multiple character arcs, along with established Trek lore. JJ Abrams is a director who's found his feet and is proving it to the world. The whole cast are exceptional, especially Pine and Saldana whose careers start big-time here....the whole cast portray a group of characters you want to spend more and more time with, even after the movie's ended. The photography is utterly fresh and the score is untouchably good.
So why's it better than Avatar? I've always believed that if you strip away all the special effects away from a blockbuster, if whatever remains is still compelling, then you've got yourself a great movie. And it's the character interactions that pull you in, and keep you hypnotised. Two of the most powerful moments in the movie revolve around George Kirk and Amanda Grayson dying. Despite only being onscreen a few minutes each, the impact is a swift kick to the danglies. A movie that gets better with every viewing, it was supposed to be an improvement on what had gone before, but this incarnation of Star Trek is ridiculously entertaining.
Films that didn't quite make it were:- State of Play, District B-13:Ultimatum, Knowing, Duplicity and Harry Potter & The Half Blood Prince.
Special mention has to go to "GI:Joe" and "2012" for not sucking as much as they appeared in their pre-release advertising campaigns. Not often, but sometimes, dumb IS fun.
Due to popular demand, here are the my worst movies of 2009. They represent those films that are either poor and amateurish in execution, have stories that are impenetrable, that have creative choices that fail to entertain, emotionally move or stimulate any intellectual connection with the viewer.
The bad films are really, really boring. The worst of the bad films are so misjudged, the films demand you hate them. Here they are in reverse order:-
10/ Mega Shark Vs Giant Octopus An appallingly acted, shot and produced exploitation flick. It's not higher on this list due to the inclusion of perhaps the greatest, single scene in any movie of 2009.
9/ Stan Helsing Will someone eradicate the writers of the Scary Movie franchise so they can't hurt us anymore?
8/ My Bloody Valentine Well produced but exceptionally predictable studio slasher.
7/ Laid To Rest Cheapo slasher movie. The Sarah Connor Chronicles Thomas Dekkar and Lena Heady were supposed to help us make sense of all this. But, they're barely in this non-sensical mess.
6/ Thick As Thieves From the director of The Peacemaker and starring Morgan Freeman....together they've created the cure for insomnia. Nothing happens. Very slowly.
5/ Ice Age 3: Dawn of the Dinosaurs Twentieth Century Fox destroy one of their own franchises by draining any remaining quality out of the tired animation series. Endlessly irritating in it's bland predictability. When even the Scrat sequences are no longer funny, you know there's an inept studio head laughing his ass off at you forking out a tenner to watch this shit.
4/ Lesbian Vampire Killers Even the appearance of the lesbian vampires couldn't save this. Neither a comedy, nor a horror. Note to all who venture here: Horne & Corden = Not funny.
3/ Staunton Hill Just because you have a small budget for a horror movie, doesn't mean you have to settle for less. Just ask Zombie maestro, George A Romero. Unfortunately, his offspring Cameron didn't. Hence, this frustratingly amateurish dungpile.
2/ Twilight Although release in 2008, I had the misfortune to watch this horrible teen romance in 2009...thus it makes the 2009 list. Boring, predictable and dull in a way that words cannot describe...even with the presence of vampires that glitter (for fucks sake!) Romantic it might seem on paper, but spending two hours with such selfish, angst ridden teens makes for a miserable experience. Can boring, unintentionally funny and suicidally irritating exist in the same motion picture? It does here.
A complete "Fox" up on every level. Telling an unnecessary story (as it had been told in Bryan Singer's X2), Wolverine is the poster-boy for studio interference. There's mutant characters shoved into the mix for no reason, sub-standard FX (Logan's wobbly claws/Patrick Stewarts CG pancake face), unconvincing story elements (er, he keeps his trademark leather jacket after meeting two friendly pensioners for a couple of hours. Yeah right.) Then there's terrible casting (Gambit, fuck off), stupendously dull Canadian locales, a wasted opportunity with the title sequence and small-scale, unmemorable action sequences.
Casting Ryan Reynolds as the wise-cracking Deadpool was inspired. Trust Fox to make the poor bastard mute for the majority of his appearance! The biggest crime goes to star Hugh Jackman who delivers an stereotypical, angry, strong, silent type as Wolverine. Shame, cause he'd previously given Wolvie a sympathetic and amusingly cynical edge. The twat. A frustratingly irritating movie in all respects. And when you're aware that Brett Ratner's X-men 3 is so much better, your brain just wants to leap out of your skull and throttle your eyeballs. Utter shit.
Director Clint Eastwood, reunites with star Morgan Freeman for Invictus, an Oscar baiting account of Nelson Mandela's influence on South Africa's Rugby team winning the 1995 Rugby World Cup.
However, nobody has worked hard enough to deserve Oscar's attention. The story is rather flat and rarely presents events that are unexpected. Worst though is how it ignores character at the expense of recreating historical events. Freeman is fine (but not outstanding) as Mandela but you never get sucked into any kind of journey the man undertakes as he rebuilds his fractured country. One feels sorry for poor Matt Damon though, as the Rugby captain charged with winning the world cup. He only has a few scenes in the movies...and even then is given nothing substantial to work with.
At over two hours this is an overlong affair that can't justify it's run time considering it's weak content. It being an Eastwood movie, it's watchable and well made (the recreation of 90's South Africa is impressive)...but is a dry, passionless affair that doesn't even come alive in the climatic sports sequences. Given the potential this story presented (merging politics with the little seen Rugby, in movies), Clint dropped the ball big time. Pun intended.
It's Christmas-time, which means it's time to break out a Star Wars movie. This year it's the turn of the best of the lot, in The Empire Strikes Back.
Is still the best as it's darker, both visually...check out that lush, noirish photography, and story-wise...as the good guys are hiding and on the run the entire movie. As a kid, I used to prefer the action orientated Han Solo stuff over the talky Dagobah training sequences with Yoda. However, as an adult you realise the Jedi training forms the meat of the Star Wars Saga, while the asteroid chase is its sugar coated (nah, make that cocaine coated) icing-on-the-cake.
The story structure is daring, with the huge, memorable sequences occurring in the movie's first half. Thankfully, the second half is where the dramatic centre is situated with Lando's betrayal of Han... "I love You"..."I know.".... "No, There is another"...."Luke, I am your father!"...all bound together by Irvin Kershners assured direction and John Williams career best score (along with Raiders, nothing touches this).
The design of the Star Wars universe is richer in this sequel while the art direction on the special effects is some of the best committed to film. In terms of quality, we've had Jurassic Park, Lord of the Rings and Avatar since...but the composition and lighting of the Hoth Battle, the asteroid chase and the sunset visas of Cloud City take some beating...30 years later.
A minor quibble is the 1997 special edition version of this movie. While the clean-up of the print is welcome, along with the seamlessly integrated new digital effects, the re-edit at the film's climax is disruptive and poorly done. In the original version The Falcon rushes back to Cloud City to save a dangling Luke. In the new version, Lucas inter cuts this with 3/4 shots of Vader boarding a shuttle to return to his Star Destroyer. It's a real pain! Just as the tensions building, the movie stops to show a bloke catching a plane. Who cares about Greedo shooting first. This is a worse crime!
Still, it still can't stop this from being one of my top 5 movies of all time. Legendary.
And lo, it came to pass on the sixth day, God created Man. On the seventh he rested, creating pop culture, to prevent boredom. And on the eighth, Man started celebrating pop culture. I am that Man...
