This Week's Watches
This week, while browsing through the numerous reviews that I need to upload, I decided to theme my Weekly Roundup all around the letter 'M'. I am the Movie Marmite Man after all (MMM for short!) so why not take a leaf out of Sesame Street's book and copy some of their style- it's worked for them for long enough! So children: the movie themed letter of the week this week is: M!
Monsters (2010)
Starring: Scoot McNairy & Whitney Able
Directed by: Gareth Edwards
Rating: 1 ½ stars
'M' is also for: Monotonous
Monsters is one of those indie low budget films that I heard a lot about when it was released, as it was widely critically acclaimed (in the UK, anyway), and was seen as a really good 'genre' film. Advertised and reviewed as a sci-fi film, I was really looking forward to it, but was sadly disappointed. It definitely has some good parts in it, but overall, is completely misleading in it's status as a 'sci-fi', and I would describe it as a slow burning drama centred around two two-dimensional protagonists in which nothing really happens at all. There's just lots of lingering shots of South American rainforest, with images of exotic plants juxtaposed against faces of the central characters broodingly watching one another as they travel across the country trying to find their way back to the United States of America. For a low budget film, it looks great, and there are some interesting bits, just not many., the best part being the ending in which the giant squid-like aliens conduct an astonishing fluorescent mating ritual dance above a gas station (yes, you read that correctly). The film is shot in a documentary style, but is incredibly slow paced and is generally boring, and has a very strong political agenda undercurrent to the events portrayed in the film. Yes, there are 'monsters' which are actually aliens, but just who are the real aliens: the invading extraterrestrials, or the Mexican immigrants (or in fact, the Americans?). Get it?? And the Monsters are the US government who are building the Mexican-American border to keep the 'aliens' out! Get it?!? As soon as this theme became obviously apparent, I understood why the critics loved the movie, because it is 'deep' and has an 'agenda' and is also incredibly critical of America and paints them as the villains. I'm not saying that this is a negative issue to discuss, it's just done so overtly that it seems like a pious sermon, and so ruins a lot of the well established moody atmosphere. Oddly enough, we are meant to want the two main characters to get together, but I felt that they had absolutely no chemistry between them at all, and thought they should have just stayed as platonic friends, as there was really no need for a romantic sub plot. I then found out that after shooting, the actors got married in real life- oh dear! Let's just hope they have stronger ties off camera than in front of it! Monsters has it's problems, and I would advise people against watching it unless they particularly enjoy incredibly tedious, monotonous movies in which nothing happens, but regardless, the fact that it was made on a shoe string budget and still manages to look as good as a Hollywood blockbuster, has to be commended.
MegaMind (2010)
Starring: Will Ferrell, Tina Fey, Jonah Hill, David Cross & Brad Pitt
Directed by: Tom McGrath
Rating: 3 stars
'M' is also for: Moxie
I am in no way shape or form a fan of Will Ferrell, so the positive about this movie is that you don't have to see his face, only hear his voice, which I was weighing up if I could tolerate or not before even viewing this film. Luckily, I could, and I'm glad that I watched MegaMind, because, overall, it was a decent movie. The first half isn't particularly great, mainly because it is exposition laden and fairly bland and typical of this type of genre, but once the real plot kicks in, which is mainly centred around a love triangle, it becomes a really good watch. The love interest, Roxanne (Fey) gets the best role and the best scenes, and over the duration you being to really warm up to both her and MegaMind (Ferrell) himself, as well as his comical sidekick. Minion (Cross) The special effects are amazing, and I wish I could have watched this in 3D in the cinema because it would have looked fantastic, mainly because the action scenes are exciting and exhilarating. As usual, Brad Pitt is weak and his voice doesn't match the character he plays- especially since he is meant to be a wise old sage. The plot, inventive at times, does become fairly predictable, but in the best way possible: I saw which way it was heading and wanted it to go that way, so I was very pleased with how the movie progressed. I liked the way that the film as a whole is different and playful and toys around with atypical styles of characters and plots- it is as different as a mainstream cartoon blockbuster can be without going into 'indie' territory, which makes it fresh and interesting. Even though I liked it, I wouldn't describe it as a comedy as most of the jokes fall flat (but what do you expect from Ferrell?), but the real heart of MegaMind is the romance element that dominates the second half, mainly because it feels genuine and you root for both of them to get together. Luckily, the amazing animation is able to provide real emotion, expression and depth to the characters that the lacklustre voice acting does not.
Machete (2010)
Starring: Danny Trejo, Jessica Alba, Robert De Niro, Michelle Rodriguez, Steven Seagal & Lindsey Lohan
Directed by: Robert Rodriguez & Ethan Maniquis
Rating: 2 stars
'M' is also for: Manic Mayhem
Robert Rodriguez is at it again: guns, girls and gore. Taken from the collection of faux trailers in between the two Grindhouse movies released back in 2006, Rodriguez decided to actually make Machete into an entire film, probably because it was the funniest trailer amongst the lot. Anyone who knows me knows that I am a huge fan of Robert Rodriguez, mainly because he takes risks and is unashamed to make blood splattered films that are fun and exciting. Since he owns his own studio, accurately titled Troublemaker, and is bank rolled by the infamous Weinstein Brothers, it seems he can do whatever the hell he wants, and gets paid for it! Unfortunately, he seems to have now joined the group of famous and successful people who have gone mad with power, and Machete is a perfect example of that. Even though it is supposed to be an over the top exploitation flick, a lot of the time it just doesn't work, as much as it pains me to say. Sure, there are some amazing action sequences and brutally bloody gun fights, as well as gorgeous women in strong and prominent roles, but it is the excessive plot and running time that spoils the fun. The basic gist of it is that Machete (Trejo) is hired to kill a right wing conservative Texan State Senator (De Niro), and is then doubled crossed and goes on the run, which quickly turns into a rampage of revenge. This plot, by itself, wouldn't be a problem, but adding in a lot of political stuff about the American-Mexican border and the treatment of Mexican immigrants, really drags it down, taking very serious issues and poking fun at them, something I didn't feel quite comfortable with. And yes, perhaps I was taking it too seriously, but as much as I admire the fact that these issues need to be addressed, surely they should be in a more serious manner? Regardless of this, the whole film goes on for too long, and for a shlocky B movie, becomes too confusing due to lots of characters and a complex plot. I did however love Michelle Rodriguez as Luz, Lohan as a crazy gun totting nun (which was funny) and of course Jessica Alba who is always eye candy. Robert De Niro looks like he is getting paid to have fun and take the piss out of himself, which he probably should do since he's spent his whole life playing very serious roles, and Steven Seagal just seems... lost. If you want to watch insane, over the top bloody violence (the best bit is when Machete uses someone's intestines to help him swing out of a window) mixed with a damning though tongue in cheek critique on immigration policy in the US, then this might just be the film for you.
Pick of the Week:
The Machinist (2004)
Starring: Christian Bale
Directed by: Brad Anderson
Rating: 3 ½ stars
'M' is also for: Moving
The Machinist is mainly famous for Bale losing 62lbs of his own body weight for the role of Trevor Reznik, a deeply troubled factory worker whose sense of reality begins to become more and more frayed and disjointed. The film is intentionally confusing and jarring to watch, the reveal taking place in the last few minutes, but the lead up to this point is fascinating, mainly because you are trying to solve the riddle and figure out what exactly is going on, which is cleverly foreshadowed and packs a punch. I really enjoyed the intelligent direction and integral visual imagery, but Bale's body itself is the star of the show, and is incredibly pertinent, although seeing his emaciated flesh and bones made me feel physically sick, which is completely intentional. I can't quite get over the fact that he did this to himself- talk about taking your job seriously! His acting is good, but I wouldn't say it was his best work: his scene stealing Academy Award winning turn in The Fighter is! But he should get applauded for being committed enough to the role to completely change his physical shape to scarily unhealthy levels, for an important reason (plot wise, anyway)! I really enjoyed The Machinist, and I would love to write more about it in detail, but it is hard to without giving away the entire point of the twisted plot, but it all eventually makes sense and has an incredibly powerful message about how people can be self destructive. His internal psychological struggle is shown visually, and is probably too successful at being visually disturbing and upsetting. One sequence, in a fun house, has to be the scariest and most grotesque theme park ride that I have ever seen in a film, and it really sets the tone of the unsettling nature of the film as a whole. What it represents: the message it tells, coupled with Bale's emaciated body, and working alongside solid directing, camera work, colouring and editing, which are all utilised very effectively, help give the film a strong ethereal feeling of despair and disgust.. The Machinist is definitely a very good film, but unfortunately isn't brilliant, mainly because it goes on for too long, and so becomes a bit tedious. Also, the 'puzzle' element isn't as good as other films it is trying replicate (such as Memento), or as engrossing (like Identity), but you are desperate to know what is happening, and even though an element of it is predictable, most of it isn't, and the pay off is shockingly simple, but surprisingly moving.
