chrismorrell

This is so well put together ,my first cinema visit of last year ,i laughed out loud all the way through..cast list is a "who's who" of top Brit comedy acting,and did you recognise the eyes of Cate Blanchette behind the mask at the crime scene?..Zowee!

Format borrows from all the genres they can fit in "buddie"/"horror"/"revenge"/"action"/"agatha christie"(?)..and every one of their favourite movies from "the Wicker Man" to "Point Break" via "Scream" "Straw Dogs" "The Omen" and "Bad Boys 1&2"...loved it loved loved it!

I watched the first two episodes on download a while back..Not sure if it has been on"proper" t.v over here ...Most familiar face is that of Johnny Galecki (Darlene's boyfriend from "Rosanne".)..he is great,like a young Jason Alexander...the other main guy is reassuringly odd-looking,and gets the "Niles" lines to Galecki's "Frazier"..."sound-bite" reference could be, the "Myspace/YouTube Friends"..these are the "overachieving" losers as opposed to the Judd Apatow variety. another main character has all the "physical" humour a la "Kramer"  ..the "love interest" is cute,but not an "uberbabe" ,the theme is by a "They Might Be Giants" soundalike..it just keeps ticking all the right boxes to be a massive hit,but i found it ultimately resistable.This is so well written,so slick,i was laughing out loud all the way through,how come i havnt been back for more already?Maybe i just "got it" too quickly? Now Rizzo has reminded me,i may go back for more laughs.

 I didnt have much time for the novels that this derives from,but ,felt i should give Anthony Minghellas last work ,a watch,and ,of course it was an exclusive for us U.K cineastes..The books are meant to be funny,but were also easily derided as simplistic,and a bit dodgy,as they are written by a "posh" white englishman,and the characterization seems not a little trite,verging on the racist...but maybe that's just my lilly livered liberal ass?  Screening on BBC T.V. on Easter monday (DVD release soon i guess?) and downloaded via the "I-Player" Anthony Minghellas film,screenplay by Richard Curtis,captures the tone of the written stuff,and improves on it ,i feel..The premise of the self-appointed detective is ridiculous,verging on the patronisingly naive ,but makes for undeniably funny stuff.  Jill Scott is Precious Ramotse,a woman of "traditional build" ,who knows right from wrong and has  a sure eye for punctuation.The tone is mostly archly comic,and undeniably heartwarming, with a huge ,uneasy gearchange to the "dark side" near the end...and who ushers this bit of nearer reality in? why it's a type-cast Idris Elba,aka (the late) Russell "Stringer" Bell,to" Wire " fans...(he gets an "and" credit)..this dude could be the English Denzel given the breaks..Overall,this is beautifully realised,stays just the right side of cutesy,the characters are perfectly cast ,everyone and everything looks beautiful...What turned out to be Anthony Minghellas last work is frothy but,ultimately delightful...

Grabbing a cliche..this is truly heartwarming..shows true friendship/connection,whatever you want to call it...

A slice of life,(there's another cliche for you),that takes you to the brink of "the dark side",but pulls back,as we look in on these characters.

 I found myself hoping,all the way through this that it wouldnt seek a "redemption" for the character,wouldnt try to "close" the story. I found myself relieved,and gladdened that all is unresolved.

 Not everyones cup of tea,obviously.Not a "big" film,but a signature performance from writer/director and main player.

Probably a one-off.

I found this an obsessive masterpiece...and became obsessed with it myself. As an Artist ,i was attracted by the pretention of it...and i must admit,that i was equally attracted by the beautiful Beart body...she is naked for long periods.

The quest is to capture something other than the physical, however,and that reaching for the intangible comes over as a brooding,scary thing.

Jane Birkin,as the wife,the original muse,sees herself being replaced ,quite literally painted over... but she remembers and understands why.

The "life drawing" sessions play out in real time ,and we see the hands of a genuine draftsman at work..but the discourse and fractious relationship between artist and model is where the real creative process resides. 

"Infernal Affairs",despite having an unintentionally funny title,really was a standalone masterpiece..Two left me a little cold,bit of a come down, i remember it seeming VERY Michael Mann...Then there were THREE: Through a mindblowing labyrinth of flashbacks ,we see more of Tony Leung's character's perspective on things,and the irrideemable descent ,and remainder in 'continuous hell' of the exquisite Andy Lau.
No real "spoilers" for Windbreaker here...but,morse code beats blind texting anyday.
Some of this is ,maybe 'a sequel too far',but ,i loved the return of the original cast. We go full circle to my favourite scene in the HiFi shop,swapping geeky advice on valve amps and interconnects

 As is usually the case when a great big stupid Daily Mail fuss is made about a Film ,and a newspaper campaign effectively marks it with a badge of dishonour,laying all sorts of instigation of crime and violence at it's door. When you actually see the film ,you think,what is wrong with these people? This is a black comedy,a very heavy satire on the likes of Geraldo Riviere ,and the sensationalism of exploitative journalism,and the way it is lapped up by "us lot"...It's pretty funny, but the satire is so arch,and ridiculously overplayed ,that noone in their right mind could say that it condones any of the fictitious actions of these fictional characters.

Visually and aurally it's a treat,mixing in animated visuals,and a whacky soundscape.  I do like the film,although it's nowhere near as good ,or bad,as the hype!

This is part of my schoolday memories...

A must see film back then...

 I made many pencil drawings of James Caan in "Rollerball" pose...

I found it strangely thin on revisiting..this was ,of course a very seventies future dystopia,with all in one suits, Nerhu collars ,computers that know everything,World Corporate Government and all that.

 The violence is quite nasty and visceral,no guns ...

Great visually,with good use of location.

John Houseman is  very good as the top bod.

 Sudents of graphic design will recognise that "Rollerball" font as "Countdown"...

 

Would certainly have gone on for several more seasons,if Dermot Morgan had not died.

Exiled Catholic priests in a remote island parish..a quick search will find any number of devoted fan web-sites,to give you the lowdown.

Owes as much to the surreal humour of Flann O'brien,as it does to the merciless Catholic ribbing of Dave Allen...features the instrumental break from "The Divine Comedy's " "Songs of Love" as the theme...

 Totally sublime and unforgettable...

 

Wire, The - Complete Second Season (5 discs)

Starring: Dominic West,  Wendell Pierce
The slow-pace ,( that some saw as a virtue) is gone, the acting seems tighter...things seem to have been boiled down a bit..character and story threads are embedded from season one of course,and pay off ,big-time...there seems to be more humour ...
When you hear Tom Waits (singing his own song ) on the theme tune
you realise that this,the second series,just clicked things up a notch...

 The title of this review,is not a judgement on the skill of the filmaker or anything,just a statement of fact from a personal point of view..

 I could not get past the first "thumbnail" of the 11 year-old.

 At the time,i could not carry on watching,i was just finding this too upsetting. I'm afraid that this chronicle of the desecration of Iraq just confirms what i feel anyway.

I know i'm sounding neurotic,but this,no doubt worthy and compassionate film was making me feel voyeuristic , and ,in a way ,wallowing in some sort of liberal self-congratulation.

I came back to this because of John Simm's brilliant performance in 'Life On Mars'...
Just listing the cast, and the writer gives an idea of how good this is...
John Simm"24 hour party people","Human Traffic", Bill Nighy,"Hitchhikers guide to the Galaxy","love Actually" ,"Shaun Of the Dead" , "Hot Fuzz"etc ,David Morrissey, "Stoned","Basic Instinct 2",loads of fantastic T.V. KellyMacDonald,"Trainspotting","No Country For Old Men" James McAvoy." Last King of Scotland","Atonement"...written
by Paul 'Shameless' Abbott...the story is one of 'political intrigue'...but it's really about the lives of the characters...
Apparently,there is a Hollywood version in the pipeline.. Brad Pitt
as the John Simm character!..i hate it already!

 Latest news ,that i know of ,is that the writers strike may have claimed this production,with Brad Pitt dropping out... all i would suggest is...if you insist on "remaking" get the best, get John Simm, and keep it set in England...you know what? just forget it!...how could it possibly be better than this production anyway?

 Yeah of course i know "there aint no Sanity Claus" ,but ultimately "Duck Soup" still edges it as my fave',due to it's lack of  Harp and Piano solo interludes...

 Also,the "All God's Chillen got guns"  set piece ,STILL retains a genuine satirical value.

Chris Morrell