Director Baran bo Odar certainly doesn’t deal in subtlety. The film comprises several big, bombastic moments. The score and cinematography serve to highlight this, and whilst they do have a tendency to draw unnecessary attention to their presence, all the elements come together to create a truly cinematic experience.
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Hoopla Factor: Continue reading The Silence
In fact, this is a masterclass in the blending of live animal footage with that of humans. Naturally, it probably helps that they’re only working with an all-blue background most of the time, but the end result is practically flawless.
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Continue reading The Reef
Not having read Stieg Larsson’s series, I can only assume that perhaps the naturally slower pace makes the more ludicrous moments less distracting, but certainly films two and three haven’t made me want to go out and buy the books.
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Continue reading The Girl Who Kicked the Hornets’ Nest
When it gets down to the gore we all know is coming, 127 Hours certainly doesn’t hold back. The particular sequence in question, however, is masterfully handled. It’s a brilliant collision of prosthetics, digital effects, music, sound effects and editing – and perfectly difficult to watch.
Rating: Hoopla Factor: Continue reading 127 Hours
There’s a lot of yelling in Sanctum. Heaps, in fact. I appreciate the fact that torrents of water rushing through caves would necessitate raised voices, but after a while it becomes rather tiresome.
Rating: Hoopla Factor: Continue reading Sanctum
I’m a little concerned that any potential viewer who doesn’t dip into that genre is in for a very sharp shock indeed. Aronofsky’s film slips into body horror more than once – indeed, its quite Cronenbergian at times.
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Hoopla Factor: Continue reading Black Swan
There are a couple of moments that betray the fact that this film has American studio interests at heart – firstly, we need a title to explain that we’re in Paris, France (you know, just in case those footpath cafes with people eating baguettes were actually in Texas), and secondly, the reading of a letter gets a corresponding voice over – twice.
Rating: Hoopla Factor: Continue reading The Tourist
One of the film’s major assets would have to be Chris Messina as Detective Bowden. As the cop trying to save the day, he gets lumped with dialogue that might seem like useless filler in the wrong hands, but somehow manages to make Bowden seem wonderfully incisive and commanding.
Rating: Hoopla Factor: Continue reading Devil
It all hinges on Lawrence’s stunning performance and some beautifully written dialogue that manages to make foul-mouthed slang sound like poetry. The only disappointment is perhaps that the film never gives the audience exactly what it wants – which is, paradoxically, also a blessing.
Rating: Hoopla Factor: Continue reading Winter’s Bone
Like all good confined space thrillers, Buried uses its confined setting to the fullest, deftly taking us through every narrative possibility as Paul does everything he can to get out alive. There wasn’t a dull moment in this film – it moves at a cracking pace.
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This is a truly brave film, and one that gives hope that films can be made the way their story demands, immune to the influence of what ‘will sell’. Cortez and Reynolds should be applauded.
Rating: Hoopla Factor: Continue reading Buried