For 2012 (Top 10)

10. Cabin In The Woods

Director: Drew Goddard
Stars: Kristen Connolly, Chris Hemsworth and Anna Hutchison

We’ve all seen this setup before, a group of High School social imperialist plan a getaway at a creepy isolated location where bad things are set to happen. However in what was to be one of the year’s pleasant surprises The Cabin In The Woods provides a superbly knowing venture through the mechanics and conventions of the horror genre.  Many will draw comparisons with Wes Craven’s Scream series which is justifiable enough but there are more laughs to be had here, more satire and more jokes being made at itself in this glorious joyful of a genre.

9. Once Upon A Time In Anatolia

Director: Nuri Bilge Ceylan
Stars: Muhammet Uzuner, Yilmaz Erdogan and Taner Birsel

Nuri Ceylan’s Once Upon A Time In Anatolia may be the most visually arresting film of the year, his slow burning drama follows the process of a murder investigation and search for the missing body in the vast Anatolian steppes. The strength of the film is the stunning cinematography that illustrates and transcends the story as it unfolds, we join the search party in the bleakest hours of the night where blinding car lights, flickering flames and hand lamps are the guiding lights. Morning light when it comes is stark contrast as the Darkness offers the beacon of light upon the lush natural colours of the untouched landscape. All of this while we observe our subjects converse of other juxtapositions such as a mothers death in child Birth, corpses in the summer time and a young girl's beauty in a dying town.

8. The Raid 

Director: Gareth Evans
Stars: Iko Uwais, Ananda George and Ray Sahetapy 

A Welsh director and an Indonesian setting are the unlikeliest of combination in the year’s best out and out action flick. Gareth Evans guides us through the Jakartan slums and into the midst of the eponymous Raid which sees Jakarta’s finest attempt to infiltrate a tower blocker poisoned with gangs and drug lord inhabitants. The film respectfully follows convention, we have an unsuspecting would be hero rookie cop Rama (Iko Uwais) with problems of his own beyond that of the job namely his status as an expectant father and the knowledge of his brother operating on the wrong side of the law. Anyone watching for narrative reasons need not bother, The Raid is all thriller with little filler, a savage ballet with heart pumping, breathtaking stunt work that will leave your veins adrenaline filled once it is all over. 

7. Killer Joe

Director: William Friedkin
Stars: Matthew McConaughey, Emile Hirsch and Juno

William Friedkin is a little long in the tooth these days yet the disgustingly delightful antics of Killer Joe shows he hasn’t lost his ability to polarise audiences. Set in deepest darkest Texas with shades of the Cohen’s at their most jet black and David Lynch at his most sexually psychotic and you are half way there. Throw in a terrific cast led by the resurgent Matthew McConaughey as Joe who is indeed a killer hired by a hapless Father and son duo (Thomas Haden Church and Emile Hirsch) to speed up their claim to an estranged matriarch’s life insurance policy, when revelations and problems come to the forefront. Charged with sex and violence, piloted by dark humour and the complexly feeble minds of its characters  Killer Joe is a Texan journey not to be missed

6. Untouchable

Directors: Olivier Nakache, Eric Toledano
Stars: François Cluzet, Omar Sy and Anne Le Ny

French buddy romance Untouchable is an easy target for cynics and misers alike, it tells the story of a rich quadriplegic white guy (Francois Cluzet ) and his poor black would be carer (Omar Sy) who overcome their dissimilarities and become the most adhesive of mates.  From such an ostensibly predictable pretext comes a touching, humorous and life affirming experience which explores every element of their personal and collective discord; from writing poetry to quoting Al Pacino lines, appreciating classical music to throwing shapes to pop music or writing love letters to spouting corny pickup lines, everything is so well observed and charming about the discovery of how their differences make them so similar.    

5. The Dark Knight Rises

Director: Christopher Nolan
Stars: Christian Bale, Tom Hardy and Anne Hathaway

Christopher Nolan completes his Batman adventure with the blisteringly epic Dark Knight Rises, retaining the brooding sense of menace that will no doubt distinguish his series from the that of Tim Burton  and Joel Shumacher efforts before it. In making TDKR the big question was always going to be replacing Heather Ledger and his iconic Joker, Nolan brings in another mad man wanting to bring Gotham to its knees. Bane (Tom Hardy) is antithesis of the Joker, opting for an archly deranged sense of military order instead of his predecessors penchant for controlled chaos. Standing in his way Bruce Wayne (Christian Bale) 8 years on is a weakened man from his confrontation with the clown,   bearing scars that are both visual and hidden, donning the cowl and cape returns him to the lost symbol of The Batman but with his psyche damaged and infrastructure wilting can they both withstanding this latest battle. 

4. A Royal Affair

Director: Nikolaj Arcel
Stars: Alicia Vikander, Mads Mikkelsen and Mikkel Boe Følsgaard 

Mads Mikkelsen produces one of the years finest performances in A Royal Affair, portraying an 18^th century German Doctor who becomes tangled in a web of romance, betrayal and politics within Denmark's monarchy of the time. Oddball King Christian VII hires brilliant physician Johann  Struensee (Mikkelsen) to become hs royal doctor however a resultant bond between the two develops as the sycophantic doctor embraces the Kings reckless nature which manifests in whore house visits and other unbefitting behaviours for a king. A love triangle ensues when Christian’s distant Queen Caroline becomes attracted to the German who proceeds to utilise his influence on the royals in pursuit of his own ideals, taking on political and religious significance which would change northern Europe forever, remarkable stuff.

3. Marley

Director: Kevin MacDonald

The Music, the man and the myths are all unearthed here in the years best documentary, Marley may not have the style or cleverly crafted subtleties of last years Senna but the similarities are abundant.  From the Kingston Ghetto’s, palliative care of frozen Europe where he spent much of his last days and glorious career that lay between. British Director Kevin MacDonald’s feature manages to be both respectful and challenging in providing insight into the life of someone whose music still to this day transcends generations and races. Through exploring the metamorphosis of the genre itself and the explosive political landscape of his beloved Jamaica at the time Marley avoids being both self aggrandising and hagiographic in the best possible way because let’s face it Bob did all that himself with his accomplishments and lasting legacy.

2. Angels' Share

Director: Ken Loach
Stars: Paul Brannigan, John Henshaw and Gary Maitland

You could do worse than describe Ken Loach’s Angels' Share as the British answer to Sideways, where Alexander Payne uses Wine as a  Metaphor for the love, Loach uses Whiskey to illustrate our personal histories and need for second chances. Veteran director Loach's mercurial blend of his trademark social realism, with a fantastical caper and riotous laughs which will have you welling up with emotion as well as bellyaches. The film follows a bunch of petty and not so petty criminals whose Community Service Co-ordinator Harry (John Henshaw) takes the group to a Whiskey Distillery, he forms a bond with a particularly troubled member of the group Robbie (Paul Brannigan) who possesses a natural nose for Whiskey tasting, leaving the group with the opportunity to make some money and turn their lives around.

1. Moonrise Kingdom

Director: Wes Anderson
Stars: Jared Gilman, Kara Hayward and Bruce Willis

A delightful composite of sprawling untouched Rhode Island scenery, quirky visual devices and off beat character inversions make up Wes Anderson’s outstanding New England odyssey. Moonrise Kingdom is part commentary on the failings of authority figures, where parents (Francis McOrmond and Bill Murray), scout master (Ed Norton), Law Enforcement (Bruce Willis) and Social Services (Tilda Swinton) struggle to come to terms with the escalating panic and revelations brought about by the disappearance of a pair of young runaway lovers. On the flip side Anderson points to the maturation of his young characters who among other things write elegantly apologetic letters, handle their growing adolescent sexuality and reconcile with the error of the ways. At it's core Moonrise Kingdom is served by the sweetest of romances between debutants Jared Gilman as Sam a proficient and resourceful boy scout and Kara Hayward a beautiful literature and music loving girl, their relationship and friendship blossoms on screen in alluring fashion.

New: Skyfall

Skyfall (2012)

Director: Sam Mendes
Stars: Daniel Craig, Javier Bardem and Naomie Harris

Perhaps it is time that movie franchises started trusting real film making talents to pilot their projects, Sam Mendes’ Skyfall is the latest exhibit which proves that regardless of budget, cast or brand name ultimately the key ingredient is that of the visionary in the director’s chair. There is no secret additive for Mendes just a reluctance to sacrifice core story telling principles adding heft to the psyche of his characters and the meaning to their actions, this may well be the 40 or so minutes missing from its hapless predecessor if one were to compare the running times.

 Never has a Bond been so open, so vulnerable so visibly scarred and defeated as the one we witness here, the fatigue of the game now an authentic badge of comprehension and empathy. It may have taken 3 films but Daniel Craig’s 007 trademark is established as a wall of fierce solemnity which hinge every glare, grimace and scowl to a reserved, introverted manner. 

After a mission takes a bad turn Bond must return from a self imposed exile to aid M (Judi Dench) who is reacquainted with a previously excommunicated charge turned evil (Javier Bardem), MI6 is set for a revelatory episode where everyone involved must reengage with their own personal demons in order to invoke the fortitude needed to rebound.

Of course there will always be the time and need for tradition the girls, the cars, the villain but even  these are not wasted on throw away nostalgic references, instead they are used to skilfully form the thematic structure of the film which concerns itself with the past and the ways in which it manifests itself in the present; Skyfall transcends this by respecting the legacy of whence it came and simultaneously ushering in a new dawn.

8/10

Top 5 espionage thrillers

5. Three Days of the Condor (1974)

Robert Redford’s CIA researcher takes a well timed lunch break from the New York book shop which provides operational cover, only to return to the massacre of his colleagues. The quest for the truth is a murky journey obscured by danger and paranoia with only a hapless Faye Dunaway whom he imprisons for an ally.  

4. Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (2011)

Disgraced into early retirement George Smiley played by an in form Gary Oldman is brought back into sniff out a double agent embedded in the belly of MI6, to make things interesting his old gang are among the top suspects. Swedish Director Tomas Alfredson’s direction is a masterful display of control and patience as he refines every inch of detail and builds to riveting climax.

3. The Ipcress File (1965) 

Harry Palmer (Michael Caine) is the spectacled, proletarian, anti Bond, his life is free of the glitz and glamour of his more illustrious contemporary. We observe Palmer’s mundane process in great detail, everything from supermarket shopping to displays of petty rebellion which add to his charm and appeal. An investigation is launched into the serial disappearance of British scientists in an apparent Cold War fueled “Brain Drain” and Palmer finds himself way over his head.

2. Munich (2005)

Spielberg’s Ying to his Schindler’s List’s Yang is an explosive tale of revenge and devotion to the cause as Eric Bana heads a cell of Israeli agents tasked with delivering systematic retribution for the atrocities committed during the Munich games of ’72. Bana plunged deep into the dark world of state terrorism and shady informants whichbring into dispute the validity of his actions.

1. The Day Of The Jackal (1973)

An international Chess match/Cat & Mouse game ensues when the French secret service learn of an intricate plot to eradicate Head of state Charles de Gaull through a lone assassin. France’s best detective Claude Lebel (Michael Lonsdale) is assigned to track down would be meticulous killer Jackal (Edward Fox) across Europe as he tries to cross the border and into Paris. With superbly written detail and immersive execution The Day Of The Jackal is a timeless masterpiece.  

New: Looper (2012)

Looper (2012)

Director: Rian Johnson
Writer: Rian Johnson
Stars: Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Bruce Willis and Emily Blunt

Rian Johnson’s debut film Brick was made 7 years ago for less than half a million dollars, and was testament to what could be done with a smart idea, strong convictions and fine execution. His third film cost $30m has a Hollywood legend as one of its leads and is laden with impressive special effects; few can deny he has earned his shot at the mainstream.   

Looper  however is a far more conflicted piece than Brick  which strives for high concept Science Fiction centred around the nuance of time travel and its associated repercussions and dangers. Joseph Gordon Levitt is Joe a cocky young  professional hitman (a Looper) of the future who disposes of those on the mobs kill list from an even more distant future. Loopers accept they will one day execute themselves as part of the convoluted, nefarious process to erase evidence of their crimes, but when that day comes  the routine nature of Joe’s work is disrupted when his older self in the shape of Bruce Willis manages to escape, and a resultant game of cat and mouse ensues.

Around the midway point problems emerge, not satisfied with creating an immersive world in the first hour, exploring the poisonous conceits of a cleverly imagined future which should be the launch pad for the rest of the action, Johnson muddies the waters by adding further contrivances and plot devices namely the existence of mutant humans who have telekinetic powers which despite being referenced early into the proceedings, undermines the validity of the story. In addition the involvement of Emily Blunt and the 10 year old boy in her care marks a departure from the futuristic themes as her tough talking, gun totting farm girl houses the younger Joe as he tries to avoids detection. We then play witness to a conclusion which borrows heavily from elements of James Cameron’s Terminator and Brian De Palma’s Carrie which belie any notions of originality. 

The unbalance is more of a disappointment than a crushing defeat Looper has plenty to like but it is difficult to find a place amongst its truly great cotemporaries as it lacks the thematic depth of Inception, the forlorn investments of Moon  or striking beauty of Sunshine. In what should be a film about finding ones self or escaping ones past, Looper never really finds anything deeper or more substantial than mere escapism.

7/10

For American Football

Here I mix my two great passions and list my 10 favourite American football films

10. Semi Tough (1977)

When you’re are the owner of Pro football team and two of your star players are living with your daughter , things off the field are likely as chaotic as the game being played on it. Burt Reynolds,  Kris Kristofferson and the romantic mark Jill Clayburgh are the trio whose triangulated platonic friendship is heading for revelatory times in this unique off beat comedy, filled with satire, wit and riotous laughs . 

9. Gridiron Gang (2006)

Having a professional Wrestler (Dwayne The Rock Johnson) and a gangster rap artist (Xzibit) as the two prominent cast members, it is easy to apply a cynical eye to Gridiron Gang and many will no doubt do just that. However any kind of prejudgement does not do justice to a film which speaks of the role Football can play in the correctional activities of misguided youth, whose souls are subjugated to the evils of gangs, crime and drugs.  Gridiron Gang is ultimately humanist fare, delivering messages with both hard and soft edges to great effect which is testament to the collective effort the cast both young, old and stigmatised. 

8. Radio (2003)

A heart-warming true story charting the journey through life of a young mentally challenged man, Nicknamed “Radio” (Cuba Goodings jnr) he finds acceptance through his discovery of football and the friendship of a high school coach (Ed Harris). In essence the film observes the plight of the disabled in 60’s/70’s America, our lead subject must endure ignorance, fear and constriction which are still battles faced by people with disabilities today.   

7. Necessary Roughness (1991)

What if college football was actually played by student athletes?  Necessary Roughness takes a light hearted chuckle at the process of college football recruiting and the illicit practices within institutions to dilute their academic standards to allow the on field product to remain strong. This perhaps holds more poignancy in view of the behemoth college athletics has become, but when the Texas State Fighting Armadillos (the name itself slight on College sports) are hit with severe penalties for recruiting violations 34 year-old “has-been” Quarterback Paul Blake is recruited to lead the program through the austere and hilarious times.

6. Two For The Money (2005)

American football drives a huge gambling market and the darker reaches of which are explored here, Brandon Lang (McConaughey) is the fallen football star with a talent for beating the spread and picking winners. Walter (Pacino) on the other hand retails dreams as the head of betting consultant function; which anyone with experience of TV in the US may have witnessed. When Walter recruits Lang to front his operation, early success and subsequent confidence becomes malignant as the duo begin to play with currency far more valuable than money. Both leads are in great form with Pacino breaking out into the odd scene chewing soliloquy, while McConaughey ably supports as a tormented and lost soul way out of his depth.

5. We Are Marshall (2006)

From the burning wreckage of a 1970 plane crash that ripped the life out of a University, a football program and the community of Huntington West Virginia, rose phoenix like a forceful and determined spirit. We Are Marshall captures and transcends this tragedy turned triumph in an emotionally charged drama, the despair and burden of colleagues left behind becomes the inspiration to honour the memory of those lost. When the revivals spearhead arrives in the form of coach Jack Lengyel (McConaughey), his pluckiness threatens to undermine the realisation of the task at hand, realisations observed through the pain felt deep in the town’s heart amidst the lives trying to forget and move on. Director McG is true to its subjects essentially exploring  the ways in which humans young and old cope with the trials of adversity, made possible by an authentic string of performance from the cast.

4. Jerry Maguire (1996)

Buried beneath its rich contextual layers, Jerry Maguire has something to say about the things we say, notably whatever it is about the human condition which makes us blab right things when it suits us and tell our listeners what they wish to here. Ultimately though, words catch up with us and more than not when when somebody exhorts something to the effect of “Show me the Money” it is time to deliver. Tom Cruise is the typical sports agent about to embark on an epiphany by going straight but finds the courage of his new found convictions elusive. Filled with iconic moments, memorable dialogue and a central romance Jerry Maguire is a crowd pleaser.

3. The Express (2008)

The Express tells the story of Running Back Ernie Davis who became the first African American to hold college football's most prestigious honour; the Heisman trophy. Set against the poisonous backdrop of segregation and bigotry, director Gary Fleder is able to deliver a slice of America's dark past, but illuminates it by painting a charming and alluring picture of Davis played by Rob Brown. A key theme is that of fatherhood; having never know his real father the films depicts many replacements includin his maternal Grandfather, college head coach played by Dennis Quaid through to pro football legends Jim Brown and the late Art Modell who all leave an imprint on his character.

2. Friday Night Lights (2004)

In austere small Texan town the role of football amounts to a source of religious Allegory for the young men involved in the Permian High School football program. For the autumnal months Friday is the holy day and it is the football Gods that hold sway, where the townsfolk congregate on the bleachers whilst the hopes and dreams of many play out on the field. Such power is a heavy lying crown for Head Coach Gary Gaines (Billy Bob Thornton) of which sermonising team talks and patriarchal kinships are manifest. Peter Berg delves deep into the lives of the natives as we play witness to a discomforting father/son relationship, a star player coping with his fading dreams whilst others clamour for scholarship offers representing a departure from their oppressive surroundings. 

1. Any Given Sunday (1999) 

It may be affording director Oliver Stone too much credit to suggest that his Any Given Sunday has premonitory qualities, but in retrospect there is much in pro football that has come to fruition 13 years on. The rise of the black quarterback, the change in emphasis to a GM’s medium and subsequent marginalisation of the head coach as well as attitudes toward the treatment of concussions; resulting in changes to the way the game is played today. Stone’s vision of professional football is an unflinching head to toe examination of everything from locker rooms to board rooms treatment tables to dinner tables, the game plan’s success is in an approach to both the big and small picture. All this before you even get to Pacino’s speech, Cameron Diaz’s histrionics, Jamie Foxx’s rise and Dennis Quaid’s fall; to name a few. Any Given Sunday is grandiose and ambitious film making at its very best.

For Euro 2012

Euro 2012

Football fever is set to sweep the country for much the next month with the start of the European Championships, so just in case that isn't enough for you here are my favourite soccer and soccer related films you could try and get hold of.

5. Africa United (2010)

In conjunction with the South African World Cup in 2010, Africa United is a tough and forlorn commentary about the struggles of the continent young. We follow a disparate group of Rwandan children trying to make their way to the world cup 3000 miles away, from their youthful perspective we encounter the troubles which Africa’s future generations face such as HIV, child soldiers, child prostitution, poverty and general social decay. United's strength comes in its ability to resist its morose themes by finding a quality which will uplift the spirits of it audience, made possible by the earnest and charming characters who do not exhort viewer pity for their predicament, but instead a produce a collective positivity that will win you over.

4. Kicking & Screaming (2005)

The sight of over exuberant parents bellowing instructions from the bleachers at their children; participating in sporting events will be familiar to many. Kicking & Screaming starring the love him or loathe him entity that is Will Ferrell actually has something interesting to say on this subject. Ferrell plays the coach of  his sons lowly soccer team who has lived his life in the shadows of a father (and opposing coach Robert Duval) who’s thirst for achievement and  sporting excellence through his childhood have left him inwardly scared.  The pair take up a bet when their teams are scheduled to do battle on the field but this leads to an amusing process of enlightenment as they discover that mixing competitive and parental juices can come at a cost.  

3. Offside (2006)

Those who regularly attend football matches will know that the presence of female fans in the football stadium has become common place, however Iranian Film maker Jafar Panahi in this wonderfully little film goes someway to expose the plight of female soccer fanatics In Iran. Set in the capital Tehran which is to host a crucial World Cup qualifying International, we observe a handful of woman's individual attempts to break into the match under the veneer of quirky disguises and forced to engage in all forms of chicanery to avoid capture from the authorities for forbid  their attendance. Despite the comedic elements of the dialogue, the film as with much Iranian cinema tells a serious story of sexual inequality, social boundaries and the discontent each breed within eastern cultures.    

2. ID (1995)

Football hooliganism has long been thought of as a diseased organ within the body of Britain’s obsession with the beautiful game, with ties to organised crime and highly visible displays of violence warranting past government interventions. ID utilises a truly immersive narrative arc in bringing this to screen, we observe John an undercover Policeman assigned to infiltrate a notorious gang of football thugs. However John’s moral obligations and psyche dissolve on screen as his assignment turns to an addiction to the adulation and self-gratification of his newfound thuggish proclivities. The film could be said to be satirical in its approach, pointing out how substance abuse, alcohol abuse, domestic violence, misogyny and far right extremism are all complicit values in the make-up of Hooliganism. 

1. Escape To Victory  (1981)

Set in a Nazi POW camp a group of imprisoned Allied forces accept an invitation to partake in a football match against a team of Germans hosted in paris. Both sides harbour ulterior ambitions for the match, the prisoners plot an escape whilst the Germans strive for the fixture to be an exercise in propagandistic humiliation of the enemy. Over 30 years on and Escape to Victory is still soccer’s most treasured contribution to cinema, with a team chemistry born of big screen fire power (Stallone, Cain ,Von Sydow) who tackle the narrative and dialogue to great effect, whilst the use of genuine footballing legends (Pele, Moore, Ardiles) create the spectacle of the beautiful game which is stunningly captured for the final set piece. 

Due: Avengers Assemble (2012) Franchise Review

 

In what looks set  to be the year of the Superhero Movie first up to the plate (not forgetting the refreshingly brilliant Chronicle (2012) released in February) will be the crossover, event movie spectacular that is The Avengers (2012). Marvel’s alchemic tour de force will be the end product of a preceding movie franchise bound together by the ubiquitous qualities of Samuel L Jackson’s cycloptic Nick Fury and a host of post credit cameos.  No doubt set for monstrous future Blu-Ray collectors box sets when all is said and done, time to revisit the the past five years. 

2008

The Incredible Hulk (2008)

Budget: $150 million
Box office: $263,427,551

Release date: June 13th, 2008

Looking back it’s hard not to feel that Marvel’s 2008 output was a case of wrong place wrong time, as 2008 would see DC, Warner Bros and The Dark Knight take over a billion dollars worldwide. Most affected would be The Incredible Hulk which abstained from the temptation of rebooting Ang Lee’s marginal Hulk (2003) effort and attempted to develop the story as a belated sequel. Viewing The Incredible Hulk as a follow up is perhaps unfairly problematic with the five year gap coupled with a complete overhaul in casting, look and tonality possibly raised more questions or caused more confusion for Hulk devotees than anything else. Treating the 2008 movie on its own term is a more rewarding experience French director Louis Leterrier finds an altogether different gear that is somewhat darker, smarter, more menacing and entertaining than its predecessor.  Edward Norton’s considered and pathos driven performance is the perfect antithesis for his raging alter ego, making it all the more disappointing that he will not reprise the role as an Avenger.

Iron Man (2008)

Budget $140 million
Box office $585,174,222

Release date: May 2nd, 2008

Iron Man’s big screen live action debut came a month prior, headed by an at the time rejuvenated Robert Downey Jnr whose role as womanising, alcoholic, billionaire playboy Tony Stark was a lesson in casting genius and bare faced irony. Iron Man manages to succeed on all levels, its visuals are fiercely strong, exciting and stylish. Most impressively though is the dexterous balance and discipline exacted by director Jon Favreau, who skilfully implants both Stark and Iron Man into a contemporary age engulfing them in complex issues and darker themes prevalent in the 21^st century. Stark’s kidnap, enslavement and subsequent escape are the foundation for Downey Jnr’s existentially fuelled epiphany allowing him to take on the world of weapons manufacturing, American foreign policy and middle eastern destabilisation. Favreau’s comedic verve manifests through our hero’s disregard of his own legacy, life whilst embracing unreservedly his playboy persona. 

2010

Iron Man 2 (2010)

Budget: $200 million
Box office: $623,933,331

Release: May 7th 2010

With the year all to itself Iron Man 2 arrived with much promise having added Don Cheadle, Sam Rockwell, Scarlet Johansson and Mickey Rourke to the roster as well as retaining all of the key components from the original picture including the continuity of Favreau’s direction. The result however fell disastrously short of the preceding circumstances largely due to an absence of the aforementioned nuance of discipline and skill, with none of the considered thematic substance abundant in the first outing. Favreau’s methodology is a rather graceless formula where double the heroes, villains, jokes and explosions (a common shortfall in sequel film making) actually results in a fraction of the general enjoyment from the first instalment. Perhaps the most disappointing and embarrassing Iron Man 2 segment is the clumsy origin and introduction of side kick War Machine, which is simply emblematic of Favreau’s drastic departure of form which duly crashes this project into the sea of dead sequels where it will rot alongside other ghastly follow ups.. 

 

2011

Captain America: The First Avenger (2011)

Budget: $140 million
Box office: $368,608,363

Release: July 22nd 2011

In some respects one could view the big screen arrivals of Thor and Captain America in 2011 as little more than extended previews for the Avengers extravaganza, by the time the First Avenger had rolled around it would be all the more difficult to view it on its own terms with eyes and minds already very much focused on the grand assembly the following year. Captain America is a modest offering, in an attempt  to establish an immersive sci-fi inflected World War II era, the end result is an overreliance on  cold CGI effects, backgrounds as well as distracting and ill judged character enhancements notably the wimpy Steve Rodgers strange looking head to body ratio. Captain America is without doubt a difficult prospect to bring to screen with a clownishly loud uniform, and limiting scope for adjustments to his iconography and legend. Chris Evans who is no stranger to the superhero world having played the Johnny Storm in the Fantastic Four, is often left hapless and lost as the action degenerates into an endless parade of soulless battle scenes giving the audience little to invest their hearts or minds in.

Thor (2011)

Budget: $150 million
Box office: $449.3 million

Release: April 21st 2011

Thor is an altogether different animal, much more at ease with the absurdities of its conceptuality and dress sense. Director Kenneth Branagh finds comedic mileage through cross worldly misunderstandings and general fish out of water antics that anyone who has seen  Masters Of The  Universe (1987) will be familiar with. Thor is also unique in that it entrusts a relative unknown (Aussie Chris Hemsworth) with the lead role and places the more revered acting talents around him such as Sir Anthony Hopkins the father and Natalie Portman the storm chasing love interest. Branagh’s film finds it's true heart in a narrative of dynastic woes and sibling treachery which sees our hero banished from Asgardian royalty to New Mexico badlands, Thor must engage in his alien environment and new friends in order to find his way home. .

.

New: Wild Bill

Wild Bill (2011)

Director: Dexter Fletcher
Writers: Dexter Fletcher, Danny King
Stars: Charlie Creed-Miles, Will Poulter and Liz White

Buried beneath the heavy concrete terrain of an east London skyline, itself swallowed up by the sprawling almost monstrous constructs of the imminent summer Olympiad, dwell the complex myriad of indigenous life which we peer into rookie director Dexter Fletcher’s Shameless meets Eastenders Goldfish bowl , where the natives hide under the veneer of hooded tracksuits, baseball caps, West Ham United glyphs and shabby council properties. Fletcher’s choice of aesthetic layers creates an effective personal space for his characters to bare all in what is quintessentially a snapshot of the contemporary urban British underclasses.

Fletcher embraces a plethora of themes which at times is problematic but also typical and honest traits of most directorial debuts, usually incumbent of the personal near self-biographical nature of  maiden projects as well as the developing maturation of artistry and artistic discipline. There are shades of Fletcher’s career history bursting onto screen throughout, there is the “guns and geezers” pastiche of the likes of Lock Stock and Layercake, pre and post-adolescent inflections no doubt drawn in some form from a past in children’s TV. All of which manifest in a diversity and fluctuation of the tone and pace which encompasses comedic and dramatic flair with good measure.

The strengths of the piece are undoubtedly the earnest endeavours of the script, telling a most simplistic yet salient story of our times, whilst the ensemble cast produce a stream of coherent performances to both authenticate and entertain. When an ironically mild Bill (Charlie Creed-Miles) returns from an eight year stretch, he looks to instantly remedy the ills created by his incarceration by searching for his two sons, what he finds at the end of this process is that with sustained hiatus comes restrained welcome making re-assimilation all the more trickier. The biggest slice of resentment comes from the star of the show Will Poulter who in playing the eldest son Dean manages a performance that mirrors the plight of his character, a 15 year old who is forced to be a man though he is yet a boy assuming patriarchal control of his younger brother Jimmy and himself. Poulter’s projection is a frowning determination delivering tough talk and home truths to “Bill”, calling and in the same sense mocking him as just that and refusing to use the expected but as yet unearned epithet. 

The narrative plays out key inversions, the closer Bill gets to parental reconciliation, the more caustic his relationship with the local drug dealers of his own nefarious past become. Whilst the more Dean and his troublesome sibling let their guard down, invoking their estranged fathers care that is alien to them, the more vulnerable they become. In the end Fletcher strikes gold by exploring socially corrosive subjects of absent fathers,  drugs and violence against women with no shortage of charm, wit and heart warming humanity.

By no means perfect (few are at this stage)  but a great way to get off the mark as a director.

7.5/10


My Top 5 Directorial Debuts



5. Catherine Hardwicke - Thirteen (2003)

Hardwicke's debut is extremely raw, ill-disciplined and rough around the edges yet somehow she pulls off a terrify look at teen lawlessness that will make you want to lock up your teenage daughters safely.



4. Sofia Coppola - The Virgin Suicides (1999)

Stepping into daddy's (Francis Ford) vocation and enormous shadow, Sofia Coppola does the family name proud with this tale of rebellion and constraint of five sisters in suburban 70's Detroit.

3. Xavier Dolan - I Killed My Mother (2009) 

French Canadian cinema it could be said gets the best of both worlds, with the bluster of North America and the guile of Gallic nuance. Dolan dexterously captures just that in this visual absorbing self portrait of his schooling, parenting and handling of his own sexuality. 

2.Niels Mueller - The Assassination of Richard Nixon (2004)

It is somewhat surprising that a relative unknown was able to capture so hauntingly and tragically the true essence of one mans alienating disenfranchisement with the American Dream. Sean Penn is a huge contributor adding this to his pantheon of grandiose performances, but the guidance of Mueller is real achievement here.

1.Terrence Malick - Badlands (1973)

Malick's debut is a wonderfully convoluted cocktail of juxtaposing genre and theme, murderous yet romantic, vast yet personal, committed yet doubting. All in the name of conceited young love between Martin Sheen and Sissy Spacek whose naive impulses amount to a blood soaked road trip, traversing the baron nothingness of the eponymous dusty plains.

For Goodbyes

Before the Devil Knows You’re Dead (2007)

Director: Sidney Lumet
Stars: Philip Seymour Hoffman, Ethan Hawke and Marisa Tomei


Before the Devil Knows You’re Dead (2007) is a scintillating crime drama, a forlorn reflection of its characters repulsive mindsets as a result of their diseased auras which are fed with malignant conceits and ideals. The story is in part simple Andy (Hoffman) is looking for illogically quick answers to complex questions, his life is a dangerous white collar composite of smoke and mirrors, whilst his marriage (to Tomei) is longing for reinvigoration. Together with his equally bedraggled brother (Hawke) Andy plots a heist which involves their parents jewellery store being the Mark. The Caper however is doomed to fail, this is established from the outset, the narrative is delivered through a reconstructed chronology which succeeds in creating a slow burn for the outing of truth and revelation.

This exhibit of skilfully assembled tonal poison and equally dextrous tri-lineal structure was to be director Sidney Lumet last feature before his passing in early 2011. Lumet's, perhaps never repeated the highs of arguably his most celebrated work Dog Day Afternoon (1975) but Before the Devil Knows You’re Dead is a fitting last memory of a fine film maker.

8/10

Other notable swan songs.

Steve McQueen – The Hunter (1980) Bounty Hunter Ralph Thorson (McQueen) has a lot on his plate he’s getting too old for his current vocation, his girlfriend is expecting and worst of ALL someone is trying to kill him. Here be the premise for Steve McQueen’s final screen appearance, by no means vintage but respectable punctuation mark on a lasting legacy.

Jack Lemmon - The Legend Of Bagger Vance (2000) In his role as narrator it is perhaps fitting that Jack Lemmon would say goodbye using in the main his most salient commodity – His voice. Lemmon’s long and distinguished career saw a series of transformations in appearance but his voice remained at its unmistakeable best to the end warm, glowing, rhythmical with what would become a trademark mid-sentence plunge of pitch.


Marlon Brando – The Score (2001) There is a touch of irony when looking at Brando’s last hurrah, firstly he would appear opposite Robert De Niro with whom he shared Oscar glory for portrayals of the same Vito Corleone character. More sadly though and as shallow as it seems this would act as a sad indictment of how Brando would spend the later portions of his life, unrecognisable from the striking features of his heydays which had subsequently been eroded by a propensity for cake and willingly redundant sense of vanity. In the end The Score is a well worth seeing heist movie, finding pay dirt with its male leads (including Ed Norton) in fine form.

Sergio Leone – Once Upon A Time In America (1984) Leone's parting gift was more than just an epic crime drama telling a vast story spanning 40 years, it indeed may have in some way brought about his end. The energy expended, the tumultuous battle with studio interference in post production and the initial poor reception of the film was said to have damaged and exhausted Leone greatly. Once Upon A Time In America is now however revered as a classic possessing an enigmatic spirit, a transcendence of social and religious theme as well as a stunning operatic grandeur.