There are 3 films that I'll talk about here, one that Ive mentioned before (as I saw it at the cinema) and 2 that I saw for the first time.
First up, the film I had seen already.
RISE OF THE PLANET OF THE APES (2011) (Blu-Ray)
Whats left to say about this that I haven't said before? Not much I think. Great film, definitely the start of a franchise re-birth. Plenty of clues to a re-make of the classic and a nice lead into how the apes managed to overthrow humanity. Lets face it, if it was just a fight between apes and man then we would wipe them out fairly quickly due to us having lots (and I mean LOTS) of weapons, while they have sticks and maybe a few guns that they nicked. Not to mention the ape army being maybe a few 100 strong while we have more soldiers in the pensioners home guard at Prestatyn. The Hollywood grape vine has been rife with rumours that a sequel will be a second part to Rise and not a remake of the original. Time will tell but there is definitely room for another film between the two.
One final note about this film. I think the Academy needs to change its thinking on motion capture, as Andy Serkis' motion capture performance of Caesar is definitely worthy of a nomination at least.
Film number 2 is a SCI-FI affair known as....
SKYLINE (2010) (sky movies)
This was a bit of an odd one. Filmed almost entirely in a single apartment with the rest of the scenes all in and around the one apartment block, only an early scene in a plane and the last scene in an alien craft to break the trend. The film follows a couple who travel to LA to meet up with some friends for a birthday party. Of course as soon as the party winds up some uninvited guests turn up. The aliens seem hell bent on harvesting all the humans for their brains. Yup you read that right, brains. You would think, in a universe this big they could find a more intelligent species to steal brains from but never mind.
The film moves along at a fair pace with a few well set out set pieces on the way. Playing out like an alien version of Night Of The Living Dead the tension builds up between the small bunch of people who are held up in the apartment but never really reaches any kind of fatal breaking point, as the aliens manage to pluck someone out of the bunch just in time to break the tension of the group.
The film obviously didn't have the budget of say ID4 or War Of The Worlds but what they had suited the makers well as this is definitely better that the Spielberg/Cruise atrocity and is a nice change to the, 'We will beat the bad guys because we have god and guns on our side,' type of SCI-FI. There's no big speech before the final battle or spiritual enlightenment to be had, it's just a bunch of relatively normal people trapped in a totally abnormal situation.
The film isn't perfect by any means but as a break from the Hollywood norm its certainly worth a viewing.
Starring no one special and a budget to make most block buster laugh this film has nothing to be ashamed of and everything to be proud of. My congratulations to all involved.
One warning. (spoiler) If you like to see the hero get the girl, save the day and ride of into the sunset in a blaze of glory then go watch the Spielberg/Cruise abortion, avoid this at all costs.
My final film is a controversial movie from Serbia. Available in only a heavily edited form in most countries of the world I had to download it in order to be able to give it a fair review. Be warned, what follows may shock.
A SERBIAN FILM (20111) (download/torrent)
Where to start with this film? Well, here goes.
The story involves a retired porn star who is given the chance to star in a new form of Serbian porn, Art Porn. Offered a sum of money that he and his wife find too much to refuse, he accepts. What follows is a slow and terrorising descent into hell for both the porn star and the viewer, as the film he's making quickly turns into a necrophilia, pedophiliac, violent snuff film. This film does have something to say. The obscenity of art and what constitutes art these days, the power of those who have over those who have not, the corruption of government and its view of its people. This film says it all. The director/star/co-writer himself (Srdjan Spasojevic) has stated that it represents how the government fucks us all. I think it succeeds in saying this and a lot more.
The film reminded me of 'Salo, or 120 days of Sodom' by Pier Palo Pasolini. A film he made with the sole purpose of shocking the audience. It succeeded on all levels. Cinema audiences are becoming desensitised by the constant stream of torture porn films like the Hostel and Saw movies. Ive seen people laugh at the most violent scenes (a showing of Straw Dogs in 1990 at the Leeds Film Festival) I found this to be more shocking than any scene from that or any movie since including this one. Audiences need to be knocked back and sickened again as Pasolini did and this film does just that. Should it be banned? probably. Should it be watched? If you can stomach it then yes. Will you remember it? For the rest of your life.
The movie going public needs to be reminded that horrifying movies are horrifying and that just because its a movie doesn't mean that you should laugh or even enjoy graphically violent scenes or violent sexual scenes. If this film or the idea of watching this film makes you nauseous then congratulations, you're still a good human being. If it doesn't then I suggest you see a shrink.
Till next time....
The voice has spoken.
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