The Strangers (2008)

Horror films are not my usual genre to dip in to. I find the category consumed with cheap thrills and unrealistic characters doing unrealistic things. Very few horror films make it into my top 50 films of all time...and The Strangers is definately not an exception. From the outset I found the film failed to engage me, which left me cold to the plight of the characters, and the lack of dialogue seemed more of a lack of effort than a stylistic choice.

The plot is of two lovers, James Hoyt and Kristen McKay, staying in a remote, isolated vacation home owned by the Hoyt family. When the pair return home from a night out, they are disturbed by a knock at the door by a girl looking for someone. After they send her off, the couple are terrorized by several masked unknowns, whose efforts to scare increase as the film develops. The motivation behind this attack is never explained, and the people behind it are never revealed, making the film completely random and somewhat pointless.

While I appreciate the techniques which have been employed, such as leaving aspects unexplained and not providing too much dialogue, these methods seem to be through a lack of trying. The set pieces are amatuerish, and the use of loud noises to frighten the audience seems lazy. You would think that having such a small cast, low number of locations, and few props that the producers would at least spend some money on some great stunts or effects, but they do not. There is one great scene where a record is skipping and things seem to get tense, but after that I kept looking at my watch.

The beginning of the film says that the story is inspired by real events, but that is just a ploy to make it seem scarier. Films about actual serial killers are often misleading, and the sensationalized plots end up detracting from the gritty realism which would have made a far superior story on screen.

Lakeview Terrace (2008)

Somewhere between Paul Haggis' Crash (2004) and Antoine Fuqua's Training Day (2001) you will find Lakeview Terrace, which is Neil LaBute's action thriller starring Samuel L. Jackson and Patrick Wilson. Set in Los Angeles, Jackson plays bitter cop Abel Turner, whose racist animosity towards new neighbours Chris (Wilson) and Lisa Mattson (Kerry Washington) turns into a fiery feud amidst peaceful suburbia.

The film does a respectful job of discussing the issues surrounding mixed-race relationships, and comes at it from the black perspective which is interesting to see. Jackson is excellent as the angry-yet-cool single father, whose hypocritical attitudes towards his working and home life give an excellent insight into the feelings of many Americans, and how racial equality in the U.S. is still far from view.

L.A. is often the setting for drama about racial tensions, and reflects the tense relationship that the city's inhabitants seem to have. The co-existence of so many ethnic groups appears to make a great film. LaBute has tried to tackle the issue of mixed-race relationships whilst highlighting other issues, such as discrimination in the work place, as we see the female black character struggling to find paid employment whilst the white man has a white collar job and the black man has a civil service job.

There are aspects of the film which seem to relegate it from the ranks of films like Crash and Training Day, such as the all-too-neat ending and the underdeveloped background of Abel Turner, but Lakeview Terrace deserves some appreciation. LaBute has faced some difficult problems in American society head on, and made a film which is both enlightening and entertaining.

The Crucible (1996)

American witch-hunts, be they literal or metaphorical, are always full of excellent drama. Arthur Miller's play The Crucible was made into film by director Nicholas Hytner, who has managed to capture the intensity and pace of the play. Miller wrote the screen play for the film, which works excellently and is evidence of his genius.

The story of The Crucible is about the Salem witch-hunts which took place in the 17th Century. After a group of girls, led by Abigail Williams (Winona Ryder), are discovered dancing in the forest by their puritan leader, the town descends into chaos, with the girls accusing certain townsfolk of bewitching them. What ensues is a dramatic quest for truth amongst vendettas, paranoia, and lies.

Within the film there are some heavyweight performances, most notable is Daniel Day-Lewis, who plays the flawed hero John Proctor, trying to free his accused wife whilst struggling with his own guilt about his private life. Ryder is excellent as the antagonist, and Rob Campbell displays a multitude of abilities as the Reverend Hale.

Plays often work well as movies, as the foundation is already well developed: the script. However, the limited scene locations and duration can often be aspects of a film which do not translate well onto screen. However, Hytner has captured the essence of the story, and made the themes which made Miller's play relevant in the 1950s (during the Red Scare) relevant to a modern audience. The lessons of the Salem witch trials will always be valuable, and cultural productions which evaluate them, such as Miller's play of Hytner's film, are important artifacts for the modern world.

The Warriors (1979)

Walter Hill's The Warriors (1979) is based on a book of the same name, and follows the events of one night in gangland New York, after a meeting of all the gangs in the city ends in the shooting of the most powerful leader. Coney Island gang The Warriors end up being accused of taking the shot, ironically by the actual shooter, and the film follows The Warriors as they attempt to find their way home amidst rival gangs and the police.

The film if full of action packed fighting scenes, chases, and tense moments of wandering the spooky streets at night. While The Warriors works as an action film, it fails to deliver a realistic account of gangland New York, with cleaned up vernacular and outrageously inept rival gangs and cops. Once you see Swan (Michael Beck) lead his group past the first couple of gangs with relative ease, the viewer knows they will be fine getting past the rest.

The structure of the film works well, and the fact that the story takes place over just one night gives a pace and adrenaline rush which will keep the viewer hooked. Also, there are a few snippets of a lady DJ who acts as a public service announcer for the enemy gangs, and keeps them updated on the Warriors progress, which gave a heightened sense of danger within the story. Hill utilizes a comic strip template for the movie, which at first seems like a really interesting way of linking scenes, however, some of the tag lines become ridiculous and it ends up feeling a little silly.

As a gang film is does not deliver the gritty realism which some might expect, but as an action thriller attempting to entertain it succeeds. Just try not to laugh too much.

Funny People (2009)

First of all, this film is not what you think. If you are expecting Adam Sandler and Seth Rogen to have you rolling around on the carpet for two hours think again. Funny People is a dark comedy about two comedians who are both unsuccessful in their own way. Sandler plays George Simmons, who is a famous comedy actor with a string of outrageous, yet popular, films on his belt (no points for making the connection there). Simmons learns that he is dying, and thus descends into a pit of despair and self-pity. One night, during an open mic comedy show, Simmons sees comic Ira Wright (Rogen) and decides that he will employ this young up-and-coming funny man to write some material for him.

The two comedians become close, and we learn all about Simmons' problems, not only medically, but also personally. Ira, at first drawn to the money and fame which will undoubtedly come with being associated with George, gets deeply involved with the suffering of his new employer, and endeavors to help him, even though Simmons subjects him to what can only be described as mental cruelty. The relationship is tumultuous and we see cracks in both personalities.

As a dark comedy, the film is excellent. It worked well for me as I was expecting something completely different, and was pleasantly surprised by the emotion of the story. Sandler gives an excellent performance which is a million miles away from his comedy characters of the past (don't get me wrong, I am a big fan of Little Nicky and Happy Gilmore). Rogen plays the counterpart well, however his character seems a little unbelievable and too saint-like in places. The love story which emerges between Simmons and his ex Laura (Leslie Mann) at first seems like a gripping storyline, however, it soon descends into chaos and lacks any sense.

Directed by Judd Apatow (who has made a whole host of comedy films such as Superbad and Anchorman), the film plays a dirty trick on the viewers who will be expecting a comedy knockout, and will only receive watery eyes and a few laughs. But for those who watch it and also love a bit of depth to their movies, they will be pleasantly surprised. After seeing Sandler's abilities in this film, I will never be able to watch The Waterboy again...That's a lie, I love that film.

The Hurt Locker (2008)

When it comes to films depicting aspects of the War on Terror, the market is busy. Since 2003 a score of movies have been released which tackle the sensitive issues of the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, with many failing to hit the mark. The Hurt Locker, however, manages to capture an intensity which surrounds the nature of the conflict, and focuses on one of the most terrifying aspects of the war, which is I.E.D's (Improvised Explosive Devices). The film follows a team of bomb disposal soldiers in Iraq, and their experiences with the Afghan people, as well as the relationship between the members of the team.

Kathryn Bigelow, director of Point Break (1991) and K-19 The Widowmaker (2002), directs a brilliant insight into the experience of soldiers in Iraq, and does not allow the audience a chance to catch their breath for most of the film. The movie moves around several different sights of bomb threats, and we see the choices that need to be made and the impact of those choices on the people involved. Aside from a distracting side plot of locating an Afghan boy's family, the film is spectacular, and I would recommend it as an excellent War on Terror film.

Other films in the War on Terror genre which are worthy of mention include: Lions For Lambs (2007), Rendition (2007), and Home of the Brave (2006), which all tackle aspects of the War in an intelligent manner. However, many of the War on Terror movies fail to reach a status of Greats. Unlike Vietnam, which has many excellent films depicting it's events, the War on Terror is yet to have an outstanding movie. This may be due to the fact that the War is still occurring, or that the events of more troubling to depict, however, I eagerly await a film which measures up to the likes of Platoon (1986) or Apocalypse Now (1979).

Tears of the Sun (2003)

Antoine Fuqua's devastating film, Tears of the Sun (2003), focuses on a civil war raging through Nigeria, in which a U.S. Navy team have been sent to rescue American national Dr. Kendricks. As the team, led by Lieutenant A. K. Waters (Bruce Willis), attempt to move Dr. Kendrick and her Nigerian patients to the Cameroon boder, they are pursued by the Rebel who are killing their way through the African land. The film balances a sensitive, emotional story with tense action that keeps you stuck to your chair.



The plight of Africa is a recurring theme for many filmmakers, and Fuqua has managed to create a movie that discussed many aspects of the continent's troubles. Issues such as child soldiers, tribal conflict, and the rules of war are brought to the surface, which can often be over-sentimentalized. However, Tears of the Sun manages to avoid an overly moralistic approach, and just displays the story with an almost cold detachment, which allows the audience to interact with the themes far more effectively. An example of this is Willis' character, whose determination to "get the job done" allows him to avoid getting attached to the suffering of those around him.



While the film focuses mainly on Africa's woes, it also makes insightful comments on the West, in particular America's intervention into international crises which, during the 1990s, was ineffective in comparison to the resources they held.



The film has several cheese moments (which seem inescapable in an American war film), but these are only few and far between. Fuqua has created a poignant and gutsy movie, which does not linger on the pointless details, but fires the issues straight into the audience's face.

The Men Who Stare At Goats (2009)

With an all-star cast, The Men Who Stare At Goats (2009) was full of promise to deliver an epic comedy with one of the wackiest plots. The story is of a journalist, played by Ewan McGreggor, in Iraq stumbling upon members of a secret division of the U.S. Army, known as the New Earth Army, who were handpicked for their psychic abilities. Unfortunately, director Grant Heslov fails to put together a coherent movie, and the twists and turns seem irrelevant and boring.

There are some very funny moments which make the film passable, however, these appear to rarely. George Clooney, who plays Lyn Cassady, one of the most skilled members of the New Earth Army, displays the best comedic performance, and is the most engaging character within the film.

The Men Who Stare At Goats is based on a book by Jon Ronson, released in 2004 with the same title, which describes the real-life research which the U.S. Army undertook to test New Age ideas on the battlefield. Techniques such as trying to run through walls or stare out the enemy were attempted, and this is where the comedy of the story lies.

While the quirky premise of the film appealed to me greatly, I was disappointed in the end with a mediocre production and a few less-than-average performances from seasoned actors who should deliver more. No wonder the New Earth Army never caught on.

Inception (2010)

Adding to his already impressive repertoire of recent films, Christopher Nolan has written and directed one of the most notable films of the year. Inception (2010) concerns itself with dreams, and the possibility of using someone's subconscious to alter their fate. The film is a visual feast of rich settings, striking action sequences, and some remarkable filming techniques, and the acting is pretty good too.

Leonardo Di Caprio is excellent as the lead role of Cobb, who is an expert dream invader, on one last mission. Of the performances within the film, the most notable is Ellen Page, who plays Ariadne, a talented, yet naive, dream architect. Her career to date has been impressive, and Inception promises to be a sign of extraordinary things to come.

Movie viewers should note that this is not a film to relax with, it is intelligent, deep, and lenghty. The storyline demands attention, and I feel at least a two-watch minimum. However, for those looking for a film worthy of a modern Cinema ticket price, Nolan has given you a film you can definitely sink your teeth into. The complexities, layers, and intrigue make this a lasting movie, and a summer Must See.

Avatar (2009)

With the re-release of James Cameron's Avatar (2009), cinema goers are being offered another chance to experience the enchanting world of Pandora. This begs the question: why again? An easy answer would be money, with Avatar becoming the highest grossing film ever (overtaking Cameron's 1997 blockbuster Titanic), however, the answer can more likely be found within the changes Cameron has made to the cinema experience.

With the plentiful supply of 3D films emerging in cinemas this year, such as The Hole 3D, Pirana 3D, and Clash of the Titans, the trail can easily be linked to Avatar's release, and massive success, earlier this year. The added dimension to the cinematic experience has created a new wave of excitement within the industry, and has ushered in a new age of film production. Three dimensional films are not new, and have existed within theme parks and other movie outlets for years, however, Cameron's exceptional artistry has been able to provide more than just the odd jump-out-of-your-seat scare. Avatar uses 3D to subtley enhance the visual experience of viewers, whilts maintaing a credible and authentic production.

The movie itself is excellent on a number of levels, including outstanding effects, brilliant directing, and imagery that will stay with you long after you leave the cinema. Critics have highlighted a few flaws within the film, such as a more than simplistic plot, and several shaky performances, however, the numbers speak for themselves.

The history books will remember Cameron's influence on the movie industry with Avatar, and it is clear why it should be re-released at cinemas. The year 2010 is undoubtedly Cameron's.