Ten Short Film Reviews 1

Casino – 1995, Martin Scorsese
Maybe not Marty’s most artistic achievement, but easily his most watchable. Casino is well over two hours long, but given that the whole film is just one long mafia montage, it flies by.

Shooter – 2007, Antoine Fuqua
Well produced ‘framed man on the run’ action film staring Mark Wahlberg and Danny Glover. Takes itself a bit seriously in the post Iraq climate but it’s entertaining enough.

Fear And Loathing In Las Vegas – 1998, Terry Gilliam
I feel like I should know more about Hunter S Thompson to really understand this film. I suppose this is the best representation of tripping on acid ever filmed, not that I know anything about that either. Benicio Del Toro proves himself the better actor than Jonny Depp (as if we didn’t know it already).

Man on Fire – 2004, Tony Scott
Denzel Washington ends up playing the same thinking man’s badass in most of his films. In this one he’s an alcoholic ex military type who has to resort to working as a bodyguard to an eight year old Dakota Fanning. The film is set in Mexico and was only made a couple of years after City OF God. At that time it may not have been such a cliché to film central America in the grimy over-saturated colours that feature in these films and almost every film set south of the border since COG.
The plot is an original take on the ‘little girl wins over the big tough guy’ story that is normally the domain of Vin Deisel and Dwayne Johnson.


The Name Of The Rose – 1986, Jean-Jacques Annaud
Top quality medieval murder mystery with Sean Connery at his post bond sexiest. Also an excellent performance by Ron Pearlman, who continues to shock me with his ability to star in films that ‘just fall below the radar’ Hellboy aside of course.
The Name Of The Rose has production value to rival any contemporary blockbuster. It really looks like it was filmed in medieval Europe, due in no small part to the excellent work done by the casting director. Every incidental character and extra looks like they belong in the year 1327.

District 9 – 2009, Neill Blomkamp
Sci Fi Aparti Commentri.
One of my top three films of 2009. It’s basically the same idea as Alien Nation but with a far better story. It’s the kind of film that gives us hope that the big studios will put a little faith in original stories rather that sequels. (Que District 9 Part II). I wonder if it would have been the success it was without Peter Jackson’s backing.

Thirst – 2009, Chan-woo Park
An interesting and original take on the vampire genre. Every inch the Chan-woo Park film. Maybe he made a film about vampires as an excuse to have every scene take place at night time. Overall it’s good but it does feature some boringly long sex scenes. Call me a prude but I think graphic humping has no place in serious cinema, ‘never show what you can imply’ etc.

The Last Temptation of Christ – 1988, Martin Scorsese
Very controversial upon release, but obviously less so in the post ‘Passion’ world. This film is based upon a book of the same name which was effectively a novelisation of the life of Jesus with a lot of ‘what ifs’ thrown in. I like and recommend it, but Harvey Keitel is miscast as Judas Iscariot. Imagine ‘Sport’ Matthew (the pimp from Taxi Driver) or Mr White trying to counsel Jesus; ‘Fuck you Jesus, you Jew fuck!’

Hot Fuzz – 2007, Edgar Wright
Maybe not quite as good as Shaun Of The Dead, but only because everyone likes the undead so much. The one with the zombies is probably slightly more believable than this one. After the success of the first film Shaun and Edgar were able to take their pick of British acting talent, including the late Edward Woodward, who we should all take the time to become more familiar with, myself included. This film arrived at just the right time, being released in the same year as Tarentino’s Grindhoue i.e. when films self consciously made up of references to other films were still interesting. Although both films are treading the ground paved by 2001’s Fulltime Killer.

Downfall – 2007, Oliver Hirchbiegel
It’s really good. Better than The Pianist. As good as Schindler’s List.
How long before the definitive film on Stalin?
I share a birthday with Albert Speer.

Jacob’s Ladder – 1990, Adrian Lyne
Another overrated ‘classic’. Just when you think it’s going to get good, Macaulay Culkin appears and brings the anticlimax.

Overnight – 2003, Tony Montana and Mark Brian Smith
An excellent documentary about a man who had Hollywood handed to him on a plate, and then his massive ego threw it all away. That man was Troy Duffy, who wrote the script to ‘The Boondock Saints’ and sold it to Miramax for $300,000, but then it all went wrong. Recommended.