Attack The Block

In the first 5 minutes of Attack The Block, you realise that this film isn’t Independence Day meets Shaun of the Dead. It’s a totally different beast. You can compare it to Super 8 or Stand By Me if you like, but that would be the kind of lazy marketing spiel that you’d probably see on the poster and it wouldn’t do this film justice as a great bit of sci-fi fun.

Joe Cornish, the comedian and one half of The Adam and Joe Show, as well as one of the screenwriters of the new Tin Tin film, has made a superior Brit sci-fi film that manages to be an all out actioner with laughs, rather than an all-out comedy with action (i.e. Shaun of the Dead). It’s directed with energy and style, and the council estate is portrayed as a brilliantly labyrinthine and atmospheric place. It’s full of great characters and  funny dialogue, all spoken with the authenticity of someone who has done their research in to how these kids talk. (Joe Cornish spent a long time researching the dialogue to make it sound accurate, and pulls it off without it sounding cliché.)

The story concerns Moses and his gang of friends who live on a Wembley council estate. It’s Halloween and they’re looking to exploit the police’s stretched resources by mugging some innocent people. Now, that doesn’t sound like your average bunch of kids in a sci-fi movie. And  that’s part of the charm and interest- and how it takes what is a fairly traditional storyline and make it original. These kids aren’t do-gooders or wholesome Americans looking to make a zombie film (Super 8 comparison over) but real kids who struggle to survive and want to make more of themselves.

Moses and his gang rob a nurse, but are distracted when the car they are standing next to explodes after being hit by a firework.  It turns out this isn’t a firework at all, but a nasty little alien. They give chase and once they’ve caught up with it, they kick the crap out of it. Little do they know, that is the beginning of their problems, as soon after, big, fast and fluorescent aliens begin to drop down on the block, putting Moses and his gang in the middle of an alien invasion.

Along the way, the encounter drug dealers, stoners, police, that nurse again (played by Jodie Whitakker) and the action cranks up to a satisfying and fast paced finale. There is real peril here and each  character gets his moment to shine.

There might be a few times when you want to know more about these aliens, or to see them in more detail, but you can imagine that the budget just didn’t allow it. That is a very minor quibble. Because when you combine the great acting from an unknown cast; brilliant cinematography; great direction and a foot tapping soundtrack, you’ve got a cult classic on your hands.

And it’s better than Shaun of the Dead. There. I said it.

Have a look at this blog from pagelady, who has studied the linguistics of the film to help Americans understand the dialogue. Of course, Americans wil never understand it, but it goes to show the effort Cornish put in to making it sounds authentic.

 http://pagelady.wordpress.com/2011/09/06/helping-americans-understand-attack-the-block/

Captain America

My review in a nutshell:

It’s got that guy from Fantastic Four in it.

He’s really weedy, then get a jab that hulks him out so he can go and ‘kick nazi butt.’

He has a silly haircut.

He has a silly outfit.

It’s a piece of nauseous American gung-ho patriotism.

It’s really long.

Its got that guy from Vicar of Dibley in it.

The bad guy looks like a pizza.

It’s got a stealth bomber in it, even though it is set in World War II.

It’s not as good as this one:

Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy

Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy  is one of those films that comes along every few years and makes you question the majority of films you watch.

To sit through two hours of this highly detailed, intelligent and rewarding thriller only serves to highlight the dumbing down of 95% of the films out there. You won’t find any simple exposition monologues to get you through the narrative, but if you are watching carefully, you’ll find it’s not nearly as complicated as people have made out. It simply asks you to pay attention, which is a refreshing change from Ten-Things-That-Will-Make-You-Lose-A-Guy- If-He’s-Not-That- In-To-You.

You won’t get a Bourne car chase or any romantic trysts (though some may be implied) but you’ll get a leather briefcase full of intense drama and the complicated machinations of a host of fascinating characters, which leads you inexorably to an ending you might know is coming, but will keep you on the edge of your seat regardless. It’s one of the best films I’ve seen in a very long time. It’s without doubt the best le Carre adaptation to date and in terms of directorial skill, Tomas Alfredson has even surpassed his incredible work on Let The Right One In.

Tinker is the story of 1970’s spymasters- all paranoid, all uncertain; all convinced there is a mole within their tight-knit group of Oxbridge educated paunches. John Hurt, who plays Control, the head of this group of spies, is convinced there is a mole in his ranks, and so sets in motion a series of events that lead to increased paranoia, double crossing, doubt, violence, and, ultimately, revelation. And while this is an ensemble cast, it’s success rests on the shoulders of our national treasure, Gary Oldman, who plays George Smiley, Control’s right hand man. It is his quiet intelligence which draws you in to the film. With a movement of his eyes or a touch of his glasses, he suggests so much that he almost needn’t talk at all. But when he does, you know it will be authoritative and insightful and will spur the plot forward. Smiley, with his right hand man, Guillam (an excellent Benedict Cumberbatch) sets out to get to the bottom of the rumours and determine if there really is a mole in ‘The Circus.’

Tomas Alfredson was the perfect choice of director for this film. His cool and fluid camera work fits perfectly with the gritty, beige 1970’s look, with delicate use of close up, intelligent cut-aways and some genius touches that keep some important figures faceless and enigmatic as the film progresses. One speech to camera by Oldman is Oscar worthy, as he recounts his meeting with his nemesis, Karla, (his Russian counterpart) by re-enacting the conversation as though Karla were seated opposite him. It’s an acting masterclass. But it’s a performance you only realise is genius once the film has finished – there are no Christian Bale histrionics scenery chewing here. This is an actor at the very top of his game. The cast of supporting spies is uniformly excellent, each bringing their own shifting eyes and hidden agendas to the roles (Colin Firth, Mark Strong, Toby Jones, Tom Hardy, Ciaran Hinds).  But Oldman still steals the show. His portrayal of a man beleaguered, tired and lonely, yet with a razor sharp intellect and gentle demeanour is one of the year’s best. It is impossible to tear your eyes from him when he is on screen, as you find yourself looking for a flick of the eyebrow or a twitch that might give away what he is thinking.

It’s riveting, it’s thrilling, its hypnotic. It’s brilliant. You might not get a car chase; you’ll find much of the action comes from a group of middle aged men talking to each other, but your adrenaline levels will be high as any blockbuster.