All at Sea in 2013

While I was sitting watching All is Lost the other day, I got an unshakeable feeling of deja vu. This was the fifth film I had watched this year that was set at sea and involved ships being wrecked or Somali pirates trying to take down a boat. I'm tempted to add The Impossible to this list as even though that film is not set at sea, it is also about how dangerous and unforgiving the ocean can be which is a factor in at least three of the below films.

Anyway forget the stars like Robert Redford and Tom Hanks, it seems to me that the biggest star of 2013 is the big blue, vast ocean. I loved all of these films and I see that many people have been putting Captain Phillips and All is Lost on their top 10 lists of 2013 so I thought I would give a shout out to a few other examples of sea-faring adventures in the modern world.

I've decided also that I just love a good survival story, especially true stories. That is another reason that The Impossible would kind of fit nicely onto this list. But also in recent years we have had Gravity (sadly not a true story) and 127 Hours, Touching the Void and World Trade Center. Perhaps I may have to make a list of my favourite survival stories next!

For now, please give these films a try if you're not sick of the sight of salt water already!

All is Lost

'If you found Gravity's cliched characters underwhelming then All is Lost is a welcome blast of fresh sea air.'

The Deep

'The Deep elevates the ordinary man into an extraordinary subject. It might not excite as much as a Hollywood version but it captures the drama of the sinking and subsequent survival with commendable restraint.'

Captain Phillips

'Contrasting the pirates' homes with the container yards makes for a sickening comparison of first world wealth hoarding and third world desperation. It really does not feel like the Somalis have much choice in what they do in life. They have been stripped of all opportunities and must take something back if they are to survive. The young actors give life and breath to the tragically young men that tangled with the far superior American forces. Captain Phillips is an underdog story of epic proportions where the underdogs never stand a chance.'

A Hijacking

'A Hijacking might not have the explosive action its title might suggest in a Hollywood film but it has high tension, high drama and high stakes. Though it skips the actual moment of hijacking, it never flinches from the psychological repercussions on the main players. For the 120 plus days depicted, it is completely captivating.'

Life of Pi

'Life Of Pi has taken eleven years to get from page to screen but is absolutely worth the wait. Ang Lee has created an unbelievably cinematic treatment of the novel. Though the film itself takes its time getting to the heart of the story, the cinematography is spellbinding, the score is stirring and newcomer Suraj Sharma gives a heartfelt and compelling performance as hero Pi.'

Any other examples I should see?

Why don't you stay awhile? More 2013 lists from I Love That Film:

Best British Films of 2013

TV in 2013: Breaking Bad, Dexter, The Walking Dead, Homeland and more

World Cinema in 2013

Best books I read in 2013

Top Documentaries of 2013

2013 List of Shame or 25 films I should have seen this year

2013 Top 10 Horror, Fantasy and Science Fiction

2013 Top 10 So Far (written in July)

Top 25 Films to see in 2014

2013 Top 10 Horror, Fantasy and Science Fiction

Starburst Magazine have asked all their contributors to come up with their top 10 of 2013. Starburst are a magazine dedicated to horror, fantasy and science fiction so all the movies picked have to fall into those genres. Also because the issue that looks back on 2013 has to be printed and ready to be published before the year comes to an end, only films released from November 2012 to November 2013 can be included.

That means yes to The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey and no to The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug. As it happens, I'm haven't even included An Unexpected Journey into my top 10 of the year anyway. However it did just miss making this list along with Safety Not Guaranteed, This is the End and Elysium.

So here are my top 10 horror, fantasy and science fiction films of the past year. Click the titles to read my full reviews:

10. Grabbers (Reviewed at Static Mass Emporium)

"Like a happy drunk, it appears effortlessly entertaining. More importantly it sobers up nicely when something more than lairy laughs are required of it. As the characters get increasingly inebriated, Grabbers manages to up the terror while also upping the comedy. No film that’s this funny is ever going to scare the pants off the audience but it does manage making exciting look easy. Go see it inebriated and have a laugh along with the tanked up characters. You might not wet yourself with fear but if you get pissed enough before hand, you’ll probably piss yourself laughing."

9. Star Trek Into Darkness

"The action and special effects are spectacular but never overwhelm in the same way as some of the more CG assisted scenes in other summer blockbusters (namely Man of Steel). All in all Abrams has nailed the reinvention and whether he chooses to return for a third Star Trek film or not, he has set the franchise up beautifully for further adventures. Let's all cross our fingers and hope that he can he can do the same for the galaxy far far away... "

8. You're Next

"Aussie stunner Sharni Vinson is the biggest reason to watch You're Next and her character Erin is quick to fight back when the masked men come a-knocking. She is endlessly resourceful, smart, strong and sexy and you will root for her right to the vicious end. As the body count surges and spikes, Vinson's Erin is forced into action; not just action but brilliantly brutal violence. The other victims might be infrequently sympathetic but screaming and shouting at each other does provide some darkly comic moments."

7. Iron Man 3 (Reviewed at Filmoria)

"Tony Stark might be battling demons, making Iron Man 3 slightly darker, but the trademark wit is still present and Robert Downey Jr. gives another performance that effortlessly demonstrates why Iron Man has become the leader of not only the Avengers but also Marvel's Phase 2 and also a bold and brilliant start to summer blockbuster season."

6. Gravity

Technically astounding, utterly gripping, but a little lazy in the story department.

5. Cloud Atlas

"Cloud Atlas is incredibly ambitious, an impossible adaptation that manages to capture the essence of the book and improve it with a streamlined and smart narrative structure. The directors have created breathtaking, visually astounding different worlds, taken a potentially pretentious idea and visualised it on a grand scale, both entertaining and intellectually stimulating."

4. The World's End (Reviewed at Filmoria)

"Instantly quotable and with some of the best profanity ever written, The World’s End is a great way to spend your last night on Earth."

3. Evil Dead (Reviewed at Filmoria)

"Relentlessly gory, with some of the most inventive and disgusting scenes of self-mutilation ever seen on screen; this is Evil Dead for the torture porn generation but far more fun than that sounds. Never quite as scary as the original, it makes up for this with shocking amounts of splatter-tastic violence."

2. Life of Pi (Reviewed at Static Mass Emporium)

"Life Of Pi has taken eleven years to get from page to screen but is absolutely worth the wait. Ang Lee has created an unbelievably cinematic treatment of the novel. Though the film itself takes its time getting to the heart of the story, the cinematography is spellbinding, the score is stirring and newcomer Suraj Sharma gives a heartfelt and compelling performance as hero Pi. Just don’t expect it to turn atheists into believers."

1. The Hunger Games: Catching Fire (Reviewed at Starburst Magazine)

"The romance is starved of oxygen by the grim mood of the first half but finally sparks begin to fly until it positively crackles by the end. Building to an electrifying climax, this is one of the best science fiction sequels since The Empire Strikes Back."

What were your favourites of the past year? 

By the way, the worst of the year booby prize goes to Rob Zombie's Lords of Salem which I was overly generous to when I gave it 2 and half stars at Filmoria.

Best Picture Oscar Catch Up

I've just got back from finally seeing Django Unchained and with just two days left until the Oscar ceremony, I've still got to see Beasts of the Southern Wild and Lincoln out of the best picture nominees. Showcase Cinemas are doing a special offer for their Insider members that you can get two tickets to Beasts for only £5 all this week up to Thursday and you can get a single ticket for Lincoln for just £5.

Of the Best Picture nominees, I have already seen the following and if I've reviewed them, just click the title:

Argo
Amour
Life of Pi
Silver Linings Playbook
Les Miserables
Django Unchained
Zero Dark Thirty 

For some reason I've only reviewed five of these and I'm afraid it's far too late to write reviews of Argo and Amour as I saw them both ages ago. Suffice to say, I loved Argo but Amour wasn't really my bag, well crafted and superbly acted though it undoubtedly is.

As I said in this post the other day, I've got a little bit of money riding on the Oscars this year and am hoping selfishly and stupidly for Zero Dark Thirty to win best picture; not for its directing, acting, story, cinematography or the whole producing package but simply because the odds are about 80/1 and I'd make a killing!

Anyway this is by far the most of the best picture nominees I have ever seen before the Oscar ceremony so it all makes the awards season slightly more interesting and entertaining than I normally find it. I guess the main purpose of this post is to ask anyone reading this, how may of the best picture nominees have you seen?

And if I could only see one out of Beasts of the Southern Wild or Lincoln before the awards ceremony, what would you recommend is the one I should go for?

So far, for me I'd like either Argo or Life of Pi to bag the award. Les Mis and Amour should get some for acting and give Tarantino one for his best screenplay since Pulp Fiction!

Oscar Nominations 2013

My predictions are highlighted along with a few words about what I've seen, what I'd like to win and what I'm disappointed about.


Best Supporting Actor:
 
Christoph Waltz, Django Unchained
Philip Seymour Hoffman, The Master
Robert De Niro, Silver Linings Playbook
Alan Arkin, Argo
Tommy Lee Jones, Lincoln

I’ve only seen Argo and Silver Linings Playbook but I suspect it will go to one of these two, probably Tommy Lee Jones I reckon.

Best Supporting Actress:
 
Sally Field, Lincoln
Anne Hathaway, Les Miserables
Jacki Weaver, Silver Linings Playbook
Helen Hunt, The Sessions
Amy Adams, The Master

I’ve only seen Silver Linings Playbook but from the trailer alone, I’d be surprised if Hathaway doesn’t win this for Les Miserables.

Best Director:
 
David O'Russell, Silver Linings Playbook
Ang Lee, Life of Pi
Steven Spielberg, Lincoln
Michael Haneke, Amour
Benh Zeitlin, Beasts of the Southern Wild

I’ve seen all of these except Beasts of the Southern Wild and Lincoln. I’d love to see Ang Lee get it but my money is on The Beard.

Best Actor:
 
Daniel Day Lewis, Lincoln
Denzel Washington, Flight
Hugh Jackman, Les Miserables
Bradley Cooper, Silver Linings Playbook
Joaquin Phoenix, The Master

I’ve seen Flight and Silver Linings but this has Daniel Day-Lewis written all over it!

Best Actress:
 
Naomi Watts, The Impossible
Jessica Chastain, Zero Dark Thirty
Jennifer Lawrence, Silver Linings Playbook
Emmanuelle Riva, Amour
Quvenzhané Wallis, Beasts of the Southern Wild

Haven’t seen Zero Dark Thirty or Beasts and though I’d love to see The Impossible win something, I don’t think it will be for Watts’ performance unfortunately. Jennifer Lawrence has the best shot I reckon.

Best Picture:
 
Beasts of the Southern Wild
Silver Linings Playbook
Zero Dark Thirty
Lincoln
Les Miserables
Life of Pi
Amour
Django Unchained
Argo

Well if they are going to snub Affleck for director, then I think it is only fair to give Argo Best Picture. Everyone loved it, myself included.

Animated Film:

“Brave” Mark Andrews and Brenda Chapman
“Frankenweenie” Tim Burton
“ParaNorman” Sam Fell and Chris Butler
“The Pirates! Band of Misfits” Peter Lord
“Wreck-It Ralph” Rich Moore

I’ve only seen Frankenweenie but surely it’s between this and Brave.

Cinematography:

“Anna Karenina” Seamus McGarvey
“Django Unchained” Robert Richardson
“Life of Pi” Claudio Miranda
“Lincoln” Janusz Kaminski
“Skyfall” Roger Deakins

Would love to see either Skyfall or Life of Pi win this but think it should go to Skyfall.

Foreighn language film:

“Amour” Austria
“Kon-Tiki” Norway
“No” Chile
“A Royal Affair” Denmark
“War Witch” Canada

Though I’ve only see Amour, I’m completely gutted The Hunt isn’t here. Amour must win if they gave Haneke a nod.

Adapted screenplay:
“Argo” Screenplay by Chris Terrio
“Beasts of the Southern Wild” Screenplay by Lucy Alibar & Benh Zeitlin
“Life of Pi” Screenplay by David Magee
“Lincoln” Screenplay by Tony Kushner
“Silver Linings Playbook” Screenplay by David O. Russell

Hope Life of Pi gets it but could go to Argo or Lincoln.

Original screenplay:

“Amour” Written by Michael Haneke
“Django Unchained” Written by Quentin Tarantino
“Flight” Written by John Gatins
“Moonrise Kingdom” Written by Wes Anderson & Roman Coppola
“Zero Dark Thirty” Written by Mark Boal

No idea but would be nice for Tarantino to get it maybe.

Overall I think The Impossible deserved more nods and I'm gobsmacked The Hunt isn't in best foreign film! Would have thought Affleck would be in the directing category too. For now I'm off to check out the other categories.

What did you think of this year's noms?

Top 20 of 2012 PART 2: The Final Countdown

Yesterday I posted the first 10 films on my top 20 of 2012 list here. Today I bring you my favourite 10 films of 2012. It's all change since I made a similar list half way through the year.

10. King of Devil’s Island

I reviewed this at Filmoria when it came out on home release. The story of a boys prison on an unforgiving island, King of Devil’s Island makes for stirring viewing. The performances are sovereign, lead by a sinister Stellan Skarsgård and the cinematography and score are supreme.

9. Michael

The second of two films about child abuse in my top 10 which is a bit depressing but they do have a tendency to make very powerful viewing. It’s a haunting, horrible film with a breathtaking open ending. It’s not going to be a film for everyone, but you will find it hard to forget after you have seen it, mostly due to the ending which will leave you thinking about it for days and possibly even months or years.

8. Untouchable

Powered by a wonderful performance from Omar Sy, I reviewed this one for Filmoria and also got to interview the directors. Telling the true story of a young black ex-con from the projects going to work as a carer for a wealthy quadriplegic, Untouchable flies beyond expectations right from the start. See it for Sy’s joyful performance and to witness an inspiring tale of a cross-cultural friendship.

7. Skyfall

I'm not a huge Bond fan but this is possibly my favourite of the franchise.  I thought the opening scene was filled with spectacular action, the cinematography and production design was some of the finest of the year and the mixing of the old with the new made it a Bond for all audiences.  I can't see how it would fail to satisfy any Bond fan or anyone who just loves a good action film. 

6. Life of Pi

Reviewed this for Static Mass Emporium finding it an enchanting, inspiring and surprisingly emotional film filled with wonder, awe-inspiring visuals and a character to root for in the stranded, bereaved but determined Pi. Despite taking eleven years to get from page to screen, it is absolutely worth the wait. Ang Lee has created an unbelievably cinematic treatment of the novel. Though the film itself takes its time getting to the heart of the story, the cinematography is spellbinding, the score is stirring and newcomer Suraj Sharma gives a heartfelt and compelling performance as hero Pi.

5. Argo

A tense thriller directed by and starring Ben Affleck, this delivered on the promise of its unbelievable true story. Smuggling American officials out of Tehran at the height of the Iranian Embassy crisis in 1979 by creating a fake science-fiction film sounds too silly to believe but not only is this a true story, it is a bloody tense and hilarious one at that. Affleck makes the early scenes at the embassy the best and goes for a seriously Hollywood ending but this is consistently exciting and funny with a smidgen of politics thrown in for good measure.

4. The Cabin in the Woods

Turning genre conventions on their head in a hilarious and smart puzzle of a film for horror fans, Cabin in the Woods is fast-paced, fresh, frightening and ridiculously funny!  If you haven't seen it yet, be careful what you read/see before you go in.  Blessed is s/he that knows next to nothing about what is in store. Destined to be studied by film studies students for some time.

3. End of Watch

Reviewed for Static Mass Emporium, it provides a sensationally exciting climax with, director/writer David Ayer getting beneath the bravado, the bravery and the brashness of the boys in blue. Fuelled by superb performances, realistic dialogue and a fantastic soundtrack, End Of Watch is a cop thriller with everything you expect from the genre and more. By the end of your watch, the film will have made you laugh and cry and all from the precarious position of the edge of your seat.

2. The Hunt

Reviewed for Static Mass Emporium, it’s a film about the precarious position teachers are in, at the mercy of imaginative children and pitch fork carrying adults. Mads Mikkelsen brings a virtuous integrity to the role, his popular and fun teacher giving way to a reserved and wounded man losing trust in those around him. His character’s arc is compelling and flawlessly written creating a compassionate, caring individual that is forced to show his cracks.

1. The Dark Knight Rises

Saw this the day before my wedding so I was in a very good mood despite just getting over being ill. I’ve since reviewed the Blu-ray release for Filmoria. This is a thrilling, perfectly fitting conclusion to one of the greatest trilogies of all time. With a beautifully haunting and stirring score from Hans Zimmer, it achieves the impossible of making the outcome for Batman, Bruce Wayne and Gotham itself never certain and stands as the pinnacle of comic book movies.

Now that's mine, what were your faves of the year? Check out the democratic top 10 of 2012 as voted for by the contributors of Filmoria here.

Safety Not Guaranteed, Grabbers and More!

Time travel and bloodsucking aliens are going up against Jack Reacher in cinemas from Boxing Day. Thanks to the folks at Den of Geek, I got to see both of these films in a double bill on Tuesday 18th December. They are both getting limited releases from Boxing Day and are up against the little big man himself Tom Cruise. So if you don't fancy seeing everyone's favourite stuntman/Scientologist doing his thing in cinemas, then I can highly recommend giving either Safety Not Guaranteed or Grabbers a go.

Safety Not Guaranteed is directed by newcomer Colin Trevorrow and stars Mark Duplass as a guy who thinks he can time travel.  I have written my review of Safety Not Guaranteed for Static Mass Emporium and you can read it here. 'It may not be a film that breaks new ground for the future but it certainly has enough new to make it sufficiently different to anything you have seen in the past.'

Grabbers is a great bit of Irish fun with the locals on a secluded island finding they have to get drunk to survive an alien invasion. It's really funny, has a great cast and very impressive special effects. I wrote my review of Grabbers for Static Mass Emporium and you can read it here. 'Balancing action, horror and comedy and even squeezing in a sweet romance and love triangle, this is a low budget blockbuster with something for everyone and a real crowd pleasing vibe.'

So don't be disheartened if you don't want to see The Hobbit or the other short guy (perhaps with hairy feet... I don't know ask Katie Holmes), there are other options this festive season. It's probably a bit late but if you aren't ready to let go of the Christmas spirit, you could always read my review of It's a Wonderful Life at Filmoria which I had never seen before this Christmas Eve.

Berberian Sound Studio is also out on DVD from Monday and I reviewed it for Filmoria here. And finally if you haven't seen Life of Pi, it's still in cinemas and I reviewed it for Static Mass Emporium here calling it 'heartfelt and compelling'.

Have you seen any of these? What did you think?

Life of Pi Review @ Static Mass

My review for Ang Lee's magical Life of Pi has been published over at Static Mass Emporium and you can read it here.

I have to say I didn't expect to like this that much but, like its protagonist, I was swept away. The book sounded a little too weird for me. I had somehow got it into my head that Pi was trapped on a boat with a talking tiger. Fortunately though Pi is indeed stuck with only a Bengal tiger for company, said tiger does not actually speak. Instead he is a completely believable composite of a range of special effects that you cannot (and if you were in Pi's shoes, would not dare) take your eyes off.

A boy lost at sea for over 200 days could potentially be boring but thanks to a magnificent performance from a newcomer, some incredible effects work and some of the most stunning cinematography of the year, Life of Pi is an absolute must see on the big screen. Those who haven't been won over by 3D may want to give this a try, though until I see a 2D version, I'm not sure how essential it is.

I should stop my rambling and encourage you to head over to my review at Static Mass Emporium. The film is in UK cinemas December 20th 2012 and is set to make jaws hit floors I can promise you. But don't think it's all about stunning visuals as there is plenty of heart too. It left me with a rather uncomfortable lump in my throat by the end.

Here's a snippet from my review:

'Life Of Pi has taken eleven years to get from page to screen but is absolutely worth the wait. Ang Lee has created an unbelievably cinematic treatment of the novel. Though the film itself takes its time getting to the heart of the story, the cinematography is spellbinding, the score is stirring and newcomer Suraj Sharma gives a heartfelt and compelling performance as hero Pi.'

Have you seen it? What did you think?