The Woman in Black (+ February round up)

The Woman in Black (2012) James Watkins

A Post-Potter Daniel Radcliffe plays widower Arthur Kipps in this scary adaptation of Susan Hill’s novel.

Remember Ghost Train’s at funfairs? You pay your fee, you take the ride, you jump and scream at the various gimmicks that jump out and inevitably laugh about it all once you complete your journey, before immediately forgetting the whole experience when something else comes along. In case you hadn’t guessed, that is an analogy for this fright fest of a picture.

Despite looking too young for the role, Radcliffe is suitably cast as Kipps, a lawyer forced to prove himself by sorting paper work in a spooky old house. Things a

ppear strange from the minute Kipp steps off the train in a small Yorkshire town. The townsfolk are in a state of trauma due to the mysterious accidents and suicides that their children are involved in. Kipp becomes involved after an encounter with the woman in black, a spectral figure who is causing all this death and destruction.

Ignore the 12a certificate; regardless of age, you will be suitably frightened thanks to the films surprisingly intense atmosphere and frequently sustained suspense sequences. Watkins expertly manipulates our senses, using classic horror icons such as creepy dolls, creaky floors and sudden bangs. Radcliffe is the king of the ‘reaction shot’, having r

esponded to CGI in the Harry Potter series for the last ten years, and you’ll believe the fear he shows as he creeps around the house silently for large sections of the film.

When the film isn’t trying to scare you, it keeps its dark, brooding atmosphere but lacks surprises. The plot is a simple affair and only really serves a purpose to link a series of suspenseful set pieces. That is except the ending, which manages to be both sentimental and rather macabre.

See this at the cinema for maximum enjoyment, as without the atmosphere and scares there is little else to this film, but it succeeds in what it sets out to achieve, to spook us.

****

Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close (2012, Stephen Daldry)

What seemed like a sure fire Oscar contender, Daldry’s exploration of 9/11 trauma through the eyes of a young autistic boy, has been met with great hostility amongst the critics. This is largely due its implausibility and over simplification of the most significant event for the Western World this century.

However, this isn’t really an attempt to provide the audience with post 9/11 catharsis, instead it is a fairy tale/fable about a young boy trying to understand and accept the loss of his father. Using autism to explore complex events isn’t new, and in fact the Bollywood film ‘My Name is Kahn’ also using an autistic protagonist to explore America’s response to 9/11. As in that film, the young boy’s attempt to find a lock for his father’s key in an attempt to hold onto his memory, allows the audience to take a detached and child-like view on 9/11. This has its problems but serves the plot well.

The film itself is interesting, but not believable, as a 9-year-old boy wit Asperger’s travels Manhattan trying to find a person to whom the key belongs. The most interesting part of the film is when Oskar, the boy in question, gains a silent travelling companion. Expertly played by Max Von Sydow, he is a character known only as ‘the lodger’ who has made a choice not to speak. We never find out, in detail, the reason behind his choices, which is one of the many unanswered questions found within the films narrative.

It is too small scale and personal to explore 9/11 trauma, but it’s themes of loss, trauma and hope will speak to most audience members. As Oskar replays his Father’s final voicemail messages from the World Trade Center, trying to make some sense out of the catastrophe, and ashamed at his own response and cowardice, it is impossible not to be moved and appreciate the allegory. A surprisingly effective picture, if not taken too literally.

***1/2

The Vow (2012, Michael Sucsy)

Poor Rachel McAdams, she is always forgetting the love of her life. In The Notebook she suffered from dementia, and in her latest offering she’s gone and got amnesia. Just like the former and better film, this plot device allowed the screenwriters to present a series of flashbacks showing how our young couple met and fell in love in sickly sweet fashion.

This film partially succeeds thanks to two great performances by McAdams and Channing Tatum. Tatum in particular is excellent, but let down by his unrealistic, impossibly patient and warm character. After a nasty car crash McAdams character, Paige awakens to find she cannot recall the last five years of her life. As far as she is concerned she is still engaged to her ex-fiancé, and cannot recall why her life has changed so drastically (she is a law school drop out turned bohemian artist.)

The film lacks comedy, and heartache. Tatum, playing Paige’s husband Leo, rarely loses his temper or gives up hope and instead sacrifices everything to get his remind his wife why she fell in love with him. Maybe I’m a pessimist, but his constant good nature is unrelenting, ruining any realism, and indeed any drama.

However, it turns out the film is based on true events, so people like that must exists. Good for them!

**

January Round Up

Roper Review – January Round-Up.

Nothing like a bit of healthy escapism to deny the winter blues. I missed a few big hitters this month but saw a decent array of flicks to warm the cockles. Here are my thoughts.

Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol

Mission Impossible 3 was a film that truly surprised me. More than just a solid action flick, it was a taut and intense affair that elevated Ethan Hunt to the likes of Bourne and Bond. Brad Bird’s (of Pixar fame) follow up lacks the bite of the previous entry into the series, largely thanks to a lackluster enemy, but still has some stand out action set pieces.

The nonsensical plot involving nuclear missiles is easily forgotten, but as you watch Cruise dangle off the tallest building in the world with only one hand, you’ll forget all about his personal life and simply route for Ethan’s survival. Simon Pegg provides some humor in a surprisingly meaty role as the ‘techy’ in Ethan Hunt’s team. You get the feeling the studio feared Cruise’s personal life affecting the box office takings as he gets less attention in this film, but still proves he is one of the most committed actors in Hollywood as he leaps, dives, shoots and fights his way around the world in a nicely entertaining affair.

***

The Artist

If a better film comes out this year, it will have to be an instant classic. What seemed like a ‘darling’ little film at last year Cannes film festival has become a huge hit; rightly so, but rather surprising considering it is essentially a black and white, silent film.

Funny, tragic and romantic thanks to stellar performances by the films leads, it tells the story of a silent movie star who cannot cut in in the world of ‘talking pictures.’ A magical score and perfect pacing elevate this film from art-house experiment to top-notch entertainment. Fight against any reservations you may have and go and see this gem.

*****

Goon

A foul-mouthed Canadian comedy sees American Pie’s Stifler (Seann William Scott) playing a simple small town bouncer who is drafted to a major league Hockey team when his talent for fighting is recognized. A simple sports comedy, you know if you’ll like it from the trailer. Some successful slapstick (and surprisingly brutal) moments provide the laughs but it’s a very forgettable flick.

**

War Horse

Spielberg’s predictably epic adaptation of Morpurgo novel fails as much as it succeeds. It is beautifully shot, stirringly scored and well acted all round; however, it is also overlong and jarringly episodic.

The sanitized war scenes display the horrors of war in family friendly fashion, and there are some stand out moments that show that the master director knows how to tug the heartstrings and quicken the pulse. Joey’s (the horse) flight through no mans land, and a tragic tale of two German siblings who want to escape the fighting will linger with you long after the film finished. However, so will a sickly sweet after taste of a overtly sentimental film that has long dull stretches, and a structure that doesn’t allow you to get attached to any character before they are either killed or left behind as Joey continues his journey. Not a complete failure, but far from Spielberg’s best.

**

Haywire

A direct to DVD plot, staring a professional female kick-boxer is an usual choice for Oscar winning director Steven Soderbergh, but thanks to his undeniably stylish talents this is an thrilling and classy action thriller. The story is a simple revenge thriller of a government agency that turned on its star assassin. Newcomer Gina Carano plays the assassin, and she is tough as nails!

She fights her way through a star-studded ensemble cast in a series of realistic looking bare bones conflicts. It is pure style over substance, but it is done so well you won’t really care.

****

Coriolanus

Ralph Fiennes adaptation of a lesser known Shakespeare play is a good attempt to modernize the story, but unfortunately the story is so poor it drags the film down. Set in a war torn Rome, it revolves around a soldier who is declared a war hero, yet despises the very people that idealize him. Gerard Butler plays the soldier’s arch nemesis. He is someone who can’t act his way out of a paper bag, and remains as wooden as ever. It starts promisingly, but just like the original play, as an awful ending that ruins the exciting build up. Avoid.

*

The Descendants

George Clooney’s greatest performance is the only reason to see this depressing and slow melodrama from the usually excellent Alexander Payne. Set in Hawaii, the plot concerns a Clooney’s character trying to rekindle his relationship with his daughters as they cope with the loss of their mother.

Beautifully shot and performed, but the plot revolves around one emotional conversation to the next. There are moments of comedy, but the whole film is too downbeat, and too emotionally restrained to engage.

**

The Gray

Liam Neeson continues his acting renaissance as Hollywood’s new hard man in this thrilling and moving adventure. When a plane carrying manual workers crashes in the mountains of Alaska, the survivors must face the harsh conditions with no hope of rescue. To make matters worse, they are also been pursued by a pack of wolves.

Liam Neeson has fought the dark side, batman, highlander, the Nazi’s and now a pack of canines. Somehow his natural gravitas, and superb direction from Joe Carnahan makes this a gripping and at times insightful journey. Highly recommended.

Chronicle

This film has come out of nowhere, just like the powers the films stars encounter. A superhero movie, filmed through a video camera a la Cloverfield, paranormal activity etc, Chronicle is fantastic. Arguable the home movie gimmick isn’t needed as the concept is interesting enough.

Choosing to ignore Peter Parker’s motto ‘with great power comes great responsibility,’ the boys initially use their newly found telekinesis for Jackass style pranks. Eventually they learn to harness their power and fly, but unfortunately, not all of the boys choose to use their powers for harmless pranks. A morality tale, a study of friendship and a thrilling action film, Chronicle is a marvel.

****