The Twilight Saga: New Moon review

The Twilight Saga: New Moon ‘dazzles’ viewers across the globe.

Clutching my prepaid ticket to the midnight screening of the latest instalment of the box-office busting Twilight saga, I stepped out of the taxi at an eager 11.09pm. Apparently not eager enough. Imagine my surprise when I look up onto the third floor of Sunset Mall, Miami and saw a line of five hundred strong excited and apprehensive men, women and children snaking its way around the entire precinct and ending by my feet in the parking garage. Perhaps it was naïve of me to underestimate the popularity of a multi-million dollar franchise that has gripped a generation of fans like that of an unstoppable epidemic.

After pushing my way into the entrance of the movie theatre, I was greeted by an unruly mob consisting of mainly teenage girls frantically trying to find seats in one of the twenty auditoriums that displayed the 12.01am screening. Others took their place at the back of one of two queues. The first being the merchandise stand selling cups, posters and t-shirts bearing the faces of the immortal cast of heartthrobs. The second was unsurprisingly, the women’s bathroom. (Naturally, the men’s was absolutely fine).

After employing very questionable means to secure myself and my friends seats next to each other, I looked around at the buzzing pandemonium and one single thought entered my mind: this mayhem could only be in honour of the agonisingly awaited motion picture monster: New Moon.

After what seemed to the average fan an eternity, the lights dimmed and the opening shot appeared on screen accompanied by ominous music. The much uttered title appeared encircling the figure of a moon at night. This alone caused the audience to let out screams and applause reminiscent of a child when he sees an ice-cream truck.

New Moon continues the story of the forbidden love between Bella Swan (Kristen Stewart) and her un-dead paramour Edward Cullen (Rob Pattison). The film begins by chronicling Bella’s trepidation at growing older whilst her vampire boyfriend remains eternally young and beautiful. This is illustrated in a stunning dream sequence the night before her eighteenth birthday. Director Chris Weitz shows an appreciation and understanding for both aesthetic beauty and sensory pleasure in scenes such as this, displaying cinematographic excellence in both composition and photography. This is the first of many scenes to follow that contribute to the splendour and reverence of this cinematic effort.

The bulk of the picture is dedicated to Bella’s attempted recovery after Edward leaves her and plunges her world into darkness. Enter Jacob. Bella slowly finds the key to numbing her emotional pain and filling the void that the Cullens left, is to spend time with her childhood friend and persistent admirer, Jacob Black (Taylor Lautner). Bella’s life undertakes various twists and turns as she discovers that she has visions of Edward when doing something adrenaline-packed and life-threateningly reckless.

While Bella’s heart is slowly, being pieced back together, Jacob starts behaving strangely. It seems Jake has a secret that will return Bella’s life back to the whirlwind anarchy that is once was. Bella’s relationship with Jacob is put at further risk after a impromptu visit from Alice (Ashley Greene). In a race against the clock, Bella must flee to Italy to try and save the love of her life from impending death.

Notwithstanding previous critics reviews, Weitz brings action, comedy and emotion to this big screen adaptation of Stephenie Meyer’s second best-selling book, that had the audience laughing and crying respectively.

Lautner gave a great performance as the unfortunate love interest. His newly-buff bod will no doubt catapult him to fame in the hearts of female viewers who sympathise with his character in a series of close-but-no-cigar advances towards our heroine that had the audience elatedly squirming in their seats before being struck down by interrupted frustration.

The special effects deserve a note here. At the risk of looking inauthentic, the CGI wolf pack was surprisingly realistic and did not disappoint nor let down the validity of the action. The sequences shot on location in Italy were a treat for the eyes and served as wonderful juxtaposition to the somewhat scary Volturi scenes that provided suspense and excitement. This sequence, much elongated in print, would have benefitted from a larger fear factor but it seems there will be more to come from them.

The final scene epitomises the tension between the supernatural love triangle and a cliff-hanger ending left us begging for more.

All in all, The Twilight Saga: New Moon rewards its fans for their avid loyalty with a filmic triumph that spawns the beginning of mass impatience at the arrival of the next offering in the bewitching global phenomenon that is the Twilight saga.

2001: A Space Odyssey review

 2001: A space Oddity?

‘2001: A Space Odyssey’ was a milestone both in cinematic history and the development of the science fiction genre. There are positive and negative points to the movie. What struck me the most, was the visual beauty of the work. Every single cell of the film, every frame could have been taken out on its own and viewed as a painting for artistic study. The amount of effort invested in composition and aesthetics was astounding. Kubrick’s penchant for symmetry and framing is not a secret, but his influence was palpable from the first shot. The score was intense and instantly recognisable to a modern audience from later products of the genre, but also cleverly utilised. The background music would build up and depress tension at appropriate moments within the action. Simple things like taking away sound had so much power on the audience’s attention. Occasionally, in stark contrast to the loud, prominent music that had appeared sporadically, some scenes or sections of scenes were filmed in total silence. This is a technique I was not that familiar with but that had a massive impact on the scene. It gave Kubrick the power to determine the level of attention or intensity the audience gave to each moment in the film. Other directorial decisions such as having the astronauts breathing for long periods of time as the only sound heard were interesting and innovative and served to affect my personal breathing pattern which was probably the desired outcome, making me identify with the character and feel everything he felt. Some of the scenes were ‘hammed up’ a bit, either making them go on for an uncomfortable length of time or using extended slow motion. It was no wonder why the film was so long, there was an elongation of every scene and sequence to it’s limit, even featuring slow motion prominently- yet there seemed to be a frustrating lack of action or indeed purposeful content. There we certain problems I had in terms of plot and narrative. The film seemed to be following one story, of the two men on the mission to Jupiter with the rogue computer, yet this was somewhat abandoned in favour of a cryptic and abstract ending sequence that left the audience dazed and confused. It is obvious that the film is open to interpretation and highly metaphorical in its resolution, but it left me somewhat cold, without conclusion. There is a ton of discussion and differentiation in interpretation surrounding this film and rightly so. I felt that the desire to remain ambiguous and interesting has overwhelmed the films ability to make a statement. It would only be from asking Kubrick himself what he was trying to say at the end of this film that you would fully appreciate the artistic effort. As it stands, everyone takes a unique confusion home with them. However, I found myself ignoring the head-aching concept of the ending due to the visual spectacle. For the time it was made the film is highly advanced in special effects, technological ideas and creative impetus. I can completely understand why this is a must see film for a motion picture student. I think people will either love it or hate it, being too annoyed by the ending to appreciate the achievements of the entire work. The movie was rife with clever, intriguing ideas and concepts and was filmed in an interesting and uniquely stylised manner. I believe the meaning of the movie was to convey a fear of advancements in technology and human dependence on computers. Suffice it to say, If I could provide a final comment that summarises the feel of the overwhelming ‘2001…’ it would be this: Notwithstanding the intense subjectivity of one’s reaction to the work, the overarching feeling you get and are left with can be summed up in a single word: epic.

Fame review

Fame’s Gonna Live Forever

Kevin Tancharoen’s long awaited adaptation of the 1980s classic opens in documentary style, cataloguing the first day of auditions for a prestigious New York school of performing arts. The sequence is reminiscent of one of the many reality television talent shows that we have become accustomed to in today’s generation of viewers. Here we are introduced to the many promising young actors, singers, dancers and musicians, of whose journey we will be following throughout the film.

The movie is split into sections, each covering a year at the firm but fair performing arts college, and concerning the trials, tribulations and triumphs of a select few of the chosen artists. Each character’s story is developed in little detail amongst these sections, but there is a great atmosphere within the scenes filmed during school hours that had the audience literally dancing in their seats in the theatre. The most exciting of these are, of course, the musical numbers which do not disappoint the high hopes of its cult fan base.

The film must indeed be credited for its fabulous song and dance performances, ranging from ensemble extravaganzas to moving solo pieces. However, it seemed the film served as a platform for up- and -coming faces, a virtual launch pad for a talented new generation of entertainers screaming the immortal: ‘remember my name’ to a captivated audience. The primary cast were unknown actors and performers and it was very obvious that the film will be a wonderful introduction into the business for these aspiring kids.

Tipped as the protagonist, if any, of the piece was Naturi Naughton who played ‘Denise Dupree’ a classically trained pianist and a kick arse vocalist.

The film chronicled the turbulence of life in the performing arts business and delivered a somewhat realistic impression of the harshness it entails, yet the original blockbuster had much more of a storyline centred around the characters.

It is a tricky issue here, as despite being sympathetic and likeable, the entourage consisted of certain stock characters that have popped up in movies of similar considerations. Angry youths and struggling stars trying to cope with life in the school are not unfamiliar to audiences in the wake of movies such as ‘Step Up’ and ‘Save the Last Dance’. Interestingly, (but not surprisingly), before venturing into feature directing, Tancharoen was a dancer in the chorus of ‘You Got Served’, which would explain his flair for choreographical brilliance, but exposes a nascent vulnerability in terms of cinematic experience.

Pleasing performances were given by big names such as Kelsey Grammer and Megan Mullally, who even delighted us with a musical number.

Fame (2009) was a valiant effort as an entire entity but lacked a lot of the lustre and depth of the original screenplay and stage show. It will be interesting to see if audiences will grow tired of recycled storylines, characters and musical conventions, but, at present, Fame does not disappoint its target audience: Pre-teens mourning the loss of the High School Musical saga. I don’t believe it will be in line to win an academy award any time soon, but I found Fame to be an enjoyable family film tapping into the wild success of the other dance movie genre trendsetters.

Star Trek Review

An ageing Star Trek franchise can live long and prosper on the back of this latest offering

Boldly going where the Starship Enterprise has literally gone before, JJ Abrams sci-fi triumph acts as a prequel to previous films in the series, chronicling the turbulent journey of a group of young and promising students into the nations favourite Starfleet.

Beginning with the story of George T Kirk’s heroic captainship of the enterprise during a threat from an enemy spacecraft, we are introduced to a moving and inspirational back story that would spawn the beginning of two important events: the start of a decade long vendetta between the Vulcans and the Romulans, and the birth of Jim Kirk, later a cocky, young maverick played by pretty boy Chris Pine.  The story joins our much loved miscreant in the days of his early childhood rebellions. Fittingly, an equally intense backstory belongs to a young Spock, torn between his human emotion and his Vulcan stoicism. Inevitably the two meet in a training facility for Starfleet crewmen, and it is fair to say they do not get off on the right mildly deformed foot.  Various other infamous characters are introduced as the team must work together to prevent impending devastation from the enemy fleet, headed by an almost unrecognisable Eric Bana, who illustrates his skill as a character actor as the villain of the piece, Nero.

Whilst fans and trekkies alike will be delighted with the subtle nods to Star Trek history, much remains to be said for a weak and confusing storyline, leading up to a rather cheesy ending with a superfluous romance that appears to have been chucked into the mix in a desperate attempt to give the story some depth. With energy firmly focused on likeable characters and witty dialogue whilst neglecting the need for a three dimensional plotline, (and a rather questionabld appearance from Winona Ryder as 32 year old Zachary Quinto’s elderly mother), the film seemed to echo the pattern of Starship Troopers rather than the Starship enterprise.

It must be noted that Abrams has made an admirable attempt that has struck gold with the majority of its audience redeeming the franchise from its less popular past endeavours and probably re-vivified the chain, paving the way for a string of other nostalgic productions in the future. However, the film falls into the category of light entertainment for myself personally, in all my non trekkie capacity. If you seek an elaborate extended example of a star trek series episode rather than a complex, well rounded original feature, then Star Trek won’t disappoint.

 Bottom line: I’m not jumping up the walls about it. Something was unfortunately missing. To the film’s credit, I was fairly reluctant to leave my seat, even when the inevitability of nature called for me to do so. I attribute this to the indisputably stunning special effects and ingenious performances from a group of talented actors so resembling people they were portraying that it was eerie. Even the guy who peed on Stiffler in American Pie was able to give a credible and memorable performance as Hiraku Sulu whilst a refreshing appearance from a heavily Scottish Simon Pegg provided a much needed lift to a somewhat confusing film.

If I have been a little harsh about the movies downfalls, I must say they are almost forgiven when considered next to its triumphs. It is almost as if you want to forgive the screenwriters when they repeatedly display a penchant for the co-incidental, due to the myriad successes that this sweet and sour concoction had to offer. The highlight of the entire viewing experience has to be the poetically potholed relationship between Kirk and Spock. Pine and Quinto go beyond the call of duty in a swashbuckling exchange of thrilling one liners laced with utter hatred for one another that develops humorously and believably into a quietly respectful partnership. Undoubtedly a visual spectacle, the film delivers sky-high budget sets and props teamed with an engaging and impressive score that is presented to the viewer on a platter as a cinematographic treat for both the eyes and ears.

 It is safe to say the next generation of convention-goers is being formed. You only have to ask a member of the public what they thought of the film and the reception is overwhelmingly admirable. The person I saw the film with had no qualms with the fact that she was paying to see it for the second time, which demonstrates its longevity and popularity amongst a highly complimentary audience.

Abrams thrill ride has been championed as the start of a new beginning for the Star Trek franchise, blowing previous failed attempts out of the water. (Star Trek Nemesis, anyone?) J.J Abrams has succeeded in producing a science fiction marvel that throws you into the action from the opening scene.

So, if you can excuse a slightly holey plotline and some random production choices, Star Trek delivers exactly what it says on the tin. More often praised than critiqued, Abrams blockbuster paves the way for a line of new Star Trek tales, hopefully, with a little more complexity. As the tagline promises: The future begins.   

Scott Pilgrim vs The World review

Scott Pilgrim vs The World (2010)

This latest offering from director Edgar Wright takes the phrase ‘Smash Hit’ to a whole new dimension. Writing this review moments after viewing the movie I find I must refrain from the over-arching compulsion to use vocabulary such as ‘kick-ass’ and ‘awesome’ to sum up a film that has not only pushed the boundaries of existing genre conventions, but has created it’s own category entirely. This energetic and insanely enthusiastic comic book adaptation has ambition and gusto in bucket loads from the get go. The story is simple: 22 year old mild mannered musician Scott Pilgrim falls in love with flame haired sarcastic temptress Ramona Flowers, but soon discovers that she carries with her some pretty hefty baggage. Ramona’s past comes back to haunt her in the form of seven ‘evil exes’. Scott must defeat each and every one of these foes to win Ramona’s heart. Sound a little far fetched? I must have forgotten to mention, Scott lives in a world where the physical boundaries echo that of your average video game. From the opening scene, the film firmly establishes itself in this computer generated microcosm, allowing the audience to feel as if they are watching a vintage Nintendo platformer; turning characters into players and the screen into a console. Gamers the world over will recognize and appreciate the level of effort involved in maintaining this level of video game detail in each and every scene. Pilgrim’s weird and wonderful computer-driven world has every element of your standard game: different levels, tokens, power-ups, combat bonuses and even each conquered foe bursting into rewarding gold coins upon defeat. Teaming a grunge rock score with fast paced comic book style editing, Scott Pilgrim vs The World is your ultimate geek-fest turned ‘super cool’. Each character is introduced with a text box appearing on screen, detailing their name, age and ranking. This spells just the beginning of a host of visual spectacles detaching the viewer from any sort of semblance of normality as we know it. Instead of following in the footsteps of time honoured Hollywood tradition, Scott Pilgrim brings a cartoonish edge to the big screen, firmly slapping the collective face of the audience in every cell and frame, breaking out of the bubble of film realism in favour of an incredibly daring and original approach to cinematography and post-production. We are taken on an action-packed journey following Scott’s romantic endeavor to get the girl. Jumping from location to location in a palpably dreamlike manner, opening doors to rooms that were once not there in a progressively swift and free-flowing fashion gives the film an interesting rhythm that is both fluid and stilted.

As each new evil ex crashes onto our screens, they become opponents in KO style combat. These fight mode scenes and the characters featured in them will of course seem entirely melodramatic and farcical if you choose to ignore the world in which they have been created. It must be said that the first time one of these sword-wealding maniacs bursts into frame they do indeed seem completely out of place, even in a world of make-believe such as this. (OK, granted the singing emo wizard pirate guy and his demon chick army was a little OTT) However, with six more to come, these events become absolute commonplace in a rather surreal environment. Instead, what you’ll find more alarming if the fact that wimpy Canadian Michael Cera actually manages to hold his own in brutal hand to hand combat!(Think Street Fighter meets Pokemon) Every teenagers dream, these fight scenes reflect more likely how well Scott would play them. The biggest hint of this imaginative mind-play being his immense capacity to survive being hurled through various brick walls and then proceeding to get right back up again and play some ‘gnarly’ riffs on his bass guitar. One can indeed entertain the thought that a large portion of the films plotline is occurring within the protagonists mind.

What makes all of this nonsense work, it the fact the film is incredibly self- aware. The script is expertly woven with tongue-in-cheek indications of the writer’s reflexivity. When bleeping out one characters swear words with a censorship box, Cera asks; ‘How are you doing that with your mouth?’.

Credit where credit’s due, Michael Cera demonstrates his trademark comic timing with minimalistic sarcasm and delivers every line with charming naivety. Cera lends to the phrase ‘The Meek will Inherit the Earth’ a poetic validity in his performance, creating a lovable yet nerdish and goofy protagonist who spends the majority of the film kicking some evil butt.

Overall I would say this is an incredibly creative film that re-establishes the point of absurdity. If you can see the dramatics of the constant evil glares and whiplash-inducing head turns as humorous rather than serious and really immerse yourself in this brave new world, you really will get a lot of enjoyment out of it. Scott pilgrim has just the right amount of randomness mixed with recognizable references to popular culture that audiences will no doubt appreciate from even before the film begins. I was pleasantly surprised to see the internationally familiar Universal Pictures logo hijacked and replaced by dodgy graphics and Super Mario style effect on it’s booming theme music. This let me know I was in for something special; something different. Not just your average regurgitated three-act structure, Scott Pilgrim should be celebrated for innovative and productive film-making. In an otherwise dreary world, that has arguably begun to grow a little bored of cinematic convention and predicable storylines, these tiny intricate touches serve to render this film an absolute breath of fresh air.

Review by Dale Barnett