The Giant's Respite (movie reviews)

Interstellar.

Interstellar is a science-fiction film by Christopher Nolan set in a dystopia future where mankind has decimated the planet. Society is still recognisable but mankind is on the verge of starving itself to extinction. Hence, there are lots of farmers being conscripted to farm (or be caretakers as one of the characters puts it) their whole lives due to the huge demand for food.

The story follows an ex-pilot-turned-farmer as he experiences strange, possibly supernatural, events in his home and tries to cope. No spoilers, but one things leads to another and it ends up with him going to space with Anne Hathaway and a robot.

The adventure is smart, and requires viewers to be emotionally involved with the characters. It twists and turns like a rollercoaster and starts off being one thing before revealing itself to be completely different. It has side-stories that have emotional resonance, just like in Nolan's earlier works such as Memento and Inception. And of course, it has floods of spectacle. Due to it's lighter tone, compared to other Nolan flicks, it is a film that can be viewed and enjoyed by all ages. It is a family film both in narrative and at it's heart.

The only negative I could find, and it isn't really a negative, was with the ending, that arrives with a jolt. It's still emotionally satisfying, however, and rounds off the loose ends. Imagine it like a plane landing on a runway after a flight.

Interstellar has spectacle, majesty, excitement, a rollicking story with twists and turns aplenty, is a showcase of theoretical astro-physics and a wonderful film about family for families. I whole-heartedly recommend it.

Angel Heart.

Angel Heart is a 1987 mystery film by Alan Parker. In 1955, a private investigator is tasked by the mysterious Louis Cyphre to find a missing person. Things are not what they seem however.

Angel Heart is a slow-burning potboiler with occult overtones. Story elements take their time to develop however patient viewers are rewarded with a visually detailed story steeped in Louisiana gumbo and mayhem. It boasts charismatic performances from both Mickey Rourke as Harry Angel and Robert de Niro as Louis Cyphre. It's colourful subject matter involves amnesia, animal sacrifice, murder, incest and Satanism.

Whilst the story is engaging, the strength of the ending is undermined by dated special effects and by a bizarre and abrupt cut to credits.

Angel Heart is a one of the most iconic Southern Gothic films around, so an interest in the genre, which is showcased in shows like True Detective, will make the film vastly more enjoyable.

Maps to the Stars.

Maps to the Stars is a 2014 black comedy film by David Cronenberg and stars Julianne Moore, John Cusack, Mia Wasikowska, Robert Pattinson, Olivia Williams and newcomer Evan Bird.

I bill the film as a comedy, however viewers should be warned that there are moments that invoke queasiness and psychological horror. That being said, Maps to the Stars is an accessible and tense film that exemplifies everything that makes Cronenberg such a fascinating director.

The film covers many topics, including the nature of the projected image (on film, off film, characters playing characters on screen and behind the scenes, ghosts, memories, etc.), disillusionment, secrets, madness, love, obsession, despair and suicide.

The story is a mosaic following damaged and revolting characters as they live in, around and with Hollywood. Despite the narrative complexity, the story runs like a Swiss pocket watch and never loses focus. Everyone on screen is terrific, with particular mention to Evan Bird as a child star and Julianne Moore as a frighteningly nasty has-been.

The film is terrific but certainly not for everyone. A love of dark satire and an interest in the mythology surrounding Hollywood will greatly enhance the viewer's experience.

Heat.

Heat is a 1995 crime epic directed by Michael Mann. The film stars Robert de Niro, Al Pacino, Val Kilmer, Danny Trejo, Jon Voight and Natalie Portman.

A throwback and a farewell to the crime epics of the '70s and '80s, Heat stars Robert de Niro and Al Pacino on opposite sides of the law and, in one memorable scene, on opposite sides of the table. This was the first film they were in together since The Godfather Part. II. Filmed when they were still the most respected actors on Hollywood, both positively sizzle, giving energetic performances which drives the action onscreen and looking great whilst doing so.

Outside of Al and Bobby's chemistry, Mann influenced action cinema to a level he has never reached since. The action sequences in Heat are terrific. They have influenced such people as Christopher Nolan, who even cameos a character from Heat in The Dark Knight, and Rockstar Games, who 'stole' certain sequences for their videogame juggernaut GTA V.

I can go on about certain aspects of the film ad infinitum: the stylish yet not intrusive soundtrack by Eliot Goldenthal; the multi-layered yet essentially simple storyline; how the film takes a look at family that brings to mind the best of The Godfather Trilogy. However, that would be spoiling it.

It is one of the last sprawling crime epics Hollywood ever produced, starring two Hollywood legends in their prime. Heat is a jewel and a must see.

Something Wicked This Way Comes.

Something Wicked This Way Comes is a 1983 family horror film directed by Jack Clayton with a screenplay by Ray Bradbury, based on his novel.

Walt Disney Studios in the 1980s was a far cry from the studio behemoth we know today. There were no superheroes, no princesses who can't seem to let it go and Star Wars was owned by 20th Century Fox. Instead, Walt Disney Studios was renowned for its family friendly horror and existential sci-fi films. Something Wicked This Way Comes is one of the more prolific items from this bizarre period.

Something Wicked centers on two boys, born on the same day, who live in a small town in Illinois. In October (wonderfully evoked in the opening segment), a strange and sinister carnival springs up seemingly from nowhere on the town's outskirts. Things go downhill from there.

The story is terrific. It moves at a clip, has profundity, pathos and a happy ending that feels like a sigh of relief after the onslaught of family friendly (yet no less terrifying) horror setpieces. The camerawork is disorientating and has a predatory feel to it. The special effects are good and genuinely add to the horror. The score, by a young James Horner, screeches and racks the nerves without overpowering the senses. And the best thing of all? It is genuinely frightening, no matter how old you are.

Most of this fear comes from Mr Dark. I won't say anymore.

The worst aspect of the film is the performance from the child actor who plays Jim Nightshade. It says something about a film when you can hone in on the one thing that stops it from being a masterpiece.

The reviewer recommends this film to anyone who enjoys a horror film with a good story (for once!). In particular, if you are a member of a young family and have brave children to watch it with. The reviewer does not recommend this film to anyone who is afraid of spiders. At all.

Dr. Strangelove or How I learnt to stop worrying and love the Bomb.

Dr. Strangelove or How I learnt to stop worrying and love the Bomb is a 1964 black comedy directed by Stanley Kubrick and stars Peter Sellars, George C. Scott, Peter Sellars, Sterling Hayden and Peter Sellars.

What can I really say to people who have never seen Dr. Strangelove what to expect without spoiling it?

Erm... <deep breath>

Dr. Strangelove is a comedy film that laughs at the threat of global nuclear annihilation. It highlights the insanity of war, much like Kubrick's earlier work Paths of Glory. And I promise, the laughs do come thick and fast. This is due to a spectacular screenplay by Terry Southern, Peter George and Kubrick himself and from the career-defining performance from Peter Sellars.

Famously, Peter Sellars doesn't just play one, but three roles in the film and he is wonderful in all three. Each of his characters are distinct and raise laughs in the blackest of narrative circumstances. With scenes such as when Sellars plays opposite Sterling Hayden as the insane Brig. Gen. Jack D. Ripper, Dr. Strangelove is pure comedy gold. Even Sellars himself has to stifle a laugh when he is being told about Ripper's motivation. (The reviewer was crying with laughter during said scene).

Kubrick's visual style is the final aspect that makes the film worth watching. There are battle scenes that have a handheld cam feel that adds to the authenticity. There are multiple shots in and around flying planes, which for 1964 are technically marvellous. There is an extremely memorable shot near the end that will stick in the mind of anyone who watches the film (YEEEEEEEEHAAAAAAAAAAAW!!!!!!!). And the way he shoots closeups of certain characters adds to the funny menace that makes this film so much fun.

Dr. Strangelove tackles an impossibly dark subject whilst being one of the funniest films ever made. It is recommended to anyone and everyone.

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