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Gimme the Loot (2012)
Excellent
Graffiti art duo, Malcolm (Hickson) and Sofia (Washington), constantly find their work besmirched by rival crews. However, in the pursuit of acclaim in the street art circuit, they embark on an elaborate plan to 'bomb' the ultimate location: the New York Mets' Home Run Apple.
Like the creative forces this film depicts, be it in street art, skills on the basketball court, or delivering bars of lyrical mastery, it is drenched in innovation and meaning. There are few moments that will fail to make you feel something. It is not all about the desire to make some statement in return for street-cred, nor is it too heavily founded upon the obstacles of an impoverished background. Art takes the lead, it has meaning, it is the fuel that drives Malcolm and Sofia, like so many others, and it is appreciated and celebrated so stylishly here that you can't help but enjoy the film.
The rapport between the two protagonists is delightful, a perfect balance of that awkward young love feeling, and the crude wittiness of true friendship. Every fourth word is a profanity, and almost every line has a quip, but each is as funny as the last. The story doesn't rewrite any rulebooks, but its charm transcends its simplicity leaving something fresh. The actual story, that is 'bombing' the Mets' Apple, takes a back seat to the human relationships and the vibrant street life of New York. It effortlessly captures locale and character alike, simultaneously exposing the fragility of youthful ego and the effervescence of 'street' competition.
Verdict: Hipper than a Sugarhill Gang beat with enough profanity to warrant several swear jars, this is a film of ingenuity and charm. Lovingly crafted and effortlessly performed, Leon's debut is a success exhibiting cinematic excellence.
Stoker (2013)
Stylish. Chilling. Unmissable.
After the death of her husband, unstable widow Evie Stoker (Kidman) invites his estranged brother, Charles (Goode), to stay. A complete mystery to daughter India (Wasikowska), what begins as an instant loathing of Charles, turns into a much deeper and darker relationship. Intent on gaining the approval of India, the paths of Charles and India intertwine leading to very grave consequences.
From Chan-wook Park, mastermind of Oldboy and the acclaimed Vengeance trilogy, his first all English production is a superb one. In his relatively short career, Chan-wook has created a legacy for himself. True, legacy is a strong word, however we have come to expect a certain kind of film with him, films founded on premises of brutality that have lasting effects post-watch. These expectations are never uniformly presented and it is here that Park is assuredly deserved of auteurship. Stoker is no different, and from the very opening shot we are thrust into a world of mystery and strangeness, void of all emotion yet full of intensity. There is a distinct numbness to the film and the entire world created within it, one that is both disturbing but equally engaging. You may watch through squinted eyes or through your fingers, but watching you will remain.
There is clear purpose to this film, great precision with every aspect. So precise that the film cannot be imagined without a single one. Every frame, every flash of colour, every look of horror and intrigue has meaning. The care that has been taken in making this film is obvious, but the real force of what is on screen comes from what that same care has been taken to create. Stoker is nothing short of a horror. Not a gory, blood-fuelled adrenaline rush, but a horror that silently creeps under your skin and is, at times, truly uncomfortable. The script, a sapling born from the meadows of Wentworth Miller's mind, is highly effective and works as an anchor for the dark mood created by Chan-wook's direction. Few words are wasted and real expression is left to the looks offered between characters; the crazy eyes, the morbid stares, they are the greater purveyors of evil and conundrum.
But with a film as intricate as this, great responsibility rests on the cast, and they do not disappoint. Each adds something extra to the mix- be it the broody, unflinching persona of India, the charming, intoxicating nature of uncle Charles, or the volatility of Evie. With every interaction the plot thickens, forcing us deeper and deeper down the rabbit hole. The film takes place almost entirely within the huge manor house of the Stokers, and with the manor house full of secrets all too familiar to the horror genre, it is testament to the successes of Chan-wook and the ensemble cast that Stoker feels fresh.
Verdict: Incestuous, frightening and brilliantly engaging, Chan-wook Park has created nothing short of a masterpiece. A wonderful example of the scope and effectiveness that remains within the horror genre, given a mind as remarkable as Chan-wook Park's.
Mea Maxima Culpa: Silence in the House of God (2012)
As much a horror film as it is a documentary
From acclaimed documentarian Alex Gibney, comes a potent examination of the history of sex abuse and paedophilia within the Catholic Church. Told through the eyes of victims, Gibney follows the murky trail of sex abuse from Wisconsin all the way up to the Vatican.
This is not for the faint hearted or easily disturbed. That we may understand the term 'documentary', speaks volumes of how successfully Gibney has reinvented the genre, creating something that is as much horror as it is non-fiction. We are plunged into the dark recesses of traumatic experience, and exposed to the sheer scope of institutionalised child molestation. Revelation after revelation, horror after horror, we witness very real and powerful emotion on screen, producing a 'documentary' that enthrals and terrifies.
The inclusion of Terry, Arthur and Gary, 3 victims integral to the first known case of protest against clerical sex abuse in the US, is a genuine masterstroke. This level of realism is perhaps expected of the documentary format, however, Gibney's overall production results in something much more effective. From confession-booth like interviews to complex animated graphics, Mea Maxima Culpa is educational yet highly creative. Aside from the cinematographic merits and qualities of story-telling, significant effort is made to defrock hidden truths of organised child molestation and the lengths taken to cover it up. The trail from the pulpits of Milwaukee to the highest echelons of the Vatican is made to seem more concrete than ever before.
Verdict: Expertly constructed and magnificently told, Mea disturbs ones very core. Gibney has exquisitely created an amalgam of documentary and horror with a profound respect to the stories of its protagonists. Prepare to be infuriated, terrified and astounded without rest. Essential viewing.