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Semlord90
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Zero Day (2002)
Powerful and thought-provoking
This is one of those rare films that will have you pondering many questions, from how two normal boys could commit such a murderous act, to whether larger issues in society could play a part. The found footage style, combined with the raw and natural interactions between the boys and their family and friends, really succeed in creating a realist drama. They are like people you've probably met, care-free, happy and loving. However, the scenes in which they relay their plans to kill their fellow pupils create a terrifying contrast. This contrast is brilliantly executed by the haunting, yet naturalistic performances of the two leads, Andre Keuck and Cal Robertson. They are shown to be capable of both love and hate, and it is so unreservedly authentic that we believe they can have both at once.
This gives us hope that perhaps their plans won't come to fruition... and when it does, it is unbelievably tragic, despite it being the event the film has been building towards. This film is so well-done, it really deserves more appreciation. A must-see for sure.
Slaughterhouse Rulez (2018)
Entertaining as a guilty pleasure, but don't expect it to be anything more
A horror-comedy that incorporates a blend of popular film tropes, ranging from a boarding school setting to bloody monster battles, Slaughterhouse Rulez has a lot to offer audiences. In short, the film follows an ordinary teenager, Don Wallace (Finn Cole), who is sent to a prestigious boarding school, appropriately named 'Slaughterhouse School', at the behest of his overbearing mother. He struggles to fit in, falling victim to bullying from sadistic prefect Matty Clegg (Tom Rhys Harries), but finds some comfort in his unlikely friendship with roommate Willoughby Blake (Asa Butterfield) and his attraction to upper-sixth 'goddess', Clemsie Lawrence (Hermione Corfield). However, self-centred headmaster 'The Bat's' (Michael Sheen) decision to convert part of the grounds into a fracking site unleashes a pack of subterranean creatures, which ultimately turns Don and co.'s school experience into a literal battle for survival.
One of the main problems with the film is that it aspires to be more than one type film; the first half of the film focuses almost entirely on Don's experience at Slaughterhouse, the classism he encounters, and his relationships with Willoughby and Clemsie. As such, it plays out more like a comedy-drama for this rather drawn-out first act, and it even introduces a subplot about the suicide of the student that Don has taken the place of. We get some insight into the fracking which triggers the bloody horror that is to come, but none of the horror really kicks in until the film's second half, and the introduction of the serious themes of classism and adolescent suicide become lost when it finally does commit to being a monster movie.
The performances all round are generally very solid; Finn Cole is likeable as the film's lead, and Asa Butterfield brings a lot of humour to the sarcastic and eccentric Willoughby. Simon Pegg is funny as the oblivious housemaster Meredith, and Michael Sheen never fails to entertain as the charming and pompous head. However, all the characters feel too much like stereotypes to be truly memorable, with Don in particular being defined only by his Northern heritage and desire to get the girl. Little development really takes place either, except for in the relationship between Don and Willoughby, with them seeming mismatched initially and then becoming close.
On a technical level, the film manages to be successful in achieving some level of horror-comedy, in spite of its fairly low budget. The design of the monsters is gross and horrific as was intended, and there is satisfaction to be had in seeing close-ups of the dislikeable upper-sixth students' severed limbs in a Classical-themed orgy sequence. There is too much cutting back and forth in some the chase sequences, although plenty of excitement is still generated.
Overall, the film has plenty of funny and exciting moments to make it watchable and entertaining, but the inclusion of clashing themes makes it tonally uneven and will inevitably leave most viewers feeling baffled. Decent purely as a guilty pleasure.
The Demon Headmaster (2019)
An intriguing continuation of the '90s classic
When I first heard The Demon Headmaster had been 'revived', I was initially quite sceptical. I liked the '90s series as a kid, and couldn't picture how it could work in the 2010s. However, I was pleasantly surprised, having been hooked by the end of the first episode. I was able to see how necessary it was to continue it in modern age, what with the politics around academy schools, and particularly the domination of technology in our lives. The Orwellian references are pretty explicit, but not overwhelmingly so, and feel really natural to the storyline and reflect genuine fears in modern society. For a show aimed at children to be so subtly imbued with political ideas is impressive to say the least.
The series retains the original's plot of the Headmaster's control of a school using hypnotism, but it manages to stay fresh with its different approach to characterisation. The main difference I liked was the fact that none of the characters are immune to the Headmaster's powers, making him seem more of a genuine threat. It also adds strain to the main characters' relationships, as the Headmaster's influence prevents them from controlling their own actions towards each other. The actors portraying the teenage characters, particularly, those of Lizzie and Blake, are exceptional, conveying a range of emotions in a very raw and authentic way.
Nicholas Gleaves delivers an outstanding performance as the titular Headmaster. He manages to stay calm and collected, in an inhuman way characteristic of Hardiman's performance from the original show, but also conveys a barely contained rage at certain moments, which set it apart from what Hardiman did with the role, at make it fresh and exciting.
I can't recommend it enough, not only do I think children should watch it, but adults as well, it's as tense as any 9pm BBC thriller I've watched recently, and brilliantly sharp on so many levels. A must-watch.
Game of Thrones (2011)
So compelling, it's addictive (in a good way :P)
After watching the first episode, I was instantly hooked. Game of Thrones is one of those rare shows that has everything it needs to qualify as a spectacular television programme: good quality dialogue, intriguing characters, stunning cinematography, well- choreographed battle sequences and plot lines that have been crafted and developed with fastidious care.
It is of the medieval-fantasy genre, which will surely appeal to fans of the Lord of the Rings trilogy and other such works. But it is more than this- it is able to weave elements of political drama with the fantasy, something that is most noticeable in the King's Landing story-line. This provides a contrasting sense of realism that makes it more engaging.
One of my only issues with the show is the overabundance of characters across the seasons, which has led to a lack of character development in certain characters, like Stannis Baratheon, whose story-line has continually bored me. Such excess characters decrease screen-time for other more interesting ones like Tyrion Lannister, Daenerys Targaryen and Jon Snow, who have more to offer in terms of their emotionally rich journeys.
Other than that, Game of Thrones is a show that continues to grow as each season passes, and never fails to surprise, which only serves to increase the amount that viewers invest themselves in the characters. Although it has been panned by some people for its 'gratuitous sex scenes' and 'excessive gore', personally I think it adds to the show's portrayal of a gritty and corrupt medieval world, wrought by chaos and destruction.
Overall, I would highly recommend Game of Thrones, particularly to those who enjoy medieval-fantasy and political dramas. It is totally worthy of all the hype that it has going for it :).
Gotham (2014)
A mind-blowing, epic feast of well-constructed characters and stunning visuals
I was recently fortunate enough to stumble across this show, and I must say, it has been totally worth the watch. Gotham is positively teeming with beautifully crafted story-lines, a fantastic assemblage of characters, and some of the most exquisite camera shots that I have ever seen on screen.
From what I have seen of the show (seasons 1 and 2), there is barely anything to criticize. The conception and development of its characters, particularly that of Edward Nygma and Penguin, has been one of the show's biggest highlights from the start. As well as this, the writers have successfully managed to maintain the interest surrounding the overarching plot (Bruce Wayne's journey to becoming 'Bat man') whilst also creating subplots involving the other much- loved Bat man characters, that have only added to the story's already compelling nature.
An equal amount of credit should go to the actors themselves- they are fantastic and clearly made for their roles. In particular, Cory Michael Smith and Robin Lord Taylor's performances as Edward Nygma and Penguin respectively have been key to maintaining my personal engagement with the show.
But what I find to be Gotham's most impressive quality, is its ability to be innovative within the police-procedural genre, whilst also recognising the need to provide its audience with a vast array of intriguing characters and sub-plots. Its innovation derives from its creation of what is essentially a world in which the time period is deliberately unclear, made apparent by the '30s style clothing and the existence of mobile phones. This ambiguity gives Gotham a unique sense of surrealism, a feature that differentiates it from average cop shows like Law and Order and CSI.
Of course, Gotham benefits from 77-years' worth of comic books and films from which to gather its material, which arguably gives it a natural advantage over most other shows; but it is not simply the possession of great material that gives Gotham its edge- it is the way in which writers, directors and actors have injected their individual interpretations on the material to create a show that can exist on its own as a unique entity. A definite MUST SEE :)