Change Your Image
Dorian-Kellaway
Reviews
Zero Day (2002)
Wholly unique and captivating portrayal
Zero day has a purpose and this is not simply entertainment, it delivers a message about its specialised subject school shootings. Charting the lives of two friends Andre and Cal leading up to an attack on their high school.
Whilst the movie started in somewhat unassuming fashion, an impromptu announcement of the coming attack in amateurish teenage style followed by some brief encounters with the boys families. It is not long before we are down to business with the boys showing us their collection of guns, their fetishistic love of them, their sprawling sporadic narcissistic fantasies and even in a controversial scene how to build pipe bombs.
So what is the movie trying to say? What is really motivating these soon to be killers. It seems hard to really pinpoint. They certainly do not come across as cold blooded psychopaths yet they are planning an act of sheer brutality. This brings me to what I feel is the genius in part of Zero day. Cal and Andre talk constantly about how much they are on a different level, how above the rest of us they are and how they will 'leave us all behind.' Like the columbine killers they truly feel superior. Like Nietzsche's res sentiment Cal and Andre's value system seems to have been born out of rejection from their society. Yet we are given only glimpses of this, an expression of hatred for a popular athlete for example. So where is the motivation? What I feel is that Coccio portrayed two individuals desperate to make a statement of superiority a gesture of their power yet who have no reasonable venue for it. Hence they turn to mass murder and the kind of which that will garner them more attention than they could ever realise. This is why in part school shooters seem able to carry out atrocious acts despite coming from good stable loving homes. The murder is part of a fantasy, Cal and Andre are totally lost in their fantasy they almost fail to see the reality of their actions. They turn fantasy into tragedy.
What is secondly most enthralling about this film is the character development and the unique dependence Cal and Andre have on each other. Andre is throughout the film overtly the leader of the two, Cal's embrace of his demeanour and attire seem somewhat forced. Andre is uptight, Andre is intense and serious. He completely shuns others except for his family, he is meticulous and precise about everything he does and for a while appears the prime mover in the plot to attack the school. Yet he is likable in his own way, he does not embrace teenage nonsense and in part we feel compelled to agree with him, yet these moments are shattered by Andre's fleeting gestures of violence towards us the audience treating us as both confidante and potential victim. Cal on the other hand seems more relaxed than Andre, more accepting of reality. Yet he is in his own way dominant. We have many personal moments of introspection with Cal's video diary, scenes when he is alone and apart from Andre. Cal seems to be struggling with his own personal demons and using their plan to exorcise himself of them. Andre is jealous of Cal going to the prom with an old friend, he wants Cal all to himself. Cal placates Andre and encourages him. For the first time in his life Andre seems to have found someone who believes in him and who admires him he cannot lose it. Whilst Cal has found someone offering him a way out.
The movie certainly picks up pace and improves as it nears its grim conclusion. There is an excellent moment when Cal attends the high school prom. Suddenly the star of the movie becomes shy and introverted, not at all at ease with his peers. Yet we are inclined to feel more connection with Cal than with the raucous bawdy crowd screaming juvenile obscenities whilst drinking heavily in their limo. Theirs is an episode all too common and recognisable. We do not want to relate to them, when it is over and Cal is back with Andre silently preparing one of their final videos we like the characters feel once again at ease safe in the fantasy world they created. We feel like shunning the masses as they have.
The penultimate scene is superb. The final video sees Andre and Cal arming themselves in their car just moments before attacking. It is all too real and truly creates a sense of impending doom. By know we know Cal and Andre and are realising they are about to actually do it, with a kind of morbid fascination we are also relishing the films catharsis.
The massacre shot in CCTV fashion is at times shocking, and whilst it was certainly the perfect choice to depict the massacre if we were going to it is not void of flaws. What is most significant is the sudden radical change of perception we have of Cal and Andre, looking at them in the this person suddenly they are the callous killers we knew they would become yet refused to acknowledge that they would. It is violent and real, our heroes have become monsters and the reality of their fantasy is a terrible tragedy, which costs them everything.
The final scene shows a group of teens filming themselves burning the crosses erected for Andre and cal in disgust that they have been memorialised. Having known Andre and Cal we can only feel almost a sadness that they are actually gone forever and that they certainly did not win anything.
Zero day is a must see for anyone interested in these violent acts sensationalised by the media. It is a character study well worth experiencing.
The X Files: The List (1995)
"Howz it feel to be on death row warden?" Season 3 thriller!
The list is one of the best episodes of season 3 possibly the best season in X files history.
It tells the story of Napoleon Neech Manley a man on death row convicted under dubious circumstances of double murder. Its clear Neech is a powerful is only influential man within the prison and much anticipation and perhaps fear surrounds his execution. As he is taken to the electric chair he vows to seek revenge in a decidedly cold manner on five men that have wronged him.
Mulder and Scully are called in to investigate when a death row guard is found dead in the cell Neech used to occupy. Apparently the guard appears to have been strangled. Mulder interviews John Speranza a prison inmate who explains the power behind Neeches claims "The man was electric pure energy!" Even going so far as to say he witnessed Neech walk past his cell.
Characteristically Mulder finds the idea of Neech actually returning for revenge from beyond the grave enthralling, Scully who brilliantly by Gillian Anderson is portrayed as being uncomfortable in a male prison environment and the warden delivered with cold hypocrisy by classic on screen villain J.T Walsh are less convinced of Neeches claims.
There is much conspiring taking place throughout the episode, the warden coldly murders inmates who may be part of Neeches murders, Scully suspects a conspiracy not of inmates but of guards involving Parmelly (Ken Foree), a black prison guard who is shacking up with Neeches wife.
As More dead bodies begin to surface including some decidedly shocking images of decomposing bodies infested with maggots and beheaded corpses being placed in offices, Mulder fails in his attempt to piece together much evidence or explanation for events but is desperate to engage with the notion of reincarnation.
Chris Carter gives only his second directorial effort and succeeds in creating a most oppressive prison environment, the dark nature of the cell blocks where the murders are taking place serves as stark contrast to the strange settling sun that often occupies any action outside the prison.
The best things in this episode are the performances by some of the supporting cast, Ken Foree is suitably edgy and defencive over the matter, J.T Walsh's performance is dripping with hypocrisy something of a more violent albeit less impressive version of Bob Guntons Samuel Norton in the shawshank redemption.
On the negative the list lacks some punch for much of the third act, there is some rushed dialogue and most importantly the plot doesn't have much emotional bearing on either Mulder or Scully.
On a whole the list is a very good episode of the x files much maligned by critics it still serves consistent tension and dark atmosphere, along with one of the best actual stories of the third season. Given the subject matter it could have been one of the very very best of the shows stand alones, but still serves as a well played out dark thriller. Some people will be turned off by the lack of actual events pertaining to Neeches return whenever he is seen it is quickly shown that the character perceiving him could have been mistaken. But the X files often serves up most chills when this is the case and the final scene is in my estimation very well placed, we have Mulder and Scully both in their own frustrated ways admitting defeat in proving little, and then amidst this J.T Walsh finally meets his comeuppance the actual action could have been perfect if we had not even seen Neech Manley but just been given an implication that a glimpse of his was caught by the warden this questionable fault is made up for though by nice camera work to pan over the wardens corpse with eerier music showing that no one is in fact there with the warden at all.
This X files episode is clearly underrated and for story and creation alone should be appreciated.
The X Files: Squeeze (1993)
Set the bench mark (It wasn't perfect)
Squeeze was the very first stand alone X file to be created. Chris Carter was adamant and rightly so that the show couldn't sustain itself only with UFO related stories so Glen Morgan and James Wong wrote this wonderfully unique and original story.
First of all the genius of the X files was in its decision to have stand alone episodes, it set the show apart from any other in that along with an ongoing theme or plot the viewer could enjoy essentially miniature movies every other week, the creators could use all sorts of creative ammunition for these and dark edgy serial killer stories were often the best.
Squeeze is the first of these. The plot surfaces as three people are dead victims of an animalistic serial killer. Agent Tom Colton contacts old friend Dana Scully because there is no sign of entry at anywhere in the victims homes, many were found with the windows and doors locked.
Scully brings Mulder down to the latest crime scene and he uncovers an elongated fingerprint on a ventilation shaft. From this point on in the episode Mulder is tracing the serial murders to other sets that have occurred in thirty year intervals (1933, 1963).
Squeeze is incredibly stylistic the opening scene where we see the serial killer at work claiming a victim was magnificent we don't see anything but a pair of disturbing eyes lurking in the sewers and a ventilation shaft slowly opening.
Mark Snows somewhat electronic choice is unsettling and effective. There are some fantastic choices of cinematography for example when Mulder runs back into 66 Exeter street a condemned building and a greenish fog like effect is in place on the streets.
Doug Hutchinson turns in a wonderfully reserved and creepy performance as Eugene Victor Tooms the perpetrator of the murders, most notably his stare when he is originally arrested, or his expressionless emotionless response to the questions when he takes a lie detector test.
This episode is by no means perfect though, the chief problem with it is the performance from David Duchovny as Fox Mulder it is by no means bad, but he simply had not perfected his act. The way he acts and behaves towards the serial killings are very uncharacteristic of later Fox Mulder approach given its his first stand alone to work in its understandable. In general he is just lacking in some elements (Dark suit and trench coat? Dark and controlled demeanour). He just doesn't act at all like he does in even late season 1.
On a whole squeeze is a fantastic episode, the story was original very original and it really just serves very well in departments X files would become famous for, atmosphere music and an unusual serial killer tale.
I don't think it competes with the classic stand alones of later series (Grotesque, irresistible) but certainly it remains in and around the top five stand alones ever made. An old classic that really got people talking about what this great show could do.
The X Files: Grotesque (1996)
Awesome underrated classic
Grotesque is quite possibly the most underrated x file ever. It tells the story of Agent Bill Pattersons catching of a serial killer who claimed to be possessed by an evil spirit. The killer spent his time painting and sculpting gargoyles. As the murders and facial mutilation of young men continues Mulder and Scully begin the investigation Mulder often clashing with Patterson over the approach to violent crimes. Mulder dives deeper and deeper into the case until it borders on insanity. The whole episode has an edge to it, it gives the viewer little knowledge as to what exactly is happening and whose doing it. The class in this episode is in its creation, directed by Kim Manners he creates arguably one of the darkest X files ever. Mark Snow provides a fantastic musical score and it stands apart from nearly any other x file you will see. Im sure certain people were turned off by it abandoning some conventions of Mulder and Scullys investigative approach and teamwork they separate bitterly in this episode. In general it is far more like a stylised film than a television episode. If you want a dark edgy atmospheric powerful thriller that really shys away from typical x file approach, combined with one of Duchovnys best performances as Fox Mulder then turn out the lights and watch Grotesque.
The Pledge (2001)
intelligent rather than visceral thriller
The night he retires as a Nevada sheriff, Jerry Black (Jack Nicholson) pledges to the mother of a murdered girl that he will find the killer. A severely retarded Indian (Benico Del Toro) previously convicted of child rape is arrested, but kills himself and another officer when he is being taken to the cells. For many it is an open and shut case but Jerry doesn't believe the police arrested the right man; he discovers this is the area's third incident in the recent past with victims all being; young, blond, pretty, and small for their age. So after retirement he buys an old gas station in the mountains near the crimes in order to search for the real killer all he knows of this possible phantom is that he is; a tall man who drives a black station wagon, gives toy porcupines as gifts, and calls himself the wizard: (clues from a drawing by the dead girl). Jerry's solitary life gives way to friendship with a woman and her small, blond daughter. Has he neglected something that may prove fatal? Detective Jerry Black has made a promise he can't break, to catch a killer he can't find.
This film surpasses Sean Penn's previous directorial efforts ('The Indian Runner' and 'The Crossing Guard'). Re-teamed with Jack Nicholson he has helped the legendary actor create one of his best on screen performances since his 1970s peak ('Five Easy Pieces', 'Last Detail', 'Cuckoo's Nest', 'Marvin Gardens' "shining" et al). Nicholson has always been sensational but over the last ten years or so has sleepwalked his way through way too many movies, culminating in his irritating and mannered performance in the clichéd and sentimental films such as 'Somethings gotta give', enigmatic performances in which he has commanded the screen in the nineties have been rare (batman, as good as it gets (for which he one the Oscar). 'The Pledge' has obviously recharged his creative batteries. He is simply stunning in this film, he is not as glamorous as he tends to be and has accepted a role illustrating his range as an actor today. The films musical score composed by Klaus Badelt and Hans Zimmer is very good indeed it evokes all of the feelings of the leading man. One thing worth noting is that Mickey Rourke is outstanding in the cameo of a father whose daughter was killed years ago possibly by the man Jerry is in pursuit of. As the story develops post Blacks retirement he purchases an old gas station up in the mountains and spends all his time there believing the killer to frequently travel along that road. Nicholson's character meets and gives refuge to a battered wife (Robin Wright Penn) and her young daughter. Jerry Black may have discovered affection for Robin Penn's character that transcends his solitary life.
After some time of looking after his new female companion his gas station is paid a visit by a black station wagon that reawakens Jerry's need for justice. This car may be a lead in the case but with the lead characters increasing paranoia and inability to forget the pledge he made, it becomes apparent that Black's mind may not be as it should be. A religious man who Black believes to be the killer then pays his girlfriend's daughter a visit, but could this simply be an innocent man trying to convert her to Christianity. Blacks ability to cope with the situation worsens and worsens, until the point where he stakes out his girlfriend's daughter calls out a police squad and expects the killer to arrive at a pre-arranged meeting point. No such thing takes place and Black is abandoned by Robin Wright Penn's character who is appalled he used her daughter as bait. The police leave thinking him an old drunk, and Penn (director) leaves the story open and disturbing as we realise there was in fact a man travelling to the stakeout point but who died in a car accident.
Penn brilliantly creates the story of one mans turmoil with a good script, good cast and brilliant direction. His film is poignant unsettling and moving. This film may be in the murder mystery genre but more than anything else this is a blistering magnificent character study. With Penn succeeding in extracting a nuanced and powerful performance from the old pro. This is a superb modern day thriller that doesn't need the crutch of preposterous twists and gun blazing action. For people who like intelligent rather than visceral thrillers this is a class piece of cinema.
Fahrenheit 9/11 (2004)
farenhype 9/11 this couldent be moore wrong
Michael Moore an acclaimed novelist and filmmaker is famous for bad-mouthing and as he claims "exposing" the truth about America, in regards to oil profits foreign policy and most recently the war with and occupation of Iraq.
Mr Moore however is the master of the cheap shot, his ability to embellish and elaborate certain facts to the point where they are global conspiracy's, has made him what he is today. The man however should stick to exploiting the institutional problems that clearly do exist within America itself. Bowling for columbine Moore's first critically and globally acclaimed film challenged and explored the overwhelming problem of gun culture and the still existing problem of racial prejudices being fuelled by the media, leading to one of the most horrific juvenile crimes in American history the columbine high school massacre. This film was eye opening powerful and for the most part accurate. Moore's chief priority now though seems to be challenging the credibility and exploiting the truth about George w Bush his father and how they stole the general election using George H Bush's cronies, tame judges and electoral fraud. Although most of Moore's information on this matter is accurate Fahrenheit 9/11 is simply not.
The film itself is really an example of Moore's regurgitation and repackaging of things said in earlier novels such as stupid white men and downsizes this. The first half of this film is mainly about America's dealings with Saudi Arabia and how it connects with the invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq. Footage of Donald Rumsfeld shaking hands with Sadam Hussein and the Saudi's in the early nineties is quite powerful; using slow dramatic music this film could easily obfuscate one from the truth. But Moore doesn't focus on America's primary concern being to stay rich and get richer through oil profits in a truthful manner. He creates the illusion that every move America makes is decided by a secret cabal of white house officials who are in league with the terrorists the average American fears. He pushes his belief that every move is made in the interest of the Saudis. Interesting as this may be it does not at all correspond with America's most recent wars. Saudi Arabia was not too happy about the invasion of Afghanistan and so critical of the invasion of Iraq that they ordered Americans, off their territory. If the general thrust of this movie is as Moore quotes; "The truth and nothing but the truth." Then why do Americans keep doing the opposite of what their masters dictate?
The next conspiracy theory in this film is about America only invading Afghanistan so Unocal could build a natural Gas pipeline that will be worth millions. Moore completely ignores the Talibans reign of terror or how terrorists took up residence there, but instead focuses solely on Unocal. The fundamental problem with this conspiracy is that Unocal abandoned their plans and is not going to resume them any time soon.
The second half of this feature (much more credible than the first) is about the very controversial war in Iraq. Moore uses the most horrific footage one could find depicting the carnage perpetrated by the military. He then visits a mother in his hometown of flint Michigan who lost her son in Iraq when insurgents shot down a black hawk helicopter. Her grief is heartbreaking and far more powerful than any statistic that could be printed, but it is in my opinion milked for too long.
Moore's film is filled with blatant contradictions, if there were far too few terrorist alerts prior to 9/11 then why is it a bad thing that there are more now. Furthermore if airport security was far too lax before why mock extensive measures being taken to ensure safe flights now. This film does not qualify as a documentary; anyone who believes it does should read a dictionary, which will clearly state that a documentary should; present facts objectively without editorialising or inserting fictional matter. This film crosses the line from selective reporting of evidence in support of a position, to fabricating evidence in support of a position. To be fair many documentaries are guilty of this but Moore is not even subtle in his approach, he doesn't seem to even attempt to hide his blatant disregard for facts.
The main and most offending contradiction though, is Moors claim that there are not enough televised funerals of fallen soldiers in Iraq. But Moore has quoted that the Iraqi resistance are not the terrorists or insurgents but, that they are freedom fighters, and that their numbers will grow and they will win. I would pay to see Mr Moore visit the funeral of a fallen soldier and explain to the relatives that their son or daughter was killed by the Iraqi revolution. I would then join in the chorus about his supposed courage.
People may call Michael Moore the thorn in the side of corporate America or the scourge of political hypocrisy but that does not make him right.
The X Files (1993)
One of televisions finest completely original and most importantly very well made.
The X files was the brainchild of Chris Carter. It follows the sometimes dark and disturbing or scientifically challenging cases labelled pointless or time wasting by the F.B.I and dumped in what is known as the X files a project outside the bureau mainstream headed by Fox Mulder formerly a brilliant violent crimes agent and his new partner Dana Scully.The relationship between these two characters has to be noted as part of the shows success, we had two attractive intelligent and deep characters who weren't sleeping together or ever at any stage falling into the predictable cheesy formula of a lead in a television show. Fox Mulders character undoubtedly went through a beneficial change as the show progressed, in the opening season David Duchovny (an actor whose surprisingly monotone and sometimes deadpan style was perfect for the role) played Fox Mulder as somewhat geeky and childishly excitable over the investigation of paranormal phenomenon. Still Mulder is everybody's hero and as the show moved into the second season and beyond we saw a magnificent and captivating dark edge to his character evolving (perfect considering the personal trauma he has endured). Dana Scully started as she meant to go on played by the much more talented actress Gillian Anderson (whose high calibre emotional performances earned her award success) she serves as one of the most brilliantly intelligent and strong yet wonderfully vulnerable women in film or TV. Her traumas both personal and sometimes professional with some of the more disturbing serial killers they pursue are wonderfully portrayed by one of the most competent actresses to become a television star. The chemistry and spark between the two characters was ideal it transcended the monotonous sexual tension and formulaic witty dialogue between most other good looking male and female co stars, instead it offered a perfect balance between humour care for each other and professional commitment to the F.B.I.This review will dedicate itself to the actual x files the aspect that made this show one of the best. Most television shows in this genre die because the plots exhaust themselves. Chris Carter ingeniously proposed that the show could not sustain itself with only the mythology. The X files therefore adopted the cop show formula of having a different story each week these were essentially miniature movies that could be about anything. With a fantastic writing team and more importantly the best cinematographers and directors to have worked television the show made numerous brilliant shows completely original and enthralling. An episode would typically begin with a bizarre murder and then follow the agents through their investigation or pursuit of something or someone such as a serial killer. This was where the x files really shone no one else before or after in TV has ever done such a thing. Someone who had never seen the show could most nights turn it on and follow a little one-hour movie. Even better was how the creators worked these stories around the lead characters. Irresistible for example a thriller from season 2 followed the pursuit of a sexually motivated death fetishist who resorted to homicide to satisfy his desires. Here Gillian Anderson wonderfully portrayed her vulnerability with such a realistic and haunting case. Grotesque a very dark episode from season 3 did the same; here while investigating the continuation of brutal serial murder after the killer had been caught Fox Mulder began to fall deeper into the investigation than was safe for his own sanity. David Duchovny portrayed the dangers that face FBI agents who try to get inside a monsters head with subtle captivation, as Frederic Nietzsche wrote "In the pursuit of monsters one must be careful not to become one himself" This leads to another element of the shows success its following the scare formula. The horror movie style applied to some cases always attracts viewers in some cases the horror was so gruesome that a show was banned from network television (home season 4).To sum up two things made these stand alone episodes for the x files so very good. Firstly it gave the writers incredible amounts of artistic licence, their stories ranged from the implausible to the haunting to the dark to the monstrous and beyond. Secondly and perhaps more importantly is the atmosphere the show could create. This was for me what made the show so very special, they could create such incredibly dark atmospheres combined with brilliant artistic and skillful direction and a score from Mark Snow and you had creation as good as that from movies in the genre such as silence of the lambs. In essence the show had the potential to look very good.There is much to say negatively about such a good show however and that is surprising. Firstly the stand-alone episodes that could be so good had the potential to fail. The frustration here comes from the fact that a show that can be so good churned out stories that were not memorable or that were too far fetched. Furthermore the show in my opinion was not brilliant for all its years it began to deteriorate and transform into too much of a typical sci-fi show after 5 years. The more outrageous the ideas became the less the show could be dark and atmospheric. It was in some respects a victim of time, as the 21st century approached the newer the show became the more it lost its artistic edge. Even when the show was in its prime there were many average to poor episodes.I can hear the question already "how can you say a show was brilliant when it made some bad episodes in its prime?" Well you just answered your own question because the episodes in its prime that were good really were that good.
Batman Returns (1992)
Dark, perverse, engaging but not great
Batman returns is a strange film definitely worth a watch for any Tim Burton fan. The movie succeeds in its artistic presentation of a cruel dark perverse world, where in the night bizarre things happen.
Keaton was the perfect batman but I believe he is wasted in this movie, through Tim Burtons decision to focus primarily on the villains. The scenes he is given he plays well but his dark physcosis is tackled in a somewhat comical way this time round.
Burtons art work is great in this film with the designs for the abandoned Antarctic zoo, and city hall. Once again Danny Elfman provides a brilliant dark Gothic neo-classical score.
Devito has received mixed reception for his performance as the penguin, he attempts to be larger than life, but he fails in producing a performance as entertaining as Jack Nicholsons the Joker. At many points in the film he is annoying.
Michelle Pfeifer does what she can with the Selina Kyle/cat-woman character. Her best moments are when she recovers from an attempted murder and loses complete control trashing her apartment.
Christopher Walken is probably the best thing in this film, his character is eccentric engaging and strangely charming. No one could've been better in this role than him, he has such a persuasive intriguing speaking tone, ideal for his manipulating and ca jading of the Penguin, when Christopher Walken speaks he subtly forces you to listen, this is the sign of a great actor.
However this film fails in its lack of plot depth, it looks stylish on the surface like all of Tim Burtons movie, but the plot is a little sparse and thrown around. Burtons fundamental flaw as a director is that he focuses on style over substance.
In saying this Burtons dark representation of Gotham used in both his films is perfect for the dark knight to inhabit.
This film is not up to the standard of the first batman, primarily because Tim Burton was given too much artistic licence, so that he could give the film a complete Tim Burton stylisation.
But yet another fault is that, if you decide to make a dark film ,there is no place for cringing lines such as "eat floor high in fibre".
All in all Batman returns is the second best batman film, but no as Good as the original which places comic book themes in a dark but realistic world, this film places comic book themes in a dark but ridiculous and somewhat perverse world. This is what turned the masses away from it. An art film is never a commercial success, but like many other art films this has achieved cult status.
Batman returns is an okay film that could've been much better if Tim Burton had been controlled.
Deep Blue Sea (1999)
i think this film was a load of ****
This movie should be permanently banned from screens across the universe. I am a business man who takes pride in what is presented to him. I have never seen anything like this in the business world. I am disgusted with the creators they make me sick. Being a director i have endless knowledge about film making, this film is a disgrace to Howard Norton the first man to ever hold a camera. Thanks for this opportunity to voice my opinions. I love you guys. I hope you take my opinion graciously and avoid contact with deep blue sea. As samuel jackson once said, it takes a man to make a miracle, and a miracle to change a man. After jacksons disappointing decision to star in this movie, these words take on new meaning. peace to all my brothers xxx