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Last Night Remixed |
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Nov 18 2008
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Dan Owen reviews
2 0 0 7 R e t r o s p e c t i v e |
JULYWith the summer in full-swing, Bruce Willis "did a Stallone" by resurrecting his most famous character, John McClane, for another Die Hard film. Entitled Die Hard 4.0 internationally (but the cumbersome Live Free Or Die Hard in the States), this was a serviceable actioner that didn't tarnish the Die Hard brand too badly, but it was unfortunately neutered by certificate restraints. Get the unrated DVD if you can. But even then, you'll never beat the original. He seems to alternate between the summer and winter box-office periods, but Harry Potter returned to cinemas with The Order Of The Phoenix in July. The fifth film and (most say) worst book. While it improves on repeated viewing, Phoenix was certainly more talky and lacking in thrills compared to earlier instalments. All set-up for the much-improved sixth and seventh books. It was quite a good year for musicals, and Hairspray was the under-the-radar hit nobody quite expected. John Travolta partially redeemed himself for Wild Hogs by dressing as a piggy woman and who doesn't love seeing Christopher Walken dance around? The best marketing campaign of the year was undoubtedly for The Simpsons Movie, with fake Kwiki-Marts, the ability to "Simpsonize" your photos online, and a big film competition for a real-life Springfield to get the world premiere. Even fans helped spread the word in interesting ways, like some guys creating a giant Homer "chalk-man" on an English hillside. The film itself? Not too bad. The best episode in years, stretched to film-length, as we all expected. Yes, it could have been much worse… but I'm sure a Simpsons film circa 1996 would have rivalled some comedy classics. The goliath of Transformers blasted up UK cinemas in July, with Michael Bay's loud spectacle causing twentysomething fanboys and kids to get all excited. The reviews were mixed, with the film being ripped apart and hailed in equal measure. Of course, it was a load of overblown tosh, but the visuals were genuinely enthralling (if you can keep up with the hyperactive editing), Shia LeBeouf proved he has star quality and Megan Fox was easy on the eye. |
AUGUSTHow apt that a film about a disaster would prove to be just that. Expensive Evan Almighty, a sequel to Jim Carrey's Bruce Almighty, splashed and drowned at the box-office everywhere. The idea sounded fun (a comedy update of Noah's Ark), Morgan Freeman was back as God, and Steve Carrell has a good track record in comedies (Anchorman, 40 Year Old Virgin, The Office). So what went wrong? Oh yeah. It wasn't very funny. The weakest threequel arrived in the listless shape of Rush Hour 3, which somehow did respectable business despite a critical thrashing. People are their own worse enemies. Surf's Up was also the weakest of this year's CGI animations; a tale of surfing penguins that seemed to be trying to surf Happy Feet's wave. But penguins are so 2006, man. Fortunately, the year's best threequel arrives in the lithe shape of The Bourne Ultimatum, with Matt Damon back as amnesiac ass-kicker Jason Bourne. The poor sod is still looking for answers (even though everyone watching thinks it's pretty clear – you're a top assassin for the US government, dummy!) No matter. Paul Greengrass caught lightning twice in his depiction of all the slick fights, tense chases and nail-biting drama. A fast, furious, intelligent slice of action. Sleeper hit Knocked Up finally rocked up in the UK, having blitzed the US a little earlier in the summer. It proved to be very successful here, too – with audiences lapping up the well-judged mix of low-brow guffaws and high-brow laughs. The best rom-com in a long time, and nice to see a comedy actually tell a story for once. John Cusack's an interesting actor, but 1408 didn't quite hit as big as I'd hoped. This adaptation of a Stephen King story has a great, simple premise (paranormal debunker spends a night in a very haunted motel room). Unfortunately, the unsettling scares later give way to OTT silliness… but it can still be considered a good effort. |
SEPTEMBERHeading into Autumn, an early Oscar-contender for 2008 was released in the shape of Atonement, the wartime adaptation of a popular novel, starring Keira Knightley (out to prove she's more than a pirating tough-nut) and James McAvoy (having a great year, following The Last King Of Scotland). The film seemed to be a good antidote to the summer fare, spending weeks at the top of the UK chart. Joining Atonement in almost parallel success was Simon Pegg comedy Run, Fat Boy, Run. This rom-com set in the world of amateur marathon running was a surprise hit for director David Schwimmer (Ross in Friends) and proved that, post-Fuzz, Pegg has been taken to British hearts. The film itself? Mediocre. The latter half of 2007 saw a resurgence in the Western genre; first with 3:10 To Yuma, starring Christian Bale and Russell Crowe, which peaked early in the UK and slipped considerably. But still, it did very well in the US and proved there's still some fondness for heterosexual cowboys post-Brokeback Mountain. A big disappointment, in terms of success anyway, was Clive Owen actioner Shoot 'Em Up, which just wasn't marketed very strongly following its failure in the US. Still, it s a brainless, high-octane barrel of fun which should do well on DVD and become a cult hit. Following up Knocked Up was Seth Rogen and Judd Apatow, both involved in Superbad. This was cleverly sold on the back of Knocked Up's success in the US and UK, and months of hype online helped make it a hit -- despite slightly underperforming because of such epic expectations. On the opposite end of appraisal from most people was I Now Pronounce You Chuck And Larry, the new Adam Sandler comedy that received mostly negative reviews because of its offensive gay stereotypes. Audiences were more forgiving, and made it a modest hit. The biggest casualty of 2007 was undoubtedly Grindhouse, a double-bill "film experience" from directing friends Robert Rodriguez and Quentin Tarantino. Two films for the price of one, both inspired by the exploitative, violent, cheap n' nasty flicks of the 1970s. The project bombed in the US and forced the studio to cut their losses, re-edit both films, push Tarantino's Death Proof into Cannes for some quick praise, before throwing it into UK cinemas and hoping for the best. It failed. Death Proof, about a serial killer stuntman (Kurt Russell) tanked in the UK and capped Tarantino's worst year in film. Another gritty film was The Brave One, which wasn't much of a hit, but was interesting enough for being a Jodie Foster female-version of Death Wish. Having righted some wrongs with his Ocean's franchise, George Clooney made a bid for awards glory in 2008 with Michael Clayton. This law thriller generated a bit of buzz from critics, directed by scribe Tony Gilroy (the Bourne films), although its box-office success didn't reflect the plaudits. |
Email Dan Owen
The following is a list of Dan's Movie Digests online :
2007 Retrospective: Part One 2007 Retrospective: Part Two 2007 Retrospective: Part Three 2007 Retrospective: Part Four
Issue 188: August 22nd 2007 Issue 187: August 8th 2007 Issue 186: February 22nd 2007 Issue 185: January 26th 2007
2006 Retrospective: Part One 2006 Retrospective: Part Two 2006 Retrospective: Part Three 2006 Retrospective: Part Four
Issue 184: December 20th 2006 Issue 183: December 8th 2006 Issue 182: November 30th 2006 Issue 181: November 22nd 2006 Issue 180: November 15th 2006 Issue 179: November 6th 2006 Issue 178: July 19th 2006 Issue 177: July 12th 2006 Issue 176: July 6th 2006 Issue 175: June 23rd 2006 Issue 174: June 16th 2006 Issue 173: June 7th 2006 Issue 172: May 18th 2006 Issue 171: May 10th 2006 Issue 170: May 4th 2006 Issue 169: April 26th 2006 Issue 168: April 20th 2006 Issue 167: April 12th 2006 Issue 166: April 5th 2006 Issue 165: March 29th 2006 Issue 164: March 15th 2006 Issue 163: March 9th 2006 Issue 162: March 3rd 2006 Issue 161: February 22nd 2006 Issue 160: February 15th 2006 Issue 159: February 8th 2006 Issue 158: February 3rd 2006 Issue 157: January 27th 2006 Issue 156: January 18th 2006
2005 Retrospective: Part One 2005 Retrospective: Part Two
Issue 155: November 24th 2005 Issue 154: November 18th 2005 Issue 153: November 11th 2005 Issue 152: November 4th 2005 Issue 151: October 21st 2005 Issue 150: October 12th 2005 Issue 149: October 7th 2005 Issue 148: September 29th 2005 Issue 147: September 21st 2005 Issue 146: August 19th 2005 Issue 145: August 10th 2005 Issue 144: August 4th 2005 Issue 143: July 29th 2005 Issue 142: July 22nd 2005 Issue 141: July 13th 2005 Issue 140: July 8th 2005 Issue 139: June 30th 2005 Issue 138: June 24th 2005 Issue 137: June 17th 2005 Issue 136: June 9th 2005 Issue 135: June 2nd 2005 Issue 134: May 25th 2005 Issue 133: May 20th 2005 Issue 132: May 11th 2005 Issue 131: April 20th 2005 Issue 130: April 13th 2005 Issue 129: April 6th 2005 Issue 128: March 23rd 2005 Issue 127: March 16th 2005 Issue 126: March 2nd 2005 Issue 125: February 23rd 2005 Issue 124: February 17th 2005 Issue 123: February 11th 2005 Issue 122: February 2nd 2005 Issue 121: January 26th 2005 Issue 120: January 21st 2005 Issue 119: January 12th 2005
2004 Retrospective: Part One 2004 Retrospective: Part Two 2004 Retrospective: Part Three 2004 Retrospective: Part Four
Issue 118: December 22nd 2004 Issue 117: December 15th 2004 Issue 116: December 8th 2004 Issue 115: December 1st 2004 Issue 114: November 24th 2004 Issue 113: November 18th 2004 Issue 112: November 11th 2004 Issue 111: November 3rd 2004 Issue 110: October 28th 2004 Issue 109: October 13th 2004 Issue 108: October 6th 2004 Issue 107: September 29th 2004 Issue 106: September 22nd 2004 Issue 105: September 15th 2004 Issue 104: September 8th 2004 Issue 103: September 1st 2004 Issue 102: August 11th 2004 Issue 101: August 7th 2004
Issue 100: Greatest Underdog Movies Part 4 Issue 100: Greatest Underdog Movies Part 3 Issue 100: Greatest Underdog Movies Part 2 Issue 100: Greatest Underdog Movies Part 1
Issue 99: July 28th 2004 Issue 98: July 21st 2004 Issue 97: July 9th 2004 Issue 96: July 7th 2004 Issue 95: June 30th 2004 Issue 94: June 22nd 2004 Issue 93: June 6th 2004 Issue 92: May 28th 2004 Issue 91: May 23rd 2004 Issue 90: May 14th 2004 Issue 89: May 9th 2004 Issue 88: April 30th 2004 Issue 87: April 24th 2004 Issue 86: April 17th 2004 Issue 85: April 9th 2004 Issue 84: March 27th 2004 Issue 83: March 19th 2004 Issue 82: March 12th 2004 Issue 81: March 5th 2004 Issue 80: February 27th 2004 Issue 79: February 20th 2004 Issue 78: February 13th 2004 Issue 77: February 6th 2004 Issue 76: January 30th 2004 Issue 75: January 23rd 2004 Issue 74: January 16th 2004 Issue 73: January 9th 2004
2003 Retrospective: Part One 2003 Retrospective: Part Two 2003 Retrospective: Part Three 2003 Retrospective: Part Four
Issue 72: December 12th 2003 Issue 71: December 4th 2003 Issue 70: November 28th 2003 Issue 69: November 21st 2003 Issue 68: November 14th 2003 Issue 67: November 7th 2003 Issue 66: October 31st 2003 Issue 65: October 24th 2003 Issue 64: October 17th 2003 Issue 63: October 10th 2003 Issue 62: October 3rd 2003 Issue 61: September 26th 2003 Issue 60: September 19th 2003 Issue 59: September 12th 2003 Issue 58: August 29th 2003 Issue 57: August 22nd 2003 Issue 56: August 15th 2003 Issue 55: August 8th 2003 Issue 54: August 1st 2003 Issue 53: July 25th 2003 Issue 52: July 18th 2003 Issue 51: July 11th 2003 Issue 50: July 4th 2003 Issue 49: June 27th 2003 Issue 48: June 20th 2003 Issue 47: June 13th 2003 Issue 46: June 6th 2003 Issue 45: May 30th 2003 Issue 44: May 23rd 2003 Issue 43: May 16th 2003 Issue 42: May 9th 2003 Issue 41: May 2nd 2003 Issue 40: April 25th 2003 Issue 39: April 18th 2003 Issue 38: April 11th 2003 Issue 37: April 4th 2003 Issue 36: March 28th 2003 Issue 35: March 21st 2003 Issue 34: March 14th 2003 Issue 33: March 7th 2003 Issue 32: February 28th 2003 Issue 31: February 21st 2003 Issue 30: February 14th 2003 Issue 29: February 7th 2003 Issue 28: January 31st 2003 Issue 27: January 24th 2003 Issue 26: January 17th 2003 Issue 25: January 10th 2003 Issue 24: January 3rd 2003
2002 Retrospective: Part One 2002 Retrospective: Part Two 2002 Retrospective: Part Three 2002 Retrospective: Part Four
Issue 23: December 20th 2002 Issue 22: December 13th 2002 Issue 21: December 6th 2002 Issue 20: November 29th 2002 Issue 19: November 22nd 2002 Issue 18: November 15th 2002 Issue 17: November 8th 2002 Issue 16: November 1st 2002 Issue 15: October 25th 2002 Issue 14: October 18th 2002 Issue 13: October 11th 2002 Issue 12: October 4th 2002 Issue 11: September 27th 2002 Issue 10: September 20th 2002 Issue 9: September 13th 2002 Issue 8: September 6th 2002 Issue 7: August 30th 2002 Issue 6: August 23rd 2002 Issue 5: August 16th 2002 Issue 4: August 9th 2002 Issue 3: August 2nd 2002 Issue 2: July 26th 2002 Issue 1: July 19th 2002
DVDs reviewed by the editor are watched on a Panasonic TXW32R4 32" widescreen TV connected to either a Creative Dxr2 DVD-ROM player or Microsoft Xbox and played through a Sony STR-DB930 amplifier.
PC games reviewed by the editor are on:
