Body Double (1984)

Continuing my recent run of Brian De Palma films comes his twisted homage to Hitchcock, a film that manges to include all of his directorial quirks whilst embracing the story's inherent sleaziness. Craig Wasson plays Jake Scully, an unsuccessful actor who finds himself in need of a place to stay after finding his girlfriend in bed with another man. He is befriended by Gregg Henry, another actor on the circuit who offers Jake his penthouse apartment (that he himself is just borrowing) while he is out of town. From here Jake starts to spy on a beautiful woman who lives in an apartment down the road. However things quickly turn very strange as Jake starts to become obsessed with the woman. Adding to the complications comes the appearance of a strange, scarred man, who seems to be stalking the woman as well. 
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From here the film continues down a tunnel of bizzare events where the lines between what is real and not are often blurred. This is largely down to De Palma's heightened sense of reality, he riddles Jake with claustrophobia and fantasy sequences, and the films' over the top approach to the action is a perfect fit for it's voyeuristic and sleazy nature. It is also clear as the film goes on that De Palma has a good sense of humour about the whole thing, a strange music video style sequence late on (to Relax of all things) seems oddly fitting and the film's climax (which was apparently the inspiration for the title of Tarantino's Reservoir Dogs) is suitably wacky. Still the Hitchcock influences are unmistakable, it works as a sort of mix of Rear Window and Vertigo but never feels like a straight up rip-off. In fact the film is highly watchable and enjoyable, it has a particularly unique tone that fully evokes the ear in which is was made that I really appreciated and all the actors involved seem to be on the same page, playing things very straight throughout.
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I don't have much else to say really, Body Double works as both a standard thriller and homage to Hitchcock whilst remaining its own beast. It is crude, and often tasteless, enjoying pushing at normal sensibilities and playing off of your expectations. It feels like a director letting loose and enjoying himself, and as long as you don't look for too much more you should enjoy sharing in its giddy excess.

Blue Valentine (2010)

Both Michelle Williams and Ryan Gosling have garnered reputations over the last few years for being two of the most talented and fearless young actors in the business. Blue Valentine tells the story of a doomed romance, and is a wonderful showcase for their respective talents, but it is not an easy watch. Painfully honest and emotional the film doesn't shy away from the pain and the suffering that is caused at the end of a relationship. Thankfully director (and co-writer) Derek Cianfrance has a deft touch and a feel for mood that wisely holds the film back from simply becoming an exercise in voyeuristic suffering.
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Williams and Gosling play Dean and Cindy, a couple with a young daughter and a chequered history. Dean is a likeable slacker, laid back and easy going his lack of ambition a badge of honour. Cindy is more highly strung, ambitious and slightly cold she is the harder of the two to  engage with, especially early on in the film, but as Cianfrance peels back the layers we see the complexity in both characters. Dean's passiveness is holding Cindy back, and the resentment she feels is at least understood, if not justified. The pair make compelling, human characters that resonate long after the film has finished. Much has been made of the performances in the film, and rightly so. Both Gosling and Williams are remarkable, creating complex, nuanced people out of mere looks, the transition from the intercut scenes of the couple's initial meeting and early relationship is effectively counterbalanced against the modern day scenes, and it is because of the performances that this works so well. Neither is afraid of looking bad, or being likeable and it is a refreshing, if sobering look at relationships. That being said the film is not all doom and gloom, it has some beautiful moments and is interested in a lot more than watching these characters suffer.
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The film has a claustrophobic, saturated look that fits perfectly. The cinematography veers between warm and cold, based on the scene, but never strays far from realistic tones. Great as the performances are they are not flashy and the same goes for the supporting cast, who largely exist to populate the world. The soundtrack, provided by the group Grizzly Bear is equally impressive, not overpowering it underscores the emotion effectively.
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As an adult drama, and a moving and carefully constructed view at modern relationships Blue Valentine is a success. It successfully navigates many of the potential pitfalls of the genre, refraining from melodrama or overdoing the emotion. It shows, rather than tells and isn't afraid to put the blame at the feet of either of its characters. Real life can be hopeful and beautiful, but messy and painful too and I think the film captures the transition from one to the other with grace and understanding.

Monsters (2010)

Gareth Edward’s debut feature, Monsters, is a remarkable film. It is so for many reasons and the more you look into its origins and creation, the scale of the achievement only becomes more impressive. Filmed largely on the fly, with no script and only two real actors, and on a tiny budget with a crew of three, he was able to sculpt a fascinating and surprisingly affecting alien invasion movie that also works as a character study and timely parable on nature.

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The film is set in modern day America, but one in which alien life forms, carried on an asteroid, have crashed in Central America and taken root. The entire southern half of the country has subsequently become a quarantine zone, with no-one entirely certain about the nature of the creatures housed within. The story follows two characters who find themselves forced to attempt to make it across the Quarantine zone after becoming stranded on the wrong side of the continent. What impresses about the film is the way it tells the wider story about the invasion through the prism of these characters. Snippets of news reports and signposts (cleverly CG’d after the fact seamlessly) paint a picture of a fearful world and there are echoes of District 9 and even the recent War of the Worlds remake in the way larger global events are filtered through a smaller, human perspective. Utilising remarkable real life locations the film almost feels like a documentary, the handheld camera roaming the streets finding little moments of interest or information all around. Edwards has a fantastic eye for a striking image and his composition masks the films humble ambitions well.

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Scoot McNairy and Whitney Able play the lead couple and both do strong work. Both relatively unknown actors they bear the weight of the whole film and convince throughout. The story of two strangers getting to know each other as they suffer through an ordeal is a well worm one, but it is understated enough to not feel trite. In fact the main reason the film works so well is the strong character work, the alien invasion plot almost feels secondary and adds depth to a story that is interesting enough by itself. The film is slow, but not boring. It is interested in the quiet moments as much as action, and while there are some exciting sequences this isn’t an action film by any stretch of the imagination.

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Edwards largely leaves the aliens off screen, a brave move and one that generally works, though I wouldn’t have objected to a few more scenes dealing with them more directly. The creatures themselves are fascinating, true originals that feel like bizarre giant squid like dinosaurs as they meander around. There is a wonderful other worldly quality to them, and Edwards (who worked as a special effects artist) dedication shows just what you can accomplish in terms of big scale CGI with no budget and a lot of care and attention. There is one scene at the end which is breathtaking and oddly moving, a scene that feels like the culmination of the film and one that would have been easy to fumble.

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The soundtrack too is a key part of the film, subtly layering the emotion and tying some of the more disparate elements of the film together. Again it is remarkable how coherent the film is given the freedom and flexibility that was taken whilst it was being made, with a lot of the story only coming together in the editing. Overall Monsters is a refreshingly adult and human look at a subject often used for empty spectacle, as well as an amazing example of the potential for great cinema to arise from humble beginnings.

Scarface (1983)

Scarface is arguably the most renowned and well known of Brian De Palma’s films, one that has become iconic in the pages of film history, its dialogue and action parodied and mimicked over time in any number of TV shows and other films. Following the rise of Tony Montana (Al Pacino) from penniless immigrant to drug lord it is a remarkable film, absorbing, gratuitous, ridiculous but compelling. As much as the Untouchables brought out the worst in De Palma’s various film fetishes Scarface embraces them and feels a perfect fit, it is a film of excess, about excess that embodies a time and place completely.

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Watching the film it is easy to see why Al Pacino’s performance has been so lauded over the years, he brings a swagger and a danger to Montana that is evident right from the start. His oft mimicked Cuban accent, like everything else about him, is verging on parody, and yet he never pushes that line. He is clearly having a lot of fun, but never betrays the character especially as the film progresses and we see how the greed and the power overwhelm his already fragile mental state. Those who rail against the film as glamorising drugs and violence clearly missed much of the films message, the lifestyle of Tony Montana is itself a gaudy sideshow that never satisfies and viewed in the stark light of day his empire crumbles. Ambition untamed is destructive, it seems to say, Tony’s habit of seizing what he wants always ends in failure, the lesson he never learns is to value anyone but himself. Michelle Pfeiffer plays Elvira Hancock, the woman Tony becomes obsessed with and ends up marrying. Again his ambition ruins not only his future, but hers too and Pfeiffer imbues Elvira with a great aloofness, but sadness too and it’s a surprisingly affecting turn.

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The great thing though is that the film manages to deal with some of these karger themes, whilst remaining a thoroughly entertaining and enjoyable experience, on every level it just works, it is smartly paced and densely packed with great set pieces and performances. The over the top violence actually adds to this, heightening the reality whilst the scale of the film impresses even now. Thanks to Pacino’s performance (and the more than able supporting case) the story is constantly engaging, he is the prime example of an unlikeable protagonist that works, a fascinating character unpredictable and yet so very watchable.

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So the film holds up, and not just as a film of its time. It deserves to stand amongst (but not above) the swell of classic gangster movies of the 70s and 80s and its influence on modern culture is hard to ignore. More than that though it is what all films should ultimately aspire to be: a good story well told.

Paranormal Activity 2 (2010)

The original Paranormal Activity was something of a surprise hit. Eschewing nearly all of the recent conventions of the horror movie, it instead relied on a slow build of tension and a strict policy of ‘less is more’. As such, even at its most graphic the film showed you very little, instead it played on people’s own fears, using the found footage genre to achieve a realism not often favoured in a genre which in recent years has gone more and more for the outlandish gore of Saw, Hostel and Final Destination.

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Horror is a cyclical genre though and so the film has already spawned a sequel, it is now poised to be the new annual franchise of choice and on this evidence it could have some legs. PA2 is no radical departure, but it is a successful sequel in many ways that ties in neatly to the first film in ways I was not expecting. The film is actually set over a period of time a few months before the events of the first film, we follow the Rey family whose mother Kristi is the sister of Katie, the star of the first film. To get around the home video concept from the first film the sequel opens with a burglary attempt, which prompts the installation of surveillance cameras around the house. This then allows a lot more freedom for the filmmakers, who no longer have to invent reasons for a camera to be turned on whenever something unusual happens in the house.

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One thing I appreciated in this film as opposed to the original was a more rounded and likeable cast, as a family unit there was a comfortable sense of realism and familiarity between the characters and the film again takes its time building the atmosphere and mood before things really kick off. As such it remains a slow film; it’s always a brave choice to rely on a lot of silence in your film and this does mean the film is paced in a way that can lead to some dull stretches, especially if you are not in a cinema / crowd situation with all the inherent atmosphere that comes along with that.

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As before when the strange events start happening they are effectively pulled off, from pans falling from shelves to TV’s turning themselves on they are subtle but creepy reminders that all it not right. The stakes are also raised as early on it seems apparent that whatever it is that is causing these events has its eye on the family’s 2 year old son and the shots of him alone on his bed are effectively disturbing at times.

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The film deviates very little from the template laid down by the first film, even using much of the same iconography but I still think it works as an effective companion piece. What is less certain is how long this format can last, I am very wary of a third film in this style unless they find a way of mixing things up. Still for what it is, and given the history of horror sequels Paranormal Activity 2 does an admirable job, it has some effective scares and retains the original’s restraint for the most part. I don’t find these films to be the most compelling experiences but I appreciate the return to the haunted house template and the emphasis on building mood and scares through character not just buckets of blood. Time will tell where the series goes from here, but on the whole I would probably say that PA2 is slightly better than the original, as a film, and that was possible the biggest shock of them all.

Enter the Void (2009)

Gaspar Noé doesn't do conventional. Seven years after the controversial and devastating Irreversible he returns to the big screen with his most ambitious, and challenging film yet. Enter the Void is not what you would call an easy watch, it is however a technical marvel and a powerful and ground-breaking work of true vision and ambition. Set in the neon glow of Tokyo the story follows a small time drug dealer, Oscar. He lives in a small flat with his sister, one night he goes out on a deal and things go very wrong indeed. For the next two hours the film then traces Oscar's transition into the afterlife, as he literally flashes back and forth throughout his life, as well as visiting the people he loves as we see how his death affects them. Loosely based on the Tibetan book of the dead Enter the Void is literally a descent into the unknown, a sensory experience as much as a traditional narrative, but one that is never less that gripping and fascinating.
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Always on the cutting edge of film-making Noé here, after the amazing and eye-watering opening credits sequence, spends the initial part of the film with Oscar in first person mode, we see through his eyes (even including the blinks, which have been added). It's a technique that has been done before, but never on this scale or for such an extended period of time. It is quite unsettling and effective. Once Oscar leaves his body, so do we, the camera freed from its prior confines it swoops and flies around the city with abandon, a technique that is stunningly executed. As Oscar visits his friends and family, we follow. What Noé does well here is personify the objective camera, as Oscar's spirit we observe but don't interfere. The scenes are given real time to breath, the camera drifting lazily around in a way that become hypnotic. The ambient soundtrack is present throughout and imbues the film with an odd sense of calm and peace at times, despite the events being depicted. Make no mistake though, this is a film that in places is just as graphic and challenging as Irreversible. Noé doesn't shy away from the seedy side of life, but he doesn't pass judgement either. None of the characters in the film are particularly likeable (except perhaps Oscar's friend Alex) and many are actually played by non-actors. The film doesn't really suffer from this though, as they convince enough to ground us in Oscar's reality and history.
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The really interesting thing about the film is the non-linear way in which these visions and experiences occur. Concurrently with the events after his death Oscar also finds himself reliving moments from his past, from childhood up until the events at the start of the film. I liked the way certain thematic elements wove their way in between these sequences, there often isn't much dialogue but there is a strong enough visual thread to pull you through. As the film continues it pushes further and further out of the bounds of reality, finally collapsing in on an astonishing, brave and bizzare final sequence. Experienced as metaphor it embodies Oscar's desire for his friends to find happiness and connection as he comes to acceptance of his fate. There are heady themes here but it is also about interpretation.
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This is possibly a film many will hate, it is slow and tough to watch in places. It takes you on a journey and is uncompromising in its vision. Personally I found it remarkable, not only on a technical level (the way Noé uses CGI, models and other effects is stunning here) but on an emotional one as well. Irreversible was a powerful film, but a mean one with a nihilistic edge. Enter the Void is much more hopeful, and as such easier to engage with, one that as an artistic statement and experience resonated with me strongly. 

The Untouchables (1987)

The prohibition period of US history has proven itself fertile ground for adaptation over the years. One of the most famous, and popular of these in Brian De Palma's The Untouchables. Featuring an impressive cast, big budget and screenplay by renowned playwright David Mamet it is a film that, on paper, seems a sure-fire success. De Palma though is a director who blows hot and cold more than most, his distinctive stylistic fetishes and tone can be tricky to mould to more serious fare and so it proves to be the case here. The Untouchables is something of a mess a film that despite its best intentions just doesn't hold together. It feels like a wasted opportunity and for once I feel quite out of step with the general consensus on its merits.
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The film tells the story of Elliot Ness (Kevin Costner), a special federal agent charged with putting together a team to stop Al Capone (Robert De Niro) from flooding prohibition hit Chicago with illegal alcohol (amongst other other things). It's a story ripe for drama, excitement and insight and yet one that constantly feels undercooked. Maybe it's the quality of recent gangster fiction, from The Sopranos to HBOs recent Boardwalk Empire (which deals with very similar material) but The Untouchables feels overly simplified and broad at every turn. Whether this is due to De Palma's tendency to the sledgehammer end of the subtlety scale, or Mamet reaching beyond his comfort zone it is unclear, I tend towards a mixture of both. The screenplay is light and characters sketched roughly, Sean Connery (saddled with attempting to turn his regular Scottish brogue somewhat Irish and failing) comes out of it best, his Jim Malone is a beat cop temped back into the line of duty, but his introduction is so brief, his change of heart so swift it never rings true. He is clearly enjoying the role though but when the action scenes are staged in such an over the top manner it kills any real connection with the characters.
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This is all such a shame because there are glimpses of a great film here in the material, De Palma as always stages some technically impressive sequences (the shootout at the station at the end is the most famous). Yet for such an iconic villain in Al Capone Robert De Niro is given very little to do, except overact like some sort of pantomime villain. Randomly inserted scenes of him are introduced to keep the threat in mind, but he feels so disconnected that the ending has no weight to it. A scene that typifies the film's failings is the one late on, where a character is being stalked at his house. The camera, in first person mode, follows him from the windows, gliding outside the house in De Palmas typical voyeuristic style. It is creepy and effective, however at several points the cameraman can be seen in the reflection. It's sloppy and kills the mood. Never mind that the scene goes on to a very over the top and gaudy shootout. 
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Throughout the film it just feels like a mismatch of tone, the lack of engagement with the characters stops it being all that entertaining even as a straight up action film. It clearly wants both, to view this special team of operatives as heroes, and movie stars, whilst trying to add a layer of realism to the affair that is never earned. Andy Garcia plays another of the team, one of Italian descent, but is given nothing to do. His character has no arc, very few lines and we never learn any more about him. When he was introduced there are hints of a troubled past, a link to the very gangsters they are fighting, but this is never expanded on. Kevin Costner's main characters suffers in a similar way, he isn't the most charismatic of actors, but playing Ness as an uptight lawman he does a fair enough job, again the problems falls that Ness has nowhere to go, no obstacle to overcome except Capone, in a very abstract way.
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The Untouchables is a film then unsure of what it wants to be. It is a film that just doesn't work, for all its good intentions and effort, and that is always a disappointing thing to find as a viewer.