Alien vs Fairytale

I had a bit of a Charlize Theron marathon this extended Jubilee weekend, catching "Snow White and the Huntsman" on Saturday and finally getting to see the "Alien" prequel "Prometheus" this Monday! After a slow few weeks in the cinema it was definitely a treat, and though it can perhaps be argued that neither film quite reached their full potential, I thoroughly enjoyed both and will definitely be watching both again.

SNOW WHITE AND THE HUNTSMAN

SWATH follows the much repeated story of Snow White, from the day her mother pricks her finger and sheds three drops of blood onto the snow - inspiring her desire for a daughter with lips red as blood, skin white as snow and hair black as ebony - to the conflict between White and her evil stepmother. However, this film adds background and a few plot twists of its own. The main appeal of SWATH - other than Chris Hemsworth as the eponymous Huntsman of course - is that it is, I would argue, an original and innovative adaptation of a well-known fairytale. "Snow White" is one of the Grimm stories that has been most reproduced, but I believe it has perhaps the richest material of any of their best-known stories. It has allowed for some interesting interpretations, such as 1997's "Snow White: Tale of Terror", a decidedly horrific adaptation in which the seven dwarfs are seven thieves, multiple of whom attempt to assault Snow White.

In SWATH, Charlize Theron's evil queen, who marries White's father and takes over his kingdom when he is dead, is heavily fleshed out. Her character is developed more than any other, save perhaps the Huntsman, who had previously only played a minor role, usually only appearing in one scene, if at all. We are gradually shown excerpts from Ravenna's (the Queen) childhood and background, explaining her cruelty and strong desire to be the fairest of them all. The characters are given a far greater degree of depth than your traditional fairytale heroes and villains, transforming this into a more adult, complex story than the base elements of the tale allow. Questions that a more grown up and more modern audience might ask are answered in this relatively intelligent adaptation; questions such as how does this ridiculously evil - though admittedly hot - woman convince the King to marry her and subsequently assume control so easily and why is being the fairest of them all so important that she's willing to rip the heart out of a teenage girl? Other characters are also allowed more substantial personalities: the prince is (slightly) more than a handsome man who happens upon White. The two have a history, it is not merely love at first sight. And of course the Huntsman becomes a hero in his own right, not merely a brief threat to the heroine. In fact, the only lead figures who isn't bulked out appears to be Snow White, though perhaps she requires it less. The seven dwarfs are given a relatively smaller role, being replaced as White's main accomplices by the Hunstman, yet they too have a bit more character and motivation than in the Disney version or the original story. Furthermore, we are revealed an entire kingdom suffering under the Queen's cruel rule rather than just one young girl.

The cast is for the most part solid. Theron is always full of character and has mastered this role of evil queen. She has beauty but also strength and power. She is blonde and angelic at the same time as being creepy and dark. Furthermore, Theron's Queen is both cruel and capable of acts of horrendous brutality, while also allowing us to occasionally feel great sympathy for her. I found Kristen Stewart a perfectly acceptable lead, though the part doesn't really demand much of her. Her English accent passable, though this isn't my expertise, and she managed to avoid annoying me throughout, though one motivational speech she delivers to her army towards the end left me somewhat unconvinced. I do question however, whether she is truly "the fairest of them all" or even fairer than Charlize Theron I would have to question, but I believe she can pull off both a delicate nature and reasonable strength which are needed for this role. She is allowed to mope for almost the entire film so the character suits her well enough. Hemsworth is perfectly believable as the Huntsman, large and powerful and grizzly. I think he is a fine actor, looks aside. He is full of charisma and great at comedy - as he showed us in Thor - but can also convey sadness, desperation and anger. Sam Clafin is effectively a new Orlando Bloom, though potentially a better actor. He is the typical dreamy Prince Charming, with absolutely no physical appeal to me but a sweetness and likability which I'm sure will land him many similar roles.

The visuals are what the films has most been praised for and many have claimed that it has sacrificed plot in the quest for mesmerising imagery and I have to agree to an extent. Some of the costumes are incredibly cool for a start. Ravenna is definitely the most aesthetically impressive character, bearing one robe of black feathers which morphs with her into a flock of crows. The multiple scenes of her aging - as she exerts herself with magic - and regaining youth - as she sucks it out of young maidens - look particularly freaky and cool!The film is full of gothic/horror imagery, such as the Queen immersing herself in a bath of milk and of course the image most associated with this story, the blood red apple on the snow white ground. This story definitely offers many opportunities for elaborate scenery, such as the dark forest and all its ghosts and ghoulies, and the film does appear to want to present us with as many impressive and gorgeous sets as possible, perhaps putting less emphasis on the story which is rushed in a few parts, such as the battle at the end. The potential is definitely here for a fantastic film, but unfortunately it doesn't quite deliver. Nevertheless, it was a very entertaining romp!

PROMETHEUS

"Premetheus" is generally classified as the prequel to "Alien", and it is a prequel in that it is set in the same universe and based around a mission funded by the Weyland Corporation, which pops up in the old Alien and even the Predator franchises, constantly attempting to secure the Alien creature as a weapon. However, this film does not involve a battle between humans and the Alien villains from its predecessors. In this movie, we see a group of scientists on a space mission to discover the origins of man. They land on a planet which they believe holds some of the answers to life's great questions and encounter multiple obstacles and enemies.

Many reviews are giving the general impression that "Prometheus" is a bit of a disappointment, a so-so movie. I personally enjoyed it immensely, though I must concede it is not as good a film as "Alien" or indeed "Aliens" and it definitely lacks in the horror and suspense departments in comparison! Yet several of the film's components make it a good film in my books: like SWATH, it too can boast fantastic aesthetics and effects; there is a solid plot line revolving around the mystery of the origins of man; the cast is pretty impressive, including my actor of the year Michael Fassbender, my period drama love Rafe Spall, and the Swedish "Girl With The Dragon Tattoo" star Noomi Rapace, a growing favourite of mine; and of course, the all important "weehhhr, weehhrr" noise played on all adverts and at the film's climax!

The original beast!

I can see why hard core "Alien" fans might be disappointed, as this is not your typical Alien film. The monsters after whom the original film was named are not the villains in this piece, though there are clear parallels between the horrors encountered in "Prometheus" and those in its predecessor. No enemy in this film can claim to be anywhere near as terrifying as the Alien, which I believe is one of the most original and scariest creatures ever created in film. Nor does "Prometheus" create the masterful suspense which made its forerunners, especially "Alien", such brilliant horror films and thrillers. I barely jumped throughout the film but that doesn't mean I wasn't at times scared and unnerved by what was in front of me. This film is a 15 for a reason, though I would perhaps class it more as an adventure/thriller than a pure horror film.

That said, this is a cleverly devised film with a brilliant special effects team behind it. Some of the shots are incredibly beautiful, for example the opening scene which spans across a planet we presume is Earth, its countryside, its mountains and lakes, ending with an amazing and imposing shot of a waterfall. The ship (Prometheus) itself is incredibly impressive and scenes such as its landing on the mysterious planet where the giant head temple is found look amazing and are brilliant examples of how far special effects have come in the past decade or so. This is a fun, exciting film, both due to visuals and plot. At no point in its 2 hours and 4 minutes is there a lull, for this film is about solving mysteries and answering questions and so it carries a pretty dense plot, perhaps rushed at times if anything.


The cast is impressive, we have all noticed this, but does it deliver? As with most ensemble casts, some elements play only small roles, when some of us would perhaps like to see more of them: Rafe Spall for example, or even Idris Elba. That said, Elba does ooze cool in this film, as he has in every film or TV show I've ever seen him in. Noomi Rapace is playing an English archaeologist, Elizabeth Shaw, whose findings spark the film's mission to outer space. Rapace was brilliant in "the Girl with the Dragon Tatttoo" and I believe she is well cast here, in a role which requires extreme emotions - in many ways completely unlike the sullen, inexpressive Lisbeth -  excitement, fear, grief, and she is clearly capable of emitting great strength and presence. Theron is always great, though unfortunately this role demands very little from her. I would say the stand out star is Michael Fassbender, not because he is one of my favourite actors and I love everything he does, but because he has the most challenging, interesting role: the android, David. David is the predecessor of all the more advanced androids we have experienced in the earlier "Alien" films. I won't list them here incase it proves a spoiler for some of you, but you should really have watched these films by now unless you're too young! David is programmed by the Weyland Corporation to assist all of Prometheus' passengers on their voyage, bu as always, the android's motives seem suspect. He is incredibly intelligent but has not been programmed to feel emotions. There are so many layers to this both sympathetic and yet unsettling character. He definitely stole the show for me and I think the film is almost worth it for his performance alone.

Go see Prometheus if you enjoy adventures, thrillers and mysteries, and if you desire a little more background to the Aliens and their movies. The well-known monsters are not really a part of this film, but not are they completely irrelevant. For the most part this is a film about mankind, nonetheless, it is set in space and it is aware that it is part of a wider franchise.

I also had the great pleasure of seeing the new "Dark Knight Rises" and "The Amazing Spider-Man" trailers both in 3D before "Prometheus" and now I'm ridiculously excited for both, possibly even more for "Spider-Man"! Though I'm not usually too bothered about 3D, I do think it worked well in multiple shots in "Prometheus" and I am very tempted to see "Spider-Man" in 3D for the moments when he swings through New York's immense structures. Batman and Spider-Man will hopefully be two franchises which do live up to the hype this summer!

Film News
Apparently a "Snow White and the Huntsman" sequel is already being planned and discussed, as long as this one can generate enough revenue to justify it of course.

2012

Do you like the title? Eh, eh? It's still a film title, aren't I clever? Anyway, this blog shall be about the films I am most looking forward to in 2012 - I also have an appropriately matching poll on my blog at the moment, but that won't be there forever, whereas this post will!

Anyway, the line-up for 2012's blockbusters is insane! It's like Hollywood tapped inside my brain, fished out all my favourite things - Superheroes? check!, specifically Spider-Man and Batman? check! Christopher Nolan? check! The Lord of the Rings? sort of check! Chris Hemsworth? check, check! - and threw them left right and center at different production companies and directors until the following glorious ensemble of movies was created!

1. Avengers Assemble

   It's already out, but boy haven't we been waiting long for this one? It's only May but I can already say with relative confidence that this will be in 2012's top 10, as will the following films on this list I hope.
   I went to see this for a second time in 3D on Friday and I do actually believe that in some places it is an improvement.The vortex opened by the Tesseract is pretty cool in 3D, as is much of the final battle scene on the streets of New York. I also had the pleasure of seeing adverts for not one but two more films from this list: "Snow White and the Huntsman" and "Prometheus", as well as the trailer for "Dark Shadows", which also has strong potential to be a brilliant blockbuster!

2. The Amazing Spider-Man

    I loved Sam Raimi's original Spider-Man franchise with Toby Maguire and I believe the shots and special effects showing the web-slinger swing his way through Manhattan are still some of the coolest and most thrilling scenes in ay super-hero movie. That said, I have been pulled in by the allure of Marc Webb's (appropriate name right?) revamp, starring the incredibly talented and charismatic Andrew Garfield and the beautiful and hilarious Emma Stone. I love the dark twist, though that may be very unoriginal of me, but I'm hoping that this Spider-Man will be to Raimi's what Nolan's Batman was to Burton's: dare I say it? Gritty and dark!

3. The Dark Knight Rises

   Anyone out there who didn't love "The Dark Knight" is probably not the sort of person who's going to read my thoughts on films and any super-hero fan worth their salt is by now getting rather desperate to see this latest installment in Nolan's Batman series. 
  However, the build up to this film began so long ago and expectations have been so high that it's getting to the point where people are asking if it can really ever live up to all the hype. I say, if anyone can achieve such a film, it's Christopher Nolan.
   Batman is one of my favourite super-heroes (second to Spider-Man funnily enough). He faces perhaps the best villains of any hero franchises and holds one of the best back-stories (up there with Spider-Man again). There is a rich abundance of Batman history and characters that should mean that Nolan can't have run out of steam and won't be reproducing a Batman film we've seen before. He's brought us multiple new characters and faces: Bane, who is a completely different breed of villain to characters such as Ra's Al Ghul ("Batman Begins") or the Joker or Two-Face ("The Dark Knight"). Added to this we have Hathaway's Catwoman (or Selina Kyle), who should mix things up a bit with her ambivalent alliances and other additions such as Gordon-Levitt's policeman John Blake and Cotillard's Miranda Tate, of whom little is still known. This could be the best film of the year (bar "the Hobbit" perhaps) if Nolan achieves its potential.

4. The Hobbit

   Since I was 11, "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy has remained on the top of my film list. Until I die, no matter what technological advancements the movie industry sees, even if they manage to resurrect Heath Ledger and he and Chris Hemsworth do a buddy cop movie, LOTR will always be a perfect film in my eyes.
   It has what is probably the best story ever told at its center, some of the best set pieces of any film ever and an ensemble cast that cannot be beaten, even by "Avengers Assemble".
   Now, almost 10 years after "The Return of the King" left our screens, we are being presented with an additional not one but TWO movies to savour and love. And what makes this that bit more perfect is that "the Hobbit" ended up being directed by the man who brought us the originals. Is there any way this film could be anything but awesome? I'd be amazed if Peter Jackson managed that.

5. Prometheus

   The "Alien" saga is  a classic, we all know this, and there could be an argument for it holding some of the greatest horror films and thrillers of all time.The alien itself I would class as being the best, most original and most stylistically perfect movie monster ever. There are so many levels to it: The monster itself, the eggs, the face-huggers, the different forms the alien can take, the acid blood, etc. It's so well thought through. And many argue that Ridley Scott's entry, the first film in the saga, remains the most frightening. It creates suspense and oozes horror better than any other film I've seen.
   This new installment is still a bit mysterious to us as it would appear that Earth's heroes face a different foe, but one that we all presume must hold some link to the eponymous alien creature. And I believe that is this film's greatest asset at the moment. It is perhaps the film that has gauged my curiosity more than any other this year. Even after the new trailer, with lengthier clips and more dialogue, we still have no idea really what's going on and I really, really want to know!
P.s. What a cast ay? Michael Fassbender, Noomi Rapace, Idris Elba and Rafe frikkin' Spall!

6. Snow White and the Huntsman

   I guess this year everyone's noticed the oddity that is two Snow White films turning up at once. There have of course been other adaptations since the classic Disney version in 1937, like "Snow White: A Tale of Terror" in 1997 or that random TV version with Lana from "Smallville". But these few and scattered attempts have spanned over seventy years and now we have two such films coming out within a few months of each other!
   "Snow White and the Huntsman" has seemed to me destined to be the greater film (as opposed to "Mirror Mirror") from the word go. Once again, the director has chosen the dark, sinister path that has made some of this decades most popular franchises. There is a far greater focus here on battles and good versus evil, on the sadistic nature of the queen and the struggle of Snow White to become an empowered young woman than on the traditional fairy tale romance of "boy saves weak girl in need". There is a prince but from what I can tell he forms a very small part of the story. The seven dwarfs, sorry, make that eight here, also seem to play a relatively small role. In fact, one could argue that this film barely represents the traditional children's story we're all so familiar with. Then again, that's not necessarily a bad thing.
   We all enjoy a fresh new take on a well-known tale. Christopher Nolan's Batman did so well because it was an incredibly modernised interpretation of a character who has seen many portrayals in film, TV and literature. If this Snow White is to really capture our attention and stick in our memories, it has to be something new. Also, I'm very happy with the focus on the Huntsman as he is played by Thor (OK, Chris Hemsworth, but here he's clearly just being a dark-haired Thor) and carries far more appeal than Sam Claflin's (bleh) Prince. I'm also hoping that there will be less focus on this "fairer than them all" business, as I don't think that I could sit through two hours of people telling me that not only is Kristen Stewart hotter than Charlize Theron (mmhmmm....), but that she is fairer than them all!

In summary, 2012 is gonna be off the hook!!!

Treasure - the "Lonely" - Island

I got three films in this week, not bad, could be better, but there's SO MUCH work to do at the moment for my degree. I went to see "Haywire" as promised in the cinema, and I also watched "Hot Rod" for a second time this Friday and "American Pie 2" (I've only seen no.1 before) Saturday evening.

I shall first of all consider "Haywire". This is the story of a private firm which hires out black ops super soldiers. Our heroine, Malory Kane (Gina Carano), is one of said super soldiers. Betrayed by her firm and framed for murder, she goes on the run, beating the s**t out of every Hollywood A-lister who tries to stop her. And many do! In an interview in Total Film I read that Carano, for whom "Haywire" is her first acting experience, until now known as "the face of Mixed Martial Arts", was seen by Steven Soderbergh being generally bad-ass and skilled on SBS (Sorry Bro: Sports) and Soderbergh basically went "I want to make a film about that lady!" You can definitely see this in the final product.

The film is basically one and a half hours of fights and impressive stunts, wrapped in a very suspect plot. Carano does all her stunts and she is pretty impressive. She thoroughly pulverises Channing Tatum,  Michael Fassbender and Ewan McGregor, and those are just the famous ones!  Add to that she is a very sexy woman and does not perform badly as a first-time actress, this is definitely her film. The plot on the other hand is a bit loose. You're not really sure who, what or why when it comes to the double-crossing behind the entire chain of events for most of the film. Why did they kill that guy and frame her for it? Who are all these men in Dublin that Fassbender is talking to? Why do they pick Kane to place the blame on? It is vaguely explained at the end, but even then the plot cracks are not sufficiently sealed. The film was not as entertaining as I hoped it would be, specifically because when Kane is not kicking ass, there's nothing to hold onto or think about, that said, the fights and the chase sequences, through Barcelona, Dublin, New York, and so on, are well done and keep you entertained until the end.

 Now, on to "Hot Rod"! I don't believe I have yet revealed my huge crush on Andy Samberg, but the man is amazing! I have much love for "the Lonely Island", especially their songs "Mother Lover", "Boombox" and "I Just Had Sex". For me, they form the only funny part of SNL (Saturday Night Live), which, despite the participation of amazing comedians such as Amy Poehler, Tina Fey, Bill Hader, etc., constantly disappoints (I'll admit, I've only watched two full episodes, but they did not make me laugh once).

"Hot Rod" stars Andy Samberg as Rod Kimble, a wannabe stunt man, who is pretty awful at every stunt he tries, probably the least bright bulb in the entire bulb factory, but incredibly endearing and lovable. When his stepfather needs a heart transplant but can't afford the $50,000 it costs, Rod steps up and offers to raise the money by jumping 15 school buses on his motorbike. He is constantly trying to seek his stepfather's (Ian McShane) approval, which involves trying to beat him in a fight and his logic is "I'm going to make you better, so I can punch you in the face!" Rod's brother is played by fellow Lonely Islander Jorma Taccone and the film is directed by the third and final Islander, Akiva Schaffer, and the trio's style is firmly stamped all over the project.

The plot of this film, like that of "Haywire", matters very little really. It is merely a framework within which Akiva Schaffer can place his unique and odd comedic clips, for example, my favourite scene in the ENTIRE film, in which Rod, out of the blue, starts pronouncing all words beginning with "w-", "hw-":

This sort of joke, completely random and dropped straight away after it is used, is one of many such jokes that run through the film. Of course, most comedies don't have a a plethora of running jokes, such concepts are not as common as of-the-moment  gags, but the comedy in this film seems more random and quintessentially "Lonely Island". It works fantastically for my funny bone. The entire screenplay is well written and each scene contains its own little comedic treasure, making the film almost a series of witty sketches. That said, the sweet characters and amusing concept of Rod wanting to save his stepfather's life, only so that he can then beat the shit out of him and prove his manhood, hold all of these sketches together and make it worthy of the title "feature film" and not merely a feature-length sketch show. If this hasn't convinced you that this is a must-see piece of tomfoolery, consider the additional cast members of Will Arnett, Danny McBride and Bill Hader. If they are the markers of a film you'd like, get on "Hot Rod".  

I think it would be appropriate this week to look at my Top 5 Comedies, don't you? (As usual, I will try to cover films I have not already discussed):

1. Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story
"Dodgeball" is the story of small-time gym owner Peter La Fleur (Vince Vaughn), who must drum together a team of weak-bodied, but lovable losers to win a dodgeball competition with a $50,000 prize so that he can save his all-inclusive, caring gym: they are true underdogs! Their rivals are a team led by Globo-Gym owner White Goodman (Ben Stiller), an evil, idiotic, perverted ex-fatty. This and "Zoolander" are definitely two of my favourite, and what I consider to be the best-written, comedies I have ever seen. Though the latter was written by Ben Stiller and "Dodgeball" was not, their style is definitely the same and spawned such films as "Anchorman" and many other films starring Will Ferrell or Steve Carrell or Paul Rudd - none of which are as good I might add. "Dodgeball" has some of the best lines of any comedy ("Nobody makes me bleed my own blood"), some of the best performances (Stiller, Vaughn, Rip Torn, etc.) and it is consistent through to the end.

2. Kiss Kiss Bang Bang
I love this film. It's so witty, what a fantastic script! It's an intelligent, dark detective story set in Hollywood, starring Robert Downey Jr. and Val Kilmer, who both own their roles. I must thank this film for helping revive RDJ's career and bringing him into my life. The plot is complex and gripping, the acting and the script are air-tight.

3. Heathers
A very dark comedy here, the story of high school girl Veronica (Winona Ryder): bored of the popular crew (the "Heathers") of which she is part, she accidentally turns to assisted murder when an (incredibly) attractive new student arrives (Christian Slater) with psychopathic tendencies and a liking for Veronica. It's dark but incredibly fun, well-performed, it has a unique style and really addresses teenage life, full of slang, image issues, bitchy popular girls and goofy popular guys.

4. I Love You Man
This is sooo much better than it should be. Can Paul Rudd do wrong? I think not. Does anyone NOT have a bit of a crush on him? Of course not, even my dad does. In "I Love You Man", Paul stars as Peter, a 30-something about to be wed, who realises that he has no male friends and so no best man. Of course, hilarious hijinks ensue. With a brilliant performance as well from the one and only, Mr Andy Samberg, as Peter's younger, gay brother. This film is "heart-warming" made flesh!

5. Clueless
Suuuch a good chick flick. One of the best, alongside "10 Things I Hate About You", "Easy A" and "Mean Girls", this is Jane Austen's "Emma" turned modern day high school drama. Much as I find Alicia Silverstone pointless, she nails the vapid, spoilt, yet caring Cher who enjoys setting all her friends up yet can't find a decent man for herself. Also starring Paul Rudd in the first role I saw him in, back when he was the film hunk,  this is a must for Rudd fans. Another brilliant script and heartwarming tale, no chick-flick lover can miss this, but neither can fans of good comedy.

Film news: Have you heard of the two new Snow White films to be released this year? First in March "Mirror Mirror: The Untold Adventures of Snow White" and then in June "Snow White and the Huntsman". The former stars Lily Collins as White and is a comedic take on the story, the dwarves being rebels enlisted to help White gain back the kingdom from the evil queen (Julia Roberts). Despite the fact that Kristen Stewart is to play White in the latter, it intrigues me more, probably because it appears to be a darker take on the story, and also largely because Chris Hemsworth is to play the eponymous Huntsman. It involves another quest to destroy the evil queen, this time with the Huntsman as White's ally.