Blade (1998)

With 2 years ahead of us that will be jam packed with Comic Book movie adaptations, 2011 and 2012 are set to apitomise what the sub-genre is about, huge special effect driven blockbusters, manditory origin tales and plenty of "I will use these powers for good" moments... Director Stephen Norrington brought us a dark, brooding, action packed martial arts Vampire flick in the form of Blade, Starring Wesley Snipes as the titular Badass.

We hear about Blades beginnings through the perspective of Dr Karen Jenson (N'Bushe Wright), why he does what he does, acting as a lone wolf killing of these vamps as he is part human, and part vampire himself. Dubbed the "Daywalker" by the vampire community he and his comrade and mentor Whistler (Kris Kristofferson)create weapons and vehicles finding new ways to wipe this plague off the face of the earth.

While opening the film in an energetic night club, the film doesn't take the "tech-noir" aproach to cinema a lot of late 90's films (The Matrix) did, instead it was just a set peice to wipe out doezens of blood sucking creepos with the baddest black dude around. The film goes about its 2 hour run time finding a good balance between lead character developement and villainous scheming. While not your typical villain vamp, Stephen Doriff manages to contemporise vampires while maintaining that elegance and restrain they have been known for, while also managing to be menacing when he needs to be.

The balance in this film was just right. The rebellious nature of the younger vampires, I felt was a great metaphor for our teenage years, the "Pure blood's" (those born vampires, not bitten) Look down upon them, and rule how they should live their lives, I even understand that need to rebel, Deacon Frost (Doriff) just decides to do that by raising a blood/vampire god thingy. not cool.

Overall, the story and action were well handled and every fight scene, weapon and item of clothing added just the flare, and rang true with the character of Blade they had set up, proving that divulging from the Comic book source material can be a good thing (in the books he was a human who was immune to vampire bites) it set the bar for comic book movies of the 21st century, making the character your own and creating a great story, characters and memorising action. Hollywood, and Marvel it would seem, didn't get the message.8/10

Bride Of Frankenstein (1935)

The sequel to the Universal Studios 1931 breakout hit Frankenstein see's their greatest and most sympathetic character return... but not alone.

One of the scarce examples of a sequel surpassing the original in every sense, the budget was bigger and Director James Whale was given complete creative freedom (only hitting a few bumps when he came to the censorship board). The story see's Dr Frankenstein and his creation (Colin Clive and Boris Karloff respectively) return, picking up moments after the events of the original.

Yes the monster goes on another rampage of sorts, but it's well handled. He grows as a character, he even learns to speak a little, uttering a line I found confoundedly epic "Smoke..GOOD! drink....GOOD!".

While the creature matures and becomes more human, the Doctor and his former mentor Doctor Pretorius (played by the masterfully camp Ernest Thesiger)work on creating "another", this time in the form of mans greatest enemy.... woman.

Yes friends, same as any 70+ year old film you have to forgive the odd hokey line and cheesy special effects and watch it in context or that age of cinema. If you can you'll be treated to one of cinemas greatest accomplishments. Moving cameras, surprisingly decent believable performances (almost all round) and some stunningly nigtmarish visuals all build to something way ahead of it's time.

Friends, take the time to show some cinematic history some love, you'll be glad you did.9/10

Raging Bull (1980)

While The Fighter got a heft of critical praise and an Oscar win for Christian Bale this just-gone award season, it's worthwhile remembering there was once another almost-never-made-boxer-and-his-brother under-dog story of a very different kind. Back in the 70's and 80's the Martin Scorsase/Robert De Niro duo struck gold time after time. Crazed loner Travis Bickle in Taxi Driver or their co-op in Mean Streets, the pair seemed golden. So putting their brains and passion together to form a story based upon real life boxer Jake Lamotta's life story could have only ended one way. Cinematic perfection (or close to it).

Shot entirely in black and white the film takes us from a young(ish) Jake taking on bouts with Sugar Ray Robinson, as well as slowly drip feeding us his darker side, how Jake easily switches from "best buddy" and loving, playful brother to dark, uncaring and downright violent. The movie takes us all the way through his success, and unfortunately, his brutally honest downfall. While the character remains pretty much unsympathetic throughout, one can't help feeling he never meant to be the person he was, he just didn't know any other way. While that doesnt excuse lashing out at his brother (subtle yet memorable Joe Pesci) and wife (Cathy Moriarty in her film début) for little or no reason, it goes a small way to at least explaining it.

The end result of golden boys De Niro and Scorsase is this black and white gem, seemingly a stylistic choice it was apparently also to disguise small historical inacuracies like cars and the colour of the boxing gloves from the 40's, and it works besutifully. The fights are both stylistically shot while also making you feel every punch. A lot of love went into this film, and it showed on screen, De Niro gained 60 pounds to play the older and out-of-shape Lamotta and it's little touches like that (taking months out from filming to put on the weight) that sell you the character more than what would have been done these days, a fast suit and a balding wig.

While the test of time well tell weather or not The Fighter has the same staying power as this brooding masterpiece, Raging Bull has rightfully taken it's crown as possibly the greatest boxing film of all time (yes, better than Rocky). Small draw backs like the occasional sound flunk was something I could forgive given how much stress Scorsase was under during the editing process, and didn't hinder my enjoyment one bit.

Stunning, honest, violent, tear inducing with no real "feel good" resolution to the tale, this film will break your heart, but you'll love it. 9/10

Casablanca (1942)

In the midst of World War II, the movie studios of the time (Warner Bros, Paramount, Mayer Goldwin Mayer etc) were pumping out dozens of movies a year. Few were any good, and many were forgotten entirely. One movie from the time (when the US were just getting into the war) however managed to not only maintain notoriety and acclaim for the best part of the 20th century, but also permiate almost all of television and Film in some way or another, how many times for example have you heard "here's lookin' at you kid" or "you'll regret it, maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow, but some day". The film was Casablanca.

The epitome of "noir", black and white, whiskey, the Smokey saloons and trilbeys, this movie personifies what we look back on romantically as 1940's America. (even though it's set in Morocco). While the plot and themes could have been used for propaganda, it's used moreso to enforce pride in the countries remaing resliant to Nazi forces. Instead of demonising them, the film seems to make them out to be more like shifty businessmen, merely wanting a clean and easy surrender. While it seems unsettling, it's quite refreshing.

Humphrey Bogart stars in his career defining role as Rick, the owner of the tavern where many a mis-doing occur. A french sergent in his pocket, a gin bar doing extrenely well, Life seemed to be grand, until she walks in. The she being Ilsa (utterly charmingly played by Ingrid Bergman). What unravels is one man's seemingly self preservation turn to ambition for the greater good, it shows a man giving everything and more for a cause greater than himself.

Old? sure. Naive? Most definitely. A little hammy? What pre 1950's film wasn't?
What defines this film is more about how sacrificing ones wants for the good of your country doesn't necessarily mean fighting on the front line or in a cockpit, one can make great contributions in other ways. The film was Long touted as one of (if not THE) greatest film(s) of all time, something I can't say it deserves. Was it great for the time it was made? Absolutely, Director Michael Curtiz uses his exotic setting sparaingly, driving his characters to form the story, and it's a very clean, merely aged film, only relevent to those of the generation and film history ethusiasts. 6.5/10

Rachel Getting Married (2009)

After the announcement of The Dark Knight Rises (2012) casting choices such as Tom Hardy as Bane and Anne Hathaway as Selina Kyle/Catwoman, I had mixed feelings. Good because Hardy is probably the finest (relevantly still unknown) British actor working these days, and bad feelings because.. well... Oh come on THE PRINCESS DIARIES?!?!?!?! This is the new catwoman? So admittedly I overreacted, and when I calmed down I took it upon myself to check out one of Hathaways few sensible non-RomCom roles, finding Rachel Getting Married.

It is the story of a junkie returning from rehab in time for her sisters wedding (the titular Rachel, played subtly by Rosemarie DeWitt) where she isn't exactly welcomed with open arms. On top of being a former junkie, a few more cats are let out of this family's bag, the relationships of the characters unravel and some dark, deep seated, tragic events come to the foreground and it's revealed how much pain the family still feel, both internal and external.

While addicts, and former addicts in cinema are usually the "lost causes" of plots, it was nice to see a character truly growing as the film progresses, the fact that she used to be so engrossed with the drug addled life-style seems to only add to her, it is neitehr used for sympathy nor promoted, it's simply a part of her.

So did the film relax me with regards to Miss Hathaway? Kinda... I mean first and foremost I trust in Mr Nolan to choose the actors he feels right about, also the acting here was pretty tight, and nuanced. While there was a sense of sorrow in her character, there was also a glimmer of strength that escalated and deflated throughout the movie, finishing just how the movie should. A very honest story, shot in a way that puts you right next to the characters, an indie feature worth checking out, not a "top tenner" though. 6/10

Triangle (2009)

Triangle: the 2009 headfuck of a movie set on a seemingly abandoned boat in the middle of nowhere. Jess is the mother of an autistic boy caught up in strange events that occur after the yacht her ad some extended friends are sailing on capsizes and they are "rescued" by a deathly quiet cruise liner. The film is deeply psychological, and in a similar vein as Inception, has you playing back previous parts of the film in your head just so you can get your mind around what's happening. Showing us what a small budget (1.5 million quid) and lots of imagination and a great cast can do in what has to be one of the best tricky/twisty plot line films ever, it is an absolute must watch and is disgustingly underrated and unknown.

Essentially a hybrid of Ghost ship, Saw, and...Groundhog day? that's right...Groundhog day, it has to be seen to be understood, it's kind of like ghost ship if ghost ship was a good film. 8/10

Lemmy (2010)

The 2010 Rockumentary focusing on the British heavy metal legend Lemmy Kilmister reveals no hidden, dark depths to the member of rock royalty, nor do we see "the man behind the name", instead we see Lemmy Kilmister being Lemmy Kilmister, we see as he goes from the mundane tasks of cooking chips, playing xbox and chugging back whiskey to joining Metallica onstage in London's 02 areana, sitting in a green room with (my personal Jesus) Dave Grohl and the man himself taking a ride in a tank...

It is then, a varied bag with a few hiddem gems in the forms of celebrity anecdotes, while at first glance the limited appeal of the lead singer of a heavy metal band would be off putting to everyone but fans of Motorhead, we get to see a side to him we don't expect, sure there are the stories of the drugs and the women, but there are also near-heart wrenching moments where he talks of past loves and a son he doesnt see in a non-chalaunt way, he then proposes that one cannot both live the rock and roll lifestyle AND have a happy, loving family. Just when we feel things are getting to soft, he reminds us while we're here by thrashing away at his bass and (quite literally) turning the volume all the fuckin' way up.

Yes there are talking head moments we've seen in a million celeb documentaries, but none have come close to or shown such an honest, generous and flawed soul as this, he is Lemmy, he is a Rock star, he is a legend.

Conclusion? While it was cool for rock fans such as me to play guess who with all the ensemble of interviewees, even if you aren't geared up that way, you'll still find a compelling, interesting and flawed human being in this peice, he just comes with badass attitude and doesn't give a fuck what you think, I wouldn't expect anything less. 8/10.

Greatest quote "How do you make a dead baby float? 2 scoops of ice cream, 2 scoops of dead baby" - Lemmy