Wow...has it really been that long since i last blogged! Some may say too long, most not long enough, but regardless i'm back and with some catching up to do, so now year one of university is done and dusted i can recap on the important things.
First and most importantly, I went to a Guillermo Del Toro book signing!!!!! :D He is not only an absolute legend, but also a genuine guy with a great sense of humour. Definately one of the highlights of my year so far, and something i'll never forget!
Another of the big highlights for me this year was watching a certain Swedish film called "Let the Right One In." I'm a BIG vampire film fan (well, anything involving supernatural or scientific monsters...I'M THERE!) and i have to say "Let the Right One In" maybe one of, if not THE best vampire films EVER. It was aesthetically beautiful, focusing on the almost dreamlike peace of a small snowy town, but this was juxtaposed with the dark atmosphere of death that follows Eli, and the brutal gore left in her wake. All this is made more intense by the film's narrative. At it's heart, it's a coming of age love story about two misfits who find happiness together; the central relationship between Oskar and Eli is believable and in a wonderfully creepy way, sweet. It was a total experience, it made me "feel" the emotions that were intended, and i became involved with the story and the characters. For the first time in a long time, i was immersed in the film in the most rewarding and fantastic way. It's a unique gem of a film; beautiful, delicate, fascinating, and filled with wonder. Undoubtably my favourite film of the year so far, and in all honesty, i don't think there will be ANYTHING that can top it.
Moving on to the latest film i have seen, a film from a series that has been very close to my heart... Terminator: Salvation. I grew up with the Terminator series...as a little boy, my prized Video (oh yes, gotta love the VHS!) was a double bill of Terminator and Terminator 2, which i would watch over and over again, mesmerised by the visual wonder and fast paced, intense pursuit style that gripped you and never let go. The original is my favourite, while i still hold the sequel as the best example of a film sequel ever produced (Yep...even better than The Dark Knight, Batman Returns or Aliens). Heck...i still even enjoy watching Terminator 3 despite it's many flaws, such as a villian that lacked the power of the previous films and most crucially, the fact that by following the style of the first two films, T3 comes across as a predictable and inferior copy of what Cameron had already mastered. However, T3's use of parody and it's astonishingly brave and powerful ending are highlights in what is an enjoyable if not brilliant film.
Now...the year 2009...the Terminator series is back, and in my opinion...the future is bright. I went into the cinema prepared for the worse and yet, optimistic. The best quality of the film is, ironically, in it's dissimularity to the previous films. By setting the film post-Judgement Day, an entirely new world is opened up for the audience to experience, and the director to play with. The stale conventions that were beginning to creep into T3 are replaced with a fresh and more expansive view of humanity on the brink. The Future is now...it's not the mystery glimpsed at previously...it's the reality, and this serves to add a gravity of intensity to the battles. This can be seen in the film's beginning as a group of resistance fighters lay siege to a skynet bunker to retrieve data. The audience is placed right in the middle of the battle, following John Connor as machine and man clash in the air and on the ground. It's an opening gambit that shows the new direction of the series: No longer claustrophobic chases in a world the audiences are familiar with...but expansive chases in a dying world where a threat lies EVERYWHERE! The machines have risen and the excitement is palpable. However, while the atmosphere and new focus are captured brilliantly, the film's biggest flaw is the narrative; put simply, it's just not that intriguing. It seems a little forced, and worse of all, Marcus Wright's reveal as a Terminator lacks any drama due to the fact that it is already revealed in the trailer. If it had not been revealed before the film, i think it would have added an extra edge of mystery the film sometimes lacks, especially in the middle of the film. However, the final part of the film redeems this and provides a thrilling trip into the heart of the Termintor's world, with some great action and a few suprises too. The Performances overall are very good too. Christian Bale was an inspired choice for John Connor, and plays the fated hope for man perfectly. However, he isn't given enough screentime, especially not enough moments for the audience to fully share in John's emotional burden, which is a shame considering the few moments Bale gets to do this are excellent and rewarding. The same goes for Connor's wife, Kate, played by Bryce Dallas Howard, who barely recieves any screentime at all, and is criminally underused. It seems as if the writer had no idea what to do with her. The real star of the film is Sam Worthington as Marcus Wright. He has been hailed as the next mega star, and you can't argue with that after watching the film. Also kudos to Anton Yelchin, who i personally couldn't imagine playing Kyle Reece after seeing him play Chekov in Star Trek...but he pulled the performance off brilliantly and was another highlight for me.
Overall, it can't match the first two terminator films...but it was never going to. What Salvation is, is a step in the right direction, bringing the story into a future that is unpredictable and exciting. There is work that needs to be done, especially in terms of a new villian that can match the threat of a T-1000, but the signs are there that the possibilities for the future of the Terminator series are infinate. They just need to remember that it's not just about cyborgs and chase sequences...it's about humanity too.
That's all from me. Now it's the summer, my blogging should be more frequent...maybe ;)
Have a great day!
No comments:
Post a Comment