The Music of Sinister

 

       Sinister, a recent horror movie starring Ethan Hawke is an effective chiller, most notable because of one key component: the music.

       Sure, there are a couple of cheap jump scares (some well done, others feeling rather forced) but it's the sense of pervading dread and eeriness that the music used in this film helps to amplify that really gets under your skin.

       Before we get to that though, don't bother watching the trailer if you actually want to watch and enjoy this film (it pretty much shows you all the scary moments of the film, thus dampening the impact when actually watching it) – a classic example of a film being totally spoiled by its trailer – which is usually why I don't watch trailers.

       Yes, I know I always link trailers to whatever film I am writing about but that's beside the point (it mostly for consistency and convenience for the reader, should they wish to look it up).

       Anyway, the music… Two major parts to it here:

       Firstly, the score by Christopher Young - it’s moody, dark and terrifying – mixing droning ambient noises with ominous pianos, disembodied vocals and glitchy, screechy electronica. This is particularly fitting for a movie that combines elements of an ancient evil (the demon Baghul), mixed with the (relatively) new technology of 8mm film that plays a great role in the story. A creepily effective mix of the old and new – the traditional and the experimental. All the tracks of the score sound different, but check out Portrait of Mr. Boogie for one such example.

       The second point is the licensed music used in the film. Director Scott Derrickson wanted the 8mm footage sequences in the film to have their own bits of music (separate from the score), and spent a long tome during the film’s production researching music from various experimental bands that would help create the right atmosphere for each of these 8mm segments.

       The result is a unique and creepy experience, an uneasy dread, every time Ethan Hawke’s character loads up another 8mm reel to watch. Check out these pieces that were used in the film from Ulverand Aghast. I dare you to listen to them by yourself with the lights turned off - unnerving to say the least.

       The 8mm segments are creepy in and of themselves as they feature that raw, intimate and voyeuristic quality – the horrifying subject matter depicted made more effective in this regard – and then further amped up by this seemingly unearthly music that is laid over the top of them.

       Even slightly more well-known bands such as Boards of Canada are featured - their song Gyroscope echoing the click-clack of the rolling 8mm film reel spinning away, as well as the muffled voice of a child counting alluding to the missing children in the film. Wonderfully creepy.

       Sinisteris not the greatest of horror films and has its fair share of flaws, but its music stood out to me as being an especially excellent contribution to the overall unsettling nature of the film. If you are a fan of horror, you should definitely check it out, just for the music used (both the score and the licensed tracks being integrated together so brilliantly) and how much they can contribute so much to a film’s overall effect.

       You can check out Christopher Young’s score of the film HERE.

       You can also read an interview with the director about the film’s music HERE, which also includes some embedded vids of the licensed tracks to listen to.

27 Feb 2013

Read More

Track of The Week - Haim - Falling

 

       This weeks’ track comes from LA female 3-piece Haim (rhymes with ‘rhyme’) with their latest single Falling.

       A friend of mine recommended the song to me the other day and upon hearing it I was instantly smitten and had to make it my song of the week.

       Have a listen below:

       The first thing that will no doubt hit you about the song is the vocals. As well as the sweet harmonies (the girls are also actually sisters), the delivery of the vocals also stands out as being catchy and unique - influenced by Stevie Nicks with a little bit of MJ thrown in there too. In fact, you can hear their cover of the Fleetwood Mac song Hold Me HERE.

       The production on this track is wonderful too – evoking a sunny and nostalgic late 80s/early 90s vibe whilst still sounding fresh and exciting. Again, it’s insanely catchy and warm.

       Another awesome song you should by Haim you should check out is Forever.

       It’s great that a band of three talented sisters like this is slowly getting the exposure they deserve and I look forward to checking out their debut full-length album when it does get released.

       In the meantime, check out their Facebook pagefor more info and updates.

25 Feb 2013

Read More

PS4 Officially Announced!

        During Sony’s ‘special announcement’ last night, as speculated, the PlayStation 4 console has been officially announced!

       

       In a conversation with a friend yesterday afternoon he suggested that they might not call it the ‘PS4’ – balls to that! Of course they will – and they did! There are many new technical features (which you can find out about later) but if you just want to see the games being developed take a look at this trailer roundup below (and remember to go full screen for maximum effect)!

Killzone 4

        Always a regular PlayStation exclusive release since the PS2 was launched, the Killzone franchise always manages to get people excited.

       Despite the initial footage of Killzone 2 for the launch of PS3 being more of a tech demo and not entirely representative of what the game would actually end up looking like, Killzone 4's footage looks to be in game. Take a look below:

inFamous: Second Son
       Developer Suckerpunch returns to the inFamous franchise with this entry. Whilst this doesn't have any in-game footage, the animation is impressive to say the least. Check out the protagonist's face at the end!

Witness
        From Braid creator Jonathan Blow comes this mysterious first person puzzle game Witness. It makes a nice change from all the guns and explosions of some of the other announced games and certainly looks very different and intriguing.
       Braid proved to be not only mind-bending in its puzzles, but also had a genuine emotional touch as well. Witness is definitely one I am intrigued by.

Watchdogs
       Now this one is really going to impress. Previously touted as being developed for PS3, you can now see why they would need the next gen to do this. The level of detail is incredible, not only in visual terms but the fact it appears you can hack into everything and anything in the living breathing world around you.
    At one point during watching this footage, I caught myself accidentally saying 'wow, this movie looks pretty good'... oops! Who needs Grand Theft Auto V when you can have this!

Knack
       This one looks like an animated film come to life and is aimed at a more decidedly younger player. Although some of the character and animations do look similar to the current gen, what sets this apart is the amazing particle effects.

DriveClub
       Here's a racing game for you. Although very brief, this trailer shows off some nice shiny graphics. It looks real?! Hopefully the end game will be similar to this.

 

Deep Down
     Capcom's new IP looks amazing. The graphics for a fantasy world are truly impressive - although it is not certain whether these are in-game or not. They look like prerenderings but a weapon select HUD seems to suggest that this is the look that they are going for in-game. Could this be the next gen's Dragon's Dogma? Deep Down = DD = Dragon's Dogma... coincidence perhaps or a hint? (note: Deep Down is only a working title). Anyway, if the graphics end up being anywhere near this good... wow!


 

Destiny
      Finally, from Halo developers Bungie comes this game entitled Destiny. As well as the truly impressive scope of the world presented here, much is made of the social and online aspect of this game. I was never a Halo fan, but this looks interesting. Take a look:

Features....
       So apart from the games, a lot has been said of the PS4's new features. Take a look at this video for some of them:

 

       So there you have it.

       Although games sometimes don't quite live up to the original promise (as seen from the PS3 comparison of its pre-launch hype to its actual games), there is still plenty here to be excited about! We could be playing PS4 by the end of this year or possibly in early 2014.

21 Feb 2013

Read More

January Film Roundup

        The films are piling up again so its time to catch up! Sorry it’s a bit late but here’s January’s film roundup!

        First up we have Excision, a surprisingly good horror/drama from first time director Richard Bates Jr.. The story involves a misfit teen (played by a remarkably uglyfied AnnaLynne McCord – of 90210 fame) whose growing obsession with surgical procedures manifests itself in the horrific dreams she has, that also begin to increasingly affect her troubled interactions at home and at school.

        Tonally, it plays like a cross between Donnie Darko and May - with strong performances from the lead actress but also, rather surprisingly, Traci Lords as the mother. A must watch for fans of Horror and disturbing dramas. Oh, and John Waters plays a priest.

        Another horror movie watched was the generic and cliché sounding entitled film House at the End of the Street, starring Jennifer Lawrence. Despite being a great actress and a competent presence in this film, the story leaves a little less to be desired. You remember these ‘young adult’ Point Horrorbooks? It plays out pretty much like one if them. It tries to be shocking but ends up as a damp squib – neither scary nor compelling. It just makes you wonder: Why Jennifer Lawrence, why?

        This one came out a couple of years ago but I only just got around to watching it – Death Sentence starring Kevin Bacon. It’s pulpy and melodramatic (why does that awful coldplay-esque sounding song always come on in a scene when someone is dying?), but this story of a father seeking vigilante justice for his son’s death at the hands of a street gang is only watchable for the strong performances from Bacon and John Goodman (good in everything!). Garrett Hedlund also puts in a strong performance as the gang leader and barely recognizable from his pretty boy image of the lead role he played in TRON Legacy.

        Speaking of performances, Ryan Reynolds is a one-man show in Buried, the story of someone who is… well… buried…alive! Exactly what it says on the tin this is a tense thriller that is decently acted, but is the kind of film that lives and dies on its suspense - so you can only really watch it once. Whether or not it comes recommended will largely depend on whether you can stomach watching 90mins of a guy in a box.

        Be warned, though, some of the claustrophobic impact is reduced when watching at home and not in a darkened cinema. Unless you decide to watch it in a pitch black room with surround sound that is of course…

        Speaking of the dark, Tim Burton’s revival of 70’s TV series Dark Shadows is also a very hit and miss affair. Whilst being visually stunning (as most of his films are) the story lacks focus and drive - which seems to be a pattern with most of his recent films. I used to be a mega Tim Burton fan back in the day, but the majority of his latest efforts seem to lack the charm they once had. Just like Johnny Depp’s (however watchable) portrayal of vampire Barnabas Collins, this film looks great but lacks a beating heart.

        A good bike ride is also said to get your heart beating. Especially if you do it for a living as a bike courier frantically racing around New York, dodging pedestrians and traffic with reckless abandon. Throw in a corrupt cop chasing you down and you get Premium Rush, a film that starts out excellently, but ironically suffers pacing issues in the latter half of the film.

        Joseph Gordon-Levitt is increasingly becoming Hollywood’s favorite everyman hero, here playing likeable rebel bike messenger Wilee (“Like the Coyote?” someone asks) and Michael Shannon is an effective villain despite occasionally veering into pantomime territory. Worth a look, even more so if you are a bicycle nut.

        “Nuts” is also what some critics have been calling the people who decided to remake the “classic” Dudley Moore movie Arthur, this time with the (now somewhat unpopular) Russell Brand. I haven’t seen the original so I cant really compare the two but I liked this version in parts. As obnoxious as Brand can sometimes be, its hard to imagine anyone else in this particular role (again, I haven’t seen Dudley Moore’s take so I cant comment) and arguably he is perfectly suited to play the millionaire drunkard with parental issues manchild that is Arthur.

        The real masterstroke of the film is having his ‘butler’ Hobson played by Helen Mirren (in the John Gielgud role) as their relationship is where the real heart of the film lies (not with his strangely forced and unconvincing love interest). Her putting up with all his bullshit and being his faithful employee/surrogate mother is were this film really shines. The rest of it really depends on whether you can stand Russell Brand as a leading man or not.

        Another remake that has caused controversy is the new version of Total Recall, which suffers from the fact that it takes itself too seriously, not much of the story has changed but isn’t nearly as fun and campy as the original Schwarzenegger-starring Paul Verhoeven version. Sure it looks nice and there are some great action sequences but it all feels a bit hollow and pointless. It does away with the feeling of ambiguity that the first film thrives upon (is he still living the Rekall fantasy or is he back to reality?) and you never really have any doubt of where its all going.

       The only interesting change they made was to combine the Sharon Stone and Michael Ironside parts into one villain, played by Kate Beckinsale who (no surprise for a Len Wiseman film) gets all the coolest bits. Oh, and the three breasted hooker is still in it. Why? Just because. Like I said, pointless.

        Well that's all for January’s film roundup. Loads more film write-ups to come! Until then, adios!

15 Feb 2013

Read More

The Yellow Sea - Stabby Stabby!

        

       The Yellow Sea is a gritty Korean crime film that starts out as being about a desperate man reluctantly taking on a hit in order to clear his debts. Before long however, a more intricate plot starts to unravel and get further complicated as more characters with their own shady ulterior motives are gradually revealed.

        People are killed, tortured and disposed of. So far, so gangland. But what really surprised me about this film is the sheer amount of stabiness. Yes, you read that right, stabiness.

 

        You see, guns only feature in one scene of the film (the end results being rather disastrous as a guy ends up shooting his friend instead of his intended target). Instead, most of the scenes with weapons in the film consist of the use of knives and hatchets. Sure there is the odd occasion where bludgeoning occurs with metal pipes, wrenches and a giant animal bone(!), but the rate hacking, slashing and stabbing in this film is both frequent and horrific.

        It kind of takes you by surprise, as most of it doesn't happen until the second half of the film, after a relatively slow build up of the story in the first. Especially with sequences toward the end of the film when there are multiple scenes of fights, chases and murdering – all involving stabby weapons.

        The depiction of these heinous methods of attack are portrayed rather realistically, with plenty of blood, squirm inducing sound effects and the appropriate sense of pain being relayed by the actors.

       Apart from the seemingly superhuman gang boss Myun, most people who get attacked do not survive – making it a frightening proposition. As a result, one particular chase scene where the protagonist is being relentlessly pursued through the docks by twenty guys all wielding knives and hatchets wildly swinging away at him - is both exhilarating and terrifying to watch.

        As morbid as it may sound, I bet you have at some point pondered would you rather be shot at or stabbed - if you had to choose between the two. You probably know already, but after this film you will most likely to err towards facing a gun than a pointy blade or hatchet any day.

        Anyway, The Yellow Sea wins the award for the most stabby film in recent memory. Ouch.


[Note: This article is merely an observation of the film and does not seek to condone, glorify or make light of the violent act of stabbing. It's a very horrible thing. Don't do it!]

8 Feb 2013

Read More

The Best 'How To' Site Ever...

 

       Picture the following scenario:

       You want to try to prepare something new for dinner but you don't know what. Nothing too fancy mind, just basic recipe ideas with easy to follow instructions. Or you have some guests coming round for dinner and you want to impress by being flexible in the kitchen and able to whip up anything at a moments notice. But where to you look for such things?

       The internet is awash with thousands of websites, blogs and instructables on how to do anything and everything imaginable – but how do you separate the wheat from the chaff? Isn’t there somewhere you can go to get loads of great ideas - all in one convenient place?

       Well folks, look no further than HowToBasic– the YouTube channel dedicated to concise, no frills and wordless video tutorials – nearly all of them involving an egg. Because, let’s face it, everything needs an egg…

       Try this classic for an example:

       Everyone knows what sushi is, but what’s the correct way to prepare it?

       So now you know.

       There are absolutely tons of other videos on this channel, ranging from How To Make Fried Chicken to the delightfully succinct How To Cook Eggs. There are loads of great recipes here, nearly always involving one hand, violence and … and egg.

       I challenge you to watch How To Make Wine without staring in disbelief…

       And we are not just confined to food either. There are plenty of other guides including How To Play The Keyboard or How To Make an iPhone App.

       Equally bonkers.

       Comic genius? Perhaps. I find some of these videos (but not all) to be irresistibly hilarious - as they touch upon some taboo combo of food/violence mixed with the unexpected.

       However, earlier videos on this guy’s channel seem to imply that he almost stumbled upon this by accident, as his earlier efforts are videos of literally what the say they do (albeit the tasks being of laughably simple things) such as How To Turn a Tap On, How To Rotate a Book or How to Click a Big Pen.)

       Over the course of time, they evolved into being these ‘trick’ videos (complete with simple titles, nicely photographed food in the thumbnails and authentic looking ‘about’ text) which many people will naturally come across when actually searching for that certain ‘how to’ video on YouTube. Not surprisingly, many of these video have up to and around a million hits.
        Some people, as expected, comment to express their feelings of confusion or disdain. Many others gamely play along with the joke.

       The throwing of an egg has become an effective punch line.

       Comic genius? Or pure insanity? Or both? You decide.

7 Feb 2013

Read More

Amanda Seyfried Triple Bill: A day in the life of BigEyes McBigLips

 

       A day in the life of Amanda Seyfried AKA BigEyes McBigLips.

        I wake up, put on my ridiculously bright red cloak and go off for a wander around the woodland village. My dad calls out for me to help with some chores. Chores? Pff! I’m the main character – I ain’t got time for that! He growls but I ignore it. Wait, wasn't he also the dad in Twilight? Nevermind…

        There’s a commotion in the village. Someone has been killed, it’s my sister! What’s more - by a werewolf! What if it was actually someone in this village? Who could have done it? Okay so now it's a ‘whodunnit’ – pretty much for the rest of the film. Could it be my dark handsome boyfriend, too good to be true? Or my Grandmother who has scary eyes? Or Lukas Haas who looks far too young to be a priest? Or any of the other many characters fretting about until Gary Oldman arrives to start chewing the scenery as the ‘werewolf hunter’ Father Solomon.

        So many red herrings! Red! Geddit? As in Red Riding Hood?… ah never mind – this has pretty much nothing to do with the original fairytale. Feels like Twilight but with less vampires. What? It’s by the same director? Well that explains a lot… 

       2004’s Ginger Snaps Back - The Beginning is a similar movie to this but way better. Even an exclusively written song by the awesome Fever Ray isn’t enough to rescue this debacle.

        Lets get out of here!

        Exiting the village, I run through the forest as fast as I can…but end up falling into a big hole. Ouchies! What the hell? Did someone just dig this here? Why would they do that? Are they some kind of deranged psycho killer? Oh wait. They totallyare!

        I escaped somehow… but the ordeal is left me mentally scarred and paranoid. I keep feeling that the psycho could be back to kidnap me again at any minute. People think I’m crazy but I know I’m right.

        And whaddaya know? He did come back! But since I wasn't at home at the time, he took my sister instead! The cops don't think there is anything weird about her being Gone, and since I have a history of acting crazy and paranoid they have no reason to believe my theories. Looks like I’ll have to go vigilante on this one.

       Just as well I have a superpower: being an excellent liar. Seriously, the majority of my ‘investigation’ involves lying to people in order to get information out of them or to get them to do things for me. They should have just called this Liar: The Movie.

        Anyway, after more running, car chases, red herrings and more lying, everything is revealed in probably the most lackluster and least satisfying denouement of any mystery thriller ever. Don't waste your time.

        …Which is exactly what someone said to JT before he kidnapped me. (What is it with me and being kidnapped?). Just because he used to be in a successful boy band once, doesn't mean he can get away with this shit, can he? I guess we’ll find out In Time…

        What? He’s the star of this movie and not me? And I have to wear this awful ginger helmet wig for the whole duration? Well that just sucks! This movie does too – a contrived mess, trying to drag out a single ‘clever’ sci-fi conceit into a full-length movie. Andrew Niccol, Gattacca was a masterpiece compared to this! What happened?

        Argh! None of this makes any sense! So there is no money at all in this world, everything bought and sold for using ‘time’? Why isn’t everyone running around everywhere instead of walking then? Why isn’t everyone in the ghetto mugging everyone else if all it takes is to grab their arm to steal their ‘time’? Why have they cast Cillian Murphy as a policeman? Where are Leonard’s glasses?

        All this is making my head hurt! Come on JT, I suggest we don't worry about any of this making sense and just spend most of the film running away from people. Damn, at this rate I’ll end up doing more running than Tom Cruise and we all know how much he loves getting his run on!

        Huff, huff… slow down JT… 

        Mamma Mia – I’m sick of all this! Let’s just pack all this in and I’ll go back to singing… life was a lot less complicated back then…

1 Feb 2013

 

Read More