Evil Dead - Standing On Its Own Two Feet

        So what’s the deal with this new ‘remake’ of Evil Dead?

        Here is a film whose original(s) have such a cult following that fans were pretty much guaranteed to balk at the idea of this ‘remake’ whatever the circumstances. But having watched it recently, think it manages to successfully stand on its own two undead feet.

Here are a few things to remember:

        Firstly, this is remake of Sam Raimi’s first film The Evil Deadand not the follow up, Evil Dead 2(essentially a more humorous remake of the first film with a bigger budget) – which explains why this movie is played relatively straight. You see, when most people think of ‘Evil Dead’ they usually have in their mind the campy humour and splatter of Evil Dead 2 (and also to an extent, the third movie in the series, Army Of Darkness) which features a wise-cracking Ash (a career defining role for Bruce Campell) who totes a shotgun and a chainsaw and utters quotable catchphrases as he gruesomely dispatches demons.

        This new film sidesteps the awkward step of trying to fill an icon’s shoes by not having an Ash character at all – in fact, in even actively plays on fan expectations by occasionally shifting around the idea of who the ‘main’ character actually is.

        In fact, you see a lot of these kinds of self-aware nods to the fans of the original throughout the film, whilst it still being able to stand up as its own distinct entity. The similar themes and motifs are all there: the shotgun, chainsaw, the cabin, the trapdoor leading to the cellar, the Book of the Dead, the infamous ‘tree scene’ – but all in slightly different contexts – a delicate balancing act of both familiar but new that is continually tread throughout.

        There are even homages to classic Sam Raimi shots such as the demon camera zooming through the woods, the stylised quick cuts of chains being affixed to the trapdoor, the ‘tooling up’ sequence etc… but these end up standing out a little too much from the rest of the film as the tone presented in this one is very different. The film wantsto be different – born from the DNA of the original but attempting a significantly different take on it.

        And by this we don't necessarily mean simply following the current trend of ‘let’s make it a gritty and realistic reboot’ that the likes of recent remakes of Friday the 13th, Nightmare on Elm Street and Halloween have all been subjected to. Evil Dead wastes no time in getting right into the meat of the thrills, as it doesn't have to play origin story to an established franchise or retread any ground from the previous movies – it stands out as its own story. It had the same basic pre-existing setting, but chooses a different direction and tone to follow.

        Whilst ‘the most terrifying film you will ever experience’ tagline is nowhere near true, the film does manage to be effectively creepy at times due to its two strongest points.

        Firstly: the practical effects. For a mainstream theatrical release this is a very gory film and the fact that almost all of the special effects and gore is done practically adds to the film’s high level of gruesomeness that will satisfy even the most jaded of horror fans. Abuse of power tools, multiple instances of dismemberment and a blood soaked finale that has to be seen to be believed, means no gore-hound should leave disappointed.

        Secondly, the film looks fantastic - from the production design, cinematography and the lighting - this is quite possibly the best-looking horror film I have ever seen. Again, totally different from the charmingly amateurish (and yet crazy inventive and often surreal) presentation of the original The Evil Dead and of its sequel.

        Being a big fan of the Evil Dead 2 in particular, I wasn't quite sure about how I felt as the credits rolled, but the more I think about it the more I like this new entry. Sure, it’s not perfect – there are sorely underdeveloped characters and a fair few instances of clunky dialogue - but this version has plenty going for it. Lead actress Jane Levy really gets into the role and hopefully will be getting a wider recognition from this.

        Having already made back its budget at the box office, there is likely to be more of Evil Dead to come and I think that whilst this new version is by no means an instant classic, I highly recommend it for horror fans. It does its own thing, isn’t shy about going full throttle with its blood and violence and honours the originals without feeling the need to be shackled by them. This is definitely a step in the right direction in this current trend of horror reboots/remakes that just will not die - however many times you think they are put to rest.

        Now where did I put that chainsaw?...

22nd April 2013

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Roller Coasters - Part 2

        The other day I went to Thorpe Park with the sole intention of checking out their roller coasters (you can read my previous article on the roller coasters at Alton Towers HERE).

        Here is a rundown on the rides I went on and my thoughts on them.

        On arriving at Thorpe Park, we were slightly disappointed to find that two of the roller coasters Nemesis: Inferno and X: No Way Out were not operating, the former for unexplained technical reasons and the latter for refurbishment. I was more annoyed by not going being able to go on Nemesis: Inferno (being a B&M inverted coaster) having experienced the delights of its predecessor Nemesis at Alton Towers.

        There were still four other good roller coasters available however – and I managed to go on them at least twice each, which made up for it.

        First up was Stealth, currently the fastest roller coaster (and second highest) in the UK. What it’s really famous for, however, is its insane acceleration (0-80 mph in 1.8 seconds!), which takes place right at the beginning of the ride. I’ve never felt anything like it. It goes really fast, which takes you by surprise even though you are expecting it, and then goes even faster on top of that. That's the only way I can describe it.

        Following the initial burst of speed, the ride climbs the ‘top hat’ (seen in the picture below) giving you a breathtaking view of the whole park. Despite the duration of the ride only being 18 seconds long, it’s a thrilling experience every time.

        Next up was Colossus, currently the joint world record holder for the most number of inversions - shared with the imaginatively named 10 Inversion Roller Coaster in Chimelong Paradise in China. This ride is great fun, with loops and corkscrews aplenty, my favourite being the quadruple heartline roll towards the end – a unique experience.

        Opened in 2002, Colossusis showing its age a little however – as you do feel a little rattled about by the end of it. We even witnessed the ride get stuck on the initial incline and people having to be taken off it – not a good sign. Still, I very much enjoyed going on this world record holder - that is, until the 11 inversion coaster Journey to the Stars in Jinling Happy World in China, opens sometime later this year.

        The third ride we went on was Saw – The Ride based on the popular horror film series. This ride was interesting as it only had 8 people per car (each of which moved individually around the track), it starts indoors with a drop in the dark and the general style of the ride was well integrated with the themes of the movies. The real draw for this one though, is the 100 degree vertical drop (seen in the picture below) which is made even more effective by the car being really small.

        Finally, was Thorpe Park’s latest addition The Swarm, an alien apocalypse themed B&M Wing Coaster. Easily my favourite ride of the day, although not holding any records, the overall experience is awesome. With breathtaking views, a superb feeling of flying and great theming throughout(flying near a crashed plane, through a wrecked billboard, twisting over a ruined church…), all add nicely to the overall experience. My favourite part is the inverted drop right at the beginning. The ride also stands out as being incredibly smooth – you wont feel jolted about at all during it.

        As well as the aforementioned billboard near-miss feature, also new to 2013 is the feature of the last two carriages of the train being turned backwards, creating a very different experience. Although it’s not for everyone I personally enjoyed going backwards - you feel the speed of the ride without any of the wind blasting in your face. And, of course, you can’t see which way you are going…

        However, nothing can beat being at the very front of this ride – well worth spending the extra time queuing up for. Along with Alton Tower’s Air, The Swarm is definitely one of my favourite roller coasters that I have been on. If you are a fan of roller coasters then this one is highly recommended.

        Check out the Roller Coaster Data Base for current record holders and other info. Also you can watch POV footage of each ride by clicking on its title in this article. Enjoy!

19th April 2013

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Dishonored - A Game of Choice

        Despite coming out last year, I’ve only just got around to playing Dishonored – and I’m pleased to say that it is a rare gem of a game.

        The kind you immediately start playing again right from the beginning as soon as you finish it. And I don't mean that in a ‘New Game Plus’ kind if way either. Literally, from scratch - to do things differently and to make different choices.

        You see, ‘choice’ is at the heart of Dishonored. And we are not talking in terms of stupidly large empty sandbox worlds where you are free to do anything or reams of inconsequential dialogue trees. The game is still a fairly linear (and some may even say 'short' experience - with only 9 levels in the game) but it is such a rich and rewarding one, in terms of how the player’s choice is so robustly built into both the narrative and the game play mechanics, that the length feels just perfect. It never gets boring, it never outstays its welcome, and there is no padding.

        Being familiar with each level on your second playthrough allows you to approach the given scenario from different angles. Both in terms of actually navigating the geography of the level, but also the style and method in which you might carry out your task. Want to play as a ninja, bounding across the rooftops, infiltrating through an upper floor window and then silently slitting the mark’s throat from behind before sneaking out again unnoticed? Or want to play with supernatural powers, infiltrating the building by possessing a rat and scurrying through an air duct and then freezing time so the mark doesn't notice that you are in the room until it's too late? Or do you simply want to rush the main entrance, guns blazing, slaughtering everyone in your path?

        All of these are options. Options that aren’t made available simply through loose gameplay mechanics or overly forgiving and vague objectives, but ones that are solidly built in to the game. Each objective has a fair few vastly different ways of completing it and you’ll constantly find yourself carefully scouting ahead, weighing up your options and formulating a plan before going ahead.

        I only really bother hunting for the platinum trophy on games that I really enjoy playing and I think I will with this one just because of the vastly different ways the game asks to be played in order to get all of the trophies. At first I just played and finished the game to enjoy the story, playing the levels in a way I felt was natural at the time. My second playthrough was entirely stealthy, without being spotted once and without killing anyone. Through the entire game. This is entirely possible (there is always the option to neutralize each mark through non-lethal means) and the ‘save anywhere’ save system means that with careful self check-pointing of your progress it is not too frustrating to have to restart any segments of play.

        I’m now planning to play through the game yet another time to get another trophy which requires you to do so without relying on any of your supernatural powers – yet again, altering the game experience drastically. And yet, to me, having to go through all the levels again does not feel like a chore at all. I’ve done the whole thing twice (and dipped into the odd level here and there to get certain trophies) and yet there are still many places in the game that I haven’t seen and things I haven’t done. We are not talking about the vastness of Skyrim or Fallout here (games which, in my own personal preference whose openess I have a distaste for) but a uniquely rich experience that also lets you play the game how you want to, without sacrificing its compelling narrative and clear objective based gameplay.

        And I haven’t even yet started to gush about the well-realised world of Dunwall, the superlative writing and voice-work, the great art design and the refreshing lack of contrived boss battles. Ive enjoyed it so much that I’ll even forgive the Americanised spelling of the title.

        Definitely the best game I have played this year so far and quite possibly one of my favourite games of the current generation. I can’t wait to see what Arkane Studios come up with next.

10th April 2013

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Film Roundup Turbo Edition 4!

        Playing catch-up yet again – this time trying to squeeze in a bunch of films I’ve seen from the beginning of this year up until the end of March! It’s sheer madness trying to keep on top of all of this, but I made a commitment to myself to try and write (at least a little) about every new film I see. So here goes: a super quick overview of the many films that I have seen that is the Film Roundup Turbo 4!

        The fun challenge (or laziness if you prefer) for this one is to try and write a maximum of three sentences on each film. Here we go:

        Casa de mi Padre – Will Ferrell speaks Spanish for the whole movie in this pastiche of Mexican soap operas with added gangsters. Great supporting cast - Gael Garcia Bernal especially has fun as the bad guy – despite being somewhat underdeveloped as a character. Worth watching if you like Will Ferrell and his style of humour.

        Your Highness – Danny McBride and James Franco are clearly having a great laugh in this fantasy comedy romp. If you are willing to forgive how silly it all is and embrace your inner man-child, this one is worth watching. Good to see British talent such as Toby Jones, Damien Lewis and Charles Dance gamely taking part too.

        30 Minutes or Less – Actor-wise this features many love-it or hate-it performances, in particular regards to Jesse Eisenberg (reluctant loser/hero) Aziz Ansari (motor mouthed best friend) and Nick Swardson (ineffectual but loveable sidekick to Danny McBride’s criminal). Danny McBride is well pretty much Danny McBride – ‘nuff said, you know what you are getting. I loved seeing Michael Pena as a gangster and the featuring of a pen gun (!), but ultimately not enough is done with the story – watch it for the characters instead.

        Fast & The Furious 5 (AKA Fast Five)– They just keep on making these! Reuniting nearly all the protagonists from the entire series, there isn’t actually any racing in this one – it's a heist movie! One for the fans only, I’m afraid – although you do get to see Vin Diesel and The Rock throw each other through walls…

        Moonrise Kingdom – You will either love it or hate it, not much middle ground with this one. Director Wes Anderson has such a distinct style now to his films (quirky characters, offbeat humour, nostalgically styled 70s production design and costumes, eclectic music choices etc…) that it ends up feeling almost too forced at times. Personally, I liked the characters but not the story they inhabited so much – it’s certainly a visually striking movie, just unsatisfying overall.

        John Dies at the End – Based on the cult novel by Cracked.com editor David Wong, this sci-fi/horror mash-up is brave and offbeat but lacks some of the cohesion that the book probably has – I cant say for sure as I haven’t read it. A big Yay! for lots of practical effects – but unfortunately the lack of budget shows through at times as the scope of things they try to show towards the end of the movie is a little overambitious. Good to see Paul Giamatti supporting projects like this.

        When the Lights Went Out – A ghost story set in 70’s Yorkshire based on the supposedly true events of ‘The Black Monk of Pontefract’. Despite the good intentions of the cast (some manage a convincing Yorkshire accent, others not so much) this one is neither scary nor interesting enough to watch. Expect a lot of hearing people call each other ‘sods’ throughout the movie.

        Livid – Another slightly disappointing horror movie from the makers of the grotesquely brilliant Inside, it has great creepy elements - a big old house, mutilated ballerina girls, a scary woman in black - but ultimately gets bogged down by its over complicated story about souls and stuff. The ending will leave you scratching your head. Inside is recommended for fans of horror, skip this one.

        Stake Land – Impressive effort for a low budget indie film, but do we really need more post apocalyptic vampire movies? It’s suitably grim in parts but there are better vampire movies (30 Days of Night) and better post-apocalypse movies (The Road) out there already, in my opinion.

        Ruby Sparks – An enjoyable comedy/drama about a writer who somehow wills the girl of his dreams into existence just by writing about her. Paul Dano is great at playing whiny characters and Zoe Kazan impresses in her debut as both the screenwriter and titular character. Although there are some clumsy moments here and there, the film doesn't just dwell too much on the improbably fantasy concept it is based on, but rather spends time looking at the subject of male pride and insecurities that arise within a relationship – even those that are ‘user-defined’ such as this, the climactic scene especially being both shocking and heartbreaking in equal measure.

        The Man with the Iron Fists – Props for RZA for even attempting something like this – a throwback to classic Shaw Brothers era kung-fu, complete with grindhouse style violence and gore, comic book villains and crazy weaponry (the knife/gun/scissors thing?). Unfortunately, the unfocused meandering plot and wooden dialogue make the transition too. Oh, and RZA can’t really act, he should have concentrated more on the directing instead of giving himself the main part! Still it’s fun to watch (Russell Crowe is clearly having a hoot and Bautista is an absolute beast!), you just can’t help feel it could have been a bit better.

        Gangster Squad – A decidedly comic book and glammed up take on a 50’s LA police vs mobsters story. Sean Penn is a fun (if slightly over the top) villain Mickey Cohen and yet a lot of the great cast aren’t given much to do (Emma Stone’s role consisted of pretty much ‘stand there, look pretty’). Which is a shame as there is a great ensemble here – including Robert Patrick and Giovanni Ribisi. Enjoyable yet ultimately forgettable.

        Something From Nothing: The Art of Rap– A documentary, fronted and directed by Ice-T, which charts the rise of the art-form via interviews with many, many MCs. There are a lot of gorgeous shots of New York (and LA) but mostly this documentary consists of Ice-T palling around with his peers and watching them reciting each other’s lyrics. Interesting if you are a fan of Hip-Hop, unlikely to appeal to you if you are not.

        Holy Motors – A bat shit crazy film about a rich man who rides around in limo and dresses up in different guises (via self applied costume and makeup) and just gets up to… weird things. It’s kind of indescribable – if you like your films straightforward you will definitely not enjoy this, but those looking for something more experimental will be in for a treat – its madder than a box of frogs! Watch out for surprise cameos by Eva Mendez and Kylie Minogue!

        Silent Hill: Revelations – A sequel to the panned (but pretty faithful in spirit) videogame adaptation Silent Hill, this is visually quite effective at times but is a mess of story telling and largely forgettable. It all gets a bit silly and not quite as dark and ominous as the first film, plus Sean Bean always sounds unconvincing with an American accent. Kit Harrington fares better with his – they are both in Game of Thrones playing father and son... Weird.

        Wreck-It Ralph – A CG animation form Disney Animations Studios – the most amazing part of this is just how many licenses they must have had to purchase to get famous computer game characters just to cameo in this game – in most cases just for a few seconds. That aside, the film is pretty good, kids will enjoy the slapstick and adults will enjoy the in-jokes and nostalgia. Recommended if you have ever spent time playing videogames in your life.

        How I Spent My Summer Vacation – The return of Mel Gibson to acting since his last film, The Beaver. Here he’s back on the action tip again, playing an American criminal locked up in a Mexican prison town. It’s not that exciting…

        Headhunters – based on the hit novel by Jo Nesbo, this intriguing and very watchable thriller starts off by following a successful art thief’s mode of operations but soon turns into a deadly game of cat and mouse. Featuring tense set pieces and unexpected twists and turns in the story, this one comes recommended. Strong support from Game of Throne’s Nikolaj Coster-Waldau.

        Grave Encounters – Yet another ‘found footage’ horror. Despite the creepy setting (a production team of a paranormal investigation TV show stay the night in an abandoned asylum) nothing happens for so long in this film that boredom sets in early on. When things eventually do go down you don't even care anymore. Avoid.

        The Possession – A horror movie about a little girl who gets possessed by an evil spirit that resides in a wooden box. Despite having its moments (the opening scene is particularly effective) the film ends up falling back on tired tropes, lazily lifting from The Exorcist, Drag Me To Hell and so on. They even cast a girl that looks like Linda Blair! Jeffrey Dean Morgan tries hard as the increasingly desperate father, but this film is perhaps recommended for committed genre fans only.

        Grabbers – An ambitious B-Movie style monster movie set in a coastal village in Ireland. The largely CG tentacled beasties are well realized and suitably nasty and the central idea of ‘they wont get you to suck your blood if you are blind drunk’ (as the creatures turn out to be allergic to alcohol) leads to a uniquely comic setup. With likeable characters and decent effects for a small budget film, this one is worth watching once.

        The Wedding Video – Told via camcorder-filmed footage, this comedy about a man making a video for his brother’s wedding is actually more charming than it sounds. Rufus Hound is decent in his acting debut but it’s odd to see Robert Webb playing the straight role for a change as the groom to be. The standout is naturally Lucy Punch, whose great at playing slightly unhinged characters – although how it all turns out in the end is a little incredulous (even for a light-hearted comedy such as this). Fans of British rom-coms may enjoy this.

        The Innkeepers – From horror director Ti West comes this ghost story set in an ageing hotel in its last week before closure. The set-up takes a long time to establish itself, West chosing to focus more on the two main characters rather than ghostly goings on for the majority of the movie. In that respects its pretty good, but for someone looking for solid scares this one might prove a little too slow burning.

        Lovely Molly – directed by Eduardo Sanchez, one half of The Blair Witch Project’s duo of directors, this bizarre horror film concerning a woman being haunted by memories of childhood abuse as well as ghostly goings on that may or may not be the spirit of her father or some kind of horse demon. Seriously. Thematically, its pretty layered, but a lot of it is open to interpretation and the lack of answers will frustrate many viewers. Once again, probably best avoided unless you are a genre fan.

        The Perks of Being a Wallflower – A ponderous teen drama that's well acted but a little too drab and depressing overall for my taste. Emma Watson does okay with an American accent and Logan Lerman plays well against type - but its Ezra Miller who stands out as a highlight (previously seen as the evil titular character in There’s Something About Kevin).

        The Amazing Spider-Man – You can’t help but feel how pointless this movie is. Rebooting a successful franchise after only 5 years and having to redo an origin story yet again just feels a bit tiresome. Featuring inconsistent performances, lurching tone and uneven CGI – and to top it all off it doesn't even look or feel all that different to the previous movies. Isn’t that the whole point of a “reboot”? Exasperating.

        Absentia – Another micro budget horror film. Despite an interesting premise about people going missing in a tunnel and some early effective jump scares, the film’s second half descends into giant silverfish silliness (no joke). A lack of budget certainly results in the filmmaker’s having to be inventive, but literally not showing anything at all in a movie like this results in a bit of a letdown come the climax.

        Killer Joe – The big screen adaptation of the darkly comic play by Tracy Letts, directed by William Friedkin. With a uniformly excellent cast, this one was surprisingly good, despite most characters in the film being absolute scumbags. It's like an impending train wreck you just cant look away from – but in a good way… Matthew McConaughey is chillingly good as Joe – and I guarantee you will never look at fried chicken the same again after watching this.

        So there you have it - 28 films done and dusted! I know some of the descriptions went over three lines but what are you? The line count police?

        See you next time!

2nd April 2013

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