Film Review: X-Men: Days of Future Past

       On paper, the combination of the old X-Men (that were in established way back in Bryan Singer’s 2000 film) and the new (the cast of the Matthew Vaughn directed prequel X-Men: First Class) is an enticing prospect. The thought of two different generations of X-Men and, in some cases, renditions of both the older and younger versions of the same character in one movie, is a fanboy’s dream.

       It may come as a significant disappointment to many then, that this is actually not quite the case come the end result in Days of Future Past. Although a large number of cast members from each timeline do return, they never really get to interact in any meaningful way. The ‘future’ X-Men send Wolverine back to the past to warn their younger selves of the approaching Sentinel threat in a last ditch attempt to prevent it from ever happening (much like in Terminator 2). Time travel logic headaches aside, Wolverine is the only character to actually meet both sides of the time divide, apart from one brief scene in which the younger Charles Xavier (James MacCovoy) manages to communicate with his older self (Patrick Stewart). This is not really the epic crossover we were led to believe.

       Despite the large cast of mutants, a great many are relegated to just glorified cameos that are only glimpsed in a handful of scenes. Or worse yet, other characters that should be present are rather unceremoniously revealed as having being ‘murdered’ since the events of the last film. As a result, Days of Future Past strangely feels more like First Class Part 2 but with many of the lesser characters stripped away.

       An additional issue lies with the emotional centre of the film. The focus is too often split between Wolverine’s journey through time, the on/off bromance between Xavier and Magneto and a rogue Mystique hell bent on pursuing her own cause. Much of these individual stories lack an emotional punch (there is no such moment as First Class’ superb radar dish turning scene) and it often just feels like checking off a series of plot points - one that often struggles under the weight of attempting to align with or retcon the events of all the films that come before and after it.

       That being said, the 70’s set majority of the story is largely well presented and benefits from having a bigger budget - the warm glow of the retro colour palette contrasting with the dark and desolate future in which everyone is required to wear leather combat gear. The use of grainy old school camera footage in capturing some of the 70’s moments really helps cement the sense of existing in that particular time, although attempts to tie the story in with actual historical events garners mixed results. The prospect of mutants being enlisted to fight in Vietnam is an interesting one, and yet the overly simplistic ‘Kennedy = good, Nixon = bad’ seems lazy.

       Peter Dinklage’s Bolivar Trask makes for an interesting pseudo villain, but his motivation isn’t fleshed out nearly enough. The fact that he is a dwarf (and perhaps how this may tie into his character’s obsession with the Sentinel Programme) is never addressed, unfortunately making it seem more like a case of stunt casting (Dinklage being hot off the success of Game of Thrones), as the part has been previously played by Bill Duke in X-Men: The Last Stand.

       The Sentinels themselves are well realised - we get treated to both the sleek silver future versions (their super adaptability makes them a genuine threat to mutants despite their powers), as well as the clunkier purple robot versions in the 70s. It’s a shame then that the CG is very hit and miss in regards to these, as they tend to feature heavily in the better action scenes of the movie.

       Fans of the franchise will enjoy the little nods, winks and call-backs to previous films, but will equally be disappointed at the somewhat anti-climactic final showdown and lack of answers that the shoe-horned continuity repeatedly throws up. For example: how is Professor X still alive after X3? Why is the scene-stealing Quicksilver forgotten about for the rest of the film, despite proving just how useful his powers really are during a (somewhat unnecessary) retread of X2’s prison break? Why do Xavier and Mystique not know each other in X1? Will the events of time travel in this movie negate what happens in the other X-Men and Wolverine movies… and so on.

       All said and done, Days of Future Past seems burdened by its own ambition and shackled by its need to fit in with the other films in the franchise. It’s an interesting idea that’s not fully realised in its execution and one cant help but feel that the fresh start that was First Class should have stayed as just a reboot (as it was initially conceived) instead of being retroactively moulded into part of a larger narrative.

       As an X-Men film, or even a superhero film, it’s not all that bad – it’s just not the momentous cinematic event that the weight of its expectation purports it to be.

24th May 2014

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Double Dose of Godzilla

This week on Double Dose we have the recent reboot of Godzilla.

You can check out the (spoiler free) written review by clicking HERE.

We also have Episode 14 of The Padcast, which you can listen to below. Myself and Paddy talk about the film in a bit more depth, so there may be mild SPOILERS.

You can also download an .mp3 of the episode HERE.

If you’ve enjoyed it, please show your support: LIKE, SHARE and SUBSCRIBE!

19th May 2014

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Film Review: Godzilla

      Rather than comparisons to the widely panned debacle that was Roland Emmerich’s 1998 effort of the same name, Gareth Evan’s version of this Toho classic bears more similarity and is a logical step up from his previous film (and directorial debut) Monsters.

      In Monsters, the creatures in question were only properly seen in the final scenes of the film (likely due to budgetary constraints) and as a result, much of the focus was on the human element of the story, and the deliberate holding back of the reveal of the creatures fostered a palpable tension throughout.

      Godzilla follows a very similar pattern - although the difference here is that the budget is a lot bigger and you do actually get to see the monsters a fair bit more. However it’s true that the human element is still the main focus throughout, whether it be Bryan Cranston (acting his heart out) as a broken man seeking answers, or his son (Aaron Taylor Johnson) trying to contribute to the military’s efforts in dealing with the crisis whilst simultaneously trying to get back home to his wife (a criminally under-utilised Elizabeth Olsen).

      Similarly, Godzilla takes its sweet time in showing its beasties, the titular character himself not being fully revealed until a good hour into the film’s running time. Even when they are fully shown and an epic faceoff is imminent, the scene tantalisingly cuts away to footage from a TV report or have a door close to obscure the view. Far too often we only see the aftermath of the destruction and not the destruction itself. It's a brave decision that supports mystery and the gradual build-up of tension, but is likely to frustrate viewers that demand to see some more bang for their buck.

      Evan’s restraint and a more scientific and realistic take on the material should be applauded, but occasionally is at odd with what is, at its core, material that is about as B-movie as you can get. For fans, however, there are plenty of homages to classic Toho Godzilla, and the slow release of fan service moments (the creature reveal itself, a neat subversion of the creature’s atomic origins, the tail whip, the atomic breath) are all masterfully handled and will likely illicit cheers from those in the know.

      The production values are also impressive. The CG is excellent, not just for the creatures’ (who have a terrific sense of weightiness to their movements) but also for the ‘disaster’ sequences – scenes involving a tidal wave and another where jet fighters literally rain down from the sky, are chilling to behold. A terrific sense of scale is maintained throughout, with plenty of overhead flying shots showing people scurry about like ants, or views of the creatures from the protagonist’s point of view (the thrilling if somewhat unnecessary HALO sequence).

      The sound design and music are also standout features – the deafening roars and pounding score are invaluable in building up the atmosphere. And yet there is a continual nagging feel that something is missing. The cast is great on paper, but certain characters feel wasted. Aaron Taylor-Johnson has little development throughout, Ken Watanabe feels like the token Japanese member of the cast who job is simply to maintain the same expression throughout the movie, Sally Hawkins’ character is unfortunately only there to look worried and deliver scientific exposition and David Strathairn is the one-note military representative. If the requisite amount of human drama was there to bolster the story (one which fades despite the promising start) then the lack of action wouldn't be such a problem, and it doesn't help either that after being visually spoiled by the likes of last year’s giant monster movie Pacific Rim, some audiences may feel a little underwhelmed in terms of sheer spectacle.

     Godzilla is an interesting hybrid of old and new, the early sequence plays heavily on the fears of the recent Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant disaster, whereas Godzilla’s design and inadvertent role as mankind’s saviour are great throwbacks to some of the older movies. Despite a few truly awe-inspiring moments, impressive cinematography and one or two story turns that will surely take you by surprise, you cant help but feel a little more ‘Godzilla’ in a Godzilla movie wouldn't have gone amiss.

 16th May 2014

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5 Reasons Why You Have to Watch... American Horror Story (Season 1)

Let’s try something different – how about reviewing a whole series?

Wait, no actually that's a lie – I did a similar thing (kind of) for Luther a while ago, which you can read HERE. Anyway, I holed myself up the other weekend and sessioned the whole of the first season of American Horror Story.

Wait what? Don't you hate American series? Aren’t they usually always overlong and drawn out in your opinion?

Yes, yes - but hear me out! The first Season is worth watching for the following 5 reasons. Check them out below.

1) It’s Not Too Long

            Okay, let’s get this one out the way. I generally dislike long series. They require a huge time commitment to watch, the story often suffers from being overstretched, there is too much filler material, character arcs and motivations lose focus over such a prolonged amount of time, and so on… This is why I generally prefer watching British television series, as the majority of them know how to keep things succinct and don't outstay their welcome (the ones I tend to watch anyway). If anything, short series encourage repeat viewing, whereas lengthy slogs like Heroes and LOST, which I did end up watching all of, are something that I will likely never revisit.

            Having said all that, however… I can make an exception for American Horror Story (hereafter shortened to AHS).

            Why? Allow me to explain.

            Despite there being 12 (or sometimes 13) episodes per Season, AHS is conceptualised as an anthology series, meaning that each Season has a completely different story, characters and setting. For this reason, each series has been given a subtitle. The first, retroactively being named ‘Murder House’, is largely in a modern setting with the main story centred around a family that has just moved into a haunted house that has seen many of its previous residents (over the course of its history) die in horrific circumstances. The second Season is set in a mental institute in 1964 and is called ‘Asylum’; and the third Season ‘Coven’, concerns witches and voodoo in New Orleans. The recently announced fourth Season is set to take place in 1950’s Florida and is subtitled ‘Freak Show’.

            So already you get a fair bit of variety to keep things fresh. That's not the most interesting thing about the format, however. For me, the most intriguing (and perhaps brave) aspect of this, is the fact that several members of the cast appear across the various seasons playing different roles. So rather than an entirely new cast in each story, instead you have an interesting reshuffle of roles.

            It’s not only something that is interesting to me in regards to its execution (will the audience be able to readily identify with the same actor in an entirely different role so seamlessly?), but it also subconsciously alludes to the themes of recurrent haunting, trapped spirits and events perpetuating themselves – it’s a stroke of genius, really. It doesn't hurt either that the majority of the cast are fine actors – but we’ll get onto that later.

            I’ve only watched the first Season as of writing this article so I’ll let you know at a later date if the actors playing new roles going into Season 2 truly works or not.

2) It Has Great Production Values

            Okay, I’ll admit, this one can be a bit moot seeing as many TV series feature high production values these days, as there is so much money being thrown at TV now (especially in the US). But, as we all know, that does not necessarily a good series make.

            From a technical standpoint though, there is much to enjoy here. On hearing that AHS is from the makers of Glee (yes, really!) and aired on a cable TV channel called FX, you may just fear the worst. However, not only is the production on this show really good, but it turns out better looking and more atmospheric than many of the horror films currently out there. The cinematography, sets, music (which we’ll discuss later) and effects are all top notch – and there is a decent amount of violence, gore and creepy scares in each episode to keep horror fans happy.

            Although I noticed the editing is a bit over-stylised at points (what’s with the zooming in to punctuate certain words!) on the whole it is effective, helping to foster much of the mystery and intrigue that the main thrust of the story relies on, as flashbacks, scenes from different time periods and imagined and/or dream sequences are plentiful. But once again, more on that later.

            Anyway, point being: the production values are great and you won’t be disappointed in that regard.

3) The Music

            This is really an extension of the above but I think deserves a special mention of its own.
            Firstly, let’s talk about the main title sequence. It's brilliant - that unconventional and unnerving boom of the electronic score, the subtly disturbing imagery that just barely hints at the contents of the show, the bold and unique typeface used to display (full-screen no less) the cast names and the show title itself. It’s a great mix of old and new (the font evokes the feeling of classic 70s horror whilst the music is decidedly modern) and is effective at getting you into the mood for the show every time.

            After a bit of research, I found out that this title sequence had won a few awards (one of which was an Emmy) and was produced by a company called Prologue, that also created the titles for AMC’s The Walking Dead and David Fincher’s Se7en. There you go – a bit of trivia for you.

            Anyway back to the main point. The original score in Season 1 is decent, but what I really wanted to talk about is the licensed music. Of course there are the requisite ‘songs’ used throughout, but the real stroke of genius here was the producers’ somewhat ballsy decision to use scores from other horror films over certain scenes - even fairly recognisable ones at that. So you get scenes that utilise bits of the scores of Insidious, Psycho, Saw, Bram Stoker’s Draculaand Kill Bill (yes, I know it’s not a horror but it made that Bernard Herrmann ‘whistling’ track Twisted Nerve very popular). all to undeniably great effect. Can you spot any more? I’m sure there are a few others included in there that I haven’t mentioned.

            On one hand you could class this as ‘stealing’ or at least a lazy leapfrogging on the back of existing classic scary movie moments, but the effect it has on the atmosphere of the show is undeniable. Besides, considering the vast amount of story elements/character/imagery homages to other films included in AHS, it kind of makes sense (as we’ll see in point 5).

4) The Cast

            The cast is in AHS is another of its strengths, with a good mixture of both familiar and new faces. Dylan McDermot and Connie Britton are dependable as the husband and wife, the strained relationship between them being the cause of much of the dramatic tension throughout the series. Taissa Farmiga (sister of Vera) is also decent, although her role as surly know-it-all teenager is a little bit stock. Elsewhere Evan Peters (the original ‘Todd’ in Kick-Ass, and soon to be one of the two on-screen incarnations of the Marvel character Quicksilver - who in a bizarre twist of fate, is also to be played in a different film by ‘Kick-Ass’ himself: Aaron Taylor-Johnson) does a good job of being a sympathetic monster despite being an occasionally messily written character.

            There are two secret weapons in the show, however. The first is Frances Conroy, playing the mysterious maid Moira that ‘comes with’ the house. She displays a stalwart dedication to her job but also allows moments of matronly tenderness to shine through.

 Credit should also be given to her alter-ego ‘Young Moira’, played by Alexandra Breckenridge who, although her appearances are brief, literally burns a hole in the screen every time as quite possibly the hottest maid in the history of forever. (Brief digression: for reasons not fully explained in the show, Moira appears to other women as the older prim and proper version, but to men as a young seductive temptress, hell bent on leading them astray.

 Anyway who cares – she’s smoking! Just look at her!)

            Ahem…. sorry, where was I?

            The other secret weapon is Jessica Lange as Constance Langdon, another case of a strangely sympathetic monster that, despite stealing silverware, attempting to poison people via cupcake or casually referring to her Downs Syndrome daughter as a ‘mongoloid’, manages to enrapture the audience with her merciless put-downs and iron will. As you learn during the course of the story, she has lost more than any human possible should be capable of handling and yet she continues to endure, constantly being a victim of the effects that the strange house has on other people without having succumbed to it herself.

            Constance commands a presence and is so magnetic that you can barely tear your eyes away, especially when she delivers a heartbreaking monologue about her painful history, delivered in that soft Southern twang of hers. I think the biggest hurdle of Season 2 may come from having her shift to an entirely different role, such is the strength of her Constance in Season 1. I guess that just remains to be seen.

            Elsewhere, there are also guest stars that pop up every now and then including Kate Mara (a crazy girlfriend), Zachary Quinto (as a delightfully bitchy one half of a gay couple) and Denis O’Hare (as a mysterious disfigured man with an agenda).

5) The Story

            Ok, so on one hand it’s all a bit of a mess. There are many different characters with different relationships, agendas and histories – and at times you may feel you need a diagram to keep track of who knows what, who is on whose side and who is related to whom. It’s occasionally a bit of a labyrinthine soap opera, but I guess that's the nature of keeping the human side of it grounded and interesting in terms of drama when you separate out all the supernatural aspects.

            What keeps things fresh and interesting structurally in AHS, is the preponderance of flashbacks, period piece vignettes, dream sequences and so on, that often play out on screen for us as the characters relate them to one another. It's the classic story-within-a-story that not only gradually reveals more of the mystery (and indeed history) of the cursed ‘Murder House’ and its former inhabitants, but also keeps the narrative fresh and exciting. These vignettes are sometime shot in a different style and tone - the 1940’s segment being one particular standout example.

            As for the story itself – without giving too much away – there are a ridiculous amount of ideas crammed in. Considering the history of the US is much shorter than ours, there is almost a mindboggling amount of American gothic and heavy homages from the back catalogue of American horror crammed in there. There are generous nods to The Shining, Rosemary’s Baby, The Sixth Sense, The Amityville Horror, The Black Dahlia murder, The Others, Beetlejuice and many more. Storylines also involve school shootings, feral children, crazy doctors, murderous cultists, gimp suits, vengeful ghosts, home invasions… and that’s far from being an exhaustive list.

            AHS could have easily descended into a lazy ‘freak-of-the-week’ feature, but instead all these elements are woven into one big continuous story. Sure, it can be a mess at times, but a glorious one. Rather than being a show that simply cribs ideas from everywhere else, I think horror fans will recognise that the whole point of this show is to stir all these classic references and ideas into one beastly stew – and it that respect it comes out being rich and full of flavour. See how the ‘borrowed’ music scores mentioned in point 3 make sense in context now?

            In fact, there is so much going on, that by the close of the series, there are inevitably a few unanswered questions and unresolved story threads that are likely to lead to a tiny bit of frustration for some viewers. But I guess too much content is better than too little.

            So in conclusion, American Horror Storyis a bit sprawling and messy at times, but is simply bursting at the seams with ideas. There is a dark humorous streak throughout (it doesn't take itself too seriously despite all the gruesome going-ons in the show), and if you can suspend your disbelief at the numerous wtf!?moments – see how you feel using the first episode as a test run – this is one hell of a fun show to watch, especially for horror fans.

            I’ll let you know how I get on with season 2.

7th May 2014

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