Paranormal Activity

Paranormal Activity seems to have a lot going for it. Spielberg endorsed, creepy trailer, solid US Box Office. There’s one major problem though. Despite it having been advertised as a film that will have you sleeping with the lights on for weeks….it just isn’t scary enough. What we have here is a classic example of hype exceeding expectations. Director and screenwriter Oren Peli’s lengthy journey to get Paranormal Activity made and eventually released has been well documented elsewhere and all credit to him for getting his vision out there. The storyline concerns a couple who set up a camera in their bedroom to record the unusual and unexplained activities that have previously occurred in their house. Before long we’re being witness to the old haunted house staples of creaking steps, slamming doors and loud noises. This is all mildly effective, but really isn’t nothing new. Peli then makes the error of showing his hand too soon with some scenes that reveal far too much, when the idea of suggestion is all the more terrifying in films of this nature. This all leads up to an ending which is far too OTT when the focus should have remained on the earlier more efficient lower key scares. Overall, it seems to me this is a case of quality marketing over a less than quality film. However, I don’t want to be too harsh on a first time effort. If you’re a horror veteran than you’ll probably not even feel your pulse increase when watching this. If you’re of a more sensitive disposition though, there’s just enough here for you to grip the arm of the person next to you on a number of occasions.

The OC Film Sting Final Verdict
This is definitely a case of “print the legend”. However, there’s a few jumps to be had and kudos to Peli for getting his film into the mainstream. Rating: 5/10.

A Serious Man

When it comes to the Coen brothers, there’s a school of thought that they do one film for “them” (the studios) and one film for themselves. Whereas the studio films have mainly been a success, their more personal films have left some people feeling cold. A Serious Man feels like the Coen's most personal film and though reviews have been mainly positive, I found this to be a little too self-indulgent. The theme of A Serious Man is one of uncertainty as Larry Gopnik (Michael Stuhlbarg) finds his reasonably comfortable life begin to unravel around him in what most critics would refer to as “classic Coen black comedy style”. Having said that, there really aren’t that many laughs to be had. Though we sympathise with Gopnik, the problem with the film, much like Burn After Reading, is that none of the characters are likable and the humour is more belittling than actually black. Plus, though obviously filmed as such, the confusion of Gopniks life is mirrored in the screenplay and editing of the film. The overall message of the film is open to interpretation, but the way it’s told, with many unanswered loose ends, may leave you unmoved as opposed to taking time to read between the lines. Of course being the Coen’s it’s can’t be all bad. The actual look of the film is lesson to film makers everywhere. The cinematography, framing and lighting is as solid as it comes. It’s a shame the rest of the film doesn’t reach similar heights.

The OC Film Sting Final Verdict
The Coen brothers tick a lot of their usual boxes in this low key effort. The box marked “entertaining” remains blank though. Rating: 5/10.

New Moon

Is there any point reviewing a film such as New Moon? There is already a mass (mainly teenage and female) audience foaming at the mouth for the next instalment of Bella, Edward etc, and even if the film was a dud they would still shriek it’s brilliance to the rafters. So, is it any good? Not really, but for what its target audience is, you could say it’s a smart approach. What the audience demand, they get. Teenage sulks, rippling six packs, a lot of pouting; its all here and more. As for the acting, Kristen Stewart gives a much improved performance, but Robert Pattinson is totally charisma free. There are also a few laughs to be had (a dodgy airplane joke being the best one), though quite a few of them unintentional. However, this all kind of adds to its charm. I watched it in a full cinema on opening night and the audience reaction was almost one of Rocky Horror Picture Show-esque proportions. So, while it’s hardly cinematic brilliance, you should still be guaranteed an entertaining night out.

The OC Film Sting Final Verdict
Is teenage pouting and men running around with their shirts off really a basis for a film? Adjust rating either way depending on your view of this statement. Rating: 5/10

A Christmas Carol

Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol is such a classic story that it’s almost impossible for a film maker to make a baubles of it and Robert Zemeckis’ animated film is a delight to watch, but with a surprisingly hard edge. Next time you fall asleep when someone’s telling you about how “dark” the next Harry Potter instalment will (inevitably not) be, point them in the direction of this to see how it should be done. Zemeckis really tightens the tension drum at times on this one, giving the impression you’ve walked into a hybrid Burton / Del Toro animation by accident. The scene alone where the ghost of Jacob Marley first visits Scrooge is classic haunted house delivery and will have the youngsters watching through their fingers. In fact, it’s surprising that this has escaped with a PG certificate, as many scenes will truly terrify youngsters. As for the animation, its scores heavily in most places and the 3D actually seems to add something for once, including some fantastic flying camera sequences over Victorian London. However, Jim Carrey as Scrooge doesn’t really set the screen alight, as his performance consists of mumbling and not much else. I’m sure Disney thought putting Carrey’s name up in lights would entice people into the cinema, but they could have saved quite a few pennies by recruiting a less famous voice cast, which I’m sure Scrooge himself would have agreed made financial sense. Humbug indeed.

The OC Film Sting Final Verdict
A decent take on a classic tale, but even though it’s an uplifting story, many moments will have kids cowering in fright. Rating: 7/10.

Harry Brown

Daniel Barber’s Harry Brown begins with an act of shocking violence followed by a bone crunching car accident, all captured by nausea inducing shaky camera work. It is an assault on the senses that leaves you gasping for breath. However, the film then slows down to walking pace and lasts that way until the end with the occasional scene to set the pulse racing. This isn’t to say the film doesn’t grip though. The storyline concerns Michael Caine as the eponymous title character and his pursuit of a teenage gang who kill an elderly friend of his. The main point of discussion of the film has been it’s portrayal of vigilantism. Barber doesn’t point the audience in either direction as to what’s acceptable and what isn’t, but he is careful to make the teenage gang repulsive individuals which somewhat dilutes any moral concerns you may have as Caine goes to work. Caine himself is superb and his performance is another major triumph is his everlasting Indian Summer. Less successful are some of the other actors whose caricatures give the impression of watching an X-rated version of The Bill at some points. On this point, Emily Mortimer is horribly miscast as the plod on the case, coming across so wet it’s hard to believe she could open the police station door let alone take on the gangs of the means streets of London. Talking of that, Barber’s film is well shot and superbly lighted. It may seem over the top at times, but it gives a fairly accurate (if depressing) description of life in a less than salubrious estate of modern England. Not one for the tourist board then.

The OC Film Sting Final Verdict
Not really a film to “enjoy” as such, but it will leave you with much to ponder, and Caine is fantastic. Rating: 6/10.

2012

In interviews Roland Emmerich comes across as a decent chap with a self depreciating sense of humour. He seems pretty aware that the majority of his output, though enjoyable in parts, is nonsense. So lets make one thing clear about 2012. It is total nonsense. So far, no surprise there then. What’s frustrating though is that Emmerich has no interest in addressing the same criticisms that permeate his previous efforts. 2012 is full of wooden acting, terrible dialogue and the worst kind of emotional cheese. That’s a pretty bad combination for a film that’s 158 minutes in length. If only Emmerich would tackle those problems instead of letting the film succeed or fail on the strength of the special effects and marketing alone. As for the effects, they are spectacular at times, but are oddly un-thrilling. It’s the end of the world, but you frankly don’t care. This just proves the major problem with CGI in modern movies. When there isn’t a single ounce of threat or apprehension in 158 minutes of a film you’re watching about death and destruction then there is a major problem somewhere. Of course, if you are going to show the end of the world in such a fashion, CGI is the only way it can be told. However, if all your movies got is a load of CGI and nothing else, then you’re never going to hold an audiences attention for one hour, let alone almost three. Of course, it’s not all bad. The ending is mildly thrilling for a while, and Chiwetel Ejiofor never gives a bad performance. Then again, he got paid for starring in this. You have to pay to see it. Something not quite right there.

The OC Film Sting Final Verdict
A film of eye-catching but unemotional special effects, littered with attritions dialogue. You’ll be entertained in parts, but this can easily be described as a disaster movie in both senses of the phrase. Rating: 4/10.

The Men Who Stare At Goats

Grant Heslov’s The Men Who Stare at Goats is based on Jon Ronson’s book, in which the author investigates reports of the US military using soldiers who have psychic powers. I saw a documentary a number of years ago on the same subject and that struggled to command the attention for an hour, so it’s no surprise that a feature length film also has difficulty in keeping us entertained. This fact is well highlighted by an ending which feels totally superfluous to the psychic “super soldiers” storyline, and though it doesn’t feel tacked on, it definitely gives the impression the writers were running out of ideas. Leading up to this we mainly focus on Ewan McGregor and George Clooney as journalist and psychic “super soldier”, respectively. Both actors put in decent performances and seem to be enjoying themselves. They can’t do much with the problematic screenplay though which is neither funny enough nor satirical enough to fit into either genre. The message of the film is confused as well. Are we mocking the “super soldiers” for their supposed abilities? Or are they misunderstood outsiders who can “burst” clouds just by looking at them? Nothing is really clear, and though the over riding aura of the film is meant to be one of confusion, as there is no real resolution as we go along, you’ll be scratching your head in bemusement rather than amusement.

The OC Film Sting Final Verdict
It’s hard to really slate this, but it really isn’t one thing or the other and it runs out of steam long before the ridiculous ending. Rating: 4/10.