Susan Hated Literature

Dec 04 2008

Changeling

Published by Fence under Moving Pictures

Dir: Clint Eastwood
Writ: J. Michael Straczynski - based on a true story

Angelina Jolie … Christine Collins
John Malkovich … Rev. Gustav Briegleb
Colm Feore … Chief James E. Davis
Jeffrey Donovan … Capt. J.J. Jones
Wendy Worthington … Reception Nurse
Riki Lindhome … Examination Nurse

It is 1920’s Los Angeles and single mother Christine Collins is trying to raise her boy^[1] One Sat she is called in to work and when she returns home little Walter Collins is nowhere to be found. The police set about looking^[2] and eventually, after 5 months they bring him back. Only the boy they return to Christine is different; she is, however, informed that those changes are the result of her shock and the boys trauma. Why it is quite the done thing for a boy to shrink 4 inches as a result of such a horrifying encounter. And circumcised now you say? Well it is healthy, and who knows what that drifter may have been thinking. Ms. Collins is not about to rest however. She wants her boy back^[3] Continue Reading »

Linknotes:

you will hear this phrase *my boy* and *my son* over and over. This is just to introduce the phrase to yall ↩
after the procedural 24 hours have passed of course ↩
- Waaaaaallllttt! ↩

Tags: 1920s, 7 Stars, abduction, America - 1920s, America - LA, Angelina Jolie, based on true story, Changeling, Clint Eastwood, Colm Feore, corrupt police, crime, drama, feminism, Gordon Stewart Northcott, J. Michael Straczynski, Jeffrey Donovan, John Malkovich, kidnapping, murder, R16, Riki Lindhome, role of women, Wendy Worthington, Wineville Chicken Coop Murders, women in society

One response so far

Jun 10 2008

Gone Baby Gone

Published by Fence under Moving Pictures

Dir: Ben Affleck
Writ: Ben Affleck, Aaron Stockard. Based on book by Dennis Lehane Casey Affleck in Gone Baby Gone

Casey Affleck … Patrick Kenzie
Michelle Monaghan … Angie Gennaro
Morgan Freeman … Capt. Jack Doyle
Ed Harris … Det. Remy Bressant
John Ashton … Det. Nick Poole
Amy Ryan … Helene McCready
Amy Madigan … Beatrice ‘Bea’ McCready
Titus Welliver … Lionel McCready

IMDb ; More Reviews

This film’s release here and in Britain was delayed for a considerable time due to the supposed similarities between the plot and the disappearance of Madeleine McCann. I can see what it happened, but in reality there aren’t that many similarities. The film is about Patrick Kenzie and his “associate” Angie Gennaro who have been hired to track down a missing child, Amanda McCready. Almost at once they find out that the media story isn’t quite the truth.

Tags: 9 Stars, Aaron Stockard, abduction, Amy Madigan, Amy Ryan, based on book, Ben Affleck, Casey Affleck, child abuse, crime, Dennis Lehane, Ed Harris, Gone Baby Gone, John Ashton, kidnapping, Michelle Monaghan, Morgan Freeman, murder, police, R16, Titus Welliver

9 responses so far

May 17 2007

Alpha Dog

Published by Fence under Moving Pictures

Writ & Dir: Nick Cassavetes based on the true story of Jess James Hollywood

Emile Hirsch … Johnny Truelove
Justin Timberlake … Frankie Ballenbacher
Shawn Hatosy … Elvis Schmidt
Ben Foster … Jake Mazursky
Anton Yelchin … Zack Mazursky
Sharon Stone … Olivia Mazursky
Bruce Willis … Sonny Truelove
Matthew Barry … Interviewer
Vincent Kartheiser … Pick Giamo
Dominique Swain … Susan Hartunian
Amanda Seyfried … Julie Beckley

You know this films isn’t half bad. I went to see it expecting a somewhat mindless popcorn film. But is actually a fairly watchable, half way decent flick.

Johnny Truelove and his pals are half-arsed weed-dealer-kids, hanging out and doing drugs, making money through dealing. But when real bad-boy Jake Mazursky owes money to Truelove things begin to escalate, leading to Truelove and “his boys” kidnapping Jake’s half brother. But the 15 year old Zack doesn’t seem like much of a victim. He gets to live the life of drugs, drink and parties; he is having a good time. But the kidnapping was a spur of the moment thing, and when he consults his lawyer Truelove realises that the implications may be quite serious.

His solution? Why get rid of the hostage of course.

Most of the film consists of the “boys” hanging out, having a good time, getting stoned, watching video games and playing games. But of course you know that it isn’t going to end happily. The opening scene is an interview with Johnny Truelove’s father, there is a time line, and every peripheral character is identified as a witness. You know that trouble can’t be far away.

Surprisingly, all the actors do a good job. Hirsch reminded me a little too much of Leonardo diCaprio for some reason, but played his role well. Timberlake had little to do for much of the film, handing around, getting high, but in the final scenes he was really good as his character suddenly realises what he has gotten himself into. Anton Yelchin, playing Zach, was perfectly cast as he comes across as a nice boy, likeable and innocent. But it is Foster who really steals the show as the violent and unpredictable Jake. Sharon Stone too does a great job, although the make-up effects in the interview scenes felt a little too much for me.

It isn’t an excellent film, but there is plenty to like about it.

Tags: 7 Stars, Alpha Dog, Amanda Seyfried, Anton Yelchin, Ben Foster, Bruce Willis, Dominique Swain, drugs, Emile Hirsch, Jesse James Hollywood, Justin Timberlake, kidnapping, Matthew Barry, murder, Nick Cassavetes, Sharon Stone, Shawn Hatosy, true crime, Vincent Kartheiser

6 responses so far

Apr 02 2006

Tsotsi

Published by Fence under Moving Pictures

Presley Chweneyagae - Tsotsi
Mothusi Magano - Boston
Zenzo Ngqobe - Butcher
Kenneth Nkosi - Aap
Thembi Nyandeni - Soekie
Terry Pheto - Miriam

This traces a few days in the life of the teenage gang leader Tsotsi. When we first meet him, he and his friends are playing dice, deciding what to do that evening. And what they do is murder a man, stealing his wallet and leaving him behind on the train. One of the gang, Boston, isn’t too happy with this. He begins to drink and to talk about how they lack decency. He tries to provoke Tsotsi into revealing some sort of feeling, asking him about his real name. Tsotsi means thug, it isn’t the name his mother gave him. That doesn’t work, so Boston asks has any woman hurt him. Still no reaction. Not even a dog, he pleads in exasperation, and his provocation bears fruit, as Tsotsi punches and kicks Boston in a brutal attack before running off into the night.

As he runs we get a flashback of a young boy, a young Tsotsi fleeing through the night. And throughout the rest of the film Tsotsi’s childhood memories are intercut with the current happenings and violence. To say anymore about the plot would be to spoil some moments of the film.

There is a wonderful mixture of stillness, silence, and energy to this film. At times the camers lingers on faces, watching for a flicker of emotion. Other scenes are full of action and movement.

This is a film that does say that poverty is a driving force behind crime, but that is never allowed to become an excuse. There are other characters who are just as poor but do not react in the same way. It also never glamourises the violence, and while redemption may be at the heart of the film it never goes over the top in offering a happy ending.

This is actually one of those films you hope may have a Hollywood ending, where they can all live happily ever after, even though you know that that would render the rest of the film almost pointless.

Well worth catching, if you can, this film also won the Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film

Official Site | IMDb | 11am Air Raid | Post-PhD Blues | Movie reviews for greedy capitalist bastards

Tags: 8 Stars, crime, gang, hopelessness, Kenneth Nkosi, kidnapping, Mothusi Magano, murder, Presley Chweneyagae, redemption, SOuth Africa, teen gangs, Terry Pheto, Thembi Nyandeni, Tsotsi, violence, Zenzo Ngqobe

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Mar 26 2006

Inside Man

Published by Fence under Moving Pictures

Denzel Washington - Detective Keith Frazier
Clive Owen - Dalton Russell
Jodie Foster - Madeline White
Christopher Plummer - Arthur Case

You know Clive Owen is an actor that puzzles me. I always think that he could do a lot better than the films I’ve seen him in. King Arthur was a piece of piss, although it looked great. His part of Sin City was the weakest, and I never bothered with Closer, so why do I always think he is a good actor?