Nov
02
2007
Writ & Dir: Hal Hatley
- Sarah Polley … Beatrice
- Robert John Burke … The Monster
- Julie Christie … Dr. Anna
- Erica Gimpel … Judy
- Helen Mirren … The Boss
- Baltasar Kormákur … Artaud
So there I was, flicking around this afternoon when I came across No Such Thing. My wonderful browse feature told me it was the story of a young female reporter who tried to find out what happened her missing fiancée only to discover a foul-mouthed monster whom she befriends.
Only it was a lot stranger than that. The first hour or so was all about Beatrice. On her way to Iceland to track down her fiancée her plane crashed into the sea. She was the sole survivor, but was terribly injured. In the world of this film the media have taken over and pretty much run the world, but must contend with a public who grow bored of anything after only a few hours.[1] Beatrice’s boss tried to make her go public and tell her story, but Beatrice doesn’t want to so she is pretty much abandoned in the hospital, where she must undergo an extremely painful operation, with only limited painkiller/anaesthetic.
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Linknotes:
- I reckon there is some meaning there, I just cant quite figure out what it is… ↩
Tags:
7 Stars,
Baltasar Kormákur,
beauty and the beast,
Erica Gimpel,
fable,
Hal Hartley,
Helen Mirren,
humanity,
Iceland,
Julie Christie,
metaphor,
monster,
No Such Thing,
preachy,
Robert John Burke,
Sarah Polley,
sff,
too much message,
weird
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Apr
08
2006
- Bryce Dallas Howard - Ivy Walker
- Joaquin Phoenix - Lucius Hunt
- Adrien Brody - Noah Percy
- William Hurt - Edward Walker
- Sigourney Weaver - Alice Hunt
- Brendan Gleeson - August Nicholson
Its been two years since this came out in the cinema, and I’m finally getting to see it. Given that I’ve liked most of what Shyamalan has done, and given that Joaquin Phoenix is a star I’m a little surprised that it has taken me this long. I really enjoyed The Sixth Sense, and loved Unbreakable, but I did hate Signs.
Whatever the reason, I’m glad that I’ve finally gotten to see it, as there is a lot to admire here. As with most of Shyamalan’s films there are twists and turns. Some I saw coming, others took me a little by surprise, but I’ve never really been wowed by the sudden, unexpected twist. Afterall, if a story is to be believable and real then you should have some idea that the twist in question is possible. But this isn’t really a twist-film. Not is it a horror, monster-type film. Rather it is a character film.
The setting is an isolated, rural village, surrounded by a forest. And we open on a funeral, a funeral that could possibly have been prevented. The elders of the village founded it to escape the violence and crime of the towns. They have taken oaths never to return, even if medicines are needed. And then there is “those we do not speak of”. Strange creatures that inhabit the woods. They have come to a sort of truce with the villagers. The creatures will not enter the village, and the villagers must never enter the woods. They maintain a border, with watch-towers and torches burning through the night. Ready to hide if those we do not speak of should make an appearance.
Overall I really enjoyed this film, Phoenix is wonderful as the taciturn Lucius who doesn’t seem to fear the creatures, and who wishes to visit the towns in order to bring back medicine. Howard also gives a great performance as Ivy, the love interest. And then there is Brody as the “village idiot”. This threesome is the heart of the film.
The film’s action is quite slow, and is more atmospheric and tense rather than jumpy or scary. Although there are a few jump-in-your-seat moments. Although they are mainly down to overuse of sound cues and a soundtrack that tries too hard to make you scared. That being said there are moments of fear in the film, but the main one is because you believe the fear of a character, rather than that of a “scary movie”.
IMDb | Official site | National Review | Randy Ray | Can’t log in
Tags:
7 Stars,
Adrien Brody,
Brendan Gleeson,
Bryce Dallas Howard,
Joaquin Phoenix,
M. Night Shyamalan,
misleading trailer,
monster,
psychological,
Sigourney Weaver,
The Village,
twists,
William Hurt
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Dec
10
2005
Karl Urban - Reaper/John
Rosamund Pike - Samantha Grimm
Deobia Oparei - Destroyer
Ben Daniels - Goat
Razaaq Adoti - Duke
Richard Brake - Portman
Al Weaver - The Kid
Dwight Johnson - Sarge
I wasn’t hoping for great things, and all my hopes were met. Not good at all. The basic plot is that some sort of problem sends a group of marines up to Mars to enforce a quarantine and find out what is going on up there.
Turns out there are monster running around.
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Tags:
3 Stars,
Al Weaver,
aliens,
Ben Daniels,
Deobia Oparei,
Doom,
Dwight Johnson,
Karl Urban,
monster,
plotless,
Razaaq Adoti,
Richard Brake,
Rosamund Pike,
sff,
silly
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Jul
15
2005
Writ & Dir: Neil Marshall
- MyAnna Buring …. Sam
- Natalie Jackson Mendoza …. Juno
- Molly Kayll …. Jessica
- Shauna Macdonald …. Sarah
- Saskia Mulder …. Rebecca
- Nora-Jane Noone …. Holly (Familar looking? Coronation st.)
- Alex Reid …. Beth
When I first saw the trailer for this in the cinema I wasn’t going to go see. I haven’t gone to see a horror film in the cinema since Cabin Fever and that was shite. But then I found out that it was written and directed by Neil Marshall, responsible for dog soldiers, so I decided to give it the benefit of the doubt.
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Tags:
8 Stars,
Alex Reid,
caving,
claustrophobia,
horror,
Molly Kayll,
monster,
MyAnna Buring,
Natalie Jackson Mendoza,
Neil Marshall,
Nora-Jane Noone,
Shauna Macdonald,
Shauna Mulder,
The Descent
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Jul
13
2005
this blog “is a Giant Dragon that has an Extra Head, a Swirly Hypnotic Gaze, a Computer for a Brain and Black-and-White Stripes, and is Highly Flammable.
(Strength: 8 Agility: 7 Intelligence: 15)
Unleash your Giant Battle Monster”.
via I am following my fish
Tags:
monster
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