Best Free Movie Of The Year - Nomination - Month #2

Month two (May 21 - June 20) delivered a round of big blockbusters including the long awaited Indiana Jones movie, destined to be in the running for the Best Free Movie Of The Year.

I increased the monthly average of movies watched in May/June but not by much, and I am still languishing behind the 8-9 movies per month I need to see to hit the big 100. Two movies a week is much harder than it sounds, especially given the great sunny weather that London has been having lately. I've even had a few guilt trips while sitting in the cinema with the sun shining outside - guilt trips, but no regrets (how about The Happening, I hear you ask? Sure, I regretted seeing that movie, but luckily, it was miserable outside that day, so no double whammy).

So, what movie knocked my socks off this month? Was there a better movie than what Indy had to offer? Or was there a sleeper hit ready to knock the fedora wearing archaeologist off his perch?

Before I announce the nomination this month, I must clarify that The Incredible Hulk falls into this month's considerations. Although the post was made after the 20th of June, I did see it before that date. I was just being slack.

Anyway, without further ado, the second nomination for The Best Free Movie Of The Year is:

GONE BABY GONE

I still think about this movie almost a month after seeing it and I will be taking Kathy to see it on Monday. An outstanding directorial debut by Ben Affleck, brilliant acting by his brother Casey and the rest of the cast, and a powerful movie full of suspense and emotion. The front runner (after two months) for the big award.

Sorry Indy.

9: THE INCREDIBLE HULK

Why I chose it?

Seeking out another blockbuster after the disappointment of The Happening, The Incredible Hulk looked entertaining and visually impressive. Having not seen the first Ang Lee movie which received a critically and commercially luke warm response, I had no expectations of a return to form for the big green monster. I hoped that this would increase my enjoyment.

Where?

Cinema 2, Wandsworth Southside Shopping Centre, 7.10pm (I now have this uncanny knack of getting there by bus with moments to spare.)

Comments?

Firstly, I was surprised it wasn’t an origin movie. My perception going in was that this movie was to wipe the slate clean of the first one, starting from scratch. Except for a recap of sorts over the opening credits, this second instalment of The Incredible Hulk is a continuation and begins with Bruce Banner hiding out from the American military, trying to find a cure for his furious temper that, if unchecked, gives way to a bad case of CGI-tis.

After the initial scene setting, the movie just passed me by. Not necessarily a case of “so what” but as events unraveled on the screen, action sequences and character scenes alike, they had little impact. It was also hard to sympathise with the title character. The Incredible Hulk was masterly presented in computer generated beauty, but this made it difficult for me when I was searching for the tormented human Bruce Banner within, even when his eyes went all gooey at the sight of Liv Tyler. At least with Lou Ferrigno (who has a short cameo here), he kinda looked human.

The movie isn’t as bad as all that. It stacks up pretty well against Iron Man, another recent superhero movie, and has a better battle finale, but Ed Norton is no Robert Downey Jnr when it comes to portraying intriguing alter egos. The Incredible Hulk does have some positives: it has some good action sequences and doesn’t fall into superhero clichés (except for the aforementioned final fight).

My assessment of this movie may have been dragged down by the fact that I have become tired of multi-million dollar blockbusters after the long spate of them since [REC]. The Incredible Hulk is a reasonable superhero outing, but compared to Iron Man, which it has more in common with than first thought, it can not be said to be memorable.

Would I pay to see it?

It's borderline but I would say yes.

Rating?

5.5 out of 10

Post Movie Quote:

"Time for some independent movies; I’m all blockbusted out." Daryl Nilbett

8: THE HAPPENING

Why I chose it?

M. Night Shyamalan's form of late has been mysteriously mediocre since Signs (and even that was borderline disappointing) but the excellent Sixth Sense still gives the movie goer some hope that one day M. Night's great storytelling abilities will return to form. Previews of The Happening suggest that the day may have arrived.

Where?

Cinema 2, Hammersmith, 6.30pm (Got there a little late and missed The X-Files preview!)

Comments?

What has gone wrong with M. Night Shyamalan? He used to be such an adept screenwriter and a director of atmospheric, tense and intriguing tales. Unique and entertaining. Now his movies have the quality of direct-to-video rubbish (and without any sex or dodgy gross out scenes to keep us amused).

His form has dropped off considerably and it's hard to reconcile The Sixth Sense to his latest outing. It's like watching your favourite AFL footy team go from a winning streak at the start of the season to getting walloped by 100 points by Round 11 (or in soccer parlance: 6 nil by mid-December) with exactly the same team on the field. It's very hard to understand why the quality has dropped. Complacency perhaps? Lack of pressure? Surely M. Night can no longer live off the cred he received after his brilliant debut, but that said, that was the main reason why I went to see The Happening in the first place.

Why is it so bad? Poor acting (Walhberg looks out of place, Zooey Deschanel is horrid), dialogue as corny and unrealistic as anything George Lucas has conjured up, and a story that lacks direction, tension and a satisfying ending. I won't go into it too much here so as not to give away the plot (a policy on this blog), but let it be said that surely M. Night could've come up with a more thoughtful and clever way of making a political statement (if that's what he's trying to do here - not entirely sure).

This would have been an average Twilight Zone episode on a good day.

And can I just add: I can't believe how sloppy a director can be to allow a shot to make it through to the final cut where the boom mike makes an appearance. M. Night committed this cardinal sin (in my book, anyway) four times. Count them - FOUR times. And we're not just talking about "blink-and-you-miss-it" type appearances - one of the mikes, with a nice bright red casing, hovers around the actors for at least two minutes! At one stage, I thought these errors were intentional and that M.Night's customary twist in the tale ending would reveal a Truman Show style caper. Unfortunately, I wasn't that fortunate.

Would I pay to see it?

A resounding no.

Rating?

2 out of 10 (a point lost for the cameo boom mike (who was on the screen so much, it should've got an acting credit))

Post Movie Quote:

"That's the first time I've tut-tuted at the end of a movie. Good night M. Night." Daryl Nilbett

7: INDIANA JONES AND THE KINGDOM OF THE CRYSTAL SKULL

Why I chose it?


If this was my first time seeing Indy 4, I would've ignored this question - it's Indy, of course I'm going to see it!


Why see it again? I wanted to enjoy it all over again but I also wanted to see if the mixed feelings I had about the ending could be rectified with an expectation free repeat viewing.


Where?


Cinema 13, Wandsworth Southside Shopping Centre, 7.15pm (Wandsworth again? I hear you say. Well, it's got the most screens and the popcorn is rocking and I quite enjoy the bus ride.)


Comments?


This is definitely an Indy movie - wise cracks, close calls, car chases, nasty villains, the fedora - it's all here and a whole lot of fun it is too. Indy is back!


Harrison Ford, albeit 20 years older since the last instalment, still pulls it off as the archaeologist adventurer out to discover all the wonders of the world and keep them out of the hands of those nasty Nazis (or in this case, Russians).






It's very entertaining and you can tell the whole production gang enjoyed themselves too. The addition of Shia LaBeouf is great, a James Dean type who takes a fair share of the action, leaving the much older Jonesy to stunts that are more considerate of his age. However, that said, Harrison Ford doesn't shy away from the action, performing the majority of his own stunts with impressive strength and agility. If the light is right and you can't see the silver hair, he doesn't look a day older than The Last Crusade.


As mentioned above, I've already seen this movie and had mixed feelings about the plot device and the ending. We had The Ark of the Covenant, the Sankara stone and the Holy Grail - all plot devices with religious and spiritual connotations. Kingdom of The Crystal Skull offers up something a little bit left of field and maybe a little too far out there to fit into the mold of the Indy movies we love so dearly. Sure, the plot is relevant to the period in question and should resonate with modern audiences, but something about it doesn't click and unfortunately, I'm still on the fence about it after a second viewing. In fact, I hasten to say that I enjoyed it a little less the second time around.


That said, what the movie does do is bring back the memories of the Indy franchise, back when my dad took me to see my first movie, Raiders of the Lost Ark, and how it scared the crap out of me. Great memories, rekindled by a movie that stays true to the originals but is brave enough to try something different, even if that decision's success is still not decided in my mind.


Still great fun!


Would I pay to see it?


Already did.


Rating?


7.5 out of 10 (an extra half point for nostalgic reasons)


Post Movie Quote:


"Can't wait to watch the old ones again!" Daryl Nilbett, with a crack of his whip.

6: GONE BABY GONE

Why I chose it?

This movie was delayed for nine months in the UK to respect the feelings of the parents and those close to Madeleine McCann. However, the film's parallels to that tragic real life abduction case was not why I wanted to see it - I actually saw a poster for Gone Baby Gone in Chicago last September and it looked good. I had just seen Casey Affleck in the Jesse James movie and was liking his work. It is also Ben Affleck's directorial debut, which makes for interesting viewing, and by all reports, he has received the thumbs up. To top it off, it's based on a book by Dennis Lehane, an author I have not read but I have heard a lot about - in particular for his work on The Wire and for another one of his books, Mystic River, which has also been adapted, with Oscar winning results.

Where?

Cinema 12, Wandsworth Southside Shopping Centre, 6.10pm (I know, I know, I should've been outside in the sun.)

Comments?

This is a must see - a very moving, emotional and gripping movie, perfectly handled by Ben Affleck for his first go at directing.

I must admit, the first few scenes had me thinking about Madeleine McCann, but soon after, it was the story of the little girl Amanda and the private investigator asked to find her that had me engrossed.


Casey Affleck is excellent as Patrick Kenzie, his subtle expressions and quiet voice perfect for the role as the honest, street wise P.I. who attempts to find the missing four year old girl. Other standouts in the cast include Ed Harris, Michelle Monaghan and in particular, Amy Ryan as the mother whose sordid life attracts blame for the disappearance of her only child.

The questions faced by the principal characters are not clear cut, making each decision all the more gut wrenching and impacting.

Parents watching this movie will find it hard to keep their emotions under control; everyone else will be both distressed and moved by this story of a little lost girl.

Would I pay to see it?

Yes.

Rating?

9 out of 10 (even though it is a completely different genre and they have the same rating, I would put this above The Orphanage and [REC]).

Post Movie Quote:

"Gone Baby Gone is an important film delivered with honesty and ability by everyone involved, especially the Affleck brothers. Inspiring to me not just as a film buff, but also as a writer." Daryl Nilbett, pensive.