Category Archives: Decades

The decade in which the films were released.

Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children (2005)

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2007 #102
Tetsuya Nomura | 101 mins | DVD | PG / PG-13

Final Fantasy VII: Advent ChildrenFor those who don’t know, this isn’t the seventh Final Fantasy film — it’s the second; though it’s not a sequel to the first; though it is a sequel, to the game Final Fantasy VII… which isn’t related to the preceding six. Just to be confusing, eh?

Advent Children is far from standalone then, but with the help of a DVD featurette and some concentration it’s possible to have an idea what’s going on. It almost doesn’t matter anyway: the main point is clearly the action, which is pretty spectacular. If you can bear the dense, plot-heavy first half (which does also contain several good sequences), the second is non-stop action, only occasionally marred by overactive camerawork. From a technical standpoint the CG is endlessly impressive (don’t expect it to be lifelike, just extremely good) and the freedom afforded by the format is well used.

I don’t know how satisfying fans would find this (I’m sure they’ve all seen it by now anyway), but for us lay-people, if you can ignore the plot (or put in some effort to follow it) and enjoy impressively executed fights and chases, there’s definite enjoyment to be had.

3 out of 5

300 (2006)

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2007 #101
Zack Snyder | 112 mins | DVD | 15 / R

300Highly stylised (and praised) adaptation of Frank Miller’s graphic novel about the battle of Thermopylae.

It’s very much a Man’s Film: long graphic battles, esteemed warrior values, mostly-naked women, heavy soundtrack… This doesn’t mean it’s without virtue: it looks stunning, and while the slow motion may be overused it creates some beautiful tableaus. There’s even room for characterisation among the soldiers; these arcs may be familiar, but for once the filmmakers seem aware of that and keep such scenes to an appropriate, deftly handled minimum.

The slight plot may be stretched a bit thin and the closing speech is sadly over-written, but 300 is nonetheless an enjoyable, and surprisingly pretty, minor epic.

4 out of 5

300 placed 9th on my list of The Ten Best Films I Saw For the First Time in 2007, which can be read in full here.

Citizen Kane (1941)

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2007 #100
1941 | Orson Welles | 114 mins | DVD | U / PG

As of 1st August 2012, Citizen Kane is no longer the greatest film of all time. Here are some brief, aimless thoughts I had about it when I saw it for the first time, almost exactly five years ago…

Citizen KaneYes, that’s right: I’m a film buff and I’ve never seen Citizen Kane. I think this is a good occasion to have saved it for though. But I digress — what of the film itself; the film often voted Best Ever in countless polls?

Certainly, a lot of its fame rests on its innovations — the frequently ambitious camera work, the non-linear narrative, the multiple perspectives, the ‘trick’ beginnings, the dramatic lighting, the expansive sets… Not all of these are truly new (European art cinema and silent movies generally got to some first), but Welles can be credited for bringing some of it to the Hollywood mainstream; and even then, there’s enough truly new to justify the praise. A lot of it may be commonplace now, or at least widely imitated, but viewed in light of the limitations of the time it is frequently breathtaking.

It isn’t just technically marvellous though: the story is moderately complex, telling and re-telling itself from various perspectives, framing recollections of Kane’s life within a ‘present day’ quest to find the meaning behind his final words. The jumps demand the viewer’s attention even today, the full story slowly coming together… even though it’s almost all given to you in a 10-minute fake newsreel at the start! Welles’ performance is exceptional, depicting Kane as he grows from a young reckless newspaper editor into an aged recluse. He’s aided by effective make-up (looking remarkably like Welles himself would later in life), but it’s his performance from under it that shows the real differences.

There’s a lot more to be said about Kane (much of it already has, of course), and you don’t need me to tell you that if you’re a film fan this is required viewing. But even if you’re a ‘Normal Person’ I’d recommend it — I can’t guarantee you’ll like it, but you might well be surprised.

5 out of 5

Citizen Kane placed 7th on my list of The Ten Best Films I Saw For the First Time in 2007, which can be read in full here.

Starter for Ten (2006)

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2007 #99
Tom Vaughan | 92 mins | DVD | 12 / PG-13

Starter for TenA predictable British rom-com, enlivened only by a few good moments and performances, as well as the excellent ’80s soundtrack.

You’d assume the plot would focus on the characters’ aim to win University Challenge, coupled with a woefully predictable romantic subplot; sadly, it turns out the woefully predictable romance is the main plot and the quiz only turns up now and then to lend some structure. The final contest is almost entirely devoid of tension thanks to this and the other conclusions hold no surprises.

McAvoy is likeable, though held back by Brian’s near-unbearable ignorance about life. The best performances come from Benedict Cumberbatch and Rebecca Hall, both actors worth watching.

2 out of 5

Starter for Ten is on BBC Two tonight, Sunday 31st August 2014, at 10:30pm.

Great Expectations (1946)

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2007 #98
David Lean | 113 mins | DVD | PG

Great ExpectationsClassic adaptation of the acclaimed novel. While my experience of Dickens is woefully limited to screen adaptations, this tale is one of my lesser favourites; the first act and elements of the climax are wonderfully Gothic (and here beautifully directed to that effect), but it seems to lack the depth or importance of works such as Bleak House, Oliver Twist or A Christmas Carol.*

Though, aside from the dully straightforward middle, there’s little to dislike about the adaptation. John Mills is too old to convince as a 20-year-old Pip, but his performance is good and he’s ably supported. However, the main highlights are undoubtedly all in Lean’s brilliant direction.

4 out of 5

* I don’t remove anything when I repost my old reviews, but I must add that I now find this comment to be suitably embarrassing. ^

A Study in Scarlet (1983)

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2007 #97
Ian Mackenzie & Alex Nicholas | 48 mins | DVD | U

A Study in ScarletPeter O’Toole is again the voice of the famous sleuth in this disappointing animated adaptation of the first Sherlock Holmes mystery.

The adaptation is faithful to the original novel’s structure (sadly, as it’s a somewhat bizarre one, and ripe for a more interesting interpretation), but loses any elements pertaining to Holmes and Watson’s first meeting. The animation seems more basic than the other entry in this particular series that I’ve seen, and O’Toole’s performance is flatter. The rest of the cast don’t fare any better. The story itself isn’t a bad one, but after being pleasantly surprised by The Sign of Four, I just found this to be disappointing.

2 out of 5

Before Sunset (2004)

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2007 #96
Richard Linklater | 77 mins | DVD | 15 / R

Before SunriseNine years on, Jesse and Celine meet again in Paris…

It’s as simple a premise as Sunrise, and in many ways is very similar: it’s essentially two people talking, laughing and philosophising. It’s an odd sort of sequel — it doesn’t just take the same characters into a new story, or directly continue the original. These are the same people, but they’re older and changed. It’s very reflective; it’s almost about the first film, from a different perspective. You also don’t miss a thing — its in real time from beginning to end, showing us every second the characters spend together.

Personally I didn’t think it was as good as Sunrise — it’s not as funny and it sadly closes off some of the original’s beautiful ambiguities. Part of the problem may be that I’m close to the character’s ages in the first film but a good decade out here (though, I hasten to add, that’s not solely it). In the end, it works quite nicely as a companion piece, but (perhaps) not as a film in its own right.

4 out of 5

Recently, Sunset beat Sunrise by a noteworthy number of places in Empire’s 500 Greatest Movies poll, which was an interesting result. I stand by my assertion that the first one’s better, and can only theorize that the second installment gains something if you had to wait a decade for it and, perhaps, were closer in age to the characters — the latter I believe is a fairly important aspect in what you get from films of this nature.

Before Sunrise (1995)

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2007 #95
Richard Linklater | 97 mins | DVD | 15 / R

Before SunriseTwo 20-somethings meet on a train from Budapest to Paris, get off in Vienna and spend the night there until one of them has to fly out in the morning. A simple premise, though you may wonder how it sustains 95 minutes.

The answer is, very well. Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy make for a likable couple and it’s no chore to spend so long with, essentially, just them chatting to each other. Some of the attempts at philosophising may wear thin (Delpy especially seems more adept in the lighter parts), but the funny and romantic sections do work beautifully.

Bittersweet in all the right ways. Probably best watched while still fairly young.

4 out of 5

See also my review of the sequel, Before Sunset.

The Black Dahlia (2006)

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2007 #94
Brian De Palma | 116 mins | DVD | 15 / R

The Black DahliaNoir-wannabe, adapted from the James Ellroy novel based on a real, unsolved case. That case is far from the focus here: from the start the apparently-central crime is anything but, meaning the biggest let-down is that events barely follow the eponymous story.

It’s one of many problems in a film that tries hard to be a proper noir but fails in almost every respect: performances (most of which wind up flat), corny dialogue, plot, pretty-but-vacant direction, and even voice-over narration. I haven’t read the novel, but apparently it’s a poor adaptation too. What you want is a ’40s-style thriller; what you get is a weak ’40s-set character drama.

2 out of 5

Gone with the Wind (1939)

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2007 #93a
Victor Fleming | 224 mins | DVD | PG / G

Gone with the WindI thought I’d seen Gone With the Wind but, watching it again, it’s clear I hadn’t properly.

This is partly because I first saw it on TV, in two halves, a week apart, each starting at 1am. I just about managed to follow the story, in between drifting off for whole chunks. Another reason is the quality of the restored print on the DVD: it looks stunning, every frame is beautiful; it’s a shame no films look like this today.

The performances are uniformly excellent, especially (of course) Vivien Leigh and Clark Gable; though special mention must be made of the fantastic Oscar-winning Hattie McDaniel as Mammy (the first African-American to be nominated for and win an Oscar, and deservedly so). The direction is brilliant, displaying styles you think weren’t invented for another 20 years; all of the design work is gorgeous; and the story is epic and expertly told, moving across genres (romance, war, melodrama, comedy) with ease.

It’s easy to see why this is the most popular film ever made. First time round I just thought it was very good; now it’s firmly one of my favourites.

5 out of 5