Shorts

Thoughts on films that passed through theatres recently

Dark Shadows and the trailer deception:

That's how I felt

Film trailers have gradually morphed over time, now becoming mini features themselves, often revealing key moments to ensure movie-goers know what they’re getting themselves into before stepping into the dark of the theatre.  The best trailers still manage to reveal little detail, but capture the tone of the full picture.  Dark Shadows’ trailer is an altogether different beast; one of deceit.  The trailer provided glimpses of an offbeat comedy wrapped in Tim Burton styling; the film turned out to be a dull, badly written and well-dressed mess that I wish I hadn’t bothered with.

A bloody mess (not much of the red stuff though)

2/10

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The Raid – Death by a thousand cuts/smashes/pummels/slices etc.

It's all fluffy really

Some great movies warrant multiple viewings and classics can be forever put on repeat because they are quality (cheese!).  However, very few great films demand only a single viewing.  That is however, exactly how I feel about the Raid.


Set almost exclusively in a run down, drug-ridden tower block and full of explosive martial art set-pieces, actual explosions and gruesome deaths by way of snapping, knifing, axing, shooting, bottling and more, The Raid is not easy viewing.  But it is worth experiencing at least once, particularly if you have a penchant for inventive death and destruction.


Spectacular to experience, but not easy to swallow – a gloriously bloody mess (lots of the red stuff)

8/10

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Ted:

They didn't get the jokes either

Jokes about religion and social and racial groups are often only funny when produced by those from within; a true understanding and appreciation of the source matter usually keeps such comedy from being wholly offensive, not to mention far more intelligent (Rev. is an excellent example of this).  Unfortunately with Ted, Seth McFarlane writes as an outsider poking verbally offensive fun at everybody else, only occasionally demonstrating excellent socially aware humour.

While some of the jokes and physical humour made me laugh, I left the cinema feeling rather low.  Most of the audience fell about the floor laughing though, so what do I know?

4/10

Periphery II Review

This wont't be putting a djent in my wallet*

Even though I consider myself a metalhead, it always seems that certain bands and even genres pass by me until they’re established enough to be ‘in’.  Periphery and the ‘djent’ scene are a perfect example of this.  Their 2010 self-titled album won commentators over, despite some reservations about the vocals, a glut of vaguely similar bands appeared and moved forward apace – all passing me by until a few months ago.  Being a huge fan of Threat Signal’s maiden effort Under Reprisal, I came to read reviews of their self-titled album released late last year and found constant mentions of the ‘djent scene’.  Fast forward 6 months and I’m still only vaguely clued up on all things djent, but I have listened to Periphery II a number of times…so to my review!

As the opening song of Periphery II, Muramasa, builds with restrained electronic notes, vocals full of feel and liquid guitar melodies it feels as though you’re about to experience an album of epic proportions.  Unfortunately moments later the 7th-string high-attack riffs typical of the ‘djent’ sound come crashing in and crush the atmosphere, this fall then hastened by the introduction of singer Spencer Sotelo’s saccharine whine.  Not unlike Muramasa, second track Have a Blast follows a similar pattern, captivating with excellent angular guitar riffs and aggressive growls, only to break the mood with random ‘jazzy’ guitar noodling over a swooshing electronic haze 90 seconds in.  

The first two cuts set the tone for the following 60 odd minutes, as Periphery II’s strengths and weaknesses aren’t consistent.  Sometimes a stodgy riff or directionless guitar melody breaks the tone, while other songs are dragged down by pointless electronica.  It is such a shame because the sporadic sections that work really do ‘click’.  Singer Spencer Sotelo fits Periphery perfectly in this regard; his growls are sufficient, and his vocal leads really carry some songs when raised high in the mix, but that aforementioned poppy whine is employed just enough to really grate.

Periphery cannot be faulted for their range or technical skills, as they incorporate a number of styles into single songs across an entire album and maintain an individual sound.  Unfortunately, and unlike bands that can blend styles to perfection such as Scar Symmetry or Opeth, I just find that individual sound painfully inconsistent and as a result, not particualrly enjoyable.  It doesn’t help that such varied quality is also stretched out across the painfully long 70 minute album running time.

This is the first 5/10 review I will dish-out, and while Periphery are anything but averageness exemplified, most songs have almost unbearable elements that I cannot ignore.  If I could take out the rubbish bits my score would immediately inflate, as there are some great riffs and leads in places, and if you’re excellent at selective listening give Periphery II a try.

5/10

Favourite Track: Scarlet -  the most consistently enjoyable song
Worst track: Bits of every song in the rest of the album

*Feel free to tut at my poor pun

The Dark Knight Rises

While The Dark Knight Rises certainly deserves a very long gushing review on this blog, due to the huge number of reviews and analyses already in print, my comments are going to be short and sweet.  Bullet pointed, in fact:

• At 164 minutes it’s very long, but clips along at great pace and kept me hooked throughout.  I didn't care that I needed the loo way before the credits rolled.
• While the film is obviously lacking Heath Ledger’s Joker, my respect for Tom Hardy as a superb actor continues to grow.  His dedication to physical alteration in pursuit of playing scene stealing characters is only matched by Christian Bale.
• Cat Woman fits the story well, and Anne Hathaway is great in the role.
• The film deserves multiple viewings.
• Christopher Nolan deserves all the praise he’s received from the media.  Roll on more Nolan films.
• SPOILER(ish) - They could have been a little bit more subtle with one character’s reveal at the very end of the film.

9/10 - As a standalone film

10/10 - For the trilogy overall