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