Hidden Netflix Horror (Top Five Friday)

It's that spooooooky time of year again and if you're like me, you'd rather scare yourself silly with a good horror film than dress up and put up with weird looks from neighbours as you ask them for sweets.

In the past I have recommended underrated films, as well as ones that may have slipped through the cracks in your film knowledge, but these have been slightly obscure and sometimes unable to find.

So what's on Netflix?  Usually a lot of one or two-star tosh, amiright?  Well there are five fantastic horror films hidden away in the bowels if you know where to look...

THE BABADOOK

A troubled widow discovers her son is telling the truth about a hideous monster that has entered her home through the pages of a storybook.  However this monster only gets stronger the more you deny it's existence.  Whether it's in a word or it's in a look, you can't get rid of The Ba....ba...dooooooook.

A very effective, low-budget Australian psychological horror film, certain to stay with you long after you finish watching.  Whilst Amelia's son is probably one of the most annoying children ever shown on screen, her descent into depression, paranoia and insanity is incredibly realistic, all with the sinister shadow of The Babadook looming over Amelia's denial and misery.

Definitely one of the best films of the past few years, let alone horror.

EVENT HORIZON

When the Event Horizon, a spaceship orbiting Jupiter suddenly reappears after being lost for years, a team is dispatched to investigate.  The ship's creator (Sam Neill) accompanies the ship's crew as they discover that the ship has come back from a place far worse than they can imagine.

If you like your horror mixed with a bit of science fiction, then I'd be surprised if you haven't already seen Event Horizon.  (Remember when Paul W. S. Anderson made decent films? Sigh, memories...)

Combining a mixture of effective jumpscares, creeping dread and shocking gore, Event Horizon contains fantastic ideas about deep space exploration and it's potential downsides.  Plus a stellar cast of Laurence Fishburne, Jason Isaacs, Sam Neill, Joely Richardson and the amazingly-voiced Sean Pertwee.

HOUSEBOUND

Kylie, a would-be-thief is sentenced to house arrest with her mother and stepfather after failing to rob an ATM - the only problem is the house is haunted; if she runs away, she's breaking the law.

A funny little New Zealand horror-comedy with a quirky set-up, interesting twists and turns, and a fantastic performance Rima Te Wiata as Kylie's spooked mother.  

The house's sordid history plus effective atmosphere throughout will certainly give you the creeps.  However it provides just enough laughs to balance the spooky atmosphere and keeps the film running smoothly.

Housebound is definitely for fans of similarly-themed horror-comedy What We Do In The Shadows, proving that you can both laugh as well as shriek this Halloween.

AN AMERICAN WEREWOLF IN LONDON

Two American college students, David and Jack are travelling through the Yorkshire Moors when they are attacked by a wolf.  Jack is brutally killed but David survives, but is bitten.  As he recovers he is plagued by violent nightmares, all leading up until the next full moon...

This truly is a Halloween classic.  One of the definitive horror films of the early 1980s and ground-breaking in terms of Rick Baker's fantastic special effects.  The film manages to be actually frightening and not just gory, as well as clever, witty and shocking.

If you haven't seen this before, I implore you to watch it, if only for witnessing a piece of cinema history.  The werewolf transformation scene alone is still a sight to behold in all it's bone-breaking and grisly glory.

THE MIST

After a powerful storm damages his house, David (Thomas Jane) and his son visit the local supermarket for supplies.  However a thick mist descends upon the town, hiding other-dimensional beasties within it, trapping David and other townspeople inside.  Before long, the shoppers turn against each other, one by one.

Based on the Stephen King novel, The Mist is directed and written by Frank Darabont (famous for The Shawshank Redemption and the first season of The Walking Dead) and it is all the better for it.  What could have simply been a tale of people getting attacked by other-worldly monsters is instead an examination on human behaviour in tough situations and how easily we divide when we should stick together.  Definitely for fans of downbeat endings as this has one of the most harrowing finales in any film I have seen.

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Until next time folks, thanks for reading and Happy Halloween!

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Macbeth / Bill (Two For Tuesday)

Better A Witty Fool

Speak to any person who has sat through high-school English and they can name at least one play written by William Shakespeare.  If you were like me, you would have also been shown some films adapted from his works, because English teachers are lazy sometimes.

No doubt the works of Shakespeare have been the backbone of British theatre since they were first performed more than 400 years ago and his name has become synonymous with tragedy, comedy and historical epics since then.  Even if there have been questions about the identity of their true author.

In the past few weeks, there have been two films released associated with William Shakespeare, an adaptation of his most feared and dramatic work, Macbeth, as well as Bill, a fictional biopic of Shakespeare's lost years made by the team behind the Horrible Histories TV show.

Now whilst these two films are both alike in background, they are very different in terms of theme, message and audience.  Whilst Macbeth is obviously for the drama lovers in the crowds, Bill is mainly aimed at children and those with their tongues firmly in their cheek.

Macbeth

For those unaware of the plot, Macbeth takes place in medieval feudal Scotland as King Duncan (David Thewlis) defends the crown from those wanting to take it from him.  Macbeth (Michael Fassbender) is one of Duncan's most trusted soldiers.

However, when Macbeth meets a set of witches that tell him he will one day be King of Scotland, he becomes obsessed with his supposed future and spurred on by his wife, Lady Macbeth (Marion Cotillard), sets about taking the throne for himself.

It's a story that has been adapted and performed countless times but this is the first time that I have seen the titular character portrayed as such an emotionally-damaged soldier.

In countless versions before this, Macbeth has either been an underhanded coward or just a simple puppet of his wife, Lady Macbeth.  However director Justin Kurzel portrays Macbeth as a devastated man before the witches even mention his royal potential.  He is shown as a grieving father and a man thoroughly affected by war, such an emotional state that the resulting paranoia and greed is understandable from such a frame of mind.

Michael Fassbender is perfect as the titular aspirational murderer, bringing raw anger to the battle scenes and a fevered madness to his slow and painful descent into hallucinating paranoia.  He is equally pitiful and yet despicable as he frantically holds onto the throne, which is a hard act to balance.

However it is not just Fassbender where the casting got it right, it is brilliant throughout.  The ever-reliable Paddy Considine is fantastic as Macbeth's general, Banquo, giving a more menacing silent performance than other characters just by providing unyielding intense stares or pregnant pauses.  Sean Harris is also an inspired choice for Macduff, bringing an intensity that is necessary for his mutinous treason against the villainous Macbeth.

But the plaudits for performances of Macbeth usually hang on those of the play's seminal character, Lady Macbeth, probably the strongest female character in fiction.  Marion Cotillard performs the role with such grace, poise and passion that I was surprised that her role is dramatically diminished compared to other versions I have seen in the past.

Lady Macbeth is known to be the driving force behind her husband's actions and the one who spurs him to commit the heinous deeds.  After their coronation, they both suffer from paranoid delusions and hallucinations but she is still resolute in her reasons and her pursuit of power never falters.

However Cotillard's Lady Macbeth hides behind her husband more than previous incarnations which disappointed me. Whilst her devious side is shown in the early scenes, I felt like that could have been emphasised in the latter scenes, but her performance was still fantastic.

Performances aside, the art direction is truly beautiful.  Towards the end of the film, after the surrounding forest is set alight, the amber hue that descends upon Macbeth's castle gives the final scenes an otherworldy quality that made me think I was watching painted backgrounds.

The sweeping shots of the Scottish Highlands set the scene perfectly, as they show how desolate and cold medieval Scotland would have been.  It also emphasises the pointless task that Macbeth embarks on, as it seems that they are quarrelling over the control of empty green fields and misty moors.

Filled with political ambition, murder and some fantastic performances, Macbeth is truly an emotional experience.  If you aren't a fan of the original Shakespearean version, the film's dialogue is not updated but that doesn't at all detract from the film.  It's a beautiful and brutal adaptation that's worth paying money for.

Bill

But enough about Macbeth!  What about the man who wrote it?  What happened during the years between William Shakespeare's time in Stratford-upon-Avon and him becoming famous in London?

Well the Horrible Histories team predict he had quite an exciting life!

Set during the troublesome time before England's war with Spain, the Spanish King Philip II plans to sneak into England and blow up Queen Elizabeth I.  But how can he do it?  Luckily, the hapless Earl of Crawley Croydon is planning on staging a play for the Queen, using the words of the new talent Bill Shakespeare as his own, and they are looking for actors.

It sounds ludicrous and it is, especially compared to the plot of Macbeth mentioned earlier, but that's the great thing about Bill; it doesn't take itself seriously at all.  And it is all the better for it.

I can honestly say that this is the most I have laughed during a film probably all year.  The script's wit is irreverently British, the slapstick is childish but not annoyingly so, and the puns are so amazingly awful (but in a good way...)

I've never watched the Horrible Histories TV show but my friends with children tell me that it is one of their favourite shows to watch with their kids, as there is enough entertainment for both of them.  The kids get to learn about the time period and the events that happened, and the humour is still intelligent for the adults to get a kick out of it. When I went to see the film, there were more adults in the screening than children and they were all laughing out loud.

I would highly recommend both of these films, obviously for different reasons.  If you are wanting a visceral epic filled with political ambition, set in the Scottish wilderness, Macbeth is a great option.
But if you just want a film that is a good laugh, filled with British wit, sarcasm and one that kids can enjoy as well, Bill is a fantastic choice.  I truly hope that this isn't the only film to come from these gifted talents.

Until next time folks, thanks for reading!

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The Martian

Disco Inferno

So after my little outburst about Pixels, I feel like I need to review a film that reminds me that there are still credible actors and directors out there.

And not just hack, washed-up comedians who aim to make as much money as possible and just clearly don't give a....

Sorry... sigh... anyway, The Martian...

PLOT

In the close future, we have been able to send humans to Mars.  On one of these missions to study the red planet, astronaut and botanist Mark Watney (Matt Damon) gets struck by the site's communication satellite during a evacuation-worthy sandstorm.  With no trace of him and his suit reading no life-signs, his fellow astronauts blast off to safety, unwittingly leaving him behind for dead.

When he regains consciousness, Watney realises whilst he has a year's worth of food, it's four years until another mission can be launched to come and get him.

Of course, that's if he can let Earth know he's alive...

And his tent doesn't rupture in another sandstorm...

And he can grow food and collect water on a planet that has neither...

It's not looking good...

OPINIONS

Going into The Martian, some colleagues and fellow film reviewers had described the film as "the best film of 2015 so far!" or even "best science fiction film ever seen!".  I cannot agree with either of these statements, but that doesn't mean I thought it was a bad film.

Quite the contrary in fact, as I was delightfully surprised by The Martian.  For one, it is much more upbeat, light-hearted and positive in it's approach to the storyline that I would have imagined.  A film such as this usually comes with dramatic music, peril throughout and more than enough amounts of self-pity.

But that's where The Martian and it's main character, Mark Watney, differ.  A day or two into his lone stay on Mars, Watney declares that he is "not gonna die here!" and sets about fixing his situation. He begins to use his scientific mind and botany skills to grow a sustainable food source on Mars to keep him alive.  His trials and experiments are great entertainment as Matt Damon uses his charismatic skills to their very best and is an incredibly watchable lead actor.

His optimism and humour is a refreshing change of pace in these sort of 'All Is Lost' films and allows the film to never feel depressing or boring.  The 70's era soundtrack also helps, as Chastain's Commander Lewis is a huge disco fan (unfortunately for Watney).  From ABBA to Donna Summer, the classic anthems never fail to put a smile on your face and move the story along at a brisk pace, often framing the film's montages in a seamless fashion.

To counterbalance the one-man show taking place on Mars, the film has an abundance of talented side-characters, such as Jessica Chastain, Jeff Daniels and Chiwetel Ejiofor being those entrusted with bringing Watney home alive. Everyone plays their part well, with no one letting the film down.

ON THE OTHER HAND...

Having said that... it was a shame to have up-and-coming actors such as Kate Mara, Donald Glover and Michael Peña come across as under-utilised. However that is bound to happen when the cast-list is so overburdened with famous names.

Suffering from another issue with such a large cast of characters, The Martian spreads itself a little thin when trying to flesh out all of them.  The film's light-hearted and jovial attitude seemed to flow through every character, seemingly making everyone not take the situation seriously.  Whilst it was refreshing not having a villain to root against, with humanity joining together being a worthy and admirable central message, consequentially, all the characters seemed bland, similar and unremarkable.

Going back to what I said before about the film being remarkably upbeat for an 'All Is Lost' type of film, I feel that whilst that was refreshing and what the film will be remembered for, I felt it still needed more peril and danger in the mission and Watney's overall situation.

Watney's solutions came too easily to him and mistakes he encountered became less frequent.  He seemed too capable in the situations he faced, coming across as a little too 'Hollywood' in places.  I was expecting a level of danger and loneliness as experienced in the similar Cast Away or 127 Hours but everything came together too easily for my taste.

LET'S WRAP IT UP...

By no means is this a disappointing or bad film.

This film is a remarkable and beautiful piece of work.  Director Ridley Scott and writer Drew Goddard have adapted this story onto the screen incredibly well and I think it is one of the best science-fiction works to have been on the silver screen in the past few years.  I personally preferred Gravity or last year's Interstellar, but The Martian can be easily held next to those names.

The cast is brilliant, the soundtrack is foot-stomping and the overall message is an important one, full of hope and perseverance.

I just would have preferred Matt Damon to go through a little bit more trouble.  And there's no harm in that.

Rating - 8/10

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