Lies & Illusions (2009)

Those faithful to my blog will probably have realised that I have become quite a fan of Christian Slater, and I found this, his latest movie to be up to his usual impressive standard.

The movie tells the story of a best-selling writer, Wes Wilson (Christian Slater), who after receiving praise for his book revealing how honesty is the most important thing in a relationship, realises that he doesn’t know the love of his life at all! He makes this discovery following the disappearance of his fiancée Samantha (Sarah Ann Schultz). After she has been missing for a whole year, she is presumed dead, and Wes gains access to all of her possessions, including the contents of her safe deposit box. He also finds out from her lawyer that everything he knew about her life was a lie.

Wes and his new girlfriend Nicole (Christa Campbell) decide to find out the truth, but they’re not the only ones. Samantha’s ruthless ex employers are also after what she has been hiding inside the safe deposit box, and will stop at nothing to get it…

This is quite a tense movie, and full of twists and turns throughout the plot. It is also action packed, and quite reminiscent of Christian Slater’s recent TV drama “My Own Worst Enemy”. There are so many lies to uncover, that you can never be quite sure who to trust (except of course for Wes, the central character). Great movie, but you really need to keep up with the twists along the way!

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008)

This movie has a very curious tale indeed! Based on the short story by F Scott Fitzgerald, it centres around the implausible life story of a man who is born old and ages backwards. The tale is set against the backdrop of Hurricane Katrina, and told from the viewpoint of a dying woman, Daisy (Cate Blanchett), who is relaying the story to her grown up daughter Caroline. She does this with the help of Benjamin Button’s diaries, chronicling his extraordinary life.

Benjamin Button (Brad Pitt) was born in New Orleans in 1918. From birth he had all the symptoms of old age, for example poor elasticity in the skin, diminished hearing and eyesight etc. His mother died in childbirth, and his distraught father abandoned his son on the steps of a retirement home. The baby was taken in by Queenie (who ran the home) believing he did not have long to live. However, he survived and to everyone’s surprise became more youthful as the years passed.

In 1930, when Benjamin was 12 (although still looked like a very old man) he met 9 year old Daisy, who was to become the true love of his life. However, as the saying goes, the course of true love never runs smoothly, and this was especially true in their case. With one aging forwards, and the other backwards, they only had a brief time in the middle of their lives to be together as lovers.

I found this movie to be extraordinary and very touching, although the plot did seem to slow down in the middle of the film. I also found it visually impressive, with superb acting and direction. This film makes the viewer think too, about the meaning of age, and how relevant this really is in our lives. For Benjamin and Daisy, a few years of happiness together was worth the separation they had to endure before and afterwards. The moral of this story appeared to be to make the most of now, rather than worrying about the future.

All in all, a highly enjoyable and thought provoking movie, a tale for the curious!

Tribute to Patrick Swayze (August 18th 1952 – September 14th 2009)

This month the world is mourning one of its biggest and brightest stars. Patrick Swayze shot to fame in the 1980’s, and starred in numerous movies, the most notable of these being “Dirty Dancing” and “Ghost”. A heart-throb for a generation, Patrick was named as the “Sexiest Man Alive” by People Magazine in 1991.

Born in Houston Texas in 1952, Patrick was the second child of Patsy and Jesse Swayze. In his youth, he trained as a dancer, and made his first professional appearance in “Disney on Parade” as “Prince Charming”. Following this, Patrick Swayze took on the lead role of “Danny Zuko” in the original Broadway production of “Grease”. In 1975, he married actress Lisa Niemi, and they remained happily married until his death. Patrick Swayze made his movie debut in 1979 in the film Skatetown, U.S.A., and from then onwards his career went from strength to strength (see credits below).

In January 2008, Patrick Swayze was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, however he refused to give in to the illness. Patrick continued to work right up to the end. His last project was a TV series called The Beast, which first aired in January 2009. The show was ultimately cancelled, reportedly as Patrick was too ill to promote the series.

On 14th September 2009, Patrick Swayze lost his battle against the disease, but he will be fondly remembered and much missed by millions of fans around the world.

Filmography
Christmas in Wonderland (2007) …. Wayne Saunders
Jump! (2007/I) …. Richard Pressburger
The Fox and the Hound 2 (2006) (V) …. Cash
Keeping Mum (2005) …. Lance
Icon (2005) (TV) …. Jason Monk
King Solomon’s Mines (2004) (TV) …. Allan Quatermain
George and the Dragon (2004) …. Garth
Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights (2004) …. Dance Class Instructor
Whoopi …. Tony (1 episode, 2004)
11:14 (2003) …. Frank
One Last Dance (2003) …. Travis MacPhearson
Waking Up in Reno (2002) …. Roy Kirkendall
Donnie Darko (2001) …. Jim Cunningham
Green Dragon (2001) …. Gunnery Sergeant Jim Lance
Forever Lulu (2000) …. Ben Clifton
Letters from a Killer (1998) …. Race Darnell
Black Dog (1998) …. Jack Crews
Three Wishes (1995) …. Jack McCloud
To Wong Foo Thanks for Everything, Julie Newmar (1995) …. Vida Boheme
Tall Tale (1995) …. Pecos Bill
Father Hood (1993) …. Jack Charles
City of Joy (1992) …. Max Lowe
Amazing Stories: Book Three (1992) (V) …. Eric David Peterson (segment “Life on Death Row”)
Point Break (1991) …. Bodhi
Saturday Night Live …. Host (1 episode, 1990)
Ghost (1990) …. Sam Wheat
Next of Kin (1989) …. Truman Gates
Road House (1989) …. James Dalton
Tiger Warsaw (1988) …. Chuck ‘Tiger’ Warsaw
Steel Dawn (1987) …. Nomad
Dirty Dancing (1987) …. Johnny Castle
Amazing Stories …. Eric David Peterson (1 episode, 1986)
North and South, Book II (1986) (mini) TV mini-series …. Orry Main
Youngblood (1986) …. Derek Sutton
North and South (1985) (mini) TV mini-series …. Orry Main
Red Dawn (1984) …. Jed
Grandview, U.S.A. (1984) …. Ernie ‘Slam’ Webster
Pigs vs. Freaks (1984) (TV) …. Doug Zimmer
Renegades (1983) TV series …. Bandit (1983)
Uncommon Valor (1983) …. Kevin Scott
Staying Alive (1983) (uncredited) …. Dancer/extra
The Outsiders (1983) …. Darrel ‘Darry’ Curtis
The Renegades (1982) (TV) …. Bandit
Return of the Rebels (1981) (TV) …. K.C. Barnes
M*A*S*H …. Pvt. Gary Sturgis (1 episode, 1981)
The Comeback Kid (1980) (TV) …. Chuck
Skatetown, U.S.A. (1979) …. Ace Johnson

The Ring (2002)

Based on the Japanese novel and film by Koji Suzuki the American remake of “The Ring” is creepy and atmospheric right from the start. It centres on an unmarked videotape which appears to curse anyone that watches it…

The story begins with two teenage girls, Katie and Becca, who are spending an evening together at Katie’s home. Their conversation turns to what appears to be an urban myth, that of the videotape. The story goes that when anyone watches this, the phone will ring, and an eerie voice will simply say “seven days”. In exactly seven day’s time, the viewer will be dead. Katie then reveals that she has actually watched this tape a week ago! After a series of teasers, Katie meets her fate, as do the others she watched it with. They all died in bizarre circumstances, and all at exactly the same time.

Katie’s aunt, Rachel (Naomi Watts), a newspaper reporter, is asked by Katie’s mother to investigate, and begins by watching the tape herself. In the course of her investigation, she also reluctantly involves her ex, Noah (Martin Henderson) and accidentally their young son Aiden (David Dorfman). From here on, Rachel’s seven days are counted down, as she races to find a way to save herself and those she cares about…

After the first few scenes (with Katie and Becca) the main part of the story takes a while to get going. However, it then starts gathering pace. The imagery from the tape itself is very disturbing, plus the countdown of Rachel’s seven days gives the movie a sense of urgency. Unlike many horror films, The Ring does not rely on gratuitous violence to scare the viewer. Instead, it concentrates on escalating the tension within the story, as Rachel and Noah race against time to discover the origins of the tape, along with how and why it kills.

If you like a good horror film, this is a must see. This one gave me chills!

Premonition (2007)

Linda Hanson (Sandra Bullock) is a typical housewife and mother. That is until the worst week of her life…

Thursday: While her husband Jim (Julian McMahon) is away on business, Linda drops the children off at school as normal. Later on, she talks to her friend Annie on the phone, then realises she has a message on the answerphone from Jim. He’s talking about something he said to their daughters the other night, which Linda has no memory of. His message is interrupted by him telling her he has a call waiting which he needs to answer.

Following this, Linda receives a visit from the police. The officer informs her that her husband had been killed in a car crash the previous day (Wednesday). She then has to tell her two daughters of the event. At the end of this nightmare of a day, she falls asleep. When she wakes up, she realises that it is now…

Monday: Jim is alive and well! He had not left for his business trip, and events that Linda remembered from the previous day appeared not to have taken place. She begins to believe that his death must have been a bad dream all along, until she wakes up the next day to find that it is…

Saturday: Linda awakes to find an empty glass and a bottle of wine on the bedside table. The bedroom mirror is covered, and there is an empty pill bottle in the sink. The bottle is marked as Lithium, and the doctor’s name on the label is Dr Roth. The pills were prescribed to her, but she had never heard of this doctor! When she goes downstairs, she discovers that today is Jim’s funeral! Is he really dead? In addition to this shock, Linda discovers that her eldest daughter’s face is suddenly covered with cuts, although no one will explain why.

By this point, understandably, Linda doesn’t know what to believe. It appears that she is living through the days of this week in a completely random order. Is she really experiencing premonitions, and if so, could this help her prevent her husband’s death?

This is an amazingly well conceived film, although very complicated. It is probably worth seeing more than once to get the full effect, and you need to concentrate and keep a mental note of which day you are currently watching. You will also then need to put this together with the previous and future days shown in the movie to make sense of the week! This is also brilliantly acted by all concerned. Sandra Bullock’s performance in particular was exceptional. This is a great movie, but remember to keep your brain switched on, as this really requires you to pay attention!

The Name of the Rose (1986)

The name of the Rose is an intriguing historical drama. Set in Italy in 1327, the story concerns mysterious deaths which were taking place in a remote abbey. After the first of these, two visitors arrived, William of Baskerville (Sean Connery), and his novice Adso of Melk (a very young Christian Slater). Quickly realising that this first death was a murder (and not suicide as described) the very intellectual William of Baskerville decides to investigate. William discovers that the murders are connected to an ancient Greek work of literature, and strives to find the book, which has been hidden away, its very existence shrouded in secrecy.

Sean Connery as William of Baskerville and Christian Slater as Adso of Melk

However, before he can conclude his investigation, an infamous and sinister inquisitor, Bernardo Gui (F. Murray Abraham) arrives. He works hard to discredit William, and instead blames the murders on so called heretics and non-existent Satanists.

F Murray Abraham as Bernardo Gui

After a fairly slow start, this film warms up into a compelling murder mystery. The acting from the leading actors is superb (which is what I have learned to expect from both Sean Connery and Christian Slater), and the supporting cast are just as impressive. The setting is perfect, and very realistic. As a viewer, I could almost feel how cold and uncomfortable this 14th century abbey would have been for its residents.

As a murder mystery lover myself, I found this absorbing to watch. This movie had a dark and ominous feel to it throughout, and I would recommend it to fans of both whodunits and period dramas alike.

Sleepwalkers (1992)

Although slated by many, I found Stephen King’s Sleepwalkers to be quite entertaining. The film begins with a definition of “Sleepwalkers”. They are described as follows:

"Sleep'walk'er n. Nomadic shapeshifting creatures with human and feline origins. Vulnerable to the deadly scratch of the cat, the sleepwalker feeds upon the lifeforce of virginal human females. Probable source of the vampire legend." - Chillicoathe Encyclopedia of Arcane Knowledge, 1st edition, 1884”.

The story revolves around Sleepwalkers Charles Brady (Brian Krause) and his mother Mary (Alice Krige). They have recently moved from California to Indiana. They need to relocate often as they tend to be found out for what they really are. Mother and son are extremely close, much, much more than they should be! Charles is a very charismatic character, and soon attracts the attention of classmate Tanya Robertson (Mädchen Amick). The Sleepwalkers have a plan. Charles needs to seduce Tanya, and feed off her, in order to then feed his mother, who is in her words “famished”.

However, their plan begins to unravel very early on, as one of Charles’ schoolteachers has checked his background, and their cover is blown. They are also plagued with an army of cats (who seem to sense what they are), and they keep coming, despite the many deadly traps surrounding the house. When Tanya manages to fight back against Charles, their very existence is threatened, and the pair become desperate to survive with horrific consequences…

This movie can be quite gruesome in places, and although not Stephen King’s best work, still has the ability to shock. It boasts an impressive cast list, with the two lead actors going on to more high profile work following this film. Brian Krause later became well known as “Leo” in the series "Charmed”, whilst Alice Krige has probably become best known for her performance as the “Borg Queen” in “Star Trek: First Contact” and “Star Trek: Voyager" ”.

Whilst not exactly a “must see movie”, this is certainly an engaging hour and a half for any discerning horror movie fan, and worth a watch.

White Noise (2005)

White Noise is quite a creepy film, and takes a new twist on the traditional ghost story. The basis for this is EVP (electronic voice phenomenon), which is a commonly held belief that the living can make contact with the dead via static (or white noise) on electronic audio and visual devices. More simply put, by recording static on a radio or VCR for example, it is possible to play back your recording and hear the voices of the dead or see their faces on a television screen. I have personally heard many stories detailing this phenomenon, and a quick search on the internet will undoubtedly reveal many more.

In this particular story, Jonathon Rivers (Michael Keaton) lost his wife Anna (Chandra West) in a freak accident. While dealing with his grief, he is approached by Raymond Price (Ian McNeice) who tells Jonathon that he has been receiving messages from Anna from the other side. Jonathon is sceptical at first, but when he starts receiving calls from Anna’s mobile phone (which he has kept at home – turned off), he decides to find out more.

After hearing Anna’s voice on Raymond’s equipment, Jonathon begins to develop an obsession with EVP. He buys as many recording devices as he can accommodate, and begins staying up all night, desperate to hear more from Anna. He succeeds in recording both voices and images, from others as well as Anna, and realises that this could be his chance to help others as Raymond helped him. However, there are also evil spirits coming through…

Whilst not an accurate portrayal of EVP (as it appeared to be embellished for dramatic effect), I found this movie very intriguing to watch, and it certainly had the capacity to make me jump several times! My only real gripe with this film was that the climax was so dark, that I struggled to see what was going on! Unfortunately, this left me with the feeling that I’d somehow missed the point. However, saying that, I did enjoy (and get) the first 3/4 of the film! This is definitely one for those who love to watch films about things that go bump in the night!

Falling Down (1993)

This film has an interesting concept. It highlights the story of one frustrated man, Bill Foster (Michael Douglas) who is having the worst day of his life. When the story begins, he has already lost his job, and is stuck in a traffic jam, baking in intolerable heat. He leaves his car in the road and decides to walk. In his desperation to see his daughter on her birthday, he encounters one obstacle after another, and as his anger grows, he wages war with the world.

What makes this movie so poignant is that many of the issues he comes across are easily recognisable to the viewer. For example, when he gets hungry, he walks into a burger chain and decides on an appetising example from a picture on the wall. When it arrives, the burger itself bears little resemblance to the one in the picture. This, the viewers can easily relate to, as we all know that they never look as good as advertised! However, what sets Bill aside from the general public is that he demonstrates his frustration over incidents like this with a loaded gun! In doing this, he becomes the anti-hero of the piece.

Bill’s story is contrasted by the second storyline, that of Detective Martin Prendergast (Robert Duvall). It’s his last day as a policeman before retiring, and it proves to be one to remember. He is also in the same traffic jam as Bill, and sees him walk away. Later on at work, he keeps coming across incidents being reported involving a man wearing a white shirt and tie. He deduces (correctly) that this must be the same man, although no one believes him. While he is supposed to be desk bound, he sets out to find and stop Bill, as everyone else is too busy to listen to him.

Overall, this movie is very intense, and exceeding well acted. It keeps you (the viewer) on the edge of your seat as you have to know if Bill makes it home. On the other side of the story, you also find yourself urging Detective Prendergast’s colleagues to listen to him, and take him seriously! Definitely worth a watch!

Bed of Roses (1996)

While not a genre I would naturally seek out to watch, I stumbled across this, and found it to be a very sweet movie. It is in many ways quite a standard romance between Lewis (a florist) and Lisa (a high powered executive). The story goes something like this…

Lisa Walker (Mary Stuart Masterson) is a woman totally devoted to her career. She has never experienced a normal family life, having been abandoned as a baby, and raised by her drunken adopted father. When he dies, she is somewhat upset, particularly when she returns from work to find her only companion (her goldfish) dead as well! She breaks down in front of her window, but doesn’t realise that someone is watching…

This is Lewis Farrell (Christian Slater) a shy florist, who had lived alone since his wife and child had died. He spends his evenings walking the streets and looking into windows, wondering how other people lived. He is immediately struck by Lisa, and decides to send her flowers (anonymously) to cheer her up.

However, Lisa is determined to find out who sent her the flowers, and Lewis reluctantly tells her. To Lisa, Lewis seems too good to be true, and although she starts to fall in love with him, the course of true love never quite runs smoothly, as her past starts to get in the way…

I found this movie to be generally quite cute and easy to watch, although the storyline itself seemed quite weak. What I was impressed by were the performances of the leading actors, as they made this love story very believable. The characters were well defined, from the shy Lewis who falls head over heels for Lisa, and almost scares her away, bombarding her with roses, to the totally career oriented Lisa, who is unable to find the time for love.

In short, if you like a good romantic film, this one’s for you, but don’t expect it to be a particularly dramatic or thought provoking film. Easy viewing all round.