CONTAINS 1- REQUIEM FOR A DREAM 2- FUNNY GAMES 3- THE MATRIX 4- NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN 5- INTERSTELLAR 6- GANGS OF NEW YORK
Issue 1 September 2015 A compact zine including six film reviews of varied cinematography with no connection to eachother whatsoever. The final cut: This is a film industry term, usually used when a director has contractual authority over how a film is ultimately released for public viewing.
REQUIEM FOR A DREAM
Release Date: 2001 Directed By: Darren Aronofsky Something You Probably Didn’t Know: Aronofsky wanted the actors to truly portray the feeling of craving. For this he asked actors Jared Leto and Marlon Wayans to follow the Tappy Tibbons routine and not eat any sugar, red meat or have sex for 30 days.
Raw and heart wrenching but essential- Requiem for a Dream is really like no other. One of Darren Arfonosky’s finest works, so mesmerizingit sucks you in within the first twenty minutes and is only what I can describe from then on as a mad spiral out of control, but by then you are so encapsulated you cannot look away. Arfonosky draws astonishing performances from all the actors, evoking the human need to connect and the devastating depravity that people go through when it comes to addiction. Brutal yet beautiful, bare your soul to this film as it delves deep into it and tears it apart. I am really struggling to find more words for thispartly because I do not want to give anything away and partly because there are none. So please, see for yourself- I highly recommend that you watch this incredible piece of cinematography. Final Cut: 10/10
FUNNY GAMES
Release Date: 2007 (The original Funny Games was released in 1997) Directed By: Michael Haneke Something You Probably Didn’t Know: The film is a shot-by-shot remake of the original, the set of the house even had the same proportions as that of the 1997 set.
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Funny Games- not very funny, nor very good for that matter. The story sees two home invaders hold a family hostage and subject them to a series of games. Sounds great, right? It’s held under the genre of “thriller” although it lacks all the things that a thriller should make me feel. There are no signs of tension, no suspense and a complete absence of emotion. The fourth wall is often broken as the killers question if viewers are enjoying what is happening on screen, in a manner which assumes they don’t- they aren’t wrong there. This very rare film technique could have been developed so much more. The moments the family being tortured are alone, boring and over-long, somewhat there to try and build excitement for their deaths- which is also a complete letdown. Funny Games is then weakened further by unconvincing performances, I mean- *spoiler* their own child is shot dead and they don’t even attempt to harm the perpetratorsThey just sit there and allow them to leave. What is this?! and please, don’t even get me started on Tim Roth. Overly heavy handed and boring, ‘Funny Games’ fails to reach the levels of greatness that it’s so certain it has and offers much less than the torture films it looks up to. Final Cut: 3/10
THE MATRIX
Release Date: 1999 Directed By: Andy Wachowski and Lana Wachowski Something You Probably Didn’t Know: The production shot the entire film—both interior sets and exteriors—in Australia for tax purposes, significantly lowering the film’s budget. However, all the street names are taken from locations in Chicago, where the Wachowskis grew up.
What if everything you thought you knew was a lie? Depicting a future in which the reality perceived by humans is in fact actually a simulated reality called “The Matrix” created by machines. It follows computer programmer Neo who learns the truth and is drawn into a rebellion against these machines. This ground breaking sci-fi is like no other; with astonishing visual effects (they created the almighty “bullet time” effect) and an intelligent integration of philosophy, my inner nerd was ecstatic. The Matrix is the father of the cyberpunk genreslick, smart and undeniably fucking cool, my only annoyance is that I hadn’t watched it sooner. Final Cut: 9/10
NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN
Release Date: 2007 Directed By: Joel Coen and Ethan Coen Something You Probably Didn’t Know: The three main characters, Moss, Bell, and Chigurh, do not share any screen time together.
A dark and violent drama from the Coen brothers; set in Texas 1980, a Vietnam veteran discovers the nasty aftermath of a drug deal. After taking all the leftover money, (a whopping two million dollars) he is none the lesser that an enigmatic killer is after him intent on recovering the loot at any cost. With an incredible cast of well established actors, I felt as soon as it started I would be in for a treat. There is very little dialogue to this film, but this enables the silence it leaves you with to be a really strong tool that is used wisely throughout. It allows you to focus on reflection and leaves you hanging on the edge of your seat. Javier Bardem’s character is one of the most chilling killers you will ever come across. Like a crazed animal, the casualness of his violence is extremely disturbing. Including some really great elements of dark humour and a level of violence that rapidly escalates, No Country For Old Men is an enticing film from start to finish and one of the Coen brothers finest films to date. Final Cut: 8/10
INTERSTELLAR
Release Date: 2014 Directed By: Christopher Nolan Something You Probably Didn’t Know: The film was shot under the production name of “Flora’s Letter” after Nolans daughter Flora for secrecy.
As someone who isn’t a huge fan of sci-fi’s but is a huge fan of Christopher Nolan’s work, I went with an open mind when watching his new blockbuster Interstellar. It ended up being an incredibly genuine moving spectacle about discovery and survival, combining intelligence and sentimentality like nothing else I have ever seen before. Visually it is absolutely spectacular, it uses lots of convincingly integrated CGI, giving us stunning deep space imagery that genuinely makes you feel like you are on board with them. Inception was a mind-bending plot to a study of love and grieving and with Interstellar, he continues to merge intellectual puzzles with a simple emotional tale. He again focuses on family and loss, often striking at something in our need to protect those closest to us. The film finished, leaving me with a real sense of satisfaction, which I haven’t felt from a film in a long time. Final Cut: 9/10.
GANGS OF NEW YORK Release Date: 2002 Directed By: Martin Scorsese Something You Probably Didn’t Know: Scorsese’s first favored cut ran over three and a half hours. An hour was cut, and the producer says that Scorsese came to accept the result.
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Gangs of New York, a historical drama film set in the mid 19th century. No matter how much I want to say that I liked it, I’d be lying. For a film that had such a big budget and having been directed by the genius that is Scorsese, there were so many flaws. The overall story was extremely weak and as an avid fan of gangster films, it lacked passion and rawness, becoming much too stylised for my liking. As for the acting, Daniel Day-Lewis’ performance as the leading role of Bill “the butcher” Cutting was top notch, going deep into the depths of his characters personality, unfortunately was not enough to make up for the poor performances of DiCaprio and Diaz. Both actors began the film in plain American, then soon moved onto thick southern accents and within twenty minutes later developed a strong Irish twang, then finally combining and dipping in and out of each accent throughout the remaining hour or so. Although the film did give me a fresh insight into the history of American 19th century and I genuinely can appreciate Scorsese’s attempt at combining the western and gangster genre together, it just didn’t work. Final Cut: 3/10