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ffects E e id S e c n Dead - Tra il v E s la t A rs - Cloud e e s t h ig S : e Insid
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Review Feature
Welcome to the new issue of The Sentinel, the best film publication in the West (of Scotland). Bad western puns aside: I hope you enjoy another issue complete with this month’s selection of news, reviews and features! Cheers, speak to you next month with some better jokes. Promise! Your humble editor, Phil
Contents
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Current Releases
A look over some of the month's cinematic releases, as well as our DVD choice
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Comic book adaptations
We speak to two comic book heavyweights about the future of the medium's relationship with cinema
Retroview
A timely reflection on cult classic, The Evil Dead, before the contemporary remake hits cinemas
DVD dates March 5th
March 12th
A Dark Truth Connected California Solo Grave Encounters 2 Heleno In Their Skin Lay the Favorite Life of Pi Red Dawn Rise of The Guardians The Bay Smashed Waiting for Lightning Sound City Wreck-It Ralph You've Been Trumped
March 19th
Bachelorette Hellgate Les Misérables Price Check Rust & Bone This is 40 The Hobbit Zero Dark Thirty
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March 26th
A Royal Affair Day of The Falcon Easy Money Killing Them Softly Late Bloomers Lincoln Stand Off Womb
News Upcoming Releases Evil Dead
Co-written and directed by Fede Alvarez, this reshaping of classic 80s gorefest, The Evil Dead is the Uruguayan filmmaker’s first feature length effort. The film takes up the mantle as the fourth film in the series, which doubles it as both a sequel and a reboot to the franchise.
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Penned by Colin Carberry and Glenn Patterson and directed by Lisa Barros D’Sa and Glenn Leyburn. Starring inserts by Richard Dormer, Jodie Whittaker, Adrian Dunbar, Liam Cunningham and Dylan Moran – the film details the life of Terri Hooley, the influential Irish record shop owner who aided the Belfast punk scene.
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Producers in the form of Sam Raimi and Bruce Campbell provide a sense of assurance that classic Evil Dead audiences won’t be left high and dry. The film had its world premiere at this year’s South by Southwest festival in March, and will hit UK screens on April 19th.
Good Vibrations With a score co-wrote and pieced together by David Holmes, as well as the subject matter, there’s sure to be a fine selection of music on offer for the record lovers. Good Vibrations will find its way to cinemas on March 29th, hopefully to a receptive audience of young and old alike.
22/3/2013 Jack the Giant Slayer Directed by Bryan Singer and based upon the fairy tales of Jack the Giant Killer and Jack and the Beanstalk – the film is another addition to the sub-genre of serious childhood fantasy adaptations. Starring Nicholas Hoult in the starring role, with cameos from Bill Nighy and
Spring Breakers The latest offering from Harmony Korine, his first feature length endeavour since 2009’s Trash Humpers, sees a college-girl collective utilise their spring break time to indulge in scantily clad crime. Starring Selena Gomez, Vanessa Hudg-
Ewan McGregor, it remains to be seen if it can stand above its ilk. Although general consensus seems to be a resounding ‘no’. Jack the Giant Slayer will drag its way to UK screens on 22nd of March, just short of competing with Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters.
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ens and James Franco – it’s certain to be a visually striking experience if nothing else. Spring Breakers will be available at UK cinemas come April 5th, sure to be invaded by droves of underage, teenage boys.
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dvd re-view: sightseers Less Bonnie and Clyde, more Nuts In May with blood
Side Effects Touted as Soderbergh’s last film, Side Effects borrows heavily from a number of different styles and genres - a messy swan song for the over-qualified director. Nonetheless: it’s a beautifully shot and well-acted mess. Beginning with an opening sequence lifted straight from Hitchcock’s Psycho and following the tumultuous events of Rooney Mara’s troubled convict’s wife and Jude
Law’s eager psychiatrist as they squirm a path through the patchy narrative. Tatum finds himself resigned to almostcameo-role screen time, whilst Zeta-Jones winces her way through a ridiculously redundant twist, behind some stolen secretarial glasses. An entertaining, but lightweight film attempting depths of darkness it can’t quite reach.
Release Out Now Director Steven Soderbergh Cast Rooney Mara, Jude Law, Channing Tatum
trance
Danny Boyle’s first public work since his celebrated efforts in 2012’s Olympics, Trance is a return to Boyle’s trademark grit. Penned by Joe Ahearne, the film sells itself under the pretence of being a stylish art-heist thriller. Scratch beneath the surface and things take a much deeper, intense turn. Explosive performances
come in the form of James McAvoy’s inside man cum amnesiac, whilst Rosario Dawson faces him off as his hypnotemptress and Vincent Cassel as gimmicky ringleader. A thunderously paced, stylishly shot film which screams through the intricate webbing of the human brain in archetypal, visually striking, Boyle fashion.
Release Out now Director Danny Boyle Cast James McAvoy, Rosario Dawson, Vincent Cassel
The latest offering from the increasingly impressive Ben Wheatley, Sightseers, follows the tents and tribulations of Alice Lowe’s Tina and Steve Oram’s Chris, as they embark upon an all-encompassing, romantic caravanning trip. Written by Lowe and Oram (with added material from Amy Jump), Wheatley’s third outing as cinematic director has received little else but praise since its debut last year. At heart, the film is a tarblack comedy – allowing us to bear witness to Chris’ indifferent homicidal tendencies working in tandem with Tina’s increasing mental degradation, as they take in the best the British Isles have to offer. Pencil museum and Daily Mail readers et al. Sightseers is a fairly impressive step away from the director’s earlier work. 2011’s Taste Of Wheatley came in the form of the terrifyingly gripping Kill List. Arguably a quintessential lesson in horror filmmaking, this second feature utilised overlong segments of hyperrealism juxtaposed with feats of ultra-violence. A slow build up, minimal audio editing and a shocking turn of heel galvanised Kill List as one of the best contemporary horror flicks of recent times. Yet, very little of the slowburning terror can be found this time around. Certainly, the protagonists are still in DVD extras production documentary, 11 minutes of outtakes, two commentaries
possession of some very questionable morals; the cinematography is just as candid and unflattering and the subject matter equally as morose. But the splinter is found with the characters – both onscreen and on page. Although frequently rollicking in the darker corners of the human mind, these two characters manage sap every ounce of empathy from their audience. Lowe’s hilarious and thorough performance brilliantly showcases the duality in her lovingly-naïve-possibly-evil character, whilst Oram’s screen presence as her selfserving, witty love interest accelerates the narrative ever onwards. Awarded Best Screenplay at this year’s British Independent Film Awards: the pair’s script pours equal parts wit, comedy, emotion and pain into its two protagonists, successfully birthing the perfect Couple-You-Hate-ToLove. With an assortment of contemporary music (two versions of Soft Cell’s Tainted Love as standout tracks) alongside Wheatley’s penchant for lengthy closeups, which linger just long enough to make the audience uncomfortable – Sightseers is a perfectly balanced and stylish foray into the darkness of the psyche. And the British countryside. Release 25th March Director Ben Wheatley Cast Alice Lowe, Steve Oram
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News
Review Feature
- Hugh Grant looks surly in his latest rom-com: Bridget Jones: Jungle Warfare
Cloud atlas S Why it may be the best film of the year
ince its cinematic debut last year, Cloud Atlas has consistently split critics down the middle. Some have praised its attempts at condensing the towering source material into a screenplay, and the directors’ subsequent handling of six tumultuous narratives. Others have damned the end product as a messy, unsatisfying endeavour. None have questioned its sheer ambition. Production on the film marked the first time the Wachowski’s have sat in directing chairs since 2008’s poorly received Speed Racer, and the first since Larry Wachowksi’s transformation to Lana Wachowski. Naturally, their efforts were destined for close scrutiny. Cloud Atlas originates from the bestselling 2004 novel by David Mitchell (not that one), which spans numerous times, places, styles and characters to bring
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six unique, intertwining stories together into one monumental mosaic. The novel unwinds with the diary entries of Adam Ewing, mid-1800s American lawyer, making a treacherous journey across the Pacific. From there, Mitchell takes us through a heart breaking tale of romance in the 1930s, a stylish 70s mystery thriller, a comical present day adventure in the vein of One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest, a haunting, futuristic dystopian interview piece and wraps up with a jump into an enigmatic post-apocalyptic tale of rebirth. This alone, would be enough to constitute a thrilling read; and so it does, but with one last structural flourish. Each arc is told in halves, somewhat chronologically, with each story folding outwards from its predecessor – think of a literary matroyshka doll. From the midpoint, the novel spins on its axis and bookends every story, moving
backwards through its own timeline. Thus, many (myself included) were left wondering: How is this going to work as a film? The answer is simple. It doesn’t. The film shirks even the relatively wild structure of the novel, and mixes its own overwhelming chronology. It begins with zero exposition, zero guidance for the audience and zero care for either of the two. Structurally, technically and traditionally speaking, Cloud Atlas is a failure. However, if the public and the pessimistic critics alike could only look beyond these frail boundaries, they would see the film for what it really is: a beautifully crafted, lovingly held tale which deals with the full spectrum of humanity. Admittedly there were moments where reflection on the original material was necessary – a luxury that the average viewer won’t have.
Hugo Weaving isn't the only one at it... Kurt Russell, Tango & Cash (1989) An unimpressive cop/ buddy flick, although, any film with Russell posing as a brazen stripper is worth it, right? Brilliantly, he was nominated for 89’s ‘Worst Supporting Actress’ Golden Raspberry Award. Michael J Fox, Back to the Future II (1989) Many remain unaware that young Michael not only plays Future Marty, Future Marty’s Son and Present Marty (hiding from the pair) all in tandem, but also his own sassy Future daughter. Matt LeBlanc, All The Queen's Men (2001) In this unsuccessful WWII action/comedy, LeBlanc makes an admirable go of his role as female behind enemy lines; probably quite relieving to be typecast as Joey Tribbiani, in hindsight. Willem Dafoe, The Boondock Saints (1999) With his tongue firmly placed in an unsuspecting henchman’s cheek, Dafoe’s manic police chief cum vigilante sympathiser seduces his way into some poorly secured mafia headquarters. Traumatising.
Yet, it does find its rhythm.The vague, unorganised jumps between narratives begin to transform into a clever sequence of transitions, brought on by brilliant visual cues. Concerns about the inadequacy of such a guest list casting (Tom Hanks, Halle Berry, Hugo Weaving, Jim Broadbent, Jim Sturgess, Hugh Grant… many more) are proven to be irrational. Talent is abound, as each performer is put through their paces; within an array of different, individual performances not only spanning an assortment of time spaces, but often different ethnicities and genders (take note of Weaving’s run as the hilariously daunting Nurse Noakes). As the pace quickens and each world begins to hurtle towards its own exclusive swan song, the film – in its entirety – starts taking an almost perceivable shape. Emotions from six
different directions flood back like pings of radar to culminate in one prodigious, utterly moving and dreamlike conclusion. And here we arrive at the one bastion of unanimous praise: the film’s use of music. Converse to the overwhelming insistence of the filmmaking on display, Tom Twyker, Johnny Klimek and Reinhold Heil laydown a truly phenomenal original score; a quintessential lesson in creation of music, which both cauterises open emotional wounds in tender scenes, whilst striking its own heartwrenching attacks in the more morose. Above all, Cloud Atlas boils down to a film bathed in its own ethereal aura. It’s a messy, unconventional attempt at a near impossible adaptation, vying for sincerity – which, clocking in at nearly three hours long, doesn’t lend itself well to the harsh prism of film criticism. It’s a beautiful, all-encompassing
Marlon Brando, The Missouri Breaks (1976) Dawn Corleone? Unfortunately not. This ill-fated western sees Brando don a variety of disguises most notably - that of an elderly woman, whilst dealing out some rough justice. affirmation of what it means to be human which has been heinously misunderstood, and coldly viewed. If I may make a prediction for the future: a decade from now U-turns will be made, and the non-believers will be converted. Such is the only way I can appease myself with this tremendous film's short and impassionate run in our cinemas. Release Out Now Directors The Wachowskis, Tom Twyker Cast Tom Hanks, Halle Berry, Hugo Weaving
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News
Review Feature
THEAGE OFTH Is cinema holding
one are the days of Adam West’s psychedelic, posturing take on Gotham’s surly defender, Dean Cain finally washed his second pair of underwear with the demise of The New Adventures of Superman – The kibosh was even put on Joel Schumacher’s Bat-nipple suits (weep for George Clooney). Yet, in spite of this cultural massacre, we remain in the throes of a zealous romance with on-screen comic book translations. 2012 alone seen super-flicks Avengers Assemble and The Dark Knight Rises breaking a string of box office records, as well as (in Avengers’ case, anyway) paving the way for a slew of potential sequels. Forthcoming, we have Iron Man 3, The Man of Steel, The Wolverine, Kick Ass 2, Sin City: A Dame to Kill For and a few hundred more. The invasion of those tightly clad, kaleidoscopic men and women with broken psyches and demented abilities is stronger than ever. Is this the future of the traditional comic? Has the prominence of garish sound bubbles and inky fingers been shattered in the towering presence of silver-screen leading men? “No.” states Tony Lee. Well, fair enough then. Tony Lee’s Backstory [special effects sound bubble here]: Tony is a New York Times #1 Best-seller. With a career spanning numerous collaborations with UK and US comic publishers, as well as a range of literary adaptations and a stint as screenwriter for a film translation of his own graphic novel (Hope Falls) – He seems like the man to ask. ‘No’? No waiver or doubt about the future of comics, just ‘no’? “No.” he repeats. I begin to wonder what effect the cinematic acceptance of the archetypal comic book has had, in that case. “A bad one” Tony offers, “Walk along any ‘small press boulevard’ at a comic show and you’ll see people writing comics purely to try to sell as a movie, because small time producers walk past, see the book and buy up the option for next-to-no money.” This, essentially, is a glimpse through the view-finder of the larger complications at hand. Comic creators will take solace in these brief moments of success; with their work now optioned by a producer, it can only be a matter of time before they’ve cultivated a devoted faction of fans à la Alan Moore, right?. Wrong. The plague-like issue is that every creator is facing the same reality. “[the problem is] that the books being optioned are badly disguised movie treatments. If you want to write a movie: Write a movie. If you want to have a book in your hands: Write the damn book.”
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The inherent desire to create something which,
one day, may find its way to one of the many oversized desks in Hollywood is a popular one. David Lloyd, best known for his artwork in V for Vendetta, concurs: “In the early days, when myself and Alan (Moore) were doing it in the mid-eighties, we wanted it to turn into a movie, or a television series. “We actually wrote to them and sent them samples. We’d say “look, we’d like to do this. Are you interested?” but nobody was.” Inevitably, The Wachowskis were, but this wasn’t to transpire for another twenty years – a very prominent line in the sand between the early sceptical days of cinematic translations, and the near take-over we have today. Interestingly, David doesn’t share Tony’s cynicism around film’s detriments. “I don’t think the films have affected the comics at all. I don’t think they tie hand in hand. V was an example of where people seen the film and then went and got the book. The people it appealed to were the sorts who wanted to read the book. “But things like Spider-Man and X-Men – people go and see them, and they’re just another popcorn movie. They don’t tend to connect it up with the original source.”
“We no longer have the likes of Adam West. I’m happy about that.” Arguably, a state of blanket amnesia regarding the original material could be forgiven somewhat. Yes, the playful and incessantly cheesy adaptations of yester-decade(s) have left us, but a much darker, technically-able and austere cousin has taken their place. Batman finds himself enthralled in a realistic depiction of a city gone to ruin, Spider-Man is too preoccupied with fighting CGI lizards to quip as many sharp tongued witticisms and the inhabitants of 2005’s Sin City brought a new depth of black to the screen (almost literally). “This is where the books are now” explains Tony, “Batman is badly hurt every time he goes out now. We no longer have the likes of Adam West, and in a way, I’m happy about that. The world was far more innocent back then; you get the hero for your time.”
HE SUPERHERO comic books hostage?
And time is the thing. Whereas the capabilities and the technical talent were limited in the days of Lou Ferrigno’s blithe Hulk; audiences are now increasingly desensitised to consistently complicated and realistic effects work. Perhaps this is where the genre falters – is realism really a trait which should be so readily attributed to a medium which strives for escapism? “They’ve become too serious and too heavy.” States David, vehemently, “The whole concept of trying to do a serious adaptation of somebody who dresses up in a spangly costume, like Wonder Woman, is ridiculous. “You’re going to think, “What the hell is wrong with this person, so that they have to do this?” and there’s nothing stopping you from thinking that.”
Regardless of the diversity in opinion regard-
ing the effects cinema has forced upon comics (or the noneffects, as the case may be), one fact is abundantly clear: comic book artwork and writing style owes a lot to the art of writing for film. The omnipresent prospect of a future film adaptation seems to hang on the periphery of every original work – tinging its authenticity with thoughts of an ulterior motive. Many narratives now infamous within the comic culture seemed destined for a kinetic transformation from the off (particularly the busy noir efforts). David agrees: “Cinema is one of the core, key factors in comics. You can play with it, but basic storytelling technique is encapsulated in classic cinema storytelling.” Arguably, it’s mostly a case of self-tutoring? “Exactly! I had no instructional books at all. I learned all my technique from watching TV. Essentially, the combination of great art with cinema storytelling creates some of the best work there is.” Advice duly noted. After all, this is from the man who sculpted the image of one of the most iconic fictional anarchist figureheads of all time. However, the heart of the matter is a much less complicated entity than the rest. The continuation of any medium, whether it be film, comics, music or novels - relies very heavily upon the receptiveness of their respective audiences. Tentatively, I inquire: Will audiences continue their unrelenting adulation for the big-screen comic crossovers for a long time to come? Finally, the assertive David Lloyd falters for a second, as he weighs up the prospect: “I don’t know… The big players are Marvel and DC, and they seem happy to continually churn the same things out over and over.
“It’s a double-edged sword, though. As more and more of these companies become linked with filmmakers, which they are, the comics are becoming only source material. Eventually, they’ll cease to have any importance as a growth medium.” As I drink in this frank reply, I find myself wishing I’d wrapped up my article upon Tony Lee’s enthusiastic counter argument. As a whole, it seems to be a very difficult state to judge. Some argue that the constant flurry of comic book adaptations bring a vigour to the medium and provide hope for aspiring comic writers; whilst others assert that there’s an underlying corrosion caused by the interfering cameras. A definite duality runs through the veins of the relationship shared by the two monolithic mediums; a duality that I can’t help but consider in a Harvey Dent-esque manner – ‘Heads or tails, it’s a no win situation tonight.’
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Still groovy...
The Evil dead
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ith the forthcoming remake of seminal horror classic, The Evil Dead, set to caterwaul its way onto UK cinema screens this April, we cast our nostalgic, besotted gaze backwards to 1981 – when Ash Williams first shouldered the responsibility of demon slaying. The Evil Dead opened the door for writer/director Sam Raimi (now famous for the early 2000s Spider-Man series as well as the subsequent trail of Evil Deads) to try his hand at constructing a full length feature film. Based upon his own short film, concisely titled Within The Woods, his first endeavour would prove to be a genre-altering classic. Although latterly blending comedy with its horror elements (and flat out absurdity come Army of Darkness), the Raimi trio of horror features began on very admirable, very original and very independent footing. Funding for the production was coaxed out of friends, families and anybody who would listen by Raimi and long-time friend, soon-to-beleading-man, Bruce Campbell. Actors were discovered via a newspaper bulletin, camera constructs were built from wood, crew suffered injuries and found themselves lost in the woods – yet the film clawed its way to success. The script birthed an aloof group of archetypal teenagers intent, as ever, to spend their ‘spring break’ in an Accident Waiting To Happen kind of environment, whilst delivering cheesy and naïve dialogue with phenomenal timing. However, the writing pulled no punches in its creative defilement of its own characters (if you aren’t immediately recalling a particularly scarring, nature themed rape scene, then you need to revisit this film). With the continued purveyance of such servile acts and beastly contortions comes the graduation of Campbell’s Ash Wiliams - from nervy, cautious
soul to unafraid, unadulterated, unrecognisable occult arse-kicker; with a chin to be reckoned with. To this day, both Campbell and his onscreen alter ego find themselves among the higher echelons of cult heroes, owing to pitch perfect one liners and a charismatic screen presence. Evil Dead connoisseurs (Evil Deadites, if you will) may argue that Williams’ finer moments of unearthly skull cracking can be found in the sequels. Probably true, yet it’s in the sequels that the pungent atmosphere of horror is replaced with tinges of Chaplinesque slapstick and overzealous gore – unwrapping the tense coil of fear created in the first film. Much of what has been lost in contemporary horror offerings can be found here. With no budget, and little technology, any and all special effects were down to creative cinematography and old fashioned craftsmanship. Through an ingenious ‘demon view’ perspective, Raimi’s camera literally chased its victims through the film’s tight environments, physically cranking the pace upwards to a hurtling crescendo. Stop motion animation and clever editing were pushed to their limits of the time, with a series of daring close-ups of the melting faces of the feature’s foes. Admittedly, unashamed use of plasticine sculpturing delivered the necessary faces in question, but this only served to add to the authentic vision behind the project. With Fede Alvarez’s remake just over the horizon, all eyes will be glazed over under a fond reminiscence of the original. It remains to be seen whether it can stand toe-to-toe with its father when under the supervision of a different set of eyes, and carried on screen by a different protruding chin. After all, how do you rewrite a film which rewrote the very fundamentals of horror filmmaking?
Stand out scene Naturally, the first scene to worm its way from the tepid pool of memory is the aforementioned tree orientated rape scene. However, as a reserve, we’ve chosen the final, closing shot.
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Another fantastic, roving ‘demon view’ tears from the woods, through the cabin of woe and directly into Ash’s shrieking maw. Perfectly settled for a sequel… Fancy that.
TOP TEN horror lines Can you identify them?
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“I just can’t take no pleasure in killing. There’s just some things you gotta do. Don’t mean you have to like it.”
“Be afraid. Be very afraid.” “I’m scared to close my eyes, I’m scared to open them. I’m going to die out here.” “What an excellent day for an exorcism.” “When there’s no more room in Hell, the dead will walk the Earth.” “We’ll tear your soul apart.”
“I shall return to torment you and to destroy throughout the nights of time.”
“God… It knows I’m here.” “They’re coming to get you Barbra!” -Ash considers a safer career in washing powder ads
“Groovy!”
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