Need for Speed Unbound

 

Well done to EA for making a game that somehow takes all the fun out of street racing. Incredible achievement. 

Spiderman: Into The Spider-Verse Review

                                             Spiderman: Into The Spider-Verse

Absolutely loved it, which I didn't think would be possible as I'd read nothing but universal praise on here and Twitter (which I felt would leave me underwhelmed). People were gushing about it, and I can see why.

The visuals were the initial obvious treat, as the film looks stunning throughout. The weird 3d-esque blur on certain objects was off-putting at times, but the art style, combined with the CGI quality and look and feel of various environments, was incredible. Genuinely one of the best looking films I've ever seen.

The soundtrack was also fun, I was aware of the Post Malone track that plays at the start and end, but the rap/bits of music throughout worked really well, and the use of sound during the darker/chase sequences was really good, reminiscent of similar sections in some videogames I've played.

The storyline is obviously the real reason why people enjoyed it so much, and I thought it was great. The multi-verse stuff is a bit of a pain of a mechanic, and will certainly go over so many children's heads, but the poignant aspect it brought to the film justified it, and the other emotive moments in the film were also really well done (surprisingly so). The humour was arguably the best part for me, and Jake Johnson's (Nick from New Girl, and other stuff) delivery was perfect. So many jokes/lines that wouldn't be funny to me were delivered in such a way that made them world.

The only real issue for me was the final 'major' section which was a bit busy on-screen, and which hard to watch at times because it was just too messy from a visual standpoint. Other than that, a fantastic film.

9/10

Get Out

Get Out

I first heard about Get Out when Trevor Noah (host of The Daily Show) tweeted about it at the start of 2017. At that point, I knew nothing about it beyond having seen the film's poster. At a glance, the poster gave nothing away, but if you spend more than five seconds with it, you'll actually have a very good idea of how the film plays out.

Luckily for me, I went in with a very basic assumption that things would turn ugly but, again, I didn't know how or why, or to what extent.

Get Out is directed by Jordan Peele, of the famous comedy couple Key and Peele. They've been doing working with Comedy Central for a while, and they also released Keanu, a comedy-action film about a dog. I didn't watch it.

The comedy influences are obvious throughout Get Out, and that is one of the aspects that makes it such a strange experience. It is not a parody film, nor is there any tongue-in-cheek dialogue or action. It is a straight suspense picture, where the horror is the fact that the viewer is, for the most part, not sure what is going to happen next. The comedy comes from Chris' (the protagonist, played by Daniel Kaluuya) friend Rod, who is dog-sitting for him for the entirety of the film. His interactions with almost everyone are genuinely funny, and offer the film some respite from what is perfectly executed tension and edge-of-your-seat mystery.

Without delving into the story too much and giving away the film's most potent elements/moments, Get Out is an excellent piece of commentary on social consciousness, race and the perception from both blacks and whites. The core narrative is from the viewpoint of Chris, visiting his girlfriend of six or so months, Rose, played by Alison Williams of 'Girls' fame. She is loving, jovial and comes across as a sincerely warm character. However, within the opening scenes, it is made clear that Chris' ethnicity (he is black) has not been revealed to her parents because it is not considered an issue.

Once Chris and Rose arrive at her parents' estate - hitting a deer along the way - it becomes abundantly clear after various awkward conversations with Mum, Dad, and Brother that something is not quite right.

It would be a shame to ruin Get Out's story, because although it is not overly original, it is still an experience which works so well. There are few films within this genre that present such a likeable protagonist, and so few that showcase such solid and refreshing writing. Although I was not actually impressed by the inner workings of the core reveal, that wasn't the main element of the film.

I am not a big fan of thrillers. I love pure horror films. However, Get Out is a film which draws the audience in, and constantly provides all kinds of reasons to feel uneasy. Much like with 'Don't Breathe' from 2016, a film which left me breathless of several occasions due to sheer claustrophobic filmmaking, Get Out leaves you with a sense of mystery, panic and wanting to escape. The excellent casting is of course a massive contributor to this formula, which facial expressions and body language throughout, that makes you question every line, every forced smile and blink of an eye.

From memory, there is no gore involved. It's not a film that needs it. It is 90% psychological, and in horror, many would argue that that is scarier. For those looking for pure violence, look elsewhere, but for a rewarding combination of original filmmaking, unfiltered tension and excellent writing, look no further.

8.5/10

Blair Witch review

Blair Witch

The Blair Witch Project was a genuinely groundbreaking film on release; after decades of blood, gore, and stupid effects, it showed how effective a horror film could be without ridiculous gimmicks, badly designed monsters and constant screaming jump scares. It was a simple premise, executed brilliantly. It was constantly about the unknown. A myth we wanted to believe in, as the audience, and a monster we never saw, which is always scarier. The way it was released and advertised was even better, and led to its iconic status.

Blair Witch, its (recognised) sequel, goes someway to reinvigorating the myth. Without going into too much detail, we are introduced to two big believers in the Blair Witch legend, who supposedly get footage of the Blair Witch in action. James, Heather's (the snotty girl from the first film) baby brother, eventually finds himself in the woods with a few friends, and the believers, who promised to show them where they found the footage on the proviso that they can go along with them to the woods.

GPS, ear-cameras and a drone are used, which should add a dimension to the scares, and quite often they do, but they are also so-called aids which are simply overcome by whatever lurks out in the woods.

The first 30 minutes or so is genuinely very good, in that it's essentially the same setup as the first film, though with more knowledge of the myths (in theory) and more people, which as in most horror films, tends to mean more deaths. Branches snap, wolves howl, and you've got great use of light and dark. The shaky cam effect is as effective as you'd want it to be.

The problem is the latter part of the film, which begins with the two believers eventually leaving the camp. This triggers a series of events and discoveries which suggest that the Blair Witch's powers are taking effect. This is all well and good, but then the film gets a bit silly, including various ailments affecting one of James' friends, something which doesn't really have any impact on scares, and is kind of pointless. One particular death directly suggests some sort of supernatural link between the wooden symbols left by the witch, and those trapped by its curse. That was merely one of the more bizarre parts of the film, nodding to where the rest of the film would head.

The idea I had, going into this film, was the nagging concern that it would have to end one of two ways. Either it stayed true to the original, and ended with an allusion to Josh standing in the corner (or something similar), or it confronted the myth and explored what the monster really was. For me, it was a lose-lose idea, because there was no way the film could really improve upon the ending of the original, given what it meant with regards to the myth. The notion of confronting the witch was also a bad idea for me, as this would likely involve some shitty monster design (beyond the likes of Freddy, Jason and Michael Myers, horror monsters are rarely well designed or executed). 

The best thing I can say about the final section of the film is how well it's edited. The camerawork is frantic, occasionally blurry and very busy, which is exactly what you want. There is one final nod to the original, and an updated approach to physically approaching the monster, which is surprisingly clever, but there's also a glimpse of 'Heather', which seemed so unnecessary that it was actually pretty baffling.

As a big fan of the original film, I was very skeptical about this. I didn't know, until a few days ago, whether it was a remake or a sequel, but it didn't really matter. What starts off as a familiar tale, with some solid jump scares, descends into farce, lazy generic scares and a formula which seems to appease those looking for a more entertaining and colourful experience, which stands in direct contrast to what made the original so great.

6/10

Murdered: Soul Suspect; The Vanishing of Ethan Carter; Everybody's Gone to the Rapture

Summer is a notoriously quiet time for console gaming, and gaming in general. As such, I took the opportunity during August to try out three games I might not have sampled otherwise.

Murdered: Soul Suspect was a spurious £10 online purchase sometime earlier this year. Its release was tame, reviews were middling, but the concept and premise were at least intriguing; essentially a ghost cop investigating his own murder. If he doesn't solve the mystery, he can't join his (also-) late wife beyond.

Published by Square Enix, and developed by Airtight Games (not AAA developers by any stretch), it's lacking in every department, but it shows enough promise and intrigue to at least hide some of its problems. The camera controls are quite frankly awful, and often put me in direct danger when encountering the game's enemies, Demons. The graphics feel like mid-gen PS3/360 standard, and the presentation and voice acting just feels cheap. The £10 price tag was an early hint.

The reason I've decided to write about this game is because although the gameplay mechanics are undercooked, Murdered: Soul Suspect is familiar to the other games I played this Summer, if only in terms of premise.

Murdered presents a kind of interface through wispy, ghostly swirls emanating throughout the environment, which basically act as beacons for garnering for information in relation to the murder investigation. This presentation is echoed in The Vanishing of Ethan Carter, developed and published by The Astronauts.

Ethan Carter is, as recently penned in line with the release of titles like Gone Home, a walking simulator. It's a game where you can walk or walk quickly, interact with one button and crouch with another. There's little more to it than that, and the game involves the investigation of its titular character, a young boy, whose fate is revealed at the end of the game, but its presentation is arguably the most significant aspect.

The main mechanic involves searching for clues; severed legs, bits of rope, rocks, all of which are encased in a strange ghostly aura, and with every clue you find, you unveil a flashback of exactly what happened to the victim in each case. There are six or seven victims in the game, and unless you find every item related to that investigation, you won't unlock what actually happened. For a game that doesn't exactly hold your hand (it says those very words at the beginning of the game itself), this can often be frustrating.

The mechanics of these investigations is very straightforward, however, in spite of the difficulty that comes with actually locating these clues, and the game looks and sounds great. In fact, the art style and look of the surroundings - in particular some of the buildings you are required to explore - is incredible, and would be welcome in most adventure games. As various message boards will attain, the ending was divisive for many, and confusing for everyone else. I won't spoil it, of course, but it's an ending some Hollywood films go for, sometimes purely because they're not sure how else to end it.

Which brings us on to Everybody's Gone to the Rapture, an August release on PS4, from the makers of Dear Esther, a PC-only game about dealing with loss. 'Rapture, albeit another "walking simulator", is a unique game, and in fact it left a lasting impression on me, for numerous reasons.

The game has you wandering a small village in Shropshire, a place left deserted by everyone, with seemingly no explanation immediately obvious. Once again, there is no hand holding other than a few wispy golden orbs that move about the world - seemingly at random, on first glance - and hint as to which direction you should head towards. There are old fashioned radios lying around the place, as well as various forms of telephones, their static signals and ringing sounds respectively giving you further hints as to where to go, in addition to narrative guidance.

The story of Rapture essentially involves a mysterious outbreak within the village, a pair of couples, an observatory and a grieving farm owner to name but one additional storyline element. Their stories are told piecemeal in the form of spiralling golden auras - no faces or figures are actually ever seen - that show us how these individuals' lives played out moments, hours and days before the "Rapture" took place. There is an Archers feel to the narrative, especially when it is revealed that one of the partners used to be involved with another villager.

There is very much a small town feel to the game, and the controls are as pedestrian - quite literally, the game's biggest criticism is that movement speed is extremely slow, even when using the 'faster' button - but there is a fascinating trait herein. The sense of isolation, loss and distance thrown at the player is very real, and is not something explored in Murdered or Ethan Carter. That feeling of isolation could be claustrophobic for some, and simply downright eerie for others, especially when accompanied by the game's wonderful soundtrack, which is a combination of choral pieces and beautiful instrumental tracks.

One of the game's biggest feats is that it manages to perfect the image of how British villages look; the attention to detail is second to none, and as someone who's lived in a few villages myself, it's easy to see in that respect. Many would feel like the environment is wasted, and that the ending never begins to justify the game's premise, but as an exercise in exploration - with a wonderful score to match - 'Rapture sure is something else.

Gomorrah

Aired on Sky Atlantic in Autumn 2014, Gomorrah focuses on organised crime within Naples. Based on the film and book of the same name, it follows Genny Savastano as he attempts to retain the dignity of his family name after his Father’s (Don Pietro) shock incarceration, and the implications within the opposing neighbourhoods and factions.

Naturally, comparisons will be made between this and The Sopranos. Although based in New Jersey, the Italian links are prominent, and as with all depictions of the Mafia within the media, it was about the fight for power in the family hierarchy.

Gomorrah has a lot going against it. In a world where The Sopranos rules the roost in terms of televisual organised crime, Gomorrah is broadcast in pure Italian, and although the subtitles help, a lot of people will have been put off the idea of having to pay more attention than they’d like in order to actually understand what’s happening, let alone attempting to further piece together all the other aspects of the show. Elements such as lighting, location, mis en scene and framing of shots are all extremely important in television programmes of this nature, and that is one disadvantage from the get go, for any non-Italian speakers.

Perhaps the show’s biggest problem, for me, is that it seems to treat its first series as one big narrative, rather than simply the beginning of an extended narrative. Perhaps it’s because there was a danger of Sky Italia not guaranteeing a second series (that second series is being filmed as we speak…) and so the writers felt a pressure to end things on a tense but leading finish. The Sopranos was a HBO show, on premium cable, which meant there was very little reliance on ratings to ensure that follow-up seasons happened. As such, although series 1 of Gomorrah delivers on a lot of its early promises, narratively speaking, there isn’t a great deal of character development (beyond, arguably Genny’s transformation), and there isn’t a single character you’d actually root, as opposed to The Sopranos where Tony, the lead, is the epitome of the anti-hero, a man who kills, sleeps around and treats most others like human garbage, yet most of the audience still loves him.

The wonderful thing about premium cable in the United States is that a first season doesn’t need to be a smash hit in order for more seasons to be ordered. DVD sales account for a lot when it comes to the success and financial reward of HBO shows, and obviously other elements of the shows are allowed to be relaxed, owing to its age classifications.

It’s hard to properly talk about Gomorrah without spoiling its narrative, much like any show, so it’s best that I leave it as a mere summary. The major consideration for anyone unsure as to the merits herein, is that every single person in this fictional universe, is cold-blooded. That isn’t something you could say about its Western counterpart, a show where Tony’s sidekicks provided some much needed colour and humour. Gomorrah is bleak, and it presents Naples as a grim, dark, murky place to live, work and operate. It’s an unapologetically terrifying, and that will appeal to many.

Just Before I Go

Courteney Cox's directorial debut (and, may I suggest, hopefully her last) is a bizarre mixture of frat-boy 'humour' and well-meaning introspection.

Seann William Scott stars as 41 year old Ted, a pet supply store manager, who decides to postpone committing suicide so that he can visit his hometown one last time, and provide closure on the people he grew up with.

As you'd imagine, there is a romantic story arc involved. Ted, upon tracking down the teacher who used to torment and bully him, discovers that not only is that same teacher now deaf and oblivious to his 'revenge' rant, but her granddaughter is a rather attractive young lady who he begins to take a shine towards.

That is merely one aspect of the narrative, and it's surprisingly low-key, and handled rather well. The rest of the film is where it all falls apart.

Garrett Dillahunt (of Justified fame, and many other things) plays Ted's brother, Lucky, with whom he stays for the duration of the film. Through him, we are introduced to his wife, Kathleen, who through clear frustration at the state of her marriage, demonstrates what we're later reliably informed is commonly performed for visiting men, by way of 'sleepwalking masturbation'. This is basically the tip of the iceberg, but aptly sums up what is wrong with the film. Although there is clearly trouble within that marriage, the way Kathleen is presented is crass, inappropriate and just the most unsubtle way of presenting what is actually a very common, and quite serious issue for many.

On a par with Ted's own suicidal intentions, is the story of Ted's nephew, Zeke (played by Kyle Gallner) who is also suffering. Owing to social pressures, especially from his friends at school and fearing the reaction of a staunchly 'macho' father, he is unable to reveal to anyone that he is gay. As a result of this, and also to cover his own insecurities, he bullies his boyfriend Romeo, who himself is openly gay.

The way the film addresses the highly sensitive nature of suicide and homosexuality is, at times, highly commendable, in so far as the writing successfully highlights how torturous both topics can be for those who live them on a daily basis. However, there are interactions later on in the film which make you question the agenda of those involved in the making of the film.

One scene in particular has Ted pouring his heart out about his own experiences, revealing how much pain and confusion he's going through, all the while the camera frames it so the audience is treated to a boner gag, helpfully sending up the fact that Lucky and his partner from work - he's a cop - are either fucking like bunnies, or really want to. The imagery of the clearly-upset Ted sitting at the table, with a visual sex gag juxtaposed within the same shot, is analogous to the whole film, and sadly sums up the film's inability to sensitively or maturely tackle any of the issues it so brazenly highlights.

It's a mystery as to how a film so bipolar in concept, was penned, but it's an absolute shambles that it was actually made and distributed to audiences around the world, given how it provides so much exposure to these real life, genuine problems, and then shoves equal measure of farce and belligerence right back.