'The Hurt Locker' (2009)

Title: The Hurt Locker

Rating: 15

Released: 2009

Director: Kathryn Bigelow

Starring: Jeremy Renner, Anthony Mackie, Brian Geraghty, Christian Camargo, Evangeline Lilly, Ralph Fiennes, David Morse, Guy Pearce

Our Verdict: ** 2.5 stars

In a line: A tense and realistic snapshot of a US bomb-disposal unit in Iraq

Background: If y

ou’ve not heard of this relativel low-budget ($11million) war flick; you must have been living under a rock for the last couple of months. You are forgiven though, if you hadn’t heard of the film until the BAFTAs in February, where the film walked away with honours for ‘Best Original Screenplay’, the David Lean Award for ‘Best Director’ and the top

accolade of the night; Best Film. For many, the BAFTAs are seen as a precursor for the Academy Awards, and on March 7^th, The Hurt Locker triumphed once again at the 82^nd ‘Oscars’ ceremony. The film was presented with 6 of the 8 awards it was nominated for.

In Britain, The Hurt Locker received a (very) limited release in November and December of 2009. Many cinemas either showed the film for around one to two weeks, and it didn’t even play in a large number of UK cinemas. Out of 209 cinemas, 103 showed the film in the UK. But as the award season started, the film’s popularity gained momentum and by the time that the BAFTA and Academy Award nominations were released, everyone seemed to be talking about it. As the BAFTA ceremony took place; the film was already available on DVD in the Britain. Since the Hurt Locker’s prolific wins at the prestigious Oscars, there has been renewed interest in the film. It rocketed to the top of the UK DVD charts and began to fly off the shelves, as people became increasingly curious about the film that triumphed over the highest grossing film of all time; James Cameron’s ‘Avatar’ which had also been nominated for ‘Best Film’, etc.

The Hurt Locker is the 8^th film by director Kathryn Bigelow; who became the first female director to win the Academy Award for ‘Best Director’. Her previous best-known films are probably ‘K-19: The Widowmaker’ (2002) and ‘Point Break’ (1991).

Synopsis: The film has very little in the way of a narrative. It is a series of basically unconnected scenes depicting the United States Army Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) team at work.

Review: The film opens with one of the tensest and dramatic openings I’ve seen in recent years. Straight away we are catapulted into the world of the bomb disposal unit. The tension created as a soldier attempts to disarm the first bomb is really fantastic. It’s worth seeing the film for the opening 15 minutes alone. When the bomb goes off, the slow-motion explosion is simply beautiful. It made the film seem very promising; but in my opinion, the film fails to deliver after this point.

Personally I was disappointed with the lack of a tangible narrative. I wanted to connect with the characters, to get to know the men personally, and there was very little of this.

When the maverick ‘new guy’ enters the proceedings, I was again filled with hope that the film would become a more personal story; sadly this failed to materialise. The camaraderie between the men is quite touching. There are a couple of instances when the men vaguely discuss their family, or their fears about dying, but these are few and far between, and one such scene is rather rudely interrupted by the men gaining the sudden urge for a bit of rough-housing to display some masculinity and work off excessive testosterone.

I must praise the constant building of tension and threat. You could easily spend ¾ of the film sat on the edge of your seat. Despite the tension, there are some amusing moments and some upbeat streaks amongst the men.

Overall, it’s not a bad piece of tense action/drama. If you want to see a film showing the personal perspective of the Iraq war, this really isn’t for you. I’d say that’s where the film is most lacking. It should also be noted that many Iraq veterans have picked fault with the fail and hailed it as a very poor representation of life in the warzone. If you take the film for what it is (a fictional drama), then you won’t be disappointed. However, if you’re looking for something totally accurate or a gripping personal struggle, you might want to give ‘Saving Private Ryan’ (1998) another go.

SFX Magazine's 'Horror' Special Edition (Feb 2010)

If you're a 'gorehound' as editor Ian Berriman describes, this special edition of SFX magazine is for you. It's over 100 pages of pure horror delight. From a look at the upcoming horror films of 2010, to a run-down of the top 20 villains as voted for by SFX readers.

There in an exclusive interview with Robert Englund (the original 'Freddy Krueger' in the 'Nightmare On Elm Street' franchise), and a look back at classic and obscure horror titles.

We particularly recommend the look at the remake of 'Nightmare On Elm Street'; it'll help you join in the debate as to whether the film could possibly be as good as the original, especially after a series of relatively terrible remakes ('Friday 13th' 2009... need I say any more?)

There's a nice bit of nostalgia as Alan Barnes looks back at the 1941 classic 'The Wolf Man', which was just released on DVD (February 9th 2010).

Also recommended is the feature on lost silent horror films; those gems that we will never see again.

So, curl up with a copy of this horror-bible and stick on your copy of 'Nosferatu' (if classic horror is your thing), or perhaps the recently released 'Saw VI' (on DVD from 8th March 2010).

It makes for truly horrific reading ;-)

SFX Magazine's 'Horror' Special Edition is now available from all good newsagents for £7.99. The magazine comes with 6 free gifts; two pin badges, three beer mats and a double-sided giant poster.

Tim Burton's Alice In Wonderland (2010)

Title: Alice in Wonderland

Rating: PG

Released: 2010

Director: Tim Burton

Starring: Mia Wasikowska, Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham Carter, Anne Hathaway, Crispin Glover, Michael Sheen, Stephen Fry, Alan Rickman, Barbara Windsor,

Our Verdict: **** 4 Stars

In a line: Visual spectacular, re-imagining and revitalising the classic fairytale

Background: Tim Burton is a director who needs no introduction. His films have captured the weird, the quirky, the dark and the downright bizarre for the best part of 30 years. He is the champion of films depicting misfits. His films are instantly recognisable, and he has a cult following of dedicated fans around the world. His collaborations with actor, Johnny Depp, are now infamous. Recently, the pair came together to bring the musical 'Sweeney Todd' to the big screen, but their relationship goes way back to 'Edward Scissorhands' in 1990. The two are now close friends, and are Godfather to each other's children.

'Alice in Wonderland' features a number of Burton's friends and even his wife, Helena Bonham Carter, who has also featured in a number of his productions. The film is actress Mia Wasikowska's first starring role. The film features live action and animation which is even simultaneous in some scenes. 'Alice in Wonderland' was produced for $200million, only $37million less than James Cameron's blockbuster 'Avatar'

Burton has made it clear that the film is neither a remake, nor a sequel, he has referred to it as a 're-imagining' of the original Lewis Carroll 'Alice' books.

The screenplay was adapted from the original Carroll books by Linda Woolverton, best known for writing the screenplay for Disney's 'Beauty and the Beast' (1991) and 'The Lion King' (1994), and for later adapting both for Broadway/stage. Woolverton has stated that she researched how young women were expected to behave in the Victorian era and then made Alice the opposite. Writing for the film began in 2007.

Synopsis: We first meet Alice Kingsley as a young girl, haunted by nightmares of a bizarre world that she has visited in her dreams. Her doting father reassures her that whilst she's mad, 'all the best people are'. The action then moves forward 13 years. Alice is now 19 attends a country party held by the aristocratic Ascot family. Her father has recently died. She learns that the party is actually in honour of her forthcoming engagement to Hamish Ascot; an engagement she knew nothing about. During Hamish's proposal, Alice runs away. She sees the White Rabbit and follows him to a rabbit hole, which she falls inside. Alice finds herself in Underland. There she meets a host of eccentric characters, including the Doormouse Mallymkun (Barbara Windsor), Uilleam the Dodo (Michael Gough), and Tweedledum & Tweedledee (Matt Lucas). The Underland residents are worried that they've got the 'wrong' Alice; as the girl they need to save them from the clutches of the evil Red Queen has visited Underland previously, and Alice Kingsley has no memory of the place.

Alice is told that on the Frabjous Day, she will slay the Jabberwocky (the Red Queen's guardian) using the Vorpal Sword and in doing so will allow the White Queen to reclaim her throne and restore peace. Alice finds herself hunted by the vicious Red Queen and her Knave of Hearts. Along the way, Alice meets Chessur (the Cheshire Cat, voiced by Stephen Fry), Tarrant Hightopp (the Mad Hatter, Johnny Depp) and Thackery Earwicket (the March Hare, voiced by Paul Whitehouse).

Thanks to the help of the White Queen (Anne Hathaway), Alice realises her destiny as the slayer of the Jabberwocky. She also comes to realise that Underland is the place she visited as a child; and that her dreams were in fact memories of her first visit. After defeating the Jabberwocky and helping the White Queen reclaim her crown, Alice returns home where she refuses Hamish's proposal and takes up a position as an apprentice in the company her father had owned. Having conquered her fears, Alice has big ideas for improving the firm, including taking it to new locations like China.

Review: This film has had so much hype. Any Burton-Depp collaboration does. But the first Burton-Depp Disney Digital 3D production has really caused a stir. I saw it an almost sold-out cinema on its opening night (March 5th 2010) and the first thing that struck me, before the lights even went down, was the bizarre mix of children, young adults, studenty-types, adults and pensioners. Burton and Depp appeal to everyone. They present whimsical stories that appeal to children, and yet include wicked humour that appeals to the older contingencies. The underlying darkness in their films draws in a whole different crowd, and the stunning visuals promised by the tag of 'Disney Digital 3D' brings in yet another group of people. The air was thick with excitement, with nervous apprehension, but most of all with anticipation.

The film opens with the gloom of Victorian London. Memories of Burton's 2007 'Sweeney Todd' are immediately invoked. When the film moves to the countryside and some 13 years later, you could be forgiven for thinking you were watching a period drama; not quite a lavish reproduction of a classic fairytale. There are subtle hints that Alice's everyday life has parallels to the mystical 'Underland' she visits; we are introduced to Alice's potential step-mother who is clearly a parallel for the Red Queen, and a set of twins that scream of Tweedledum & Tweedledee. Snippets of Burton's wicked sense of humour begin to show at an early stage of the film.

The film changes totally when Alice finds herself in Underland. The audience practically gasped as we first saw the amazing technicolour world at the bottom of the rabbit hole. The brilliance of the colour that Burton uses to create the magical landscape just cannot be described. It must be witnessed. The Underland garden is simply stunning. The animated characters are equally fantastic; the March Hare is a testament to how much CGI has improved; next to Alice he looks completely real. The mix of animation and real footage of Matt Lucas used to produce the Tweedledum & Tweedledee characters is really very impressive. The furious Bandersnatch and the hideous Jabberwocky are both perfectly created and are all they should be.

One of the best scenes has to be the 'tea party' in which we are introduced to Johnny Depp's 'Mad Hatter'. Once again, Depp has totally transformed himself into an amazingly complex character that supersedes all expectations. Even down to his constantly changing accent to reflect his inner turmoil, Depp plays the part brilliantly. His rendition of the original poem 'Jabberwock' in a haunting Scottish accent is particularly wonderful.

The three actresses in the film also give brilliant performances. Bonham Carter is wonderful as the bloody-curdling Red Queen (with a head that is digitally enhanced to be three sizes bigger than normal) and Anne Hathaway is the perfect antithesis. Mia Wasikowska gives a great first big performance. There was a lot of press speculation that casting a basically unknown actress would lead to the film's downfall. I personally think that Wasikowska is perfectly cast and has the right amount of on-screen presence, youth vitality and actual acting talent, to pull the role off. She looks alarmingly like Gwyneth Paltrow; not sure if that's a good thing or not.

Overall the film suffers in one area; the narrative. The plotline is a little slow, very obvious and really not very exciting or interesting. If it wasn't for the brilliant acting and truly amazing visuals, this film would be a very sad story indeed. I really can't say enough good things about the actors (including those that merely lend their vocal talents), or about the visual effects. The film looks fantastic. The actors are fantastic. The plot is mediocre at best. It's obvious from the start that Alice is the Alice (despite some confusion over that), and that she will slay the Jabberwocky. Despite a couple of attempts at twists in the plot, it really is incredibly linear.

I'd recommend viewing this film (of course in Disney Digital 3D) because it is a joy to watch thanks to the stunning Underland that Burton has created, and thanks to the brilliant acting involved. If you're looking for a deep, complex or exciting plotline then this isn't the film for you. But, if you want to be immersed in a beautiful fantasy world, and want to find yourself totally engrossed in the performances you're watching, then this is the film for you. It's a good watch, it's visually amazing, it's just very obvious and doesn't attempt to disguise what it is; a retelling of a simple fairytale.

82nd Academy Awards (Oscars) 2010

All eyes fell on Hollywood last night (March 7th 2010) as the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences distributed their honours in the 82nd Academy Awards; the biggest night in the award season. No awards are as prestigious as the 'Oscars'. No night means more in the film industry. The Academy Awards are watched by millions around the world; by film enthusiasts and fashionistas alike. As per tradition, Los Angeles played host to the awards, and anyone who is anyone was found walking the 500 foot red carpet that leads to the Kodak Theatre in central Hollywood. Despite blue skies, Hollywood's greatest were at times rained on as they made their way inside.

The Kodak Theatre looked simply amazing inside, with 1000's of LED lights twinkling away as if it were Christmas. The ceremony began with the nominees for the 'Best Actor' and 'Best Actress' taking to the stage. Ironically, the first two to be introduced were the eventual winners; Jeff Bridges and Sandra Bullock respectively. The show was opened by Neil Patrick Harris (a surprise performer; his participation in the night had been kept under wraps), in a typical show-tune fashion, complete with showgirls. You couldn't fit another sequin on Harris' tuxedo if you tried. Hosts Steve Martin and Alec Baldwin descended from the ceiling, and then promptly began their opening monologue. The jokes were pure cheese, an example being;

Martin: "Hey look, it's that damn Helen Mirren,"

Baldwin: "It says 'Dame' Helen Mirren..."

It was the third time that Martin had acted as host, and the first Academy Award show to have multiple hosts since the 59th ceremony in 1987.

It was a night of firsts as Kathryn Bigelow became the first woman to ever win the Academy Award for 'Best Director'. 'The Hurt Locker' went on to become the first film directed by a woman (Bigelow) to win the 'Best Motion Picture' honour. Also, Geoffrey Fletcher became the first African American to win an Academy Award for Writing when he took the honour for 'Best Adapted Screenplay' for his work with 'Precious: Based on the Novel 'Push' by Sapphire'.

The big surprise for me came in the 'Best Foreign Language Film' category. Pundits had pretty much settled on the idea of the German film 'Das weiße Band' ('The White Ribbon') taking the prize, with the Israeli nomination ('Ajami') being the second-in-line. The Academy Award for 'Best Foreign Language Film' in fact went to Argentina's 'El Secreto de Sus Ojos' ('The Secret in Their Eyes'). I felt this was the curveball of the night.

Many would argue that the unstoppable success of 'The Hurt Locker' at the Academy Awards was unforeseen, but I think that previous award-show victory had the film as a major contender, and Hollywood always loves an underdog. For me it was no great surprise when the gritty war film, made for the tiny sum of $11million, triumphed over its major competition, the highest grossing film of all time, 'Avatar' (which incidentally was made for $237million). The 'Best Motion Picture' award had always been a two-horse race. Amusingly, the directors of 'Avatar' and 'The Hurt Locker' (James Cameron and Kathryn Bigelow, respectively) were once married, and this fact was joked about in the opening monologue of show.

The four awards for acting ('Best Actor/Actress in a Leading Role' and 'Best Actor/Actress in a Supporting Role') were all dead certs. Jeff Bridges and Sandra Bullock took the awards for 'Leading Actor/Actress' whilst Mo'Nique and Christoph Waltz took the awards for 'Supporting Actor/Actress'. Both Waltz and Mo'Nique had already won the BAFTA for the same roles. Sandra Bullock had been 'honoured' only the night before with the 'Razzie' (Golden Raspberry) award for 'Worst Actress' for her role in 'All About Steve'. It was the actress' first Academy Award nomination. Jeff Bridges is a Hollywood favourite; it was his 5th nomination and his first win. Mo'Nique summed up the night perfectly when she told E!'s Ryan Seacreast that the night was "not a competition, but a celebration." The talk-show host and comedienne has made the transition to actress seamlessly, winning one of the highest accolades for her début role.

In total, 'The Hurt Locker' took home 6 of the 8 awards it was nominated for. 'Avatar' took home 3. The big winner of the night was most definitely Kathryn Bigelow. Her work on 'The Hurt Locker' is an amazing achievement, and the film is a very deserving winner of the 'Best Motion Picture' award; for being gripping, thrilling and yet maintaining eerie realism. If you haven't seen it yet, make sure you do. In the UK it's available on DVD from all good retailers. Some cinemas are planning to show the film for a limited time; check your local listings.

No Oscar review would be complete without a nod towards the fashion on display last night. Kudos to Maggie Gyllenhaal for daring to wear bold prints on the red carpet, and to Carey Mulligan for her Prada dress that was decorated with tiny knives, forks and scissors. The worst-dressed award would have to go Mariah Carey, who was wearing a dress that looked two... maybe three sizes too small for her frame. E! gave us amazing red carpet footage in their 'Live from the Red Carpet' programme that was apparently watched by 180million households in 120 countries.

The Academy Awards are truly a global phenomenon.

For a full round-up of the winners, please visit the official Academy Awards homepage:http://www.oscars.org/

You can catch 'Live from the Red Carpet' when it's repeated all week on E! - Sky Channel 151, Virgin 156.

The Crazies (2010)

Title: The Crazies

Rating: 15

Released: 2010

Director: Breck Eisner

Starring: Timothy Olyphant, Radha Mitchell, Joe Anderson, Danielle Panabaker

Our Verdict: ** 2 Stars

In a line: Not-so-scary Romero remake

Background: Future master of the horror genre, George A. Romero, fresh from the success of his 1968 directorial début, unleashed 'The Crazies', also known as 'Code Name: Trixie' on the American public in 1973. Despite a healthy budget of $275,000, the film was a Box Office failure. Marketed around the US under a variety of names, it never made an impact or registered highly on the public conciousness. Romero went on to produce successful films such as 'Dawn of the Dead' (1978) and 'Day of the Dead' (1985). Both 'Night of the Living Dead' and 'Dawn of the Dead' have since been remade (1990 and 2004 respectively), setting a precedent for remaking Romero classics. 'The Crazies' was rewritten by Scott Kosar and Ray Wright for the 2010 remake, directed by relative new-comer Breck Eisner, in a $20million production. Romero joined the project as Executive Producer. The 70-year-old director will return this May (2010) with his 17th film; 'George A. Romero's Survival of the Dead'.

Synopsis: The film opens with a shot of a street, torn apart by both the army and the eponymous Crazies. The apocalyptic dystopia is a firm scene-setter. You instantly know exactly where this is going. The action then goes back to two days earlier. We are gently guided through the rural town of Ogden Marsh; a small, close-knit community with a population of 1,260 in Iowa, USA, as the residents gather for a baseball match. The match is rudely interrupted by a . man wielding a shotgun. Sheriff David Dutton assumes the man is drunk, and after being threatened with the gun, shoots him. Other members of the community begin to act strangely, culminating in one man killing his family and setting their farmhouse on fire. David investigates a plane crash into a river that feeds into the town's water supply. He believes the water is contaminated and attempts to shut it off. Despite this, the US military take over the town, blocking all mobile phone signals, cutting phone lines and eventually rounding up all the residents. This is massive disorientation and nobody knows what's going on. During the chaos, the military lose control of the crowds. David, his wife, his deputy and a young girl from the town are forced to flee for their lives; hiding from the military who are shooting anyone on sight, and hiding from the Crazies; people infected with a disease that either causes death or murderous desires.

Review: The opening of the film, depicting the ravished street, filled me with optimism. The town looked well and truly desecrated and I envisaged good things to come. Throughout the early scenes, introducing the townsfolk and the rural setting, one has a feeling of anticipation and that something is going to happen. There's a nice but brief sequence of hand-held camera shots following the first Crazy resident as he strides out onto the baseball field. The tension builds but never quite enough. I felt I was always wanting more. More tension, more angst, more build-ups to bigger and better scares than was actually delivered. Admittedly I jumped during the 'keyhole scene', but this was probably the only time I did so during the whole 101 minutes.

The film is obvious, and by that I mean that very little is on offer to surprise the audience. We are shown surveillance shots of the town; so it's of little surprise when the town is compounded by the military. Overall the film suffers greatly from predictability. From the moment that Sheriff David Dutton pulls of a daring rescue attempt to save his pregnant wife, one gets the feeling that the couple are unlikely to die and are seemingly protected from death by the same supernatural forces that see few Disney characters meet their doom. Even through nuclear explosions, you get the feeling that Sheriff Dutton and his wife will triumph.

I have to praise the non-intrusive score, and the great feeling of disorientation and panic captured as the military enforce a lockdown on the town. The shots of hands desperately clawing through gaps in the trucks transporting people to unknown destinations is really quite striking. The hurried and confused action shots during the 'garage' scenes towards the end of the film are also very effective. The feeling of not knowing what's going on as the military take over is very similar to that in 'Cloverfield' (2008).

The plotline of 'infected water supply sends townsfolk crazy' is one that has a great deal of potential; potential I thought would be realised from early scenes, such as the farmer attacking his family and then burning down their house. However, it soon becomes quite clear that the focus of this film is less on the eponymous Crazies and more on the central characters as they attempt to flee the area without being killed by the military. There are very few scenes clearly showing people suffering from the 'virus'. There is also a continuity issue as people initially shown to have succumb to the virus are depicted as relatively brain-dead zombies, whilst a later couple who are infected are shown to be calculating and in full control of what they are doing; strategically choosing the victims they attempt to murder.

I went to the cinema expecting to see an American version of '28 Days Later' (2002), only probably with less blood owing to the 15 rating. I was instead faced with a very average story of the local hero attempting to save his family and flee the rampaging military, with the infected zombie creatures of the title seemingly a sub-plot. The problem here is a script that takes a good idea and ignores it in favour of a much more mundane and previously seen one.

If you want an apocalyptic zombie-fest, I'd recommend you finding a DVD copy of one of Romero's classics, or giving '28 Days Later' a go. They all offer far more than this does.