Theatrical Poster for Zombieland
Zombieland opens with a shot of the United States flag, proudly fluttering and filling most of the screen, only to have the shot flip upside down moments later, revealing that the flag was mounted on a completely trashed car. A zombie jumps over the car, and a slew of gratuitous violence begins. The pre-credits sequence features extreme, unabashed zombie rampaging at its purest form as our protagonist narrates with beautiful wit and comic timing. If you don’t find yourself laughing by this point, this film is not for you. It’s the United States of Zombieland. This is a comedy film posing as horror, and that is where it excels. This is classic no-bullshit American humour, full with token randomness, pop culture reference zingers and everything in-between.
This is a really solid film. There’s no extra flack here, no pointless meandering – it’s clear that the filmmakers knew what they wanted to achieve, and channeled everything towards that goal. With only four characters (with the exception of one brilliant cameo role), Zombieland plunges into a world way past the post-apocalypse. And you know what? It’s not all that bad. There is a part of film that taps into the streak of anarchism that runs through all of us; the appeal of a world with no rules is exploited completely here. And yet in this world of no rules, the film is centered around a character that makes his way by making himself a set of personal rules that are reminiscent of the Ferengi Rules of Acquisiton (or, to dig even deeper into the obscure, Robin Lefler’s Laws). It’s a mad, mad world out there, but we sort it out in our heads somehow. Turns out the world after the apocalypse isn’t that much different from today’s world.
Zombieland also manages to point out that it’s kinda nice to have other people around. Jesse Eisenberg plays a quiet loner geek, who doesn’t really get out much until the zombie apocalypse unleashes itself upon the Earth. He joins three other misfits – Woody Harrelson as a grisly gunslinger and Abigal Breslin and Emma Stone as sisters with spunk – as they somehow make their way through the utter chaos. And, against all odds, they manage to have fun while doing it.
8/10
Getting into science-fiction can be difficult, especially if you find yourself jumping accidentally into the deep end with something like Star Trek – The Original Series or The Foundation Trilogy. I have not delved into the genre of sci-fi as much as I would like to have done, but I think with that amount that I have consumed, I can suggest some good places to start for people who have never got into it for whatever reason. Maybe you don’t know where to start, or perhaps you keep yourself away due to the stigma attached to it. Whatever the case, if you ever decide to try the genre, give some of these a go. Or if you’re a sci-fi fan who wants to get your non-believing friends into the glorious world of science-fiction, these are some of the prime examples of the genre that I would recommend them to start with. In this post, I’ll be looking at some good starter sci-fi films.
Minority Report (dir. Steven Spielberg, 2002). Based on a short story by legendary science-fiction writer Philip K Dick, this film is set in 2054, starring Tom Cruise as a detective in a specialized department that deals with precognitive homicide investigations (it’ll make sense when you watch the film). Minority Report is an excellent place to begin watching sci-fi as it doesn’t require you to make the leap of accepting the far-fetched concepts of the premise – Spielberg bypasses that altogether by simply dropping the viewer into the action, interweaving exposition cleverly between action and suspense. Despite that, it still manages to bring the concepts and themes to the forefront without making non-believers cringe.
Moon (dir. Duncan Jones, 2009). Sci-fi comes in many forms, but it is not often that we get simple sci-fi films. Moon is one of those rare few, and it’s an exemplary piece of the sub-genre. The premise is not too difficult to accept, and the overtly sci-fi twist dispenses itself gradually, slowly and–most important of all–believably.
The Terminator (dir. James Cameron, 1984) and Terminator 2: Judgement Day (dir. James Cameron, 1992). These films could easily be labelled as horror and action films, and they often are–fairly so. But even the most stringent of scifiphobes could not deny the strong science-fiction element that runs through these films. These two make sci-fi fun beyond anything else, but they’re still of very high calibre in the genre under the criterion of intellectual stimulation. They’re also very very easy to get into; as easy as a Die Hard or Lethal Weapon film. Also, Arnie.
Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (dir. Nicholas Meyer, 1982), Star Trek III: The Search For Spock (dir. Leonard Nimoy, 1984) and Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home (dir. Leonard Nimoy, 1986). This trilogy definitely requires a leap to be taken, but one moment of brief suspension of disbelief, just enough to allow the wonderfully written characters and relationships to show themselves is enough. These films are fun, entertaining, thought-provoking, and an emotional roller coaster all rolled into one neat little package (they even come in a boxset!). One word of warning, however, do not start with Star Trek: The Motion Picture as your first experience of Trek; it’s perfectly fine to begin with Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan – in fact, it’s preferable to being there. (See Warp Factor One Episode 3 for more info on getting started with Star Trek)
Alien (dir. Ridley Scott, 1979). This was my first real sci-fi film, and although I had been a sci-fi fan in the realm of literature for quite a while, this one really got me into sci-fi cinema for the first time. Alien defines sci-fi horror and suspense thrillers. There are no leaps to be taken here; the premise is about as simple as it gets – “people on ship, alien on ship, OH SHIT”.
Children of Men (dir. Alfonso Cuarón, 2006). This film requires no more than a minor leap if you’re used to post-apocalyptic films, but its sheer power demonstrates how well sci-fi can be used to bring about masterful thematic resonance. To speak any more of the themes the film explores would be to border on spoiling many of its wonders, but suffice it to say, Cuarón makes this one hell of a cinematic experience.
In true personal fashion, I’m precisely one month late in making this list. The reason is that living in Hong Kong, I get a lot of films late. I tried my best to see as many 2009 films as possible, but I did miss a few notable ones that sound like they could have made this list. Those films are: The White Ribbon, Elite Squad, A Serious Man and A Serious Man.
10. Mesrine
This unexpected two-part crime thriller from French director Jean-François Richet (who has a filmography of very middling movies) was the best pleasant surprise of 2009. Mesrine, the story of the French Public Enemy No. 1, is a true epic tragedy in the vein of Scarface or The Great Gatsby. Richet manages to create a rich, fast paced film that is at once a thrilling action piece but also an intense character study. Rather than being a collection of the subject’s most (in)famous moments, Mesrine departs from the traditional biopic style in how it centers its focus on Mesrine himself, and uses him as the pivot of the film around which everything else revolves. It also succeeds at not making a judgement on the character’s philosophy or actions, but rather presents a fully formed person, leaving the judgement to the interpretation of the viewer. Read my full review.
9. Slumdog Millionaire
In the 2008 US Awards season, Slumdog Millionaire suffered a chronic case of overhyping, but despite the bitter taste left by that incident, the brilliance of the film itself cannot be tarnished. Danny Boyle set out to make a simple, entertaining film, and he succeeded at that with startling effect. Vibrant and engaging, Slumdog Millionaire takes the traditional love story and makes it fresh by using it as what it really is – a parable. With gorgeous cinematography set to the innovative beats of the soundtrack, Slumdog is pure entertainment at its most enjoyable. Read my full review.
8. Entre les Murs (The Class)
The Class blurs the line between fictional and documentary cinema. The film is fiction, but the realism involved in its production and execution mean it might as well be a documentary. Ultimately, this film is a testament to the theory that the cinematic techniques used in a film should reflect the story being told and to achieve the thematic aim of the director. In this film, director Laurent Cantet sets out to explore the problems in the French education system – what better way is there to explore that issue than to take the viewer into the classroom situation itself? Cantet’s experiment turned out to be a resounding success.
7. Whatever Works
Woody Allen’s recent work is very underrated. By comparing his newer work to his older work, the cinephile community has unfairly pitted himself against a filmmaker that isn’t really much like him anymore. Across the board, from Scoop to Vicky Christina Barcelona, his newer films have been consistently entertaining and a lot of fun to watch. Whatever Works is the crown jewel of his new body of work – a bit of an anomaly considering the fact that the script for this film was written during his peak in the 70s when he made films like Annie Hall and Manhattan. The film begins with the protagonist breaking the fourth wall, making it clear to the audience that Allen is speaking directly to us. In a roundabout sort of way, this execution of a script from his younger days brings his film work full circle, displaying a maturity that transcends age and experience. Quippy dialogue and simple, frank discourse make Whatever Works a highly enjoyable exploration of Allen’s basic life philosophy.
6. Moon
Being a sci-fi fan is hard. Every year, there are so many “sci-fi” films that are so crap that the fandom generally just rejects that they have any claim to the genre whatsoever. But every now and then there comes a film that blows audiences away, sci-fi fans or otherwise. Sam Rockwell stars (all by his lonesome, with the exception of Kevin Spacey’s voices) in this film about … well, saying anything at this point would be spoiling. Set to a soundtrack by Clint Mansell that is the best to grace cinema since the score for There Will Be Blood, the film dispenses with unnecessary complications and pointless clichés to tell a simple, straightforward, beautiful story with gradual and unassuming ease.
5. Pontypool
An ingenious aural invasion, Pontypool is a film that really needs to be spread around a bit more. An intelligent Canadian psycho-thriller/horror film that’s sort of about zombies? And yet it works – it achieves what it sets out to do, and then some. It’s an absolute delight to watch, and I will restrain myself from saying too much about it for fear of spoiling the singular experience that is this film. Read my full review.
4. Les Derniers Jours du Monde (Happy End)
A story of romance set to the apocalypse. What happens when you know the world is going to end? Much like Michael Haneke’s Time of the Wolf, this film ignores the question of how the apocalypse arrives in favour of exploring how different people will react to it. Unlike Time of the Wolf, however, Happy End (the French title literally translates to “The Final Days of the World”) is ultimately an upbeat film. It explores those aforementioned themes in true French fashion, with much sex, profanity and violence. It is a confusing film, leaving the viewer perplexed for large portions of its duration, but it manages to wrap everything up in a not-so-neat bow that somehow seems to make sense. There are symbols, metaphors and similies thrown out left, right and centre, but they’re not distracting in the least. This is definitely one that merits multiple repeat viewings.
3. Synecdoche, New York
I generally like films that are simple. I will be the first person to admit that I call films pretentious too easily, and the easy way out of responding to this film would have been doing that, for Synecdoche is a film that demands a response. Trippy doesn’t cover it when describing this film. It challenges and provokes, making you question not just why and how you live. More than that, it questions whether there’s any point in questioning that in the first place. Each person will have a unique response to this film, because despite its highly specific nature due to its characters’ roles in life, it poses questions that each and every one of us have pondered at some point or another. It toes the line of pretension, but somehow catapults back to, of all things, humility.
2. In the Loop
Armando Iannucci’s political satire set surrounding the meeting of American and British politicians as they plan a war in an unnamed Middle Eastern country hits hard in all the right places. With remarkable efficiency and excellent use of the forgotten art of swearing, In the Loop makes comedy smart again.
1. The Hurt Locker
The Hurt Locker is a war film like no other. The factual and technical accuracy of the film has been fairly brought into question many times, but the emotional and atmospheric realism of the film are the real reasons why it has come to be known as ranking with the most realistic of war films. Kathryn Bigelow’s masterpiece requires no plot synopsis, for the plot here is not really an issue at all. Above all other things, this film is a character-driven, adrenaline-filled piece that somewhat paradoxically is intelligent and thought-provoking. Bigelow does not set her sights too high or create a scope too epic, resulting in a film that manages to make it as close to perfection as possible in how tight and effective it is. Every aspect of the film comes together to serve one purpose, and while watching this I was able to forget for two hours all the little technical things that would nag me in any other film, because this one grabbed me by the balls and didn’t let go till it ended – and when it did, it left the strongest aftertaste of any film that I have seen in a very long time.
Pontypool (2008)/(2009)
Cinema is an audio-visual experience, and has been that ever since someone came up with the idea of accompanying motion pictures with music. One of the things that modern English-language cinema tends to forget about the beauty of its medium is how the audio part of that audio-visual experience can enhance the quality of a film just as much as the visual part can. In a time of lush landscapes, intricate art design and innovative cinematography, filmmakers too often ignore the effectiveness of a good soundtrack mixed and employed well, witty dialogue dispensed with proper pacing, and the clever combination of those two things.
Canadian director Bruce McDonald’s Pontypool, written by Tony Burgess based on his own novel, is an excellent example of how this can be done very well. The story of the film follows morning radio talk show host Grant Mazzy (Stephen McHattie) as he begins his stint in a local radio station in the small Canadian town of Pontypool. As the day progresses in the radio station, Mazzy and his two colleagues begin to receive more and more information about strange and inexplicable happenings that are occurring in the world outside. With more and more information eeking out, they discover that people are becoming infected, but they don’t know with what or why or even how. It is a zombie/infection film of sorts, but it is so unconventional in parts that it is difficult to categorize this film. It’s a horror film by definition, but it plays out more like a psychological thriller with some darkly comedic elements. All the action of the film is set inside the radio station; creating a claustrophobic atmosphere to the film that is used brilliantly to interplay with the frustrations of the characters.
It is telling that the film was created from a script that was simultaneously made into a radio play – that is not to say that McDonald fails to exploit the visual aspect of the medium as well, however. Making a film about radio broadcasters broadcasting over the radio may seem like an odd decision, but McDonald uses the setting of the film to highlight its themes and its progression. Every scene where Mazzy broadcasts on his own is filmed slightly differently; some with very small variations and others with entirely different approaches altogether. At one point, we cut to a shot of Mazzy slowly and quietly scratching his beard as he speaks. This is something which we’ve seen him done before, but never really thought about. After that shot, we start paying more attention to his facial ticks and body language, both of which give us specific insights into Mazzy’s character – a testament to the brilliance of both the way in which the film was shot and McHattie’s performance.
Pontypool explores why we talk so much, and what it all means. Our words are more than a collection of sounds only because we make them that, and Pontypool questions whether we’ve taken the tool we created for communication to pointless extremes. What makes something really worth saying? Is that even a question worth asking? And in the end, doesn’t a lot of it boil down to nonsense? Written and executed with a wit that matches the likes of In Bruges, this film takes the aural experience to the next level. Regardless of how you interpret it, Pontypool is definitely a must-see film.
9/10
While I find it very hard to make top 10 lists of films at the end of the year, I had no difficulty at all in choosing my Film of the Decade. Some of you have already guessed what this film is, but most of the people reading this will probably not see this one coming. It’s not Paul Thomas Anderson’s seminal masterpiece There Will Be Blood, nor is it Niki Caro’s highly underrated Whale Rider. Michael Haneke’s overlooked post-apocalyptic gem Time of the Wolf, Edgar Wright’s parodic masterwork Hot Fuzz, Kathryn Bigelow’s haunting and subtle The Hurt Locker and Martin McDonagh’s blackest of black comedies In Bruges come close, but they’re not it either. Other films that could-have-been are The Lives of Others, The Dark Knight, Infernal Affairs, In the Loop, The Prestige, Memento, The Lord of the Rings trilogy, Shaun of the Dead and The Incredibles.
But none of these can hold a candle to the film that took the top prize for cinema of these past ten years.
My film of the decade is Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl.
At some point, I lost count of how many times I’ve seen this film. Too many times, that’s for sure. There are very few films that I see as perfect, and this is one of them. Running 143 minutes long, Pirates of the Caribbean is as long as it needs to be – it’s neither too long nor too short, two problems which have plagued American cinema of the 2000s. Despite the complex (but never convoluted) plot, the story itself is fairly simple. Captain Jack Sparrow, having lost his ship, The Black Pearl, to the mutinous Barbossa, finds himself in a prison cell with no ship and no crew to speak of years later. Meanwhile, Barbossa and his crew have been plagued with a curse that has made them all undead. Captain Jack embarks on a quest to get revenge on Barbossa and get his ship back with the aid of young Will Turner, who in turn joins this quest to rescue the woman he loves, Elizabeth Swann, whom Barbossa has kidnapped.
Pirates of the Caribbean combines elements of adventure, action, comedy and fantasy and pulls them all of fantastically. To make a truly humourous film is a vastly underrated ability. Writers Ted Elliot and Terry Rossio, while very good writers in their own right, got extremely lucky in writing this film. They managed to create a cast of characters that played off each other to produce some of the wittiest and most quotable dialogue in film history. Assisted by excellent casting, these characters, while they existed in a fantastical setting, were people everyone could relate with, making the humour about as universally accessible as it gets. That is something extremely difficult to pull off, and it is rarely ever done as well as it is here.
The acting is top-notch and perfect for each character. Johnny Depp delivers what is easily one of the top five performances of the decade as Captain Jack, one that is at once daring, exciting and comfortable. Geoffrey Rush plays the quintessential villain, a rotten scoundrel with just a tiny hint of redemption in his character’s motivations. Orlando Bloom does what he must, and what he does very well – he plays a pretty-boy that looks like he has been chiseled out of stone. Keira Knightley plays a typical princess character with added spunk, playing herself off Depp and Bloom with perfect ease. Much criticism has been made of Bloom and Knightley’s performances, but within the context of the story their performances are surprisingly exemplary. Elizabeth is a character borne out of the archetypal princess, who despite her attitude is in this story a princess nonetheless, and in the end makes the choice of the boring hero over the unorthodox and spirited antihero of the piece.
Ultimately, the combination of all its wonderful individual components, weaved together excellently by director Gore Verbinski, is what elevates this film to greatness. The score, put together at the last minute by Klaus Badelt, suits the film perfectly, accentuating the adventure and humour of the film. The supporting cast, from Jack Davenport to Zoe Saldana, are delightful to watch. The production values are about as high as they get; the set and costume design are gorgeous to say the least, and the cinematography makes the visuals of the film even more breathtaking. Pirates of the Caribbean shows how all the aspects of the audio-visual medium can be exploited to tell a story; no stone is left unturned when it comes to the technical filmmaking aspects of the piece.
Leaving every preconception and postconception behind, Pirates of the Caribbean stands as a remarkable adventure film. As the film builds up to the climax, I am completely invested in these sublime characters and majestic story; we all know the eventual outcome of the story, but we root for Captain Jack nonetheless, for the journey to that end is magnificent to behold.
Mark my words, Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl will stand the test of time unlike no other film of this decade to become known as one of the most entertaining films ever made; a true masterpiece of the art of cinema.
