ESSIE AND SUPERHEROS...

Every kid needs a hero, right? And by that I mean literally every kid, even our inner eight-year olds.

My inner eight-year old has not been a massive fan of the "superhero" phenomenon though. At least not for a while. I loved Superman when I was a kid, and by Superman I mean the old Christopher Reeve films... I never quite got on board with the Marvel franchise untill recently... Very recently. Think weeks rather than months. I was bored, friend lent me a DVD of the first Thor movie... I pretty much haven't looked back.

I enjoyed both Thor and The Avengers so much that I simply had to write and tell you all about it... I mean yes, true to style I may have "overthunk" certain bits of it but well... That's why you love me, right? :)

Now without further ado, scroll on down. We have evil to fight boys and girls!

happy viewing,
Essie

IN WHICH OTHER WORLDS ESCAPE TO US... "THOR"

I know, I know, this is mainly one for the fans. A film I mean. Not  blog post. I may have mentioned that on a normal day to day basis, Hollywood action – adventure films do not feature high on my “to watch” list. But there comes a time when even my interest is piqued. I’m guessing if you’re a fan of Marvel comics and all that that franchise entails, you have already seen this one. If, like me, you’re not THAT into comic books and the like, you may or may not be  contemplating watching it for a bit of a change one evening when you want to watch something fun but not out too much effort into philosophical analysis or complicated story lines. This is the first film of the series, the special effects are spectacular, the actors and actresses beautiful, it is everything modern Hollywood is today. What did I think of it? Well, I’m seriously considering watching The Avengers            later on this week so yeah; this should probably give you a clue…

In this first “episode” of the series, we are introduced to Thor (Chris Hemsworth) and Loki, Norse “gods” who live in the peaceful kingdom of Aasgard ruled by their wise and benevolent father Odin (Anthony Hopkins). Thor is the elder and natural successor to the throne – and frankly he can’t wait. He’s an outstanding warrior, handsome, popular and a born leader. He is, on the other hand reckless, hot-headed and has a dangerous tendency to rush into situations without considering the consequences.  And when he opens his whole world up to the possibility of war with their eternal enemies the ice giants, Odin can find no further alternative but to banish Thor to Earth, minus his powers, to teach him a lesson in humility if nothing else. But if this is not painful enough, with Thor gone, forces within the palace that are not as friendly as they claim to be set to work… The danger of war is merely the tip of the iceberg as far these forces go. Thor may be adapting well to his new world and even making friends, especially in the person of the beautiful scientist Jane Foster (Nathalie Portman) but will he find what it takes within his soul to help him return to his duties back home and save his world?

I will not bang on and on about the entertainment value of this one. Like a lot of Marvel films, we are transported to a world of super-heroes and beautiful maidens and it is perfect, seamless, unadulterated escape from your daily woes for all of two hours. We know what we are getting and we get a good quality load. Romantic comedy, action, drama and a very well choreographed “alien getting used to our world” type comedy all rolled into one, and finished off with all the high sentiment and pumping adrenaline of classical storytelling and fairy tales. Now now, don’t get upset I called it a fairy tale. That is what it is, after all…

But there was one point I found particularly fascinating about this particular film. I loved the fact that Jane Foster is a scientist ( I do realise this is probably less to do with the film and more to do with the original storyline). But more importantly I love the fact that we are not told to just suspend disbelief and go “oh so Thor and the Norse gods are real after all – now, moving swiftly on”. The character of Jane Foster means that there is a voice constantly questioning the veracity of what is going on on screen and asking the question “well how can this be?” And sure enough, the film (or, like I said, the story itself. I haven’t read the comics so I’m not entirely sure which) provides an explanation based on physics. Now I know less about wormholes and the theory of parallel universes than I do about Marvel comics. Thus I have no idea how much the physics “stands up”. But I think it is a fascinating point that in the 20^th Century science has become so pervasive in every day life that even what would once be classed as “fairy stories”, now feel the need to provide at least a semblance of a scientific explanation for fear of alienating the audience. The mystification of the world is truly dead people, there is no mystery and no wonder… Or I mean, there is, but we are not very tolerant to it anymore. We MUST know the REASON. For some reason we simply can’t just kick back and enjoy the story…

And I mean, don’t get me wrong, perversely, I LOVED the fact that there is a scientific, “real life” explanation for it all in the film. But I just can’t shake this nagging feeling that this has become more of a “necessity” than anything else. And that we may have irretrievably lost an important part of our collective imagination… Then again, maybe the answer is to kick back and enjoy the ride. Because, if nothing else, Thor does provide a most entertaining ride. Highly recommended. 

IN WHICH WE SEE ANGER MANAGEMENT ISSUES CAN BECOME CONSTRUCTIVE : "THE AVENGERS"

The whole thing really began with my being pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed Thor (2011). Having the second film close to hand, it seemed really silly not to just go ahead and watch it. I have been taking a few days off recently. A weekend away with my friends, a few “mental health” days here and there…  It’s tough work working in events in the Christmas season. Sleep is not as much a part of my schedule as I would like, nor is “down time”. In situations like these, as the film so eloquently puts it “people need a bit of old fashioned”. Oh and well… Christmas is coming. It’s the season for a little old fashioned. I mean, ok, I do realise that The Avengers is not necessarily the first thing that occurs to one when you say “Christmas Movie” but I think there’s an argument to be made there. The film is, after all, all about everyone coming together for a common good, putting differences aside, learning from each other and concentrating on doing good in the world. Not sure you know what I mean? You may have a point, I am getting ahead of myself slightly. Let’s take this step by step…

At the end of Thor, we see Loki cast into an abyss, vanquished… This, it seems, was merely a hiccup in Loki’s attempts to climb to the top. Not only has he been rescued, he has been given an army. The destination? Earth. Loki is determined to conquer the planet and claim it as his own – he will have the kingdom Asgard denied him. And the attack is so ferocious and the power he has gathered so great that it will take every single super hero the Earth can muster, ranging from the incredible Hulk to Captain America to conquer him… But even with Thor, Loki’s own brother, joining the fight, what are the odds of a handful of heroes against an entire army that is truly “out of this world”?

The answer to that question lies, of course, in the word “heroes”. The Avengers is everything a superhero movie should be – and then some. The only thing that was missing from the conventional mix was a “love interest” story which I found rather refreshing to be honest. Forcibly inserting a rather “out of the blue” love affair usually seems a little unnecessary to me.  I mean ok, there is the “attraction” between Natasha Romanoff and Hawkeye but there is a lot of military style “loyalty” mixed into that. I mean, yes, there is the hint that there may be something more to their relationship, but her will to save him is based largely on her wish to redeem her past sins. Oh and there is of course Pepper Potts and Iron Man (I think he is my favourite Avenger by the way. I find him the most “human” of the lot. I know they all have their token faults but Iron Man has actually personality issues and borders on the dysfunctional. Plus Robert Downey Jr.’s rendition of him is HILARIOUS.  ). One might argue that all of this makes to film rely a little too much on explosions, special effects and “boys toys” as it were. But honestly… Who watches The Avengers for the philosophical messages and character development?   

Another thing I noticed is that the place of humour in the movie has been notched up quite a bit. It is mainly Loki’s domain – but this is of course Character creation 101: a believable villain has to have at least one quality that we deem positive. Between him and Iron Man, the film provides quite a few genuine giggles  - always a plus in my book.

One last thing I noticed in the film is the several references to God and religion. One is when Captain America says in reference to Thor and Loki “There is only one God and I am sure he doesn’t dress like that”. The second more open reference comes towards the end when we see the clips of the aftermath of the war when a man says “it feels nice to have someone watching over us”.  The Avengers are clearly not a Parthenon of gods, but guardian angels? Possibly… It all links in to the “bit of old fashioned” the film points out we all need some times. I don’t necessarily mean the film is promoting religion in any way shape or form. I think the message is that of return to what we perceive as “old fashioned values” in the face of chaos and negativity. Things represented largely in the film by Captain America : loyalty, obedience in a soldier, self-sacrifice… He is, in fact, a stark contrast to Iron Man who is the flippant and egocentric millionaire at the beginning of the film. At the end he has learnt the value of teamwork and is even prepared to take quite a significant “one for the tem”… Heck, even the Hulk learns to use his.. “considerable anger management issues” to the greater good.

It is interesting that this model of film was so popular in the time of the Second World war – Captain America’s epoc : A disparate, unlikely crew rub each other the wrong way at first, but learn to pull together to fight a common evil… I am not really surprised that the theme has re-emerged in these days of economic uncertainty…

Of course I may be overthinking the whole thing – and I do strongly encourage you to not think about it too much and get stuck in the movie and have a good time… But I guess I’m saying there is interesting stuff to think about in there if you are inclined to a bit of post-watching analysis… 

ESSIE'S LITTLE BLOG OF HORRORS

There. I told you I'd get it done. Ok, granted, it's technically the small hours of Monday morning not Sunday evening. But still, there is something fitting about writing these updates in the small hours of  the morning. It is dark outside, all the little creatures are asleep, an eerie wind blows...

Fine, I'm in a suburb of  a large metropolis not in the wild wastes of noweher, but with the right film running before you it can sure feel like it....

Now, this one will be particularly interesting for those of you who may think "all horror films are alike". For those who prefer their horror on a rather more subtle scale, we have gothic. For those who want to"crank it up a bit" we have grindhouse. Not sure what I'm on about? Scroll right down if you are not faint of heart... All will become clear...

Happy viewing,
Essie

"DON’T LOOK NOW" BUT THERE'S SOMETHING CREEPING UP ON YOU...

I have never read anything by Daphne Du Maurier. She is, however, one of those writers I have had the nagging feeling I would really get to enjoy if I could find ten minutes in my life to actually sit down and read. Oh I know what you’re going to say, there’s always time, read on the commute etc… But see, a lot of her work contains Gothic elements, the subtleties of which are lost sometimes on the hustle and bustle of a busy commuter train.  I cannot possibly feel the full, subtle range of emotion the genre brings out in one while also trying to deal with the B.O. of a fellow passenger and the underlying worry I might get too sucked in and miss my stop. The same goes with Gothic style films. I feel my most comfortable watching them at night, after everyone has gone to sleep (I share the house with three other adults and two bouncy cats so especially on weekends, night-time is the only quiet spell around) This is why, watching this understated little number based on a story by Daphne Du Maurier on a Sunday afternoon may have been a mistake. The fact that it made me curl my toes and huddle under the blanket clutching my laptop towards the end is a testament to the strength of the film.

John (Donald Sutherland) and Laura Baxter’s (Julie Christie) lives are shattered when their young daughter Christine drowns while playing in a pool behind their house. The death shakes the young family to the core, as it would any family, but with time they find a way to move on. Their son is put in boarding school and the parents move to Venice for a short while as John has found work renovating an old church there. But just as their lives seem to be entering some form of normalcy a chance encounter with two rather eccentric old ladies changes everything. One of these two old ladies, two sisters to be precise, is blind. And she claims to be psychic. A psychic who has a rather eerie plethora of knowledge of Christine… She claims Christine has a message from beyond the grave for her parents. Laura is interesting but John, ever the sceptic, refuses to heed messages or read any kind of meaning other than the mundane to a series of bizarre events taking place all around him. His, is of course, the way of logic… But is logic the only explanation for things going on around us?

I think old horror films are honestly things we, the children of the 21^st century should re-visit more often. Horror films today rely far too much on jump-scares and CGI monsters I find. I mean sure, I’m in the mood for a good scare from time to time. But these days we seem to have very little time for the “creepy”. We no longer seem to have time to be “creeped out” slowly –we want it all, at once, full sensory load, NOW. I blame the sheer amount of jump-scares in horror. I also believe the pervasion of CGI and visual effects absolutely EVERYWHERE. Now I’m not saying they shouldn’t be used by the bucket-load when necessary. I personally am looking forward to watching The Desolation of Smaug in 3D. But I’m very sad that “non-CGI” is being pushed further and further into the back of the closet. One of the solutions if, like me, you are nostalgic for this era is to watch older films like this little 1970’s number. Like I said in the intro, you may want to wait for an evening when you are not too hyper to watch it. Let it wash over you and slowly draw you in; this, people, is basically a good old chills down your spine type tale. You gotta give the chills time to settle in. iYou may be a bit disoriented by all the intercutting images at first. It is quite atmospheric when you get “in” to the film, but I haven’t seen the technique used so frequently in one film for a while so I kept getting “snapped” out of the film, as it were – at least in the beginning. But don’t be sceptical. Give it a shot. ‘Cos being a doubter did John no good, I can tell you that much… 

AN ASSAULT ON THE SENSES AND IMAGINATION : " SUSPIRIA"

Now, from one kind of old-fashioned to a totally different kind. Because, you know what the other thing you think when you watch old horror films is. I mean, at least, I know what I think: wow. Look at what used to pass for special effects back in the day!  How better to explore this phenomenon than a good old bit of grindhouse… Now, this is not a genre that generally appeals to all. OTT special effects, loud female screams, monsters living or dead… You get the picture. But when you have a master director like Dario Argento at the helm, you know there’s going to be something to it. The end result? This rather intriguing little number that will definitely etch itself onto your memory for the right reasons or the wrong ones…

Suspiria is the story of Suzy Banion (Jessica Harper), an American ballet student who has come to a European ballet academy to continue her studies. On the surface  of it, it seems like what it says on the tin : an old, well established ballet academy set in a picturesque European town in the middle of the woods. However, a few grisly murders and a few hints of the supernatural later, Suzy begins to slowly become convinced that there is something a lot more sinister than the art of ballet being practiced in this school… But can Suzy get to heart of the sinister secrets housed in the school? And if she does, will the school let her survive to tell the tale?

Now, you have to have a love of all things nostalgic to enjoy grindhouse. And, most importantly, you have to be able to suspend disbelief completely and play “let’s pretend”. Did you do that as a child? Of course you did. The question is, did you ever stop? If, like me, you never did quite, you’ll probably enjoy grindhouse.

Because I mean, let’s face it. All the clichés of horror films rolled into one. We have a frail and beautiful American heroine in a “strange” European country. She arrives at a ballet academy which, for God knows what reason, is in the middle of a dark forest. Oh, and the night she arrives, there is a terrible storm and it’s pouring with rain – obviously. But then again,  I don’t think I’ll knock the opening sequence too  much, now I come to think about it… There is a sequence in there that has a very well deserved place in cinematic history. I won’t give too much away – you need to not see it coming to have the full effect.

So, if Don’t look now was understated and creepy, Suspiria is the mirror opposite. It is a complete sensory load on the senses be it in terms of colour, music (the theme tune is still  a little bit stuck in my head) and effects…  And it’s not just the technical side of it, everything, EVERYTHING about this film is completely OTT. But then again, I’m lucky you see. Like a lot of creative people I have a bit of a fondness for all things truly dramatic. Yes of course there will be times you cannot help giggling at the special effects of the day (1977 to be precise) but hey… I’m willing to bet good money you will have to make a conscious effort not to get sucked into the film in the end. It just goes to show that good direction sometimes transcends details like special effects. And Suspiria is deliciously spine tingly, with some very, very tense moments – even by 21^st century standards – with awesome atmos… I enjoyed the film on so many levels, be it visually (I just want to re-iterate how stunning the colours in this film are), cinematically or simply as a chilling yarn told around the camp fire. You’ll love it. Oh and if you watch it in the dead of night like me, do leave a light on in the hall. I had to creep along a dark hallway to the stairs to go up to brush my teeth. And what with the bannisters creaking and the cats running about… Let’s just say it wasn’t a pleasant experience directly post-Suspiria… ;) 

ESSIE SPEAKS OF OUTER SPACE...

So... Ok here's what happened.

I had a totally different update planned for this week. Now don't worry, the update is "still there", waiting to be updated. In fact, like I said in a post a little further down it WILL be updated this weekend (Sunday evening GMT) - the theme is horror by the way, not something you see here often. Dario Argento is involved too. There. That's enough teasers. Back to the matter in hand - ahem.

Anyway, yes, so I had something totally different planned for this week. Then I watched Gravity. I had A LOT to say on the matter like most of the blogosphere. So much so that I produced the monster of a blog entry you can see below. It's about the length of two posts. If I were cheeky enough, I WOULD call it two posts in one. Well it is word-count wise. But I see why you'd argue it's a grey area...

So there you go peeps. Check out what your resident blogger thinks of Gravity and check back on Sunday to see what other horrors I have in store for you. Hopefully this should mark the beginning of our return to regular weekend updates.

happy viewing!
Essie