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smut_husky
Currently working as assisstant director on the indy flick "Standing Biffa Nude"
Reviews
Human Remains (2000)
Crispy Duck
Having only the vaguest of recollections of "Human Remains" from it's initially screening on television back in 2000, I was in for a real treat when I finally got round to re-watching the series on DVD.
The series follows six separate couples (on per episode) with each pair's relationship in varying states of disrepair or marital bliss. The spoof documentary style of the show, brilliantly executed and just as well implemented as it is in "The Office", is one of the two main reasons why the show works so well and justifiably merits such a high rating on this site. The second reason why the show is so brilliant is the writing and performances of Julia Davis and Rob Brydon.
Both Davis and Brydon are not only great writers, but have a great comprehension of the sub-genre they're working in, delving into their characters with such depth that it's not only incredibly easy to believe them as their comedic creations, but barely recognize them from each episode as they don a different disguise and slip into a new persona. They also complement each other fantastically well, with neither overshadowing the other. The regular moments of solid improvisation are also gems in this show, and it's great to see how both Davis and Brydon instantly understand the other, allowing each other to carry off the line.
All in all a brilliant show that unfortunately doesn't have wider recognition. A real showcase of Julia Davis' talents and probably the best thing Rob Brydon has ever done.
The League of Gentlemen (1999)
Stick It In!
A fantastic show and an unrealized classic; The League of Gentlemen remains as one of the greatest modern comedies of recent times.
With a dark and bizarre style of humor that towers over the tired, formulaic approach of it's inferior, yet unfortunately far more acknowledged successor, Little Britain, The League of Gentlemen was truly something special during a rather quiet era in British comedy.
Up until it's arrival on the scene, there had never really been anything like The League of Gentlemen before. On the surface, a seemingly simplistic sketch show, the show soon unfolds as a vivid, sinister but incredibly hilarious universe populated with all manner of brilliant comedic creations. What really sets the show apart from it's rivals, is it's approach to telling us it's story. Rather than serve us re-hashed sketches, barely distinguishable from the next, here we see each individual or group of characters go through their various journeys and story lines. No visit to them is the same, and each time they offer us up with a surprise.
Gradually, over three series' and a Christmas special, the fictional town of Royston Vasey is heaving with a grotesque yet hilarious populace. And that's probably the main reason why the show is such a joy to watch (and also the reason why the show would easily merit more series') Unlike other current shows like The Catherine Tate Show or more importantly Little Britain, the League both know when a character has run it's course, and have the opportunity to deal with that. Several fan favorite's, who could have easily been kept on to entertain further, bowed out before the series came to a close, giving room for fellow characters to grow more, or allow for the introduction of newer residents of Royston Vasey to make their mark.
Another thing that sets this show above others is that the writing team approach the script process with care and intelligence. As mentioned before, all four members of the League have a sound mind when it comes to judging the longevity of their creations, and when it's time to call it quits in respect to certain characters. This awareness has also meant The League of Gentlemen undergoes a bold evolution, not usually seen in a show of this nature. The narrative driven, and far darker third series is a brave step away from the more sketch based first two series' and this bold move by the League really pays off. With the third series, there's less of an urgency for them to please an audience, and like the Christmas special, they pursue individual stories with a clear narrative, unlike the more sketch-based previous series' that (succesfully) binded together various sets of sketches into a series' long story arc.
The third series is both a refreshing change of pace of style, as well as a real treat for fans who've already seen the first two. Despite some polarized opinion on the third series, any real fan of the League will appreciate what the third series has to offer, as well as really enjoy the more character based episodes, that only delve deeper into fan favorite's, but pair up and inter-wine characters that might not have crossed paths previously.
It might take a little trying to get into the change in style, but it's definitely worth it, and in my opinion, the third series is the best and also provides a firm conclusion to the series.
The show's not without it's drawbacks, and very occasionally certain characters and set pieces appear somewhat out of place, but for the most part, the genius writing, dark nature of the show and the host of brilliant characters (that are often all too close to real life) make for a real treat and prove what comedy should be about and puts much of the more recent, catch phrase driven and often desperate attempts at comedy to shame
Dawn of the Dead (2004)
Bite Me
While the most loyal Romero fans might have you believe this remake isn't a patch on the original, this "re-imagining" as it should really be defined, is refreshingly good.
In fact, this is probably the best example of a remake in some time, and adds a much needed shot of adrenalin into the rather lacking zombie genre.
As i said before, this movie is less a remake and more a re-imagining of the original. There's very little in common with Romero's films, and the shopping mall aside, we're offered an entirely new cast of characters, a brand new scenario and a far less claustrophobic feel than the original. This movie tries to steer away from the safe and cautious frame by frame approach, and instead opts to go in it's own individual direction, affectionately referencing it's roots, without lifting too much.
As a completely stand alone movie, and not in any way connected with the Savini remake of "Night of the Living Dead", this movie throws it's lead (played by Sarah Polley) straight into a zombie over-run world.
The set up for the story is brief and speedy enough, but still manages to convey enough about the lead character whilst dropping hints that things are soon to go wrong. The pre-credit sequence is one of the most energetic moments in recent film history, acting as a highlight of the movie, and setting the scene for what's to come.
Abandoning the relatively slow and scattered build up of the original, this movie, like it's zombies, builds up at a sprinting pace. The film is often relentless, and with the exception of a few questionable dialogue scenes, it's unlikely anyone might find the film a boring experience.
However, the quick and unforgiving nature of the movie also offers up perhaps the biggest drawback. Unlike Romero's original, we barely get time to fully understand or explore the cast of characters. There is some effort to open up the various personalities (especially with the core group) but overall, we're offered two dimensional, hollow caricatures. This isn't necessarily a bad thing, and for the general viewing audience, those on screen are entertaining enough in their various roles, but for those who enjoy a little character development, and valued the original movie's slow, ever unfolding pace, it might be hard to find any real handle with which to fully appreciate the characters.
However, saying that, the primary players in this movie all fill their roles well enough. Sarah Polley, Ving Rhames and Jake Weber put in sound performances, and the secondary cast play their roles well enough, despite their being one too many clichés for my liking. Then again, it's good to see such a healthy and diverse cast in a horror movie like this.
The gore-hounds should love this movie too. There's more than enough blood and cuts on offer, and more times than not, the moments of gore are far beyond what you might expect from a horror movie. Some real attention has been played to making the most of this gross-out moments, and while it might not be to everyone's taste, it should certainly appeal to those whose taste it does accommodate to.
To conclude; this movie definitely knows where it's at. It doesn't delude itself to thinking it's high art, and doesn't try to convey any deep and meaningful message or make a comment on the state of society today. Although the Director's Cut of this does include some scenes of this nature (which in my opinion, just don't work) the theatrical release of the film finds just the right balance between the action, horror and drama, with more than a few moments of genuine humor thrown in for good measure.
All in all, a strong example of the genre, and an impressive reinvention of the zombie sub-genre.
Green Street (2005)
There's not one element of this film that works!
First things first, not one layer of this film worked in my opinion. I really failed to see what the script was getting at. There were times when it was obvious the script intended to glorify football violence, then other moments were it went for the whole "violence solves nothing" idea.
One of my major problems with this movie was why a Hollywood star needed to be involved, or more to the point why the Harvard student had to be involved. It was a pointless layer to the script that could have easily have been substituted with a different character. Added to that, the character of "Matt" seemed to undergo an extremely rapid and unrealistic descent into this gritty violent world, and seemed to instantly gel with a seemingly inhospitable social group.
Although i don't think it fair to draw comparisons usually, i will in the case of this and the far superior "Football Factory". The Football Factory was a film i didn't really enjoy much, or rate highly but it was far more confident in it's story and characters and was far more comfortable in exploring this world then Green Street managed.
With this movie, i felt there was too much of an emphasis on explaining the whole underworld element, and the wider world of football violence never really became evident. Plus, i felt the whole thing was bogged down by the back story involving the rival Milwall firm. I felt with this movie, it was hard to point out a lead character. Who was the focus??? Was it the leader of the GSE with the ever metamorphising accent? Was it his elder brother? Or was it Elijah Wood whose only role in the movie was to go through a cringworthy and clichéd journey??? I just couldn't stand this movie, and i feel like i'll be here forever in trying to put that across. But just to wrap things up...the performances are on the whole terrible and not believable enough, the story is weak, the characters un endearing and ending disappointing. If you want a movie about football violence and that whole suburban society go watch the football factory, if you've seen it and want more of the same, you won't find it here. Utter tripe !