Keep It Classic Part 2: German Gangs

Germany, 1931. Only three years after the first full length 'talkie' film is opening into a whole new world of sound and languages. The foreign film becomes a fully fledged genre with the necessity for subtitles - or commonly shudder inducing dubbing - and today's film is one of these early spoken pieces of cinema that remains highly regarded by critics worldwide. But is it the masterpiece they all believe it is? This is M.

In a German city, children are going missing and turning up dead later on. The police have absolutely no leads to follow in order to capture the killer and they show no sign of being able to stop the killings. The city is getting more and more anxious every day. Parents watch their children intently and riots break out in the streets whenever someone is accused of being the child killer. The criminal underworld are also disgusted by the actions of the killer. They decide to conduct their own investigation, with access to a lot of options the police cannot use - and, of course, the police would not provide a harsh enough punishment for such a despicable human being, leaving the criminal boss Schränker (Gustaf Gründgens) feeling that justice needs to be taken into his own hands.

'My daughter is lovely, nein?'

Peter Lorre, the villainous killer, is a stand-out performance. Being little more than ominous footsteps and a whistle for around half the film, Lorre creates an undeniably menacing presence. But in glorious juxtaposition, he performs with a gentle softness that raises all kinds of questions of morality. Can such a disgusting murderer actually also be a victim and should he have a chance at redemption. Similarly, mob leader Schränker, played by Gustaf Gründgens, suggests that those who live through crime also have an ethical principle that they stand solidly by which is, arguably, more honest than the law enforcement as Schränker is not held back by protocols and rules. Despite this more humane view of criminals, Gründgens is definitely the most intimidating figure in the film. Dressed in a large leather coat and bowler hat, Gründgens looms over the crime underworld and even over Lorre, again raising questions of who the real antagonist: the constant crime underworld or the short term true evil that brought a city to its knees.

'Oh man, my Westside symbol went all wrong...'

A revolutionary film in so many ways and is still an inspiration to this very day for crime thriller around the world. Firstly, it is incredibly well written despite having no real antagonist or protagonist. The film forces the audience to engage with the failed efforts of the police, the investigation conducted by the criminal world, and the experiences of the murderer himself, creating a constant feeling of suspense as the three words overlap and the manhunt becomes a race as well. Then there is the technicality of the whole thing. Techniques of M are used commonly in almost all genres. Playing with shadows, jumping to silence, relating a single character to piece of music - in this case 'In the Hall of the Mountain King' from Edvard Grieg's 'Peer Gynt Suite No. 1', to introduce the killer. It is all so wonderfully created and incredibly ahead of its time. Also, as previously mentioned, it pressures the audience to consider their stance on crime, morality, and issues such as the death sentence. Do you side with the criminals and believe that such a gruesome killer should be executed, or do you agree with the notion of him claiming insanity and being locked away for life? Or is there a middle ground? M encourages you to think about these things.

A wonderful thriller that leaves you fully engaged until the very last second. It revived Fritz Lang's career and influenced generations of films for decades to come. It is worth the hype, having made it very rightly to #212 in Empire Magazne's Top 500 and #50 IMDb's top 250 #. A must see for all.

Best Bit? Watching the criminals track down the killer to a single building and the tense section of the film that follows as the criminals run ow on time to find him as the police rush towards the scene.

Movies Save Lives

A film about the American secret services normally rings bells of high speed car chases, an attractive male roughly shooting his way to the bad guy, and several high budget explosions. Not today's film. Today we look at a film that looks behind the scenes of one of the CIA's most adventurous rescue missions, which mostly involves people sitting behind desks. And yet, it has incredible reviews across the boards. How? Let's check it out. This is Argo.

The year is 1979. The American Embassy in Iran is overrun by Iranian revolutionaries and several hostages are taken. However six Americans manage to escape and find refuge in the Canadian Ambassador's house, complete with handy trap doors to hide beneath. Back in the CIA offices in America, there is demand to work out a way to get these six out of Iran safely, but all plots seem a bit difficult or flawed. However, Tony Mendez (Ben Affleck), with the help of Jack O'Donnell (Bryan Cranston), put together a scheme that seems completely ridiculous but just might work: put together a fake film and get the six trapped men and women to pose as a Canadian production team on a location scout. Wrangling together John Chambers (John Goodman) and Lester Siegel (Alan Arkin) to be his producers and men in the office, he sets out to begin creating Argo - the film that never will be. But complications begin to arise over time limits, believability  and the White House doubting how strong the plan really is. A true story to make you bite your nails to the bone.

The two of them need to sort out this meth... I mean, mess.

An excellently cast film. Ben Affleck, as well as directing the film, holds the action together with a solid, dedicated performance. The calm CIA persona is constantly juxtaposed with the nerves of a real man; a man whose career, life, and six others' lives depend on his plan going right. Affleck really shows that stress in his acting, sometimes explicitly, other times it is all in his eyes. Bryan Cranston, as always, is fantastic. O'Donnell is the man who aims to play it by the book, and in Cranston's performance, we see the pain that that causes; the stress of balancing doing things right or doing things the way he is meant to. A constant internal conflict. Goodman and Arkin are delightful additions to the cast and provide a lot of the comic relief - or lighter areas of the film. They are captivating to watch, causing not only laughter, but also creating some of the most suspenseful moments of the film. A really solid ensemble that work fantastically together to build up suspense and make an atmosphere that remains tense the entire run time.

A pat on the head for your good ideas, Tony.

At two hours long, Argo is the second shortest of the nominated films. And what a solid two hours. Affleck is just as powerful behind the camera as he is in front of it. He takes Tony Mendez's story and transforms it into a real nail biter. How Affleck manages to create such tension from a lot of people talking and only a small bit of action is beyond me. The classiest race against the clock that cinema has offered in a long time. With a wonderfully atmospheric score and camera work that truly captures the intensity of situation on screen, Argo makes what could be a slow paced 'important men talking around a table' film into a constantly dramatic and engaging thriller that rockets forward with strength and power. Pushing the audience to the edge of their seat, especially in the second half.

A brilliant, brilliant example of how to create a dramatic thriller based around the secret services without needing lots of high action sequences. Timing, dialogue, and solid performing create a heart pounding and adrenaline raising piece of cinema which is dripping with constant excitement. A fantastic film.

Best Bit? The ending. Powerfully tense and but loaded with spoiler. Watch the film. 

Guns Are Bad

A lot of movies are released every year and it is impossible to get round to watching all of them. This means that it takes me a few years to even hear about movies that I should watch. Today's review is an e/xample of such a movie. Released in 2007, Channel 4 and my housemate are to thank (or are they) for me watching today's film. This is The Brave One.

David (Naveen Andrews) and Erica (Jodie Foster) are a happy couple and are planning for their weding. In their happy married life, they go for walks with their dog and flirt over the colour of their wediing invitations. However, one night time stroll, their dog runs off down a tunnel and into the hands of some thugs. The thugs, when they don't get what they want, brutally attack Erica and David, leaving them both in critical condition. While Erica survives, David does not. Erica has to adjust and, having trouble leaving her apartment, decides to buy a gun for protection in the city of New York, the city she once loved. But guns are dangerous things and from the second she gets it, in less than legal circumstances, it starts causing problems. Serious problems.

After not eating much in hospital, all Erica wanted was a subway.

 

The acting in the film is fantastic. By far the best aspect of the movie. The characters have such connections that feel genuine and heartfelt. Jodie Foster's Erica was a brilliant representation of someone who had experienced real pain and suffering, someone who is crippled by fear and confusion. Her on screen relationship with Naveen Andrews' David is completely believable and touching. That love for David is visible throughout her entire performance. Terrence Howard's Detective Mercer, while lacking conviction in his emotions, is a great character. He is great fun to watch and ocassionally, there is a glimpse of brilliance in his acting. Again, he connects excellently with Jodie Foster on screen and together they make a completely engaging movie.

Simply wanted to point out how dashing Terrence Howard is in a suit.

The biggest downfall with the film is the music. Often it completely detracts from the action on screen rather than drawing attention to it. It is not just a question of misplaced music, but also of a bad choice of music. Sometimes it sounds like the score from a large scale blockbuster has been placed over the film rather than create a more accurate atmosphere. On top of this, the cinematographer gets a little carried away with his spinning camera. Far too often, one has to tilt their head almost ninety degrees in order to watch the film. And admitedly, the script has enough holes in to have a round of golf. The overall plot is fine and dandy, it is just in the details. Buying a gun from a dodgy man in a backstreet of New York after not leaving your apartment for fear of the people outside, is but one example of these aggrivating holes.

An engaging film. The acting and overall direction make up for the technical faults and it is still a completely watchable film. The 122 minutes do not drag on and that's always the key for a two hour movie. A good time killer but no masterpiece.

Best Bit? My personal favourite scene was Erica's interview with Mercer. Some of the best acting in the film.