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A TEST OF CHARACTER: BRIEFLY EXPLORING CINEMATIC PERSONAS

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A TEST OF CHARACTER: BRIEFLY EXPLORING CINEMATIC PERSONAS

“Just because you are a character, doesn’t mean you HAVE character.”

Winston Wolf – Pulp Fiction (1994)

What makes one film character more interesting than others? Obviously, the actor who plays them brings much to the role, but the writing, their story and personality are what draws us specifically to them. While film studios have utilised the star system and cast well regarded actors to sell their movies, the actual personas of the characters are just as, if not, more important.

Having strong characters to support the genre, concept and plot of their works is integral to writers, directors and actors. Thus, I’d like to explore some general character traits which help define a strong film character. I would like to consider the following: LIKEABILITY, EMPATHY, EXPERTISE, RESILIENCE, HUMOUR, COOLNESS and COMPLEXITY. There are obviously many other aspects to a character we could consider but I’ll stick to these for now.

To support this, I will list five film characters in each category. If I have missed anything glaring, then please feel free to shout out and comment.

*******CONTAINS FILM SPOILERS*******

LIKEABILITY

Does a character have to be likeable for you to root for them? Not at all! However, if they are a positive character it does help you to warm to their stories and emotions. That isn’t to say you cannot appreciate unlikeable characters, however, they are more complicated and I will come to those later.

FIVE LIKEABLE FILM CHARACTERS

  1. GEORGE BAILEY – IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE (1946)
  2. WOODY – TOY STORY (1995)
  3. SAMWISE GAMJEE – LORD OF THE RINGS (2001)
  4. MARGE GUNDERSON – FARGO (1996)
  5. ATTICUS FINCH – TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD (1962)

EMPATHY

Empathy and sympathy are two sides of the same coin, but can also contain variants. You can sympathise with a character but not necessarily empathise with their actions; and vice versa. For me, empathetic aspects are what I look for most in a character. They could still be pretty unlikeable, but if I feel drawn to their plight I will still connect with their story. Nonetheless, the characters I list here are both empathetic and mostly sympathetic too.

FIVE EMPATHETIC FILM CHARACTERS

  1. ROCKY BALBOA – ROCKY (1976)
  2. MARTY PILETTI – MARTY (1955)
  3. FORREST GUMP – FORREST GUMP (1994)
  4. CARRIE WHITE – CARRIE (1976)
  5. KING KONG – KING KONG (1933)

EXPERTISE

I have read a lot of screenwriting books and many of them say if you cannot make a character likeable or sympathetic, make them excel at something. Their expertise in their chosen field will draw you into their world, empathise and even admire their actions. If they are on the right side of the law that will obviously increase identification with such a character. Having said that there are many experts who are villains and I, like many, love a good nemesis too.

FIVE EXPERT FILM CHARACTERS

  1. TONY STARK – IRON MAN (2008)
  2. ETHAN HUNT – MISSION IMPOSSIBLE franchise.
  3. INDIANA JONES – RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK (1981)
  4. HANNIBAL LECTER – SILENCE OF THE LAMBS (1991)
  5. DETECTIVE WILLIAM SOMERSET – SEVEN (1995)

RESILIENCE

Resilience or the overcoming of insurmountable odds is a sure-fire way of getting an audience on side. The fact a character refuses to give in despite overwhelming odds creates all manner of means with which to identify with a character. When watching a film we also want to see characters who mirror our own personalities. So, to watch characters who never give in is very appealing to me.

FIVE RESILIENT FILM CHARACTERS

  1. ELLEN RIPLEY – ALIEN (1979)
  2. SOLOMON NORTHUP – TWELVE YEARS A SLAVE (2013)
  3. CELIE JOHNSON – THE COLOR PURPLE (1985)
  4. ANDY DUFRESNE – THE SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION (1994)
  5. OH-DAE-SU – OLDBOY (2003)

HUMOUR

Obviously making an audience laugh is a fine way of making the one like a character. It’s also a good way to mask a characters’ agendas or be employed as a defence mechanism or weapon too. Funny characters are not just limited to comedy films as humour can enhance action, romantic and drama genres too.

FIVE HUMOROUS FILM CHARACTERS

  1. ACE VENTURA – ACE VENTURA: PET DETECTIVE (1994)
  2. PETER PARKER – SPIDERMAN (2002)
  3. JUNO MACGUFF – JUNO (2007)
  4. AXEL FOLEY – BEVERLEY HILLS COP (1984)
  5. RANDALL P. MCMURPHY – ONE FLEW OVER THE CUCKOO’S NEST (1975)

COOLNESS

Arguably the most difficult one to quantify and even write, because it could be the actor who the one bringing the cool to the role. However, I think there are great examples of characters who are written that way too. Usually, a cool character will be someone of few words or a reserved demeanour or simply designated cool by their skills, actions and even what they wear.

FIVE COOL FILM CHARACTERS

  1. VIRGIL HILTS – THE GREAT ESCAPE (1963)
  2. CLIFF BOOTH – ONCE UPON A TIME IN HOLLYWOOD (2019)
  3. LEE – ENTER THE DRAGON (1973)
  4. HOLLY GOLIGHTLY – BREAKFAST AT TIFFANY’S (1961)
  5. MAX ROCKATANSKY – MAD MAX (1979)

COMPLEXITY

Complexity can be defined it many ways. It could be they are conflicted souls, searching for their place in the world. Or characters who are behaving badly while striving to be good. They could just be presenting a certain persona while hiding their real self. Or they could just be totally screwed and have mentally flipped. Complex characters are often unpredictable, but always compelling.

FIVE COMPLEX FILM CHARACTERS

  1. HOWARD BEALE – NETWORK (1976)
  2. MIRANDA PRIESTLY – THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA (2006)
  3. DARTH VADER – STAR WARS (1977)
  4. TRAVIS BICKLE – TAXI DRIVER (1976)
  5. JOHNNY FLETCHER – NAKED (1993)

TO BE CONTINUED. . .

There are so many wonderful characters in the world of cinema. Those mentioned above are just a few. The aspects I speak of too are just brief sketches really in such a fascinating area. Certain characters are more than simply likeable, empathetic, cool, complex and funny. Some of are a collision of all the facets I have noted above. Lastly, as well as different elements to their personas, characters can also be defined as an archetype or genre type. But, that is another story for another article.

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Articles, Six of the Best

SIX OF THE BEST #19 – THINGS ABOUT CORNWALL! HOLIDAY REVIEW 2019!

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SIX OF THE BEST #19 – THINGS ABOUT CORNWALL!

I recently came back from a week’s holiday in Cornwall with my wife. While I am a simple person who is quite pragmatic about holidays, my wife loves travelling and going to different places. So, I generally get dragged along to her chosen destination. However, with my fear of flying we mostly stay in the Brexit-blighted United Kingdom too. Occasionally I will fly, but like B.A. Baracus from the A-Team, it takes a lot to get me up in the sky.

This year we decided to go way down on the South West coast of England. We stayed in Penzance, Cornwall as a base; then visited lots of places in the surrounding territory. It’s safe to say I had a great time not being at work and although it is a very long drive from London there is so much to recommend down there. Thus, here are six of the best things I loved about Cornwall.

1. THE COAST AND SEA

There’s something very poetic about being by the sea. It suggests danger and fear but also escape and wonder. The rocks, the beaches and the sound of the sea collide to create many feelings and emotions that swell like the tides themselves. Mostly, it can be very calming too.

View from Mousehole, Penzance

2. THE FOOD

While I try and watch my dietary intake throughout the year and attend the gym a number of times a week, I LOVE my food. Cornwall is home to some wonderful restaurants and I ate heartily during the week. The breakfast we got at the Chapel House B & B everyday was wonderful and so was many of the meals we ate. My favourite menu was at the Shore Restaurant in Penzance. The design, taste and freshness of the dishes was amazing!

The Shore, Penzance

3. THE CULTURE

From a geographical, historical and artistic perspective, Cornwall is a veritable treasure trove. On top of the culinary delights, we visited many places of natural and historical interest. These are places supported by both the National Trust and English Heritage and range from old towns, tin mines, pirate hiding places and castles. While my wife especially enjoyed all the art galleries, we both enjoyed visiting places such as: The Botallack Tin Mines, St Michael’s Mount, Land’s End and Tintagel Castle.

St Michael’s Mount, Marazion – Cornwall

4. THE MINACK THEATRE

Of all the incredible sites and sights in Cornwall, I would say the most amazing is the Minack Theatre. This, incredibly, is a theatre built into the coastal rocks. It was the brainchild and passion of Rowenna Cade, who in 1932 put on her first amateur production. Over the subsequent years, with the help of a few friends and local builders, she developed the site even more. Now, some eighty years later, it puts on theatrical productions come rain or shine. Over 110,000 people attend the shows and even more visit this incredibly rich cultural site every year.

Minack Theatre, Cornwall

5. ST IVES

While St Ives, for me, was arguably smaller and more packed with tourists compared to other less busy places, it still has a lot to recommend it. The Harbour is a picturesque hub full of local ice cream shops and art galleries. On a larger scale St Ives is also home to the Tate Gallery of Cornwall. While we did not visit the Tate due to the queue, we took in the Barbara Hepworth Museum and all the works of that famed sculptor. Overall, while I much preferred staying in Penzance, St Ives is highly recommended for a day visit.

Barbara Hepwoth Museum, St Ives

6. THE WALKS

With big breakfasts and dinners comes great responsibility. As someone who likes to get to the gym so they can eat more food, I had to replace that exercise with a substitute. Thankfully, the Cornwall coast has some amazing scenery and walks. Obviously, you have to be careful, but the steep hills, rocky shores and grassy knolls of Cornwall are a great way to burn off some of those indulgent calories.

Articles, Cinema

GREAT ENSEMBLE FILM CASTS #2

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GREAT ENSEMBLE FILM CASTS #2

Way back in September 2015 I wrote an article listing some great ensemble film casts. Please feel free to read it here at this link.

If you can’t be bothered to read it the list of films are as follows:

12 ANGRY MEN (1957)
AVENGERS ASSEMBLE (2012)
GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL (2014)
INCEPTION (2010)
LA CONFIDENTIAL (1997)
THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN (1960)
MAGNOLIA (1999)
MEANTIME (1984)
THE OUTSIDERS (1983)
PULP FICTION (1994)
SHORT CUTS (1993)
TINKER, TAILOR, SOLDIER, SPY (2011)

Never one to worry about originality, I have decided to follow up this article with another list of great ensemble film casts.

The challenge second time round though is to EXCLUDE the films of directors or franchises ALREADY LISTED.

For those who may have lazy-read this I WILL REPEAT!!!

NO DIRECTOR’S OR FRANCHISE WORK FROM LIST ONE WILL BE ON LIST TWO!!!

It would be so easy to include all of Paul Thomas Anderson, Quentin Tarantino’s or the Marvel films. So I am not going to do that. Anyway, here are another TEN films with great ensemble casts (in alphabetical order).

ANCHORMAN: THE LEGEND OF RON BURGUNDY (2004)

AUGUST: OSAGE COUNTY (2013)

THE DIRTY DOZEN (1967)

GOSFORD PARK (2001)

THE GREAT ESCAPE (1963)

HAIL CAESAR (2016)

LORD OF THE RINGS: FELLOWSHIP OF THE RINGS (2001)

SUICIDE SQUAD (2016)

THE WILD BUNCH (1969)

THE WOLF OF WALL STREET (2014)

Articles, Reviews, Short films

SHORT SIGHTED CINEMA 2019 – BRITISH SHORT FILM PROGRAMME REVIEW

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THE SHORTEST NIGHTS – 2019

On Sunday the 30th June 2019 I did two of my favourite things. I took a long walk through the city of London and watched loads of short films.

London is obviously a very busy city and hive of activity during the week. However, on a Sunday it, despite there still being traffic, is way more peaceful. Well, especially from eight in the morning until around lunchtime. Indeed, until I got to the tourist trap that is Westminster it had been a pleasure to walk down the Thames Embankment and through the city of London.

I set out to walk from Clapham to Hackney and my destination was the Yard Theatre, Hackney. I made the walk of around ten miles in good time and the event was The Shortest Nights 2019 – Short Film Festival.

Details can be found here:

https://shortsightedcinema.com/

The Shortest Nights is an annual celebration of British short film. They bring you five cutting-edge programmes across a range of themes and genres featuring new works from emerging British filmmakers.

The people running the event are so enthusiastic and put on a great array of different British short film productions. Overall, there were thirty-nine short films and I watched all of them. It was a great day and I was especially impressed by the: comedies, horrors, documentaries, dramas, animation and art-house films on show.

There were low-to-high budget short films of brilliant quality and the programmes were broken down into five categories. So, if you ever get a chance to go to their film events I recommend it to all filmmakers and film fans alike.

Articles, Spurs

2018-2019 – TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR FC – SEASON REVIEW – THE DREAM WHICH ALMOST BECAME REALITY!

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2018-2019 – TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR F.C. – SEASON REVIEW

This year I have really tested my discipline by embarking on a sober year of not drinking alcohol. This is a personal challenge for health, financial and for-the-hell-of-it reasons. One thing I have noticed from this experiment is that drinking alcohol and the level of enjoyment when watching football are inextricably linked.

High or drunk on booze can heighten the enjoyment of football to riotous levels. Although, it can also create lows of soul-crushing despondency in the face of my teams’ defeat. Ultimately, while sober a football game becomes more a cerebral dissection rather than an emotional rollercoaster.

Thus, being a Tottenham Hotspur F.C. fan I have found that since being sober my support has been more logical and Mr Spock-like. That isn’t to say I haven’t enjoyed a fantastic season of giddy high and the occasional lows. Here’s a little review of how Spurs season went for 2018/2019.

SCORES ON THE DOORS – 2018/2019

Premier League finishing position: 4th

Premier League total points: 71

Premier League goals: 67

Champions League: THE FINAL – IT WASN’T A DREAM!

FA CUP: 4th round

Carabao Cup: Semi-final

Top Scorer: HARRY KANE – 24 goals in all competitions.

Most Assists: CHRISTIAN ERIKSEN – 16 assists in all competitions.

Highest Attendance: 81,332 v. Arsenal – Premier League – Wembley, March 2019.

SEASON HIGHLIGHTS – 2018/2019

Where do I start? The Champions League, of course! While we would ultimately lose in an underwhelming game to Liverpool in Madrid, Spurs had a charmed and gutsy run to the final. I mean who could ever forget needing three goals in the second half to beat Ajax away and coming back to win. LUCAS MOURA’s last minute goal in injury time is one I WILL NEVER FORGET! Allied to that incredible night, Spurs almost got beaten by Manchester City in the previous round, when a last-minute offside goal was correctly ruled out by VAR. Lastly, we almost went out against Inter Milan and Barcelona in the group stages too, but last ditch goals saw us through.

Overall, throughout the season we mainly battled and scrambled to many results in the Premier and Champions League. We rarely hit the performance heights on the pitch compared to previous seasons. While we were very solid, it was only in games against: Everton (6-2 away win), Bournemouth (5-0 home win), Chelsea (3-1 home win) and Borussia Dortmund (last 16 Champions League win), where we really demonstrated total dominance throughout games.

Sadly, our indifferent performance standards, were not helped by key injuries to: HARRY KANE, DELE ALLI, HARRY WINKS and JAN VERTONGHEN, led to THIRTEEN DEFEATS in the Premier League. Thankfully, we held onto fourth place due to our rivals being a bit rubbish too.

The other major highlight of the season was the new stadium was FINALLY completed at White Hart Lane. I have not been yet as tickets have always sold out, but I look forward to going next season! Wembley was great and I went to some amazing games, but there’s no place like home – and what a home it is!

MANAGER, PLAYERS AND TEAM

Firstly, MAURICIO POCHETTINO and his coaching staff, in my view, are incredible. For whatever reason, by choice or Chairman Daniel Levy’s decree, we did not SIGN ANY NEW PLAYERS! I think this was a mistake. Our squad, while of high quality, became very stretched due to injuries and a fixture list pile-up. This meant Pochettino was forever juggling the players at his disposal; so it is full credit to his management that we had the season we did.

There were many fine players for Spurs. Some were not as sharp due to injuries and those jaded by England’s almost glorious World Cup campaign. HEUNG-MIN SON was voted our PLAYER OF THE YEAR for his buccaneering attacking play. He was brilliant throughout, scoring goals and scorching defences with his wicked pace.

MOUSSA SISSOKO was very close to winning best player of the season with a series of revelatory performances in midfield. TOBY ALDERWEIRELD was outstanding in defence, while HUGO LLORIS was so solid too; even saving a couple of crucial penalties during the season. Despite some terrible ankle injuries HARRY KANE was our top goal scorer and CHRISTIAN ERIKSEN, despite his form deserting him at the end of the season, remained our most creative midfielder.

Special mention must go to LUCAS MOURA who scored vital goals throughout the year. He was SO unlucky not to start the Champions League Final, especially after his heroics in Amsterdam. I mean, he was the player that SCORED A HAT-TRICK IN THE SEMI-FINAL. He definitely should have started in the final.

THE FUTURE AND BEYOND. . .

I have come to accept that Tottenham Hotspur F.C. is a proud and high quality team to support. It is a shame we are very much a nearly team though on the pitch, finding opponents with that bit more quality or luck when it matters most. But, we are a very well run business with an incredible new stadium. Indeed, the T.H.F.C. brand has never been shinier and the future hasn’t been brighter.

I would expect rather than hope we can purchase three or four top class players to add to our squad because the manager cannot fire us to glory without the ammunition on the pitch. There is only so much magic MAURICIO POCHETTINO can perform year after year.

Articles, Cinema, Essays and Theory

WHAT’S IN A NAME? A BRIEF CONSIDERATION OF FILM TITLES

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WHAT’S IN A NAME? A BRIEF CONSIDERATION OF FILM TITLES

While reviewing the entertaining HBO show Barry, it struck me that I have an irrational dislike of film and TV programmes which resort to using people’s singular names in the title. Why, though? Let’s be honest: it’s not a big deal. So, why does it bother me? To answer this question I decided to a hold a brief whimsical exploration of such titles.

Titles are important. They create the first contact for the audience. They pull you in or push you away before you even know who made the film or who stars in it. I mean, who doesn’t want to watch a film called: Jaws (1975) or Alien (1979) or The Terminator (1984)? Conversely, who wants to watch a film called The Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants 2 (2008)?

Obviously, big decisions are made at the title-naming stage of any works. Or are they? I think naming a film after a single name, on the surface, just seems a tad lazy. But, on reflection, using single names for the titles of a film or TV show can be impactful and to the point.

It’s weird, because I don’t mind place name titles at all. In fact, Fargo (1996), is one of my favourite films. The singular title just works. Similarly, so does Chinatown (1974). Fargo, especially, names both a place and the two syllables within the place — ‘far’ and ‘go’ — suggest the actions of the characters in the story. Chinatown, on the other hand, is more poetic; naming a place but also hinting at something exotic and mysterious. Either that or a cultural area where you can visit and perhaps get a certain kind of food.

I also don’t object to personal names being part of the title. For example, Rosemary’s Baby (1968), is such a great title because it’s better than just plain old ‘Rosemary’. What does the singular Rosemary tell us? Very little. But add the ‘baby’ element and you conjure up suspense and a desire to know what will happen to Rosemary and her child. Similarly, When Harry Met Sally (1986), is a simple yet delightful title which tells you the character names, events and we’re most likely to witness some form of romance.

It may be that the film is an adaptation and just named after the original source material. Rebecca (1940), by Daphne Du Maurier is a good example of this. Rebecca works for me though as the name has a haunting feel; and this is certainly confirmed once you read the book or watch the film. On the other hand, the film Carol (2015), feels benign in comparison. Based on Patricia Highsmith’s literary classic, it’s a sumptuous and touching romance, however, the title did not draw me in. It was only when I saw the cast and that it was directed by Todd Haynes, I decided to watch it.

The best singular name film is Rocky (1975). Here is a classic underdog story of a boxer who is Rocky by name and rocky by nature. He’s streetwise but lacking intellect and seems to have literal rocks in his head. He’s scrabbling around trying to make ends meet with a head as hard as rock too. But, because of this he can take the blows and punches and still come back for more. We love the character because he never gives in; he literally rocks!

In conclusion, like everything, there are good and bad examples of film titles. Some singular named titles work way better than others. Titles like: Barry (2018), Dave (1993) and even a fine film like Carol, seem weak to me. Meanwhile, a title like Rocky just works perfectly. Anyway, here are eleven singular named film titles which also fly against my pet annoyance and mostly work really well.

Top Eleven “Single Name” Films

  1. Rocky (1975)
  2. Carrie (1976)
  3. Jezebel (1938)
  4. Lolita (1962)
  5. Amelie (2001)
  6. Tarzan (1932 etc.)
  7. Rebecca (1940)
  8. Leon (1994)
  9. Matilda (1996)
  10. Marty (1955)
  11. Nell (1994)

Articles, Cinema

MY TOP ELEVEN MARVEL UNIVERSE FILMS

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With Avengers: Endgame gloriously bringing to a close the twenty-two film interconnected multiverse, I thought it may be fun to pick my favourite films of the superhero releases. Of course, that won’t be the end of the Marvel/Disney money-making behemoth but we can take a breath for a moment.

In keeping with Thanos’ modus operandi I have chosen half of the films in release date order. At the end I pick — under pain of death — my favourite THREE! My favourite three are based on impact on release, entertainment value, quality of story, direction and writing etc. Plus, they are films I could watch again and again. Although, to be honest I can watch most of them again as they are all such fun and easy viewing.

If you would like to read my review of Avengers: Endgame – then you can find it HERE.

MY TOP ELEVEN MARVEL UNIVERSE FILMS (IN ORDER OF RELEASE)

IRON MAN (2008)

AVENGERS: ASSEMBLE (2012)

CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE WINTER SOLDIER (2014)

GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY (2014)

ANT-MAN (2015)

CAPTAIN AMERICA: CIVIL WAR (2016)

DOCTOR STRANGE (2016)

THOR: RAGNAROK (2017)

BLACK PANTHER (2018)

AVENGERS: INFINITY WAR (2018)

AVENGERS: ENDGAME (2019)

MY TOP THREE MARVEL UNIVERSE FILMS (BY PAIN OF DEATH)

1. CAPTAIN AMERICA: WINTER SOLDIER (2014)

2. GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY (2014)

3. MARVEL’S AVENGERS: ASSEMBLE (2012)

Articles, Cinema, Six of the Best

SIX OF THE BEST #17 – FILMS ON A TRAIN

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SIX OF THE BEST #17 – FILMS ON A TRAIN

I love a good train film. They make perfect settings for suspense, thriller, horror, comedy and, in fact, any genre. This is because they contain movement, pace and a destination too. Above all else they trap the characters within a confined space, thus creating an abundance of opportunities for drama and action.

In this little article I pick out six of the best films I have seen that have been set mainly on a train. I omit films which, while they may have had a train or train station setting they also veered into other locations. Thus, for the purpose of this piece classics such as Strangers on a Train (1951), Brief Encounter (1945), Great Train Robbery (1903), and Source Code (2011) are cruelly omitted. Lastly, I’m sure there are loads I have missed off so please do suggest any.

**MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS**

THE CASSANDRA CROSSING (1976)

Germ warfare, a runaway train, European terrorists and and all-star cast feature in this pretty awful disaster movie which I absolutely loved watching as a kid. The cast get their payday and we get Martin Sheen, Burt Lancaster, Sophia Loren, Richard Harris and OJ Simpson etc. all hamming it up to great effect.

THE LADY VANISHES (1938)

This is still one of my favourite Alfred Hitchcock films. Starring the radiant duo of Margaret Lockwood and Michael Redgrave, the sparks fly between the two amidst a fast-paced spy plot. Hitchcock takes his time establishing the characters at the start but really ratchets up the suspense when no one believes Lockwood’s assertion a woman has gone missing.

MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS (1974)

Agatha Christie was a genius and this story is one of her best. What we now consider to be a cliched genre, the “whodunnit”, was practically invented and reinvented by Christie and this one has a particularly brilliant plot and ending. Even though I know who committed the crime the starry cast in Sidney Lumet’s production are a joy to behold. Kenneth Branagh gave us a fine, if unnecessary, remake last year too.

SNOWPIERCER (2014)

Cruelly buried by the Weinstein studio, this under-rated graphic novel adaptation was absolutely brilliant. Set in an apocalyptic future, the train becomes an analogy for class struggle between the haves and have-nots. Bong Joon-ho directs Chris Evans, Jamie Bell, Octavia Spencer and Tilda Swinton expertly, as the film marries social commentary and blistering action with aplomb.

THE TAKING OF PELHAM 123 (1974)

Another film I watched the hell out of as a teenager, this classic New York Metro set film is gritty, funny and as tense as waiting for test results. Walter Matthau provides the everyman charm as he attempts to negotiate with Robert Shaw’s menacing criminal. A big influence on Tarantino, this little classic remains one of the 1970s unheralded crime films.

TRAIN TO BUSAN (2016)

Zombies on a train – I’m in! What an amazing movie, as this kinetic mix of horror, family drama and action grabs you by the throat from the start and never lets go! While taking a lead from World War Z (2013), notably the ferocious plane set-piece, it surpasses that zombie film with an incredible pace, violence and unrelenting tension.

Articles, Cinema

THE CINEMA FIX: TWELVE FAVOURITE FILMS OF 2018

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TWELVE FAVOURITE FILMS OF 2018

Hello 2019! So, here are my favourite twelve films of last year. It was a very decent and enjoyable year across cinema and streaming platforms and these are, not necessarily the best, but the ones I enjoyed the most that were released in the last twelve months. I obviously may have missed some films so please do point must see movies if I have. For the record I have taken into account all cinema, Netflix and film festival releases I have seen. Lastly, for comparison I also include 2017’s list first.

Favourite films of 2017!

A GHOST STORY (2017)
BABY DRIVER (2017)
BLADERUNNER 2049 (2017)
BRAWL IN CELL BLOCK 99 (2017)
COLOSSAL (2016)
THE DISASTER ARTIST (2017)
DUNKIRK (2017)
FENCES (2016)
INGRID GOES WEST (2017)
SILENCE (2016)
THREE BILLBOARDS OUTSIDE EBBING, MISSOURI (2017
WAR FOR THE PLANET OF THE APES (2017)

Favourite films of 2018!

A QUIET PLACE (2018)

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A STAR IS BORN (2018)

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BLACKKKLANSMAN (2018)

THE FAVOURITE (2018)

FIRST REFORMED (2018)

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FIRST MAN (2018)

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GAME NIGHT (2018)

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PETERLOO (2018)

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PHANTOM THREAD (2017)

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SORRY TO BOTHER YOU (2018)

THE SHAPE OF WATER (2017)

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UPGRADE (2018)

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Articles, Cinema, Short films

FIX FILMS RETROSPECTIVE #6 – THE CHESS GAME (2012)

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FIX FILMS RETROSPECTIVE #6 – THE CHESS GAME (2012)

TITLE: THE CHESS GAME (2012) – short film (15 mins)

TAGLINE: “Not all of us are destined to be Kings!”

DIRECTOR: Gary O’Brien

WRITERS/PRODUCERS: Paul Laight and Gary O’Brien

CAST: Philip Delancy, Bill Thomas, Tyrone Atkins, Bobby Freeman and Andy Davies

I haven’t written one of these short film retrospectives for a while but I thought I’d look back on my sixth short film – The Chess Game – and how it came to be made.

We hadn’t written or produced a film since 2008 when Elephant Trunk (2008) was released. Looking back it was for a mixture of personal and financial reasons. I mean making short films is a passion but sometimes the amount of work you put in can sometimes be the only reward. It is pleasing to complete a film but then what do you do? With Elephant Trunk (2008) I should have tried to get it into more festivals but ultimately I did not market it well enough. Moreover, I’d started doing more stand-up comedy as a creative hobby so decided to commit to that for a few years. I basically did not have enough time for filmmaking, especially with other family and work commitments.

In 2012, my filmmaking partner, Gary got in touch and quite rightly said it was about time we got back on the horse, as it were, thus we began working on the script that would become The Chess Game (2012). He had a basic premise of a seemingly harmless person living in a village fully integrated into the community. However, that said individual was actually hiding a secret past.  We wrote the screenplay and, in terms of its length, became an ambitious thriller focussing on themes of guilt, revenge and war. It starts simply with the offer of a ‘friendly’ chess match between two strangers and spirals into a game of cat and mouse culminating in a deadly end game. Arguably, the story would probably have suited a Tales of the Unexpected half-hour length but we felt, given the lack of budget, we could do it justice at fifteen minutes.

Once we were happy with the script we raised the very low budget from independent sources and set about casting. We decided to use the talented Phil Delancy, who we’d worked with before and could be trusted to deliver a great performance. We also cast three excellent actors I knew from the comedy circuit in Tyrone Atkins, Andy Davies and Bobby Freeman. With regard to the lead role of Viktor, we knew we’d have to cast someone of great experience. Here was a character with charm keeping a dark secret close to his chest. Eventually, we cast seasoned professional Bill Thomas; an experienced screen actor who had been in many television and film roles including: The House Of Eliot, Cutting It, The Bill, Doctors, Holby City, Pusher (2012) and Alice Through the Looking Glass (2016) etc.

The rehearsal process was fantastic as myself, Gary, Phil and Bill really stress-tested the story and characters. Conversely, it was a script which changed a lot prior to production; not in terms of structure but rather the development of the characters’ motivations. Ultimately, the production would be a very successful shoot over two weekends in Oxfordshire. The story itself stands up to a re-watch as it twists and turns to a big reveal. My only regret is the end of the shoot was a bit rushed, however, the cast and crew were amazing and I think the film is not too bad, despite being shot on a shoestring budget.

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