Recommended: The Disappearance Of Alice Creed

Opening the same week as Iron Man 2 — which I have yet to see due to my recent travels — The Disappearance Of Alice Creed could easily get overlooked in all the hype surrounding the superhero sequel. But I urge you to seek Alice Creed out in UK cinemas from today. It's a taut and twisty little thriller that belies its low budget and marks the emergence of a shining new filmmaking talent in writer-director J Blakeson.

Two men (Eddie Marsen and Martin Compston) kidnap Gemma Arterton's eponymous Alice and hold her hostage in an specially prepared room. Then the fun really begins, as a simple kidnapping is slowly undone by a succession of narrative u-turns and character revelations that transforms the power dynamic within the room shifting and builds towards a tense, gripping climax that finally makes some sense of the title.

Blakeson, making his feature debut after several praiseworthy shorts, confidently holds the film together with bold strokes and an assured sense of style — the dialogue-free opening sequence is particularly impressive — making the maximum use of his limited locations and minimal cast, all of whom are terrific.

Missed it

The restored version of The Complete Metropolis had, until earlier this week, been playing for the last few months at Berlin's Film Museum which was right across the street from my hotel during my oh so brief trip to that fair city. Not that I would have actually had time to see it, even if it had been on...

Jonah Hex trailer

Word on this hasn't been too promising, but one can hope. Good cast, though.

Travelling part two

Following my quick jaunt to the States at the beginning of the week, I spent the last couple of days in Berlin, on the set of Roland Emmerich's Anonymous. But now I'm back in the UK, and back posting.

Travelling part one

Fear not, faithful reader, I haven't deserted you. I've just got back from a whistle-stop Stateside trip which took in three states in two days and didn't allow time for posting. Here are a few snaps, though...

Inception viral

As the net coos over every new image released from Chris Nolan's Inception or each smidgeon of information regarding the film's plot, I imagine Nolan himself having a good old chuckle at the way the web is getting its digital knickers in a twist. Not that I'm immune; I've been following everything released thus far with increasingly baited breath. The latest thing to emerge is this series of interviews with "dream researchers", conducted by Nolan himself, that delves into aspects of REM sleep. I don't know what it has to do with the film, exactly, but I like it.

Directed by Spike Jonze

Those four words always thrill me. And here they relate to his new video for LCD Soundsystem's Drunk Girls. It's very Spike.

The eyes have it

One of my favourite interviews was Julie Christie who, back then, was still somewhat shy of the media — I'd seen her a few years before, knitting between takes, when I visited the set of Kenneth Branagh's Hamlet but hadn't spoken to her — although she'd agreed to talk to Premiere to promote Alan Rudolph's Afterglow.

It gave me the perfect excuse to rewatch a ton of Christie movies and so by the time I drove to Oxford, where she was starring in a play, to interview her, I had fallen for "Lara" once again. I told Christie straight off that I wasn't going to ask her why she had never married or why she didn't ever have children (two topics that had dominated almost every interview she'd ever given at that point; I know, I'd read them all!). Oh good, she said, and seemed to immediately relax. We spent the next couple of hours sitting on a pub bench, chatting about everything from Darling to Terence Stamp to Warren Beatty to Dr. Zhivago, and much more besides.

I remember her being incredibly smart, witty, and film literate, and she had a wonderfully dry sense of humour. I remember, too, that she stroked my arm a couple of times during the course of our conversation to reiterate a point she was making. It's rare that one gets smitten during an interview, but that was one such occasion.

Dr. Zhivago is out soon on Blu-ray. The above stills come from the dvdbeaver review. It will be an immediate purchase for me.

Stranded

After being stranded in Spain since Saturday because of that damn volcano ash business, I finally made it back to the UK yesterday evening, having driven through half of Spain and all of France in two days, safe but completely knackered.

Posting will resume its normal schedule soon, but judging by the disappointing dearth of comments recently, I'm wondering if anybody's still reading...

The Resident trailer

I grew up watching Hammer Horror films on TV from a very early age and still have much affection for their output and the brand itself. Which is why I wish the new Hammer owners much luck in relaunching the studio, with The Resident their first feature and their US'set remake of Let The Right One In just around the corner.

Sci-Fi London Festival 2010

Every year the Sci-Fi London Film Festival offers an impressive array of movies and events, and every year I seem to miss it. This year's festival, which runs from April 28-May 3, opens with Vincenzo Natali's Splice, a creature-feature I've been desperate to see since it was announced. Maybe this year I'll break my sci-fi fest duck and check it out. The trailer sure looks creepy...

Love this

And here's how they did it.

The House Of The Devil

What makes The House Of The Devil, just out on DVD and Blu-ray in the UK, one of the best horror movies of the last few decades isn't only the film's lovingly retro recreation of 70s and 80s horror cinema, but the lengths its writer-director Ti West (Cabin Fever 2) goes to to eke the suspense out from this simple story of determined, impoverish college student Samantha (Jocelin Donahue, terrific) who agrees to babysit for a creepy couple (Tom Noonan and Mary Woronov) on the night of a lunar eclipse with devilish consequences, spending three-quarters of the film's running time building tension, before finally unleashing a bloody denouement of unrelenting terror. West brings a David Fincher-like precision to this 80s-set homage, using 16mm film stock, zooms rather than dolly shots, as well as period framing and editing techniques. And yet West's future cult classic never feels like a parody. Rather, it's a movie lost in time, now available to scare the bejesus out of you.

Holy Rollers trailer

Further Fringe fun

Those who dismissed Fringe as an X Files rip-off, think again. Following on from last week's "typo" episode, this week's Fringe, entitled Peter, was a delightfully retro affair, set in 1985, which featured a revamped 80s style opening credit sequence and theme music.

During the episode itself, there was this wonderfully geeky in-joke on a cinema marquee in Fringe's alternate universe.

For those, scratching their heads at that one, Eric Stoltz was the original Marty McFly in Back To The Future before the film's executive producer Steven Spielberg apparently decided he wasn't right, and the film wasn't working, and so co-writer/director Robert Zemeckis was forced to scrap weeks of footage and start over again, this time with Michael J. Fox in the lead.

Birdemic: Shock And Terror

While the advent of high-quality, low-cost DV cameras certainly helped democratize filmmaking, putting the possibility of actually making a movie within the reach of almost everyone, and not just those people with loads of money or, in the case of Kevin Smith, comic collections to sell.

The downside to that affordability and accessibility is that the quality threshold has, inevitably, been lowered, and so for every Paranormal Activity, they'll be a dozen crappy-shot-on-DV-home-movies-that-should-have-remained-home-movies.

And yet, the success of the wonderfully titled Birdemic: Shock And Terror, written, directed and financed by "visionary" James Nguyen seems to counter that. The film, which cost just $10,000, has been packing them in in New York, with audiences apparently turning up in droves to witness the sheer awfulness of it all.

The BBC's Tom Brook filed this report. Here's The Guardian's take. And here is the trailer. On the strength of this, Nguyen might well be this generation's Ed Wood.

In awe

TV heaven

The sixth and final season of Lost has, so far, lived up to my expectations, teasingly offering answers to much debated questions and yet still stubbornly refusing to offer — so far — the ultimate solution to the eternal mystery: what is the island? Season two of True Blood, too, is an improvement on the first which I enjoyed enormously. But, by far the best programme on TV at the moment is Mad Men which, for British viewers, is now well into season three. Superbly written, deftly played, gloriously crafted, brilliantly nuanced, every episode is an unalloyed joy, a journey of discovery for the viewer. At the beginning of each episode I have no idea where I'm headed. But whenever I end up, the ride's always been an extraordinary one.

Who's a winner

There were many reasons why I loved the first episode of Steven Moffat and Matt Smith's take on Doctor Who. And Karen Gillan as the Doctor's feisty new assistant was one of them. Not convinced about the new theme, though. 

Not worth the money

Now is not the time to get into all the issues I have with the soon-to-be-released Clash of The Titans remake. But I will say this, if you can see the film in 2D, then do so.

The Clash 3D conversion is a truly hideous thing. Images are split, the editing, design, and framing decisions weren't made for 3D and it shows in every single shot. See it flat, if you're going to see it at all.

Fringe typo or tease?

Watching Jacksonville, last night's new episode of Fringe on Sky1, I was struck by this apparent spelling mistake in which "Manhattan" is, quite clearly, missing a second "t".

Firstly, I thought the makers of Fringe were in serious need of a proof reader for their titles. But then it occurred to me that maybe this is the correct way of spelling Manhattan  in the alternate universe that, according to the mythology of the show, sits alongside our own.

And so this typo was a subtle way of telling the viewers that, contrary to appearances, we weren't in real New York.

On sale now

Alice In Wonderland: A Visual Companion finally arrives in shops today, featuring 256 packed pages of illustrations, sketches, concept artwork, behind-the-scenes photos and text by yours truly. 

Trust me when I say, there's stuff in here that you haven't seen before — and given the selection of stills that accompanied virtually every article on the movie, that's not difficult. So if you're a fan of Alice In Wonderland or Tim Burton, you're in for a real treat. 

Okay, I know what you're thinking, I would say that. But see for yourself...

Empire Awards 2010

I spent yesterday afternoon/evening at the Empire Awards, an event that, many years ago, I used to help organize. Now I get to turn up, have a drink or two, say hello to familiar faces, and this year got to introduce Andy Serkis, who picked up the Inspiration Award, to Neil Marshall which was fun.

You can read the full list of winners and see even more photos and video from the event here.

Public service announcement

Should any of you living in the US fancy going to the cinema this weekend, might I suggest you get yourself along to a theater (as you'd have it) showing How To Train Your Dragon. Even if you don't have kids.

As animated movies go, it's right up there with the best, nudging close to Pixar territory. Aided by Roger Deakins' exquisite eye, it's beautifully shot and lovingly crafted — the CG beards, in particular, are stunning — and it begs to be seen in 3D. Plus, it features dragons. And vikings. What else do you need to know. Go see it.

Robin Hood opens Cannes

I've had the misfortune of seeing some real howlers down the years opening the Cannes Film Festival, including the painfully unfunny Woody Allen-directed Hollywood Ending.

Last year, Pixar's Up bucked that trend by being not just good, but great. This May, the honour of opening Cannes falls to Ridley Scott's Robin Hood. Meaning Russell Crowe will get to grace the Croisette with his surly presence. Should be interesting.

Eau de Stark

If you've ever wanted to smell like Tony Stark, here's your chance.

Scott Pilgrim teaser

Continuing the comic book movie theme...

That Matthew Vaughn interview...

"I’m a closet geek," admits Matthew Vaughn, one-time producer of Guy Ritchie movies and an accomplished director in his own right. His third feature, Kick-Ass, has been riding a wave of fanboy hype since scenes from the film debuted to mass adoration at Comic-Con last summer. "I’m more of a comic-book movie fan than a comic book fan," he clarifies, when we meet in Soho only two days after he put the finishing touches to the film. "I like big, entertaining movies. I tried to buy the script of Hancock. I loved it. The script was far darker and edgier than the movie. I think Kick-Ass took the ideas that intrigued me in that film to the next level: what would happen if people really tried to be superheroes?"

Based on a six-issue comic book by Scottish writer Mark Millar, first published in 2008, Kick-Ass is a comic-book movie unlike most others: a violent, profane amalgam of Spider-Man and Superbad that revolves around American high-school student and comic fan Dave Lizewski (Aaron Johnson, from Nowhere Boy, with an impeccable accent) who dresses up as a superhero to fight crime, becoming a web phenomenon as a result. Yet his methods pale next to the dynamic duo of Damon MacCready aka Big Daddy (Nicolas Cage, channelling Adam West’s Batman) and his pre-teen assassin daughter, Mindy aka Hit-Girl (13-year-oldChloe Moretz), who take an extreme approach to crime-fighting.

Despite Hollywood’s current love of all things comic book, Vaughn, who’d previously flirted with directing both X Men: The Last Stand and Thor, was turned down by every studio he approached for financing. "They thought it was a 'betweener', because it’s not a kids’ movie and not really an adult film," explains Vaughn, who adapted the comic with his writing partner (and wife of Jonathan Ross) Jane Goldman. "They didn’t like Hit-Girl. They didn’t like the violence, the fact that it was an 11 year old killing and swearing."

Bourne again?

Is Green Zone really the unofficial fourth Bourne movie as the adverts and promotional campaign are trying to suggest? Most definitely not. That said, there is much to admire in this third collaboration between Matt Damon and director Paul Greengrass, but I wasn't bowled over by it like some, nor did I tire of the shakycam action sequences as others seem to have. However, I did wonder, What was the point of it all? Other than Greengrass seemingly wanted to do two things: 1) hammer home the fact that we were all lied to regarding the WMDs in Iraq (or rather the absence of WMDs in Iraq) which we all knew anyway; and 2) have an Iraqi character say to an American — and I'm paraphrasing here — "We don't need you to tell us what to do with our country".

Film review: Kick-Ass (****)

A costumed crime-fighter stands atop a New York skyscraper. As the music swells, stoking memories of Superman with Metropolis laid out before him, this chap in grey and yellow spreads his blood-red wings and takes off, plummeting headfirst towards the fast-approaching pavement. At any moment, we think, he’s going to pull out of this swan-dive and fly up, up and away... But, he smashes onto the roof of a taxi with a bone-crunching SPLAT!

Welcome to Kick-Ass, a comic-book movie where no power equates to no responsibility; where wannabe superheroes fall foul of gravity and get the crap kicked out of them by ordinary street trash. Written by Scottish scribe Mark Millar (Wanted), the original Kick-Ass comic was an instant hit when the first issue appeared in early 2008, outselling even Spider-Man. No wonder, really; Millar mined a conceit so brilliant yet so simple – real superheroes in the real world – you had to ask yourself why no one had stumbled across it before.

The writer describes it as his “love letter to superhero comics” and reckons the film version will “redefine superhero movies in the same way Pulp Fiction redefined crime movies”. Talk about setting yourself up for a fall. But you know what? He’s not too wide of the mark. Kick-Ass is the most refreshing thing to happen to spandex cinema in years, a profane, violent, gory, gleeful romp that’s as OTT as it is un-PC. It pokes a sharp stick in the eye of po-faced, ‘dark’, ‘edgy’ super-flicks and shrieks, “Why so serious? Let’s have some fun for a change.”

It is, inevitably, an origin story. Geeky high schooler Dave Lizewski (Aaron Johnson) lives a Peter Parkeresque existence with his widowed dad, hanging out with his mates at the local comic shop, jerking off to his voluptuous teacher, and wondering why no one’s ever tried dressing up as a superhero in real life. “Because they’d get their ass kicked,” he’s told, matterof- factly. Not to be put off, Dave buys a green ski-suit from eBay and sets out to prove it can be done...

Alas, his early attempts at righting wrongs ends with him in intensive care. Meanwhile, across town, two well-armed, well-trained, clearly not that well in the head agents of justice are plotting the downfall of mobster Frank D’Amico (Mark Strong). Meet ex-cop Damon Macready AKA Big Daddy (Nicolas Cage) and his 11-year-old sidekick Mindy, AKA Hit Girl (Chloe Moretz). They’re father and daughter, mentor and student, an alt-rock Batman and Robin.

Their undeniably twisted but deeply affectionate relationship is the heart of the movie. In one defining moment unlikely to win the support of the NSPCC, Damon lovingly fires a semi-automatic handgun at the chest of his Kevlar-wearing moppet. Today’s lesson? How to take a bullet. Your brain will tell you this scene is very wrong. But you’ll be cackling too loudly to hear it.

It’s all about tone – dark enough to be anarchic, playful enough to amuse – and director Matthew Vaughn has it down pat. Honing storytelling skills first flexed on Layer Cake and Stardust, Vaughn ensures none of the source material’s graphic novelty is lost in translation. (Perhaps no big surprise given that the script – by himself and Jane Goldman – was adapted concurrently with the writing of the comic’s first six-issue arc.)

Working with a much smaller budget than Hollywood usually signs off on such fare, Vaughn doesn’t even try and compete in terms of scale, focusing instead on tone character and dialogue. His set-pieces – and there are tons – rely more on physicality than digi-trickery, and are all the punchier for it.

As the plot pounds along, the worlds of Kick-Ass and Big Daddy/Hit Girl collide. What’s more, another masked vigilante emerges – Red Mist (Superbad’s Christopher Mintz-Plasse), a flash-cardriving upstart with a hidden agenda. Spoilt, snotty and bumbling, it’s Mintz- Plasse’s chewiest role since McLovin - not that there’s any stealing the show from Moretz’s Hit Girl. Think Natalie Portman in Leon without the brooding. Slashing baddies down to size with martial arts moves and a mouth foul beyond her years, she’s deadly funny.

By contrast, Kick-Ass himself is a tad dull, though Johnson’s transformation (and American accent) thoroughly convince. Cage, a massive comic-book fan who missed his chance to play the Man Of Steel when the plug was pulled on Tim Burton’s proposed movie, here gets to channel the Caped Crusader. The costume’s an obvious Dark Knight nod, while the voice is a subtler gag, a spot-on Adam West impersonation.

It’s that kind of movie, one that works on multiple levels: in-jokes for the fanboys, straight-up kicks for the Saturday nighters, fun for all.

Hyper-violent, hyper-knowing and just plain hyper, Kick-Ass marks a bold costume-change for the superhero movie but veers clear of pastiche or parody. For best results, view with a large audience. You will cheer. Guaranteed.

* Review originally published in Total Film.